...It Wouldn't Be Hard

No, I am not dead. I have been missing but I am here once again. My week has been very full. So, if you want to know what is up...continue reading. If not, go ahead and stop here and just know I am tired but doing just fine.

1. Gram had her surgery yesterday and it went very well. We spent Monday night and today during our lunch hour to be with her at the hospital.
2. Work has been very busy. We currently have three positions open and I am heavily involved in the search committee. Interviews at every turn.
3. Trav and I rejoined the gym and have been going every night.
4. Photoshop class Tuesday and Thursday and homework on the other nights
5. Visiting Teaching - I know it is the end of the month!
6. Doctor's appt for Trav - he has been scheduled for another eye surgery on May 16th (after our vacation)
7. Friday is jury duty - hopefully, I will not need to appear but if I do, maybe I can get in some serious reading time.
8. Laundry, making a decent dinner, trying to stay on top of daily chores (but not doing so hot)

What I have not had time to do? Read my book (hope it will get done by next Thursday) and blog. I will attempt to get caught up on everyone's lives this weekend. Thanks for checking in on me Jill!

If Life Were Easy...

I have been reading this book off and on for about a month. I have really enjoyed all the pearls of wisdom. Sheri Dew has a way of saying things "straight up" without any pedantic tones. These are a few of the many passages that have touched my soul.

"How grateful I am that we have difficult things to wrestle with. They keep us young, if that is possible. They keep us alive. They keep us going. They keep us humble. They pull us down to our knees to ask the God of heaven for help in solving them. Be grateful for your problems, and know that somehow there will come a solution...Just do the best you can, but be sure it is the very best. Then leave it in the hands of the Lord" (President Gordon B. Hinkley)

"Burdens have the potential to exalt us, but baggage just weighs us down and wears us out...Worry, jealousy, and guilt are baggage. An unforgiving heart, anger, regret, and pride are baggage. Resentment, the desire to retaliate, fear, and insecurity create unbearable baggage." She continues, "if we don't want to carry any more than we have to through mortality, we've got to get rid of the baggage."

"If we're trying to make our way through life on our own, relying largely upon our own talents and strengths and abilities, at some point we will fall short. But if we learn to draw the power of
God into our lives, to open our minds to the spiritual privileges and possibilities right in front of us, there is literally no limit to what we may learn and come to understand."

When I got to work on Monday morning, I found this sign, cleverly made from magnets. I didn't know who had created it but I must admit, it warmed my heart. Turned out it was my manager, David and another associate, Jason who must have been really bored on Friday night. I have left it up all week, 'cause it makes me feel special and I smile when I see it. So, the question is this...how long should I keep it there? Is it cheesy to not take it down?

My photoshop class ended early tonight so it was really nice to come home and just be home. I cleaned up a bit and am doing some laundry. There is absolutely nothing worth watching on TV tonight so I finished my book. The house is picked up and I have totally enjoyed the solitude. Trav will be home tomorrow (which I am glad about) but it was nice just having all this time to myself without interruption. No meetings, no phone calls, no TV. It is just my books, my blog and my iTunes. Now that is a great night.

Whew!

What a day! Work was work (genius)! After work, I ran to the hospital. Gram had requested I bring her a hair pick. I bought a couple and ran that by. I wasn't planning on spending too much time there because I had my homework still left to complete. I ended up staying until 7:15. I actually spelled Gramps so he could go back to Delta to do laundry and shower, etc. It was really a blessing because it was just Gram and me. We had such a good talk and it did my heart good. She feels better (emotionally) today. She realized that she doesn't need to make amends because she "has done it all her life!" I really appreciated that! We also talked about Trav and how she knew I was the one the day she and Trav had lunch just prior to Trav's and my first date. It was a sweet two + hours. It was two hours I will forever cherish.

Well, I ran home and was worried that my photoshop homework was going to take all night. The last assignment proved difficult for me and I spent a lot of time on the assignment although the result didn't show it. I was pleasantly surprised that it went so fast tonight. I have really enjoyed my iTunes lately. I just turn it on and rock while I photoshop!

I am ready to call it a night. It seems that I only ever have time to blog right before bedtime. I do want to read a bit tonight so I can finish my book and start "The Known World".

Quick Update

Just wanted to give a quick update on our Gram. She is scheduled for surgery on Friday. She has an infection so she needs a few days of antibiotics to make it as safe as possible. Looks like she'll need a valve replacement. I have been to the hospital each evening and she looks better than she has the past few days.

Hmmm...Travis is on a road trip to Portland. He'll be gone until Friday afternoon. I always think I am going to get tons of stuff done, but not so much today. I had my Photoshop class until 6PM and then went to the hospital until 8PM. I then had to get gas and a few groceries so I didn't get home until 9PM. I then had to do a load of laundry so I have something to wear tomorrow. It has been a long day.

Just one random thought. I used to tape Dr. Phil but I just can't watch his show much any more. I think it is because I am sick and tired of whinny people. There are just more important things in life than "dealing with annoying people" or "I'm a B*^%ch and I am proud of it." Whaaa!! Just thought I'd throw that out there.

**What kinds of shows are annoying to you? Any good ones I should be aware of??**

Great Day...Long Night

Saturday was a great day for me. Trav and I checked off one of our spring projects. To say that we are not very handy around the house is an understatement. So, it was a big deal for us to replace our shower head...by ourselves! It took two trips to BJ's Plumbing Supply, but we did it. We love it! Taking a shower now feels like we are in a luxury hotel (well, not really, but it is pretty great). We took Trav's truck in but some mix-up left us with only the LOF complete but not the rotors fixed as we requested. That will have to be done on Monday.

After our Saturday chores and our sweet success with the shower head, I met my sister Linda, my niece Karina, and their friend Lisa at the mall. We had fun shopping and I found a few "necessities" for our cruise. Okay, so I didn't NEED the cute sweat outfit or cargo capris, but they will be a nice addition to my cruise wardrobe. It was fun hanging with my sis and cool niece.

I come home just in time to pick-up Travis and we headed to the theatre and saw "Failure to Launch." After some bad reviews, and two thumbs down from Ebert and Roper, we weren't expecting much. We were pleasantly surprised. We cracked up! The acting wasn't stellar and I could have done without seeing Terry Bradshaw's bare backside, but it was really funny.

After the movie, I turned my cell phone on and saw that my mother-in-law had called us at about 8:20PM. This was a bad sign because she is usually in bed by 7PM. We got home and there were 5 messages from Ma. By this time, it was 9:45PM. We called Ma and she told us that Trav's grandma had had a heartattack and that she was being taken to UVRMC in Provo. We rushed down to the hospital where we met Gramps, Eileen & Suzanne, Betty & Kent and Rob. Gram was having a tough time but she was stable. Whatever they gave her at the hospital in Delta had helped disinegrate the clot but she did have extensive heart damage - still not sure to what extent. It was so heartwrenching to see Gramps struggle as his wife of over 55 years was suffering.

It was a late, late night so we didn't make it to church this morning. We are going to the hospital in a bit. I have been thinking about Trav's family and I am so grateful I married into this family. They are all pretty great and I love to see how they all pull together. In true "Gram" fashion, she had baked some pies earlier yesterday and invited some people over to eat although she never tasted them (she was feeling nauseous and dizzy, but without chest pain most of the day). What a lady!

Happy birthday Mom...I love you!

Today is my Mom's birthday. She left just yesterday and flew to London with my oldest sister, Jennie. We celebrated last week but it just isn't the same, not having her here to wish her "happy birthday." My mom is pretty cool. I remember coming home from school and finding her (most likely) in the kitchen. I'd drop my backpack on the floor and we'd talk. Although I have four sisters, I never felt like I had to compete for her time. She always seemed to be able to make me feel like I mattered the most.

This photo is circa 1974. Isn't that a riot! I am the little girl in the striped shirt in between my Mom and Dad. Mom always had great fashion sense.

Sweet Success!

The goal for today was to "spring clean" the kitchen. I spent about 5 hours total in the kitchen. I pulled everything from the cupboards and drawers. I cleaned EVERYTHING. I think having our uninvited furry friend around for a few days prior to his timely demise, I wanted to feel like everything was sanitized. Besides the cleaning part, I wanted to go through all the kitchen accoutrements and figure out what we don't use. I now have a huge pile for DI or yard sale. I am exhausted but it was so worth it.

When I told my mom that I had spent all day in the kitchen, she asked "your kitchen?" You see, it doesn't look all that different nor was it dirty to the naked eye, but I certainly can tell and I am tickled pink. I am ready to have some hot cocoa and put up my feet. Oh - I even used my new photoshop skills to remove the camera flash from the refrigerator. Sweet!!!

"Target"ed Therapy

I set a date with Jill and Jenn for last night. We met at Target and spent 2 fun-filled hours together. Travis wondered what on earth we'd do at Target for a whole 2 hours. Well, we'd go down an aisle, stop and chat a bit. We'd then stroll to another aisle, and start the process over. We started in the dollar section and found some cute things. We then visited the fabulous stationary aisle which was filled with tons of cute clearance items. We strolled to the purses (which I gladly partook) and then the wrapping paper. On to the outdoor furniture, stopped by the clothes and finished up in baby.
More than purchasing great stuff, we laughed, philosophized, shared deep and meaningful thoughts and feelings. I am so grateful that I have friends who are WAY better than any therapist. Here is to you all!!

Back to School

I graduated from college in April 1996. I went to school for my Real Estate license in 1998. That was the last time I studied for anything of substance. Last Thursday, I was talking to John (works with me at CID) and he said that he was teaching an Intro to Photoshop class beginning that evening. I said that I wanted to learn how to remove red eyes from photos and he said "well, come take the class."

So, that's my story. It is interesting the timing of opportunities and I am so glad I jumped at the chance to do this. I have been talking about how I should take advantage of the free tuition benefit from working at the university. I know this isn't rocket science, brain surgery or even rocket surgery, but I was nervous about taking a class again. The whole idea of being graded is a shock to the system which seems pretty ridiculous since I always feel the need to perform on my job. I think this one class will help me get past any nerves/fears of pursuing other subjects. I just gotta figure out what there is out there and take advantage of this great benefit!

We have had 2 classes and I have already learned a few things that will save me a lot of time and frustration when I play around in Photoshop or try to print pictures for Primary. John promises me that I will be a pro (relatively) by the end of April. I will keep everyone posted!

Spring Projects

This was our move-in day on March 28, 2003. We have done a lot in the front yard (i.e. pulled out those horrible pygmy trees, reworked the lawn, curbed, barked and thinned out the decorative areas.

Hmmm...
All I can think to report here is about our FHE tonight. Trav and I discussed the household projects we want to accomplish this year. They are as follows:

1 - Backyard (add tree, shrubs, flowers, bark)
2 - Paint (indoor)
3 - Lawn maintenance
4 - Power wash house
5 - New Shower head (Main bathroom)
6 - Buy Grill
7 - Toilets repaired (Don't worry - they work but they make noises)
8 - Kitchen faucet replaced (just don't like the one we have)
9 - Closet Doors (The downstairs bedroom doesn't have doors)
10 - Hot water spigot fixed (Rewiring fix)
11 - Stain yard fence
12 -Add fence gate
13 - Hardwood floors
14 -Finish Laundry room in basement (rest of basement is finished)

Now, you may say "wow! that is a lot of stuff." We won't be able to do all these things this year HOWEVER, we have chosen to do #1 - 10 this Spring. We are so excited to get going on this list. We did receive a nice tax return which will cover (hopefully) #1 -10. Now, my task is to get bids on the painting and some of the minor repairs. If anyone knows a trustworthy painter, let me know.

We also reviewed our debt reduction plan and we were both happy with how it is diminishing before our very eyes. One thing I do is "virtually pre-pay" our set costs at the beginning of the month. I use Microsoft Money and list out all the set costs in the check registry as if they have been paid. I know I have actually paid it if I put a note in the "number" column. This includes all debt payments (i.e. credit cards, Harvard loan, car payments, mortgage) plus household bills (telephone, utilities). I also pay bills once a week and record any debit card payments amounts that have occurred that week. These few things help keep me on top of the financial situation and keep away any unwanted surprises. The other thing I LOVE to do is set-up the actual plan in a spreadsheet. We know what we are paying off first and once something gets to zero, we roll that payment over and add to the next debt.

Oh, how I want to get to the point where everything is ours! I feel good about the decisions that we've made (well, mostly) but it is still debt and I HATE that!

Hey - does anyone want to buy our really nice oak entertainment center???

Reverence

Primary was quite amazing today. I often find that I have to work really hard to feel the Spirit in Primary. I wrangle children, I shush them, I run around making sure teachers are all there, etc, etc, etc. Today was different. The children were so reverent! Junior Primary is first in Sharing Time and although they are small and wiggly (usually), they were all sitting up straight, with their feet on the floor and folding their arms. They were actually singing today too!

Senior Primary was just as reverent. I was conducting today and I was thanking them for being so reverent when I was overcome with emotion. I was grateful that I felt that Spirit at that moment. I also told them that they could be reverent and still smile. :)

Sharing Time was about prophets and we had a panel of three who spoke about the influence of prophets in their lives. The children listened intently and asked really good questions. One question that touched me was "How does it feel when a prophet dies?" I appreciated that question and I reflected on how I felt when each prophet has passed away. I am so grateful the Lord has provided a plan (that makes so much sense) that provides a peace and a surety that the Church will go forward without interruption. I have always felt that peace when a prophet dies and immediately feel the love and affection for the new president of the Church.

In Memoriam

We received news today that a dear friend past away this morning. Judy Brackett was an Admissions and Financial Aid Counselor for many years at BYU. I met Judy when Travis went to a conference in Las Vegas two years ago April. Judy, Travis and I traveled by van to Vegas. From the moment I met Judy, she made me feel special. She had an incredible knack for focusing on the person she was with and truly listening to them. We talked throughout the long drive and by the end of the trip, I felt I had made a true friend. Shortly after returning from that trip, she got sick. She grew weak and fragile and eventually retired from BYU.

I recall visiting Judy in the hospital at the very beginning of her illness. She wanted to make sure that "her students" were taken care of. She was so intent on helping as many students as she could. She was an incredible example of love, kindness, selflessness, and dedication.

The last time I saw Judy was at the SAAS Christmas Dinner. Travis was out of town but I went to his Division party alone, in large part, hoping that I'd see Judy. I had a few minutes to sit with her after the dinner. She held my hand and we cried together. I knew that would most likely be the last time we'd see each other. She asked about Trav's and my health. She focused on me and I felt as if she was looking into my soul. She said that she would be my angel and that if she could do anything to help bring a child into our home, she would do what she could to make that happen.

I am so grateful to have had the chance to know this fine lady. She is going to make an incredible angel!

Snap! Gotcha!

You may have noticed my absence the past few days. We have had an unwanted visitor and he has been hanging out in my office. I just have not felt comfortable working at my desk with my feet down.
I first heard some scratching in the kitchen on Saturday afternoon. I kept yelling out to Travis asking him what he was doing. When he didn't respond, I walked into the kitchen and knew we had a mouse. ICK!!!! We ran out and got 6 traps. We laid them out and sat back. We didn't catch it the first night. We actually saw it the next night. We watched it jump right over the trap! We realized we had a smart mouse which (it seemed) was laughing at us! We bought 6 more traps on Monday which made a total of 12 traps we set out throughout the house. On Monday evening, we found my earring, which had been moved a good foot, under a pillow. The grossest thing was that the little bugger had chewed the earring backing and bits and pieces were surrounding the earring. EEWWW!!
When two of the traps had peanut butter licked off but not snapped, we thought it time for the Orkin Man. My friend, Maria, told me that as a general rule, for every one mouse you see, there are 6 more unseen. WHOA!!! Well, the Orkin man came and did a thorough inspection of the house. There were no obvious signs of mice activity (a few droppings). He also said that our house was immaculate so that wasn't a problem (WHEW)! He also couldn't find anyway that mice could get in. He set a bunch of traps and that was it.
I checked traps upstairs after work today and the peanut butter was licked off (again). But, when Trav went downstairs....YEE HAW! The wicked mouse is D E A D. Thanks to Michelle Azanar who wanted a photo of any dead mice.
Hopefully, this was one random mouse and he/she didn't have time to procreate, but we are keeping the traps out just to make sure. I am back blogging, hoping for some peace in my own home!