I write those words like a pro!

Tuesday, 04 May 2010 14:28

So we’d best consider this more of a blog via photos.  In all of our events, there’s a white board involved.  And on that board, we write down a whole bunch of synonyms for the words ‘very’ and ‘good.’  I took it upon myself pretty early in the year to make sure this board was always looking truly tip-top… and THIS is the result of THAT! 

SEIZE THE MOMENT!

Tuesday, 04 May 2010 14:21

I have learned many amazing lessons this last year with Beautiful Unique Girl.  And one of them has definitely been the importance of seizing the moment.  We often find ourselves driving for looooooonnngggggggg amounts of time and covering great distances in our BUgirl van.  As the Canadian countryside blurs past it becomes very easy to let it all blend together, and not appreciate each amazing thing we see for the beauty it truly holds.  It can become almost habit to be too lazy to get out of the van, smell the fresh humid air, feel the crisp fall breeze against your face, or shed your socks and shoes and run barefoot through some of our countries beautiful road side beaches. 

Just this past week, our team found ourselves on yet another long stretch of driving, and decided not to let the beauty or the opportunities to stretch our legs pass us by.  As we were driving by Lake Superior, we stopped MANY times to appreciate the beauty of what we were passing.  And we don’t regret it! 

Is there anything beautiful in your life you have begun to routinely pass by?  Take a second today to seize the moment and soak it in!

Whirlwind

Thursday, 29 April 2010 12:56

This week has been a whirlwind!  Busy busy busy.  Every now and then you have a day that feels actually like five days, and this week had one such day.  We had a drive day from Sudbury to Chatham ON, and we discovered that Toronto is pretty much right in the middle of those two places.  Naturally, we needed to stop there.

If we have learned one thing in our adventures this far it is that the BUgirl van and trailer do not mix very well with large large cities, but we were not discouraged.  We circled downtown Toronto after a four hour drive, searching for that ever illusive parking spot.  After a good half hour or so, it was found. 

The day was filled with lots of walking, exploring big hotels, a trip to the CN tower, a walk to Much Music headquarters, a stop at Timmies, and lots and lots of picture taking.  We fell back into the van around suppertime, tired and content, and ready for another stretch of driving.  We arrived in Chatham tired but oh so content, and can’t wait for our next big city adventure, wherever that may be!

Our Home and Native Land…

Tuesday, 13 April 2010 13:44

BUGirl has had the opportunity to travel far and wide this year; from the beautiful streets of Vancouver to the bustling highways of Toronto, from the snowy plains surrounding Dauphin MB to the southern cities of Kansas.  We’ve loved having the opportunity to head to the states, and always look forward to what new things we will experience and see there, and the wonderful people we will meet.  Just this past weekend we had the privilege of spending a night in Cavalier ND, and fell in love with the people there.  But no matter where we go, we are always reminded of one thing:  There’s no place like home.

In fact, this last time when we came back into Canada, we were so struck by our patriotic feelings that we felt the need to jump out of the van and run towards the ‘welcome to Manitoba’ display and capture the moment, despite the fact that the wind was blowing like CRAZY and we couldn’t feel our fingers.  What causes us to feel this way?  Could it be the endless prairies?  The humming traffic on Toronto’s infamous 401 highway?  The diversity of so many cultures?  The delicious red velvet cupcakes in downtown Vancouver?  Comforting and homey southern Manitoba?  Reasonably priced yet decadently delicious Tim Hortons coffee?  Who knows.  But whatever it is… we liked it.  And we’re pumped to experience more and more of it as the BUgirl teams get ready to see Canada from coast to coast this spring!  Can’t wait!  

B-e-a-utiful Kansas Sunset!

Friday, 12 February 2010 00:00

Just this past week the BUgirl Pajama Party Team was off to Kansas for a week-long tour.  That meant a whole new wackload of new adventures and excitement, but also about 40+ hours in the van.  Don’t get us wrong, we LOVE our van.  We read, we listen to good music, we watch movies, we talk up a storm.  But 40 hours in any confined space can wear you pretty thin!  It seems, however, that every time we drive God finds a way to remind us of him and of his beauty and blessings.  After a LOONG stretch of driving between Kansas City and Dodge City, our team got to witness the most amazing sunrise.  It was the kind where everyone wakes up and just stares out all the windows, wishing that the sun would stay out just a few moments longer.  The sun looked like a slowly sinking glass ball of fire.  Pictures really can’t do it justice, but it was one of those moments that really refreshed our team and took all of our breath away!

A Trip Down Memory Lane…

Friday, 29 January 2010 00:00

This past Wednesday I got the opportunity to go back to my high school (the Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute) and speak in chapel about the various things I’d been learning on the road and some of my experiences this year so far. 

At first I was excited, because I love my high school and the people inside it and was very pumped to be able to see some of them again.  But then I began to remember chapels as a student there, and that’s when the butterflies came.  What I remember about being a student, sitting in my chair in the auditorium, was being incredibly critical of everyone on stage.  Everyone does this to some level, but for some reason the MBCI crowd seems to be more critical than most. 

Wednesday morning on the MBCI stage found me more nervous than I’d ever been on that stage before.  I’m not entirely sure why, but here’s a couple guesses. 

There’s an expectation when you leave high school that you become wise and knowledgeable, that you change a lot, or perhaps that you grow up overnight.  I didn’t feel I had acquired or become any of these things.  I felt pretty much the exact same as when I had sat in the seats I was now staring at. 

Maybe it was because this time on that stage, I couldn’t find the familiar faces of the people I had graduated with.  The people and friends that reassured me I had done a good job, or made light of my mistakes with me were no longer there.  I couldn’t search for them in the top rows, and knew they wouldn’t be there to meet me once I got off stage. 

But it was interesting.  I got on stage, and admitted to all that I had by no means grown up over night, that I hadn’t felt I had changed all that much, and that I was still learning lots and growing up.  And when I DID get off stage, there were different people to affirm what I’d done, and positive feedback from students and teachers.  So while it was definitely the most nerve wracking experience I’ve had on that stage… it was a good one.

-Jessica

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Friday, 22 January 2010 00:00

This weekend the Pajama Team was pumped to head out to Brandon and Dauphin for our first events as a newly put together team.  The five of us headed out Friday morning, with a trailer packed with equipment and a van packed with excitement.  Little did we know we were about to make the slowest drive EVER since the program started this year!

We realized when we woke up Saturday morning (ready to make the two hour trek out to Dauphin MB) that our trip might be quite a bit more interesting than we’d bargained for.  The TV and radio stations were warning people about the roads, and our billets had many lovingly cautious words for us as we prepared to make our drive.  Since the roads were not closed, calling off the event was not an option!  In true BUGirl style we ploughed our way up the number 10 highway and through Riding Mountain National Park.  Slowly but surely, and ever so carefully, covered in prayer, cool and collected, we made our way to Dauphin. 

It took us quite a bit longer, and the speedometer didn’t cross 60 km/h, but we arrived safe and sound, and had an AMAZING rest of the weekend.  Thanks so much to everyone who braved the weather and joined us for two GREAT nights!

-Jessica

Last Minute Bonding

Friday, 15 January 2010 00:00

So the BUGirl teams are about to head out on the road. It is a matter of weeks now, and everyone's beginning to count down. The two teams have been living together for the last couple months, so being separated is going to be quite a change. I never thought I'd be used to sharing a kitchen with 12 other people, having an open door bedroom policy, and coordinating the schedules of 12 other people. But I will miss it when we hit the road again.

Because our time together is short, the BUG house has been a place where last minute bonding is taking place almost 24/7. The last week has been a whirlwind of working out together, making meals together, bunking up in each others beds, late night talks, team devos and reading time, etc etc etc. Last night was no exception.

Myself and Natalie Elliott decided to hang out with Jillian Michaels right after work, and she kicked our butts, in a good way. (google Jillian Michaels if you're confused...) After shredding it up we decided a good meal was in order. We researched sweet salads, and made a special trip to Sobeys to create the best Sante Fe salad known to man. Some may call it epic. The meal came to a close with cheesecake fondue. And yes. It was as good as it sounds. The rest of the evening was filled with music, kitchen dance parties, cleaning bathrooms, reading...etc.

I am having a hard time imagining what life will be like without these kinds of evenings. I will definitely miss them when we hit the road.