Amazing Things Happen even in Hard Times

When I was little, I quickly earned the nickname "Buzz" or "Buzzarina" from my dad, because, as he affectionately says, I was "Busy as a Bee". While I may not be quite as hyperactive as my five-year-old self, the named has stuck. And lately, it seems appropriate. I have been one busy bee!

Meeting Chris Colfer...

...and making new friends!

Let's backtrack a bit, shall we? Well, you don't have a choice, since I am the one writing this post. My summer was a good one, and filled with fun activities, from making a trip to Seattle to meet one of my favourite authors, Chris Colfer, and spending the night in a Walmart Parking lot (it was the only thing we could find that was open 24 hours, and my dear mum needed a rest before continuing to drive anywhere) to trekking through Edmonton in our van, catching the science centre, the beloved IKEA store, and, of course, West Edmonton Mall (where I rode every ride I could at their indoor amusement park, Galaxyland).

En route to Edmonton!

Holding a snake at Science Centre

GALAZYLAND!

The summer end, however, was not quite as pleasant. Due to health issues that I do not wish to delve into right now, I unfortunately had to be taken to hospital, where I stayed for four weeks (initially I thought no more than a couple days, a week tops). However, despite the scary situation, I actually made some really great friends, including both patients and nurses. Everyone was so wonderful that, although I was ecstatic to get to go home, I was also sad to say goodbye to everyone!

Now that I've been home an entire week, I can honestly say that some of my favourite and least favourite moments of the year happened at the hospital. What struck me as extremely amazing, and still does, is that God used even my worst moments to teach, nurture, and inspire me in new ways. Let me explain.

I had sort of been in a rut with my creativity. Couldn't think of anything to write, or draw, my knitting projects lay abandoned in a bag on the floor, and my general "zest" for life was just more subdued. Normally, I would consider myself to be a pretty upbeat, positive person, but when the end of summer approaches and the sun begins to fade, my mood can sometimes really drop. This, in addition to my failing health, did nothing to help matters. Imagine my shock, then, when, after only a few days in the hospital, I was smiling. Sure, I had tubes sticking into me and seemingly endless vials of blood taken (I actually learned a new word for those lab techs--"Phlebotomist"), not to mention having to sleep sitting up so none of the aforementioned tubes and thus being woken several times throughout the night to adjust something or other, but generally speaking, I was finding joy. And peace. Not to say that it was all fun and games; not at all, but I did learn some important things about friendships, independence, creativity, and, above all, God.


Being stuck either in bed or else seated somewhere else, I quickly turned to my old trusted amusements: reading, writing, doodling, making lists, listening to audiobooks, and knitting. But, upon seeing some other patients colouring in some of the now growing popular adult colouring books, I decided to give it a go. Formerly, I would have thought it dull and mindless, but I was wrong. It soothed me. And it was so satisfying when I would complete a picture!

My first colouring page

My second, more ambitious page. Took weeks to complete.

Detail of my last colouring page

After a couple weeks, I was allowed to go to the art room for an hour every day. It was great getting to learn new things, like powder embossing, paper quilling, and making magnets, and it was also great to reconnect with old favourites, like watercolours and knitting. I even managed to complete my first pair of socks while in hospital!

Obviously very pleased with myself.

I also started coming out of my shell a bit and finding my voice. After all, when you have a nurse of HCA (Health Care Aid) or doctor or whatever with you 24/7 (not even exaggerating, they would tag-team it if one had to use the washroom or any medicine; haha, yes, I can laugh...now), you learn to voice exactly what you're feeling and also find out a lot about a person. One nurse who worked with me a lot (we did the math; she was with me a combined 84 hours, broken up in 12 hour shifts), introduced me to Patsy Cline, who I now love to listen to. Another nurse talked to me about poetry; another, her winters in Manitoba, a mutual love of HGTV with one male nurse, doing nails with my HCA one night (well, she did mine), talking about nature and plants, listening to wedding plans with some, and just about anything we decided to talk about. Sure, some were more chatty than others, but still, ALL my nurses and HCAs were truly AWESOME! And the other patients in my ward were MAGNIFICENT! I was on the younger end, but that totally didn't matter. In fact, in some ways, I had more in common with them than some people my age (and I don't just mean how some of the medications made you feel reeeeaaaalllllllyyyy sleepy and whatnot). I don't know if it's the combination of seeing each other all the time, or basically being stripped of all dignity when you can't even bathe yourself, but I found myself quite open and loving everyone (if you are reading this, know that I love you, chickadee!)

It was really incredible. Isn't it amazing how God can take even the most tough times and turn it into something great? He filled me every day with His comfort, His love, and His grace. I am still filled with awe and thankfulness. I got out a few days before Canadian Thanksgiving, and my, was it appropriate! My older sister was back in town, and I was able to celebrate a quiet day with my family, playing a new game, and cuddling with my precious dog.

I know it's late, but Happy Thanksgiving! Remember that God is really and truly with you, no matter what, and He will turn things to good if you let Him. Much love to you all,

First night, in E.R.

I named my IV site "Nemo"because they had a hard time finding one ;)

Like my extended "nose"? Had this this thing in for the four weeks, named Judy, after Judy Garland

My friend Nicole makes IV comfort covers, which you can actually purchase here in a variety of colours. I LOVE mine!

My Last day in hospital, right before tube removal. Very excited!

DIY Bridal Shower Gift

Let's cut right to the chase. It's wedding season, and whether you are in the wedding party, or a guest, it means that there's a certain amount of effort put forth. We attendees have it pretty easy. Wear something nice, be on your best behavior, and share in the joy of loved ones saying "I do". Oh yeah, and then there's the small matter of picking out a gift. Okay, maybe that's not so easy. I mean, you walk into a department store and are immediately hit with options. Your head might start to cloud up over sheer number of plate designs offered.

Things have gotten easier as far as the wedding gifts go. A lot of couples register at a certain store, so you can be confident in knowing that whatever you get from that list, they'll be sure to like. So that's taken care of. But then there are the added events and parties, especially the Bridal Shower to think of. It's usually expected to bring a gift, which can be tough if you have no idea what to get. That's where I come in, together with my mum, to bring you a DIY Bridal Shower Gift idea. 

Step 1: Evaluate the Couple

It really isn't as complicated as it sounds. Are they outdoorsy? Are they artsy? Movie Buffs? Younger? Older? Determining who they are and what they like can be a real help. Another thing to consider is whether the gift you give is going to be solely for the Bride (ex. A Mani Pedi kit) or for both to enjoy.  Once you get a basic idea, you're good to go. For us, we decided to go for one that is suited for both.

Step 2: Pick a Theme, any Theme! 

Now that you know the couple and what kind of things they like, it's time to pick a theme. This can be simple, like "Pamper" for the Bride-to-be or "Cooking" for the chef. We decided to go for a "Date Night" theme. At this point, you may also want to set a budget, as you can quickly get caught up in the fun of picking things out (like we did). You don't want to break the bank!

Step 3: Get a Container

To hold your little "Goodies". We chose one that has kind of a rustic, outdoor feel to it. 

Cute, and farm-ish, right?

Ours was a little big, just because of what we were putting into it, and what was available. You can also choose a bag, basket, jar, anything!

Step 4: Fill that Container!

This is where the fun comes in. Depending on your theme, you will be choosing different things. Here are some ideas for "Date Night": 

We wanted to give them an easy yet romantic and fun meal, and spaghetti is both!

To go with such a meal, wine and wine glasses seemed to be the obvious choice, but we decided to make it a bit more fun.

Hope they aren't Pepsi people!

And for dessert, still going with a fun, half picnic, half campfire feel, we went for....

You can always buy the supplies separately, but this was in a nice little kit.

And what is date night without a movie and popcorn?

I mean, how perfect is it to get a movie called your very theme? 

Okay, so here are all the supplies, and now all that's left is to arrange it in a nice way, add a card, and give it to the happy couple to enjoy. After all, even when you're married, that's not reason to stop dating!

 

Step 5: Give it to the Couple

Pretty self explanatory :) 

Hope you enjoyed and got some ideas of your own. I am really happy and excited about this gift. I think it's one they will really enjoy!

 Happy Wedding Season, whether you are getting married or not!

A "Genius" Review

It's time for another book review (imagine me doing a funky little dance on your desk, or wherever you are). I have been reading lots, and today I thought I'd share some of my thoughts and opinions. 

Without further ado, let's go:

The Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable 

by Dan Gutman

Rating: 3/5 stars 

"The Genius Files" was recommended to me by a friend of mine; the same friend who first recommended what is now one my all-time favourite series. With that in mind, I thought I'd give this one a shot. The summary in a nutshell is this:

Twins Coke and Pepsi are geniuses, even if they don't know it yet. They live ordinary lives in California, with their somewhat eccentric parents. As the school year draws to a close, and their family gears up for a cross country road trip, the twins are suddenly involved in a life-threatening, top-secret government program: The Genius Files. So amidst crazy and bizarre family road stops in their RV, the twins must not only figure out how to stop an attack on America, they also have to somehow manage to stay clear of the people trying to kill them, All without telling their parents anything.

This book is filled with random, some may say useless, facts about the weird and wonderful world of US toys, gadgets, largest balls of twine, and anything else you can think of. Being someone who enjoys learning such facts, that was a little added bonus, and I think both children and adults alike would enjoy how strange and random some of them are.

Another fun aspect to the book is that it includes online links so you can follow along with the twins' journey via google maps. There are also a couple of pictures, some fun illustrations, and ciphers to crack. All of this, plus the action and adventure involved, would probably entertain and interest for both boys and girls in their "tween" years.

Personally, despite the fun an exciting plot and clever mix of sarcasm and sincerity, I found the ending to be a bit disappointing in that it seems very open ended. This is most likely due to the fact that there are at least three other books that follow. Still, I would have liked a more "complete" ending. For the most part, however, I did enjoy reading it.

All in all, I would say this is a fun, easy, "read-in-a-weekend" book, and might be perfect for a "stay cation". It might not have drastically changed my outlook on life and society, but I can say that it made me want to visit the States and have my own cross country road trip, visiting some of the places the characters go or mention. Who knows, maybe it will just spark your family's next summer vacation!



A few other recently read books:

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George (4/5 stars, very good read!)

Ava and Pip By Carol Weston (3/5 stars, cute story)

Sisters by Raina Telemeier (2 and a half/5 stars, sweet story, but somewhat bland in my opinion)

Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George (4/5 stars, interesting, and imaginative)

Easter

It's Good Friday as I write this, which, if you celebrate Easter, means that on this day we remember the Crucifixion of Christ. We remember, but we also gather anticipation at what is yet to come.

For as long as I can remember, Easter has been a very special, important time in the year. Easter Sunday meant wearing your Sunday Best, complete with a hat, if you had one. It meant dying eggs, going on Easter egg hunts, family dinners, and other activities. When my family lived in Austria, it was a big deal. It's kind of hard to explain where we lived, but it was a very small village in the alps, called Mittersill, with a Castle. When most people think of castles, you think of cold, stony buildngs that you take tours of. Or, you automatically think of Disney. Neither of these is how I would describe this one. It's big, with history for certain, with towers and a well, courtyard, chapel, etc. But it was also home. You see, it's kind of a retreat centre/hotel/ministry. My dad worked there, with several others, all of which spoke English. The other families who worked there made up our friends, as they had children our age and all had either Canadian, American, or British backgrounds. Even though we didn't live in the castle, it was always a bustle of activity and new people to meet. We went to church there, we played there, and this was our normal. Having people from all over the world also meant that holidays, especially religious ones, were very important and big. We dyed our eggs there, we had massive egg hunts, and, the thing that sticks in my head the most: The Live re-enactment of the story of Jesus' death and resurrection. It would start just outside, wind around the outer grounds, until you finally ended up in the forest, where a small cave lay. It was a very interactive way for us to remember what the holiday was all about.
Since moving back, we still of course partake in Easter celebrations, but a part of me will always be there on Easter.

Despite all of these amazing things, when I was younger, up until a couple years ago, actually, I found Easter depressing. I knew the story, I had it ingrained into me. It wasn't that it was any less impacting, I just felt sad when Easter came around. And I believe I finally know why: I was focusing on the Good Friday part, the devastating, gut wrenching reality of what Christ endured.
[Note: if you have yet to hear of the Easter Story, I would recommend picking up a Bible and looking in Matthew 16-28. I fear that by telling you it myself, you might miss some key aspects.]
But that's not the end of the story. Even if it were, it is important to know why Jesus had to die on the cross. And that in itself is beautiful and...words cannot express the magnitude of what was done. Being a world full of sinners, both past, present, and future, we were doomed to die. We were separated from God. But God loves (not loved, loves!) us so much, that he gave up his only son to live among us, to suffer alongside us, and rescue us from our fate, You see, sin has a cost. And that cost is death. By sending Jesus, who was pure, to die for us, we were no longer separated from God. All of our sins, both past, present, and future, were paid for. We mocked the very man who came to save us! Can you believe it? But it was all part of God's amazing, incredible plan. You see, God didn't stay dead. What??!! That's right. On the third day after he had died, he shocked everyone by rising from the dead. This wasn't a long nap, guys. He was dead. Really, really dead. And now suddenly, He's alive! Can you imagine being one of the desciples and in mourning, maybe talking with your friends and all the sudden you turn around and BAM! Jesus! That's incredible! That's INSANE! And yet, that's what happened. He ascended to Heaven, and we were given eternal life in Christ. That doesn't mean we won't have any more pain or suffering, or even death. It means that, at the end of this all, we have something amazing to look forward to. Because guess what? He's coming back again, and He is going to Rock. Our. World. (literally!). But that's a whole other story. For now, can we just stop and let it sink in that someone would die, and suffer, for someone who hates them? Who mocks them? Who ultimately kills them? That's...words can't even express.

So, this Easter, remember what it's all about. And take a moment to really appreciate all that this holiday symbolizes, and means. Even if you aren't a Christian, I invite you read the story in the book of Matthew, or Mark, Luke, or John. It's there. And it's here.

Happy Easter Everyone.
Love,

P.S. When I was about four or five, I got to the Passion of The Christ live, and it impacted me, even at that young age. It is fairly common to find places that do something similar. If you can, I would recommend seeing it.

Hydrate Me!

Good afternoon, fellow internet friends! This past weekend went by way too fast, but hey, only four more days until Friday! Yay!

It's time for another "Motivational Monday", along with this week's challenge: For every beverage you drink other than water, drink two glasses of water.

A few weeks ago, I had the unfortunate experience of reaching severe dehydration, to the point where I was taken to hospital and given fluids through IV. It will probably make me sound idiotic when I say that I never thought dehydration would be that bad. I am here to tell you that it's bad. It hurts. It hurts in ways I didn't expect. It drained my whole body of energy and made me nauseated and awful. It certainly was a wake up call. I need to drink more water. I live in one of the few places on earth with clean tap water that actually tastes good. That's right. I have easy access to delicious, safe water, and I still am not drinking enough. I used to be really good about it. My friend would sometimes tease me whenever I'd say I was thirsty, declaring that I always was thirsty. I was getting beyond 8 glasses a day, and it was great. For some reason though, this winter, I was so cold for most of the day, that I never really wanted to add to the chill by drinking cold water. Sometimes I would put warm water in my cup; I am such a wuss. I went to drinking coffee, or, some days, a glass of water. One glass. Not even a whole one. A few sips, maybe. That's not good for anyone. So, starting this week, I have a challenge for not only myself, but also those who have similar problems that I do, to drink at least two glasses of pure water for every non-water beverage I have. This is in addition to whatever water I would also be having. It is day one, and I've had one glass of water. Working on my second. I want to have some coffee, so I'd better get a move on. One day I will work my way back up to eight cups a day, but until then, this is my goal.

The dehydration incident also opened my eyes to the water crisis felt around the world. I hate taking things for granted, and here I've been doing just that. Not only that, but I haven't kept on the world news. I know clean water seems to be lacking just about everywhere, but what can I do? Personally, in a group, whatever. A group of close friends and I pooled our money together and were able to donate a fairly large sum to an organization that builds wells. Since then, I haven't really done anything like that. I want to do more. If any of you know of a good, Canadian, or at least international, preferably Christian, organization that helps with providing clean water for people without, please, I beg of you, comment or contact me directly, as this is very important to me. I've heard a little about "The Thirst Project", but don't know much. If you have links you could share, that would also be helpful.

No person should ever have to go without water. Take this challenge with me, pray for those who don't have what we do, and do your own research to find out how you can help out where you are.

I love you guys! Drink up!

Top 5 Movies 2014

And Why I loved Them

Last year, one of the things on my bucket list was to see at least 12 movies in theatre. I figured that it would be easy, seeing as there are twelve months in a year, which would therefore round out to be one movie per month. The first month or so, I saw plenty of movies. Then things started to dwindle. There weren't that many movies being shown that I wanted to see. And the ones I did, I missed, because of being busy or simply unable to make it work. So there I was on December 25th, with three movies left to see. So, that weekend, my mum and I went to three. I have to admit, it was a lot of fun, and I am glad they were all movies we had been wanting to see. Here is the complete list of the ones I saw:

1. Frozen
2. Saving Mr. Banks
3. Gravity
4. The Lego Movie
5. Divergent
6. The F Word
7. If I Stay
8. Dolphin Tale 2
9. Big Hero 6
10. Into The Woods
11. Annie
12. Night at the Museum 3

It's difficult to choose my favourite, seeing as I don't usually go to a movie unless I've heard good things and it's something that interests me. That being said, I of course enjoyed some more than others. And my Top 5 have me slightly surprised. So here you have it. My Top 5:

5. Big Hero 6

Big Hero Six stood out to me, and has just barely squeaked in. It was between it, and "Into the Woods".

And although I much prefer the music of the latter, "Big Hero 6" delivers a better message, in my opinion. The fact that none of the main characters were just born with supernatural powers makes one realize that you don't necessarily have to be born a hero. You can choose to be. The characters are smart, funny, kind, and don't in any way try to bring others down in their own personal goals. On the contrary, they work as a team, developing and creating ideas through the thoughts and opinions of one another. I loved that. And I mean, come on, who doesn't love a soft squishy robot who's sole job is to make sure you are okay, and will go to the ends of the to achieve that? Probably good at snuggling, too.

4. Frozen

Yeah, I know, it seems like everyone and their mother loves this movie. Guess what? I'm one of them. I'm a sucker for Disney Princess movies, and this was no exception However, the reason I loved this one especially was because there were two princesses. And they were sisters. And a love story was not the key aspect to the plot. I must admit, having a sister definitely played a part in my obsession (the whole movie, I kept asking myself which princess was more like me, or my sister. Sill don't know.)  Not sure how I feel about how crazy the "Frozen" franchise has gotten, but I'm probably not helping. I just bought myself a "Frozen" mug, and got stickers for my birthday.










3. The "F" Word 
(Alternatively called "What If" in other countries, except Canada)

Before you skip this one, just know that the "F" word is not referring to curse work. It is referring to "Friends". Knowing that, you can sort of understand a bit more of what this movie is about. It isn't a romance. At least, it isn't in the way that most romantic comedies are. Not only does this movie feature quirky characters, random and unique perspective on things most people take for granted, but it also happens to take place in a place near and dear to me-- Toronto, Ontario. I saw this with a few friends, my mum, and her friend. Having lived near Toronto in the past, my mum got a kick out of seeing familiar sights, and it was fun having her tap me whenever she saw one (usually something I'd find annoying in a movie companion.) If you're looking for a very different story about love, choosing which path to follow, or even just want a laugh, this movie is great.







2. Annie (2014)


This was one movie that I was a little apprehensive about, which is why I'm so surprised by how much I loved it. Being a fan of the 1982 version, and growing up singing songs like "You're never fully dressed without a smile" and "It's a hard knock life" and the top of my voice, I was skeptical that this new modern version could be anything other than a cheap knock-off of my beloved little orphan Annie. I am happy to say that I was wrong. From the moment it began, all the way to the credits rolling, I was transfixed into this parallel world. A world where a sassy yet lovable new Annie brought me along in her adventure. Not kidding, I looked around me about 3/4 of the way through, and was surprised I was in a theatre. A movie that completely sucked me out of reality is definitely going into my top five. The story line was similar, yet so different, you couldn't really compare the two. After all, this is modern day New York. The singing, choreography, acting, all was amazing, and I was very impressed by the whole cast. Except maybe Sandy. He didn't do much.



1. If I Stay

Are you surprised? I am. Normally, I hate teen romance stories. I just don't get into them. In fact, when my friend first asked me to see this, I said no. It was only later that I finally did decide to see it. Man, am I glad I did.
As you can probably tell, I'm not into romance of any kind. While this one definitely offers a love story, it is not only a story of the love between a boy and a girl. It shows the love between parent and child, brother and sister, friends, and passion. Probably what struck me most was how the main character was so different from those around her, in that she came across as more conservative. That in itself is something I can relate to. Finding a way to fit in, well, isn't that what we're all after. The movie also was incredible and mixing both the present with memories, yet not being confusing. To sum up, the music, the characters, the actors, the effects, all are incredible. And you really don't know until the very last possible second if she stayed.




Hope you enjoyed this little list of mine. Hopefully you check out all the movies, and let me know your opinions in the comments below! What are your top 5 films from 2014? Do you agree with any of mine? I'd love to hear from you. Until next time,