Month: November 2012

Some days I have planned out in advance, some days I don’t. But some days someone reminds me what it is to be completely selfless and give until their hearts burst. Tonight I am thanking someone I haven’t seen since junior high. It’s almost been 10 years. But through the magic of facebook we manage to keep in touch. I love seeing her adventurous life through pictures! The benefit of social media and what it should be truly used for. Tonight I used the same tool to get a message out to my own mother. Simply that I missed her and would give her a hug if only I could.

In return I received a message from this friend. Who happens to be a  flight attendant. And in this little message she gave one of the biggest gifts. The opportunity to make this hug a reality. This is not the first time she has offered up buddy passes. Nor the second. This is the third time she has gifted me {through my mom} with buddy passes. For those of you who do not know how a buddy pass works, it gives you a free flight, you only pay taxes. Is there a bigger gift possible? Nope! Three times. And I havent seen her in 10 years. That adds up to 100% selfless.

I love the above quote. I think it suits this situation to a T. I will never be able to replay you for all the memories we’ve made with these buddy pass trips. The joy it will put back this weekend. Not only for myself, but for Sawyer and my mom. Thank you so much Krista!

You’ll never know how much this meant to us.

Thank You.

This is a big one. I have thanked some of you personally for this but I wanted to do a big post about it. Again. Because I can never repay the kindness that was shown to me during our toughest days. When we were sitting in that hospital sterile waiting room, I felt like I was surrounded by our friends and family. It was unbelievable watching the messages literally pouring in. People we had not spoken to in years, friends of friends, co-workers of family, complete strangers. I cannot even begin to describe how much strength it gave me.

If you were one of the lucky few who got to speak to me directly that week you were aware of the one rule I enforced. There was to be no crying. My poor mother and sister in law, did not enjoy this rule. But for me I knew if I opened that gate, it would overflow with emotion. So I didn’t cry. Not once in the PICU. It’s not to say I wasn’t emotionally torn by seeing Sawyer in this way. I was just being what he needed me to be. Crying wasn’t going to help, so I couldn’t.

Recently I went back and read every message again. Every comment on the blog, every private message, every status shout out, every comment on all the pictures and every wall post. This time I did cry. I could barely get through them. Your words all meant to much in the moment. Looking back on them, they mean even more. And I was deeply moved to see how many people wrote daily messages. It took 30 seconds out of your life, and you may not have thought about it much. But know that it did and still does, mean the world to me. I am in the process of recording all of them to put in his memory book, because I want to be able to show him how many people around the world were thinking of him.

So this is a sincere thank you to everyone who reached out to us, in every way. Thank you for helping me take on the world. I could not have done it without every single one of you. Thank You.

{To see previous Giving Thanks Project 2012 edition’s click here. One. Two. Three.}

Dear Wonderful friend.

I won’t be posting your name since it’s a little personal and I have not asked permission. I was going to write you a little note last night since I have been thinking lots of you. But today is your birthday so much more fitting that you get a BIG message! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

What’s even more exciting than your birthday, is someone else’s birthday. As you prepare to have a very emotional delivery due to medical diagnoses, I am reliving our medical roller coaster ride. So I do not envy you as you begin this journey. But I know you are stronger than you could ever imagine. And this new little boy is getting the best Momma ever. You will get through this and into the best days of a new baby so soon!

You inspire me daily. And even more often I find myself wishing we lived closer, let alone in the same country. {Though we both know we would be up to too much trouble as well as broke!} I treasure that we have stayed so close through the ever expanding distance between us. I dream of the day we get together again!

But since this is a thank you post {part of the Giving Thanks 2012 project} I wanted to take the time to really thank you. For the countless little packages I’ve received from afar. A head band, a Christmas box of goodies for Sawyer, I recently found a Christmas card from 2009 from you! For all the wonderful cheerleading memories with you! Maybe even credit you with the beginning of Brandon and I’s relationship, through all those Moxie’s coaching dinner’s! You have been with me through so much, and we have so much to look forward to together.

You were and still are big part of my life. I wish for you only the best. Truly. You are one of the few 100% good people out there. And I am blessed for having you in my life. I hope everyone you know appreciates you. And if they don’t now you know that I do.

I’ll be thinking of you until I see that beautiful boy’s face with your smiling one right beside it. {If only on facebook!}

FOR EVERYTHING.

I’ve been really enjoying this ‘Give Thanks’ personal project. But I missed two days, on purpose? I knew I was setting aside two days in a row. Since these are two people I wanted to thanks are very important but neither could come come first. {I didn’t want to hear you whine about which place you came in for the next 2 years…Dad!} So tonight I am honoring the two people I need to thank the most.

Collectively for all you gave me as a family. I am so grateful for growing up in a loving home. For all the privileges I may have taken advantage of in my lifetime. I especially want to thank you for the experiences you gave me through travelling. You both worked so hard to give us this gift and in the moment I never knew how much it would mean. You literally gave me the world. And I do appreciate it! It has also inspired a need to give my children the same. I cannot wait to one day see my kids playing on the beach in Sandpoint, riding the wooden roller coasters at Silverwood, and eating whatever they want on their birthdays at the panhandler.

As for individually:

Dad– For being the only dad, and my biggest supporter throughout my cheerleading addiction. Grade 10 through all-star. Calgary, Airdrie, Edmonton, even Vancouver. 5 years. I can’t even tell you how much those years meant to me and you were with me through it all. Thank You.

Mom– You didn’t get to come to all my cheerleading event’s because you made a commitment to be at Kimmy’s volleyball games and Mainstage performances. You can’t be in two places at  once and in order to make sure your kids got to be involved in their hearts desires, you put in hour’s, and heart and soul into your business. You worked hard so you could provide for your family. You gave up time with us, to provide us with the best possible life. Not something every mom does. Thank You.

Dad– For all the fun event’s through the hot rod club that you took us too. Valve cover racing, toy run’s, dressing up at every summer’s big show, {not every kid gets to chase their dad with light saber’s while he’s pretending to be Darth Vader!} Even dragging us along to all the ‘show and shines.’ It instilled my love for the 50’s and started my dream of owning a ’57 Bel Air. {One Day!} But you outdid yourself when you secretly got that Red Rag Top for my wedding day. It was the perfect gift and a memory I will treasure forever. Thank you.

Mom– For doing my hair for 25 years. The greatest gift for a girl. You give me confidence through my hair. From all the perm’s when I was too little to fit in the salon chairs. {Who knew that bone straight hair would end up in ringlet’s anyways} The incredible hairstyles no other mom could possibly attempt. Making my hair into a bow, every possible braid. Dying my hair every possible color under the rainbow in junior high. For my amazing hair at graduation, that got compliments from everyone in attendance. And then recreating it {4 times} for my wedding day. You made me look and feel like a princess on one of the biggest day’s of my life. And you made me feel just as amazing the day Sawyer was born, when I had my hair freshly colored and cut the same morning! For that and continuing to do my hair every time till this day. Thank You.

Dad– For taking us to every single playground in Calgary. Especially the Saturday’s that we spent hours riding our bikes up the longest hill in the world, just to get ice cream Slurpee’s. They were the best bribe of our childhood. Thank You

Mom– For introducing me to the love of scrapbooking, and eventually my love of photography to fill those albums. Both have been such a big part of who I am. I am continually growing in both hobby’s, and love sharing it with you. Thank you for taking me to Inspiration Unlimited this year, I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to next year with you! Thank You.

Dad– For having special Daddy/Daughter weekends that didn’t involve tea parties and care bears. Instead on those few weekend’s where mom and Kimmy were away, we rented the star wars trilogy and had bottomless orange pop floats. Memories that will last a life time. And also you must have been brave to take me on solo after that much orange pop 😉 Thank You.

Mom– For also having Mommy/Daughter weekends that did involve all the girly things. And bless your heart for trying to make that inking sewing machine work every time. You brought movie marathon’s into my favorite childhood memories too. I will always have to sing along with any song with Grease, {and Grease 2!} because of those special one on one times. Thank You.

Dad– For custom building anything and everything I find on the Internet. I can only promise more requests as your grandchildren grow. It is only your fault after letting us see all the amazing kids room’s in the magazines at home depot. For the past projects, and for all the future ones too. Thank you.

Mom– For using your time off to always visit me and now Sawyer. I am the luckiest daughter to have moved so far away from home and still get to see family as often as I do. It is a huge gift that I will never be able to repay. Thank You.

Time is the greatest gift. Something we can never hold, never collect, never get back. I am not thanking you for monetary gifts, because what has meant the most in my 25 years, is the memories. You gave me an amazing childhood, a safe and grounded {literally} adolescence, a responsible conscience in adulthood, and now the magic in a grandparent/grandchild relationship. Thank you for everything. Thank you.

{the very thanksgiving in 2003}

PS. and thanks mom for so many year’s ago making teenager’s sit down and write a list of thing’s we were grateful for thanksgiving 2003. Even if we spent more time laughing together about sarcastic answers than finishing your project. Some how almost 10 years later it still has stuck in my mind, and look at the project it has inspired! Thank you.

PPS. I guess I should thank both of you for also giving me a sister, and best friend. Though I know dad wanted a son, you got the best of both worlds with Kimmy 😉 Thanks for having a family. Thanks for being the best family.

This is a project I have wanted to do for awhile now. {And I am actually seeing something similar pop up on facebook this month too. Which is great!} I think too many people now a days are not thankful for the everyday things. I am guilty of it too. We tend to think of ourselves first and don’t realize that we are all so very fortunate compared to many. So for 25 days in November I am  thanking people who make a difference in my life. Sometimes they are close family and friends, other times they are complete strangers, like the lady at the grocery store who ALWAYS tries to make Sawyer smile. Sometimes its a simple post it, and other times they come with little extra’s, like cupcakes, candy bars, or crafts. I would be touched to be thought of in this way, so I want these people to know they make my life a little brighter.

So today I’m writing a long distance thank you. To my sister. Who was at one time my best friend, and after years of personal struggle has worked hard to regain that friendship. I want to tell you I am so proud of the person you have become today. And have seen the great distance you have gone in the last year. {Go You!} Watching you with Braxton makes me heart grow {Three times its size! It’s almost Christmas you know!} You are already such a good Mom, and I know you will only continue to bloom. I treasure that we are finally close again. And am enjoying all our long distance chats lately. I can’t tell you how much you mean to me, and I am so blessed to have you back in my life.

I know I dont tell you this enough, I love you. Thanks for being a wonderful Auntie and a great part of my life.

It’s come and gone. The candy has all been eaten, the decorations gone. But there is many memories that will stay in my heart. And thankfully! I captured them all on camera. {My sister in law is convinced Sawyer is the most photographed child on earth. She thinks my next child will be picture deprived compared to him. I think she’s in for a shock when the next, and next, and next are even more photographed!} But I will admit, I am a hoarder when it comes to pictures. But in the end they are all you’re left with, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything. This was our first year going door to door. And Sawyer loved it. Running down the driveway’s more than collecting candy, but we did a whole block. He walked the entire thing! Didn’t even let me hold his hand, his own little self already! It was a fantastic night, I hope yours was as spook-stastic!

And every year on Halloween, after I plan my costume for weeks. And beg Brandon to get into a last minute one an hour before we leave, {I do always win on that one!} Every year we take a picture just the two of us, always the same self portrait angle. And now after 5 pictures we are building quite the collection. This is definitely my favorite Halloween tradition. And I cant wait to continue growing this memory and watch us grow through the years!

Happy Halloween Everyone!

{LET THE CHRISTMAS SEASON BEGIN!}