It's gloriously sunny and warm outside, i love it! I smile even as I write this, just thinking of it I love spring.

Two weekend ago i planted flower seeds in my garden and just the other day i saw those tiny green shoots starting to pop out of the ground. I'm so excited to see what grows and how it will all turn out, as i just did a mix of wild flowers, which are supposed to attract nearby butterflies. I also have two hanging baskets started and my morning glories as well. I'll admit i'm not much of a green thumb, and yes, i do often neglect my greenery, but pretty much every year, i manage to j-u-s-t keep them alive and beautiful enough to enjoy.

I finally hired another tech, a returning employee actually who took two years off to do the program at Douglas. It's an INCREDIBLE blessing to have her around. Monday and Tuesday i was actually able to take a full,1 hour lunch, AND, get out on time!! You have to understand, this happens about once a month if i'm lucky. But, now, at least on most days, i will be able to have a normal work day. Of course, today, when she doesn't work, we were crazy booked for surgeries and at the last minute I had to stay and help get a sewing needle out of a cat, who had decided it would make a tasty snack.... We were able to get it out without having to go in surgically, just by using an endoscope ( a camera that goes down the throat) that had a clamp on the end, and just pull it out through the mouth. Normally i wouldn't have needed to stay, but tech who normally relieves me, couldn't come in until 6, and the surgery needed to be done at 5. Oh well, good overtime pay i guess...

But, i'm going to go watch a sappy girlie movie with my sister so i say, have a great week everyone!

sorry for the delay...

barlow girl ( firday night)

David Crowder

and, best and last of all, my favourite band ever, NEWSBOYS!!

We left that night once the newsboys concert was done, at around 12:30 and arrived home just shy of 4 am. needless to say we weren't in church the next morning, but did make it to the afternoon service

The next major even was my friend, Meagan's, wedding. I had the honor of being one of two bridesmaids in her wedding party and we had a blast! The stagette was a tonne of fun and the wedding day itself went wonderfully, despite the bride shedding a few tears and the frantic search for a tissue while she was up front

We had our hair and makeup done at meg's parent's house bright and early in the morning. We did pictures before the ceremony and went to Derby reach,where the couple went on their first date and where Eric proposed

wedding party pictures at Derby Reech.

After the wedding came probably the highlight of the summer, our family reunion. See, my family is quite spread out across this world with a brother in new zealand, a brother in mexico ( with a nephew i had never met and was 8 months old already!), and a brother in vernon with a very pregnant wife. Then of course there is me, my sister, and my parents here in langley. Getting us all together doesn't happen very often, in fact, the last time we were all together was four years ago when i had graduated from high school. At that time no one in my family was married, or even engaged for that matter, and now, foru years later, all my siblings are married, two have kids one with a second on the way ( at the time of the reunion anyways) and one with their first on the way. Yes, things sure can change quickly!!! Well, we all packed up our respective vehicles and headed out the tiny town of Enderby, about 30-45 min east of vernon to a large log cabin that my parents had rented for the week. It was beautifull, right on a river that actually was quite shallow so we didn't have to worry about the kids that much. We had an awesome time kayaking, relaxing, and just enjoying our time as a family together. I even took my dog, murphy, along and he had a blast swimming in the river every day, fetching sticks and just following behind me as i kayaked

The Van Beelen clan: ( starting from top left) Len &Theresa ( new zealand), Vince & Melissa ( plus junior, Vernon), Jeremy & Ana ( mexico), Marieke & Ian ( plus junior), Me, Benjamin ( from jer and ana), mom, Kaydon ( from vince and melissa), Dad.              This picture was taken on the front lawn of the house we were at.

Melissa was actualy due on the 21st of august,one day after my parents 35th wedding anniversary. We were all waiting in anticipation all week, placing bets on when she would deliver. Well, we were all wrong except melissa b/c, on august 23rd, at around 6:30 pm,once everyone had left vernon,  they welcomed little Austin Josiah Van Beelen into the world!

Mother and baby are both doing well, and despite a little splurge of jealousy from Kaydon over not getting as much attention as he used to, things are working out

Today we dropped off Len at the airport for his flight back to new zealand. He stayed a month extra to help out his old boss up in smithers who was really strapped for help. We have no idea when we'll see him again, which is sad, but, well, quite frankly, my family is getting used to this. It is teaching us to treasure those times together that much more, and i thank God for this incredible family he has given me every day, even if they are far away

I can't believe it's July 1st already!!! Happy birthday Canada!  Hav eyou ever stopped to just think about our country? We have many freedoms we just take for granted. The scenery is breathtaking but rarely appreciated b/c we see it every day. Our economy is doing well ( for the most part).There are so many people around this world who would do anything to live here, to take my life and live it, and be incredibly happy. And yet, i live it and always want more.....More money, bigger house, more friends, nicer car etc etc. How shallow humans are, really!All in all, what i'm trying to get at is, i think we all need to be more thankfull for the country we live in and not take it for granted so much.

On a happier note, my friends went camping a few weekends ago at mable lake and it was great! We had a blast, even though we were eaten alive by mosquitos, the lake was glacial cold, and it rained on saturday and our tarp had a hole in it. As a bonus, i even was able to see vince and melis, and kaydon too, which was great since i won't see them again until the middle of august, when melissa will most likely have had, or will very soon have, their second child. I can't believe that my brother will be here from new zealand in a little over two weeks!! My cousin and her family is coming over from holland as well in two weeks, and then Jer and Ana and Benjamin about a month from now. Yes, our house will be very busy and i'll be surrounded by family. I'm SO excited though, b/c it'll be the first time in over four years that my whole family will be together, and this is just my siblings and parents, not cousins, aunts etc. Those are all in Holland so i don't even really count them as i know only a handfull of them, mainly those that choose to come here for holidays:) And, creation fest is in three weeks time as well!!! I SUPER excited for that, it's always the highlight of my summer I've managed to convince a few more people to come as well, which makes me really happy b/c i love introducing it to new people and letting them have this incredible experience. So, if anyone still wants to come, let me know Tickets are about $120 depending on the exchange, for the full four days  plus cold showers and camping. Trust me, you WON"T regret it!

Well, off to bed for me. Thankfully i get to sleep in tomorrow as well as i have my normal day off.

goodnight.