Pumpkin Carving

Yesterday while at my parents for dinner, us kids had our first annual pumpkin carving contest. It was great! It was an extremely tense atmosphere as all 5 of us are extremely competitive people. I was also extremely impressed with the amount of creativity that seemed to flow from both of my brothers. I, on the other hand do not excel at art and drawing, etc. Let's just say that I did NOT win the contest. There was a tie for first place between Derek and Dominika - both were extremely well done.

Hard At Work

The Finished Products

We also did some celebrating of my birthday with my family. It was very low key, which was very nice. Dominika did however, make me the coolest cake ever! It was shaped as a pair of flip flops. How great! Dom, Kevin, Derek & Courtney all chipped in to buy me season 3 of Grey's Anatomy, so tonight I am celebrating being done exams with a glass of wine and a few episodes of Grey's. My brain is officially done!

Birthday Boxing Day

Today is my birthday boxing day. In the house I live in, we believe that birthdays should last an entire week. Prior to moving in with Dan & Bonnie, I had never heard of this concept before, but I have been transformed and converted. What an awesome idea! So today I celebrated my Birthday Boxing Day!

The goodness of friends and food were thoroughly enjoyed this morning over a delightful breakfast at Cora's. I love that place! All 8 of us are extremely busy people with all of the many different things we are involved in, so to spend a couple hours catching up in each other's lives was so welcomed. Plus, who could resist the yummy "April 89" Crepe?

Left: Aimee's amazing fruit platter; Right: The April 89 Crepe

My life is so richly blessed by the amazing friends that continue to surround themselves around me. You guys mean the world to me! Thank you for all of your sweet thoughtfulness expressed through your cards and the gift. It was far more than I ever thought I would receive.

The Blessings of this Past Year

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Happy Birthday to Me!

Today I am 23. It's crazy to think that another year has passed. Boy, does time sure fly! It's been a busy day so far. My parents picked me up at 8:00 this morning to go for a birthday breakfast at Stella's. Yes, I cheated on my diet, but I believe a birthday calls for it. Plus, how can I resist the best french toast in the city? I must say, that for the first time in a week, my stomach felt satisfied after eating. What a treat!

After breakfast, I went to school to get some practice hours in (we have to complete 50 hours of practice time outside of class in each semester) and then afterwards, my dear friend Annick and I headed home. Due to the copious amounts of studying that we need to do this weekend, she felt called to Starbucks to fill up on some caffeine. Yes, I cheated again. What a happy moment it was to fill my mouth with a yummy London Fog. It's funny how you miss eating and drinking certain foods when you are told you can't have them anymore. The cheating was well worth it. I am filled with happy juice.

Very excited to be indulging in such a delicious treat

(Sabrina, next time you will have to join me).


Annick & I

Tonight will be spent mostly burying myself in books and study notes unfortunately. However, after supper Cole and I are going swimming to Pan Am while Dan and Bonnie have some company over for supper. We love going swimming on Friday nights - it's a great way to end a very busy and full week.

Birthday morning hugs from Cole

This past year has been a good one. I have had some ups and downs and some bumps along the way, but despite everything, I have learned so much! God continues to pour out his love and faithfulness upon me. I am beginning to see his handiwork in so many different aspects of my life and I am so blessed. He continues to teach me on a daily basis and I have yet SO much to learn about being his child. I am being stretched to new lengths constantly. I have been blessed this year with AMAZING friends in my life who continue to also help me grow to become a woman who strives to be more like Jesus. I hope and pray that this upcoming year continues to be one of learning and growing in new and different ways. With God directing my path, it is inevitable that my life will change and I will grow in directions I could never grow on my own. So here's to another year of God's unfailing love and faithfulness. Cheers!

CT

This morning, bright and early at 7:00 am I left the house and made my way to the hospital for my C.T. Scan. For a 5 minute procedure, I sure did a lot of waiting around (it gave me a good chance to review some of my assessment stuff for my exam on Monday). The technician could not release any information to me regarding the imaging, but she said that my doctor will get it within a week and then I should hopefully hear something shortly after. This next week and a bit will be a bit of an anxious few days as I just wait. I'm not very good at that.

On a little bit of a side note, before I could get the C.T. done, I had to remove all pins and earrings, including the one in my nose. For those of you who have not had a nose piercing, they close extremely fast and the rings are very hard to get in. Well, I got the earring out no problem, but when I went to go and put it back in, I couldn't. It just wouldn't go. After trying for awhile, my nose started to get all red and inflammed, so I had to stop. On the way home from school, I took a detour down Osborne to the Crypt and got them to put it back in my nose for me. It cost me $10 to put my earring back in my nose. What a rip off! But it's back now and all is good again.

Kidnapped

Now I know I should be studying for my sports exam for tomorrow, I am
procrastinating. Tonight I was kidnapped by the 2 most wonderful people. They didn't show up in bellaclava's or anything, but they came bearing bottled water and a bag of carrots! When you are on a diet that doesn't let you eat very much, carrots and water are the ideal gift. I have almost finished the entire bag of carrots. My lips have actually turned a nice shade of orange.

The study break was soooo welcomed. Thanks Aimee and Kristy! We were even able to spend some time catching up on each other's lives. It has been far too long it seems and boy was there lots to catch up on!

Anytime you ladies want to kidnap me and make me spend time with you, I am completely game!

And so they begin...

Midterm exams begin tomorrow at 1pm. Thankfully I don't have classes in the morning tomorrow, so I can continue to try and understand the crazy physics that I need to know for the exam. FYI: Physics is NOT my forte.

I have 4 huge exams in the next week, so I am hoping that my head cooperates and allows me to spend the time needed studying without significant pain.

Oh and let the Birthday week begin!!!! I am a huge fan of birthdays. I believe that a birthday should be celebrated over the course of a week as opposed to only 1 day. So, amidst my studying I am hoping to slip a couple of celebratory fun things into my study breaks.

P.s. Thanks to all of you who have given me some awesome recipe ideas. I think I have found some great alternatives to my ordinary meals.

An Early Birthday Present

This morning I got an early birthday present (My birthday is next Friday). My friend from school, Annick and I were studying over a delightful cup of coffee at Starbucks this morning when we both got the urge like we needed to buy something. There is nothing better to beat the stress of learning physics for an exam than good old retail therapy. We headed to Polo Park where we discovered the most beautiful pair of chocolate boots...Uggs. Well, I wanted them sooooo badly, but they weren't really in my price range. I called my mom and threw the idea out to her to perhaps see if I could buy them as a birthday present from my parents. She agreed to it and now I am the proud owner of these boots:




They are soooo comfy. They are lined in sheepskin - they feel like the most wonderful pair of slippers you could possibly slip your feet into. Plus, they are just gorgeous. Thanks mom and dad for the awesome birthday gift.

Naturalpath Update

I have been receiving a number of emails from people today curious to hear how my appointment with the naturalpath went. Well, it was overall a good appointment. The doctor was incredibly understanding and easy to talk with. We are in the process of ruling some things out I guess you could say. Here are the first steps we are taking:

1. Begin the hypoallergenic diet for a few weeks

2. Monitor and record my blood sugar levels (I have to prick myself for a week to test the levels - done the same way as a diabetic would need to)

3. I have to go see a nurse who will check out my autoimmune levels to see how stressed I am and to see how I shift from my sympathetic nervous system to my parasympathetic.

4. Receive some acupuncture

I am going back next friday to see the nurse for the stress test and then the following week I am going back to see the doctor for the blood sugar results and for the results from the diet. Some of you may be wondering, what is the hypoallergenic diet. Well....let me tell you. It is NO FUN!!!
Here is a list of the things that I can NOT eat:

red meats, sausage, frankfurter, pork, canned meats, eggs, soy, shellfish, nuts, processed meats, tofu, milk, cheeses, butter, icecream, non-dairy creamers, yogurt, soy milk, all gluten containing products including bread and pasta, oats, spelt, kamut, rye, barley, corn, buckwheat, white potatoes, white & brown sugar, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, milk, coffee, tea, cocoa, alcohol, soda pop, sweetened beverages, citrus, no substitute sugars like splenda, nutrasweet, etc, fruit drinks, citrus fruits, strawberries, dried fruits, margerine, shortening, refined oils, peanut butter, dressings & spreads, soy sauce, mustard, ketchup, honey, sugar, corn syrup, cane sugar.

It is quite the extensive list unfortunately. Not sure what I am going to eat in the next little while, but if you have any recipe suggestions I would love to hear them (especially in the breakfast department).

Seeing how I am in the midst of exams, I am not quite sure how I am going to sustain myself into the wee hours of the night without any caffeine. It should be interesting. And I guess my home away from home, Starbucks, will have to disappear for a little bit or at least all the yummy caffinated drinks will.
I suppose the only one slight discouraging bit of information from my appointment was that my case seemed to really fool him. Nothing was really making sense. So I am praying that God will provide the people I see in the coming weeks wisdom as they discern what it is that they are going to do with me and my crazy head.

Be Still

"Be Still"

by Rebecca St. James

Alone in the valley
I cried for You to fill me
withYour peace
So when the lightning strikes
thunder rolls around me
Still I live in peace

You ask that I...
Be still and knowYou are God
You are God...

When the fires rage
When the storm surrounds me
Still I live in peace
Though the mountains fall
Crash into the ocean
Still I live in peace

You ask that I...
Be still and knowYou are God

Lead me through the valley
Lead me by the streams
Restore me and draw me to You God
To You I lift my soul
To You who makes me whole
Gently You hold me close to You

You're near me
You love me
You hold me
You reach me
You steal me
You move me
You draw me to You God


The words of Psalm 46 have been resonating in my mind in the past few days. I have been reminded over and over again with these words and the incredible love and strong embrace of the arms of God. I need to stop, breathe and rest for a moment. I have been so caught up in my health that I have lost focus. I am not in control - I was never supposed to be. God is the one who is in control, but that concept has seemed to escape me lately. My prayer is that I can relinquish my need for control and the need to understand and embrace the peace and love of God.

A Huge Boost in Spirits

Today I have battling yet again another brutal headache. When I got home from school this morning, I plopped down on my bed, feeling extremely discouraged about things. I started to pray and asked God to give me a piece of hope and encouragement to hang on to. Litterally not 5 seconds later, my phone rang and on the other end of the phone was my wonderful friend Toni! Toni lives in Vancouver at the moment and happened to be in town last weekend for Thanksgiving. She was scheduled to go back last Wednesday, but decided to stay for almost a week longer. Anyway, she called to see if I was free to grab a drink or share a cup of tea. I was almost crying tears of joy. God had answered my prayer. The 2 of us shared some drinks together at Stella's along with the most incredible French Toast ever! Our conversation was so meaningful and encouaging. Toni has had her own health things to work through in the past and hearing some encouragement in that department was so helpful. Our visit would not have been complete without a walk through Osborne Village's shops - Out of the Blue, Desart, Silver Lotus, Frock Star, etc. Plus there is nothing better than indulging in some retail therapy to boost one's spirits. I was going to spend the afternoon studying, but hanging out with Toni was so much better. Nothing else could compare. So thanks Toni for making my week and filling my face with laughter and just being an awesome friend. You are truly wonderful!

In other news, I booked an appointment to see a Naturopath for next Friday at 1pm. Hopefully maybe they can help with some the figuring out what is going on inside my head while I wait for my imaging tests.

The Waiting Game

I am still waiting to hear something about my head. I am praying real hard that a cancellation opens up so that I can get in sooner for my CT. This week has been a pretty terrible week in terms of headaches. I have been fairly low functioning, but with whatever energy I am able to muster up, I put towards school. Midterms start next week, so I can't draw back now. I need to keep focused for 2 more weeks.

With the constant throbbing of my head and the nauseousness in my stomach, I am starting to feel extremely discouraged. I don't know if the weather has something to do with it also, but whatever is going on in my head it is not very fun. I'm kinda at the point where going out in the evenings seem to be so much work and end up not being very much fun due to my head, so staying home in my bed studying seems like a better option. Yesterday I even missed going to watch ANTM at Aimee's, so something definitely must be wrong with my head.
I am trying to remain positive and confident that "this too shall pass" and that God's strength is all that I need to rely on in order to get through the day. I must admit that I lose focus on that one, but I am continuely seeking to follow him throughout the day.

I had a good thanksgiving weekend. It was very low key, which was nice. On Sunday morning I headed out to the cabin with my grandma. We had such a good talk on the way out. Most of the conversation revolved around my Grandpa and the memories of him that we think about on a daily basis. It was refreshing to hear stories and to talk about him so freely and openly. It seems that as the years have gone by, no one has wanted to mention his name and remember the great things that he meant and did in our lives. So that was extremely uplifting.
The cabin was quiet though - only my parents, my grandma and I. It was wonderful to cozy up by the fire and do some studying and attempt to finish the puzzle I have been working on since mid August. It is a huge puzzle and extremely hard. I have not finished yet. I suppose it will have to wait until spring when I make my way out to the cabin again. Perhaps I'll have to have my puzzling girls Aimee and Kristy out to help me finish it.

Anyway, I am off to another day at school. Thank you all for your encouraging emails and prayers. They mean so much to me.

A Happy Thanksgiving

It's crazy how fast time seems to fly by. It's already Thanksgiving - I can't believe it. There is so much to be thankful for this year. Tomorrow morning I am headed off to the lake for one last horrah out there for the year. I'm hoping that my head cooperates with me so that I am actually able to drive out there, if not, I'll have to get my Grandma to drive.

Tonight I was able to hang out briefly with my dear and wonderful friend Toni. She has been in Vancouver for the past 10 months in film school and I have missed her dearly. Tonight she showed us some of the films she has been working on in the past year and they were so good. I'm so proud of her. I only wish we had more time to sit down and chat and hang out more, but the time will come eventually.

Well, I should head off to bed - I still have to pack for the lake and I need to get a good night's sleep or at least try. I hope everyone has a wonderful thanksgiving weekend with family and friends (or whoever you might be celebrating with). My hope is that we remember to be thankful not only on this particular weekend, but on a daily basis. May we also give the glory back to the one who gave us all that we have.

A Whack of Birthday Wishes

October 6th is a very busy birthday day. Today is Kristy's, Dominika's and my dad's birthdays.

Happy 24th birthday Kristy! You are an awesome friend and I love you like crazy! I hope your day is all that you had hoped for. Enjoy your new pants :)

Happy 20th birthday Dom! I hope that you enjoyed your day of pampering. I am so lucky to have you as part of the family. You are a wonderful friend and I think you are just great.

Happy Birthday Dad! Thank you for being you and for all of the wonderful things you do for me - both big and small. I love you very much!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ALL!!!

A Beautiful Reminder

Today as Cole and I were walking home from school we were talking about our days. Each day, at the end of the day I often ask him what the best and worst parts of his day were. Today he wasn't quite sure on either of his answers, but he was very quick to share about the craft he made at school today - a turkey made out of pine cones. I asked him why he made a turkey. What was the significance of it? He responded by saying "because we're thankful".

How right he is. We then listed all the things that we were thankful for...for mommy's and daddy's, Cole and Kara, friends to play with, a good church to go to, playing outside, slurpees, and the list goes on. It got me thinking. How often do I give thanks for all that God has provided me with? Once a year when Thanksgiving rolls around?

As I was catching up on some of my friends blogs, I came across Sabrina's and what she wrote was a beautiful reminder. I find that I do not spend enough time celebrating and being thankful for all that God has provided for me. I am too quick to go to Him when something is wrong. "God why aren't you taking my headaches away? Why am I feeling so stressed? Why won't the tears stop? Why can I not hear your voice when you speak? How dare you put this on me? Can't you see I can't take this anymore?" So why is it so easy to be mad at God? It is when I am mad that my confidence and stubborness overrule that I yell and kick and scream. I throw a temper tantrum. I think Sabrina said it nicely. "Life isn't supposed to be fair. If it were fair, then we would all be forced to pay for the penalty of our own sins". She's right. Life isn't supposed to be fair!

So where do I go from here? Well, I need to stop wallowing in the unfairness of life. I need to become aware and conscious of the beauty and the grace that God so freely gives me. I need to make lists on a regular basis, like the one I made of Cole of things that I am thankful for, for the blessings God has poured over me and for the grace that God gives that is so evident in my life. Thanks Sabrina for stirring up my heart a little, for helping me to take the focus off of myself. My hope and prayer for the weeks and months ahead is that I might be able to spend time in praise and thanksgiving more often during the course of my day; that I might be mindful of God's presence in that moment.