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.

Finally!!

Hey all!! I'm finally going to a Great Big Sea concert tonight!! A couple years back I had tickets to a concert in Calgary but ended up not going because I was supposed to get my wisdom teeth out...which I didn't on that day...bummer!! Anyways, they're doing an outdoor concert at Capital Ex this evening, free with gate admission, so Susan and I are going to check that out.

Yes, Susan. For those who don't have facebook, or who I haven't found to add as a friend, I have a beautiful girlfriend named Susan. Readers of my father's blog might have noted a reference to her on a post a little while ago. We will have been dating for 3 weeks this Saturday and are very happy.

Today I'm at home for most of the day working on my sermon for August 19. I'm speaking at Castledowns Church on that Sunday. I realise that it's still a while away, but my schedule will be busy for the two weeks leading up to it and the officers are commencing their vacation time at the end of this week and they're wanting to find out what I'm speaking on. I'm looking forward to the opportunity!! I very much enjoy any opportunities I get to speak on a Sunday (hint, hint for any officers in the Edmonton area who might read this).

Take care everyone! (If anyone is still reading this)

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!!!

Sick in Cranbrook

My weekend was spent in beautiful (but rainy) Cranbrook, B.C. on a band trip - the first of two over the next few weeks (in a few weeks an ensemble is going to Salmon Arm, B.C.). I billetted with a lovely family who were very friendly and hospitable. I spent more time with them than I have with any other people that I've been billetted with on a band trip. Most trips are so full of activities that very little time is left to get to know the people we are staying with, but due to a smaller schedule and some rain on Saturday there was plenty of time to just relax. Saturday morning was free for us and many bandmembers travelled up that day. And because of rain our afternoon outdoor engagement was cancelled leaving us with more time off.

Sunday was not quite so pleasant for me as I awoke with an upset stomach that lasted all day, causing me to miss the second half of the morning service. In the whole day I only managed to keep down a bowl of chicken noodle soup in the evening once I got home...most unpleasant. I had to take my first ever graval for the trip home, meaning that I slept soundly from Kimberley, B.C. to Okotoks, just south of Calgary.

Today my stomach has been fine, but I've had headaches, muscle aches and been very tired. I've slept a lot and still feel ready for a solid night's rest.

It is interesting to see how much my father packed over the weekend. There is still a lot more to pack, but quite a bit has been done at this point. I need to repack many of my boxes that I never really unpacked since I got back to Calgary from Peace River, just because I had to open them to find a couple of small items. Overall, I don't really have much to pack most of it is already done. Most of my efforts will go towards cleaning the house for the Vincents who will be moving in to the house in July.

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.

2 weeks in Calgary

Well, it's been a couple of weeks since I moved back to Calgary, so I thought that I ought to write a post to keep things updated...

On April 2nd I had an interview down at the Centre of Hope (a facility operated by The Salvation Army in downtown Calgary that provides residential and additions services, as well as other services that are open to the community at large). The interview went well, and I started work there as a Client Services Worker on the 13th. I'm working the night shift (8pm to 8am) during the second half of the week (alternating Wednesdays, Thursday, Friday, Saturday). So far I've only worked two shifts, one of which was during the day for orientation. This job is great, not only am I enjoying the work, but I was also able to have my personnel file transferred, meaning that I won't have to wait the 3 months probation to get benefits, etc. There is a chance for overtime since the Centre is, like most places in Alberta, short staffed. For now I'll stick with my 40 hours though.

In the two weeks between my interview and starting work I was able to just spend some time with my parents helping with a few things at the church.

It is good to be home though. I am enjoying my mother's cooking, having at least a bit of a social life, and being involved at church again.

Adios, Farewell, Good-bye

Well, even as I type this post my father is driving to Peace River. I am expecting in about an hour from now. Now that the end is here I am very ready to get out of here soon.

Depending on things are looking after he gets here we may leave this afternoon and stop at a hotel along the way for the night. Otherwise we will be leaving first thing tomorrow morning.

I'm looking forward to being back at my home church on Sunday and going for my job interview on Monday. My next post will come from Calgary, Alberta.