C'ford WHAT!?

so i am terribly sorry for the lack of posting.

Quick recap:
-i did not finish the quilt in time to send with noah and robyn. noah enticed thom and i into a game of "ticket to ride" while i was supposed to be quilting.
-many pyjama parties were had with ryan and sara. this means that it was a lazy day and i did not want to get dressed so i announced it pyjama day. now it has become a regular attraction.
-catherine taylor had the chicken pox and was quarantined, so sara, ryan, thom and i went to keep her company as we have all already had the pox
-ryan taught thom and i to play wizard
-my blog was 'old' and i was not able to post on many "new" (read 'beta') blogs. thus i missed my moment posting a clever comment on julie's blog. my comment would have gone something like this:

gadzooks that Holy Toast looks good! is that from the website? or a photo that ninny took? does the Holy Toast puncher really work?

Are we in fear of losing our place in heaven for this sacriligious behaviour?

Tune in next time.. Same blog time same blog channel.

ha ha so funny..... hmmm

-also, much baking was done, but i do not have time to post any recipes as we are packing for C'ford. (Campbellford-where thom's fam is), however if you are looking for the Van Patter chocolate chip cookie family recipe you can find it on the back of the golden crisco box. imagine me discovering this in 2nd year while declaring that my mom has the best home made recipe in the world. my whole childhood is a sham.


Anyhoo, now we are off for 4 days of loveliness, and we get to see the most lovely, wonderful and beautiful alex and other such fine campbellford folk.
also i got a package from my mom at work today and it was filled with prezzies.

Hurrah!!

Merry Christmas to everyone.

love kate vanpanderson

Celebrate good times!

Ok, so school is done, exams are done, and I have officially started my holiday (with the exception of a few days of work). I decided that the best way to celebrate my freedom would be with a day of Norwalk virus (or possibly food poisoning--- was it the church potluck or the fact that 2 of my co-workers had norwalk? only the Lord knows for certain--and possibly my digestive and immune systems). Anyhoo, that is behind me now, and I am about to jump into serious quilt mode as i need to finish (oh, and start) a baby quilt for someone. However, my quilt delivery people (noah and robyn) leave on thursday (oh yes today IS wednesday), however i have pulled off more amazing feats than this.

So onto some quilting, I'll be sure to post a pic tomorrow.

PS. Julie, your blog is not allowing me to post for some reason, it makes me sad i had such a witty comment for yesterdays post.

first day of school... first day of school

oh wait, actually i mean last day.

it is 6:23 and this is just a brief note to say, in 2 hours i will be writing my one and only exam and leaving this very busy (but very educational and actually quite great) semester behind me.

I just need to refresh myself on how to calculate Intracranial Pressure. and then TA DAH.

yip yip yippee!

RIP Chad Muska

I have sad news. Last week, Friday December 1st, 2006, little Chad Muska the newt was laid to rest.
Chad's life began during March break in grade 12 when Soya, Mike and I all bought newts for $1.97 at Walmart (who really knew you could buy a newt at Walmart?) . Chad lived for 6 and half years. I thought that this was very old for a newt, especially since Mike's and Soya's died within the week.
When I googled newt life spans, I discovered that newts can indeed live for up to 60 years if cared for properly.
I am sad to report that Chad Muska most likely died from neglect, and not of old age.

When we had the funeral at sea, Olivia became very nervous as to what fate would befall her. I reassured her that since Thomas was the one to be feeding her everyday, she has a far greater rate of survival.

Rest in Peace dear Chad. Enjoy Newt Heaven.

i vant to take your blood!

mwa ha ha ha.

This past week I learned to insert IV lines and to draw blood. I am a secret pro. I think that I was born to take blood.

I asked Thomas if I could practice on him and he said "I'm not going to let you stab me!" Poke, we prefer to call it a poke. sheesh!

However, I only brought home the IV needles and not a drawing blood one, and the IV ones can be pretty messy if you have nothing to attach it to.

Noah said I could practice on him. In the lab, we have these awesome fake arms with fake blood that really fake bleed, very cool, so it would be nice to try it on a real arm before I get into the hospital.
If anyone has ever had a nursing student as a nurse, chances are you got them performing something that they had never done before for real. We are good at faking confidence and expertise. Someone has got to get the first needle, first dressing change, first stitches removal and first... catheter.

ah the world of nursing.

nancy, i hope you don't pass out reading this.

love kate

Clinical is officially over

I am pleased to announce that I am completely done clinical in my nursing degree. I have about 2 weeks until the semester is completely over, and then it's on to consolidation!!! I am still waiting to hear where I will be placed for that, but no matter where, it will be good.

It seems so crazy that after 4.5 years everything is almost done! I am so stoked to be finished school and on to nursing!

here is me on the morning of my last day of clinical.

yeehaw!


ps. ninny, i will mail your jacket ASAP. sorry i have not sent it yet, the last 2 weeks have been crazy!! i hope your little behind is not freezing off!

the elusive ninnygoat

There are many good friends in life. Friends to love, friends to laugh with, cry with. Share tickles with and spoons with. Friends who like coffee and friends who don't. Friends you see at school and friends you see once in a while. But every now and then, if you've been really blessed, you have a friend that makes you want to move.

My friend is Nancy Jean. A most lovely lady that i have known for 9 years now! She has been one of my best friends for the longest time, and we have been through thick and thin together.
to name a few: Lorne Smokey-Day and his undies, a bear out side our tent at corner rapids, LIT, skinny dips, vengeful tubeing, distance apart, time together, many many a time cuddling under the bright duvet and so many more!

Nancy was visiting me here this past weekend in Ottawa, and we had such a lovely visit. Our mouths didn't stop moving from the moment she arrived to the moment she left(with the exception of the few hours of sleep we got), we could probably have given yap yap a run for her money!

Nancy reminded me of all the things that I love and want to do, we feed off each other, encourage each other to do new and exciting things, and cheer each other on from far off places (well usually she is the one in far off places, my need to travel is being lived through her!).

While their are very many people I wished lived here in Ottawa with me so I could see them all the time, Nancy is a girl that I would actually move back to Saskatoon for, in a snap.

(or if she could be convinced to come to Ottawa that would be awesome too!)

What a lovely gal.

starjumps

well this is what, my little ninnygoat is coming to visit me! hurrah hurrah hurrah!!

i had been meaning to tell Beth, and one day we were walking home from the market and while we were walking through the parking lot of the lcbo i stopped and told her. she said, 'you were so excited that you did a star jump!' and it's true, i did do a star jump, because i am so so so excited to have Nancy Jean come visit.
it's high time that gal came to my new stomping ground and did some stomping with me. it will be our first true visitor since we've been married.
little does thomas know that i will have to put him on the floor so i can have a nightime cuddle with my old cuddle buddy.
yip yip yippee

The Breast Team Ever

Just to let everyone know. This Sunday (oct. 1) I will be participating in the CIBC Run for the Cure. There are a group of us in Ottawa, and Robyn Bright is our team captain. (her husband Noah came up with the name!-i believe that is nurses humour coming through-)
I will be walking 5 km with Catherine Lisimaque.

If you would like to support me and research to find a cure for breast cancer you can donate online here. Or you can find me and donate in person. A lot of people have been giving around 5-10 dollars and it adds up quickly.

Thanks for your support!!

Kate

cleanliness is next to...

Thomas and I did a power clean last night, and our kitchen and bedroom look immaculate, our living room however is a different story altogether.

But I am awake early as per usual and the cleaning bug is still biting, so it will get done shortly after this post.

A week and a half of school is done, and it has been so lovely to be back in school. I found out that my first placement is at CHEO (the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario) on a medicine floor with brand new babies up to 7 year olds. oh glory be! it is my most favourite age group. It takes me back to the "mother goose days" at camp when I would have 10 staff kids trailing behind me all ages 7 and under. Lovely.

I've also thought recently about gatting back into cutting and gluing. I can still hear the A's (amber and andi) saying "she's just cutting again, she's still just cutting" when they got home from school, or my dad saying "pick all these bits" after a mass cutting bonanza. He always hated those bits!

anyways, I did a little collage, which I will post here on a later day, and now I want to do a big one, but it takes way more planning and playing before you can cut and glue on a big piece of paper(as Rachel Malena knows), so we'll see.

So time to let the bug keep biting and clean this living room

tty

first day of school...first day of school

Thom and I watched 'Finding Nemo' the other day on CBC and it reminded me of how fun it is to be excited for school, and how glad i am to be excited to start this year.

So, today is the first day of school, my first class is at 1.

How glad i am to be taking notes, and learning new skills and remembering old ones and oh it will be good.
also i get to see mel and mary-anne and karen and it feels like forever since i saw them.

Hayley, i love you, i got your letter, and you are a beaut. don't be sad about school. be glad. because you are so smart and you study so hard and i am so proud and inspired by you. i'll put up a sign on my desk that says... 'do it for Hayley' and then my marks will be rockin' as well. Soya said i was winning the hair gorwing contest, but now i am the loser of the world with the shortest hair, but i love it so i can deal with being the biggest loser.

i am going to apck my bag, and get my house cleaned for my lovely hubby who is now bringing in the dough so i can retire as a sugar momma, at least for a little while.

time for a change

well, i have been wanting to cut my hair since last fall, and in my mind i wanted bangs, or layers or like 5 inches chopped off.

this is what i ended up with (and I LOVE IT!!)



and just in time to get ready to go back to school. i can't wait for classes to start, and clinical and then in 8 months, i will write my RN exam and be a true nurse.

oh yes

and we're back!!

finally!!! we have a computer again, and the internet is finally hooked up again. so i can now read blogs again, and as well post on mine!!

and I have wedding pictures!!!one of my favourites

Dad, Kate, Mom

Sisters! Roslyn, Kate, Danielle

Dad, Mom, Kate, Thomas, Valerie

my lovely ladies: Beth, Kate, Danielle, Maryann, & Roslyn

Thom and his boys: David, Mark, Mattie, Thom and Patrick

being an anderson

first off I AM MARRIED!!! and it is lovely and i love being a wife and i love having such a wonderful man alongside me every day. (on a different note, robyn, i wish thom had the same waist size as me. it is like 3 inches smaller although i suppose even if it was the same, the length of his pants would be a bit ridiculous on me, imagine?!)
we had a wonderful honeymoon in the dominican despite the hotels and flight trying to split us up, and despite my stomach waging war against me halfway through the week.
perfect weather, wonderful people and a beautiful spot.
now we are back and real life is even better than the domin. although we do miss the beach and the pool and the never ending pina colodas and the strangely engrossing man who led the water aroebics (uno dos treize, uno dosee treize).

i am now in a pickle over whether or not to create a new blog. i love katevp. i don't mind losing van patter but vp? and katevp all smooshed together? it is sad. so i ask... am i being a traitor to my new last name if i keep katevp? katea doesn't look as cool, however it does sound pretty cool.

i would consider sharing a blog with thom, however i don't know if he would post, since i don't even think that he reads the one i write now.

ps. welcome to the blogging world robyn and noah. i am stoked.

kate

dreams coming true

have to say, that I really have been dreaming of this since joining the church here in ottawa, dreaming of many little children. my dreams are coming true!! (thank you Lord!)
this summer we have a number of wonderful families moving to ottawa from T., Kitchener, Peterborough, and so on.

currently the youngsters in our body include James and Keegan, Luke and Victoria, Rhys and of course the newest little Carys. We have recently had the Kiley's join us, so now we have two more children, Meghan and Ryan.

So this summer we have Pat and Ali joining us with their FOUR children, Caleb, Garrett, Abby and Jack; as well as Tim and Leslie and their 2 children, Gavin and Alise.

As well we have Mike and Kristen, and Mark and Anna-Maria coming. so basically our church went from having 4 children for the past 3 years to having 12 children in a few months.
Ask God and he will deliver!!!

Sadly, James and Keegan will be leaving us as they go on to Peterborough in the fall. We are thrilled for them but sad to see them go. Hurrah for children!!! (I am sure that Sarah W. is just as excited as I am!)

ps. speaking of children, the man with a child's heart, cam fraser, will be in ottawa for our wedding!!! hurrah!!!

14 days

SO! there are 14 days until i become kate anderson! yip yip yippee!
and today will be lovely day spent with as of yet, unidentified ladies, for my bachelorette party! it appears to be almost an all day event!
it will be so nice to have so many lovely ladies together as i miss a lot of the women's breakfast's due to work.
with regards to wedding plans, many things are done, and a few things are left to do.
passports are now done, so is renewing my drivers license, or i should say, switching my drivers license to ontario! i have now had a license in 3 different provinces.

last night we had supper with the Roebuck's and Tenthorey's, well, we were late, so we ate pizza while they watched us, then we listened as Ben and Janie serenaded us with our processional song. then for a walk down to britannia park, and the beach, then some what not to wear. I also finally got to change Carys' diaper, and I held her for most of the night. that girl makes some seriously funny faces and i am not sure if it just at me, she always gives me the slanty eye, like she doesn't trust me. c'mon little baby! i witnessed your birth!!! i proclaimed you (with michelle) a girl!!! there is no need for all the dirty looks!

plus i got a little cuddle and play with Rhys, who calls me Git! lovely little man.

i'm off to have a day of fun fun fun.

love!

i have a mutant gene

no i can't grow wings, or move metal, or heal super fast.

However, i am 5-10 times more likely to develop a blood clot than most people. I have a gene defect called Factor V(five) Leiden. It is a hereditary gene that we found out in the fall that my dad has.
I had my blood test results read to me this past week, and I am being referred to a hematologist and a genetic counsellor. (what i am old enough to talk to someone about future children!?!).
This is what though. God is faithful and awesome and all healing.
I am praying for Danielle and Roslyn that they will not have this gene, despite the high probability, because God is way above high probability.
So in the meantime I will do what I need to do to not aggravate any possible clots and learn what I can about Factor V Leiden.

and 3 weeks until i am Kate Anderson. woah. that looks weird.

posse out.

Kate

The Luckiest

three and a half weeks!!!

Hurrah and Hurrah!!!

Thom and I have decided to go to the Dominican for our honeymoon. We are very excited to be able to lie on the beach and swim in the ocean. Last time I was in the ocean I was 10. Thom has never been in the ocean. He will have to learn to breath out his nose, as he always gets water up his nose when we swim, it never fails.

this time next month we will be married and in the dominican!!!

YAY!

Kate

Nomad part 2

Well, my time with Maryann came to an end last Sunday, as Benjamin was coming home the next day. So much fun was had over the two weeks, with lots of giggling and carrying on and even some secret hugs in the night (maybe not so secret, as Mary tried to dodge my affection). Now I am with the most lovely Michelle, for at least 4 more weeks. It is lovely to be here, and also be right next door to Ashley and Beth.
Olivia has finally been fixed (THANK YOU BEN AND SARAH!!!) and now she is the most wondrous cat in the whole world (topped only by Sushi when she is shaved and wearing a little t-shirt).
The wedding countdown is almost on as we have less then 2 months to go. We picked up my wedding band yesterday and Thom's should be in shortly. Mine is a beaut!! I love it.
Thom has been wearing shorts and I am glad.
Tomorrow we will be having a pizza party. It makes me think of Pizza day back in elementary school. Why doesn't university have pizza day? (I guess really in first year we practically had pizza day once a week, as well as chinese food day!)
It has been raining all week and today is no exception, but I am in clinical right now (psych roation) so it has been nice to know that I am not missing any good whether, byt the end of this week however, it will be sun sun sun.

i'm out.

ps. Hayley, if I have heard right, and I think my source is fairly reliable, I heard you may not be coming to the wedding!!! HILLARYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!! I only get married once!!! you better get that booty here. Or you will face dire consequences.

Nomad

Well, I've moved out of my little apartment, and Thomas and I have found an apartment, but we do not gain possession of it until July 1st. So I am a little bit of a nomad for the next two months, well really I will only have to move twice more. I am staying with Maryann for two weeks while Ben is away in Croatia for school, and then I will stay with Michelle for the next month and a half. The wedding countdown has seriously commenced with only 2 months and 7 days to go and much to do, oh right, we still need a photographer.
Also, Thom and I have exact opposite work schedules, I start when he ends and I work Saturdays and he does not, I am trying to find a new job but that is proving to be difficult. I know that God will work it out.
We had two fantastic meetings with the Church yesterday. Andrew Hughes was visiting us from Grand Rapids, here to give us direction as a church. He spoke all about leaving the past behind us, that the Bible points this out more than once to us (Isaiah 48:18-19, Philippians 3:13). We cannot move on while dragging things with us, this means leaving behind offenses, past hurts, past good times that keep you living in the past. Also to no adopt a repetitive posture with God, just because something worked awesomely in the past, doesn't mean it will even work a little now. Listen to what God is telling YOU, and be obedient to Him. It usually is a small thing that he wants us to do, with Him working out the rest, and the results are HUGE!!!
Last week was moving week, this week is figuring out hotel accomodations for wedding out of towners.
And of course the job hunt will continue.


OH OH OH!!! I forgot to say! I had a final that I was so worried about, because I did terribly on the midterm and we needed a 66% to pass the class. I studied my little behind off and then I spoke with confidence over God rewarding me (I also had to speak away a lot of fears and negative thinking), but lo and behold, I needed a 72% on the final and I got a 78.5%!!! Hurrah, God always outdoes our expectations. So, as far as I know, I am registered and completely ready to go for year four! Imagine ca! Lovely.

retreat!

Hurrah! We are off on a retreat this weekend, almost the whole church and our brothers and sisters from Toronto and Kitchener, Waterloo. Oh it will be fun! However it is pouring rain today and that makes me a little bit sad, but I would rather be away at camp Iawah (with Steve Lapp no less!) with rain, than in ottawa with sun. But i believe that the sun will come out tomorrow! bet your bottom dollar they'll be sun! (what is a bottom dollar?).
The ladies will be studying a book called Divine Appointments by Larry Tomczak. I have not read all that I am supposed to but I can get that done on the way to the retreat. Thom and I get to go with Jon and Janie and Rhys, and Emma. I am very happy to spend time with them. a lovely little family and a lovely friend. Emma bought me my favourite sweater last spring when she saw it and thought of me.
I am deep in studying for my final, learning all about lots of mean illnesses that are ravaging on people. God can heal them.
I have been thinking about becoming a midwife. mostly so i can say midwifery. well not mostly. Mostly so i can witness the miracles of life day in and day out and help new mamas and their new babies and new papas.
My blood was taken to see if i have a Factor V Leiden deficiency like my dad. If i do it could cause some problems. But God is faithful and I am not worried.

I saw a beautiful (handsome?) red cardinal the other day. It sang me a tune and it made me think of Jillian Sue.

Love to you all this weekend!

in the beauty of your majesty

I love my patients. ummm, not in an unprofessional way, i just love them. I have never really enjoyed my long term care placements, or working with chronic care patients until this year. i just feel God's heart for these people. They have worked hard, they are from all over the world; lithuania, pakistan, germany, they have lived full lives, and some have lived hard lives, regardless of what they've been through, they do not deserve to be treated poorly or be brushed off because "it's annoying that they cannot get up to the washroom" or rang their call bell for umpteenth time. It breaks my heart to see the way that some of these patients are treated. And they are not necessarily treated badly, the nursing care is very good, very very good. But there seems to be a lack of respect for the "old" elderly. I love them, i love to listen to their lives, and i love that as a student i have the time to do that. I pray Lord, that there will be enough nurses in the future for there to be time to spend listening to our patients.
Oh that is the cry of my heart!

it's spring and "i'm a mountain" is the soundtrack

Thomas and I had a spent a most lovely evening with Ben and Maryann yesterday. It made me sad to realize that we will not have them to truly talk to for 10 months when they head off to school of the word, but we are so excited for them and all that they will learn, and how they will grow, and what God will be doing! We are also getting more and more excited for our big day, and our wonderful step into partnership in the Kingdom, and what God will be using us to do next year. We are excited to have our own place (which we are still looking for!), and being able to have people into our home.
Sunday was a fantastic time in the presence of God, meeting with his people. We just let God refresh us, we were told that it was time to drink, and that we weren't going to just talk about it, but to actually do that. And it was wonderful.
I have been learning about praising God in all circumstances, not just when things are going awesome. To be able to love him and adore him and worship him despite what I may think, or feel or what my circumstances may look like (or what they've looked like in the past). If God is for me than who can be against me.
Also, I am definately looking forward to moving out of this teeny tiny apartment, where right now I can hear the guy below me yelling at his computer game over and over. It becomes a little tedious. He is very loud.
Today I will write part of an essay, and try and find a corner rounder craft punch
and then maybe work on some invitation stuff, oh and my careplan of course.
The sun is shining, it is supposed to be +12 and hopefully I will see the lovely miss Keene.

what do we say when we're leaving?
"we don't say posse out" - Niklas

chow!

busy bee.

right away that title made me think of best in show. anyway, that is besides the point. today is the first day i feel like i have a little bit of time to spare. last week was craziness! i worked more than usual, i had a groupd project to work on, i had morning clinical which means catching the bus at 6 am, ouch. and it was just a lot with still planning wedding stuff and also we have begun the apartment hunt, which shall be fun, we are very excited to have our own little place! Hurrah!
thom seems to have the flu, which is not very nice. yesterday was more group project. today i will finish the power point and then start studying for my last midterm.

we had an AWESOME weekend! Sunday was filled with many meetings and woah. when God shows up, HE SHOWS UP!!! we spent some time singing and praying in tongues, all of us singins our own songs to God, which started from the song Great is our God.
"Great is our God, sing with me now
Great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God!"
and God started speaking. He spoke to me about having faith in the desires that he placed in my heart. Believeing that they will come to pass no matter what people may tell me. Don't start making different plans because of adversity! God is bigger than any university. So CHEO, here i come.
Also, Robyn prophesied this: why not give everything to me? why not give everything to me?

exactly. it got me thinking about everything really, what in my life do i hold on to and not just trust God? or even, what do i do or watch or see or say that i think doesn't really matter to God? hmm, because he wants every part of my life, not just the bits that i want to give to him, he wants every inch of me! new life means a new way of living, not changing parts of your old life. all is new.
amen.

Where are my pills!?!

stuffonmycat.com

goin' to the chapel

yowza! weddings are a lot of work. and we are tired, but so glad to be able to start our lives as the anderson's this summer. dress is done, bridesmaid dresses are being ordered tomorrow, we are looking at a place on sunday. and we have registered.

but we are tired. praise God for all the lovely friends that we have had to help us out. we are so blessed to have lots of help and lots of people to distract us and make us forget about wedding plans. tomorrow we are going to benoit and sarah's and contrary to my belief we will be eating wild meat, not live game. beth thought i meant that we would have to hunt it before we got to eat it. which is exactly what my confusion would suggest.

anyhoo, we have started a blog together that will be more of an wedding information page (hey, it's a free website). so don't look for any real postings there, just info.

i guess i'll have to think of a clever new blog name. katevp will retire. i know, i have had my little cry about it and i am slowly coming to terms with being katea. (if you pronounce it k-tay it is way cooler and makes me think of the days when rob priestley called me that... lovely)
anyhow, i am off to work tomorrow so i am off to bed now.

love!

kate

Jeremiah 29:13

I love God. I love how much he loves me, how no matter what happens he always loves me.
I have been realizing that my relationship with God has been stale of late. That I have not been spending really any quality time at all with him. I prayed the other night out of frustration and feeling like I was not hearing from God anymore, like it was Jesus who had stopped talking to me. Sometimes I am so silly. So I prayed to him, I prayed to hear him, and to know what he wanted from me. And Jeremiah 29:13 is what he said.

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart"

There is it. In very easy to understand, no hidden meaning, just seek him with all my heart, plain english. And so I prayed, "Lord, please do not let me find you fully until I seek you with all my heart, do not reveal yourself to me until I do that". I want to know that I am actually running after God, that he is not an afterthought at the end of the day... 'oh yeah, I better pray'. That he is not the last person I consult when I have a decision to make, that I do not take tylenol before I pray to him when I have a headache, that I ask him what he thinks of this movie that I want to watch, this book I want to read, these clothes that I want to wear.
I want to know his voice so well that I know when I hear him, I don't wonder over whether or not it is just me thinking a nice thing, that it truly is the Living God bringing a message or a prophecy or an interpretation. I want to love the Lord my God with all my heart, all my soul and all my mind, and I really want to love my neighbour as myself. Jeremiah 29:13.... of course.

love, i see you there, adrift on the air, floating by the open window

well!!! i have some very lovely news. Thom and I are engaged!!! he asked me on Monday, January 2nd and of course i said yes.


hurrah!

Happy New Year!

Hurrah! first day and first post of the new year.

back in ottawa.
christmas with all the family was lovely. for some reason i took hardly any pictures. so not too many to show.

we had such a good time with my family and thom's family and i even got to sneak in a little visit with the Best's. that was very happy.

yesterday i spent half an hour scraping the ice off the Bright's car as i was picking Robyn up at the airport and no one had driven it since it rained buckets and then froze. there was half an inch of ice covering the entire car. i laughed throughout most of the process except when i thought i shattered the front light. but it turned out just to be the layer of ice shattering. phew.

Last night a whole bunch of us got together at Michelle's for new year's eve. I had joked all along that it would be a "games night" but nobody seemed to go along with that, yet somehow that is what it did turn out to be! i was happy as a clam.

a new year is such a nice thing. so many things happened this past year. what does God have in store for us this year? i think that it is really important to start off this year by praying. going through your Bible and pulling out the promises that God has for you.

This year i am believing in Acts 16:31-34 for my family.

But that really will be the beginning.

God's Spirit is upon me; he's chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor, sent me to announce pardon to the prisoners and recovery of the sight to the blind, to set the burdened and battered free, to announce, "THIS IS GOD'S YEAR TO ACT!!!'
-Luke 4:18-19 (the Message - emphasis mine)