Today I spend the majority of the day with my favourite 3 month old...Hanna!
This beautiful bundle belongs to my best friend and I really don't think that she could be any sweeter if she tried.
Miss Hanna was bright eyed and bushy tailed from the moment I arrived. Her momma cleaned her bum shortly after my arrival, we played on the floor a little, snuggled, she ate (a few times), the big people had some lunch and chatted all the while. She is just absolutely adorable. She didn't nap, much to her mother's chagrin, but remained happy and giggly the whole time that I was visiting (6 whole hours).
Don't get me wrong, I also thoroughly enjoyed the time that I got to spend with my friend as it had been at least a month since the last time we got together. Today we chatted and chatted, covering a myriad of subjects that affect both of our lives on different levels. It was also wonderful to watch her be a mom to little miss Hanna. I always knew that she would be a good mom but I never could have imagined how much of a natural she is. She is by far, one of the best and most relaxed first time moms I have ever seen! If, and that's a big if, baby fusses mom doesn't get all stressed out she simply tries to calm her and settle her and is quite willing to see if someone else can work their magic and calm her. There are times when she gets a little fed up, but she knows enough to put baby down and let her cry while mom takes a few minutes to breathe...there are many moms that never manage to figure that one out!
I do have to say that the day spent with a beautiful, happy, smiling baby did make me REALLY want one...but that's nothing new, I have wanted one for many, many years. However, I am very happy for my friend because she is a wonderful mom with a wonderful little girl. It's not my time to become a mom but I know that one day it is something that I will be able to share with my friend and I will be able to ask her for advice :)
I can't wait for the next day that I am able to spend with these great girls...love you ♥
Friday, October 26, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
A Gift of Faith
Consider yourself warned, I am about to talk faith and spirituality.
Because I teach in a Catholic School Board, all of my interviews ask how my own personal journey in Catholicism have prepared me for teaching in a Catholic School. I always link this question to my 2 very devoute Catholic grandmothers. Some of my favourite memories of my paternal grandmother (Gram) are of all of us (6 kids, 7 adults) staying in the original family cottage which often found us (the kids) sleeping in the same room as my grandmother. (There were several sets of bunkbeds and some of us crashed together as we were little and quite young) As we would begin to drift off the only sounds to be heard were that of the water lapping on the shore, the pendulum on big clock in the living room tic-tocking away, and Gram whispering her prayers. She would kneel all curled up in a little ball with her head just about on the bed in front of her and away she would go. To this day, I have no idea what prayers she was saying or if she was just chatting with God, nor for how long she would pray because I always fell asleep before she was done.
On the other hand, my Nana was much less demonstrative. She attended mass weekly (with the occasional weekday mass thrown in for good measure) and we would say Grace before meals but that was kind of where it ended. I don't think I ever truly understood the strength of her relationship with God until my grandfather passed away. Yes she was sad, but there was a peacefulness about her that I simply didn't understand at the time. I saw that peacefulness again when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She had already made up her mind long before her official diagnosis, whatever would be would be...that was God's plan for her.
Over the years, as I have gotten older, I have tried to embrace this Faith that was so prominently displayed for me over the years. In the very recent past, as I have attended more interviews and applied for more positions I have tried to put it in God's hands and simply let whatever will be, be. I want that same sort of relationship that my grandmothers' had. Each night before I go to sleep I have a conversation with God and thank him for all of the wonderful things he has given me throughout the years and I ask him to guide me and help me to discover that path that he has planned for me. I try to attend mass on a weekly basis (although this has not been my forte as of late) and I have even begun to read and meditate on the daily mass readings on a semi-regular basis. I do not, as of yet, have my own regular seat as my Nana did but I hope to one day find that wonderful place of Trust, Respect and Faith that both she and Gram so beautifully showed me.
Thank you Nana and Gram! I am so Blessed to have had you both to show me what true Faith looks like. I hope that I can follow in your footsteps and enjoy the same sort of beautiful relationship with God that you both enjoyed.
God Bless!
Steph
Because I teach in a Catholic School Board, all of my interviews ask how my own personal journey in Catholicism have prepared me for teaching in a Catholic School. I always link this question to my 2 very devoute Catholic grandmothers. Some of my favourite memories of my paternal grandmother (Gram) are of all of us (6 kids, 7 adults) staying in the original family cottage which often found us (the kids) sleeping in the same room as my grandmother. (There were several sets of bunkbeds and some of us crashed together as we were little and quite young) As we would begin to drift off the only sounds to be heard were that of the water lapping on the shore, the pendulum on big clock in the living room tic-tocking away, and Gram whispering her prayers. She would kneel all curled up in a little ball with her head just about on the bed in front of her and away she would go. To this day, I have no idea what prayers she was saying or if she was just chatting with God, nor for how long she would pray because I always fell asleep before she was done.
On the other hand, my Nana was much less demonstrative. She attended mass weekly (with the occasional weekday mass thrown in for good measure) and we would say Grace before meals but that was kind of where it ended. I don't think I ever truly understood the strength of her relationship with God until my grandfather passed away. Yes she was sad, but there was a peacefulness about her that I simply didn't understand at the time. I saw that peacefulness again when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She had already made up her mind long before her official diagnosis, whatever would be would be...that was God's plan for her.
Over the years, as I have gotten older, I have tried to embrace this Faith that was so prominently displayed for me over the years. In the very recent past, as I have attended more interviews and applied for more positions I have tried to put it in God's hands and simply let whatever will be, be. I want that same sort of relationship that my grandmothers' had. Each night before I go to sleep I have a conversation with God and thank him for all of the wonderful things he has given me throughout the years and I ask him to guide me and help me to discover that path that he has planned for me. I try to attend mass on a weekly basis (although this has not been my forte as of late) and I have even begun to read and meditate on the daily mass readings on a semi-regular basis. I do not, as of yet, have my own regular seat as my Nana did but I hope to one day find that wonderful place of Trust, Respect and Faith that both she and Gram so beautifully showed me.
Thank you Nana and Gram! I am so Blessed to have had you both to show me what true Faith looks like. I hope that I can follow in your footsteps and enjoy the same sort of beautiful relationship with God that you both enjoyed.
God Bless!
Steph
It's been a while
So, it's been a long time since I have written anything and I have realized that I've been missing it. I thought that I would start with a life update.
On October 10th I had my gallbladder removed. Who would ever have thought that 4 teeny tiny little holes could cause so much discomfort! I say discomfort because about the only real pain I had was the day of the surgery and it was due to the gas that gets pumped into the abdomen to allow for room to work. I'm told that they try really hard to remove most of it, but inevitably you end up with some remaining in your tummy. This was painful! The worst part was that there is little to nothing that helps to take it away other than time because the gas is in areas that anti-gas meds don't touch. It's so invasive my shoulders were actually sore becasue of it!
My recovery was and continues to be quite good. I spent my first week at the cottage with my parents so that my husband wouldn't have to worry about me being home alone. Mom and Dad were really good to help me in and out of the chair that I chose to sit in; they helped me make up the couch on the first night because it hurt to lay in bed; they reached for things up high that I simply couldn't stretch to reach; they even tied my shoes for me...who put my feet so far away??? I really couldn't have asked for more :) Each day, starting on the 11th, I went for a short walk and lengthened it a little at a time each day. What better place to enjoy the fall than our beautiful cottage!!!
After a week I returned home and my hubby took over. He has taken very good care of me and enabled me to get back into things slowly.
I'm still not fully healed but I am definately well on my way to being completely pain (and steri-strip) free. I, quite frankly, can't wait to wear pants that have buttons and zippers! Because the gallbladder comes out through your bellybutton I haven't been able to wear anything with a button because it digs into my bellybutton. I have discovered that my choices are very limited when it comes to these types of clothing items!
Other than the surgery, I have been hunting for work. I have had 2 interviews over the last week for 3 different positions at the same school. I am hoping to be successful because I really want to work for the wonderful woman that is the principal. She was the VP at the school that I was at for the past 2 years and I simply adore her. She is helpful, fair, and quite simply a wonderful person. This is her first principalship and I would love to be part of that journey with her. Only time will tell but I really should know by tomorrow if I have landed one of the positions. It really would be wonderful to be working again. I am getting tired of not having money and of supply teaching. I really don't like not knowing if I will be working in the morning nor how far I will have to travel if I am working.
Oh well, que sera, sera!
Steph
On October 10th I had my gallbladder removed. Who would ever have thought that 4 teeny tiny little holes could cause so much discomfort! I say discomfort because about the only real pain I had was the day of the surgery and it was due to the gas that gets pumped into the abdomen to allow for room to work. I'm told that they try really hard to remove most of it, but inevitably you end up with some remaining in your tummy. This was painful! The worst part was that there is little to nothing that helps to take it away other than time because the gas is in areas that anti-gas meds don't touch. It's so invasive my shoulders were actually sore becasue of it!
My recovery was and continues to be quite good. I spent my first week at the cottage with my parents so that my husband wouldn't have to worry about me being home alone. Mom and Dad were really good to help me in and out of the chair that I chose to sit in; they helped me make up the couch on the first night because it hurt to lay in bed; they reached for things up high that I simply couldn't stretch to reach; they even tied my shoes for me...who put my feet so far away??? I really couldn't have asked for more :) Each day, starting on the 11th, I went for a short walk and lengthened it a little at a time each day. What better place to enjoy the fall than our beautiful cottage!!!
After a week I returned home and my hubby took over. He has taken very good care of me and enabled me to get back into things slowly.
I'm still not fully healed but I am definately well on my way to being completely pain (and steri-strip) free. I, quite frankly, can't wait to wear pants that have buttons and zippers! Because the gallbladder comes out through your bellybutton I haven't been able to wear anything with a button because it digs into my bellybutton. I have discovered that my choices are very limited when it comes to these types of clothing items!
Other than the surgery, I have been hunting for work. I have had 2 interviews over the last week for 3 different positions at the same school. I am hoping to be successful because I really want to work for the wonderful woman that is the principal. She was the VP at the school that I was at for the past 2 years and I simply adore her. She is helpful, fair, and quite simply a wonderful person. This is her first principalship and I would love to be part of that journey with her. Only time will tell but I really should know by tomorrow if I have landed one of the positions. It really would be wonderful to be working again. I am getting tired of not having money and of supply teaching. I really don't like not knowing if I will be working in the morning nor how far I will have to travel if I am working.
Oh well, que sera, sera!
Steph
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