Okay I'm going to try something new here...this is part of the sharing more of me thing...Something that God has totally put on my heart for the past two years is a project in Haiti called "Clean Water for Haiti". Ever since I heard of them and what they do I can't stop thinking about them! Clean, healthy water is something I so take for granted. I can not imagine not having it. To me it is a basic necessity. The filters they produce are bio-sand filters that Canadians at the University of Calgary (I think)...develped. It is a simple process that works...doesn't have to be rocket science, hight tech or expensive...it just works! But it still takes $ and rescources to produce and distribute. I feel like I'm not explaining it very well...so here's the link - check it out for yourselves and see what cool things they are doing! http://www.cleanwaterforhaiti.org/news.html

What is not posted yet is that they have been trying to purchase the land that the mission is on as the owner is trying to sell. They have about 90,000 of the 140,000$ they need to complete the purchase and the land owner has decided he wants a cash deal to be completed by the end of May...so if you pray on this and God lands this one in your soul...please listen to your inner voice and make a difference in people's lives! Either give me a call, drop me a line or contact them directly. If you have more questions same thing...but don't put it off!

I hope you all get that me even posting this is huge for me! I don't like selling or asking for $...but this is something I believe can make a huge difference in people's lives...something as basic as clean water! Just try going one whole day where every time you turn on your tap think of people in Haiti for who clean water is a luxury not a basic necessity! I can't imagine it! And don't think they should not have something so basic.

So what's new at the Withers? We'll Mickala stayed with Grandma M. as she was sick today. Makenna cut her toe (not sure how). Nicole is here for the weekend (and will only be with us one more weekend after this). Chrissy and Ashley move in Easter weekend. Sonia's work is going well (always challenging). Darren's work is very busy...anyone know of good carpenters who need work? Come to think of it anyone know any good Human Service Workers? We are always short staffed as well!

God has been good! (Even thru the hard stuff!) I have been involved with a personal/ Leadership Develpment group called Inside Out Leadership since last June...it has been an awesome journey. I have gained lots of insight into myself and am choosing to do things different. (I don't always get it right - but am choosing to do things different!)

One of the things that I have been doing differently is to let people into my life more...okay mom I can hear you now... :)... so I'm hoping that you all love me enough to listen to me rant and rave about my revelations in life...so the posts might look different...I'll still try and keep everyone up on the family stuff but hopefully you'll learn a little more about me...(Consider yourselves warned!)

Stay tuned for the new posts.

I'll take a look thru the pics and see if I can add a few new one's.

Bye for now,
Sonia

So the kids are back to school - YEAH! - oh was that my outside voice? It was only one week so I'm really not complaining...I just ran out of money...We had Diane, Richard and Shannon here for the weekend (they arrived Wed we left Thurs...we really do like them!) We went to Vancouver to see Jen (Mickala's birth mom) and were suppose to stay with our friends Jennie, Bob, Mason and newbie Avery...but their house got flooded...we ended up staying at a hotel...I made it thru Science World and the girls shopping at Metrotown...then melted down with a migraine...that part was the least favorite part of the trip! The best part were seeing Jen and Trevor and Jennie, Bob and kids...we came home early...and got to spend a really nice day with great friends before they left to go back on Monday up North.

First day back to work after two weeks of being off work...today was a comedy of errors..I'm trying very hard to see the positive in the day..."I have a great hubby, great kids and I only got a $138 fine for my first speeding ticket!" all in all I survived.

bye for now

Okay so it's been a while! I havn't been feeling well and am now feeling like I'm getting better!!!!
Things seem to be settling....I think the time off at work and time with the girls and Darren have helped!

I thought I would post some pics of the day we went to the big city accross the lake. It was such a gorgeous day! When we finally managed to leave the house we had a really relaxing day. We drove down towards the old ferry docks had lunch on the water (Subway- not very exciting). We walked along the beach & fed the birds (I'm trying hard to surrender my "gotta be a mom" and be more a kid and not worry so much about what we should be doing or not be doing). Then we drove thru the old ise Trailer park where I grew up (until grade 5). It's hard to see how it has changed. I'll never forget how cool it was to hang out at the beach, go boating and how I looked forward to summer when all the camping kids would come to play with.

All in all it ended as a pretty good day.

We'll it's raining today...looking forward to some more spring weather!

On Valentines day Makenna's class did a special song for the families...I was not able to be there but Darren did make it. Thought I would add a picture.

So we went away for the weekend all the way up to Idabel Lake...Mom, Dad, Steph, Kim, Darren the girls and myself. Had a wonderful time bonding and riding around on the snowmobiles...even ate healthy and managed to stay on track with the new "want to feel healthy and not like crap" kick - so I better make healthy choices.

We have been looking for a small dog to bring into our family...anyone hear of a younger (not necessarily puppy) let us know.

Darren is all done school!!!! Yeah!!! Another 9 months or so before the next bout of torcher!

Some other possible cool things are brewing - I'll keep you all up to date if they develop positively.

Bye for now. Sonia

We'll back to work for me and a day of R & R for Darren and the girls...NOT! Darren put new brakes and rotars on the van!!! It doesnt' squeek anymore! What I really wanted to do was post a picture of Makenna missing her two front teeth...very cute! She was chewing on an orange tonight and I was giving her a hard time about not getting it off the rind very good when I realized she has no top teeth to do it with...no wonder she was having a hard time.

Adventures with the Withers

Here I sit on Sunday morning...Darren and the girls are off to church and I'm hanging out with Nicole. Nicole is 19 and comes to hang with us two weeks out of every month. Her laughter is contagious and she is mostly easy going.

I'm thinking of all the things I should be doing ...."should" - need to get rid of that word in my vocabulary!

This weekend I have spent a good amount of time preparing meals and finding new ways to incorporate whole grain foods into our diet ...often in disguise so the girls don't know it's good for them...So far the girls havn't caught on in any exciting way ...but I am holding fast..we all need to eat healthier! To me it all tastes pretty darn good...just time consuming to learn to cook in a new way. Any yummy, healthy favorites out there please forward them on!


This afternoon I'm hoping to go shopping with Mickala for a bit...she got a couple gift certificates for her birthday...and is in a hurry to spend them. Tonight we have invited a friend over for dinner... Roast Chicken etc....should be good!

Well back to my world...

Okay here goes the first post...boy do I feel green...I am so not the computer guru...We'll the kids are off to school and I had a few minutes to myself...just finished my bowl of Red River with pears and apple...I really should go get ready for my day but find it more relaxing to sit here and check out the world...

My goal for the week is to eat whole foods...as much as I need - but whole foods...I'm tired of feeling like crap! I feel like I'm being detoxed as my body is definitely not happy with me about this! Next week will add to that but for this week I'm finding it exhausting just to plan to eat well. (But boy did I sleep good yesterday!)

My day today looks like doing laundry, packing my 1/2 ready lunch, shower, make-up, few e-mails and off to pick up a kid to take her to the doctors. Then back to school with her and off to work for me. I'm not sure how Darren does it with me working in the evenings...getting dinner on the go, kids homework, lunches and keeping them on track - plus his own homework which I know is heavy to say the least! He is amazing!

Work...oh ya that J. O. B. thing. What can I say - best thing I did was cut back from managing to just "working"! I do miss parts of managing but the staff shortage thing - I'm all to happy not to have to worry about! What parts of managing do I miss? The co-ordinating of things...keeping everything flowing...it has been hard at times to take a back seat and let someone else step up...but only because I would do things differently...not that things are not happening good/ well - just different than I might do them. I also miss the team building part! I really love finding what motivates people and getting them to tap into that - it is so cool to watch their energy and excitement for their jobs grow.

Well that's the first post...let's see how it looks on the site...I guess I just talked about me...well next time it will be more about the family.

Bye for now,

Sonia

Mickala, Mom and Makenna - 150 Mile House - August 2005