The Big 4 - 2

So today is my birthday. I'm 42 and happy about it! Really... life only begins now. I am in the best shape I have ever been, I feel great, I am blessed with 2 wonderful daughters and a great husband. Really. What more does one want or need? So off I go to supper with my 2 girls while Gord is in Toronto. We will have a celebratory dinner followed by cartoons in bed. What a day!

Various

We finally are going ahead with our plans to build an extension to our cottage which will accomodate my dream mudroom... the mudroom that I have been thinking about and designing forever. So needless to say, I am more than thrilled that this will begin in October to be ready for the ski season! Along with this addition, we have also decided to change all the siding and the windows and doors of the cottage. Not a small project but a really good one. Anyway, now that this dream will soon be a reality, I went off to Ikea a couple of weeks to buy my PAX wardrobe, a wonderful system that will house all our winter ski stuff etc.





This mudroom will have room for 2 PAX of 5 feet long which equals LOTs of storage. Also, I need to mention at this point that the mudroom dimensions were based on the PAX. Anyway, part of the system I wanted has more than likely been discontinued so I will have to modify things slightly and since I was afraid that the rest would also be discontinued I ordered it immediately eventhough construction has yet to begin. Fast forward to last night as I lay in bed watching TV (and was nearly asleep), I saw a commercial for Ikea and their newest promotion. 20% off all PAX! What? I just spent oodles of money last week and now there's a sale. Well, this AM I was on the phone with them ready to pick a fight but lo and behold, they said that all I had to do was to go back with the bill and they would refund. Thank goodness!

Other news, I just signed up for yoga classes for the fall as well as get this.... piano lessons for myself! I've always wanted to play and this week when Cara-Li was trying to pull the wool over my eyes, I decided the only way to combat this was to actually take lessons myself. And really, why not?

First Day of School, Take 2

This morning, I made the journey once again, down Ballantyne Street. This morning's destination... pre-school. That's right... it was Alexia's first day of pre-school at the same school that Cara-Li attended for 4 years. It was a walk that I had not made in one year and I had to choke back the tears when I looked down and saw my little baby holding by hand so thrilled to be going to the BIG school. With her backpack and all... so cute!

Since it was the first day, parents had to stay. Alexia is such an independant little girl that she was easily whisked away by one of the teachers to play with the other kids. On the occasion she would look up to see if we were still there. And smile. Alexia will be going every day this week as it is initiation week but as of next week, she will be going 2 mornings a week. Knowing her, she'd probably want to go every day!

A Very Special Day

Two years ago, a very special little girl was placed in our arms in Nanchang, Jiangxi, China at app. 4:30PM. Our lives changed forever once again at that particular moment. Gord and I became parents for a second time while Cara-Li became Jie Jie for the very first time. Our little Guang Yun Xia changed us all. She graced us with her presence after a very long wait (we won't discuss that for those who are still waiting) and we couldn't have been more estatic. Cara-Li took her new role as big sister extremely seriously and is still, 2 years later, the BEST Jie Jie one could ever have! Alexia, better known as Xia Xia, has blossomed over that last 2 years and has integrated into our family so well that we can't even remember life without her. She is such a special little girl with her very own mind and will stand her ground. She is definitely a force to reckon with but we knew this going in. And we are happy about it! What is unbelievable is that it has been 2 years since we were in China and I swear it feels like it was yesterday. Every moment, every feeling is so extremely vivid in my mind. My hope is that I can hang on to these memories forever and ever seeing they are certainly the most happiest times of my life!

Happy Forever Family Day, Alexia Yun Xia!

THEN

NOW