Cardboard Dopplegangers

Well, I did it! I made a cardboard cut out of myself to give to my mom. Why? You ask why I might give my mom such a gift? Well we live a 10 hour drive away from each other, in different provinces. My mom misses me. I have lived away from my parents for the past 7 years and my mom now regularly asks me when I am going to move home. I have no clue when or if I would be moving home. I need God to give me the direction to move back so in the meantime, I will pursue a job and life where I reside now and my mom will be the laughing recipient of a cardboard doppleganger.

I got the idea from Nolan's friend Trevor who made one of his girlfriend for a Christmas party last year because she lived 3 hours away and couldn't come. So...I thought it would be a good laugh for my mom. I did make a boo boo though. I had 2 of me printed out because it turned out that the first one was about 2-4 inches shorter than I actually am. Well, that's the one I cut out. Oops! I am sure my mom won't mind and maybe the other me will get cut out in the future and come to good use for a practical joke or something (muah ha ha!!).

How do you spell motivation?

W-E-D-D-I-N-G D-R-E-S-S!!

I think that there are other ways to spell it as well, but at the moment, this is my way to spell it.

I am getting MARRIED in May!! It is exciting and I am sure it will go by in a flash and I can't wait!! If you can believe it, I ordered a dress from China off E-bay. Yep. Risky I know, but if it works out, then I got a steal of a deal on a dress!!! If not...no huge loss and I still have time to order a disgustingly overpriced dress from some retail shop here in Canada that probably buys their dresses for the same price I paid for mine on E-bay! It's sick really how much wedding dresses cost considering it is a wear once type of item. Insane in the membrane.

What else? Oh yeah... I need to fit that dress and look like a seriously hot ticket item. I am sure Nolan already thinks I am the hot ticket item, but the muffin top that I am sporting at the moment makes me feel like I need to hit the gym and start eating better. Of course I am talking about losing some weight, but also I love to be fit!! I like to look good and be able to play a full soccer game or go for a run without feeling like I am going to lose my lungs. I like to feel strong and flexible and healthy. I can't really say that I feel like I fit into any of those categories at the moment, but I will.

I know it sounds like I am making a New Year's resolution but I am not. I am simply making a decision that is wedding and health related that just happens to be around the New Year. The gym is going to be full! Good thing I have a free membership right now at the University that I can take advantage of!! IF only we could find the power cord to the treadmill that lives in our house as well...that would be a bonus! I think I might jump in and sign up for the spinning class that I used to go to twice a week at the university...that class kicked my butt into shape a few years back!

Anyhow...just in case you missed it...I am getting married!!

muah ha ha ha!!!

Just for fun. I just needed to laugh like that because I wanted to.

I was at a wedding yesterday and boy oh boy...really gets the mind on marriage and you know...wanting to get married and all that jazz. I of course observed the wedding with a close eye and developed ideas of my own for future reference. I might need to start writing things down.

I must say it was a fun wedding and they are going to have some kick ass pictures of the wedding!! They had a number of friends who brought a whole bunch of their gear and took tons of pics...candid and otherwise, but I can't wait to see them!! I definitely want those guys taking pics at my wedding!!!

As for school, the other part of my life; it is busier than freaky busy now. It's just wacko. I think teachers are crazy people who do too much work. Or at least too much work considering how much they are paid. I get about 6 emails each weekend if not more from my partner teacher which give me the distinct impression that she spends the majority of her weekend doing school related work. I went to a wedding this weekend and haven't done much. I did some marking and compiled marks for report cards. I need prep time. Tonight will be prep time for sure. I will hang out with Janice, my fellow grade 2 student teacher friend and we will plan and do our prep together. I love that girl!! Even if we aren't in the same school next year, but if we have the same grade...I still want to do brainstorming and planning with her. They say that 2 minds are better than 1!!

I have been doing what I previously had thought was the impossible. You will never believe it (that is if you know me well and know that I am NOT a morning person). I am getting up a half hour earlier every morning in order to read the Bible with my lover boy. Yep it's true. I have been late a couple of times (no later than 10 minutes), but we are working are way chronologically through the Bible and it's good. He reads out loud to me and I listen with my eyes open or closed(and yes, I am indeed listening and I make a point of making comments on things that stand out to me just so he knows I AM listening and not falling asleep again).

Anyhow....this is life. AND by the way, just in case anyone is curious what I might be giving my mom for Christmas....I am thinking of a lifesize cutout of myself. She misses me lots since I have lived away from home for 7 years now and I thought it would be creative and funny to give ME to her. Even more fun, is the jokes I can play with it when I AM home to visit. muah ha ha ha!!

Life is Good

Well I am surviving all this teaching stuff even though it's freaky busy!! The teachers that I work with don't seem to take down time very often and me and my friend Janice who are working with them of course feel somewhat obligated to match their work ethics and pace. Wowsers! When I made a comment about it to my partner teacher, she said, "At least we get summers off". YEah...but they are unpaid. When you are getting paid does that mean you have to work 12-14 hours a day all the time? insane in the membrane.


So...I think I am going to go to New Zealand for my practicum next semester. I have made contact with some good peeps there and just need to firm things up and make some agreements and all that jazz and figure out how I am going to pay for it. Maybe I will put in a proposal to my reserve. They might want me to come back and work for them though. I am not ready to move back to BC anytime soon.

Nolan is fantastic. We have talked about the "M" word if you catch my drift (that was for you Heidi).

right now...i am tired and sore. something quacky has been going on with my neck and shoulders and back. I am going to go. bye

No One Ever reads this...

...so I why do I come and write here? Because it is kind of fun just to write. I can be a blithering idiot, a brilliant philosopher; I can wax poetic here or write in horrible slang and say "like" all the time.

Anyhow...on to better things. I am in love!! Did you know that!? Yep it's true and I can't help but think how freaking amazing God is that he orchestrates these things because He certainly knows that I would not have orchestrated this but....yep. My ways and His ways...not the same thing and He does know better and He chooses better and what I am trying to say is...that I could not possibly have a better guy!! He is the bestest!

So anyhow...I should be preparing for science class tomorrow. Love unfortunately doesn't stop time or make homework,work and things you don't really want to do go away. I wish it did. I also wish that love could make it so you don't need as much sleep because I am stupid and will not sleep in order to hang out with Nolan. You would think that I didn't see him everyday but the fact is...I can't seem to get enough of him. Can you get enough of a good thing? Well...I guess you can sometimes, especially if the good thing is crinkle cut french fries with seasoning salt. If you keep eating them, you will get VERY full and you may have a sore spot on your tongue from too much seasoning salt and you might get really thirsty. So you get enough of the good thing (fries) until it is time to have them again. In my case with Nolan...can't get enough. I love to hang out with him and talk and laugh and pray and yes...cry (you all know what a cry baby I am, especially when I pray), and hike, bike, climb and such things as these.

We haven't really had a disagreement yet...like-minded or rose coloured glasses? Maybe when we finally do it will be a real biggie and maybe that will make it fun instead of just mad or something...you know...like one of those big blowouts when both people wave their fists, yell really, really dumb things, stamp their feet, huff and then start laughing because they've made idiots of themselves over something that was really little in the first place. I think he would just make me laugh...or he would shush me with a kiss. Tell me now...who wouldn't like to be shushed with a kiss? I apparently have been already and didn't even know it. I just like being kissed who am I kidding!

Bye No one!

"A Sporting Chance"

Did I ever mention that I am a tad bit competitive? Yes, it's true, I am. Whether it is a simple little things like a card game, Boggle or bigger things like soccer games, rock climbing or WATER FIGHTS.



This particular day began with fun on the trampoline avec Nolan. I must admit that I was a bit hesitant because I am scared of being double bounced because I usually think that I am going to fly out of control and off of the trampoline. So I did my best to control being bounced and of course took breaks and let Nolan jump. Eventually we were lying in the sun on the tramp talking and as per usual Nolan gets quiet and simply looks at me. And of course, as per usual, my curiosity kills me and I HAVE to ask him what he's thinking. We go through this routine on a very regular basis. However, Nolan simply smiled at whatever thought was lurking in his head. Of course I almost always ask him what he is smiling about, but he beat me to it and asked me if I wanted him to show me what he was thinking about. I foolishly said yes.

Well...he jumped off the trampoline and proceeded to turn on the outdoor faucet. Okay, I thought, a bit of water from the sprinkler while on the trampoline...that's fine. As he walked back toward the tramp, he stopped and pulled the sprinkler to himself and started to unattach it. uh oh! I got a soaking! I tried to get away and then I thought maybe he would stop after a bit. Nope. So what can you do? He's bigger, he's stronger, he's faster...you grab the hose and you fold it in half to stop the water. Respite. Of course then it turned into a bit of a wrestling match. I was too nice I have decided. Had he been my brother I am sure I would have tried to kick him and trip him and thrown a few punches, but with Nolan, I didn't. Anyhow...I got more soaking and I did at one point get the hose away from him but was not fast enough to retaliate before he got the hose back. The best way to make it stop...change the subject. We did have to go to the Sun and Salsa Festival...and I did have to use up some free money before we went. So off we went our separate ways.

I promptly went into the house and grabbed a 4 gallon bucket and began to fill it with water. My plan was to hide around the corner of the house and douse him when he was on his way inside. I could hear him covering the trampoline and then I thought of the things he left on the lawn: his wallet, his keys and his cell phone. Hmmm...would water wreck his cell phone? Or his car alarm thing? Maybe I shouldn't throw water at him. Hmmmm. I went back inside and put the bucket down. I picked it up again and went outside and then returned inside again and put it back down and stood by the door waiting for him to come in.

"You were covering the trampoline?" I asked innocently.
"Yes", he replied.
"Did you pick up your things off the grass?"
"Yes"
"Did you have your cell phone with you too?"
"Yes"
I am sure he thought my line of questioning was silly or dumb or random.

"Oh...your cell phone saved your life", I told him in a voice that told him just how lucky he was.
"from the bucket of water behind you?", he asked me. Of course from the bucket of water and I expained to him how I was going to douse him but didn't want to get his cell phone. He said he would have done it anyway. He then asked me if I didn't need to get going to Shopper's Drugmart. I replied in a sassy voice saying,"I am not walking away from this bucket of water until you do". We both stood and looked at each other for a moment before he bent over and picked up both me and the bucket of water and proceeded toward the bathroom, in which I surmised he planned to give me yet another thorough dousing. I used my limbs to prevent our entry into the bathroom. I propped my feet against the door frame and pushed us away, I used my hands, my knees. Nolan changed angles, pulled at my hands and feet in attempts to disconnect my body from the door frame but it was to no avail. He then put the bucket of water on the counter in order to subdue my limbs and we thus entered the washroom. As we entered, oh how handy!! A bucket of water was sitting on the counter at just the right height that I could grab it and dump it on the mostly dry Nolan Archer. ha! ha! retaliation complete! I was satisfied and left with a grin on my face.

However, I learned later that Nolan had given me a "Sporting Chance" and so that leads me to believe that his placement of the bucket onto the counter as opposed to setting it on the floor was intentional. Hmmmm. Not sure what I think.

Growing up as a Tomboy, I had to fight to be an equal with the boys. Bike tag wasn't for sissies, if you got knocked over you didn't cry out, "Hey! You can't puch that hard, I'm a girl!!". you simply got up and started chasing because you were it and you would push just as hard when you were tagging. You caught frogs with the best of them and would even catch garter snakes. In soccer, you learned to hit (by hit I mean shoulder check) hard, you know, take a good run at it, get some good speed to hit with because you had to make up for being a small light weight. So...competitive, you bet!! Need to win at everything? nope. you gotta know when to just have fun and when to try and kick someone's butt. I am sure some day I will have an equal opportunity moment to kick Nolan's butt at something...I might have to employ tactics other than speed and strength, but I can make up for it with my wiley ways and sneak tactics.

But hey...thanks for the sporting chance!

Chez Moi

I am home and have been here for almost 3 weeks now and although travelling, adventuring and learning things in new places is fun and exciting, it is sweet to be home. Home is the place that allows me to experience REAL rest. When I am away I get enough sleep and I enjoy myself, but it is here at home that I can once again feel like I don't have to move, I can be 100% myself (not just 99.9% and the 0.01% actually tires you out as you unconciously or conciously seek to protect yourself from the unknown parts of all the new people you meet...at least until you trust them).

I love home, I love my "family" here and despite all of our ups and downs over this past year I have cherished this home and the people. We are changing though and it makes me sad in some ways. I look forward to the new things and people with a scared, wary type of anticipation (it still includes the exciting, "what is coming next" type of anticipation too...you know the type that you have before opening a gift).

I think I love home because I love just BEING and I can do that here. Even when I have things to do, like filing (filing schmiling...it can wait), or organizing all my cd's (that can wait too....I am more important than my cd's), or practicing french, practicing guitar, trying to find all the book keeping stuff....things I need to do, should do...will get done, but right now....I will BE. I love it. even if I was working full time this summer...I would most certainly not fill my evenings with organizing cd's...I would relax, read a book, try tennis, lie in the hammock and let the world just be the world and for a time (an hour maybe more), let it just pass me by. And in my mind, talk to God, drift into a peaceful, dozy, sort of, maybe sleep, but can still kinda hear the world around me.

But...then comes September and then the time to BE becomes overshadowed by school assignmments (okay...it's not so much the assignment as it is the accompanying stress that does the overshadowing). Stress...I need YOU God to help me deal with stress better. I hate being a stress ball, it changes how I act, feel, percieve and all that jazz. Help me to BE in the middle of busyness.

And what does the future look like? here, there? You, me, them? Daily practical thingamajiggers (I forget what they are called, but I know what I mean). I am curious to see what Chez Moi will look like in a month and a half from now. I will let you reveal it God.

In Contention...

I think the actual longest day of my life was when Nolan and I missed the plane home from Gatwick in the UK, but Thursday, June 21st is now in the running for being one of the longest days of my life. Here is an extract from my journal that I wrote while driving...I HAD to start writing otherwise I would have jumped out of the car while laughing hysterically and since NO DYING is rule #1 I instead had to write and laugh hysterically.

Today was potentially the longest day of my life. I am told thought that one day driving through Ontario is likely to rival today and any other day that sits on my "longest day of my life" list.

Today would never have made the list, however, a number of small details that manad\ged to all happen in the surrounding 24 hours pushed this day into contention. It's funny how small details can change a whole day. For example, the weird french lady who came into the hostel room at 3am, snored all night long and switched beds at her leisure...she changed the whole night. Extrememly squeaky bedsprings, another small detail that doesn't promote a good night's sleep. Neither does a window that doesn't close when a pub is 2 doors down the road and people never really know how loud they are when they are drunk. Alcohol must effect our auditory system and cause temporary hearling loss, thus requiring everyone to yell- much to my chagrin and sleeplessness.

Of course it doesn't help matters when one chooses to stay out late, drink beverages and practice your french with Quebecois people all the while a very loud band is playing Irish folk tunes and dancing fools spill their beers down your back.

As you sit inthe moment of decision, I find that often enjoying the moment; living in the now, winds over what some might call common sense. I say you only live once and sometimes you need to make the non-sensical decision and seize the day (or the night as it was).

Small detail, let's call it #6...drinking a second beverage and being the owner of a small bladder...bad news because it means less sleep. Getting into the car at 8am knowing you've made a prior decision to drive 1100-ish kilometres seems extremely painful and of course it is going to be a long day. #8-leaving without breakfast. Tired and hungry, not a combination that I am especially good at. #9...forgetting to call Moncton friends to tell them you need to get into their house to pick up your belongings and they work so....will the door be open or locked? Dear Lord, favour please, let the door be open. It also helps if MAYBE, just maybe the navigator and the driver discuss the route of choice for travelling westward. If the driver has one route in mind, but the navigator thinks we"re going a different way the...the lefts and rights we take, just might be the long way! oops...tired minds don't operate at 100%.

So 12.5 hours later we are still driving and we are in good spirits despite the fact we are running on very little sleep, 3 bowls of fruit loops, 1 bottle of gatorade, 1 shared powerbar, 1 side of friens and chicken nuggets, 2 lifesavers, 2 oranges and a bit of trail mix that desperately needs more chocolate in it. OH! and 1 cup of coffee and 1 iced cap...neccessito today!

We have laughed hysterically (I was actually beginning to think that Kim was losing her mind), we've attempted to believe our own lies ("It will only feel like 1/2 hour"), we've worshipped God, listened to good music and cursed Ontario drivers (who were actually driving the speed limit in Quebec which no good Quebecois ever does!) All in all it was a good long day. All I can think about now it a real meal, a real bed and a real shower and seeing some really good friends tomorrow.

Painful things...

So...last week we had to do this thing that I wasn`t looking forward to. We had worked on a legend...creating a legend based on a photo of sometype of landmark here in Riviere-du-Loup. Once we were finished the legend, we had to make preparations for decorating a kiosk type thing because we would be performing our legend for the fine folks of RDL!! yep. Speaking a ton of french at one time to a heck of a lot of Francphones. J'ai été très nerveuse! I ended up being assigned the storyteller. Gee what a surprise!! I wrote most of the story and I was the most familiar with the storyline, so when I read it, I was animated, knew when to stress certain words etc...so...I read a 3 minute story about 10 -13 times really loudly for many, many people. I must admit prior to completing this evening of legend-telling I was an extremely reluctant to participate. Mostly because it made me feel like an elementary school kid who was putting together something for a science fair that everyones parents were going to come and check out and then it would be judged by someone. I rebelled against the who school kid thing. I had a rotten attitude. About an hour before we began, I thought...this could be painful and annoying or I can just decide to have fun. I decided to have fun. I was still really nervous though. Before I began the first run, I actually told our listeners that I was really nervous and they all smiled friendly, welcoming smiles and so I began. It was fun. I became more and more animated, and storyteller-like as we went along. I raised my voice, waved my hands, changed my tone, used different facial expressions...it was great! I also thought that I might lose my voice, but I didn`t. At the end of the night I found out we were actually being judged. I did notice a number of our instructors stopping and listening to many of the stories, but thought they just wanted to check it out. Anyhow...the long and short of the story...my group won for the best french and pronunciation!! YAY!! we got a gift certifcate for a great restaurant here in town. anyhow...

Tomorrow is my #2 on the list of Painful things...a debate about whether canada has a culture or not....in french. I hate formal debates in english and gee...sounds like fun to try and do one in french. We'll see...maybe I will decide to have fun.

I have to go study...I have tons of stuff to know for my 2 exams coming up and not enough time to actually get a good study in because they keep filling our time with stuff. Good stuff...like a weekend trip to Quebec city...good stuff. More on that later!!

out like trout.

The end is coming

The end is always coming, that is simply the way that time works. Life begins and it ends. A day begins and it ends. L'École Français begins and it will end. At the beginning when the first few days felt incredibly long due the the absolutely massive amounts of new information (that's immersion for you!), my brain was tired, my body was tired and I thought the end would never come. As time went by, the days began to pass more quickly due to the fact that my working knowledge of french improved and I didn`t feel quite as overwhelmed at I had the first few days. From this moment, I look forward and the end seems to be a bit too close and time passing a bit too quickly for my liking. I have learning a lot and am so happy to be here right now and wish my french was better (but we did speak a lot of english when no one was listening {by no one I mean the instructors} and so it didn`t feel like a total, total immersion, just a "mostly" immersion). Anyhow...I only have 4 or 5 days left of classes (that includes the classes that I am simply sitting and writing my exams in). Well as they say, "Time flies when you`re having fun!"

This weekend we are heading to Québec city. I am excited to go and check things out again. I have heard some excited whispers that I hope amount to more than wishful thinking, that Circe du Soleil is performing for free somewhere in Québec city. If this is indeed the truth, we must track it down!

Oh...so what else is new...I got my midterm marks back and passed with some pretty flying colours!! I am a happy camper!

I am really, vraiment, vraiment looking forward to driving around the Martimes with Kim, mais elle pense que elle ne peut pas parce que elle n'ai pas l'argent maintenant. hmmmm. I just cancelled my flights last night and jeepers, this would just through a wrench in my plans (I learned the french equivalent for this saying yesterday but I forget. Something like, jamming a stick in someone's wheel{like a bike wheel and sending them flying}). Anyhow...

I haven`t made myself laugh really really hard lately because I haven`t said anything so incrediblly silly or walked into the wrong bathroom or anything. Jamie a guy in my class makes me laugh all the time though. He has sense of humour and a funny laugh that makes me laugh at silly things. For example...we had to make up an invention the other day and create an advertisement for it, which used imperatives. We invented the Bandeau de téléphone. It was great!! Jamie was our cheesy salesman. He side slicked his hair and cut out a tie from construction paper and stapled it to his shirt for our presentation. How can you not laugh at that! Anyhow...

Like I said before...the end is coming. BUT...I want to keep learning and practicing french.

Sherry in English now...

I have no idea how that happened, but somehow my blog ended up being translated into Hindi which was an option on here I couldn`t figure out how to change it back into english so...here is somewhat of a shorter version of what I said in the last post. I said...I am that person. The one who is learning english and doesn`t yet know how to speak in correct tenses and says things like, " I am went to the store (using the word that means a grocery store) tomorrow to bought a shoe me for". Yep..I am Manon (the incredible french woman I am living with) finds me really, really , really funny with all the mistakes I make when I open my mouth to speak french. I called her yesterday from Quebec city because we were going to be late coming home and I was elected to phone home and speak french. Yep...I am sure the conversation went something like this:

M: Bonjour!
S: Bonjour Manon, cèst Sherry
M: Oui, allo Sherry!!
S: Nous avons en tard (We are late)
M: (silent pause)
S: uhm...Nous avons dan Quebec maintenant (we are in Quebec right now)
M: ...she finishes the sentence for me, gettingmy drift that we are gonig to be late...
S: Maintenant cèst 4:30 et...
Manon finishes the sentence again...laughing. ok.

So...I laugh. And the other day I tried to tell her that she is welcome in Calgary anytime and instead I told her she is welcome in Calgay sometimes...like maybe only on sundays!?! we laughed so hard once eveyone at the dinner table let me figure out what I had actually said and everyone knew what I meant to say and we laughed and laughed and laughed until our tummies hurt and we coudln`t breathe. And then we laughed some more until I almost peed my pants! Oh it was great.

Yesterday was Manon`s b-day!! It was great to spend the evening with her, but I wish we had spent the day with her and planned fun things and decorated the house and had gone all out for her. Last night she told us how important it was to her that we were there with her. Her and her significant other broke it off last summer (I think he was cheating) and holidays etc. being alone has been hard for her and she cried a number of times, touched by our words and actions.

Last night we all sat in the hot tub and we sang songs together (french and english) and told Manon what an amazing woman we think she is. She is such a doll. I wish I had a better vocabulary in french so I could really tell her how much I like her and appreciate her.

Anyhow...I have a test this week...2 actually, midterms, one oral one written...oooohhhh! I am nervous! But my instructor is a sweetheart so no reason to be nervous and I am not doing this french school for credit, but for myself so what does it matter!?

AND...I might be able to travel after the school is over!! MIGHT. My friend Kim has a car here and wants to visit the Maritimes and needs to return to Alberta after for work so...perhaps a bit of a tour and then a drive home!!?? Who knows. WE`ll see what happens.

ई ऍम ठाट परसों...यू क्नोव थे वन...

ओकय रंदोम...एवेर्य्थिंग ई टाईप इस चंगिंग इन्तो अ दिफ्फेरेंत लंगुअगे ओं थे स्क्रीन राईट बेफोरे मय एयेस ऎंड ई डॉन`त क्नोव वहत लंगुअगे इत इस...इत लूकस लिके सोम इंडियन लंगुअगे पेर्हप्स?? ई ऍम नॉट सुर इफ मय ब्लोग विल कॉम आउट इन इंग्लिश ओर सोमेथिंग फॉरेन तो उस अल। होऊ बॉय! वी`रे इन फ़ॉर अ सुर्प्रिसे पुएत इतर। ई वास जुस्त गोइंग तो सय ठाट ई ऍम थे परसों ठाट वी हवे अल लेंकोउत्नेरेड इन कनाडा व्हो इस लीर्निंग इंग्लिश। थे वन व्हो डेसं`त येत हवे अल ओफ्ठे तेंसेस कोर्रेच्त ऎंड सय्स थिंग्स लिके, "ई ऍम वेंत तो थे स्टोर (उसिंग थे वर्ड ठाट मांस अ ग्रोसर्य स्टोर) येस्तेर्दय फ़ॉर तो बौघ्त शोए मे फ़ॉर"... ओर सोमेतिंग लिके ठाट!! ई हवे सैद सोम प्रेत्त्य फुन्न्य थीं जस ई ऍम प्रेत्त्य दर्नेद सुर। ई वास त्र्यिंग तो तेल मय फ्रेंच "मॉम" व्हो इस अ ३७ येअर ओल्ड होत, चिक, कूल वूमन, ठाट शे इस वेल्कोमे तो कॉम तो काल्गार्य अन्य्तिमे!! वहत ई इंदेद उप सयिंग वास ठाट शे इस वेल्कोमे सोमेतिमेस। नॉट अन्य्तिमे...जुस्त सोमेतिमेस...लिके पेर्हप्स ओनली ओं सुन्दय्स। अन्य्होव...वी अल लौघेद उन्तिल वी कोउल्दं`त ब्रेअठे ऎंड थें सोम मोरे। मोरे लिके उन्तिल ई अल्मोस्त पेड मय पंट्स। सो फुन्न्य। बुत....नेच्सस्सितो!!! अन्य्होव...ई`म आउट लिके त्रौत। लेटर स्कतेर्स.

le mauvais salle de bain

Today I went into the wrong bathroom. It was soooooo drôle!!! I didn`t notice when I went in that it was the mens' room because I immediately turned towards the stalls and the urinals went entirely unnoticed. Of course when I exited the stall, I noticed the urinals and started to laugh like crazy!! Thankfully there were no guys at any of the urinals when I came out, otherwise that would have been awkward and embarrassing. On my way out the the bathroom, one of the other students was on his way in and he looked surprised for just one small moment and then he started to laugh as well. I walked all the way back to my classroom laughing at myself.

I have been laughing at myself a lot! A lot, a lot. What can you do when you say the wrong thing in french because you inserted one wrong word that changed the entire meaning of your phrase?? Laugh until your stomach hurts, let others laugh with and at you and then once you've calmed down start laughing again until you almost pee your pants and can`t breathe. Yep...true story. I love laughing and I have been laughing tons here and I am sure it has kept me from losing my mind. If I was unable to laugh at myself, I would indeed be incredibly frustated and probably grumpy. By the way, I saw a t-shirt yesterday that had Oscar the grouch on it that said "grouchy guys are cool" and I wanted to buy it, but then I thought I don`t need to buy a t-shirt that will justify grumpiness, I just need to get over it when I am grumpy, change my attitude and persepctive. Anyhow...I should go and eat my lunch and be sociable and talk poor french with other peeps who know more than me.

à bientôt!

Vive la Québéc!!

I love it here, I love learning french, I have fabulous roomies and a more than fabulous house to live in with an extremely welcoming, bubbly, fun-loving lady who is crazy and laughs a lot (sometimes at my french and definintely at how visible it is that the wheels in my head are contantly turning trying to figure how to say something in french). Acutally she thinks I am a perfectionist and on the last day here all of a sudden I will blurt out a full commentary en francais! Anyhow...it`s so great and I am so thankful to be here and wow...if only I had more time right now to talk about it!! I have to go but tomorrow perhaps I will post more so you peeps have a better idea of my life in french.

The middle of no where (May 11th more)

I booked the rest of my trip tonight...trains and planes to and fro. The think with booking travel stuff in and out of Riviere du Loup is that because it is in the middle of no where, it has no priority on transit arrival and departure times. So...I leave Montreal at 6:30pm and arrive in RdL at 12:08 in the morning. Yep. There will be a bus waiting to pick students up which is nice.

I booked my train ride out of Rdl as well and it leaves at 2:15 am on june 15th and arrive in Montreal at 8:30, in time for me to get to the airport for my flight to Toronto. Then on the 18th home again, home again jiggety jig and Nolan and Pam and friends and my bed. amen to that!

Fatigue and Plane rides

May 11th....

This is the beginning of my journey to learn french! yesterday it was semi-real and today reality has set in. This morning and during the flight, i was far too tired to care if it was real. Now here I am in the Montreal aerogare at Tim Horton's drinking une moyen ice cap and waiting for Stephanie. I badly wanted to know how to order in french..une moyen ice cap was my guess et un salade aux oeufs aussi. hmmm. that's my guess could be right could be wrong.

i have many feelings couring through me and a myriad of thoughts. Both my thoughts and feelings are floating around a loose theme of fear and anxiety.

I feel isolated and a bit lonely already, but God you know where I am here and you are with me. I am never alone, you do not leave me or forsake me. thank you for making this trip possible for me. You knew my desire to learn french and the affection that I have for Quebec. I ask for your favour here as an english speaker. I ask to be received with kindness and your favour.

I am anxious about figuring out the train to Riviere du Loup. You Lord order my steps, prepare my way and mark my path. direct me, guide me and reveal to me the details i need.

I am fearful that learning french won't stick or i won't get the idea-the way the language works. Father please teach me yourself. You created the languages and they are yours to give. your Holy Spirit is my teacher-work in my mind and my spirit to teach me french.

Father I am looking forward to the next number of weeksnot only tolearn french, but in my isolation from those who know me and with the difficulties of communication that are up and coming, i can speak to you and you can speak to me. My desire is to DELIGHT MYSELF IN YOu!!

I don't really know how to do this, but I want to know. I want to behold your face and dwell in your house.

Father give me dreams and visions and tongues in French. Please.

Lord soften my heart again please. thank you again for loving me, for calling me Beloved. Please continue teaching me of your love.

Sigh...

That was a tired sigh. Sometimes you have a sigh and it's a really good one; it signifies contentment. My sigh today is one of fatigue and frustration.

I accidentally created a username and password on a Simply Accounting file that I need to access. I was exploring as I was trying to problem solve after sending the file to an accountant for some help (my mom). She couldn't open the file because it had a password. Funny, I never gave the file a password. While we attempted to trouble shoot, I looked at how creating a password worked and I guess in the process actually created one. I thought I had gone through the motions but didn't actually go through with it. Bummer. Now I have no idea what the username and password are so...can't access the file and can't work on it, which stresses me out. I don't like being stressed out, especially when I am also tired and sick. Why do those 3 things often come hand in hand?

So I sigh and want to take a nap, but the priority of getting this work done by Thursday night is HIGH and so I must press on.

Jesus please help me.

Wouldn't You like to Know

Sometimes I would like to know too.

well...today is a new day and I figured out some more of the technological little things about Blogger that are important. So the not so secret secret lives on in cyberspace. Yes...wouldn't you like to know?!? Maybe you do (nolan) and that's okay and if you don't...well that's okay too and you won't get any more out of me.

aaahhhh. Life is good, even when you accidentally stay up way too late.

How many times?

I read a novel this week called When Heaven Weeps. It made me cry a number of times and reminded me of another novel that I have read many times and it too made me cry. The theme of both books was about the love of God for us: his Bride. Unfortunately, although we are his bride I think we fail to understand how he loves us. At times I am unsure that we even comprehend that he loves us at all, despite how he has displayed his affections for us. Somehow in the middle of enjoying the fruits of his love, I think we often take his love forgranted and eventually the fruits are no longer attached to his love and somehow, we forget he loves us!! How insane is that?

I live in an amazing house, I have amazing friends he has given to me, I was born to incredible parents who are gifts from the Lord, I have so much and it is all from the Lord and sometimes I actually believe that these things are because of me. I have great friends because I am something! I got into school because I am really smart. I live well because I am good with money. NO, no, no. I have these things because of his love for me; these are the provisions from his hands because he loves me. He does not give me a rock when I ask for bread; he loves me.

On Monday night God reminded me of his love. It wasn't just a matter of memory or recall, but it was an experience of his love and it was him answering a prayer that I had prayed a couple of months ago. God's instrument of choice in this experience...Nolan. Actually, God has repeatedly used Nolan for revealing his love, but in this case it was very poignant, hit the target and I was overwhelmed to the point of tears. Love was suddenly a reality, not just words or something akin to head knowledge, but it was real; tangible, felt, palpable. I wondered why it takes so long to understand and why God has to say it and display his love so many times before I actually hear it AND believe it. It became real again...his love for me; his tender, passionate, desirous love for me.

It's overwhelming. How can we comprehend love?

The Old Password/Username Dilemna

I haven't posted anything here for a coon's age. It was many many moons ago that I last graced this blog. Why am I back now? I am not sure. For fun.

I was entertaining the notion of deleting this blog, but I haven't yet made a firm decision on that yet. Instead I will write a bit more just for fun. I think after the effort it took to try and get to this blog again warrants that I write for a bit longer before it disappears into the cyber-blackhole. I had a heck of a time trying to remember my username and my password to get into this blog. I went through the ol' trusty names and words that are old hat to me but alas, they did me no service. It was quite frustrating, but after many attempts here I am victorious and triumphant!!

So...here I am over a year later and that's pretty much all there is to it. Life has gone on and I am NOT going to try to write it all in a nutshell because it would be one heck of a nutshell and I think I would go crazy trying to write it all down. Instead, I will just say that life is good. I am almost finished my school year (B.Ed, 1st year), I am going to study french, I live in a big house with lots of friends (community living), I am myself again and I can't wait for summer. Oh and I am a rock climber not too; still a hack on the rocks, but I can hold my own.

I am looking forward to: going to my parents in the summer and hanging out at the beach; wearing summer clothes and getting a tan; driving around with my sunroof open and listening to loud music and singing along (and seat dancing); maybe playing soccer again and getting my lazy ass back in shape; reading some good books by myself and maybe with friends in the park; learning how to play the guitar (learning how to be disciplined enough to practice so I will actually progress); discovering what God has to say to me about my life, life in general and himself. Of course I am looking forward to many more things, but that's a start.

Okay bye.