analynny

a Sunday morning

2012-02-05T10:30:00.001-08:00

Eamon has some awesome mad-scientist hair after bathtime. The light came in his window so gloriously as Andrew was dressing him that I couldn't help taking lotsa pictures. My boys are pretty handsome.

Marmee gave E the cutest church outfit for his birthday. On a whim last week, I tried it on him; I thought it wouldn't fit because he's almost 14 mths and the outfit is 24 mths. Well, the top--white shirt, vest, and tie--fit perfectly but the pants were very many inches too long. So we dress him in his jeans on bottom and the rest on top. Thanks, Marm, for the fun and cute outfit. I just love the tie on him. Here he is with it on last week:

grammas and grampas: all great

2012-01-29T08:51:00.000-08:00

Gramma wouldn't even let me do the dishes after supper. I stood at the sink ready to fill it with sudsy water, but she demanded I come sit back down at the table. I complied.

Dad ended up doing the dishes.

And watching my baby all weekend long so I could coach the swimmers at the meet.

Gramma and Grampa cooked a feast for breakfast as well. I savored my grapefruit, pancakes (with apple topping AND syrup), sausage, banana, and 2% milk. I felt like royalty.

They gave us a sackful, a bulging sackful, of potatoes and onions from their glorious garden.

As if all that wasn't quite enough, what sealed the deal was the surprise bottle of raspberries I found as I was unpacking our stuff last night.

I'm spoiled. Really. I'm so blessed I feel I can't return proper or adequate thanks.

By their fruits ye shall know them.

They are so good to me. Sounds like a primary song, no?

A bottle of raspberries. A tall cool jar full of the most delicious taste; it takes me straight back to Gramma Roth's kitchen. And then to her cellar. I miss her. I wish I could still go visit her and sit on her porch, made warm by the afternoon sun. I wish I could hug her and feel her arm around my waist.

I enjoyed a treat last night. I poured a mugful of those raspberries, along with the sweet red juice, and paired it with a graham cracker. Savored every bite.

Thanks for the lovely weekend, Gramma, Grampa, and Pa. Hoping to return thanks in some way by striving to possess as much goodness as you.

book report

2012-01-23T20:30:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite people and teachers, Chris Crowe, recommended A Monster Calls to me. I bought it off Amazon using the gift card Rachel and Ryan gave me (thanks guys!).

About this book:

Wow.

It hit very close to home. I know that's a cliche of an idiom, but really, with Tawna not doing very well and having digressed so quickly the last few months, it made me think even deeper and harder about life, death, meaning, love, letting go, and many other things.

I loved the book. To me it's very touching in an almost disturbing way--a way I needed at this very moment in my life.

The art is stunning.

Image found here.

"The New York Times" review may be found here.

today

2012-01-23T20:13:00.000-08:00

I miss writing here, in this space. Lots has happened the last two years of my life and that whirlwind, many parts good and a few parts hard, has swept me away from here. For some reason I also shy away from writing about what my life is now. But I'm going to try to get over that and post what I feel like posting and if it's too much of Eamon then that's just too bad because I spend most of my time with him and most of that time is glorious. He really is my sunshine, though sometimes he morphs into a bath monster, as evidenced below.

Today I'm grateful for: Andrew, Eamon, family, friends, my jogging stroller, sleep, food, my job, scriptures, our own little corner in the world, walks, snow, warm showers, prayer, family night, games, hot dog boats, and books.

my baby

2011-12-17T19:30:00.000-08:00

is one.

Hopefully I'll start writing on here more often,
but until then,
here's a little recap of E's birthday.

a case of missing

2011-11-13T09:41:00.000-08:00

because I miss writing. I'm trying. Really really. But the words just keep welling and swelling and I don't quite know yet how to help them out. I feel I've got to wait a little longer. A little more mulling. A little more walking, seeing, feeling, breathing, sighing, laughing, and crying.

So maybe some snippets will do for now because I feel the need to get something out, even if they're slightly old ponderings/thoughts/jots. And I write them here, as opposed to my "writing blog," because I feel this space has become empty with my infrequent writing. None of these words are particularly profound. Just ideas and words that perhaps I'll come back to one day and craft into something more. But for now, they are what they are.

One:
If you miss yourself it's either because you've gone too far or haven't come far enough. You haven't arrived at yourself. you're out of synch. Out of tune. Out. Out and out.

Two:
if I had rocks in my shoes
my heavy boots
I could walk to the bottom of the ocean
my chest would explode
but I wouldn't mind
because maybe I'd feel right at home

Three:
a bed half covered in books.
where is one to sleep?

Four:
How does one remember to always remember to remember and remember?
Remember the "bigger picture."

Five:
when we meet at Jesus' feet
pilgrims on their knees
weary
knees worn
bleeding

you endure
go and go
and go and
go and go

to the end.

so tired
you kneel in a heap

effort

it takes all you have to raise your head
from your prostrate position

but
yes

yes, you made it

come into my rest.

favs from the last week

2011-11-03T21:19:00.001-07:00

It's true, my world very much revolves around this wee one. I love how much time I get to spend with him. He has always been fun, but of late, it seems even more so. He makes the silliest faces and is still such a lovebug--now a bug giving very slobbery kisses.

personal history through 2008

2011-11-02T06:48:00.000-07:00

Not super in-depth, but a start. Trying to get back to writing again.

I was born to Shari Clark and Grant Paul Skabelund on a snowy evening (1 December 1982). We lived in Leland and then in Springville before moving to Provo when I began first grade. My memories through kindergarten are few, but I remember visiting Gramma Skabelund's often to play with my aunt Sierra, who, at only eight months my senior, was and continues to be my best friend. My brother Andrew joined our family in May 1985. I remember helping Dad with the garden at our house across the street from Grant school where I attended kindergarten.

More memories accumulated when we resided in our house on 900 East in Provo. My brother and I would walk down the street to the "cookie man's" house. He always had cookies in stock for all the neighborhood kids. Summers were full of trampoline jumping, bike riding, mud pie making, and storming the neighborhood. It was during one summer (1990) that our sweet sister Natalya joined our family. She was the cutest; at eight years old, I felt like a very big and good helper to my mom. I loved to read, swim, and play soccer. My mom read to us often and instilled within us a love of books. I attended Wasatch Elementary and remember riding my bike to school. I preferred playing with the boys over the girls; I would join them in kickball and basketball. I often was picked first for teams in kickball and was always happy about that.

We moved to the Edgemont area when I was in fourth or fifth grade. My parents bought a house along with a huge yard they planned to build a new house on. I loved our gigantic yard. We had loads of trees, many of them fruit trees. It was fun to have so much room to roam, but I despised the chores that came along with it. We had to pick up all the apricots and apples that fell to the ground. My brother and I played well together, but often got into fights. It wasn't until we were young teens that we became friends more than foes.

We moved into our newly built house and I loved having a nice, new, and big room. I attended Farrer middle school and Centennial the first year it opened. I had a hard time making friends since all of my elementary school friends were at Dixon. My best friends were in the pool and on the soccer field. I continued to love reading and would often stay up late reading my latest favorite book. I dreaded the start of high school; I was so scared and knew I'd have an even harder time making friends. I was lucky and blessed, though, with two great friends who helped save the last two years of high school. Melissa Kemp moved in my junior year. I knew she was heaven-sent when I found out she both swam and played soccer. Amazing. I also was friends with many foreign exchange students and made a lifelong friend my senior year with Arlette Riesen. She was from Switzerland and lived with a family in my ward that year. I was (and still am) so grateful for her friendship that year. High school found me in the pool more and more, on the soccer field, in Mr. Watson's pottery classroom, snuggled up in bed with a good book, or at my desk writing. I taught swim lessons almost every summer and didn't work at all during the school year.

At the beginning of my junior year of high school we got a new brother. I was almost sixteen and I reveled in his arrival. I helped my mom out a lot with baby Josh. He probably has more pictures in his baby book than Natalya because I often turned our babysitting afternoons into photo shoots. My mom coached swimming, and still does, for BYU and for a local club team. So I helped take care of him before my own afternoon swim practice. Taking care of Josh further cemented within me a love for babies.

Deciding where to attend school after Timpview felt like a really big decision for me. I narrowed it down to swimming at BYU and playing soccer at Dixie. In a perfect world, I would have been able to do both. It broke my heart to have to abandon one sport. Ultimately academics also factored in, of course, and I chose BYU. I still don't know all the reasons why BYU was the school for me because I suffered through numerous shoulder dislocations and surgeries. I never swam much faster than my times in high school. Frustration was ever-present, but I do know that my time at BYU really helped me to know how to be friends with everyone and to be easygoing.

Ever since I was a small girl I had hoped to serve a mission, and as I approached my twenty-first birthday I began to pray more fervently about it. I was confused because I didn't receive the answers I thought I would. It didn't feel like the right time to go, so I kept praying and waiting. Finally after four years of college, the time finally felt right to serve a mission. I only had a semester of school and a student teaching or internship experience to complete in order to graduate, but I still felt like those things would be fine to finish upon returning home from my mission. I had already completed my French minor and I was trying to not have any hopes about using my French on my mission; President Jackson, though, made a comment that let my hopes for such leap up a little. My dream mission was to serve in Geneva, Switzerland. In reality, my dream mission turned out to be the Ukraine Donetsk mission. I served from May 2005-November 2006. It was glorious, hard, wonderful, exhausting, heart-breaking, lovely, and so many other things. Learning Russian certainly took a lot of work, especially with all that French banging around in my head. I'm so grateful for my mission. I could write pages and pages about this, but won't do so now.

Upon returning from my mission, I finished up my semester of school and got an internship to teach English at Pleasant Grove high school. That first year of teaching was very hard, but I stuck with it. I was blessed to be hired on again, and my second year turned out to be wonderful.

Swiss Family Riesen

2011-10-13T07:46:00.000-07:00

Monday night I got to spend some time with Larissa, Brigitte, and Peter.

Dad fixed a garden jubilee dinner. Get this. From his garden: carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, peppers, cabbage. From Grampa's: potatoes and onions. From Pa's mighty hunting skills: elk. Yep, my dad is pretty much the most amazing dad ever.

We were well fed--both physically and spiritually. I got to hear Peter recount a very sad day in February when Celine, his grand-daughter, died from crib death. Peter is my Swiss dad because his daughter, Arlette, is one of my dearest friends--a kindred spirit for sure. Celine is Arlette's second daughter. Celine was only four months old when she died. Eamon was two months old when I got the phone call. Nothing felt right as I listened to the terrible news that day. I hate the space of being more than an ocean away. Celine would have been one year old yesterday. She, Arlette, Samuel, and Sarah have been very much on my mind and in my heart this week.

I've had several "heavy boots" sorts of moments this week. It's hard to see Tawna in so much pain. It kills me I can't give Arlette a hug right now. Just lots going on. But there's hope, and hope is what I'm trying to have because that's what will pull me through.

Well, would love time to write more, but there are things to tend to. Happy Thursday!

little rudolph

2011-09-27T21:01:00.000-07:00

We went hiking a little over a week ago and I didn't realize Eamon would get so cold. I felt so badly as I felt his freezing hands as we were coming back down the trail. Next time we go I'll be bundling him up in his little bear suit (not made out of real bear in case you were worried). That's what I've been putting him in when we go running or walking in the morning. Keeps him toasty.

I don't want these gorgeous mornings, days, and evenings to leave. Not ready for the cold to settle in. But, alas, I guess I'll survive. And I'll certainly enjoy these days while I can. Hopefully from my bike as well. Today I discovered a flat and I don't know where my bike repair stash is. It's not always the best idea to have stuff still packed away at your parents'.

Anyway, gotta go turn the water off on the squash and then it's beddy-bye time.

tri tri tri

2011-09-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

Had a lot of fun Saturday. It was my first race in two years, thus, obviously, my first since birthing my firstborn.

The swim was actually the roughest part because I've been in the water fewer than ten times this whole summer. The bike wasn't too bad, and the run was probably the best because that's primarily what I've trained.

I love competing. I let out a couple war whoops on during the bike portion because I was just so excited to be pushing myself in a way I hadn't for a while.

Yuba really is the perfect triathlon. It's not killer hot because it's in September, nor is it stinking cold.

In other news, my baby has been out just about as long as he was in. Crazy!

you will come around

2011-09-09T06:13:00.000-07:00

Don't let it bring you down.
It's only castles burning.
Find someone who's turning,
And you will come around.

-Neil Young

because it's easier to sit here for a few minutes

2011-09-08T12:45:00.001-07:00

than to grab my journal and jot down a few happinesses of late:

Finley and Eamon yesterday. Finn walks around like an impressive explorer. He pointed out the way and Eamon followed with his lumbering bear cub crawl. I loved seeing their interactions and hearing them jabber away at each other.
Pears from Heather. So yummy! They tasted divine in my oatmeal this morning.
Reading stories with Andrew and E at bedtime and then singing songs. So cozy.
(On a recent run) Seeing a schoolkid bolt out of his house. He was hurrying so he wouldn't be late (or later?) to school.

And that's all I have time for because I need to go wrestle with Bubsy.

september

2011-09-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

It's my absolute favorite time of year. The nights cool off and leave the mornings precisely how I like them. The days warm up pleasantly and don't become unbearably hot. For me, it's perfect running and biking weather.

I have my triathlon coming up on Saturday. I signed up for the olympic distance several months back. I was optimistic I would have loads of time to train and get in tip-top shape. Problem was I didn't have as many chances to hit the pool or bike as I thought I would; swimming and biking are a bit impossible with the wee one, especially since we don't have a bike trailer. We do have our nice jog stroller, though, so I've done a lot of running, hiking, and walking. Anyway, I started to stress out about running a 10K after biking 24 miles. It just wasn't sounding fun to me. So I've now got it sorted out that I'll be doing the sprint distance. I'm feeling a lot more excited about it. I know I still won't be super speedy or anything, but it will be fun.

I haven't been reading much of late. I started a Brandon Sanderson book before Hawaii, but haven't gotten back into it yet. I want to, but we've been trying to get Eamon back on schedule and have simply just been busy with other things.

We've been enjoying heaps of tomatoes, carrots, and squash from our garden. I love picking something off the vine and eating it soon thereafter. It's just magical.

I started coaching again yesterday. It's fun to be back on deck. The real experiment will be today when I take E to practice with me. Yikes! I really don't know what to think. We had all of August off and I didn't have to take him too much in July. He's moving a whole lot more than he was back then. I think we're going to have to figure out a babysitting solution for the days Andrew teaches, but we'll see how today goes.

We took Eamon for his first swing and slide rides this past weekend. It will be fun to see him start to enjoy playgrounds more.

Well, that's all for now. Happy Wednesday!

tournesol

2011-09-04T07:15:00.000-07:00

time

2011-08-21T19:21:00.000-07:00

Two vacations in one month leaves me with August almost gone, so it seems. We've been blessed to spend time with my family in Idaho and time with Andrew's in Hawaii. I now have more memories to carry forward. Pictures to come, perhaps...either here or on our family blog.

School starts tomorrow for the kids around here. My baby brother begins his first day of middle school. Kids in the neighborhood will now fill the shortcuts and paths down to the schools below our hillside homes. I miss it. I miss school. I miss teaching. I miss my students. I hope there will be a season in my life for such teaching once again. Coaching is great, and I love it, but teaching reading, writing, and loving language is something else entirely. And so as this time of year rolls round again and I'm not a student, nor a teacher, a bit of my heart mourns. Parts of my heart also hope, though, because I truly hope to teach again someday. I know I teach as a mother, but there's something magical about introducing a poem to a student and having that student absolutely fall in love with it.

And now I feel I'm blathering. But it's just what this time of year does to me. I remember when September rolled around when I was on my mission. I received emails from home about school preparation and such, and it surprised me how much I missed it. It catches me off guard and makes me take note.

But I guess I can be glad I don't get the Sunday-night-creepies anymore; you know what I'm talking about if you're a student or teacher--the slightly anxious feeling that your glorious weekend (or entire summer) is over and you must return to school once again. See, I don't view school/teaching through rose-colored glasses. But I certainly remember much more of the good than I do of the bad because the good is just so good.

Happy week to all!

amen

2011-08-03T05:20:00.000-07:00

As I fed Eamon at close to 3 a.m. this morning, I read these words.

And they strongly struck my soul.

Whenever I'm reminded of the power of words, I'm humbled and awed and inspired. Because of amazing people like Courtney Jane Kendrick and Emma Lou Thayne, I'm more resolved than ever to develop what talent I have in writing, and to fit it better into my life. My soul deserves, craves, and needs it.

I love this paragraph from Kendrick:

"Emma Lou explained that those of us who are called to be writers, the writers of life, have to pay attention in a different way. We have to reserve quiet time to write what we feel. I've always loved Emma Lou's pledge to her children, 'I love you with all my heart, but not all my time' meaning that the solitude time was part of her ability to thrive. This paying attention and seeking for quiet time goes along with two ideas I've had lately, one about balancing the senses (seeing as much as hearing, touching as much as tasting) and another about this quote, 'I hold this be the highest task of a bond between two people: that each should stand guard over the solitude of the other.' Rainer Maria Bilke. Also, I've come to realize that most of my frustrations can be worked out either by hard work (labor) or solitude. When scrubbing the sticky dishes isn't clearing my mind, a walk by myself usually will."

Here's to making it happen.

a story about a unicorn on my blog

2011-07-21T11:01:00.001-07:00

For my sister's golden birthday (even though she lied to me and told me it wasn't her golden birthday):

Once upon a time (21 July 1990, to be precise) a mommy unicorn named Sirena gave birth to twins, Malina and Petra. Both her unicorn foals were up and walking within minutes of their arrival. Despite their healthy and strong statures, Sirena looked down at her newly birthed babies in horror. She wasn't dismayed by the remnants of blood upon their bodies. That was nothing, really. What Sirena saw, and didn't see, shocked her beyond anything she'd previously experienced (which is quite a lot, you know, because unicorns lead very fanciful lives). What did she see?

Malina sported two horns while Petra lacked any horn at all.

"What's wrong Mommy?" the two-horned unicorn questioned.

Sirena couldn't even come up with a reply. She sighed. She snorted. She shook her mane in disbelief.

"I know what's wrong," Petra piped up, "You got my horn."

"You got my horn," she repeated, "And I want it back."

Petra reared back and readied to charge. Malina stood there confusedly. Sirena said, "Wait! That won't fix anything. You'll put two holes in your head and won't be any nearer having a horn."

But Petra couldn't wait. She couldn't rationalize. The newest unicorn on earth wanted her horn and she wanted it badly. She whinnied and charged. Malina stood with glazed-over eyes and made no motion to move. As Petra approached and was within inches of her, Malina flapped her wings (what? You think unicorns are wingless? Well, some are, but not Malina.). Anyway, back to the story. Malina flapped her wings and jumped up and out of the way just in time to avoid colliding with Petra.

Petra wheeled around, even more angry and frustrated, "Give me my horn!"

Malina didn't even pay her a glance; she came down from her burst of flight back to the ground. As soon as she touched down, she broke into a run and sprinted towards the nearest tree. Faster and faster she sped. She didn't slow down at all, not even as she bore her head down towards the tree's trunk.

After the impact, Malina crumpled to the meadowy earth.

"She's bleeding, Mom!" Petra cried.

"She'll be ok. You don't know this yet because you're only 14 minutes old, but unicorns heal more quickly than any beast of the forest," Sirena said, "And look what she left for you."

Petra looked at the tree and embedded into it was one of Malina's horns.

"What do I do?" Petra asked.

"Go over to it," Malina said weakly as she struggled to get back on her feet.

"Go over to it and just see what happens."

Petra shuffled over to the tree, sniffed the broken-off horn, touched her nose to it and then her forehead. When she lifted her head away from the tree, she saw the horn was gone. Cross-eyed, she peered at the new sight before her--her very own horn.

In a sing-songy voice, Petra rejoiced, "Thank you, Malina! Thank you and happy birthday!"

raspberries

2011-07-12T05:52:00.000-07:00

Papi invited me over for his patch's semi-weekly raspberry picking. Me oh my did I get us some beautifully big raspberries. It was worth getting out of bed at 5:30. So worth it. I'm going to be adventurous and try my hand at jam tomorrow or Thursday. It will be my first time doing it NOT in Dad's kitchen (read: without his vast canning wisdom). I'm nervous but excited--feeling like one more part of me will be a little bit more grown up.

a sequence

2011-07-12T05:46:00.000-07:00

29 June
Eamon and Finley

my little sunshine

2011-06-26T11:16:00.001-07:00

climbing

2011-06-23T11:52:00.000-07:00

at the perfect time: 7 this morning

with favorite people: Angie and Dane

still a bit weak: in the arms

Nothing beats climbing outdoors in perfect weather with good company. I hope to go one more time with Angie before she moves away in a week and a half. I'm so glad we're somewhat related; her sister is my sister-in-law.

Thanks Dane-o and Bird for the lovely start of today.

tee he he

2011-06-15T12:58:00.000-07:00

Just looking through the old pictures in photo booth.
Found this gem taken in Jerusalem. Made me smile.

book talk

2011-06-13T08:32:00.001-07:00

It always makes me happy when someone loves a book I've recommended. My parents both read Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner in the course of their trip to Ireland for two weeks. They both thought it was amazing. Makes me want to read it again. Makes me want to tell everyone about it. Stegner's writing is gorgeous and the story even more so.

I told Nat to read The Help by Kathryn Stockett. She loved it. Another good one to read, especially since I hear there's a movie coming out.

Anyone read True Grit? I'd like to read it, watch the original film, and then watch the film that recently came out. If someone tells me it's worth it, I think it'll be more likely I'll read it.

I finally read The Princess Bride. It was such a fun read. We watched that movie all the time when we were kids, but I'd never read the book. I love the lines that come straight from the book to the movie. The back stories (not presented much in the movie) are also pretty awesome.

I've also read another book of late: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I really liked it.

Next book? I started The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card with Andrew on our little road trip this weekend. I don't know if I'll finish it. We'll see. I also checked out a couple from the library, but don't know what I'll crack open next. I'm sure you'll hear about it here, though, since I like to blather on and on about books.

Happy week and happy reading!

old words

2011-06-08T20:35:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I come across lines I've written in the past and they surprise me. I vaguely recall writing them and that's what astonishes me. How could I forget words I strung together?

As I read through some old ideas of mine yesterday, I came across the following. I wrote it 7 November 2008. And I'll leave it without a title for now.

Sketch of a bird.
Snatch of conversation.
A broken button.

You turn the pages.

Pencil captured the bird.
Mind remembered words.
Tape holds down the pieces.

The feathers remind you of a rainy morning.
Clouds hindered the sun as you looked out the window.
You held your cup of tea and upped Neil Young’s volume.

The assumed dialogue becomes a soliloquy.
A man and his dementia battle it out.
One voice. Two tones.

The three uneven pieces beg you to finger their crags.
One hole remains intact.
Makes you ponder your own heart’s shape.

trying to be a woman of God

2011-06-05T09:05:00.000-07:00

I came across this quote this week:

"When the real history of mankind is fully disclosed, will it feature the echoes of gunfire or the shaping sound of lullabies? The great armistices made by military men or the peacemaking of women in homes and in neighborhoods? Will what happened in cradles and kitchens prove to be more controlling than what happened in congresses? When the surf of the centuries has made the great pyramids so much sand, the everlasting family will still be standing, because it is a celestial institution, formed outside telestial time. The women of God know this."

These words come from Neal A. Maxwell and the whole talk may be found here.

This whole talk has soothed me and inspired me to be and do better. I'm so grateful to be a woman. To be a daughter, sister, wife, and mother.

a new month

2011-06-05T08:40:00.000-07:00

New month. New hair. New shoes.

Stake Conference begins in 20 minutes. Eamon is asleep. Andrew already left with Tawna to procure soft seats, so I wait for the babe.

It's June. Can't believe that we've been back from Jerusalem almost 11 months now. Insanity.

I chopped inches off my head of hair yesterday. I'm never quite sure what to make of my hair when I do this--reduce it to what feels like almost nothing--because I'm used to having it long.

Me just minutes ago.
(And my new hair length.)

As far as the new shoes go, I like them. I think I'll write a separate post about this because I'm cheesy like that. It's just hard and weird to replace a pair of shoes one has been wearing and cherishing for eight years. Yes, cherish I do certain shoes.

2,222 nature points

2011-05-19T20:21:00.000-07:00

The last two days have been rainy cold and have spurred on my laziness, and as a result, I haven't gone running, walking, skipping, nor hopping. Hopefully I will reverse the trend tomorrow.

BUT I did go running Monday and Tuesday. I actually had glorious runs. Monday Eamon and I happened to meet up with Mel J. It was wonderful to see her. I haven't seen her since the day I got married. She had her dog Scout out with her, so the four of us went for a jaunt. We talked and caught up. It was so nice to run with someone, especially Melissa.

On our run we were so lucky to spy two squirrels. They weren't jabbering in a tree, nor were they scurrying around on the ground. We passed beneath them as one chased the other across a thick power line. It was seriously sweet.

I told Melissa that if we had been keeping nature points, we would have scored 1,111 points for each squirrel because of how neato their passing over our heads was. If you haven't played the nature game before, you really should start; it could very well change your life.

How to play? You make up the rules as you go, which is inherent in any game worth playing, right? You assign different point values for different species found in nature. We don't often include trees in our reckoning (but you're totally free to play how ever you want, remember?). For example, one might give red-breasted robins a value of 12 points because a robin is somewhat common, while giving moose 5,000 points because they're much harder to come by when you're out and about in the city and neighborhood.

Anyway, I hope you have fun, playing the nature game or not. I hope to play this game more with Eamon once he can figure it all out. I can't wait to see what rules he makes up.

Image taken from here.

tuesday

2011-05-10T09:39:00.001-07:00

This weekend we went to Andrew's cousin's wedding. It was wonderful to be in the temple with family. The day was absolutely gorgeous and we had a nice time strolling around after. The flowers and grounds of Temple Square were in full bloom. Just splendid!

Eamon getting a little too excited and into Angry Birds.

I'll have to keep an eye on him.

profiles

2011-05-01T07:23:00.000-07:00

I just had to put this picture up. I love my boys!

Bowling night with Josh.

a favorite thing

2011-05-01T07:15:00.000-07:00

The little moments that make my day lately are the times when Eamon grins widely up at me before I have a chance to even send a smile his way. He's such a sweetie and so happy.

Just hanging out on our bed.

Bowling for the first time.
He turned four months old on this day.
If he looks a little out of it, it's because he was;
the shots he got earlier at his doctor's appointment subdued him.
Poor little guy. I hate hearing his sad sad cry after they poke him.

it's kind of evil,

2011-04-21T11:32:00.001-07:00

but it fills me with a little ounce of glee:

running,
pushing Eamon in the stroller,
and passing someone on an uphill.

Like I said, kind of evil. So I guess that makes me kind of evil.

Which reminds me of this quote for some reason:

"I wouldn't marry anyone who was really wicked, but I think I'd like it if he could be wicked and wouldn't."

-Anne to Marilla in "Anne of Avonlea"

Oh, if only I could get Andrew to watch Anne with me. I don't think it's going to happen, though. I've already asked him a few times, and he's answered in the negative each time. Guya? You wanna sometime? I miss Katherine saying, "Well, mine's full."

Anyway, this has turned very tangential. Back to worky work.

Image taken from here.

it's late

2011-04-19T21:48:00.001-07:00

and i'm tired. not really into capitalizing things at the moment.

today has been ok. i'm ready to crash into bed, but thought i'd write for at least a few minutes.

want to remember how much i love spring. love how a day can start drizzly and cloudy and turn into sunshine lighting up new and fragrant blossoms.

want to remember how strapping e into his stroller calms him. how big he smiles when he gets enough naptime. how he turned himself around a full 180. he squawked for the last 90 of it, but he was working it.

want to remember how mr. manly cleaned up so i could get some other work done. how he got us a beautiful Easter (i will capitalize that) book for fhe last night. how he brought me down a bird's nest (a bowl full of desserty treats) tonight.

want to remember how it feels to rush down bannock on my bike. because i did that tonight. it's been a year since i've cruised on my bike. and oh how delicious it was. i could almost hear my legs screaming, though, on the return trip. i was tempted, oh so sorely, to get off and walk, but i kept spinning, upward and breathlessly.

want to remember the good despite how weary i am.

as i look back to the beginning of this post, i see i wrote that today was ok, but the act of remembering has changed it from ok to good.

remember remember. it's good for me.

lucky

2011-04-05T20:04:00.000-07:00

I lucked out on my morning run. The two nickels I found faced the sky heads up.

Today I'm lucky, blessed and thankful. I'm grateful for:

runs in shorts and a tee
Eamon's smiles, squawks, and laughs
sleep
Andrew's hugs
sunshine
late afternoon walks with Eamon, Tawna, and Ember
hope that Eamon will sleep through the night

Goodnighty!

sabbath thoughts

2011-04-03T07:16:00.000-07:00

After two unbelievably warm days, the great outdoors had a foot of snow waiting for me this morning. I love shoveling. I love shoveling even more when the morning is more than gorgeous. White clouds layer upon the blue sky as it turns golden with the rising sun. Perfection.

Sadness, though, is the big tree branch that was felled at my parents'. They've been in California for several days and won't get back until tonight, so I headed down the hill to give their driveway a good shoveling as well. The snow must have been too heavy for the branch. I guess it's more of a limb. It was the second biggest limb and now it has broken off, leaving the tree looking wounded and lopsided.

Today, some years ago, my best friend was born to my grandma. I still get a kick out of the fact that my best friend is my aunt. What does "best friend" mean anyway? I have several best friends. So I hope none of my best friends feel slighted when they hear me call someone else my best friend. Sierra and I go back the longest, though. She's only eight months older than I am and always put up with my bossiness. She's a gorgeous woman inside and out. She's hilarious and I love her latest stunt about challenging spring. I miss her too much. I wish she, and her cute, blossoming family, didn't live all the way across the country. But I still wish her happy birthday all the way from here. I hope spring comes soon for her.

Looking forward to more wonderful Conference participation. Laters.

movement

2011-03-12T20:49:00.000-08:00

the raising of hands
the freedom of it
the spontaneity of it

the folding of arms
the instinct of it
the comfort of it

the closing of eyes
the desire of it
the necessity of it

the kneeling of knees
the humility of it
the pause of it

to write

2011-03-06T20:01:00.000-08:00

How many notebooks and journals have I filled? Numerous. I used to live to write. I would sequester myself in my room, light all my candles (at least 15), turn off my lights, burn a little incense, crack open my current "tablet," and put pen to paper. Sometimes I would rushwrite--write whatever came as fast as it came. Other times I would do character sketches, jot beautiful couplets unattached to anything else, or simply vent frustrations. When I felt especially down or when I lacked energy or spark, I would crank up some Tori Amos and just write her lyrics down as she sang them out.

And now? Time's a luxury. Time to write even more so. I know I can "make" time, but right now I feel I'm just scraping by. I try to write as much as I can, but when I've grabbed a few moments I usually can only think of how tired I am or how much stuff I have to do.

But I'm still trying. I'm still pushing my pen to paper. I don't know what will ever come of it. I'm not saying anything grand has to come of it. For me, for now, simply feeling good about creating is a dandy enough reason for me. So I'm grateful for the twenty minutes I took to write this post in addition to this one (nothing much, very off the top of my head). I'm hoping to put something up over there at least once a month. I think that's a goal I can achieve. We'll see.

Anyhow, happy new week to whomever happens to read these babblings of mine.

break and a few words for the sis

2011-02-22T13:06:00.000-08:00

Taking a little break to write. Baby's asleep and I just need ten minutes before continuing on with swim team stuff.

February has gone by so fast. Sure, we still have a week's worth of days left, but March isn't too far off. It boggles my mind that we've been back in the States longer than we were gone.

Things are good. I'm enjoying the sunshine and hoping it continues to warm up. We ordered a stroller and I can't wait to strap Eamon in and go for walks and runs. Yippee!

I dedicate this post to Guya. I want her to know that I'm putting a link to our family blog (Happy Making) on the side so she can find it and check on it and stalk us. Just do it.

Really, though. My sister is amazing. You should check out her writing. This poem is beautiful; she inspired me to meet my goal of writing at least ten minutes a day, be it here, in my journal, in my writer's notebook, or in Eamon's book. I just need to make time for it because I miss it so much and I feel loads better when I'm able to express myself that way. Thanks, Natty.

Alright, break time is over. I'm going to steal a few more minutes to jot down a few lines in my writer's notebook. Perhaps I'll pick up posting again on my writing blog. We'll see.

PS: I love you.

baby boys

2011-02-07T15:11:00.000-08:00

Oh, I just love this picture.

On the left is my cousin's baby (b. 21 Oct).
Eamon's in the middle (b. 15 Dec).
On the right is my cousin (b. 31 Sept).

How cool is that? I took this picture yesterday after Eamon's blessing (and after he got poop on his cute tan cords...oh well). It was so fun to visit with so many loved ones yesterday. I just love Eamon-boy. He is smiling more and more of late. This morning we even were graced with the beginnings of a laugh. I'm looking forward to him developing that even more and more.

Things are still wintry around here, but it's not as deathly cold as it was last week. I forced myself out the door after feeding the child this morning to go running. It feels so good to be able to run again. I'm nowhere near any sort of fast, but I'm trying to be patient and understanding with my body. I can't wait to go climbing again even though I'm kind of afraid of the weakling I am now.

Most embarrassing moment of yesterday: when my mom had everyone sing "Happy Anniversary" to Andrew and me. Ergh. That's why I love her, though, along with all the other nice things she and Dad do for us. Anyway, now I'm just blathering. Best be getting back to work. Eamon's asleep so I better get going.

why?

2011-01-27T09:51:00.001-08:00

Because one year ago Andrew was back in the country, state, and city I was in. AND because we would wed in 11 days. Also because Billy Collins is outstanding.

Marginalia
by Billy Collins

Sometimes the notes are ferocious,
skirmishes against the author
raging along the borders of every page
in tiny black script.
If I could just get my hands on you,
Kierkegaard, or Conor Cruise O'Brien,
they seem to say,
I would bolt the door and beat some logic into your head.

Other comments are more offhand, dismissive -
"Nonsense." "Please!" "HA!!" -
that kind of thing.
I remember once looking up from my reading,
my thumb as a bookmark,
trying to imagine what the person must look like
why wrote "Don't be a ninny"
alongside a paragraph in The Life of Emily Dickinson.

Students are more modest
needing to leave only their splayed footprints
along the shore of the page.
One scrawls "Metaphor" next to a stanza of Eliot's.
Another notes the presence of "Irony"
fifty times outside the paragraphs of A Modest Proposal.

Or they are fans who cheer from the empty bleachers,
Hands cupped around their mouths.
"Absolutely," they shout
to Duns Scotus and James Baldwin.
"Yes." "Bull's-eye." "My man!"
Check marks, asterisks, and exclamation points
rain down along the sidelines.

And if you have managed to graduate from college
without ever having written "Man vs. Nature"
in a margin, perhaps now
is the time to take one step forward.

We have all seized the white perimeter as our own
and reached for a pen if only to show
we did not just laze in an armchair turning pages;
we pressed a thought into the wayside,
planted an impression along the verge.

Even Irish monks in their cold scriptoria
jotted along the borders of the Gospels
brief asides about the pains of copying,
a bird signing near their window,
or the sunlight that illuminated their page-
anonymous men catching a ride into the future
on a vessel more lasting than themselves.

And you have not read Joshua Reynolds,
they say, until you have read him
enwreathed with Blake's furious scribbling.

Yet the one I think of most often,
the one that dangles from me like a locket,
was written in the copy of Catcher in the Rye
I borrowed from the local library
one slow, hot summer.
I was just beginning high school then,
reading books on a davenport in my parents' living room,
and I cannot tell you
how vastly my loneliness was deepened,
how poignant and amplified the world before me seemed,
when I found on one page

A few greasy looking smears
and next to them, written in soft pencil-
by a beautiful girl, I could tell,
whom I would never meet-
"Pardon the egg salad stains, but I'm in love."

first bath

2011-01-20T16:57:00.000-08:00

Eamon had his first bath on Tuesday. Normally we throw (not literally, of course) him in the shower with me to clean him up. He took to the bath as well as he's taken to the shower--no squawking or protesting at all. Not that a miniature human with only five weeks to his existence could put up much of a protest.

More pictures of our little chunky monkey.

ps

2011-01-19T14:46:00.000-08:00

I'm glad my sister is blogging again. Just had to say that.

And Josh, if you're stalking my blog, keep it up. I promise to post more pictures soon of your chunky nephew. Weird. You're an uncle!

Now I'd better get some work done before the snoozer wakes up and I get to feed him and then make dinner. Life is great. Life is grand. Happy halfway (through the week)!

books

2011-01-12T15:57:00.000-08:00

Well, I started this post a week ago and I'm hoping I'll finish it today (19 Jan). I haven't gotten much done today and even though I should be doing team admin stuff I just need a few minutes to write and, hopefully, relax a little bit while Baby naps. Don't get me wrong. Today has been good. I got to go for a walk/run. I showered. I fed Eamon (several times). I read a chapter of Mark with Andrew. I got some laundry going. Anyway...back to booktalk...

A while back I finished The Space Between Us, Crossing to Safety, and The Help. I really liked all of them. Sorry if you wanted more in depth analysis. I just liked them. That's all. OK, maybe I'll say a little more. I got mad a little bit at TSBU because usually I can tell or at least sort of figure out what's going to happen, but this book's plot really never let me unravel all it had in store. I thought the ending was good too. CTS: I loved the writing. It was beautiful. The story was very engaging and the characters were very deep. TH was just a fun, good read. I started it a day before Eamon was born and finished it less than a week after. Nursing him at night wasn't bad at all because I had good reading to look forward to.

Recently I finished The City of Ember and Half Broke Horses. The first: meh. Not my favorite. Not too exciting. The second: I liked. The author of The Glass Castle (which I LOVE) writes a "true life novel" about her grandmother. Her grandma was a crazily strong woman and I truly enjoyed reading about her.

And now I'm reading Warbreaker. Andrew gave it to me for my birthday. The cover is kind of ugly, but don't judge it by its cover. This is the second Brandon Sanderson book I've read (well, I haven't finished yet), and I've liked both of them. The other one I've read is Elantris.

Next on the list: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.

Images: here, here, here, and here.

"chubster"

2011-01-05T09:44:00.000-08:00

That's what our doctor called him at his two week check up. He put on nearly two pounds in the two weeks since his birth; you can see they went straight to his cheeks and chin. I've taken to calling him Bub. Here are some pictures I took of him yesterday:

yesterday

2010-12-21T15:24:00.000-08:00

Eamon loves bringing his hands to his face.
Though it might look like he's trying to say, "What's the big deal,"
he's really just in process of moving those hands.

et voila

2010-12-17T14:49:00.000-08:00

Eamon Clark Smith

Birthday:
15 December
7 lbs. 4 oz.

I love him.

mouse mover

2010-12-09T08:01:00.000-08:00

Most of you, ok, pretty much all of you, probably will have no idea what this is all about, but I'm posting it anyhow. A couple limericks to commemorate this morning's stealthy mouse moving. I dedicate it to Nantsu, Guya, and Bo-Bi.

There once was a girl named Lyn.
Her baby gave her stomach tight skin,
But not to worry,
She still in a hurry
Knew how to frustrate her kin.

See, she set out one morn for a walk,
And stopped by the house for a talk.
She spied the mouse, unmoved, on the wall,
So she jumped, did not crawl,
To move that mouse one more block.

I really think I have a future in limerick writing, seeing as how I whipped these up in less than five minutes. Maybe I just got lucky creative juices flowing the delicious pancakes Pa fed me. I know I don't have the precise syllable pattern down, but whatever. Happy December to everyone. I can't believe we're already almost a third of the way through it. Laters.

I stole the above image from here.

today

2010-11-28T08:03:00.000-08:00

Big fat flakes of snow cover up the driveway we've already gone over once. It's a beautifully white Sunday morning.

A year ago I was counting down the days until I left to see Rew in Jerusalem. And now? Just wondering when this baby of ours will arrive. There's no counting down of days because he could come in five days or twenty. So there's no counting. But there is a lot of excitement and bewilderment; sometimes I still can't believe it's really happening--I'm going to be a mom. Wow.

I got to see some lovely friends yesterday--all friends because of our Russian speaking missions. It was fun to be with them and talk with them. They all gave us wonderful gifts for Baby. We've been so spoiled by people giving us gifts.

I started off yesterday with a nice solo walk. Well, it was solo for the first ten minutes. After completing a hill before some flat and down, I gave Si a ring. She was in DC and en route to taking Eli to the playground. We talked about our Thanksgivings, among other things. I got to hear Eli say, "Thomas." He's in love with trains and knows all the names of the train characters associated with Thomas the Tank. It makes me wonder what our little one will fancy.

Well, that's all for now. Happy snowy Sabbath!

pictures

2010-11-06T04:51:00.000-07:00

Just going over some photos to print and album away before we truly go snap happy with Baby's arrival. These are some of my favorites:

Akko, Israel

Caesarea, Israel

Jerusalem Zoo

happy because

2010-11-05T12:04:00.000-07:00

It's the first Friday in a month and a half that Andrew and I don't have birthing class. Not that we hated it. It just meant we didn't have Fridays free for a while.
Josh is a cutie still. I got him off to school this morning because my mom's off traveling with the team and my dad had early meetings. Josh hugged me before hopping on his bike. I said, "Be safe." His reply? "I love you." What 12 year old boy still tells his sister he loves her? Just a perfect way to start the day.
Waffles are yummy. That's what Josh and I had for breakfast.
Now it's lunchtime. Yay! Time for some leftovers.

Happy weekend!

books

2010-11-04T06:56:00.000-07:00

So I bought some books. Two of them are for book group nights coming up and one I've wanted to read for a while now. I splurged so I could mark them up if I wanted and I won't have to worry about returning them to the library. My hope is I'll manage to master nursing well enough to be able to read at the same time, so that's another reason. I hope they're good reads. We'll see. Anyway, here are them books:

Crossing to Safety
by Wallace Stegner

The Space Between Us
by Thrity Umrigar

The Help
by Kathryn Stockett

Images taken from here, here , and here.

nothing to write?

2010-11-04T06:40:00.000-07:00

I feel like my days are very much the same with not much variation and so I find myself not writing much. I don't like that. I need to write more because it helps me relax, helps me figure things out, and helps me observe better.

Coaching is going well. I'm ever more impressed with my mom and the way she handles things on deck. She certainly is a pro. We had to settle a scuffle between a couple swimmers yesterday and everything she said was right on. I can't go into details, but I stood there all frozen, not knowing what to say to help the situation. I looked to Marmee and she said all the perfect things that needed to be said. She amazes me.

I'm trying to find flatter and flatter morning walks because the uphill and the downhill aren't very kind to my hips and to my gravity's center. I think it was Tuesday morning when I went and it was still dark enough to see Orion and the dark side of the moon. It was a delicious morning.

35 weeks. We're almost there. I'm starting to pop out of my maternity clothes. We think we have Baby's name, but still want to meet him before we proclaim it to the world. It is one of the ones I listed on our family blog, though, if you really are that curious.

I miss my bike and hope that the beginning of 2011 has some warm days that will let me venture out a few times to try and find my biking muscles again. I also miss the pool. I haven't gone swimming for 3-4 weeks; for some reason swimming made my hips hurt more than walking does. But I'm not complaining. The walking is good. I just miss those things and look forward to enjoying them again when it's the proper season to enjoy them. Now is my season of softness.

I was going to put up pictures from Halloween, but I don't see where they've been saved on here and Andrew's still snoozing, so that'll have to come later.

Happy November! Last full month before we meet Baby Smith!

Vote for Proposition 1!

2010-10-23T06:42:00.000-07:00

Since several people have stated the facts better than I could, I'm going to share their words with you. But please, please, if you are a Provo citizen, please vote Tuesday 2 November (or did you know? there's even early voting?). And please consider voting for Proposition 1. I think it would be really swell to have a new recreation center in Provo.

Here are some words from Glenn Tuckett, "a longtime resident of Provo, former BYU baseball coach and athletic director for 30 years."

And here are some words from Dave Olpin, who lives in Provo. This can be found in the 6 October edition of The Daily Herald.

"As a member of the Provo Parks and Recreation Board for the past 12 years, I would like to make my fellow residents aware of the very important upcoming election that will affect every Provo resident. On Nov. 2, residents will vote for or against the issuance of bonds to construct a new Community Recreation Center in Provo, known as Proposition No. 1. For more information, go to ForProvo.org.

• Provo's realities: We are carrying the heavy burden of three aging buildings -- The Center, Eldred Senior Center and the Recreation Center at Provo High School. All three existing facilities are nearing the end of their useful life.

• Operational deficiencies: We are paying about $700,000 yearly to subsidize these three facilities.

• Current facility deficiencies: Woefully inadequate for a city of our size, with serious structural, seismic, HVAC, roof, code violations, accessibility and programming issues.

• Provo's solution: By combining all three facilities into one new larger building, it will provide adequate needs for now and the future. It will reduce the subsidy by about $250,000 yearly. A recent survey indicated 78 percent of Provo residents would use a new recreation center at least monthly.

• Where will it be located? North Park block (500 N. 450 West), immediately east of the Veterans Memorial Pool on city-owned property. This is the No. 1 best site from citizen survey. The location is most central to all residents. It provides ample land for parking, building and growth and easy transit access. It enhances Veterans Memorial Pool's revenue potential. The Provo School District has provided another site for the Timp baseball field.

• Building features: Senior center with dining facilities; community meeting rooms; heated family leisure pools; competition pool; swimming lap lanes; indoor running/walking track; locker rooms for men, women and families; bouldering climbing wall; aerobics and fitness spaces; weight room area; cardio-vascular equipment; racquetball courts; gymnasiums for basketball and volleyball; multi-purpose areas for gymnastics, wrestling and indoor soccer; dance areas; party rooms; concessions; child care; Parks and Recreation offices.

• Positive points: Cheaper than keeping older facilities (projected to save $250K annually in reduced subsidies); lowest interest rates in history; up to 25 percent savings in construction costs; best time to build -- building later will be much more expensive; competitive rates and memberships; many advantages for the elderly; meets current and future needs; safe; attracts new businesses; reduces crime; provides health, fitness and recreation opportunities; provides a place for families, young and old, to congregate. The council and mayor support the proposal being on the ballot.

• Financial: The bond is for $39 million for design, construction and furnishings. Important: The current library bond ends in 2014. This new facility would merge into the phasing out of the library bond and extend for 20 years at a much lower interest rate. The average homeowner of a $195,000 home would see a small increase of $2.61 per month in property taxes (less than the cost of a gallon of gas a month) Note: the total bond amount will be reduced if project costs are lowered through donations, competitive construction costs and other price-lowering measures.

The most commonly asked question of the Provo Parks and Recreation Department is, "When is Provo going to have a new recreation center like so many other much smaller Utah communities?"

Our great family community deserves better. It's definitely our time to Vote for Proposition No. 1!"

assembly was required,

2010-10-18T20:15:00.000-07:00

but I mostly just held parts in place as Mr. Manly read the instructions and got everything where it needed to go.

And now we have a crib just waiting to be used.

I'm not going to lie; I have to look at it everytime I pass by the room. It makes me happy.

time's a flyin'

2010-10-09T07:05:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that another weekend is here. We've had a busy week. I've lost much of my voice to yelling at lanes full of kids. I suppose I need to be kinder to my voice and make the swimmers quiet down more. It's just so noisy though. Hopefully a couple days of voice rest will rejuvenate it for next week. I need to be more careful about how much I scratch it up.

Baby is still quite the mover. The past few days he's really been poking me in uncomfortable ways. But it's never annoying because I love to feel him squirm around.

Happiness this past week:

swimming twice
a job interview for Mr. Manly
the glorious feel of fall
a new pair of jeans
the temple and attending with Rew
delicious cantaloupe and watermelon from Gpa Skab's garden
Sunday football (the barefoot in the backyard playing kind)
Raclette
Conference
sleep
seeing Marge
walks
green beans from Pa's garden
a nice chat on the phone with Si
Baby inside me
peace

more than a lucky penny

2010-10-02T05:38:00.000-07:00

Do you pick up pennies? I sometimes do. Bending over with this belly, though, gets me pondering seriously about whether I really want to or not. A quarter, though, is a great find; I think I'd stoop for that.

Back in my running days (five months ago--it seems so long ago), I'd even stop to pick up a dime or nickel. It's fun to secret it away into my running shorts' pocket and have it there like a totem. It beats ever so slightly against the top of my quad for the rest of the run and for runs to come. I used to give the change I found to Baby Brother, but now that he's richer than I am, I hoard my finds.

Yesterday found me going for a walk in the cool morning air. My lovely one was still slumbering, so I stole away with his phone and headed out. I gave Si a call, but she was on her way out the door to run errands, so we said hi rather quickly and then ended the brief conversation. I made my way down the trail to get to a nice stretch of flat road; my hips like flat.

Walking, walking, breathing, stretching out my legs. A five dollar bill? Well, yes, I'll pick that up. I looked around to see if there was a parked car nearby that it could have fallen out of. No. And it wasn't really near any house. I felt guilty, almost. Five dollars? A small smile turned my lips up as I finished my head glances around. I stuck the bill in my sweatshirt pocket and continued walking. I felt lucky.

I stopped by the padres' house because I just had to tell someone about my find, plus I had to ask Pa a couple questions. So I tell him and Josh about my luck, and, of course, they say, "Oh, yeah, that's the five dollars we lost on our way to school yesterday." Haha. They think they're so clever. I should have known they wouldn't revel in my rejoicing. They just wanted my money. But I kept it for myself and all the luckiness that came with it because I rarely rarely get lucky.

Happy and lucky weekend! Tomorrow's Dad's birthday and Monday is Josh's. He will be 12. I remember the Conference weekend when he was born. Crazy that he's already turning into a deacon.

he's here!

2010-10-01T05:14:00.000-07:00

My babiest cousin arrived but 24 hours ago. I haven't seen him yet, but can't wait to hold him. Yay for babies!

I stole this picture from the email announcement.
Hope that's ok with the new parents.

Seeing even just a picture of this new one makes me even more curious and excited to see what our little one will look like. It also makes me so happy because I just know our boys will be fast friends. Congratulations Auntie and Uncle!

writer's notebook: found poem

2010-09-23T20:50:00.001-07:00

I haven't been writing much lately, so I made myself a new writer's notebook to excite me into writing. I hope it works. I finished it today, but I've yet to pen any words within the pages. I thought I'd share here my found poem. I think I still like what I came up with last year better, but meh. Here it is.

If there is an address for the soul,
It's where everything bright
And strong
And never tamed
Comes together on high.

If you want to join
Two sides of a river,
You might be able to.

If you try too hard,
You may miss
Your favorite place
In the universe.

It is a place
Where there's always
A downpour of inspiration.

React to a new poem.
Be enchanted.
Have a favorite dream.

Leave your mark on the sand.

"Say You Love" (the last stanza)

2010-09-23T20:46:00.000-07:00

Give love
as guiltless clouds
release their rain
to thirsty grass
that it may spring again

--May Swenson

it must be a curse

2010-09-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

It seems like every time I wash the car it rains the next day.

Yesterday we washed the car. It's raining as I type this.

I love rain. I do. Why does it make me want to never wash the car?

Oh well. Life goes on. Time for a nap before coaching.

"there is nothing more astonishing than a human face"

2010-09-21T07:32:00.000-07:00

From Gilead by Marilynne Robinson:

"They say an infant can't see when it is as young as your sister was, but she opened her eyes, and she looked at me. She was such a little bit of a thing. But while I was holding her, she opened her eyes. I know she didn't really study my face. Memory can make a thing seem to have been much more than it was. But I know she did look right into my eyes. That is something. And I'm glad I knew it at the time, because now, in my present situation, not that I am about to leave this world, I realize there is nothing more astonishing than a human face...You feel your obligation to a child when you have seen it and held it. Any human face is a claim on you, because you can't help but understand the singularity of it, the courage and loneliness of it. But this is truest of the face of an infant. I consider that to be one kind of vision, as mystical as any."

graceful

2010-09-17T06:30:00.000-07:00

Only a few people outside my immediate family will get this, but I'm still gonna write it. These are a few lines from my handy dandy pregnancy book:

"Without even knowing it, you may be starting to adjust your posture and the ways you stand, move, and walk. You may at times feel as if you're going to tip over. This is normal. You'll return to your more graceful self after your baby is born."

It really says that.

Back-story if you're interested or have no idea about the import of graceful.

another cat

2010-09-17T06:27:00.000-07:00

Here's another cat. This one was warming itself in a washing basin up on the Temple Mount. I think it's cute because it's still a kitten. I took this picture when I visited Rew back in December.

"not a true story"

2010-09-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

I hope it's not plagiarism to do this. My sister wrote something on Rew's FB wall. I found it rather amusing and I hope she doesn't mind my slapping it on here with a good ole copy-and-paste maneuver.

"I thought you would like to hear this story about your wife. Actually, it was my dream, so it's not a true story. Once upon a time, I woke up in the early morning of October and was informed that my sister had had a baby. I got all excited and started asking when we would go see her. Then, you and her appeared and Analyn was all ready to go for a run, exactly three hours after she had given birth. Also, your baby was fluent in English and had teeth. I told him to say, "I'm a child prodigy," and he kept saying it over and over. Also, I asked why Analyn had given birth so early. You told me that it was because she was playing soccer and some of her bones got fractured, so they needed to get the baby out.

The End."

meow

2010-09-10T06:16:00.000-07:00

Presenting: A small story in which you may learn something about me you might not have ever known, or you might have always known...

Once upon a time, when we went to Petra, Anna and I met a cat.

I'm generally not too fond of cats. G & G Skab's cats are the only cats I've ever really liked. When this poor, little, and dirty thing wanted to rub up against me, I shied away and tried to shoo it away. (If you click on the picture and zoom in, you'll see the rude downcast glare I shot the cat; Anna, though, is kind and giving the cat a sweet smile.) This may or may not make me a bad person in your eyes, sorry.

The end.

Now I remember I have an even better cat story from Jerusalem to tell. The next installment of Meow will feature that. I didn't even know I was going to have "Meow installments." How embarrassing.

Oh well, happy weekend!

the most wonderful time of the year

2010-09-07T06:25:00.000-07:00

I love the melding of summer to fall. Yesterday's air bit crisp, but the sun still shared its warming rays; it's that perfect mix which leaves me almost without breath. It's that sweet sun and chill air ratio which makes me want to hop on my bike, go for a run, or climb some great routes. For now, I will continue to take pleasure in the walks my six-month-pregnant belly allows me. I'll try not to be jealous when I hear about the great ride my brother and dad went on because my skin will still marvel at the sensation of being cooled and warmed simultaneously.

It's not solely the perfect weather that makes this such a dreamy time of year for me--the start of school factors in. Since school started without me this year, I really find myself missing it. I've had several teaching dreams the past few weeks and I'm sure they'll continue. I miss all the students I've ever taught. I miss the splendid lunchtimes spent with fellow teachers. I miss reading, discovering, laughing, and working with my students. Sure, I might be glossing over and remembering only the good parts. But the hard things about teaching I barely remember; the sweet sticks with me.

And thus seasons roll on.

Coaching swimming comes as my newest season. I've coached before but I feel my teaching experiences of the last few years have really helped me become a better coach. I'm excited to work with kids, albeit in a setting other than the classroom. I've seen the great influence my mom has had on so many because of all she's taught them through coaching. I hope I can do a fraction of the same.

happy

2010-09-05T07:01:00.000-07:00

Happy happy birthday, Andrew dear.
Happy days will come to you all year.
If I had a wish, then it would be
A happy happy birthday to you from me.

I know, not original at all. So let's get a little more so by exploring some of the wonderfulness my husband embodies.

Before we begin, did you know that the doctor who delivered Andrew also delivered me (three months later)? We discovered this fact several months ago in talking with our mothers about our own pending baby arrival. I'd say that's pretty cool.

And now, a few exhibits of the birthday boy's awesomeness:

He will sing in the rain, and anywhere else in fact, with me.

He not only lets me take sweaty pictures of him;
sometimes, as in this case, he actually asks for me to do so.

He constantly amuses me.

And he knows how to amuse others as well.
He's great with wee ones.

He can do this. All I can do is stare on in amazement.

He's a pro in the kitchen.
He's also too nice;
he helped me yesterday in preparation
for his birthday dinner today.

He's quite a cowboy.
As with his other antics already featured,
he always knows how to make me smile.

He can grow a pretty bounteous head o' hair.

He helped defeat Zurg.
(I mean, really, check out his score,
especially compared to mine.)

Happy birthday dearest!

The Swan by Mary Oliver

2010-09-04T06:22:00.001-07:00

Did you too see it, drifting, all night, on the black river?
Did you see it in the morning, rising into the silvery air -
An armful of white blossoms,
A perfect commotion of silk and linen as it leaned
into the bondage of its wings; a snowbank, a bank of lilies,
Biting the air with its black beak?
Did you hear it, fluting and whistling
A shrill dark music - like the rain pelting the trees - like a waterfall
Knifing down the black ledges?
And did you see it, finally, just under the clouds -
A white cross Streaming across the sky, its feet
Like black leaves, its wings Like the stretching light of the river?
And did you feel it, in your heart, how it pertained to everything?
And have you too finally figured out what beauty is for?
And have you changed your life?

365

2010-09-03T09:15:00.000-07:00

days ago I went on my first date with Rew.

Incroyable!

It's been a good year. Thanks, Mr. Manly.

free

2010-09-02T13:53:00.000-07:00

I had a lane all to myself this morning at the Scera pool. It was so lovely. What made it even better was that someone had left his/her punch pass at the front desk to be used up, so thanks to some kind soul, I didn't even have to pay the entry fee. It made me smile.

I also got to say good morning to my gramma who was there doing her water aerobics. I got to smile some more as I heard her talking about Rew and me. Yay for the ladies at water aerobics.

favorites

2010-09-01T01:03:00.000-07:00

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the last few weeks.

I wrote about what we've been up to over here.

1. Andrew bemoaning the demise of his sunglasses.
2. Shade on beach day.
3. Almost everyone in the water but us one evening in McCall.
4. I think possibly my favorite picture from Nat and Miguel's happy day. Marge and Josh make a great couple, eh?
5. Heather and me at the temple. She's due in two weeks! Can't wait to meet my new cousin. And I can't wait for our boys to play together.

the newlyweds

2010-09-01T01:00:00.001-07:00

Aren't they lovely?

felicitaciones

2010-08-21T14:00:00.000-07:00

My sister got married just a few hours ago.

I love her and my new brother.

I just wanted to say their happiness makes me happy and I wish them all the best in all that is to come.

Bisous (I know, it's not Spanish, but it's what I'm used to).

PS: I love you. ;)

a few answers

2010-08-08T07:56:00.000-07:00

Yes, yes, I'm pregnant.

22 weeks along (due date is 13 December).

A boy.

As for names, we want to meet and greet the little fellow first. Of course, that doesn't mean we don't have names in mind. We're just not for certain yet, and we know we don't have to be, so we're not stressing. We're pretty sure about a few, though; we probably won't name him Joseph or Hyrum or John Jacob Jingleheimer.

Also, I finally got around to a little post-Israel update: post and pictures.

Happy Sabbath!

getting back

2010-08-03T09:38:00.000-07:00

A year ago I was spending as much time as I could rock climbing in Rock Canyon. Now I've got a belly full of a growing baby and my daily exercise sometimes includes a walk from my parents' house to Rock Canyon's parking lot drinking fountain. How's that for a change? It seems big to me. But it's also good. Yes, I miss flying down roads on my bike, but now I get to enjoy a different season in my life. All the baby dreams I've ever had are finally coming true. It's such a thrill to feel the little guy move inside me.

Rew and I have a goal to write up some posts about our time together in Israel. I hope we can follow through and actually get it done. Until then, I'll leave you with a few choice pictures:

Wouldn't you love your address to be such?
Jaffa

Rew with Nadim. Too cute, the both of them.
Bethlehem

This was just too ugly to not put up. Me and my touring fanny pack and headphones.
Near where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.

sometimes

2010-07-09T10:20:00.000-07:00

it's just too crazy for me to even think about all the changes a year has brought me. good changes, yes. but they still boggle my mind. speaking of Boggle, anyone want to challenge Andrew or me? we've probably got more than enough practice these last few months to take on even Sierra and Joe.

ten days and we'll be back in utah.

i'll have a better update sometime...along with some pictures...hopefully. i want to get back to writing on here more regularly. until then, peace.

miss frizzle/this one's for guya

2010-05-29T21:46:00.000-07:00

so i totally felt like miss frizzle yesterday. sadly, i don't have crazy powers to take a whole group of grade school kids through the workings of a human body's immune system. and, somewhat sadly, i don't have miss frizzle's wacky-amazing dress style.

i did happen to mimic her in sporting similar style. our sunbeam lesson was entitled "i am thankful for fish." well, natty got me these sweet fish earrings from mexico and as i was putting them on yesterday to coordinate with the lesson, i just couldn't help but smile. i felt, in a very small way, like miss frizzle. and i smiled about it and thought about her and nat all day long and just kept smiling. of course, i always feel like miss frizzle in a big way: my frizzhead o' hair. but mine isn't red. the end.

thankee

2010-04-11T05:54:00.000-07:00

for:

morning runs
mr. manly
good books (Population 485)
food: falafel, grapefruit, and pita pizzas--to name a few
General Conference
beautiful terraced hills growing hundreds of olive trees
laughs
one-eyed stares
family prayer
sleep
writing on here again (it's been kinda a long time)
an April 6 outing to Bethlehem (Christmas for real!)
anticipation of swimming again
lizard friends (well, I wish they really were my friends. why do they have to run away as soon as I come near?)
words, like these from Gary Paulson:
"I tell young people to read like a wolf eats. Read when they tell you not to read, and read what they tell you not to read. Kill your TV--they're fun to shoot. However you kill it, kill it. Then where you had TV, read. Carry a book with you. Read on the bus. Read under the covers at night. Read any book with you. Just read."

married and jerusalem

2010-02-16T04:59:00.000-08:00

all in a week.

And I'm too lazy to write much, so I'll direct you here to what Andrew wrote.

I will say that it was a most beautiful day. And I'm still a fan of Mr. Smith (translate: I love him). Yep yep yep.

I'll have to write more later.

We're starting up a blog (rewandlyn.blogspot) together. I don't know how much you'll find on it now, but look for more to come.

We're just settling in (trying to beat the jet lag game). Andrew starts school in a week and we're trying to find me something to do volunteer/service-wise around here. We've found a few things and hopefully something will turn up.

Laters.

it's february

2010-02-03T07:42:00.000-08:00

third already. I have three minutes to write before going to get my hair trimmed. I ran with Marmee this morning. Didn't see any deer friends. Ate two grapefruit (do I pluralize with an s or not? I'm not sure...) and some scrambled eggs for breakfast. Yum. Did some reading and a little cleaning. Today we're going to the temple with our padres and Sierra. She got here late Monday night and we spent most of yesterday with her and Eli. Arlette, Samuel, and baby Sarah arrive today. We're pretty much done with all the planning. We have a little grocery shopping to do and a few other things to accomplish, but we're almost there.

Less than three days!

Huzzah! does not even begin to capture how happy and excited I am, but, "Huzzah!"

Happy Wednesday!

the day after our first date

2010-01-28T05:54:00.000-08:00

I wrote this in my writer's notebook:

"What has made this week good is that I'm at peace with myself. I'm happy with who I am. I'm not vain in this--I hope. But I really feel like this week I've been mostly living up to my potential. I'm not living for show or for anyone else. I don't have anything to prove to anyone but myself and my Maker. So no pressure."

I've been reflecting for a while now about the words I penned that first whirlwind week. I'm grateful I wrote because it's quite nice to look back on.

Today I'm so very thankful for Andrew who makes me feel what I described. There wasn't ever any pressure with him. I'm so comfortable and at ease with him. I'm my true self when I'm with him, and that means more than I can even begin to describe.

I'm also thankful today for running and swimming, for peace, for sleep, for students, for friends, for family, for love, for prayers.

unspeakably happy

2010-01-27T06:16:00.000-08:00

Yep, that's me right now.

Happy Wednesday!

rushingwriting

2010-01-24T17:16:00.000-08:00

The sun's light has left me for its western ways leaving me with a desire to compose a paragraph about how I'm feeling in this moment. Things are really shaking up for me. Big change is coming. Happy change is coming. I feel like I sense only a hint of everything that's going to happen. I was released from my calling in my ward today. It felt so strange to walk home without my binder in hand. It feels even stranger to know I won't be looking at a new ward list practically every week. I already miss my dearest dears. I feel afloat. I'm on top of something so light that I can't capture any fluff from it to take a good analytical look. I know none of this makes much sense, but this is me right now--not making much sense even to myself. I have five days left of teaching my lovely students. I will miss them. In two weeks I will be a wife. I will have a husband. In three weeks I will be in Jerusalem. I won't be here. I already miss my famdam; maybe Guya's right about this whole bittersweet taste. Yep, big change. But peace fills me up that it's alright. It's more than right. Right? Yes. So when I lay me down to sleep in a few hours, I will kneel before I close my eyes. I will pray. I will thank. I will thank forever. Even when I'm not kneeling I will go about my day remembering to have my heart drawn out in gratitude. At least I hope to remember. If I find myself forgetting, I will plead for aid to remember, to never forget all the blessings--countless they are. And so it all comes back to thanks. It always circles and cycles round. Thanks to the Father, we will bring. For he gives us everything. Merci. Spasibo. Gracias. Gratzi. Danke.

thanks for the sun

2010-01-24T17:12:00.000-08:00

Why I Wake Early

by Mary Oliver

Hello, sun in my face.

Hello, you who made the morning

and spread it over the fields

and into the faces of the tulips

and the nodding morning glories,

and into the windows of, even, the

miserable and the crotchety –

best preacher that ever was,

dear star, that just happens

to be where you are in the universe

to keep us from ever-darkness,

to ease us with warm touching,

to hold us in the great hands of light –

good morning, good morning, good morning.

Watch, now, how I start the day

in happiness, in kindness.

back to the bike

2010-01-20T05:48:00.000-08:00

It's Wednesday. It's slightly snowing outside. I'm at school. I'm pretty much ready for the day. I just need to write stuff on the board and pick up a stack up copies from downstairs.

Yesterday I enjoyed a glorious bike ride. The last ride I took was in the middle of November. So when I stepped out of school yesterday afternoon into the crisp and clean and clear air, I knew I had to go if it was warm enough to brave the briskness. There's a freedom I gain on my bike that I can't experience elsewhere. It's a pause while hurtling. It's a lull while zooming. I savored the solo nature of it as I gazed at the mountains to my left, then in front of me, and then to my right, as I completed my ride.

Anyway, biking makes me happy. (Yep, stating the obvious...)

And now something else that makes me happy: words.

Here are some from Rilke:

"Have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart. Try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books written in a foreign language. Do not now look for the answers. They cannot now be given to you because you could not live them. It is a question of experiencing everything. At present you need to live the question. Perhaps you will gradually, without even noticing it, find yourself experiencing the answer, some distant day."

Happy halfway through the week!

stargirl

2010-01-19T05:33:00.000-08:00

Here at school. Getting ready for the day. We're reading Stargirl (in Sophomore English) for my last few weeks here and I simply love some of Spinelli's passages. Thought I'd share a couple:

"And each night in bed I thought of her as the moon came through my window. I could have lowered my shade to make it darker and easier to sleep, but I never did. In that moonlit hour, I acquired a sense of the otherness of things. I liked the feeling the moonlight gave me, as if it wasn't the opposite of day, but its underside, its private side, when the fabulous purred on my snow-white sheet like some dark cat come in from the desert" (12).

"She was elusive. She was today. She was tomorrow. She was the faintest scent of a cactus flower, the flitting shadow of an elf owl. We did not know what to make of her. In our minds we tried to pin her to a corkboard like a butterfly, but the pin merely went through and away she flew" (15).

Happy Tuesday!

(One week and Andrew's back!)

smiles on this day of no school

2010-01-18T14:24:00.000-08:00

skyping with mr. manly

grapefruit

walking with aunties

running solo

grapefruit (another whole one, again)

checking things off to do list

gift cards to a bookstore

new books: tolstoy, neruda, and oliver

chatting with si

power napping

farmer croc granola from swissland

time to still check things off

poppies: gma and gpa's june 2008

a sunday thought

2010-01-17T19:37:00.000-08:00

"Do not expect the world’s solutions
to the world’s problems to be very effective.
Such solutions often resemble what C. S. Lewis
wrote about those who go dashing back and forth
with fire extinguishers in times of flood
(see The Screwtape Letters [1959], 117–18).
Only the gospel is constantly relevant,
and the substitute things won’t work."

--Neal A. Maxwell

“Remember How Merciful the Lord Hath Been”

to natty: bittersweet. yum?

2010-01-16T19:33:00.000-08:00

Nope, not so sure about it being yum.

Pretty sure it might look something like this.
Just kidding, Guya.

This picture makes me smile,
And really has nothing to do with bittersweet.
But because it has you and me,
And because I remember what you said before you took it,
And because it makes me smile,
I put it up.

You also make me smile.
Thanks for smiling at Mr. Peacemaker of the day
Because that just made everything better.
I'll try to not be so bossy.

Love,
me.

three weeks from tomorrow

2010-01-15T05:39:00.000-08:00

we'll be going here again--

this time
to wed!

How's that for a happy thought?

Happy Friday!
and
Happy three-day weekend!

countdowns continue

2010-01-14T05:38:00.000-08:00

I'm here at school, and already have today pretty much planned out, as well as tomorrow and most of next week. It's madness that I only have 11 days left of school. I'm hoping to organize all my electronic files so I'll have my lesson plans and everything on my flash drive. I've only saved everything to this computer that isn't even mine and will much less be mine come 29 January (and by that I mean that it won't be mine at all). Organizing all my files will take a bit of work, especially because I don't really even know where to begin with all that. Oh well, it'll work out.

Happiness of late:

falling asleep quicker than a wink every night for at least a week straight
this song. it was the first song pandora played for me this morning. love it
talking with Mr. Rew (be it via skype or on the phone)
swimming with UVRays
running with Lisa. pure deliciousness
hot chocolate
lunchtime with fellow teachers
visiting my cousin and her two cutie-pie girls
anticipating climbing (tonight!)
only 12 days till Andrew's back

Happy Thursday!

sans titre

2010-01-12T19:17:00.000-08:00

Andrew has done a nice job of writing up some of our adventures on my recent trip over to Jerusalem. I always think I'll do a better job of reporting on things, but my thinking doesn't always translate into things actually happening for me. Sorry. So I might or might not write more about my trip. How's that for vagueness? Sometimes I'm just more in the mood to take some time to practice my creative writing skills. Yes, I know, one could argue that all writing is creative. I would agree. But sometimes I just need an outlet to write what comes and run with ideas for a while. I wrote a couple new things tonight. I'm not sure how much I like them, but at least it felt nice to write.

Anyhow, until I do or don't write more about my trip, you may look here and here for a couple posts by Mr. Smith.

Since Andrew put up a couple videos of the sweet bell playing, I thought I'd put up the video of him playing. This was such a fun surprise. I can't believe I got to play bells in Jerusalem. Andrew spoils me. Less than two weeks now until he's back!

Happy almost halfway through the week!

on my mind

2010-01-12T04:26:00.000-08:00

"No, God does not need us to love Him. But oh, how we need to love God!

For what we love determines what we seek.

What we seek determines what we think and do.

What we think and do determines who we are—and who we will become.

We are created in the image of our heavenly parents; we are God’s spirit children. Therefore, we have a vast capacity for love—it is part of our spiritual heritage. What and how we love not only defines us as individuals; it also defines us as a church. Love is the defining characteristic of a disciple of Christ.

Since the beginning of time, love has been the source of both the highest bliss and the heaviest burdens. At the heart of misery from the days of Adam until today, you will find the love of wrong things. And at the heart of joy, you will find the love of good things.

And the greatest of all good things is God.

Our Father in Heaven has given us, His children, much more than any mortal mind can comprehend. Under His direction the Great Jehovah created this wondrous world we live in. God the Father watches over us, fills our hearts with breathtaking joy, brightens our darkest hours with blessed peace, distills upon our minds precious truths, shepherds us through times of distress, rejoices when we rejoice, and answers our righteous petitions.

He offers to His children the promise of a glorious and infinite existence and has provided a way for us to progress in knowledge and glory until we receive a fulness of joy. He has promised us all that He has.

If all that is not enough reason to love our Heavenly Father, perhaps we can learn from the words of the Apostle John, who said, 'We love him, because he first loved us.'"

--President Uchtdorf October 2009
full text here

c'est le weekend!

2010-01-08T20:24:00.000-08:00

and I'm going to celebrate by going to bed and by not setting my alarm. If Margie was here, she'd certainly call me a gramma. Maybe I am one already. Who cares?

Went to dinner tonight with Nat C. and Julie. It was so nice to chat and catch up with them. I'm grateful for all the beautiful women who love me and share their lives with me. I'm so blessed.

Tomorrow is invitation assembly day. Hoping to get most of that done.

Happy weekend!

what would i do without poetry?

2010-01-07T05:46:00.000-08:00

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

by E. E. Cummings

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart)i am never without it(anywhere

i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done

by only me is your doing,my darling)

i fear

no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want

no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)

and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows

higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

akko, israel

2010-01-06T04:20:00.000-08:00

I just love this picture.
Love the lighthouse.
Love the coast.
Love my love.

Happy halfway through the week!

new moon

2010-01-05T14:15:00.001-08:00

Best line of the day.

Actually, maybe the best of the year thus far. I tried hard not to let laughter overwhelm me too much.

I had my students share what book(s) they read for this last term. One (male) student gave the greatest one-liner about New Moon:

"It's a very touching book about a girl and her dog."

I tell you what, this kid is awesome.

His sarcasm reminds me of my marmee's, and I think that's why I get such a kick out of his jokes. Sure will miss this part of teaching.

zoo

2010-01-05T13:51:00.001-08:00

My classroom has emptied of students. I have a dentist appointment in an hour; I'll go there straight from here. I have stacks of papers to grade, but I just need a break. I guess I'll blog about one adventure from the grand adventures I enjoyed in Jerusalem and Israel:

The Zoo.

Preface: I'm not a huge fanatic of zoos. My last zoo experience took place on a preparation day in Kharkov, Ukraine. Seeing deranged and disturbed animals left me rather upset for a long time afterward (read: upwards of over four years). So I was a little hesitant to go to the zoo.

Not preface: With all that said, I was pleasantly surprised by the zoo in Jerusalem. It has much more open space and is clean. Most importantly to me, the animals appeared much more healthy than those I viewed in Ukraine.

The best part of going to the zoo, though, was watching our two year-old tour guide race around like she owned the place. Here's a picture of her on Rew's shoulders as her mom looks on.

She's pretty much my new best friend. I'll still have to keep an eye out for her stealing away Andrew. She's called him beautiful before and that's always suspicious, no? Totally kidding--about the being suspicious part; there's no disputing that Andrew's beautiful :). She's such a cute kiddo and I'm excited to see her at least every Sabbath come February and thereafter.

Here she and Andrew feed the gorgeous fish.

So, going to the zoo was a happy thing.

The end.

Unrelated afterthought: I hope I don't have any cavities.

back

2010-01-03T18:38:00.000-08:00

I'm home. School starts tomorrow. I had a more than wonderful trip. Seeing Jerusalem and other parts of Israel was grand, but seeing and being with Andrew was even better; I'm not going to lie.

I wish I had more time to detail all that we did, but I think I'm going to head to bed to try to kill jet lag.

Loves.

last day in provo for 2009

2009-12-22T04:16:00.000-08:00

Isn't that just pure excitement (the fact that it's my last day here for awhile)? Today's also my last day of school for the year. When I get back, I'll only have 19 days left at school. And then one week before the "big day." And then a happy happy day! Time just keeps zooming by.

I have much on my mind but nothing's really lending itself to coming out in word-form at the moment.

And so I share a picture and a poem. I took this picture about one year ago. I had a fine time then traipsing around Edgemont to deliver goodness and take pictures. I won't be doing that this year because I leave tomorrow for Jerusalem and someone ever so lovely. But it is nice to look back to what I was doing a year ago. I sure do love my solo walks (and runs and hikes...).

And now the poem, by Rudyard Kipling:

Untitled
You mustn't swim till you're six weeks old,
Or your head will be sunk by your heels;
And summer gales and Killer Whales
Are bad for baby seals.
Are bad for baby seals, dear rat,

As bad as bad can be.
But splash and grow strong,
And you can't be wrong,
Child of the Open Sea!

Merriest of Christmases!

See you next year.

Loves!

ps: a confession: I've watched the Babies trailer (posted below) upwards of ten times. People might make fun of me. Actually, people do make fun of me. Certain people make fun of me because I'm so enamoured with it, but I'll hold my head high. I can't change the fact that those babies are so stinkin' cute, and that it makes me smile and more than happy. The end.