Candy Night

This morning Nathan and I went with my mom to volunteer at the Canadale's open house. The STEGH auxiliary needed people to serve/make hot dogs and nacho's and cheese. Nathan and I stayed from 8-1 and it was fun. Santa and his reindeer were there again (although it wasn't as busy as it was 2 weekend's ago - too cold!) and we had fun watching all the kids. Afterwards, we went to Walmar to pick up some holiday candy to make the candy grab bags for the hospital's kid's christmas party next week. We made a small assembly line at home and got all 250 bags made in under and hour. It was fun but really hard not to eat all that delicious looking candy!

Go Whalers..I mean Knights...I mean...

Tonight to celebrate Nathan's big success this week, my parents took us out to dinner and a Knight's game. The hospital gets a section of tickets and Donna Gilbert (a family friend) bought most of them because her son Jay plays for the Plymouth Whalers (who were playing against the Knights). We all went for dinner (about 15 of us) and then met up with about another 20 people at the game. There was a huge support there for Jay, and when Jay scored an amazing goal in the first period, our whole section went crazy! The even announced our support on the radio broadcast. The Knight's fans gave us some dirty looks but we were all so proud to be there and so proud that Jay performed so well under the pressure of showing us all what he's capable of!

Helper

Today Scarlett came to visit since she hasn't been feeling very well and Shelley didn't want to take her to daycare (she needed full time love and attention - and I was here to provide it!) Scarlett loves getting into my stacks of granny squares that I'm making for a baby blanket for my friend Amy's niece. She also like to suck on the yarn, so while I'm crocheting, all of a suuden I hit a very wet patch--gross!

 

Congrats Nathan!

Today Nathan got his Step 1 score back. He did amazing! He did so much better than he thought he would (but on track with what I thought) and he is so happy. If I thought he seemed like a different person after he wrote his exam, now that he has a fantastic mark, he's so relaxed and confident. This is a grade that will follow him through the rest of his education and the fact that it's so strong is such a blessing. All Nathan ever wanted was for his hard work on Saba to pay off, and he now has proof that it did, he's thrilled! To help Nathan celebrate this great achievement, Nathan's parents sent this amazing bouquet to Boxall. Waterspots, a Port Stanley flower shop always does such a great job (they even did the flowers for our wedding) and it makes a great centerpiece at the house!

Movember

For those who don't know, Movember is a fundraiser and awareness for prostate cancer where men grow a moustache through the month of November and take pledges to keep growing the moustache. There is a committee at the St. Thomas Hospital (the Mo-Sistas) that wanted to have a pancake breakfast to raise funds, so-- of course, Nathan and I volunteered. We had to be up at 4am-- YES 4AM! It was a very early start, and I basically went in my pajamas - which was fine since they completed my already charming outfit with a surgical cap. Nathan loved flipping pancakes and he had great oppurtunities to talk to a few of the doctors on staff and also the president of the hospital. I was at the other end of the room, and whenever I watch Nathan I'm always so proud of him that he can talk to anyone, get along with anyone, and even standing in a surgical cap, serving pancakes at 5am, you can tell he's a wonderful person.

Sanderse Visit

Today we had the oppurtunity to travel to Toronto to spend the day with the Sanderse clan. We had the chance to catch up with Martin and Marlene (who had Calvin visiting for the weekend) and Heather and Ian came to dinner. Marlene treated us all with her big bonus and provided Chinese food! It was so tasty and such a great treat! Nathan taught Calvin how to ride his toy backhoe, Nathan and Martin changed the oil in the car, and I got to touch Heather's rapidly growing belly! The Sanderse family just keeps getting bigger!

No More Scarlett Days?

 I just got a call from the LCBO offering me a seasonal job as a cashier in St. Thomas. It's good money and works perfectly into our unknown schedule (are we moving in January? February?). I'm looking forward to working, I really enjoy it but I will miss having my Scarlett days, although depending on my schedule I might still get to see her one day a week.

Spiritual Sunday

Last night I drove to Brantford to my friend's house (Amy and Jay). Nathan met me there and the 4 of us had a big supper together. Jay and Nathan spent Friday night and Saturday at a men's conference at the Hershey Centre in Toronto. They both said that it was a good conference with great music and speakers. After dinner I was going to drive home alone, but Nathan decided that he would come home with me, spend Sunday with me, then get a ride back to Brantford with Amy on Sunday night (Amy travels to St. Thomas every Sunday for our girl group so it worked out perfectly). Nathan and I were able to go to church together in the morning, then head over to my cousin Becky (and her husband Chris') house. Their daughter Emma Leigh was baptized today at St. Anne's church. I've never been to a Catholic baptism before and it was interesting to hear about baptism making people saints, etc. After the baptism Nathan went with my mom to Becky's house and I went to meet Amy for our girl group. Afterwards, Nathan and I had some time together until he had to head back. It was nice to see him, even after a week apart, I missed him!

Santa!

Today I met with my friend Becky, her husband Mike, and their 8 month old son Everett at Canadale's Nursery to see Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the reindeer. It's a big Open House event at Canadale's and the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Auxiliary (my mom volunteers for it) sells food and drinks there. My mom went to set up and I went to see Santa! After waiting in line, and running into my cousin's wife Tammy, and her 2 boys, Jeff and Josh, Everett finally got to see Santa. Becky was a little worried because Everett is starting to play strange but he did a great job at staying calm (and checking if Santa's beard was real - it was!). I also saw my Dad's brother Jim (he works at Canadale's) and he was doing decorating demonstrations. I remember when I worked at Canadale's for a summer and Jim is definitely a super-star at the Nursery. He is very knowledgeable about everything in the garden centre and many customers ask for him by name. It was nice to see so many family and friends today on this beautiful sunny Saturday.

Cutie Everett

Jeff and Josh meet Santa

Lest We Forget

 

Remembrance Day has always been one of my favourite days of the year. I think it's an important day that should be observed respectively and reflectively. Here are a few pictures from a cemetary in St. Thomas where soldiers are honoured with flags and poppies. 

Drivin'

I drove my mom to work today (since I needed the car in the afternoon and Nathan has our car in Brampton this week). On the way home I decided to take a detour out to a farm in Fingal that my Dad rents. Across the street is a horse farm. I'm not a huge horse fan, but it was such a beautiful day today that I thought it would be relaxing to go and take a few pictures. Of course, as soon as I pulled over and got out of the truck, the owner pulled up and looked at me like I was going to go activist on him and throw open the gates. I explained that I was John Stinson's daughter and then he relaxed, talked a bit, then drove away. I feel like my Dad is my connection in the surrounding farm communities. I toss his name out whenever I'm confronted or meet someone in a pick-up truck. Then they usually launch into a message I'm supposed to give my Dad. I stayed at the horse farm for about 1/2 hour (until it became to cold for bare hands and ears) and the horses even came right up to the fence (any other time they've stayed about 100m away from me) but they let me pet them and they were quite friendly.

 

 

USMLE

Today Nathan had his USMLE Step 1 exam. Besides the fact that his computer crashed during his exam, he thought it went well. He said that the time went by really fast. He was the only one there writing his Step 1, but there were other students there writing other exams. He was home by 430pm, but then he had to call all his friends and family to say that he had finished (he was so happy and relaxed!) and when he was finished a few hours later, we went into Port Stanley to the Buccaneer for dinner (fresh fish and chips). It was nice to have a dinner just the two of us without the pressure of the exam looming. Nathan already seems like a different person, so relaxed and carefree. I, on the other hand, and not so relaxed, seeing that Nathan made me sleep on a camping mattress in the office last night so that he could have the bed to himself to guarantee a good night's sleep.

Stinson Family Fact We celebrate EVERYTHING with a DQ cake. This one is all chocolate - Nathan's favourite.

Sad News

Today at 3am, our favourite Saban and prayer warrior, Brother Carlton Riley died after suffering a stroke last week. He was such an amazing person and presence in the school church and I know that when his family goes into his home and sees the walls covered in pictures of past students they'll be reminded of how special he was and how amazing his love and kindness to the students and their families truly was.

Often when we'd call Brother Riley we'd ask him what he was doing and his answer would often be "Just sitting here with Jesus." He was a man of strong faith who was such and inspiration. I remember him standing in front of our small congregation one Sunday, speaking of his life, and then singing The Old Rugged Cross, and it's a powerful memory. He will be missed.