Summertime news

So July has been crazy. Ups and downs and all arounds!
July 1st was fun, we did all the usual stuff, the parade , the play park and the fireworks. Oh and we spent some time with Dad Dirpaul as well. The Third Anna was in the parade and their was a float dedicated to dad Dirpaul. The Heart and stroke foundation rides a Big Bike every year (one of those HUGE bikes with like 30 riders... call themselves the Medical Maniacs) Every year they dedicate their ride to someone who has had heart trouble and this year they chose Dad. I took lots of pictures and as soon as the parade was over I went up to the hospital to show Dad. Little did I know that would be the last time I would see him.
The 3 and 4th were spent getting ready to head for camp.
The morning of the 5th my day started with a phone call at 8:30 from my dearest friend in the world. " Dad's gone Susanna, he's gone."
The first thought that went through my head was HOW AM I supposed to leave for camp now? God what are you doing?. This thought was quickly followed by Of course I have to go to camp, Teddy wouldn't want it any other way and besides, God wasn't surprised by this. HE KNEW this was going to happen. He wouldn't call me to camp and then change his mind... so I spent as much time as I could with the Dirpaul's over the weekend and come Monday morning, Mom and I headed out...
More coming later

why am I not surprised

Hollywood rarely takes me by surprise these days. The news of Heath Ledger's death saddened me greatly as he is a fine actor and seemed to be a pretty decent human being. What I wish surprised me was the callous and depraved way that the media is handling this news. Do we really need web video of the man's body being taken by the coroner? I mean really, are we as a people that callous? I guess the answer is yes we are.
I cannot help but wonder how much lower our society can go? I wish it surprised me but somehow it just doesn't. It does make me very sad. I pray that I can rise above it and not be sucked into the black hole that seems to be swallowing us whole. No more Brittany watch for me, no more ET. It's time to focus on other things and try to make a difference in this world while we still have a chance...

Come and gone

So 2007 has left us and we're already well into 2008! Life has been full of changes this past year. I don't think I coped very well... But it feels as though the veil has lifted and I can once again breathe deeply and look forward to tomorrow. Praise God for that!
So in 2007, we bought a new house, we left our church, friendships changed, some grew, some died, but none stayed the same. I cannot think of one thing in my life that is the same today as it was only one year ago. God is the same but our relationship is different...
What will 2008 bring? My babies will turn 8, 10 and 12! Bobby and I will celebrate 14 years of marriage. My parents will go away for two months! We'll travel to at least two family weddings. Anna will compete in her first Synchro competition. While there are no major plans in the works, I can guarantee it will be a busy year full of, if nothing else.... change.

Proud of my girl!

AnnaRose joined the Estevan Mermaids this year. That's our local Synchronised swimming team. She's been working so hard and last night the judge came down to do star testing. To receive a level one star, the girls had to preform a few figures and demonstrate some basic stuff like back layouts and so on. The 5 girls in Anna's group have been working very hard and I'm thrilled to say they all received their level one star. One girl in the group got her Level 2 star as well. Way to go!Anna was so tired at the end of her exam. She swam over to me and put her head down on the edge of the pool, too tired to even tell me she passed! In the change room she told me she was very proud of her self in an exhausted sort of way! I think it's the hardest thing she's ever done and she did it well. She's come such a long way since September and not just in swimming. She is growing into a beautiful young lady who is in control of her emotions (most of the time) and thoughtful and kind.My miracle baby continues to amaze me....

Gospel Chapel and other stuff

I'm not really ready to 'blog out' my whole church saga just yet but wanted to say we are settling back into a church we used to attend. They have welcomed us back with love and support. They have reminded us what church is 'supposed' to be about.
And God has restored a long ago friendship that was broken. It is good to have 'my boy' back. I've missed my lifelong best friend. Someday I'll tell that story too...

Who knew?

Who knew that this blog would not only chronicle my search for a new house but a new church as well? God did.
Anyway, this morning, my daughters and I are heading to the Church of Christ. I won't lie, it feels strange not going to EAC but I'm excited too. I can't wait to see what God has in store for this new chapter in life!

biggest fears

You know how all your life you're afraid of one thing that just might happen? Ok maybe you don't worry about it but I do. All my grown up life I've been afraid that my big mouth will get me in more trouble than I can get out of. I've been afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing to the wrong person and boom... I'm a bad person, my good reputation replaced with a bad one. Well I think I may have finally done it.
I had a meeting with a babysitting client, one final home visit before I began to babysit. Up to this point all is going great and we're set to go. I said some stupid thing that put me in a really bad light. It was meant as a joke, to help this mom relax about something and well it backfired in a big way.
Not only did she decide not to bring her son to my day home, she informed the parents of another boy I watch that I was an unsafe care giver.
'Crap' is what goes through my mind. quickly followed by 'wow did I screw up.' I can't believe that one bad 45 min home visit could destroy my reputation of 15 years as a good care giver, a trustworthy caregiver.
I can only believe my friends will paint a truer picture of me if they are confronted by the gossip.
I can only pray the parents that I presently babysit for will believe in me not someone else's perception of me.
And me? I guess I get to learn what happens when you are faced with your greatest fear... tough lesson to learn...