Tag Archives: love

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Icicle

I have to admit, when I woke up this morning and looked out and saw there was still snow on the ground I rolled over and moaned “nooooo, it’s Apirl 7. Snow? Still?” I am a summer person.

But Jenna, Jenna came running to me later in the morning when we were getting ready to go over to my parents’ place and said “mommy, you need to come out back so I can show you the icicles.”

She was so excited, I grumbled my way around the back of the house, and sure enough, there on the roof of the mud room were a row of wonderful icicles hanging.

She grabbed one and ran off with it.

She sucked on that icicle the whole time I showered and got ready, kept it in the car with her the entire way into town and finally announced at the door of her grandma’s house that she was done with it and threw it on the lawn (it was a much, much smaller version by that time).

Her finding joy in the weather, appreciating the sun and the icicles and the beautiful morning was my moment of happiness today.

Except that before all of that,

This

Happened:

I had been sitting having my morning cup of tea watching the Golden Girls when I was joined by Jacob shortly followed by Jenna. They sat and giggled and watched the episode with me and when it was over I went to turn of my iPad and move on with the morning. Both of them informed me that they weren’t done watching and wanted to see the next episode. Fun family bonding time – also a heart warming happiness moment.

We needed them because there were some unpleasant moments today too. I am so grateful that I have the intention to focus on and find a happiness moment in every day.

I am completely humbled by the grace and bravery of my dad. I learn so much about how to be a quietly strong person from him.

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Easter Sunday

This was our Easter morning view. A little snowy but beautiful all the same. To me Easter is a Vancouver Island thing with flowers and the ocean and walking logs by the beach on the way into Sidney for lunch. 

But Easter here is pretty amazing too.   

  

 We saw this on the way home from church. Pretty majestic.  

Happiness moment of the day was a family meal at my cousin’s place   I so love those times. Lots of love and laughter. I was extra heart warmed that part of the blessing included gratitude that we have come home. 

What a blessed Easter   

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A generational cake

When I was a kid grandma used to make what us cousins called Grandma’s special cake. To us it was a recipe unique to grandma and we always looked forward to the times when she would make it. Always for brandings, usually for community events, sometimes just for us to enjoy.

You can imagine my horror when I moved to Québec and there was a bakery there that sold Grandma’s special cake. The horror grew when my cousin’s husband was delighted because it was his aunt’s special cake.

Yesterday my cousin texted me to remind me that she’d made a dessert for my parents and I’d forgotten to pick it up at school. She finished with I have three words for you

Grandmas

Special

Cake

Well. I didn’t have to be reminded again.

Last night my mom and I split the cake. They kept some and we took some. Today at lunch Jenna and I dove into it. As I was eating I thought about the generations who have enjoyed this cake. We were sitting in the house my great grandparents built eating it, my parents were in the house my grandparents built and my mom grew up in eating it. 5 generations of family sharing love from that cake and the memories attached to it. Because not only is it yum yummy, but every bite has a fun childhood memory attached to it.

As I was getting ready to put it away I saw another cousin walking down from the barn after a ride. I went out and shared the last piece of our cake with her. The delight on her face was totally worth it. Cake love. Family cake. My happiness moment for the day.

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Home (the movie) 

  

This morning the kids and I went to a special showing of the movie Home. It was a fundraiser for their new school. How blessed are we that we are already being invited to school functions before they have even started at the school. Of course it helps that my cousin heads up these things and she made sure we not only had tickets but sat with her. 

For he first time in our many moves over the last 10 years we are the new people who already have people. No more walking alone. No more walking blindly info unknown situations. Now when we walk we have a tribe with us. 

Home. The movie. Home. Our life. We are home. We are blessed. This is my happiness moment for the day. 

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A day with my boy

Completely unplanned today I  had a day with my boy. My baby who is only 3 months away from being 14 and driving, my baby who wears size 10.5 shoes. How did he grow up so quickly?

Our fun day started with me teaching him to play chopsticks and a few other silly songs on the piano 

 

He loved it and we laughed and giggled for at least an hour making silly music. Then we had to go to town to get tires put on the car I’m driving. While we waited we walked over to Tim Hortons, because we are back in Canada now and that’s what you do. We took a selfie because Jacob and me selfies are what we do    

   

We went to visit dad and then did some errands at the mall. He held my hand at the mall   And when he did it he said “yes mom, I’m holding your hand. Can you please not make a big deal about it and just enjoy it?”  So I did. 

We giggled and laughed and really enjoyed being with each other. This is my happiness moment  for the day. I am so grateful for the relationships I have. 

Another one of my doors opened and my dear husband is dealing not only with shipping my dog and cat here, but also with the last of the moving details. Which I’ve done too many times before so I know they’re not only a hassle but also kind of emotional. I’m grateful for that. Xoxo

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Finding the path of least resistance on a challenging road 

My intention this year is to follow the path of least resistance.  Which is a much easier thing to do when I’m flowing happily down a path of my choosing. Sometimes I find ( after the fact) that I’ve veered off my easy flowing path onto a more challenging road. This last little while seems kind of like that. I had a plan. Seriously…. It didn’t look like where I am now. 

I’ve had many conversations with God the past couple of weeks informing Him of my feelings about this path I’m on. About how perhaps He didn’t notice that I’d spent a great deal of time planning and meditating and preparing to walk down this new, easier path of least resistance. Then He threw a bunch of crap at me that wasn’t part of the deal. 

But here’s what I’ve noticed. More than at any other point in my life, every time I’ve needed something a door has opened and I’ve received a helping hand. It happened with packing up the house, again with this lovely lady we met on the plane, we had an entire house set up by my cousin when we got here, a wonderful school accepted the kids when we were out of district and didn’t have any paperwork organized, it goes on and on. Actually tonight I met a lady in the elevator at the hospital who was pulling a roller bag. I commented what a great idea it was and she said she would go out and buy one for me to have. What an offer of kindness. 

So often I feel like I’m invisible in life, but this past bit has made me realize I’m so not. 

Tonight my dad was talking about how he feels like he’s discovered a prayer bank in be clouds and he’s been drawing strength from this unlimited source of love. I feel the same way   Ask, then turn your intention towards giving and receiving love and that’s what you get. Even when it seems like a wrong turn on the path. I guess that’s how I’m following this new path with the least resistance I can muster. Because somewhere there is a plan. There has to be because I’m so clearly being guided and held by love. 

 

My happiness moment today came when I looked out the window at this view while making lunch. Jenna was out playing in the barn that my grandpa built. That I spent hours and hours playing in myself when I was her age. Where I used to bring Pirate in and talk to him for hours while I groomed him. It brought me such joy to see her experience that same peace and happiness   

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Heart and soul…

I’m sitting in bed in the house my great grandfather built. My body is now physically where my heart always lives. 

My happiness moment for today was coming home to so many people whom we love and who love us so much. Without love there is no point to life – and there is an outpouring of it here. 

There is nothing like family. They love you warts and all and they show you how to be a better person. Unconditional love is such a deep and profound thing. It stretches miles, it stretches generations, it has an amazing power. 

 

  

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Signs of spring 



This is my happiness moment for the day. Crocuses always remind me of springtime at the ranch. Which means family, calves, green coming back, long days, that gopher and crocus in the snow picture at my parents’ place, and the beginning of summer fun. It also reminds me of the flower book my dad put together with stories of all the wild flowers we grew up picking or looking at.  

Today on my walk I saw actual leaves starting to pop on trees. I saw these crocuses growing in the garden of a friend of mine. 

Spring. New beginnings. New life. New hope. Seasons change and we have to embrace the new and find love in happiness in every single minute. It’s the only way. 

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Do one thing a day that scares you

I’ve been scattered again today. I realized this because of my tea cups. It started when I made a cup of tea this morning and then dumped it and put it in the dishwasher (wahhhhh). I’ve found at least 3 half finished cups around the house from the day which means I’ve put them down and then completely forgotten them. 

Thank goodness I didn’t have to do anything important today. 

One of my favourite mantras I got from the side of my lululemon bag years ago DO ONE THING A DAY THAT SCARES YOU. I came across it when I was in the midst of my anxiety time and I held onto it. Sometimes the only thing I could do that day that scared me was get out of bed.



Doing things that scare you don’t have to be big things. Fears are relative to the person. Things that scare me may not scare you. 

But sometimes life is just scary and that’s part of living life. 

Because bad things can be scary – the boogeyman, finances, security. But good things can be scary – love is probably the scariest thing you can do. But imagine life without it. 

Love fearlessly. It’s the only way. 

My happiness moment was tonight at Jenna’s school. They had a civil war performance and it was so fun to get to see her up there. 

My Canadian ignorance showed through. I thought Goober Peas was a kids song Burl Ives sang (I grew up listening to mom’s album. Also thought big rock candy mountain was a kids song. And yellow submarine for that matter). It was fun to watch her so fearless up on stage 



 

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