thoughts about haiti

It's taken me a couple of days to really catch up on what has happened in Haiti. After church today I finally took the opportunity to watch some footage and my heart is heavy, and my mind is racing.

I also read my friend Andrea's blog, and I want to echo some of her thoughts. She is living with her husband in Kenya right now and has had some similar experiences to what I have had in Africa. As I watched the footage of Haiti my mind drifted to the townships I lived in South Africa and the villiages of Zambia, where although not suffering from earthquake at this time, the images of homeless, starving children are burned in my mind. That same feeling of helplessness I felt daily while working in orphanges encompasses me. That same desire to do something, anything at all is there. Even having seen those images in person, everyday for months I can never truely grasp what the people of Haiti are going through. I have been hungry, but never starving. I have never slept on dirt in the street. I have never had a broken bone. I have never wanted for water, or wondered where my family was or if they are alive. I have not experienced earthquake or poverty or disease. I have never wondered if God had forsaken me.

I don't even know really what I want to say with this post except there are a few things I know to be true when things like this happen in the world.

-When we experience or watch others experience tradgedy it leads us to count our blessings. I am truely grateful for my mattress and the water bottle sitting on my night stand. I am grateful to have a family, and to know that they are safe, well and thriving. I am grateful for my health.

-God Loves Us. And He knows of every individual on the Planet because He created and added details to every individual on the earth. He has not forgotton the people of Haiti and he will take care of them, in His own way. He knew of this earthquake, and He knows what each of us is supposed to be taught by it. Our choice is to recognize the blessing of compassion, or the desire to be compassionate.

=I am grateful for The Plan of Salvation. As the death toll rises in Haiti I realize that I am lucky to know exactly what would happen to me if I were among the dying. I am privelages to know of "The Plan" and that I can live with my loved ones forever in Eternity.

-The meek and the humble shall inherit the earth. I can not tell you how many times this ran through my mind when I would see children without clothing, or hear that some of the orphans I was taking care of in Africa were rescued from garbage cans and sricken with AIDS. This statement offers comfort and leaves me no opportunity to let my pride get in the way.

Anyway, just a few thoughts. I am pretty sure this post and what I have learned is more for me than my readers, but I wanted to share. My heart and prayers go out to Haiti, and all of those there trying to lift the burdons of those people.

get your kicks

I spent last weekend in Rolla, Missouri visiting David and meeting more of His family. It was wonderful to spend more time with him since we have so little and to meet Lisa, His older Sister. I had met his other older sister Heather and cousin Megan in Salt Lake a couple of weeks ago. Pic below. I have to say thank you to these ladies for making me feel so welcome. It's not easy to let someone be in your little brother's life. I know because I am a big sister too...but I am glad I am the one they are letting in. Besides that, I totally like them. I have had so much fun corresponding with Lisa and Heather. I am totally lucky that David was practically raised by them and they taught him how to treat a lady!



I was also happy to meet David's mother who doesn't know how much it meant to me to have beat her at the card game of speed. I never beat anyone at speed. I am still on cloud nine from that!

And finally, the sole picture I took while on my trip. This is me by a Route 66 sign. We didn't actually see the road, but I suppose it is the claim to fame in Rolla. The bottle in my hand is rootbeer kids, so no need to worry. I guess was too preoccupied to notice I hadn't taken any pictures. I don't even have any of David's mom, sister, or him and I together. Next time I will take more mom I promise!

my word for 2010

Last year I started a new tradition. Instead of setting New Year's Resolutions, I decided to pick a word to work on for the entire year. My word for 2009 was "learn". It was the perfect word for last year because I did learn so much, about so many things.

This year I have chosen, (drum roll please)...

patience

OK, so this one might seem boring, common, etc. but I chose it because it requires me actively working on it in small moments, hours, days. There is much that I have to work on when it comes to patience. I am required to have it in almost every area of my life right now and it is not something that always comes easily. I work with children, so naturally I am constantly needing to exercise patience although I have to say I really enjoy the children I get to spend time with everyday and it is good practice for when I have my own. I am in a long distance relationship, which requires patience and waiting but luckily and dauntingly I am dating the most incredible man on the planet and He's worth every moment I spend waiting til we can be together next. I am having to be patient with my dreams, which I have so many of always, and they are sometimes put on hold due to career and life decisions.

To help me as I go along, I found this talk by President Monson.

I am totally excited to see what 2010 brings. Let's hope I learn a little more patience by the time 2011 rolls around!

all is calm, all is bright

I have been trying to think of ways to encorperate the "real meaning" of Christmas into my daily life as I celebrate this glorious holiday.

David came up with the idea to share e-mails with each other encompassing "What I would give Christ for His Birthday" each day in December. As we read the Christmas Story out of the the Bible on Sunday, I think the story of Christ's birth had new meaning, more meaning to both of us because we had already been focusing on the Savior for the past few weeks. I am so grateful for such an incredible man in my life who inspires me and encourages me to focus on what is important this time of year. David you are the BEST!

Speaking of David, aside from spoiling me with umteen gifts...today the delivery truck arrived with one last gift, Red Converse Shoes! Ladies, if you don't have a man who listens to you enough to first, know you've wanted converse shoes for years...second, to know your favorite color is red...and third to be insightful enough to e-mail your friend and find out your shoe size and then have them delivered...I suggest you get one! I'm keeping David around for sure, but not because he sends me gifts...because he is Amazing!

WISHING YOU A MAGICAL CHRISTMAS AND FANTASTIC NEW YEAR! HAPPY EVERYTHING!

city sidewalks, pretty sidewalks

There is no more exciting place to be at Christmas time than in the heart of New York City! From the window display's on fifth avenue, to the tree in Rockerfellar Center I totally fall in love with Manhattan each December.

This year however, I had some special visitors (wink). The first being Aunt Janene and Uncle Warren, who I don't have many pictures of but...we went to dinner for meat loaf at a local restaurant and then to see Billie Elliot on Broadway. BEST BROADWAY AROUND right now in my opinion. Aunt Janene and Uncle Warren are a hoot and I am so lucky to have such awesome family who come all the way from Texas to Enjoy Manhattan.

To make the season particularly special, my boyfriend David (yes family and friends...I did say boyfriend) came to New York for a visit this past weekend. It was his first time in this part of the country. Although nearly all of our plans fell through to do a gigantic snowstorm, we had a delightful time and loved just being together. It was *Magical*

Here's a few pics to capture our wonderful time in the city!

holiday frosting

Every year, the day after Thanksgiving is the day I put up my Christmas Tree. I anticipate this day every year. This year my tree is small, but it smells like pine and gingerbread and is perfect for my little cottage here in New England. I wanted the children I nanny to help me decorate it. All three of them helped me make the ornaments out of gingerbread cookies and yarn. We dressed the tree with lights and ribbons and Madeline drew and cut out a star. Because the children are Jewish and aren't accustomed to trees in thier home this time of year, this was a fun activity for them...just as lighting the Manorah will be for me in a couple of weeks at Hanukkah time.

I completed my decorating with a Christmas Blanket and pillow and I have to say I am loving every minute I get to spend retreating and wrapping presents while listening to my holiday playlist on iTUNES in this room.





Tonight I helped the kids I nanny decorate Gingerbread Houses, also a holiday tradition for me. It's been so fun to see the wonder in thier eyes and the creativity each of them possess. I heart these kids, I heart my job and I especially heart Christmas and all that comes with it.




Hope your season has been as Merry and Bright as mine so far!

the feast

This year's Thanksgiving was spent with my amazing girlfriends here in Connecticut. I am going to brag and boast about my friend Rhonda for a minute. Um, there are not words to describe her intoxicating creations with food. She is absolutely amazing and pretty much should have opened a resturant, like yesterday. I am so thankful for her hospitality and generosity. She's hilarious on top of all of that and an absolute delight to cook with and talk to. We decided to go traditional with our feast. I did the turkey, rolls and beans and Rhonda took on the rest with Joyce aside from Taurus's white chocolate pumpkin cheesecake (even typing that makes my eyes light up). Everything from the Brie and cherry puff pastry with apples to the Parmesan Cream Cheese Mashed potatoes was like an out of body experience to eat it was so delicious. I wish I could have that meal over and over and over. Thank You ladies for making this dinner in Connecticut special. Love you!

giving thanks

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow." — Melody Beattie

It's Thanksgiving Day and I am sitting here as I do each year thinking about all that I am thankful for. The list keeps getting longer as I ponder so I thought I would spare you and keep the list to the five things that pop into my head first when I sat down to think about it.

1. The Gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This Gospel is True. I know it, and I feel lucky to know it within the depths of my heart. It provides me happiness, peace, and understanding. That's amazing to me and the Gospel is facsinating. I can't learn enought about it.

2. People. This will include first and foremost my family. My ancestors, aunts, cousins, uncles, parents, siblings and thier posterity. This also includes friends..old and new and people who I don't know personally or haven't met in person yet, but admire from afar. I am influenced so much by brushing shoulders with others and I really am so blessed to know so many wonderful people all around the world. I have wonderful examples to follow.

3. Stability. In this economic time I have to say that I am extremely grateful to have a job, and one I enjoy at that. I have been fortunate to find families to work for who provide me a way to accomplish what I set out to do financially. I am also very thankful for my education. I love learning and I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to go to a University that expanded my mind and challenged me to get better at things.

4. Opportunities. I have been extremely fortunate to be provided with so many opporutunities to grow. Whether through traveling or jobs or school my opportunities have seemingly become limitless. I know that I am blessed to have this. I am blessed to have choice in the things that I do and a way provided every time I set my mind to do something. I find that remarkable and I don't know why I am so lucky.

5. Talents. Ok, so I am not going to sit and write here about my talents but I am thankful for them because they provide Me with a means to be Me. They define me. Talents help me help others which is the most important reason to be thankful for them. But they also bring light to my own life. I love working on my talents, trying to become better. The best is when I try something new and can forsee that I will have some talent in it. That's like a double bonus right there.

I hope you all have a Wonderful Thanksgiving full of Turkey, Family and Love. Everyone deserves that, and I am grateful for it! Below is a video put out by the LDS church in "The Spirit of Thanksgiving". Enjoy!

i'm so madly in love...

with THIS! Michael Buble you have done it again! This CD is full of icing on your cake, butter on your popcorn goodness and I pretty much want to marry it I like it so much!

lol

Every time I listen to this I laugh my bum off! So hysterical!

definatly a little spooky

Once upon a time there were two cousins. One dark scary Halloween night a witch cast a spell on them and they suddenly turned into pigeons. That's right...pigeons. They didn't know how to break the spell, nor how they ended up in that ghastly state but the witch had achieved her goal. Holly and Jessica were definatly the scariest, ugliest looking animals in all of Greenwich. As they turned the corner in Target, a little lady bug grabbed her mommy's hand and said, "look mom, they're scary".

As Holly and Jessica made thier entrance in Wilton, the crowd of monsters turned their heads...and laughed...hard.

The spell was only broken at midnight, by poisoning the witch with three and a half of Thing One's candy bar brownies and a caremel apple. Witches can't handle rediculous delicious goodness.

As Holly and Jess returned back to the cottage, there was a note on the mirror with five specific words in bold letters which read, "DONT EVER DO THAT AGAIN". This could only be referring to thier feathery state. Feathers flickered everywhere around the cottage as a reminder...that hanging out with witches who turn you into birds is an aweful idea.

Holly and Jessica remained the fairest in the land, jk, until next year atleast...

Hope you all had a Wonderful Halloween!

i heart halloween...

which is why I HAD to plan this little dinner for the kids that I nanny. The three year old has requested that I be and talk like a witch almost daily, so I finally decided to dress like one and perfect my cackle. I surprised the three kids and thier friend when they got home from school the other day. I opened the door in my costume and their mother escorted them to put on something festive. In the kitchen I was getting my brew ready, complete with rats and spiders floating around. Our special guest was Mr. Bones (pictured).

The menu consisted of some spooky items:
Goblin Guts (spaghetti and meatballs)
Bat Bread (bagels halved with garlic butter)
Vampire Teeth (corn)
Monster Salad (greens with tomato)
Eyeball Cupcakes
Spider Cookies
Witches Brew (sprite mixed with apple cranberry juice)

The best part was just seeing thier faces and when they were asking me, "Mrs. Witch...can I please have some goblin guts?"

I love love love doing things like this! Enjoy the pics!

i'm falling for autumn

The pics are self explanitory. There is no question my favorite season in New England.