Dear Anybody

I was trying to explain to Shye what this blogging thing was all about and she thought that the greeting above was best way to start. And so dear Anybody, I am moving. And how am I ever going to survive living in Calgary without this little girl and all her hugs, and a certain young boy and his attempts to dominate in wrestling.
I haven't moved in a very long time, moving is so much bigger than traveling or wandering. Living nowhere in particular doesn't scare me. Living by some loose and open-ended version of a plan suits me just fine. Not knowing, always new. Great. Staying put? I hardly know how. This week, moving to Calgary seems like the continuation of my wandering adventure, but at some point new is going to become old, normal, and ordinary. And I'm afraid that I don't know how to do that.
At this point ordinary seems a long way off, while I am moving tomorrow, I know that one month from now I should be 'moving' my things across the city again into some sort of apartment that may be home for some time. For now I will be living with a handful of new people, and then I will be living with more new people. I am going to have to learn what it looks like to love my neighbour and teammates in a place I don't even know about yet. I am starting school on Tuesday, and it has been 3.5 years since I was in school, what have I got myself into? And while for the next few weeks I am a bit of my own boss, I am also looking for a new job. There's plenty of uncertainty and newness on the horizon.
For now I am excited and ready for the challenge, but certainly sad to leave. The weight of leaving is heavy. I am not just traveling, I am moving. I am making the choice to be somewhere else, a choice to leave my family. I feel as though the decision was made too easily, and I feel as though it was birthed in me so slowly and with prayer. Both.
I am moving tomorrow.
From,
Kim

Christmas 09

Hope you've all had a Merry Christmas! We enjoyed a pretty great day together.

Next Steps: Part 1-2-3

Much to my delight I now find myself at home. Every time I travel I reach a point when I want to return to the people I love, which then requires me to also return to this city they live in! So, here I am back in GP.
I am so glad I detoured and found myself "waiting" in Nelson, the two weeks I spent there were necessary for me to finish thinking, praying, processing. And when it finally came time to leave it was because I wanted to be home, and not simply because I had nowhere else to be.
It is easier to return home to GP, and to be excited about it, when you know that your stay will be a short one. To prove that, I will be leaving again this Friday, heading down to Calgary for a handful of reasons and a handful of days, and then back up north. When I return I will try to find some work to keep me busy until Christmas, (if you know of anything...).
So the question now is obviously: What next? And amazingly I think I know and I'm excited about it too! I am planning on moving to Calgary in the New Year to find full-time work, and part-time studies. I am hoping to finish my ABC degree in the next couple years as I have a half dozen or less, classes left. That is part one.
Part two, I am pursuing an intentional community living situation. I have been reading, praying and having many conversations about community living for the last 2 years. And in particular, thinking about forming a community where hospitality and knowing those who are poor is part of the point. Very excitingly I have some leads towards building or finding this kind of community in Calgary.
Part three, this is the part that is a true miracle: Midwifery re-enters my life! Alberta's first approved, university level, midwifery education program is supposed to begin this coming fall, in Calgary! And if all the necessary pieces for that to happen go ahead and happen, then I will be the first to apply for the program! That means starting from scratch, it means four more years, but I have figured out how much I want this and I am willing to start again.
With all these things on the horizon home is a great place to be, I'm here to enjoy my family, friends and the next two months. I am continuing to try to live with the quote "Be Here Now" in mind, I'm trying to learn about waiting and living out my questions, and daily choosing joy.

Family Christmas

Well first we decorated the tree. But that was weeks ago...

And then we dug in for a feast, but that was two days ago...

And well Ben's always been tall...

So Kayte and I had a photo shoot, and there's more to come...

And brothers were never supposed to be normal...

But sisters get to be pretty...

And occasionally an elf visits.

Merry Christmas!

Ben had to head back to Edmonton early, so we celebrated Christmas on the Eve. We had a nice little Christmas, with gifts more meaningful, and less abundant. For which I'm grateful. It was good to enjoy Christmas dinner on the 23rd, with Liz and Emmy and the whole family. And Kayte and I got to be a part of the Christmas Eve service. Well actually, Kayte, Barry and God planned it. And I got to read the Christmas story, light the advent candles and tell the kids, that the answer "Jesus" was coming, but not yet. And today the rest of the continent is on pause, and we are finished and already scattered about. Ben heading back to Edmonton with D, Kayte at work, Lisa with her mom. So I wish you all a Merry Christmas. And the awareness that Christ IS Come. The wait is over. Don't miss the fact that our giving gifts is only a mimic of the great gift Giver, One we can not surpass. And must not shove out. Blessed Christmas to all of you.

Loss

Last week my cell phone was mostly stolen, and yesterday morning in the -30C my car would not start, and as I have been alone at my place, and have no cell phone or internet connection right now, I was totally stuck. I wondered to myself how long it would be until someone would come looking for me. Not to mention that I needed to be at church, it's kind of my job.
The solution I came to was to bundle in many extra layers, and venture out into the cold, and walk in the direction of the rest of the church staff's homes. Since we almost all live within a 10 block radius of each other. I walked in the direction of the tightest gathering of homes, thinking if someone wasn't home, I could go to the next, and so on. I was lucky enough to get a ride from the first home I tried, which was good, because I was beginning to think that in that cold, I might not make it back home, if all my pursuits failed me. It was a great start to the day.
I arrived at church in time for the second service, which was 2 hours late, for "work", but just in time to catch my parents coming in. My dad pulled my sister and I aside and told us the news we had been waiting day-to-day to hear. My Granddad had passed away in the night. Mostly my heart breaks for my dad, I think I'm better at empathy, than at feeling for myself. I feel the emptiness in this loss. For someone raised and firmly certain of the salvation of those whose trust is in Jesus, the loss of a family member who did not choose that trust, is decidedly empty. And somewhat surprising, I've always couched death in terms of "going home." What do I say now?
So now my task is trying to figure out how to support my dad, how to think and speak about this, how to pray.

This Fall

It's Fall! Get out and enjoy it while you can!

The Bottomless Lake

It was 2 weeks ago my folks texted with a command to pack a bag and join them in Jasper, where it was very hot. I thought for a moment and did as I was I told, arriving that evening. I had two lovely, gorgeous weather days in the mountains. We floated down the Athabasca and I went swimming in the bottomless Horseshoe Lake. Which was certainly cold and mildly nerve-wracking. What appears in these pictures to be crystal blue waters was actually shear underwater cliffs, a black unknown full of fish. And I'm a sissy! But I eventually accomplished my goal and swam out to this fascinating island rising almost to the top, right in the middle.


Alas summer is over, winter has come and my feet and fingers are always cold. Sweater days are here!

the D tour

Last weekend I made a province-wide road-trip with stops in Edmonton, Calgary, Okotoks, Longview, Kananaskis, Canmore, Banff, and Jasper. I also managed to see Ben and Lisa, Jessica and Jordan, my Nana, Kayte, Dakota, Sarah and Heather. I slept in my car one night. And took in Canmore's annual free Pancake Breakfast. Pretty good for a trip taken alone!
Now I didn't use my camera on the first half of the trip, but from the time I saw D, to the time I got home, I took a couple hundred shots. Stopping at every great view, all the way through the Rockies!
You'll have to forgive the little blur spot on most of the pictures, my lens needs looked at, and the pics need retouched. I have yet to do either.

Head for the Hills

Shye and I went for an adventure today, out at Kleskun Hills!
It's a pretty big hill for a small kid, and there's 5 more like it.
I asked her, "How big is the mountain?" "This Big!"
Greetings from the top!
This is us after 6 hills conquered in the hot, hot sun!

Happy Canada Day!

I spent last weekend with family down in Wetaskawin, celebrating my grandparents 50th anniversary. Congratulations to you both. They had a great party, and I enjoyed explaining my life to dozens of relatives I only see every 5-10years. We got to see a video of my grandparents whole lives, which was very enlightening, I was shocked to see my young-Grandma prancing around in some pretty small outifts! Not that I blame her, if I looked that good I would too! And Kayte and I dueted a Rosie Thomas song. Now I'm in a mad camp prep season. I'm out-of-town this next week with Sr. High / Young Adults Camp, back for 3 days and then on to a week of Teen Camp. Which I'm ultimately responsible for, and have to have pretty much done before I leave Saturday. Hence why I'm working on Canada Day. So I wish a Happy Canada Day to you all! And I'm moving on to my lists of To-Do's.


Don't they look fabulous?
Kayte and I sing.
My Mom escorts my Grandma in the wedding dress they both wore!
My Grandad reading a "bit of writing" to my Grandma!

PS: Even though it wasn't on my To-Do List I managed to end up in the Studio Y? float at the Canada Day parade this afternoon. I'm waved-out!

Ben & Lisa

My brother got hitched yesterday, and I think that's pretty great! He married my good friend Lisa, (and it was about time), I'm so glad I can now call her sister! It was an incredibly beautiful wedding, such a fun day. And I love digital photography and the instant results - Enjoy!


Kayte and I. May I just say that I loved my hair!

So I'm always tall, even here...

...But not as tall as my brother!

The End.

We Ski for Free

Well, it's been four years since my last Ski attempt, and yesterday I tried again. Dad's company puts on a ski day every year, but I haven't been around since the year Dakota came, so it's been a while. Did I mention that this was only the 3rd or 4th time I've ever been on downhill sticks? And as such, our family has switched to snowblades, we finds it fits our clumsiness far better! But for all my un-co-ness, I did my best skiing ever, and have only one really good bruise on my left rear.
I feel like this has been one of my most Canadian winters ever! I made it out sledding a half dozen times, skated twice, went skiing, and rediscovered pure maple syrup as the secret ingredient of everything!

Winter + Family = Christmas

All Daddy's girls in one place for the first time. We took advantage of the weather and went for some morning sledding on Christmas Eve.
Mom and Shye.
We could be sisters. Wait, 2 of us are.
Dad and Dakota.
"Sisters, sisters, never were there such devoted sisters."