Ottawa Polo Match

This weekend I went to my very first polo match and I think I have fallen in love. The sport combines the classiness of country clubs with the down to earth and easy going nature of the country. Give me horses and nice hats and I am a happy girl!!



The Nepean Equestrian Park was hosting a charity Polo tournament to support the Boys & Girls Club of Ottawa. Marieve and I went to check it out and wore our game day hats!







Then for the part I was most excited about: the Divot Stomp! I dreamed of feeling like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman when she stomps the perfectly formed divots. Sadly in real life it doesn't quite translate. We stomped down a couple but most of them looked unnervingly like "steaming divots" so we settled for the free ice cream they were giving out instead! Kind of a let down actually.


The games themselves were definitely not! I think I could watch horses all day but this was extra special. The skill it takes to play polo is amazing. They navigate the horses using the stirrups so that their arms are left free to wield the mallet. There is no way I would be able to concentrate on hitting the ball and managing to not run into other horses at the same time.

I am a polo convert. I just need to marry a Van der Burgt and add 'the second' to the end of my children's names and I will be a polo mom before you know it!

Do You Know the Way to San Jose?!

Its been a long couple of weeks waiting but today I received my call to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The call was sent by FedEx since it had been delayed because of the Postal Strike, so it arrived at my work shortly before I got there and then I basically stared at it for the rest of my 7 hour shift! haha

Quite a few people were able to be with me to open the letter but so many others who I love weren't able to be there! I thought I would share some parts because I wish you could have come!

My co-worker called me when I was on the bus on the way to work to tell me my call had just arrived! Im pretty sure I floated the rest of the way there!

Clarissa was sweet enough to bake me a delicious rainbow-vanilla cake!!

 Here it is in all its unedited glory!

I don't know exactly what to say quite yet, the whole thing is still sinking in. It felt very much like an out of body experience and Im really excited for the person going to San Jose California and who has to learn Spanish.. at some point it will sink in that that's me!
I've never been to California, I've always wanted to go.. and Spanish.. oh man bring it on! This should be interesting!

My life is about to change in hundreds of different ways, but I'm excited for a new chapter, for new experiences and challenges and I know that I won't be alone along the way. I have been very blessed in my own life and hope to be able to help others know the happiness and joy that comes from knowing who you are, where you come from and where you're going!

-B
p.s. I don't leave until November 2nd, so you're stuck with me for a bit!