a special temple trip

My cousin Chrissy died before getting to go through the temple.  We can get additional blessings when we go to and through a temple.  It is special to me, (ask me for more info), but I can share how excited I was to be able to go through on behalf of Chrissy last Saturday so she can have the eternal blessings she deserves.  She's someone who would give something 100% if she wanted to, and I bet she was waiting and was as excited as I was my first time. 

And I'm not pregnant.  Why did my dress pooch out like that when I jumped?  Time to step up the marathon training!

motivational speakers

I've been listening to bunches of motivational speakers on CD lately.  (Have I told you that this is the year that I'm going to be wildly successful at everything?!  - well it is.  The secret is hard work, no sleep, then taking naps where possible, making moments count, having a husband that can tolerate occassional messes and will take over, research, awesome friends and family, and saying yes to work.)

Anyway, those CDs, although great, are nothing compared to live inspired motivational speakers.  You know the feeling when you are in an auditorium with other people in your same situation listening to the same speaker who is getting you pumped up?  Well, now I get to not only listen to, but can watch general conference - live!  But from my own computer desk.  (So can you, by the way.)  It's broadcasted around the world in a bunch of different languages, and if you listen, you can get that same feeling of being in an auditorium or conference center with different people in the same situation as you.  There are messages of hope, love, and yes, hard work!  You don't have to log in or anything, it's just streaming audio or video at noon and 4pm my time-EST (Sat 4/3 and Easter 4/4).  I'll be listening to the archives late at night while I work too, I'm sure this next week.  I dare you to listen to one of the talks.  I know they are inspired, and are for us in this time. 

While I'm on the subject of church, I really should give my talk to you I gave at the beginning of the year.  I'm not going to though b/c it's late and my shoulders are begging me to take a rest and get a massage from Corrrie.  But, I'll tell you about me telling the congregation about goal setting part of my talk. 

I chose the goal of reading my scriptures daily, and for some reason felt impressed to urge the church members to do the same. (Everybody already knows he/she should search the scriptures daily, so it's nothing new.)  Anyway, I gave tips and scriptures to back it up etc.  THEN, out stake came out with goals for us.  The daily goal is to read our scriptures!  How cool is that?!  The weekly goal is to share our testimony of the gospel and of Jesus Christ to somebody.  It could be to our kids, our parents, or to friends etc.  The monthly goal is to do family history work and/or go to the temple.  I've been once this year, and started Chrissy's temple work too!  The anual goal is to visit every member of our stake in his/her home.  I've done some of that too. 

So get motivated - keep your New Year's Resolutions, and read your scriptures!  If you don't have any, read online or I'll get you some.  K, I'm going to go read and go to bed.  Happy Easter!!!!

An Impromptu Thursday (the long version, don't feel obligated to read this journal entry)

Today was the most random day of 2010 so far.  I loved it. 

I got up way too early (6:45am, not early for most of you I'm sure) after staying up way too late (being productive designing and ordering Fishy Face Photography gift cards and photo prints of the church nursrey kids etc.)

I got to the preschool to switch kids as if it were a Monday b/c Corrie needed me to have the day off b/c she had the first mandatory meeting at her work ever.  I ALWAYS work this day of the week, so it started off different.  I took Noah and Isaac to Publix where we got stuff for dinner b/c I was asked to take a meal to someone in church who recently had a C-section. 

Once home, I got the random newspaper out of our yard and instead of throwing it right into the trash like usual, I saved the bag so Steven can put it over his broken finger bandage in the shower.  Something caught my eye and I started flipping through the paper.  I noticed a "networking events" section.  One of the events said "Thursday March 11th, 11:30-1."  It's the one that Andre has been telling me I should attend, but I can't b/c I always work Thursdays.  Then it hit me, TODAY is Thursday, and I'm off!  And it's only 9 something in the morning!  So I asked Steven to come home for his lunch break.  He's busy, so he can't.  I asked Don if he wanted to watch his grandson and a napping Noah, and he could!  He even came to my house instead of going to him.  I was going to go for a run, but had a lot of phone, email, and diaper distractions so I skipped that and went right to the shower.  I got a message that Dylan and Isaac's little cousin's surgery went well.  Our prayers are answered.  We're still praying for his continued healthy recovery. 

So while Don made memories and paper airplanes with Isaac, I passed out over 30 Fishy Face Photography business cards at a networking lunch!  I got over 30 business cards too.  I think I'll call the girl who does hair:)  I'm also going to call the UPS guy b/c I really don't even know how that works but he said he'll package everything for me and insure it for free.  I asked a lawyer if he was hiring, and he said he'd have coffee with Steven, but not really.  He'll rent an office with Steven when he's ready, so I'll save that business card.  It was so much fun, and I met someone who may call me to take photos of his little puppy, or if I can get a wide angle lense, maybe he'll use me to take photos of his waterfront properties.  (He was one of like 5 realtors there.) 

I got so excited that I finally made a Fishy Face Photography Facebook page.  (I later realized that I didn't put my watermark on any of the photos, so I have some work to do).  The lunch was really motivating.  I've already been really motivated lately, partly because of all of the Team National motivational speaker CDs I've been listening to.  I'm so blessed!  I mean, so many people can't find work, and I'm turning away job offers!  (I don't want to though, I want to do it all.)  I love helping people find work or people who can help with their businesses.  It's exciting because I'm finally one of the people benefitting directly.  I finally have my own business! 

Ok, so when I got home, I put Isaac in his crib then after a little while Noah woke up (not even knowing that I had left.)  He and I sat at the computer putting my facebook page together and returning emails.  Then I cooked dinner for the C-section person whom I had not yet met and for my own family.  I made simple enchiladas with easy fridge-dough cookies.  There was time to cuddle the two babies when Isaac woke up.  They are so sweet.  They shared both a blanket and me.  (Sometimes Isaac is jealous.) 

Dylan was supposed to have tee ball practice, but it was rainy so it was cancelled.  Instead of taking Isaac visiting teaching with me, it was just me and my grandma.  First, I took dinner to the cutest sleepy tiny newborn little baby boy!  Because of the really (and I do mean really) sad situation and the extreme cuteness of this baby, I asked if I could go back and do a newborn photo session for free for them.  They were so happy!  I am too b/c there's NO stress and it'll be fun practice. 

We went to find a lady on our visiting teaching list, and found out that the person never lived at that address.  I think she gave a fake address, it's pretty funny to me, but only b/c I don't know the person I guess.  So we were early to the church for our next visiting teaching appointment (which was so good). 

Since it's Thursday, the family history center there is open late.  It was on my list for either this month or next to go get Chrissy's paperwork ready so I can go through the temple for her.  We had some time, so my grandma said she'd help me!  How exciting!  We did it!!!!!!!!!  It was so easy.  I've been wanting to do this for a long time, but just didn't go.  Now I can't wait to go to the temple for her!  She's probably so happy!  I wish I could call her and talk to her.  I have so much to tell her.  I tried calling her dad to tell him, then her sister to tell her, then my sister to tell her.  I was on such a high after such an unexpected productive uplifting happy surprising giddy day.  I called a couple of other people too, and one friend finally answered but I was already almost home.  I didn't want to just blog it, I wanted my friends to feel my excitement. 

I got home in time to see my little guys in PJs with their teeth brushed watching Diego for another couple of minutes, then after tucking them in bed, I watched the Office.  I do like that show, but it brought me down from my high for some reason.  It seemed dull in comparasson with real life.  But then the dishes still had to be done, so that's my end to my real life day. 

So my thoughts on the day:  Why is it that I normally would have had to be sitting in an office, not talking on the phone or facebooking or emailing, but I was so busy doing that and all of the other things?  I do love my job, honestly - LOVE it, but I feel like I did in high school when I had a pass to get out of class early for an away soccer game or for a club meeting.  I LOVED those days even though I had more make up work to do.  It's such a good feeling when I'm in control, am making things and people better.  It might be awesome b/c I know this day can never be duplicated again.  So many things worked together and every one was at the last minute - and that's my style:) 

Celebrating birthdays, and Memories

For Barbie's birthday, we went out in south Tampa. I'm so glad she invited us.
We were having a fun time, but then a song came on that brought back a lot of memories. "Brown Eyed Girl" was one of Chrissy's favorites and she loved getting up and dancing to it no matter where we were. She had brown eyes, so she claimed the song.

Yesterday also would have been Chrissy's big 30th birthday. Instead of reminding my friends that it was Chrissy's song, I just remembered her to myself.

Then, I pictured her dragging me by my wrist to the dance floor so we could dance and throw our hair all around while we laughed and didn't care what people thought of us. If I slipped out of her grasp to try to stay in my comfortable chair, she would have grabbed me around the waist or anywhere because she refused to take no for an answer. And I truly knew that I would have fun once I got to the dance floor, so she would always win. She loved to dance, no matter where we were and even if nobody else was dancing. I can't believe I don't have a photo of Chrissy throwing her big beautiful hair all around while she danced and laughed, but here's one of her dancing at our cousin Julie's wedding. So, for Chrissy's birthday, I danced to her "Brown Eyed Girl" song and threw my hair all around and missed her so much. "Do you remember when . . . we used to say, Sha la la LA la LA la, la la la la-ti da, Brown Eyed Girl." I wish she could have been there.
It was a nostalgic night for others of our group too. It was a little too cathartic for some of us to remember and to feel close to some of our family who we won't get to see for a really long time. We love and miss them.

Pencil Pals

Growing up, Chrissy and I wished we could be neighbors but we lived a couple of hours apart from each other. We visited often. Chrissy and Lacey were "pencil pals" to my sister, Kat, and I. I saved a lot of letters from both of them. I have more from Chrissy. She drew pictures in some and folded the paper like a puzzle some times and we would even write in code and send the key separately. This is one letter from Chrissy. I kept the envelope which was post marked August 25th 1993 - we were both 13 years old.

Remembering

Care-free
Helpful
Remarkable
Influential
Spontaneous
Stunning
Youthful