Day 189: Not So Silent

Aha:
Day 4 of 10 in listing 100 things for which I'm grateful:
Deceased People:

1. My Grandma Conklin (I must give an extra special shout-out for her.  I became so close with her over the last few years and am so thankful that I came to know her as a friend.)
2. My Grandpa Conklin, he was always very generous.
3. My Grandma Duff, she could never just sit still (always had to be cleaning or bleaching something), but she would drop anything for a hug.
4. My Papa Duff, he had some pretty crazy stories from his youth but he had the cutest smile.  He baptized me when I turned 8 and came to my graduation just months after my grandma passed away.  If any of us kids had any major event happening they would travel from several states away to be there.
5. President Gordon B. Hinckley, I never got to meet him, but his testimony and sense of humor really touched me.
6. Jesus Christ, although I believe Him to be risen, He had died at one point.  He is the supreme example of what I hope to be like someday.  He literally saved my eternal life and continues to advocate on my behalf each day.
7. My high school friend, Kelsey Harrington.  She was killed by a drunk driver at 14, but she still managed to teach me that death is not the end, but a part of the journey.
8. Walt Disney, sure he made tons of money off the commercialism of Disney, but his movies are a favorite in my home and his theme parks truly are magical!
9. Joseph Smith, for restoring the gospel of Jesus Christ and for translating the Book of Mormon.  Both of these things have brought peace and hope into my life.
10. Mary.  For her willingness to be obedient to the Lord and for bearing and raising the Son of God.

Ha ha:

Can't think of anything really good for today, so I guess this'll have to suffice.

While I was writing this post all of the dogs were passed out around me.  The big one sat up suddenly and started licking an itch on her inner leg.  As she reached down to lick she simultaneously farted.  I started to chuckle...that is until I got a whiff.  Not so funny after all.  (shudder) 

Day 188: The People Who Put Up with Me

Aha:
As I was getting ready to walk out the door this morning my nose started running.  Feeling a bit annoyed, I ran to the table to grab a Kleenex.  Good thing I did too, because right beside the box was my work badge.  I think this is one of the only times I'll say I'm thankful for a runny nose!
Day 3 of 10 in listing 100 things for which I'm grateful!
Living People

1. My husband
2. My parents (+ in-laws, Clinton's Gma and Gma & Gpa Wilson)
3. My siblings (+ in-laws)
4. My nieces and nephews (+ in-laws)
5. My adoption friends/support group (Amber, Emily, Christy, Carrie, Jaime, Jenni)
6. My coworkers (including Marilyn-who works in another office but is a great friend/coworker)
7. My best friend Krystal (a total rock and wonderful example)
8. My gal pals (near and far)
9. Brett Running (one of my previous residents who was in school for acupuncture and encouraged me to try it--totally changed my life for the better!)
10. My OB!  She's amazing!

Ha ha:

Conversation between Clinton and I when I called him this afternoon from work.

Me:  Hi, are you coming to get me still?

He:  Yah, that's fine, but when we get home I'll need to finish studying.

Me:  Oh, don't worry about it then.  Just finish your studying and I'll walk home.

He:  Are you sure?

Me:  Yes.  I'll just walk so you can finish up.

He:  Are you going to be upset?

Me:  No.  It's okay, really.

He:  Is this a trick?  Are you saying you're fine but are actually mad?

Me:  I promise.  See you soon.

He:  (hesitant)...Ok...bye...

After hanging up, I thought, Oh dear.  I must have really put him through the ringer a few times if thinks my saying "I'm fine" is a trick!!

Ladies, I'm sure we've all done this before.  Let's perhaps be a little easier on the poor chaps we call our husbands, huh?  LOL!

Day 187: I am a Material and Giggly Girl

Aha:
Day 2 of 10 of 100 things for which I'm grateful!
Material Possessions:

1. Computer
2. Cell phone (with texting, scriptures, video and regular camera abilities)
3. Piano/microphone
4. Car (even though it's a FORD)
5. My baby blanket (yes...it made it to the list)
6. My wedding ring
7. My orthotics (makes wearing cute shoes possible again!)
8. Cute clothes and shoes/styling stuff in general (hair tools and make-up)
9. Popcorn popper
10. My EMU boots (only thing that keeps my piggies warm)

Ha ha:

I had the giggles SO BAD at work today.  I'm not really sure why, or where it all came from, but there was an embarrassing amount of time in which I could not stop laughing.  It all started when my coworker mentioned how cold it was in the room.  Not sure if it was the way she said it, or because I agreed or what, but either way I found it to be hysterical.

At first I kept the giggles to myself.  Biting my lip and blowing air through my nose seemed to work for a moment, but I simply couldn't keep it in.  Finally I just started laughing out loud (out of the middle of nowhere).  Some might think as I did, that this would suppress the urge to keep laughing, but it didn't.  It made it worse.  So much worse that my coworker had to ask what was happening.  Through short bursts of laughter I managed to apologize and tell her that I (duh) had the giggles.

Work resumed and I tried my hardest to keep the giggles to a minimum--that is until one of my other coworkers came into the room.  I swear, all she did was look at me and I busted up laughing!  Oh man, even now, I am laughing thinking about it!  Quickly, I tried to excuse myself and told her I had the giggles.  She sorta laughed at that, and I REALLY laughed at that!  (This was getting to be rather obnoxious and embarrassing by now.)  She told me not worry about it.

I think I could have been fine, but she began telling a story about how her commute went this morning after our bout of freezing rain (I totally fell on my hands and knees on the way to work BTW).  All she had to do was say, "I'm serious..." and the laughter started again.  Laughing to the point of not being able to speak, I began fanning myself and mouthed the words "I'm so sorry".  She started laughing too, telling me that she loves getting the giggles--that didn't help me stop either.  What was she trying to do, make me laugh even harder??  All I could do at this point was envision all the times I'd had the giggles and couldn't stop.  I had to get out of there!

After a 30 minute walk I finally calmed down.  I have no idea where that came from or when it will come again, but one thing is for certain--I'm wearing Depends to work tomorrow! 

(just kidding...I didn't actually pee my pants, but who knows what the future brings?)

Day 186: #9?

Aha:
So, I was actually reading my Ensign the other day and came across an article called, "The Choice to be Grateful" by Henry B. Eyring.  At the end was an activity that I thought was worth trying; it focused on helping us see how much we have to be thankful for.  The rules state to list 100 things, and to make it easier, break them into groups of 10.
Here is Day 1 of 10 in listing 100 things for which I'm grateful!
Physical Abilities:

1. I have one eye I can still see out of!
2. I can sing fairly well.
3. I have a high level of endurance.
4. I can catch something tossed to me (most of the time), even though I don't have depth perception.
5. I can cut, color and style hair.
6. I give really good back massages!
7. I'm not afraid to say "Hello" to strangers or talk to someone who may seem lonely.
8. I can play the piano, although I need to practice more!
9. I can make others laugh.
10. I can listen really well and empathize too.

Ha ha:
We have a saying in our house that we say when we are making an obvious point:  You know what I mean?  It's a phrase we began saying when Clinton pointed out one day how it annoys him when people say it.  Naturally, it turned into a "regular" at our place.  Now that this bit of background's been shared, here's my Ha ha.
Clinton has been eating all of our Christmas desserts--to my, sorta, dismay.  So, yesterday (while he was looking through the cupboards complaining that there was nothing good to eat) he begrudgingly told me he'd saved me a piece of pumpkin pie.
Me:  You can have it, but I'll want a bite. (Pausing)  You know what I mean?
He just started laughing, "Of course I know what you mean!  Why would anyone not know what that means?"
Ok, after re-reading this, it doesn't seem that funny.  Perhaps this is one of those, "You had to be there" moments.  Oh well!

Day 185: My Turns and Returns

Aha:
1.  The dogs let me sleep in till 845 this morning!
2.  While I was waiting in line for a "quick" return at Walmart, Clinton saved us some extra time and got the few groceries we needed.  We left the store and made it just in time to the theater to see the new Muppet movie (highly recommended, by the way).
3.  Last night, just before bed, I was sitting with Petey on the couch.  I told him it was time to go to bed but he wouldn't budge.  I picked him up and he just let his body drag across me.  I slid him up to my chest (like holding a baby over your shoulder to burp) and he snuggled me.  I was in heaven.  He doesn't typically let me hold him like that for very long (not since he was a pup) and I no longer cared that it was way past my bedtime.  I held him there for as long as he let me.  It was wonderful!

Ha ha:
Was trying on some Jessica Simpson heels at Boston Store while I was out with Clinton.  Her heels are surprisingly comfortable--that is, if you try on the right size.  Anyway, Clinton bought me these for Christmas but I needed to make sure I had the right size.

I tried on another more-platform pair (see link above), but in a size too big.  I began to tell Clinton how comfortable they were, but as soon as I said "comfortable" I rolled my left ankle.  I put the shoe back on and proceeded to roll my right ankle.  

Yes, nothing says comfort like ace bandages and tennis shoes.  I think I'll stick with the pair he got me...much safer. :)

Day 184: Clinton

Aha:
I mentioned to Clinton yesterday that I've not really had a chance to sleep in during my break because of our friend's dogs.  I'm used to Peter sleeping in till we get up, but these other two are not as lazy--any sound from us that could be mistaken for us getting out of bed and these dogs are up and moving around.  Don't get me wrong, they are super sweet, but my sleep has been a bit disturbed to say the least.  Anywho, I heard the dogs start to get up around 7 this morning.  The last thing I remember is Clinton shushing them.
A few moments later I opened my eyes, totally surprised at how rested I felt despite being woken early again.  I glanced at my watch and saw that it was 830 and Clinton and the dogs were downstairs!  That sweet boy of mine got up with them and kept them downstairs so I could sleep (having brought Peter back up to bed with me so we could snuggle).  What a sweet gift!!  Thank you, H.B.!!!

Ha ha:
1.  We are watching a friend's dogs (yes, that's dogS) for 2.5 weeks (yes, that's 2.5 weeks...I'm working on earning my celestial glory).  Anyway, I came downstairs this morning and found a tiny turdlet on my couch.  I yelled up to Clinton, "Honey, there's a piece of poo on my couch!"  His response?  "It wasn't me."  I couldn't help but laugh.
2.  My friends from Oregon, who now live in Wisconsin, came down for a visit today.  We took them to the Betty Brinn Children's Museum so their two-year-old could run around and play (although we adults had a great time too).  Anyway, we found this mirror and I asked Clinton, "Does this mirror make my butt look big?"  Ha!

3.  Clinton has been playing his new cello every spare moment since yesterday morning.  I ran upstairs to ask him a question and this is what I found.

 Here I was thinking that only kids go to bed with their new favorite toy, not Clinton!

Most people spoon with another person, not Clinton!

Day 183: Christmas Sayings

Aha:

Here are two signs their five-year-old made for us: "From Kailey, Love you!" 

"Kailey, Mom and Dad Welcome You Sister Logan and Brother Logan"

A family in our ward invited us over for Christmas dinner.  We ate and had a really nice time getting to know them better.  The wife asked if we would like to watch "Joy to the World" with them and I'm so glad we did.  It felt so great to watch a movie about the birth of Jesus Christ on the day it's celebrated.
Sitting there in their living room, I felt such a wonderful feeling of gratitude and peace as I heard the scripture passages read and saw them reenacted.  Snippets of some of my favorite Christmas songs (sung by the Mo-Tabs) were interjected throughout the film too.
I am so thankful to have had this Christmas to think more about Jesus.  I feel like I have come to know Him a little better and I especially feel like I want to get to know Him more.

Ha ha:
WARNING:  There is a swear coming up.
It was my turn to make breakfast for the two of us and Eggs Benedict was the meal of choice.  I had my eggs poaching, my english muffins a'toastin' and my hollandaise sauce a-cookin'.  Feeling like I had everything running rather smoothly, that is until I got a little distracted by some mold on my newly purchased muffins.  I worked to tear it out and completely forgot all about my sauce.  I ran to the pan in a hurry and saw brown bubbles coming out of the top--it was burning.  "Dammit!" I shouted.  (Really, Dani??)  Clinton let out a laugh in the living room while I stirred and stirred as fast as I could, realizing it was OK after all.
Nothing says "Merry Christmas" on a Sunday like an unnecessary swear!  Sheesh!

Day 182: Christmas Eve Miracles

Aha:
Woke up to the smell of breakfast cooking!!  Sweet Clinton made me pancakes and hash browns--a real Christmas miracle treat!!  Thanks, H.B.!

Ha ha:
Clinton and I went to the mall.  He parked the car and said he needed to run in quickly.  I had another errand that I wanted to take care of so I told him I'd come back and pick him up.  Right before he left he said, "Now be careful.  There are a lot of crazy drivers on the road today."  I reassured him and he went inside.
The parking lot was FULL of cars and I was waiting for a lady to move from behind my space.  I noticed that she was a ways away from me and I thought I had plenty of room to back out and slide in beside her.  I looked behind me and there was plenty of space.  I put the car in reverse and slowly backed out of my space...CRUNCH!  Well, crap!  I wasn't paying attention when we parked (and apparently when I was backing out) and our space was a straight space on the very far end of a diagonally-angled row.  When I pulled out at a sharp angle to slide in beside the lady behind me I ran right into the parked car beside me.  Stupid, I know.
I called Clinton in a panic and he came out, looked the other car over and reassured me that I had caused no damage, thank goodness (I was going about 1/2 mile/hour after all).
I share this because of the irony.  He had mentioned the crazy drivers on the road...I had no idea I was one of them!

Day 181: Chri-stmas Memories

Aha:
We had some special visitors this evening.  Clinton answered the door and asked me to come there.  As I approached the door I saw two little faces and heard two little voices singing, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas".  They handed us a bag of homemade toffee (delicious and gone by the way) and a poinsettia plant!  What a wonderful Christmas surprise!!  Thanks Browns for thinking of us!

Ha ha:
Clinton reminded me of one of my favorite stories from our past this afternoon.  I'll share...
A couple Christmas seasons ago, we were out and about driving around on some errands.  As is typical year round but especially at Christmastime, I had the song, "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" (the Bing Crosby version) stuck in my head.  It seemed to be playing on and on inside my brain but I was managing to keep it to myself while carrying a conversation with Clinton.  Well suddenly, unbeknownst to me, I sang the backup singers' "Chri-stmas" part of the song (see the link above and start at :33 to hear what I'm referring to).  Clinton turned to me and said, "Where the heck did that come from?  What was that?"  I was confused, because to me, it made perfect sense--I had been singing the whole thing in my head after all!  Anyway, once we realized he was missing the majority of the song and how I must have sounded like a total crazy person, we both had a great laugh!  Now, whenever we hear that song we emphasize the "Chri-stmas" part and start laughing. :)

Day 180: You Deserve a Great Day

Aha:
Clinton completed his last exam of the "Big Three" rotations today!!  He said it went well and was the "easiest" thus far!  Pediatrics, Medicine and Surgery are OVER!!!!!  This is a day for celebration!  I am so thankful that the second half of 3rd year will be much less time consuming and enjoyable for him (and me)!  Yippee!  Hooray!  Hallelujah!

Ha ha:
Ya know how I mentioned celebration above?  What was Clinton's idea of celebrating?--a trip to McDonalds!...well, it was cheap, I guess that sums up my feelings about the place.  I do love their ice cream cones though!  Perhaps we'll do some more exciting celebrating during this Christmas break...we'll see. :)

Day 179: Music to my Ears

Aha:
These last two weeks have been crazy busy!  I have been so exhausted but had too much to do to be able to go to bed early.  Well, apparently, last night my body had had enough and I dropped into bed at about 845 and was asleep not long after.  I am sad, but SO THANKFUL that my plans for that evening--although I had been looking forward to a movie night with my girlfriends--got postponed and I could have a good night's sleep!  (sound of angels singing)

Ha ha:
I started recording my voice students' lessons so they have something to practice with each week.  I got everything set up for my second student and began warm-ups.  We warmed-up for about 15 minutes before I got up to turn off the recording for processing.  Feeling rather pleased with my set up, I reached down to stop it and realized...I never turned it on. :(  Do! (re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do...ha ha!)

Day 178: Eye Owe You One

Holy Crow have I been busy!!  These next couple posts will be sha-ort or I'll feel too overwhelmed to write!

Aha:
Thankful for a good coworker who's also a good friend!  She drove 15 minutes out of her way to drop me off at my friend's house so I could hurry and get her dogs picked up and back to my place before my client arrived!  Thanks, Lissa!  You were an absolute time-saver!!

Ha ha:
While I was blow-drying my client's hair I was also running my fingers through her hair.  Well, on the last stroke my finger went right into her eye.  I apologized and she said, "That's OK.  I was thinking of getting rid of it anyway."  We laughed and her eye was fine.  Phew!
Can't imagine what it would be like to have one's eye poked out!! ;)
(For those of you who don't know, one of mine was poked out when I was little, so I know exactly what that would be like ;)

Day 177: From Sad to Glad

Aha:
While I was visiting teaching one of my sisters, she told me that she was trying to find scriptures that made her want to celebrate Christmas.  She's not been a fan of celebrating Christmas since her mom died nearly 40 years ago.  I told her I'd share some of my favorites, but I'm wondering if anyone has any they would recommend.  I don't know that they need to specifically be about Christmas (I would think any scripture about Christ would do since He is the reason we celebrate Christmas), but if you feel like sharing something that may spark her desires to celebrate the season, I'd love for you to share.
As I've said before, Christmas is my favorite time of the year and knowing there is someone out there, of my own faith, that doesn't want to celebrate it is rather saddening.  Meeting with her though has made me think of some of my favorite things about celebrating:
Decorating, Singing Christmas Songs, Listening to Christmas Songs, Food, Goodies, Stronger Love for Mankind, Increased Charity, Kinder Words Spoken to Strangers, Christmas Lights, Reminders of Christ All Around, Giving Gifts, Getting Gifts, Time Off From Work, Time with Family, Nativities, Closeness to Christ and an All Around Increase of the Spirit of Christ in My Heart and My Home.

Ha ha:
There was one of those crazy tacky and ultra sexual BOD commercials on during a commercial break.  Clinton and I were making fun of it the whole time.  A few moments later I hear Clinton say (like they do in the commercial), "Hot BOD" to himself.  I laughed out loud and told him I was going to blog about him singing the "Hot BOD" song.  He turned to me and asked, "What hot dog song?".  Once I clarified, we had a pretty good laugh over that one.

Day 176: Hot and Cold

Aha:
There was a scripture shared in Sunday School from Revelation 3: 15-16 that I had never really noticed or thought of before.

15 I know thy ^aworks, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

 16 So then because thou art ^alukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will ^bspue thee out of my mouth.

The teacher went on to clarify that the Lord is asking for our all or nothing.  He said this scripture makes him think, "What am I lukewarm with?  Where do I have room for improvement"  This got me thinking too.
I know full-well that the Lord is not expecting me to be perfect, if He were I'd be screwed, but I do know that He wants me to put forth my best efforts.  That is something I can control and something I can evaluate from time to time.  Where am I lukewarm?  Where am I cold?
Anyway, I thought this was a neat thought and decided to share it.  Hope it made you think too. :)

Ha ha:
Hope this doesn't offend anyone, but I thought it was too funny not to share!

A friend of mine posted the following on FaceBook:
Ok, so I just can't stop thinking about this John Tesh sax album my brother and sister in law sent us, "Sax on the Beach". Chad and I came up with a boat load more choice album titles that will thrill audiences for years to come: Casual Sax, Elevator Sax, Dirty Sax, Cyber Sax, Phone Sax . 
I couldn't help but pass this up (as I was getting ready for church, mind you) so I posted the following:
Let's not forget other classics such as: I Want to Sax You Up, Let's Talk About Sax, Last Friday Night (I Played my Saxophone), I'm Too Saxy, and I'm Bringing Saxy Back.
Then she posted:
Unprotected Sax, Premarital sax, Sax-ually Transmitted Diseases. . . Oh man, this is just TOO EASY
Then another posted:
Our favorite is Sax by the Fire...the cover is just a sax and a fireplace! :)


Ha ha!

Day 175: Singing and Seniors

Aha:
I had the chance to go caroling at a retirement center nearby with some other ward members.  There were only 5 of us to start and only 5 people to sing for, but it felt great nonetheless.  I loved watching the residents' eyes light up and their lips starting to move along with the words when one of their favorites came up.  I don't know, there's just something special about singing that can really bring people together.  By the end of our half hour, 2 other families showed up to sing and another resident came by to listen.  We had a really nice thing going on!
When all the singing was done, we visited with them for another half hour or so.  I even learned that one of the ladies I visited used to be a member of our church!  Small world!
Anyway, I just was grateful that I got out of my bed, postponed my bathroom cleaning till later, and got out the door to go sing.  It made me forget my troubles for a while and helped me to focus on others.  I love this time of year!!

Ha ha:
One of the ladies I spoke with said she really enjoyed hearing us sing.  I thanked her and asked if she was a singer herself.  She said, "Oh no.  I don't sing, but I listen and appreciate very well!  Every performer needs an audience or they'd have no one to perform for!"  I told her that was very true.  She started to reply about something, but right as she did, a little drop of spit flew from her mouth and landed softly on my lip...needless to say I got a little distracted and don't remember anything else from the rest of that conversation.

Day 174: Crack Me Up

Aha/Ha ha:
Clinton and I went to the Nutcracker for the first time on Friday.  We were both afraid that ballet was going to be so boring, but we actually really enjoyed it.
This could come across wrong, so I will clarify that I share this story not to make fun, but to show that it is possible to find humor in all things and that doing so can make a rough situation less rough.
There was a group of special needs adults sitting behind us.  There was one point during the show when some dancers were doing some rather amazing moves.  Everyone in the audience was totally in awe, but this one lady behind us kept chuckling at all the wrong moments.  Some people turned around, obviously annoyed, but we felt that if she thought something was funny we could too!  We had paid good money for our seats and probably had a right to be annoyed, but we chose to chuckle along with her instead, albeit a bit quieter than she.
Thanks for the extra laughs, we had no idea the Nutcracker would be so entertaining!

Day 173: Quotes and Quips

Aha:

I hope I'm one of the stable few.

Ha ha:
1.  Many of you may know that my favorite restaurant is IHOP (classy, I know).  Well, lately I've noticed a lot of coupons for IHOP in the mail.  As I found another, I shouted up to Clinton, "I have IHOP coupons coming out the wazoo!"  His response?  "Well, you're not going to be able to hop too high with a problem like that!"  Ha ha!

2.  I was making, ahem, pancakes for dinner (and eggs and hash browns...I'm not a total pancake junky).  Clinton came down just as I was flipping my last pancake and I don't remember exactly what I was saying, but I think I was complimenting myself on how well my dinner was turning out and said something like, "I'm really good at making..." right as I was saying this, I flipped my pancake and it landed on the edge of the pan.  "Fudge!!" I cried.  Clinton, always-on-his-toes-with-a-quick-quip-Clinton, responds, "Oh, fudge?  I'd love if you made some fudge.  You should make some tonight!"
He, of course, laughed at himself, and I laughed right along with him. :)

Day 172: Innkeepers and Landlords

Aha:

Ha ha:
The other day I was getting ready for bed in the bathroom and heard the tub faucet running.  This has been happening a lot lately so I shouted out to Clinton to please email our landlord so he'd know he was paying for wasted water.  Thinking I was rather smart, I suggested, "It's probably just a washer that needs to be replaced."  I noticed the pun right as I said it out loud and started laughing.  "A washer in the tub!  Get it?!"  He didn't think it was as funny as I did, but probably only because he didn't think of it first. :)

Day 171: Cross your Teas and Dot Your I's

Aha:
I made a bit of a mistake and scheduled an incompatible room for a rather important meeting for this upcoming Thursday.  In my defense, this wouldn't have happened if we didn't get bumped from our regularly scheduled room by the Department Chair at the last minute, but that's a whole other rant that Dr. Forgetful will be addressing soon so this doesn't happen again.  Anyway, fortunately this was caught today instead of the morning of, so there's yippee #1.  #2, is that one of the only rooms available (which if I'm not mistaken was not available when I had to scheduled the incompatible room) was now open.  #3 the A/V people for all 3 institutions were able to work out the teleconference in advance so no technical difficulties will/should occur.  #4 yippee, and perhaps the best of them all, I was able to save face on this one and blame it on information I had been given by someone else.  Turns out, they had given me the right info, but I had misunderstood--something I didn't realize till AFTER meeting with Dr. Forgetful and the A/V people.  Few-ee!
(Just so you don't think poorly of me, I did admit this to the A/V guy and will tell Dr. Forgetful about it tomorrow, now that I've found a room and all is well. :)

Ha ha:
You know how most tea bags come with that tag and string attached to it?  Well, I don't like how it gets soggy hanging off the side of my mug, so I usually tear the tag/string off.  However, this time I went a little too slowly and ended up with...

Moral of the story:  Tear quickly!

Day 170: Crazy

Aha:
I feel so much better today.  After several prayers and apologies I feel like I'm in control again and can conquer the pre-menstraul witch.  I tend to struggle with my emotions around the arrival of Aunt Flo and this cycle has been no exception.  But I am so grateful for my patient and understanding husband!  He truly is the love of my forever and I am so thankful that he sees past my temporary bouts of crazy. :)  Love you H.B.!

Ha ha:
The moment I saw Clinton this afternoon his first words to me were, "Are you feeling back to normal today?"  Ha!!
Ya...my hormones have been that bad.

Day 169: Weaknesses

Aha:
Our lesson in Relief Society was on making temples of our modern day prisons, in other words, turning the trials of our life that feel like prisons into opportunities for us to learn and grow closer to the Lord.  The teacher played this clip by Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called Men's Hearts Shall Fail Them.  The whole clip was wonderful, but this is my absolute favorite part:
"To the individual who is weak in the heart, fearful in the heart--be patient with yourself.  Perfection comes not in this life, but in the next life.  Don't demand things that are unreasonable but demand of yourself improvement.  As you let the Lord help you through that, He will make the difference."
I needed this reminder today and I need it now as I type.  There are times in my life when I am so hard on myself and I doubt I'll ever become who I know I should be.  I don't feel worthy of God's blessings because I'm nowhere near perfect.  However, this quote has reminded me that I don't need to be perfect.  I don't need to be so hard on myself when I doubt or struggle or don't understand why I'm going through my trials.  I need to be patient with these weaknesses and focus on improving as best I can, and sometimes that might not seem like much, or enough...but the fact that I'm trying at all is what matters.  I don't always know how to let the Lord help me through trials, but I am so grateful that if I'm trying, he'll make up the difference.

Ha ha:
There were some treats set out by the teacher after her lesson on the front table.  She had made bags of white chocolate popcorn.  I grabbed one bag and began munching while I visited with a friend.  Without really looking, I grabbed another bag for Clinton before leaving the room.  When I found him in the gym I told him I had a treat for him and reached into my purse for the bag of popcorn, but what I pulled out was a snickerdoodle instead!  I must have had the most confused look on my face, because every bag that was on the table had popcorn in it.  (A recipe for the popcorn was even sent out from a recap of the lesson.)  I have no idea where that cookie came from...but I'm not really complaining.  They are my favorite after all!
On a side note:  Clinton did not get to keep the treat.  Snickerdoodles are my weakness.  My tasty, tasty weakness.

168: Wise Men and Not so Wise Men

Aha:
As Clinton and I were driving home after getting McDonald's ice cream cones, we passed by a neighborhood church.  Outside, walking along the sidewalk, were three wise men holding a map of some sort and pointing up at the sky.  At first, I thought to sort of make fun that they were acting while no one was looking, but then I thought...I'm looking.
It really was a neat moment for me to see these men portraying the wise men on the corner of a busy street. They were out acting in the cold but appeared to truly be searching for the way to the Son of God.  I have no idea if they were rehearsing or if that was their performance, but it affected me nonetheless.  I needed that reminder to be earnestly seeking Jesus Christ.
There are signs all around that point to Him (especially at Christmas) but there are times when wisdom is required to find Him.  Times of doubt, times of trial, times of loneliness, times of pain, times of pondering, and times of hopelessness.  There is no physical map that leads to Jesus Christ but He is possible to find through prayer, scripture study, service and love.
I did not realize how desperately I needed to find Him until this brief glimpse into history on the corner of a busy road, but how grateful I am to have witnessed it for myself--three wise men actively seeking the new born babe.

Ha ha:
We went to dinner with some friends at the local Applebees.  Now, I don't know about you, but I've never really thought they were known for superb service--and tonight was no exception.  Anytime any of us asked a question our server had to check with someone else, or just didn't know the answer altogether.  Sure, he may have been new, so we'll give him that, and he did refill our drinks regularly, but when our food was brought out to the table it wasn't our server that brought it.  It must have been bussers or another server, but either way, they had no idea what was going on.  This is literally what happened.
We see our food coming
The servers approach our table
They look at each other dumbfoundedly
We look at each other skeptically
One of the servers grabs a plate and looks at it with a confused look on their face
We start to say what we ordered, to help with delivery
The plate-distributing server mumbles in a bored, yet exasperated way, "I don't know where any of this goes!"
We exchange glances and desperately try to hold back the laughter

Another great date at Applebees. :)

Day 167: Dates

Aha:
I have been so busy and have had hardly any time with Clinton, it seems.  He was on call which means he could have been gone till the wee hours of Saturday morning.  However, I said a little prayer that, if at all possible, he could come home early so we could have a date.  I got a text at 5:38pm from him saying he was on his way home!  Yippee!! (direct quote from my response to his text)

Ha ha:
The Intimidator was talking to my coworker about some scheduling issues.  He wanted Dr. Simpatico to attend a conference one a date that would conflict with his clinical duties.  She pointed this out and The Intimidator said, "Don't worry about it.  We'll find coverage."  Overhearing this I calmly replied, "Don't worry about it--I'll cover."
This got a pretty good laugh...even from The Intimidator!

Day 166: Christmastime is Here

Aha:
I have been SO BUSY that I've hardly had time to enjoy this Christmas season.  Yes, I know there is still a bit of time before the big man comes down the chimney, but when you long for Christmas like I do you want to soak in as much as possible while it's still in style.  So tonight, while I made breakfast for dinner, I blasted Christmas songs from Pandora and my pancakes have never tasted better!
It felt so good to actually make some time to celebrate and sing along with Anne Murray, Elvis and The Bing.  I even got to do some Christmas shopping online (not that I got anything, but the gift juices are flowing...that didn't sound right)!  To top it all off, as I was coming back from the kitchen I happened to glance at my nativity scene and spotted the little baby Jesus.  This quick sighting actually made me pause for a moment to think about Him.  Amongst all the chaos of my busy week I stopped to think about the Son of God.  What a wonderful little gift that was to me.

Ha ha:
I found this quote and thought it was hilarious!
I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. Mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked for my autograph.
Shirley Temple

Day 165: Toe the Line

Aha:
My dad had a routine follow-up appointment today to observe the healing of a wound on his foot.  I received a text from my mom stating that my dad was going in for emergency surgery and that I should pray for him and her.  Of course, I began to immediately panic and worry about my dad's health and my mom's ability to cope with it all.  I said a quick prayer and waited for more info.
Turns out my dad got an infection and it spread to the bones in his large toe and part of the foot, although at this point I don't know how much.  His toe was amputated and there may have also been some of his foot removed as well.  He'll be in the hospital for about a week to avoid any further chance of infection.
I guess the "aha" in this situation is that the infection was caught early enough before it spread further into his body or his bloodstream.  This could have been really, REALLY serious, but I am so grateful for attentive doctors and good timing.  I hope and pray that everything turns out well.
If you don't mind keeping my dad (and my mom) in your prayers I'd really appreciate it!

Ha ha:
My mom said that my dad meant to ask if he could take his toe home with him but didn't get a chance before the anesthetics kicked in (no pun intended).  She asked why he'd want it and he jokingly replied, "So I can turn it into a necklace."
So grateful for a dad that can keep a healthy sense of humor in stressful times!  Love you Dad!

Day 164: Eye'm Starting to Get It

Aha:
There's a tradition here in the Midwest called "St. Nick".  It is on the eve of December 5th that St. Nicholas visits the children and fills their stockings with treats.  Well, my coworker brought that spirit into our office today and it was...a real treat!  We were each given a stocking filled with candy and the counters had been festified!
Anyway, this got me thinking about this quote:
When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time.  Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs?  ~G.K. Chesterton
I am so thankful to God for not only filling my stockings with legs, but for filling my life with so many wonderful people, a well-functioning body, my prosthetic lens (see Ha ha below), my job, my sense of humor, my testimony, my Savior and all the other many blessings He's made possible in my life.  What a wonderful time of year this is, a time when I can more frequently be reminded of my blessings and a time when I can speak more frequently and hear others speak so reverently of Jesus Christ!

Ha ha:
Ran into a friend of ours tonight.  We waved at him and my first thought was, we're on his blind side (he has a prosthetic lens too!) so he can't see us.  Clinton shouted out to him and he turned towards us, and with a totally surprised look on his face said, "Oh hey!  I didn't even see you, you were on my blind side."  "I knew it!", I said.  I guess it takes one to know one.  Thanks for making me feel more "normal" Matt!

Day 163: Two Birds

Aha:
I traveled back to Wisconsin today from my brief trip in Oregon.  What a blessing it was to be able to go back home and fill up on hopefully enough hugs, kisses and laughter to last me till January!  Each time I landed at an airport one of the stewardesses would welcome us to that particular city and then end with "Happy Holidays".  This statement, usually so generic and overused, felt so right and good to me; I had just had a wonderful visit with my family, I was on my way back home to my husband and pup, and it made me think of The Reason for the Season as well.  What a wonderful time of year--when people are so willing to wish others happiness!  I think I'm going figure out a way to do this beyond the holidays without it sounding weird.  Perhaps instead of "Have a good day", I can say "Hope your day finds you happy" or "Smile you later" or "Grin evening"...or perhaps sticking with "good day" is best and then I'll just finish with a big smile. :)

Ha ha:
I asked Clinton if there was anything funny from today that I could write on my blog and he jokingly threw his hand down, shook his head and said, "Uh-uh.  This day was a bore."
I got my laugh.  Killed two birds with one stone with one quick comment--Thank you, Honey!

Day 162: Below All Things

Aha:
The lesson in Relief Society was on "The Condescension of Christ".  The teacher asked why that was important to us and I replied with something that kinda surprised myself.  I said that because of His humility in condescending below his power and ability to save himself, He provided the perfect example of how to love and serve others more than ourselves, in order to redeem mankind--it is now our turn to condescend below our own pride and love and serve our fellowman, in order to be like Christ.
It just was interesting to think about.

Ha ha:
My mom, sister, brother and I were visiting.  As is not uncommon in our family, the topic soon turned to bathroom stories.  Our sides were splitting as the stories progressed and the time passed (no pun intended).  I'll share one quick one.
My parents used to have a pull chain toilet.  Ya know, those ones you only see in the movies?  Well, when I was about nine-years-old I used the bathroom (#1 only) and flushed the toilet.  Anyway, someone must have #2'd prior to my visit and clogged the toilet.  Well, unlike more modern toilets, this toilet had a serious flow of water, which was great when it was going down the toilet, but this time it came spilling rapidly OUT of the toilet and onto the floor where it then traveled down the floor vent into the bathroom and hallway below.  It was like it all happened in slow motion but there was nothing I could do to stop it.  Needless to say I totally panicked, ran downstairs to call my sister (who told me to turn off the water, something I'd not known to do), grabbed a bunch of towels and promptly started sopping up toilet water--upstairs and downstairs.  I cleaned for what seemed like forever and refused to flush that toilet for the longest time!

Day 161: And What to my Wondering Eyes!

Aha:
I had a chance to sing with my mom and sisters at "The Festival of Nativities".  Each of us girls sang a solo and then we sang a few songs all together.  It felt so good to sing together again, and especially songs about Jesus' birth.  Have a mentioned how much I LOVE Christmas?  And when I get to combine my other love of--music--with Christmas?...awesome!!
What a treat it was for me to walk around the building and see all of the thousands of nativities there!  I actually decided that nativities are my "new collectible" and have been slowly gaining them for the last couple years.  I just love having that physical reminder of the reality of Christ's birth; how humble the circumstance but how beautiful too. 

Ha ha:
My sister was working next to my two-year-old nephew at the kitchen sink.  She was cleaning a cookie sheet and decided to bang it against the sink several times in a row to get off the excess water...and surprise him.  I wasn't watching but heard her start laughing.  I asked what was so funny and she told me to "watch Sammy".  I got where I could see him and she did it again; each time she banged the pan, no matter how quickly, his eyelids blinked right in time with it.  Who knew eyelids could flutter so insinctly?  Too cute!

Day 160: Last Visit and Last Laugh with Grandma

Aha:
I had the opportunity to dress my grandma before her cremation.  I was honestly nervous and didn't feel comfortable touching her so I asked if I could hold her clothes while everyone else moved her.  However as we began dressing her I knew I would regret it if I chickened-out.  I made myself touch her and it was a wonderful experience.  I fully realized I was touching a body that no longer housed my grandma's spirit, but it was that body that even made it possible for me to know her spirit.  It was a complete and total honor for me to dress her.  I was able to hold her hands and stroke her hair, something I was unable to do before she died.
There was a wonderfully calm spirit in that room and I gained a strengthened testimony that our bodies truly are a holy temple for our spirits.
Again, how wonderful to have experienced this and how wonderful to know that because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, Grandma will again be reunited with her body, made perfect and whole.

Ha ha:
Before we went in to dress Grandma, my sister mentioned that although she wasn't nervous to dress Grandma, she would freak-out if Grandma sat up or burped (as has been known to happen).  We kinda laughed and the care-taker overheard and said, "I do this stuff all the time, but if she were to sit up or burp I'd freak right out too!"

Day 159: Good Investments

Aha:
My scripture reading last night randomly consisted of the prophesy of Christ's birth.  I had had a very long day (had been up for about 22 hours) and thought about passing on my scriptures for the night, but I'm so glad I didn't.  I only read a few versus, but it was such a peaceful experience to lay in my bed, snuggling my Grandma's mourning pup, and read about the miraculous event of His birth.  The Earth even had to know how special He was to display so many signs of His coming.  No light in the heavens could be kept from shining brightly the day the Light of the World came into it.
Reading such a wonderful account filled my heart with joy and I am so thankful that regardless of how tired I was, I picked up my scriptures anyway!

Ha ha:
I attending a very long, and oh-so boring seminar at work yesterday regarding investments.  After two years of employment each employee is REQUIRED to participate in a mandatory retirement investment program (I'm bored just writing about this).  Anyway, one of the representatives, from the FOUR companies that spoke, got up to give his schpeel and the moment he opened his mouth to speak, totally burped.  It was a quieter one, but it was a burp nonetheless! 
I'd like to say that hearing the burp made the 90 minutes of my time worth it, but sadly it did not.  It was funny though.