Facebook

Okay okay...I did it. I joined up on Facebook. I am not sure what my reasons were...maybe just to see what all the hype is about. I will admit, I am the type that likes to keep in contact with people, but having 100+ "Friends" on my account is definitely not my goal.

So, one week into it....I am blown away by how many long lost accquaintances (they would be considered "friends" had I kept in touch with them over the last 10 years), have tagged me and found me! We are talking like 15 new contacts a day. I am sure this will die down soon enough, but I will admit another thing...how fun it has been to see what my high school friends have been doing for the last 10 years.

I went last year to my 10 year HS reunion, and saw a bunch of those same people. But, through facebook...I can now see their kids, read about their jobs, and see those people whom I have lost contact with from other grades.

No, this is not a public shout out for Facebook...a simple note to say that it has been fun! I don't forsee myself becomming addicted to posting and reading the latest on everyone everyday, but I do plan on catching up while this phenomenon is hot and running.

I wonder what people are thinking about me?

Sacrament Meeting

Jared and I were asked to speak in church yesterday. I actually really enjoy it!

I spoke on Eternal Life/Gospel of Jesus Christ and Jared spoke on Service. I especially enjoy "introducing" our family at the beginning. From our missions, to how we met in the mission, to our 14 moves, to our different jobs, children, and now what we are currently doing.

How thankful I am for the experiences I have had as a teacher, and now as the owner at our DB location b/c speaking in front of a group is not intimidating to me anymore and I feel very comfortable in front of a crowd. Not only that, but how nice it is to have people smile back at you when you are speaking.

I shared a story that was very powerful. If you can....read it.

It is from Elder Craig A. Cardon....read it until the very end b/c it has a different ending than expected:

I began my college studies at a university about 100 miles (160 km) from home. It was an exciting time for all the freshman students. Many were living away from home for the first time and were eager to express their newfound freedom from parental oversight.

I was on the university basketball team, and it quickly became known that I was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During the first weeks of the semester, one of my teammates invited me to a Saturday night party for new students to be held in the desert outside the city. I asked if the party would include alcohol and was assured that it would not. I felt uncomfortable with this response but decided to attend nonetheless. A blind date was arranged for me with the assurance that she had the same standards I had. My teammate explained that we would use his car.

That Saturday night we drove some distance into the desert and found the party. To my great disappointment, drinking alcohol was the principal activity, notwithstanding the fact that the legal drinking age in the state was three years above the age of most of the freshman students. My date couldn’t wait to begin drinking, along with my teammate and his date. When I voiced disappointment, they said I needed to “grow up and live a little” and that they would help me. I told them that I had never drunk alcohol and that I was not going to start then. They soon left me so they could join the others.

I sat alone, apart from the drinking and boisterous laughter, without transportation to leave, wondering why I had gotten myself into this mess. Later in the night, I saw a line of car headlights coming through the desert toward the party. The cars encircled the group, and then, as if on signal, lights began flashing on the top of what I then recognized as police cars. Many students attempted to run into the desert but were quickly apprehended. I remained where I was, perplexed by the developments.

The police began checking identification to determine the ages of the students, giving breath tests to those below the legal drinking age to determine if they had been drinking. When they came to me, I told an officer that I had not drunk alcohol that night or ever. He laughed at me, but when I firmly stated that he could believe me, his countenance changed. He told me that I did not have to take the test and directed me to drive my teammate’s car back to the university. Those who were underage and drinking were cited and required to pay fines. Some were taken to jail.

I, however, left with no police record and arrived home at about 3:00 a.m. on Sunday morning. Priesthood meeting in my ward began at 7:00 a.m. My alarm sounded at 6:45 a.m. I turned it off and rolled over, thinking for a few moments of all the reasons not to attend that morning. But spiritually, I couldn’t rest. I arose, dressed in my Sunday clothes, and walked to the chapel, arriving about 10 minutes after the meeting had begun.

As I walked into the chapel, my heart leaped as I recognized the back of my father’s head. He had come to visit me, unannounced. I slipped in beside him and sat down. He looked at me and smiled. Then, putting his hand firmly on my knee, he leaned over and whispered a message with meaning far beyond words: “I knew I would find you here, Son.” Simultaneously, Heavenly Father whispered the same message to my soul. I can’t adequately describe the love and joy I felt at that moment.

A few months later I was on my mission. A few months after that, I received word that my father had died unexpectedly. The message I received from him and through him that Sunday, however, has never left me.

What a powerful message that Elder Cardon received from his father about the trust that his own father had in him. His dad, although arriving unannounced, knew that he would find his son attending his priesthood meeting. How do you think his dad would feel if he had arrived and didn’t find his son in attendance? How do you think Elder Cardon would’ve felt knowing that his dad had planned this surprise visit, was anxiously awaiting a chance to visit with his son, and never was able to do so?

This scenario is similar to what I perceive our Heavenly Father feeling when we are sent here to earth. We are given opportunities to make mistakes, to repent, to learn from our lessons and choose better choices. Elder Cardon could’ve slept through the alarm, blaming his so called “friends” for his lack of sleep and providing a solid excuse to not go to his meeting. But, he had been taught that what’s even more important, is the fact that the gospel of Jesus Christ is more important than sleep. What makes a stronger impact on me, are the final words that his father was able to express with him two months before dying, “I knew I would find you here, Son.” Heavenly Father has that same trust in us, that same desire to share the Eternities with us, and it is up to us to wake up, put on our Sunday clothes, and attend that meeting!

Crayon test....

You Are a Yellow Crayon

Your world is colored with happy, warm, fun colors. You have a thoughtful and wise way about you. Some people might even consider you a genius. Charming and eloquent, you are able to get people to do things your way. While you seem spontaneous and free wheeling, you are calculating to the extreme. Your color wheel opposite is purple. You both are charismatic leaders, but purple people act like you have no depth.

What Color Crayon Are You?



I think my colors change as I change as a person. I can see myself as a yellow in many aspects of my life (warm and happy), and other colors come out in different scenarios. I don't feel like I am eloquent....I have a hard time expressing myself through words, and that is why I prefer emails where I can think things through. I also am not calculating at all, usually I just "wing it."

Back in college, I was a bit more bossy and ambitious. In the mission, I was very sensitive and emotional. Now...who knows? Is there a crayon for "workaholic?"

Austin's 3rd b-day

The INCREDIBLE HULK was the theme....Austin was in heaven! He has been running around with these crazy HUGE HULK gloves that he received for days now. Wesley is a bit jealous of all his new toys, but that is what big brothers do!

We had a pinata (a green frog was the closest I could come to being green), cake, BBQ, and presents of course. It was a bit rainy, but thankfully the mud came off easily on my floors. We didn't get off of work until 6pm, so it was a bit later than I am used to...but all the kids had a great time despite that "past bedtime" hours.

Happy birthday sweet pea!

My boys

Here are a few fun pictures of my crazy boys....church time, dress up time, silly time and soccer time!

Insomnia

There are several things that keep playing in my mind OVER and OVER again, like a broken record at night when I am exhausted and trying to fall asleep. If I do fall asleep, one of the kids may wake up with a bad dream, and then I am back to square one...trying to relax enough to fall back asleep. What are these little thoughts that creep into my mind?

1. Work: thinking of all the trainings I need to do each day, my employees work ethic, hiring new employees, phone calls to make, reminders to give, etc. I get very annoyed when I find myself doing this b/c work is the LAST thing I want to think about when Jared and I are both pulling in 50+ hour work weeks. ugh!

SO....I try to quickly change my mind as soon as I feel myself wandering into the DirectBuy world...

2. My baby: thoughts and concerns as to whether or not he is healthy, if he is moving enough, if he is growing, if I will be able to be his mother here on earth, etc. I think about the nursery that I have YET to set up (or buy any of our crib/dressers because we left it all in El Paso). I think about how I will juggle being a new mama again, plus a working mama and it worries me. I think about hypnobirthing (can I really go all natural again and enjoy it?), breast feeding, I think about entertaining my toddlers at the same time, I think about how I won't be getting a baby shower with this one b/c I feel so lonely with so few friends here in Maryland....

Which leads me to another thought....

3. My friends: My closest friends are in AZ and I rarely get to talk to any of them. With three hours of a time difference, we are always on opposite schedules. When I wake up, they are sleeping, when I go to work, they are barely getting kids ready for school, when I get home, they are at sports afterschool, when I go to bed, they are making dinner....and by the time it's even 11pm for me...it's only 8pm for them and they may barely be getting their own kids to bed! I miss them SO much. I get scared that we may be losing our close connection that we have shared for years and I feel jealous knowing that I am the one missing out here since I am the one that left and now feels so alone and isolated. I don't have any time to branch out with new friends here, working 10 am-9pm really leaves NO time for anything.....

which leads me to think...

4. Just another thing to add to my "poor me" self is the fact that I am also no longer working out! I am still getting set up to teach aerobic classes at the gym, but the reality is that I haven't been to the gym for a month now, and with a growing plump body, you can imagine the roller coaster of emotions that I am feeling with my soft, round body. I embrace being pregnant, but I am NOT okay when I am NOT working out. It's part of who I am and I need it.

So....I close my eyes once again, I try to focus in on a beach with crashing waves as I think of dream land, and I do my best to wake up with a positive attitude. I will admit, I am excited for this "stage" in my life to be done and over with. I know there are brighter days ahead and I just hope I can get enough shut eye to enjoy them.

Oprah

I am here in downtown Chicago with Jared for a DirectBuy "owner's meeting." Hard to believe that I am ever home to enjoy my home or my boys, isn't it? Anyway....we'll be here until tomorrow morning.

I came here two years ago with my BF Arianne Pearce...a crazy 24 hour trip here and back. I haven't had enough! I want to see more of Oprah!

I have one goal: Oprah's ticket lines open TODAY and I am going to get on that phone until I can HOPEFULLY reserve a ticket for her show! Maybe I could even get it for tomorrow??? Before we leave back for DC??? That would be ideal, wouldn't it?

If not...anyone want to come with me if I do get a ticket or two??
Start calling now! 1-312-591-92222

***** Update....after three hours of calling on/off, I never got past the busy signal! Can you believe it! Are there THAT many people trying to get to the show across the country? Better luck next time....sigh....