Family Picture Day

Today was one of the few days this year that we have all been together, so you know what that means...Family Picture Day Shout Hooray!  Sometimes our family has difficulty matching.  So you can't go wrong if you say BSU blue and orange, well you could but we wouldn't let that happen.  A few people even brought extra shirts if it did!  It was a chilly 32 degrees.  We all met at the corner where mom and I had seen this spot on our daily walks.  It is rare to find a tree in Idaho in November with leaves on it.  We parked our cars, gave our friend the camera, and scurried over to the fence.  This was as good as it got.  Yea we've had better, but for Mom's Christmas Cards, this is what we got.

Happy Be Grateful Day

Today was a fantastic turkey, thanksgiving, be grateful day!  The best thing about today was that I didn't have to go through 3 airports after working a night shift to be home for the holiday.  The past several years that is what has happened, well that is if I wasn't working.  I remember a few years ago working a night shift, going to the airport, getting stuck in SLC airport, and finally making it home just in time for Thanksgiving dinner; mom didn't even wait for me to do my hair so I ate with wet hair.  This year however was much more relaxing.  Mom delegated most things and the others we prepared yesterday.  It was so relaxed this morning that mom and I still got our walk in before the chaos began.  Of course we did enjoy the 50 degree weather which doesn't happen often on Thanksgiving day. I often remember Thanksgiving day being freezing.  It was so nice that the kids didn't even have to wear coats when they enjoyed the bounce house that dad set up for them.  My cousin Callie brought a craft for the kids, but the adults enjoyed making our gratitude journals as well.  This was the first year in many that everyone was together.  Oh what fun we had and without any drama or injuries.  Lets hope it continues through the rest of the holiday season.
Even though this year has felt a little rough, I am so grateful for many things.
-I have a place to stay, even though I feel homeless and my things are stuffed away in a storage unit.
-I saved my money, even though I wanted a new car.
-I have a marketable skill.
-I have support from my family and friends.
-We are all healthy and strong.
-The gospel, my testimony and the direction I have in my life, even though at times it feels like I'm not quite sure where I need to be.
-Hope
-Time...to build relationships, to relax, to enjoy the opportunities before me.
-A mind and heart that help me in making important decisions.
-Love
Just a small list.  I could go on and on, but that's what my gratitude journal is for.

Birthday Celebrations!

Another year has come and gone making me 1 year older.  I don't feel older, just wiser. After all age really is just a number.  I know a lot of people who are older than me physically and emotionally, yet biologically speaking they are younger.  So there to my brother who called me this afternoon having his son ask me how it feels to be older.  My reply was, "It feels Great!"  He is only 10 months younger than I am and thinks I am so much older than him.  Whatever.
To start off the day my darling nieces came to wake me up and dad made pancakes.  I had another of my many interviews with the company I will probably go with.  This has kind of been broken up into a few days, given the timing and the fact that I'm in town.  Typically it would have all been in one day.  After, I went to my cousin Alisha's and picked her up.  She took me to this awesome Tai restaurant.  We had yellow curry which was delicious.  As we were getting our meal a guy that I grew up with walked in.  He recognized both of us, but he really had no clue who I was until I told him my name.  It was rather funny when I told him.  He had this look on his face like, wow you are hot, no probably wow no frizzy hair.   Do I really look that much different than I did in High School?  Maybe a little more mature looking.  It is so weird to run into people I grew up with.  It happened at the craft store the other day too.  For dessert they gave us this delicious coconut pineapple ice cream for my birthday and took a picture of me with a silly hat on to put up on their birthday wall.  After lunch Alisha and I did a little shopping and then later we met some of the girls in our family at the Cheesecake Factory for dinner.  All in all it was a nice day.  What will this year bring?  I'll let you know when I find out.  I'm feeling a fabulous one indeed!

A Day Of Idleness

I spent an entire day of idleness, well that's what my mom called it.  I call it relaxation and pure enjoyment. What did I do?  Well, I started my day off having a lovely phone conversation with my dear friend Emily who is in Wisconsin.  She moved there a few months before I moved from Charlotte.  She and I were once roommates which was super fun.  We use to spend hours chatting while driving to and from the temple and at O'Charlies and Panera.  How I miss all of them.  She and I are a lot a like and I feel that our lives have both taken crazy turns.  She always gives great advice.
I spent the rest of the day watching college football.  I love upsets especially if it will help BSU.  I don't know if any of the upsets this weekend will help BSU, but it was so exciting to see USC win Oregon.  We BSU fans are surely not fans of Oregon.  The coolest was that I had a Charlotte based station here in my Idaho home (local station), how that happened I'll never know.  It made me miss Charlotte.  In between and during the boring parts of the games I read part of a book.  I also helped make some Christmas presents; Oprah calls it multi-tasking.  I did get out in the cold for a few hours to Costco, 3rd Costco run in less than 1 week; I've kept my money in my pocketbook the last 2 trips.  In Idaho you always run into someone you know, which is always fun.  It is so awesome to go out on the town and see everyone wearing their blue and orange; it's like the treasure valley is one big family.  When you see someone not wearing blue and orange you think what's wrong with them.  Even my mom was wearing her Love Bronco's sweatshirt today.  We also stopped at the Bronco shop and See's Chocolates, before coming home to watch the twins and Gavin.  They are busy little boys and are getting into everything.  They have lots of boogers and are so cute when they try to blow them out, unless of course I just go digging.  I mean really that's what aunties are for aren't they?  What is amazing was the touch down pass that Baylor just threw to upset #5 Oklahoma, whom BSU fans despise.  Ah, what a great day of idleness!  "USC, Iowa, Baylor, and NC State just made a mess of the BCS" the tv announcer.

The Book Of Mormon

Today I finished the Book Of Mormon for the umteenth time.  I have been reading it over and over again since I can remember.  I read from it every day.  Sometimes it's a few verses, sometimes a few pages or chapters.  I receive so much strength from studying from its pages.  Each time I read the Book of Mormon I learn something new.  Many things stuck out this time around, however this time I understood why the war chapters were included as I was reading in Alma.   This time around I also just read.  I didn't use any markers.  Probably because I could never find one and because I just wanted to read.  I think I will always use a marker from now on because I can write what I learned that time through.  Each time I read it I learn what I need to learn according to the challenges I am facing at that time in my life.  I love the last chapter in the Book Of Mormon that tells us that if we will pray regarding the truth of it, we are promised that we will know by the power of the Holy Ghost that it is true.  I testify that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ.  I testify that we will grow closer to God by reading from its pages on a daily basis.  I testify that we will feel the burdens that we face a little lighter when we read from this book daily.  Yes, life will not always be easy, but it will be easier as we read the Book Of Mormon and abide by its precepts.

My Week Of Learning In MT

What a week.  And I mean really what a week it has been.  I have learned many things this week.  However  I have wondered why life sometimes lets us feel like we are spinning out of control.  I know that all of life experiences are to give us knowledge and growth so that in the future we will be better, but sometimes it's not so easy to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  In the last week I have learned...
-If it isn't right it isn't right.  Staying isn't going to make it right in a month, 6 month's, or a year.  Don't try to make it right if it doesn't feel right.
-I need to be more charitable.  Never have I met a more charitable people as I did in DL.  There were people at my house willing to help unpack and repack until the last box was loaded.  Dinner was brought every night and one night someone even brought it to the hospital.
-MT is a beautiful state.  The Mountains with a touch of snow especially from my very own office was enjoyable to view and gave me the inspiration that I needed.
-Heavenly Father knows me, my circumstances, where He ultimate wants me and He won't let me down.
-I hate living out of a suitcase.  1 month ago I packed a suitcase and it is still packed, but I promise it will be unpacked very shortly.  I imagine it will be even worse living out of a storage unit until I can figure out what I'm going to do with my life from here.
-There is no such thing as failure if you learn from the experience.
-When your stuff doesn't arrive when you expect it to, don't freak out because there is a reason behind it.  Had it all have arrived when I wanted it to, everything would have been unpacked and before I knew it wasn't right.
-EMP is an amazing company.  The nurses and staff that I worked with were the very best one could ever ask for.  The system worked in every way it should have.
-Paper charts=1980's or at least 1990's.  EMR might be a pain to learn, but it makes life so much easier.
-Elk Antlers can cause major damage to a hand, but I still have the talent to sew layer by layer.
-The grass is not always greener on the other side.
-Heat and humidity is far better than dry, cold air.  Chapped lips and dry hands make for major discomfort.
-When someone keeps hounding you to put your house up for sale, go with your instinct not to.
-Dad will drop whatever he is doing to rescue his little girl.  I'm so blessed to have my dad and my brother who also came to the rescue.
-Grandma Betty was right.  She is always right, even though she won't boast about it.
-I have way to much stuff.  Too many clothes, shoes, kitchen stuff and craft stuff.  I'm going to take a hiatus from shopping for at least a year.
-Be humble not prideful or boastful.
-If it's meant to be it's meant to be and it will be.
-Crying about it does make it feel better and so do hugs from people you barely know.
-I could have bought a car with the amount of money I have spent on this move.  But it is just money and I'm grateful that I have been taught to save for a rainy day, or rather when it's pouring.
-I don't think there is a nice way to say it other than moving really stinks, sucks, bites however you want to put it and moving your stuff twice stinks even more.
-If all else fails, it's okay to move in with mom and dad especially if it's the holiday season.  There's no place like home.
-But my home is in Charlotte...
Stay tuned, I can't wait for the rest of the story either.

I'm not a fan of moving, especially because my house is full of boxes in random rooms. I can't even find the box with cereal and peanut butter. Last night when I drove into DL after my lovely 30 minutes in a blizzard at the ID/MT boarder, I stopped of at the local supermarket to get some main staples, milk, English muffins, and Greek yorgart. Because I can't find the things to go with these main staples and because I can't find a spoon they have gone un-eaten. I did get some clothes unpacked. I have ALOT of clothes and AlOT more sweaters than one who has lived in CLT for 7 years should have.
I had a lovely walk today and ran into our clinical coordinator whome I have been corresponding with for the past few weeks. I joined him and his wife on their walk. It was neat to see so many people out walking when it was only 25 degrees. It wasn't that cold though, maybe because my warm lands end/goodwill coat was keeping me warm and the sun was out.  However after having dinner with a family in my ward it was a cold 18. My house is rather warm, surprisingly due to the vaulted ceilings and square footage.
I will admit that had I have seen the future of moving and the headache it is, leaving my friends, my "normal" life, and other things I wouldn't have done this. Maybe that's why we can't see the future; it wouldn't allow us to grow.

Sweet November

I love November, I love it even more this year because I'm about to start a new chapter in my book of life.  Of course we are still in North Carolina and what a great place to start the month.  The weather is beautiful as well as the fall leaves.  I love November because not only is it Thanksgiving; the day or rather weekend that we gorge ourselves with mom's delicious cooking, making our tummy's uncomfortable and feeling that we need to shed a few pounds before Christmas, but it is also my birthday month.  This year I will be home for both since they are the same week.
I am taking in every moment of this week that I'm not really on vacation, even though technically it seems like it.  I'm not touring so that means it isn't a vacation.  It has been super relaxing.  The last few weeks that I haven't been working haven't been all that relaxing.  Now that I haven't worked for 3 weeks, I must admit I am just about ready to get back to seeing patients.  I seem to spend money if I'm not working.  Not always a bad thing.  Yesterday after we had Tristen's follow up appointment that went well by the way and after visiting with a few friends, Grandma B, Tristen, and I went to Greensboro for the afternoon.  We had lunch at Panera, you know one of my favorite places!  And then I introduced them to Charming Charlies.  I love that place.  It is a little piece of Heaven for any lady, no matter her age.  This time around I was more into the purses, wallets, and scarves over the jewelry.  I did buy a lovely necklace that I can't wait to wear.  I also gave into a darling red purse, wallet, and three of the most adorable scarves.  I've wanted this red, scrunchy looking scarf since I saw it on a lady in my parents ward last December and I finally found one like it.  I think I will have enough scarves to keep me warm through May, since I bought some when I was in NYC trip 2.  (I'm still working on that post.)
Nick took Tristen and I to this cute resteraunt in Faith for dinner last night.  I've always wanted to go, probably because it has such a cute name "The Soda Shop."  I love that they have several white rockers on their porch.  It is totally southern, which I love.  Being back here this week has given me more mixed feelings.  I am excited to start my new job, be in a new house where I'm going to walk into a hundred boxes saturday night, but I love NC.  Love the people, the scenery, the business man who comes home in his white shirt and tie at 5pm every night looking handsome as ever.  I think I could definetley get use to laundry, cleaning house, going shopping and to lunch in the middle of the day and having dinner ready at least a few days a week.
Tuesday I had lunch with friends; potluck lunch at the church.  These are my favorite because everyone can come and their kids can run around and let us chat.  PS.  Emma made the most delicious Curry, I'm still waiting for the recipe.  I have such great friends here and am sad that I won't see them on a weekly basis, but I know there are new friends to be made.  And with the techno-world it makes it a little easier to keep in contact with them, even though they will be clear across the country, it will feel as if they are in my back yard, well I hope so anyway.