It's Business Time*

I promised pictures of several things. The first is the pancake breakfast.

Crock Pot Jim's "Belize" shirt. Uh-huh...yeah, sure you went.

The Mrs. Butterworth Twins attack Anne!!!

Elaina and I made our own Shriner's hats for the event.

Next up we have my laptop's final rest.

In order for the screen not to do that I have to hold it up with one hand and type with the other...very annoying.


It looks like this on both sides, and then there is just a gap in the middle...can't figure it out, I didn't lose any pieces, it just won't stay up.


The cord has been like this for a while. Stupid laptop cords.

Well, as exciting as that was...it's over. Hope you enjoyed.

Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.*

I don't normally stand on a soap box...you guys know this. But today is a soap box day.

The other night at institute we talked about defending the family...at least that's what I think it was about. We divided up into three groups and read three different speeches from the World Congress of Families (who knew?). Our talk was about defending the family, how children are our only hope for the future, how we need children just as much as they need us. One part stood out to me, he said, "Spiritually, we need children as much as they need us. They are our spiritual wealth. Children teach us the joy of building goodness that will outlive our own. They teach us the joy of loving someone more than self." (A link to the talk can be found at the bottom of the entry).

There was a girl in our group who thought a little differently than most of us (that's a nice way to put it) and she was saying how some people aren't cut out to be parent's, and I agree, there are some people who should never have children...but those people tend to have children anyway. The group began to talk about people taking lightly the decision to not have children. The girl said that it was good that they realized that they shouldn't have children.

My response to her was that we are unaware of our own capabilities. I said that it was like when you find someone and you fall in love with them, you had no idea you were capable of loving someone so much more than yourself, of sacrificing things for that person because you want them to be happy. It is the same with children (I'm guessing since I don't have any) that when you have them you had no idea you could love them so much, you had no idea of what sacrifices you would be willing to make for them. She agreed with me on that at least, but I don't think it lasted long.

I think people give too much thought to being ready. Being ready is overrated. Readiness, in most cases, is simply a lack of fear. Once you stop being afraid to do something you are ready to do it. It's like having to get up in front of a large group of people, do you ever feel ready (and I'm talking normal people who have fears of talking in front of people, not people who just love getting up in front of others)? I know that I never do. I get through it, but I was never really ready. I'll read over my material days in advance, making adjustments and getting the timing right. Still, the morning of my stomach is all jittery and I feel like I am going to pass out, even while I am talking I am so tense my kidneys feel like they will explode, and as I sit there about to stand and talk, I make changes. I am never ready for that stuff, I never feel capable...but I do it.

Life is all about progression - otherwise why are we here? We are not born "cut out" for walking, anyone who has seen a new born knows this. I mean, look at a newborn baby - really? But they progress to that stage, they progress to being able to eat solid foods, to talking, to potty training, reading and writing, controlling their emotions, driving, cooking, running, tying their own shoes, some progress to learning a foreign language, playing the piano, gymnastics, singing, riding a bike, sports. They have so much potential...but what if they thought in their little baby minds when they were three weeks old, "You know, some babies are just not "cut out" for all of that, so maybe I should just never try." It's a good decision right? It was good of them to realize that they can't make it and to just never try...cause some people shouldn't progress. Right? Rather, there is that potential, and that support (and careful, I'm going to get religious) there are parent's who know that baby is capable of being more than flesh and bone lying on the floor as their bodies grow and age until one day, they will die, having settled for something far from what they could have been. It is just as we have a Heavenly Father who knows we are capable of so much more than we think we are, then we let ourselves settle to be.

It is a fear of failing. Of being like their unhappy parent's, or of not being able to buy their kid nice things, or offer them a full ride to college. A fear that they aren't cut out to be parent's, that somehow they will mess it up. So they justify it - they blame it on their "nature", they tell themselves it's better to not bring children into the world the way it is, they tell themselves that they are lowering their carbon footprint. But really, they are afraid to sacrifice, afraid to try.

They say that the best way to learn is to teach. If we never teach...then how can we get the most out of it? Personally I have to have a way of influencing the world more than the opportunity my job provides (which is averaging 0% right now). Children are our hope for the future, they are the best way to impact the world, to make it a better place.

Don't get me wrong, having children is your own decision, I can't, nor would I try to force someone to have children or anything like that. But I think that some people need a swift kick in the pants, cause they don't even realize the excuses they are buying into, the joys and opportunities for continued progression in their own lives that they are denying themselves. I may have upset some people so far with this entry, but this isn't a public forum, this is my blog, I have the freedom to express my opinions, and you are free to do so in the comments.

Anyway, some things that the girl said on Tuesday stuck with me like a bad taste in my mouth and I couldn't let it go, it's still on my mind (uh, obviously). All I can keep thinking is that we don't know what we are capable of, we have no idea our potential for anything in this life. I kept thinking how noble motherhood can be - even if it doesn't seem that way in the moment. You give up everything so that this little thing that can't even hold its own head up can be taken care of. You sacrifice for them for the next 20+ years because of love, they may use and abuse you at times, but you love them (unless you are a sociopath - in which case, maybe you shouldn't have children). So I found this little diddy earlier this morning and I had read it many times before, but it made me think back to Tuesday (probably because it still irks me). So after you read that I'll get off my soap box. Thanks for listening.

The One Flaw In Women

By the time the Lord made woman, he was into his sixth day of working overtime. An angel appeared and said, "Why are you spending so much time on this one?"
And the Lord answered, "Have you seen my spec sheet on her? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic, have over 200 movable parts, all replaceable and able to run on diet coke and leftovers, have a lap that can hold four children at one time, have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart -and she will do everything with only two hands."
The angel was astounded at the requirements. "Only two hands!? No way! And that's just on the standard model? That's too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish."
"But I won't," the Lord protested. “I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself when she is sick AND can work 18 hour days."
The angel moved closer and touched the woman. “But you have made her so soft, Lord."
"She is soft," the Lord agreed, “but I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish."
"Will she be able to think?", asked the angel.
The Lord replied, "Not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason and negotiate."
The angel then noticed something, and reaching out, touched the woman's cheek. "Oops, it looks like you have a leak in this model. I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one."
"That's not a leak," the Lord corrected, "that's a tear!"
"What's the tear for?" the angel asked.
The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment, her love, her loneliness, her grief and her pride."
The angel was impressed. "You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything! Woman is truly amazing."
And she is! Women have strengths that amaze men. They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy. They smile when they want to scream. They sing when they want to cry. They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous. They fight for what they believe in. They stand up to injustice. They don't take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution. They go without so their family can have. They go to the doctor with a frightened friend. They love unconditionally. They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards. They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding. Their hearts break when a friend dies..They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left. They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors. They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you. The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning. They bring joy, hope and love. They have compassion and ideals. They give moral support to their family and friends. Women have vital things to say and everything to give HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE TINY FLAW IN WOMEN, IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

The Family: The Hope for the Future of Nations

Mama, just killed a man, put a gun against his head, pulled my trigger now he's dead*

Forms of entertainment...the rules state various forms...that's all I'm saying.

The mother load of reader digest updates:
So I have had an interesting past couple of days. First, Saturday morning we had the 36th (or some large number) annual pancake breakfast (pictures to follow in a later entry). It was pretty fun, and from that experience coupled with one in the past where my friend Jim had cooked he has the new nickname, "The Crock Pot" - pretty much, if you haven't figured it out means that he is a slow cooker. I haven't told him his nickname yet...I'll get around to it.

Saturday a few of us were going to go to Belize. You see, here's the deal. Jim stated that he went to Belize for a week. Elaina and I don't believe him, rather we choose to believe that he told people he was going there, but stayed home the whole week. He also told people that it would cost him an arm and a leg for text messages so that people wouldn't contact him. Sadly, Amber got caught in the mist of this (sorry Amber :( So while Jim stands by the fact that he did go, Elaina and I still have suspicions. He tried showing us pictures to prove it and they were all fish (Google images I'm sure) and there was one picture with him in it and I said, "That's Maymont park!" So we all start to laugh (It wasn't really Maymont park - I'm pretty sure it was really Belize) and then we thought it would be so cool to find places in Richmond that could pass off as other, more exotic places! So Saturday afternoon we were going to go to "Belize" but then a rainstorm hit and our flight was canceled. Then there was a baptism Saturday night and Chapin's birthday feast following after that at Five Guys. Finally got home (with a small group of people in tow) and we watched Nightmare Before Christmas.

Sunday was business as usual for most of the day. Sunday night my laptop decided that it needed to lay down....flat. I took a picture (also to follow in the next post) It was as though I had ripped it's spine out, the screen wouldn't hold up. Then it decided not to recognize that it was plugged in. So I won't be turning it on a whole lot. Good news...earlier that day I backed up my photos on Shutterfly (less work to do when I get a new computer). I did order a new one (sorry again Amber) and it will be here in probably three months. What's this whole, "Building your computer" crap? I just got the basics of the basics. Anyway, so one day I'll have a new computer, with less pictures saved on it, and I'll be super careful with it.

Yesterday I got a letter from Bryan (for those of you who don't know Bryan is my missionary boyfriend). Pick your jaws up it's perfectly okay for a girl my age to have a missionary....right? Doesn't matter I'm keeping him despite your opinions. Anyway. He is going to be serving in French speaking Madagascar and he was supposed to be going there today. On Friday however he and five others were told that they didn't have visas yet (apparently it takes forever because he applied for one back in late April or May). But rather than staying in the MTC he will be going to Atlanta, Georgia for several weeks until it comes through. The fact that they are sending him on a temporary assignment just shows that they don't expect it to come through anytime soon.

Today is going by incredibly slow...tonight starts the new semester of institute and I am pretty excited. Who would have thought that I would ever find myself looking forward to Tuesday night classes? But they are my weekly pick me up, and last week we didn't have it. After that is burger time (we'll see the group size and the necessity for a booth. From their I will pick this weeks booth-worthy friends).

Pass it over here Percy I don't mind coconut.*

Two posts ago the title was "Chocolate's much too good for children"* No guesses? I will give you a picture hint but it will cost 5-blog bucks being deducted, so basically it will reduce it to 5 points. Or you can try your darnedest and without a hint it is worth 15 points. You're call.

So the other day I e-mailed a guy at a newspaper (sounds typical right?). So my e-mail has my name in it (Jessica). He sends me an e-mail back (to Jessica@work.com) and then gives me a call. I was not at my workstation so it went to voicemail, where he would hear that my name is Jessica. I pick up the phone, dial my voicemail and hear, "Hey Valerie, how's it going." ...Pause. It's almost like a guy calling you to tell you he had a good time on your date last weekend but using the wrong name when he leaves the message. Yeah, I bet you did.

I suppose that's why whenever possible I avoid using the other person's name. People who have to hear their name as a sense of validation probably hate interacting with me. There are a few people at work who always say my name when they see me. They say, "Hey Jessica," and I say, "Hey, how's it going?" I know that people who use other people's names all the time probably use it because they want people to use their names, but I can't do it. Even if I know their name I don't want to run the risk of saying the wrong one. I've done that enough before, that's probably why I have adopted this strategy. When I leave a voicemail I do not repeat their name, rather I say, "Hey this is Jessica with yadda, yadda." They know their name, they don't need me to repeat it.

Tomorrow is the Shriner's Pancake Breakfast....get excited.

I wish that I could give you an emotional Heimlich so that you could cough up that wad of fear and anxiety.*

So I am learning French. Last Saturday I bought a two disc "Learn French on the Go" thing. It's been interesting so far. I listened to it a little on Saturday night and could say "Thank you very much", "Three", "It's Six O'clock" and "Nice to meet you" (don't ask me to say them now there's only so much retention this girl has). Today I learned some colors and bathroom supplies and clothing (my favorite being "T-shirt" because it's the same as in English but with a little spunk...and a 'le' ("Because it's the same in every country", "That's beautiful"*). The hardest part I can see coming would be the darn breakfast foods, and I love breakfast food. But they are so difficult to say in French. Everything else is at least said and I can kind of mimic it (though I may be way off and saying something different...one thing I have learned, enunciate in French, otherwise you're not speaking French, you're just trying to pass it off like you are). With breakfast food I am lost, I try to copy the guy on the CD but nothing, I just mumble and hope he doesn't notice....oh wait...he doesn't.

I remember the words that I do because I associate them with English words. Yellow is said somewhat like 'June' and white is kinda like "blanch". The end of six o'clock sounds like "Ceasar" (That's not what Rome is about. We should totally just stab Ceasar!* (I've got to stop). My personal favorite "It's here" sounds like "L.A. Law" but more like "E Lay Laww".

*Scratching top of head* My point, my point, oh....E Lay Laww. On this CD they sing everything. First it was kind of annoying, but the scary part is that this is only the second time I am listening to it and I find myself singing along. Then when I am not in the car I am singing it in my head...which would be cool if I were singing the French parts, but of course the only parts I can remember are the English parts...getting there I guess. I just don't know when I am going to be able to tell someone that I am wearing a white t-shirt or have them ask me the time right at 6 o'clock so that I can tell them in French.

Chocolate is much too good for children*

And the slacking continues. Work has been busy, when work is busy I don't do much else that requires brain power because my head feels like mush and my heart just isn't in it. This week, aside from having an aggravating itch on my wrist (those of you who know, know that that is really hard for me. I hate having my wrist touched, much less scratched! I'm gagging here...gagging). Where was I? Oh this week is slow so far. So slow that this morning I felt as though a week had passed and shortly there after realized that only one day had.

With that said, let's get random. Let me take you back, back almost 168 hours, or in other words - a week. Let's travel back to last Tuesday. But before, a little preface.

Preface. Ha-ha...I am so funny.

*Wiping tears from eyes dramatically* Ok, get serious. So my friend and I text back and forth all day during work. It's a good distraction and an excellent way to maintain my sanity (since we all know I am always so close to losing it).

About two weeks ago I decided that when a group of people go out to eat that if the group is too large I will take just a few people to a booth, separate and yet close by the group. In order to be invited to the group you must be "booth worthy". There is no shame involved if you are not invited to the booth, that does not denote an unworthiness - simply that a booth can only hold so many. So those of you who do not sit in booths with me all the time...calm the heck down. If you never get a booth seat...begin to worry.

Anyway, I told my friend last Sunday night that I would probably get a separate booth for burgers on Tuesday night (this being the Tuesday night of 168 hours ago) and he asked if he could sit with us (being whoever I choose) and I told him that he was booth worthy. Then he asked if his friend could sit with us and I said that would be fine. Then (he was really needy that day) he says that's great, they'll bring the Shriner's and I told him 'no'. I said that I didn't want to run the risk of armless cannibals joining out booth (because everyone knows that armless cannibals have a thing for Shriner's). He said that they were interesting characters and I said that I know, and I would love to hang out with them sometime but a booth is only so big. Then he said that's fine, I can hang out with them at their pancake breakfast. Being hungry I asked if that was real because now I wanted pancakes. So we have decided that we are going to have the 23rd Annual Shriner's pancake breakfast. I'm uber excited. I really love pancakes. So the breakfast is this Saturday and I'm just excited and I hope that his pancakes don't suck, because I'm a little picky about pancakes. Some people can think they have the best pancakes around and I take a bite and gag (i.e. my boyfriend's mother's pancakes (shh- don't tell) - she's not snooty about them, I just can't actually swallow them without a dairy aid...*chuckling* "dairy aid" sounds funny, say it five times fast...do it). I think it's cause her pancakes are thick and made with multi-grain(=chunks in my food) flour. But hey, if his pancakes are a flop I'll head on over to IHOP and get some real ones.

Anyway, after I created the Facebook invite it dawned on me...I'm a co-host**. That made me laugh.

**15 points since not actually a quote but a reference**

My eyes, they're burning - these goggles do nothing!*

Title: 15 points because it's not from a movie.

Apparently I got 25 followers - actualize my life long dream - and slacked on blogging. My apologies. Maybe a lot of it has to do with the fact that nothing interesting is happening. Well, things are happening but how interesting are they really?

A few weeks ago I worked with my sister at the catering service. We had a unique situation where the bride and groom got married in the ballroom, so while they were taking pictures their guest remained in the ballroom...and we had to put the tea out. Usually we roll out the glasses in their glass little crates and put them on the tables, get enough people and it's a quick and easy job. But seeing as how the guests were still at the tables we couldn't do that. We put the glasses on trays and carried them out to our tables. My sister warned me that if I didn't feel comfortable with the tray just take a few by hand at a time. I tried the tray out and the first attempt was a success, so feeling good about it I went back for more. Always leave on a high note, you do it well once, and then forget it, go back to the simpler way of doing things. I was putting glasses on the table and suddenly one tipped and it hit the remaining two on my tray. Ice cold tea went all over me and all over the two chairs I was standing between (luckily they were empty). I didn't really know what to do, this has never happened to me so I may or may not have been like a deer in headlights. Ross (the event manager) comes over and tells me he'll take care of it, he asks if I am okay and I'm not sure if he is asking if a glass broke and got me or if I was going to cry, but I said I was fine and went to the back...where I cried. Embarrassing moments do that to me. I dried off, and went back out there and made jokes with the people at the table (the scene of the crime) that I pour tea better than I serve it, but they were still hesitant to let me get too close. I made up for it with the other tables and they had no clue I was a klutz.

This past weekend my cousins spent the night at my house. We made chicken fingers (yup, I cooked) and fries and then we watch Coraline...which they thought was a little scary (kind of made me happy because at first they were like, "this is boring") but overall we all liked it (it was my first time seeing it too). Then I made them go to sleep. My goodness, they can be annoying. One can't sleep if it is completely dark but he needs it to be absolutely quiet. His sister can't sleep with the light on, but for some reason likes to sing herself to sleep. So I made everyone compromise. I turned on some music for the singer and told the silent light one that since we were leaving a light on he needed to compromise too and put up with the music.
Other than that it was all good, except I was hoping to sleep in and my cousin likes to wake up early and get the dog riled up.

Saturday we went to see the new Harry Potter and then I went to a Bridal Shower and a baptism at church. Oh Bridal Showers...I have been to plenty in my day. This one wasn't bad, we didn't have to do any ridiculous games, a mean, there were games but they weren't ridiculous. Thank you Evan (the bride to be). The baptism was really good, I wasn't going to go but my roommate talked me into it and I'm glad I went. Afterwards I ended up talking on a pink shoe phone (that wasn't a phone) courtesy of Elaina. I don't know why she had just one shoe in her purse, but she did and then she started to talk on it and then she handed it to me. I talked on it with ease and I am wondering why...I mean, who does that? Granted I do that all the time with kids and their pretend phones, so maybe it was just second nature to me. It was totally fun though. Yes, people saw and questioned me about it later. Why could they not just believe it was a phone in the shape of a shoe? Where is their imagination? Their child like wonderment? No rather it was, "why were you talking on a shoe?" ...Because I'm cool, that's why. What's your excuse for not talking on one?

Anyway. That's the long and short and detail deprived of my life right now. If I think of anything else or am less lazy to write more about what went on this jam packed weekend I will write later. For right now I just wanted you to know that I still live!

We're Gonna Win. We're gonna win!*

Doing the touchdown dance. 25 followers!

Okay, let's celebrate together shall we? You know the basic rules. Limit to two (including title), make them count.

10 pointers
"Put the cookie down!" (Kathryn)

"I didn't stay in college for 9 years just to go back to my trailer in Idaho!" (Sarie Lou)

"Danny Devito I love your work!" (Sarie Lou)

"Whoever said Orange was the new pink was seriously disturbed." (G-Sauce)

"Curse these genetically tiny legs!" (Mur)

20 pointers

"I didn't know you could read." (Kathryn)

"Hello Mr. Stairs - I've missed you." (Joanna)

"In the 43 years I've been practicing medicine I've never seen a woman throw up that much." (Kathryn)

25 pointers

"If he became a flavor you can bet he would be sour." (G-Sauce)

"Rewease the secwet weapon!" (Joanna)

"Who are you calling peck you stupid diaquini?" (Mur)