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.
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.
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!
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. 
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
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! :) 
Picking up Leslie (from Edmonton) at the airport. Little did we know that it was Steal-of-a-Deal Day. Boy were we in for a surprise!!
Went to Beans and Leaves for some bevvy's
Shoot!! Knew it was true! They have even written a book about it...
Leslie picked up this yellow hat as a joke when she realized that it had her name on it!!! Like it was meant to be. It was 3.00 at MCC, then we found out it was half price on blue tag items so then it was only 1.50!! I bought one of my textbooks for 75 cents as well instead of paying thirty dollars for it!! And I bought a board game for a dollar. Wow! What deals were found at MCC!
Action shot
Hot dogs at Costco=Steal of a Deal!!
Salt is free, so i figured if I ate it, I was getting an amazing deal!
YAM FRIES!!
Bird watching
Monday I had my last day of carpooling with Tami. I have thoroughly enjoyed having someone to drive to school with one day a week and it served as a great time to hang out as well!! We also went to the Fort Pub for lunch to celebrate classes being done!!
Monday night I went to a Bible study with a couple friends. We are studying the book of Colossians and it is so good to study the book as a whole and to be able to see it within its cultural context!
Tuesday I got a lot of errands done and then met up with my friend Cheryl (also a friend from high school) and we went to the movie Premonition. It was a movie I really hadn't wanted to see, but it was really good! I really appreciated the ending and the way it was all weaved together. I would highly recommend it! The movie wasn't too creepy itself-it was just the music that made it creepy!! haha
Wednesday I met a friend for lunch and then a friend from school Kristen (who this post is really for.. just so she'll have something to read for her 6000th visit) came over so we could have a study party. The evening started off by putting our notes into giant ziploc bags and studying in the pool.. haha.. most people don't believe it's possible, but it's genius!! My favorite way to study! My pool is clean and heated now and so it's so wonderful!! Then we went for dinner to a Japanese restaurant and then played piano a little and hung out. (I mean.. we studied).. I am realizing more and more that I am not good at studying in groups!! haha.. because I don't actually study!
Thursday I had my first exam: sociology. Then I decided instead of studying I would go shopping! I bought some great clothes and got 20% off on all of them!! Yippee! Then I met my friend Brooke for dinner and then watched the Canucks game (sad they lost :( ).
Friday (today) I had two exams and they were all right. Hadn't really studied for them much and was actually relieved in the release of realizing that that is okay. And it was. I am learning slowly.. haha.. Kristen and I went out for lunch just to not study.. what a great way to spend one's time!! Tonight I worked until 10:30pm and tomorrow I get to work at 6:30 am and have another exam in the evening! Ode to joy! Only three more exams!
This week has been an interesting one. My thinking has been a bit of everywhere as expressed in my poem. It has been good to just stop and slow down and enjoy time without classes.
This weekend should be full and fun and I will be sure to post some pictures after the weekend is up! And now if you have made it through this long rambling post, congrats!! haha..
Mt Baker looked absolutely amazing the other night, so I kept driving and driving, chasing after being able to have more and more better shots. I wish I had had my zoom lens with me!! But this is the shot I got! Doesn't capture the beauty fully, but it was amazing!
The sky also looked amazing. In a perfect world there would not be streetlights and building everywhere, so I could take a nice picture of just outside.. but such is not the case.
Jocelyn and I decided to make breakfast Easter style. So we made french toast with paska! haha.. look at the size difference between those eggs!! it's amazing! oh the joys of living on a chicken farm!
this was the yolk size difference which I likewise thought was fairly amazing!
I absolutely love coming into my driveway in spring!! the flowering trees and flowers everywhere are amazing!! As the weeks go on, I will try to take more and more pics of our garden, because it really is amazing! The other day I took a paper writing break to go take pictures and it was great!
Along the road in front of our house we have these flowering bushes. they are not in full bloom yet, but I always think they look amazing!
I approached this flowering bush to take pictures and was shocked at the number of bumble bees within it! look closely and find the one in this shot!
Had a great weekend with two family gatherings, lots of hanging out with friends, singing in church and working on two papers. Here are some pics from my Good Friday Family Gathering that happened at Mill Lake. We had a good time playing Bocce (except when the balls landed in dog crap...). Most people sit and chat at family get-togethers. Mine does that, but this time we also decided it would be fun to keep jumping off the tree to see who could grab the branch first and swing from it. A little more sophisticated than most I know, but hey, we have fun doing it and it's always an adventure!! :)
Sandy and I also went for a bike ride in the morning! It was a beautiful morning for a ride!!
Things of late have been kind of crazy with the semester of school ending and just life! And it's been so nice outside, making me want to be outside! I have been working out a lot (yay fitness challenge at work) and part of my working out has been happening outside with my bike! It's so fantastic to be outside and just enjoy everything around me. Yesterday I went for a 20km ride and took a few shots along the way. At one point I was coming up to a road crossing, and up ahead on the road, I saw a pitbull starting to run to where I was going to be. So I started pedalling as fast as I could, but it wasn't fast enough. The dog jumped up, bit my leg, I fell of my bike.. oh wait, that didn't happen. I was faster than fast and outran the dog! Yay! It got my adrenaline going quite a bit though!! 
I am excited for Easter this weekend! Far too often I do not take enough time to actually reflect upon Easter. I realize that I take the cross so for granted. In ensemble at church, we have been practicing "Were you there" and we're singing it on Easter Sunday. As we were singing, it was mentioned the depth of meaning in that song. Often I sing it as a good song and because this one's a tricky arrangement, I'm busy looking at my notes! But to actually take a moment to stop and think of what that would have been like if I had been there when Jesus was crucified. Wow. Takes my breath away just at the mere thought about it. It ends with "Were you there when he rose up from the grave?" Imagine that... What would have my reaction been? What would have it felt like? I am excited to ponder more this weekend and to be in different church services that will invoke me to more reflection!
Kristen and I go to Starbucks every chapel break on Tuesdays and Thursdays between our two classes. Today we stopped at Cobs and it was such a joyous time.
When I saw the scene of the blue sky, spotted snow and the house on the hill with the fence in front.. I just had to take a picture to capture the moment. interesting.
When I was younger, I absolutely loved the snow and got giddy and excited every time I saw it. I scoffed when I heard adults who hated it and would always complain about it. Now it seems that I have turned into that which I was astonished at when I was younger.. How could anyone actually hate the snow? The beauty of it, the awe and wonder of it... Yet I have lost sight of the magic and have allowed myself to get swept away in the "miserableness" of something that was once wonderful.
I think of this not only in regards to snow, but also to different things in life. I need to go back to that child's view of the things around me. I have been reading my journals from when I was younger (I always like to read the corresponding date to today) and I am blown away by how I was as a 12 year old. I am inspired and encouraged by reading words I wrote. I need to go back to that place of wonder, awe and trust.
