2 days

So my idea was to blog everyday for the past few days until we leave to go home, but obviously that did not happen. I feel like I've been going non stop and will not stop until January 15th. Maybe we'll take a few days to just sit by the fire when it gets closer to Christmas... I'll work on that.

We just got back from our American Thanksgiving dinner with our American friends and a few Canadians. I'd say we did it up right. And it's better late than never! I represented the south with sweet tea and home-made macaroni and cheese. There was a big turkey, gravy, stuffing, potatoes, green beans, yams, candied salmon (representing the pacific northwest), other vegetables, and two pies for dessert. However great the evening with friends was, I had a moment of limbo in the car on our short ride home. Where is my home? Not really here. And not in NC anymore. Yeah, my stuff is all here. And a little bit is still in Greensboro. They say home is where the heart is and I can't find that place! It's a weird and unsettling feeling, very much like limbo. Or purgatory if there was such a place... Sorry to end on a down note. This may help! (It's a random rabbit I found on YouTube, not Lola.)

5 Days

Only 5 more days until we're home! I know I haven't posted much lately, sorry if I let you down. Life has gotten so busy. I always look forward to this time of the year. I love the holiday season more than I love summer. I love the cold weather (my body wasn't made for heat and sun...), the yummy food, the lights, the music, and I especially love how everyone comes back together. It's hard not being home today for Thanksgiving. But I'm consoled because I know I will be there in less than a week. Today will be spent wrapping up loose ends in the office and making plans for the next month. I know that doesn't sound super fun, but I will make it bearable by pumping my Christmas music and munching on some puppy chow. :o)

one more thing

There's one more thing about Canada I forgot to mention.

Canadians, you hold the golden ticket of all passports.

You can get into any country quickly and easily and more than likely in a welcoming manner. Use it! Canadians, you live in a wealthy country where you can safely learn and teach about your faith without worrying about being physically harmed (granted, you will find opposition especially if you express a faith in Jesus Christ and the Bible). In fact, your passport makes international travel so easy that the Amazing Race will not allow Canadian contestants because you will win hands down!

Why I Love Canada

I do love Canada. Maybe not in the same way that I love America, but still. In response to the responses I received from my Canadian friends (Holla!) here is a list of the things I love about Canada:

• There is a holiday almost every single month.
  
• Alex Trebek is Canadian.
• I've started using the agreeing "hey" at the end of my sentences when germane. Brian doesn't like this. But it feels so good!
  
• Vancouver is definitely the prettiest city I've ever lived in. Majestic mountains, ocean, and city convalesce creating a gorgeous place to live.
• Like Jill said, there is never a shortage of sushi and bubble tea! 珍珠奶茶
• I have so many Asian-Canadian friends! And, this is important, they helped me discover my true self. While I'm white on the outside, what you do not see is that inside I am yellow! I'm an egg! If I had not moved here, I might never have known!
• A new mom gets a full year of paid maternity leave.
• Summer is beautiful, not muggy and so humid that you start sweating immediately even if you're not doing anything.
• It's impossible not to recycle. There are bins all over the place!

Okay, that's all for now. Oh Canada! I'm soon to become a permanent resident of yours.

I still love America

I know I haven't written much in a while, but what can I say? Life's been busy throwing unexpected curve balls my way. I thought I'd pick back up where I left off and join the millions who are probably voicing their opinions about November 4th, 2008 on their own blogs today.

I just want you all to know how much I love America. Every time I cross the border from British Columbia down into Washington and see Old Glory flying high above the gas stations and farm houses, I feel like I'm back home. Technically, I'm still about 3,000 miles from my real home in NC, but it feels like home nonetheless.

Even though we're living abroad, Brian and I were responsible citizens of the USA and cast our ballots for this November election about a month ago. What a night. I was sitting at home on the couch by myself (Brian was in North Van for soccer practice) when they officially announced that the projected president-elect is Barack Obama. (Now that I've included his name in my blog, I wonder if I'll get any Google hits...) I'm not going to make any projections or assumptions, I just want you to know that I still love America.

So here are some things that I love about America:

• Cheaper gas. Over the summer we were paying the equivalent of over $5.50/gallon up here.
  
• Parking spaces that are big enough for me to get out of my car comfortably without doing the weird, side bend thing with my body.
• There's a larger variety of things to choose from and they're cheaper! That includes, but is not limited to: lots of flavors of pop tarts, coke, hershey's kisses, m&m's, and other junk foods and many many kinds of cereal.
• Cereal is less than $7.00 for a small box. A gallon of milk costs less than a gallon of gas.
• The iTunes store has so many more TV shows and songs to choose from.
• The post office is open and mail runs on Saturdays. The mail actually makes it to its destination and often in a timely manner.
• Houses that are about my age still look like they're in good condition. Here, a house that was built in the 80's doesn't seem kept-up and is bound to be bull-dozed within the next 18 months.
• I can park my car on the street without worrying about someone breaking in to steal whatever I happen to have lying in the back seat, including a bag of trash.
• Starbucks is cheaper.
• Books and magazines are cheaper.
• Jeans are cheaper.
• Shoes are cheaper.
• Pretty much everything at WalMart is cheaper.
• Chick-fil-a.
• Wallgreens.
  
• Cheerwine.
  
• There exist strip malls which generally include at least one of the following stores, sometimes all: Target, Michael's, Toys R Us, Old Navy, and some sort of sporting goods store and book store. And those strip malls are kept nice and clean. Here's one near my house in Greensboro, NC.
  
• So many people that I love and have had to leave behind.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I've felt the distance so much more lately and it makes my heart heavy. If you're reading this from the US and you're part of our friends or family, know that we love you and we miss you every day. It's not always easy being so far. But this is our life for now.