And She's Off...(not quite)

My title may be slightly looking into the near future, but it's almost true:) Tomorrow is my last day in the classroom for this term. It's been a pretty slow week. There were 5 students who stayed back at school instead of going on work experience, so I've been supervising them in the class and trying to help them wherever possible. No lesson plans, no real teaching, just some relaxing and trying to look busy:)-

Next week is the big adventure...hopefully I'll be smiling like this girl in the picture after my backpacking journey. Unfortunately, I don't think we'll be encountering scenery quite this beautiful, but our route will have its own beauty I'm sure. Speaking of preparations for backpacking...I need to put in a little advertisement for MEC (Mountain Equipment Coop). I bought a new pair of hiking boots back in January in preparation for this trip. I water-proofed them and started wearing them everywhere in an attempt to break them in. By the beginning of April, after trying many different types of socks, adjusting the tension in my laces, etc, but I was still getting blisters when I walked with these boots. SO, at the urging of my sister and mom, I emailed MEC about their 'rock solid' warranty and they happily told me I could return my boots for a full refund or choose a new pair. WOW. After 'wearing' my boots for 2 months, they still took them back without a question. I was amazed. This makes me a MEC customer for life! And I encourage you all to consider MEC next time you have to make an equipment purchase...they're good people.

SO yeah, my life right now consists of packing for camp and backpacking. My camp packing schedule got bumped up by a week, so I will be having a late night tonite after going to watch a production of AIDA being put on by Neelin High School. Fun times!

I'm going to post my newsy update on this blog, and it will have my mailing address for the summer...come on people, you know you want to write me!!!!!

One more week

This is my last week in the classroom for the school year.  It's pretty exciting!  Next week is the big backpacking expedition and then it's off to camp.  It should be a pretty laid back week on the school front.  I've got lots to do to get ready for my backpacking and then camp, but that's mostly at home in the evenings.  

It is beginning to look like spring all around me these days.  The trees have buds that are about to burst which means that green will soon be upon us again:)  I totally missed spring last year during my travels, so I am soaking up the beauty of this season even more this year.  Last night Kendelle and I walked over to a park close by and had a good time on the swings.  It's really therapeutic to swing back and forth.  It's amazing how well conversation will flow when you are just relaxing and not staring right into each other's faces.  I would recommend a swing set for any type of serious conversation you want to have!

Anyways, just a few thoughts as I relax on a Sunday night.  Hope your weeks will be filled with joy!

Where does the time go?

Hard to believe it's been 10 days since my last post.  I don't know how things go so quickly.  So what's happened since the last time...let me think...

-had a fantastic 30 Hour Famine with the youth in my church.  There were 24 kids who came and they raised over $2200 which I think is fantastic.  I'm hoping that while the kids won't forget the fun times they had, they will also remember some of the lives of children in poor nations that they heard about.  We really tried to make it real to the kids participating in the famine that they might be hungry for 30 hours, but some kids are hungry every day.  I don't know how much stuck with the kids, but hopefully even a small piece of awareness is in them now that wasn't there before.

-Taught a couple fun lessons to my kids at school.  There are only 2 more days of full class with the kids in my placement.  Next week most of the students will be at work experience around the province and then the last week of April is my big backpacking expedition!  I'm already thinking and planning for the food I will bring on this trip.  I love cooking on expeditions so that should be fun.

-I've been doing some pilates with Kendelle, which is really challenging but I like it.  Actually, I need to do them tonite (it's been a few days since we last got at it).  I definitely work up a sweat while doing them, but I think they're interesting and they allow me to work at my own ability level which is great.

-Camp is taking a bigger part of my thoughts these days.  Only 2 1/2 weeks till I'll be out on the island.  I'm excited to be able to live in the great outdoors for 4 months.  And having no tv won't be so bad either:)  The community that will be out there is looking really fantastic.  There are quite a few people joining the team who I've never met which will be great because I'm always up to meeting new people.  There are also some people coming out for the spring that are good friends from the past few years when I've been out.  All in all I'm sure this is going to be a great year.  I'm looking forward to seeing how God will work in miraculous and amazing ways yet again.  There is something special about camp and watching God at work and living in a community that is working to reflect Christ.  It's really exciting!

My life really isn't all that interesting these days.  Spring has finally sprung and I"m loving the sunshine and warmth.  Green things are poking out of the ground in the gardens and the trees are going to burst in a couple more days.  I love the newness of Spring!

Loving the Little Ones

Hi All. Well my spring break is just about over, and it's back to the grindstone tomorrow morning:) Well it's not really that bad, but I wouldn't complain if vacation time was a little bit longer. I think I'll be getting used to this Spring Break thing without too much trouble when I'm a real teacher.





So I had a great trip out to Calgary, visiting with old friends and their cutest son ever. I had so much fun just living with them and playing with the little guy. Spending quality time like that makes me want to be a mom sooooooo bad. I just need to find Mr. Right and then we can get going:) No seriously, even though I will be finished my schooling next spring, I would be so happy to just be a nanny or if it worked out, a real mom and not worry abou getting an official teaching job...don't tell my parents who have struggled along side me as I figured out what I wanted to do with my life:)- as it might cause them to pull out their hair! Anyways, it's not like becoming a mother is a possibility any time really soon, but the nanny idea has been percolating in my brain so you never know where that might lead.

Here is a picture of the little guy I spent time with in Calgary:)

It's kind of crazy with my teaching placement, as there are only 9 class days left with the kiddos for my term. I am getting excited and kind of nervous at the same time about the 5 day hiking trip that will end my placement with this class. I'm sure it will be fun, but at the same time I'm not sure how my body will hold up with such a physically demanding trip. I think the longest day is only 13 km but with a 50 lb pack on my back I'm sure that will be plenty! The whole dehydrated, limited variety of food is also something that doesn't make me too excited but I'll make it work, and it's not like I don't have a few extra pounds to lose:) Just think of it as training for the upcoming canoe trip season!



So yeah, that's my life. I don't anticipate anything too crazy happening this week but you never know!



One last thing, I am planning and participating in the 30 Hour famine this weekend...so if anyone still wants to support this amazing cause by sponsoring me (for a tax deductible receipt of course), send me a note or click on this link and donate online: http://www2.worldvision.ca/famine/20184881



Make it a great week!