Regalos de las ultimas semanas...

1. The realization that a simple email to a student can mean more to them than I am aware.

2. A brother who uses his points to get Carleigh and I an awesome hotel downtown Vancouver for a night, leading to great food, a fun movie, birthday shopping (i.e. we both got to buy treats for ourselves), and a good time with my sister.

3. A five year old who is greatly concerned to learn I'm an only child, but relieved to learn her parents have agreed to be my siblings. (And all is right in her world again).

4. The random texts. Lana is in the lead as my most regular text-er who checks in with me. Her texts are honest, raw, hilarious, touching, and...random.

5. Robin's facebook profile picture. You have to see it to get it.

6. The fact that I have two weeks left in my current course.

7. A plane ticket to Costa Rica in February.

8. Recitation of Christmas program songs at the dinner table. Jane's got the "Baby Jesus" part down. Charlee can sing most of her song. Bo calls it his prayer. We'll see what happens on the day...and yes, there's no way I'm missing that one.

9. This song on repeat, which helps me focus and write an 8-page paper...which became a 10 page paper...and find the energy to also write this blog post.

I'm always thankful for...

...a little bit of creativity.

I quickly get tired, for example, of tv shows that are simply repeats of other shows.

Like medical dramas where everyone is kissing everyone else.

Or crime dramas where the strong female lead character needs her witty male sidekick to help her solve the mystery.

Or when Fran Drescher and Tim Allen re-appear twenty years later, and seem to have oddly similar characters to their last shows.

Or reality shows. All of them.

With this in mind, one of the things I've been thankful for this fall (in addition to a pinterest addiction), is the opportunity to watch a show I feel is unique. Yes, it relies on old fairy tales to spin the story...but with such a great twist.

So...without further ado, I give you...Once Upon a Time (have you seen it yet?)



p.s. Happy birthday Carleigh :)

yes, this is true.

Time to share another gift...

Well, if you've been following along, it shouldn't be a surprise that the kids I live with are a constant blessing to me.

I mean, where else would I get 24 hour hugs and kisses, along with this kind of entertainment?

(Please note: the following stories and videos all took place within about 2 hours of my babysitting stint the other night...and yes, this type of genius stuff comes up all the time, I just forget to write most of it down.)

While playing..

Charlee: Kathleen do you know what happened... TO THE WORLD?
Me: No, Charlee, what happened?
Charlee: Well, Kathleen, about 40 years ago, there were no people and (hushed tones) dinosaurs lived.
Me: 40 years ago huh? Wow!
Charlee: Yes! Fooooooooorty years ago. It was a long time ago.
Bodhi: Um, Kaleen, Sophie told me that there's another world where dinosaurs live, and there's no people there.
Me: Hmm, interesting. Remind me to ask Sophie's mom about that one...
(Corinna, have you heard that one before?)

While watching Diego..

Charlee: Kathleen, Diego's a kid right?
Me: Yup!
Charlee: Well, how does a kid save all these animals? (laughs) That's just crazy!
Me: (speechless...honestly.)

And then it got wild.

Enjoy Jane's rendition of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star...(sorry, the video quality isn't great, I took these with my phone...)

And then Charlee's....along with some other interesting moments.

A gift.

With Christmas coming (according to one of my students, there's 49 days left...) I want to shift my focus. The last few weeks have been hard. I need to shift my focus.

And so, as of this minute, I have decided that the next two months of blogs will be dedicated to the gifts that present themselves in life.
And...those which need to be shared and appreciated.

I begin tonight with my friend Sheree's unbelievable talent. 

I have always thought Sheree's voice is remarkable. If you haven't heard it yet, you need to.

(She can also do a sweet rap about Costa Rica...but she may have already archived that little gem...)

Without further ado, a new album, filled with lullabies for her son, begs for you to listen
(because even if you don't have kids, everyone needs lullabies. I know I do.)

Please take a look and a listen (and take note that it's available on itunes!).
A gift like Sheree's is one that needs to be shared so that others may also appreciate...

Sheree Plett - Hello Night

(Click on the link below the image to preview the album)

What I need right now:

chewing on this one...

Every human contact requires an openness that invites others into our presence for a moment of grace, if we so choose - or a moment of profanity.
Yes, that is the right word.
We profane another person whenever we fail to honor them as human beings.
Because every human being is made in the image of God, each is intrinsically connected to him and is therefore sacred, being stamped with God's own imprint.
How I treat "the least of these" is how I treat their Creator.
If I extend to them hospitality, I reveal God's beauty and grace.
If I am uncharitable toward another person, I fail to honor the God who gave them dignity.
Jesus' identification with us is so intense that whatever touches us touches him.
And whatever I do to another human, I do to him.
By profaning another person, I profane God.
Thus the greater profanity may not be cursing, bad as that is, but failing to extend openness and hospitality to another person who bears the Creator's image.
"He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker" (Prov 14:31).

Duane Elmer, Cross Cultural Servanthood, page 45.