The Purge.

I'm watching 60 minutes. Wade and Allison go to bed at 9 and take multi-vitamins. My geriatric vice? 60 minutes. I'm watching a story about a man who is one of the last few Christian reverends in Iraq. He has MS. He is working to save the last few aramaic-speaking Christians in Iraq. They speak the language that Jesus did in the lands where He lived and this man has to try to keep them alive. The status of Christianity in Iraq is worse now than it has been in the past 2,000 years. He says Sadaam, as horrible as he was, at least provided religious freedom. The "street justice" that exists now is barbaric. What I'm watching is terrifying. A man with pictures of his two children who had been shot because he was a Christian. The reverend told of his entire church leadership team who have all been killed since the beginning of the war. Notes posted on Christian churches reading, "To the Christians: We are the secret Islamic army and this is your last and final threat. If you don't leave your home, your blood and your family's blood will be spilled." Now, I'm not trying to make a politically-charged statement through my blog. Just an eye-opening read. As I'm writing this my eyes are being opened to the atrocities that people face every day because of their faith. Ever since the Columbine shooting, I have wondered what my response would be if someone were threatening to kill me and asked if I was a Christian. When we heard that report, we couldn't believe someone would die for their beliefs in our country. But, people are facing this every day. We so easily celebrate our religious freedom in our country without even batting an eye. I drove to church this morning, walked in the door, played the piano, joked with friends, visited over coffee, prayed in the open, sang into a microphone. How different life can be just an ocean away and how easy it is to look the other way and forget that which is not right in front of our own faces.

Many people might hear this report or read this and blame God. How could He let this happen to people He claims He loves? The man I just watched this story about addressed that question without hesitation. He said, "God is with you. No matter what is going on around you, God is with you. I know He is with me, and I'm not going anywhere." Wow. I can't imagine this man's faith. His fervor to protect his sacred beliefs in the midst of utter disaster and persecution. Christian or not, we can all learn a lesson of dedication and passion from him. I'm reading a book called the Shack, and in it the main character Mack, has the same type of question. How can a loving God exist in a horrible fallen world? In the book, God answers, "This world is broken and fallen. We (God) did not come to fix the world. We came to redeem it." Beautiful.

Take a look at the story: The Purge at www.60minutes.com

Patience.

I used to pray "God give me patience". Until I saw Evan Almighty. I watched this exchange, and a light bulb must have flashed over my head:

God (also known as Morgan Freeman): Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?

So. God has given me many opportunities to be patient. A class full of 7 year olds. Working with people who can't remember how to run a certain computer program. A ridiculously hyper dog. A new home that needs work. The latest? My garden. I just can't wait to see those little baby vegetables. I can't wait to chop them up and enjoy the fruits of this labor! Most of the plants I planted take about 45-60 days to mature though. hmmm... thank you God for this opportunity to grow... and for the veggies to grow. For now I have cherries. That may or may not be infested with fruit fly maggots. I might be brave enough to find out.

Rib Bones.

So, Matt and I were making a late dinner after working on planting the garden and spraying our fruit trees. Matt decided to dangle a rib bone in front of Scout's face and of course Scout, the world's hungriest Golden Retriever, jumped at the chance and swallowed it whole. We didn't know what to do! We are first time parents! So, I got on google (one of the great reasons to have the internet) and googled "what to do if your dog swallows a rib bone". Emergency sirens popped out of the sides of my laptop and it basically started flashing and screaming "CALL THE VET ASAP". Well, not really, but you get the point. So, Matt called the ER VET. Here's how the conversation went:

Lady at Vet: Hello, thanks for calling Pet ER (in a very boring voice, at least that's how Matt impersonated her)
Matt: Yeah, my dog just swallowed a rib bone whole... what should I do?
Lady: Do you want to bring him in. (I didn't use a ? on purpose)
Matt: Well, is that what I should do?
Lady: Yeah, we'll just make him vomit.
Matt: um... okay.

I guess it was funnier when Matt was telling it. Anyway, now I find myself home alone again. So I will do the awesome survey Allison tagged me with:

1. Favorite Person: Mi esposo, Matt

2. Favorite Food: Cafe Rio Salad

3. Quirks About You: I can't make a decision. Really. About anything.

4. How would the person who loves you most describe you in ten words or less? She can't make a decision but she's sexy. haha

5. Any regrets in life?: not traveling more

6. What can you NOT live without?: toothpaste, face wash, and chapstick.

7. Favorite Blog: see sidebar

8. Something you can't get enough of?: My wonderful friends

9. Worst job you ever had?: Well, I've only had 2. Landscaping. I worked with some friends in high school planting flowers at retirement villages. It was hot and one of the plants smelled like sulfur and wouldn't come off your hands.

10. What job would you pay NOT to have?: A professional launder. ick.

11. If you could be a fly on the wall anywhere, where would it be?: hmmm... the faculty lounge at my school. There are lots of hushed conversations that go on in there.

12. Favorite Bible Verse: Philippians 4:6-7

13. Guilty pleasure: anything sweet. I love sugar.

14. Got any confessions?: I'm a horrible money manager. Trying to get better.

15. If you had $1000 to spend on YOURSELF, what would you spend it on?: someone to come paint the ugly white on the outside of our house. And yes, that would be on myself.

16. Favorite thing about your house?: the kitchen

17. Least favorite thing: the half-ripped-off wallpaper in our bathroom.

18. One thing you are bad at: being comfortable with my faults.

19. If you could change one thing about your current circumstances what would it be?: I'd like to have a purpose in the summer.

20. Who would you like to meet someday?: my future children (good call, Angela and Allison)

21. What makes you feel sexy?: This is a weird question? Gardening! ha

22. Who is your real life hero?: is it lame if I say I don't really have a hero? No it's not Allison, because I'm not sure that I do either.

23. What is the hardest part of your job?: A never-ending to do list while keeping tabs on 22 8-year-olds while trying to foster an environment of mutual respect and learning about real life.

24. When are you most relaxed?: When I'm watching a movie.

25. What stresses you out?: change in general AMEN!

26. Favorite Quote: "She's just being Miley" Just kidding, I just can't think of my favorite quote. I need to keep a quote book.

27. Why do you blog?: Good question! Because I wanted to be cool like Becky and Allison.

29. Who are you tagging?: Halen and Becky because they might actually read this and haven't done this yet?

Time off.

So. Time off is a blessing and a curse. I'm actually missing my regular crazy teacher life. I'm sure I'll be eating those words come August, but it's true. I'm trying to get better at exercising, spending quality time with God, or helping during my time off... but, usually what happens is one of the following two scenarios. I either gain a lot of weight because I get bored and down an entire box of Double Stuf oreos or Scooby Doo fruit snacks in a single sitting, or I get "creative" and drown myself in lots of projects. Luckily, I have tried to choose the latter. Today, we had our families over for Father's Day where I cooked the entire meal (what a fun project!!!) including a CHOCOLATE tres leches cake from scratch (pictures and delicious recipe below). I think Becky has inspired me to be creative in the kitchen. Cheers to BeckBeck. I also got creative when I couldn't find any wall art I was happy with for above our bed. So, I decopaged some random things together and I think it works... at least it worked to keep me busy for a few hours and saved our wallet some decent cash.

On a totally different note, have you ever seen how much people dare to charge for WINDOW COVERINGS!? Oh my goodness. For simple cloth roman blinds for our kitchen (from "cheap" IKEA), it would be like 150 bucks for the cheap ones that will probably get sun-stained and ravel at the sides. I found drapes I love at Target, but they are 30 dollars for each panel and then like 40 dollars for a rod! What?! hmm... am I too cheap? Just let me know. I've never bought them before.

Matt is leaving tomorrow for a week in St. George (no, I don't envy him, the highs are in the triple digits). So, he is either going to come home to a wife that is 10 pounds heavier or to a home that has seen my creative side this week. I'm hoping for the second option.




Here's the address for the choclate tres leches cake. Too much to type and I know you wouldn't believe me if I told you it was a secret family recipe or one I created on my own. http://www.recipezaar.com/94259.

Ode to Nature

Yes, it's a 2 blog evening.



I think too often we lose sight of the small miracles and beautiful things around us (yes, even you Mr. Snail!) and focus on the things that make life more difficult.. weeds, traffic, rainy days that ruin our plans. But, if you can find just one thing of beauty to behold each day, it makes life a little sweeter. With a rare lush Spring upon us here in Utah, I've been struck at the beautiful and free sights surrouding me, even in my own backyard! Make sure to take time today to find something beautiful and remember to thank its Creator for such beauty!

Scout's World

So I'm convinced that my sweet dog Scout believes that this is his world, I'm just living in it. Daily (on summer break, I might add) I am awakened by a huge paw (see above) to the face/arm letting me know that he is ready to get up for the day. He then leads me downstairs and sits by his bowl with his cute puppy eyes (see below) to let me know that he is ready to eat. Whenever I leave, I spend a few minutes massaging his furry head so that he will know I still love him and will return. yikes. Is it bad that I care for this dog as if he were my own child? Some of you will say yes and agree that I am pathetic. But, I will choose to ignore you and commiserate with those who also have dog children. Don't laugh when I tell you I got Matt a Father's Day present from Scout. ha. I'll admit, I'm a loser.

What Happened?

This week was a doozy. Can I say that word? I haven't used it in a long time. We said goodbye to two sets of dear and wonderful friends (I may be out of tears for awhile). They both went to our church and were rays of sunshine on my Sunday mornings. I know this is all sounding horribly selfish, but I'm now thinking of going to church tomorrow and not seeing any of their faces. What am I going to do? I suddenly feel alone in a room full of people who I know. How did this happen? I'm playing the piano for the first time in a few months and am fondly thinking back to when I could look out and see their friendly faces either making faces at me or just smiling. Tomorrow might be rough.

The First Day of Summer.

I awoke too early this morning with a list of things to do running through my head. With all this new time, I now feel like I need to fill it up with all the things I've been putting off for the last 9 months! I finally gave away our ever-growing give-away pile. I resentfully helped some dear friends move out of the lovely dorms (just in time, might I add, as to avoid the stinky carpet "cleaning" smell permeating through the building). I finally went to Whole Foods and priced the food, realizing that yes, we are spending too much on Winder Dairy (on my list of things to do tomorrow: cancel Winder Dairy deliveries). I went to PetCo in vain, trying to find a solution to ease my mind for the tick I found on Scout's dog park towel yesterday, only finding that their medications work for dogs up to 60 pounds. Scout is considerably over that, being the world's largest retriever. I came home and researched all the wonderful benefits of Neem Oil (check it out, pretty cool) including being an organic insecticide to use in flower and vegetable gardens AND add to dog shampoo for tick killer! Then, I went to dinner with sweet friends (previously referred to as dear friends) at great Jason's Deli (amazing salad bar) and hung out in their awesome Crystal Inn hotel room praying that time would stop or at least slow down. But, alas, it did not and I had to say a teary goodbye that is still making my throat feel tight. Because of that awful goodbye feeling and Allison's letter to Utah, I have decided to write one to Texas (that's right Texas, I'm messing with YOU!).

Dear Texas,
I have reluctantly visited many random towns in your state. My favorites include Amarillo, Dimebox, Dimmit, Tulia, and San Antonio. Most of them are favorites because of their laughable names. Most of my dad's family lives within your borders, but I am ashamed to say I have only come to visit you twice. Why? Three words: humidity, Texanese, and big bugs. Did I mention that side of the family is a wee bit on the crazy side and there's not much to do besides ride "Dip Street" and hunt for snipes. But, you do have great food. And everything is bigger in Texas (not meant to be dirty, Allison) especially the prairie dogs. Some of my favorite people are Texans and say cute things like y'all. I have never felt strong disdain towards you like many people do. Sure, I have laughed at the "Texas is it's own country" jokes once or twice. But, I have liked you for the most part. Until today. Today you became selfish Texas. You took back two sweet friends that you "gave" to us two years ago. Were they only here on loan? grrr... You even took back baby duck and baby goose. What makes you so great? You should read Allison's letter to Utah and see what you're really missing! Lucky for you, this only means that I will be back for at least a third time. Maybe a fourth. and a fifth. But don't feel too proud, it's only to see the Oliveras.
-Dana