Byes, Baby Brother's Birthday, and Backyard Shinanagins

We ate dinner at Red Robin the last night I was in Provo. Mclain and the ladies!


On my beautiful drive home I ran into one brief thunder/rain storm. The sun was just setting and it made for some gorgeous scenery.

My state is b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l.

My littlest brother, Eli, was thrilled to have me home in time for his 7th birthday. This is a picture of us two Christmases ago.

He's so obnoxious, but since he's the baby of the family we all just think it is so gosh darn cute. He's a funny little man. He is like a Max Jr in his humor though. I was the only one who didn't get a chance to sign his birthday card before it was sealed, and everybody had written something lovey dovey. So I said, "And I love you, too Eli," and he looked at me with a big smile and said, "I know." So I'm glad he knows! He's not such a baby anymore....at about 100 lbs, but he still has us cut up bites of his dinner, so ha! Can't quite grow up yet!

So excited to blow out ALL his candles!!


We also did yardwork. Here I am in my spiffy, new, and legit cowgirl hat trimming branches off the pine tree.

Riley loved planting the garden!

Don't say maybe.

Just needed this in my head....in my life.

I want that.

Can I have it?

I'd settle for even a good guy to date.

Didn't know that was asking so much.

What is it?

What is it about finals week that sucks the life right out of you? I think of how EOU calls this time of the term "dead week." So true.

Also, I'd encourage you to check out a post by my roommate Kate's sister Anna. She describes some aspects of finals at BYU fairly well.

P.S. Sorry I look disgusting in this photo.

An Apostle's Easter Thoughts on Christ

Renewal

I started my drive home to Oregon for the Easter holiday, a 3 o'clock in the afternoon. By the time I got into the depths of Idaho the sun was hanging low in the horizon, my favorite time of day. Normally I detest driving through the bland nothingness that is southern Idaho, I think that is usually because when I am driving through there (at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and sometimes in February) it is all one color, grey. The sky is grey, the road is grey, the fields are grey, I swear even the houses and cars are a shade of grey. But, this time, it was different. This time I was able to see the small beginnings of spring yawning as they peeled off the covers of a long, cold winter. The grass and field sprouts were bright green, in between blue skies hung purple clouds full of those spring showers that (hopefully) bring May flowers. Cows were grazing, calves were milking, sprinklers were going in fields. It was glorious.

I had the opportunity to go to Phyllis Smith's (my uncle Gareld's mom) funeral yesterday morning. It was a nice memorial to a woman who lived a good life and is now able to get up out of that wheelchair she was confined to for 19 years. Among other things, funerals give us the chance to remember the things in life that matter.... God, family, friends, and just living.

I easily forget the beautiful simplicity to be found in life. I let the small things and the unsureities roll until this big complicated ball of yarn is all I can see. There's a song that I recently heard that says basically we shouldn't just be happy when we finally reach the top of life's mountains, because life is about the climb.

Yesterday I went to a cheesy movie with my littlest sister, and my now taller than me teenage brother. I sat on my mom's lap in her trusty arm chair. I woke up to the family dog Tobi snuggled up next to my bum. Today I ran by a tractor on the highway. Tomorrow I will sit in a pew at church and remember the sacrifice that allows me to live such a happy and hopeful life, and then sit down with those who love me the most to enjoy a bountiful feast.

Something about coming home has been a renewal and a reminder of the things that truly matter. It puts things in perspective. It allows me to take a deep breath of fresh country air. I hope as we prepare for this Easter sunday we will remember the things that matter most and the sacrifice of our Father's son that allows us to live.

Galatians 2:20

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

sun, speedos, and snakes

My weekend went by so quickly!

I left the snow of Provo for the (shocking) sunshine of Rexburg. Jordan greeted me with a hug. It was weird to think that it had been over three months since I last saw the kid. He tok me to lunch at this Thai placeon Center Street (who knew Rexburg, Idaho was so diversified?).

We had good times doing a bunch of little things in between sessions of General Conference.

Feeding the ducks

(they kept running away from us, thus the absence of ducks in this picture)

We also went swinging at the park. All the big swings were taken at first so we tried to make due. I predictably got motion sick.

Me killing time while Jordan was in the Priesthood session.

The Rexburg Temple.

We started off to find Mesa Falls, but lost our way and found some Teton Dam site.

Passover dinner with the Satterfield's (they've been to Israel like 100 times, Jordan and I were the only ones at the table who hadn't been, we felt like hosers). Jordan in his little cap that the Jewish guys where, and me in my thing.

We pass of Jews, yeah?

When we weren't having adventures we were talking about anything and everything. Without going into details I'll give you a few key words:

speedos, fertility, ring of fire, claustraphobia, psycho, humility, faith, snakes, gardening

etc. etc.

Sweet Pea

I really really really like this song. Just discovered from an AT&T commercial.


In other news.....

I'm super trunky. Meaning I am so ready to be home that I can't focus!

Also, I'm headed to Idaho this weekend to visit Jordan.

Further, I'm pretty pumped for conference this weekend. I always look forward to hear new words of wisdom from the leaders of the church. Of course this means the weather is cruddy (rain rain rain)....but April showers bring May flowers right? At least if they are rain showers and not snow showers like it's been lately.

Grey's Anatomy was a rerun tonight, poo.

Have a renewing weekend, eh?