So Blessed :)

I just found this in my drafts folder (8/30/11)... wanted to go ahead and publish. Was from last winter (November 2010). I still feel so very blessed! And it's great to be back from my blogger hiatus!

This year I am so grateful for all the Lord has blessed me with. Here are a few blessings I have been pondering lately:

1) My Incredible Husband. I cannot say enough to describe what a thoughtful, compassionate and uplifting man he is.


2) My Family. I have grown so much closer to my mom, dad and sisters this past year. I have also gained a whole new family who I cherish so much. My new sister in laws (and mother in law) particularly have become some of my closest friends.

3) A job. I may be a little tired, and a little frustrated at times, but I am so blessed to have a job in this economy. I am learning so much and recognize that any hardship are only for my good.

4)My Education, and my love of learning. I am so grateful to have a love for reading, for critically thinking and for being interested in new ideas.

5) My friends, new and old, who listen to my struggles and encourage me to keep on going. Who play games with me and John, who challenge my mind through engaging and insightful conversation.

Most of all, I am grateful for my knowledge of Jesus Christ, Our Savior. For the knowledge that families are eternal. Recently I read the personal history of John's grandfather. I never met the man, yet feel close to him. I am grateful to know that through Heavenly Father's perfect plan and Christ's atonement we can all be together one day. Those I have love and have lost, and those I cherish on earth now will all be reunited one day.

I am truly blessed.

Still Alive... promise.

I really miss you blog, sorry I have been so despondent. Here are a few status updates to prove I am alive (and let you know what I am up to):

1)Have been travelling a lot lately, with work and also on the weekends. John and I went to Nauvoo last weekend and I will be in Dallas and Little Rock for the last two weekends of the month. Travelling is fun and I enjoy it-- but sometimes it wears you out!!

2) Because I am travelling I should be blogging twice as much. Lots of funny experiences and interesting people... Like the time I was desperately looking for the third Hunger Games book in Raleigh and ended up in a sex shop for homosexuals. They really should have clarified what the "Things" were in "Books and Things".

3) Did I mention I have been reading a lot? All of those nights in a hotel and on the plane. It is a nice change, I love reading. Lately I have finished "Little Bee" by Chris Cleave, the Hunger Games Saga by Suzanne Collins and Mitch Albom's "Have a Little Faith".

4) I paid of my highest interest loan!!!! (9.75%!! Scary!) This only marks about 1/8 of our loans being paid off-- but it still is an accomplishment. Getting out of debt (even good debt like student loans) is a long road! I have to celebrate the little milestones!

5) I am leading a big Christmas Workshop for my Church, so sadly (or gladly!) much of my blog energy has been shifted temporarily. You should check it out-- and if you are in the Ann Arbor area you should consider attending :)

Thats all for now. Hope to not prolong this blog hiatus. Hope all are well :)

Fear of Fishies

I have a problem. With Seafood.

I don't know what traumatic event in my childhood did it-- but for some reason I absolutely cannot stand seafood. Looking at it. Smelling it. Walking through that part of the grocery store. Just gives me the shivers thinking about it.
I have tried getting out of my box (I eat crab rangoons with fake crab atleast?), but to no avail.

While John and I were in Raleigh this weekend, I promised John we could go to 42nd Street Oyster Bar, a famous seafood restaraunt in the area in an attempt to be a sweet and thoughtful wife.



I ordered one of the 4 non-seafood items on their menu, and John ordered snow crab. I fairly quickly finished my dinner, and John had made it through only ONE crab leg.

The rest of the dinner I sat across John trying not to smell or watch too closely as my nausea grew more profound.




Does anyone else have problems with certain foods?

What class would you take in college if you could choose differently?

Whenever I reflect on this question, I think of fun and interesting classes that would have enriched my mind and stimulated my intellectual curiousity. You know, none of the boring finance, accounting etc. that I had to struggle through. I am thinking Shakespeare, Sociology, maybe creative writing or a philosphy class. Something I would ENJOY.

But right now, I wish I had taken a class on excel.

Computers might just be the deevolution and evolution of man simultaneously. I feel like an ape smacking a computer trying to figure out pivot tables.



Don't you hate when practicality plays a trump card? I sure do.

What class would you take (practical or not?)

don't you wish your rental car was HOT like me?

Week 4 of Full Time Travel. The Insanity Begins.

Work Survival Dinner

I miss you blog. It has been way too long. In a few words, right now I am at.work.a.lot. But I thought I should share what made up for it today:

Honey Rosemary Tenderloin and Focaccia Salad



A half-pound of fresh beef tenderloin marinated in honey, olive oil, soy sauce, chopped garlic, and fresh rosemary, then charbroiled to perfection. Hand sliced into bite-size pieces, then tossed in balsamic dressing with spring greens, freshly grilled herb focaccia croutons, Parmesan cheese, marinated balsamic tomato onion relish, and creamy bleu cheese crumbles.

This has everything I love in food. Rosemary, medium cooked tenderloin, olive oil, honey, focaccia bread and balasamic vinegar/onion combo. OH AND BLEU CHEESE. YUM.

Not bad for working late.
And oh yeah, there is a sonic by my hotel...

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