Exactly a year ago today

Speaking of roommate pillow talk... exactly a year ago today all the roommies made Kristine's Bday morning into a spa- breakfast in bed, bubble bath in a jacuzzi tub, and matching pj's (I didn't get the pj memo). Happy Birthday Kristini!

Sunday Morning Pajama Party

Favorite part of being 'snowed in' (meaning we got a couple inches of snow and everything shut down...)

My little party started out at 6:45 with me realizing I was awake for the day even though I could sleep in as late as I wanted on this 'extreme weather' Sunday morning (yes, the sun is shining, the snow is melting, and yet life in the DC area has come to a stand still... but I'm not complaining).

At about 8:30 Suz pops her head into my room and we chat, girl chat. I would be violating some code of girl talk if I were to divulge. Then we hear a loud banging on the wall in Sarah's room. We lure her into our chat sesh. KA passes my room a few minutes later and without hesitation jumps on my bed and finds her spot. More girl talk, more laughing, and MJ couldn't stay away.

I've had different forms of the early morning/late night pajama parties throughout my life and I have to say they are my favorite moments in life, no question. Saturday morning congregating on mom and dad's bed, staying up late with my sisters during the summer when Kimberly was home from BYU, sharing and discovering insights with Kristina and Dad when everyone else is sleeping, pillow talk at Duck, early morning chats with mom when I go home, wrestling matches with Tress, and of course late night and early morning chats with roommates, sometimes all at once:)

Sunset in the Mojave Desert, taken on a roadtrip in 2007

If life were a road trip this stretch of the journey would be the desert midday... or maybe North Dakota in the middle of winter, in an old clunker...and I'm alone. But not really because the very circumstance of this part of the trek allows me to focus on things that are lasting and more precious than anything material, and that can bring me more joy than if I were cruising down the California coast on a perfect day with a carload of people. It's that solitude and those circumstances that allow me to feel what I need to feel, learn what I need to learn, and eventually become who I need to become.

Driving through desolate terrain I feel God's love more intensely in my life, and it is sustaining. I feel uncomfortable, and I know that I am being refined. I feel alone, and I see more clearly the angels in my life. I feel inadequate and weak, and I am humbled. I start to feel like the clunker won't make it, and I am reminded that I didn't make it this far on my own.

I know there will be times in life (tomorrow? in a month? year? five years?) when I will trade in my clunker for a luxury car, and the less than beautiful terrain for endless portrait landscapes and breathtaking coasts. My goal is to be able to enjoy that comfort and beauty while still seeking and experiencing the true, unfailing source of comfort and joy. God's love. I want to prove myself during both the beautiful and the difficult stretches of this trip. I really do love roadtrips... and I am learning to appreciate every stretch of the journey.

The Art of Telling a Story

This will make sense... read on

Realization #1: Good teachers know how to teach. Great teachers know how to entertain.
Realization #2: Entertaining teachers know how to tell stories.
Observation #1: My story telling skills are severely underdeveloped. In fact, I may have a story telling disability.
Observation #2: I am aware of characteristics of a good story teller, but as I have seen no improvement, and possible regression in my ability to tell a story, I am beginning to lose hope of ever becoming a great teacher.

So, before I completely abandon my efforts at becoming a skilled teller of stories, I will try a different approach. Since my inadequacies become painfully obvious while telling a story, I will start with something possibly a little easier... the written form.

An Unexpected Lesson On... Basic Driving Skills , Followed by a Fond BYU Parking Memory (first attempt at doing justice to a comical situation)

I'm waiting at a stoplight, ready to turn left onto Leesburg Pike. Suddenly there is a car on my left... apparently also turning left onto Leesburg Pike. Now anyone who knows me knows that I'm pretty friendly on the road. But the combination of pre-dinner low blood sugar and having only moments prior been cut off, drove me into a bit of road... assertiveness (I hesitate to admit it may have been somewhere near rage).
I start waving my arms, trying to get the driver's attention. He finally looks over and I motion to him that I am turning left. He rolls down his window and motions for me to do the same. Of course he turns out to be a friendly old man and as I tell him I'm turning left he smiles and says 'Oh yes, I am too. You see dear, you will just go into the far lane. When two cars turn left, they just stay in their own lanes'. No sarcasm. Just a friendly old man trying to teach me how to drive. I say thank you and he says 'Have a great day, and Happy New Year!'. We seemlessly and simultaneously both turn left... into our own lanes.

It kind of reminded me of the time I was waiting for a parking spot in the Y lot at BYU (the one right by the RB) and had 5 min. before class started. I literally waited at least 5 minutes while the person found their keys, got settled, adjusted every mirror in the car, and who knows what else. They finally pull out and two girls in a little red convertible (really, no joke) slide in out of nowhere. Feeling a Fried Green Tomatos moment coming on I get out of my car, walk up to the driver and tell her I've been waiting for the spot for over 5 minutes. After standing there looking confused and a little stunned, trying to process my most likely incoherent accusation she points to an empty spot right behind me and asks why I can't just park there. Defeated... no humbled. This is the lesson I keep learning over and over again. At least I'm able to laugh at myself right?

Christmas in the City of Park

Best Christmas moments of 2009:

Ok, this one tops the list. Christmas morning we're all looking in our stockings. Kimberly (my sister) thanks Kevin (her husband) for the orange or whatever random thing was put in there at the last minute (since Santa really just focuses on the kids under age 10 it seems like). Kevin tells her to dig deeper because there's something else. She turns it upside down and says 'nope, I think that's all'. We all look around trying to figure out where the mystery gift could be. We then notice grandpa (my dad) just starting to read a card he found in an envelope entitled 'My precious'.

The day after Christmas I ask my 3 year old niece what her favorite Christmas present was and without hesitation she responds 'my tinker bell pillow book'(from Aunt Melissa). Priceless... even if she would have told grandma it was what she got from her and Mom it was what she got from her...

Getting to have heart to hearts with Kristina late at night, and Mom on the way to the airport.

Jesse, Shane, and Alex on my lap while I read A Christmas Carol, amazed that they could sit through almost an entire book without pictures.

Cafe Rio with Kimberly, and the return trip to get the purse I left on my chair (oh yeah and refill our favorite beverages).

Seeing old friends.

Working out with Kimberly in the morning... accidentally catching part of her dance workout (now I know where I get my awesome moves).


Dad's hair, and unhealthy attachment to the dreaded beanie.

Hearing the lines 'totally bogus' and 'let's snowboard for Christ' in a talk at the Park City singles ward.

French braiding Alex's hair everyday.

Waking up in the middle of the night to my 5 year old nephew (Jesse) saying in his sleep 'mine, mine, mine'... the day after Christmas. Then 'no Shane (his little bro) you can't have that because you're not big enough'. These are the things that trouble little kids. Sometimes I wish I could go back to those times.

Confidently charging the snow shoe excursion, thinking I was so in shape because it seemed so easy. Then feeling like every muscle in my entire body ached for the next two days.







... and the victory goes to...

The Charles Christmas Pagaent (well done Bro. Charles).

Watching three kids under the age of six wait patiently to open their presents while we made breakfast, ate, cleaned up, and read the real Christmas story. Kimberly and Kevin are amazing parents.

Christmas morning patience in action.