Doig Family Newsletter
14 Centennial Pl., Box 987, Magrath, AB T0K 1J0 rdoig@telus.net Issue 10, December 2007
December 2007 finds our family in a much different place than January 2007. As the year began, we were experiencing another winter in Rocky Mountain House with Rob busy coaching Senior Boys’ basketball and being Vice Principal at West Central High School. Alyssa and Austin were attending French Immersion and participating in piano and a few after school sports. Mark was transitioning from a home program to being at school three mornings per week with limited integration into a Kindergarten classroom. Becky was busying herself with the family, friends, exercise, and serving as primary president in the church.
It was a hard winter, though, in some ways. Mark does not tolerate being outside his familiar environment at home, and will frequently cry when he is taken other places, including church, shopping, other people’s houses, public places, etc. A labor shortage in our area meant that we had trouble getting evening caregivers for Mark and with Rob gone most evenings, Becky and the kids were perpetually stuck at home. This was especially noxious when simple things like attending parent-teacher interviews or a church activity, or getting Alyssa’s flyer route delivered seemed like insurmountable obstacles.
When Rob’s parents came to visit in February, Becky took the opportunity to cry on Sheron’s shoulder. That night Sheron decided and became determined that we needed to move to Southern Alberta so that they could help us. And she knows how to get what she wants!
About a month later, she called to tell us about a position for an administrator at Cardston Elementary School. Though administrative positions rarely come open in Westwind School Division (which encompasses several LDS communities in Southern Alberta where many LDS teachers would love to work), we had to tell her that one was no good for us, because Rob has no Elementary experience. She was not to be deterred. In early April, she advised us that positions had come available for a Vice Principal at Cardston Junior High and a Principal at Magrath Jr/Sr High and this time we decided to apply. We thought Rob would be a good candidate for the VP position, but he received an interview instead for the principal position in Magrath.
After what he thought was a terrible interview, Rob got a call on his way home to be offered the job. He nearly drove off the road! It took a day of hard soul searching to decide to accept the job. We had been very settled and happy in Rocky Mountain House and had no intention of ever leaving. Yet, the change felt right, and felt very much like a blessing from heaven so we decided to take the leap of faith and uproot our family to start a new life. Miracle, after miracle seemed to follow the decision. We were able to sell our house very quickly and for a good price and to buy a very nice home in Magrath which accommodates Mark’s needs and gives us lots of space both inside and out. The move went very smoothly, and our friends in Rocky were supportive of our accepting the new opportunity.
We moved at the end of June and spent a large part of the summer doing work on our new house. We also enjoyed a trip to Utah to see some of Becky’s family as well as Rob’s family get together in Wasa, B.C. It was also very nice to have Becky’s parents visit for a week in August.
We have now had four months of life in school in Magrath. Rob seems to be enjoying his job, though he has had a steep learning curve. He has also been doing courses for his MBA from the University of Phoenix. He has done five courses this year, and has had to submit papers at some of the most awkward times, including the weekends of the job interview, house-hunting trip and move. He is coaching the grade 8 boys’ basketball team, and while he misses working with the older boys, we all agreed it was for the best to coach at a lower level, with less time commitment.
Alyssa and Austin are now in a regular English stream of school (no French available here), and are both adjusting and making new friends. Alyssa has been involved in the school choir and Austin has been enjoying cubs. The town is so small and safe that the kids have new independence. They can walk or ride bikes to school, the library, church, their friend’s houses and any activities they attend.
I should `mention that we were very proud of Austin who decided to be baptized in May. Our family has also started attending events sponsored by the Association of Little People of Alberta. Austin really loves having the chance to be with other little people, and has even met an LP boy almost his age.
Mark has had some difficult times this fall—he had bilateral hip reconstruction surgery in November, and had to have further surgery for a bowel obstruction after the hip surgery. He is recovering well now.
Surgery aside, for Mark, the move to Magrath has been the best thing ever. He attends full days at school now and has great educational assistants working with him. The school has been supportive in continuing his neuro-developmental program and the therapy support services here are exceptional. Mark also now has great evening caregivers every weekday. We love you Shari and Brad! The rest of us are now able to attend sporting events, Christmas concerts, and church activities and even spend some evenings shopping or having fun together in Lethbridge. It feels like we have our family back! It will probably take a long time to make friends like we had in Rocky Mountain House, but we feel good (right) about being here and are learning to appreciate the advantages of being close to family and of living in a community with many members of our faith.
We hope you enjoy a happy holiday season. We love you all.
The Doigs