We did a forced family fun trip to Waterton today. It’s one of our favourite places to be, all of our souls seem to settle as soon as we get surrounded by the mountains.
We have our usual routine – have lunch near the lake, skip rocks, eat ice cream, go bear hunting (no bears this time. I think they’re all at our place). This time we added in kayaking for fun. The kids are naturals, me not as much. But it was so fun and I didn’t capsize so I consider that a win – and a happiness moment.
Today was the annual stampede breakfast at our community hall. We were really lucky and had beautiful weather for it. The yard was full of family and neighbours (and as we discovered a lot of them we didn’t know – the difficulty of having missed so many years, or of being super introverted) visiting and laughing.
Some of the family/community I only seem to catch up with at this breakfast so it’s always an event I look forward to. Although, I have noticed that now that we are home we are able to do a lot more visiting at other times.
I notice every time that we attend one of these functions that the kids are more and more comfortable and confident as part of the tribe which delights me to my core. Knowing there are strong, stable roots helps give you the strength to fly.
The hall
The girls getting ready to head up to the breakfast. 
On top of the happiness of visiting with my people, the kids and I headed west for an evening in Banff. Sometimes you just need that mountain hug (and fondue and candy) being in the mountains always brings me happiness.
I’ve realized I need to spend more time in conscious gratitude for the awesome gifts I’ve been given. I feel like I’ve been running , putting out fires, and not accomplishing enough. Sometimes the best way for me to accomplish more is by slowing down and doing less.
It’s the last night before the beginning of summer vacation. The last night I have to chase the kids to bed early(ish) so that they can get up and have a fighting chance of getting through the day. The last night I have to think about what I’m going to pack in lunches the next day (hallelujah).
It’s also the last time I have a kid in grade 5 and grade 9. How did the time go by so quickly?
I was thinking earlier today about how this really is their time. These are the years that hopefully they will look back on with fond memories. The years when their values and morals get shaped and formed, when their friendship bonds are made, when their sense of the security of home and family is established. I hope with all the crap of the last few years that they are able to say that some of it was good. We all have our own baggage to carry no matter what our life story is – I hope they remember the good times, the people who love them, and come out it with the understanding that there is a tribe of people who love them and support them no matter what.
I had a beautiful happiness moment walking tonight with Jenna. She babbled the entire time about how much she enjoyed her field trip today, how excited she is about having friends over tomorrow, and how happy she is that summer is almost here. On the way back we passed a cow and her baby trotting off the other way on much the same kind of evening walk.
I’m sitting outside by my garden enjoying some evening sun before calling it a day. I love how the seeds I planted and cared for are turning into plants and starting to flower. I have yearned for a garden for years. We were too transient and never had the right spot to really enjoy this kind of space.
Watching things grow here is also kind of how I feel about my life in general. I planted the seeds of prayer and hope for a better life a few years ago and finally I’m starting to see the rewards of that. Things are growing and flourishing. We are smiling and laughing more. We feel safe and secure back in our tribe. It’s good or the soul. It is the benefit of all of these happiness moments – every single day, even in the crap days.
I love this space I am in. Being here makes me happy. That which makes me feel at home brings me a soul bliss happiness moment.
I was pretty sure when I woke up this morning that my happiness moment was going to be a no brainer – today is my unniversary.
I wasn’t sure what to do about that this year. It’s been a difficult day for me for the past few years as things went from difficult and strained to really freaking bad. This year though, I felt like it needed recognition somehow. This year the date marks the beginning of my new life, of freedom, of the possibilities of new beginnings
I pulled out my wedding album and took scissors and then a match to it. I have wondered for a while what to do with that album. I didn’t want it in the house anymore, I didn’t feel like just throwing it out. So, I had a ceremony with it. I let all of the hopes, dreams, prayers for that life go up in flames. I set fire to them and watched them drift away. They’re not hopes, dreams, or prayers for my life anymore – and I have not wanted them for a while. I have new ones now, happy ones, authentic ones.
Interestingly, it was not something done in anger. It was done very mindfully and it released a lot of stuff that really needed to go. I saged the house afterwards and felt those toxic emotions leave our home.
I realized that I will never, ever again let someone else set the standard for what I can achieve. I also realized that the people who are close in my life now believe in me and want to see me thrive – as I do for them.
Then I spent the afternoon with someone who has become very dear to me. It came to me while we were together that I am no longer running from anything, I also am no longer running towards anything . I am now living in this space where I am. I am on the road and I’m loving the journey.
I thought that was going to be my happiness moment, but then the kids and I went to the fruit truck in Cochrane and loaded up with BC cherries and raspberries. We ran back to the car and sat in the parking lot gorging ourselves and moaning loudly about how delicious it was. I love this time of year when the berries and the cherries have arrived. I love that they love it as much as I do.
(this is one of my dad’s photos)
My dad used to take a group of his friends from church out on an annual wildflower walk in Kananaskis. He was an expert in knowing the names and legends of the local wildflowers. The group organized a walk today in his memory. It was beautiful and a wonderful way to honor him.
Yellow lady slipper
Paintbrush
My favorite, the wood lily
The boys. My dad used to love teaching them about flowers and photography.
One of the ladies came to me and asked if I knew the name of a certain flower they were looking at. I didn’t but I was so tempted to answer fireweed. It made me laugh and cry inside at the same time. When dad would take me out looking at flowers and we would come across one that he didn’t know the name of, we would both shrug and say fireweed.
It was a wonderful happiness moment to remember and honor my dad this morning.
Today was a perfect day. I realize as I wrote this, that there have been a lot of perfect days lately.
I took my Dotted Dog out for a walk tonight along my road – the road I have travelled since forever. I drove on it with my grandparents, rode my horse on it with my sister, chased cows on it with my cousins – and now that we have gone full circle I walk on it with my kids and with my dog.
There is something about being back here where our roots are that has allowed us to fly again.
I was thinking as I was walking how much has changed since I started doing my dog walks in Roanoke a few years ago. Then I spent my whole time praying for a better, safer, happier, more loving life. Now I walk and even though I still ask for things, mostly I give thanks for the fact that I’m living a better, safer, happier, more loving life.
Dottie and I stood for a long time by a field of Sophia’s Fuzzy Lions and I gave thanks for the amazing gifts that have been brought into my life. A fantastic happiness moment.
Every once in a while there are those days that remind me that life is exactly how it’s supposed to be. I thank God every day we are home – and a million times more on days like today.
It’s hot, we had a family branding, I planted the heirloom purple potatoes, we are at the creek. There is very little I need in life beyond these simple pleasures to make me happy. I’m sitting here with Jacob, blowing bubbles and watching the girls swim in the water. Life is exactly how it’s supposed to be. A happiness day.
Totally got him. I won!!
It seems it was a day of reflection. There’s been a lot of big things going on lately and it was nice to be able to absorb some of it today.
I know when my inner balance is more where it should be by the actions of Ella the Yoga Cat and lately she’s been all over me. This morning during my meditation she crawled up and lay right across my heart – purring away in bliss. That’s a good sign.
I took the kids to Banff this evening and got a big mountain hug (and chocolate – a soul hug) because every once in a while I need such things. I have discovered there’s nothing quite as healing as a good hug.
Mountains and meditation. My happiness moments for the day.
Something that has been sitting with me since losing dad last year is the question who do I want around me at the end? Which expands to who do I want to surround myself with? What people do I want in my life?
Moving back home and being surrounded by my tribe has answered a lot of that for me. I want to be surrounded by these strong, kind, loving, faithful, fierce, funny people who are in my family and close circle.
Today at a family funeral it really hit home how incredibly blessed we are that we have the community and the family that we do. Copithornes are good at pulling together in hard times. I saw it last year when we were in ours, and I saw it again today watching my cousins go through theirs.
It was a beautiful tribute to uncle Dave. What a blessing to be able to celebrate the life of such a good, strong, kind man. The world needs to remember that there are men like that.
My happiness moment was sitting with cousins and eating treats that brought us back to our childhood. Family bonding, there’s nothing quite like it.
