Mackenzie

 
There are few things in life as great as getting paid to do something that you truly love.  I very much felt this way about my job at Mackenzie Financial where I had worked for six years before Sydney was born.  My role was as an inside wholesaler in the sales and marketing department and when I left on my mat leave, I was working on a team in a position that was an absolute perfect fit for me.

My two bosses were both young Moms who job shared their role, they were both amazing friends, moms and mentors.  There is hardly a day that goes by even now when I don't think of them and miss our daily chats about life and kids and our careers.

I didn't anticipate missing work as much as I do when I left on my mat leave.  I very much feel as though my colleagues at Mackenzie are like an extended family to me, and have have still stayed in touch with many of my colleagues on a personal level since leaving Mackenzie.

Today I got a call from my colleague Cathy with some very shocking news about a mutual colleague of ours who had tragically had a stroke this past Sunday.  She is only 38 years old and is the picture of health, I am still in disbelief even as I type the words now that this has happened to her.  She had a subsequent bleed on the brain after her stroke and had to have emergency surgery yesterday to relieve the pressure on her brain.  She is in very serious condition.

Cathy and I both worked on the same team under this lady's leadership for a few years together.  I have yet to meet someone with more tenacity and determination when it comes to her career.  In an industry dominated by men, she never let anyone or anything stand in the way of achieving her goals.  She worked harder than almost anyone I knew at the office.  It is my hope that this dogged determination will remain with her during what will undoubtedly be a long and uphill battle while she is in rehabilitation.

I took a few moments after getting off the phone with Cathy to stop and say a little prayer to thank God for every day that I have feeling healthy and great.  I am blessed with good health as is my immediate family, I never want to take that for granted.  It is a gift far greater than anything we could ask for.

In other news, Sydney continued her birthday joy today and opened three more presents from her friends.

We got the most perfect gift from her little buddy Jack, this Melissa and Doug wooden food set and pot and pan and utensil set from IKEA.  We got Syd a little kitchen of her own earlier this year and these accessories could not have been more perfect!  The little baskets fit in the doors of the kitchen just right, Sydney loved it!!

Her friend Ollie gave her another Wow Toy, a set of racing cars!  We are so excited to have started our collection of Wow Toys, they are awesome!  Sydney raced these cars around the house for most of the afternoon, it was very cute!

Marcus got her a Melissa and Doug Nina Ballerina, a magnetic doll that comes with a variety of magnetic clothes that stick to her.  During dinner tonight Sydney dressed and undressed the doll a hundred times, it was very cute!  We also got this inflatable cloth ball, it's very cool, you put a regular balloon inside the cloth outside and blow it up and you have a cloth beach ball!  We will have so much fun with this too!

It has been so fun taking our time opening Sydney's gifts, we still have a few to go!  We are blessed in so many ways!