Christmas Tradition: Episode 1

    My mom is pretty much the best, most creative, most loving, most bond-encouraging mom ever. We have a lot of very unique traditions, and I didn't realize how fabulous it is to have traditions until I moved away to college and people I talked to thought that our traditions are over the top. So, since I mentioned one in my previous Post!, I will expand on that thought and share one of our traditions with you: The Bells

When I was about 8 or 9, my mom heard of another family that has this tradition and she wanted to recreate it with us. So she purchased 6 large hand bells. They look something like this:

For most of the month of December, they sit on the mantle piece and look pretty and festive until Christmas Eve when the tradition begins.

This is how the tradition is supposed to work: on Christmas Eve, we all go to bed with a bell. When you wake up in the morning, you are allowed to strike your bell one time. If anyone else is awake, they can ring back to you. If no one rings back, you have to go back to sleep. You can't sit there and ring and ring and ring until the whole neighborhood is ringing back. When you hear six more bells ringing back at you, then everyone is awake and we can get up and celebrate Christmas. 

This is how the tradition really works: one of us quietly tiptoes into every other room until all six of us kids are awake. Then you go back to your own room and ring the bell, and magically everyone else is already awake and ringing back to you! Awesome! We can all get up now! My parents pretend they can't hear anything until we all march into their bedroom with our cling clanging bells, and then they force us all back downstairs until the video camera is ready. While waiting for the camera, we try to convince Nate and Abby that it is more than okay to STOP. RINGING. NOW. Because let me tell ya, those bells are loud.

Now that I'm older, I have developed a huge love for the hymn I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. Our churches don't really have bells, and so we don't normally get to hear the bells on Christmas Day. One line of that hymn has really burned in my heart this year after all the sorrow we've experienced in our country and in the world. It is: 

And in despair I bowed my head;

"There is no peace on earth," I said;

"For hate is strong,

And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

In absolute certainty, I reject that message. Yes, there is sorrow and pain and hurt in this life. There is also joy and peace and laughter and in my family, there are bells on Christmas Day. This year, those loud and lovely bells will mean something different to me:

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The Wrong shall fail,

The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men."

Post!

Hi friends!!

Henceforth will be a completely unorganized list of updates that some of you may find interesting. I find them so interesting that I cross stitched this entire post into a tapestry to hang on my wall as a sort of rough draft.

Kidding.

But I have taken up embroidery!! What is embroidery? Embroidery is something you do when you have no finals to study for, no internship hours to gain, and you realize that your Number One is leaving on a cruise for a week over Christmas Break. I'll embroider my woes into a shirt vest for him to wear when he gets back.

I saw a gas station selling gas for $2.99. It made me feel like an extreme couponer.

I get to work all night Christmas Eve and I am so excited. I get to hold little sweet babies all night on the night that we celebrate THE BABY. And also I get to wear clashing colors and call it festive. And also I get to be Santa for my patients. And also I get to miss out on the Bells. I should do a post about that tradition later.

Oh my car came back to me! In perfect condition! Not even the gas tank was emptier than it had been five days previously. I did have to pay a ridiculous fee though. Because that makes sense: someone stole your car, so you can pay for it. I laughed when I got the police report in the mail: "contents of located vehicle: misc. garbage." UM NO. Don't be calling my papers with educational information about breastfeeding and what to feed your infant at different ages mixed with homework assignments mixed with internship forms mixed with LDS.org printouts garbage. That is my life, thank you.
(Okay....there were also several peppermint patties, a crinkled and waterlogged Ensign, a bin of movies I plan on donating, an empty water bottle, and some flip flops...)

photo credit

What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger, Part II

Hi. How is finals week going for everyone?

Mine is okay. Did well on my Physiology final. Turned in my written final and the packet with all of my internship materials (Internship is OVER, my friends. OVER. SO weird. What will I do with all this time on my hands??)

Oh I know.

I'll shop for a new car.

Because mine was stolen.

S T O L E N.

In the middle of finals week.

What other stressful thing happened this week??......oh yeah. I came half a step away from losing my job. That was great. And terrifying.

So. I think I shouldn't even have to take my Stress Management final, because I am LIVING it. Yup. Managing stress over here, like a boss.

I think I'll go on a date tonight.

15 Ways to Get Fat

1. Drive your car to your next door neighbors house.
2. Butter
3. Paula Dean
4. Keep a stash of candy under your pillow and eat it as you fall asleep.
5. Never, ever exercise.
6. Bacon.
7. Eat 30 twinkies because this is your last chance.
8. Eat a whole roll of Tollhouse cookie dough as fast as you can.
9. Texas Roadhouse
10. Top Ramen
11. Deep fry everything. Even your laptop, because then you can lick your fingers.
12. Bring a camp chair to sit in while in line at McDonalds.
13. Never kiss anyone. (Burns 2 calories a minute, people!)
14. Pop tarts, taquitos, ranch dressing, and pasta.
15. Date Bryan Pistorius. Because he will be sweet and bring you oreos while you are studying and encourage you to eat them. Maybe I just ate 12. Maybe he is the best ever. He is the best ever.