Words Are Life

Last week, the island had two winter storms with over 50 cm of snow falling and blowing around each time.  The RCMP discouraged anyone to be out on the roads so the city shut down. With the impending storm, my good friend decided that I shouldn't be alone in the even that something (labour) should happen.  After joking with her that I would be happy if she would be with me to catch the baby, we settled in for a couple of storm days.  Thankfully we did not lose power and were able to watch some TV and a few movies on Netflix.

One of the movies was the "The Book Thief".  This story resonated with me because of my love of books and my own discovery of how words can heal.  Liesel is adopted into a family in another village but is ridiculed at school because she does not know how to read or write.  But her desire to learn is insatiable so she steals books and with her father, she learns to read in the basement of their home.  When the family shelters Max, a Jew, she reads to him and he in return gives her a journal so she can write her own story.  He tells her, words are life.

Words are life. Words tell the story of our existence and express our dreams. Words can make us laugh or cry. Words can be shared with friends or can be written in a private journal.  Words can heal yet words can hurt.  Words describe life around us.

My friends in Egypt gave me a head start on my own children's library as their gift to my baby.  I now have over 30 books of my friends favourite childhood books to read to my own little one.  These words will help to create a life long love of language and books.  Thank you to all my friends in Egypt <3.

One Load at a Time

It's crazy to think that in just a few short weeks I'm going to be a mama.  Time is flying by yet at the same time is just creeping along.  While I have been feeling great and would have loved to continue working, airline policies had me moving back to Canada at 34 weeks.  The extra time I've had at home has allowed me to slowly prepare for this bundle of joy.  Picking up the crib and change table over Christmas gave me the first hints of, 'WOW! This is actually happening!'  And now, my room is filled with cloth diapers, baby clothes (for both a boy and girl because I still don't know what the sex is), receiving blankets, a bassinet, the beginnings of a children's library, and all the little extras that babies need.   Today I picked up a stroller and car seat. I think I have all I need for this baby and me to be comfortable for awhile.

The first load of baby laundry I did was unlike any other laundry experience.  I was filled with mixed emotions. One being, oh my goodness, I'm going to be doing a lot of laundry over the next few years.  The other feeling was excitement for the new baby.  Excitement to hold and kiss my baby for the first time and to not let go for a long time.  Excitement to go on beach walks and forest walks to enjoy nature with my little one.  I'm excited to nurse my baby, both day and night, and to feel that bond that many mothers talk about.  And I cannot wait to read to him/her books that I loved as a child.

The mundane task of folding laundry has also allowed me to spend time in thought.  Thinking about not only the possibilities of the future but also of the challenges that I will face as a single parent.  It's not often that I just sit and think.  As someone who likes to keep busy either by reading or walking, sitting and thinking is not natural for me. I'm slowly learning to just be. This morning I watched a big, black crow just hanging out in one of the trees in the front yard. He had no cares that I could see. He was just sitting, looking out to the water and enjoying the peace of the morning sunrise.  I took his cue, and made a cup of coffee this morning, added my craving of the week, chocolate milk, and just looked out the window at the newly fallen snow and the peacefulness that is all around me.

If you have any advice on how to live in the present and to tame this sometimes, frantic mind of mine, I would greatly appreciate it.  For now, I will continue to fold laundry and just be, one load at a time.

This Moment is Beautiful

The snow is gently falling outside and reminds me that everyday there are new moments just waiting to be experienced and remembered.  Over the past few months I have gone through many life changing moments and will continue to see change in the next few months.  I have never liked change but have longed to experience new things.  Learning to overcome what can almost be called a fear of change has allowed me to move across the country in my 20s and then across the seas in my 30s.  And here I am, fifteen years later, back to where it all began in my childhood town.  I have changed, my friends and family have changed, but the snow keeps falling and the seas keep rolling.  It is these constants that bring me back to the beautiful moment of now and help me to realize that change is what happens when we long to grow spiritually and mentally.