Christmas 2019

It's hard to believe another Christmas has come and gone (though our holidays are not over yet!) Andrew is like a certified Christmas elf. He loves the hustle and bustle and has been proclaiming for months now that this year was going to be the B.C.E. (Best Christmas Ever). I don't know how we could actually measure that, as there have been some pretty amazing Christmases in our past, but this was certainly a good one!

I entered into this holiday season with the highest of intentions to do less - buy less, worry less, spend less, stress less - and I think I've been mostly successful. We've been enjoying some down-time, a reprieve from our usually full and crazy schedules, and have been spending our days watching cheesy Christmas movies, drinking holiday teas and keeping cozy at home. It's been magical.

Here are some photos from Christmas Eve at our house!

I love this time, this rich season of shared excitement, of anticipation, of going out with a bang. The old traditions that slip away to replace new, slightly modified versions. And tonight, as I write by the light of the Christmas tree, with my two sweet babes cozied up in their matching jammies, I marvel at the beauty of parenthood. It is, by far, my very favourite gift.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, friends.  May your days be merry and bright!

Happy Christmas to All!

I haven't been posting on my blog as often as I once had been - not for lack of inspiration, but more about trying to manage all of life's daily adventures. The way our life looks now is not a mistake. We were made for this. We have learned lessons and had struggles, but I am continually thankful for this little family of ours, and for the one person who's experience matches mine. I am proud of us. I don't know if we've quite figured out how to do it all well - it will be our life's goal - but we are working on finding a balance between letting it be hard and trusting that we can do it, knowing that we have each other.

Merry Christmas.. from my mummers to yours!

Fostering Family

I've been struggling a little bit lately, trying to get into the Christmas spirit, but it's not coming as easily for me as it has in past years. Things have been somewhat challenging at home, and it makes for a difficult transition into the holidays. I know that this is all part of what we signed up for when Andrew and I made the decision to become foster parents, and I know that I am probably just having a "moment", and this too shall pass, but there are times, like today, when I feel a little off-kilter.

Brennen has been doing great, thankfully. He is thriving. We are trying to keep things as "normal" for him as possible, in this completely abnormal way of living. It's just not natural. Foster care, essentially, is trying to make a stranger feel like part of your family, and as you can imagine, in some cases it is nearly impossible. We have had some very positive experiences as foster carers, no doubt, and that is what gets us through the tough times. Knowing that we do have the potential to have a positive influence on the life of a child is why we feel compelled to continue doing what we do.

We are taking a different approach to Christmas this year. I am not going overboard with gifts and homemade fancy everythings. We are choosing our events and holiday parties carefully, being sure to spend more time with those we want to spend time with, and less with those we don't.

This weekend, I had approximately two dozen things marked on my calendar that I wanted to accomplish, including holiday events and activities to attend, a list of things I needed to purchase, cards that needed to be sent, gifts that needed to be wrapped, batches of cookies that needed to be made, projects that needed to be completed, and reports that needed to be written - and I didn't do any of it. On Saturday, we had a rare day with just Brennen at home. The sun was shining and there had been a big dumping of snow the day before, and it was super Christmassey! Just after breakfast, I called my sister and said, "Come over! Our backyard looks like a snow globe!"

And so she came. With her husband and kids and their electric enthusiasm, and we had the best day! We ignored our schedules, avoided prior commitments, and we played in the snow. For hours! Several times, mid-snowangel, shouting, "We are not in the mall!!"

So many photos!

So, you guys, I apologize if I have missed your gatherings, or not taken you up on that invitation for tea. I am just working towards a slower and calmer Christmas season this year. It has been a while coming, but I have realized that when you are running on nothing, it is ok to just hang out and rest, making family time a main priority, and not getting bogged down with all of the expectations of the holidays.

At the end of the day, I know that what I am doing as a Mom is most definitely worth the hardships, worth the deprivation of self-time, worth it ALL, yet I still need these moments to refresh and catch up and to redirect my thoughts for a fresh outlook tomorrow.

I wish you all a happy December.. and maybe even a silent night!
All is calm, All is bright?! (Ok, I won't go that far!)

Hiking the Sugarloaf Path

A little life update -

I feel like I haven't been posting here as often as I used to, and it's not for lack of things to write about, but because I have been super busy with all of life's adventures! We are finally (somewhat) settled in our new home, and it is lovely! We are thrilled to have our own space again, and to be able to make this beautiful new house our home. I will share pictures here as soon as I can - once we get a little more organized and finish unpacking the last of the boxes. There are still a few projects to be completed and personal touches to add, but things are coming together nicely!

We have had some major transitions in our family over the last couple of months. Our journey as foster carers is ever evolving, and we are learning to roll with what comes our way. Andrew and I have been through what was possibly the most emotionally draining period in our lives since we've been together, and it tested our strength as foster parents (and as people in general!), but we came through it stronger than ever. After 14 months of being his parents, our littlest babe has found his forever family. Our hearts were broken, but we are so happy for him, and we take comfort in knowing that we gave him the best possible life while he was with us. For Andrew and I, getting to spend that precious time with him was one of the greatest joys of our lives.

Since then (just a couple of weeks ago), we have welcomed another young person into our home. It's been a wild ride, and we are all still in the adjustment phase, getting to know each other, and learning how we can best support each other. We are being tested, as we knew we would be, but we are confident in our abilities to love and support this child in all the ways that he needs us most.

Andrew and I had a rare few hours to ourselves today, and the sun was shining, so we were excited to head out on the trails!

The Sugarloaf Path is part of the East Coast Trail that links St. John's to Logy Bay. We picked up the trail just minutes from our house, at Memorial University's Ocean Science Centre. It was a super nice day, but the wind was something fierce! There were several points on the trail that we thought we were actually going to blow off the cliff and into the ocean. (Not cool).

Here are some photos from our hike today!

We are so thankful for days like these. We NEED them. As often as people tell us that we should take time for ourselves, it rarely happens. It's nearly impossible. There are three children who depend on us, and that's ok. It's more than ok. But getting to spend the day outdoors together, alone, doing something that we love, in the peace and beauty of nature is exactly the recharge that we needed to keep going.

Thank you all for following along in our journey. Here's hoping for more sunshiny days ahead!