And the next chapter...

Well, that experiment lasted for four years and nine months... Our time in Alberta was a sea of hellish experiences, sprinkled with islands of beauty and adventures that we cherish. Suffice to say, the ONLY thing we miss is The Mall (West Ed). 

At the end of last summer, we re-immigrated to the country of my birth, to a place where I have more cousins/aunts/uncles than I can count. With the help of wonderful family and friends, and amazing determination by myself, we have re-established ourselves. 

After fighting the health and educational systems of both B.C. and Alberta since my child was in pre-school, it is refreshing to be able to say that my son now attends a charter school that is specialized to his needs; sees doctors/therapists that actually want to treat their patients...and is surrounded by more cousins than he can keep track of!

Albeit, this was a very difficult move, we are well on our way to a much, much more positive, happy and stable future! We have hit a few bumps in the road and have had to readjust our prospective timeline a few times, including, but not limited to, some sudden and unexpected health complications for myself...but I am on the mend and surrounded by love!

My heart is full and my hope for the future has been restored!

Very tragically, between 2009 - 2015, we lost my sweet nephew (27) to cancer, both my spunky step-grandfather and his childhood love, my beloved (step) paternal grandmother (97) to old age, a young cousin who was at the height of realizing her dreams (34) to complications after a tragic auto accident, my amazing Dad (75) to a rare brain disease and furry family members: Milo-Bear (9), Wylie-Grr (0.5) and my irreplaceable Thomas Oliver (15). 

We have since added to our little family, two littermate brothers - an orange tabby (MacGregor Niles) and a black/grey tabby (Hawkins Darius) - (yes, I give my cats middle names). They could never replace my Thomas, but we have grown to love them and their kitten antics.

If you are an old patron of this blog and wish to catch up, please leave a comment and I can get in touch with you on Facebook or Instagram.

Next Chapter.

Moving back to Alberta...further north than where Bennett was born. And just in time for winter too! This is a good move...no more limbo!

At a Cross Roads...

Where to go from here?

God kids/son's siblings are moving up North in a week. Which means our standard routine of the last 2.5 yrs is now dissolving; instead of weekend hangouts we will be seeing them during the summer months from now on, or so I am assuming. With this "change" our last reason to be "here" has just dissolved.

I have spent the last year horribly ill but have recently re-gained my health with the removal of my gallbladder. Horray for minor organ removal!

So, I am single and our standard family unit has just become concentrated into a "Bennett and Mama unit" as our need to accommodate it's expansion twice a month is no longer valid (kids will be a 8-10 hr drive away and thus our visits will be taking place during school holidays.)

For those of you who are confused, BP1 & BP2 are my son's siblings from his biological father who is no longer welcome in any of the childrens' lives due to his own bad behaviour. So, after being asked by their mother to be their god-mother, I stepped in and have had them in my home on an average of every other weekend for the last 2.5 yrs. They are an important part of our heart and my son's long term family, but not a part of our daily lives...and now that is changing even further, as they are moving north with their mother and step father...too far for weekend commuting.

So, here I stand, tied to absolutely nothing except my son and a couple of resident felines.

(Another story, our Milo-Bear was hit by a car on April 24th...four days before he would have been nine yrs old...and is now burried in my mother's garden. His loss was catastrophic for both Bennett and I and we ended up adopting a small kitten a month after his death, in an attempt to distract ourselves and our other kitty, Thomas, who is ten and has spent most of his life with Milo as a bother. This distraction worked in part...we have fallen in love with our new kitten, but losing a beloved pet just sucks. Milo was as devoted to Bennett as any creature could have possibly been and this relationship cannot be replaced. I think we will miss our "Love Bear" always...)

I feel like I am sitting at a cross road and don't know which way to turn. I can move to Hawaii and finish my education, while saying farewell to winter, which ravages my lungs and leaves me unable to smell for 6-8 months out of the year...though this would be the furthest from my entire family except for the sister currently living in the islands. I could turn back to tourism and find work here in the hopes of learning to love where I am at...or I can turn south and find opportunity on the US mainland, where I was born.

What to do, what to do...

Happiest in the Mud! Lukey - Spring 2009

Feeble Woman and Macho Male - 2008

Shay-isms: (age 6)

December 2009:

BP1: "I was bored, so I re-orginized your pantry."

Heza: (spends the next week looking for things...)

January 2010:

BP1: "Grandpa died. Now Auntie is all by herself."

Heza: "Do you think Auntie could use a Honey?"

BP1: "What's a Honey?"

Heza: "A boyfriend or girlfriend to love her."

BP1 (states matter-of-factly, without missing a beat): "No one would love Auntie, she's too fat."

Heza (after staring at Shay for a few long seconds): "You love Auntie, don't you?"

BP1: "Yes, but I'm not a boyfriend or girlfriend, now am I?"

Heza: (closes mouth and turns back to computer)

Happy New Year and New Decade to Everyone!

Christmas was filled with family and smiles.

Shayanna turned six on November 24th and Lukey is now three, as of Christmas Eve (and potty trained!!!)

We are wishing it would snow a bit more to aid in sledding conditions and have very much enjoyed our winter break.

Bennett is back to school on Monday.

More pictures coming soon.

Santa a.k.a. Our too-young-to-have-a-white-beard friend Dean

Bennett & Santa

Bennett, Santa & AO

Santa & AO

September/October/November Photo Journal of Bennett & Siblings & Friends

SEPTEMBER

Bennett & Shayanna...reminds me of pictures of my dad from the 60's...

He's hit the 4'3" mark!

Fell asleep with his light saber while watching Star Wars...





Fell asleep in his ski clothes...dreaming of snow!

Hanging out on top of the playground at school...


Thomas followed us to the park...

Three on the playground...

Shayanna...

Lukey...

A two-year-old's cargo: Monkey, a Little People, a wooden helicopter (under monkey), a camera, a bumper sticker and a set of keys (under the camera)...

Flirting with old folks at the old folks home...

Lukey and Shay walking with Nana...

Free Ride...

Happy Free Loader...

Lined up in front of the ghetto-mobile and ready to roll!


OCTOBER

Bennett taking a Ride with his Papa in the Hot Rod...






Lukey's Little People Convention. Orange Hard Hat Required.

Sunshine M & Miss K's October Birthday Bash! Shayanna wrapped herself.
Finally got her into that dress! She did not wear it once this summer...

Happy Miss K! I don't think I captured a single good shot of Sunshine M...

Dancing B-day Girl...

Rounded up the two year olds...only to realize that I missed one of the two year olds...
Walker, Lukey, Kaiyah, sans Brooklynn

I was very proud of myself for getting a picture of ALL the party goers...until someone pointed out that my own kid was missing from the shot (oops!)...upon further inspection, a total of five were missing from the shot...the five eldest boys snuck downstairs to play video games...

Two of the missing five...count on my son to find the only toy gun in the house...

Sunshine M, Lukey, Shayanna...

Miss K: "IT'S MY PARTY AND I'LL CRY IF I WANT TO!!!"

Another one of Mandy's very creative cakes!

Papparazzi much? Check out the look on Bennett's face!

Shay fell asleep with her bear...

Shayanna Monkey and Lukey Frog, a.k.a. his "Ribbit Suit"...

I couldn't pick a favourite of these ones...


With Nana...


Bennett and the furry lap warmer...

Loves his Nana!

They are not allowed to use the sticks when playing pool...too many nearly gouged out eye balls...so they roll the balls instead...

Shayanna...


Lukey in Red and some more Red...

A picture that makes one glad that pictures don't make noise...



I went out as a make-up-less Mama, shown here with The Prince...

At the mall, prior to re-dressing over their winter coats...

Prince Bennett & Princess Aurora out trick-or-treating...


NOVEMBER

With great sadness, we burried Grandma's Sweetie this month. Only 3.5 years in marriage to her childhood sweetheart...hardly enough time. Al was 94.

Swing your sister round and round!
Kayia & Arden: completely oblivious to the funeral taking place in the next room...

Joni sent Bennett some foreign coins for his ever expanding collection...

His shirt is wet because he was sticking his head in the water fountain to make the girls laugh. Arden tried very hard to copy him, but could only reach the fountain with her hand and had to settle with just rubbing water on her head...didn't get a picture of that.