The phase before dating...

Since I'm on the "just so you know" phase, I thought I would update my married friends on the new pattern of dating.

Phase #1: Facebook Creeping

If a girl finds a guy attractive these days, she checks out his facebook page. She pours over his pictures trying to figure out if the girl standing on his left is a friend, sister or true love. After she proceeds to his profile page to make sure he has the compatible characteristics. If all things look good, she'll talk to him at church or school.

Phase #2: Texting

Once the potential is approved on facebook, the texting game starts. Instead of flirting face to face, one has to be witty with his/her texting words. Emoticons such as :) or ;) can help give feeling to the text. But be careful ladies. No boy wants an annoying texter. Its all about strategy. If you text one day, he has to intiate the next text. If he ignores your texts, its time to move on.

Phase #3: First date

Finally after one has waded through all the technology hoops a formal date is set up. Most people have things to talk about on the first date due to the texting and facebooking. At the end of the date, if one or the other is "interested" they will send a text to their date informing he/she had a wonderful time. If the date replies, it generally guarantees a second date.

I find this process fascinating. Fifty years ago, people met each other at the town dance. If the guy liked the girl, he walked her home. Twenty-five years ago, you could met the girl at the local hang-out spot or high school football game. If the guy liked the girl he asked her out. Ten years ago, you e-mailed or instant messaged the person a date invitation.

It makes me wonder, will people be living virtual lives in 25 years? If so, consider me a 5'10 slender brunette with perfect intelligent living on a cattle ranch.

Any cowboys near by?

Nuff said.

Just so you know...

I HATE moving.

In the past 4 years I have:

1-Moved to Logan
2-Moved to another house in Logan
3-Moved to an apartment in Logan
4-Moved back into the house in Logan
5-Moved to Spring City
6-Moved to Oklahoma
7-Moved to a different house in Oklahoma

And now...I'm moving again, to a different apartment. I think I've switched apartments more in the past four years than I did my entire time on the mission--while I was in Brazil I only was transfered 5 times.

Yet I think the oddest part about my whole moving experience is: I never have time to do it. In all the moves listed above, I don't think I've ever had more than a day to get packed up and moved in. I'm always super busy be it work, school or family activities. So let's just say my organizational moving skills are horrid.

I'm ready to put down some roots. Move and stay.

Anybody got any good grass seed? I want to plant a lawn and watch it grow.

Slooooow, sloooooow, quick! quick!

Last night during Family Home Evening, a bunch of young single adults got together to learn some ballroom dancing. I have to admit I have an obession with watching ballroom dancers. They all appear to be so graceful and beautiful.

Yet, as I began last night I couldn't find grace at all--My knees were equal to a new born calf, my face was the color of a tomato and I was laughing like an hyena. Me?! Ballroom dance? You might as well ask an elephant to willingly step into a freezer.

As the night progressed, I found myself getting a little better; I prefered to lead I admit it. It was a lot easier if I knew where I was going, when I was going to turn, etc. However, the ballroom dance teacher spotted my pride and came over and asked to be my partner. He repeated the instructions to hold a good frame and pay attention to his movements. I obeyed and soon I was dancing gracefully across the floor in perfect sync with him and the music.

As I found the perfect sync, my memories were flooded with images of my parents dancing in the kitchen, at weddings and church dances. I felt as though for a small moment, I had found my mother's grace. I was finally dancing the rhythm of sloooooow, sloooow, quick! quick.

Miracles happen every day.

A Few Short Moments

Today started out in the nightmarish way--didn't hear the alarm, late for class, got a parking ticket, late for institute, forgot my lunch, etc, etc, etc. In fact by 2 pm, I had a throbbing headache--the imtoooverwhelmeddonttalktomesortofheadache.

Then I remembered, a simple thing I had forgot to do: Start my day with my thoughts towards the heavens; I call it paying my tithing of the day. Heavenly Father has given me so much between jobs, graduate school scholarships, family and friends, I figure I owe it to Him so I give Him part of my day by reading my scriptures.

When the repentant thought dawned on me this afternoon, I had a to-do list the size of the Panama Canal--Papers, Presentations, Peeps: you name it. However, I did a rare thing today. I shoved the overwhelming feeling aside and gave 30 minutes to God. I opened my study manual (Preach My Gospel) to the previously marked stopping point--Today, I was lucky enough to begin chapter 4. I was touched as I read this sentence:

God loves you and all His children. He is anxious to support you in your practical and specific challenges. You have been promised inspiration to know what to do and have been given the power to do it.

Here was the answer I had been looking for on my nogoodhorriblebadday--An answer knowing I had Divine Help to conquer the impossible--that regardless of the events, papers, research projects and a pending thesis, God would guide me through it all. Why? Because I am His daughter, and any loving father is anxious to help his child.

Today, I was reminded that it is during the most stressful time in our lives that we need to give time to Heavenly Father, even if the time is as short as 30 minutes. I moan when I think I could have easily continued working.

Then, I remembered a woman who also paused in her day to look towards the heavens. Her name was Mary Magdalene. On a particular bad morning she was grieving the death of a very good friend, even Jesus Christ. She could have easily ignored the inner prompting to leave home and visit the the garden tomb; she could have proclaimed "I'll attend to the dishes, or help with a feast." However, instead, she separated herself from the world for a few short moments.

Her experience was miraculous. Upon entering the garden she found the tomb was empty. She started to cry, until she heard a voice, "Woman, why weepest thou?" (John 20: 15) As she turned toward the man's voice, she witnessed one of the greatest miracles of all time: Jesus Christ had risen.

As we approach the Easter season, let us remember that Jesus Christ rose on the third day. More importantly, let us follow the example of Mary to leave life's turmoils for a few short moments and turn our heads towards the heavens to discover miracles.

More Curses....

Hey all,

You will never believe that my paradise trip was cursed again. I arrived at the airport on Saturday, happy to head back to the land of the free and the home of the brave. When I arrived at the airport, the line hardly moved. I really was not worried, until I saw person after person leave the desk frustrated. I began to wonder if my flight had been canceled.

My belief was confirmed when I arrived at the desk (after an hour of waiting). She informed me that I couldnt leave Belem until 6:30 that night, making it impossible to catch my international flight. Since I have traveled to Brazil before, I knew that international flights only leave at night, making it impossible for me to catch another plane that night in Sao Paulo--I would have been stuck. Therefore, I asked the representative if I could delay another day, so that I wouldnt have to spend an entire day in an international airport. Luckily the lady was nice enough to try to accomdate me.

We spent another hour trying to figure things out. As amazing as it may seem, the only available flight was Tuesday (tomorrow). UGH. All of a sudden, everything that I had planned to do when I arrived home went POOF*--to do lists, papers to write, work, etc.

So, peeps, Im heading home tomorrow. I hope Im not cursed again. Pray that all goes well!

Blessings of Brazil

After complaining about my horrible airline experience, I thought I might share a little bit of the blessing it has been to be here in Brasil again.

#1: Brazil has reminded me of the power of sisterhood. I believe God intended women to become friends to help one another support the trials of life. As Joelma and I have spent endless hours talking about life and its joys and discomforts, I have been uplifted and inspired to become a better person. I have been reminded that no distance or years can separate true friends.

#2: My trip has taught me I need to enjoy life more. I love how Brazilians stop in the middle of the day to sit down together for lunch. After the meal, they do not run off to work or to study, instead they enjoy each others company. They laugh, talk and eat some more. I think I´ve learned once again that it is more important to enjoy the people around us, than to ensure everything on my ´to do´ list gets done.

#3: My travels have allowed me to serve. Last night an American Elder passed by Joelma´s house. As incredible as it may seem, I had brought extra packages of american food not knowing why. Im sure you can imagine this missionary´s happiness when I handed him a brownie mix, a faijta mix, brown sugar, and chocolate chips. He arrived tired and left smiling. Its amazing how through small and simple things, God blesses our lives.

#4: Brazil reminded me of inner beauty. On my second night here, I had the chance to do everyone´s hair using my hot rollers. Every lady left feeling more confident and more like a princess.

#5 Brazil helped me to remember that it doesnt matter our circumstance (single or married, rich or poor, American or Brazilian),God still loves us all. More importantly He helps us feel of his love by allowing us to have maravelous experiences. His tender mercies are all around us, and if we look more diligently for His Hand in our lives, we will feel more fulfilled and sastified with our lives.

Brazil has definitely been a blessing, and Im looking forward to seeing the beautiful United States once again.

The Family Curse

Im not one to complain, but my current situation calls for some online murmuring. I am sitting at the Sao Paulo Airport. I am suppose to be on a plane headed for Belem; unfortunately, my USA flight decided to be 1.5 hours late, and I missed my flight by 5 minutes. Now, my 21 LONG travel hours just turned into 30.

Why the murmuring? I think my family is cursed with airline travel. Let me cite a couple examples to convince you of the reality of this horrible plague.

#1-When I was 18, I traveled to Michigan with my family to attend my brother´s wedding. When we arrived at the airport, the luggage with all the wedding apparel was missing.

#2 When I was 20, I traveled to Ohio to visit my brother and sister in-law. On the way back, Delta lost my luggage. They offered to deliver it to my house, and i agreed to it. My bag arrived at 3:00 a.m. in shreds. My steel curling iron was in halves and my pictures and scriptures needed ironing.

#3 When I was 22, my parents traveled to pick me up in Sao Paulo from the mission. They lost their flight by 2 minutes. When we went home, they cancelled our last flight.

Ah the joys of travel. Yet the funniest part is, I keep getting on airplanes. Because despite the trial that comes with airline travle, the blessing of visiting loved friends far out weighs the los baggage and cancelled flights.

Plus, its 90 degress outside, so how can I complain?