full-time

my sister raises her two kids as their sole full-time caregiver. they have grandparents in the same town who do heaps more swimming, hockey and lego than most retirees, and that has saved all of our souls. they also have a very cool family in southern alberta including some awesome cousins and a very loving dad. full-time, though, is fully my sister becky. this summer marks her first ever child-free holiday. she is in scotland with her pipes and drums band, followed by a trip to ireland. fifteen days of freedom, guinness and bliss.

i’m thirty-eight and very much in love with a fella named andy. i’m childless by choice, but devoted to our niece and nephew. andy has a brilliant 16 year old and helped raise his sister, but has been out of little kid land for awhile. andy works with the dynamic Indigenous Dance Residency in Banff, has done for a few years - it’s always 60+ hours/week and completely wonderful. last year we visited him in banff, the kids, my sister and i. loved it. this year i am full time auntie. this blog, for the next eleven days, is the story of how all of us found joy among the tantrums, picky eating, and iPad withdrawal.

ANDY AND THE KIDS LAST YEAR