When we announced our first pregnancy, my mother in law cried in joy. We’d brought a specially ordered cake. When we announced our second pregnancy, my sister in law cried in shock and excitement. We’d caught the entire moment on video, while in Disney World. When we shared our third pregnancy, we came home from the fourth visit to the…
A lot can happen in three months. Your little girl can get the worst case of the flu she’s ever had, just days before a solo trip across the country. Your doubts in being a mother, a daughter, a wife, and a friend can fall back in familiar negativity. Your emotions can get the best of you, your relationships, and…
Yes, this is personal. No, it’s not just about me. 1. My Smile isn’t everything Yes, some days, things are wonderful. I’m tired, but I’m happy… so very happy, and my heart is full. Those are the days that you see me, and I go to church, I take a walk, I stop by and say, ‘hello’. But those days…
When you raise your daughter away from family, you’re suddenly reminded of how far away the distance is. A plane ride is no longer “just a plane ride”, and six months is no longer “just six months”. When you raise your daughter away from family, you take advantage of the family you do have. Dinner with in-laws become intentional, and…
Some stories are painful and beautiful, all at once. After all, that’s how mountains move. Last May, I faced the end of a job contract, a painful monthly cycle, and yet another birthday marking one more month on the calendar spent wishing for things that weren’t. And it was very hard not to be afraid. Even though I know so…
Admittedly, I’ve never been a huge fan of Mary. I have nothing against her specifically, but after 25 + years of hearing the Christmas story each December, I think my heart grew numb to her role in bringing our Emmanuel into the world. The verses in the gospel of Luke just seem to roll over the tongue in oh-so-familiar tones,…
May 23, 2016 Dear Seventeen, Ten Years. It’s been Ten Years since you wrote that letter, and stuffed it in an envelope labeled “Lisa Kaastra: Age 27”. Ten Years? I can’t help but laugh a little at you, Seventeen. You were silly. But in a fun, naïve, adventurous kind of way. You asked, “Does the year of twenty-seven have all…
On April 4th of this year, my brother turns 30. Or at least, he would have. It was cancer. I was three. He was nearly seven. My parents had to learn how to move on with their life. My brothers had to grow up with hard questions. And I had to learn why exactly things were now different.
Maybe you’ve forgotten what it’s like to be eight years old. When you’re eight years old, school is about fun. It’s an adventure of new clothes and backpacks, classroom goldfish and dinosaur posters. Your teacher smiles a lot, and her skirt swishes when she walks between the groups of desks, lightly tapping on your shoulder. Recess is about fifteen minutes…
It’s just a little over three years ago that I first drove up into the PCS parking lot on a Thursday evening, just as the sun was beginning to set. I’d driven down from Edmonton that day, and five hours later, I was still trying to calm down my nerves for my upcoming interview – but it was the mountain…