Here comes the fall!

Happy first day of Autumn! On my way home from my parent's farm this weekend, it was actually pretty great to see that the leaves were starting to change. While I am not a huge fan of winter (I'm definitely a hot weather kinda gal), I do quite enjoy the fall and all the gorgeous colours it brings. I'm hoping to take a drive up to Muskoka in the next few weeks to see the colours in all their glory and take a bunch of pictures. I meant to last year but never quite got around to it so this year it is back on my "to-do" list.

This weekend was a lot of fun - we had a surprise party for my dad's 60th birthday and it was a huge success. He had no idea and lot's of people came out to spend the day on the farm and enjoy lot's of food, company, great music, and fabulous weather! My mom had been planning this surprise for the last several months, so kudos to her for pulling it off without a hitch!

Next up on the agenda is Thanksgiving weekend, and our plans for that weekend seem to change every day. I may end up going away for that weekend for a short get-away with the hubby. The African Children's Choir is singing at the church that Sunday morning though and we really want to see them, so we'll have to see if we can fit that in there as well. (If you've never heard of them, check them out on youtube or on their website - they're amazing).

Speaking of Africa - only about 5 months left to Uganda! Now that fall is here it seems even closer. Can't wait until I'm boarding that plane!

Read more...

Walking a new path

I am on the cusp on something new.

I don't know what and I don't know how, but I know that a change - it is a comin'. Not something physical, not something materialistic, but something more internal. I've felt for the past six months or so that there is something in store for me. The feeling is like knowing that there's something great waiting for you around the next corner, but for some reason the road you're on keeps getting longer and longer and you just can't reach that turn.

The past few weeks have been two things for me:

1 - extremely difficult: I'm been through a bit of a rough time recently and have hit some "lows" that are pretty uncharacteristic for me. I'm usually a really upbeat, perky kind of person who bounces back from things really quickly, but lately things just seem to be pushing me lower and lower.

2 - the biggest blessing I can remember in the recent past. At 28 years old, I am finally coming to a realization that has been a long time coming. Things that I want in life, things that I want to do, how I want to be as a person - none of that will happen on it's own. No one is going to knock on my door one day and say "Congratulations Suzanne - here is the life you always wanted. Enjoy!" I have to go out and do the work, both external and internal, to become the person I want to be. I have to dedicate myself and my time, because no one else will - no one else can.

In the past several weeks I have asked for "divine intervention" on numerous occasions. Jokingly of course, but there was truth underneath it. I feel like a child in the sense that I want to be told what to do: "You will do this, then do that next week and that next year and then you will find the happiness you search for." How easy, how simple. But if that's the way it was supposed to be, then that's the way it would be. And it's not. Instead you have to make your own heart, your own voice strong enough that even in the darkness times you can hear your voice, you can feel your strength and follow what your heart is telling you to do.

This is a journey I am on. As I stated at the beginning of this post - I am on the cusp of something new. I can feel that things are different now. All the times in my past where I've had an inkling of "Am I following my passion? Am I the woman I always pictured I would be?" These feelings don't even hold a candle up to how I feel now. I feel like everything in my life, everything I've said, everything I've done, has prepared me for this moment in my life. I feel a determination like I've never felt before in my adult life.

I can say with true conviction - Watch out, you ain't seen nothin' yet.

Read more...

Thoughts on Prayer

Here's a great quote from a movie that I've been thinking a lot about lately:

"Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?" (From "Evan Almighty")

My hubby reminded me of this awhile ago when I was complaining to him about something work-related. I think it's such a great quote because it reminds you that are an active participant in your life. It's also kinda' funny because I always find myself praying to God for strength - strength to get through the day, strength to remain positive when I'm facing negativity, and strength just to be the best possible version of myself at any given moment. And of course, I am always finding myself in challenging situations where I'm facing negative people or difficult customers, or I find myself slipping into "woe is me" mode when I should really be saying "Thank-you" for all that I have. Indeed I am getting exactly what it is I am asking for - situations and opportunities where I can be strong, where I can strive to be a positive role model.

I think though that I am going to try something new for the next little while. Instead of praying for things or praying for certain character "traits", I am only going to pray with gratitude (again - my hubby's idea). I am simply going to thank God for all I have, and thank him for the great day I have ahead of me (I usually pray in the morning as soon as I wake up). If I pray from a place of gratitude, instead of a place where I am asking for something - perhaps I will only be given more things to be grateful for. I do this not in a selfish way, but simply from a place of realizing I may need a bit of an attitude adjustment and perhaps could stand to start seeing some things a little differently from now on.

On a lighter note though - here's another quote from that movie that I find almost as great:

Evan (on the ark, addressing a big crowd) "People! The flood is imminent! (everyone looks around, bewildered, and up at the sunny sky. Evan addresses the heavens) "Is it too much to ask for a LITTLE PRECIPITATION?"


:) 'till next time . . .

Read more...

Back to Life - Back to Reality

Back to life indeed. I took a bit of a break from emails and my blog in the month of August (mostly 'cause I was on vacation for awhile and then just too busy at my new store). Now that it's September and I've had a few weeks to get settled in at work and back to my routine at home, I feel like I actually have some time now to blog and start answering some long overdue emails!

My new store is great - definitely a lot bigger than the old one and it has a much faster pace, but I can now remember where everything is and have finally memorized everyone's names! It's been really great working so close to home - it only takes me about 5 minutes to get to and from work, so it's a lot easier both on me and on my car! I also have a lot more energy now when I get home so I can do more with my evenings and not just want to come home and crash on the couch.

Our vacation in August was fabulous! Mount Tremblant is gorgeous and I'm so glad we got away for a few days as we really needed it. We then spent some time at my parent's house and that's always fun as it's really rare that the whole Brimley family is at the same place at the same time. Definitely looking forward to the next get-together soon! I also got a chance on my vacay to visit Susan and Lance and meet their wee one Ainsley (who is the most beautiful thing ever and fell alseep on me for awhile - too cute)! Once again though, summer went by wayyy too quickly. At least this year I feel like I actually got to do a bunch of exciting things and don't feel like it passed me by without me taking advantage of it. I also have a really exciting year to look forward to (6 months 'till Uganda), so I'm hoping the winter will speed by and hopefully it'll be spring before you know it!

In case anyone is wondering why the heck I have a "Hobbit" themed blog-page now - I am currently in the midst of re-watching the entire "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and felt the need to make my blog a little "hobbit-ish". I'm a huge fan of the movie (and Tolkien's books) and I watch the whole trilogy at the end of every summer (not just the movie, but special features and the whole kit and caboodle). I find these movies hugely inspiring and can't wait until "The Hobbit" movie comes out in 2011! (Peter Jackson is writing the screenplay so I know it's going to be amazing).

Read more...

Off to the Chateau!!

As I am just a wee bit excited about my trip to Quebec, I thought I'd post some pics of the hotel we'll be staying at. Chateau Beauvallon is a "luxury" hotel - but thanks to both an internet special and the "mid-week" special, we can actually afford to stay there for a couple of days! It's been open since 1942, and sits on a "vast, private, lakeside property in the heart of the Laurentians". It got glowing reviews from both Frommers and tripadvisor and hopefully I'll be posting my own glorious review next week!

Here's to vacations and hittin' the road for awhile!

Read more...

I'm on Vacation!!!!

That's right folks, I am now officially on vacation for the next 11 days! I'm takin' it easy at home tonight as I was up at 4:45 this morning for work - there's a pizza cooking in the oven and a couch and a couple of movies that are screaming my name. :) Tomorrow morning I plan on having a nice sleep-in, followed by a jog and a swim in the pool - then I plan on spending the rest of the day doing whatever I feel like doing! (ahhh, the joys of being on vacation). That only lasts for one day though, as Saturday I have to go get my hair done (and anyone who knows me knows I hate that more than going to the dentist) and run around doing errands as Chris and I will be heading out to the Laurentian Mountains in Quebec (Mount Tremblant to be exact) for our 2-year anniversary, followed by several days at my parents farm with the entire Brimley clan.

I'm super excited to get away for awhile as I am in desperate need of some relaxing and recharging - with being sick for so long, moving again, and all my work changes, the past several months have been kind of difficult and nerve-racking so it'll be good to get away from it all. I've been trying not to let things get to me so much (as I'm a prime example that it's not good for your health) but sometimes it's just too easy to get wrapped up in the little things. I really need to get to 100% again as I'm starting at a new store after our vacation and I know that September means that the Holiday season (aka - crazy/insane season) is right around the corner, and in retail that means busy, busy, busy until January. It also means that our Africa missions trip is right around the corner (we're going to Uganda for two weeks in March with 4 other adult leaders and 12 kids from the senior high youth group). March might seem like a long ways away, but when you're organizing a trip to Africa that involves lots of people, and most of them teenagers - 7 months really isn't that long. I know it's going to be great and life-changing for all of us though, and it's cool to have something that big to look forward to.

On a completely unrelated note - I reactivated my Facebook account today. It's been over a year since I've been on it, and it's kind of like rejoining a conversation that's already been going on for a long time. I mainly rejoined as I wanted to see updates and pics from my friends, and I do realize now that it probably is a really good way to stay in touch with people nowadays. We'll see how it goes and hopefully I don't become a facebook addict!

Read more...

Welcome to the world!!

Well little Ainsley Grace Innis has finally arrived! My good friends Susan and Lance welcomed their first child into the world a couple of days ago! I talked to Susan today and she sounds great, and both her and the little one are doing just fine. Susan is my first really close friend to have a child, and it is so amazing that her and Lance have created such a miracle. I know they're going to be amazing parents and little Ainsley is one lucky girl! I'm so proud of them and excited for them as they start this new journey together!

Welcome to the world Ainsley - you're only a couple of days old but you already have a ton of people who love you and care for you and are thrilled to be friends with your parents and watch you grow up!

"Every child born into the world is a new thought of God, an ever fresh and radiant possibility."

Read more...