For Sure

Maaike's wonderful Daddy was home on leave from Afghanistan for the better part of three weeks ... and boy did he have some fun with his girl! There were worries that she would "reject" him initially, or at least be wary of him, but from the way she leaped into his arms the second he strolled through the arrivals gate, and clung onto his neck with her head buried in his shoulder, we had absolutely nothing to worry about.

He was so amazed at how much Maaike has grown since he's been gone. Sure, we've Skyped and he's viewed pictures and video along the way, but there's nothing like having the real thing right there in front of you, talking, walking, jumping, swimming, singing, reading, playing, creating, arguing, demanding ... and looking into your eyes telling you "I wuh woo, Da-ee". He was butter!!!

There is no doubt there is a wonderful connection between these two people who hold my heart so dear.

It won't be long and we'll have "Da-ee" home again for good, something Maaike definitely needs in her life. It's from him she will learn how she should be treated by a man, how she should be respected and adored ... he will lead by example and help her to grow into a proud, happy, self-respecting young woman. This, I know for sure.

Well, it wouldn't be Canada if we didn't hit a point early in the year where we are literally exhausted just from seeing the snow. Add to that seriously insane temperatures on the wrong side of zero and you have a recipe for some serious slides down into the dumps. On top of it, you see posts from your Facebook friends of their excursions south, laying on the beaches, sipping frosty umbrella drinks, lounging on the sand, frolicking in the water ... I say enough already. When is global warming going to hit our town????? I promise to never complain ever again that it's "too hot", to refrain from whining when I have to mow the lawn, and to take every last opportunity to be outside when the weather allows it if we can just say goodbye to winter! I'm even willing to completely forego spring at this point and jump right into the humidity. Bring it on!!!!

Fortunately, in order to get me through the February Blahs, I have not only fabulous friends who have my best interests at heart and keep me sane by kicking my butt to keep me on the straight and narrow, but I have something so exciting to look forward to that I want to dance in the slush-filled frosty streets: Andrew's HLTA. Okay, so I really don't know what that stands for exactly, but I certainly know what it means ~ he will be home for a few weeks of R&R with Maaike & me. And we can't wait to share our lives with him again on a daily basis, to reconnect, and to show "Da-ee" just how much his beautiful daughter has learned and grown since he's been gone.

And to remind each other that, ultimately, what's most important of all is us.

Family Photo Montage (created by Kelly Lee)

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

SMILE!

Heard this song and it made me think of my wonderful husband, and inspired me to create a video montage! My first ever, but I don't think it will be the last. So much fun!!!

Smile everyone!

Smile : ) at OneTrueMedia.com

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Love

Ah, yes, but do I miss my wonderful husband. He's currently serving our country overseas, trying to make life better for many others who aren't as fortunate as we Canadians don't just quite realize we are. Such a selfless act, and yet some days I just wish he'd be a little more selfish and come home to us! But we're very proud of him and the work he and his comrades are doing.

It's sad that it takes an event such as this to make you realize just exactly how much you love someone, how much all those little things just don't matter in the grand scheme of things: how much you wish some nights that his snoring would keep you awake, that he was around to leave his things piled in the front hall, that I could wash his stubble out of the bathroom sink, that we could have time to just sit and talk about the little things of our day ...

I also wish he was here to see all the wonderful new things that his beautiful daughter is doing each and every day! From singing her favourite songs, to the alphabet and counting, and her new games of pretending she's the mommy, taking really good care of her baby.

Of course, in time, this segment in our lives will have been only a short one compared to the difference it is making in the middle east, and we can sit back and reminisce, hopefully into our old age, about how it made us feel, how it made us grow, and how it made us love.

Until then, I'll see you in my dreams, my sweet. xoxo

Fall Fotos

Well, here I am ... here we are. I've wanted to have a blog for a long time and, with the help of my friend, Kelly, I was given a tutorial and created our own blog space back in October. Of course, life being as it may, I totally "forgot", "postponed", and/or "greatly procrastinated". I guess I need to create a new habit in order to keep this up. I so enjoy following Kelly's blog ... and now that she and her beautiful little family are heading back to the US (all of Canada says, "Say it isn't so!!!"), I guess I should be a little more consistent. Maybe I can even find more words for her to look up.

So, Kelly, this one's for you. I'll make a promise to at least try to think about posting on here on occasion, if for nothing else but to try to make my blog look as great and be as entertaining as yours.