Wednesday, July 23, 2008

With A Little Help From My Friends


Quite often, people seem to dwell on all the things that aren't going right in their lives. We sometimes think of how a couple hundred thousand more dollars in our bank accounts would be really nice. We think of how we'd like to make our homes nicer. We think of all the things that aren't perfect. We sometimes forget to count our blessings.

In my case, I often think about how much I miss my friends and family. I have a lot to be thankful for. This I know. I am thankful that I have a wonderful husband who tries very hard to make our life together a good one. He's supportive and encouraging. He's also very hardworking.
I'm thankful that since I no longer teach ESL overseas or in Toronto, I can now bring the rest of the world to me by having international students come study on the Island with me.

I'm thankful that my parents live around the corner from us and that my MIL and SIL (and her family) live close-by as well.

I'm thankful to be living on such a beautiful island. I'm thankful that each day, I get to be witness to the funny things our animals do. I wasn't allowed pets when I was growing up, so now I'm making up for it. Okay, let me rephrase that. I wasn't allowed any cats or dogs when I was growing up. We did have three turtles, hundreds of specialty goldfish, three budgies, a few hamsters, and four rabbits. Today, I am thankful to have a couple of really troublesome kitties and a really funny doggy! The adventures in this household are plenty!

Another thing I am thankful for is my friends. I have been blessed with some really good friends. One of my girlfriends from college and university is coming to visit us on the Island on Friday. She'll be staying for about a week.

K and I are polar opposites in many ways, but alike in so many others. We share a passion for 'The Arts'. We both love art in all forms (music, painting, photography, theater, film, etc). We both love cooking and baking and trying out new recipes. We love traveling and working with kids. We also both love doing crafts.

We met through a mutual friend in an English Literature class I was taking for my Liberal Arts program many, many years ago. We've been good friends ever since.

C & K at our old university hang out in Montreal. Just a hop, skip and a stone's throw away from our university. In all fairness, I was a very good student (very serious about my studies) and only went to Cheers on Thursdays (aka Ladies' Night). Boy, those days seem sooooooooo far away now! *sigh*

Though more than a decade has passed since the above photo was taken, it doesn't look as though we have aged much! Here we are again. This time, at my wedding two years ago.

K is one of the only friends I have who has made the trip to the Island to visit me every year since I moved here. CK is another friend who has made this annual trip to the Island, but this year is the first year that she hasn't been able to make it. Love and miss you, CK! Hope all is well where you are :) Can't wait for your blog to be up and running again, you busy gal!

Anyway, K and I were talking on the phone the other night and she told me that she is going to visit us for a few days. She will arrive on the Island on Friday. Not only is she coming for a visit, but she also said that she'd paint the baby's room for me while she is here because she said that "I am not to be near paint fumes". How sweet is she?!? I almost cried when she told me she wanted to paint the nursery! She also said that she'd relieve me of some of the cooking while she visits because she knows how hard my first trimester has been. Honestly, I haven't mentioned half of the things I've gone through during this first trimester of this pregnancy! I feel as though I've been put through the wringer, but I don't want to complain because I am truly thankful that I am pregnant :)

Now, back to the reason for this post! Thanks for everything, K. With friends like you, I'll always be rich.

10 comments:

Jan said...

what a beautiful post and tribute to such a special person. I just lost one of my dearest friends and this had special meaning for me.

louann said...

So sweet C! Real, good, true friends are indeed something to be thankful for =)

Anonymous said...

love how you always take time to remember to be thankful for all the good things. i'm thankful to be your friend even if you hate that i'm too lazy to always use caps and proper punctuation.

i hope to see you maybe in aug or sept?

Ellie said...

She is so lucky!! I want to come and visit, whaaa, it's not fair!!!! Isn't it nice to have such great friends?? This is a great post, and has made me miss my friends back home.

I am trying to carve out some time to email you!!
Ellie :o)

Tracy said...

Good friends are the best! Have a wonderful visit!

Karen MEG said...

You have a very special friend in K indeed.
C, you amaze me with your sweetness, and sincerity. I think it would be so easy to be a good friend to you!

Unknown said...

Jan:
So sorry to hear about your friend. Family and good friends are such important parts of our lives. I have to keep telling myself that no matter how busy one gets, one really needs to take time to call, write, visit, or even send an e-mail to the people we love. I had a friend who had leukemia and she called me to chat but got my voicemail. I kept meaning to call her back, but something always came up. A few weeks later, I got a call from our former boss at a school I taught at and she told me that my friend (and former colleague) had passed away. I keep kicking myself for putting things off.

Gah! I don't know why your comment just reminded me of that!

Louann:
You are so right :) My sentiments exactly!

Unknown said...

T:
I try, but I don't always remember to be thankful for the good things. I sometimes focus on the things that need improvement or the things I don't have. It's something I am trying to change within myself though. Focus on all the good things and don't obsess about the not so perfect things :)

I hope to see you too! Are you coming here? I might try to get to MTL in Sept. Don't know if I'll be swinging by TO though. That way is longer. It's easier and faster to go through Ottawa than Toronto from here.

Unknown said...

Ellie:
Awwww! I want you to come visit too!!!

I know how you feel, because I still miss my friends from home and I've been living on the Island for four years now. It's hard being away from your friends and family, but the good thing is that when you do see each other, your visits are always so special. You get quality time together :)

Starshine:
Thank you :) My friend sent me a message on Facebook and told me that she will be arriving on Sunday instead of today. It works out well, since Hubby and I have a wedding to attend tomorrow anyway :) I'm looking forward to seeing my friend on Sunday. I can't believe she's driving all the way from Montreal to the Island BY HERSELF!!! It's a 10 hr drive!!! She's brave. I couldn't do it on my own!

Unknown said...

Karen:
GAH! You make me blush! LOL!

Oh, I meant to ask you...Have the kids used their soaps yet? I was wondering if Liam figured out how to use that 'pop up' eyeball! ;p

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City girl moves to the country, falls in love, and marries a farmer. She tries to incorporate her city ways with her new country lifestyle and blogs to keep in touch with friends, family & students who live far, far away :) Can this city girl go country? Watch as she learns all sorts of exciting things about life on the farm and in a small rural community. *UPDATE* We are now parents! Our baby girl was born on Nov. 11, 2008 (at 28 weeks gestation- 12 weeks premature, but she's quite the trooper)!!!
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