Summertime

I've been meaning to post something for a while but just haven't gotten around to it.  Believe me it's not because things have been dull that's for sure.

Where to start...Nicole finished up Soccer season at the end of June.  She had a bit of a challenge this year which was not a total surprise to us but a little frustrating.  From playing with her in the backyard she doesn't lack any skill, but she is a little intimidated by some of the more competitive kids and tends to hang back a bit.  Nicole has an extremely kind personality and hyper-competitiveness just isn't her.  She's also 5.  The bottom line is that by the end of the season she was more more involved and improved a great deal.  She had a lot of fun and made some friends who she will be seeing in the fall at Kindergarten.

Our little strike/lockout at Canada Post was very anti-climactic and bordered on being dull.  The strike has absolutely no effect on our work in Postal Transformation which is full steam ahead.  Our project is moving like a steamroller across the country.  The Winnipeg project will be complete by the end of September and we're moving right through Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Calgary, and the "Big One" Vancouver will be an amazing project. 

What else is going on....hmmmmm....let me think....ah yes....the "Russell."  Our little boy is up to his old tricks.  Many of you know that two weeks ago he broke his arm.  I guess he missed Emergency.  We broke a speed record getting in and out of the hospital.  He broke his arm at about 8:00 in the morning...X-Rays in Selkirk...transfer by Ambulance to Children's....set the bone....cast...another X-ray and home by 1:30 in the afternoon.  We were at a total loss as to what to do with the rest of the day.

One highlight for me was to have two experiences, in the past few weeks, to be reminded of how far both Nicole and Russell have come.  Near the end of the school year we had a Kindergarten orientation with Nicole at her new school.  It was quite an experience to see the school, her future classmates, and other parents.  It is so hard to believe it was only a few years ago that we had no idea we would ever have a little girl like her and now she is heading off to school.  I think both Susan and I are going to be total basket cases on her first day of school.  I also had a unique experience to take Russell to his child development assessment.  Russell is significantly behind where he should be due to his medical adventures.  He is now almost three but is quite a ways behind where he should be related to his growth and development.  It was very emotional to observe his assessment as he did the activities he was asked to do.  I wasn't upset or concerned that he is behind.  I was totally blown away at what this little boy can accomplish and how far he has come (he is nothing if not feisty) and he is making fantastic progress.  We just have to remember "baby steps."