Summer 2017

Hi everyone! Just felt I wanted to update you on my life these past few months.I know that in a few weeks I will be very busy and there are a lot of things going on in my life. This summer has been a wonderful time of spending time with family and catching up with friends while I have the time.

In April I visited my dear former housemate from university and her husband. It was so nice to see them again. It was also great to discover a part of Nova Scotia I don't know much about, through the eyes of someone who loves it.

Cara checking out Point Prim lighthouse

 In May I went to my brother's university graduation. What a day of celebration! Of course the ceremony was followed by a meal at the best restaurant ever, a place that just is saturated with love. I could drink that iced tea for days.

Candice also graduated this year! Unfortunately I didn't see that one in person but I am so proud of both of them!

Also in May my friend Mark who is the person I am most proud to call a friend put on this show of his Lenten Carols and it was beautiful. Emma also added her stirring voice at times. So wonderful.

And what a perfect venue too!

 May also marked the first camping trip of the season, in which four girls put a canoe on top of a Toyota Yaris hatchback and went to the woods for a night. This particular group of girls are notorious for overpacking.

I assure you, Mary is in there somewhere..

Happiness is...

In June I took part in the Syria Friendship Walk, an event in Truro to help raise money to bring a refugee family to Canada. We have now reached our fundraising goal, but are still waiting- always waiting- for them to come. PLEASE pray. The wait is becoming unbearable for the family.

At the end of June I went to Stan Rogers Folk Festival in Canso, Nova Scotia, where I got to stand out in the rain, get very cold, hang out with some pretty great people, and ultimately, decide the discomfort of the cool and wet weather was totally worth it because of the MUSIC.

Discovering the music of William Prince was a real highlight of the festival.

 On our way home from there we stopped for a beautiful hike. This has been a lovely summer for adventures. Here are some more:

Post-Stanfest hike, near Antigonish

 Church canoe trip- a beautiful day on the Stewiacke River

Halifax Jazz Festival- I was fortunate enough to snag a spot volunteering at the sold out Anderson .Paak and the Free Nationals show. Even though I was kind of standing at the back doing my volunteer duties, this show was unreal. So. Good.

OK. So I was really far away. But still- I cannot think of enough superlatives for this super tight show

Catching up with an old friend and adventuring in PEI. This has been a great summer for catching up on friendships! I like to think Davita and I were brought closer by the sudden lightning storm that cut off power and internet to her family's house and caused major leaks. I may or may not have huddled with her family in her parents' bedroom at 2am.

Iconic

Then there was that semi-spontaneous trip to Fundy National Park and Fredericton to pick up Miss Alli. I guess we did not get the best sleep in the tent, which I think shows on our faces in this photo... but I absolutely loved this little opportunity to hang out with a couple of awesome girls.

 Another highlight of the summer was a whirlwind camping trip, featuring caving! We had been planning this trip for months so it was so nice that about 12 of us could coordinate our schedules and enjoy each other's company in nature. We also got to enjoy the company of about 50 ATVers who happened to descend on the campsite while we were packing up... oops.

On her way to the pee tree

We are excited to be in a cave

Something I loved about this summer is how many young adults have been around our church. I am very thankful for that. One of the things we did together was a hike at Taylor Head, a rugged spot on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia. Props to Ross and Anna who did the 8km with their toddlers. Parenting win!

Another adventure was traveling to Saskatchewan to see my former housemate Sarah get married! I had not seen her in two years so it was so special to be with her and Austin on their wedding day. Look at them both glow!

After my time in Regina I got to road trip with my aunt Liz and uncle Lui to their home in Calgary. But of course we had to stop in Dog River first! The show Corner Gas has been a family favourite since about 2005 and it was really cool to go to the place where it was filmed.

Of course, Onyx was on the trip too. Here's one way he found to relax in the car.

Liz and Lui were wonderful hosts and I got to see a lot of the sights of Alberta. One highlight was hiking in Banff, and even better, the hot springs that followed.

After many switchbacks, we made it to the top of Sulphur Mountain

I would also like to give a shout-out to ice cream for getting me through this summer. Whether it was from Village Ice Cream in Calgary (below), Masstown Market, or Molly's, I loved every bit of it.

This photo below is from a time a couple weeks ago when I got to hang out with these two. I just really really love them so here's a photo of us. We are all starting something new in our lives this fall: Tessa a new teaching job in Newfoundland, Candice a new position at Kingswood, and me the PhD. I am very thankful to have these ladies in my life and I just know that we are going to rock it, wherever we are. 

It was a wonderful summer, and I am so thankful for it. I think a good word for it would be 'carefree.' It is such a luxury to be carefree- I can't emphasize that enough. There are many in the world who will never have the opportunity to feel like that because of just the systematic oppression they face. Anyway, I think the carefree times are over for now, and I do mourn that.

Next week, I will be living in a new place, trying to create/be part of a new community, be adjusting to grad school and all the challenges that bring, working within the tight grad school budget, and dealing with my Mom's sickness. We recently found out that my mom's cancer, which was in remission, has returned just like overt white supremacy has returned to Canada. Which is to say: Nobody asked it to, and we don't want it here.

To be honest, I was having a bit of a pity party the other night, because I was really scared about my life. I thought about my transition to a new city and adjusting to a new community, and starting doctoral studies, and dealing with my Mom's health. I thought about the toll all these things would probably take on my mental health. Then I realized: I have done this before. When I moved to Waterloo, I was dealing with many of the same issues, and I was even at more of a disadvantage: I did not know anyone in the city, and I was a 15-hour drive away from my family. I am thankful to God because he was with me through that time. He provided me with friendships and a supportive church community. And I do believe that he healed my mom. So as I was feeling sorry for myself, I felt like God was showing me that everything in my life thus far has prepared me for this moment. He has equipped me to be able to deal with these challenges; he has given me faith so that I can be assured that He will provide everything I need, when I need it. And that faith is strong because I have the memories of how God has helped me in the past. He was with us then and he is with us now. And his love is just... incredible.

OK, So I am listening to this song right now as I am writing. And guys, this is God. This is the heart of God. When we were deep in Hayes Cave that day, in the eerie silence, the complete darkness, I was thinking of that very Bible verse "I could lay my head in sheol..." But God is there. Wherever we go- HE IS THERE. That is hella assuring. Especially cause I know God gets it. Jesus' friend Lazarus died, and he wept, because he understands grief. Jesus' family had to flee to Egypt. He knows what it is to be a refugee. And as I saw someone point out recently, Jesus is the only person in history who can relate to those who are dying. He can relate to even the worst troubles we have, and he comes out triumphant. I trust him.