Thursday, June 28, 2012

"The unhurried woman"

Yesterday on the Christian radio station here (that I love!) there was a little part by Proverbs 31 ministry that really cut me to the heart.

To be honest by nature, I am an on the go, having multiple things going at once type of person. I do not like to waste time...actually I detest it!

But I treasure quality valuable time.

taking the time to love and enjoy 
Hannah's cousin Elise when she was born

In this little message the woman shared about how the unhurried woman's kids have the benefit of understanding things more. She takes the time to tell them where they are going and why they are going, instead of just yelling "get in the car" and rushing to get going.

The unhurried woman, has the time to talk to a store clerk and potentially make their day!

I LOVE that idea and that is who I want to be.

I want to make the day of people I come in contact with.

I want my children to understand things, have the chance to ask questions and just enjoy the simple things in life instead of rushing past.

Yes that means slowing down and doing less.

But...

that means quality valuable time! 


Sometimes I am good at slowing down when it counts, but more often than not my nature kicks in and I get impatient.

Like when this spring Hannah wanted to take her baby for a walk in her stroller. She did great on the way to the park, but on the way back Hannah needed to stop every 2 or 3 steps to go around to the front of the stroller, check on her baby and give her a kiss. It was adorable! For the first few times at least! It warmed my heart that she noticed that that is what I do to her and so she had to do it for her baby too! But...by the third time and taking FOREVER to get home, I tried to rush her along! She did not like that rushing so I had to go against my desire to get going and just enjoy that my daughter is a loving, cute little girl!

So, my goal is to slow down and strive to live like that unhurried woman. Probably means doing less in a day, but that is okay! Let's think big picture, everyone involved, and man is it worth it!

Hannah loving her cousin who is getting bigger!


Tuesday, June 26, 2012

shopping spree - shopping wise vs crazy

I have been looking forward to the chance to live in the states for a month for a long time, with a large bonus being the ability to do some good shopping. 

There are just some awesome stores in the States that we just don't have and often things can be found for just a  fraction of the price we would spend on them back home. 

A favourite store to visit in the States 

The catch is not going crazy and buying everything you see for a good deal and thus buying things we don't really need. Its tempting, but you aren't really saving that way!

To be honest our extra budget (including clothes, dates and gifts) is pretty small so I have been saving up for a few months to be able to put towards shopping in this trip. 

Also to prepare I wrote up a wishlist of things we would need in the next year that we could benefit from getting on sale. Including on the list, clothes we will need (especially for Hannah as she grows), shoes, stuff for the house (back splash at the top of the list) and birthday, wedding and Christmas presents (call me crazy but Ive already gotten a few amazing ones for insane prices!) 

Because we are here for a month, I also have the advantage of shopping around. For instance I wanted a toothbrush holder, it has been on my wishlist for a long time now, now that we have counter space for it, but in Canada the cheapest nice one I have found is $10. In Ross, I found one I really liked for $4 - what a steal! But since it was normal price I decided to keep looking. Found another good one for $5, but in Walmart I found an awesome one for $1.88! So glad I didn't jump at our first good deal and kept looking! 

The key is not to spend just as much by buying more on things we won't really need, but shopping smart, shopping for things in advance and getting the best deal possible! 


Monday, June 25, 2012

trying to outsmart google maps....

I am a firm supporter of exploring your new area when you are on vacation or in a new place. I am not happy staying inside or stuck to just the pool. I want to know what is around and what can I walk to if I want to.

The other day Hannah and I went on an adventure to see if we could walk to the grocery store that I knew was nearby.

I looked it up on google maps, but I didn't like the walking directions they gave, it was a lot of main highways I didn't really want to walk on and since we had walked in a nice area the day before I figured I could get to the store that way and maybe even cut across getting there faster...

(note: this is a picture from google maps, but not the route I was given.
I could not figure out how to save that and use as a picture) 

It started out great (the way we had already walked) - nice paths, lots of shade, pretty flowers, it was great! Then I decided to try and cut through a parking lot, I thought it opened up and would go onto the street thus saving us some time. 

Yeah... it did not open up on the other side, instead I had to jump a fence (meaning throwing the stroller over, lifting Hannah over and then hopping it myself). 

Not a big deal and it kept going well so we were still in good spirits. 

Again I decided to cut through a parking lot (you would think I would learn). Yeah..it didn't open up and resulted in us having to back track around a pond hoping that side opened up, which it didnt which meant hopping yet another fence! 

Then we got to a nice road....that turned not so nice and INSANELY curvy. Like honestly I have never in my life seen a road that turned in a curve like motion so much, but there was no cutting through since it was all houses (now run down houses). 

It had been an hour (google maps said about 35 minutes) and we had no sight of the store and we were hot and hungry. So we took a water and food break (thankfully I packed snacks just in case). 

On we went. We saw a road that looked like a short cut, we started going down it until a man came out of his house and yelled at us that something (didnt hear what he said) would chase after us so dont go down there. 

On we went. 

And then...

We saw it! We made it! 

We were so hot though and I was tired after our hour and 15 minute walk that I desperately wanted a place to sit down in air conditioning. 

The bonus is that we found an awesome cool smoothie shop right beside the grocery store and got an amazing large smoothie and turkey guacamole sandwich loaded with veggies which was AMAZING (although Hannah ate most of it!) which I would not have gone in if I wasn't so hot and tired. 

The other bonuses of our trip was seeing 2 random ostriches, 2 cows, 2 horses and a crazy bird that I dont know what kind it was! 

Lessons that we learnt was that sometimes it doesn't work that well to try and outsmart google maps....they do know how the roads go and the most direct route so next time Ill at least listen a little more! 

That said I still love exploring and it hasn't stopped me (although I am on hold while this crazy tropical storm Debbie passes by!) 

If you have some time and don't know what to do go explore a little! It's fun!


Sunday, June 24, 2012

Following your dreams

First of all I want to say a HUGE congrats to my little sister Tara on graduating from OCAD this spring!

I had the amazing blessing of being in Ontario for her grad so I actually got to go to it! (living far away we miss a lot of special occasions so this one meant a lot!)


(sisters shot!: left to right - Karissa, Elise, Tara and me) 

(side note: Elise is wrapped in a blanket because just moments before we saw Tara she decided to pee her pants not only making a HUGE mess all over herself, but also covering me with pee and the floor in Roy Thompson Hall...thank goodness I love that girl so much!)

I hope Tara knows how much she inspires me and how much I respect and look up to her.

She is a true example of someone who followed her dreams (against all odds, strikes and people discouraging her from trying to make Art a career).

It is true that going for an Art degree you aren't as guaranteed a job like you would be say with engineer, but...if you have the passion, the drive and determination you can do it!

Tara lives in Toronto and has done an incredible job or networking herself in the art community, making herself known and going for her dreams. It's definitely hard and not always a sure thing of how things will work out, but that hasn't stopped her.

Tara is a great inspiration for those people that have a specific passion, talent or desire to do something different. If you want something bad enough and have the dream for it, go for it, you can do it!

I am sure someday she will be famous and I'll get to say "Tara Dorey...oh yeah that's my sister and I have all kinds of originals in my house!"

Congrats Tara on graduating and entering into the workforce! Can't wait to see what God has in store next for you as you keep following your dreams!

Here is my favourite picture that Tara has painted that hangs proudly in our home!

(awesome thing is is 3D with real newspaper coming out of it!) 

(a mural she helped create in Toronto!)

(another mural she did at a Catholic school! Tara is the second from the left in the pic!) 
(read more about this one here| She's already famous!)

If anyone wants an awesome original painting of a future famous artist let me know! Search her name online its fun! I dare you!

Here's her website she has started working on! Tara Dorey 
(cant wait to see what more she does now that she's not restricted to school assignments!) 

If only we all had the courage to go after our dreams...just think of how this world would look! 


Friday, June 22, 2012

The benefit to IBS in Orlando vs Colorado

Working with a missions organization, Power to Change, part of what we need to do every so often is expand our education by taking some seminary courses. These courses (called IBS) are offered one year in Colorado, the next in Florida. 

We first went to one in Colorado and I vowed I would never go to Orlando if I could help it. Why? Colorado is so nice and beautiful and different. Although both are hot in the summer Colorado is the dry pleasant heat vs the sticky humid heat in Florida. Furthermore, I have family in Florida so I have grown up going there all the time, so its not quite the adventure like Colorado brings. 

That said there is one huge benefit for us choosing to go to IBS in Orlando this year...


getting to see FAMILY! 

The other day my mom (who drove down with us for a chance to visit with family) brought my Nanny down for a visit. The last time Hannah got to see her great-Nanny was when she was 1 month old! She has changed a lot since then so it was great to hang out. 



Truth be told, getting to see family trumps so many other pros on the other side! I look forward to getting to see other family this weekend when we go for a visit! 

Thursday, June 21, 2012

seeing intent vs the messes - a story from "Sacred Parenting" meant to encourage!

I was encouraged by this story I just read and wanted to share it! 
(It comes from Sacred Parenting, by Gary Thomas)


"A young father followed the same routine every evening: He went into the kitchen, opened a cupboard and took out a glass. He then walked over to a cupboard, pulled out a cookie jar, took out two or three cookies, and put them on a plate. Then he'd go to the refrigerator, get some milk, and pour himself a tall glass. Following that, he'd walk into the living room and enjoy his milk and cookies while sitting in his favourite chair. 


One evening as he was heading into the kitchen for his nightly ritual, the father noticed his three-year-old son heading into the kitchen ahead of him. The boy had a determined look on his face. Instead of announcing his presence, the father decided to stay unobserved so that he could watch what his son seemed so determined to do. 


The boy pulled out several drawers, essentially making steps so he could climb onto the counter- something he was forbidden to do. Next he walked across the counter (another no-no) and opened an upper cupboard door. He reached in and pulled out a glass, knocking over several other glasses in the process. The young boy placed his glass down, hopped off the counter, then picked up his glass and put it on the floor. He marched to the refrigerator and pulled out the milk, then poured it into the glass. The flowing milk proved too strong for his little hands and it spilled over the top of the glass. The little boy wiped up the spilled milk with his shirt. 


Then he left his milk, walked over to another cupboard and pulled out the cookie jar. This was strictly forbidden; the father's son reached in and while doing so pulled several other cookies out of the jar. The boy put them back and wiped up the crumbs with his now milk-soaked shirt. 




The father stepped out to intercept his son, only to be greeted by a huge smile. "Here are your cookies, Dad. I love you."


In this story, I want you to place yourself in the son's position, not the dad's. We're the little child, trying to serve our heavenly Father and yet making a lot of messes in the process. We can't reach as high as we'd like, so we make do with makeshift steps to reach the counter. We knock over a few glasses and we spill the milk while we're trying to prepare a drink. Lacking all wisdom, we come up with the great idea of cleaning up the mess with our shirt instead of with a washcloth. But what dad wouldn't feel touched by such a display of service, however messy it might be?


We're not the best parents, not by far. We don't have all the wisdom we'd like. We don't understand how everything fits together. We make mistakes, we make messes, we can do everything wrong - but God looks at us with a Father's delighted eyes. Where we see weakness, God sees humility. Where we see messes, God sees intent. Where we see failings, God sees motives. 


And he smiles. He takes us into his arms. And he laughs a delighted Father's laugh." 
p51-52

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Too Good to be True!

In preparing to go to Orlando for the month to do some seminary courses for work I searched high and low for a good place for our family to live happily together temporarily for the month and attempt to save some money since we would have our car and did not have to stay on campus (which would cost A LOT!)

I found an awesome place. A temporary furnished apartment complex, with laundry, a kiddie pool, a regular pool and walking distance to a mall! It would mean we would save over $1000 for the month - less than half price for living on campus and a whole apartment with things for Hannah to do! Awesome!

Course I kind of had this feeling that it was too good to be true....

But I booked it already, paying the deposit and securing a place for us to stay.


We arrived to find that IT WAS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE! 

Matt coined it as a place out of the movies where the drug deals and shootings take place. Needless to say I did not feel comfortable staying there with my family so we forfitted our deposit and got out of that place!

My lesson - if you feel like it may be too good to be true, its possible it is so be careful in booking. If you are unsure of an area and can't see things fully (although we did research the area, reviews and google maps street view) than book one night at a hotel to give yourself time to get a feel for stuff before committing to something.

I dont think I could go down to a place for a month without having anywhere to stay, so I guess the $100 we lost was worth the peace of mind I had the month before knowing we had a good place to stay...but I have learnt an important lesson!

Boycotting Driving

I'm not kidding! If at all possible today I am boycotting driving in Orlando area and not driving unless totally necessary!

I have realized once again how spoiled we are in Halifax. People stop for pedestrians at the very sight of them maybe wanting to cross the road and cars stop for each other to let them in if they need to merge.

Orlando is the exact opposite!

Some people have said that Toronto is bad to drive in, yes its busy but I've never found it that stressful. Orlando is the stressful one!

Why?

Its the fact that roads are not always obviously marked, there are often at least 6 lanes which means if at the last minute you finally see the sign or realize you need to get over to the other side, its crossing a lot of lanes to get over. It wouldn't be that horrible except that people here when they see your blinker to get over believe that's code for "speed up and run into your way so you have no chance at all of getting over".

I have successfully gotten lost 4 times so far in the last 2 days resulting in a lot of stress, almost 3 accidents, a crying over tired baby that just wants to get to bed and just not fun times!

So instead Ill let Matt take the car and Hannah and I will swim and play all day pretending we are in another world completely!

It's not worth the stress!


Tuesday, June 5, 2012

living far from family...

We love living in Nova Scotia, there is no doubt about that, but...

we do not love being so far away from family meaning we go long extended periods without seeing family and often miss special occasions.

So what does that means?

If we could move everyone down East with us (including friends too) we would, but since we can't we simply treasure the times we have with family that much more and make it a priority to visit and do all that we can when we can!

Here are some pictures of some cousin love!

 sliding down the slide with cousin Daniel (Hannah 18 mo, Daniel 14 mo) 

 swinging together! 

(This pictures were pretty much the only special moments we had of these two together at the park. Daniel being a newer walker all he wanted to do was walk around while Hannah wanted to keep swinging and going up and down the slide all day!) 

Hannah helping carry Elise's present from church, while trying to hold onto her hand!
(Hannah 19 mo, Elise 2 mo) 

(If possible I need to catch a video of Hannah and Elise together, if only you could hear Hannah comfort Elise if she's ever upset it is truly precious!) 

These are special times indeed! Each visit means different stages and new adventures together as cousins! I can't wait for Hannah to finally get to meet her 3 oldest cousins later this summer!

Monday, June 4, 2012

"Mommy WOW Im a big girl now!"...almost

Hannah has been interested in the toilet for awhile and why not let her sit on her own seat and be excited to go pee like a big girl?!

So she has been sitting on her toilet seat for 2 weeks now in the morning and night. She loves being on there and is so proud, but I did not expect anything more than that.

However, Saturday night Hannah decided she wasn't quite done when I asked her to get off the toilet and what did I hear next?

Hannah PEEING in the toilet!


She was so proud, especially when we announced it to Daddy and some friends that were over for dinner! 

Was it just a fluke? Maybe. We haven't seen anything since. 

But, regardless this is a new adventure we are embarking on as we know our baby girl can pee in the toilet! 

I just can't believe it!