"Each day ours is the challenge to access the power of the Atonement so that we can truly change, become more Christlike and qualify for the gift of exaltation and live eternally with God, Jesus Christ and our families."
Russell M. Nelson



P.S. I feel like a new woman! In one day I've learned a lot about myself and my deal breakers. Some decisions are hard, but a leap of faith and the support of loved ones is just the kind of medicine I need.

God be with you til we meet again :)

It will rain

I love the rain ... from indoors. I can't remember playing in the rain as a kid. I think I had too healthy a fear of my mother's disapproval to be an all out dancing in the rain kind of kid, but I know I loved jumping in puddles. I didn't get to play in the rainfall, but I sure benefited from the aftermath!

Dancing in the rain is on my bucket list. I don't know why it's taking me forever to do it. There's always rain this time of year. I guess it's not something I really want to do before I die, but an experience that I would enjoy (and I'd possibly catch a cold...there goes my mother again).

My sophomore English teacher taught me that rain is used in movies and novels to denote change. I didn't have much fun during our Shakespeare unit, but the one useful piece of information I came away with is rain = change. It might be a realization, death, windfall, etc. We can't always have sunny days and sometimes the adversity of rain and dark, gloomy days is the kick in the butt we need in order to level up.

It's raining lightly outside :)

The other thing on my mind is planning. Many of us plan our lives. The details aren't always clear, but we have a general idea of where we want to go. When I was a teenager I wrote a letter to myself to be opened in 10 years. I think I ended up reading it at year four or five. I had a whole plan of things I wanted to accomplish and where I wanted to be at...at marriage and baby in a baby carriage, the whole nine. Fast forward 10-15 years and my plan is not coming to pass on my timeline.

It's interesting how many of us make plans without counseling with the Great Planner himself, our Heavenly Father. I hope I can truthfully say that I'm better at including Him in my plans now. I know for sure I didn't plan to be unemployed for this long, but somehow we're making it. I'm grateful for my family's support and non-judgmental stares when I tell them I'm tired after staying home or only working a few hours at my part time job. I'm trying.

He will guide us through the storms of our lives when we let Him. King Benjamin told his people to turn their tents toward the Temple. This is my trying to turn myself in the same direction.

Love & Blessings.

FA'ATUATUA MA GALUEGA

(www.lds.org/broadcast/ces/cesfrsdmcmullin00942890.pdf)

Two things I need desperately.

Oh Manti...

You make me proud to be Samoan.

I just watched the Katie interview...yes, I'm still wiping those tears away. Family and God over everything, that's the way to live and those are the people with whom we can count.

I love to see families circling the wagons and supporting one another. I have felt that support while on this forced vacation (the first half was nice and the last has been endured with this blasted cough, ugh) and I'm hoping to return it very soon. I have a job interview tomorrow, wish me luck.

Love + peace to the Te'o and Tuiasosopo families.

My mum's first text message to me:

Hurray! I'm glad have fun and be safe out there. I hope the weather is awesome.

Love

Mom

She has come a long way since her first text to my sister (there's another blog detailing that little eye opener - my mom and technology do mix!). I sent a quick text to her letting her know that Nahdia and I arrived safe and sound in Las Vegas, NV. I didn't expect anything super flowery back, but I was pleasantly surprised when I read her reply. Flowery, you ask? Well, in our family, that's as good as a dozen roses! We're not emotionally demonstrative - especially verbally - so I'm going to save this text to remind me of how tender my mum can be.

There's an LDS song by Janice Kapp Perry that has to do with lessons learned at mother's knees. Here are a few my mother has tried to instill in me:

"You're no one's door mat"

Piano

Singing

Quilting - that was short lived

Carrot Cake Baking

Watching TV

Fried Eggs - I still burn myself so I opt for the easier scrambling method

Style - I believe if she could add her two cents she'd say I'm still learning this one

Walking in heels - she swears I can do it, but I feel like a new born colt trying to balance in those torturous contraptions. I get my wide feet from her and my long feet from my dad. I would shop in the tranny section if my sense of balance wasn't so lacking.

Save things, they might be useful some day, if not for you, then for someone else - trying to unlearn this one

Appreciation for good food

Dedicated church service

Doctors and medicine are good

Speak up

Ask

Word of Wisdom - no pepsi/coke, haha

She isn't perfect and this list is obviously incomplete, but I reserve the right to do a little censoring in my mum's behalf. I'm grateful for the good and not so good lessons. 

Cheers to my mum - 64 years of knowledge and experience - 40 years of marriage - 36 years of motherhood - 29ish years of homemaking and a lifetime of walking to the beat of her own drum. I think I can attribute some of my uniqueness and all around weirdness to her owning her personality.

Luv you old lady!

Food run.