Happy birthday my love

It is your birthday so to you happy birthday.

I know you never want to celebrate them. You don't want to make a big deal about the whole to do. And that is okay. But a tiny little celebration is good. Because, hey, we are all pretty damn happy you are here, in this world with us. That is the whole point of birthdays, isn't it. Celebrate you, your life so far and celebrate what's to come. Because if you weren't here, I think a great many of us would be terribly sad. 

You are such a fantastically awesome individual. You care so much. I see you do it everyday. 

- With your kids....they are so lucky to have you as a teacher. I think one of your students is right, "long live mark!" You care about them so much. Even when you have your Christmas break, you continuously think up ideas for what you can do to help them. 

- your parents...you love them and they love you. You call them whenever you have a chance. Invite them for dinner. Laugh and joke with them. Show up to their special events. I think you are a pretty good son and I think they would be inclined to agree

- my parents...hey, you are there favourite son in law. Always thinking of things to do, wanting to show them different things and make them different meals. Ready to host and to listen. And there to lend a helping hand when they need you to help with "the lists". He he. 

- yours (and mine) siblings....plus a special baby b. I think you care so much about their lives and want to make sure everyone is happy, and comfortable in every situation. Call them up randomly to make sure things are okay. You are there to boost a car, encourage little ones to play with their food, and making yourself available to help. You love them. And they know it.

- your friends...they love you, they love to trase you and you love to give it back. Your friends who are all so special and unique. They, like you, live hard and play hard (I swear one day you will all occupy one hospital with all your collective injuries....I hope I am not on shift). They talk politics, they are zany and fun. They are positive and happy. And you are so good to them. You listen, you provide thoughtful insight, and you laugh. I love your laugh. 

- finally me. You mean so much to me. I have enjoyed our adventures together. And we have had many. You are my cheerleader when I am down. You lift me up through words of encouragement and great hugs. You care about my feelings and listen to me. You know how to laugh. We can joke around very well...maybe too well. It may end in rough housing and a re-break of the toe. But it's worth it...he he. Okay maybe not and sorry about that. But to continue on you are thoughtful with your intentions. You love nature and life. And I love enjoying it with you. Basically I am happy we have shared our lives together so far. It's been pretty great!

So happy birthday lovely. Enjoy the day, in how you want to spend it. 

Love

Christmas at work

My first Christmas working. It was something that I knew was in my future as people don't stop getting ill but I didn't know what to expect. But I can tell you this. It was quite lovely. 

Sure I was working on my favourite time of year. But there were many things that helped make this Christmas truly memorable and truly special. 

1. My parents came in on day three of my rotation. An added bonus to break up the long stretches. So happy to see them as I was on countdown!

2. I worked evenings so I got my Christmas morning with my parents and husband. Spending three hours watching everyone unwrap and play with their toys. Santa was a good man!

3. We got to go to my amazing inlaws who made a Christmas brunch. Plus see an additional little "Santa" in Baby B. Hanging out with both families for me made it truly fantastic. 

4. I worked in a great team. The whole six days. Everyone wanting and willing to help each other out. Making a potluck dinner. Sharing laughs. Going over concerns. Fantastic. Plus I ended my stretch on Boxing Day rather than begin it  he he. 

5. Finally my patients. A feisty elderly woman who made my shift alone, with her plucky attitude and fantastic spunk. Giving me a fantastically hard time and me loving every minute of it. Another, true love in the older generation as one took care of another, celebrating a private Christmas in their room with such love and tenderness. Then seeing a patient I had before who was very very sick and now seems so much better (still sick) but so much better. Finally a story teller who would love to talk about her past. Each one special, unique and who I had the pleasure of spending Christmas with.

All of this made me all the more grateful and feeling the love this Christmas. 

Love

And then there were five.

Just as Mark's holidays begin, congratulations 'best teacher in the Edmonton public school board,' my days off end. A stretch of six is in my future and working on Christmas Day. I don't know what to think or expect from that. But I will do my best to make amends with it. 

But celebrations are still to be had, because the Christmas season is here! Our last Christmas party was yesterday but starting this Sunday, family celebrations begin. An anniversary celebration for my inlaws, AND my parents coming on Christmas Eve. I will, WILL it to go by slowly after that! So pumped!

So come on Christmas I am ready. Presents wrapped. Baking complete. Dinner fixings bought. House cleaned. Music playlists made. Tree lit. Advent calendar on countdown. Let the festivities begin!

Love

With 8 days left...

Till Christmas what does one do?

Make some Christmas treats, and make sure the "quality control" system is in place to taste test...Thank you Mark.

Read the multitude of Christmas cards received by friends and family and give thanks.

Watch 'White Christmas' and think of your Grampie because that is what I always do when I watch that movie.

Listen to Christmas music and dance around the kitchen because that just feels right.

Talk to parents that will be arriving in 7 short days. Eek!

Love

Weekend during the week day

Some of my days off aren't really productive and then there are others...

One day I get to witness a wonderful retirement tribute to my father in law down at city hall. 

Everyone making speeches of what a great worker he is, his devotion to public service and his positivity in the work place. 

Although I don't know how he is at work I would say he is like that at home. 

Always working hard, full of laughs, and making time for every member in his family. 

Then I got to go to my old job. 

See a performance of the nutcracker for their annual Christmas concert. 

Visit with some of my old clients

And talk with the nutcracker and Rat King themselves. 

Although I must say the Rat King spent most of his time asking for Mark, and kicking me. 

Merry Christmas in his own way.

Two days off well spent. 

Love

I love the smell of Christmas

Especially the smell of pine. 

And lucky me. 

Our house is infused with it. 

Love

Bicycle

The only sad thing about getting a bicycle in the winter is that it can't go outside. 

But the happy thing is it becomes a decoration in the living room. 

It becomes a peice of furniture. 

It is admired. 

And it is occasionally ridden in the house. 

Shhhh

Don't tell. 

Love

The fantastic, the bad and the ugly.

Let's get honest and real in this post. I had a bit of a trying week. And of all things it was a week off so what oh what is my problem. Honestly!

Well let's start off with the bad. 

I decided through some encouragement to throw a birthday party for myself. 

Bought all the food, prepared and laid it out, cleaned the house and because of the Christmas Twinkie in me decorated the house. 

Fourteen people were suppose to attend at eight pm. 

Then the calls came. And people started to cancel. 

And you know what? Everyone had a reasonable reason that they couldn't come. Sick children, just having a child and working late and then working early. 

no one could really blame them for not attending. 

But I may have had a silent pity party. Or was it silent? Ask Mark. 

Eight came. And then eight fifteen, eight thirty. 

I sat glumly on the couch and said to a very tired Mark who had a very long day, "I don't think anyone is coming". Tears may have rimmed my eyes. 

Mark grabbed his phone frantically texted my friends and figuring out their status. 

Eight forty, four of my wonderful friends came. Anita, Fraser, Ellen, and Jeff. 

They smiled and hugged me and sat around our kitchen table. 

Eating all the prepared food. 

Talking, debating, laughing, joking. 

And staying up till 1:30 am! 

Great company overall and so thrilled that four great people were able to come!

Then the ugly came. 

Mark called me at home two days prior to my actual birthday. 

He had to work a Christmas concert. 

I thought he may have been joking. 

He wasn't. 

Then he started to make plans of what to do. Rescheduling my day, inviting others to come, etc. 

I didn't want anything. 

He insisted. 

I got mad. 

Then he got mad. 

We were both mad. 

Lol. Sigh. A little known fact about me. I hate surprises. Ask my mom. I hate plans made re. me behind my back. I am just a plain old brat about it. Simple as that. Again ask my mom. 

After a breather there was resolution. 

And Mark may have been right (cough cough) that one shouldn't spend their birthday alone (Wow I can be stubborn and a tad dramatic. He he). 

Finally the fantastic. Because one should forget the bad and the ugly and concentrate on the full greatness, happiness, and the positive aspects of life. 

Seriously 

Mark had planned and made a birthday "lupper" for my family and I on Sunday. 

Wendy, David, Jimi and Cassie came by. 

We had gourmet French toast, bacon, orange juice, fruit and birthday cake and cinnamon buns for dessert. 

We chatted in the sitting room. 

I opened presents. 

It was lovely. 

I caught a movie, my choice on Saturday. 

Had movie popcorn and went to the fancy theatre. 

Fancy cupcakes with an I love you message another day. 

Got to spend a wonderful day with a little two year old at the world water park. 

Swimming. 

Then I got to laugh at her two year old self as she tormented my poor cat. 

Ran around the house rearranging all our things. 

And creating mischief climbing out of her crib, not napping, and watering the floor instead of the plants. 

Then lucky me. On my birthday got to spend the morning with the two year old's mom, Jeaninne and her week and a half year old sister. 

So sweet. 

Hot chocolate, doughnuts, baby cuddles, laughing at some funny memories and making new ones. 

It didn't end. 

Text messages, deliveries, emails, facebook messages, video messages and calls times three from my lovely parents. 

And Anita came. 

Took me out to a very awesome restaurant called rge road. 

And I continued to laugh, chat, and just hang out with one fantastic gal. 

Then my poor Mark, who worked a very long day waited up for us to come home. 

And presented me with a fabulous present. 

A bike that I have been wanting so badly but kept convincing myself that I don't need it. 

I know I am a spoiled brat. And I am supremely lucky to have a person in my life that puts up with my crap every now and then. And reassures me that things are okay. Concentrate on the positive and not to give up. Who likes my nuttiness and my birthday week even if he pretends not too. 

And to friends and family that laugh at my dramatic tales causing me to laugh about it and to give me a bit of perspective (but are smart enough to wait to tell me this, after I have calmed down). 

I am very lucky, grateful and yes I had a fantastic birthday (week). 

Love