-- Life as of late :o) --

Fifteen days no blogging! Well, it's been a busy but pretty good fifteen days, I must say. The highlight of this month was my Dad's 50th birthday on May 26th! Happy Birthday once again Dad! I love you so much, and now, fifty times more ;o)

I got the opportunity to go home to celebrate Dad's birthday because it was the long weekend. The Friday night, I got to see my high school buddies and we played an awesome game of Hard Target. Hard Target is essentially a huge game of hide-and-seek but very late at night and around the whole city! Very fun =) The most wonderful part was seeing everybody again. It seems to me like we're growing closer together the longer we spend apart. I really felt something different in the group dynamic this weekend. I'm so thankful for them, even though I barely get to see them.

On Saturday, Becki (my sister!) arrived around 3 pm, and she treated us to new songs on her guitar. I was so happy to see her! We haven't seen each other since Christmas. I still smile to myself when it hits me all over again that I actually have a sister!

Friends and neighbours started arriving for the party at around 5:30 pm. I think that Dad was tickled pink! I was tickled pink for him! He was surrounded by the most valuable things in life... his family and his friends. Becki made him this collection of family photos (hers and ours) for Dad. It is really beautiful... Dad was really touched. It contains moments from her childhood, her parents, her girls, and then Mom, Dad and I from our first and second meeting. I know that it'll always hang proudly on our wall. Leslie, Ron and the girls bought Dad an apron that says: "It took me 50 years to look (crossed out) cook this good!" It looks so cute on him! We got great pictures to commemerate the evening. I must say that it's truly one of the best evenings I've spent on a long weekend back home. The company certainly wasn't lacking in any way =)

Sunday was marked by Shrek 2 with Dad and Troy with Sarah, Mandas, Oli, and Mat. Both very good movies I felt. I got to bed pretty late, and then was gone on a bus before I knew it at 11:30 am on Monday morning. One of the best weekends, and certainly the fastest... I guess that's just life.

The only thing about having a weekend like that is it makes me want to go home... I think the difference is that I haven't really been home for 8 months, and there was no break in between co-op. But I still love it here! Just today, I was hanging with my fellow biochem kids, and a thought passed through my mind saying, "I'm so blessed to have such great friends!" Still, I long to go home, but might not have my wish for quite a long time. It all depends on where God wants me in the fall. A couple of jobs have come up in Jobmine working here with Alzheimer's. I've had a deep interest in Alzheimer's ever since I started going to Madonna Nursing Home, so it is a golden opportunity. And then, there's a job in Ottawa that looks really awesome too! I applied to both... I'm just glad that it's in God's hands. I'm having an interior struggle between "I want to be in Waterloo to serve on committee so bad!" and "I want to be home for once so bad!" I didn't really feel like that before the weekend, but I guess I just got enough to realize what I'm missing.

Besides that, school has been busy as usual. Assignments and labs seem to be my life... I barely have time to study, and round one of midterms is coming on Wednesday already! Mixed in with interviews, it's enough to get anybody a little apprehensive. I just pray for focus this weekend that I don't waste my time and study well. Then I'll be able to survive =P

On one last note, I met up with Victoria for lunch this week to start off our accountability sessions. I'm really excited about it! With how good friends we are already, I see it growing deeper and deeper as we spend more time together and share what's most important with each other.

And so, a big thank you to Jesus! For my family, for my sister, for my friends scattered among cities, and for lasting relationships that will endure all eternity.

Praise God for He answers our desperate calls for help and transforms us from the inside out!

I had such a wonderful day... I don't know if any of you were reading my blogs last term (fall 2003 - you can find them on my website), but a common topic of stress in my life was my Analytical chemistry lab. Well, this term is even worse because it's 6 hours long instead of three and there's like 16 experiments to do instead of 6, and it's my sixth course, instead of being part of one of my lectures. I was truly dreading it. But God changed all that! I prayed for a more positive outlook on my lab and that I would stay focused and within God's presence. The lab went so well that me and a friend were the fastest ones! That may sound like a very trivial thing to blog about, but when it comes to lab work, I have never once in my life been fast at all... in fact, I'm quite the opposite... very slow. I looked at my lab just as if I was going to work. It's also much better because I am with more of my friends (Yay, Ken, and Jeanne). Their support, even though they may not know it, means so much to me. I really admire Jeanne for her efficiency in the lab. It really pushed me to stay focused working beside her because she almost set a pace for me to follow. Of course, I do realize that hopefully one day I will be able to self-start and get up and going on my own, but for now, when Jesus knows I need motivation the most, He's given me such a blessing to be working with my friends.

I feel wonderful right now... I've never felt like this about a lab before. Of course, I know that trials will come. I pray that when they do, I will still hold true to my faith and persevere in rejoicing in the Lord in all circumstances. For true joy comes from Him alone... whether you're on a high or a low.

I hope that school/work/life is going well for you guys. May you learn to rejoice in all situations, and seek after Jesus' presence all the days of your lives. Blessings!

Work reports are stupid!!!

Okay, there's my outburst concerning work reports. Co-op really is like another course... between the resume building, the job searching, the researching, the interviews, then the work reports... it can all be so overwhealming. I do see though that if we didn't have to do work reports, then we'd be missing out on a valuable skill... it's just so... stupid!

Anyhow, I'm chipping away at it, with my good ol' Switchfoot CD to keep me company. I got up today at 2:15 pm. It's a good thing my phone rang, or I might still be asleep. CCF was great last night. It was cool to have such an informal meeting. One thing I am working on this term is getting to know people better. I find that I often try to say hi to lots of people after CCF, but I rarely get into a deep conversation with anybody. I think this is another demonstration of a lack of caring. But I've been praying really hard that God would help me to love people like He does, and I can feel Him working. When I sympathize with people lately, I really feel something of what they feel. I feel more than sorry for them... I feel the pain too. I am listening more and speaking less. As a result, I'm learning a lot of things about people that I could have a long time ago, if I had only spent more time with individuals. I also met some wonderful people this Friday from CCF. And I didn't only meet them, I spent time with them and got a snapshot of who they are. I think that I would shy away from engaging in longer conversations before because I never knew what to say. I was missing the point. Speaking with somebody isn't about finding things to say. It's about caring for the person and what is happening in their lives. When you put yourself in that frame of mind, conversation comes easy. There is no awkward silence, because your mind isn't distracted with your own problems or your own schedule. It has to do with focusing on the speaker.

I also went to William's afterwards with dearest Victoria. We had a really good chat as well, about life and stuff. I am really glad that we got that chance to spend that time, just her and me. It is something that we haven't done in a long time.

Hockey of course was fun as usual. I could be wrong, but I think my skills have improved from last term. After that, we went to John's place to bid farewell to Jesse and Jason who are off to Seattle... not for co-op, but for good. It's so weird to see them go. I know I will miss them both. CCF is a better place with them having been there. Good luck Jesse and Jason, and God be with you!

Wow, I really don't have time to write this much... it's almost dinner!