I'm Pinterest Famous

​Tami added the graduates on facebook & pinterest.

Today was the IFCI virtual graduation ceremony. I was so excited, I logged on at 3:20 when I needed to log in at 3:30. My excitement turned into anxiety and fear, by the time it was my turn for my interview, I was a little lost in my mind and I couldn't express myself and say what I had intended to share with the attendees. My prep notes are available here.

In the springtime, when we started to quarantine and social distance, I decided it would be a fantastic idea to support artists. I have been planning to decorate my bedroom but put it off in the winter time because I was focused on school work. I started finding things that I wanted to buy on etsy. I found this beautiful artist from France, named Morgane, I instantly knew I wanted a portrait of my Chihuahua and me. I absolutely love the work Morgane did, that I requested another portrait. I found a photo of myself from 2010, wearing a lovely outfit that I was never able to wear out for a special occasion or even a date night. I already have a wishlist of other artworks that I wish Morgane to create for me this fall. 

​Click on the photos below to visit her etsy page and/or her blog.

I was so thrilled last night when a girl guide leader/facebook friend shared a link that Dan Levy was encouraging the world to take this amazing course through University of Alberta.

​I enrolled this afternoon! It's perfect for my continuing education goals. The course is available for free but I opted for the option to receive a certificate for completing the class for my portfolio.

A few weeks ago, I noticed that a course I need to graduate the Office Administration program was moved from semester 3 to semester 1 in the upcoming school year. I was in a bit of a panic when I saw it, but it's not an issue to lose sleep over (I had to remind myself). That class is available (typically) every winter semester as a continuing education/online option. I can still meet my goal of completing OAD next spring after my first year of Indigenous Wellness and Addiction Prevention.

But while I was doing that research for that missing course, I found two continuing education programs that I would be interested in adding to my portfolio.

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I got this.

I barely slept last night; I was so excited that I was finally going to reunite with my best friend/my soulmate sister. It had been over ten years that we were last together. Her hugs were so big and loving, just as I remembered. We played quick rounds of "so this was my past decade", shared laughs & tears, and went for lunch together.  She and my husband were my first family, because of these two amazing people, I am the woman I am today. We promised to be together again soon, no later than one year without a visit. On the rest of our adventure that day, after we said our long goodbyes, we forgot to drive south to our two other destinations... I guess we'll have to do a second part to this tour to make up those towns/cities and get another visit with Kate. 

This year for our anniversary, Kirk offered to take me for a weekend away together. I joked about a road trip that we could do this summer because of quarantine and covid restrictions. He loved the idea and wanted to travel it this summer. 

We've been together for 22 years (married for 12 years).

Kirk has been super supportive during the last few years: when my health was bad and through the doctors' appointments, medical tests, blood work, visits to specialists, x-rays, ultrasounds, CT scan, MRI... speaking up for my health when I didn't have the words or the strength to express myself.  I know it's been hard for him to see me at my worse, all he wants to do is "fix it" but he can't, and that's his greatest struggle.

He was encouraging when it was decided that I wanted to attend college and work on my future. He was supportive when it was time to step aside from my spring semester; he understood the stresses involved that lead me to put aside my dream to make sure our family would be able to cope with their new lifestyle during the pandemic. Kirk was understanding when it was time for me to focus on my healing and begin my journey IFCI: I started working with a fibromyalgia coach and I was accepted in the Certified Advisor program with IFCI. He is happy that I have a plan to return to school in the fall to continue my education.

I am grateful for our relationship, Kirk is my best friend & my support team when I need him most.

In the summer 1996, I was away with my family visiting relatives up north, once the grownups headed to bed, and my cousin and his friend sneaked over a bottle of crown royal. I don't remember very much of that July 31 night/August 1 early morning but I think I was drinking drink for drink with the boys, who were built bigger than me, and I kept drinking well past my limit. I blacked out. I have no memory of when I partied on the pool table and supposedly opened a locked liquor cabinet (I think my cousin turned the blame on me, so he'd get off lighter, once we were discovered and in serious trouble), I took the blame. As I mentioned before I did not have many memories from that night; it's been told by the boys that I fell down and I hit my head, I started vomiting, and the boys went for help: they got our aunt Maria, who happen to be a former nurse, and she saved my life that night/morning. I felt like hell for days, I had alcohol poisoning, and vowed not to drink for one full year.

I will always be so grateful for Maria for saving me, giving me another chance at life. I remember exactly what she said and that has left a major impact on my life, and how I view alcoholism.  August 1st is when I was born again and I felt I had something to live for. Just a few days later, I met a sweet young man that became my "first boyfriend". And, my friends introduced me to a coffee house that would change my life as well.