one fine day

We had the warmest weather of the season on Saturday (over +21 degrees!!) so Jon and I spent the day in White Rock, enjoying the incredible sunshine. We met up with our friend Tyler and had an awesome afternoon of walking along the beach, eating delicious gelato and just enjoying the glorious day.

This picture of Jon was taken at the end of Tyler's driveway in White Rock. He's got a great view of the water from his front window...

Ocean view

Goofing off, as usual...

Although the gelato didn't quite compare with the gelato we had in Italy last summer, it was still a deliciously refreshing treat on such a warm day :)

The best part of summer's near arrival...
wearing flip flops!!

After an afternoon in the sun, we headed into Vancouver to meet our wonderful friends, Danny & Hailey, for dinner at a great little restaurant called Red Door. They serve amazing Pan Asian grill and the atmosphere is great too so if you live in the area and want a fun new place to eat, check it out. It was well worth it!

We had our "dessert" at an incredible place in Yaletown called ChocoatL. DELICIOUS!!! I had a "Vanuatu Hot Chocolate" and it was literally like drinking pure chocolate. SO good. Another place I would HIGHLY recommend :)

The rest of the evening was spent walking at the waterfront near Yaletown. We definitely got our exercise on Saturday but who could resist with such beautiful weather. I'm so glad we got to enjoy both sunshine and time spent with great friends!

... And now I'm off to my sister's bridal shower. I can hardly believe her big day is only 2 weeks away!! Time is just flying by. Let's hope they have weather like we had this Saturday... it certainly would make for an absolutely perfect day.

If you say go...

I've had a lot on my mind lately. Last Sunday I led a song in church that has got me doing a lot of thinking.

Trust. What does it mean to really trust? Do I fully trust His plan? Do my actions reflect this trust, and are they a testimony of His grace in my life? These are things I continue to wrestle with.

I had an incredible opportunity to share my faith at work this week and have felt so blessed by God's grace in this situation. It can be scary to profess our faith in the workplace at times, and though I had moments of doubt on how to do so, God managed to bring about the opportunity in a completely relaxed and unexpected way. The conversation came so easily... His plan becoming more and more clear to me.

It has moved me to tears, the way His hand has been on my life, specifically this week. I've realized that He calls me to go, and I need to do just that. Even when it does feel a bit scary, His love for me is so deep and He will guide and direct, as long as I follow.

I've been praying that He would continue to use me as a light in the workplace and that more opportunities would come as I open my heart to following His call.

I've written out the lyrics to the song I sang last Sunday and if you click here, you can hear a beautiful version of it, done by Rita Springer.

If you say go, we will go

If you say wait, we will wait

If you say step out on the water

And they say it can't be done

We'll fix our eyes on you and we will come

Your ways, are higher than our ways

And the plans that you have laid are good and true

If you call us to the fire

You will not withdraw your hand

We'll gaze into the flames and look for you

If you say go, we will go

If you say wait, we will wait

If you say step out on the water

And they say it can't be done

We'll fix our eyes on you and we will come.

Not exactly Picaso, but it'll do...

I finally finished the painting I have been working on for our master bedroom. Its pretty basic but I'm happy with how it turned out. I actually got the idea from an IKEA napkin :) Jon also had a little "project" going... a set of nightstands (we have mismatched ones right now and its been driving me crazy!). He did such a great job on them, so once everything is in its place, I'll post pictures of our complete bedroom. Stay tuned...

busy as a bee...

Not sure how the rest of you feel, but life just seems to be passing by at warp speed these days. I can't believe we're almost into April already. Yikes!

I suppose part of the reason life feels as though its flying by is due to being back at work full time again. I leave the house at 7:20am and don't get home until after 5:00pm, so it doesn't leave much time for other things. But for those that have been wondering about me, work is going really well. I'm just blown away at how God has orchestrated everything and how quickly I've adjusted and felt comfortable in my new position. I'm really enjoying it and love everyone I work with! I'm actually starting to feel really sad that Tara will be leaving for mat leave soon. I absolutely love working with her and its going to get pretty lonely without her :) But I guess I can't complain because if it wasn't for the baby coming, I wouldn't even have this job :) Nonetheless, work is going great!

The month of April is going to be a busy one for us, and everything that's coming up is fun and exciting so hopefully I'll have more to post about in the days to come. Here are just a few of the big countdowns I've started:

20 days 'til Mom G's birthday

22 days 'til my best friend Jen comes home for a visit

27 days 'til Craig & Jen arrive for the wedding

28 days 'til Tara's due date (therefore leaving me

"on my own" at work)

29 days 'til Viv & Rich's wedding day

Definitely all great stuff to countdown to but it also means life will be passing by at an even faster rate. Just hope we're able to take it all in and enjoy every minute while we can.

Well, I better get back to work :) Hope you're all doing well and enjoying life no matter what the pace...

easter adventures...

We spent Good Friday at the farm and after eating a delicious brunch, we spent most of the afternoon looking for easter treats. So much fun, especially watching Ava & Konrad discover their hidden goodies...

(You'll have to excuse all the noise in this video... it was a little windy.)

I absolutely LOVE this video of Konrad. It is such a good reminder of how quickly he is growing up. I can't believe what a big boy he is already...

Goofy faces...
Cheeeeeeese!!
Konrad and the girls, just hanging out, waiting for dinner...
All in all, we had a great day of eating, hunting for treats, playing games, laughing, more eating and more laughing :) And although I know it sounds cheesy, we definitely had a "good friday!" Hope you're all enjoying your Easter weekend too!

friday night ramblings with Ava...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday day trip to Bellingham...

For some reason, Jon thinks that each and every photo is a chance to make yet another ridiculous face. One of these days I'm going to get him to co-operate and smile like everyone else. :)

The weather was beautiful once we got to Bellingham but we opted not to head down to Deception Pass after all. We decided we'd wait until Hailey & Danny can join us.

Peace Arch at the White Rock border crossing...

We had to make a stop in Surrey on the way home so we took the Peach Arch crossing rather than the usual Sumas one. Its definitely a lot more beautiful! Especially on a gorgeous sunny day like Saturday...

sunny days...

It was a little tough being at work today. I would have rather been here...
... especially now that I'm working in Abbotsford. I love Mill Lake and today would have been the PERFECT day to go for a walk. The sunshine was incredible and I wish I could have skipped work to enjoy its warmth instead. These sunny days really make it feel as though spring is rearing its head and I couldn't be more happy about it.

I love the growth and beauty that spring brings. A newness of life. Plus, the warmer temperatures and days of sunshine make almost any day feel good. Ahhhh...

I sure hope this weather lasts until the weekend. Jon and I are thinking of taking a trip to Bellingham on Saturday and would LOVE to venture on to Deception's Pass, but we'll only get to do it if the weather co-operates. Here's hoping...

such beauty

"Your promise revives me;
it comforts me in all my troubles."
Psalm 119:50

Monday night's sunset was enough to take my breath away. What an incredibly creative God we have. His beauty is beyond our comprehension.

"Send out your light and your truth;
let them guide me. Let them lead me to your
holy mountain, to the place where you live."
Psalm 43:3

the weekend

We've had the most incredible weather all week and thankfully, it held out for the weekend as well. The temperature on Saturday was sunny and +15 ... considering its still February, I can't complain about that! I'm really hoping that its going to stay because my flip flops are looking awfully tempting right now :)
We had a really wonderful weekend. Saturday was spent painting baseboards and closet doors for Susanne's condo. It was a lot of work but we managed to get it all done. We even fit in a quick 2 for 1 sundae run from DQ! Nothing like ice-cream to reward a hard day's work! Once we finished with the painting, we all met at Erich & Naomi's for a BBQ supper (it was our 4th bbq supper this week... Jon and I bbq'ed 3 other nights at our place... gives you a pretty good idea of how beautiful the weather has been!) The food was delicious and it was really fun to have some time with all the siblings and of course, our very adorable niece & nephew!


After dinner, the girls decided it would be fun to watch a chick-flick together so we hopped in the van and headed over to the video store. Ava came across this Shrek cut-out and was quite intrigued by it. We told her to stand beside it for a picture... look at how she stood so politely with her hands folded behind her back... too cute!!

She didn't seem quite as eager when we told her to give the donkey a kiss :) Today was such a relaxing day. I sang on worship team this morning at church and then we had a delicious lunch at my parents' place. After that it was back to our place for a Sunday afternoon nap... definitely one of my favorite things about the weekend :) But now its time to prepare for another week of work. Things are still going great at my new job and I'm feeling more and more comfortable each day. Thanks to all of you that have been praying for me and this new transition into a new job!

Welp... have a great week everyone and to all you Lower Mainlander's... enjoy the sunshine!!

Day one...

Even though my day started MUCH earlier than I would have liked, I am happy to say that my first day of work went really well. They've officially hired me now, so I guess I must have done something right :) The morning felt like a bit of 'information overload,' but by the afternoon, I was feeling much more confident in my new role and am optimistic that this will be a great job. The girl who is training me (and who I'll be filling in for) is really nice and was extremely patient with me as I asked a million and one questions. She'll be going on mat leave eventually but we'll be working together for at least another month or so. She's only a year and half older than me and got married the week before me--- we've discovered we have quite a bit in common so I think working together will be just fine. Other than her, its ALL men in the work place. Should be a piece of cake :) I'm glad I made it through the first day and was able to come away feeling good about everything. And now its time for me to get to bed. I'm going to need my beauty sleep now that my mornings will be starting almost an hour and a half earlier than they used to! Sweet dreams everyone...

Work can be a wonderful thing...

I'm totally amazed at God's provision right now and thought I should share the good news with all of you.  It looks like I've finally found a job, and a good one at that.  As I've mentioned in previous posts, I have been feeling the desire to branch out and do something different for a while.  And although this feeling has remained throughout my time off, the thought of doing something completely out of my comfort zone has been scary too.  I do want to discover other talents and gifts, and yet, I also want to be confident in my work and not be doubting myself every single second.  Thus, I get to the part about God's provision.   

I mentioned in my last post that I had a lead with a company in Abbotsford.  When I posted that information, I had only dropped off a resume and filled in an application.  I hadn't had a formal interview, though they did kind of do a mini interview at the time of application.  So when I wrote that I had a good prospect, it was literally ONLY a prospect.  Nothing was set in stone.  

Well... the very next day I got a call asking me to come in for an interview on Wednesday.  Of course, I eagerly agreed and began praying that if this was the job God wanted me to have, the interview would go well and I would feel at peace about it.  

The interview went exceptionally well.  In fact, it wasn't even really an interview but more of a time of explaining what I WOULD be doing when I started.  They haven't "officially" hired me yet, as they want me to do a 'trial day' on Monday (just to see how capable I am and how well I work with their staff, etc...) but from what I gathered, they didn't seem to think there was going to be any issue.  Thankfully, I feel the same way.  So as long as everything goes well on Monday, I will finally be employed again!  And here's the final provision tidbit :)  

I'll be working as the receptionist for a kitchen cabinet company.  Therefore, its different from what I was doing at the interior design firm, and yet, it will still be somewhat familiar.  They have talked about getting me to consult with clients about choosing colors, cabinet styles, countertops, etc... and it sounds like I'll even have the chance to do a bit of cabinet design eventually.  I love administrative type work so the receptionist aspect is really appealing to me, and its just the icing on the cake to know that my design experience won't be going to waste. Another great thing is that it will be full time (40hrs/week) and will only be Monday to Friday--- no weekends!  The only negative is that I'll have to commute seeing as its on the far west side of Abbotsford, but considering all the pros, its not that big of a deal.  

So thank you to everyone who has been praying for me.  This month off has been a wonderful time of relaxation, rejuvenation and contemplation of what to do next.  I've felt God's hand on this situation in BIG ways and I know its because of all of your prayers.  His provision of this job couldn't have come at a better time and I just pray that I will be a good fit in this new work environment.     

This, that and the Burger Queen...

I'm just waiting for supper to cook (trying a new recipe for Hawaiian Pork Chops... hopefully they'll taste good!) and thought I should probably give an update. Unfortunately, there's not much to report. Well, nothing exciting anyway. I've realized that a) I haven't taken many pictures over the last few months, therefore leaving my posts somewhat uninteresting, and b) life is a little boring now that I'm not working full time, therefore leaving me with very few stories to share. But I still feel I should be posting for those that get sick of looking at the same stagnant post, time and time again.

Jon's basketball season is a week away from being over. The thought of that is relieving and yet quite sad at the same time. I think we've both grown really attached to this group of guys and it will be weird not to see them every week anymore. I'm excited that Jon's schedule will be a lot more accommodating for other things but it will also be tough to have to say good-bye to these guys. Its been a really great season. In fact, I feel as if I've taken on the role of "basketball mom" having been at almost every game and many of their practices. I feel like these are my kids! :) Nonetheless, the end is in sight. But we did get a little extra time with them after the game on Saturday night. They surprised us by saying that they wanted to take Jon and I out for dinner as a thank-you. Not all of the guys could make it but those that could, met us at one of our favorite restaurants, The WildCat Grill, and had an awesome night of laughter and "bonding." They paid for our meal and even got one of the guys to sneak away to tell the waitress that it was Jon's birthday (not true but very funny). He got a free dessert, complete with a candle on top and a rousing song of Happy Birthday :) We all had a good laugh. The whole evening was a nice surprise and presented a great opportunity to get to know the guys just a bit better, outside of basketball.

I still haven't found a job but haven't given up yet. I really only starting looking at the very end of January/beginning of February, so I'm not too worried at this point. I think I might have a pretty good prospect with a company in Abbotsford but will know for sure by this Wednesday. They said they have to make a decision by then, so I'm praying that I'll be getting a phone call in the next day or two. But I've also come to the realization that if it doesn't work out, then its not where God wants me and I'm OK with that. I want very much to trust His plan and so I know that His opening & closing of doors is His way of getting me to where I need to be. I'll definitely keep you posted.

Other than that, I don't really have much to say. I do have a couple of pictures of the kids from Friday night so I'll leave you with those. We met Jon's family for supper at Burger King after his bball game and the kids were just as cute as always. I think Ava thought she was the next "Burger Queen." :)

Sense of Accomplishment

I got a very nice piece of mail yesterday...
And the best part is that it didn't come alone. I had the affirmation of knowing that all of my hard work had paid off...
Still not sure what I'm going to do in the way of work right now, but it still feels pretty great to have accomplished this. Finally.

Happy Birthday!

Just want to wish my wonderful brother Craig, a very Happy Birthday!

Craig--- Wish we could be there to celebrate with you today! But know that our thoughts and prayers are with you and we hope that this will be a really great year for you! And guess what... its only another 78 days til we get to see you :) Love you, miss you & can't wait to see you!! Happy Birthday!

what a night...

... an adventure to say the least. Jon's team was supposed to have a game tonight at 8:15, and from what I assumed, Jon would be coaching at this game. But when he got home from work shortly after 6:00, it was very apparent that this would not be the case. He had developed a severe migraine and hadn't even made it home without having to pull over to throw up at the side of the road. At first I didn't think too much of it. He gets migraines every now and then, and usually, if he takes some Advil and rests in a dark room for a while, he's able to get over it relatively quickly. Not the case tonight.

As the clock ticked closer and closer to game time, it became very clear that he was in no shape to coach in a brightly lit, very loud and crowded gymnasium. So, it left only one option. I was going to have to step in. YIKES.

Now don't get me wrong. I know basketball well and have played and coached over the years, but nonetheless, my heart was still pounding at the thought of having to lead this team of teenage boys (I'd much rather stick to volleyball when it comes to coaching). Jon quickly muttered the few words of advice he could fit in amongst his heaving, and the rest was up to me. So off I went.

I got to the gym just in time to see the last few minutes of warm-up and spent a few minutes trying to gather my very scattered thoughts. Thankfully I have been to almost every game/tournament of the season, so the guys know me, but it didn't take away from the fact that tonight I couldn't just yell from the stands. And let me tell you... my respect for Jon has deepened immensely after tonight. I had forgotten just how tough coaching can be. Especially at AAA Sr. Boys level. It seemed like the quarters just FLEW by and every time I called a timeout with a million things to say, I would almost completely blank as soon as the guys huddled around me! They were very patient with me and when I seemed to be stumped, someone would pipe up with some helpful feedback or suggestion (did I mention that Jon's got a great team of guys!!)

So anyway... we did end up losing but they played their hearts out and I was really proud of the way they handled themselves. The game was against their biggest rival, Chilliwack Sr., which always seems to make it just that much tougher to swallow . But in spite of it all, they pulled together as much as they could and gave it their best shot. I felt bad for them, having been stuck with me, but hey, what can you do? :) When I apologized to them at the end of the game, they just told me that I had done a good job and that they appreciated me coming and filling in. Now how cool is that? Again I say, a solid bunch of guys :)

Tomorrow night's game is in Abbotsford and all I can say is, Jon better be feeling better by then. I'd like to leave the coaching up to him. I perform much better from the stands :) ...

from sunrise to... snowstorm??

Early Saturday morning sunrise on the way to Jon's basketball tournament last weekend. (The picture just doesn't do it justice. The colours were incredible!)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oh, and could I please get a little clarification!? Where exactly am I living? 'Cause this is the scene I woke up to this morning and the last time I checked, I moved away from Saskatchewan. What is this all about????

... the sick part is that it just keeps coming down! Where did all our sunshine go?

Life as I now know it...

Nearly two weeks have passed and I must say that God is working in my heart in big ways. I still have moments when the panic sets in and I fear that I won't be able to find work... or more importantly, find work that I will enjoy. But for the most part, I'm just feeling at ease with God's plans for me and trusting that He will provide, as He always seems to.

I've been trying to make the most of this week off. I'll admit that last week was a bit of a write-off due to fact that the shock and pain of losing something I loved so much, was still too much to wrap my head around. But this week has been infinitely better and I'm amazed at how much I've been able to enjoy this time to myself. I signed up for a membership at the Leisure Centre and have really enjoyed spending my mornings working out at the gym. Its been a great time for me to think about life and what's in store for the future, plus I'm getting in shape again, which feels awesome! I've always enjoyed exercising but always seemed "too busy" to make time for it. I'd forgotten how much I love to run, even if it is on a treadmill :) The other nice thing about my membership is that it allows me to get into the pool for free. So I'm going to take my nephew Konrad to the pool today. I think he's pretty excited about using his "water-wings" and the fact that he'll get a treat at Tim Horton's afterward :) It'll be fun to have some time, just the two of us, and I'm sure Naomi will enjoy some time with only one little one at home.

As for jobs, I've started to look but still haven't really found anything that grabs me. It doesn't help that I'm completely unsure of what exactly I want to do. All I know is that I definitely need to do something totally different for a while. As much as I've enjoyed design and may come back to it eventually, I'm just feeling like I need a good change in my life. Something completely unrelated if possible. I'd like to see what other areas God has gifted me in and give those things a try for a while. Let's just hope there are other giftings :)

So with that, I'm just going to keep looking for work and in the meanwhile, continue enjoying coffee dates with friends, lunches out, pool dates with Konrad, and lots of time to exercise and ponder what life's all about.

Maybe this isn't so bad after all... :)

Dazed & confused. What next?

I've spent a lot of time thinking about whether or not to post this but have come to the conclusion that its inevitably going to come out at some point, so I might as well get it over with now. I got absolutely terrible news on Monday. I lost my job at the design firm. Yup. Just like that. Its over. After putting in 2 years there and having JUST finished/mailed my course on Friday, by Monday, it all came to a crashing halt. I'm still in total shock and feel very confused as to how this could have happened, but having 2 days under my belt now to think about it, I'm slowly realizing that this really isn't a terrible nightmare, its actually my reality. Its kind of a long story and I won't go into all the details as its still pretty hard to even have to admit but to sum it up, she found someone more qualified and figured that the company needed to move in that direction. I'm trusting that God has something far greater in store for me, though its pretty hard to see what that could possibly be right now. This is what I have always wanted to do. My whole life. Since I was a little kid, I always knew I wanted to be in design. So to have worked SO hard to finish my correspondence and after thinking I would just stay with the firm until Jon and I decided to have kids, I feel totally blind-sided and utterly confused that this has happened so suddenly and without any real warning. So... with that, I would truly appreciate your prayers. I have some big decisions to make that I had hoped I would never have to make and its a little daunting to say the very least.

I do know God is in control of this. Even though I'm totally devastated, I have felt His peace in the fact that He knew this would happen, even before he "knit me together in my mother's womb." (Psalm 139:13) This isn't too big for Him to handle and I am trusting Him with my future. I also know that it was no coincidence that I opened my Bible to these words, when I got home on Monday after hearing the awful news. And amidst my tears and confusion, He touched my heart with peace through these words,

"My child, listen to me and treasure my instructions. Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight and understanding. Search for them as you would for lost money or hidden treasure. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of good sense to the godly. He is their shield, protecting those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of justice and protects those who are faithful to him." - Proverbs 2:1-8 -

Guess this New Year is going to be even more interesting than I had originally thought.

Happy Birthday Jen!

Jen... we love you and hope your day was wonderful!
We're blessed to have you as a sister and pray that this year holds
many great things & rich blessings for both you and Craig.
Love you & Miss you!!

Oh what a GLORIOUS feeling!!

This day has been long in coming but I am so thrilled to be able to say that I am officially DONE my Interior Design Course! It took me a lot longer than I had originally planned but the fact that I got my job at the design firm shortly after starting my course 2 years ago, has been the main excuse for not staying motivated. I have learned significantly more from my job and having the "hands-on" experience, than I ever would have learned in my course but I've still been determined to finish my schooling. I've hated having to tell people that I'm "still working on my schooling" when they ask about my job. Plus, the percentage of people that actually finish correspondence schooling is slim to none and I really didn't want to be added to that percentage. I hate having things hanging over my head and I knew that even though I probably didn't need to finish this course (seeing as I have the job already), I wouldn't be happy until I could say that I had completed it. I did the entire course by correspondence--- not an easy way to do schooling, even though it wasn't 'rocket science' material. Staying motivated was extremely tough. But I am actually done and its hard to believe that I can finally say that. A profoundly satisfying feeling. So now I just have to wait to get my marks and certification back. So far my marks have been great, so as long as all goes well, I may even graduate with 'honours' or possibly even 'distinction.' 'Twould be nice :)

Don't wait

This weekend has been refreshing. Refreshing in a different but much needed way. I have been blessed with many rich conversations and words of truth. I feel encouraged. Deeply, in fact. And I've been doing a lot of thinking over the last few days. Its a new year and the possibilities are endless. I have absolutely NO idea what this year will hold, and though that is scary at times, its also exciting to think of what God can and will do in my life. I want to make myself available to Him. To be willing to follow, no matter how hazy plans may feel and no matter how easy it is to make excuses not to. I want to be faithful.

I was doing some reading last night before bed and came across Romans 5:6-11,

" When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, no one is likely to die for a good person, though someone might be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's judgment. For since we were restored to friendship with God by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be delivered from eternal punishment by his life. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God-- all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in making us friends of God."

What incredible hope we have. We can be friends of God, even in spite of ourselves. In our helpless state, Christ comes through and loves us no matter what. Great, deep, overwhelming love.
This new year will indeed hold many things. And I know there will be tough times in amongst the good, but what I pray is that I will choose to be faithful. Even when its 'easier' not to be. Even when I can come up with a million and one reasons not to spend time with Him (none of which are ever valid). I want to choose to receive his grace, and then extend it to others. I want him to mold me into the person he wants me to be. One day at a time.

As I drove home from church today, these lyrics brought encouragement and inspiration to make this a good year, no matter what the circumstances may be. May He give me the grace to do so.

Don't Wait
Adie Camp

Lazy day
Just room enough for me to think
and pray about each new day
Draw me from my drowning
apathetic state

Stormy day
Just watch the rain
melt all my doubt away
Fire away the heated arrows
to my lukewarm state

Don't wait, don't wish away
Today is going to be the day He made
Don't waste, one day is all
that we've got to give and take

Bend and break my mind and heart
to feel the urgent need
To take all I see
and pour my life into eternity

And take it all today
And give everything
And take it all today

Lazy day
You're in everything that comes my way.