As I sit here in the living room trying not to get the illness that surrounds me on all floors (there is constant coughing) I was feeling a bit down about how 2022 panned out. In those moments it's best to really reflect on how the year actually went. Thankfully I take a lot of pictures so scrolling back on the best moments of 2022 there is a LOT to be thankful for and remember with fondness.
The tough times have mostly been related to illness. Having three kids in three different schools especially with an asthmatic (probably two Sam seems to be going the same way) makes you really susceptible to respiratory infection and there has been a lot going around this year. Probably the most crushing blow of 2022 was Emily getting COVID the morning of her breakout role as Rafiki in the Lion King. Our entire house was crying that day. Hardship is probably more formative than the good times though so I hope what Emily remembers of that day is that we all wiped away our tears, scooped her up in our arms to take care of her. and all surrendered to Covid in the house. Her brothers flanked her on the couch and sat and watched every Lion King available on Disney plus (that was the kids idea - the parents thought that was like rubbing salt in the wound but that's what she wanted). They never left her side. Even in tough times their siblinghood was a treasure to witness.
Despite my holiday grumps this morning there was lots to be grateful in 2022. Looking back it was actually difficult to pick which pictures to include. Here's My 2022 Top Ten:
10) Championship Chickens - This summer Cian played recreational soccer like he has since he was very small and with a lot of the same boys. They started as Timbits in Wolesley and then most of them started playing through the city in the Bourkeville team since we don't have enough players in our smaller neighborhood. They had great coaches and this year they got to the championships! So our whole family went out in the rain (me running from an overnight call) and watched on the edges of our seats (Keith most of all) as our boys won the championship game! It was a great morning to see these guys play together and to share the victory with kids and parents we have spent years sitting with on the sidelines who have cheered on our kid like their own. It was a pretty great day.
9) Retirement Party - The department head who hired me is also in my section of pediatric gynaecology and she retired this year. I had mentioned to her that I had wanted to plan a retirement party for her and she agreed (much to a lot of people's surprise). I really wanted it to be amazing as she served Manitoba for 40 years and so I may have really gone overboard for a killer night at the WAG (Winnipeg Art Gallery). Her whole family was there and they were all so pleased. Some of the old guard came and so did the nurses (man they really make a party fun). I was so happy with how it turned out and that felt like a big win. Another big work win was my friend Vanessa becoming our new Department Head. She is going to do great things and I'm looking forward to a bright future for our group at work.
8) Visiting with Friends and Family - This year we actually got to visit with family and friends after a few years without doing that. We got to go to Omi and Opa's house, share a cabin in the woods with the cousins, go skiing in Assessipi with the Poliquins, spend a great weekend visit with Cara, enjoy a backyard BBQ with the neighbours, travel to Ireland for a family wedding and have a beautiful riverside breakfast with Katie. The people we love are such an important part of our lives and it was so nice to start seeing people again.
7) Phoenix trip - Keith and I had a romantic trip away to Phoenix, AZ to celebrate an Irish family wedding (Shane and Alanna) thanks to Omi coming to watch the kids. Maja and I shared a beautiful and eventful sunset horseback ride through the desert. It was nice to remember what it was like just the two of us and we had a road trip out to Sedona that was particularly beautiful. We had a great time with all of the family partying well into the night.
6) All-night Sunrise Anniversary Drive - The start of our summer gave us COVID and the loss of a friend from University that was particularly difficult. We stayed in Alberta to sing with our friends at the funeral which was healing and hard and then started our drive back home. The evening was beautiful and followed by a thunder and lightning show the likes of which I have never seen. We thought about stopping to sleep in Regina but the kids were already asleep in the car so we just kept driving and talking all night until we got to Winnipeg in the early hours of the morning after a spectacular sunrise. The following day was our anniversary and that drive is one of my favourite anniversary dates so far.
5) Fellowship of Halloween - This year the kids could actually help with their costumes for Halloween. Emily sewed her cape and Cian did all his props (axe and helmet) so I really had a lot less I had to do this year. I'm so thankful the kids all still like to do a big group costume. I'm happy to continue to do this forever. It's such a fun and creative thing to do together.
4) NYC - In May we finally got to use our 2019 tickets to see Hugh Jackman in the Music Man on Broadway. When I suggested the idea 3 years ago Cara and Mel committed right from the beginning and were amazing friends planning everything when I was swamped in the spring with work. We had a magical week long trip: incredible rooftop cocktails, amazing food, super fun piano bar show tune singing lots and lots of walking and sights to see. I love those girls so much and appreciate their friendship always but especially on this trip as I felt so taken care of by them.
3) Nahanni - I have dreamed of paddling the Nahanni for 20 years and once I told my friend Vanessa there were definitive plans immediately to make it happen. It took years of attempting and being cancelled by COVID but in 2022 we did it! I was so nervous I had built it up in my head so much and that we wouldn't find a group of people who would be fun to hang out with for 14 days. I was so wrong. Our group was incredible and we had so much fun together and a lifetime full of memories on that beautiful river.
2) Demolition - We waited for the permits for 8 months but our gift from the City of Winnipeg this December was permit approval and once that happened our builders MOVED. We now own a foundation to a new house after looking at the little green house for 18 months. We are excited and nervous to start this big project and the builders are talking about being done July 2023 and while we know that is likely optimistic it seems really fast and we need to get things ready for not being in this house next Christmas which after 15 years feels so strange.
1) Our Little Family - This is always my favourite thing. Sometimes when we have been so ravaged by illness like we have been this fall (seriously Em has missed so much school poor thing) it's easy to forget the biggest gift and joy in my life is the people I share life with. Whether in this house or the next one they fill every space with love and laughter and I'm so grateful to get to be with them.
Wishing everyone a happy and healthy (especially healthy!) 2023. We are hoping that our Top Ten for 2023 includes a big Open House party for the new house so hopefully we can make that happen and see more of the faces of the people we love.
