Cold Cold Canada

We had the great opportunity to spend 6 days in Edmonton Canada this last week. We were so busy visiting and meeting new people from Evangel church that we didnt take many pictures. But my last day I had to experience Second Cup for myself. They pretty much rival Starbucks in terms of having one on every corner, at first I thought its amazing that they do so good and so does Starbucks, but considering the Cold Cold climate, there has to be many refuges for frozen people to hang out. I walked one block from our hotel to the nearest Second Cup and even though I was swimming in a huge down coat, that I would sweat in here in the winter, I was in pain. My ears and my hands were so painfully cold that I was almost running to get inside. I was maybe outside less than 5 minutes!

When I approached the building I started to smell it, to me resembled dog food. But I am sure that once you are regular it becomes endearing. I remember when Starbucks used to smell like vomit to me when they had just ground their coffee, but now I love to encounter people that have spent a little time there, it is impossible not to walk away smelling like not only coffee but starbucks. I ordered a delicious biscotti and a mocha, which was a bit too strong for me so i got an extra pump of chocolate. I have to say I lOVED the atmosphere, it was funky and cozy and had plenty of cushy seats, unlike at Starbucks when you arive hoping that the cushy chairs are available and they aren't, then you see somone leave and you race to get to it before some one else. I sat in this cute little velvet chair that had an oval tray screwed on the arm so i could put my drinks and snack on it and pivot it toward me once i was all snuggled in. I took this photo from J's blackberry which was painful cause i was imagining how cozy and perfect it would be coming from our camera, and I am sure people were thinking I was definately a tourist cause I spend a good 10 min trying to get a good pic.

Thats all you get of Canada, if you really want to hear more about our conversations ask me in person, God was definately with us! It was so great to have time alone together as well, one thing we did do was go to the largest mall in North America, that has over 800 stores in it! It took us an hour to walk from one end to the next, as we were heading towards the water park, yes inside the mall, Josiah was saying how just being in a mall instantly drains him, and we were walking slower and slower as we went. We saw the new James Bond movie( which we were impressed how little sex it had in it)then went for some fun in the nicely heated version of waterworld, but with more crazy slides. Josiah was impressed when we had done all the slides except one huge traditional slide that was prob 150 ft high, and dropped straight down, we got up the stairs and I looked down at the bottom and asked are you sure i won't fall off? He was certain I would hesitate to the piont that I talked myslef out of it, but I just sat down and dropped off before him even. It was actually really fun other than the rush of water in my face, I was hoping I could see on my way down but not without flushing my sinuses full of lukewarm clorinated them park water. It was fun to just play together without the kids! And weird to dry off and exit and be and be walking around in a mall instantly.