gone crazy

I am going to Alaska in two days!! Woot woot!! Bought a new camera lens, so I am excited to take some cool pics (so be sure to check back in a week for some great shots). This week has been full of productivity and fun! Cleaned the garage and bunker room (before and after pics are coming!), went to the Seattle zoo (amazing!! those pics are coming too!), and have hung out and been able to lounge by the pool (possum free thanks to my amazing possum removal skills).

Below is the progression of my sanity during the last few weeks....

Summer semester beginning at school

Uh oh! There's a lot of work for these summer classes...

Ah!! I have turned into a muppet and all is amuck.


Okay.. so maybe it was just my new wide angle lens... plus i like taking very attractive and flattering pictures of myself and posting them for all to admire.

Not for the Faint of Stomach

First of all, my sincere apologies for the lack of posting!! Don't stop checking the blog though, because it's summer now and lots of fun pictures are to come!! I have been taking two three week classes that have been taking up most of my time and the last exam is tomorrow! So I will have a lot more free time to post exciting things (like below).

So, if you have a sensitive stomach, I encourage you not to read on.. haha

Cheryl and I were opening the pool for a nice little swim. As we were opening it, I smelled something gross and we were wondering why the wind suddenly picked up that stench. Suddenly the pool cover was off totally, and there was this giant, bloated possom floating in the pool, limbs outstretched. We both screamed a little and gagged at the horrible horrible smell.

Now, I have to say that I can handle a lot of things, but I do not think my gag reflex has worked as much as it did today... We decided it would be a fine idea to wrap towels around our mouths to counter the smell.

We took two giant sticks to try and take him out of the pool and instead he flipped over, revealing his jaw, and his half desindegrated body.. green stuff started oozing out of him as well. GROSS!!!! Finally we decided it would be best to swoop a garbage bag in the water (with our sticks of course) and push him in. We got him mostly in and then i held the bag in the pool (taking in the worst smell i have ever smelled) while Cheryl went and retrieved the wheelbarrow. We put our stinky little friend (who had most likely been in the pool for over 24 hours) in the wheelbarrow and wheeled him far out to the field. As I was pushing the wheelbarrow, I was getting a nice waft of our little friend's scent which was just lovely. The wheelbarrow could not go far in the field, so I picked up the bag and started walking with it and the overflow water dripped all over my feet (SICK!) So we left our friend in the field.. dumped him out of the triple bagged garbage bags and left some dinner for the coyotes.

Sigh. who knew that swimming could be so much fun?

Alive!

This last week I have felt so full of life and it has been absolutely wonderful. I feel as though I could dance around all day singing at the top of my lungs! As I have been surrendering my life more and more to the Lord, I see the tangible daily changes He is making and it's exciting! They are not big, dramatic changes all at once, but little ones that make a difference and I feel so alive as I am filled with God's power and enabling. I have definitely just begun, but I am excited to continue pressing in. I feel as though this is a new season in my life that God has begun and I am so excited for the journey!

Part of all of this has been shifting my priorities, continually moving towards living a more healthy lifestyle in many different ways (getting more sleep, eating better, incorporating daily activity into each day, etc.) and it is amazing as well how our bodies correlate with so much that is going on on the inside. When you take care of one, it is as though you are taking care of the other at the same time, because they are affecting each other so much. My attitudes towards certain things and circumstances have been changing slowly as well and that is so freeing.

God is so gracious and I am learning to bring myself before Him rather than before the Law. It is based on His grace, not on my performance or doing right or wrong. Amazing Grace that sets me free more and more every day!

Crazy Week!

My camera was sitting on the table and i thought it looked cool, so i took a picture. Sorry for the lack of updates-seems to be the theme of my blog of late! Thanks for still checking (assuming someone is still checking.. haha) This week has been fairly full, but lots of fun! Leslie from Edmonton was out to visit so it was great to see her and hang out. Wednesday we spent the day in White Rock. Thursday morning I had my last exam (woot woot!) and so in the evening we had a little celebration bbq/games night/pool party and it was pretty stellar. Friday we hung out and then went to Tony and Tina's wedding in the evening, which is an interactive dinner theatre in vancouver-was interesting, funny and lots of fun! Saturday Leslie left and I was off to church to sing in ensemble for the weekend services! Sunday after church had lunch with friends and then swam for the afternoon.

Then Monday morning summer semester began (yes, i had a super long break). I started classes with mixed feelings, because two weeks prior I was done with school.. and now here I am starting it right away again with no break. I'm taking Data Analysis (stats course), Lifespan Development and Tennis (haha.. okay that one's not so rough!) I have two more additional classes later on in the summer, but am glad that I can finish some faster! I am just really tired and want a break! I just started a second job which takes up a bit more time and energy as well, so I feel spent! (as you can tell by the picture below....)

Tonight I went to a Tango show with my friend Chrystal in Vancouver. It was amazing! Such good dancers and the orchestra was great too! They had an accordian type instrument as the main instrument and it was great!

Jocelyn and I at Tony and Tina's Wedding

The Group of us posing at Tony and Tina's Wedding

Sandy and I

Went to Trinity's graduation on Saturday to see my friend Arezoo graduate!! Congrats Arezoo and thanks for including me in on the celebration! :)

So two and a half more weeks of solid school every day! I looked at it, and in the next two weeks, I have four exams!! ahh!! I will make it through though, I just need to get to it and stop thinking about it!! haha..

Lately God has been teaching me to simply rest. And be still in His presence. Just sitting outside amidst His creation in silence. Driving in quietness. Amidst everything going around, I am learning to continually stop and be still and know that He is God. And to understand more and more what that means. Been having some really amazing revelations about the law versus grace as seen in my life, but that will have to wait for a later date when I am not tired and wanting to go to bed!