Release

I know it's Christmas week and most people's lives are revolving around that now.  Mine will be soon. And hopefully I can get my mind to focus on it when it's time.  (I fly to Georgia tomorrow.)  But right now there a lot of big things happening that have nothing to do with Christmas.  Or travel. Or the time with family that I have been anticipating and working for for a very long time.  

On Sunday I was released from my calling as a counselor in the stake YW presidency (I was by then the 1st counselor, basically same difference).  It was in every possible way a shock.  A shock.  How it happened was completely informal and weird. And just added to the shock.  It caught me completely off guard.  And took hours to really sink in.  The president was released, so I was too.

And then there were the suggestions that I might be called as counselor to the new president and that put in limbo for awhile.  But finally I decided (with some help of the Spirit and a wise Nancy sister), I am released.  I will assume that's that (and that feels very good). 

I don't know that I've still processed the looking back part.  I might do that later.  Might be a few weeks (in part because of other things happening, not calling related; those will come to the blog. later).  But I have now processed the reality that this just happened.  Things I don't understand aside.  It helped to have good conversations and prayer. 

After talking, crying, praying, listening to the Spirit on Sunday night, I had a good, good sleep.  On Monday morning I woke up and felt the release.

The term "release" has taken on a new meaning I haven't experienced before.  I felt the weight lifting off my shoulders.  One thing at a time, I thought of what this would mean and I felt so much pressure and doing-hard-things and responsibility drain away.  In a way it left me tired (like muscles as stress leaves), but it was nice too.  I feel released. 


p.s. Nancy had texted me because she just called to her stake YW presidency.  I guess the baton has been passed in more ways than one. 

Loving

This is the ridiculously long overdue second part to last post.  And it's going to be short/less thought out than sometimes (probably) because I have a meeting to be "at" (video) in half an hour.  But I want it written, at least in part.

So, back to my Utah trip and aftermath was, besides being loved, I also loved those people. I loved them, shared with them, trusted.  And it made me very conscious that somewhere along the line, I had chosen to stop loving people around me.  I was also made aware of this on more than one trip to the temple--very distinct revelation from the Lord telling me that I need to open my heart and love again.  I understood the message.  But I was scared to obey.

I'm not sure when or how or why it happened.  When I started this blog post a few weeks ago, one of the reasons I didn't finish writing this second one was that I was still trying to figure out why.  Where it was that I got tired of being hurt and feeling misunderstood and like I was putting forth effort and not getting any back and whatever and whatnot.  Finally, after mulling over that for awhile (with tons of specific examples in mind--losing so many people in so many ways--and lots of tears) I finally concluded that quite frankly it didn't matter.  Why, wherefore, when were irrelevant.  The fact of the matter was that I had quit loving and by doing so I wasn't only hurting other people.  I was hurting myself.  A lot. 

I, Ruth, love people. I have for a long time.  Many years.  Probably for 20 years; definitely, very consciously for 15 years.  As Martha's daughter.  And McKay's daughter.  And as part of my divine nature and my specific mission on Earth and my effort to emulate Jesus Christ.  For all those reasons and more, I love people.  It's who I am. 

Only, I'd let go of it and I was sad and alone and hurting as a result. 

I also realized, that the reasons why weren't nearly so relevant as the question:  Do I have faith in Jesus Christ?  In his power as a healer of all things?  In his ability to help me repent, to forgive, to grow?  If I do, then I'll accept the risks, I'll accept what seems one-sided effort, I'll accept the hurt that does come from loving.  I'll rely on my Savior, my Redeemer.  And I will love people again.

So, I'm happy to report that for the past few weeks, I've been working on it.  Consciously.  Choosing to hug people.  To visit them.  To respond to nice co-workers who ask about my holiday plans--really respond, not just short, it's-enough-to-be-polite answers.  To reach out to new people.  To tell stories and share of myself.  To see the good in others and tell them! To be aware and find little ways to serve.  And on and on. 

I can feel the pull-back, the difficulty at times as I break away this little fence that has grown up around my heart. But I keep trusting the Lord.  Surely the Lord God will not command me to do this, save he will help me do it.  And even when I'm scared of the consequences, I do want to.  Being I believe the good consequences (both of loving and of obeying) are worth it!

It feels good.  I feel more whole.  I feel like ME again!  And I'm so grateful. 

I love to love!  :)

Loved

Sadly, there are not pictures of Vermont in the fall.  It was gorgeous. Gorgeous in the early, bright fall; gorgeous in the middle, rich fall; gorgeous in the duller, late fall (I actually think that might have been my favorite).  I loved this fall.  It was a nice long one.  But I didn't bike much and I didn't take many pictures.  (Minus the hike to Camel's hump--maybe I'll post those later.)  So I just thought about this when I went to check when I last blogged.  (Which was so long ago it was still summer.  and we had 3 months of fall.)

Anyway, that's not what I got on to blog about.  I am going to try to be more electronically active, so I'm starting with what I'm familiar with--blogging.  (But I'm also planning to start using FB more, so stay tuned for that.)  This post is both a topic that's been on my mind, so a good place to (re)start, but also an explanation (part one of an explanation) about why I'm even doing this.

Back in August, my friend Avinash called to tell me he and Aimee were getting married (finally!!!) and to invite me to their wedding, in Utah (where she is from).  Initially I didn't think I would go (I don't usually fly to weddings, unless they're my siblings'--this is the 3rd in 15+ years), but then I realized I could see my baby Benson, who would be home from his mission by the wedding date (end of Sept).  And Hyrum, who I hadn't seen since Christmas.  And Rachel.  So I bought tickets and went.

It was the most incredible, lovely trip.  I was there for about 5 days.  I spent 3 days in Provo, two half days in Bountiful, and a day+ in Logan.  By the time I got home, I was so hoarse I could hardly talk.  I spent loads of quality time with Benson (we went to classes, went to find out about preapprovals at my favoriteist credit union, went to hang out on Provo River, ate too much, stayed up until the wee hours playing Rummikub with Aline (good thing there was a curfew; and oh it was fun times on memory lane), had early morning scripture study, and just enjoyed being together.  Stayed up until SUPER late visiting with Christina, newly returned missionary cousin (such good, good conversation--man, I miss that).  I spent a great day at wedding events--good memories, beautiful things, lots of Boston friends, and tons of fun, fun time with Aline.  I squeezed in time with Carrie (freshman friend, Spanish house roommate); got to hold her sweet, sweet newborn.  I went to the wonderful Women's Meeting with mission companion/later roommate Sarah; also stayed overnight/visited with her.   Went to church with cousins Johanna and Beth, then visited more with them.  Super fun visit with Geovanni and family (my MTC teaching companion and his dear wife and girls who I became good friends with).  Had a fabulous, guiding conversation with Aunt Ruth Elaine (on day one) and then enjoyed a fun Sunday with the "whole" family on Sunday.  And then good, good times with the Logan crew (Rachel, Ryan, Hyrum).  Besides tons of visiting, I went to Rachel's class and got to spend a day in Spanish immersion with her cute kiddos.  And then went to campus and class with Hyrum.  Fabulous meal and family home evening with all of them.* 

I was richly fed by the Spirit from all of our conversations.  I learned intellectual things.  I heard new ides and was able to learn from sharing things myself.  I loved speaking Spanish, sharing so much scriptural-based truth, and just understanding/being understood.

But most of all--I was loved.  Loved..  Loved.  Bathed in love.  Physical and emotional love surrounded me.  Incredible people from SO many different times of my life.  Really, they represented every significant part of my life. And I was reminded that I have been truly loved.  It felt so incredibly wonderful.  I just can't explain how good it was.

The only bad part was that when I came home, life was even more difficult than usual. Really, really rough, actually.  October should be a happy month.  But it was hard.  We'll get to that more, but it needs said here.

I had a brief, super fun reprieve when Deanna and her family came to visit.  !!!  So fun.  We had a lovely autumn day together enjoying the pleasures of Vermont.  :)  And once again, I was loved by a dear friend the Lord put in my life long ago (as well as her fun children). 

I also soaked in general and stake conferences.  Perhaps there will be more about that in part two.  But for now, I'm ending. 

Long story short, I remembered what it felt like to be loved.  And it was so good.  :)




*I would like to say that even though I was exhausted by the time I got home, I was incredibly blessed not to get sick.

Falling even more in love

I think I started loving biking when I was in Boston.  It was such a huge blessing to be able to get around on my own schedule and wherever I wanted (unlike public transportation--which was wonderful there, but still).  The bike liberated me! 

Now I'm falling even more in love.  As I've said before--it's such a huge blessing to be able to travel through the gorgeous countryside and be IN it.  Not in a car, but in nature. 

Watching the steam rising after a rain storm drastically cooled down the world.

Hearing the cows and the birds.

And the river.

Smelling the dairies.  (Oh, I love the smell of farms! This one was right on the road and I slowly pedaled by, lingering as long as I could without feeling like I was trespassing. :))

Soaking in beautiful vista after vista.

Yet going further than I ever could on foot.  22 miles (on hills like these)

Delighting in the health and strength of my body.

Remembering how extraordinarily blessed I am to be in Vermont, to be within a couple of miles of fields and farms and woods and mountains.  My heart is happy and I give thanks for this season of my life.

1423 miles until the Erie Canal

Brigham Young

After a gorgeous, golden day in the Berkshires (possibly pictures to come?), I headed home.  A co-worker, who attend University of Utah for awhile, had told me about about a monument for Brigham Young in southern Vermont.  So, I detoured through the mountains and stopped by.  It was such a beautiful, beautiful day.  Just driving through the little mountain roads in the gorgeousness made me happy.

Stopped at the monument in the town where Brigham Young was born.
I was sad that I didn't have a shirt that actually said Brigham Young on it (I have a plenty, thanks to Emillie)--but at least I had something!

I am so grateful for the wonderful things Brigham Young did as a prophet of God.  And I'm also proud to be an alum (double alum!) of Brigham Young University!  

 It was such a wonderful day. :)

Blueberry Scones

Scones.  I grew up with one kind of scones, but "scones" that are the biscuity kind, that's what this post is about.  I've never been a huge fan.  I'll eat them, but they tend to feel stale, kind of dry to me.  They're okay, just not great.

Until last summer.  My dear friend Cate brought some scones to a Sunday supper I had.  This supper ended up being a dessert feast (since I told everyone not to bring anything--they all brought a dessert).  But without a doubt, the queen of the feast was Cate's Blueberry Scones.

Words cannot describe.  They literally melted in my mouth.  Okay, maybe literally they dissolved.  Whatever it was, they were so good that I have dreamed about them since (waking and once or twice sleeping).

So I've never made scones (why would I, when I'm not a huge fan).  But when blueberries came into season this year--I just had to try.  Got Cate's recipe (since she has, sadly, departed from our Vermont midst--otherwise I might just have taken her ingredients!).  And gave it a try.  My mother's expert training in biscuits (mine aren't hers, but I'm still pretty good with pasty dough) stood me in pretty good stead. They were soft and light.  They were good (better than most scones I've had).  But not quite there yet.  Now that Ruthie and I have devoured them, I think I need another round of practice (and a small consultation with Cate--I know the problem, just not how to fix it).

By the way, this smattering of blogs posts is brought to you by Ruth's family home evening. :)

Loving Vermont

On Saturday I went on a lovely bike ride through some gorgeous foothills.  The hills were a bit challenging, but it was good to be out.  The overcast weather made for perfect temperatures, and it was a lovely, lovely drive. 

I grew up in the country.  I love the country.  I haven't lived in the country for way too long.  I do now live in a town, which is better than the city.  And I do get to drive through the country a lot--which I really appreciate. But being on the bike, I was in the country, not cooped into a car. 

My path

I felt reassured to know that there still is country out there!  (Sometimes I fear there isn't.) 

It smelled good, and felt good, and sounded good (just birds and insects--and my squeaky chain).  Whole flocks of little yellow birds absolutely delighted me at one point.  They went on and on and I was so happy.

I live in the Champlain Valley, between the Green Mountains of Vermont and the Adirondacks of New York--and it's so gorgeous.  You can see the Adirondacks in a couple of the pictures.  The Green Mountains--which I see the tallest peaks of every day from work--weren't visible because of a really big hill.  So gorgeous. 

August in Vermont is pretty close to perfect.

Where a moose ought to be (I still haven't seen one in VT).

1465 miles 'til the Erie Canal (most of those are on my ride to and from work).

expensive box of papers

I am on a quest to get rid of as much of my stuff as I can (did I say that already--maybe last post?).  Sometimes it's good and sometimes it's kind of painful.

Today I am discarding the entire contents of one box. 

It's been 5+ years, it's not so painful.  But still a little hard. I absolutely do not need my law school notes anymore--but that pile represents a powerful educational experience and complete shift in my life's path.  A little hard to let go of the tangible evidence.

But I'm doing it!  So good-bye, expensive box of papers. 


p.s. I think this often--now that I'm older and smarter, I would love to go to law school again!

Quote

I'm doing some serious dejunking around here.  At least I plan to.  I'm trying to.  Anyway, a few things need to go, but the blog can help me sort of preserve them.  So I'm going to add a few key quotes.  To have them somewhere.

A guiding quote for my life:

"The cultivation of Christlike qualities is a demanding and relentless task--it is not for the seasonal worker of for those who will not stretch themselves, again and again."

~ Pres. Spencer W. Kimbal

1500 Miles 'til the Erie Canal

The post title has a tune, since it's based on a song about the Erie Canal.  That mis hermanos and I sang a lot when we were younger (Mother taught us), but I sometimes remember not everyone knows. :)  Anyway, it's a great one.

I've got a mule, her name is Sal
Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal
She's a good old worker and a good old pal
Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal.

We've hauled some barges in our day
Filled with lumber, coal, and hay
And we know every inch of the way 

 From Albany to Buffalo

Chorus:
Low bridge, everybody down
Low bridge cause we're coming to a town
And you'll always know your neighbor
And you'll always know your pal
If you've ever navigated on the Erie Canal

So I am planning to bike the Erie Canal trail next summer.  I decided this in the dark, nasty winter--last January or February.  The family history research I've been doing is all in New York towns/counties that border the canal, and I'm sure it was a big part of my families's lives (because it was a big part of every New York State person's life in the 1800s).  So it has a double purpose for me--to connect to my families and to get in shape/take care of my body.

So I decided I was going to do it, but it was well over a year away.  I was busy getting in shape, just in general, and haven't done much about the Canal specifically (except think about it and try to decide if I want to get a new bike for it, or not).  But at Youth Conference last week one of the speakers encouraged the youth to do hard things of all sorts, to prepare for missions, and one of his examples was do a 50 mile bike ride.  And that made me remember that I have less than a year now and I should start making a specific plan and working on it.  (Big, big factor is to make sure I know what I'm doing to stay in shape through this next winter.)

This week I sat down and worked on it some.  I still have undecideds (like the winter--multiple options: join a gym and do the bike there, buy a stationary bike for my house, buy rollers, buy a stand, etc.).  But what I have decided is that I'm going to bike 1500 miles before the Erie Canal.   A lot of that will be in 2.5 mile segments to and from work (2.5 each way, 5 miles a day) and 5 mile days in the winter.  But it will include some long rides this summer/fall and next spring. 

I'm really excited.  Excited for the 1500 miles.  Excited for the Canal next summer.  Hopefully you'll hear more about it as I plan!  :)

One other thing right now:  If anyone is interested in joining me, I would love a buddy or two.  I still haven't decided exactly when or how I'll do it (there's a commercial venture I might join, or I might do it alone).  But if anyone is interested---let me know! 

1500 miles 'til the Erie Canal!! 

Celebratory Summer

For the first time in quite awhile I have Internet access.  I've quickly checked email here and there, but no full on access, with my own computer and my own time.  To be honest--it's been wonderful not having it.  I have lived as I haven't in a long time.  Including reading :)--what my heart really considers living.

But tonight I was back to my unhealthy habits.  On a day when I really, really didn't need it.  But other good things happened this evening as well and it's helped me to be more grateful and happy.  As I have been doing better "living" the past few weeks, I've felt the need to connect more.  So if I'm going to be on the internet, and if I'm going to do the other things on my mind and heart, I'm also going to blog. I'm going to have a celebratory summer for the next few weeks.  Maybe just little things, but it's healthy for me.

So tonight I leave you with two very random thoughts that are making me happy tonight (this will tell you how profound I'm feeling):

Brushing teeth with toothpaste is a marvelous thing.  I ran out over a week ago.  Refused to buy more because I knew I had a few boxes of it in my storage unit.  So just dry brushed.  Which gets your teeth surprisingly clean.  But oh, how wonderful toothpaste it!


Second, it's been raining for two days (and was pretty humid in the days building up).  I love moisture because it does such wonderful things for my hair (did you think I was going to say for the plants and the world--well, that too).

I really love my hair.  I feel guilty about it sometimes.  And sometimes I worry that it's all going to fall out or go straight or something else awful because I love it.  But the truth is, I love my hair.
It's been super cute all this past week.  And then Saturday.  And yesterday--oh, wow, with the ringlets and pearls it was so beautiful.  And today again.  I just love the curls!

Here're a couple from my twenty-shot attempt to show you.  Laughing about that was good too (I like the fuzzy one because I'm laughing (I can tell).)

And that's it for tonight.  Toothpaste and curls, hooray!

Memorial Day

My ward go to participate in the Essex Memorial Day parade. It was really, really fun! 

As you can see, we focused on FamilySearch.org--which was absolutely perfect for Memorial Day.  Everyone dressed up as an ancestor.  Even though my label didn't turn up, I was dressed as Darlene Barrow, 1929 to 1990, my grandma.  I'm wearing her square dance dress, and I even got to do some twirling in it (still, 20odd years later, my favorite part of it). 

It really was a lot of fun.  Being with ward members, interacting with the spectators (saw several people I know, plus a town full of friends I just haven't met yet), just enjoying a day of  absolutely perfect weather for a good reason.  

Also, I LOVE FamilySearch.org.  It really is amazing, so that was great, too. 

As I was thinking about it last night, wondering if I even wanted to do it (for reasons that we'll skip here), I thought about my Grandpa (Whitney Roswell Checketts, 1929-2001).  I have come to know and love Grandpa Whitney through a multi-year project of transcribing his mission journals and then visiting his mission.  He used every possible means to share the gospel.  I decided to honor him by going out and sharing a part of the gospel in this float.  So, while I dressed up as Grandma, I am honoring Grandpa.  I love them both and I'm grateful for all they did and taught that was passed down to me.  Like them, I love the gospel of Jesus Christ!

My dear friend, Sister Wood, dressed as her father (with "a piece" for her husband, who passed away 11 months ago--his hat).

Real veterans (Marine and nurse), plus other loved ward members.

My favorite young man in our ward, dressed as his great (I believe) grandfather.

Can you see the float?  It really was amazing.
 There's an actual tree on there--in the photo it blends in with the ones behind, but it was great in real life.
Who's in your Family Tree?
With the Schauffners on a swing underneath.

We did it again!

Another successful 5k!  It was very warm and sunny today--not ideal running weather.  But, I am happy to say, that last week and this the field has been pretty dry.  SUCH a blessing!

Today it was my turn to be the support (which felt good for me).  Jessika has had some long, rough days for a variety of reasons, plus her stomach is starting to hurt more when she runs (have I mentioned that she's almost 5 months pregnant? she is.).  So I got to support her and keep her going.  Hooray.

I finished in 36:22.  Two more minutes than last week, but still more than a minute faster than the first, miserable week.

And I even had energy to go back and run with a new friend who was the last runner in, so I was happy for that.

I have pictures coming (from both weeks), but right now I very much need to go to bed, not play with the camera.  Extra early day tomorrow.  :)

Just for the record

Gotta keep track of this...

Time tonight was 34:30.

That's 3 minutes and 7 seconds less than last week. :)

Drier course, a goal (35 minutes) and a watch all made a difference.

Plus, my blisters are the size of dimes instead of nickles this week.  Course was much, much drier, so I was happier (and faster).  I'll try to remember to get pictures from Jessika and post (Jon, her husband, took one while we were running, so there should be a good action shot).

Weather in Vermont is lovely.  These past couple of weeks have been about as close to perfect weather as you could get...  It's early spring weather and oh, so lovely.

 

 

 

Our cute cheerleader (Kate)

 Jon took some other pictures, but I think I'll skip putting them on the blog. 

Maple Park 5k part 1

This evening I ran a 5K and I wanted to compare my time (my very high time) with the first 5k I ran back in March 2009.  I knew I'd blogged about it, so I went and looked it up. 

I was both and sad and enthralled to skim through my blog in 2009.  It is awesome to read all the fun things there!  And a little sad to think that I don't write such fun things now. 
I'm not going to promise anything about being awesome like that again, but I did decide to at least write a little tonight.

By the way, I didn't ever say this on here (because I didn't write again), but I appreciated your comments.  It was good to remember what it is like to have friends and family who actually know me and love me.  I don't really have real friends here (and definitely don't have family).  I have lots of acquaintances and a few friends, but not friends like the past.  I'm used to it, but your comments from my last post reminded me how life used to be.  I also decided that it was worth keeping the blog (on the off chance that I might write), if only for my aunts.  :)  Friends are a bonus.

Anyway, I'll tell you a little about my 5k tonight and call that good. 

Before I moved to EJ, I had found this Maple Park 5k thing.  It's every Wednesday in May.  I was excited to do it!  But then I was in Texas all May and June last year.  (Too bad, because I was actually in shape last year.)  Then I bought a car and the nastiest winter of my life came along and I am completely out of shape.  So decided to use the May 5ks as a goal to get in shape.

It almost worked.  I started running when the ground was still covered with snow (early March).  Slowly but surely running more and more.  Running was awful though, even after a few weeks, so I had already decided to slow up.  Then, one night at volleyball I rolled my ankle.  So no running.  No exercise at all for a couple of weeks.  Then I was back with biking and walking.  But still not in really great shape. And no, my ankle is still not healed (better, but not healed).

But I had already signed up for the 5ks.  And back in January or February I had tried to recruit a friend.  She wasn't sure (because she was newly pregnant, it turns out), but then in April she started running.  She's been ready to go.  Saturday we ran 2 miles together (my first time to run in over a month).  We survived, but were a little nervous for today.

Today we showed up at the park.  Turns out it is super casual and not a lot of people.  Most of them have done it before.  The course is a double circle on dirt paths and fields.  Normally I would love this course (I do like running true cross country), but with a bum ankle and an out of shape body it was a little rough.  The worse part was that the fields were sopping wet (happily, it was not raining today--was a lovely day, actually; sure at least one week it won't favor us so much), so my shoes were squishing and muddy and I got two big blisters early on from wet socks.  So to recap: not in shape at all; bum ankle (which did alright); wet shoes and sock; and two large blisters on my arches.  Oh yeah, and I ate lunch too late, so I wanted to throw up the whole time.  It was really painful and not that fun.     ON THE OTHER HAND:  Jessika was doing it with me.  I was SO grateful for that.  It was fun because she was there (and Jon and Kate, her husband and almost 2 year old daughter cheered for us) and I finished because she was there.  It was a gorgeous, sunny, early spring day.  And my body can do it!  So, at the end of the day, it was a good thing.  

We were the last ones in (again, like 20 people) and it was definitely our longest 5ks times--but that'll make it easier to beat the next 3 weeks. :)  37:37 minutes 

Here we's are:

I want to show you a picture of my arches (and my mud covered shoes), but I'll spare you.  

Life right now

This evening as I was driving home I had this real hankering to write on my blog.  And again, at home.  I'm not sure why.  It's not something specific that I want to write about (I often have specific things I want to write, but--clearly--don't). 

Lately I've wondered what to even do with the blog.  Let it go?  Start writing regularly?  Not sure.  I really wish my family would read it; it would totally make it worth it.  But since they don't, I end up writing emails to them, then trying to blog on top of that.  Anyway, not sure. 

Nor am I sure what I want to write right now.  So I'll just give you a 5 bullet update on my life.  (When in doubt, just pick a number and write that many facts or stories or highlights or whatever you decide.)

1) It's still winter here.  Last week it snowed 18".  Since then slightly warmer temperatures (ie. occasionally a degree or two above freezing) have attempted to bring warm weather, but it's hard to melt that much snow.  So we keep plugging along.  If people around me would quit talking about it, I'd actually be okay with it.  But they make it worse.  I mostly dislike it when it keeps me from running (sheets of ice aren't conducive to running).  But overall, it's okay.  As long as my car keeps running, I'll survive it. :)

2) I've been spending lots of time on family history and it's SO fun!  The main chunk of family I've been working with is a family from New York state.  The area they lived in is just a few hours away, so next month I'm going to go visit in person.  Meanwhile, I love the computer and the amazing resources for being able to do research right here.  My aunt (who is an amazing genealogist) has been training to be a family history service missionary and we have a grand time visiting on Saturday mornings.  One morning I was sharing the following with her, and as I talked about it, I realized how very true it was.  I told her, both of my college degrees, in very real, direct ways prepared me to do family history research.  I could elaborate, but I won't right now.  Suffice it to say, it was really humbling and inspiring to realize how the Lord has prepared me to do a work that is so important, when I didn't really know it. 

3)  I moved at the end of February.  Moved in with a roommate.  A roommate and a dog, no less.  I know, shocking!  I'm not 100% sure how it happened, to be honest.  It was very sudden (from no idea to completely committed in 4 days).  But it felt very right.  So here I am and it's going well, 3+ weeks later (seems like it's been much longer, so natural--even though there are way too many unpacked boxes). 

4) Young Women is awesome.  The program is, the young women in Vermont are, the sisters and brothers I work with are.  We had a big stake Young Women activity last Saturday and it went really well.  It's been a big part of my life for a several weeks.  I really do love the program. Inspired. Amazing.

5)  And work.  It's about the same.  I probably wrote this before, but in August I started working on a team doing exactly what I wanted to do here.  I'm still on it, and I'm grateful.  Lots of changes at work.  Lots and lots, all around me.  But my little routine stays largely the same.  And I'm glad. 

And that's good for now.  Life is good. :)

Amo a mis papas

Talking to my parents really makes life better.  Seriously.  I just got off Skype with my parents, after a few weeks of not talking to them, and now all is right with with world.  (Even though my house is still a disgusting disaster, I'm still not packed, I'm still a million emails behind on my calling, hours short at work, have a broken car, am out of shape to the point it's affecting my health, behind in every form of social contact possible, etc.)

Actually, on Sunday, I came home and had a long (crying) talk with Heavenly Father.  And most things have been better since then.  When He says "Ask, and ye shall receive"--he means it.  Wonderful, immediate, direct answers to that prayer.  And I've felt at peace since then.

But just now, when I was feeling ok, working on packing, Father called.  And now, an hour later, things are really right in the world.  I just LOVE my parents.  There are not words adequate to explain how I feel about them, how they enrich my life. 

I just needed to document that right now.

:) 

And bonus:  Since it appears I may never blog about Panama, a couple of pictures:

  Really? What could you possibly not love about that?