goodbye's the saddest word

So this is it I am officially done high school. The dinner, the ceremony... done! It was all so beautiful, such a fitting ending to an awesome four year chapter to our lives.
The dinner in the Baldachin proved to be what we expected and more. There was plenty of delicious food, the decorations were amazing, and it had a a realy beautiful interior. And the company was of course top notch.
The ceremony went ny fast and its just a blurr. But yah its all done, mixed feelings.

Dear Jess:

Goodbye's the saddest word I'll ever hear
Goodbye's the last time I will hold you near
Someday you'll say that word and I will cry
It'll break my heart to hear you say goodbye

But the love you give will always live
And I will always love you till forever comes

And when you need me
I'll be there this I promise you

I'll be your beacon through the darkest night
I'll be the wings that guide your broken flight
I'll be your shelter through the raging storm
And I will love you till forever comes

Till we meet again until then goodbye

-Celine Dion

-props to the bossy posee-
-thanks robyner for everything-

school's out for the summer

School's out forever
School's out for summer
School's out with fever
School's out completely
- Alice Cooper

Wow I guess this is it. It's over (Just For Gags wailing in the background) I don't think it has hit me yet that I am finished High School and this is it. No more Redeemer, and some of the people in my class I am never going to see again after graduation. *sigh. Though I am going to try my best not to loose touch with people. Even though I am going to miss the people, I'm not going to miss the classes. I was increadibly happy when I was done my last exam. It felt so good, not have to worry about assignments, or feel guilty for not studying. It has been an awesome four years of my life in which I would not trade for the most chocolate in the world. Seriously, these have been life changing years and I'm not sure if they can get any better than this. Though apparently University is supposed to better, University must be a heck of an experience then. Through these years I have made quality friendships that are going to last through the test of time. I have also met so many great people who have in one way or another helped shape me into the person I am today. Thank-you all for these past years and the memories they have given me. I will miss you all terribly.

Autopro is much faster than CAA

So this is it, I have found a new job and am about to leave a job where the people I work with and for mean so much to me. I guess I have never really thought about it before this time when I am leaving. They are so great and the fact that they care about me and what is going on in my every day life and my walk with God has meant so much to me. And of course this past weekend doesn't make it any easier. On Saturday we had to do invetory, but then after Dave took us all out boating. It was a blast! I learnt how to water ski and just spent the day on the beach making sand castle with their kids and going tubing with Paul's wife Christina. These people mean so much to me, so it gonna be hard to say good-bye. Though it is time to move on, life changes. The job I got at Timmy's place may hold many opportunity yet to be seen.

can I handle the seasons of my life

Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love
Can the child within my heart rise above
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides
Can I handle the seasons of my life

Well, I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you get bolder
Even children get older
And I'm getting older too

- Landslide

fruitopia moments

(if you are reading this and haven't read the previous post you might want to as this is the events of our Grade 12 trip continued...)
On Thursday morning if we were looking forward to a breakfast for champs we were to be bitterly disappointed. The breakfast at Laval was a crusty attempt of making garbadge look like food... I guess it just adds to the experience eh?
After breakfast we went to the military base in Quebec (I think its called "La Citadel") It was a pretty awesome fortress. I wouldn't want to have attack that in the olden days. There was the HUGE cannon called Rachel.. lol Rachel I don't think you're a beast. :)
After the tour they put us in groups and gave us a camera with which we could tour the city and take crazy pictures. We got a picture of Andrew getting told of by a cop, us with all kinds of different Quebec hats on, we posed with a stuffed bear wearing "don't feed the bears boxers on", and other crazy pics. I can't wait to see them developed. With our groups we then went for lunch, I had this fresh fruit parfait which was soooo good. The whipped cream.... mmm. Good thing we did a lot of walking that day.
After lunch we then went to a famous church where many people were healed. It was an amazing building, so detailed and beautiful. Everything about that church was perfect in its style.
On the way back to Quebec we stopped by at the waterfall, where we saw the TCS kids on their grade 8 trip... fancy seeing them there. The stairs to get to the top were unending, there were sooooo many. Zach, Luther, Robert, and I raced eachother to the top, and of course I won right boys? Just remember there is no reality, except for mine, just ask Julie. Once on the top we could go on a bridge that went right over top the water fall. Looking down at the waterfall was awesome. Matthijs made a rainbow at the botom by pouring a drop of his orange gatorade down the waterfall, that is how rainbows happen. Julie, Josh, and I took the Gondala down... go figure, we could handle the stair up, but not down. It was a nice view though.
We then went back to Laval where we got ready for dinner, I ironed Jess's hair... I will conform many people in my life that the iron is the way to go. We went to a pasta place for dinner where there was many, many kids there eating dinner with us. Josh daring me to squeeze the butter container, but stopped me just in time before I popped it and butter went everywhere. But the funny thing is that there were kids across from us who saw me doing it and tried it, and before I knew it I was sprayed with butter. I tried to look mad, but I couldn't because it was too funny and if I were them I would have probably done the same.
Afer dinner we went to the Plains of Abraham and played soccer. But before we played soccer, Mrs. Shuurman, Jess, and I had to try to find a washroom, which was an adventure in itself. We walked everywhere before one, and Mrs. Shuurman almost pushed right onto a dead groundhog. *sick. Then Jess and I waded into a waterfountain and took pictures with penguins who played intraments. We then made it back to the soccer fields, where we played tackle soccer. I found the tricks take Nathan out by his bumm ankel and Mathijs has sore legs. It was fun though I took them both down at the end, though not before getting taken out by Mathijs. But I got in a lot of noogies and kidney punches. "Zach, at least I don't take Calculus!"
We then when back to Laval, but most of us were really thirsty so we decided to take a walk to the nearest gas station to buy drinks. On the way there Mathijs and I realized that we share the same problem, the difficulty of trying to be humble when we are so great. It felt so good to find someone else who understands what it is like to be perfect...lol. And there was a fountain that we passed that it was necessary for Jess and I to wade in. At the gas station I bought a fruitopia, where I would later find out the bottle would come in handy, eh Jess? Ahhh fruitopia moments... juice $1.75, bottle priceless. At the gass station it crossed my mind that we should have a gas fight like on Zoolander, but my better judgment won out... not very often that happens, but in this situation it prevailed.
We went back to Laval, this time to sleep, though it was kinda hard considering there were drunk men outiside our window yelling at the top of their lungs.
The next day was.... La Rounde!!! It was an amazing time. The first ride on I went on was a rollercoaster. I ussually am terrified of them and this one was no acception. I told the guys that I wanted a warm up, and I guess to them this was one... The line up was long except it was kept interesting, by watching a group of 40 guys try and bud their way through the line up, only to be escorted away by security, while the whole line was cheering and clapping. "Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey Good-bye!" The rollercoaster was very, very, very terrifying. I was curled up in the fetial postion the whole time even though your supposed to keep your head back so you don't get whip lash. By the end Mathijs had to assure me that it was almost over, I'm surprised I heard him over my screams of terror. Though it was worth it. The thrill of a life time. I went on other rides the whole day which were fun also. It was so hot that day, so the water fight by the kids water park felt so good. Good thing that the sun was hot though, cause we needed to dry off before going on the bus back to Ottawa. On the busride back I hung out with Mrs. Shuurman. Man I miss her so much. She is more a friend than anything else, I can't wait for next year when we can hang out more. We had some good talks but also a lot of fun. Josh was joking about how at grad we should have futurarian that predict where everyone will be in 10 years. So Mrs. Shuurman asked me to tell her fortune by reading her palm, so I did the whole "You are going to be very rich, here is you mansion, your cars, and *spit* your swimming pool. LOL - "that was great guys, really great." But then she got me back by giving me a wet whilly.
The Grade trip was great, memories that I will take with me the rest of my life. A great way to end your highschool years with your classmates. Thank-you all for making it what it was.

underwater bike submarine

The Grade 12 trip was all I thought it was going to be and more. It was awesomely, funnly AMAZING!! I love having those kinds of weekends. Blast and a half with Jess, my roomie, good times all around eh?
On Thursday we left in the morning... that day I spent 7:00am to 2:30pm on a busomobile. But this was no original busomobile... this one had tinted windows and went 120km on the highway! Yes that is right, a big yellow bus can go 120km, passing others, it was great. The busride was fun, playing cards, SLAPJACK, and of course cheat, but at least we didn't play a full 6 hours of Euchre like Nate, Zach, Rob, and Mr. S did. Once we got to Quebec we had a guided tour of the city... lol. I don't think anyone listen to a word our touree said. That wasn't the great part of it, but at least we got to scout out the good shopping and eating places for later on. We were then left to go where we wanted, so Jess, Steph, Rach, and I went to a place to eat. The food there was increadibly delicious! I ordered a ham, cheese, and spinach crepe. It was a taste of heaven in a crepe. We then went to shop. I almost got convinced to buy this extremely overpriced necklace for my grad dress, (Robyn insert, "my dutch blood is raging!") but the Jess insisted to the shop keeper that I was dutch therefore I am cheap, so that deal was soon off. After the shopping we were then told that we were going to go on a farie... well it didn't work too well considering there wasn't one running that night. "Clap if you believe in fairies... I guess we will never get to see Neverland now." So instead we were once again let loose in Quebec. Steph and I tried to stay away from the flour and sugar isles, but Rachel insisted that the butter ones were not as bad. And the swing dancing by the St. Lawrence romantic, even though it tended to ruin other people's moments. Josh also found an underwater submarine bike by the edge of the river. Rachel, Steph, and I also had spitting contest, mine went the farthest... even though some of it tended to go down wind into their faces. :)


----------------------------------Going to bed------------------------write about it more tomorrow---------------------------

naming of my blog - "why pearl necklace?"

Pearl Necklace

Once there was a little girl who adored jewellery. She spent her childhood playing dress-up with her fake gems. When her parents would go to the local mall, this little girl would always beg to go with just so that she could gaze at the real stones glittering in the shop windows.
During one such trip, they passed by a discount store. It was then that the little girl spotted a pearl necklace hanging in the window; the white beads seemed to glow alluringly. Next to the necklace dangled the price tag, which read $4.99.
She would only receive a quarter for her weekly allowance, which meant that it would take her over five months to save enough money to buy the treasured necklace. Determined, she waited patiently and carefully put each of her quarters in her piggy bank.
When she finally saved enough to pay for the necklace, her father took her back to the discount store. To her delight, the pearls were still waiting. She proudly walked into the store, emerging minuets later with a small velvet pouch. “I did it, Daddy!” she exclaimed.
That night, as her father tucked her into bed, he asked, “Honey, do you love me?”
“Of course I love you,” his daughter replied.
“Do you love me enough to give me your pearl necklace?” her father questioned.
Horrified, she burst into tears. “Daddy, I love you, but I can’t give you my pearl necklace.” Her father leaned down, kissed her and told her that it was okay.
Each night for a week, the father and daughter had the same conversation. Each night, after the tearful reaction, her father kissed her just the same. Finally on Sunday night, the father heard her crying sometime after he had tucked her in.
He opened the door to her bedroom and sat down on the bed. “Daddy,” she sighed through tears, “I love you. You can have my pearl necklace.”
She pulled the small velvet pouch from under her pillow, placing it in her father’s hands. Now it was his eyes that filled with tears as he hugged her tightly. He thanked her and walked out of the room.
The next morning, when the little girl awoke, she felt something under her pillow. Almost forgetting that she’d given away her precious necklace, she reached for the velvet pouch. But in her hand grasped something sturdier.
She pulled out a small blue box and placed it in her lap. Slowly she opened it and gasped with surprise. Inside was a genuine pearl necklace. On the clasp, an inscription read, “Daddy Loves You.”
---- He’s HOT, She’s HOT by: Jeramy & Jerusha Clark

At this time in my life I am struggling with the uncomfortable issue of change. I am almost done high school, and soon will be starting a new chapter in my life. This chapter lacks a plot, and yet I know what it entails. It will consist of saying good-bye to cherished friends and embarking away from my family and everything that is familiar about home. I am not sure I want to open this chapter, I am not sure if I want to end the last one.

This is the reason that this little story hit hard. The little girl in the story worked so hard for what she had, and thought that it was the best necklace that could be offered - she did not know better. In result she held on to it for all its worth and despaired at the thought of giving it up. In the same way, I am holding on to my current situation, this is all I know and I have worked hard to be where I'm at. I am slowing starting to realise that sometimes it is necessary to give up what is comfortable and waht we cherish in order for God to bless us with better. I am learning to let go of my fake pearls... and give God the opportunity to give me the real thing.