Thanks to six decades of blessings

Happy Birthday to me!

Well, my birthday has come and gone, and I have to say that I’m very grateful to be 53 and I’m very grateful to have been able to spend my birthday with my Mom and my sister, Nicole.

So far, I’ve survived 53 years on this planet, and I think it’s an amazing accomplishment, one I didn’t do on my own. So, thank you to everyone who helped me make it this far. While I feel as though my 50s are fast becoming the best decade of my life, I think it’s probably a good time to reflect on the many wonders that came before. To keep it simple, I’ve decided to list only 10 of the things I’m most grateful for per decade.

Decade #1: Birth to Age 9

I’m grateful for:

· Being chosen by my parents

· Getting a built-in best friend with the birth of my sister, Nicole

· Growing up on Nudell Bush Road where I had the freedom to explore nature and spend a ton of time outside

· My second home, on the farm with Andrea and Michael

· Hanging out with my cousin, Terry

· Meeting my best friend, Alison, and having lots of adventures

· Learning to read

· The encyclopedia set my parents bought

· Learning to ride a bicycle

· Singing, dancing, catching tadpoles and fireflies, feeding the robins that nested in our front yard, and so much more

Decade #2: Age 10 to Age 19

I’m grateful for:

· My first boyfriend, Andrew

· Living with my Nan and spending time with her

· Working at the Spinning Wheel Restaurant (where I first started to talk to people)

· Time with my Aunt Cindy, chatting, skating, going to movies, and doing crafts, cooking, or baking

· Cross-country skiing with my Aunt Katherine in Grade 9

· Going to Texas to meet my penpal, Melody

· Going to Manitoba to visit Uncle Evan, Aunt Liz and my cousins, Katherine and Alexandra

· Meeting my bio-dad, and finding out I have another brother, Richard, and sister, Cheryl

· My dozens of penpals from around the world

· My friendships from high school

Decade #3: Age 20 to Age 29

I’m grateful for:

· Meeting my now ex-husband, Colin

o (I technically met him when I was 19, but barely two months before I turned 20, so it's going into this decade's gratitude list.)

· My post-secondary education, both the year I spent at Loyalist College and the time I spent gaining my first bachelor's degree at Queen’s University in the form of a BAH in History

· The friends I made at college, university, and through my many part-time jobs

· My wedding day

· My honeymoon to Jamaica

· Getting pregnant despite the obstetrician’s prediction otherwise

· The birth of my first daughter, Mackenzie

· The birth of my second daughter, Sydney

· Being offered the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom

· Being introduced to personal development and self-improvement path

Decade #4: Age 30 to Age 39

I’m grateful for:

· Getting my first – and so far, only – tattoo

· Getting my second bachelor's degree from Queen’s University in the form of my B.Ed

· Homeschooling my children

· Family vacations with my ex-husband and my children, especially the many camping trips every spring, summer, and fall

· My house in Stittsville and the time we spent there as a family

· My dog, Radar, and our cats, Charlie, Max, Violet, and Salem

· Getting laser eye surgery and no longer needing to wear glasses

· Attending the 8-day, 7-night Outward Bound Women of Courage trip following the break-up of my marriage

· The farm in Kars where the girls and I spent year two of life after separation

· Therapy (and panic attack medication)

Decade #5: Age 40 to Age 49

I’m grateful for:

· Finally becoming a reporter – thanks to the Morrisburg Leader for hiring me and for recommending me to the Winchester Press following the end of my one-year term

· My time working for House of Lazarus and the freedom I had to use my creativity in all aspects of my work

· Being introduced to Healing Pathway sessions – thank you, Nancy!

· New friends and old friends (James)

· New therapist, Ana

· Surviving, thanks to my sister, Nicole, and several others

· My children having the opportunity to follow their passions (and finding awesome life partners)

· Adopting Meara

· My home – sanctuary – on Whittaker Road

· Discovering the joys and benefits of cannabis oil

Decade #6: Age 50 to present

So far, I’m grateful for:

· Being able to live with my mom for a year following the loss of my step-father

· Visits with my both my children and their partners, as well as visits to Nordik Spa with Sydney

· Having the space and time to focus on healing physically, mentally, and emotionally

Looking back on my life, focusing on naming the things I’m most grateful for, I’m struck by how awesome it – my life – has been. Overall, I’ve had an amazing life with wonderful opportunities. Yes, there’s been traumatic events throughout, but they no longer have the power to overshadow all the great and wonderful moments I’ve been blessed with in my more than 50 years breathing and experiencing life on this planet. I honestly can’t count the number of times I’ve sat in my living room thanking God for the gift of my life, of my children… So, Universe, THANK YOU! Thank you for my wonderful life. 😊