Through My Eyes

Inspiring

2012-02-10T20:32:00.001-06:00

I've found myself in a dreamy sort of space this week as I think about little DIY projects I want to complete and the home I will one day decorate. Here a few of my favorites in no particular order.

I'm loving that coffee table.


I am currently in the process of updating my bedroom decor using this yellow and grey colour scheme. I'm currently on the hunt for some yellow, floral, vintage-ey sheets. If anyone has a source, let me know. They are harder to find than I thought!

I love the look of the striped walls, but with having a dark grey duvet cover, I am worried there might be too much grey going on in my bedroom. Ah, decisions, decisions.

My tea plate collection is growing thanks to the MCC thrift store.

Gift of Leadership

2012-02-02T11:30:00.002-06:00

I alluded to in my last post that I am being challenged or encouraged in the area of leadership. For those of you out there who know me, know that I have often shied away from leadership roles. To be honest, I just didn't think I had it in me - confidence is not a quality I have been known to embrace. I would much rather follow. All that being said, since being home from my TREK experience, it's been interesting the doors God has opened and placed in front of me. Simply put, I am finding myself in roles and situations where I am exercising leadership.

-I am leading and organizing our church's youth group - granted it's small and intimate, but I am leading nonetheless.
-I am in a new job where I am often placed in a role of initiating conversation, net.working with colleagues and people interested in doing missions.
-And lastly, in a few short months, I will be leading an ACTION team to Portugal this summer for 6 weeks.

Never in a million years, prior to me returning home did I imagine me in any of these roles and yet I am finding myself in awe of how my life is unfolding, even if it is nothing like I expected. A friend reminded me yesterday over lunch, even though I may not see myself as a leader or a person who possesses this particular gift, that does not mean that God cannot work through me because He is the ultimate leader.
It's funny, my past decisions in life have pointed to insecurity and paralyzing self doubt and yet, I continue to be transformed in every area of my life. I feel encouraged and very excited (even if there are moments where I feel like "what on earth am I doing?"). I don't want to ignore these open doors and promptings. Rather, I want to be a part of what God is pruning and fine tuning in me. Here I am, embracing the role of leader.

Through some of my quiet time, God has been encouraging me and challenging me through Isaiah 55. As I continue to find myself in roles of leadership, I hope Isaiah 55 can be true of me.

"Hey there! All who are thirsty,

come to the water!

Are you penniless?

Come anyway—buy and eat!

Come, buy your drinks, buy wine and milk.

Buy without money—everything's free!

Why do you spend your money on junk food,

your hard-earned cash on cotton candy?

Listen to me, listen well: Eat only the best,

fill yourself with only the finest.

Pay attention, come close now,

listen carefully to my life-giving, life-nourishing words.

I'm making a lasting covenant commitment with you,

the same that I made with David: sure, solid, enduring love.

I set him up as a witness to the nations,

made him a prince and leader of the nations,

And now I'm doing it to you:

You'll summon nations you've never heard of,

and nations who've never heard of you

will come running to you

Because of me, your God,

because The Holy of Israel has honored you."

Seek God while he's here to be found,

pray to him while he's close at hand.

Let the wicked abandon their way of life

and the evil their way of thinking.

Let them come back to God, who is merciful,

come back to our God, who is lavish with forgiveness.

"I don't think the way you think.

The way you work isn't the way I work."

God's Decree.

"For as the sky soars high above earth,

so the way I work surpasses the way you work,

and the way I think is beyond the way you think.

Just as rain and snow descend from the skies

and don't go back until they've watered the earth,

Doing their work of making things grow and blossom,

producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry,

So will the words that come out of my mouth

not come back empty-handed.

They'll do the work I sent them to do,

they'll complete the assignment I gave them.

"So you'll go out in joy,

you'll be led into a whole and complete life.

The mountains and hills will lead the parade,

bursting with song.

All the trees of the forest will join the procession,

exuberant with applause.

No more thistles, but giant sequoias,

no more thornbushes, but stately pines—

Monuments to me, to God,

living and lasting evidence of God."

~Isaiah 55 (the Message)

That's it! Back to Portugal!

2012-01-27T16:41:00.000-06:00

As of a couple weeks ago, it became official. July 7 I will be returning to Portugal on ACTION for 6 weeks through MB Mission. I am so incredibly pumped and feel so blessed that this opportunity has come my way. One of the differences this time is that I will be the team leader. I've never really considered myself to be a confident leader in the past, but I feel like this is an area God is challenging me to grow in and instead of it being a terrifying thought, it is actually pretty exciting to think about. More on that another day though.

So, I am headed into another season of fundraising (another skill that I have not yet developed). Oh the joys. But I'm going at it with a new angle with a Coffee House Fundraiser. Here are the details:

Sunday April 29, 2012

2:00 - 5:00pm at Sam's Place

Tickets are $10 - can be purchased through me. There will be some sweet silent auction prizes to bid on. The coffee and the food will be delicious and I there will be some awesome live music. I will also be sharing at some point through the afternoon about what I will be doing in Portugal and how God is moving in that country. It's going to be a pretty great afternoon, so if you would like to support a great cause and enjoy some good food and good fellowship, this is an afternoon you won't want to miss!

The BC Recap

2012-01-16T15:58:00.003-06:00

To say that my time in BC last week was awesome, would be an understatement. My time in BC was incredible. It wasn't what I would call a relaxing holiday where I found myself basking in the sun or reading all day (although there were lovely moments of reading throughout the week). The days were jammed full with re-connecting with people, late night Rock Band parties, volleyball games, breakfasts, dinners, play dates at the park, etc. Like I said, it was a busy week, but it was such a good week - a week that was oh so good for my soul.

Perusing Ikea with Brad and Carla - unfortunately that lovely picture they are holding was promptly returned after it did not fit in the car. Humorous and annoyance all at once.

I did spend a good chunk of time at Starbucks while people worked and were in classes. I had some beautiful moments reading and journalling.

Something about seeing the beauty of these mountains gets me every time.

Due to a ridiculous amount of gift cards for restaurants we all received over the holidays, we decided to indulge in a night of food. Think of it as kind of like a pub crawl, minus the pub.

First up was belinis and dinner at Milestones

Followed by belinis and appetizers at Cactus Club.

Nothing beats a Cactus Club belini.

There were also many a nights and days where we filled up our time playing Rock Band. What can I say, some of us were just born to rock :)

But the primary purpose of my visit were these wonderful people:

Otto and Marjorie are currently on their Ministry In North America (MINA) and as such, they needed to head over to the Abbotsford head office for some meetings. Seeing as a good chunk of our team currently resides in Abbotsford, Aleah and I decided to make the trek out to re-connect. We hung together over breakfast, enjoyed hearing their report on Portugal at MB Mission and spent an evening at the Mark Centre just chatting. My left BC full.

Hearing one of Otto's sermons. They have been missed.

Ringing in the New Year.

2012-01-02T19:13:00.001-06:00

New Year's Eve was the perfect mix of activity and low key. I got together with a few friends to do some skating at the Assiniboine Park Duck Pond (I forgot how much fun skating can be) and then headed over to Darren & Pam's for some delicious food, good wine and fun games. The countdown to New Years was a little anti-climatic as we momentarily paused our game to wish each other a happy new year. The evening in its entirety was absolutely perfect.

beautiful ladies

As I set the timer on my camera and hurried to get into the photo, I didn't quite make it. Going down stairs on skates and posing for a picture in 10 seconds is easier said than done :)

success.

Thanks.
55. 4 minute drives to work
56. Santa costumes for cats.
57. Immanuel, God with us!
58. Surprise coffee deliveries on my first day of work.
59. Technology that works when you need it to.
60. snail mail surprises.
61. cozy wool sweaters on cold winter days
62. a work environment where you start off the day with reading scripture together.
63. medication that takes the edge off the pain of a throbbing headache.
64. jobs that allow me day time at home by myself.
65. worshipping on the floor.
66. falling snow.
67. plug in heaters that warm up a cold basement bedroom.
68. gift exchanges.
69. magazines that show up in the mailbox that provide me with a few moments of relaxation.
70. unexpected gift cards
71. work welcome parties accompanied with delicious, savory food - just my style.
72. re-connections with extended family.
73. sushi with cousins.
74. slushy weather that leaves your car disgustingly dirty because that means the weather is not frigidly cold.
75. days of true rest, even if it's because of a stomach flu.
76. skating under christmas lights on a pond all lit up.
77. delicious potluck spreads.
78. laughing so hard your jaw hurts by the end of the evening.
79. portzelky and hot apple cider.
80. shopping dates with my mom and sister.
81. clean rooms.
82. the anticipation of upcoming travelling adventures and the chance to return to Portugal.
83. for the ability to feast in the joy and grace of Christ a midst the darkness and the unexpected.
84. feasting at the table of the Lord in the shadow of the cross.
85. new and cozy scarves.
86. fur-lined hoods that keep you toasty warm when the wind howls and the cold bites.

Happy New Year!

So Long 2011

2012-01-01T20:39:00.001-06:00

2011 was a pretty awesome year. It held its challenges, tears, surprises and awesomeness. Here are some of my highlights from each month:

January:

I rang in the New Year in downtown Lisbon, which was memorable to say the least. It was by far the best fireworks I have ever seen!

I spent a January day on a Portugal beach, celebrating Heidi's birthday.

February:

I Experienced what is like for my heart to truly break for a country.

March:

We had our mid-term retreat in Vila Nova Milfontes.

I enjoyed my first European soccer game

April:

I enjoyed 30 degree weather in April.

May:

I crammed last minute sites in before leaving Portugal

I learned what obedience to the Lord looks like in my life.

June:

I had the opportunity to experience true Fado music.

I said goodbye to Portugal, which was definitely bittersweet, but the highlight is that it was one of the most profound and life changing experiences of my life.

There was re-connecting with fellow Trekkers in Abbotsford for debrief.

July:

Derek and Courtney got married!

I had surgery on my wrist

August:

I did the yearly Rainbow Stage thing with the girls in my family. This year was Hairspray!

There was a shopping trip to Minneapolis

September:

I started work at the clinic again. Reconnecting with the Fixed crew is always a good time.

October:

I turned 27 this year. Late twenties, here I come!

I experienced the awesomeness that is Laser Tag.

I was acquainted with Ann Voskamp and her book, "A Thousand Gifts".

November:

I got a new job working with MB Mission. I get paid to get people excited and passionate about missions and what God is doing across the globe! Talk about life giving!
I got to road trip to Calgary to meet up with my TREK girls.

December:

I had the amazing opportunity to take part in the MB Mission Staff Summit.
I Surprised Carla and Heidi in Abbotsford.

And those are a few of the highlights of 2011 in a nutshell. I have high hopes for 2012. I have a hunch this next year is going to bring amazing new adventures, exciting challenges and growing pains that will be both hard and rich experiences. Welcome 2012!

Cheers!

Christmas 2011

2011-12-27T22:50:00.004-06:00

Christmas came and went in what seems like a blink of the eye and yet Christmas turned out to be different than I was expecting this year. Different is not good, it's not bad. It's just different. We got the Christmas ball rolling Friday evening with an extended Friesen gathering. It was loud, a tad chaotic but it was an evening of catching up with cousins and holding brand new babies.
Christmas Eve consisted of the traditional Chinese food with the parents, although this year we added some cousins, aunts, uncles and grandmas into the mix. We enjoyed another great Christmas Eve church service at St Benedicts Table where we were challenged to feast in the life of Christ a midst the uncertainty and darkness in our lives. We then returned home to games and yet again, more food.
Christmas morning as an immediate family was short and sweet due to the juggling of in-laws and new family traditions. Kinks are still being worked out for next year, but regardless, it was good to enjoy a fabulous breakfast together before heading off to other family engagements.

A giant crossword and coffee sitting by the Christmas tree is a pretty fantastic way to spend early Christmas morning!

even Kitty got dressed up for the festivities.

I got my cappuccino machine :) Now I get to experiment!

The traditional Christmas family photo, in all our morning glory :)

And that is kind of where Christmas came to a halt for me. Christmas Day afternoon the plague of the flu hit me like a ton of bricks. I was down for the count and I have remained that way until the afternoon today. Despite the achy body, gastro mal functions (sorry too much info :), I can say that I am officially well rested.

So there ya have it. Christmas 2011 in a nutshell. As we enter a new year, I will choose to feast in the unexpected - to feast in the celebratory moments of life - to feast in the moments where things don't go right - to feast because God has lavished his love upon me so that I may live in the shadow of his grace all because of a baby that was born thousands of years ago in the darkness, in the unexpected.

Advent

2011-12-18T16:38:00.001-06:00

I've been doing a lot of thinking in regards to advent this year. I wanted to prepare my heart for the birth of Christ in a meaningful way, but my thoughts seemed to be more scattered and jumbled than I would have liked. And as such, this post will reflect my frame of mind as well. That being said, I found myself on Friday afternoon, alone in the house with some quiet time for myself, so I naturally decided to pour myself into pages of Ann Voskamp's book. I'm taking my time with this read. I want to soak up and really spend time thinking about the words she writes. I'm loving her thoughts on joy and humility.

"Awe ignites joy because it makes us bend the knee and I remember a night chasing moon and we are deepest happiness in the posture of grateful worship. Because the God-likeness within our smallness speaks to the Father God in His magnificence."

I don't spend enough time in the posture of worship - physically bending my knees, opening up arms and hands to receive all that He has to give, and gazing into the face of the God I love. Last week, when I was in Abbotsford, I had the opportunity to experience that unspeakable, indescribable joy and it made me realize how much I have craved that kind of worship these past months. I need to find ways in which there can be more space in my life to allow this worship and connectedness with God to continue. On Friday, as I spent some time in silence before the Lord, I heard Him say, "Just go. Go worship. Now." I listened. I turned on the music and allowed the Spirit to move me. There in my living room, I created space to literally fall on my knees and sing. I had goosebumps on my arms and that spine shivering feeling as the Spirit moved. It was a beautiful and spontaneous moment. As I continue to prepare my heart for the birth of Christ, I hope I can carry this posture of worship as I approach the manger, just as the wise men and shepherds did.

My second thought surrounding advent, draws me into the story of Mary. She intrigues me. When the Angel of the Lord informs her that she will give birth to the Son of God, her whole world gets shaken up. Her plans, her future - it all changes in the blink of an eye. She would be talked about behind people's and probably ostracized in most of the social networks she was a part of. I wonder what would have happened if she would have said "no" to it all? Would God have listened? I am awestruck at the faithfulness of Mary - her obedience. Mary, instead of freaking out and going her own way, falls on her knees, perhaps out of complete terror, but nonetheless, she adopts the posture of worship. She humbly lays down her plans for God's will and she opens herself up to the graces of God and His incredible plan for her life. She first worships the Lord and then secondly ponders these things in her heart. I can't say I would have responded in that order myself.

"In Mary's humility, her willingness to die to her expectations and plans, God exalts her. In her submissiveness to His will, He fills her emptiness with fullness of Himself."

What a beautiful picture of how God works. In Mary's case, He literally filled her body with the holiness of Christ for 9 whole months. How will Mary's attitude of worship and humility show itself in my life? I want to continue to ponder these things in my own heart.

"Fullness of joy is discovered only in the emptying of will. And I can empty. I can empty because counting His grace has awakened me to know how he cherishes me, holds me, passionately values me. I can empty because I am full of his love. I can trust."

So I will continue to count the graces of God in my life and pray that as I empty myself of me, that God might fill me with more of Him. And as I am filled with more of God, I pray that my heart would ponder His goodness and love for me in my heart.

I am thankful for...
41. wool socks.
42. christmas shopping and having the finances to show family and friends how much they are loved.
43. free lattes.
44. gradual healing in relationships.
45. children's christmas programs.
46. child-like faith.
47. thank-you's relayed over video.
48. celebrating grandma's birthday - a remarkable woman in my life.
49. the smell of fresh, clean laundry.
50. the sound of a snoring cat sleeping beside me.
51. christmas movies on tv.
52. cars that heat up quickly.
53. uncrowded shopping malls.
54. finally finishing my christmas shopping and keeping it extremely stress free.

The Best Surprise Ever.

2011-12-08T10:05:00.001-06:00

I got a new job. I'm working part time with MB Mission here in Winnipeg. I'm pretty pumped about it. This job allows me to travel from time to time, and as such, I had the opportunity to attend the all staff leadership summit in Abbotsford this week (well, we actually stayed at a retreat centre just across the border, but close enough). The time getting to know the staff better and take part in sessions about missions and leadership was life giving. I left Sunday morning, had an intense 3 days and last night arrived back in Winnipeg. Talk about a whirlwind.

Because the job is new and I knew I was going to be going to Abbotsford, I decided not to tell a few people who are currently residing in Abbotsford. I thought it might be more fun to just show up at their doors on Tuesday night instead. And it was. I got to pull Rachael into my scheme, and I am so glad I did. She organized an entire evening of awesomeness with some of my most favorite people.

First off, we surprised Heidi. She screamed for a solid 5 min. It was awesome.

Rachael, Heidi and I enjoyed dinner at Milestones and enjoyed some of the best belinis around for old time's sake.

Next up, we headed over to Joanne's for some yummy snacks and to hang out with Joanne and her kids and Corina (I completely forgot to take pictures of this part of the night).

Last on the list was surprising Carla. It took her a few seconds to realize I was standing in her doorway, but once she realized, excitement set in and I ended up getting hit in the face (totally by accident of course :) There was also a lot of screaming going on.

For the remainder of the evening, we hit up Starbucks and hung out at CBC in the rec lounge. It was perfect, albeit too short.

At the end of the night, goodbye's were said and as I got on the plane, back to Winnipeg, the next day, it felt completely surreal that I had just spent an evening with some of my favorite people.

I am thankful for:

21. people watching in airports.

22. morning flights that are accompanied by lots of coffee. Thank you Starbucks!

23. Laughter with co-workers.

24. new relationships that are formed among team members.

25. re-uniting with old friends

26. listening to Christmas carols being sung in worship and in four part harmonies.

27. Alone time. A room to myself at the retreat centre where I have moments to rest and refuel.

28. stories of new life and the work God is doing all over the world all because a baby was born at Christmas time.

29. Welcome packages that are filled with yummy little goodies that remind you that you are thought of and loved.

30. Afternoon walks in Abbotsford on a clear day so that Mt. Baker can be fully gazed upon as you walk.

31. Complete strangers who invite you over and make you feel as though you have been around forever.

32. Experimenting  with the making of eggnog lattes and then enjoying their goodness.

33. worship that brings goosebumps that shiver down my arms and legs

34. Invitations to learn 

35. doors that have been opened in ways that I never expected them to open.

36. screamed excitement over surprises

37. laughter and meaningful conversation that is experienced with friends.

38. technology - goodbyes are never really goodbyes.

39. conversations in bed with a friend that cause you to stay up WAY too late.

40. the familiarity of returning home to the comforts of my own bed.

Blessed.

2011-12-03T22:56:00.001-06:00

1. A house that is quiet, where solitude is truly enjoyed.
2. Christmas trees that are all decorated and lit up.
3. Sipping the perfect cup of coffee by the Christmas tree.
4. Sleeping animals curled up next to me on the couch.
5. Delicious Christmas baking.
6. New jobs.
7. Warm blankets to snuggle under when the wind is blowing and it's cold outside.
8. Transformation.
9. Distant friends who, with time, become less distant.
10. Evening walks with the dog where all that is heard is the crunching of the snow beneath my boots.
11. Radio stations that actually play Christmas songs.
12. Cafe mistos that can be made from home instead of paying $3.00 at Starbucks, but taste just as good.
13. Finances that make ends meet each month.
14. Christmas brunches with yummy food and good conversation.
15. Hearing an incredible woman speak about what it looks like to truly forgive and to notice the fingerprints of God through tragedy.
16. Spending time learning from my Grandma.
17. Pizza suppers that just hit the spot after a long day.
18. Spontaneous skype dates with friends from afar that fill you with joy and that make the distance seem not so bad and a lot less lonely.
19.Listening to the joy and the laughter of little children during POD class.
20. Crossword puzzles and naps on a Saturday afternoon.

Pondering Thanksgiving

2011-12-01T11:52:00.001-06:00

A friend of mine recently invited me to read a book by Ann Voskamp entitled, "One Thousand Gifts". For the last week I have been pouring my time into reading this book, and as I read, I find myself in a constant state of agreement, whispering the word "Amen!" at the end of every sentence. I am being challenged to incorporate a life full of more gratitude. I truly want to be able to give thanks in all circumstances, to echo the words of Job and say,

"The Lord gave, and the Lord takes away;

Blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job 1:21)

What would my life look like if I adopted this attitude - this mantra for myself? Can one not agree that this would be a pretty incredible way to live? The author of the book would be the first to admit that this is easier said than done. There are days when gratitude and thankfulness seem like the most unnatural response, but learning to give thanks, to live out this idea of Eucharisteo - deep joy found at the table of Thanksgiving - takes great discipline.

"Daily discipline is the door to full freedom, and the discipline to count to one thousand gave way to the freedom of wonder and I can't imagine not staying awake to God in the moment, the joy in the now."

It's interesting timing that this book is speaking to me as the advent season begins. I don't believe that this is at all a coincidence. In a season where materialism and consumerism run rampant and where the true meaning of Christmas is lost on so many people, I feel as though this is the perfect time to practice the discipline of thankfulness. To truly live out this discipline of Eucharisteo is the" "hard discipline to lean into the ugly and whisper thanks to transfigure it into beauty. The hard discipline to give thanks, for all things at all times because He is all good. The hard discipline to number the griefs as grace because as the surgeon would cut open my son's finger to heal him, so God chooses to cut into my ungrateful heart to make me whole".

After all, is that not what Christmas is all about? God sending his one and only son into the world to overcome the ugliness that has consumed this earth and ourselves and to make us whole. Through the birth of Christ, the world transfigures into new life.

So this advent and Christmas season I am taking on the author's challenge to make a list of one thousand gifts - graces if you will - that I am thankful for. I am not sure how long creating this list will take me (my hunch is that this might be a many month long process), but disciplines take time and I want to be sure that I am taking the time to really learn what being thankful in all things means and looks like. As I embark on this journey, it is my desire for my life to be transfigured. I want to experience what it is like to live full of joy in the moment, to have my eyes awakened to the grace and mercies that God has lavished upon my life.

Day 1 of my Thankfulness Project starts today. Oh Lord awake my soul so that I may sing of your graces!

Deck the Halls

2011-11-29T20:40:00.001-06:00

I haven't exactly decked the halls, but I have decked out the home in Christmas attire and if I do say so myself, it's lovely. There are few things that make me happier than Christmas preparations. For the past couple of weeks, I have been baking up a storm. Between 5 different kinds of goodies, I probably have close to 500 in total. Between my mom's baking and mine, the house has not only looked fabulous, it has also smelled divine!

Last weekend marked first advent, and as such, the trees go up and the decorations come out! There is something so happy about unwrapping ornaments that have been tucked away for the past 11 months (actually 23 months for me this year) and reminiscing. My favorite moment of the day has been the mornings when I enjoy my perfect cup of coffee in the living room around the glow of the Christmas Tree lights. Perfection!

The upstairs tree

The downstairs tree

This year for advent I am spending time contemplating gratitude and figuring out what that has looked like in my life and how I want that to look in my life in the years to come. More to come on that another day though :) How are you choosing to focus your thoughts this advent?

Road Trip Part 2

2011-11-17T12:25:00.001-06:00

In order to cut back on some costs, my aunt and uncle who live just outside of Calgary, graciously allowed us 4 girls to take over their basement for 3 days. Our agenda and schedule were laid back - the primary purpose of this trip was to reconnect and to just enjoy each other's company.

Friday morning we awoke to a gorgeous November day. We took advantage of the weather and spent some time outside with the horses (my aunt and uncle happen to live on a ranch). The 4 of us are city girls at heart, although we did determine that if we had to live out in the country, on a farm, we could do it, but it wouldn't be our first choice. It was an awesome day though - lots of laughter was had.

My aunt asked if we could help tarp the hay - not entirely sure what that involved, but we did it. We referred to it as "chorin" (to be said with a twangy midwest accent... right Heidi :) We tarped that hay though and we were mighty proud of our work!

Heading out to see the horses.

Oh how I had missed this lady!

this lady too!

Just acting natural around nature :)

Gotta brush the horses before you saddle up!

Heading out to ride...apparently I thought I was riding a bull or something. We'll blame the country air :)

Heidi...the natural.

ooops.

my cousin Brittany to the rescue

Giddy up Aleah!

Rachael...so lady-like

Getting the hang of it...sort of.

After a morning of horseback riding, we were in desperate need of Starbucks goodness and a girls coffee time. How I love these girls!

Amen!

The weekend was full of much laughter, lots of junk food, good movies and good conversation. I can't wait until Christmas when I get to see these ladies again in Abbotsford. After weeks of anticipating this reunion, it came and went far too quickly. Before we knew it, 7am Sunday morning came and the 4 of us were on the road again, going our separate directions.

As I drove I wondered if this weekend really happened. It felt too good to be true. I am continually reminded how blessed I am to have these ladies in my life and that I got to experience the adventure of a lifetime in Portugal with them - something one can never forget. Thank you ladies for a delightful weekend.

Road Trip Part 1

2011-11-16T10:00:00.001-06:00

It started out as a crazy idea we had back in September. After a few obstacles and juggling work schedules, class schedules and needing to find a car, it all worked out and the four of were reunited again! The plan was to meet half way between Abbotsford and Winnipeg, which happened to be Calgary for the November long weekend.

Thursday morning, at promptly 5am, Aleah and I left Winnipeg with music playing, books on cd on stand-by and strong coffee in hand. After a brief stop for gas and a refill of the worst coffee I have ever had in my entire life (Thank you A&W for that rude awakening), in Brandon, we were on the road again.


Manitoba

Saskatchewan

Between Swift Current and Medicine Hat, we had an unexpected delay as I noticed an RCMP vehicle in my rear view mirror. I looked at my speedometer and I was not speeding, so I wondered why he was close on my tail. After what seemed like the longest few minutes, he finally turned on his lights and pulled me over. Apparently my license plate was not coming up as being registered or something (I still have no idea what that means), but after taking my license and registration, all was good and we were on our way again.

Enjoying a much needed Starbucks refill in Medicine Hat - a nice surprise when we pulled in to fill up with gas.

Medicine Hat is also home to the World's largest Teepee. Who knew??

As the evening came, we were close to arriving at our destination: Kathryn Alberta (just outside of Calgary). It was a long day of driving, but so worth it when we got to see 2 lovely faces we had not seen in 4 1/2 months later on that night.

Thoughts over coffee

2011-11-07T16:13:00.000-06:00

I woke up this morning not only to my clients cancelling their appointments for today, but also to a winter wonderland of sorts and it made me all giddy inside as I realized that it has been 2 years since I have seen snow and we are entering a wonderful season, as Christmas and Advent are literally just around the corner. I felt as though I needed to do something to celebrate snow, so I dug out my winter parka, the boots, etc and tromped through the slushy, snow-covered streets to Starbucks, dog in tow.

I don't know what it is about this weather, but I have been consuming hot beverages right from the get go and I have spent a good chunk of the day thinking and pouring into scripture.

For about a month now, my heart has felt anxious and a little antsy as I continue to figure out what my life is supposed to be and where and what God is calling me to. It's a big question and I have to admit that for the last little while, I have been impatient and perhaps even dissatisfied at the lack of direction and response from God on this matter.

I was reminded recently of the story of Elijah on Mount Carmel. If you are unfamiliar with the story, check it out in 1 Kings 18. Elijah summons Ahab to the mountain, along with the prophets of Baal. All day, Baal's prophets call upon his name, begging and pleading for Baal to reveal himself to be the one true god and yet they receive nothing. In verse 36, when Elijah's turn to call upon God comes, Elijah cries out, "Come Lord, Come, Answer me." In response to Elijah's cry, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the fire of the Lord appears and he reveals himself to all on that mountain top.

I think this story is an incredibly beautiful picture of God's promise that he will answer our cries. He comes down to us and reveals himself in ways our hearts and minds can never imagine. I am blown away by his faithfulness to his people!

As I have spent time crying out to God for direction these past few weeks, I have chosen to cling to this story - to soak in its truth and to let it transform me into a better disciple of Christ. As a result, my heart is in a greater place of peace. I am once again nudged to lay down my plans, my timing, my dreams and instead, sit and listen for God in this particular season of waiting. I know that God has incredible things laid out for my life and when the timing is right - when my heart is ready to experience all that God has for me in those plans, He will respond. He will answer my cries and reveal more of himself to me.

"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's Glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."
~ 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

At this moment in my life, being obedient requires me to sit in the waiting and to do it joyfully and the Lord promises His Spirit to me and that He will indeed continue to transform me more to reflect his likeness. My prayer is that as I wait upon the Lord, that my eyes would be unveiled and that my heart would be opened to experience the fullness of the Living God.

If the tranquility of my heart is at all related to the blanket of snow sitting outside, then I say, bring on the snow, because this is truly a wonderful place to be (although if snow remains into April or May, my outlook on snow may possibly change :).

One More Year

2011-10-26T23:23:00.001-06:00

I'm another year older, perhaps another year wiser (the jury is still out on that). Over the past few days, I wasn't entirely sure what to make of this year's birthday. The usual build up of anticipation about a day completely and 100% devoted to me was not what it once was, but rather the the feeling of "just another day". I wasn't sure what to make of these feelings - I'm usually the type to celebrate birthday eve's and birthday boxing days - yes I believe in dragging out your birthday and milking it for all its worth!

As I went about my day, I was overwhelmed with the birthday greeting messages and the gentle reminders of the people in my life who truly care for me - messages I clearly needed to be reminded of today. Among all the thoughtful greetings, I was given a challenge by the lovely Rachael - to do 27 awesome things that I love and that bring me joy - one for every year of life. Well, I must admit that I failed miserably. 27 things is a lot of things to do in a day when you don't really have a lot planned - Sorry Rach! Here is what I did come up with though:

Enjoyed a lovely breakfast with my work girls, Jessica & Jill at The Don.
Enjoyed a late morning coffee with a friend.
Indulged in my first venti, extra hot, half sweet, white peppermint mocha - using my free Starbucks birthday drink coupon as an added bonus.
I read too many birthday wishes to count. Thank you!
Crossword puzzles.
Enjoyed a good day of TV: Sarah's House, Criminal Minds, Pregnant in Heels, Modern Family & Gilmore Girls (Wednesdays make for awesome TV nights).
Went for an afternoon walk with the dog - albeit too short though.
Worked
Fielded a gazillion - yes that is the exact number - of phone calls at work because of a promo we are currently running.
Came home to my favorite pizza from Santa Lucia - Feta & Tomato
Took a much too short cat nap
Enjoyed a visit from my Grandma as she stopped by to drop off a card and gift for me.
Carved a pumpkin.
Was delighted over an unexpected message from a friend who I have missed terribly.

So, as you can see, I came nowhere close to reaching my goal of 27, but I think these 14 things make for a pretty great day to ring in a new year of life!

I'm anxious and excited to see how this upcoming year unfolds and what it holds for me. I hope that this year continues to teach me about obedience and about true joy in the Lord, no matter where He leads me and the adventures he will continue to take me on. It is my desire that God would continue to transform me into the woman he created me to be 27 years ago and that my life would bring honor and glory to His name.

So here's to a new year!

Cheers!

The Fam Jam

2011-10-21T21:30:00.004-06:00

After about 16 years in the making, our family finally had family pictures taken (other than at a wedding). To say that an update was in order would be an understatement to say the least. We booked our photo session with Leanne Olfert on what ended up being the coldest day of fall yet. Thankfully we turned out to be an efficient group and weren't out in the cold for too long! Here is a little sneak peak:

Dominika & Kevin

The mom and dad

Can you say Christmas card?????

Derek & Courtney

Girls!

Boys!

Fire Side Goodness

2011-10-12T11:47:00.000-06:00

Nothing beats sitting around a fire on crisp fall evenings and celebrating birthdays. Here's hoping there are a few more evenings like this to be had before the snow falls.

The Birthday Girl

Thankfulness

2011-10-10T12:23:00.000-06:00

I have had a weekend full of family festivities, everything from birthday parties to extended family gatherings - all reminding me of how thankful I am for the life I have and the people who fill it. There is no denying that I have so much to be thankful for. Today, this is what I am giving thanks for.

Family. I love my family and all tgheir quirky, unique, loving and beautiful characters. I probably have the best sisters in the world. Seriously.
New Beginnings. Since coming home this summer, my life has turned out to be very different from when I left - some hard things, but I am blown away by the joy of newness and uncertainty.
Friends. My life is full of interesting characters all over the world that I am blessed to call friends.
Work. I am lucky to have a job that I LOVE going to. Waking up each morning, knowing that I get to go to work and be with amazing co-workers and clients truly brings me joy.
TREK. I continue to ponder all the things I learned this last year on TREK and reminisce about the things I got to experience and the adventures I had.
Church. I am a part of a stellar church community - a truly lovely bunch of people.
Fall. We have been blessed with amazing October weather, which has grown my love for autumn exponentially.
God. I am thankful for a God who provides, a God who loves me unconditionally and who pursues me relentlessly.
Health. Yes I have had my share of frustrations and it is true I have a love/hate relationship with my head, but in the big picture, I have so little to complain about.
Passions. I am lucky to be able to pursue so many passions in my life, everything from work goals, to being able to play volleyball, to using my gifts for Kingdom work. My heart is indeed nourished and challenged.

"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

Worship the LORD with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the LORD is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations."

~Psalm 100

Another one crossed off the list

2011-10-04T17:35:00.002-06:00

I finally finished another project this weekend - one that took me a little longer to complete than I had thought it might. Not because there was any difficulty, but just due to time (or lack thereof).

I have been looking for a night stand for beside my bed all summer, but nothing really caught my eye or my extremely minimal budget. Then, a couple of weeks ago, driving home from work one Friday afternoon, I decided to pop into a few garage sales. The first one I hit up, I found this nightstand for the low, low price of $4. It needed a little sprucing up and there was only 1 (I was hoping to find a set), but for the price, I couldn't resist.

After a good sanding, a few coats of Behr's Pure White paint and some new hardware, I ended up with this and I am loving it.

The lighting in my room is not great unfortunately.

It was so good to get rid of the wooden crate that sat beside my bed for so long. I feel much more grown up now :) Here is the cost breakdown:

Nightstand = $4 (garage sale)

Behr paint = $0 (already owned)

Hardware = $1 (from the Habitat for Humanity Refit Store)

Grand Total: $5

Now that's a price I can live with!

A Weekend Recap

2011-09-26T12:16:00.000-06:00

Between birthday celebrations, gorgeous weather which meant long afternoon walks, youth, church, and breakfast dates, the weekend flew right by.

Friday, the family came over for dinner to celebrate Derek's birthday. Between us kids and 3 animals, it was a loud and busy evening. Can you just imagine what it's going to be like when there are kids added to the mix one day???? Crazy!

The birthday boy!

Sunday morning at about 6am, I got a lovely text message from my sister-in-law, Dominika, suggesting that we go for breakfast at Cora's later that morning. Even though I was woken up from a most enjoyable sleep, I will never turn down a breakfast at Cora's. The company was pretty great too!

For the first time in years, I ventured away from my usual "April '89" meal to the "1990's Harvest". It was worth the switch!

To end of a perfect weekend, Aleah and I got together to skype with Rachael and Heidi in Abbotsford all while enjoying Portuguese wine together. The only thing that was missing was our balcony in Portugal!
I am sooooo thankful I was blessed with these 3 lovely women on my TREK team last year and I continue to be reminded of that. Two and a half hours of solid conversation passed us by far too quickly. Ladies, hopefully we can make the Remembrance Day weekend work for a road trip. Oh how great that would be!

Chalkboard Fun

2011-09-23T14:44:00.000-06:00

This summer I found a fun picture frame at a garage sale, but upon buying it, taking it home and needing to get glass cut to and trying to find the right picture to go in it, I decided I didn't like it as a picture frame. It needed another use. I've always wanted to work with chalkboard paint, so I figured, hey, I can turn this completely useless picture frame into a completely functional chalkboard. So here's how it turned out:

frame: $0.50 - garage sale

white acrylic paint for frame: $0 (already owned)

wood board to go inside frame: $0 (found a scrap piece in the garage)

chalkboard spray paint: $7 (Rona)

Total Cost: $7.50

Pretty awesome deal if you ask me!

PSL Goodness

2011-09-19T12:41:00.000-06:00

These little cupcakes seem to be all the rage on Pinterest, so I figured, I should probably try them out. Especially since PSL's are a pretty big love of mine. Here is the recipe I used:

http://annies-eats.net/2011/09/06/pumpkin-spice-latte-cupcakes/

Instead of using just a heavy cream like the recipe called for, I decided to amp it up with whipping cream with a splash of white vanilla.

The nice thing about these little treats is that they taste amazing just on their own, sans icing. I chose not to ice all of my cupcakes, just in case I felt like being a little more healthier :)

They taste just as incredible as they look. I would definitely recommend trying these out. I can guarantee you that these are now going to be a fall staple around this house, that's for sure.

My house is now filled with the aroma of pumpkin and coffee. Fall is here and it is oh so good.

My Little Piece of Heaven

2011-09-18T11:14:00.000-06:00

It's hard to believe that a summer has passed by and I did not venture out to the cottage at all. Let me just say, that was not by choice. One of my favorite places on earth is still currently under high water levels and it makes me very sad to think that this is the place I grew up spending my summers. It still seems somewhat surreal to think that this is our cottage reality. But as I watch the news and hear of others whose homes are completely destroyed in the area, I am thankful that I still have a roof over my head and I am not being put up in a downtown hotel. However, it still is sad.

My dad has been going out to the cottage on a semi regular basis to check things out and move more personal belongings back to the city. It's hard to say when we might be able to start rebuilding as we have to wait for the water to go down quite a bit more. I'm hoping that next summer we might be able to spend at least a little bit of time there, even if it does involve doing a ton of clean-up.

Our poor deck.

our new view off the deck.

ugh. lots of clean up ahead

The main road to the cottage

The waves can get pretty intense on windy days

As far as our actual cabin goes, it is still fine and dry inside. Thankfully our deck, in it's damaged state is protecting the cabin from the waves. However, we still don't know if there is structural damage that needs to be repaired - something we mostly likely will find out later this fall when the water recedes.

Feeling Settled

2011-09-11T09:46:00.000-06:00

After 2 months of being home and trying to establish a new kind of normal, I am happy to say that it feels like it's almost there, and it only took a few days of work to make it feel that way. Summer was great - we had record high temperatures and many of them, but for those who know me, know that my head does not do well in extreme heat or with humidity, so I stayed indoors for a good chunk of those so called fabulous days. I won't complain though because our summer truly was fabulous.

As of September 1st I started back at work, which felt GREAT! For the first time since being back home I felt like I had purpose in my day. I am a girl who enjoys her routines and schedules and so it is good to have that back in my life. I realize that I will probably never have 2 months off again in my life, so I tried to enjoy the time and space to find my feet again. But being back at work is wonderful. I love my job and I love my co-workers and I love my clients. It's been a good week and a half of reconnecting with people. I am still taking it quite slow with work - I am only seeing 1-2 clients a day in order to make sure my wrist does not over do it. My wrist is feeling good. No pain, just some tiredness at the end of my massages, but that is probably do to the fact that I have not used these muscles for a year. So until I have the go ahead to increase from my surgeon, I am taking it slow and one day at a time - not a bad way to get into things either :)

September brings a myriad of goodness with it. Not only is it the beginning of my favorite and the best season ever...FALL, but it brings new beginnings like work, volleyball and youth and delicious drinks like pumpkin spice lattes (which I have been privileged to indulge in twice already). I am ready for crisp fall days where when you walk, the leaves crunch beneath your feet, I am ready for jeans and awesome boots, sweaters, scarves and beautiful fall coats. I get all giddy just thinking about it! I say bring it on!!! I am entering this new season with contentment and much peace and that feels soooo good.

Now, time to fill up my coffee cup and do some crosswords and enjoy a lazy Sunday.

A Rainy Afternoon

2011-09-04T10:16:00.000-06:00

A rainy and cool weekend is a perfect time to make some of this heavenly goodness.

Add in a cup of Portuguese coffee and a crossword and you have perfection!

Summer Projects

2011-08-27T18:56:00.000-06:00

This summer I have taken it upon myself to start and complete a few home decor projects. For those of you who know me, know that I am not the most artsy fartsy person around. However, I do enjoy redecorating and redesigning. So, this summer, I made an effort to turn over a new leaf and try my hand at a few home DIY projects.

Project number 1 of the summer was my dresser. I found this gem at a garage sale a few years back for a whopping $5. I loved the detail of the dresser and the mirror, but it lacked some TLC and needed some revamping. Finally, years later, I fixed up the dresser and I love it.

Before:

After:

It's amazing what a can of paint and new hardware can do to a piece of furniture. As a humorous little side, I will mention that I accidentally grabbed the can of primer paint and proceeded to paint the first 3 coats of the dresser with it. Some family members may have poked fun at me, but after some re-sanding and checking twice that I grabbed the white paint the next time, I ended up with a pretty awesome dresser. Sometimes you need to learn your lessons the hard way :)

Second project of the summer was redoing the basement bedroom, where I am currently residing. My brother had it before I did and because he is a guy who could care less that his room was painted poo brown, he did nothing to change it. I however, could not stand the colour on the walls and so a face lift was needed. Over the course of a weekend, the room transformed itself drastically. I am in love with the colours on the wall and after a trip to Ikea and Home Sense for some decor items, I ended up with this:

One of my favorite finds at Anthropology

Unfortunately I was not on the ball and completely forgot to take the before pictures. But just picture this, 4 walls, completely covered with poo colour brown. Gross.

My last project of the summer was recovering 2 chairs. The first chair I picked up at MCC for the low low price of $2 and the second chair I found at a garage sale for only $3. Score! I had a vision for each of the chairs as soon as I laid my eyes on them. After a stop at Joann's fabrics in Grand Forks, I found some phenomenal fabrics (which also happened to be on sale). Because I knew essentially nothing about recovering chairs, I watched a few tutorials on YouTube - some helpful and others not so much. I needed to find a way of recovering the chairs that did not involve any sewing as I know next to nothing about working a sewing machine. After only a few hours, I ended up with these beauties:

Again, due to my forgetfulness, I failed to take any before pictures. The first chair has some definite room for improvement (I am technically not quite finished this chair as I need the assistance of my Grandma to finish the corners of the seat - it turns out you can't staple gun fabric to metal, so I need to figure out another way to attach these corners), but I was very happy with how the second chair turned out. Go me.

I am hoping this is just the beginning to many projects yet to come!

A Glimpse into August

2011-08-22T10:06:00.000-06:00

August appears to be flying right by and it is now only a few short weeks until we enter the most beautiful season of all - my favorite - FALL! I'm done with the shorts and the flip flops and I am ready for the boots, the jeans, the scarves and the cozy sweaters. Ahhh, it makes me giddy just thinking of it all.

But first, back to August. At the beginning of August we celebrated mom's birthday - low key style - just the way she likes it. Dominika and I were in charge of the food, so we whipped up some of our awesome burgers with all the toppings: orange & yellow peppers, sauteed mushrooms and onions, etc. They were delicious!

No kitchen experience with Dominika and I is complete without a little mess and a lot of laughter! This was no exception.

I believe I am laughing so hard at the atrocious "Happy Birthday" singing coming from the dining room table. Our family will never be in a choir of any kind :)

Happy Birthday to a pretty awesome lady.


Cupcakes courtesy of my friend Lavonne at www.barelyburntcookies.blogspot.com

August always holds the Tielmann family ladies tradition of attending Rainbow Stage, and this year was no exception. We start the evening off at one of our favorite restaurants: Kelekis, followed by coffee and of course, topped off with a show. This year "Hairspray" was playing and it was PHENOMENAL!

Courtney and I enjoying our once a year milkshakes. Yum!

Courtney, Myself and Lesley

Auntie Annie, Grandma and mom

Seeing as I have been gone for the past year, my parents thought a family trip to Minneapolis for a few days would be a good way to spend time together, seeing as we are unable to be at the cottage this summer. What started out as a family holiday ended up turning into a trip to Minneapolis with me and just the parents. I'm learning this summer what being an only child feels like. There are definitely some perks, but I must say, I miss the siblings.

Despite the lack of brothers and sisters, mom and I did some of what we do best...Shop! And dad was a trooper, carrying all of our bags. We were extremely successful in our deal finding and it was just nice to have a change in scenery.

While in Minneapolis, shopping at stores such as IKEA and Anthropologie, I got some design inspiration for home.


Some spectacular bedding from Anthropologie

A phenomenal mirror, also from Anthropologie

furniture and accessories from IKEA

So that has been August thus far. Add in there numerous coffee dates with lovely people, quiet time at home with my journal and bible and time spent outside enjoying the unbelievable summer we are having, and you have yourself a pretty awesome month. I have 12 more days of 'holidays' before I am back to reality and work. Gotta make the most of it!

Living Word

2011-08-11T13:20:00.000-06:00

Today is a day I have devoted to myself. It's just me and the animals at home, I have music playing in the background that reminds me of TREK, spent time reading, prepared supper and I have baked the most perfect looking chocolate chip cookies. Today, life is good.

I have been home now for a little over 6 weeks and I get the question, how is life being back home, a lot. That question has a myriad of different answers. I'm glad to be home, back in somewhat of the known and familiar, but there are many days when I long to be back in my Portugal life, with some of the most fabulous, inspiring people I know. I've wrestled a lot since being home in regards to what life here is going to and should look like. Lots here at home has changed, and yet there is still a lot that is familiar and comfortable, which makes answering the questions, who am I and what do I want life to look like here in Winnipeg, all the more difficult.

A number of months ago, in Portugal, my dear friend Heidi shared a verse with me. It was something she was learning about after returning from Spring Adventure in Abbotsford. At the time, they did not resonate with me personally, but I saw how fitting those verses were for her journey and her life at that moment. A couple of weeks ago, I was spending time doing some much needed life journalling and wouldn't you know it, those verses Heidi shared back in May spoke volumes to me now. I never would have guessed. That, is what makes scripture so cool. It is indeed living, breathing word.

"But forget all that - it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do a brand new thing. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness for my people to come home. I will create rivers for them in the desert".

~ Isaiah 43: 18-19

I have returned home from the most incredible adventure of my life and there are days when I feel completely lost in how to go about navigating my life. But then, the Spirit moves and as I read these verses, I am reminded that my adventure is far from over. Just because I am no longer on TREK or in Portugal, does not mean God is finished with me. God is starting a brand new thing in my life - a new chapter. In this healing and navigating process, God is is making a pathway for me in the midst of my wilderness with refreshing waters along the way. As I continue to search out the God I love, I know He will remain faithful and in his perfect timing and way, He will reveal more of himself and the plans He has for me.

This past year has been marked by lessons of obedience and as such, I want to continue to live that out in this new chapter. I have no idea of where God will lead me or what He will do in my life over the months to come, but I want my eyes opened and my heart awakened to be led.

So how is life being back home? It continues to be an adventure and a learning process. I am enjoying moments of solitude and refreshment. I am being stretched and grown in ways I never expected and I have an indescribable peace in my heart about the past, the present and the future because I know God is doing a new thing in my heart.

Praise God for living, breathing Word!

A Little Taste of Portugal...in Winnipeg

2011-08-01T18:34:00.000-06:00

It has been a year or two since I found myself enjoying the Folklorama scene here in Winnipeg. To be honest, I forgot how much fun it is and how good the food can be :) Seeing as I just spent the most amazing 7 1/ 2 months in Portugal, and it seems as though Portugal is always on my mind, I decided that it would probably be pretty cool if I showed my family a little taste of Portugal by taking them to the Portuguese pavilion.

The pavilion featured some Portuguese dancing (although I have to say, I didn't see a lot of this first hand while I was actually in the country), some Fado music and then some authentic Portuguese foods such as octopus, shrimp, marinated barbeque chicken, choriço, cod fish and rissois pasties de bacalhau and of course, the desired green wine. It was really cool to be able to share this with my family and show them a little of what I experienced this last year in Portugal.

Enjoying some pastel de nata and green wine.

Fado

A few of the cultural displays:

Typical Portuguese souvenirs

Portuguese Futebol

Typical Portuguese food

Since being home, I have also discovered that Winnipeg has quite the Portuguese community. There are authentic Portuguese fish markets and food stores and bakeries that I will be checking out in the weeks ahead. Who says you can't get a little taste of Portugal in Winnipeg?

A Fixed kinda night

2011-07-29T11:31:00.000-06:00

Being back home has allowed me to spend time with my wonderful co-workers again, even though I am not yet working. On one very hot (and humid) Winnipeg night, the 5 of us got together to hang out and enjoy each other's company once again in Mark's backyard. I am extremely lucky to work alongside these awesome people. There is no place like Fixed!


Mark!

Jill and Jessica - this was actually my first time meeting Jessica, as I had hired her back in January via email. She's a perfect fit for our clinic.

No party is complete without games.

We are indeed a special bunch!

I wouldn't trade this crew for the world!

T- 4 days

2011-07-24T10:21:00.000-06:00

The countdown is on. In 4 short days, I will be having long awaited surgery on my wrist. I'm not looking forward to the surgery part, but I am looking forward to the possibility of being pain-free in my wrist so that I can get back to work and doing what I love. The surgery is scheduled for noon on Thursday, July 28th. It was originally supposed to be at 8am, but I got pushed back a few hours (not a big deal, but I am praying that I don't get pushed back more).

I am on day 4 of no meds for my headaches. Due to the fact that my medication causes my blood to thin, I am not allowed to take anything for a week prior to my surgery. So, I am attempting to lay low and praying like crazy that my head pain does not become out of control. So far I am doing ok. After a run in yesterday afternoon at a wedding with a ceramic lamp shade, I am in more pain today, but I am still functional and surviving.

The plan after surgery is that I will take 4 weeks, as long as everything goes well, to recover and then I will be back at work for September 1st and hopefully playing volleyball again by October.

I would appreciate prayers for the next few days as I continue to be medication free and then of course for the surgery on Thursday.

Enjoyment

2011-07-18T19:21:00.000-06:00

With temperatures averaging low to mid thirties this week, this is where Bailey and I found ourselves this afternoon.

Balancing the enjoyment of the heat and the comforts of air conditioning.

Re-Entry and Life

2011-07-15T15:43:00.000-06:00

I've now been back home for almost 3 weeks and I must say, being home is nothing like I expected - not better, not worse, just different. On TREK debrief, leadership told us that we would experience some feelings of hibernation and I thought, yeah, I can see myself doing that, but I have surprised myself with my hibernating attitude. I suppose I have just needed the time and space to myself. I have been attempting to keep my schedule fairly empty - only 1 or 2 major things per day, otherwise I find myself feeling a little anxious. So, I continue to take things slow and that has been good.

I learned a lot being in Portugal, particularly in the area of obedience. Since being home, this lesson of being obedient to who God has called me to be and where he has called me to be continues to be one that I am learning. This year away has transformed my life and my way of thinking in some pretty profound ways and I want to continue to live out those changes here at home. I'm currently in the process of figuring out a new life for myself in some respects, which can be both very exciting and yet daunting. As I encounter challenges in my re-entry process, I am clinging to one of my favorite verses in Hebrews 4:16:

"Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

Regardless of my desire to pull the hibernation card, I have enjoyed being back home. I have been enjoying coffee dates and catching up with friends and family. Starbucks and I have once again become re-acquainted and it has been a beautiful thing! Dominika and I have re-joined the gym again, which has been surprisingly awesome. I forgot how good working out feels. My butt is literally being kicked back into gear and I like it. On the home front, I have made myself busy this last week painting my bedroom, refinishing old furniture and unpacking boxes. There are a few finishing touches that I need to do in my room, but it's been both relaxing and exhilarating transforming this room of mine. I'm already looking for my next projects. Stay tuned for pictures :)

Wedding Bells

2011-07-10T21:08:00.000-06:00

The wedding bells were a ringing yesterday as we celebrated Derek and Courtney's wedding. The morning started off rainy and wet, but by the time we had to leave for the church in the early afternoon, the clouds had cleared and the sun was brightly shining. It ended up being a beautiful day - a tad humid, but nonetheless, beautiful.

The celebrations started Friday afternoon as Dominika, mom and I spent the afternoon at the spa getting our nails done. Total bliss! Tiber River is awesome. Following that we had the rehearsal at the church and then dinner at the awesome Buccacinos.

The wedding party practicing their dance for the reception

There was really no need for Dominika and I to be at the church rehearsal - we were only along for the ride. So, we parked ourselves at the back of the church with a bag of cherry blasters and fuzzy peaches and watched the rehearsal unfold and gave our humble opinion on certain things. Good times.

Wedding day started early with hair appointments and getting dressed. Seeing as the groom and his men took over my parent's house, I vacated and joined Dominika at her place to finish getting ready. A much better choice! By 12:15pm, we were at the church and anxiously awaiting for the ceremony to begin.

A very relaxed groom

The groom and his sisters.

The ceremony was short and sweet, but also incredibly beautiful. Courtney was simply stunning. As she made her way down the aisle, I believe she took Derek's breath away as he quickly became a little teary eyed. Yup, she was beautiful.

Introducing for the first time...Derek and Courtney Friesen

Lesley, Dominika and myself

Family pictures at King's Park. The weather really could not have been more cooperative.

Father and son

The Grandmas

Siblings

Me and the newest "sistah from anotha mistah"

Me and my sistah!

After a McDonalds snack, some relaxing at home and a little dress mishap (Dominika's, not mine), we headed off to the Hilton to finish off the celebrating. The place was beautifully decorated and the food was delicious. The dancing was pretty great too!

My cousin Dillon and his girlfriend Lesley

Dominika and our cousin Lucas

First dance.

Love.

A wedding party special: the Boot Scootin Boogie line dance

I crawled into bed in the early morning after a very long but wonderful day. Congratulations Derek and Courtney! I love you both a lot!

Back Again!

2011-06-28T16:33:00.000-06:00

It's been a long 8 months since I have last posted on this blog. It is good to be back!
I have been home a little over 24 hours and so far so good. It was great to see my family again - it was amazing how much I missed them this last year. We spent the afternoon and evening catching up, eating good food and giving out gifts. Seeing how much they enjoyed their gifts from Portugal, made the extra weight in my suitcase and the many packing configurations worth it to get it all home!

Being at home, feels surprisingly normal at this point, even though I know that there will be bigger adjustments to come over the course of the next few days and weeks, but for now, I am enjoying this feeling of normalcy. Amidst the familiar, there are still many things that are new, such as a completely remodeled house. I took a few pictures - I apologize in advance for the messiness. It appears that my luggage has vomited its contents around the house as I unpack.

My temporary room/office.

The new bathroom. Due to the small size of the bathroom, I couldn't actually get a picture of the room in its entirety

My new favorite room in the house. The Kitchen! It looks 10 times better than any of the pictures my parents sent me while I was away.

The Living Room - not much as changed in this room.

The dining room - again, my suitcases' contents are sprawled over the chairs and table.

The hallway.

The Master Bedroom. This used to be 2 bedrooms up here. Where the blue carpet is, used to be my room. The room is pretty sweet if I do say so myself.

another view of the master bedroom. My parents were waiting for me to come home before they did too much decorating, so it appears that I have a fabulous summer challenge ahead of me! Bring it on.

So that's a little glimpse into the renos my parent's did this winter/spring. I wish I had pictures of the before pictures. Well, I am going to finish off a gorgeous sunny day with an evening walk to Starbucks - the perfect way to end off the day.

Goin' to the chapel...

2010-10-30T20:02:00.000-06:00

I got a text this morning at 8am BC time. It was my brother requesting a skype date today. We had a very exciting skype date because he announced that last night, he proposed to Courtney. They are getting married!!!!

I'm so excited for them. I'm kinda sad I have to miss out on this year of showers and planning, but maybe I'll be able to skype in on a few of them.

Derek & Courtney,
I wish you nothing but joy as you plan and prepare for your life together. May God richly bless you.
I love you both very much.

Congratulations Derek & Courtney!!

A New Year

2010-10-27T19:16:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was my birthday. I am day one of a new year and this is usually the time where I reflect on the year that has passed and dream about where I want the year ahead to go. The year that has passed has been a good one in many ways. I started my own business with my fellow comrads. I have welcomed 2 'nieces' - India and Shae into the world and I am so blessed that I get to have these little ladies in my life. I have begun this crazy Trek journey. I have grown with God. I have officially welcomed my sistah from anotha mista - Dominika into my family (she has been a part of it forever it seems, but it was made official in June). These were some of the highlights.
There were some lowlites as well. I said goodbye to Graham, Kristy and Norah back in June as they made their move to BC. I hurt my arm in April, which continues to be troublesome to this very day - although taking a break from work has been a good thing. I said goodbye to people I love very much to be on this Trek jouney for 10 months. I have had challenges and struggles that have also prevented me from experiencing more Jesus in my life. Those are just a few things off the top of my head.

So, the year ahead. I have so many hopes for what I want to see happen in my life and in the life of people I love this year. I desire for this to be a life-changing year in so many ways and it has already started off that way. God is changing me - transforming me step by step and so I want to be committed to these changes and to the transformation process. One thing I want to put into practice is making sure that I am starting my day off with God. I want Him to be the first person I have conversation with in the morning. I want to grow so much deeper and live incarnationally. I desire to be a better disciple, friend, sister and daughter. I don't want to remain stagnant, but always feeling challenged to better myself in the eyes of Jesus.
I am going to see and experience life in a very new way this year. I am going to build relationships with people in a new country and I am extremely curious to see how God will move through those interactions and through me. I want to see miracles happen and experience a joy that I have never felt before as I serve Jesus and the people of Portugal.
I want to return home to Winnipeg, completely changed in some ways. A large part of me and my personality will stay the same, but I want different motives for how I act and live. I want to be authentic - truly authentic and that's a hard thing to be vulnerable. I want my values and relationships to reflect that of Christ.

I know I am going to fail at a number of these things, but I want to dream big. I am choosing to be committed to a process this year that is transformational in so many respects. I'm thankful that God's mercies are new each morning and that each day I can start over from the day before. I have a banner for my life and that is the following:

"For in Him I live and move and have my being."

~ Acts 17:28

This is going to be the mission statement for my life this year and I want to be held accountable to it. So, here we go. It's a new year, a new start in some ways and I am excited and slightly anxious to see how God works and moves in and around me.

Stay Tuned...

Come and Follow Me

2010-10-22T22:12:00.000-06:00

Once a week, we gather together to study the book of Mark together with Steve Klassen. He's a pretty incredible guy - lots to learn from this man and actually wrote a devotional/study guide through the Gospel of Mark. Not only that, he can also recite most of Mark by memory. I think that's pretty impressive.

The book of Mark is a pretty neat book. There are so many neat themes that run through it, but a big one is being a disciple of Christ and we see this theme start to take shape right from the first chapter.

"Jesus called out to them, "Come and follow me and I will make you fishers of men".

~ Mark 1: 17

There are 3 huge parts to this very short verse that have meant a lot to me.
The first part is "Come and follow me", which is an invitation by Jesus that invites us into relationship with him. We don't have to do anything for Jesus to want to be in relationship with us. He just loves us that much!
The second part is "and I will make you". This is a promise by Jesus that he can change us and transform us. This transformation does not happen by my own doing, but by God's. Thank goodness and what a relief! Jesus wants to take us on and transform us into his likeness. I have been learning this particular lesson a lot this week. It's taken me 6 years to allow transformation to take place, but I have finally surrendered myself and my right to do the transforming. God is working me over big time. He is breaking me and stripping away parts of me that are not from Him so that my personal holiness is more in tune with God's. It's a painful process, but I am thankful that I serve a God who does not give up on me and who is more than ok dealing with my worst parts to transform them into something more holy.
The third part is "fishers of men". This has to do with crossing barriers. Jesus could cross barriers like no one else could and he invites us to do the same. Jesus crossed relational, cultural, social and gender barriers. He was never afraid to speak the truth. Sometimes we are called to do things or say things that go against our cultures, but are necessary to advance God's work - both in our lives and in the lives of those around us. Again, this is not always a comfortable thing, but God never promised that being a disciple of Christ was going to be easy.

The words "Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men" are simple words, but they carry significant implications that I want to make a part of my story. I want my life to be that of striving to be more Christ-like through relationship with Jesus knowing that as I seek the likeness and heart of Christ that I will be transformed, enabling me to cross all sorts of barriers. I want to strive for more personal holiness. May God be gracious and merciful to me.

Introducing...

2010-10-05T18:15:00.000-06:00

Shae Mackenzie Friesen

I am so thankful and blessed to be in Abbotsford right now, specifically so that I had the chance to meet this sweet, sweet little girl. After 10 days in Kelowna, Shae, Kristy, Norah and Graham were able to be transferred to the Abbotsford Hospital. That meant that I could finally meet this girl. It was a absolutely wonderful meeting.

I am already bubbling with curiosity as to who this girl is going to be - her personality, her mannerisms, etc. My heart was completely full of joy last Friday as I held little Shae in my arms (and trust me, she is little). I have about another month here in BC before I head off to Portugal, so I am hoping there will be many more dates and snuggles coming soon.

A very proud big sister

A New Season

2010-09-27T00:49:00.000-06:00

The weather is getting cooler with each day. There is a dampness in the air that chills you to the bone. Experiencing BC fall is a lot different than Manitoba fall. Tis the season of big, chunky sweaters, snuggling up with blankets on the couch and sipping warm beverages while the colors of the leaves change right before your eyes. I love it. I love everything about this time of year.

The weather and the leaves are not the only things changing these days. My heart has been on an overhaul of sorts. God is changing my heart - refining it, re-shaping it and transforming it. It is good.

I have just finished a 48 hour silent retreat. Talk about goodness in every way, shape and form! God and I had some good, quality time together - something that felt long overdue. God and I have spent time together over the last number of weeks and months, but there was a lack of intimacy.

At 12:30pm on Thursday, all went completely quiet at the Mark Centre. People generally recommend sleeping a fair bit during a silent retreat, so I took them up on that suggestion and had a nap (and by nap I mean I definitely slept for 4 hours), but I figured, what better way to start a silent retreat than resting in the presence of Jesus. I woke up feeling energized and ready to be with God.

I started off the retreat asking God if there was anything in my heart that needed his light shined on. God very quickly responded and brought forth some things that I thought I had dealt with previously, but I guess I had not exactly finished. I kept having the words "I have redeemed you" running through my head over and over again. I read through the book of Hosea 3 times. This was God speaking. I felt freedom and completely forgiven.
God needed to remove some of that other stuff that was taking up space in my heart in order for us to go deeper in this silent retreat and through the rest of my life.

Day 2 was spent asking God and doing a lot of listening about who God has made me to be - my passions, things in my life that drain me and what makes me feel fully alive in the presence of Jesus. I felt very much led to read through Psalm 139 - I mean really read through it. I spent a good 30 hours with that Psalm - soaking in each and every word. God was reminding me that I am His beloved and He is pleased with me. God delights in me. He craves relationship with me - He has made me a perfect creation - I am made in the image of God. Because I am made in the image of God, I possess some of the same qualities of God. I am a thought of God that has not been or ever will be repeated throughout all of time. I am incapable of seeing and understanding the greatness of the God who created me. Thus, I am never going to see myself or fully understand God. If I attempt to see myself how God sees me and believe that my personality and characteristics resemble that of God, then I am as close as I can be to seeing and experiencing the reality of God because He lives and abides in me. When I acknowledge these characteristics of God in me and see myself as God sees me, then I believe I am fully alive in the presence of Jesus. How cool is that??

This silent retreat thing is definitely something I want to be making space for in my life. My future retreats probably won't be 48 hours long, but maybe it's a day or even just a few hours. God invites me to spend time in his presence and he delights in me doing so. I felt rejuvinated and refreshed. I loved the intimacy with God and I am excited about where God will continue to lead me. I want to soak up more of Jesus. I want to be fully alive in his presence. There have been so many years in my life (not so much in the last 4 years or so) where I have felt anything but alive and now I have this unspeakable joy and fullness bubbling in within me and I don't want it to end. I want the presence of the Holy Spirit to wash over me and move through me always.

Trek so far...

2010-09-15T17:28:00.000-06:00

I have a few observations and reflections from my first 4 days on Trek.

1. It's been a challenging journey so far - spiritually, emotionally and physically. As said in my previous post, God is already at work and doing some pretty incredible things. I am physically tired (there are sadly few opportunities for afternoon naps, which makes session times in the afternoon challenging). Emotionally, I have had a hard few days. I have been terribly homesick and have cried many tears.

2. Roommates. I remember why this was a fear of mine prior to beginning this journey. I love my space. I love my quiet time where I can just sit and be. It turns out that the people I am rooming with here in Abbotsford, don't feel the same way as I do. This is unfortunate. They like to talk non-stop and despite my efforts in hinting at them that I need some quiet time, it has made for some frustrating moments (I may on occasion envision myself shoving a pillow in their faces so that I can have a few moments of silence, but I have not yet acted upon this). We also have very little in common. I'm really hoping that perhaps the incessant need to talk is coming from nervousness and will decrease as time goes on and as we get to know each other better.

3. Despite challenges in the roommate department, I have met a number of lovely people. I have had the opportunity to engage in really neat conversations with people and have made some good friends in Alison, Carla, Heidi and Rachael. What an answer to prayer. I'm excited to journey with these people.

4. I am the oldest person here by 2 years. I am in a very different stage of life than most people here, which on some levels has made it hard to relate, but as personalities emerge and we find more common denominators among us, the age gaps seem to lessen.

5. The food and the cooks here on Trek are awesome. I am eating very well and wish I could take Corinna (the cook) home with me at the end of this. Plus, she is just a lovely woman.

6. I am being blessed with minimal headaches so far. Hallelujah! I was very nervous for BC weather and wondered how my head was going to do. With the help of medication, I am doing pretty good.

That's all I have right now, but feel free to check out my other blog for more Trek details

www.underopenskies2.blogspot.com

Above All Else

2010-09-15T17:12:00.000-06:00

The first few days of Trek have been both overwhelming and exciting all rolled into one. We have hit the ground running. Over the course of these last 3 days I have already heard from some pretty incredible speakers - they are truly insipiring to listen to. Truth be told that I have never felt as though my heart was in missions. I was and at this point still am fairly confident in the choices I have made in my life regarding career, etc. But, my heart has been tugged. Listening to Steve Klassen and Randy Friesen describe their experiences from around the world and how the global church is growing and how these people, despite all odds and opposition against them, they still choose to follow Jesus with reckless abandon and are litterally giving up all they have. That is inspiring and moving stuff.

Looking through the gospel of Mark, we get a picture of what true discipleship should look like - what God truly calls us to do. Not once does he sugar coat a life of following him. There are huge risks for Jesus' disciples to leave all that they know and have in order live a life following the footsteps of Christ. It takes risk taking obedience to be a true disciple. When we are able and willing to give Jesus everything - truly all of ourselves, we allow for the Holy Spirit to truly move and work in our lives.

The cost of discipleship looks very different for every person. I truly have not felt a pull or any sort of conviction, to leave all of my personal belongings and family/friends behind and venture off to a foreign land for an extensive period of time to minister to a certain people. That is not to say that God will not or cannot alter that plan, but for the moment I believe that God is preparing me in such a way to minister and be a disciple to my co-workers and to my life in Winnipeg. This year ahead is going to be completely life changing. It's going to be a very hard year as I allow God to strip me down, to refine me, transform me, stretch me and mold me into the person he has created me to be.

My prayer and hopes for the year ahead is that I would delight in the presence of God. I want to know his voice above all else. I want to be obedient to what he has called me to do and be. I have asked God to instill in me wisdom as I seek him and as I go deeper in the word and as I engage him. I desire that my relationship with my heavenly father would be of utmost importance - that we would have a partnership as we walk and talk together. I believe God speaks and answers the cries and desires of his people, so I am excited and anxious for all that God is going to do in my life this year. It's going to the most incredible adventure I can imagine.

Reunitted

2010-09-10T18:39:00.000-06:00

I am on day 4 of my time with Graham, Kristy and Norah! It has been soooooo good to spend time with them. Oh how I had missed them! Our days have been full of good things - everything from time at the park, Starbucks, movie/puzzle nights, shopping trips into Coquitlam, excursions to the Zoo to just chilling out. It has been 4 days of pure perfection.

for the record, Kristy and I completed this 1000 piece puzzle in one evening.

One evening, Kristy and I headed into Coquitlam to do some shopping at the mall and at the Ikea. I had missed shopping with this lady!

On the way home, we stopped off at McDonalds for a twist cone. We were disappointed to learn that in BC, McDonalds no longer sells twist or chocolate ice cream. Only vanilla. Who ever heard of such ridiculousness???? Vanilla was still good too though.

It's incredible how much Norah has grown up since I last saw her in June. Time truly flies WAY too quickly. It's been too bad that Graham has had to do a lot of working this week, but hopefully he will be able to join in on our fun more this weekend.

Today we went to the Greater Vancouver Zoo. We got a little rained on, but it made for very few people there, which was kind of nice. The zoo was awesome - the variety of animals was awesome. Let's just say that this zoo is significantly better than the Winnipeg Zoo.

Norah had a great time at the zoo. She walked pretty much the whole time, which I thought was pretty impressive. Norah has been reminding us a number of times of which animals were our favorites. Kara likes the giraffes. Mommy likes the grizzly bear and the zebras. Norah likes the rhino and the racoons (go figure). Baby Sister likes the lions.

I have a few more days left with this Friesen household - days that will be full of coffee drinking, park dates and evening walks. Delightful!!!!

It's Go Time

2010-09-07T08:31:00.000-06:00

Well, this morning finally came and I am currently sitting in the Edmonton Airport with my venti extra hot pumpkin spice latte killing time before I board the next plane for Abbotsford. It's been quite the emotional morning already and it's only 9:30am. I must admit that I had a hard time going through the departure gates in Winnipeg - had it not been for the fact that in a few short hours I will be hugging the lovely Norah and Kristy, I might have chickened out.

Now that |I am here and en route, I am filled with a whole range of emotions - excitement, fear, nervousness and anxiousness. I can't believe that this adventure is finally beginning.

It was a busy weekend of saying goodbye to people I love, but I need to remind myself that this is a season. These next 10 months are going to fly by incredibly fast and before I know it, I will find myself coming home to friends, family and the familiar.

It's GO time.

The Infamous Cake

2010-09-04T09:40:00.000-06:00

Nothing like leaving in 3 days and having a wedding cake to complete. Good times. This was my first wedding cake I made for a friend of a co-worker. It was nothing fancy - marble cake with swiss meringue buttercream between the layers. White Fondant. Beach Blue ribbon and chocolate seashells.

This cake was definitely a last minute job and thankfully there were no major flaws or glitches (other than not getting paid for this cake yet, but that is another story for another time) because my life just has no room right now for set-backs.

My lovely sistah was my associate for the afternoon and helped me drop off the cake the wedding venue. Due to waiting an hour for the people to show up to pay me (which they never did), we felt like losers waiting outside on the steps of St. Charles Country Club, so we took the opportunity to document the moment.

Upon Dominika's suggestion, we decided to drown our frustrations (mine at least) by making a pit stop at High Tea Bakery for some baked goods and a latte. There were significantly more goodies in the box, but they got eaten extremely quickly :)

The end of the day came, the cake was completed and delivered and now I can move onto the more important things, like packing.

Perfection

2010-08-31T21:42:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow marks the beginning of September. I guess that means summer is officially coming to a close. Craziness! As a last hurrah for summer and before I take off, I had my friends out to the cottage for the day (Graham, Kristy & Norah - your absense was duly noted and very much missed). The weather wasn't great, but it was a day of playing Yahtzee, enjoying hot tea/coffee, chatting, sitting around a fire, eating good food and just enjoying each other.

*Note: 90% of the pictures are of the kids because let's face it, they are cuter and way more fun to take pictures of than us adults.

impromtu photo shoots for Sweet Dreams

my sweet India

G was making records seeing how far he could throw stones.

kisses for auntie Kara

Hayley was determined to brave the chilly waters and dip her feet in.

All in all it was a pretty fabulous day. I went to bed that night extremely thankful for the friends I have been blessed with and who continue to do life with me, yet I was sad that it will be a whole 10 months before we get to do life again together. A 10 month hiatus seems like an eternity. I can't wait until next summer when we all get to reunite and enjoy more cottage days together.

10 Days

2010-08-29T14:39:00.000-06:00

Yup, that's right. We are almost into single digits until I am on a plane, bound for Abbotsford. The emotions are definitely mixed. As I had my bff's out at the cabin yesterday for the day, it hit me that it's going to be a year before we get to do this again. That makes me sad.

I have no intentions in crying while writing this post, so, moving on.

I have had a number of people ask me if I was going to be blogging, etc while away. The answer is YES. However, I have created a new blog for my year away. I will be keeping this updated as well, but a majority of the postings will be on the new blog.

Check out the new blog here:

Under Open Skies

Tea Time

2010-08-25T17:51:00.000-06:00

I just spent a very lovely afternoon with 3 fantastic ladies. Heidi, Ella, Sophie and I made our way out to Captain Kennedy's Tea House for lunch as a last horrah before I leave on Trek. It was a lovely afternoon eating amazing, yummy food and walking the grounds. It had been a long time since I had been there and I had forgotten how beautiful it was.

Gotta love the beautiful tea cups.

There is something so elegant about drinking tea from a cup like this.

On my plate would be a fresh blueberry scone with coddled cream and raspberry jam.

One word... Devine

Thank you ladies for a lovely afternoon. I am so glad we had the chance to spend time together. Today will definitely be a repeat upon my return home next summer!

17

2010-08-20T20:26:00.000-06:00

17. That is the magic number of days I have left in Winnipeg. Does that seem at all unfathomable to anyone else? My days are currently filled with list making, organizing papers and bank accounts, packing up my personal contents for both storage and the next 10 months. There are last minute appointments I need to make. I am trying to squeeze in as many clients as I can over the next 2 weeks and most importantly, I am soaking up the time I have left with family and friends. Looking ahead at the next few weeks, I am currently scheduling my life by the hour. Sleep has become minimal as I lay awake going over my "To Do" list in my head over and over.

My heart is anxious and excited to just begin this new journey. It's been talked about for months and now, with only 2 1/2 weeks to go until I leave, it seems a tad surreal. My heart is ready to be stretched and challenged and I am excited to meet passionate and beautiful men and women of God. I am ready to make my way out to BC. I must admit, the change of pace will be nice and I will joyfully celebrate the day when I no longer have To Do lists running through my head at warp speed.

*For the record, I realize that me leaving also means that I will be needing to say some temporary goodbyes and for that, I am not excited.

In an effort to keep myself in a somewhat sane space, I am devoting this evening to quality me time. The family has made their way out to the cabin (I have to work tomorrow morning, so I will head out after that) and I have the house to myself - something I am going to be soaking up before. The weather has very quickly become humid and stormy outside. The rain is pelting against the windows and the constant tapping has quickly become comforting. I have blueberry muffins baking in the oven. "Sister Act 2" is playing on the TV (don't judge - it's a great movie). The cat is peacefully snoozing beside me. And I am enjoying a lovely glass of Relax wine. It is my definition of a perfect evening. My guess is that I won't have many of these evenings ahead of me in the next 10 months, so I am making the most of tonight.

Happy Weekending.

Backstreet's Back....

2010-08-13T18:04:00.001-06:00

Alright!!!!

Who: Aimee, Heidi, Toni and Kara

When: Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Where: The MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba

What: Backstreet Boys Concert - This is Us tour

BSB fans forever

We have been fans since 1996 - we were in grade 6.

It was a night to remember...Ahhhh!! Complete bliss. And no, that is not an exaggeration. The boys put on a fabulous show for their die hard fans and we went away, far from being disappointed (well, maybe Toni was a little disappointed - it wasn't her favorite concert ever, but she was definitely a good sport).

if only I was cute and sitting right by the stage, maybe I could have gone ON the stage with Brian!!!! Maybe next time.

I HEART A.J.

Aimee and I may have had sore throats the next morning due to our incessant screaming and singing, but it was soooooo worth it.

Next time the boys come to town, Aimee and I decided we would pay for the $100 seats - definitely worth getting a rose and an up close view of our favorite boys.

These boys will always have my heart :)

Thanks for a night to remember boys (and ladies).

Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer

2010-08-05T09:52:00.000-06:00

It's been a good summer thus far. I can't believe it's already half over! One of the highlights of the summer has been spending time with Aimee and Hayley. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I am beyond blessed with amazing girlfriends!

Last weekend, Aimee, Hayley and myself ventured out to my cabin for the day. The weather was perfect...30 degrees and sunny - not a cloud in the sky, which also made the water a beautiful temperature.

*Note - most of the pictures we took are of Hayley cuz let's face it, she is much cuter to photograph than ourselves :)

A stop off at Starbucks is a MUST before heading out on any sort of road trip. We teach this to our children at a young age.

*disclaimer - don't worry, Hayley's drink was only water :)

Hayley L-O-V-E-D the water!

...she just wasn't so sure about sitting in the sand

Peek!

The day together was perfect. We are definitely planning on doing this again before the summer ends. Cheers to summer and a few more weekends at the cabin ahead of us!

T - 38 Days

2010-07-30T20:59:00.000-06:00

It seems somewhat surreal to think that in 5 weeks, I will be leaving the known and familiar for a new adventure. It has been amazing how things have fallen into place and I am being blessed by people's generosity. The more I think about how these past few months and how everything has come together - big and little things, I find myself with more confidence and peace that this is where God is sending me to journey. That in itself has been incredibly freeing and life-giving through the moments of utter fear and apprehension as I question things sometimes.

One of the neat things I have experienced over the last few weeks is the reaction of clients as I have filled them in on my plans for the fall. Every single client has been amazingly supportive and excited for me as I venture out on my own for a few months. Many have let me know that they will be disappointed not to have my hands working on them over the next year (apparently I'm good at what I do!), but they will be eagerly awaiting my return and have wished me nothing but joy. Talk about affirmation and support.

I've been contemplating over the last little while, especially this last week, what it is that I am hoping to gain from this year ahead. Summing up my hopes and expectations in one or two points is hard. I guess my prayer for the year is that I would learn and experience what trusting God in all circumstances looks like and that I would gain a huge love for the people around me. There will no doubt be challenging times throughout Trek. There will probably be people that drive me crazy, moments when all I want to do is be in the comfort of my own bed, days of missing the familiar - family and friends and I will be stretched and grown in all sorts of ways, which won't always be easy. Despite all of these things that I know will come up, I want this year not to be just be about me experiencing a new culture and seeing the world, but when I look back I want to be able to confidently say that God and I have grown closer together because I was able to trust His leading and provision over my life and that I would be able to extend the same grace and love that God so willingly lavishes upon me to teammates and people I will be ministering to. As I reflect throughout the months, I am going to be asking myself if I am staying true to these two things - am I trusting God and am I loving people unconditionally?

My date of departure is September 7. I have a hunch that the next few weeks are going to fly by - far quicker than I want them to sometimes. In the meantime I am spending copious amounts of time with friends and family, soaking up what's left of summer and days at the cabin. A definite perk to being in Abbotsford for 8 weeks is being able to spend some time with Kristy, Graham, Norah and the baby. I will be heading out a few days before Trek starts to enjoy time with them and I couldn't be more excited.

Please continue to pray for me over the next 5 weeks as I continue to get ready to leave. There are still numerous items left on my to do list, but I am already learning what it means to rely on God - not just for the big things, but for the little things too!

“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me."

~ 2 Corinthians 12:9

Manitoba Summer

2010-07-24T18:24:00.000-06:00

"If you're not from the prairie,

you don't know the sun,

you can't know the sun.

Diamonds that bounce off crisp winter snow

warm waters in dugouts and lakes that we know.

The sun is our friend from when we are young,

a child of the prairie is part of the sun.

If you're not from the prairie,

you don't know the sun.

If you're not from the prairie,

you don't know the sky,

you can't know the sky.

The bold prairie sky is clear, bright and blue

though sometimes cloud messages give us a clue.

Monstrous grey mushrooms can hint of a storm

or painted pink feathers say goodbye to the warm.

If you're not from the prairie,

you don't know the sky."

*poem taken from David Bouchard's book entitled "If you're not from the prairie"

Lions, Tigers and Bears....Oh My!!

2010-07-13T12:16:00.000-06:00

Last week, we took advantage of the beautiful weather and headed to the zoo. 6 adults and 5 kids seemed like a pretty good ratio to us.

watching the crazy wallabies

Cheeeeeeese

Sleepy Kaylin

The things I do for these kids...

and just for the record, I would do it again in a heartbeat! Especially when you get smiles like this.

Ready, Set, Smile!

2010-07-09T21:10:00.000-06:00

Back in June, before Kristy left for BC, the 5 of us girls got together with our lovely friend Amber for a photo shoot. We wanted to capture a bit of life with the 5 of us through pictures. Amber did a fabulous job of capturing what an afternoon looks like when the 5 of us get together.

Thank you Amber for gifting us with these pictures. What a beautiful gift for us - especially on the hard days when we are missing being all together.

There are lots of pictures, so enjoy.

It's Go Time

2010-07-06T16:18:00.000-06:00

So here it. The official news. As of September 7, 2010, I am leaving Winnipeg and headed west for 8 weeks to Abbotsford before leaving for 7 1/2 months to an unknown destination on Trek. Actually, I know that I am going to one of three places: Guadalajara Mexico, Portugal or Thailand. The exact location will be determined within my first 2 weeks of being in Abbotsford, but all 3 places sound spectacular. I don't care where I end up going.

I have 2 months to get ready! Ahhh! I'm beyond excited and yet terrified all at the same time (mostly excited though). I am a homebody - through and through. I don't venture far and if I do it's not for a long period of time. I have longed for adventure in my life and regretted previous opportunities that I turned down because of fear alone. I am choosing to not live in fear of the unknown, but embrace it and leap with great faith.

You may be thinking, "Didn't you just open up your own clinic?" Why, yes I did. My life is full here in Winnipeg - I have a pretty sweet set-up here. Logisitically this is probably does not make a whole lot of sense, but I'm learning that obeying God and following where He leads does not always make sense. He sometimes asks us to do things WAY out of our comfort zones (this would be one of those times) and his only requirement is that we obey and follow him. I know that if I chose to not go on Trek, that God would bless me incredibly and he would no doubt move and speak to me in exciting ways. But, I know, that if I were to stay home, I would always wonder what could have come out of a year of being with God. I am embarking on an adventure. An adventure with God! How exciting will that be!!!! How can I not go?? I am going to grow in ways that I can't begin to fathom and experience life in a whole new way. That's pretty awesome.

As for life here, it will still be here when I get back next summer. There will no doubt be people I will miss like crazy. Thankfully we live in an age of technology and there will be many skype dates. My co-partners are very excited for me and have been encouraging me through this whole process to go, so I feel very blessed in that itself. What a relief (I had a lot of anxiety about that prior to telling them my plans). It's 10 months of my life and I am single and have limited things tying me down here. There is no better time to travel and experience something so incredible in my opinion.

I would very much value your prayers over the next few months as I prepare to leave. I am in the process of getting my finances organized, so if you feel so inclined to donate money to MBMSI on my behalf, that is also appreciated.

No looking back! It's Go Time!

Oh What a Day!

2010-07-03T20:32:00.000-06:00

Lately, Aimee and I have had a lot of time to hang out with each other, which has been soooo nice. I'm not overly into the Canada Day festivities, so this year, Aimee and I celebrated Canada's 143rd birthday low key style. The day consisted of a Gelati run to Eva's (mmmm...mango), attempting to stay cool with Hayley in her kiddie pool, and just relaxing, enjoying each other's company. Like I said, it was low key and 100% perfect.

blowing kisses for auntie kara

sipping drinks like a big girl

Today, we braved the crowds at the Forks to see the Queen. We figured it was possibly a once in a lifetime opportunity, so we put on our dork hats and stood outside in the sweltering heat to see Her Majesty. She passed by us in the blink of an eye (or so it seemed), but I managed to snap a few pictures amidst being pushed and shoved by fellow on-lookers. Man, people are crazy!

aw, kisses for mom

i love my hayley girl

The processional of the Queen begins on the Provencher bridge with rein-actors shooting off muskets with bag pipes playing. Talk about an entrance!

Her Majesty on the big-screen. I LOVED her hat!

Making her way through the crowds - you can see a little bit of her pink hat among the craziness of the crowd.

Up close and personal with the Prime Minister as she walked by us. Very cool.

As we got into the car to leave, the rain began to pour. We couldn't have timed it better if we tried. At the end of it all, between the heat and the crowds, the 3 of us were beyond exhausted. Poor Hayley could not keep both of her eyes open.

Swagger Wagon

2010-06-30T19:57:00.000-06:00

Now, I don't drive a mini-van and I definitely don't have kids, BUT I saw this video last week and it made me laugh. It's definitely one of my most favorite commercials out there. So check it out!!

This one's for Kristy

2010-06-22T13:41:00.000-06:00

This post is dedicated and meant for you, Kristy. Enjoy.

Your first "meeting" with Indie

Wishing you were here with us :) Miss you and love you lots!!!