Favourite Things Friday

Hi friends,
Are you all as ready for the weekend as I am? We have no plans besides maybe putting in a baseboard. I painted the living room yesterday so stay tuned if you want to see before and after pics next week. Since I painted yesterday while Kiddos were having a fun day at grandparents house with cousins, the house still smells of paint and furniture is not put back. I opted to head out for the morning which leads me to one of my favourite things, FUNDAYS!
If you are in Jackson and haven't checked it out, you really should.

They have a cafe which I order a coffee and sit on the comfy couches while I watch the kids play or read a book or plan in my planner or visit with friends..so many options.

Here are a few photos from today's play time.
They also have arts and crafts section, games and puzzles, lots of books and magazines for kids and adults too.
On the way out the kids get to pick what colour balloon to take home which makes leaving a bit easier. Usually my kids are tuckered out anyway from all the fun. :)

Word of the Year

Hey guys!
It sure has been a while. I'm sure things have changed for you as they have for me. We have added a little baby girl to our family who we were expecting to be a boy as per the ultrasound tech's professional opinion...SURPRISE! more on that story later. Right now I want to talk about the new year starting now. Happy New Year's everyone.

I've heard this idea of choosing a word for 2018 floating around the interweb and decided I would do it for this year. HOWEVER, I am thinking my word could change after half a year or what so, things don't usually fit so neatly into a year like we want them to. I prayed about my word for the year and I am going to admit... I don't really like it. The word is FOCUS. I am not naturally a focused person and I have never really worked on it either...simply because I don't want to. To me, focus sounds so rigid, boring and a lot of work. am I lazy? a bit. SO this year even though I wanted to change my word to intentional or purpose, focus is what it must be.
Do you have a word for 2018??
I'd love to know what it is.  :)

The Trouble with Blogging

Hey folks,
I know I have been very VERY inconsistent with my blogging.
That's the trouble.
I actually write more than you might think I do.. but I always end up saving them as drafts.. thinking who would want to read this.. it's only me that finds it interesting.
I also struggle with what to focus my blog on.. I have changed it many times.. and just have not found my niche. I need some sort of focus or theme to my blog.
I think I may brainstorm right now about some ideas...tell me which you think is a good fit for me or that I should try.

1. A blog about my daily musings...learnings..life lessons.

I think that's good. That is what my blog will focus on for the time being.. we will see how that works out.

I will blog from now on at least 3 times a week. even if it's a short blog. We will see how long I can keep it up. Perhaps reading up on some blogs will inspire me!
And... of course.. another blog makeover. I always love that.

Premarital Bliss

Less than 3 weeks!
I can't believe it!
I want it to come fast for more reasons than even the obvious.
I cannot wait to marry Jake, but I also cannot wait to be done with all the wedding prep.
I mean it is fun...at the beginning...when you are dreaming and planning..but in order to make those dreams and plans a reality, there requires work, a lot of work.
we have decided to do a real DIY wedding.
From the food to the music to the favours, programs, invites, tablecloth, place setting, decorating, (ALLLL decorating) altering my dress, the boys attire, stressing about last minute changes to accommodations, it all seems....exhausting!!!
anyways, I should really not complain because my mom and others as well as Jake have really done a lot of work as well.
Rachelle engraved a beautiful vase for our sand ceremony!
Jake made the monogram for the invites which I made
Jake and I made the pew bows together this weekend
Jake made the music mix for the dancing
My mom and I made all the bouquets
My mom shopped for and bought all the plates, silverware, fabric for tablecloths, and decor
My mom and I made puffy tissue paper giant flowers to hang
My mom tied ribbon on all the bubbles
My mom put together all the favours
My mom and I have been experimenting with our wedding cake (another DIY)
Jake made the programs...very cute! he drew flowers on them. cute.
Jake is also working on making the slideshow..he is great!

I bet there is lots more.. but I am too tired to think of it all. Basically..I think it will be a very unique wedding, a little less traditional perhaps. I think we will have a wedding that represents us very well.

So. I can't wait till we work on more stuff tomorrow and hopefully get stuff done so we can take a breather before the wedding.

Good night. I was actually going to talk about premarital counseling and what I learned.. but I am much too tired and need my sleep. I feel grouchy today. sooo goodnight world!

Wierd Dreams

I don't know about you, but I am definitely a dreamer. I day dream as well as regular in your sleep dream. Lately, well for about the whole summer so far, I have been having the craziest dreams. I can now only remember bits and pieces of some. Allow me to give you an example of my crazy dreams.

I am dressed in some ridiculous warrior outfit, not the kind that pocahontas might be seen wearing, but more of a Xena the warrior princess kind of look. I am not the only one looking like I'm being cast for the movie Gladiator, everyone around me is wearing the same type of armor. It was a battle. I am not sure what we are fighting for but I knew in my heart I had to fight with all I had. I am looking to catch up with Jake in the battle although he told me specifically not to be around the danger. Suddenly, I am struck with a disc shaped something with blades all around it. It sinks halfway through my chest, but the pain is not there. Just extreme pressure. I know I have to keep fighting and am thinking that if I leave the blades in there I might have a chance at survival. To take them out would probably result in death. I keep fighting but notice that I am slowing down and the pain is starting to take over. I don't want to stop fighting because the battle is important but I decide to lay down. I think that lying down will ease the pain and hopefully I would die relatively quickly and with as little pain as possible. As I was being helped to lie on the ground I awoke out of my dream. The End.

Last night I had a dream that I can barely remember now. I am on a spaceship type looking...building.. or maybe it was a spaceship.. i cant remember. anyways, the one thing I kinda remember about the dream is that someone had died and there was a blue person, i think it was an alien, and they held a small person in a bubble that appeared to be sleeping. The blue alien said that the person was going to be released out the window. I was sad that the person was dead but the blue alien said that the life they were living before was not really real. (something like that) and that his soul is what matters, not the body.

there was alot in that dream.. but I can't remember any of it really now. I need to write them down in the morning, cuz I could get some good story ideas.. haha.

The Richest Woman in the World

They say that Diamonds are a girl's best friend. I say, if the best friend you have is an allotrope of carbon you are living a sad, sad existence. I am aware that I am taking this statement a bit too literal, but the point I am trying to make is that wealth cannot and will not buy you happiness. We have all heard it before, but I am going to tell you from my personal experience and observations how this is so true.

My mom had met a woman on Pelee Island who was collecting stones with her son. For some reason the woman felt like opening up to my mom and explained how she was from the US, here on vacation with her boy. She felt like they needed a vacation because her marriage was and had been falling apart. She had married a very wealthy plastic surgeon. She admired his ambition, the security he provided and also receiving many luxuries that the average woman would never have. What she was not receiving was the kind of love from her husband that a wife deserves. He could give her anything material she wanted, trips and vacations to Europe and exotic destinations, but what she wanted most was to be loved. She admitted that she did love her wealth but she would trade it all in a heartbeat to have the kind of love she so envied in some of her friends' marriages. You see, the woman's husband had a mistress. The woman knew about her, but she chose to "accept it". It's been years since her husband has been continually unfaithful and my heart goes out to her. I'm not sure why she has put up with it, perhaps she feels trapped by her wealth, that she can't give up her security, I am not sure.
I am not saying that people with less money will automatically have wonderful marriages since this kind of circumstance does not just happen to people at a certain income level. What I am trying to point out again is that it is true.. no matter how wealthy and secure you are, it cannot make you happy.
Personally, I have never been happier in my life than I am right now. I know Jake and I won't have a lot of money to start out with, or who knows... even end up with, but I know that we are happily in love. I have really thought about my mom's advice: since we are starting out with nothing it gives us the perfect opportunity to not get a lot. It sounds funny, but what she means is that we can really think about what we need in our home. The more you have, the more time you have to spend cleaning it or repairing it or stepping over it (that's if you really have too much and its overtaking your space) I am not worried about having things because I know God will provide what we need. He knows what we need more than we do. An example of this is that the generous gifts Jake and I have been receiving!! First of all, one night when Angie's parents were over at the Barney's, Jake and I opened the mail and found out we had to put a 100 dollar deposit for housing within that week! now, money is tight and we could have scrounged for it, but God was gracious and Angie's parents very generous and without knowing we needed to find 100 bucks they had given us each a graduation card with 50$ each! we were both very happy and excited to see how God was taking care of us. He cares even about the small things. Which brings me to another example. As I said, Jake and I are little church mice and have been on the receiving end of many generous gifts. Our favourite right now is THE COUCH! we have 2 smaller love seat couches which were scooped up from friends when school let out for the summer. We had been wanting a bigger couch (like a three seater) but wasn't worried about it. Angie's parents knew someone that was giving away their couch and told them that we might be interested, so Jake called them up. We got the couch and its so cool because its a sectional, which I should explain Jake and I both had been wanting to have since we admired his grandma's couch. But this couch is so much more than even that! It sits five people, its big and comfy, its a sectional so it will fit nicely in the corner, it has a pull out bed for our guests, it has a recliner AND it has vibrators for a massage!! HAHA so cool, oh and I almost forgot it also has a pull down drink holder! I can't believe I am this excited about the couch! I haven't even seen it yet, but Jake assures me i will love it! I feel as though I have gotten off topic. Our life is what we make of it. Jake and I share a very special bond that no one can ever break and a love that goes deeper than anyone can see or understand. God has brought us together and we will always be there for each other, experiencing life, its ups and downs, together. Jake makes sacrifices for me, moves to sit beside me in a restaurant when I am sad and listens to me, very patiently I might add. My wonderful Fiance is so much more than I could have asked for in a husband and best friend. He is so faithful, he knows what I am like on my good days and bad days and even worse days and he loves me on all those days and lets me know it. Jake believes that if we continue to remember to Cherish each other we will have a great marriage. That along with prayer will lead us in the direction of a very happy, playful, committed, joyful, fulfilling, lasting marriage. I have never stopped thanking God for choosing Jake for me. I am the richest woman in the world.

What's in a Name?

SO my blog has a new look as well as a new title.
Melissa means "Honey Bee" and this was the reason I chose to rename my blog this.
What does your name mean?

PS- check out the Honey Bee Wedding and Pets

Grand Opening of HONEY BEE BOUTIQUE

Check it out all my friends!!

I have opened my store called Honey Bee Boutiques.
This is where I plan to sell things new and used. I will be selling craft supplies, home-made cards, digital stamps and home decor things. I will mention in my blog when I post something that I am selling so you will know to check it out if you are interested. I will be getting google checkout this summer, but for now I will just accept checks/cheque or money. Just email me or leave a comment if you are interested in anything you see on the blog.

For SALE now: CHRONICLES OF NARNIA PRINCE CASPIAN

Use the tab above to visit Honey Bee B. or just click here.
If you are wondering what's with the honey bee.. I chose that name because it is the meaning of my name.


toad a-hop!

He is Risen!

As Easter weekend comes to an end I am reminded that the incredible sacrifice made on that cross is the central point in history. Everything before Jesus' death on the cross led to that event and everything from that point on flows from it. I was inspired from the Beautiful church service on Sunday to write this post. Jesus is ALIVE and I need to share it!

Have you had that awful anxious feeling this week? Worried about finances, loved ones or health? Perhaps you have felt fear. This weekend as my room mates left for home I was to sleep alone in my apartment. I often am afraid staying alone on long weekends when almost everyone is off campus, and this weekend was no different. I had wanted to stay the night at Jake's house but I forgot to ask him before his parents went to bed, so I thought I would stay the next night at his place. I told Jake how it is funny how I wasn't scared when he was with me in the apartment but as soon as he left I would feel a bit uneasy. It's true that I am in the same surroundings and nothing has changed between when Jake is with me and when he leaves, so why should I be afraid? Exactly! Why?? Statistics have proven that most of the things we fear never become a reality. I suppose it is our human nature to worry but as a Christian I know that God is always with me. Many people have different insecurities for different reasons: A young person may be afraid of trusting another person in a relationship because of the divorce of their parents, a child may feel insecure about their surroundings because of a tragic fire that burned their home, maybe the fear of not finding a job or losing he job you have. 2 Timothy 1:7 says "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." Fear is more than just an emotion, it is a spirit of torment sent out by the devil which is meant to steal our peace and more than that, question our faith in God. Fear can cause us to not think clearly or to be irrational. When we fear or doubt God we are said to be double minded. James 1:6-8 says, "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." God gave us his peace to break free of our fears as Philippians 4:7 says, "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." When God sent his son to be crucified for our sins He gave us a gift that we can accept no matter who we are, not matter what we've done God will forgive us if we ask. When I asked Jesus to be the center of my life and come to live in me at the age of 6 I didn't understand fully the powerful decision I had made that would have changed the way I live and see others and life. I am a child of God and have faith that He will lead me and use me in ways that I can't and don't understand right now. I have confidence that He knows my deepest thoughts and desires of my heart, he will never leave me or forsake me. As a Believer I know that when I leave this Earth that is only the beginning. The beginning of REAL life with my Father in Heaven and fellow believers. So what do I have to be afraid of? We all experience pain, suffering and trials. God uses these to shape us and build our character and trust in him. We worry about a loved one who may be oversees in an area that we consider unsafe, but know that God has your loved one in the palm of his hand, God knows where he/she is at every moment and loves them more than we do. Detroit city is no less safe that sleepy ol' Spring Arbor because God is with us wherever we are. God hears our prayers, we don't have to be afraid. However, if you have not made the decision to follow God and believe that Jesus, His son, died for your sins and has risen then you have every right to be afraid. I can't imagine going through life with out having the firm security knowing that I was created for a purpose, that God loves me unconditionally and hears my prayers, forgives me for all my sins, even future sins that I haven't committed yet and that I will not be in Hell when I die but be taken up to Heaven to spend eternity there with God. How WONDERFUL that will be.
I have to go now, but will leave you with this thought: God loves you the way you are and is the one who created you and knows you better than anyone, He sent his only son to die for YOUR sins and wants you to love him back, ask for his forgiveness and become his child, a child of The King.

Dresses Dresses and more Dresses

How do I decide???
I know what I want for MY dress... but what about my poor bridesmaids!
At this rate they we will have to resort to the paper bag princess look... not really my style.
Blues..Purples..Pinks..
short, flowy, unique, chiffon type fabric
think...enchanted...fairys! haha.


As for my bridesmaids, it was a hard hard hard decision to decide who would be in the wedding party. Since Jake is only having 3
I thought he was going to end up with 4
I chose my 2 future sister in laws and also friends
and 2 of my great friends from home to represent the group of girls who I love so much.
If Jake had more options for groomsmen, I could have everyone that i want in the wedding. Jake is just the kind of guy who has a few close friends and develops great relationships with them, but doesn't have a LOT of friends. I mean, he does but he only wants the very closest people up there with him.
It's okay though.
It will all work out.

Tonight Jake and I are going to go out for some pizza and then create some "Save the Dates"

Engaged!

Dec. 31st, Jake proposed!
to me!
I said yes of course.
Actually,
I basically just nodded because I wasn't able to find my voice.
I cried alot...very unexpected actually.
The way Jake proposed was so sweet and I Couldn't have asked for a more perfect night.
I just got the ring back today.
It feels a little snug
I may have to get it resized AGAIN!
Now that I have the ring back on my finger I am ready to continue with the wedding planning!
wedding planning...ugh..
sometimes its wonderful! (when things go my way)
and sometimes its a drag (when things DON'T go my way)

My future mom-in-law gave me a beautiful wedding planner
It keeps me organized
I love it!
The wedding is August 21st, 2010 in Chatham Ontario
Reception is being held at Lake Erie.
Pray for a beautiful day please!
The word to describe my wedding is going to be "Enchanted"
Filled with lots of unique personal detail,
It's going to show a lot of who Jake and I are as a couple
Jake is designing the monogram
I am making the invites.. and the save the dates if I ever get to it.
I have a secret suprise that I am working on, that is TOP secret.. so you will have to wait to find that one out.
Also, my dress is going to be a suprise...I think haha.. I don't want to say too much more about that for now.
The colours of our wedding are going to be blue,purples and pinks..
I chose these colours because I was inspired by Lupins (my favourite flower)
Our wedding is going to be laid back and everyone should dress in summery clothes, Khaki shorts for boys and nice shirt and sun dresses for girls.. There will be lots of dancing and fun and maybe even some swimming!

I am going to include pictures that are inspirational to me in planning this wedding and that i hope to incorporate the feel or some of the elements into our wedding.

New Post:

I have yet again neglected my blog.
I also have neglected my workouts.
I have been struggling to lose my chubby tummy.
This summer, I seemed to gain weight and now is the time to lose it.
How you ask?
Well I am keeping track of my calories that I consume as part of it.
I tend to eat a LOT.
Much more than I need.
It's probably over 2000 cals I have been consuming on a regular basis.
So I am attempting to cut about 500 cals every day.
Last night it was hard, and I could have eaten a couple hundred more calories.
I didn't.
I felt good this morning about my self control and am now enjoying a bowl of oatmeal and a cup of coffee.
I actually felt more like getting out of bed since I was feeling hungry and excited to eat my oatmeal.
The second step to my weight loss goals is to workout.
I was going to the gym everyday for at least two hours.
My workouts consisted of running and eliptical adding up to 7 miles.
I did this for a month and a half and didn't notice a whole lot of progress.
I felt like I built up a lot of endurance and I feel that I can breathe a whole lot better now while working out.
But now, it's winter.
I don't shave my legs as often and going to the gym in shorts just doesn't sound appealing.
I am now doing workout videos.
The CRUNCH series.
The instructor girl feels like she is my friend.
I particularly like the dance off the inches hip hop dance party.
I am begining to love these videos and might get more becuase I feel that they become addictive.
I have been two days on this new lifestyle and I already feel a lot better.
More energetic.
Well I think that's enough about my new workout regime.
It''s almost time for class and I still need to get dressed.

That's all for now!

In His Image

As I finished reading chapter 1 in Genesis yesterday I had not had time to mention in my blog about God creating man. (Gen 1:27) "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. " Actually, now as I just type those words a thought has come to my mind. God had not yet created Eve, but it mentions how females are also created in the image of God. When God created Adam, He must have known there would be a counterpart such as a woman, since I'm sure all the animals had the opposite sex. He would have had to place the XY chromosomes in the male. I have to go work out right now before classs and finish homework.. but if anyone has any insight to that, tell me please. I will be back later with more.

Alright I am back. I only have a few moments till I have to get ready to go to Jake's soccer game! I hope he is feeling well enough to play. I just got back from class and taught a lesson as if i were teaching piano lessons. The lesson I created was with a younger child in mind. I introduced intervals and Clark, guy in my class, interrupted my lesson and said, "I want you as piano teacher!" everyone loved my lesson and those few words made a big impact on my confidence in becoming a piano teacher. I think i really want to take this seriously and teach piano as much as possible in the near future.

OK, to get back on track I am looking at the end of Genesis Chapter 1. I know it seems like I am taking a really long time to read the Bible, but I suppose that is okay. I just want to take it slow and think upon what God is saying to me at this particular time in my life.

So after the 6th day on which God created man...wait a second. As I am reading chapter 2 I suddenly realize that it seems as though the second chapter is backtracking. I am unsure of this, but that's how I read it. The second chapter I believe goes back to the sixth day. Saying that Adam and Eve were created on the same day. I think this makes sense...but perhaps I am reading it wrong. I am not sure.

Anyways, after God created everything, he took a rest on the seventh day.

This is HUGE! The Almighty Powerful God of the Universe rested after 6 days of work. I doubt God NEEDED a rest, but perhaps he took a rest to set an example for us. We are only human and I don't believe we are supposed to work work work non stop without a day to refocus and rest not only our bodies, but our minds.

I must now leave. Soccer time babay! It's such a beautiful day for soccer too!

In the Beginning.

Sitting here drinking my coffee out of my Jake the soccer player mug, I had the thought that I should post my readings from the Bible as a sort of journaling/devotion/keeping me accountable type thing.

So without further ado...

Genesis 1, The Beginning.

As I begin to read how God began to create the world, I am suddenly aware how clear God is about things we debate about such as the age of the Earth. I am not one for debate, but I will give my thought and opinion on this. Perhaps no one will agree with me on this one, but nonetheless, we are all entitled to our own opinion.

I am not a Biblical scholar without a doubt, and this is honestly the first time that I am going to read the Bible straight through. I have attempted this a number of times, but have never succeeded.

Anyways, if I were to take God's word as is, I would plainly see the evidence that the World which we live in was created not billions or even millions of years ago, but only thousands of years. First of all, there is no evidence in the Bible that the Earth is billions of years old. There is no evidence that there was life before Adam on Earth. There could not have been sin before the fall of man. How could the earth have existed millions or billions of years before God decided to make Adam? I mean, I'm sure it could have, but that is not what the Bible says to me.

In my Old Testament class, our professor believed in an old earth. He studied Hebrew, or Aramaic...which ever the OT was written in.. and interpreted the "THE" in the verse.."in THE beginning as "a". His reasoning was something to do with the fact the word in the original language can mean EITHER the or a. I thought on this idea for a while and have recently decided against it. Our professor was saying that the significance of the Bible being translated as A beginning is that it implies it was just ONE beginning. As if to say, it was now a NEW beginning on earth where God was starting fresh with a new idea based upon an already created earth. I find this hard to swallow when looking at scripture. It plainly describes the process and order of the earth being created, from scratch no less. I also do not believe that there could have been death before there had been sin.

I know people may argue that science says the earth is old. Looking at rock formations, soil deposits and fossils, based on our interpretation and carbon 14 dating, we may see results that show us the earth is quite old. I don't know how accurate the dating is, and really do not have any experience in dating things, but from what I have learned in Geology class, Carbon-14 is not used to date rocks. Only things that were once living. From a scientific view, there are a lot of dating methods which 90% of them give far younger dates than what evolutionists choose to believe. I personally believe that dating methods are fallible and the word of God is infallible. When a scientists' evidence doesn't match up with what is clearly stated in the Bible, this does not entitle us to change the meaning of the text. Many have reinterpreted the word "day" saying that perhaps a day was much longer, maybe years? I do not see how anyone could interpret this that way. To reaffirm that a day is a 24hour period, God has even added, "There was evenin, and there was morning- the first day."

I could get into how the flood would have a significant impact on carbon-14 dating, but I have already gone on long enough about this. Far more than I had intended.

This chapter on creation has got my imagination going. What would have been like to SEE the creation of the world..in just six days. How miraculous! I hope God kept a video of this spectacle. Wow! those are the words that come to my mind when I take a moment to visualize what this would have all looked like.

I want to write more, but alas, it is time to get on with my day. Jake is coming to pick me up very shortly to go to town, perhaps I will write more about what I get out of this chapter later tonight..but then again, I probably won't. I have a ton of homework to do! well until tomorrow!

Baby Suprise!

Wow! Everywhere I go it seems like women are awaiting the arrival of their precious lil ones any day now. I am writing about babies because on this particular day, I am struck by the amazing gift God has given not only to us in the form of babies, but the gift of motherhood. I have heard that today Rachel Hunt is going to pick up her adopted baby at the airport! He is the same age as Drew and he is adorable from the pictures I have seen. I know they have been praying for his arrival for a long time now and am sure they are experiencing something they never have before.

Somewhere else in the world, but actually not far off another little woman has welcomed her precious FOUR newborn babies into the world. Jennie has given birth to quadruplets and I am sure Brittney has the 411 on that one. I can't imagine having four babies at one time! I would imagine Jennie must be feeling an overwhelming sense of Love, and with that, I am sure she wonders how she will care for these tiny babes. How awesome it is though that we know God loves them more than anyone and will give Jennie and Nich the strength they need.

Another mother who I get to hang out with most is Angie! She is such a great mommy! She loves Drew sooo much and Drew loves her. Angie told me that as soon as she had a baby her whole perspective changed. She was more concerned with Drew than herself. Putting her babies needs before herself. I do admire Angie a lot for her strength and maturity she has shown as a mother.

As for me, I won't be have any such babies in the near future.

In the future, I do hope and pray so. I think I would like 2-3 children.

I am excited for the day when I do become a mother but I am content with my life at the moment. I mean, I am not even married yet and I am way more excited about that than babies at this particular point. I am just writing this post to imagine how it must feel for rachel, jennie and angie, who are new mothers at different stages and different circumstances, yet they all share one common thing. A gift of love from God in the form of a baby.

Joy! Joy! JOY!

Phillipians 4:6-7 " Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus"

I am awake and ready for the first day of school. Class doesn't start till 930, yet I was awake at 545, partly due to Gus licking an icecream bowl Jake had left on the coffee table. The reason I couldn't fall back asleep was mostly due to my anxiety that comes with the first day of classes. Will my prof like me? Will the class be challenging enough that I will keep interested or will it be too much of a challenge and I will give up? Will I be able to handle everything this semester? Thoughts like these consumed my sleepy mind, and before long I had to get up and eat some breakfast. I took the time to have a moment to pray about the day, and no longer did I fell anxious. God has it all under control and even when trials and hard days come, God is always there with me. That in it self gives me great Joy. Knowing God has already has a plan and that He will follow through with it. I have decided to keep a prayer journal and today I am going to share with you some of the Blessings in my life right now!

here are just a few;

I am healthy, I have food and a place to live, I am back in school, My grandma is doing great, I enjoy going to Cascades Baptist church and plan on getting involved somehow. My family is doing great, making new friends on campus, Mandy got a new job, Jake is getting healed up and getting lots of playing time. Jake and I have been dating almost 10 months and its so wonderful. Abbey and I are becoming good friends, I am able to work out and eat healthy and seeing results slowly but surely, I have time before classes to spend time with God and blog a bit. God's faithfulness and love. 

I have a lot to praise God for and have realized that I really do need to praise Him everyday, and be in constant prayer with Him. 

In Love with My Best Friend

My dearest boyfriend is gone for the night, sleeping in a cabin with a bunch of campers. I miss him. I talked to him around dinner time, but our nightly webcam dates this week will have to be non-existant. I have had time this evening to reflect on our relationship and the incredible blessing God has given me in Jake. So many people today are conformists, yet Jake is not. He is so genuine and original, among many things, but those were the ones i had been thinking about this evening. There is no one like him. I love him tremendously, and now it is off to bed with all these good thoughts and feelings lingering, I am hoping they will transend into pleasant dreams.

Mackinac Island Weekend.

Friday was quite an adventure in itself. I went to work in the morning, then hopped aboard a train to take me to windsor. The train ticket was $15 so i thought it was worth it. Then I walked about 45 mins from the windsor train station in the rain, Luckily i had a rain jacket, and my luggage. I bought a ticket for the tunnel bus which costed 3.75! which is cheaper than the toll itself. I went through the tunnel and missed my first stop in Detriot where Jake was waiting for me. Luckily i talked to the bus driver and she dropped me off right there and I walked down the street. I also forgot to mention that we all had to get off the bus and go through customs..which was scary, especially because I was taking the risk of using my passport which was expired!!!! i was sweating bullets. but thank the Lord they didn't say anything and let me across. I also left my luggage on the bus, because i was the only one on the bus with luggage so I didn't know we were supposed to have brought it in and have it scanned. SO a border patrol guy went on the bus before we were allowed to go back on and wait, and he came back in and said everything was clear.. he TOTALLY didnt see my luggage that I had under my seat! which i was very thankful for.

Jake picked me up and we had a lovely drive to his house. It rained pretty hard on the way but I was SOOOOO relieved to have made it!!

The next morning we woke up and had a yummy breakfast and got our stuffed packed for the trip to mackinac island. Jake's Aunt Jean let me borrow her SWEET bike. It was the best bike I have ever ridden and had a nice cushy seat. On our way, we stopped at Abbey's friend's house, Taylor, for her open house. We had a nice big lunch and then ventured on our way to Mackinaw. We arrived at our hotel, The Grand Aqua Inn or something like that. It was nice and had a water park, a pool and a very hot hot tub. We checked into the hotel and then went to get some supper. We drove around, parked at a few restaurants and decided that it wasn't our scene. Finally we decided on an Italian Restaurant. It was decorated with stuffed animals, and I don't mean the cute fluffy play toys, but the once alive, now dead, wild animal kind. There were deer hanging from the ceiling, bears by the fireplace and an assortment of other woodland creatures all over. It was sure interesting to look at.

After supper, we walked around and looked at all the stores. We didn't end up buying anything, but it was fun to look around. We went back to the hotel where Jake and I spent the rest of the night swimming.

The next day, we got up and ate breakfast at the hotel. It was the most beautiful day! We boarded the fairy with out bikes down below. We sat on the upper deck where it was the windiest, but also held the best view. It was very pituresque, but as we all know, pictures never do a beautiful place justice, you just have to be there. I jumped every single time the fog horn went off. When we got to the island, we hopped on our bikes and rode around. It was so exciting. I love this place. No cars to worry about. Our first stop on the bike ride led us to the Butterfly museum. We got stickers to put on ourselves so that they knew we had paid, but Jake refused to put on his sticker because of his issue with stickers haha. After that, we peddeled up hill to the highest point on the island. On the way there, we stopped to pet a cat named whiskers. He was so cute. The houses were all very lovely to look at. The whole day felt very realer than real life, it's hard to describe. Everything felt very vibrant and fresh. Lilacs lined the roads and the aroma was so pleasing to my nostrils haha. When we reached the top, we had a picnic lunch. A seagull had joined us and wanted our food of course. After we had finished eating, Jake gave the seagull a Vienna Finger. The silly bird ate the icing and then the whole cookie. It looked quite disgusting as we could see the shape of the cookie in its neck. The way back down from the top was the most exciting part. I have never rode so fast on a bike and it was very exhilarating. There were no cars to worry about. I had to slow down once for some horse back riders to cross, but that was it. Jake couldn't go as fast as I could because of his old broken bike, but it was still a lot of fun.

we got into town where we looked at the house Jake's dad lived in during the summer's when he was a boy. Then we went and to the fudge shop where Jake's parents worked at when they were younger. I still have yet to eat my fudge..yumm. Then we looked around some stores, and Jake bought me a beanie baby lobster named Pinchers! We got icecream which was delicious. Then we walked to the lakeside where we skipped stones. There weren't a lot of skipping stones so Jake and I made up a game where one person throws a rock into the lake and the other person throws a rock to try and hit the other person's rock in the air. It was fun. Then it was about time to head back on the fairy. I was tired by this point and rested in Jake's arms on the fairy. It was very enjoyable. I think i am spellin fairie wrong..but I don't think I want to change it right now. We headed back to Jake's house and stopped on the way at pizza hut. It was scrumtious. We played the animal game and got to the letter N and quit. It did make the drive go by faster. Jake didn't sleep on the ride home, which suprised me. He was raring to go. Maybe all the pizza.

We got back to his house about 1030ish and got ready for beddy bonkins. It was such a wonderful day and I hope to go again someday.

I shall write about the rest of the weekend later. But believe me, I had an extrodinary time and I am glad the Barney's invited me to go! I have the BEST boyfriend in the world.

I shall post pictures in a little while.

Distance stinks

I miss my boy terribly today. I cannot sleep :(

Oh It's a Lovely 'oliday with you Jake,

I attended the wedding of Matt and Alyssum now Laird. I loved the colours she had chosen for the wedding. The bright green was very unique and pretty paired with purple and a hint of yellow. Very appropriate for spring. I will write more about the wedding elsewhere (I'm starting a new blog for fun...cal

led "Here comes the Blog" bahaha, and its going to be a Bridesmaid's resume. Its just going to be funny thin

gs about weddings and my involvement in them from guest book manager, to bridesmaid to guest, to crasher.
After the wedding, I caught a ride with JD Vanvalin back to Spring Arbor where Jake was waiting patiently in the Church parking lot. I haven't been wor

king and have zero monies therefore Jake so graciously paid JD gas money. I will pay him back one day.

It was good to be at Jake's home again. I had missed everyone! I arrived about 8:30 and Jake had told me that we were having a BONFIRE! Various kinds of hotdogs, smores supplies and condiments lined the picnic table. It was the perfect night for a bonfire. Jake's Dad had built the fire and Abbey, Jake's Mom, along with Jake's Aunt Jean and Uncle Doug ( I have an aunt jean and uncle doug as well) and Nick, Angie and baby Drew were all in attendance. Before we got comfy around the fire, Jake and I decided to go fishing. The lake is right 

beside the bonfire, so we were close by. I used Nick's old fishing pole and his n

ew lure. I was lucky enough to catch a fish on the second cast. I was a bit nervous reeling him up, but it was exciting! I ended up catching a 22 inch catfish. They didn't even know that catfish were still existing in that Lake due to the fact that no one has caught one in about 5 or more years.
We then all sat around the fire roasting wieners and marshmellows for smores. It was very relaxing and I couldn't imagine a better ending to any day. Even Gus and Ned were able to hang around the bonfire with us.

We all started getting tired and ventured back to the house. The rest of the night was spent watching television and getting a good sleep since the next day was Abbey's open house.

Abbey has graduated from Highschool and is attending Spring Arbor next year. Jake's parents woke up at about 7 AM to finish preparing the food for the party. Jake and I had one job and that was to put the tablcloths on the tables outside. We had to tape them down and his Aunt Jean and Uncle Doug helped us out as well. The guests started to arrive at 1 oclock and kept on trickling through until about 4:30. There were approximately 250 people at the party and they all were able to enjoy various kinds of meatballs, cheesy potatoe (like party potatoes), Salads,

 and rolls. The cupcakes were especially delicious and made from scratch by Jake's mom and Aunt. They were filled with either lemon, cherry or something else that I can't remember and also contained fudge in the bottom. YUMMY.During the open house, Jake's job was to take pictures of the party. I helped him by sitting with him on the hill while he zoomed up on unsuspecting guests and captured them eating cupcakes or drinking coffee.

Jake and I napped until about 5ish. Angie made some coffee for her and I and I took mine outside with Jake. We went by the lake and sat on the bench with Gus at our feet. Nick and his friends were fishing so we watched them not having as much luck as I did the previous night.

After that, Jake lent me some clothes and cleats so I could come along and play soccer. We had a lovely drive to the highschool where we first helped unload the chairs that they borrowed from the Highschool for Abbey's party. I was on Jake's team for soccer and I knew a lot of the people on Jake's team so that was nice. Jake bought me a powerade which I hoped would help me with soccer. Mojo was on the other team and I was afraid of him. He was pretty fast, but I was afraid that he might really show me up or that I would try to get the ball away from him but end up kicking him hard. I was nervous playing, but I really had a great time. Even though my feet had blisters and my soccer socks kept falling down, I still wanted to play more when everyone started to leave. Jake was the best at soccer, of course. He would come out of no where and keep the ball away from everyone on the other team. I would be scared if I was the other team. He scored two great goals.

Once soccer was over, we went to Nick's new house to see it. Nick and Angie haven't moved in yet, but today we are going over there to help clean it. It is a very cute house and I am sure Angie will post pictures on facebook or her own blog. So I don't want to talk too much about the house, since I am sure Angie cannot wait to tell everyone about it! There was even a cute lil tree frog resting on the fence in their backyard which Jake held in his hands.

Next we went back to the Barney's residence and ate some yummins. No wait, actually we went fishin first. Jake and I both caught one bass each. Jake caught his first and it was a lot bigger than the bass I ended up catching a few minutes later. It started getting dark and cold and thats when we went to the house for some dinner. Jake's mom was asleep on the couch and Jake's dad was watching "Jesse James is a Dead Man" So we watch

ed it as we ate our food. That guy is CRAZY, that's all I have to say about that show.
After we had showers we watched some more television and got ready for beddy bonkins.

Now for Today!
We were able to sleep in this morning and Jake's mom made us breakfast, which was very nice. Jake had to go to work at noon and I was going to go to Angie's for the afternoon and watch Anne of Green Gables. I went over, but she must have been in the shower, I should have called her before. So I went to work with Jake which is where I am at this very moment!
He is photocopying a sheet that I spilled water on accide

ntly :p whoops! I was a help though when we had to do the mail over at M&D earlier this afternoon. That was fun. Jake has to work until 5, so I am keeping myself occupied till then.
After work we are picking up Abbey and heading over to Nick and Angie's new house to help with cleaning. An incentive to help with the cleaning is Chinese food, I'm down for that. Once we finish cleaning we are going to the mall and then the movies which we will be using the Great bucket which Jake has purchased that gets us 50 cent refills until June 2010. awesome right! and its a big bucket. Here is a picture fo the bucket that Jake was showing me on webcam. It fits over his entire head!

Well that is all for now, I am getting pretty tired of typing right now, So I will finish the rest of my time here later.