"I would rather share one lifetime with you, than face all the ages of this world alone.❤️ ~J. R. R. Tolkien (at Somewhere on the Earth) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9DsCtDnCxx/?igshid=4om07m4zyu0a

Smell the sea and feel the sky Let your soul and spirit fly! ~Van Morrison 🌊 . . Happy Monday! . Turn on the sound for some sweet bird songs. 🎶 🐦 (at Nanaimo, British Columbia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B896svHBoTg/?igshid=1mc0i35396on0

High paw for Friday!!!! Whoop!!!’🐾💕🐾 . Swipe ➡️🐶➡️🐶 to see me and my bff Osa from @westcoast.wildlings celebrating the weekend . . More original pebble art at www.etsy.com/shop/SticksnStone . . Have a great weekend. 😊 (at Canada) https://www.instagram.com/p/B82LDWThXvo/?igshid=1p3nbxouq9ala

"Animals are the bridge between us and the beauty of all that is natural. They show us what's missing in our lives, and how to love ourselves more completely and unconditionally. They connect us back to who we are, and to the purpose of why we're here." ― Trisha McCagh . . A recent custom order I made for a customer gifting is as a veterinarian graduate. So honoured to work on such a special piece and wishing the recipient all the best. 💞 . . . My Etsy shop is www.etsy.com/shop/SticksnStone (at Canada) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8x0Br3HOHt/?igshid=10ry9qz0zimjo

Finally catching up on some custom pebble art designs, and LOVING working with the stones again! ❤️ . Having such amazing and patient customers helps too!! Thanks for the support. . . Family means everything to me and is taking a lot of my time and focus right now. My Etsy shop is open for pre made / listed designs and I am speaking to those customers about custom orders ASAP. 🙏🏼🥰 . . Have a wonderful weekend. 💕 (at Canada) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8na6FNnaSK/?igshid=1ah8yad1b5rpk

Recovery is an interesting thing. I use to define it as the journey back to normal. But what I’ve come to realize is that when you go through traumas you evolve. There is no normal anymore and your broken pieces get filed down over time and hard work, to create a new beautiful puzzle. It comes down to the most basic of concepts. You adapt and recalibrate, you move forward and grow, or you don’t.... leading to a downward spiral of burnout, depression, anxiety and looking for super unhealthy aids and solutions. One of the things we’re grateful for this past couple of years is the team of people: dear family and friends, kind health professionals and a lot of strangers or acquaintances who are now friends, those people who have encouraged us to reach out for our new ‘shapes’. It’s still challenging each and every day. Martins pain, learning still to rethink and re visualize things, the anxiety that seems to always be lurking for a low minute.... it’s taxing and exhausting. But this Valentine’s Day we want to celebrate the love that has created a backbone of strength. 🥰😍 Thanks for those who continue to root us on and share their light. Gratefulness doesn’t even do it justice but it’s there always. 🙏🏼👼🏼 (at Nanaimo, British Columbia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8jiJmtBZsP/?igshid=5og5vv9is3py

Those who contemplate the beauty of the Earth will find resources of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. - Rachel Carson . . My family is going through another very hard time right now. It’s been a reminder to us to live each day to the fullest as we truly don’t know how long we have left on this earth. 🙏🏼 . Thanks to all those who have followed along through my IG stories and offered kind words of support over the last couple of weeks. 👼🏼 . . At this time my pebble art shop will remain open for premade designs, those currently listed at www.etsy.com/shop/SticksnStone. Those designs will be shipped within 1-3 business days. 📦 🎁 . I am hoping to get to the custom order requests early this week as we have a break in visitors. ✈️ . Thanks for your support.💕 I really value the friendships I’ve made here. 👼🏼🥰🙏🏼 (at Planet Earth) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8X5wcmhgDo/?igshid=i0sf8r8b8s9s

“You don’t choose the day you enter the world and you don’t choose the day you leave. It’s what you do in between that makes all the difference.” – Anita Septimus . . Love this quote and hope it also resonates with you. Happy Friday! We wish you an amazing weekend. (at British Columbia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8Av822B58J/?igshid=z9aerqvqs1vv

Keep calm and book a massage. ❤️ (at Canada) https://www.instagram.com/p/B742kn5Hg3g/?igshid=18wcub4kixrz9

Who else is ready to hop on a plane to somewhere warm?!? 🌴 ☀️ 🌊❤️ (at Canada) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7xKJyhho-w/?igshid=181xdfaenb8hd

“Close your eyes, let me tell you all the reasons why, I think you’re one of a kind. Here’s to you, the one that always pulls us through, you always do what you gotta do. You’re one of a kind. Thank God you’re mine.” ~Michael Buble (Close Your Eyes) . . Celebrating love, one happy couple at a time.❤️ (at Nanaimo, British Columbia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7cvuKyh6d_/?igshid=1fjbld09wl742

Took this short clip before the snow really started to come down here on Vancouver island. You should see the snow now! ❄️🥶😱 The kids are over the moon excited and as long as we don’t have to drive too far I’m happy 😊 . . Are you a fan of the snow? . . Stay safe and warm everyone! ❄️ (at Nanaimo, British Columbia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7TtjQPBLnD/?igshid=afmgyvvwgh41

You’ll forever be my always, and always be my forever. ♥️ . . Can you think of a better way to start 2020?!? Congratulations to all you happy couples who were engaged over the holidays, or those of you who have family or friends who became engaged! What an exciting occasion. 🤵👰🏼 . . The above original pebble artwork is available in my Etsy shop at www.etsy.com/shop/SticksnStone (at Nanaimo, British Columbia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7KqM3wnTSK/?igshid=qzwnerihxlc0

“Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.” ~Albert Einstein . . Adore this quote and thought it was the perfect pairing with this photo of me my niece took last year. . Isn’t it a beautiful goal - to strive to embrace everything with compassion?!?? It even sounds pretty. 👼🏼 . . Throughout my family’s and my own traumas and challenges I seem to become aware of the crucial need for empathy and compassion in our world today. . On days when we /I receive compassion and empathy, I see what a vital difference it makes to our family as we struggle to deal with such a heavy load. 👼🏼 . . However, I also feel how comforting it is to be the one offering compassion and empathy to others in need. . . It’s a win~win for everyone. Be compassionate. Be empathetic. Be kind. The world needs more love. 💕 (at Leavenworth, Washington) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7FjV2khWc9/?igshid=ttkrppqlorr6

Hope that you had a wonderful holidays filled with joy and happiness!!❤️ . We had a really quiet and peaceful time together as a family. Though it was challenging to get into the Christmas spirit as my dad still struggles with his health, we truly enjoyed our time together and recognized the beauty of love and the strength that can come from deep relationships. . We’re hoping 2020 brings us all lots of fun adventures, laughter and joy. ❤️ . One goal I have for this year is to continue to carve out self care time. Right now hot yoga 🧘‍♀️ @modoyogananaimo is my lifeline and when things get busier I sometimes find this dedicated time for me is one of the first things I let get rebooked! 🧘‍♀️ . . What’s one thing you want to try in 2020? Did you make resolutions and goals? (at Nanaimo, British Columbia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B666_WQhJ9y/?igshid=lgqt0fbmm7as

These top 9 posts of 2019 really showcase the celebration of LOVE! . I feel so fortunate that your favourite posts line up with my top favourite moments. . I am thankful for the support this community has shown my family again this year. We are incredibly grateful for your kind words and prayers. 🙏🏼🌟👼🏼 . . From my family to yours we wish you all the best in 2020. May it bring you happiness and good health. 🥰 (at Nanaimo, British Columbia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6wNHnnh0zI/?igshid=1qtl0gub00p36

From our family to yours: Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! Wishing you peace, love and joy this whole year through. 👼🏼 . . We are happy to spend this Christmas together. 🙏🏼Thankfulness and gratefulness at what we have is our complete focus . . Through our ups and downs, our ‘black eyes’ and heartaches, we are still fighting hard and we are together! . My dad fell very ill with terminal stage 4 cancer in the fall. We have all spent these past few months rewriting our ‘plans’ and letting go of expectations. We are living in the moment and focused on each day we get to enjoy together, whatever those days may look like. . My family seems to have been taught again and again to have faith. To fully trust in a bigger purpose. To take one more deep breath and reach for the love and light that lives within each of us. . When that hope fails, which it does from time to time, we have had absolute angels pop up to stand by our side. . We have thoroughly learned that even in the darkest moments we can get through the most challenging of circumstances by staying the course and having faith. . This Christmas I urge you to reach out to those you love and give them an extra hug. Christmas is so much more than commercialization and the perfect dinner, gift, home etc etc , it’s about having faith, hope and the blinding light that lives within each of us. . If you know of someone who is struggling this year, shoot them a quick text message and let them know you’re thinking about them. Run a plate of cookies over to your older neighbour. Smile and chat up the checkout person even through you’re thinking of a million things you need to do next. One small thing.... it can make a major difference as we all are battling something... . Enjoy your holidays! We truly wish you a very merry Christmas. 🙏🏼🎄❤️👼🏼 (at Fairmont Empress) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6ePBEkh-_Z/?igshid=nxbkgbobv8sh