Hey, Ladies-- Stop Standing in the Snow!

I was chatting with my sister a month or so back, we started chatting about some interesting things...
(She's green, I'm white, btw.)

Do you hear what my sister is saying, people? (Or is it read what she's writing..? Whatever.)

Women are SO hard on themselves. We look in the mirror and have our moments of "Woe is me" and "I'm so ugly, how could anyone love me?" and then we get stuck in this mindset. We're not just stuck-- we're raised in this mindset. We grow up in a world where we are never good enough. We're standing in the snow, and our feet are freezing, and we think "Woe is me, my feet are frozen" and then we keep standing there and stuff our faces with chocolate. Why don't we move??

Think about it, ladies-- when your husband/boyfriend/significant other looks at you and says that you're pretty/gorgeous/beautiful/etc, what do you usually say? Do you stare at him like he's blind? Do you tell him "No, I'm not, I have zits raging across my face and my butt is huge and I'm not wearing makeup and I look like a camel!" (or something along those lines)?

What about when random strangers compliment you? I will never forget a situation back in high school, I was at some place for some orchestra concert, I was in all black and had long hair then, and a lady stopped me and complimented me on my appearance. Instead of saying "Thank you" I was a stupid teenager and pointed out some flaw that I had that I thought would somehow negate her compliment or prove her wrong or something. This woman got a little stiff and pretty much told me off, in a very polite way, telling me that I should accept compliments and not be rude. Then she walked off. That's when I realised that she was trying to be genuinely nice, and I had been genuinely a jerk.

I was rewatching an episode of Say Yes To The Dress, and this bride came in with her fiance to look for a wedding dress. She came out in the first dress and the first words out of the fiance's mouth were "Oh wow... You look gorgeous, babe!" And this woman stood up tall on that pedestal and said in a loud voice, "Thank you, dear!"
That blew me away. This was a woman who I'm sure looked in the mirror sometimes and thought she looked fat and ugly. And yet, when her future husband told her she looked beautiful, she knew that she was beautiful and told him so. At some point she decided she didn't like having cold feet, and decided to take her chips and go stand in the sunshine.

I tried this a couple of weeks ago. Usually when Husband Man tells me I'm beautiful I either tell him he's crazy, or I tell him a sort-of "thanks" and look really embarrassed. One evening, however, Husband Man looked at me and called me "gorgeous" and I looked at him and said "Thank you, Husband!"
Do you know what happened?
He was stunned.
And then he was really pleased.  And I'm pretty sure I saw him fall in love with me even more.
I got really embarrassed because he was so happy, but I could tell that he really liked that I acknowledged him as a person, and told him that his opinion mattered to me.
Words say more than what they literally say.

Now, in no way do I think that you should just blandly say "Thank you" to every compliment that is made to you. People are going to compliment you on those days that you feel like you've been simultaneously run over by a herd of buffalo and pooped on by a flock of migrating geese. But when you get a compliment, say "Thank you" and smile. Even if you don't believe it. And then think about why they could have said it. Let people serve you. If someone breaks out of their selfish-shell and acknowledges your presence, you should be flattered. Genuinely.

You can't change your thoughts overnight, but you can start. You can look at yourself in the mirror until you see past the raging wall of zits and imperfections and start seeing the beauty. Think about common compliments you get. Husband Man likes to scritch my nose and tell me it's so cute and little. So one time I stared in the mirror until I actually saw my nose, and I realised that he was kind of right-- my nose is little and cute, and it's covered in freckles (which are pretty cute too).

So move to the sunshine and thaw your toes! What does Elder Uchtdorf say? STOP IT! Think about it-- do you like looking in the mirror and seeing only imperfections? Try a little harder to be a little happier. I'm pregnant, and with pregnancy comes really horrible acne. I've never had acne this bad in my life-- not even close. I can use soap and treatments until my nose falls off and my chin splits in two, but there is more to me and my face than acne. If that's all people see when they look at me, then that's their problem for being a pessimist. I don't want to be a pessimist. I want to enjoy my life, enjoy being pregnant, not spend my days laying on the couch eating chips and bemoaning my "pregnancy glow". I want to stand in the sunshine and be free from frozen toes!

Yockeyite Banter, Part Two

S: Do you believe in magic in a young girl's heart?
H: I believe in hormones...

While at a friend's in-laws' house preparing for a wedding...
A: It's all fun and games until you get cat hair in your scruff.

After playing  Oregon Trail for the first time, Husband Man's Finnish brother-in-law fell asleep on the couch. As his wife led him downstairs to sleep on the bed...
FBil: I think I dreamed of dysentary.

Husband Man's Dad: We grew, and harvested, a lemon. In South Dakota. In December. ...I love global warming.

Texting my sister while I was recovering from the flu and bronchitis:
Meems: What's your temp?
Me: I dunno. I haven't taken it because I haven't felt it was off
Meems: Take it
Me: 97.9
Meems: You have cancer
Me: That's funny. The symptom checker said I had the Bubonic plague
Meems: Bahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Sunday afternoon sitting...

S: What song is this? Handel?

A: I dunno... Wait, that's Pachabel's "Canon"! How could you forget that??

S: I didn't recognise it right away, it was more upbeat than I'm used to...

A: ....You're complaining that someone finally chose to play that song faster than a death march tempo??

S: NO! I was just saying.......

A: (ankle pops) Ow....

S: No hurting yourself!

A: I can't always choose if my ankle pops...

S: No purposely hurting yourself, like a masochist.

A: Well, I guess getting myself pregnant wasn't the best choice, then.

S & D: ................

A: Sorry, should I have not said that? ....See, I can still shock my husband with what comes out of my mouth....

S & D: (laughs)

The Last Semester

At the beginning of the semester, on my way to my first class ever in the Clark, I learned where the Kimball was. (It's on the opposite end of campus from where I thought it was...)

A week before school ends I finally stepped foot in the Spori for the first time. (The entire trip lasted about thirty seconds, and I saw about a quarter of the first floor.)

The beginning of the last week of classes/finals, I lost my icard. (I didn't realise I'd lost it until four days later.)

The penultimate day of the semester I learned where the Austin building was. (For that matter, I think I discovered where the Benson was, since I passed it going into the Austin.) I also accidentally wore flipflops on campus, and purposely parked in the parking lot despite not having a permit. Donuts have been the major food consumed throughout the day.

For the first time in our undergraduate career I had next to nothing to do during finals week, while Husband Man had a TON to do. (Normally it's the other way around.)

36 hours from now we will both be graduated from college.

We're feeling pretty awesome.
(That's a lie--Husband Man wants to strangle one of his teachers. But other than that...)

Easter: A Celebration of Life

"The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre...
"But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
"And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
"And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
"And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
"Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou has laid him, and I will take him away.
"Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
"Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
"Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her."
-John 20:1, 11-18

"And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
"He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
"And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead...
"And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word."
-Matthew 28:5-9

"And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
"And... they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
"He is not here, but is risen..."
-Luke 24:4-6

[Emphasis added.]

Just A Little Thing...

When I went to check the mail today, I found a little package addressed to me from my dad. I was super super excited! I got a package! From my daddy!! Except I couldn't figure out what he could have possibly sent to me, since they're coming to visit in two weeks...

So I shook the package, heard a rattle, and managed to tear it open.

Inside was the bag of M&M's he had taunted me with only a week ago.

I laughed out loud, really really hard!

And then I bawled my eyes out. Uncontrollably. (But I was still laughing a little, too.)

In my silly way, I almost don't want to open them and eat them, because the gift means so much to me.

Sometimes I am excited to have a little Yockeyite, a little sign of the eternal bond of love and commitment that Husband Man and I have... But sometimes I really just want to run home and hug my mommy and my daddy and just be their little girl forever...

So today, among the sunshine and the house I cleaned up and am really proud of, I sat on the couch and bawled (and laughed) over a bag of M&M's.

(I blame it on being pregnant.)

Amen, Sister! :What Are We Doing to Ourselves??

First of all, you need to go read a post written by another gal on her blog. It's at Rage Against the Minivan (the title of her blog already draws you in, so just click it and read!).
It's ok, I'll wait while you read. I'm not going anywhere. I can amuse myself.

Read the entire thing... all of it.....

Ok. I think this lady makes some good points. I admit I had no idea that the holiday craze was such a big deal! I thought all those holiday pins on Pinterest were just pinned and then fell by the wayside. People actually do elf on the shelf? People actually "plant" jelly beans so their kids can wake up to lollipops on the lawn? People actually make teacher gifts?

I'm not trying to be rude here. If you're a parent and planting jelly beans is a way that you love to connect with your child, then I am all for it. When I was growing up, one way my parents show their love is by giving gifts. They LOVE to give us things; even after I got married, they still send us treats occasionally and we are absolutely spoiled over Christmas and birthdays. There were many years where I woke up to a valentine and a treat from my dad, ranging from stuffed animals to jewelry to candy. Even just this last year my mom was in the area and she gave me my Easter basket with some treats inside. This is how my parents enjoy loving us, and for the most part I think my siblings and I are grateful for the things they get us.

What bothers me about this are the parents who plant jelly beans because they feel like they have to. It's the parents who bend over backwards to "keep up with the Jones's" and make sure their house looks impeccable, their child looks adorable, and that everything is appropriately decorated for every possible holiday. The parents who are always worn out, who feel like they have to be perfect, that they have some standard to live up to.

Where did this idea come from? Why do we beat ourselves us and run ourselves ragged just to do all this JUNK?

(Probably advertising. I might start blaming everything on advertising. They're the reason I have to shave my legs.)

What's even more sad to me is that some of these holidays actually have a meaning behind them, and the meaning is lost behind advent calendars and dying eggs. With Easter approaching, and a Yockeyite on the way, a thought that sometimes shows up is How on earth will I teach Gummy Bear the meaning of Easter? How can I show Gummy Bear that the Easter Bunny is a hoax, and that what we really are celebrating is the resurrection of our Savior? (No offense to the Easter Bunny, but his role in Easter celebrations is kind of stupid, in my mind. It makes no sense!)

Anyways, I echo what this lady says... Stop the madness! Like I said, if you hide gold coins and dye eggs because you enjoy that time with your children (and they enjoy it too), then do it! We don't all have the same methods for raising children. The point is, we don't need to make our lives even more busy than they already are. You don't have an obligation to do all this random, weird stuff just to love your kids--there are other, easier ways to do that. Keep simplicity alive.

Pregnancy Post #2 and Temple Trips

I did write a post about random prego stuff, but it's on the Sister Blog this time, so head on over there to read it!

I just want to add that we went to the temple today. We've sort of gone sporadically, when we remember (I still don't get how I forget, it sits on the hill in town), but we've only done other stuff besides a session. Today we did a session, and I felt like I was on cloud nine! It was so wonderful to be in the House of the Lord again, and to feel my spiritual bucket filled to overflowing. What wonderful times are these, where we can go and receive blessings for performing saving ordinances for the dead!

P.S. My husband is awesome. Just saying.