April 6, 2013

We did it!

I have been putting this post off for a while as I was waiting to get the totals of our fundraising...but I have yet to hear. I will update when I get the amount Team Victorious raised!

The day was amazing, truly one of the best days of my life. The stair climb event was just what everyone needed. It was so inspirational to see and be apart of! The amount of love and support that we had on that day and leading up to the event was remarkable.

Vicky attended with Doug, and she had a great day...lots of positive love and support for her. She met a double lung transplant survivor who took so much time to talk with her and the family about his experience. He is a fantastic man!

Thank you to everyone that donated to us and our team - it means more to us then you'll ever know...a special thanks to GG, Mom, and the whole Wray family...having you there was so important to both of us, but especially meant so much to Craig.

"Once you choose hope, anything is possible"
~ Christopher Reeve















February 4, 2013

Help Us Fight...

 
Craig and I have recently signed up for the 1st annual Stair Climb For Clean Air in support of the Alberta & NWT Lung Association! We are climbing the 280 stairs at the Coast Edmonton Plaza Hotel on March 10th, 2013.
This cause is near and dear to our hearts as many of you know Craig's mom, Vicky, is currently battling lung disease. Her lung disease was diagnosed under 1 year ago, and she was placed on 24/7 oxygen this fall as unfortunately, her lungs are deteriorating rapidly.
For Vicky her lung disease is a complication of the Rheumatoid Arthritis(RA) she is also dealing with. RA is an autoimmune disease which attacks the joints. Unfortunately 10% of RA patients develop RA Lung Disease. Essentially her body is rejecting her own lungs.
Vicky needs a double lung transplant to save her life and is fighting this like a champ. We are currently trying to get her on the transplant list and are praying that new lungs come available to her.
She is an absolute fighter and in her words "I'm going to fight like hell to survive!"
Please help us in her fight and support the Lung Association. Funds raised will contribute to respiratory disease research and awareness in Alberta. Craig and I both have a goal to raise $300 each.
You can pledge/sponsor either Craig or Kathy for the Stair climb at:
Click on GIVING
Then click on PLEDGE AN ATHLETE
and search IBLE (both Craig and Kathy will come up)
For more information on the stair climb go to www.stairclimb.ca - anyone is welcome to join our team - Team Vicky. Let me know and I can send you the team registration.
 
 
 
 
Thank you in advance for your support,
Kathy and Craig

January 8, 2013

Bring on 2013!

Since the 1st I have thought about the things that I have learnt, discovered and realized in 2012. There has been a lot, some good, some bad....but it all adds up to the realization that I am so very lucky to have the life that I have, the happy and healthy children that I do, and the family and friends who mean so much to me.

Here are a few things that come to mind, that obviously I've always known to be true, but have been brought to my attention in big ways:

1) We live among and around evil. I'm talking about the Sandy Hook shooting. I'm going to get this one over with because its terrible and I've been avoiding it in conversation, on social media and on the news, as my friend Pam would say I do not have the emotional reserves for these types of things. Don't get me wrong it is not to pretend it didn't happen or to be ignorant and disrespectful to the victims and their families...but out of respect for them. I do not need to read every article or post to FB to honor their lives and who they were. I have done that on my own, in my private thoughts and prayers for them. The day it happened, I had the most overwhelming need to go and pick up my kids from school...I held off though. The realization that there is that there is that kind of evil among us at any given time is disturbing...but the reality is that something like that is so unlikely to happen to us that there is no point in consuming myself in all of the details and overwhelming my heart and soul with it would do no good for me or my children. Instead I choose to honor them on my own, in my own way, I hold my children close to me when I can and do not live with fear.

2) Be thankful for what you have. Just before Christmas the girls and I witnessed a house fire that had unfortunately been a home explosion, due to a gas line that was hit by a contractor. Thankfully the family who has two sons under 2 got out in the nick of time. They lost every possession they owned, except the clothes on their backs. We got home and immediately started collecting things to donate to them. The girls went through their toys and we chose a few boxes of toys, books, movies that they wanted to give the family. They asked alot of questions as I'm sure it was hard for them to wrap their 4 and 5 year old minds around what was happening...I know it was hard for me. My sister and her family also were so generous and gave them many items that they needed. Our friends and family came together to raise money for this family and we delivered it to them the week before Christmas. It was so important to me to have my children involved in this, it was amazing to watch the empathy they had at their young ages...they handed over the money, items and gift certificates themselves and it brought me to tears watching them. It was an amazing experience to watch a community come together and help out in any way they could. Emotionally, for me, it seemed even more heightened that it was right before Christmas...as we're out shopping for things, buying things we don't really need and here was this family and they didn't even have a toothbrush. I am thankful for what we have, and I know all that matters the most is the 4 souls that make up my little family - and this Christmas, that family had their 4 souls too. They were very lucky, and the rest is just stuff and things...if we have our family, we have everything.

3) Bullies. We had our very first experience with one of our children being bullied...I know I was shocked too. I'm not going to get into the whole thing, however I will tell you how it changed my daughter. Everyone raises their kids with the best intentions and I know for us, we drill into them about respecting others, themselves...never using their hands to hit anyone etc etc.
Then they go to school and you don't have control over who they are with, what they are doing or what they are experiencing or seeing. They soon come to realize that everyone is not nice, not everyone is going to like them and they're not going to like everyone either. Even though we may not be fond of someone, doesn't give you the right to verbally and physically bring harm to them. Now, I know not all people will agree but - we tell our children that they have a right to defend themselves if they are being hurt. If that means fighting back, then so be it. Obviously there are a million circumstances and scenarios - if an adults there, obviously talking to that person about what happened is the appropriate course of action - but they know that if they are in a situation where they need to physically defend themselves, they have the right to do that. How sad is it that I've had to have that conversation with my daughter already...

4) People who live in glass houses should not throw stones. The pot calling the kettle black and karma all come to mind when I think about this past year. It is truly ironic what people think is acceptable or unacceptable, until they are in the other persons shoes. Live a good life - don't hurt others with your actions, and don't complain about it for another minute when you turn around and do the same thing to another. Simple as that.

5) We are not promised tomorrow.Simply put we take life in general for granted. 2012 has taught me to truly appreciate the people in my life, and I realize that I take what I need from relationships and try to give the other person what they need. We take people in our lives for granted - it's natural and we all do it - although I am trying to not do that...I want to tell people how important they are to me...and what they mean to me. If someone is ripped away from me in an instant I don't want to wonder if they knew how much I loved them or what they mean to my life. So if you're not all up for the mushy gushy stuff...then too bad for you. You're going to hear it. If it makes you uncomfortable, you should ask yourself why? We're here today and as of right now - who knows what lies ahead tomorrow or the day after that. Tell your friends and your family what they mean to you...open your heart to people and have no regrets. If something happens tomorrow to someone important in your life, you'll wish you had.



6) The most romantic thing I've ever heard anyone say was at my sisters wedding. In their bride and groom speech, Tina told Johnny that it didn't matter where they travelled or lived, home to her was where he was. The most important thing to her is that their hearts are together and wherever that is, it's home. Who knew I'd come to appreciate that simple way of looking at life 5 and 1/2 years later. Thanks twin B.

Happy new year!!

December 5, 2012

Health and Happiness

So many times in my life I have wished someone health and happiness...without batting an eye. I have of course often thought about what having ones health means, and how lucky we are to be healthy.

I never imagined our family would have known what it is to have one of our own loose their health. These types of things only seem to happen to people we don't know or to friends of friends. Of course, anything is possible and we are now facing this with my mother in law, Vicky.

Due to her Rheumatoid Arthritis, she was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Lung Disease. She needs a double lung transplant to save her life. They are in the process of trying to get her on the transplant list...we find out more this week...the information can not come fast enough.

She is the most amazing lady, with the kindest heart. She is an excellent mother to my husband and his siblings. She is a gracious mother in law to me. She is also the most wonderful grandmother to my daughters....in their shorts lives, she has taught them so much about the things she loves, her time spent with them has always been 100% about them and she loves them unconditionally, with all of her heart. Her grandchildren are the loves of her life.

We will remain hopeful that she will be given this gift she needs, that our prayers will be answered. Most of all we will never give up. It is a very unsettling feeling for me to sit and watch this happen and know that there is nothing I can do to change this for her. If I could, I would.

We all take life and our health for granted. We take moments and opportunities for granted. Thinking we'll tell someone what we're feeling next time we see them or not telling someone what they mean to us when the feeling arises....it's a mistake. Tell them, show them and do it every time...we're not promised tomorrow...




October 24, 2012

Four

Our 'baby' turned 4 yesterday! Like I've said before and on every one of my daughters birthdays...I can't believe it...they are growing so fast! It's hard to fathom that 4 years ago this morning we were cuddling our little ninja! Taylor was just 17 months and truly thought this baby that had come home wasn't here to stay....she surely thought that she was the only baby in our house.

Kira was dubbed a ninja before she was even born - she was, as we called it trying to 'ninja' her way out of the womb at only 26 weeks. I was hospitalized and put on strict bed rest until I was 35 weeks pregnant and she came into this world only 3 weeks early at 37 weeks. I often think how different our circumstances could have been if she would have come so early in my pregnancy...she was a fighter and hung on as long as she could.

Ever since her first attempt at being a ninja, she has not let us down...she has been showing us her ninja skills daily over the last 4 years...to say the least, she makes us laugh every day! She is the most affectionate child I know, and she is an old soul with the most amazingly sweet little heart.

Here is how she has grown over the last 4 years:

10 hours old
 

 
 
1 year old

 
 
2 years old

 
 
3 years old

 
 
4 years old




October 11, 2012

10 Down...Forever To Go

Tomorrow is our 10th wedding annivversary. I really can't believe how fast the time has flown by...I know...how cliche...but seriously....all I did was blink for a minute and here we are! We have had so many wonderful moments and amazing times. We have made a wonderful life together, created a beautiful family and nothing in my life will be as fulfilling as that.

I always say how lucky I am that I snapped up "one of the good ones", and I really did. More than anyone in my life he just gets me...we get each other and I love that. Craig is a family man through and through, he works very hard for this family, he's kind, patient, a loving father to two beautiful daughters who adore him and I am so lucky to have been placed in his path.

I know, I know...of course its not always rosy and blushing in love...I'm not perfect, he's not perfect, but somehow in this imperfect world, full of crazy imperfect people, we're perfect together...most days;)

October 12, 2012
 

 
 
 
 


September 27, 2012

School Girls

The past month has been very busy with the start of school for the girls. Taylor started her first day of kindergarten and Kira started her first day of preschool. The week was filled with so many emotions..mainly good ones like pride, happiness and amazement and a few other emotions like anxiety and sadness.

The anxiety was clearly unnecessary, as of course they both did amazing during their first day and everyday since. The sadness was for my own little private pity party...sad they're both gone to school...it really does happen so fast. One day they are 1 week old they next they are riding school buses! Taylor started taking the school bus during the second week of school and she is loving it. They are both making friends and I am so proud of my girls...Here are some captured moments of their big days!


Kira's 1st Day
 




 
 
Taylor's 1st Day