Ramblings for my Family
With my thirtieth birthday fast approaching and my year of reflections in full swing I write today about my work, my passion, my weird little family - Vivo. I have written a wee ode to Vivo before - but at a different time in my life.
Today I was showered with love at a surprise, early birthday celebration. I laughed, hugged and shared stories with the people that I choose to see every day. I looked around the room and realized just how many of those people have been in my life for a decade, or nearly a decade. For one third of my life I have been uplifted, supported, encouraged and taken care of by this amazing family.
I was just a kooky nineteen year old when I first joined the team. I ate peanut butter sandwiches at the desk, sorry Sally. And once I ripped the butt out of my Lulu's while working - without a second thought Tracey let me borrow a pair of hers. Mary and I spent countless hours studying for her citizenship test, celebrating the life growing in her belly and planning my some-day wedding. Edith and I braved the early mornings together, with Cole for many mornings. Randy and his one milk, one sweetener coffee would join us bright and early, crack some one-liners and ask for two copies of the daily schedule. Kimi left and came back to brighten my life and co-found Survival after Civilization, hahah! I remember on Laurel's first day making a pass card and deciding together we should put Neil Diamond on it. Ingrid gave me sage relationship advice on our shifts together at the desk and Susan helped us lay down the law with the teenagers sneaking in, while Joselle trimmed her split ends. Joan, my kids' third Grandma, or so we decided before they were even in existence. Sharing cupcakes with a pregnant Jenny Rowe, and then having my butt kicked in sprints. Jessica, with her forever young energy has shared the ice with me for over a decade.
Alison and Joey welcomed me into the HR family and showed me the ropes, until I figured out I am far too insane for HR - enter Derrick - who I had my eye on from day one as my mat leave replacement - you're welcome everyone. I watched Matt and Yasmine go from volunteers to leaders - my favourite examples to new volunteers. I emailed back and forth with Nicole, my favourite pegacorn twin and secretly decided Alexis would be my fast friend with our shared love of movie trivia. Tara-Lyn strolls in everyday like my fashion icon and Amanda supports and shares my undying love for country music. Chris puts up with my overt-positivity, probably because of that time he had surgery and I wrote all of his PO's - remember that Chris? Josh, Yasmine, Alexa, Renee and basically all of the cool young people helped me learn snap-chat (read: be cool). Every single day Rey greets my boys so kindly. And the whole teams does their part to take care of them while they run wild and free through the facility. All of the Child Minding team who love my children and let them play - without you all I wouldn't be able to be at Vivo everyday. The undying affirmations of love I hear for Miss Brittaney on the daily from Porter and the friendship Stetson has with Presley - thanks Ashley. When we arrive early and play ping-pong or Vel and Balbina let the boys doodle on the whiteboard in our office.
All of these moments make up my past and my present. I have experienced so many milestones with my Vivo family - I turned twenty, had a wedding shower, baby shower, now thirty. All I can say is thank you - for bringing me along on this journey, for embracing my crazy and letting us do amazing things, everyday.
Oh, and Cynthia, for encouraging me to write; for encouraging all of us, all of the time.
- lovefrommaria
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