A Quiet Week

It has been a fairly quiet week in my life and I am not complaining. It's been a nice and a much welcomed change to the fast paced life that school brings. It feels wonderful to not have any assignments or projects to finish up or studying for exams. What freedom!

Monday - Still house sitting for Don & Lavonne while they are in Florida. Spent the day lounging around the house, watching season 6 of Gilmore Girls and sipping tea with the cat curled up next to me. Very comforting and soothing.

At 3pm I had a sudden urge to go shopping and due to my lax schedule, I went with my impulse and headed out to St. Vital Mall. I have been needing some new jeans lately, so I thought Monday would be the perfect day to fulfill that need and I found the most perfect pair of jeans. They were a little bit more then I thought I would have to spend, but it was worth the extra money.
We don't have many full length mirrors in our house, so I had a hard time trying to get a good picture of them.

As I raced through St Vital I managed to get out of there in just the right time so that I could meet Deanna for coffee at Starbucks at 4pm. I was quite impressed with my ability to rush. It's amazing what I can do when time is an issue!

After supper I headed over to Aimee's house to hang out with her and watch some quality TV on TLC. I love that channel! One show we watched was "The Dugger Family Album". It's the story of this family who has 17 children and they have no signs of stopping. Now that just seemed wrong to us. We had some good laughs though. I love those type of friendships where you don't always have to be talking to enjoy each other's company. Sometimes just sharing a cup of tea and watching some TV under some cozy blankets is enough and allows you both to just "be" without the pressure to always talk. I like that.

Tuesday - Spent the morning cleaning up Don & Lavonne's place so that they had a nice clean home to come home to that evening. In the afternoon I got to hang out with some very special friends of mine...Ella, Sophie & Heidi. The 4 of us had a delightful (and quite fancy I might add) tea party. We ate delicious scones with whipped cream and raspberry's, cookies, gingerbread cake and of course, tea. It was a wonderful afternoon and I can't wait to do it again one day. Things like this you just can't do with a boy in the same way. Perhaps if I get copies of Heidi's pictures I will post some of our incredible spread and of our costumes.

Wednesday - I slept most of the day and it was WONDERFUL! I stayed in bed until about 2:3opm. I wasn't sleeping that entire time. I watched some episodes of the OC Season 4 and did some crosswords and ate waffles in bed. By 2:30 I figured I needed to get out of bed and accomplish something for the day, so I decided to do a much needed cleaning of the 3rd floor. With exams and school work to be done, I found it next to impossible to do a really good clean of my bedroom. I dusted, vaccumed and cleaned up my mountain of clothes on the floor. It looks so much better now that it's done and finally clean.

Due to the extremely cold weather I tried my very hardest to not go outside at all, but I found I had to in the evening to go to a planning meeting for the Women's Retreat for our church. It was a good time and glad I got out of the house, even if it was just for a bit.

Thursday - Another fairly low key day, but I did not stay in bed as long as Wednesday. Tomorrow we are having a baby shower for Alissa and Sabrina and I am in charge of the baking, so I did that in the morning and mid afternoon. Pictures to come tomorrow or Saturday.

Bonnie decided to cut out early from work today, so we went to see the movie 27 Dresses at the theater. It was a good movie, although there were moments throughout the movie where I thought to myself, "gee, I hope that's not going to be me in a few years". Sometimes waiting for the "right" guy to come into my life seems like it will never happen. The waiting seems endless or at least more noticeable when most of my friends are married and moving on into the parenting stage in their lives. However, that being said, I know God has someone picked out for me (or at least I sure hope he does) and in the meantime He is preparing my me and molding me into the woman this "guy" needs and wants.

Anyway, overall I would recommend going to see the movie. It was really cute.

That's been the week in review so far. It's been a good week and exactly what my heart and soul have needed. I have had some good moments with God whether it be reading my bible, spending time in solitude and silence listening or turning up the music in the house to praise him. My heart has been missing him lately. It's so easy to push God to the side or put him temporarly on a shelf through the busy and stressful times. I'm really hoping in the months and weeks ahead of me that I might choose to notice God in the little moments of the day, that my eyes and ears would be attentive to his voice and that I might follow and obey his leading in my life despite the busy-ness that school and life in general brings along with it.

Girls Night

For the past week I have been housesitting for some friends of mine, which has been wonderful. On Saturday Andrew had his birthday celebration with the boys playing poker, so it was the prime opportunity to have a girls night. I had the girls over after church for a night of good girl talk, fun drinks, and yummy food. It was perfect. I LOVE spending time with these girls.

Good Conversation

I know this little man is not a girl, but he sure is cute so we let him tag along on Girls Night

At some point in the evening, we all got to feel Kristy's baby move. It was quite wonderful. I can't wait to meet this little one in a few short months.

Good Friends

Lauren & I

Pure preciousness!

Taking a Sabbath

Last night at church we had another really great sermon. It was on the sabbath and I guess you could say that it hit home with me. Too often we find ourselves racing against the clock to get as much done as possible in the day before the sun goes down on the day. We create our lists and check off items one by one as we complete tasks and then measure our successes at the end of the day by what we did or did not do (or at least I do).

How often do we take the day to nurture our own selves, spend time deepening relationships with friends and family in such a way that no one is rushing from one activity to another or spend quality time with God? If I am going to be honest, I must admit that I try to squeeze as many people and activities into my day as possible and rarely do I spend time in silence with God listening to his spirit. I would love to be able to do that, but time seems to be an issue.

So today, I am taking my sabbath. I have spent the day nurturing me and those I love - not out of neccessity but rather out of love. This morning I went over to Graham & Kristy's to give them each a massage and spent the rest of the day at my parent's hanging out, sleeping, watching movies and giving some family members a massage. It was exactly what I have been needing and tomorrow I plan on doing somewhat of the same thing.

Celebrate Good Times

To commemorate being finished my exams, last night Kristy & I headed over with Starbucks (a yummy Americano for me) to Sabrina's to hang out and catch up. It's crazy how busy we have all become, but it was so nice to just lay low and find out what's going on in each other's lives. Plus, us aunties got to spend some snuggle time with Gavin. It's amazing how big he's getting already. He's not really a newborn anymore. We got lots and lots of smiles out of him and he was content for most of the evening which allowed the 3 of us to carry on conversation. The relaxation and the renewed contact with friends was just what I needed. I have missed my girls very much.

Aunties loving their cuddles

Today I have been lucky to spend the entire day with Cole. It's been awhile since the 2 of us have been able to spend time together. Before Christmas I was housesitting for Andrew & Aimee then I was at my parents for a week over Christmas. On Jan 2 Dan, Bonnie & Cole headed off to Mexico. When they got home I was fully emersed in exams and this week I am housesitting for Don & Lavonne. So as you can see, there have been very few Kara and Cole moments in the last month, so today I offered to watch him while Dan & Bonnie are at work.

We started off the day by going to the MCC Thrift Store (every once in awhile I like to stop in there and check out what they have. I've gotten some pretty great finds in the past) and then went to my mom's to hang out with Derek for a bit and stay for lunch before both my mom and Derek had to head off to work.





At the thrift store, Cole spotted some kids roller skates, so we bought them. Of course he wanted to try them out right away, but considering it's the middle of winter, testing them out outside was not really an option. So, what better place to test out some new roller skates then in my parent's basement on the carpet. At least this way, he felt quite confident in himself as he was gliding along and not falling.






After lunch Cole and I headed out to the Golf Dome to play some mini-golf. Cole LOVES mini golf and so do I. Kids are so funny when they golf because they take these huge wind up swings and then just whack it as hard as they can and yet somehow for the most part the ball stayed on the course and even managed to make its way into the holes. BTW - both Cole and I got a hole in one!

When Cole and I spend time together we tend to get a little silly and today was no exception. There is something extremely freeing when an adult gets to play at the level of a child and join in on the sillyness. I LOVE it!

After mini golf Cole and I came home. We both felt like making a special treat, so we made Rice Krispy Squares with sprinkles. Yum Yum!



Stirring the marshmellows and butter

















slowly melting

It's almost done. Cole can hardly wait!

Licking off the spoon - the best part!!!

And finally a day would not be complete without slurpees, even though the thermometer outside reads -25 degrees. Sometimes you just need to indulge. I have been pretty good lately with my slurpee intake. Since about September/October I have cut down on my slurpee drinking a lot. I have probably had a maximum of 10 since then. That's a huge step for me if you know me at all. I have to say that I felt pretty good not drinking them as much, but every once in a while I do crave one. Today was one of those days.

Right now Cole is vegging on the couch next to me watching some Treehouse and I think I'm going to go and join him and snack on a few squares of Rice Krispy treats.

Doin' the Happy Dance

As of 10:45 this morning I am officially done all exams and have completed my junior semester. What a relief! I feel as though the weight has been lifted off of my chest and I can finally breathe again. I don't think I've been breathing normally for the past week.

It's been a pretty rough week. There have been many tears cried and choice words said in frustration, but it's all over now and I can go to bed tonight with complete ease (and perhaps I will not dream of sprains, strains and meniscus tears) and rest fully. Yesterday afternoon, my friend Annick and I were studying after our exam in her apartment when we got distracted by a bright purple hulla hoop in the closet. We both were feeling quite exhausted, so we decided that when life gets you down, you just gotta hoola hoop! We felt much better afterwards (sorry no pictures - maybe next time).

I now have 12 days off of school for semester break and there will be some serious relaxation and celebration to be done. Hopefully my social skills will resume quite quickly and I can return to the old Kara again. Oh how I have missed that Kara because the studying and stressed out Kara is just not very fun.
Thank you to everyone for all of their prayers and encouragement and emails. I have loved them. I know have a complete open schedule to do whatever I want and catch up with people, so if you want to do coffee or something let me know and I'll make time for you!

I'm off to go and see Juno in the theaters right away with my friend Annick to celebrate the end of a semester and the beginning of a new semester as seniors :)

Privatized

I'm taking a mental break from my studying to write a quick post. Due to some unwanted comments on my blog from people I don't know, I have decided to follow the trend of people making their blogs private. If people still want to read my blog and I didn't have your email address, you can email me at kara66@hotmail.com and I would be happy to add you. Sorry to those people I didn't have email addresses for.

Sabrina, can you email me Rebekah's address?

3 Down, 2 to Go

This morning I had my second exam. It was a practical exam for my sports massage class. To put it simply, it didn't go so great. My nerves ended up getting the best of me. I tend to get a little nervous before an exam, but never have I reacted like I did this morning. Wow! I actually started to work on the wrong limb and then proceeded to work on the wrong muscle group. After a couple minutes of performing the techniques I realized that something wasn't quite right. I politely "excused" myself from my partner, turned around, took a couple of deep breaths and allowed some tears to fall. I needed to refocus and pray. I eventually turned back around and asked to start over. The second time through went a little better, but my hands were litterally shaking. I don't think I completely bombed the exam (I'm pretty sure I did some stuff right), but thankfully I have done really good in this class in previous exams that my marks are not in jeopardy at all. I actually have a lot of flexibility with my marks, which is a blessing. In the end, my teacher actually commended me on taking a step back to regroup my thoughts and treatment plan rather than becoming frazzled and disoriented and continuing on with the massage (apparantly he doesn't think that crying and shaking resemble some frazzledness).

I am just so happy to have that class done and over with. I have 3 more exams left and thankfully they are all for the same class, so I really only have to study 1 set of materials, which is nice. I'm hoping those exams go well, as this assessment class is an extremely hard one and the teacher isn't all that supportive and easy to approach with questions or concerns. I just have to continue to keep plugging away and pour my heart and soul into this material. So, the hibernation period will continue for 7 more days (sorry friends and people who have called me).

Next wednesday by 11:00am I will be a free woman for the semester. The plan is to come home and sleep for a few hours in the afternoon and then if anyone wants to go out and do something fun, I am game! I want to do anything that does not involve school. Let me know know if you're up for a good time to sit back and relax. I have 12 days of complete nothingness. I can't wait!!

So until next week my blogging will be fewer in between, but I will post as I have time. Thanks for those who have been praying. I appreciate it more than words could really say.

God in School

Study break #2 was being able to go to church tonight. Some people may watch a movie but I went to church. It was great being able to see people in what feels like a very long time. I walked away from church feeling challenged and with a new picture of what God's kingdom looks like.

Our teaching series is something like God in our Everyday Lives (I'm not sure if that's the actual name of it, but that's the idea of what it's about). Anyway, tonight was God in our work/school. I was challenged tonight and it was good.

I attend a school where I am by far the "black sheep" of the class. My classmates are wonderful people, but them and I lead very different lives. Most of them have had a criminal record. They do drugs (nothing too serious). They party and drink a lot. The "F" word is just another word in their daily vocabulary. None of them speak fondly of the church, let alone attend a service. The list could continue, but I think you get the idea. I on the other hand don't really fit into the lifestyle that they lead and I am ok with that. I don't mind being the black sheep.

My school is a very intimate school. There are only 22 people in my class and due to the nature of my profession, we have all gotten to know each other rather well, inside & out. My friends at school know that I am a Christian. They know that I don't smoke pot and drink just for the purpose of getting drunk. They know I don't swear on a regular basis (although they do come out sometimes) and they have accepted me for who I am and what I believe. In fact, they are quite facinated with the whole mennonite culture, that they want to have a "Mennonite Days" in the spring just so that they can learn more. It's quite funny.
Even though I have chosen not to conform to their lifestyle, that does not change my opinion of these people. 95% of my classmates are going to make amazing massage therapists with a heart and a compassion to help people improve their quality of life. There reasons for becoming a massage therapist are quite similar to my own.


So back to the teaching time tonight. The question was:

How does God fit into your work/school?

I am privilaged to be able to share Christ to my friends at school everyday. I don't go and preach to them or tell them how they should be living their lives, but I do live my life differently and they notice. By just being the "black sheep", my friends get to see little glimpses of God without them really knowing it or me pushing it on them. Are there days when being a Christian in this tight knit community is hard? For sure! I have to admit that there are days when I really don't feel like being different. There are days when I mess up and I don't want to be watched as closely as I am sometimes and all I feel like doing is blending in. As followers of Christ we don't really get the option of blending in. We are called to be like Jesus and that means going against the tide and stirring things up. Jesus was a pretty radical guy and wants us to be the same.

I have been so blessed by awesome friends at school who accept me, who love me and who support me despite our lifestyle differences. I am so lucky that I get to be able to share with them in indirect ways the love of Christ and who He has created each of us to be just by extending love and grace to each of my classmates.

My challenge for this upcoming week in particular and in the weeks to come is to start my day with God asking Him to go before me in my day so that I may continue to be a light in lives of my classmates and that I might continue to make a difference and that they would continue to ask questions. My prayer for the upcoming week is going to be Matthew 5: 13-16.

"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."

More Birthdays

Monday marked the birthday of a very special boy in my life. Cole turned 5 years old!!! It's crazy how fast he is growing up. Right now they are in Mexico, so I have yet to celebrate the beginning of this new year of life with him, but we will celebrate when they get back on Sunday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COLE!

You are such a joy and delight in my life. This year has been a year full of new and exciting things for you. You have grown so much and in so many ways. It's hard to believe sometimes. You have grown in leaps and bounds in your swimming.



I LOVE how you constantly are asking questions. Never lose that. I love how you thirst for knowledge and want to understand things.



You have gained confidence in yourself and with others that you didn't have when you were 3. Continue to grow in that way.


Even though I can't wrap you up in a blanket and rock you to sleep anymore, I love our conversations and giggles more. I enjoy the sleepovers in my bed where we can be a bit goofy and just have fun.


You constantly amaze me little man! I hope that this next year is filled with tons of learning and growing. I Love you very very much!

Birthday Wishes

Today is a day of celebration. It is the birthday of a very dear friend of mine. Her perspective is always welcomed and valued in my life. She inspires me to continue to seek God with my whole heart and incorporate him into my everyday life. She has a magnetic personality that tends to draw people toward her. I love how she makes me feel like a million dollars everytime we're together. She is an amazing friend and I love her to bits! So today I am thanking God and celebrating the life that Sabrina is.

Happy Birthday Darling!

May this next year be filled with wonderful things as you continue to grow and trust in God and the path that he has set before you!

Study Break #1

This afternoon I had my first welcomed study break. Toni and I got to hang out and it was WONDERFUL! We were originally going to go and have coffee in the Exchange, but due to a detour to go and play Guitar Hero, we didn't make it there. Just for the record, I am terrible at Guitar Hero, but I don't think we have ever laughed so hard at my lack guitar talant.

An afternoon with Toni would not be complete unless we hit up 1 store together. Today our store of choice was Winners. Lots of great deals, but due to both of us being of student status, our funds are fairly limited, so we held back. I did get one awesome shirt for a mere $15.

Thanks Toni for an awesome study break. It was so welcomed. I only wish we could do it more often. Perhaps the next time we go shopping together is when I come and visit you in Vancouver.

It's going to be a long haul...

It is only day 3 of my "hibernation period" and it already feels like it has been forever. The house is silent, there is not a sound to be heard. Dan, Bonnie and Cole are sitting on a wonderful beach in Mexico soaking up the warm sunshine...oh how I crave to be there too.
The break from school that Christmas provided has been wiped out of my mind and I find myself now swarming in the craziness that school has brought with it. Exams are beginning and I am extremely overwhelmed with my long "to do" lists. For the next 22 days I have a list of books I need to read, binders to go through and diagrams and practicals to study. The endless list seems insurmountable. One of my classmates announced that we only have 181 more school days until graduation! That doesn't seem quite so bad, but I have a feeling that the month of January is going to seem as though it takes up at least half of those 181 days.

Within the next few weeks I am hoping to score me some nice little study breaks whether they be going for a coffee with a friend or sitting down to watch a good movie.

The day is slipping away from me as I sit at my computer and write this so I better hurry up and get a few more things crossed off my list before I find myself waking up tomorrow morning with the imprint of my keyboard across my face. Here is what's left:

• Shower
• Pack sheets for school
• Read through Cervical spine notes

Goodnight!

Welcome 2008!

The new year is upon us and I am anticipating all the great things that will accompany this new year. I am not big on resolutions as they don't have a very good track record for sticking with me, so rather I am focusing on looking forward to the great things that will happen in 2008:

• My graduation in June from MTCM
• The arrival of Graham & Kristy's baby
• Beginning a new phase of my life in the summer as I become a fulltime working girl and begin life on my own again.
• Continued growing and learning to trust God and follow him as he reveals his plan for my life to me.
• Spending more time with friends and strengthening those relationships.

Those are just a couple of the things that I am looking forward to in the coming months. Last night I rang in the new year with close friends as we celebrated both Graham's Birthday and New Years with 10 pin bowling (I was just not on my A-game yesterday) and then delicious food and a Beer Around the World Tasting back at Graham & Kristy's. It was a delightful evening filled with wonderful conversation and catching up with each other as it felt like none of us had really seen much of each other over the last few weeks. How I missed these wonderful people. Unfortunately I was not on top of the pictures last night. I was apparently too preoccupied with eating and bowling that I forgot to take pictures.

I wish everyone all the best in this coming year and I hope and pray that you may exprience God in new and exciting ways this year!