Have Ya'll Missed Me?

I've never lived in Texas, so I don't think I really have the authority to use that term ya'll. Oh well.

Um I've been out of commission for a while. I'm doing my last EFY session this week and then I should be around more normal like. Maybe.

Is my forehead too big for my face? Let's be real. Some people have told me that in my life. Hence why I have bangs. (Still growing them out, as promised.)

Guess what. (This is probably TMI, plug your eyes accordingly.) I play with my toes when I'm reading my scriptures. Always have. Probably always will. Unless I get too large to reach them phalanges.

I still love my job. More than I used to. It's an increasing love.

Um there's like 27 days until school starts WHAT?? Not ready, people. Not ready. Still haven't figured out which classes I'm taking. Or where I'm living. Or if I should shower the day of or the night before. *sigh*

I adore the Olympics. My heart swells when I hear the theme music. My dad used to sing along to it like this: "Here! Comes! The big PO TAY TOE here comes the bride you better hide because it's you!!" Seriously I dare you to sing along the next time. Also I love it when we win gold medals and our athletes put their hands over their hearts during our national anthem. I love it. Makes me proud. *wipes tear*

I got four wedding announcements last week. It's like a cult.

Be good now. Toodle pip.

Compromise the Cabin Trip

Remember when I bought a new camera and we named it Floyd.
Remember how Floyd and I are pals.
Remember how I took 705 photos on my 5 day cabin trip.

SO I couldn't decide: make a super long blog post that still won't be able to include all the photos I want, or post them all on Facebook without commentary???

The compromise is this: I will include all the commentary needed in this blog post. And you can go to Facebook to see the photos.

While zipping through the photos, please notice these themes:

1. My mom really likes sunscreen. A. Lot. Also she doesn't like to be in the photos.

2. Nathan cannot smile normal for any photo. He also thinks he's Moses.

3. Emily is the most fun person to take photos of, ever and ever amen.

4. Chloe. Adores. Potatoes.

5. My mom likes barns.

6. Emily likes fire.

7. Our cabin is in the most beautiful place in the world.

Also, please look for the spread my cute mom collected to experiment on the s'mores. Also she worked really hard building the fire pit, which is why it gets its own photo.

Also, we did a photo shoot for Chloe's senior pictures. I am not going to share all of them, just a few choice spoilers. Buckets of fun, I tell you. She's not one of those people who can make a serious face on purpose. She's meant to smile, all the time.

Side note, painting rocks is a tradition at the cabin. FYI.

At one point at the lake, Emily was paddling along and freezing in the water, Abby lost her pink floatation device, and Nathan's shoes got stuck in the mud. I thought the three different crisis were hysterical, until I was summoned to search for the lost shoes. They are still in the lake, bytheway.

The first night we roasted hot dogs, there was only one left and we were all hungry. So we passed it around and each person got one bite. I got the last one, and therefore I may be considering a career in food photography. That is an amazing photo of the last bite of the communal hot dog, people.

Our cabin is located off of Palisades Dam. This is the last summer we will ever be allowed to cross the dam to get to the cabin, something about security bomb threat something something building a new bridge, I dunno. So we took lots of dam photos.

There is very little to do in Jackson Hole besides spend money and take photos with statues. We erred on the side of photos with statues. Nathan cried a lot.

Also, I loved the whole trip.

Also, I like wagon wheels.

The end.

Perspective

Hair, or happiness?
Jewelry, or joy?
Lace, or laughter?
House, or home?
Fancy, or forever?
Cute, or conquer?
Pretty, or peaceful?
Money, or memories?

Choose love.
Choose forever.
Choose eternal.
Choose kindness.

Because there is no end to virtue.
There is no end to might.
There is no end to wisdom.
There is no end to light.
There is no end to union.
There is no end to youth.
There is no end to priesthood.
There is no end to truth.

There is no end to glory.
There is no end to love.
There is no end to being.
There is no death above.

In honor of Miss Emily Austin. You edify me.

Treasures to Keep

Chloe and Em were hanging out in my room with me when it was time for my pre-night shift nap. Instead of leaving, they both crawled into bed with me.

I took care of a two month old baby girl last night. She was on a strict every three hours feeding schedule. Problem was, whenever I tried to feed her, she fell right to sleep. I wore my hair in two french braids, and after one of our sleepy feeding sessions I tried to lay her back in her crib but she had caught hold onto the end of one of my braids and wasn't letting go. I wanted to let her hold on forever.
Later I stuck a pink silk bow on her head to say thank you.

I arrived home at 7 a.m. from work the same time my daddy was getting into his car to leave for work. We hugged in the front yard. He smelled delicious.

When I walked into my bedroom, I noticed one of my sweet sisters (Emily) had written me love notes and stuck them all over the walls. They included "I love your prayers" and "I love your smile."
I love my Emily.

Click here to hear my feelings put to music

Raw

I've been thinking a lot about when I will "get there."
When I will get to the blissful happy all the time just-got-married and my life is perfect place.
Or the sticky countertops, sticky faces, but rolling on the carpet and giggling happy place.
Or the reporting for my RN shift place.
Or the making a casserole for the lady down the street place.
Or the covered in flour, messy bun, kiss my husband as he comes in from work place.
But the truth is, those things are not a place. They're not a destination.
Because right now I'm in the working and saving for college place.
And the figuring out where I'm going to be tomorrow, what I will be doing, who I will be serving place.
And the preparing a lesson for my primary kids place.
And the throwing Bridal and baby showers for my friends place.
And the working all night and sleeping all day place.
They are all just living. And if I keep waiting to get there, I will miss the living, right?
And also, I have always thought I had to do these great things.
Like going to Peru and saving street children.
Or Africa for the sick and starving.
Or walk in Israel where the Savior did.
And those are all truly wonderful things.
But not requirements.
There is much good to be done in this place.

Bang Bang

I'm making you all a promise.

On my honor.

I will not cut my bangs.

Until I can tuck them all behind my ear.

Why? Because I have been trying to grow them out FOR THREE YEARS.

And I am not patient enough. I always cut them when they get to the too-short-to-tuck-but-too-long-to-style stage.

So I'm promising you all.

And you can hold me to it.

everything i need to know, i learned in primary.

Primary.

I teach Primary now. CTR 7. Turning 8 year olds.

Let's review my current life: I spend most of my time with babies 2 and under. When I'm not doing that, I'm with youth 14 and older.

It hit me today, while I was shushing my kids for the trillionth time, that I don't know how to do this mid-childhood age.

Um, help. Seriously. I need advice.

I was telling my mom specifics about certain kids in my class (did I mention there are 14 of them?) and the conversation went like this:

Me: "And Mama, there is a Me."
Her: "There's always a You."
Me: "Yeah. She's too smart for her own good."

Anyone who knew me when I was growing up, I would like to say thank you. And also, I am sorry.

BUT.
This is a huge blessing. Because I know these children are very beloved by God. He trusts me with them. And He loves me too. So somehow with love and trust it will all work out.

And probably a lot of bribery.

Of late

I feel a lot of happiness of late.

I've been running a lot. Yesterday, I went running in the rain and it felt incredible. So much life and gratitude plus the smell of rain on pavement. Also, I got to work out and shower at the same time! (Kidding. I totally came home and bathed for real.)

--Speaking of which. I have a newfound love for bath salts. (Not the illegal drug, the actual salts that you put in bath water.) They help my near-leprous skin.

Also, I've been working a lot. I still don't feel comfortable at work, but I like being there. I still feel like I have so much to learn and a rhythm to establish but I can see how clinical experience is such a big deal even if I'm not an RN yet. Last night all my kids had diagnoses I had never heard of before. One of my sweet baby girls had a wound that dehisced, meaning it broke open after it had been sewn shut. That was a new experience for me.

My Foster family was here, in Utah, after five years. It felt like they had never left, we just picked up a conversation that had been paused for a while. It made me want to move to Houston.

Oh yeah, except for the school thing.
And the my family is here in Utah thing.
and This

Anyway. I got them all to myself on Monday. We went to Provo to deliver the teenagers to EFY. We had lunch. We got shaved ice. We went to Target. It was wonderful.  There really isn't anything else to say except I love them and miss them with all of my heart.

Summer is more than half over. For the first time EVER in my life I wish it was longer. Usually I'm so ready to go back to school by now. Not this year. This year, I'm tired. Last year was yucky. I need more sleep. :)

For the 4th of July we went to a rodeo. My first one ever. Thoughts:
1. I adore cowboys.
2. I don't like watching equines defecate.
3. I REALLY adore cowboys
4. I need to rassle myself up some cowgirl boots.

And finally, I've been called to teach Primary. I love Primary. My kids are the turning-8 age group. They are a handful. But, I'm looking forward to loving them. I'm sure many posts are to follow on this topic.