Miss you long time!

Oh wow, it's been stinkin' long since both Jo and I have blogged on here... we apologize for those of you who frequently check this :S It's been pretty wild since coming back to Abby after spending Christmas at home in the valley!

Where to start?

Well for me (Yoyo) Christmas back home was just amazing as ever! Had some great times with family and friends, went to a lot of community/family events (christmas concert, community luncheon, christmas tree hunting w/ Tanis gals, dinners, snow days w/friends 'n community, New Years dance, cutting wood w/parents 'n Jo, etc), and was sick for most of my time back home, talking like a frog and what not, hahah... but I had such a great time back home! I miss it so very much!

And since being back in Abby, I was fighting off my sickness (ended up having it for almost a full month! :S Arggg) and finally won! Hahah! And pretty much got back into the grind of things, regular routines every week and all that fun jazz!

But for those of you who want to know exactly what I've been up to in my routine's or not... I've been hanging out with the Lifeteams group (the ones who did a missions trip back up in my valley- Nemiah!- back in the beginning of December) here and there, going to "Crispers" (actual name is Vespers... but don't tell my girls, they'll tell you otherwise!), helping at GRITS youth (loving every bit of it! Our group has gotten much smaller, but we're praying for those who haven't come in a long while and still loving those who do come), having sleep-overs with some of my small group gals, and I've been helping out my mentor Kris A LOT lately =D She's pregnant with her 3rd child and so I'm basically her nanny, hehe! But I love her kids to death and she's just been so great to me!!! She's been, and IS, such a blessing to me... her, her husband Dan 'n her cute kids! I thank God everyday for them! So yeah, she'll be having her baby any time soon so that's super exciting!!! Can't wait!

And what else has happened? Hmmm...

Oh yesss... was butting heads with one of my room-mates and things weren't going so well at the apt... awkwardness... but then after talking about it, we found out that it wasn't such a big deal (the surface problem) but that it was much deeper than that... we ended up crying a lot, laughing, praying 'n eventually hugging, hahaha! It was awesome! God was the total focus in our talk 'n the presence of God was just overwhelming! It was truly and honestly amazing! So now, things are actually WAY better than before, so in a way, I'm kind of glad we had this "fight", otherwise we probably wouldn't have gotten closer in our friendships =D GOD IS GOOD! Cliche I know, but it's freakin' true!

And it was actually during THAT time that my awesome sis Jo 'n her youth group from up north in Williams Lake from Cariboo Community Church... they came down and picked me up in Abbotsford and swift me off to Vancouver with them for the Missions Fest weekend! At the time, it was good to get away from Abby and go elsewhere... and yeah, had the greatest time with Jo 'n the group!

And I can definitely say one thing, God really spoke to me that weekend! And for the life of me I can't remember the lady's name who spoke to us... but anyway, she was just an AMAZING speaker! She told us about her life as a missionary somewhere across the world, she got kidnapped by rebels and was held hostage for a year, and the whole time was waiting patiently for God to set them free. And one thing that really hit me in her testimony, was the part where she said she changed the way she prayed... instead of asking God, "I want this, I need that, please give me this"... all of which, in a way, are selfish wants and needs... she just prayed and told God "YOU know the wants and needs and desires of my heart, help me to be PATIENT in waiting for you to give them to me." WOW! And you know what, God answered her! He began answering her prayers like no other, maybe not in the way SHE wanted them answered, but GOD WAS THERE, providing for her and protecting her. Letting her know that He hadn't forgotten about her, and that in deed He IS listening. So guess what? That's what I've been doing. I've changed the way I pray and NOW, I've begun to see NEW LIGHT... answers to prayers and blessings... and it's ALL GOD! It's been an amazing growing experience =D It's been wonderful. It's joyful! hahah!

Other than that, I've had pretty busy weeks... last week a good friend of mine, Maleva, phoned me up (hadn't talked to her in the LONGEST time, it was such a surprise... a good surprise) and told me what was going on in her life, her wake up call from God, wanting to move back to Abby, and starting a NEW life! It was so incredibly encouraging! So she ended up spending the weekend with me... lots of talking, catching up, and visiting fellow friends of ours... such good times! It was definitely an awesome weekend, but very tiring as well, hahah... and not only with having her here, but I also had other things 'n dates I was doing... meeting up with fellow Questee's Laura 'n Ash, date with my friend Devin, hanging out with the Lifeteamers, sleep over with youth girls (Celeste 'n Barb), church, and just lots of driving, haha! It was a very fun, eventful weekend... it's just the lack of sleep I missed, hehe. And then not even getting time to rest, I ended up spending a few days at my mentor Kris' house, helping her with the kids, cleaning the house 'n washing tiles, running errands, etc... and then the usual Crispers on Tuesdays 'n youth on Wednesdays... *Sigh*... no time to rest. Hopefully this weekend.

Although I've been feeling a bit sick lately... stomach flu or something, but after talking to Kris 'n Angela, I found out that my stomach was in so much freakin' pain because I started eating red meat again... I've only ever had chicken for the LONGEST time, so my body wasn't used to the red meat. Anyway, I've been having a few days of irritating stomach pain, pms'ing, and body aching because of... ironically actually, sitting on Kris' massaging chair, pad... whatever it is! I sat on it thinking it would comfort me and make me feel relaxed and feel good... NOPE!... big mistake! Since then, my back and body has been aching and sore and lets just say... NOT good, hahah!

But there IS some good news... I had an interview at the Mt.Lehman Starbucks today, or this morning rather... and I thought it went well, although I did pray to God that if He didn't want me working there, that he would close that door... and if he did, that he would open that door wide open! So I'm hoping for the second, hehe... but all in all, I'm trusting in God that HE knows whats going on in my life, even though most of the time I don't even know what's going on in my own life, hahaha! So we'll see how things go in the next while with that job opportunity.

And you know what?... I actually have to say it's very HUMBLING to have to TRUST God in absolutely EVERYTHING. I still don't understand 100% WHY God brought me back to Abbotsford this past year... obviously not to go to school or work... but just living. It's weird I know! Most people would think I would be an irresponsible person for living the way I do... but you know what I have to say about that... SO WHAT? If I had to choose between what God thought of me or others, I WOULD CHOOSE GOD. Plain and simple. But you see, I say that now... although it's been an incredibly challenging, faith stretching, frustrating, humbling year. God taught me to be humble. It wasn't easy, but He did... why? I have no clue! But I love it nonetheless! And honestly, I myself would have NEVER chosen this lifestyle for me to live... but GOD CHOSE IT FOR ME, and I have had to obey that... and maybe it was just to teach me to be humble, who knows... but it was all in God's plan. And you know what frustrates me?! Is this world we live in... so many people out there jam it into people's heads that they're supposed to be going to school, and if they're not doing that, they should be working or doing something productive with their lives... well WHATEVER! That's NOT really how things work with God... and He's evidently shown that through my life this past year... which I still don't completely understand, but I trusted in God to provide for me... and HE DID. I always had food on the table, shelter over my head, protection, transportation everywhere, and the whole nine yards (I never really understood that saying, still don't... kind of do, but not sure, but it fits, haha!... meh!) But God has been gracious to me! I guess it all comes down to... be careful what you ask God for, He WILL answer, but just maybe NOT in the way we like. I asked God to challenge me this year, and you know what? HE DID! He threw everything at me! I probably could build my own challenge course, hahaha! Kidding :P Anyway, it still boggles my mind even now... and even now I'm not sure if it makes sense.... maybe down the road, but until then... THERE YOU GO! Figure it out for yourself, haha! :P I'm still figuring out MYself... so good luck!

Anyway, maybe it's the fact that it's like almost 1:30am in the morning and my brain is on standby, hahahah! Hmmmm?? Not sure... somehow this all makes sense, but then it doesn't... does that make sense? Hahaha, OKAY... gonna stop talking now!

chow!

Until the future, whatever this brain (or lack there of :P...) of mine can blab on paper (or blog...)... massaging chairs are evil!... and BERT isa comining on hommmmeee! *eyebrows need to be done, heehee*

later kids.......... heh heh, kids, heh heh!

Surprisingly speechless...

Wow, almost been a month and no thoughts shared between Yo 'n I. A lot has gone on. I'll update that on a later day. I was jus lookin through some photos, and thought I'd post up these cuties...

This is Aaleyah, Geraldine's youngest daughter.
She jus look so cute. Look at those cheeks, think I'll take a bite.

This baby girl is my adorable Lucy.
All of my Aunt Lil's babies are freakin' cute;)

Awww.. who wouldn't want to run away with her?

Lucy is the one sandwiched between Ses 'n Lori. So cute!

lol Lucy has a funny expression 'n Lori's a darling as ever

Ok, last "baby picture"! Think you know who is who.
By the way, these are my Aunt Lillians pictures, I tookeded them.

Jojo 'n I...

on NEW YEARS DAY 2007!!!



A new year filled with NEW opportunites, new jobs, new looks, new perspectives, new everything! It's gonna be an interesting but amazing year!

Wishing you all a Happy New Year and many more to come. May you receive the blessings of JOY and LOVE from the Lord above this new year 2007!

We love you all, cheers!

Love u'r sisters in Christ, Yo 'n Jo

There's a FROG in my throat!

So this is what it has come to dang-nabbit! My cold started out itsy bitsy small... NO sore throat just a weird feeling to a freakin' frog jammed inside my throat with me CROAKING away as I talk and almost dying because of the FAT frog blocking my air way... *sigh!* sheesh its crazyyyyy!!!

Anymoo, besides THAT life is great! I'm back home in the valley (Nemiah) chillaxing with my family, friends and all loved ones for the Holiday Season. It's soooooo AWESOME to be back home for Christmas!!! And we have SNOW!!! Too much of it now that I think about it? NOT! Hahaha I LOVE it!!! Snow drifts and blazing trails and snowmobiles and snow angels and avalanches :S and chicken soup and hot chocolate and frozen fingers 'n toes and sugar cookies and indian tea and snow days (playing in the snow) and christmas tree hunting and decorating and turkey dinners and playing board games and all that fun jazz!

But to start off at the beginning of my Holiday craze... I ended up leaving Abbotsford Dec.15th (Friday)... travelling and finding out that the #5 Highway I was to take to get to Kamloops was CLOSED, and so was the #1 through the Canyons... so I was in quite a pickle! Because I found out that my insurance on our jeep was going to run out the next day (16th), which meant I had NO choice and HAD to get back up north one way or another! And first of all I had to meet my parents in Kamloops to pick up some new winter tires. So guess what I did?! I drove the #1 Highway through the Canyons anyway, even though it was closed... I ended up driving ahead of the rest of everyone (they were just sitting, parked on the road in a huge line up), but then once I got to the front of the line, the road police opened up the road! So it all worked out and I made it to Kamloops and back home.

So ever since I've been home, I've been hanging around the community, catching up with extended family and friends, participated in the school concert ("Return of the Angels") with my two bestfriends Jessie and Hattie Tanis, attended an Elders luncheon, cooked for the Staff and Community luncheon, and spent a couple of days hanging out and catching up with the Tanis family. It's so good to be back in the community again, I've missed it so much!!!

And more recently, I spent the weekend with my sister in Williams Lake at her apt this past weekend. We both ended up driving back to the valley on Saturday (23rd) and then on Christmas Eve, we went to the Tanis' for a potluck dinner. It was so good to have everyone together again to share a Christmas dinner! And then on Christmas day my parents ended up having a Christmas dinner at our house, and we had close family and friends over. Afterwards, Jessie, Jo and I cruised over to some friends (Annie 'n Wayne Wm) house to hang out and play cards and "gamble", hehe... they just played with poker chips for fun. But other than that, we've just been enjoying this incredible amount of snow we've been getting!

But it's mainly been the last few days (since Christmas day) where my FROGGY throat has been bugging me... I thought it was getting better yesterday, because my voice wasn't croaking anymore, but then yesterday evening my throat was attacking me!!! The stupid frog just wouldn't give up already! Just like the pic below...

That little critter just doesn't want to get out! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! He won't give up dang-nabbit! He just doesn't want to budge... argg! So anyway, I've come to a point where I'm tired of croaking like a frog and almost dying because I can't breathe because there's so much flem in my throat choking me to death! That's what it feels like anyway... *sigh* And the fact that I'm talking like a frog just is NOT FUNNY!!! Grrrr! hahaha! Actually, I think it's pretty funny... it's been years since I've had to talk like a frog... I laugh about it now, but it's getting to be annoying... the coughing anyway!

And I ADVISE any of you out there... LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHERS!!! My mom Phyllis told me at the beginning of my froginess or first signs... to gargle with salt water! And I didn't listen, thinking that the weird feeling in my throat would go away by just drinking tea... but heyyyy, IT DIDN'T!!! So now I"ve been gargling with salt water and eating chicken soup and drinking lots and lots of Indian Tea! But I actually think somehow that my sickness is getting better... it started with a REALLY sore RAW feeling in my throat... but once I gargled with salt water, there's no more sore throat, but now I've been coughing up flem (which I think is the beginning stage of getting better... loose flem and coughing it up and all that NOT so fun jazz and hopefully in a couple days I'll be better... maybe I'm wrong? *Shrugs*)... but anyway, I feel like I'm stuck in this irritating FROGY stage, because the dang frog just won't give up!

"Come on,
Come on birdy, you can do it!
You can beat him!
Eat the stupid frog!!!
Eat him,
Eat him,
EAT HIM...

Wait...

ewwwwww!
Okay I don't want to EAT the frog...
I want to be RID OF the frogy!
*sigh* Whatever!
I'm confused, nothing unusual there, hehe."

Anyway, I've found a solution!



Taa-daaaaa!!! FROG REMEDIES!!!

1. Drink lots of water to keep your vocal chords moist.
2. Try not to scream or talk loudly ever over background noise.
3. Avoid cigarettes and alcohol
4. Avoid caffeine. It can dehydrate your vocal chords.
5. Use good posture and good breath support.

It sounds believable. Sounds smart. I BELIEVE! heh heh

Well I'm done talking about my frogy nature... *ahem* I mean my frog in my throat!!! Cheese [pronounced Ch-eh-zzzzz] hehe!

Alrighty folks, I'm outtie!

Wishing you all a (late) MERRY CHRISTMAS and an (early) HAPPY NEW YEAR 2007!!!

Many blessings to you all this Holiday season! God be with you always!

And I leave you with this great word...

Ch-eh-zzzzz! heh heh :P



A sister in Christ, Yolanda (aka: Yo)

One of the most confusing things to me, at this point, is...

Boys. And Girls. More so, when they're together. Couple-wise. How does a girl, or guy, know exactly when God is speaking to them about who is "right" for who... what makes it "right" that they're together?
And HOW in the world is it that 2 extreme or semi-extreme opposites attract? That is just alien to me. Why not 2 peop's who are mostly the same, but have few differences that compliment eachother? I heard the theory that the 2 same people would eventually get bored (with eachother) because there's no real balance to that relationship. But I need more than that.. to understand why 2 similar people can't be compatible together. I can understand that 2 similar people, with a lot in common, can be great friends... but is the level "friends" as far as they can take it?
And yes, I heard about the 'Hand Illustration" where when 2 opposites come together, each is like one hand, they come together and as they hold on to one another, weaknesses of one are filled by the others strengths and so on... BUT....
Okay, well.. I'm thinking of a room full of people. There are diff groups, mostly people who have same interests are together. Let's say there's one side of the room, it's clumped with extroverts. On the other side, there's scatteredness of introverts. How is it that one from each side will cross paths if they're on their own side of the room?
Were we "middle-people" forgotten about?
I'm wrestling with this so.. let's take me for example. There's evidence of both extrovertness and introvertness in me at the same time. I LOVE being with people, can be outgoing and loud, at the same time, there's a side of me that LOVES being alone (finding I need to recuperate from being in the crowd sometimes), I need to be alone in order to feel a bit "sane", and I can be quiet and to myself, and even shy.
Do "middle" people jus mingle with "middle" people or what?
Hey, you got thoughts or stories regarding this, I'm all ears.

Who thinks of these things 2AM in the morning. Guess that's me. My mind jus' doesn't stop.
Humor me:) Jus' help me understand this Opposites Attract/Couple's Theology a lil bit more... all seems like noncense, nonsense, nonsence.. at 2 in the morning I can't spell noncence wright.

I sneeze when I put pepper on my food.

Today started off great. I got up early with the girls.. or was awake at least. My egg sandwich for breakfast was exactly the way I like it- yolk cooked jus a bit but mostly runny. I'm doing the laundry, blankets and towels, family needs it when they come every Thurs night.
I'm on top of the game, woot woot.
Later I got to go cash a cheque... and now... taking a shower, I stink!

COW-choooo! *sneeze*

It tis the season to have mad cows disease! Hahahahah!

Ooooooo wow!

Well I say this for a mixture of reasons...

First of all, my roomies are getting sick or are sick... and my mentor Kris is sick and has been for awhile, not to mention she's pregnant! So I hope they'll get better sooon... as they are all people I care so dearly about!

And secondly, Kris and I have been doing some christmas baking the last couple of days... and our inside "joke" is about one of my sugar cookies, hahah! I was attempting to make a COW sugar cookie... just because :P... and well... let's just say that it looked pretty sad, haha... it came out looking weird and fat and deformed, so Kris called it my fat cow or cow with mad cows disease, hahaha... because it had an abnormal big belly, hahahah! So funny! We had a good laugh about it, hehe!

So yeah, there you go!

Anyway... so it's been AWHILE since I last posted a blog of my own... Jo's gone crazy with her blogs on here... sheesh Jo, let me ketchup! hehe... seee Catch up= ketchup? :D hahaha! Oh wow... tired! :O :P

Well a little bit of an update on MY life over here in Abby... me=Yo... hehe! Well... let's see...

Hmmmm????

.......................................... *thinking*
.....................................................*still thinking*
................................*thinking... oh hey, there's a fly! Runs after it*
.................*dazed*
....................................*confused*
.....................................................................*blank* :
...........

heheh :P

Kidding!

Well, I'm not sure if all of you knew but I went home at the beginning of this month Dec.2-7th with a Lifeteam's crew... and it was strictly missions trip stuff, which was odd for me because it is my HOME that they were doing a missions trip at... and for me at first it didn't feel so much like a missions trip, but after a few days things changed, God gave me a new perspective and opened up my eyes and Yayyyyy, I was doing a missions trip in my own community!!! Nemiah Valley, the most beautiful valley in the entire world! I think anyway! Hehe.

So yeah, God REALLY moved in me that week back home... like crazy really! It was the most amazing week of my life!!! I went home feeling discouraged and felt like there was no hope... and I left home feeling so incredibly ENCOURAGED and I absolutely KNEW there IS HOPE! God is so amazing! He really opened up my eyes and taught me a lot of cool stuff... coming out of my comfort zone in my own community, seeing how much JOY the kids had and how much they just wanted to be LOVED and to be given affection, and how receptive the community was to the Lifeteamers coming out and doing what they do... it was breathtaking. Words cannot even explain the JOY I felt that whole week... and especially the feelings and emotions after the week... it was just AMAZING! I cannot even explain EVERYTHING that happened... things just happened and God REALLY MOVED in Nemiah and He really stirred things up and amazing things are going to happen amoungst the community I live in back home... it's exciting!!! It's big! :O :D

And so then when I was back in Abby, things just got crazy busy! I've been running around doing this and that... doing errans, CLEANED our entire jeep because it had been sitting there for like 10 days or something and water had leaked in and so mildew started growing in the jeep :O!!! So I went crazy in panic and cleaned the jeep, but still got paranoid and bought some mold spray and cleaned the ENTIRE jeep in every corner and EVERYTHING! It was great! So now we have a spic 'n span jeep, hahah... on the inside anyway, hahah! So yeah, it's awesome! Other than that, I've been busy meeting up with people, baking up a storm with Kris, and running around like a mad cow with diseases all around me, hahahah... *ahem* kidding :p

And so this coming Friday I'm heading back home... but first to Kamloops to meet my parents, because my dad is going to buy our jeep some new spanking tires... our poor tires will be sobbing away... hahaha, see... spanking--->sobbing? hehe! AnyMOO, we'll finally have some better tires on our jeep because the ones we have on the jeep now are GONERS... BALD lil' guys! Poor lil' gaphers! Hehehe! Hopefully I'll have a safe drive home :S! Especially from Abby to Kamloops! Because I have to drive threw the Koke-a-halah (sp?) Highway which I really dislike!!! Stupid hills! Our lil' jeep doesn't like hills... can't go fast, hahah! :D But seriously peop's, I feel like a sloth or snail going up those hills! Grrrrr! Pedal to the floor and everything! Sheesh!... O'well, I'm just thankful we have a vehicle to get us around!

So I'll be HOME SWEET HOME soon enough! YAyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!! *jumps up and does foot tap in the air* hehe!

But that's all for now... I'm starting to faadddddeeeeeeee... :......................................

Remember friends! "When in doubt, MOO before the COW does" (me) hehe!

Chau like chicken!

And don't get mad cows disease!!! Otherwise you'll be as mad as a cow and your disease will spread and affect everyone around you and then we'll all be mad cows!!! :O We don't want that... so be JOYFUL cows, heheheheheh!!! :P

*think good thoughts*... and you'll FLY! And then you'll be a FLYING COW!!! :O Hahaha! Flying and Joyful at the same time as being a cow, hahahahahah! And then you'll transform into a

FLOYFUL COW!

hehe.

.........................

..................................................

.....................................................................

Moo?