kimochiigirl's Xanga

Happy 2008!!! =)

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 16:45:45 GMT

Seems like forever since I've had access to Xanga so just wanted to say, yes, I'm still here!LOL Besides, I can't keep up with you crazy blogger-girls - honestly, HOW do you all find the time to construct such amazing entries, pics and all?? BTW, Amber - loved your last entry (01/11, I think) - very nice and good luck to poor Kate with her new-found case of 'spots'! I remember all too well when my sibs and I were packed into our Suburban and hauled off down to Seattle to have a 'visit' with our cousins (who had recently acquired 'spots'!). Good times...

It's been a long, hard year for me - thankfully, I'm still alive and kicking - I have to say that with the advent of facebook in my little life (and the fact that I can have limited access to my fb account from my cell ph), I just haven't had much urge to chronicle the struggles here on Xanga. (Thank you all for writing yr blogs, tho' - I can read your updates in my email...)

So, if you ever wonder where I've gone, come find me on facebook and say 'hi' and chances are pretty good that I'll be able to say 'hi' back... Or call...lol

God bless you all and have a wonderful 2008!

Love,

Neech

Yes, I'm still ALIVE! =)

Wed, 16 May 2007 17:49:11 GMT

Hello, friends!

Just tho't I'd better post a 'quickie' on here as proof of life - things have been so busy lately that I've not been able to garner the time nor the energy to put tho'ts into words for a posting.

Quick update (in no particular order!):

1. Krista's back from Europe! Yay! That's a huge blessing cuz I've really missed her.

2. I stood in line at the Passport Canada office Apr. 30 from 8.35 - 4.15 to submit an application for a new passport (for my trip to FL in June). I was very thankful to God for the sunny day He sent me. It was perfect...not too hot, not too windy. God also arranged for me to be in line with several very friendly, kind people so we 'bonded' and were able to help each other out thruout the day (i.e. bathroom breaks, lunch, etc.). It was also nice to have pleasant people to talk with during the long, long wait!

3. I joined a women's only gym (owned by a local Christian lady) and re-started my physiotherapy sessions - the results of the first 3 full weeks are encouraging. I'm looking fwd to living a fully-active, pain-free life!

4. My folks decided to do a FULL reno of the ensuite in their master bedroom. You know those shows that tell you it's possible to do something like that in "just THREE days"??? Yeah...NO! LOL Especially not if you are just a regular family like us...both my dad and my bro took a full 2 wks off work to do this and even tho' they are skilled and knowledgeable, it takes a whole lot of time to totally gut it out and redo everything from the wall studs out! In floor hot H2O heating (mmm!), granite counters, air jet tub, more of an opened up feeling...those are just a few of the things on Mom's wish-list...we're all starting to get excited!

5. May 5th, Krista and I got to see Spidey 3 in IMAX! Amy Beckenhauer came up from CA to visit friends in Seattle and Ferndale and they all wanted to see it in IMAX, too, so we all met at the huge theatre near me (Langley Colosseus) - it was such fun! Afterwards, we went to A&W for rootbeer floats (Amy's request!) and poutines (a Cdn tradition lol).

6. From May 10 - 12, I attended a local women's conference, Life|Women 2007. It's sponsored by Victory Christian Ctr and annually features speakers like Nancy Alcorn (founder of Mercy Ministries), Lisa Bevere (of Messenger International), Christine Caine (Hillsong Aust.), etc. Despite the volume and lengthiness of the "worship" section of the services, the messages spoken were very God-centred and inspirational. Many non-Christian women attended and quite a few first-time decisions, as well as re-commitments were made - PTL!

7. Monday, May 14th was a red-letter day...I was able to go to the Passport Office and PICK UP my shiny, new passport! For those of you not familiar with this whole, new ordeal, getting a passport wasn't always this troublesome or problematic...(for more info, ask me! lol)

Okay...I'm sure there's more but my accounting/bookkeeping is calling my name...

Neech!

Spring has sprung...at long last!!!

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 02:02:07 GMT

Well, I think that spring has finally made it here...and I for one, am very happy!! Our 40+ yr. old magnolia tree in our front yard has been gorgeous for the last week or so and I enjoy looking at it every day...the daffodils, tulips, narcissus, hyacinths and everything else are all in full bloom - I LOVE IT! Spring is one of my favorite times of year - everything is fresh and new...

What's fresh and new with you? I'd love to know...

Neech

PS Yay!! Krista's back from Europe...now if we can just find a mutually agreeable time to meet up!! lol

Snow in APRIL?????

Thu, 12 Apr 2007 00:43:33 GMT

SNOW!!!!

I know my last entry was about snow, too but really...I don't remember Vancouver ever having snow on April 2nd! My baby sis had snow for her birthday...hehe Okay...so now Easter has come and gone and it's been absolutely AGES since I've posted on here but I've had good reason - first, my dear ol' dad's blocking program keeps wanting to block Xanga! Second, our family had a booth at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre at the 2007 Wellness Show (31,000 attendees this year - whew!!!!) That was a lot of work and boy, were we ever exhausted after that. That was Mar 1 - 4. Then, the next week was the 2007 Pacific Dental Convention at the same venue...we sure put in a lot of hours in the downtown core the first two weeks of March!! The last two wks of March were spent catching up here in the dental office - all my books, etc. And now here we are and it's already April 11th!!!

What have you all been doing??

Neech

PS The snow has all melted and now the tulips, daffodils, narcissus and grape hyacinth are in bloom, as well as the 40 year old magnolia tree in the front yard - yay!!!! It's so gorgeous - I LOVE SPRING!!!!

PPS It's lonely without Krista - she's still in Europe with her parents and Ryan...

MORE SNOW...and ice!!!! Ugh...

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 17:52:35 GMT

SNOW!!!!

And here I tho't we were pretty much done with our weird winter weather for this year! Anyway, yesterday AM at 6, it started dumping snow...the flakes were so huge - like saucers...whew! We got about 3 inches of snow the entire day, yucky wet snow - ugh! Then, that night, it froze so there were sheets of ice everywhere. I went to visit a friend last night in Burnaby (15 mins away) and they had NO SNOW at all, then when I was driving home, coming off at our exit, I wanted to turn around a corner and the car decided to go STRAIGHT!!!! Eeeek! Talk about my life flashing before my very eyes...whew - I didn't panic, just held the wheel in the position that I wanted the car to go in and came to a gentle stop completely perpendicular to the way I should have been - whew! Fortunately for me and my little car, there wasn't anyone in my way or I would have ended up smashed - PTL!!

Beautiful blue sky, white fluffy clouds, bright sunny day...and dangerously icy roads...it's definitely winter here today - sigh.

More later from the Snow Princess...hehe

Neech

------

PS Just a little note regarding last night...had a lovely sushi dinner with gen mai cha (my fav Japanese tea from one of my friends in Jpn), nice relaxing music, fireplace on...then, after dinner I was suprised with a treat (yum!) - a yummy ice wine from Sumac Ridge in the Okanagan Valley and handmade truffles - wow! Delish! Happy belated V-day to me hehe

Thought for the day...

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 00:20:44 GMT

Believe...

(So easy to say, to hard to do...)

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 19:59:59 GMT

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Neech

Where has the time gone???

Wed, 07 Feb 2007 01:54:06 GMT

I can hardly believe that it's February already - where is time going? I feel like I'm getting lost in the day-to-day morass of tasks and duties.

I do want to send up a HUGE 'thank you' to God for the gift of a friend near by...Krista. I don't know what I would do without you, girl! She's going to the Resolved conference in CA (John MacArthur, John Piper, etc.) and won't be back for 2 whole weeks! I'm really going to miss her...

CELEBRATING BEAUTY NOW...

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 01:25:02 GMT

This year has already been momentous for me - let me explain. The catalyst was a conversation that I had with Michele, my closest friend during my first two years in Japan. The condensed version is this - basically, we concluded that we had been brainwashed by society - when you are a young girl, a lot of people tell you to 'save' the good things or pretty things for your future house or your future marriage. Well, our point that cold December night was what happens if it's just not happening for you right now? Are you just supposed to keep all your nice things packed in boxes, waiting for your life to start? Isn't your life, what you are living right now??? We concluded that we would make 2007 our year to embrace the beautiful things - we deserve to have a life filled with beauty now - USE all those things that we've just been saving and hanging on to for that hypothetical day, somewhere in the future...live life NOW!!

Then the holidays happened and my newfound resolve kind of dissolved in the rush of out-of-town guests and all the typical busy-ness of the season. But the seed had been planted and in the back of my mind, I was no longer satisfied to just 'put up' with the dismal ruts I'd allowed myself to fall into.

Along came Krista, like a breath of fresh air in my life - I'm so glad she has moved back into the area after 7 years of living in Merced, CA. What a great thing it is to have someone near to you who can identify with where you are at in life. Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of great friends, but honestly, their lives are filled with diapers, Veggie Tales, middle-of-the-night feedings, etc. and that is just somewhere that I'm not - I mean, I understand the whole 'married with kids' thing to a degree, because so many of my friends are married and are starting families now but that just means they are in a different phase of life than I'm in right now and you know, the sweetest thing is knowing that there is someone who knows and understands your situation! So, blessings on Krista and her sweet spirit and listening ear. I bet she has no idea how refreshing it is just to know I don't have to explain everything to her - she's living my life, too! Or am I living hers...lol

Yes, I do have a point - and I am getting to it! I told Krista about my conversation with Michele and she agreed with me...so my goal for 2007 is to get rid of ALL my unneeded stuff that is just weighing me down and fill my life with beauty - unpack all the 'pretties' that I'd been told to save for my future and embrace them all NOW. After all, what am I waiting for? This is a crucial investment in my mental, emotional and spiritual health - I have to do this for me.

Scary? Yes - I feel like I'm poised on the edge of a cliff and am about to dive off - but I know that with baby steps, I can accomplish great things - a little bit at a time...but I have to admit that...

I AM EXCITED!

PS The above book has helped me to understand that a lot of my beliefs about myself and perceptions of body image are wrong - very freeing.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

Fri, 12 Jan 2007 04:49:39 GMT

Hey everyone,

Just a little note to let you know that today, I had to clear over a foot of snow off the 4x4 before I could even get in to turn on the engine to warm it up!! It's incredibly beautiful here today and the sky was so blue, it almost hurt to look at it!

So, for all those of you who are pining for snowy, wintry weather - now you know where to come find it...here in VANCOUVER!! haha

More later...I'm off to go enjoy the white Christmas lights on the snow...

xoxo

Neech

PS A patient just told me that the weather in Moscow is so warm that the trees think it is spring and everything is starting to bloom already - I think that WE got THEIR weather, especially since it's -10 C outside right now!! Brrrrr...