My November Valentine

 

Mt. Tamalpais - November 25, 2011

The Blessings of a World Turned Upside Down

I am so grateful for a loving Father in Heaven and constantly in awe of the ways He blesses our lives with what we most need to help us through whatever trials come our way. He sends us love, joy, comfort, smiles, laughter and tears... But most importantly, He sends us others to share it all with. (Facebook post, 11/20/2011)

I have been reading (or trying to read) the same novel for over 9 weeks now. Anyone that knows me at all can probably imagine that this minor detail – while comparatively insignificant in the lives of many others out there – is a huge indication that things haven’t exactly been normal in Jessi-land.

For months now I’ve been fighting an array of medical challenges that have led me to see a number of different medical experts. From recurring sinus infections, to chronic fatigue, to thrush and significant unexplained weight loss, each of these specialists have been looking at their own piece of the puzzle in an attempt to figure out what’s going on. I have been frustrated to the point of tears, exasperated to the point of laughing and hoping upon hope that they would find something - anything - so that I could start improving at least my mental well-being (I'm sure the fact that my job has been really rocky and that my social life has been non-existent have not helped). After weeks of blood work (I don't even want to count how many tubes), testing for anything from celiac to cystic fibrosis, my hematologist (running a routine test on my iron levels) called to let me know that my blood glucose levels were high. Crazy high. News to me: I am now diabetic.

During Testimony Meeting at church two days after my diagnosis, I was prompted to get up and share my testimony about the temple. I’d had the opportunity to be on the temple grounds in Oakland five of the eight days prior to my diagnosis, and on four of those days I was inside as either an ordinance worker or a patron. I can’t think of anywhere I could have been that would have better prepared me for the transition into my new life. I felt quite literally as if I was floating through the whole thing… and I’m not sure that the reality that usually rears an ugly head at some point ever will (although the oral meds they have me on for insulin regulation does really mean things to my already-messed-up digestive system). I know that much of this security and strength is coming through the faith and prayers of others, but I think in some ways even more significant is that a loving Heavenly Father provided me exactly what I needed at exactly the right time.

I found Frost again… and fell in love.

I love Robert Frost. I can’t think of many poets I could read over and over and still see things differently, but Frost is definitely at the top of that extremely short list. That first night after I was diagnosed, I pulled out his collected works and read… devoured. I discovered again through his words that it is only through our trials and pain that we have the ability to comprehend all that is good and beautiful. Several poems of his are still floating through my soul, kicking up memories and thoughts and impressions… helping me remember that it is only through knowing the emptiness that comes with solitude that we are able to eventually feel when that void is overflowing with joy.

One week before my life was turned upside down, the Oakland Temple was open late to accommodate several hundred young single adults (YSAs) in the region that were participating in a mini conference. The temple presidency contacted several YSAs that also serve as temple workers to come and assist during the extended hours. So I went. I was assigned to follow an endowment session with an old friend from high school and one of the YSA brothers on my regular Saturday temple shift. When my mom asked me the next day how the night had been, I told her that I had heard the sweetest prayer I’d ever heard offered during the session by this YSA brother.

That one simple prayer touched me in a way not many things ever have.

A few days later I received a “friend” request (still – and always will be – an awkward statement…) from someone whose name – Jason – I didn’t recognize immediately, but when I clicked on the profile I knew that it was that same brother from the temple. Although we’d worked on the same temple shift for over a year, smiling and waving when we passed each other in the halls of the temple, the first time we’d ever talked was briefly right after that session a few nights before. And he wanted to meet for lunch the following Saturday before our shift… which turned out to be the day after I found out about my diabetes.

That lunch with Jason was my first foray into the land of diabetic eating; a member of the temple presidency who was ordering lunch right behind me jokingly made comment about my ridiculously healthy selection of lentil soup with a side of steamed veggies. (I wanted to tell him what I’d eaten for lunch the day before… which would not have had anything to do with the lentils or veggies! I refrained.) Jason, however, was apparently not fazed by my new-found unintentionally health-nut ways… (which is probably more than I could have said for myself had I been in his shoes... “You seriously picked lentil soup over shepherd’s pie?!?!?”) And in that half an hour I was more comfortable talking to him than I’d ever been with many others I’d spent a whole lot more time around... even years.

Long story short (because, let’s be honest, if I give away all the details it wouldn’t be nearly as interesting or suspenseful, right? Plus he’ll probably read this… so, uh… ;0)… we saw each other both Monday and Friday of the following week, and then last week we were together Tuesday, "Black" Friday (for an all-day adventure over on the coast), Saturday and Sunday… and I, for one, can’t seem to get enough. I told him on Friday that one of my favorite things about him is that he is totally fine just “being”… spending that time together, walking along the water front, in the mountains, on the beach, talking about whatever we have on our minds (another favorite part, since I’m not exactly known for my reserved nature). It’s just been an amazing two weeks! I’m excited to see where the road in front of me leads…

Since rediscovering Robert Frost, his poem On Being Idolized has been stuck in my head for days now. The speaker is standing on the beach, firm sand beneath his feet, watching as the surf drifts in wrapping seaweed around his legs. But as the water rushes out, the false-firm foundation is swept from under him, leaving him to fall if he did not take the steps necessary to prevent it. I’ve spent the last 10 months working with the Primary kids at church, so it’s not a far stretch for this to make me think of The Wise Man & the Foolish Man song the kids learned this year… and the parable that it’s based on.

I’ve thought long and hard about how that foundation we build ourselves on truly determines whether or not we dance through the storms that come, but sometimes I wonder whether it’s sand or stone I feel beneath my feet. I don’t know if any of this makes sense, but I know that the miracle of the gospel is that sometimes what feels like having the sand undermined by the storm is really a way of getting us to the rock foundation. Sometimes those steps we are forced to take to keep from falling are the ones that ensure our feet end up where they need to be to receive the blessings meant for us. But even better is that when we feel that sand washing away to expose the stone beneath it, during that second of stumbling, of wondering if you’re really going to pull through or not, that’s when the Lord sends someone to catch you.

And Jason caught me.

Runaway Weekend

One of my best buddies from college got married a few weeks ago and he had an Open House up in Oregon this last weekend. I decided it had been way too long since I'd had my own weekend getaway, so I serviced my car, loaded her up and took off first thing Saturday morning.

Here are some of my weekend's highlights:

• Listening to Jennie Hansen's book "If I Should Die" on CD
• Spending over 10 hours driving through coniferous forests
• Not losing any more hubcaps (I lost one two days before I left...)
• Counting the number of hitchhikers between Redding, CA and Eugene, OR (i.e. a lot!)
  
• King-sized bed, all to my self
• Not getting completely lost in downtown Eugene
• Losing 1 pound while sitting idly in my car constantly munching for 18 hours (did not know this was humanly possible...)
  
• Visiting Kohls, Target and Cabelas without buying anything (again... didn't know this was possible...)
• Tots and Sippies
  
• Listening to Betsy Brannon Green's book "Murder by the Book" on CD
• Acknowledging that it really does rain constantly in Oregon...
• Seeing Mount Shasta crowned with clouds and dressed in snow... twice
• Watching two golden eagles romp and play in some trees on the side of the interstate
• Being startled by a large goat/sheep/thing (easily 3.5-4 feet tall with 18-24 inch horns) riding in the back of a pick-up truck like a dog

And of course the best parts were:

• Seeing my happily married friend and getting to meet his adorable new wife and some of his family
• Returning home with a deeper appreciation of my own cozy bed and quiet evenings with my amazing parents

Day 26: My Week In Great Detail

Ok, I think that yesterday’s post more than covered the “Great Detail” of my life. This is the good parts version of this last week (which means mostly evenings and weekends)… and since many weeks are fairly similar, this is a fair pattern for what I do with most of my time. For purposes of serving my memory a little easier, I’m going backwards starting with today:

Tuesday:
Read (Perfect Shot – Sonia O’Brien)
Movie (Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End)
Ice Cream at Baskin Robbins with Mom and Dad (probably half the Tuesdays out there…)
Dinner (Oh, wait… Not this time.)
Lunch (Arby’s with Mom)
Breakfast (Oatmeal)

Monday:
Read (Perfect Shot – Sonia O’Brien)
Chuck (Regular date night = me + Mom + Chuck)
Dinner (Hash browns, pancake, pears)
Lunch (Carl’s Jr.)
Breakfast (Oatmeal)

Sunday:
Read (Winter’s Promise – Janene Wolsey Baadsgaard)
Movie (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest)
Dinner (Turkey, cranberry orange glaze, mashed potatoes, green beans)
Flute Practice for Stake Conference
Church
Breakfast (Hash browns, pancakes, eggs)

Saturday:
Read (Winter’s Promise – Janene Wolsey Baadsgaard)
Talked with Mom for 2 Hours
Dinner (In’N’Out Burger & fries)
Midsingles Halloween Activity (This was awesome!)
Oakland Temple Shift (2:00pm-6:00pm)
Cleaned House
Breakfast (Oatmeal and soft boiled eggs)

Friday:
Read (Winter’s Promise – Janene Wolsey Baadsgaard)
Movie (How to Train Your Dragon)
Dinner (Leftover, I think…)
Lunch (Chipotle with Mom)
Breakfast (Oatmeal)

Thursday:
Read (All I Hold Dear – Jennie Hansen)
Book Club (The Elegance of the Hedgehog – Muriel Barbury)
Dinner (Baked potato bar & chicken enchiladas)
Lunch (Los Panchos – mini happy super wet chunky beef burrito… at least that’s what it said on my receipt)
Breakfast (Forgot… to eat it, that is.)

Wednesday:
Read (All I Hold Dear – Jennie Hansen)
Dinner (Chicken enchiladas)
Worked 10.5 Hours (Yay!)
Lunch (Madras lentils with Fritos)
Breakfast (Oatmeal)

Day 24: Where I Live

I live in the suburbs of San Francisco. Since moving back from Utah 8 months ago, I’ve really come to remember what it is that I loved so much about growing up here. Aside from the people (we have amazing friends), the things I love most about Northern California have to do simply with the geography of the area. I can visit the mountains, the redwoods, the beach, the city and the country… all in one day. That’s the long and short of it. I’m also a fan of the weather: not super hot very often, and it rains off and on all winter long. I miss the snow and the thunder storms in Utah (amongst other things, like my friends and family that live out there)… but as much as I miss “home” in Utah, it feels so good to be back “home” here in California. It’s always good to know that you are where you are supposed to be… when you are supposed to be there.

Day 11: A Photo Taken of Me Recently

Me and my two best friends in front of the Reno Temple in May. Definitely a "best" day!

Beginning Again...

So... I discovered that blogging is a lot like keeping a journal. At least when it comes to excuses as to why I keep putting it off. For the first few weeks after I moved back to California, I kept telling myself that nothing new was going on, so why post. And then a few weeks later I realized I could post about stuff, but wanted to make sure that I posted about the few things I forgot to post about back in January and February. And since I needed to post those first, I couldn't post new stuff... Then the last month has been a crazy blur. I began wondering where I would even begin... And I'm sure it was even more convoluted in my head.

So I'm starting over, in a way. Here's the last five months in a nutshell... (And apologies in advance if it's a little saga-ish...)

After finding out I didn't have a job anymore, and was moving back to California earlier than anticipated, I determined to move home February 15th, Presidents' Day. That left me about three weeks to see everyone I wanted to see, pack everything I was taking, store everything I wasn't... Oh, and find a new job. Three weeks became very short very quickly, but I felt like I was being sustained the entire time. Like things were happening the way they were supposed to. Mom flew out to Utah the Thursday before I moved, and we spent the weekend with Kimmy before cramming (literally) everything I was taking with me in my car (Toyota Corolla) and making the 13 hour drive west.

It took me a few days to get settled, but then I developed a routine of searching for jobs for about an hour or so a day, helping around the house, reading, and *relaxing*. I think. While part of my brain was trying to tell me to relax and enjoy the time I had to take it easy, the other part of my brain was trying keep a third part of my brain from freaking out. In short, I was going a little stir crazy...

I'm not one that enjoys doing nothing, at least not for months on end. But I still had that nudging feeling that things would be okay, that they would work out how they were supposed to. So I spent one day a week in the temple, and gradually began adding other more positive, less sitting-on-my-hands type things to my routine. The few job interviews I had really helped, too. I began to grasp onto that feeling of "things tend to work out" and tried harder everyday to push away the fear and doubts. It worked, most of the time.

Mom and Dad were great! They have always been so supportive of my sisters and me, so having them around during this time was not only nice, but essential. They helped me really grab on to the positive thoughts, helped me remember that this really was part of Heavenly Father's plan for me, and things really would turn out alright when it was time.

When April came, things got tons better for me... at least for my positive mental health. ;0) Kimmy came out from Utah twice to visit, and Julie, Caylee, and Cambree came up from Arizona for two weeks while my brother-in-law was in England on a business trip. I can't even begin to express how amazing this time was for me... To spend that time with my sisters and nieces. It really pulled me out of the funk that I was rapidly descending into. Most days we just stayed around the house, played in the backyard, talked, watched movies, played games. Just good family time. Other days we went on excursions to the mall, to San Francisco, to the zoo. It was so good to be able to spend that time together... I think for all of us!

May was a month of preparation... Mom and Dad's 30th wedding anniversary is coming up in December, so Mom and Dad were taking an Alaskan cruise and tour for two weeks at the end of May to celebrate. That combined with my Mom's family reunion in July, we were pretty busy preparing for the next few weeks and months. I also got a call from a company regarding a job I'd applied for back in March... and went in for two interviews, both very positive. I was still waiting to hear back from them when Mom and Dad left on their cruise in mid-May.

The last four weeks, as mentioned earlier, have been crazy... to put it mildly. Mom and Dad left on their cruise, and the following Monday I was called by the company I'd interviewed for and offered to start my new job at the beginning of June. Long waits, slight insanity spells, and many prayers finally all paid off and my preparations for starting a new job - two days before Mom and Dad came home for their cruise - began.

Part of this preparation involved a short trip to Utah and one heck of an amazing weekend! I flew to Salt Lake on the Wednesday before Memorial Day and spent most of Thursday visiting Kimmy and several friends down in Provo. I picked up a 16-foot Budget Rental truck (it was only supposed to be 10...) and drove up to the mountains above Park City where one of my best friends was storing most of my belongings. Two of my friends and I loaded up the truck and piled in for the road trip we'd been planning for over two years (although I don't remember it involving the three of us in a 16-foot moving truck with only two seats... ;0)! Friday night we stayed at the Silver Legacy in Reno, and Saturday we paid a short visit to the Reno Temple before climbing the Sierras (at about 2 miles/hour). We stopped at the Sacramento Temple for a bit before ending the "road" part of our trip at my house in the Bay Area.

Sunday, by far my favorite day of any week (this week not excepted), we went to church before heading over to the Marin County, the generally under-appreciated northern peninsula (where the Golden Gate ends). We visited Muir Woods, Mt. Tamalpais, and Stinson Beach. And wow, that trip was amazing. I ended the day feeling rejuvenated, ready to take on anything! I was spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically fed that day. Nothing really does that quite as well as the mountains, the ocean, and great friends! I didn't really know then how much I would need that rejuvenation... Monday - Memorial Day - my friends and I spent the day along the San Francisco Embarcadero... Ghirardelli Square, Fisherman's Wharf, and Pier 39! After getting dinner at Boudin's, I drove back across the Bay, dropped my friends off at the airport, and got myself ready to start my new job the next morning.

At about 2:30am, I received a call from Dad. Mom had been admitted to the hospital in Fairbanks, Alaska and was being life-flighted to Seattle the next morning for emergency surgery at Harborview Medical Center. The next few days are still a bit of a blur. Mom had developed some holes in her stomach wall and was leaking stomach acid and bile into her abdominal cavity. Mom was in surgery four out of the five days that followed her arrival in Seattle, where they removed her spleen, part of her pancreas, most of her stomach, and part of her intestines. She was essentially in a drug-induced coma for about five days, and it's scary to realize now how close we'd come to losing her. She was in ICU for about a week and then moved into the trauma/surgery ward, where she is still. Julie, Kimmy, and I flew into Seattle this last weekend where we had an unexpected family reunion... that again was so necessary. Mom has stabilized significantly, and though she will be months on the mend, we're hoping she'll be flying home to California next week sometime.

I started my new job as scheduled on June 1st - and I love it! They've been amazing, and nothing but supportive as I've been dealing with so much personal life from the start of my employment there. I just finished my third week, and yet feel like I've been there forever. I feel so strongly that that's how it was all supposed to turn out... that this is part of the reason I was supposed to lose my job and come home when I did.

I also had a feeling that - besides work - there was some other reason that I needed to be here, now. With Mom coming home soon, in the condition she's in, I know that feeling was accurate. It will definitely be needed for me to be here to help out around the house and to be a support to both my parents as Mom continues to recover.

~~~~~~~

So, my little novella here has a purpose, but I couldn't accurately describe what I'm feeling right now without the background I've just given... Whether it's for my own peace of mind, or some greater purpose, I don't know. But just as with many things over the last month, I know I was supposed to start my blog again today... and with this being my general message.

I know now, after the last five months, more than I ever have in my life that God watches over us. That He loves us. That he cares more for us than we could possibly imagine. I know that we live our lives of our own free will, but that He guides us and is ever-mindful of who we are, where we're going, what we need to become, and - most importantly - what we need to experience in order to become. He is there, whether we turn to Him or not. I have learned through my experiences in the last five months what He expects of me and how He means for me to accomplish that. I know that prayers are answered. Period. No ifs ands or buts! We just need to listen and to keep listening. I've learned that true friends are the gifts He gives each of us to help us on our individual paths... and that they can come and they go, but we always have what we need. I know that angels watch over us, both the ones we can see and the ones we can't. I've learned that the greatest blessing I have right now is the knowledge that I can be with my family forever. That FAMILY is what everything - this life, our experiences - everything is all about.

Things do indeed happen for a reason. There are no coincidences, no eternal accidents. I know that things are far from over, and I feel as if I really am beginning again. But that "beginning" comes with a greater understanding of what's been, a deeper appreciation of what is, and a sincere hope for what comes next.

Moving On...

Dear Friends and Family,

Sorry for the "impersonal" blast going to basically everyone in my address book. I wish I had the time to contact each of you individually. First, I hope that this message finds each of you well, in good health, and generally awesome. That's all that really is to be desired. ;0)

Many of you know that I was planning to relocate to California at the end of this summer. But life takes its course and the company I've been working for over the last year has been hit pretty hard due to the fluctuations in the economy; as a result, myself and several of my coworkers were laid off last Thursday. Things being what they are, the time-distance between me and my move home has been shortened from six months to approximately three weeks. I will be moving home around the 15th of February, and for those of you who may not have that address, please email me.

My phone number is still the same; my email address will remain the same as well.

While the circumstances surrounding my departure from Utah are not the ones I would have chosen, I am feeling remarkably positive about... well, everything really. I'm not excited to leave behind my friends and family still here in Utah, but I also know that things happen for a reason and have felt my Heavenly Father's guidance and support this last week. I can't help but feel that this is kinda what He had in mind all along. I am grateful that we will have things like email, phone calls, and (addict that I am) Facebook to help us keep in contact. I also know that Utah and everything about it has found a niche for itself in the part of my heart called "home". I know that I'll be back - if only for visits... and California really isn't that far away!

I'm a little tired, so I'm sorry if I'm waxing a little sentimental here... ;0) Some days have definitely been better than others. Thanks to each of you for your love, prayers, and support. And if you hear of any stellar job leads in the San Francisco and Sacramento areas, please don't hesitate to forward them on!

Love you all!

Jessi

Thanksgiving & Other Stories

Whew! It surprises me how much can happen in just a relatively small amount of time!! The last few weeks have been loaded with fun things, time with family and friends, and not much sleep... It's been AWESOME!!

My friend Mindy and I decided that we needed to really set up a work-out/get-up-early routine, so we started on the 22nd. She lives about an hour away, so we would wake up at 5:30am (yes, I did) and text each other to make sure we're both awake. Then we would do our own exercising routines. Mine lasts about half an hour. After that I go eat breakfast and do my morning scripture study. It's awesome! I'm on week three now!!

My Thanksgiving week really started when Mom and Dad arrived on the night of the 24th (Tuesday) after I got off work. We ran some errands really quick, and then checked into the Residence Inn where we were staying for the week (only a 10 minute drive from my apartment, but hey... not gonna pass up the opportunity to sleep in a hotel, in a king size bed, on a real mattress!

I woke up at 5:30am on Wednesday (still had to work), did my morning routine. Dad dropped me off at work, since they were borrowing my car, and then Mom and Dad went down to Provo to get Kimmy. I was picked up from work at 7pm, and we headed up to the Delta Center (Energy Solutions??) and watched honestly one of the best concerts someone could ever go and see!

I LOVE the Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO)!! It's the perfect combination of hard rock and classical and Christmas music! This was my second time seeing them (Mom, Dad, and Kimmy's third time) and it's just amazing! We had great seats this time too! Here's some pictures of the lasers (a must for any rock concert)... and I've got some of their music in my playlist at the bottom of my blog:



Thursday - the day of Thanksgiving... Another perfect combination. This time, it's family and food! We spent most of the day making dinner and then eating dinner and then playing May-I (our family's favorite card game). It was such a good day! To top it all, Kimmy blessed us with her mad pie-making skills... complete with latticed top! (Needless to say, Kimmy was very pleased with her pie...)





Black Friday... words are just not enough. I did not even think about a single retail establishment the entire day! We got up in the morning and started our day at the Hogle Zoo. It was cold, but SO much fun! We are all generally fans of going to the zoo, but the number of new babies at Hogle Zoo made the trip that much better! (And Julie, my blog is dumb - or maybe my computer at work. The videos were NOT loading, so I posted them on FB. Everyone should check them out... I admit they're pretty darn fun!)









After the zoo, we went back to the hotel to eat leftovers, then headed to Jordan Commons MegaPlex to see New Moon! It was a lot better than I'd expected, and I think that in the movies I am definitely Team Jacob! HOLY COW!! We visited some of Kimmy's friends that live at the MegaPlex after the movie...


After everyone decided that we weren't hungry enough for dinner, we headed up to Salt Lake to meet up with some friends of mine, the Hale family (and no "S" means not related ;0). I used to work with Kevin a few years ago and his wife Annie and I hit it off so well that we've become great friends! I often watch their son Keenan, who has been known to refer to me as one of his "girlfriends". :0D The lights were amazing! But it was really cold, so we met up at Barnes & Noble for some Starbucks hot cocoa... and chatted until they closed. Such a great evening!!






There is nothing better than being with family for the holidays! The only thing that would have made it "best" is if the rest of our family had been there with us!! We definitely missed them! Mom and Dad flew home on Saturday afternoon, Kimmy went back to Provo, and I got to sleep in my own bed that night! :0D

Some highlights from the last week or so since then...

• I went to see Sleeping Beauty at the Children's Theatre in Salt Lake City! Nothing is quite so fun as watching a play with all the little kids in the audience to add their two-cents!
• I spent basically this whole last weekend with my friend Mindy:
• We went to the Provo Temple to do sealings and had a wonderful time!
• We visited Kimmy at the BYU Paleontology Museum where she works and got the grand tour. This is a picture from when Mom and Dad visited her, but those are toe bones from a new dinosaur she's been working on - SO COOL!!
• We volunteered at the Festival of Trees in Sandy, a night full of all kinds of adventure... and adorable little playhouses.
  
• We did a sleep over at Mindy's, complete with She's the Man and KFC Snackers.
• We went shopping with Mindy's Mom all day on Saturday - I'm now basically done with my Christmas shopping.
• Church was AMAZING on Sunday!
• I went with Mindy and her family to see the 1st Presidency Christmas Devotional at the Conference Center downtown - also amazing!
  

So the end of November was full of food and family - and the beginning of December was full of fun with friends! Makes for an awesome two weeks!!

Now... I really need to spend more time with my sewing machine! :0D

BYU vs. Airforce = WIN! | Kimmy vs. Po = Uh...

No fall would ever be complete without a good football game, especially a BYU football game at LaVell Edwards Stadium! Some friends and I got tickets for the BYU vs. Airforce game and I went down early to meet up with Kimmy. Then we went and spent the game sitting with my friends. It was the first time Kimmy and I were able to go to a BYU game together! So fun! It was SUCH a perfect day - albeit a little cold.




Our football buddies (left to right): Adrienne, me, Kimmy, Rachael, Gretchen, Karen! We look so cold!

I just love this picture!

I think the Airforce band was playing some patriotic tribute... Made for a cool picture of the football teams, anyway.


After the game, Kimmy and I were walking back to her apartment and passed the Victory Bell with perfect timing! Cosmo had just arrived and they were begining the Victory Bell "ceremony".

BYU 38 vs. Airforce 21 = WIN!

Whilst continuing our walk back to Kimmy's apartment, we took a detour through the Talmage Building on campus... and were met but the last individual we would have ever expected - especially in the math building! The One, the ONLY, Po AKA Kung Fu Panda (I officially feel very sorry for anyone who has NOT seen this movie!) We, of course, could not pass up the perfect photo opportunity. The following pictures are Kimmy and I trying to practice our Kung Fu-ness:

SKADOOSH!!

HI FIVE!!

Kimmy vs. Po = Well, I'll let you decide...

Needless to say, it was an amazingly fun and highly memorable day!

Bells on Temple Square

Contrary to the dedication of my last three posts, I do actually DO things aside from browse Facebook. One of the many things I will miss about Utah when I eventually move away is the number of free concerts I can attend, especially those offered downtown on Temple Square. This last Friday I went with my friend Mindy and her parents to see a bell concert... I think I've seen bell performers before, but only in a significantly smaller setting.


I have always been obsessed with the tabernacle back lighting for the organ pipes! I'm not sure how they always make it look so amazing... but they do.


In addition to a number of classical pieces and Christmas arrangements, my favorite bell piece was probably an arrangement of Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys. All the bell "ringers" donned shades. Props! (uh... both meanings...)


It took me the whole concert to get a decent picture of these bells. Most of the bells (ranging in size from maybe an inch in diameter to six-or-so inches) were "played" by petitish women. Note the bells on the second table back, all the way to the right. Um, yes. Those are bells. And yes, they had handles and were rang (How else would you say that?!) by hand. They were played by some gentlemen that would put the BYU football team's linemen to shame. Not joking.


So, I love this picture and that harp sitting out front there by itself... Interspersed with the "bells" arrangements were various ensemble and solo numbers - the organ, some flutes, a mini wind ensemble. My very favorite piece was an arrangement of the Star Wars Cantina (I've included a link here to refresh your memory as to what piece I'm referring to.)


This piece was performed by a harpist. Just a harpist. And she rocked it! I literally was laughing into my hand throughout this whole piece!

Octoberween

So, granted I really like holidays of all sorts, but Halloween is really near the top! I love the fall, which adds to my love for all holidays during that time of year... but why not take advantage of every opportunity to dress up, eat great food, and party your heart out??

This last weekend I had the chance to go to two Halloween parties - and loved every second of it. Maybe we're getting a little too personal, but I think that while I love the holidays there is also a kind of drag that I go through this time of year. Admittedly watching everyone else celebrate their traditions as families and pass those traditions on to their own children puts a slight damper on the way I look at my own holidays... I still have an amazing time, but that little damper rears its ugly head each year (uninvited) and needs to be squashed as I enter this wonderful season. I am genuinely grateful to my amazing family and friends that let me celebrate with them each year. It makes squishing that damper SO much easier!

This last Friday, my cousins were having a Halloween party for their kids and invited me to come. I was planning to watch my good friends' son, Keenan, while they attended a temple session, so Keenan got all dressed up in his pirate costume and went to the party with me! We had seriously so much fun! We wandered through a tangled spiderweb of yarn to find a gift my cousin had hidden for Keenan, while each of the other kids found their own - bubbles, socks, and a Halloween pencil! After we all got ourselves all untangled, we went to the kitchen and made spiders out of ding-dongs, shoe-string-licorice, frosting, and Skittles! I helped Keenan make sure he got the right number of legs on his spider while he made sure we got WAY too much frosting - both on the spider and in his little tummy!


Everyone else had gotten dressed up, so Emmalynn (my cousin's daughter) brought me this amazing hat so I wouldn't feel left out (I came straight from work). I'm not really a hat person, but this one just fit so well... I had to remember to take it off before I went home that night! Thanks Misty and family for inviting me to come and thanks to Kevin and Annie for letting me "borrow" Keenan for the evening! Many fun memories were made that night - I'm sure for Keenan as well as me!


Saturday night some friends and I headed up to Oakley, UT (up above Park City and Kamas) to attend my friend Mindy's annual Pumpkin Carving Extravaganza! Four girls and four gourds (including my 30-pound pumpkin) piled into my little car and headed up the mountain. It was such a pretty drive that I felt refreshed before we even got there! We helped Mindy finish decorating and prepping food, and then the real fun began. Mindy broke out her infamous wig collection while I donned my cat-woman costume (a personal favorite). Then the photo-ops began!


After more people arrived, we got the tarps laid out in the living room and started our pumpkin carving adventures!


Of course we also had to take our intermittent breaks to the food table, which included cheese balls, pumpkin rolls, fruit tarts, cookies, candies, and some jalapeno kielbasa/shrimp kabobs! Knowing me, this was not the only time I snuck over to the food table... just look at that guilty look on my face! (Really... no shame!)


After the pictures, eating, and carving were over (well... maybe just the carving...) we each took our finished products to the porch and set them aglow with tea lights. This is my 30-pound pumpkin that my friends informed me looked like Captain Gantu off of Lilo & Stitch:

Slanting, hollow eyes and no real nose... hmmm...

Oh there it is! Striking resemblance! ;0)

A great time was had all around - nothing brings people together quite the same was as scraping guts out of a pumpkin! Here are some of the others from that night:


Seriously made for quite the exciting weekend! I'm really looking forward to this next weekend - Kimmy and I are driving down to Arizona to spend Halloween together as a complete family for the first time in about 10 years! Combine Halloween with a 2-year-old birthday, a baby blessing, and taking my nieces trick-or-treating... Recipe for the perfect weekend!