Friday, January 23, 2009

Honoring ourselves...



I used to write. When I was a teenager and a young adult, in the dark years of my life, when anxiety and depression got the best of me, I used to write beautiful poetry. I have many books filled with the words that were pouring out of me, as if I was too full to contain them. Words helped me heal. It might be why I decided to become a translator... But translating medical advertising and scientific studies is quite far from poetry writing... Today, I have a hard time finding the words to write a birthday card... My creation has moved to something more tangible, like knitting, sewing and felting...

Those were the thoughts that were going on in my mind while I was reading some of the wonderful blogs that I visit regularly. Then, I came across this beautiful post from Kate and it felt really good, really right. And I started looking through the photos from the last 5 years and I decided that it was about time that I took some time to honor myself for all I did during the last 5 years! No wonder the words are not coming, as Kate says, it's not that kind of life right now...

So here's a little story of the last 5 years of my life!

It all started with a WV van, of course! We left Toronto in May 2003 for Whitehorse, Yukon.



6 000 km later, we called it home right away.





And a month or so after our arrival in the land of the Klondike Gold Rush, I became pregnant! At 18 weeks, we found out that there were 2 buns in the oven! What a surprise!



That's 4 days before giving birth... at 39 weeks! Impressive, eh?



And after a very crazy birth, our two little salmons came to the world!



And at 26, 6 000 km away from our families, with a bunch of new friends without kids around us, we became parents!



And tried to stay a strong couple and to keep doing what we loved in the midst of it all...
Quite a challenge, I must say!






We kept on camping...



We lived in a tiny little house in downtown Whitehorse, on the same street as the French association, so there was always people coming and going. We had so much support from the community when the girls were born. My eyes still fill with water when I think about it. For a month after the birth, we had people coming at our house EVERY DAY to bring us a meal, people that we didn't even knew at times! It was just unbelievable!



And I kept gardening...



And I massage them...



And we carried them in slings all the time...



And they had tummy tub baths in the sun !



And we co-slept...



And we co-bathed...



And we hiked and walked a lot to soothe them and to stay sane... And to feel like we were enjoying the amazing landscapes of the Yukon...





God, we did a great job!!





And soon enough, they discovered complicity!
And it was beautiful to hear them laugh together!





And when they were 10 months old, I found out that I was pregnant again! Natural family planning sure makes for big families! I was terrified, but the support we had around us was so incredible that we felt we were in the best place to welcome Mathilde.



And Mathilde was born... and the girls were... well, I can't say that they were very excited, they were mostly indifferent and then, the adventure began... 2 weeks after Mathilde's arrival, Mara and Aïsha turned into very insecure, clingy and whiny little girls. It was HARD!



Mathilde was a happy and easy little girl, at least!



God I look tired... and I was!



There was a lot of that...



And of that too...



And then, they discovered the pleasure of being twins!







And yes, we used that device. Our friend calls it The Circle of Neglect!
For me, it was the Circle of Sanity!



And we kept traveling around, as hard as it was, we needed to get out a bit!



And they all got chickenpox. And Mathilde got complications and scared us all...



And I turned 30, and my amazing girlfriends invited me to a wonderful Inn for 2 days.
It was so great!



And last summer, we left the Yukon to begin a new adventure.




We sure miss the Yukon and our friends, but we are all ready for some new projects here in our new house with my Grandma and our family nearby.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

I *heart* you, Catherine. God, you did do great. I have tears running down my face, I'm so moved by your post. Your honesty means much to me, and I'm so glad we can share parts of our journey with each other.

Catherine said...

Thank you Sarah, this means a lot to me... It was not easy, but we did it with all our love. Yes, I feel very blessed to be able to share my journey with you and other wonderful moms!

Anonymous said...

Wow... Quelle belle histoire d'amour! Quelle bénédiction de t'avoir dans ma vie, je t'aime ma belle amie! Merci d'avoir partagé ceci, je connaissais l'histoire mais de la lire et de voir les photos...Disons que j'ai aussi versé quelques larmes... Mariexx

Iris said...

Catherine, what an amazing story. Thank you so much for sharing all your adventures with us. I'm so impressed with how you managed to cope and to continue with the things that are important to you.

I can't tell you how much I'd love to be able to just have you around for a cup of tea and a chat!

Catherine said...

Thank you my friends, your comments mean a lot to me. Iris, I would love to go for a coffee with you too!

Marie, Je t'aime très fort mon amie et je m'ennuie beaucoup de toi!

Anonymous said...

Hello Catherine,
I've been reading your forum posts on the Waldorf at Home Forum and linked to your blog.

This photo essay was just delightful and very well done. Thank you for sharing it.

Leigh @ Christopherus

Anonymous said...

Hello Catherine,
I've been reading your forum posts on the Waldorf at Home Forum and linked to your blog.

This photo essay was just delightful and very well done. Thank you for sharing it.

Leigh @ Christopherus

Anonymous said...

Wow....!

Catherine said...

Thanks for leaving a comment! It's great to read you!

Anonymous said...

HUmmm... je comprends maintenant mieux ton sentiment de nostalgie... C'est très touchant de t'entendre, de te lire...
On se voit vendredi et on continue ta nouvelle vie !
Je t'aime beaucoup,
tu es très importante pour moi,
Karine xxx

mama quilla said...

ça me fait du bien d evoir ces images !
je suis dans une période dure dure avec mes jumeaux de 14 mois... mais tout passe... j'aurais droit aussi à plus d esérénité dans quelques mois ? je l'espère...
ton gros bidon ressemblait au mien aussi... c'est une belle expérience...

Catherine said...

Mama quilla, je me souviens si bien de la période entourant les 14 mois. Nous étions en road trip en Alaska. C'était plutôt pénible. Que de frustration pour les jumelles. Envie de parler, de marcher... Ça passe, rassure-toi. C'est si beau de les voir aujourd'hui, si complices, si belles dans leur amour l'une pour l'autre, aidantes et inspirantes (bon, c'est pas toujours parfait, mais drôlement plus facile que quand elles avaient 14 mois!). Tu as d'autres enfants en plus?

mama quilla said...

j'ai aussi un Paul de 7 ans et une Alice de 4 !
merci pour ton blog qui me donne tant d'inspiration, j'adore travailler la laine cardée !

Anonymous said...

Je découvre votre blog... quel bonheur! une belle famille, de beaux textes, de belles photos, et plein d'inspiration à puiser!
j'y retourne!

Elise

Unknown said...

Oh my Cat, you had a great big tummy - I guess I shall be the same soon. How can we get that big. I hope I carry as long as you did. I already feel tight and uncomfortable. You were beautiful. I loved the baby carrying photos. I still shower and bath with the boys. Soon our family will be quite large we shall need a jacuzzi :). Thank you for sharing this amazing post with me wonder mama!!!! Much lovexxx

Catherine said...

Yes, it was something that tummy! I was quite uncomfortable from month 5 up... I had lots of pelvic pain and could not walk much... but I felt so happy and blessed... and scared a bit too. You will do great!

Stephanie said...

Hi Catherine,

This post is fantastic. You are writing exactly what i'm envisioning in the article Dave and I want to write about you. "Inspirational Journeys". We'll talk more when you get back.

Steph xxx

Anonymous said...

Quel beau portrait de famille a laisser a tes filles !! C'est vraiment beau le résumé que tu as fait !! Malgré ta photo de fille fatiguée, on imagine pas tout le travail d'avoir 3 enfants si proches. Et ca fait drole de voir des photos de tes filles toutes petites !! Bon retour au Québec...en esperant vous voir bientot Genevieve xx

Anonymous said...

Salut Catherine, quel beau souvenir de famille a laisser a tes filles !! C'est vraiment un beau résumé. Malgré ta photo de fille fatiguée, ca ne montre pas tout le travail et l'énergie que ca prend pour s'occuper de 3 enfants si proches. Bravo...ca fait drole de voir des photos de tes filles quand elles etaient petites !! Bon retour au QC et j'espere vous voir bientot Genevieve xx