In comes the slow

Slow.
Not snow, like you probably assumed?

It's March Break in Ontario, and yesterday we had a pretty great snowstorm.
I say great mildly. I dislike snow more than most, and it's March, afterall.

But something cool happened in my home yesterday.
We slowed down.
Waaaaay down.

We wore our jammies into the middle morning hours.
We watched shows together.
Played with puzzles.
Thought about doing a cool craft.. ok, we lost track of time on this one...

But seriously.
We slowed down.

In came the storm.
In came the slow.

I really needed the snow.

Yesterday reminded me how fast I was going.
How fast my mind was racing.
How much time I had spent, over the last two weeks, worrying about getting 'it' all done.

Why do we do that?
Why, in this developed world, do we ruminate on to-do lists? deadlines?

The list will never end.
And neither, I suspect, will the busy.

Perhaps this is why Mother Nature blessed us with snow and wind and craziness.

To remind us to slow down.
Be present at home.
Love the stillness.

The best moment of my day yesterday was curling up in the very old reclining chair in my living room with Ethan. He was still groggy and warm from his nap. We snuggled under the oldest quilt in the house and watched the snow out the front window.

For five solid minutes we watched.
Not a word.
Not a sound.
Just our breath.
Each other.
Snow.

And in that moment, the slow, stillness of life refreshed my spirit.
Relieved my soul's heaviness.
Reset my heart.

<3 <3 <3

She endured

As we celebrate International Women's Day, I wanted to share a little about my amazing Babcia.

Born in Poland, taken by the Nazis at age 15 as a prisoner of war, she was clearly a special woman, as she faced atrocities we can only imagine. She witnessed death, felt unimaginable sadness and never saw her family again.

Despite her time in camp, she survived.

My grandmother was one of the lucky ones.

She endured.

She survived and she met my grandfather, a man I never met but one she loved dearly and off they went. First they lived in England, and then eventually the wedded couple boarded a ship which took them to Montreal.

They became new Canadians.

Immigrants who were welcomed to our country.

Settled in Fort Erie.

Welcomed four kids.

And then my grandfather died.

Once again, my Babcia endured.

She raised four children.

Learned english.

Worked.

Made most of her children's clothing.

She endured.

Her legacy rests on my ring finger.

Her wedding band became mine. 

A modest yellow gold band, a reminder to keep things simple.

She is my anchor.

My focal point during life's storms.

Rising with the tide.

Rolling with the waves.

Enduring each storm.

Anchored in love.

Faith in God.

Hope during trials.

Love at the root of all decisions.

Today, on International Women's Day, I encourage you to honour the generations of amazing women who paved the way for your very life today. Aunts, grandmothers, sisters and mothers.

Women who endured, so that we may do so as well.

#IWD