Today I am a first time blood donor! They gave me a sticker that says so.

They also gave me a little key chain charm. Whoot.

I have to admit, I was a little nervous going in. I hadn't fully prepared - I only just found out I was doing it last night. See today is the year mark of the slaughter of 86 Muslims in Pahkistan. So we have a Muslims and Mormons blood drive. Apparently there was a party May 14 to get ready for it but that was the weekend Trent and I skipped town on a whim.

Talking to the Muslims today, apparently this specific denomination of Muslims are to Muslims as Mormons are to Christianity - the others don't think they're Muslim. So they were very persecuted in Pahkistan.

It was kinda cool, we all met at the Mosque and then car-pooled to the Blood Bank. As we drove up, there was a big sign that said thank you Muslims and Mormons for your donations! Kind of cool right?

Going into it, I didn't know what to expect - I've only heard stories. But my iron was totally fine (has to be at least 125 and I was at 148). It was kind of funny though, because the lady that was testing my blood was explaining that it had to be at least 125... with that "we'll see..." tone, and then when my 148 came up she was like, oh you're totally good to go! She was impressed, I could tell - why all the doubt blood clinic lady?

Here's where I admit that I'm actually still a failure though...

Once I'm in the chair and all hooked up and good to go - my blood won't flow. Like it's trickling. 3 nurses are trying to prop the lines, rig them just right to get more flow, they're checking my veins, getting me to keeping pumping a stress ball - nada. It took 15 min - the average time to get the full amount - to get probably half. I was sad. I told them I was more than willing to just keep sitting their, but they decided to pull the plug, er, needle. Sad day. I offered to run laps and try again but they just laughed at me - I was serious. But apparently what I did donate can still be separated and used for plasma and platelets so at least not all is lost.

I still feel like a champ though. I'll totally donate blood again - it really wasn't bad at all. And now I've got baby steps, half this time, ready for full next time.

Talons Rugby

That's right - Talons. Tough.
None of this Schooners or Yotes business. (love you)

These are my girls... minus a couple. But really only minus a couple.

Taken after our amazing game yesterday night. Boo ya.

This is more like all my girls. It's like where's waldo - so many little funny things if you look close.

Loves them.

Playoff Season

I know you're all dying to know how my rugby team has been doing...
Well we just played game one of city playoffs - AND KILLED IT! I honestly don't even know what the final score was... something like 40-10. And the second try the other team scored shouldn't have counted because the girl was CLEARLY playing the ball on the ground and failing to release. Oh well.

It was seriously SUCH a GREAT game though! These girls are 15 of the most athletic, smart, and coachable girls I have ever had the joy of working with. These girls have talent - and know it - and STILL listen and learn and get better. There's not a single attitude problem on the entire team. I yell, I watch them hear, respond, and internalize for next time. They're brilliant.

I really couldn't go on and on enough about how fantastic these girls are. But tonight they played their first playoff game and left it all on the field. They hit, they rucked, they ran, they supported, they passed, they won. Crazy good. So stoked.

I'm going to be really sad after this weekend is over and rugby is no more. Whatever will I do without teenage girls to yell at?

the day I rode a horse

It was a big day! Somehow I've made it 23 years of southern alberta raising, with zero horse riding. I've sat on one. I've ridden behind someone briefly. But I have never ridden a horse before. Shameful. Embarassing. Just plain pathetic.

I've had plenty of people in shock and horror upon finding out about my horseback virginity, offer to take me riding sometime. But sometime rarely results in any time. Thus my inexperience has perpetuated.

Until last weekend! Trent came home from his final exam Friday and said, pack a bag, let's go to southern AB now! So we jumped in the car. Upon arrival in Raymond we found out that his family was planning on going out to Trent's sister's fiance's place the next day to ride horses and quad and have a good ol' time. I was pumped. This is it! My chance!

So the next day, Colt pulled out this beauty for me:

Old pony. Good pony. Little pony. Perfect for me! Funny Colt.

Then the real fun began...

Ahahahahahaha

Okay, but seriously... I really did ride my first horse! Actually.

Trent was a nice husband and came with me for my very first ride.

Then he was a not nice husband and said you haven't ridden a horse until you've galloped and proceeded to encourage my horse to go faster and faster. Okay it was sweet, if not slightly unnerving and uncomfortable.

Colt says this horse is bomb proof. He trains horses for a living so I trust him. I would like to return and learn more on this bomb proof horse. I trust it much more than the skittish one that bucked Nikki Byam off in highschool, thus crushing my only other real opportunity to ride a horse.

I feel so accomplished now. There's something about horseback riding that says, "Accomplished." I want cowboy boots.

Good Karma

I love going to church.
I love paying tithing.
I love getting blessings for loving those things.

When Trent and I got moved in, we stacked two air mattresses on the floor to watch TV and ate our first meal on top of upside down cardboard boxes in front of us. Things were as they should be for a newly wed couple. It was perfect.

Then one of Trent's buddies came over and said, "Dude, you need furniture." He mentioned that his parents had furniture in storage just waiting for his sister to use when she moves out in a couple years. Badda boom, badda bing - we've got furniture. Nice furniture. We are so blessed.

Last week Trent got a facebook message from the daughter, "Hey... so I'm moving into my own place at the end of May..." Trent, "Are you actually asking for your own furniture back? Of course you can have it!" Goodbye beautiful furniture. It was good while it lasted.

No sooner, had I mentioned in passing conversation with a girl at work the whole furniture situation and my new kijiji couch hunt, did that girl come back to work the next day and say, "Hey, I was thinking about how you're looking for couches, and I have an extra couch and loveseat in my sun room that we don't need... if you want to use them?" Badda boom, badda bing - we spent one night sitting on the floor between take-out and pick-up.

I love blessings.

Speaking of Rugby...

My highschool rugby coach, Rick Cartier and his family have far outgrown their house, and I'm not convinced they ever fit it really! But there's a competition on facebook that he and his family have made a video for, and if he can get the most people to "like" his video, he and his family will get $25 000 toward a downpayment on a newer and bigger home. If you watch the video, you'll quickly understand what I'm talking about, and what they're talking about.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150267262316393&oid=128248810564911&comments

I posted it on my facebook wall if that makes it easier for you to find, watch, and like. Whether you know him or not, just trust me, they deserve it. I don't petition people for such things unless it's a cause I truly support with all my heart and they're people I love and adore. And all you have to do it click the "like" button!

Thanks friends.

Craziness Continued

I got a call back! When I got home from work yesterday, Trent tells me a lady recently called and left me a message. I jump on the phone. (I also took a resume out earlier this week, so anyone calling for me has got to be good right now) It's rugby coach 1. I called her back ASAP.

Turns out the women's league she plays for is responsible for coaching 5 of the highschool teams in Saskatoon. Her specific team has 5 coaches already - they just rotate through who's available for every practice and game since they're all busy working or with other commitments. (and as I'm typing this thunderstruck came on a commercial... what are the odds?) Anyways, rugby coach 1 tells me that I'm welcome to join in with all the other coaches as long as I don't mind how many are around. But then she tells me that one of the other teams that her club is responsible for coaching has just one full-time coach for forwards and a part-time coach for backs and she'd pass my info on to her and see if she might be interested in having me come help out with the backs. I make it clear that I'm off work at 3 every day and can be full-time. Obviously I thank her 100 times and say that would be so great at least 26 times.

Then she asks me if I want to play women's league. Of course I do! (as I get so nervous inside at the thought of playing against giant saskatchewan women... I picture an adult version of Vulcan and shudder a little) She says they practice tuesdays and thursdays at 6pm. Definitely doable for me. Oh man, OH MAN! But because of my nervousness inside I say that I won't be around past June so I don't know if they'd want someone that can't commit to the whole season. Of course she has a great response to that, that's okay, We have reduced rates for people that play only half the season. There's always girls that have other commitments and can't play the whole season. Oh, perfect!

I hang up the phone with all sorts of nervous excitement. It's what I've been dying for this year. Just craving to get my hands on some rugby ballage. I'm super excited and optimistic about the potential coaching opportunity, but I'm also super nervous about the potential to play. I love this sport with all my heart, I don't want to let it down. I haven't played since highschool. What if I can't play anymore? What if they're way better than me? I've been so streamlined for scrum half that if they don't need me to play scrum half I don't know how I'll fair out in the field... I'll be lost. But I love it so much. I should seize this opportunity while I can. I can get a new mouthguard at work for free! Oh man, OH MAN!

And it's not even over there. Later that night I check my e-mail and rugby coach 2 has e-mailed me back already! Ahhhhhh! She coaches a team in a town north of the city, they're fairly new, but good and dedicated. She coaches the backs while a former player coaches the forwards, but she would love to have a scrum half to help coach the backs and work with their scrum half! Oh she knew how to stroke my ego. I know and love rugby, but I KNOW and LOVE scrum half. I can ride out to practices with her and all their games are in Saskatoon. Ohhhhh I don't know why but I like this option. Maybe because she really sounds like she wants me, she really wants me! Ha. I realize I haven't heard from the other team, my info was only just passed on last night, and maybe she'd want me too... so many pros and cons. I need more paper, so many pros and cons.

I'm excited. I'm nervous. All kinds of nervous excitement.

I feel like I need to e-mail rugby coach 2 back, though. She responded yesterday, and what kind of person sends someone an e-mail with a specific inquiry and then doesn't check their own e-mail every day? So she'll be expecting to hear from me. And everything in me wants to say I'm in! I'll take it! I'm there! When do I start?! (Tuesday - that's there next practice). AHHHHHHHHHHHH so much on my mind. Do I wait to hear back from rugby coach 3? Do I just go with rugby coach 2 because it makes me so happy and I feel so good about it and nothing about it scares me other than the 1.5 hr drive to practice and same back (those are evenings that Trent will finally be done school and not yet at boot camp for...); and do I play? Even though I'm probably way rusty and will only be around for a month of the season? I can't sleep. (and thunderstruck commercial just came on again - what does it mean?!)

I must be crazy. If I wasn't before, I'm going there now. And loving the ride.

Call me crazy

So I have a deep love and passion for rugby. Even the word RUGBY gets me so excited. For example, the other day at work, I was in a side consult room when I heard a mom mention her daughter playing rugby. It was not a conversation, literally a word drop mid different conversation. Like, "Well taylor has rugby practice on Thursdays so..." That was all. That was all I needed.

I came running. Literally.

As she's headed out the door, I'm running toward reception yelling, "EXCUSE ME! COULD I ASK YOU A QUICK QUESTION BEFORE YOU GO?!" I didn't think she heard me or realized I was talking to her. I didn't think she was going to come back in. The door was closing. Everyone was staring at me like I was a crazy person. I might be.

And then she stuck her head back in and I say, "I'm so sorry, but I heard you mention that your daught plays rugby?"

"Yes. She does."

"Does she play in a city league or on a highschool team?"

"Highschool team."

That's all I wanted to hear. I explained to her that I played all through highschool and assistant coached a JV girls team for a year, then had to move for school, but have been trying to get back into it this year, but haven't been able to find the right people or info so far. She immediately had her phone out and was giving me the names and numbers of two girls' highschool rugby coaches! Eureka! I was ecstatic. So helpful. So great.

I called one and had to leave a message a couple days ago and decided I'd give her a chance to get back to me before I contacted the second. Well apparently I'm not very patient because yesterday night I e-mailed the second lady (because oh yeah, I got an e-mail address too, this lady hooked. me. up.)

It's too bad the season's already underway, but like I said in my messages, I'd really just love a foot in the door, get my feet wet, get back in the game, get more experience coaching.

Let's face it, I just want to be around the sport in any way I can get right now.

But can Saskatchewan handle my yelling? I really don't know.









TO BE CONTINUED...

Dinner Date

Trent's finals started on Monday. His studying started two weeks ago.

Some wives complain that they don't get a date night every week, or at all. Well wives, prepare to be jealous. I get a date night every night. That's right, every night I come home from work and make dinner and wait by my phone for Trent to text me and tell me that he's ready to eat. Then I get in my car and drive to the school and we have our little 30 min dinner date in the student lounge of the dental building. It's really romantic. Sometimes the janitor joins us. Usually there's at least one other person there studying.

But I revel in our dinner dates. I love those 30 min of my night. I deliberately don't text him during the day about things so I can talk to him about them in person during our dinner date. Because by the time Trent gets home from studying, I'm fast asleep. I get to drive him to school though in the morning! It's sad really, the couple mornings that Trent hasn't needed to get up and get a ride with me, I miss our 10 min drive together. But when you think about it, that's 1/4 of the time I get to spend with him each day.

I love that Trent's a genius and studies hard, but I'll be happy when finals are over. Though I actually do secretly love our little finals routine. I really do look forward to our dinner dates. I feel helpful and supportive and Trent's been very effective with his studying.