Reece Ryde Memorial Park Fund

It's Official!!!

Sunday the Town office passed a motion to support our Fund by issuing tax receipts for donations.
Tuesday the Principal of the elementary school said he supports the idea as well!

Please pass on the following info to anyone that you think may want to donate to the fund.
Keep in mind there will be a variety of fundraising activities taking place over the next year as well!

Donation can be made to:

The Town of Dundurn
Box 185
300 Third Avenue
Dundurn SK S0K 1K0
Please make sure to note it is for the Reece Ryde Memorial Park Fund!

Coping 101

To pass the hours, to try to hold on to some semblance of normalcy, Grant and I have been keeping busy. Keeping our hands and minds busy with the sometimes mindless work of renovating and decorating our home (aka 'the money pit').
Those of you that don't know us, I should fill you in. We moved to our little town in May of last year. We were lucky (we feel) to get a house just outside the booming Saskatoon market for a somewhat reasonable price.
However, the house itself, needs a lot of work. Which is something we had looked forward to, but now there's a sense of urgency...
a feeling like, if we don't keep working on projects, the dark shadow of grief we feel watching us, will consume us.
It may sound dramatic.
And honestly, it is.
The evenings are the worst. When you lay your head on your pillow and you let your guard down to rest. The memories of Reece creep in and you realize the sickening reality, that you need to face another minute, another day, a life, without her.
SO, up out of bed I go... to the basement to work on our current reno.

I know some people out there, in the world of arm chair psychology, will likely be thinking right now "Gee Ange, how unhealthy. Avoidance is not the way to ...."

to what?

"acceptance?" to "cope?"

Our awful reality is not something that I nor Grant will ever 'accept'.

We just hope that eventually, there will be enough time between us and December 27th, 2007, that the pain will be a little lessened. And we will be able to look at Reecey's pictures and videos without feeling like someone just gutted us.

I really hope that sounds as painful as it truly feels.

And take it from me- this is definitely an effective way to 'cope'. And I hope none of you ever have to try it.

To refocus-

I thought I'd post some pictures of our 'coping'. The first reno, was the 'girls' room. Since we moved, Aiden would not sleep in her room alone and has been in our room for months.. so we thought we'd put them together. Before Christmas be picked up a well-loved bunk bed, low enough that if Reece fell off she wouldn't hurt herself too much (she was a climber). The bedding of course is a circus theme for Reece's bed and a Pricess meets Prince Charming theme for Aiden's (eyeroll).

Grant tore out the walls and put up new ones and new ceiling. He then had the 'fun' job of taping and mudding. He did all the work and I just picked out all the 'stuff'. I quite enjoyed this reno! haha... but basement is a different story. It is now called "THE MAN ROOM". We are about 1/2 way through that reno, pictures will soon follow!
Here's Aiden's new room, before & after.

AFTER:

Resolutions - revised!

A lot can happen in just 6 days!

I am excited to let everyone know that Grant and I have decided to start the Reece Ryde Memorial Park FUND.
After many late nights of thinking and stressing over starting a Foundation... I felt like that would be too overwhelming. Not only would it take at least 6 months to set up, we would have to set up a 'board' to over see the Foundation. And once you have a Foundation, you are forever tied to it.

I didn't want it to define us.

I also don't want to 'drag out' the grieving process, by continually doing things in her memory. Her image, her memory, her spirit are forever tattooed on my heart; that is what defines who I am (and who WE are).

We've decided to stick with the park idea. And we are so excited about it!

We've got a preliminary design picked out. And we have a general idea of cost... but we still need to meet with the company rep and get a plan drawn up, figure out expenses for everything other than the basic 'toys' like, sand, deliver, labour...etc.

BUT today we got everything officially started by meeting with our Town Council. They were completely supportive and agreed to the idea right away. Which was SO fantastic.

I really wasn't sure if they would support it or not and I'm positive I've ever been so nervous in my life! I couldn't stop shaking after we left!! The first thing Kathy asked me when we left was "How are your knees?" haha

The only 'glitch' is that the spot we would like for the park is not on town-owned property. It actually belongs to the school board. So before we start fundraising, we will see if the School Board let the town use the land for the park. Hopefully they will, as the park will be for ages 2-5, so the Kindy kids can walk over and use it.

We will post again as soon as we know anything!

Thanks so much to all of you for checking in on the blog, and sending words of enthusiasm and support for this park idea.

With all our hearts- Ange, Grant & Aiden

Resolutions.

I have made many resolutions over the years. Resolutions to get healthy, to work out, to learn to snowboard, to be 'more girly'... needless to say, most of my good intentions quickly fall to the wayside as life's hectic pace flings me into fast forward with simple day-to-day living.

Over the past couple weeks my mind has been twirling with ideas, of resolutions for 2008. Mainly ways to divert my thinking onto mindless yet productive tasks ("learn to crochet" or "learn to garden"), hobbies I've always admired but never would commit to do because of my self-consciousness ("learn to play guitar" and "take that French class I've inquired about 4 years running and have never actually signed up for"), past times I've started but have let sit on the 'back burner' while I deal with laundry or laze on the couch ("start and actually finish reading a book!", "finish all of those scrapbook pages")...

Well friends, I am writing today to publicly commit to a huge endeavor!

And NO I'm not training for a marathon (sorry Margaret- you inspire me, but I'd much rather stand on the sidelines and hand you water than get sweaty myself! Besides- this is Saskatchewan, anything that requires me to leave the house to 'train' between the months of October and May is not on my 'maybe' list!

Nope- this is an endeavour that will hopefully have a profound and long lasting impact on our little town and the little people that live in it!

After discussing it with Grant, I am going to create the Reece Ryde Memorial Foundation.
This foundation's purpose will be to raise funds to purchase items to enhance the lives of children in our community. The first 'to do' item is to build a park for children ages 2-5. Other 'to-dos' are to purchase items for the First Responders and Fire Department (assuming they have a wish list- but what small town group doesn't!?!)
I have looked into the costs of park equipment... and my only comment on that is: "yikes".
There is some insanely fun park equipment out there. But even a modest park is going to run about $30,000. I still have to approach the Town Council to see if they would be willing to accept the gift and if they would provide a site for the park (hopefully close to the existing school park which is for 'big kids' (5-12) that way parents have a one stop play area.
I've been scouring the catalogues picking out items that Reecey would have liked. Lots of rock walls and swings!

So there you have it, I'm committed, and to quote myself "it's official".

On a side note,

I truly wish it to be known how deeply touched Grant and I (and our families) are to read the comments, emails, blog posts, letters and cards we have received. I remember a few years ago, while dealing with the sadness of the loss of a co-worker and friend from breast cancer, I often thought, do my friends know just how deeply I care for each of them, although we may only catch up every few years?
Now I know.

We want each of you to know you are in our hearts, each of you in a special and unique way, and thank you again.

Below I am going to attach another video of Reece (just a tidbit- but we took almost 10,000 pictures on our camera 95% of those of the girls, since May 06!)
this particular video is brought to you by popular demand, and had apparently changed the way Auntie Erin hears the rain in BC :) And I'm thinking down the road perhaps the Reece Ryde Memorial Fund will have to raise funds for a spray park!

Much love.
Ange & Grant






FYI- She is saying "NO!...SPIKE!" at the beginning. Spike is the dog at her sitters that she liked to boss around ;) Dunno where she got that bossy streak from?!