New week

I just couldn't get my act together to blog something that I am grateful for everyday. Last week was hard.
I'll try again. It's a new week.

Working backwards:
Today I am grateful for my husband who gets up early every morning, drives to work in the dark and cold, works all day and then comes home to help me with the house and kids. We decided when we had kids that it was important for me to be home with them and I am thankful that he works hard to support our family so that I can be.

Yesterday I got to go out for supper with three of my dearest friends. And although I tire of hearing about calorie counting (probably typical for a group of women our age but so frustrating) it was still a great night. I love my friends and am so grateful to have them in my life.

Saturday was relaxing rituals. Oh I am so grateful for a husband who lets me sleep in on Saturdays and who lets me unwind in a bubble bath if I need it in the evening. I love having a bath, enjoying a cup of tea and then curling up with a good book. So relaxing!

Friday was being grateful for water. Yes I am grateful that we don't have to worry about our drinking water or how we will have a bath or wash clothes etc.

Thursday was being grateful for a mentor. I can't pick one, there are so many women in my life who have helped me on this journey.
Of course my mom is the biggest influence in my life. We've always been close but we are closer now than ever since losing my dad. She is such a strong, smart wonderful woman. I can go to her with anything. She is the best mom and grandma.

My two grandmothers are great examples to me and I love them both. Both of my grandpa's died in 1995 - I've watched how my grandmothers have kept going and loved their families. They are both strong women and I am thankful that they are my heritage.

My mother in law is a huge blessing to me. I know she prays for us constantly and her faith encourages me. She is a great mom, mom in law and grandma. Just wish we got to see her more often!

My aunt whom I've always admired. One of her many admirable missions in life is body acceptance at any size. She has made me think a lot about this issue and I am grateful for that.

Lorna, my second mom when I was a teenager. She is one of the sweetest people I have ever met and I knew I could talk to her about anything.

Carol who is a surrogate sister, mom and grandma to so many who know her. I can talk to her about anything, she has such faith and loves unconditionally.

Others who have made a difference in my life: Joanne, Kim, Holly, Nicole, Bonnie, Joanne N, and my other friends who are so wonderful to me.

If my heart wasn't already broken...

This is a picture that my little sister drew a little while ago.



If you can't read it it says
My family
- Me Mom Dad (Happy) Happy Happy
My family without my Dad (Sad)
- Me Mom Sad Sad Very Sad

(and then there's a dinosaur or something beside my mom - not sure what that is? :) )

I am missing my dad lots right now. I don't mean to be depressing and don't even really tell people anymore. I know people think I/we should be "getting over it" already. It's been almost two years. But we miss him and feel his loss every single day.

I baked cookies with my little sister the other night. We talked about how dad liked black licorice allsorts. My sister and I would both always try them because they were so pretty and we liked the coloured candy parts but not the black licorice part.
She mentioned that she dreamt about dad the night before. I had dreamt about him as well so we thought that was kind of neat.

It makes me so sad that she doesn't have our dad for this part of her life. She doesn't have her daddy that she needs very much as she becomes a teenager. He won't be there to bug her about her crushes and her first boyfriend. He won't be there to bug the boys that come around and make them nervous when he takes his fake leg off.He's not here to help her make some of the most important decisions of her life. He won't be there to walk her down the aisle when she gets married.
Sad sad very sad.

Nov.15

Local Shop or Group

I'm grateful for all the stores we have in our little town. We can buy milk if we're out, get supper from the restaurant if we don't feel like cooking and buy almost anything you need from the Drugstore (snacks, medicine, cookbooks, toys, candles - you name it)

I am also grateful that we have a library in our town. And not just because I'm the librarian... :)

Nov.14

Yesterday was being grateful for Home Sweet Home...

I am grateful that my husband and I were able to buy our own home when we did. And as much as I complain about this 102 year old house, I am still thankful for it. It keeps us warm and sheltered, has room for us all and people always say it is "cute" when they walk in.


Today - Sunday Special - What am I thankful for right now?

Yesterday we spent time with my family, celebrating my little sister's 10th birthday. It was her birthday on Friday and they were spending last night at a hotel so the kids (my sister, nieces and nephew and mine) could swim.
I am so extremely grateful for a family that I love and that I love to spend time with. These past 20 months without my dad have been so hard, but I am grateful that we have stuck together and are still close.

Cultural Heritage #12

My Heritage:

I have a big mix - I am Russian, Polish, English, Scottish, Irish, Metis, American *gasp* (my grandmother's family came from the USA in the early 1900's) and probably some more in there. In the past couple of years we have found out that my great great grandmother was Jewish, married a Polish man and they decided to hide her Jewish heritage. We don't know the whole story, but the timing of it makes sense.

I love my Scottish history. I loved being in Scotland, the people are so wonderful and the country is so beautiful. So that is the one I relate to the most. I need to find out more about the rest of my heritage and am proud of it all. But I am most definitely a Proud Scotswoman!

My dad at my brother's wedding - so proud wearing a kilt!

two for one

oops.
I have a good excuse. really...

So #10
aha moment. I've had a couple lately but don't have time to write a novel.
I am slowly changing my views on a couple of things that I grew up thinking were black and white.
There are a lot of grey areas that need explaining to me. So I am searching, reading, praying and thinking. Will do a long post on this in the near future.

#11
Thankful for those who fought and those who lost their lives. My grandfather fought in WWII. He never talked about it. So many horrific things then and so many continuing now, in the Middle East, in Africa, all over the world.
War is horrible, I don't believe it is ever right. But today is a day of honouring and remembering.



Excuse: my kids are sick, snotty, coughing all hours of the day and night. My husband is sick. Our cat is sick. And I am lazy sometimes. That's my excuse.

#9

A Good friend you are thankful for.

I can't pick just one. I know it's a cop out and I'm lame.

But I am so thankful for all of my friends. You find out who your real friends are when tragedy strikes. I am so thankful for those who stuck by me.

My friends who: write me a note when they are thinking of me, watch my kids when they know I need a break, let me know they are praying for me, bring me flowers, pick up an item or two from Costco for us, stop by for a quick visit, phone me on my birthday, cry with me, listen to me whine, help me clean my house, love my kids, send me cards or letters, drive "all the way out" from Saskatoon to visit ;) and who love me no matter what.

Thanks friends.

Friends are those rare people who ask how you are and then wait for the answer.
~Author Unknown

It is the friends you can call up at 4 a.m. that matter. ~Marlene Dietrich

Friendship is a sheltering tree. ~Samuel Taylor Coleridge



*Phillip the cat update*
Phil is home!
We were ready to say goodbye. But when the vet called this morning, we were pleasantly surprised. She said he was doing a bit better on fluids and that we could bring him home and continue getting food into him. He also has to have fluids by IV once a day. (That will be my husband's job. He is a former body piercer. I can't stand stuff like that)