to My Mom

This post is dedicated to my mom, the most amazing woman I know. From as far back as my memories go, she has always been a rock in my life. From spanking me when I was little, no matter how much she hated it; to being strict about the movies I went to, the books I read, and the music I listened to; to her seemingly endless helpful advice, she has striven to bring me and the other kids up to be strong, God-fearing people. She has always sought to give me the best life possible, free from stupid mistakes and preventable regrets. She is always ready to listen and always willing to help. She is so forgiving and patient. I can yell and bitch and pout about her rules or her lectures (even though I appretiate them in the end- Mom is always right), but she will always show her love for me and continue to do what she knows is right, and she will always give me a hug in the end. She raised (and is still raising) six kids, showing care and attention to each one, and never really losing her temper. She not only gives advice, but she is also an example in the way she lives. She works to glorify God in everything she does.
In the past years she coached and played soccer, showing an athletic side and conpetitiveness along with her motherly skills. Not only is my mom a great mother, but she is also a great friend. She is great to talk to about anything and is a lot of fun to be around. I love just spending time with her.
In the past year my mom has shown incredible strength. With her lyme disease she went through great uncertaintity in the beginning and now great trials. She suffers from dizziness, tiredness, flawed vision, nubness, nausea, hyper-sensitive hearing, and more. She can't go through her day like she normally would. She can't work for long, play soccer, or read. She can't be in the kitchen with all the kids because the noise bothers her. She suffers from so much and yet I have never heard her complain. Not once. Often she doesn't even let on that she is feeling worse. She talks about how she knows God has a plan and he's giving her these trials for a reason. She smiles and tries her best to be cheerful even though she doesn't feel up to it. She truly is amazing.

Boo Boo Has Died

I'm realizing that I'm becoming a blogging nerd- updating my blog almost everyday. But hey, I have nothing else to do here at home away from everyone. At Redeemer there was always something to do, someone to visit, but here... well... I update my blog.
Anyways, I just have to announce the new low local news here in Lethbridge has reached. The "Lethbridge Herald" has always been a pathetic excuse for a newspaper, but now... If we Lethbridge folk all followed the Herald as the source for what are the most important events in the world, we would have some pretty sorry priorities. People are dying from the aids pandemic in Africa, war is going on in Afghanistan, I'm sure many other important things are happening around the world, but all the Herald can think to write about is a chicken dying in Arkansas! You heard me- a chicken! In Arkansas! Well sure, it was an exotic chicken and it was saved from drowning by mouth-to-beak resuscitation three months ago (how sweet), and it kindly laid 3 eggs before it died to carry on it's legacy, but come on!!! I almost died when I saw the title of the article- in the world section- "Revived Chicken lays eggs before dying". Then I read: "Boo Boo, the chicken who was revived after she was found floating beak down in the family pond in February, died recently..." Who names an animal Boo Boo anyway? Apparently she was named that because "she was easily frightened". People are dying around the world because of various natural catastrophes, sicknesses, and wars, and I have to read about a dead chicken named Boo Boo! And this is not just Lethbridge, people, Boo Boo's story was featured on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno and the "Animal Planet" network. What will come next?

Winter Pictures

I was looking through some of my mom's pictures and it struck me that I missed the winter here. It never hit me before, I never thought about it, just took it for granted, but ya, I was gone. At Christmas there was no snow, so I never saw the frost on our poplars. I never saw Levi and Sarah making snow men or playing in the drifts. I never saw the bright red barn contrasted with the pure white snow. I never saw the snowy feild. Weird. So anyways, here's some pretty pictures my mom took of the winter at my house.

A tribute to CS Lewis

I was looking for a quote by CS Lewis on the internet and I found a bunch of other good ones. He was a very wise man. So, here is my little "tribute" to CS Lewis:

"...people often say about [Jesus]: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic--on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg--or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."

"We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be."

"Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket--safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable."

"I believe in God like I believe in the sun, not because I can see it, but because of it all things are seen."

"No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good."

"You never know how much you really believe in anything until it's truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life or death to you.""

"There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, "All right, then, have it your way.""

"A God. The God. One word can make all the difference in the world"

"If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair."

"I have found a desire within myself that no experience in this world can satisfy; the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."

the Da Vinci Code

My minister said something interesting on Sunday. He talked about how Jesus is always in the news- you never have to go to a church or open a Bible, but here in the West, you will still hear about Jesus somehow. Take the Da Vinci Code for example, it has so much coverage. Even though it doesn't have the correct view of Jesus, it is still about this same controversial man who lived long ago. It will still plant questions, and it shows that this man Jesus did live. What Christians need to do is, not angrily protest and yell about this "blasphemy", but answer questions and lovingly counter the wrong views. Another interesting thing my minister said is that we need to pray for Dan Brown. We shouldn't scream and write hateful editorials, we shouldn't angrily bash Dan Brown and his ideas, but we should pray for him because he obviously doesn't know the truth of the gospel. He obviously doesn't know the power and awesome greatness of God's love and forgiveness.

Christine's Wedding

Christine got married on Saturday! I can't believe it! She looked so young (she is!)! I can just imagine what she is thinking- holy crap, I'm actually married!!!! She was so cute in her princess dress and huge smile. Kenny was cute too. I pray that they will have an awsome honeymoon and an awsome marriage once all the excitement wears off. It makes me jealous actually- I want to get married! It would be so exciting! That won't be happening any time soon. Too bad. Here's some pictures:



I really liked the bridesmaid's dresses.

Spring Blossoms

Reflections...

Haha, I just noticed that I spelt "Catching" Wrong on my last post. Ooooops, maybe I should change that. It's finally nice weather outside. It seemed like Southern Alberta didn't want me home, it was crappy weather ever since I left ontario. Broxburn Cafe was nice and busy today. Two of the cutest old ladies came in too. They just chatted away with me about everything, and were really friendly and funny. I love old people!

It seems like Redeemer was a dream. I've just settled into life here, it's kindof like I never left. Nothing's really changed here. Besides the fact that the kids are bigger, mom is sick, and we have a new little puppy running around, it's all how I left it. It so wierd, it's like I'm living 2 different lives. Here I have a different home, different house-mates, different friends to hang out with, different friends to e-mail and talk on MSN with (the friends have switched places- the ones I emailed before I hang out with and the ones I hung out with, I e-mail- wierd!), I have a job instead of school... Tim's the only thing that hasn't changed. Thankfully. If one life isn't exciting enough, just have 2 and try to juggle them! That will solve your problems.

Catching up on the blogging...

I started my new job on Wednesday! I'm working at Broxburn Cafe- a little cafe down my road, it's on a u-pick fruit and vegetable farm. I was a little hesitant to work there- it doesn't pay much, but I was told I would make a lot on tips- but who would go there? Who honestly drives out to the middle of nowhere to have lunch or a piece of pie? I mean, it is really cute, but seriously... But, it was quite busy today. I made about $20 on tips for working 5 hours with 2 other girls, and it's not even berry season and usually there will be only 2 of us. So, we'll see.

Guess what?!?! Meagan is taller than me! Now Josh is taller than me, Pieter is just a tiny bit shorter. Sarah is close. Levi is probably even almost as tall as me! (not quite, but almost) I think I'm going to be the shortest in my family. Weird after being the oldest and therefore tallest almost my whole life. It will be a whole new experience. I won't be able to boss the "little" kids around anymore though.

trip to the coulees

I went to the coulees behind my house with Sarah and Levi (and the dogs) yesterday. It was a lot of fun.










Here's the prairies for all you Ontarians- endless grass, no trees, and sky! Just huge, blue, clear sky. It's awsome!








one of the few spring flowers













look a tree! There's actually trees in the river bottom. This one's huge.

































Trying to catch minnows. The minnows were a little too fast.























The grass is still green! It won't be for long.

Home at Last

So, I'm home now. Well, I was since Friday afternoon, but this has taken a while. I said my goodbyes Friday morning at about 6:30, drove to the airport, flew for 4 hours on a long and uncomfortable flight, met my mom and Tim's mom at the airport, then drove home. I've had such mixed feelings, it was sad saying goodbye to everyone and knowing I wouldn't see them all for four months. But at the same time it didn't really feel like I was actually saying goodbye and leaving. And I was excited to see my family and friends back home. It's been nice being back. My family is great- a lot of fun. I think Levi has gotten weirder since I left though. But then again, he's always been a little strange. Peter's voice is lower, Sarah's looking more "womanly"... I've noticed how much i missed Meg too, she's so much fun to talk to. It's been different getting used to my mom being sick too. We have to be quiet around her and help her out more. She looks smaller too, and really thin. She's starting her antibiotics soon...


King is getting pretty big. He's so cute!!!! I kind of forgot about him before I came home. Him and Ace (our other dog) are really cuddly too, it's cute.






Peter was trying to teach him to come. It didn't work very well.







We got a new kitten! She's nice and cuddly too.









It was beautiful weather when I came home- really warm. So I hung out outside a bit and played with the dogs and played 21 with Pieter. Yesterday it was really rainy and cold. It even snowed for a bit. I saw Ashley Saturday and today, it was really nice to see her again. Today I went to Christine's Bridal shower. It was really exciting. Christine is so cute, and I know their marriage is what God wants them to do- they really have God in the center of their relationship. I'm really excited for their wedding!