ITS OFFICIAL! My last day at IGA is October 24th, Rob asked me what my absolute last day is going to be and well... like Cam and I intended, that shall be the last day. I have very mixed emotions about it. I am very nervous to be on one income, even though I need to step back and allow God and Cam to take care of me financially. But then I am THRILLED to get some time off, I was go go go at school trying to complete what was the worst year I had ever had at CBC in terms of grades, and well personal health issues and the like.
Then Cam and I decided to get engaged, I volunteered to work full time and BAM! Im at IGA right after April of 2008 straight out of full time school. It has been one overwhelming/stressful thing after another. So to stay home and clean, cook, grocery shop (and search for the best deals), take care of my husband but mostly myself. Will be the BEST thing for me right now. I have decided that like before, my passion to try and start painting has resurfaced. Therefore, after purchasing an art kit from Costco (Cam wants me to explore my artistic side again) my desire to try and paint will finally be reality. I also am interested in running, learning to cook better and bake, explore more vegetarian meal ideas. I discovered that while talking to Alissa the other day that I truly just want to be the "typical house wife" at least for now thats what I desire for myself. I still want to complete school and obtain a masters degree so I can work part time, I desire to do that as well, very much so, counselling I mean. But also being able to take care of my home, my husband, eventually children at home... is exactly what I wish for myself.

Right now however, I will finish my three weeks and three shifts. I will take my two months off to find myself again, to heal... and then I will go back to school and finish so I can walk across that stage again in a blue cap and gown!!! yipppeeee.... I know that its all I talk about lately, but seriously, its all thats going on and all Im thinking about. I need to regain a life!

well. Im exhausted and hubby is already in bed, I better join him.

Hugz and Im seriously excited for the rain :)

so!!! I went in for that GI tract test today... and although I looked online for what it might be, it was still kinda awkward. They called my name along with three others and took us into a room with people sitting down on one side, and little change rooms on the right and straight ahead of where we entered the room. Then the "nurse" proceeded to say "you, shirt off.." and hand people gowns, then she came to me... "you, everything off but underwear and shoes" GREAT! thanks, Im the only one that actually had to completely tie up the back of the very awkward hospital gown. O well....

I waited....

then I was called into another room by a gentleman that had such a thick accent I could barely understand what he was saying. He was at least nice enough to repeat himself... I was told to stand on a platform thing which had a strange, tall backing to it and an obvious x-ray machine infront. Then given a pouch of crystal like things to swallow with so little water I was almost choking, I was told not to burp when the purpose of the stuff was to create gas in my stomach! then given another wonderful, white, thick, heavy, chalky, awful glass of something to swallow. ekkkk... it was gross.

The first thing the doc said to me when he came into the room even was "you're too young to have acid reflex", well thanks doc, just take the photos so I can burp already. They took them, and that "tall like backing" moved and made me lie down, where he took more photos. that kinda freaked me out, they took close to like 15 photos. and my doctor gets them on Tuesday. so I guess we will see what turns up. But there was a screen that I could peek at every now and then which showed the doctor in the room what he was taking photos of, Im pretty sure I saw my heart! it was so cool.

it was gross and Im glad its over, but soooo not even worth the smallest worry, surgery was definitely much worse!

**yawn** time for bed
thoughts and prayers
Nicole.

ps. brandon left for Germany this past wednesday and is gone for seven months. he won't even be back for christmas, please pray for him and his safety and that he has the best experience possible at bible school over there. i already miss him :'(

WE ARE GOING TO WINNIPEG! on December 6th - 13th, it was almost a no go, but we looked into some flights and got a pretty good deal!! so we are thrilled, we will get to meet our new niece Ashley and have an early Christmas with family there. We are sad that we won't be able to see Jen, Dan and Addie :'( but thats the next place after Colin & Jessica's wedding for us to save up and visit.

It actually just occured to me the other day that I have family in Winnipeg and Ontario, before it was just "o yah, Cams siblings live an airplane away" now... its finally hitting me that they are my siblings too! and that they live so far away! so now Im sooo excited to visit my sister-in-laws place and be with family, my family, that live outside of BC.

its been a little while since ive posted... but things at work are a lot better, the test file is all back to the way it should be. but angela and i have a lot of telezoning to do to make sure that the store is perfect. my goal is to complete the store before i leave in october (8 weeks and one shift left!!!!!!!).

mom and dad and the brothers came back on thursday, and it was so nice seeing them. actually our weekend was jam packed with fun things. we went out for sushi with jason, mom and dad on friday. and mom brought me back the most BEAUTIFUL Guess purse from california. i have recently found that i am such a sucker for Guess purses, i splurge with my birthday or christmas money! a designer purse is just so much fun and a lot more practical for me considering they last forever and cheap ones only last a season.

then on saturday we went canoeing with cams parents to somewhere in mission. it was fun but ive still been so exhausted lately that i was so tired. but the view and the weather was gorgeous and it was the last available time to do it this summer. hopefully we'll do a better trip next summer with them. but the boat felt like it was going to tip over.
(side note: kort, I took a pregnancy test!!! it was negative, so im not tired cause of that)

sunday we FINALLY went to check out our first church. we're wanting to get involved and actually attend a church, and i am SO excited to finally be able to do that once i leave IGA. i haven't had a home church since i left for CBC back in 2006. thats just unacceptable to me. CBC was my "church" and home until i left for work and got married, now working at 6am every other sunday doesnt allow time for getting involved. plus, we just moved to langely this summer. but we found one we LOVED and that trevor (cams best man) attends with his wife and little son. so we took off to the beach with them for lunch afterwards, their little jayden is adorable. we found out from them that the churches youth pastor is moving back to UK... interesting i thought and gave cam that "you should think about this" look. so prayer for if that position would be in Gods will for cam or not. after the beach we went grocery shopping (my fave) and then out to dinner and bowling with Jared and Katherine and my little bros. its always SO much fun to hang out with Jared and Katherine, we talked lots about their wedding plans and it sounds like this summer is going to be a fun one with their wedding to attend, cams brothers wedding to attend as well. Lots of "i do's" next summer!

monday it was back to work for 6am and now this morning im typing before i take off for work in 45 min. cam is working now irrigation once in a while for a guy named Scotty, it would be VERY appreciated for you guys to pray for us that cam continues to get work. Sue has had a rough summer with getting jobs, so the money we were really counting on to help us through the winter isn't exactly there. i am for sure leaving IGA in october for school in january and some much needed time off before a crazy year and a half in school, im worried but trusting and trying very hard not to go crazy and stress about the potential lack in money flow. i know in my head that God will provide but my heart needs strong reminders. I am thankful though that Sue has hired me on for the spring to work landscaping part time when i get out of school!!! i hope and pray that there will be more work next year, for both cam and i in her company. i am also hoping that she will teach me some of her office work and let me help her out in that way.

well, thats it for now! this week has been busy and this weekend im working file again, MSO! maybe next week will be more exciting :)