Some Shower Pics!!

Pat, my mom (Lynn) and me as the toilet paper brides!

Eating yummy chocolate covered strawberries!!

This weekend was sooo much fun! I had such a blast! Mel (with the help of my bridesmaids) threw a fabulous bridal shower for me on Sunday! I have only heard good feedback since!

It was so great to have 25 of the most influential, inspiring and encouraging women from my life all in one place! We shared many laughs, good food and some very silly games! The picture of Pat, my mom and I dressed in toilet paper demonstrates the crazy things Mel had us do. In that game the girls had to create couture toilet paper gowns!! My team won! I even had a toilet paper engagement ring... so hot!

Aside from the games, it was so good to see people who I had not seen for quite some time! The law girls, Forestbrook crew (some who were in Europe for the past month), and of course, those who I had not seen for the longest time, my McMaster girls! I also had a great time with some of my mom's friends, family, my mentors from Church and of course, James' mom. I'm so blessed to have all of these amazing people who drove (some 4-5 hours in total) to see me and support me and shower me with love and gifts!

Oh the gifts! I am so spoiled! I received such nice things! Some that should have been wedding presents! And of course, lingerie...! I don't think I am the only one who will benefit from the gifts of this shower! :)

I look back now and just feel so thankful for all that has been provided to me. Good friends, a wonderful family and a fiance who loves me so patiently. Sunday made me even more excited for the wedding, because there will be even more people who I care about there who were unable to make it to the shower, not just women, but all the men (who weren't invited!!).

Thanks goes out again to the fabulous Melanie for organizing the entire shower... to Lisa, Marlene and Marissa for helping Mel with the plans and food... and to my wonderful and beautiful mom who opened up her house! Love you guys!

See the below link for more shower pictures (more to be posted later this week!): http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/uwowest/album?.dir=/28b6&.src=ph&.tok=phasvEDBFtaYOo2Y

I'm having one of those days. The kind where you just can't seem to start off on the right footing. And yet, today started off as a good day in disguise.

I woke up at 6:30am and was ready to leave for work by 7:00am as I promised my dad. The sun is shining, I didn't have to prepare a lunch because I have leftover pad thai, I'm wearing pink... what could go wrong? Well first off, we didn't end up leaving right at 7:00 as my dad had insisted we do last night. We left at 7:15... but no big deal... I just patiently waited at the front door until he was ready to go. Next, while driving I realized that my pad thai was sitting on the counter, with the rest of my lunch... at this point I'm feeling a little frusterated, but again, I can handle it. I'm a big girl. No sense getting upset. I can buy my lunch today. Then, as we drove to work, my dad asked continual questions about wedding details that I didn't have answers to and for whatever reason, I started to feel rather annoyed with him. This was entirely my fault, but finally I told him that I wasn't a morning person and I didn't want to chat anymore. Of course, he was offended by this and the rest of the drive was completed in silence.

So my good shiny day has become less like my vibrant pink shirt and more like my grey skirt (but with not as much style or flare).

And I'm angry with myself for being cranky, because I know I'm just being cranky and I don't want to be cranky. Sometimes I wish I could just snap myself out of a mood. But it's not always that easy. I'm trying to remind myself today that really, everything that has happened this morning is so insignificant. It's funny how small things can seem so big at the time. I want to remind myself today that I actually have so much to be thankful for and that I've been incredibly blessed. I should really be on my knees, praising God for all that He's given to me. And if I pray to Him he will change and transform my mood into one that is glorifying to Him and reflective of the grace He has provided and the joy I feel.

So hopefully I can approach this day with a better perspective. There were a few bumps at the beginning, but I think it's gonna be a better day.

I was just reviewing that last blog... and that was the longest blog in the history of blogs. Sorry to those who suffered through all the wedding talk...

Last night James and I went over to our friends' house, Lisa and Michael Emmons, for dinner. Lisa and Mike were married in February of 2004, so it is neat to see how they have combined their busy lives into one! Marriage was a big topic of conversation last night. It was nice to hear what they love about being married and I think the general consensus between the two of them was the fact that they get to see one another so much (among other things). Lisa is a dancer, and she has a crazy schedule of performing herself, and also teaching students how to perform. Mike works at a company that does sound and lighting for concerts and other events. This weekend they are preparing to do a HUGE concert at Canada's Wonderland for Delirious, Audio Adrenaline and Newsboys! You can just imagine how busy Mike has been.

Lisa and Mike have been through a lot in their marriage already. Mike found out a couple of months after their wedding, that he had Crohn's disease. As a result, just a couple months into their marriage, Lisa and Mike's lives were filled with medical appointments, nights in the hospital, new medications, and uncertainty about Mike's career and ability to work. It has been so amazing to me, how they have really pulled together to make it through those difficult times. They are a team, battling his sickness together. It has also been inspiring to see how much they have relied on God and prayer to pull them through.

Fortunately, Mike's last long stay in the hospital was in January. Since then, Mike has been relatively healthy and we only have God to thank for that. James and I are so fortunate to have Lisa and Mike as friends. They are able to give us advice and have given us so much support and encouragement on our journey towards marriage. Last night was a night of catching up with old friends and I'm so thankful for them!

I called this past weekend, the "Weekend of Wedding". This is because we had two weddings to attend this weekend, Chris Fortin's and James' sister's. Chris' was in Waterloo on Saturday, and Jen's was in Hamilton on Sunday (for which James was a groomsman). Fortunately James and I both survived the weekend! And if we can survive that, I am confident that we can definitely survive our own wedding!

The weekend started off with James and I driving to Hamilton in our new little blue car, whom we have dubbed "the Kid" (since it is our first child together). This term has become fairly humerous, especially when you say things like, "this weekend I'm going to wash and wax the kid", "i hope the kid doesn't get in an accident", or "if the kid gets keyed, I will be furious!". Upon arrival, James quickly drove me to Catherine's house (his sister) for Jen's bachelorette party. It was a relaxed evening of good food!

Saturday morning we had the rehearsal for Jen and Graeme's wedding. With 12 in the wedding party, the stage at Bethany Gospel Chapel was full! Fortunately everything went smoothly and we could tell the ceremony was going to be beautiful. We then drove to the Barry's for the rehearsal lunch. James and I wolfed down some appetizers and even took some food "to go" because we had to drive to Waterloo and arrive before 3:00pm.

First of all, I have to mention this: I hate Waterloo. If I ever have to go back to Waterloo again, it will be too soon! Not only is it an awful city to drive in, but the directions to Chris and Bec's wedding were not very good. This made for a bit of drama in "the Kid" between James and I. I was driving. I think we drove all the way through Waterloo and then down this long long country road. We even stopped at a Home Hardware because we were sure that we had driven too far. Fortunately, we hadn't. We were just being impatient, since the church was just past the next intersection. Chris and Bec's wedding was great! The ceremony was nice, with all the Mikes from Forestbrook lending their musical talent! Bec looked stunning in her dress... but Chris looked a little high strung or frantic on the stage. It was visible that he was nervous. Fortunately there was no bolting from him or the bride!

After the ceremony we went out for drinks with some of the Forestbrook crew, but upon leaving for the reception, James and I got stuck at a red light... and no one waited! I had directions to the reception, so I thought we were fine. We weren't. We were looking for a North Campus Drive off of Columbia Avenue. There is absolutely NO SUCH THING as North Campus Drive... so as a result we drove way too far down Columbia and had to turn around. I'm glad that James had the good sense to turn into the University of Waterloo (where the reception was located) and found a map of the campus to bring us to our destination. The rest of the evening went as planned. The site for the reception was awesome and the company was even better! Once the country tunes came on, James and I were out of there, and with a new set of glasses! Thanks Bec and Chris for a great night!

Sunday was Jen and Graeme's wedding. James felt a little frantic that morning as he left in a rush to drive to Graeme's. He hadn't been informed about the groomsmen pictures that were happening early that morning. Fortunately, James is a master at getting ready in 5 minutes! He made it there just in time! After he left, I started to get ready with the house quiet. BUT that didn't last long, because the 6 bridesmaids, the bride and mother of the bride came home to get dressed and do their makeup. I never realized how crazy a house can be with 9 women trying to get ready!

Jen arrived at the church in an old school convertible. It was the coolest thing ever! And she looked radiant and so happy. Everything during the ceremony was picture perfect... except that it was fairly hot. Due to the heat, Graeme's younger brother, who is about 11 or 12, fainted right off the stage! It definitely created some drama, but in the end he was alright and the ceremony was okay to continue. Afterwards, we all headed over to Liuna Station for the reception. Liuna Station is a great building. It used to be the old train station in Hamilton and they've restored it, but also kept its historical integrity. It was a beautiful venue.

So at the end of the weekend, I think James and I were a little worn out from all the wedding talk. James said he didn't want to hear the "W" word for a long time. Somehow I think he's going to be hearing it fairly frequently for the next couple of months!

So my life with James is really coming together.

This past weekend we took the next big step in our relationship.... we bought a car! Or rather, we leased a car! It's a blue 2005 Toyota Corolla LE and we are in love! You don't realize what a big ordeal buying a car is until you have gone through it. I honestly thought I knew a lot more about buying a car, but then James and my dad were talking about all this car stuff I hd never heard of. And when it came to insurance, I had to know about deductibles, among other things. So what I've realized as a result of this is how naive and sheltered I am! Even James was a bit at a loss on some areas. Fortunately my dad was there to help us through it! He even managed to "dicker" the sales manager to come down to the price we were willing to pay.

So we left very happy!What a weird feeling though... to hold ownership (haha property law --haha law geek!) in something that expensive.. I feel like a grown-up! Oh wait, I am grown-up! I'm even getting married, that's how "grown-up" I am!

This morning I had an interview with the Crown Attorney's office in Newmarket. I was pretty nervous because these types of interviews are so important. Even if I am not offered a position this year as a summer student, I will be applying again next year, so I want to leave a good impression with them. But now that it's over, I wonder what the big deal was! I actually feel pretty good about how it went. They don't normally hire first year students, so my chances of getting a position are slim, but as Corie said, "you're pretty, so you'll get hired"! Thanks for the encouragement Cor!

But now I'm antsy... now I'm just waiting in nervous anticipation to find out if I will get the job... enough! I must relax.

Jenn and I tried out a new sushi place for lunch. The location used to be a shoe repair store, but now it is a sushi place. Fortunately the food didn't taste like smelly feet! That is one of the great things about coming back to my dad's office in the summers. The people are so familiar and friendly and we pick up right where we left off. Jenn is an old friend so we don't waste time on small talk. We are both candid about our lives with one another and it is so nice to have someone to laugh with, get advice from, or vent with! And I love Elizabeth's sarcasm, and Leslie's stories about her dog or new baby... there's always a bit of chaos in the office. So it would be sort of sad to move on, but exciting too...

Today is Lisa Emmons' birthday! She is 24!! We've been friends since grade 3 and she is so incredible. She's a tiny dancer (as the Elton John song goes)... I love watching her perform... she does ballet, modern... but basically if it is a dance, she can do it! She is a wonderful and supportive friend who provides big laughs, big hugs and gentle and realistic advice. I've depended on her for so many things and she has never failed to be there for me when I need her. She is wife to Mike Emmons, who is also artistically talented. They are a wonderful couple and it is sooo exciting to see them grow together in their marriage. I hope she has the most fabulous and special day today for her 24th!

Things have been in a whirlwind for the last few days...

Friday I wrote my last exam of first year law school. It was such a great feel to be done and it felt like we had accomplished so much. It was great to go out and celebrate the year with all of my new friends from law and then to cry with them about leaving for the summer at the end of the night! It is bittersweet, because while I'm leaving all my best friends from London, I came home to my best friends in Toronto and Pickering. I really cannot complain, but it was still a difficult moment!

Saturday was moving day. Since I was going on only 3 hours of sleep from the night before, it was not exactly my favourite day. James' parents, sister Jen, and my parents drove to London to help with the move. It actually went very smoothly and fortunately the rain held off for the most part. It was a busy day of driving and we greatly appreciated all of their help. Saturday night I got to see my maid-of-honour, Melanie! She's so fabulous and it so wonderful to catch up with her and see her boyfriend Will again.

Sunday was the first of our showers and it was held by my church, Forestbrook. It was very overwhelming. I could not get over how many people gave gifts! Some people even sent gifts who were unable to make the shower. This shower demonstrated to James and I, just how much support we have from the Forestbrook family. We felt so humbled and undeserving... but also so fortunate to have this many people backing us up, and encouraging us in our future together! It was a really great day!

Sunday night James was offered a job for the summer with a landscaping company! It was such and answer to prayer, because they wanted him to start right away and it is located just down the street from my house! That means he won't have to spend money on driving to and from work! What a relief!

So James started work today and I hope it is going well. It was hailing earlier today... so I hope he dressed warmly. This morning my mom and I drove to Angus Glen to finalize some details with Christy for the wedding. It all seems to be coming together so smoothly, I cannot wait for the final result! So that is my news!! All is well in Pickering. Tomorrow I start at my dad's to work for the summer... should be great, as always!