June Roses and January Raspberries

So I got a June Rose on January 19th!!

(Or rather a January Raspberry.) It was so so exciting!

I was working, very diligently, I am certain, when my co-worker called me to get up and "Come and Look!" I figured she was going to show me some guy she thought was cute

so I got up with a "Really, Brenda?" look on my face...

When what to my wondering eyes should appear???

President Monson came to the hospital to visit a patient! (No, it wasn't a widow. But it was a man to whom President Monson had been Bishop so many years ago.) It was so so exciting. Everyone was excited. All work pretty much stopped while he was here because we didn't want to miss the chance to shake his hand when he left. And when he left, he stopped and shook our hands and spoke with us and was so so kind. A son of another patient stopped President Monson and asked him to come in and visit his father and President Monson said, "Well, I'd love to say a word to your father." So kind.

It changed the whole day. Really.

I kept thinking, if this were the time of Nephi, he'd be Nephi! If this were Alma's era, he'd be Alma! So exciting. And the truth is - He is Christ's representative on the earth... You could feel that while he was here. I wished a little that it had been Jesus here, but President Monson was really dang close. (Should I use dang in the same paragraph with Jesus and President Monson?)

I'm so grateful for the Prophet. I'm so grateful that he showed up to my work. I wanted so badly to just run to him and say, "Everything will be fine right? Could you just tell me what Heavenly Father wants for me right now?" And then I realized that is exactly what he tells us every six months in General Conference. And through the Spirit we can know those things for ourselves all the days in between those blessed 4 days out of the year.

C'mon. So lucky. So blessed. So happy.

We've Proved Him In Days That Are Past

I'm in love with this quote from President Hinckley:

"From where we speak, it is a beautiful April Sabbath morning. The tulips are well out of the ground and will soon be bursting into flowering beauty. In the winter of our doubt there came the hope of spring. We knew it would come. Such was our faith, based on the experiences of earlier years. And so it is with matters of the spirit and soul. As each man or woman walks the way of life there come dark seasons of doubt, of discouragement, of disillusionment. In such circumstances, a few see ahead by the light of faith, but many stumble along in the darkness and even become lost. My call to you this morning is a call to faith, that faith which is “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1), as Paul described it."

I am looking forward to Spring. I know it's coming. It has never not come. Every year, without fail, trees and flowers blossom, snow melts and life grows all around. Every year.

"In the depth of winter I finally learned that there within me lay an invincible summer" (Albert Camus).

"So it is with matters of the spirit and soul." Heavenly Father always answers my prayers. He always has. He always will. I've proved Him in days that are past. I don't have to keep proving... I know He's there. He's unchanging. His characteristics are unchanging. His patience and kindness don't run out. He doesn't go away. His love never fails. His forgiveness blossoms anew every time I kneel in the spring of repentance.

"For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." (Isaiah 54:10) That's true. I know it. I've proved it in days that are past. And I know that if I forget (which we all do at times) that He'll be patient and help me remember and love me patiently every second as I stumble along the way. He has given me the iron rod to cling to for stability. Stability and safety and security, guidance, balance, and reassurance.

I'm a Springer. And that makes me, especially in the wintertime, So Happy.

The Best 4th of July Ev.Er

Ok -- even though this was so long ago, it was SUCH a happy day!

First -- An Apron and Breakfast and Serious Patriotism. So fantastic. I loved every second.

Then, the cemetery, slurpees, Jamba Juice, the Pie and a bbq. It was a lot of food.

mmmmmmMMMMMMmmmmMMMMM

And THEN! -- Yep...

The Jonas Brothers.

Can't you tell that's what you're looking at?

Stadium of Fire was AWESOME!

It was so last minute -- and a super fun decision!

We were at THE. TOP. of the stadium -- I was occasionally afraid that the jets would hit us or that the fireworks would fall on us (which kind-of did happen - the fireworks not the jet).

We found out what it was like to be 12 again -- we were completely surrounded by screaming girls. We joined right in -even learning some of the words to songs we had never heard- don't worry. So much fun!

This 4th of July made me SO Happy!

Oh My Long Time Bez Posts!

I have so many happy things to catch up on! It's been almost 6 months since I've posted anything and a TON of stuff has happened! I don't know if I should work backwards or start from the beginning... maybe just right in the middle? One happy thing is that I got a new macbook! Love it. Ok -- to the happiness. Maybe I'll do a little preview and then break it down in separate posts. Good idea.

July --

The best trip to Provo Ev.Er.

The best 4th of July Ev.Er.

The best trip to Wyoming Ev.Er.

The best trip to Chicago Ev.Er.

The fastest (and best) trip home Ev.Er.

The best Park City family vacation Ev.Er!

August --

The BEST birthday EV.ER (and I am so not kidding!!)

The best trip to Disneyland Ev.Er!

A really super fun surprise party!

My Favorite Birthday Dinner Ev.Er! (The actual party instead of the week before like someone thought for the surprise party! :))

September --

The best new/old mattress/bed Ev.Er.

And my first try at Second Day Hair. (Be glad there's no picture.)

A very lovely dinner!

October --

The best Black Hills Bacon for General Conference Ev.Er.

The best trip to California for the best first birthday Ev.Er!

The cutest African "Chicken" costume Ev.Er.

Ok -- there was more stuff... But that's a good run down! More details soon! Stay tuned! :)

Let's just say, these last few months I have been So Happy!

Your Mom's Face

Yesterday was such a good Saturday!

Can you believe it started with exercise?? Amazing. I never would've gotten out of bed if Carolyn hadn't called and had the discipline to go to the gym early on a Saturday morning when we had been dancing the night away late the night before! I was glad I did it though! Because then I ate like a mad-woman the rest of the day! YUM!

First up... Blue Plate Diner.

This obviously wasn't taken yesterday - or by me at all. Just rain - no snow.

The S.M.A Omelet (spinach, mushroom, and.) Good Food. Good Environment. Great Friends.

And RAIN! It felt so much like Seattle yesterday -- I loved every second. I loved that my hair was all flat and I loved the thunder and the comfort that somehow comes with the rain. So cozy.

Next... Mini's!


We headed straight over and had 85 conversations at once about the city, okra, your mom's face and creamy mashed potatoes.

I love Mini's. And so do Carolyn and Casey. Yum Peanut Butter Fix!


I am a certified Springer. As you can see. Although my brother can fit two hot dogs WITH bun in his mouth at once. Or a can of Coke. Serious.


I had a s'mores please cupcake and got a diva cupcake for my later meal... and Nalene enjoyed Twisted Sister. The cupcake - not the group. Well, maybe the group. Just not yesterday.

I was the only one to make an enormous mess. Oh well.

Last "official" meal of the day -- Thaifoon! Yum again!!! It was Amy's Birthday so we celebrated with some Thai food and great conversation. Carolyn was the Evil Jungle Princess or maybe the Princess of Celestial. And Amy painted her nails at the table. It was awesome.

How lucky am I to have such amazing friends???? The conversation was worth every calorie.

And crumb. Awesome, Andrea!

Round it all off with a review and share of ALL of my mission pics -- how could it get better?

Nothing makes me happy like friends and food! So Happy.

I Left My Heart In San... Diego

Well, today I was supposed to be in California, going to Disneyland and visiting my favorite Burnhams!

Last October I was in California to help my Grandma move back to Illinois.
After everything got finished up, I stayed an extra day and went down to San Diego to see my dear friends,

Elder and Sister Burnham.

Aren't they wonderful??

Oh I love them so so much!


We became friends when we were all working in the Seattle Temple.
It is such a blessing to know them! Since they're from Canada, I probably never would've known them without the Gospel!

Aren't there so many fantastic blessings from the Gospel??

One of my favorite-EVER road trips was with Sister Burnham. We had so much fun singing and talking all the way to and from Vancouver, Canada. Home was by way of closer-to-Vernon than we planned. It was wonderful. We didn't get to sleep until after midnight and had to be up at 4:00 a.m. to get Sister Burnham to the airport! When I knocked on her bedroom door to wake her up, she sat right up and was ready to go in 11 minutes flat! I mean dressed, ready, packed and she even had made my bed. Come on. She is so incredible. More energy and heart than anyone I know.


Now they're serving as missionaries in the San Diego Mission -- at the Mormon Battalion Visitor's Center -- but since the Visitor's Center is closed they are finding lots of other ways to serve.

And they are wonderful!

They get to spend time at the Temple each week - working inside and out.
When people come to the Temple, they ask questions and can learn more about our beliefs by talking to the Burnhams and other missionaries like them.

I love this picture of Sister Burnham teaching. She is an excellent teacher and such a love. Definitely one of the women I admire most in all the world. Y ella esta aprendiendo espanol y lo puede hablar muy bien! And she is learning Spanish and can speak it very well!

I enjoyed taking pictures of the Temple that day and the surrounding grounds.
We saw a HUGE spider climbing down its filament from a tree. It kept climbing up and down and it was yucky! Sister Burnham thought perhaps it had filled the measure of its creation - but I don't think we killed it.
So... Spider alert -- there's a spider at the end of this post. Don't turn the page... Please, Please don't turn the page...

(It's the very very last picture.)

Elder Burnham is an excellent photographer and has taken such fantastic pictures of the Temple and the beauty of San Diego. He is one of my favorite men in the world. I love talking to him about - well everything - and especially the Gospel. He is such a straight arrow and has a deep and firm understanding of the Gospel and a tender heart. I remember neat conversations in the Temple with him -- especially when The Lord of the Rings movies came out because he loves Gospel Parallels just like me!

Did I mention how much I love the Burnhams???

They were involved with helping me finish all the Temple work for Hilda.
I am so glad they were there with me. That was one of the neatest experiences of my entire life.
They really cared about her because they knew I loved her so much.
That made me love them even more!

Doesn't that look like the Tree of Life?

Gorgeous windows of the Temple

I so wish I could've been with them this weekend.
Last time I was with them was right before the vote on Proposition 8.
I was so grateful I got to see them "in action" helping people understand some really important doctrine. They have always been representatives of Jesus Christ, but right now they get to wear a name badge that tells the world so.
I am so grateful to know them and hope someday I can be like them.

My dear sweet friends have for years, made me So Happy!
The spider picture's next! Don't turn that page!

Oh My So Happy

So I just got a call from Sister Beck's secretary saying thank you for a note I wrote to her - Sister Beck - because she's so busy she can't respond personally but wanted me to know how much she appreciated it. How super nice is that????

She is seriously the greatest.

How cool is it that she put me on her to-do list and thought to say thank you??
I mean - come on. She is the greatest.

And have you listened to her Women's Conference talk yet??? Because you so should.

Who's surprised.... Sister Beck makes me So Happy!!!