New Ideas

So I've been thinking about my blog lately, which I guess is a good thing! I had a new idea for it, because creating that title banner was a lot of fun, and I actually ended up with a few different ones in the process... So I decided that I will try to change that banner every month, perhaps with a monthly theme, or perhaps just one I like at the time. We'll see... It will help me with my design skills though, so that's a good thing!

My other idea was to do with my newfound love of photography. I want to post a weekly favourite photo (or two), so that I actually get out and shoot pictures every week. I can't promise the quality, but again, it will help me build skills! I might try to do this on Sunday for the week previous. (Which basically means I don't have a picture picked out right this moment, but I will find one tomorrow...)

New layout

Ok so I'm just playing around a bit here, as you can tell... this may change, it may stay. Not really sure yet.

I'm home sick today so I just decided to play around with some photoshop stuff. :)

As promised...

Ok I promised Joanne I would post something more happy than my previous post. So here I am. Unfortunately I'm super tired and want to read my new book (Breaking Dawn, the last of the 4 books in the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer - Twilight will soon be a movie!) so this post won't be the longest ever.

But things ARE happy! Busy, loving work... Looking into moving closer. That either means buying a place or renting. But please pray that we are able to buy, we have been out with a realtor a couple times, and would prefer to buy, but it's all going to come down to the CMHC making the final YES/NO decision. Please pray that it's a yes. ... but if it's a no, pray we can find something suitable to rent while we save.

I recently got into photography! I bought myself a Canon Rebel XTi, and I LOVE taking pictures. I'm soaking up as much information as possible, and looking into pursuing this as a side career. I'm also hoping to re-vamp my blog in the near future... Probably a lot of the reason I don't come on here often. I don't love the look anymore, I need a change. So anyways, off I go to my book, and I will try to update more as I can. :)

Here, I'll leave you with a picture:

I've been playing with Photoshop... I took this picture of my sister at Adstock in Maple Ridge last month. :) Just playing around, but I thought it was cool, and she ADORES anything to do with Nightmare before Christmas.

I really don't blog enough hey? I bet no one reads this anyways.

Today was a sad day. A friend is gone, and the only word that goes through my head is "Why?" ... it doesn't make sense, but as Jason said, not everything is supposed to make sense.

Just yesterday we had a conversation about telling others about Jesus. About our fears, our reservations, our insecurities.

How poignant that message now is, with a friend gone. A friend we might have been more open with if we had known how little time we'd have. My prayer is that he might have heard it somewhere along the way and held it deep in his heart somewhere.

What's this? A post?

Right. So I have this blog that I never update.

Too bad I'm now too addicted to the O.C. to post something of worth.

Just kidding, I'll take a little break between episodes on this Friday evening spent converting my husband from OC-basher to OC fan. I think I'm about halfway. We've watched at least 4 episodes tonight, and he only complains when something sad or deep is happening. I think he's as much a fan of Seth aka Adam Brody as I am. I'm pretty sure if it weren't for him, he would've been YouTubing long ago.

So aside for my recent addiction to the OC, I've also become strangely preoccupied with Sudoku. I don't know, something about counting to 9 over and over again seems so lame, but it's kind of satisfying when you find a number that fits and things fall into place.

Christmas was great, busy, you know. It's hard to post an update when you haven't written in months. But here's the point form:
-Moved back home.
-Fleas had already moved in.
-Didn't love the new job.
-Got a new job.
-Got a new place.
-It doesn't have fleas. But it does have a dishwasher. And a fireplace. And free internet and cable. Score!
-Got a haircut. It's inverted.
-Got glasses. I can see.
-Saw (with said glasses and sweet seats) the SPICE GIRLS. A moment in history never to be forgotten.
-Love my new job. Like, get-up-in-the-morning-and-don't-mind-going-to-work kind of love.
-Took the ol' Suzie Sidekick off the road. She'll be getting fixed up soon and sold. We carpool now.
-Christmas came and went so fast I'm still debating as to whether I was there or not.

And now I'm here, looking back on 2007, which was crazier even than 2006 - if that's possible. And looking forward to 2008 with more hope and joy than ever. It's been a tumultuous journey this past year but one that has caused more spiritual and mental growth than ever before. I can't wait to see where God takes us all next. Happy New Year!

A Note

I'm here.

I'm alive.

I'm not blogging much.

I wish I was.

I also wish I had the internet at home to make said blogging easier.

Maybe this weekend.

Happy Fall!

Have you missed us??

So my last post I was thinking of all our ups and downs and crazy adventures God's taken us on... well we're about to embark on another one. Here it is people, all official:


WE ARE MOVING BACK.


Yes, that's right. 4 months later, after unpacking my closet (finally), I have to re-pack it and move back. Don't get me wrong people, I'm quite happy to do so. Basically J's job was not working out (not sure if I wrote about that or not) but for the last 2 months he's been looking for engineering jobs. There's been nothing. No calls. No openings. Rejecting at every turn. So we decided just to check out the listings for the lower mainland. And there were pages upon PAGES of advertisments for exactly what he's qualified for. It only makes sense.... there's nothing holding us here in Kamloops, the housing market was super cheap when we first were looking into moving here, but from then until now it has boomed insanely and now is really close to the same as Maple Ridge, etc.

All I know, is I am SOOOOOO EXCITED because I've missed everyone like crazy. I hate being homesick. In a way I'm disappointed things didn't work out for us up here, but in another way I'm glad we still took that leap of faith, and gave it a shot anyways. And very glad to come home.

So now it gets crazy. We have to find someone to complete our lease (until December), find a place in Pitt Meadows or Maple Ridge to rent (2 bedrooms - if anyone hears of anything, pleeeease let us know!!) and both of us find jobs. Mine at least isn't too hard to find something... J's applied to a ton so far, so please keep him in your prayers!!

LIFE IS CRAZY!!!!!

A Year Ago Today...

...I said "Forever" to the man of my dreams. I can't believe it's been a year already... it's been a year of ups and downs, of learning, but most of all discovering how amazing God is, and growing in Him. He's taken us through a lot, and through it all we've had to learn to lean on each other and our faith.

I'm excited for the next year together, and then many more after that!

A whole lot of Nothing.

Planned Nothingness so far has been awesome... we've just been hanging out and taking life as it comes. Friday night we went to watch a friend play soccer, and unfortunately hurt his ankle in the process. Afterwards we went to a restaurant for 2 for 1 appies. We had a smorgasbord of food between J and I... I ordered spring rolls and garlic ribs, and J ordered Shrimp and Crab Kisses (mushrooms stuffed with cheese, shrimp, and crab, and seasoning of some sort) and Sweet Thai Chili wings. My favourites were the Shrimp and Crab kisses and the garlic ribs. So tasty!

Yesterday we took a drive up to Barriere... We drove up one road until it turned into a dirt road, and then took the McClure ferry across the river. If any of you have been to Belize, this ferry is like a slightly more high tech version of the Belize ferry on cables that you wind across. This one has a small motor, but it too is on a cable to guide it across. It fits 2 cars. That's it. You drive down a dirt hill, over some wooden planks onto the small wooden dock and onto the boat. It makes Albion look positively glamorous. Good times!
Barriere is a really small little town, about 35 minutes north of Kamloops. We just wanted to check out some houses up there, although I don't really want to live out of town. Anyways, you really realize how big that fire was a few years back... The hillsides are all still black, I can't imagine what it was like when fire was ripping through those forests. It would've been very scary.

Today we didn't do a lot... We went to a church service, which unfortunately today was a little disappointing. The music wasn't nearly as good as it has been in the past, but at least the sermon was pretty good. I ended up having a nap in the afternoon, I was really tired for some reason. Then we had a couple friends over for whiskey and mountain bike videos. Ok, so I didn't actually have any whiskey, I made a couple pina coladas for me and the other girl that was there.

Jason and Andrew getting ready to drink straight whiskey

Post-whiskey faces

Our girlie drinks

Our post-pina colada tasting faces. Note the happiness.

And now I shall go to bed, and sleep in, and have a fantastic day, and GET PAID FOR IT! I love holidays. :)

Happy August!

Ok, so July was a slack-off month but this month I'll try to be better. We are booked almost solid every weekend from now until September... This coming weekend however, is planned Nothingness. We considered making plans because it's the long weekend but decided to just chillax around Kamloops and get some stuff done. I like that idea. 3 days of sleeping in, and just hanging out sounds fantastic to me!!

Today was a nice day, pretty warm as usual... about 34 degrees today, so not as hot as it has been but still hot enough... I was a little depressed as I was supposed to be in Vancouver tonight for a concert but opted not to go to save some money. A wise choice, but depressing nonetheless.

J is applying for engineering-type jobs, which is pretty stressful... He needs to find something this month ... his current job has him on with the expectation that he's going back to school in September. So either way, he's done at the end of the month. Please keep us in your prayers that he can find something asap and we can just get settled...

I'm off to bed, hope you all have a fine Thursday! :)