happiness

Focus on the family

Last evening, after the family party at my aunt’s place, extended family/neighbors ended up visiting mom at the same time we were there.

I remember talking to them years ago about their kids (who are now in their 30s), and he said that they didn’t do a lot of sleepovers or camps because they wanted to do things together as a family. That has stuck with me as I’ve been raising my kids. They do things with friends, but I’ve always tried to put a lot of emphasis on family time.

Last night we were talking about the community, the family, and getting older. We all agreed that getting older sucked more than we had thought, but also that it was lonelier than it had been in previous generations.

He said focus used to be on family and on the community. Now you are supposed to always be doing something outside of the home, when before it used to be important to do things at home with your family.

That is IT That’s the secret. We need to be spending more time building love bridges with our people and less time feeding our egos.

I’ve been thinking about that all day – as I worked with a family friend, as I played with my horse, as I chatted with a cousin, as I visited with my mom, and as I came home to the happy chatter of my kids.

It’s all about the tribe. It’s all about love and the relationships we build.

So in my childhood this man used to pull me out of stupid situations I’d get into with my horse (oh too many of them), and now he offers these little gems of wisdom. And both he and his wife walk the talk. They are two of the kindest people I know.

Happiness ❤️

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happiness

Shortbread cookies

My great aunt had her birthday party today. Twice a year her family hosts big community/family parties and they have become important hubs that pull the family together. Life has changed, it has become busier and we don’t always take the time we should to spend with our loved ones. This gives us an opportunity to do just that and I’m very grateful for that.

We visited, we laughed, we ate (omg the shortbread cookies at that house are to die for), and I even got a winter hat out of it!

It was fantastic. We are so lucky we are part of this tribe. Happiness.

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happiness

Love can build a bridge

I had the most touching moment as I was sitting with my mom tonight. As I was sitting there thinking what an honour it is to be her daughter, to be there with her, I had that old Judd’s song play through my mind.

I’d gladly walk across the desert

With no shoes upon my feet

To share with you the last bite

Of bread i had to eat

I would swim out to save you

In your sea of broken dreams

When all your hopes are sinkin’

Let me show you what love means

Love can build a bridge

Between your heart and mine

Love can build a bridge

Don’t you think it’s time?

Don’t you think it’s time?

I would whisper love so loudly, every heart could understand

Love and only love can join the tribes of man not trials

I would give my heart’s desire so that you might see

The first step is to realize that it all begins with you and me.

Love can build a bridge

Between your heart and mine

Love can build a bridge

Don’t you think it’s time?

Don’t you think it’s time?

When we stand together, it’s our finest hour

We can do anything, anything

We’re believing in the power

Love can build a bridge

Between your heart and mine

Love can build a bridge

Don’t you think it’s time?

Don’t you think it’s time?

Love can build a bridge

Between your heart and mine

Love can build a bridge

Don’t you think it’s time?

Don’t you think it’s time?

Love will overcome everything. It is the most powerful force in our lives, it is stronger than fear or hate. We should all be building bridges of love. I find this brings me a lot of peace. Thank goodness for my tribe – we are all building that bridge together. That is happiness.

Don’t you think it’s time?

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Handbells

Tonight we went to my old elementary school and watched the Christmas concert put on by my cousin. I’ve been trying to get to this concert for a couple of years now so it was well overdue

What a great concert she put on. The kids were all so well behaved and their performances were amazing. The parents were swaying in their seats and waving proudly at their kids.

It was an honor to be there to watch it.

And at the end we got to help put away the handbells. Handbells was my favorite part of elementary school and it was really fun to give the bells a little ring as I stood in the gym where I stood 40 years ago ringing handbells.

Being grounded and rooted – that is happiness.

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happiness

Healing tribe

I had calls today with two of the healers from my tribe. One I have known for a few years now and she’s held space for me as my life has gone through some huge changes. The other is part of the coaching tribe I have joined.

It’s amazing the space that was cleared in my soul today. I feel stronger and more capable of holding myself up and moving ahead with faith and hope. Happiness

Mom had a much better day today which is also a huge happiness moment. Keep the love coming.

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Dueling Christmas carols

We started to put up Christmas in the house today. This was accompanied by Christmas carols played and sang loudly. My all time favourite is Mary’s Boy Child, and the boy’s is O Christmas Tree. So we each played ours at top volume and sang out hearts out.

I realized as I was putting up our advent calendar how many wonderful Christmas traditions we have. Most of our away years we came home for the holidays, so most of our traditions are rooted here at the ranch already. Tomorrow we will get our lights up, soon we will get our tree, Christmas music will play until Boxing Day.

I found a photo taken maybe 5 or 6 years ago – my kids are standing in front of our house here and they look like it’s their home. Except it would still be quite a few years before we returned home. None of us ever thought we would be living in this house we have come to love so dearly.

How funny is that. It’s like they were practicing for years to come. Home sweet home. This place has been a safe haven on our road to happiness.

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Transformational healing

One of my favourite healers is in town right now. My dear friend Asrael (also on the top of my list of favorite healers) introduced me to Michel a while ago and now every time he comes to town I’m first in line to see him.

He does transformational acupuncture and I don’t know how to properly explain it except it works miracles on me. I’m not even sure how I feel right now, it usually takes a few days or weeks to fully process all that goes on, but I can feel things have shifted. Things are shifting.

I need to stay focused on what is important. Mr. X and all the financial pressure he bullies us with has been weighing on my mind lately. I need to keep standing up for my kids, he needs to follow the court order, but it gets exhausting. He is not worth my effort, but my kids are so I have to find the balance there. I wish things were different, I wish it wasn’t so difficult, but this is how it is. Divorce from a narcissist. The gift that keeps on giving.

I need to keep sorting through those feelings, letting go as I can. I can’t wait until he’s just somebody that I used to know. And the more I work at releasing the pain of all those years, the closer I am to that happening. And that is happiness.

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Today they curled

Today we went to small town Alberta and the kids participated in a very Canadian activity – they went curling. Somehow I have never curled before, but it sure looked like they were all having a lot of fun. Turns out this is an unexpected bonus of the kids joining 4H is they get to do cool things like this.

It was good to get out and laugh and have a little bit of fun. Happiness.

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