But let's catch you up with Banana and Squish.
The girls are in high school now, Grade 10 this year. I'd like to say they're doing amazing, but in reality, there have been a few struggles. Banana is not doing great in English, and that's actually a time management issue more than a learning issue. I'm not sure how to help her with time management. Things that I have tried, haven't worked. I'm going to try one more thing and if that doesn't work, I'm going to have to call in a professional - and I don't know who that would be.
Outside of school, Banana is still a member of the 140 Aurora Royal Air Cadet Squadron (www.140aurora.com) and is a Sergeant this year. She spent three weeks this past summer at Base Borden at the Blackdown Cadet Training Centre, which is on the base. She was taking the Basic Survival course and she loved it. The previous summer she was at the Cadet Training Centre in Trenton for General Training, which she also loved. One of the many things I love about this program, especially for a kid like Banana, is that she is learning valuable skills that will carry her through her life. She is learning leadership skills, citizenship skills, volunteerism. She's learning to respect members of the Canadian Forces and everything they've done for our country. Every Remembrance Day, her Squadron and the 2799 Queen's York Rangers Army Cadet unit march in the Aurora Remembrance Day Parade. Two Air Cadets and two Army Cadets stand guard at the cenotaph, the town is represented by many of the clubs and societies that make up Aurora. So not only is it the Cadet units and squadrons, but it's also the Legion, Mason Lodge, Knights of Columbus, the Lion's Club, the Rotary Club, and many, many others. It's a beautiful ceremony.
The Cadets also sell poppies alongside the veterans of the Legion prior to Remembrance Day. Our Squadron tries to help out the Legion as much as we can. We also serve dinner at one of their events during the year and support them as best we can. We have a fantastic relationship with the Aurora Legion. They support us and we support them. It's really quite beautiful. I'm very proud of Banana's involvement.
Just this year, she was named Second in Command for the band, which is a big deal.
Although we have time, post-secondary education is still something we're thinking about. Banana is considering entering the Canadian Forces, which I am all for. She will be able to determine what she really wants to do in life, and the Forces will pay for her post-secondary education.
What else can I tell you about Banana in the past few months?
She is turning into one of the most compassionate and amazing young women I've had the pleasure of knowing. I can honestly say, I really enjoy spending time with my kids (more on that with Squish later). They are funny, honest and sweet. They're smart, they're intelligent and they have amazing senses of humour.
Squish:
My Squish. I don't even remember when I started calling them Squish, but they is my Squish indeed. In fact, in my phone, they're listed as "Squishybum".
When I look at them I am amazed at what this kid, who was only four pounds, five ounces at birth, has turned into this absolutely amazing person.
Squish has changed their mind a few times about what they would like to do in the future. Up until last year, they wanted to be a Special Effects Makeup Artist. This year it changed to Social Worker and now Police Officer. That last one is because I'm going back to school this year to study Police Foundations, with the intent to join a police force (preferably York Region), and then move into Cybercrime or Forensics (Crime Scene Investigation, not autopsy). Whatever Squish chooses to do in their life, I support them wholeheartedly.
Why do I keep referring to Squish as a 'they'? Last year, Squish came out and told us that they are gay. I'll admit I had a little bit of the questioning. "Is she sure?" Etc. But I have always told my kids that I want them to be happy, and if in a relationship, respected and loved. So after telling us they're gay, Hubby and I joined our local Pflag chapter for some support. We found we aren't the only ones to question whether our children are "sure" about their sexuality, and how to move past that. I was amazed to find people still unable to accept their child's sexuality, but impressed that they would come to the meetings anyway. Just recently, Squish has announced they are also non-binary, which means they don't identify either male or female. I am totally okay with this. I need my kids happy and I really don't care whether they wear skirts, dresses, pants or boy's underwear. Just as long as the clothes are clean.
So, after learning that Squish is gay, we also found a summer camp for them to attend. Machane Lev is the FIRST Jewish LGBTQ camp in Canada. They ran for one week last summer at the end of August and are running one week again this summer. Squish can't wait to go back. Camp pictures that were posted shocked me - because I couldn't remember seeing Squish smile so widely. She's made friendships that I think will last her a lifetime, and she's even said she'd like to work there when she's old enough, as a counsellor. Which made me laugh, because I told her she needed a job last summer (which she did not get) and that camps are easy to work at - with pretty decent money.
In July, (yeah, I know, I'm all over the place). Squish and her dad drove down to Florida to meet their girlfriend. Yes, Squish is in a long-distance relationship with a girl in Florida. My biggest concern is the distance. It's not easy to maintain a long-distance relationship. I've tried. They both had a great time, Hubby and Squish. And on the way home, stopped in Senoia, Georgia to visit the Walking Dead set. I am still very, very jealous.
School has not been too bad for Squish. They are taking courses they love (hairstyling and esthetics, for one). They're doing fairly well. I mean, my kids might never be honour roll students, but neither were Hubby and I and we're doing just fine.
As a family, we're all doing alright. Squish has gotten me obsessed (maybe I should write that as OBSESSED with Panic! At the Disco. It's, like, all I listen to now. And somehow, we managed to convince Hubby it would be a good idea to drive 5 hours to Laval, in January, for the Panic! At the Disco concert. I think the proximity to Mt. Tremblant might have been the attraction for him, to be honest. Hubby is a Ski Patroller and he doesn't get to ski very great runs here in Ontario. Tremblant is much better for his skill set. So after the concert on the 12th, Hubby and Squish (who is a Patroller in Training) are going up to Tremblant while Banana and I are going to go to the Cosmodome in Montreal, and just hang out together in Montreal. Should be good fun for all of us.
I am, however, trying to get an interview with Brendon Urie (who really is Panic! At the Disco - since he's the last remaining original member, and he has touring musicians and session musicians, and no full-time band members anymore), on behalf of Pflag, as he came out quite famously as pansexual last year. I would love to get his story. I think it would be great for Pflag and our service users. I've emailed his management and his media company. So now, I just wait.
And that's pretty much the big stuff here in Banana and Squish Land.
Hope you had a great New Year, and Happy 2019
