Sometimes...

...you and 2 bus loads of Redeemer peeps go to the Jays and D-Rays game last night. Sometimes it is a very fun night.

Highlights may include:

• the burning smell of rubber as our bus navigated through traffic
• missing the first inning due to traffic
• sitting very close to the field
• so close in fact that we could practically touch the right fielders
• relentlessly heckling Delmon Young - and having him respond
• Blue Jay pitchers getting enough strike outs that we all get pizza
• having great friends to cheer with
• and....
• having your best friend, who was sitting/falling/standing right beside you...
• CATCH A FOUL BALL!!!!!!
  

Its Hard To Be A Princess

I have a filthy habit that I need to confess to. Since last week myself and 6-10 other females have gathered together on Wednesday nights to...watch America's Next Top Model. Its a guilty pleasure that gives me a work out for my heart. Mostly because I almost have a heart attack (out of rage and outcry) every time Tyra Banks opens her mouth.

This may not be the first time I've had this habit - and as a result I can say that there are a lot of criers on this season of ANTM. A lot. Like every 5 minute we see a skinny girl in tight jeans making snot bubbles. We astute watchers of this program thought it was getting to be a little much. Thus I am keeping a tally of the weekly criers and the criers overall (minus the season premiere) here on my blog - right in between the Time Warp and the Archives. Look for it late Wednesday or Thursdays for the remainder of the season.

So True

This just killed me this morning.


marriedtothesea.com

Sometimes...

...its hard to say good bye to your only sibling for an indefinite amount of time.

Tourney Champs

B Division


(L-R)
Standing: Brad, Tom, Randall, Jaclyn, Dan, Jon
Kneeling/bending: Gerry, Eric
Sitting/laying: Chelsea, Kevin, Laura

Highlights:

• actually being asked to play
• playing 3rd base and throwing 2 guys out from my knees
• hitting a triple and then coming home on the throwing error
• actually getting to play ball with my best friend
• personally threatening to murder Brad Klein-Geltink
• raising money for John Calvin Christian School (Guelph) and Woodland Christian High
  

Tonight, Tonight, There's Only You Tonight

Or maybe there are a lot of other people.

Anyway, 2nd round of the playoffs. Tonight. 8pm. Here.

If we win we go to the championship game.

You should come. Bring a lawn chair - we wear red shirts.

CITB

(Talking like a robot) Earthlings, Church in the Box is this Sunday at 7pm in the Redeemer Auditorium. The current scheduled speaker is Urban Promises' Colin McCartney. The offering will be going to the Sierra Leone Literacy Project. You should come.

End transmission.

The Fam

So this weekend was the last time the four of us would be together until, well, we don't know when. John is moving to Whistler at the end of the month and likely won't be home for Christmas, and yeah, it could very well be summer before we see him again. That kinda makes me sad in my heart. But I'm excited for him and the adventures that are in front of him and his girlfriend Hayley.

In honour of us being together some pictures were commissioned. This is one of my favourites. Some explanation: Mom has a little habit of being the only one with her eyes closed. So we decided to reverse the effect!

And thus I give you, The Family Stew:



I love us a lot!

Dear Boys Downstairs

Dear Boys in the apartment below,

It may sound sick, but I generally like the smell of cigarettes. But I wonder what brand you guys are smoking, because all the smoke, all the time, smells reeeeeaaaaalllly gross. Similar to a rain soaked sweat shirt that was worn while an entire pack was smoked, three days ago. Like gross.

I'm just sayin' is all. Maybe you should smoke better cigarettes. Or, don't smoke at all. That's cool too.

Ok, I'm sure we'll talk later, probably about loud music, poker nights, the fact that the entire building knows you have a beer tap on your fridge, or your passionate love for baseball.

Have a nice day,

Laura

Do You Have Testicles? (This is not a dirty question, its just a body part people.)

Do you have testicles, attend Redeemer University College (i can't wait for this sentence to come up in a Google search!), can carry a tune in a bucket, sing in a not super low fashion? If you answered yes to these questions then the Redeemer University College Concert Choir needs YOU!

[insert picture of Dr T looking like Uncle Sam and pointing at you, here]

For real though, if you're a male RUC stud(ent) and you have ever thought about joining the choir, this is the time for you. We need tenors. We are so desperate that I, Laura Stewart, a mezzo-soprano am singing first tenor. So you see the need here.

Some reasons/benefits to joining the choir:

1. so man lovely ladies
2. some pretty cool dudes
3. a tight knit community that will support you in prayer and in deed
4. singing music that could change your heart for the better
5. singing music that could make you cry (see #4)
6. travel - we go on tour
7. becoming a waaaay better musician
8. so much laughing
9. Chris and Rebecca Teeuwsen
10. Soup and Buns - everywhere we go and they are always great
11. a chance to learn other languages - we sing in Latin, French, German, Spanish...
    
12. a chance to star in tour videos
13. friendships that will last for the rest of your life
14. alumni choir
15. any time we sing Handel you get an ab work out
16. corporate worship in many different styles
17. being a shiny jewel in the Redeemer crown - we sing for anything they want to look and sound good
18. a chance to make soprano jokes
19. singing with an orchestra will knock much more than your socks off
20. you get to see me at least 3 times a week!

Seriously - there is 20 reasons why you and your tenor self should be contacting Dr. Teeuwsen right now!

Ok. Go. I'll see you in 125G!

Things I Love

Over the past couple of days I have been reminded of two things that I love...

I'm a pretty decent singer. And I love to sing. But I love when I'm worshiping with enough people that I can't hear my own voice. That I can be singing my lungs out and my voice just drowns and blends in the worship of others. Mmmm. I love that.

I also love women's competitive fast-pitch. I also love having a best friend who also loves it. Love, also love.

Update

So continue to live. Though I'm not going to lie. I a)may have pushed myself a little too hard over the past couple of days and that has lead to b)feeling kinda crummy. But thus far my schedule has kind of allowed me to push and push and then crash and crash. I'm sure I'll be fine soon. Right? Thanks for your concern and your love.

Guess What I Did?

I posed this question to Natalie and after she heard the answer she said the question was phrased wrong for the answer. The answer is, I got stung. But she said that since the stinging was the action and I didn't do it then its not really what I did. So I guess a better answer would be, I stood there and allowed a bee to sting me. Which isn't really true either as I didn't know it was going to sting me until after it did.

Anyway. Yeah, I got stung and let me tell you, the system works. And by system I mean a year's worth of shots. I was putting a gas can back together and BAMN, something hurty was in and out of my left arm (why is it always lefty, poor lefty). I dropped the gas can nozzle and swore. The proceeding burning and pain led me to believe that I had not simply been attacked by a deer fly. The redness and raised bump without me even touching the area may have tipped me off too.

Fortunately my boss was close by to help me take a look at it tell me that I was allowed to take a Benadryl and go home. Which I did. My hands were shaking a little hard to maneuver the pill bottle, but it got done. I spent the afternoon in bed feeling funky and being nursed by Chelsea (thank you John for bringing her over). Things didn't turn out too bad. I was kinda out of it, my chest was kinda tight and I was kinda phlegmy. Lets just say I didn't feel good. But no trip to the hospital and no epi-pen. Though I'm not going to lie, I'd really have to be fighting for breath to take the epi-pen, because that stuff is crazy.

I had a good (if not drug induced) sleep. Which was nice as the other post-sting side effects were starting to kick in - the body itch and the joint pain and the headache. But I'm pretty ok this morning. Still tired and just not tip top. But praise the Lord, I survived. He still has plans for me.

Supply and Demand

So no less than 3 of you have personally approached me and asked for pics of Sarah and Tom's wedding. And since I posted the postcard that I got from them yesterday, I thought it would be a good time to throw up a few shots.

Ici, le wedding...

Sarah just before taking the plunge.
Sarah and Ferd, taking a stroll
Ew. Kussen.
Sisters, sisters...
The first dance. Look at those grins.

Tiny Gripe

I wish the whole of Redeemer was like you guys, that they read my blog. Then I wouldn't have to be explaining things all the time.

I think I had 500 conversations yesterday that went like this:

Random RUC Person: Hey, Laura Stewart! Its good to see you!

Me: Its good to see you too!

RRP: So, you're all graduated eh?

Me: Um, nope.

RRP: You're not?

Me: Nope. I'm back for one class each semester.

RRP: (puzzled look as they try and figure out if I'm dumb or just pathetic for not doing the classes in one semester and finally getting out)

Me: (looking at them while they think this, wondering if I could make their brain explode by telling them that I only need first semester's class to graduate)

RRP: Cool, well I guess I'll see you around eh?

Me: Yup.

So yeah, maybe you've been away or something, or maybe i haven't clearly communicated this - I am back for the whole year. You'll remember that I am the chair of CITB this year. That means I have to be a student for the whole year. There. Now you know. Oh how this won't clear up anything.

Milestones, Not Just A Restaurant Any More

Guess what this is?



Yup. Who'd a thunk that way back in January of aught four I'd be making this milestone. 1000 pieces of narcissism up here on the world wide interweb for all to see.

For every post be assured that there is one other post that was brilliantly thought up while I was in the car, out for a walk, pretending to listen in class, etc, etc, that were forgotten before I could find a computer. Just imagine if I had been able to write all of those down too! Wow.

I had wanted to make this a much bigger deal - 'cause there is a special announcement coming down the tubes (toobs) but I just haven't had enough time to refine some of it, and I want it to be really special for you guys. So I'm compromising this milestone for what may prove to be an even bigger one.

I'd like to thank the many faithful readers all over the world. I'd especially like to thank people who comment. Its the commenters who keep me going on the tough days. You know who you are. Thank you.

I feel like I should leave you with a nice picture...hmmm Ok...I looked around. This is my favourite cupcake in the world. Sarah Moerman made it for me. It has blue icing because she made me blue icing. She made me pretty cupcakes with blue icing because she loves me. So this picture is not just a delicious cupcake, but it is also love.