Where to begin...?

Well, it's been nearly 2 months since my last post, and LOTS has happened!!

To follow-up on my last post, the GBS concert was great!! So much fun!! Since then, I've also been to see Rick Mercer, thrown a suprise "welcome home" party for a friend who went to BC for a week, a fair-well party for a friend who has headed back to England for school and the waterpark at West Edmonton Mall. I'm pretty sure I'm missing stuff. Oh, I was also at Music Camp in August - that lots of fun.

I am continuing to take various training courses for work and the certificates are starting to pile up. Over the next two weekends I will be taking the Amateur Radio Licensing course.

Seeing as I am not doing very well posting, I figure I'll include a bit on my plans for the Thanksgiving weekend. That weekend I'll be in southern Alberta with Susan. We're going down to Banff/Canmore/Calgary for that weekend. She hasn't been south of Red Deer yet and never out to the Rockies, so that's where we'll be. So, people in Calgary, make sure you're around so I can catch up with you!!

Here's a picture that I took on Tuesday at a "Crash-On" exercise at the Edmonton International Airport. You can see the Salvation Army's EDS Canteen in the foreground with the Stars Air Ambulance taking off just behind.

They just might make an Edmontonian out of me yet...

I am absolutely loving living in Edmonton!!

I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD EVER UTTER THOSE WORDS!!

I have thoroughly enjoyed my first month in Edmonton. My job is great!! I've made some new friends. I'm getting out and seeing more things than I have for a long time. Life is just really great right now. Since moving here I have been to an international soccer match, a picnic in a park, a day at a plant conservatory, the Taste of Edmonton Festival, the Edmonton Street Performers' Festival and just been out and around. There are pics on facebook for my friends with accounts.

On Monday I am headed to Calgary for a day and a half for work. My hotel is booked and I'm looking forward to the trip, just for something a bit different.

Still alive...

Well, I have now been in Edmonton for 3 weeks, or very near that. And it has been just under one week since we moved into our house here. I am really starting to feel more settled.

I am loving my job!! I am excited about the opportunity for me to learn and grow, as well as the potential for ministry and partnerships. I have just finished my first training course - Standard First and CPR (scary thought - I've spent 3 summers at camp and however many more years working with kids and I've never taken a First Aid course before now). So now, instead of not knowing what to do, I'll simply not remember what to do...(joking...really...)

Yesterday I was at Edmonton Temple for church. It was the installation of Captains Don and Donna Bladen. They have 4 children (they must be nuts!!). I also had my first cell phone call during Don's sermon (the phone was on vibrate - not ringer mode). I was sitting in the band and had to leave the service for a bit...kind of awkward on my first day up there. I was also back in the trombone section for the first time in years...that was interesting...I remembered my slide positions luckily enough, but dropping down and switching back to Bb was a bit awkward for the first bit...it'll take some time.

I'm definately feeling positive about all of this!!

Counting down the hours!!

Well, almost all my belongings are packed (minus my computer - that goes in the box tomorrow). Either my things are in boxes to be shipped in a couple of weeks or in suitcases to go with me next week. All that remains is some cleaning.

Tomorrow evening I head for Salmon Arm for the weekend and won't be back until late Sunday night. It should be a fun weekend. I always enjoy these weekends (at least when I don't get sick!!).

Monday morning I'll head for St. Albert where I'll be staying until the end of the month. Then I get a couple of days down time before I start work on Thursday. So - my next post should come to you from north of here.

Move date pushed ahead

I will now be moving to Edmonton a couple of weeks before my parents and ahead of schedule. I have accepted a position in Edmonton working for The Salvation Army which requires me to be available as soon as possible. So, I have given my two weeks notice at my current job and am trying to find a place to stay in the Edmonton area until my parents move up later in June.

I will be coordinating the Army's Emergency & Disaster Services for the northern part of Alberta. This is another fantastic opportunity for me to learn new skills and grow personally and "professionally" in preparation for officership. I start in the office on June 14th.

This has come together very quickly. It was only last Tuesday that I got a phone call to setup an interview. I had my interview on Friday and was offered the position yesterday.

This means that this upcoming Sunday will be my last at my church since I will be in Salmon Arm, B.C. the following Sunday just before I move north. I only have 7 work days left in my current job. It all seems very fast, but I feel great about it!!!

7 great years...

Today The Salvation Army announced that my parents, Fred and Wendy Waters, are appointed to Edmonton, Alberta as the Area Commanders for Northern Alberta. This means that I am most likely moving to Edmonton in June as well. Finances aren't likely to permit me to remain in Calgary for the next year before I am expecting to go to Winnipeg.

Our family has enjoyed our time in Calgary so much, and we are sad to be leaving things behind here. But Edmonton will be a new experience and we do have many friends there. It's not too far away, so I'm looking forward to visiting Calgary several times.

The complete list of moves for the Canada and Bermuda Territory is available online here. Several more Candidates have been accepted for officer training this week as well. That list is available here.

I am looking forward to spending the next couple of months with my friends and family that live here in Calgary.