Mi pero es en mi corazon

So last night I was having a bit of a cry. Abby, who was sleeping near my feet, got up and curled right next to me and let me hold her until I fell asleep. (When I woke up in the morning she was back down by my feet where she likes to sleep.) She kept trying to lick my face to make me feel better--even though dog kisses don't really make me feel that good, yuck! But anyway, this is why I love my dog.

Tagged

I've been tagged

I was tagged by: Janessa
I am: glad that I survived the week.
I think: that there's so much more I should be doing.
I know: that some things are just true.
I want: to enjoy this holiday season.
I have: no more finals!
I dislike: small, annoying sounds that I can't shut out, and that drive me CRAZY!
I miss: my innocence.
I fear: failure.
I feel: tired.
I hear: my dog breathing.
I smell: my "Welcome Home" Scentsy candle.
I crave: time spent with family.
I cry: only when I'm alone.
I search: google almost every day.
I wonder: how to do better.
I regret: the things that should have been said ... but weren't.
I wish: I was in England.
I love: my family--extended and immediate.
I care: about you.
I always: wait to buy my textbooks until I see the prof. show me the right one 'cause the bookstore always messes up.
I am not: sure what the future holds.
I remember: the good times.
I believe: what God tells me.
I sing: in the shower just about every morning.
I don't: do as many things I love as I used to.
I argue: to put my opinions into words.
I write: but wish I wrote more.
I win: the final hand of texas hold 'em every time.
I lose: just about every other hand of texas hold 'em that I play.
I listen: better when I'm doing something with my hands.
I don't understand: why people hurt other people.
I can usually be found: at work.
I forget: where I put my chapstick.
I am happy: when I'm surrounded by people I love.

I tag: whoever reads my blog but hasn't done this yet and has nothing better to do.

Temple Lights!

Last Saturday evening I went down to SLC with my sisters and various members of my branch to see the temple lights. The crowds were huge and we didn't get to actually see too many lights, but I still got to have fun with two of the most awesome ladies ever! Here's proof:

Jessica and Katie being all goofy--well, Jessica at least. We were just about to go into the Assembly Hall to listen to a choir sing and I made them pose for this picture really quick. Meanwhile, just out of frame, a senior missionary is checking bags for guns and knives.

Here I am on Trax as we're heading over to the Gateway for dinner. We had reservations with the branch at Z'Tejas, which was pretty good, if a little overpriced.

Jessica and Kate again. This was one of a few of their attempts to take a picture of themselves. Later on in the night, it turned into Katie in the front seat of the car trying to snap a picture of Jessica in the back seat of the car without turning around. I'll spare you those pictures, as they're mostly of the car door.

In the car on the way home we got really goofy. Katie says she snapped this picture of me as I was telling her to shut up, but I don't quite see it. Honestly, I have no idea what I'm doing here, but it still makes me laugh.

And to finish things off, a really great photo:

I had lots of fun with everyone, but what I really loved were those chances for a few moments of peace and stillness. I love being reminded what this season is really about, and taking a moment to be grateful for my Savior and his Atonement.




p.s. Yes, I did update my blog so I could avoid studying for my final tomorrow. Cause I know my co-workers were thinking it through the whole post.

Just Because I'm Bored and I Can

So it's been one of those days where no one wants to do anything, and ladies at work have told me I should update my blog. This seemed like something fun and goofy--good for passing the time. Here we go.

5 Things I was doing 10 years ago...

1. Packing up the house in AZ.
2. Painting the house in AZ.
3. Finishing my last semester of high school.
4. Enjoying our last Christmas in AZ.
5. Prepping with the marching band for the Rose Bowl parade.

5 Things on today's "to do" list ...

1. Call the temple.
2. Buy a wedding gift for the reception tonight.
3. Attend the wedding reception tonight.
4. RSVP for the baby shower.
4. Maybe try to get some actual work done.

5 Snacks I enjoy ...

1. Hummus and veggies.
2. Glazed donuts (on occasion)
3. Veggie and fruit trays.
4. My mother's cheeseball.
5. Reece's Pieces and popcorn.

5 Things I would do if I were a millionaire ...

1. Get myself and my parents out of debt.
2. Buy a new car.
3. Finish school.
4. Travel Europe.
5. Give the rest away.

5 Places I have lived ...

1. Clearfield, Utah.
2. Ogden, Utah.
3. Tempe, Arizona.
4. Warrensburg, Missouri.
5. Springville, Utah.
(This just covers most of the cities, not the several different apartments and houses in those cities.)

5 Jobs I have had ...

1. Volunteer at the Davis Hospital ER (that was fun)
2. Special Collections student assistant.
3. Office Specialist (in the library)
4. Special Collections hourly employee.
5. Special Collections Processor.
(Yes really. Most of my working life has revolved around the library and Special Collections in particular. What can I say? I work with great people.)

Well, I hope all my readers have as much reading this as I did writing it. Actually, here's hoping you have more fun, because mostly I was just trying not to fall asleep.

"We couldn't afford Disney Land, so we went to Smith and Edward's!"

Well, last weekend was Family Fun in the Fall weekend at the Johnson house, except we didn't do all that much. We were going to go to a movie on Thursday night, but instead we just stayed home, at pasta, and watched ... what did we watch? I can't remember. That's real sad.

Anyway, Friday was a lounge around day--I stayed in my pajamas and read all day, which I have not done in forever. So, even though I know my coworkers will probably be mad at me when they read this, I'm still glad I did it. :D

Saturday was the real fun day, unfortunately John Perry had to work :( We drove up to Morgan, and I'd say we got lost up there, but really it's Morgan. How lost can you get there? We had no idea how to get to the place we were looking for (and we never did find it), but we always knew where we were.


We discovered that Morgan has lots of weird signs. I've heard that cop-tipping is almost as fun as cow-tipping, and who knew that you could play giant-frisbee while parked in a handicapped spot?

After wandering all over the Morgan area, we hit Trapper's Loop, came down Ogden Canyon, then drove out towards Pleasant View. We found a roadside fruit/veggie stand, picked out pumpkins, tasted fresh apples, and bought fresh apples and other fruits. They were delicious.

Lots of pumpkins! (Sorry for the really crappy camera phone pics. They really don't do justice to the fantastic colors of the pumpkins, and they don't capture how beautiful a day it really was.

Our final stop for the day was Smith and Edward's. That place is truly one of the most unique places on earth (and I haven't decided yet if it's a good thing or a bad thing). We spent most our time in the army surplus section goofing off, as these pictures prove.



Well, until next year, that's it for Family Fun in the Fall!

Kansas City Gets a Temple!!

So I know most the excitement about the new temples announced today is centering around Rome, Italy, but I just have to say how excited I am that there will finally be a temple in Kansas City.

I was 12 when my family and I lived in Warrensburg, Missouri (which is about an hour and a half from Kansas City), and I had the opportunity to go to the temple for the first time. The summer before this, our ward had organized a temple trip for the adults to the Dallas, Texas, temple and we traveled with my parents so they could go and do several sessions. I remember one of my friends and her family also went to the temple to be sealed together, so it was quite the experience for everyone. But when I was 12, and had just started in Young Womens, the youth had the chance to go to the temple to do baptisms for the dead in the Chicago temple.

This temple trip, as I understand it, was the first youth temple trip for our ward in about five years, meaning there were priests and laurels who had either never been, or had only been to the temple once before. As youth we had to earn and save as much money as we could to pay for our way to the temple--which for me was quite the experience and a story for another day. Our ward leaders asked all the ward members to give the youth any little odd jobs--yardwork, babysitting, etc.--so that we could earn our way, and after months of preparing, we were finally ready to go.

We left in the late afternoon and drove all night until we hit St. Louis. We got up early the next morning and drove all day until we hit Chicago. (The Chicago and Dallas temples are both about the same distance from Warrensburg, just in opposite directions, by the way.) Once in Chicago, we checked into our hotel, changed into Sunday clothes, and then drove over to the temple where we spent most of the rest of the night doing baptisms and then having a small testimony meeting in the temple. It was truly one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

But the problem was, the temple was so far away, these kinds of experiences for the youth (and indeed for all the members) were few and far between. Then, shortly after we left Missouri, I heard that a temple was going to be built in St.Louis. I was so excited for that temple because I knew how many lives it would bless--how much easier it would be for the members in the area to go often to the temple--and many times I've said that the St. Louis temple is my favorite.

Until today that is. Now this new Kansas City temple just might be my new favorite. I broke into tears when I heard President Monson announce that there would be a temple in the greater Kansas City area because I know how much the people in that area have wanted and needed a temple. I know that the Church has been growing and growing in this area, but now ... now I can't imagine the changes and blessings that will come to the members in this area! And it all just makes me so very excited!

Plus, this means the Saints will have a temple in Jackson Co., Missouri again. Think on that people. Think on that.

LOST DOG

I know most of my (very few) readers don't live anywhere near me, but since I hope for miracles I'm posting this here anyway.

This is a picture of my wonderful, stupid dog, Zach. He's been missing since Wednesday, September 3rd, and I'm starting to get a little frantic about him. We've checked with the local animal shelter and have posted/handed out flyers in our neighborhood and at local stores. We've e-mailed his picture to local vets asking if anyone has brought Zach in for any kind of treatment, and as soon as I finish this post I'll be heading over to a couple of websites that help find lost pets and posting an ad over there. All of this to no avail.

So here's hoping that this helps--it's better than doing nothing but worry anyway. Zach is a basset hound mix, copper-colored with a white chest and belly with white markings on his face. He was wearing a blue collar when he took off, and he has a microchip registered to (I believe) Wasatch Humane Society. If you know anything please let me know, and if you live near me and can spread the word I'd appreciate it tons!

Thanks!