Tag Archives: alberta

happiness

Soccer in the snow

The boy had his first away game today – with all the snow we’ve had things were a bit wet but at least this last round of rain/snow/thunder held off until after the game.

His team tries hard, as goalie he works hard and feels the brunt of any time the ball goes in the goal.

I am always impressed with the heart of this team, they keep going and trying their best. It’s a good life lesson in not giving up. You may not be winning, but if you quit you’re for sure losing. There were no quitters in the field today.

But there was a guy carrying a lot of red flags which made me giggle. I need to learn to pay attention to red flags haha

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happiness

Put on a happy face

I feel strongly that in order to truly feel happiness one must also feel all the other feelings. Inside Out did a great job of explaining that for us all and the movie was instrumental in learning to grieve properly after dad died.

So in the midst of gratitude, love, and peace, I also have this intense anger. Like I’m mad as f*ck.

And I need to acknowledge that. I refuse to be Facebook happy – you know where everyone pretends their life is perfect. Gratitude is essential to life, and I am happier than I was last year, happier than 4 years ago, and so much happier than 5 years ago when we were still trapped in that life.

But still, shattered pieces remain of that old life.

I’ve spent the last couple of months dealing with my lawyer again. We are having to take Mr. X back to court. Not only is he almost 70k behind in payments, he’s refusing to pay Section 7, and he’s refusing to say how he will he helping pay the boy’s tuition next year. The boy has worked hard to get into his program and it’s devastating for him that instead of an I am proud of you, son; that I have to take Mr. X to court.

Here’s the catch. If he refuses to pay his share of the tuition the boy won’t be able to go to school (he doesn’t qualify for loans since his dad earns so much money – haha what a joke that is) and if he doesn’t go to school, Mr. X doesn’t have to pay child support. You see where this is going right?

I had a conversation a while ago with someone who said to me that solo parenting must be so difficult since I never got a break.

I responded with, no- that’s not the hard part of it. The hard part is that my kids don’t have a dad. That is the hard part. The hard part is that the man who is supposed to love and protect them is hell bent on destroying them.

And my happiness moment is that inside all this anger and hurt and frustration- I know we will be ok. I know love will win, I know they are fantastic human beings who may be struggling with after effects of trauma, but they are absolutely amazing people who shine love into the world every chance they get.

Over and over I feel like The Who’s in Whoville – we will keep singing and we will keep healing.

And I will keep standing up to him.

I have to. My kids deserve better. So do I.

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happiness

Surprise snow day

We got pummeled with a snow storm last night. The roads were awful and they even closed most of the highways around us. Fortunately we had nowhere to go and were safely at home.

As a result we had a trapped in the house day today and spent quiet time doing quiet things. It was awesome, my soul feels more nourished and my body feels less tired.

Life happens in the little moments, it’s important to appreciate all of them.

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happiness

End games

When I picked the kids up from school this afternoon there was a great deal of concern that if they didn’t immediately see the new Avengers movie that someone would spoil it for them.

We managed to get to the city for the 4pm showing and the kids used gift cards they’d received from their very cool aunt and uncle (my cousin in law and cousin) to pay for us all to get in (added bonus! I was so excited I got us popcorn).

I won’t spoil the movie. But it was excellent. Lots of Tony Stark which was awesome in my books – but those movies never disappoint.

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How much is that puddy-cat in the window

The girl was reunited with her precious cat when we returned home. All the animals were happy to see us, but little Abu has a special relationship with my girl. She calls Abu her therapy animal, and I think they share an incredibly special bond. The two have been inseparable ever since.

This morning when I returned home from the school drop off I saw the saddest little face in our window

Little Abu staring outside looking for her girl.

Love is precious – it is the only thing that is real.

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Faith in humanity

We are sitting on our plane in Calgary having arrived safely from Victoria. On the way here a woman had a medical emergency – I’m not exactly sure what is going on

As we taxied in, the pilot asked us to remain seated so they could deal with the emergency safely.

The plane is full. Every single person sat in silence while they arranged for paramedics for this woman. They started to allow people off the plane who were in rows ahead of her, and again in silence people grabbed their belongings and departed.

The rest of us are quietly sitting here waiting for her to be assisted and taken to hospital.

We all get in a rush – to go somewhere, to go home, to get a connecting flight – or just get self absorbed sometimes.

I’m so inspired by the flight attentants and the other passengers who all have remembered that the health and safety of all of us is the most important thing at the end of the day.

Prayers for this woman. I hope she’s ok.

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She’s in love with the boy

Trisha Yearwood has made a reappearance on our driving playlist. This is one of my favorite songs, it’s stood the test of time for 28 years (I had to look that up, how can it be so long ago?)

I think of who I was when that song when came out and who I am now. 20 year old me never would have imagined driving the same road, listening to the same song, but with a car full of teenagers singing along – and the teenagers weren’t my friends, but my kids.

The more things change the more they stay the same

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happiness

Springtime in town

I have been scouring the ranch for crocuses. They seem to get harder and harder to find each year. My childhood riding instructor informed me that there were some growing in town – so today the girl and I went hunting.

We weren’t disappointed. These are one of my favorite flowers, and it’s a sure sign of spring.

It also reminds me of hours spent in the field looking for flowers with my dad. I sure miss him.

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Spring dance

I’m actually went out tonight – something that doesn’t happen very often these days. There was a spring dance in town and I went with a group of friends – some new, some old.

I’m now happily home in pjs while the die hards will dance well into the night, but I sure enjoyed the time i did spend out

While I was there I got a text from the girl describing how she’d spent the evening with her uncle watching him pull a calf, and save not only it’s life but that if it’s mom. The way she described what her uncle did, it was easy to tell he’d been somewhat of a hero in her eyes tonight. That’s how it should be.

This was from earlier in the day

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happiness

Soccer in the snow

Today the boy has his first soccer game of the season. In true Alberta form it has snowed all afternoon. And not just little flakes- huge, gigantic ones. It won’t last, but it sure was something to see it come down

Those boys were cold on the field, but it was easy to see how much they enjoy playing.

It does look rather like winter again though.

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