With Love From Bex

10/05/2022

We’re not a "veteran and his family." We are a family, and we all deserve to be seen and understood.

I love my husband, but I hate his PTSD. There is nothing romantic or beautiful about it. It is exhausting living in a battlefield some days while hopping through green meadows other days and waking up in the morning and never knowing which of those our family will experience.

01/26/2022

Sometimes the things that are the hardest to talk about are the things that need to be heard the most.

Today is Bell Let's Talk day, when many people share their story or extend their support. Over the years Ive been slowly but surely sharing my story about miscarriages, grief, ptsd, anxiety, and depression. It's a complicated thing to share your real story. People on social media or even offline aren't always ready or willing to listen. When you're going through the worst of it, it's not pretty and no amount of 'postive vibing' or 'positive thinking' helps. What has helped me the most is the community I built around me. The friends and family who listened without judgement, the doctors who treated me with empathy, and the therapists who guided me.

I count myself as a lucky one. I had and have access to so many resources that most Canadians don't. It's not a fair system which is why I continue to advocate for more access to resources for others who need them. It's not enough to just share a story and a hashtag. If we want real change we need to work for it. Put pressure on politicians, write those letters to your MP and MPP. Donate to organizations like and put pressure on employers to ensure that employees benefits include sufficient access to properly funded assistance programs and mental health benefits.

It's day today but this conversation needs to continue tomorrow and the day after and so forth...

09/07/2021

I cried today, like a lot. I'm sure the pandemic has had something to do with it but mostly it was watching Wendy walk away and head onto the playground on her first day of in person school.

She was really anxious last night, asking us 'what if the kids don't like me' 'what if I don't have friends' and it broke my heart. I remember that fear, heck I still have that fear anytime I start a new job, meet new people, talk to neighbours. It never really goes away.

So last night we listened to her and told her how it's okay to be scared and that we feel like that sometimes too. I told her the story of my first day of kindergarten. I was scared but I remember seeing another little girl crying who didn't want her mom to leave, so I walked up to her and asked her if she wanted to play with me.

Well this morning, Wendy, even though she was still very much anxious, let go of our hands and after reassuring her and telling her she could start a conversation with any of the kids, she walked up to a little girl who was just as anxious and crying. Chris and I watched as Wendy reached out her hand and touched the little girls hand and told her it was going to be okay and that she was scared too. I couldn't be more proud of the little person she is. Happy first day of school little Monkey. 💗

01/20/2021

My favorite line from the poem by Amanda Gorman today: “We lift our gazes not to what stands between us but what stands before us.” She is amazing.

12/24/2020

Doing some baking on this Christmas Eve. Getting some cookies ready for the Big Guy tonight. If you're interested here's some Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate Cookies, swipe for the recipe. Now my houses smells like Christmas 🎄

@ Brampton, Ontario

12/24/2020

If you had told me last Christmas that this Christmas we would spend in lockdown due to a raging pandemic, I probably would have frozen more of my family's cookies and treats and invested in toilet paper...but alas here we are.

All joking aside, this Christmas isn't ideal. I would even venture to say it sucks right now. There will be no big family dinner or midnight celebration tonight. A tradition in my family that started before my parents. We're opening gifts virtually or waiting until it's safe to get together. It's a sh*tty situation but one that is necessary. I just couldn't live with myself if someone I love got sick because of me or if someone else got sick because of my family.

And while it sucks that my favourite holiday of the year looks so different, I still can't help but feel grateful. I'm grateful that at least we have video chat technology. I'm grateful that my family is safe and healthy. I'm grateful that I have a roof over my head and a partner, daughter and furbaby to spend Christmas eve with. I'm saddened that there will be families who will have empty seats at their dining room tables when they do finally get together, whether due to Covid or for any reason. This isn't an ideal situation and no we don't have to be happy about it. But it is the reality and I've come to accept that.

So from the bottom of my heart and from my socially distanced family to yours, I wish you a safe and very Merry Christmas 🎄

12/19/2020

Here's your Saturday reminder, that someone is proud of you. 😊

12/16/2020

Even Sparkles gets lost in books. An elf after my own heart ❤

🎄 @ Brampton, Ontario

12/15/2020

Counting down the days until Christmas with our own book advent 'calendar'.

It's one of our favourite traditions that I started with Wendy 1st Christmas. 📚📚 A holiday book each night. Loving every moment of this tradition.

12/15/2020

Dr. Jill Biden will be making history as the first First Lady to hold a job while in the White House. Not to mention she will be one of the most educated presidential spouses in US history.

Here's to looking forward to 2021 and shutting down sh*tty opinion pieces like the one from WSJ.

#2021

12/14/2020

It feels like everyone made gingerbread houses this weekend. So in an effort to keep up with trends, I'll show you what Wendy worked on.

I present the house. It was lots of fun but a word of caution, if your furnace is set too high you'll end up with chocolate all over your kid's face. We opened our window and it was just fine and stored it in the fridge. Wendy claimed it was "the best house EVER."

I agree.

12/14/2020

Our front porch is beginning to look a lot like Christmas. 🎄