Way to Go Shane & Kathi!

Today I have friends to celebrate. They did not celebrate their birthday, they did something even better. They got married.

Fourteen years ago to be precise. I am so happy for them, and proud of them, and glad that I get to be a part of their life in a smallish way.

I first met Shane and Kathi when I went to youth group. No - that's not entirely true. I knew Kathi before that, but I was little, so it's doesn't really count. They have been running Fernie Christian Youth Group almost as long as they have been married. I was blessed to be a part of that and have the chance to share in their collective wisdom. Kathi was my small group leader, and she's heard me cry and laugh and wonder more than a lot of people. The cool thing now, is that we are almost family. Shane and my husband, Tyler, are cousins. So we get to hang out with them a lot, and we love it.  They have two beautiful children, and it is fun watching them grow up. They are a very special, wonderful family.

Anyway - Shane and Kathi - heres to you. You are wonderful people and a great couple. We love you much much much and wish you many more happinesses and blessings and you share life together. Thanks for being a shining example. Congratulations!

Perspective.

So. Four years ago, four years seemed like a long time. Two and a half years ago, two and a half years seemed too long to spend doing school work I hated. Four years ago, isn't that long ago, and two and a half years is even less, and if I had stay in school, I would be convocating this spring. It's all a matter of perspective.

There are days I look at my life and wonder how it turned out the way it did. For all my plans and dreams and aspirations, I married my high school boyfriend, I work the same job I did in high school, and I practically live down the road from my parents. I am living a small town girl cliche.

However - In the past four years since graduating high school, I went to university for three semesters. I worked for a chiropractor in a city other than the one I grew up in. I moved to a big city to do an internship with IVCF for 8 months. I have worked and studied and learned and feel I had sufficient life experience to choose to live in my home town. To choose to marry my high school boyfriend. To choose to work the job I had in high school.

Because at the end of the day, there is no where else I'd rather be than here. I love Fernie. Waking, sleeping, winter, spring, summer, fall, I never grow tired of it, never get bored of it, never stop loving it and feeling thankful and blessed that I get to live here.

This is the corner I work on. You can't see my (well, not exactly my store, but I call it that) store, but it is on the left side of the street, right on the corner.

At the end of the day, I love my husband. There is no one else I would rather have around to share my life with. Waking, sleeping, good times, hard times, I love him, and am so grateful God let me choose him. I am constantly learning more about him and being surprised by him. Like the the time we had that awful fight and I went for a walk to clear my head and when I came back he had run me a bubble bath because he knew that I was stressed and needed a chance to relax. Tyler is my best friend, and I am glad I get to grow old with him.

Tyler at our wedding. I still love seeing him smile!

At the end of the day, I love my job. There is almost nothing else I would rather do. I love my boss and coworkers. We have such a good time together. I love my work, helping people find things to wear to their special events, finding something that makes them feel good and beautiful, find the special something that will make that special someone smile. I love getting to sing along to the radio, and no one tells me to be quiet. I love my job. I love clothes and looking out the window at the mountains and smiling and singing and laughing.

As a matter of fact, at the moment, I am almost 100% satisfied with my life. And that is pretty remarkable. I say almost 100% because there is always room for improvement. But that too is a matter of perspective. I don't know how it gets any better than this.

Watermelon

So today I ate my first piece of watermelon of the season. It was good good good and tasted like sunshine and the back deck. Which is quite the feat considering it looks like it is trying to snow outside.



Anyway, I have a question for anyone who might now the answer, or who could at least come up with something creative.

Whatever happened to watermelon with seeds? And why is it that in my head it tasted better? I mean, does watermelon with seeds actually taste better, or is it that I just remember watermelon tasting better when I was younger and my pallet (palet?) has changed and now it doesn't taste as good. Hmmm.....

Happy Mother's Day!

When I was little Mother's Day was fabulous.  It meant breakfasts and dandelion bouquet and mostly just trying to tell my mum how much I loved her.  Now that I am older the breakfasts have gotten nicer, and the bouquets are of roses instead of dandelions.  But my mum hasn't changed.  I still love her as much as I ever did!

Now the cool thing about getting married is that you wind up with an extra set of family.  Which means today I get to celebrate two mums instead of one!

There is my Mummy - Affectionately known as CandyMommy.

And Tyler's Mummy - Brenda.

They are such wonderful women and I have learned so much from both of them and am so thankful to have them in my life.  So today I am celebrate all mums and mine special two in particular.  Thank you for all the memories, and all the hugs and all the loves and all the wisdom and the meals cooked.

Two special stories.

First, Tyler's mum.

If ever when I was over visiting Tyler and I wasn't feeling good, or I was cold.  Tyler's mum would get up, plug the kettle in, put her rice bag in the microwave, Grab me a fuzzy blanket from the railing, bring me back the rice back, now warm, and a mug of chamomile tea.  I always felt so blessed by her thoughtfulness and care.  It made me feel cozy and safe and special, and I love her for that!  Happy Mother's Day Mum, I am so glad I get to keep you - I love you!

And now my Mum.

On our birthdays we always got to pick what breakfast we wanted.  And for most of my life I picked Danishes.  Which means that for two days before, Mum would go through the process of rolling the dough, cooling the dough, rolling more butter into the dough, cooling the dough, rolling the dough, etc. etc. until finally she would get to twist them into the danishes on my birthday morning.  They are so good - flakey and yummy.  Anyway, when asked what I wanted for breakfast on my wedding morning I said - Danishes.  Sort of jokingly, because I knew mum had so much to do there was no way she'd have time to make them.  I can't remember what I said to make instead, but on Friday night at midnight, the night before my wedding, there she was rolling out danish dough.  I was so touched.  The next morning when I sat done to breakfast, there were the most perfect danishes, light and flaky and delicious.  Thank you Mum - thank meant so much to me!  I will always love you, Happy Mother's Day to the best Mum I could have!

Happy Birthday Granny!

Today is my Granny's birthday. She's my mum's mum and pretty incredible. She can sew and knit and crochet and cook and build play houses and grow things. She is always amazing me. I don't have any pictures of her on my computer - but I stole this one from my cousin.

That's my Granny and my Grandpa. They love each other. I love that about them. She turns 84 today, and they have been married for over 50 years. Fantastic.

Anyway - Happy Birthday Granny! Thanks for all the wonderful things you do and for being so wonderful yourself! Hope you have a fabulous day! Hugs and loves!

All we needed was a horse.

So last night was the youth group Country Cookout.  It's a big fundraising dinner the youth group puts on to help finance their way to YC.  The theme warranted dressing up.  Here we are:

Isn't my husband handsome?  In the afternoon he was getting his outfit together, making sure everything worked, and when he walked down the hall to show me, spurs jangling, I swear my heart skipped a beat.  He looked sooooo good.  Strong and tough and exactly the way he should.  Oh, I swooned!

Ty's parents stopped by to put the finishing touches on our outfits, and Dad said we needed to have a traditional pose.  No smiling.  Obviously, I am not very good at that - but Tyler has the look down pat!

In other news - we bought a truck today.  So now, below our apartment is parked a shiny red one tonne Dodge Diesel.  It's nice and big and we are very happy!

Oh, and the socks were finished on time.  Just.  But they got sent off with my mum and will have arrived safely and in time for Granny's birthday!

Socks for Granny

I am making socks for my Granny for her birthday.  Her birthday is May 5th.  My mum is leaving to visit tomorrow and will take my socks to my granny.  One teensy, tinesy problem.  They are not finished.  Wish me luck!  I must knit knit knit!

P.S.  They are RED!