Thursday, 26 December 2024

🎁 A time of reflection

I am grateful to be living here. While my mind overnight goes to difficulties, or other issues, I think of all those suffering. Putin bombed Ukraine Christmas Day. Trump's threats against us here in Canada are laughable. 

Today is my 68th birthday. It's a time for reflection. My birth mother gave birth to me, then they took me away from her. She told me, the one time we met, that she felt as if she'd lost her right arm. I was sent to a foster home for 6 months. My adoptive family always did well by me. I was told early on I was adopted. We had an old, old picture book that told a story about a family happily waiting for a child. I was loved. I was blessed.

I told my client the story about my parents waiting for the call. They'd lost a child to a stillbirth, another was a badly malformed fetus. In June, mom and dad were working in the same open concept office. Mom got the call at work. She stood up, incredibly excited, and yelled out to the entire office, "We have a baby!" There was clapping, joy, tears.

Back to the present. Our Ottawa kids are on their way today to celebrate Christmas with us. We have the turkey out on the back deck. It was -11℃ overnight the first night, -8℃ this morning, so it is a tad frozen. No way to treat a fresh turkey, but what can one do? I guess I ought to put it in the refrigerator.


Cinnamon appreciated the light snow on Dec. 23. His mice friends were well-hidden under the snow. It's rather like sending kids out at recess for a short outdoor play. It takes 5 minutes to get on snowsuits, boots, hats, mitts, and in 10 minutes they were cold. We were all happy to get outdoors, though.

   

 I do enjoy the snow. This is what it looked like on the new camera. The snow fell.

 



 Out I went with the snowblower! This is sped up. It is good exercise.

   

 Next job, shovelling the sidewalk. I hope you appreciate the sound effects!

 

I am pleased with my new set-up and the new Black Friday camera. I am figuring out how the double aspect works, with a wide field. 

17 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Happy Birthday to you! I hope your day is wonderful.
Take care, have a great day!

Tom said...

...Happy Birthday, young lady. Enjoy your Ottawa family.

Anvilcloud said...

I didn't know your story, but I see that life has worked out for you. Enjoy your day. It will be quiet here.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Happy Birthday, Jenn!!! YAM xx

Barbara Rogers said...

Happy anniversary of your birth. I'm so glad you have a birth story to share with us. Thank you. And don't you look very fit throwing that snow around! Yes to getting dressed to go outside to play in the snow for kids (and adults) and hoping we don't freeze the little fingers and toes. May your next trip around the sun have joyful times shared with loved ones, and all that you might wish for. We will spend an hour each day not thinking gloomy thoughts. Start NOW!

Kathy G said...

Happy Birthday! Thanks for the peek into your family history.

RedPat said...

Enjoy your celebration today.

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

Your cat kills me. It running down the walk to the drive and on its way and then coming back with tail straight up in the air. When I was a kid in the high desert of Utah, the cat got put out every night, regardless of weather, and was waiting at the front door in the morning.
We don't get too many snows in Oklahoma any more. When we do, and if it is dry enough, and I get out early enough I can blow it off our driveway with a leaf blower.

Far Side of Fifty said...

You got a nice layer of snow! I am so thankful for our son in law as he does all the shoveling for us here Up North!

Far Side of Fifty said...

Forgot to say Happy 68th birthday! Hope you have a really good day!

Elephant's Child said...

It looks like incredibly good exercise. And thank you as we swelter yet again for the cooling snow photos and videos.
Happy Birthday, fellow Capricorn.

Cloudia said...

Bless you dear friend. You touch my heart. Wishing you wonderful, safe holidays and a great year ahead. With Aloha, fondly

Nancy J said...

Happy Birthday Jen.XXXXX Looks like that camera has a very long view, could see you coming with the snow blower even through the branches. Hope the family travel safely, Have a wonderful time together.XXXX

tz_garden said...

Ah, beautiful snow! Thank you for sharing your birth/adoption story. I'm glad it was a happy one, and Happy Birthday! You got some good exercise.

Mary Kirkland said...

Happy birthday. My mom gave up a baby and he was adopted before I was born. I found him years ago and my mom was able to meet him and have a relationship with him. She passed away in 2011 and that brother passed away last year. I'm glad they got to meet.

Jeanie said...

Sending both belated Christmas AND birthday greetings your way as I begin to catch up on blogs. I'm glad you got to meet your birth mom; I'm sure it was a traumatic decision for her but it sounds as though you found a good family with lots of love. It's a little late to say Merry Christmas so I hope your Christmas WAS very happy and that you are continuing to enjoy the Christmas week!

Val Ewing said...

Goodness! I missed your birthday! It sounds like it was a good one!
My mother also gave up her first child. We never discovered where he went, but she finally did tell us kids when we were adults.
It sounds like your adopted parents were incredible.