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.