Blah Blah Blah

Just a quick update...
-still taking classes...I am doing an expressive art and play therapy class. Which means I get to play with play dough and toys during class, it's stellar.
The second class that I am taking is anti-oppressive social work... Both are a lot of work for six weeks...in which I have not done anything yet in them.

-On June 14th -18th I am in Regina for a week of classes. I then head off with the university to go to Detroit. I am super excited about that. I am sure it will be a lot of work as well, but it will be worth it.

-I then come back to Canada, still have a day of classes. Head back to Swift, unpack, head off to medicine hat for a fundraiser...Come back to Swift...repack, then I head off Costa Rica.

pray for me.

When I was in Grade 3, I remember we watched a video on Roberta Bondar, which inspired me to want to be an astronaut. I still think it would be a cool occupation, but those things involve math, and I hate math. Then in grade 7 I decided that I wanted to be a photographer. This still interests me and maybe someday I will take a photography class. In grade 12, I thought that I wanted to travel and do cool things like, learn how to shoot a gun or fly a plane. So I thought, why not join the reserves. So I did.
Then I got a letter in the mail asking me if I wanted to go to Bible School. So I went. I had no clue what I was going to do after it, I realized I had this idealistic view of the reserves and didn't really want to go in it. It took me a long time and then I decided that I wanted to go into social work. So, I started the voyage into university.
Now I am going to be a Social Worker! I got my acceptance in the mail today. Hopefully I will be done by April 2011 (if the classes work out!).
The end is in sight, well sort of....another year and a bit...another year and a bit.

Hard wood floors, Kjersti I feel your pain.

This post is dedicated to you kjersti, because I know that you have probably experienced the same pain I have.
I was in a rush, throwing things around in my room, trying to find my keys. I was ready and had my backpack full of books strapped on my back, my laptop in my shoulder bag, and a purse in one hand. I ran around the corner to the stair case. As, my left foot left the top floor, my right foot slipped, due to slippery socks and I made a decent down the flight of stairs in a not-so-graceful way. Each step pounded my bottom and I spilled out into the porch. Usually I am home alone during the day, but it just so happens that both my roommates were able to witness my stellar entrance. I started to laugh hysterically, because I was slightly embarrassed. Then the realization that my laptop also came with me for the ride hit. But, to my great happiness, it still works, and seems okay to me. This happened yesterday and I am pretty sure I bruised my tailbone and banged my elbow pretty good. Today I learned my lesson and went barefooted.

"I have a midterm this week?"

While I am sitting here typing I am feel slightly guilty that I am not being the studious student that I should be. Instead of studying for a midterm that I just recently found out that I have on Thursday, I decided to make use of my time differently. (I just sat through class for nine hours...I am taking a well deserved break...so I rationalize to myself).

So why the picture? I thought that it was rather funny actually. I have been super busy this month. This semester I am being a full time student taking five classes. I have never done this before. I am taking Social work 417 which is alcohol and other substance abuse; Human Justice 201; Social Work Practice 2; History 101; Sociology of the families. Three of my classes are on Tuesday, which I have deemed Marathon Tuesday. Nine hours of lecture wouldn't bother me so much, except I don't start until 1pm and I finish at 9:45pm. I want to be done by April 2011, God willing. So I am also going to be a full time student throughout the summer as well. I am also working at South West Crisis Services (speaking of which, I got reminded that I have a staff meeting tomorrow morning...this is what happens when I don't write things down on my day planner). I work casually there, it's been great for learning and I love talking to my co-workers and the clients.
I originally thought that I may need more money, so I thought of working full time and then also doing school part time. Sometimes I think I am invincible, but when I started to get advice from others they urged me not to do it. I am thankful for that, it's the end of january and I am behind in school work, working casually. It's interesting though, I was stressed out about the whole money situation, but God kept reminding me that I am precious to Him, and I mean more than the birds in the air. So I trusted it would work out after a period of stressing. It's amazing how God is Jehovah-Jirah (hopefully I spelled that right). And He provided through the generous gifts (thanks to the Anderson family!!!!).
Anyways, back to the picture. I don't remember it being taken, thanks to the sedatives that were running through my veins. This was taken right after they removed my wisdom tooth. I guess I was having coherent conversations with people. My friend said that I was getting upset at the assistant who didn't believe me when I said I don't ever remember being on anti-biotics. Which to my knowledge, I don't remember...my mother is anti-drugs, so I would have had to have been on my death bed to get them. I don't remember how I got out of the midtown plaza, or the conversation I supposedly had with some lady as my friend went to find her car (don't remember that either). I don't remember the drive to my friends' place. In fact I woke up about four hours later and thought that I missed my appointment, until I felt the bloody gauze in my cheek. To say the least, I was supper disoriented. I don't like that feeling. Anywho, the doctor gave me a prescription for Hydromorphone. Yeah, that was excessive....*anyone wonder why we have a prescription drug problems in society??* Anyways, I did use three of them. It's interesting how it was such a jump: advil or the pill form of morphine? I took two the day after (it was my jaw that hurt more so) and then because I was driving on friday home, I didn't take anything, not even advil (it was raining, and I knew that the roads were going to be bad). So when I got home I took an Advil, BreAnn also stayed with me on friday...the roads turned really nasty. But we went to a friends house to watch a movie. My jaw started to ache...so I took another one of those pills. Which, by the way, makes you sweat...it knocked me out pretty good too. I just stayed on top of it with advil from then on and it was fine. However, taking advil every four hours for four days straight then sporadically....I had a killer headache when I went the day with out it. So I chugged lots of water. I am going to hand back the rest of my prescription to the drug store. But what if I had addiction problems, yes there was a check box for that when I was filling out my medical history, but I don't think even if you were someone who struggled with it, you would check it. And they gave me a pretty good sized prescription. (if you are ever you tubing you should put pharmparties in the search box and watch the video).
Enough with that.
This past weekend, I went to Breakforth. It was good to be in that type of environment. I am sure that every Christian has ups and downs in their walk. Lately I have been feeling distant from God. Everybody refers to it as roller-coaster. I am thankful that even though that I have those moments in time, that the disparity between my ups and downs are starting to become closer. In those times where I see my bible, and I choose not to open it, God still talks to me. This has been going on since I came back from south africa. It's kind of hard for me to explain; besides I feel like Jonah. Intentionally avoiding God because I know what his has called me to do may be extremely difficult. Part of it is that He is challenging to rid myself of things that distract me and become holy, as Jesus makes me holy. He gives me dreams: sometimes I see myself married, with a family, a loving husband, children, adopted children, doing what God called me to do in my vocation. Sometimes, I see myself in Cambodia, working to get girls out of the sex trade. I see myself doing the same thing here. Sometimes I dream about working with the United Nations as a peacekeeper and going back to Africa to help. Sometimes, I see myself being single, working in a school setting, or being a child advocate. Social Work is very secular profession and I know that I am constantly in a collision of worldviews, but strangely it makes me excited. Because I get to be like Jesus amongst people who are completely different in their views than I. Maybe I am a firm believe that leading a Christian vocation, ministry, doesn't just happen within the confines of the church setting. And I think that it is often harder, because you sometimes are alone in your class, or where you work. But thankfully God gives us support systems...aka the body of Christ. So going to breakforth was good for me, I needed to hear somethings, be convicted of somethings, and I am not going to sleep through the alarms that are going off. So I have met my whale, and may God give me the strength to keep on in Him. As my friend Dawn would say, "keep on keeping on". So I am keep on keeping on and waiting for what doors He opens for me.
Well, I should go and start on some homework...

Last year at this time I was getting ready to leave for South Africa with BreAnn. As I have been thinking about it, I have been remembering what I learned over there. I have not really posted about it. I only shared it at church, so sorry you get to hear this again. But I went to an orphanage called the Love of Christ. It was for infants and children up to age three. If they were not adopted out, the would be adopted into the main family. There were a lot of babies there. Practical skill wise, I learned how to feed children really fast, change diapers really fast, make baby food, work with children with disabilities...and so forth.
I have come to realize that God has given me the gift of compassion. But I have a heart for the poor, for the marginalized, abused, for the sick, and if it was not for that, I would not be going into social work as a career. One of the verses that continued to speak to me throughout my stay was "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws" Ezekiel 36:26.
It is easy for people to have compassion for those who have been in a place of abuse, for orphans, for people who have come through horrific circumstances. But it is not so easy to forgive and love those who are the abuser, who are the oppressors, who are mean and detestable. God loves them, so shouldn't I?
I am not saying this is an easy thing. I have been struggling with loving people who have hurt me. But I have come to a place where I can forgive those people and honestly I want them to find Christ and I want them to feel loved. I know that we have all have our personal stories and you might be ready to hear this. Some of you might feel still angry at those who have hurt you. Some of you might be in denial of people you have to forgive. But I will tell you a little secret, something that has taken me a long time to learn: forgiveness key for a healthy relationship with God, it enables me to help let go of bitterness. Sometimes, you may never hear a person tell your they are sorry for what they have done to you, but you have to forgive anyways. If you don't then you create bitterness in your heart, and I will place money on that it is rarely bothering the person you need to forgive. Really we are the ones who are in charge of our own emotions. We are the ones who say I am angry at you, I am sad, I am happy.... I am also not trying to validate an abusers actions and trying to write them off, but there is a point where you have to let go.
Some of the parents of the children who were at the orphanage did detestable things to their children. There was a little boy and girl who was there. When the mom came to visit, she never came to visit with the young boy, just the girl. She was also a prostitute, it makes you worried when you know her history and when you know she is only interested in getting the girl back in her care. It does make a person mad.
"You have heard that it was said, love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven...If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not the tax collectors doing that? and if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even the pagans do that?" Matt 5:43-47 What good are we if we only love the selected few? I think we don't often talk about it because we live in a society that likes to be comfortable with Christianity. Or we go on other religious crusades but forget about the fundamentals of Christianity: Love. It is the greatest commandment. The cool thing about it is God gives us the heart of flesh to do it. It is not Marian, but God.

Student loans are stupid. They never give you enough money. I don't understand why they have to make life so miserable for those who have to use them. It's not like your not going to pay them back. Even if a person files for bankruptcy you still are obligated to pay them off. Today was the first day of classes. I was talking with my classmates, they all have the same opinion of student loans (they are evil). Anyways, student loans is only paying for 4 out of my 5 classes. I also just finished paying off my textbooks and I have to come up with up to $900 to get my wisdom tooth out. Did I mention it is one tooth? My mom has insurance, it just sucks, who has $900 up front. So I am gambling and hoping that it doesn't cost that much.
Well back to my classmates discussing student loans. One lady in her forties gave me some advice:
-"you should find a rich boyfriend who has good insurance and would pay for schooling for you".

I am thinking, "Maybe if I have a fairy Godmother, I also live in Swift Current, nice try though"

then she offered this suggestion, "Why don't you have a baby, then you get a lot of funding from the government to go to school"

Tempting, but I think I will pass.

I thought it was time for a change.

Hello Everybody,

I thought that I if I told (or write about it would be the better term, I guess)that I would keep myself more accountable. I like chocolate. A lot. But it is not just chocolate. I eat so much junk food. Really, I don't know how I have managed till now. I eat sugar like a five year old and I am going to have diabetes if I don't watch it. Now, I don't think there is anything wrong with eating it. I just eat it excessively. Kathryn always tells me, "Moderation Marian, Moderation!" Just ask kjersti where all her chocolate chips used to disappear to...
So here I am, confessing my binge eating habits. I always say that I will stop eating junk food, but it just doesn't happen. I would hate to know what I would be like if I actually had a serious addiction problem. :|
Okay, so I don't usually make new years resolutions, I usually break them, so why bother to make one...
But the more people I tell, the more people to keep me accountable. Not expressing my resolution could lead to a contributing factor to failure. And since I don't like people to think bad of me, it keeps me more in line. So here it is:
1) I am limiting myself to one chocolate bar a week
2) I will not order a French Vanilla or drink pop
3) I will go to the gym (I will learn how those exercise weight training gadgets work)
4) I will not eat chips or hot tamales

Sincerely, Marian

woot woot...

Last year I wanted to send in my social work application. Due to an unfortunate event, I somehow managed to erase my application, like four hours before I was supposed to be at the airport. I went to press file print, but instead I pressed the back button and POOF all my hard work became obsolete. I remember how I started to cry. I also was not packed and not ready to leave the country because I spent my time trying to get my application done. I remember Brittany, BreAnn, (i think Meghan too)...they came into Brittany's room and started to pack for me while I was a emotional wreck...they were so nice to me.

I remember the day the application was due, January 15th. I remember how I starred at the ceiling in our room that morning in bed. But I remembered that it would get worked out and something would happen.

Technically as a social work qualifying student, I am only allowed to take four classes. With this semester, I will have completed them. So I had to email the Dean at the Faculty of Social Work to get permission to take an extra class. Basically if I was going to get SW347 in swift, I had to do it now (because courses alternate every two years, and I want to be done next year). So I emailed and asked very politely and he gave me permission. Then there is a SW 417 class (Drug and other substance abuse) being offered as well. I thought that I might as well try for that one too, what is the worst that can happen. I know that in the past, other students from swift current have emailed to take two extra courses above the allotted four, usually they were denied. So I wasn't staking a whole lot on being able to take it. But praise be to God, because I got an email the other week granting me permission to take it. So, even if I was in the faculty I would only be taking these social work classes this semester. Isn't it nice to know that there is a God who is watching over us and helping us a long the way.

Westerns This Weekend!

I am so excited. It is also the last volleyball tournament of the year! (Whoo hoo).....
p.s I don't know how to make the poster smaller...

life in where life makes sense....

Do you know that swift current has giant sized black squirrels? No, I am not mistaking them for rats. But they are huge!. I have never seen black squirrels in my life...

I thought that you should know that.

-------------------------------------


I remember a couple summers ago, I had a conversation with someone about emotionally charged jobs. Well, two conversations, both with different people, but both somewhat similar. I don't know what is making me think about this, maybe because I am bored and I am trying to keep awake during this night shift?.

Well, one of the discussions revolved around how some jobs are more emotionally charged then others. What do you think??

I don't think that other jobs are more emotionally charged than others. You might disagree with me, but I am going to state why anyways.

I had this conversation with someone who had a very physically, emotionally, and overall very draining summer job, which I totally applaud that person for doing it. However,this person then started to compare it to my summer job, which was at that time tree planting. This person started to tell me how that they wish that they could just tree plant and not have to think at all. That it is easier not to get emotionally involved.

This type of ignorance really makes me upset.

Again, I don't think that their are jobs that are more emotionally charged, I think it depends on the person and how much they are willing to get to know people.

For example, yes I tree planted, but it doesn't mean I just played with dirt all day. Some of my best conversations with people was out in the bush. I remember one day, my foreman made me go plant burn holes with someone from another crew. I was not looking forward to this what so ever. I knew that the guy I was going to be with also was the camp supplier of illegal extra circular activities. But God really worked in my heart. And I got to know him a bit. After we established that I did not want try pot. He told me how he came out tree planting to dry out from special k. My heart broke and he started to open up about some things and how unhappy he was, we talked for most of the day.

People also saw me at my raw moments as well, where I broke down, sometimes went insane.

I don't understand how you can compare people's moments with each other just because of different job titles. Yes there are jobs that you may be more likely to be in those emotionally charged situations, but I think it is unfair to devalue other people's experiences.

When I tell people that I am in social work, some people reply with telling me how it is going to be a emotionally draining job; sometimes they ask me if I get emotionally involved.

In order to feel empathy for another, you need your emotions. But God has been teaching me on who's foot I am supposed to leave them at. "it is not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit says the Lord". For me to say, well I am going into social work therefore my job requires more of me than you, is terrible. I don't think that way at all.

What if a bank teller discovers that the guy next to him is having a terrible day, thinking about suicide, and decides to intervene?

Know matter where people are, there always going to be sin. Where there is sin, there is problems and pain.

I hope that makes sense.

word of God speak, will you flow down like rain, washing my eyes to see, your majesty...

They are all just so dang cute!





She got distracted when I said her name...




I find this funny...

Wrinkles....

I turned 25 this weekend. It was pretty fun...I have wrinkles. I know I shouldn't be too worried (or else I will get more wrinkles)...but seriously? I feel like my face is that of a prepubescent grandmother..on one hand...I still break out...on the other....I am getting wrinkles...is there no justice?

One the other note:
I had a pretty sweet birthday. BreAnn came up to visit and stay the night on friday. She also somehow managed to persuade me into not opening my present...which is a difficult feat in itself...[i am really not patient when it comes to knowing that I have a gift and not knowing what it is]. The present did remain a secret for most of the night, until she blurted out, " so what do you think your pajamas are"...which I then got a bright look of victory on my face and BreAnn had horrified look to her face. I replied "pajamas?".

Saturday another friend came up to the city. We went motobiking down the trans-canada for my first time...it was really hot out...and windy...so windy the over sized jacket puffed up like a ballon, in which i thought i was going to sail right off the bike...

Sunday we had a multipurpose party... Another friend of mine turned 25 on the same day...and another friend was heading off to europe...and it was a welcome to swift current party as well. I had lots of yummy things to eat...things which I know that would make my volleyball coach upset...Meh! (i love dq cake!)

Peace out!

I feel like a certain frenzy has taken over....everybody is getting married! But it is a good frenzy; it's comforting to know that my friends have awesome guys or else it may feel different about it.

I went home to suzy's wedding shower. It was nice. [see above pictures]. Frontier holds the best wedding showers because they give an abundance of gifts. Sometimes I struggle with the urge to get married just so I can have a wedding shower ;)

When I was sitting down and observing the head table, it made my heart happy just to see how suzy was so excited and so in love!

job or no job?
I realized that I both hate having no time and having lots of time on my hands. When I was at work, I always thought of a million things I could be doing if I was not at work. Now that I am unemployed, I wish I was working, making an income and not having to worry that much about it. I think that I secretly love to be over committed too many things. I had a job interview this morning. It was slightly awkward, only because I had just woke up, it was only 8 am [I don't think straight when I first wake up and secondly who freaking calls at 8am for a job interview!]. Taking the position would mean that I am working full time. I like to think of myself having a high threshold for stress, I know that I could do it...but maybe I just have a superwoman complex that needs to be readjusted...

I am also getting sick of school and would like to be in a profession. I will be 25 years old next week, maybe I should be comparing myself to my friends, but they are all in the career stage of life...and I am still the poor student...ah! So I have decided to take more classes...I think that God wants me to be done too, since He's been opening up the doors.

Lastly, I am playing volleyball again. I don't mind that it consumes my life, I think that it helps with my mental stability. I think that this year is going to be different. I am slightly out of shape so to remedy this decided to join a gym and go on a modified eating plan.

I was in the drug store the other day and I have never bought vitamins before. Now I have read somewhere that omega 3 is good for you, then I thought that I should by some calcium pills [i like strong bones] and lastly I bought some acidophilus for the tummy.

Now I don't really swallow pills that well. Even taking the gel Advil I need lots of water. So when I took out the calcium ones I could not believe the size of them. They look like large animal pills, maybe for a horse. I like chewables, i should of just got Flinstones. But being an adult now, I thought that old enough that I should be able to just take the whole one. So I put it into my mouth...five minutes of gaging and trying to convince myself to swallow...it started to dissolve...
I cut it in half now...but I still have some troubles...but I figured out a technique.

home.

I have been home for a week now. I don't know how to start to tell about life in the last few months. I miss my babies. I see white children and I think they are funny looking. I miss singing twinkle twinkle little star. When I hear a child cry, it's weird that I don't have to go over to settle it down. I was in a department store, I saw some baby clothes, I looked at them, thinking about who it would look cute on.

But as much as i did love it there. i am glad to be home. If you want a more in-depth story, you just have to phone, and i would gladly go out for coffee with whomever wants to go through 1900 pictures (yeah, I know).

Sometime i will post some pictures of the adventures in cape town.

i have nine minutes

ok, so i am alive and loving cape town. I climbed table mountain today. i went with some guys and a gal from germany. they were in shape. i am just getting over a bad chest cold. i thought that i was going to die on the way up the steep vertical. who needs cable cars, right? definitely took one down.
on the plane ride down to cape town, my friend and i sat next to this guy, who when he found out we were working at an orphanage gave us these free tickets. it ends up that these v.i.p passes are worth 800 rand. so we are going to go and eat food from the top 18 best cooks in the world. yes, in the world.
so that's exciting.
well, i am going to go and enjoy the plus 35 weather.

Ezekiel 36:26

i find it funny that whenever I am away from the computer, I always think of things that i want to write about. but when i am here, my mind goes blank.
so much has happened in the last month and a bit. It took me a month to get used to everything here; the kids, the routine, the cement walls surrounding the farm...
i will just talk about some of my highlights from the this past month..
1) is I went into soweto with one of ladies who works at tlc. she showed us her home and the surrounding soweto area. I did get to see nelson mendala house, the hector piterson museum, and of course just the driving around soweto was interesting in itself. But martha took us to this very traditional resturant..basically you buy meat, then go around the back, put it on a braai ( which was a barol (sp?) cut in half with a grill on top). the surroundings was interesting, which it's been a couple of weeks since i ate there and I have not lost weight since then ;) but it was very good...
2) I went to the hospital on my day off to see my favorite baby. he had jaundis and needed to be under a light for a week. I also got to go see another baby who just finished having a tumor removed from his head...
3) We had a volunteer weeked couple of weeks ago. Joanna and pippa shared about where some of the babies came from and how the ended up at tlc. Also i got to see a rhino and girafes.
4) Being able to hold Rowan for his baptism
There is probably more highlights that I am just not thinking of right now. I am still continually being stretched. Coming here i felt very selfish in even coming to work at tlc. When I was leaving, people would say to me, that I was doing such a good cause. But I am struggling with the balance of feeling selfish for me to be here. I know that I want to help out and God is using me here and I know that their was purpose. But children need stability and to be able to attach to somebody and build that trust. Sure some get use to having the high turn over of volunteers, but, they need people that will be willing to commit to them for years. Not all the children get adopted out here. do you ever notice when someone goes overseas, there is a big hype about it, like for some reason there is more value in doing some great cause. I think that people do great causes when the go to work, or when they go to school, or just living their lives following what God is telling them. It is in the little things; that is something to be commended for. I was just thinking of in Corinthians when paul is talking about spiritual gifts...he talks about the gifts of prophecy and tongues, and that those are gifts to desire. (and when i think of it, maybe it is just me, but we put a heirarchy to what things are greater then others?) but I like when Paul says that he would rather speak five intelligable words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue... or I like the parable of the lost sheep...there is merit in small things meaningful things
Tlc has become something more for me. I am not just working with orphans , but I am working with God's little children, people who he has specifically created and has a purpose for. I am a surrogate mom for this short brief moment, they probably wont remember me when they are older. I am learning what it means to be a living sacrafice, loving the lord with all my heart, mind, and soul. But honestly, I can't say that I am fully there yet, i see it though. I know there is cost involved, am I at the point of paying it? I am not sure yet. I am not a beacon of selflessness or love, but I am thankful for the grace of God and the oppertunities, like working at tlc to strectch me in those places.

Just a quick one

it's been a little over two weeks since bre and I arrived in south africa. So far, most of life has been consisting of tackling the never ending piles of dishes and bottles, changing dirty nappies, playing, laughing, sometimes getting fustrated, feeding....
but TLC is going well. We are on a farm outside of johannesburg, and from what I can tell, somewhere south of soweto. I actually have no clue where I am, besides knowing that I am inside a brick wall. I feel kind of like I am in prison..( i guess I will explain more when I have the time.)
As for what God is trying to teach me? it's definitly about love. but I will go into that another time as well.
but I am having fun meeting new people from all over the world. a couple of days ago we celebrated austrailian day for the austrailian.
well, i should go...it's raining again...and the power might go off..i still have things i want to get done!
i will update more indepth....

p.s I am getting a sandal tan!

I thought that I should take this time to update, since I am not too sure if I will have internet access when I get to Jo-berg. I guess the phone lines go down quite frequently there because people steal the wire in the phone lines to make jewellery. So chances are I wont be on facebook all to much in the next couple of months. Which is a good thing. When I tree planted I could be out in the middle of nowhere and still access internet. I am curious though, I wonder the less I use internet, the less I will probably feel the need to stay connected.

We fly out tomorrow morning at 6:30, which means that we have to be at the airport bright and early in the morning. The chances of me sleeping tonight are next to none, I can never sleep when I have stuff rolling around in my brain. But I will make sure that we go to the airport early. Last time I flew out of Saskatoon, I thought, "it's saskatoon, like there is going to be a line up". Then I found out that the saskatoon airport is very busy in the mornings, and I was freaking out that I was going to miss my plane to vancouver as I looked at the massive line up that extended to the check in desks.

I don't know what else to say.

Basically all I am thinking about is...

I AM GOING TO AFRICA!!!!

I thought that I would be a little more nervous, but I am not.

Pray for us!