M.I.A and L.M.F

Missing in Action

May 2/10 POWERShop

I’ve just finished a marathon month… that’s why I haven’t been updating the website or the blog. The marathon ended with Real Woman Magazine’s 4th POWERShop and Real Body Fashion Show event yesterday (a roaring success) annnd my youngest daughter’s first communion (a marvellous celebration).

In 3 weeks, I’ve driven over 2,600 kilometres, mets hundreds of people been to two new cities, slept two nights on the 32nd floor over-looking the river valley, drank my share of Starbuck’s and spent a total of 11 hours in Winner’s with 6 of my favourite girls.

As trade off, my desk is a mess and the entertainment centre is dusty; I haven’t cleaned any of my flowerbeds and I have two suitcases I need to unpack. I can’t remember the last time I shaved my legs and I haven’t taken the time to exercise. Being on the road has meant my diet is totally polluted. Tonight’s dinner (my inlaws are here and they like to treat our family to dinner when they come) was fish and chips from Joey’s Only. My poor gallbladder. This is the first Monday I’ve been back to floor hockey (which I love) after missing three weeks in a row due to exhaustion. I thought I was going to barf up a fish and chips smoothie on the hardwood floor.

One must be really clear when placing an order with the Universe. My goals of travel, meeting new people and conquering my own fears and limitations are doable, but at a cost. The last three months have been full with back to back commitments, meetings, conferences and events. And in the last three weeks, I’ve doubled those committments and work load. The reward is completion, fulfillment, achievement and goals met. The cost is exhaustion, depletion, disorganization and … of course … time away from home and family.

However, I’m incredibly lucky. I am supported by my husband who has granted me the freedom to choose my destiny and live out my plans. I could not do what I do without him. And in the coming few weeks, I will aim for payback, for all in my household.  I’ll love harder and be more patient. I’ll say thank you more sincerely and reach out for hugs more often. And … once I catch up on a little sleep and the in-laws go home … we may have sex again.

I’ll get to the flowerbeds, the toilets, the suitcases and the dusting. I’ll dig out my muffin tins and bake something from scratch, burn a pot-roast and go back to church. Most importantly, starting tomorrow, I’ll get back to moving my body. And likely buy a detox kit. Blech. I can feel my liver working double time to suck the canola oil out of my blood stream. 

Love My Family

My treasure – my husband, my girls, my son… my beautiful inlaws. I have the most loving family. Fun cousins, loving aunts and wonderful uncles, gorgeous nieces and handsome nephews… I am so incredibily rich.

Worthy of special mention: my mom and my sisters, Leah and Jenna.

Our "Better Halves"

It is so easy to take the people we love for granted. We shopped last weekend together in Edmonton, a girl’s weekend. We enjoyed dinner and tried on dozens of pair of shoes. We shared king size beds and those stupid little 2 cup coffee pots. We took turns telling stories about our lives. Ate Shaba Shaba, mushrooms, onions and bean sprouts at the Japanese Restaurant with my mom’s sisters, (Aunt Joan and Aunt Kate and our cousin Emily – love you all, too!) 

I am the word girl: I blather on, give too much information, am over the top and talk shit to death.
That’s me.
My mom – being my mom – accepts that in me.
My sisters are not like that.
Emotional discussions can only get so deep. Their words are better used in sarcasm, stories and getting to the point - not wordy, mushy, blah-blah never-ending psycho-analysis.  

However (as per their usual style) yesterday, they showed up looking gorgeous, ready to work the POWERShop. They decorated the front table, visited with shoppers and hung around til the bitter end. 

As usual they worked their tails off – for me. 

 I said thank you. Many times. With love in my voice and appreciation in my eyes. Although I know they hear me, I feel as though they don’t really know how much their time and presence means to me.

I know I tend to complicate my life. Truthfully, I’m slowly coming to understand, after forty freaking years, that this is who God intended me to be. I am busy. Wordy. Planning. Dreaming. Doing. Executing. Starting. Floundering. Leading. Falling.

And they are
Steady.
Solid.
Safe.
Comfortable.
Devoted.
Quiet.
Supportive.
Loving.

Even though they may not consciously intend to be all those things to me.

Sometimes the truest and best kind of love isn’t in words at all. 
Sometimes, it’s action.
Sometimes, it’s service.
Sometimes it’s wigs and pink tulips and a smooshie and diet lime pepsi and floor hockey.

To my sisters, Jenna, Leah and my mom.
I see you there for me.
I. LOVE. YOU. SO. MUCH.

* Here are (l-r) our husbands. Jenna’s Brian, Leah’s Marcel, Mom’s John and my Big Daddy I wish I had a recent icture of the four of us to share… I’ll work on that. You’ll think they are so beautiful.