Ciao Bella! An amazing night full of fun, happiness, and above all else, hope.

‎"Love constantly, instantly, spontaneously, without thought or words. Love is not something you think about, it is a state in which you dwell." -adapted from Christopher Moore's work of fiction, Lamb. 


I always find it intriguing when people ask me what I do for a job. When I tell them I am a high school teacher, I get a lot of comments about how hard it must be to teach teenagers. This always surprises me. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my job. If I have to spend time away from my kids, I'm more than happy to spend it with the kids of Bluevale. Last night exemplified and reinforced this feeling for me. 
Some hard working students and a wonderful teacher leader put on an amazing fashion show called Ciao Bella. I was just stunned by how wonderful they all looked. And it was all so well choreographed. These kids were naturals! Kate even got to make an appearance on stage! She went up on stage with a student who was in my grade 10 science class when I was pregnant with her 2 years ago. She was a star! They showed a slideshow we made of Kate that explains Angelman Syndrome and Kate's Kause. This was the first time I'd seen it on a big screen. While the young ladies who modeled during Kate's slideshow stood on stage and waited for their turn to walk, they all faced the slideshow screen and watched my baby girl. It was a powerful message and rocked me to my very core. I cried like a baby. I was unbelievably touched by the generosity and thoughtfulness of these students. I will never forget that night. I will never forget the many moments of happiness and hope I felt last night - I was surrounded by amazing supportive students, family and friends. It's nights like these that make me feel less alone on this journey. Thank you Ciao Bella directors, models, and volunteers...I am forever grateful. You've made a difference for so many kids by choosing us as your charity, but you also made a difference in my life. Thank you for reaching out.