another good tag...

You're right, Dave. I like these sorts of things. Probably because I'm a tad egocentric and like to talk about myself on my blog. Oh well. :) ANyway, this is actually a pretty good one... better than the seven wierd things one at least where I had to confess to awful pranks played upon my family in my youth.

Here goes:

What I think

I have been thinking a lot lately about what makes a family, and one of the words swirling around in my brain is "tradition." I have found that children (my children at least) LOVE traditions and schedules. Family movie night. Family hike day. Family prayer, Family home evening, babysitting night where mom and dad get to go away and kids get left with candy-dispensing playful teenagers... (this one we haven't done yet but will likely have to soon.)

I also think, going on with your thougths, Dave, that there is both bad and good in the world. To me people are all both bad and good, all mixed up inside so that there really is no real "bad" or "good," just productive and selfless or Unproductive and selfish choices that people make. I suppose a person could be considered more bad than good if most of their choices fall into the second category, but everyone is redeemable.

What I like

I like reading, to myself, to my kids, and to my spouse. I like singing to people who want to listen. I like being outside. I like skiing. I like being with good friends and making new ones, though it usually takes me a while. I like spending time laughing or debating or roughousing with my spouse. I like sushi. I like Beethoven. I like Ben Harper and Cat Stevens. I like the colors golden orange and lemon yellow. I like weeping cherry trees in the springtime. I like a good bicycle ride. I like totino's frozen pizzas dipped in ranch. I like birds of paradise.

What I know

I know that Joseph Smith found himself some plates and translated them into a book that is readily avaialbe on most LDS families' bookshelves. I know Christ is my best friend and older brother and Savior. I know that Prophets still speak and walk the earth, that God talks to me when I pray, and that my children are meant to be mine to raise; they are precious gifts and grueling tests. I know that I have a mortal destiny that will bring me joy and stretch into eternities of happiness and bliss. I know that my spouse loves me and that we will be together forever if we live up to our covenants. I know that Ronald McDonald is a scary, scary man.

What I want

I want to feel, when I am 99 years old and about to die (just one day before or after my spouse) that I have accomplished everything I set out to accomplish in live, and I am ready to move on to what's next. I want to be strong and healthy and long-winded enough to be capable of hiking up every mountain in the world and swimming across every river. I want to feel like my kids are my best friends when they grow up. I want to be a well-read, respected author someday. I want to feel the spirit's calming influence in every thing i set out to do. I want all people who I love to know they are loved by me and that I would do anything to help them.

What I see

i see a sad, cranky baby saying "read the pig! Read the pig!" Which means I need to stop writing and read the pig.


OK... I tag... Margaret.

Ouch, Charlie!

There's nothing better than youtube for random hilarity. I think it is mostly the English accents that make this one. And the elfish mischevousity of "charlie".

victory at last!

After my first two attempts at cornrowing, I was feeling a tad discouraged. So I attempted them again for my next style and...




Voila! Semi-decent cornrows! It just goes to show that even when something seems impossible to master, it can still be mastered with practice. Though I am still far from mastering the cornrow, these are actually decent enough that they could be left in a real person's hair. At least, I would be comfortable telling people I did them if they asked.

And also:



Box braids! And I have been experimenting with beads and snaps, as is obvious. Looks a little Christmas tree like, so I won't be putting as many on the next time.

My secret to make the cornrows better (learned from a wonderful how-to video), make them Smaller. And a certain trick of the positioning of the fingers. Same goes for box braids, but add braiding DOWN to that list.

Yay! I can do it, though I was initially very discouraged.

April, the best month of the year

Because it was the Month I Married Skywalker.

Because it is the Month when all of the Tulips and Daffodils and Crocuses push through and bloom furiously, reminding us of the resilience of life and the truth of afterlife.

Because it is the Month with the prettiest name.

Because it was the Month the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints wasorganized.

Because it is the Month my parents were married.

Because it is the Month with the sweetest smells—flowers, mown lawn, and sunscreen.

Because it was the Month the Salt Lake Temple was finally dedicated.

Because it is the Month baby Josh was born.

because it was the Month the Melchezedick Preisthood was restored.

Because it is sometimes the Month Easter is in.

Because it is the Month my family used to drive out to Utah and go to General Conference every year.

Because it was the Month Saralee was born.

Because it is the Month when the Manti Temple looks its prettiest.

Because it is the Month where the most exciting season changes happen.

Because it was the Month Elaine was born.

Because it is the Month my kids start begging me to fill the little pool for them.

Because it is the Month when hiking is back in season.

Because it is the month when I can start going barefoot outside.

Because it is the month Christ was born.

the long journey to functionality

I have completed it. I did, I think a couple of years ago. So, the question is, how do you convince everyone else that you have completed it? Those who know me best know I'm fine. Those who don't know me best who were around when everything went haywire still treat me with kid gloves sometimes, and I don't like it.

I guess my question is, is there ANY way to convince people you are OK, and even that you would be a good friend to have? And when you get into a new ward and the bishop is handed all the information from the old ward,how many times does it take before you're no longer considered a "special" case?

These are sort of unanswerable questions, I realize. But if anyone out there has the answers or some advice I would love to read it and think it over.

Squirt's blessing

With the bonnet, without the bonnet...

decisions, decisions.

He is an adorable little child, and the blessing was very wonderful. Many people came up to me afterwards to tell me how beautiful they felt it was. We had a rip-roaring good time afterwards with chips and salsa and grilled whiting and lemon bars and frosted browines and "guilty conscience" flavored ice cream...

Yay for family and beautiful boy babies and awesome tender-hearted husbands.




note: as you can see, his diaper needed changing...

two things that could be good

So, We have saved up all the money for the adoption, including paperwork, etcetera. Celebration time!!

now we need to save for the actual travel. Plan on being done with that in about August. Then we can move on with our lives and start planning on buying a house... a van... contributing to our retirement... investing in the stock market...

the other thing is, Friendship can be exhausting. I love people too thoroughly and am iron-cladly loyal, and so when it hurts, it HURTS. But when it's good, it's GOOD. Long term is the only kind of friendship I can ever have.

Sorry so random. I am tired and sleep deprived, I am currently treating infections in 4 different ears. My baby wakes up a lot. I haven't had a nap in 3 days.

Another thing that could be good: Motherhood.

Prayers for Eva Lynn

Eva Lynn is the 25 year old daughter of two good friends of mine. She was involved in a car accident on Thursday night. Nobody died, but one boy fractured his femur, one boy sustains some internal injuries, and Eva Lynn has it the worst of all of them. She has some internal injuries from her seatbelt. We are grateful for seatbelts because likely none of these kids would be alive without them, but she has had to undergo several surgeries over the past few days. She is under heavy sedation. She will likely be fine, but she could use your prayers. Her family is really feeling the strain, particularly their little 5-year old girl, whom I have blogged about before as she is a great friend of Loli's. If you could find time to say a prayer for this family to help and sustain and comfort them, this would be wonderful.

It's sad... she was supposed to sing in the BYU combined choirs for conference on Saturday. I was looking for her in the crowd and didn't find her, and didn't htink anything of it until I heard the news yesterday. She is their oldest daughter and a wonderful, beautiful girl.

Hey, it's like they're rows of corn...

My first attempt at the hairy task of cornrowing. (snicker. Sorry.)

OK, I dont' know why. It looks like the simplest hairstyle in the world. But it took me about four hours (counting the actual cornrowing, not the breaks) and the parts aren't exactly, erm... rows that a veteran corn farmer would be proud of. But they're OK. And with a lot of waxy gel glopped in there they would be better. ( I hope?) OK, yes, I plan on practicing this one a few (read, quite a few) more times. Here's what I ended up with:

Speaking of deep thoughts...

I have always been a fan of Jack Handey.

Explain Evil

This is another one of those serious, rambling posts that will turn off some of the people who like my blog. Others who regularly comment on these types of post hopefully are doing it because they enjoy "deep thoughts", not because they're worried about my mental health and think I can benefit from a little veiled counseling. :) Though I wouldn't blame you. I'm sure I sound crazy on this blog sometimes. That's the nature of hyperthermic ventation.

Yesterday, Skywalker and I watched a special on the hunger relief efforts in the Congo among the Congolese and Liberian peoples. In this program, we saw a lot of beautiful African people who had been rendered homeless by warring tribes/factions. Among the atrocities committed were house-razing and burning, rape, random public executions, torture, the kidnapping and forced enlistment of child soldiers. Really, everything possible that could be considered evil was done to people by these warring factions. I turned to Skywalker and asked "Why? What was their motive?"

I'm so glad that Skywalker didn't respond to me the way the few other people I've talked to about stuff like this did: a shrug. Or a statement like "who can explain evil?"

I'm sorry, but I have to have evil explained to me. Human beings, IMO are never inherently evil. There is something that has motivated them to become that way. Not saying they couldn't have made a different choice, no, not at all. But I, for instance, have never thought of torturing or kidnapping and forcedly recruiting a child into my guerrilla army. I live a privileged lifestyle. I never want for much, except for a good wash job on my car. With these people, we're talking mud huts and not enough seed for food AND planting, even with suplimental aid. We're talking bicycles for the rich, jobs for the extremely fortunate, and clean water by the Grace of God.

What are the motives of evil? Why would a group of people want to burn down the homes of extremely impoverished people? Why would public executions of women and children seem like a good idea? What did it take for these people to stop seeing the faces in front of them?

This is a real question. I will give my answer in the comments section, and if anyone else wants to take a stab at it, I'd be very appreciative.