b-b-b-Bentley and the Jetsssss!

So I got a puppy. Yes, his name is Bentley. No, he doesn't have electric boots or a mohair suit. Bentley is a 9 month old Yorkie and he is terribly cute! He's adjusted to his new home fairly well. He had one accident in the first couple of days that I got him, while I was at work. But he hasn't had any more of those. He's fairly quiet, too...except when he sees other dogs. He gets pretty worked up about it! He does really well with my niece's and nephew too...they really love him. I love going for walks with him (I'm sure that 'novelty' will wear off eventually...probably around the same time that the weather gets cooler). How do people with dogs do it in winter? I'm sure my little guys's feet would freeze if I walked him in winter...I guess these are things I will learn.

the doggy dilemma

Lately, I've been looking into getting a puppy. I would really like a Yorkshire Terrier. I think that they're absolutely adorable. My previous room-mate had a dog. I had never lived with a dog until Paddington came to live with us. At first I was annoyed and yelled at him a lot because he was very jumpy and craved attention. You see, he was used to living with 4 active children and their parents, before moving in with us. I'm sure he missed those kids and all the attention that they gave him. But he kinda grew on me and he started hanging around me a little more when my room-mate wasn't around. (I still did yell at him from time to time, but sometimes dogs are mischievous and need to be kept in line.) After Paddington left, I realized that I missed having him around. Don't get me wrong...I don't miss the jumping, but I really do like dogs. So, I decided that I should get one. I'm a little apprehensive because I know it will be a lot of work, but I think it will be fun and worth it. Or at least I hope it will be. I'm also concerned about leaving him alone when I go to work...but I suppose other people do it and their dogs are okay. My co-workers tell me I should get a cat instead because they're not as much work...or maybe I should just get one of each! ;)

Happy 2 month anniversary to me (and my house)!

This was my flower garden before my mom got at it...I had no idea which were plants and which were weeds. That was Lesson #1.



This is after:









And of course, a picture of my pond: Home of GF2, GF3, GF4, GF5, Japan, and Freckles. Cleaning out that thing and getting it ready for my fish was Lesson #2. And the lessons keep coming...

I have learned many things about homes, yard-work, plants, life, and myself in the past two months. It's been an adventure! Here's to many more lessons and adventures in this place!

Mañana

I love the rain. I love thunderstorms. There is something calming about sitting inside with a cup of tea and a good movie or book, while listening to the rain fall and the thunder roll. I was intending to work outside in the yard today...but I suppose the weeds will have to wait another day. Perhaps I should be cleaning indoors instead....I will yet.

Settling or Changing?

Apparently every time I update this thing, I talk about going on a trip...this time I won't, though I did go on an outstanding and eventful road-trip to Minneapolis since my last update...anyway...

I've been thinking lately about how funny life ends up sometimes. If you would have told me 2 years ago where I'd be now, I would've laughed in disbelief...and probably been a bit disappointed. I had dreams of traveling, going away on missions, and of moving away. While I have traveled a lot in the past 2 years (China, Bolivia, Texas, Minneapolis, Vancouver, Las Vegas, to name the more 'major' vacations), I haven't moved away or gone away on missions. In fact, slowly I have been making more decisions that are "tying me down" here in my hometown more than ever (accepting a permanent job position and buying a house for example).

Have I settled for something less? I hope not. I feel like my goals and priorities have changed in the last 2 years. I'm happy where I am at, though it makes me laugh sometimes because I would have never imagined me to be where I am now. As far as the missions goal goes, it's still a goal that I intend to accomplish and have plans to chaperone our youth's mission trip this summer...but I hope that's not the end of that. As much I dream of going away on missions, I really do believe that the spirit of missions starts at home...yeah I know that's cliche, but that's the place I believe I'm supposed to be right now.

Who knows, in 2 years I may again look back and laugh at where life has taken me. I hope I will never settle, but I think changing my mind is okay.

With Glowing Hearts

Being Vanna


Holding the Olympic Flame


The Bronze Medal hockey game: Finland and Slovakia. GO JETS GO!


Finland Wins the Bronze! Yeah Teemu!


Robson Square skating rink


Watching Canada win the Gold Medal Hockey Game outside Alberta Place. Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!


Closing Ceremonies


Good Bye Vancouver

Watch out Vancouver...Here I come!

I love Olympics!! My first memory of the Olympics was the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. My family didn't own a TV back then, but I remember every day in school we updated our medal count chart and talked about the latest events.
By the next Olympics, 1996 in Atlanta, our family had a TV...so I remember watching the events, fascinated by the idea of people all over the world coming together to compete. My highlight that year was watching Donovan Bailey break the world record!
One of my dreams back then was to someday compete in the Olympics...and I'm still "secretly" trying to figure out what kind of sport I could start training for to make it to the next Olympics. (I'm thinking the biathalon...it seems like fun, and I wouldn't have to deal with my fear of heights like in some of the other events). But since that is a fairly unattainable goal for me...I will settle for attending the Olympic games. I know that I'm going...but it still feels so surreal to me. I don't think I'll fully believe it until I'm there...and then watch out!
WOOT!! Go Canada!!

My holidays

After an amazing holiday, today is the day that I must return to work. I've done a lot over the past 2.5 weeks. The first week I basically did "nothing": caught up on sleep, had a lock-in with my youth small group, visited grandparents, played with my nieces and nephew, and all that jazz. Then my parents and sister and I flew to Texas to visit my aunt and uncle, and my cousins and their kids. It was fun!

We arrived in Dallas late Tuesday night, then drove out to where my family lives (just outside of Paris). Wednesday and Thursday we hung out with my aunt. We went shopping and bowling in Paris and also visited with my cousins and their kids. On Friday we headed in to Dallas to do some site-seeing. We went to the Dallas aquarium, which was pretty spectacular! I love seeing different animals from all over the world. Then we walked around the downtown, saw different buildings. We took the trolley through the downtown area, that was pretty neat! We stayed overnight in Dallas and on Saturday we went to a heritage museum which had different buildings from the early settlers. There were different homes, a general store, a saloon, a bank, a printing shop, a doctor's office, a hotel, and a blacksmith shop (with a guy who was teaching blacksmith lessons). We also went to this aviation museum and I decided that when I hit my midlife crisis I will become a pilot! Then in the evening we went to a Dallas Stars game (they were playing Phoenix). Dallas won 4-0. Then we headed back to our Texas "home". Sunday morning we went to church with my aunt and uncle. Then we went to my cousin's house to see their yard. They live out in the country and have a whole bunch of animals. Then my sister and I watched the Superbowl with Norma, a new friend we met from my aunt and uncles church. On Monday we hung out with my aunt and uncle, then headed back to Dallas for night cuz our flight was early the next morning. We flew out of Dallas to Chicago on Tuesday. Our flight out of Chicago was cancelled, so we were booked onto the next flight which was supposed to leave 4 hours later than our original flight. So I explored the airport and such. Meanwhile it was snowing like crazy! When we finally boarded our plane they said they needed to de-ice the plane before we could fly out. First we had to wait for the de-icer people to come, then when they did come they got the stuff somewhere where they weren't supposed to...so they couldn't fly the plane. so we got off the plane and the airline provided us with a hotel room for the night and we flew out the next morning. Meanwhile, during our night in Chicago, there was apparently an earthquake. First of all they said on the news it was a 4.3, then later they reported that it was more like a 3.8. I was asleep and didn't notice a thing. But the guy that was working at the hotel the next morning was telling us that he woke up from it. Crazy! So that's another thing I can add to my list of things that I sleep through: earthquakes, smoke detectors, multiple alarm clocks, telephones, exams...oh my list goes on and on.

Here's to great things we don't deserve...

Today I am officially on holidays. This is the first time I've had a job give me holidays. Don't get me wrong, I've switched away shifts or taken banked time to go away before. But that's different, in those cases I've had to work my time in order take "time off". I've never had a job where I've actually been paid to not come in to work. What a concept. I could get used to this! At the same time I find it a bit unsettling. I admit it's really nice, and it is much needed to rejuvenate in order to prevent burn-out and promote health. But do I really deserve this? I don't know. I feel like it's so unfair that there are people in this world who don't have food, shelter, or safety...and here I am safely sitting in my warm home with a full stomach doing absolutely nothing and getting paid for it. Hmmmm...I just realized that I take the fun out of everything...Maybe I think too much. That being said, I will enjoy this time thoroughly, and not take this time for granted. Let the fun and relaxation begin!

My RSVP: Yes, I will be attending this event!

Here's to another year

Half-way through January, and I still can't think of any resolutions to make. I don't like to make resolutions for the sake of making resolutions, but I think they're fun to do. So every year I have this dilemma about whether I should even bother to make them. I feel compelled to at least try to make some, but give up, because most of the goals I think of are either a) frivolous and not worth trying to keep for an entire year, or b) vague and not measurable (so what's the point anyway, if there's no definable success or failure), or c) not even close to attainable. So here's to me bucking the tradition another year and not making any resolutions. Instead I will aimlessly begin the new year hoping that I will make good choices and experience life to the fullest this year. (oops, I just made a vague and non-measurable 'non-resolution')

What Child is This Anyway? *

I think these are beautiful! (I found them at this site) I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!







* Yes I did steal this title from Sufjan Stevens. I love his Christmas album!!

Grandparents

Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of the day my grandpa died. It was also 1.5 years to the day of my grandma's funeral. It seems like such a long time ago...and yet there are certain things I can remember so distinctly. I remember the day my grandpa died. I drove to the city to join my cousin and some of his co-workers to sing carols and hand out gifts to the inmates in prison. This was my second year playing guitar for this group. So anyway I drove into the city to meet them, but couldn't resist my temptation to stop in at McDonalds for a breakfast sandwich....so I went in to get one...meanwhile I locked my keys into my car. (I don't know why I didn't go through the drive-thru) I also "conveniently" left my parents cell phone in my car...so I used all my change to call my sister (who lives in the city) on the pay phone. She didn't answer my call. So I was stuck at McD's and had no way of getting to the place I was supposed to meet my group. It was a long ordeal...but some time and $50 (or so) later I had my keys and we were off to jail a little later than expected. I was so frustrated at this point and definitely did NOT feel like putting on my Santa hat and spreading the Christmas Spirit. But I did, and it was fun! When we left jail, I checked my parents cell and there was a message from my parents saying that grandpa had died. It was expected, he had been basically unresponsive for weeks previous to that. I had stayed a few nights at the hospital with him, thinking that it would be any day. So the message wasn't a shock. But it still kind of was. I just remember thinking that it was the worst day ever. I didn't think it could get any worse....and come to think of it...it didn't get worse.
I don't remember crying at all. I remember thinking that I should cry, but I couldn't get any tears out. I actually didn't cry at all, until about a month ago. My grandpa was a big Yankee's fan. Most of my uncles are all Twins fans and my cousins are all Blue-Jays fans. Sports are a huge part of that family...and a good rivalry makes everything more exciting! I think Football was the only sport where everyone could agree on a team (GO VIKINGS!!!). So anyway, after the Yankee's won the World Series this year, I felt the need to visit my grandpa's grave to tell him that they won. I don't know why, I know he doesn't care and that he can't hear me or anything...but I had to go. I also visited grandma's grave for the first time. And I cried for the first time since they had died. I don't know why it takes me almost a year to cry about certain things that happen in my life. I've cried more at other people's grandparent's funerals than my own grandparent's funerals. I don't get it. I feel like I have a heart of stone sometimes.

Tonight I watched the video "Indescribable" with the speaker Louie Giglio. Wow! There are no words...(true to it's title)

Louie Giglio talks about how indescribable God is. He mainly discusses astronomy and outer space and the hugeness of the Creator of the Universe! I know in my head that the universe is HUGE...but I never really stop to think about it. I always imagine God to be looking down from heaven and he see's this huge planet earth...and sometimes (very rarely) I may imagine him looking at our particular solar system. But I never thought of God looking down and seeing and caring about our ENTIRE universe!! We haven't even discovered the entire universe yet...we don't know what it all looks like. But God does...and this entire thing fits into the palm of his hand (metaphorically speaking...since God has no shape or form). Our solar system is only a tiny dot inside the Milky Way Galaxy...and that's only 1 galaxy among the estimated billions of galaxy's in our universe. The Universe is HUGE...and God knows all the stars by name!

God's got a lot going on...and yet he cares about us. He decided to send Jesus down to this miniscule dot of a planet and become an insignificant and helpless being...a human baby. I wonder if Jesus ever wanted to slap some people upside the head and say, "No, you're NOT the centre of the universe!", or "There's so much more out there than you can ever know...you're far less significant than you think you are." It must have been so hard to be fully God and have the knowledge and wisdom of God and to be restricted to a human body, and hang around people that really had NO clue of His significance. It must have been hard to come from a place of ruling the entire universe to being stuck on some tiny little planet and being placed under the rule of human authority...the same humans he himself created! The fact that he actually came to planet earth is pretty spectacular, miraculous and mysterious! No wonder the angels rejoiced with singing, and the Astrologers from the East made the long journey! This was no ordinary birth, this was the Creator of the Universe coming to the earth as a baby.

Okay, so that's pretty crazy to think about...I can't even imagine the size of our universe...never mind how huge and powerful the Creator of this universe is. I can't even fathom what else He is capable of. Knowing that...it blows my mind away to know that this same God knows everyone of us by name. He knew everyone of us before we were born. He knows the number of hair on our head. He knows when we are coming or going...when we sit and when we stand. He protects us, He takes care of us, He heals us, He loves us, He forgives us, and He wants to spend eternity with us.

Okay, so I didn't mean to get all "preachy" here...but I just got so caught up in the whole message of the video. I think every person should watch it!

Everything's amazing & Nobody's happy!

I don't think I could survive without Google, Facebook, or the Internet in general. I remember someone from my church once telling me about when she went to university. Writing a research paper was more than just clicking on EBSCO Host, searching through some online journals, copying and pasting some quotes, typing up some of your own words in between and printing it off. They had to actually go to the library (gasp!), physically search through the stacks, read the books, then either hand write the papers, or use a typewriter. Can you imagine? I would have never survived! I'm way too lazy for that! I admit, I'm one of the spoiled people who gets mad if their wireless Internet keeps cutting out. These thoughts were brought on by this youtube clip. It's a must see...so funny, but so true!

I celebrate the day...

Seeing as it is less than a month till Christmas, I feel like now is the time to begin the preparation for the festivities. I already had my staff Christmas party...which was a pajama party this year! It was a hoot!! I laughed so hard I was crying! I am very thankful for the people I work with. They make going to work a lot of fun! I am very fortunate to be able to work in such a positive environment!

I also did some Christmas decorating this week. First at my house...then my youth girls and I decorated the Hut. We had a blast...we cranked up the Christmas tunes, untangled some lights, climbed up on dangerously high stacks of chairs, and transformed the look of the hut!

I love Christmas! I love the lights! I love the joy and hope that is felt at this time of year! I love Christmas music! Right now I'm listening to Relient K "I celebrate the day". My favorite part is:

"And the first time
That You opened Your eyes
Did You realize that You would be my Savior?
And the first breath that left Your lips
Did You know that it would change this world forever?

...And I, I celebrate the day
That You were born to die
So I could one day pray for You to save my life"

Ever since I started working on the maternity ward, my view on Christmas has drastically changed. I wonder how Mary's birth experience was. Was she already in labour while she was riding on the donkey on the way to Bethlehem? How long was her labour? Who helped her through her labour? Did she have a midwife? What was Joseph's role? Did he hold her hand, rub her back, and coach her through it? Or in that culture was it taboo for him to be in on the delivery? Was Jesus born breech? I could go on and on with all the things that I think about. I made some comment to my youth girls about Mary wishing she had an epidural...and they made fun of me for thinking about things like that...so I'm probably the only one that thinks about these types of things at Christmas...but to me, imagining this part of the story makes it more real and exciting! In the last couple of weeks I've been reminded over and over again that EVERY baby is a miracle from God! I've seen how things can go wrong so quickly, without warning...I know that every time a baby is born healthy it's a miracle! Jesus's birth is even more miraculous! I wonder if those present in that delivery realized the importance of the baby? Did the midwife (if there was one) think that this was "just another baby"? Or did this delivery stand out to her for years to come? I'd like to think that this delivery was a special one. I would have liked to have been there!

Read this book...

If you're like me, you'll literally laugh out loud as you read this book...so maybe don't read it in public, unless you like to randomly laugh out loud to yourself in public. I've done that on airplanes before because of books or movies...and then I get slightly embarrassed...not quite as embarrassed as when I start crying on the plane because of a movie...*ahem* not that I've ever done that... ;)
Anyway...as I was saying/typing...read this book, you won't want to stop talking about it!

Bringing back some Kelly

Breakaway - Kelly Clarkson

Grew up in a small town
And when the rain would fall down
I'd just stare out my window

Dreaming of what could be
And if I'd end up happy
I would pray

Trying hard to reach out
But when I'd try to speak out
Felt like no one could hear me

Wanted to belong here
But something felt so wrong here
So I pray
I could breakaway

I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
I'll do what it takes til I touch the sky
And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway

Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget all the ones that I loved
I'll take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway

Wanna feel the warm breeze
Sleep under a palm tree
Feel the rush of the ocean

Get onboard a fast train
Travel on a jet plane, far away
And breakaway

I'm craving an adventure...

and the curtain closed...

Pink Panther is done. I never expected to have so much fun! I thought I'd be super nervous about everything...but I was more nervous about the audition than I was at the actual performances. I will miss being Margot...though I'm using my "Margot charm" to try to get my dad to buy me a new car for Christmas...lol! (it's not going to happen!) He just laughs at me. I won't miss my outfits, especially the pantyhose!! I will miss the seeing the cast and crew, and all the laughs we had!! Now it's back to the 'real world'...my calendar suddenly seems so empty, what to do...

Memory Lane

Oh Wow! I was listening to some of my favorite songs from a while ago...and I just remembered one of my favorite songs from last summer. "Country Man" by Luke Bryan. I don't think I've heard it in a year...and I forgot how much the music video makes me laugh!! This video gets extra stars for best use of piglets and port-a-potties in a music video!!
(Holly you may want to get your earplugs if you watch this lol!!)