I just need to get this out. First, I am STILL grateful that we got a job, and frankly it's probably way whiney of me to even be complaining... but, well, sometimes you just have a bad day. I hate moving.
Yesterday as I was walking out to do visiting teaching I tripped over the last step and twisted my ankle so badly I honestly thought I broke it. Jordan and I debated the merits of going to the emergency room, and I'm glad we didn't because I'm sure it's not broken now (at the time I was genuinely in a significant amount of pain), but it's a pretty nasty sprain. It's hard to get up and down and walk around the apartment as effectively as I need to in order to pack and care for a cute little baby. Lame.
Lately, Clara has decided to take 20 minute naps. This is actually probably my fault because we haven't been as consistent with her bedtime because we're so busy getting stuff done/saying goodbye, and so she's starting to get sleep deprived. But man o man is it frustrating when I go to start to do something and she wakes up about 5 minutes later, clearly still exhausted. People have offered to help and watch her so I can get more done, but how can I send her to people like this? It doesn't seem fair to say, "Here, put my kid to bed. She'll wake up crying in 20 minutes, but thanks anyway!"
First, I couldn't get my apartment listing on Craigslist. So then I got it on KSL, had two responses who both came and saw the apartment (which I just think is the best place ever) and decided to go with someone else. I finally did get it on Craigslist, got two responses but both decided it wouldn't work. It's SO frustrating! I should have never signed that year-long lease (they were pretty forceful about it) and really pushed them to do month-to-month (I don't know if I would have won, but I wish I had put up more of a fight).
On top of all of this, I'm leaving and I wish I could spend time with everyone. But here I am, stuck in a stupid apartment that one sell and doing the one thing I'm pretty sure I hate most in the world: Moving.
Alright, pity-party over. It's going to be ok, the apartment WILL get rented out, Clara will feel better when we have a normal schedule in Phoenix, and most importantly I can stop moving.
I really, really hate moving. Did I mention that already?
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Another Blog!
Alrighty, not everyone may be interested, but... maybe you are. One of my favorite pass-times is to read, including current events. And I often have an opinion that I don't necessarily feel comfortable expressing on this blog. So I've started a new one, that deals mostly with current events, or commenting on trends, or maybe just discussing something I read that I thought was interesting. I started because I enjoy having intelligent conversation about what's going on in our world. Feel free to go on, comment, and maybe even write a post stating your OWN opinion. I'm not interested in having arguments, but thoughtful conversation (that includes people who don't necessarily agree with me). And, certainly, if you just like Happy Mommy Amanda and not so interested in loud, opinionated Amanda, keep reading this one! But for those adventurous souls, you can find my thoughts here.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
5 Months Old!!!
This is ridiculous. How can time go by so fast? And how can she change so rapidly in such a short period? I was thinking today of how my life has revolved around nursing her for the last 5 months! Every 2-5 hours for the last FIVE MONTHS I've been tied to this beautiful creature. And it doesn't bother me nearly as much as I thought it would...
Ok, lets see if I can break this down:
-Clara's favorite and most impressive trick by far is rolling over. She can go from her back to her front very easily and quickly. For some reason she's slower from her front to back (which is weird because that's what she did first). She can go all the way around to get somewhere.
-Grabbing things! She was a bit of a late grabber. Just not that interested in using her hands. She's still ok with NOT grabbing everything (which, I won't lie, is fabulous), but she's getting more and more bold.
-Very, very close to sitting up. Actually, she will sit up on her own for quite a while, but then if she bends the wrong way she comes toppling down. So... this is a "mostly." I say by 5 1/2 months she'll be a pro!
-Sucking her thumb. So, so, so cute. Indescribably cute. I should stop her, but I can't. It's too adorable.
-She's a TOTAL Daddy's girl. Poor thing is going to be heartbroken when dad has to work all day and she's stuck with Mommy. Daddy, somehow, always makes everything better for her. He'll go to put her to bed, and the next thing I know I hear her (very adorable) belly laugh.
-It's just amazing how she's discovering how to use her body. She bends all sorts of ways now. Arching her back to look behind her, lots of twisting, and TONS of wiggling.
-Lately she's started to jabber a bit more. Really, she just has a new sound that sort of sounds like yelling when she's decided she's bored and wants attention. It's basically "fake crying." She's upset, but not sad or angry. It's also very funny to hear this used to be quiet baby making such a big deal about getting her toy back.
-Still no hair. *sigh* My sister-in-law Anna recently had a beautiful new baby girl, Lizzie, with TONS of dark hair. We called her husband Mike and told him that we're having "hair envy." Jordan likes to remind me that this is my fault. He had tons of hair (like Lizzie). I was bald until I was two. Poor Clara...
-In our new ward, I'm fairly certain she is the the youngest. Actually, I think she's the only baby under the age of 1. Which is SO weird coming from a BYU Married ward. But it does get you a LOT of attention. She's just TOO CUTE!
Enjoy this video of Jordan making her laugh!
Ok, lets see if I can break this down:
-Clara's favorite and most impressive trick by far is rolling over. She can go from her back to her front very easily and quickly. For some reason she's slower from her front to back (which is weird because that's what she did first). She can go all the way around to get somewhere.
-Grabbing things! She was a bit of a late grabber. Just not that interested in using her hands. She's still ok with NOT grabbing everything (which, I won't lie, is fabulous), but she's getting more and more bold.
-Very, very close to sitting up. Actually, she will sit up on her own for quite a while, but then if she bends the wrong way she comes toppling down. So... this is a "mostly." I say by 5 1/2 months she'll be a pro!
-Sucking her thumb. So, so, so cute. Indescribably cute. I should stop her, but I can't. It's too adorable.
-She's a TOTAL Daddy's girl. Poor thing is going to be heartbroken when dad has to work all day and she's stuck with Mommy. Daddy, somehow, always makes everything better for her. He'll go to put her to bed, and the next thing I know I hear her (very adorable) belly laugh.
-It's just amazing how she's discovering how to use her body. She bends all sorts of ways now. Arching her back to look behind her, lots of twisting, and TONS of wiggling.
-Lately she's started to jabber a bit more. Really, she just has a new sound that sort of sounds like yelling when she's decided she's bored and wants attention. It's basically "fake crying." She's upset, but not sad or angry. It's also very funny to hear this used to be quiet baby making such a big deal about getting her toy back.
-Still no hair. *sigh* My sister-in-law Anna recently had a beautiful new baby girl, Lizzie, with TONS of dark hair. We called her husband Mike and told him that we're having "hair envy." Jordan likes to remind me that this is my fault. He had tons of hair (like Lizzie). I was bald until I was two. Poor Clara...
-In our new ward, I'm fairly certain she is the the youngest. Actually, I think she's the only baby under the age of 1. Which is SO weird coming from a BYU Married ward. But it does get you a LOT of attention. She's just TOO CUTE!
Enjoy this video of Jordan making her laugh!
Day Fifteen: Your First Kiss
Ok, I won't lie, part of the reason I've been putting off writing this is because I've been debating telling the truth. Everyone else has been talking about their kiss when they were 5, or their first kiss with their husband. Well, my real first kiss is too funny not to tell. So, here it goes:
I was 17. This was during the unrequited love period with Jordan, I was still pretty obsessed with him, he was still with Sarah, that whole sob story. I was helping out at a Cub Scouts thing and there was this guy I had met the year before. I thought he disliked me. He never talked to me, always seemed to leave the room when I got there, etc. Well, it was strange, because this time I kept catching him looking at me, and eventually he got up the nerve to ask me out.
I. Was. Shocked. I never viewed myself as an exceptionally pretty person, and no guy had ever come up to me and actually asked me out. I didn't even have a chance to consider if I was actually interested, I was so shocked that I said yes automatically.
We went on a date the next night. I didn't really know what to think... I really thought this guy disliked me before, and now I find out he actually has a crush on me? Too weird (clearly my self-esteem needed some work). We went on a date, and he took me to a really lovely restaurant, which was so kind and totally intimidated me. I ordered the cheapest thing on the menu because I was too shy to order anything else. We talked a bit, and I enjoyed myself, although I wasn't sure what to think. We went to see Finding Nemo at the movie theater, which was fun.
At the end of the night we were saying goodbye, when he asked for a kiss. I. Was. Shocked. (for the second time). I didn't even have a chance to think about it, I said yes automatically. Yes, again. And no, this is not the type of thing you want to say yes automatically to.
We broke up about 2 weeks later (he left, wasn't LDS, etc). The best thing that came out of it, however was the fact that I realized that pouring myself into Jordan (who still was dating someone else) was essentially a waste of time. Boys were interested in me, why was I wasting my time one someone who didn't particularly care? This seems like a harsh thing to say about my husband, but it was probably the best thing that could have happened. Because I wasn't idealizing him any longer and we could just be friends, things developed more naturally. I"m certain that because I stopped being infatuated with him when I was 17, we were able to become a real couple when I was 19. Thank you, boy-who-gave-me-first-kiss, for showing me I was someone worthy of love and admiration.
I was 17. This was during the unrequited love period with Jordan, I was still pretty obsessed with him, he was still with Sarah, that whole sob story. I was helping out at a Cub Scouts thing and there was this guy I had met the year before. I thought he disliked me. He never talked to me, always seemed to leave the room when I got there, etc. Well, it was strange, because this time I kept catching him looking at me, and eventually he got up the nerve to ask me out.
I. Was. Shocked. I never viewed myself as an exceptionally pretty person, and no guy had ever come up to me and actually asked me out. I didn't even have a chance to consider if I was actually interested, I was so shocked that I said yes automatically.
We went on a date the next night. I didn't really know what to think... I really thought this guy disliked me before, and now I find out he actually has a crush on me? Too weird (clearly my self-esteem needed some work). We went on a date, and he took me to a really lovely restaurant, which was so kind and totally intimidated me. I ordered the cheapest thing on the menu because I was too shy to order anything else. We talked a bit, and I enjoyed myself, although I wasn't sure what to think. We went to see Finding Nemo at the movie theater, which was fun.
At the end of the night we were saying goodbye, when he asked for a kiss. I. Was. Shocked. (for the second time). I didn't even have a chance to think about it, I said yes automatically. Yes, again. And no, this is not the type of thing you want to say yes automatically to.
We broke up about 2 weeks later (he left, wasn't LDS, etc). The best thing that came out of it, however was the fact that I realized that pouring myself into Jordan (who still was dating someone else) was essentially a waste of time. Boys were interested in me, why was I wasting my time one someone who didn't particularly care? This seems like a harsh thing to say about my husband, but it was probably the best thing that could have happened. Because I wasn't idealizing him any longer and we could just be friends, things developed more naturally. I"m certain that because I stopped being infatuated with him when I was 17, we were able to become a real couple when I was 19. Thank you, boy-who-gave-me-first-kiss, for showing me I was someone worthy of love and admiration.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Update
Yes, I know I'm failing at my 30 day challenge. In my defense, I"m too busy. So we're going to take a little "hiatus" from it and just plow through the next few busy weeks. I have SO much I need to get done. The good news is that a LOT of it can be done from home with phone calls and the internet (thank you Ensign and renter's insurance). But there's just a lot of little odds and ends that need to be taken care of before I can leave.
We got an apartment! It's 3 minutes away from Jordan's work. We haven't seen it, so here's to hoping it's as great as the internet says it is! We're looking for someone to take over our apartment. lame. But, yeah, just chugging a long and trying to get everything in order! Wish us luck!
We got an apartment! It's 3 minutes away from Jordan's work. We haven't seen it, so here's to hoping it's as great as the internet says it is! We're looking for someone to take over our apartment. lame. But, yeah, just chugging a long and trying to get everything in order! Wish us luck!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
The Job
Well, we knew someday it would happen, but it seemed like it never would. And here it is: we have a job! Well, Jordan has a job. He'll be working for Milliman in Scottsdale, AZ. We're SO excited, but we can hardly believe it's actually happening. And so quickly!
It's the perfect place for Jordan to begin his career. Small office (he'll be the 8th person) in a big company (you can find Milliman in every major city). It's a consulting company (rather than an insurance company like BlueCross BlueShield or Travelers) so he'll work with clients and get a really broad set of experiences.
I've been saying for months that we're willing to go where ever we're needed, and I can say we're definitely eating our words. :) I can't say Arizona was on our top picks of places we wanted to move. The summers are going to be HOT! But we are willing to go anywhere and be happy, and that includes Arizona. That being said, May-September, you can find me indoors right next to the air conditioning...
I just have to take a moment and talk about how grateful we are to our family and friends who have been fasting and praying for us. We had a family fast at the beginning of the year, where both my parents and siblings and Jordan's parents and siblings fasted that we would get a job. We did this knowing full well that we may NOT get a job, that it might not be what Heavenly Father has in mind for us. We are so grateful that things have worked out the way we hoped.
I kept hearing a quote this week at church, "Pray as if everything depended on the Lord, but work as if everything depended on you." I wish we could say that we totally lived up to this, but we're human and I can't say we did everything we could to find a job. So much credit goes to Heavenly Father for helping us find the right people at the right time. I know He has a plan for our lives, and I have seen His hand in all that we do. I hope that this can stand as a testament in our lives about the importance of prayer, obedience and faith.
It's the perfect place for Jordan to begin his career. Small office (he'll be the 8th person) in a big company (you can find Milliman in every major city). It's a consulting company (rather than an insurance company like BlueCross BlueShield or Travelers) so he'll work with clients and get a really broad set of experiences.
I've been saying for months that we're willing to go where ever we're needed, and I can say we're definitely eating our words. :) I can't say Arizona was on our top picks of places we wanted to move. The summers are going to be HOT! But we are willing to go anywhere and be happy, and that includes Arizona. That being said, May-September, you can find me indoors right next to the air conditioning...
I just have to take a moment and talk about how grateful we are to our family and friends who have been fasting and praying for us. We had a family fast at the beginning of the year, where both my parents and siblings and Jordan's parents and siblings fasted that we would get a job. We did this knowing full well that we may NOT get a job, that it might not be what Heavenly Father has in mind for us. We are so grateful that things have worked out the way we hoped.
I kept hearing a quote this week at church, "Pray as if everything depended on the Lord, but work as if everything depended on you." I wish we could say that we totally lived up to this, but we're human and I can't say we did everything we could to find a job. So much credit goes to Heavenly Father for helping us find the right people at the right time. I know He has a plan for our lives, and I have seen His hand in all that we do. I hope that this can stand as a testament in our lives about the importance of prayer, obedience and faith.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Day Fourteen: What I Wore Today
This again? I so don't care about clothes! It's just too bad. At least I had church today, so I wore more than pajamas...
I wore a black skirt and a red shirt, and some very cute new shoes. I wasn't super happy with the way I looked, but you know, at least I got this cute baby out of the whole my-body-is-a-disaster-zone thing. :)
To distract from the other... unpleasantness... here are some pictures of the sweet baby!
I wore a black skirt and a red shirt, and some very cute new shoes. I wasn't super happy with the way I looked, but you know, at least I got this cute baby out of the whole my-body-is-a-disaster-zone thing. :)
To distract from the other... unpleasantness... here are some pictures of the sweet baby!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Day Thirteen: This Week
Well, this has actually been a really interesting week with some pretty big news... that'll come around Thursday!
Sunday: In Alaska, I woke up pretty sick but still had to sing in 2 wards. So I got tons of salt water up my nose and took a decongestent and toughed it out! It was really cold... I mean, REALLY cold. -40 kind of cold. So only one hour church. Spent time with our families that day and spent the night packing.
Monday: Almost missed our flight in the morning. Both Clara and I are pretty sick and I"m freaking out about us flying and getting ear infections. Even though we couldn't take on the car seat this time, all the flying went exceptionally well! Everyone complimented us on what a good baby she is, and then warned us that it's not possible that we'll have another baby as good.
Tuesday: Big shopping day! Groceries and tracking down an alternative to Clara's swaddler. We've been talking about getting rid of the swaddler for some time now, but have been putting it off because she sleeps SO well in it. Anyway, we picked up a sleep sack for her.
Wednesday: A visit to the pediatrician for Clara! She's 16 lbs 5 oz and 26 inches long. She's no longer in the 95th percentile for weight (she's in the 80th), but in terms of hight she's now in the 97th percentile. I thought she was starting to look more muscular and a little stretched out rather than exceptionally chubby. She's doing great! I've been concerned about her lack interest in grabbing things, and the doctor said it's something to watch but not being overly concerned about. And then, that same day, I got this video:
It was so cute, just trying to figure out how to get that toy in her mouth! Since that day, she suddenly become much more interested in grabbing stuff. YAY!
Thursday: This is where the big news happens. Jordan had an onsite interview in Phoenix for a actuarial consulting job with Milliman. I dropped him off at their airport at 5:30 (ugh) and then proceeded to sleep most of the day because I felt so sick. Jordan had a GREAT interview. A small office, they all seemed to really like him. We'll find out Monday or Tuesday if he got the job, so we're really excited. Anyway, picked him up from the airport at 9:30pm.
Friday: Got a call from the recruiter who scheduled the interview for Jordan in Arizona. She had talked to the main gut at the office who LOVED Jordan. They're going to take the weekend to decide for sure, but if they feel this good on Monday they said we probably got the job. So... it looks really good! Keep your fingers crossed! We decided to go to the temple for the first time since Clara was born, to start the decision making process. Thanks Aunt Kaitlyn for the help!
Saturday: Woke up the morning still feeling awful (I'd been feeling progressively worse all week), so I scheduled a doctor's appointment. Not strep, just a upper respitory viral infection. Nothing much you can do except wait it out. And Clara rolled over multiple times, which is both very exciting and somewhat disturbing, as now she is somewhat mobile.
I know this was long, but I thought the news and videos were worth it! It's been a thrilling week! Follow-up news to come after the weekend!
Sunday: In Alaska, I woke up pretty sick but still had to sing in 2 wards. So I got tons of salt water up my nose and took a decongestent and toughed it out! It was really cold... I mean, REALLY cold. -40 kind of cold. So only one hour church. Spent time with our families that day and spent the night packing.
Monday: Almost missed our flight in the morning. Both Clara and I are pretty sick and I"m freaking out about us flying and getting ear infections. Even though we couldn't take on the car seat this time, all the flying went exceptionally well! Everyone complimented us on what a good baby she is, and then warned us that it's not possible that we'll have another baby as good.
Tuesday: Big shopping day! Groceries and tracking down an alternative to Clara's swaddler. We've been talking about getting rid of the swaddler for some time now, but have been putting it off because she sleeps SO well in it. Anyway, we picked up a sleep sack for her.
Wednesday: A visit to the pediatrician for Clara! She's 16 lbs 5 oz and 26 inches long. She's no longer in the 95th percentile for weight (she's in the 80th), but in terms of hight she's now in the 97th percentile. I thought she was starting to look more muscular and a little stretched out rather than exceptionally chubby. She's doing great! I've been concerned about her lack interest in grabbing things, and the doctor said it's something to watch but not being overly concerned about. And then, that same day, I got this video:
It was so cute, just trying to figure out how to get that toy in her mouth! Since that day, she suddenly become much more interested in grabbing stuff. YAY!
Thursday: This is where the big news happens. Jordan had an onsite interview in Phoenix for a actuarial consulting job with Milliman. I dropped him off at their airport at 5:30 (ugh) and then proceeded to sleep most of the day because I felt so sick. Jordan had a GREAT interview. A small office, they all seemed to really like him. We'll find out Monday or Tuesday if he got the job, so we're really excited. Anyway, picked him up from the airport at 9:30pm.
Friday: Got a call from the recruiter who scheduled the interview for Jordan in Arizona. She had talked to the main gut at the office who LOVED Jordan. They're going to take the weekend to decide for sure, but if they feel this good on Monday they said we probably got the job. So... it looks really good! Keep your fingers crossed! We decided to go to the temple for the first time since Clara was born, to start the decision making process. Thanks Aunt Kaitlyn for the help!
Saturday: Woke up the morning still feeling awful (I'd been feeling progressively worse all week), so I scheduled a doctor's appointment. Not strep, just a upper respitory viral infection. Nothing much you can do except wait it out. And Clara rolled over multiple times, which is both very exciting and somewhat disturbing, as now she is somewhat mobile.
I know this was long, but I thought the news and videos were worth it! It's been a thrilling week! Follow-up news to come after the weekend!
Day Twelve: What's in Your Bag?
Well, now-a-days, a just carry around one bag: a diaper bag. And in a bit of luck, I JUST cleaned it out the other day, so you can thing I am the cleanest person ever. Here's what I got:
3 diapers
wipes
butt paste
diaper changing pad
mylicon
Nursing Cover
Burb cloth
Extra onsie/pair of pants
Yep, baby central right there.
3 diapers
wipes
butt paste
diaper changing pad
mylicon
Nursing Cover
Burb cloth
Extra onsie/pair of pants
Yep, baby central right there.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Day Eleven: My Siblings
I have quite the smorgasbord of siblings these days. It's actually kinda weird, because for the longest time it was just me and my two sisters, Robin and Melanie. We were born in a four year period (my poor mother) and we shared a room... Basically it was just us until I was 20 years old when my mom got pregnant again (SUPRISE!)
Then there was Elyse! Yes, 20 years younger than me, and a 16 year gap between Melanie and her.
After I was married at the ripe old age of 22, I finally got a brother, Liam. He's just about to turn two. Yeah, my mom was pregnant my wedding.
Ok, and then I got married and gained all of Jordan's siblings (he was number six of eight), which was SUPER fun. Oh, and most of them are married, so I have 13 siblings on that side. For a total of 17. I went from two sister's to 17 siblings in a matter of 2 years.
And guess what? They are all the coolest people you'll ever meet!
Then there was Elyse! Yes, 20 years younger than me, and a 16 year gap between Melanie and her.
After I was married at the ripe old age of 22, I finally got a brother, Liam. He's just about to turn two. Yeah, my mom was pregnant my wedding.
Ok, and then I got married and gained all of Jordan's siblings (he was number six of eight), which was SUPER fun. Oh, and most of them are married, so I have 13 siblings on that side. For a total of 17. I went from two sister's to 17 siblings in a matter of 2 years.
And guess what? They are all the coolest people you'll ever meet!
Day Ten: What I wore today
Ok, true confessions...
I spent the whole day in my pajamas.
Oh, yeah, I"m totally that kind of mom.
(In my defense I was up at 4am to take Jordan to the airport and being sleep deprived made me extra sick. When I wasn't taking care of Clara I was trying to get some sleep.)
I spent the whole day in my pajamas.
Oh, yeah, I"m totally that kind of mom.
(In my defense I was up at 4am to take Jordan to the airport and being sleep deprived made me extra sick. When I wasn't taking care of Clara I was trying to get some sleep.)
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Day Nine: My Beliefs
(I'm so behind on this 30 day deal. I'm also so sick. That's my excuse)
My beliefs are at the very core of who I am. I know I can be happy no matter what happens to me because of my faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Let me give an example of how the Atonement has directly blessed my life.
I was twelve when my dad passed away. I thought I would never be happy again. When I looked into the future, I saw nothing but darkness. I thought about 5, 10 years down the road... would those days ever come? Despite my fears, I held on to the gospel like a lifeboat. I attended church, seminary, and Young Women's. I tried to be obedient. And when I was the saddest, I looked to my Savior, who said,
"Come unto me, all ye that are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
-Matthew 11:28-30
He knew my pain, an ache that I thought would never go away. Yet I know that through my obedience and faith, I suffer no permanent ill effects from that experience. I feel complete peace about my dad's passing. The world believes that there are pains that simply can not be healed. I know better: the Savior offered himself as a sacrifice so that we all can be whole. Physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
I live the principles of the Gospel because I know they will make me happy and that I will be with my family forever.
If you would like to learn more about the church, please visit mormon.org.
My beliefs are at the very core of who I am. I know I can be happy no matter what happens to me because of my faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Let me give an example of how the Atonement has directly blessed my life.
I was twelve when my dad passed away. I thought I would never be happy again. When I looked into the future, I saw nothing but darkness. I thought about 5, 10 years down the road... would those days ever come? Despite my fears, I held on to the gospel like a lifeboat. I attended church, seminary, and Young Women's. I tried to be obedient. And when I was the saddest, I looked to my Savior, who said,
"Come unto me, all ye that are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
-Matthew 11:28-30
He knew my pain, an ache that I thought would never go away. Yet I know that through my obedience and faith, I suffer no permanent ill effects from that experience. I feel complete peace about my dad's passing. The world believes that there are pains that simply can not be healed. I know better: the Savior offered himself as a sacrifice so that we all can be whole. Physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
I live the principles of the Gospel because I know they will make me happy and that I will be with my family forever.
If you would like to learn more about the church, please visit mormon.org.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Day... ok, I got confused, but this is the Best Friend one!
Ok, sorry everyone. I got all confused. I did day 8 (a moment) before I did day 7 (your best friend), and then with being sick and traveling and such, I'm super behind. So... here's my best friend:
He's always there for me when I need him. He makes me laugh. He comforts me when I cry. Oh yeah, and he's hot. :)
He's always there for me when I need him. He makes me laugh. He comforts me when I cry. Oh yeah, and he's hot. :)
Day Seven: A Moment
Ok, this whole post of "A Moment" is weird to me. So I'm going to take this "moment" and explain several music things that annoy me.
First of all, I'm not trying to offend anyone. These are just things that happen to annoy me, and I don't think that anyone who disagrees with me is an idiot or anything. I just wish I could fix it. This is just MY opinion, and frankly it's probably pretentious and snooty.
Ok, without further ado, I'm taking a MOMENT to explain Amanda's Top 5 Musical Annoyances:
5. This last week in church I heard a choir sing. They were pretty good. But they sang one verse with just them men. And the men sang the tenor and bass part. No melody. Um... first rule of choir directing: you must always have the melody singing. It doesn't have to be the top part, but the melody needs to be somewhere in there.
4. Phantom of the Opera is not an opera. I swear. I know the word "opera" is in the name, the work itself is a Broadway show. A good one at that! I've seen it twice. It's about an opera, but it is not itself an opera. So, no, I haven't sung a lot of songs out of there.
3. Playing the hymns too slowly. Please, please, in the name of all that is good and holy, PLEASE speed up the hymns! I'm dying here. ALWAYS err on the fast side. If you can't play it that fast, fake it. I can't stand to sing "Praise to the Man" one more time 50 bpm.
2. Along with the previous point, if you see the time signature 6/8, please don't make it 6 beats in a measure. That's not what they mean. Cut it in half and make it two. Look, lets just make a deal that faster is ALWAYS better when it comes to the hymns.
1. No, I don't like American Idol. Yes, they all make me cringe. Also, if I could, I would totally give Taylor Swift voice lessons. She's cute, she's sweet, but she really needs to breath from her diaphragm.
I'm really not mean. These things aren't that big of a deal. But I've wanted to spell them out forever, and I was given a moment...
First of all, I'm not trying to offend anyone. These are just things that happen to annoy me, and I don't think that anyone who disagrees with me is an idiot or anything. I just wish I could fix it. This is just MY opinion, and frankly it's probably pretentious and snooty.
Ok, without further ado, I'm taking a MOMENT to explain Amanda's Top 5 Musical Annoyances:
5. This last week in church I heard a choir sing. They were pretty good. But they sang one verse with just them men. And the men sang the tenor and bass part. No melody. Um... first rule of choir directing: you must always have the melody singing. It doesn't have to be the top part, but the melody needs to be somewhere in there.
4. Phantom of the Opera is not an opera. I swear. I know the word "opera" is in the name, the work itself is a Broadway show. A good one at that! I've seen it twice. It's about an opera, but it is not itself an opera. So, no, I haven't sung a lot of songs out of there.
3. Playing the hymns too slowly. Please, please, in the name of all that is good and holy, PLEASE speed up the hymns! I'm dying here. ALWAYS err on the fast side. If you can't play it that fast, fake it. I can't stand to sing "Praise to the Man" one more time 50 bpm.
2. Along with the previous point, if you see the time signature 6/8, please don't make it 6 beats in a measure. That's not what they mean. Cut it in half and make it two. Look, lets just make a deal that faster is ALWAYS better when it comes to the hymns.
1. No, I don't like American Idol. Yes, they all make me cringe. Also, if I could, I would totally give Taylor Swift voice lessons. She's cute, she's sweet, but she really needs to breath from her diaphragm.
I'm really not mean. These things aren't that big of a deal. But I've wanted to spell them out forever, and I was given a moment...
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Day Six: Your Day
I've had a great day so far! It began with the fact that Jordan slept in the room with Clara last night. It's a long story as to why this was the case, but basically Jordan hates the bed in our room, and wanted to see if he could sleep better on a different bed. This is a GREAT set-up for me, btw. I woke up this morning thinking, "Wow! Clara had a great night. I only woke up to feed her once!"
Jordan then informed me that she was up a couple times before 4am to put her binky back in her mouth.
Fantastic, I tell you, fantastic.
Anyway, I woke up this morning to find Jordan changing her (blown-out) diaper and playing with her. This day just keeps getting better. I looked on from a pleasant position of standing up while Jordan was kneeling on the hard bathroom floor giving Clara a bath.
Then, lunch with Kate Delaney who also did a little photo shoot of Clara. It was SO sweet.
I went home for dinner of Chicken Picatta, which was super delicious (I just discovered the joys of capers).
Then I went kickboxing with Kate. Let me tell you, ouch! My friend Kate is awesome, and just got into fantastic shape. She teaches a couple aerobic classes, and from the moment I saw her I started running. She picked me up, I ran to the car. We got to the gym, we ran into the gym. We took the class (which was great, but wow, I am out of shape), and then we ran and walked for a bit on a treadmill, then we ran to the car, ran into her apartment, ran out of her house, and then I ran back into my home to feed Clara. I suppose the running wasn't ALL her fault. We were late a bunch, but still... she keeps me on my toes!
Then I went back home where Jordan, my sister and I watched Indiana Jones, the Last Crusade. Jordan's quite scandalized that I had never seen Indiana Jones, and has made it his personal mission to make me watch it while we were in Alaska. I took the time to make fun of it. I mean, come on! Ten minutes after they get into Venice they find the tomb his dad had been looking for for 40 years? Anyway, I find I'm especially witty during old movies.
Also, I ate ice cream to make up for all that exercise I had been doing... :)
So, that was my day! Fun, huh?
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Day Five: My Definition of Love
My definition of love is...
... sitting next to Jordan during church
... my mom playing the piano for me while I sing
... two pink lines that appeared on a pregnancy test
... seeing Jordan play with Clara
... snuggling with Clara first thing in the morning
... watching the snow fall while enjoying a warm hot chocolate with my husband
... not being the least bit annoyed the first time Clara had a blow out all over me (I actually laughed and was a little proud... it was in the hospital)
... seeing Jordan walk off the plan after waiting for him his whole 2 year mission
... laying in bed with Jordan and Clara, bot of us figuring out how to make her laugh
but all of this has purpose because
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
... sitting next to Jordan during church
... my mom playing the piano for me while I sing
... two pink lines that appeared on a pregnancy test
... seeing Jordan play with Clara
... snuggling with Clara first thing in the morning
... watching the snow fall while enjoying a warm hot chocolate with my husband
... not being the least bit annoyed the first time Clara had a blow out all over me (I actually laughed and was a little proud... it was in the hospital)
... seeing Jordan walk off the plan after waiting for him his whole 2 year mission
... laying in bed with Jordan and Clara, bot of us figuring out how to make her laugh
but all of this has purpose because
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Day Four: What I Ate Today
It's currently 11am, and I have eaten one thing so far today:
A banana.
But it was a very tasty banana. I shall write a haiku about the banana:
Now, off to find the ice cream.
A banana.
But it was a very tasty banana. I shall write a haiku about the banana:
For breakfast I ate
One Delicious Banana
Donuts are Better
One Delicious Banana
Donuts are Better
Now, off to find the ice cream.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Day Three: My Parents
This is a really hard post to write! I thought it would be easy, but I realized there is so much good to say about my parents that I would have to write a novel. So, here's my attempt to write stuff about my parents in just a few fragments:
My Mom: Very humble, quiet, shy, and doesn't like the spot-light but very strong. Supportive, busy, hard worker, woke up at 2am to do paper routes when I was a kid, worked on Bachelor's degree from when I was in 2nd grade to the semester after I graduated. Has had a lot of sadness happen in her life, but always able to find a way to be happy.
Short story: After my dad died, we recieved a large settlement from the insurance company. The very first thing she did was write a check for tithing.
My Dad: Very fun and funny, was a "daddy" to his girls. Always knew how to have a good
time. An excellent teacher to both his children and his primary classes. Died when I was 12, and this experience has been a defining moment in my life. His memory remains the great testimony of what bring happiness and the power of eternal families.
Short story: When i was 9 I started a paper route. My dad helped me do it every morning at 6am. We would race down the street, each taking a side, and who ever won had to buy the other hot chocolate. The great secret is that he bought the hot chocolate every time.
Rulon: My step-dad, very happy he became apart of our lives, loves my mom a whole lot, gives great advice, a good example of faithfulness and gospel commitment.
Short story: Before Rulon and mom got married, he and i were flying together down to Utah to meet up with my mom. He had never married, and I knew this, so I told him, "You can't have one foot in our lives and one foot out. My sister's and I couldn't handle if you just suddenly left because you couldn't commit." That very same weekend he proposed to my mom, and he has been "all in" ever since.
My in-laws: Excellent example of faith, raised 8 extremely happy, healthy, faithful
children, give excellent advise and guidance, is willing to help through anything, some of the happiest people I know.
Short story: When I was having Clara and my mom couldn't come, my mother-in-law, Sue, came down and helped out so much during that time. Her presence and help brought me so much comfort during a time in my life when I was scared and very unsure of myself. Also, I still have some excellent meatloaf in the freezer from when she came and made TONS of delicious food.
If you must know, that was a LOT shorter than it was going to be. I've been blessed with such excellent people in my life that it's hard to keep their descriptions so short, and it hardly can live up to the real thing.
My Mom: Very humble, quiet, shy, and doesn't like the spot-light but very strong. Supportive, busy, hard worker, woke up at 2am to do paper routes when I was a kid, worked on Bachelor's degree from when I was in 2nd grade to the semester after I graduated. Has had a lot of sadness happen in her life, but always able to find a way to be happy.Short story: After my dad died, we recieved a large settlement from the insurance company. The very first thing she did was write a check for tithing.
My Dad: Very fun and funny, was a "daddy" to his girls. Always knew how to have a good
time. An excellent teacher to both his children and his primary classes. Died when I was 12, and this experience has been a defining moment in my life. His memory remains the great testimony of what bring happiness and the power of eternal families.Short story: When i was 9 I started a paper route. My dad helped me do it every morning at 6am. We would race down the street, each taking a side, and who ever won had to buy the other hot chocolate. The great secret is that he bought the hot chocolate every time.
Rulon: My step-dad, very happy he became apart of our lives, loves my mom a whole lot, gives great advice, a good example of faithfulness and gospel commitment.Short story: Before Rulon and mom got married, he and i were flying together down to Utah to meet up with my mom. He had never married, and I knew this, so I told him, "You can't have one foot in our lives and one foot out. My sister's and I couldn't handle if you just suddenly left because you couldn't commit." That very same weekend he proposed to my mom, and he has been "all in" ever since.
My in-laws: Excellent example of faith, raised 8 extremely happy, healthy, faithful
children, give excellent advise and guidance, is willing to help through anything, some of the happiest people I know.Short story: When I was having Clara and my mom couldn't come, my mother-in-law, Sue, came down and helped out so much during that time. Her presence and help brought me so much comfort during a time in my life when I was scared and very unsure of myself. Also, I still have some excellent meatloaf in the freezer from when she came and made TONS of delicious food.
If you must know, that was a LOT shorter than it was going to be. I've been blessed with such excellent people in my life that it's hard to keep their descriptions so short, and it hardly can live up to the real thing.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Day Two: Your First Love
As it turns out, Jordan was my first love! Sadly, I was not his first love... this is a story of unrequited passion! Jordan and I grew up in the same ward. I never paid much attention to him because he was 2 years older. But poor 15 year old sophomore Amanda fell for the Senior class man. And, in a cruel twist of fate, he was dating someone else: Sarah (who, btw, was a very nice girl, but for the purposes of this story will be villainized...). Fan-freakin'-tastic.
So, of course, being the strategist I am, I worked on winning him over. The best way to describe it is that I made myself VERY available. I always tried to talk to him, and eventually we started emailing/talking on MSN/actually talking. I was totally infatuated. I mean, come on, how could I help it? He was so smart, so cute, and so interesting. Some of the silly things I did include:
-emailing him as a 16 year old. I know this doesn't seem silly, but YOU go back and read your emails from when you were 16 and you'll understand what I mean (to this day, Jordan threatens to re-read the emails out-loud to me when I'm bugging him).
-Asking him to MY prom when he was a high school grad. He was a great sport and came, but I'm fairly certain he wanted to gouge his eyes out.
-Asking him to drive down to Anchorage with me. I needed to catch a flight, and I was quite conniving knowing that we would be stuck in a car together for 6 hours. This didn't work out, sadly, but I sure did try...
-Going hiking in Denali National Park. I had this great romantic moment planned in my head. Jordan spent most of the time looking at his GPS and commenting how high above sea level we were.
-I tried to play the reverse psychology game. He asked me if he should go visit Sarah for Thanksgiving, and I said yes, he should go, hoping he would see the error of his ways and not go, fall for me, and we'd live happily ever after. I never said my reasoning skills were particularly brilliant at 16.
At the end of my junior year another guy asked me out (another long story I dub the "Sven story"), and I realized I deserved someone who liked me as much as I liked them. So I started looking at other options. I always kept Jordan in the back of my mind as a possibility, but I didn't really think anything would come of it (and it didn't until for another 2 years). But I do remember loving Jordan as much as I could bear, and it hurt quite a lot to not have those feelings returned. I remember asking myself why I cared for him so much back when the love was unrequited: I recognized that I was being crazy. But I realized I saw something really special in Jordan, something amazing and I wanted to be apart of that. And I still feel that way to this day.
Ok, saw it with me... Awwwwwwwwwwww....
So, of course, being the strategist I am, I worked on winning him over. The best way to describe it is that I made myself VERY available. I always tried to talk to him, and eventually we started emailing/talking on MSN/actually talking. I was totally infatuated. I mean, come on, how could I help it? He was so smart, so cute, and so interesting. Some of the silly things I did include:
-emailing him as a 16 year old. I know this doesn't seem silly, but YOU go back and read your emails from when you were 16 and you'll understand what I mean (to this day, Jordan threatens to re-read the emails out-loud to me when I'm bugging him).
-Asking him to MY prom when he was a high school grad. He was a great sport and came, but I'm fairly certain he wanted to gouge his eyes out.
-Asking him to drive down to Anchorage with me. I needed to catch a flight, and I was quite conniving knowing that we would be stuck in a car together for 6 hours. This didn't work out, sadly, but I sure did try...
-Going hiking in Denali National Park. I had this great romantic moment planned in my head. Jordan spent most of the time looking at his GPS and commenting how high above sea level we were.
-I tried to play the reverse psychology game. He asked me if he should go visit Sarah for Thanksgiving, and I said yes, he should go, hoping he would see the error of his ways and not go, fall for me, and we'd live happily ever after. I never said my reasoning skills were particularly brilliant at 16.
At the end of my junior year another guy asked me out (another long story I dub the "Sven story"), and I realized I deserved someone who liked me as much as I liked them. So I started looking at other options. I always kept Jordan in the back of my mind as a possibility, but I didn't really think anything would come of it (and it didn't until for another 2 years). But I do remember loving Jordan as much as I could bear, and it hurt quite a lot to not have those feelings returned. I remember asking myself why I cared for him so much back when the love was unrequited: I recognized that I was being crazy. But I realized I saw something really special in Jordan, something amazing and I wanted to be apart of that. And I still feel that way to this day.
Ok, saw it with me... Awwwwwwwwwwww....
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Day One: Introduce Yourself!
Hello! I thought this looked like fun, with some fun topics to talk about for the next few weeks. Well, my name's Amanda. I don't have a middle name, which caused me a ton of grief as a child, but now I kinda like it, and I decided not to give my baby girl one either. Oh how the tides have turned.
I grew up in Fairbanks, Alaska, and I want to move back. The cold and the dark really don't bother me. Besides Alaska, I spent 3 1/2 years in Nacogdoches, TX working on my degree in Elementary music. I currently live in Provo, Utah, where I got my Master's degree in Vocal Performance from BYU while my husband finished his degree in Mathematics. I have a beautiful new baby girl names Clara, and I'm kinda vain about her name... come on, it's just too perfect!
I enjoy singing, playing the piano, reading, watching interesting tv shows and playing games with my very cute husband. I'm pretty shy and reserved until you get to know me, and then you can't shut me up. I follow politics and government policy closely, but I avoid talking about them publicly because I hate confrontation. I enjoy a good drama, so one of my very favorite things to do is to read opinion columns/blogs because the ensuing argument (which I don't take part in) is interesting to me. I like finding out about other people. I love to read blogs because I love to hear other individual's take on life.
But really, the important things that define me are my beliefs and my family. I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or more commonly referred to as the Mormons. The teachings of faith, humility and charity are virtues I strive to structure my life around. The Gospel guided me through some very difficult times in my life, and I know by following the principles taught by Christ that you can find happiness in any circumstance. My family is directly linked to my belief in the gospel: I believe we are sealed together forever because Jordan and I were married in a LDS temple. The work that I will do with my family is the most important thing I can do.
I grew up in Fairbanks, Alaska, and I want to move back. The cold and the dark really don't bother me. Besides Alaska, I spent 3 1/2 years in Nacogdoches, TX working on my degree in Elementary music. I currently live in Provo, Utah, where I got my Master's degree in Vocal Performance from BYU while my husband finished his degree in Mathematics. I have a beautiful new baby girl names Clara, and I'm kinda vain about her name... come on, it's just too perfect!I enjoy singing, playing the piano, reading, watching interesting tv shows and playing games with my very cute husband. I'm pretty shy and reserved until you get to know me, and then you can't shut me up. I follow politics and government policy closely, but I avoid talking about them publicly because I hate confrontation. I enjoy a good drama, so one of my very favorite things to do is to read opinion columns/blogs because the ensuing argument (which I don't take part in) is interesting to me. I like finding out about other people. I love to read blogs because I love to hear other individual's take on life.
But really, the important things that define me are my beliefs and my family. I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or more commonly referred to as the Mormons. The teachings of faith, humility and charity are virtues I strive to structure my life around. The Gospel guided me through some very difficult times in my life, and I know by following the principles taught by Christ that you can find happiness in any circumstance. My family is directly linked to my belief in the gospel: I believe we are sealed together forever because Jordan and I were married in a LDS temple. The work that I will do with my family is the most important thing I can do.
30-Day Blog Challenge!
Day 01 - Introduce Yourself
Day 02 - Your First Love
Day 03 - Your Parents
Day 04 - What You Ate Today
Day 05 - Your Definition Of Love
Day 06 - Your Day
Day 07 - Your Best Friend
Day 08 - A Moment
Day 09 - Your Beliefs
Day 10 - What You Wore Today
Day 11 - Your Siblings
Day 12 - What's In Your Bag
Day 13 - This Week
Day 14 - What You Wore Today
Day 15 - Your First Kiss
Day 16 - Your Dreams
Day 17 - Your Favorite Birthday
Day 18 - Your Favorite Memory
Day 19 - Something You Regret
Day 20 - This Month
Day 21 - Another Moment
Day 22 - Something That Upsets You
Day 23 - Something That Makes You Feel Better
Day 24 - Something That Makes You Cry
Day 25 - A First
Day 26 - Your Fears
Day 27 - Your Favorite Place
Day 28 - Something That You Miss
Day 29 - Your Aspirations
Day 30 - One Last Moment
Day 02 - Your First Love
Day 03 - Your Parents
Day 04 - What You Ate Today
Day 05 - Your Definition Of Love
Day 06 - Your Day
Day 07 - Your Best Friend
Day 08 - A Moment
Day 09 - Your Beliefs
Day 10 - What You Wore Today
Day 11 - Your Siblings
Day 12 - What's In Your Bag
Day 13 - This Week
Day 14 - What You Wore Today
Day 15 - Your First Kiss
Day 16 - Your Dreams
Day 17 - Your Favorite Birthday
Day 18 - Your Favorite Memory
Day 19 - Something You Regret
Day 20 - This Month
Day 21 - Another Moment
Day 22 - Something That Upsets You
Day 23 - Something That Makes You Feel Better
Day 24 - Something That Makes You Cry
Day 25 - A First
Day 26 - Your Fears
Day 27 - Your Favorite Place
Day 28 - Something That You Miss
Day 29 - Your Aspirations
Day 30 - One Last Moment
I challenge anyone who sees this to join me. It will be fun to get to know each other better!
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