oh my advent calendar...

this november i had been going on and on at work how i really wanted a chocolate advent calendar, because we only sold paper ones and candles and i let a woman buy the candle i had put away for myself because it was the last one and she wanted it for her neice or something... i couldn't let a little girl go without an advent candle, plus i would probably forget to burn it anyway. then at the beginning of december i got a package in the mail from my momma, and in it were not one but two! advent calendars. one for me and one for thom. anyhow, i was stoked.
every morning i forget about it, and i will be sitting at my computer and look up and see it and i say ooooooo! and then i eat my chocolate. Thanks mom!!

you know you're a camp person if...

-80% of your clothing shows evidence of paint.
-Abnormality is a compliment.
-All your coworkers could be clinically classified as pyromaniacs, multiple personalities, or obsessive compulsive.
-Being at home makes you homesick.
-Dressing up only involves slightly cleaner clothes.
-Most of your stories start with "and then this one time, at Summer Camp..."
-Sandal/watch tan lines are a competition. (and boys compliment your sandal tan in the mall)
-Screaming and running at the same time is a coveted skill.
-Sharpies, pens and duct tape are worth more than gold.
-Using logic could get you in trouble. (unless you use the words logistics and parameters in the same sentence)
-Water cures all ills.
-Camp has been over for 22 minutes, and you're already thinking about next summer.
-You are convinced that there is no way you can date someone who is not a camp guy/girl, because no one else really understands.
-You can burst into song about anything, anywhere, anytime...
-You can make anything out of duct tape, including band-aids. (or make shift head pads and straps for a spine board in an emergency)
-You can make up a song about anything, anywhere, anytime...
-You can shampoo, wash, and shave your legs, etc in less than 5 minutes. (or go the summer without doing any)
-You can think of 50 ways to use a bandanna off the top of your head.
-You can walk the woodsy paths at night without a flashlight.
-You feel naked without a Walkie-Talkie strapped to your body. (or Giselle)
-You don't think non-camp people can understand your summer job.
-You've made friends with the "office people" or the camp nurse just so you have a place to hang out.
-You go to university just to fill time between summers.
-You have a camp set of clothes. (a canoeing set, that is pulled out no matter what kind of campy weekend is occuring)
-You have a collection of outfits for theme weeks.
-You have about 20 mosquito bites in 1 square inch of skin.
-You have an entire volume of camp-friendly mixed CDs.
-You don't do this for the money - and you mean it.
-You have no clue what's on TV until mid-September, cause you never watch it at camp. (you can have someone tape the rest of the season of survivor for you and not even find out who won until you watch it in the fall)
-You have to routinely prevent yourself from shouting, "walk, please!" or "where's your hat?" at random kids
-You know all 753 1/2 verses of "Let Me See Your Funky Chicken." (what's that you said?)
-You know exactly how to get to camp from home by car, boat, plane or any other means of transportation. (including the Summach's float plane)
-You know that laughter, hiccups, sneezes, itching, and yawns are contagious.
-You were disappointed to find that you can't major in"camp." (unless you are Steve Lapp)
-You never refuse free food.
-You refer to your campers as YOUR kids.
-You save anything and everything campers have ever made for you.
-You still enjoy the same songs you did at 5 years old.
-You value the friendship bracelet you got at the camp carnival last summer more than any other piece of jewelry.
-Your "real-world" friends have limited you to only 5 camp stories per day.
-Your barter system relies on hugs, backrubs, and chocolate exchanges. (as long as it is not a massage train!)
-Your car won't start until all seatbelts are buckled.
-Your closer with your camp friends than with your own family.
-Your friends know you're never home from June 'till September.
-Your idea of a good song starts with the words "This is a repeat after me song."
-Your primary method of diplomatic resolution is rock, paper, scissors. (you still do it at work with Heather to find out who will count the cash)
-Your tan lines are also your dirt lines. (and you discover this in the shower after canoeing for a week)
-Your teachers know you as a camp person.
-Your voice quality at the end of the week is inversely proportionate to how good it was.
-Your water bottle and sandals are as essential as your underwear.
-Your year only has two seasons. (Summer and Non-summer)
-You've given up time off to comfort a crying camper.
-You've had to read a policy on bathroom usage.
-You've written a paper about camp for a class.
-You refer to all your friends as "Dude", even though you live nowhere near the West Coast.
-You get recognized on your first day of university as a camp person by a complete stranger, who is also a camp person and destined to be your best friend, because you're wearing green capris and white adidas with pink stripes.

"Since we're in the house of Lord...um, the Lord." - Sarah Harmer

oh finally i can talk about this! i bought thomas and i tickets to see sarah harmer and it was a surprise so i could not blog about it in case he saw it, but i don't think he really reads my blog anyway, but just in case. anyhow, the show was last night and it was in this big beautiful church building and that alone was lovely.
As expected, she was so so wonderful. i love seeing her live, she is so nice and you feel like you are her best friend (even if you are sitting amongst the couple hundred people who also feel like that). Her band was wonderful tonight, i love seeing julie with her, she dances and sways so much and it makes me feel glad. anyway, she mostly played songs from her new album 'i'm a mountain' and old weeping tile songs. with a few from 'you were here' and 'all of our names'. thom said that even though he didn't know most of the songs because of them being really new or really old, he still loved the show so much.
at the end of the show, for the last song of the encore, she unplugged her guitar, and took away her microphone, and she sang 'how deep in the valley' just like that, in the church, with her band singing backup with no microphones either.
i nearly cried. i think the sound of that song will stay with me forever.

so i leave you with this:

how deep in the valley must you go?
to find what your footsteps already know
the way on is the way out
their are signs to follow
there is deep in the valley and i'm bound to go
how deep in the valley must you stay
to know why your footsteps led you that way
the way on may be truly to stand in one place
and let the deep of the valley fill you with grace
and treat yourself lightly, treat yourself kind
you've got nothing to worry on, you will be fine
you will leave this place laughing and somebody will cry
there is deep in the valley, wonder not why
wonder not why go and wonder not to stay
if it takes me and i follow or if i lead the way
it can come when it wants to
but it might have to wait
there is deep in the valley i don't hesitate
i don't take it too lightly but it don't weigh down too low
there is high on the cliff top and there's deep creeks below
there's a green shade you can't miss where the spring water flows
there is deep in the valley and i'm bound to go
how deep in the valley must you go
to find what your footsteps already know
the way on is the way out
there are signs to follow
there is deep in the valley
and i'm bound to go

I am P.E.I. !!!!

What Canadian Province Are You?

You're Prince Edward Island. You're a happy person, love life, and seldom complain. You're able to see the best in any situation.You do live a g-rated life and tend towards things mainstream. People like you, unless they're depressed.

let it snow let it snow let it snow!

i must say, that i have had a very happy morning. i woke up, and when i looked out the window, i exclaimed: 'oh!', for there was snow on the roof across from my window. if it is going to be cold, i expect there to be some snow to make up for it, so i am happy. yesterday i was sad in my apartment because it was FREEZING. my feet froze, and hurt a little, and this morning when i came out to type my care plan, my hands started to freeze, and i was sad because i had a cold apartment and i didn't know how to turn up the heat (i have old hot water heaters), and i don't have time to call my landlord, to have her visit since i have to finish my care plan, which as you can see i am working away at right now ;)
anyway, i looked at my heater, and i noticed a little tap, so i turned it. no explosions, so when i came back a few minutes later and felt the warmth coming from that little heater, my heart leapt. what a happy day. like romans 8:31 & 32 says: 'if God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not, along with him, graciously give us all things?'
God cares so much for us, even for little things such as having heat! loverly.

so, i had better stop procrastinating and get back to work,

oh and just in case you are not a visitor of virtuo city, check this out. it is crazy.

love to you all on this wintry day.

oh finally!!

today is the day!!!! i first off get to go to my work, and seriously has naybody loved working in retail as much as i do at paperpapier? the only thing is i have become a present wrapping snob, whether giving or receiving.

whatever, the imprtant thing is that today, thomas will pick me up at 5:30 and off we shall go to see Harry Potter!!!!

Finally it is here. I am so excited. Thom, Ryan and i watched the prisoner of azkaban on thursday and it made me all the more excited. Hurrah!!!

kate

ps. i promise not to spoil the movie in the next post so do not be afraid to check back.
also, is it ok to be slightly annoyed by people who call themselves harry potter fans but don't read the book. also, to scott and jordan. this is an old thing, but i knew you would both like harry once you took the time to know him ;)

early mornings

oh me oh my,
clinical has started (well this is the fourth week) but tomorrow morning we are back to days, and while days are usually a little more exciting and tend to pass a lot faster, it is a early early morn. we (linsey, mary-anne and i) have to catch the bus at 6 am. and then travel for almost an hour to the queensway-carleton hospital. i love my new 3rd year friends. i was so worried about entering third year and having to make new friends (how silly). but i am thrilled, as well as i get to sit beside an old friend named kim who now has a lovely little boy named aidan. so so cute.
also Keri Jones is coming this weekend! he is the apostle of our church! hurrah hurrah hurrah, direction and guidance is oh so wonderful. and beth is playing 'mom' to nathan and vivian this weekend, God's grace to her, that is a long weekend with little babies and no momma or poppa to intervene, i will however lend as much of a hand as i can on sunday.
anyhow, since i need to be getting up earlier than the crack of the sun, and it will be dark as dark can be and hopefully no longer pitch wet as it has been. pitch wet makes me miss soya. old accidentally gay pride mitts that need to be replaced but are too sentimental to be replaced make me think of hayley. and last but not least if i slam anyone into any lockers i will definately think of erik.

tootles.