Taking the first picture off the wall and gently placing it a box was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Days later I still sat looking at the bare spot on the wall, a lump in my throat and tears welling uncontrollably. Taking that picture down was acknowledging the inevitable, and I kept forgetting to breathe.

The next week, women began showing up on my doorstep with cardboard boxes and rolls of tape. The doorbell would ring, and I never knew how many kind faces would be standing there- but every day, they came as the sun. My shoulders were bowed under the weight of a life imploding, and those hands held up more than cardboard boxes that week. (more…)

I’ve had a bad week. I don’t know why it was a bad week, it was just a bad week. Grumpy, tired, listless, grumpy. Did I mention the grumpy?

I blame February. (more…)

Loved that line. Hurley is the man. (more…)

My bluebirds are back.

I know, I know, 3 and a half years ago I blogged about how great this movie is. That was then, when my son was 4. Now, I have a 2 year old. And watching Curious George on screen is just agitating. It hits way too close to home. (more…)

OK, peeps.  Time to write my RS lesson for me.  Ready?

I am the visiting teaching coordinator in my ward and, as such, have to give a lesson once a year on visiting teaching.  I have to do other stuff, too, but, you know, you can’t help me with that unless you have a thumb drive that isn’t broken.  (Which reminds me, hon, can you pick up a new thumb drive?  Thanks so much.)

What I want from you is stories about good visiting teaching moments you have had, either as a teacher or a teachee. (Is teachee a word?)  They do not have to be major.  Just stories of acts of service, or spiritual moments that are a direct result of the program.

For example:  My visiting teachers are willing to drive my son to his afternoon kindergarten if I have an appointment in the morning that precludes me from taking him.  HUGE HELP.  It doesn’t take too much time, but it is still a sacrifice, (they have schedules too) and it helps me out tons so I can keep my multiple doctor’s appointments.  I love that I can ask them to do this, and they do.

Of course, they have brought me tasty dinners when needed as well.

All right.  Share the goodness.  GO!! 

Having not been a missionary, I’m totally unfamiliar with what goes on in the MTC.  Other than obvious doctrinal and language lessons, I’m not sure what else is taught.  And I pose this query after the following incident happened yesterday to my dearest friend:

F was loading her groceries into her car, alone, when she was approached in the in the parking by a pair of missionaries.  Although not alarmed, knowing the two young men in suits and ties were non-threatening, she was startled and curious as to why they were targeting a single woman in a parking lot.  After a few cursory questions about beliefs, etc., F made mention that she knew us and was familiar with the church, but that she was Catholic and not interested.  After which a missionary responded, “But do you understand what they are saying to you in church?”  F, having no idea what this young missionary was asking, responds, “Well of course I do.”  To which he says something to the affect of, “but I’m sure it’s still hard for you to understand.”  F finally realizes that these missionaries were referring to mass being recited in LATIN, a tradition that was eliminated 40 or so years ago.  At which point F says, “That is the end of our conversation, thanks, gotta go.” 

So, I have several questions:

1.       Are grocery store parking lots fair game in tracting?

2.       Are missionaries free to approach women who are alone?

3.       Do they not realize that they are at risk for getting pepper sprayed?

4.       Who failed to tell them that mass is not said in LATIN?

5.       What is taught in the MTC that prepares 19 year olds to avoid such inappropriate behavior?

Just curious…

He really is, I think. I mean, sometimes I get a little tired of the character when one episode is so centered around one guy, but Terry O’Quinn pulls this episode off nicely. Or maybe it was cool to see angry frustrated Locke flash back to fake Locke (or Flocke, as they say), so we never got into whiny Locke overload. (more…)

Hey howdy hey, there’s no LOST post, because I haven’t watched it yet. I was too busy writing this post over at Segullah this morning, and then I had to go take my daughter to the one of the best story times EVER at Barnes and Noble. Seriously, we did finger games, read stories, did a craft, had cookies (yes, COOKIES!) and then the story time lady gave all the kids a free princess notebook with a pink pencil. All for free. And since I left my purse in my car, I didn’t spend any extra dough. That’s my kind of activity.

Unless the cookies were laced with arsenic. Hmmm, didn’t think of that.

I’ll get to the LOST post sometime today, I swear. In the meantime, go over to Segullah already. Thanks.

I learned Sunday that our Stake is doing a salute to Broadway musicals to be performed in April.  I was intrigued, but not real inclined to participate.  Then I got the call.  “We’d really like you to do a number.”  O.K. says I, but I thought there were auditions and everything.  Doesn’t that mean you’re supposed to be somewhat talented?  Apparently not. (more…)

You know that loud lumbering sound your washing machine makes when it gets off balance – too many heavy towels, too many heavy pairs of jeans – that is what has become of my life in recent months – a heavy, out of balance, too many towels, washing machine.  If you listen closely, that’s me thumping as I meander through my house. (more…)

Dear Blockbuster Online -

I cancelled my account weeks ago.  Please stop sending me movies.  This might be why you’re going bankrupt.  Just saying. 

Sincerely,

A gal who likes free movies and all, but still. I feel guilty.  (more…)

J was pokey this morning. And when I say pokey, I mean that I wish I’d had a pointy stick to poke him with so he could get moving. As the morning wore on, and he was minutes away from needing to head to the bus stop, I said, “WAIT! SCRIPTURES!” (more…)

Maybe it’s just the fact that we yet ANOTHER snow day, and the combination of a 2 year old, a traveling husband, and 2 weeks of the most miserable weather I have ever seen (and y’all, I lived in New England for 8 years, so that’s sayin’ something), but this episode just made me grumpy. (more…)

In honor of Valentine’s Day, Sue over at Navel Gazing at its Finest is having an awesomely hopeless romantic moment week. Since I have nothing else to blog about, and a plethora of embarrassing romantic stories, I thought I’d play along, add my link, and give you all yet another glimpse of the glamour that is my life. Lucky, lucky you. (more…)

In the interest of full disclosure, most of these came to me via email, (not my dogs or my kids) but I felt the need to share.

It all boils down to two questions:  (more…)

There was a time in my life when I needed a day planner. Like, an actual Franklin Day planner, complete with daily pages broken down into hours. I didn’t always use the daily pages, but my calendar was so full, it sometimes looked fake. I mean, who could possibly have time to do all THAT? I was so overwhelmed and busy with life that I even turned someone at church down when they asked me to plan the ward Christmas party. My plate was full. Overflowing. I was leading an intense life.

Things have changed somewhat. It’s almost 10:00 am, and I’m not out of my pajamas yet. (more…)

I suppose you can only do time travel for so long before one’s mind explodes. (more…)

There is a brouhaha buzzing over a TV ad scheduled to air during the Super Bowl featuring college superstar, Tim Tebow, in an anti-abortion commercial.  His mother, apparently, after being overseas on a mission trip, and then becoming very sick was advised to get an abortion.  She chose otherwise.  And thus we have Tim Tebow.  My question to all those who find this ad so offensive to watch – have they ever thought about changing the channel or turning off the TV?? Just sayin…

And what up with the group of Baptists charged in Haiti of transporting 33 children out of Haiti across the border to the Dominican Republic?  I say to you – “what were you thinking??”!

Carry on – hope everyone has a great day!

In the past two days, Little Sister has taken a blue crayon to her white dresser, a pencil to the walls in my bedroom, uncoiled 4 rolls of toilet paper, and peed in my bed.  Thanks, Baby Blues, for a little perspective.