Relief Society General Broadcast

I realize I've already posted about 100 new posts today...but you get one more anyway. :)

Tonight, I was able to go with a group of girls from my ward to SLC for the RS General broadcast. I have to say, I was not in the best mood when the meeting started. I was tired of women who thought that getting a good seat was important enough to forget kindness. It seemed like there were so many ladies who decided that waiting in line was not for them, or that waiting for the ushers to guide them to a seat, (which we had been asked to do), was not what they were supposed to do. I mentioned my frustration to a friend and she commented that a lot of LDS women are the take-charge-get-it-done kind of people. What a positive thing! It really helped change my perspective when I thought about what great leaders LDS women are...it took a little longer to get over it, though. :)

The meeting was great. I appreciated the comments about offering relief and look forward to exploring more what that means in my own life. I also really enjoyed President Monson's story about the man who walked into a bookstore looking for a book called, "Man: The Ruler of Women," and was directed to the Fiction section. I really appreciate when the leaders of my faith are candid and let their personalities show through. The choir consisted of women from the South Jordan, UT area. Knowing that my aunt lives there, (and that she's a singer), I scanned the choir. I was surprised to find she was one of the first people I saw! I didn't know she was going to be there--but what a fun thing to see her singing in the choir.

After the meeting, all 12 of us went to Denny's in SLC. And, just as with all other Denny's across America, our food was super slow. But, we had a great time chatting with each other there, as well as in the car on the way there and home. I'm now convinced that we need a girls' night at least once a month!

As a result...

One of the benefits of feeling better is that I've had the desire to read again. So, when I took the girls to the library on Thursday, I decided to get a couple of books for myself. I had NO idea what I wanted to read and wandered up and down the aisles for a while (with two whining kids in the stroller) trying to see if anything caught my eye. Nothing.

So, I finally decided to look at the library computer and found lists developed by the librarians. I found a book called "The Friendly Persuasion" and then I remembered that my mom had recommended "The Secret Life of Bees." So, I picked that one up as well.

I just finished reading "The Secret Life of Bees" and absolutely loved it! Since it's on the New York Times best seller list, I'm sure I'm about the last person in America to figure out it's such a great book. It really enjoyed the style of writing and I'm thinking about getting "The Mermaid Chair" next time I go to the library. Has anyone read it? I'm loving this rediscovered love of reading...and did I say I LOVE feeling better? :)

What a feeling!

Some of you know that I've been going through kind of a hard time these past few months. I think it actually started before I weaned Whitney, but that event really set things in motion. I have not been myself at all. I had terrible mood swings at any moment and the tiniest things would set me off. I had no motivation to do anything and getting out of the house seemed like a big ordeal I couldn't accomplish on my own. I had no idea what was going on and felt like the darkness would last forever.

About a month after this started, I went to a naturopath doctor in Provo. He prescribed sleep and supplements to help me start feeling better. And, it worked most of the time. I still had some mood swings and my motivation was still lacking. Then, almost 2 weeks ago, I went back for some further testing. They adjusted the dosing of supplements I was already taking and added a few more to the mix. The first week was still a little rough--but this past week has been AMAZING!

I seriously marvel every single day at how well I suddenly feel. I cleaned the house, ran errands like crazy, took the girls to the library, and am once again finding joy in the little things of motherhood. Every night I pray that this feeling will not go away because it feels so good to be back in this place! I finally feel like myself again--like I can take on the world--and like I have something of myself to offer once more. I cannot believe the night and day difference in me from even a month ago. I am so grateful for this amazing change. I live every day just incredibly thankful for the light again.

Good morning, birdies!

This morning, I was laying in bed...well, actually, I think I was sleeping...but then I heard a tiny little voice in the other room that woke me up. It is extremely unusual for Kallie to wake up and not come into our room to get us. But, maybe telling her that she can get up when the sun does is starting to work! Anyway--I wasn't really ready to get up, so I just sat and listened to what was happening.

Kallie was talking to birdie. She said, "Yellow birdie, come here! Oh no, little birdie, come back. Come back, yellow birdie!" Then she sounded sad...and quickly got happy again and said, "You heard me!" At that point, Ryan came home and Kallie got out of bed when she heard him. When Kallie came in to our room, she held out her hands and said, "Look Mommy!" I squinted very closely at her little outstretched hands, (I wasn't wearing my glasses), and saw that there was nothing there. So, I asked her what was in her hands. She proceeded to tell me that she had birdies in her hands...one red one and one yellow one. I thought it was so cute that she was pretending so early in the morning to keep herself company until the sun woke up, too.

He's Still Got It!

This afternoon, on his way home from school, Ryan was walking through the Heritage Halls area of campus. (For those of you who don't know, Heritage Halls are dorms where mostly freshmen live.) There was a girl walking a little bit in front of him...and all of a sudden, she turned around and said, "Hi! My name is Brittany, what's your name?" Ryan told her and then she said, "Do you live in the dorms?" He replied, "No...I live in married student housing." Amazingly enough, the conversation quickly ended and they parted ways. I guess that's one more freshman who has learned to look for a ring before she gets too far into the converstation. And, what can I say, my handsome hubby has still got it!

The information age

I'm sure that we've all heard the same old, same old reports on this amazing age of technology. We have been told we have so much information available to us now, we can quite easily develop information overload at any moment.

The problem is that we bring it all on ourselves! We are the ones who click the link...we are the ones who turn on the TV, the radio, etc. We are seeking information that will somehow make us feel better, worse, happier, depressed, or any sort of feeling we seek at any time. While I feel that all of this information at our fingertips is quite a blessing, (like searching for conference talks from who knows how long ago), I also think we can become too wrapped up in the craziness of it all. I mean, really, how many articles on motherhood or marriage or housecleaning or exercising or health or...(I could list a million things)...do I really need to read? After about 3, I have read that I'm doing everything right--or wrong--and that either way, I don't need to worry about it. What a simpler time when you didn't know what every single authority on any subject said simply because you didn't have access to more than the local library.

I'll admit, like I said earlier, I know that by seeking out more information than I could possibly need, I am bringing any feelings of triumph or guilt on myself. It's about this time that I wonder if such a realization is normal. Hmm...maybe there's an article about it on-line...

How great shall be your joy

Today, I had the incredible privilege of going to the temple with a girl I baptized on my mission five years ago. Edita is getting married next week to a great guy who lives in SLC, so she received her endowment in the Bountiful Temple today and then was sealed to her parents, (who were baptized I think about a year and a half before she was). What an amazing experience to know that this incredible girl is still living the gospel and worthy to attend the temple. I was almost bursting with the joy I felt all day today. To know that she is an eternal family with her parents and she will begin her own eternal family next week is such a sweet, sweet feeling. I'm just incredibly grateful that I was able to be a part of it all.

Kallie's Prayer

Tonight, Kallie was rather grumpy and seriously ready for bed. I can't remember what it was, but something happened that made her cry as we were getting her ready for bed. And, her nose started running. She started freaking out that her nose was running, which is actually unusual for her to point out. We wiped it like we always do when it's running and went about the rest of the routine. Well, fast forward a few minutes to bedtime. Kallie was kneeling by her bed saying prayers and this is what she said..."Hebelly Fahdder, geen boogers in my nose..." and then went on to say a few other things. We have NO idea what she was really saying, but apparently the green boogers in her nose made a big impression on her tonight.

ABC's of Me

I am having one of those "I don't feel like doing anything" days. We were up VERY late last night canning peaches...so I'm taking the day "off." (If you can call changing a million diapers, fixing breakfasts and lunches, doing dishes, giving my girls a bath, going to the playground, and caring for a teething baby a day off!) Anyway--so I thought I'd post this fun ABC game I stole from Patti's blog.

A is for age: Almost 29

B is for Breakfast: A bowl of Kashi with berries

C is for Career: Before Kids--HR Assistant/Office Manager, After Kids--Full-time Wife and Mother

D is for my Dog’s Name: Kaebi

E is for Essential Item I Use Everyday: Scriptures, mascara, Kallie's Time Out chair

F is for Favorite T.V. Show: The Office, Supernanny

G is for Favorite Game: Apples to Apples

H is for Hometown: Growing up--Mesa, AZ; Right now--Provo, UT

I is for Instruments I Play: Piano

J is for Favorite Juice: Cido Multifruit, (From my mission--unfortunately, not available in the U.S.)

K is for Kitchen, What Color is it?: Red and white (cherries) with black accents

L is for the Last Place I Ate Out: Cafe Rio

M is for Marriage: 3 years and it just keeps getting better!

N is for my Nickname: Amanda Bubba or just Bubba

O is for Overnight Hospital Stays: Just 2--when my kids were born.

P is for People I was With Today: Kallie, Whitney, and a few girls from my ward at the playground.

Q is for Quote: Nothing is so terrible that complaining about it won't make it worse.

R is for Biggest Regret: Spending so much energy worrying about how my life would turn out.

S is for Sport: BYU FOOTBALL! Go Cougars!

T is for Time I Woke Up Today: 8:15 a.m.

U is for Favorite Piece of Undergarment: My shaper

V is for Last Vacation you Took: Seattle in July

W is for Worst Habit: Picking at my arms

Y is for Yummy Food You Ate Today: Kashi

Z is for Zodiac: Libra

Whenever I hear...

Every time we put Kallie down to bed, we sing her a lullaby and rock-a-bye before we put her in bed. We have been doing it since she was born! And, we always sing, "My Heavenly Father Loves Me," (Whenever I hear the song of a bird, or look at the blue, blue sky...we call it the Butterfly Song--because of the phrase "He gave me my eyes that I might see the color of butterfly wings." It also went along with the bedtime story we read to Kallie every night.). The past couple of times that I have sung to her, she has started singing along with me. I can't tell you how sweet it is to listen to her sing, in her little two year old voice, "her" night-night song. She tries to mimic me with her pitch and it's precious to hear her sing.

And--this is an old story, but not written down yet and on this topic, so I figure now is a good time to write it down! At October conference, almost a year ago, on Saturday afternoon, (I think that's the session...), the choir sang Kallie's "Butterfly Song." A few measures in, she asked for her lahlahk and doggy and then sat on the couch quietly listening to the rest of the song. When it was over, she asked for bed and went down for a nap! Ryan and I thought it was pretty funny--and we're interested to see what will happen when they sing that song in Primary.