Last Weekend....

Last weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to visit my family on the mainland. It was a busy weekend full of family gatherings and a very special appointment.

The family gatherings first. My sister's daughter became engaged last fall to a wonderful man. Since the engagement there have been engagement parties and wedding showers. Last Saturday my sister had a Bon voyage party for daughter, my dear sweet niece Samantha. You see the man my niece is to marry lives in Australia and that is where they shall wed and reside. My sister although extremely happy for her daughter is saddened that her only child is moving so far away. As many of us as possible will travel down under for the celebration which is to take place in February 2011, but it just won't be the same around here without our dear sweet Samantha.

Samantha will be the first of my siblings off spring to fly the coupe so to speak. We have always been a very close knit family. I have often been amazed that with a family the size of ours that no one has moved away. Well that is not exactly true, I have a brother who lived 4000km away for about 20 years, but even he has now moved back to BC with his family. My camera wasn't cooperating with me that evening, so this picture I got from my sister's Facebook.


It was a lovely party and I wish my niece the happy bride to be a wonderful and joyful life with her fiancee.

Sunday as you know was Mother's Day. I started my day out with a 10km run with my eldest daughter. Yahoo! She is a fit young lady, but not a runner. She was amazed at herself for being able to just put on a pair of runners and go. After our run we met up with my middle daughter who was working and we sat and had a nice lunch. It was off then to the mall. I have been on the look out for a dress. That in itself has been a very daunting task. I wouldn't consider myself a big person, but I am not petite either. So why then is it so difficult to find a dress that fits me? I find shopping one of the most depressing experiences. When I was younger I would be able to pick my size off the rack and it would fit. Not anymore, I must have tried on at least 30 dresses if not more. I finally found one. It's ok but it's not a "Wow" factor by any means. Anyhow, I digress. We found a dress. From there we had to head back to middle daughters house. The initial plan was that they girls were going to cook for me. Well middle daughter was exhausted from work and she also had to go pick up youngest daughter. So I opted to cook the dinner, they did the clean up. We had a nice time and they spoilt me with some lovely gifts.

Monday came and I was off to a very important appointment with my youngest daughter. This appointment I was hoping would be her last one. At a young age of 8 my youngest daughter had been diagnosed with cancer. For the first few years post treatment we were at Children's Hospital first every month, then every 3, 6 months and then finally every year. I always dreaded May as I knew it was appointment time. Subconsciously, I know I worried about it and I would stress about it. This year was no different. We knew the routine, we would report in, get the requisition to go get xrays and then return and wait to see the specialist. You know this whole time we have always had the same specialist. He is an amazing man. Anyhow, it was our turn to see him. He came in, we chatted, and as always he asked my daughter what she had planned for her life, we told her she graduates this year and of course he asked her if she was going to follow in her mom's footsteps....and as always her response was the shrug of the shoulders and a huge smile. He then examined her, looked at the xrays and said, "how long have you been seeing me?" Our response was "10 long years" He said "well I've got some good news" this is it he said, we don't have to ever come see him again! Yup that was it, she had been cleared and given a clean bill of health and no more Dr. Brown visits. That was the best news ever. That was the best Mother's Day gift ever! I cried, I hugged Dr. Brown and even as I type this I find I am becoming a little emotional. It has been such a roller coaster ride. But finally that ride is over. Thank you!!!!!

So, we left his office holding hands hugging each other and with grins from ear to ear. My baby graduates this month and truly now has been given the go ahead to live life to it's fullest. What an awesome way to start this phase of her life!