I think winter is the Top 1 Canadian "landmark". You know, that is the first thing that comes to mind when you say Ca-na-da. Hockey would be number two (for sport fans) which is totally related to winter anyway, followed by Maple Syrup which I am totally for... (yay... maple syrup!)- that in case you haven't picked up yet my loooove for sugar from previous blog posts.
However, Canada has beautiful summers and falls. And somehow, when it’s summer time you tend to forget that there is an actual winter every year…. and that winter is slowly crawling back without you even noticing. It’s like somehow you are so happy with the beautiful weather that you ignore what I call the “signals”. And let me tell you; there are many signals. Like falling leaves and TV commercials. They change from advertising T-Shirts and colorful clothing, to sweaters and black winter jackets. Or restaurants (I’m thinking Tim Hortons to make it even more Canadian) no longer have the “ice latte” as main product, but now present hot warm soups to their customers…. And so on…
I, on the other hand, normally prefer to keep in total winter denial until the last minute; me on my own little summery world ignoring the "signals". But then… winter is back. And it surprises you. One evening you go to sleep to weak up to 15 cm of snow in the driveway, and -21 C outside temperatures. Yeah, kinda of like Calgary last week.
And it's kind of funny because if you would have asked me 10 years ago if I was remotely interested in moving to a place where you could weak up to snow and freezing temperatures, I would have thought you were crazy. Anybody who knew me ten years ago would agree to that statement, nothing but sandals and sunny days was acceptable.
Neither would I classify shoveling driveways as the funnest activity or getting frozen toes particularly enjoyable.
However.... here I am... sandals girl in snowy Canada. Being surprisingly happy to be closer to the North Pole. Ha ha... or Ho HO Ho??? : ) - Ok that's my Christmasy mood kicking in. : )
The most interesting of all is that winters are also beautiful, and the cold seasons have teached me to appreciate the summers even more.
A little parenthesis before I go on for one of my all time favorites lists.
Five great things about the Winter:
1. Sparkly flying snow dust.
2. Duna getting extremely excited because its "finally snowing"... and running outside to get her nose in the snow. (Literally inside the pile of snow)
3. Evergreens covered with - almost falling - super white snow.
4. Ice skating in the evening at a lake, to the tune of Christmas songs with a nice baileys enriched, hot chocolate.
5. Working from home in your fav pajamas because you can't get to the office ; )
So Canada and its winters are no longer my last option. Actually, they became my preferred option. My home.
So Canada and its winters are no longer my last option. Actually, they became my preferred option. My home.
Which brings me to my second point. Because the winter made me think about our option to live in Canada and of course, our decision to adopt. So let's go back 3 paragraphs and a list: If you would have asked me ten years ago if I was remotely interested in adoption I would have thought you were crazy. It wasn't even in my thoughts, therefore anybody who knew me ten years ago couldn't have agreed to that statement... because I just never talked about it. It never crossed my mind.
But a series of events and life pointed me to Canada and also to adoption. And people, if you must know: adoption was neither Tavo's or mine last option. But instead our preferred one. I must confess in a way, it's like winter. I didn't really think about it or liked it until I was faced with it. And although it seemed hard, and it required more preparation and planning, it definitely feels now like it will be totally worth it. Just as the cold season teached us to appreciate the summers, the road to adoption has teached us to appreciate kids, and the opportunity to have a family.
And just like in winter there will be bad days (I'm talking -32C!), I am sure being a parent will bring its own challenges (doesn't every parent have a bad, really bad day?). Days with crying, non sleeping, pooping babies. But I think the smiles of the next day, the first word, first crawl, first step... will be like the flower that comes out in the summer. : )
All that to say that adoption is not the last option. Adoption is only an option... an option that might not seem the easiest, most straight forward road to parenthood, but is an option that exists and that for many people just makes sense. People that think the world needs more parents for children without parents; or people that are tired of feeling like a pin-couching, or can't think of spending money and time in unreasonable fertility treatments; or people that just realize that the only kind of miracle is not conception and carrying to term a pregnancy. Miracles are presented to us in many ways... like white pieces of rain in form of sparking snow or in the form of a baby that didn't grow in your tummy.
Are you ignoring the signals?
Until the next post,
Luz M.
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