Leavitt's in the motherland

What a fabulous week our family had 2 weeks ago!!! The majority of the week consisted with family fun, and when I say family fun I mean the majority of my family living in my home laughing and playing together for 10 days.

Trying to get 15 people out the door is very much like herding cats but it was always worth it. Some highlights of the week are going to Les Miserables, we saw a massive bear on a hiking trail in Waterton (I definitely possess the flight survival instinct!), Mom's 50 birthday, the one and only Calgary Stampede, and of course our little mans special weekend, which I'll post on later this week.  (Maybe even tomorrow if I can get my butt in gear ;-)

My Dad and my sister both wrote beautiful posts about the trip.  You really should go look at their pictures!

Here is Dad's

Here is Alycia's

I love when my family gets to play together.  I feel so grateful that they came.  I love you all!  Enjoy some (not all) of my favorite pictures, documenting some of my most favorite memories made with my family! But make sure you at least see the last picture!!!  

Ben and Sharley arrive with FUN and SUGAR

My Mom's Family Reunion where Dad showed off his football skills!

Canada Day in Rosemary

SISTERS!

Ben reverted to the fetal position in front of the hospital he was born in.

We may or may not have broken into my Dad's old house when we found out it was vacant and the door was unlocked.  I have VERY strong memories that live in this house.  My Grandparents lived here and then my Aunt and Uncle.  There was so much still in the house from when my Dad was a child.  My Aunt painted these feet ... the hot pink lady was a new feature.  Even my Dad's old lab (yes he had a lab) was still there, including the table he installed.

Off to Waterton where butterflies loved my mom and Ben could have won survivor

 

One of my favorite pictures of Ben. 

One of my favorite pictures of Cameron

Justin did everyones dental work who wanted it.  Ben decided to let the assistants work on paying customers so he filled in the job while Justin filled Alycia's cavities.  (yes people Alycia is no longer perfect ;-)

Those who didn't need dental work went to the Stampede parade at the Children's hospital.  

GG arrives!

Mom celebrates the BIG 50!!!!

 So we celebrate her by going to the World Famous Calgary Stampede.

We celebrated this sweet baby, which deserves its own post!

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AND NOW FOR SOME OF MY FAVORITE PICTURES TAKEN

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I came down to find Cameron wearing a diaper 4 sizes too big.

who knows....

Justin wanted to double dive, which I clearly didn't want to participate in.  Too bad it resulted in the worst belly flop/face plant I've ever experienced!!!

Evan turns 6

I can't believe that I am writing this post right now.  My Evan is turning 6 today!  I remember vividly the beginning of his life.  I remember the anxiety and nerves that Justin and I felt as we waited for THAT phone call.  We knew Evan's tummy mummy was in active labor.  We were worried about her and so excited for the arrival of our baby.  I will never forget the early morning phone call announcing the arrival of our baby boy.  Mom and baby were doing well and we were relieved.  The emotions of his placement are still so alive to me that I feel like it was yesterday.  Our life was forever changed 6 years ago today and I will always be in debt to his amazing tummy mummy who chose us to parent her child. She loves Evan so much and we love her!

Evan is one of the most incredible people I've ever known.  He has a humor beyond his 6 years which is constantly surprising me.  Despite Evan's weakened muscles he is an example of strength to me.  The endurance he displays through his individual trials amazes me everyday.  Evan loves me, worships his Daddy, and adores his brothers.

Evan loves and hates the spotlight, depending on his mood and he is always up to playing his video games or Ipad.  Evan doesn't deal well with life when he is tired but is pretty good at reading what his body needs.  He is still very into pirates, but has developed a love of Star Wars and legos.  I learn every day from my handsome man.  I can't wait to see what this year holds, there are a lot of firsts.  He will be starting "real" school and I am pretty sure we are both a little nervous about it.  Deep down I know it will be good for him and I so look forward to all of the things he is going to learn this year and see how he develops and grows.

I thank God everyday for giving me this little boy to love and be with everyday.  He has made me a better person.  Happy Birthday Evan! We love you more than words!!!!!

I'm a cat lady

Im writing this from my phone and I apologize for any mistakes that are in here. My heart is heavy as I try to decide what to write. some people make fun of my love of cats, but I am proud of being a "cat lady". I believe that animals can help us progress. Animals teach us kindness, reaponsibility, loyalty, and love. 19 years ago a beautiful Tabby kitten forever changed my life and gave me all of these things. I'll never forget that summer day 19 years ago when I came home from a vacation with my friend. I walked through the door and saw a fuzzy little tail. Sheba was a spunky and loving fighter of a cat. She lived a life on the canyon fighting coyotes and outlived all of our neighbors cats. Sheba greeted us whenever we came home, came when we called, and slept with us every night. My family has been in canada with us for 10 days and when my dad arrived home sheba came and greeted him as she always did. She stayed with him as he unpacked the van and cuddled with him until he went to bed. That night she died in her sleep. It was a peaceful passing and I know she was waiting for someone to come home so she could say goodbye. Sheba was an incredible animal and she was so loved! I know she was greeted in heaven by our dog Bridgette bounding up to her, so excited that she finally joined her. I picture Sheba rolling her eyes, giving Bridgette a hug and now they are running free and strong together forever as they wait for us to join them. Rest in peace Sheba. We love you!

people helping people

I have been wanting to write this for a little while, but I've had to wait for school to end and family to leave.  Unless you have been living under a rock you have probably heard about the Southern Alberta floods that happened a couple of weeks ago in and around my city.  Since clean up was allowed to start there have been so many heros and I have been so proud to call this city my home.  

I have been proud of our government officials, the companies in Calgary, and the people of Alberta.  There has been so much sacrifice given by so many people helping people.  Lives were literally devastated, lives were lost and there have been heroes walking amongst us making things better day by day.  There are so many amazing heroes but I would like to highlight one individual that deserves so much praise.  Clark Schow is a selfless man.  He is has been out, getting dirty, organizing groups, and literally healing alberta one flood zone at a time.  He doesn't do this to seek praise, and in fact he may not be super thrilled with me that I am even spotlighting him online, but the world (or at least my humble list of followers) should know about this selfless man.  May we all be like him.  May we take others pain in our hands and try to do our part to bring healing.  

Let us not forget the supportive woman standing behind her man.  She has kept the fort going, she sends her older boys with Clark to help, and she looks for ways her littles can help.  Miss Kristen (as my children know her) and her wonderful hubby are the most charitable couple I know.  Thank you for all you do!  

The stampede added a tribute into the Grand stand show at the Stampede that made me cry.  Following the video tribute to all the heroes of the flood they dedicated the fireworks show to them.  I may not be able to dedicate anything to all of the heroes who are rebuilding our home, but I can say thank you.  Thank you for being an example to my family, thank you for being an example to my boys, thank you for helping our home.  You make Calgary proud!  Keep it up!!!

Evan is sick

Evan is sick.

Poor kid got it from the baby.   I always feel nervous every time that Evan gets sick.  He struggles to breathe and I am on constant high alert because he can turn south so quickly.  It is a funny thing though because some of his breathing medications make him a little loopy.  One of the meds makes his heart race just a tad and he starts spouting some of the funniest things through his wheezing.  Even now he just woke up in the middle of a deep sleep yelling and by the time I got up the stairs he was repeating the story line from the movie we just watched and telling me how interesting it was.  Dead sleep to screaming to interesting story line and back to sleeping.  Cracks me up.

Anyway I pray that he gets better soon and doesn't take a turn for the worse, because that can happen so easily.

On a positive note I feel like I am surrounded by angels!!  Justin left for a dental conference with his Dad while Evan was getting worse.  I was starting to plan out in my head my plan of attack for getting the kids everything they need while I am a single parent when Landon ended up on his first ever sleep over (with his best friend) so that I can focus on sicko and the baby at home.  I didn't ask my friend to do this, she just offered and it feels heaven sent for today.

If that wasn't enough when I put Evan to bed his humidifier wouldn't work.  This is a VERY critical thing when Evan is sick.  He doesn't have the muscle to be able to effectively cough up the phlegm that is hanging out in his lungs (hence the breathing problems).  We do a lot of manual coughing, breathing medication, upright sleeping etc.  but the thing that helps the most through the night is the humidifier to break up some of that phlegm making it a little bit easier on him (and me) while he sleeps.  Currently I have a friend at Walmart at almost 11:00 pm buying me a new humidifier so my child can heal.

How lucky am I that I have such great friends.  I totally won the jackpot!

Ragnar 2013

For 2 years I haven't been able to run.  When we lived in Florida I had this overwhelming need to become healthy.  I had always joked that I would start running when I had a track in my backyard and when we bought our home we literally had a track in our backyard.  We backed onto a school and didn't have a fence.  We had a track and a tennis court in our backyard and when I graduated with my Masters I decided that the time had come to make use of this gift and start running.

I began slowly and then all of the friends decided to do something crazy and sign up for a race.  Most of us signed up for a half marathon and 2 of them decided to run a full marathon. In one year the majority of us went from never having run before to completing long distance races.  It was amazing and I became addicted.  I LOVE running!

I've always struggled with back issues, but when we moved to Canada 4.5 years ago something happened.  Maybe it's because Justin and I did all of the unloading of our van by ourselves, who knows, but I threw my back out worse than I had ever done before that.  I couldn't move.  I had a hard time recovering from it all and never really did.  I got it good enough to run another half marathon and shortly after that it went out again. I tried therapy after therapy after therapy and I know how to maintain my back now, but I have to be VERY careful.  If my back goes I cannot take care of my kids.  If my back goes I cannot even take Evan to the bathroom or get him out of bed.

I didn't think that I would ever be able to run again and yet lately (after years of TLC) i was starting to feel more strength in my back.  I felt like just maybe I could try running again.

Long story short .... I can run successfully again.  Maybe not quite like I used to but time will tell!

I got to take a "momcation" last month and had a whirlwind experience in good ol' California with my family.  I don't feel like I need to write out the experience since my Daddy did an excellent job of that already and he has WAY more pictures than I have so please pop over to his blog and discover .......

THE RAGNAR EXPERIENCE

2013

this was my backyard in Florida.  Do you see the track?? 

Told you I wasn't exaggerating!

I married superman

As parents Justin and I do everything in our power to make sure that Evan is included in "normal" activities.  Some people are very good at considering his special needs and meeting them, some are totally clueless.  Some think they include him but don't really.

The trickiest thing to deal with are those situations that need to be the way they are for whatever reason and to see Evan struggle with the fact that he can't do something.  Its hard to even put it into words.

Last weekend we attended the Beavers family camp for Evan's Beaver troop.  It was awesome and most of the things Evan could do.  And then ... there was the ropes course.

I am a parent of a typical child as well and so I understand the need for a physical activity like a ropes course.  While we were waiting in line Evan kept saying that he wanted to do the course by himself and it breaks my heart to tell him that this was something he couldn't do.  I am strong, but the bigger Evan gets the harder these things are on my back and I need to start bowing out of some of these activities.  It makes me sad to tell him that I am not able to do some of these things for him.  I want to always give him what he needs and when I can't it breaks my heart.

Thankfully Evan has a rockstar Daddy.  Justin is strong and fun.  My children could NOT have a better Daddy.  I don't have enough words to praise Justin properly for his skills as a father.  Like all Daddy's he forgets to do things.  The kids may or may not have matching socks (if they have socks at all), the wheelchair charger may not make it in the van, and so on, but his energy never stops.  My children are so lucky to have him. Thank you for literally being THE BEST babe!