Well summer has come and gone, and Fall has definately showed itself here in Lac La Biche, as Steve and I finish closing the Golf course for the season I have thought of Daniel so very much these last few weeks( not that I havent been everyday) but so much more the last while. As we drive around the Golf course finishing doing our final cuts of the grass I sit in a mower that Daniel sat in last summer and the summer before and the tears roll down my face. Driving in the "gator" that he enjoyed bombing around in with the other kids on the crew, its amazing how little things like that trigger an emotional rollercoaster in my mind.
Last summer was our last summer with Daniel and I am so grateful that he decided to come up and stay. We were so lucky to have him up for 2 summers in a row working for his Dad Steve. As any previous times when he was younger he didn't like getting up at 5 am for work, Ha Ha, I CAN RELATE!!!
But as he got older he also became the responsible young man that we loved having there with us. I was even impressed when he would do some dishes for me :). And yes Stacey I agree, his room was "STINKY".
So now I sit here writting this down because I think its time I did.
First Things First I want to say what an Amazing strong woman Stacey is and has been throughout this whole tragedy, I don't know if I could do what she has done how she has handled everything she has been thrown. And for those who know me well know how "Tough" I can be.
She is a true inspiration.
For those who know me, know that I'm better at "Talking" then writting(yes I chuckle a bit, because I know some of you will think how correct that is) so bear with me as I babble Through this.
Daniel and I have had the typical Step-mom/Step-Son realtionship. I came into Daniels life when he was just 3, just before he lost his baby brother. It was a difficult time for eveyone. I was lucky enough to meet the "kikiman" and will never forget the blonde hair, blue eyed sweetheart. As I will never forget the Handsome Daniel. How can I? I see him everytime I look at his Dad Steven.
Yes Daniel and I had our moments, we butted heads on more then a few occasions. But that was Daniel and his strong personality(like me). I never told Daniel what to do, just what I thought of certain things he didn't want to tell his Mom or Dad, and in a way I treasured the fact that he would only talk to me about these things. Yes we had "talks" but I knew he was smart enough to make the right choices. We became quite close the last 5 years, the day his Dad and I "finally"(chuckle) got married was the day he said to me.."Hey Lisa I can finally call you MOM" I smiled and said..."Yes my SON you can" but in my mind he was a SON way before that Day.
I have a lot of fond memories of Daniel, teaching him to ski, teaching him to fish with his Dad Steven, camping trips where Daniel and I would always catch the most fish. Introducing him to 80's music(he loved it). Last summer was a great summer with him, probably one of our best, taking him out to the Bar with the "Cougars" poor kid didnt have a chance!! Taking him to Edmonton Shopping was another experience I think his Dad Steve was wore out by Mine and Daniels shopping(Chuckle). But Steve did introduce him to "Winners" where he would spend his whole cheque on T-shirts and Hoodies!!!
One thing I could always guarantee from Daniel is he always Thanked me for Dinner and Tell me how amazing it was( never got a chance to teach him to cook:( ..) Loved that about him, always polite and Kind. Stacey did an amazing job with all her kids. Stacey and I might not of been "best" friends but I never questioned how great of a Mother she is.
I am sure I have forgot to write many things down here today, but I can write more again, thats what this Blog is for.
So Christmas nears and and we get ready to head to Revelstoke in December I am so very sad knowing that Daniel wont be with us this year, to also Celebrate his Dad's birthday December 24th as we always do at the Levesques house every year. But I know he'll be there in spirit surrounding all of us, and want us to have a good Christmas, and I'll set a place for him at the table beside his Dad. I'll hold his broken hearted Dads hand and be strong for him, Daniel would want that.
The last thing Daniel said to me or wote on Facebook was "I love you" it is burned into my heart forever. He knew the difficult time I was having with my Mother being diagnosed with Cancer(and has made a full recovery) I think Daniel helped with that. And he took the time out of his day to tell me that, because that was how Daniel "Rolled" as he would say to me out on the Golfcourse.
THANK YOU DANIEL JORDAN LEVESQUE for being such a kind soul.
LOVE YOU, MISS YOU and ALWAYS THINKING OF YOU!!
Your step-mom Lisa Channell- Levesque
xxxxxooooo
