A night to Remember...

While I was walking home from the Daycare Christmas dinner.. I looked up...and stood in awe... the Northern Lights were out... and they were dancing... I hurried home and called really good friends of mine Markus and Delia... and asked them if they wanted to join me in going out on the ice to take some photos of the lights...They agreed...and we met up about 40mins later! 

I'm going to let my photos do the talking...for right now....

The lights started over Mt. Duval.. and danced across town...and out towards the sound...

Looking in the other direction.... they were still there....

Simply breath taking....

The stars were even awesome... Delia pointed out Orion...and a bunch of other things... that was way cool!!!

Here I am.. In my new parka...Words can not describe this experience...the memory of this night...and spending it with two really good friends will be held in my heart for a long time.... This is because it might have been the last night I get to watch the lights dance over Pang...I'm leaving the north... there I've said it..out loud here on the blog...(family and friends on the 'book have known for a little longer)... that's the news that I sort of elluded to just before my birthday weekend celebrations...

I'm moving to Winnipeg in the New Year..to start a job that I've been wanting to do for as long as I can remember...I've been working at and directing my career to this point in my life.. and FINALLY that dream is coming true! I'm so excited to get the opportunity..... but on the other hand... (here are always two sides to any story)... I'm sad... really sad... I have come to love the north, and call it my home...and am sad that I have to leave... (my contract was up Jan 15th...so in reality I'm only leaving about 2 1/2 weeks early)...I'm so going to miss my friends I have made...and the awesome adventures I have had here while living at the Arctic Circle!  I must admit.. while watching the lights with two friends... I had a moment...and cried... the last time I felt like this was when I left Melbourne summer of 2004...that was the first city that I fell in love with and in....

I'm looking forward to moving---south west (although really in the middle of the country--so not really that west... just west from where I am now)... exploring a new city... and looking for an apartment, a car...and hmmmmm starting the 'dream' job... I'm so thankful I have a job I'm going to... I've spent many a sleepless night.. this fall thinking about that.... but all in all I sent out dozens of resumes.. and after accepting this position I had at least 5 other offers of interviews...

I'm glad it's finally out there in the 'Blog-o-sphere'...sorry I didn't announce it sooner..but I've been trying to sort out my life... I always seem to make these 'huge' moves in short periods of time... I had about 4 weeks to be in Winnipeg when I accepted the job...(sound familiar--I think I had that amount of time when I came up here in March!)... my absense on the blog has been due to resigning from my current position, sorting out my stuff, packing, getting ready for a HUGE house sale...selling all my stuff (on Saturday)...and then cleaning and moving into a friend's house to house sit for my last 10days in Pang... YIKES! (oh and there's also the apartment searching in a city you don't really know...but you sort of know the neighbourhood you want to live in... but still aren't sure...)

10 days left..... Maybe if I don't think about it.. it won't happen!?

I'm going to keep on blogging..but feel like a new name..any suggestions?! 

Goodbyes.....

Tonight I hosted a goodbye pot-luck for Christine.... she heads out tomorrow morning and if all goes well she'll be in Ottawa by the evening; and then after an overnight there... she'll continue on to London, Ontario... where she will be greeted by her 3 kids and hubby!! (I'm sure after 4months that will be an AWESOME party in her house Friday night!!!) below are some snaps of some friends that came to have some fun and food!!

Selina brought a prize... and we played a card game to see who would win!

Goodbyes from one of the kids in my life....

Since I have heard about the job, one thing I know I am going to miss is the kids that have been part of my life while living in Toronto. Some of these kids I have known since they were born and now they are 2 or 3 or even older!!! So lately I have been spending time with some of these kids....I know I will miss them and their families as I start this new adventure in my life. Today I received a card from a little boy...it was so sweet I had to take a photo and post it for you all to see!

the envelope it self was a work of art!!!!(the front)

this is me and the kids... (i'm not sure what we are holding onto...but I suppose I'll have to ask next time! :)

There is a lot going on...

let me try to explain: on the left side of the page---the girls are dancing on the side (in pink) that's the artists 3 sisters and another girl that lives on the street....

the boys are at the bottom (in blue).... everyone has the same kind of hat!!!

(included in the group of boys is the artist, the boys from across the street and another boy at his school that I also know and babysit for on occaison!)....

then we need to move onto the huge BED that I am in sleeping...(aparently that's what an almost 6 year old thinks you do in the north!!! SLEEP--or maybe he knows me better than I thought!)

in the middle there is me in front of an igloo.... and the top is the sun and stars and moon.....

pretty amazing eh? I think so! :)