I am a teacher. I LOVE math and feel lucky getting to spend my days sharing my love with my high school students. Working and being a mother is hard. I can't imagine how hard it would be to go to a job that you didn't love. I feel so fortunate to have found my calling.

Surviving the death of our son, Tripp was by far the most difficult thing I have ever done, so I feel very confident in saying it is my greatest accomplishment. By definition an accomplishment is "something done admirably" or "a grace, skill, or knowledge expected in polite society." I am not entirely sure about the polite society part, but I feel like after Tripp died I learned some things that you can only learn when a piece of your heart is pulled out. I also am proud of the way I grieved. There is no right or wrong when it comes to grief, but I have no regrets about how those initial months rolled out, so I know allowed myself to grieve in the way I needed to and was true to myself.

Organized, Caring, and Empathetic 

I love family and I love history, so for me this is a no brainer. My Grandma Fritshaw's mom, Grandma Carswell would top my interview list. By all accounts she was the most amazing woman. She was born around the turn of the century and I would love to hear her stories and perspective on gender issues, giving birth, and raising kids. My Grandma Carswell also lost a baby and I have always wondered what it would be like to hear her daughter's story and about my Grandma Carswell's journey with grief. 

On one of our many drives to play ball, Deena told me I should start writing. I balked at it. I have never liked writing. English was one of my least favourite subjects in school, so the thought of spending my leisure time writing didn't initially sound appealing. Deena didn't relent and finally got to me through flattery. She told me I was funny and could tell a good story. She also shared the love she had of documenting her son's life and sharing that with her family. I bought in. It didn't take long for me to fall in love with writing. It has definitely been one of those romances I didn't see coming at all. 

I love fall. In Saskatchewan the change in season from summer to fall feels the most abrupt to me. Fall also signifies the start of a new school year, so for me it has a fresh feeling. I love layers. I love boots. I love the muted colours. I also love socks, so throwing the flip flops to the side is a welcome bonus. 

I like to dine-out. I LOVE cooking, but the clean-up part dampens my parade. Also, at this point in my life, dining out is typically done without kids. Eating supper without having to break up a fight, get up from the table 6 times because someone needs something, and not having to say "take a bite" to someone at the table makes for a much more relaxing dining experience!