Ever Watchful.

The last time I wore a watch on my wrist was the day before I got married.  I knew I didn't want to wear my watch that day.  I wore a pearl bracelet instead.  I never put that watch back on.  Ever.

Now that I will be doing visits and will need to watch the time without pulling out my phone and obviously checking the time, I bought a watch.

For now, I will wear my watch. 

And be ever watchful.

Have I Told You About...

Have I told you about Lois H. who I baby sat for and who was very round and who belched a lot?

Back in the early 80's I babysat for a lady who my dad home taught.  Her son was Paul and he would record (on his boom box no less) his burps and farts and then play them for me when I would come to babysit.  He was a rascally kid.  But this isn't about him.  It's about his mama.  Lois lived in a pink house.  At least that's what I remember about it.  Everything was pink.  And she had lots and lots of shoes.  All neatly arranged in her closet in plastic boxes.  The furniture was covered in plastic.  And her son, well, never mind.  Lois drove a little Geo Metro hatchback-type car.  I think it was mauve.  Geo Metros weren't around back then.  Heck, we couldn't even walk away from the wall while on the phone back then!  But it was a little itty bitty round car.  Did I tell you Lois was a round lady?  Well, she was.  She was shorter than I, and I am only 5 foot 2.  She had an afro-like perm to her head, which just added to the roundness.  Any which way you were to look at Lois, she was round.  And her legs were very short.  She sat so close to the steering wheel in the little round car that her very round, um, -ness, met said steering wheel with magnificence.  It was surely a sight to behold.  Did I mention the floor in the house was covered in plastic?

Covered in Awesomeness!

Lois H. was a belcher.  NO.  Not a burper.  A BELCHER!!  She would rip one out, deep and throaty, and then the funniest thing in the world would occur.  In her high pitched Mickey Mouse voice she would excuse herself.

 *****BEELLLLCH*****  excuse me *****BEELLLLCH*****  excuse me      *****BEELLLLCH*****  excuse me

 

It was just the doggondest thing ever.

 

When I burp, pardon me, when I belch, I am most often fond of excusing myself in a high pitched Mickey Mouse voice.  Now you know why.

 

 

P.S.  Is doggondest a word??

Have You Ever...

Have you ever been able to look back and see that you were prepared for something? 

I look back over my young years and then moving away from home right after high school and then moving back home and then ~viola~ I go on a mission.  And I had been prepared for it.

I look back over my single years.  I was in a singles ward, I went to school, I worked full time, I had good friends, I traveled, I wanted to get married.  Then I dated a couple of, well, strange-lings, and I decided that I would always be single if that's what was left for an almost 28 year old.  I told my parents that I was finished with dating and began making plans for going back to school, changing my job and working in the temple.  Then I met Daniel and I married him.  And I had been prepared for it. 

I look back over the time we were having kids.  The pregnancies that could have taken my life.  I know it sounds dramatic, but pregnancy and I are literally mortal enemies.  Then my OB said that if I had another pregnancy Daniel's second wife would be raising my kids, so I had a tubal ligation. Then I found an adoption agency.  And I had been prepared for it.

I look back over the time we spent looking at the Marshall Islands to adopt the rest of our family.  Everything we did, everywhere we went, everyone we spoke with, led us to the Marshall Islands.  While we waited for our US approval to adopt an orphan from the Marshall Islands, the Islands shut down any further adoptions from their country.  Our agency suggested China.  Then we got to go and adopt our daughter.  And I had been prepared for it.

I look back over the time spent with my brother Aaron.  He was my little buddy.  We spent so much time together before Daniel and I met.  When Sam was born, he came to the NICU with my mom and dad to see Sam.  We have video of him standing at the window and waving to us.  Then 16 days after Sam was born, Aaron died.  And I had been prepared for it.

I look back over the many years we spent waiting and longing for another child to join our family.  Priesthood blessings, time spent in the temple, pleading prayers, never knowing when, experiencing a failed adoption and then, in answer to our pleas, we pulled paperwork from both agencies and chose to be parents to 3.  Then we have been able to focus so intensely on our 3 during some rough patches in each of their young lives.  And I had been prepared for it.

I look back over people I've met, friends I've made, callings I've had and decisions that have needed to be made.  I had been prepared for every one.  I was just called as the Relief Society President in our newly made ward.  I am looking forward to serving such amazing sisters.  I met many yesterday and am so so so excited to get to know them all and serve them!!  Then I will experience sorrow, joy, hope, frustration and I will laugh, I will cry and I will grieve.  And I know that I will have been prepared for all of it.

If...

If Daniel and I were a celebrity couple we would be called...

 

 

Jeniel

 

 

or maybe... 

 

 

Dannie

 

I am sure glad we're not a  celebrity couple!
What would your celebrity couple name be?