Two tickets to....

PUERTO RICO are being lovingly & joyfully clutched in my hands right now!! In one week from today my awesome sister and I will be heading to Toronto to spend the night in a hotel and then head on down to PR! I'm really excited to lay on the beach, eat free food, drink free drinks, sleep whenever I want to and explore that warm part of the world that I've never been to before. I just have to get myself organized and ready before then. Right now the temperature there is about 26 degrees Celsius....

I'm hoping this will warm my stupid cold away. I got sick a few days ago. It's a weird type of sick, though. My throat kills me at night and my head feels like it has the flu during the day.

Tonight I'm having a sleepover with my 10 year old cousin, Laura. She's been asking me to have a sleepover for the past 4 months or so and finally tonight is the night. I saw her on Tuesday at our family gathering and she was ecstatic about getting together. Now the only question is....what shall we do?? The cool thing about kids is that they've always got some sort of idea up their sleeves.

Have a great long weekend everyone! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
I hope 2006 is a tremendous year for everyone!

Today

Today a bunch of people I really like left for Kansas City for the One Thing Conference. I'm so excited for everyone who got to go! May the Lord bless your trip and would He reveal His glory to everyone at the conference. It wouldn't be completely honest of me if I didn't say that I am a little sad that I couldn't go. I so want to be afloat in the sea of thousands of young adults praising the Most Holy. I'm trying not to be too sad. Jesus, I invite you here.

Today I had another Christmas gathering. I love my mom's family! They're hilarious. These are my cousins doing a Napoleon rendition. It was flippin' hilarious!



This was our little "talent show" that we did for our grandma.

Today was one of the most sentimental, beautiful and sad gatherings I've ever been to. My grandmother had a stroke a few years ago and her health seems to be declining. Before we started our "program" (talent show, hugs, Christmas blessings, games, etc), she wanted to say a few words...she began by saying how grateful she was for her family. Then she started to cry. Then my uncles started crying. Then my mom started crying. Then I started crying. I think everyone knows that this may be her last Christmas with us. It was so sad, yet so beautiful to be able to treasure this Christmas with her. I do regret not having a deeper relationship with her. I do wish that I was closer to her. But, I am sooo thankful for who she is and all that she has done for her family! And I'm very thankful to have been able to spend this Christmas with her.

Jesus I ask that you would bring your comfort, hope, strength and love to my family! I thank you that you lovingly know the number of days that my grandma has left on this earth. I pray that you would be with her children, grandchildren and friends. Draw near to her and give her peace. Amen.

Today is now over for me. It's time that I sleep.

I heart parties!

On Wednesday a bunch of people came over to 521 and we had a "hello Cam!" and "happy be-lated birthday Christina, Jac and Jason" PARTY!!! It was awesome! I love celebrations!


Hello Cam!




The boys and Barb are hanging out in the living room....while the ladies, Nate and J dance the night away! (we need to have a 'dance off' sometime soon!)









It was an awesome time seeing all of you! Happy return for the holidays, Cam! Happy be-lated birthdays Christina, Jason and Jac! Thanks everyone for coming!

Tonight I'm going to job shadow my sister! I get to "work" on L&D!! I'm praying, praying, praying that a little baby in Winnipeg wants to and will be born tonight! oh yea, I'm also working my nightshift with her! Yea for bonding time in the middle of the night with my sister and hopefully seeing the miracle of birth! I'm soo excited!

Have a very Merry Christmas everyone!
Thank you Jesus for this incredible gift of life that you have given to humanity. I pray that you'll open our eyes to the truth of this season! Thank you Jesus for choosing to become a man, to die for us, that we may live. I love you, Jesus!

Giving = the gift of the season!

Yesterday a bunch of people from work and I went and delivered Christmas Hamper's. It was such a blessing to be a part of all the giving. We started off the evening by meeting at Extra Foods down Notre Dame and we shopped till our carts were brimming with food. Then we packaged it all up into boxes and separated the items and presents as per the families and then began the adventure of finding their apartments.

I did not know that Balmoral was a crazy street. It ends, starts again, gets cut off, turns, starts again and the process is repeated. Balmoral is like a street gone bad! Anyway, we ended up finding the apartment and delivered the hamper to our first family. They were appreciative and we headed off to deliver our second hamper.

This next apartment complex was eerie and beautiful. The staircase and moldings were beautiful in colour and form but there was something eerie about it. It could have had something to do with the fact that my boss and one of my co-workers got eaten by the elevator.

When the elevator door opened the mother was standing their to greet us with a huge smile on her face. We brought the groceries and gifts inside and placed them in their living room because their kitchen was way too tiny to fit it all in.

One of my co-workers bent down to shake the 3 year old boys hand and he puckered up to kiss her! He gave her a huge hug! It was the sweetest thing in the world... my heart kinda got left in downtown Winnipeg.

After all the hampers were delivered the group of us headed out for supper. We decided that we didn't want to just deliver these hampers and never go back again. So....we're going back! Hopefully at Easter to deliver another hamper. (If this works with the family)

It was sooo cool to be giving gifts and blessing those less fortunate, even complete strangers, with food and kindness along side my co-workers!!

I want this to be an every day occurrence. I want to live out of this place of generosity and compassion. My heart feels so alive when I give. Why don't I do it more?!?

coming to a close...

this was a good weekend.
my roomie taught me how to post pics and size 'em, etc.

here's one taken in my room:


This is another busy week ahead. Girl's day, delivering hampers, parties, housegroup, good times!!!

Today I had breakfast with my friend, Maria. It was awesome! I rarely get to see her so it was nice to catch up!

We had Encounter God tonight. Man, as much as I'm nervous, not confident, etc. about singing...well, don't tell anyone....but I do enjoy it a lot! There's something about singing to Jesus that is just so freeing, so beautiful. I was born to give Him praise.

The end.
& goodnight.

phew

[wipes forehead, sits down, kicks her feet up and sighs]

I woke up this morning and decided it was time to "officially" move in - It was time to clean. So I've been cleaning since 11 am. It's now 9:43 pm. I took about a half hour break to eat but besides that I've been working like an addict all day. Now it feels sooo good to sit back, type this post and know that I will (hopefully) be showering and going to bed within the next hour or so.

This morning started off with a simple move of the refrigerator. Then out came the broom, two wash clothes (one for the walls, one for the floor) and the vacuum cleaner. Then I moved the stove. Then the stove "bit" me and I bled for a while. Then I washed, cleaned, moved, vaccumed, rinsed and repeated for the next 10.5 hours or so. It's official, I'm crazy!!! Now I'm ready to call this home. Home. My mess, my crap , my home.

This place smells and looks amazing!!

just figuring it out...

This is my first post on my new laptop. I'm quite excited : )
I never thought I was going to like technology. Right now, it's favourable in my eyes. However, I just tried to post a picture but it was WAY too big for my blog and I don't know how to fix it...I'm so bad at all this computer stuff. [Ren is my hero]

I'm home alone tonight. This is much needed. I've been exhausted over the last few days. Time to rest my body and spirit. God is so good. He's so gracious to me.
Jesus, come and meet me tonight.

I pray...

I pray thee, give me a moments time and I will show you a Masterpiece.

Your name, your name - it is written on My heart. You are My desire. You want to know My affections for you? You want to feel My heartbeat? Listen. Be Still and Know. Taste and See. I am good. I am for you.

I pray thee, give me a moments time and I will show you My Masterpiece.

I will show you My heart.

The Festivities Have Begun

Yesterday I celebrated Christmas with my mom, Shaun, Kristi and Shane. It was awesome! We ate great food, read the Christmas story, and had a communal nap in the living room! It was so funny! There we were: My mom and I were on one couch, Kristi and Shane were on the other, and my brother was on the floor. I do have pictures buy I don't have a computer to put them on...yet! I'm buying a laptop. Woo whoo! I'll see if I can post some pics then.

Anyway, we had all decided that we were not going to give each other gifts this year. Instead, we were going to spend a bonding weekend together in a hotel in Wpg. in March. This was a family tradition, so to speak, when we were kids. Aww...good times! So we went to our mom's house not expecting anything and she ended up dragging three amazing quilts out of her room! They are beautiful!! There's a woman named Gramma Grace who makes these amazing quilts and she has been such a blessing to my family and our foster kids. Jesus, bless Gramma Grace! Needless to say, the unexpected gifts of these gorgeous quilts was definitely a blessing. Thank you, Mom!!

I love my family! I love Jesus! What a better way to spend Christmas then having a nap cuddled in new quilts with your family?!?!?

One gathering down, three to go.

my 2 cents for the day.

Do you think there's some kinda connection that, as far as we know, the only gifts that were given to baby Jesus on the day that He was born were from Wise Men????

Christmas is a lovely time for celebration and giving, but it's not a time for foolish spending. I can't believe that so many people go into debt during Christmas time.

That sounds harsh but instead of going and spending mega money on presents, why not just spend a little (or a lot, really) TIME and LOVE with family and friends?!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTINA!!!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY AWESOME FRIEND, CHRISTINA! I hope that your day is filled with fun, laughter, good memories and good times! I pray that this 23rd year of your life is the best so far, with many more to come! I pray that God will reveal Himself to you more and more and that you would fall even more in love with Him! I love you my friend! Thank you for all the many amazing memories!

Me Move-d and love-d

Yeah. I'm moved. Now I can finally stop posting about moving, wanting to move, frustration with not knowing where to move, and the anticipation of moving. I'm hopefully done talking about moving for a while. moving. no more moving. ok. i'm done. Ahhhh [sigh of relief]

I walked to work today. I feel healthier already ; )

Thank you M & R for letting me live with you! I really appreciate all that you've done for me, opening up your house to me and your friendship in general! You guys are awesome - THANK YOU! I'm excited to get to know all of my new roomies!!! It's so weird where life takes you sometimes...I thought for sure I'd be off on some kinda missionary adventure by now. But nope. God has different plans for me - I'm totally working on giving God my life. Literally. I don't want to go anywhere or do anything without....can you guess???....His "YES"!!! It's a good thing.

Anyway... Happy December! Only 20 more days till Christmas!

update

Tonight is my Christmas work party. We're going to a nice restaurant, eating good food, spending time with co-workers, drinking lots of virgin marguerita's, ordering dessert and doing a gift exchange. I think it shall be lovely.

Tomorrow afternoon my dad and brother are coming out to help me move. (Nathan's helping me too - Thank you!) MOVING DAY!! I'm going to miss my awesome friends and roomies in good old St. Norbert, but it will be sooo much easier living inside the city limits : )

Sunday my aunt and uncle from BC are coming out. They are wonderful, rich, God-loving and did I say that they're wonderful!?!

Isaiah 62 - "...till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch...as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you...They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted."