Day 279: Taco Bell Date Night

Aha:
Clinton just finished his Family Medicine rotation and exam.  He said the exam was rather difficult, but was grateful to be done...and so am I!  This has been a very busy month for him and I am so glad to have him back for the weekend!  He is working so hard and I am so very proud of him!  Our date night turned into him falling asleep on the couch while I watched 2 movies, but just having him lie there, unconscious,
next to me on the couch was date-enough for me. :)

Ha ha:
Clinton and I went to Taco Bell for dinner last night.  No surprise here, but I ended up needing to use the restroom rather urgently (if ya know what I mean).  Anyway, when I went in, one of the upstanding TB employees was "cleaning" the bathroom whilst talking on her cell phone.  I thought to myself, "You poor thing.  You're about the hear something rather offensive."
Well, as soon as I sat down, I heard some rather offensive language coming from her!  Suddenly I didn't feel so bad about she was going to be hearing.  In fact, you could say for the first time in my life, I was grateful to be making lots of bathroom noise.  Before I knew it, she hurried right out of the bathroom and I was left alone in peace and quiet.

Day 278: Where's My Inhaler?

Aha:
I didn't get fired Thursday...even after the below incident.

Ha ha:
Thursday afternoon at work turned into a laugh-capade.  One poop or fart story blended effortlessly into the next--that is, until my coworker shared the one that topped them all.
She said she received a phone call from her sister the night before telling her about a near-tragedy in her husband's family.  "Did you hear my mother-in-law almost died last night?"  She was obviously shocked to hear this and asked what had happened.  Her sister went on to explain that her mother-in-law had suffered an asthma attack so severe that the paramedics had to be called for help.  When asked the cause of the attack, her sister said that apparently it happened when she was on the toilet with a really bad case of diarrhea--the smell was so terrible it triggered an asthma attack.
I know this is awful of me, but I laughed so hard when she told this story, we all did.  Of course if the story had a worse ending I would not think it so funny, or at least I wouldn't've laughed so hard.  However she is fine and so I laugh.  I laugh when I picture the onset and I laugh just thinking of it again.  I laughed so hard in fact, that my supervisor came out of her office to ask what was so funny.  And then I laughed till I cried while retelling it to her.  If it makes you feel any better about my inappropriate laughter, I hacked and coughed down my own asthma after the conclusion of that story.
I have smelled some rather potent poots in my life, but apparently none as tragically toxic as her toilet toots.

Day 277: Look Again

Aha:
Yesterday I had a bit of a panic moment at work when I realized I couldn't find my Visa gift card--used last on Saturday; it still had a balance of $40!  I looked all through my purse (nice and tidy now), in the bathroom garbage, my bedroom garbage, the bag from a store I went to on Saturday, my work bag, my pants I'd been wearing that day, Clinton's wallet (in case I'd given it to him) and all over my kitchen.  I couldn't find it anywhere.
I said a prayer, asking Heavenly Father to please help me find it if it was here.  I thought about it some more and knew for sure that the last time I'd seen it, I was putting it in my purse.  Even though I'd searched there already, I looked again.  I opened every pocket, pulled out every piece of paper and looked in every slot of my wallet.  No luck.  I looked in my purse and just stared.  Where could it be?  I've checked everything...
I had a little green notebook in my purse that had my grocery list on it from Saturday.  I opened the notebook and flipped through the pages until, at last, I saw my card.  Relief flooded through me and I said a quick prayer, thanking Heavenly Father for keeping the card safe for me and for helping me find it!

Ha ha:
I was walking over to the corporate offices this afternoon with my coworker.  At one point we stopped to take an elevator.  We waited outside for it to arrive and when it did there was a group of people coming off.  Without really looking, I stepped back a little to make way for them but apparently it wasn't enough.  Right as I turned around to make more room, a rather voluminous woman appeared out of nowhere behind me--didn't help that she was on my blind side-- and I ran right into her busty bosom (insert cartoon-sounding "BOINNNNG").  Ever seen those videos of people running into each other while holding yoga balls?  It looked a little like that, only neither of was holding a ball and our reverb was my running into her bouncy bust.  I literally sprang backwards and had to catch my balance.  When I came-to, I quickly apologized before hopping onto the elevator and laughing out loud!
How embarrassing!

Day 276: Rinse and Repeat

Aha:
I went down to the Children's cafeteria this afternoon for a soda and took a couple bucks with me to pay for it.  Come to find out that between 2pm - 4pm the sodas are only $.90 (usually $1.50 for a 32oz)!!  What a great little surprise!  This was such a great deal, that I think I'll do it again tomorrow!

Ha ha:
Last night I noticed our dishwasher had not washed the last load very well, so after loading it with dinner dishes I asked Clinton to turn it on before he headed up to bed.  As I was brushing my teeth I heard him turn on the washer.
This morning, I got up and opened the dishwasher to get some clean dishes for breakfast.  As soon as I opened it I noticed that several dishes were still almost as dirty as when I'd put them in but others appeared to be clean.  So, I grabbed what looked clean, rinsed 'em off in the sink and used them for my breakfast.
When Clinton came downstairs I told him that the dishwasher still wasn't working and that we shouldn't use it anymore.
He:  It wasn't run last night.
Me:  What do you mean?  I heard you turn it on last night.
He:  I set it on a rinse cycle.
Me:  When were you planning on telling me this?  I used several of those dishes this morning!
He:  (laughing) How was I supposed to know you were going to use dishes this morning?
Me:  Of course I was going to use them this morning, that's why I asked you to WASH them last night.
He:  So, you're saying you ate off of dirty dishes this morning?
Me:  I guess so.

Day 275: The Children Were Nestled All Snug in Their Beds, While Visions of Spiders Danced in Their Heads

Aha:
There was about a 15-minute period of time this evening when both Clinton and Peter were snuggled up with me.
I loved every second of it.

Ha ha:
Forgot about this until Clinton started talking to me about another dream he had on Saturday.  Here's how I was woken up a few nights ago...
Clinton: GAAAAAH!
Me: (eyes fly open) What?!
Clinton:  There was a HUGE spider that just fell on me!
Me:  (realizing instantly that he must be having another one of his arachnid nightmares--he always gets these around exam time or when he's stressed--, I say) I think you're dreaming, Honey.  There's no spider.
Clinton:  (starts pulling back the blankets)  No!  I'm not sleeping.  I've been sitting here wide awake.  I know I saw and felt it fall on me!  It weighed a lot!
Me:  Turn off the light and go back to bed.
Clinton:  (gets up and looks out the window for some reason, crawls back into bed and goes right to sleep)
Sheesh!  It probably didn't help that he saw a spider on our ceiling before bed, but if I'd known it was going to spark one of his nightmares I'd have gotten up and "taken care of it" myself!  Poor kid.

Day 274: What a RELIEF!!!

Aha:
We've been having a bit of a noise issue with our neighbors.  They are really nice people, but they are musicians.  They play all the time (I mean, full-on band practice with vocals, bass, drums, etc) and I was really starting to feel like I couldn't even be in my own home for all the noise.
Anyway, after many hours of band practice yesterday and then waking up to it again today, I'd just about had it.  I ran downstairs, plugged Pandora into our surround system, pushed the speakers up to the wall and turned the volume up almost all the way.  It sounded like I had the full Mormon Tabernacle Choir in my living room!  Believe it or not, I could still hear them next door.
I ran back upstairs, got my little cd player out from under my bed, plugged in some "Inspirational Music" cd (it is Sunday after all) that our ward gave out last Mother's Day and turned it on (full blast--on repeat) on the stairs in the basement where they play.  Finally some peace!
I turned it all off when we left for church (not because I wanted to, but because Clinton told me "it's ok to be the bigger person sometimes").  Anyway, when we got home Clinton received an email from our neighbors stating that my "little stunt" worked.  Though we have been telling them for months that sound travels too easily in our apartments and their practices are just too loud, they said they finally realize what we mean!  They even went on to say that they'll be moving their practices to another location next month!
Though I felt a bit vengeful when I blasted my churchy music, I couldn't help but feel like it was what needed to be done.  I felt like I was finally doing something instead of just being mad.  I did feel a little guilty though when "Love One Another" or "Because I Have Been Given Much" came on, but in the end everything worked out well.  I learned that I need to be a bit more tolerant of others and our neighbors learned that we weren't just a couple of whiney complainers.  We have a greater respect for each other and I think that's what being good neighbors is all about!

Ha ha:
I had a hair or goober in my eye during all of church today.  I kept picking at my eye to see if I could get it out, but no luck.  At the end of church I was talking with a friend of mine (who's husband needs an engineering job pronto--was unfortunately a part of the GE layoff, so if you hear of anything let me know)...anyway, she and I were talking and I kept blinking and winking at her.  I apologized and told her I had something in my eye.  She looked into my eyes, said, "I see it" and proceeds to stick her finger into my eye to fish out the goo.
With a little bit of shock, question, humor and disgust I said, "Um, you're sticking your finger in my eye?"  (I felt a bit like a baby who's mother digs gunk out of its eye).  She said it didn't bother her and when she didn't get it on the first try she went for a second and third go before I pulled back and said I'd get it when I got home.  Ha ha!
Thanks, Haley; turns out it was an eyelash covered in goo after all.

Day 273: Spring and Sack Lunches are in the Air

Aha:
I LOVE SPRING!!  I love to see all of the beautiful blooms and freshly-cut lawns.  The smells outside are all refreshing: cut grass, BBQs, fire pits and flowers!  Oh the flowers!!!
It's that time of year again when this half of the world pops with brilliant colors and sweet scents!  I am taking it all in and enjoying every pretty petal!  If you haven't been outside to see the beauty, get off your duff and enjoy the sights while they last!

Ha ha:
I took Peter for a walk yesterday around the neighborhood.  I came around a corner and saw two elderly women chatting up the road.  One of them carried a brown lunch bag.  You may wonder why I would notice such an insignificant detail.  I noticed, because it was the first thing Peter noticed.  He b-lined it from halfway down the road and ran right up to the lady with the bag.  She thought he was cute, called him a rascal, and then said, "You smell my food, don't you?"  He was pretty disappointed that she didn't offer him any, but alas, he survived. :)

Day 272: What I Actually Said

Aha:
Found myself in disagreement with someone and thought better of what I wanted/was going to say to them before saying it.  Instead, I told them that I needed time to think about the situation and that I'd get back to them.
Someone else's words don't have to dictate who we are or how we react to something.  Feels good to know that I can be in control!

Ha ha:
I got up to use the restroom at work this morning and announced to my coworker that I was leaving.
Me:  I really have to go to the bathroom.  I'll be right back.
She:  Ok.
Me:  Before I came in this morning, I had a huge drink...
She:  Oh!  I thought you were going to say something else that started with "d" and had to do with the bathroom, and I thought, "TMI!"

Day 271: The Key of G-eez!

Aha:
If there's one thing I really hate doing, it's dropping things.  Dropping my razor in the shower, dropping a cheerio on the floor at work, dropping my pen in the bathroom or worst of all--dropping my keys outside my door when my arms are full.  Well, tonight, my little "aha" came when I was standing at my back door trying to perform a balancing act with all my stuff in my arms while trying to get my keys out to unlock the door.  I pulled them out, got the key I needed and they started to slip from my hand--that is until one of my key chain rings caught on my little finger and I was able to get a better grip, keep my stuff from falling and get inside in one piece!
It's the little things, right?

Ha ha:
During one of my voice student's lessons tonight, I took a moment to talk about some techniques he could apply to help him switch from his low to high register.  What I meant to say was, "Do this and it will help you through your break" or "Do this and you won't crack", but what I said instead was, "Do this and it will help your crack".
I realized exactly what I said as soon as I said it and just kept talking, hoping he didn't hear me talking about his crack.  Eesh!

Day 270: Prayer Can Be a Real Mouthful

Aha:
Today's walk to work was accompanied by a General Conference talk by J. Devn Cornish titled, "The Privilege of Prayer".  I really loved hearing him speak so matter-of-factly about the blessings and benefits of prayer.  Here is a little excerpt that I thought would be nice to share--

"...[O]ur Heavenly Father loves us so much that the things that are important to us become important to Him, just because He loves us. How much more would He want to help us with the big things that we ask, which are right (see 3 Nephi 18:20)?....

Little children, young people, and adults alike, please believe how very much your loving Heavenly Father wants to bless you. But because He will not infringe upon our agency, we must ask for His help. This is generally done through prayer. Prayer is one of the most precious gifts of God to man.


We must not imagine that any kind of prayer, no matter how sincere, will be very effective if all we do is to say the prayer. We must not only say our prayers; we must also live them. The Lord is much more pleased with the person who prays and then goes to work than with the person who only prays. Much like medicine, prayer works only when we use it as directed."

Ha ha:
Writing the above made me think about our morning prayer the other day.  I had to be to work early for a meeting but was running a little behind so I ran upstairs with my breakfast in hand and asked Clinton to be the one to pray so I could finish eating.  I took a big, giant bite before he started and chewed through the whole prayer.  Not really sure how respectful or reverent it was (I mean, of course my mouth was closed and all) but I'm sure the Lord didn't mind too much.  I've talked to Him during showers and bathroom breaks, so I'm sure my eating breakfast can't have been that bad! :)

Day 269: Tooting My Own Horn

Aha:

Since I live so far away from my family it means that I don't get to participate in all the cool things that happen in my family's life.  Well, today I got an extra special treat.

My niece and nephew had their band concert tonight and I got to listen via my mom's cell phone (thanks, Mom!) whilst munching down a bowl of popcorn.  It was almost like I was there!  Although the sound wasn't perfect through the phone, what I could hear was fantastic!  I could not believe how GOOD they were!  They are in 7th and 8th grade but sounded better than most high school bands I've heard.

Way to go guys!!  Great job!

Ha ha:
I know my sister's going to hate reading this, but I took Peter for a walk after work while it was still 85 degrees outside.  This weather is absolutely unbelievable!  Anyway, on my way back towards my house I had to walk a little distance on a busier road.  At one point, the cars were stopped at a light and I noticed this guy driver was staring at me and smiling.  I sorta assessed the situation out of the corner of my eye and deduced that he wasn't jeering at me or anything else threatening, so I sorta looked his way so he knew I was aware of him.  He smiled even more.  This guy was totally checking me out!  Feeling a little flattered but annoyed, I looked back at him--straight on--and realized yes, he was smiling at me, but he wasn't flirting.  It was one of the docs from work trying to say "hello".

Day 268: Wake-Up Call

Aha:
It took everything I had to get up this morning.  There was nothing I wanted more than to call in to work and tell them I was taking a personal day however I knew I couldn't.  There was work to be done and I didn't want to just take the easy road and leave my coworkers hanging.  Well, I did, but didn't think it fair.  Anyway, I laid in bed for another 15 minutes or so and prayed and prayed that I would have the resolve (and good attitude) I needed to start my day at 6am to go into a job I didn't really want to be doing.  Fortunately my prayers worked and I got up and got ready and had a fairly pleasant day!  So thankful for the extra little push...I really needed it!

Ha ha:
I saw one of the nurses that I work with at Subway this evening while Clinton and I were eating supper.  Apparently she doesn't know me that well cause she said, "I'm surprised to have run into you here!"  Uh, I'm here at least once a week, shouldn't be that big of a surprise! :)

Day 267: Pride Cometh Before the F-A-L-L

Aha:
The teacher in Sunday School shared a quote by C.S. Lewis that I would like to repost here.  He said,
"Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man".  I don't know that I have special insight into this, but I thought it was really thought-provoking--just got me thinking/re-evaluating.   How many things do we do this with in our lives?   How do I view the things I've been blessed with, and not just material possessions either?

Ha ha:
Ever since I was a little girl I have loved to have my krelbow* (inner elbow) "massaged" (lightly stroked).  Anyway, I asked Clinton to do this for me today during Sacrament meeting.  He told me he'd do it if he could play with my bracelet first.  I told him he could play with my bracelet when he was finished massaging my arm, but this is all besides the point.
He started just sorta scratching my arm.  I said, "Why don't you try spelling out words for me to guess." thinking this would inspire him to be a little more slow and gentle.  It worked...sorta.
Here are the words he spelled...
P-O-O-P
F-E-C-E-S
C-R-A-P
D-U-M-P
F-A-R-T
S-C-A-T
Not exactly what I was going for, but me-oh-my my arm felt wonderful!

*Side note: I asked Clinton if there was an actual name for the inner elbow or if "krelbow" (what my family calls it) was the actual name.  He looked up at me and said, "antecubital".  "Oh.  No.", I said, "No one's gonna know that!"

Day 266: Downton and Out

Aha:
Um....we have been having UNBELIEVABLE weather here.  In fact, yesterday it was 85 degrees...in Wisconsin...on a Saturday...in MARCH!  Talk about Luck o' the Irish!  I had to take advantage of it so Peter and I went for a walk.

I intended it to be a longer walk than it was but, ahem...we both got a little too hot.  (insert angelic chord)

Ha ha:
I've been hearing many women talk about the show "Downton Abbey" but never really knew enough about it to decide if I'd want to watch it or not.  Well, I had a little down-time yesterday and thought I'd just give it a quick try.  4 hours later I had watched the first four episodes of the first season and was totally hooked.  Clinton came upstairs at 12:45 am and saw me quickly closing up my computer.
He:  What are you still doing awake?
Me:  It's this dang "Downton Abbey"!  I'm addicted!

Day 265: Knowin' You Can Always Count on Me

Aha:

Things I was grateful for on Friday--

1.  Gas-X

2.  That it was in fact Friday

3.  Tums

4.  Refillable drinks

5.  Friends

Ha ha:

Clinton and I went to Noodles & Co. for dinner on Friday before heading over to a friend's house for a St. Patty's Day party.  Anyway, I've been trying to eat spicier foods so that I'm not such a wimp when I happen to eat something spicy but I guess I made mine a little too spicy and ended up needing to (urgently) use my friend's bathroom when we got to their place.  

I looked all over for an air freshener or some matches but couldn't easily find anything.  Eventually I spotted a dusty can of Airwick and sprayed like there was no tomorrow.  I could tell it wasn't perfect, and just hoped that no one would be going in right after me.  Sure enough, my friend got up right when I came out.  When she came back, I apologized.

Me:  Sorry, Chels.  I tried to get rid of it, but I don't think you're air freshener works very well.

She:  No worries!  That's what bathrooms are for!

(Que sappy music)

No, I thought, that's what friends are for!

Day 264: Living Life to It's Fullest

Aha:
Sadly, I received a notice yesterday that someone at my work passed away unexpectedly while on the job.  I had never met her, but I only heard wonderful things about her and my heart goes out to her grieving husband (also works at the hospital) and their family.
I wanted to include a portion of the letter the Chaplain wrote about this sweet lady.  It really touched my heart and made me think a bit more about who I am and how I can better live my life.
"I suspect many of you all are going to be checking in and checking on each other a bit more, at least temporarily. That’s a blessing. And all of us have had a moment in these past days when we’ve thought or said out loud, “Wow, I’ve got a lot to be thankful for.  There’s a lot I’ve maybe taken for granted.” That’s a blessing. And how powerful has it been to see people cross all of our boundaries of authority and organization, and reach out to the humanity that we all share no matter what our position on the corporate ladder. How powerful to realize that, when it comes down to it, we are all beholden to each other for the abundance of our life.

And finally what a witness that we have seen that a life lived well can have on everyone else’s life. That’s an opportunity we each of us still has, to live a life that witnesses to those around us the goodness of being a good person, doing the best with what is before us, taking time to share that with others and seek that in others. Thank you for that, Janet. Thank you."

Doesn't that just make you want to make a difference?  What a wonderful tribute!

Ha ha:

Clinton has a tradition of going to McDonald's with his friends on Thursdays for lunch.  One of his McDonald's-going-buddies' wife, who's also my coworker, was having a baby shower at work today, so I asked him if he wanted to skip McDonald's this week and come to the shower instead.  I told him there'd be plenty of free, delicious food and he could still visit with his friend.  What was his response?  "Are they serving Chicken McNuggets?"

Day 263: Warm Fuzzies

Aha:
I was contacted by a friend of mine out of the blue yesterday and we talked on the phone for well over an hour.  Our conversation was all over the place, but it was so nice to just sit and chat.  We live a long ways from each other but I am so thankful for technology that allows us to stay close.  Thank you Larinda, for thinking of me and I will love you forever!

Ha ha:
The weather here has been AMAZING!!!  75 degrees yesterday and I was stuck in my office.  That is, until I told everyone I'd "be back in a minute" and then I went outside, strategically dodged the goose poop and sat on the sidewalk to bask in the warmth of the shining sun!  Oh, it felt so good.  The best part?  25 minutes away from my desk.

Day 262: What a Relief!

Aha:
My visiting teachers came and shared a brief message with me (and my hair client--see below).  I thought I'd have a quick copout and copy/paste this spiritual thought for today...
Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president, said: “As daughters of God, you are preparing for eternal designations, and each of you has a female identity, nature, and responsibility. The success of families, communities, this Church, and the precious plan of salvation is dependent on your faithfulness. … [Our Heavenly Father] intended Relief Society to help build His people and prepare them for the blessings of the temple. He established [Relief Society] to align His daughters with His work and to enlist their help in building His kingdom and strengthening the homes of Zion.”¹
I know that I am thankful for RS in my life!  I have really come to depend on my "sisters" here in Wisconsin while being away from my family back home and am so thankful to know that no matter where I am in the world, I can always depend on my RS sisters!

Ha ha:
I had a client come over for a hair cut/color on Tuesday.  Towards the end of her appointment I heard our back doorbell ring and noticed it was my visiting teachers.  Feeling embarrassed that I'd forgotten about scheduling an appointment, I apologized.
Me:  I'm so sorry.  I don't even remember finalizing this.
She:  That's because we never did.  Sorry to just show up on you.
Phew!  We laughed and then they shouted-out the lesson while I finished my client's hair--blowdry and all (fortunately she was LDS too).

Day 261: Terms of Endearment

Aha:
I would just like to take a second and publicly state how thankful I am for the people in my life.  I have had many people stop me to ask how the adoption process is going and even though my answer's been, "There's not really much going on now.", their responses are always so positive and encouraging.  Some have either adopted (or are also hoping to adopt) or work in foster care and really know what this process is like, others are people who have been able to have children on their own but still want me to know they care.
Thank you for thinking of us, thank you for praying for us and thank you for continuing to do so!  Hopefully someday we'll be able to declare to the world that we "finally have our baby!", but for now, it feels good to declare how thankful we are to be surrounded by such wonderful people!
Thank you!

Ha ha:
I eat a huge salad as a part of my lunch every day.  Many moons ago, the delivery guy happened to come when I was eating and said, "Wow.  That's a big salad."  One of my coworkers told him that it's the reason they call me "Big Salad" (even though they didn't).  Anyway, now every day when he delivers our packages he says, "Hey, Big Salad".  He's super nice and all, but it drives me a little crazy.  This sparked a conversation though about the "nicknames" we'd been given when we were younger by kids at school, you know, the kind that made/make you think, Oh, yeah, that was REALLY clever!  Although we couldn't stand to hear them at the time we had a good laugh over them today.
Here are some real "originals" for my name:
Daniel Son (from Karate Kid)
Oh, Danny Boy (sung, of course)
Dan-Yell/Dani-Yell
Dani yelly, Dani yelly with the pink and purple belly (not ok to hear unless it was from my mom)

Day 260: Giving Our All

Aha:
One of the sisters in our ward gave a talk on the Atonement and something she said really stuck out to me.  She said, "What is it that God needs from all of us?--Just that, all of us."
We can give our all and he will make up for the rest.

Ha ha:
We recently had our dishwasher fixed and have used it twice.  Each time it's been used Peter stops what he's doing, his ears start twitching, he stares in the direction of the kitchen (from the living room) and barks softly or cries.  We reassure him that it's all OK but he can't relax.  Poor thing!

Day 259: Getting War-mer...War-mer....HOT!!

Aha:
Clinton and I woke up at 6 am this morning so we could get down to the temple and back home before the day was totally gone.  Our trip was wonderful!  I absolutely LOVED being there!  After the temple we stopped at the Distribution Center to get new garments (yippee!!), then at the grocery store and then came home.  What a great day!  We laughed together, had some insightful gospel discussion and just really enjoyed our time together!
When we got home I realized I couldn't find my keys.  I had been all over the place today!  So, I said a little prayer and kept thinking to check the bag of new garments.  I looked in mine and it wasn't there.  I looked around the house and the car and still couldn't find them.  I called the temple and the grocery store and no one had them.  Again, I thought to look in the bag of garments and this time took the extra step to check Clinton's bag too...sure enough, there they were!!  I grabbed them, said a quick, "Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!" to the Lord and ran downstairs to tell Clinton.
My need was fairly insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but the Lord knew how important this was to me and answered my prayer!

Ha ha:
Clinton and I ran to get ice creams cone from McDonald's this evening.  I stayed in the car and blasted the heat while Clinton ran inside to buy the cones.  As soon as he came back in he handed me my cone and turned the fan way down.
Me:  Hey!
He:  It's too hot in here.
Me:  Ohhh, I feel like I'm in heaven.
He:  Well, it certainly feels like we're close to the sun!

Day 258: Telling It Like It Is

Aha:
My niece recently posted on FB that a 14-year-old girl from her school committed suicide due to bullying.  My niece said, "I didn't know her well, it's just sad she couldn't see past 14".  I did not know the girl or her family, but my heart broke some.
Today's General Conference talk was "Love Her Mother" by Elaine S. Dalton and I feel like the following quote is an appropriate response to this tragedy.  She said:
This morning I would like to speak to our sons and to all fathers. How can a father raise a happy, well-adjusted daughter in today’s increasingly toxic world? The answer has been taught by the Lord’s prophets. It is a simple answer, and it is true—“The most important thing a father can do for his [daughter] is to love [her] mother.”¹ By the way you love her mother, you will teach your daughter about tenderness, loyalty, respect, compassion, and devotion. She will learn from your example what to expect from young men and what qualities to seek in a future spouse. You can show your daughter by the way you love and honor your wife that she should never settle for less. Your example will teach your daughter to value womanhood. You are showing her that she is a daughter of our Heavenly Father, who loves her.
Though the majority of my nieces are still quite young, I want them each to know that they are a daughter of God.
To My Nieces (and Any Other Girl/Woman Who Needs a Reminder:)
Girls, you are loved by God and He knows the desires of your heart.  He is your father and wants you to be happy.  He is always watching over you and will help you through rough times and will rejoice with you in the better times.  There is nothing, NOTHING you could EVER do that would make Him love you less and you can go to Him for ANYTHING.  You are precious to Him!  You have heaven in your genes and are destined to greatness (yes, life does continue on past middle school/high school and only gets WAY better!).  Be patient with the trials of life and know they can make you stronger if you turn to Him for strength.  I pray for you often, that you'll have strength to be good examples to your friends and that you'll know you are loved by this Aunt that lives so very far away.  People can be jerks and say horrible things, but you must be stronger than their words and remember that you are worth more than words can describe!  I love you so much!  I consider you each "my little girl" and I hope you will each never, ever forget that!

Ha ha:
Riddle me this #1--
What's brown and loose and comes on/out suddenly?
"Explosive Diarrhea"
Riddle me this #2--
Who came back from the bathroom at work today and (for some reason) felt compelled to admit to having the above to her coworker?
"Me"
Why do I do this??

Day 257: Moments of Enlightenment

Aha:
Another great day of listening to General Conference talks while walking to/from work.  Today's gem is from Elder Robert D. Hale's talk, "Waiting upon the Lord: Thy Will Be Done".

What, then, does it mean to wait upon the Lord? In the scriptures, the word wait means to hope, to anticipate, and to trust. To hope and trust in the Lord requires faith, patience, humility, meekness, long-suffering, keeping the commandments, and enduring to the end.

To wait upon the Lord means planting the seed of faith and nourishing it “with great diligence, and … patience.”¹⁷

It means praying as the Savior did—to God, our Heavenly Father—saying: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done.”¹⁸ It is a prayer we offer with our whole souls in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ....

When I was listening to this, I of course thought of my own trials and how hard they can be to bare and was looking for some uplifting words to inspire me to persevere.  Then this next bit came along:
Every one of us is more beloved to the Lord than we can possibly understand or imagine. Let us therefore be kinder to one another and kinder toward ourselves. Let us remember that as we wait upon the Lord, we are becoming “saint[s] through [His] atonement, … submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [us], even as a child doth submit to his father.”³⁶
The part about being kinder to one another and ourselves really stuck out to me.  We all have our own problems, but we ALL have problems.  Each of us is going through something difficult and if we can be a little kinder to those around us, in addition to being kind/patient with ourselves, I think the burden of "waiting" could be lifted some.

Ha ha:
I was on the phone with a friend of mine this evening and our call had some little interruptions from her kids.  Here were a couple of my favorites...
Friend to toddler:  Nipple!  That's your nip-ple!
Friend to toddler's older sibling:  No, no.  You don't touch it.  Leave her nipple alone.
A little later...
Friend to oldest son:  Hey!  You stop that.  Do I need to tell Mr. Smith that you're still having problems hitting your sister with a belt?
Oh my!  That was a fun and very interesting highlight into her life!  Thanks for the laughs (you know who you are)! :)

Day 256: Exercise Faith Vs. The Exercise Bike

Aha:
I've taken to listening to talks from past General Conference sessions during my walk to/from work and any other time I can.  One of the talks from today was by Carl B. Cook of the Seventy titled, "It Is Better to Look Up".  He said that after a particularly hard day he got into the elevator at Church Headquarters and pushed the button to a lower floor.  He was feeling downtrodden and found himself staring at the floor when another passenger entered the elevator.  The passenger asked what he was staring at and he replied, "Oh, nothing."  To this the passenger responded, "You know, it is better to look up."  With this comment Brother Cook looked up and saw President Monson pointing upwards towards heaven, indicating that in all situations it is better to look to heaven for help, comfort and direction.
Here's a small quote that I loved from his talk:
Experience has taught me that if we, like President Monson, exercise our faith and look to God for help, we will not be overwhelmed with the burdens of life. We will not feel incapable of doing what we are called to do or need to do. We will be strengthened, and our lives will be filled with peace and joy. We will come to realize that most of what we worry about is not of eternal significance—and if it is, the Lord will help us. But we must have the faith to look up and the courage to follow His direction.

Ha ha:
Ladies.  No matter how much you are sick of whatever giant/heavy/obnoxious eyesore-of-a-piece of furniture your husband insists on having in your living space--don't try moving it down into the cement basement by yourself.  Especially when, after hearing you fall down the stairs with it, he tells you he'd really like to keep it where it was, and then asks you to help him move it back up the stairs.  The scrapes and bruises are so not worth it--just take a hammer to it instead.

Day 255: Up Where They Stay All Day in the Sun

Aha:
We had 64 degree weather today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Once I heard how warm it was outside I suddenly found out I had to walk outside to go over to the corporate office. :)  Anyway, I wore my coat just in case the wind was too much and this is what ended up happening...

Best part?  It's supposed to be even warmer tomorrow! 

What's this?  A picture of me smiling, without a coat, outside!

Ha ha:
At one point this evening, Peter was sitting on Clinton's lap in such a way that his puppy belly was a little exposed.  Naturally, this inspired me to start singing a song about it.  Here's a little of how it went...
(to the tune of Part of Your World, from Little Mermaid)
Look at this pup,
Isn't he sweet?
Wouldn't 'cha think that his body's complete?
Wouldn't 'cha think it's the bod,
The bod that has everything?

It was at this point in my tribute that Clinton interjected and said, "I don't think I'd say his is 'the bod that has everything'."
Oh we are so silly.

Day 254: Play Time

Aha:
Sometimes you gotta just drop what you're doing and play...

Thanks for the reminder, Petey.

Ha ha:

The other day Clinton and I were walking through the mall and passed by Victoria's Secret.  There was an enormous poster of this mostly naked woman (no surprise there) in the window.  Clinton turned to me and said, "Victoria claims to have secrets, but it looks like she's not doing a very good job keeping them private." 

I laughed and said, "That's the problem:  It's all about the private parts."

Day 253: The Spirit of God, Like a Fire is Burning

Aha:
We had a FANTASTIC lesson in RS today about Charity.  The teacher wrote the word "charity" up on the board and then gave three brief definitions of it below:
Charity:
Love for Christ
Love from Christ
Love like Christ
She asked for people to share situations they've experienced in each of these categories and the spirit was so sweet and strong in that room.  It was a great opportunity for me to think about His love in my life and how it is ALWAYS there for me.
I'm looking forward to getting the notes from the lesson in our weekly RS email and when I do I'll update the post so you can catch a glimpse of how wonderful it was.  Thank you Sarah for all of your preparation, it really made room for the spirit to touch all of us!

Ha ha:
During Sunday School the teacher asked us to read a certain passage of scripture and pay attention to the characteristics mentioned of the wicked.  The scripture was 2 Ne 26:4.
4 Wherefore, all those who are proud, and that do wickedly, the day that cometh shall ^aburn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, for they shall be as stubble.
People raised their hands and said things like, "They were proud." "They were unrighteous." and Clinton turned to me and said, "They were flammable."

Day 252: Do We Have a Birthday Here?

Aha:
Saturday was my 28th birthday.  I can't believe I only have 2 years left in my twenties!  I still feel like I'm twenty-one (and apparently I still look like I am to all the people I work with, so that's good, right?)!  Anyway, 15 of our closest friends joined us at Red Robin for dinner and we had a great time!

We had pictures taken of all of us, but sadly they didn't turn out (anyone who was there that has one and wouldn't mind sharing, I'd love a copy!)
Thanks Jay, Matt & Kim, Porters, Hansens, Jackmans, Calls & Halls for coming!!  (And thanks Thorsthed's for meeting us at McDonald's afterward for dessert!!)

Ha ha:
If you know me, you know I don't like when servers come and sing their overly cheesy birthday songs to you.  Anyway, just when I was finishing my dinner I noticed one of my friends whispering to the waitress.  Oh dear.  A couple minutes later, sure enough the singers arrived however this time they brought ice cream.

The singing was terrible but the ice cream and the thoughtfulness in sending it was wonderful!  

Thank you Shawn and Hui Min!

Day 251: Celebrate Good Times...at Work!

Aha:
Here's the fortune cookie fortune I got the other day.

 I sure hope so!

Ha ha:
I walked into work Friday morning to find this...

Apparently Kelli intended to print 10 posters but accidentally entered 100 instead.  Needless to say, the office was very, VERY decorated!

Here I am with the 4-lb bag of salt water taffy that Kelli gave me for my birthday.   

I never knew I liked them till last week when she and I happened to try one over at the corporate office and now I have a whole huge bag of 'em!  Ha!

Day 250: Tickle Monster and Hungry Monster

Aha:
“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” 
― Mother Teresa
I had a little moment of insight, while walking the halls at the hospital Thursday, that made me feel a little differently towards The Intimidator.  I happened to be following behind him and Dr. Simpatico as they were escorting a visiting professor around the hospital.  I watched as they approached this little family with a two-year-old-ish daughter who was obviously one of The Intimidator's patients.  He completely stopped the tour, put his arms way up over his head (like a tickle monster) and ran up to her giggling before bending down and tickling her bare feet.  He got right down to her level, asked how she was doing and paused to speak with her mom before resuming the tour.
None of us are perfect.  All of us have our flaws.  But each of us has things we really care about and would do anything for.  He has a big heart after all and it goes out to all of his little patients.

Ha ha:
I was busy all day escorting the visiting professor to all of his various meetings and was completely exhausted and famished by the time lunch rolled around.  There was some pizza left over from his group luncheon and the second I brought it in to the office it took me about 10 seconds to grab my portion and eat it.  My coworker turned to me with a shocked look on her face and asked, "You hungry, Danielle?"  Um...yes.