Memories O' the Wack (AKA The longest post ever!)

We are leaving Chilliwack in three weeks (ahhh I can't believe that.) We have had some wonderful times here. Some higlights include meeting some awesome people, reconnecting with friends and enjoying the amazing outdoors! Here are some pictures highlights of our two and a half years here. The evolution of my hair is also interesting. I like it much better now.

So brace yourself folks, it's a long one. I think the longest and most picture intensive post I have ever done. I did most of it on our new laptop on the comfort of our couch. I present to you our memories of beautiful BC . . .

(I don't usually cry at weddings during the ceremony but if there is sentimental music with lots of major chords the water works usually get going during the slideshow. If you feel like listening to sentimental music I recommend the ever popular "Somewhere over the Rainbow" ukelele version or "It's a Wonderful World". I will shy away from recommending power ballads here but would be extra happy if someone listened to one while viewing.)

Our last day in Edmonton before setting out for the Lower Mainland. Notice our house reflected in my sunglasses and Marc taking the picture in the other lens.

The Great Outside

(That is even the copyrighted name of Chilliwack on their website!!!!)

Around Chilliwack
A waterfall that we hiked to with the residents when we did a boat trip on Harrison Lake

On the boat

Mount Cheam (We can see this mountain from our kitchen window, but not this close!)

Bridal Falls

Othello Tunnels
More tunnels

The Chipmunk Caves


Jones Lake

The Sunshine Coast



My mom on the Smuggler's Cove Trail on the Sunshine Coast

Golden

No Golden is not in the Lower Mainland but we did live there for two months for Marc's rural placement.

Our friend Colin on top of Mount Carnarvon

On the top of Kicking Horse Mountain

Marc received a free paragliding ride after delivering the instructors baby. I was much more nervous than him and I stayed on the ground!

Emerald Lake
Marc with his cousin Doug

The top of Mount Seven

Gorman Lake Hike

Salt Spring Island

The amazingly beautiful off leash dog area in Chilliwack
Island 22

Harrison Hot Springs
Harrison is about 20 minutes from Chilliwack and has beautiful hikes and a world class sand castle competition!

Mayne Island


Amazing Times with Friends and Family

Okay I think I went just a LITTLE overboard. We have had so many wonderful times and memories here and I just could resist posting all these pictures. We did travel to Montreal, Alberta (of course) and I travelled to Newfoundland during this time but I thought I would spare you ALLLL of the pictures of the last two years and just present BC. Lucky you!

50 ways to love your liver

the problem stretches from lloydminster to BC
once klein is done with us we'll be paying privately
I'd like to help you keep your healthcare bill at "free"

there must be...
50 ways to love your liver

please understand that i don't mean to start a fight
but someone needs to stick up for that poor hepatocyte
in 20 years, when you're yellow, you will know that i was right!

there must be...
50 ways to love your liver
50 ways to love your liver

cut out the crack, jack
start washing your hands, stan
stick to one boy, roy
lower your ALT

stop playing with pus, gus
12 steps, no it ain't much
turn off the tv, lee (on repeat - no drugs by IV, lee)
just set yourself free


there you go jarrid - i admit that took me way too long... i think you have been asking for these lyrics for over 2 years. i tend to add one more verse depending on my audience; one time it was about iraq's effect on the liver, another time it was about specific livers out here in chilliwack; it's just 3 rhyming lines, feel free to personalize it.

Extreme Makeover: Coat Edition

Before:

After:

Packing does have its benefits!

Marc and I have been slogging along getting our house packed and today we made a significant dent in the office. (Not literally but figuratively.) I have been going through all the unlabelled cds we seem to have accumulated and I found some Uganada pictures that I scanned when I had a job interview in student recruitment and had to show my presentation skills.

For those of you who don't know, Marc and I went to Uganda in 2003 for an international medical elective. He was there for about two months and I joined him for the month of July. Here are some pictures from our trip.

On safari at the equator . . .



View from the Rwenzori Mountains

The source of the Nile (This was our anniversary in 2003, we went on a boat ride on the Nile!)
An AIDS therapy group at the hospital compound where Marc worked in Fort Portal.


I thought I would just give you all a preview of what you can expect in the coming months!

A good ringlet day

As most of you know (or can see) I do have very curly hair. It has always been curly but it definately goes super curly here in BC's moist climate. Today it was raining out and when I came in I noticed that I was having a good ringlet day. (Good thing I wasn't out for too long otherwise the title would be Soaky wet hair day) So I took my picture . . .



Having a new computer with a camera has not been good for my narcissistic side. I enjoy taking self potraits on our digital camera and others as well. Now I have a built in camera and crazy funky effects that warp my face. Here is some evidence of my (and sometimes our) fun.







How can you tell that I have a whole house to pack?? I have posted almost every day this week!

A Girl and her dog

Marc and I are busy getting ready to go to Kenya - packing and paper work and such. I am not TOO overwhelmed yet with all that we have left to do. (I don't have a job for this very reason!) I am however a little overwhelmed about giving up Niko. Marc and I knew this when we got a dog that we would have to give him up and we knew it would be hard but we decided the pros far outweighed the cons. And of course they have so far. Until I have to give my puppy away. I am not ready for this. In fact I am tearing up now while I am typing this. I had never had a dog before and did not realize how happy having one would make me. He is such a great dog! He's also just getting to the dog stage - things are so easy right now with him and he is so much more of a companion now than something we have to look after. Oh my Niko I will miss you!

**(I should mention that we are getting Niko back when we come home, it just seems like a long time to be away from him.)