Things we will miss about Calgary...

• Tim Hortons...(Earle will miss the double double, and Collin the Tim-bits)
• The deposit for the grocery carts(we used to dislike this, until recently we drove to a Super Wal-mart and could hardly find a place to park because of all of the grocery carts in the parking spaces)
• The Farmer's Market...we loved this place, it is awesome! There is also an awesome one in Vancouver!
• The fact that Spring last year lasted from May to September
• People take time to have you over for coffee...the day will stop for a cup of Joe and a pastry.
• Being able to walk to shops etc from our home..even the grocery store.
• Our Church and personally I will miss singing with this particular Praise team! A group of wonderful people! Also, we will miss our Small Group at Church.
• Being within an hour of the Rocky Mountains...hiking in the summer, sledding in the winter...
• The freezing temperature allows you to put your child's dirty diaper outside and it freezes and does not stink...bonus!
• The wildlife...and animals...we have Snowshoe Hares running all over the place in our neighborhood..and it was cool to see them change from white to brown to white again...
• The environmentally friendly standards in Canada..it is so nice and clean!
• The fact that my hair takes less time to straighten because there is hardly any humidity here!
• I have learned so much about cooking and nutrition..from different friends here and just learned a different standard...so that is cool...and it kind of sparked a new hobby for me with cooking and appreciating different foods.
• Canadians spend a lot of time focusing on their families and taking time off..they are encouraged to by their bosses...so that has been great..no long hours for Earle..ladies here get one year of maternity leave verses the 6 to 12 weeks in the states..so that is pretty awesome!
• New Perspective on Health care...if you want to know how we feel after living here for a year and being a part of the Canadian system, we would love to tell you, ask us personally sometime..too hot of a political topic for a blog post...
• All of the electric fireplaces...I get out of the bath, and walk into my warm bedroom with the fire going on a freezing cold night..pretty nice:)
• We have sort of embraced the Canadian custom of leaving our shoes at the door...our kids naturally do this now and it does keep the floor more clean...
• EH? and ABOOT
• Coffee Break Bible Study Group
• Calgary Christian School
• Of course what I will miss the MOST are my sweet friends and the many coffee's and conversations that we have had...thank goodness for blogs, facebook and skype:)
• We are definitely leaving here changed in many ways...I hope to get to visit some with Earle when he comes back for work. (you are going to bring me, right Earle??!) We are glad that God sent us here and would not change our experience for anything. It has been well worth the hustle and bustle!

CB & EB