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Hello blogger friends.
I am so sorry I have been such a bad blogger buddy lately.
I simply have not felt like crafting very much!!
Since I started my new venture with Scentsy, things have just taken off & between Agency work and Scentsy parties, I am on the road most of the time.
No time to stop & smell the roses.....................
............................... until recently.
You see that picture at the top, that's my daughter (standing in the pink shirt). Her name is Hannah Rayne Arnason-Smyrski and she is 11 years old. The other night she had a couple friends for a sleep over, at which point I brought out my Velata fondue and treated them (& my two boys) to some fruit dippin, smore makin', lip smackin chocolate lickin' fun. It was great. I love to see them smile.
It has been a while since I saw my daughter smile like this!
If you are not friends with me on facebook, you may not know that my daughter & I had been going thru a rough time lately.
On June 24 we found out her dad (my ex), Terry Arnason, passed away very suddenly while out on vacation from his northern job as a Chef at Baker Lake, Nunavut.
It was a shock to both of us. It was a shock to everyone who knew & loved him.
I'll never forget the look on my daughter's face when I told her.
It was the most heart wrenching feeling of my life.
She's 11.
And she will never see her dad again.
I cried for days afterwards, while she went to spend time with my ex's side of the family to plan the funeral and such. I felt so alone. I felt like no one understood. I felt like no one cared. I missed my daughter.
Obviously I was selfish too, cuz this truly was not about me. It was about looking after my daughter.
Here is a picture of her at her dad's funeral. This to me is acceptance.
Moments before this photo she read a poem to her dad, that she wrote herself.
My brave girl!
Then she laid her head on the table and tears ran down one side of her face to the other.
My poor angel.
He dad would have done anything for her.
He would have done anything for anyone.
He was that type of guy.
Below is a link to the FB tribute his niece put together. It is his funeral service.
There was only immediate family there.
Below is a pic of my daughter (& my brother) planting the Lilac Bush (mentioned in the above memorial service) to commemorate her father. We planted it at my brother's cabin, because we know this will be a place we will visit for years to come.
Since all this has happened I am more conscious of my actions & reactions.
Let kids be kids.
Don't sweat the small stuff.
Enjoy everyday to the max.
Tell my kids I love them everyday.
Spend more time cuddling.
Spend more time laughing.
Cuz before you know it.................it could all be gone.
Like that!
I am a firm believer in "everything happens for a reason".
I was explaining this to my daughter the day of the funeral actually.
"Tell me what you were like in highschool mom. Were you geeky?" she asked
"No, I was in the middle. I wasn't geeky, I wasn't popular, but I had friends on both sides"
"Did you have a boyfriend in highschool?" she asked
"yup, we were together for 5 years, he broke my heart & we broke up after graduation & then I went to work at my first fly-in fishing resort (as a waitress). " I answered.
"Where?" she asked
"Campbells Cabins in Ontario. That's where I was in the fire" (long story about someone pouring fuel on a fire & it exploded.......myself & 5 others were injured....1 of them passed away)
"So what happened after the fire?" she asked
"Then I went up to work at Knee Lake, where I met your father. And do u see that if I hadn't of got my heart broken & hadn't of been in that horrific fire, I wouldn't have you today. " I answered.
We both cried.
I have the best part of my EX in my daughter and for that I thank him everyday.
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That night we went to the fair in town (July 1st celebrations). The kids rode on rides, ate cotton candy, drank slushies & we enjoyed the fireworks in the nightsky.
The played music to the fireworks & low & behold all the music was sad songs. LOL
So there I was watching the fireworks with tears streaming down my face.
My daughter looked at me and said "are you crying mom?"
I nodded.
She hugged me & said "it's ok to cry".
Pffpt..........who's consoling who now! LOL
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I know you are probly tired of my ramblings, but if you've read nothing on here today and only skipped to this part, REMEMBER THIS.
You are responsible for your actions.
Do what makes you happy!
Give the ones you love a hug today.
Never stop believing!
Happy Crafting!
