Quality Time

Well it's the end of the day, the baby is asleep and we're tired. Now we want to unwind together as a couple, what do we do? Maybe watch I love lucy, play a video game, read in bed or how about Pictionary? Yes that's right, we've been playing some pictionary and it's been a fun way to unwind! It started with my thinking up drawing/painting as a fun activity to pursue together. So Jeffrey gave me a pad and pencil and after I drew a bit we decided to play pictionary. :) Which happens to be a favorite game of mine!

But back to quality time, I'm curious if other couples have quirky things they do too?
Please share. :)

Does anyone know a better way?

Ok I have a new blog address! It's amazing the trouble you will go through when you already have 3 other Blogs, just to have one without ads and with an easy to remember web address! Ok I posted all my old posts from my previous blogs and then half way through thought, hey I could have just linked to my old blog!! *shoot* Oh well, live and learn. Well I don't know why everyone can't have the same medium, like myspace, but their blogs look stupid... and then when half your friends are on there and half on friendster and then now some on facebook ( I haven't delved there YET) then how are you supposed to keep track of them all?? Hmmm maybe I need to look at the RMS feed... or something that a friend told me about. I mean I think Shutterfly needs to expand to be more like myspace, or vice versa so that I can do my posting and pictures all in one place.... Hmm I'm too cheap to pay for a web site, but I guess having my own would solve this problem? Well Thank God for links... that Is why I'm linking you into my new picture sites http://scallon.shutterfly.com/ and http://jeffandhaleyswedding.shutterfly.com because all the old links I posted before don't work anymore since imagestation shut down.

Ok now you have some updated pictures of us!

Wow 2008!

I can't believe it's a new year already and little Vincent is 10 months old!! Wow time really flies when you have a little one to care for! He is a great little guy with an easy going attitude. We're enjoying his first words and first steps and think he is the cutest thing ever of course! Well we thought we'd be back in Daytona by now, but still working on fixing Jeffrey's back first. We're glad to both be going to a good Physical Therapist -Anthony Pribila and Jeffrey is getting some prolotherapy done right now, so we'll see how that goes.
I miss seeing friends and family while we're so close, but find my time is not my own these days. Well that will probably just get worse as we have more children right? Well the baby is crying for some food, so gotta run! I'll post some updated pictures soon.

Moterhome Trip

Hi! Well we made it! Just barely though... haha! Hildegard coined in the trip from H. And it definitely had it's moments... We left Canada on Monday in the motor home and the first day went pretty good. We didn't get too far, but stopped in Lake George, PA at a nice campground. The next day we were driving and the generator that runs the AC went out, and so we opened the windows and tried to keep cool, but it was a long day! That night when we stopped it took a long time to cool down, about 2:00 I finally felt 'normal' again. The next day we rose early to try and get in the cool part of the day. Around 1:00 we stopped and said it was just too hot to go on, so we stopped at the next hotel that took dogs around 3:00 we checked in. We stayed there til Midnight and then hit the road to drive through the night home. However, the lights were not strong and after about 4 hours we had to stop to wait for light to continue, the AC worked for a while there which was nice. Then as we continued there was problem with the power, and we pulled over and got towed to the nearest garage. We were about 2 hours from Daytona and we ended up being at the garage for 6 hours! Little Vincent was a trouper through it all, but it was hard at the garage, in this small waiting room all day and we just had to take turns walking him or otherwise entertaining him. We made it into Daytona that night, and were all exhausted! We were so happy to find our place freshly cleaned from Troy and Kimberley's visit (thank you guys!!!) because we were some weary travelers! The next day we drove the rest of the way to Tampa. So now we're back and looks like we'll be here the rest of the year. Jeffrey realized that he is unable to tackle school and work this semester while he's still dealing with this pain. We're right now searching for a good Physical therapist, Orthopedic Doctor and Neurologist in Tampa. So if you know of any please give us a call or email!! :) The school said they would hold his job for him for next semester, so right now we're praying that he'll be better by that time, please join us in this prayer!! We'd love to come and visit everyone, but Jeffrey is just not up to it, however he said he would up for visitors here, so please come and stop by, little Vincent is growing so big and we'd love to see you all!
Here are some pictures from the baptism/dedication service in Canada.
http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2088659429

Canada Pix

Hey! Well another month has gone by like a blink of an eye! Here are some updated pictures of what our month looked like. Jeffrey is still recouperating from his sacroilliac joint problem, and finds prolonged sitting or standing to bother him and he's still living with pain. But we were able to do a few things and here are some pictures from it! We're now having a baptism/dedication service for Vincent today and party afterwards, so those pix will come later. Then we hope to head back to FL on Monday in the moterhome, so hope to see you all soon!
Love You!
Haley and Family
Cute Baby Pix
http://www.imagestation.com/album/index.html?id=2089107555
St. Josephs Oratory
http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2089036127
Quebec City
http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2089104993
Mont Tremblant
http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2089105553

4 Months already?!?!

Well It's hard to believe that it's been 4 months since this little guy has entered our lives! Somehow it seems longer and shorter all at once! Holding him tonight made me think that soon he'll be holding me he's getting so big! haha I have some pictures of him posted of the last few months
April:
http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2091887395
May http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2090138361
June http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2090138137
and some variety from Jan-April:
http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2091865611
It looks like I haven't updated this blog very well since the birth. So brief overview... My Mom stayed and helped out after the birth for a few weeks (Thanks Mom, couldn't have done it without you!) and then Jeffrey had finals and was sick. :( Then he hurt his back while working out. (He thought he'd be ok after a few days... but it's been 3 months now! )Then we went to Tampa and did some visiting and had to go back to Daytona to finish a school project. After that we packed everything up and came in the moterhome up to Canada, where we've been seeing his family and a little of Quebec, but mostly staying in and me taking care of Vincent and Jeffrey recouperating.
Our days are a bit up and down right now with Jeffrey's back injury. But I am so proud of how he's handling himself and always trying to look out for our future! It's hard, but we realize that together and with God's help, we're going to make it through. We're not sure how... but we will. Looks like we might come home early so he can do some therapies in Tampa, but everything is up in the air right now. We appreciate your prayers!

Life and Pain

Well it's been a few months since writing now and I can't hardly believe that little Vincent is 3 1/2 months old! Wow how time does fly! He's a strong little guy and is smiling and interacting with us, such a fun personality! He definitely takes all my time right now and only the fact that he's asleep and I'm up late acounts for this rare posting! Unfortunately it's because I'm upset, Jeffrey hurt his back about a month after the baby was born, and has been laid up ever since. He's got a sacroilliac joint problem and has been to multiple chiropracters and now is seeing a physical theripist. He's terrified that it's a herniated disc, so we might have an MRI done soon. We're in Canada on 'vacation' but it doesn't feel that way for either of us most of the time. I think we'll need a vacation after this vacation!! Well we know God has a purpose in everything and we ask for your prayers to heal Jeffrey and to make us strong enough to go through all this! I keep hoping it will be getting better, and the last week did seem to be a big progress, but then he'll have bursts of pain and it seems like all that progress went down the drain. *sigh* Why is it that when you're a child and you dream and growing up and getting married and having babies, the fact that pain is involved doesn't really enter your dream picture? It reminds me of Princess Bride 'Life IS pain princess, and if someone tries to tell you differently, they just want to sell you something.' well it goes something like that. I appreciated reading Ruthy's blog and being reminded of 1 Peter, that says we shouldn't be surprised when these trials and pains come upon us.. but yet we somehow think we are immune to suffering? Well Christ showed us the way to walk and by His strength we will follow in HIs footsteps. Please pray for us as we go down the road God has for us! Pray for Jeffrey's healing and hope for the future. For little Vincents continued good health and for me to be supportive and nurtering to the Men in my life!
Love,
Haley and Fam

Baby Vincent Arrives

Hi Everyone! I'm finally getting the pictures up! I guess I should have showed Jeffrey how to do this... ;) Thanks for all the prayers and support! We feel very blessed to have our little Vincent Montgomery Scallon here with us! Born April 2nd, at 5:17. Weighing 7 lbs 10 oz and length 21". I had a few contractions start around 10pm on Sunday night after we went to bed and told Jeffrey 'I have a feeling it might happen tonight' but the contractions were so mild I tried to relax and get some rest, then my water broke around 12:00 and the contractions came on very fast and hard, so we went to the hospital and was amazed to hear I was 6-7 centimeters dialated already. Praise God because I didn't think I could stand 12+ hours of that! At least not without lots of drugs! haha ;) I hand it to any woman who has given birth, no matter how she did it! But I was happy to be able to labor without pain medication like I had wanted. The pushing took about an hour and was rough, but it was encouraging having Mom and Jeffrey there telling me I was doing so well and 'just a little longer' 'only one more' etc. Our doctor was great and we had competent (if not always friendly) nursing staff. The rudeness of the head nurse will always be a funny story to tell... when I didn't hop up onto the bed when she asked and instead groaned through a contraction, She asked "Does she have a mental condition?" haha! Umm you are a labor nurse right?!?
Well enough labor talk, we're glad it's over and he's here and healthy! Here are a few pictures to enjoy and I have lots more posted up here : http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2093672157
If you'd like to visit, just call us 813-436-9702.
Love and Blessings,
Haley, Jeffrey and Baby Vincent

Baby Shower

Hey all! Just thought I'd post some pictures from our Baby Shower for your viewing pleasure: http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2094018454
And I'll try to upload a few on here too...
So we're down to our last stretch... the due date is April 4th, but it feels like this baby could come anytime now (hopefully!!!) so we'll see what happens. :) I have a few complaints, but in general am feeling well and everything seems normal with the baby, so we're thankful about that. Poor Jeffrey came home sick from school on his birthday... :( What a bummer! So he has the flu or maybe Strep right now and hopes I won't go into labor until he's better (please God!). So I'm trying not to do too much, and find that's not too hard as I spend most of my time in the bathroom with magazines anyways. haha The rest has been trying to fix a few easy meals and watching tv with the sickie.
So I'm sure my next post will be a lot more exciting and contain baby pictures! We can't wait for little Vincent Montgomery to arrive!!
Blessings,
Haley

Babypix via Ultrasound

Hello family and friends! Jeffrey and I went to have an ultrasound yesterday and we got a couple snapshots on our video camera and thought you'd like to see our little boy! This is from the new 3D Ultrasound, so you can see his features a bit! He's very healthy at 4 1/2 pounds right now which is above average weight for his 32 weeks. So only 2 months left to go! Right now we're thinking of calling him Vincent Montgomery Scallon after his grandfathers. :)
Things are going well with the pregnancy, though I am still low on Iron (Anemic) and so have to take more suppliments... it makes me feel very fatigued, but should go away after I get enough iron. :)
I have more pictures, which include more of me growing out, some of Carmaan's visit, some of baby natalie, our apt. in Daytona and some of Christmas too. You can see them at:http://www.imagestation.com/album/index.html?id=2095767649
Love,
Haley, Jeffrey and Baby Scallon

Goodbye and good ridance!

I am happy to report that my Cast was removed today and it feels great!! *sigh* The foot is healing well, so no more crutches! I feel as if I've been let out of prison. I can walk around and can even drive myself somewhere. Also now I can take a bath or shower without problems. Ahhh it's the little things you miss. Well I'm definitely getting bigger everyday and will have to post some pregnancy photo's soon. Things are going well right now and I'm thankful to feel GOOD. Ahhh I guess God gives us those hard times so we appreciate what we have all the time so much more. Happy New Year!!

Go Break A Leg

Well just as I was starting to feel better... actually about the time I wrote my last blog. Then I go and break my foot! I didn't know it at first though. I decided to move a ping pong table, only to have it fall on my foot. I was barefoot and it seemed to gauge it pretty good. There was that minute that I looked down and thought 'I'm alright, just a scratch'. Then the pain starts and it's like 'Ooooooeeeeee that hurts'! So after icing it and applying pressure while elevating it for a while, we bandage it up to go to sleep. I can't walk on it and have to use crutches. The first night it hurt and was uncomfortable. But the next few days it was ok as long as I had it elevated. Then it seemed like I could start putting a little weight on my foot and getting around easier. I even stopped using the crutches. I decided to go ahead and have it x-rayed but didn't think it was broken. I had my cousin Kevin who is a chiropractor look at it and he gave me a prescription to have it x-rayed. But there was no place open that weekend and then we had to go back to Daytona for Jeffrey's school and then a regular appointment with my Doctor and by this time I started to drive a bit and went in to get the x ray myself while Jeffrey was in school. I was very surprised to learn a few days afterward that I would have to have a cast put on and that it was broken. So Dec. 11th, my birthday, I went in to have a cast put on and was relieved to learn that it didn't need to be set or rebroken first. So my Dad, Don and Dean came over to cheer me up and we went out to see a movie and eat at Outback. So it turned into a nice birthday anyhow. :)
So now it's been 20 days and I should have the cast off in another 11. I will feel like a prisoner let loose! Although this has been a pretty relaxing holiday for me, getting wheeled around the stores and Disney world. Getting a motorized cart for Busch Gardens. Not having to help with cooking or cleaning for the holidays. So although I'd rather have mobility, at least it does have some perks.
I hope everyone has had a wonderful Christmas and now a Happy New Year!!

Long Time, No Write....

I don't know how many times I've started a blog these last 6 months and then stopped... I think it was because I had so much to tell and didn't know where to start! Then I was so tired and sick all the time, you see I am pregnant! I'm 5 months along and sooo happy to be out of the nausous stage! We found that we are having a little boy and are sooo excited!! I can feel him moving around and it's really sweet. :) He's due April 4th and I'm starting to get 'the belly'. :)
Also we have moved to Daytona Beach, Jeffrey decided Medicine was not for him and has gone back to Physics. He's getting his masters at Embry-Riddle in Space Physics-Engineering. I don't know if I'm saying that right, probably not... but hey, I am NOT the rocket scientist in this relationship. ;o)
In addition to his schooling Jeffrey is a teaching assistant at the university and is enjoying it so much that he's thinking of becoming a Professor. I on the other hand am not working as I was too sick before, but now that I'm feeling better I may look into something P/T.
So we are living in a cute 2 bedroom apartment and make the 2 1/2 hour trip to Tampa pretty often still. We'd love to see friends and family come this way sometime, so give us a holler!
Blessings,
Haley and Jeffrey

Goings On

Hello from Switzerland! Jeffrey and I are here visiting his Opa (Grandfather) along with Cousins and staying with a generous Aunt and Uncle. :) Jeff´s parents are with us as well and last night we all went out to celebrate Opa´s 89th birthday! I´ll post some pictures of the beautiful scenery here. His Aunt Ruth and Uncle Armin have a beautiful house on a hill where we´ve taken a little hike almost everyday, breathing the clean air and admiring the alps in the distance. Ending our walk in the village and the cute church there. We´ve had many good visits with Opa and great meals by his girlfriend Bertie usually leaving us stuffed with all the good home made swiss food! Thankfully she shares with me some of her recipe secrets! :) Through Jeffrey of course since now it´s the german/english language barrier where I try to get by with (pardon the spellings) Grützi, goot, shern, bitte, danke and cheers. :D
We´ve been busy these last few weeks... in April Jeffrey had finals and then we had lots of singing with Choir for Easter, extra practices on Mon and Tue, singing Thursday-Sunday with extra songs and special songs and hard songs and overall... fun! Also hosting his parents for that weekend and celebrating Hildegards birthday with a special dinner out. Then starting to pack and thinking of what needed finishing before coming down to FL. The jeep went back with his parents and so we were both taking the bus. Then Jeffrey gets sick... so after 4 days of a horrible sore throat we go to the emergency room (Saturday) since it´s the only place open and we are thankful it´s a short bus ride away. We get to a calm looking waiting area and think it might only take a few hours... after 3 hours I´m glad I brought some supper, after 6hr I'm in the special waiting room dozing on a not comfy chair and not so happy, after 8hr (1:30am) we finally see a doctor for 3 min and get a prescription and dose of antibiotics and get to leave. *argg* I tell Jeffrey it better be more serious next time we go! Though I hope we wont need to! Then a few days later after Jeffreys last test, we hop in the car and drive south for 12 hours before crashing for a night near Richmond VA and then finishing the other 12 hours south the next day to Tampa. We get to relax in the pool and hot tub and have a nice meal with his parents.
In the next few days we were to cram as much time with Hugh and Jodi´s family (who drove all the way from Oregon) as we could! They had a great time getting acquainted and we had to leave too soon. I wished to be able to spend more time individually with their 8 children, but it wasn´t to be this time. It was sad that Mom and Carmaan and Todd's family couldn´t come down to join us, we all had a nice pot luck at the farm and was fun to have (almost) all my siblings around me again!
Then on Monday it was off to Switzerland and Jeffrey still had no test results.*sigh* It did not make for a relaxing trip for him unfortunately. All the stress and the moving and the greeting and the grooving (Have I been reading Dr. Sueuss again?)the traveling and the visiting, has caught up to him now and we'll be coming home early to just rest and do nothing.
So after that I hope to get to visit with the family and friends inbetween searching for a summer job etc, etc...
And that's the news from us!
Love,
Haley

Not a rant... or at least not a bad one!

You know I was thinking that I have been writting a lot of rants on here.... and then decided that I should really be talking about my wonderful husband... because I was just an emotional girl today and what does he do? Take time out to talk to me, make me feel better and bring me breakfast in bed. (ok it was a protein bar that I had made yesterday, but STILL nice. ;)) Then later when I was still complaining about feeling down, he says ok we're going for a nice walk to soak up some sun! It was really nice out, about 45 degrees and sunny, (we're looking forward to swimming in FL next month! :D) great to get some fresh air and get to talk. Jeffrey is studying up a storm with finals next week and I know will do better than he thinks he will because he's so smart! I can't believe all the stuff he has memorized about the human body in his anatomy class.... he can even spell the words I can't pronounce! :) He just brought me a cute story for me to read... and did I mention that he's gorgeous too?! have you seen his muscles? ok ok I am biased, but still! I am just soooooo blessed from God and often it's easy to forget that and look at the problems going on in life instead of the blessings! So this is my taking a time out to count one of my blessings. :) I hope all my friends get to have as wonderful marriage as mine!
Blessings,
Haley

Thank You Cards

Wow it's only three months away from our anniversary and I'm still writting Thank you cards.... anyone who's gotten married will sympathize with this! The thing is too, I don't want to just say 'thanks for the gift! love, Jeffrey and Haley' no, I am writting personal letters to like 130 people! I didn't really start the process until September and have been writing them while in the car looking for an apartment to rent, while watching a movie, the olympics, television, while just sitting at the table, while in class if it's boring, while on the bus, while eating breakfast, while listening to music... I do not like green eggs and ham Sam I am!!! Oh sorry it was starting to sound like a Dr. Suess book! Anyhow I think I'm down to my last 30... sorry if you haven't received yours yet! I am always buying more thank you cards, more stamps, soon more of the pictures that we're sending, I have to make sure to mark off who has been sent as I've rewritten a few while thinking 'Have I done this before?' Yes I had. *sigh* Then make sure you have a current address... I have one here for about 4 months because I'm always forgetting to get the new address! Then there are a whole list of people who'd I love to send the picture to as they were unable to come to the wedding, but with the expense of it and our budget being tight... it might not happen til it's too late... so I'll probably just have to forget that idea, sorry everyone! :(
I don't mean to say they are a horrible chore, because I do think it's fun to write to my friends and family and we are so thankful for how generous everyone was to us! It's just that I will be so grateful when I've finished the last thank you card! :)
So I have some gifts that are unaccounted for! I don't know who gave them and can't send a thank you to them! :( Let's see, we have some pyrex prepware and oneida baking utensels and a silver frame all unaccounted for.... so if anyone knows who these are from, please let me know!! :-D
Love and miss you all!
Haley

Life

Well here it is two weeks later from my last post. I was really depressed for like a week about every or anything it seemed. My wonderful husband was letting me cry on his shoulder! I've spent quite a bit of time praying and reading the Bible for comfort and it's helped. Last Sunday I wrote out some scriptures to hang up in our room.
James 1:2-5 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
The Saturday of my last post I was pretty upset and so after praying for where to read, I picked up Romans 8 which is quite a meaty verse and worth reading all of (www.bible.com), but I won't copy it all here because of length!
I found some verses that spoke to me about Christ's Love, Living in the Spirit, our sufferings, and the power of His Love to keep us no matter what.
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. ......
.......16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. ......
............And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ok I couldn't help it, it was all so good I pasted more than I thought I would. :) Now amazingly on Saturday after reading this inspiring chapter, I was still upset! So I decided to focus on the truth that God was using all things for His ultimate good, no matter how I feel. You know when you have so many wonderful things to praise God for, why is it that it's so much easier to complain about the the bad things instead? So the struggle continues for me to be positive and keep focusing on the good things. Some days it's easy, some days it's not, but I always have help in Jesus!

Vacation

So this week is supposed to be our 'vacation' week . Ha! Jeffrey has a 'study break' which means he has a break from classes but mid term exams afterwards. So during the first weekend and part of the week he was busy studying and I was going to french school and working. Then we thought we'd go see King Kong since it's been ages since we last went to a movie... the only problem was we didn't know it was 3 hours! So when we tried to see it at 8:30 and she asked if it was alright by us to be done at Midnight? (Strange question for a movie ticket person to ask! haha) we thanked her and said no and left. (The theater is right across the road from us!) Oh well for that idea. We had some idea's to go skate along the canal, see some of the city we hadn't been able to yet (which is most of it), maybe try cross country skiing... then disaster strikes! Jeffrey gets sick on Thursday. Poor thing has a cold and bad sore throat, so we rest up that day and I think by the weekend he'll be doing better... well it's Saturday night and no luck there. Dan Amores was in town doing a workshop and I wanted to go to the dance tonight since we missed last nights. What a novelty to have a Saturday night dance option! But it was not to be. We did however manage to eat some delicious home made chicken soup (by yours truly) and watch some of Mr. Bean and Ice Age.
*sigh* You never know how selfish you are until you are in a relationship! But it's something that God reminds me of everyday when I say 'Awww, more dishes to do AGAIN?' So life is not always easy and fun up here, but we have each other and many blessings. Now to just focus on those rather than the petty little things and disappointments that can get under your skin! Those are the demons that would sabatoge our days. But through Christ we can do all things and we push on. Hopefully Jeffrey will be feeling better tomorrow. And at least last weekend we got to go visit with his aunt Bobbie and uncle Jacque and cousin Anne! Then hopefully next weekend with Jean's family.
Keep us in your prayers, because God knows we're not perfect and we need it!

Good Times in New Places

Well here we are in our new place, all settled in! I have taken some pictures of the apartment/condo to share. Sorry don't have any from the outside yet, but it's a nice brick exterior. http://www.imagestation.com/album/index.html?id=2114741247 It's such a joy for us to really be on our own and enjoying our first place together! It feels like heaven! What joy it is to share life with someone who you're so compatable with, it feels perfect when you do everything together! This last week we found a nice church nearby that is actually the Cathedral of Ottawa, it's gorgous! We loved the choir and have joined! We were supposed to sing our first time yesterday, but I had a sore throat so we stayed home. :( Then on Friday we went out to the local dance and I was happy to see some familure faces! I didn't get a chance to dance with all of them, but there is always next week! I was happy to see Lawrence from Toronto is working in town and so we'll see him often. :)
Jeffrey and I even toyed with the idea of picking up fencing... it's something he's always wanted to do and they are offering lessons at the university. So we went to their first free class and it was fun! Not quite enough to tempt me away every week in the cold... but Jeffrey loved it! However since we are already pretty busy and he's got lots of school work, he decided it was best not to overload the schedule. So maybe another time.
Now that we feel all settled in, we will be wanting some company! Let us know if you can come! In addition to the number below, we have some new cell phones (our old numbers are gone, so don't try them!) For Canada just dial a 1 first. Haley 819-962-6988. Jeffrey 819-665-7712.
Love to all!
Haley and Jeffrey

Good News Again

Hello! We have some good news to share! Jeffrey's feeling all better! We have a new place! We're moving the 27 or 28th! :D After we get things set up there we'll take some pictures to send. It's basically like the other place we wanted, just a little less nice. But the price is better, and it's still a huge improvement for us so we are SO thankful! It's a 3 bedroom condo in a 6-plex, we're on the middle-left. We already have furniture bought and installed thanks to Jeffrey's parents going there while he was on his back. So now we just add 'our stuff'. :D We're sooo excited and we can't wait to have some visitors!!! :D I already found a school where I can continue to take french 2 days a week for free! Then once I get my resident card I can take more full time for almost free again. :) So things are looking up! Looks like we got all we wanted for Christmas early. :)
Our new address is:
43 Rue Du SatelliteApt #2Gatineau, QC J9A 3S9Canada
My new phone is 819-436-9702

I just put up some new pictures that I promised...
Thanksgiving pictures in FL http://www.imagestation.com/album/index.html?id=2116021113
Quebec City : http://www.imagestation.com/album/index.html?id=2116020749
I also added a few snowy pictures of the golf to this album on the end : http://www.imagestation.com/album/index.html?id=2118030526
Enjoy!

No More Good News

Well just when we thought things had turned our way... spoke too soon I guess! We got a call yesterday telling us that our condo we wanted to rent had been sold. :( It was SO great... and I know there are many others, but unfortunately now is not a good time to go looking. Jeffrey hurt his back last Sunday by getting a muscle spasm and so we can't drive the 4 hours there right now. Hopefully he'll start feeling better soon! His parents are steping in to help look for us and narrow things down to some nice choices and can take some pictures for us.
So last weekend we were there to look for a place and it was my birthday weekend. *sigh* What a birthday! I had known we weren't probably going to be able to do what I would like for my birthday (see the new Pride and Prejudice and go dancing), so had tried to resign myself to it and say, Oh we'll do that later... but I guess this selfish feeling of 'NO! It's my BIRTHDAY' came upon me anyhow and so I thought maybe we could see the movie that evening or maybe we could go to a Thai food restaurant after we looked at places or maybe.... and then Jeffrey hurt his back. :( He was acting very angry and upset and suddenly it was looking like I was going to have to go house hunting with my in-laws and uncle and aunt in-law alone. *sigh* I really didn't want this! Not on MY birthday!? Oh the tears flowed and I decided that I was going to stay with Jeffrey, at least we could take a nice bath and relax, watch a comedy on the laptop.. now that sounded like a nice birthday. Thankfully the in-laws were understanding and we got to spend some together quiet time. I didn't have the internet and only my cell phone on me, which no one called... *sigh* it's hard spending holidays away from family! When I got back to Sherbrooke I got some nice emails and phone messages though! Thanks guys!! :) Also Jeffrey got me just what I had been wanting (a new DVD burner) and his parents surprised me with a great fondue set. His Aunt and Uncle got me a cute little cake and we had a nice meal. So I have a rain check for the movie and dancing and it didn't turn out as bad as it could. Unfortunately Jeffrey is still down and out with his back. Please pray he feels better soon!
Oh I did have to go up to Quebec City for a doctors appointment for immigration on last Friday! It was beautiful!! I'll post some pictures soon. :) The Doctor canceled on us due to a medical complication in surgury... so we went a few doors down and ate at a nice vietnamese place! Hmm wish I had been a little more touristy and brought the camera inside... they had this great little table burner they brought out for us to warm our meats on. Yummy! Hmm food. Time to go eat now!

Good News

I almost wrote this morning and my post would have been quite different... something along the lines of 'Please pray for us!' Well you can still do that... but our major prayer was answered today! Jeffrey is accepted in Ottowa for a Health Science course! We'll be moving there for the next 1-6 years or more if we like it. We're SO relieved because we had been apartment hunting and found a great place and even found some great furniture and all was hanging on 'hold' until we heard from the university. But the apartment was going to go back on the market tomorrow if we didn't put a sizable down payment... *whew* now all the processes are in the works and we'll be packing up our stuff here and moving after Christmas. :D Eventually I'll get some pictures of the place up. Things have been so busy that I haven't been able to view all my messages this past week... so will have to catch up the next few days.

House Hunting

As I look outside this morning at all the snow, I think 'wow that is pretty' and then realize that I'll be looking at this for the next 4 months and think 'hmm when can I go visit Florida?' Wish it was going to be on my birthday... I could really use a birthday dance at the Grotto. Maybe I'll get to go to Montreal for a dance, that would be nice! Who knows... life is going by fast right now... today we're going to look at mobile homes with the possibility of moving from Sherbrooke to Ottowa area (on the Quebec side). We went apartment/condo shopping there last weekend. Wow what an ordeal that was! We drove the 4 hours there with his parents and stayed at Jeffrey's uncles place. They are all very generous and helpful, but trying to shop for a place with 6 people all with their own idea's of what to do next is a nightmare! We did manage to see a few nice places but nothing is working out with them. We're thinking with a mobile home we won't have to worry too much about where he gets accepted for medical school, we won't have to sell a condo or get out of lease etc. and we wanted to have a home in florida in the end, so we might even be able to move it down there when we're ready to buy a house here. Who knows right now, it's all up in the air. Poor Jeffrey is having to juggle finals through this and be on the edge of his seat for Ottowa's acceptance letter as well. He looked like an animal frightened by headlights last night. But looking more hopeful this morning to go mobile home shopping. :) Jeffrey is working on writing a book to help get out of the stress and retreat into a nice childrens fantasy akin to Lord of the Rings. It's nice to have him read to me his new entrys while I do some cross-stitch. Quiet evenings but nice. We have new pictures from the wedding posted by Keither and Adrian at www.singularimpressions.com/haley

Snow in Sherbrooke

A few days ago we had our first snow fall... Tues. October 25th, our 4 month anniversary! And a few days before that Oct. 23rd, our 1 year anniversary of when we met at Charlotte's Wedding. (Happy Anniversary Charlotte! ;))
Wow snowing already and it's October... boy I miss the warm Florida weather! All the changing leaves were nice though and seeing a new blanket of white and having a few snowball fights as we dressed up like the Pillsbury dough boy was fun. We even threw some snowballs at Mozart who loved to dodge them and was soon running in the snow and surprisingly seemed to like it ok.
I've been suffering from homesickness here... I miss all my family and friends back home! :( They say that depression and winter is normally combined and I've never had a real winter before so I'm getting it all at once. I have a few new acquaintances but no friends here. I'm starting to speak a bit more french so can actually say some sentences and comprehend what people say a bit. It's slow going so I went to another school where I can take between 9-30 hours a week! So I'll probably bump it up from 5 class hours to 15 by changing schools. Hopefully that will help a bit and not overwhelm me!
I wish I could keep in better touch with everyone... soon I'll get a new vonage phone that is basically unlimited calling through the Cable line. Hopefully then I can hear some familiar voices again. :)
Tue. was a busy day, I have been needing a new haircut and color and decided to do my own... so I got a darker color than normal and put my hair in a pony-tale and got Jeffrey to cut it off for me... it actually turned out pretty nice, I cut off about 6-7 inches and now have layers... it's cute! I'll take a picture today to show.
Then I went to the Doctor and had my first 'real' doctors visit and examination. the other couple times I've been to the Doctors walk in clinic for a note for work and more recently for a urinary infection that started to infect my kidneys and turn into a kidney infection. UGH! The pain was mostly in the middle and lower back and felt like a had a horrible flu with chills, fever and sore muscles galore! :( The doctor recommended antibiotics but I don't like to take drugs unless I have to and I didn't feel it was at that point yet so decided to give my natural therapies a few more days to see an improvement and we bought the antibiotics in-case I started to get worse. Thankfully I took mega-doses of Glyconutrients (4 tbls a day), acidolpholis, ate a lot of raw garlic 4-8 cloves crushed (Jeffrey would cringe when I sat near him. ;)) and cranberry capsules (which I learned the major ingredient of why it helps Urinary Infections is mannose = a glyconutrient) and after 4 days the pain was gone but in all I wasn't feeling well for almost 2 weeks from start to finish! :( Wow how the time dragged while I was sick and seemed like it had passed in a few days when I was better! Sigh I wish I had caught it sooner and went to the doctor faster so I would have know what I was battling, at least I'll know what to look for next time!
So time marches on and soon I'll have to take pictures of mountains of snow here! I had fun going shopping for some more winter wear at the small salvation army here... I was there for a few hours, mostly trying on all the shoes to find better snow gear! I thought I was my Mom when I left with a big bag of stuff for $25. ;)
Well that about sums up the last few weeks... hope you're not asleep if you actually reach this far of the update. :)

Poor Mozart

So right now We're living with his parents on their golf course... it's a very small apartment upstairs, but they have offices downstairs which is where I am writing from now! We brought up Jeffrey's dog Mozart with us.. he's a Shelty which is like a smaller Lassie. He's very playful and cute and it seems I'm doing most of his daily walks lately. :) It's good for us both! I'd take a picture to send, but..... Jeffrey gave him a haircut before we left in the car for Tampa (We had one day to pack! Crazyiness!!). Then since the attachment wasn't working well durring the cutting, Jeffrey had taken it off and poor Mozart looked uneven. So when we got here, he still had quite a bit of hair for his mothers allergies. So I thought I would cut his hair again, only better! Alas the attachment worked no better for me, so I as well took it off and it looked MUCH worse... I shaved him to about 1/2 inch hair and it was woefully uneven. *sigh* We called him our poor rat! So his parents took him into the groomers and they agreed to let him be shaved. Awwww poor thing! Now he looks like a poodle and Jeff can't hardly stand it! Since it's going to be getting cold we'll probably have to get him a doggy coat! *rolls eyes* haha!! I should probably take a picture after all that! Doh.. I went upstairs and took some pictures, but turns out I forgot the transfer cable at home... Will just have to wait now. Sorry!
Tidbit: My hubby Jeffrey likes to play the piano. He mostly sticks to classical and plays by ear... his favorite is Mozart, could you have guessed from the dogs name? ;)

Well the last few weeks have proven to be busy ones for me! I was here in Canada... then I flew home with my Jeffrey to either stay or move... we didn't know. But we found out a few days after returning and it was to move, the next day!!! So we scrambled around stuffing the car with our stuff and getting the dog groomed and shots done. So now we are back in Canada in Sherbrooke and Jeff is going to start school in Montreal this week. I will be learning french and trying to get a job with the small french knowledge I have... almost non existant! But things are going ok. :)

Jeffrey and I are coming back from our extended honeymoon and arecurrently in FL having just come from Canada in Sherbrooke visitinghis parents. I have some pictures that I thought I'd share of ourtrip! http://www.imagestation.com/album/index.html?id=2122084289About 200 pictures from France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria andCanada! Soon I hope to have the England pictures up as well. :)We are doing pretty well... have had kind of an interesting time thelast few weeks... Jeffrey has been looking into schooling options forMedicine Physics in Switzerland, and wanted to start there inOctober... (their school years are different which makes it difficult)but probably won't be able to until April. He was supposed to completea Chemistry course online and get his B.A. in Physics, but now theUniversity (USF) says he is missing a course since his Issues in Musiccourse won't work and he needs something like Ebonics instead (nojoke). So this is very frustrating and we think we've come up with thebest solution... come back to Tampa and work to save up (Switzerlandis expensive$$$$!! ) before we go next year. Jeffrey is checking intotaking some courses in Montreal, so if that goes through, we will betaking the car up maybe as soon as next week (eek!), otherwise we'llbe here til Dec/Jan. I will be looking for French courses and maybe an internet course as well while working.
Also I have some wedding pictures at http://jeffandhaleyswedding.shutterfly.com http://www.swingang.com/hw/index.htm