Bitter Wine and the Poor Old Man

    One of my favorite peaceful moments involve looking though out photos and or reading old journals. Many memories that we so easily forget come back with that same easiness when we read our journals. Tonight I was reading though one of my mission journals and came across this entry. It brought me so much joy. It is an account of nothing of huge importance, but it is one of those small moments of just plain fun that keep you smiling through the day. The small pleasures.
I hope if you read this that it will make you smile. I understand that this is not actually in your memory but I hope the words I wrote back in February of 2009 will be descriptive enough to help you see why this memory is just plain fun :)

February 25, 2009
     " Today while we were out tracting we saw this cute little group of old people relaxing in the shade under some big trees talking and laughing together.  We walked over and enjoyed entering into their conversation.  They had a lot of fun playing with the little bit of Chinese that I know. They thought it was so cute that this little American girl was there with them in Taiwan trying to speak Chinese. One old man told me " you have a baby face."  He laughed and smiled about it. He was so cute, I felt the same way about him... but in the old wrinkly adorable baby face way, but I did not tell him that :)
     Another old man in the circle was trying to open a very old bottle of Chinese wine. I had so much fun just watching his face as he struggled, but I had to let out a laugh when he finally did get it open and he took his first sip. He got the most disgusted look on his face. It almost looked like like he was about to cry becuase it tasted so bad as he leaned over and spit it out :) !!!!!

Sun-dance I am in LOVE with your Rings!!!

I have been wanting a ring from the Sundance catalog for

years. Today I let myself take a peak once again, I gave into

weakness. It is never a good thing :)

Look at these beauties I found:

http://www.sundancecatalog.com/product/handmade+jewelry/unique+rings/timeless+love+band.do?sortby=ourPicks&vabp=all&page=3#

http://www.sundancecatalog.com/product/handmade+jewelry/unique+rings/half+dollar+ring.do?sortby=ourPicks&vabp=all&page=5

http://www.sundancecatalog.com/product/handmade+jewelry/unique+rings/cherish+life+ring.do?sortby=ourPicks&vabp=all&page=7

Day Zero Project

It is coming along, 443 days left and 56% done!!!
So Many GOOD memories ;)
But still so many exciting things to do :) 

Time to buckle down!

http://dayzeroproject.com/user/herplaceintheclouds/list/27943

Don't Waste a Day

"If you had a friend you knew you'd never see again, what would you say? 

 If you could do one last thing for someone you love,

 what would it be?

 Say it! Don't wait! Nothing lasts forever."

        I saw this quote today on Face Book of all places :) I loved it!!! I have been pondering about this concept a lot lately. I am not yet old and although I have had many experiences I do not feel like I am at that stage in life that I could council and be respected because of my many years of experiences... but even though this is not the case I am feeling the loss of time that "experienced" people speak of. I feel as if precious moments come and go so quickly. Saying good bye to a family member or friend when their long awaited visit seemed like it would never come or a kiss good night or an infant quickly grows into a toddler... all these things are gone so fast. They  happened, but it almost feels like they didn't. Do any of you know what I am talking about? All those out there that are not all touchy feely just try ;)
      I will come out and say that I LOVE giving complements, probably because I soak them in like Aloe Vera on a sunburn. If the words were sincere than they make me feel happy, pretty, and confident inside. Because I feel this way I believe that others would feel this way as well.  I have learned lately that this is not always the case. And no Jeff, I am not only talking about you.... but yes you are one of the individuals that I have learned this from the most :)  Since slowly picking up on this fact I have found that when real feelings are expressed most people begin to back away feeling awkward.  Yes, there is an understanding of the person you are trying to express your feelings too and depending on the situation feelings can be expressed in different ways. BUT I still stand by the idea that feelings need to be expressed. Holding them is uncomfortable, sad because it keeps what could be a closer relationship at arms length, and I guess just plain stupid!!!
      I still find it hard to put my feelings into words and I understand the nervous slash awkward feelings that arises in the pit of your stomach some of the time when you think of expressing your feelings... But I say do it. Like the quote says, what if it is the last time you see that person.  We never know when life will take someone we love away from us. Or what if you don't and you miss the opportunity of making someone's day and last, what if you don't and you never are given the chance to find out about all those that care about you.
    I want to do what my heart pushes me to do... your feelings are who you are! Tell those that you love that you love them. Other things such as work, school, exercise, etc. are important but people are even more!!! They are the largest blessing we have. I don't want a day to pass that I don't tell them how much I care!
   

I VOTED

2012 Presidential Election Year

I first voted in the 2004 Presidential Election. I remember feeling so proud! I had just turned 18... the only one in my senior high school class that could vote. I spent numerous hours researching everything on the ballet! I felt the responsibility and honor that came with my right to vote. I know that living in California my one little vote will not make a difference, but that will never stop me. Many around the world do not share this freedom to vote and suffer because of it, but I have been blessed with an opinion and I want it to be counted. People fight for this freedom and you should never waste it. I love my country and although I hear people say we are going to the dogs either way the vote goes I still want to try. God lead the creation of our country and even though it may not be perfect now I am still thankful for my freedom. Don't loose hope in your country; when you do you are letting it go to the dogs. I am not ready for that. I sent in my ballet. I voted... and how ever the next four years go I am going to know that I supported our government.   Realize the blessing you have to vote... love your country and lets all do what we can to help it improve!!!

Good Books and Their Quotes

I have been talking to so many friends lately about books that we have been reading that are so thrilling and inspiring! There are so many incredible stories out there and I want to read them all. I realize that everyone's life is busy but if you are a reader like me it is such a breath of relaxation to be able to cuddle down with a cummfy blanket in your bed before going to sleep and escaping into a different world.  I don't know about you but it helps my mind stop thinking about everything I have to do and relax for sleeping :) 
I wanted a place to keep track of these books and the quotes that I love from them, so here it goes. I hope you enjoy the quotes and through them find some good books to add to your library. Also please feel free to comment and give me some of your favorite titles!!

1. The Hiding Place  
    By: Corrie ten Boom

The man that Corrie has fallen in love with rejected her and has fallen for someone else. Her heart is breaking and this is what her father tells her:
"There are two things we can do when this happens. We can kill the love so that it stops hurting.  But then of course part of us dies, too. Or, Corrie, we can ask God to open up another route for that love to travel.
God loves Karel- even more than you do- and if you ask Him, He will five you His love for this man, a love nothing can prevent, nothing destroy. Whenever we cannot love in the old, human way, Corrie, God can give us the perfect way." (pg.47)

"It is wrong to base faith upon wishes. There will be war. The Germans will attack and we will fall."  (pg. 62)
     I love this because it is easy to have faith in things that make us happy, to only have home in them because we want them to happen. When it comes to things we do not want to happen it is easy to build a wall and ignore what truly will happen. When doing that it is more of a shock that we are not prepared for when it does occur. It is better to try and prevent it while also preparing for it. 

This family was faced with so much hardship but they always kept faith in god.
"But if God has shown us bad times ahead, it's enough for me that He knows about them. that's why he sometimes shows us things, you know - to tell us that this too is in His hands." (pg.63)

A priest expresses: "No, we could loose our lives for that Jewish child!" Then Corrie's father replies by saying, "I would consider that the greatest honor that could come to my family." (pg.95)

"Perhaps only when human effort had done its best and failed, would God's power alone be free to work." (pg. 116)

Corrie and her sister Betsie were prisoners in a camp. The workers at the camp treated them horribly. 
Corrie being angry at these workers expressed her feeling to her sister. Instead of receiving the same feelings back her sister expressed love for these women guards:
"These young women...if people can be taught to to hate, they can be taught to love! We must find the way, you and I, no matter how long it takes..."
Corrie's thoughts, "I saw a grey uniform and a visored hat; Betsie saw a wounded human being. And I wondered, not for the first time, what sort of a person she was, this sister of mine... what kind of road she followed while I trudged beside her on the all-too-solid earth."
   I love this lesson. It is our behavior we have in the circumstance that decides our happiness, not the situation. 

"Joy runs Deeper than Despair." (pg. 211) 

Freedom

 
Dear the Feeling of Freedom,
      I felt you today and I fell in love! I just got a sneak peak into your amazing feeling that you give and I want to feel you always!   
     All the feelings that I felt today I understand are not needed to make one happy, but they sure help. My life up until this point has always been working towards another vacation that would take me to the other side of the world. When traveling I feel free, like the world is my playground. I absolutely embrace that feeling. I feel in charge and confident. I don't have confinements and I have purpose. I also think in traveling I know I will succeed. There are no real rules to worry about.Well, other than dyeing. That is a pretty good one :) You just travel and take the adventure that comes your way. This thought I know scares some people to death. I am the opposite. Sitting behind a desk all day scares me to death. It can be summed up from a quote that I heard in a movie. It went something like this

 "No breaks. No stopping. 

I go for my all and feel the wind rush past. 

One day I may have to stop, 

but that is not today."

     Once in Thailand we, three other girlfriends of mine that were also in their early twenties, decided to go stay a few days out on this island that we heard was pretty. We got a ride out to the pier hoping that we could catch a boat. A little wooden creaking thing that made a dyeing noise with each movement it made took us out to sea. It was very poetic if you ask me and it was absolutely thrilling!!!  When we first ventured onto the little boat it was around dusk but soon the sun set and it was pitch black. We could see nothing for miles in every direction. Out on the ocean there are no lights to distract your eyes from the stars. It was one of the most amazing feelings in the world. In the moment where there is no sound, nothing to pull you from that moment and no other busy sights to pull your eyes away then you get the opportunity to stare at God's creations and get a tiny glimpse into its beauty. I feel so large in those moments. It is like the entire world is mine and anything I want to accomplish is possible. God created me just as he created those stars. They shine so bright and I feel that power in me. He made the stars to shine in the overwhelming darkness of the night sky out on the ocean. If He can so that than he must have made me to shine as well. 
    After reaching land we set out to find a hostel. We had no idea if there would be one available. Some of the girls were getting scared at about this time. Well, actually they were a bit afraid at the possibility of getting to the pier and their being no boats. These moments never scared me. The beautiful thing about living with no plan is you do not need to make a hotel reservation or if you miss the boat than you get to learn about the city you happened to get stuck in. 
    Beginning our walk around the island of Koh Samet we found a little hostel that had available rooms. The next day after exploring more we found another hostel down on the not so inhabited side of the island where we could get a room in this tiny hostel that had rooms literally on the sand of the beach for only a $1.50 per person a night :) Perfection!!! We had the most amazing time. Looking back I am so grateful that I felt free and confident to just go galavanting across Thailand. Being scared would have stopped me from having this amazing experience.  

 Hannah and I on the front of the boat!             Excited to have found the pier                                                 

The view from our hostel!!!    Our LITTLE bathroom        little boat :)

The large pig that was on our walk from the other side of the island to our get away hostel.

More views from our hostel!!!

                                  Yummy MANGO!!!

Can you see all the little rainbow fish? 

                                               ELEPHANTS!!

Ancient Temples

We each sent off a lantern... Like in the movie Tangled :)

Crickets for dinner anyone?

!!!BABIES!!!

                       Yes, there are sharks swimming right behind us... 

        I LOVE traveling and I never want these experiences to not be part of my life... but I realized today that I want the feeling of confidence and being in charge of my life when I am in my own home. The everyday life that does not involve traveling around the world can feel amazing too. Being with those I love is a type of freedom that also can not be beat but today I felt a glimpse of freedom, not only happiness but freedom in the mundane things and I want to figure out how to capture it always. 
      The wind was blowing outside and I felt happy inside my clean apartment. It is hard having a small place that six girls share. Ridiculous I know, such a first world problem... but hey. I would love to make it all mine with beautiful decorations and always have it be clean and tidy but it is almost impossible when you have five other grown ladies that want to do their thing in the living room or kitchen. But today :) the kitchen was clean and inviting. Everyone's dishes were washed and put away and things were off the counters. For the first time I was excited to venture through my cupboards and cook! I felt in charge and organized and cooked! I had my country music blaring and I found myself dancing and singing! I had no restrictions in my little kitchen and it felt like freedom!!! After eating I got in my car and drove to meet a friend at the dollar theater. As I drove once again I felt free and in charge. I played my music and I realized that I could take off and drive to Timbuktu (I know I literally could not, but that is not the point :)) if I wanted. I was free to do what I wanted, I was just choosing not to. That feeling alone was FREEDOM! I had not realized how tied down I usually felt. It isn't that anyone or anything is causing me to feel that way... It is in my mind. 
      We are capable of anything!!! I always say it, but today I filled out my graduation application. I am really getting ready to graduate from college. As I filled it out it hit me that I never believed that this was possible. I mean, ya I knew that sometime in the far off future I would graduate, but it was so far in the future that it kind of didn't exist in my head. All of a sudden I feel like anything is possible, literally :)

    Thank you Feelings of Freedom!

Sincerely,

Me

Lazy Iron Man

I am going to participate in the 

Lazy Iron Man

(if you need incentive to exercise

 come join:))

I LOVE swimming!!!
I LOVE jogging!!!
I Loved biking on the mission... Maybe I will LOVE it now :)

Nov. 1st- Nov. 30th:
     30 days to

SWIM- 2.4 miles  ( 79 laps, 1 lap= up and back)
RUNNING- 26.2 miles
BIKING- 112 miles

Exactly half way through the month and I am exactly half way done!!! 

What a fun coincidence!!!!  I didn't even plan it :) 

1. (Th)  running 4 miles
2. (F)    biking 14 miles
3. (Sat) nothing
4. (Sun)   nothing
5. (M)  swimming 20 laps
6. (T) running 3 miles
7. (W) biking 9 miles
8. (Th) running two miles
9. (F) nothing
10. (Sat) nothing
11. (Sun) nothing
12. (Mon) swimming 20 laps
13. (T) nothing
14. (W) biking 32 miles
15. (Th) running 1 mile biking 2 miles 
16. (F) nothing
17. (Sat) running 3 miles
18. (sun) nothing
19. (Mon) swimming 20 laps
20. (T) Running 2 and biking 14 miles
21. (W)Thanksgiving Break
22. (TH) Thanksgiving-
23. (F) Thanksgiving Break- running 3 miles
24. (Sat) Thanksgiving Break -running 1 mile
25. (Sun) nothing (driving back to Provo)
26. (M) swimming 20 laps and running 1 mile
27. (T) running
28. (W) biking (14 miles)
29. (Th) Running
30. nothing, or what ever is needed to finish ;)

10 running days

4 swimming days

8 biking days

OH YA... 

Here comes feeling FIT and SEXY ;)

Preparation Entries:

(M) October 15th- 

Amanda and I went and swam 15 laps and it felt amazing. It was refreshing and oh so peaceful to freely move in the water. The first lap about killed my lungs, but I soon got used to the breathing rhythm and I fell into the groove of it! I had forgotten how much I love swimming :) It feels good to be back!!! Also, sitting in the sauna after felt like heaven!!! A PERFECT way to end a good day!
(T) October 16th-
This morning I had the incentive to get up and jog/speed walk three miles because Amanda and Mavanee were meeting me in front of my apartment. It helped so much having someone ready and there to meet me. If I didn't go I was letting them down. I hate that feeling so I went :) and it was great! I felt so much more productive all day because of it! Also I had Zumba class today! It felt so good to shake it!!!
(M) October 22nd- 
Amanda and I went biking. I was able to do about 10 miles per hour. It felt good :) Because we were on stationary bikes it will be nice to take homework readings and do them then! 
(T) October 23-

                                I REGISTERED FOR IT TODAY!!!

                                                                   $5

I've paid so it is all or nothing now :)

So much exercise today! I am also sore from the bike yesterday. I fast walked with weights this morning with Amanda for three miles. Then later in the afternoon I had a fun zumba class. THEN I had jogging class where luckily I got to leave after only jogging one mile. I am so tired!!! Time for bed! 
(Th) October 25-
I fast walked with my girls for a little of 2 miles :) We walked out the front door to start and found the first fall of snow of the winter. It was freezing but we still all went even though what we really wanted was to cuddle up with hot chocolate and watch a movie!!
(M) October 29-
Only two days till November 1st, and the real thing begins!! Amanda and I went swimming tonight! I LOVE swimming!! It was such a work out but we kept pushing. In all we swam 15.5 laps and then rewarded our selves by sitting in the sauna!!!!!! I want a small one in my house one day soooo bad.... Is that a legit want or super ridiculous one? Either way I want one :)
(T) October 30-
Amanda and I fast walked again this morning for about forty minutes!! I am loving the routine of the morning walks. It is nice to just know you will get up and do it and then the rest of the day will feel great! I also LOVED Zumba today. I am getting to know the dances and shake along!!

Fall Leaves!!

  I can never get enough of this beautiful season! There is such peace in the change of the colors of the leaves on the trees. The cooler weather is refreshing and although I know it is bringing snow I still love it! God has given us beauty in each phase.
 Jeff and I went and played up in the leaves past Sun Dance ski resort today and the pictures below show the fun and beauty we found!! Let me emphasize on the fun we had; Jeff was camera happy and captured many of my frolicking moments...

(Jeff's "I'm going to be upset face" that lasts for about 3 seconds :))

(He says do something and this is my first reaction ... 

I guess I like sending kisses ;))

(This is when I start laughing at the handsome man taking all the 

pictures before I point at him telling him to stop.. 

does he listen? No :))

The colors were stunning!

(hehe.. how could I not!?!)

(I like to explore!!!)

"The one red leaf, the last of its clan. That dances as often as dance it can. 

Hanging so light, and hanging so high, on the topmost twig that looks up at the sky"

Samuel Taylor

                            (The little prickly bushes attacked me)

LOVE the thing !!!

BE HAPPY

WE are GOOBERS and I LOVE it!!!