I’ve sat down at the computer numerous times in the past two months, intending on updating my blog, but nothing came. I guess you could call it a severe case of writers block. Either that or not thinking my life is exciting enough to blog about…but excitement is not the point, is it?
Since February:
I’ve been working more hours at my job. We’ve been getting busier and busier since one of the other lumber yards in town closed its doors, so I’ve been working a lot more than I used to. I am currently working 10-5 daily (unless I leave early or have something up like babysitting at the church or teaching piano lessons). These feel like good hours. I was afraid of getting really overtired (like I did when I worked at my first job here in town), but I am finding that when you enjoy the work and the people you work with, it is much easier to be at work. It’s not quite as draining…
Since February, I have also ceased to be an active Creative Memories consultant. Because my last order was so large though (people stocking up), I made my quarterly sales and will still “technically” be a consultant until June sometime. But as far as stress goes, I’m done! Whoo-hoo! I loved it while I was doing it, but I was always thinking of how I was going to make my sales and ended up buying a lot of stock to fill my quota. That left me with a few things I will never use, but I was mostly smart about what I was ordering so that I’ll be able to use up my stock in the next couple years.
This weekend Nathan and I are going on a jr youth retreat. I’m excited-ish. I’m excited for how many connections get made during youth retreats, and how we get to know the kids so much better than we do for an hour and a half each week, but I’m SO tired just going into it and I find it VERY draining to be around people for so many hours with no break. I am definitely an introvert! Pray that I’ll have energy to hang out and have a good time and be there for the youth.
Next week, Nathan is taking a week-long intensive class in Winnipeg to go toward his seminary studies. That means he’ll be gone for a week. L I do get to go visit him and eat supper with him one night though. J I’m kinda looking forward to having the house to myself for a week (read: SPRING CLEANING!!!) but I always hate being away from Nathan. I miss him too much! Some people say, “Just wait till you’ve been married longer…” I don’t know about that. We’ve been married almost three years and it hasn’t really changed. It’s probably a good thing that I enjoy spending time with my hubby.
Speaking of my hubby, we just started a new blog! You should all check it out. The address is mccorkindale.blogspot.com. It’s a blog where we are going to try to post one picture a day that we’ve taken with our brand new Canon Rebel XTi. It’s our attempt at letting our artistic sides shine! I’m pretty excited about it. I posted today. I had to post two pictures for today though, because I couldn’t choose just one. It doesn’t matter what you take a picture of or whether the picture worked or not, when you take a picture with a DSLR (digital SLR), it looks good!
Well, I can’t think of anything else. There’s not much new around here. Just continuing on with our routine…working, going to youth, hanging out…
Until next time, keep fit and have fun!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Psst...blog
So...I got a nice reminder from a good friend that I should really update my blog.
Apparently people check it every now and then.
Who knew?
Well, this isn't much of an update...
It is just a quick post to those of you who still check back to let you know that I'm going to update soon.
And let me tell you...
When I post, it will be a doosie of a post!
Apparently people check it every now and then.
Who knew?
Well, this isn't much of an update...
It is just a quick post to those of you who still check back to let you know that I'm going to update soon.
And let me tell you...
When I post, it will be a doosie of a post!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Worship - "to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion"
I just came out of a worship night. Our youth band led it. We sang for an hour and a half, with loud, beautiful, honest music. The book of James was read, chapter by chapter, by 5 different people throughout the night. People were singing. People were dancing. People were clapping. People were smiling and worshiping and loving. Just loving.I just came out of a worship night and I feel like I'm still there. My heart is singing. My mind is inspired to seek God and know him. My soul is fed. And I know that God was blessed through everything that happened tonight...the music, the sharing of HIS words, the fellowship over 3 kinds of chocolate afterward. Isn't that what worship is about? Bringing God's people together for fellowship, personal growth and inspiration, and ultimately glorifying Him with everything?
Worship is about more than music. It's about more than dancing and clapping. It's about way more than any one thing. It's about focusing our minds fully and completely on God. Through music...through Scripture...through nature...through photography...through painting...through cooking...through writing...through playing...through fellowship...through being...what more should there be to life than worship?
This is what I strive towards; this is what I seek: To live fully and completely in worship of God. To not look to the left or to the right, but to keep my eyes on the goal...to keep my eyes on Christ and to do everything for him. To worship.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Ever wonder?
Do you ever wonder what it would be like to make twice as much money as you make right now?
I've been wondering that lately. I think about people who make twice or three or four times as much as Nathan and I make and wonder how they do it! Not so much how they make the money (though partly that) but what they live like...how it feels...what their budget looks like. I guess that's kinda snoopy of me. Money is such a personal thing. But really. Have you ever wondered about it?
And while I'm thinking about that, I think...well, we live on as much as we make now...would we be able to live the same way if we made twice as much and just give the other half to either the church or a charity or something completely outside of ourselves? At first thought, I think, sure, we could do that. But then I think about the little raises that we've gotten since being here at the church and how our budget just swallows those up like they never happened and we don't even notice much change. Our lives just adjust and come to expect that things like internet, satellite, cell phones and eating out are a normal part of life. (that said, of those things we only have cable and rarely eat out) But you know? Isn't it kinda sick how we pad our lives to our comfort and use as much as we are given (sometimes more, when you consider credit)?
That's something I've been thinking about lately...and I've been trying to be content with what we've been given...because it's really not that bad. I am most content in every area of life, however, when I don't compare myself and my life to others. I don't need all those things. When I focus on what we DO have, it's plenty and we really are blessed.
I've been wondering that lately. I think about people who make twice or three or four times as much as Nathan and I make and wonder how they do it! Not so much how they make the money (though partly that) but what they live like...how it feels...what their budget looks like. I guess that's kinda snoopy of me. Money is such a personal thing. But really. Have you ever wondered about it?
And while I'm thinking about that, I think...well, we live on as much as we make now...would we be able to live the same way if we made twice as much and just give the other half to either the church or a charity or something completely outside of ourselves? At first thought, I think, sure, we could do that. But then I think about the little raises that we've gotten since being here at the church and how our budget just swallows those up like they never happened and we don't even notice much change. Our lives just adjust and come to expect that things like internet, satellite, cell phones and eating out are a normal part of life. (that said, of those things we only have cable and rarely eat out) But you know? Isn't it kinda sick how we pad our lives to our comfort and use as much as we are given (sometimes more, when you consider credit)?
That's something I've been thinking about lately...and I've been trying to be content with what we've been given...because it's really not that bad. I am most content in every area of life, however, when I don't compare myself and my life to others. I don't need all those things. When I focus on what we DO have, it's plenty and we really are blessed.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
95th post...95 things...
In honor of my 95th post, I thought I'd post 95 random things...if I get that far...
1. I like birthdays.
2. My husband's name is Nathan.
3. I love Nathan.
4. I love kids.
5. I like pizza.
6. I didn't like pizza for the first 20 years of my life.
7. I like my bed.
8. I like summer.
9. I don't really like winter.
10. Nathan and I got snowed in in Morris (1/2 hour from home) on Monday night.
11. My favorite class in high school was calculus.
12. I thought about going into pharmacy after high school and then missed the deadline for my scholarship claim and decided against it (took it as a God-thing, which I still think it was).
13. My best friend Marsha is getting married in April!
14. My sister-in-law is getting married in March!
15. I have one sister and one brother.
16. I was blessed this week by an encouraging word from a youth's parent.
17. Encouragement is so important in life...I couldn't live without it.
18. I like the color green...especially when it is outside...and I'm not talking about green house paint.
19. Nathan is picking up his brand new, 80G ipod as I type.
20. Allowances are wonderful.
21. My allowance is going to Creative Memories scrapbooking supplies to try to buy my stock off of myself.
22. I like scrapbooking.
23. My sister and I finished my parents' scrapbook on Monday night (before we got stormed in).
24. The toy I always wanted when I was a kid was a "Baby Alive" doll.
25. I love cooking.
26. I hate deciding what to cook.
27. I like to bake too.
28. I even like to clean the house.
29. I only like to clean the house when I have time to clean the house.
30. I have never considered myself very creative.
31. I like to read.
32. I do not like to decorate for or organize special events.
33. I do not like to draw.
34. I do not like to get my hands dirty with gritty stuff.
35. As an adult, I always hoped I'd be taller.
36. I love sunshine.
37. I grew up playing Super Nintendo and still enjoy the occasional game, when the system decides to work.
38. I write...journal, poetry, short stories...
39. I could look at pictures for days and not get bored.
40. I love other cultures, especially when they are in their natural setting.
41. I'd love to have money to travel.
42. I don't enjoy swimming.
43. I do enjoy hot tubs.
44. I enjoy long, hot showers more.
45. I'm pretty impressed if anyone is still reading this.
46. My dog, Lennox, needs a bath.
47. I don't like phones very much, but I couldn't live without them.
48. When I turn on the tv, the only channels I check for good shows are TLC, HGTV, W-network and Slice.
49. When I get stressed with our finances, I close Excel and open Solitaire.
50. I like candles.
51. I like trees.
52. Trees give a sense of privacy.
53. There are no privacy trees where I live.
54. I wish that I was a Starbucks coffee snob.
55. I wish that I was a nice Starbucks coffee snob.
56. When I eat out in the food court, I either get Arby's or Chinese.
57-70. I like my friends (but won't name them all here).
71. I used to think that the number "eleven" should be said "eleventeen".
72. I still think so.
73. Nathan is amazing with photoshop.
74. Point form like this is hard to read.
75. Ziploc bags were a great idea.
76. I am going to have a "Nathan's special" ham sandwich for lunch.
77. If you've never had a "Nathan's special" and don't understand, you'll have to come for a visit.
78. Nathan is an excellent cook, but I have to encourage this gift routinely if I want him to believe me.
79. Sometimes I forget that in the "olden days" they actually did live in color, despite the pictures being in greyscale.
80. The number where I run out of things to say.
81. The number where I decide to keep going anyway.
82. I will go to work this afternoon.
83. I will come home and make supper.
84. I will then have a few minutes before some jr youth girls start showing up for our small group Bible study.
85. The year I was born.
86. Tomorrow night is date night!
87. Sunday is Superbowl with friends aka guys watch, girls talk.
88. My favorite color is yellow...no, blue...no, green...wait, it's red... no, actually it's grey, no, purple, no...
89. I am not terribly decisive.
90. I guess I'm scared that if I make a decision, people might disagree with me.
91. Post-it's were another great invention.
92. I am equally fond of Post-it flags.
93. I teach piano lessons weekly and LOVE it!
94. The year I was last in the country of my birth.
95. The number of posts I have now completed.
1. I like birthdays.
2. My husband's name is Nathan.
3. I love Nathan.
4. I love kids.
5. I like pizza.
6. I didn't like pizza for the first 20 years of my life.
7. I like my bed.
8. I like summer.
9. I don't really like winter.
10. Nathan and I got snowed in in Morris (1/2 hour from home) on Monday night.
11. My favorite class in high school was calculus.
12. I thought about going into pharmacy after high school and then missed the deadline for my scholarship claim and decided against it (took it as a God-thing, which I still think it was).
13. My best friend Marsha is getting married in April!
14. My sister-in-law is getting married in March!
15. I have one sister and one brother.
16. I was blessed this week by an encouraging word from a youth's parent.
17. Encouragement is so important in life...I couldn't live without it.
18. I like the color green...especially when it is outside...and I'm not talking about green house paint.
19. Nathan is picking up his brand new, 80G ipod as I type.
20. Allowances are wonderful.
21. My allowance is going to Creative Memories scrapbooking supplies to try to buy my stock off of myself.
22. I like scrapbooking.
23. My sister and I finished my parents' scrapbook on Monday night (before we got stormed in).
24. The toy I always wanted when I was a kid was a "Baby Alive" doll.
25. I love cooking.
26. I hate deciding what to cook.
27. I like to bake too.
28. I even like to clean the house.
29. I only like to clean the house when I have time to clean the house.
30. I have never considered myself very creative.
31. I like to read.
32. I do not like to decorate for or organize special events.
33. I do not like to draw.
34. I do not like to get my hands dirty with gritty stuff.
35. As an adult, I always hoped I'd be taller.
36. I love sunshine.
37. I grew up playing Super Nintendo and still enjoy the occasional game, when the system decides to work.
38. I write...journal, poetry, short stories...
39. I could look at pictures for days and not get bored.
40. I love other cultures, especially when they are in their natural setting.
41. I'd love to have money to travel.
42. I don't enjoy swimming.
43. I do enjoy hot tubs.
44. I enjoy long, hot showers more.
45. I'm pretty impressed if anyone is still reading this.
46. My dog, Lennox, needs a bath.
47. I don't like phones very much, but I couldn't live without them.
48. When I turn on the tv, the only channels I check for good shows are TLC, HGTV, W-network and Slice.
49. When I get stressed with our finances, I close Excel and open Solitaire.
50. I like candles.
51. I like trees.
52. Trees give a sense of privacy.
53. There are no privacy trees where I live.
54. I wish that I was a Starbucks coffee snob.
55. I wish that I was a nice Starbucks coffee snob.
56. When I eat out in the food court, I either get Arby's or Chinese.
57-70. I like my friends (but won't name them all here).
71. I used to think that the number "eleven" should be said "eleventeen".
72. I still think so.
73. Nathan is amazing with photoshop.
74. Point form like this is hard to read.
75. Ziploc bags were a great idea.
76. I am going to have a "Nathan's special" ham sandwich for lunch.
77. If you've never had a "Nathan's special" and don't understand, you'll have to come for a visit.
78. Nathan is an excellent cook, but I have to encourage this gift routinely if I want him to believe me.
79. Sometimes I forget that in the "olden days" they actually did live in color, despite the pictures being in greyscale.
80. The number where I run out of things to say.
81. The number where I decide to keep going anyway.
82. I will go to work this afternoon.
83. I will come home and make supper.
84. I will then have a few minutes before some jr youth girls start showing up for our small group Bible study.
85. The year I was born.
86. Tomorrow night is date night!
87. Sunday is Superbowl with friends aka guys watch, girls talk.
88. My favorite color is yellow...no, blue...no, green...wait, it's red... no, actually it's grey, no, purple, no...
89. I am not terribly decisive.
90. I guess I'm scared that if I make a decision, people might disagree with me.
91. Post-it's were another great invention.
92. I am equally fond of Post-it flags.
93. I teach piano lessons weekly and LOVE it!
94. The year I was last in the country of my birth.
95. The number of posts I have now completed.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
These days...
Eight random things about life right now:
1. Nathan's little brother is out for a visit this weekend. It's fun to have an extra person around the house...Lennox really enjoys him too. He seems to enjoy both of our brothers alot! Maybe this is a sign that they'll make good uncles when the time comes to expand???
2. It is REALLY cold outside! I plan each of my trips outside so that I don't forget anything and have to go out again. I really dislike the cold. I've decided I can handle Canadian winters and snow, as long as it doesn't get any colder than -10 degrees...windchill factored in...
3. I just baked chocolate chip cookies before I came here but I left the second batch in too long so they are more "golden brown" than "gooey".
4. My sister and I are making a scrapbook for my parents for their 25th wedding anniversary (which was last July). We are putting all (most) of their pictures into one (massive) album. It's been alot of fun to work on together and we are almost done!
5. Nathan is taking a class at CMU this semester and really enjoying it. Being back at school has really reminded him how much he likes to think and learn and be stretched. Maybe I should think about taking some kind of class...
6. I am constantly on the lookout for different decorating things I can do with our house that are cost-effective but that will change the look of our house inside. I think the next project will be painting our bedroom. We got new bedding ("iced pear" sheets with a chocolate brown duvet) a few months ago and it doesn't go great with the color of the walls (deep red). I'm thinking a pale yellow/ivory color. Any other suggestions?
7. I am currently in the middle of reading Kite Runner with Nathan. I am reading it out loud to him (usually while we drive somewhere) and it's a really good book so far! We got it for Christmas from Nate's brother. I would definitely recommend it.
8. The place where I work is in the middle of some renovations! When it is done, I will have my very own, brand-new office! I am pretty excited about that. I am also going to be working more hours because one of the other lumber yards here in town just closed, so we have become much busier! Whoo-hoo! I love my job!
Well, there you have it. A small update on my life. There's not much happening but we're terribly busy. Does that make sense to anyone else?
1. Nathan's little brother is out for a visit this weekend. It's fun to have an extra person around the house...Lennox really enjoys him too. He seems to enjoy both of our brothers alot! Maybe this is a sign that they'll make good uncles when the time comes to expand???
2. It is REALLY cold outside! I plan each of my trips outside so that I don't forget anything and have to go out again. I really dislike the cold. I've decided I can handle Canadian winters and snow, as long as it doesn't get any colder than -10 degrees...windchill factored in...
3. I just baked chocolate chip cookies before I came here but I left the second batch in too long so they are more "golden brown" than "gooey".
4. My sister and I are making a scrapbook for my parents for their 25th wedding anniversary (which was last July). We are putting all (most) of their pictures into one (massive) album. It's been alot of fun to work on together and we are almost done!
5. Nathan is taking a class at CMU this semester and really enjoying it. Being back at school has really reminded him how much he likes to think and learn and be stretched. Maybe I should think about taking some kind of class...
6. I am constantly on the lookout for different decorating things I can do with our house that are cost-effective but that will change the look of our house inside. I think the next project will be painting our bedroom. We got new bedding ("iced pear" sheets with a chocolate brown duvet) a few months ago and it doesn't go great with the color of the walls (deep red). I'm thinking a pale yellow/ivory color. Any other suggestions?
7. I am currently in the middle of reading Kite Runner with Nathan. I am reading it out loud to him (usually while we drive somewhere) and it's a really good book so far! We got it for Christmas from Nate's brother. I would definitely recommend it.
8. The place where I work is in the middle of some renovations! When it is done, I will have my very own, brand-new office! I am pretty excited about that. I am also going to be working more hours because one of the other lumber yards here in town just closed, so we have become much busier! Whoo-hoo! I love my job!
Well, there you have it. A small update on my life. There's not much happening but we're terribly busy. Does that make sense to anyone else?
Monday, January 07, 2008
A stranger visited me this week...
This has been a strange week for me. See, I'm sick. I NEVER get sick! Well, I get the odd headache or stomach cramp or whatever, but days of dizzy-ness and nauseousness and icky-ness just don't usually happen to me! Today I've just felt horrible! And now, for those of you who are putting two and two together, no, we're NOT pregnant! I got my wisdom teeth out on January 3rd and have been struggling to heal ever since. I thought I would be fine...not phased at all! But there I am, four days later, and still not feeling like I can even walk to work on my own, never mind drive! My mouth hasn't given me much grief, but, like I said, I've been dizzy and nauseous and just completely out of it! Maybe my best bet is to stay completely drugged on those T3's they have me on! Lately, since the actual pain hasn't been too bad, I've been trying to wean myself off the pain meds, but the other "icky-ness" has picked up, so maybe it's my body's way of saying, "More drugs, please!" Who knows? All I know is that my body doesn't usually respond like this and I'm sick of being sick. Then again, I can't complain. I have a wonderful husband who takes such good care of me and a dog who looks at me with the most worried expression on his face when I moan and cry in agony. I've got nothing to complain about at all!
So how was everyone's Christmas? Mine was ok. I'm pretty sure I already wrote about it before Chrsitmas was over because it was basically over for me, but the rest of the season also went well. Our youth retreat in Minneapolis went really well. Our youth seemed to love it (the ones who weren't throwing up the whole weekend-poor kids!)...I think it was a wonderful spiritual feast for everyone who was there that weekend.
Since being back, I haven't been up to much. I've gotten my wisdom teeth out and then basically laid around the house. I've had lots of time to think, though, which I usually enjoy quite a bit. I've been thinking about what my youth involvement will look like in 2008. Also, what my Creative Memories business plan will look like this year. (If anyone would like me to come out and do a party or Get-Together for them and some friends at their place, please let me know! It could be so much fun! I have this great idea for some paper folding albums that we could do, great for people who don't scrapbook!) And, because I've been doing alot of my thinking and healing on the couch in front of the tv, I've got a bunch of decorating ideas for our house! *sigh* Unfortunately those take money...but paint and trim can go a long way in the name of decorating, no?
So these have been my thoughts lately. There's still not much new, but it's my feeble attempt at staying current, for those of us out there who are still blogging! Hopefully next time I post I will be slightly less drugged and will make a bit more sense or at least follow more of a train of thought!
Have a great week!
So how was everyone's Christmas? Mine was ok. I'm pretty sure I already wrote about it before Chrsitmas was over because it was basically over for me, but the rest of the season also went well. Our youth retreat in Minneapolis went really well. Our youth seemed to love it (the ones who weren't throwing up the whole weekend-poor kids!)...I think it was a wonderful spiritual feast for everyone who was there that weekend.
Since being back, I haven't been up to much. I've gotten my wisdom teeth out and then basically laid around the house. I've had lots of time to think, though, which I usually enjoy quite a bit. I've been thinking about what my youth involvement will look like in 2008. Also, what my Creative Memories business plan will look like this year. (If anyone would like me to come out and do a party or Get-Together for them and some friends at their place, please let me know! It could be so much fun! I have this great idea for some paper folding albums that we could do, great for people who don't scrapbook!) And, because I've been doing alot of my thinking and healing on the couch in front of the tv, I've got a bunch of decorating ideas for our house! *sigh* Unfortunately those take money...but paint and trim can go a long way in the name of decorating, no?
So these have been my thoughts lately. There's still not much new, but it's my feeble attempt at staying current, for those of us out there who are still blogging! Hopefully next time I post I will be slightly less drugged and will make a bit more sense or at least follow more of a train of thought!
Have a great week!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Christmas 007
This year I feel like Christmas is already long gone. On most Christmases I feel like it just flies up, waves maybe once, and then is gone before I know it! But this year is different for me. I suppose it's because Christmas started for me when we were down in California in mid-November. Everything there was decorated for Christmas and there was Christmas music playing everywhere. I came home expecting the same thing and there was barely snow, never mind decorations! And I suppose that's because the Americans get in the spirit as soon as the calendar says November and we Canadians feel like it can't be Christmas without snow, so we wait for it! (Boy, are we ever going to be messed up once global warming really kicks in!)
Another reason I feel like Christmas has come and gone already is because we've already celebrated with both our families. My family celebrated with our trip in November to California (and sorta at my cousin's wedding in early December) and Nate's family was last weekend in Saskatchewan. It was SO good to be out at his parents' place for a few days. We took Lennox and just spent a few days catching up, watching our dogs play, walking the dogs, sitting around, watching the men play vids, hearing about wedding plans (congrats Karis and Jared!)...it was a beautiful, wonderful family weekend! But now that we're home, I feel like it should all be over. I suppose sometimes I feel kinda shafted that we don't get to see family actually ON Christmas day. It makes for lonely Christmases (last year and this year both) but at least we've seen our families in the month of December, which is more than some can say about Christmas with family, right? I'm sorry for any of you out there who would love to be with family for Christmas and for whatever reason that just isn't happening this year.
But, with all this talk about Christmas being done, I can't complain too much. I have a full stocking sitting under our little 5' Christmas tree in our basement at home. That's right. Nathan and I went to the city last night and spent some time filling each other's stockings. (We bought snowboards for ourselves this month as our Christmas presents, but Nathan just needed a little something with surprise and wrapping paper on it to open Christmas day) -As a sidenote, we wouldn't normally have full stockings sitting under the Christmas tree either (how "Christmas-ey" is that?!) but when there are no other wrapped gifts under the Christmas tree, well, there just has to be something, right?
So there you have it. Our Christmas. Done already. Mostly. But now that I'm writing this, I'm thinking about it in a new light and maybe it's not so bad that Christmas is "over" but not actually over already. You see, if there is not much excitement but rather loneliness, how much more is there opportunity to look toward the true meaning of Christmas? Family and gifts and food and tradition is all special and I believe that God wants us to enjoy those things at Christmas-time (and all the time), but when those things have already happened and there are still lonely days off to enjoy, what a great reminder that Christ came to earth to be the family to the family-less and the savior to the saved-less? Hmm...what a great reminder on this year when Christmas was done before Christmas...
Another reason I feel like Christmas has come and gone already is because we've already celebrated with both our families. My family celebrated with our trip in November to California (and sorta at my cousin's wedding in early December) and Nate's family was last weekend in Saskatchewan. It was SO good to be out at his parents' place for a few days. We took Lennox and just spent a few days catching up, watching our dogs play, walking the dogs, sitting around, watching the men play vids, hearing about wedding plans (congrats Karis and Jared!)...it was a beautiful, wonderful family weekend! But now that we're home, I feel like it should all be over. I suppose sometimes I feel kinda shafted that we don't get to see family actually ON Christmas day. It makes for lonely Christmases (last year and this year both) but at least we've seen our families in the month of December, which is more than some can say about Christmas with family, right? I'm sorry for any of you out there who would love to be with family for Christmas and for whatever reason that just isn't happening this year.
But, with all this talk about Christmas being done, I can't complain too much. I have a full stocking sitting under our little 5' Christmas tree in our basement at home. That's right. Nathan and I went to the city last night and spent some time filling each other's stockings. (We bought snowboards for ourselves this month as our Christmas presents, but Nathan just needed a little something with surprise and wrapping paper on it to open Christmas day) -As a sidenote, we wouldn't normally have full stockings sitting under the Christmas tree either (how "Christmas-ey" is that?!) but when there are no other wrapped gifts under the Christmas tree, well, there just has to be something, right?
So there you have it. Our Christmas. Done already. Mostly. But now that I'm writing this, I'm thinking about it in a new light and maybe it's not so bad that Christmas is "over" but not actually over already. You see, if there is not much excitement but rather loneliness, how much more is there opportunity to look toward the true meaning of Christmas? Family and gifts and food and tradition is all special and I believe that God wants us to enjoy those things at Christmas-time (and all the time), but when those things have already happened and there are still lonely days off to enjoy, what a great reminder that Christ came to earth to be the family to the family-less and the savior to the saved-less? Hmm...what a great reminder on this year when Christmas was done before Christmas...
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Is baking cookies really enough?
I always feel like I should post...I don't have anything significant to say, but I feel like I need to be entertaining...or open...or both. But I wonder if the felt need to post on my blog creates an unrealistic sense of boredom with my life? Do I feel so much more like my life isn't exciting enough when I'm always thinking of something "significant" enough to share? Hmm...interesting thought. Maybe I'll just share one of those "little" moments in my day where life just seemed completely perfect, almost surreal (can it really be that good???). You know those moments? Sometimes they're few and far between, but today I had one and boy was it good!
I was at home this afternoon...there wasn't much to do at work, so I was on my way home (through a snowstorm) by 11:00am. After a bank visit, a mail visit, another bank visit (to deposit a cheque that came in the mail...whoo-hoo!), a movie-rental-place visit (to return a movie from date night last night), shoveling the driveway, I was home for the afternoon. What to do??? I wandered around the house for a while, cleaning this and cleaning that and playing with our financial numbers (because I LOVE to do that!) on the computer, I decided that I would do some Christmas baking. I've never really done this before (Christmas baking specifically--I've done plenty of baking otherwise) but this year I thought, "forget the fact that it's only Nathan and I living here...I'm going to bake many varieties of Christmas goodness and eat them whenever I want throughout the merry season! I started baking and about halfway through the fudge puddles, melted-chocolate-chip cake and supper, I kinda experienced an "out-of-body" moment. I looked at myself, baking tons of chocolatey too-good-to-be-true-ness, supper on the stove, Lennox on his mat beside the island (contentedly chewing on one of his toys), husband sitting at the island working on something, all warm in our beautiful, perfect house and I was amazed. What a perfect moment. It was exactly what I'd always imagined my life to be when I was married. I am so blessed...so what if there's not alot of excitement and travelling and new things happening daily. I have my dream. What more can I ask?
Thank you, Lord.
I was at home this afternoon...there wasn't much to do at work, so I was on my way home (through a snowstorm) by 11:00am. After a bank visit, a mail visit, another bank visit (to deposit a cheque that came in the mail...whoo-hoo!), a movie-rental-place visit (to return a movie from date night last night), shoveling the driveway, I was home for the afternoon. What to do??? I wandered around the house for a while, cleaning this and cleaning that and playing with our financial numbers (because I LOVE to do that!) on the computer, I decided that I would do some Christmas baking. I've never really done this before (Christmas baking specifically--I've done plenty of baking otherwise) but this year I thought, "forget the fact that it's only Nathan and I living here...I'm going to bake many varieties of Christmas goodness and eat them whenever I want throughout the merry season! I started baking and about halfway through the fudge puddles, melted-chocolate-chip cake and supper, I kinda experienced an "out-of-body" moment. I looked at myself, baking tons of chocolatey too-good-to-be-true-ness, supper on the stove, Lennox on his mat beside the island (contentedly chewing on one of his toys), husband sitting at the island working on something, all warm in our beautiful, perfect house and I was amazed. What a perfect moment. It was exactly what I'd always imagined my life to be when I was married. I am so blessed...so what if there's not alot of excitement and travelling and new things happening daily. I have my dream. What more can I ask?
Thank you, Lord.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Picture Post...
As I've been putting these pictures on my blog, they've been automatically adding to the top of my post and not progressing down the page as I had first anticipated...therefore, they are completely backwards as far as the timeline of our trip. So, if you want to see the true timeline, you can start at the bottom and work your way upwards. Otherwise, just sit back and enjoy a jumbled version of our trip to California!
This is a picture of my family (l-r: Andrew, Mom, Alicia and Dad) wandering like tourists at Disney Land. They all look so lost...I love it!
This is a picture of my family (l-r: Andrew, Mom, Alicia and Dad) wandering like tourists at Disney Land. They all look so lost...I love it!
We did two days at Disney Land (one in the California Adventure park and one in actual Disney Land). This is a picture of my parents...they think they're ready for this ride, but actually...
We went to Mexico one day (parked in Cali and walked across)...when we were walking back across this was the traffic we saw at the border and we waited for an hour (on foot) to reach American soil again.
This is Nathan and I at Joshua Tree National Park...not many trees, you say? Well, there is some fuzzy-ness coming out of Nathan's head in this picture...that is the top of a Joshua tree.
This is the view from the top of a crew setting up for a Victoria's secret red (aka hot pink) red carpet. The stars on the sidewalk are the Hollywood walk of fame stars. Pretty cool, huh?
This is just a very cool picture of me and Andrew (my brother) at Joshua Tree National Park...climbing the rocks.
Nathan and I with a teeny tiny little Hollywood sign in the background. Can you see it???
Shopping for hot sauce in a farmers market in LA...world's hottest hot sauce - $130/bottle.
On the way to California...all excited to be warm!
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