The disappointment of my week:

Last night my best friend Marsha called me and said (in a very sad voice) that she would not be able to come visit me next week. She was supposed to fly down next Thursday and keep me occupied while my wonderful husband is in Charlotte, North Carolina for a week. Turns out she is pretty much hand-cuffed to her job (much against her will, I assure you) and she is being held captive until January. But, the good news is, I'll get to see her then!!! What can be much more exciting than seeing a great friend after a year and a half of not seeing each other?!

Marsha, I miss you. I was looking forward to showing you my hair (and having you tell me that it looks wonderful, even though it desperately needs a trim and the roots re-done). I was looking forward to playing Canasta with seven decks (even though some people consider that cheating...it's just higher points!). I was looking forward to curling up in blankets and talking like old times (though now we both have boys and don't have to wonder who we'll eventually end up with). I was looking forward to showing you my house and my life here in Manitoba and seeing pictures of your house, and cat, and nephews and life. Hmmm...*sigh*

I like friends. Friends really are wonderful.

This is a genuine ticket for the Grey Cup.

That's right. Who doesn't like to sit outside in sub-zero weather, waving arms and signs and banners, and screaming on the top of their lungs for a couple hours (all the while catching a cold that your loving spouse will have to nurse you through)? Sounds like fun, right? I think I'll pass. But Nathan? He's the lucky one from our family to be going to watch the Grey Cup this year.

I got a phone call at work today from my excited husband letting me know that he was, in fact, going to the Grey Cup. I mustered up all the excitement I could and celebrated with him for a few minutes until we hung up. See, I'm delighted that my husband can go and share this experience of a lifetime with a good friend (who won the tickets, by the way...$275 is a bit rich for our blood!), but I'm equally delighted that he doesn't want me to go with him. He's convinced himself that because he's on the west side of the field, he won't get the wind. Sure, that's a plus, because the wind here in Manitoba could kill you (quite literally) but I'm the realist who's thinking, yeah, but it's still November!

While Nathan is out freezing his butt off, I'm going to enjoy my Sunday evening at home, curled up in a blanket with Lennox, watching Extreme Makeover Home Edition and re-runs of Alf. Sounds like a great time.

I'm actually looking forward to the Grey Cup this year.

The diary of my 14 year old self...

Lately I've been reading through my diary from when I was 14 (grade 9 -year 2000). --yeah, that's right, I'm young. Anyway, I have been reading it and typing it all out onto my computer these past few days (because my dream has always been to someday have it published) and I've come across some funny things, and some things that I can't believe I had to deal with when I was just 14. I wrote alot about our rabbits and I never realized that I was one of those teenagers that was obsessed with animals. Those kids are always kinda socially challenged, aren't they? I guess not always, but didn't I have better things to do than spend hours on end in the rabbit cage trying to trap and catch baby bunnies when I was 14??? I also wrote about some of the things that Andrew would do to me and how I could't stand it. The funniest thing was when he put Goldie (our old, stinky, overweight Cocker Spaniel) in my room and closed the door and she was trapped there for over four hours and my room reeked so that I couldn't sleep or even be in there. I was so mad at him! What are 12 year old brothers for though, right? Another pretty funny thing was that every time I babysat, I would write down how much money I made and I would get so excited about getting even just 10 or 20 dollars! Kinda reminds me how I should still be thankful for the little things too and not just get excited about the big things. The small things are just as great! So yeah, that's what I've been doing lately. It's been fun, and I've been learning ALOT about why I am the way I am now because of things that happened then. It's been fun. I'm only halfway through my grade 9 one though...there's still six more years to go!

Holidays

This week has been a week of long walks on the beach, beautiful sunsets over the ocean and smells of salt water gently drifting over us as we lay in our hammock (which was right in front of our ocean front cabin). I love holidays, don't you?

Well, I suppose now is the time to tell you that the whole sunset, ocean thing was just a wild, expensive daydream. In reality, this week of holidays consisted of Nathan working at least 8 hours a day on his Colossians class that he'll be teaching later this month. I spent Monday working around the house and the rest of the week playing with Lennox (who is getting quite large, by the way), reading my newest Real Simple magazine which came in the mail this week, and watching whatever happened to be on tv at any given time. Of course this was mixed with the occasional housework, but for me, it was truly a vacation!

Nathan and I also had some good time together though. (We couldn't be off for a week and not spend some quality time together!) Last night was pizza and a movie night (that's right, I found a pizza that I actually get cravings for! -Chicken Chef Pepperoni and Bacon) and today we're doing some Christmas/grocery shopping in Winkler. Throughout the week we also had some wonderfully romantic walks, though instead of walking along white sand beaches, we walked along white snowy roads. On one hand comparable, on the other hand, not the same at all.

So that was our week. Next week it's back to work for both of us. Nathan at the office again (which will probably feel like a break after the week he's had) and me back to answering phones.

Maybe next winter I'll be reporting about a tropical getaway...

Quick update...

I'm ready for a weekend. Seems I get tired easily...who knew? This was a busy week for me and Nathan, but it was good, at least for me. It was encouraging in a number of ways. Encouragement is always welcome. Anyways, here's the update:

Tonight Nathan's mom is stopping in at our place for night, so that should be fun. She's on her way back from Ontario where she got to see her mom for a day or two (and pick up her car and drive it back to Saskatchewan).

Also, tonight and tomorrow we are having a training weekend at our church, led by the pastors and maybe some other people too, and it is open to the whole church. I plan on being at that tonight and tomorrow. Hopefully some other people show up too, because Nathan has put alot of time into his session, as I'm sure the other pastors have.

Starting Monday, both Nathan and I have an entire week off!!! I'm so excited! Nathan is using it to do prep for the class that he's teaching at the end of November, so he'll be working a bunch, but at least he'll be at home where I can see him and maybe sneak in a cuddle or two every hour. It seems like we haven't really had much time to see each other this week. I don't like weeks like that. I like my husband. Alot.

So yeah, that's just a quick update on us. We're living, we're breathing, and learning and growing and loving life. How 'bout you?

Steve Bell...

Last night, Nathan and I drove out to Winkler for a Steve Bell concert.
It was amazing...
For those of you who don't know Steve Bell, his show is him and his guitar becoming one for God.
And, he is a very gifted musician. We were in the front pew and you should have seen Nathan! He was leaning forward, practically drewling (how do you spell that word???) because of how Steve Bell's fingers were moving on the guitar! It was great!
I really enjoyed it too. At the end, I felt like Nathan and I would be driving back to Bethany because it was so much the same inspiring experience that so often happened while we were at school there. Things like that just don't happen nearly as much in the real world. That's one thing I miss about Bible school...when I was at Bible school, I was inspired on a regular basis. Many more things made me stop and think. Many more things made me want to try new things or gave me ideas for things I could do in or with my life. I've come to the conclusion that the real world is fairly routine and, dare I say it, boring. It was such a good feeling to come out of there having been led into the presence of God and feeling encouraged and uplifted.
Now, I realize that life isn't all about feelings and feeling good. I know that there has to be routine and there has to be normal-ness. But something about the Bible school setting just keeps your mind and soul working and alive. Even if you're not enjoying being there and just want to get out (and get married or whatever else), it's still a stimulating place and a place where God is very real, and a place where encouragement abounds. That's what I miss about Bethany. Encouragement...stimulation...inspiration...no chance of your soul going into hibernation.
Is it wrong of me to say these things, even though I'm a pastor's wife, even though I attend church regularly, even though I love life and love God and feel incredibly blessed? Am I wrong to think and feel like this?

She's back!

I'm back! It feels like I've been gone from the blogging world for so long (It's been a week, if I'm not mistaken)...wonder if that means I'm working again...??? : )
When I quit at Friesens at the end of June, I stayed on as casual, so about a month ago they called me and asked if I could work for three days, full time, doing a project for the invoicing department. No problem! It was something to fill some hours with. So I went in Wednesday, Thurdsday and Friday.
That Wednesday, the HR department asked if I could work the next week full time because the HR department was needing some extra help. Good, sure, no problem. The whole next week, I worked mornings at reception while the other receptionist helped HR and in the afternoons, I worked on the invoicing project.
I show up on Friday of that first week and there is a message for me to call Nathan at home...I had gone out for breakfast with the other pastors' wives so I hadn't seen him much yet that morning. He says, "Good morning. Guess what?" I say, "What?" He says, "Remember this morning when I thought it was raining like crazy and then I stepped outside and it was dry?" I say, "Yeah..." He says, "Well, I went downstairs to turn off a light and the floor was wet so I looked at the water heater and it is split down the side and water is pouring out." My first reaction, "Ok."
So, I suddenly realized why I was working all those unexpected hours! It was to pay for the new water heater! God really knows what he's doing, eh?
Later that day, the morning receptionist comes up to me and sheepishly asks me if I can work mornings for the entire next week because HR wasn't quite caught up. No problem! We'll need this money to pay for the water heater! So I work the next week, thinking, "This has to be the last week!"
Well, Friday of that week rolls around and another sheepish morning receptionist asks me for another week of my time. I figure that I've worked this long, I may as well keep going and pay off the car while I'm at it. So, another week under my belt...and there's no way they'll need me for yet another!
I was wrong. One more week. I emailed the HR manager, asking how much longer she figured this would go on, because while I don't mind helping out, I would love to be able to make plans and not always be wondering if I'll be working or not. So she says, this week, maybe next week too...Ok, so now I have some idea. It must be drawing to a close. Thursday comes..."Niki, does Monday, Wednesday and Friday work for you?" SCORE!!! No problem!
So, the point of that story is to say that it finally looks like my working schedule is drawing to a close. I really enjoyed being back, but some mornings get pretty long when all I have to do is read my book and answer the phone. Tough life, eh?

The "Before"...

The other day I had a craving to get my hair cut...and dyed...
This is what I looked like the other day before my craving was satisfied:

The "After"...

So here it is, my newest look. I was sick of having basically the same hair (different variations of the flipped out look) for the past... um... five years?...so I took the plunge and got a straighter style and some new professional color. My hair had never been dyed professionally so I was pretty excited about that. I didn't know it would be that expensive though!

I thought $60 at the most and, well, it was more than that! Oh well, it was a nice change, and it's MUCH easier to do in the morning, so that's a huge plus. I don't even have to do anything to it if I don't want and it still looks great! Well, there you have it...the new me.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This weekend has been a time for me to miss having family close by. All but three of my 21 thanksgivings have been with family, and I miss the fellowship and joy of being with a huge group of family around a table playing games, visiting and eating together.

Nathan and I have enjoyed having our own thanksgiving weekend. We were talking this morning, and he mentioned that us living this far away from our families is our chance to make our own thanksgiving traditions. So here are the traditions we started this year:
Saturday night: Pantom of the Opera (this is one tradition we'll just have to continue!)
Sunday morning: church
Sunday afternoon: Nathan watched football and I napped
Sunday evening: supper with Ben and Cindy at their place with two other families without family close by.
Monday morning: slept in
Monday afternoon: yard/house work; gave Lennox his first bath in our house...he was very good and is now a clean, sweet-smelling, wonderful dog again...he's also looking more grown up with just a collar and no harness; take-out Chinese food for a late thanksgiving dinner; Nathan watched a movie while I napped (again)
Monday evening: more relaxing!

That said, as much as I'd love things like Phantom of the Opera to become tradition in our house, I think we'll need a couple more years to figure out what our traditions will become. I'd love it if someday we could go back to spending thanksgiving with our families and spending the weekend with them. As much as it's nice to have a long weekend to ourselves (because we're still newlyweds), it would be nice to be thankful with those we love. Mom, Dad, Alicia, Andrew, Mom, Dad, Karis, and Josh, we love you and would have loved to have seen you this weekend. We're thankful for you! God bless!