An Update on the Canney Household

The above picture is of Benjamin and me with our three beautiful nieces: Sheridan, Arianna, and Charisma. I can only hope that one day we'll be blessed with children as sweet as them!


* I graduated from UMPI - Summa Cum Laude (highest honours) - with a Bachelor of Science
in Elementary Education. Amy Smith has a pic on her blog of us under the blog title:
University of Maine at Presque Isle Graduation http://www.amyruth.blogspot.com/
(Typically she'd be listed in my links but I obviously haven't updated those...)

* I've been substitute teaching quite regularly - sometimes up to 3.5 days a week

* I am now certified to teach in the State of Maine, and should all go as planned, I'll be certified
to teach in the Province of New Brunswick.

* That being said, I've been busy updating my resume and working on a portfolio as I hope to
find full time work.

* Benjamin and I will celebrate 3 years of marriage next week on the 21st. We are also going on
vacation for the week - driving to PA and then to Ontario. I am looking forward to this as we
haven't had any time for each other in what seems like months. We're always coming and
going - it's craziness! When we do have time to sit together for a meal, the phone never seems
to stop ringing.

* He and I took part in the Relay for Life last weekend with a team from our church. It's a fund
raiser for Cancer in which you camp out on a track and stay up all night while different
members of your team walk around the track. Throughout the night there was karoke,
entertainment, etc. We were both wiped out after that.

* Ben has to preach this weekend in the evening and then we're heading for PA!!

* Did I mention that we NEED a vacation? We haven't been on one since last August.

* I have so much on my mind that I think my head's about to explode. That being said, I really
can't complain, because I am blessed. I do love my life - craziness and all.

me + pocket-rocket = a very unfortunate event

I am married to a very adventurous man. This adventurous man has challenged me over the course of our relationship to try new adventurous things. If you know me, you know that I like to keep my feet on the ground. Upside-down roller coaster rides scare me, sky-diving terrifies me...I can stand on the edge of a cliff but I have no desire to repell down it. I have tried outdoor wall climbing and indoor wall climbing as a means of impressing my husband by trying to do something that he absolutely loves. And so, on Tuesday, May 30, I endevoured to once again make my husband proud of me.

I arrived at the church later than usual because I had to tend to some things at home. A large group of teens were outside with my husband enjoying the evening sun. As I stepped out of the car, I noticed one of the girls on something peculiar. It looked like a crotchrocket that had been put into the drier and shrunk. It was about the size of something that my 4 year-old niece could ride. I was soon told that it was a 'pocket-rocket.'

As I chatted with the teens, my husband said to me, "Honey, you should try it! I did. It's a lot of fun." The owner, whom we call by his last name, Patterson, said, "Yeah, come try it!"

"Well...I don't know...I am accident prone and I've never been on a dirt bike before..." as the words trailed out of my mouth I thought to myself that perhaps it wouldn't be so difficult.

"It's not hard! Come give it a try." Oh the pressure of trying to be adventurous!

I was soon shown where the brake was and the gas. My husband took a little ride on it to show me just how easy it was.

As I sat on the tiny device, I remember feeling nervous as I tried to get my feet situated.

"Crack open the gas!" Patterson said.

"Sarah, just go easy on the gas," My husband said.

It was like two little people sitting on either side of my shoulder trying to tell me what to do.

"Crack it open! Come on!" said Patterson.

"Take your time. Go easy." said my husband.

As I "cracked open" the gas, I squealed with delight as I took off, and in a matter of three seconds I started wobbling. "Uh-oh" I remember thinking, "How do I slow down? I'm losing control..." Then, the pocket-rocket headed from the pavement to the lawn, and as I flew over the top of it and face first into the grass I remember thinking, "I'm such an idiot." As I laughed and cried at the same time due to my embarrassment, I thought to myself, "Why? Why did you have to do this in front of the whole youth group?" Some of the guys took up for me which made me feel a little better, but I must admit that I was thoroughly embarrassed.

"Are you hurt?" said one of the teens.

"No," I responded, "I think the only thing hurting right now is my pride!"

Needless to say, I think I missed out on $20,000 from America's Funniest Home Videos.