I am done with renovating...

I have moved. I know it can be annoying when someone does this, but I really wanted a change, and I am really liking it so far. My new blog is now up and running. Come and see me at Wordpress.

Turbo - hymn

Yesterday I lead worship at church. Who knew I could sing the hymn "Let all things now living" in just one breath? Oh man, it was fast!

Yesterday was also thanksgiving dinner at my moms house. As usual, mom cooked way too much food for the 11 people who were coming. And then it ended up being only 6. Oops. So we ate, and it was good.

Then I went to bed later than usual, and yet I couldnt sleep in later than 8. I woke up at 7 (a normal weekday time) and almost got up then! So now, I am blogging and trying to be quiet so as not to wake my still sleeping husband who will wake up at the sound of ANYTHING.

But I have no plans today, and no work, and that feels really good!

A good year

I think I have a lot to be thankful for this year, I have a job that I love, a husband whom I love, and friends who call me and make me think they are at my house when they are really in Calgary. I love my friends.

What I am MOST thankful for this weekend, though, has nothing to do with any of that. I am most thankful that I can be happy today. Because last year at this time, I was not happy. I was struggling with a bout of depression that I hid from everyone excet those closest to me. It lasted about 6 months before I sought help for it. I was tired of coming home, feeling hopeless, alone, and sad for no reason. I was tired of spending my evenings with my head in John-Mark's lap, crying into an ever-shrinking roll of toilet paper for no reason, and being unable to go out and have a good time. So I got help. Its been ten months since I started taking anti-depressants to treat a chemical imbalance in my brain. And today, I took my last pill. And I feel normal. And I have decided, on this very happy day, that I would share my story.

Its not easy (for me, at least) to come out and tell people about this. I have always felt as though people knew me as the one who was always joyful and laughing. And I was ashamed that I wasnt like that, for a time, and afraid that people would look at me differently because of it. I think it is interesting how society, and many Christians view depression as something that is the person's fault. They are crazy, or they arent trusting God enough, or they mustnt really know God if they are feeling that way, when, in reality, it can be, and often is a physical issue. My body just was unable to control the amount of hormones it produced.

So there you have it. I have no more secrets. It has been a crazy year, and I feel as though I have learned and grown a lot through it. And I have cerainly learned that I cant always rely on myself. Hopefully, God will use my story.

I am renovating.

... and any suggestions are welcome. I am not sure how I feel about this so far, but it is nice to have a change once in a while.

I love October 1st!

So, for the past few weeks, it has gotten increasingly colder in our house. And our heat hasnt worked - I am assuming that is because our landlords turned it off for the summer. Yesterday morning, I looked, and it was 15 degrees inside. No wonder we would come home/ get out of bed and bundle up! Anyways, we tried the heat again last night, and... it works! I love October 1st! Except then I slept with too many blankets, and I got hot. But whatever. I will not freeze when I get out of the shower this morning.

4 Interesting Stories

Interesting things that have happened to me lately:

….

…

Okay, that’s not true. I just have to fish them stories out.

1. I dropped my coffee all over the parking lot at work yesterday morning. It was the worst moment of my life, I think. I was having an awful morning, and I stopped for a special coffee to make myself feel better. And then I didn’t even get a single sip before it dumped all over the ground. I had to fight back the tears for the next our or so. This is the only circumstance in which starting the day with prayer as a staff is not a fantastic idea. But, I made it through, and John-Mark came to pick me up at work with a mocha he had made himself with our espresso machine and some powdered hot chocolate mix. It was sweet. Literally and figuratively.

2. The Aviator. This is the movie that John-Mark and I started watching on Sunday. We saw a bit more on Tuesday, and some more on Wednesday. We are still not finished. Not for lack of interest, because it is a pretty good movie, and interesting, but things have just been interrupting, and stuff like that. Its like the unending movie. If you see this movie, try to see it all at once. We went to bed right after an “intense” part – according to J-M (boring according to me, but what do I know) and then he was all wound up and squirmy because of it and he couldn’t sleep. So if you watch a movie before bed, finish it.

3. Cinnamon buns. I have found the most fantastic recipe ever. So I spent a total of 4.5 hours yesterday making 2 batches. I gave 6 away to a co-worker who just had a baby – we put a basket together for her. The rest will either get eaten or frozen. So if you are craving cinnamon buns, don’t buy one – come over and I will give you one.

4. John-Mark and I both got new glasses a couple of weeks ago. We found out that he kept getting headaches from his old ones because the lenses were out in backwards all along. Doy. Anyways, our new glasses are pretty snazzy. I went to silver frames – with thicker arms that kind of look upside down. The ear pieces are bright blue. I love them. John-Mark’s glasses are the kind where the bottom has an invisible frame. They are brown, and they look fantastic.

So there you have it. 4 interesting stories.

…and I really do want to blog more, time just goes so fast sometimes!

Mechanic.

Yesterday, something happened to Wilfred. He got a GIANT screw/ bolt stuck in his left rear tire. It happened on my way to work. Luckily, it held air until I got home later that day, and then... I changed his tire! I had never done this before, but John-Mark assured me that this is a valuable skill to have, so he taught me how to do it. And I did it. Check ME out. Maybe I should be a mechanic for a living.... ok, maybe not. Anyways, we are taking the tire in this morning, to see if it can be fixed, or if we have to buy a couple of new tires. I am personally hoping for the former, but only because I hadnt wanted to spend more money on him. Oh well, we will see.

Today at Dinner...

Today at dinner, my husband spilled milk on the table. Then, he took a penne noodle, licked off the sauce, and used it as a straw to suck up the spilled milk. He ate the noodle, leaned back, and said "All Clean!".

Oh, boy.

PS - we watched the movie RV the other night, and it was pretty good.

I am married!?

.I have to admit, it is kind of nice only having one job and not planing a wedding... I have... SPARE TIME!? What is that? I come home from work, and we make dinner, eat dinner and do the dishes, and then, well, I can do whatever. For the most part, at least. I picked up my long forgotten crochet project, checked a couple of Margaret Atwood books out of the library, and have even watched a couple of movies. It is more than kind of nice. Its really nice actually.

I have also been having fun with our new assortment of kitchen goodies and appliances. For instance, we had heart-shaped waffles (like grandma used to make) this morning, and we made our own lattes this evening (which were pretty good, especially for a first attempt.) Next week: ice cream maker? Who knows. I might just go kitchen crazy.

Something else exciting happened to me this week: our landlord came downstairs the other day with a plate full of samosas for us! And they were FANTASTIC! Likely the best samosas I have ever eaten. If you would like one, there is one left in the fridge. First come, first serve, though, just so you know.

I think it is time to end this random ramble of married life, and go to bed... I am SLEEEEEPY!

Hosed by Telus

We got hosed by a Telus salesman named Stacey.
Long story short.... we were there for an hour and a half, and we walked out paying more than we wanted to for a plan that we didnt want....

... we do have a free fancy, shiny phone though....

Advise

Jen and Colin got married this weekend! I had to throw that in, cause they just got married, and I am not posting about it.

The story I am about to tell happened after the wedding. A bunch of us (like 12) decided to go for coffee at Ethical Addictions. So, we were having coffee, and then I had to use the bathroom. So I did. When I was done, I came out of the bathroom, and spoke to friend who was going into the bathroom. Then, I turned around to put the key away on the counter, and all of a sudden, I hear "Cassy!". I turn around, and there are 3 people staring and pointing at me. I dont understand what the big deal is, until I reach back to smooth my skirt, only to find that it is tucked into my RED underwear. How embarassing. Of course, everyone laughed their faces off (including me) and we were so loud that Im sure the whole place knew exactly what was going on. So my advise to you is if you wear a skirt, and you have to pee, make sure you are very careful when leaving the privacy of the bathroom stall.

Yes, Celia.

Celia said I have to post, and that I have some things to say. Im not 100% sure what she is referring to, but I can tell you that I am super excited that I dont have to work today. Thats right. Theres a bunch of people at the office right now wearing nice clothes (well, jeans, it IS Friday) and working, and here I am, sitting on my couch wearing pjs and blogging.

Things at work have been interesting lately. Bryana, who does our broadcast editing and production is leaving in 1 week, so we had been looking for someone to replace her. As it turns out, one of the LSRs (Listner Service Representatives) is moving upstairs to take over Bry's work, and instead of trying to find a new LSR very fast, we've decided that I would move downstairs and become an LSR. This is good for me for a few reasons:
1. I was covering a maternity leave, and the lady I was covering for is likely to return to work in May. Now, I am still covering another mat leave, but she is less likely to return to work, so I am more likely to have a more permanent job.
2. I'm pretty sure that everyone knew that I was bored upstairs; there wasn't enough work to warrant a full-time position. Now I will be busy and will feel like I am at least contributing something.
3. I have been learning some of the bookkeeping, and I will continue to do that. My new position will help me to see more of that side of the ministry as well. Also, I will be physically closer to the guy who I am learning bookkeeping from.

So there you have it. I officially move out of my office on Monday, and one of the other girls will move in, and take over some of the stuff I was doing before. I think I will be happier downstairs, I hate being bored at work, and this way, I am not shoved into an office all by myself. There is much more opportunity to work more directly with people and to be social. AND I get to use the folding and envelope-sealing machines. Fancy.

Celia, I hope this is what you were looking for.

Oh! AND John-Mark comes home in a week! Woohoo! We havent seen each other since April!

Every Sunday evening

Every Sunday evening since I started to work at IFL has been the same. I go to bed at my usual 10 o'clock bedtime (I wake up at 6), and find myself completely unable to sleep. Take tonight, for instance. (I know its Monday.... but I had today off, so it it still the same) It is almost 11, and I know that I am going to be tired tomorrow, because I wont get a full nights sleep, and yet, here I am.... forcing myself to drink tea so that I will get sleepy and go to bed. I am fairly certain that the reason for this is that I am able to sleep in on the weekend (all the way until 9 this morning), and then I am not as tired at 10 on Sunday evening. Its a curse. What am I supposed to do? Not sleep in? Certainly not! Oh well, I suppose that is what coffee will be for tomorrow..... if I can get any of that stuff at work they call coffee down. Oh man, I AM a coffee snob!

Counting, counting.....

53 Sleeps until my wedding!
24 Sleeps until John-Mark comes back!
18 sleeps until I never have to be a creepy church custodian again!

Why am I posting right now?

Why am I posting right now? Well, I think the main reason is that its 6:54am, and I am avoiding getting dresed, because I am very comfy here in my PJs under a blanket drinking coffee. Even if itd kind of bad coffee. So I have to leave for work in 25 minutes. Whatever. I'll get there. I even know what I am going to wear already, which is the biggest decision for me when I am groggy. I try to avoid looking like I got dressed in my sleep. Even if thats the truth.
Yesterday I got out of bed and had a shower right away. I dont think I have ever had a shower first thing like that. In highschool I would watch the weather channel for 20 minutes every morning, and nowadays, I goof around on the computer for a while. When I was away at school, lets face it, I didnt shower much. And when I did, it was in the afternoon. Usually during workduties...
Okay, time to get ready for work.... I suppose I should look half presentable....

Did you hear the one about the blonde and the helium balloons?

Okay, here is a story that once again proves that I am completely entitled to my naturally blonde hair:
Picture a beautiful Saturday in June. Beautiful and sunny, and very warm... like, 27 I think. I am at Camp Luther, volunteering at the Walk-Bike-Canoe-a-thon. My job is to sit in the middle of nowhere with a sign, some water, a clipboard, and some helium balloons, and to mark down people's time when the ride/run by me. So, just before the a-thon starts, I load up my car with all the necessary supplies: water, the sign, a chair, a blanket, a good book, balloons, and I am good to go. I drive to my spot in the middle of nowhere, and set up camp. I stop and take a quick glance at my new hangout, and I realise that there is something missing. My beautiful yellow balloons! So, I go to my car to retreive them. BUT, they are gone! I can't believe it! I havent left my car at all since I loaded up... who could have taken my balloons? Frusterated, I sit down and start to read my book. Then, all of a sudden, it dawns on me. I can't believe it. When I got into my car to drive to my station, I was so warm that, naturally, I opened my sunroof! Oops, shouldn't have done that! The balloons had flown out of my roof as I drove, and I didnt even notice! (Or think before I opened a hole in my roof while transporting gravity-defying items) Silly Cassy.

No class.

One day, one of the girls at work brought in a basket of treats for the staff as a thank you for the baby shower we threw her. Included in the basket was some Ghiradelli hot chocolate mix. Sounds good. Sounds really good. Unfortunately, from my experience, it has proven to be the sickest hot chocolate ever. First, I followed directions, and put 4 scoops into my mug. I found that that was like drinking warm, sweet mud. This morning, I decided to try it again, putting only 3 conservative scoops into my cup. Still sick. I left it at my desk over lunch, and when I went to pour it out, there was a thick, brown sludge on the bottom of my cup still. So, I have concluded that if I keep putting less and less of the mix into my cup, I will eventually find the perfect blend, and will be able to thoroughly enjoy the most amazing cup of hot chocolate ever created.

…unfortunately, 2 scoops didn’t work out so well either. Oh well.

…maybe I just lack sufficient class to enjoy such a beverage. Maybe I should just go back to the good old fashioned cup of coffee. Yeah. That’s a great idea. Coffee.

zzzzzzzzz.........zzzzzzzzzzz

I feel as though I have a lot to blog about, but at the same time, I dont know wld write abhat to write.
I could write about my new job, it is going well, I think. There is / has been a lot to learn, but I am learning!
I could write about my crazy neighbour who mows the lawn at ten at night... in the dark.
I could write about my insane 55 hour work week (58.5 if you count unpaid lunches and my tutoring gig)
I could write about my new little sister who I met on Tuesday. I get to hang out with her every week. How exciting.
I could write about how its nine thirty on a friday night, and I am already thinking about going to bed....
I could write......
zzzzzzzzzzzzz..........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Oh Mi Gato! Mi Mayo is Sinking!!

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy Cinco de Mayo. In case you weren't aware, this is an opportunity to celebrate and be thankful for the seemingly unending supply of Mayonnaise we have in North America. This was not always so. Please take a moment today and remember all the mayonnaise that was lost on the Titanic.

Done.

I am done two things
1. I am done at ABC. Mostly. I am making a guest appearance on Mother's Day, but aside from that, I am done.
2. I am done the wedding inviatations. Mostly. I just have to mail the American ones. And the norwegian one, but aside from that, I am done.

Yay for me! Just in time to start my new job. Tomorrow!