Getting the Heck Outta Dodge!

About this time one month ago, we were sucking our thumbs in good ole P-town U.S.A.  It's crazy to think that one insane cleaning check (in which we mopped the walls and had our heads in the oven for a couple of hours soaking in fumes), a presentation, vacation, and some vigorous packing later and we were out of Provo for good.  But we'll always remember our first little apartment as a married couple, the friends we've made, and the lessons we've learned.

As I feel like I have an old soul adequate for the task of reminiscing, I love to ponder the things that we learned and the things we will miss about provo.

BYU/Provo taught us that:

-it's ok to wear sandals with socks, neon pants, and nerdy glasses

-the 2nd floor WILK had the best women's bathroom to nap in between classes

-classes before 8am require no showers and a ride from Mike

-Pinterest is required classroom material for a boring lecture

-Walmart and Smiths have nothing on Winco

-professors don't know as much as you thought they did, they've 

just been doing the same things as you for 10 years longer

-"The Moses Effect" is a true principle (If you power walk through a congested walkway on campus, people get out of your way)

-the art department is pretty much as liberal as boulder county

-the BYU Bookstore is crooked! and will rip you off for text book sales every time

-most thrifty, crafty, blogging woman is an actual title that women in the wards compete for

-the only way to study for finals is to hole up in the "Super Secret Study Lab" 

(aka, hydrogeology room) with friends and alternate who buys the sustenance 

We will miss:

-making music with the Leavitts and visiting their parent's house

-mini golf, games, late night food runs with the Killens and McQuays

-hanging out with the Blumels/Sloats 

-Mike's games of intramural football and our games of wallyball

-the Avocottage open mic nights with Ben & his friends

-outdoor movies on the lawn of Harmony Square
-Our dancesport competition together
-rock climbing at 'the Quarry'

-late night J-Dawgs, Rancherito, Smiths, and Krispy Kreme runs 

-being so close to my extended family and game nights/dinner with my aunts and grandparents
-Halloweens, Christmases, Thanksgivings, and Vacations spent with those we love

-game nights with all the cousins at BYU

-attending mission reunions together
-hanging with our roommates at the Belly and Continental, ward parties, my calling as "ward Yenta" and Mike & my general dating experience (from the duck pond to tumbling gym)

-our first ward at Harmony Square apartments and our callings as "ward missionaries" and "group four leaders"

-studying side by side until midnight in an open building or classroom on campus

-taking dance, religion, and english classes together so we can alternate who takes notes and who naps, and compare test scores 

-the friends we made in classes and the quirky professors we had

100 Things I'm Grateful For

For my Mind, Body, Health class, we got the extra credit assignment to write a list of 100 things that we're grateful for. I've actually loved doing this!  After getting stuck around about item 47, I really had to think, subdivide, and google: "list of things I'm grateful for."  By the end, I really was feeling super grateful for all that I have, and I came out with over 100 things that I needed to pair down.  Here she is:

1.      I’m grateful that we’ve always had just enough money to cover our expenses when they come due, even if we don’t know where it came from.

2.      I’m grateful that I have excellent health despite all of the trans fats I’ve consumed via Totino’s pizzas

3.      I’m grateful that I can move! It feels great to get out of my bed, walk, and dance

4.      I’m grateful that I attend one of the most prestigious schools in the Nation and pay a pittance for admission

5.      I’m grateful that most of our tuition is paid for by the government and generous donors through Scholarships and Grants

6.      I’m grateful for the positive, uplifting, academic atmosphere at BYU

7.      I’m grateful that I get to wake up to my best friend each day

8.      I’m grateful that my husband fuels my desire to become the best version of myself

9.      I’m grateful that I am a child of God who was righteous enough to be sent to Earth at this day and age to prepare the way for the second coming of Christ

10.  I’m grateful that I know I have divinity within me and the potential to become like God.

11.  I’m grateful that I get to take classes I love and chose my major

12.  I’m grateful that I got married young before I became stubborn and set in my ways, and while I’m still malleable

13.  I’m grateful that we have a temple five minutes from our apartment

14.  I’m grateful that I am a fabulous cook.

15.  I’m grateful that our cupboards are always at least partly full, which I can’t say for at least 30% of the world

16.  I’m grateful that my job allows me to eat delicious food for free after catering events

17.  I’m grateful that I took a weight lifting class in high school and now know how to use the equipment in the weights room

18.  I’m grateful that I went through a long awkward phase so I wasn’t tempted by vanity or physical temptations when I was young

19.  I’m grateful that I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which provides me with a curriculum to become perfect and gain exaltation. 

20.  I’m grateful that I live in one of the richest nations in the world.  I have a roof over my head, heating and air conditioning, a car to drive, an education, and adequate food. 

21.  I’m grateful that I don’t live in fear of the government or my safety

22.  I’m grateful that my body reminds me each month that it’s healthy enough to get pregnant and carry a baby

23.  I’m grateful that I can read and have gained so much knowledge throughout my life

24.  I’m grateful that my parents raised me in a home full of acceptance, guidance, good morals, fun activities, strong religious convictions, and love. 

25.  I’m grateful that my parents are still married

26.  I’m grateful that my parents have taught me by example how to live a healthy, happy lifestyle

27.  I’m grateful that the Savior atoned for me such that the sins I repented of are washed away.  I have a clean slate

28.  I’m grateful that I have no allergies, diseases, viruses, and have had no broken bones.

29.  I’m grateful that if I wore a different item of each type of clothing each day (i.e. pants + shirt + shoes), I would not cycle through them all in a one month period

30.  I’m grateful that we have technology at our fingertips.  I can talk to people around the world, learn what the greats knew, etc.

31.  I’m grateful that I’m not addicted to anything (pornography, drugs, alcohol, depressing thoughts, nicotine, swearing).  Love is my only drug.

32.  I’m grateful that I have positive self esteem and really regard myself as capable, talented, productive, and beautiful

33.  I’m grateful that I can clearly see my weaknesses and derive pleasure from the challenge of making them into strengths.  I think about things I would love to improve each day automatically

34.  I’m grateful that I can play the piano, violin, guitar, and sing

35.  I’m grateful that I have a calling at church that allows me to help others, feel important and needed, and have a place in the world. 

36.  I’m grateful that for the most part, I have good habits

37.  I’m grateful for death, because it makes life so much more meaningful

38.  I’m grateful that life is so much easier now than it was hundreds of years ago.

39.  I’m grateful I got to go to Japan in high school.  I learned to see the world as a much larger place, to respect another culture and to interact with people and form friendships that spanned beyond a language barrier.  It helped my confidence and maturity grow immensely.

40.  I’m grateful I speak English, which allows me to converse with people of other countries and them to converse with me.

41.  I’m grateful that I don’t have to make all my food from scratch but that I can.

42.  I’m grateful for modern science and medicine

43.  I’m grateful that I’m good at most things I try right off the bat (not to brag, only to say that it’s a blessing to have many interests, talents, and hobbies).  These talents include an artistic eye and hand, talent in rock climbing and other individual sports, and in music.

44.  I’m grateful that I grew up in beautiful Colorado where my family spent quality time together in the outdoors hunting, rock climbing, hiking, camping, 4-wheeling, and biking.  I now love the outdoors and appreciate the beauty and serenity found in nature. 

45.  I’m grateful that my best friend’s mother taught me lessons I needed to hear from an adult other than my own parents when I was going through a tough growing experience in high school.  She helped my self-worth increase and was candid with me about important issues. 

46.  I’m grateful that my best friend taught me patience, that you can’t control anyone, and that relationships are as strong as you make them.

47.  Growing up, my family was very close to my extended family.  I developed close knit relationships with my cousins and they have been such a support to me while we’ve all been here at BYU.  My aunts and uncles and grandparents also welcome us for dinners, game nights, and fun, which have been a blessing to me as my immediate family lives 8 hours away.

48.  My dad was layed off for a time while I was living at home.  My mom had food storage and savings that helped us survive and taught me the power of budgeting, optimism, paying tithing, and service.  It made me heartier as a person and less dependent on external things for happiness.

49.  I’m grateful I’ve had so many positive influences over the years including my parents, Young Woman’s leaders, grandparents, aunts and uncles, mentors, friends, dates, teachers, etc.

50.  I’m grateful that I have a marvelous, gorgeous wedding band that reminds me of covenants I’ve made and what a great husband I have for forever

51.  I’m grateful to have chosen the wrong decision at times and learned from my mistakes

52.  I’m grateful that I am self reliant. I don’t depend on my parents, the church, or the government for funding. 

53.  I’m grateful that I know most of the skills necessary to be a contributing adult in this society.

54.  I’m grateful that my husband is patient with me even though I know he knows my weaknesses

55.  I’m grateful for those “Ah-ha!” moments that have been so important to my personal growth over the years.

56.  I’m grateful that we got enough money and gifts from our wedding to furnish our apartment and decorate it so that it is cute and comfortable.  I love feeling the spirit when I come home.

57.  I’m grateful that my husband and I got sealed in the SLC Temple for time and eternity.  We will not be separated by death and can continue to progress after this life. 

58.  I’m grateful that when I’ve relied on the Lord and focused outside myself, I’ve succeeded, and when I haven’t, I’ve failed.

59.  I’m grateful that I can recognize right and wrong and truth

60.  I’m grateful that my Mom taught me how to drive a standard ("stick-shift"), which is the only car I’ve ever owned

61.  I’m grateful that I worked during high school, which helped me to learn that things aren’t handed out, the value of hard work, saving versus spending, delaying gratification, and responsibility and integrity.

62.  I’m grateful that my parents used to take me and my siblings to sing for elderly and sick patients, shovel the driveway for the neighbors, etc. which taught me how to serve with a smile

63.  I’m grateful to have a sense of humor that fills life with fun and meaning and optimism

64.  I’m grateful to have neuromuscular control over my limbs

65.  I’m grateful that I’ve made the right decision many times

66.  I’m grateful that I have a good physique genetically

67.  I’m grateful I have hot water to bathe in, that comes out of a faucet

68.  My major is Communication Disorders.  I often hear of all the things that can go wrong; a person has their larynx removed, they have a sensorineural hearing loss, etc.  I am grateful I can speak and that I have a good vocal quality; that I have pretty good pitch and can sing; that I can hear what others are saying without hearing aids; that I can listen to and appreciate music.

69.  I’m grateful my father worked hard to provide us with the necessities

70.  I’m grateful my parents still pay for my phone bill and like to help my husband and I out with little gifts in the mail

71.  I’m grateful my husband is applying to medical school to provide us with the money to have lots of children

72.  I’m grateful that my husband is smart but that he’s devoted and applied himself to his studies and as a result is driven, intelligent, and he knows where he is going in life.

73.  I’m grateful that Mike and I could attend a financial planning seminar.  We’ve since created a budget so we can pay off debt and put money in savings.  I’m grateful for the chance to be financially stable.

74.  I’m grateful that I have my independence.  The movie The Diving Bell and the Butterfly shows a man who through disability loses all motor function besides blinking his eyes.  I’m grateful I can go to the bathroom, eat, drink, walk, communicate my needs, and get out of bed by myself

75.  I’m grateful that we live in Utah valley and are surrounded with people who are driven, excited about learning, spiritual, family-minded, charitable, and great examples to us

76.  I’m grateful that we have gone on so many fun dates and still do so

77.  I’m grateful that I have a job and get along with the people I work with

78.  I’m grateful that I know that the most worthwhile things take time, and that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.

79.  I’m grateful that I realize that there’s never been an issue at work or at home that doesn’t resolve itself.  I’ve learned that if I’m doing what’s right, I just sit back and know the Lord is on my side, even when things may seem unfair or others are in the wrong. I know that God is Just and while I can’t control others, I can control myself

80.  I’m grateful that people look up to me.  I’ve been able, through my actions to be a positive example to my cousins, nonmember friends, and my siblings. 

81.  I’m grateful that I didn’t have to experience the heartache that comes from serious mistakes, and although I did some stupid things when I was younger, the Lord was able to re-direct my path.  I’m in the best situation I could ever hope for, and it’s a miracle I got to this place.

82.  I’m grateful that there are miracles everyday

83.  I’m grateful that although I have no sense of physical direction, I’ve never been seriously lost

84.  I’m grateful that the world is a beautiful

85.  I’m grateful that my teeth are healthy now.  We went through a time where I had to get two root canals and crowns, and four fillings.  Now I have nightmares of all my teeth sequentially falling out and I wake up grateful that they are intact

86.  I’m grateful that my mom read to me as a child.  I now love books

87.  I’m grateful that the Lord has given us the scriptures and still speaks to me today through his prophets.

88.  I’m grateful that I own my own computer and have blog full of our fun memories

89.  I’m grateful I keep a journal that will someday be precious to me and my children

90.  I’m grateful that I’m a good, satirical writer

91.  I’m grateful that I connect well to my in-laws and value spending time with them

92.  I’m grateful that I own household cleaning supplies and use them

93.  I’m grateful that I live in a relatively peaceful area while the world is at war

94.  I’m grateful that I live in a society where I’m free to chose my occupation

95.  I’m grateful that I live in a society where women are encouraged to gain an education

96.  I’m grateful that I have so much free time

97.  I’m grateful I live in a society where I am free to chose who I associate with and marry

98.  I’m grateful that if I got sick, we would have adequate insurance to cover any expenses

99.  I’m grateful that I know that I can feel whole and happy independent of my situation, hardships, others, or despite limited relationships

100.   I’m grateful there are good people in this world

When Mike was on his mission, he started a tradition of writing, in red ink, one things he was grateful for each day in his journal.  I think that the more you write these things down, the more they easily come to mind, and the more grateful you feel for them.  I also think that one important lesson we all need to learn is to attribute our blessings to God, and to realize that whatever our strengths, talents, life situation, etc, they all are given to us. That's what I learned from this assignment.  I'd like to make the goal of having more things that I'm grateful for than things that I'm concerned about throughout each day. 

This begs the question, what are you grateful for?

My Summer in Projects

It's been such a busy summer!  Before I dive into all of the fun things Mike and I have done together, I have some photos of class assignments I've been working on in the past two semesters.  Between my History of Creativity and 2-Dimensional Design classes, I've accomplished a lot in a relatively small period of time.  I don't post this to bore you with my kindergarten hand-print paintings, but only to chronicle some of the artifacts created by my mind as a testament that I can do it. Veni vidi vici!


These are my homemade corn-husk and flour-paste hieroglyphs.  I made these for my history class when we were talking about early Mesopotamia and Egypt specifically.  They depict queen Hatshepsut and her son, who lusting after her throne claimed it and then had her name removed from all of her property after her death.  This was done not only to erase her from history, but because the Egyptians believed that she would be unable to enter the afterlife without written record of her name.

This is the first piece of art I've completed since middle school, and was an experiment in negative space.  That means that the white space is in the traditional shapes while the rest is inked in.   Here is me going over my original pencil drawing in pen

...And the "finished product"  When we turn in a large piece, our classmates get the chance to critique our work, which I honestly and openly dread every time.  It's humbling to see my work stacked against some incredibly talented people and to have them talk about my art.  This piece generated a lot of suggestions for improvement, so after a few (some thought the tree was floating before and the version I turned in originally was slightly larger)  so I cropped it just a bit and made some minor adjustments.  Someone suggested that I remove the couple in the center and leave just the tree, which I also seriously considered so my subjects wouldn't be competing for center stage (the tree and the couple, that is). 

Here's my second project.  It's a variation on a sketch I drew earlier in the class of (if you can believe it) a table.  It's done in black sharpie pen and is a series of tiny lines hard to see here in great detail.

Drawing 3:  I'm still modifying this one.  It was originally in colored pencil and was based on an assignment to create a visual piece based on semicircles.  I'm adding paint and ink to give it greater contrast and make it darker

We learned about the Greek system of proportions called the "Golden Ratio" which is based on multiplying a square configuration by 1.618.  Because this exact ratio has been observed in nature in everything from spiral shells and pine-cones to the human body and has been used by many famous artists and in buildings such as the Parthenon, we did a project based on these proportions (I've left my lines on the page for reference). This was a still life in pencil

This was also based on the Golden Ratio, and was done all in pen (the shading is done with small, thin lines) based on things I have around my home.  Mike made me those paper flowers, just to letcha know how great he is.

I'm pretty proud of this. This is a magazine I made last semester for my History of Creativity class final project.  It's based on everything Greek and was about 30 pages long.  I had to learn how to use Adobe Illustrator in order to make it, and because of all of the hours I've put in, I'm pretty much a pro now.  The title of the magazine is Arete which means virtue or "that which is good"

Here's a perfume ad I made.  You can't see it in this picture, but the perfume is called "Sophia" which in Greek means "Wisdom" and it says by Aphrodite in the corner.

The Magazine includes articles such as "20 Things You Didn't Know About the Olympics," "Getting to know Plato," "Book Reviews," "Hottest Greeks" and "Family Tree of the Gods"

Interview with Plato using some of his real quotes

Another ad and "the Perfect Man." Some of his attributes include hot muscular physique, intellect, courage, a philosophical mind, and of course, the ability to bear many sons.

I love the Spartans

I found pictures of each of the major Gods and Goddesses in Greek culture and wrote about their relationships and general mythology for this article.  Ya, this took FOREVER but I'm really happy with the finished product.  Disclaimer: if you think the world is all "immoral" now, just read some of their stories.  Zeus was a player!

Shakespeare Said it Best

"Give thy thoughts no tongue, nor any unproportioned thought his act.  Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.  The friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel; but do not dull thy palm with entertainment of each new-hatched, unfledged comrade.  Beware of entrance to a quarrel: but, being in, bear't that the opposed may beware of thee.  Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice:  Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment.  Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, but not expressed in fancy; rich, not gaudy: for the apparel oft proclaims the man;...neither a borrower or a lender be: for loan oft loses both itself and friend, and borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.  This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man."

-Polonius in Hamlet

Fantastic advice from not as fantastic of a character in the play. We're reading the play and watching the 1996 version of the movie in my History of Creativity class.  

Missing Clothes and World Domination

    So I was running late to my class this morning, and after throwing on my shoes, grabbing my bag and neglecting my cereal, I whipped out the front door.  I got halfway to the JKB and for some reason I kept thinking “man, I feel so free today!  My shirt is so soft.”  I looked down and it took a full 30 seconds to register that I had forgotten to put on one vital item of clothing today... my bra!  I spent the rest of my two hour class period crossing my arms and adjusting my shirt, hoping the wrinkles and folds would work like camouflage. I think it was success!
  
   In my 2-Dimensional Design class, my first assignment was to create a negative space drawing which we were supposed to ink as well.  I was so excited…I’ve been minoring in Visual Arts for only about four days now, and I have a whole piece of artwork to prove it!  Mine was not a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination and the critiques I got from classmates were all really “constructive” (one of those words lawyers use to make something sound better than it is) but I was proud of myself because, for my first art class since 7^th grade, I think it looks dandy.  Mike wants me to hang it in our apartment… Maybe the bathroom. 

  The best part is that my teacher is so chill.  He’s in his mid 20’s and just seems relaxed about all of our assignments thus far.  We’ve even had fudge and doughnuts on two separate occasions.  Even though I spent 4 hours last night and stayed up til 2am inking my picture, I’m inclined to actually be excited about art.  We watched this movie called “Helvetica” about the font, which was actually pretty cool.  Do you know we see it every day, and so many companies still use the same font for their logos?  Kinda insane that I’m so excited about this Utopian font.  But while I think it’s the Golden Mean of language to revolutionize the world of industry, others believe it’s as communistic and dangerous as Wal-Mart or Google.  

Vidoes, Comedy, and Quirks

Sorry for posting all at once, but it's a "shool" night (as the cartoon character Mega Mind would say it) and I just wanted to put down some videos we've liked lately instead of studying.

First, I must preface this with the thought that this is not generally our lifestyle.  Generally, Mike wakes me up after we've pressed the Snooze button on our three alarm clocks a few times, and we stumble into the living room for scripture study. I always end up trying to get dressed and do my hair about five minutes before class, which, needless to say, means I generally look bewildered and windblown for half the day while Mike looks dashing in his Khaki's for work.  After work and classes, we eat dinner together and either hang out with others or find things like decorating, watching movies or cooking to fill our time before we hit the books until I pass out on the couch and beg Mike to "Just let me sleep here! Leave me, I wanna sleep!"
I actually think I have an incurable disease called "insta-somnia-anywhere-in-the-house", which, being interpreted, means I LITERALLY can fall asleep anywhere and still respond to you as if I'm awake.

This proves useful when we're at a party and I fall asleep during a movie (happens every time) and I'm still able to laugh at appropriate parts or interject funny comments, but I SWEAR it does not come in handy when I fall asleep on a couch in the Women's room on campus. 

Mike, my rock, will never break routine sparing some incredible natural disaster.  He is clockwork in his bedtime duties.. Turn lights out.  Lock door. Brush teeth.  Floss.  Set alarm #1.  Set alarm #2.  (I set alarm #3).  Straighten Bed.  Adjust in bed.  Snuggle.


Any-who.  I'm not sure if you like Jimmy Kimmel, but I must say I enjoy some of the things on his Show.  He's much funnier than Conan or Larry King (not that he's trying to be funny), and straighter than Ellen (although Ellen is stinkin comedic). 



So Jillian Smith is an up-and-coming comedian who Mike and I applaud for being so clean.  He's the perfect dose of random can give you a lift any day.

So, I know this sounds terrible, but Jillian Smith also does this impression he calls "Jeffery" that reminds me so much of something Mike used to do.  Once in a while when we were dating, Mike would drop his shoulders, pull his glasses down on his nose, and pretend to be a handicap boy who would call me "Ashwee" and ask me to hold his hand or be his girlfriend.  I would treat him like I would someone who actually was handicapped, and would lovingly say "sorry Mikey, I can't be your girlfriend.  But I'll be your best friend."  Or something like that.  Once, when we were in Estas, he did Mikey and asked me to kiss him and I told him to stop it, mostly because I wouldn't kiss him when he was acting like that.  He pretended to throw a fit and people were staring at us like I was this terrible person who was mistreating someone with a disability.  Terrible!  But things worked out in the end.  Ah love, you mysterious fiend.

And with that little taste of our QUIRKS, here's some of our favorite musicians, Flight of the Conchords,  not only because they're funny, but because of how they can play.....and the faces they make.

 Happy Monday!

Learning to Dance in the Rain

It’s been a bit of a cold month… in more ways than one. 

Yesterday had a cold…it didn’t rain, but the sky leaked constantly from the time the sun was supposed to be up to when it came down at 4pm.  Today, the cold was discrete; instead of the sloshy wet cold, it hid in clear air and slowly became a part of every once-warm inch of my body.  It’s that biting cold that penetrates your skin and turns the air to tiny ice crystals that choke you and freeze your blood. 

I’m positive that we have this weather to discourage any thought of deferring studies to go outside during Midterm season.  Provo, you’ve done your job.  I have no intention of going outside ever again.  However, instead of focusing on Speech Anatomy, I can’t stop the onslaught of those kind of deep thoughts that come when gray clouds out the warmth in the world. 

Mike and I just watched a tragedy called “Coco Before Chanel," a movie that showed me how grateful I am that I don’t live in early 20^th century France and that I have the Gospel.  This movie portrays Coco Chanel (before her career as a major fashion designer) as an abrasive girl due to her abusive upbringing in an orphanage.  The few times she opens herself to opportunities to love, she is mistreated and finally claims she will never marry (she falls for a married man).  The movie ends quite suddenly just as she begins her career as a designer and after her lover dies.  I wouldn’t recommend this movie… it seemed to drag on and there was too much vulgarity in it, and the tragic ending had me reaching for my Gilmore Girls reruns.  I’m so grateful to know that my husband and I love each other completely, and to have complete trust in that love and fidelity in our marriage that seemed nonexistent, or at least widely unpopular, at that time.  It’s times like these where I’ve truly seen that pulling together isn’t looking into each other’s eyes, but standing next side by side and looking in the same direction.  Life gets hard, but it’s in learning to work through the trials together that we gain strength individually and as a family. 

Dear Mike:  PS, I love you.

We’ve had some tough things financially as of late (sorry! I’ll try to be more upbeat).  We found out that our car is utterly broken down; the engine gave out and a couple weeks ago.  So we turned this into a bonding opportunity…if any of you would like to strengthen your marriage, I’m teaching a workshop where we throw you in hot water and you must learn to swim, or at least tow a car together.  We woke up one frigid 6am to tow the car to the repair shop. Mike laid in the snow to hitch our Escort up to a friends’ PT Cruiser and, as our battery was dead as well, he turned on his hazard lights as we rolled down University Ave.  This was the first time I’ve 'driven' a dead car, and while I rode the break ok, the foggy window combined with the flashing lights ahead made it impossible to see Mike’s “stop” and “slow” arm signals from the window of the cruiser.  After what seemed to take hours (though I’m sure it was only minutes) we rolled into the parking lot just as the tow rope snapped off!  We needed about 100 feet more to get into a parking space so, undaunted, Mike picked up the rope.  I’ll never forget the image of him, soaked from lying in the snow, rope over shoulder, hauling me and our blessed little car 100 feet in the dark, illuminated only by the translucent HONK’S DOLLAR STORE sign.  He is my Superman. 

We are learning to live and love and get by.  A part of my tooth fell out as well recently, and though we don’t have dental insurance, I pray something will turn up.  We’ve already been blessed so much…the tow rope choosing to snap right when we pulled into a parking lot, not on the road; the money we always seem to have each month, from nowhere; the fact that I pray and find my phone immediately, or don’t end up lost on a snowy road; the times I need just one friend and a couple in our ward come to the rescue.  I know that My Heavenly Father watches out for each of us and I know that He truly sends others into our lives at the times we need Him most, and at the times where I feel like I may deserve it the least.  I am so grateful for His loving Arms, and it’s just as my Dad says…just take things “one day at a time.”