13 years of land, ceremony, elders, culture & traditional ways of life. Came against all birth control odds & clearly was meant to be here, to rebirth my life & coincidently help me understand death.  Yesterday I reminded him that although he wasn’t part of my plan, he was every part of his father’s big bright plan. Because every plan should start with a wish upon falling star.

which was exactly what dad did, he wished for him! Then conveniently ecstatically confessed to me after the pregnancy test.

   So even though he came when dad left, this was all part of THE plan.

I reminded him, there are no accidents and sometimes the best gifts come completely unwrapped, unseen, unplanned and take you by surprise.

So he was my surprise gift that came from the stars, the sky & spirt.  

  It's been very different this time parenting than my first. When my child is dropping truth bombs in his grade 7 class on thanksgiving about attempted genocide & having discussions about government conspiracies, colonialism, climate change, & energy AND EGO?! 

I think this is 13?!

When I can’t even berry pick with him in other territories  because he reminds me it isn't our territory & we hadn’t asked permission (protocol) to harvest.  When I watch him participate in culture so proudly  it makes me think back to when I was his age,  I most definitely wasn’t even aware there were other ‘Indians’, (as that’s what we were then) AND I was super shy &  almost embarrassed about my culture. 

So this is 13, long locks & though I want to say boy braids, 

it's more like man braids,

loud & proud & completely unapologetic.

This next generation though, rising & raising it all. 

The days of

silencing, 

simmering 

& 

stolen 

are long gone. 

these after all,

are the grandchildren of the ‘Indians’ society once tried to banish. .

We grew these in the dark & they are most definitely here to stay & light the way. 

✨✊🏽🌱

He reminds me that cycles can be broken.

That generations can heal. 

That real men feel.

And of course

That parents can be taught, corrected and aren't always 'right'.  

Thank you Evan for who you've been. 

who you are

&

all you shall be

ʔiičaʔapʔick łimaqsti ʔin hinumłitq ƛaḥ n̓aasʔi. yaaʔakukniš suutił. 

It lifts my spirit that you were born this day. Love you!

xo