Peace

I am just so overwhelmed with a surge of emotions right now that I had to break tradition and write an entry on my blog during my lunch hour. Devotional today was inspiring and nostalgic. They gave away the Brigham Awards and the Circle of Honor Awards to the students that show committment to service and honor. Two of the Circle of Honor Awards are dedicated to my dear friend, Amberly Dawn Rupp. She was my dearest friend from home and passed away tragically in a car accident nearly 5 years ago. Before announcing who receives the awards dedicated to her, the University showed a film talking about her life and her dedication to honor. They showed pictures of her growing up and then a few pictures from the last few years of her life: one with me, her and an old roommate of mine at a football game and then one I took of her when she caught a fish up at Bear Lake when I took her to my dad's cabin in summer of 2000. I tear up every time I see that film and my co-workers always ask me, "Was that you in the picture?"

That experience coupled with other recent happenings has me in an uncustomary emotional state right now. But while I was driving around Provo, running some errands, I listened to a couple of Cherie Call songs. She is an LDS singer/songwriter. I don't know that I love all of her music, but these two songs (and one other) really ring true to me. I hope she doesn't mind me quoting some of her lyrics in my blog as they really moved me and gave me peace during my lunch hour today.

Holding On:

You can't keep a harvest moon, it fades away all too soon
And even the trees let go of their leaves much quicker than you'd ever choose
So many people say goodbye, I see those teardrops in their eyes
And I start to wonder how I'd live without love
And I'm glad I never have to try
Cause hardly anything lasts forever anymore
But there will always be a few things that I'm gonna keep fighting for

I'm holding on to my father's love
And my mother's faith in God above
She says "We believe in you," and "never give up your dreams."
When the whole world's letting go
I'll keep holding on

How to Move a Mountain:

When I was young I heard the stories
About the people who could make the mountains flee
And every now and then, someone would tell me
I could do the same if I believed
So one summer night, I looked out my window
And I closed my eyes and listened to the wind blow

And I tried to move a mountain
I wished for it to crumble at my feet
I tried one thing after another
but I couldn't shake a leaf

I never knew that the mountain
Had a lesson it would teach
Cause as tall as I got, I still lived in its shadow
I watched it tower over me
Till one summer day, I thought I heard it call me
So I closed my eyes and then changed into my blue jeans

And I learned how to move a mountain
It was harder than I dreamed it would be
But I set one foot down past the other
Till the mountain was under me

And I felt like I could see forever
When the truth hit my senses suddenly
This mountain wasn't nearly the first one that I'd moved
God had seen my victory
Every time I put my weaknesses behind me
And I close my eyes and let His mercy find me

I know how to move a mountain
I have to fall down on my knees
Then I get back on my feet and head on upward
Till I make it to the peak
And the mountain's under me

So that is what gives me comfort right now: knowing that there are so many out there that still love me despite my shortcomings--my parents, my sisters and their families, and many more. Those that love us are there to support us when everything seems to be collapsing around us.

And then to also know that hard things can be overcome and a lesson can be learned through them.

In director's meeting this morning, my former boss shared a thought with us that I loved:

• Be underwhelmed
• Be excited about life
• Say to yourself, "Next time . . ." not "If only . . ."
  
• Think
  

My Big Opportunity for Learning and/or Growing Up

So, in my other blog entry, I mentioned that finishing my quilt top was my MILD news for the weekend. Wanna hear what my monster-gonna-blow-you-away news is?

I made an offer on my condo/townhouse!!

Yes! My owner emailed me late Friday afternoon saying that he is going to sell the condo with all the furniture and everything. I immediately emailed my dad to ask him if I dared to be spontaneous and make an offer on it. And he said yes. So he coached me through how to do my research for it and then how to talk to my loan officer and then also how to negotiate with Adam. And so I did all of that this weekend. It is kind of exciting but scary all at the same time. So begins the negotiation time.... the owner didn't really like my first offer, right now. But these things seem like they should take some time so I am going to give it just that. I'm not really attached to the idea of owning it, because owning property and being responsible for a massive mortgage makes me nervous, but it seems like such a killer opportunity that I would be stupid to pass it up without trying. So we will see what happens. Time will tell! Either way it will be an awesome opportunity to learn something new!

My Quilt Top is Finished!

My mild bit of exciting news for the weekend is that I finished my quilt top for my snowman/winter wonderland quilt! I have been working on this quilt for probably 2 years now. Long time. I have to say that it is a piece of art! My sister, Teri, and I designed it ourselves, but we did base it off another quilt. It is so darling! It has brighter colors than any other quilt I have made, but it is wonderful because of it. (You may not think it has brighter colors--but it truly does in comparison to my earth tone colors of my other quilts.) So now I just have to put together the backing--and it will be so cute!

(Click on the picture to see the details!)

Mountain Biking is Hard!

I went mountain biking for the first time in years along the Bonneville Shoreline Trail this past Saturday . . . and it was hard!! Cary was sooooo nice to take me--he couldn't have taken anyone more novice than me. He took me up the trail (which was more like a little road) and we got started. I had to walk my bike up the first two hills, but after that I got better. Except when I would stop to catch my breath--then I would get light-headed. Ugh. I was so embarrassed. But it might have had a little something to do with it being like 3:00 or 3:30 in the afternoon and I had not eaten since 8:30 or so that morning. Kind of yucky huh? But, I've gotta start somewhere. So that is where I started. The last time I attempted to ride my bike on a trail in the mountains was with Erick in summer of 2002. It kicked my trash then too, but for good reason: the kickstand on my bike was pinching the wire that allowed me to use some of my gears. Sadly, I didn't have that excellent excuse this time! I am so not in shape for anything that intense, anyway.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter all! This was a wonderful, relaxing weekend. Lindsey taught a CPR certification course for a ward emergency preparedness activity Saturday morning and I got certified! It was very interesting and scary at the same time. Did you know there is a Good Samaritan law to protect a certified CPR person that administers CPR to another person? Yeah, apparently somebody sued the person that administered CPR to him for something (maybe cracked a rib or something)? Can you imagine?! "Yeah, thanks for saving my life, but I'm gonna sue you because you caused some minor problem by administering CPR." Ridiculous!

Anyway, I digress. I then went to a fun little Easter Egg Hunt & Picnic! Ashlee and her roommate, Suzanne, put it on. They hid over 100 eggs in the park for us to find. It was so fun. It was a small group of good friends from the ward. It definitely added to the festivities of the holiday. And then I went roller-blading up the Provo River Trail! 9 (yes, nine) miles round trip. Isn't that awesome?! That is how many miles I roller-bladed all said and done. It was so beautiful outside that I just had to do something up in the canyon and outside! I pretty much walked in my roller-blades up the hills though. I just can't get enough speed or strength to actually blade up the hills. Oh well. I really wanted to go skiing and use my last two free tickets to Deer Valley, but I couldn't find anyone that wanted to go. So I have given them to Lindsey thinking that maybe her and her mom could go this week while her mom is in town. I still have 3 tickets to Park City so maybe next Saturday??? We will see.

And then today was quiet. It was Fast Sunday! I just think that is much too much to do on a holiday. But I did it nonetheless. I actually made our family recipe for Creamed Egg Gravy and Biscuits Saturday night for dinner since I figured it was Fast Sunday today. It turned out really good if I don't say so myself. Yum. Although, I think I roll out my biscuits too thin. The recipe said it makes 10 biscuits and when I make it, it makes like 16 or so. Hmmm. My roommate, Linda, made a traditional Easter dinner for us: ham, potatoes, green beans, pineapple and then a Dutch apple pie for dessert. That was super nice and fun. And that is it. I kind of watched The Testaments with my roommates and friends. Nice and quiet Sunday.

And then a couple of last thoughts:

John 20: 13-16

"And [two angels] say unto [Mary Magdalene], Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master."

Luke 24: 5-6

" ...Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen ..."

President Ezra Taft Benson:

"No other single influence has had so great an impact on this earth as the life of Jesus the Christ. We cannot conceive of our lives without his teachings. Without him we would be lost in a mirage of beliefs and worships, born in fear and darkness where the sensual and materialistic hold sway. We are far short of the goal he set for us, but we must never lose sight of it; nor must we forget that our great climb toward the light, toward perfection, would not be possible except for his teachings, his life, his death, and his resurrection.

May God hasten the day when people everywhere will accept his teachings, his example, and his divinity, yes, when they will accept as a reality his glorious resurrection, which broke the bonds of death for all of us."

I Love to See the Temple

Tonight I enjoyed some peace. Peace only brought on by attending the temple. There is something so wonderful, so sacred, peaceful, contemplative, and calming about going to the temple. Every time I go, my convictions are renewed, my perspective is broadened, and my troubles are resolved. Questions, concerns, problems are minimized and don't seem so huge. I can return to every-day-life and conquer it after attending the temple! I am so grateful for the temple and the work performed therein.

Girls Night Out!

Friday night, my flatmates and I had a little Girls Night Out! You know you wanted to be there. :o) It consisted of going to Cafe Rio for dinner and then going to Wally-world (aka Wal-Mart) to buy ribbons. Jewels had been to Wally-world earlier that day and found some really cute ribbons to put in her hair. So darling. Linda and I wanted to be just like her. While at Wally-world, I splurged and bought the movie, Casino Royale.

Linda and I stayed up and watched Casino Royale. I was impressed. The girl was actually real and so was Bond! Bond actually fell in love with her and had a real relationship. The girl---she was awesome! She didn't put up with any of his flattery and womanizing. On Saturday, I watched all of my favorite parts from it.

And boy oh boy was he handsome. Mmmm. Ha! :o)