I will not live my whole life without real adventures to call my own
As of tomorrow, I have been blogging for five years. Astounding how quickly that time can pass and yet still have so much happen!
I still read the blog that got me started. Honestly, on that blog I have read every entry from start to current on multiple occasions and quite frequently I randomly peruse archived entries. It is brilliantly written. There have been entries that have made me laugh so hard that my sides hurt all the way to some that have brought me to tears. Thank you for teaching me, for continually inspiring me!
In these five years I figure that I have read over 180 books. They have been books of my own choosing in a wide spectrum of genres. In this last week I have finished two books both of which contained no plot, no storyline at all actually, but read more along the lines of textbooks. I am thirsty for knowledge and understanding and have learned that there is much insight to be gained through books. However, I do read more often than not for pure pleasure and so my book shelves are full of nonfiction. My dream house has a library. My book collecting began a long, long time ago. I am always up for suggestions of good books . . . hint, hint. The book that can currently be found in my hands is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Sometimes the classics just call my name.
My passport has been used, but not as frequently as I would like. I have been on two cruises, both of which were highly entertaining and a new-found favorite way to travel. I have been to Moab on our annual trip for all five years. I have been to Hawaii twice. I don’t think that I could even begin to list everywhere I have visited within the continental United States . . . but that is mostly because I don’t remember. However there is the can’t-be-forgotten trip to New Orleans to watch the Sugar Bowl and see Utah turn the Crimson Tide into a wave-free kiddy pool.
During this time my membership records were changed after 11 years of being in the same student ward to my home ward. That was a huge, challenging change in my life, but one I have found to be rewarding. In the five years I went from Temple Chair and teaching the Temple prep class to Family Home Evening Co-chair to teaching Gospel Doctrine and have finally settled in for the last three years as First Councilor in the Stake Relief Society Presidency while also teaching the fourth Sunday in my ward Relief Society. I have also had the opportunity to participate in a session in 17 different temples.
I have watched countless friends get married and start their families. If I think that counting the places I have visited would be hard, numbering the amount of bridal/baby showers I have been to would be even harder. I even fell in love twice which is unusual for me since it has only happened three times total. I have gained a brother-in-law, two nieces, two nephews and there is a new one on the way.
There have been hard moments also. There were a couple of divorces in the family and a couple of divorces that friends have gone through. My mom gave us a scare and had to have bypass surgery (which I never would have made it through that without completely breaking down without the constant support and love from an amazing friend . . . thank you sweetheart, I will never forget that). Not to be outdone, one of my nephews was born early and had to be kept in NICU for almost his first two months of life, Dad went in for replacement hip surgery and I went in for my very first mammogram (not that they really compare to emergency heart surgery, but hey they seemed big to us).
Let’s not forget (and this isn’t a complete list) that I have also re-done my entire house, had three different roommates, went skydiving, scuba diving, zip lining through the jungle, wrestled, hiked, biked, camped, cheered, played, met goals, had five birthdays, wrote letters, attended plays, traveled, worked, failed miserably, made huge mistakes, sinned, repented, had a couple of broken hearts, learned to love deeper than I even knew existed, hugged, talked, wiped tears, kissed, worried about finances, sworn, made new friends, attended funerals, disappointed and hurt people I love including myself, laughed, cried, felt completely alone, prayed, fasted, read . . . . lived life!
As of tomorrow, I have been blogging for five years. Astounding how quickly that time can pass and yet still have so much happen!
I still read the blog that got me started. Honestly, on that blog I have read every entry from start to current on multiple occasions and quite frequently I randomly peruse archived entries. It is brilliantly written. There have been entries that have made me laugh so hard that my sides hurt all the way to some that have brought me to tears. Thank you for teaching me, for continually inspiring me!
In these five years I figure that I have read over 180 books. They have been books of my own choosing in a wide spectrum of genres. In this last week I have finished two books both of which contained no plot, no storyline at all actually, but read more along the lines of textbooks. I am thirsty for knowledge and understanding and have learned that there is much insight to be gained through books. However, I do read more often than not for pure pleasure and so my book shelves are full of nonfiction. My dream house has a library. My book collecting began a long, long time ago. I am always up for suggestions of good books . . . hint, hint. The book that can currently be found in my hands is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Sometimes the classics just call my name.
My passport has been used, but not as frequently as I would like. I have been on two cruises, both of which were highly entertaining and a new-found favorite way to travel. I have been to Moab on our annual trip for all five years. I have been to Hawaii twice. I don’t think that I could even begin to list everywhere I have visited within the continental United States . . . but that is mostly because I don’t remember. However there is the can’t-be-forgotten trip to New Orleans to watch the Sugar Bowl and see Utah turn the Crimson Tide into a wave-free kiddy pool.
During this time my membership records were changed after 11 years of being in the same student ward to my home ward. That was a huge, challenging change in my life, but one I have found to be rewarding. In the five years I went from Temple Chair and teaching the Temple prep class to Family Home Evening Co-chair to teaching Gospel Doctrine and have finally settled in for the last three years as First Councilor in the Stake Relief Society Presidency while also teaching the fourth Sunday in my ward Relief Society. I have also had the opportunity to participate in a session in 17 different temples.
I have watched countless friends get married and start their families. If I think that counting the places I have visited would be hard, numbering the amount of bridal/baby showers I have been to would be even harder. I even fell in love twice which is unusual for me since it has only happened three times total. I have gained a brother-in-law, two nieces, two nephews and there is a new one on the way.
There have been hard moments also. There were a couple of divorces in the family and a couple of divorces that friends have gone through. My mom gave us a scare and had to have bypass surgery (which I never would have made it through that without completely breaking down without the constant support and love from an amazing friend . . . thank you sweetheart, I will never forget that). Not to be outdone, one of my nephews was born early and had to be kept in NICU for almost his first two months of life, Dad went in for replacement hip surgery and I went in for my very first mammogram (not that they really compare to emergency heart surgery, but hey they seemed big to us).
Let’s not forget (and this isn’t a complete list) that I have also re-done my entire house, had three different roommates, went skydiving, scuba diving, zip lining through the jungle, wrestled, hiked, biked, camped, cheered, played, met goals, had five birthdays, wrote letters, attended plays, traveled, worked, failed miserably, made huge mistakes, sinned, repented, had a couple of broken hearts, learned to love deeper than I even knew existed, hugged, talked, wiped tears, kissed, worried about finances, sworn, made new friends, attended funerals, disappointed and hurt people I love including myself, laughed, cried, felt completely alone, prayed, fasted, read . . . . lived life!
posted by B at
4:39 PM
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