time for the family photo again...there are better pics than this but since some of you are getting copies (maybe for christmas?) i can't post them yet. teehee. we used to only do pics with the timer in front of the tree, but for Penny's sake we had a professional one done last year. this year i managed to sign us up for a freebie shoot from Pacifica Photography. they got some really great pics of us!it was funny when I told Mark that we were going for a portrait shot and he reminded me that all of our 'good' clothes (of which we don't have many) were all packed in storage. my reply was "who says you have to dress up?"...and so in our full length pics you can see just how casual i really was - barefoot ;)
anyways, the week or so since the last post has been another roller coaster of emotion.
first let's start with the move. we all met at the storage place when I got off work. it was saturday and Murphy was kind enough to hold off on the rain until the last 15 min or so of unloading with the movers. (right after I said "aren't we lucky the rain held off today?" d'oh!)
Overall the day went pretty well. the movers were great guys, both originally from New Brunswick. it was fun to share stories from NB as I have been there a couple of times to visit Ang & Ian (before I moved here and they moved back to Ontario...maybe we'll end up in the same province again one day? lol)
it was a successful day in my mind...except for: my toe nail which was ripped off (my consequence for continuing to wear sandals all year...damn hot feet); the tv getting a chip in the frame; one of the movers falling down the stairs (he was bruised but ok...and it wasn't me for a change - bonus!); and we now have no box spring for our bed cuz it didn't fit up our stairs.
since our move in we have received a wonderful amount of warm welcoming to our home. we were given a lovely bamboo plant as our welcome gift from the co-op, cookies brought to our door from Kristina, a housewarming gift from dad & Liz of 2 stainless steel wine glasses (which we have already used a few times and love...can't break these suckers -sweet!) and today while I was at work our neighbour came and introduced herself to Mark and brought us a Christmas gift!
WOW!!!! I've never felt so welcome in a new place ever before in my life...it has really helped to melt away the stress and anxiety of the whole 'between-homes' ordeal :)
wednesday was my 7th day straight of spontaneous bursts of glee to have an end to all of the pieces of my life that had been in limbo. work and home were back to approaching some semblance of order...settling into the new place and things looking really good for the new year. joy joy joy!
then came the call from my mom. Grandpa was in the hospital and not expected to last more than a few days. he was on meds until he went in his sleep basically.
a whole new limbo. and the saddest one of the year by far.
he passed away yesterday morning and i'm still trying to process my feelings on it all. i'm thankful i had a good visit with him last spring and that I was able to introduce him to Sasha. he just beamed when he got to introduce everyone to his daughter, granddaughter and great-granddaughter. and I had just assumed he'd still be around when I visited ontario again in 2008...
well. it seems we'll likely get our family together there in the spring to honour him in some way together and I look forward to this. for now i grieve for my grandpa who i will miss.
oh yeah...in a few days it's time for Christmas! i've never been less prepared. i have to admit that i don't think i've ever had a harder time getting into the spirit. the ups and downs lately have me feeling a bit spent. but i know the hugs and time i will have with family over the next week will help rejuvenate me.
another thing to be happy for is that we have Che with us for the holidays, and Mark and I are off work a fair bit for the next couple of weeks so we have time for us all to unpack and make this place our home! yay!
i'm happy i can still remember and appreciate all that i have to be happy for in life. even in the past 5 months of limbo and all it's trials i have never lost site of all i have to feel gratitude for...and still do. and I haven't even mentioned my freakin' fantastic coworkers at Brit who have been just so amazingly supportive. Helping me through breakdowns and always giving me something to look forward to...my lack of a straight jacket right now is in major part due to my friends at the pool, info centre and child care of britannia community centre! super squishes of thanks for my fellow brit staff...one more family i know i can count on when i'm in need :)
before i end with a couple of pics of Sasha enjoying her new home (and she really has settled into her new room and this whole place with remarkable resiliency! she seems unphased by all the chaos and shuffle of the past few weeks...and i wonder when - if ever - she will tire of the 27 steps from top to bottom) i just wanted to share with all of you the latest piece in my public education advocacy.
I have joined with an adhoc group of parents and educators who are tired of public education being treated as a football in party politics. As the Vancouver Public Education Project (PEP) we're aiming to unite progressive candidates in next years municipal school board elections. It's time we stop letting school board be treated as a mere stepping stone in a political ladder. We all want trustees who are running for school board becasue they care about protecting public education at the local level. You can read our open letter to potential candidates which was released to the media this week...and please sign on if you are supportive of it!
http://www.publiceducationproject.blogspot.com/
now...back to the cutey pie...here playing on her new bed...and first bath time in the new home
merry christmas everyone! hope your holidays are jolly whatever you celebrate with your loved ones :)
No comments:
Post a Comment