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Friday, July 20, 2007

Floridian Update!

So, life here is a little hectic. With my phone not working and my Internet down I have felt much like this is another full-time mission. I even sent snail mail to my family and 2 of my friends yesterday--whoa--blast from the past.

I have seen some really wonderful people come to Christ while I have been here. This week was like the marathon gospel week. Last Friday and Saturday I spent in Ft. Lauderdale at a young single adult (YSA) conference, then church in Sunday, with missionary meeting after, teaching new member discussions, and to top it off a fireside. Monday was FHE, Tuesday meetings with the bishop/YM/YW @ the church, and a couple hours working with LDS Family Services to establish the addiction recovery groups here in So. Florida. Wednesday I taught Institute on 2 Nephi. Thursday was the Relief Society pioneer dinner, Tonight was the YSA/missionary dinner we hosted, tomorrow morning at 6:30 we have a stake temple trip leaving for Orlando, then back by 7 or 8pm, and church the next morning.

The work with LDS Family Services and also AFSP, and most especially the church have been wonderful!!! I love it here!!! I got offered a job in Nantucket for the next 4-5 months, and I had decided to go...I made a list of pros and cons and all the "cons" were the people here, quality friends, missionary and service opportunities. I don't want to leave the people.

Oh, and an incredible Jerusalem Story. I will save it for later! Lovin' life here!

Monday, July 9, 2007

A Few of My Favorite Smiles...

All wrapped up tight like a bug in a rug, 'like her daddy used to' swingin' @ Uncle Brad's weddingEatin' Chinese @ her daddy's favorite, The Mandarin!Flowers for Aunt Ah-eee, right from Hammy's front yard.Ok, so maybe I keep them...Chewin' Chocolate covered strawberries, smile!Smilin' to see just how much i can get away with
[Photo taken by Sydney M. Crist]A Lovin' Hammy Shan SmileI think there is a smile behind all that water...Watch me everybody, watch me!!!Enough said...The, I'm pretending to be shy smile/my papa's wife doesn't know how to do my hair...The 'I don't know any of these people' courtesy smile.Wow. I think I could get into a lot of things up here smileMy Aunt Ashwee has chocolate cake for me smile!!!The I WANT MY BINKY BACK NOW SMILEBaby yoga smilin'The best hair ever smile!!!Hide-and-go-seeking-smile!

Thursday, July 5, 2007

My Horoscope Today...Sagittarius

I just have to say...I rarely read my horoscope--in fact I only check my MSN account about once a month, and I happened upon this.

Pay attention to the news today, dear Sagittarius. Be sure to check out not just the mainstream news, but the offbeat smaller, independent publications. Question what you hear and what you read. Take an active role in increasing your own knowledge of the world. Take responsibility for your citizenship by keeping a keen eye out to what is going on. Information is an important piece of the puzzle towards gaining power.

I found it interesting considering my being led to the marriage amendment--which made me want to register to vote, and also an independent publication that led me to a woman that invited me to be on the board for AFSP's upcoming Florida events, and then a small community paper back in SLC that contacted me today about writing an article on my experience with the Out of Darkness walk in New York City...

It just all goes to show that God created the universe and that there are laws that govern even the smallest details of our lives. I am very grateful for that knowledge. I think there are many out there that place all their confidence in something like a horoscope, not realizing the hand of God in all things.

I also want to share with you what I feel is the best daily advice for life--it comes from my homepage http://www.lds.org... and was from this morning:
"The world is in need of your help. There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to save. The blessings of eternity await you." -President Thomas S. Monson. Doesn't that just inspire you beyond the vague assurance of a horoscope? It makes me want to be better and do more and seek greater opportunities to help others, not just wait for the stars to allign for my good.

I hadn't meant for this to turn into a late night rambling--but I have not posted for quite some time now. So many things have happened--my brother is now happily married to the woman of his dreams--hooray for Brad & Abby!!! I got to spend 4 wonderful days with my favorite kids: Sydney(5), Stockton(4) & Samantha(2)! I got to see almost all my old friends!!! with the exception of 3. I had a nice little emergency root canal the morning of my brother's wedding *I'll come back to this one* I had a physical and was reprimanded for not going to the Dr. consistently since i got hit by the truck while jogging in 2006, I had an eye exam and was told that I have the eyesight of an Eagle about 20/7!!! Which means I can see in 7' what most see in 20'-(I only share that because I didn't know what it meant);) and that i have a pretty severe astigmatism and would find glasses very helpful--they're on the way! Oh yes, and I learned a great deal about decorating wedding cakes, hand-dipping hundreds of strawberries in chocolate, wearing flip-flops rather than high heels, and why I miss driving 5-speed...Brad lent me his convertible for the weekend... I got to take all the kids to the best Chinese restaurant ever with my sweet mother. Was able to have a sleep-over with all over them at least once, even got to stay up all-night with dear sweet Sydney--OK, so not irresponsibly...the poor little doll was violently ill :( Was able to play in the sprinklers with Samantha, take Stockton to J-Dawgs and the swimmin' pool, and just love them like CRAZY!!!

Oh yes, and in my spare time I went through all my belongings, gave lots to charity, organized them all and moved out of my last apartment in Provo. For those of you that don't understand that last part--I'd lived with one of my best friends and she kindly watched over my stuff for the past few months--LOVE YOU!!!

I have so much more to post--including pictures (but I left my camera connection in Utah and it is somewhere between here and there in the care of the USPS--so that will be a few days...) but I am going to sleep now. More to come--it's a whole new year! And in case you wonder what I mean... this year has been the longest/hardest of my life. This week marks 365 days without my big brother...and so it is a new year. I even changed the dark look of this crazy old blog and am working on other aspects of my lil' life. I'd been thinking about this all day and wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry when a good friend pointed out just how young I look in the photos from exactly 1 year ago... so much can change in a year... and that provides hope for all the possibilities of the up-coming year!

Which also brings me to another topic I have had on my mind...but I'll save that for yet another rambling!

Florida Marriage Amendment

First, I know this isn't quite what most of you had in mind when asking for more frequent posts.
Second, for those of you that know me...I normally don't say much about politics which brings me to my final point:

Anything that is in alignment God's ordained plan that marriage be between a man and a woman is worth fighting for.

In an attempt to protect the divinely defined definition of marriage between 1 man and 1 woman, signatures of Florida residents/registered voters are needed. (I know...shockingly it is even causing me to register to vote...)

http://www.florida4marriage.org/

See also: "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" This is an official declaration from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that helped me come to a greater knowledge and appreciation of marriage and family amid the confusing connotations that attempt to define marriage.

http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,161-1-11-1,00.html