The age-old question: “How was your spring break?”

I’ve decided to go with the “It was a nice change of pace” response.

Suzanne and I contemplated a trip to warmer places but decided to be responsible adults and save money. We are looking to buy a “new- to-me” truck in the future. It was a sound decision at the time, but as the break went on, the weather was…well…moist, and the photos of friends and palm trees became a daily occurrence, it was hard to feel “breaky.”

We made the right (and responsible) choice to stay home this break and I thought of a quote on my whiteboard in my office.

“I can choose my response no matter what happens.”

So…my response is gratitude for a change of pace.

Grateful For The Little Things

Here is what I’m grateful for from spring break 2022:

  1. Granville Island

    The sun wasn’t coming to Abbotsford, so we went to the sun. We took a family trip down to Granville Island, enjoyed fancy doughnuts, walking the sea wall, and riding the water taxi. I’m grateful for sunshine and seeing Vancouver through the eyes of my daughters.

  2. Out for Breakfast

    My in-laws took my two youngest for a sleepover which left Suzanne and I with our eldest daughter Alexis. This May marks two years since we moved to Abbotsford, and they hadn’t been to the famous Anne Marie’s yet. It was a wonderful time to spend together, and I’m committed to working my way through the 8 different eggs Bennie they have. I’m grateful for breakfast out (probably my favorite meal to eat out).

  3. Games

    I’m a gamer, both board games and video games. It was great to play games with my daughters. The hit list at the Riezebos house was Settlers, Forbidden Island, and Villainous. I’m grateful for fun, competition, and quality time.

  4. Cookies

    My daughter loves to bake. Great for me, but bad for the waistline…. I spent a good portion of an afternoon making five dozen cookies with her. I’m grateful for the memories and delicious cookies.

  5. Clay Cottage

    Suzanne took the three girls to the Clay Cottage here in Abbotsford. The girls loved it and we got some amazing pieces of pottery back. It was great to see the girls out together and the few hours of solitude was nice too 😉. I’m grateful for the special outing and the keepsake they have from spring break 2022.

  6. Movie Night

    One night where my oldest and I were home alone so we had a movie night, including a trip to Save-on-Foods for a basket of movie snacks and drinks. We watched Rescued by Ruby. I highly recommend it if you’re into a based on true events feel-good movie. The snacks and movie were great but I’m grateful for quality time with my oldest daughter.

  7. Boys Night Out

    I have a dear friend in town from up north. His wife is unwell and is spending several weeks in Vancouver receiving medical care. I spent an evening out with him reconnecting. It was great to stay out late, eat good food and drink, and catch up on life together. I’m grateful for meaningful friendships.

  8. Breakfast with Friends

    We invited some dear friends and their family over for breakfast. It’s always fun to host, eat greasy food, and drink a lot of coffee. I’m grateful for families who welcomed us to Abbotsford.

  9. Camping

    We tackled the dreaded Discover BC camping site on opening day. The queue was a “pleasant” surprise. The campers out there know what I’m talking about…. I’m grateful we got a spot for the May long weekend!

  10. Work

    It seems strange to be grateful for work during a break. We interviewed potential candidates for job openings and I’m grateful for my colleagues (Mike and Teresa) who are as committed to ACS as anyone I can think of. I’m grateful for the amazing people we met along the way during this “hiring season.” It’s not fun going into work on the break, but I’m grateful for the people here, and the people that will join us next year.

I’ll admit I’m not an overly optimistic person.

But being optimistic or pessimistic is a choice I can make too. Making the choice to reflect on a break filled with clouds, rain, and cold weather showed me that I have a lot to be grateful for. It was a nice change of pace.

What are you grateful for as you look back at spring break?