O Come Let us Adore Him

When my 3-year-old niece wants to be held, she reaches her arms out to a family member and asks, "Please, can I hold you?" I think about that simple movement in the life of Jesus. Surely as he began recognizing Mary and Joseph, he reached his arms out to them for comfort, for security, for love. Later, that same gesture would punctuate his life as he reached fully to father in heaven.
If we will not only believe in this sweet Jesus whom we adore at this time of year, but will also behave according to that belief, we will someday adore Him in fullness. Not in mere confessional kneeling, but without hesitation as we bathe His feet with our tears for a reaching that could not have been done by any other.
My heart is full of thanks as I plead to the Holy Child:

Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever and love me I pray.
Bless all thy dear children in thy tender care
And fit us for heaven to live with Thee there.

Christ came to lead us back to the love of God and Christmas is all about that love. God's love for his Son. The Son's love for us. And our love for others.

I'll be hearing about this all week

I was walking down some stairs in the rain when I slipped on the last step. I caught myself before I fell to the ground and in the process I hurt my toe. And of course it is the toe I hurt earlier in the year. Mike, who happened to be present when I hurt the toe the 1st time, popped my toe and I didn't even cry. Whine? Yes, but only a little.

A Heart for All

I am borrowing the words of my sister-in-law who wrote so eloquently the feelings of my heart that have yet to make it to the written page.

My brother, the doctor

A teacher once told my parents that my brother Clay wouldn't make it in the 'real world' because he lost so many homework assignments. How I wish that teacher could have seen him defend his dissertation for his PhD in Chemistry this past week.
Growing up, my brother defended and protected me and I helped find lost shoes, made sure he made it to church-mostly on time, and gave him advice as needed. He was one of my best friends and I dreaded the day he went away to college, then joined the military, went on a mission, got married, and eventually moved away.
My brother married Tennille while they both working on their undergraduate degrees. Tennie now has an MBA and my brother is a doctor, but not the kind that helps people(just kidding Clay). I always knew he'd be successful, even when others doubted. Way to go Clay. And no, I will not be calling you Dr.

When I grow up

"Boom. Boom. Boom" is what Joseph repeated every time a student walked by his desk during the Halloween parade. Hannah Montana, Gabriella from HSM, Rapunzel, a pirate with a parrot on his shoulder, and many other 'characters' made an appearance.
I watched with wonder as the students interacted with one another and the teacher. Attempting to take a class picture was comical as kids were karate chopping each other, trying on tiaras, and dancing around the room high on at least 2 lbs of candy. Spending time in the classroom taught me the following:
1) Being a 1st grade teacher takes a lot of patience.
2) Kids learn at an early age to bargain and trade for what they want most.
3) Calling a student by name makes them feel important. I learned this lesson as I watched the principal address each student by name during the parade.
4) Kids want to be accepted by their peers and teachers.
5) Lessons learned in a 1st grade classroom apply to people of all ages.

I love your blog

I have been given an 'I love your blog' award. Bless you Kaydi Rae.

1. Where is your cell phone? not sure

2. Where is your significant other? uh, Mexico?

3. Your hair color? natural hair color? brown

4. Your mother? listener

5. Your father? strong

6. Your favorite thing? being with family and friends

7. Your dream last night? I'd rather not disclose that information

8. Your dream/goal? success in all aspects of my life

9. The room you're in? office at the U

10. Your hobby? happiness

11. Your fear? failure

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? clogging my way to fame. hee hee

13. Where were you last night? Halloween dance

14. What you're not? married(Lisa, I wrote that for you)

15. One of your wish-list items? trip to Russia

16. Where you grew up? Blackfoot

17. The last thing you ate? oatmeal

18. What are you wearing? sweater, dress pants

19. Your TV? fuzzy

20. Your pet? I don't have one

21. Your computer? work computer-in use. home computer- not in use

22. Your mood? content

23. Missing someone? yes

24. Your car? clean

25. Something you're not wearing? earrings

26. Favorite store? Borders

27. Your summer? unforgettable

28. Love someone? absolutely

29. Your favorite color? ever changing

30. When is the last time you laughed? 1 minute ago

31. Last time you cried? months ago

Friends

Kimberly(in the middle) is getting married November 1st and I attended her bridal shower this past weekend. Kristi(on the left) is married and has a 2-year-old son and is pregnant and due with her second child in 2 weeks. The summer before 5th grade, my family moved across town and I met a girl with amazing red hair named Kimberly and we've been friends ever since. Kristi and Kimberly were in the same kindergarten class and the three of us became even better friends in high school and were roommates in college.
Kimberly and Kristi have more stories about my growing up years than any other friends. Some of my favorite experiences include being asked to come in and have cookies while toilet papering, dressing up and walking around the greenbelt, walking home from school and being yelled at because a driver thought I flipped her off, and standing behind a huge sign near campus and scaring people as they walked by. From a parent's heart surgery to death of a sibling to marriage to birthdays, we have supported each other. And even though lives change and a few miles separate us, we make the most of the time we do spend together and cherish the memories and the friendship that will last forever.

I walked into the room for the bridal shower and I saw my friend Jerilyn from my first year in college. Jerilyn and I were in the same FHE group and our apartments spent a lot of time together. Recently, I found a couple letters from Jerilyn and wondered where was living. Jerilyn met Michelle and Kimberly while living in Provo and I'm so glad we've reconnected.

Fore!

The 2nd Annual Golf Tournament for the NBC was held earlier this week. I didn't know I was on a team until a few days before which meant I didn't have time to say no. We arrived at the U golf course and the first question my team asked was if anyone is left-handed. A loud groan could be heard through the Salt Lake Valley as I admitted to being left-handed and I thought I would be shunned the rest of the day. My team decided it would be best if I used right handed clubs for driving and a left handed putter.
My fears due to the lack of any golf skills quickly diminished as Al and Dr. L offered helpful tips and told me which club I should use for each hole. I laughed a lot during the day, learned a little about golf, and actually did well...all things considered.

Perfect for each other

Co-workers, friends, and family think I should date the following guys:

1) A guy who plays many musical instruments, has a graduate degree, and is so nice but don't you dare break his heart and what are you going to wear and what will you talk about. Oh and you should wear flat shoes. I will wear clothes. We will talk about politics, the weather, and my love of BYU. Flats? I'm more of a stiletto girl.

2) A guy who is unemployed and is doing little to find a job. Or making plans to go to school. Or doing anything else besides playing video games all day. Oh, and he has other 'issues.' I'm a social worker so I can solve anything.

3) A maintenance guy in town who also happens to have 4 kids. Hello instant motherhood. Step-motherhood that is.

4) A guy who recently returned from his mission. According to his grandma we would be perfect for each other and she really wants me to be part of her family. I'm fine with dating a younger guy and who wouldn't want me to be part of their family? The issue is that I'm pretty sure all woman 70 years or older still think I am a 20 year college student.

Let it be known that I don't mind going on blind dates and I have found that guys are better at setting up two people rather than girls. For some reason, they base the reason for the match more on personalities and less on the simple fact that I'm a girl and he's a guy.

A whole lotta money

I took my car to the dealership for an oil change. I walked around the car with the car adviser and then went to the waiting room. Greg, my favorite car adviser turned mechanic walked into the waiting room and said he would be taking care of the oil change. Greg returned to the waiting room and said he had some bad news. I was assured by Greg that the repair needed was minimal and yet, I still braced myself.

"You have a power steering leak and it will cost $1700 and you will not pass safety and emissions to register your car in November if you don't take care of the problem."

$1700 is a minimal repair? Sure, it could have been worse, but that's a lot of money. I left the dealership wanting to vomit. I called a friend who is a mechanic and he was very helpful. I planned to take the car to a mechanic I know in Idaho, but a co-worker recommended a mechanic and took a look at my car.

"Have you been adding power steering fluid to your car?"
"Uh, no."
"That's because you don't have a power steering leak. You need a new gasket and a something something needs to be cleaned so it will cost $100."

I thought about kissing the mechanic but that would have been inappropriate and awkward.

Degrees of Separation

The above picture is of my friend Deanna and my cousin DaJon. I first met Deanna at BYU through my roommates brother. Fast forward a few years when Deanna and her husband Charles show up at my condo to visit my roommate Shannon. I soon learned that Deanna and Shannon were roommates in Provo. Earlier this year Deanna and her husband and daughter moved to Georgia and the missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints helped them move into their new place. Deanna read my blog about visiting family in Blackfoot and made the connection that my cousin was one of the missionaries who helped with the move. Deanna and her family were involved in a serious hit and run accident in July and survived with less injuries than one would suspect after seeing pictures of their totaled car. My cousin recently broke his elbow so he and Deanna are now broken arm friends.
What a small world.

Life is funny

I stepped near my closet this morning and the carpet under my feet was wet. I looked around and there wasn't a bottle of water or anything else that could have soaked the carpet. The baseboard next to my closet had mold and I opened the door to where the AC is located and found more mold. I've been out of town for over a week so I didn't notice the problem before. I laughed as I thought about my experience as an assistant estimator at Servicemaster and was grateful to know people who could help me. I called my friend Duane who works with AC's and he said to check the filter and he would come by later in the day. I called Michelle at Servicemaster and soon Father Bob was at my place to see what he could do. He cleaned the filter for me and told me to stop by the office to get a fan to dry the carpet and he told me how to take care of the mold. I called Jen who owns the condo and told her what happened and what was being done to remedy the situation and she was grateful the situation was being taken care of. So now, I am dealing with the mold, drying the carpet, and organizing my room.In the midst of the mold infestation, I received an interesting phone call. The person on the other line said they worked for Medicaid in Idaho and they were investigating a company I worked for 7 years ago. I asked for more information and was told that Medicaid wants to interview me about my time working for this company, but I did not need to worry because I had done nothing wrong. She asked if she could drive from Boise today to meet with me, but I said today wasn't a good day so she's coming tomorrow. I should also mention that the interview is expected to last 2-3 hours.

When I grow up

I spent this past week in Idaho visiting family and decided to spend my mornings working at the Eastern Idaho State Fair. I was at the fair by 8 each morning and went straight to the accounting office. One day, the door hit me in the face because my arms were full with the money bag, my water bottle, and book and I wasn't paying attention. At least the security guys had a good laugh at my expense. Each morning I was given a money bag with $600, signed a paper saying I received the money, and then a gate superintendent(my dad is one of the superintendents) walked me to my booth so I didn't get mugged. At the end of my shift, I was escorted to security and turned in the money and the auditors checked to see if the register was over or short. Of course I balanced everyday.
On the second day of the fair a man who had been drinking walked up to the ticket window and started swearing at me. He said that he got a stamp when he left the fair the night before and now the ticket takers at the gate wouldn't let him in. I explained that he needed to buy a gate ticket everyday and once again he started to swear and as he walked away, I noticed he had peed his pants. Another time, a group of college guys came to my window and tried to get a discounted ticket. One of the guys said he would give me $4 and sing a Johnny Cash song. Tempting, but I told him he could give me $5 and still sing a Johnny Cash song. In the end, he didn't have $5 so his friends paid for him. I read 2 books during the week, drank a lot of water, ate breakfast with my family at Wimpy's, saw friends from the past, went to the rodeo, Poison concert, and Motocross Freestyle. Going to the fair is a family tradition and I look forward to going next year.

Are you ready for some football?

I spend part of my time at a University of Utah health clinic which means that most of the employees are Ute fans. I didn't hide the fact that I am a Cougar fan, but I certainly didn't go around advertising my loyalty. Can't we all just get along? Okay. Maybe that's too much to ask. I'm the first to admit that if I know someone is a die-hard Utah fan, I will be sure to let them know of my love for all things BYU.

I received an email yesterday from my fellow Cougar Mark about a tailgate lunch at the U clinic in honor of BYU football which was followed by emails from the U fans that today is Red Thursday and everyone must dress accordingly. I knew then that today was my day to let them know how I feel so I wore a blue skirt. Walking into Rounds and hearing gasps, two cheers, and lots of mumbling was great. "I thought you were a Utah fan" was the response of one co-worker. Uh, yes, I do enjoy Utah sports, but I love BYU sports.

Mark's office was decorated with red U's, a red chair, red confetti, red jolly ranchers, and anything else they could find. I can't wait to help him decorate the entire office blue.

I found some

A couple of boys were running up and down the bleachers at a rugby game recently. I kept hearing one of them yell "I found some! I found some!" so I started watching the boys to figure out what had been found. I was pretty sure I knew what the boys were looking for and I was right. The boys were looking for gum and candy stuck under the benches or on the floor. One of the boys was scraping candy or what he thought was candy off one of the benches when I heard the other boy yell, "Hey! Give me some of that." At least they were sharing.

When I grow up

* For more information on "When I grow up" please read the post dated 8/14/08.

For my first "When I grow up" Friday, I shadowed Mike who is an estimator for ServiceMaster. Mike works on the estimates for insurance companies after a disaster which includes but is not limited to water damage, odor removal, smoke and soot removal, and others. I wasn't sure what time to be at work, but luckily Mike sent me a text that I should arrive at noon. I brought slurpees expecting to watch Youtube videos all afternoon, but that was not the case. We(and by we I mean that Mike worked on the estimate and I smiled and nodded when appropriate) worked for what felt like days and then finally took a break. Wait. Let me start at the beginning. I walked in and Mike said that he had been waiting. I sat down and he asked me to get out my paper and pen.

'Uh Mike, since when do you actually do work that requires pen and paper?'

I grabbed a sticky note and a pen and I started taking notes. Being an estimator is more difficult than I imagined. Mike explained the process for doing estimates as he worked and it was interesting. Tedious, but interesting.
Let's go back to when we took a break from working. We were listening to music on Pandora and Mike decided to see the music video on Youtube. That led to watching more videos and reading news about Bigfoot and the Olympics. The next thing I knew it was time to go.
Here is a list of the important things I learned as assistant estimator:
1) Always tear out non-salvageable laminate floor
2) Have a window open to Youtube for easy access during down time
3) Good headphones are a must
4) Save as you go so you don't lose information entered for the estimate
5) When in doubt, ask Chris. He knows everything about everything-including Bigfoot

Blogging Fridays

A couple of friends were helping me decide what I should do on Fridays now that I work 4 10s and it was decided that I should go to work with a friend at least once a month and blog about my experiences in a series called "When I grow up." Exciting right? Tomorrow I will be an estimator. I can't wait.

And the winnner is...Coventry

Ah, the blessed Olympics are finally here. My friends and I were watching swimming on Saturday night and I missed the end of one of the semifinals. I asked my friend Joe(name may have been changed) who won and he/she said "Coventry. I've never heard of that country before." I pondered for a moment and then realized he/she must mean that the last name of the winner is Coventry, not the country they are from. At this moment, Joe turned to me and said "Uh, the last name is Coventry. She's from Zimbabwe. I was confused because her swim cap says Coventry." Good recovery Joe.

Books of Fury

A friend sent me this video and said one of the characters reminded him of me. Should I be offended? Not at all. Luckily, what happened in the video never happened to me when I worked at the BYU library. If it had, I would probably be on probation or in jail right now.

We can't afford to be innocent

I went to the Pat Benatar concert this evening with a few friends. We stood in line for less than an hour and ended up on the front row. My heart was beating as I thought about seeing Pat live and I'm pretty sure we had perma-grins the entire night.
Lindsay Rush opened for Pat and Neil and she was a pretty good singer, but all I wanted was Pat and Neil to come on stage. When Pat and Neil finally came on stage, the crowd went wild. Pat sang the songs everyone knows including Hit Me With Your Best Shot even though she doesn't like to sing that one anymore. At one point Neil looked at us on the front row and said 'many of you weren't born when we first started singing.' Pat smiled at me and she touched my hand. I thought about never washing that hand again, but I knew my health inspector roommate would not approve of that decision. And more importantly, I wouldn't approve of the decision to not wash my hands. I sound like I have multiple personalities.
Back to the concert. Pat was entertaining and sounds great live. We sang along to every song and lost our voices and hearing by the end of the night. I felt like I was in the movie Bucket List and seeing Pat put one more drop in my bucket. Such an incredible concert.

Movie Theater Work Out

I was talking about the Cardio Cinema room at Gold's Gym with some co-workers when Lisa jumped into the conversation and the following is my conversation with her.
Me: I love going to the movie theater room.
Lisa: You work out while at the movies?
Me: Yes, I find that it's best to go to a theater that has stadium seating so I can do squats up and down the stairs. Sure, people may get annoyed as I walk up and down the stairs, but we're talking about my health and exercising is an important part of my daily routine.
Lisa: Ooh. You can buy candy and use it as weights for an arm workout. And just lifting the large popcorn is a workout so you definitely burn calories.
Me: Exactly. I can also lay down in the front of the theater and work on my abs.
Anyone want to go to a movie?

I own the Boston Celtics

When I was in middle school, I was student of the month and at the end of the year, I won a prize. What prize? 1 share of Boston Celtics stock. I remember talking to a financial adviser and he told me about my new investment and all the money I would make with my 1 share. I have received a check in the amount of $1-2 every year since middle school and after awhile, I forgot about my share. Besides, I was told the stock would be sold to someone else after one year.
A couple years ago I received a letter saying that the Boston Celtics, or actually, Henley Limited Partnership, would like to buy my stock for $20. I signed a form and soon received the $20 check in the mail. I no longer owned stock in the Boston Celtics. At least, that's what I thought, until my mom handed me a check yesterday for $5.35 from Henley Limited Partnership as 'final' payment for selling my stock. The last paragraph of the letter that came with the check explaining why I received the money, said that I could possibly receive more money in the coming years.
I'm going to be rich. Go Celtics.

H-O-R-S-E

Mike asked if I wanted to play H-O-R-S-E and I wasn't sure I wanted to play because I haven't shot a basketball for quite some time. I decided to play and ended up winning. And by winning, I mean that there was no way I could lose. Maybe Mike was having an off night or maybe I'm just that good. On second thought, he probably was having an off night.
After Mike and I finished playing, Gundry, David, and Jennifer decided to play P-I-G so it would be a shorter game. Shorter game? Yeah right. A crowd gathered to watch the game and Elliott was a great water guy. We thought David was going to lose many times, but he always made his life saving shot. I was feeling pretty good about the game, until David started bringing out the props. 'This is what you're going to do. Jump over the chair and shoot with your right hand or run, grab the frisbee off the chair with your left hand and shoot with your right.' Luckily he either missed or Mike would miss so I wasn't forced to try sustaining a brain injury while playing. We should have worn helmets.
At one point, David stood with his back to the basket and threw the ball over his head and made the shot. Mike was after David and he too made the shot which meant it was my turn to do the same. A hush came over the crowd and I asked Gundry to make sure the ball didn't end up in the fire. I took a deep breath and tossed the ball. I didn't dare watch the ball fly through the air. The crowd went wild, high fives were exchanged, and I was in shock that I made the basket.
At the end of P-I-G, David won gold, I won silver, and Mike won bronze.

Sur la Table

My friend Andrea won a free cooking class from Yahoo's freecycle website and invited me to be one of her 5 guests. Andrea sent me an email with the menu and I was a little worried that I wouldn't like any of the food we prepared and I'd be forced to go home and make another meal. We sampled babaganoosh, cheese and crackers, and vanilla bean lemonade while waiting for all of the chefs-in-training to arrive.
Chef Scott made a chilled tomato soup and then we split into groups of 2 and each group was in charge of one recipe. I was partnered with Lisa and we made corn and tarragon bites. I chose this recipe because it seemed to be the easiest one and fail proof. The bites were delicious.
Andrea and Hilary were in charge of the vegetable cobbler. I don't like cobbler so the idea of a vegetable cobbler made me want to throw up. Chef Scott felt the same way and he described the veggie dish as a pot pie of sorts. I started to feel much better at this point and the color returned to my face. Andrea asked about the K-9 pepper and I was so confused until I realized she was asking about cayenne pepper. We obviously cook a lot.
Curtis and Kari were in charge of the pork chops. We all nominated Curtis to cook the meat and Andrea kindly pushed Kari to be Curtis' partner in the hope that they would find love while stuffing pork chops with a bacon and onion mixture.
We laughed a lot while cooking and I had a good time meeting new people and learning the cooking skills of a master. I even got Chef Scott to give me the recipes from his cookies and ice cream class. That's two classes for the price of none.

Hit me with your best shot

I received an IM from Pseu and a message from Rachelle telling me that Pat Benatar and her husband Neil aka Spider are coming to Salt Lake in July and I may have screamed. I quickly went to The Depot website for more information and started to spread the word to others who love Pat. Many people have a list of things they want to do or see before they die, and seeing Pat in concert is on my list. I check her website frequently to find out where she is touring and was planning to travel out of state if necessary but instead, Pat is coming to see me in Utah.
I bought my ticket for the concert today and now I am counting down the days until July 23rd. I might have to leave work early on the 23rd to get to The Depot so my friends and I can be as close to Pat as possible, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

Cutting Out Cancer

I took a drive to Idaho for the weekend and participated in the Relay for Life which raises awareness and money for the American Cancer Society. The relay lasted from 7p Friday night until 7a Saturday morning with at least one team member walking around the track at all times. My sister was the team captain and our team consisted of The Villa salon and day spa girls, myself, our dad, and our Aunt Joyce. We loaded up on the free stuff which included band-aids, pedometers, fans, and sunscreen. There was a problem with the lights around the track so much of the night was spent walking in darkness. Around 3a, I became very tired and didn't know if I would make it the whole night, but I did.
My aunt Jacquie participated in the survivor walk and then my dad walked with her for the caregiver lap. My dad transported his sister to and from appointments, handled insurance issues, and was an amazing support while Jacquie was going through radiation and chemotherapy and continues to help as needed.
The Villa girls participated in a potato relay race and won. The prize? Idaho Spud candy bars. We also sang Straight Up by Paula Abdul and the crowd loved us. Everyone knew The Villa girls by the end of the night because of the hoodies we were wearing that said The Villa and because we sang, danced, and talked to other relay for lifers while walking. We had so much fun raising money for cancer that we are already planning for next years Relay for Life.

Father Rufus

Happy Father's Day

I was on the phone with Lucy and I heard Avry Shae ask you to fix her hair and it reminded me of the times you fixed my hair in the morning. You played basketball or racquetball, came home and fixed us breakfast and then drove us to school. I like going to the store with you because you know everyone and you genuinely care for people and want to know about their lives and people feel that. You are accepting and look for the good in others and help them to see it within themselves. You have a great sense of humor. You notice where you can be of service and you don't hesitate to shovel someone's walk, build a fence, or drop everything to give someone a blessing. You are the best listener. You ask questions and allow me to come to my own conclusions rather than telling me what to do. You are the one I call if the fridge is broken, I have a flat tire, or something is wrong with the vacuum. And yes, I am aware that there is little you can do hundreds of miles away but you are still the first one I think to call in those situations. I'll never forget gathering around your hospital bed and hearing you offer the family prayer for the first time after you had heart surgery. I love you dad.

Sharmane is now what? Baptized!

I met Sharmane when she moved in with my friend Rachelle. Sharmane is amazing, funny, friendly, a great dancer, and strong inside and out. She started attending church, took the missionary discussions and was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Friday the 6th of June. Rachelle gave a talk on baptism and I spoke on the Holy Ghost. I'm so happy for Sharmane and it's wonderful to see the change in her life and countenance since she was baptized. After the baptism Sharmane made us dinner. Yes, you read correctly. Sharmane made her friends dinner after her own baptism. Did I complain? No way. Sharmane is attending culinary arts school and can cook for me anytime.

Memorial Day Weekend

I spent part of Memorial Day weekend in Blackfoot. My Grandma Bingham turned 92 years old and I sang in sacrament meeting with my dad and my mom accompanied us on the piano. We laughed a lot while practicing the song and it brought back so many memories of other times we have sung together. We also drove to the cemeteries to put flowers on the graves of Grandpa Bingham, Grandpa and Grandma Mortensen, and Grandpa and Grandma C.
The rest of my weekend was spent at The Dirt. We played games, guitar hero, and went 4 wheeling. Go here and here for pictures of the weekend.

Time for a Change

As much as I say I don't like change, I do enjoy the challenge of new situations. Usually, a change for me consists of coloring my hair or growing it out or cutting it or switching brands of deodorant. This week, I've decided to change something that will have a far greater impact on my life than whether I buy Dove and Lady Speedstick deodorant- I got a new job. I hadn't planned on changing jobs because I love what I do, but an opportunity for advancement and better pay came along and I decided to go for it. I'm still working for the state, but I won't be working in the brain injury unit anymore. Instead, I'll be working in the Neurobehavior HOME clinic and will split my time between the clinic near the U and my current office. I love that there is a team of nurses, doctors, psychologists, and psychiatrists in one office working together to best meet the needs of each client. I enjoyed my time working in the brain injury unit and I will miss my clients and coordinating the Brain Injury Support Group, but I know I'll continue to be involved in brain injury prevention and awareness efforts. All you fellow bloggers and blog stalkers better wear helmets when biking, 4 wheeling, etc. Besides, there's isn't much chance that I'll be your social worker when you crash and are injured when not wearing a helmet so now is the time to protect your head.

Gratitude

I was so scared when you called last week and you said something might be wrong. I cried as I thought about and prepared for whatever was going to happen to you and the impact it would have on those close to you. The unknown is frightening and the waiting game is annoying. My phone rang this morning and seeing your name made my heart race and I was nervous to answer. I knew by the way you said my name that you were going to be fine. Relief washed over me and I was overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude that the problem isn't as serious as it could have been.

It can wait until tomorrow

Life was going pretty well and then I went to eat sushi. As I pulled into the parking lot, I heard a lot of scraping and I think part of my car was left behind. Dan heard my car scraping and decided to park in the parking lot east of the restaurant. After sitting in the restaurant for less that five minutes, Telle went to move the car and she found that the car had been booted. She paid the $80 and moved the car.
Fast forward 4 hours and a group of friends went to see 10,000 BC at the dollar theater. Pelosi dropped us off and she showed up right as we were buying tickets. "I locked my keys in my car. I thought I put them in my purse, but they are in the ignition." After a lengthy discussion, Pelosi decided to call a locksmith because her insurance will reimburse whatever she has to pay to get into her car. The rest of us went to the movie and the fun continued. Pelosi sent a text to Kim saying that it's too expensive to call a locksmith so she called a friend to help and Kim told her what she needed in order to get into her car. Pelosi eventually sent a text saying that she got into our condo and was going to bed so she would attempt to get into her locked car the next day and then asked to make sure we could find a ride home. Kim continued trying to contact a few people, but with no success. Many times during the movie, my thoughts turned the keys locked in the car. Someone could easily break her window and get 2 free purses filled with much goodness as an added bonus. After the movie, the parking lot was searched for a hanger and eventually one was found. Many people told us good luck, including a security guard who told us to buy a slim jim at Skaggs. What good is a slim jim if it's in the locked car and do we have a Skaggs store in Utah? The hanger was used to unlock the door and we drove home and woke up Pelosi so she could see our happy faces.

Mother Lucy

Happy Mother's Day

My life is blessed because you are my friend and mother. We've been through some difficult experiences, but your strength and faith has helped me to be stronger that I thought I could be. I may not remember much about our life before you became sick, but I do remember feeling loved. There were times you came to choir concerts, clogging competitions, and school activities to support me even when you were in pain and feeling completely drained and I recognize the sacrifices you made for me. I knew I could count on you being there when I came home from school and we would lay on the bed talking about life for hours. Remember when you were my piano teacher and you would tap with a pencil so I knew the timing of the song? I admit there are times I purposely play a song incorrectly hoping that the famous pencil will make an appearance. You taught me the importance of getting an education and reading out of the best books. I don't think I have ever seen you without a book to read. You have a great sense of humor that many miss out on because you don't like being the center of attention and instead say funny things to those sitting next to you. You reach out to everyone around you and serve even when it may be hard to do so. I love you mom.

Feeling lucky

Construction on 33rd S is driving me crazy. I exit the condo on 11th E and usually wait in a long line of cars being driven by people who thought that driving through the condo complex would save them time. They are so wrong. Eventually someone lets me turn left onto 11th and soon I make it to work. I battle the cars and construction on the way home as well.
One morning I tried to turn right onto 33rd from the condo only to find the exit is blocked because of the roadwork. I back up and find another way to leave to complex. Later that night I drive down 33rd and find that I can't turn into the complex from 33rd nor can I turn onto 11th E. I turn right onto 11th and make a U-turn and 10 minutes and 20 potholes later I am home. I find a new way home each night. Just because I can leave one way in the morning does not mean I can return the same way. And what's up with the no left turns for what seems like 500 miles? I'm not even sure what they are working on but I do know that I'm not very hopeful that the roads will be fixed. Instead they will try to cover up the problem and we'll go through this nightmare again next Spring. My thinking is that it would be more cost effective to really fix the road instead of masking the problem every year, but what do I know?

Accident prone

On Friday the 11th of April I drove home to Idaho for the weekend with a few friends. I was calling a friend on the phone and as I turned the corner to head down the hallway of my parents house, I stubbed my toes on a roll of flooring that is going to be installed in the bathroom. Somehow I made it through the call and then fell to the floor in pain. My middle toe took most of the beating and I popped it once, but it is still misshapen and purple.
The next day I was coming out of the bathroom and my right arm ran into the doorknob. Truly a miracle that I didn't get a bruise from that encounter. Later that day I walked Syden to the car so he could go to the church with my mom. I buckled him in, turned around, and the left side of my body ran into a brick wall. I was a little surprised at this and stood for a moment collecting my thoughts and then started laughing and went inside to tell everyone what happened.
Sunday was game day. I went to the hall closet and as I reached for Catch Phrase, flashlights came flying out of the cupboard and just as I was rejoicing that nothing fell on my toes, a large aerosol can of something hit me on the head. I turned to see if anyone had noticed and of course one person saw the whole fiasco. I laughed out loud and cried on the inside as I felt the bump on my head. Later that night I was holding my niece Avry and we were putting the game away when an easter basket fell on Avry's head. At that moment I realized I should have spent the weekend in a bubble.

One who buys pennies

I started a post a few months ago and never posted it and now, thanks to my friend Cory, I don't have to. Let me explain. I started a post telling all about my job, but for some reason I never got around to posting the final draft. I admit that my job is flexible and laid back, but I also work hard, contrary to what a couple of my friends may say. Cory was kind enough to write a post on his blog about my life and job as a social worker for individuals who have a brain injury. It's important to remember that one shouldn't believe everything that one reads, especially before sources are checked and found to be credible.

I have to go

Frantically I run up the stairs and into the condo pausing only briefly to say hello to my roommates. I change my clothes and I'm on my way out the door. I am stopped by questions: "What are you doing? Who are you going with?" To these questions I answer, I'm leaving the condo to see friends and I'll be back later. As I run down the stairs, I make sure I have everything I will need. Water bottle-check. Purse-check. Wallet-check. Camera-check. Burt's Bees lip balm-check. Burt's bees lip balm-check.(I always carry at least 2 in my purse in case I lose one). I'm feeling pretty good because I'm going to make it on time and then it hits me- the "I have to go to the bathroom even though I haven't had a lot of water recently and I just went 30 minutes ago, but soon I'll be sitting for a few hours and there is no way I am missing one minute of(insert activity here) so I better go before it starts urge."
Why does this happen and don't pretend that it doesn't happen to you because I've asked some pretty reliable sources and they have also encountered the need to go. Until this mystery is solved, I will do my best to allow a few extra minutes before activities begin so that I can go to the restroom. Speaking of restrooms, I have to go.

An enrichment to remember

I was talking to some girls in my ward when I heard the Bishop's daughter say: "They broke the glass." I thought that someone had broken a glass in the house, but soon I wished it were that simple. I turned to the window and saw a person walk away from a car, zip up a backpack, get on a bullet bike with another person, and ride off down the road. I felt frozen as I stood there and then someone asked whose car was broken into and I said that it looked like Stacy's. Stacy ran outside while someone called the police. It was Stacy's car that was broken into and her purse was stolen so she immediately called to cancel her credit and debit cards. Angie was smart enough to take a picture of the bike with her camera phone, but the license place was bent so we couldn't read to numbers. The police came and there wasn't much they could do, but he did take a copy of the picture Angie took in case the thieves are caught in the future and can be linked to this crime as well. Earlier in the week, another friends car was broken into at the church parking lot and his wallet, jump drive with papers from college, school books, stereo, and other items were taken.

Yawn

Dear blogging friends:
Hi. How are you? I am doing fine. Write back soon.
Love,
Your friend Mishellita

Remember those great letters you wrote and received during your younger years? I sure miss those days. Maybe I'll start sending letters in the mail again. What a novel idea. Moving onto the topic at hand. So many thoughts and ideas for a new post on this here blog, but nothing is coming together as it should. Do not fear for I shall post again soon. In the meantime, the picture below will allow you to see how I am feeling as of late.

All About 4's

Thanks for the tag Bob L.

4 Jobs I have had:
BYU general reference librarian/information desk help
Assistant Director
Master milkshake maker
Support Coordinator

4 Movies I watch over and over:
Finding Neverland
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
The Other Sister
Hairspray

4 Places I have lived:
Blackfoot, ID
Provo, UT
Rexburg, ID
Salt Lake City, UT

4 TV shows I watch:
Heroes
Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives
Sports
Discovery Channel

4 Places I have been:
Hawaii
Turkey
Greece
Bahamas

4 People who email me regularly:
Co-workers
Jamie Lyn
Dad(Rufus)
NY times

4 Favorite things to eat:
Chips and Salsa
Cereal
French Toast
Homemade Pizza

4 Places I would rather be:
Idaho
Oregon
Any warm/tropical place
in the mountains or on a private island

4 Things I look forward to this year:
Clay graduating with his PhD in chemistry (You can do it Clay!)
Taking the GRE
Summer filled with snow cones, slip 'n slide, and swimming
Healthy relationships

Let me in and/or out

I arrived at the office after visiting a client and found the door to the office locked. I tried using my electronic key, but it wouldn't work. I tried the next set of doors and they also wouldn't open. I was getting ready to call the receptionist, when a co-worker approached the door from the inside. She tried to open the door, but was locked in. What?! I couldn't get in and those on the inside were stuck at work-good thing I was on the outside. At the very moment I decided to go home for the rest of the day, I remembered there is a back entrance to work. I walked around to the back and the door was unlocked and I returned to work and spent the afternoon writing this blog. Don't worry. I also worked on the following: returning phone calls, IM-ing friends, writing reports, and reading the latest book for book club. Whenever I needed a break from the strenuous workday, I walked by the front door to watch as people attempted to enter or leave the building. I kept waiting for someone to yell, "Smile. You're on candid camera." Sadly that never happened.

Ladies Night at the Ritz

Dan and Lindsey are getting married next Friday and we all know that there has to be a bridal shower before the wedding. Lindsey's sister Emilee planned the shower to be at The Ritz Bowling Alley on Ladies Night and it was one of the best showers I've ever been to.
Lindsey and approximately twenty of her friends gathered at the alley and the good times kept rolling(That pun is for McCall-the queen of puns). Here are a few of the most memorable moments from the shower.


Taking a break from dancing and bowling for a picture. The music at The Ritz was perfect for ladies night.

Angie dared me to bowl with 2 balls and I did just that. I won't upload the other picture that shows how, uh, poorly I bowled. I'll simply state that one of the balls may have gotten stuck in the gutter. Oh well.

McCall tried to run while approaching the lane and fell. I hope she got a strike for her efforts.

This picture is for Lindsey and I wish she was in the picture with us.

Em not only bowled a Turkey, but her final score was 209! So incredible.

I love this picture Becky took while Lindsey was opening presents. A bridal shower isn't a bridal shower without presents, and presents is exactly what Lindsey received. If you want to see pictures of the gifts Lindsey received, you'll have to talk to Lindsey because I've given her the copyright to all pictures and videos taken at the shower.

Suspended driving privileges

My supervisor came into my office this morning and said she had received a letter about me. So many thoughts ran through my mind as to what the letter could be concerning, but I was not prepared for the answer. "Shelley, the letter states that your license is invalid and as such you are not allowed to drive the company vehicle nor are you allowed to drive your personal vehicle for official work purposes until the matter is cleared. In addition, a letter from the Driver License Division (DLD) must be sent to HR stating that the license has been re-instated" I pulled out my license, and sure enough, it had expired a week ago.
Off I went to the local DLD office. As I pulled into the parking lot, I knew I wouldn't make it back to the office for a long time. The parking lot was full and I barely escaped a couple of collisions while trying to find a parking spot. I entered the building and I laughed...out loud. People stopped and stared at me. I assume they did this to everyone who walked in as their way of saying "Welcome to your life for the next 5 hours. Don't you wish you had a friend you could cut in line with?" I filled out the appropriate form for a license renewal and waited to be given a number. After about 25 minutes of listening to a mother and daughter argue in Spanish(I know enough Spanish to understand they were not happy with one another) and feeling claustrophobic for the 1st time in my life, I drove to another DLD office. A guy left at the same time I did and I felt as if we were racing each other. He was in the lead until he went straight instead of turning left onto 7th E which allowed me to get a number long before he arrived. Victory.
I had number 34 and the next number called was 9. An older man next to me gave a little cheer each time we got closer to my number. The husband and wife on the other side complained about the wait while I sat patiently because I knew the line was longer at the 1st office I went to. People came and went and it was now my turn. Panic hit. Immediately I thought: Oh no, I only have one form of ID. Please don't ask for another form of ID or else I'm going to have to try using my Costco card. Ed B. was very helpful and I knew I'd be fine as soon as he asked which part of Idaho I am from. He was so excited when I told him Blackfoot as he proceeded to talk about potatoes and how much he loved driving from Pocatello to Idaho Falls. Then he noticed my mom's maiden name is Bingham and he was even more excited because his last name is Bingham. Renewing my license was much more enjoyable at this point. I had my picture taken and refused to sign my name again. "Ed, I'm left handed and when I write my signature, my hand smears what I write so I'd rather not try again."
Three hours and at least three hundred less brain cells later, I had my temporary license.