Inspiration

Newest family member

Last weekend, Jeff and I went to the mainland for a few days. It was the first time in over two years that we've driven across on the ferry, and we had a great weekend visiting relatives, including this guy:

Our newest nephew T was just 3 weeks old when we last saw him at Christmas. He's now a busy, bright, happy, curious and very social little fellow who is even sweeter in person than in these photos... if such a thing is possible.   

Peace and faith

Yesterday, was a day of two anniversaries- one happy, and one less so. Jeff and I began our Canada Day celebrations last year with an early morning phone call, the kind that is so early it can only mean bad news (click here for a refresher). This year, we're thankful that today is off to a much calmer and more celebratory start...and at a bigger level, we're just plain thankful. 

For the past few weeks, I've been thinking about what music to play today. I've chosen a piece that was actually sung at my parent's wedding, 45 years and 1 day ago. It's a piece I have loved for a long time- a piece that I often listen to when life is no going so well. It's a piece about peace, and about faith. In celebrating family milestones this weekend, it feels like a very fitting soundtrack. 

My view Wednesday

This is actually a view from more than a week ago- rare blue poppies in full bloom at the Butchart Gardens. I'll share more about our trip to these gardens next week!

Graduation postlude

Unexpected flowers to mark this event from two dear friends. I was so surprised- but they made our quiet week last week that much more enjoyable. Thanks M & S.

Graduation Part 2

The best part of graduation, for me, was getting to show my parents, parents-in-law and cousin around the Royal Roads campus where I lived for 6 weeks during on-campus terms. The star of campus is Hatley Castle, a medieval/Stuart castle house built in 1908 for a member of the wealthy Dunsmiur family (see a history here). It was eventually converted into a school, but the gardens have been kept pretty much as they were when the estate was a private residence. I had a direct view of the castle both years I was on campus and it's a pretty neat thing to see first thing in the morning.

  

  

Graduation Part I

The ten days surrounding graduation were a bustle of activity, out-of-province company and little down time. As such, I took a wee blogging break last night- I think both Jeff and I needed a few days of quiet. I promised more photos from graduation, so here they are. Note: photos here are courtesy of my dad, cousin D, or the official (and shockingly overpriced) Royal Roads photographer.

Graduation is s actually a pretty boring event.  Your name is read, you walk across the stage to share Chancellor Calhoun's hand, you get a scroll (with a congratulatory letter as diplomas had been sent out via mail the week before) and you go back to your seat. All while wearing an ugly polyester gown. That hat was even the exact same cardboard monstrosity that I had at my high school graduation (which finally hit the garbage last fall)... somehow, I thought a master's degree would get warrant me a hat made of something more than cardboard! I guess it's good to mark these accomplishments in life, but the ceremony really is a little absurd. 

The convocation ceremony is still online- just click here. You might also want to fast forward until my name is called at 1:41:13!  

proud Mama

proud cousin 

and very relieved spouse (still getting used to having his wife back)

Away in the Rain

Jeff and I are on the mainland for the weekend visiting family and getting off the island (for the first time in over a year). We've had a hard time finding internet access after a HUGE thunderstorm blew through Abbotsford tonight.... so with rainstorms on the brain, I post this as our Sunday music for this week.

Here are the words to this old hymn, Showers of Blessing.