Beauty Amidst The Chaos

For those who have been down town lately, you know the roads aren't exactly great at the moment (around the Joseph Smith Memorial Building especially). It's particularly inconvenient for drivers, who are limited to one-lane roads everywhere they turn as the construction seems never-ending. It will be wonderful when everything is done, but right now it's just not quite the same as it once was with enormous holes, cranes dotting the sky and men with orange vests in every direction you look. They do, however, have windows in the walls of the walkway they've built, allowing you to see the massive project going on (those who have seen this know exactly how big the holes are... they're more like giant craters. It's quite the sight to see, actually).

The other day I had the joyful task of taking a brisk walk (when I say brisk I mean it was below 20 degrees and my feet quickly went numb after stepping outside) up the street to run an errand. My destination was just a few blocks away, but when the weather isn't in my favor, it seems a hundred times longer. The construction was unavoidable, so I rushed as quickly as I could up the street, ready to face the inevitable crowds of those workers and crowded walkways. As I stepped onto the walkway, I took a minute to stop and look in on the work being done. I thought about how much labor is going on for the benefit of our city looking better, and I was suddenly grateful for those willing to do the work it takes to get it that way. I turned away quickly - my feet, and now my hands, reminding me how cold they were.

As I walked on, I went around a small corner. 

This is what I saw.

Right then I was more grateful to see the temple than I have been in a while. I'm not sure what it was, but I didn't seem so cold anymore. I decided to take a picture to capture the moment. As I was walking from my place of work toward my destination, I was constantly aware of my surroundings and how busy everything seems to be all the time. It may not seem so special to anyone else, but I think I need to be reminded from time to time that there is beauty amidst the chaos in this world.

Indoor Palm

My parents just got back from Florida, where my sister lives. Of course, they can't seem to go anywhere without bringing us back a souvenir. We are always grateful, but it's normally a trinket of some sort that we don't have room for, or something to that effect. This time they brought back an indoor palm tree!

It came in a small box, and in a few weeks, it is supposed to grow... and grow... as much as up to five feet! I'm pretty excited to see if we can actually get a plant to grow...

Weekend

I think there's nothing better than just hanging out and playing games.

Friday night we went to the Johnson family's house in our ward.

Andrea, Jake and Abby

Bill (I call him "Willy" because it bugs him) and little Sophie

We taught Abby and Jake in Primary last year. 

I'm glad we're able to still have fun with these crazy kids.

On Saturday we rocked out at Lorin and Paige's house as they broke in their new Rock Band with their favorite karaoke friends. :)

Chris, Paige and myself.... concentrating very hard...

Lorin is trying extra hard to get that perfect streak of notes on the guitar

The drums are pretty tough. Paige was awesome.

Chris was just really into the song.

I think the star of the show was Polly. She went from instrument to instrument, deciding which to play, and finally decided on the drums. She didn't know they were turned off.

Then we played Friends Scene It - boys against girls (I wonder who won), and then couples. It was a tough fight - but Lorin and Paige barely won that one. This is the game board when Paige and I won... the boys were left in the dust, only 5 spaces away from the start. It really wasn't a fair game at all.

Lunch

For those who agreed to be in my book club, please leave your email address in a comment to me. I will email you where we will have lunch next Saturday. Thanks!

Visitors

Three days before the end of my mission, I was sitting in the Falke family's living room in Turlock, California. I had spent many evenings in their home, but it felt different that day - I was going home. It was nothing less than a memorable, tear-felt goodbye. I gave a small lesson and shared a scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 128, verse 22. "Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause?..." 

When I finished giving my thoughts, the father told me about the movie about Joseph Smith at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. The same scripture comes up on the screen at the end of the film, and you are left to sit and think about what you just watched, while listening to the sniffing all around you as others' eyes are brimming with tears along with yours.

The day after I got home, I went to that movie with my family. At the end, I was not only reflecting on the life of Joseph Smith and what I just watched, I was thinking about the Falkes and missing my mission. This is one of the many memories I have associated with this family.

Amy was a senior in high school when I served in their ward. She took us grocery shopping on "P" day once, doing some shopping for her mother as well. She left the spaghetti on her list for her last item to pick up. When we approached the pasta aisle, she told me she had a fear of buying spaghetti. It started when she got angel hair pasta once and nobody in her family likes it - and they gave her a hard time. From then on, she had a fear of getting the wrong kind and being made fun of again. I helped her pick the right kind out (even though she was more than capable of doing this for herself), and she spotted a five pound bag. Thinking that would more than make up for the mistake she made on her last venture of buying spaghetti, she reached for it. As she picked it up, she turned it seam down - and either punctured a hole in it herself or just affirmed there was one already, and there was suddenly spaghetti all over the floor and still pouring out of the bag in all different directions. I will never forget the look on her face when she said, "Now I really have a fear of buying spaghetti."

Russell was getting ready to leave on his mission at the end of mine, and he was ecstatic about it. He was called to serve in the Australia, Adelaide mission and left three months after I came home. They stayed at my parent's house the night before he went into the MTC. We took them to Cafe Rio, hiked Ensign Peak, and made a random dollar store trip with them.

This is Russell and Amy.

Amy's hair is like Encino woman, it's awesome. My mom asked her last night if she gets comments on her hair. Amy's response: "Yeah... most of them are positive." I love these people.

Mrs. Paparazzi

I've never seen a star close up. Sure, I always thought it would be cool, but I didn't think it would have that much of an effect on me. I always pictured myself as one of those people who would respect their privacy and not make a big deal out of it.

We had a client from work come in for the Sundance Film Festival. She was renting a condo from a man that my boss knows, so it was my responsibility to take her the keys and the information for the condo.

As I was awaiting her arrival at the bottom of the escalators, I saw camera flashes dart toward the direction I was looking. I couldn't see who it was right away, but when I saw Pierce Brosnan greeting a woman and some children, I was taken aback. He stood there talking with her, seemingly oblivious to what was going on around him - aside from the flashes aimed at him, there were several gasps coming from the mouths of spectators, and his name coming from everyone within those few feet around me. I heard the name "James Bond" or "007" from a handful of others all around me.

As I was standing there, dumbstruck, I wondered what I would do next. I thought, "Should I get his autograph?.... No... what am I gonna do with an autograph?.... Should I go talk to him?.... No, he's with people. I don't want to interrupt." This conversation in my head seemed to last much longer than it actually was. By the time I thought, "Oh, my camera!" He had decided where he was headed and started toward the gap between me and the person to my right. Meanwhile, I frantically dug through my purse with no luck on finding it at first, and finally pulled it out in just enough time. However, I set the zoom for when he was further away. As he moved closer, my camera followed. This shot is taken when he was literally two feet away from me.

Not exactly a glamour shot, but definitely worth sharing. I stood there afterwards thinking, "What did I just do? Why didn't I just let him be? I just added to the paparazzi mess that I don't like." I thought about it more later, about different stars. They should be able to lead their own lives without having to be watched every step of the way. Then I thought, well, they are the ones who get themselves into it. They know what goes along with stardom. But still. Just leave them alone! (As you can see, I am now a hypocrite.)

After all the hype of seeing Mr. 007, I still needed to find the woman I had the key for. Suddenly I found myself to be nervous (why? I don't know), but I tried to be as civilized as possible. She more than likely thought I was quite the weirdo, my hands actually shaking as I handed her the items I came to give her. I think I may have mumbled something to her, I'm not quite sure. I think I was friendly.

I spent the ride back to work calling my family and telling them about my exciting experience. They were all jealous. They just didn't admit it. I just can't get over how I reacted after the fact. What was that nervous shake going through me? Heaven forbid I ever see someone I really love... say, Josh Duhamel?

Finish Strong.

Here's The Thing...

Though each year it gets more dramatic, drawn out and more cheesy than ever before, there is something about this show that draws me in. I enjoy each season more as the contestants out-do each other in their singing abilities.  I don't enjoy the drama, but I love to hear the (good) voices of those who brave the stage and face the judges.

I was a little more than obsessed with the show when Clay Aiken was on, and went to the American Idol concert that year.

I missed two seasons when I was on my mission, and when I came back, the next season to grace our presence involved the disappointing and horrific Sanjaya. Thanks to votefortheworst.com, he had us all biting our fingernails and cursing the show until he was kicked off, being one of the last few remaining contestants. I think I swore off the show after that season.

Of course, that "something" brought me back last year, and I enjoyed watching David Archuleta. He being from Utah and having an excellent voice made the show more enjoyable.

I am not a huge fan of the auditions because they seem to drag out longer than necessary. But as I watched a commercial the other day with a blood-curling audition from a woman who didn't seem able to identify her horribility,  I felt a huge smile cross my face. I am excited for another season. Tonight's the premier.

Bring it on. 

New Toy

Okay, so it's not the prettiest rice bag you've ever seen.

But it's the first thing I've ever made by myself on a sewing machine! And hey - turns out, I enjoy it. A lot! I'm looking forward to making bigger and better stuff with my new toy... maybe even more rice bags that will look a little better. :)

Too Classic Not To Share

I was going through some old things and I found something too classic not to share.

One week last year I was sick and couldn't go to church. When Chris came home, he brought with him homemade letters from our primary kids.

Alexis not only told me to get well, but she gave me some good advice.

Gotta love it.

I Just Think...

....This is a cool little poem.

I’d rather be a could-be if I cannot be an are; 

because a could-be is a maybe who is reaching for a star. 

I’d rather be a has-been than a might-have-been, by far; 

for a might-have-been has never been, 

but a has was once an are. 

– Milton Berle

Do what you can to do what you want.

Good Times

We had an awesome Christmas and New Years, thanks to our family and friends who made it so memorable. Thank you to everyone for wanting to be with us. We love you!

This Christmas was memorable to me for a number of reasons, but most of all because the Lord let us know, in a number of ways, that we will be taken care of. We were blessed in more ways than we even realize and we are so grateful for each person in our lives. We love each of you more than you know.

I think I received way more than I deserve. Chris got me a sewing machine! Now I don't have any excuses... time to sit myself down and learn. I'm excited. Anyone who wants to start a sewing class, let me know. I'm down. And by the way, I'm serious. Isn't it pretty?

We are so grateful we had money to spend on each other. Aside from the sewing machine (which was a huge surprise... it was a bit over our spending limit... actually a lot over...) this year was great because we thought of each other more than about spending money, and I loved it.

My family decided this year to write letters to each member of the family. Although nobody stuck to the "no gift giving" rule we set, we all did get letters from one another, and they were so fun to read! It was nice to sit and think about each person and why you love them - and to tell them in such a personal way. And it was even better to read them. Each letter held a different memory or joke that had happened at one time or another I had forgotten about. It was fun to sit and listen to everyone laugh as they read what was in their letters.

My brothers TJ and Taylor with Chris... looking tough (obviously).

Yeah, you probably shouldn't mess with them.

I didn't get any pictures from New Years Eve, but we went to a family's house in our ward. We had a blast! There was delicious food and we played games all night, laughing so hard it hurt. Thanks again to the Hallidays and the Sharps. You guys are awesome!

Book Club

Ok, I'm doing it. I'm starting a book club. I thought I'd start out with something easy. There are two books for this month. They are quick and easy reads, and I've heard great things about them both.

Star Girl

Love, Star Girl

I have chosen to do both because they are so short. They are the same story but from different perspectives - and even if there is no deep discussion to follow, they'll be good to kick this club off... we'll see how it goes. We'll have lunch on Saturday, January 31st to discuss.

Everyone is welcome! Happy reading!