2016 Draws to a Close

Another year is behind us and a new one stretched out in front. For me, 2016 was an emotion filled year of changes. Change would definitely be one word that would sum up 2016!

Early in the year, Devin sold his house and we bought our new home. When I look back on all that we packed into a few short months, I'm not sure how we did it!  Searching for a house while planning a wedding and doing it from cities 2 hours apart! But we managed just fine and LOVE our new neighbourhood in Mount Elgin.

The first 5 months of the year were filled with wedding planning and preparations. It was great fun to see everything come together for our special day. But, more than anything we were ready to live together as a family.

May 22 was a perfect day. Everything just fell into place and created an ideal day for us to share with our family and friends. Honestly, I could not have asked for it to be any different.

And then reality happened. Ha ha ha. Consider all of this happening at the same time:

• Closing the deal on my house & moving my stuff out
• Moving into a new house - living in chaos as we figured out where everything should go
• Changing my name
• Changing my address
• Becoming a wife
• Becoming a mom

Wow! Talk about adjustments! But, with the support of my very patient husband, we made it through all of those transitions. We enjoyed some fun times this summer with family and friends and went on our first family vacation! In August we traveled to the Smoky Mountains with my parents and spent a week exploring. It was a great time for the three of us to spend undivided time together and an opportunity for Cody to bond with my parents.

As we moved into fall, we felt more settled as a family. We were finding our groove. I altered my hours at work so I could spend more time with Cody after school - which has been such a blessing to our family. Following with the "change" theme ...we bought a truck and sold my Beetle. Yes, the time had come for my little car to find a new owner. We needed something more practical for our family.

In November, I said good bye to my beloved Grammie. What a sad day, indeed, when I got word that she had passed away. I'm so very grateful for the many memories I shared with her and will carry with me forever. She was a very special lady to me and I'm so glad she was able to attend our wedding and share in my joy that day. I believe it has been a gradual mourning for me. Things have changed over the last few years. We took fewer trips out in the car, she moved from her house to an apartment and finally a nursing home. He mind was still sharp and witty but I know she was uncomfortable and did not enjoy her everyday life any longer. So, as sad as it leaves me, I'm relieved that she died peacefully and her suffering is over.

Just 10 days after my Grammie passed away, we lost Devin's Grandmaman. She lived a very full 98 years but will be missed by many.

We capped off the year by celebrating Christmas with our families a week early and headed to Banff for the holidays. Our delayed honeymoon was everything we thought it would be! We stayed at a beautiful lodge in the Rocky mountains, went on a sleigh ride on Christmas Eve and a full day of snowmobiling. The week was a perfect blend of relaxing and adventure!

So, as we close 2016 I'm thinking of all the possibilities ahead of us in 2017. I am so blessed to have the wonderful people in my life that I call family and friends.

Remembering Grammie

On Saturday, November 12 we lost my precious Grammie. If you know me, you know how incredibly special this woman was to me.

I was honoured to be asked to write the obituary and give the eulogy at the funeral. Until I can compose myself to share my personal reflections here, I wanted to share what I wrote earlier this week.




Good afternoon. For those of you that don’t know me, I’m Janice, one of Olga’s granddaughters. I’m honoured to have been asked to share with you today – a glimpse of who my Grammie was and why she was loved by so many.

She was born in Manchester England in 1927 and grew up during the war. During those uncertain days, the children were shipped out to the countryside to keep them safe. Grammie and her sister Vera stayed together but were separated from the rest of the family for 11 months.

She returned to Manchester and became a young milk maid. It was at the end of her run one day that she happened to meet a dashing Canadian soldier at a bus stop. She happened to mention where she worked and was surprised to find him waiting for her the next day. The rest, as they say, is history. My history. Our history.

Grandad and Grammie were married in 1946 and soon came to Canada to start their new life. After living a brief time in Moncton with the Murrays, they headed west to Ontario and eventually settled in Corunna. I know we’ve all heard the stories many times – they lived in a four room garage while Grandad built their house. Times were tough – he even re-used nails having to straighten them first. They had to use an outside toilet and pumped water from a well. Quite an adjustment for this young wife and mom.

I often have thought about how it would feel to be 19 and leave everything you knew behind you and set sail for a brand new life. Of course, this was before the days of email and skype to make communication easy. Information was shared by sitting down to write a letter – only to have the contents read many days later! Imagine! I know being a new wife and mom, I have lots of questions for and advice to ask my mom and call her daily! For Grammie, a trans-continental phone call was reserved for only the rarest occasions.

She certainly had determination. She raised a brood of five boys and a girl, went on to have 19 grandchildren and 31 great grandchildren. Her family was her pride and joy. Any chance she got, she would tell you about the exponential growth of the Murray family and would often follow that up with “and there ain’t an ugly one in the bunch”. She was so incredibly proud of each and every one of us – in our own way.

When chatting with some of my cousins this weekend, this was certainly a theme that came up. We each felt encouraged and loved by the way that she loved us individually. She kept tabs on what you were up to and would be sure to ask about it. Whether it was about your soccer team, your job, your kids or your car! She would pick up on what you were good at and compliment you with a “you’re so clever”.

Sometimes people don’t seize the opportunity to tell loved ones just what they mean to them. And perhaps that is the case. But I can assure you that through our many visits – in person or on the phone, I heard about each of you – how much she loved you and how proud she was of you.

As her only daughter, Grammie shared a special relationship with my mom. On many occasions, she would look at me and ask “What would I do without Ellen?” Indeed! I can’t imagine growing up in that Murray house full of boys! They shared a lot of tender moments as well as laughs over the years. Grammie recognized my mom’s big heart and her need to help others and always commented that she deserved to have a break. She was so grateful for the countless ways you helped her in the later years Mom.

Grammie thought a lot of Uncle Cliff. She was proud of his accomplishments when he moved to Toronto and started his life there. She was so grateful for the way Cliff and Penny have cared for Melvin and would often comment how loving and giving you are.

Uncle Doug was pretty special in Grammie’s eyes. I think she loved that he had inherited Grandad’s knack for “MacGyvering” anything. She enjoyed many lovely meals with you and Carmelle, tucked in by the woodstove. I know she missed you so much when you moved to Nova Scotia but was so happy that you were fulfilling your dream.

I remember hearing a number of times how Uncle Russ was such a beautiful baby. He had such lovely curls. And, you still have those lovely curls! I know she would enjoy your trips to Tim Horton’s when you would ride your bike down from Sarnia. Grammie kept me updated on all of your latest adventures and was so pleased with your growing family and the many musical talents of your kids and grandkids.

Having Uncle Dave close by in Corunna for so many years was a blessing to Grammie. She always enjoyed your visits and could count on you to take care of her tech support – hooking up the TV, figuring out the remote, etc. Grammie enjoyed the many family events that she was included in over the years and cherished your quiet and faithful support.

And Uncle Mel. I know there is a special place for the baby of the family and you had that place of honour in this family. Grammie always shared with me about what you were up to and enjoyed your regular phone calls. She was so pleased to see you cutting lawns, clearing snow and going on trips!

She cherished each of us and never missed sending a card on our birthdays. And that’s a heck of a lot of birthdays to keep track of!

We all remember the Merry Murray Christmas. Grammie loved getting everyone together once a year to celebrate Christmas. Uncle Dave recalls going to Kreskie’s with Grammie to do the Christmas shopping and stopping for lunch at the snack counter. He had the inside track of what the older kids were getting for Christmas, but somehow Grammie always managed to have a surprise under the tree for him on Christmas morning.

Uncle Cliff remembers the Christmas chaos that happened each year – after the Christmas Eve service. Grandad would wait to get a deal on the tree and they’d put it up on the 24th. Grammie would be madly wrapping gifts for all the kids and putting the turkey in the oven to cook over night.

When reminiscing about Grammie, there were a number of things that came up that took you back to childhood years. Some of our favourites included:

•    The smell of the woodstove
•    The sound of the clock above the sideboard
•    Putting pennies on the railway track
•    Grandad’s rocking chair
•    Sleepovers with cookies & milk
•    Vacation Bible school
•    The crayon drawer
•    Her spoon collection
•    The plates hung on the wall
•    Getting Avon samples
•    Her hand-knitted mitts, sweaters, ….even Barbie doll clothes!

Another thing we all seem to remember is her pie. She was famous for her pies and Grandad was famous for volunteering her to make them for events at the Moore Museum! It was always a treat when you walked in the door and the smell of fresh pie greeted you. She has passed this skill on to many of her children and grandchildren!

Speaking of the Moore Museum, who remembers the countless events we all attended there? I know it was near and dear to Grandad’s heart, but Grammie continued the tradition. I loved attending the Victorian Tea with her on the May long weekend.

I am so blessed to have many years of treasured memories with my Grammie. I know that my life’s circumstances allowed me this opportunity. For many years we would talk about how I was still single and how she just couldn’t understand why I hadn’t met a “nice young man”. She even joked that there needed to be a war so myself and a couple of other single cousins could find a husband. And as much as I wanted the next chapter of my life to begin, I look back and see what a blessing it was. I was able to invest in my relationship with Grammie in a way that I could not now that I have a husband and family.

One such opportunity was in 2006. It was declared the “year of the war bride” and a big reunion was happening at Pier 21 in Halifax. I had the privilege of attending with Grammie & Mom. What an amazing experience to see hundreds of ladies transported back in time as they reminisced with each other and danced to the songs of the era. I know that Grammie was so pleased to have done that trip and talked about it many times over the past 10 years. I know I will hold onto that memory dearly.

While chatting with my cousins this weekend, another theme that seemed to emerge was Grammie’s tea. Of course, being British, she loved a good cup of tea. But heaven help you if you made it the wrong way! I recall getting a scolding when Josh & I were visiting and I made some tea. I was never a big tea drinker, but when Grammie made it, it just seemed to taste better. And she always had cookies to go with it. Usually Peak Freens. We all loved Grammie’s tea and have a variety of memories of her favourite go-to meal when she had us over. From a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup, cold cuts or spaghetti. Food has a way of uniting people.

Grammie had a wonderful sense of humour and we laughed a lot. One of my favourite stories involves this little card here. She has told this story countless times over the years and it only seems appropriate to share it here today.

We were at my sister Connie’s birthday party at a place called “My Mother’s House”. It was an old victorian home that had been converted into a restaurant. We both needed to use the washroom and realized the lock was broken. She agreed to “stand on guard for me” as I put it and I would return the favour. So, she dutifully stood by the door while I used the facilities and then it was her turn. Unfortunately, I got distracted talking to someone and forgot to watch the door. Wouldn’t you know it, someone walked in on Grammie. I was horrified! So upset, in fact, I made this little card to apologize. It’s in the shape of a toilet and says “Sorry”. Grammie was tickled pink with this card and it had a place of honour in her china cabinet for many years. She would often remind me that each time she heard “O Canada” and they came to the line about standing on guard, she thought of me. In fact, when we attended The Nutcracker – they played O Canada before the performance. Grammie and I both had a chuckle as we looked at each other during that point in the song.

I was so pleased to share with her when I met Devin. She was one of the first people to know about him and was excited to meet Devin. She wanted to ensure she had proper notice of when we would visit, so she could put some make up on! Grammie was so accepting of both Devin and his son Cody – welcoming them into the fold.
She made it a goal to attend our wedding, and there were a few times when I wondered if that would be a reality but I am so grateful that she could be there to share in our special day.

These are some of my stories of Grammie, but I know we each have our own memories that we will tuck away in a safe place and savour them for years to come.

As we say good bye to Grammie, we know she is in a better place and reunited with Grandad once again. We are left with an abundance of memories to carry with us and are grateful to have had this wonderful lady as the matriarch of our family.

Thank you for the opportunity to share with you today.

Driver Wanted. Driver Found.

If you know me, you know my love of VW's Beetle. I have all kinds of "bug" paraphernalia that has been gifted to me over the years - from Christmas tree ornaments to a cookie cutter.

I bought my first Beetle in 2002. It was yellow and it was my dream car. I had wanted a yellow Beetle since I was a little girl. Finally, it was mine. I loved that car. It really became a part of me - I became synonymous with yellow Beetles, and Beetles in general.

I was heartbroken in 2009 when I was rear ended. I quickly transitioned into my silver Beetle, although it was never quite the same. I had become accustomed to the control panel, heated seats and flower vase. And the silver car had a sunroof!

As we know, everything has a season. And the season of my love bug has now ended. It had a good run - 14 years! We knew that after we were married and settled in, we'd look at getting a more family-friendly vehicle. Two doors and zero trunk space was wearing on me and I was ready for a change.

After being listed just two weeks, I found a buyer. It was comforting to me that my little bug was going to a girl that reminded me of me. I wanted the new driver to enjoy it as much as I had! Devin later commented that when she arrived, she looked like a young Janice. Indeed...we were wearing the same shoes. LOL.

And just like that, it's gone. One last drive into Ingersoll to get the paperwork and I've closed that chapter. OK, there were a few tears, I'll admit. But, the new chapter is just beginning and I can't wait to see what's in store.

I thought I'd include my Kijiji ad here :)

Driver Wanted.

Punchbuggy! Love Bug. Beetle. It has many names and is loved around the world. Picture yourself cruising your neighbourhood while your neighbours stop and slug each other! 

VW’s Beetle has been my daily driver since 2002 and has not disappointed me. German engineering coupled with the awesome service at Autobahn Motors has kept me safe on the road. Rest assured, I lovingly took care of her by having regular service from Chris and his team.

This Beetle came into my life when her older sister met an untimely demise in 2009. She has been a great companion on many road trips! But, don’t fret. VW has a reputation for going the distance.

VW’s Beetle has been my “dream car” for as long as I can remember. It’s now time for my dream to become your reality. My days of being single and footloose and fancy free have matured into family life and a 2 door car is impractical for us. I’m returning to my roots and have shifted into a pick up truck.

Check out her awesome features:

• Heated seats – quickly became my favourite feature, especially in the winter
• Sunroof – for those awesome sunny days
• Impeccably clean interior – very few back seat passengers for the duration
• Flower vase – throwback to the 60s!
• Membership into the VW family

Finding Our Groove

As we approach five months as a family, we are finally starting to find our groove. It was been a lot of transition for each of us - moving to a new house/neighbourhood/school, new schedules, new routines, new personalities to accommodate. And, of course, this is all happening while we deal with mountains of paperwork. Paperwork to change my name, change our address, merge our banking, etc. And don't forget the boxes to unpack! We merged two houses into one and the boxes seem to be endless. Although, it finally feels like we are making progress. Yay.

The first while was pretty challenging. As anyone that has moved will know - it's tough to live in a house when nothing is organized or settled. It took time to wade through things and get the kitchen functional and clear enough boxes that we could walk through the living room without it feeling like a maze. And it was tough to get ahead of things when each night we would arrive home at 5:30pm, make dinner, eat and clean up, complete the daily Kumon assignment (more on that later). After getting Cody to bed, we would make lunches and get something prepped for dinner the next day and it would be after 10pm. Neither of us could keep up with that!

Our first step was to get a dishwasher as I previously posted. That has been a life saver. It definitely helps with the time spent in the kitchen. But, we were still finding it difficult to get everything done that needed to be done and be left with no down time for our family. Devin & I discussed the idea of me working less hours to allow some "breathing room". We liked the idea and when I proposed it to my boss, he liked it too.

I'm so blessed to work for such a wonderful husband/wife team. They treat me like family and have been very supportive and accommodating as life's circumstances come up. Marc agreed that I can start a half hour earlier and leave 90 minutes earlier - meaning I'm working one hour less per day. However, this means I can pick Cody up from school (no aftercare) and have time to get dinner ready and have Kumon done when Daddy comes home. It's only week 2 but we are noticing such a difference! We don't feel rushed all the time. Cody has time to be a kid - riding his bike or doing a craft after school. We eat dinner at a decent time and I'm not in the kitchen at 11pm!!

The real blessing in this new schedule is the one-on-one time it affords me with Cody. We are settling in to our new roles and really having fun together. There's the tough stuff - like reminding him to make his bed, flush the toilet and use soap when washing his hands. But then there's the fun stuff like singing songs in the car, making crafts and cooking together. There are many tender moments from this little red head and last night he looked at me and said "Am I making your heart explode?" Ha ha ha. Indeed, Cody. Indeed.

Our Wedding Video

When planning our wedding, there were so many decisions to make. The options are endless but everything comes with a price tag. Initially we were not going to do a video. It seemed like an "extra" that we didn't really need. However, Jo-Anne convinced me that I would regret not having one...especially with my television background.

After plans were underway, we decided to go for it. What's a few more dollars now when you're already spending so much!?! We are so glad that we did. The day was gone in the blink of an eye and we know there are tons of moments that we missed.

Thank you to Marty Lewis for capturing our day and producing this highlight video. Enjoy.

Happy Birthday Duaner

I thought I'd take a moment today to wish my friend Duane a happy birthday. You know how there are some people that come into your life and you instantly feel like you've known them forever? Duane is one of those people.

We met when I started working at the TV station many years ago. We worked some shifts together but where we really connected was when we were on the same team for a company-wide scavenger hunt. Duane (and his then-fiance Debby) drove us around in their minivan - frantically solving puzzles, taking photos and racing around London.

After that, we started to chat more during our shifts and over time Duane became like a brother to me. He has always been great to listen to my issue-de-jour and provide his insight and opinion. Insights and opinions that I value and trust. He was one of the first people I talked to when 9-11 happened, coached me through many relationship twists and turns, listened to family drama, and has made me laugh. A deep belly laugh. He also shared in my excitement - whether counting down to a trip, purchasing my first home or accepting my new position and leaving TV behind me.

He has removed a dead mouse from my kitchen drawer, helped me move and inspired & encouraged me when I went back to school. He loves my hyper-expressive face and pushing my buttons.

Perhaps most importantly, he put my nightmare to bed when he agreed to run the sound at our wedding. I had multiple dreams that I got to the end of the aisle there would not be any music. Or worse, I had to run over and push play myself! Well, Duane (with assistance from his lovely wife Debby) took care of the audio/visual stuff at our wedding and kept things running smoothly.

Imagine my horror when I discovered the slideshow Devin & I had spent hours to put together would not work on the system the Elm Hurst provided. This was despite checking about that very thing the week before. I was so upset to think we couldn't share this with our guests. At the height of my emotion, Duane calmly asked for a key to my house and the password for my computer so that he could go and get the original file and sort out the details. I was overwhelmed. Talk about friendship!

Happy birthday Duane. Hope it's a great one.

Handy Hubby

Have I mentioned how thrilled I am to have a handy hubby? Devin can do pretty much anything he puts his mind to and is knowledgeable in all the things that I'm not. LOL. Remember last year when he re-wired my Christmas tree star? This time he created a coffee nook/installed a dishwasher! 

When we purchased the house, we realized there was not a dishwasher but thought we could hand-wash until renovating next year. A few weeks into our new life and we noticed most of our time was spent washing and drying dishes :( A dishwasher was necessary for our sanity!

Since the kitchen was not designed to include a dishwasher (lame, I know!) Devin had to put his thinking cap on. I'm quite impressed by what we came up with. It involved designing and building a cupboard for the dishwasher - the bonus being a little coffee bar for all our java essentials. He even thought to add a pull out shelf for coffee mugs and the dishwasher soap!

I was quite thrilled as I watched him work - scribbling dimensions, measuring, building, installing. This guy is amazing! He knows what he's doing and he's a perfectionist. This probably sounds totally "1950's housewife" of me, but it was comforting to watch this project and know that my man can take care of me & our family.

 

The end result is a great little area in the kitchen where we can make our morning coffee AND store our dishes. The best part is, we put them in dirty and they come out clean. How cool is that?

Love Letters

Rather than writing our own wedding vows, Devin & I stuck to the traditional vows. However, we did write secret love letters to each other that were read aloud during the ceremony. It was my favourite moment of the day!

Devin's letter to me:

To the one who found me.

Janice, the Lord works in amazing ways, last year he stirred your heart to try something you never thought you’d do or want….. to take a chance on one and a half men. And you had the courage to follow his calling with a man and his little red headed boy. 

It was nearly two years ago that I had prayed for the first time in my life that the Lord would show me His will for my life and provide me with the woman He knew I needed and that I would know without a doubt that it was His doing. Janice, you are that answered prayer. I have been swept off my feet by you. It has been one of the greatest experiences of my life in getting to know you and your family. 

I love how intentional you are in all that you do, how passionate you are for the things and people you love, your tenderness, sincerity, stunning beauty, and your character. But above all else, that you put God first in your life, for I know that if you have a good, strong relationship with the Lord, He will show you how to have a good strong relationship with me and Cody. 

I look forward to sharing all the days of my life with you, side by side, and to honor you and my family in all that I do. I love you forever and for always.

Love Devin

And my letter to him:

For many years, I was searching for what my heart yearned for. A husband to journey life with. A partner that would love me unconditionally and with intention. A connection far deeper than any I’ve experienced with another person.

However, I just didn’t seem to be able to make that connection. As I expressed in a 2013 blog post, I longed to drink from one deep well but was forced to satisfy this thirst with 1000 dixie cups.

When I met you, I knew that I had finally found the oasis in the desert. I found someone with a passionate heart for the Lord, a desire to be a wonderful husband and who is the most loving and caring Daddy I know. 

In the past year, God has shown His faithfulness in such big ways to me. My desire to be both a wife and a mom has been fulfilled in one fell swoop. He has provided all that I have desired but in much different packaging than I ever expected. 

You may have recognized the song I chose earlier this morning – Blessed Assurance. I have always loved this hymn, but in the past year, the chorus of this song has been on my heart and on my lips many many times. This is my story, this is my song. Praising my saviour all the day long.

Each of our lives has a story and this is mine. I am forever grateful to the author of this story. I can’t wait to see how it unfolds.

My heart is full and I am thrilled to spend the rest of our days together. I’m keeping you forever and for always.

Finally.... I do.

A perfect day. That is how I would describe our wedding day.

After months of planning the details - big and small - everything came together on May 22. It was an early morning wake up call for the girls - but, that was the trade off for having a morning ceremony. I had a quick bath in the luxurious tub in my room. Side note: Wow, I wish I had more opportunity to enjoy the elegance and grandeur of my room! It had a huge "living room" with beautiful tall ceilings/windows and a fireplace. The bedroom also had a similar window and a corner jet tub that was fantastic.

My long-time hair dresser Brenda and her co-hort showed up just before 6am to get started on taming our manes. After they arrived, it was a constant flurry of activity: Mom stopped by with some breakfast, the make up girl arrived and got to work, a number of texts, emails and Facebook messages kept my phone buzzing. Before I knew it, the photographer was there! It was time to get my dress on and get this party started.

From that moment, the rest of the day went at lightning speed, and I don't know that I recall everything that happened! People tell you that your wedding day will be a blur - and they were right!

Fun tidbit: I got a text from my new father-in-law that he checked at the front desk and the radar for 10am looked good. I thought that was random and only later realized that it had rained that morning and they weren't sure if we would be able to do the ceremony outside! I think it's better that I didn't know that :)

Before I knew it, it was time to finally walk down the aisle. I took Dad's arm and paused for a moment as I savoured the moment. I was surprised by how calm I was. I had waited a long time for this and yet it felt like the most natural moment in the world. I loved each step that I took - greeted by so many smiling faces. But the greatest smiles were the two waiting for me at the end of the aisle.

I must confess, I loved the ceremony. It was a perfect blend of tradition and our personalities. I'm so happy that we had both Dave Lane & Gord Gilmore be a part. I have known Dave since my teen years and am good friends with him and Laurie. Gord has been an important part of Devin's spiritual walk. So, we were thrilled to have a dual pastor service!

At Dave's suggestion, we used traditional marriage vows but included a love letter to each other. Other than Dave, no one (including us) had read the contents before that particular moment in the ceremony. It was my favourite moment of the day. It was important to us that Cody was included in the ceremony because I was making a commitment to him as well as to Devin. So, we wrote a love letter to Cody as well. What an incredibly special memory.

As I stood at the front of our friends and family, I tried to soak in the moment. There were points throughout the day I tried to do that - take a mental photo. I recall looking into Devin's eyes as we said our vows and listened to the beautiful, poetic words of his love letter and knowing that I had found a real treasure.

Despite the rain earlier in the morning, the sun had come out and was shining down on us. Shining down so much, it was actually getting kind of warm. I had been concerned that the May long weekend might be kinda chilly and my bare arms might leave me shivering. Nope. In fact, Cody took refuge behind Devin during the ceremony to get some shade from the hot sun.

Many times during the planning process, Devin & I commented that we would love to be a guest at this wedding! We knew that we would not be able to enjoy the atmosphere and experiences that we were creating for our guests. This was definitely the case, but I think everyone enjoyed the Sunday paper and coffee we provided.

When we started planning a brunch wedding, the ideas just all came together to have it on a Sunday morning, serve coffee and create a personalized newspaper for our guests while we had photos done. Quite honestly, creating the newspaper was the best part of the planning for me. It's a natural fit for my skill set and interests and allowed my creativity to flow. It was also a way for us to include some of our friends and family. I even found a website that would print on actual newsprint. Super fun!

We wanted to pair the newspaper with coffee - naturally. At first we looked into having Starbucks but soon discovered the only "experience" they could provide was a carafe of pre-made coffee being poured into cups. Not really what we were after. Fortunately my friend Kim suggested O-Joe Coffee after seeing them at her cousin's wedding. They were perfect! They created exactly the ambiance we were looking for.

As I mentioned, the day went by so fast. My only regret is that I didn't have a chance to see & talk to our guests more. Having a morning ceremony & brunch reception kept things on a tight timeline. Of course, you are bound to have moments that you would change when you look back on things, but overall I feel the day was pretty perfect. And, after all, it's not about the day but the lifetime that follows!

Post Script: It has taken me a long time to find some time to get my thoughts together from the big day. Selling my house, moving and becoming a wife & mom have taken priority! Stay tuned for some additional tidbits and photos :)

He Made You Special

It's funny how music can evoke such emotion. I have experienced this time and again, but it always amazes me.

Several weeks ago, Cody asked Devin why his ear was shaped the way that it is. (his right ear has a little fold-over on the top part) Devin told him that's the way God made him and that he is special. Those words immediately reminded me of a song my mom would sing to me when I was a little girl. I could remember most of the words to the chorus, so I sang it to Cody. He listened intently with a big smile on his face.

Those words lingered in my head for a few days until I Googled the song to see if I could find the rest of the lyrics. When I did, I was taken back in time to when I was about four years old. The memory of Mom singing this song to me was powerful as I felt so very special and loved. (the lyrics are so sweet).

Last night when getting ready for bed, Cody asked if I could sing the song about his ear. This made me chuckle but I agreed that yes, I would. "And" I added "there's another part to the song that I remembered". I sang it to him with as much love as my mom had sung it to me. I'm sure he was a bit confused as he saw a tear roll down my cheek, but I was just so grateful that I could share such a sweet moment with him.

The Lyrics:

When Jesus sent you to us,
we loved you from the start.
You were just a bit of sunshine,
from heaven to our hearts.
Not just another baby,
'cause since the world began
there's been something very special
for you in His plan.

That's why he made you special,
you're the only one of your kind.
God gave you a body
and a bright healthy mind.
He has a special purpose
that He wants you to find.
So He made you something special
you're the only one of your kind.

SOLD!

I have not had much time for blogging lately, despite the endless supply of content I could write about! However, there is one thing I am bursting to share. It's an incredible story of God's provision.

After getting engaged, Devin and I have had a whirlwind of activity: preparing his house to sell included decluttering, packing, cleaning and a few minor fix-it jobs. When his house finally sold, we were able to purchase our new home in Mount Elgin. Moving day came and went and we are still left with boxes to unpack and settling in to do. With the wedding approaching so quickly, we decided to sell my house after the big day. We didn't need to add any more stress to our lives!

However, when opportunity knocks, you should at least see who's at the door! One night as Devin & Cody were leaving my house, Cody was looking in the mailbox and told me that I have mail. He handed me a Century 21 card with a handwritten note on the back: Want to sell? I have a buyer.

Of course, I promptly called the agent and discovered she had three clients looking for a bungalow in my neighbourhood. The market was quiet in London and she walked the area and left cards at the houses she felt were a match. She was thrilled that I called. I explained that I wasn't quite ready to list. I hadn't had time to "stage" the house and wouldn't have time before the wedding. She assured me that they would be looking at the house and not my stuff.

I called my agent Vicki and explained the situation. She suggested an exclusive listing - meaning it wouldn't be on MLS and no sign on my lawn. Only limited people would be coming and going. Sounded perfect to me. If we didn't get the offer we wanted, we could just wait until after the wedding and go ahead with our original plan. Sunday afternoon I signed the paperwork to list the house.

That week, I had three people go through the house without much fuss. On Saturday, six days after listing, my hair dresser sent me a text. "I know you're not planning to sell your house until after the wedding, but I know someone that is interested. Can he do a drive by?" I couldn't believe it! I texted her back to let her know that I had, in fact, just listed the house and he was welcome to take a look! The following day my agent took him through. The following day I accepted an offer.... 8 days was all it took! We got what we wanted as far as price and closing date AND we didn't have to do any of the fix-it projects that we expected. No staging, no decluttering, no stress!

While celebrating this huge weight lifted off our shoulders, Devin commented that surely this is God's wedding present to us. Indeed.

Gone But Not Forgotten

There is a big gaping hole in my blog these days. I have had plenty to blog about, but no time to actually put my fingers on the keyboard!

I know that I will look back on this time of my life and wonder how we ever did what we did. Pretty much all of the major life events...Devin & I are crossing them off the list in a matter of months.

• September - we got engaged and started the preliminary wedding preparations
• October - we started preparing his house to sell
• November - the house was listed 
• December - Christmas!!!
• January - the house finally sold
• February - we purchased our new home
• March - we packed & moved Devin & Cody

In the meantime, all of the wedding details are coming fast and furious. Sometime in the next 2 months I'll be listing my house, packing and moving. Oh...and at the same time I'll become a wife AND a mom.

I love this blog and the opportunity it affords me for self expression and creative writing. But, for now it is taking a back seat to all of the other awesome things happening in my life. Stay tuned, I will return :)

Thanks Steve Jobs

I have always enjoyed a close relationship with my brother John, but he's never been really big on communication. Face to face is just fine, but we have not had a lot of phone conversations until the past year. Thanks Steve Jobs.

Pre-iPhone - borrowed his wife Karen's phone.

Last spring I decided to upgrade my iPhone. It was getting a bit long in the tooth and I had completed my contract with Bell. I was ready to switch to Koodo and get a new phone. I thought John was a great candidate for my old phone. He had never actually had a cell phone before, so he wouldn't mind if it was an "older" model. I told him my plan and he seemed quite enthused. Just how enthused I would not fully appreciate until he had possession of the phone!

He has taken to this new technology like a duck to water. Which, incidentally, is his text tone. Yep...quacking ducks. Appropriate for Mr. Outdoors.

This iPhone has improved our communication exponentially! He can send me a quick text when he thinks of something. When he's waiting to pick one of the kids up, he can kill some time with a phone chat. He has even shocked me by starting an Instagram account and most recently Facebook! I never thought I'd see the day.

Home Sweet Home

It's amazing what a difference a year can make. On February 10, 2015 I sent my first correspondence to Devin on eHarmony. It was part of the "guided communication" so, nothing earth shattering. Just a few multiple choice questions to break the ice.

On February 10, 2016 we signed the papers and purchased our first home! We are beyond thrilled to have found a place to start our life together as a family. Prior to finding a house, it was difficult to envision what the future looked like as so many variables were unknown.

God has been in control from the beginning and definitely timed this newest development! The home is currently vacant, which means we get the keys in 2 weeks and can start moving in!

My Life in TV

During my final year of high school, I had big decisions to make. What career path would I choose? I tossed around several ideas - everything from radiology to photographer. I finally decided to take a one year certificate program at Lambton College called Media Fundamentals. Taking this course would give me some more time to figure things out while I continued to live at home and explore the media industry further. I loved that first year at Lambton. We learned all kinds of cool stuff related to shooting, editing and producing video, DJing the campus radio station and a sprinkling of journalism thrown in. It was great! As the end of the year loomed ahead of me, I was back to decision making. What next? The program at Lambton had an agreement with Mohawk College's Radio and Television programs which allowed students to enter into the second year of their third year program. I decided to go for it and jumped into the world of TV broadcasting.

Two years later, I was an intern at "The New PL" in London. I worked with the Creative Services department on projects like Station IDs, Episodic promos, and commercial shoots. It was a great seven weeks and when I finished, they offered me a part time job in the newsroom. The newsroom?? I didn't consider that to be my dream position. I wanted to be part of the Creative team. But, at the encouragement of established staff members, I took the job with the intention of moving into Creative in the future.

That move never happened, I remained in the newsroom for 14 years... fourteen years  of loving my job! I loved coming into work each day not knowing what to expect. I loved working furiously to meet a deadline - which really was a DEADline. If you missed it, your work was all for not and the show moved on to the next story. I loved the adrenaline rush of an action-packed show, a breaking news story or an election. I was able to participate in and have a unique perspective on some major events during my time in the newsroom - including 911 and the Bandidos massacre.

The people in that newsroom became my family. I spent far more time with them than I did my actual family or my friends. It was a unique atmosphere, heavily relying on a team dynamic while working wonky hours. We encountered situations which might seem absurd to an outsider. I recall one day in particular, we had to move the entire crew to a different studio and control room during a 3 minute commercial break because the audio board caught on fire!

I have such fond memories of my life in TV. Unfortunately, media started to evolve and change and "cutback" and "layoff" became common language. I could see into the future and I would not be one of the ones retiring after 45 years of service. It was time to make a change and the time was now. I enrolled at Fanshawe College and soon after closed the TV chapter of my life.

Leaving the people (my TV family) was the most difficult for me. Sure I missed the excitement of a major news story and having creative control when it came to the graphics of the show, but most of all I missed the camaraderie of my people.

In December, the media landscape changed once again with major cutbacks across Canada. CTV London was no exception and many of my friends and former colleagues lost their jobs. These are talented people that excel at what they do. Unfortunately, what they do is extremely specialized and in a shrinking industry, those skills are becoming redundant. What a shame.

To all of my TV friends, I wish them well. Life does go on outside the walls of the station and they will land on their feet and even excel in their new-found path.