Post by cam83 on Mar 23, 2005 1:19:18 GMT -5
Chapter Forty-Five
They were planning a 6 week trip across Canada with all 6 children. It required a lot of preparation and planning, but Karen enjoyed doing this. She loved the fact, that she was now a normal woman. There was no worry of having to be on watch for the next single's chart position, album position, or what awards she was nominated for, or for showing up at the next Hollywood production, which meant that she would be busy daily going here and there. She was just glad for the rest.
They started their Canadian trip in British Columbia, and were just mesmorized by the beauty of those mountains, the landscape, the wildlife…everything in fact. They travelled to Victoria, Vancouver and down the Number One Highway which led from one end of Canada to the other, ending with the Maritime provinces. They continued on to Alberta, and travelled to Calgary and got a chance to see the world famous Calgary Stampede Rodeo. They also went up on the CN tower. Then it was off to North Alberta where they visited Edmonton, and the highlight for everyone, especially the kids was visiting West Edmonton Mall, which was in fact, the biggest mall they had ever been to. Karen was very impressed. In all her years of world travelling, she had never seen such a place before. It was huge. They decided to stay at the Hotel there connected to the mall, which also housed Fantasyland, with a rollercoaster, and a water park. They spent about 4 days there, and Karen just went on a shopping spree. She really enjoyed herself. She bought tons of gifts for her friends and family…and even spent hundreds of dollars buying postcards and greeting cards. They carried on the Number One to Saskatchewan, and passed thru Swift Current, and decided to stay for a week at Katie and Daniel, who were so thrilled to see the entire family. They were still finalizing plans to move to California, with selling their home and all that stuff. Now that they were retired , they were looking forward to their lives together. Seeing them, Karen wanted the happiness and love they had for each other, to be like that for her and Jon in the years to come, although they were far from old.
Catharine and Derrick came down, with their family, and it was great to see them, even though the sadness was still evident in their eyes. Karen and Catharine drew closer as sisters in law. They had many heart to heart talks about how Catharine was really faring, the guilt she felt. She also apologized to Karen for blaming her for Kristi's weight loss. Even though, Karen shrugged it aside saying it was nothing, she was nonetheless relieved to hear it. They both shared in the grief that each other was facing. To Karen, it reminded her painfully how close she ahead come with own battle with anorexia.
Other siblings of Jon's managed to come down for the mini reunion, so that was quite nice, plus it was excellent for the kids, who got to play with their many cousins, and develop friendships that would last a life time. There was ample room to run around, explore the whole property, check out the creek, which surrounded some of the property, and the kids under the watchful eyes of some of the older cousins, went paddle boating. At night time, there would be barbecues with an evening full of songs of campfire songs. Several of the families had brought tents along, and so these were for the kids who wanted to sleep outside, although the adults had to wonder at how the kids managed to have a full day of playing on so very little sleep. Daniel, who would be turning 5 in just a few short months, wanted to be added to the list of children, who would be sleeping outside.
"Please Mommy! Can I sleep outside? Jenny is, and she's a girl!" asked Daniel. Karen had to laugh, and later shared the joke with the rest of the older family, at how Daniel was indignant that Jenny, his cousin got to sleep outside and he didn't. Not a very strong argument, but nonetheless funny.
"Well…okay. Just because Jenny is a girl, doesn't mean that she can't sleep outside as well. Just because you are a boy, doesn't mean that you are better than her, right?" instructed Karen to her son, with his blonde hair bleached more so by being constantly outside. Danny hugged his mother and ran to tell his other cousins that he got to sleep outside as well.
Little Lindsay, with her pony-tailed brown hair wanted the same privilege, but Karen had to say no, because she was way too young. Karen gave her daughter a hug and a kiss, when she saw Lindsay's little red mouth begin to quiver, and two tears quickly rolled out her eyes.
"Lindsay. I'm sure we can make a tent inside the house for all of you little guys. How does that sound? But you have to promise me that you will sleep. I don't want a little grouchy girl by the name of Lindsay tomorrow, right? Asked Mother. Lindsay nodded happily.
Kids! Thought Karen to herself, which brought a smile to her face. They gave her so much joy, and so much love. She thought back to the early years as a young woman, and how she loved kids, but now, she knew that it went deeper than love. There was a commitment there as well, and the unconditional love that a parent had to their child. How did she survive without having kids. She knew that if she had gotten married earlier, she would have had at least 10 if not more kids. They were her life.
She went into the kitchen to help Katie and some of Jon's sisters help prepare supper for the barbecue. They were going to have steaks and and baked potatoes with salads. It was going to be a nice dinner, with a wiener roast for all the kids. Some of the family was heading back to their homes tomorrow, bring a close to all the festivities, so tonight was a night to remember. They stayed several more days and then it was finally time to continue on with their journey across Canada.
The goodbyes on the morning of their departure was hard on everyone, but goodbyes must be done, and they were. Katie, being the mother hen that she was, made sure they had an ample source of food supplies for their trip. Sandwiches, drinks, fruit, cut vegtables and other snacks were prepared and Karen just went and gave her mother in law a hug and said, "Thank you for all you've done. You are just so wonderful! We love you!" said Karen, who had no problem expressing her innermost feelings with Katie.
They were planning a 6 week trip across Canada with all 6 children. It required a lot of preparation and planning, but Karen enjoyed doing this. She loved the fact, that she was now a normal woman. There was no worry of having to be on watch for the next single's chart position, album position, or what awards she was nominated for, or for showing up at the next Hollywood production, which meant that she would be busy daily going here and there. She was just glad for the rest.
They started their Canadian trip in British Columbia, and were just mesmorized by the beauty of those mountains, the landscape, the wildlife…everything in fact. They travelled to Victoria, Vancouver and down the Number One Highway which led from one end of Canada to the other, ending with the Maritime provinces. They continued on to Alberta, and travelled to Calgary and got a chance to see the world famous Calgary Stampede Rodeo. They also went up on the CN tower. Then it was off to North Alberta where they visited Edmonton, and the highlight for everyone, especially the kids was visiting West Edmonton Mall, which was in fact, the biggest mall they had ever been to. Karen was very impressed. In all her years of world travelling, she had never seen such a place before. It was huge. They decided to stay at the Hotel there connected to the mall, which also housed Fantasyland, with a rollercoaster, and a water park. They spent about 4 days there, and Karen just went on a shopping spree. She really enjoyed herself. She bought tons of gifts for her friends and family…and even spent hundreds of dollars buying postcards and greeting cards. They carried on the Number One to Saskatchewan, and passed thru Swift Current, and decided to stay for a week at Katie and Daniel, who were so thrilled to see the entire family. They were still finalizing plans to move to California, with selling their home and all that stuff. Now that they were retired , they were looking forward to their lives together. Seeing them, Karen wanted the happiness and love they had for each other, to be like that for her and Jon in the years to come, although they were far from old.
Catharine and Derrick came down, with their family, and it was great to see them, even though the sadness was still evident in their eyes. Karen and Catharine drew closer as sisters in law. They had many heart to heart talks about how Catharine was really faring, the guilt she felt. She also apologized to Karen for blaming her for Kristi's weight loss. Even though, Karen shrugged it aside saying it was nothing, she was nonetheless relieved to hear it. They both shared in the grief that each other was facing. To Karen, it reminded her painfully how close she ahead come with own battle with anorexia.
Other siblings of Jon's managed to come down for the mini reunion, so that was quite nice, plus it was excellent for the kids, who got to play with their many cousins, and develop friendships that would last a life time. There was ample room to run around, explore the whole property, check out the creek, which surrounded some of the property, and the kids under the watchful eyes of some of the older cousins, went paddle boating. At night time, there would be barbecues with an evening full of songs of campfire songs. Several of the families had brought tents along, and so these were for the kids who wanted to sleep outside, although the adults had to wonder at how the kids managed to have a full day of playing on so very little sleep. Daniel, who would be turning 5 in just a few short months, wanted to be added to the list of children, who would be sleeping outside.
"Please Mommy! Can I sleep outside? Jenny is, and she's a girl!" asked Daniel. Karen had to laugh, and later shared the joke with the rest of the older family, at how Daniel was indignant that Jenny, his cousin got to sleep outside and he didn't. Not a very strong argument, but nonetheless funny.
"Well…okay. Just because Jenny is a girl, doesn't mean that she can't sleep outside as well. Just because you are a boy, doesn't mean that you are better than her, right?" instructed Karen to her son, with his blonde hair bleached more so by being constantly outside. Danny hugged his mother and ran to tell his other cousins that he got to sleep outside as well.
Little Lindsay, with her pony-tailed brown hair wanted the same privilege, but Karen had to say no, because she was way too young. Karen gave her daughter a hug and a kiss, when she saw Lindsay's little red mouth begin to quiver, and two tears quickly rolled out her eyes.
"Lindsay. I'm sure we can make a tent inside the house for all of you little guys. How does that sound? But you have to promise me that you will sleep. I don't want a little grouchy girl by the name of Lindsay tomorrow, right? Asked Mother. Lindsay nodded happily.
Kids! Thought Karen to herself, which brought a smile to her face. They gave her so much joy, and so much love. She thought back to the early years as a young woman, and how she loved kids, but now, she knew that it went deeper than love. There was a commitment there as well, and the unconditional love that a parent had to their child. How did she survive without having kids. She knew that if she had gotten married earlier, she would have had at least 10 if not more kids. They were her life.
She went into the kitchen to help Katie and some of Jon's sisters help prepare supper for the barbecue. They were going to have steaks and and baked potatoes with salads. It was going to be a nice dinner, with a wiener roast for all the kids. Some of the family was heading back to their homes tomorrow, bring a close to all the festivities, so tonight was a night to remember. They stayed several more days and then it was finally time to continue on with their journey across Canada.
The goodbyes on the morning of their departure was hard on everyone, but goodbyes must be done, and they were. Katie, being the mother hen that she was, made sure they had an ample source of food supplies for their trip. Sandwiches, drinks, fruit, cut vegtables and other snacks were prepared and Karen just went and gave her mother in law a hug and said, "Thank you for all you've done. You are just so wonderful! We love you!" said Karen, who had no problem expressing her innermost feelings with Katie.
