The older I get, the more I feel like I need them to be on the other line when I call.  I’m so grateful for the wisdom they give me and the openness we now share.  It really is awesome to have a functioning relationship with both my Mom and Dad after everything we’ve been through.

I know now that they’re my parents for a reason and I wouldn’t trade them for ANYTHING!

My mom offered to pay for Matt and I to fly up to Canada then take us to Mexico for her birthday NEXT WEEK.  She had good intentions (obviously, it’s her 50th and she wants me there for it) but I just ended up really stressed out about the whole thing.  It was a lot of information to take in over the course of 3 days! 
 I ultimately said no because, a) we’ve had a trip to the South Island (leaving on my mom’s birthday) planned for 6 months and we’d have to cancel everything, and b) it was too last minute and the flight prices were INSANE.  There’s no way I could let my mom (who’s on a solo income as a school bus driver) spend that kind of money.  I would just feel so guilty about it. 
Trust me, it was a really hard decision to make!   It’s my family and I don’t see them often (or at all, with the whole ‘living on the other side of the world’ thing) and I want to make them happy.  I hate disappointing people.  But yeah, after lost sleep and tears (Matt got to witness the Ugly Cry a few times, awesome.) I’m ok with everything.  A trip to Canada might still be in my near future but I’ll talk about that as soon as I get some more info.

Three weeks ago, I went to my first Tweetup. Which I guess, officially makes me a nerd  but  I’m ok with that.  It was quite fun and great to meet new people which was something I felt I needed to do. 
Anyway, a few of the girls there decided we should have a Ladies Night.  So  Wednesday  night about 10 of us met at a bar for a few drinks then headed to a comedy gig!  A lot of conversation, laughter, and maybe a little too much wine was had by all – it was exactly what I needed (minus the hangover/going to work  in the  morning (Hi Mom and Dad!)).
One of the highlights for me was FINALLY meeting Alex who’s blog I’ve been reading for about 2 years now.  She’s originally from the UK (and has a lovely accent) but moved here almost a year ago with her Kiwi boyfriend.  ALL the girls are absolutely amazing and I can’t wait until we get together again!  Next time, I’ll bring my camera.

As I said earlier, Matt and I are going to the South Island for 2 weeks!  We’ve got a pretty awesome trip planned – full of walks, kayaking, and lying on the beach (if the weather gets better)!  One of the places we’re staying has free internet so I’ll make sure to post a few pictures.  I thought I’d see if anyone was interested in Guest Posting while I’m away? I have 6 dates up for grabs so leave a comment or email me if you’re interested!

Above all that, she’s crazy (in a good way).  And I love her.

At least she’s always good for a laugh.

Anyway, talking to my sister on the phone is like pulling teeth.
I’ll ask her what’s new, she’ll say “nothing”.
I’ll ask her how school’s going, she’ll say “good”.
Then I’ll ask if there’s anything she wants to talk about, she says “no”, so I ask to talk to mom.

Everyone else I talk to back home goes on and on about how much she misses me! In my mind, if you miss someone, you talk to them every chance you get.

But Courtney has always been an ‘actions speak louder than words’ kind of person and proved it again today.

This morning I got another oh-so-informative email from Mom saying that Courtney had done a portrait of me (it’s like 2 feet high!) for Art and it was featured in the school foyer.  Of course, I had to see it so Courtney emailed a picture.
She’s so sweet, I may or may not have cried.

I miss you too, Courtney.**
**Although, I won’t show it in the form of artwork since 5-year olds are more artisically inclined than I am and whatever I managed to create would probably just be insulting.

Although that was pretty great, I’m not sure what tops waking up to your boyfriend giving you diamond earrings…I KNOW!  He’s all kinds of awesome!
Look how pretty:

They go perfectly with the 7 other earrings I have in my ears at any given time (heh), see?

I want another piercing now…

After that lovely gift, Marissa called me!  I told her that I wasn’t up to much since it was Monday and that’s a hard day for birthday planning.  She responded with, “Well, what about having your birthday right after Jesus’! How do you live up to that?” Ahh, isn’t she grand?

Then I got to talk to my mom, Courtney, and Chad.  It was a little short because I was meeting Matt for lunch, but still good.  Skype makes staying in contact so easy and so free! (There’s my plug, now…where’s my money )

When Matt came home, he cooked me an amazing dinner and my flatmates gave me a sweet Maori handbook and classic Kiwi movie.

After dinner, (and with the help of birthday brownies) I prepared for my interview and Matt did some work.  Turns out the company I’m interviewing with is a client of his, so he gave me a crash course in PIE tax and Prescribed Investor Rate and showed me some formulas he had learnt in excel….cause we’re cool like that.
Then it was bed at 9:30 (again, cool).

That perfect day plus today’s overwhelming birthday love has made this pretty much the best birthday ever.

Last weekend, my not-so-little brother came to visit.  He’s 2 years younger than me, but most people think he’s a couple years older.

We went Go-Karting in the city with dad. And yes, I was appropriately dressed.

We were a little late in getting back to the ferry.  We could’ve made it, but didn’t because they stop selling tickets 5 minutes before the ferry is scheduled to leave.  I complained a bit since the ferry was still loading, but the *ahem* lady, was pretty adament in not letting us on.  I managed a, “So you’re telling me, that instead of running to catch this ferry, you’re going to make us wait 2 HOURS for the next boat? Fine, I’ll have 3 tickets for the next sailing.”
“I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to come back in 5 minutes when we start selling them again.”

I. was. pissed.

But being the good little Canadian girl I am, I didn’t push it any further.  I was really happy when, 3 minutes later, another girl was denied a ticket and FLIPPED OUT.  She brought the fake tears and everything. It was quite entertaining to watch.
Anyway, we resorted to doing this for the next 2 hours:

(I’m the one lying down. The other chick is my mini-me…and HEY! She’s wearing my sweater!)

Last night was Courtney’s year-end concert for band.  She was dropped off early to practice and Dad and I wandered the local London Drugs.  Where I found this:

It’s the World’s Biggest Hangover…in a box! Although I’d replace the beer with something that DOESN’T taste like cat pee, kthx.

Moving on…

Mom, Courtney and I took a couple photos.  Can you tell we’re related?

I didn’t get any postable (word? is now!) photos of Courtney playing, but there’s a video over here.  She’s the one who, umm, looks EXACTLY LIKE ME! Seriously, it’s a little scary. 
The concert was AWESOME!  I never hear her practice, so I had no idea what it would be like.  I was a pretty proud older sister.  :)

Courtney plays the clarinet usually, but last night she also helped out on percussion. She played the suspended symbol and the (wait for it) VIBRASLAP *HELLO creeper-search hits!*

I tried to find a picture of it, which quickly turned into the most scarring google search OF MY LIFE. If you decide to do the same, make sure you add ‘musical instrument’ to the term, otherwise, feel free to join me while I rock back and forth in the corner.

Hilarity ensues when witnessing my mother’s rarely seen wit:

“To Whom It May Concern:
 
My daughter, Dayna, visited and traveled throughout New Zealand during November and December of 2006.
Dayna and her friend spent their time in your country doing some sightseeing, but their nightlife frequenting bars and hostels proved the highlight of the trip.

It was during this time that she met Matt – I think his last name is Baker. 

I of course only found out about him through a high alert of my daughter being missing whilst traveling in a faraway land, with the New Zealand police needing to be involved.
 
Thankfully in January of 2007, Dayna managed to exit your country without harm and made it safely to Perth, Australia for a six month mission trip.
I believe there was still contact with Baker through emails.

Eventually, Baker attended school in San Diego, California needing some psychology studies and the obsession with each other grew to the point where Dayna threw all caution to the wind and purchased a plane ticket, on her already endebted VISA, to meet him there.
At this point I knew she was losing her mind.
They spent a week together hidden in his dorm and she returned home to her beloved Canada, an emotional wreck.
 
Baker and Dayna concocted a plan for him to enter Canada and spend December 2007 as an illegal resident in her basement suite. 
 
It was during this month, actually on Christmas Day, that I finally (got my hands on) met Baker.  He appeared quite calm and relaxed.  Obviously, the visit was kept very short lest his plans became known to lure Dayna out of her country.
 
But, alas, that time has come, and thus this letter to inform you of the scheduled abduction that will have my oldest child leave her native land, with the intent of not only entering New Zealand for a year, but possibly for a lifetime.  SHE IS GIVING AWAY HER COOKWARE PEOPLE.
 
I know she is not in her right mind to leave Canada and I have the video of her patriotism singing our nation’s anthem robustly as a very young child.
 
I hope this letter will assist you in your decision.
 
 
Thank You,
 
Shona Stirling
AKA Mother of Dayna”