It's the most wonderful time of year...

My Christmas was very non-traditional this year. Instead of Christmas Eve with family and at church, I learnt to use chopsticks at a Chinese restaurant. I'm by no means a master, but I can pick stuff up which means - I won't starve in Japan! Christmas Day meant "brunch". Brunch is in quotes because it became an all day affair; we arrived at 11:00am and didn't leave until 8:00pm. It was lovely though, we ate and sat around and talked and ate some more and played games and ate some more and I got to Skype my family and eat some more! Theme of yesterday - eating. This morning we went to church where we had lunch after. I take it back, theme of the weekend - eating. I love that holidays some how mean food. It was all very relaxed, laid back and full of food. Tuesday I'm off to see my parents for a second round of Christmas, this time in an actual colder climate (Florida). Merry Christmas, a bit late, to everyone who reads this thing! I hope your holidays were as wonderful as mine.

Oh Pretty Lady...

Sarah,

I wish I had emailed sooner. I wish I had emailed more regularly. I wish I didn't need to write this, I wish you could read it. I hope you knew how much you meant to me. I wish, I wish, I wish. If wishes counted eh?

There is so much I want to tell you, things I should have, things you'd like or laugh at. I've been in love, not sure you'd have liked him but you'd have been glad I was happy. Had my heart broken, you'd have been a good hand holder. Had a few Ashley "specials", and yes I still use that term for the boys I date when I'm bored. Met a guy who made it snow for me. You'd have liked that one and him.

Someone one referred to me as the Queen of Can-eh-de-a the other day. I laughed, because I'm pretty sure you and Emma coined that term first. Every time I have cupcakes I think of you and the fact that the Hummingbird Bakery got most of my salary. I still remember Coke in mini cans and pizza and shopping and the fact that you owned the most gorgeous designer heels known to man and preferred ballet flats. I'm wearing mine now, you rubbed off on my footwear preferences. You also shared your fondness for skinny jeans, black nail polish and smudgy eye make up with me. Three things I wear regularly and will now always think of you.

Red heads are special you used to tell me. I hope you knew how special you were to me and how much I valued our friendship. You were my first London friend, and seriously one of the nicest people I know. The first night we had dinner together and you "made" pasta. Our many fish and chips outings, I still eat mayo on my fries which grosses out most people.

I still have your Moschino skirt. It doesn't fit me anymore. I'll never throw it out now. It's that terrible sea green colour that both of us hated because it didn't do us any favours. It will stay that colour for the rest of my life. I've still got my Kate Moss dress too even though I'll probably never wear that again either. Now they're just triggers for my memories.

I still go on the Myla website and think, why couldn't that stuff have been this fabulous when we worked there? I loved working with you. I have so many memories of that job and that store and you. It's all tied up together.

I miss you, I miss knowing that you're there. It makes me sad that this is the first email I've written you in over a year and you don't get to read it. Elisalex and I are talking though. We've decided we can't let this happen again, we meant so much to each other and that we were so close, we should stay that way.

You taught me confidence, in myself and in my beliefs. You helped teach me that the people you least expect can be the best of friends. You believed I would be an excellent school teacher, and as your predicted I'm now teaching secondary school. English lit.

I hope you know how much you touched me, changed me and how much more complete my life is for knowing you. A year seems like a short time, but you can cram a lifetime into it. I miss you. I love you. And I wish I had sent this a month ago.

All I want for Christmas...

Christmas is fast approaching, but it's hard to tell when there is nothing marking the changing of seasons. There is no countdown via weather here. Unlike at home where snow marks the beginning of the season, here we can tell by the amount of fireworks and Christmas lights strung up. It's the season of fireworks, the louder the better.

The Christmas concert went amazingly well, if I do say so myself. God definitely had His hand in and on that. I loved hearing the Christmas story in all the languages that the kids speak as well as from the King James Bible.

I'm excited about Christmas here. It will be different but fun. I'm excited about stocking exchanges and musicals in Dutch and Christmas brunch. I'm also very very excited to meet my parents in Florida. It will be nice to see them and watch hockey!!

I will miss Christmas dinner, especially since it's at my parents this year. I'll miss opening presents and the Christmas story read by my dad and church on Christmas Eve with my entire family. My sisters. A lot, really. Thank goodness for skype.

I would really love to be in two places at once; sometimes I'm tired of missing someone or something. But Christmas reminds me of how much I truly have and how great God truly is. I have family ( and friends who have become family) and friends all over the world. I've got family who loves me. I'm never alone. I've got skype.

So all I want for Christmas is a little snow, family and love. And I've gotten all of that. I hope everyone else has a holiday that is just as good.

Thankful

Tonight we celebrated American Thanksgiving. We're a bit late, but we were in French Guiana for the original date and my roommates really wanted to celebrate. In no particular order here are some of the things I'm thankful for this year:

-my family in Canada
-my family in Suriname
-friends (here, there and everywhere)
-my students
-my job
-the roof over my head
-the fact that I went to the beach in November
-imported British tea bought in French G
-new shoes
-God and all the things He's teaching me
-sense of humour and the ability to laugh
-all things concert (it's keeping me humble)
-technology

That's really just a small sampling. I'm also thankful that I wake up everyday, that I'm healthy and that I'm loved, supported and believed in.