Happiness is A Handbag

It was a beautiful winter's day when the husband and wife entered into the local shopping mall together to find birthday presents for her Mother and Grandmother. "We're in then we're out." said the husband to his wife, knowing of her tendency to get sidetracked while shopping. "Of course dear." replied the wife to the husband, knowing of his complete lack of patience when it came to her tendency of getting sidetracked while shopping.  The last thing her husband wanted to be doing on a Saturday afternoon was shopping and the last thing she wanted was another argument over being in the mall to begin with.  The couple made their merry little way through the department store with a mission to find the perfect gifts and get out. They rounded the first corner only to behold...the handbag section. Immediately, the wife's gaze turned to the fantastic array of handbag after handbag. So bright and cheery for the upcoming Spring season.  There were yellow bags.  There were white bags.  Even blue frilly bags.  All strategically placed to distract even the most disciplined of shoppers.  But one bag stood out the most of all the bags to the wife.  "Ooooh!"  she squeeled as she picked the pink, frilly, bag up in her hands and gave it a good squeeze.  "This is SO adorable!"  The husbands eyes immediately rolled into the back of his head as he suddenly realized this shopping trip would be much harder to endure than he had originally thought.  But the wife barely noticed this eye roll.  She was too distracted with thoughts of vacations, picnics, family gatherings, and luncheons with the girls with this bag.  Her and this bag would become best of friends.  Two peas in a pod.  Her mind was full of all the outfits in her closet that this bag would complete.  It was a match made in heaven.  The husband moved fast to burst these sinful thoughts of hers.  "The last thing you need is another handbag.  You have so many of them!"  The wife's face now sported a look of defeat.  "What does that have to do with anything?  Look at this bag!"  She was determined for him to see the light.  Surely, after some persuasion, he would come around.  "Come on", he said.  "Let's keep looking for your Mom and Grandma."  He grabbed her by the hand and pulled her forward, forcing her to put down the frilly pink bag back into the sea of all those "other bags".  No other bag quite compared.  The wife conformed and moved forward with their original goal.

A day went by and the wife was still consumed with thoughts of the pink frilly bag.  The fate's had conspired for them to meet, she was sure of it.  But, her husband was right.  She needed another handbag like she needed a hole in the head.  The wife tried to move on and bury herself in her work so she could forget the pink handbag.  Then, later that day, she was cleaning out her wallet when she suddenly came across a new, crisp, $100 bill that she had forgotten she had.  "Oh, this is Christmas money." she thought.  Then it hit her, "Wait!  This is CHRISTMAS money!"  Christmas money is different than the kind of money that a husband and wife work hard to bring in together and pay bills with.  Christmas money is selfish money.  Money that the recipient can use on whatever they choose without consulting their partner in life.  Even if that be a pink, frilly, handbag that was on sale at a department store.  "Yay for Christmas money!" she said as she triumphiantly held the $100 bill in her hand.

Needless to say, she ran back to the store the very next day and purchased the pink frilly handbag, guilt free.  She arrived at home to a husband that was distraught because the pink bag had somehow made it's way into his home.  The bag that he forbade and called "useless" STILL somehow made the 20 mile trip from the store to her closet.  How could this have happened?

"Christmas money, my dear.  Christmas money from your parents."

Happy Valentine's Day!

I took the initiative and picked these out myself.

 Howie approved.

We are spending Valentine's Day at home this year.

Well, that's not entirely true.  We did go out to eat at Rodizio Grill on Saturday, but tonight we're staying in and avoiding the crowds.

In fact, Howie is enjoying Finding Nemo for the very first time as I type this.  After that it's all about The Bachelor!  I love Valentine's Day.

Midway to Heaven Premier - Meeting Michelle Money

My winning streak continues!

Last week I won tickets on the radio to the premier of Midway to Heaven and I dragged my good friend Alyssa along with me.

If you have been watching this season of The Bachelor, you'd be jealous because CrAzY Michelle from Salt Lake City is in it.

We got a photo-op with the entire main cast.

 While standing in line for autographs we got to meet Todd, Kirby's look-a-like.

 He was super nice and we talked to him the whole time we stood in line.

 We finally got through the line and I got a more descent picture with Michelle.

Then we asked Kirby Heyborn and Curt Doussett for a picture.

The two Kirby's!

It was a fun evening and the movie was cute.  A little long, but cute.

Because

Because you come to me with naught save love,

And hold my hand and lift mine eyes above,
A wider world of hope and joy I see,
Because you come to me.

Because you speak to me in accents sweet,
I find the roses waking round my feet,
And I am led through tears and joy to thee,
Because you speak to me.

Because God made thee mine, I’ll cherish thee
Through light and darkness, through all time to be,
And pray His love may make our love divine,
Because God made thee mine.
  -"Because" by Perry Como, 1902

"When you as husband and wife recognize the divine design in your union—when you feel deeply that God has brought you to each other—your vision will be expanded and your understanding enhanced."

- Russell M. Nelson, April 2006 Conference Session