In Flanders’ Fields

In school, I never truly appreciated Remembrance Day when it came around.  I was more thankful for the day off than I was for the ceremonies that took place and the veterans standing wearing their uniforms.  But now, as an adult, and after watching our country and our neighbors go to war on several occasions, as well as having met several friends in the military, I see Remembrance Day in a different light.  I think on the soldiers who lost their lives so many years ago, and on the current members of our armed forces who work so hard to keep our country safe.  I do not agree with our troops being sent to fight a battle over the many petty and selfish causes that concern us today (oil, pride, monetary gain, etc.) but I do feel proud to know men and women who patrol our waters keeping our seas safe from pirates and smugglers, or who dropped everything and hopped onto the first ship taking volunteers to Haiti after the earthquake.

I am thankful for their sacrifice, for the labors of their family.  I pray for their safety and remember them today.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved, and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders Fields.

– John McCrae

A Simple Birthday

My beloved and I share the same birthday.  In fact, our birthday has a lot of strange coincidences involved in it. But today, we celebrate my 29th and his 37th.  Because we are trying to keep things frugal and simple, we decided to skip any extravagant gifts or dinners out.  We are happy to have each other and Naomi.  That will do us just fine.

I have been working on my knitting.  I just started teaching myself last year.  I had been working on a knit scarf for him since last year.  Most of it was done while I was pregnant and/or breastfeeding this past year.  I finally got it completed today.  It’s on 10mm needles (I used the wrong size) and while it is very thin width-wise, it’s actually very thick and warm.  I cannot wait to see Michael model it for me.

I also wanted to attempt a cake.  I can bake bread in no time flat. C ookies aren’t much trouble either.  But cakes have always seemed a little daunting to me.  However, growing up, my mom made a delicious peanut butter cake for us on occasion that I thought would be perfect to share today.  So I sorted through numerous recipes and chose this one (by the way, the post before the cake recipe is worth the read!).  It was a work in progress all day.  Every time Naomi went for a nap, I worked on it.  When she went for her big nap in the morning, I got all the ingredients ready, so when she woke up, I could run the mixer and put it together quickly.  I also got the frosting done.  During her second nap, I was able to put the cake together.  I baked them in two square pans, instead of one big cake pan.  This made them a little thinner, but it made a double layer cake.  I can’t wait to try it.  I’ll post a review of it after supper.

Supper itself is a pot of beef and rice that I have also had going throughout the day.  Once Michael comes home, we’ll have a good meal, a slice of cake, and spend our evening playing with our baby girl and relaxing.  I am anticipating a lovely, simple birthday.  🙂