My roots...My foundation

"Roots" usually is related to gardening and growth. Well for me it is related to the people in my life and how they have made me grow as a person - be it biological family; friends who are your second family and your friends. You know how that saying goes something like - not realizing how important something is until it is gone. Well, I have been gone for 11 weeks (well minus a 36 hour layover 4 weeks ago) as I participated in the Canadian Institute of Health Information Reabstracting Study. It has been a wonderful experience - learning how many depts are facing similar issues like shortage of staff; restrict deadlines as well promoting outside the dept the importance we are to the hospital as we capture the data from the charts. Personally - if you have read previous entries in my blog - it has been a challenge. After the excitement of seeing different parts of Canada - the routine of airports to new destinations, taxis, hospitals and hotel rooms, eating on your own each week - does wear on you.

My life line has been my laptop and cellphone to stay connected with those people who are important to me. Those people (they know who you are) are "my roots" - "my foundation" - they are a part of me and as my friend (to me a sister) Sara shared with me today - they are a part of my journey - sharing in all that life throws my way.

Just using my time (4 years) since my move to Calgary - I realize the new friendships I have made in Calgary (Brenda, Rosalie, Dale from church; my coworkers at the hospitals) I have missed our conversations and sharing. My cherished friendships with the James family (my second family - a sisterhood with the gals) I love you guys - you are my family in every sense of the word. The one thing I learned being away, was the friendships I have made (connection is another way to explain it) with the younger ones - Ocean, Ethan, Sierra, Journey, and Solomon. Their moms shared with me how much they appreciated the postcards, emails and phone calls while I was away. I have missed them all too - they do give the best hugs too. For the past 6+ months it was wonderful spending time with and getting to know Emma, Josiah and Hudson who now home, living in Siberia - I will cherish those times together. I have been blessed to be called their "Auntie Laura".

It really hit home on Tuesday how ready I am to get back to my life in Alberta - as I was working my cellphone rang and the caller ID said SARA - and when I answered there was nothing just dead air. I thought it was poor reception, so I went to the lobby and called Sara back. Though Sara and I enjoyed our little chat it seemed someone else reached out to call me - our little Casendra (turned 1 yrs old Feb 17th). Casendra got a hold of the portable phone and with amazement called my cellphone!! How precious is that?

As I told Ethan today - only 5 more sleeps and I will be home...my home in Calgary where I am making my roots...my foundation.