The sun finally arrived!! Just in time for a mini family reunion.
This weekend, Herringtons converged on Victoria, BC, for a family member's wedding reception (open house). Part of the clan had come up from Arizona and for the weeks leading up to this mini reunion I was afraid they would freeze but thankfully summer finally made an appearance. It was great to see everyone. It's funny how time makes the cycles of life more compact. I remember as a kid thinking that the older cousins were so much older! After spending 24 hours with those same cousins, I feel like we're all around the same age now with many cousins sharing the same life experiences.
It was great to see the cousins' kids repeating the cycle too. They frolicked and played all morning and afternoon. Meanwhile, the older cousins mixed and mingled and survived a few intense games of Rook. My cousin Julie also introduced a card form of Monopoly that is fast and was a family favourite by the end of our first (and only) night together. Sterling kept asking if we could play it so we'll have to go track down a deck of the game before our trip to Hawaii in a couple of weeks.
We both love playing games. Even though my ultra competitive spirit really sucks the fun out of it at times. Somehow he keeps coming back for more. One of our favourites has been Rook. It's a good fallback but we've been exploring new options lately, especially when our American cousins come for a visit. Any suggestions for a good game? Favourites?
Sunday, 24 July 2011
Saturday, 16 July 2011
More time
Summer vacation+rain=movie night(s).
Two nights ago, Sterling surprised me by renting The Time Traveler's Wife. We'd been meaning to see it for ages but just hadn't, possibly because we'd heard mixed reviews but mostly because we hadn't really made time for movie nights.
I'm a huge Rachel McAdams fan but went in with lowered expectations, which is maybe why I actually really liked it.
For one, it got me thinking about the people I love. Time is something I definitely take for granted. When life gets busy (and by life I typically mean work/church) I find myself removing important things from my schedule. I don't have time for talking, exercising, playing and enjoying life.
This next year, no matter how busy 'life' gets, my goal is to find a good balance. My dear friend KSum has taught me a bit about this recently. It's well and good to be fully engaged in working and striving to be successful in that area of your life, but it's also important to say 'yes to the rest'. Not to say any of us should aim to burn the candle at both ends but don't turn away a night with friends because vegging in front of the TV for the first time in weeks sounds more appealing.
Speaking of TV, there's a beer commercial that actually resonated with me in recent months. It depicts Mr. Yes and Mr. No essentially. Naturally, Mr. Yes had a lot more fun. While I agree in part, I do think there's a need to balance between Mr. Yes and Mr. No (or in this case, Mrs.). The couch, TV and crappy (albeit strangely entertaining) television programming will be there when you get home. The moments with friends might not. Make memories not regrets. That's my new motto. Or at least one of them.
Two nights ago, Sterling surprised me by renting The Time Traveler's Wife. We'd been meaning to see it for ages but just hadn't, possibly because we'd heard mixed reviews but mostly because we hadn't really made time for movie nights.
I'm a huge Rachel McAdams fan but went in with lowered expectations, which is maybe why I actually really liked it.
For one, it got me thinking about the people I love. Time is something I definitely take for granted. When life gets busy (and by life I typically mean work/church) I find myself removing important things from my schedule. I don't have time for talking, exercising, playing and enjoying life.
This next year, no matter how busy 'life' gets, my goal is to find a good balance. My dear friend KSum has taught me a bit about this recently. It's well and good to be fully engaged in working and striving to be successful in that area of your life, but it's also important to say 'yes to the rest'. Not to say any of us should aim to burn the candle at both ends but don't turn away a night with friends because vegging in front of the TV for the first time in weeks sounds more appealing.
Speaking of TV, there's a beer commercial that actually resonated with me in recent months. It depicts Mr. Yes and Mr. No essentially. Naturally, Mr. Yes had a lot more fun. While I agree in part, I do think there's a need to balance between Mr. Yes and Mr. No (or in this case, Mrs.). The couch, TV and crappy (albeit strangely entertaining) television programming will be there when you get home. The moments with friends might not. Make memories not regrets. That's my new motto. Or at least one of them.
Thursday, 14 July 2011
It's a numbers game
Can you tell I'm on vacation and more or less rained in? It's not actually raining right now but it may as well be because it's mid-July and the sun's not shining. This morning it was raining and the wind has been howling much of today. It's days like today that I really wish we had a fireplace and that I had a good book to curl up with. Instead, I turn to you. Or blogging at least.
Today could have been a special day. Well, really, every day is. That's a lesson I've come to learn in the last 26+ years. Every day is a gift. I've met some incredible people along the way who've helped affirm and re-affirm this. Alas, I digress...today could have been a special day. Or so the numbers and Dr. Mario say.
7.14.11.
I don't know if my old roommate, Kimbo, will read this but this one's for her. In my very last semester at BYU-Idaho as a senior Senior on the brink of graduation, I had the great opportunity of living with some extraordinary women including Kimbo, a sweet Southern girl with an accent that could cut through the hardest heart and a spirit that matched her southern drawl's sincerity and sweetness. Though Kimbo had found the love of her life and was in wedding planning mode, unlike many fiancees I'd been around (sadly myself included), she didn't lose sight of her friends and spent many a day and night making memories and causing raucous laughter at Albion house.
One night, when I probably should have been sleeping or studying, I started playing our other roommate Christi Cox's (Coxy) Nintendo. Not just any gaming console but the ORIGINAL Nintendo. That particular summer I became a Dr. Mario addict. I'd challenge roommate after roommate to game after game. This night it was Kimbo on the floor. After playing well into the night, watching the clock's hours turn from double digits to single digits, Kimbo and I stopped competing and I decided to take on the computer at the highest level.
As I failed time after time, I started making wagers with the Nintendo Gods (I imagine they have raccoon tails and carry Duck Hunter guns) with Kimbo as my witness. Like any well educated, reasonable girl, I started proposing wedding dates based on my ability to master the hardest level at that particular turn. "Kimbo, if I win this time, I'm getting married August 8, 2010." I'd say at least a half dozen or maybe a dozen dates were thrown out before I actually won. And it definitely didn't turn out to be the day I actually got married. In fact, at that time I hadn't even started dating Sterling (although I had already met him).
Isn't that the way life goes? Okay, that example's a little extreme and probably a result of it being 3 or 4 in the morning but I find that we can't really plan life's grandest events exactly. I didn't know then that in just over six months I would be married to the love of my life. I couldn't have guessed that in a million years. First of all, I was always the slow one to trust and really let my walls fall down. Second of all, at that time I was just over a month away from graduating from BYU-Idaho (aka BYU-I-Do for many) and moving back to a place I'd spent years being single. In the back of my head, that plea to the Nintendo Gods and anyone who'd listen was pure fantasy. But unbeknownst to me, it became a reality much sooner than I'd anticipated.
Now that Sterling and I are happily married and approaching our two year mark, it seems more of life's grandest events are just around the corner and as much as I can try to plan for them, some are just going to come and some might not. That's the great challenge and joy of life. We can't expect every little thing to unfold as we please. As we try to map out parenthood, future job prospects, when/where we'll buy a home, setting a timeline is well and good but not necessarily something I or the Nintendo Gods can control.
I do know that there is someone who knows and has control though. I'm so thankful my Heavenly Father has a plan for me and us, and am so glad to know He's a way better planner than I could ever be. But boy would I ever love to take a peek at His blueprints for my life. I've never been one to skip ahead to the end of a mystery novel just to see who'd actually 'done it' but I have been known to frequent the Big Brother web sites just to find out who's nominated before the episode is actually aired. There's a big part of me that wants to know what's next and when will it be here? There again is another joy of life. We don't know.
We live the day-to-day trying to do our best and sometimes fall very short. We can plan, budget, worry and work, but we can't anticipate every turn in the path we're taking. Sometimes we lose sight of the path and sometimes we find a straight stretch we can see ahead for miles. The great key is that no matter where the path is leading, we're the ones walking it. We can choose whether to keep a steady pace or slow down for a while. We can choose to look back or forge ahead. That knowledge gives me great hope and helps me appreciate the journey that much more. No matter where we're going--when the kids will come, where they'll grow up, or what type of job Dad will be coming home from at the end of the day--I know I'll be walking the path at my pace and alongside my best friend.
Today was supposed to be a special day and it was. The Blue Jays are up 9-4 over the Yankees for one. And I've spent the entire day with Sterling. After a year that saw him move to Idaho to finish up his degree and a long playoff run that kept me away far more than either of us would like, it's moments like these that I really appreciate. Now if only the sun would make an appearance...maybe it's time to summon the Nintendo Gods. I could really use some bonding time with the Doctor.
Today could have been a special day. Well, really, every day is. That's a lesson I've come to learn in the last 26+ years. Every day is a gift. I've met some incredible people along the way who've helped affirm and re-affirm this. Alas, I digress...today could have been a special day. Or so the numbers and Dr. Mario say.
7.14.11.
I don't know if my old roommate, Kimbo, will read this but this one's for her. In my very last semester at BYU-Idaho as a senior Senior on the brink of graduation, I had the great opportunity of living with some extraordinary women including Kimbo, a sweet Southern girl with an accent that could cut through the hardest heart and a spirit that matched her southern drawl's sincerity and sweetness. Though Kimbo had found the love of her life and was in wedding planning mode, unlike many fiancees I'd been around (sadly myself included), she didn't lose sight of her friends and spent many a day and night making memories and causing raucous laughter at Albion house.
One night, when I probably should have been sleeping or studying, I started playing our other roommate Christi Cox's (Coxy) Nintendo. Not just any gaming console but the ORIGINAL Nintendo. That particular summer I became a Dr. Mario addict. I'd challenge roommate after roommate to game after game. This night it was Kimbo on the floor. After playing well into the night, watching the clock's hours turn from double digits to single digits, Kimbo and I stopped competing and I decided to take on the computer at the highest level.
As I failed time after time, I started making wagers with the Nintendo Gods (I imagine they have raccoon tails and carry Duck Hunter guns) with Kimbo as my witness. Like any well educated, reasonable girl, I started proposing wedding dates based on my ability to master the hardest level at that particular turn. "Kimbo, if I win this time, I'm getting married August 8, 2010." I'd say at least a half dozen or maybe a dozen dates were thrown out before I actually won. And it definitely didn't turn out to be the day I actually got married. In fact, at that time I hadn't even started dating Sterling (although I had already met him).
Isn't that the way life goes? Okay, that example's a little extreme and probably a result of it being 3 or 4 in the morning but I find that we can't really plan life's grandest events exactly. I didn't know then that in just over six months I would be married to the love of my life. I couldn't have guessed that in a million years. First of all, I was always the slow one to trust and really let my walls fall down. Second of all, at that time I was just over a month away from graduating from BYU-Idaho (aka BYU-I-Do for many) and moving back to a place I'd spent years being single. In the back of my head, that plea to the Nintendo Gods and anyone who'd listen was pure fantasy. But unbeknownst to me, it became a reality much sooner than I'd anticipated.
Now that Sterling and I are happily married and approaching our two year mark, it seems more of life's grandest events are just around the corner and as much as I can try to plan for them, some are just going to come and some might not. That's the great challenge and joy of life. We can't expect every little thing to unfold as we please. As we try to map out parenthood, future job prospects, when/where we'll buy a home, setting a timeline is well and good but not necessarily something I or the Nintendo Gods can control.
I do know that there is someone who knows and has control though. I'm so thankful my Heavenly Father has a plan for me and us, and am so glad to know He's a way better planner than I could ever be. But boy would I ever love to take a peek at His blueprints for my life. I've never been one to skip ahead to the end of a mystery novel just to see who'd actually 'done it' but I have been known to frequent the Big Brother web sites just to find out who's nominated before the episode is actually aired. There's a big part of me that wants to know what's next and when will it be here? There again is another joy of life. We don't know.
We live the day-to-day trying to do our best and sometimes fall very short. We can plan, budget, worry and work, but we can't anticipate every turn in the path we're taking. Sometimes we lose sight of the path and sometimes we find a straight stretch we can see ahead for miles. The great key is that no matter where the path is leading, we're the ones walking it. We can choose whether to keep a steady pace or slow down for a while. We can choose to look back or forge ahead. That knowledge gives me great hope and helps me appreciate the journey that much more. No matter where we're going--when the kids will come, where they'll grow up, or what type of job Dad will be coming home from at the end of the day--I know I'll be walking the path at my pace and alongside my best friend.
Today was supposed to be a special day and it was. The Blue Jays are up 9-4 over the Yankees for one. And I've spent the entire day with Sterling. After a year that saw him move to Idaho to finish up his degree and a long playoff run that kept me away far more than either of us would like, it's moments like these that I really appreciate. Now if only the sun would make an appearance...maybe it's time to summon the Nintendo Gods. I could really use some bonding time with the Doctor.
Wednesday, 13 July 2011
Out of the Woods
There was a time in my life that I diligently kept a journal. Actually, much of my life I daily kept record of my adventures and misadventures. Each entry directed to my future posterity, I envisioned future generations reading and empathizing with my daily, not-so-exciting undertakings on Vancouver Island. I would ramble about hope and heartache, love and loss, often feeling that this week's story of a boy would turn into the early records of my lifelong love story.
Ironically, as the years went on and I got more serious about writing I became less diligent in my record keeping. I'd come across my journal in the midst of a move to life's next destination and scribble out a few pages summarizing the last year's events then stow away the pen and paper with a resolve to get back into keeping a journal.
And so the cycle continued as my life's goals started turning into realities. Gone were the days of chronicling every last detail as those details started shaping the very life my posterity would really be affected by. Blank are the pages that should have highlighted my move from Duncan to Calgary where I got away from the trappings of home just in time to realize the comfort and security I'd taken for granted. The pages don't read about the day-to-day: classmates, schoolwork, Squash games, dance parties...or the life lessons learned from forging a lasting bond with high school friends, dealing with a challenging roommate (SC) or letting a visit with puppies turn into purchasing one while living in a pet unfriendly university residence.
My pen didn't capture the moments of self discovery and cherished friendships I developed when living in Victoria. Or the moment I decided to make the move to a church school in Rexburg, Idaho.
I didn't take the time to write about the way five strangers would shape my early experiences at BYU-Idado as my new roommates. How much I'd come to love these girls I'd never met before. Jasmine who would always make me laugh yet offer such poignant life lessons. Those same life lessons dear, sweet Amber would impart as well as she challenged a variety of subjects in our long conversations. Countless others would come into my life and touch it for the better--Jenette, Daphne, Tessa, Christina, Angie, Wendy, Lindsey, Katherine, Home Skillet, Hurricane, Kimbo, Kyla and Coxy among many roommates I was blessed to live with and learn from. Then there were the Scrollies, basketball teammates and friends from church. All these people and places that shaped my life and I didn't take note.
Now that most of the hopes and dreams I'd aspired to have become reality, I regret not taking pause and making a record. So here it is. My attempt at making amends. I'm a little late at catching on to the blogging world but when have I ever been known to be punctual? For my friends, family, future posterity and mostly myself, here it goes.
Ironically, as the years went on and I got more serious about writing I became less diligent in my record keeping. I'd come across my journal in the midst of a move to life's next destination and scribble out a few pages summarizing the last year's events then stow away the pen and paper with a resolve to get back into keeping a journal.
And so the cycle continued as my life's goals started turning into realities. Gone were the days of chronicling every last detail as those details started shaping the very life my posterity would really be affected by. Blank are the pages that should have highlighted my move from Duncan to Calgary where I got away from the trappings of home just in time to realize the comfort and security I'd taken for granted. The pages don't read about the day-to-day: classmates, schoolwork, Squash games, dance parties...or the life lessons learned from forging a lasting bond with high school friends, dealing with a challenging roommate (SC) or letting a visit with puppies turn into purchasing one while living in a pet unfriendly university residence.
My pen didn't capture the moments of self discovery and cherished friendships I developed when living in Victoria. Or the moment I decided to make the move to a church school in Rexburg, Idaho.
I didn't take the time to write about the way five strangers would shape my early experiences at BYU-Idado as my new roommates. How much I'd come to love these girls I'd never met before. Jasmine who would always make me laugh yet offer such poignant life lessons. Those same life lessons dear, sweet Amber would impart as well as she challenged a variety of subjects in our long conversations. Countless others would come into my life and touch it for the better--Jenette, Daphne, Tessa, Christina, Angie, Wendy, Lindsey, Katherine, Home Skillet, Hurricane, Kimbo, Kyla and Coxy among many roommates I was blessed to live with and learn from. Then there were the Scrollies, basketball teammates and friends from church. All these people and places that shaped my life and I didn't take note.
Now that most of the hopes and dreams I'd aspired to have become reality, I regret not taking pause and making a record. So here it is. My attempt at making amends. I'm a little late at catching on to the blogging world but when have I ever been known to be punctual? For my friends, family, future posterity and mostly myself, here it goes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)