Laura's Lyrics

:: End of an Era ::

2011-09-15T12:34:00.001-07:00

I've officially entered my last month of my 20's. At times it seems like my teenaged years were so long ago, and at times it's hard to believe that I'm stepping into a new decade.

My 20's were incredibly FULL and I went through many significant life changes. To list a few:
- Did my DTS with YWAM in Australia for 6 months, including a few weeks in New Zealand
- Became an Auntie... a role that continues to grow :)
- Completed a 2 year diploma program at Douglas College in Therapeutic Recreation
- Met, dated, got engaged to and married Josh (all in about 16 months)
- Bought our first place (condo) and our second (house)
- Lost our first baby in early miscarriage
- Had the most beautiful baby girl, Kenzie Diana
- Am currently pregnant with our next little blessing! (Due Feb 7th so I'll be 30!)

During these years I met many incredible people - some who came into my life for a short time and some who have become friends for life. Other relationships I carried over from teenage years and value them more than ever as life ebbs and flows. I don't think I could learn more than I do through relationships and even the ones that hurt... there's much to be thankful for.

Other highlights from my 20's... I was in numerous (7) wedding parties, welcomed 10 nephews and one niece plus many more babies that friend's have had, and have gone through peaks and valleys in my walk with God - never being more thankful for His faithfulness and steadfast presence in my life. Josh and I have endured many changes in employment and that's something I really hope settles down from here on in!

Thinking back, I don't think I'll ever go through another decade with as many huge life changes as I did in my 20's. In some ways, I'll miss the craziness... in others, I look forward to life becoming more stable and consistent. Or is that just a dream? :)

How about you? What are the highlights of your past 10 years?

:: Summer ::

2011-08-25T14:38:00.001-07:00

I think it's funny that I can have an entire post titled "Summer" :) Shows how often I blog!

I've been meaning to write more often, but keep getting intimated by how much I have to catch up on! So more time passes and the issue compounds. Ah well. I'll just start up from today! :)

Biggest news... which I'm sure you all know by now... is that I'm pregnant! I'm just over 16 weeks, Baby is due on February 7th! Josh and I are thrilled, and Kenzie is really into babies these days, so I know she'll love being a big sister. She will be 22 1/2 months old when Baby arrives - where does time go?

So far I'm feeling well, this pregnancy has been very similar to how it was with Kenzie. We had an early ultrasound at 9 weeks and then we finally heard the heartbeat yesterday! All is well with Baby, and I'm enjoying the second trimester, as it's definitely the best one! February seems like a long time away, but I know it will be here before we know it!

Otherwise... this has been a pretty low-key summer for us! Josh changed jobs a few weeks ago, so we've been adjusting to a new schedule and all the other changes that go along with a new job. I'm working two days a week, plus some hours from home each week. It's going so well and I am very blessed to work where I do!

We've gone camping once so far - to Oliver, BC - in June, and are heading out for a couple nights this weekend, down to the States. Then over the September long weekend we head to Penticton for a wedding! It's nice to have these little get-aways to look forward to.

Oh, more baby news!! I am an Auntie twice more, since July!! My sister Krista and BIL Jeff had little Rachel Kristina on July 5th and my BIL Nathan and SIL Hannah had Isaiah Edward Arthur on July 18th! Loving these little ones :)

I hope you and yours are having a most wonderful summer and getting the chance to do the things you love!

:: June? ::

2011-06-02T15:55:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's JUNE!! First of all, because this year has flown by so far, and second of all... people are wearing jeans, boots and sweaters!! What's going on? If you live where I do, I'm sure you're just as ready for summer and sunshine to arrive as I am!

Yesterday marked the end of my third month being back at work. The time has gone by so quickly! To be honest, I never thought I'd work once I became a Mom - and I didn't want to. Circumstances as they were (mostly Josh being laid off during the last month of my mat leave) caused the need for me to return to work. Thankfully, I work at the BEST place ever, with great people I consider friends. And, my boss agreed to the hours and schedule I wanted, that would work best for my family. I must admit, being back at work is FAR better than I ever imagined! Josh and I are super blessed by our moms, and when Josh isn't home with Kenzie either my mom or his is with her! The Grandmas love their special time with their only grand-daughter :) Also, those Daddy-daughter days (without Mommy!) are so precious to both Josh and Kenzie. I'm enjoying the adult interaction and using my brain in a different way than I do at home. Not to mention, the paycheque is definitely appreciated!

I was brought back on a six month contract, as they've never had anyone in my position do it part time before. Three months in, I can't help but be a little nervous about my contract not being extended. Please pray with me that it will be! Ideally, I will work in my current position until we have another baby - then another year of mat leave - woohoo! :)

As for some exciting news... my sister, Krista, has been given a date for her c-section surgery! Little Rachel Kristina will be arriving on July 5 :) I can't WAIT for her to get here, to smell her sweet newborn scent and to enjoy all her perfectness!

My sister-in-law Hannah is also due in July, with her first baby. I'm dying to know if it's a little niece or nephew for us to enjoy!! I'm thrilled for Hannah, as she'll get to experience the gift of motherhood, her lifelong dream :)

Aren't babies the most wonderful, tangible way to experience a miracle? God is so good!

Anyways, those are my ramblings for today! So much is happening as we enter this busy summer season. I hope you are all enjoying special times with those you love, and treating yourself to something meaningful - you deserve it!

:: Back At It! ::

2011-04-28T11:34:00.001-07:00

Hello blog world!

I don't know if anyone will read this, since I haven't blogged in such a long time. But I have some time and some thoughts, so why not write them here? :)

One of the reasons I haven't blogged in so long is that I feel like I need to "catch up" from ALL the time I took off. But that's a daunting task since so much time has passed! So instead, I will do a quick catch-up and then get on with what's happening in life now.

Since I last wrote...
- Kenzie turned 1 year old!! I can't believe it... and I will write an "All-About-Kenzie" post another time :)
- We've lived in our house for 14 months and just secured our third set of tenants in our basement suite. {Please Lord, let them stay long-term!} Our coach-home tenant has been with us since the beginning and he rocks!
- Since last March, my family has welcomed 4 new babies and has 2 more babies on the way! And yes, this is between just 5 girls - me, my 2 sisters and 2 of my 4 SILs :) We like babies.
- I have returned to work, part time. Doing 20 hours per week - 16 in office (2 days) and 4 hours from home.

I'm sure there's a TON of other things that have taken place, but for now, my thoughts are still on Easter.

I don't want to get too deep or write too long, but my heart was impacted this Easter in a whole new way. I have been a Christian my whole life - grew up in a Christian home, always attended church, worked for Christian organizations and have done mission work. All that to say - the concept of Easter and Christ dying for our sins is not new. I daresay it's even taken for granted all too often.

Then I became a Mom and my world changed. I was a Mom last Easter but it was pretty new and I wasn't thinking much beyond recovering from labour/delivery, breastfeeding, and getting some sleep! Besides, I was in newborn, lovesick, bliss mode :) Okay, back on track...

So this year, the sacrifice Christ made for us hit me in a whole new way. Not only did His death and resurrection provide me with salvation and the assurance of eternity with Him, but this is available for KENZIE too! My most precious daughter. And from a Mama's heart... this impacted every fiber of my being. I pray that Kenzie will always know the love God has for her and that He would've died upon the cross even to save only her. And that brings my thankfulness to a whole other level, knowing my precious daughter can have salvation because of the love and sacrifice of our Father! Tears of gratefulness spring to my eyes as I think on this. Thank you, Lord.

On this same vein of thought, I also know now what it's like to love a child of my own. And I cannot imagine giving her up to torture and death so that others may live. Sorry, but I just couldn't do it. But God did that for US - for you, and me, and the ones you love. Wow. There are no words to express how full of thanksgiving I am.

So those are my thoughts this Easter - a heart full of thanksgiving for new perspective, deepened understanding and great love.

:: Birth Story - Kenzie Diana ::

2010-08-26T10:43:00.001-07:00

Ahhh, the long awaited birth story! :) I've been really wanting to write this on my blog, so I have a place to print it from for Kenzie's baby book, so it works out well! Plus you all get to share in what was the best day/experience of my life! :)

I was due on March 18 ... a day that came and went without any signs that our baby would be born soon. I had been to the doctors the day before and my doctor was away so I had the fill-in guy. He didn't check to see if I was dilated, as from what I was describing both he and the nurse thought I wasn't going into labour anytime soon. They told me to expect to go into labour the following week sometime.

The next day (Friday) I was experiencing some pain on and off. My good friend Amanda came over to lend me her Moby wrap. I told her about the pains, describing them as Braxton Hicks. She asked if I'd had BH before and I hadn't... she told me that when she was pregnant with her daughter she didn't have them either... then one day she did and they weren't BH after all - she was in labour! So that got me thinking... but I had a busy day, showing our basement suite to potential tenants and getting ready for a baby shower for my 10 day old nephew Bryson. So I went to the shower at 7pm, and used the washroom before the guests arrived... and ta-da! I had my "bloody show!" My sisters and Mom said the look on my face when I came out of the washroom was unforgettable :) This was the sign I had been waiting for - I was officially in LABOUR! I called Josh, who had just gotten home from a 16 hour work day. He was so cute, wanting me to call the hospital right away. I told him we didn't need to yet but he wanted them to know about me being in labour :) I told him to get some sleep as we didn't know what the night would hold!

I stayed at the shower, and the contractions were pretty mild, coming anywhere from 10-30 minutes apart. I drove home and got into bed, hoping for some sleep! By about 2am I wasn't getting any sleep, as the contractions were now between 7 and 20 minutes apart. We called the hospital but they told me to stay home for awhile longer and come in when the pain got too much to bear. I had a nice warm shower but it didn't really do much for me. Josh paced the downstairs with me, as we wanted to keep me moving and keep these contractions coming! By about 3:30 I was just so tired and knew I needed sleep if I was going to have a baby that day! So we both laid down on the couches downstairs and slept until 9:30. We got up and I wanted to go to the hospital. We were supposed to call but I knew they'd tell me to stay home and I wanted to be in the hospital, so we drove up there. We called our families to tell them, and the plan was for Josh to call again when I started to push, so they'd have time to get to the hospital for when the baby came.

We arrived at the hospital and the pains were getting more intense, it was more tough to talk through the contractions but they still weren't coming at very regular intervals. We described what I was feeling to the nurse at the maternity ward and she told me they'd check me but that I'd probably have to go home and come back, as "first time moms always come in too soon." So I gave them a urine sample then we waited in the examination room for what felt like forever. I got strapped to the machine that monitors the contractions and another that monitors the baby's heart rate. Of course when I laid down, the contractions slowed right down! I wanted to get up and move around but there I laid, while praying for my sweet baby who I was about to meet (yay!) and for the labour I was going through... specifically the delivery part! One nurse checked on my and told me that my contractions weren't regular or strong enough to really be doing anything. Boo :( Awhile later another nurse came in to check me, it was around 11:30am. She was shocked to discover that I was 5 cm dilated! yay!

So I got checked into a room and they called the on-call doctor while I texted people to update them. I waited in the room by myself while Josh went to get our bags from the car. And I remember thinking, "So this is labour. Huh. Well, I can do this!" :) What a special time that was for me, to be alone and contemplate this day - the day I was going to give birth and meet my precious baby! I was overwhelmed with thankfulness and expectancy. I just talked with my Heavenly Father, thanking Him and asking Him to be with me, Josh and our baby.

The nurse came and asked me a bunch of questions. I answered them between contractions! When the doctor got there he checked me and I had progressed to 7cm! I was happy about that and he told me that not many women smile when they're dilated to 7cm :) He explained that I couldn't have any medicine (which I didn't want anyways) and that I could continue to labour on my own or he could break my water and get things moving more quickly. I wanted to get on with it so he broke my water! That was at about 12 or 12:30. What an odd sensation... warm liquid flowing but knowing you didn't pee! And boy, did that ever kick the contractions into high gear! The nurse said she would set up the bed for the baby then get me set up with the laughing gas. I didn't understand why she couldn't do that in reverse order - but what can ya do? I finally starting using the gas and loved that! It did make me feel a little light-headed but I preferred that feeling over the contractions :) I also started getting tingly and numb in my toes, fingertips and lips! Apparently I was sucking the gas in but not blowing out hard or long enough so I wasn't getting enough oxygen. Oops! But again... I'd take those odd, yet somewhat familiar, feelings over the contraction pain!

I got pretty uncomfortable lying on my back (I know you're not supposed to be in this position during labour but it was working for me!) so I asked to move to my side. And oh my word!! That made the contractions REALLY hit, one on top of another. I could barely speak at this point but definitely got the point across that I couldn't do it any longer - and I meant it! I think I would've done pretty much anything to stop the pain. And then the urge to push came. I got out the word, "Push" and the nurse checked me... but nope, still had a bit more work to do. What seemed like a minute later I got "Push, NOW" out and didn't really care if I was ready or not, my body was pushing and I couldn't stop it! The nurse was surprised when she checked me and sure enough, I was ready to push! (Apparently they weren't catching on that this was happening quickly!) The nurse and Josh got me on my back but didn't even have time to get the bed apart or anything. It was happening so fast! I remember asking for the doctor... he was so short that he was there but I couldn't see him!! I didn't think he was in the room but later Josh told me he was there the whole time observing and waiting to jump in. And oh... the pain! Umm, yeah, it really hurts. I remember the "ring of fire" happening and yup - that really hurts! I had kept my eyes closed for much of my labour but since I had watched two of Lisa's deliveries, I could picture what was going on. And I hoped Josh was going okay! :) I was so thankful I had seen a couple of births and knew what to expect, to some degree.

Pushing (along with bringing a whole new sort of pain) was such a relief! Finally, I could do something with this pain rather that just breathe through it. And the natural instinct is incredible and strong, I couldn't've stopped it if I tried. There were so many people in the room - Josh, the doctor, nurses, student nurses... and at one point a nurse said to another, "She's pushing really well but not long enough." Well, would've been nice if they told ME that! So that's what I did, I pushed longer next time. And it worked! They told me the head was a few inches out and I could feel it if I wanted. I didn't - I wanted to get it done and meet my baby! And since we didn't find out the sex I also thought that the head doesn't tell me anything!! lol. So I kept on pushing and the head came all the way out! I heard the doctor tell Josh that the cord was wrapped around the baby's neck so he couldn't cut the cord. Hearing that worried me, as a good friend of mine had just lost her baby at full term because the cord was wrapped around the baby's neck. But I also knew this was common thing so I tried to just stay calm. The fear for my baby's life kept me from pushing while the doctor unwrapped the cord. Then he said I was free to push again! Josh said the rest of the body just wriggled it's way out and he was shocked at how long the baby was!

All I could ask is "Is the baby okay?" because of the cord around the neck. But I was assured everything was fine - praise God! They put the baby on my belly and the nurse asked if I could if it was a boy or a girl. I could barely see that area from how I was lying but said, "Is that a GIRL?" in disbelief. The nurse said, "There's no extra parts here!" And I repeated, "It's a GIRL?" Then I got to hold my beautiful daughter for the very first time *tears* Nothing can prepare you for that moment or the extreme love you feel for this tiny person, this little life that you were carrying in your womb for 9 months and are now holding in your arms. Incredible. God is SO good and our little girl was sure fearfully and wonderfully made.

And how did Josh do? He was incredible during the whole thing. Even though I wasn't responding directly to him, I knew he was there and he was my strength. He spoke to me a lot in calm, reassuring words and I needed that so much! We were both really glad we kept the experience for just the two of us :) Once Kenzie was born he did almost hit the floor though... the doctor asked if he wanted to trim the cord once it was cut. He asked right when Josh started to feel woozy already, from the excitement, exhaustion and emotions of it all. And, knowing it was a girl and how much I wanted that (even though I never actually said it in so many words, even to Josh, he knew) added to it all. He said he was going to faint and the nurse told him to sit right now! He did and the moment passed. He was just in love with his new girl and more in love with his wife than ever! :)

I laid back and finally admitted that, "I really wanted a girl." :) So, the "secret" was out! lol! But it's true, my heart truly desired to have a daughter and I was just so incredibly happy. And in my somewhat delirious state I also talked about how well I did during labour and delivery!! haha!! I was proud of myself, okay? I think I deserved it!! ;) I asked the nurse later how long I pushed for and it was only 17 minutes!! And Kenzie was born at 2:35pm so I was only in hard labour for about 2 1/2 hours. Whew! She was 7 pounds, 7 ounces and 21 1/4 inches long :) And perfect! Dark, thick hair, long dainty fingers and the sweetest little lips! She also had fuzz all over her back and shoulders, which I just adored!

As you know, a birth story does not end there! ;) Josh took our daughter over to get checked out. Our daughter who we knew was Kenzie Diana without even discussing it! the doctor was checking me but I just kept asking if Kenzie was alright and that everything with her checkup was okay. But I also wasn't feeling great, still lots of pressure down there :( I told the doctor and he said I'd feel better once the placenta was delivered. He gave the cord a tug but it wasn't detached enough to come out. After a couple more contractions I pushed again and the placenta came out... and he was right, I did feel a relief of pressure. He saw that I needed some stitches, as I had a 2 degree tear. He said that wasn't bad for how quick my labour was and for a first delivery. I didn't know that they set up a spotlight for the stitching part! Lovely. They gave me more laughing gas for when I got the needles to freeze me. They said I could hold Kenzie but I opted not to, in case it really hurt, I didn't trust myself just then! But it was wonderfully distracting, hearing Josh whisper to his baby girl over in the rocking chair :) The stitching went on for what seemed like forever. I just wanted to hold my baby and get my family in to show her off!

They were finally done with me and I told Josh that he just had to call my Mom! They were waiting - but not at the hospital - for his call telling them I was starting to push! So he called them and told them the baby was here, careful not to tell them the sex. Our plan was to wait until they got there, I wanted to be there when they found out! This would've happened if it had been a boy too :) So the phone calls were made and the family on their way!

I got to try breastfeeding right away and was pleased with how natural it was. Kenzie sucked on her fingers since the moment she was born and was a really good little sucker! Once that was done we finally invited the family in. The staff had given Kenzie a pink knit hat to wear and the doctor told my family to look for the colour of hat the baby was wearing and it would show what sex the baby was. Then he came in and told me to hide the hat! haha. Josh went and got everyone and in they came - my parents, Grandma and Grandpa Eddy, Wes, (pregnant) Lisa, Ethan, Brandon, Corban, Jeff, Krista, Colton and new baby Bryson. I waited until they were all there then said, "Meet Kenzie. Yes, it's a girl!!" There was a buzz in that room, everyone was so excited! Then we told my mom her middle name was Diana, after her (my mom's name is Diane and we wanted it to be slightly different plus my mom always wished her name was Diana). So of course my mom was in tears and on the phone to tell her friends! :) What a special time that was, Josh and I were so proud of our baby girl. It was all surreal but all wonderful. Well, in all honesty there were times of discomfort for me, of course, but that was almost completely overridden by the joy :)

A few hours later Josh's family came to meet little Kenzie. We did the same thing, waited until they were all there until we told them it was a girl. Art, Barb, Jason, Niki, and Ben were there first, later joined by Nathan, Hannah, Amy and Lydia (Amy's friend). It was so exciting! By then I was up and walking around :) I had had a shower and was feeling pretty good! Praise the Lord for Tylenol and Advil, plus those wonderful ice packs :) Josh and I showed off our beautiful girl and I remember showing them her adorable, fuzzy little shoulders :)

Amanda came by and tears started flowing when I introduced her to my daughter. And, as crazy and special as it was, Kenzie was born on Amanda's daughter's birthday, just 2 years later! It was so special to share my story with my dear friend. We had other visitors too - Grandma Phyllis, Steve and Katie, Auntie Cheryl, Chad, Taralyn and their boys, Paul and Sharolynn, Uncle Dave and Marnie, Meghan and Heidi, Julia and her 3 kids... I was so glad to see everyone and for them to share in our wonderful experience. Once we got home more people visited too!

That evening Kenzie got her first bath and we continued to just be in absolute awe of her. It's so incredible how you can love this little being wholly and completely and you just met! God really shows you a new depth to your heart by giving you a child to love. That night I couldn't bear to leave Kenzie in her basinette, it didn't seem right after she was used to being inside me! So I snuggled her in bed all night, not really caring if I slept or not. It was a special time for mother and daughter, as Daddy slept on his camping cot (thanks Dean and Jessi!)

The next day we just enjoyed our time as a family of 3, and had some visitors. We got to go home in the early evening. Kenzie didn't even cry during her PKU test! It was such a neat feeling walking out of the hospital with her - we were so proud!! And a new depth and love had occurred between Josh and I as well, it was all just incredible. As corny as it may sound, the world seemed different - brighter, fuller and more complete. And so the journey began! Josh and I have loved being parents right from day one and our little girls is the light of our lives!

:: Blog Slacker ::

2010-05-05T19:21:00.000-07:00

Just in case there is anyone out there who still checks my blog... :) I am still alive and I am such a slacker! I think about writing a new post quite often, then I think about how much has happened since I last wrote and how much my life has changed... and I don't know where to start! Or, like right now it's almost 1:00am and I really need to get to bed! So, this is just a quick note to say "hi" and to make a blogger-promise to write soon! And also... I miss you my blogger friends! I miss hearing/seeing what's new in your lives. And now that I'm a mom I have so many random questions and topics to write and ask about! So, I want to get back into blogging and catching up this way :)

But I do have a question for you... where should I start with my blog? My last bit of pregnancy? The birth story of my beautiful daughter Kenzie? Life as a Mom? Please, help me! :)

And, most of you are on my Facebook so you've probably seen tons of pictures of my sweet girl, but I will post some pics too. The last ones on here are of me pregnant! Man, that feels like a long time ago already...

:: 37 Weeks! ::

2010-02-25T10:13:00.000-08:00

Since I am now officially 37 weeks - technically full term - I thought I'd do a baby update!

I had a doctors appointment yesterday and wasn't too surprised that my baby bump had grown 3 cm in one week! I've been feeling rather large lately and that would be why! The good news is that I didn't gain any weight, so I'm okay with it ;) The Baby's head is down and engaged - good Baby! I'm hoping and praying that means I'll be able to deliver naturally, which is our ideal. Although I know it's important to stay flexible with our birth plan, and do what's best for both Baby and me. The Baby's heart rate was 144, which has been pretty consistent throughout my pregnancy. It's been as high as 156 and as low as 138.

The Baby gets the hiccups quite often and his/her movements have changed from kicks and jabs to big roll-overs. Sometimes my stomach goes completely sideways - it's a bit crazy! And I feel one little foot at the front quite often - so sweet!

Josh and I spent some time setting up the nursery the other day! After some help from my fantastic brother-in-laws - Jeff and Wes - who helped with the wainscoting and painting. I'm so pleased with how things are coming together! We still have lots to do, decorating and finishing touches, but it'll happen :) And we're waiting to see if Baby N is a boy or a girl, then we'll add more to the room!

On Tuesday this week I had my first baby shower!! The ladies at my work put it on and it was SO lovely! The decorations and food were awesome and we got spoiled with perfect gifts! I am so blessed and thankful to work where I do and to know these amazing women. My last day of work before going on mat leave is tomorrow and I can't believe it! It seemed so far away for so long, and now it's here - yay! I am so looking forward to having time off, to spend with Josh, to get more settled into our new house, to sleep/rest and to prepare for Baby! If anyone has any tips of what to do to prepare, please pass them along! I'd like to make and freeze extra meals and things like that.

All these things are making it more and more real that we're actually having a baby of our own. Most of the time, Josh and I are just so excited and can't wait to meet our little one! And I have to admit that I'm ready to not be pregnant anymore - it's getting rather uncomfortable. There are also moments of feeling a little overwhelmed at how much our life will change... plus the fact that I have to go through labour and delivery soon. But I know it'll all be worth it and the love we'll have for our child will be incomparable!

:: Craziness! ::

2010-02-17T08:56:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to write a new blog post for awhile now... but there's just SO much going on! It's hard to nail down one thing to write about, so I'll just give a little update on what's been going on lately.

We've finally moved!! Hurray!! We gained possession on January 29, so we've been in our house for almost 3 weeks now. It's gone by so fast! There's so much to do still, but it's really starting to feel like home and we're loving it. I wouldn't recommend moving while very pregnant... but I'm so thankful we're in before the Baby comes! And also very thankful to our family and friends who helped us - we couldn't have done it without you :) I'm loving having people over - we've had more visitors in the past 3 weeks than we had at our condo for 2 years I think! I love it :) We're currently working on the nursery and I'm so excited!! I will be posting pics once it's done... and I find my camera cord! It's been MIA since the move and I haven't been able to download any pictures.

Another piece of SUPER exciting news... Josh got moved to DAYS! He's been working from 2pm-2am for the past months and it's been tough, especially since I work 8-4:30. He'll still do 4 on 4 off (which he loves) but it'll be from 3am-3pm instead. Super early mornings, I feel so bad when the alarm goes off at 2:15am! But so far he's really enjoying it - and it's a definite answer to prayer. This way we'll have more time together, and he'll get to be with the Baby more too :)

Pregnancy-wise... I'm almost 36 weeks! 4 weeks from my due date... and I can't WAIT! Both Josh and I are getting more excited each day to meet this little one. I have 7 more days of work left and am very much so looking forward to maternity leave. Josh and I took prenatal classes, a series of 6 altogether. We found the information super helpful and are very glad we did that! Josh especially learned so much and feels much more prepared for what's to come - especially with the labour and delivery part.

When I was 32 weeks pregnant we had a maternity photo shoot with Carly from Pink Plum Photography. She is awesome and we're so happy with the photos! We can't wait for her to do newborn ones :) I'll leave you with a couple photos...

:: 2009 ::

2010-01-04T10:45:00.000-08:00

Can you believe we're now in the year 2010? Seems like just yesterday we were about to embrace the year 2000 and were concerned about what would happen when the clock struck midnight! When I think back on those 10 years I marvel at how much life has changed. Major life events for me have taken place in the past decade! To name a few: I lived in Australia for 6 months with YWAM, I became an Auntie (and now have 6 nephews!), I completed my 2-year college program, I bought a brand-new car, I met and fell in love with the man who would become my husband, got engaged, bought our first place in real estate, became a wife, gained a whole new family of in-laws, got pregnant, lost our first baby through miscarriage, got pregnant again, sold our first condo and bought our first house.
There are of course many other events that have happened in the past 10 years, plus all the emotions that go along with a decade of living. I am ever so thankful for the constants in my life - my family and friends who have stuck by me through the good and the bad, and most of all, for my Saviour who has given me much grace, healing and love.

Writing in detail about a whole decade would take far too much time... plus, who would read it? ;) So when I saw a Q&A on my friend Meghan's blog, I decided I would "copy" that to re-cap on the year that has just passed.

Looking back on 2009:

What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?

Sold our place (condo) and bought our first HOUSE!

Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for this year?

I don't think I made any last year and this year will be the start of a lifetime resolution - to be the Mom God has created me to be and to love/raise my children the best I can.

Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yup! Niki, Crystal, Teresa, Meghan, Elyshia, Laura C, Alison, Nadia, Amber S, Morgan... hope I didn't miss anyone!

Did anyone close to you die?

I didn't get a chance to meet her, but my friend's sweet baby Ella passed away full-term, 2 days before she was born... I feel close to her and can't wait to meet her one day

What countries did you visit?

Just the States a bunch of times. The furthest I went was Palm Springs, California

What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

Our baby! Should be arriving in mid-late March :) And for Josh to work days so we have more time together and can go to events together. Me being on mat leave will help that too - yay!

What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

June 23 - the due date of our first baby who we won't meet until we get to Heaven.
July 9 - found out we were pregnant again!
Oct 9 - the day we moved in with my parents, awaiting the finishing of our new home.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Working through the biggest hurt/healing I've ever experienced. Buying a house and living with my parents for months, while married and pregnant :)

What was your biggest failure?

I'm not a fan of the work 'failure' ... can't we just chalk it up to learning experiences and areas to work on? ;) I regret how little Josh and I are involved at our church and how disconnected we've become to the people there. And I know there were many times I could've been a better wife - more patient and accepting and supportive. Maybe I'll add those 2 to my resolution list :)

Did you suffer any illness or injury?

No.

What was the best thing you bought?

Our house! Although maybe I should wait until we actually live there to say it's "the best." I'm also really enjoying our new vehicle we bought "for the baby." :)

Whose behaviour merited celebration?

Josh's. He is so wonderful, I just can't imagine life without him.

Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

I can't think of anyone at the moment. And appalled and depressed... eek! I'm thankful that no one comes to mind.

Where did most of your money go?

Into buying our new house.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Becoming pregnant again!! We desire a baby so much and can't WAIT to be parents!

What song will always remind you of 2009?

"At the Edge of the Water" by Tammy Trent.

Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder (b) thinner or fatter (c) richer or poorer?

I’m (a) definitely happier, (b) fatter (hey, I have a good reason, I'm almost 30 weeks pregnant!), and (c) poorer (again, bought a house)

What do you wish you’d done more of?

Worshiping, exercising, cooking, baking, vacationing, spending time with friends

What do you wish you’d done less of?

Worrying and complaining. Not attractive qualities!

How did you spend Christmas?

With family - Josh's side on Christmas Day, my side on Boxing Day

Did you fall in love in 2009?

Yes - with Josh over and over again, and with our new baby even though I haven't "met" him/her yet!

What was your favourite TV program?

Private Practice is so good this season! And Grey's is always a favourite. I enjoy the Bachelorette/Bachelor, One Tree Hill, Brothers and Sisters, and Glee. Thank goodness for the PVR! I record shows then have them on hand for when Josh works (he works evenings) and I'm at home by myself. I know it'll come in handy when I'm nursing too!

Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Nope! Not a fan of hating people ;)

What was the best book you read?

Oh man, I read SO many books, I don't think I could narrow it down!! Karen Kingsbury is my favourite author and I read all her books right when they come out. I've also gotten into Beverly Lewis and other authors who write about the Amish community. Don't know why, but I really like them! I've been dabbling in pregnancy books too, but mostly I look up things online.

What was your greatest musical discovery?

Tammy Trent. I went to a conference she spoke/sang at and it came at the ideal time in my life. Her songs really helped me through a difficult time and are a constant reminder of God's faithfulness!

What did you want and get?

Feeling slightly repetitive here... a successful pregnancy, a house, new vehicle...

What did you want and not get?

To be in our new house by Christmas

What was your favourite film of this year?

Again, I see a lot of movies so it's tough to narrow down! "The Blind Side" was so good... and my mind is blanking about other fav's!

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 28 and didn't do anything crazy... had a family birthday party on both sides, and Josh and I went to Bellevue for the weekend. I miss birthday parties with friends... maybe this year :)

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Can't think of much... except for, again, to have been in our house already

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

Well, I mostly buy clothes that I can wear to work - "business casual." Then I bought a whole wack-load of maternity clothes, mostly in that same category! And some jeans and casual stuff too.

What kept you sane?

Having the most supportive husband ever, through all the ups and downs. Knowing that, through all life's changes, God will never leave nor forsake me, or give me more than I can handle!

What celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

hmmm, not so much into celebrity crushes. But I also can't say that I don't swoon along with the other girls over Jake!

What political issue stirred you the most?

Not really into politics either! But I am passionate about the sanctity of life from conception to the grave, being pro-life and seeing pregnant women given alternatives to abortions.

Who did you miss?

Our first baby whom we won't get to know for a long (Lord willing) time

Who was the best new person you met?

Meghan Baxter. Like I said to her, I really believe that God brought us into each others' lives in His perfect timing :)

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.

To not fear crying in front of others - God can use a soft heart! And that God is faithful ALL the time and doesn't forget His promises to me.

:: What to do? ::

2009-12-31T14:36:00.000-08:00

So many decisions come along with having a baby!! The pregnancy ones... to find out the gender or not, when to go on mat leave, what vehicle to get that's best for Baby and you... and then the ones about the Baby - where to enroll them in school (in my town you need to enroll in some schools while pregnant or your child won't get in), what brands to use for diapers, bottles, soothers, etc. and the big one I'm working through right now - to circumcise or not to circumcise.

This decision is one that is weighing heavily on my mind these days! I don't have brothers and never gave circumcision much thought growing up... and when I did get to the point where I thought about it, I thought it was an easy decision - if I had a son I would circumcise him. But now it's not so cut and dry (pardon the pun!) I've been looking into it and asking other moms how they came to decisions for their sons. And my mind remains as fuzzy as it ever was! Everyone has their opinion or reasons and to me, most are valid ones. I think this is a big decision because it's a life-long one for our child (if our Baby is a boy, of course!) I've researched the Bible too, as if there was clear direction there, that would make it easy. But nope! From all the Scripture I read on the topic, it's still a decision that's up to Josh and me.

So if this isn't too personal of a topic for you, may I ask - what did you decide? Even if you had a girl, did you and your hubby discuss this question and come to any conclusions? Or if you don't have kids, do you have thoughts on the subject or know what you'll do if you have a son one day? I'm not saying that we'll go with a majority vote or anything, but any input would be appreciated as Josh and I make this decision. Thanks! :)

I'm sure I will be using this blog to post many more baby-related questions over the next 11 weeks, and beyond. Yup, 11 weeks 'til our due date!! Oh, are we ever getting excited... :)

:: 25 Weeks ::

2009-12-03T11:43:00.000-08:00

I realized that I've been pretty horrible at updating pregnancy pictures on my blog!

Last night Josh and I attended my staff Christmas party and got all dolled up for it... the perfect time to take some pictures! :)

I'm officially 25 weeks today! 15 more to go... makes it sound pretty close! Baby N is moving a lot lately and I fall more in love with this little one with every kick, stretch or roll. Josh and I are both getting pretty excited to meet our Baby and can't wait until March!

I've been feeling really great over the past while, which I am so thankful for! And my belly has grown so much in the past month so I look definitely pregnant not just chunky ;)

It's incredible, the journey that pregnancy takes you on. My mind often strays to how much my life will change and what it will be like to be a mother. I know I'm headed for incredible change in every way! I am thankful that I truly feel that God has prepared both Josh and I for this next step - we both feel as ready as we can be! We know there will be MANY moments of the unexpected and there's no way we can truly be prepared for the love we'll feel, the amount of work we'll do, or how much our lives will change. But we have fantastic role models in our lives, and many people to turn to in times of celebration and uncertainty. We also have a most loving Heavenly Father who will guide us in our journey of parenthood!

I am ever so grateful that I get to travel this journey with my husband and best friend. I have full confidence that Josh will be an AMAZING Daddy to this baby and any other children we are blessed with in the future. He demonstrates such a love and gentleness with me, and is already proud, protective and captivated by our baby as it grows within me.

My heart is overwhelmed with thankfulness!

:: Has it Really Been 10 Years?! ::

2009-11-09T09:50:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday I attended my 10-year high school reunion. It's funny... high school seems like a very distant memory to me, yet I don't feel old enough for it to be 10 years since I graduated! When I was 17 and finishing grade 12, thinking about my 10-year reunion felt like such a long time away, and that I'd be "old." Well, a lot has happened and I've changed a ton in the past decade, but I'm thankful to report that I don't feel old at all! :)

I wasn't sure how I felt about the whole thing and only decided a couple weeks ago that I'd go for sure. I enjoyed high school - being on the volleyball team, having a constant social outlet, learning and being challenged everyday (or, most days at least!) However, most of my life was lived outside of high school - my best friends were from church, I played rep softball that kept me very busy, and I worked part time from grade 11 on. Since graduating I've only kept in "real" contact (as in, not just on Facebook) with one friend - and she couldn't attend the reunion because she had her baby on Thursday!! (A big congrats to Nadia and Andre - more on that to come :) )

The evening turned out better that I expected. It was a relaxing evening with door prizes (I even won one!), appy's, punch, a cash bar and friends from the past. There weren't too many awkward conversations - just a couple - and it was fun to see everyone, how they've changed and what they're up to. About half of our class showed up, it was a good turn out!

So another milestone in my life has now passed - my 10-year high school reunion. I wonder if we'll get together for our 25th? :)

:: Bumper Cars or Fizzy Pop ::

2009-10-13T10:38:00.001-07:00

Last Friday morning, I think I felt the Baby move for the first time!! It was at work, and I felt a "different" feeling in my lower abdomen. You know how bumper cars move around, bumping into things then moving backwards and bumping into something else - but it's still quite soft because of the rubber padding? That's kind of how it felt! Weird, I know! It also had a fizzy feeling, like pop (soda, for my American friends!)

Then I had a crazy busy weekend - Happy Thanksgiving!! :) - and didn't feel anything.

Today, back at work... Baby seems to be active!! I've been feeling movement all morning, and it's so amazing! Completely distracting too, I just want to sit and feel the movements of our sweet little Baby :)

I looked at my Baby Ticker thing (on the right panel of my blog) and see the baby on there turning in circles non-stop!! Makes me laugh - if that's what the Baby is doing, no wonder I'm feeling him/her!!

I know I need to post a picture... especially since I've popped in the past week or so! Josh took one on Friday evening, so I will have to get that up here. I will try, really soon. But, I'm in a wedding this Saturday and have lots to do to prepare... so please be patient with me :)

:: Denial ::

2009-09-24T10:35:00.000-07:00

So, I'm in denial. Right now it's mostly about moving! I'm a little sad about leaving Josh and my first "home" and also about all the work it'll take to do so! Our new house won't be ready in time, so we're moving in with my parents for awhile. We are very grateful for them opening their home to us, and their generosity. And there's also the unknowns and adjustments that will have to happen. But it also means more work, as we sort through what we'll absolutely NEED there and what can go into storage. But it'll happen soon... because it has to! We need to be out of our condo by October 9th at noon. Which is a Friday, so I'll have to have my part done by Thursday evening, and the place cleaned. But there's a bright light at the end of the tunnel... we'll have our first house soon, and it's brand new!! I can't WAIT to live there :) And after living with my parents, we'll only appreciate it that much more ;)

If we were only moving, that wouldn't be so bad. But I am also a bridesmaid in a wedding coming up on October 17th! So there are dress fittings, showers, hair trials, the stagette, rehearsal, etc. And I could write a whole post about my dress but I'll just say that it's already too tight and there's still 3 1/2 weeks 'til the wedding! At this stage of pregnancy (15-18 weeks) that's a little nerve wracking. I'm praying the seamstress can work a miracle and that on the wedding day, the dress fits. But it weighs on my mind.

And have I mentioned that I'm trying to grow a little human here? ;) So my energy level isn't fantastic and I'm finding that things are quite as easy to deal with as they usually are. Hormones... who knew.

So yup, denial it is. And I just live by my Day Planner, doing life day by day. Making sure I don't miss doctor's appointments, birthdays, anniversaries, hair appointments, house stuff, wedding stuff, family events, Thanksgiving... you know, the usual! :)

:: Heartbeat ::

2009-09-10T11:18:00.000-07:00

I heard the most incredible sound on Tuesday - the sound of our tiny baby's heartbeat. I've heard that it's one of the best parts of pregnancy, and I'm not left disappointed! So incredible to hear that tiny sound coming from within my own body. I marvel at God's plan to create life and His faithfulness. I think on that, tears swell in my eyes, I am in such awe and am incredibly thankful. Oh, how I love this little one!!

Josh was with me at the doctor's and I loved seeing his face as he listened to his baby for the first time. The look was so tender and filled with amazement. I know his love runs deep for me and this life within me, and I trust him with us both, completely. I simply cannot wait to watch him journey in his role as a Daddy, I know it's such a desire of his and I have no doubt he will be incredible.

My doctor shared that once you pass 12 weeks and hear the heartbeat, the chance of miscarriage are tiny. I know there are no guarantees, but that was sure music to this mama-to-be's ears! Our peace about this pregnancy has been so present, and I am thankful for that. Oh, and my due date is now set for March 18th! It's changed 3 times now, so I just think that it'll hopefully happen that week sometime :)

Thank you Jesus!! You are so good.

:: Approved! ::

2009-09-10T11:04:00.000-07:00

Josh and I have been approved for our new mortgage!! What an answer to prayer this is!

That leads me to answering another question... yes, we've sold our condo! My Dad has become a realtor recently so we hired him for his first listing! He did an extraordinary job - we had 8 showings in 10 days, and were listed $20,000 higher than with our previous realtor with whom we didn't have any showings! Well, that 8th showing proved to be the winner and we settled on a deal in one day. The thing the new owners were most stuck on was the dates... so we have to be out by Oct. 9 at noon! Yup, less than one month from now.

We found a place that we fell in love with, and really felt that it met our needs right now and for the next few years to come. I can't wait to start our little family there! It's a coach home across from a future pond and park, and we will have a two bedroom basement suite, plus a one bedroom coach suite above the detached garage to rent out! The extra income will make this move affordable to us and (hopefully!) allow for a smooth transition when I go on mat leave in a few months (which, I might add, I am SO EXCITED about!!) This particular home was slightly higher in price than we hoped, but the reasons why were reason enough for us to try for it.

And as of yesterday, we're officially approved! God is faithful and knows the desires of our hearts.

So, will the house be ready for us by October 9th? Absolutely not!! :) The house is being build right now, and it's great fun getting to chose accent colours and such, and I look forward to seeing it all come together. But this also means that Josh and I are moving in with my parents for awhile! Could be interesting times ahead :) We are very grateful to them and for all the help they've given to us to make this move happen.

Please pray for us as we pack up our place and chose what to bring with us to my parents and what to put into storage. At times it seems a little overwhelming, all the changes to come in the next few months, so please pray for God's peace as my most important role right now is to stay healthy as this little one grows inside me! Please also pray that we find the perfect tenants for our rental suites. And, on that note, I would LOVE any referrals! If you know of someone wanting to rent, please let me know and I can get you more details. Thanks!

I look forward to this exciting journey with my incredible husband and baby on the way. Life is an adventure, that's for sure!

:: Prayer - Thursday 12:30 pm - Join in! ::

2009-09-09T08:51:00.000-07:00

My friend Crystal has called us women of God to join together in prayer. For our families, loved ones, community, etc. To read her post, click here.

God has called us to do even MORE powerful things on earth than what Jesus did when He was here... that thought is incredible.

Let's get started!!

:: Thank Goodness for Grandmas! ::

2009-09-08T11:11:00.000-07:00

I can't help myself... I now love looking at baby clothes! It's so fun, searching for the perfect little thing for our Baby come Spring. And since we're not finding out the gender, this takes a little more effort!
Josh and I wandered into MEXX the other day, and I fell in love with this - the sweetest little sweater sleep-sack. And it's pure white... so precious and perfect for a boy or a girl! I thought is was the perfect going-home outfit. However, the price wasn't so perfect and I had to put it back.
I told my Mom about it and she wanted to see it! So we met at MEXX the other day and showed her... and now Baby will get it for his/her first Christmas present! I guess it's a pre-first Christmas... ?? :) Either way, I am so thankful for generous Grandmas and am so excited to see our Baby in this sweet little outfit!

:: BIG Announcement, LONG Story ::

2009-08-31T13:53:00.000-07:00

The news is out - Josh and I are having a baby!!

This past week has been such fun, finally making my announcement at work, then posting our news on Facebook. I was (am!) so blessed and encouraged by everyone's support and excitement for us. What a beautiful feeling to know this babe of ours is already so loved and celebrated!!

I've been asked to tell the story of how Josh and I found out. I've been thinking over this and about where to start in our journey to where we are now - 11 weeks pregnant and thrilled to bits! That makes us due around March 20, 2010 :)

So I thought I'd start at the beginning... so yes, this could get a little long ;)

It was back in September, when my dear hubby started making little comments here and there about how nice it would be to have a baby, and how he couldn't wait to be a Daddy. Words to melt a woman's heart! So we decided to go for it, to begin trying for a baby. Well, we certainly didn't expect to conceive as soon as we did but about a month later we got a positive pregnancy test!! We were SO happy, and feeling blessed that it happened so easily and quickly. Little did we know that 2 1/2 weeks later our world would come crashing down, and we would lose our first little one. Without getting into too many details, it was the absolute darkest time in my life, a time when sorrow and heartbreak went deeper than I thought possible. There were times I didn't know how I'd make it through, or if I even wanted to. I just don't know how I would've gotten through each day if it wasn't for my Heavenly Father. Only through Him could I feel any peace, and have the wonderful assurance that our baby, whom we already loved so dearly, was safe and well in Heaven, where we will joyfully meet him or her one day. Oh, I can barely wait!!

The next while was a time of healing and deep growth, as I leaned heavily in my Father, my wonderful, supportive husband, and our family and friends. It's times like that when you really know how God has blessed you with the people in your life.

And the desire remained - the deep, constant desire for a baby. I thought I was ready right away, and hoped to conceive quickly. Well, God had other plans for us. I didn't start cycling very quickly, or very regularly. It was a time of such frustration for me! And definitely a time of growth for our marriage. It's certainly through the tough times that you grow the most, hey? Looking back, through our miscarriage and time after, one of the things I am most thankful for was that Josh and my marriage grew deeper and stronger than it ever could have, without the tough times.

I'll short-step through the next few months... to sum it up there were doctor's appointments, frustrations and tears. And you think creating a baby is joyful and fun, right?!?! That's what I thought, too! I tried to focus on that, and trust in God's plan and timing for our life and family. Never had I had to trust like that! And while I can't say it was easy or that I'd chose to go through that again, I am thankful for how God softened my heart and deepened my trust in Him.

I finally arrived at a Naturopath, to check out that option for getting my cycle back on track. He was such a blessing, so encouraging and positive! One week later, my cycle started (after 54 days and MANY pregnancy tests) - praise God! We had a good feeling about that month.

Josh and I went away for a weekend in June, and although I was only about 25 days past my last period, I thought it would be a great memory to get a positive pregnancy test while away. I was having some symptoms and had my hopes high - you'd think I'd have learned from the past few months to not get my hopes up! So I took a test... which revealed an EXTREMELY faint line. Faint as in, you had to hold it in the right light to see anything. Well, for this girl who had seen her fair share of negative pregnancy tests, I knew this one was different. But also not clear enough to get TOO excited over.

So for the next few days I obsessively took pregnancy tests, comparing them with the one before, and asking my hubby if he saw a second line. I am thankful to my dear friend, SL, who told me about the $1 pregnancy tests at the dollar store! :) On Thursday, July 9th, I took the final home pregnancy test, one that cost more than $1, thinking it should be accurate now. And... 2 LINES!!! Josh and I were quiet as the realization sunk in - we had finally conceived and were going to have a baby.

I had prayed and prayed against any fear of miscarriage stealing my joy of when we conceived next. God is so faithful!! Right from the start, He has filled both Josh and I with His perfect peace. And when those times of fear do creep in, I am armed with the Word and the Truth, and am safe in the shadow of His wings. Psalm 91 became such a source of comfort for me.
That weekend was such fun, as we got to announce our exciting news to family and friends. Many who had been praying for us and had walked through tough months with us - we are so thankful for them! And it was wonderful to get to celebrate together!

So we've known our "news" for almost 8 weeks now! 8 weeks full of dreaming and excited whispers. Learning about car seats and strollers, and talking about names... looking at baby bedding and tiny clothes. But above all, trusting our Heavenly Father, and praising Him for His perfect timing and will for our life. And earnestly asking for Him to mold us into the parents He wants us to be, the best for our little one. We depend on Him alone for our child, that he/she is healthy and thriving. I'm doing all I can, but I know our days are in His hand alone.

We did have one scare, on a Saturday morning when I was only 6 weeks along. I had a little spotting when I woke up. My immediate reaction was to pray... desperate, whole-hearted prayers. My emotions were flooded with nightmares of the past and I couldn't bear the thought of living through another miscarriage. My sister and brother-in-law came over and prayed with Josh and I. Through many tears and heartfelt words, such a peace flowed in our hearts. My BIL had a vision of God placing His mighty hands around our baby, in my womb, protecting him/her. How beautiful!! And how precious that picture was for me all weekend, as I laid on the couch or in bed, in an attempt to do all I could. And the picture and peace was with me when we went to the doctor's, ready to hear the news... which was that all was well!! Praise God!! We left the doctor's office flooded with peace and thankfulness. And boy, what an incredible way to solidify your love and desire for a baby!! We know God has a plan for our child, and has him/her in His hands. And again, how incredible it was to have our "village" of family and friends pray and be there for us.

We've had the incredible experience of having an early ultrasound, at just over 8 weeks. How precious and reassuring to see that tiny, quick heartbeat!

Each day, each week, feels like a milestone, a reason to celebrate! As we approach the highly recognized 12 week mark I am filled with thanksgiving and anticipation. I know you're never "out of the woods" during a pregnancy and I truly cannot wait to hear the cry of our precious baby and know everything is okay. Until then, my hope and trust remains in the Lord, and I am thankful.

:: Survey ::

2009-08-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't posted anything for quite awhile... so when I saw this on Sharon's Facebook, then Meghan's blog, I thought I could steal the idea too!! So, here goes:

1 What's the last thing you put in your mouth? Milk (skim, of course!)

2 Have you ever kissed anyone named Matthew? Ummm, that would be a yes.

3 Where was your default picture taken? At the Cabin on Lake Whatcom

4 Who was the last person you rode in a car with under the age of 20? My nephew Colton (23 months old) on Friday evening - we went on a date to McDonald's then Ft. Langley for gelato!

5 Can you play guitar hero? I've never tried!

6 Last time you walked further than a block? Probably the last time I shopped. That's bad, isn't it? Oh wait, when I was in Seattle on Monday! Where we parked, we had to walk a ways to the restaurant. Does that count? :)

7 Name someone that made you laugh today? Josh. He was in a silly mood at lunch and we laughed together a bunch :)

8 How late did you stay up last night and why? About 10:00, my new bedtime! I was just at home last night, having a relaxing, low-key evening. Lovely.

9 If you could move somewhere else, would you? No thanks! I LOVE the city I live in and it's definitely 'home.'

10 Ever been kissed under fireworks? Yup. I like Fireworks

11 Do you believe ex's can be friends? I used to think so... but now that I'm a 'wise' married woman ;) I would say no.

12 Do you like calling or texting better? Depends what it's for. I do like the convenience of texting if I'm not in the mood to talk or just need to tell/ask an easy something. But I do enjoy talking on the phone too, to catch up with friends. It's about the only way I get housework done too, when I'm on the phone! :)

13 How do you feel about Diet Dr Pepper? I'm really not into diet pop... and, I hear it's worse for you than the regular stuff! I think aspartame leaves a funny aftertaste. I do like Dr. Pepper though :)

14 When was the last time you cried really hard? On Saturday, July 25. Scary day (more on that later)

15 Where is your biological father right now? He's at a course for Real Estate. He just got his license and is going through a bunch of courses.

16 Where are you right now? At my computer

17 What bed did you sleep in last night? Mine... love it!

18 What was the last thing someone bought for you? Ummmm... my mom treated my friend Nadia and I to lunch on Monday. And Josh bought groceries yesterday, including a few special things he knows I like!

19 Who took your profile picture? Set the timer on my camera and put it on the table! So... no one!

20 Who was the last person you took a picture of? My nephews, Ethan, Brandon and Corban out in their Papa's boat

21 Was yesterday better than today? About the same so far.

22 Can you live a day without TV? Sure! But if a fav show is on, I'll PVR it :)

23 Are you a bad influence? Nope, wouldn't say so

24 What items could you not go without during the day? Food, something to drink

25 Would you share a drink with a stranger? Seriously? That's really gross. No, of course not.

26 Who was the last person you visited in the hospital? Crystal, when she had Addyson! :) And Dave too, of course. I like happy hospital visits.

27 What does the last text message in your inbox say? "Awww... I would love to, but I have to work." From Katie, when I asked if her and Steve wanted to hang out tonight. (See, much easier than a phone call ;) )

28 What are you wearing? Sandals, jeans, tank top, shirt, sweater, earrings, necklace, watch, wedding ring and under-garments :)

29 How many times have you been pulled over by the police? Is it bad that I don't know the answer to this? Shoot. Okay... I think about 4 or 5?

30 If we were to look in your inbox, what would we find? ummm, emails? Weird question

31 Has anyone ever called you perfect before? Perhaps... silly

32 What song is stuck in your head? I watched a bit of "A Walk to Remember" at lunch time... so that song that Mandy Moore sings in the play ... "so I lay my head back down... and I lift my hands and pray..."

33 Someone knocks on your window at 2 am, who do you want it to be? Since we live on the third floor, this would be shocking. I'd only 'want' to be woken up for some type of emergency. I like my sleep :)

34 What gets in your way of your sleeping? Not much! Occasionally I have too much mind traffic but usually I'm out easily and soundly

35 Who was your last missed call on your cell phone? My Mom. I think she called me by accident, as she's at Green Lake. Probably checking her reception

36 Can you handle the truth? Yes - please just tell me the truth! I can take it :)

37 What was the last book you read? Reading "Marly and Me" right now. Just finished "Take Two" by Karen Kingsbury. She's my favourite author and I drop what I'm reading when she puts out a new book.

38 Is there something you always wear? Wedding Ring

39 Have you ever crawled through a window? Yes.

40 What is something that can always make you feel better? A hug from Josh.

41 What do you want right now? To get off work early? :) Oh, but beyond right now... I would want Josh and I to have more similar work schedules so we can see each other more often and get to go away, and have weekends together. That would be such a treat!

42 Look behind you, what do you see? Not much. A wall that is boring because I still haven't decorated it.

43 Have you ever worked in a food place? Only Red Robin. And twice, for only a couple months each time.

:: Un-Listed ::

2009-06-25T14:58:00.000-07:00

So, we took our place off the market. For a few reasons... first one being that the house we fell in LOVE with sold :( Then we weren't loving any of the other houses we saw so our motivation went down a lot. We also don't have as much saved as we'd like for a down payment. So... we're taking a step back.
We've put Josh's car up for sale (if you or someone you know is looking for a car, let me know! 2007 Mazda 3 in Carbon Gray) to help with our savings. And hopefully our condo will continue to increase in value so we'll get more equity out of it!
We'd still like to sell sometime this year, hopefully soon! :)

:: Listed ::

2009-06-12T10:55:00.001-07:00

We're moving! Or, we're trying to, anyways :) We have officially listed our condo, it's on MLS. Want to check it out? I thought so! ;) I'm not so sure I want to put our home address out there for the world to see, so if you'd like to see the listing or have someone you can forward it to, please message me! It's a great place - renovated, 2 bdr, 2 bath, top floor, quiet building, large kitchen, laundry/storage room and balcony, plus lots more!

We're looking at houses, trying to decide what our priorities are. There are lots of beauties out there to chose from! But first things first - sell our condo! We have our first showing tonight, so we're praying it goes well!

I hope I can post soon, announcing that we ARE officially moving and to tell you all about our new house!

:: YES ::

2009-04-18T20:07:00.000-07:00

My heart is bursting. With new life, new hope, new joy. This past weekend I attended a women's conference at my church, called Absolute Adoration. The guest speaker was Tammy Trent, and WOW what a woman she is. But even more than that, WOW does God ever use that woman for His glory!!

God spoke this weekend, directly to my heart. He exposed my pain - I thought I had dealt with it but it was there - and He showed me what He has for my life. A life full of JOY and BLESSING and LOVE. Not of sorrow and pain. I wept, I grieved, I left my burdens at the cross. I am choosing to live in joyful expectation of all that He is and all that He has for me.

Is my pain gone? Are all my questions answered? Are all my tears shed? Not at all! Some things we just won't know or understand this side of Heaven. But is God the same yesterday and today and tomorow, does His love remain unchanged, does He continue to cherish and adore me? YES!! And He has an incredible plan for my life. Not void of pain or hardship, but still full of abundant joy and blessing and purpose. So what will I chose? Will I live up to my end of the relationship, to follow Him... or to live in the past where nothing can change?

Today I say YES to my God. Yes, I will follow You. Yes, I chose You. Yes, I chose joy. Yes, I chose to live for today and tomorrow. Yes, I chose Your promises.

"You are my God and I am Yours"

:: Random Ramblings ::

2009-04-02T10:57:00.000-07:00

I don't have much to write about, but was feeling guilty about not posting for a few weeks! So here are a few ramblings about what's been going on lately in the life of Laura...

- Josh and I have decided to sell our condo. We've put ads up on Craigslist, I posted pictures on Facebook and of course, word of mouth! We've had a few "bites" so far and I find that promising since it's only been a week! We would like to buy a house with a basement suite we can rent out. Our preference is to stay in the same city we're in... but are willing to look slightly (very slightly, like on the border) to our neighbourning towns. We know God has a plan for us and our future family, and feel that this is the next step to take! It's exciting to think about where we're live next and that we'll raise our family there... at least for a little while ;) But I'll have to admit that I'm a little sad at the thought of moving out of our condo. I love it there, and it holds so many precious memories from our first year of marriage. *sigh*

- We got a pretty decent tax return! This excites Josh and I so much - we will see our Visa balance at zero, pay off our PVR (a very worthy investment in our eyes! :)) and put some into savings (which we're building for our down payment!) So all around, good news! :)

- I got my eyebrows threaded. The town I used to work in had many places to go for threading, but I haven't found a new place since I left that job. Through another blog I tried out a place just 3 minutes from where I live -Cedar Hill's Beauty Salon - and I love it!! She was super nice, did a great job, and it cost $2.99!! Yay! I've gotten so lazy with tweezing lately and waxing irritates my skin... so this is the perfect solution :)

- I am so excited about the new babies being born over the next couple months. Overall, there are 11 babies due between May and July, to women I am friends with, and 8 of these will become mommys for the first time too! More to come further on in the year too :) What a joy it is to welcome a new life, to celebrate with the parents and family, and to have a new one to love. And one of these little ones will make Josh and me an Uncle and Auntie for the 6th time... Josh's sister Niki is due in 6 weeks! Will we have our first niece or our 6th nephew? :) I also get to be "Auntie" to Crystal's little girl, due at the beginning of June - can't wait!! The list goes on of course, and all these women hold a place in my heart - I am so excited and happy for them!

- Josh and I are both settled into the jobs we started in the Fall. It's tough right now as our schedules conflict and we don't have any days off together :( But the bright side is that we both enjoy our jobs and the companies we work for. It'll get better one day... we pray it's soon! Until then, our limited time together is very sweet and we appreciate it so much!

That's it for now! Hmmm, I guess I did have some things to write about... ;)

:: How I Know My Blog Roll ::

2009-03-19T16:13:00.000-07:00

I saw this idea on my friend, Jessi's blog, and I knew I wanted to copy it! I'm always curious as to who people are and how they are connected. So here is a short description about how I know the people... well, ladies... on my blog roll!

Amanda - I met Amanda when we were little girls, at CLA, but we didn't really become close until we were 17. There isn't much we haven't been through together! Love ya :)
Ang - Ang is Amanda's SIL
Anita - I have known Anita's husband, Jordan, for years, met at CLA
Candice - Candice is Amanda's sister
Charlene - Met at CLA
Christa - Met at CLA
Christy - Met through Shawna, Christy is her SIL
Crystal - Met about 8 years ago I think? Crystal is a dear friend, we have been through so much together and have created SO many wonderful memories. Much more to come! Love ya :)
Elyshia - Went to high school together, but got to know each other when we worked together a few Christmases ago. We're also connected now through Jessi!
Erin & Adrian - I met Adrian a few years ago through our mutual friend Sarah. I met Erin the same day he did... now they're happily married! Awesome couple :)
Jessi - We lived together in Australia in 2002. Stayed in touch after we got home then I got to introduce her to Dean... the rest is history! Jessi is a true friend, love her to bits. I am glad she lives in the same town as me now, and that she's "family" ;)
Joanne - Shawna's mom. I spent many weekends at her house as a teenager, and think of her as much more than my friend's mom :)
Julie - We worked together for a few weeks before she went on mat leave. So I don't know her well but love following her story of motherhood, and her adorable daughter!
Kristin - Met at CLA
Lisa B - Met at CLA
Lisa K - Met at CLA. Went to Mexico together on a missions trip in 1998
Meghan - Work together... realized we have a few connections, and it's a blast getting to know her!
Mel - She's my SIL, Hannah's, older sister
Morgan - Lived together in Australia in 2002. She was my closest friend on my DTS! I've only seen her twice since then, and love that we are connected again through Blogs and Facebook.
Nadine - Met through Crystal - Nadine's SIL! Now Nadine and I are good friends :)
Nickie - Went to Youth Group together
Shawna - Best friend throughout high school, and I cherish her so much. Love ya!
Tania - Met at CLA
Teresa - I first met Teresa when I worked with her husband Matt. Then Teresa and I worked together for almost two years!
Treena - Met at CLA
Trista - Met through my sister, Krista

So there you go! How I know all these wonderful people - I'm glad they have blogs and that we get to stay connected in this way :)

:: I'm Still Around... Even Without Pictures ::

2009-03-03T14:19:00.001-08:00

It's been awhile since I've posted anything! For some odd reason, I usually feel like I need to have pictures to accompany my writing, so that's why I don't post very often! Silly me.

The most exciting thing on the horizon for me is that I'm heading to Palm Springs! My sister and nephew (Krista and Colton) and I are driving down to Seattle tomorrow night, flying out on Thursday morning, then flying back on Monday night. So a quick trip, but I am so looking forward to some time in the sun... and who am I kidding, time at the Outlets!

On a more serious note, I just want to say that GOD IS SO GOOD!! Lately I have been experiencing breakthrough and miracles around and in me... it's so incredible! The details of the different situations are rather private, but I can't NOT give God the glory for the many wonderful things that are happening. He is SO good, faithful, loving and He wants good things for His children. I am blessed and so thankful.

:: My "New" Blowdryer ::

2009-01-31T00:54:00.001-08:00

Okay, so sometimes it's the small things in life that make you happy, right? And this has happened for me, with my blow dryer. So lately I've been more frustrated than usual about how long it takes me to get ready in the morning. I LOVE sleep and would like to get a little more! :) It was taking FOREVER to blow dry my hair... and although it's thick it was really taking FAR too long. So I was looking at new ones, figuring that it was time to buy. But then I realized that there was quite a lot of dust in the vent thingy in the back of my blow dryer! So I took a little time to clean it out... found out that it comes completely off so I could rinse it and clean inside as well! What was the result? Va-va-voom!! I'm having to re-learn how to blow dry my hair because it's so powerful now, my hair is blowing all over the place! My drying time has been cut down, yay! And I didn't spend any money, what a bonus!

:: One Year of Wedded Bliss ::

2009-01-26T14:35:00.000-08:00

One year ago today was the most remarkable day of my life. It was the day that I joined my life forever with my true love, Josh. In some ways it seems like the year flew by, in other ways it seems like so long ago that we didn’t live together and call each other husband and wife. “They” say that the first year is the hardest... if that’s true than we’re stoked!! Because although this past year has had it’s fair share of trials, changes and heartaches, Josh and I are closer than ever, we love each other deeper, and we share a bond that is stronger than I ever dreamed for. Josh is my answer to prayer and the tangible evidence of God’s faithfulness to me – that even when I thought that I was believing for impossible things, God had a plan and that plan was Josh. I am so blessed and thankful that I know how blessed I am. And I know Josh feels blessed too, because my wonderful man tells me this all the time, always confirming what I mean to him.

I thought that I’d take a “blog post idea” that I've seen and adapt it in honour of my anniversary. So here it is, my

TOP TEN FAVOURITE THINGS ABOUT MY HUSBAND

1. His love for God – I’ve learned a lot about how Josh loves God in the past year. He’s quiet about it, reflective, and passionate. I love this about him... I know I can depend on him to pray, to listen and to lead in ways that are led by his Saviour.

2. His voice – Yup, I’m a sucker for a deep, sexy voice and that is what Josh has! I spoke with Josh on the phone before I ever met him, and I was already taken, hook, line and sinker... all because of that voice!

3. His patience – This one is funny because you ask some people and they say Josh is the most patient person they’ve ever met... you ask others and they say he has zero patience! But I’ve seen such an abundance of patience in this man, it never ceases to amaze me. I am so thankful for this quality, as I require a lot of patience sometimes! When love is described in 1 Corinthians 13 the first descriptor is “patience” and I know why!

4. His passion for music – This one may come as a surprise to some, coming from my lips. Josh is very passionate about music, he is a talented guitarist and drummer, and now he’s started to record as well. Although this subject is one Josh and I differ greatly on most of the time, I do admire him, his talent and how passionate he is about music.

5. His family – Josh has a wonderful family and I am blessed so much with fantastic in-laws. Actually, one of the reasons I was first interested in Josh was because of the way he spoke of his family – I could tell they were close and I loved how he knew so many details about them. Family is one of the top values for both Josh and I, and this helps us make decisions, gives us a strong foundation and will pave the path nicely when we start a family of our own.

6. His loyalty – Anyone who is a friend or family member to Josh knows that once you’re in his life, you are there for good. He has a remarkable sense of loyalty and acts this out on a regular basis. I know many are blessed by this trait and I am especially thankful for this as his wife! I know I am his #1 priority (after God) and he shows this to me constantly, through his actions and words.

7. Hard working – Josh has had a tough time finding a job/career that he loves and is happy with the company he’s employed for. For the past few months he’s been in a new job and is feeling very settled and content, it’s so awesome! But through the different jobs and learning experiences Josh has done what it takes and continues to do so. Whether it’s getting up crazy early, working really late, working on weekend, missing events... he stays committed and supports his family.

8. His words – Josh knows how to cheer me up, support me, challenge me when I need it, and love me in a way that leaves no doubt in my mind. The words he speaks go straight to my heart and mind, and I don’t know what I’d do without them! The power of words is something I’m learning more and more about, and Josh does this so well.

9. Servant-hearted – Josh is SUPER awesome with household chores! I am so thankful for this, as it’s an area I could use a little “development” with ;) He does his own laundry, takes out all the garbage and recycling, empties the dishwasher, vacuums, mops, cleans the bathroom... he’s the BEST! We both do most of the mentioned things above (I’m not totally useless!), but I’m so grateful that he does them at all, and I know I am blessed in this! The other day he was in the mood to organize and he sorted through our entire spare bedroom, a chore than has been on the backburner since well, we got married. I was so amazed by him!

10. Easy-Going! – Josh and I both like to attribute our being middle children to the fact that we get along so well and are very go-with-the-flow :) But I just LOVE this characteristic about my hubby, makes living together and doing life together so much fun... and most of the time, so easy.

So there ya go! Now you know a little more about my wonderful husband and just a few of the reasons I love him so much :)

Happy First Anniversary to Us!

:: Mango Coconut Energy Bar ::

2009-01-21T09:19:00.000-08:00

So I received this recipe yesterday in a newsletter I subscribe to (written by Lee, who comments below) and I can't wait to try it out! I need to go grocery shopping first, as I don't have some of the ingredients at home... but I'll let you know how they turn out! If you give them a try, let me know how they are!

Mango Coconut Energy Bar

"With a tropical flavor, high electrolyte content, and energy-producing coconut, these raw energy bars are ideal for long physically demanding days, or any day! I like to have one just before I head outdoors for my morning power walk; it gives me the energy I need for the walk without weighing me down. Then, when I come home, I enjoy a full breakfast. They’re also great for late morning or around 3:30 or 4:00 to “re-boot” your energy and vitality!" Lee

¾ cup fresh or soaked dried dates
½ cup chopped mango
½ cup ground flaxseed
½ cup soaked or cooked quinoa (a high protein nutritious grain)
¼ cup macadamia nuts
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp lemon zest
Sea salt to taste
¼ cup shredded coconut (or more to make bars desired texture)

In a food processor, process all the ingredients together except coconut. Remove the mixture from the food processor; work coconut into it by hand. Roll into balls or shape it into bars.

Makes 12 small balls.

From The Thrive Diet by Brendan Brazier. Brendan says “these bars will not freeze solid so you can eat them straight from the freezer”.

:: Full Heart ::

2009-01-13T13:54:00.000-08:00

There seems to be so much going on, not only in my life, but in the lives of others around me. Some great, wonderful things which I praise God for and am so thankful. But there are other things, which are painful to endure and the road to healing seems so long, and too rough. My heart is so full lately, I just feel that I could be constantly praying. Which is exactly what God calls us to do in His word!

There are times when my thoughts are clear, my praise easy and my requests communicated well. And then there are times when all I can do is whisper the name of Jesus.

One of the many things I love about my heavenly Father is that He desires for us to share exactly what’s on our hearts with Him. Nothing held back! How wonderful and freeing that is. I would encourage you to try it – whether you have a deep, personal relationship with God, or have never called on His name before. He is there, He is listening and He loves you more than you could ever imagine. And He wants to hear it all – your praise, thanksgiving, requests, hurt, anger, pain, desires, love, adoration – everything.

A well known scripture but one that never ceases to touch my heart...

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:4-7

:: Koda ::

2009-01-04T00:14:00.001-08:00

So last night I was at my parents house when Jeff and Krista walked in the front door looking very sneaky... and Krista had the most adorable puppy in her jacket!! His name is Koda (after the Kodiak Bear because he looks like a teddy bear) and is 14 weeks old. He's a teddy bear tea cup Pomeranian and the cutest thing!! I've cuddled him for the past 2 evenings and I'm hooked :) He's making me want one...

:: Koda with his "brother" Colton :) :: :: He's so soft & cuddly!! ::

:: Christmas ::

2008-12-29T21:02:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that another Christmas has come and gone! Seems like we look forward to it for so long and put so much time and effort into making it happen... then in the blink of an eye, it's over!
This was a special Christmas for Josh and I - our first one as a married couple!! We created some great memories - setting up/decorating our tree, watching Christmas movies, spoiling each other with tons of fun stocking stuffers and gifts! Gift highlights are a sparkly Guess watch for me, an iPod for Josh and a camcorder for us!

It has snowed WAY more than usual in our area this December. It made things a little "interesting" as far as getting around but we only got stuck a few times :) It's sure pretty but I'm glad it's melting now.

As with every year we find it far too easy to get caught up in the busyness of the season and try to take time to remember what it's really all about. I am so in awe of God sending us His Son and the way He chose to do it - as a precious baby. What an enormous sacrifice and act of love and selflessness. Thank you Lord for blessing us more than we could ever imagine or deserve and for the incredible gift of JESUS!
I also love how it's undeniable that we're celebrating something special - when else does the entire world pause together? For the one true King of Kings.

Here are some pics from our holidays!

:: Our tree! ::

:: Snowy view off our balconey ::

:: Christmas morning! Sans makeup... ::

:: Presents at my parent's house Christmas Day ::
:: Sisters! ::

:: So in love! ::
:: Barb and Amy opening presents ::
:: Art being Art ::
:: The sign Art made for Josh when he missed a family get together for work ::

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas season, ate lots of good food and spent time with your loved ones.

:: "Blog Appropriate" ::

2008-12-05T19:43:00.001-08:00

So I've been pondering a question lately - what is "blog appropriate?" I suppose the answer to this question is going to be different for everyone, and I'm still trying to define what this means for me. To be honest, I started my blog because I had a lot of free time and thought it would be fun. That season of free time has ended and I realize that I never gave me blog much thought as to what I wanted it to be all about. I know that I don't want it to be all fluff and only the "good" stuff of life... that seems so unrealistic and untrue! And yet do I want to pour out my heart and deepest struggles for the world to see? Not necessarily! So I'm trying to find a happy medium. I try to have a positive outlook on life and see the cup "half full" but I also value authenticity and integrity.
So that's what brings me here, finally writing after a few weeks of silence. I haven't forgotten about my blog and have enjoyed reading yours when I can. The past few weeks have been the toughest in my entire life to this point... walking the roughest road I've ever been on. When something in your life is that consuming it's tough to sit down and write about anything else. So I chose to not write at all. Maybe one day I'll share on my blog... I haven't decided yet. But for those of you who know Jesus, I'd like to ask for you to remember Josh and me in your prayers. He knows all and we know He is good! Thank you.
But I'm interested to know... what do you think is "Blog Appropriate?"

:: New Job!! ::

2008-11-08T16:37:00.000-08:00

I got a new job!! I'm so excited :) I started a new job about 5 months ago and right from day one I was disappointed and quickly learned that the job was quite different that I expected it to be. I tried giving it a shot... continued to be unhappy so I started looking at other opportunities. Not every job out there, but just to organizations that I would truly like to be a part of. One of those places is Focus on the Family, Canada. Their office is about 5 minutes from our place, and it's a Christ-centred organization that is all around the Family, as God meant it to be. Talk about work to be passionate about! I sent in my cover letter and resume... and got a call!! It was a slow process... but 3 interviews and a writing test later I was offered the position!!! It was such perfect timing, as I got laid off from my other job just 2 days prior to receiving the offer. God had a plan all along and He is so faithful! I start on the 24th and can't wait :) I know there will be a lot of great people to meet and get to know, and a lot of purposeful work to get involved with.
Until then I plan to get my Christmas shopping done, do some work around our place, and go to Calgary with Cranberry Creek!!

:: Jody and Lucas ::

2008-10-27T15:36:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, October 25, 2008 my friend Jody married the love of her life, Lucas . The weather was PERFECT, a beautiful Fall day, the sun shone and the leaves were stunning... not as stunning as the bride of course!

The day started off with some drama when there was a fire at the chapel! They got married at a local church, which has the main building in the back, and a pretty chapel at the front, near that road. The chapel caught on fire during the night! Luckily their wedding was in the main church. Lucas got a call at 5:30am, finding out that there was no power at the church! They didn’t have candles but they had to go and put a bunch of candles everywhere. The power ended up coming back on in time for the ceremony, but the candles looked really pretty :) And Jody wanted them all along, so it was perfect! The decorations were really nice, ALL leaves! The only flowers were in the girls’ bouquets. And curling willow too, very fall-like and looked awesome. Jody looked SO pretty! Up-do, and she wore the blusher on her veil when she walked down the aisle - so dramatic! The girls wore red, really pretty dresses! Long and flowy. The guys were in black with red vests/ties, except Lucas wore a black vest/tie. We had to sit on Lucas’ side for the ceremony because Jody’s side was full, but it was nice because we saw her face more! All the music was live, and mostly worship music, and was done so nicely. Her brother and sister sang “Jesus be the Centre” as Jody walked down the aisle – so special!

Jody and Lucas stayed at Le Soliel then the Fairmont, they flew out early Monday morning to honeymoon in Cuba! So fun! I think they had a really good day, they both said it couldn’t’ve gone any better. So great to hear!

:: The happy couple ::

:: Listening to the speeches ::

:: First Dance ::

:: Icing War! ::

:: Fall Cupcakes made by the Incredible Shawna ::

:: It all Started with an R ::

2008-10-23T16:13:00.000-07:00

This is a fun little meme where you have to write 10 things about yourself using a certain letter. My friend Morgan gave me the letter R. If you want to play, leave me a comment and I'll assign you a letter.

1. Relationships - I love people! The people in my life are everthing to me, and I value relationships so very much. My hope is that if you're one of these people in my life, you already knew that! :)
2. Retail! I love to shop!! Actually, truth be told, I love to buy ;) I also worked at The Body Shop in the mall for about 8 years - my first job and I really enjoyed it there. It was just what I needed, my confidence really grew and I became much more out going.
3. Reading. I am a real book worm. I love to read a good story and when I'm really into one I can't put it down! Then I get a little annoyed with myself because I finish the whole book in a day or two... but I just can't put it down! My favourite author? Karen Kingsbury, hands down. I feel like I know the characters in her books personally, and I love how she weaves the Lord and scripture through her writing so naturally. The other night I got to read with my nephews at bed time and that was such a treat, especially hearing the oldest one reading on his own! Wow!
4. Recreation. I took Therapeutic Recreation at a local college, for two years full time (graduated in 2004). Although I'm not working in the field now, I really enjoyed the program. I don't like the lifestyle that goes along with being a student (working Part Time on eveings and weekends, only eating in the car, on the go all the time, being poor) but I do enjoy learning, and am glad I went to College. Oh, and of course I love recreation on a personal level - having fun doing activites!
5. Road Trips! I love going away! For one night, 5 months, whatever it may be! Growing up my family went on some great vacations and I have wonderful memories of driving in the car for long periods of time with my parents and sisters. Singing, playing games, eating, sleeping - I love it all! I've had some great trips with friends too - to California, Trail, Kelowna... wouldn't trade those times for anything!
6. Respect. I think of respect as a foundation to all healthy relationships - family, friends, workplace, chikdren, etc. A little respect goes a very long way! I've also had experiences where I just don't respect someone I'm in contact with, and it really makes it difficult to be in a functional, positive relationship with him/her. So I try to find something in everyone that I respect. Sometimes this isn't easy! Other times it's a no-brainer :)
7. Rebel... not what you think! I played rep fastpitch softball for 10 years growing up and our team name was the Rebels! I still love softball but don't play anymore... although I'm proud to say that I can still throw harder (and more accurate!) than a lot of guys I know ;) Some of my best memories growing up include softball.
8. Romantic... as in "Hopeless Romantic!" It's true, I love love!! :) And I am so blessed to be married to a man who fulfills my romantic whims and doesn't think I'm silly :)
9. Root Beer. I don't drink pop very often (or soda for you Americans!) but if I were to choose a favourite, it would be Root Beer!
10. Rainbow - I love seeing Rainbows... for so many reasons! First of all, they remind us of God's promises. They are a miracle in themselves, so pretty! And they remind me of being a child and colouring rainbows, learning all the colours and the order they go in.

:: He Left... on a Jet Plane ::

2008-10-21T09:39:00.000-07:00

Josh and I are super excited about his new job!! The prayers of many were answered when Josh was offered a Class 1 driving position with a great company called Trimac. The BC branch is located in Port Kells, so Josh won't even have a commute! yay! For the first year his schedule is likely to be all over the show, so we're prepared for that. But he's been told that after one year he gets to make his own schedule, how great is that?!
Trimac does week-long training seminars for all new employees, in EDMONTON (for you Americans, that's in Alberta, the next province over from BC). So yesterday Josh flew out, and won't be home until Friday. Now I know it doesn't seem that long, but for us newly-weds it seems like forever! When we said goodbye at the airport you would've thought he was leaving for a year or something... I was fine until he got teary, and that was it, game over! But I thought it was kinda cool, that we would miss each other THAT much!
Our place is just too quiet without Josh there, so after taking him to the airport I went to my sister Lisa's house. I figured her family of 3 boys would keep me busy! We had fun colouring, playing, and reading books. I just love my nephews so much!!
I thought I'd read for awhile when I got home... and I found a love note from Josh under my book!! What a great surprise, it totally made my night :)
I've made plans for this week, hoping that the time goes by quickly. I'm going out for dinner tonight with my good friend Nadia, and really looking forward to catching up with her. Thursday is Girls Night! And there's always things to do around our place to keep me busy...

:: Enjoying a beautiful Fall day together at Derby Reach, on Sunday ::

:: Happy Birthday to Me ::

2008-10-15T10:34:00.000-07:00

What a weekend!! I had 4 days off work, and that in itself was a gift and something I am VERY thankful for!! I feel so refreshed and like I had a much needed break.
On Friday night my parents, Josh and I went to the BC Lions football game. They were playing Edmonton and Edmonton won, 27-20. I only go to a game once every couple of years... and every time I feel the same way - I enjoy going, the atmosphere, doing something different and having fun with family and friends. But the actual football game isn't something I care too much about! This time was better as I had Josh and my Dad explain things to me... I can throw a football but never really understood the game and the strategy behind it. My husband, on the other hand, loves football and with our recent hookup to cable, I have a feeling I'll be watching it a lot more in the days to come...
Saturday night we went to my friend Crystal’s to celebrate with them - it was Crystal and Dave's first anniversary on Oct. 6 and her 26th birthday on Oct. 10! It was a fun night, seeing people I hadn't seen much since last year at this time :) Poor Josh wasn’t feeling well, and ended up being sick to his stomach that night once we got home (and all through the night…) :( Poor guy.
So he missed Thanksgiving Dinner at my parent’s house on Sunday, and it was our only one!! He wasn’t impressed. Plus, it was my family birthday and he felt really bad missing that. But what can ya do? The dinner was great, I LOVE turkey dinner, it’s my favourite :) I got some lovely presents too! Josh started feeling better but thought he should stay home and rest so I stayed after everyone went home and watched a movie with my Mom :) I brought some yummy leftovers for Josh that he got to enjoy the next day... actually, we're still enjoying the desserts! My Mom made 3 - chocolate cake, apple crumble and pineapple upside down cake! Yum!
Monday was a nice relaxing day, we got a lot done – getting pictures up, organizing and cleaning – much overdue!! It feels so good to get long overdue tasks completed!! We went shopping for a bit, then to East Side Mario’s for dinner, then met my Mom and Grandma for a movie! We saw “Nights at Rondanthe” – it was good! I’ve read the book so I knew the ended and spent half the time comparing it to the book… but it was still good! Josh was such a good sport going to it with us ladies!!
Yesterday was my 27th birthday!! We started off the day with presents!! Yay!! Josh wrapped every gift and put it in a big gift bag. He always write such touching words in cards, it's my favourite part :) I was so excited, he got me a camera!! I knew he got it for me, as my last one wasn't working properly lately, and I hate not having a camera! We used it yesterday but I haven’t had a change to download the pics yet – but they look good so far :) Josh also gave me chocolates (a bunch of different ones), 2 Jack Johnson CDs, 2 movies – Enchanted and The Little Mermaid (my favourite Disney movie and I’ve never owned it!) and a case for my camera. Fun!! We got ready and left for the day, stopping to get Starbucks, to vote, and buy a memory card for my camera (we thought my old one would fit and it didn’t). We went out to Park Royal mall, where I’ve never shopped before. It’s a great mall, and there’s 2 parts, plus the new village part. We shopped ALL day!! And I got spoiled again!! Josh bought me this great Lululemon bag, one of those big ones that are perfect for weekend getaways. I spent my birthday money and got a fabulous cream wool coat from RW and Co. They had a promo for $20 off all coats, plus they gave my 25% off for it being my birthday!! I saved $64!! Woohoo!! I also found jeans for $20, a Lululemon headband, coconut perfume oil, some things for our place from Urban Barn, earrings, and brown knee high boots!! I’ve been looking for a cream wool coat and brown knee high boots for the last 2 years and was so happy to find them :) We went to the Keg for dinner, right by the mall. I had been given a gift card when I left my last job (thanks ladies!) so we used that and went all out! Got special drinks, an appy, I had lobster and Josh had steak with scallops, then we got a piece of birthday cake! Yum!! We topped off the night by seeing another movie, although we wished we hadn’t… we saw “Blindness” and it was truly quite disturbing. I wouldn’t recommend it. But all in all it was a great day! Josh is so good at making me feel special :)
Stay tuned for some pics...

:: They're Having a BABY!! ::

2008-09-29T16:10:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Niki and Jason!! Josh and I got a call on Saturday, from Josh's older sister Niki. And she had such exciting news... she's pregnant!! Woohoo!! We are just SO excited for them and thrilled to be an Uncle and Auntie again, looks like at the beginning of May, 2009. Jason and Niki are such wonderful people - they love the Lord with all their hearts, they are generous, kind and FUN!! As many have already said, they will make the most wonderful parents :) And let me tell you, this wee one has two VERY excited grandmas!!

I can't wait to have a new baby in the family, there's nothing better than that!! A little one to snuggle and love :) Josh and I are so happy for Jay and Nik and blessed to be there with them as they prepare to welcome their first little one into this world. CONGRATS!!

:: Niki and Jason on their wedding day, May 2007 ::

!! Happy 1st Birthday Colton !!

2008-09-29T15:56:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, September 28 we celebrated Colton's FIRST birthday! He is the first child to my younger sister Krista and her husband Jeff - Fourth out of Five nephews for Josh and I! Colton is such a pleasure, such a happy little guy full of giggles and smiles. He just started crawling in his own unique way and is pretty quick now at getting around on his own! He says about 19 words and can get his point across quite clearly :) The party was held at my parents' house and was a "Cowboy" theme. Such fun! We all dressed up with cowboy hats, plaid shirts, bandanas... it was a blast. K&J even got some bales of hay and tons of decorations! The sun shone and we all got to hang out outside while enjoying some burgers, hot dogs, chili and of course - cake and presents!! Colton was blessed with many great gifts and tons of love. We are so lucky to be part of a wonderful family and it's always a ton of fun hanging out with all of them, as well as friends of Colton's.

:: The Birthday Boy!! ::

:: Check out his cute boots :) ::

:: The proud Mommy and Daddy ::

:: Cowgirl Auntie ::

:: Great Grandma and Grandpa Eddy, all dressed up! ::

:: Daddy and son ::

:: Cuddling with a new teddy bear ::

:: First Cake! Made by Auntie Lisa ::

:: Colton was more interested in cuddling the cake than eating it! Cutie ::

:: Sisters! And Corban :) ::

:: Makena's Dedication ::

2008-09-26T14:38:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, September 21, Josh and I had the honour of being a part of Makena's Dedication to the Lord. A Christian dedication is basically a time when the parents commit to raising their child in the Lord's way, to teach him/her about Jesus and to love that child the way God calls them to. It's about recognizing that their baby is a gift that God has entrusted them with, and that they are "giving" the baby back to God, relying on Him while they raise him/her.
What an amazing and special time this was! Makena is the result of MANY prayers and God is just so wonderfully faithful. He waited a little longer to send this angel to A&J but she is more than worth the wait! Her name, Makena, means "Abundant" and her middle name is Joy. Abundant Joy!! And she is definitely living up to her name :) This little one is full of smiles and laughter and just simply brings joy to all around her. Makena has many wonderful people in her life who love her so much, it was powerful to see over 40 people on stage praying for her and her Mommy and Daddy. No dry eyes there! A&J, thank you for honouring Josh and I by inviting us along, and know that we are here for you through your journey of parenting this beautiful baby girl! God has blessed you just so much and you are wonderful parents, doing a marvelous job raising your Makena Joy!!

:: Amber and Mike Karwat! ::

2008-09-26T11:05:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, September 20th, my dear friend Amber became the wife to the love of her life, Mike. Many of us remember Amber saying "I just love a man in a uniform" for years! And well, God granted her the desire of her heart and brought a firefighter into her life! A firefighter she fell in love with and said "yes" when he proposed last Fall. I was asked to be a Bridesmaid for Amber, along with her sister Shanna and friends Kim and Jessi. Halle was the flower girl along with Kim's daughter Morgan, so us girls had so much fun! The weather didn't shine on us that day but we hear it's good luck to have rain on your wedding day... so we're going with that one :) It was a fun day, the ceremony was in White Rock, we had pictures by the beach (along with some umbrellas!) and the reception was at Grouse Mtn. I wish I had taken pictures of the reception room, it was stunning. Amber and Mike were so happy, their special day was all that they hoped for. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Karwat!

:: Jessi getting Halle ready - cutest little flower girl! ::

:: Josh and I after the Ceremony ::

:: Jessi and I - hair done by the fabulous Shawna :) ::

:: Trying to re-create one of our wedding pictures - and laughing quite hard in the process! ::

:: This picture of our beautiful bride comes with a story ::

We were so hungry during pictures... so the guys called their fellow firefighters and within minutes we had 40 McDonald's cheeseburgers delivered to the limo! A cheeseburger... or 2, or 3, maybe 4... never tasted so good! ;)

:: They brought Starbucks too! ::

:: All us girls in the limo - me, Jessi, Amber, Kim and Shanna ::

:: First dance as Husband and Wife *love* ::

:: So fun to be with great friends!! Josh, me, Troy, Dean and Jessi ::

:: A Year Ago Today ::

2008-09-15T11:12:00.000-07:00

Josh and I got engaged!! What a perfect day it was. I can hardly believe a whole year has passed since then! I don't think I've even had a busier year in my life, and looking back... it makes my head spin a bit! :)

For those of you who don't know the story, here goes! Josh and I were nearing our one year dating anniversary and he told me that he wanted to make a plan for the day, to leave it to him. He told me to wear something casual, bring shoes (not sandals) and something a little dressier as well. Easy enough! He picked me up and we headed out, deciding to stop at Starbucks on the way out. His original plan was to go out for a nice breakfast but I took too long getting ready! haha. We decided to exchange gifts in Starbucks before getting on with our day. He opened his - a Guess watch that we had seen and he had been wanting. I went to open mine and Josh told me that it wasn't what I would think it was when I saw it and to not be disappointed. So yup, there was a ring box in the gift bag. Before I opened it Josh told me that he knew I wanted to get engaged but he wanted to make sure he was ready. So this gift represented his promise to one day propose to me, and so I would know he was serious and did want to marry me. All this made sense and I respected what he was saying... although I'm not gonna lie and say I wasn't feeling some disappointment! I opened the box to find a sweet promise ring, made of white gold and 4 small diamonds put together to make one, with three little ones down each side. I asked if it was okay that I wore it on my right hand, as I had never worn a ring on my left, "saving" it for my engagement/wedding ring. He also gave me some bath bombs, body wash, and eyeshadow! To be honest I struggled a little with my feelings at this point. I wanted to be engaged SO BAD and was feeling a little disappointed about it not happening, yet I didn't want to be ungrateful for what Josh did say and give!! Oh dear :)

We carried on our way, heading west on the #1 Highway. All the way past Whistler to Pemberton! Josh had arranged for us to go horseback riding, something I had talked about wanting to do with him. Riding is one of my favourite childhood past times and Josh had never been! Luckily the rest of the group cancelled so it was just Josh, myself and our guide. We headed out, on paths through forests and meadows - it was beautiful! Josh managed to hang in there, but I don't think riding is for him :) We got to this lovely spot about halfway through the ride, to rest a bit. We were on a shore by a river, with breathtaking mountains and the forest. We stayed on horseback, letting the horses drink and taking pictures of the natural beauty all around us. Josh asked our guide to bring his and my horses together and take a picture. *Oh my stomach is fluttering just thinking about the moment!!* Once together (as close as we could be on our horses!) he took something out of his pocket. He told me that when I asked him what he wanted for our year anniversary all he could think of was me - he wanted me, for the rest of his life. Then he showed me the ring and asked me to marry him!!! I couldn't take my eyes off this stunning ring and Josh's sincere eyes. Of course I said yes and practically fell off my horse trying to hug him tight!! Our guide was so cute, taking pictures and trying to keep our horses still - we were too busy being in love for that!! :) The rest of the ride back I was shaking and so happy, asking Josh a thousand questions - when he talked with my Dad, when he bought the ring, how long he'd known he was going to do it, yada yada. I was most shocked to find out that he had bought the ring 6 months earlier!! The one I wanted got discontinued so he got the last one before it was gone, but knew he wouldn't propose for awhile. My sweet, patient man! Oh, and the promise ring? He did that to throw me off!! He wanted the proposal to be a surprise so he thought up that plan - and was quite please with himself :)

We ended our ride and got changed, then went for a fancy dinner in the Blackcomb Village. So fun to dream about our wedding and life together! We drove back to Langley, to Lisa and Wes' place, where my parents were babysitting. I thought of this plan to show them my promise ring and make them think he didn't ask, then surprise them... but once I saw them I couldn't even talk and just stood there, screaming and holding out my left hand! haha. All 4 of them were there and they were all so happy for us. It was great to share our excitement and celebrate together. I couldn't stop smiling and was just SO in love with my FIANCE!! yay!

Josh's parents were visiting AJ and Colleen in Saskatchewan so we called them the next day with the news. They were going to have a new daughter! After that the craziness began... we set the date of January 26 - only 4 months away - and got serious! In those 4 months Josh started working at Sysco, we bought our condo, renovated it, had Christmas, planned the wedding and honeymoon, moved... it was nuts. Seriously nuts. But we didn't want to be "engaged" we wanted to be MARRIED!! :)

Here are some photos of our special day, plus some of the professional "Engagement" photos taken about a month later with our wedding photographer, Chris Elander http://www.chriselanderphoto.com/

:: On our way out for the day ::

:: On the way to Pemberton :::: Engaged! On horseback with our goofy helmets :) ::

:: Beautiful scenery ::

:: yay! So excited ::

:: Professional Engagement Photos ::

Chris and Leanne Guiel

2008-09-12T11:12:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, September 6, 2008 Chris Guiel and Leanne Krussel were joined together as husband and wife!! Chris is my brother-in-law Wes' brother. We all went to high school together and have known each other for years. Chris and Leanne have been together for about 8 years now and we were all very happy to celebrate their marriage! Wes was the best man and Ethan and Brandon were the ring bearers. They're becoming pro's! I didn't have a great seat to get pictures of the ceremony, so when I get copies from my Dad I will add some. The boys were both totally posing on the bench during the whole ceremony - priceless!! Leanne looked beautiful in her gown and Chris was a handsome groom - both were super happy! We saw them this past Wednesday and they said that their special day was exactly what they wanted - what more could you ask for! They're heading off on a Caribbean Cruise on the 27th - doesn't that sound nice? :)

The wedding was held at the Macaroni Grill in Vancouver - the ceremony was outside and the reception was inside. In between while the wedding party had pictures, appy's were served and drinks were offered... yay for Bellinis! :) We had this great idea to walk up to Robson and get in some shopping (typical of the Eddy girls, I know!) ... and what a regretful decision that turned out to be! My feet have never been so sore - I didn't know if I was going to be able to make it back! The good news is that I got some cute sunglasses on sale for $6.47 - so there's a bright side :)

Here are a couple pictures of the day - Again, I'll try and post more once I get them!

:: The Guiel's, with Nana and Grandad::

:: My Mom and Dad, posing under the archway ::
:: Corban!! ::

:: We were playing peek-a-boo with the barrels - what fun! ::

:: Brandon making his silly face ::

:: Our table at the Reception ::

:: Josh and I ::

:: Last Weekend of Summer ::

2008-09-04T16:36:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that Summer has come and gone... sad in some ways but I gotta say, I love Fall!! I love the crisp air with sunshine, wearing sweaters and boots, and getting back into routines. September is going to be a crazy month - we have 2 weddings (one of which I'm a bridesmaid in), one stagette, and at least 3 family birthdays that I know of, plus I joined volleyball every Monday night! So the month is already shaping up to a busy one and I'm looking forward to every minute! I love being busy and having lots of things on the go. At times I need to say "no" and take time for just me, or for Josh and me, or for our place! I'm learning :)

Josh and I had a great last weekend of summer! Josh is still off on compo, recovering from a back injury, so we were able to go away! I had a day banked at work so we turned the long weekend into a 4 day weekend. It was such a nice break! We started off the weekend by joining Josh's family up in Golden Ears for some camping. It's been a tradition of the Neufeld's to go there this time every year. We might change it up for next year though, because we haven't lucked out with weather for the past few. Grandma and Grandpa Goerzen join in, and whoever can make it comes up, whether for the whole weekend, a night or two, or a few hours. It did rain a lot and it was SO cold! But we had fun reading by the fire (at times under umbrellas!), playing games and eating... a lot of eating :) To make things more interesting, there were some mice who decided that the trailers would be nice and dry... Grandma and Grandpa G caught one little guy and we caught 3! We think there were still more with us though - those ones just got the cheese. Smart little mice! :) On Sunday my parents came up to visit but we were packing up to leave, as the weather wasn't improving and we had used up all the firewood! So we all went back to Josh's parents and had a fire and dinner there. A nice hot shower never felt so good!

The next evening Josh and I got to celebrate our friend Dean's 38th birthday! It was so nice to see old friends and celebrate with Deaners. Dean and I have been friends since 2002, and in 2004 I introduced him to Jessi, my friend from Australia. It was love at first sights and 5 weeks later they were engaged, and since then have had 2 wonderful children - Halle and Sebastian - and have bought their home in Langley. They are such wonderful people and a huge blessing in my life - I love them all to bits !

:: Josh and Grandpa Goerzen in deep conversation by the fire::

:: Josh and I - we wore touques all weekend, attempting to stay warm and dry! ::

:: Our three little friends in their final resting place ::

:: The wonderful cake Jessi made for Dean - her first time using fondant! Good work Jess! ::

:: The happy family of 4 ::

:: Amber, Jessi, Sebastian and me - no better feeling than a baby falling asleep in your arms, especially one as sweet as this little man! ::

:: Today at work, trying to show my new hair-do! It's dark underneath which you can't see in the pic, and blonder everywhere else, plus shorter and more layered. My SIL Hannah did it for me, isn't she awesome?!? ::

Kitchen!

2008-08-27T10:00:00.001-07:00

For the past couple MONTHS our kitchen has been driving me nuts. When we moved in we tried to organize it the best we could but things got put in random places and that has continued for 7 months! I've been saying that I really need to just take everything out and put it all back in again, properly organized, giving everything it's place. It is frustrating when you are cooking and can't find what you need, even though you know it's there somewhere! Last night I had finished preparing dinner and was waiting for Josh to get home and I thought hey, I should start the cupboards! No time like the present, right? So I took EVERYTHING out of the kitchen cupboards (except for one cabinet with the plates and such, that one was ok) and put it all on the floor. After dinner I cleaned them all out then Josh and I put everything away, deciding what we used most and where everything should go. There were a few things we haven't used once since being married so those things got put in the laundry/storage room. I'm amazed at how much room we created! I feel so organized and know that cooking and putting dishes away will be much more enjoyable now! I'm so happy we did it and it makes me wonder why I procrastinated for so long... :)

Date Night with Brandon

2008-08-22T11:35:00.001-07:00

Last night Josh and I got to take our nephew Brandon out on a "date" with just him. We love getting together with our little guys and it's so nice to have special time one-on-one with them. Brandon is Lisa and Wes' middle son and will be four on September 10! He is such a joy, this little guy has more energy than anyone I know! He was telling us about his day... he had swimming lessons then helped his Dad at work, seeding the lawn, raking, etc. As he put it "I worked so hard and didn't even get lunch!" Such a funny little guy. Everything Brandon does he does at 150% - he is very passionate and determined. Makes life interesting sometimes :) He has a fantastic memory and doesn't miss a thing that is said or done around him. He is ultra-talented with his sports and loves them all. He adds to much to all our lives and we are so blessed by him! And in addition to all that, he is just so adorable!! :) What can I say, I'm an Auntie who is in love with her nephews!!

:: On our way out for dinner at McDonald's - the one with the PlayPlace of course! ::

:: I told you he was adorable! ::

:: At the park climbing away ::

:: After dropping Brandon off we stopped at my Mom's and two of our other wonderful nephews, Colton and Ethan, were there! Fun night! ::

Pictures

2008-08-18T11:47:00.000-07:00

I feel bad that I haven't posted anything for a whole week!! :) Nothing too crazy is happening in our lives right now, although we're always crazy busy! A "Sister's Night" with the girls on Josh's side, my Grandma Eddy's birthday, and a couple of shopping sprees! Josh and I have been looking for a shelf for our living room and found one the other day! I'm proud to say I put it together myself and got it into the right place! We're really happy with our choice - it looks great and makes our place more "homey." Now to decorate it... :) Then I can post pics! In the meantime, here are some random pictures from the past week :)

:: My cousin Nelson with Ethan and Brandon, climbing a tree at my parents house ::

:: Colton enjoying an empty creamer at Red Robin in Bellingham ::

:: My SILs Amy and Niki at "Sisters Night" ::
:: My new SIL Hannah and I at "Sister's Night" ::

:: Flowers from my hubby - he picked out the lilies :) ::

:: My Grandma Eddy on her birthday! ::

:: How can you resist this face? ::

Fun Weekend :)

2008-08-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

This was the first weekend in 3 weeks that Josh and I have been home, and I really enjoyed it! On Friday evening we enjoyed a steak dinner at our friend Troy's house, followed by Dairy Queen Blizzards and a movie! Josh and I have been trying to get together with Troy for weeks now, and were really glad it finally worked out! We had a good night of deep conversations, laughs and great food! Thanks Troy :)
On Saturday morning I slept in then walked out of our room to a deliciousbreakfast made by my wonderful husband! Hashbrowns, bacon and an English Muffin with cream cheese and jam (the first time I heard of this combo years ago I thought it was gross - but it's really tastey!) We had a relaxing day watching a bit of TV and had a good long chat :) We headed out to celebrate my cousin Denver's birthday party... but got the wrong time and were an hour and a half early at the restaurant! Since we were only planning on staying for a bit we didn't hang around for the rest of the gang to arrive. Oh well, these things happen! We headed over to Maple Ridge to Niki and Jason's (Josh's sister and her husband) housewarming party! We had a fun evening of celebrating with them and their friends and family in their new house! Congrats Niki and Jason!!
Sunday came along and Josh and I went to CLA, our home church in Langley. We got to sit with Lisa, Wes and all three boys - which always makes for an interesting time! They are seriously the cutest boys ever (along with Colton!), I can't get enough of them! Corban just wanted Josh and apparently said his name last week, clear as a bell :) Josh had plans to meet up with his friends Matt and Josh F. so I got to take Ethan out on a date!! He LOVES Wall-E and everything about the movie and the characters. So although he's already seen the movie twice at the theatre we went again! He was so sweet when I asked him, his whole face lit up and he said "Okay!! That would be great!" So we went on a fun date, just the two of us :) With many promises to Brandon to take him on a date next time, with just him (and probably Uncle Josh since him and Brandon are good buddies). The movie was pretty cute, but I enjoyed Ethan more, watching him and listening to him tell me all about the movie.
Later that night after I had some good cleaning time (I'm so efficient when I'm home by myself!) my Mom came over. So nice to visit with just her and I - I showed her pics and my blog, and our friends' blogs and pics! My Mom left and Josh still wasn't home so I got the notion to bake... some muffins for the morning and snacks - banana chocolate chip - and some cookies - chocolate and butterscotch chip. Made for a very happy husband!! :) And I made lots of batter so we have it ready for a craving or a guest... you should come over!
So overall it was a really nice weekend, a perfect balance of relaxing, time with friends and family, and getting stuff done around the house!
How was your weekend? I hope you had days full of joy!!

:: Wall - E ::

:: Cookies and Muffins ::

:: Josh licking the batter off the beater - because in every man there is a little boy... and they love cookie batter!! ::

Green Lake!

2008-08-05T11:56:00.001-07:00

It's become a tradition for our family to camp at Green Lake during the first week of August. My Uncle Gordie and Auntie Sharon bought property on the lake a few years ago and are gracious to invite our whole family up there - even as our family grows by at least one every year! :) They are in the middle of building this beautiful log "cabin" and have spots for RV's in the acre behind the cabin up to the road. We meet there with our cousins and their kids, and this year there were family friend's of my uncle's up there too. All in all there were over 35 of us, 7 RVs, 2 quads, 1 dirtbike, 2 boats and a ton of fun :)

:: The view from the dock - the new cabin! ::

:: My oldest nephew Ethan enjoying his pancake breakfast :::: My youngest nephew Colton also enjoying a pancake ::

:: Corban having a ton of fun in the sand! ::

:: Brandon sitting still for a couple minutes ;) ::

:: My Dad and I on the quad! Fun :) ::

The rest of the family is still there enjoying the sunny weather and good company, but I had to come back to work :( Josh's back injury is still quite bad so he is still off work and starting physio tomorrow. Hopefully he will be feeling better really soon! We had a great weekend away and are very blessed to have such an amazing family!!

Shawna's Challenge!

2008-08-01T13:12:00.000-07:00

My friend Shawna started a challenge to post a picture of yourself as you were, in that moment. My first "blogger" challenge, how could I resist? :) So here I am - at work! You will notice the sample boards behind me (I work at a flooring store), my Starbucks that Josh brought to me (what a great hubby!) and my computer... where I do all my "work" ;)

Picture Cube!

2008-08-01T12:20:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my dear friend Amanda I now know how to put pictures in a cube! Thanks Amanda!Much easier to post pics that way :) Since I'm at work the only pics I have here to play with are my wedding pics and Summerland ones which I already posted! So here is my first experiment with picture cubes... and a way to share pictures of one of the happiest days of my life!! There was turquoise, flowers, diamonds, snow, candles and of course, LOVE!! :)

(top left) Crystal and Dave, Josh and I took that same picture on Crystal and Dave's wedding day! (top right) 3 of my closest girlfriends - Shawna, Amanda and Crystal (Makena is there too, but we hadn't met her yet ;) They stuck around and helped with picture-taking! Thanks girls!

(top left) Ethan and Brandon are my oldest 2 nephews and Isabella is their friend - so sweet! (bottom left) My beautiful sisters and I! (bottom middle) The Eddy's and Neufeld's combined - there are a lot of us! (bottom right) Josh and his groomsmen, Matt and Chad.

I think I cut some people out of pictures while making the cubes... sorry!

Getting ready the morning of! Such fun :) Don't you just love Ethan's little grin? ;) And Shawna did my hair - she is so talented and fantastic! I was thankful she shared the morning with us.

6 Months!

2008-08-01T09:26:00.000-07:00

On July 26 Josh and I celebrated 6 months of being married!! Lately I've been reading, thinking and talking about "celebrations" and how they bring so much meaning to life. I am blessed with so many wonderful people and occassions and I feel it's so important to take note of these things. Life has enough hardships in it - why not take a moment or a weekend and celebrate the good stuff?

Josh and I have hadn't had a chance to go away since our honeymoon because of work schedules. So we were so excited when we found out we could get away for a few days and that it worked out to be over our 6 month "anniversary!!" We were going to go to Kelowna but everything was booked solid. So we found this great resort in Summerland, just 30 minutes away from Kelowna and right on Okanagon Lake (Summerland Waterfront Resort). It was so beautiful there and we were happy being in Summerland - more peaceful and relaxing. We even got upgraded for no extra cost and had a loft room which was fantastic!! We had such an awesome weekend together, so nice to just relax and be in love!! :)

My camera was acting funny and some of our pics turned out fuzzy :( But here are a few!

On our way!!

Taking a picture by the road... Josh timed it for when a semi drove by!

On the walkway/bridge that ran along the lake on our resort

Josh gave me an iPod - a TURQUOISE one!!

And an armband so I can listen to music at the gym :)

On our way out... we were sad to leave!! We had a great vacation :)

What's in a Title?

2008-07-31T13:13:00.001-07:00

I have to admit, that one of the things holding me back from finally creating a blog was that I couldn't come up with a good title! Too much pressure! Today my husband Josh visited me at work (to drop off my snacks that I forgot at home and I can't make it through the morning without them!) and he inspired me... I was "boppin" around and Josh told me there wasn't any music on for me to be dancing to, and I told him there was - in my head! I realized that I usually do have a song on my heart and I love listening to the lyrics and meaning of songs. They tell a story and put it to music - beautiful! So there you have it - the title of my blog :) Mind you, this is bound to change when children come into the picture - which probably won't be for some time yet *wink* - but for now, here it is!
Sigh of relief, my blog has a name! yay! :)

Blog: Take One

2008-07-31T12:36:00.000-07:00

Hello all!
Okay, so I did it - I created a blog!! haha... I think I'm the last person to do this. But I'm excited about it and the connections I'll make with the people I love and the new people I'll meet! So, here's an official welcome to my BLOG! I have so much to learn and would love any tips you experienced bloggers can pass my way :)
Blessings to you!