i do

2,387 miles

We drove from Kansas back to Utah all through Saturday night. My driving shift ended at 9:30 p.m. and I tried, without much success, to sleep in the back of the car while Somebody drove. At 11:30 p.m. I gave up trying to sleep in the back and moved into the front passenger seat. I expected to only have another hour of sleeping time before it was my turn to drive again, and was finally able to drift off to sleep.

I woke up at 3:30 a.m. and was shocked to realize that Somebody had been driving for six hours through the night. Without any snacks (he frowns upon my stash of travels goodies) and without any books on cd. I asked him how he had been able to stay awake for that long during the night.

His response:

"I knew you were having a hard time sleeping, so when you finally fell asleep I wanted you to be able to keep sleeping. And I knew that if I was driving, you could be sleeping. So, I just kept on driving. It was love. The power of love kept me awake. And your snoring."

i-130

Last night, as we were filling out the forms that we need to change Somebody’s status in the United States from “student” to “resident alien,” (and keep in mind here that I was filling it out with the intent to submit it after we are married) I checked the box marked “Married.” Somebody giggled (Giggled! And possible squealed.) and said, “Doesn’t it feel great to check that box? Married.”

Ridiculously, I think I rolled my eyes at him. Like, “Oh, married? I’m not even phased by this marriage talk you throw at me. I have totally done this before and I don’t even need to get worked up AT ALL about this.” Silly me.

Married? WHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

a rather remarkable hsu

have your cake, and eat it, too

I made a cake for my niece's birthday this weekend. She wanted something that had to do with ballerinas or horses, because she wanted a horse and she thought that she would wake up on her birthday and be a ballerina. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any examples of either of those things that I liked, so I ended up making one of the cakes that looks like a doll dress. It was my first attempt, and I made a lot of mistakes, but I think it turned out okay. Tip: the frosting that is sold in the cans in the grocery store does NOT make a good crumb base. Even though it seems convenient and it's midnight and you just need to get something on the cake so that it doesn't dry out overnight, take the time to make some real icing, or else while you drive the cake up to the birthday party the store-bought frosting will melt down and take all the nicely decorated icing with it. Your doll will end up without a skirt, and you will end up crying in the passenger seat, and your fiance will spend the drive patting your hand and wonding why you are emotionally unstable.

But before the skirt fell off, she looked nice, huh?

And this was the cake that I made for another niece. This one turned out much more stable, I think.

here kitty, kitty

Tales from Montana, Part 3

The most tame cat in the world lives in Fairfield, Montana. My niece, Annabelle, spent most of the weekend carrying around the farm cat. Even when she was holding the cat by just his back leg, the cat would still just hold still and purr. Annabelle would set the cat down on it's head, on a chair, and the cat would just sit there and purr. It was like it was so starved for love and attention that it was willing to take any abuse just to get some attention. I have some friends like that. Ladies! If he keeps feeding you sour milk and rubs you the wrong way, you should hiss a little bit, scratch him (preferably on the face) and run away! And when he comes after you, you should swat your paw in the air in that threatening "don't come any closer, because these are the claws of death" way that so becomes you.












In the meantime, though, isn't this girl cute?

the other white meat

Tales from Montana, Part 2

The Family Reunion Rodeo: Man, I love me some small children being encouraged to ride on animals that we never meant to be ridden. While this may look like all fun and games, the homemade rodeo, surprisingly, has it's disadvantages. For example, you may think that you've safely placed your chair far, far away from the angry pig, and that he will just stay in his designated "buck the kid off" area, but you would be wrong. That pig will run directly toward you, and then, because it's bigger than you, it will run right over the top of you. And you will end up with poop in your hair and a broken chair. But you will laugh and laugh because, you know, it's the family reunion rodeo. This is my new favorite sport.














Take that, pig.















Seriously, this was a pig from the farm that they killed and then we ate for lunch. Yum-o. I'm totally doing this at my wedding reception. Not so much the killing and touching the pig part, but the having someone else do that and then me eating the pig part. Sign me up for some of that.

big sky

My sister (who lives in Iowa) was in Montana this past weekend for a family reunion with her husband's family, so Somebody and I drove up to visit her. It was a long drive, but it was going to be the only time that she and Somebody could meet before the wedding.

Big Sky & Strong Wind: My friends Zach and Ginet lived in Great Falls for years and always encouraged me to come visit, and told me how beautiful it was in Montana. "You will love it!" they would say. There is not a better way to describe how I felt about Montana. I loved it. Being a Midwestern girl at heart anyway, it felt an awful lot like home. I know, I KNOW, that Montana is not the Midwest: I'm just saying that the rolling hills, the eternal sky, the farm country, the welcoming people, the small country towns, and the sunsets that can take your breath away just felt like home. Especially that big sky. Also, this guy was there. With this baby. It was like I'd died and gone to heaven with the boy and the baby and the big sky. Dang, my siblings produce pretty babies.


The Farm: The family that hosted the reunion has a large farm about an hour west of Great Falls. Farm. As in lots of animals. Some of those animals had babies. The cutest, of course, were the baby pigs. Man, those things are LOUD. They apparently hate all humans, and as they are too small to physically attack us, their method of fighting was an attempt to shatter our eardrums. It almost worked.
Poop Hill: I'm not sure that this was the official name of the hill, but it's how we referred to it. (Apparently I'm not much of a farm person, because I just couldn't/can't stop talking about how much poop there was on the ground.) Anyway, the hill that led down to the ponds was also the grazing area of the sheep, cows, horses, and pigs. There literally was not even a clear space big enough to sit down. Poop. Everywhere. Good times. At one point a large pig wandered near us and Ezra decided to chase it down so Annabelle could ride it. He would have caught it, I'm sure, except he had to watch every step in order avoid all that poop.

you never knew you always wanted to know...

100 things about me...
1. First grade teacher's name: Mrs. Zuber
2. Last person you kissed: Somebody
3. Last word you said: Ready
4. Last song you sang: Painting by Chagall
5. Last person you hugged: Somebody
6. Last thing you laughed at: a story my sister told
7. Last CD that you bought: Kris Delmhorst: Songs for a Hurricane
8. What's in your car CD player: Weepies: Say I Am You
9. What socks are you wearing: knee-high nylons
10. What's under your bed: shoes and crafts waiting to happen
11. Current status: officially? dating and waiting
12. Current taste: powdered donuts
13. Current hair style: straight, curled ends
14. Current clothes: black slacks, blue shirt
15. Current job: conference planner
16. Current longing: public proof of the private plans
17. Current desktop picture: me with my nephews Joseph and Jonah
18. Current worry: that I’m way behind at my job
19. Current hate: lack of air conditioning
20. Story behind your username: BYU assigned it
21. Current favorite article of clothing: gray, long-sleeved, Eddie Bauer t-shirt
22. Favorite physical feature(s) of the opposite sex: shoulders, clean & short fingernails
23. Most important personality trait of the opposite sex: honest and true, also must be able to make me laugh
24. Favorite place to be: at home, also outside at home
25. Least favorite place: near the trash can
26. Time you wake up in the morning: sometimes 4:30, sometimes 6:30
27. If you could play a new instrument, what would it be? viola
28. If you could meet one person, dead or alive, who would it be? My parents when they were dating.
29. Current favorite word/saying: “Not so much”
30. Favorite book: Girls in Pants. (because I like to pretend I’m 17) and Fine Old High Priests
31. Favorite Movies: French Kiss, and Sliding Doors
32. Favorite Songs: Over the Rainbow
33. Pet Peeve: When people say “I could care less.” I always want to say, “How much less?” Also, I HATE it when people clip their fingernails in public. Or in the living room.
34. One person from your past you wish you could go back and talk to: Brett
35. Favorite day: Friday
36. Where do you want to go: Ireland
37. What is your career going to be: conference planner
38. Favorite TV show: Grey’s Anatomy, The Amazing Race, The Office
39. What kind of car will you have: Jimmy
40. A random lyric: I’m not on a yellow brick road
41. Eye Color: blue/green/hazel, it really depends on what I’m wearing
42. Hair Color: dark blonde, of the dirty variety
43. Favorite Holiday: May 31 - National Macaroon Day. Also July 4 and Thanksgiving
44. Favorite Smell: Good cologne on the boy that's taking me on a date.
45. Least favorite smell: Microwave popcorn. My old refrigerator. Ferret in the living room. Caucus meetings.
46. Single or group dates: you need both
47. Dogs or Cats: cats, any day
48. Chocolate or vanilla: vanilla bean
49. Righty or Lefty: Righty
50. Zodiac Sign: Scorpio
51. Innie or Outtie: Innie

DESCRIBE...
52. Your heritage: German/British
53. The shoes you wore today: new ballet-ish black flats with a very feminine bow on top. Also, very uncomfortable.
54. Your hair: needs to be colored, and kind of getting long
55. Your weakness: sweet things: food, words, and smells
56. Your fears: never changing or getting better; heights; that someone will come into my house while I’m alone and kill me
57. Your most recent secret? I can’t think of one. Huh. Maybe people don’t trust me with their secrets.
58. Your thoughts first waking up: “where on earth are my covers?”
59. The first feature you notice in the opposite sex: smile
60. Store where you would max out your credit cards: SuperTarget
61. Your bedtime: sometime between 10 and 11 pm
62. Your most missed companion: huh?
63. Your perfect pizza: it involves mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, spinach, and white sauce
64. Sweet and Chewy or Salty and Crunchy: it really depends on the time of day
65. If you could go back and talk to yourself right before high school, what advice would you give yourself? It really, honestly, and truly does not matter what they think.


DO YOU...
66. Curse: does “hell” count?
67. Sing: yes. Everywhere.
68. Take a shower everyday: yes. Occasionally twice a day. I love to shower.
69. Have a crush: I have more than a crush.
70. Think you've been in love: I’m sure of it.
71. Want to go to college: maybe not anymore. Can’t I just be done?
72. Want more than what you got: usually
73. Want to get married: someday
74. Type with your fingers on the right keys: always
75. Think you're attractive: usually, no
76. Think you're a health freak: no
77. Get along with your parents: yes
78. Play an instrument: nothing very well, but I pick around on the guitar and piano

IN THE PAST 3 months
79. Cried: yes
80. Laughed so hard you cried: yes
81: Tried something new: yes. Octopus, cow intestine, and sesame balls. Only one was worth repeating.
82. Turned down an invitation because it conflicted with a TV show: yes
83. Told a lie: yes
84. Gone on a date: yes
85. Eaten an entire box of Oreos: no, I’m not really a big fan of Oreos
86. Eaten sushi: no
87. Been dumped: no
88. Made homemade cookies: yes, and they were excellent
89. Been in love: yes
90. Gone skinny dipping: nope
91. Dyed your hair: yes
92. Stolen anything: just money from work when I surf the internet while I’m on the clock

HAVE YOU EVER..
93. Punched someone: yes
94. Been caught cheating on a test: yes, and it was humiliating
95. Been called a tease: yes
96. Been the bully: yes
97. Gotten beaten up: no
98. Changed who you were to fit in: yes. How else do you explain my country music CDs?
99. Spent too much money on something you didn’t need? yes,
100. Cried at something beautiful: yes, music, mostly

available over-the-counter

My home teachers came tonight. First, I just want to say that home teachers who put on white shirts and ties on a midweek afternoon to make a home teaching appointment are going to get extra blessings in heaven. And while there are many complementary things I could say about the great lesson on having a gospel-sharing home, what I mostly want to comment on is the volume of Home Teacher #2. HT2 was teaching the lesson, and he spoke MOSTLY LIKE THIS. LIKE WE WERE ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PLAYGROUND AND HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I KNEW THAT THE SWINGS WERE FINALLY EMPTY AND WE SHOULD RUN OVER AND SWING FOR A WHILE. Every once in a while his voice would drop a little at the beginning of a sentence, and THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WOULD SHOOT BACK UP FOR A WHILE, BEFOre GRADUally tapering off, only to GET LOUDER ONCE ANOTHER SENTENCE BEGAN. Good times. Seriously, I wanted cover my ears occasionally. It reminded me of the one FHE dad I had who also spoke only in the playground voice. He attributed the volume to medication he was taking. Medication? That makes you speak loudly? Huh. I wonder if HT2 was on the same drug.

a question that you should say "yes" to

Is it possible that commitment only costs $7.43?

the evolution of dance

If you have not seen this already, then you are truly missing out. Take the six minutes, turn the volume up, and be prepared to laugh out loud as you remember yourself doing these dances all through junior high and high school. And for some of us, last summer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMH0bHeiRNg

calling up neptune’s daughter

Music. It can completely change the way my day is going. Last Friday, before the weather turned windy and I got all needy, was one of the greatest days ever because I had a great song playing in my head all day. It’s Painting by Chagall, by The Weepies. “Sometimes rain that’s needed falls.” I love that. I love the idea that sometimes you just get what you need. The rain falls. The test turns out well. The sickness ends. The boy calls. Sometimes rain that’s needed falls.

Today a new song has played its way into my heart. I’ve spent the morning singing the chorus from Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol: “If I lay here, if I just lay here, would you lie with me and just forget the world?” It was playing at the end of the season finale of Grey’s Anatomy, and I’ve been listening to it off and on since then. Seriously, it’s lyrical perfection:

“All that I am, all that I ever was

Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see

I don't know where, confused about how as well

Just know that these things will never change for us at all.

If I lay here, if I just lay here

Would you lie with me, and just forget the world?”

elevation: 4770 feet

Sunny Saturday afternoon + The Office on DVD + lots of laptop battery power + no concept of time when I'm laughing so hard at Steve Carell + white trash tank top = powerful shoulder pain.

Michael Scott: "Abraham Lincoln once said that "If you're a racist, I will attack you with the North" and these are the principles I carry with me in the workplace."

Michael Scott: "Would I rather be feared or loved? Um... Easy, both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me."

the breakfast of champions

I went to the store last night with the specific intention of looking at food labels and getting something that had lots of fiber and calcium, because who doesn't need more of that in their diet.

Mission: Accomplished!

the answer is yes

The boy is still in Minneapolis, but I was able to talk to him on the phone last night. It’s funny what the distance and the sound of his voice can do to me. Wednesday night, after he had spent the afternoon and evening traveling, he sounded tired and frustrated and unhappy. But last night, after a day of his conference and an evening chatting with Eric, he sounded rested and happy. Purely happy. Happy in a way that made me want to be with him and be the cause of his happiness, and at the same time just thrilled to know that he was enjoying life. There I was, curled up in bed, suffering the ill effects of a dinner that consisted of a bag of Santitas dipped in roasted raspberry chipotle sauce and cream cheese, pretty much wanting to die because my entire digestive system was in revolt over that choice, and all I could think about was how thrilled I was to hear him sound so happy. So, this is what it feels like? This is the much talked about, but never really experienced emotion of “your happiness is more important to me than my happiness?” Yes. Yes, it is.

yellowstone--april 28, 2006

I spent a weekend in Rexburg last month for my brother's graduation from BYU-Idaho, and because we arrived a day early and he still had three finals to take, we decided to spend the day in Yellowstone.

We left Rexburg at 5 a.m. so that we could beat the crowds at the park. What we actually accomplished by arriving super early (because I think we all know that there were no crowds in the still snow-covered park in late April) was that we saw a lot more of the animal life than we would have seen later in the day. It was beautiful, chilly, quiet, and when we were able to walk away from the cars for any length of time, a wonderful day in nature.

Here is a picture of Matt fake-running from the giant herds of buffalo. Oh, wait, I mean, he's running for real and the mammoth animals were hot on his trail.





These three pictures were taken near a waterfall in the north section of the park. I love them for two reasons. 1. Heidi looks like she is going to the 1st Annual Scrapbooking Winter Awards Gala, and I look like I just got back from the ball game, and 2. I love Heidi's face in the last picture.

Another waterfall.

function or fashion?

I have been a part of BYU Women's Conference for several years now, but this year I witnessed what I consider the height of Women's Conference fashion. Exhibit A: "You can make me come, but you can't make me dress up." Man, I love this lady. Note the knee-high soccer socks, comfy walking shoes (I can't blame her for those), the oversized cardigan, and the (I know it's hard to see in this photo) hat/visor worn indoors. Function has never been a greater motivator.

Exhibit B: "I will stand out if it kills you." We are looking at the lady in purple, folks, not the young lady in the green shirt. But you knew that, right? Large purple hat, anyone? Matching bedazzled shirt, scarf, and leggings? Check, check, and check.

two things for tuesday

The amazing Karen Pingel sent me the "two things" challenge. For your reading pleasure, here are the answers.

Two Names You Go By:
1. Jennifer
2. Partner

Two Parts of Your Heritage:
1. German
2. British

Two Things You Are Wearing Right Now:
1. Jeans
2. Flip flops

Two Things You Want in a Relationship:
1. Love
2. Trust

Two Favorite Hobbies:
1. Crafts
2. Reading

Two Things You Want Really Badly: (right now)
1. To be able to make plans
2. Someone to come and clean my floors

Two Pets You Have/Had.
1. Nala, my last cat
2. Butterscotch, my first cat

Two Favorite Sports:
1. Football
2. Basketball

Two Things You Did Last Night:
1. Watched Grey’s Anatomy
2. Looked at wedding dresses online

Two Favorite Places to Eat:
1. Zupas
2. Café Rio

Two Things You Like About Yourself:
1. My fingernails
2. My eyes

Two Things You Ate Today:
1. Eggs
2. Mashed potatoes

Two People You Last Talked To:
1. Somebody
2. Eric

Two Things You're Doing Tomorrow:
1. Driving to the airport
2. Going to the temple

Two People That Make You Laugh:
1. Somebody
2. Greg Jolley

Two Longest Car Rides:
1. Orem, UT to Kansas City
2. Back again

Two Favorite Holidays:
1. 4th of July
2. Thanksgiving

amen, brother