There are so many things to be thankful for right now it made a perfect weekend to sit back and enjoy some of that wonderfulness and really appreciate the moment. One of my favorite things to be thankful for right now is this little person growing and developing inside me right now. It is so fun to feel how strong she is getting even if it is a little uncomfortable now and then. I can't wait to meet her and get to know her and learn all the things that create her character and personality. Oh and yes I am saying 'she' for a reason. We have learned that we are having a little girl! It was a bit of surprise to everyone as many were convinced that we were going to have a boy but we are super excited that we are having a sweet little girl. One thing I do know, is that she is going to be sweet if my cravings have any determining factor.
The other person I am so thankful for is my wonderful husband. The last three years have been such a roller coaster and sometimes a bit more adventurous than we had asked for but I have had a wonderful partner to keep me grounded and moving forward. We have taken risks together as we pursued our dreams and these risks seem to be paying off. Bryan was extremely tenacious in finding a job this summer that would continue to move us forward toward what we have felt would be our next step. It was a struggle to keep focused on what we thought was right and it didn't come without it's sacrifices. In the end a great opportunity came up for Bryan to take a three month position in Kenya with a company called Wildlife Works. The job and the company seemed like such a perfect fit and exactly the direction Bryan has been pursuing. With him taking this job it would mean that I had to stay here in Halifax while he went to Kenya. I'm not a fan of long distance marriage. I know we dated over skype but being married over skype brings a whole different set of challenges. But we decided that we could do the long distance and the three month separation may even make us stronger (which it did). The other sacrifice was finances. Due to the legalities of foreigners working in Kenya the company was unable to actually hire him and pay him a salary. So not only did we have to pay out of pocket all of his travel and living expenses but there would be no reimbursement cheque in the mail. The more we talked about it, the more more we felt like this was an opportunity that could not be passed up - no matter what the financial cost may be. So we took the leap and Bryan headed off to Tsavo, Kenya for 3 months. It was a fantastic experience for him as he learned about the carbon credit industry and more about Wildlife Works. The sacrifices paid off just in the last couple of weeks as we received a contract offer for us to move back to Kenya and for Bryan to take a full time position with Wildlife Works training to manage a large conservation area. So this means that we will be moving back to Kenya around the first of March! I am so thankful that my husband was determined to not take second best but to pursue his desires and stay focused on the dreams we have been building together.
As we drove through Nova Scotia this weekend from Halifax to Cape Breton to PEI and back to Halifax I have been reflecting on our time here in Canada. We have enjoyed living in Halifax and I feel that we have made the most of it. Even without having a vehicle we have been able to see much of the province and indulged in some of the best parts of it. We have learned how to enjoy the local produce and included in that has been canning and cooking classes for me and lots of fish filleting practice for Bryan. As the leaves change and I start to think about our temporary move to Calgary on December 14th, it's kind of sad to see the end of this phase of life. We have been able to actually set up a house and enjoy it to it's fullest. We have had many visitors (but never too many if you are thinking of heading our way before we leave) and a few great dinner parties where the house is alive with friends and great conversations. It's been great to see Halifax on foot and walk all over the city to the many pubs and restaurants that we have enjoyed over the last year. We have made some great friends and hopefully convinced a few of them to come and see us in Kenya. So as our time is quickly running out we are trying to squeeze as much time in with these wonderful people as possible.
One of the other things that I have been thankful for this weekend is for the time that we got to spend with Bryan's grandma. She is an amazing woman and she inspires me with her stories of how she overcame her many challenges of raising five children as a double amputee in countries like the Congo, Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya. Not only did she take care of her family in these environments but she also took the time to teach women and children how to read and write. She even
had the patience to teach Bryan how to read when he was young and I'm sure he was full of energy! She gives me the hope and strength that no matter what sort of challenges that we will face as we raise our children, that all these unseen mountains can be overcome. We had a wonderful day consisting of breakfast, a drive out to see Bryan's grandfather's grave and picking up some pumpkins on the way back. The sun was shining and the leaves literally started changing into brilliant colors overnight. It was a day I won't soon forget.
This thanksgiving has been a true time of thankfulness for me, there are so many things that I have been given and I am truly thankful for.
