There is so many memories and highlights! Here is just a few......
January 2014 I turned 41.
-I made a bucket list. I accomplished three out of twelve so far!
-We celebrated the Chinese New Year! "Xin Nian Kuai le!"
-I saw Keith Urban with my oldest daughter. Keith came over and kissed my daughter on her cheek!
February one of our sons turned 11!
-Our first snow fall was February 2014!
-Some of my children wanted to appear as quest bloggers.
- I was introduced to Quantum Meditation. Quantum means energy and it's simply just learning to be aware of it. Quantum Meditation I would like to continue to learn.
March 2014 one of our daughters turned 14 and a son turned 20.
- We had a Christmas celebration in March with birth family.
- I was sick with a viral infection in my throat for six weeks.
- I brought my oldest daughter to Los Cabos and we swam with the dolphins. When I can, I spend more one on one time with our children going to different destinations!
In April we had a daughter turn 24, a daughter turn 14, and a son turn 8. Also a granddaughter that turned 1.
- I attended a celebration of life for our Grandpa Joe.
-Our team raised $2000.00 for MS and we ran, walked and rolled 10 km!
- Easter involved too much chocolate "note" for 2015.
- We had a successful spring adoption party!
Support people, after all - that's all we have!
May 2014 we had a son turn 14, and a son turn 12.
-We started looking for new adventures and we found the "Hole in the Wall"
-Emily (our littlest daughter) was riding on her first horse!
-During a routine hike, two of my sons and myself thought we had to fight off a cougar, realizing it was just a scared deer being chased by a dog!
- I read the book, "Learning to keep your love on"
No birthday's in June, except for a dear friend, and my dad's 75th!
- Emily enjoyed the park wheelchair swing for the first time.
-Went with a friend for her birthday to see Les Miserables.
-We visited the Qualicum Cheese Works twice!
-Two of our boys went on a salmon fishing adventure!
-We built another tree-fort.
-I met my two brothers for the first time, reconnected with an older sister all during my Dad's 75th birthday!
- To end June, I left on a road trip with eleven children across BC visiting family along the way!
Above is some of us, and below is some of us stepping back in time!
July 2014 my husband aged....he turned 46. One of our sons turned 14, another 6 and our littlest daughter turned 7.
- Our road trip ended two weeks later!
- In July we went on our annual Victoria trip and having dinner at Red Robbins.
-We spent most of the summer swimming, boating, quading, go-carting, camping and having endless hiking adventures!
-My husband went racing with Rusty Wallace's Race car!
August 2014 our one son turned the joyful age of 16!
-In August we camped at Comox Lake with friends.
-And I went on a hiking road trip across the States.
September 2014 one of our sons turned 21, while a daughter turned 19!
-In September there was a public school strike, however we started homeschooling promptly involving our public schooled children.
-We continued to swim at our local lakes and rivers in September!
-We launched "Emily's Angels"
"Emily's Angels" continue until our goal is reached! Please msg me if you'd like to attend an awesome party Feb 21st, 2015! Judy's 70th Birthday Party! This event needs RSVP's and I hear it's not an event to miss! Live music, dancing and much much more!
No birthdays in October! YES!
-For Thanksgiving we farm hopped and roasted hot dogs outside.
-We continued to collect shells for Emily.
-We had a Halloween Party!
November 2014 one of our sons turned 10, and our little man turned 3! No more babies!
-In November our "Emily's Angels" fundraiser hit its peak!
-We attended two craft fairs.
-We were featured in three different News Papers.
-We continued to hike up Notch Hill.
-I went to see Oprah in Seattle!
-We had an early visit from Santa!
-I shaved my mothers head and three of her friends for positive support, due to cancer.
December went quickly.
-We had a Paddington Bear adventure.
-We had a successful adoption Christmas party with an amazing surprise visitor!
-We celebrated Christmas here with most family.
If you're interested in adopting, please visit your local Children's and Families Ministry office. Adopting children of course, not stuffed bears!
To end 2014, I now not only advocate for adoption. For large families. I advocate for acceptance of difference. To unleash your true you. To teach your children to be their true self. This is the only way to receive true happiness - Me. "I finished my arm sleeve from a wonderful tattoo artist and friend! "Thank you Andrea"
Our 2014 year was much more then the highlights I shared. I have favorite posts I wrote, including the "Song Bird"
I have very fond memories. I have some soured ones too but I haven't let those define me. Life is quite mysterious and forever changing on a daily basis. A moment back in April 2014 during Grandpa Joe's celebration of life stuck with me. It was when my oldest daughter read about "The Dash" What does your line mean between your birth and death date? Have you filled your dash with everything you have wanted to store there so far? I know I haven't. My question is, what's stopping you from filling it? Back in November 2014, when I spent the weekend with Oprah at "The life you want" workshop, I learned that nothing stops us. I can say it's having sixteen children, three dogs, a grand baby, and a husband however that's still excuses. We all can do anything if we believe we can, and if we really want too. So I leave 2014 empowered. Even today, December 30th we had our last picnic outside at the beach and I felt rejuvenated, this is what my soul craves..... The outdoors. Nature. Living. Experiencing. My questions for you to ask yourself while we move into a brand new year, "Have you truly started living? Experiencing? Are you your genuine self? Or are you pretending to be someone to please others? I can guarantee from experience if you're constantly trying to please another, while hiding your true self - you will never be genuinely happy either. For me, I don't want my dash from birth to death to not resemble me. You know, I really really love my forties. I'm finally finally unleashing the true me and it feels good. Scary because some people don't like it. I've always been a people pleaser but I'm warning you, 2015 is about teaching myself, my children and possibly my readers to unleash your true self. Fill that dash with you! Live happily. Jump out of that airplane! You don't want to marry and have children!? GOOD! Don't! Do what makes you happy! I have sixteen children and I'm not afraid to tell them I will love them anyway......."Cheers to a New Year of being you!" To conclude, if anyone thinks I've lost my marbles, or I'm going through a mid-life crisis - who cares! Try saying that out loud, "Who cares" but I do stress - be yourself and live!
AND that's my year end!
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