Thoughts

Apparently God uses technology.

Today my prayer that I said this morning was answered in the form of a blog that I read this afternoon. Yes I said a blog. I found it slightly amusing myself.

As of lately I haven't been praying as often as I normally do. In fact, the past week (not including today) I've prayed maybe once. Considering the events transpiring in my life as of the current moment you'd think a person like me (someone who has 100% faith in prayer) might be at least doubling in prayer. In complete honesty I've been too afraid to pray. I've been too afraid for an answer. I've been too afraid for a yes. I've been too afraid for a no. I've been trying the whole "ignorance is bliss" thing and it hasn't really been working.

Somehow today I mustered up the courage to say a prayer. I tried everything I could to avoid it... My favorite song was playing on the radio, I had to fix my bagel for breakfast, I need to mentally prepare myself for my first day of Abnormal Child Psych. I couldn't shake this nagging feeling of needing to pray. So I did. I layed all of my fears on the table and told Him every one of them. And then I went to class.

Being the first day of class, my actual class was only about 20 minutes long. I had about 2 hours to kill before my meeting with my field experience professor. I went to the computer lab to get a head start on my online class. That got boring fast and long story short... I got on Facebook. One of the status updates in my facebook feed was from a girl I know but who I honestly haven't talked to since high school. I remembered I'd stumbled across her blog once through clicking through other blogs. The thought "I should read her blog" ran across my brain. I wrestled through thoughts of "why?" and had an actual dialogue in my head of how I didn't even remember how I found her blog in the first place. Eventually, I clicked on her FB page and there was the link to her blog.

Her very first post was about an exact experience she had been through that I am currently going through. I was actually a little amazed at how similar our stories were. It basically went on to explain how she overcame this struggle. It wasn't really a step by step guide or anything. it was more of a "have faith and do." I almost burst into tears right there in the computer lab. Thankfully, I didn't. I think people who cry in public are awkward. Even though I will admit I have before...

I've always heard that God speaks to you in ways and by means that you can understand. I might possibly spend too much time on the internet if this is how He feels He needs to communicate with me... Kind of embarressing. However, all I really wanted to emphasize in this post is that God listens and he knows.

I don't really want to be preachy. I don't like being preached to...believe me I know I'm imperfect. I don't care what religion you are, if you're even religious, or spiritual, if you're not where others expect you to be "spiritually" or whatever. It is my belief that God listens to you no matter what. No matter your religion, no matter what stage your faith and he does all that he can to help you as long as you act on your faith no matter how small it might be. I just think it's important to have faith and then to share those faith building experiences with others. You never know when someone needs it.

So those are my thoughts.

And I've decided to issue a challenge... Post a faith building experience of your own (on your own blog). Post some faith. ha. I would be tickled pink to read even just one!

I can't believe I just wrote "tickled pink" I am disgusting.

Ceramics

Today was my first ever summer semester class. It was also my first class that I've ever taken at the Bountiful extension. What is that class you might ask? Ceramics.

And not just any ceramics class. It's a wheel pottery class.

You see I decided to take this class because I needed to
A) fill some elective credit
B) it's only 6 weeks and its 4 credits
C) I sucked at the wheel in high school and I am determined to conquer it.

Perhaps, the wheel is not my forte. I sucked royally. I'm sitting there in between Dick and Eeli (yes those are their real names I honestly thought they were kidding me when I asked them). And in case you were wondering Eeli is an atheist with a tattoo on his forearm that reads "Jesus is" and another tattoo on his calf of the virgin mary. Anyway, back to my story. I'm sitting in between Dick and Eeli who are practically the Leonardo Da Vinci's of pottery and all I can do is center the dang thing into a patty. I was also supposed to make a cone once it was a patty to help center it some more or something...I could not do a cone.

So I did what any other studious student would do. I asked for help. So my instructor John comes over to help me. He tells me that I am "violating the clay." Personally, I didn't know that was possible. He then helps me by putting his hands over my hands and of course I can do it perfectly. Which just fyi the whole hands over hands thing was not all Ghost like and creepy. Just guiding me....

So then I keep trying it by myself and it's just not working so he says "here do this" and does this thing with his hand. I do the thing that is too hard describe without showing...And he says "Oh, well I don't know what to say. I've never seen anyones fingers not be able to do that."

You see my pinkies are crooked and abnormally short so my pinky doesn't line up correctly. So I am apparently pottery retarded. After I have a little more help I make a half way decent looking bowl which of course breaks. And then I give up and decide it's time to get ready to leave anyway. So I bring my violated clay over to the wedging table to be wedged and I notice that I am the only one with clay that is dripping wet. So I'm trying to wedge my clay dry and it is not working. So the girl next to me says "you put that powder stuff in it to help dry it" so I think, "oh right yes!" And begin putting handfuls of said powder into my dripping clay. Turns out that the powder...is not for drying purposes. John (my instructor) comes over to help me and after I tell him that i've put in lots of that "stuff" to "help dry" he tells me..."that is not a drying agent." He begins to explain to me that the powder is some sort of special stuff to help make the clay sticky but if you put too much in the clay it becomes rubbery and basically ruins your clay.

After assessing my clay he says "you have really abused your clay" but we won't be able to find out just how "abused" my clay is until Wednesday's class.

Luckily for me I think my instructor felt bad for me and told me that he'll give me more clay instead of making me pay for new clay if my clay has been overly abused.

Moral of the story: I am a clay violater and abuser. Don't let me near your clay.

Anniversary "staycation"

So mine and Troy's anniversary technically isn't until the 21st of May. However, school starts on Monday for me so we decided to fit our trip into my 10 day "summer vacation." Let me just give you a brief synopsis of our 4.5 day trip.

Friday was my "almost graduation" since I graduate in august I still got to walk this spring.




So I sort of graduated. Then we went and checked into our hotel at one of the Marriott's downtown. Not the nicest Marriott ever, but it was free so there were no complaints from me! It was within walking distance from everything we wanted to do so Troy and I walked EVERYWHERE.

Everything in the marriott was sea shell themed. I thought it was creative.

On Saturday, Troy and I walked not ran The Race for The Cure with my mom, Blair (my moms man friend), Colleen, Barb and Vince (my moms friends). Barb is one of my moms best friends and is a survivor of breast cancer. This was my 3rd race and I try to participate every year in honor of Barb, my aunt Cathy, our family friend Karma and in memory of my friend Jessica's mom Linda.

On our way to the race. That's Colleen, mom, Blair and Troy in the Corner.

The Starting line!

The sea of people

not exactly our best picture..

Saturday night Troy and I decided to treat ourselves to very expensive steak at Spencer's for Steak and Chops. Where the food was delicious. The service was excellent. They didn't rush us at all. It took us 2 1/2 hours to eat our dinner (and watch a disappointing Jazz game). Where I had this dessert that changed my life.

Ice cream, chocolate tort with whipped cream and berries and creme brule
(or however you spell it)
I died and went to heaven. Thanks again, kirsti!

Sunday we went up to Park City and checked into the Waldorf Astoria for 2 nights. Boy did we ever feel out of place! Everywhere we went it was "Mr and Mrs Jackson, How are you today? Can I get you anything? Here have a bottle of water!" It was valet parking only. Complete with bell hop, and nightly turn down service. The second night we turned down our turn down service. It's awkward to have someone close your blinds and pull the covers down on your bed for you. We did however accept the chocolate that they put on our pillow at night :)

The mini bar that came with a mini fridge and stuff in the cupboards

Our complimentary bottle of sparkling grape juice with card that said "Congratulations!"

You can see Troy in the mirror rockin' his robe that came with the room!

Yes, that is a tv in the bathroom. I cannot even begin to tell you how excited troy was about this.

me chillin in bed with my complimentary slippers.

Our trip was super fun! It would have been more fun if I wasn't sick pretty much 80% of the time. We relaxed in our room a lot. We also went to the outlet stores and shopped til our hearts were full and our wallet was empty. It was nice to have Troy all to myself all day everyday for 5 full days! I can't wait until our next anniversary trip!

Oh and one fun thing I forgot to mention that Troy and I did since we stayed so close to home. We wanted to seem like we were more on vacation so we decided to try and eat at at least one restaurant either one or neither of us has ever been to for one meal every day. We unfortunately never got to eat at the The Green Pig like I was hoping :(

We ate at...
The Tin Angel Cafe
Spencer's for Steak and Chops
Judge Cafe
Red Rock

My favorite was by far Judge Cafe which is actually spelled "jvdge" It's on broadway in downtown slc. They had the yummiest eggs and hash browns! I really recommend it!

I like-y

This video was beautiful. Reminds me to be a little more grateful. Plus if you haven't read her blog... you should!

Thankful

I really wanted to take the opportunity I have to say how thankful I am for all that I have right now.

I am so grateful for the power of the priesthood and the opportunity to have it in my home. I am grateful for family who will answer their phone and get up in the middle of the night to help my husband give me a blessing because I feel like I am at deaths door. And I'm thankful for finally being able to sleep through the night.

I know that prayer works, whether it's me saying a prayer or those prayers that have been said on my behalf. It works. I have received so many blessings because of prayer. For that I am thankful.

I am soo thankful for my friends. I have the kind of friends who would drop whatever they were doing to help me out. And they do ALL the time.

I am grateful for my family, immediate and extended. My entire family is amazing and always willing to help me out.

I am grateful for trials. Even ones that come completely out of left field (now Heavenly Father... that's not saying I want anymore. I hope you can agree I have enough on my plate right now. Right?) I'm just saying... I know they make me a better person.

I'm grateful for my husband. Without him I don't know where I would be. He is amazing. He is my everything.