The March Break officially started Friday, Feb. 25th, at 3pm. My brain didn't register the break until this morning at 6am when the boys woke up.
It isn't that I do not enjoy being with my boys, it is just that I know that they need to be occupied a lot more and the constant fighting is really hard to handle sometimes. Fortunately, this week has a few fun events included so it will pass the time easier.
Today we started with a yummy french toast breakfast. This is Logan's favourite because I make it with croissants. He used to call it sweet toast and refused to put syrup on top. Now his taste includes the sweeter things in life and the more syrup the better!
Then we attempted to play Wii Fit. It is usually a hit with Mason and Logan, but as soon as we brought the fit board out Jacob wouldn't leave Logan alone. I had also mentioned making birthday cards so Mason ended up being more interested in crafting. (Something he has just started to appreciate.) So by 9am I put Jacob down for a nap and Logan, Mason and I made some cards. Once Logan had made enough by his standards he played Wii LEGO Batman.
9:30am we had snack time and Jacob woke up at 9:45am. Not bad! 45 minutes of exploring my creativity without any meltdowns and also had some side by side time with Mason!
They watched a little T.V. before lunch. Once lunch was done Mason and Logan went outside to play ALONE for 1 HOUR in the snow making snow forts!!!!!! What a great treat! That is one beautiful thing about owning an acre of land in the country; I can see them out the front window, the back window, and one side window so I know where they are. We have a long enough driveway that the cars are not an issue so far and enough land that they can be creative with their playing and not get into too much trouble! (YET)
They came in for hot chocolate and marshmallows, then Mason and Jacob went for a nap while Logan did some homework with Daddy! One of the nice things about Martin working from home is that he makes himself available for free time with the kids as much as he can. I can help Logan with homework, but because french is Martin's first language he is the best one for help!
Now we are just planning what dinner will be and then it will be a regular nighttime routine. Bathtime, game,show, storytime, then sleep! I am looking forward to tomorrow and Wednesday. We will be doing fun things with the ladies and kids from PACE. Then Thursday is a possible ski day! Sunday will be a day to rest!
Blessings
Lee-Anne
Exodus 20:9-11
Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Living the Vision
As I was skating at our local outdoor rink with my kids, husband, and the in-laws, I remembered a vision statement I had written back in 2009:
"It is January 2014 and I am enjoying a wonderful hot chocolate with my three children and husband. We are sitting by the fire in our log cabin home just heating up after finishing a great cross country ski in the backwoods. The lake is frozen over and we are organizing a quick pick up game of ice hockey after supper with Martin’s family."
It is now 2011 and I have already achieved part of my vision. I just have remind myself that it doesn't always have to look a certain way! In 2009 we were still living in Seattle and I was pregnant with Jacob, my youngest. I knew that one day we would be back in Canada and I just put a timeline on it.
Today we live in a beautiful country home with a fireplace, not quite a log cabin, but it is a start. We weren't cross country skiing as the kids still need some practice, but we did play in the snow. The boys had a hot chocolate when they got in. It wasn't a lake we skated on, but it was outside, free, only 5 minutes from our house, and we had hockey sticks! One day the picture will look even closer to the vision, but for now this is pretty darn close.
I have always wanted to be in the country. I just didn't expect it to come so soon. I also didn't expect us to live in the family homestead. All I did was put it on paper and let God and the rest of the Universe know what I wanted. I think I had to get over my control of how life is suppose to look like in order to appreciate what God has so graciously provided for me. Now I just have to choose what I am going to do with it!
In alignment with my vision I have ideas for kids books in the works, non-profit organisations I am going to launch in the future, business goals, and lots of fun travelling to plan. Since I wrote the vision I have had many new and wonderful things cross my path that I hadn't even thought of back then. Maybe it is time to revise the vision!
Blessings
Lee-Anne xoxo
Thursday, February 24, 2011
7 in one blow!
As my family was swatting flies this morning I was reminded of the story "The Brave Little Tailor". The little taylor kills 7 flies in one shot and is so proud he makes himself a cloth belt and embroiders SEVEN IN ONE BLOW in red thread. Of course we aren't going on to kill giants or evil wild boars, but it is a fun story.
We have had such a mess of flies ever since we lived here. I mean it was like this before, but living in it makes it so much more apparent! In the summer it was NASTY! We had swarms of flies inside and outside the house. They swarmed the upstairs windows outside and would get in between the screen and the window so we couldn't open the windows! At one point the ladybugs took over and our entire back yard was red and black!
I thought once the cold weather came that the flies would leave, but they have managed to hide in all the nooks and cranies that they could find. Everytime it warms up higher than 0 degrees we get a flood of flies around the windows.
You can bet this spring we will be spraying the attic and anywhere else we can to prevent those pesky flies from running rampant again. I know that we live in the country, there are cows close by, and when they fertilize the fields beside us it isn't a pleasant smell. The odds are against us when it comes to flies. However, they can stay OUTSIDE! This is my house and I am pretty generous when it comes to having people stay here, but I would rather not share it with the flies.
Blessings
Lee-Anne
Exodus 8:22
And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen,
in which my people dwell,
that no swarms of flies shall be there;
to the end thou mayest know that
I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.
We have had such a mess of flies ever since we lived here. I mean it was like this before, but living in it makes it so much more apparent! In the summer it was NASTY! We had swarms of flies inside and outside the house. They swarmed the upstairs windows outside and would get in between the screen and the window so we couldn't open the windows! At one point the ladybugs took over and our entire back yard was red and black!
I thought once the cold weather came that the flies would leave, but they have managed to hide in all the nooks and cranies that they could find. Everytime it warms up higher than 0 degrees we get a flood of flies around the windows.
You can bet this spring we will be spraying the attic and anywhere else we can to prevent those pesky flies from running rampant again. I know that we live in the country, there are cows close by, and when they fertilize the fields beside us it isn't a pleasant smell. The odds are against us when it comes to flies. However, they can stay OUTSIDE! This is my house and I am pretty generous when it comes to having people stay here, but I would rather not share it with the flies.
Blessings
Lee-Anne
Exodus 8:22
And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen,
in which my people dwell,
that no swarms of flies shall be there;
to the end thou mayest know that
I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Decluttering
I finally emptied the boxes that were in the guest room closet! It has been a constant pit of disaster since we moved in 7 months ago. Thankfully, I made a special request to my father-in-law when we first moved into the house for some shelves for the closet. The generous man that he is, he custom made a built in shelving unit that attaches to the side wall of the closet. This allows for a bit more storage space and I still have room in there to hang clothes and add some unneeded items!
I was hoping with yet another move I could get rid of "stuff"! I am such a pack rat that I keep things forever! The things I talk about are crafty things that I aspire to pick up sometime in the near future. I have fabric, yarn, paper, paints, a dress manequin, books on scrapbooking and sewing, and the list goes on. I love my artsy things, now I have to make time to use them!
Of course the other nemesis is all the toys the kids have aquired over the past 6.5 years. We have buckets of cars, a small collection of trains, a full LEGO table ( which gets used the most), stuffed animals, light sabers, big trucks, etc.... I know many friends who rotate their toys, but they also have to deal with storing the ones not in use.
The crazy thing is, I find it hard to get rid of a lot of these things because for some reason I get attached to them! What is up with that? I am trying to de-clutter and here I am keeping things that my kids do not or will not ever play with again! I am sure it has to do with the fact that when I was younger we moved a lot and many things got lost or given away without my consent and I never really got over it. Lame as this may seem they are memories that I just have a hard time surpassing!
This is the year when I declutter my house. Once the summer comes I want to see my basement floor and every other floor in the house! I did purchase some shelving bins and I already have many storage bins, so once we do the winter to spring switch I will be able to see what storge bins are left. I want everything on a shelf, in a bin, or out the door!
My best friend, Julie, is a pro at this stuff. When I was pregnant with my first child, Logan, she came to Montreal to help me declutter. From getting rid of papers, to finally hanging pictures on the walls, we worked for two days and I felt great afterwards. Of course three months later we moved, but I didn't have to pack as much "stuff". Now she is a new mom so her time is limited, but maybe I could convince her to come and help me out again!
Decluttering and simplifying life has always been a challenge for me, but I do not want to make any more excuses. I do not have a busy schedule like I used to and I do have some family help if I need it. So here I go on a mission to declutter!
Blessings
Lee-Anne
Corinthians 13:12 Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. (NLT)
I was hoping with yet another move I could get rid of "stuff"! I am such a pack rat that I keep things forever! The things I talk about are crafty things that I aspire to pick up sometime in the near future. I have fabric, yarn, paper, paints, a dress manequin, books on scrapbooking and sewing, and the list goes on. I love my artsy things, now I have to make time to use them!
Of course the other nemesis is all the toys the kids have aquired over the past 6.5 years. We have buckets of cars, a small collection of trains, a full LEGO table ( which gets used the most), stuffed animals, light sabers, big trucks, etc.... I know many friends who rotate their toys, but they also have to deal with storing the ones not in use.
The crazy thing is, I find it hard to get rid of a lot of these things because for some reason I get attached to them! What is up with that? I am trying to de-clutter and here I am keeping things that my kids do not or will not ever play with again! I am sure it has to do with the fact that when I was younger we moved a lot and many things got lost or given away without my consent and I never really got over it. Lame as this may seem they are memories that I just have a hard time surpassing!
This is the year when I declutter my house. Once the summer comes I want to see my basement floor and every other floor in the house! I did purchase some shelving bins and I already have many storage bins, so once we do the winter to spring switch I will be able to see what storge bins are left. I want everything on a shelf, in a bin, or out the door!
My best friend, Julie, is a pro at this stuff. When I was pregnant with my first child, Logan, she came to Montreal to help me declutter. From getting rid of papers, to finally hanging pictures on the walls, we worked for two days and I felt great afterwards. Of course three months later we moved, but I didn't have to pack as much "stuff". Now she is a new mom so her time is limited, but maybe I could convince her to come and help me out again!
Decluttering and simplifying life has always been a challenge for me, but I do not want to make any more excuses. I do not have a busy schedule like I used to and I do have some family help if I need it. So here I go on a mission to declutter!
Blessings
Lee-Anne
Corinthians 13:12 Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. (NLT)
Saturday, February 19, 2011
The Wind She Blows!
The wind started howling in the evening last night and is still going. It is the kind of noise that makes me wonder what kind of changes are taking place. What has God got in store for us?
Last night we were presented with a very full , bright moon. In our big country sky the picture was amazing. Since there are not a lot of lights in the area the moon is the main source of light in the pitch black of night. It was a perfect setting for the beginning of the blistery winds that began to blow after such a calm, unusually warm winter day.
Because I am from the suburbs I am not used to total silence or having natures noises as a background sound. I grew up most of my life in high rise apartments with the faint, or sometimes loud, sounds of the noises within the building. During the warmer days often the white noise from the streets below would be my background noise. Even when I was in University, living downtown Toronto, I had the sounds of city life to put me to sleep.
Now don't get me wrong, I will take silence over city traffic any day, but it does take some getting used to. It is so much more peaceful to listen to the wind, or the crickets, or frogs which can set the stage for a calm and carefree sleep.
My husband grew up with these wonderful sounds and has no trouble falling asleep anytime we are in the country. If he has to sleep with city sounds he is very restless. I was up most of the night listening to the crazy winds, wondering if it would crash through my bedroom windows. Of course, everyone else in the house slept through the night for the first time in almost 2 months! Go figure!
I am sure once we open our windows again in the spring I will get better acquainted with my new environment and adapt to a better sleep with the county noise or lack thereof! Either that or I will have to start wearing ear plugs!
Blessings
Lee-Anne
Zephaniah 3:17 (New International Version)
The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."
Last night we were presented with a very full , bright moon. In our big country sky the picture was amazing. Since there are not a lot of lights in the area the moon is the main source of light in the pitch black of night. It was a perfect setting for the beginning of the blistery winds that began to blow after such a calm, unusually warm winter day.
Because I am from the suburbs I am not used to total silence or having natures noises as a background sound. I grew up most of my life in high rise apartments with the faint, or sometimes loud, sounds of the noises within the building. During the warmer days often the white noise from the streets below would be my background noise. Even when I was in University, living downtown Toronto, I had the sounds of city life to put me to sleep.
Now don't get me wrong, I will take silence over city traffic any day, but it does take some getting used to. It is so much more peaceful to listen to the wind, or the crickets, or frogs which can set the stage for a calm and carefree sleep.
My husband grew up with these wonderful sounds and has no trouble falling asleep anytime we are in the country. If he has to sleep with city sounds he is very restless. I was up most of the night listening to the crazy winds, wondering if it would crash through my bedroom windows. Of course, everyone else in the house slept through the night for the first time in almost 2 months! Go figure!
I am sure once we open our windows again in the spring I will get better acquainted with my new environment and adapt to a better sleep with the county noise or lack thereof! Either that or I will have to start wearing ear plugs!
Blessings
Lee-Anne
Zephaniah 3:17 (New International Version)
The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."
Friday, February 18, 2011
Making Tracks
Wednesday was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the snow was crisp and even though it was -20 outside it was a great day for a walk.
I joined a few of the ladies from PACE , and their kids of course, and took Jacob for a walk along the bike trail in town. It is just in back of where my in-law's live so we stopped in for a quick visit before heading out. I had finally sent both Logan and Mason back to school after a long spell of fevers and coughing so I wanted to enjoy some fresh air!
We all met up at a parking lot just in front of the trail head, made sure everyone was bundled up and we were off! We could not walk more than two side by side because the trail was pretty narrrow after all the snow so we partnered up.
I walked beside Maria most of the way. Maria works at PACE and has a 24 year old daughter, so to the rest of us moms she is like the expert! It was nice to find out more about Maria and connect deeper than "Bonjour" and "Comment ca va?" She gave me some great tips for home remedies and made sure I knew that I had to take care of myself and be careful not to overdue it because of my cough!
Amelie is another PACE employee with lots of fun ideas and tons of energy. She was the one who ran back a 1/4 mile along the bike trail to pick up a lost mittin! Go Amelie! Amelie has a 6 year old son in the same grade and school as Logan, but not the same class. I can see myself doing some school projects with her in the future!
Mary, a mother of two boys (4yrs and 18m), had brought along her dog to drag the kids on their sled. The dog isn't very big, but she is very strong! Mary siad that sometimes she will even get in with the kids and the dog still pulls all of them! Mary and I will be getting together soon for another fun walk. I may even bring my dog, Max, to see if she could pull Jacob and Mason on their sled as well!
Slowly, but surely, we are getting to know people and becoming more active in the community. The spring is not too far away, even though the groundhog saw his shadow. As much fun as it is to play in the snow I am looking forward to a beautiful spring walk and learning all about planting a garden. Something about fresh veggies from the garden makes everything taste so much better!
Blessings
Lee-Anne
"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up."
Ecclesiastes
I joined a few of the ladies from PACE , and their kids of course, and took Jacob for a walk along the bike trail in town. It is just in back of where my in-law's live so we stopped in for a quick visit before heading out. I had finally sent both Logan and Mason back to school after a long spell of fevers and coughing so I wanted to enjoy some fresh air!
We all met up at a parking lot just in front of the trail head, made sure everyone was bundled up and we were off! We could not walk more than two side by side because the trail was pretty narrrow after all the snow so we partnered up.
I walked beside Maria most of the way. Maria works at PACE and has a 24 year old daughter, so to the rest of us moms she is like the expert! It was nice to find out more about Maria and connect deeper than "Bonjour" and "Comment ca va?" She gave me some great tips for home remedies and made sure I knew that I had to take care of myself and be careful not to overdue it because of my cough!
Amelie is another PACE employee with lots of fun ideas and tons of energy. She was the one who ran back a 1/4 mile along the bike trail to pick up a lost mittin! Go Amelie! Amelie has a 6 year old son in the same grade and school as Logan, but not the same class. I can see myself doing some school projects with her in the future!
Mary, a mother of two boys (4yrs and 18m), had brought along her dog to drag the kids on their sled. The dog isn't very big, but she is very strong! Mary siad that sometimes she will even get in with the kids and the dog still pulls all of them! Mary and I will be getting together soon for another fun walk. I may even bring my dog, Max, to see if she could pull Jacob and Mason on their sled as well!
Slowly, but surely, we are getting to know people and becoming more active in the community. The spring is not too far away, even though the groundhog saw his shadow. As much fun as it is to play in the snow I am looking forward to a beautiful spring walk and learning all about planting a garden. Something about fresh veggies from the garden makes everything taste so much better!
Blessings
Lee-Anne
"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up."
Ecclesiastes
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| Maria, Amelie, and Mary |
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| Me and Jakers |
 |
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Winter Wonderland
Despite the fact that we are all coughing, and Martin was in bed with a fever, I still managed to get the boys out to play in the snow this morning. We haven't had a lot of sunshine due to the constant snow, so it was a must to go outside NO MATTER WHAT and soak it up!
We have huge snow banks in our driveway that make sledding a lot of fun and easy. We do not have to travel anywhere and they are big enough that the boys don't have to walk forever to get backup the hill. I even gave it a go!
 |
| Boys at top of snow bank |
I did attempt to snowshoe around the house, but the snow was a little too deep and I still sunk down, therefore tipping Jacob over in his sled as well!
Mason and I played mini hockey for a bit. It is really quite fun. We didn't bring the nets out with us so we just used Max Dog as a goalie. Unfortunately she moved a lot so Mason got a lot of goals on me!
 |
| Me sliding! Yippee! |
Logan went exploring on his own around the house using his hockey stick as a walking stick. He could also measure how deep the snow was!
The boys even played in Grandpapa's truck. This was the highlight of Jacob's morning. I don't know what it is about boys, but playing in the back of a pick up truck seems to bring smiles anytime!
After over an hour of being outside Jacob passed out on his Spider Man couch and Mason was not too far behind. Logan came in about 30 minutes before us and was found already sleeping with Daddy!
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Little Jacob sleeping |
Other fun things to do in the snow around here are 4-wheeling, skidooing, ice skating, cross country skiing and the list goes on. It is funny how if we are having fun in snow we do not notice the -10 degree celcius temperature! Of course I think -15 is the limit for me. The -30 weather just freezes me from the inside out!
In Quebec we have many different winter celebrations all over the place to remind us to have fun in the snow. It isn't going away anytime soon so rather that groaning about the snow it is way more fun, and more energy efficient, to enjoy it!
Blessings
Lee-Anne
This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Coming Together
There is a true community feeling about living in a small town. I belong to a small group called P.A.C.E. (Projet d'Action Comunitaire pour Enfants) It is a government funded project that has been around for about 12 years now. It gives parents and kids a chance to come together for support, friendship, outings, cooking, workshops and to share ideas on parenting. Being in a small community it helps to have all the support I can get!
Yesterday, I took Mason (4) and Jacob (17m) with me to Logan's (6) school for an outing with PACE. We spent 45 minutes in a Kindergarten classroom having snacks and playing with blocks and cars. It was a great experience for Mason to see the big school that his older brother goes to and play with a few older kids. Jacob fit right in and didn't want to leave! It was wonderful for me to speak with the teacher about the program too since Mason will soon be there! YIKES!
Today, I spent the morning with a few moms making chocolate molds during a workshop. I had never done this before and was pleased to see how easy it was. I am always looking for things to do with my kids at home.
I am also a part of a collective cooking group at PACE, so tomorrow I get to cook all day for my family. This means I get to share recipes, food, and conversation with the two other moms in my group. On top of that the two moms are very french so I get to speak french all day and improve upon my skills! I could bring Mason and Jacob with me to play with the other kids as it is all supervised by three wonderful ladies However, I will leave them with Grandmaman and Grandpapa for the day so they can have fun of their own and Jacob will be able to nap!
Since I have started attending PACE I am getting to know more moms on a personal level. As I get older I find it more difficult and exhausting to connect with new people, but being in a safe environment with other moms who are going through the same daily challenges as myself it makes it a little easier to ease into friendships.
After having a few casual conversations before Christmas, I discovered a few moms who have similar religious views as me and I hope to be getting involved in a bible study soon, if not two! I am really excited about this new venture and I know it will only lead to more wonderful things!
Blessings
Lee-Anne
Matthew 18:20 (NIV)
For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
Yesterday, I took Mason (4) and Jacob (17m) with me to Logan's (6) school for an outing with PACE. We spent 45 minutes in a Kindergarten classroom having snacks and playing with blocks and cars. It was a great experience for Mason to see the big school that his older brother goes to and play with a few older kids. Jacob fit right in and didn't want to leave! It was wonderful for me to speak with the teacher about the program too since Mason will soon be there! YIKES!
Today, I spent the morning with a few moms making chocolate molds during a workshop. I had never done this before and was pleased to see how easy it was. I am always looking for things to do with my kids at home.
I am also a part of a collective cooking group at PACE, so tomorrow I get to cook all day for my family. This means I get to share recipes, food, and conversation with the two other moms in my group. On top of that the two moms are very french so I get to speak french all day and improve upon my skills! I could bring Mason and Jacob with me to play with the other kids as it is all supervised by three wonderful ladies However, I will leave them with Grandmaman and Grandpapa for the day so they can have fun of their own and Jacob will be able to nap!
Since I have started attending PACE I am getting to know more moms on a personal level. As I get older I find it more difficult and exhausting to connect with new people, but being in a safe environment with other moms who are going through the same daily challenges as myself it makes it a little easier to ease into friendships.
After having a few casual conversations before Christmas, I discovered a few moms who have similar religious views as me and I hope to be getting involved in a bible study soon, if not two! I am really excited about this new venture and I know it will only lead to more wonderful things!
Blessings
Lee-Anne
Matthew 18:20 (NIV)
For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Changes
We have been living in the country side of Quebec, Canada since August of 2010. We bought and moved into the family homestead and acquired an acre of land and a beautiful country home built by my Father-in-law.
Life has been very different for me in many ways since we moved. Unlike my husband who grew up here in the country, I grew up in the suburbs with everything pretty much at my finger tips. We have lived in many different places over the past 12 years, the last of which was Seattle, Washington. We left wonderful friends, an amazing neighbourhood, and a glorious community church.
Here in the country, I feel very isolated. Our closest neighbours are in the cemetery on the other side of the hedges. I live on a dirt road and share it with 4 other houses. I only live 5 minutes from town which is not too bad. I do have to take one of two highways to get there so walking is not an option.
In town I can visit my in-law's, go to the one gocery store, visit the library which is situated both on the US and Canadian Borders, drive my kids to the local french school, and check out 3 thrift shops! Of course most things are closed on Mondays so I have to plan ahead sometimes.
The advantage of living in a border town is I can cross into the US and use the grocery stores, and gas stations whenever I have the chance. Yes I still need my passport, but sometimes it is just nice to get some variety.
It is an interesting feeling to be a part of a small town. Everyone knows everyone, and if they do not know you then they know of you. Martin's family has been here since his parent's were kids, so I can mention a name and instantly I have a new friend! I am so used to living in the city where I would barely see or even know my neighbours. Now the owners of the local ice cream place know my name and my kids! (Apart from Grandmaman's, they have the best banana bread in town !)
I am still adapting to the whole environmental culture shock. I didn't think it would take me so long, but I guess I have been in complete resistance for a while and not wanting to admit it. I am now choosing to take my new life by the reigns and go for an amazing ride.
I am not really sure how this blog is going to turn out, but that is the exciting part! I do not even know who will read this, but this is something I am doing for me. Yes it is a way to keep friends and family updated, but for the most part it is a way to journal about country life and how I am finding my place.
Blessings
Lee-Anne
In order to emerge in life sometimes you have to throw yourself into an emergency!
Life has been very different for me in many ways since we moved. Unlike my husband who grew up here in the country, I grew up in the suburbs with everything pretty much at my finger tips. We have lived in many different places over the past 12 years, the last of which was Seattle, Washington. We left wonderful friends, an amazing neighbourhood, and a glorious community church.
Here in the country, I feel very isolated. Our closest neighbours are in the cemetery on the other side of the hedges. I live on a dirt road and share it with 4 other houses. I only live 5 minutes from town which is not too bad. I do have to take one of two highways to get there so walking is not an option.
In town I can visit my in-law's, go to the one gocery store, visit the library which is situated both on the US and Canadian Borders, drive my kids to the local french school, and check out 3 thrift shops! Of course most things are closed on Mondays so I have to plan ahead sometimes.
The advantage of living in a border town is I can cross into the US and use the grocery stores, and gas stations whenever I have the chance. Yes I still need my passport, but sometimes it is just nice to get some variety.
It is an interesting feeling to be a part of a small town. Everyone knows everyone, and if they do not know you then they know of you. Martin's family has been here since his parent's were kids, so I can mention a name and instantly I have a new friend! I am so used to living in the city where I would barely see or even know my neighbours. Now the owners of the local ice cream place know my name and my kids! (Apart from Grandmaman's, they have the best banana bread in town !)
I am still adapting to the whole environmental culture shock. I didn't think it would take me so long, but I guess I have been in complete resistance for a while and not wanting to admit it. I am now choosing to take my new life by the reigns and go for an amazing ride.
I am not really sure how this blog is going to turn out, but that is the exciting part! I do not even know who will read this, but this is something I am doing for me. Yes it is a way to keep friends and family updated, but for the most part it is a way to journal about country life and how I am finding my place.
Blessings
Lee-Anne
In order to emerge in life sometimes you have to throw yourself into an emergency!
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