goodnight

hi. My trip to Alberta was very nice and then I had grad reunion stuff (10 year highschool) which was also interesting.
I don't feel like reporting much on those but a little update on current things is that I'm pretty sure I'm suffering from a sleep disorder. Been doing a bit of reading. Yah, I cannot remember the last time I woke up refreshed - actually maybe 3 weeks ago I felt a little normal in the sleep department, while at the Abraham's house. Anyway, yesterday was especially bad, yawning all day and feeling generally depilitated. I think I do not get enough REM sleep...pretty sure that's it. So, learning more about this (sleep) is hopeful, cause I can get some ideas of what to do to help.
Camp ends tomorrow for the summer, then we have some rental groups come in and even a wedding we are hosting on the property. I was a baby shower for a girl at our church - ran into our pastor's wife on Wed. at the grocery store and she invited me. So, it was for a baby boy - Justice - who has an older sister who is 2.3 yrs. and one who is 4 yrs. The Mom Alyssa, was interested in getting together some time. Some other moms and older ladies from our church (or not) were also there. It was nice. I asked Alyssa how it was with 3 and she said, "Great, I can't get enough of it." and I thought to myself and desires to have more kids and how I just thought that day one is good with my current energy level. I can be extremely irritable when I am so zonked and have little motivation...haven't unpacked tons or caught up on dishes yet. Another project on the go is these encouragement notes we are to write for all the staff...good idea and I love doing it, I just left the project too late. Sarah and I got mixed up on when brunch and we missed it - this camp is different than all the others schedule-wise so there has been a few mix ups that way. Sarah got an early b-day present. I had bought a 'little people' bus at a garage sale in the spring and was saving it in a cupboard and she saw it this morn. when Andy was getting his walkie-talkie out of the cupboard (where the charger is kept). Andy then got it out for her - he didn't know the plan. Anyway, we washed and dried it together - S. and I and she is enjoying it now.
Last night when I was changing S.'s diaper before bed we heard the campers scream and I said, "Who is that?" and she said, "camps." Awh, my girl can say 'camps.' So cool. Yah, she's been talking a lot more. Come, Mom. Get. Cut. Wash.
So, ya, if you think of me, please pray for patience and perseverance and discipline when it comes to doing what I can to help my sleep get back on track. One day there will be pictures again on here. I have so many...er...a little overwhelming. Oh well, deep breath...thank you God for a chance to write, the sun, my girl and for holding me together...there I go getting wetness in my eyes. Love you guys...especially thinking of family I got to see recently - Odegards, Klassens and Abrahams. Bye for now.
Book on the go that I'm so enjoying - "Reaching for the Invisible God" by Philip Yancy. Good part about not asking for trials to go away but recognizing God's presence through them.

Grma A. and Sarah in Daddy's hat...Aldergrove lake park...Neufeld gathering.

My good friend Shannon got married to a good man named Andrew McIntyre. Keela and her and I used to hang out lots during highschool. It was wonderful to be a part of the day.

My good friend Shannon got married to a good man named Andrew McIntyre. Keela and her and I used to hang out lots during highschool. It was wonderful to be a part of the day.

This is what part of 'main street' at camp looks like a last day of camp.

On the last day of camp a while back. We bought the lunch kit at our general store at camp!

its not what you do but who you are right?

Is my monitor working? You can't hear Sarah from down here at the computer, so we have a monitor plugged in. She is sleeping in this morning which is unusal. I got to go for a 15 min. walk this morning which is also unsual. I've gotten out of the excersie habit after my chariot was in disrepair and now it is fixed (thanks Andy) and I'm trying to think about being more active - makes me feel good, you know? Anyway, got back here to camp on Sun. after my week visit to Abb. There was much done and it was a good time of seeing people. I didn't do all the 'in town' shopping I had planned on, but that was ok. It was a good 'people time.' Here are some highlights of the trip:
-Accomodations at Abrahams...new queen bed downstairs with a play-n-pack for Sarah in an adjoining room...cool downstairs - the weather was hot.
-Bike ride with Dad A...we'd stop every once in a while and he'd point out a tree, bush, flower. Thanks Mom, your bike rode great.
-Sun. afternoon fish dinner with Andy there too.
-Neufeld (Andy's Mom's side) family gathering (a few of them) at Aldergrove lake park. Met a lady, Doreen, that is Shannon's new sister-in-law, there as well. Sarah and her girls (1 and 2 yrs) enjoyed sharing toys. It was good to talk with Doreen. She's a very honoring and attentive Mom. Met Aaron and Stephanie's (cousins) new babe also!
-Pizza dinner with James one evening...and testing out a turtle pool. Sarah liked drinking from a hose.
-Lunch out with my Moms (Kathy and Judy) at a cute old store - Clayburn Village Store.
-Sleep opportunities - lots of babysitting done by Moms.
-Sarah put to bed by different people...Wow, it's possible. Since I ususally nurse Sarah before she sleeps, we've often thought I need to be there at bedtime. Well, after Shannon's wedding (the first Sat.) I came home to put S. to bed before returning for the swing dance. She nursed and then did her little toliet routine (saying she has to go and then not 'producing' when she gets there). Anyway, I left and asked Andy if he or Mom could help put her to sleep (because I thought it was possible) and Mom had success. She'd tell her stories...I'll tell you another story if you sit down...then another if you lay down. Smart. Dad A. also helped Sarah relax for a nap one day this way. Thanks!
-Visited with some moms and kids at Denise Engler's house - played in backyard - got a zuchinni as a souvenir and used it baking during the end of the week...thanks!
-Walk with some different moms and kids (Doreen and a friend of hers) at Mill Lake.
-Had a good walk and talk with my friend Keela in Langley...an 'urban trek' of sorts, picking up a Starbucks drink on the way back to her house...so many cars I remarked at one point...got to pray together too. I love that woman...so good to connect, it had been awhile.
-picked blueberries at my aunts house - wasn't officially open, but let us pick 'certain' bushes, cause we're related.
-visited my Mom's parents with Sarah and my Mom. Hadn't seen them since we moved, so that was nice to be together again.
-picked blueberries with my Dad and Mom and S. on the way to my Dad's parents to go swimming...cause we hadn't had time to finish the appointed bushes.
-swimming and visiting at Klassen's pool. My cousin Erin, her husband Brian and their 3 boys were at the pool too and it was fun to connect for a bit. At one point Sarah and Oma were visiting - sitting on the pool chairs, Sarah eating a snack - while Mom and I swam and Dad worked on some stuff for his "Back to the Blues Festival"
-'Camping' at the "Back to the Blues' festival in Chilliwack. Went to Curtis Paul's wedding (Andy's friend, I went to school with him too at CBC) Sat. evening while S. stayed with my folks at the fest. Then we slept there and hung out till after lunch on Sun. A. S. and I shared the king sized bed in the tent trailer...nice family sleep...falling asleep to 'blues' with a smile on my face.
-uff-da, I'm getting tired of typing this list of past events, since lots has happened this past week too.
I'm changing format.
God, thank you for your provisions and blessings. Saskatoon berries preserved in jars - we call it jam. Bubbles for washing dishes, red caps (berries) and wild raspberries to welcome me home...picking them while wandering around camp. Outdoor chapel time with songs about you and spontaneous songs about 'too many days and not enough socks' just for fun, 2 batches of people over for dinner, the speaker's FAMILY (first one that's been a part of camp so far), connecting with this Mom a bit (the speaker), growing tomatoes, big sheet of plywood to make our bed a happier place to be - now Andy and I are sleeping together again, low times of great need to be reminded of my dependance on you, Andy's prayer for me, encouraging notes in our mailbox and great welcoming back from friends here. Thank you for the wonderful picnic at the river our family could have and the chance to try fly fishing again. Thank you for the restoring of health for two sick staff members at camp experienced.
Thank you for Sarah's language development. She now says many things - 2 syllable words and 2 words strung together...'right now,' 'set up' (i.e. set up the toys), 'no Mom' (heard for first time yesterday),' 'fly away,' (from a book where a butterfly flies away) 'outside,' 'oh my' and more I'm sure.
Did I tell you, readers, that I did book a flight to see my sister and husband and their babes Eva and Elijah? Sarah and I fly out on the 13th and return to Abb. on the 17th! Chatted with Aimee some yest. and that was also very good. We talked some about motivation for parenting well...to fill perfectionistic tendoncies in us or to bring glory to God. Hmm.
We should really go out for a walk now, before it gets too hot.
Hello to the 'new' people who commented on the last post. Welcome.