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4 Generations of Women, children, daughters, Diana Schwenk, family, growing up, Hump Day Chronicles, life, memories, Mother, Relationships
~ DIANA SUSANNE ~
Diana: The name of the Roman goddess of the moon, the hunt, forests, and childbirth.
Susanne: the Hebrew root is the lily, שושן, and is derived from the root שוש or ששנ, meaning “to be joyful, bright, or cheerful”
Diana was born in Quebec, Canada just before 7am on a winter’s day in February 1963. It was a quick and easy delivery for her mother.
Diana learned to walk early. When her brother came along, she reverted back to crawling and would climb into her brother’s crib to pinch him!
As a small child, Diana was quiet and shy, preferring animals to people. She believed with all her heart that she could communicate with animals and did not fear them. Although Diana’s family struggled to make ends meet, she would never lack for anything and it wouldn’t occur to her until much later that for years they had lived paycheck-to-paycheck.
Once while visiting relatives in Germany with her family, a very young Diana went out with her uncle to buy a Birthday card for her Dad. Her uncle watched with a mix of amusement and astonishment as she compared a card she could afford with another that she preferred, but could not afford. In the end she switched the price tags and purchased the one she wanted at the price she could afford.
Diana grew up with angst during the cold war and was convinced she would not live to be 18. Getting mixed up with the ‘Cool Crowd’ she smoked, drank and experimented with drugs early in her teens. These were tough years for her family, her relationship with her mother was especially strained.
At 20 years of age, Diana moved out west with her boyfriend to help his sister build a log house. This move across the country was the event that would turn her life around. It was a chance for a brand new start and she grabbed onto it with both hands.
Later she would move to Calgary and meet the father of her children. In 1992, she delivered a still-born son and three months later Diana was pregnant again with Michaela. In the sixth month of pregnancy, the father of the baby ended their relationship. It was a devastating blow but the life within her gave her purpose and she resolved to do whatever she had to, to care for her child.
Many years later, Diana would take two consecutive tropical trips with her mother. On one of the trips, Margot shared about a book she was reading; it talked about family history repeating itself. Even in relation to the way that families pose for photographs; seemingly similar from generation to generation. These trips would open the floodgates of understanding and an adult friendship would blossom between them.
Diana is an eternal optimist, always looking for what is good in people and situations. A champion for the underdog, she is most easily angered when she perceives an injustice has been committed. Diana believes in community working together by using their individual gifts for the common good. She is a dreamer, perhaps a little too much of a dreamer, at times to the chagrin of pragmatists.
~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~
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Eternal optimist! Ah, you are my muse now! Keep smiling! 😄
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I will try Terry – thank you!
Diana xo
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Wow! I’m loving this adventure of learning more about you and your family. Such a fascinating character you are Diana! And feeling more and more like a kindred spirit of mine 😀 . We certainly have lots in common! Here’s to the possibility of shared cups of coffee or tea in our future. Big hugs of friendship, Gina xox
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I would love to have coffee with you one of these days Gina!
Stay warm,
Diana xo
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“Diana is an eternal optimist, always looking for what is good in people and situations”. I think i really really like this person named Diana? Do you know her personally? Is there some way we can meet?
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Next time you visit your son, give me some lead time – maybe I can make that ‘meet’ possible!
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I will. He is getting married this year, over this way so my planned Canadian venture has been postponed. But when i come I hope all this messy part of my life is over and I can stay while ….
would love to catch up… onward 2015 🙂
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Thanks for sharing Diana….. this makes me feel like I have met you! You are an inspiration…… great piece! Thanks also for choosing me as your Friday pick! that was so awesome! I am very glad, excited and grateful! I wanted to leave a comment under the post but since comments are closed i decided to leave a comment here. 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thank you!
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Thanks for your kind words Abi and you’re very welcome for the Friday Pick. I love your style of writing.
Blessings,
Diana
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It’s great life piece so far, Diana. How life can take us along some twisty turns and climbs.
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Thanks Jean and yes it sure can!
Diana xo
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I love this, Diana! What a wonderful story about a truly wonderful person!
All of these experiences of yours have shaped you into such an incredible woman.
This generation writing series of yours has challenged me to try and sort out how I would communicate my own history, I find it very difficult to even start it.
I admire your writing prowess, and your clear and easy narrative. You make it look so easy, but it sure isn’t! 🙂
Well done & thanks for sharing this piece of you!
~Andrea<3
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Ha – you’re too kind! Go on! Seriously go on! 😉
Thank you Andrea, I am enjoying this little project and I think my daughter and mom are as well. Next week, it’s all about mom!
Diana xo
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Sounds harsh what you went through earlier on with the father of your babies. So sorry. I suppose these things happen for a reason, but it couldn’t have been easy. x
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Thank you Jennifer. It wasn’t easy at the time, but things have a way of working themselves out better than I can even imagine…says Diana, the eternal optimist. 😉
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Optimism and a positive attitude are gifts I can see you embody. 🙂
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🙂 !
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I sweet sharing post from one of my favorite bloggers. Always nice to learn more about our Diana. x
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Thanks so much Jennifer – you’re one of my faves too. Every time I watch the Republic of Doyle, I think about you!
Diana xo
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Did you see the season finale?
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The one where Murdoch has a guest appearance? I love how they were guests on each other shows!
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No, after that when Lesley was kidnapped. The show has never been a favourite for us but we love the local scenery and the odd joke. But the finale made me cry! I couldn’t believe it. Btw, in real life, Tinny’s 28 year old brother committed suicide earlier this week. Do you know Cathy Jones on 22 minutes? Her nephew. So sad. My cousin who is close to the family used to babysit him years ago. He’s dealt with depression for a long time.
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Oh yes. I did see that episode! I’m sorry to hear the news of the young man taking his life. My condolences to his family.
As for the show, I love it. But my best friend will tell you I like weird shows, specifically Canadian shows and movies. Although American shows seem to have more ‘hollywood’ I like the cleverness and dialogue in Canadian productions. I mean, seriously, The Black Robe was amazing!
Diana xo
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fab post
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Diana, lovely to learn more about you. My second name is Susanne too, never looked up what it meant though, nice to know, and it is so true for me. Keep up your optimistic view and cheerfulness!
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It certainly is true of you Ute! Thank you for your kind encouragement and support.
Diana xo
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Thank you for sharing this gift of revelation with us, Diana. I treasure it, and your friendship.
Russ
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Thank you Russ, t’was my pleasure!
Diana xo
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very brave of you to share and interesting that you chose to tell it in 3rd person. Lots here that could become a blog post on its own if you choose to share more.
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Hi Lisa, this is as brave as I get for now… I intentionally chose to tell all the stories in third person for a few reasons, one of them being that it is easier to keep judgement out of the stories when telling them this way. I will explain more in a conclusion post at the end. I love that you brought attention to this choice – must be the writer in you, eh?
Diana xo
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Such a beautiful glimpse into the making of you. My heart both ached and swelled as I read this. xoxo
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Aww thank you Mrs F! There’s not a thing I would change for all the learning and blessings my life provides to me!
Diana xo
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❤
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I love everything about Diana’s story — but then, I love everything about Diana! You are amazing.
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Thank so much Louise and right back at ya!
Diana xo
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Dear Diana! What a devastatingly beautiful life so far. Love that story about the birthday card purchase. Very sweet! 😀
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Thanks so much! I didn’t recall the bday card story. My uncle told me the story many months back. I couldn’t believe he just let me do it. He said it intrigued him, that he could see the wheels turning in my head as I tried to work through what I should do. He thought it was terribly clever for may age!
Diana xo
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Indeed.. and somewhat… shall we say, creative? 😉
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creative sounds positive…I like it! 😉
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Loving reading your story Diana. There are so many things I am learning about you. I hold you in my heart even closer now.
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Aww sweet. Thanks Stephanie!
Diana xo
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Oh my word… Diana is such a special person… I admire this undertaking of yours, as I do learning more about you. But more importantly it leaves that little story of you for generations to come… I love this and have advocated it to so many people… I have the penned records of my Grandfathers life as well as his father, my book covers my father and my life up to now.. and I encourage my children to do the same… future generations will get to know their blood lines if they so desire…
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Thanks bulldog, yes I agree. It’s funny how you can learn something about an ancestor and then suddenly all your quirks make sense!
I can’t wait to see your book!
Diana xo
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