Yesterday afternoon, after being stuck in dead stop traffic for over an hour, James and I finally made it to Jon Horlings wedding in Holland Marsh. We were an hour late, but fortunately, so were the photographers and other guests, and we didn't miss a thing. Thank goodness. Because what we witnessed will most likely go down in wedding history. It was a beautiful outdoor wedding at Harm's Farm (Jon's dad's place), and the backdrop was a beautiful sloping forest on the edge of the river. As Jon seated his "moms" and awaited his bride, firecrackers went off in the woods, and a golf cart turned pirate ship flew onto the set. Jon's grooms"mates" were decked out as pirates (Brian Harskamp included) and they proceeded to attack Jon in a very intricately choreographed fight scene drawn up by Jon himself. They all had swords, but Jon managed to fight them off. (I think my jaw was dropped during this entire event, while James was trying hard not to pee his pants). Eventually, they outnumbered poor Jon, and given a few last words, he said he was going to sing to Kimberly, the love of his life--his bride to be. So he did, and the pirates wept, and let him go, and then Kimberly and her girls all came down, normal wedding fashion... like there had never been any pirates at all.

Bizarre.

And very very entertaining. Considering Jon is a theater guy, I think everyone was sort of expecting this wedding to be a little different. I am just so glad we were there to witness what that looked like.

Then we ate pig, corn on the cob, salads and cupcakes, watched fireworks, and square danced. Overall, a very inspirational wedding.

Well, I am procrastinating. Time to go over some lesson plans for tomorrow's classes on short story. Columbia International College is proving to be an amazing place to teach so far-- I am so glad God had this in His plan while I fretted uselessly throughout the summer. What a blessing it is to go to work and use my talents!

Grandpa turns 75

The Sikkema clan is now pushing a 80 + people, which doesn't work so well if you want to get together to discuss politics, but it happens to be the perfect amount for birthday parties. My grandpa turned 75, and the party was epic. You might not think so, this being a birthday party for an "old guy", but my grandpa is the man, and I'm telling you, it was a good party.

First there were potato sack races. We ran several different heats, and I have to say, I dominated among the female cousins/aunts. However, due to a mistep due to exhaustion (the distance was WAY too far!) I, and my lung, collapsed right before the finish line.

Next we had three legged races. Again, I must say, Alaina and I were destroying when my Aunt Fran and Aunt Renee decide to cheat on the distance. They had this brilliant idea that they wouldn't go around Jim-- they would just sort of turn around midway. Of course we just smoke them, head on, and my hip nicely pile drives Aunt Fran's skull into the grass. And there we lay in a crumpled heap.. a cool runnings moment. I blame Fran.

The next game was a bit more tame. 25 plastic bowls were laid in a line across the grass, and the kids were told to lie down, hands behind their backs, in front of a bowl. Of course, it didn't end up just being the kids, but my uncles, brothers, dad, and of course, myself. Anyways, the bowls have 8 jelly beans at the bottom, which are covered with a pile of whip cream. First one done eating the beans wins.. simple as that. Of course it just ended up being everyone throwing bowls of whipcream in ppl's faces.... which was also very hilarious.

Anywhoo, just a shout out to the Sikkema family that I love them all and their intellectual craziness. Such a great combo. And of course, a happy birthday to my dear grandpa.

I am realizing a lot about myself in this whole marriage business. . I can't escape typical wife stereotypes. I am that person who nags about beard stubble in the sink, smelly garbage in the kitchen, and heaps of dirty clothes (mine included) lying on the floor.

Love continues to play its part however, and we are only getting better at it. A year is coming up fast, and I can say it has been absolutely fabulous.

Example: I come home from work to a meal of stuffed zucchini, freshly made guacamole dip, and a bouquet of beautiful flowers of my favorite colours. What a guy.

A word on our apartment. It changes weekly, if not daily, due to my recently discovered OCD (self diagnosed) and a love for thrift stores and garage sales. Cut outs from Mexican coffee table books are framed with love and hang happily in our bathroom, recovered bricks proudly hold a slab of barnboard and our slick Samsung tele, a world map souvi from Montreal educates our living room wall, and plants that refuse to flower but maintain a waxy green shine give our house that special feeling of HOME. Having James in the house to laugh, fight, cuddle and cry with also has that pleasant effect.

It has been a great year so far.

In the school department, I can say with calm uncertain happiness that I am no longer a student, and job searching has been easy. The OACS website/ google have made it so, and I thank them for that. Finding a job has proven difficult, and I'm not yet sure who to thank for that.

Maple Leaf has had my spot reserved for it's 12th consecutive summer, and I'm not ashamed of that, though it does answer some questions about my ability to find another job. A concept as foreign as our migrant workers, who by the way, have in their own special way helped employ me through their keen desire to learn a second language with me as their instructor. Class update: "TH" is proving difficult, and we need to review the definition of "punctual".

Marineland is a blast. The whales get you wet and the sky screamer does funny things to your stomach. Everyone loves that place. You feed bears corn pops and experience death camps at the animal level in the form of "deer petting zoos". Some questions I brought away from my marineland experience.

1) How can a sea lion balance a ball on its nose while riding down a slide?

2) Why does Levi insist on riding every ride when he cries on every ride?

3) How can a complete summer pass cost only an extra $5.00?

4) How did my 2 year old nephew get lost?

Our vegetable garden is on steroids. We have cranked out an astronomical amount of f zucchini dishes, with no end in sight. I enjoy that zucchini gets my creative juices flowing, when the thought of an art class didn't, but our fridge space is limited, and so we are becoming a charity couple. If we like you, you may find a zucchini on your pillow.

A lot of our friends our now in the hood. Trine, Ryan, Tim, Brad, Jordan, Danielle, Brian, Alli, Steve, Jen, Rob... to name a few. It's like we never left Redeemer campus, and at times it gets me excited, and at others --reclusive. Weird combo. I'm just learning this about myself now, interstingly enough. And I've decided I'm OK with it. I think it comes with having our own place. In dorms you can't get territorial, because they are built for everyone's communal use. It's just different now.

Community is pretty huge for us, and we are loving the doses of it that we are getting here. There is always something on the go.. church, bible study, disco dingoes, bbq's, hikes, fam, etc. However, we may have OD'd a bit on the C word this summer, which is why B.C was so refreshing.

The trip out west put the wind back in our sails, so to speak, giving us the time James' and I needed to spend time together and reconnect with the Harskamp clan. Alberta was just plain fun.

After my brother's (very amazing ) wedding, we packed our bags and headed West, stopping in Alberta for a few days to go to another wedding, dance the lights out, climb the hoodoos, explore the coolies, and say my goodbyes to my pal Robbo. Mom and Dad Harskamp scooped us up out of the prairies and took us through the Rockies to Mermaid Motel and hot springs, then to the ferry, then to Shuswap cabin, then "home". A true treat.

I don't think it's a stretch to say we were treated like prodigal children that had returned to feed off the fat of the land. Three bbq's, a gift to the condo, and multiple hangouts, and James and I were feeling truly inspired to flee from Paradise lost and reclaim Eden. That's to say James could see us moving to Vancouver and saying goodbye to Stelco. I am still holding out for a better Eden--N.Z-- which cannot, unfortunately be attainable this January.

Wow, this is dragging on.

This is the newest post of old posts.. just saying it how it is, and letting you into a sliver of myself that only comes out in letters.

I am realizing a lot about myself in this whole marriage business. . I can't escape typical wife stereotypes. I am that person who nags about beard stubble in the sink, smelly garbage in the kitchen, and heaps of dirty clothes (mine included) lying on the floor.

Love continues to play its part however, and we are only getting better at it. A year is coming up fast, and I can say it has been absolutely fabulous.

Example: I come home from work to a meal of stuffed zucchini, freshly made guacamole dip, and a bouquet of beautiful flowers of my favorite colours. What a guy.

A word on our apartment. It changes weekly, if not daily, due to my recently discovered OCD (self diagnosed) and a love for thrift stores and garage sales. Cut outs from Mexican coffee table books are framed with love and hang happily in our bathroom, recovered bricks proudly hold a slab of barnboard and our slick Samsung tele, a world map souvi from Montreal educates our living room wall, and plants that refuse to flower but maintain a waxy green shine give our house that special feeling of HOME. Having James in the house to laugh, fight, cuddle and cry with also has that pleasant effect.

It has been a great year so far.

In the school department, I can say with calm uncertain happiness that I am no longer a student, and job searching has been easy. The OACS website/ google have made it so, and I thank them for that. Finding a job has proven difficult, and I'm not yet sure who to thank for that.

Maple Leaf has had my spot reserved for it's 12th consecutive summer, and I'm not ashamed of that, though it does answer some questions about my ability to find another job. A concept as foreign as our migrant workers, who by the way, have in their own special way helped employ me through their keen desire to learn a second language with me as their instructor. Class update: "TH" is proving difficult, and we need to review the definition of "punctual".

Marineland is a blast. The whales get you wet and the sky screamer does funny things to your stomach. Everyone loves that place. You feed bears corn pops and experience death camps at the animal level in the form of "deer petting zoos". Some questions I brought away from my marineland experience.

1) How can a sea lion balance a ball on its nose while riding down a slide?

2) Why does Levi insist on riding every ride when he cries on every ride?

3) How can a complete summer pass cost only an extra $5.00?

4) How did my 2 year old nephew get lost?

Our vegetable garden is on steroids. We have cranked out an astronomical amount of f zucchini dishes, with no end in sight. I enjoy that zucchini gets my creative juices flowing, when the thought of an art class didn't, but our fridge space is limited, and so we are becoming a charity couple. If we like you, you may find a zucchini on your pillow.

A lot of our friends our now in the hood. Trine, Ryan, Tim, Brad, Jordan, Danielle, Brian, Alli, Steve, Jen, Rob... to name a few. It's like we never left Redeemer campus, and at times it gets me excited, and at others --reclusive. Weird combo. I'm just learning this about myself now, interstingly enough. And I've decided I'm OK with it. I think it comes with having our own place. In dorms you can't get territorial, because they are built for everyone's communal use. It's just different now.

Community is pretty huge for us, and we are loving the doses of it that we are getting here. There is always something on the go.. church, bible study, disco dingoes, bbq's, hikes, fam, etc. However, we may have OD'd a bit on the C word this summer, which is why B.C was so refreshing.

The trip out west put the wind back in our sails, so to speak, giving us the time James' and I needed to spend time together and reconnect with the Harskamp clan. Alberta was just plain fun.

After my brother's (very amazing ) wedding, we packed our bags and headed West, stopping in Alberta for a few days to go to another wedding, dance the lights out, climb the hoodoos, explore the coolies, and say my goodbyes to my pal Robbo. Mom and Dad Harskamp scooped us up out of the prairies and took us through the Rockies to Mermaid Motel and hot springs, then to the ferry, then to Shuswap cabin, then "home". A true treat.

I don't think it's a stretch to say we were treated like prodigal children that had returned to feed off the fat of the land. Three bbq's, a gift to the condo, and multiple hangouts, and James and I were feeling truly inspired to flee from Paradise lost and reclaim Eden. That's to say James could see us moving to Vancouver and saying goodbye to Stelco. I am still holding out for a better Eden--N.Z-- which cannot, unfortunately be attainable this January.

Wow, this is dragging on.

It's a wrap.

This is the newest post of old posts.. just saying it how it is, and letting you into a sliver of myself that only comes out in letters.