My adventures

If this was a practical joke, you better fess up!

2009-06-24T16:46:00.002-04:00

So this afternoon, I came home after a very unadventurous day. Generally leaf pickers aren't the most enthralling. My regular routine is to take a shower and then take a nap, but today it was a bit more of an adventure.
I turned on my shower as usual, when I noticed something large and black in our garbage can, located between the shower and the toilet, in quite a tight spot I may add. The black blob took me off guard since Brent had just emptied the garbage the night before and I decided to take a closer look. I gingerly peered into the blue bucket and was confused by what I saw: Was it a toad? Wait, it looks like it has four tiny feet, but no tail, and it's really wide and flat....a bat?????? At this point, I was getting more and more frightened at my own thoughts. I decided that maybe I should get a flash light to shine some light on the situation but when I was about to turn on the tool another frightening thought came to mind: What if it is a bat and the light scares it and it flies out?! I quickly turned off the light and started to panic.
The first idea that came to my mind was to get a large box and cover the garbage can, take it out of the bathroom and leave it on the front porch for Brent to deal with. So I got the box and was about to put it on the garbage can, when I realized that the garbage can had to be lifted out of the tight spot to be moved. I started putting the box over the can, but accidentally bumped the bin and the head of the blob moved in a very quick and creepy way!!! like a BAT!!! My heart was beating a hundred miles a minute and I didn't know what to do! My water was still running, the bat had moved, the can is right by the door of the shower, the box is teetering over the can, but not enough to prevent the bat from escaping yet enough to block the door to my shower. There was no way I was going to shower with the bat in the room.
So, I quickly moved the box, turned off the shower, recovered the can, ran out of the room, closed the door behind me, and covered the crack of the door with a towel.....now what? There was still an hour before Brent came home and so I sat in my living room trying to distract myself from the thoughts, yet baffling at how in the world a bat got in my bathroom.
Brent came home abit early and my first words to him were, "You need to save me!" I told him the whole story, slightly embarrassed at my cowardly actions. As he was going into the bathroom, to "save me" he was like, "I'm going to take you seriously right now, but I may come out making fun of you.
So we went in with a box and closed the door behind him. I listened in fear and trepidation as he got the bat. At his signal, I opened the door, and he brought the monster outside and dumped it on the front lawn. Low and behold, it was a real, half-alive bat!! I told him he couldn't leave it on the front lawn and he had to move it. As he was moving it, the half dead rodent screeched and screamed at him, as I quivered on the porch. Into the bushes it went to die! Thank the Lord for my knight in shining armour! Boy I'm glad I'm married!

Now the question remains: HOW IN THE WORLD DID A BAT LAND IN MY BATHROOM GARBAGE CAN?!?! If this was a practical joke, you better fess up!!

Stay tuned for possible continuations of the bat adventures!

Do I Even Attempt to Revive This

2009-06-19T22:51:00.002-04:00

So I don't even know if I dare to revive this old blog. I don't know why I would, or what I have to say, but my life continues to be filled with adventures and so I'm sure I could continue to find things to write about. But, who even reads my blog anymore? I'm sure you have all given up by now, and really I don't actually know if after this post I'm actually going to keep writing. But, whatever the case, here is my first attempt at trying to revive this old thing. Stay posted for my latest adventure.

Project Number 2!

2008-04-01T16:07:00.000-04:00

The second project was strangely enough not as bad. Again however, I spent my entire weekend devoted to this stupid project but this time, I was done with one hour to spare and I didn't stay up all night. The project was for my Qualitative Research Methods class and I had to create a proposal for a research project. I again could choose any topic of my choice within the confines of the sociology of health. I decided to look at how single mothers perceive the effects of an intentional community on their health; basically came up with a sweet project looking at how awesome Women4Women is. Anyways, the paper was quite straight forward, but a lot of writing. I finished the paper today and the total amount of page s was...drum roll please, 40 pages!!! I have never written so much in my life. Mind you that does include a 9 page ethics proposal as well as a two page bibliography. But whatever the case, it was freaking huge! I am happy to say, that it is done and I only have one more paper to write this term! Praise the Lord!! (and to think that I'm taking spring courses! I'm not going to think about that yet)

Project Number 1

2008-04-01T16:04:00.001-04:00

So, my adventures for the past few weeks have consisted of me sitting at my desk for hours apon hours, researching, writing, organizing and trying to compose a masterpiece! The first project was for my Popular Music in Society class with the fabulous Professor Nick Baxtor-Moore! The project consisted of choosing a topic (or your choice) about pretty much anything you want, but it had to do with popular music. It could be a genre of music, a time period, a social movement or a certain lyrical theme. I don't know what was wrong with me, but I chose the most bizarre topic in all the world and by the time I realized how crazy a topic it was, it was too late. I decided that I would look at a movement within South Africa called the Voelvry Movement. Basically a group of white Afrikaans speaking youth revolted against the apartheid government and created a whole wack of music. Sounds cool. Well, it is so obscure that it was next to impossible to fulfill the tasks of my assignment: a five page research paper outlining the subject, a 60 minute compilation CD illustrating the topic and full liner/listen notes to accompany the CD. The research was fine and I was able to come up with a five page essay (the yellow stack of paper), but the rest was hell. I first of all had the most horrible time trying to find the titles of songs that I should include on the CD; I then for the first time in my life illegally had to download the music; then I realized (duh!) that all the music was in Afrikaans! and then I had to find all the lyrics AND translations, never mind analytical material!!! It was insane and after staying up all night and finishing at 6:30 am, the day that it was due, I finished the project and handed it in! What an adventure!

I was there!

2008-03-06T17:01:00.003-05:00

Wednesday February 13th: This was the day that I had been looking forward to for nine months; I was going to Winnipeg in hopes of witnessing my sister giving birth to her first child! I don't remember ever anticipating something with such urgency. The excitement was almost suffocating. There had been so much rigamaroll surrounding this flight, and now that it was actually here, I was beside myself!.....well actually, I was beside my sister, who some would argue is quite similar to me. Whatever the case, both Rose and I were beside each other in excitement!

Saturday February 16th: A gorgeous sunny Winnipeg day and we were bound and determined that little Maple needed to become more active! So we went for an all day walk down to the Forks. It was so great to be out in the fresh air, have Nathan fill the air with laughter, and have a new puppet to play in the breeze! Chatter, laughter, silence and anticipation continued to fill our day.

Wednesday February 20th: The due date had passed and still no baby!!!! Nath (ie. Sherwood) predicted that this would be the day of the great arrival and we were more than willing to jump on that bandwagon. Everyone was getting anxious and wondering if Rose and I were actually going to be here for the birth. Will our hopes and dreams come true? We were bound and determined to have it happen! So as they say, if you want a women to go into labour, make her wash the floors and that is exactly what we did. We cleaned all day and got the house all spic-and span for the baby to arrive! The contractions were going nice and strong and Rose and I left and let the two of the lovers have a nice and "relaxing" night ;)

Thursday February 21st: 9:00- Rose and I are woken by a shrilling phone ring! "Come on over. It's starting!" AH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is it! This is it!!!!! Soo incredibly excited! Our legs couldn't move fast enough and the grocer couldn't have taken longer! We finally arrived to the birth home and before we opened the door, we both stopped. "Just breathe." We calmed our selves down and lowered our voices to enter the sacred house. However, I think it was our "peaceful" spirit that calmed the baby right down too. We spent the day relaxing, as did the contractions.

Friday February 22nd: 8:30- "This is truly it! Come over. Deanna has been here since 12 last night. This is it!" ECSTATIC doesn't even come close to what I was feeling. Pour adrenaline pumped through my veins and we zipped over to Elice and Maryland and arrived once again at the anticipated location. We entered in, again trying to compose ourselves and the contractions just kept on coming! Deanna (the dula) was there and she was working; Maria was there and working; Nathan was there and working, at getting this baby out! Rose and I felt helpless. We tried to occupy ourselves for most of the day trying to find things to do while we waited on baited breathe. We ended up cooking and baking, "doing homework" and waiting patiently. It was during these long hours that it hit me: my sister is having a baby! My sister is in labour! My sister, is a SUPER HERO!!!

As the hours were gaining, my admiration for Maria and her Creator grew exponentially. For Rose and I, we didn't really have much that we could do for Maria directly and so I just prayed and watched through the crack in the door. We listened to the sounds, listened to the voices and listened to the most painful moments of Maria's life. It was incredibly hard to just listen and not be able to do anything to ease the pain. I found comforted in the fact that Maria's body was created for this moment, and I had to trust that her Creator knew what He was doing. As Becky, (the midwife) said in response to Maria's exclamations of exhaustion, "You're not dead. You're having a baby. You're fully alive. This is the most alive thing you're ever gonna do."

6 o'clock and the hard pushing began. Maria again was incredibly strong in body, mind and spirit. Amongst the pain and agony, she would sneak in some jokes and makes some corkey remarks, subconsciously comforting us all and releasing some of the tension in the air. I have never felt so much intensity in my entire life. The anticipation, the agony, the excitement, the praying, the sounds, the silence, the movements, the pacing; pure intensity. Waiting, and waiting, and waiting.

7:42- "Come over here girls! Here it is!" Rose and I leapt to our feet and ran to the door, just in time to see one of the most memorable, and incredible moments of my life. The baby shot out of the water, into Nathan's arm and onto Maria's chest! Tears steamed down my face and the greatest sense of relief filled the room. It was the most incredible moment. In one instant there was seven of us in the room and a second later, there was eight breathing beings in the room! Unbelievable miracle! A little girl entered in! As Maria so accurately put it, "you're in the world!"

I was there for that incredible moment. I was there for her first breath. I was there for her first cry. I was there to hold her new hands. I was there to see the miracle of life and was overwhelmed with love. My heart was bursting at the seams as I held her for the first time. It struck me how incredibly precious and fragile that moment was. This little face had never been seen before. This little creation, had never been held before. This little human was part of my family. No words can even begin to express the emotions that coerced through my veins at that moment. I was there, and this is my darling niece Mikayla River!

Shane Claiborne Talking about Life

2007-11-29T17:00:00.001-05:00

This video is abit about what I've been thinking about. Thanks Mre, for posting your video on your blog. Maybe this will answer some of my questions.

Questions

2007-11-18T20:18:00.000-05:00

My life has been full of adventure since September and my last post. So much so that my posts on my blog have been more than lacking, they have been non-existent. I wont bore you with a detailed update of my life: going to school, having a boyfriend, teaching art classes, cleaning houses, and yes, joining Facebook (I hang my head in shame), but instead I am going to solicit your opinion and your input into the questions within my head.
Community: I don't know about you, but this word has been bombarding me since September. I can not get away from it and wherever I go, I hear about it. It's not as though I want it to stop following me. It has just brought me a place of contemplation of what really does it mean. When I hear the word community, what do I think of? What do you think of? One step further: how do I live in community? Is it necessary for life? Am I suppose to live in community? What does that look like?
The discussions surrounding the word community are nothing out of the ordinary in my family, but actually quite the opposite. They happen frequently. Being apart of Christian circles for all of my life, the word community is not shied away from either. On top of that as a Mennonite, community is one of the first words in the dictionary. But, what does that all mean for me, Suzanne Klassen. How do I live in community?
In the summer I was talking to a friend about religion and what "my religion's" beliefs were. I found myself using the word community and family and unity quite often. For him and his adventures in religion he wanted the complete opposite; individualism, me- myself and I, no accountability to anyone else and I get myself where I want to go. I have found that this way of thinking is not unfamiliar to the university crowd and yet for me, I am constantly striving to build community. What is it about community that I find so attractive and yet Ian finds so appalling? In what ways do I live my life so that community is something that is longed for instead of shunned? What does community have to offer that individualism does not? Is there an ideal way to live out community? Who is to know and who is to tell?

The Unusual Applaud

2007-09-27T21:05:00.000-04:00

The lights are dim, and the film begins to roll. The sound starts to play and I sit there in anticipation of what is about to be displayed before my eyes. A documentary: Man with the Movie Camera, 1929. I wait and low and behold, an orchestra soon begins to take position on stage. I love music. The film reels through from slide to slide, and I take in the action, but more importantly, my ears are saturated in the sweet sounds and melodies that ring in the air. I am elated at the quality and a smile is pasted on my face. The film continues from scene to scene and with each passing moment the same thought keeps flickering through my head. "Where in the world can I get my hands on this sound track?! This is amazing!!" Ninety minutes later
the finale comes to a close and there I am left in awe and wonder with my heart feeling warm, my eyes closed focusing on the auditory intake, and my hands naturally begin to clap and applaud the greatness of the performance that I have just witnessed. Startled back to reality, I find that I am not the only one clapping my hands together, but the class which I had lost consciousness of, has joined me in my appreciation. How marvelous! They appreciate this film (or this sound track) as much as I do! I exit the room in satisfaction and much to my chagrin the ears which were so beautifully treated by harmonies are rudely harassed with words of discontent. "What a waste of time. That sucked!?" In confusion and disbelief I become aware that what I perceived as greatness, another perceived as garbage; what I thought was appreciation, was merely mockery.
A week passes and I am reminded of the whole experience again. "Can you explain to me the unusual applaud at the end of "Man with the Movie Camera?" Yes I can sir. But my explanation only captures the one set of hands that started it all.

Gross'me'Green

2007-09-06T22:06:00.000-04:00

If This Tree Could Speak

2007-09-04T11:40:00.000-04:00

The other weekend, Brent and I went for a walk and heard this loud, furious, angry sounding screaming. It was quite the noise and it sounded very destructive, violent and disturbing. As we kept walking, the screaming came closer and we ended up walking right passed the bushes where the racket was coming from. This sick and distressing feeling came over me and all I wanted to do was go and talk to the guy and see what was wrong and why he was so upset. Brent had a head on his shoulders and stopped me from entering into the bush without thinking, and as we walked on by I prayed as release of what I was feeling. It was really sad to think about how this guy had so much anger and furry in him and yet had to go into the bush, all by himself to get it off his chest.
We went back later to where he had been, to find a tree fort of sorts, right on the edge of the water. It was cradled by this huge tree that had these big sprawling branches that hugged the lonely soul that sat in it's arms. The main platform of the fort had a ton of carvings and markings on it that could write novels of what had happened in that place.
Oh the stories this tree could tell if it only could speak. The secrets that were told and the memories that are erased. The words that were uttered and the curses that were thrown. The blessings that were embraced and the toxins that were inhaled. This tree holds it all. It is a place of security and a listening ear that will not object. It is a place of safety and a strong arm that will not beat back. It is a place of comfort and a warm heart that will not be hurt. If this tree could speak, oh the stories it would tell.

Missing Out or Saving Myself

2007-08-20T20:16:00.000-04:00

Within the society that I live, there are many different forms of communication and ways of interaction. The handwritten letter is one that everyone really loves and when you open the mail to find a personally addressed envelope, you are thrilled. But it pretty much stays at a novelty and many people don't take the time to actually use this method. The telephone has been around for quite some time, but as the years progress, I find that it is used less frequently. Email, can be argued as being the most common and the standard form of communication across generations. Online chatting has become quite popular as well but is not used by all. It kinda stays between the younger folks, and as you get older, using Messenger, Google Talk and the like is not as common. Skype is another more recent form of communication where you are able to talk, as though on the telephone, but through your computer. This is a nifty way of communication that is cheap and relatively painless. Text messaging is predominant and though everyone and their dog has a cell phone, they are not used for actual talking as much as "texting" your "fav. five". And then there is this: "a social utility that connects you with the people around you." Any guesses for what this can be? Facebook!
Facebook is a way of networking and communicating with people from your past, your present and I wouldn't doubt, your future. This phenomenon started in 2004 and was originally only available to college/university students with a campus email address. Since September 2006, this utility was opened up to be used by anyone with an email address and by July 2007, it had 34 million active members and was the seventh most visited site in the United States.* Though it started with the university crowd, this network has spread throughout high schools, families, parents and work places.
Many friends of mine are proud members of this network and beckon me to join in with this social gathering. They tell me all the great advantages of "having Facebook" and are constantly making me feel as though I'm missing out because I'm not connected. For some, Facebook has become their principal way of communication and they rely on it fully to get messages to each other, plan events, to stay up to date on the latest greatest, know the person's dating status, to find new friends, to stay connected with childhood playmates and to watch and observe the lives of others through videos, pictures and stories. Discussions are had, comments are made, and the world is aware of every move that you make. You are comfortably distant, yet jarringly vulnerable.
My opinions for Facebook are strictly observational considering I have not become a member, and the debate of whether or not I should, is continually being presented to me. I question what this social utility says about the society that I live in. How has our culture come to a place where virtual connectivity is the norm and if you don't take part, you are on the outside, the outskirts, an outliers? How as it happen that suddenly we are willing to expose our every move to the world, let them know who our top friends are, and rekindle friendships that never existed? As one that hasn't taken the plunge and entered this virtual world, am I truly missing out like my friends say, or am I saving myself from a reliance on a computer to connect me to the "people around me"? Has our society come to a place where physical interaction is no longer needed, and we are able to be sustained and fulfilled within our cyber-world? How long can I stay on the outside and still remain on the inside of society? Will I have to cave to fully know how my society works, or can I just observe and look objectively from the outskirts? Am I missing out, or am I saving myself?
*figures taken from Wikipedia

One of the Best!

2007-07-16T20:49:00.000-04:00

So this may be one of the best summers ever. When I tell people this, they always seem puzzled and ask why, and a valid question indeed. They continue their inquiry asking what I have done and what makes it so great and if you were to look at my summer, from the outside it doesn't look like much. I've been to Toronto a few times to hear some sweet music, but that isn't anything that out of the ordinary. I've been camping with my family, which was super awesome, but again, I do that every year (though, this year, we had an extra great time because we found out that MARIA IS PREGNANT!!!!). Then if you were to look at my job, you would be totally thrown off. My job for those who forget, is working for a agency called Agricorp which under the government, trying to control a virus (Plum Pox) which is spreading through the orchards in Niagara. I am sampler which means that all I do is pick leaves and tag/label trees. That is literally all I do. I pick between 4000 to 5000 leaves a day and put them in little ziplock bags and that's all I do for 7.5 hours a day. Literally that's all I do. So again, this shouldn't really add to the amazingness of my summer. But for some reason, all of these things have added up and contributed to the best summer ever! My job is fantastic and I love it! My family is unreal, and I love them! My music is rockin' and I love it!
But, when I actually take time and think about it, there is one more thing. There is something sweet about having purpose, and I think for me this has made my summer. As you will recall from my previous post, God really made it clear to me that there was reason for me to get this job. There was huge ordeal around getting it, and when I eventually did, I felt strongly that God had put me there for a reason. Well, since then, I have been on a search to find out what my purpose in this work place is and have tried to figure out why I am there. It has been a challenge because I don't really connect with the people at work, I work alone for the majority of the day, and there aren't many great "opportunities" in the normal sense. So why am I there? Without going into huge detail, God has shown me the value of the new culture that I am apart of; the value in the differences between us; and the value in unfamiliarity in new situations. This has given me purpose and has motivated me in life. It has given me a freshness and a joy to do what I do, and an expectancy that God is going to do something. My dearest brother-in-law Nathan posted on his blog about the boredom of work and whether or not work is just work, of if it can be something more (sorry Nato, paraphrasing a bit) and I think that it can be something more. If there was a job that could be boring and unmotivating, I have one, but when you introduce purpose, it is a whole new story. Now, don't get me wrong. Just because I have purpose doesn't mean that I am thrilled with every leaf that I pick and that I am overjoyed with every sex talk I get, but at the end of the day I know that there is a reason why I am going back the next day. It adds something to life and for me that is greatness!
So, yes, my summer has been amazing, and maybe not for then normal reasons a summer is awesome, but to put it bluntly, it's because of God

Nothing Really

2007-06-17T21:02:00.000-04:00

You know the people who never update their blog. You're a faithful reader, and you check it regularly for updates, but then for months and months, nothing ever changes. I know a few of them, and to be honest I have been guilty of the same. And so, I am trying to prevent you from stopping to check my blog, because one day I'll have another adventure, and if you haven't been able to see any action, you may forget about it and miss an adventure.
For me I find it exciting to read the new updates on others blogs and hear about what people are doing with their lives, even if it doesn't apply to me, doesn't matter to me, or doesn't makes sense to me. Blogging is a way of communication for the modern day, and it is a way of expression. Some people use it as a journal of their adventures, some use it to provoke thought, some use it just to say what is on their mind, and other just want something to take up their time. There are many different reasons to blog, and I feel as though mine is a combination of all. There isn't really any rhyme or reason to it, it just happens as it happens. For instance, this entry is completely useless and probably by the end of it, you will think to yourself, "why did I just waste my time reading this." But you can just remember that this is a way of communication for the modern day. I consider myself a modern women, and as one who is studying society I find it important to take part in the society and the ways of my modern day. Enjoy today.

Emotional Day for Some reason

2007-05-22T23:11:00.000-04:00

So today, for some reason, in the middle of the day I just burst into tears. I could pull out explanations, but really they don't do justice. I'm not even PMSing. I was just emotional today. It started this morning when I was mowing the lawn. I had just started and all of the sudden I got this ferocious pain in my arm and I look down and a bee flies away! The nerve!!! This is my first bee sting I think and it hurt like crazy! So that sucked! Well I continued to mow the lawn and as I got to the street I spotted a little creature on the road. It was in the middle of the road, and I don't know what got into me because I'm not one to really go and inspect road kill, but something urged me. I went over and low and behold there was this baby bird panting and obviously was very hurt; had been there for a few days and was in alot of pain. The second I walked over it turned its little head to me and opened his yellow beak so wide as if I was going to feed it. It was just painful to watch. I had to do something, and the only thing that I could do was put it out of its missery. Let's just say that my neighbour yelled out, "I live beside killers!!" It was so incredibly devistating and just heart wrenching!
Well, that wasn't the end of my missery. I then went to donate blood and as usual I filled out all the papers, answered all the sex questions and went and sat on the comfy chairs. I had just gotten stung on my right arm, so I thought it may not be the best idea to draw blood from that arm. So the nurse searched my left arm for the vein, and she said that it was too small. So she looked around the right arm for a vein. "Oh, this one is a bit better. Let's try this one." She stuck in the needle and I looked down and there was no blood coming out at all. That was very strange since usually I just pour out. But this time there was nothing. She called over the other nurse, and she started to poke around and together they dug under my skin to find a gushing vein. They finaly found one, but gushing would be the complete opposite discription. It dripped out of the needle enough to just fill their four test tubes. They decided they would try the left arm to fill the bag and they found a vein but again not much blood. So they gave up, and sent me home crying. I just couldn't stop crying though for some reason. I was sitting in the chair waiting for them to clean my iodine arms and the tears just kept streaming. I was trying to stop, but just couldn't. It was an emotional morning, but really not that bad. It was so dramatic and my emotions just got the best of me.

Faith

2007-05-11T23:02:00.000-04:00

So, as a lot of you know, this past couple of months has been an adventure on the job hunt. It is crazy how hard it is to find a job now a days, and especially one that is willing to pay you a decent wage. Jobs don't come easy. In March, my number one goal was to make money! It seems like a common goal among students, and I was no different. Without boring you with the details, there was one job in particular that seems quite appealing and just the perfect fit. I had applied last year for this job, but to no prevail. When considering applying again, I didn't think I stood a chance. Why would they hire me this year if they didn't hire me last year. God right away asked me His favourite question to ask me, "Do you have faith?" I hate that question because it puts you in such an awkward situation, because you know that it is a challenge more than a question. My answer was no; I did not have faith that I could get this job. Thus the begining of a great adventure!Faith.
I decided to apply for the job, but with much timidity yet wanting to take God up on His challenge. He could get this job. Once I had applied, whenever I would think about the job, I was reminded of the question and it got me thinking about what faith really was. What does it mean to live by faith? That seems like such a Sunday school answer, and something that is so easily thrown around in the Christian community. But God started to ask me if it was more than just a blank statement, and He challenged me to really think about what that means. Throughout the past two months, I have learend more and more that living by faith is not about the end result, but it about the journey to get there, the adventure behind it. Living by faith doesn't mean that you go out and like the lottery, hope that you'll win, or you will get what you want. Living by faith is learning to trust God with every part of your life; the big, the small, the pretty and the ugly. Living by faith is a journey of dependency where your only option is to trust God and to find peace in knowing that He will get you to the best destination imaginable; no matter what happens, the journey towards it was worth it.
The job took me for a ride, leaving me week after week, wondering what was happening. I was starting to really wonder when this journey was going to end and starting to consider new options for my final destination, but again, the question haunted me, "Do you have faith?" God started to show me that He had it under control and that no matter what, whether I got the job or not, this adventure of faith didn't end with this result. It was only the begining of a great adventure, and even though, yes, I ended up getting the job (PRAISE THE LORD!!!), the journey still continues, and from what I can tell, I have a long ways to go before I see the end.

The Painting

2007-05-03T15:51:00.000-04:00

Just thought I would share this
some have asked, who this is, and it is just a picture that I saw and so I decided to paint it. Oh, and it is not in black and white, but the camera did not capture the full colour unfortunately. It is really colourful in real life.

My Korean Sister

2007-04-22T00:17:00.000-04:00

Have you ever thought that there may be universal faces that everyone, no matter what nationality, where they are from, which world they grow up in, reconginze? I am officially done first year university (HALLELIUAH!!!!) and one thing that I will remember from first year Psych, is that there are universal emotions. What they all are, I don't remember, but they do exsists. In February, we had two Korean girls living with us for seven weeks. It was great and I do miss them and I just stumbled apon these pictures. We were just having some fun with the camera, and now looking back, this proves the point. There are universal emotions. If you havn't played this game with your friends, or your international friends, it is quite the fun. You just yell out an emotion and without thinking about it for very long, you take the picture. These were our results. Universal emotions? I think so.HAPPY:)

SAD :(

ANGRY!

AFRAID!!

SUPRISED :O

Do what she says--Not Impressed -----WHOA!!!

Broken Vision

2007-03-01T12:32:00.000-05:00

So, a few weekends ago I was at a BCF retreat. It was fabulously awesome and a ton of fun. While I was there, God did some pretty cool things, one of which was touching me powerfully and manifesting huge in my physical body. It was pretty crazy and it happened so unexpectedly. My darling friend Ruth was praying for me in the kitchen of the place we were staying, and all of the sudden I start to shake like a leaf and couldn't stop shaking! God totally took over me and for about an hour I was totally filled with the Holy Spirit. He gave me visions, prophesies and just took a hold of me, mind, body and spirit. This used to be a regular occurrence in my life, but for the past six or so years I hadn't experienced anything like this and unconsciously I was starting to doubt if He still moved in that way. A lens of doubt, shall we say, came over my eyes and heart and I started to doubt my experiences in the past and if they were actually legitimate. But that night it was as though I was catapulted into my past and God met me in the same way as He did back then. It was so refreshing and God showed me how He still can move in me like He did back then and He is still alive and well. He showed me that with Him I can be satisfied and that He is the one that I need to turn to for life, energy and joy! It was marvellous and really humbling.
At the end of it all, I went to get my glasses that I had taken off prior to the experience and when I went to pick them up, low and behold they were snapped in half! I don't know exactly how this happened but with all the movin' and shakin' I'm not surprised. It is a symbol of what God did for me that night. He took my lens of doubt that had been covering my eyes and broke them in half. I walked around blind for the next week but God showed Himself to me in a way that needed no glasses, but just a vision of Him.

Frozen In Time

2007-01-15T19:26:00.000-05:00

The Chapter is Closed and the Book is Finished!

2007-01-09T22:44:00.000-05:00

As you probably are aware, I am not a reader. I have never been a reader, and if I start to become a reader, it will be a miracle. BUT, I have read a book or two in my life and do know the relief of finishing it (maybe an emotion that some of you avid readers can't relate to). I also know the feeling of reading an aweful book, one that seems to drag on and on and never come to an end. When you are finally finished it, you are more than happy to slam the book closed, never open it agian, and maybe even give it away. For me this is abit of a picture of the past four to five months. They have been the hardest months of my life and I have been in a state of constant sadness, depression, confusion and just overwhelming emotions that were usually not enjoyable or comfortable. This may have not been visible to everyone, (don't judge a book by its cover) but I was dealing with the realities of singleness, giving up dreams and hopes for the future, trying to figure out how to continue on a journey I didn't want to be on and learning more about who I was, and where my identity lied. It was a difficult labyrinth to maze through, and I was sure that it would take me years to reach the end. BUT, thank God, He wrote the plot.

At URBANA (a massive mission's conference with 22, 000 people), on the very last night, New Years Eve, God showed me that the chapter of sadness and mourning was over and I didn't have to open the book again. I could say goodbye to the past with assurance that it never needed to be reopened again. I didn't have to wonder, "Who did what;What about this; Where was I; When did this happen; Why was I not aware of this!?" The questions became irrelavent to the plot and though it wasn't until the last chapter that things could be cleared up, the giberish became a language I could understand and the confussion was pushed aside! God gave me hope for a new year and called it the "Year of Promise!" I said goodbye to the book that I had settled in and handed it over to God to put on His bookshelf. God lifted a burden off my back and I sighed, (accompanied with many tears) a deep breathe of relief. I have no idea what this new book is going to be about but this one thing is fore sure, God has given me new joy and new hope to begin reading it. I embrace the future instead of shun it, and maybe this will be the start the miracle...could I too become an avid reader?...maybe just the ones God writes ;)

Labyrinth of Uncertainty

2006-11-24T22:06:00.000-05:00

So, my life has been a roller coaster of emotions and I have come to a place of puzzled confussion, and also a place of constant question and wonder. I feel like my life is full of change and unknowns and God is always doing something wacky with my emotions and my plans. Everything seems to be changing; my friends, my social life, my family, my schooling, my daily routines, my passtimes, my relationships and my spiritual life. Everything seems like a mess and I'm lost in the labyrinth of uncertainty. I feel like Sarah, trying to rescue Toby from King Jareth. She has to go through all of these trials and I feel almost like I'm in the falling pit with all of the "helping hands." They are all talking to her and giving her "advise" and pulling at her, being really creepy in general. But I just feel like I have all of these questions, all of these opinions, all of these "helping hands" in my head that are constantly plaguing me. I don't feel sure of much and I dont trust alot of what is going on in there. I don't know how to get to the end of the maze and come to my final destination. At the same time, I havn't found the path that leads me there. I do have some amazing friends that are helping me through it all, but it just doesn't make sense. Why are things happening the way they are, and why do I have to go through this? I wish I could just skip this part, and get to the final ball. But, I guessI need to be able to face my fears, go through the tunnels, face the monsters, meet some new friends, and defeat the spell of King Jareth. I need to be able to free the little child, but it is just a question of how?

Cafe is Cancelled! Choir is ON!

2006-11-22T14:45:00.000-05:00

Thanks to my mothers great suggestions, I am informing you all that the cafe is actually cancelled. In my last post I had mentioned the cafe that was happening at my church and I was so incredibly distrot that I couldn't perform in the upcoming play. Well, I guess God had different plans and the cafe is cancelled which means I'm missing out on anything! Yippy!!! It is sad that it's not happening, but such is life. So, if any of you were planning on coming, don't come because nothing will be happening! If you want though, you can come to my concert at Concordia Seminary, located on the Brock Campus. It will be happening on December the 1st at I believe 7:30! It should be good, so you may want to come and enjoy a night of classical music performed by a women's chorus! (Get tickets at the Brock box office. $10)

He Can Make You Laugh, He Can Make You Cry

2006-11-01T17:04:00.000-05:00

So, today, on my way home from school, I decided to make a detour and spend some time with God. There is a board walk close to my house that God and I like to go. I was really really stressed about some things happening in my life, and was having some good talks with God about it. As I was about to leave, I realized that the water level was really low, and saw someones footsteps in the ground, where there usually would be water. I realized that if I could walk "on the water" it would be a short cut home, so I (without thinking clearly) decided that I would have an adventure!!! I decided to climb down the embankment to the water level and have a chance to walk, where no man had ever walked before! On the sea floor! I started to walk and it was abit smooshy. I kept walking and walking, and it was getting smooshier and smooshier. (Remember, that it has been raining non-stop for that past month and so the ground is abit, lets say...moist.) I came to a place, that was visibly quite water logged, and thought, "maybe if I just run really fast, I can get to the other side." Well, my running fast was quickly running slow, when my feet were sinking deeper and deeper, and it was getting harder and harder to pull my feet out of this magical sea floor. I looked down for a split second and realized that I was now "running" with mud up to my mid calf and my shoes were completely covered and immersed in mud! At that moment I realized that this wasn't a good idea, and that the fact that I could barely get my foot, never mind my shoe out of the mud, was a true sign to change plans. I slowly made my way to the embankment and scrambled up the side, now with a heavier step. The embankment led me to the bush, and with abit of stealthy maneuvering I made it to the path, but could no longer see my shoe, or even if I was wearing shoes. My feet were one massive blob of mud, that when shaken, spayed mud everywhere, like that of a wet dog. Throughout the walk home, alot of mud fell off, and with some extreme water treatment, I was able to remove the visible mud, but who knows if my shoes will be permanently mud stained. He made me laugh!
After cleaning my shoes feverishly, I talked to my dearest mother, who has great organizational skills, but helped me realize some devistating news. Finally after galavanting for the past two years, I was finally home for a production put on by the Side Door Cafe! I have been in multiple other comedies in the past, but due to my lack of presence the past couple of years, I have not been in any lately. This years performance is again a comedy called "The Nitpicker Suite, " written and directed by Martin Smith. I was so incredibly excited and after two months of practising, my anticipation for the performance was rising! I also had a main role, and so that was twice as exciting. But, much to my dismay, today it came to my attention that my choir with university, is putting on their first perfomance on the exact same day as The Nitpicker Suite, at the exact same time! I would skip my choir performance in a heart beat, compared to this comedy, but not when participation is worth 50% of my final grade for the course! I couldn't believe it. He made me cry.

I Miss You My Sweet Sister

2006-10-29T17:27:00.000-05:00

I miss you being around
I miss you to just joke around with
.....bicker with
.....poke at
.....and be poked
.....giggle with
.....cry on
.....and having a sister who is right by my side.

I miss the fragrance of vanilla.....that is you steal from my room
I miss the dangle of your earings.
I miss the sweetness of your smile and the comfort of your hug.
I miss the bubbles of your laugh that pop on me and send tingles to my mouth that burst in joy
I miss your ups and downs; your highs and lows; the unpredictability of being you.
I miss the warmth of your presence and the beat of your life
I miss my sweet sister, my friend in a distant prarie.

Take care of her new fellow, and be her knight in shining armour.
Take care of her new fellow, and be her shoulder to cry on and the arms to embrass her.
Take care of her new fellow, and let the corners or your mouth move upwards when you are near her.
Take care of her new fellow and bring her home to me once more

I love you my sweet sister and am waiting in anticipation to see the beauty of your being.

July

2006-10-27T21:38:00.000-04:00

Well, I have been introduced to some new sweet music, by a new friend of mine. I thought I would share one song with you. I'm not quite sure what this song is about, but it reminds me of my favorite movie, I am Sam. The easyness of the song and just the tune. It is great. I thought the imagery is fabulous too. I hope you enjoy it. It is called July.
July, (Mundy: 24 Star Hotel)

Uruguay again?

2006-10-25T10:52:00.000-04:00

So, I never ever posted about my Uruguay adventure, and I thought, hey, what the heck. I mind as well show you where I was, over three quarters of a year ago. I guess I've been reminded of it, since I recently was reunited with my great friend Steve, who I went to Uruguay with. I was reminded of how God really blessed me to go on that trip. As some of you may know, it was a really hard adventure for me, where God taught me some big lessons and really stretched me and molded me. It was hard, but in the end a true blessing. Looking back at these pictures, God showed me what an amazing gift that trip was, and how He was using it to strengthen me and to give me a bigger perspective on the life outside of me. It is a big world and I was able to see a glimps of a corner. It was fabulous! I hope you enjoy the pictures and if you any problems seeing it, let me know. Click on the album below, and also there are pictures of pre-Uruguay also, if you are interested. Just go to "my photos" to see the other albums I have up. Enjoy!

Uruguay

Intimacy with my thoughts

2006-09-28T11:53:00.000-04:00

You don't have to worry;I am always with you.
I have seen you cry and wonder and have caught your every tear.
I have held your hand through rage and anger, and brought hope to take your fear.
I have been there when the memories seem to turn to ashes,
I have been there to pick up the pieces.
I have held them in a place of healing and shown you the rays of sunshine.
I have been there in the lonely nights, when tears are your only comfort,
I have been there in the silence and heard you gasp in expectation.
I have been there on the long walks, and in the thoughts that plague your mind.
I have been there through the dreams and visions that seem like poison in the night.
I have been there through the agony, frustration and dispare,
I have held you in my arms so close and have whispered, "Do not fear."

This is my promise to you my girl, and to my every child.
I am your father and your king, the one that holds the world.
Listen to my constant breathe; find intimacy with my thoughts.
Rest in my presence and find peace for your wondering mind and heart.
You are my child and I love you more than you will ever know.
Come into my arms my Ivory girl. Come into my warm embrace

I Hate this Adventure

2006-09-24T22:43:00.000-04:00

I hate this adventure! It is taking too long to get through, and the confussion and frustration is really annoying. I want to just come out on the other side already and know that I got through it and that I can now continue my life. I am in limbo, waiting and hoping but not knowing when the light and the end of the tunnel will shine. Where is the hope that I am looking for, and where is the satisfaction that I crave? I know it will come to an end but God only knows when that time will come. God, give me strength. God give me patience. God give me hope.

Yet another Adventure

2006-09-09T01:29:00.000-04:00

I havn't posted on here in an eternity. Who knows if I'll be posting more regularly, but I thought that I would just put a bit of an update on my life on here, so that if someone looks at it, they will know that I still am living and didn't fall of the edge of the planet in all my crazy adventures!
I am now entering into a new adventure, one that is unlike the previous. The other day, I was talking to Maria about how I sometimes wish that I had decided to go away for school, or that I wish I was going away again. I was expressing how sometimes I wish I could just go away, and leave all the responsibilities and committments I have and just start fresh. She challenged me to pretend that I was going away and to pretend that I was starting over again in a new place. Well, to make a long story, abit shorter, I have decided to take her up on her challenge. I have decided to take start over and recharge this battery that has been over used. I am moving away, (in a sense) and am taking a step back from all responsibilities, (youth, YFC, etc.) and committments. This has been a very hard decision to make, but reflecting back on the summer, the past couple of weeks, and looking into the future, it has been made clear that I need to take some time for me and take some time to refill this cup that is bone dry.
It is an adventure. Everything can be an adventure. It is an adventure trying to figure out what to do with free time; how do I handle a schedule that has every evening open? How do occupy my time? If you know me at all, you are probably thinking, "Suzanne, you have no problem filling up your time, and you are going to have every night full within a week. In no time you will have things to do, and will feel like you don't have any free time." This is all true, but I am committing to not committing to anything for awhile. I'm just going to enjoy life, and take things as they come. I am going to try to live the first part of my moto to the fullest: Live SPAFE: SPONTANEOUS yet safe.

My Life After Outta Town

2006-03-19T17:18:00.000-05:00

One of the girls from my Outta Town team, is putting together a newletter for our team. Each person was asked to put together an update on the past year, since it is nearing a year since we were all together. I started my update, and the entry that was intended on being 300 words, turned into this 800 word essay. I thought that I would share with you my reflection.

If I was to think of an analogy to compare this past year to, it could be compared to tobogganing. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to go tobogganing this year due to the lack of winter that I experienced, but recalling back to previous years, the memory still remains. Tobogganing is a blast and tons of fun, but at the same time a lot of work. You come to the hill that is coated with beautiful white snow, and you are all equipped for the hours of fun that you will have on that hill. You then bolt it up the hill to the top and then enjoy the ten seconds that it takes to zip over the white crest and slide to your stop at the bottom. It was almost as fantastic as a roller coaster and you are all smiles saying, “AGAIN, AGAIN!!!” You then climb back up the hill and do it again and again, but each time, the hill seems to get bigger and the flight down gets shorter. It is a lot of work, but still a lot of fun.
For me, this is very similar to my year. Outta Town was like the descent down the snow, and was a ton of fun. Coming back home was very hard to readjust, and it took a lot out of me. My true friends became obvious and reconnecting to people was very difficult. It was a very painful process trying to find purpose again and trying to find my place at home. Then God blessed me with an amazing opportunity to work for Youth For Christ for the summer. That again was like screaming on your crazy carpet. It was fantastic! I had an amazing time getting to know the kids at the center, and God gave me great satisfaction and peace throughout the summer. To end it off, my fabulous man came to visit me at the end of summer and that was marvelous!
Then once Karl left, I had to start that climb back up the dreaded mountain. Long distance with Karl became very difficult and I hit reality pretty hard! But I came to the top again and had an exquisite road trip with my darling friend Kate. We traveled across Canada for 45 days and saw God’s splendor and it was wonderful. It did go quick though and I came to the bottom of the hill again and found the dry and boring home life was back again.
I got a job working at a candle factory and it was a struggle to find satisfaction in the monotony of life. Karl came after the Christmas break and this was a testing time for our relationship. After he went back home, we went through a lot of sorting, searching and figuring. It was very, very hard and it really drained both of us and left me quite dry and exhausted. It was a struggle, but thankfully through much prayer and perseverance, God brought us through and brought me to the top of the hill.
I then cruised down the hill again and went to Uruguay, South America for a month. This was a fabulous time, but it had many of it’s own tobogganing hills, where I had many opportunities to grow, learn, be challenged and be humbled. It was a trip I’ll never forget and a time of powerful growth.
I am now at the bottom of the slope again, and am anticipating an absolutely fantastic summer ahead of me! I am turning 20 (my dream age), my dear friends who have lived in Japan for the past two years are coming home and living in my basement for the summer, and Karlos Amigos is coming to Ontario for the summer! I will hopefully get a basic student summer job that will pay for my great summer and the great year ahead of me.
In the fall, I will be going to Brock University for Child and Youth Studies. I’m not quite sure what I am going to do with that, but it will be great and I am very excited for it.
I'm sure the rest of life will be filled with tobogganing hills, mountains, slopes, and valleys. I'm excited for what God has planned and I know that the whole time, he is going to be on the back of my sled with me, enjoying, struggling and living this crazy life with me. It's going to be great!

Thought I would share this with you

2006-01-12T22:54:00.000-05:00

So I took these pictures when I was in Victoria. Kate went to the washroom and asked me to hold her camera when she was gone. We were waiting for our boat to go whale watching. There were these great planes that were flying by, so she said if there is a good shot, take one. Well, I took a few shots, and had abit of fun. We laughed for quite awhile afterwards. It was great.

My Absolutely Crazy Karl

2006-01-10T10:58:00.000-05:00

Well, I just had a fantastic last 12 days with my dearest Karl. It was crazy and alot of fun. Here are just a few pictures to give you a glimps into the crazy awesome time that we had together.

2006-01-10T10:57:00.000-05:00

Well, we had to do our traditional visit to Toronto to visit our great friend Ben! It was so great and when the two of them get together, things get crazy. I don't know why, but they can spin off each other like crazy, with monkey noises, you name it! It's absolutely fantastic and we have a blast. Ben, you're the best!

2006-01-10T10:55:00.000-05:00

It was awesome though, because we had a suprise visit from BECKY!!! We love Becky too and so this was so great to have her there to join in the excitment.

2006-01-10T10:53:00.000-05:00

Crazy!

2006-01-10T10:51:00.000-05:00

We went bowling with Jay and Kathleen, and had a blast. This was definatly one of the highlights of the holidays!

2006-01-10T10:50:00.002-05:00

nice smile Jay

2006-01-10T10:50:00.001-05:00

You guys are awesome

2006-01-10T10:50:00.000-05:00

2006-01-10T10:49:00.000-05:00

We had a blast

2006-01-10T10:48:00.001-05:00

We spent almost three days with Rose and Nathan. For two of those days I was bed ridden and so Karl got to spend alot of time getting to know them and it was great. Thanks guys!

2006-01-10T10:48:00.000-05:00

Do you think it's morbid to take pictures in a graveyard?

2006-01-10T10:47:00.000-05:00

It was a bitter cold walk, but we wanted to take one none the less and it was good. Our last moments together....ahhhhh

2006-01-10T10:46:00.000-05:00

Hello to All

2005-12-22T22:40:00.000-05:00

Hi there everyone! Thanks alot of checking out my blog. The following entries are in chronological order; I have posted them so that from everything down is in the correct order of events. So unlike every other blog, I have rigged the system so that my trip is seen with our first adventures at the top of your screen, and then at the bottom is the end of our trip. Once you start going through them, it will become quite obvious what I mean. I don't want to confuss anyone, so I just thought I would explain. Things will be added now in the normal blog way, but I probably wont be adding things at all until my next adventure takes place. We'll see. Anyways, I hope you enjoy these pictures and for those who I saw, I hope you especially appreciate them. It was a ton of fun!

Sue and Kate's great Western Canada Road Trip

2005-12-22T14:46:00.000-05:00

Kate and I for years and years have always wanted to do a big trip together. We contimplated New Zealand quite seriously but because of different circumstances that was not an option. But then we thought of a road trip! Both of us don't have cars, and the cost and dangers of two teenage girls travelling alone across Canada, viered us away from taking cars. So we then looked into the Greyhound bus, and found that you could get a pass for up to 45 days and get on and off the bus whereever you want, whenever you want. We were sold, and so we started our 45 day road trip on the Greyhound Bus. It was amazing, seeing alot of my friends from Outta Town, Kate's relatives and God's creation. By the end of our journey we were on the bus for over 200 hours, with our longest treck being 85 hours, (St. Catharines, Ontario to White Horse, Yukon) and our shortest journey being 1.5 hours, (Kelowna, BC. to Enderby, BC). The journey was amazing and I hope through the following pictures you will get a taste of this great adventure that we went on. Enjoy!
Our fist picture on this great Canadian Road Trip! This was still in St. Catharines and little did we know what adventures laid ahead of these two travellers. It was unbelievable, tiring, exhilerating, boring, thrilling, and everything inbetween. We loved it and I wouldn't have traded it for anything. Thanks Kate for going on this great adventure with me. It was fantastic!

2005-12-22T14:45:00.000-05:00

Our adventures started early on in our journey. but the adreniline rush was not the same playing a game of chess in a bus station.

2005-12-22T14:42:00.000-05:00

We had some interesting stops on the way. One in White River, where they have had the coldest temperatures in Canada; below negative 72. I'm not sure if I believe that, but that is their claim to fame!

2005-12-22T14:41:00.000-05:00

Whatever we could do for entertainment, we did on the 85 hour bus trip to the Yukon.

2005-12-22T14:40:00.000-05:00

We stopped in the middle of our five day journey to catch a few winks, in Calgary. We obviously stayed with Karl and his family, and went on a fantastic fall walk just outside their doors. It was a wonderful brake to the cramped bus.

2005-12-22T14:39:00.000-05:00

On our way to the Yukon, on the Alaskan Highway, in the middle of no where, we had our fist adventure; the axle of our bus broke! We were stuck, about 5 hours away from any city or town, and there we had to wait. It was along wait, but we had fun at the thought of an adventure. We went for a walk down the road and were sternly warned when we came back of the danger that we put ourselves in because of the roaming wild life. We had fun thoughas we waited...

2005-12-22T14:37:00.000-05:00

...and waited.

2005-12-22T14:36:00.000-05:00

This was our fist real sighting of mountains. On our walk down the Alaskan High way, we were in awe of the surroundings.

2005-12-22T14:04:00.000-05:00

After our six hour wait for our bus, Greyhound treated us all to dinner at our next stop. Well that was fantastic, except that everyone was served their meal and finished eating it, and I never got mine. So, eventually the bus was leaving and I went to inquire about my meal. Somehow I got forgotten, and got my meal to go. I was happy to get my meal but at the same time, was abit shafted to eating off my lap.

The Yukon

2005-12-22T14:01:00.000-05:00

We finally arrived in the Yukon!! I forget exactly were this was, but this was our fist official stop in the Yukon and we were so excited to finally be in the Yukon

2005-12-22T14:00:00.001-05:00

These float planes were everywhere in the Yukon, and we desperately wanted to go on one, but due to money and lack of time, we were not able to. So we enjoyed them from the ground.

2005-12-22T14:00:00.000-05:00

So Kate and I decided that we were going to go on a bike trip that we heard to Miles Canyon. We biked on the road going there, and then through the forest coming back. The whole journey was right beside the Yukon River. The trip up was all uphill, which was hard, but little did we know what the trip back would hold. It was a trip to remember and probably our most memorable and best memory of our trip.

2005-12-22T13:59:00.001-05:00

Biking up the road, or should I say, walking our bikes up the road.

2005-12-22T13:59:00.000-05:00

We stopped to have our lunch beside the quite waters, and sit there and ponder. The scenery was exquisit and we just were overwhelmed by God's greatness.

2005-12-22T13:58:00.000-05:00

The view from our lunch lookout

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We were proud mountain bikers

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Though from the picture it doesn't look too phenomonal, it was amazing and decided to show our appreciation,

2005-12-22T13:56:00.000-05:00

On the bridge crossing the canyon, we met some other travellers from Burlington! What are the chances. We asked them to take a picture of us, thinking they would include the beautful canyon around us, but obviously he was to hopelessly inlove with his wife and decided to include her in the picture instead. We laughed for quite abit after that.

2005-12-22T13:55:00.000-05:00

This was Miles Canyon, the canyon that we were hiking too. It was absolutely gorgeous and kept us trucking to get there.

2005-12-22T13:53:00.000-05:00

We decided to take a breather by the Yukon River, and it was just breath taking!

2005-12-22T13:52:00.001-05:00

I decided that this water was way to good to pass up, so I thought I would take a drink. Telling the story afterwards, people all warned me never to do that again because of Beaver Fever. I was completely oblivious to the danger, and as they say, "ignorance is bliss."

2005-12-22T13:52:00.000-05:00

Kate desperately trying to conquer the first bluff. Little did she know that this was only the first bluff and the second one was twice as hard!

2005-12-22T13:51:00.001-05:00

The mountains through the bionoculars

2005-12-22T13:51:00.000-05:00

Kate scopping out the land

2005-12-22T13:50:00.000-05:00

At the top of our second bluff, we came across this gorgeous dam, that was like a waterfall on it's side, and me absolutely loving waterfalls, was extatic and so thrilled about our find.

2005-12-22T13:49:00.000-05:00

This was ontop of the second bluff. It was sandy but really beautiful being ontop of the world like that.

2005-12-22T13:48:00.000-05:00

Half way through, we decided to prop my bike up and then pass Kate's down, one step at a time, and eventually we got hers down. We then went back to my bike and took it down from the root and passed it down aswell. This was insanely hard to do, but alot of scary fun as well.

2005-12-22T13:46:00.000-05:00

Victorious indeed!!!

2005-12-22T13:45:00.000-05:00

So, we decided that we would go on a horse backriding trip while in the Yukon. It turned out to be alot different than we expected; we froze our butts off, we hit a snow storm and we were on the back of a horse for five hours straight. It was pretty insane, but an adventure none the less.

2005-12-22T13:44:00.000-05:00

A quick stop to enjoy the scenery

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These were the mountains that we were headed for, and climbed eventually

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on the road again (the guy infront of me was Ian, and was our tour guide. He was probably close to 7 feet tall, and was the most scruffy, scary looking guy ever. He was very nice though, but extremely quiet. Thinking back, it was kinda stange that we went out into the bush for over five hours with this guy. We wont think too hard about that.

2005-12-22T13:42:00.001-05:00

we saw an owl on our journey and here he is...hard to see I know. It was hard for us to get a good look at him too. Apparently, Kate saw him fly right behind me and Ian. It was the most wildlife we saw on our five hour trip in the wilderness. Figure that one out!

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It was kind of depressing/ beautiful scenery

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The snow storm starting to pick up

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This was the most dense part of our ride, through a little thicket

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on the ride and freezing cold

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Kate being deprived of pictures of herself

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Kate and Handsom

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me and Hot Stuff

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There was a dog pound of sled dogs, and they had alot of babies. They were so cute and cuddley, we had to hold them.

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Aren't they cute

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We were frozen to the bone after our adventure, and thankfully they had a warm stove on for us when we got back.

2005-12-13T21:29:00.001-05:00

The Hide on Jeckell Hostel. It was a fantastic experience and we absolutely loved our stay there.

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The hostel library, which Kate took full advantage of. They had the policy that you could take a book if you left a book.

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our private room

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The internet cuby hole.

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The living room, with a cozy fire place.

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This was our communal kitchen where we everyone made their meals, and met up throughout the day. These were our french friends from Quebec.

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silly picture I know, but this was our three room bathroom; two with showers and toilet and then two with a sink.

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You know you're up north when, you stand outside a police station and a mounty comes out to pose with you in a picture.

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You know you're up north when, there is a huge moose in a local store.

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You know you're up north when, this is your main street.

Prince George

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Our time in Prince George was fantastic. This was our fist stop where we were staying for chunk of time with someone we knew, and so that was great to see my dear friend Lindsay (from Outta Town). We had a great time here and saw only the beginnings of the beauty of British Columbia.
The scenery was always gorgeous traveling,

2005-12-13T21:18:00.000-05:00

This was our German friend. We saw him and told him were to go when we were coming into the Yukon on the Greyhound, and then when we left five days later, he again was coming on our bus. It was a funny incident and so we had to snap a picture of our traveling friend