cheers!

Perhaps you remember a while back when I wrote about how much I learned about the kitchen during my time living in Tky. I was surrounded by three women who were eager to teach me what they knew when it came to planning, shopping for and preparing meals. They did things like write out recipes for me, invite me to be part of helping out in the kitchen (usually me talking while they prepped) and introducing me to a whole new assortment of dinner dishes and delectable desserts. I grew to enjoy being in the kitchen during my time away and hope this enjoyment will continue at home in Canada. So I thought it fitting to try to find an APRON to take home to symbolize how my cooking/ baking skills improved in the Big City. I didn't end up finding one there that I really liked, so I asked Matt's mom, Ruth, if she would sew one for me. She is a warm woman who I got to meet during my last week there when she came to visit her kids and precious grandchildren.

Well everyone, here is the new apron- made with love!

~ Cute, Cute, Cute ~

~ I love, love the fun colours and floral print ~

I just had to make one of the team's favourites... Peanut Butter Monster Cookies! But for those who have to hide under their blankets and turn on the nightlight when they hear the word Monster... you can change the name. What do your kids call them again, Ruth? Here they are! This recipe makes a big batch, so I actually froze some cookie dough for later. These cookies are yummy yummy yummy.

Peanut Butter Monster Cookies

~ one for me, one for you! ~

Thank you for the beautiful Apron Ruth. It will just add to the whole kitchen experience and it will remind me of you and your beautiful family.

To check out more of Ruth's cute stuff on etsy, click here.

rest, read and recharge!

This is what my "recharge day" looked like...

REFRESHED!

come on over...

Guess what! 

I have taken over two rooms in our house. I guess I'm growing up and needing more space! Although I sometimes feel restless to get out into my own place, I am grateful that 1. I had the opportunity to do so this past year 2. my parents are so supportive to me and we have so much fun together and 3. We have the space for me to kind of feel more independent, while still living with them. I'm not sure if Brayden will be super stoked about what I've done to his room; however, such is life and I have taken over his old room. The neat thing is that when my dad finished our basement, he made my brother's room two rooms in one! So now his old room has become my sitting room and office/ prayer room. It's still in the works, but I'm excited about how it is coming together. The rooms were painted, furniture was moved in and decorating is still in the works. A few more pictures need to be hung and I'm debating about whether or not to put a TV in there. I'm strongly leaning towards not putting one in because I just like the calm sitting room feel. I'm looking forward to having friends over, drinking coffee/ tea and pouring our hearts out. To be honest, I have probably been to 10 coffee shops in Abbotsford since being home and as much as I love going out, it kind of gets old! It's really not as personal and you just end up running into half the city when you are out at one of these preferred locations. So I thought it would be nice to be able to invite people over and have a space where we could hang out together. Now I just need my own espresso machine- a Tassimo may be on my next "wish list." I was thrilled for the "christening" of the sitting room on Sunday when I invited Kendra over after church. WOHOO! We were both at the first service, but she was volunteering in the nursery during the second service, so I went home and quickly made some banana walnut muffins, cut up some strawberries, ensured we had some yogurt and got the tea selections out! Then when she came, we got our little plates of food together and headed downstairs to try out the new room. 

getting a little creative with where to put the food

the other side

happy to share this room with friends

tea time anyone? 

too bad there's a glare

Hopefully I'll be able to snap some more shots of the room in the coming days. I also have to work on the office/ prayer room part. I'm hoping to develop some of the pictures of some of my favourite kiddos (you know who you are!!) and put them up in that space. I might do a cool collage wall that is bright and colourful- with the nine amazing kids I love (ok, and maybe the adult people too!). 

Well friends, you are WELCOME to come on over! 

~ Let's spend some time together ~

Beautiful British Columbia

Beautiful British Columbia

The inscription on our province's licence plates say, "Beautiful British Columbia." Truly, this is a beautiful province, with so much natural beauty. It is home to the Pacific Ocean, Snow-topped mountains, Spectacular hiking spots, Berry fields, Vineyards in the Okanagan, little lakes all around, Old- Growth forests and lots of Wildlife. I just love it! Lately, I have been awestruck by the natural beauty that surrounds me. I keep finding myself saying, "That is beautiful!" People travel from all over the world to behold such natural beauty. They get away for retreats and find themselves raving about God's creation. This little picture was taken on the ferry to Victoria on Saturday for my friend Genevieve's wedding. I sat there, ever so content marveling at what was before me. 

Dreaming new dreams

One day

Today I found my new favourite house in Abbotsford- small, but with a nice yard, black door and white trim. Perfect for running around in the front yard or bbq-ing and hosting friends in the back yard! Love it! Today I was dreaming new dreams. I also got to go back to my "old stomping ground" and work at Intercity Cafe for the afternoon. I love kids and I enjoy teaching, but what I really love is connecting with people in whatever form that may take and often it finds itself happening in a little neighbourhood coffee shop that sells the best Chai Latte in town (if I do say so myself!). I am tickled when it's not busy and I get to go and sit with a customer and strike up a conversation. You'll soon realize that people just need someone to talk to; people face challenges of all kinds and need a safe atmosphere and listening ear. I am honoured when people share their life with me.

I devised a great plan (in my head) about how I could work at the coffee shop this coming year- "Miss Victoria, ready to satisfy your caffine craving" haha, and I thought about how I would put lots of money aside for a down payment to buy the cafe that feels like a second home to many. It felt so natural to be there today and I feel in my element when I get to listen to A, who is well into his 80s tell me about the transition to using a walker now, and then B, tell me about the difficulties of watching her son go through some personal struggles and wondering how to show him love, but let him be independent. I talked to M about the life of traveling "back and forth," but through all trusting that the Father has good plans. Through the years this little coffee shop on Clearbrook Road has been a regular stop for many and I have developed some unique relationships with people by working there. Sometimes when you're in your element things just don't seem like work- that's probably why I keep going back!

So there we have it... 2 of my *B.I.G.* dreams.

that deep place

Can I share my heart here for a little bit? Returning home is not always an easy thing. You just don't know what it will look like and you don't know how you will react to the transition and the change. It's a strange thing. It sometimes takes you by surprise. All the questions. All the visitors. All the coffee dates. All the familiar and yet all the new. There is no "one way fits all" and there is no blanket statement for how it will be when you "get back." Somehow each course and each time it's an absolutely different experience for each person who returns to that place where they once were (in other words "home"). They say that people who go abroad for an extended period of time have a new affinity with 1. the elderly 2. those who have lost a loved one 3. a soldier or someone in a related line of work. This is probably because each individual from these scenarios has so many stories to share and so many new life experiences (that sometimes people are interested in hearing and other times not so much) and the people from all three of these categories have experienced a whole gamut of emotions that are often times hard to express. Although there are handbooks for "re-entry" or "grieving", etc., and some shared similarities, there really is no way to know how you will feel and relate in the days and months after your return.

These last two weeks have been difficult. I have felt like I had no emotions, like they were all spent during the time I had to say my goodbyes and leave. Just as you can turn the radio dial "on" or "off," I felt like my emotional setting had been turned to "off," that setting where you can't outwardly express your feelings. It suddenly felt like the pictures in my album were a distant memory but I didn't want it to be that way. I've been going through my album daily with friends and family members and missing my "family" abroad so much. Each time I looked at the pictures, I actually hoped I would be able to cry because I just miss them that much. Tears are one of the most intimate places I know and I felt like I couldn't get there, I felt like I couldn't release what was within. Two days ago I asked why it feels like they are so far away when I see them in pictures and why it doesn't make them feel closer to me and my friend answered that it's because the pictures can never fully capture the moments we shared together that I treasure deep inside my heart. I asked how these next days and weeks and months will look as I am back. I asked why it's overwhelming to be home. But we don't have the answers. You know that saying "you leave part of your heart behind" sounds so cliche but I'm not sure if there is a better way to put it. Similarly when you lose a loved one, nobody else can ever replace the special relationship you shared with them. You can't re-create it. You live with the memories you shared together and you cherish them. Then two days ago the tears flowed and I let them. I guess it's part of the unknown process. After the tears came, I went back to my theme passage of Scripture for the year and was reassured with the words, "I know" spoken by the Lord in Psalm 139. He says, "I know, Victoria" and I was reassured that he holds me during this time.

Please continue to pray for me. Even though my time abroad has drawn to a close, I would appreciate your prayers in the coming days.