Canadian to the core.....

I'm not even sure how I justify that statement? hehe

Here goes....

I was born in Calgary, Alberta 1976, and lived there until Oct 1985, when my parents decided to end their 15 year honeymoon and return to New Zealand with their 4 children and 2 newly acquired horses purchased specially for the departure. Yes, most successful honeymoon I've heard of! hehehe.

I had been to New Zealand once when I was 3 to be introduced to the family and beaches. Alas, I didn't remember any of it. Both sets of grand parents had been over to visit us, but I only remembered Grannies visit. She was there when I accidently took the handbrake off and ended up in the neighbours backyard with my brother in the car with me... and the consequential events of the smack and being sent to my room by her. Yes, I remembered granny... she was the meanie!
Nana on the other hand had been to NZ when my two youngest brothers were born, and looked after us beautifully. hehehe. I only remember her getting mad at us once, and we honestly deserved it then! (For driving the car down the hill, and the utter shock.... the yelling that came was in my young eyes brutal. hehe)

My mother; brave, crazy, insane? jumped on the plane with her 4 young children bound for LA. My father was meeting us there for our last adventure in North America - ei. Disneyland!
We had a few days there before taking off for NZ minus Dad. He was staying to pack up the house, finish work, and sort out the horses. He'd arrive in January.

YES.... I hear you. Who in their right minds would jump on a plane with 4 children all under the age of 10, and one of them being a mere 3 months old. We must have been pretty exceptional children for the thought to have even entered her head. Failing that.... absolute desperation to get back to NZ? I"m not sure which is was?

It was a good thing that I loved to fly, even back then, and that I was easily amused I guess. I had my cabage patch kid, and somehow the hours that it took to first get to Hawaii and then on to New Zealand. (Back in the good old days when you had to stop to refuel!)

I was never impressed with the idea of leaving my beloved Canada. I have no idea why the idea repulsed me so? To this day I don't quite get why it bothered me so much.

We were met at the airport by the masses....
Granparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins. All of them!

I don't actually remember a whole lot about the next month. I guess we adjusted to it all. We lived with my grandparents on their 5 acres, which meant room to roam, which was brilliant! Trees to climb, places to hide. It was great. I made a friend who lived down the road and he and I used to make huts down the road.... thinking back, I don't know why? hehehe. What is it about making huts?

Christmas was the first UHG moment. I realised that I no longer got to spend the special day with just MY family. I suddenly had to share my mother and brothers with all these other people. I didn't have a problem with sharing - but this all felt SO WRONG to me!
I guess I've dealt with it since then. Our family christmas'are pretty amazing, and incredible times!
That first one just felt rude and a horrible reality for me to face.

We eventually moved to a cool house up a hill. And I changed schools again.
As luck would have it, while they were showing Anne of Green Gables on TV, and Gilbert Blythe was terribly ill with scarlet fever, I got it too! For a young girl... you have no idea how romantic the whole notion was in my head! hehehe.
Unfortunately the timing of it all was rather...... bad?!

There were rumours flying around our class that a boy liked me. and on this particular afternoon I was really beginning to feel sick. The teacher had just left the classroom when the boy stands up and shouts that he doesn't like me!

I was away for the next 2 weeks.

Fast Forward.... 1993...... we move to Cambridge where my parents are building a house on the farm. I'm not sure whether the house has ever officially been finished. There is always something that needs to be done.

I live there until I'm 18 - after my first year at Uni where I study Film and television with Sociology. I have no idea what I want to be... having not been accepted into broadcasting school I take the year off and move out of the family house.
The year is spent dreaming of Canada....

I must have clicked my heels together all wrong.... or perhaps worn the wrong colour, because I end up in Kentucky! (1996)

I spend the next 2 1/2 years on two different horse farms just outside of Lexington, and while here learn an awful lot of life's lessons. After this time I'm really ready to head "home".

Love kind of gets in the way.

I end up in California - the Bay Area, and after exploring for a couple of weeks... getting to Yosemite, and other spots we drive to Canada in the jeep of all jeeps! Water fights at all the stops, blowing bubbles.... it was an adventure and a half.

We end up in Calgary, and I get jobs in a cafe and a restaurant, loving both of them, and meeting so many cool people.
In the end, the weather gets the better of the jeep.... and of B. I've never experienced transmission oil freezing like that again! hehe.

We make a mamoth trip non stop for the bay area in the new year. (99) I'm in the Bay Area until Sept 99 when I come home to head back to school and get married. I'd been accepted into a couple of schools, and end up down here in Christchurch.. minus the boy, knowing no one. God really had his hand on all of it.... and turned it all into something amazing.

Now... my feet are itchy...... I still dream of Canada, but realising how I need to be closer to the family now too if I'm going to be here.

and I wonder..... what legacy am I leaving behind me?

I wanna leave a legacy. how will they remember me? did I choose to love? did I point to you enough to make a mark on things? I wanna leave an offering!

So... I'm leaving it to God. I've made enough wacky choices to last me.... I can rest in the fact that he has it all sorted.

next adventure... please....thanks! :)

To Be Continued.