I am currently writing this on my way to London, England on the last day of 2015, but you guys won’t read this until next year, so Happy New Year!
I hope you all had a happy and safe celebration. Tonight my husband and I are going to see the notorious London fireworks, and will be enjoying the London New Year’s Day Parade tomorrow. But more on our trip to London in the next post.
This is dedicated to 2015 and all of the amazing and not so amazing things that happened for me.
Let’s start with the bad:
2015 started on a really rough note. A family member of ours had a serious health issue that really set both my husband (Jeremy) and I back quite a bit. Thankfully we got through it (which is sometimes hard when you’re living in a foreign country without family) and Jeremy and I are stronger than ever for it. It’s funny how sometimes tragedy brings a couple closer. You really have to rely on your partner and since I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason, that must have been why our year started out in such a terrible way.
So after I thought things couldn’t get much worse for us in January, the saddest thing I could think of happened. My best friend and fur-baby Rambo passed away of pancreatitis. I was in Vasteras, Sweden (where Jeremy plays hockey) when Rambo got sick. The next week was a blur in visits to Vets, highs and lows depending upon what they told me, and unbelievable anxiety. I don’t think words can really describe the feeling. To some people this sounds ridiculous because a dog is a dog. But to me, he was my baby. He had travelled the world with me, helped me get through break ups, was right beside me for my wedding, the purchase of my first house, and literally every major milestone I had in the last 8 years. He was my furry little best friend. Sadly it finally became evident that he could not get better. I skyped home to my mom (I’m surprised she could even understand me through my sobs) but she remained my voice of reason – as always, and ultimately got me through the decision that I made. I had to put him down. I couldn’t bear to see him suffer anymore. The next month was such total sorrow. Thankfully Jeremy is the sweetest, and most caring man in the world, because without him, I really can’t imagine how I would have dealt with the situation.
I now have Rambo’s ashes beside my bed, with the last picture of him and Santa just a month before he got sick. I’m finally able to start looking at pictures of him again without immediately crying, and in April we welcomed a new little furball to our family. Oakley Margaret Anne Leggat Williams (Yes my dogs always have my middle names). Oakley is a yorkie like Rambo was, and he is incredibly cuddly, sweet, bossy, and hilarious. I will never forget Rambo… Ever. But I am lucky to be the mom of Oakley.
Now onto happier news:
Work
2015 was a great year for work. I was lucky to be on some great shows like: ‘The Next Step’, ‘Good Witch’, ‘Charming Christmas’, ‘Day Players’, ‘People Hold On’, & ‘We are Disorderly’ (which was my first ‘love making’ scene.. Ahhhh!)
I feel so lucky to be able to continue to work and be busy, while spending a lot of time with my husband in Sweden. The balance isn’t always easy. We are sometimes apart for 2 months or more, but thankfully so far we have been able to make it work in a way that fulfills both of our careers, and our personal life.
Babies
I’m about to be an aunty again x2! Both my brother Rob & his wife Kristy, and my brother Todd & his wife, Ashleigh are pregnant. Being an aunt is my favourite role, because you get to come and play and have the best time with the kids, and then when they start crying you can just give them back. Kinda perfect right?
Weddings
I was a bridesmaid for my brother Bram & his wife Lori’s wedding. It was one of the most beautiful weddings I’ve seen, and fun doesn’t even really begin to describe the night. At one point, I was playing the recorder in the middle of the dance floor to Wiggle Wiggle, so that gives you an idea of the shenanigans that followed. In 2016 I am going to be standing next to my brother Brett and his fiancé Sam as they tie the knot! So excited 🙂
Travel
My life is pretty cool. I get to call both Canada & Sweden home. This year I travelled to Pardubice, Czech Republic to watch my brother Brett play for Team Canada in the World’s Inline Tournament, Chicago for my sis in law’s bachelorette party, London for New year’s, Saskatchewan to visit Jeremy’s family, Stockholm with my parents.
Visitors
We have been lucky enough to have lots of our friends and family visit this year. My parents have come twice, Jeremy’s parents & sister visited (his mom came twice), my girlfriend Jess from home, my girlfriend Stephanie came to see us from London, our friends Justin & Christina Pogge, & my brother Todd & his wife Ashleigh.
2016
Everyone always asks me what my resolutions are. They are usually the same – Eat better, workout more, & cut out diet coke. I’ve tried this for the last 10 years, and my record is like 3 days, but I have high hopes for 2016. This is the year…. I think… maybe…
In all, 2015 started really low, but ended on a major high. I am the happiest I’ve ever been right now as I sit on a plane heading to a country I love, with the man I love, after just eating a doughnut that I loved… What? Resolutions don’t start until tomorrow…
This year I realized that I needed to invest my time and energy into people who deserved it. People who invested their time and energy into me as well, and that friendships cannot be one sided. I realized that I am beyond lucky to have the best/craziest/funniest family in the world. I’m beyond blessed to have a mom who is my absolute best friend ever, and a husband who is a pretty close 2nd to her ;)… haha sorry Jer.
I’m wishing you all a wonderful New Year, and no matter what happened in 2015, you have a brand new beginning. If things didn’t go as planned, wipe the slate clean and try again. I’ll be here rooting you on!
Thank you guys for the incredible support you always give me! I’m beyond lucky for all of YOU! I hope you know how much I appreciate every single one of you!
Love always
Ash
Xo
Aw, this is such a great post. Thank you for letting us in, I had always wondered what happened to Rambo. I’m so sorry you had to experience that. You will always love your babies and never forget or replace them.
In 2011 we had a horrible flash flood, it really came unexpectedly and a lot of people lost their home. My boyfriend and I were two of those people. We went out for the night and back then didn’t have our phone attached to us. Came home the next morning and our apartment was literally under water with our baby Black Lab, Scamper, inside. It haunted us for a long time and I never gave a thought to anything else we lost that day.
But now, time has healed us and I smile at memories of him. I love seeing his pictures and videos of us playing with him. We have an ornament of him that gets hung the highest on the tree each year. So I know how saddened you must’ve been, but it always helped me to think that they can’t simply live forever and aren’t suffering anymore.
Yesterday actually, my boyfriend saw a photo on facebook of a paper a six year old wrote. He said something like, “dogs dont live as long as humans because life is to teach us to be nice and love everybody. Dogs already do that so they don’t have to stay as long.” It’s very true. 🙂
I’m happy that your year picked and was so excited seeing all of your new projects. I’m sure your parents and Jeremy are very proud of you. As a fan I’ve been very excited and proud of all that you’ve accomplished so far, keep up the great work Ash!