Sisters

I just wanted to make a small tribute to my sisters today. I am oddly flooded with emotion as I think about them and the amazing bonds and friendships we share. We are all so unique and so different. We don't get to be together all that often, but, somehow, when we do, it's like no time has passed and we just carry on. I adore my sisters.

Charlotte Belle is so unique and so lovable.


Valorie Michelle is strong and independent.


Amber Dawn simply inspires me to be better.


I've had a lot of great years with these great sisters. Thank you sisters. I love you.

The Hap-Happiest Season of All

For real!? If it was warmer maybe. If everyone wasn't sick... MAYBE. I froze my face off yesterday. I got home after a long day of work and my house was 50 degrees. Happiest season!? How do you figure???

I make an official proposal that could not only actually make it the Happiest Season of all, but it could boost the economy:

LET'S MOVE CHRISTMAS TO APRIL!!
Just think of the good that would do the economy to have Christmas twice in one year -- we can't bypass the fact that Christmas is being celebrated now, but we can still move ahead with the plan and have Christmas in April. I propose... hmmm... arbitrary date... April 6th... what do you think??

Instead of celebrating a holiday in December when it's horrible to travel, too cold to go outside and all you want to do is sleep, let's have HIBERNATION WEEK. We can combine it with New Years -- hibernate the 29th-31st and wake up and party. I think it's the perfect way to ring in a new year. You know, I just may start celebrating this all on my own until it really catches.

So, yes... I will see you for Christmas mom. See you in April!!

P.S. I'm still totally fine with the much mistletoeing, though...

What came first...

the germs or the cold??

Everyone has the germs and everyone has a cold!! I successfully avoided one in Hawaii - do not ask me how! But I think one is finally coming on. It just may be my turn. :(

I just gotta wonder, how long have these germ been festering inside of me? The very thought just grosses me out -- kind of like the mold that was growing on the package of cheese in the fridge. I found it last night and promptly chucked it in the trash. I hate mold! Also, who was so kind as to share this cold with me. Usually, sharing is a good thing, but whoever you are, you could have kept this to yourself -- kind of like the owner of the cheese, you could have eaten it or thrown it away yourself. :) AH, thanks for sharing!! (I just wish that I could so promptly throw this out too.)

I hate colds. I hate it when I perpetually feel like I need to cough, but all I have is a scratchy throat. I hate the pain that builds behind my eyeballs. I hate the snot that runs down the back of my throat. I hate the draining sound I get in the back of my ears.

But you know what I LOVE about colds?? Getting better. I love the amazing reminder and blessing that it is to be well -- reminds me not to take health for granted. I should give praise and thanks to my Father in Heaven every day that I am healthy. Now... I'm excited to be 100% again...

Anyone got a box of tissues?

Just one of those LIFES...

That's a ridiculous title, but I'm having so much more than one of "those days" or "those weeks" or "those years." I am just having one of "those lifes." Lives... life... s... Bah!

I have had a wonderful life, to be sure. I often think about my amazing blessings. A lot of my blessings stem from great hardships. Let's just start with the biggest shaping of my current existence -- moving to Heber (a.k.a. Nowhere), AZ the summer before my sophomore year in high school. Quite frankly, up until a couple years ago, I only looked on this place as a cursing to my life. My family visited Heber a few times before moving there. We thought it was a cute place where people waved to you as you walked down the street. How quaint. Right?!

But having to live there was a whole different ball game. It was cool for the first few months -- when I was "fresh blood" and new. But things swiftly went down-hill. Friends weren't really friends. I started being the brunt of horrible and rude and tasteless jokes and various abuses. I didn't like where I was or who I was. It took me some time to realize that I couldn't allow other people to dictate how I felt about myself.

**Now, this is not a sob story... promise.. I'm just thinking out-loud, really. Mostly, this is for me. My personal therapy or something. Will save me thousands in pills and Dr. bills...** tee hee

My junior year was quite lonely as I had to evolve into someone new. I eventually found friends I thought appreciated me a little more. I can still remember asking a friend "What bothers you about me?" And she told me that I was too loud all the time. And you know what? I realized I was too loud ALL THE TIME. I still am. But I didn't need a friend who thought that. I know I'm too loud. From that time forward I never felt like I could be myself around her, I was always afraid I would be too loud. You know what I told her when she turned the question? I said "I just wish you could see yourself the way God sees you and the way I see you. You are beautiful." Haha. Oh well.

Ok. This is already longer than I intended... To make it shorter... In the loss of friends, I found my family. We went through A LOT of hard times in Heber. I learned to lean on my parents and siblings. I learned to love them and I learned to love me. If for no other reason, I thank Heber (and Heaven) for that. And not to mention... I have a few great friends from Heber (sure we hardly ever see each other or talk) that I hope to have for all my life. I think they know who they are. They are Heber's "golden jewels" whether they still live there or don't. I thank my Father in Heaven for opportunities to see the good from the bad.

NOW TO THE REAL POINT OF THIS POST:
My life is a cycle... a roller-coaster... But my roller-coaster is stuck on a REALLY BIG, STEEP HILL... I can hear the CLICK... CLICK... CLICK... and feel the CLUNK... CLUNK... CLUNK...
I really have nothing else to say about that right now. Just expressing my feelings...

Sorry for the long post.

Our President-Elect

I want you to click on this link and see who we've voted as our next president. He's a man. He is a regular person. He eats, sleeps and breaths. He dreams. Can you believe it?!

I may not have voted for him, but I will stand behind him because I believe in democracy and the power of the people. I am proud to an American.

May God continue to bless America. May he bless those we have chosen to lead us, especially in these uncertain times, to a brighter future. May we, as blessed Americans, seek to share those blessings with all nations and all people who are not as fortunate. I pray each day for our current president, W, and for our president-elect, O'Bomber, and for this great land that I love. Join me.

The return of me...

HAWAii WAS AMAZiNG!!

I don't really have time to write (considering I'm supposed to be working now that I'm back).

I'll just post a couple of my favorite photos.

This was one of my first "scenic" views. Amazing!

Watching the lava hit the ocean. No words.

Rain drops on everything in the rain forest. So gorgeous!

I love to take pictures of flowers.

And... another flower.


P.S. My toes are cold. :(