So What Are the Chances?

Tonight, my pal Cami was picking me up to go to the big Relief Society meeting (our church's women's group), at which we happened to be performing a song together. I saw her come, grabbed my stuff and went out the door. She started to get out of the car to come get me and we realized that we were wearing the same dress. We hooted with laughter and debated about just showing up like that (for about 2 seconds), then I went up and changed. If we hadn't been singing together....maybe. It has been making me smile all night because I have always thought of Cami as a kindred spirit, and this just proves it. If you look closely, we are even wearing almost the same shoes. Eric still doesn't understand why I changed. I was telling another friend the story and he said he would have liked to see us perform as the Pointer Sisters or the Supremes or something. Ha. Thanks for a very fun moment, Cami.

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Feelin' Posty

I believe this marks my first 3-post day on my blog. See what happens when I'm not ridiculously busy? I couldn't let the day end without a quick tribute to Eric as he officially leaves his youth behind and starts plummeting down the slope to old age. Today is his 45th birthday. Bless his heart. I thought I would tell a little of our story.

I've known Eric since I was 17, but we never dated. We became good friends when we met at church during my senior year. He had graduated from College in 3 years after joining the church as a freshman and developing a strong desire to go on a mission. He moved here to work because Westinghouse was willing to let him work for a year or so then take an 18-month leave of absence. He was straight up about that in all of his interviews. I was impressed with his focus. His first impression of me was from the congregation in Sacrament meeting. I was leading the music (my calling all through high school) and his roommate thought I was cute, but he told his roommate that I was probably married with 3 kids. Yeah. At the time I was madly in love with a guy named Steve who was in school down at VA Tech. Eric was more like an older brother.

That fall, he left to go on his mission and I went out to the Y. We wrote, but there was still nothing but friendship on my end. He had the chance to extend to a 2-year mission but felt he should come home. I got back from my second year at the Y a few weeks after he got home from his mission. We spent time together in the singles program and did actually go on a few dates, but his attachment was much stronger than mine. I was recovering from a really difficult year at school and mostly needed a friend. Which he was. A good friend.

One Saturday in May after a singles trip to the beach, I was extremely annoyed with him. He had been weird all day-edgy and unpleasant. I was fed up and ready to tell him that I wanted some distance between us. Instead, he asked me to marry him. It was very much a surprise. It was surreal because as he was saying the words, the spirit was telling me that my answer should be yes while my brain was saying "Are you kidding me???? You annoy me more than anyone on the planet!" I really did feel that way, but I also knew what kind of man Eric was-a really good one. Fortunately I listened to the spirit and we were married in July 1986.

The photographer made Eric stand on the curb for this picture because he is shorter than me. This picture makes me laugh for that reason. Here is our first Christmas together:

I love that little 5-foot tall Charlie Brown tree with like, 14 ornaments on it. This was our first apartment over in Ellicott City.

We've had 21 good years since then, with Eric's steadiness and my insanity making for a good balance. He has an awesome sense of humor, is patient with me and completely supportive. He has never done anything more than occasionally roll his eyes at all my hobbies, interests, changes of mood and mind, and he never fusses about any purchase that I've ever made. He thinks I'm amazing, and finally, after all these years, I'm starting to believe him, and that is the greatest gift that a partner can give. We still have that original, underlying friendship, and that has held up as well or better than any crush ever could.

I realized how good I had it in '93 when he started law school and I began 4 years as a single mom. He went to law school not for the prestige or the money, but for very practical reasons. The defense industry had crashed after the end of the cold war and we lived under the threat of layoffs for about 4 or 5 years. He wanted more job security. He has always been a great provider, but he is totally non-materialistic. I have convince him to buy new clothes every few years. Anyway, during his law school years, he worked up by BWI airport during the day then drove down to George Washington University in D.C. at night for class. That is why we bought this house. It is almost exactly halfway between the Baltimore and Washington Beltways. It was grueling. In spite of his heavy load, he never did homework on Sunday, accepted callings when he could and somehow managed to be around for the really important stuff, especially the two babies I had while he was in law school (hello? what WAS I thinking?). I am sure I didn't realize at the time what a sacrifice that was for him. He gave up a lot of study time to be a husband and dad. He did not graduate at the top of his class, but he has been blessed with a very successful career since his graduation in '97. I can hardly believe its been 10 years. Here we are at that moment. I was 30 years old and he was 34 at the time. Evan was 11 months old.



In spite of the fact that he was not what I thought I was looking for, lucky for me Heavenly Father wasn't afraid to use a spiritual 2x4 upside my head to make sure I made the best decision of my life. Our story is not a conventional romance, but it is an enduring one and perhaps a little dearer for its rarity.

Well, this wasn't quick and I told a more than a little of our story, but here's to Eric. Happy birthday to the man who has helped me become the person I am today. He would deny that and say it is the other way around, and I guess that's why it all worked out. He enjoys life, he loves people and he loves to serve. The strongest bond between us is that our priorities were and are exactly the same. A hundred thousand decisions were already made and settled before we even got married because we look at life so similarly. I am glad I was smart enough to realize it.

This is a favorite picture of him-from a camping trip in '99. He is doing his manly, heroic pose. If you look closely, you will see that he is just about to crack up. That is pretty much how he goes through life--right there when he is needed, but never taking himself too seriously.

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Found in the New Yorker

First, I loved this cover. I might have to frame this. I like the idea of climbing up to the clouds and over the obstacles of life up a staircase of books. I also like the imagery of the man as an adventurer, on safari among the stories, with the next step uncertain. I imagine that the stack will keep appearing to support his ascent.



But then I opened the magazine and this image grabbed my attention. It is part of a Ralph Lauren ad. I could not take my eyes off of it. This, you see, is precisely how I picture Edward. The smooth white skin, the detached air, the perfection, the formality. Sara thinks I'm way off, mostly because of the hair, but I really don't picture him with bronze hair. So, I'm curious to see how others picture Edward. Is there an actor or a face that you see when you read the books?

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Unusual for me

Today, I went into Target, chose several sets of Legos for a birthday gift, walked past the display offering 10 little bags of chips for 3 bucks because I didn't have Mendy's number with me to call and see if she thought it was a good deal, walked directly to the checkout ( I went to the express lane!), paid, and walked out.


Now I'm wondering if maybe someone performed a lobotomy on me in my sleep.

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Wednesday Chocolate

Eric and I are not a gushy, demonstrative couple. I can count on slightly over one hand the number of times I've received flowers. We often skip the gifts on birthdays and anniversaries. Our family's traditions are simple and we only have a few. It is not because of lack of affection, it is just the way we are.

So, when a tradition does take hold and become really meaningful, I think it is worthwhile to note it. Thus is the ritual of the Wednesday Chocolate.
Here is the back story. Eric has always been really good about getting milk. In fact I hardly ever think to buy it because he always makes sure we are stocked up. (BTW, it is little things like this that make flowers uneccessary.) If you are wondering why this is a big deal, we go through at least a gallon a day. I am a cold cereal mom due to seminary and my picky kids survive on milk's goodness. So, it is not good when we run out. Anyway, Eric has expanded his Wednesday night milk run to include a gift of chocolate for Sara and I. It started with just me, then he started bringing it to both of us. He tries to find something new and different each week because he knows I like dark chocolate and am loving the many different kinds that are now on the market. (tonight's was Dove Origins from Ecuador. ) He remembers that Sara likes milk chocolate. He never forgets. Now the kids are into it. They get a kick out of hand-delivering my "Wednesday Chocolate" to me. It is a small thing, but it brings me a lot of happiness. Eric gets misjudged as a little abrasive and harsh sometimes, and I always like publicizing his deep-down goodness.

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Is it only 10:45 am?

Since I was up late last night, thus I "slept in" till 5:15 this morning, dragged the kids down for prayer at 5:30 (bless their hearts, they come every morning), taught at 5:50, got Sam out the door at 6:45, then Sara and Evan at 7. From 7-7:50 I started to watch my new favorite movie, TEWWUAHACDAM*, for the second time while I cleaned my room, then left for an 8:15 lesson, raced to Bagel Bin for visiting teaching over breakfast, then headed here to make my salad before darting off to my in-person book group where we are discussing the entire Harry Potter series.

Its a good day because I'm busy and I get to be out in the lovely weather, so I'm glad. It just astonishes me when I look at the clock because it feels like it should be 2 pm or something.
Well, off I go...





*The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill and Came Down a Mountain
I heard about this from Cami and now I just love it. It has Hugh Grant and Colm Meany from Star Trek plus, see if you can find Professor Quirrel from HP and the Sorcerer's Stone. I so totally want to change my name to Nuss the Yarn or something.

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Sine Nomine

I am proofing a wedding, waiting for the back up disc to burn so I can clear the pictures off my camera's data card. It was a long day, but fun to be part of a good friend's celebration. With this friend especially, it was an honor to be involved. Everything was beautiful, and as I usually tell myself while watching the photos upload, "I got the story told." I always see where I could have done better but the good thing is that the family will only see the best of the best and even those after they've been through the digital darkroom, so I'm okay with the 200 that I'll delete in order to get down to the 150 really good ones.

My head is clearing a bit, and the funk is starting to get a little less funky. Yesterday helped a lot-I got to play a small part in "Sweet Harmony in the Stake Center Kitchen," a show that only the Relief Society can put on, with several other women in my ward. Actually, we did lunch for a zone conference with about 60 or so missionaries in attendance. I loved working with my friends in the kitchen-some of my happiest moments have been in that very kitchen-because it really is perfect harmony. Everyone is cheerful, everyone seems to know what needs to be done and the sense of unity and purpose is palapable. The capstone on the experience was to hear the missionaries sing us out with "Called to Serve." Goosebumps. It gave me a little window into Jeff's world and made me think of women in Panama maybe making him lunch for a Zone Conference. Sweetness.

Last night was dinner with girlfriends at a great little Chinese place in Laurel, then on to Red Hot and Blue for Outrageous Chocolate Cake. Now that was a mood enhancing experience. Laughter, shared life experiences, kids the same age, finding out that I'm loved even though I sometimes feel ugly on the inside...it was, as Martha would say, a good thing. Thank goodness Eric just never even blinks when I walk out the door for things like that. He took the kids to Famous Dave's for ribs, so everyone had a good night.

The back-up is done--two places besides my hard drive before I erase the camera card. I haven't lost a shoot yet, so it seems to be a good systsem. Later on, I will make a proofset and start touching up. I like that part-it is almost as creative as composing and capturing the light. Usually its just cropping and maybe straightening, with the occasional transfer to B&W, but it is when I see the images become how I picture them in my head. Sometimes I get fancy in Photoshop when I find an image that has "good bones" but maybe was a funny exposure or slightly out of focus, and often times those become the favorite shots.

Here is a favorite image:

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Weird Week (Warning: Whiny and pathetic content. Read at your own risk.)

I am glad it is Friday. I don't know if it's because this is the first actual 5-day week of the school year, or if I'm in my usual post-cycle-hormonal-dropout wasteland, but this week felt like swimming through jello. And not yummy strawberry jello with fat-free cool-whip on top. This was green jello, murky and sticky. I have been unable to concentrate on much of anything besides seminary. That is the only thing that has gone well. That, and I was glad to find out there was a card swap and have a reason to spend an afternoon stamping. Cardmaking was very therapeutic because it was mindless and robotic once I got the design worked out. Everything else has just been hard. For no good reason.

We spent most of the week researching cars, taking test drives and discussing pros and cons. I went through most of it in a fog. Eric was great, and the kids were very cooperative and helpful. It just felt ponderous. I was in a stupor of thought. No real deals in the used market were coming to us, and the cars we were looking at were not thrilling us. Our original intent was to spend only the settlement money from State Farm, and we just weren't finding anything that felt right. I suggested that maybe we could wait a while and save some more money before we buy something. You should have seen the looks I got. I finally experienced a moment of clarity when we took the kids to try on a Toyota Sequoia and realized that full-sized male humans (which is what boys grow into long before they move out) do not fit in the 3rd seats of even the largest of Hondas and Toyotas, including mini-vans. I knew we would have to switch gears and get another full-sized truck. Neither Eric nor I have gotten excited about the Big Van Plan, in spite of the obvious practicality and pleothera of comfortable seats. We like trucks. So back to Ford we went. For some strange reason that I do not understand, we felt pretty strongly about getting something new, which would mean another loan after having had the Excursion that just passed away paid off for about 1 year. Another moment of clarity that I did not particularly want. I am sure the reasons will reveal themselves someday. My only comfort is the feeling that I have had that we have in fact been guided along the way.

After trudging through all this ridiculous angst and nonsense, we have a new ride, and the upshot is, its awesome. It is an Expedition EL, about the size of a Suburban. Obviously, I am incredibly grateful that such a blessing has come to us, that we were able to work things out quickly and with no muss or fuss. It is just not what I would choose right now and I'm not dealing well with that. I'm sure many are thinking, "I wish I had her problems...new car-poor baby." I'm actually thinking that myself. I am frustrated with myself with my lack of Zen about this whole thing.

So here it is, the new member of the family. The kids are thrilled beyond anything I've ever seen. They are genuinely sad to lose the Truck, and all of them have expressed the feeling that they will miss it because so many memories are connected to that big gray beast, but this has helped. I'm glad of that.

I am grateful this whole episode is over. In spite of Eric being totally fine and it being a non-incident in the big picture, it has been an intense emotional experience for me. My knitting student who is a psychiatrist says I am experiencing Post-Traumatic Stress symptoms, which makes me feel stupid since nothing happened to me for crying out loud. Having just read Corinne's post about her horrific accident as a teenager I feel like deleting this whole post because it is so whiny. I warned you though.

Well, I'll stop rambling now. This writing gives an idea of my mental capacity this week. Stuck. Stagnating. Struggling. As Shrek would say, "Better out than in." I suppose. Out with it then. Bring on a new week. And let it start now.

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New Look

One of my goals this fall is to learn more about web page design. I've invested in several books and am beginning to work through them. I'm not ready to head back to school yet, so I've set up my own University of Life, Department of Self-Paced Studies. I think I'll fit in just fine, since I know the Dean of Students pretty well. ;o)

This new look is just a practice run. I am learning to expand on the drag and drop capabilities of blogger and start changing the html of my blog. There may be other changes before I'm satisfied. I am working on changing the font and placement of the title and description so it is easier to read among the leaves and sunbeams. My larger goal is to set up a professional knitting web site by next summer that will have my teaching information, my credentials, and possibly the capability to purchase and download my patterns. Hopefully I will be able to transfer my knitting blog to it as well. I am researching hosting, cart options, and a whole bunch of other things. It is quite overwhelming at this point, but I feel confident I can learn this world. I like computers, I like graphic design, and I have a knack for learning things on my own.

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Saturday in September

Yesterday was busy right out of the chute, but it was all good. I had a seminary meeting at 8 am. I have to admit that I sometimes wonder why it wouldn't be possible to have a Saturday meeting for early morning seminary teachers start at, say, noon. If I were in charge, I might think to myself that those dear folks might want to, say, sleep in! I am sure the planners are thinking, "8 am is the perfect time for a meeting! They get to sleep in till 6:30 am, how lucky can they be!" Okay, it's only once a month and its a great meeting, so I'll stop whining, but I do wonder sometimes.

After that, I taught a class at the yarn shop, which went pretty well. I had to announce that the next session date is changed because my friend is coming in from Seattle and we are going to NYC for a three-day extravaganza. It is always nerve-wracking for me to change a scheduled class, because folks have paid for it, but as always, everyone was gracious and kind about it. People really are good. Besides, the NYC trip will be worth it. Sara is one of my dearest, longest-lasting, most faithful friends, and she was nice enough to buy a plane ticket just to come and play with me. I think I can juggle my schedule a little bit.


Next stop was home to get ready for the New Member party at our house last evening. It is always a good thing to be able to spend an afternoon putting a little spit and polish on the house. I arranged books, cleaned up clutter, and got to dreaming about painting the LR/DR area (I am thinking about some sort of red or rich brown). I also have a vision for a new built-in book shelf. I am not sure I have the guts to build one without Jill here, but I'll try. It would surround the entrance into the family room. I am also dreaming again about the kitchen. I'm thinking I'll go with my original low-budget plan of painting the cabinets and getting a new counter top. It looks like the truck will be totaled, so a new car will replace the new kitchen in the budget book. We are thinking about a Honda Pilot. It is MUCH smaller than the truck, bu.t next year we'll be down to 3 kids at home, so it seems reasonable. They get awesome reviews and we are a Honda family, so it will be good to be purists again.

While I was doing this, Evan had two soccer games. I missed both of them, but Eric was there. Sam had football practice, Johnathan went to Rehoboth Beach with a friend, and Sara had a quiet day to herself to sleep in, work on homework and be her sweet little self.

So, back to the party. It was great-we had almost 40 people there including us and Jann, who was my wonderful activities committee helper. That was almost twice as many as I was told to expect, but that's a good thing because it made it much more fun. I had a total DOH! moment as everyone dug, or rather dove into the chocolate fountain. There were many small kids there (I just wasn't sure who to expect) and it had never occurred to me that not every mom there would enjoy watching her children literally swimming in chocolate. We always bring it out for family parties, little kids and all, so it is just my go-to party food solution. It is messy, though. Everyone was super-nice about it and I got not a single complaint, but there was much wiping of shirts and faces. In my usual silly, second-guessing style, I was self-conscious about it the rest of the night. I hate it when I forget details like that and fail to make connections, but I hate it even more when I worry about stupid things like that. I hope if there are stains, they will be happy memories at least.

The party got over around 8:30, and the weather was so crisp and autumnal, I couldn't resist blowing off the dishes and building a fire in our outdoor firebowl. It was wonderful-just enough of a chill in the air to make me actually need to move closer to the warmth. Eric came out for a little while, then we headed to bed with me smelling completely smoky. I do love to watch a fire. It was a nice, quiet, still way to end a pretty intense day. I slept very well, smoky hair and all.

This morning, I woke up early to see Eric before he took off for church, and have spent a luxurious couple of hours on the computer catching up with friends, researching Enoch for seminary and helping Sara get out the door for BYC in between. The dishes are still waiting very patiently for me, but the roast is about to go in the crockpot, so all is well.

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Day Off with Jane

Yesterday, the house sighed a deep breath. Best of all, even the calendar was whispering instead of giving strident orders: Piano lessons at 1 then Soccer practice at 6:30, then Enrichment at 7. In between, long hours of that rarest of all commodities: blank space on the calendar. I filled it with rest, piano practice and a little shopping with Sara. Sam and Evan went to the zoo with my sister and Johnathan had classes at HCC.

We checked out Loehman's, a new store which I would describe as an upscale Ross or Marshalls. It sells name brand and designer clothes, shoes and bags at discounted prices. I thought it was much more expensive than Ross or Marshalls. There were a few bargains when compared with department store prices like $99 suits and some $40 dresses, but I felt like I could do better for the same brands on the clearance rack at Macy's. I did not buy anything but Sara found some jeans and I did sign up for their Insider Card, which gave me 10% off yesterday, plus then I'll get emails with other specials and hopefully coupons. It will be interesting to see if they have good clearances and sales as time goes on. The good news is that Sara liked their offerings and I liked that their "contemporary sportswear" was a little more sophisticated than some of the junior shops at the mall.

We also went to Borders, where I deliberated for over an hour on what to buy with my birthday gift card. What luxury! I started in literature and went all the way around the store to Young Adult and Children's, skipping a few sections along the way. I wanted to get something that would remind me of the people who gave it to me. I made a big stack of beloved re-reads, new finds and beautiful editions of favorites. I finally settled on a boxed set of Jane Austen's complete works. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was perfect. Each book has a lovely green cover and creamy ivory paper. They are not scholarly editions, having no introduction or appendices, but they are lovely books-as-objects. This is something permanent that I will not ever be inclined to give away or sell. It is a lovely memory distilled into something that can sit on my shelf and it will make me happy to see it there. But wait! There's more! Since I had a coupon, I got 25% off of that and was able to also get a fun little book about reading called "Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading" by Maureen Corrigan, the woman who does book reviews for Fresh Air on NPR. With some other birthday money, I got Little Woman on DVD and a book by an author who I greatly respect: Susan Wise Bauer. It is called "The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had" and is a review of classic literature, philosophy and knowledge. Her book "The Well-Trained Mind" was my bible when I was homeschooling Johnathan. I highly reccommend it to all parents interested in classical thought and education, even if you are not homeschooling.


After that was Enrichment which was fun and valuable. We had a lesson on stretching our budgets and a lesson on food storage. Both were practical, based in real life experience and taught by excellent women. I got a ride with a friend, so the enjoyment of the evening was extended both before and after as we chatted about everything and nothing as we drove.

My lesson/activity this morning went well, with lots of participation and enthusiasm. Treats always help with that, as does getting them out of their seats. Today was the culmination of the paper airplane object lesson. I was happy with how things went.

Today I have two private lessons this afternoon at the shop along with a case of pinkeye. Yay. Actually, it might not be pinkeye. Sometimes my dry eyes go haywire and get like this trying to stay moist. I am going to put some drops in and see if that helps. Which I should go do now, because I can no longer see the screen.

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You forgot What?

This is not nearly as funny as it could be because we can't remember the original comment, but in the vein of several of my other blogging friends' recent posts, this just cracked me up and I wanted to share.

Sara and I were talking about something random and she made a comment under her breath to me. Evan was walking by and he heard it from a distance. He blurted out in complete unbelief, "You forgot your omelette?"

It caught Sara and me completely by surprise and we just laughed ourselves silly. It was just so sudden and disconnected-completely unrelated to whatever it was that we were talking about. Now it is the new phrase. All afternoon, if someone was frustrated with their homework, either Sara or I would ask, "Aw,did you forget your omelette? I hate it when that happens." As they were leaving for school this morning, (and this involves a Brian Regan reference, for all you fans out there) I called to Sara and Evan, "Don't forget your omelette!" at which they both replied in unison, "You too!"

I love inside jokes like this. They enrich a family's culture.

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This is Us

I finished this last night and then forgot to post it. This was very fun. I've seen it on several blogs.

iPod fun...
In honor of my 2-year old, now dinosaurish 60 gig, pre-video, fat iPod, I offer my answers to this game. Even though the new iPods are extremely cool, I will keep my old man.

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. Press forward for each question
3. Use the song title as the answer to the question even if it doesn't make sense. NO CHEATING!

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
The Moose Hunter (from an album of Norwegian Fiddle Music by Annebjorg Lien) Well, getting all my work done today felt a little like hunting moose. Plus, I did laugh that I was typing really esoteric knitting things like, "Charts are a visual representation of the front of a knitted fabric," so it fits that one of my more esoteric musical selections would come up. Norwegian Fiddle... Charts...who knew?

WHAT'S YOUR OUTLOOK ON LIFE
Bullet the Blue Sky (From the Joshua Tree by U2) This is a bit bleak, but the intensity of this song does resonate somewhere deep inside me.

WHAT DOES YOUR FAMILY THINK OF YOU?
Star of the County Down (by Alisa Jones Wall from Appalachian Picking Society) Interestingly, this is an instrumental performed on the hammered dulcimer but it is actually the original folk tune that the hymn "If You Could Hie to Kolob" came from, which is one of my favorite hymns. I think it fits because my family would say that I am sometimes a little too deep and ponderous in my thoughts and expectations of life. This hymn has a very serious, deep message.

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Walking Contradiction (from International Superhits by Green Day) I would say this one does not fit at all, at least I hope not. "Do as I say, not as I do" is pretty much the total opposite of how I try to live my life.

WHAT DO STRANGERS THINK OF YOU?
Jimmy Mo Mhile Stor (From The Essential Chieftains by The Chieftains)These guys are the premier exporters of real, expertly performed Celtic music. This one has a beautiful, sad, soaring melody, and like most Celtic songs, is hopelessly romantic and sad-Jimmy leaves and never comes back. He's the most wonderful boy in the world but then he's gone-most Celtic music is something like that. I have been told that I have a sadness around my edges, so maybe this fits just right.

WHAT DO YOUR EXES THINK OF YOU?
Beautiful to Him (from The Greatest Gift: EFY 2006 by Rachel Thibodeau) This is actually pretty good because the "Him" in this title refers to being beautiful for the Lord and not for the world. I only really have one ex and we split up because he was not a member of the church and never would be. It was hard, but worth it.

HOW IS YOUR LOVE LIFE?
The Sharing Song (From the Curious George soundtrack by Jack Johnson) I love this one! All about sharing and friendship-"Its always more fun to share with everyone." Perfect!

HOW WILL YOUR LOVE LIFE BE IN THE FUTURE?
Ave Maria (from Celtic Woman) Okay, this is deep again, but it works-we're going for eternity here.

WILL YOU GET MARRIED?
O My Father (From Michael Dowdle 50 Favorite Hymns)Not making any strong connections here, but I guess once again-all about eternity, so that's good.

WILL YOU HAVE KIDS?
Blues (from Black Codes from the Underground by Wynton Marsalis)This is good, strong, traditional jazz. Jazz requires skill, improvisation and the ability to play off the riffs of your bandmates. So, this fits for parenting.

ARE YOU GOOD AT SCHOOL?
Somebody Like You (by Keith Urban) I was the typical smart but lazy kid. There is a line in this song about forgiving myself for the mistakes I made. I could go with that to look at my school experience.

WILL YOU BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE?
Priva Resuello (from El Diablo Suelto-Guitar Music of Venezuela by John Williams)This is the great classical guitarist, not the composer of Star Wars and Harry Potter. The album title means aproximately The Devil is Loose. The song is some kind of traditional dance. I like to think I dance through life, so I'll take it. The music is rich, complex and joyful. I would feel successful if I were described that way.

WHAT SONG SHOULD THEY PLAY ON YOUR BIRTHDAY?
Rodeo: Hoe Down (from Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copeland, performed by the Altanta Symphony)I love this one! Long before it became the "Beef, it's what's for dinner" music, I loved this suite of uniquely American classical music. This would definitely make me happy on my birthday.

WHAT SONG SHOULD THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Invisible Sun (from Ghost in the Machine by The Police)This is eerie and weird, and it hopes for something better. I wouldn't want it at my funeral, though.

THE SOUNDTRACK OF YOUR LIFE:
My Flag, My Flag (from the Children's Songbook) Not a great fit, but I am grateful to live to be in this country. My life would certainly be different without the things the flag represents.

YOU AND YOUR BEST FRIEND ARE....?
Let's Dance (from the Shall We Dance soundtrack by Mya) I could never say I have one best friend. I have had the friends I've needed at every moment of my life and I have loved every single partnership, so this one works okay, even though I don't like this version.

HAPPY TIMES:
Wild Mountain Thyme (from Celtic Crossroads by Keltic Electric)Yes, Yes, Yes! I love being outside, and this song just takes me out somewhere where "the trees are sweetly bloomin'" and I'm with my friends and family...perfect.

SAD TIMES:
Wonderful World (from The Man and His Music by Sam Cooke)This is the "Don't know much about history..." version and it is definitely a cheerful, totally optimistic, half-full kind of song. So maybe it would be just the thing for Sad Times. A favorite since I was a child.

EVERY DAY:
The Wardrobe (from the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by Harry Gregson Williams)I do love to think that there's magic every where and that it's closer than we think, so I like this one. Such a beautiful soundtrack.

FOR TOMORROW:
I Wiggle (from the Children's Songbook)Well, my kids will definitely be wiggling in church, so this is appropriate.

FOR YOU:
I'll Try (from the Greatest Hits Collection by Alan Jackson) The story of my life...

WHAT DOES NEXT YEAR HAVE IN STORE FOR ME?
New York's Not My Home (from Greatest Hits by Jim Croce)That is a relief-I like to visit there, but I would not want to live there.

WHAT DO I SAY WHEN LIFE GETS TOO HARD?
The Olive Tree (From EFY 200o Forward With Faith by Felicia Sorensen)Christ as the source of peace...this definitely works.

WHAT SONG WILL I DANCE TO AT MY WEDDING?
Sonatina Trianera (from Carmen Suite by Bizet performed by Los Romeros)Classic Flamenco. In my dreams. It is incredibly romantic and passionate though. We did not have dancing at our wedding because someone (I won't say who) doesn't like to dance.

WHAT DO YOU WANT AS A CAREER?
Operator (from Greatest Hits by Jim Croce)Well, my grandma worked for 40 years as a Mountain Bell Operator in Salt Lake, so maybe its in my blood.

YOUR FAVORITE SAYING?
Home (from Inside the Thunder by Dougie MacClean) Really it's "Bless your heart" but this is definitely a close second: "You have found a home/in the center of the circle/ You have found a home/where the harmonies can shine." Its a bit long for a favorite saying, but I'll try working it into regular conversations. It will go right along with that too deep, too serious thing I have going.

THE SONG THAT YOU'LL PUT AS YOUR SUBJECT?
This is Us (from All the Roadrunning by Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris)I love this song-"You and me and our memories...this is us." It is about a couple that have been together long enough to be completely comfortable with each other looking at photos of all their life experiences together. Perfect.


Wow. Pretty interesting to do that shuffle thing. It does give insight into a person. Feel free to follow along. I love my music. It is huge part of my life, so it was fun to look at life through the lens of the songs I choose to listen to.

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A Funny For Fans

This was in Parade Magazine today. Enjoy!

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List Fun

Here is one from Jann. I loved reading hers.

Jobs I've held:
1. Shop girl at Woolworths
2. Waitress
3. Kelly Girl Temp
4. 4-in-the-morning janitor at BYU
5. Day-care mom
6. Stampin' UP! consultant
7. Knitting Pro

My Guilty Pleasures:
1. Staying up late
2. buying shoes
3. Watching the Daily Show and the Colbert Report ( I think they're both brilliant)
4. Chunky Monkey

Places I have lived:
1. Salt Lake City, UT
2. Sharon, PA
3. Catonsville, MD
4. Alajuela, Costa Rica (only for 2 months, but it sounds sooo glamourous)
5. Woodlawn, MD (where we bought our first house)
6. Auburn, WA
7. Marietta, GA
8. Jessup, MD


What were likely the 1st things you thought when you saw your significant other for the first time?: Disclaimer: Eric knows that this is what I thought, and he's okay with it.
1. He is short
2. He is nerdy
3. Oh my gosh, he actually parts his hair in the middle. Bless his heart.
(Sheesh, that sounds awful. We were actually very good friends when we met, I just thought of him as sort of a geeky older brother.)

Places I’ve Been on Vacation (in the U.S.):
1. Arizona (all over)
2. Hawaii
3. Leavenworth, WA
4. Maine
5. Outer Banks NC
6. Florida
7. Utah
8. Palmyra NY
9. Nauvoo, IL
10. Kirtland OH
11. Chicago, IL
12. San Diego, CA
13. Oregon Coast
14. Kiawah Island, SC (Gorgeous and totally different from OBX. It was amazing to me that two beaches could be within a day's drive of each other and feel like two different continents.)

Places I've Been (out of U.S.)
1. Nogales, Mexico (not sure that counts)
2. Niagra Falls (also a just barely)
3. Costa Rica
4. Victoria, British Columbia (close but feels like England-love it there)
5. Vancouver BC

Favorite Foods:
1. Warm bread with honey and butter (tied with scones-the Utah kind-fried bread dough-oh man my mouth is watering now. We make those on snow days. )
2. Stroganoff (my moms recipe)
3. Biryani-a wonderful Indian rice dish. I could eat it all day long.
4. A curried chicken that I make with pureed banana and apple in the sauce. The sauce soaked into rice is so yummy.

Websites I Visit Daily:
1. lds.org
2. ldsces.org
3. Sequestered Nook
4. Bloglines
5. Other blogs
6. MyFamily.com

Nicknames I’ve been called:
1. Kellie Jelly Belly (loved that one, NOT)
2. Kellamina Wolfenpickle (This one has a story that is too long to tell here, but I am actually fond of this one.
3. Lelliekin (my dad's name for me-it is my first and middle names with the first letters reversed: Kellie Lin. Like Flutterby. I love this one. He still calls me by it.
4. Punch. I once brought a punchbowl to my dear friend's party. We were just getting started on a wonderful lifelong pal-ship. She became Judy and I became Punch. It has nothing to do with the infamous puppet characters, it just means we go together-that we're a pair. I like this one very much.

At some point, I fear I will get to the dreaded T00MuchInformation stage, but I enjoy these memes tremendously, so thanks for reading.

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Thanks

Thanks for all the sweet good wishes and gentle support after my post yesterday. It was pretty raw, but writing it helped a lot. All is well today. Eric wasn't even sore. He is my man of steel. No word yet about whether or not the truck is salvageable. Someone I met at a bridal shower last night said she saw the accident on the news. Weird to think about.

Today was spent entirely at the computer doing handouts for my three new classes, with breaks for laundry and cleaning. The kids had stuff to do and Eric was home, so it was a pretty smooth day. I got everything done before tomorrow's deadline. I am happy with how they turned out and the nice thing is that all I had to do was come up with the words and pictures. They will edit, format and print for these classes. That works for me.

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MIracles

So, It's 6:55 am. I'm getting ready to drop the kids at school and head down to the temple for the morning and Eric calls and calmly says, "I've had a bit of an accident, you'll need to come get me." At this point in time, I'm in the middle of 4 different things, and Eric has had a few fender benders, so I calmly find out his location (the split between 495 and 95) then reply, "Okay, it will be about 40 minutes. " I'm seriously thinking that it's no big deal at this point. I mean, it wasn't the police who called or anything. As I continue on my well-ordered way out the door, my brain catches up and it occurs to me that MY HUSBAND HAS BEEN IN A CAR ACCIDENT. So I call back and, a little less calmly ask, "Are you okay?" He replies, just as calm as a summer's morn, "Oh, absolutely." My brain clicks over another gear or two and I comment, trying to sound casual, "But the truck is undriveable." His cool demeanor finally cracks the teeniest bit and he pauses and says, "Uh, well, actually, the truck is upside down." Not calmly at all I exclaim, "UPSIDE DOWN!?" He replies cheerfully, as if discussing the weather, "Yeah, but the EMT's checked me out and I'm free to go." I immediately realize that I will have to freak out for both of us since Eric is incapable of getting ruffled but I know it would be wasted on him so this time I exclaim only to myself: "THE TRUCK IS UPSIDE DOWN BY THE SIDE OF 95 IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND AN AMBULANCE HAD TO COME. AGHHHH!" After that brief, silent-but-very-effective mental breakdown, I shift into my cool, efficient crisis mode, am able to calmly explain to the kids what is going on, assure them that their dad was okay (because they had heard my less than calm exclamation about the direction of the car), and get them off to school. I get some gas (because, I coolly and efficiently realize, if I run out of gas, Eric will be unable to come get me) and commence to head south on 95, thinking about absolutely nothing. In crisis mode, my brain tends to hyperfocus on the task at hand. However, sitting in the traffic jam that his accident had caused, watching the helicopters circling overhead and talking to Eric on the phone as he described fishtailing, skidding sideways across several lanes of rush hour traffic and then turning over, my calmness fled and I have pretty much been a quivery, weepy mess ever since as the "what could have happened" scenarios refuse to leave my brain.

I know it must have been incredibly dramatic to see a 4-ton, 18-foot long truck go crazy like that because Eric said that a nurse who immediately pulled over to help proclaimed his survival a miracle. The other miracle is that only one other car was hit, but the driver was uninjured. Okay, I'm crying again just writing about it. I know it was a miracle. There are many blessings to make note of, such as the fact that he was wearing his seatbelt, that the impact was not hard enough to set off the airbag, that the truck probably won't be totaled, that we carry stinkin' good insurance on that behemoth because it is so big and expensive so we only have a 100 dollar deductable, that he was not going very fast, and again and again, that no one was injured. Thank goodness he and the other driver (and the 40 other people who could have been in his path) are all okay. I'm overwhelmed thinking about it. This on top of the other challenges that have knocked into our family in the last week has me feeling pretty fragile and drained. I know that everything will be okay, but that doesn't make these moments of extreme emotion any easier.

He is indeed perfectly fine, other than that he'll likely be very sore tomorrow. In true Eric form, he had me drop him off at the train station in Laurel so he could go into work as if nothing had happened. I so admire his resiliance. At that point in time, I felt like going home and going to bed and nothing had even happened to me! I did end up going to the temple, and I'm glad I did. Now that I've written about it, and counted my blessings, I will make myself a lovely salad instead of eating every single last donut left over from Seminary, even though every cell in my body is whispering in unison that I deserve comfort food right now. I will ignore them, but then I'm going to bed till the kids get home.

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Meme 7

Here is my meme from Julia. I'm pretty quirky, so narrowing it down to 7 was tough. Here are the rules:

A. List seven habits/quirks/facts about yourself.
B. Tag seven people to do the same.
C. Do not tag the person who tagged you or say that you tag "whoever wants to do it.

A.
1. I am a thinker and a dreamer, which means that even though it seems like I do many things at the last minute and that I thrive on pressure, actually a lot of the work has been done mentally and all that's left at the end is the execution. Or at least that's what I tell myself.
2. My name is Kellie and I am a compulsive purchaser of pens. I am trusting in my higher power and working the steps though and I have placed myself on the pen wagon until January. Believe me, I won't run out before then.
3. I have terrible toenails-they won't grow no matter how much jell-o I eat. Nail technicians have actually told me that they are unable to perform a pedicure on me. My latest beauty find is fake, yes fake toenails. I love them and wear them like jewelry whenever I want my feet to look pretty. The rest of the time I just wear closed-toe shoes. I'm pretty sure I mentioned my toes in my hundred things. Sorry about that. They do worry me sometimes.
4. I have 2 holes pierced in my left ear and 3 holes pierced in my right. This was my big teenage rebellion. It was not hard for me to stop wearing earrings when Pres. Hinckley asked us to stick with one pair. They won't close up though, so occasionally I am tempted...
5. I just recently went below a weight that I have not been below in 15 years. Yay me!
6. I once took a watercolor class and loved it but then Eric went into law school and knitting was an easier way of keeping sane, so I've never really painted again.
7. I have an "innie" belly button. I know you'll sleep better tonight with that question answered.

B.
So, I'll tag Krista, Mandi, and yes, whoever else hasn't been tagged. I don't have that many people reading this plus blogging should not have rules like C anyway.

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Funny From the New Yorker

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Beautiful Weekend

We went on our annual pilgramage to Blue Knob State Park for a family camp that was started 11 or 12 years ago by a group of families in our stake. The families have mostly changed except for a few who have been coming all along, but the fun is the same. There is not much to blog about because not much happens, and that's the beauty of the weekend. We all enjoy being together, the proverbial village keeps all the kids safe so moms and dads can relax, and this particular weekend, the weather was spectacular. One other highlight is that the wonderful and wee Bedford, PA Branch of our church, after welcoming the teeming horde of us to church every labor day for all these years (we far more than double their numbers) surprised us with a pot-luck break-the-fast luncheon after church. It was the coolest thing ever-these good people who don't know most of us at all, just opening their hearts and loving us. It was truly a Zion moment for me.

We got home this afternoon and I just have to mention that with my dear husband's help, we had everything completely unpacked in about 1 hour. I am not kidding. I love it when he is actually home and available. Such a difference.

Anyway, if I can get blogger to cooperate,which I haven't been able to do all week, I will post a few photos. In keeping with my current focus of practicing my photography every day and not taking pictures merely to prove I or my children were in a certain place, I offer a few views of Blue Knob that represent more than just events. They represent how I see it there.


Early-morning sun backlighting leaves



This is a wonderfully interesting old building on the way. I finally went back on a photo safari.



The outside has come in, but the character remains.


It is close to being completely taken over by the local flora.



Every time I turned another corner, I found amazing new details.



Queen Anne's Lace in the fading light



This one proves only that we were there. You cannot tell by these expressions that anyone had any fun. They did though, they just hate being photographed. How ironic is that. I couldn't get 5 little hams that would pose for me. I guess some of my creativity has stemmed from getting good photos of them in spite of their skilled avoidance tactics. Okay, off to bed and back to the real world now.

PS: My Avatar is me sitting on the porch of one the little cabins where we stay at Blue Knob. I often like photos of me there because I'm actually relaxed.

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