the woman i call mom...

have i ever mentioned that i love my mom? undoubtedly, my mom is one of the best people i know. if you ever want to know what it's like to have an uncanny ability to keep intouch with people, or take care of people, or just sit and listen to people...you should talk to judy. she will do anything for anybody at the drop of a hat...like help me practice german on the phone when she calls from oman...or plant a tree of plumerias in oman because she knows they're my favorite flower..she'll forget about herself so that others needs can be met...and she doesn't do it for anything in return...she does it because she actually wants to.
I think I could learn a lot from my mom. she's pretty good at the whole "second greatest commandment: love your neighbour" thing...which is something that I've been convicted on a lot lately.
she went in for her second mastectomy on tuesday. Her first was two years ago when she battled with breast cancer. that's another great part about my mom...she's a survivor. and I don't mean that in the over-used "I'm a cancer survivor" label sense...i mean that she is using her experience of dealing with cancer, for one, to really dive into her relationship with Jesus, and two, to help others...she isn't just getting by, forgetting that she ever dealt with it and accepting the fact that she got through. She is constantly making herself aware of how she might help others, including myself, become more aware...so that maybe one day others won't have go through what she had to. she survives the hardship of what she went through by helping bring joy to others in their trials.
and truly...i don't know about any other women out there...but i think that if I had that portion of my body cut off...I'd complain about life. no...i don't think i'd complain...i know i would. but i never once heard my mom even utter a care about the issue. Sure...she's older and maybe those parts aren't as great at that age...but if you're a woman...you're a woman. plain and simple.
i guess it just kinda hit me today how crazy amazing my mother actually is. and I know that I fail day in and day out to make her feel that way.
so, if you're reading this, mama...i love you. and i think you are really, really great.

why am I in school...

...when all i want to be doing is that (note: see picture). Man, what a good night that was...all I can say is I love german culture...leiderhosen... and well, aside from other things I won't mention, random hat dances. To anyone reading this who knows what I'm talking about and was there that night (note 2: see picture...) I miss you so much that I would actually drive right now to come and see you. But hey, Cake in october? Heck yes.
No, to be honest, it is good to be back into the books. Even though my classes are huge (well, except for german...yes...german pulls through once again)...my profs are great and I've been managing to find my way around at the U...(well, today i sat in on the wrong lecture...but that's a whole different story). I really should be doing homework right now...but hey, Bio can wait. It's just reading anyways, right? ha ha...don't quote me on that, because I actually do want to do well this year.
Aside from the obvious happenings of my life (aka: school)...I'm also helping at my old irish dance school...teaching "wee little runts" how to do their reels and jigs...and I'm having a blast. At one point this evening I had four 6-year olds jumping all over me...it was a little hectic, but other than my two sore feet (and maybe a raspy voice)...I'm alive.
Anyways, I'm off to do what I should be doing. And once again...you girls in the picture...careful around people with red haired wigs...and if you can, try and get the back of the bus to burst out into song again. Love you.

i don't know what to title this entry...

banff is such a great place if you feel like being bombarded by tourists, eating good food and drinking good beer at the pubs, shopping in stores that are way overpriced, and of course... eating fudge. that is my friend jolene (and me) sitting in the classic spot overlooking the bow river at the banff springs hotel...and below would be a picture of yours truly immitating some interesting tourists who, sporting not one, but two peace signs, thought it would be fun to take a picture infront of the oh-so-picturesque store-front backdrop of banff...much to my and jolene's confusion(ha ha). Jolene came out from winnipeg for the weekend and we had a blast (i miss you, crazy girl!)...and i spent way too much money shopping for things i didn't need. oh well...
speaking of spending too much money...let me tell you a little story. So...this morning, after dropping Jolene off at the airport at the unearthly hour of five o'clock am...i found myself at the university doing what every university student is probably thinking about doing right now...buying textbooks. And let me tell you that I was only purchasing books for three courses...THREE COURSES...and the total sum?? $550. Yep...for i think five textbooks. So...I whipped out my little debit card and felt the hit in the bank account...and then waddled my way back to my car with all my bags...only to find a little white slip of paper folded nicely underneath my right windshield wiper telling me that I owed $40 to the parking authorities for parking too close to a fire hydrant. I was ticked...but I paid it. And now I'm officially poor...and i haven't even paid for tuition yet.
ha ha...the life of a student. sometimes i actually want to shoot myself.