Wonderful Surprise

You're in my heart, you're on my mind, you pick me up at the lowest times in my life. Everything happens for a reason and now I see why; you're such a wonderful surprise. – Shawn Hlookoff

I love surprises. Anyone who says they don’t is lying. For example, when you have a fight with your significant other you expect flowers or some other grand gesture to know that they are sorry. But isn’t it so much better when those flowers and other gestures, big or small, come when they aren’t expected. When a small act of kindness is performed, for no other reason than to let someone know that they are important to you, it means so much more.

I have received two completely unexpected surprises this week and it has made a world of difference in my attitude and my desire to show gratitude to others that are important to me. Both happened while I was at work. I was focused on getting a report updated for my boss so that he could do a presentation. The pressure was high and I needed all distractions eliminated, so I thought... In my peripheral vision I saw someone enter the main office but didn’t bother to look up and greet them until they were at my desk. It took a few moments before I realized that it was a delivery of beautiful flowers from my husband. The arrangement was a mixture of carnations and roses in the most amazing colors of peach, orange and red. When I opened the card all that was written was “Surprise!” No reason, no agenda, just a kind gesture of love and appreciation. It made the rest of my day so much better and every night for the next week that I left work tired or frustrated I came home to this beautiful bouquet and knew that I was loved.

The second surprise came when my boss called me into his office and shut the door. This is usually not a good sign because it means that I am about to get a new, time consuming, project. However, he just looked me in the eye and told me what a wonderful job I was doing and how grateful he was to have me on the team. Then he handed me a bonus check. I have worked for the company for over two years and have never got any kind of bonus so this was a great thing for me. The timing couldn’t have been better and although he apologized that it wasn’t “a large amount” I still felt that I had won the lottery. It was very generous and the appreciation and gratitude that I felt from this simple exchange that was over in less than three minutes cannot be put into words.

So as much as I love to receive surprises, I have determined that I want to create these types of surprise situations for others that I come in contact with. That way I can brighten the world as much as other thoughtful individuals have done for me.

Sunday Kind of Love

“And my arms need someone, someone to enfold, to keep me warm when Monday’s and Tuesday’s grow cold. Love for all my life to have and the hold, Oh and I want a Sunday kind of love.”– Etta James

My husband and I just celebrated our second anniversary. The actual anniversary was on Sunday, July 26th, but we took a whole weekend to celebrate. On Friday night we stayed at a fabulous Bed & Breakfast in Providence, UT. The Providence Inn was our first experience in a Bed & Breakfast but I think it ruined us for regular hotels. Yes they can be a bit pricey but the hospitality, the people and the food not to mention the beautiful rooms and grounds make paying a little extra totally worth it. Saturday morning we drove over the mountain and played in Bear Lake for the day. The weather was great and we got a little too much sun as we lounged on the water but it was great to be able to laugh and relax. We drove home Saturday night after enjoying a western version of Romeo and Juliet and then still had Sunday, our actual anniversary to enjoy each other’s company, friendship and love. It was a much needed break from the normal routine.
We have found that even though we don’t have kids yet there are still several things like: work, school and church activities, to name a few, that pull us away from one another. Although we always try to connect even if it is just for a few minutes over the phone or before I fall asleep at night it never seems to be enough. It was wonderful to have a whole weekend of him all to myself. I hope that it doesn’t take a whole year before we take the time to show our love and appreciation for one another because having him in my life is one of the best things that has ever happened to me and I am grateful that our love will last beyond Saturday and Sunday and will continue for eternity.

Fun, Fun, Fun

“You’ve been thinking that your fun is all through now, but you can come along with me ‘cause we gotta a lot of things to do now.” - Beach Boys

The other day I passed a young boy on the street near my home riding his bike. I asked him if he was having fun and in a way that only a child could, he replied, “Yes, it’s part of my daily routine.” Now I don’t know if he was referring to the bike riding or the having fun but his comment struck me. I had to stop and ask myself if I had “fun” in my daily routine. I always plan the work and the chores and the un-fun stuff to make sure that it gets done but I don’t always take time to do something enjoyable for myself on a regular or daily basis. I miss being a kid and having great summer activities like bike riding, trampoline jumping, hop scotch and running through the sprinklers. However, as I think about it, there are still plenty of activities that I could enjoy I just don’t always plan time in my day for them. So my challenge to myself and to you would be to take the time to enjoy the summer days that we have left and put some fun, fun, fun, any way you can, into your daily routine.

Broken

“Hanging on another day just to see what you will throw my way and I’m hanging onto the words you say. You said that I will be ok… I may have lost my way now, haven’t forgotten my way home.” – Lifehouse

Everyone figures out pretty early in life that things don’t always go according to plan. We don’t always get what we requested on our Christmas list, sometimes we have to sit in the middle, and even though we are sure that we are ready for the responsibility we might have to wait longer than we would like to get married or have kids. Whatever the disappointment life seems to dish out we still continue to make requests for the present and plans for the future, most of which often end up out of our control.
My husband and I are going through the process to get him into medical school. It requires a lot of schooling, extracurricular activities, service, dedication and time. Josh has done everything his councilors and advisors have told him to do. He has followed a number of different doctors, taken the MCAT, done mock interviews and prepared in every way to be ready for this experience. Yet it seems each time we take one step forward we get thrown back at least two steps. Each time this happens we re-evaluate the “plan” and still feel like we should head down this road. We know that we are doing what is right and headed where we are supposed to be but countless times we have felt like giving up and throwing away our best laid plans. We are quickly learning that this process can leave someone broken and hollow if they aren’t careful. Luckily we have the support of each other and the support of our Heavenly Father to get us through and help us find the best way to get to our destination. He is the one that can pick up the broken pieces along the way, give us purpose, hope and meaning, and keep us from falling apart.

This is the Night

“This is the night when we capture forever and all our tomorrows begin.” – Clay Aiken

My all time favorite American Idol moment was in the finale of season two when Clay Aiken sang the song, “This is the Night.” His passion, his voice and his presence were so captivating and I knew at that moment that my life could and would be different. No other AI song has affected me so deeply until last year when Jordin Sparks came out with, “One Step at a Time.” However, I cannot deny the influence that American Idol has had on music overall. Whether you listen to Folk, Country, R&B, Soft or Hard Rock, American Idol has in some way influenced the genre of music that you hear. Think about it; if you turn on the radio at any given time during the day there is a 95% chance that as you scan through the stations you will hear at least one song from an American Idol winner or contestant.
In a recent interview, Adam Lambert said, after taking second place in season 8 that, “It’s not about winning.” His statement couldn’t be truer. Some of the contestants that have taken second (Clay Aiken) and even seventh place (Jennifer Hudson) have gone on to be more successful than the ones who got the AI crown. So I appreciate that the following ten individuals took the American Idol opportunity and ran with it so that my life could be influenced, my heart touched and my soul enlivened. Of course as this is personal opinion your top ten may differ significantly. Feel free to agree or disagree in the comments. Since the number one song was already on the playlist I have added song number two because it captures the essence of the opportunity these AI contestants were given and made the most of.

10. Kimberly Locke(2) – Eighth World Wonder
9. Katharine McPhee (5) – Over It
8. Josh Gracin (2) – Nothin’ to Lose
7. Jennifer Hudson (3) –You Pulled Me Through
6. Kelly Clarkson (1) – A Moment Like This
5. Kelli Pickler (5) – Red High Heels
4. Chris Daughtry (5) – Feels Like Tonight
3. Carrie Underwood (4) – Some Hearts
2. Clay Aiken (2) – This is the night
1. Jordin Sparks (6) – One Step at a Time

No Boundaries

“You can go higher. You can go deeper. There are no boundaries.” - Kris Allen

When it comes to dreaming there are no boundaries. When it comes to parties if there are boundaries they have definitely been expanded by this amazing website. I have blogged a little bit about them before but my husband and I just recently hosted another of their amazing parties and I wanted to share the fun with all of you.
We hosted a Ford Fusion-American Idol party. Not only did Ford send us enough party supplies and gift bag items for 15 guests, they also gave us a chance to win a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. Although we didn’t win the car we did get to have a 2009 Ford Fusion at our house so that we could see it, touch it, drive it and jam in it between commercial breaks of the American Idol Performance Finale. I want to thank Nate Kinghorn from Broadway Ford for taking his evening to come and hang out at our party. If you are in the market for a Ford car or truck he is definitely the man to see.
As we all rooted for Kris Allen, who we found out Wednesday night actually won the competition, we ate and talked all things American Idol. We created a quiz to see which guest knew the most about AI; kudos to Jeff and Shauna for being true fans. We even got to show an exclusive 2010 Ford Fusion commercial that starred Ace Young from season 5. He looks super hot with short hair and he has definitely been working out.
Overall it was 2 hours of fun, music and Ford and those that came were not disappointed. For everyone’s enjoyment I have included on my playlist the song that was written for Kris Allen as winner of American Idol season 8. Even though we have a whole year before another American Idol is crowned there are no boundaries on how much fun we can have at our next House Party which promises to keep our summer “sizzlin.”

You Can’t Keep a Good Dog Down

“I’ve seen pain and hurt; I’ve eaten dirt… but look pal I’m still around, ‘cause you can’t keep a good dog down.” – All Dogs Go To Heaven

Last night I had one of the oddest “missionary experiences” ever. Our stake is doing a 40 day fast where 40 families each take 24 hours to fast for the missionaries in our area and for personal missionary experiences. Josh and I started our fast at 6:00 PM on Wednesday night and ended it Thursday at 6:00 PM. At 6:47 PM I got a call from the sister missionaries asking if I could go to an 8:00 PM appointment with them. I was shocked at how quickly my prayer had been answered.
I picked up the sisters just before 8:00 PM at the Visitor’s Center (VC) near the Idaho Falls Temple. As we drove away Sister Harrison pointed out that there was a stray dog wandering on the temple grounds. We didn’t think much of it and assumed that it would be shooed out when security locked the gates that night. As missionary appointments often go, the 8:00 PM cancelled and attempts to make visits to five other individuals turned out to be futile. So at 8:30 the sisters asked me to take them back to the VC so they could pick up some member referral cards. When we got there we noticed that the dog was still wandering. Upon further inspection of the dog it had no collar or tags, it was limping, it’s eyes looked as if it were completely blind and it looked very, very hungry. Since we hadn’t had any luck saving human souls the sister missionaries and I decided to save the stray.
We alerted temple security, who seemed completely baffled as to what they should do. We then called the animal shelter, which was closed, and next the police station. We found out that the animal shelter has drop boxes that we could leave the dog in if we were willing to transport it. By this time it was almost 9:00 PM and the sister’s curfew was quickly approaching, so I offered to take them home and come back with my husband to move the dog. When I arrived at the temple for the third time that evening I was sure that a quick trip to the shelter was all I had to invest and I could get home to bed. However, when we got to the shelter we found that there were only six drop off kennels and all of them were full. Our approach to the building started a cascade of whining from the dogs that had previously been dropped off and we were baffled as to what to do next.
My kind, sweet husband, who would have adopted the dog right then and there if he had been able, suggested that we take it home. I am not a pet person and the idea of taking this dying stray home was not appealing to me but at 9:30 at night we had no other option, short of leaving it on the street, which didn’t seem right. So we brought the dog home and gave it some food and a warm bed for the night. It wasn’t much but it was the least we could do before we shipped her off with animal control the next morning.
The dog is now gone and with the condition she was in I wouldn’t be surprised if she finds her way to doggie heaven soon. However, through our strange encounter I learned a valuable missionary lesson: The Lord wants all of his creations to return home to Him but sometimes He needs us to find them and help them get where they need to be.

Forever and Ever, Amen!

“They say time takes its toll on a body - makes a young girl’s brown hair turn gray. But honey I don’t care I ain’t in love with your hair and if it all fell out I’d love you anyway.” – Randy Travis

Thanks to my handsome father and the help of genetics, I have been going grey since I was 18. It didn’t take long for me to realize that for the rest of my life home hair coloring products would be essential. I couldn’t afford to pay $50-$80 every month to color professionally so I experimented with different color shades and brands until I found the ones that worked best for me. Overall my favorite products are those distributed by Clairol. Their products not only cover my gray evenly but it lasts a long time and I usually only re-color because of new growth at the roots and not because the color has faded.
I had come to this conclusion well before I was chosen by www.houseparty.com to host a house party for Clairol Hair Color. After that my love for their products deepened. Not only did they provide me with free Hair Color for all of my guests, but they also sent several different trial size products like hair spray, razors, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner and more for gift bags that I provided to my guests. Essentially, Clairol provided me with everything that I needed to host an amazing girl’s night out. I spent Saturday, May 2nd, with my girls as we colored, highlighted and styled our hair. Some of us took risks and others were more conservative but in the end we all had a great time using fabulous products that helped us look and feel young. Thank you House Party and thank you Clairol.

One Step at a Time

“We live and we learn to take one step at a time, there’s no need to rush. It’s like learning to fly or falling in love. It’s gonna happen when it’s supposed to happen, and we find the reasons why, one step at a time.” – Jordin Sparks

Although I don’t subscribe to the literal definition, I am a big believer in fate. I believe that things happen for a reason and that they happen how and when they are supposed to happen, IF we allow it. Those that follow the literal definition of fate and destiny often believe that events can’t be changed and will happen regardless of our choices, like the premise of the movie Serendipity. But to me that discounts the agency that we were all given before we came to earth. Our choices have consequences and how we interact with our environment and the people in it often determines the outcome – good or bad.
There are times, however, when good or bad things happen and we can’t really pinpoint the reason directly to our actions. Of course it is usually easier to find a direct relationship to our actions when good things happen and it’s harder to find when bad things happen. In modern revelation through the prophet Joseph Smith we learn that all things give us experience and that experience “…shall be for [our] good” (D&C 122:7). So when I start to feel sorry for myself or feel like giving up because life is getting a little too hard, I remember that if I continue to take things one step at a time and don’t give up I will become stronger and be more capable of handling anything that comes my way.

Under Pressure

“Insanity laughs under pressure, we're cracking. Can't we give ourselves one more chance?” – Queen & David Bowie

Have you ever felt the pressure of trying to accomplish a goal? It is hard enough just to come up with a realistic goal in the first place. I would like to be a size 6, write a bestselling book, fly to the moon, bike across America, and adopt at least one child from each of the six inhabited continents in the world, but when reality sets in those things probably won’t happen in my lifetime. I’m not saying that they couldn’t happen I am just not willing to stretch myself and make the necessary sacrifices it would take to accomplish them. So that probably means I don’t really want them right?

More realistic goals for me would be to lose 20 pounds and get closer to a healthy weight, donate to NASA research, bike around the city, and prepare myself to have kids whether they come from me or someone else. As for writing a bestselling book I probably need to hone my writing skills so I am going to test the waters in a blog. Virtual reading is the wave of the future anyway so it might just prepare me for what is expected ten or twenty years from now when I have enough courage and data to share my stories of weight loss, bike riding, parenting, space travel and other fun adventures. Stay tuned.