Stuff & Such

It feels so weird to know that I'm going to work tomorrow after being out of the business loop for so long. And the pressure is starting. You know what I mean. The pressure to get everything done over the weekend so that you can head off to work Monday morning, knowing everything is in order at home.

Except it's not. My laundry is way behind. Almost as far behind as my housework is. And as I sit here typing this, I just remembered that I need to take something out of the freezer for dinner tonight.

And my chest feels so tight and my heart hurts. I'm going to miss being with Jordan all day, caring for her and loving on her. And I'll miss seeing the children right after school, excitedly telling me about their days, moaning about their homework assignments. I'll miss fixing lunch... and preparing dinner... and puttering. I will miss hanging out with Ian. I'll miss the freedom of coming and going as I wish.

But getting a paycheque again will be sweet. And it will feel good to get back into my field and see if I've still got what it takes to produce results. I feel like I can, but that may change after Day 1!

There is good and bad in everything, isn't there? Time to focus on the good.

Yesterday Sam and I went to see Monsters vs Aliens. Ian took Jules last weekend because Sam was sick, and he fell asleep towards the end, so he doesn't know how the movie ended. When we came home, he asked me how it was, and I said that I'd tell him the ending if he'd tell me what happened in the middle.

Yes... two hours of my life I'll never get back. Ok, it wasn't really that bad. Not my favourite, but it wasn't that bad. The time alone with Sam was awesome though.

After I dropped Sam off, I picked up Jules and we headed over to Chapters. I used the last of my gift card from Christmas and bought Charley's Web by Joy Fielding. I've been waiting forever for it to come out in softcover and now it's mine! We then headed over to the Tim Horton's that Jen, Cindy and I go to every week and even sat at "our table".

Yeah... we have an "our table" because we are there each week, oh so faithfully. And such faithfulness comes with perks such as that. If we get there and others are sitting at "our table" then we are not above sending looks and the odd glare at the intruders until they leave.

She was so cute, wanting to know who sat where, what we ordered, what we talked about every week. It was really nice to be able to focus just on her, and to hear her thoughts and concerns about things. She often feels left out or in the way. I consider that a personal failing, because I always strive to make them each feel special and important. But sometimes (most times?) I guess I fall short...

The girls both have colds. Again. I managed to get Jordan to eat some yogurt last night, but then she erupted like a volcano. I was so impressed with what she produced that I stopped trying to catch it in the tea towel. I just stood there, mesmerized. I think she heaved up half her body weight. Once she was done I bathed her in the sink and gave her fresh pjs and she fell asleep in my arms. She then proceeded to sleep for the next 10+ hours.

This morning there was an ambulance outside Buddy Across The Street's house. I don't know who it was for, and I don't know if they took anyone away, but I'm concerned.

I got a little thrill this morning when I discovered that someone in India and Nunavut read my blog.

India and Nunavut!!

Very exciting.

Alright, I am off to do all those things that need doing so that I can head out to the workforce tomorrow morning knowing all is in order at home.

Ha.

Job!

Well folks, guess who got a job today?

ME!

That's right, I got a job today. Just a two week temp assignment, but it's work and I'm grateful for it, believe me.

I got a call from the agency yesterday telling me about this position that was available in Milton. They set up an interview for me - yet another "working interview" - at 2pm so I headed out just after 1pm, Mapquest map in hand.

Mapquest is a very handy little tool to have. Door to door instructions, complete with how much time it should take someone to get there. You'd have to be an idiot to mess up their directions...

...or a blonde named Kate. Because said blonde managed to get lost not once, but twice on her way to this interview....

I called Ian from the heart of Georgetown, mildly panicking about my whereabouts. He was able to direct me back to my Mapquest directions and I was on my way once again. It was only about fifteen minutes later when I called him from the middle of Cow Country to tell him I was lost yet again. This time there were a few tears involved. Once again he was able to direct me right to the door.

SCORE!

The offices were very nice and very empty. I was told later that they had laid off all but a skeleton staff. Scary. Everyone seemed really nice too. I met with the A/R Supervisor and the CFO for about ten minutes, then spent the next two hours with the Supervisor, learning the ropes. We got along really, really well. We even finished each other`s sentences! I caught on to their computer system pretty quickly which pleased her. She said they left it to the very last minute to hire a replacement, and that she commented to the CFO that morning that they were going to need a miracle to find someone, then when we took a break she told him ``I think we got our miracle!``

All together now.... AWWWWWW!

I managed to get sort of lost on my way home too. Oh yes... it`s true.

I called the agency to report in once I got home and I barely got the chance to identify myself before my contact said ``Can I put you on speaker phone so we can give you the good news together?`` So sweet. Apparently the CFO felt I was a ``perfect fit``.

Apparently my aggression - or lack thereof - was not an issue for this company! ;-)

So, I start at 8am on Monday morning for at least the next two weeks. I cannot tell you how grateful I am for this assignment. I can only imagine how well I will sleep tonight. I have such a sense of relief.

My mom has already stepped up to offer to pick the children up for school each morning and deliver them home again to Ian afterwards, as I will have the car all day. She is so amazing to me.

In other news...

Ian may have a lead on an opportunity as well and hopes to hear more about that on Monday. We are talking about whether or not he should return to work or go back to school. Lots to discuss there.

That`s it for today. All this excitement has pooped me right out.

Job...No Job....Job?

It's been a challenging week to say the least.

But... let's report on the positive, shall we?

Yesterday I had a job interview at a company located in my city, about 15 minutes from my house.

GOLD!

This interview was to be one unlike any other I've ever had. Not only did they want to meet with me and discuss my qualifications, they also wanted to see me "in action".

Umm...ok.

While I drove along I went through all the possible interview questions and answers in order to prepare myself. Yes... I did this out loud, with smiles and hand gestures as well. I am sure I looked very strange to those driving along beside me. Not as strange as when I shamelessly rock out to the music on the radio, but I digress.

But I didn't look as strange as the poor dude in a Ford F150 (oh that little bit of heaven will be mine the minute I win the lottery) who was waiting at the same red light. I saw something fall out of his window...and then run away. It turns out it was his Bulldog and he just trotted away from the truck and his panicked owner had to run kitty corner across the intersection to try to catch him. I had to laugh because this dog would just let his owner get close enough to grab him, then dart off again. Meanwhile, we were all at a standstill until he could move his truck.

Poor little dog. He probably didn't want to go where he was going. We certainly had that in common...I didn't really want to go where I was going either.

Anyhoo..

I made it to my interview early, and waited patiently until my interview time rolled around. Then rolled past. I waited for almost a half hour for the manager to come and get me. I met with the Credit Manager and the AR Supervisor. I hit it off with the Manager, but I just had this feeling that the Supervisor didn't like me even before I opened my mouth. We talked for a bit, then the Manager took me on a tour of the office, showing me where I could find everything, introduced me to the staff and then left me with a woman who I would be replacing. I sat with her for the next two hours while she tried to format her Excel spreadsheet. Then, mercifully, the Supervisor came to send me on my way.

I felt that the interview portion went very well, and although I was lost with the advanced Excel, I knew that Ian could bring me up to speed on that. I called my contact at the agency to report, then went home.

This afternoon the agency called to let me know that the client would like to meet with some other candidates as they felt that I was not aggressive enough.

???

Yes, those of you who know me personally may take a moment to laugh.

Ok that's enough now.

I felt a little ripped off because I wasn't given the opportunity to show off my skills. I just sat there while someone played with her Excel. I tried to ask questions but kept getting put off. I had a bit of a cry with Ian when I told him I didn't get it because I felt like I failed him and the family.

My employment background is in Debt Recovery (oh isn't that nicer than saying Collector) and I will say this, I am very good at it. I'm not a leg breaker by any means. I believe that in this field you catch more flies with honey. My customer service skills are top notch and that's why I'm successful in this role.

Anyone reading this that might be hiring right about now? Anyone...? Anyone...?

Oh boo.

The agency called me back later on this afternoon to tell me they have a two week assignment that I might be suited for, so they're sending my profile over today. I'll let you know how that goes.

In the meantime, Ian is considering going back to school. The more I think about this, the more I like the idea. He has dreams. My dream was to have another baby and he made that come true for me. Now I want to help him achieve his.

Today is G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S outside. I didn't even need a sweater today. Tomorrow will be 19.

19!!!

Tonight is Girls Club and I think we're going to play outside. We'll do chalk drawings and skipping. Which reminds me. I should put on my smaller pants so they don't fall down while I'm skipping. Yikes.. that would make for an interesting post, wouldn't it!

He is RISEN!!

Random Thoughts And Pictures That Accompany Them

Lots of random things to share, so here we go...

I mentioned in my last post that we went to see Julie in her Easter assembly on Thursday and that she did really great. Here are the cupcakes that I baked for her:



She was so excited to see them. I hope they made her feel special. I certainly felt special when I ate one. ;-)

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Julie has an A- in drama according to her latest report card. When I told her, her comment was "That's because I'm a drama queen!"

Oh so true!

We saw her drama teacher while we were at the school and he said she is on her way to an A+ for the third term. Ha!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Being that I am home with Jordan all day, I am quite up to speed on the comings and goings of my neighbours. Some might call that nosy (Ian!) but others (me!) would consider me to be a caring, concerned neighbour.

There are people who live across the street from me and I never see them come outside except to receive who I like to call The Good Cheer Guy, the dude that delivers beer to them every week and takes away the empties.



Doesn't he look like Santa?? Come on now, you know he does.



Every time I see him I feel like jumping outside for a photo op. I also wonder how I can get him to deliver beer to my house.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thursday night was Girls Club and as usual it was a good time. We hid all sorts of Easter treats for the girls to find. Being the most excellent leaders that we are, we let them eat their booty. Itwasn'tlongbeforetheywerebouncingoffthewallsinthethroesofamajorsugarrush!!!!

Whew!

For a part of our devotion, we had the girls write out a sin on a slip of paper and then tape it to the cross. The idea being that they confess, ask for forgiveness and leave it at the cross for Jesus.



One girl told me she had no idea what to write down because she never does anything wrong.

I bit my tongue on that one.

Then my lovely daughter's voice rang out, "Oh boy..I'm going to need more paper..."

I debated whether or not to post a pic of hers, but I did...



Umm...ok... she stabbed her brother in the back?? Then Ian reminded me of that time she stabbed him with her toothbrush. Ahh yes. Who she called a jerk I have no idea.

And to be fair, I've posted mine as well.



The girls absolutely loved this. I was hoping a few would say something like "Oh Kate, you couldn't possibly ever be rude to your husband, being the loving, Godly woman that you are!"

Imagine my surprise when no one said anything remotely like that?

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I've decided to try the Flylady method again to help me stay on track with my responsibilities. She's really big on wearing shoes in the house, which I absolutely hate. I hate it when people wear shoes in my house.

So... Ian picked these up for me today.



I feel like I can do anything in my new Flyshoes. I didn't, however. But they sure were comfy! Perhaps tomorrow I will be motivated to break them in some more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One of the millions of "best" things about having a 1 year old is how they will copy whatever you do. I am having the best time teaching her little things for her to perform for family and friends. My favourite is when I say "oh no!" she'll put her hands to her face and go "ohhh..."

And the new one is when I say "Praise the Lord!" She'll do this:



I'm going to get her to do it for our Pastor. ;-)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ian did a terrific job with his sermon on Friday. I was so proud of him. He was completely wiped out afterwards from all the preparation and a little bit of nervousness thrown in. He was wonderful.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've been in a bit of a rough place lately, struggling in a few areas. I was rocking Jordan the other night and complaining talking to the Lord about how I was feeling and asking Him why He wasn't answering my prayers. I felt this calmness come over me and I felt Him speak directly to my heart: "Look at her...did I not answer your prayer?"

Wow. He sure did.

And He will answer the prayers I have now. In His time, in His way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We decorated our Easter eggs tonight and the "egg jokes" were flying. My favourite was Sam's as he decorated his with High School Musical stickers. "This egg is called Zack EGGfron".

Oh yes friends, I am laughing again at that. Loved it. He has an EGGcellent sense of humour.

While we were decorating I asked the children who was coming tonight. Julie looked at me and said "Mom, Jesus doesn't rise until tomorrow." I told her she was right, but I was referring to the Easter Bunny. She gently reminded me that Easter was about the Risen Lord, not the bunny.

This is the second year in a row that they have been so focused on the Resurrection that the EB was a remote thought.

Love those kids...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That's about it. Once again I am up way past my bedtime and tomorrow will be another busy day...

Happy Easter and may you feel the love of our Risen Saviour tomorrow and always.

Sunday's Coming

Praise God...Sunday is coming....

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

~ This weekend and what it means - while Good Friday will be a difficult day, Sunday is coming! Praise the Lord!

~ This incredibly beautiful, sunny day. All the snow has melted and I'm back to wearing just a sweater again! Its incredible how much the weather can affect someone.

~ Ian's opportunity to deliver the message at tomorrow's Good Friday Family Service. He's been working so incredibly hard on it all week and I can't wait to see him in action. (I wonder if it would be inappropriate to take pictures so I can share them with you??)

~ Being able to see Julie at her Easter assembly today. Her class was signing (not singing!) a hymm while another class sang it. She was so sweet and so proud that we came to see her. I have cupcakes in the oven for her and once they are iced I'm going to write out a letter on each that will spell "way to go Julie".

~ Time with my Mom today. We went to Costco to buy a roast for Easter Sunday dinner and enjoyed several tasty samples. Yum. Samples are the best part of Costco!

~ A book I have been waiting for to come out in softcover finally has! Charley's Web by Joy Fielding...here I come!

~ And last but not least... I am thankful for a possible employment opportunity that will pay well and is in my city. The agency is going to forward my resume today and I should hear a yay or nay by late Monday. The position will begin May 4th and is ongoing, which means there isn't an end date, and could possibly lead to a permanent position. We shall see...

What are YOU thankful for today?

Easter Linebacker

Ian showed me this video he came across while he was preparing the message he is giving at our church's Good Friday Family Service. It doesn't matter how many times I watch it, it makes me laugh every time.

I won! I won!

I finally won on Tim Horton's Roll Up The Rim To Win contest!!

I was so excited when I saw "win" that I shouted "Oh! Oh! I won!" Kind of loudly...

And if that alone wasn't thrilling enough, I found a $5 bill in my wallet that I had forgotten was there!

What's next??

Update on Tackle It Tuesday.... I have been working on the laundry all day, sorting clothes that can be donated. I want to see all the corners of my laundry room someday. Sigh....someday...

Coming Soon....

I wanted to start this today, but I have so many areas that need to be tackled that I can't decide where to start!

So, I've put up this button and if I should tackle something by the end of the day then you'll be the first to know.

Yes, this is cheating. My blog, my rules.

;-)

Where Did The Weekend Go??

Yesterday was Julie's final soccer game of the season, and I suspect, of her life. She was so glad to get it over with and said she really only went to get her trophy and medal for her "collection".

I wonder if I have to remove the soccer ball magnet from the back of my van now that I no longer have any soccer players?

Yes... I have a soccer ball magnet on my van. I am uber cool like that.

Yesterday was also the Girls Club Glow In The Dark Mini Golf Event and it went really well. I was expecting a large number of girls but we only had about 12, which actually worked out well because we had just enough adults to supervise. We golfed in groups of 4 and I had the highest score of my group at the end.

Figures that I'd get the highest score in the only game where that's a bad thing.

No matter. I got a cool glow-in-the-dark bracelet out of it. Yay for jewelry!

We watched Monsters Inc. in the evening and it doesn't matter how many times I watch that movie, I enjoy it every time. So did Jordan who hardly took her eyes off the tv and stayed standing in her playpen in the same spot pretty much for the whole thing. I actually stayed awake for the whole thing too. Yay me!

This morning we headed off to church for Palm Sunday. I sat with Jen which is never a good thing because we always end up whispering about things that should probably wait until after the service. Today was no different.

We are gearing up for our MADD events at the church. MADD = Make A Difference Days. MADD was created by Barb & Gerry a few years ago and they are great ways to reach out and serve our community. Jen and I signed up to serve in a homeless shelter serving lunch and the children and I signed up to bake cookies for Project 417, which is a ministry that delivers bag lunches to the homeless in Toronto. Both of these events are in May.

I had a great visit with my mother this afternoon. Usually I talk her ear off as I suffer from "pressure of speech" (read: I talk a lot) but today I let her talk too. Such a wonderful daughter I am ;-)

Apparently its supposed to snow tomorrow.

SNOW!

Unbelievable.

I must go now and watch "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant" and laugh.

Over and out.

Ramblings

The weather is so dreary and I don't think the rain has stopped all day. I don't know about you but rainy days make me t-i-r-e-d. And believe me when I tell you that I don't need an excuse to squeeze in a nap.

I am allll about a good nap.

~~~~~~~~~~

I saw my neighbour getting an early start to seeding his lawn this afternoon, right in the middle of the rain. I debated whether or not to call out to him to ask him to do my pathetic excuse for a lawn next and decided that the effort to open the window would be too much. That, and the fact that he'd likely give me the one finger salute.

~~~~~~~~~~

I applied to a bunch of jobs yesterday and lived. I'll go at it again on Monday and see what I can find. Maybe going back to work won't be that bad.

(Insert lame pout here)

~~~~~~~~~~

The girls made Easter chocolate molds last night at Girls Club. Messy and loud but lots of fun. We saw a couple of new faces which is always nice. Tomorrow is our Glow In The Dark Mini Golf Event and they are excited about that.

~~~~~~~~~~

After Girls Club, Jen and I headed over to Cindy's to visit. I felt like I hadn't seen them in ages even though we get together every week without fail. I love our friendship. We laugh together, cry together, encourage one another. And when needed, we give one another a shake to get us going in the right direction again. We can be who we are with each other. No pretending. I love them.

~~~~~~~~~~

Tomorrow is Julie's last soccer game for the season. She enjoyed the season but is looking forward to taking a break from it. Frankly, I am too. The parents are so competitive at this age and they yell instructions and orders at their daughters like it's FIFA or something. Kinda takes the fun out of the game. I'm glad that the game is at 1pm so she won't miss mini-golfing. And because I can't be in two places at once.

~~~~~~~~~~

I put my 300 thread count sheets on my bed yesterday and once again I feel like I'm sleeping in an expensive hotel. An expensive hotel with a lot of kids and pets and laundry and dirty dishes...

Ew.

Let's just leave it at I feel like I'm sleeping in an expensive hotel...

~~~~~~~~~~

After school Ian and Jules went out for some Daddy/Daughter time together. She's had a lot on her mind lately and Ian wanted to give her a chance to talk. Sam and I sat on the kitchen counter eating freshly baked brownies and drinking glasses of milk, and had a nice heart-to-heart talk of our own. He's got some great ideas about things and I love how his mind works. They're such great little people.

~~~~~~~~~~

Ian and I watched Baby Mama tonight and I really liked it. I thought it would be stupid - and maybe to most people it was - but I laughed quite a bit. Nice to have a silly movie to take your mind off the day to day things. Ian tolerated it for my sake. ;-)

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Jordan likes Hannah Montana. I know what you're thinking...she is too young to like much of anything but it's true. When she hears the theme song she dances. It's so cute.

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On Sunday night there is going to be a show on TLC called "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant" (or something lame like that) and I am SO going to watch it. I need to know how someone can be so dense that they don't even notice they are pregnant. How does one MISS something like that??

~~~~~~~~~~

That's all my rambling for today. Tomorrow will be busy so I'd better sign off.

Over and out.

Tough Day

Today was absolutely brutal. My emotions and anxiety were out of control. I can hardly wait to go to bed so this day can be over.

Being that my temp assignment is over with, I was able to re-join my friends at my Wednesday morning Bible study, aka Coffee Hour. I woke up and didn't feel like going at all. It's been my experience that when I feel that way about something (especially church related) then that's the very thing I should be doing.

It was so good to see Jen after almost a month. Her little man is three months old now and so cute. I held him a couple of times and he smiled at me. Such a sweetheart.

The focus of our study is on prayer and it's a good one. I'm enjoying it. The conversation was lively but I didn't participate. I was there in body, but not in mind. I went so the enemy wouldn't win. I spent the morning concentrating on keeping myself together and was succeeding until someone started talking about losing faith in the hard times.

Oh yes. That sounded uncomfortably familiar.

I felt the tears starting in my throat, so I began composing my grocery list in my mind to take me elsewhere.

I was fine until my friend who leads our group asked how I was doing, and how Ian's job search was coming along. I just shook my head and the tears started.

Ugh. I hate crying in front of people.

I was so grateful that Jen was sitting beside me, because she reached for my hand and I felt instantly better. These women love me, just as much as I love them, and they are praying for us. Even though my faith is being attacked, they continue to pray for me while it seems I can't.

While we were at the church my mom called. The school called her saying that Sam was sick, could she come pick him up? So we headed over there to get him. When we wondered why they didn't call us on our cell phones he said that he knew I was in my Bible study and Ian was in a meeting, so he said his Gram would come for him. Poor guy. He slept most of the afternoon and seemed to be much better at bedtime.

Tonight Jules and Ian walked over to the store to get some Motrin for Sam and also picked up some graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate for us to make S'mores in the microwave. Julie prepared them and the two of us stood in front of the microwave, squealing as the marshmallows got bigger and bigger.

My word... they were good.

Jordan has been a ham today. She will clap when we sing "If You're Happy And You Know It", will put both her hands on her face when she hears "Oh no!", waves and will scrunch up her shoulders and smile. Not sure what that one is about yet! She had scrambled eggs for breakfast and loved them.

OhmywordLOSTisabsolutelyamazingthisseason!!!!!! I loved tonight's episode.

I am hoping that tomorrow is a better day for me emotionally. I can't do another one like today.

First Day...Last Day

Today was the first day of my three day temp job. It was also the last day, but I'll get to that.

I went to bed later than I planned and lay there, wide awake for a long time. I was feeling really anxious about working again after being off for so long and I knew I would miss Jordan terribly.

Once I got into the groove of getting ready I felt much better about going. I left the house pretty close to the time I wanted to (read: late) and hit every green light on my way and ended up arriving 20 minutes early. Had to be a great sign right?

The company I was to work for - Frito Lay - was directly across the street from the company I worked at for 10 years so I was very familiar with the area. I thought about dropping in to visit after work but decided against it.

I met one of the other temps right away and within five minutes I knew her entire life story, how she was going to move out west to Vancouver a year ago but discovered she had breast cancer. After fighting that for the last year she was now ready to re-enter the workforce. She was very outspoken and did the majority of the talking for both of us. Being that I was out of my element I let her wear the pants in our newly formed relationship.

The work was extremely simple: enter a customer number, verify the name, and print. NEXT! Three temps were hired for three days. Three temps finished all the work in three hours. End of assignment.

I was on my way home before noon.

So there you have it. My exciting day in a nutshell. No crazy stories to tell.

I feel better having "gotten my feet wet" so to speak. I won't be so nervous for the next placement I hope.

12 Month Stats

This morning I took Jordan to see Dr L for her 12 month check up and next set of vaccinations. She had two shots, one for MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) and the other was for Meningitis. I was really, really nervous (and frankly still am) about the MMR shot because of all the lawsuits in the US which accuse that vaccine of causing Autism. We had a great chat about that and he calmed (most) of my fears.

Actually, Dr L was quite chatty today and we covered many topics on childcare, vaccinations and medicine in general. Did you know that you can only get Shingles if you've already had Chicken Pox? And that you don't catch Shingles from someone who has it, Shingles actually comes from yourself. Interesting.

Jordan now weighs 22 lbs 10 oz. She was so cute laying on the scale. She's so long and we had to kind of fold her up so she was entirely on it. When we stretched her out to measure her length the woman said "My goodness she's long". Well, with a dad that is 6'2" and a mom that is 5'9" what can you expect?? Of course I can't tell you how long she is because I was still hung up on the 22 lb part.

What would I do if I didn't have SOMETHING to worry about when it comes to her?

Apparently a baby should triple its birth weight by its first birthday. Well, she was 8lbs 9 oz at birth so she should be at least 24 lbs...but she's not. I asked if she was underweight and he said no.

Then he got really excited.

Remember this post when he got very excited about her percentile growth chart thing? Well, today he was even more excited. She's in the 77th percentile for weight and in the 78th percentile for height. "You know I never understand what that means" I said.

"Just look at this, Kate. Just LOOK at it!" he said while he whipped the monitor around for my viewing. "She's perfect! PERFECTLY PERFECT! It looks like someone has drawn this to show what perfect growth looks like, and she's it!"

Yes sir, she's "it" alright. Brilliant, perfect, wonderful...

She's good to go with table food only and we can forgo the formula and keep her just on whole milk. She was so cute at the table tonight, tasting everything on her plate, looking happily at everyone.

Tomorrow is Day One of my three day temp placement. I'm feeling a lot of anxiety about it even though I know everything will be fine. It's been a very long time since I've worked in an office...

Stay tuned for the highlights of my work day tomorrow :-)

Happy Birthday Jordan!

Wow! A year old already! This past year has flown by, but what a beautiful year it has been.

My mom, sister and nephew came for dinner to celebrate her special day. We thought it would be a good idea to keep her party small so she wouldn't be overwhelmed. Here are a few pictures of her from dinner.

She actually fell asleep just before we were going to bring out her cake...



Her cake...(I baked it!)



Grabbing it...



Trying it out...



Yum!



Happy Birthday Squish!

Spring Has Arrived!

Oh today was glorious!

My day started off with a walk around Chinguacousy Park with Cindy and an extra large Steeped Tea. (thanks again Cindy!) The sun was shining so brightly and all we needed were light sweaters.

As for the appropriate footwear...well, let's just say Cindy is on a different calendar than the rest of us...



Even with those shoes she can still walk faster than me! Today we made it around the park in 35 minutes. Last year our record for our final walk was 43 minutes. I think the tea helped me move faster ;-)

And for those of you who may be wondering... I did not win on this cup. Roll Up The Rim To Win is a scam.

Julie played soccer today and was amazing as usual :-) Afterwards, the children and I went to my mother's to visit and they drew all sorts of Easter decorations to hang up on her windows.

Being that it was such a beautiful day, the children and I headed over to the park to let Jordan check things out. She loves the slide. I held her hands while she slid down and Julie caught her. I loved her face as she slid down - head thrown back, eyes closed, huge smile.

While Sam and Julie played at the park, I continued to walk around the neighbourhood. At one time I knew almost everyone who lived here. But ten years has brought a lot of changes and a lot of new families. I had one friend here that I would chat with outside (for hours sometimes!) and I miss her because she moved last year. (Hi Anne!) I bumped into her and her husband at Walmart yesterday and you know how you know you miss someone, but you don't really know how much until you see them? That's how I felt when I saw Anne. I miss having a friend in this neighbourhood to talk about things with.

Well that's about it for today. It's almost....



Remember to turn off all your lights from 8:30 - 9:30.

I hope you are participating, friends!

Last year I experienced Earth Hour while in the hospital, having just given birth to Jordan that morning. It was so awesome to look out my window to see so many homes, completely dark. Very cool movement this is.

Tomorrow is Jordan's first birthday. How has a year gone by already? More on that tomorrow...

Now go and turn off your lights! ;-)

Happy Birthday Julie!

I can't believe that my little girl turned 8 today... crazy! She was so excited all week that I thought she'd burst before she had a chance to make it to her birthday party tonight!

Ian and I ran some errands this morning and spent the afternoon cleaning and setting up for her party. I baked her a two layer cake and had the first layer in the oven before they even left for school. [Oh yes. I am an awesome mother. And I even have a blister on my thumb from when I pulled the first cake out of the oven. Battle scars!] Ian decorated it with a High School Musical 3 theme and it looked awesome!

Her party went from 5:30-9:00 pm and she had five girlfriends over. They watched HSM3 and sang karaoke. So cute! Sam's friend came over and they played video games and watched movies downstairs.

Fifteen minutes into the party and there was a kid standing on my couch.

ON! MY! COUCH!

One would think that little girls are polite and sweet and demure. Not this bunch. They were rambunctious to say the least.

Julie had a wonderful time and everyone had gone home by 9:10pm.

I'd love a glass of wine to relax but I'm not sure I can stay awake for it!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful because...

~ God is good, all the time
~ My children are healthy and happy little people
~ My marriage is growing stronger and even more loving every day
~ I have beautiful friends, sisters of my heart, that pray for me, especially when I cannot, who know just when I need a hug, a phone call or an email to let me know I am loved and being prayed for, and who understand when I laugh one minute and cry the next, loving me anyway
~ I get to co-lead a wonderful, loving group of girls at Girls Club

What are YOU thankful for today?

***Please remember to keep praying for Baby Stellan, his Mom and for the team of doctors and nurses that are caring for him.

Urgent Prayer Request

Please pray for Baby Stellan. His story has been awesome and miraculous but he needs our help right now.

I had posted this in my Twitter feed the other day, and now I have a button you can click to read all about him.

Please be on your knees for this little one. Our Father will hear every single one of us.




Blessings,
Kate

65 Questions

Due to a severe lack of creativity, I'm posting something that was sent to me on Facebook. (I love Facebook!)

1. First thing you wash in the shower?
My hair

2. What color is your favorite hoodie?
I don’t own one

3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?
Oh yes :-)

4. Do you plan your social calendar more than a week in advance?I usually plan it at the beginning of each week

5. How are you feeling RIGHT now?
Blessed, grateful, tired

6. Whats the closest thing to you that's red?
A bookmark Julie made for me a couple of Mother’s Days ago

7. Tell us about the last dream you remember having?
It involved a lot of horses and a lot of their poop and a lot of talking out loud

8. Did you meet anybody new today?
Not today

9. What are you craving right now?
Sleep

10. Do you floss?
No

11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage?
Flatulence

12. Are you emotional?
Yep. God created me that way :-)

13. Have you ever counted to 1,000?
Not since grade school

14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it?
Lick it

15. Do you like your hair?
Yes, I do

16. Do you like yourself?
Most of the time

17. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush?
Yes. Although he was a lousy president he seems like a nice man

18. What are you listening to right now?
Ian gaming

19. Are your parents strict?
Yes but also very loving and encouraging

20. Would you go sky diving?
No

21. Do you like cottage cheese?
Ew GROSS

22. Have you ever met a celebrity?
I met Captain Kangaroo

23. Do you rent movies often?
no

24. Is there anything sparkly in the room you're in?
Just my personality

25. How many countries have you visited?
4

26. Have you made a prank phone call?
Many

27. Ever been on a train?
No. A psychic once told me that I would die on a train before I was 36 so I never went on one.

28. Brown or white eggs?
I've only ever had white. Is there a difference in the taste??

29. Do you have a cell-phone?
Yes...my precious...

30. Do you use chap stick?
Rarely

31. Do you own a gun?
No. I would like to but apparently I can't carry it around with me in my purse so what's the point?

32. Can you use chop sticks?
No

33. Who are you going to be with tonight?
I was with Cindy and Jen earlier, with Ian tonight ;-)

34. Are you too forgiving?
With some people yes, with others perhaps not enough

35. Ever been in love?
Yes

36. What is your best friend doing tomorrow?
Emptying our storage unit, helping me clean

37. Ever have cream puffs?
No. I only eat healthy foods (snicker)

38. Last time you cried?
Tonight (sorry girls...)

39. What was the last question you asked?
"How tall are you?" (I asked Cindy)

40. Favorite time of the year?
Spring and Fall

41. Do you have any tattoos?
No and never will. Although if I ever changed my mind - which I won't - I would probably have a pair of lips on my butt

42. Are you sarcastic?
Oh like I could ever be sarcastic

43. Have you ever seen The Butterfly Effect?
Yes and I liked it. The sequel was lame but we aren't talking about that now are we?

44. Ever walked into a wall?
Yes

45. Favorite color?
Green and purple. But not together. Because then it would be Barney.

46. Have you ever slapped someone?
Yes. Frankly, I'd like to slap more people.

47. Is your hair curly?
No

48. What was the last CD you bought?
I don't buy CDs

49. Do looks matter?
No

50. Could you ever forgive a cheater?
Yes

51. Is your phone bill sky high?
I have no idea, Ian pays the bills

52. Do you like your life right now?
Yes. I am richly blessed and God is working in me

53. Do you sleep with the TV on?
I fall asleep when the tv is on so yes. I think...

54. Can you handle the truth?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

55. Do you have good vision?
When I'm wearing my contacts/glasses. Without them I'm as blind as a bat

56. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people?
I truly don't hate anyone. Hate is such a wasted emotion. Dislike... well let's just say that some people are easier to like than others...

57. How often do you talk on the phone?
As little as possible

58. The last person you held hands with?
Ian

59. What are you wearing?
Pants and a t-shirt

60. What is your favorite animal?
Cats

61. What is your favourite song right now?
"My Life Would Suck Without You", Kelly Clarkson and "Ayer", Flo-Rida

62. Can you hula hoop?
No

63. Do you have a job?
Yep - CEO of my home :-)

64. What was the most recent thing you bought?
Steeped Tea at Timmie's and I Rolled Up The Rim and lost. AGAIN.

65. Have you ever crawled through a window?
Yes

Purging Queen

Is there such a thing as a purging high? I dare say there is...because I am on one!!

I have been spending most of my evening sorting through clothes that the children have outgrown and I am positively pooped. I have two garbage bags ready to put out on my porch for The Canadian Diabetes Association to pick up and two garbage bags of children's clothing to pass on to friends of ours. I even have a large box of baby clothes ready to pass on to someone who will be able to use them. (Size 0-9 months...anyone? Anyone?)

But that's not the best part. Oh no.

The BEST part is the super huge Rubbermaid container that is full of clothes for Jordan to grow into. I've separated them into bags BY SIZE! All I will need to do is reach in and grab the next size that she needs.

Oh yes friends...I am feeling very organized and pleased with myself this evening.

This high is not that unlike the one I get on Garbage Exemption Days. On those days we can put out unlimited bags of garbage and I actually go through the house all giddy, looking for things to throw out.

I wonder what I'll find to purge tomorrow.

God's Pie

My church just wrapped up a 5 week series on stewardship this morning. To be honest, I think I only made it to the last two sermons because a) I hate sermons about money and b) I don't have any!

Many things are becoming clearer to us as we make our way through this season of employment and financial strain. The clearest being that when it comes to money, none of it is ours. All we have been given (and what has been taken away) belongs to Him, and Him alone. He is the great Provider. How embarrassed I am to admit how poorly I have handled what He has given me.

The following video clip was shown during our service this morning and I certainly saw myself in it.

Do you also see yourself?



It's amazing to me to see clearly - and probably for the first time - how I think about money. I worry about not having enough. I want it so I can feel secure. It's not that I want things, because I am not a materialistic person. I just want to have some in case I need it.

Shameful.

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
Matthew 6:24

Dare I say that I am beginning to feel grateful for this season we are experiencing...?

March Break ~ Day Five

Wow this week went fast.

This afternoon we took the children swimming. Well, Ian did anyway. I watched :-)

I was blown away watching Sam swimming in the deep end, calm as could be. And Julie was swimming as well, without cheating by keeping one foot on the bottom of the pool! Jordan looked adorable in her new bathing suit and loved being in the water. Everyone was pretty wiped out afterwards.

We had our usual Family Night in the evening and watched a movie together. This time Julie cuddled with me, and Sam cuddled with Ian. Jordan, of course, slept through the entire thing. (OK..I slept through 2/3 of it!)

A great end to a great week.

March Break ~ Day Four

Today started off with some bad news: Cindy was laid off from her job this morning. She worked for the same company Ian did but we thought her position was safe. I guess no one is these days. I know she'll land on her feet, she is a strong woman. Still, it was a sad blow for her today.

We all headed downtown late this morning, and while Ian was interviewing with another recruitment firm, the children and I checked out the Eaton Centre. I'd forgotten how huge that mall is! LG was hosting a texting competition and Sam really wanted me to enter to win the $25,000 prize. I kept trying to explain to him that just because I text often doesn't mean I text super fast. It was fun to watch. We spent the rest of our time at the HUGE Indigo bookstore and at the Disney store.

Ian met up with us at the mall and we walked over to show the children City Hall. As we walked we passed a man laying in the middle of the sidewalk inside a sleeping bag, a cup in his hand. Ian gave each of the children some money to drop into his cup and they felt good that they were able to help someone else. Julie was full of questions: Why was he laying in the middle of the sidewalk? Why can't he go home? Why can't he go to a shelter? Doesn't anyone care about him?

Our next stop was lunch, and we had a picnic near the water. Sam kept telling us what a great day it was. It was nice to spend the day together.

Once we got home I had a nap and Ian fixed dinner for the children and we all watched a movie together. Julie cuddled with Ian and Sam cuddled with me. Jordan fell asleep and missed the whole thing.

This week has gone by so quickly. I love having the children at home like this, and to have Ian home as well made it even more special. I think we might take the children swimming tomorrow. Jordan can break in her new bathing suit :-)

So I'm trying out Twitter. So far I'm not that impressed. I've added it to my sidebar, but I really don't do anything so incredibly interesting that I need to stop what I'm doing to update my Twitter thing so you all know. I think I'm going to drop it. I'm a huge facebook junkie and in the words of my dear friend Jen...I can only social-network so much. I've also added a Contact Me section in case anyone wants to email me about anything they don't want in the comments section or has any questions. Whatever.

That's it. I'm outta here.

March Break ~ Day Three

Today the children started their day off by watching the original Escape to Witch Mountain which they absolutely loved. Ian then took them to see Race to Witch Mountain, which they also absolutely loved. Jordan and I stayed home and enjoyed a nice, quiet afternoon together.

The agency I met with yesterday called me this morning to offer me a three day placement for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, doing data entry. I'm grateful for the work. And I need to make a call to a gentleman I worked with a couple of years ago to see if he's hiring anyone. Just the thoughts of making a cold call like that has my innards all buggered up. Oh well. Not the time to worry about that I suppose. Ian has an interview with another recruitment firm downtown tomorrow so hopefully something will come from that.

I'm feeling heavy hearted about going back to work and disappointed in myself for feeling this way. I wish I felt more gracious about it instead of being so selfish. I've had 14 months at home with my children and I expected to have to go back to work when Jordan was four months old, so really I shouldn't be feeling this way. Instead I should be grateful for the time at home I've been blessed to have. Its just that being a stay-at-home mom has been a dream come true for me and I'm not ready to give it up. Ugh. I hate this. Suck it up already, Kate!

I'll try to stop whining about this. Really I will.

This evening I met up with Cindy and Jen at our usual Tim Horton's for our weekly girl time. Two high dudes were yelling at one of the ladies behind the counter, swearing like crazy. I kept my "you should be ashamed of yourself!!" comment to myself because frankly I didn't feel like getting my butt kicked today.

I have yet to win anything from Tim Hortons' Roll Up The Rim To Win contest. I think it should be renamed Roll Up The Rim To Lose. All that effort to roll the bleeping rim just to read "Please Play Again". Why? So I can LOSE again?

Blah.

March Break ~ Day Two

Happy St Paddy's Day!! ERIN GO BRAGH!

Today was my appointment with the placement agency. I went through all my work clothes last night and settled on something I felt comfortable in for my three hour appointment. It felt so weird to wear heels again. My feet immediately missed my running shoes...

I left the house a bit later than I planned (shocker) and had to stop for gas first. I was in too much of a rush to pull my I'm-blonde-can-you-help-me-pump-my-gas-sir? routine, so I just did it myself. Ew. I hate that job. No matter how careful I am, my hand always smells like gas. Gross.

I was pretty nervous and even though I printed out door-to-door directions, I still managed to take the wrong exit off the highway. I called Ian and he directed me to where I needed to be. I actually arrived early.

I was told to expect up to three hours of testing. I couldn't believe some of them! One was for "filing". How hard is it to file? Quite hard, apparently, because they have to test for skill! Lots of weird general knowledge questions, and that one question they always asked in grade school.... if a train travels 60 feet in 2/5 of a second, how far will it travel in 3 seconds? I don't care how far the train will travel...I am a collector...all I want to know is when you're sending the cheque.

I can type 73 words a minute. I don't know if this is good or not, but I'm impressed because I didn't make any mistakes AND I wasn't looking at the keyboard. My "keystrokes" are 12,569 whatever that means. The last time I was tested it was 11,500 so whatever I'm doing in my stay-at-home life, I'm getting better.

Would it be wrong to admit that I felt good when I heard the office staff talking about my "crazy fast" typing skills? I don't care. I did.

MS Word....Excel...filing....numeric...alpha numeric....general knowledge.... all for a 10 minute interview where I was told that they didn't have anything available at the moment, and "don't call us, we'll call you". UGH.

I've touched base with all my old contacts that I can think of and reactivated myself with all the agencies I worked with in the fall of 2007. It's scary out there.

By the time I got back to my car my feet were KILLING me so I whipped off my heels and threw them on the seat beside me for the drive to my mom's house. I couldn't WAIT to get back into my jeans and a t-shirt. I need a job that will let me dress casually and I know of one....

I think I'll be a bus driver!!

Oh yes... you read that right. Picture it now, friends.... I can stop traffic with the little stop sign that swings out from the side of the bus... Oh yeah... even better than patrolling the kiss-n-ride at the children's school.

The children are having so much fun playing outside in this warm weather and I'm loving that we can have the windows open. Man that was a long and brutal winter.

Tomorrow Ian is planning on taking the children to see Race To Witch Mountain. Just a little trivia for you... did you know that the little girl who starred in Escape to Witch Mountain and Return to Witch Mountain grew up to be Paris Hilton's aunt? Yep. It's true.

I received a lovely email from Carrie today. She said she heard a song the other day and thought of me, and the chorus went like this:

All is well with my soul,
He is God, he is in control,
I may not know all his plans,
but I know I am in his hands.

Oh how I needed that reminder today. Thank you, Carrie.

March Break ~ Day One

Just as my title says, today was the first day of March Break and we were blessed with a gorgeous day with a temperature of 9 degrees! The sunshine felt so good.

I had a rough night last night. I had a terrible nightmare and I actually woke up crying hard. (Poor Ian, I woke him as well. Sam too...) It was so awful that it was hard to stop crying, and I didn't want to fall asleep again. Eventually I did, and had another nightmare. Ugh. Usually my dreams are rather entertaining and it isn't unusual for me to talk or laugh in my sleep but last night was a totally different story.

Last month Julie asked if we could go to the cemetery where my father is buried so that she could pray for him. We decided that we would go today, so this morning the children and I made tissue paper flowers to take for him. We each had our own design which was so sweet, and I loved watching them create these lovely flowers for a man they had never met and never had the chance to love. But I loved him and that was enough for them.

They each made a little card to go with their bouquets and that sparked an interesting conversation as to what they would have called him, had he lived. My father in law goes by the name "Poppa" so that was out. Julie settled on "Grandfather" and Sam went with "Grandpa". So sweet. I was moved to tears more than once as I watched their little hands crafting, wanting so much for each flower to be perfect.

We headed to the cemetery after lunch. I don't go there very often because while his body lays there, he is not. It's my deepest prayer that he is in Heaven and I will see him again. Ian located his spot, and cleaned off his marker for me.

I asked Ian to take this picture because I wasn't sure if I would end up wanting one, and I'm glad he did. I'm going to share it with you, not to be morbid, but because I am so proud of my children, and love the hearts that God put inside them.



Didn't they do a beautiful job?

While I spent a few minutes alone with Dad, the children wandered about, straightening flower arrangements that had blown over. As we pulled away, I told them that out of all the flowers that people had left for their loved ones, none of them were as beautiful as the ones they had made for their grandfather.

Visiting the cemetery has taken on such a different feel for me since I became a Christian. The hope we have of seeing our loved ones again is so amazing. This life isn't all there is, there is so much more.

Our next stop was the library. I have lived in this city for over 20 years and I have always thought that the library was closed on Mondays. I even asked one of the librarians how long they had been open on Mondays. Her answer was "7 years".

Oops.

Once we were done there we did a bit of grocery shopping then came home. The children rode their bikes outside and played with their friends. Sam was so excited when I told him that it is supposed to be 14 degrees tomorrow. (I'm pretty excited too)

Dancing With The Stars was very good tonight. My girl Melissa is doing so well. I love this show! Tonight the dances were the Salsa and the Quickstep. I'm not a fan of the Latin dances because deep down I'm just jealous that my body doesn't move that way. The Quickstep and the Viennese Waltz are my favourites.

Tomorrow is my appointment with the placement agency, so I went through my work clothes and found something to wear and printed off copies of my resume and references. In the morning Ian will help me review my MS Word and Excel knowledge for the testing they'll give me. I feel like I've been out of the loop for so long and I don't know how I'll present tomorrow. Hopefully it will be like riding a bike.

I'll let you know.

Psalm 139

1 O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

4 Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.

5 You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, [a] you are there.

9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"

12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

17 How precious to [b] me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.

19 If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.

21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD,
and abhor those who rise up against you?

22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

Sunday already...??

How is it that it's Sunday night already? BOOOO!

Friday afternoon we headed over to the church so Ian could set up the youth room for the Movie Madness event they were having that night. Jordan loved being able to crawl all around the room and down the hallway. The faster she crawled the harder she laughed, until she just collapsed in a heap of giggles. Oh how I enjoy her!

While Ian was at the church, Julie and I watched "Are We Done Yet?" while Sam played on the computer. Once they went to bed I stretched out on the sofa to read but couldn't concentrate, so I ended up resting quietly until Ian came home a couple of hours later.

Saturday morning was full of sunshine, and I headed over to Ching park with Jordan to meet Cindy for a walk. It was chilly, but the fresh air was wonderful. What a great way to start the day. We only walked halfway around then let Jordan swing for a bit in the park. I headed off at 11 to pick up the rest of the family for Julie's soccer game. Her team did pretty well and they either tied or won by one goal. I don't really keep score. If they have a good time then in my opinion, they won.

After lunch I had a wonderful nap and Julie's friend *L* came for sleepover (Julie's first!), and my mom and nephew came over later on for dessert and to watch a couple of episodes of "Smallville". I don't have the appreciation of superheroes like Ian does, and nothing could prepare me for the appreciation my mother has developed for them! It was so cute to listen to my mother discussing Doomsday and Braniac and Bizzaro with my husband.

Early this morning I could hear Jules and *L* making their breakfast before the rest of us got up. They sounded so cute and were trying so hard to be quiet. We all headed off to church together for 11 and the service was very nice. It isn't often that I get to sit in the service with Ian, as it seems as though he is always teaching Sunday school, so it was nice to be together today.

Nadine came over just after 3pm and we had a wonderful afternoon talking together while her daughter *L* and Jules continued to play. The more time I spend getting to know Nadine, the more I love her. They all stayed for dinner and Ian barbecued hamburgers and hot dogs. YUM! We've been having hamburgers done on my George Foreman grill during the winter and they just weren't the same.

So here I am at 8:18pm, ready for bed! Ian's friend Gary will be here shortly and they will game the night away. I plan to get comfy in my bed and watch Desperate Housewives.

I put a tiny bow in Jordan's hair this weekend and she looked so cute. She has just enough hair to make the bow stay.

I actually had someone ask me if I favoured Jordan over Sam and Jules because I post more pictures of her and so few of them. I do not favour one child over another. The older children often don't like to have their picture taken because they know it will end up on this blog. Ha! Jordan, however, has zero control!

Tuesday I have an interview with a placement agency that will take 3 hours. They'll talk with me then set me up for all sorts of testing and then we'll see if they can find me some work. I've been touching base with all the contacts that I've kept since leaving the working world 14 months ago. And as always, I continue to pray that Ian finds something soon.

My mind is so active and anxious these days. I spend a lot of time praying for my mind to slow down so that I can focus my prayers. I am so fortunate to have so many people praying for me when it seems that I can't.

That's about it.

Time Flies

It's almost impossible to believe that Jordan will be a year old in just a couple of weeks. Where has the time gone??

Hanging On

I am happy to report that we're all healthy again. WHOO HOO! These last two weeks have been brutal. The children are back in the rhythm of school again and have gotten all caught up on all the work they missed when they were off for the week. Jordan has been sleeping through the night for the last two nights so she's well rested and happy again. Other than a few sniffles, Ian and I are back to normal. Well, normal for Ian and me anyway ;-)

Well, we've had a couple of days to get used to the disappointment about the job opportunity. But, it is what it is, and there is no point moaning and groaning over it. God's in charge and He has a plan. We just need to wait on Him.

Oh that is so easy to type, so hard to do sometimes. Is it completely wrong if I am secretly praying that this firm does a "Bachelor" and decides that Ian was who they wanted all along, and will dump the other dude any time now?

Even in the midst of my disappointment, fear, worry, etc... God has really shown me that He is with us. A few weekends ago I had really given into the aforementioned emotions and just wanted to lay down and kick my feet in the world's biggest temper tantrum. We've been here before, friends. Laid off, looking for work. I know how difficult this can get. Ian gave me a list of Bible verses for me to focus on, but I just buried the paper underneath a stack of things and tried to forget about them. But on a Sunday night, I pulled out my Bible and went looking for the verses. The first one was from James. I never got any further than that one on the list. I read all of James and when I was done I was crying.

I remember a woman at Coffee Hour that encouraged us to not just read God's promises, or to just memorize them, but to claim them. So, I did. I spent a lot of time talking to him that night, surrendering all my emotions.

The next day, Ian submitted his resume to a recruitment firm, then called in the afternoon to follow up. The woman started the usual "don't call us, we'll call you" that he's getting everywhere, but he managed to get her talking, and discussing his qualifications. She asked him to come downtown to meet with her the following morning.

The first thing she said when he walked in was "kudos for getting an interview". They had received 100+ resumes and were only going to interview six, and Ian was the sixth. It went really well, and she said they would be choosing three of the six candidates in a couple of days. She called him back at the end of the day saying she was fast tracking him to the final three and would meet with the client on the following Monday.

Monday came and he met with the client and it went extremely well. Instead of three people interviewing, there were four. Ian felt he presented well and presented everything he wanted to, and felt as though he had a good chance. The recruiter said they would know who had the job by Wednesday.

Thursday arrived and we still didn't know. Ian called her and they had narrowed the choices down even further, to two, and Ian was one of them. We called in everyone we could think of to pray for this. I can't tell you how many people we had praying.

Friday at 4:30 we learned that the job went to the other guy. Boo. She said it was an extremely hard decision for them to make, and that he presented very well.

I am so proud of you, Ian.

Here we are, at the front end of a recession and with 100+ people going for the same job and making it to the final two, it's almost as though God is reminding us that it doesn't matter what is happening, He can turn things around in a second. There were times when I was so overcome with fear and worry, and my mind would be racing to the point that I couldn't even focus on praying, and He spoke to my heart, reminding me to be still, and know that he is God. We have been stretched these last couple of weeks and it's far from over, but He can turn things around and open doors that we never imagined were there.

I think if one more person looks at me with pity and asks "How are you? No REALLY? How are you?" I'm going to pop them one. I know they mean well, it's just hard when person after person says the same thing. I can't tell you how I really am. I can't tell you all the bitter thoughts that are in my head right now. I can't tell you that I am so afraid of what the future holds that I have trouble sleeping at night. I can't tell you how sad I am that I will very likely have to return to work and that just looking for jobs steals my breath and makes my heart ache in a way it never has before. I can't tell you that it's hard looking at the pity and worry on your face and I just want to break down crying. What would it do to openly admit those feelings? So much easier to slap on a smile and tell you "Oh we're fine! God has a plan!"

And He does, my friends. He does.

Anyway...

I was very excited to learn today that Melissa from The Bachelor will be joining the celebrities on Dancing With The Stars starting tomorrow night. GO MELISSA GO!!

We've had some crazy weather this last week. One day it was 17 degrees! Of course, the very next day was below zero. Welcome to Ontario! If you don't like the current weather, just wait a minute for it to change again.

Ok. That's it for me today.

An Answer

Ian got word this afternoon that the position went to the other candidate.

Thank you for your prayers and notes of encouragement. We appreciate it so much.

God has a plan for us, there's no doubt about that. He is good.

Blessings,
Kate

Urgent Prayer Request

I hadn't wanted to say anything until we knew for sure, but we need your prayers so here I am.

In January I posted that Ian had been laid off from his job of 5 years. Well, this past week has been interesting to say the least. I wanted to be able to write out the events in a clear headed way that would clearly show the Lord's hand in this situation, but I can hardly breathe as I type this. This is the best I can do right now.

We are waiting to find out if Ian will be offered a position with the company he has been interviewing with. We hoped to know something yesterday, but instead of a yes/no, he learned that it is now down to two candidates, and Ian is one of them. We are hoping to know more tomorrow as to what the next steps - if any - will be.

Please, please, please pray for this, friends. We want to be in God's will, and we know that He is in control.

I will update the details of this process once we know one way or the other.

Thank you...

The Bachelor Finale

*** SPOILER ALERT!!! ***



If you haven't had a chance to watch the finale of The Bachelor yet then stop reading now. I cannot keep this in a moment longer!



I guess I must have gone on and on mentioned a few times about how excited I was for the finale because Ian settled in to watch it with me. Friends, this was HUGE. Ian has nothing but an intense dislike for all reality television, with the exception being Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

For once, all the promo hype was true — it really was the "most dramatic season finale in Bachelor history." The return of DeAnna... Jason crying on the balcony like he was devastated... the After The Final Rose that was so intense, it could only be filmed in private... Oh yes, I was in it for the three hours.

So both ladies met Annoying Child as well as his parents, brothers and sister-in-law. Everyone seemed relatively unscathed. I waited in anticipation for the The return of DeAnna...



Basically she travelled all the way to New Zealand to tell Jason that she made a mistake in choosing Jesse. (Didn't I yell this at my tv at the time??) Ha ha! He was very nice to her, and clearly let her know that he was in love with both Molly and Melissa.

AWKWARD!

Then she tried to be all helpful, telling him to "lead his heart" not to follow it. Her visit was short and a waste of time. Hyped up drama that didn't pan out.

Then, the Final Rose!

Enter....MOLLY!



He barely gets talking before he breaks her heart...he has chosen Melissa.

YES!!!

She goes on and on about what a mistake he is making, blah blah blah. I couldn't wait for her to get into the limo and LEAVE already. I never liked her. Her voice practically made my ears bleed and every time she spoke she either repeatedly nodded or shook her head. She looked like a bobble-head and I found that very distracting. And she wore too much makeup. Just sayin'.

Finally she left and then there was the dramatic scene of Jason crying on the balcony. I felt teary too, because while I don't think you can be totally in love with two people at the same time, I do think it would be a hard decision to make. I felt so sad for him! Poor Jason!

Enter...Melissa!!



I didn't like her hair, but her dress was gorgeous. I was all teary when he was professing his love for her...she was so happy! Finally she wasn't the "dumpee"! Then it got really cheesy with the aerial shots of them hugging, and the jumping into the pool thing...lame. All I could think about was how much time she would have spent doing her hair and make up, not to mention the cost of that dress!

I was happy.

Then....After The Final Rose. I couldn't possibly imagine what situation would be so intense that it would have had to be filmed without an audience present. I thought maybe we were going to meet Melissa's Oh-So-Private-Parents or something. When Jason walked out alone I was right on the edge of my seat. Where was Melissa?

Then he starts crying. Again. He isn't happy with Melissa because the chemistry is gone, and he can't stop thinking about Molly, and wants another chance with her.

SAY WHAT!?

Out comes Melissa and he breaks up with her. I think Melissa summed it up for all of us when she said, "You are such a bastard!" Once the breakup was over with, she was sent out to a waiting limo.

He comes back in - here's a shocker - crying. I wanted to shout "SHUT IT, CRYBABY!!!" at the tv, but I held back.

Out goes Jason and in comes Molly. She is still in love with Jason... Jason comes out, answers a few of her questions and then drops the bombshell... he has broken up with Melissa and wants Molly back. She pretends to be all shocked and confused (please, I think we all know this show is somewhat scripted!)

And then...the part that KILLS ME!!! She agrees to see where things will go!

Hello! She was rejected and now that he comes crawling back, she goes back to him?

CRAZY!

I thought he was this sweet, kind guy, looking for a wife and a mother for Annoying Child but he turned out to be such a jerk. I am really rather disgusted. Why break up with her on tv? Why humiliate her like that? Why put a ring on her finger with the promise of forever, when his heart is with someone else? Who does that? Six weeks isn't a long time to make a relationship work.

Shame on you Jason!

Ian and I have decided that this show is fixed. I'm never watching it again!

Oooh... After The Final Rose Part 2 is on... gotta go!

;-)

Pooped

I am absolutely exhausted tonight and wish I could go to bed early but I simply can't. It's the finale for The Bachelor and I have to see Melissa win.

Jordan slept through the night last night and didn't wake until 9:10 this morning. Unheard of! She seems to be on the upswing although you can tell she still feels pretty lousy. Sam and Julie both felt great this morning so I sent them to school. They were so excited to see their friends again.

I stopped to get a large Steeped Tea from Tim's and when I rolled up the rim to win, I lost. Again!

Darn you Tim Hortons!!

I managed to get a couple of loads of laundry done and made a small dent in my housework before the school called asking me to pick Sam up because he was in the office complaining of a severe headache. I'm not sure if he is still feeling the effects of his cold, or that he had to write a test this morning and studied the wrong things...

I've misplaced a brand new bottle of Shout! as well as a full box of J-Cloths. I cannot express how frustrated that makes me. They simply disappeared.

I can't wait to post about what is going on here but for now I will just say that God is so good and He is showing Himself to me these days. I appreciate that so much.

5 minutes to The Bachelor finale... go Melissa go!