Poppies

Something I'm still getting use to about Canadians is that in November they all start wearing poppies in honor of Remembrance Day that's November 11. That's why the American girl (me) thought a boy in our Sunday School class said he "got a puppy" and began asking about it. Thankfully, David (the Canadian) could whisper to me "He said he got a poppy not a puppy"! As I then noticed the 5 year old with a red flower straight pinned to his shirt.

I've discovered it's actually quite a neat thing as the poppy is in remembrance of those that have died in war. Everywhere you go, everyone has the red flowers pinned to their coat or shirt, or a box sitting on the counter of a store to sell them.

I tried pasting in the poem about Flander's Field that inspired all this, but it's not working for me. It's proudly placed on the back of the $10 bill. It was written by a Canadian Doctor in the Canadian Medical Army Corps in Belguim in 1915.

IOT 2

This was our class of six with our three instructors who taught the two week course on teaching teachers to disciple kids. This is the last official level of training in CEF that I can take.

Can you figure out who are the students and who are the teachers???

American Musings

While we were in New York I made a list of the things that I noticed after "returning to the motherland". I guess it shows how shallow I can be.

There is:
-Yoplait Yogurt (yummm!!)
-Cartoned Milk
-We could use the top numbers on our spedmeter, that was wierd to use mph again...the speed limits are actually a bit faster than in Canada
-the sizes are HUGE, a small drink in the US is about a large in Canada
-things seemed much sweeter, like actually too sweet, I couldn't believe it
-way more drug and medical commercials
-Bic Black Pens, my favorite, trusty and cheap pens
-Plan-Ahead Day Planners, the kind I like and can't find the same format in Canada and it's cheaper too
-they sell Bibles, good Bibles in Wal-mart, I forgot about that!
-Nabisco brand rather than Mr. Christy (yes, Oreos etc. are made by somebody else here, so wierd)
-Gas is much cheaper!
-Paper Towel in Washrooms rather than blow dryers

Housing

Here is a view of our outside view along with the entrance into the house where we live. (Our entrance is through the garage on the left.) The outside was very nice in the summer! Please pray with us about our housing as it is very difficult to live and work in a basement apartment. The neat thing is that our landlords offered that we can come upstairs and work some days when they are gone. We are planning on looking at property to build on as our search for a house over the last year has turned up nothing. Eveything is overpriced and falling apart. We want to do what would be the wisest thing and know that building would require a lot of time from David this spring, breaking for summer and then beginning in the fall again. Having a house would really help in our establishing ministry here, though.We really need the Lord's wisdom in this whole thing!

Only 3 more days...

In 3 days David and I will finally get to go home together! He has been at home working the past week and a half since vacation, while I have been staying with co-workers/friends, Ivhan and Charlene Rusli and their 2 1/2 year old son, Brandon, who live in Markham (part of the Greater Toronto Area "GTA"). Ivhan and I are both taking the course "Instructor of Teachers Level 2", along with four other students. It's been hard to go back and be a full time student for 2 weeks, yet in some ways I rather enjoy it. It's good to be reminded of how scary it is to do an evaluated Bible lesson practicum, yet invigorating to have excellent teaching to learn from and to learn ways to expand my teaching style and keep working to become a better teacher.

The funny thing about this whole "IOT" thing is that David is just now old enough to be able to begin the process to start his training and evaluatons etc. for IOT level 1 in February, so we'll have to go through this seperation thing again, most likely! So for now, we live one day at a time and enjoy or phone chats at night like we did in our dating days.

Cold Stone Creamery

We were able to go on vacation to New York for a week and I enjoyed many things about returning to the U.S. like Yoplait yogurt, black Bic Pens, Plan-Ahead Day planners and COLD STONE ICE CREAM!!!! (Yay for David's birthday and the free coupon!) We had lots of fun exploring the Adirondack Mountains. We are so thankful for the chance to be able to take a bit of well needed rest and fun!

Leanne and Daniel's Wedding

Congratulations to Leanne (David's sister) and Daniel (his friend) who were married September 12! Here's the current family group (Sarah, Melissa, Karen (mom), Leanne, Daniel, John (dad), Matthew, David).

HEALTH CARD!!!!

September 12 was a very exciting day! Not only did David's sister Leanne get married (which is wonderful in itself!) but I now officially have Ontario Health Coverage and can flash my very own health card! After 15 months of waiting it's finally arrived! Yahoo!

Strangest Summer Picture

If we were to vote on our pictures, I would have to say that this is the funniest picture of our summer missionaries from this summer. It could be told like this:

"See Greg get wet in the river.

Greg is sad and soggy.

Greg wants to dry his pants (without using the dryer offered).

See Greg (try) to dry his pants over a fire."

I guess it's what happens when a Toronto boy goes north!

Sickness but God is Good!

The last few weeks seem to be one battle with sickness after another! I've had a very annoying and consist ant cough for 5 weeks that still is fighting. It made it a big struggle to be at camp and try to talk with kids or to teach. I thought I was starting to get better just in time for David to get hit with a nasty cold last week, so I was able to do more of the teaching. I thought I might end up teaching most of it by myself. Instead, David started to get better and on Wednesday I was hit with a horrible sore throat that knocked me out, barely able to speak or swallow...so David was actually the one that had to teach two days of VBS by himself last week! I wish I could have seen him do the skit with Sheriff Do-Right and Cowboy Oops when he had to switch back and forth and do both parts! =]

Since my health card doesn't come until September 12th (so I don't have health coverage yet), I didn't want to go to the doctor. However, it was to the point that something had to be done! David took me into a walk-in clinic where you are required to pay $60+ to see the doctor if you don't have a health card. We explained the situation and were told that was the only option we had. After a 15 min wait (yahoo! not 1-3 hours like the ER!) I was seen by the doctor who gave me antibiotics after he told me my tonsils were "impressive". The really cool thing was that without my even asking, he asked about my situation and said we didn't have to pay! So, we're praising God for his care and provision! Yeah for a positive first time experience with the Canadian health care system!

So, day 4 on the drugs I'm slowly get better from strep throat/tonsillitis. The knives in the back of throat have shrunk from machetes to table knives and will hopefully be all gone soon!