Random Things I have done lately

A list of Random Things I have done lately.... While being knocked out with a nasty cold..... Is it funny how something like a cold can suddenly make you feel so tired and un-energetic.... Or is just me??????

1- finally got my bill pay account straightened so that the money from my bills will come from my checking acct instead of savings. At first I didn't realize that's where my bills were being paid from, (including a large tuition bill) so I had too many withdrawals, major overdraft and my account closed, so I had to go re-open it. Yeah. Good times. I'm human, it happens :)

2-Continued the inner debate about whether or not I like my new haircut. It's not bad, but it's more of a bob and I wanted an A-line. Right now it's a bit too "fluffy" for my liking. It's the same stylist I've gone too and loved her work so who knows why this time was different? Sigh.

3-I'd post a picture and let you be the judge of the hair but I need a new camera and I have a lack of motivation to take only halfway decent pictures. Perhaps I'll get a new camera during Black Friday sales. The important thing is that it's better to have a full head of hair than to have no hair at all, right???? Perhaps I'm just picky. Or vain. Or perhaps both :)

4-Endured the stomach knots as BYU finally pulled out with a win against NM

5-Sat in my nice comfy IKEA chair. Often.

6-Managed to find a missing glove so now I no longer have to go out in public with mismatched gloves. But I might do it anyway. It's kind of fun :) I was born with some of "glove repellent" I can never keep track of a pair for more than a couple weeks. The same with watches- which is why I havent' worn one in YEARS. A cell phone doubling as timepeice works just fine for me! Now I need to find my missing white hat with the awesome ear flaps and tie- all I want to do is be warm for the winter!!!!! Seriously.

7-Blew my nose with a lot of force from my diaphragm (sp?) and gone through LOTS of toilet paper. Perhaps next time I should invest in a high-quality handkercheif?

8-Thought about spell checking diaphragm but then decided against it because perhaps it's one of those classic misspellings that adds character to a blog post.

9-Enjoyed some graham crackers and dark chocolate chips. I like to eat dark chocolate-chocolate chips because it's good for my health, right?

10- Made out a Christmas list for my mom- (at her asking) Usually I just go shopping for chlothes and shoes and jewelery with my mom (there's the vain-ness again) but I decided to add variety to the list this year: a food dehydrator so I can save from buying dried fruit at the store, a journal with personality (no solid colors with a "journal" label for me!) the biggest loser cookbook.

11-Rubbed lots of lotion on my dry palms that now strangely resemble roadmaps with lots of white lines and cracks. Hmmmmmm........

The End. Thank you for reading.

29 Things About Me

In honor of my 29th birthday- here are 29 things about me...... A mix of things you may have not known and things that I just really like about me!!!



1-I have never dyed or highlighted my hair. (I'm scheduled to get auburn highlights on Nov 5th-we'll see if I go through with it)

2-I have lived in Taiwan and the Philippines and have visited: Canada, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia. Still really want to visit: Mongolia, Hong Kong, and Switzerland

3-I love making people laugh

4-It's important to me for people to know that I care about them

5-I spend more money on sneakers than any other item of clothing


6-The first book I reccomend to people to read is: Letters for Emily

7-I love running because it requires less athletic skill to be able to do it!!!!

8-My favorite childhood book: Calico Cotton (probably out of print by now, it was an OLD book)

9-I have run 6 5ks, 2 10ks, 1 half marathon- and plan to do more!!!!

10-I love being an aunt to 28 nieces and nephews, 29 in December!!!!!

11-My dream job is a motivational speaker for teens with disabilities and their parents

12-I (tried) ballet for four years when I was younger. Loved it, but never made it past the beginning ballet class

13-I enjoy eating BBQ squid on a stick but detest jellyfish

14-My favorite movie is: Remember the Titans (I love most any movie based on a true story)

15-Diagnosed at 21 with having sustained a brain injury at birth

16-Have 28 journals

17-Completed life histories for 3 of my grandparents

18-Theme songs for my life? Two of them: Defying Gravity (Wicked) My Little Girl (Tim McGraw/Flicka)

19-Never ate sauce with my spaghetti until I was 12 years old

20-Played the violin and piano. Piano stuck (kind of) vilion didn't)

21- In my last year of grad school (For real!!!!!)

22-Have been in 2 car accidents (only was my fault)

23-Have yet have my own car (borrowed or bought)

24-See life optomistically

25-So grateful for my friends!!!!

26-Have dated several young men, have yet to become officially engaged or married

27-Love different colored pens (more fun to write in my journal that way)

28-Have a thing for stilettos and high wedge heels

29-When I was little, I was convinced that "bad guys" lived behind the hot water heaters in the basement and would grab me whenever I went down to the basement to get something. So..... after I retrieved the item from the basement, I would barrel up the steps (loudly) and sing "I am a Child of God (also loudly) to scare off any would-be "child grabbers"

And as a bonus......
30-Have started writing a book about my experiences of living with a disability, "The Ultimate Poster Child for Optimism" Hope to give it out at Christmas time-so if you don't want one, let me know!!!!

Love to all my family and friends!!!!!!

Book of Mormon Teachings Applied in Preschool Settings

There is a boy in my parents stake who also happens to be in my Head Start class. He's a lively child so on occasion I try to redirect him with comments such as, "What would Jesus do?" However, while telling him "sit like you sit in Sharing Time" has got him to stop kicking under the table, it has backfired in other situations....

A few days agao when he hit a friend, I asked him "what would Jesus do?" His response: "Jesus wouldn't do anything. He's up in heaven with all the old people waiting to be resurrected."

Today he and a friend were playing with plastic linking cubes, he wanted some of his friends cubes. Asked the friend, friend said no. Boy took them anyway. His explanation for his behavior? "It's just like when Nephi took the brass plates from Laban." (They say no, take it anyway) I don't know what my response was- I think I was too shocked to respond!

Another story, non-gospel related, but equally entertaining! We were making popcorn at circle time. I was doing everything wrong- putting in only one kernel, forgetting to put the lid on, putting the bowl in back of the popper instead of in front. It was fun and kept them engaged. But a boy appeared to have reached his "teacher entertainment quota" when he turned to his neighbor and said, "She doesn't know anything!!!"

It's moments like this that keep me going- I love my job!!!!

Something Money CAN'T Buy..... Pt. 2

OK- so after Sunflower Market, I stopped at my parent's house where my mom loaded me up on fresh vegetables from their garden. And I LOVE fresh produce. (Again, thanks Mom! I'm sensing a theme here.....) Then it was on to my cousin's house to help her prep for Midvale Harvest Days Bingo tomorrow. Good times.

BUT..... the best part of the day hadn't happened yet. My mom picked me up from my cousin's house to drop me off at my apt and asked me if I wanted to go with her to my Grandpa Morley's house where she needed to pick something up. I haven't been there since he passed away so I quickly agreed.

I am not sad that my Grandpa is no longer alive on earth. I am so happy that he is in Heaven now, that he is reunited with his wife after 20 years. So, am I sad? No. But do I miss him? I truly do. He was a very real part of my life during all of my life. And even though I know that he still mindful of me even though he is no longer alive on the earth, well.... Sometimes I need a reminder. After wandering and reminscing in the basement I rejoined my mom in the spare bedroom upstairs. I randomly noticed a stack of wrapped gifts and picked up the one on top. And then I noticed that it had a tag on it and it read.....................................................................................



TO: Heather FROM: Grandpa Morley

Can you believe it!!!!!!!!!! To add to it, there were other wrapped gifts in the pile, but the only one with a label on it- was MINE. (And it was a book, by the way) As near as I can figure, he had that ready for me the Christmas I was living in Taiwan. But I know without a doubt, that the gift had a message. He didn't forget me when he was in Taiwan and he certainly is still just as mindful of me now!


And the blessings were still coming, on our way out my mom and I stopped by the fridge to clean it out. I came home with 3 grocery bags of food and condiments. So, I went from frustrating finances to coming home with food from Mom and Grandpa. And then when I did get home, I had lots of gratitude prayers to offer.


Really though, finding that gift from my Grandpa was the sweetest moment of the day. A gift tag may not seem like much to someone, but to me, it's priceless. It reminds me of my Grandpa and it reminds me that God is always mindful of us.

Something Money CAN'T Buy..... Pt. 1

What a day I had today! It came in extremes, from high to low.... Well, first I'll back up to yesterday.

The boy with autism that I take care of has a younger sister, 5, named Rebekah. I taught her in Head Start and she's wanting to play with me when I'm at her house so I thought I would give her some "alone girl time." I also invited my niece Sara, 5, to come spend the night, too. The morning was fun, but full, particularly getting the girls back home via bus and TRAX.


Then I was home for awhile, about an hour, before going to the dermatologist, follow-up for my acne. I was waiting for an hour (and for the record, I prefer being in the waiting room than in solitary white appointment room- next time I'm taking a magazine in with me!!!) . Towards the end of the hour I was practicing glares in the mirror. I did manage to be polite and respectful when the time came, though!!!!


However, when the appointment was over I was feeling mad again- 3 new medications that cost money, bringing the total to 7 meds. Which maybe wouldn't matter as much if I wasn't paying extra rent and saving for school. As I said to my mom (and God bless her for waiting for me during my appt), "I don't WANT to buy more medications- I want to buy an Ipod!!!!"

But it was hard to stay mad for long, though because the next stop was one of my all-time favorite places... Sunflower Market!!! It's esp good to go there on Wednesday's because it's "Double Ad Wednesday" Again muchas gracias to my mom who took me grocery shopping because I can get a lot more groceries home in my mom's car than I can carrying them on my own........

Stay tuned for part 2......

Litster Reunion- Let the Good Times Roll!!!!!

The report on the first of two family reunions this summer........
Litster Family Reunion: July 9-10, in Salt Lake Valley Area: We met on Friday at Copperton Park for a potluck dinner, playground fun and talent show. Seriously, the playground there is..... amazing. Not to mention big, and fenced in. So we didn't see much of the kids except when they hungry, thirsty or needed a bathroom. The adults enjoyed shade and conversation under the pavilion while the kids played.

Unknown to me, that weekend we celebrated Grandpa Errol Litster's 100th birthday. So in addition to a giant Costco cake (my favorite) we had two of his favorite snacks: Red Licorice Nibs and popcorn, freshly popped and buttered. Yun!!!!

The talent show had a wide range of talents- from 9 year old soccer tricks, to piano solos (courtesy of the portable keyboard) to father-son-daughter & guitar-drum-vocals trio. I love seeing my neices and nephews exploring their talents, trying new things, etc. It's a great feeling!

Saturday morning we met a Melanie's for juice and breakfast casseroles, sort of a delicious spin-off of cinnamon french toast, supposedly easy to make. Then off to Kennecott Copper Mine for a field trip. It really a fascinating place to visit, starting with the size of the trucks they use. Just the size of the tires alone is immense. A school bus can't hold a candle to a mining truck, size-wise.

We watched a movie about the history of Kennecott, so big it can be seen from space. The thing that stuck out to me was how technologically savvy mining has become, how many jobs are needed, that it's so much more than people digging underground, riding trains up and down out of the mine, etc. Basically how I pictured mining up to this point.

We spent time touring the museum, it was big and full of information, I'd love to go back when I have more time..... I had no idea that copper was used for so many things! Pipes, Coins, all the Medals from the 2002 Olympics, sink fixtures, etc. Surprisingly though, my favorite parts of the museum had little to do with copper. My nephew Carter's comment to his cousin, "I wish we could see some diamonds here!" and they had a little house model to help show all the things that copper helps make. But even copper usage wasn't the best part. Nope. It was all the little details that went into the house! No detail overlooked, seriously. They even had a storage room with a food pantry and you could clearly read the Betty Crocker cake mix labels, recognize the cans of Campbells soup, etc.

The end for now..... Still to come, swimming and adults only BBQ dinner!

A Beautiful Scene......

What a fabulous 4th! It began with a pool party at my aunt and uncle's. I stuffed myself on good food- Joe Morley's BBQ beans and potato salad, fresh fruit salad, chips and dips, pasta salad, burgers and hot dogs, rhubarb crisp (that my mom made- with my recipe) and in Grandpa Morley's honor: lemon pineapple sherbet.

After splashing, swimming and shooting hoops in the pool, we got cleaned up to hear the Salt Lake Symphony (the orchestra that my mom and Aunt Elizabeth both play in) perform and see the fireworks.

During the night, I kept looking around and feeling amazed and grateful at the scene around me. Me on the phone working out details with my future roommate (housing is not always easy here, but SO much easier than obtaining housing in other countries) my cousin sending/recieivng texts (communication is not restricted here as in other countries) officers out directing traffic (in other countries that I have lived in, traffic is not always enforced, bribes tend to be more importatnt.......) reading newspapers and magazines (freedom of the press), thinking about school (not only am I not restricted, but there are resources to help me get through school)

But the most touching part of the night? Sitting with my family, immediate and extended, watching beautiful and loud fireworks cracking and lighting up the sky, seeing my niecie and nephew, wrapped up in blankets, both fast asleep. (How they did that- I don't know.....) Realizing that at that moment I really had a not a care or fear in the world. I felt safe. I felt happy. Beautiful. Simply Beautiful.

Being Christlike- A Must Read!!!!

I read this article in the Deseret News this morning. FYI- it's not a happy, feel-good article at first, though there was a reunion between a woman and the man who saved her life, a father and three children were killed in 1952.

So, why am I posting this? The mother in the story, Christal Litster Young Mathis, was my great-aunt. She passed away when I was (16?) but left an incredible legacy. She stood at 4'11, if that, had a head full of snow-white hair, always had a smile, a hug, always wanted to know how I was doing.

I can't begin to know or even imagine what it was like for that family, but I do know that Christal's example makes me want to be a better person, to not get so caught up in petty disagreements or other disgruntlements. Resolve, and then move on.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705314976/Tragedy-and-triumph-Utahn-reunites-with-officer-who-saved-her-life-when-dad-sisters-were-slain-in-1952.html

Funeral Talk P.S.

Funeral talk PS- I knew I was missing something! Here it is....

Shortly after my Grandpa's passing I thought about "being the person he would want me to be." That thought was quickly replaced by, "I love you just the way you are." And that's just what he would do. While he was an advocate for change and personal growth, he would be among the first to take us in his arms and tell us, "I love you just the way you are."

Grandpa's Funeral Talk

The following is the talk I gave at my Grandpa Morley's funeral, June 22, 2009 (it's not exactly the talk I gave, but pretty close! The complete transcribed version will be in the life history, handed out at the reunion)

First I would like to tell my family how humbled I am at the privilege of speaking today. Thanks family.

It was hard to see Grandpa lying in his casket last night (at the viewing) because he was so real to me, real to all of us. The past fews years I have had the opportunity to record his life history. Today I would like to share some examples from his life history about how the influenced him as a grandfather.

Grandpa's 4th birthday, Nov 14, 1918 was the day the WWI armistice was signed. However, on that day he was not out celebrating patriotism, he was out gathering all his friends in the neighborhood and bringing them home for a birthday party. As he said, "It was a surprise to my mother, but we had a good time."

"Had a good time" describes what it was like to go visit grandpa. A place where the front yard was the ideal size for playing red light, green light, the basement beckoned imaginative play, the swingset was the sturdiest around and a pineapple sherbet ice cream cone was never far behind.

As we grew older, Grandpa rejoiced in holding each new baby, and we enjoyed the chances to sit and visit him, often over a rootbeer float. He supported us and we all have pictures of important milestones in our lives, with Grandpa by our side, encouraging us on. And this last year of serving him and caring for him was truly a joy.

Also, when he was a little boy he liked to go to the hospital around the corner and visit and have lunch with the nurses. He became a favorite with more than one of them. That describes how Grandpa was with people. He saw people as individuals and treated them as such. While we were proud to be Jan's daughter or Joe's son, Grandpa never referred to us that way.

A couple of examples of Grandpa's personal touch in my own life. He knew I loved bananas so if he knew I was coming to visit, he would make sure he got some from the store. If I just dropped by but he had some, he would make sure I left with one. A few years back I spent a year in Taiwan, teaching English. Shortly before I left, I got a call one night from Grandpa. Channel 7 had a travel show about Taiwan and he thought I might like to watch it.

Grandpa's physical presence is no longer with but his influence lives on because we all have a part of Grandpa within us. Due to time contstraints, here are just a few examples:

Grandpa loved music: Marchelle, Erin, Deborah and Cristine all pursue degrees in Music
Grandpa believed in education: Christopher, Erin and myself have all pursued advanced degrees
Grandpa believed in serving community: Rob became a firefighter and Melanie started a choir at her local elementary school
Grandpa loved Joe Morley's BBQ- Brent and Nathan are now building their careers at a place Grandpa loved.
We love you Grandpa! In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
*************************************************************************************
I rejoice in what a beautiful service it was. I rejoice in his life so well lived and in the gospel we all live by. And yet, I still miss him. Often. He was a big part of my life and I am so glad to know that the best is yet to come!

I Love You Grandpa

In the hours after my Grandpa Morley's passing, I don't exactly know how to feel, or how to put it into words. But I do know 2 things: I know the Plan of Salvation and I know I love my Grandpa.
This is the kind of man he was:

He was a GOOD man. For him, it's not a trite cliche. It's a perfect description of how he lived his life.

He lived a long time, 94 years. What I think is one of the greatest blessings about that is that so many 30+ great-grandchildren (more than that but not including babies) got to really know him. They will be able to remember him in years to come. What a blessing!

He didn't just live a clean life, he took to heart "abhor the appearance of evil" Enough said about that.....

He loved the simple things in life: Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Root Beer Floats, breakfast at Denny's, visits with old friends, his garden, etc.

And finally, more than anyone else I know, he found true joy in being with his family. The only time he ever missed a wedding, school program, graduation, etc was when his health didn't allow him. And he loved each of us for simply for who we were.

I love you Grandpa- see you later!!!!

3 posts

There are three posts that follow this so feel free to keep reading!!!

Hard Times and ImPerfection and Trust

This past week has been HARD. Not to mention emotional.......
You may already be aware of my looking for a roommmate (still looking, FYI) trying to clear my potential criminal background, etc then last week I was released from the RS presidency and called instead as the sacrament meeting chorister. I knew that a release was coming but I did not anticipate the chorister.

So, to sum it up I cried. At church on last Sunday (not yesterday). A lot. While I was leading the sacrament meeting singing. It wasn't one event just the breaking point for my emotional dam. Can I just that when you are crying that leading the music is NOT the place to be? Of course I think only a couple people were looking at me.....

That's the hard times, now for the imperfection. Going out on a limb here so bear with me..... Serving in this new calling is not easy for me- I am still trying to get my whole heart into it. I really miss working as part of a presidency- now basically going solo. I do enjoy music but I'm not necessarily passionate about it like many other members of my family. I don't aspire to improve my conducting skills- though I'm sure they could be improved.....

Yesterday was fast Sunday- I thought about gettign up but I felt somewhat guilty about getting up to bear my testimony and not having my complete heart in my calling. But then a dear sister got up and I don't even remember what she said, all I remember that she'd been having a hard time even in spite of the gospel and all that she had to be grateful for.

I have one thing to say about her message- liberating!!! Someone else had difficult feelings, it was comforting. Haven't you ever felt a thought like, "I thought I was the only who experienced/felt like that!" It was also a good reminder to me that I can be imperfect and yet be a fabulous individual!!!! Now, about trust? I had the distinct thought that much of the time, God isn't asking to take a life-changing step, he just asks us to Trust him. And I am grateful for opportunities that grow my trust.

I don't know all the reasons why God needs a music conductor, or especially why he needs me to do it, but I look forward to discovering why! Starting with a conducting session with my mom, who is a complete music professional. Yep, already got it scheduled.

To sum it up: It's Ok to cry, we all need each other, we all have hard times, we can be amazing people in spite of imperfections.

First Week of Work

My first week of working with boy with autism was equally challenging and rewarding. Some challenges I anticipated, others just cropped up. However, because there are challenges, every step forward feels HUGE.
I wanted to say more I didn't feel completely good about blogging about someone else's child in a somewhat public setting- but I would love to share so if you want to know more, call me/text me/e-mail me/or facebook message me.

There: got it all covered.

My (almost) Brush with the Law......

For my new job, working with the 6 year old boy with autism, let's call him Patrick, I get paid by the state. Which meant I had to pass a background check. Which I failed the first time. Why? The year I spent in Taiwan was unaccounted for. The solution? Call the Taiwanese embassy in DC and get some kind of a record to vouch for me not committing any crimes while in Taiwan.

There was defiinitely some initial freakout- ( I don't understand why this is happening to me!!!)but I was truly blessed to pull it together fairly quickly. Ironically, when I got the news that I had just been reading an article by President Packer in the New Era. He and his wife were traveling in Germany and his wife nearly got removed from the train for a problem with her passport. However, just before the train had left, President Packer recieved a 20 mark note from a missionary (actually, it was the future elder bednar) and when the train police (????) recieved the money, they left them alone. Moral of the story "if we live as we should the Lord will guide our lives" Not that I am promoting my lifestyle but.... the whole travel/law issue gave me a lot of comfort at that time- couldn't have asked for a better topic!

I spent nearly an hour with 2 embassies (DC and San Francisco) and got nowhere. No one had any idea about how to get a record that I didnt' commit a crime but said that if there was such a form, I would need to be in Taiwan to get it. Great! So I called the mom I work for, explained my dilemma and she called her support coordinator (the people that give them money to pay for me for helping with Patrick) and they agreed that if I provided a letter from the school where I taught and that I did not commit any crimes that year AND document my phone calls to the embassy, they would clear me. I understand why I had to jump through those hoops but still.....

Let me say it again- I AM NOT A CRIMINAL!!! Just in case you had any doubts.....

News!!!!

I have a new summer job and I am really excited about it!!!! I will be working with a child with autism doing respite care. There will be some work done at home, eating meals, doing basic jobs, with the goal of becoming more self-directed, self-reliant etc. There will also be behavior goals, especially that we will work on during outings. We will go on outings such as to the park, swimming, etc. Once a month or so the child will spend the night with me at my apartment. When the family goes on trips, to visit family, to the zoo, etc. I will go along with the goal of looking after the child.

This will be a challenge, I have not yet worked with a child who had such a severe case of autism. But I beleive it will also be rewarding and I really believe I have an opportunity to contribute. Not just for the child, but especially for the family. It will allow them to take more trips as a family and easier to go on a date because I can be there to care for the child.

As excited as I am about this job- my favorite part is how it came to be. I have known this family for a few months, they are LDS, and Mom approached me on my last day of Head Start and asked me if I would be interested in working with this child.I had no ided that it would be a job option and she had no idea about my experiences of living with a disability or pursuing my masters in special education. I truly believe that God's hand was involved in this for which I am grateful.

Here's to a happy summer!!!!

Case in Point....

Here's an example from today of just how, and why..... I suffer from logorrhea!
Date: Today Scene: Sunday School People attending: Ward members & cousin
I was sharing a meaningful learning experience in Sunday School. The learning experience occurred at a family gathering. A couple of lines into it I guess I got nervous..... Marchelle looked at me, she was sitting in front of me and all of sudden, this is what came out.... True story!

"I don't know if Marchelle was there, or not. OK, that actually doesn't matter, Anyway...."

I did regain my focus, but it came at a high cost- it came with a serious set of giggles! For the rest of class I tried to bite my lip and avoid looking at Marchelle, because then we would both start giggling!

Good Times......

Logorrhea- I've got it. Have you????

Tonight I had some friends over for dinner and a movie. The movie of choice was "Akeelah and the Bee." My first time seeing the movie-LOVED it!!!
One of the last words spelled in the movie was "logorrhea" When the definition was about to be given, I indwardly cringed, thinking that it was going to be a form of illness (you know the kinds- those that end in "rrhea"

But lo and behold, I was wrong. Here is the definition:
excessive and often incoherent talkativeness or wordiness

Logorrhea: I've got it- have you????
OK- probably not, but it seemed a good closing phrasse for this blog post!

1/2 marathon

I have finally blogged about my first 1/2 marathon. For the details, read about it on my believe-ability blog. It seemed to fit better with the "believe in yourself" theme. And I could have copied and pasted it here, but well, I didn't really want to :)
Hope you have a happy day!

Shout out to Someone Special

This is a blogging tradition I would like to start- "Shout Out to Someone Special" The first recipient...... My cousin, Marchelle. I think a lot of people reading this blog know her, if you don't, too bad for you! You should......
Here are some things (OK, eight) I love about Marchelle:

• She shared my childhood love for Barbies
• She invites me and includes me in her activities and gives me rides to get there
• She shared her bedroom with me for a summer when I lived with her family
• She is completely beautiful and athletic, inside and out
• She believes in me and encourages my dreams
• She laughs at my jokes, reads my long texts and listens to my rambling stories, while smiling......
• She looks out for me in a loving way: "I'm here for you if you need me"
• She inspires me to be a better, more Christ-like person

Some Favorite Stories:

• When we were 9 and 10, she spent a week with me at my grandma's (not our grandma) who lived 2+ hours away, so I wouldn't have to go by myself
• When I could tell people I was moving to the Philippines, she was the first person I wanted to tell. I called her house every half hour until she came home because I wanted to make sure she heard it in person, from me
• We are both doing the SL 1/2 marathon tomorrow- when we found out tonight that I hadn't picked up my race packet, she willingly adjusted plans to go with me to pick up my race packet

I love you, Marce! Thanks for the memories- I can't imagine life without you. I look forward to the day when we are married with kids and our families can get together and our kids can play.

Why Wait???

I've been thinking lately.... (shocking, I know) Right now I am single, and while I look forward to not being single some day, my life is full and rewarding right now. However,.... there are things that I don't want to wait to do until I have a family. Why wait???
Here are some things I am going to do (or keep doing) And if you are a sibling reading this, I really am serious about the dinner and play date invites!

• Continue to have friends over for dinner, and start having my siblings and their families over for dinner, esp on Sundays
• Have regular playdates with my nieces and nephews. Invite them over to play with toys, read books, make a snack, etc.
• Travel (after I fnish grad school)
• Finish my Grandpa Morley's life history (actually, this should probably be at the top of the list....)
• Gardening (starting this week......)
• Keep trying new recipes
• Build up my food storage (isn't that what the space under the bed is for????)

YAY for life!!!!! At any point in time.....

Skirts and Slacks and Scriptures and Sheep

As long as the weather stays relatively warm I am pleased to announce that I will no longer need to wear pants/slacks to work. They are being replaced with skirts and leggings- yeah!!!! Now, I realize that wanting to wear skirts instead of pants to work especially when you teach preschool..... is not exactly the norm. Nevertheless....

I have had my fill of trying to find pants that me well in the first place and then.... slacks that are either short enough or shoes that have just enough a heel- that the hems won't drag on the floor or that my feet won't hurt after standing in them and I can still chase after small children. Plus, I think skirts are more flattering anyway, as they just have a flat front instead of having to fuss with a big button/belt. Plus, I own more skirts than slacks anyway, and leggings will take care of modesty. So, welcome knee-length, colorful, skirts- that I can wear with flats!!!!

Continuing on with the "S" theme......

In an awake moment during institute class last week, I felt impressed to start sharing favorite scriptures and why they are my favorite. Here the first one: Mormon 5: 16-18
These verses compare the Nephites of the past who were "led by the Good Shepherd" compared the present-day Nephites, who are like a "vessel without direction" Though I have not yet engaged in murdering, stealing/plundering behavior, and don't believe that I ever will, this scripture still has a lot of modern-day application.

I found this scripture in a time when work and school were at a high busyness level. I found these verses when I had a rare, quiet night at home. I realized that my life at that time was "shooting from the hip" God kept trying to get through to me, but I kept telling Him to leave a message and I would get back to Him. I was not allowing myself to be led. Satan's tool of distraction, distraction of busyness, distraction of illness or emotional pain, even just a little.... at times can be too powerful.

So, after reading these verses I developed a motto which I now share with you: Be a sheep, not a vessel!!! And that is a lesson I am still learning, for myself. Yesterday I had an experience with myself that I got felt upset over something (now) small. Yet Satan worked at distracting me doing others things to help myself feel better. Which didn't, and finally I thought, "Why didn't I just kneel down and share my feelings with God when it first happened?! Even though it may be small, I know He still cares and wants to know about it.

Thank goodness for learning experiences!

Hmmmmmm........

So Why.........??????

• Do they not sell more adult style shoes in more size 5's?
• Why can I not keep track of a pair of gloves for more than a month?
• Why are my white shirts the first to get stained and the hardest to keep clean?
• Why do I always stuff my homemade burritos too full?
• Why do I drink too much water while at restaurants?
• Why does the cat poop in front of, beside, and behind the litter box but not consistently.... inside the litter box?
• Why do I have more pennies than other form of change?
• Why is it so difficult to find a matching lid and canister?
• Why do pens always die in the middle of recording an important message?
• Why do I over-use the word "seriously"? Seriously.

I mean this in the spirit of humor, not complaining. Feel free to add to the list!

Singing Amidst Protesters

Today I had a tremendous first-time experience- singing hymns just outside the gates of Temple Square, in the midst of protesters. I went with members of my singles ward, my cousins Maegan and Marchelle were there, too and I had the fortunate experience of bringing my 16 year old neice, Katie, with me (thanks, Jenn and Jim!) . I think were about 40 of us total, divided up into two areas.

We arrived at the Visitor's Center at about 3:00pm and were briefed by a member of church security, about the legalities of free speech and the free speech zone. For example, you can carry a sign while moving on the sidewalk, but the sign can't hit anyone. You need to stay on the grass or right against the edge of the wall/sidewalk. The main thing is that the sidewalk needs to be clear, if you stop, the police will ask you to keep moving. There was a great emphasis placed on following the rules as protestors will take pictures to ensure that rules/laws are being followed. There was a significant police force on hand as well as lawyers.

Anyway..... I know it sounds trite or cliche, but the spirit there was electrifying! It goes all the way from the top of your head down to your toes. My favorite hymn we sang was #263- Go Forth With Faith. It seemed to exemplify the purpose/message of the gospel and why we were there. Other favorite hymns we sang: How firm a foundation, I Know that My Redeemer Lives, We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet, and Praise to the Man. We sang for about an hour, but I truly wish that there could have been more!

My favorite part of the experience was seeing the expressions of the saints who walked by us as they were leaving conference. There were a lot of smiles, waves, thank you's, even some blew kisses. A lot of them were taking pictures with their camera phones.

But I truly felt blessed that I could be a small part in helping to solidify someone's conference experience. I can't wait to go back and do it again. And the protesters were mostly non-existent. A couple walked by with shirts and I could see a few signs in the distance, but I couldn't hear any yelling and no one directly walked by hoisting a sign.

Yet, despite different beliefs or attitudes we are all children of God and though I don't always agree with others beliefs, I hope to love the person, the individual as God does.

Feeling Blessed and Smiling

As follows....

• "Bag Credit" and fruit leather at Sunflower Market- love that store!
• Food processor- I hate chopping with a knife!
• Gift of love from Mom, a 9x13 glass pan with my name etched in the bottom
• New recipes to try
• Ensign magazine
• Holding my 6 month old neice while she slept
• Finally..... breathing without congestion!
• Tax refunds
• Clean sheets
• Staying awake for all Saturday sessions of General Conference
• People who read my blogs. I know it sounds cheesy, but it really means a lot to me. Thanks, everyone!!!

But what am I most grateful for? My challenges and trials. Why? To me, they testify of God's love for me. He knows me so well that he knows what I need to grow, to become genuinely happy, becoming more Christlike. He trusts me to make it through the hard times and be better for it. Trials also provide tremendous learning opportunities, if we let them, and chances to help others.

Easter Eggs!!!

Two of my nephews are trying to raise money for Scout Camp Jamboree and are selling Easter Eggs to do so. Being the true aunt that I am, I'm advertising this via blog..... Seriously, if you knew them, you'd understand why I can't resist getting one for myself...

Info is as follows:

As many of you know by now, we (Addison and Bennett) are going to the 2010 National Boy

Scout Jamboree atFort AP Hill, Virginia. From time to time we get a chance to participate in

fundraisers to help out. This is one of those times.

We are selling hand dipped chocolate Easter eggs, the great big filled ones that you can put

names on.

The eggs are $5.50 each except caramel or peanut butter filled which are $6.50each.

If you would like a name on them they are $.50 extra, a name and a flower would be $1 extra.

The order needs to be in by April 7^th in order to have them delivered by Easter. Please feel

free to share this with family and friends!

If you are interested, please let us know. 801-568-0640 or dishman@byu.net.

Checks are payable to Troop 918

Thanks,

Addison and Bennett Dishman

Flavors

$5.50

Opera (strawberry, chocolate, vanilla)

Chocolate (no nuts)

Strawberry

Coconut chew

Vanilla

Marshmallow

Chocolate mint

Fudge (with nuts)

$6.50

Caramel

Peanut butter

4 New Posts!

Just an FYI- there are four new posts following this FYI message. Enjoy!

Fun Night with Mom

Last Tuesday night I really enjoyed a fun night with my Mom. I accompanied her to speak at an RS function in Magna and then to the 2nd half of her Salt Lake Symphony Rehearsal.

My Mom gets nervous public speaking and, I think, underestimates how well she does at it. The theme she spoke on was "Unity in Sisterhood" Having lived in South America (twice) and the Philippines (once) it was an ideal topic for her. She shared several experiences, here are two of my favorites...

In my home ward, and my mom's current ward in Midvale, there were some big changes made about 4+ years ago. There is a place in Midvale called Life Start Village. It is home to women, children and families exposed to different troubles in life. Abuse, drugs, severe illness, etc. Life Start really not only helps people get back on their feet for the time being, but they learn life skills and strategies as well. Life Start became part of the Midvale 8th ward a few years ago.

The ward is somewhat of a "newlywed or nearly-dead" ward. And I say that with complete love and affection. I love visitng there because they are so many familiar faces that have seen me grow up. The ward has lots of newlywed apartment and the neighborhood is where people moved to raise their kids.... and stayed. Anyway, she spoke of the changes that have taken place, have given people opportunities to serve, her included. Sisters in their 70's watching little kids so that Mom can go to a parenting class and who help transport kids to and from preschool. It really made me stop and think, "What more can I give? Where can I contribute?"

The 2nd story: When my family lived in Ecaudor (2 years or so before I was born in UT) there was a family down the street who literally were raising 3 kids in a hut. The two older kids used to come to the front door and ask my mom, "We're hungry. Do you have anything we can eat?" According to my mom, she would "pat herself on the back" for passing out food to the kids through the front day.

But one day she came home and the nanny was in a tizzy, my mom soon found out why. She went in the 1st bathroom to find my older sisters giving the little girl a bath. Scrubbing her soap, washing her hair, playing, etc. In the second bathroom, the little boy was in the tub- along with my brother! By this point in time, the water wasn't so clear....

After the bath, my sisters took the kids to their rooms and completely outfitted them, shoes, socks, underwear, shirt, pants, etc. Then each child got to choose a toy to take home. As my mom said, "There's opening the gate, and then there's opening your heart." Boy, was I touched by this story.

After her talk, a heavenly dessert bar followed, and then onto symphony rehearsal. Although I admit I only attneded part of the rehearsal. There is a county library in the building where they rehearse and I selected and checked out 8 books! Include a library and I'll go with you anywhere!

I love you, Mom! Thanks for a fun night. Mihal Kita y que duermos con los angelitos.

Your Life is not a Bank Account!

I initially posted this on my 2nd blog, (believe-ability.blogspot.com) But then decided it was worth posting here as well.....

Your life is not a bank account!!!!!

I'm not an MD or have a PhD (yet) so I don't want to delve too deeply into symptoms of a brain injury. All I can share is my own experiences. However, to the best of my knowledge, anxiety is a common problem with anyone having experienced any type of neurological injury. The brain processes differently. It doesn't self-calm or reason as smoothly or quickly as a healthy brain might.

This life lesson is one of the more recent lessons that I have learned. Along with the anxiety, is perfectionism, over-thinking/a need to control. It used to be that at the end of the day I would "total" the days events in my head. Like I would balance a checking account. Deposits for time spent in prayer/scripture reading, serving someone else, exercise, etc. Withdrawals for wasted time, wasted opportunities, something unkind.... (though truthfully while I am not perfect I can't think of many unkind actions, sometimes I may be "too " kind, but anyway.....)

I would average the amounts in my head- I don't remember what I would think on a day when I had a high balance, but on days when I didn't feel I had much "money left in the bank" I would think along the lines of "I messed up a lot today. I'll try again tomorrow."

The moral of this story- life is not a bank account! Yes, our choices count, our actions contribute, but don't forget that simply "being who you are" counts equally as much. There is intrinsic value and worth in your thoughts, your smiles, your attitude, etc.

So, what is life, then? Frankly, I don't know a universal answer but here are four things important to me.
1-An evolving, real, relationship with God and in his gospel
2-Meaningful relationships with family and friends (it doesn't have to be a lot, just some)
3-Taking care of physical and mental/emotional needs
4-Pursuing your dreams without fear and hesitation

If you have a "bank account" of your own, I hope you are able to close it out, as well and find more enjoyment in everyday life. I have.

Grabilella

This past Friday night I baby-sat my niece and nephew, Carter 7 and Ashley 3. The following is a smattering of the events. I didn't want to forget the funny things they said so I recorded them all as a text message in my phone. Safer than guaranteeing that I can read my own handwriting!

Here's how it went down:
(At dinner, eating Mom's good homemade pizza) Ashley: "I can't eat this piece! It has yuckies on it!" It had two olives stuck to the bottom....
(Me, pointing to the Ranch dressing that was on the table)"Carter, do you want some dressing?"
Carter: "That's not dressing! That's Ranch!"

(Me asking Ashley if she will baby-sit for me someday when I have my own baby)Ashley: "Well,.... I have a baby in my tummy. I'm going to have a baby tomorrow. Named Ad-Jonah. Then I'm going to have another baby. Named Play-do."

(Discussing High School Musical) Ashley: "I like Gabrilella." (Gabriella)
(Carter to Ashley) "Ash, you have a lot in common with Sharpay. You have the same name (Ashley Tisdale plays Sharpay). You're both bossy and like to dress fancy. You both have blonde hair and like things just right."
(Me to Carter)"So, are you like Ryan, her brother?" "Well, yeah..... Except I don't wear hats as much as he does."

(When Ashley was crying about going to bed, Carter said to me) "You know what you should do? You should put a movie in. That will tempt her not to cry." (And it will also tempt both of you to stay up past your bedtime.....)

(When Ashley changed into her footie jammies and kept her socks on, Carter said to her,)
"Ash, people with those of kind of pajamas don't wear socks. They wear them with shorts and pants, but not with those kinds of pajamas."

Thanks for a fun night, Carter and Ashley!

What Every Girl Needs....

Last January, my black dress shoes I'd had for 5+ years finally bit the dust.... I got by with a pair of gray heels for awhile, but with my desire and my roommate's encouragement, we agreed that I needed a replacement pair of black shoes. So, we went shopping together and I selected a pair of black dressy shoes with a 2 1/2+ inch wedge heel. Seriously high, but seriously fun to wear!

So, a week after I got the shoes I stopped by my sister Deborah's to drop off some things. We were chatting when Ashley (3 years old) came in from playing outside. I slipped off my shoes figuring she'd want to try them on. She did. She clomped around in the living room, managing to stay upright in the high shoes.

When she brought them back to me, I told her, half-serious and half-joking, "Now remember Ashley, what every girl needs is.... a good pair of basic black shoes." She nodded and told me, "OK.I go get some tomorrow."

I thought that was the end of it, but since then she has mentioned it to her mom several times and during one shoe shopping trip she was picking up shoes and saying, "Look, Mom. These are basic black shoes." I'm just glad her mom thinks it's funny instead of asking me why I enouraged her daughter in shoe buying!

Next fashion lesson: every girl needs at least one basic white shirt, to be worn under a sweater/jacket, etc and/or wear on its own. I say at least one in case you are like and are frequently washing your white shirts because they are the first to get dirty....

But again, I do believe that every girl needs.... a good pair of basic black shoes!

New Faves

Here are some "new faves" I have discovered recently.....
1. Socks from DSW.
OK, this one makes me chuckle because I never used to care about socks. In fact, I used to have the unofficial motto of "matching socks are overrated." But then, I discovered socks at DSW. They have a multitude of colors, some even have a weave, and best of all, they take much, much longer to wear out. I never knew that good socks could complete an outfit so much.....

2. Jeans from the "Vanity" store at the mall.
Instead of generic jean sizes they are sized according to waist size and leg length. I have jeans that fit enough to be flattering but not so form fitting that I can't wait to take them off. In fact, I can wear them all day. Love them!!!

3. Pre-chopped/stir fry chicken.
I get mine at Macey's. I love to cook but it is really rare that I cook with chicken breasts. Usually I take a pkg of chicken breats, defrost them, then chop them and cook them. But now.... I just defrost and cook- it's like chicken prep heaven! Today I made fajitas (for you Debo!) and chicken noodle casserole.

4. Buying hair straightener cream from the salon instead of just a brand at the drugstore. OK, so this may not be for everyone, but if you have seen my hair, especially just after I wake up, or just after it's been blow-dryed- you know why this is a must for me. Thank you to April, my stylist, for suggesting it to me!

I hope to add to this list in the future... feel free to add to your own suggestions for "new faves" in the "comments" I would love to hear your ideas!

2 Unlikely Roles.....

Here are two "roles" I never thought I would have.... one was last summer, the 2nd is going on currently. First off, I am neither a skilled athlete or a math scholar.....

(1) Soccer referee, and before you gasp you must know that it was for children's soccer though the local rec center. The youngest kids were 3-5 yrs and the oldest group was 9-10. Thankfully, the first few games were with the older kids, so I basically followed their lead, until I could better remember the rules for myself...... I even got a whistle and an official black and white shirt!

The perks: GREAT exercise running up and down a field. Who knew? No one threw anything at me or cussed at me. In fact, a lot of parents thanked me after the games. Lots and lots of laugh. Like when I would blow the whistle for "out" and a preschooler is still pursuing a ball outside the boundary lines.... Also, my nephew was in the same league so I got to watch some of his games, as well. As a spectator.

(2)Tutor for a guy in my ward- he is studying for his GED.
Perks: Brushing off my math skills, spending time with a person of the opposite gender, good feelings of problem solving and trying to help someone, it's OK to say, "I don't know...." Thankfully, we will eventually move on to grammar, reading, spelling- much more my style.

Now your turn- which role surprises you more: soccer referee or math tutor???? It's OK to chuckle and be honest- I don't mind a bit!

Smiles for Today 3/17/09

Here's what makes me smile today:
1- waking up without my alarm clock
2-good hair day
3-fresh fruit- thank you Sunflower market!!!
4- exchanging text messages with my nieces
5-watching Biggest Loser
6-the ability to walk/run
7-Sunshine (repeat 3 times!)
8-reading a story to a child
9-my "breakfast in a baggie"
10-chatting with a good friend

New Blog!!!!

Here is my new blog address:

believe-ability.blogspot.com

Enjoy if you so choose!!!!!

Random Stuff

Here are some random ramblings from recent days....

-Dana made a delicious casserole for us for dinner- mashed potatoes and dressing and gravy. I love her.... and not just because she cooks for us- don't worry I take my turn, too!
-Our morning class at Head Start only had 5 of 17 children attending. A combo of Daylight Savings and older siblings being out of school. And the afternoon was more full and plenty lively.....
-These days I eat "breakfast in a baggie" every morning, and eat it on my way to work. What's in this blessed baggie you may ask? Multi-grain cheerios, (a baggie full of those is also my trick to staying awake in an evening institute class!), craisins, plain and dry cocount, whole almonds, and.... for the indulgence- semi-sweet chocolate chips! In moderation....

-OK, so this totally cracks me up every time I think about it, in my "worst date ever" blog post I mentioned that I told my date I knew I wanted to do teaching since I was "small...." But I totally should have said "young" At what point was I not "small?" When I am wearing my 3 inch stillettos????
-I got my hair cut again on Saturday and I completely love it! Thank you, April! My stylist.... Each time I get my hair cut I really do feel like a sheep being sheared for spring, and then for the next several days I can be found running my fingers through lightweight hair- just because I can! Of course the real test comes when I have to wash my locks and style it myself....
-I have a good life!!!!! Seriously, I do.

Power of Prayer

Today was a hard day, for various reasons. If you really want to know more, e-mail contact/blog message/facebook (there- covered all my bases) me and I will fill you in. If not......

The past 24 hours have been busy and somewhat emotionally intense, with both ups and downs. But at the end of the night, when I returned to my apartment, I really did feel somewhat alone. My roommate was with her boyfriend, my sister was ill, my mom was at a viewing, etc. You get the idea.....

Even though I have known many times, about Heavenly Father being the only one you can turn to at times, the only one who is always there, I REALLY experienced that tonight. I got on my knees and I think I cried/prayed/talked for several minutes. Even though nothing changed immediately, I felt comfort in knowing that I really wasn't alone, nor would I be.

Again, the message of this post is not one of gloom but one of hope, and testimony that God is always there, he is never too busy, or asleep, or unavailable. There is no charge, no cell phone bills or minutes being consumed. As hard as they may be, I am truly grateful for the times that remind me who Heavenly Father and who I am in relation to him. I am grateful for the moments that remind me to put my complete trust in him.

WORST. DATE. EVER!!!!

You try to do a good thing (like support a ward date activity) and where does it get you??? Well, in my case it did NOT get me a good date but it did give me lots to laugh about!!!!

Tonight's activity: a shoe box dinner. Girl provides a main course for two, guy brings drinks and dessert for two. All the girls bring one spare shoe and the guys randomly select a shoe and get the dinner and the girl (for the night) that belong to the shoe. Simple. Easy. Harmless. Fun.

The guy that got my shoe is not in my ward, he was there with a friend. One of the first things that I said to him after we sat down, trying to put him at ease, was "It's nice to meet someone new." His response: "Why? Aren't the guys in your ward good enough?" What does one say to that?????

Other such gems:
That a girl should not marry "only" a returned missionary because if a girl is not willing to go on a mission- why should she expect that of a man?" Ummm... because the prophet has stated it is optional for women??? Perhaps he missed that conference talk? He did admit that most of his dates have ended soon because he and the girls got into debates about this.

He will not marry before age 30 because there is too much he wants to do with his life, and if he doesn't marry in this life, it's OK. Apparently the "over 30 and a menace to society only applied in Brigham Young's time".....

He kept asking me about my interests and the 5th time around in exasperation I said, "What are you looking for?" Apparently getting an MA degree, having lived in two Aisan countries, cooking, training for a half marathon, was not interesting enough. As he said, "I just can't believe that those are you only interests. I want to learn about EVERYTHING." So what do you think I do in grad school, anyway? Paint my nails? Honestly!

Granted, I was witholding information from him. He kept asking why I chose teaching and there is a fabulous story to go wtih that, how after being diagnosed with a brain injury I wanted to help kids like me... but I wasn't about share such a part of myself that I didn't think would be respected. I just told him that I wanted to be a teacher from the time I was small.

He also asked me point-blank, "Do you ever get tired of being single?" I told him that I did want to get married but I chose not to dwell on being single, he nodded his head in approval. The one thing that seemed to meet his approval. Wahoo.

So this e-mail is riddled with sarcasm (something I may need to repent of later) but honestly! C'mon say it with me.... WHO DOES THINGS LIKE THAT?

For the record, the date was so awful it was absolutely hysterical! AND.... Wednesday night was one of the best dates ever, and ended in plans for a second date. But that's all I can say for now.... Stay tuned!

Curse of the quadruple shoelaces

When I was in 4th grade, I had a pair of LA Gear sneakers with shoelaces. Purple and white, with sparkles. But what really made these shoelaces special was that........ there were four of them! Yes, 1-2-3-4!

For the most part I felt very cool in these sparkly quadruple shoelaces, except for two times when they became seriously entangled in my bike spokes/chain. Getting out of this required me both times, once with the aid of a neighbor, to hobble home where a responsible adult used scissors to set me free from my predicament.

Until last week, I thought these shoelaces were a thing of the past. Until..... we came back to school after the holiday break and TWO students had shoes with quadruple shoelaces. Wait, this story gets better. One pair of shoelaces are not equal size, one set is very long, one side is very short. Why....? Why.....? And conveniently, neither of these children can tie their shoes, especially not ones with four laces.

It would be one thing if they just occasionally came untied during class. But since there is snow on the ground, we go to the gym each day. It is all carpeted with several gym mats on the floor, requiring 17 children to remove their shoes. So we line up in the hall, while all 17 children remove their shoes, go in the gym. Kind of a pain, but not nearly as bad as 17 children needing to put shoes back ON. In a hallway, with other classes going on, trying to keep them together instead of fleeing the scene.

And, of course, the owners of the quadruple shoelaces, are those with a "difficult" temperment. None of the "go with the flow" type stuff. So, if the shoes don't look just right.....

I have only one explanation for these shoes: The manufacturer never taught preschool!!!!!