Canada Day...almost. June 30, 2011

Canada Day is a significant day for me. It is of course the birthday of our country. My husband and I got married 11 years ago tomorrow on Canada Day, my nephew's birthday is July 1, and my father passed away 12 years ago tomorrow. Sometimes it feels like yesterday that Dad died, and in other ways it seems like a lifetime. So much has happened that he hasn't physically been here for. He missed his last grandsons first steps, first hockey game, first day of school, 11 Christmas' mornings, his grandchildrens weddings, births of their children, my great rise and fall in the business world, growing old with my Mother, having his son live close to home for the first time in his adult life, to see his daughter who struggled with academics all through grade school go on to University and hopefully College, to see his other daughter travel the world so fearlessly. He would have loved to see how close our family is, that I was with Derek and Jenna when Laurel was born, that his daughters are taking a trip together and how close and dedicated the kids are to each other and to me. All the growing and changing that has gone on for the past 12 years has been so great in our family. I know he's been with us, but feeling him just isn't the same as seeing him, talking to him. He was the one person that I really felt looked at the world with objective eyes, at least the last few years of his life. Those were our best years with him for sure. I know he would be the voice of reason when I'm at loose ends, or even when I'm looking to bounce something off someone who just had the gift of listening. My husband reminds me a bit of him, he's got alot of patience at his disposal and I give him a run for his money sometimes, but he rarely loses patience with me, and is a good listener. Tomorrow I will know that the breeze hitting my face is my Dad coming by to say "I'm right here, just like I always have been" and I will enjoy my day celebrating this glorious country we have the privledge to live in, feeling gratitude for this beautiful life with all it's pain and joy, it's abundance and choice, and the gift of family and friends that I am blessed to have. Knowing that everything is exactly as it is suppose to be, just like it always has been. I don't always get what I want, but I always get what I need.

Monday June 20, 2011-School, Wedding and Life-Oh My!



Me with my 6 amazing Kids, Samantha 19, Shawn 28, Christian 12, Racheal 25, Justin 27, Me an Tyler 23



The wedding was awesome! Everything went so well. Racheal looked beautiful, and everyone was healthy and happy! Danced till it ended. They went off to the Pocono's for their honeymoon. She had a weird dream about my Dad-her Popa on June 19 that was mostly positive, but also said that something was going to happen in 60 days and that she should not "go crazy". Turns out 60 days hits right on her birthday! Finished up school the following Friday June 17 with my final exam, which I think went well, haven't gotten any marks back yet, and I've registered for Philosophy and Business for fall. I was at my sisters for a girls week-end and just got back yesterday. The weather was amazing, although I felt stuffed up all week-end and slept just awful, even for me, but the company and surroundings were as wonderful as always so it's all good. On Saturday we went to Bloomfield and were sitting at a cafe for lunch when a man started choking behind us. To me he appeared to have a completely blocked airway, I didn't hear him talk or cough. His eyes had that crazed look of panic. Whoever was with him asked him if he could talk and he shook his head and indicated with his hands around his neck, so she went behind him and tried to do the Hemlich manoever but I've taken the rescue training several times and knew she had her hand placement all wrong, way too low, so after she did two pumps and he was still no better I told her she needed to put her hands higher, so she asked me if I knew how to do it and I said yes. I found the spot and gave him one hard pump(he was a slightly round firm bellied man) and I'm not sure if it went down or came out, but he immediately coughed a few times and seemed fine. I'm not sure if I helped or not but I'm glad he's ok.My arms were pretty sore from the effort and I felt a bit shakey right after, but everyone seemed to want to get back to "normal" and I just kept how I was feeling to myself. My mother went to see her breathing doctor and her lung function has gotten worse, not a surprise to us that know her, but I believe it was 27% worse than it was 3 years ago. I am to take her to get some tests done at the Hospital on August 9, the day before my sister and I fly to Nelson B.C. for a week. I am so looking forward to that trip! For this week, my clean for tomorrow got rescheduled to Thursday, so I'm doing 2 cleans on Thursday instead of 1 tomorrow and 1 Friday. That gives me 3 days to recover my strength, which is much better. Then Friday I have a workshop all day. Christians birthday party on Saturday, when his birthday was in January, so I'm a little behind but I'm getting there!

Day before the Wedding-June 10, 2011

It has been a hectic crazy fun filled few weeks. My course if coming to the end, that has been intense so I am happy to be near the end. In 6 weeks there will have been 12 lectures, 2 labs, 10 quizzes, 10 discussions to post, 11 assignments to hand in, and 2 exams. I honestly have gone out to clean most days and come straight back to the computer and been here till bedtime, all the while of course juggling wedding plans. The wedding, WOW the neverending wedding is here tomorrow! We had the rehearsal last night, at the church and back to the grooms parents. It was a lovely party. The parties have gradually been getting taming. The bachelorette was a 10+ crazy, the Jack and Jill alst week-end was a bit crazy, but lots of fun, and it raised $2200. for Racheal and Brian, which was awesome, and the party last night was just relaxing and low key, lots of great food and company. They gave out their gifts and Racheal had jewelry made for all the women. All custom made purple amethyst. I love mine, feels so personal. They gave the dads a golf storage beautiful wood unit, with engraved plaques. Will loves his, and is going to use it to store his camera equiment. Today is pedicures, I need to clean to house some, and it's not 8am and I've got my first back of cookies of the day for the wedding cookie table. Lots of people have dropped trays off here last night, and I've got about 6 batches to go here. Then tonight I think Cindy(Ken's sister who is a bridesmaid) and Sam and Racheal and Cassy(my grandaughter, the flowergirl) will watch chick flicks and hang out here. We went back to Kens(Racheal's dad and stepmom Pam's) house after to load up all the decorations in a U-haul and home around 11:00pm, then I had to finish studying for a test, and do the quiz online.  The weather has been so hot and muggy all week, but really chilly this morning. Calling for showers tomorrow, however we can't control the weather, so whatever it is will be great. Found out they fired another 2 people from my former company. A salesperson who has been with us for a few years, and is the one person that I thought had no agenda with others. She is a single mom of 4 girls, pretty quiet person normally, but seems like if you want to keep your job there, you need to be willing to be ruthless, loud and willing to sell your soul, so I'm glad she's out of there. Also a photographer who has been with us for a few years, thought she did a good job, got fired over an email. Too much. However onward and upward for me. I'm going to relax a good part of this day, get my toes polished up and enjoy my family.Blessing about!