Randomness.

Seeing Chris Pine tear up at the Oscars got me in the feels.
I am completely unaccustomed to seeing raw emotion like that on a guy.

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

The Thrive Project.

A photographer took some pics of her friends over 40 and asked then what it meant to thrive.

Here is her blog, complete with photos and commentary. I LOVE THIS.

And one of the subjects wrote a little bit more about being over 40. And thriving.

To my friends over 40. This is your warning. I may hunt you down. Take your pic. And ask you about thriving.

:)

Seriously. HOW FUN WOULD THAT BE?




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

I am going to this concert next month. I am so excited. David Crowder. Matt Maher. Mercy Me. Gahhhhhh.




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

Three Things I'm Thankful For;

1. Unexpected, mostly paid-for, long weekend in Seattle. With a friend.
2. So glad my new passport was delivered ahead of schedule.
3. My bangs be shorter. Thankful for a sister who squeezes in a trim, hours before she leaves on a Mexican vacation.

Shalom,
xo

Smilin'

Saw Kingsman Secret Service tonight with a friend and her daughter and smiled the entire time.
Some parts were silly. Some scenes were crazy. Some parts were disturbing but comedic.

And some parts were just fun.

If the 'f' word offends you, don't go see it.
I was immune, but when I saw it on Friday (with a different friend) she was visibly affronted each time it was uttered. And apparently it was often.

Well, it is British.
And you know how they are.
(Cue fluttering heart.)
:)

(I should mention: if you are my demographic - old, church-going female -  then you probs won't like this. Just saying.)


Keep an eye on this guy:

He's got one of my favorite types of British accents. 

Plus he can act. 

Totes adorbs, no?

Haha. 

He's just a kid - he's Max's age...
Taron Egerton.


Also?
From this movie?
I discovered another song to add to my playlist:


Get Ready for It, by Take That:






And...

I went to see my dentist today. For a cleaning. And to ask him did I really need to replace that molar?

Good news. NO cavities. And while it would be better if I had an implant put in, he said, "I'd be OK if you chose not to fill in that space."
Sadly, though, I have another issue that is going to require a specialist's special touch. Gum grafts.

On the upside, I had more kissing action in that hour than I've had in the previous 17 years. The new hygienist poked that wee suction thingy in my mouth every 20 seconds and then pursed her lips to show me, how to kiss the end so that my spit would be sucked. (As if I was a rookie at this whole spit sucking thing. Hahaha. She was too sweet...)

SIGH.

The thing I'm going to love most about heaven? My beautiful mouth. I bet it's gonna be awesome.

Oh, and speaking of good news. Have you checked Brenda's Caring Bridge site recently?
Clap and cheer along with us with THIS GOOD NEWS:

"This PET scan is good news. There is cancer activity but it is not alarming. Most of the activity is around the main tumour and I suggest we use directed radiation to kill that tumour. Then after we get the results of your brain MRI next week, I propose scheduling you for brain surgery to remove that tumour, if results show that is necessary."

He told me to continue with my current naturopathic regimen since, "you seem to be responding to it favourably," There was more discussion but the upshot of this is that I am treatable!!!   

Pretty incredible, eh?

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It's Lent.

I kick-started mine by fasting today. 

It was not fun or easy. 

And for the next 40 days? 

No chocolate.

Which doesn't sound like a big sacrifice, right?

Well, for me. It's huge. I eat lots of it, every single day. 

By lots, I mean, 2 - 3 chocolate bars a day. 

So while today was hard, it's nothing compared to 40 days without chocolate.

It's the only thing I could think of to sacrifice during this lenten season that I will miss many times during the day. 

And every time I get a craving, I will remember the cross. And I will pray for someone. 

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

That's it fer now.

Three things I'm thankful for:

1. Easter

2. Shampoo

3. Oranges

Shalom,

xo

Some Days. ARE JUST THAT GOOD.

Today was SUCH a fabulous day. Oh man.

I love it when the sun is shining.

PLUS, I learned something new at work today.

I can snag things. And add arrows, text or squiggly lines. Then I can crop and insert into a document. WHOA. The power.

Made good headway on my Production Manual this afternoon.
It will be a colourful thing of astonishing beauty by the time I'm done.


And at lunchtime, I watched another Family Project lesson/DVD. Walked out of there feeling like I hadn't wasted 20 minutes of my life. I always learn/am inspired by something.

ALSO -

I checked three items off my 101 Things To Do in 1,001 Days List:

Passport renewed. CHECK
(Got the 10 year version.)
($120 for 5 years. $160 for 10 years. No brainer.)
Wonder why it costs more to get a 10 year version?

Shudder.

Add all Book Club selections to Pages board on Pinterest. CHECK

(If you're wondering what my book club has been reading, check this out. 

Write a random note of encouragement. Put it in a book at a bookstore.

I DID THIS TONIGHT!

Sure did.

After work, a friend and I drove (OK, we both didn't drive. She drove. I navigated, poorly) into Vancouver. First stop?

GASTOWN. 

To wander around. 

I think I could live there. 

At 55 Water Street. Above the Spaghetti Factory. 

And then we went to Chapters. Because it will be closing soon. And we needed to say our farewells...

I had about a dozen post-it notes prepared with encouraging words on them. And as we wandered through the store, I stuck notes in between the pages of some of my favorite books.

Next time we go into Vancouver, we'll pop by the library, and do it in those books too.


Three things I'm thankful for:


1. I have clean sheets on my bed and it feels glorious.
2. Sockeye salmon
3. Easter


Shalom.
xo

Asleep by Midnight

... been doing it for about a week.
You can tell, can't you?

Haven't blogged a single thought since I started sleeping 8 hours.

Haha.

I knew something would have to give.

And now that my foot is healing, I have to try and add walking/exercise back into my waking hours.
I probs won't have time to tweet or insta or Facebook...

Who am I even?


Three things I'm thankful for:

1. AMAZING spring like sunshiney weather for the past few days. SO grateful for that. I went to the beach on Sunday afternoon by myself and walked, bought an ice cream cone, and people-watched. It was a glorious thing.

How lucky am I? That I, a single female, can go to a beach by myself and feel totally and completely safe? I can get there in a truck I bought myself, with money I earned at a job I love.

I am thankful that I live in this century, in this country.

May I be mindful of women who do not have this freedom ...

2. I am thankful for answered prayer.

3. Thankful that I've had two different friends in my girl cave this week, watching movies and hanging out AND NO ONE MENTIONED THE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS STILL UP.

Shalom,
xo


If you're the praying sort, and you've got a sec, could you say a wee prayer for a court case that's taking place on Feb 18? Maybe simply pray that God's will be done.... Thanks.

FamDay Wknd Pt 3

I thought everyone would be anxious to leave right after getting up this morning, but that was not the case. 

We ate a hearty breakfast together:

And then we all just sat around. 

In our own little worlds, together. 

I have this insecurity. About being not-fun.
And when we're all together, I make sure there are beds/bedding/towels for everyone. And then meals. Make sure I've got lots of meat. And potatoes. And not too many vegetables.

And chocolate. The good kind.
And chips.
And beverages. Some fruity. Some not.
And a second supper. With meat.

And maybe something to do. (Lego this year. Doodle Art or new games in past years.)

But I worry about being boring.
My dad would have come up with something exciting. Probably dangerous. And likely borderline illegal.

So while we're all sitting around, completely relaxed and totally comfortable, I'm thinking to myself, "I should have thought of something. Something cool. Manly. Fun. Awesome. Why do I suck at this? They're bored. They probably all want to take off. They'll never want to come up here again. I should get married to a fun guy. Someone who knows how to add excitement to an event. Someone who...Oh get real, woman."



And then the army shows up and does training exercises just off our shore.

And if that isn't exciting, I don't know what is.

Haha. My kids didn't care enough to get off their respective couches.

So maybe they were fine being lazy? Maybe laid back, boring weekends with their mom is OK? Maybe this is exactly what they needed?


The younger ones left at around 3,
Clint and I stayed til 7:30.


I am so thankful that my dad and mom built that place.
#Blessed.

:)

FamDay Wknd Pt 2

We are at the lake.

All of us.

I was SO content and at peace, that I dozed off while reading Grasshopper Jungle on my Kindle, sitting in the papasan chair at 9 pm. I could hear,faintly, all that was going on around me, with Lady and the Tramp playing as a backdrop to my family's night at the lake. "We are Chi A Neeeze if you pul eeze. We are Chi A Neeze if don't pleeze..."

"Yeah. That's what she does," I hear Drew say. "Loud, eh?"

I open my eyes and see everyone staring at me.

"I was snoring, wasn't I?"
They keep staring.

"It SO sucks to be me.."

I decided to go to bed.
At 9 pm.
Because I was tired.

I missed Max's arrival but I know he's here.
How do I know this? Well, at 3 am I work up, wide awake and very well rested.

I finished reading my book, then heard Clint coughing so I went downstairs and chatted with him. (He's sick. Tonsillitis. Again.Third time in three months. He's a bit of a mess...)

Anyway, Max made it here.
And after Lady and The Tramp, they watched The Lego Movie. :)

This momma? Is in her happiest of places.


Three things I'm thankful for:


1. Drew climbed up on the roof, then threw down his socks and shoes as he cleared the debri from the down spouts then swept 6 inches of standing water towards the drains. Barefoot. In winter. Because he's the man.


2. Clint, despite feeling poorly, BBQed the steak, salmon and chicken perfectly. He has mad BBQing skills.

3. Danica talked. To me. About relationships and deep thoughts and girl things and I can't even.



Dear God,

Thank you for my people.

Could you heal Clint's throat? And direct us to someone who can help us figure out why he has chronic infections? And please, please, please, could you protect and keep him healthy in Africa.


God, as you know, there've been so many changes in his life thus far in 2015, could you continue to open and close doors according to your will for his life? Thank you for guiding him. Thank you for the opportunities he has. Thank you for the friendships he's got. Thank you for the way he loves his brothers. Thank you for creating him exactly perfectly.

God? Thank you for Max. Thank you for the journey he's on and the people who are walking alongside. I pray for him and his friends as they make a difference in New West. Give them courage and strength and wisdom.

Thank you for his patience, his inquisitive mind, and his sharp wit. Thank you for giving him the gift of 'hanging out'. He is brilliant at being laid back and enjoying the company of friends and family. Thank you for his love for his brothers. Thank you for making him exactly perfectly.

Oh, and Drew. Thank you for him. His smile. His attitude. His gentleness. His caution. His honesty.

He's pretty committed to being the 4th generation OBoy to make Langley Concrete his life's work. Could you provide him with wise counsel, good mentors and Godly role models? Fill him with so much wisdom it overflows.

Thank you for the love he has for his brothers. Thank you for making him exactly perfectly.

Thanks that we are all still in the middle of our stories. And that we don't know the twists and turns still ahead. Thanks for equipping us for the challenges we're going to face and thanks for not abandoning us when all we do is whine.

God, I pray that we won't give up on each other. That we would just keep on forgiving and extending grace. Can you help us with that? Remind us when we get bitchy.

God? There are people  I care about who are looking for work. Can you do something about that? You probably already are getting people and situations in place, aren't You? Give us patience as You work through the details, revealing Your plan at exactly the perfect time. Open our eyes to what You want is to see while we're waiting.

Amen.

FamDay Weekend

Eventually we'll all get to the lake, but everyone's busy til Sunday afternoon. So. Sunday afternoon it is. I can hardly wait.

Had a late dinner with Clint in Vancouver tonight, tho. Which was awesome.Two hours of conversation, discussing everything from social media to university educations.



I picked him up from his Capitol Media Offices ....

and we ended up at Milestones:

After supper I dropped him off at his climbing gym, and I walked along the seawall by myself for abit.

It was mild, and raining lightly, but it felt so good to be outside stretching my legs.

Three things I'm thankful for:


1. Netflix
2. Toothbrushes
3. Purple and blue lights