GRE

Of all the nice things I try to do, Taniel forgot to mention the fact that I shave her back on a weekly basis. In all seriousness, Taniel is much too kind in her description of me, but don't worry, I'll get her back (no pun intended).

My experience with the GRE. The GRE is a tough test. I was in my seat sweating as the clock counted down from 30 minutes on the verbal section. My leg was bouncing up and down. I looked over my shoulder and there was a hornet crawling on me! I screamed like a girl for a good 5 seconds, ok not really, but I flicked it off as fast as I could. It couldn’t fly for some reason so it stayed behind me on the ground crawling around….I couldn’t think about anything else but that dang hornet.

Overall the test went well. My recommendations to future GRE test takers: bring hornet repellent.

Happy Birthday Isaac

Not that long ago, I remember sitting in a small town in France with my family, and at that time I remember feeling overwhelmed with joy, and feeling that life just could not get better than it was at that time. I was wrong. I wasn't then able to comprehend just how much joy lay in store for me in the future and how one person would make me feel so happy. That person, as you may guess, is my husband Isaac.

Today is Isaac's birthday, and while he far exceeds what I am able to write about him in a measly blog post, I don't think that means that I shouldn't write anything at all. And thus, here are a few reasons why Isaac deserves to be celebrated today.

In the plainest words, Isaac is good. He doesn't have difficulty in making right choices and acts with integrity in those choices. He loves the Lord and honors the priesthood that he holds. That alone is enough for me to want to live with him for eternity, but there is so much more.

As a husband, Isaac is so incredibly gentle and tender towards me. He tells me I am pretty even when I first wake up or get done exercising and am all sweaty. When I make dinner, he will ask for seconds, even when it is yucky. And all those times when I am busy with school, he cooks for me and then does the dishes on top of all that without a word of complaint. He is very careful about never saying anything to me that might be demeaning, and is quick to apologize at the slightest hint of having hurt my feelings. He opens my doors and always offers to brush my hair out.

Isaac knows best how to make me smile. His witty comments have just enough humor that it isn't completely obvious that he is joking, and for a small moment, the listening parties are left somewhat unsure of how to receive it. His smiling eyes usually give it away, and I find that it is these comments which make me laugh the most. Like my own dad, he has no reservations about laughing at his own humor which is all the more endearing to me.

There is beauty everywhere in the world, even in the dessert of Utah, and Isaac is quick to recognize this beauty in all its forms. On seemingly ordinary days, he will point out the mountains to me, or pull me out on the deck to show me how unique and colorful the clouds are that evening. I always find that he is right, they are beautiful, but it takes him pulling me away from my homework or laundry pile of life to see that beauty.

Sometimes at night right before I fall asleep Isaac will kiss my forehead and whisper "I love you" in my ear just to make sure that I know. But I do know, I know every time he takes my hand, or asks how my test went, or sends me a text message that says "I miss you". I know he loves me every time that he closes the lid on the toilet seat or makes me breakfast on Sunday "just because." I don't think that sitting on that bench in France I could have foreseen my happiness today, and that has taught me a valuable lesson. If we let it, life will continue to get better, and we must understand that the Lord always has something greater in store for us in the future. For me, this has meant having Isaac in my life. Of course there will be ups and downs, but somehow, life just keeps getting better. So own it Isaac, being 28 just means a whole lot more happiness and excitement in store for your. I love you and wish you a very happy birthday.

The Jean Problem

I love jeans, but I hate shopping for them. It is getting around that time when my jeans are wearing thin and that dreaded trip to the mall is drawing close.
Here is my dilemma in shopping for jeans:

1. Skinny Jeans are really in style right now, and I think that they look great on so many people. But let's be honest, I don't think that I could pull the skinny jean look off. I feel like I would end up looking like those large women who work for airport security. You know the ones that you can't tell whether or not their pants are real or spray-painted on... not good.

2. Most jeans that I can find in the teen/young adult areas ride so low, that if I ever bend over or move around at all, I inadvertently moon the world. (And the world already has one of those, so I don't fancy adding another one.)

3. On the flip side of that, I don't exactly want to have to buy "mom jeans." (Though in my mother's defense, her jeans are great.)

**If you find that you don't know what "mom jeans" are see the below video for a great visual definition*****

4. Why don' t I just buy the same ones that I had in the past? Well.. I had American Eagle jeans that I loved, but when I went to the store to find the same brand and type, they had changed them a lot. They ride lower on the hip, are less true denim and more stretchy (don't love that), and they come with holes all over in them. I put enough holes in my jeans as it is, I don't want to buy them with holes already in them. I want my money's worth at least.

5. I also hate how jeans are $80 a pair (odd expression, pair). I once tried to buy jeans at Ross, but that didn't work out for me so well. The crotch hung down really low and made me waddle a little bit.

Where are all of these wonderful jeans that Stacy and Clinton talk about in "What Not To Wear?" I just want a good pair of classy, dark, not super low on the hips, straight leg/boot leg jeans. Is that so hard to ask without flying to New York? Although...a trip does sound fun.

So.... who has suggestions for me? Where do you buy your favorite jeans? I need your help!

Good News and Bad News

Bad News: I got a flat tire on the freeway today

Good News: I changed it all by myself. A nice boy pulled over to help, but I was basically done by the time he showed up, so he just made small talk while watching me screw down the bolts. I wonder if he felt awkward once he realized that this damsel in distress was not actually in distress. I appreciated the gesture though. I like knowing that there are still good people in this world, plus it was nice to have some company.

H1N1 Vaccination and Call for Your Two Cents

I recieved an email a few weeks ago notifying me that I needed to recieve the H1N1 vaccination by November in order to continue with my clinical requirements. One more thing to check off my list. I discovered that the Utah County Health department was getting a shipment in today and would be providing vaccinations to those in the priority groups including health care workers. Perfect.After class I rushed to the health department where I stood outside in a very long line,in the snow,for almost a half hour, only to be told by an oversized nurse in mickey mouse Halloween scrubs that they had run out. Good day self, Good day.

What are your thoughts on the swine flu vaccination? Will you be getting one this year? I would love to know your opinion on this somewhat controversial matter, I don't think that there is a wrong answer to this, I am just curious. I may just post my opinion at a later date.

Pumpkins

Halloween is not my favorite holiday, not at all. I really don't understand what it is that we are even celebrating. Scantily clad women? Bloody chainsaws? Heaping piles of candy? But although I don't like Halloween, "Autumn is the years last, loveliest smile." I love the bright colors, the cool air, apple cider, and even pumpkins. Yes, those funny little squash have provided many wonderful memories for me.
I don't know exactly how the idea came about, or who first suggested it, but when I was little my sister Erica and I ran a pumpkin stand outside our house. Most little kids sell lemonade, we sold pumpkins. Each year in the spring, we would set aside a small section of the garden specific for our pumpkins, then through the summer, we would care for the pumpkins until they were ready to be picked and sold come October. Although we sound so professional and responsible, it must be noted that all the gardening and weeding and work associated with being underage gardener/entrepreneurs came only at the frequent urging and request of a very patient manager...our mom. I do however remember rotating the pumpkins to prevent them growing flat on one side, and carefully arranging them outside on our picnic table and sitting outside for hours waiting for anyone to walk by. We made $60 one year, a monumental achievement for a 7 year old.

(This picture isn't from our garden by the way, but a pumpkin patch)

I have so many other good memories of carving pumpkins with my family year after year. I learned to love that feeling of reaching into the pumpkin to pull out the glupe, then roasting the pumpkin seeds up until the time that I left for college.

Which is why I dragged my in-laws into going to a pumpkin patch and carving pumpkins with me this last weekend. We ended up finding a patch near Michelle's where we could get a pumpkin then head over for dinner. My fond memories tend to just push aside the realistic truth that pumpkin patches aren't much more than scattered round balls sitting in a giant dirt field. Not really that exciting, but I loved it anyway. We had a great dinner and played some football in the back to complete the evening. So fun. So thanks everyone for entertaining my childish ideas and carving pumpkins with me. It was so fun and helped me feel like I was 7 again, if only for a moment.

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Fall is Here

We absolutely love this time of the year. Yes, it is sad that summer is over, but there are so many good things about this season that mask out the end of summer blues. We love to go to the mountains to enjoy the leaves. Randy (Taniel's dad) came down last weekend and we went mountain biking up Provo canyon. We had a wonderful time. It is breathtaking up there. If you haven't been up there yet, go....right now, just go up there.