working at a real church.....

I have always wondered what it would be like to work at a real church,  but I sure would miss...

-working from home. I love having a home office, it enables us to be more hands on with our students. Because if you did not already know we live 2 blocks from 3 of the 4 highschools in Lethbridge, which makes it easy for the kids to drop in whenever they feel like it. Plus we are never home anyway. Our ministry is very hands on we are out and about meeting people where they are at. plus it is really nice because we are never in bed by midnight so it allows us to sleep in a tiny bit.

-wearing jeans to services. Bill, our pastor, never wears a tie. He actually only wears them at weddings and funerals. actually he wears jeans on Sundays, not blue jeans but his nicest khaki colored blue jeans. I usually wear a skirt to morning service but jeans and a hoodie to evening service and sometimes my slippers. 

-waking up every Saturday super early to work at the church. Not only to work but construction. for example today I carried bricks , shoveled sand and gravel, hung drywall, made many trips to the lumber yard, learned how to use a nail gun ( which Bill said is like God, you need to respect Him and fear Him) and many other random gofer jobs. I love helping with the new fellowship hall building because I can see something growing. It is really neat to be involved with one of God's projects. 

- fighting for space in the Sunday school room. it is like a running joke, everyone puts stuff in the original Sunday school room. actually right now everyone has been calling it the tool room because it is next to the construction and full or tools. So Sunday school is being held in a room we call the driver's training room. They rent it out twice a month or so. it is nice but I can't leave anything out and it drives me crazy.

-being the handyman at the church. if anything has to be done at the church we are called. Bill helps as much as possible and so does Connie who is the Janitor. but we paint, set up for events, fix speakers, or whatever needs to be done. Bill always laughs and says, "you mean they did not teach you all how to do this type of ministry in University"

and the list can go on, we always laugh with Bill about our Church, but is such a blessing in our lives. we love the oppurtunities that it provides. Everyday we learn more and more about serving God and working with Poeple. 

-

Halloween has come and gone....

I can't believe it is already November. Time flies when we are having fun. HA. So Eric has been on me every day about how I haven't blogged in such a long time so I am going to give highlights to catch you all up:

1. Summer was crazy

June 12th- we left before summer even started up here to join the Hawkinson clan in Colorado at the cabin. Erin came with us. 

June 21st- we met up with my Mom in denver and saw my family for a few days.

June 27th - we headed down to Lubbock, Texas to Jeff and Magan's wedding. 

June 29th- we drove back up to the OKC to pick up Erin. 

July 1st- started our drive home

July 2nd- we arrived in Lethbridge late that night.

July 4th-11th Family camp 

July 12th- 18th- Jr. Teen Camp

July 24th- 27th- Eric went to Aaron and Karlee's wedding

while he was doing that

July 25th-August 1st- Sr. Teen Camp

August 13th-22th  California with a few of the Teens

August 23rd-29th Fernie Camp

It was so much fun, but I really missed being home. And it felt like we were always under prepared for the next thing. It took alot of cramming and such but everything turned out great.

 

2. September 

-was equally as busy with everything starting up again.

-September 11th we went to Glacier National Park in Montana with Barb

- we went to the camp a few times to do repairs and also because Emily came up from OK which was so much fun. 

-We also got the chance, thanks to Katie, to go to the live showing of the Canadian Idol Finals. 

-we saw Starfeild which we used as our youth kick off for the year. it was so much fun and Eric and I both really miss that type of service

-also with the youth we took them Ice Blocking. It was such a blast and something I really miss from University

-our church held a silent auction to raise money for the fellowship hall that has been under construction for over a year. but we have decided to start the work and tust the Lord. it has been awesome to see how He works. at the dinner we raised enough to lay the cement... so now every Saturday morning we are at the Tab moving forward on the room

3. I love the fall it is no doubt my favorite season. 

-fall starts early in Lethbridge  the trees were already changing in the beginning of September and by Thanksgiving Oct. 13th all the color has blown away

-Thanksgiving Camp ,October 10th-13th,  is always one of my highlights of the year. I love being in the pass that time of year 

-We then had Thanksgiving Dinner for the 2nd year in a row at the Beusekom's

- Drove 10 teens to Calgary in the van for Bec's Birthday. a day full of laser tag, Imax movie, shopping , and amazing food.

-then I ended fall in bed for a week... I hurt my back some how and couldn't do anything.

-But I did get a chance to go see Ashley play a Dwarf in the Hobbit.

5. Halloween

-we had the teens over for a really fun Halloween party we were expecting about ten maybe and ended up having almost 30 in the house. it was so full but so great. 

- November 4th was our 1st snow of the season. Erin and I were on our way to Nic's concert and got a pic but it is funny because the snow flake is right in Erin's face.

Well that is a quick catch up. I will try to stay more on top of things so you all know better what is going on up here in the Great North. oh and by the way this took me about 2 or so hours to get all the pics on. I am a dork. 

Fall Is Coming And Going!!

So it is really windy here in Lethbridge, Alberta and since it is really windy that means that fall doesn't last very long. The trees have already started turning colors and started losing their leaves but the leaves are already almost all blown off because of the wind. It's still beautiful outside and it has gotten colder so it feels like fall but in a couple of days it won't look like fall because there won't be any leaves left on the trees. They will be on our yard and all over the street so I guess that has to count for something. But it is wonderful to see the seasons change and see how beautiful it is. Winter is right around the corner. I am ready for the snow!!! And believe me, we get a lot of it. Well that's it for now. Have a wonderful week everybody.

Eric

Wow what a summer!!!

What a summer!! It was absolutely incredible! We did so many things. We went on our holiday to Colorado to meet my family for a week and then we spent a week with Syb's mom and after that we drove down to texas for Jeff and Meagan's wedding. After that we drove up to Oklahoma City and stayed there for two days and saw some friends and family and then Syb and Erin and I made the long drive back up to Alberta. It was a long but fun drive. We got home and had a night or two and then we headed up to camp for family camp. After family camp we had a night back at home and then we went back up to the camp for Junior Teen camp. It was a great couple of weeks at camp. After junior teen camp was over we camp back home and I had a couple of days at home and then I flew to Texas again because this time I was in Aaron and Karlee's wedding. It was alot of fun to be with the guys again. We had a blast. After the wedding was over I flew back home and then arrived in Calgary and drove to camp for Senior Teen camp. It was a great week! We got to come home for a while and then we headed off for California! Man it was a great trip! We went to San Francisco and walked around China Town and went sailing around and saw Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge and tons of Sea lions. It was so fun. Then we headed to Los Angeles. We went to Universal Studios and then we went to Disneyland and then we had a day at the beach! It was so great. It was a great couple of days. The last day when we were at the beach we got fried!!! We were all as red as lobsters! But it was fun. Then we headed back home and we when we got home we had a night and a day and then we headed back up to the camp for one last camp. Some kids from Fernie and Sparwood and Elkford came to camp for a week. It was alot of fun! They were great kids. Now we are home for more than a night and a day and as luck would have it, I am sick. Well at least it happened at the end of our summer. But I am all bundled up on the couch and it is already feeling like fall outside. I am looking forward to being home for a while with Syb. That was kind of a really fast way to describe our summer. But I am sure that Syb will tell it more in detail. But there you go.

getting ready for summer to start

so we are getting ready for our busy summer to begin.  this last week has been so busy with getting ready for summer camps, just planning, organizing, and discussing what will go on at during the 3 separate camps. I can't wait for them. they start the first week of July with family camp, this is two days after we get back from our trip to the states. but anyway before camps start in Canada we are headed down to the states for a couple of weeks. we can't wait. We leave on the 12th to head down to Colorado to meet up with Eric's family in Evergreen. We spend a week in Evergreen. which I am so excited to experience Colorado through the Hawkinson's eyes. then from there we meet up with Mom and stay about 5 days with her, in this time I want to visit my grandparents and bother Ryan. from there we head down to Lubbock for Jeff and Megan's wedding. I am so glad I am getting to go to there wedding and also we will have the little girls when we drive down so that will be so much fun to get to see them and hug on them. then the wedding on Saturday and we head to OKC on Sunday. I am hoping to get to church and also to hold Denton Jaggers. Then on the 1st we head back up to Canada. I am so excited but a little overwhelmed at all that is going on in the next few weeks. I know it will all work out in God's way but you know me I just seem to try to over organize it all. Ha. 

our 1 year Anniversary!

we had such a fun weekend. we had planned on going away but it did not work out so we stayed home and told everyone we would be gone... it did not work that easy but we did still have quite a bit of time just the two of us. Here in Canada this past weekend is known as May long weekend, it is probably the biggest weekend for people camping, but it is when the weather is finally nice enough and it really seems to kick off summer for everyone. 

but is started Friday for us: we worked outside all day, I have been working on the gardens like crazy and finally planted the rest of my veggies, while Eric mowed the lawns. and then we had dinner at Bill's and hung out for a while watching a movie. Saturday we slept in a bit then we met Bill for lunch at Viet Kitchen which was doing a fund raiser to raise money for the Earth quake victims, then Eric went with Bill for a few hours and I head to see Bec and Erin. I stayed for a while and helped Erin peel wall paper in her room. After that I made grilled chicken at home and Eric and I went for a two hour walk around down town and to Starbucks :). then Sunday, which is our actual anniversary we slept in and skipped church, remember because we were out of town, and then had a picnic lunch at the park and hung out there for a few hours. it was beautiful out. then we came home and for dinner we went out to Ohsho's, which is a Sushi place then we went to see "What Happens in Vegas" which we both agreed was okay. and then when we got home we ate our wedding cake. this was so special to me because I had only had a bit at the wedding. It was such an amazing weekend. I love being Married and spending every day with Eric. It is always an adventure and God is so good to us. 

exhausted but unable to fall asleep

so I am laying in bed watching Eric sleep, not that he is home yet, but on the computer. We were i-chatting and had this great idea to sleep with the computer so if I wake up in the night I can see his face. He can't see mine because I do not have a camera but I can see his, and believe me he is sleeping peacefully. me on the other hand. I just keep tossing and turning. I debated on hiking up two flights of steep stairs to work on my scrapbook,  taking Eric of course all the way up, but decided by the time I was up there I would be ready for bed. so here I am laying in bed just thinking about the things I need to get done tomorrow. soup kitchen at 10, El Comal after that, permission slips for 30 hour famine, and the list goes on, it does not seem like much but as I think of one thing I begin to think of the hundreds of other things I need to be getting done. it always seems to work that way. 

I think I have not been sleeping well because our old house creaks so much, and with Eric gone it just makes me nervous. It never use to bother me but the noises seem worse now that he is gone. But he will be home soon, and on those lines please keep praying for his family, what a strange time, it is so hard seeing a loved one die and even harder I think when you know it would be better for them to die. Please just keep them all in your prayers, also my grandfather has been in the hospital the last week, he went in on his birthday :( what a gift, eh?  But just pray for strength and for Grandma as she prepares to  take care of him again at home. this week it just seems like it absolutely stinks to get old. 

It is also so hard to be so far away from the US lately, this past month especially for me. Allyssa and Maddy both had birthdays. I think Birthdays are the worst. especially little girls birthdays, I just miss being able to spend time with them anytime i want. Good friends are hard to find, well that is not true it just takes time and sometimes I get tired of waiting. and now with our grandparents both being sick it sure makes me think of all the times I was a five minute car ride away and did not visit. 

But I know the Lord is blessing our time here. Him and I just wrestle about it somedays.  But I better close my eyes and try to fall asleep. Night

So far away...

Well this is Eric and this is my first blog post... So bear with me here. 

Well I am in Oklahoma right now because I had to make an emergency flight to Oklahoma City because my Papa is in the hospital and he isn't doing very good. He had a surgery last week to remove a couple of toes from his right leg. He has diabetes and he's got it really bad. there ended up being no circulation what so ever in his right leg to help heal the wounds so they had to take his leg from above the knee. But it was a good surgery and he did great through the whole thing but after that this past week he started going down hill. They can't get his blood sugar regulated and they just aren't sure what's going on. So your prayers would be much appreciated. And being away from Syb is literally killing me. I remember when we first got married, it took me awhile getting used to sleeping in the same bed as someone else. And Syb would say the same thing, but once you get used to sleeping with someone, when you are apart you can't sleep without them. I hate it. I miss her so much! But it has been good to be here for my family and for my Papa. But i am exhausted and i think that is all i will write for now. But your prayers would be greatly appreciated. Just praying for God's will is all we can pray for right now. Because as papa has said over these past few days, "I am just ready to go home." He is ready to go to the throne room of God and see and experience His presence. I don't blame Papa for wanting to go home. What a great day that will be. When we all get to not only be in the presence of God but to see His face and truly feel and experience His beautiful presence. Well I am off to bed. It is 3:34 here and 2:34 in Lethbridge. I am spent for the day. Goodnight.

a visit from My Mom....

Mom was here for two weeks, it was such a wonderful visit. We worked on the garden majority of the time, it was so much fun. I am so proud of how much we accomplished. We really just started preparing gardens. Eric also helped alot and Ashley, one of our teens, stopped by one of the days and helped for a few hours. God blessed our efforts with the most beautiful weather. It was almost 70 and I got such a burn. It felt wonderful to be out in the heat. In the front we created two garden on the front side of our deck, we planted a rose bush on each side and lined it with old bricks that I found in the ally and back yard. It is still too early to plant perennials and other plants because of the fact it could snow until the end of May. In the back yard we prepared and garden against the back of the house and transplanted a bunch of Poppies and left room for other shade loving plants. In the other garden in the back we prepared it for a veggie garden. I was so eager to plant the seeds that I bought a inside hot box and planted all types of veggies and sunflowers. After two days they were already sprouting. It feels so nice to encourage life, and to watch how God can make things grow. Mom left yesterday and got home safely but I still have one garden to prepare in the front by our picture window where I will plant a rasberry bush along with other things. 

I am so thankful she got to visit, it is always so great to get to spend time with her. I love her so and Praise God for her. 

Back from Mexico and busy again

Wow Mexico was amazing. One day I would be so excited to go and the next I would not want to go at all. But God sure did amazing things while we were there. It was such a blessing to be given the chance to go. I loved it. I can not even explain how great it was. We stayed in an Orphanage in Juarez, the Orphanage is built on an old dump and so is the rest of the surrounding community. For the short four days that we were there we built a house for a struggling family. I have never been a part of such a work trip. It was so amazing and rewarding. We did it all, from foundation to walls, to insulation and the roof. It was such a learning experience for me. But also during the day a few of us would rotate working with the 60 to 75 kids that would show up at the orphanage. Crafts, games, and a few stories. I found it challenging and frustrating to not be able to communicate correctly, but I was surprised how much I did remember and was able to use. 

Now that we are home and running again, Mom has come to visit. We have begun working on the gardens, I wish I had a green thumb like she does, but I am learning slowly. I am quite excited to get the back yard nice so we can have people over for cook outs. I love warm weather. It has still been a little cold here but this weekend it is predicted to reach 70. I have been praying that it would, God has been faithful in providing sunshine. 

preparing for Mexico

It has been so busy here this week. Ted, an older guy at the church who is super organized like me, and I have been sorting, painting, and preparing the tools and supplies for weeks now. Tonight when we loaded though it was said it was the most organized it has been in a really long time, it is nice to know it was worth it. But anyway and then packing two separate bags was really hard for me, not sure why but it was. We packed our bigger suitcases in the trailer and they will not come out until we get to Mexico. So that one had cloths for working in there, evening close for Mexico and then also cloths for the ride home. and then another bag for our cloths on the way. I  do not know why it was tricky but it was, but it is all packed now so oh well. Also on top of it all, I am baking cookies for the trip. which is fun just takes time. Oh and Emily and her friend Brittany flew in today so Eric and I drove to Calgary to get them. It was a nice day away actually and I got to spend our gift cards that Mom, Virg, had sent in the mail for Valentine's, and I found two pairs of pants on sale at Old Navy so Praise the Lord for that, it is always hard to find pants.  Eric even gave me his card so I could get both, He is such a great husband. 

Anyway, I can not wait for Thursday morning when we kick off, it just seems like so much preparation. I am anxious about the 4 day car ride with all the kids so if any of you think about it please pray for us. I will need it. and also for traveling mercies. I am so excited to meet the director of the Orphanage and to build the house. I went to the store the other day and got to buy tons for the VBS so I am also excited to play with kids and hold babies. I just am so excited. 

And to make the trip even better on the way home when we all spend the day at the Castle Rock Mall I get to see my Mom, and to make that even better the little girls will be there. I absolutely can not wait. Oh to hold those little girls. 

all that to say Preparation is almost done and we are about to be on our way......

deep water Jog...

so I have been trying now for about two weeks to get up early and head to the YWCA to join the Deep Water Jog class in the mornings. It has been so hard to jump out of bed and be motivated to do this. But despise my snoozing once I still made it there this morning, Oh and the joy it brings. Not only am I a morning person who loves to start their day early but I absolutely love being in the water. I forgot how much Joy it brings me. The Lord has made me a "water bug" as my mom always called it. I had so much fun. It was not the hardest work out I have had, well really it wasn't even hard, but it was such a joy to have fins on and be in the pool. 

Okay besides my love for the water it was such an amazing community. In the class there was about 15 women from the age of 60 to 75, one younger lady probably in her 30s, and one guy who ranged around 65. It was so great. They have their own family and routine at this class and believe me Erin, Bec and I sure turned some heads. But it was well worth it. And afterwards sitting in the hot tub sharing with these ladies was so much fun. They explained the class and what they like the best and then took turns bragging on their grand kids. 

It is amazing how in all the stages of our lives God brings us joy in different ways. He is the ultimate provider. I need to be careful I have been praying for friends and it seems God is providing. 

I can not wait to be apart of this group again tomorrow. 

day 2 Apples...

so many apples.... we had so much fun. i didn't think it could be messier then the day before but it sure was, so sticky.

this is the job i started the day off with. Peeling apples, this is the dream job of apple making or atleast my dream job of apple pies. it is so much fun, and so fast and easy.

 

I finally convinced Eric to come join the apple peeling feast. It was so great, he just kept it so lively and exciting singing back and forth with Barb and Bob. 

this is the job I ended up really helping with, I was actually the job right before this one. someone would measure out 12 cups of apples and then i would pour in a bad of spices and mix it all up and then Les would pour a cup into each crust. 

all the apple peels, we really peel all the apples so we can produce this amazing treat for the local pigs. it was amazing how with those special peelers you get each apple in one peel. 

after the pies were filled  different people toped them, here is Annette topping the pies and smiling away.

  

here is Bill, he carried the empty boxes to the room and also gave out the pies in the front of the church. He is such a character he would poke his head in say a few Jokes then walk out...

He always keeps us all on our toes. 

we finished pies early and spent a couple of hours cleaning the church getting it ready for church the next morning. 

but for dinner I was so excited Adam, a long time friend of Bill's from Oklahoma who has been staying with Bill and Barb, cooked Brisket. It was amazing, if there is one materialistic thing I miss from the states it would be B-B-Q , oh how I miss it. I really do so it was such a treat, he made it just for me and it sure was absolutley amazing. Thanks Adam. 

But even after that we went Sledding. It had snowed all day long so we did not want to miss out on all the powder... I was so tired but we had so much fun. We meet the girls and went to the sugar bowl and froze our already exhausted bottoms off as we hiked up and down the hill. It was a blast. 

It was a great ending to a couple of amazing days. 

apple pies and so much more....

I wish you all could have seen the body of Christ working tonight at the Tab, Lethbridge Christian Tabernacle. We started last night, a three day journey to make 650+ apple pies. I went to the church around  3 yesterday to begin bagging the spices, you can make 3 pies per bag that we did... so we worked for hours and bagged 217 bags.  The smell of cinnamon infiltrated my nose and whole being. 

But today it all really began. There must have been about 50 of us working diligently with only a few flour fights. A few people measured flour, a few mixed the flour, baking powder, and salt with shortening, then the eggs and vinegar got kneaded in, someone cuts the dough into little piles, and last but not least a group rolls the dough  and places the dough into pie pans. Everyone worked in the church kitchen forever... also Eric and a few of the teens put together the boxes including stickers explaining the purpose. I loved my job tonight I worked kneading the egg mixture into the dough. A race was on to see which job could move the fastest, well atleast a race in my mind. But a few seemed to get into it or atleast enjoy my effort. It was so great to watch the body in motion. By the end of the evening I was covered head to toe in flour, thanks to Becca, and I also helped others feel a part of the fun. It is such an amazing opportunity to work side by side with so many in the church. When flour starts flying you really start getting to know people. 

 Now you must be asking yourself "why so many pies?" well it is simple. After selling them all we buy supplies to build a house in Mexico. I can't wait we leave in about 40 days. My first time to Mexico and we will be staying at an orphanage. It is a dream come true for some... me.

Well tomorrow will be just as much fun.. we still have to peel the apples and mix them with the spices and put the pies together... oh and finish a few top crusts. I can't wait. Then as the day carries on people with get to pick up their pies and bake and enjoy or freeze for a later time. 

I ordered 3. Mom said she would love to buy some so we got a couple so that we can enjoy them when she gets here in April...

  

Here is Erin showing off our mad mixing skills, she was also in on the race... and an excellent partner. 

 

The pic of the two of us was so funny , Eric would not come into the flour room to work but for a few seconds he joined me for a picture and got flour thrown on him...

This picture is of half the room working so hard...

 

here are the trouble makers who were throwing all the flour around

.

 and here is Eric with all of the boxes. come to find out they were all racing too. But look at them all and tomorrow they will be filled with APPLE PIES!

New to this...

So I have never had a blog page before but I thought it would be alot of fun to try. I think it would help with keeping everyone up to date on the things in our life here in Canada. So I guess that is it for now but I am sure I will get better at this.