"Back to the days of Christopher Robin and Pooh"

It is so amazing to me how clear the past really is, how much living in the present is a challenge and how unpredictable the future really is.

I feel I have been reminiscing often lately and would like to invite you on a quick journey.

Today: Tried to find the location of a building and got side tracked on a video from a childhood friend. His younger siblings are really my good friends but I spent a lot of time at his house growing up because he was my oldest sister's best friend. It is a beautiful tale of a family dear to my heart. There are more memories caught up in this one family than I can write in a whole book. Unfortunately, at this time, my memory is shot and will not do justice to them. Needless to say, I am grateful for them.

Yesterday: Going through old messages on facebook and finding out what people really thought of me. I have a friend I have known for over 10 years and she wrote a journal entry about how we became friends and how she felt that I was one of the only people who didn't give up on her. How could I ever give up on her? Or on any one? I will say this: I find it easy to give up on things that are not giving energy back, positive or negative. There are certain people in my life that I will always communicate with, even after they pass this life. I believe these people know who they are, but some might not. This is not the time, nor the venue in which I will say who they are, but I am grateful for them! For their loving friendships and support. Sometimes older, sometimes the same, sometimes younger.

A couple of days ago: Staring at a picture that was taken literally minutes after I was sealed to my eternal companion. It sits on my desk right next to my computer at work. We looked so good as a couple. Happiness radiated from our smiles and excitement for what lay ahead. We had no idea what we were getting into. Not the marriage thing, because I could not ask for a better marriage. But the trials and stresses that would come along the way. Didn't expect those. Still not sure of what the future holds, but keeping things in a balance and realizing there is a greater plan already out there and is waiting to be explored.

A week ago: Organizing our house and giving unwanted things to DI or recycling what papers we can. Going through some of my mission planners and telling Ron what some of the pictures meant. Being reminded of one of the greatest struggles of my life and how it was for me. I can say I loved my mission only because I gave up myself and became a newer, better person. It is so funny. I thought I exercised faith before my mission. Then I thought I couldn't have experienced the most faith promoting experiences as the ones on my mission. Well, everything since my missions has been a faith promoting experience really. And I am beginning to accept that this is how it will be for the rest of my life. *Shrug* (Keeping this as a memory for when I am teaching posterity what it is all about)

Two weeks ago: Scene: My sister's bedroom. People present: Oldest sister, Older sister, Me and my mother. We talk about the dedication of the Frankfurt temple, how I don't really remember anything of Germany, different idiosyncrasies we have as a family. Talking about life and what things are going on. I really enjoy these moments with my family because it seems they are few and far between. Moments when I really just get to see my sisters for who they really are and I feel excepted for being really me. I cherish these moments.

I read some blogs and think to myself: "I wonder what other people are thinking when they read so and so's blog? Is the life they portray online the reality of which they live? Or is it what they wish was happening and isn't? Most of the blogs I read are not updated daily and it is a way for those people to journal what is going on. I want this blog to be the same, but I also want it to be a place where I can write my thoughts and get feedback. It will be a time before it because something that I do everyday, but it is a goal to see how long I can keep up the writing.

So thanks for going on my little excursion of thoughts. I hope you enjoyed the ride! What is something you have reminisced about recently?

"And They Were of One Heart and One Mind"

Ron got to speak to one of his good friends and little brothers today: Cody Temperini! I have never met this person, but he seems pretty incredible. He just 16 when he found the Gospel of Jesus Christ and joined it. A year later Ron got to serve in the same congregation as he was living and they were instant pals. Cody just returned from serving a mission in Brasil and I know it was fun for Ron to talk to him. They are "of one heart and one mind".


But the title of my post is really about the powerhouse church meeting that we attended today. It was in our main worship service, Sacrament meeting, that the youth in our congregation gave a report of their service trip the completed this week. I know many of the people I associate with are Latter-day Saint (LDS) and so they know what youth conference is. However for those of you who are not LDS, I would like to explain a little. Like many Christian churches we have a youth program that helps strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ and helps them grow closer to God. They do this every Sunday during one of the hours of our three hour meeting times AND on another night of the week where they come together to fellowship one with another and help strengthen each other. They are taught, instructed and watched over by people serving in their congregation. Please note, unlike many Christian churches, these leaders are not paid to do this. It is a commitment they accept to fulfill for as long as they are needed there and they do it for free. Service, as set forth by the example of Jesus Christ, is one of the main foundations upon which the Gospel is built, and thus in turn, upon which the Church is built. Having a little background now, every year the youth and their leaders, plan a conference, or retreat as others would call it, where they grow in spirituality, love and witnesses of who Jesus Christ is and why they choose to follow him. That is what happened in our congregation this past week and it was really neat to hear what they had accomplished.

I currently live in Utah, specifically Pleasant Grove. There are about 75% LDS people in our congregation boundaries. About 50% of those people are active currently. So to give an idea, I grew up in Casselberry, Florida (a suburb of Orlando) and there were about 10 LDS youth in my high school, out of roughly 2500 students. I would say that is about the ratio of poeple who lived in my congregation boundaries and how many people were in the populations of the cities that encompassed our boundaries. So I would say where I grew up was about .004% LDS compared to the 75%LDS I live around currently. I don't know exactly what it is like living in such a heavily populated LDS area as a teenager, but I do remember what these "Youth Conferences" as LDS teenagers call them were like for me growing up. Today's report was very similar to how I felt then, almost 9 years to the day that I attended my last youth retreat.

The youth in our congregation traveled about 10 to 13 hours to get to a home built on one of the reservations in Arizona. There are 7 people living in a two bedroom house that is very worn down and needed a lot of fixing up. After having 12 to 15 hour days, these youth arrived Monday afternoon and came home last night. They worked on a lot of different things, the list of which I am working on getting a hold of. However, one of the most prevalent themes was how much the youth loved serving and working hard. They came together and learned how to love one another. They felt the love behind giving your all to someone else and helping them have a better life. They felt God's love for these people they served all week long. It made them love each other and themselves greater than they had before they left.

I was impressed that these youth understand what the whole picture is about. I was studying a couple of "talks" (speeches members of the church give each Sunday) today. They were written and delivered by Apostles of Jesus Christ. One is no longer living, but the other is. These two men were sharing a similar message as the youth of my congregation today: God loves us! He wants us to be happy. He has given us each other to love and learn from so that we can eventually become like him. That is what this life is about: preparing to meet and becoming like Jesus Christ, and God, Our Heavenly Father who sent Jesus Christ. That is what it is about.

I love Sunday's like these that allow me to reflect about what it is really about.

I hope it was a great day for everyone else! And Happy Father's Day! Celebrate Fathers and Families.

Happy Anniversary

I was reading a friends’ blog today and realized that I never wrote about out our first year of marriage. Here are some of the highlights: Got married in the wonderful, beautiful Castle of Logan, Utah. It was a beautiful day and almost all my extended family were able to witness it. It was truly a beautiful day. So grateful I got to make promises with my bestest friend! August, 2011- Went to Portland, OR for a belated mini honeymoon/vacation. We went to Seaside, and visited Tillamook (thank you Serena for an anti-climactic event). We also drove over a four day weekend and I loved Portland. On our way back, I started feeling like we should not live in Provo anymore and that I should graduate and focus on putting Ron through school. Within two weeks, I graduated, and we moved to Pleasant Grove. October, 2011- Lived in a beautifully, spacious apartment. Ron and I were both working full-time and it was great. Felt like we should move to a less expensive place and we moved into a basement apartment about 1.5 miles from where we lived. Have loved our ward here and felt like we should settle down here until Ron was out of school. Life was great. Also, Ron graduated from Provo College with his Associates degree in Graphic and Web Design. Pretty Awesome! November 2011- Had Thanksgiving together and I got a new job! Goodbye Digis! December 2011- Went to see Oklahoma! It looks so much like where my parents live in Missouri, that I thought I was there, but it wasn’t. Ron and I got to celebrate in the traditions of the Beck Family Christmas and I LOVED LOVED LOVED it. We found out that my oldest sister in law was moving back to Utah (Hooray for us) and it was just a great time to be around family and goodness. I love my in-laws. They are a totally ‘normal’ family, with quirks and personalities that make life colorful, but I just love the spirit about them. And my husband is amazing, so I am really glad that I like my in-laws. January 2012- Got to go see Brian Reagan live. It was a great evening. I have heard some of his stuff before, but I think his live stuff was great. I was a little nervous, but this past all odds. Ron started school part-time at Utah Valley University (UVU) and it was fun. End of January, Ron lost his job and things got a little tight for a while. May 2012- Ron started his second semester at UVU and I got a new job! Goodbye crazy PcCareSupport. Pretty much, life calmed down and things could not have been better. My new job is doing accounts receivable for an insulation company. June 2012- Ron got this awesome job doing sampling. It is really flexible and even though it kind of cuts into our weekend a little, it is nice to have some extra doe! Oh and Happy Anniversary!

Did 14 hours just go by?

Work goes so much faster when I have things to do.

I was sick this past Monday and so yesterday and today (Wednesday) went by so much quicker. I have been working on an Excel file so that I can be more organized with our accounts. I hope it goes smoother this month than it did last month. I never thought that talking to people would become harder than it has, but it has. I really like emailing (never thought that would be the case) and I don't mind the phones really that much either, I just have found that people are harder to interact with since I got burned out with my previous two jobs. But it was a great day for work.

We made a super unhealthy dinner (Mac & Cheese with weenies and pork and beans). That being said, it was still really good! Then I took a wonderful nap (like an hour) and I brought my book home and I am excited because I am going to read. I just got to the section on Organic! It would be so fun to take a class from Michael Pollan.

Thoughts for the day:
I am less jealous of my friend, I really hate staring at the computer all day long; I really like reading blogs; I am grateful for "fresh" fruit (as fresh as probably GMO watermelon can come). I loved that it was cool today and I am not looking forward to summer; I am blessed with a great husband and wonderful ward.

Toodles!

Coming to myself

I have been on a new kick lately of just reading things and becoming more informed. I stumbled upon a blog and I just love reading it. It helped me find a book I had read about 2.5 years ago. I found the book in one of those BYU Bookstore clearance shelves. It helped me when I was in the stage act after my mission and before marriage. So I picked up the book and started reading it again. I also happened to watch an informative documentary: "Food, Inc." which really started opening my eyes to what is really out there and what is around me. The book and documentary led me to another book, written by one of the featured commentators in the documentary. Very enlightening. Knowledge really is power.

I also have this strong urge to write. Ron is the writer in our family, but I want to write. I want to document. I want to master a weakness (perception really, not necessarily truth). I want to prove that, even though I have hated writing for a long time (thanks in part to all of those papers in college), I can do it and that I have a mind of my own and that I make a difference.

So here is my journey of writing. We will see how it comes along......

This evening, I watched another documentary on Queen. Pretty fascinating. I wonder what Freddie is doing in heaven. We made pizza, and I am really grateful because, even though the cheese is about $5, it makes about 3 pizzas and we custom create our own deliciousness. The pizza dough is only $.50 and the chicken is about $1.50. So in total, to make the pizzas we like, it is a little less thank $4. FOR A LARGE, STUFF CRUST PIZZA! And that is not with cheese on sale. Pretty awesome.

I had to go to the doctors today (had a nasty little UTI). I felt reassured that the Nurse Practitioners knew what they were doing and that my concerns were valid. Ron wen with me and it was a good experience. I remember when I was dating another boy that he and I were worried that we would run out of things to talk about. I find that with Ron, that is never the case. He has these awesome stories from when he was in high school with his two best friends. Or I will relate what I am thinking and it almost always sparks a great conversation. I am grateful for the fact that my best friend is my husband. I know people have seen me in the past, and have even been great supports, but this is even better than that. I know that that could be taken in an instant, but for the moment, I am happy.