Put on a happy face!

So lately, everything has seemed dreary. Partly due to the weather, partly due to not feeling too well (and please DON'T ask if i'm pregnant, i'm not, and everyone seems to assume that if you're not feeling well, that's the reason). Personally, I think it may be due to the fact that they've been painting the office next to mine, AND the landlords are painting the basement suite at home, so it's been pretty much 24 hr a day exposure to paint fumes. And other things have been grating on me as of late, which I have thought about blogging here.

However, I decided that I don't want to whine and complain all the time on this blog (seems like it's so much easier to write about the negative stuff than to focus on the positive), so I set out to write about the good things happening in life right now.

First, 40 days. For those of you who don't know, our church is currently embarking upon a journey together in which almost all people in the church are reading a book together, namely "40 days of purpose" by Rick Warren. Basically, you read one chapter a day, and then do a lot of reflecting, etc., with the goal of discovering the purpose for your life in order to make life more meaningful.

So far, the things i have been reading are just a refresher course...but I'm still learning things. For example, one thing that hit me from last night's reading was that just as the 9 months in utero prepares you for your physical life, so the 30, 70, 100 years you spend on earth are supposed to be preparation for the life to come (i.e., eternity). And when you think of things in light of eternity, it's amazing how so many of the little things (i.e., the negatives that I'm trying not to complain about) don't really matter. Who cares if I feel sick for a few days because of paint fumes? The real challenge is "How can I keep my attitude positive and preserve my integrity of character despite these sucky things?"

Another positive was the beautiful frost the other morning when I was walking to work. I saw this tiny leaf, the size of my thumb, and it was still green with a hint of red in it, and the entire edge of the leaf was encrusted in teensy frost crystals. It reminded me that Christmas is coming (less than 2 months!) and that we have so much to celebrate.

And this weekend, I get to spend some lovely "me" time, with a shopping mall and my birthday money (don't worry, I am saving some of it for ON next wed!). Anthony is taking a first aid course all day Sat and Sun, so I am taking it upon myself to enjoy some shopping and relaxing, my way. I may even rent (or go to) a girly movie - seems like most of my latest views have been more on the "action" side of things.... it really changes once you're married and they don't feel they have to impress you by being willing to watch more female-oriented movies. And it's not like I don't enjoy the action and inspirational (but heartbreaking) true story type movies, I just need a dose of lovey dovey schmooshy once in a while.

So, if anyone out there is interested in some shopping and perhaps catching a girly movie (perhaps Wimbledon - at Rainbow) this weekend (during the days), let me know! Mmmm... I'm happier just having written about this! Should be a great weekend.

applies to me too...

i think everyone listed above needs a new blog.


and here is mine. Snow. I am not happy about the fact that it is snowing outside right now. Such a harsh transition from +22 and gorgeous last week at the lake to -4 (plus windchill) and practically blizzarding.

Like angie said tonite, it's the transition that's hardest. Once winter is fully here, you just deal with it. but when it's just in between fall and winter, everything seems colder and more miserable.

So i will stay indoors, cozy up with some good knitting and good movies (not to mention some hot chocolate) and i will look at pics from the lake this summer and dream of the next one to come. I guess that's what "hope" is about...to brighten your soul through the dreary times.

I'm Ba-ack!

So, it's been a while. 10 days to be exact.

In that 10 days, i have finally caught up on sleep and am starting to catch up on connecting with people....I have spent an amazing two days out at the lake (it was above 20C out there!) - I took lots of pics there, mostly with the idea of having beautiful lake pictures to get me through the winter until I can go back there again. I have realized just how much i LOVE being up there and how much of an escape from the city and bustle of life it is for me to be there...

In that 10 days, I have also turned 25. Ack. Seeing it in print makes it worse somehow. I know, I'm still young, I still have so much life in front of me (God willing)....but it just seems like I've crossed the boundary into full adulthood. No more teenage years, no more fun early 20s. Now, when I meet people, they don't see me as a young punk, they see me as an adult, contributing (hopefully) to society. I don't know that this is where I would have pictured myself when I think of how I used to view "25." But generally, it is good, and I am content with life as I now know it. I have a loving husband, amazing family and friends, a great job that I generally enjoy getting up for every morning, and am now getting into using my gifts/talents more in helping out with youth again and of course, through piano.

I would like to further my education even more (for both extrinsic and intrinsic reasons), but have made a commitment to Anthony to wait for him to finish his education first, since he put up with me and helped me through my undergraduate degree. So I don't know if I'll get back to school before kids come (NOT FOR A COUPLE YEARS YET!!! DON"T GET ANY FUNNY IDEAS!) or if I'll wait until after the kids are all in school and go back. There's pros and cons to both, but it's a bit scary to think of coming back to U. at age, say 38 or something. But I also know that I won't be content in the future without being able to fulfill some of my dreams about working with youth in a helping role. Now that can be accomplished without any more education, but I would just have to be in the right place at the right time to get such a position. So I guess we'll see what the future holds...i'm hopeful, but a bit apprehensive.

Why, oh Why!?????

So, every time i leave the lab to run some errands, take a quick break and go to the washroom, the janitor is cleaning the washroom and i have to come back later anyways! No matter what time it is...I do not even go for my breaks at the same time every day!