Sunflowers and smiles

January 23, 2023.Reading time 1 minute.

A local craft shop owner makes votives in yellow and blue with sunflowers on them and all proceeds go to Ukrainians. A BC retailer saw her work online and ordered 100 candles, selling them at $5.00 each. Ryan Reynolds saw the effort and doubled the intake. She sent much of the proceeds to a non-profit […]

A Ukrainian/Canadian Christmas Celebration

January 9, 2023.Reading time 1 minute.

More than 150 people gathered yesterday in our local Presbyterian Church to celebrate Ukrainian Christmas. I am too tired to say much more than I am warmed to my core and so grateful for all these people, who have come into our lives since our decision to host a Ukrainian family. The photos capture it […]

Interlude

December 19, 2022.Reading time 1 minute.

Ah Christmas…the barrage of lists, the constant bustle, my aching legs…. When we have a moment to rest, we celebrate that two Ukrainian families have now successfully flown our nest. We are exhausted but warmed by the knowledge that our family has grown. We’ll be twenty at Christmas – our two families of five, plus […]

Chilly Reflections

November 18, 2022.Reading time 1 minute.

Although my body is healing, my heart is aching still. The requests for help from Ukraine keep pouring in, and the response on our end is drying up. Three families arrive in the next month, and one is already here, with nowhere to go. Three more have reached out. I have no answers. Just ache. […]

Changes

November 14, 2022.Reading time 1 minute.

After 7 weeks of respiratory illness, I think I’m finally on the mend. The family of refugees we’ve been hosting signed their first lease yesterday, and will be moving December 1st. Although hubby and I agreed that we wouldn’t host another family, we have committed to a single woman, my age, who we’ll take in […]

Please Know This…

November 7, 2022.Reading time 3 minutes.

I received a heart wrenching letter from a Ukrainian whose family has moved to Canada as a result of the war. It brought to mind how often immigrants are vilified, especially to serve political purposes, and how wrong we are when we jump to judgment without knowing the whole story. So, next time you come […]

Uh…Okay?!

September 30, 2022.Reading time 2 minutes.

The twins went to school…for a day. Mom and I celebrated with lunch out, except then one got sick and so only one boy got on the school bus while the other lingered home, and when he was finally feeling better, the other 4-year-old came down with a cold. Of course, the first day we […]

The Eight Year Road

August 15, 2022.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Wheels of Kindness

April 22, 2022.Reading time 2 minutes.

Today is the day to leave, the 2:30 am text read; I’m letting my son sleep in, last day in our home. The message came from Kyiv. I had connected with the mom the day before. Bombing around them had finally convinced her to flee. Stay safe and keep in touch when you can. I’m […]

The Car Crash

That time, playing in the muck,foot emerging without a boot,hopping and laughingall the way home… Then, later, on the busthe impact of the carthe windshield crackinglike a giant spiderblood all overthe dead lady’s face All in the past –sunroof openkids riding along,music blaring But trauma is a spiderArachne reaching into happy placesand as much as […]

Empty Surges

Measured in spoonfulsprogress imperceptible Still feel the angst ofno-time-to-breathe lifestyle pressured from withinto get-it-done spend unavailable resourcesruminating solutions push against the wallswith little to show surrender to impotencyand wait for the next surge.

Hurricane

Sister was a hurricane –destruction her path Tried to calm, encouragebut her core was damaged Try to reach her now, across death’s abyss understand beforeher legacy swallows me.