"How are you?" people ask me. I don't know. I haven't the foggiest. So I say, "Good." They walk away wondering if I'm telling the truth. I walk away wondering what the truth is. To those of you who have been praying for my family, I thank you. Please don't stop. If you haven't been praying, you may.

  So I don't know how I've been doing, but at least I know what I've been doing. First off, I made a quickly planned trip home via Greyhound, West Jet, and friends. It was very good to be with my family. And it was good to see some of my friends. And it was good to see thick, green grass and stuff. I mowed it twice. It was fun. Never thought I'd say that. Here's some pictures. Not of the grass.

There's me and Julie and our waitress that we decided should be on the picture as well.  I wasn't expecting to see Julie because she lives far away. But one night she calls me up and says to me, she says, "Hey, I'm comin over." Which was totally cool.

There's me and my somewhat disgruntled nephew.

There's Emma "taming the cows."

And that there is a little purchase I made while I was home. It was definitely my family's week for buying Civics. We bought three of them.

  Roadtrip! "Let's do a roadtrip sometime," we've always said. We would talk about how we were going to do it. But in reality, I knew the chances of doing it before one of us got married were fairly slim. So there I was - a new used car in my posession and needing a way back to Canada but not wanting to drive it alone. So I said to Janelle, I said, "Do you want to go to Canada?" And she said, "Yes." So I said, "Okay, let's go." And she said, "Okay." Well, there was a little more involved in the conversation, but that was the gist of it. And before we knew it, there we were finally taking our roadtrip. And none too soon since she went and got engaged the night before we left!

There we are just about ready to leave. We stopped at Myra's place in Indiana the first night. It was awesome. Very few photos were taken during the trip, but it was thoroughly documented on video. Here are some samples of the more profound stuff:

That was fun! I can explain the need for it. Really, I can.

Haha! We're quite normal, really. Good times.

And now I've been back here for a week, and am packing up to leave again. Single staff retreat this weekend, then another roadtrip home. When we get back, summer camps will almost be upon us. Cheers!

 Two bad things about working with computers and other such technology:
     1. Wonder machines are not always so wonderful. As a matter of fact, they sometimes simply refuse to do their job.
     2. There are times that I can work faster than the machines.
Due to these two negative factors as well as a quite a few others that would interest you absolutely not at all, I sit on a saturday afternoon in someone else's office with someone else's music playing (it's atrocious. sorry, Janel!) with nothing to do but wait for that printer to sound it's obnoxious beeping. I heard someone yesterday refer affectionately to the thing as "Junior." I can think of much better names for it!

 Anyway. I was going to get on here anyway. so I guess this is my perfect opportunity. So mine and my family's world sort of got thrown upside down this week. On Wednesday, we found out that my mom has a brain tumor. Surgery was performed yesterday. The surgery was successful, but we still don't really know what all that means. Chemo is scheduled. And in case you forgot, I'll remind you. I'm in Canada. My mom and most of my family is in Pennsylvania. I don't believe I've ever felt so far from home. Things like this only happen to other people. Not me and my family. I thought. 
  We need prayer. Thank you to the many who are praying. especially everyone here. Honestly, I don't always know how to resond to people expressing care. So no matter how I come across, it means a lot. Thanks.

 "Spring is here!" That's what we were all saying last week with gleeful smiles on our faces as we walked around outside in our T-shirts and flip-flops (Wait. No. Not flip-flops.). Well. So much for that. Spring's not here anymore. It left us. 'Cause if it weren't dark right now, I'd be seeing a whole lot of white outside my window. We got whammed with pretty much a blizzard this weekend. Which wasn't actually that cool because we had Youth Retreat here and had all kinds of plans of doing things outside. I was pretty bummed when I saw the snow start to fall in earnest on Friday. Bad weather, no gym, and no rink. What are we supposed to do now? I shouldn't have fretted. It ended up continuing to snow for the vast majority of the weekend, but the group of kids that was here was awesome. They found things to do despite the conditions and did them with gusto! I certainly saw no one sitting around moping about the weather.
 Another thing we did not plan on was the speaker getting snowed in. But I have no doubt that God had that "problem" in His plans and used the testimonies that were given in a powerful way. It was exciting to see the students being impacted by the truth that was shared. I believe God was moving.
 The whole weekend was awesome. I don't know, it was just really cool to see God take the things that could have potentially spoiled the weekend and turn them around for His glory.

I think it's been a little while since I did one of those posts that you have to scroll forever to get to the bottom of the post through all the pictures. One of those posts that takes 10 or more minutes to load for the unfortunate dial-up users. I think I'm feeling it coming on. Oh, yeah. Here it comes...

This was a sort of a cross between between ping-pong and volleyball on your knees that I think Jay made up.We staff had been his guinea pigs the night before. Then, we only had four on a team, so there was more people falling on their faces and stuff. It was great. Until I pulled my arm out of joint. That was the end of my fun for that night.

Wait. Doesn't that look like a bunch of morons playing volleyball in the snow? Yes, that's what we're doing. And we're not morons, thank you. There was little foot hold,  power and accuracy just weren't, movement was somewhat thwarted, but it was actually a lot of fun!

And if you knew what a bunch of people playing jug-a-lug in a foot of snow looked like (you probably don't because you've probably never seen that), and if that were a better a picture, you would know that this picture was of a bunch of people playing jug-a-lug in a foot of snow. I guess wind, snow, sleet, or hail won't stop jug-a-lug at BLC.

And those two are of the music in the chapel. Jeff did an awesome job at getting the kids involved in the worship.

And that's Alex and Chantal. And also the last pic of Youth Retreat.

 And now I'm going to back up a few weeks to when I went out to Alberta to see Lori. My trip was more than awesome. I'm not sure who was blessed more, me or her. We hadn't seen each other in almost two years, but it was just like we picked up right where we left off despite the huge changes that have come. I guess that's how it is when you basically grow up with someone.
 I wish that I could have had the chance to get to know Kevin better before he died. There was only one weekend that I ever got to meet him. But being out there with his wife, staying in his house, hanging out with his dog, riding around in his truck, swinging on his swing over the canyon, hearing stories about him, meeting his family, I feel like I was able to get to know him in a way. He sounds like an incredible guy.
 Here's a few pics from the trip.

We drove through the Rockies going from Calgary up to her place. Absolutely awesome!

We stayed at her parents-in-law's place for two days. They lived in this little tiny town plopped in the middle of the Rockies. It was the coolest town.

One thing we did while I was there was tear down this unwanted shed on her property. There's me and Lori, the wrecking crew. Don't we look mean?  We were quite proud of ourselves for the mostly orderly and timely fashion in which we did away with the shed. So it took both of us and three chain saws before we ever got one started, but that's not too bad! And no one got hurt besides maybe a smashed finger and clobbered shin. It really was a lot of fun.

Then there was Family Life Workshop which was quite large. Many little children.

And there is our super cool train that was built by our talented mechanic. And Kevin. He's there, too.

And then there was girls club:

And then there came the time when Bessie needed to go to bed. Bye bye.




 

 I got another new nephew last week. Sweet. There's Leah with Daniel. Congratulations, Mark & Jean! I'm sure he's also a very cute kid. I can't wait to meet my two new nephews.

I try not to be ethnocentric. I really do. But Smarties sure are better than Rockets.

"Undomesticated" they call me. I'm not sure what exactly they mean by that. I think it could mean several things.
      1. Bessie can't cook.
      2. Bessie can cook. After all, if you can read, you can cook. But she just needs a little extra direction and time when she's in the kitchen.
      3. Bessie can cook. After all, if you can read, you can cook. She's just a lot more at home in front of a computer than she is in front of a stove, blender, mixer, all that.
      4. If it is indeed true that "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach," Bessie will likely be single the rest of her days. 
 So this weekend was the intentionalized domestication of Bessie (having nothing to do with #4. this was not my idea!). Listen to everything I did. Friday night, I co-oversaw the making of soft pretzels for about 30 people. It took us forever, but they were good! When someone commented on the superb turn-out of the food, I said that the glory definitely goes to God! No one argued. I think they all agreed that they had almost seen a miracle that night. Then Saturday night, I helped make supper. And that was also good! Then on Sunday morning, I find myself in charge of the kitchen for an all NYP staff breakfast thing. My fellow single staff committee members that were supposed to also be in charge managed to bail out. Which really didn't impress me that much. But the whole thing was pulled off and it all worked out. It did, however, bring to light why I belong in the office and not in the kitchen. Then as icing on the cake, I helped make supper that night.
 Let me tell you, I was exhausted after it was all over! Talk about getting out of your comfort zone!

 Had fun in Minnesota last weekend. Skiing was cool. Youth rally was cool.

 I have tickets to Alberta. I've never been there before. Sweet.

 We had our first meeting today in summer camp preparation. It got me in the summer camp mood. And now I'm pumped. I know it's still three months before camps start, but I can't wait!

There's a random picture of me, Janel, and Shelah that was taken this weekend. We're in Blueford. And I think it was taken after we had discovered a previously undiscovered restaurant that we liked! Please understand that in a town like this one, that is something!

Nice.

 I got a new nephew last night. Sweet. There's Emma with Adrian. Congratulations, Lyle & Chrissy, on having three of the seven cutest kids in the world. Not that I've seen the newest one yet. But I think it's a pretty safe assumption.  So now I kinda wish I could be home for a little while.

 You know how after an extended period of not getting nabbed, you begin to subconsciously question the existence of policemen? I mean, you know they're out there, but you begin to view cops as myths. And gradually, unawares your right foot becomes more and more weighty.
 Well, let me tell you something. They're not myths. They're as real as the air I'm breathin. They are out there, and they will get you. And I'm still thanking the Lord for one cop who chose to show mercy where mercy was not due. Yes, I am. Praise the Lord, I can still go skiing.  Maybe.

 Okay, so I know I'm not supposed to say this in March. I know I'm breaking a cardinal rule of living anywhere north of southern Virginia in March. But I'm going to say it anyway. I love winter! Man, just tonight I was walking home in the snow. Everything is perfectly still except the falling snowflakes. Not a sound save the crunch of snow beneath my boots. How can you miss the beauty of winter? How can't you like it? Unless, of course, you're a maintenance man who has to move the stuff every other morning. But I hear all these non-maintenance men complaining and griping and moaning for the arrival of spring. I just sit there and grin because no one wants to hear that there is actually a person alive in March who still likes winter. But here no one is going to tell me to be quiet, right? So I'll say it again. I love winter! Although I wouldn't mind playing volleyball again.

 So last night, I was lying in my bed almost asleep. Or maybe I was asleep. I don't know. At any rate, I looked over and saw this dude sitting on my bedroom floor! Very put off at this jerk's intrusion, I sat up abruptly and yelled at him. I reached over to turn my light on and knocked the cup of water all over the place. Funny how he disappeared as soon as I sat up. Then I had to clean up all the water. At least I didn't try to cut my toe off this time!

 We played one intense game of marbles tonight. I'm tellin ya, there were insults flying, even marbles flying, fits of rage, all kinds of good stuff!  But I can't remember who won.

I see that in my last post, I spelled Barabbas wrong the whole way through. That really bothers me.

My name is not Bessie Roo.