These Days: 2015

          These days are short and chilly- the kind of cold that seeps into your bones and hangs around for the entire day. These days are mostly spent inside making us all long for the sunshiny days of two months ago. These days are the end of the year.

           As 2015 draws to a close it cannot help but be reflected upon- favourite moments taken out of my pocket and examined- memories strung together to form the most perfect of Holiday garlands. This past year has been one of change and growth for our family- so many blessings mixed together with some very hard days. This was the year I let go and we all began to grow.

          I went back to work- full time- I chased an opportunity- I went for it- and I caught it. I actually caught it! A year ago I was full of uncertainty- and now I am seven months down a path I never thought was mine. I don't talk about my job here often- I manage an art supply store in the middle of a busy city- it is hard but full of rewards. I get to help make the world a more creative place- I am really proud of what I am a part of.

       Asking for help and opening ourselves up to the larger community- to a larger family- was really hard. Both the Mr. and I come from backgrounds where you do not ask for help. I felt that as a mother I had to do it all- I got worn down very quickly with this attitude. We -as a family- had never had others involved in the care of our children and reaching out and letting others in was a scary prospect.

      However letting go and inviting ourselves to be a part of the community turned out to be our biggest blessing by far. We have so many wonderful people involved in our kid's lives- so many people who care for them and about them.- and about us also! It's these people that have become the fabric of our days- friends, teachers, after school care givers, coaches, co- workers- even our local baristas know our kiddos by name. Watching our kids become independent and gain that confidence needed to operate in the world has been an amazing thing to witness.

    This is what works for our family right now- we have changed- we have grown- I have let go of things that don't matter like the dishes and laundry. 2015 was the year I started to set my own standards and learned how to voice my own expectations- this alone is a huge gift to us all.

    It's hard to believe that 365 days have gone by since my last post of this nature- so many swims in the ocean and trails explored. Thank you all for continuing to come here- joining me in this space for some random thoughts and wanderings! Happy New Years Friends!

These are the days you might fill with laughter until you break

These days you might feel a shaft of light make its way across your face

And when you do you'll know how it was meant to be

See the signs and know their meaning

It's true, you'll know how it was meant to be.

Hear the signs and know they're speaking to you, to you

10000 Maniacs