Put On Your Easter Bonnet!

What a weekend!!!

Since Thursday was also my mother's birthday, I booked the day off to spend with my sister, niece and mom in celebration.

We had an enjoyable day, shopping and then winding up the day with dinner at Red Lobster at my mother's request. Of course, because she can be just as emotional as I am; our gift made her cry. We framed a translucent poem about mothers over a photo of myself, my niece and my sister taken with our Christmas photos.

We all went back to my mom's home in Kemptville to spend a few days together for the Easter holiday. Every minute spent with my niece and family is memorable and I'm glad I was able to get the time off to enjoy the time with them.

Friday, we slept in a bit while my mom looked after my niece as she is usually the early bird that catches the earliest worm. Then we decided to visit the grave of my sister's first child who passed away at 8 months old. Some days, I still cannot believe she is gone, she was such a beautiful baby.

My mom and I have been going about twice a year since she had died, but this was my sister's first time back since the funeral. Part of that is that she doesn't have a vehicle and the cememtary she was buried in is close to Brockville, while she lives in Ottawa.

While we were there, because there was still so much snow, we could not find the marker that marks her grave so I think that upset my sister. My mom reassured her we'd go again, and half the battle was getting up the courage to even visit her grave as it was such a sad trauma my family went through.

So instead we let the sweet angel know we were there, and spent the afternoon taking a drive in and around Brockville. We enjoyed each other's company and I think being with family helped my sister with the healing process, although when you lose a child, I don't think it ever gets easier.

As well her second child is such an amazing blessing, such a character, that we really could not keep a somber mood even if we wanted to. She seems to understand that her sister is in Heaven. I'm just not sure if she completely understand what Heaven is except that her sister is an angel watching down on her. Yet though she is just close to 3 years old, she is such a bright child that lights up all of our lives that I wouldn't be too surprised if she did actually understand.

We spent the evening creating a scrapbook for a friend of my mom's son who is having a little boy soon as well as updating the scrapbook I made for my niece for Christmas.

Then Sean picked me up Saturday morning for us to visit his family for Easter. We went to his grandparents house in Kingston to spend the rest of the weekend enjoying Easter with his relatives. His mom arrived the day before us, and then his great aunt was there when we arrived late in the afternoon.

His grandparents are charming people and so welcoming in including me in their family. They make me feel welcome and are quick to invite me to any family outings Sean is included in. They make me wish that my grandparents had been more involved in my life. I see traits in Sean that obviously come from both of his grandparents and have helped to make him grow to be the man that he is in life.

And even Sean surprised me this weekend, with an Easter surprise at his grandparents... An Easter basket with chocolates and a lovely card letting me know, as always, how much he loves me. And then to further his surprises, he bought me a bouquet of Mums that were in our apartment when we came home...

I would have thought that would be enough to make a whirlwind weekend, but then when we finally arrived at home, my sister asked us to take her cat for the time she is dog sitting my mother's dogs. So off Sean went to collect kitkat and her belongings so she could spend the next week or so with us.

>:-=) <---- my attempt at a kitty kat ;)

Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida

Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida
Originally uploaded by rowann.

March has come into Ottawa as a Lion and left us with some snowy, windy weather.

Ottawa is known for it's cold weather. It isn't uncommon to have days where the windchill places the temperature at -45 degrees celcius. On these days, it is hard to get out of bed, nevermind drag myself to work.

So I guess in the last few days of blustery winter weather, I am not surprised to find myself dreaming of warmer places.

This photo is from my trip to Florida in November 2001. On this visit down to see my boyfriend at the time, my best friend went down with me to spend the week at the beach.

It was an interesting trip to say the least. And to this day, one of my more fonder memories of my time spent in Florida.

Mhmmm... Just looking at this picture my best friend took while we were on the beach makes me wish I was there. Playing in the warm sand, letting the warm, clear, blue water wash over my body and the golden sun warm my skin.

For the longest time, I thought I would end up living in Florida. My boyfriend at the time lived there, and while visiting him, I fell in love with the beautiful scenery, the palm trees, the lizards, the way strangers would just come up and talk with me because they could tell I wasn't a local from my sunburn alone...

I guess one of the reasons I loved being in Florida besides the lovely sunshine, was that I felt free.

Free to make choices I wouldn't normally choose. Free to enjoy what it was like to just be me. Without any worries, without any distractions, just time to enjoy the company, the sunshine and the beautiful seaside.

I learned so many things about my self during my visits... And even in the turmoil of the relationship finally coming to an end, I still love my Florida memories and the lessons I learned about life in my southern journey...

So I look forward to one day returning and letting the sunshine warm me one more time.

Let's hope March leaves like the lamb.

Oh Happy Day!!!

Today is International Women's Day.

Celebrate the women in your life.

I was home today, hence all the posting. I work Saturday so I am enjoying my day of rest and relaxation today. The sky is clear and blue, but unlike yesterday, the snow has held off. I slept in, the window had been left open in the bedroom so I had to finally pull myself out of the cozy blankets to seize what was left of a beautiful day.

I've always been an emotional person, but it seems like lately it doesn't take much to set off my sensitive soul. It has never taken much to bring me to tears, but usually I've been a strong enough person to either brush things off or wait until I'm alone to let my emotions go.

So today while using my computer, I had the tv on for background noise and found a show I have enjoyed in the past on the Women's Network - Heartbeats.

It is a show that follows the journey of many patients that are helped by Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. Today they are showing episodes back to back all afternoon, so I caught a woman's story that made me sad and then happy to see the outcome.

A 30 year old woman was diagnosed with a rare form of breast cancer. She had her masectomy and was undergoing radiation to ensure the cancer had been eliminated from her body. The show tells the story of her illness and then her treatment. They show her ups and downs. She tells us how it feels to go to the hospital each and every day for treatment. And how upset she is when the side effects of her treatment almost halt it completely when she begins to lose too much weight.

But then after 25 radiation treatments, they show her and her husband leaving the hospital. The doctors explain they will follow her progress over the next few years when the dangers of reoccurrence are highest.

I found myself in tears watching how happy this woman was when she visits a lingerie store in Toronto close to the end of her radiation treatment. She was there to be fitted for new bras with an implant that made her feel good about the way she looked again. After her treatment ended, she was going on a trip to attend a breast cancer conference.

Hearing this brave young woman talk about her battle with cancer made me think of how scared one of my friends must have been when she recently went through the ordeal of having a cyst diagnosed and cancer ruled out. As well, my mother has gone through breast cancer and although I already knew she was a survivor; this show made me remember just how lucky my mom has been.

So celebrate the women in your life. Hold them close, appreciate them for who they are and remember to tell them they are loved.

o/` Beautiful Day o/`

U2 is coming to Ottawa in November!!!

Oh my gosh, I love this band so much and I cannot wait to see them in concert. Of course, both my boyfriend and sister woke me up yesterday morning before I left for work to tell me they had heard the announcement on 106.9FM, the Bear.

U2 added a whole string of new dates for their tour that began in Miami in March. And I am so happy Ottawa was one of the included cities. I was worried they would only include Toronto and/or Montreal...

I cannot wait until next Saturday when the tickets go on sale. I am just so excited about this concert announcement. It definitely helped ease me into Monday of yet another work week.

So wish me luck, for I know this event will sell out quickly.