Where In The World?

I can't believe it's already February 11th, and I'm just getting back to blogging now.

It has been a whirlwind!

Well, as I mentioned in previous posts, my parents happlily fell back into "our little girl lives at home" mode and my mother decided that they needed to look after me - right to my new doorstep. She convinced my dad to take Feb. 1st off of work so that they could drive me from Vernon to Didsbury. Then her plan was that they would help Barry and I unload the moving truck, make sure everything that needed installing got installed, and then fly home from Calgary the evening of Sunday, February 3rd.

I cannot begin to tell you how thankfull I am for my parents!!! The drive would have been a nightmare alone - that mountain pass was not a pretty sight. I have had a fair amount of winter driving experience, and I'm usually able to just buckle down and push through, if all I have to do is drive - that's not always possible with a 4 year old boy and a puppy in the car. So, I sat in the back and watched Shrek the Third with Matt, and let my dad buckle down and drive the snowy winter conditions. It was the easiest winter drive I've ever made!! Thanks Dad.

Once we arrived, it was fast and furious unloading! On Saturday morning our real estate agent showed up with his hockey team and the truck was empty in 20 minutes. For the rest of the day mom and I concentrated on getting the kitchen and the bedrooms livable, while Dad and Barry made sure we could do laundry, hooked up the fridge and stove, and all that sort of stuff. It was such a blessing to have Mom and Dad here. I must confess, I was pretty much a mess on the way home from the airport on Sunday night. It has suddenly hit me that I don't live near my family, and it's killing me (probably due to the wonderful holiday like experience I had for the past two months)! The good news is, my mom is pretty much retired, my dad is only a few years away from retirement, and with modern technology we can still talk and "see" each other almost every day. Matt does know them, and will have lots of childhood memories of them.

In a nutshell, the first week here in Didsbury was really hard. I was terrified of the decision that was made to leave Mackenzie (and Canfor), I was missing my family, lamenting the fact that real estate in the Okanagan (where my family lives) is riduculous, and all in all feeling quite sorry for myself. Throw into that mix three job interviews (for me) and two offers (I'm pleased to say that the job I didn't get was offered to an internal candidate, so I don't feel too defeated). I also had to check out and make decisions regarding daycare for Matt - so tons of changes beyond just the wierd feeling of waking up in a different room and wondering where on earth I am.

I have accepted a job at ATB, working in a full time CSR/portfolio position. I'm glad to kind of start out at the bottom (the CSR part) but also thankful that they have given me a portfolio, which will enable me to use my Mutual Funds license and get back into the swing of investment counsel. God is good and He knew exactly what I needed.

This week, I have decided to look forward to all the things that this new company and new opportunity will bring into our family. God has placed us here, and His will is perfect for our lives. I'm so fortunate to have parents and a sister willing to go way more than an "extra mile" to see us, and I'm confident that the future is bright. While I may not live next door to my parents, I have them as a very real and engaged part of our lives, and that is so very special and wonderful. I have a husband who is harworking, talented, and dedicated to his family, I have a son who is intelligent, kind, gentle, and seems to get more hilarious as the days go by. I have an adorable puppy who is lovable, fun, a great companion for Matt, and simply lives to be part of our family. I have God's gift of abundance, and I am thankful.

May you all be blessed,

Laura