21 days!

I leave in 21 days to go to my favorite place in the world! 9000 miles away! This last weekend was definetly my most pumped up one yet, I was trying on clothes and going through my stuff that I have bought and put aside for Australia, and I got sooo excited. Then I had a huge money scare on Monday, which made me actually have to think through my options and whether or not I'd have to cancel my trip, but after re-crunching numbers I figured I could still do it, its just gonna be real tight.Not to much can go wrong between now and then, and Not to many souvineer shopping :( and I'll definetly need a job asap after getting back. So thats made me timid to keep on booking things, but Im starting to get my zeal back. Today I booked my flight from Canberra to the Whitsundays Coast, my sailing/scuba diving tour is confirmed, I just need to decide on a hostel yet, and book my flight back to Sydney. Nonetheless things are coming together,
Just outta curiousity, who actually reads this thing? Im not sure yet if I will try to be a daily faithful blogger on my trip or if i'll just throw it to the wind and do mostly facebook, I know I want to do sort of a video diary type thing while Im there. Anyway my body is telling me to go to sleep earlier today, so Im gonna crash.

Stand In the Rain

This tree is standing in a rainforest in Australia, only picture I could think of that would go with the title of this entry :P

This is my 'most listened to' song of the week. Feel free to youtube it, as that would probably be much more interesting then reading it.



She never slows down
She doesn't know why but
she knows that when
She's all alone feels
Like it's all coming down
She won't turn around
The shadows are long
And she fears if she cries
That first tear
The tears will not stop
Raining down

So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it's all crashing down
You stand through the pain
You won't drown
And one day what's lost can be found
You stand in the rain

She won't make a sound
Alone in this fight with herself
And the fears whispering
If she stands, she'll fall down
She wants to be found
The only way out is through
everything she's running from
Wants to give up and lie down

So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it's all crashing down
You stand through the pain
You won't drown
And one day what's lost can be found
You stand in the rain

So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it's all crashing down
Stand through the pain
You won't drown
And one day what's lost can be found

So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it's all crashing down
You stand through the pain
You won't drown
And one day what's lost can be found
You stand in the rain

-SuperChick

This last year I faced alot of inner deep battles, and many times I felt like I was in a dark hole..

<--this picture is how Im feeling now, :)

The ladder was provided by God, as well as the sunshine!

Last week I shared my story at CnC-and it was a really unique experience, kinda theraputical, it was the first time I openly shared about my inner struggles of these last couple years and what events in my life made me into the person I am now, I didn't sugar coat nothing, and it was special. Everybody has a story, even good little church girls :)

Whats your story? What events shaped you into the person you are today? How did things affect you? What hurt/s the most? What was the best thing that ever happened to you? Where did you stand with God back then? and where do you stand with Him now? Whats something you dont share with many people?..

I found the most interesting part of writing out my story, was how one thing tied into the next, I found a couple ties I had never thought of before, kinda aha moments.. or more like 'well no wonder i am the way i am' moments. It felt good to be able to get it out.. and find out later how some other people have gone through the same stuff.

The quitting speech never gets easier

So today I told my boss that Im leaving... I think its about the 5th time that I've had to make that speech, not sure what that says about me... except that Im a quitter maybe? lol nah my boss was super good about it,and now I can finally breathe a sigh of relief that I dont have to worry about how or when Im gonna tell her. I feel like NOW that I got someone to sublet my house, and got this outta the way to, I can properly look forward to Australia, Just gotta book a few things for that too. This month is gonna fly though, as Im coming to the realization that its time to start packing up my stuff and slowly move it home, as there is only a 4 day gap between my last day at work in the city and the day I leave for Aus, and Im moving home in those days too.It'll be kinda hectic. This weekend my dyin palm tree is gonna get to go to a more palm tree friendly house, and I think the Christmas tree should go too.
Today I feel almost completly stress free.. nice :) I went for x-rays tho.. that was awkward, and I kinda doubt they will actually see anything. I think its a mystery pain that will probably be for always, cuz the doctor was not very insightful either, he didn't touch it or nothing just asked about 3 questions, and said to take advil 3 times a day and go get xrays.. I honestly think he's was just as stumped as me. Whatver the case Im choosing not to be worried.

A Polar Bear Swimsuit Shopping

I spent a couple hours in the walk in clinic today, I made sure that I had nothing better to do first of course. I got a mystery pain in my rib, so docs sending me for x-rays, should be fun!

After that I went swim suit shopping-which I reckon is in the top 5 hardest things to shop for, nah make that 3, but I needed/wanted a new one for Australia, cuz my other newest one got all yellow from the hot tub :( bummer when that happens. Anyway to make this quick, I went in there and was super excited to find about 6 suits that I thought were absolutly adorable, and quickly went to try them all on, which consists of putting them on and looking at the mirror analzing the suit and your body and if they look good together for about 15 minutes each suit give or take lol.. I dont know if it actually takes me that long but I know I take forever to make decisions-nonetheless at 80-90 bucks of non-returnable merchandise you wanna know your getting the best one. The moral of my story is that today I felt like a polarbear shopping, cuz A-Im so white which seems to happen in winter when your body hasn't seen the sun for 4 months, and B-well lets just say this polarbear packed a lil bit of winter insulation on, which makes swimsuit shopping kinda yuck.
p.s i bought a white and pink and silvery sparkly one.
p.p.s Im sure the girl in the above picture doesn't have problems swim suit shopping, or at least not the problems i have haha

Tomorrow Im telling my boss that Im leaving, which makes me have a big knot in my stomach-I believe that every time I've made this quitting speech it gets way harder. I hope one day I will have a blazing shining happy attidude about my job and that Ill like it so much that I will stay for years and years! I think they call that a career and not just a job. I plan to put more thought and prayer into that while Im lying on a beach in Australia.

43 days

44 days!

SO I seem to be doing very good at only blogging once a month, on the other 29 days I think of all the things I want to write on my blog, but when it actually comes to sitting down, somehow it just doesn't happen. Things for Australia are falling in place quite nicely... I just have to book my sailing tour, and in-country flights.
If theres anything that makes me SUPER UBER pumped about going back, its phoning up my friends down there, and hearing them get excited about my return as well. Todays phone call was extra awesome, I hadn't called up Luke yet to tell him (FIY Luke is the first Australian outside of the camp I was working at that I met on my first day in Aus last time, he gave me a town tour) so I did, also wished him a happy birthday, and he told me that HE's moving to Canada in October for a year, this makes me happy.
I had no weekend this weekend, I worked Saturday Sunday and today housekeeping at the resort at Hecla, cuz they were really busy for Valentines-a great preview as to whether or not i'd like to work there this summer.... and Im thinking maybe not at this point, even though theres some good lookin cooks in that place ;) tomorrow i head back to nannying, no rest for the restless! I have to tell my one boss this week that Im quitting, I've had a knot in my stomach for a week already thinking about it, You'd think it should get easier after making that speech like 4 or 5 times, but it sure doesn't. Definetly one of those things I can't wait to be done with, and hey if YOU or someone you know wants a nanny job, let me know, I'll hook you up! I do wish I could help these moms out with that as to not just leave them hanging.
Anyway I told myself I'd only blog till 11 and its 1105, and I must get some sleep.
toodles!

I left my heart downunder... and Im going back to get it!

Its all in the title.. although I reckon I could elaborate. Sorry about the wait, Firstly I wanted to tell certain people in 'person' before I blabbed it all out on fb and here. Second of all I left my laptop cord at my parents, so I had a dead computer all week which doesn't really help the situation.
But here I am, to say wildly and freely, that I AM going back to Australia, and my ticket IS booked, and I am FLYING (WHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!) back to the land downunder. After confirming it all, it was funny how more then anything else I just felt relieved, I have yet to scream and yell and jump around the house... its more of a quiet smile inside of me. Its no longer a question of if or when it will happen... which makes me feel calm.
I left my heart in Australia...not literally.. its still beating inside me, I've used that statement a few times though in the last two and a half years, more so meaning that I just haven't been able to get over that awesome country. I promise you I thought of it everyday for 2.5 years.. and have had about 20 dreams about it(like when im sleeping)As my parents would say "She just needs to go back just to get it outta her system" Im not sure that going back will actually get it outta my system, but I hope to try, I am gonna make a huge effort to soak up every single day, make the absolute most out of each of the 33ish days that Im there, remember how much I miss it when Im home, and to bring my heart back with me at the end... so that instead of going through droopy years of Australia withdrawl.. and I can come back and FOCUS on something else. I feel very ready to focus on something else, Save Up for something else.... like a missions trip....?

Facts of the matter:

1. Im flying out March 31st.. at around 8 in the evening, land in Vancouver 3 hours later.. Then at 11:45pm vancouver time, I head out o're the ocean. Kinda sucks abit that all my departing flights are in the dark. I may or may not land in Honolulu for a fuel up, just like last time.. It doesn't show up on my itinerary, but it didn't either last time, so I'll find out later I guess if it will happen or not.
2. Im going to visit all my besties, thats my main focus of this round 2, I just wanna see my favorite australians again, and I can't wait! hugs all around!
3. Fly up to Whitsundays Islands area, If I had to pick a favorite place on the east coast, it was the Whitsundays, Im planning on going on a sailing/scuba diving live abroad tour, up in Whitsunday Islands, 3 days and 3 nights on a sail boat, one day spent on the Great Barrier Reef, I also wanna sky dive in the whitsundays as well. :S If I survive that then I will...
4. Fly home on May 4th.

So thats the low down on my Australia Round 2! I have many mixed emotions, actually kinda stressed about it all, altho I think once I have everything worked out I'll be able to sit back and just look forward to it proper like. I know and am very mentally prepared that the second time around is gonna be really different, maybe not quite as astoundingly awesome as the first time, but hopefully just as sweet in a different kind of way :)

A day to remember

its booked.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

It's the most wonderful time of the year...! so goes the song. I really love Christmas alot, I really do. I love the crazy, festiveness, shopping for those perfect gifts, packing my December calender with Christmas parties and family gatherings, baking Christmas cookies, eating nuts and heaps of candy, and I love that the reason we celebrate this holiday is because of a baby born in barn, who saved me.

I had a wonderful Christmas, with 10 days away from work, I chose to spend every single one of those days out in the sticks, where I could take late night walks out underneath the stars, and go skating on ponds out in the boonies, and most of all spend time with my family, and just take a break from life as I knew it. Nothing clears my head and gets me focused again then going home and being with my family, they pick me up time and time again, and I just feel way happier out there in the sticks with my wide open spaces.

I will make mention of 3 of my presents..My grandma knit me the most comfortable sweater I ever did have, its big and cozy and beautiful, like a hug. I got picture frame collages which I was pumped about, and I really enjoyed picking and printing pictures to put into them, and I got a fleece sheetset. Think about the thickest and fuzziest pajama pants you ever did have, and make that into a pillowcase, fitted sheet, and flat sheet. Mhmmm, its bliss getting into bed now. I purposely left it on my bed at home, cuz I knew if I brought them to the city I would for sure never get outta bed on time to go to work.

I had bunches of family gatherings, and enjoyed them heaps. Im so blessed with such an incredible family and extended family. It was a most wonderful Christmas.

Happy New Year!

They say how you spend your new years is a hint to how you will spend the rest of your year. I found this partially true when I think about how I spent 09's new years, I spent it with a bunch of friends, who were there for me time and time again throughout the year.

The first day of this year I tried something new, and attacked it with fury lol, I went snowboarding, and it was quite epic. I fell much, and was in much pain by the end of the day and even more the next day, but now Im almost all recovered except for the massive bruises I aquired.

I can use learning to snowboard as a good analogy of how this year might go.. try new things, chase after new experiences, sometimes they won't work out, and sometimes I'll get hurt, but God will always heal... something like that. Mostly Im just trying to keep a very open mind and not making any predictions about this year, and heaven forbid I make any new years resolutions. NaDa... this year is in God's hands, and what I will and will not accomplish, only He knows. My prayer is that I will be able to fully and completely surrender each season of it to my Father.

May 2010 be a most epic year for all of you as well!

I found my RING!!!

On December 3rd, 2008 in a post called Vanishing ring and fishes (www.sheilanamedsheila.blogspot.com/2008/12/vanishing-ring-and-fishes.html) I wrote about my vanishing fishes (who as a side note have ALL died now, I put my tank away) and my lost Australian ring. Since then I have also lost my grad earrings and my scarf that Sophia made me. All items that I was really disappointed to have lost.Well yesterday I decided I was gonna change my room all around here at my parents place, and just majorly clean it up. This was inspired because my uncle Wes built me a beautiful gorgeous 'bookshelf',(see pic) and I needed a place for it. Its not actually for books, I wanted something that I could properly showcase my partylite candlewear and ornamental stuff. So as I was putting my stuff on my shelf, I lifted up my bowl that has the sand in it from Bondi Beach Aus, and seashells from Mallacoota, (see pic) So I lifted out the top bowl and in the bottom bowl lay my ring! and grad earrings and another necklace. These things were in there for over a year! and I really dont' understand or remember ever putting them in there. Really weird. But I was soooo happy. So now after a year and abit I am proudly wearing my Aussie ring again.(see pic) I wont have to get a replacement whoo!!

On my way back from Steinbach on Friday night, I saw something tragic take place. This would also be one of those times when pictures don't do justice, but I saw that house burn, the police were getting there just as I reached it. I was definetly one of those people who just pulled over and watched and tried not to cry. It was so devastating. I dont know whose house it was although Im sure it wouldn't be hard to figure out, it is Steinbach after all. It was a big house, and it was a huge fire, just seeing the roof start to cave in.. I really feel for whoever it is that lost their home right before Christmas..

Speaking of Christmas, I am one happy happy girl on holidays right now. Today we went skating on some huge pond that my dad learnt to swim in when he was a kid. We made a fire there and had hot chocolate, it was beautiful!

Yeah Im still around...

<--I tried on my Grandma Reimer's wedding dress, and it fit, I actually really liked it. it made me feel abit like a flight attendant.

I guess its been awhile since I actually wrote on this thing... sure I open it up once and awhile but then I just dont feel like writing. so Im sure everyones given up on reading this already.. What did November hold?

*I got really sick for a week...with a high possibility that it was a strain of hInI.. I had all the symtoms. My favorite was the high fever that wouldnt go away even with advil and tylonal. One evening I just sat outside in the cold for 15 minutes hoping that would help.

*November 16, I FINALLY got a new job. However I wasn't totally pumped that it was another nanny one, excited to get a paycheck though.

*Stacey's bachlorette was this weekend. We had a good time, almost got kicked out of the hotel.. the hotel dude came and knocked on our door at 2:30am saying that they were getting complaints about us.. oops.. To say the least we were acting like 12 year old hyper girls.

*What beautiful weather, I even took the liberty of going rollerblading a couple times.

*Did I ever mention I have the coolest CnC? Just a totally awesome bunch of people, we went 80's bowling the other week and it was stellor. SO much backcombing and hairspray!

*Going to a friend of mine's baptism... If he can turn his life around.. then I reckon anybody could... It was awesome to see!

* I had a 7 day stint of good days.. like where I could actually say, its been a good week. Sounds small.. but its been a long time when I actually had a bunch of good days in a row..

This weeks gonna be a hectic one I think...I am only gonna work 2-3 days due to Ramona's funeral. (What an inspirational woman! Im so happy that she is finally free and healed, but my heart hurts for Earl and their family.) and rehearsal and prep for Stacey's wedding on Saturday...gonna be a busy one..

November 6, 2009

This was my day today, It consisted of 'surprise surprise', more job applications and having Subway for lunch cuz I didn't feel like having pasta.. again.

This isn't from today, but I carved pumpkings with the kids the other day and this is how mine turned out, nice and traditional.

The biggest thing I did today, or shall we say biggest in my mind, was a memorial so to say. I went to the airport and watched planes land and take off, and I watched the beautiful sunset. The reason behind my airport getaway, was that today marks the 2 year anniversary of coming home from Australia... I remember when I was there thinking ' Someday this will be years behind me, it will be just a memory' and time has flown by very very fast, and now it just seems like it was all just a dream.
But mostly I just can't wait to fly away again.

The sunset was just stunning, and kept changing, this picture doesn't really do justice.

In other news, Jeremiah, Jenna and I went bowling tonight, and I won , which was very good for my big woman ego.

Im planning to donate blood tomorrow with uncle Kevin bright and early, However I wont be surprised if my iron is out or if i faint afterwards. Or that my veins wont co-operate. I will however be very excited if it all works! cuz the one and only time I tried before it didn't. Must drink tons!

Breaking down

So I have been told and knew for the most part that I can handle stress and stressful situations well... but I have now learnt that I am human, and humans can fall apart.

It has been one month now that Ive just been working 2 days a week, and it sure hasn't been easy. Oh sure I've had many friday to monday long weekends and plus a day off in the middle of the week, which makes for lots of sleep ins, but its gets really old after the second week and down right frusterating by the 5th week. I find it interesting how when I compare this year to last year I find that my hardest months were the same. Especially October. October is officially my Annual bad luck with jobs Month. Last year I got fired in October, I got stuck on the beach and had to get towed out (fun story), and got a 280.00 speeding ticket all in a week. It was very bad.

Last week I had a horrible week, mostly the battle was in my head, but nonetheless it really sucked. Wednesday I figured I needed 'Jaymi time' Jaymi is one of my awesomest cousins and we are alike in many ways. Jaymi lives in Steinbach so I made a spontanious trip out there, had my Jaymi time and felt much better about living. The next morning I probably should have just stayed in bed..maybe called in sick or something, I was in such a wretched mood I probably could have hurt someone very badly. By the end of the work day, I was just fuming and boiling and knew I needed to get out of Winnipeg very quickly or I would surely murder someone. Its not like i had a specific reason for anything of this. But this is when I know that Im officially not keeping myself together, and Im no longer being good at handling my stresses. So I very promtly threw my stuff together and got out. After a Thursday to Monday long weekend, I have now cooled down some and am back in the city.

I will be finding out very soon if I got the nanny position I applied for, its sounding pretty positive. I know I wanted to expand my horizons get away from nannying and kids, but Im just getting desparate, and the paychecks better in nannying then at McDonalds. The biggest catch right now though is that I can get this job, which starts in the middle of November..and everything can be just peachy... until March, becuase come March my other house is done with me. But to start at a new house and only be there for 4 months seems like such a rip off to them, so then should I stay there till I go to camp for the summer? but then I'll be in the same shoes I am now.. trying to find a part time job to fill in the extra days.. This is just so stupid.. cuz when I make my decisions now, affects whats gonna happen next year. I started thinking this weekend maybe I'd just scrap this all and go be an aupair in Australia, so I went and checked that out.. and sure enough a family got back to me right aways wanting me to come and be their aupair (they have twin girl babies {I love twins}and live in sydney, are 2 minutes from the beach etc and pretty much the situation couldn't be more ideal).. i think its almost comical how I can't get a job in Wpg.. but how i could have one In Australia in January, but if I do that then Id really be giving up the whole missions trip idea.

So yeah pretty much my brain in like a pinball machine, with ideas, some sensible, some rash; and at this point I dont have any sense from God to show me what I should do, which is probably one of the most frusterating elements of all. I just dont know what to do, everythings just swarming like crazy....

On a positive note, Christy and I celebrated her 16th and my 21st at the Hecla Oasis Resort and Spa (A joint gift from our parents) on October 17-18.. We had a completly and wholly and wild and loud awesome time together. It was amazing, mostly because we made it amazing. We took a bucketload of pictures and put together halarious video coverage... now if ever I need a laugh I just watch one of our movies.. Here is a couple pictures from our weekend.. in random order

Getting ready to dash and dine! The next morning.. Definetly by far the best bed I ever slept in, you get to adjust how soft or firm it is by the press of a button, so fun! and Im definetly investing in feather pillows and blankets like that one day... or I'll just steal them from the hotels laundry room..
We did Fine Dining for dessert... mmm good. See video on Facebook


Christy and I

We got pedicures!