Author Archives: Melissa

happiness

In the tree 

Jenna had her friend over last night for a sleep over. Finally she has made the great girlfriend here that she prayed for.  The two are such a great combination. They laugh well together and do an amazing job of supporting each other. Both have had some family shit go on over the past couple of years and they speak the same language when it comes to that. 

This morning I was looking for them so we could leave. It took me a while but finally I found them here: 


It brought back great memories of my childhood – climbing trees behind the house with my cousin. I’m so thankful this is her childhood.  My happiness moment. 

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Candy candy

We took a girl trip to Banff this evening for fondue and the candy store. Jenna’s BFF is just about the best girl one could hope to have as a friend and it delivers me to hear them having fun together.  I got a nice visit with my mom which I really enjoyed. We are fortunate that we have such a great place to run away to so easily – even more fortunate that we have loved ones to run away with. It was cheesy happiness. 


I had another happiness moment earlier today as I broke bread with one of my favourite people. Heart balancing happiness – it is good. 

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The cousin thing 

I know I talk about it all the time, but it is such a huge blessing to be back here at home surrounded by our tribe. After so many years spent feeling ungrounded and uncertain I will never, ever take for granted the love that comes from our people. 

Moving around so much it was a constant effort to make new friends and establish ourselves. Now when we go into town we always see people we know, we live in a yard filled with family, and see loved ones on the road every day. 

This morning I received a text from a cousin asking if we could meet for coffee after school drop off. We did, it was a really fun and very quick catch up. We are the same age and have 45 years of shared memories (well, she has a few months more…) which makes for a very real and special kind of friendship. 

This evening Jenna headed off on her bike with her cousin. They’re forming the same kind of bond that my sister and I have with our cousins and it warms my soul to see this happen. I’m so happy for both kids that they are living in an area surrounded by people who love them. A big happiness moment this evening watching those two take off laughing. 

I followed slowly on foot. It was a gorgeous evening. 

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Weeeeeeee

The kids and I were in the grocery store today after school when they began their typical song and dance bugging me for gelato. I kept saying no and Jacob responded with I’m just going to say weeeeeeeeeeeee in your ear until you say yes. 

This weeeeeeee that he does is in some weirdly pitched cartoon like voice that he knows drives me bananas. So he starts doing it and I get the giggles so badly I have to stop walking. It gets better when there is a softer weeeeeeeee heard from the direction of the bulk foods. Some teenage girl is answering his call. They weeeeeeeeee back and forth for quite some time while Jenna and I lean against the shelf laughing. It was a gut busting happiness moment. 

The evening was made complete  with a beautiful fall walk along the road I love so much. It is such a blessing that we are here, we are safe, we are in our tribe again. 

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Down the hill

This afternoon the kids took advantage of the beautiful weather and went down the hill to the creek for a swim. It’s the 13th of September which is significant for two reasons. First – it’s super late in the year to even be thinking about going in the creek. Second – it’s Internet appreciation day at our house. This means it’s the day of the month when our crappy internet rolls over and we can actually get online again. Last month we ran out of our horrifyingly low data 10 days into the month. 

I had expected the kids to want to soak up all the streaming they could so I was incredibly happy to see them outside enjoying Mother Nature instead. Hearing them giggle and seeing the smiles on their faces as they returned home from an afternoon of fun was my happiness moment today. 

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Pressure points

I spent some time today with my massage therapist. He’s working on releasing old and painful pressure points in my neck and hips. 

It’s so interesting to be able to share with him some of the energetic healing that is starting to happen in my body. It’s the result of a lot of work and a great support system coming together to help me out. The more at peace I become, the easier and more important it is that I let all that old crap go. 

The more I find I truly want to move ahead into love and peace the easier it becomes to understand how vital it is that all those old pains and hurts are pit to rest. 

My happiness moment today was laughing at supper as he and Jacob fought over the shredded cheese. It was a simple moment, which often are the best for pure happiness. It is good to embrace the joy in every day moments. 

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Reality break 

We are back home from our little reality break. It was so good to just leave all our stresses behind us and recharge for a couple of days. It’s the first real break the kids and I have taken since an overnight stay in Waterton in the summer of 2014. So much has happened since then, we needed some time that was just for fun. 

We have the added bonus of some new members in our tribe with whom we shared some of our getaway time. It’s fun watching relationships deepen, and an interesting bonus to see that bring about some  wounds healing.

I felt happiness the entire weekend, but I had an insightful moment wrapped up inside that joy today. Jacob and I were talking about watching a funny video and I said I wanted to watch it with him because it’s always so much better to laugh with someone. One of the littles jumped into the conversation with: that’s true it’s always so much better to laugh with two people.  In fact, one time I laughed with three people and that was the best laugh I’ve ever had. So true. We need people to laugh with. It’s why we need our tribe. 

As we were getting into bed tonight Jacob asked so when is our next staycation? I will assume that means this weekend was a hit. 

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Family day 

The phrase of the day today seems to be family day – and that is what we have had. A quiet but really fun day spent together. It’s become very obvious  lately how badly we needed some quiet time just enjoying each other’s company. Happy, happiness moment. 

As an added bonus, the figs are in at the Italian Centre and we had fig salad for supper. Done family style with everyone picking off the plate. Normally that grosses out germaphobe me, but today it seemed fitting. 

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Take a break 

We are on a much needed family staycation. It’s been an emotional week and we have all needed a break from the daily grind for a while. 

So far we have enjoyed a trip to the Itaian centre (yum), supper at his place, and a swim in the pool. It’s amazing how relatively little it takes to make it feel like a mini vacation – to let the stress of the daily grind go. We need to take the time to find more of these moments – ones that are spent just enjoying being with each other. I love that. 

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Movie night 

Tonight Jacob is out with his uncle watching a movie. These guy nights are so important to him and I’m incredibly grateful that there are these caring, strong men in my family. It happened to come on an evening when he really needed some time out and some laughter (the passing of his cat last week continues to be painful for him) and I am thankful that he’s having a good time. My happiness moment. 

I can’t think of a better place for us to be right now than safely engulfed by our tribe. I had a heart saving pick-me-up chat with him this evening when I was reminded of that. Sometimes those things are important to hear and to allow to be absorbed into my heart. We are home, we are safe, we are grateful. I miss my pastor, but I can hear the message she gave us all every week: we are loved children of God. 

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