Home sweet home...

How very strange these last few days have been! I spent the majority of my last few Waterloo days hanging around with Mike, cleaning out the apartment and chatting and playing video games. It was so strange that Waterloo, a place that is usually full of so much warmth and so much life, seemed so empty. I'm thankful that I didn't have to go through it completely alone. Thanks Mike for letting me tag along, and connecting me with the few people left in Waterloo!

So, the move was pulled off successfully (thanks be to God above!). That was a very tricky move home, but I think some thanks are due:

- Denise: thank you so much for squishing my computer stuff in your car. I didn't trust a shipping company for those things, and you really helped me out, so thank you so much!
- Mike Mak: thank you for driving me around to accomplish all the random errands I had to do before I left. The taxi bill would have been horendous!
- Mike Yung: thank you for helping me with the desk moving and getting my stuff to Westcourt. Good luck with the next term!
- Jane: thanks so much for looking after/possibly buying my desk. I don't know what I would have done with it if you hadn't so selflessly offered to take it off my hands, so thanks!
- JT&Calla: thank you for allowing me to store my bike in Calla's WCRI storage. Not only do I really appreciate this, but I'm sure that the family I lived with appreciates it even more! I don't think they'd be impressed if I left it in their garage ^_^
- Alex: thank you for taking time out of your schedule to bring me to the post office to ship off my stuff. It may not seem like a lot to you, but it was essential to me!

So, leaving my house was quite a pathetic thing =P There was nobody home... nobody to say goodbye to...expect the cat on the front step. Call me crazy, but I actually found that a little heart-wrenching. She was the most dog-like cat I have ever known, and even though sometimes she drove me nuts with her little "surprises" around the house, and waking me up at 4 am to be fed, I will miss Opal. A good cat, and this may sound crazy, but a good friend. Man, I need to get out more!

So, after loading my 5 very heavy bags into the taxi, I pet Opal on the head goodbye one last time, and drove away from my temporary home. It was very surreal... thinking that I won't be going back. I had a lot of good times there, and couldn't ask for a nicer family to live with. To the Robinson's, thank you with all my heart!

There was ample room to panic about the fact that I had much more luggage than I could carry, but I learned my lesson last term... that God indeed provides. I didn't let myself get worked up this year, and God sent me helpers along each step of my trip... from the cab driver, to the lady on the bench, to the old lady in the line, to the Greyhound assistant, to Chris Tsoi (yeeeah baby! ^_^) to Sarah who picked me up. Yeah... it was so cool to see Chris in the Toronto bus station! Especially since I was having, as I told him, a very "lonely" day. There's something about leaving a "home" and nobody being there to bid you farewell that can get you down. So silly, I know... Anyways, Chris saw me off, and then Sarah was there to greet me, so my day picked up considerably. And then of course, I got home to my Mom. I'm so content...spending the day with Mom today was really a joy. Especially without having the preoccupation in the back of my mind that I had better enjoy myself because I'm leaving in two days. This gal's not going anywhere yet!!

So, Dad gets home next Sunday, so that'll be another treat! In the meantime, Mom and I are working on getting all the things I need for my Montreal apartment. $135 later, I'm feeling kind of dazed... I just have to trust and be faithful with my money this term, and God will do the rest... come on stock market, pick up already!!

It's really strange to think that I may very well not see any CCFers for four whole months...some of the friends I have made there have become like part of my family. In a way, it seems like Waterloo is my home now. But I am thankful that I have this opportunity to spend more time with my parents and my Ottawa friends, who I have only seen for a total of around 14 days over the last 12 months.

Pray for me, that away from the stronghold of CCF, that my faith, like Daniel, would not weaken, and that I would not let my passion be stolen away from me. For my stronghold is in Him alone... not in a place or time or group of people.

To any CCFers who may be reading this right now, I will really miss you dearly this term. I pray God's blessings on your term, whether or not it's more work (at RIM =P), a new work term, or another school term... I hope that if you are in need, let me know so at least I can help you from so far away in prayer. I hope this doesn't all sound really cheezy... I assure you it's quite genuine.

Time for bed! I have written quite enough for one night =)

Blessings <><