Heather O'Reilly

Does this video remind you of the wanna be blogs (part #1-#3) that I posted?

Heather O'Reilly reminded me to not be anyone else but yourself! And I love the saying in the video:

To give anything less than your best, is sacrificing the gift.

- Steve Prefontaine

Side note - Congragulations on just reading the 100th blog post! We've come a long way, and we have a long way to go! Thank you all you blog readers out there for the support!

~amy

in the desert

One of my favorite songs from Hillsong United is the desert song. I loved the words and it's purpose. But...then I found a video of the women who sang it one night at their concert, which changed my perspective completely.

As much as Jill questioned singing the song that night for the concert, despite feeling broken, and sad, and maybe even rejected, she did it, and meant every word. It makes the song so much more powerful knowing that in your circumstances, like Jill's, you can declare 'in every season of life you can be thankful and bring praise because God is still God, despite the situations, challenges, and scenario.' Jill is inspiring because of her courage, love, trust, and how strong she was through it all.
Thanks Jill, for making this song full of meaning, even more then before!

~amy

what a day!

Wednesday my soccer team had an indoor soccer tournament in London. We had two teams because you only need 9 or 10 players for indoor, so basically my travel soccer team was split in half and a couple players from another Sarnia team came to join us.
Besides how 'sick' the building and turf fields were, it was a long and very hard day. My team played a total of 6 games. We were guaranteed 4 and kept moving on, even after going through our whole team to do shootouts. We ended up finishing 5th out of 15 teams. Not to shabby! The games were only 25 minutes with no breaks or halftime. To sub in a player we just called a player off and then the next one came on with the clock still running. We played every other game enabling us only to get a 25 minute break; disenabling us to eat a good meal and taking off our socks and shin pads was pointless. There wasn't a team that stood out the most. The game could have gone either way, and either team deserved the win. Including how fast the game was because the fields were a lot shorter and it was turf, and not to mention just enough time to have a couple sips of water and catch your breath for a bit, left me sore the next day. Very sore. Everything hurt. Climbing up the stairs felt like I was climbing up a mountain and coughing and sneezing was the worst pain in the world.
Although, besides the pain and soreness I was going through, especially after a hard workout this morning, Wednesday was a good day. By the end of the day, physical strength was close to impossible to find, but mental strength sure kicked in and that's what kept us going through every minute. What I learned that day - to never give up, to leave everything on the field, and the experience itself was all worth the soreness I experienced the next day! Now I am ready for the women's league beginning now happening every Sunday night. How fortunate am I to be able to play on two different teams?! Even though I'll be playing two games back to back, I'll remember Wednesday's tournament and remind myself of the lessons learned.

~amy

new year with new goals

It feels like just yesterday I was writing this blog post; looking back on the year 2010, and remembering what was accomplished. Now, it’s time to look back on 2011. What a year it was! I graduated from my first year of high school and am still living. I went to Vermont for the first time for my school ski trip (actually, I'm more surprised I'm living after that, then high school itself!). I got a job. I reunited with old friends. I got a blackberry. I started working out more. We had a family reunion enabling me to see my cousins from BC who I haven't seen in years, and visited with my grandparents once again! The Women's World Cup! Meeting a new best friend. Travelling to NYC, which has always been a dream of mine. And, of course my favorite part of the year, my injury - and what came along with that challenge.

My motto for 2012 is 'holding nothing back'.  I am looking forward to starting a new year more then most years. As I counted down the 10 second countdown while watching the ball drop and then sprayed some sparkling juice on my friends patio...I wasn't sad at all that 2011 was over. I am so excited to start a new chapter in my life. I don't know what this year will bring - what challenges, situations, opportunities, or joys may come, but I'm ready. This year I am going to hold nothing back. I am going to live the year to it's fullest. Beginning with my new workout goals and healthy eating styles. Travelling to Chicago with just my mom for my birthday. Speaking of birthdays - only 23 days away and I'll be able to drive. (At this moment I would like to give you an opportunity to read the last sentence again...just in case it didn't sink it quite yet.) I am looking forward to the indoor soccer league I am competing in, but mostly excited about outdoor in the spring, and showing this hip flexor whose boss! I am looking forward to hopefully hearing back from Project Kenya. I hoping that by next Christmas we can go out to BC to visit my family. But most of all, I am looking forward to living everyday of this 2012 year with joy, and excitement, full of opportunities and blessings. So, 2012, bring it on! I'm ready for the journey! I'm ready, and looking forward to holding nothing back this year! I am ready to accomplish these new goals and dreams of mine. I'm ready to take on life in 2012!

Happy New Year!
~amy

a dream that may almost be achieved

You may have heard about Project Kenya. It is a development program 'thing' (sorry, I have no clue what else to call it...) coming to Sarnia for only grade 10 students. This program is partnered with the YMCA and Big Brothers. Starting in 2012, and continuing for the year, the group of 20 grade 10 students will learn about leadership and teamwork in different and what looks like pretty cool ways. I don't know much detail about what we will be doing for the year, but the idea sounds pretty cool to me. After the year of this program is done the team will then travel to Kenya for 3 weeks to climb Mount Kenya, go on a safari, and help out in the community. It has always been my dream to go to Africa to do just that, and this could be happening in just one year. Except, here's the catch, because they only accept 20 grade 10 students in all of Sarnia, they have to pick you! First, we have to fill in an application and then make a 2 minute YouTube video to prove why we should be chosen. And then they will pick people to go through an interview process and then pick the team!
To be honest, when my mom first told me about the program, I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it. Besides the fact that I would be going to Africa, I didn't know if I would want to commit myself for a year and do whatever this program will bring. I didn't tell my mom yes, or no, I basically was just thinking about it. I thought for a while, and finally I decided that I wanted to do this. Or at least give it a try. I told my mom the idea, and she thought it was to late. Great. I did my research, however, and found out that they postponed the due date for another month. It was December 1st. I had until the 30th to get my video and application in. When I heard this exciting news, I looked at it as a calling. I thought to myself "How can I not sign up for something like this. At least give it a try. If you don't get accepted then you don't, but at least you gave it your best shot."
The application is handed in and the video is posted.
Fingers crossed, and hopes high, praying that I will be chosen to be apart of this team to learn and achieve my dream of going to Africa in just one year. I also would love to have one of soccer buddies make the team, which I discovered she was also entering while working on my video!

My Video Application!
ENJOY!

~amy

my top 10 favorite quotes. #1

The difference between trying and triumph is just a little 'umph'
-unkown

~amy

my top 10 favorite quotes. #2

Take your victories, whatever they may be, cherish them, use them, but don't settle for them.

-Mia Hamm

~amy