Juxtaposition

As I've been blogging about
in my new blog,
I am trying to do lots of
wedding planning this week.
The first week of Lent.
This is crazy.
It seems also totally opposite to
what the first week of Lent should be.
But I can't see the future
so I have to do the best with what I am
given to do in the present.
*
I got news today that my job is a go
and that I do start this coming
Monday at 9 AM.
Full time for a month.
But it may be for more months if they
get the budget for it.
Which means I would be working and
traveling, moving and doing the rest of
the wedding preparations
not to mention that I have most lovingly
been invited to various bridal showers
which I have penciled in for when I am
in the places they would be in.
In other words,
provided my job continues
I have no choice but to use my last 1 free week
to try to get as much done as possible.
*
Which means tomorrow I try to make a spreadsheet
for all the invites to the most likely
two events
as I will be the one receiving the RSVPs
since I am here, the Crowning will be here
and my family is not here.
*
Whew.
Any tips on stress management or other things
for wedding planning to make things
simple and easy,
feel free to let me know!
*
I am hoping to see the cater with a friend
tomorrow afternoon so that
I have a better idea of what is
and is not possible...
*
Thank God now at least I can go to church
and pray part 3 of
St. Andrew's Canon.
*
Lord have mercy on us!

The Next Step - Moving!

By God's grace I have found a wonderful downtown one bedroom apartment in my price range. It has everything I wanted - wood floors, light, balcony and sliding door, lots of cupboards, storage space, controlled entrance and is well taken care of. It is quiet and is a corner unit; the super lives on site.

I move December first, which gives me time to continue getting used to my new job, and to pack, declutter, purge and plan. Today I am to sign the lease and hope to take measurements.

I am so relieved and still can hardly believe it. I will be 32 at the end of December, Lord willing, and this apartment is the first 'adult' apartment for me. I have purposely chosen to stay in my smaller, cheaper apartment in order to have savings and because I did not have a permanent job - only contracts.

I hope to live in this apartment for a long time; I can walk to church and to my work and to the grocery store. I have saved up money to buy furniture for my living room; IKEA will continue to get my business.

I am more peaceful about work and really love that I have a small library to run; I love the flexibility and independence.

I am more determined to continue to create a life here in Ottawa; with my new apartment I can, Lord willing, have friends over and will have space for everything. My living room will be kid-proof as I want to have my friends with kids over. I am feeling happy and hopeful about this.

Between Fear and Excitment

I start my new job Tuesday.

I am walking.

I really want to move in 4 months (thus giving notice in 2 months).

I am both excited and scared about starting my new job. Currently I am feeling happy and hopeful.

how to say anything at all...

when not much has changed...

I am still waiting to go back to work. I am doing the pre-work things - hair cut, clothes, waiting to get my black shoes. I am slowly reorienting myself back into my profession. I am walking every day...

I pray that I will never forget how it felt to be injured and that I will be able to understand other's pain more.

It could be that my dream of moving apartments will not happen until the Spring; if work is super overwhelming I will not want to add to this stress.

May the Lord continue to have mercy on me as I am in transition.

Tea and Strawberries

Today I had tea with a friend! Twinnings Earl Grey, with a bowl of French Vanilla ice cream and delicous fresh strawberries.

I used my best tea pot (from Bavaria) and sugar and creamer; these, with the silver mirrored tray, were found when I was home for Christmas. My Grandmother and I went antique mall shopping over the holidays.

Speaking of my Grandmother, she is going to have some tests done for her health. I hope and pray that all will be okay. She is a very important part of my family!

Good news, other than the delightful tea, is that the doctor said I can start walking on my broken foot! It is SO WONDERFUL to walk after being on crutches and bed rest for 5 weeks.

My foot still has to be elevated and for now I am still off work. But I am slowly getting better, for which all thanks and praise goes to God.

I hope to have enough time to recover well before beginning my new job.

here again

Summary:

about the foot:

1. foot still broken
2. wound not infected - got better
3. appointment with specialist for foot exam this Wednesday

about my new job:

1. work did not realize how injured I was and sent me home early from training
2. they say I am to be on the payroll and that I cannot work until I am better
3. doing paper work tomorrow...

about daily life:

1. crutches - I am walking better on them
2. lots of $ spent on taxi rides
3. it is hard to make food to eat when I have one hand free (other one holding on to something so I do not fall as I am on one foot).

conclusion:

1. need God's mercy
2. need prayer
3. need food. (friend is making me food tomorrow)

on other notes...

1. liturgy tomorrow! St. John the Baptist (And His Mom, St. Elizabeth!) (old calendar)
2. Cleo the Cat really misses the normal routine and having me walk around... I can't do as much for her or play with her. a SERIOUS problem in her view.
3. I heard Fr. Thomas Hopko and Frederica M-G speak this past week. This was great.

the drama in life

here's the current summary:

a) broken foot - wound infected. Seeing nurse daily, antibiotics
b) starting new job training in another city - will be trained with foot elevated -
c) the buzzer to my apartment building broke last night. no elevator in building, broken foot, no way to let people in. keys cut and arrangements being made

I know that God is in all things and can use all this for my salvation. Also there are many who are in much worse situations than mine. I pray that I can learn to say "Glory to God in all things" and to stay peaceful and trust God.

Sometimes I wonder...

...If others feel that they have to rebuild their lives at least once a week.

In so many ways it seems I can never keep up with myself or my life - from dishes, cleaning house, doing errands to inward focus on Christ and prayer.

Today I have a very full day and I pray that God will uphold me in it.

One week left and I train for my new job in Toronto for 4 days. I am staying in a fancy hotel, have an ample daily food stipend but, as I was telling my Mom about this, I felt she got it in one: I can stay in an amazing hotel, have super classy food, but I will be alone. With God of course, and I pray my Guardian Angel and the Saints. But without human company.

I find this to be difficult.

I am going to try to make the best of it though. I am hoping to get a digital camera that is small and a new purse/black bag. I have already begun the summer office-clothes shopping, as I will be in a corporate setting. I found a nice linen white skirt, just long enough to cover the knees and a nice white top to wear under summer jackets. The plan is to complete my shopping next week Monday.

My friend Rob also posed this question, but I need to know too - any advice on a nice small digital camera with good battery life and memory card? It is time for me to invest in one.

Oh, and any one have advice on nice things to see in Toronto around the Union Station area? I have some ideas, but would love to hear other's thoughts!

Quietness and God's provision

Today was my first day off. I slept in. Had tea. Talked on the phone. Ran errands, and had tea with a former classmate from Library School... who I ran into at the Library. I am enjoying a quiet apartment.

So, I have a job. I will be running a small library in a corporate setting. All by myself, with help from other associate libraries, esp. one of them. I am starting reading on this tomorrow. I have never done this type of work before and have MUCH to learn. I am thankful.

The good things about my DV new job:

*it is 4 days a week
*I have benefits
*it is a permanent job
*I can learn a lot professionally
*I can walk to work - no more buses!

The challenging things:

*less money (4 not 5 days a week of work/pay) but still enough (student loans will take longer to pay off but that is okay)
*new responsibility and lots of learning
*faster paced environment

I felt a bit overwhelmed this weekend, but had a lot of good conversations with people and am trying to stay peaceful and not worry.

I tend to worry about the unknown.

THANK YOU everyone who prayed for me. I did the salary negotiations on my last day of work at my former job. Incredible timing.

I now have 2 weeks off before starting my new job. I get to go shopping, study up for my new job, read books, cook and do errands.

God has been so good to me.