Home from holidays!

 I have just been on a week of holidays and it was great! First we drove to Calgary and stayed 1 night. The next day I jumped in with my mother in law and Grandma Stromberg while my husband and his dad and a good friend in our car. The adventures began. My husband started driving towards Golden, B.C. while the car I was in started driving towards Cranbrook, B.C. Josh got to Golden to buy and pick up his new car!!!!!! 1988 BMW that is silver. I don't know the series or anything else but it is pretty sweet.

Doesn't he look happy :)

That has been his face for about a week and a half straight! So happy for him to finally get the car he has been saving for and looking for for almost a year, but dreaming about it longer than that!

Anyways, after he said yes and signed the papers our friend drove it back to Saskatchewan for us while his dad and him jumped back into "MY" car and drove to Cranbrook.

There we met up and started a wonderful family reunion! We had so much fun and it was great to see the cousins on Josh's dads side again! Had a great golf game, great visiting, games and of course laughing! It was a wonderful weekend! 

View from the golf course--I could get used to that. 

A great team for golfing--such great times!

Another amazing view!

My crazy driver! 

And a wonderful family! It was a great weekend to get to know 

everyone a little bit better for me!

On Monday we left Cranbrook and headed to Waterton National Park for a few days of camping! Unfortunately the weather wasn't the greatest but we did get a short hike in and some great relaxing! Of course pizza and ice cream are always part of the plan and they were DELICIOUS! We left on Thursday and came all the way home where Josh went cruising while I stayed home and relaxed! Today we have been busy doing laundry and getting tent and sleeping bags all ready for next time and all that exciting stuff!  I wanted to share a few pictures with you from the reunion and Waterton (my most favorite camping place)! 

4 bears was the count this year!

beautiful trees on our 1 hike that we did--

made it 8 km and then my ankle and knee started to feel it!

A neat picture of the continent where we are adopting from!!

As well, it is in the best coffee place ever!

On our way home--

Last picture near waterton--just as we exited the park over a bridge I asked Josh to pull over to I could take a picture--luckily there were no cars so I got to get out and take this picture!

I hope you all are having a relaxing summer and got to spend some time with your favorite people, at your favorite place or doing some of your favorite things! Its worth it because summer never seems to last as long as it should! 

Check it out! Photo's on Flickr!

DSC_1006, a photo by Shaeline on Flickr.

I have wanted to get my pictures out for people to look at and this is just one more way that more people can share in the pictures I take!!! Enjoy!
Shaeline

The run is done!

Today was the last day for Run143 this year. We had so many people turnout this year and it was such a blast to have some of the same and some new people each day!!! Thanks to everyone who came out! This year I got the honor of running for a family that are going to be amazing parents!
Ian and Heidi--thank you so much for letting me be apart of this small portion of your adoption journey! Your child is so lucky to get you for parents!
Amber and Justin- thank you for being such amazing support vehicle and for making us smile along the road! It really was much needed each time I saw one!
Candra and Riley- thank you for organizing such an amazing event this year! It was fantastic!!!
My husband Josh- thanks for every night when I come home and wallow in my self pity and you have done everything for me! Also thanks for coming out today and supporting me, seeing your face each leg of the run was so encouraging for me!!

Well, this journey gets to continue next summer! Getting ready to gear up for run143 2012!!! Keep it in mind! Also, this year donations are still being accepted! Please consider supporting this amazing cause called adoption! IT is so needed!
--Shaeline

What I have learned!

These last two days have been lots of trial, joy, frustration, excitement and testing my patience. Josh has been working while I have been running. Pretty much the same amount of time but he gets paid and I get to support 143 million orphans! Not only do I get to support the orphans but I get to help support an amazing couple who is adopting, baby homes in South Africa that care for orphaned children and the adoption support center in Saskatoon! I also have been blessed to meet new people and share in this experience with them! That is the joy and excitement!
Aching body, unable to run, sunburns, hurting toes and eating way too much (or so it feels like) is the trial, frustration and testing my patience. Unfortunately or fortunately I don't know which one it is but all of these emotions have happened in the last two days!
I am so excited to be apart of this exciting happening because I support it completely!! If you feel like you can donate and support me the donations are still being brought in!! Go to www.run143.com for more information!!!
My prayer for you is to find a little bit of joy in each day! Thanks for reading!
Shaeline

One day down, Two more to go!

That title sounds so much better than last year which was "One day down, Five more to go." These 3 days have reminded me of so much! How much I am blessed and what I can do to bless others with God's help.

How am I feeling? I am definitely sore, stiff and achey but it is all worth it! Running 1km for every 1 million orphans well today we got to run for 50 million orphans! IT was a great feeling when we crossed the "finish" line and I realized that what we are doing will make a difference. It is making a difference  worldwide it is making a difference to the family we are supporting!

Today I got to have some running time with Heidi, it was so great chatting and getting to know her. It was also very fun to see how amazing Ian did. Then seeing them finish it off together was so great! I am excited to see what tomorrow will hold and how another day of 50km will make a difference in so many lives!

If you feel led please think about supporting me as I am working towards my goal of 5$/km. It is doable and I know that it is going towards an amazing people and organizations! 

Check out the website: www.run143.com for more information and to donate!

God Bless to all of you!

Shaeline

Running Start 2nd year in a row!

Today is the last day before I venture into another adventure in my summer. I am going to be apart of an amazing opportunity this year called RUN143. This is an opportunity to run 143 km for 143 million orphans in the world. We get to raise awareness about adoption and  we actually get to raise support for an amazing couple who is adopting! We also get to support two baby homes in South Africa and the Adoption Support Center in Saskatoon. I am feeling so blessed to be apart of this ministry and opportunity! Last year was close to home because I got to help bring home my nephew! This year it feels close to home for different reasons! I am very excited (and nervous) to be doing this run this year!

The run is quite the distance and I definitely have not trained as much as I should have. This aspect definitely makes me nervous. So many questions: Can I finish it this year? How is my body going to handle this? What is each day going to feel like? There is so many questions and I just have to remember to trust in God and let him guide me and keep me safe throughout these next 3 days!

If you want to support me I am trying to raise 5$ for 1 km. I am running all 143 km so please if you feel led to support me you can do so two ways!
1. Go to www.run143.com and donate online; OR
2. If you want to write a cheque you can send it to the address on the website under Contact.
If you could please let me know if and when you donate so that I can keep track of my goal that would be great! Thanks!

Please think about it and if you are a praying type to keep us all in your prayers these next 3 days!
Thank you in advance for your support and prayers!
Shaeline

Fresh Start

I am back with a new and improved blog! I am excited to start this blog to share our lives with you but also some photography that I continue to learn about daily. I am not the best writer, I am not the best editor but I do feel strongly about sharing what I have to share.

Recently my husband and I celebrated our 4th year of marriage. He not only celebrated with me but he surprised me. Completely surprised me! For about 3 months before June 2 he asked if I had enough personal days to take time off my job to go on a holiday. Immediately I said yes (with a little research to make sure I actually did)! He wouldn't tell me where we were going for the whole 3 months! Impressive I must say! He told me what kind of weather to expect (or at least he tried). This was his attempt: it might be rainy, it might be windy or hot, it could get cold--so to say the least I overpacked by ALOT! But on Wednesday, June 2 at 12:30am at the airport, I found out that he had planned an amazing 3 day trip to MIAMI, FLORIDA! It was such an amazing holiday! It was so good to be away with my husband and just have it be us. No distractions or spur of the moment things coming up. It was just us!
It reminded me of the importance of how when you are married you can't take living together for granted. Of course you see your spouse but you don't really spend time with them. It still needs to be intentional. I forgot that and lost track of how to be dating in a marriage. This trip really reminded me that not only do you need to have fun (which is very important) but you need to make time to talk about what life has been throwing your way. Keep an open communication line at all times. For those of you who are married or even in a dating relationship--always remember to make intentional time for each other, fun and sharing what is happening in your life.

And of course because we went to Florida, I wanted to share some pictures I took while I was down there! Enjoy!

The first 3 are of our amazing view from our patio!

This was our attempt at self-portraits! An amazing anniversary supper evening!

On our last full day, we took a drive down to Key West on the very cool highway. This picture is taken in Key West, Florida!

This was a small town along the highway.

 On our long drive home we stopped to take a picture of the sunset.

Early the next morning, my husband decided to wake up at 6:15 and get some pictures of the sunrise! The second picture is of the sunrise but it is darker because of the ISO sensitivity. The camera didn't let much light in.

Not only did my husband surprise me with a trip, when we got there he surprised me with renting a CONVERTIBLE! It was so much fun!

Thanks for reading and I hope that sharing my thoughts, life, ideas and photo's will bless each of you in some way!
Thanks for reading!
Shaeline