Waving good bye to summer!!

It is almost a year since my kids and I arrived in Canada.   When I exited the airport in December, 2009, there was snow on the ground and a bitter chill in the air.  This isn't Kansas anymore, Dorothy - I thought.  In Florida, there is year round summer and the occassional cool down that they like to refer to as WINTER!!!  

I remember calling my husband at work in tears to tell him that this God awful place has no sunlight.  Where is the sun?!!  On what planet does the sun go down at 3 pm?  After laughing he explained that this is what happens during the winter.  Don't worry, he told me, it is only temporary. 

The day that the snow melted and the sun started warming up the earth was momentous for me.  I opened the windows, took walks to Grandma's house and smiled again.  Our weather was soon mirroring Florida's weather.  Too hot for this place though.  No central a/c and no ocean breezes.  I found myself calling my husband again saying that the sun won't go down.  My kids are becoming zombies from lack of sleep.  The sun going down is a sign to their little bodies that bedtime soon approaches.  Here it is 9 o'clock and the sun is STILL UP!!  I am being tortured by Mother Nature in this foreign land. 

Gradually, the sun started going down at a decent hour and just in time for Jaz to start back to school.  Since she has a bedtime, her body will recognize that now since the sun is going to sleep too.  Just as the warm sun starts to go down so does the temperature.  This is my first experience with seasons.  Well, more seasons than just summer and Indian Summer!!  Florida hasn't many seasons to speak of. 

Watching the trees go from dead and bare to lush and green has been such a joy to my senses.  I find myself looking forward to the fluffy white stuff on the ground again.  Anticipating putting on coats, hats and scarves again.  Just knowing that after this it will be spring again makes suffering through the lack of sunlight bearable.

I'm likening the changing of seasons to my battle with depression.  It's been 3 years since I lost the only person that I ever really loved more than my kids.  Depression has been a first and foremost in my life for the duration but it has come time to say good bye.  If we were forced to live through winter with no hope of spring, summer or fall it would be doom and gloom.  Thankfully, there are changes in seasons.  My mourning season is over.  Much like saying good bye to summer - I am saying good bye to my grief!!  

Time has come to live my life and celebrate the woman that my mother created!!  Someone break out the balloons and noise makers....  we're having a party!!