Awesome Weekend

I thought this should be documented somewhere at least. Oh hey, maybe I should do better at keeping my journal...Anyway...

This last weekend was amazing. We got to do Brittany's temple work. Kate and my Mom were proxies for her at different stages of the process. It was one of the most spiritual experiences of my life thus far. A lot of family and friends were there which made it even more special. After we did that my parents and Giselle were sealed, so she is officially ours. After the ceremony she saw me and was reaching for me from across the room. She's so cute. And she looked like a little angel all dressed in white. I know Brittany got to see it from the other side and she is very proud of her baby girl. Ever since this weekend I've felt a strong sense of peace and contentment that I've been lacking for this past year. It's as if things are official and my sister is finally at rest on the other side of the veil. And now she can continue doing even more work for the Lord.

On Sunday, Morgan and Wyatt were blessed. It was also a very special experience. I remember reaching my hand in the under both babies (at separate times obviously) and just thinking of how much love was in that circle as we welcomed those babies into the world. They truly are blessed to be in such a loving family. I am excited to watch them grow and to be a good uncle to them.

I will post pictures on here and my Facebook page as soon as I get them onto my computer.

I'm Graduating!

I'm going to be a big kid! Things are winding up for the big shebang on April 9th and 10th. I will be officially gradumacated on April 10th which is a Friday. This semester has been pretty intense and the teachers are piling on the end-of-the-semester projects.

I just want to take a moment to thank everyone who has helped me get where I am. (This feels like a speech at some award show...bear with me) First I'd like to thank my parents for being so supportive. They are pretty much the-bomb.com. It has been a long road to get to this point, and there were moments I didn't think I'd make it through. But my parents have always been motivators.

*big sigh*

And Kater and Rico. After Britt passed away, Kate still managed to graduate from nursing school. That is always a bright and shining example to me, and I've always kept that in my mind when school gets tough.

Mikey for being a great friend in high and low times and through thick and thin. You're amazing.

Matt Mellor, you are always the voice of reason when I'm freaking out. Thank you for putting up with my randomosity and my OCD ways.

Now I'm just going to list a bunch of things and people who/which have helped me.

My iPod: couldn't do it without it. In fact, I'm listening to it right now. It's helped me keep my sanity and pass hours in front of the computer working on projects.
Frozen burritos: Mmm...with cheese and ranch...
Bambino's: Gotta love 'em. If you've never experienced a Bambino from Rigby, then you are missing out and I pity you.
Monday night lineup: The Closer, Medium, Saving Grace. Yeah.
Country dancing: Gotta put that on here because of that one semester I went EVERY week until I got so sick of country music that I can barely stomach it now.
Girls: Not a specific one. Girls, in general, were sometimes the only reason I'd go to class.
My teachers: The Super Three especially...Sister Elaine Hawker, Sister Andra Hansen, and Sister Ellen Pearson. These three women were elemental in helping me choose my path and understand my potential to be a great writer. I'll never forget my long talks with Sisters Hansen and Pearson and Sister Hawker's quirky teaching methods. Also, Brother Allen who taught me how to read American literature.
Wal-Mart: Sadly whenever I will think of my college career, my mind will most assuredly conjure up my time spent at Wal-Mart. It was hell, but I loved parts of it. I got good at my job, and that gave me confidence.
Deseret Book: On the same note...I love working at Deseret Book though. It's pretty much the coolest job.
Sue/Susan/Nancy: The three ladies that I get the honor of working with at Deseret Book. I am blessed to have 3 more grandmas to talk to and learn from.
My family: All my extended family has been very supportive. It's been great, too, to get in touch with Kara again.
Movies: Good movies are always welcome.
Drives: I would go on rides all by myself up through the dry farms during the summer. I loved it. It's so beautiful. This was something I'd do to keep my sanity.
Phoebe: My car which has been reliable *knock on wood* and fast.
Bishopric: Bishop Radford and his counselors, Brother Brower and Brother Landon, have been amazing examples of strong priesthood holders. They have always been supportive and trustworthy.
Ward activities: Sometimes they were lame, but the good ones were always good.
Georgetown #1 Fall 2007: You know who you are. I cherish that semester simply for the bonds I made with my roommates. They were all amazing people, and we got along so great which is something I have yet to see replicated.

If you've made it this far, Congratulations and I'm impressed. I wasn't planning on writing a novel for this post. Oh well.

There are definitely things I've forgotten. I just wanted to express some gratitude and reflect on my education.

YEAH!

Daylight Savings Time

I have a love-hate relationship with Daylight Savings Time. Yes, I understand why we do it. I just hate the losing of an hour of sleep. It is nice, however, that we gain an hour in the winter. Also, the changing of clocks signifies something much more magical: the coming of spring and summer!

Gigi, I think, could feel the changes of the Daylight Savings Time. I went to see my parents today and she was super-whiny. Mom thought she was getting a tooth coming in. We had figured she was done with that. We couldn't tell what the problem was. She went to bed fast though. I think her poor little inner clock was all sorts of confused.

No worries, Gigi, I don't think any of us ever really get used to it.

Happy Birthday, Brittany

Today was Brittany's birthday. She would have turned 29 today. I took work off so I could hang with my family today. Even my Dad called in sick today (the second time he's done so in 9 years!) and my Mom didn't go to work. Kate and Rico got a babysitter for the babies. And Gigi was at her daycare. All of this so we could celebrate Britt's birthday. It was a bittersweet day. Bitter for obvious reasons. Sweet because we focused a lot on the good memories we have of Britt.

We went to Stockman's restaurant (a steakhouse between Rigby and Idaho Falls that was started in LaPoint, UT of all places) for lunch where we stuffed ourselves silly. After that we took flowers to Britt's grave. It had been a long time since I'd been to the gravesite.

After that I hung out at my parents' house for a bit then we got Gigi from the daycare then went to Idaho Falls. My mom watched Morgan, Wyatt, and Giselle while the Kate, Rico, my Dad, and I went to see a movie. We saw Push. It was a fun movie albeit a little strange. I liked it a lot (What does this say about me?).

We then went back to my parents' house where I gave them a picture I found at Deseret Book of an angel holding a young girl which very much expresses how we all feel about the whole situation.

I had thought the day would be hard. Parts of it were. Most of it was just nice and relaxing. Just the way Britt liked her birthday to be. We all turned down cheesecake for dessert at lunch. Mom turned to me when we were leaving the restaurant and said, teary-eyed, "Britt would have had the cheesecake." She would have had the cheesecake even if she were full.

Happy Birthday, Brittany!

Life of Pi

I just finished Life of Pi by Yann Martel. The beginning and the end were amazing. Getting through the middle was hard, but the ending made it all worth it. It was disarmingly funny, tragic, thought-provoking, sad, and beautiful. I highly recommend this book but only if you're looking for a bit more of a challenge. This is definitely not a fluff book.

One of the more interesting themes running through the book is irrational vs. rational. Pi is an irrational number and also the name of the protagonist. In the book he tries to reconcile science and faith. A conclusion he seems to come to is that you cannot explain the irrational with rational. I will not give anything away.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book are as follows:

"I can well imagine an atheist's last words: "White, white! L-L-Love! My God!" and the deathbed leap of faith. Whereas the agnostic, if he stays true to his reasonable self, if he stays beholden to dry, yeastless factuality, might try to explain the warm light bathing him by saying, "Possibly a f-f-failing oxygenation of the b-b-brain," and, to the very end, lack imagination and miss the better story" (64).

"If we, citizens, do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the altar of crude reality and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams" (XII).

"And what a story. The first thing that drew me in was disbelief. What? Humanity sins but it's God's Son who pays the price? I tried to imagine Father saying to me, 'Piscine, a lion slipped into the llama pen today and killed to llamas. Yesterday another one killed a black buck. Last week two of them ate the camel. The week before it was painted storks and grey herons. And who's to say for sure who snacked on our golden agouti? The situation has become intolerable. Something must be done. I have decided that the only way the lions can atone for their sins is if I feed you to them'" (53).

"I went to temple at crowded times when the Brahmins were too distracted to come between God and me" (71).

"How true it is that necessity is the mother of invention, how very true" (139).

"The voice said, 'I will not die. I refuse it. I will make it through this nightmare. I will beat the odds, as great as they are. I have survived so far, miraculously. Now I will turn miracle into routine. The amazing will be seen every day. I will put in all the hard work necessary. Yes, so long as God is with me, I will not die. Amen'"(148).

"Can there be any happiness greater than the happiness of salvation? The answer--believe me--is No" (234).

"In both stories the ship sinks, my entire family dies, and I suffer...So tell me, since it makes no factual difference to you and you can't prove the question either way, which story do you prefer? Which is the better story, the story with animals or the story without animals?" (317).


That is just a glimpse at the gems found in this book. Go pick up a copy and tell me what you think! Enjoy.

These are a few of my NOT favorite things

1.PLACE- Hmmm...I'd have to agree with Sarah on the Wal-Mart answer. Try working there for nearly 3 years. Yeah. Now I hate it cause I go there and spend money I don't have. Oy.

2.GAME- Risk. Enough said.

3.BOOK- There are very few books that I can actually say I don't like. I usually steer clear of books that I know I won't like. And if I'm reading a book I don't like I've gotten to the point where I can seriously just put it down and never think about it again. One book I wish I'd done that with was A Pyromaniac's Guide to Houses in New England. Something like that. It was a waste of time. No point to the story whatsoever.

4.SOUND- Beeping alarm clocks which is why I use the radio on my alarm.

5.TV/RADIO HOST- I'm sure this is sacrilegious but Glenn Beck annoys me. Not that he's not cool. Maybe I just get too much of him at work. We have "An Unlikely Mormon" playing nonstop there. Enough already!

6.STYLE OF DANCE- I love dancing! My least favorite is American style dances. It makes me sound un-fun but I don't really like swing dancing. I like the triple step, but all the other hootinanny I don't particularly care for.

7. CANDY- black licorice. nasty.

8.ANIMAL- Sharks. My most favorite is lions and giraffes.

9.TIME OF DAY- Morning.

10.PERSON- I don't like this question. Like I'm really going to say who I don't like.

11.FOOD- Tomatoes and onions are evil.

2. DRINK- I'm not a fan of grape sodas. I used to be when I was little. But not so much anymore.

3. BAND/MUSIC GROUP/SINGER- I cannot stand the Jonas Brothers.

4. SEASON- winter. give me spring, summer, and/or fall any day.

5. SPORT- golf

6. MOVIE- Eagle Eye is up there just cause of the gay ending.

7. ACTOR- the new Tom Cruise (although I have to admit he was back in his game in Valkyrie and Mission Impossible 3)

8. ACTRESS- Jennifer Love Hewitt or Sarah Michelle Gellar. It's a tossup.

9. TV SHOW- I agree, Sarah, reality shows are lame.

10. RESTAURANT - Perkins

11. CAR- I'm not sure.

12. HOLIDAY- Valentines

13. CLOTHING ON THE OPPOSITE SEX - those nasty snowboot shoes that girls tuck their pants into. If it's done right it's a pretty sexy look, but it can be done very wrong.

14. COLOR- Blue even though I wear it a lot and it goes with just about everything. I think I don't like it because it's almost becoming a neutral.

15. RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY- fishing

Valentines Shmalentines

So I am single on Valentines Day. Again. I don't usually care for this holiday and this year I'm particularly not fond of it because, yet again, I don't have anyone to call my Valentine. I was at work last night and overheard a woman talking on the phone. A snippet of her conversation made me think. She said, "I just don't think I need a holiday to make him feel special." How tender. I think she meant it as a rebellion against Valentines Day, but she is really only celebrating the purpose more vigorously by being so adamant against it. Does that make sense? St. Valentine was executed for secretly marrying couples. Really, secret love is what Valentines Day is all about. None of this huge display of affection stuff you see today. So...this woman at my work place was, in actuality, celebrating the true meaning of Valentines by keeping her love between her and her husband and not proclaiming it to the world with gifts and flowers and all that jazz.

I'm sure I'd be singing a different tune if I had someone to call my Valentine sweetheart. To an extent I agree with the woman I overheard yesterday. You shouldn't need a day set aside to tell your sweetheart that you love them and show your affection toward them. But what harm is there? I mean...really.

One Valentines Day a couple years ago I decided that I was going to send flowers to a girl no matter if we were dating or not. So I picked a girl that I had had my eye on for a bit. She was in my American lit. class. She was from Tennessee so she had this fun little accent. For all intents and purposes I was just doing this to be nice. I wasn't trying to make the moves on her. Silly me. I should have known that it would be misread. She thanked me for the flowers and then she was awkward around me the rest of the semester because she actually did have someone she was starting to date. Talk about feeling retarded. Oh well...I felt good for the fact that I was able to send someone flowers on that day.

If I ever feel inclined to do something like that again please stop me.

I really don't know what I'm trying to say in this post. Guess I just needed to clear my thoughts about this whole holiday. I support it in its true form as a secret love celebration with none of its hooplah. I despise it when I'm single during it because I don't get to partake in the joy of sending a gift to someone. But I do think it's okay to have a holiday set aside where you can pay special attention to your significant other.

So for those of you who have a Valentine this year, please, DON'T COMPLAIN! (*cough cough* Mike) It's falling on deaf ears here. I'm sick of hearing complaints because, hey, at least you have someone to call your Valentine. There are those of us who are painfully aware of their singlehood on this day, and we'd prefer to be in your place if you don't want to be.

Thank you very much.

And Happy Valentines Day!