After our rough start to the day, it was time to do something brave: I decided to head to the library with both kids.
This is the first time I’ve ever taken both kids out at the same time by myself. I had Jade in her helmet, Halia in her carseat, a whoppin’ diaper bag, and a bag for Jade’s lunch, which I was trying to keep level so as not to slop cream and butter around, which would make eating every little bit that much harder. It was quite the armload, but we managed.
Unfortunately, the trip didn’t turn out quite as planned. Today was Family Literacy Day, and I thought that there were some Robert Munsch readings happening at the library. In fact, those readings took place last Friday. Oops. The Whitehorse launch for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library was happening today. But it was taking place at the Canada Games Centre. The mere thought of lugging children and bags back to the car was enough to have me breaking out in hives — never mind doing it all over again at the Games Centre — so we decided to join the Baby Time session that just happened to be in progress.
Baby Time is meant for kids up to 12 months, so of course Jade was a little old. (Halia wasn’t, but she slept through the whole thing.) It didn’t matter, though, as Jade loved all the toys and books and seeing the babies. Luckily there was another mom there with a baby and toddler, so we made some new friends and are planning a playdate soon. Jade ate her lunch happily and then we all headed back home in time for naps.
Later on in the evening, I got a phone call from a woman answering my ad looking for housecleaning services. (I need some help and we’ll probably be able to get some funding from the government for this.) It turned out that this woman had just recently moved to Whitehorse; her daughter, who is now 10, suffered from seizures from ages 2 to 4. She was so warm and encouraging, and it felt great to connect with someone who’s battled this beast and come through it. I told her that I think I’ve already found someone for housecleaning, and she said something about our destinies being meant for something else. (I can’t remember just what she said and when I try to write about it, it sounds hokey, but I really did feel that sense of wow, what a way to meet someone. And destiny really does somehow fit.)
And now I will go to bed and attempt to make up the deficit created by being up with Halia until 1 a.m. last night. Once again I am amazed at what a good night’s sleep can do to one’s outlook. Particularly when that “one” is me.


