Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to All!!
We're finally done finals!!!

Real Meaning of Christmas

Sometimes, I think with all the hustle and bustle of everything we forget the real true meaning of Christmas. I think this child says it best about what Christmas really means. The spirit of Christmas only truly comes when we remember why we really celebrate. From our family to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Love Merr and Jonny

Just a quick post to say hey!!
We're surviving we're still around but we've hit Finals!
FInals Finals Finals are horrible things!!
We'll be back in two weeks!
Love
Merr and Jonny

Ps. CHristmas time is here!!! Wahoo!! We set up our tree on November 12th! because we just loveeee Christmas!!

October Scares and tears mixed in with happiness.

So I realize that this is a month after the fact but school definitely got in the way of me posting as much as I have wanted to. But I am back with a bang! October was a month of fun for Jonathan and me, so we'll start there.

Something I have wanted to do forever was go to a pumpkin farm and so I decided to make it a date for me and Jonathan. I got creative this time, I did! I wrote Jonathan a poem, wrapped a chip can into gauze to make a mummy, and topped it with a mandarin orange with a jack o lantern face! On saturday afternoon, we set off on an adventure to Bon Accord to our Pumpkin farm which is only about 20 to 30 minutes away from our little apartment. When we got there we payed our way and went in to start on our pumpkin adventure! There was so much to do and see that I was excited that I had picked this date! We started off going to a haunted house where the boards move from being so old and you go around and around. I must not here that both Jonathan and I are chickens when it comes to scary things. So we waited for a group of people to go through the haunted house and when we got through it wasn't that bad because we knew where all the scares were. We could do it again right? Well we were obviously wrong. We decided that we would go once through right before we left... so we wandered off to see what else there was. In one part of the farm there was a hill billy hoe down and they played and strummed on their instruments for about an hour and they were surrounded with pumpkins of every shape and size! They were even grey pumpkins and that was weird to see.. But anyways, they were a really fun farm because they had a petting zoo with baby bunnies who were still so little that they had blue eyes. We got to hold a little piece of heaven as we were on our date and I think that was my favorite part. ON a side note, I love how farms never disappoint in living up to our childhood dreams because this farm had everything you would expect to see on a little farm without cows and horses. They had chickens, pigs, goats, ducks, and even pea****s! It was so fun to view all these animals as I did on a video master VHS i would watch daily as a child. After heading off from the petting zoo, we went through a little mini corn maze and took pictures with one another. It was fun being "lost" all by ourselves with no one to find us! Close to this little mini corn maze they had a pumpkin shooter where they were shooting off pumpkins to a pirate ship, it was really loud and Jonathan wanted to do it but the people were only allowed to put the pumpkin in the shooter and the farmer would shoot it off so we x'ed that idea. We wandered around looking at all the pumpkins and trying to pick out which one we would by, and in doing so stumbled across a face painting station! So I was a cat and Jonathan was a lion except the girls didn't do a very good job so we kind of look like massive freaks with colored faces when we went off in the next part of our date but hey it was all in fun! We ended up trying to make a fun scarecrow after finding our pumpkin, to put in our living room but we were just having a heck of a time trying to find pants that matched with a top and a head so we took off with one of the already finished products that had been forgotten. We took a hay ride and went to the real corn maze where we wandered off course and were picking up the dead corns that had fallen and throwing them into the field and had contests to see who could throw the farthest! Jonathan of course won but there were times where he would purposely throw short and let me win! What a boy! After we came back on our hay ride to the entrance, we decided to go through the haunted house once more. We knew that the farm at this point was closed and so we waited until two girls kept running through and just screaming to scare one another. They left as we were taking pictures and we made it through with no scares. Jonathan asked if he could take a picture of me and BAM right when the light was going off! This stupid rat in this trashcan by where we were standing popped out! We had totally forgotten that this rat was there and so we screamed and ran out. Laughing and Laughing because we had known it was there. And that is the end of our fun little pumpkin farm date!

Our little pumpkin and decorations:



THe next big event of October this year was actually two. One the was sad that have touched many people's hearts and also a very joyous one! The first of a major emotion filled week was Sarah's dad, who is now my sister-in-law, her dad died 6 days before her wedding before a massive stroke! It was a really hard week to be away from my family and I know that a Heavenly Father was listening to our prayers as we prayed daily for them. It was hard because they would call and you could tell how strong they were all trying to be but everyone was hurting from this tragic loss. Sarah's dad is one who will definitely be remembered for his sense of humor. It had been years since I had seen him and he was there with open arms when he met Jonathan and saw me. Jonathan called him the OC dad because of the way he dressed and acted. The funniest thing about Dave that we remember is when Sarah's mom was talking about how quiet Sarah was in comparison with Cale we all thought Melanie was joking and so Dave looked at his wife, and remarked, "Yeah, Hunny just like how quiet you are!" Haha and everyone cracked up laughing! I admired Cale and Sarah for their courage to continue on in the face of affliction and tragedy. The wedding was really good and so busy! I didn't realize how busy weddings were until the morning of the wedding My mom, Terry, Jonathan and I are running around the chapel setting up a luncheon. We have half an hour until the sealing and I look like i've rolled out of bed that I was freaking out about what I looked like. I still feel all over the place from that wedding because of hor much we traveled around I lost my pants,a necklace, and numerous other things that become apparent as time moves forward. I don't know what to say about the wedding. Cale and Sarah you guys make a wonderful couple. Keep one another close to your heart!! That's my two cents!
Lovee
Merr

Hurrah for November and sunny days!

I didn't think we'd make it but we did!

It's November and school is flying by! It has been really busy and very stressful but Jonathan has proved to be a good sport and has come to my rescue in cleaning house and making dinner when life just seems too busy to survive with projects and midterms piled one on top of the other! Jonathan started a job two weeks ago working at Toys R Us and it really has been a blessing not only financially but for Jonathan's happiness as well. We were starting to come down to the end of our funds and both of us were getting a little anxious about how we were going to make it but things are good at the moment. Jonathan comes home from work tired but very happy and this is a huge improvement to the working situation of the Zoo. I think when you don't have to deal with customers too often or unrealistic expectations a new job can seem like heaven on earth! Jonathan is in the process for looking for a better paying job but this one is nice because he just runs across the parking lot and he is at work. That is right boys and girls our backyard is toys r us, every child's dream!

This week has proved to be one where I can definitely testify that Heavenly Father exists. Jonathan and I have been quite lonely here in Edmonton with the lack of friends and support available but now I am starting to understand the reason for my calling in primary. It was through the Primary's Trunk or Treat that we indeed make some new friends that seem that can become the friendship we needed. The first couple we met was Will and Becky Pitcher, a couple who are older than both Jonathan and I but married two days after us. It is fun to finally have someone who definitely knows right at the moment what experiences you are going through. We have invited them over for dinner on Sunday so we'll see how that goes.

The Second couple that we met were Ray and Alison Whitlock a funny little couple in the terms of how bubbly and outgoing both of them seem to be. They still are very youthful and so that is fun to see a marriage based on a girl who still has that happily ever after view of life. Not realistic entirely but a lot of fun to be around especially on those cloudy days.

The third couple we became better friends with were Eric and Lena Chalmers, who we were kind of introduced to in the first couple of weeks in the ward. We kept trying to get together with them but it never seemed to work out. Jonathan decided to try once more and three must be the magic number because we had them over for dinner on Tuesday night. Now as many of you probably know my mom is a wonderful cook and so there is a stigma that Merrawyn must cook as well as her mom.. and not to sound prideful but I must because the boys had three helpings each to my spaghetti so I was feeling pretty happy about my success... we'll see if I can deliver on Sunday for Will and Becky. Eric and Lena are really cute and funny to be around they kind of showed us the real expectations of marriage and the fun one has in just being with their significant other. We played Bahnanza after supper and ate Fudgeeo's. All in all it was a really fun night.

The rest of this week since Sunday has been busy. It was the primary presentation so I was asked to help man my class. I have two children from the bishopric and they seem to be the rowdier ones of the bunch. I love all my kids and right now I have seven at the age of seven. They are a lot of fun and I was happy to feel so prepared in teaching them. When I worked with the ten and eleven year olds in Sunridge I felt really overwhelmed but in the end came to really love my kids and I already have that love for these kids. They remind me a lot of Mandy, Cody, and Kayla my buckaroos in Calgary I used to nanny. Six and seven are just such a fun age in the fact that they are still so excited to learn and are happy to be there.

Jonathan went crazy when we made so many friends so in just this week alone we have three couples on three separate days coming to visit. On Monday we had RObin and Megan Stoneman and I really felt closer to home seeing Megan. They are a fun couple in the fact that they love to laugh and still are so excited for married life so it was nice to have them over for family home evening. I'm surprised I've made it to Thursday and am still surviving. Yesterday I went to my three classes got home and went with Jonathan to his chemistry class.. My oh my chemistry is crazy and I am glad I don't have to take it. I tried to take notes and understand for Jonathan so we had a double whammy in defeating chemistry but we'll see how Jonathan does on his midterm on wednesday. We ended up staying at the university until 6:30 to study and then we zipped home for jonathan to change and then went to the church for Jonathan's missionary meeting. We eventually got home at 9:00 and both of us were asleep by 9:30 until this morning. It's crazy how life gets so busy and you just expect your body to keep up with you. Both of us are finally adjusting to being married, working, and in school so I am grateful for that.

On another note, today I figured out my classes for next semester and I am super excited! I am taking my IPT which has some big fancy name but really what it is, is my first practicum in an elementary school. No more random classes that feel like I have no end in sight! I realize I do have one more semester of just taking ridiculous required courses but when you get to do something related to teaching, the end really doesn't feel so far away.

Tonight we are off to study again for chemistry and my four papers due within the next two weeks so we'll see how that goes!
Happy November

Love Merr <3

Happily Ever After

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Laundry: Loads of fun!

I feel like being a wife is one of the best things in the world and something that is so new and exciting! Many times I wish I could be the wife that stays home all day, has cute crafts that decorate her home, home made treats made with tender loving care, and supper waiting on the table hot and ready to eat as soon as her husband walks in the door. But the truth of life is that I am a student and so is my hubbins! are we are poor! There never has been any yummy treats, supper is always on the table every night but usually not when it's normal to be eating supper and there are no cute crafts that I have made that yet decorate our home. School will be the death of me because it kills my dreams! But being poor and being forced to be creative has become some of the most waited for times to build memories and laughs!

Jonathan is an amazing husband and really is my cheerleader. He cheers for me and supports me in all that I try and do. When times runs out and I've fallen behind with all the chores of the home he steps in and does his fair share. This week he did the laundry. Now many of you are probably thinking that this story is going to end bad either having pink "whites" or shrunk clothes but everything turned out perfectly fine... until... the dryer did not dry our clothes! Two bucks wasted, two bucks that we don't really have and so when you're poor you become creative. A full basket of wet clothes and what to do?

Well here was the solution to our problem, we had clothes everywhere. We had clothes hanging from our curtain rods, draped over our kitchen chairs, our couches, our shower rod, and last put not least we had clothes on top of the stove, the table, and hanging off our cupboards. I laughed and laughed as we hung clothes everywhere, and I felt the excitement bubble inside me as we hung them. It felt as if I was little again and we had made a fort because everywhere there was something hidden and I could imagine the stories we could have played if we were only little again. I love those moments throughout the day that Jonathan gives me as we both live, grown and learn for one another; especially we can laugh at the funny things that happen throughout the day.

She huffed and She Puffed until...

This weekend has been one that has brought amazing challenges in itself and I am so grateful for the constant reminder I have received in many numerous ways to put my faith and trust in the Lord and he will direct our paths. This week past has been beautiful in terms of weather and I had the opportunity to wear shorts and flip flops on numerous occasions throughout the week even though it is the middle of October! This weekend we had planned to go to Calgary for the weekend but our plans were stopped short when both Jonathan and I kept getting the feeling that we shouldn't go. It was the worst feeling in the world because Cale went through the temple yesterday to receive his endowments along with Sarah.

As Jonathan and I discussed if we should go to Calgary or not there was such a want to go but such a desire to stay because of midterms that happen this week and next for school. We prayed about it and still had the desire that we didn't know what to do but the feeling we both seemed to receive is that we needed to stay but we both wanted to go. Finally, both of us came to the conclusion that we should stay and we were both heartbroken that we couldn't be there for Cale and Sarah's special day along with the time to share thanksgiving dinner with our families. We ended up staying in Edmonton and for good reason. Although we both felt super sad about not being there, Heavenly Father knows the overall effects of what is going on. On Saturday morning, Jonathan and I went through a fun car wash where it is like its own amusement park ride. You put your car neutral and it pushes you along where it first showers your car, then washes it with scrubbers using the fun colored smelly soap, using the huge rollers to wash the soap off, and then blowdrying your car clean. It was turning out to be an okay weekend even though we stayed in Edmonton. But by, two o' clock in the afternoon I was huffing and puffing, I was struggling to breathe and my inhalers were done and not giving me any hope of getting any new breath. Finally, I looked at Jonathan and said, "Jonathan, I need to go to the doctor's!" It was a feeling that I hadn't had since I was a child the scariness of feeling the breath gone and no hope of getting anything new. I was scared and Jonathan was my saving grace.

We hopped into the car and took off trying to find a doctor's office. Edmonton due to its small town feel of the late shows being at 6:45 pm you can only guess what happens on Saturday for doctor's offices... You're right they are closed! Not just one or two but seriously all of them. So the next best thing is the hospital. So little did we know when we set off that the doctor's offices were closed it wasn't until we pulled over and ran into the nearest mall that has a doctor's office that we found out. Two wonderful old ladies who were selling raffle tickets helped us in our quest for help. They told us the direction to get to the hospital and we were off to the Royal Alex Hospital. Jonathan drove quickly while I huffed and puffed in the passenger's seat... it was horrible because every time we stopped at a red light, the people in the car beside us would stare at me like I was some kind of freak show. I probably looked funny as my face looked white and I made funny faces struggling to get air but it didn't feel very funny. It took us only ten minutes to get to the hospital and we missed the first turn off for emergency. Luckily enough there is a senior's home across from the hospital and so we parked there and Jonathan quickly hussled me across the street, j-walking in the process. I thought people weren't going to stop but I think one look at me stopped cars for miles because as soon as we hit the edge of the sidewalk the cars slowed for us as if there was a red light. Jonathan took me across the street to the first building we were close to, and brought me inside but no one was there. No one and so we went to another building.. closed! Are you serious isn't this a hospital so we went back into the first building and Jonathan grabbed a wheelchair that was in the middle of the building with no one around. Jonathan said he was thinking the whole time "an old man is going to come out of the washroom and be like where did my wheelchair go?!" Jonathan was so good because he plopped me in the wheelchair and we were out the door. Jonathan pushed me as he ran down the street to emergency three blocks later. We got to the admittance desk and within a matter of seconds they had called the respiratory therapist and had me a bed. The nurse at the front told me to slow my breathing down because in this whole process of gasping for air like a dying fish I had started the process of hyper-ventilating. When they were finally able to get me to breathe with my old man wheeze they rushed me off to the emergency room where they started me on the process of breathing new air. Within an hour and a half I was full of 10 puffs of ventolin, 4 puffs of flovent, and 4 puffs of another more stronger air ventilation system. I was grateful for how kind the nurse and doctor was and you could tell they were doing their jobs not because of the money they would get paid but because of the love they had for the job. We were in the hospital for two hours and by the end of my treatment I was shaking from the effects of the medicine. The doctor was amazing and wrote us a letter to use for school, work, and our landlord about how much the cigarette smoke from the apartment building was affecting my health so I think either we'll have to move or get an air purifier which still causes problems once in a while for asthma. So we'll see how it goes.

Once we got out of the hospital Jonathan took us to Edo where we got sushi and some Sukiyaki Beef. We were going to eat in the restaurant but we decided to go over by the stake center and sat at a park there and ate our supper. It was really good and wonderful to have such a supportive and wonderful husband who runs me to the hospital because i sound like an old man.

I guess the other thing that happened this weekend is that God must have a sense of humor. We got called by Brother. Tremblay to come to church at 9:30 to have an interview with a member of the bishopric. Really this can only mean one thing... this means you are receiving a calling. So we get to church and I told Jonathan even before we go to church, oh I will accept any calling except anything in primary... dun dun dun... guess what my new calling is.. to be a teacher for the ctr 6 which I think is the eight and nine year olds. UGH! I don't know i know we are supposed to be excited about our callings and be happy to serve the Lord but I just don't like primary I was so excited to move away from Sunridge and now I have the same bloody calling as before. Jonathan was called as a ward missionary so that is alright. We'll have to see how it goes. But I guess Heavenly Father must have a sense of humor to give me the same calling as before... but he's the only one laughing.

Well that's our two cents this week. Have a very happy Canadian thanksgiving tomorro!

You Must Have Thought I was Crazy!!

These past two weeks have been amazingly stressful and very busy! I loved being able to watch conference and feel some strength come from the apostles and prophet. I always tell everyone that President Monson is so cute and I wish he was my grandpa I love how he just hooks your attention in his talks and you can feel his love and the spirit as an outpour upon you.

But seriously, last weekend felt like one of the busier weekends we have had in a long time. Both Jonathan and I were dead exhausted from school by Saturday that we decided to watch conference in our bed with our laptop! It was so fun to snuggle down in the blankets while being in church clothes and taking notes. I thought it wasn't going to work very well but both of us actually did really well, not one shut eye for either of us. On Saturday night Jonathan was a trooper and went by himself to the Priesthood session. That is one thing that we have found difficult in moving to Edmonton. It seems like everyone is so friendly except at church and more often times than not you are the one who has to pursue a friendship. But Jonathan being so amazing and an example of the Savior always for me went to Priesthood and I was on an adventure to go grocery shopping.

I still hate driving in Edmonton, so Jonathan drove to the chapel and I took the car from there. Every time I get behind the wheel of the car in Edmonton I have to honestly stop and give myself a pep talk before I get behind the wheel. Honestly I was not joking about the horrible drivers over here who don't stop even when they are close enough to kiss your car. Anyways, I went off on my grocery adventure and I have to say, grocery shopping is a whole art in itself especially when you and your husband are both students. It the art of being frugal and I am glad that my mom taught me how to spot a good deal when you find them.

The first store that you can score good deals on some stuff is Giant Tiger, they have everything you ever desired in that small packed store, from pantyhose to a roast for dinner. I was really proud of myself for the wonderful deals I found there because I was able to find a bag of onions for only $1.48 and a little ham roast for $4.00. The other store I love shopping at and drag Jonathan off to a lot of the times is Walmart. I have to tell you I am disappointed that they are just in the process of building their SuperCenter because my you can find cheap stuff there but usually you can find a good deal on something os that is always good. Along with this art of grocery shopping is that it requires a lot of time which I still have to learn. I was thinking that it only would take me two hours to get through Giant Tiger, Walmart and Superstore.... Ha! who was I kidding it was 7:15 when I got out of Walmart and still had Superstore to go so I botched the idea and drove to the Stake Center to pick up Jonathan.

It was so nice to see Jonathan after being separated to see him, and he was so sweet. When I pulled up to the church Jonathan was standing there with two Rootbeer floats in his hand. So I pulled into a stall and we ate in the car while we chatted and caught up with each other. It felt like we were dating all over again and I got butterflies as I sat in the car and laughed with Jonathan. When we got home that night Jonathan and I got home we learned how to do video conference call on Skype with his family so we showed them our apartment and ate some soup and sandwiches while we chatted. At the priesthood session, the missionaries had asked Jonathan is we could pick up an investigator for the Sunday morning conference session and this is where all the hilarity of our day began.

When we called the missionaries to get the address, Jonathan and I had a good laugh because the missionaries who live in the same apartment complex as us were quite funny in what we asked to do. Jonathan and I both don't know Edmonton very well and our lack of skills in direction many times leads us to dead end roads with a lot of laughs. So Jonathan had asked the Elders if we could follow them to the investigator's house... this is how the conversation goes.

Jonathan: Can we follow you to pick her up?

Elder: Uh we can't have people in our car it's against the rules

Jonathan: No can we meet you in the parking lot and follow you to her house

Elder: But we will be leaving our house at 9:45 and we won't be at the church

Jonathan: No we'll meet you int he parking lot of the apartments to follow you.

Elder: But we are not allowed to have people in our car.

*By this point both Jonathan and I are holding back our laughter*

Jonathan: No No! We live in the same apartment complex as you we will meet you as 9:45 in the parking lot so you drive your car and we will follow you in our car.

Elder: Oh right okay see you tomorrow!

So we went to bed without a problem and woke up in the morning, and we were out the door before even the Elders were. This is where our whole fun began because as we were following the missionaries to this lady's house, we were stopped at a red light. Jonathan looked out my window and pointed at what I thought was a funeral; what is that he asked? So I proceeded to explain to him... "well you know when people die you put the dead person inside of the coffin to take them to the burial site." "What?" Jonathan asked me giving me a weird look, I thought he didn't understand so I proceeded to tell him again. "Well, you know after a person dies you put them in a coffin and put them in the back to be able to take them to the burial site." Jonathan looked at me again and said "I know what that is but what's that?!" He then proceeded to point at a huge silver metal thing. By this point we burst out laughing, wherewith I responded "you must have thought I was crazy!" and Jonathan was laughing "at first I felt kind of dumb because I was thinking that you knew more than I did about Edmonton, and then I was thinking that you might be right that you just put the body in the tube and maybe shoot it out. But then I was thinking no I think that's a bat" Haha!

Sorry it's a picture in the winter but this is the

metal thing Jonathan was pointing at.

It is a huge metal bat down 97th Street.

We laugh and laugh about it still as we think about this huge metal bat that shoots dead people out of it to get them to their burial site. Oyyy Jonathan must have thought I was crazy trying to tell him that this metal bat held dead people.

Hill Billy Hoe Down, Belly Up, and Noses in Books

So after my last post on Friday September 17th, time has flied by. On Friday night when Jonathan finally got home from school at 8:30, we headed over to the Castle Downs stake center. It had been announced the Sunday prior that on friday, there would be a stake dance, and anyone who was anybody was going to be there. Everyone oohed and aaahhhed about how wonderful the something or other North Stake Band was and so Jonathan and I were excited the whole week to go to this super fun amazing dance that had been planned. Well little did we know what Edmontonians meant by party and dances here. We showed up about 9:00 to this "dance" and it was definitely a sight to behold. All the old people, and I mean OLD people were on the dance floor, getting their groove on. Jonathan looked at me and said, "everyone said how wonderful this band was... this music is for people who are sixty...nine and up!" It was true, the band was playing songs from like the 1920's or 1930's and it was old people doing the waltz and fox trot across the dance floor. Well Jonathan and I definitely didn't get to shake our hips that night. We tried to dance but we just ended up laughing as we tried to follow other couples as they spun and danced all over the dance floor in a haphazardly fashion. At one point, Jonathan and I were pretty worried for this lady because her husband was so into the music that as they spun around so fast, never in the same direction, that perhaps if the husband by accident let go this lady was going to go spinning or maybe even flying across the dance floor. So, after that fear and us giggling as fell over each others' feet trying to follow this other couple, we decided to call it a night and headed for home after only fifty minutes. We had to be true to our Calgarian hearts though, and we both agreed that the choices here for Young Single Adults is worse than Calgary, and we were both happy to have found each other before moving up to the cold north.

So Saturday night, Jonathan decided to be wonderful and clean out his babies' tank. Well I guess I need to explain what our babies are. On Cale's birthday, we decided to buy Cale two fish for his fresh-water aquarium and in doing so decided that we ourselves needed a family mascot and bought two fish. One was my beloved ChubChub fish and the other was a really really fat little fish that went belly up only after 12 hours of having him. So we put our fatso back in the bag belly up and returned to the store to get another one. While there we got our other babies Creamsicle, and Glub Glub, and Jonathan loves these fish so much! He probably feeds them three or four times a day and he has them trained so that when he walks by they swim to the front of the tank and make goldfish eyes at him. We have them on a bookshelf in our living room with our stereo underneath and we noticed that when we put music on, our beloved goldfish ChubChub would swim to the beat of the music and the other fish would join in. These fish are fighters they were able to survive the drive from Calgary to Edmonton in the back of mom's van in the cooler so we have gotten pretty attached to our golden babies... Okay so now that you have this vision, you can only guess what happens next.

We have now learned what the MAJOR difference is between Calgary and Edmonton. The water... it should have clued in for me that when I won't even drink the water from the tap that there is a problem. Well we changed the water, and in Calgary when you put the fish just in tap water they are fine, they can live, survive, swim around, and breath... but nope not here not even a slight chance! Jonathan had put the fish back in the water and they were all acting really funny, not swimming, but just breathing really hard... so hard that... our beloved goldfish ChubChub and Creamsicle, went belly up from all the chlorine in the water. Our sad sad tale.

So Jonathan, who is cute and tries to be a great husband didn't want to tell me that my favorite fish had died so he ran to PetSmart and bought three others to make me feel better before he told me. I miss my old goldfish because these ones don't dance but I am glad for what these new little fish represent. Right before moving to Edmonton, Jonathan and I spent a lot of time over at mom's house with Cale and Sarah. Well the joke became that Cale and Sarah were giants, and we were little because Cale and Sarah are bigger than both of us. So Jonathan, when he bought some new little fish bought some golden yellow little gold fish named Jonathan and Merrawyn, and a big fish that we named Sarah, and our old GlubGlub was renamed Cale. So now we have these two big gold fish and two little ones that remind us of home, especially for me, when I feel home sick.

School has really started off with a bang and projects are already coming due within the next week or so. Jonathan is such an example to me of a hard worker and someone who cherishes the belief that school is important. Every day Jonathan studies his chemistry for probably four hours or so a day, and is always doing his best to review the material. Me on the other hand... I am trying to juggle five courses and be a wife, so it's hard for me to devote as much time as he does to one course but I do the best I can. Jonathan has also already been a great help for me, as I have already struggled through my spanish class. The teacher has a funny idea that first you should try the work before it's taught and so many nights over the past two weeks I have been up until one or two in the morning working on this broken spanish that Jonathan sometimes gets frustrated with because of the grammatical errors the teacher has, and tries to explain to me why the sentence is wrong, and how to correct it. So by friday this week, I was spent done, I went to one class on friday and came home and slept. Slept all day Saturday, went to the Relief Society broadcast and I am finally on my way to recovery.

Before ending my post this week, I just wanted to encourage all the ladies who haven't yet watched the Relief Society broadcast to do so. What a wonderful Relief Society presidency that we have and I am so grateful also for a cute and loving prophet, President. Thomas S Monson, who spoke last night also. How wonderfully in tune and inspired are our leaders from the church and I felt that no matter where I was in the world or how many sisters there were that this Relief Society presidency loved me and had a concern for me. I was grateful to hear that one of the main blessings and purposes of Relief Society is to teach sisters, inadequate individuals like me, how to rise to the opportunities we are given to be able to truly learn how to love our husbands, our families, and our children. I just can't even express enough how the spirit poured down in that meeting as I listened to these wonderful sisters and our prophet talk. How interesting I thought, that even adult women, who should know better are being counselled by the prophet to stop judging appearances and learn to exercise charity, the pure love of Christ, and it is definitely my goal this week. So anyone even priesthood out there if you are needing some extra loving watch the Relief Society broadcast because it was amazing.

I forgot one last thing that was special this week. On Tuesday night, even with our busy schedule, Jonathan and I decided that we needed to go to the temple. So we got in our car and trekked to the other side of Edmonton to go through a session. I hadn't been feeling well since my lack of sleep since arriving in Edmonton that I was at the point where I was pushing myself to go. I got a feeling the closer we got to the temple, to tell Jonathan that if they are us to be the witness couple we'll say no but I shook off that thought as soon as it came and didn't think much of it. Until, as soon as we walked through the temple doors, Brother. Fairbanks came up to me and Jonathan and asked, "would you two like to be the witness couple?" It was a ironic coincidence that this should happen but we agreed to and in our session it was nice to join with Jonathan as we renewed our own covenants and did the work for others, of how sacred and special place the temple really is. No wonder Satan works so hard to push people down so that they cannot go within the temple walls because it is there you feel closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ than anywhere else. I was so grateful for the power and strength I received there and can't wait for our next opportunity to go again. Temples are such a beautiful blessing from the Lord and I am really grateful to have one in Edmonton where we live.

September Start Over

Drumroll please..........

FINALLY!!!!!

Finally, after months of trying to get a post started, I Merrawyn have finally done it and opened a blog for all our family and friends to read! But, I have to admit that I am not the brilliant one who came up with this master plan... it was Jonathan!

A little while after we got engaged, Jonathan and I were one night talking about all the many different experiences and emotions that we had had ever since becoming engaged and Jonathan passed along the idea that we should start a blog of all our adventures together. I agreed and after many well-intentioned attempts at starting a blog but never getting anywhere I am proud to announce that we now have our very own blog!! Now I have to admit that I have three years of blogging hidden away somewhere out there in the wonderful world of internet but this is mine and Jonathan's new and improved beautiful blog of our adventures together! And I am so super excited to write about them!!

I have to be truthful that the last four months of being married have slipped through my fingers quicker than sand and I wish I had started this blog earlier to record all our fun summer and crazy adventures together. But starting out in September and how we got to where we are today should give you each a little insight to how crazy and busy our lives have become!

September started out with a lot of boxes from three different houses. One house was Jonathan's parents, one house was my parent's, and the third house was the lovely little house, Jonathan and I had spent our first three newly-married months together; where we house sat a dog we nicknamed Prideful because of the way he walked and where we developed wonderful new and old friendships with amazing old family friends who exemplify love. To explain where all the boxes came from and where they were going, we might have to rewind the story a little bit. Right before Jonathan and I had gotten married I had just finished a dreadful year at the University of Calgary, and I was determined DETERMINED not to finish my schooling there so talking it over with Jonathan, both of us decided that we would move to Edmonton if I was accepted into the Bachelor of Education program at the University of Alberta.

Well we both have to be honest and say that both of us were getting a little antsy when the middle of August rolled around and we still didn't know if I had acceptance into the university. Jonathan right now is doing a university transfer program and so we weren't worried because we knew he would be accepted as soon as we registered but the wait for knowing if Edmonton was the place to come was excruciating. But after some fasting and prayer, together and individually, we both felt that we needed to move to Edmonton at the end of summer and prepare to both be enrolled in school.

We Searched High and Low:

Finally I think, right around the middle of August the acceptance e-mail finally came and the two of us in our little beat up car made the three hour drive to find housing in Edmonton. Well finding housing in Edmonton became it's own little adventure full of laughs and full of funny memories. My mom's sister lives in Edmonton so the two of us stayed with her while we looked for housing. Well we started the hunt one day after getting to Edmonton and got to the first apartment we were to look at and found that it was in a very very VERY sketchy area. There were two glass doors and to even get into where the intercom was, you had to have a key! The other funny part was that the apartment was down a street that was so skinny, only one car could fit through. We decided to take a closer look at the doors of the apartment but the closer we got the more sketchy the place became. Each apartment had its own little balcony and the balconies were rotting out of the wood and on one of the balconies were two ladies who were super drunk and it was only five or six o clock at night. So we nayed that idea of even going inside to look and went to check out another apartment that had a for rent sign that was down the same street but about a hundred times nicer. Well that place was all right but Jonathan was determined to find a place for only $600 and that one ranged around $700 and it had ugly yellow carpets and it was down that one car lane road!On a side note, it was pretty funny because whenever we would tell someone how much we were looking to spend, my family so my aunt, cousins (brother and sister), and then mom all had the same response about living in a cardboard box down by the river for that price.

I sometimes wish that Jonathan was writing this blog because he's got the more funny sense of humour and when you go apartment hunting, you definitely need that sense of comic relief. Well we went to one other place that I had found through the university student housing website. It was a lady from Calgary who had moved a couple years prior to Edmonton and was renting out her basement suite for a student. Well the price of rent in the advertisement had started at $600 including utlities but by the time we even looked at the place the price had sky rocketed to $750. Aunty Toni had taken us to these places and this third place we just all had to have a chuckle. The lady showed us the basement suite which was really only a rec room with a door that separated the bathroom and laundry from everything else. The lady looked at us and said she was an energy conserver so we would really have to talk about the price of utilities because in her words "really there is two of you and just one of me!" By the time we left the apartment's rent was at $850 so needless to say we didn't have an apartment that we loved by the end of the day.

Every little girl has once dreamed of being Barbie...

So Jonathan took things into his own hands and started to search through the classified ads we had of apartments available. It must be Jonathan's luck because the first place he called the next day is where we are living today. We called and asked about the one bedroom apartments they had for rent and found out they were about $849 for one. I nearly choked when I found out that this was the average price for one bedroom apartments here... So now you must be thinking well if Jonathan was only wanting to spend $600 and we turned down the apartment for $700 surely they wouldn't spend 250 dollars more a month to get into this apartment. Well as it turns out, in the apartment building the manager had an apartment that was unique than all other apartments. It was a bachelor suite of only 400 square feet that was a one bedroom apartment, with a full bath, and a kitchen and living room combined. The selling price of only $649 a month including heat and water. Well we jumped on coming to see the apartment and fell in love with it right away. Not only did we love the layout of the apartment the other selling point is that during our walk about, we saw... MISSIONARIES! Now that was exactly what sold us and so we live a minute away from the missionaries and seem them sometimes and while we have had our adventures with neighbors and smelling funny things when we walk through the hall to our little abode, we have a place to call our own! Jonathan jokes and calls it our little barbie house because everything is so small and the furniture all looks like what Barbie would have. I guess being a Strupcake Cupcake I definitely do love my little barbie house :)

*I will post pictures once I figure out how to ;)

Really, is Calgary still better than Edmonton?

We'll let you decide...

Since arriving in Edmonton, both Jonathan and I have noticed the differences between here and Calgary. For starters, it is true it is definitely colder here and I am already wearing my mittens in the morning on the way to class. It does eventually warm up during the day but we are definitely dreading how winter is going to be here. The other differences we have noticed here is that drivers in Edmonton are scary and the road systems are set up very funny! For starters you pass a school and you look high and you look low but there are NO and we mean NO signs that tell you to slow down because you are in a school zone, the only signs to be found are

"Slow Down When Lights Are Flashing max. 30". Now Jonathan and I are not even parents this and these lack of signs scare us! How can you not slow down when you see someone smaller than your kitchen chair walking down the sidewalk, alone, wearing a backpack bigger than they are. It's just weird. Also people are not friendly like in Calgary and let you in. Your signal light is not a suggestion that you want to move over lanes, here it's the five second warning that you better slow down or let me in, or you'll be eating my bumper. It has come to the point where I won't drive unless out of necessity and Jonathan does a lot of the driving. Thank goodness for boys and their assertive manners. The other differences we have noticed here are that people are still very friendly, once they are out of their cars, every person we have run to still have that good small town attitude where everyone is ready and willing to chat even if it means they are going to be late for whatever they are doing. I think we were in the bank the other day for around 45 minutes just because we were chatting with the girl. It's definitely nice to know that some people still are willing to be friendly! Last but not least, that small town feel we're talking about shows that same attitude when it comes to the LRT! It doesn't matter the LRT here comes every five to seven minutes no matter what time of day, you still expect to spend twenty to thirty minutes on the train getting somewhere because of the small town attitude. Last but not least, can someone please call Mc Hammer to get his clothes back?! People here dress really funny, it's normal when you are walking down the street, to see not high school kids but university students with purple, green, blue, pink, fluorescent yellow hair; you name the color we've probably seen it. Every where you turn, whether it be right or left, people here are dressed in either 80's rocker outfits, or Mc Hammer wannabes. I just hope it doesn't rub off on us!

Our Little Apartment :)