The Weekend and The Day

I had a chance to actually write over the weekend, this is what I wrote on Sunday:
I arrived Thursday night, as I unpacked and settled in a sense of relief flooded over me. This place gives the sense of no obligations, no responsibilities, and no demands. Maybe because here I am still a ‘kid’. I walked around putting out lawn chairs and opening buildings. As I did so a visitor joined me, I named her Henrietta, she was a duck, she followed me closely, close enough to touch if I had wanted to. I hope to see her leading babies around soon.
I woke up Friday morning to the promise of a beautiful day, the sun was out and the temperature was rising. I enjoyed breakfast on the deck and took in the incredible view. As I read my book for the English course I am taking I basked in the sun and debated putting on shorts. The afternoon soon ended that idea as the wind picked up and the temperature fell. Friday morning was the only sun I enjoyed over the weekend L.
In reality the cottage does place demands. Saturday was spent meeting these demands. Dad and I raked leaves and pinecones, cut grass, put the dock in, got the boat out (Joel and dad put it in the water), cleaned the house… for some reason the demands of this place seem less “demanding” then those of the real world. As the rest of the family arrived (mom, grandpa, and Joel) the obligations diffused, more hands do make lighter work.
I can only hope that weekends like this renew my energy. Maybe, just maybe I will be less grumpy, have more energy, and be more relaxed in the upcoming week. Weekends like this help me seek out balance in life, work gets left behind (but not forgotten), demands at home are less pressing, enjoy able tasks like reading get done, I spend time outside reconnecting with nature… hmmm as I write I am looking forward to more and more weekends out here. BRING ON SUMMER!!
Today the peace was shattered with a big thump! Grrr it was a rough day, it was a good thing I had a good weekend! In the end I vented to loved ones, cried, took out frustration at the gym and prayed and prayed and prayed. As I should have expected God comes through in the crazy moments, lost things were found (and even worked after being washed)… the day ended with the promise of good days ahead (even if they are crazy days). I am reminded that God is good, even in the small, non-important things. I needed that reminder!

News... and other tidbits

So I am a blog slacker, I haven’t updated in awhile, and have been preoccupied with life and facebook (in that order). Basically life is crazy busy.
Work has hit nightmare time; Spring Tea is next week, there are four fieldtrips for my class coming up, I am going away for 2 days… this is all in the next three weeks! YIKES!! In other work news… yesterday was contract-signing deadline. This year the decision was a little harder to make. For the first time in my life I felt like I actually had to consult people (or person) in regards to this decision (as I reread this I realized that this might sounds like a bad thing, really it isn’t it is just a new thing). After weighing pros and cons, and praying about the decision the contract was signed. I will be staying in Mennville for another year. If anyone can build a contraption to get me to Winnipeg and back in a very short amount of time that would be great!

I spent last weekend in the city. I bought an AMAZING flat iron for my hair. Really it is amazing. Totally worth the money it cost! Mom and I hit the mall on Saturday. It’s been awhile since we hung out so it was nice to spend a couple of hours together. I totally slacked on Mother’s Day (she actually picked out her own present). That does not mean though that I don’t love mom. Just for the record my mom is amazing! I love the fact that now that I am older she isn’t just my “mom” but also my friend!

I am looking forward to tomorrow at 3:30! I have a 4-day weekend and am looking forward to time at the cottage. I even get a day there by myself! I plan to read, work on my courses, KAYAK, and spend sometime relaxing. The rest of the family is coming out at different times throughout the weekend so it should be fun and enjoyable. Hopefully the weather is amazing and the water is somewhat warm (who knows when you might fall or get flipped!).
Yeah to May Long!Enjoy yours!

3BT

Today’s Three Beautiful Things:

1) Being reminded that people are often generous and helpful. Story: I got my first ever, flat tire today, I was about two mils from home and so I started to walk, but I didn’t get that far when a man and his wife (?) stopped and offered to change my tire. A big huge thank you to the strangers who took the time to help me out! The tire is wrecked and will need to be replaced, but that’s okay.
2) Joining the gym! Yup I did and am super excited that there is a new gym to join in Riverton. It is like curves but not, and only a 10 minute drive (rather than the 30 or so it would be to the nearest curves)!
3) Spring is here! I know this because they just mowed the grass in my backyard!! I love the sun, the heat, the summer that is to come. What a great time of year!

In other news I am officially a student again! Grrr not exactly how I wanted to spend my summer months, but that’s life. I have to take the courses so I take them. I now have the books for my first course (Women in Literature) and have spent a couple of hours working on it. In reality it isn’t that bad, and could be interesting (if I let it be!). Mission: Positive attitude about courses!

Blessings!~S

I Hate Sunday Nights!

In the last six months I have learned to hate Sunday nights! Some people don’t like Sunday nights because they know Monday is coming, usually that means back to work. Although I don’t enjoy the alarm clock on Monday morning, it isn’t the getting back to work that makes me hate Sunday nights. Instead it is the fact that most Sunday nights one of us (Jay or I) gets to drive the two hours between our houses. It means this weeks’ goodbye has come and gone. It means we will spend a couple of hours (if we are lucky) speaking by phone over the next five or six days. I know that is could be worse, there could be no weekends together at all, but I have decided I am entitled to a little sadness on Sunday nights.

This weekend the two-hour drive belonged to Jay. He came up Saturday evening (after his youth groups' 30 hour famine). On Friday evening I spent a couple of hours at Hecla. I enjoyed sitting in the sun on the boardwalk, watching the birds, and seeing my first butterfly of the season. I read and wrote and just had some Sarah and God time. I was surprised to still see ice on the lake, but the weather was wonderful. I then enjoyed a movie (The Holiday) with Dayna, not a bad movie! I got a great Gilmore Girls Fix on Saturday morning. I haven’t watched GG in a while and I had some time to kill so I enjoyed that and a great big cup of coffee in the morning. The rest of the weekend past in a blur of Carcassonne (a board game), College and Career, more Carcassonne, visiting with friends, and watching (okay in my case sleeping) through movies!! All and all a great weekend.
Now if only the Flames would win to cap it all off!!

Pray for Ramona and Earl as Ramona has surgery tomorrow (Monday). See their blog for all the details (there is a link on the right!).

The Week Is Over!!

The week is finally over… it has been one long week!
This week felt long for a variety of reasons. First it was report card and Parent-Teacher interview week. Luckily my reports cards were mostly done long before Monday, but no matter how early they get done there is always a little apprehension sending report cards home. If only students knew how much teachers love to send home glowing report cards and hate disappointing students and parents with not so stellar report cards!
The week was also one that stretched me in my job… I was given the opportunity to grow in communication skills and I was stretched in regards to leadership and conflict. It was a good situation for growth.
It seems like forever since I have really talked to friends and loved ones. Usually my weeks fly by, and I wish I had a little more time with my students, and a little more time to get things done. This week I feel like it would have been wonderful if it ended days ago! I am looking forward to a very quiet weekend at home. It will include watching movies and hockey, finishing my quilt, and maybe sleeping in!
I decided to steal the THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS idea from Dayna and Lindsey, what a wonderful idea. Here are my three beautiful things for today:
1) When we went for lunch in town today (it was an admin day) it smelled like it had just stopped raining. You know that fresh, earthy smell; I love it! It makes me really believe that spring is here!
2) I had the time to create a bulletin board for my classroom, one of those things that falls by the wayside when things get busy. Now I can put up important terms and definitions about the Earth’s Crust!
3) Spinach salad, yup spinach salad is beautiful! Especially when it has red peppers (I have eaten two and a half of those wonderful things this week!), tomatoes and Italian dressing on it. YUMMY!

Enjoy your weekend!
~S

When Do We Become Adults?

So I have ranted to a few people today… but I am going to continue to rant!
So here is the issue: I was recently invited to a wedding, but the invitation was addressed to my parents, brother, and I (and sent to my parents house). This irks me; I am an adult, I live away from my parents (and have for many years), and I feel like I should be getting my own invitations to weddings. Really the question is when does someone become an adult, and get treated like an adult? Would I have gotten my own invitation if I were married? If I had children? If I was 40 and still single? In all cases I would think so! So why, at 25 and not married, does it make it okay to send invitations to my parents? Grrrr!! I will leave my rant at that!
~Sarah

Spring!

Spring is here! It has been rushed in by amazing temperatures, melting snow, mucky roads, and spring-cleaning! I love spring; it is definitely one of my favourite seasons. It brings with it a sense of newness, a season of change. I can’t wait until the gigantic snowdrift in my backyard melts (it might be awhile yet), and my tulips start poking through the ground. I just love spring!
Maybe the fact that it is Spring Break makes this season become even more real. I am almost (one to go) finished my report cards! I am now looking forward to relaxing rest of the week in the city!
I began my “spring cleaning” yesterday, really I love getting organized. The feeling of knowing where everything is, that everything is put in its place, wonderful! Right now this might be my way of getting life organized… everything seems up in the air, at least my house is in order! But maybe that whole issue is better left to another post!
Thanks for all your comments on my previous two posts! So much fun to read all of them!
Enjoy the warm weather, and melting snow!
~Sarah
P.S. Megan I do read your blog but can’t seem to comment! Just thought I should let you know that I love and miss you!