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!