looking back...

in sorting through all my documents and pictures I had a few giggles yesterday. this poem about "my dog" from elementary school.

where I erased my name and replaced it with "leslie". I never liked my name. I guess leslie was the pick of the week.

a picture I drew. the part of the drawing where the window peeks into the salon and the hairdresser is doing the ladies hair made me laugh. I guess that I spent a few hours in a salon watching mom get her hair done.

an entry from my diary. today I went to italy - that's it no big deal! lol!

apparently at one time I was questioning my sexuality. proof that switching teams has always been something I have considered.

script from a play I did in drama with my friend joanne. we still keep in touch.

my first "italian" accordion recital. oh yeah baby! this girl studied for eight years. if you were italian you played the accordion or you played soccer. sometimes both. I still have my accordion and in listening to music these days it is making a comeback. you never know! all that training might just pay off someday.

my work experience form from high school. I opted out of working at the bank and chose to work at the grocery store as a cashier. more than likely one of the first of many times I held myself back for fear of failing.

my driver ed card. one of the happiest moments of my life was driving off in my own car. the freedom that gave me had believing that I had it all. the reality was that I couldn't handle it all and was no where near ready to have the responsibility of a vehicle.

peter walsh would tell me to take a picture and discard this. thoughts?

the documents stating that I was in fact italian at least until I was eighteen. this kept me in italy a little while longer. then the choice had to be made whether to accept roberto's proposal and stay in italy or go back to canada. I often wonder what might have been had I married him and built a life in italy. I studied to become an interpreter and I still love translating and helping people communicate with each other.

fast forward over the yucky times. thank goodness there are no photos from those years whew!

and then came the best moment of my life:

this photo needs to go on "worst professional photos ever". what was with the hair? and red? I seldom wear red. must have been feeling spunky with my new do.

yes, believe it or not I was once a power ranger. a proud moment indeed! I think I also have the orange pumpkin from the back wall that danny made that year.

"my mom is funny when she dances"? I like to think I have "fun" when I dance, but everyone is entitled to their opinion. mom is good at making cards. love that he picked that out as one of my assets.

and the next best thing that happened to me. despite mom's statement of no one wanting me with a child I managed to scoop up this gem. he took it all on. me, my son, my parents, the ex and a whole lotto drama wrapped in buckets of love. I still keep in touch with him too.

he wanted to be a scientist and study blood so that he could cure people. adorable!

yes, someone actually let me leave the house with that hair again. I look like a midget in this picture!

his wish list at 17. love that number one was find a girl. and number 10 was spread peace and love.

and so I continue to sort through the pics, the pages and the souvenirs of our past. one thing I know for sure. I wish I would have taken the time to put the pictures into albums. and I always laughed at mom and dad for putting the date on cards. surprisingly it is quite helpful!

I think of the man I met at the hospital the other day who recently lost everything. I listened as he told me the story of evacuating and driving through the fire. all that he has lost and how he has no idea where to start. I told him there was no way I could understand what he was going through, but reminded him that he was alive and so was his family. no one was hurt and no one died and at the end of the day it is all just "stuff".

as I continue sorting and packing up I think of him and all that he has lost. many people have lost a lot. I have come across prayer cards and photos of people and things that are gone forever. little reminders to be thankful for today and all that I have.