Struggle

Because getting pregnant with Chlo took WAAAAY longer than anticipated, Darryl and I were able to, I guess you could say "establish" ourselves before any of our kids came along. We both graduated from school, bought a half decent car, got the same jobs that we have now, payed off our debt and bought a house, those kinds of things. I know that probably sounds like kind of a nice thing, and it is, but in a way, I wish our kids could've seen our "struggle" or at least a little bit of it. Now (touch wood)that doesn't mean the next 50 years won't be without their ups and downs and unique struggles to come, I just don't want our kids to think for a minute arriving at this point of our lives was anything was a piece of cake. Everything takes hard work. And so this post, my children, is especially for you from me and your dad.

Your dad and I lived the first 4 years of our married life underground. We started off in Uncle Warren's basement, then moved to First street and lived below the laundry mat there. I went to take a look at it on my own and took some pictures for dad to see. Years later, when I put those pictures in an album, Daddy and I laughed about all the marijuana plants they had growing under lights that I hadn't even noticed during my tour of the apartment. We fixed the place up as best we could, but it had a smell that never did go away, even after we painted and put down new floors. The bathroom was beyond repair, and we had to where shoes in the shower at all times because of the mold. Our front door had a hole in it that we shoved black socks in, thinking that would stop people from reaching their hand in and unlocking the door. It was damp and yucky most of the time, but we really loved it there. It was the first place that was really ours. We drive past it now and say to ourselves "How did we do that?" But at $550 a month, it was all we could afford, and even that was difficult to come up with some months. Will still to this day joke about one of our t-shirts or sweaters still smelling like the "old apartment" This was also Ollie's first home.

When I think about, it really didn't matter where we lived, because we were never home. We worked and worked and worked. Your dad would go to school all day in Toronto, I would supply teach all day, where ever they felt like sending me, Hilsburg, Grand Valley, Guelph and then we would go to Swiss Chalet together and wait tables at least 5 nights a week. Sometimes dad would work the Harvey's side too. When we would get home late at night, Dad would do homework, and eventually after he got his co-op with Sunvale, he would work on house plans for them til the wee hours of the morning.

Dad had a used red cavalier Nana and Grandpa helped him buy before we got married, and I drove a 1991 black Buick Regal I bought from Auntie Melissa's neighbour for $800 bucks to get to my schools in. The driver side door was the only door that didn't open, so getting in and out of that car was always an adventure.

Paying the bills was always interesting, but it always worked out, and I truly believe that is because in 7 years of marriage we have never paid less than a full tithe and a fast offering every month, and I promise if you do that, the Lord will always look after you.

And even though by the time you guys were born we had a home, a van and a more comfortable life that didn't include Harvey's/Swiss Chalet, (not just because we worked hard, but because anything and everything you or I will ever have is because of the kindness of Heavenly Father) we want you to know that every sacrifice we made was for you because we knew you'd be joining our family and we wanted the very best for you, but that doesn't mean it was easy, and we hope you know that, and know that we love you. Don't hate us when you're a little bit older and we try and teach you to work hard, because we both think that is one of the most important things that we have to impart to you!