Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Kindness of strangers

I should have shared this a couple months ago...better late than never, right?  

Remember back in March when I announced that we were going to do a fundraiser for adoption?  We had a few people volunteer to take bottles...one of which was our friend Carrie.  Now the interesting thing about our friendship with her is that we've only met twice...for a few hours total.   Her volunteering surprised me, here was someone who barely knew us, but yet who wanted to help us.  I packaged a bottle and shipped it off to Vermont.  I later learned that she took it to her church and shared our hope to adopt with her entire congregation.  Fast forward to October when we got an envelope in the mail with the return address of Vermont.  Inside we found a check from Carrie's church.  Instantly the tears welled up in my eyes as I thought of a congregation full of people, thousands of miles away who donated to our cause.  Other than Carrie, we had never met any of them, yet they generously gave to someone they'd never met all because they wanted to help.  Inside the card, the members of the congregation had written well wishes to us...again, another act of kindness.

Sometimes the world can seem so cold and mean.  I think it's always good to hear about people doing nice things for others, it restores our faith in humanity. 


And as for the congregation that meets in that picturesque church in Vermont, their kindness means more than they will ever know.  Their kind and generous hearts have helped make our adoption hopes one step closer to reality.  They are a wonderful example of true followers of Christ.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Scholarships for Birthmothers Raffle

Sorry there hasn't been much in the way of posts here as of late...I'll catch up soon.  Right now we're buried in boxes and living in-between two places.  Unpacking before Christmas is our top priority. 


But I thought I'd pass along this little tip...Scholarships for Birthmothers is holding a Holiday Raffle.  You donate $2 to their scholarship program (via Paypal) and you're entered...you can donate as much as you want, each $2 is an entry.  They have 65 prizes...it sounds like a lot of them are in Utah...BUT one of them is an IPAD!!  So head on over, give 'em $2 and try your luck at winning an iPad.  Plus you're helping a good cause (and I believe your donation is tax deductible!)

Sunday, December 12, 2010

My Christmas Wish

I don't want a lot for Christmas.  
All I want is to be able to wear this:


Saturday, December 11, 2010

Christmas Tree Climber

I've been feeling a little bah-humbugish.  Because of the move we have yet to put up our tree or stockings or even a wreath.  To help lift my Christmas spirit I watched this about 4 times.

Enjoy :)


Sure miss that pesky little bugger.

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Lennon

Those who know me, know of my love for the Beatles.  Today would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday.  Imagine is hands down my favorite Lennon tune, but Beautiful Boy is on my favorite list.  I loved when this song is used in Mr Holland's Opus.  Makes me cry every time I see it.   Here are two videos, first of John Lennon singing Beautiful Boy and the second is the scene from Mr Holland's Opus.   

John Winston Lennon
9 October 1940 - December 8, 1980
 


Were any of you alive at the time of Lennon's death?  Do you remember where you were when you heard the news?

Pearl Harbor

Did you know that an ENTIRE Navy Band perished in the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941?  The youngest member of Navy Band Number 22 was 17 years old and the oldest (the bandmaster) was only 31.   You can read a little more HERE about the band, there is some cool information. (See the below excerpt from this link)

Navy Band Number 22 was stationed aboard the USS Arizona.  

On April 2, 1942, the Navy released the following story which was carried in newspapers from coast to coast:
What becomes of the boys in the band when the guns begin to roar?
Many a civilian has asked that question. Blowing a horn or beating a drum is not firing a gun. What becomes of the ship's musicians when the battle rages?
The most dramatic answer to that question has been furnished by the incident of the ship's band of the battleship Arizona.
On December 7 they went to their battle station, one of the most hazardous on the ship--down below, passing ammunition to the guns above.
To a man, the Arizona's band was killed when the battleship's magazine exploded.
Part of the program of recreation at Pearl Harbor last year was the Battle of Music, 1941. The bands of the ships in port contested. One of the best and near the top in scoring when the war began was the band of the Arizona.
When its total loss was discovered, the other contestants unanimously agreed to award posthumously to the Arizona's band the trophy at stake.
Great interest in the trophy has been expressed by the U.S. Navy School of Music at Washington, and in response to its request, a picture of the trophy was painted by Alfred Dupont, illustrator at the fleet recreation office, and sent to the national capital, to be placed on permanent exhibit there.
Henceforth the trophy will be known as the Arizona trophy.
After the war, it will be put up again to be challenged, when the Battle of Music will be resumed.


Here's a pretty cool tribute the Navy Band in Hawaii did earlier this week.  You can also get some pretty good information HERE and HERE...including pics and bios of all the band members. 

Take a moment to remember all those who were lost on that fateful day.
Pic of the sinking USS Arizona

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Our Friday Nights...

...will now be spent here:



Saturday Nathan and I were called to be temple workers for our church.  (In case you don't know what the heck I'm talking about, you can find out a little more about temples HERE).  I have to admit, when we got the call asking us to go in to meet with the temple president I suspected that's what we'd be asked to do...but when we were officially asked I was still surprised.  It will be a great way to spend our Friday evenings...a good way to close the week and get re-centered.  (Plus two of our good friends here are also temple workers on Friday nights)  But it is a little bittersweet.  You see...only couples without children in the home are allowed to serve as temple workers.  So while we're excited for the opportunity, we are sad that we're able to have the opportunity.  Does that make sense? 
But with that said, this is obviously where we're supposed to be for now, so I am working hard on being patient and being glad for the opportunity we get to spend more time in such a wonderful place.  

Friday, December 03, 2010

Givens

The necklace I wear everyday


A couple months ago I was in the lobby after church and one of the missionaries came up to say hi.  He noticed the necklace I was wearing and asked me "What is your hope?"  I replied that my biggest hope was to be a mother"That's not a hope" he said, "that's a given."  I didn't want to get into it with anyone in the lobby at church so I let it slide.  I've thought about it a few times since then, but this week it has been a constant thought. 

Nothing in life is a given.  It isn't a given that you'll graduate college just because you start or that you'll get married just because you date or that you'll be able to have kids just because you're a woman.  Just as if you do graduate it isn't a given that you'll find a job, or if you get married that you'll stay married, or if you have kids that they'll be healthy

The last week has been really rough emotionally.  The holidays are always hard (infertility-wise) but I'm not sure why this year has hit me so hard.  Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I thought there would be four stockings hanging from our mantle this year...instead of two.  Maybe it's because I know I won't be seeing any family.  Maybe it's because of my looming big birthday and my life is not anywhere near where I thought it would be when I hit 30.  Maybe it's because I know it won't seem like much of a holiday because of our move.  All I know is that I have been reduced to tears more times this week than I can count on both hands.  I know that there is a plan out there for us and that someday I'll understand why it was necessary for us to go through all of this. 

I {hope} that our future involves children, but as of late I've had to deal with a growing fear that it may not.  I'm not sure I would know what to do with myself.  The last six and a half years of our lives have been focused on having a family...it is what I know, what I long for, what I live for.  But, it isn't a given and I pray that if it isn't in the cards for us that my heart will be strong enough to accept that.