To say that a lot has happened since then would be a gross understatement. If there is anything I have learned in this crazy weird pandemic experience it is this: do and seek what brings you life and joy, and what brings life and joy to those around you, and pay little attention to everything else. In a quick and painless effort to recap what this past year has been like, here is a very short list of blessings, heartaches and changes:.
We went to London for Christmas, and it was insane. We hate EasyJet. We love London. Addie broke her collarbone on Christmas day. Did you know… Canadians receive free emergency care in England because commonwealth? Amazing right!? I enrolled at Queens University in their continuing education program, to specialize in teaching English as a second language.
I hope to complete my masters in this area eventually. My husband helped team Canada punch their ticket to Tokyo I have never been so proud. One morning we woke up to our Prime Minister very dramatically calling all Canadians travelling abroad to return home immediately as the world was thrust into a very confusing pandemic.
We fled France to avoid complete and total lockdown. We paid way too much money to do so. We had to leave our sweet kitty with our neighbours. We taught our daughter how to walk at home in quarantine. We spent more than three uninterrupted months together as a family of three. And a lot of time with family and close friends, for which we are immensely grateful. Our baby girl grew up and became a real talking, enthusiastic, climbing, water-loving toddler.
She is a little sweet, but mostly lively and hilarious; a truly courageous spirit with no regard for what is dangerous or what should be too difficult for a one-year-old to. And so it begins again…. Returning to the same city, same apartment, familiar streets, grocery stores, and parks, truly is the biggest blessing. Within a week of being here, once we were all finally on the right time zone, we can honestly say that life felt pretty normal.
