Facebook Writing Prompt

When Tay was about 6 or 7 years old, he LOVED the movie "Jaws."  One day he came upstairs and seriously said to me, "Mom, if you're ever in the ocean and you hear DUN-UH. DUN-UH get out of the water QUICK."

I Like Your Beard

(Can you name that tune?)

I don't like mustaches.  But I like the look of that mustache shadow at the end of the day.

I think beards are handsome, but they are not fun to kiss.

A freshly clean-shaven man is the best look, smell, and feel in the world.

Longing

This afternoon I was driving down the road, and the sky was perfectly blue with puffy clouds sailing overhead.  I had a vision of myself as a 5-year-old little girl at Wymount Terrace, laying on the quad and watching the clouds float by.  I wish I could have that carefree feeling again.

When Our Daughter Came Home

On Sunday, April 28, we went for a ride up the canyon after church.  We came home pretty late.  When it was time for bed, I took my phone to the charger, and I realized that I had missed a phone call.  When I looked at the phone number, the caller ID said, "Indiana."  I listened to the message, and it was from Bri's mission president.  By that time it was 10:15 p.m. in Utah, which is after midnight in Indiana, so I could not return the call.  Needless to say, I had a difficult time getting to sleep that night.  And when the alarm went off on Monday morning, I jumped out of bed so I could call the mission.

The short version is that our daughter has been struggling with some mental and emotional challenges for some time.  She's visited with professionals, and that weekend it had become clear that the best thing for her was to have her come home and get some help.

From the very moment of that conversation, my heart and Spencer's heart were calm and at peace.

On Thursday, May 2, our beautiful Sister Hill came home and was honorable released as a missionary for our church.  Here are some pictures:

OK, IDK why a couple of these won't upload in the right direction.  Sorry, you'll have to tilt your head.

Anyway, our girl is HOME!!  It is so wonderful to have her here.  She is all about Indiana and all of the wonderful friends she has had there.  She's doing very well and is being smart about pursuing those things that will help her be well.  We are so proud of her.  She has truly become a remarkable woman.

HAPPY MOM!

Ready, Set, Go

A few weeks ago I came unglued at work.  I know, you're shocked.  When it originally happened, my boss was traveling.  My dear girlfriends came to my therapeutic aid and started helping me find some things to do to help with what was bothering me.  A few days later my boss came back and I ranted to him.  This time I'm pretty sure I pushed his last button.  He left on another trip the next day and I didn't hear from him at all for two entire days.  When I did hear from him, it was several emails sent to our entire division (addressing some of my concerns); and there no one-to-one contact for the duration of his trip.

Several things have come from this meltdown:

1.  I have decided that I cannot stay at my employment for the long term.  Yes, I have been frustrated before, but this one sent me home in absolute, complete, utter frustration ("frustration" is not a strong enough term).  While I'm dealing with the vexation, it is also clear in my head that I have to get out of there.  Therefore, when I graduate, I am going to take my MBA for a spin and see where it can take me.  Maybe it will take me to another clerical desk, and that's OK--as long as it is not for the corporation for which I currently work.  And maybe--just maybe--I'll find something that is a wonderful fit for me!

2.  I am busy at work.  Every. Day.  This makes me wonder why it took 2.5 years and a come-apart to figure out how to make this happen.

3.  My boss and I have a different relationship now.  We are still good friends.  I still love him very much (in appropriate ways).  But I know that I have pushed him as far as he's ever going to go with me, and he knows that I have bent as far as I'm going to bend.  Without going into details, this sounds like he's the bad guy.  He's not.  He's a very, very good guy, and the Corporation would be better if they could clone him.  But he's done all he can do, and I accept that.  It also sounds like we are no longer friends, which is far from the truth.  We are both mature enough to continue a friendship even when there are weaknesses to be faced. I'm very grateful for that, and I hope we will be friends for a very, very long time.