Merry Christmas!

I meant to post that wish before the first day of Christmas arrived, but it's now the third day of Christmas, and well, it's just as heartfelt.

I don't like it when people say that Christmas is over after the gifts are opened on Christmas Day or after the turkey's been eaten...so humor me as I let Christmas linger. It's been hard to let go of my other concerns (largely work) and enjoy the days, but I've been trying:)

On Christmas Eve, we attended services at Emmanuel Baptist Church where Amanda danced with the worship dancers. It was a wonderful service aimed at families highlighting the 'real star of Christmas'. After that we had family back to our house, ate appetizers, visited and exchanged some gifts. And for the second year in a row, my sister is in town for Christmas, which is a treat!

Les had to work Christmas day, so I arose with him before six that morning and saw him off. After a quiet breakfast, I read a devotion and snuck downstairs to play some carols quietly on the piano, then I came back up and made a pot of tea and read some Brennan Manning by the Christmas tree lights. Amanda soon arose and opened her stocking. The two us then did our tradition of lighting the advent candles and the Christ candle while singing carols and read our advent stories of His birth.

The rest of the day went by at a much quicker pace with a turkey to prepare and families to host. Les got home from work around 2 p.m. and we had a bit of family time around the tree before both Les' family and my own joined us.

The feast was wonderful, with too much food of course, and a highlight of the turkey platter being toppled right after dinner before dessert was served...so due to broken glass, no turkey leftovers were to had this year, but a fun memory nevertheless.

Pictures were taken, games were played, laughing happened. It was a good day!

The Brophy's

There You Are
written by Carolyn Arends

I was hoping you would write to me a message in the stars
As if the stars themselves were not enough
And I awaited your arrival here from some place very far
As if I couldn't feel your constant touch
Why did I think that you'd send thunder
To wake me from my slumber
When anytime I open up my eyes

Chorus:
There you are - loving me like crazy
There you are - though I am unaware
There you are - when my heart is doubting
Even there you are

I was waiting for a miracle and hoping for a sign
As if each breath I take is not a gift
And I was acting just as if the way you gave your life for mine
Didn't have my foolish heart convinced
What did I think could cause this hunger
Did I ever stop to wonder
Why every time I open my eyes

Repeat chorus

I was hoping you would write to me a message in the stars
As if the stars themselves were not enough

(C) 1997 running arends music/New Spring Publishing, a division of Brentwood Music
Publishing, Inc. (ASCAP)

Well, I had a fabulous weekend and a less than fabulous return to work on Monday.....so I will focus on the weekend right now...

Les and I finished up most of our Christmas shopping on Friday...just a few more gifts to buy...and then he took me out on a date for the evening! We went to Earls for supper where I had my favourite, the bento box and a glass of this yummy gwertraminer. I was on track eating wise until we decided to share gingerbread cake for dessert...oh well, it only happens one time a year, right?! After a wonderful meal, Les took me to see Pride and Prejudice. It was truly wonderful! Of course, they took some liberties in making the film...but how else could they have fit my favourite work of fiction into just two hours?! I think they captured the story and characters well though. Afterward we headed out to Starbucks for coffees...the perfect way to complete a great date I'd say!

Saturday we did some things around the house and got most of our Christmas wrapping done and then we headed to the Saskatoon Inn for my company's Christmas Party. I have to confess that I really am not much for company Christmas parties. I actually find it a lot of work to socialize in that venue. It seems people are focused on image and impressing others and people don't truly mingle beyond their workgroups much. So I find it really hard to relax in such a mix and while I do always enjoy visiting with some people, I'm usually relieved when it is over. The one bright point this year though was seeing my handsome hubby in his new suit:)

On Sunday we did some housework and some running around, and we did manage to fit another trip to Starbucks in before we went to visit the in-laws...gotta like that!

Les had this weekend off and it was just so great to get to do so many things together. I loved it and wish it didn't have to end:)

Seven Things About Various Things I Was Asked to Tell You About

Seven things to do before I die:
1. Have a baby.
2. Paris in the springtime!
3. Honeymoon in Ireland (we're still going, right?!:)
4. Learn to skate.
5. Retire from ever having to do accounting again!
6. Finish what I started on the ministry track.
7. Love my husband and children higher and wider and deeper than I even think is possible.

Seven things I cannot do:
1. Hide my feelings (or at least, I can't do this very well)
2. Ski (I've never learned and Les doesn't want to)
3. Sleep if I haven't brushed my teeth and washed my face before bed
4. Touch my nose with my tongue.
5. Not take things personal

From You've Got Mail:
(Joe Fox) "It wasn't... personal."
(Kathleen Kelly) "What is that supposed to
mean? I am so sick of that. All that means is that it wasn't personal to you.
But it was personal to me. It's *personal* to a lot of people. And what's so
wrong with being personal, anyway?"
(Joe Fox) "Uh, nothing."
(Kathleen Kelly) "Whatever else
anything is, it ought to begin by being
personal."

6. Reach the top shelf in our kitchen cupboards (without a chair).
7. Watch any sort of surgery (I have to turn my face away even when Les is just flipping the channel past 27 some nights!)

Seven things that attract me to my spouse:
1. His affection and affirmation.
2. His sense of humor.
3. His creativity.
4. His heart.
5. His shoulders (and all kinds of other parts;)
6. His strength.
7. His touch and his gaze:)

Seven things I say most often:
1. Worst case scenario...(Les says this is how I relieve stress, by planning around it?! eg. 'well, worst case scenario, the meeting will run late, but I'll make sure I'm home by 5.')
2. Good grief (I think I caught this one from my friend, Alana!)
3. Drive safely.
4. Bye (even when just leaving the room for a few minutes)
5. What are you thinking?
6. As if!
7. I don't think so.

Seven books I love:
1. The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
2. Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen
3. Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austin
4. Sacred Romance by Brent Curtis & John Eldridge
5. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
6. Beyond Ourselves by Catherine Marshall
7. Living the Questions by Carolyn Arends

Seven movies I would watch over and over again:
1. The Mirror Has Two Faces
2. You've Got Mail
3. Pride & Prejudice (BBC Production)
4. While You Were Sleeping
5. Bridget Jones
6. A Beautiful Mind
7. Gidget

Seven people I want to join in too:
Anyone who reads this...and especially anyone I link to on this blog:)

Guess What I Found on the Newstand Tonight?!

Someone I know is now famous!!

Les' Eve

Tomorrow is the birthday of the most handsome, caring, creative, brilliant man I know...the one my heart loves! Happy birthday Les!! I love you more than words can say and am so proud to be your wife:)

Yes, I know, I'm way behind in updating this thing. I know you don't want excuses, but things have been hectic. I only have a minute here, so I'll just update you on the two most notable things on my heart:

Firstly, last week, Les was injured in a bit of a mishap that I don't have time to describe here, but the outcome was a fractured rib, a buckled rib, some nasty bruises and an wound that bled into his abdominal cavity. He's been in quite of a bit of pain ever since, so if you'd pray for my sweet man, I'd so appreciate it. Today he does seem to be feeling some relief - although he still has a ways to go.

Secondly, despite his injuries, Les insisted on taking me to the Brian Doerksen worship concert on the weekend, and it was amazing! I learn a lot worshipping with him:)

"The splendor of a human heart which trusts that it is loved gives God more pleasure than Westminster Cathedral, the Sistine Chapel, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Van Gogh's Sunflowers, the sight of ten thousand butterflies in flight, or the scent of a million orchids in bloom."
Brennan Manning

English Tea Lyrics
(Paul McCartney)


Would you care to sit with me
For a cup of English tea
Very twee, very me
Any sunny morning

What a pleasure it would be
Chatting so delightfully
Nanny bakes, fairy cakes
Every Sunday morning

Miles of miles of English garden, stretching past the willow tree
Lines of hollyhocks and roses, listen most attentively

Do you know the game crochet
Peradventure we might play
Very gay, hip hooray
Any sunny morning

(solo)

Miles of miles of English garden, stretching past the willow tree
Lines of hollyhocks and roses, listen most attentively

As a rule the church bells chime
When it's almost supper time
Nanny bakes fairy cakes
On a Sunday morning

Brian Doerksen in Concert

Les called me at work today with wonderful news. He has another date planned for November 25th. We just barely finished one date and already there is another one on the horizon?! (I'm liking this!!) Apparently Brian Doerksen is playing Saskatoon on the 25th and Les has gotten us tickets! Brian is a sincere heart, a husband and a father with a heart for The Father. Les had encountered him personally when he lived in B.C., and we both enjoyed worshipping with him last year at Breakforth. He is a talented worship leader and muscian and a tremendous songwriter. I'm SO looking forward to the 25th!

Boy Those Roses Smell Good

I just had the most wonderful evening and day with my handsome husband. It started when I came home from work on Monday to 2 dozen (!!) huge long-stemmed white roses (with just a hint of pink:) along with a love note written en francais from Les!! (remember when he said that if you don't use your French you lose it:)

For our anniversary he had also gotten me a gift certificate for Bev Ashdown's for a pedicure (those are one of the most relaxing experiences I can think of:) and an amazing card:)

Then Les took me to the Granary for supper (as is our tradition:), where we had the most delightful meal (although I'll admit I was over my carb limit...but it was our anniversary after all!) Then we did some walking and browsing and ended our time out with coffee's at the new Starbucks on Broadway.

The whole time I felt like we had this big secret compared to the rest of the world...here it was a weekday and we were out on a date...here it was a weekday and we didn't have to worry about getting to bed on time:) You see, Grandma had Amanda overnight and we both had booked Tuesday off, so we could linger Monday evening and spend Tuesday together.

We had such a good day Tuesday too! We slept late, had eggs for breakfast (in the middle of the week?!) then headed out to some shops we never get to, just to look. We even had another Starbucks...this time trying the Gingerbread lattes (yum)...and then picked up Amanda from school and I made a special dinner at home to celebrate our anniversary as a family.

Last night, I really had a hard time though going to bed. I didn't want it to be over...nor to face the reality of work and its hectic-ness today, but here we are!

Boy those roses smell good! :)

Saying "I Do" Was the Best Thing I Ever Did!

Today is the third anniversary of the day I married Les! And in that three years, my life has seen more changes than I would have ever dreamed, but also, in that three years I have experienced more happiness than I knew possible! My husband is a man of character and committment who does more than his share to take care of his family. My partner is a man of humour and optimism (especially when it comes to me) who holds me up when I can't do it myself. My friend is the only man I could ever share all my secrets and dreams with and know that I am safe. I am so grateful for you, Les. I love you and adore you even more than on that day when we first said 'I do.'!

Overheard coming out of my daughter's mouth...



You hope that your children internalize the things you try to teach them...but you don't know for sure...until, that is, you overhear them say something like this:

"I just don't get why (name witheld to protect a friend) didn't study for her test?! When I have a test coming up it just doesn't feel right to be watching TV or playing if I haven't studied."

Not bad for 10:)

Encounter

Encounter was very good tonight. I think I finally let God begin to break through what I've been carrying as we sang 'Blessed be the name'. In the message, the image of hands really spoke to me...

It Depends on Whose Hands It Is In

A violin in my hands will make a screechy
noise
But a violin in a musician's hands will play
a masterpiece.
It all depends whose hands it's
in.

A basketball in my hands is worth about
$29.95
A basketball in Michael Jordan’s hands is
worth about $33 million
It all depends whose hands it’s in

A baseball in my hands is worth about $6
A baseball in Mark Mcquire’s hands is
worth $19 million
It all depends whose hands it’s in

A tennis racket
is useless in my hands
A tennis racket in Pete Sampras’ hands is a Wimbledon
Championship
It all depends whose hands it’s in

A rod in my hands
will keep away a wild animal
A rod in Moses’ hands will part the mighty sea
It all depends whose hands it’s in

A sling shot in my hands is a
kid’s toy
A sling shot in David’s hand is a mighty weapon…
It all
depends whose hands it’s in

Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in my hands
is a couple of fish sandwiches…
Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in God’s
hands will feed thousands
It all depends whose hands it’s in

Some mud and some spit in my hands makes a
mud-pie
But some mud and spit in Jesus' hands
restores sight to the blind
It all depends whose hand it's
in

Nails in my hands might produce a
birdhouse
Nails in Jesus’s hands will produce salvation for the entire world
It all depends whose hands it’s in

I have no idea who first penned this. I first heard it tonight from an African-American preacher in a film clip. It appears that he added several examples that weren't in the original version I found as I googled it just now, so I added those in from my memory of his words. The message I heard tonight was to put everything in His hands so that we can take our empty hands and lift them up to him and point to His power and His goodness. It's all better in His hands. The only hand we can give Him is ours pointing to Him.

The Truth IN Love

Oy, what a day, what a week I've been having?! So I just pressed pause for a moment and got myself a Starbucks and did a little catching up in the blog world. ...And I came upon this post of what it means to speak 'the truth in love'. Now, I don't know the writer, but she is on several of the blogrolls of people I do know, and what she wrote really resounds with me on this matter...here's an excert:

"Many times when a person evokes or employs "truth in love," the emphasis is placed more on the truth aspect of the message than the love. But that's not how the sentence itself is structured -- truth is in love, inside of it. Love is what is encompassing it, surrounding it -- which should effect how this truth is delivered.

Which leads me to my problem. Whenever I see an
injustice in the world, I want to remedy it ... but remedying it doesn't mean emphasizing what I see as the truth at the expense of love.

Anyone that knows me knows that I'm big on accountability. There are few things I despise
less than someone who's a hypocrite -- saying one thing, while intending (or doing) another. My drive for accountability needs to be balanced with a drive
for showing love -- or compassion (not pity) -- for whoever my opponent is. This is huge!

Both of these elements -- accountability and compassion -- have to be a part of my approach. Without accountability, my compassion could easily
slip into condoning of actions and a general sense of apathy to what is right and wrong. Yet without compassion, my drive for accountability (and justice) is
useless, because it gets me nowhere"
From grrrlmeetsworld.com

Now there's some truth IN love!

Sherri Needs...

As I was checking out some other blogs today, Christy had posted this little exercise. I found some of her results funny, so I tried it myself. Here are the instructions: "Go to Google and in quotation marks put your name and needs. Example if your name is Fred put "Fred needs" and press enter. Then share the 5 funniest hits."

I'm sharing the top hits in the order they came up...it's eerie how google knew the kind of week I've been having?!

• Sherri needs prayers
• Sherri needs a break
• Sherri needs to learn that they are not "wrong" and there are a multitude of ways of reading it
• Sherri needs support now
• Sherri needs to duck out
• Sherri needs a year off also
• Sherri needs to explore technology
• Sherri needs to sneak out too
• Sherri needs her bandmates
• Sherri needs to forget the world
• Sherri needs to talk
• Sherri needs to stay in the corner before she gets hurt

...and my personal favourite...

• Sherri needs much Marketing at this point anyway.

Work continues to be full of pressure and stress these days...your prayers are so appreciated!

For a break, I took a couple of quizzes about career and personality while I ate my lunch...

...and how I became a CA, still remains a mystery to me?!

Your Career Type: Social

You are helpful, friendly, and trustworthy. Your talents lie in teaching, nursing, giving information, and solving social problems. You would make an excellent: Counselor - Dental Hygienist - Librarian Nurse - Parole Officer - Personal Trainer Physical Therapist - Social Worker - Teacher The worst career options for your are realistic careers, like truck driver or farmer.

What's" Your Ideal Career?

What? ...no accountant on that list?! Shocking!! (I remember one personality quiz I took a while back that actually suggested that the last thing I should be is an accountant or finance manager! ...things that make you go, hmmm!)

Your Personality Is

Idealist (NF) You are a passionate, caring, and unique person. You are good at expressing yourself and sharing your ideals. You are the most compassionate of all types and connect with others easily. Your heart tends to rule you. You can't make decisions without considering feelings. You seek out other empathetic people to befriend. Truth and authenticity matters in your friendships. In love, you give everything you have to relationships. You fall in love easily. At work, you crave personal expression and meaning in your career. With others, you communicate well. You can spend all night talking with someone. As far as your looks go, you've likely taken the time to develop your own personal style. On weekends, you like to be with others. Charity work is also a favorite pastime of yours.

The'>http://www.blogthings.com/threequestionpersonalitytest/">The Three Question Personality Test

Happy Thanksgiving!

I Am Blessed

I had a hard time going to sleep last night...you see, I kept replaying in my mind all the things that need to get done at work. Things would be busy no matter what this time of year, but add to that the fact that two of my staff are off sick and what lies ahead of me next week is daunting... And yesterday I learned that my IS Manager will be off for at least another week, if not two (his situation has gotten worse).

Now my heart and prayers just go out for these people who are off sick and that tops my list of concerns right now. But I also can't help but feeling overwhelmed and that there is no way that I can do all that I need to get done next week...in particular, handling all the technical things that must be done in the IS Manager's absense (especially with my current workload). Please pray.

So in the midst of this, the Thanksgiving sermon I heard last night told me to find the blessing in the midst of this current struggle, and trust me, I am looking it, so I'm pausing for a moment to list out all of the things I'm thankful for right now:

- God's grace and love.
- My handsome husband whom I adore and how he love me.
- Our daughter and how her character is growing.
- Our health.
- Our extended family and the fact that most of us can see each other this Thanksgiving.
- Friends who have been so there for me.
- Our home.
- That we have jobs.
- Amanda's school and the friends that God has drawn to her.
- A new small group.
- Tea ...I think I'll go and have a cup before I get into my 'to do' list today:)

Tagged

Donna tagged me to go through my blog archives, find my 23rd posting and to paste the 5th sentence from it below. Here it is....

"I have so many memories of hours upon hours spent playing and imagining!"

Now I'm to tag 5 others to do the same...so here's the list:
Jackie R., Carrie C., Gloria R., Arilee H. and Cathy J. If you are reading this and are so inclined, what is the fifth sentence of your 23rd post? (Participation is completely optional:)

Well, I made it through the inventory count!! ...enough said (I do believe that work has taken up more than its fair share of time already this week).

Les is at work and Amanda is at Grandma's, so I had the house to myself to do my workout this morning, then I showered and headed out to get my hair cut. I love getting my hair cut, I'm not sure why? It could have something to do with the fact that I enjoy spending time with my hairdresser or the fact that it feels so good to have her massage my head or just that right now I feel pretty:) Whatever it is, I'll take it!

There sure is a fall chill in the air today, so I'm off to make some macchiato's for Les when he gets home! Enjoy the falling leaves:)

Three Wishes

Les and I taped the premier of this show last night. Then we watched it together after his evening shift, and we both loved it! In truth, I was in tears more than once during the show, touched and moved by the personal stories that were told. I think what encouraged me most was seeing everyday-folk be inspired and join in in reaching out to one another:)

Grant's Wish
"It's a teaching tool," Grant says. "Yes, it's a television show, and we are using network dollars, sponsorship dollars, to do a good thing for people. But we live in an age where
people are not connecting the way they used to, not meeting each others' needs
on a basic level. My hope, when I first went to NBC -- I just said I hope that
people see this show and feel inspired to reinvest. That's my hope, that people
are re-energized."

After shooting several episodes, the recording artist and TV host says she has already seen that hope realized, to some extent, just among the people she and her team have met in the towns the show has visited. While only three wishes are chosen for each town out of however many hundreds or thousands are presented, Grant says many times other wishes get granted off camera and behind the scenes, as a result of people
coming together to share their needs. "

Weekend Update

Friday was the third anniversary of the day my amazing husband proposed to me! :) And so we got a sitter and had a date-night to celebrate! Les took me to see the premiere of Just Like Heaven followed by macchiato's at Starbucks and book-browsing at McNally's...an awesome date-night if I do say so myself!! When I saw the previews for the movie, I was a little unsure about whether I wanted to see it. On the one hand, it was a romantic comedy (my favourite type of show!), but on the other hand, the previews seemed to suggest it somehow dealt with the issue of the afterlife in a way that I may possibly object to. As it was the premiere showing, there was no way for me to check out what others thought, so we just gave it a shot and went to the movie. And I'd have to say that it was one of the best movies I've seen in a while! It wasn't a typical, predictable story, it had some interesting twists and turns. And in the end, yes, I was in tears (as is often the case with a good love story...*sigh*) You can check out Carolyn Arends' review of the movie here if you're interested.

Saturday, we had Amanda's friend, Steph, over for a play-date and supper and then we all headed off to Church for the carnival. Amanda and her friend had a blast!

Then on Sunday we went to my inlaws for lunch and then out to Bridge City Speedway to see this year's championship races! It's been a long time since Les had a weekend off like this and we were able to do so much together...I loved it!

Jewels

Most people who know me personally have heard me talk at one time or another about the 'jewels' God gives me. Sometimes they have been rewards for obedience and sometimes (often) they have been completely unmerited on my part. All of the time though they are affirmations of His love. I confess though that sometimes when I don't slow down my life enough I miss out on seeing His hand on me in that way. That's something I feel I need to confess today.

Roses in my heart is the name of this blog, but it really falls out of a much bigger story that has to do with God's woo-ing of me, and how many times He's shown me His love through roses, a jewel that so hits this romantic heart of mine. I don't have the time to tell the full story here, but let me just give you a bit of background. You see, when I was a single girl, before God "turned my waiting into dancing", He used to send me roses regularly. Many of my married friends would even comment to me that although I was single I received them more often than any of the married women they knew! God knew this over-romantic heart of mine though and He knew just how to woo me. Roses have had a big significance in that...not only the receiving of them, but the learning through them, the experiences in gardens, etc.

Flash forward a few years and I'm a wife and a mother and He has given me so much more that I could even ask or imagine. But in truthfulness, I'd have to say that I don't have much time for myself these days and this week has been an even bigger example of that. You see, work is very hectic right now. And when extra is called for at work, I usually end up not taking proper lunches or breaks because I can't just stay late every day like I would when I was single. I have a daughter to be home for after school and a husband who works shiftwork. Well, without going to all the details, let's just say that this week I was running day and night and the lack of down time was definitely wearing on me.

My plans for this evening were to race home from work (I had to leave before a meeting I was part of even came to end), heat up the supper I prepared the night before and wisk Amanda off to her worship dance class all by 5:15 (Les is working this evening). Then while she was dancing, go to the store and pick up the things we need around the house (you would not believe how much milk we go through?!)

Anyway, so as not to make a long story too much longer, let me tell you God's plans for me tonight... get my attention after dropping Amanda at dance, woo me to Starbucks and treat me to a carmel macchiato (no fat and no sugar) and an almond biscotti (which was even balanced carb-wise) with a Mary Engelbreit magazine and some time alone to just relax. As I dipped my biscotti in my coffee it dawned on me how many free Starbucks treats I seem to get these days (all with their own stories) and I saw God's fingerprints all over it! What I need is some down time from time to time and God, knowing what I need, has been wooing me this way. What a jewel?!

Well Amanda's off to bed now, I've done some laundry and finished my workout, but rather than just quickly wash off and get back to the laundry I'm going to linger a bit longer and have a bubble bath right now and enjoy what I am learning. I feel a bit guilty though, did I mention that I forgot to pick up the milk?!! Oh well, hopefully there's enough there to get us through breakfast! I won't think about that right now though, I'm just going to get my tea, some candles and some bubbles. G'night y'all:)

Starbucks is on my side:)

Work has been crazy busy for too many reasons for me to go into here, but let's just all agree that I deserved the Starbucks I treated myself today, ok?! So I'm working away, sipping my Starbucks when the inspirational saying on the cup catches my eye:

The Way I See It #63
"Our lives are inspired by the dreams we have from the earliest stages of our youth. When you combine passion and hard work, then success is always possible. While no road is ever straight, dedication and persistence will always lead you toward your dreams."

Add in about faith, God's will and prayer, and that pretty much sums up the essence of what we try to teach Amanda. See, Starbucks is on my side, now if I could get the teachers there!

_____
OK, I can't end this post without making sure that anyone reading this blog knows that on most things I have total respect for ALL of the teachers Amanda has had. They have all been gifted educators with a heart for children and learning, so if I come off as though I'm dissing them, I'm not, it's just this candy-method and over-rewarding expected behavior that I question. But let me just say that being a teacher must be such a tough job these days and I SO admire those doing it. It was my dream growing up, so I will always have such a soft spot for teachers:)

Royalty Trumps Conspiracy!

Yesterday during handwriting class, Amanda's teacher told Amanda that she was "the Queen of handwriting" as she passed by her desk and reviewed her work, and then, in front of the whole class, she said, "Yes, when Amanda was first born, I'm sure her mother held her in her arms and looked into her eyes and said, 'you will be a Queen I tell you, the Queen of handwriting!' " Evan, the often teasing boy who sits beside Amanda, grabbed her book to see for himself, and then he affirmed, "You are! You are the Queen of handwriting!"

Amanda beamed when she told me about this this morning. I, of course, confirmed that she does have beautiful handwriting, to which she replied (unaware of my blog-post from yesterday), "Mom, when the teacher called me the Queen of handwriting that was way better than getting candy!" I, of course, agreed....you see, royalty does trump conspiracy with my daughter:)

It's a Conspiracy!

In our home, we try so hard to make healthy choices for our family and set a good example for our daughter when it comes to eating and exercise, hoping that one day she will choose so on her own. We don't obsess about this, but we do try and live it out... And this means that Amanda doesn't get candies and chocolate bars EVERY day. Those are once-in-a-while treats. Oh trust me, she gets plenty of her favourite things, but in moderation, and we really try to make sure that she doesn't get a message that 'food is love'. We'd rather her feel loved by the way we care for her each day...the time we spend together as a family (special times and just every day times like supper at the table together every night or prayers together before bed every night), words of affirmation and love spoken consistently and often lavishly, and the way we serve each other as a family. But tonight I've decided that the rest of the world is all against us! Look at the teachers for one, they reward everything and anything they can throughout the day with candy and chocolate bars, and the Church is even in on it too?! I wish they would think about the message that this is sending. I mean, often they reward what should be expected behavior (like listening when the teacher is talking) with extra candy, and I just really think that food as a reward on a repeated basis sends a dangerous message. Is it just me, or do you worry about this too?

Oooh this looks so good! I'm going to have to go out and get my copy this weekend:)

Sunrise Apples

It is officially autumn! I found sunrise apples in the grocery store this week. These are my favourite!! Juicy, soft, sweet apples that I can only find in the store for a short time each fall. Why, oh why, can't we have sunrise apples all year?!

Rainy Day Treat

It was a rainy and cooler day today. Les was up before six and off to work. I did my workout and a bit of scrapbooking (since the housework had already been done this weekend:) Amanda and I hung out and talked about books she's reading and ways we could redecorate her room. Then this afternoon, we had her friend Britney over for a play-date, and now, over two hours later, I still hear their excited voices creating new story-lines for their Beanie Boppers to act out! Those giggles and gushes are music to my ears:)

Amanda's having a friend over also meant a bit of time to myself for me - because they always play so well together, so I decided to do some experimenting and make a treat for when Les came home from work. There seemed to be a bit of a chill in the air, so I thought I'd try something hot...too bad Starbucks isn't closer, I thought, I could get us some Carmel Macchiato's. Well, since it was pouring out and I didn't want to drag out my two girlies who were so happily playing, I set up the kitchen to try and make my own macchiatos...and they turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself:) ...so here's the recipe:


Carmel Macchiato's a la Sherri (good, but not as good as Starbucks, of course:)

vanilla syrup (we have the sugar free from Starbucks)
skim milk
espresso (I brewed half a pot of Starbucks expresso beans in my coffee pot...double strength)
carmel sauce

In each mug, put 1 tablespoon of sugar free vanilla syrup. Boil some skim milk in the microwave while the coffee is brewing. Use a milk frother (my latest purchase from IKEA!) in the the boiled milk when you take it out. Pour one cup of steamed milk into each mug. Use the frother in each mug to mix the milk with the vanilla syrup. Spoon some milk foam on top of milk mixture in each mug. Pour 1/2 cup of espresso in each mug over the milk mixture...the foam will rise to the top. Drizzle a bit of carmel sauce on top and enjoy! ...Les & I sure did this afternoon:)

Espresso beans from Starbucks - FREE
Milk frother from IKEA - $1.99
Enjoying a rainy day treat in the arms of my husband - PRICELESS!!

First Hillary Duff, then The Queen and now The Prime Minister of Canada...

...it's been quite the year for Miss Amanda! As you'll recall Amanda got treated to the Hillary Duff concert back in January. Then in the spring she had the opportunity to attend the Centennial Gala and see the Queen, and now she's going to meet the Prime Minister of Canada! The school called yesterday with the news that as an honour student she has been invited to have breakfast with the Prime Minister on Friday! She's thrilled beyond thrilled and has been thinking up questions that she might want to ask him (if she feels brave enough!)

This morning was registration for school. Amanda's going into Grade 5, and somehow I had us in the Grade 4 line...where does the time go?! Anyway once we straightened that out, I met her (likely) teacher, and for the first time it's a man?!! He seems very nice as does his TA! And given the amount of prayer we've sent up over the matter of who her teacher would be, I'm eager to see what God has in store for her with this talented duo this year:)

Spoiled!

She just got back from a 7+ week vacation! I haven't gone on vacation yet this year, but we may get a few days off soon...so I'll live vicariously through her in the meantime:) Yesterday we saw some of the pictures and heard some of the stories:) It is always intriguing to learn what different people choose to see and do when they go places. And she brought me something(s!) back...6 (!!) different fabrics (2 of which are Mary Engelbreit!!!) and some scrapbooking supplies!! Boy do I feel spoiled?!! Thanks again, you really shouldn't have...but I'm so tickled you did! :)

A Rational Fear

Yesterday I labeled my fear of falling on the ice as an 'irrational one', and today I'm back to say that I've reconsidered and have decided that it is a completely rational fear for me. You see, when I'm on skates I feel completely out of my comfort zone and out of control. I feel as if I could fall at any moment. And below me is this hard cold ice that doesn't seem pleasant to fall on. Furthermore, I never learned to skate when I was a child and more adaptable and limber. So I've re-categorized it...it's a rational fear!

I'll still keep trying to learn, but IT IS A RATIONAL FEAR!

(There, (sigh), my feeler-heart feels so much better now:)

I Got Skates!

...that's right, it's August, and my husband just finished buying me a new pair of skates?! Talk about a zealous man!!

Friday night we had a 'date-night' to celebrate a recent accomplishment of Les' at work (Way to go, Baby, I'm still SO proud of you!!), and in between the dinner and the movie, on bended knee, he tried skate after skate on my foot... (yeah, he knows how to make me feel like a princess!:)

You see, he hasn't given up on the idea of us romantically skating togeher as a couple (despite the fact that I'm still not a fluent skater and have this irrational fear of falling on the ice!), and the skates I inherited from years gone by not only do not fit right, but are horribly uncomfortable. Les says that a new pair of top of the line CCM's will fix that, and that this is the best time of year to buy skates because you can get last year's top of the line model at a discount as this year's versions begin to be released. So now I have a pair of Sale and Pelletier's that I've been walking around our family room in this weekend.... (The things we do for love:)

p.s. We had a great date night! ...tried out a new sitter with Amanda, who was wonderful ...had a great meal at Tony Romas ...saw a romantic comedy (Must Love Dogs) ...and capped off the evening with Carmel Macchiatos at Starbucks! ...who could ask for more?! :)

Biking Shorts

Our biking shorts arrived!! (And no, I'm not posting of picture of us in them!) We had no sooner opened the package on Friday than we put them on and took them out for a test ride. Wow, what an improvement?!!

We've been riding our bikes a fair bit this summer, but were getting tired of walking like c'boys when we were done. We tried an array of gel seats to no avail. So Les set out to find some good biking shorts, and in truth, there was really nothing much to be had around here, so I set about researching them on the internet and found an AeroDesign company that makes pro-biking shorts with different designs built for men and women. We did some finageling on price and shipping and saved about $40 in total. The shorts arrived within a week of ordering them and work wonderfully!!

Now at the beginning of this all I had such mis-givings about the whole idea and told Les that I couldn't see myself wearing them, but he said he could ;), and after this weekend, I tell ya, I wouldn't be without them! :)

Let me see...

...let me see, what HAVE we been doing lately?

- One night we headed to Long & McQuade for a look-a-bout. This was my second time in the new store, and I really like it!
- Last Friday night Les and I went to the races. I'm amazed at how many drivers I either know or know of?! I bbq'd some salmon for supper first and then when we got home we were treated to a Northern Lights show from our deck! (I love it!!)
- Visited with both sides of the family.
- Facilitated a lot of 'play-dates' for Miss Amanda.
- Yard work, house work, a walk or two and bike riding.
- Became a second cousin again (my youngest cousin, Crystal had a baby boy, Dominic...he's over 9 lbs and 23 inches...why give birth to a baby when you can give birth to a toddler?! :)

It's amazing how fast the summer seems to be going by. Les has been working a lot, but it looks like we're going to have 4 days off as a family together later this month, so I'm looking forward to that! We're loving our yard a lot this summer, but lately have been plagued with a few un-invited guests on our deck at supper-time...wasps! We can't seem to find a hive/nest, so I don't know where they are coming from, but a couple of them seem to like my cooking, so we're looking for ideas of how we can deter them from the deck at meal-time (any and all thoughts are welcome:)

And on a completely unrelated note, last night I caught a few minutes of 'Crossroads' before Les got home from work. I was flipping around and paused when I heard a familiar song coming out of Martina McBride's mouth...it was 'Promises in the Dark', and then out came Pat Benatar to sing it with her! The whole show was the two of them doing each other's songs, and it was so good! When I was a little girl, my brother was mostly grown and had this big stereo and quite a collection of rock music. I used to borrow his records and then give concerts of my own, often singing Pat Benatar's hits, so seeing this pairing on Crossroads was such a hoot to me! And it turns out Martina McBride used to do the same thing as me?! She says that singing Benatar tunes in her bedroom is probably where she developed her vocal range. The highlight for me though was probably hearing Benatar sing the chorus from McBride's 'Independence Day'. It rocked! It was such a strange but interesting pairing of the rocker and the country star, but these two women have so much in common...they are strong intelligent women with strong voices, both with real partnerships in marriage and both with daughters. I didn't get to see the whole show, but it certainly put Suzi Rawn's reprise of a Benatar song on Idol last week in it's place...that was just all 'Raw'g! (in my humble opinion:)

As I read this piece of prose today, I couldn't help but think of my handsome husband and what we share together...


Now we feel no rain,
for each of us will be shelter to the other.
Now we feel no cold,
for each of us will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no loneliness,
for each of us will be a companion to the other.
We are two bodies,
but there is one life before us and one home.
When evening falls,
I'll look up and there you will be.
I'll take your hand;
you'll take mine and we'll turn together
To look at the road we traveled to reach this - the hour of our happiness. It stretches behind us,
even as the future lies ahead.
A long and winding road,
whose every turn means discovery.
Old hopes, new laughter, shared fears.
The adventure has just begun.

God is good!!

Gotta Love Starbucks!

OK, I know it's a bit over-priced, but I have to admit a weakness for the occasional treat from Starbucks! This spring, Les and I got a Duetto card and now we earn points toward free Starbucks stuff, which certainly helps! I can't even remember the last time I PAID for a coffee:) And to top that off, the other day when I was in there getting some light fraps for Les and I, they gave me a half pound of the coffee of my choice just for using my Starbucks card! Also when we brought the mail in on the weekend, they had sent us a coupon to have one of their new treats (three different green tea products) on them! All this, and a couple of weeks ago they sent us a postcard thanking us for our business and giving us more $s to spend on our Starbucks card! There must be a catch?! ...the people are even friendly when you go in to order your drinks!! ...and a few weeks ago, when they were having a problem with one of their machines, they gave me a free macchiato just to make sure my 'flavour experience' was the best!! And you know, another thing I like, is that they have healthier options for people's different ways of eating. I order everything non-fat and it's still delicious! My favourite picks are (hot) the grande carmel macchiato, no fat, no sugar, and (cold) the grande light carmel frappucino...mmmm! Gotta love Starbucks!

We'll definitely be doing that again...

Les and I headed to the races on Saturday night. I've been to Bridge City a few times before I was married with friends of mine, but this is the first time we've ever gone as a couple. And I'd have to say that I enjoyed it far better than I thought I would! I think it's one of those things, like football, that is more enjoyable to watch in person than on TV. Also, the short track makes it so that you can see all the action. That and the fact that many of the races were shorter distances seemed to keep my attention better too. Probably the biggest thing though that added to my enjoyment of the evening was simply being with my precious man! He thoroughly enjoyed the races and patiently explained all sorts of things to me throughout the evening, so now I can kind of follow what is happening even though I can barely hear the announcer over the roar of the engines! It was a fun date-night...and I think I'd like to do that again! (Who'd a thunk it?!)

Amazing Women!

This weekend was extra-special for two women whom I love very much! Elizabeth Nickel and Gloria Reimer were commissioned as ministers of the Free Methodist Church...(a journey I found myself on just a few years ago as well, but one that is on hold for now:)

Both Elizabeth and Gloria have touched my life in many ways! As I've written here before, Elizabeth has been a mentor, a sister, a friend and even a mother figure to me through the years. She is the Pastor that married Les and I...I believe we were the first couple she actually wed! She has been such an encourager and shepherd in my life, and I wish I had the time and words to really try to explain that more fully!

Gloria has also been a huge encouragement to me in many ways! She is a strong woman and has helped me to grow in many ways through the years (as iron sharpens iron). Gloria is someone who loves learning and seeks to learn through every experience and every person she meets in life. She has made a special place in her heart for my family...and especially my father. I will never forget her prayers whispered in his ear when he was in critical condition, nor her hugs for him when he walks through the Church door. I think sometimes he would try to escape them, but she would never let that happen, and I know he loves her for it!

I wish I had more time this morning to pay tribute to these two amazing women who mean so much to me! My time nor words are sufficient for that though.

Scrapbooking

I guess I'm getting in on this a little bit late, but better late than never, right?! I've been interested in scrapbooking for some time, but always pushed it off as "too expensive" or "something I just didn't have time for". Well this past birthday, my husband and brother set me up with a few supplies, and this weekend I did my first three scrapbook pages! I'm really enjoying this new hobby and hope it is something I can follow through on. I've started working on a portrait scrapbook of Amanda. I'm calling it, "Amanda, Portrait of a Living Dolly!" This way, I have a resting place for all those portraits of our girlie each year (once they have been displayed in a place of honour for their due time:)

I'd love to hear from any of you who are scrapbookers about suggested themes, free resources, etc. I love looking at other people's scrapbooks, and I've been getting books from the library periodically to peruse. I think what I like best about scrapbooks is that they are more than just picture albums, they tell stories! ...Well, back to working on Amanda's story...

Yeahhh!!

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=130274&hubName=nhl
http://www.canucks.com/
http://www.hockeypundits.com/
http://forecaster.ca/thescore/hockey/index.cgi

Summer's Good

Things have been busy, but good (or should I say, work has been busy, home has been good?!) We've been outside a lot enjoying the weather...bike-riding, gardening, bbqing.... Speaking of gardening, this past weekend, Les and I took on a little project and carved out a couple of perenniel beds in the backyard. Boy, that was more work than I figured, but they turned out well. In the first bed (along the side fence) we've planted a rose bush (yes, a rose bush!! deep pink and all in bloom!) and some perrenials (salvia, fox glove(?), bees balm (funky pink daisy like flowers) and...oooh a ground cover with purple flowers that I can't think of the name of). Most of the perenniels came from the church sale in June. In the second bed (along the back corner of the fence) we planted more perenniels (most of which were adopted from Alana:)...painted daisies, a lilly, and iris and some type of ground cover. Hopefully they will all like their new home and bloom! We also bought one new plant...a huge purple cornflower (Echinecea) which is already in bloom, and we rescued some white daisies from homelessness in the back-alley behind our fence (they are also in bloom!) Of course, we picked the hottest part of the hottest day of the weekend to do the majority of the work. Oh well, it feels good to have it done!

Amanda is blooming in her own way this week too. Yes, my tween is taking part in "Fashion Camp" each day and loving it! She's already painted jeans, made a belt and purse and all sorts of jewellry, and that's only after the second day!

Les has been working tonnes, and since we tend to work opposite schedules, I took this past Monday off to spend his day off with him. He, in turn, took me to Earls for lunch (mmmm, I had my bento box even!) We had an awesome day together!!

Yes, overall, summer is good!

Girls' Night!

Amanda and I have been having lots of girls' nights this week while Les has been away working. Tonight we made Chinese for supper and watched the movie "What a Girl Wants". We had seen it together before in the theatre, but that was a couple of years ago, so when it was available at the library, we thought we'd see it again. Our favourite line from the movie was when a friend of the main character's said to her, "Why are you trying so hard to fit in when you were made to stand out?!" Amanda and I talked quite a lot about what that meant and about what good advice that was. Also, as far as I'm concerned, you can't complain about a movie with Colin Firth in it... (Guilty confession time, I think he's delightful as far as actors go...I mean you can't go wrong with a cross between Mr. Darcy and my own dear hubby?!!) The movie had a happy ending...daughter reunited with father; father brings charming boy that daughter likes back to her; father and mother deeply in love...you know, your typical "happily ever after". As we cuddled tonight Amanda and I talked about how we are living our own happily ever after:) We talked, we laughed, we shared chai lattes and cherries with pits...gotta love girls' night!!

On another note, this afternoon we went bike riding, and I just have one question for you... How is it that you can feel so good bike-riding...feel like you could go on forever and then, the moment you get off the bike find yourself to be overheating a bit?! It must have something to do with the wind and velocity keeping you cool, but both Amanda and I felt that way. Oh well, at least it was a nice day for a ride:)

An 82 Year Old Man

The other day at work I met an 82 year old man who happens to own a few shares in the company. He's been residing of late in Africa and was in town for a quick visit, so he popped in to see the CEO right around coffee time, and I am so much richer for getting to sit with him in the coffee room and hear his stories of what he's been doing in Kenya.

This is a very unassuming man. I'm not sure what he did for a living earlier in his life, but from things he's said in passing, I think he worked with farmers. He's lived in Ontario and Saskatchewan, and then he and his wife retired to B.C. Unfortunately, his wife passed away a few years ago. When she was alive they had always wanted to go and work in Africa, but he says "the doors were never opened."

Well a couple of years ago, this man went on a tour over there, and he's been there ever since. He talks in a disheartened manner of all the NGO's that we hear of and support and how they really do little there to help reduce poverty...that little of the money actually gets to the people who need it. He has an obvious passion to see these families be able to get out of the cycle of poverty.

One of the things that struck him the most was their need for water. You would never have a farm here without a well so he started finding ways to help groups of farmers build wells. On a sabatical trip back to B.C. a while ago, he says he was praying for specific incite of how to find water for these people and not waste effort on dry holes. He believes the Holy Spirit lead him to his closet, and within a few minutes he had fashioned these two "L" shaped tools. He lifted them up to show us and then he walked around our coffee room. The two rods would stay apart as he walked and then suddenly they crossed over each other (without his hands directing them to). At that point he said, "there's a stream here". He then asked the rods how far down the water was and they counted out the feet. He said that he knows they look like silly rods, but that he believes they are talking to him and that it's been incredible how accurate they have been in finding water for these people. To date he has been part of the construction of over 300 shallow wells. (By the way, he also passed the rods over two glasses of water - one with 10 grains of salt in it and one without. The rods crossed themselves only over the unsalted water, further showing the accuracy of his tool.)

This man not only helps the people he works with find water, he's taught them how to come together and help each other. He'll get three farmers working together to construct wells for each other so it costs less, and he's taught them to sell their rice from one day's meal in the market each week (and eat vegetation that day) to save up for the tools needed. He's still working out a way to get the cost of tools down, he says.

I was amazed by this man's stories and the pictures I saw. Then someone else asked him the exact question that was on my heart. "How do you finance your work? I mean, do you have the covering of any church or organization?" The answer was "no". He does not have the covering of any organization. He finances himself.

I was touched by this man...by his stories, his example, his heart and his faith. That was the best thing that happened at work this week:)

Highlights of the Last Few Days...

This past weekend Amanda was on a sleepover so Les and I had some extended 'date' time:) On Friday night we went to the Jazz Festival where we sat in the Bessborough Gardens and heard Theresa Sokyrka perform (along with others). Man, her voice is a lot more impactful in person than I realized. She sang quite a few new songs that she had written in the last few months. I particularly liked one called 'Riverbend'.

Saturday morning we actually got to sleep in a bit and then headed out for a bike ride together. It was a beautiful morning (much nicer than the weather network said it would be). The sun was shining, birds were singing... Afterward we did a bit of yardwork and then enjoyed our lunch al-fresco. It's so nice to be able to eat on our deck these days. We only recently got a patio set, so it's a new experience for us, but we sure like it. With the huge trees lining the view beyond our yard, it doesn't even feel like we are in the city. It's more like a mini-vacation everytime we are out there.

Sunday was a great day too. We had some friends in for a potluck bbq. I love having people over! We visited, we ate, we played games, we had pie. It was all good!

This quote is profound...

"There is enough good in the worst of us and enough bad in the best of us, that it never behooves any of us to talk about the rest of us."
Mary Chapman

I'm a "Cool" Mom Now!

I was royally treated for my birthday this weekend. My husband romanced me, family and friends visited me, there were cakes and and cards and presents and laughs and fun. Amanda went to extra lengths to get me just the right present. Apparently the first store she went to was actually sold out of what she wanted, and a substitute just wouldn't do. Was I ever surprised when I opened her gift...earrings from the Stuff by Duff line! She wanted me to finally have something from Stuff by Duff (her favourite line;). I guess, I'm the "coolest" mom now! :)

The "I CAN'T!" Girl, COULD, and She DID!

I have battled many times with my darling daughter this last year (and the years before that) over the words, "I CAN'T!" ...hoping to banish them from her vocabulary. Fighting for her to believe in herself more and see all the wonderful things God made her to be and all the amazing things she CAN do. There have been more than a few tears from my Dolly when she started a new math section and in frustration declared that she just "CAN'T" do this! They broke my heart (and secretly lead to a few of my own tears) because she is such a bright and delightful child who CAN do anything...as I've told her over and over again. I've also told her many times that I don't want her to be perfect (we all make mistakes and much of the learning comes from there), but I do want her to try and to always do her best... I think I've shared some of this with you before...

Well, today we celebrate my girl who "CAN". This is Amanda's news more than mine. She is the one who did the work and who tried her best, and so it is with great pleasure that I let you in on the result. This morning Les and I attended an assembly at Amanda's school where she received The Honour Roll!!

Amanda, Daddy and I are VERY proud of you! ...not just for the grades though (or the Honour Roll), but for all the trying and the doing your best and the coming to believe in yourself (and in what we told you) more and more. You CAN do anything! We believe in you! Always believe in yourself and know that your best is always good enough! You are very bright and so imaginative and so creative and sensitive and caring....and we love you SO much!!

What is Your Theological Worldview?

You scored as Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan. You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God's grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavly by John Wesley and the Methodists. Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 75% Emergent/Postmodern 71% Charismatic/Pentecostal 54% Reformed Evangelical 54% Neo orthodox 50% Modern Liberal 46% Classical Liberal 46% Roman Catholic 39% Fundamentalist 29% What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com

My Latest Find!

I found this on the weekend when I was at the market picking up a few things we needed, and I just couldn't resist... I mean chocolate and carmel in tea?!! Does it get any better than that?!!

The muck is gone! And we've been doing some yardwork. Finally my wait is over and I can put things in my front flower bed! We weren't even allowed to top up the dirt until this past Wednesday, and so last night my man, who does so many things just to make me happy, filled the bed up with more dirt so that I could plant today:)

And plant I did! For over 3 hours this morning I was out there planting flowers and filling pots:)) (And doing plenty of deep squatting!!) I got the front all done, but the backyard is not quite finished yet... I'm hoping to get some perenniels at the sale at the Church this weekend, and then there are a few more that some dear friends have said they would share with me... And oh yes, I can't forget there are the rose bushes that Brenda said she would share with me!! And I still have to plant my tomato plants, that is, once I get them... We are heading out to the Berry Barn on Sunday with the Inlaws, as is our tradition, where I will get some Early Girl tomato plants:)

All the flowers aren't as lush yet as they will be, but I'm very pleased with how it is coming together, and I guess we'll just have to wait and see them bloom and grow in the weeks and months ahead, which, in and of itself, is a bit of a parable for our hearts, so I'll just leave you to think about that a bit:)

The Driveway Parable

Our driveway is covered in sand, has been for two days now, waiting for the rain to stop. Once the rain stops, the sand will dry, and when it's dry enough to look white-ish, the last step in securing our newly laid paving stones can be completed. It will be lovely once it is done. I know, I saw the preparation that went into it all...the excavation, the foundations, the leveling and then the laying of the stones. It will be just as we intended it to be, but in the meantime, it's covered with sand, and you can't really see what it will be. In fact, it looks pretty mucky right now, and I am impatient for what it will be. Please let the sunshine come soon.

Sitting here tonight, I can't help but think of what a parable our driveway is for our lives. God created us, planned every detail of who He wanted us to be. He planted the seeds, laid the foundation, etc. And He has continued working in our lives since the day we were born. Yet somehow right now when I look in the mirror (figuratively and also not so figuratively) all I see is muck. I fall more times than I want to, and I just want the rain to stop so that the things He's laid underneath can shine...the love He's put in me, the amazing husband He made me for (what a bless-ed marriage He's created!), the darling daughter He planned would be mine all along (what an amazing thing it is to get to be her Mom!)...and so much more. I know all those things are there, but all I see is the muck (the things I do wrong, the times I've failed, my strongholds). Tonight I'm impatient for the rain to stop on the inside too, to see myself as God intended me to be. To be lovely. To not fear contempt. Please let the Son-shine His light in me again!

Just a quick post to say I'm still living, just more so out there than in here:) This week, in particular, has been busy around the house as we are doing our drive-way, but it's coming along really nicely.

A Toolgirl I'm Not...

When Les left for work early this morning, the garage door went up and down without any problem. I know, I watched as I waved good-bye to him from the front window before I headed back into the washroom to finish getting ready for work.

An hour or so later, I was ready for work, and I had Amanda ready for school, so we headed out into the garage, got into the car, backed out of the driveway and TRIED to close the garage door again, but it wouldn't close all the way. It would go 3/4 of the way down and then automatically reopen itself.

I got out of the car and tried the opener on the wall in the garage, same problem. Then I looked at the garage door and more specifically the metal thing-y that it rolls up and down on. It appeared to be bent (for lack of a better word), and this seemed to be causing the problem. I tried with all my might to un-bend it - to no avail.

Finally, I decided to leave it for a moment. I took Amanda to school then came back home. I simply couldn't leave the garage wide open all day. We may not have many treasures in there, but even lawn-mowers and well-used bikes are expensive to replace. So I called work and told them I'd be late. Then I called Les at work and asked for his advice. ("Why, oh why," I thought, "Don't these things happen for him. HE knows what to do....") ...or does he?...he suggested a hammer?!

So back out there, I went, with hammer in hand. It was no use though, I couldn't pound the rail straight. My heaviest of swings didn't budge it even. Then I got my latest *brilliant* idea....I'd use the other end (the one you pull nails out with) to pry the rail into place. It seemed to work. It's not perfectly straight, but I got it to work well enough to get myself to work. Maybe I am a 'toolgirl' afterall! (But I still want Les to look at it after work...HE'll know what to do:)

Amanda is off to visit the Queen...

...dressed in her best dress (royal blue, no less), and she's SO excited! This week Amanda's school received some tickets to the Centenniel Gala tonight, and so Amanda put her name in to receive one. Her name wasn't chosen at first, and she was so disappointed, but this morning the school called us to see if she could still go because they had a cancellation and exactly one ticket open,"Would Amanda still be available?" they asked. Would she?! Princess Amandalena of Brophy cleared her schedule for her royal audience with Her Majesty, the Queen...this is the kind of stuff her dreams are made of!

Does shoveling gravel count?

...it better!!

This weekend I was a "bad" girl. I didn't get my regular workouts in, not even once. You see, we are preparing to have our drive-way and walk done in paving stone later this month (it's currently crushed rock...who knew? I always thought it was gravel, but I've now learned differently, but that's another story for another day...)

As part of preparing for the paving stone, we decided to plant a hedge between our drive-way and our neighbour's, so we ordered the cotoneasters on Thursday, and Friday morning Les and I went out to dig out a 20 foot by 3 foot trench from the gravel (er, crushed rock) to prepare for the bushes. That was A LOT more work than we thought it would be... Then, while we were at it, we went and dug up the fine gravel at the side of our house and took it load by load by load....to our back alley to reduce weed growth on the other side of our fence. Then we loaded (and loaded and loaded...you get the picture...) big crushed rock from the front drive-way on the wheel barrel and took it to the side to fill in the area.

Several times during this all, my husband with a background in the medical profession, reminded me not to lift with my back. To which I responded, "No, I'm being good, see I'm bending my knees and using my legs."

Well, the whole job took more than 2 1/2 hours, and when we went in for a break, Dutch Growers called, our trees were on their way. So, long story short, the hedge got planted on Friday, and I was all done in (but my shoe-strings:), so we decided to leave the leveling off of the gravel we'd dug up until Saturday.

Saturday morning, I was in a wee bit of pain, but that didn't stop me. While Les mowed lawns etc., I moved more crushed rock and leveled the driveway down. Then I pruned our new bushes (if you cut them back 6 inches right after you plant them, they grow bushier), so lots of squatting. Then I inspected the hedge we planted last year between our lawn on the other side and our other neighbour. I always pull out any weeds or grass that I see popping up in the woodchips under the hedge on our side, but obviously our neighbour does not do the same on his, so I headed over to there, and with Les' help (and much more squatting), we cleaned that up too.

After another 2 hours of yardwork on Saturday morning, we headed into the house, and I tried to muster up enough energy to get myself onto the gazelle, but there was just no strength left in me. I lamented to my husband that I couldn't miss my workout two days in a row but that surely "THIS counts!"

I had a terrible sleep Saturday night, I could not lie on my right side at all, too much pain for my right leg, and Sunday morning when I got up, well, pain or stiffness are not even close to words that could describe what I felt, particularly in the back of my legs (especially on the right side).

Now, you need to understand, I'm a pretty strong girl, and I'm used to feeling some stiffness or soreness the next day after a weight workout. You can ask Les or ask my co-workers, I really push myself. I actually like that feeling in my arms and legs the day after, I feel stronger. I'm also used to a bit of stiffness the next day after a Saturday full of heavy weeding (er, squatting) too, but I promise you, the way I felt this past Sunday was far beyond that! Though I tried to hide just how much pain I was in from our dinner guests on Sunday evening, the little squeek that came out of me whenever I got up gave me away (and seemed to amuse both my husband and Caroline to no end;) Later on, Les said he could even feel what I had done in the back of my right leg. To which I responded, "See, I didn't lift with my back!" (Incidently, I now don't know if lifting with your legs is really any better than lifting with your back!)

But, alas, the pain is getting better... Yesterday, was a wee bit of an improvement, and I did grit my way through a 30 minute cardio workout after supper, and today, I'm feeling a bit better again...now it just feels like the day after going up another 5 lbs in weights in the circuit at the gym... At least THAT kind of pain I can deal with!