Such a loss....

Photo by Meridian Magazine

Our earth lost a great and marvelous man last night.

Sunday, January 27, was a typical sabbath day for our family. We woke up, got ready for church, attended our meetings and then came home to spend family time together and relax. That evening W and I took our youngest daughter back to the church for the Primary's Eight is Great program. Our baby, Tiny, who really isn't a baby anymore, was so excited to go becuase she'd learn about her pending baptism and get more information about attending Activity Days. Her excitement was contagious and we had a fun evening watching her interact with her CTR-8 pals.

When we got home from that it was just after 8:00 and we were getting into our jammies to begin our nighttime ritual when the phone rang. I saw on the caller ID that it was my mom so I answered it. She said that she was calling to say she was sorry. Confused, I asked her why... She said she is so sorry about President Hinckley. My mom is not a member of the Church, so her statement startled me a bit. I asked her what happened?

She proceeded to tearfully tell me that she'd seen on the news that President Gordon B. Hinckley had passed away. All I could say is, "Oh no, I didn't know!" and I started to cry. I don't really know why the news was so unexpected to me, since he is 97 years old and has been looking a bit worn lately, but it really took me by surprise and I burst into tears and said goodbye to her.

My husband was instantly by my side asking me what was wrong and I was crying so much I had to breathe deeply to even get the words out. I think I scared the children with my reaction because they really didn't know how to handle the news. My husband choked up a bit and we went to the television to see what the news was saying.

I admit that I did overreact to the news. While I am sad that we have lost a very dear prophet, I know that he is now reunited with his dear wife and that he is surrounded by the love of God in paradise. I am happy for him. It just seemed as though he would go on forever and forever as our prophet and mouthpiece for Heavenly Father...

I know that the church will go on because it is the Lord's church. I will accept whomever is called to serve as President with all my heart because I know he will be called of God. All is well and as it should be.

I've still shed a tear or two over the loss, but happy for the progression.

Have a giggle!

This video never ceases to make me happy... how can you NOT giggle at a baby's belly laugh??

The Importance of Friends

Do you have one of those people in your life that make you laugh until your sides ache over dumb little things? A person that when you spend time with them, the time just flies by in a blink? A person who makes you feel good about yourself just by being with them? A person who would do anything for you at the drop of a hat and not expect anything in return?

I have one of those people... and I thank Heavenly Father for her every single day.

I don't know where I'd be without my pal. She is absolutely incredible and I'm sad that I haven't known her my entire life (though I know I chose her in the Pre-Existence), it just took us a while to find each other here on earth. I've never met a more generous, loving soul. Ever. I totally want to be her when I grow up.

My buddy and I had lunch together today. We sat down at the restaurant and it was literally 3:30 by the time we got up to leave. It didn't seem like we'd been sitting there for 3 hours. We talked and giggled the whole time... I'm sure I burned off a few calories from laughing so hard (bonus!). Afterwards we stopped at the grocery store because we each needed a few things and I wasn't ready to take her home. Again, total giggles up and down the aisles. Even mundane things become fun when you have a friend to share it with (although, she can go to her gynecologist by herself...).

They say that you can't take anything with you when you die... but I know that our friends are the most prized posssessions we can have on this earth and we will get to be with the really good ones up in heaven. I'm hoping that our plots are right next door to each other. Every Wilma needs a Betty!

I love you, pal. Thanks for the day. See you next week!!

What a loss.....

Heath Ledger, who starred in one of my all-time favorite movies (shown below) died today of an apparent drug overdose. There are many facets of this news that is sad, not the least of which is that he was only 28 and that he has a young daughter who will now never know her daddy.

Reports are still unconclusive as to whether the overdose was intentional or not. He was in an apartment awaiting a massage and when an assistant came to tell him the masseuse had arrived, he was found naked and dead with pills nearby.

What a shame. He's such a beautiful man with so much promise in his career. It just goes to prove that it doesn't matter how famous you are, money will NOT buy you happiness. It's too bad that he didn't reach out for help before he got so low that this was the only way out for him. Owen Wilson felt the same way last year and had it not been for good friends and timely intervention, he would be in the same boat.

I will mourn this loss. How very sad.

Don't What?

This is posted on my 7 year old's bedroom door.

I promise to not disterd. I swear.

A picture is worth.....

Here I am, Before:




Here I am, After:



Please don't notice there is also a significant weight difference between the two photos. Fifteen extra pounds followed me home one day and decided to stay. I'm working on finding a good home for them soon.....

Still Brunette

Yep, I'm still brunette. Most of the reaction I've received has been positive, but I'm still not sure if they are being sincere or if they are just trying to be nice. I still double-take when I pass by a mirror and at one point my oldest daughter, upon seeing me from behind, wasn't sure who I was. The change is definitely drastic.

My husband wasn't able to see the fruits of my derangement until Tuesday night about 9:30. I came home from book club and he was in the kitchen so I just walked in and stood there. He looked up at me, paused for a brief second, and said, "Wow, your hair is dark." That's it. I think I expected something more... something like in the old Tom & Jerry cartoons where the characters' eyes pop out of their head with an "aaahhhhooooogggggaaaaa" sound... but, I just get "wow, your hair is dark."

After he'd had a day to have the change grow on him a bit I asked him what he truly thought when he first saw my hair. He said, "Just what I said... wow, your hair is dark." He did say that he likes it, it's just different.

Hmmm, "different."

On a whim, I called my hairdress to see what could be done to tone it down a bit and she said we could do some highlights to bring the color down but that would cost $36 - way more than I can spend on a hairdo I already paid for. Anything else requires bleach and could turn my hair a lovely shade of pink. Grrrrrr. I'm essentially stuck being a brunette for a while. Guess I better get friendly with the girl in the mirror.

I'll post pictures soon.

I think I made a boo-boo

Uh oh... I may have made a major mistake today, but I really won't know for sure until this evening when I bring others in on my moment of insanity.

What did I do?

Well, after months of looking at myself in a mirror and trying hard not to gag at the reflection, I stormed calmly walked into my hairdresser's salon and demanded requested a change. She smiled, sat me in her swiveling chair, draped me in the cape and pulled out her little swatches of hair to choose from. I pointed to one and she went to mix the solution. Hair color is a bit deceiving since it looks harmless in a nice white-colored cream, which she generously slathered all over my head. I happily skipped over to the dryer to sit and process all the while trying to read lips as she talked to me and I (hopefully) responded in the right places at the right times.

:: as an aside, why in the world do people like hairdressers and dentists try to carry on coversations with their clients/patients when it's abundantly clear that they are unable to hear/speak back?? Why??? ::

After the dryer it was over to the sink to be shampooed and conditioned. I happily carried on a conversation with my energetic hairdresser where we giggled and chatted over the antics of children and the frustrations of lunatic siblings... and that's when she spun the chair around so I was face to face with myself in the mirror.

GASP!

I now have the same color hair as my hairdresser, though she admitted that she had never in her life been a blonde as I had been just 45 minutes earlier. My hair is now the color of a dark devils-food chocolate bon-bon where it used to be the color of frosting you'd see on a maple donut. A difference of about 8 shades.

I've had a good part of the day to let the change grow on me, but I still double-take when I pass by a mirror. My husband is going to flip out when he sees it. And, when I say flip out, I'm not sure if that's in a good way or not. I also have book club tonight, where I'll be gathered with several of my closest friends, who all have no idea I've made any changes to my appearance. Their reactions will dictate whether I find myself back in the hairdressers swivel chair tomorrow or not...

So, here I sit... waiting to exhale.....

Hello?

Hello... Hello... Hello...

Is there anybody out there?

Can anyone hear me?

The lights are on, but I don't think anyone is home.

Why do I even keep this blog account open? Maybe I think that someday I'll get hit with a literary stick and I'll begin to spout amazing posts and become a world famous blogger where people will flock from the four corners of the earth to hang on my every word, where even the little black school children from Africa who don't own computers will know me by name because I am THAT amazing.

Not possible, you say?

Yeah, I know. But, it was a good visual for the moment.

Sigh.