Winterlude in Ottawa

Since we weren't able to go to Minnesota for Christmas, we had decided to go to Ottawa as something special to do also I'd never been there. We waited until February so we could skate on the Rideau Canal, "the world's largest skating rink" (7.8 km long also known as 4.8 miles x 2 = fun but tired!). There were several stops along the way on the ice with hundreds and hundreds of others joining in on the fun of skating! There was even an "art gallery under a bridge" (craziness!)

We had an absolutely fabulous weekend! We were able to do many, many fun things, especially since the winter carnival was going on so saw ice sculptures and snow sculptures and rode on snow slides...all for FREE!

We also went to visit the Parliament Buildings, toured inside and learned lots of neat things. One of the guides described the Canadian government system as a parts of the American and British mixed together. We also went to the top of Peace Tower (what I'm standing in front of).

Random Bit: there was always the remnants of a "Welcome Obama" poster from his visit on Thursday...I realized it will probably be the closest to personally seeing the President of my country I'll come!

On Sunday we went to the Notre Dame Cathedral for church, it was quite the experience. Neither of us had actually gone to a service in a church that reminds you of the awesomeness of God in it's structure! When a little girl sitting next to us (in the back row), asked us where the place for the kids was, David pulled out a Gospel flipper-flapper and quickly told her the basics and gave it to her. =]

One of my favorite things was that we went for dinner in Quebec (I hadn't been there before, but since it's just across the border, we thought we'd be up for a cultural experience). It really is like stepping in to another country once you cross the bridge- although we don't speak French, everyone was gracious enough to speak English to us while speaking French to everyone else!

Valentine's Extravaganza!

I wasn't sure what to expect for our first Valentine's Day as a married couple and after a discussion about how Valentine's Day is over-hyped, I was trying to not have expectations for what David would do.

However, David totally blew me away! Since we'd be away for the actual "Day", he started with a card at 8:00 am on Friday and said I would get a card every hour! Each one was amazing, with thought-filled words, all throughout the day!

Then, he spent over 3 hours preparing a culinary masterpiece of dinner and dessert (all out of a Williams Sonoma cookbook)! A ragu sauce, a sweet pepper and bean salad and stuffed cherry tomatoes was on the menu, though the official names are much harder to decipher. And just for fun, we got all fancied up too.

I had no doubt that I was loved before, but now I have incredible memories as a reminder (along with 11 cards to reread and a few leftovers)!

Rescue 911

We are in the process of planning and preparing for a March Break Outreach Event in the Huntsville area. It is planned for 3 days Tuesday-Thursday, March 17-19 from 1-4 pm. Our biggest problem in planning was the lack of a location to hold it...but (Praise God!) Muskoka Bible Conference has offered to host the event in their gym. They did a 1 day event last year, but due to lack of staff are not able to do it this year, so were thrilled to partner with us!

It will be somewhat similar to a mini Vacation Bible School and we'll get to use last summer's VBS material "Rescue 911" - using the things we really liked and worked well. Please pray for many children to come! We also need to be sure there are enough teen/adult helpers! We really want the Lord's leading in this whole thing and for Him to be glorified!

Completed Desk

Mom, you wanted to see the completed desk, so here it is!

David did an amazing job making the shelf and inscribing both sides! It's now the nicest piece of furniture that we own! The desk John and Karen gave me for Christmas works perfectly too and is so beautiful!

I'm SOOO glad to finally have my own desk after working off the kitchen table for the past 5 months! We can actually keep our table for eating now. Imagine that!

I can stay in Canada!!!

My visitor extension came today! I can officially stay in Canada at least until January 2010! I had been waiting for it since December 10. I was beginning to wonder when or if it was coming, since I only had until March 10 or I would have to leave the country. As it is, the visitor extension doesn't allow for leaving Canada and re-entering...so I'm "stuck" here until my permanent residency comes (hopefully within the year). I told my family that they're not allowed to do anything exciting back in Minnesota for at least a year!

At CEF Staff Meeting last week, we shared our concern about the visa extension and several people prayed. I found it amazing that on the extension it said it was issued the very next day!

I never realized how hard it can be to depend on the Lord for something that's out of your hands, like being able to stay in the country you're living in!

CLOSED IN!!!!!

Upon returning to our apartment we realized that at least another foot of snow arrived while we were gone for the week. Thus, our kitchen window appeared to be closed in with snow.

David kindly went out and shoveled the snow away this morning so we can see the bottoms of the trees again!

I've also discovered the brilliant idea (thanks to someones suggestion) of how to work in a place other than home...go to the library! The Huntsville Library is about 10 minutes away, but was totally worth the drive to be able to sit in the sun while working for several hours this morning. Now David will be able to tell me that I have no excuse for going stir crazy and driving him crazy. =]

Toronto Highlights

We had a lovely week in Toronto staying with Georgette, a friend of David's family. She is originally from Jordan and is an incredible cook! We were her "sweeties" for the week!


Our 3 days of meetings went well. Now it's time to do all the follow-up work in preparation for Summer Ministry. David and I are currently working on writing a script for the story of Rahab- David from the spies point of view for the male summer missionaries while I'm working from Rahab's point of view for the girls to present. We've never been on the writing side of the summer lessons before, so it creates a new challenge to depend on the Lord for!

The Teacher Trainings were also stretching but encouraging. Being with the students is always way more rewarding than the lesson preparation stage of things! David was even willing to be a "strolling musician" to sing the "Application Song" that I had made up. It's so wonderful having a partner who is willing to do crazy things for me!

Milk in Bags

Ever since coming to Canada, I have been struck by a novel idea, to me as an American at least, while quite normal and everyday to those in Ontario...milk comes in bags not cartons!

Once again I was reminded of this oddity as I prepared for a teacher training class on Friday where I previously used an illustration where I needed "an emptied gallon milk jug filled with water" but alas, what was once common is now foreign. One more little quirk of living in Canada! (Milk comes in 4L size, divided into 3 bags, equalling more than a gallon for about $4 CD.)

Good News Clubs

Please pray that we will be able to set up meetings with the principals at the public schools in Minden and Cumberland Beach (Orillia).

Giant Snowman

Yes, this is a real picture with a real house and real snowman that is over 20 feet tall!

I was skiing through our neighborhood yesterday and was shocked to discover this thing! I made David come to see it after he finished snowblowing. He thought it was pretty amazing too.

It was featured in the Huntsville Weekender newspaper today. The people's 22-year-old son made it with his friends over the holidays. "This is the third snowman Taylor, who is an engineer in Toronto, has built on his parent's property in the last four years."