Friday, November 28, 2008

Giving thanks

Things I am grateful for as of late:
Warm things. Pretty things. Outstitute. Utah visitors. Pizza and conversations about pizza. Being in California right now and having it not be a dreadful prospect to go outside. Being with my nieces. Holding my nieces. Trying to be vegan, and eating and feeling better because of it. My newly purple bedroom and trying to make spaces around me more beautiful/places that I want to be. My telephone conversation with Reid. Sam singing my favorite song. Holding hands with Charity at Disney Land, and the phrase, "Holding hands are happy hands." Hyrum's good news. The Little Prince which I am reading again for the umpteenth time.

Things I am always grateful for:
My family. Friends who are real friends. Moderate weather. Genuine people. Sleeping. Books that make me feel.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

To sleep in the house your mother was raised in

There is something amazing to me about this, and I am doing it everyday for a week. As we drive my mom points out the schools she went to and the houses she knew and visited, telling me the things that stayed the same and the things that changed.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Interim

I am sitting in the Vegas airport right now, waiting to continue my trip. I can't help remembering the last time I passed through. It was the day I moved to Boston. Things are so much different now.

Monday, November 24, 2008

California here I come.

I am going to Hyrum's Los Angeles, in just a few hours, where I'll see almost all of my family, and where we'll celebrate Thanksgiving and our grandma's birth. This makes my heart glad. It's been a year and a half since we were all there together.

My bedroom looks like a flower.

A beautiful, bright purple flower.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

My grandma is 90 years old.


This feisty little lady turns 90 today, all 4'11" of her. I think its the water aerobics and the good karma. Anyhow, I hope that I can stay as healthy as her. I love her best for being a convert, and that when my grandpa told her, "If you join the Mormon church, I'm going to join the Catholic church," she joined anyway, because she felt like it was right. And then when he saw that she was determined, he decided to learn more, and was taught by the sisters. That became particularly important to me when I was a missionary.

I also remember her for her lemon trees and avocado trees, trips to Disney Land and the Ocean, and the general good fact that she lives somewhere sunny. I also remember her for her bright red dress at Cumorah's wedding, and saying, "Well somebody's gotta wear red!" Then there is parking. I cannot find a good spot and not think of her. My mom related that whenever our grandma found a close space she'd exclaim, "I must be living right!" and she would say it too. Some of my sisters and I started saying it to tease our mom, but now we really just say it.

Happy birthday, Grandma!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

life goals

Once upon a time I found this piece of paper, in a folder, in a drawer in my bedroom. I am now bemoaning the fact that I didn't write a date, but my best guess tells me that I was between the ages of 16 and 18, a. because I wrote it in marker, and b. because I said I wanted to go to Canada.


And while my modern "life goals" list would be different, I'm glad that I can check off at least some of these things.

3 a.m. is the new midnight.

The last three nights I have gone to sleep 3 a.m. or later. Bless grad school (or something like that).