Love my daughter...

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my daughter? Well, we are very proud of her also.

My mother in law is in town and dealing with depression, staying at our house. Mother in law starts to cry and Sarah gets up from the computer and goes and sits with her granny, holds granny, tells granny she loves her and tells granny that she will help fix up her new place so that it feels like home. My husband said it almost brought tears to his eyes to see Sarah do that.

... thank you Lord.

Favorite Song:

Coincidence? I think not...

I've had this situation that has been upsetting me and making me a little anger. Yesterday I was trying to decide if I should say something or not, who should I talk to for some advice and wisdom - driving home from supper I said a little prayer about it.

That night a friend called inviting us for lunch on Sunday. Unfortunately due to circumstances we can't make it but in the course of the conversation she said exactly what I needed to hear about this situation. Dead on even. Then I downloaded a "Scripture of the Day" unto my Facebook account and the scripture was on anger....

I remember a comment my brother in law made to me when he was talking to me about if I believed or not. He said that he had had way too many coincidences in his life for them to be coincidences.

I'm starting to truly understand what he meant by that statement.

Thank you Lord for wise friends, for answered prayers, for being a living active God and for those much needed "coincidences".

Job interview done...

This is the second attempt at doing this blog - first one I was almost done, rehashing the interview and my thoughts and then my phone rang...

...to be told that they would be offering me the job. So I meet with them next Monday to go over some out of scope issues, talk about the job and some changes to it, and I guess to officially say yes.

I'm excited, nervous, scared, happy and sad all at the same time...does that make sense?

But my daughter gave me some wise words of wisdome...

"Mom don't worry you'll make new friends and they will be able to tell you how to do stuff you don't know how to do."

and

"It's just like going from elementary school to high school."

I love my daughter...

Beautiful Music...

Came across this on another site and fell in love with it. Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama singing I Shall Not Walk Alone...

She's driving!!

Yep - Kristie went for her driving test and PASSED!! I'm excited, she's excited...I told her to pick me up from work today...

What was I thinking?????

She turned up with her sister - now that was weird seeing her drive into the parking lot and get out of the drivers side. She said it was weird having her sister sit up in the front seat while she was driving.

Computers and Walking:

Well our computer has decided it doesn't like work anymore and is constantly freezing up on us, which means it has been too frustrating to bother with. So since I am spending less time on the computer you think I would have more time for exercising/walking...ehhh.....well.....

But I am trying to get back into it again, honest. I seem to have lost my motivation to do it on my own - no problem when my friend says lets go walking but to sit here and say "I should go for a walk" it doesn't happen.

We are in the process of getting Kristie ready to return to WCC. So I'm sure that will be my next excuse ...

Murray has seeded our backyard last night with this new type of eco grass - suppose to be hardier with deep roots - so less watering/fertilizing, grows slower (less lawn mowing), I'll keep you posted on how well it works.

I've been organizing our files at home and doing lots of shredding, "Muray, we have income tax statements from the 1980's - can I shred them???"

Watching: Angel Season 2,
Reading: Bag of Bones - but am considering giving it up for Showdown by Ted Dekker; the book of Luke; Every Women in the Bible (very good)
Listening: Sarah watching Roswell Season 3, and Murray making supper.
Smelling : cookies baked by Kristie - yum yum
Feeling: restless and tired

Time for a change?

Historically I change jobs every 5 to 7 years. I am in year 6 of my present job. Still happy, still loving it. Still the best job I’ve ever had.

But…

I got a phone call the other day from the director of our division asking if I had considered applying for the Manager of Support Services and would I consider applying for it. Well, after I recovered from the shock we had a discussion around why I hadn’t and what the job entailed and he ended the conversation with “...think about it and let me know tomorrow if you want to throw your hat in the ring.”

So after discussing it with one of the management staff where I work who I trust to give me their honest opinion of my job skills, talking to my husband, checking out the difference in benefits …

I called him back to say I would throw my hat in the ring.

eeeeeck!!!!…

So now I need to put a resume together (something I haven’t done in ages and I do mean ages!), tell my boss next week, send in the resume and prepare for the interview in September. It has also been 6 years since I’ve done an interview.

The scary part about this is that I would be going from a union job to an out of scope job but as my hubby said, “What has the union done for you lately.” Let me see…nothing but stress.

The funny part about all of this is, after all this stressing about should I or not, typing up a resume and then dealing with an interview – I still might not be the successful candidate and I have a month to take “my hat out of the ring.” But I guess it’s a win win solution. I either get a chance at this exciting new job opportunity or stay in a job I love.

Thank you Lord for this opportunity, I wouldn’t mind a little wisdom and confidence, and peace that I’ve done what is best for my family and me.

God's Handiwork...

Some pics Kristie and me took on our day trip to Crooked Bush and Battleford Western Development Museum...

Presently reading Angels & Demons by Dan Brown and this quote caught my attention:

"Science tells me God must exist. My mind tells me I will never understand God. And my heart tells me I am not meant to."

If you can't stand the heat...go home!

Which we did. Came home yesterday. Let me tell you - tenting in 30+ weather is not that enjoyable. BUT - we did have a great holiday.

Starting with the girls going to teen camp and Murray/me camping at Candle Lake. We canoed down Fisher Creek and saw Pelicans, mama duck and her 2 babies, Canada Goose and her doz babies. Nice and relaxing.

Then off to Manitoba with a stop at Good Spirit Lake..

Us girls canoed over to a more private beach and Murray windsurfed over. Then Sarah got some lessons in windsurfer while Kristie and myself read.

Next we stopped in to visit with some friends in Portage La Prairie where Sarah drove a tractor and they all went river floating one night.

Then off to Gull Harbour campground on Hecla Island in Lake Winnipeg. Really nice area but that's when we hit the 30+ weather. So we took a tour of Hecla Village, and a walk out to the Lighthouse.

I am thankful for great campsites, good weather, playing cards with my children, chillaxing on the beach, time to spend admiring the handiwork of God, chance meetings with my sister's good friend, friends that welcome us into their homes, cool breezes, for a co-worker that leant us a 2 room tent that was a life saver on the evenings I could not stand the bugs one more minute, a nifty light fixture that my sister in law leant us that enabled me to read in the tent, wonderful children that made me laugh, and a husband that put up with me on the days I couldn't handle the bugs one more minute.

Patience...

I confess - I don't have a lot of patiences somedays. Came across this comment the other day and thought - whoa - I need to read this quote more often...

"...impatience stems almost solely from our exaggerated notions of what is due us. If we could but lower our estimation of the importance of our time, our plans and our feelings, we would find ourselves almost automatically more patient.

Patience is a more positive trait. It is the ability to bear affliction, delay and interruption with calmness, perseverance and confience in the goodness of God. It is inward peace as well as outward control. It is the sumission of our schedules, our viewpoints, our dreams to the greater plan of God, with the conviction that he has a good reason for every delay he allows to come our way." (italics mine)

Holidays are about to begin...

...just one more working day left :-)

...things are starting to get packed, need to pack the girls stuff separate from ours...
"A lot of parents pack up their troubles and send them off to summer camp."
— Raymond Duncan
Yep that's us!

...weather is beautiful
...coworker may lend us his 2 room tent
...one more working day left

...pile of books ready for reading
"Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting." Edmund Burke

...last loads of laundry tonight
...one more soccer game tonight too
...still need to buy a few camping items
...one more working day left

...canoe repairs done (note - don't forget to take the oars this time)
"On vacations: We hit the sunny beaches where we occupy ourselves keeping the sun off our skin, the saltwater off our bodies, and the sand out of our belongings." - Erma Bombeck

...just one more working day left (have I mentioned that already?)

A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken."
— James Dent

Baths and Mother in laws:

I’m feeling quite the coward this evening as I think I have finally realized why I seem to be having problems dealing with my mother in law. She has been staying with us this weekend. She was involved in a car accident 2 weeks ago and has been staying at her daughters, this weekend with us to give her daughter some respite.

When I was talking to some friends last night the sentence “I’ve gone through this with my mom I don’t want (or can’t) do it again.”, slipped out of my mouth. I didn’t even realize I felt that way but after soaking in a hot tub and thinking about it, I really do think that is how I feel. I think I’m struggling with investing anymore in her because I don’t want to be reminded of my mom, or go through those same emotions and struggles as I did before. And I’m feeling like a coward because I don’t want to face it again but aren’t we suppose to be able to do all things through Christ? And where the H E double hockey stick is my compassion and empathy for my mother in law?

And yet sitting here listening to her go on and on and on about her car, how she thinks she probably has a broken rib, her doctors, not always making sense and being totally resistant to everything my husband is saying to her, is driving me crazy, all my anxiety feelings are rising up and I just want to go to bed and pull the covers over my head…

I feel like such a bad daughter in law...

Grade 8 Graduation!!!

Well, my little girl graduated from Grade 8 tonight. It was a really nice program and she is now off at the "After Grad party"...on campus even!

Here she is all dressed up:

oophs that was the picture with "attitude" - here's a more "proper" pic:

Nice program where they introduced all the students with little bio's of each, then the speeches (all short and sweet), handing out of the scrolls, power point presentation of pics through the year and end of program. Visiting and cake.
Here's a pic with her dad (still showing the attitude...)

Sometimes it seems like yesterday I was so worried about her in the NICU, we brought home a little 5 lb baby to love and nurture.... and now... wow time sure flies!

Thank you Lord for blessing me with such a great kid, thank you for her humor, her big heart, her mischievous grin, her loyalty to her friends, and her fun spirit. Thank you for all the friends and family that you have placed in our lives to help us love and nurture this beautiful young lady. I can not imagine my life without her.

CONCERT AND TOURNAMENT...

my good friend, Alrene, scored some tickets to the Soul to Soul Faith Hill and Tim McGraw tour, and invited me to join her on Thursday night. This is all I have to say about the show (okay I confess if you talked to me I'll have a lot more to say), it was ...

FANTASTIC!!!

Worth every penny!

Here's my photo of the concert (the one above I pulled off the www...

This weekend...soccer tournament. (Update on tournament: lost but they won the shootout!)

Contemplating Psalms 143...

When I would read this psalms I would think of "enemies" in the physical sense not in what my "enemies" are. Today I thought of it in relation to me. My "enemies" are not of the physical kind but of the emotional/spiritual kind, and they can "crush me to the ground" and make "my spirit grow faint within me." But as Samual spoke in his sermon today "Victory over your enemies can not be achieved unless you start with God." And therefore even though I find the rest of this psalm to be a scary prayer ("Teach me to do your will" my knees shake thinking of the ways that God could "teach" me) it is also a very powerful prayer.

"Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord, for I hide myself in you.
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God;
may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
For your names sake, O Lord, preserve my life;
in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble,
In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;
Destory all my foes, for I am your servant."

Spiritual Potluck...

Bob made a comment during his sermon along the line that if we are worshipping and praising God during the week, you come to the corporate worship more excited and joyfilled. Then he alluded to it being like a potluck - how we bring different "dishes" of praise and worship that we all get to partake in.

Today I felt like a brought diluted koolaid.

But you know, other's brought main dishes, some brought side dishes and some brought the all important desserts! And with fellowshipping and worshipping with each other, you end up partaking in everything that people brought. So even though I came with diluted koolaid - I had some main dishes (seeing people's strong faithful faith, the choice of song during communion), I had some side dishes (sharing, encouraging words) and dessert which is always my favorite (hugs from friends, laughter, joy).

So my koolaid doesn't feel quite so diluted anymore.

I am thankful for the safety of being allowed to be honest at church, for hugs from friends, for a husband that bbq'ed supper, for a daughter that cleaned the bathroom, cool breezes, still quiet house, and an ever patient and faithful God.

Letting your soul catch up...

Excerpt from "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World"...

"The story is told of a migrant South African tribe that regularly went on long marches. Day after day they would tramp the roads. But then, all of a sudden, they would stop walking and make camp for a couple of days. When asked why they stopped, the tribe explained that they needed the time of rest so that their souls could catch up with them.

Isn't that a great concept? Letting your soul catch up. When I read this little story, it resonated deep within me. I can get to running so fast that I leave everything behind. Not just God. Not just people. I can lose my own soul as well."

hmm...maybe that's what's wrong - my soul is so far back I can't see it anymore...hoping that my holidays in July gives my soul a chance to catch up because I'm really missing it. Camping without tv, without the computer, without the phone - just me, my books and God's creation to remind me what an awesome God he is.

So your busy - you're not the only one so suck it up!!

I had planned on blogging about how last week I felt so overwhelmed and busy at work, and stressed from some personal issues (which were a result of my own character flaws); how I had a wonderfully busy but relaxing weekend that helped destress me - only to come back to work today and by end of day feel overwhelmed all over again...

But then as I walked home I started to think...

Really Heather, you are not the only one - everyone is busy these days. Yeah your busy, yeah you feel overwhelmed but hey you have a job, and you are challenged instead of being bored, and you have a lot to blessed about. So instead of writing a pity me blog I decided to change my attitude and look at the blessings instead:

1. I am blessed to have a fulltime job that pays well and job security.
2. I am blessed to have a job I enjoy.
3. I am blessed to have a job that challenges me, improves my organizational skills, problem solving skills, communication skills and teaches me how to priorize duties .
4. I am blessed to have a job that I feel supported in and where we can still laugh.
5. I am blessed to have a boss that I can go to and say "The furniture is arriving today, I'm in an all day meeting - can you deal with it?" and he does...without complaint.
6. I am blessed to have staff that are open to me delegating work to, who I know will do it and do it correctly.
7. I am blessed to have a job where people appreciate what you do and tell you.
8. I am blessed to have a job that helps me learn to roll with the punches, be flexible, and how to think fast on my feet.
9. I am blessed to have 2 beautiful daughters that make me laugh, proud and are independent enough to bike to soccer practice (and is improving on the skill of communication so I know where she is). And who don't mind starving once in a while because I haven't had time to get groceries.
10. I am blessed to have a husband who is interactive with the kids, takes them to soccer games, helps them get their camping equipment together, teases them and loves them.
11. I am blessed to have a dad that drives with me to Regina so I don't have to drive by myself, and will even drive across town twice to make sure he does.

ahhhhh....already I'm feeling destressed...though it could be that the house is empty, quiet, half decently clean and I have nothing to do but get groceries... :-)

My baby's growing up.....into a young lady.

This time last year it was "There is no way I'm wearing a dress to grad."

Not only is she wearing a dress to grad but we have had to go looking for the perfect shoe, the perfect necklace and a hair appointment to have her hair done the day of her grad.

Yesterday she bought (with her own money) a skirt and wore it to school today. She looks cute in it.

Today she got her ears pierced.

As we drove by her elementary school I realized that this is the last year for any of my kids to go to that school, I no longer will have a reason to enter the school doors. After both of my daughters going through the school from Kindergarten to Grade 8 - it's going to feel weird that neither of them attends that school anymore.

Listening: to Dr. Phil in the background
Reading: Just started The Year of Our War, still reading Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World.
Feeling: a touch tired from driving Kristie back to school but really loving the weather!