At long last....

So much to blog…so little time. I’m going to make this in point form – sorry about that. But if I don’t, it won’t get written.

- On the weekend of June 14/15, some of us drove up to Edmonton for Mandy’s baby shower. We left early Saturday morning and pulled into the city about 11:00 a.m. Tanya and Isabella came in the car with me, while Jorge, Mandy, and Josiah went in their van. We had a good and safe trip up although I did have a scare just after we left Lethbridge. It was pouring rain and as I went to pass a tanker truck on the highway, my car started to hydroplane on the water. I realized it when the speedometer plummeted from 110 to around 60, yet my car hadn’t slowed down. I prayed fervently and kept a steady hand on the steering wheel so we could finish passing the truck without leaving the road. God is so good and I truly believe He protected us in that moment that could have had tragic results. For me, it was a first and, God willing, a last.

- The shower was a lot of fun, even though we felt rather unprepared. Mandy’s friend (and one of our adopted daughters), Myria, had already done so much and we’d talked a lot about the food/decorations, etc., but when it came down to the program, I felt like I was just winging it (I was supposed to be the ‘co-host’). The women that came, though, were dear friends of many years and had a lot of fun just visiting with others they hadn’t seen for a while. Tanya (with Isabella wrapped on her back) was the unofficial photographer and she was a God-send. I enjoyed the trip up and back with her and it gave us a good time to chat. Kristy also came up from Red Deer and the four of us stayed with the Pendergasts. Mandy and Josiah (the star of the afternoon) received some wonderful gifts – I still haven’t even seen all of them (reason for that to follow)!

- After the shower, we met up with “the boys” (Jorge and Andrew) and all of us (along with Cynthia/Cassie/Samantha/Bethany) went to West Edmonton Mall to (a) pick up a few things, and (b) visit. Oh my, the crowds! I can’t say I’d forgotten in so little a time, but I’d sure become used to our small little unpopulated mall in Lethbridge. We had to wait about 45 minutes for a table for supper but it gave us a chance to visit with Cynthia and the kids. KB and I had a good chat while we waited. I’m trying to take advantage of every second that I have to spend with her before the long dry spell to come when they go back to South Africa. Dessert for everyone was a trip to Baskin-Robbins and World Class Chocolate topped the day off…

- Sunday morning saw us at Beulah for the first service and then we visited with friends in the atrium till around 11:30. We were all a bit disappointed that Keith was out of town but Art spoke an awesome word on Psalm 139 – one of my favorites. I used to have the whole psalm memorized and it made me realize, once again, that I want to get back into memorizing Scripture.

- After a quick lunch, and saying goodbyes to Cynthia and clan, we went to the hospital to visit a very dear family friend, Paul, who had suffered a heart attack a few days prior. It did our hearts good to see him feeling better and almost his old self.

- To summarize – the trip was a lot of fun and my only regret, I guess, was that I didn’t get to visit as many of my old work friends as I would have liked to… But hopefully that will be for the next trip.

- We arrived back home late Sunday night but earlier than Bryan, Sally and their kids, who were on their way up from North Dakota for a week’s visit. Now you know why I haven’t been blogging this week – 24 people for meals makes for a busy, albeit fun, time!! And that is where I’m going to end this post…more on their visit next time around…

Along with my African album, I've started a June 2008 one as well, if you'd like to look... Here's a few of my favorites so far:

Josiah Reuben - when I was babysitting him last night...

Kellen with Grammie's yummy cinnamon buns!!

Hungry little man "eating" his Mommy...

Tanya with the weadel weas, wheeze weadal, weed weasel..what is that thing???

Kellen in the garden..."I help, I help!!" And he did...ask Tanya how he helped seed...

Finally....

...only a few months late... I've posted some of my African photos in My Photos (link at left). There are six different sub-albums, you'll see them listed on the left when you go into the Africa 2008 album. Enjoy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JORGE!!

We are so glad you were here to celebrate with us this special year! Enjoy your gifts and many happy years to come!! We love you!!

Happy Birthday....

...Mum. Even though today we had a family celebration for Jorge's 25th birthday (tomorrow), my thoughts often wandered to my mother today as the date June 8th will always bring her to mind. She was my biggest fan, I'd have to say, and was my most adamant supporter whenever I needed her. She always pushed me to reach new heights, achieve new goals, and was rooting for me all the way. She was a hug when I craved one, a shoulder to cry on when I needed it, and an encourager when I couldn't go on. She told me what I needed to hear even when I didn't want to hear it and she believed in me like no one else ever has - maybe because she was my Mum. And, oddly enough, at the ripe old age of 55, I still miss her...and can't wait to see her again.

Sorry about that....

Okay. I've had my "pity party". Now it's time to move on and count my blessings. And I have so many I most likely cannot number them all. I was just feeling so defeated yesterday and maybe that's not a good time to blog. But there you go...

Today is much better as the girls I'm working with have included me in their conversations and treated me less like wallpaper. I guess I was getting used to working with the same team and getting to know them and now I am all over the place, as far as who I work with, and yesterday was my first day with a whole new sea of faces. But I must change my attitude and not get offended so easily. God has been so good by giving me this job. I could be in another job where the hours are twice as long and the salary half what I am getting now. So I am very thankful.

And my new house is still my passion and love. Even though it's putting us back into debt. I'm so excited about working in my garden and continuing to decorate and paint inside. And the debt is still so much less than what we had in Edmonton, so I'm thankful for that, as well.

And, the biggest plus of all: I'm only 20 minutes from my precious grandchildren (actually I'm in the same house as Josiah, so he's only seconds away!!) and that is a gift that I will never take for granted. I love every moment I'm with them and with my girls...

So, as KB would say: "God is good. All the time!" Amen...

Trying to stay on top...

...that's how I feel today. I'm just plain down. I miss my old RCMP friends so much. And my church friends. I just find that, at my new job, I don't fit in. I'm trying and praying about it, but some days, like today, it seems like I'm just invisible and people walk right by me without even acknowledging I exist. So I just keep plugging away, doing my job. But it hurts. I've tried to be friendly and to join in the conversations, etc., but here we're going on 4.5 months and I still feel like I don't belong...

So coming home is like coming to a haven and that's good. I just used to love going to my old work and I always said that it was my "dream job" and I guess it was. But now God's brought me to a new one and there must be a reason. So, I'll keep praying and trusting Him to help me connect...

Meanwhile I have my garden and that's where I can go to pray, cry, water my plants, and learn to turn my eyes to the heavens from whence comes my help...

You want $5.99 for WHAT??

That's what I almost said to a waitress in Smitty's today. Mandy and I were out with Josiah and Amelie and we went there for lunch. I gave Amelie the "kid's" menu (a little surprised to see that the prices were all $5.99 and up!) and she immediately picked out her meal of choice...macaroni and cheese ("without the lettuce", she added, as the photo had it sitting in a bed of lettuce). I almost choked. Could the day actually come when I would pay $6 for 5o cents worth of macaroni and cheese?? I tried to talk her out of it, after all her first choice for a restaurant had been "McGoggles", didn't she want a hamburger? Chicken fingers? Grilled Cheese Sandwich, even? Anything but mac and cheese! But, no, do what we may, the decision had been made and I gritted my teeth and ordered....sigh.

On another note, today was Adriana's 11th birthday!! We went over for supper (yummy cauliflower soup - good job, Tan!) and cake. She got some lovely presents but was a bit perturbed when there no gift from Gram and Papa. Erilyn was downright offended and perplexed on her behalf, and Amelie loudly proclaimed that, indeed, Grammie was not seen bringing a gift to the party (she'd slept over the night before). But the card said it all - the gift is on order and should be here soon hopefully. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ADRIANA!! We love you, sweetie.

The last few days have been busy ones. I had Adriana, Erilyn, and Amelie all over for sleepovers - but one at a time. And it was wonderful as it gave me time to spend with each of them without them having to vie for my attention with their siblings. Floyd was up in Edmonton Friday, Saturday and Sunday - but during that time he went up, came home, went back, and came home again!! So it was a very tiring and busy weekend for him. He went up to get the trailer from the lake so we can have extra sleeping room when Bryan and Sally come to visit in a couple of weeks. We needed to get it out of there anyway. He has also been busy fixing up the bathroom and then today we found out that the basement had a leak from the tremendous downpour we had last night. Poor guy is wiped. I feel so bad because it seems whenever we turn around, we find something else that needs fixing. But his attitude has been awesome and I'm so grateful for my man who can fix anything!!