A THIRD of a Century...almost?

Today I turn 33. I know that technically I won't be a third of a century until four months from now---and believe me, we are indeed considering having a small celebration in January JUST to commemorate that significant time!---but I can't help but think it strange. A century sounds forever long, and associating myself with a century, even in a 1/3 fraction, makes me feel...like I am pushing towards ancient. Which is NOT how I feel! I am young and energetic, full of zest for life! So TAKE THAT, you ancient century! Keep your oldness to yourself, why don'cha!

To celebrate the proliferation of threes, here are the top 3 reasons I'm grateful to have been born 33 years ago:

1. my family. I have wonderfully forgiving parents, amazing siblings, the cutest nieces and nephews, and incredibly supportive in-laws! Eric, when I was young and imagining what marriage would be like, I could not possibly have conjured up for myself a more idyllic spouse, best friend, partner-in-everything that you are to me. I absolutely cannot imagine being this happy with anyone else. And our beautiful, precocious children! Man, sometimes I'm overwhelmed with their amazing spirits and ever so humbled to be entrusted with raising them. I love, love, LOVE my little ones! How grateful I am for an eternal family!

2. learning. I love to grow, to progress. I know that is part of Heavenly Father's eternal plan for us, and I'm so grateful for that eternal truth which has and will continue to shape my life. I LOVE learning new things, all KINDS of things, and I am so incredibly grateful to have been born NOW when the gospel is available in its fullness AND when women are afforded so much priceless freedom to learn and grow. I am grateful for a mind that can expand, to think and ponder and to synthesize and create new ideas. Learning for me is definitely tied to scripture, books, and education, but it expands beyond that too. I see sewing, culinary experiments, and painting as extensions of the mind's capacity to grow and create. How grateful I am for education.

  

3. beauty. Oh what a beautiful world. In July I enjoyed the ocean for the 2nd time in my life. It was a splendid day. A day of wonder and contentment surrounded by God's creation. Truly so much beauty in His handiwork. Colors in my garden, an oil painting, or the eyes of my little ones. Music from the throats of birds, evening crickets, piano and orchestra, wind, or clear voices (Josh Groban, Sissel, Hayley Westenra. If you know those names, you know their voices touch something in the soul). Textures and patterns in fabrics or dishes from around the world. Feelings of strength and litheness when I dance--- even though I'd never win a contest for my dancing--- it is the FEELING that is beautiful, which is why I LOVE to dance. How truly grateful I am for beauty, for this beautiful life I am blessed to live. 

Do I feel 1/3 of a century OLD? Absolutely not. I believe that being full of learning, life, and love cultivates beauty IN ME. And therefore, I must not be aging at all. Forever young. :)

Blooms and Butterflies

Gwen and I splurged and went to the Franklin Park Conservatory "Blooms and Butterflies" exhibit. I was hoping she would love it because she's been so enamored with The Very Hungry Caterpillar lately, especially when he becomes a beautiful butterfly... and I wasn't disappointed! She was very excited about seeing the butterflies and asked me repeatedly "Gwen hold them in my hand?" on our way there. When they landed on her, she was THRILLED!Totally worth the money, just to see the expressions on her face! She kept raising her arm and telling them to fly away. She also loved the fish. It was nice to have some me and Gwen bonding time!
One beautiful blue one from Costa Rica landed on my belly... Gwen was happy that baby sister got to see one too!
She also really loved the Chihuly artwork throughout the conservatory. She kept asking, "What's dat?"...and all I could say was, "pretty sculptures, honey...I mean, pretty round bowls and plates, just for looking." Well, whether or not she ever understood what a sculpture is, she sure liked looking at them. :)

Very cool, very educational, very fun... Glad we went!

Easter and Grandma/Grandpa Hart Visit & TONS of Pics and Videos!

I'm behind, I know. Old news. Easter was weeks ago. I have been cramming in the final papers for my classes and committed to myself that I wouldn't take liesure time to blog until I had turned everything in.

Well, I finished the big paper (on Velasquez's Las Meninas) and just turned in the last paper (on Penderecki's avant-garde techniques in Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima that create a musical portrayal of raw suffering, if you were wondering... which you probably weren't--and if you WERE, I'd LOVE to talk to you about it!), so that means I am FREE to catch up!

My younger sister lives in Boston with her hubby and sweet baby. My parents drove up there to see her and stopped in with us on the way up and back to rest;... okay, who are we kidding? Everyone knows they really stopped to love on Gwen! She was asking for "ba-bah" (Grandpa)and "mama" (the same word as when she asks for me, but context was definitely for Grandma, especially since she was signing Grandma) after only a weekend visit!

We went to the park and played and played and played.

We rode on the train (quite blurry, but see how much Gwen is enjoying herself?) and played and played and played.

We stayed inside (in a pretty Easter dress!) and played and played and played.

We went to Graeter's, ate ice cream, and played and played and played.

We hunted eggs... which was sort of like we played and played and played. (Gwen sort of got into it by the end, though her first instinct was just to squat and point at each egg with an intake of air and a "woah") see the short clip video... there's more where that came from!

We (okay, just Gwen) got a basket of goodies, ate them, and played and played and played. (she thought the idea of the chalk bucket was taking them out and putting them back) check out her latest dance moves!

and enjoyed a luscious Easter dinner of ginger-thyme brined pork loin roast with a light cantaloupe salad drizzled with cantaloupe vinaigrette dressing...so our happy mouths and satisfied stomachs played and played and played!
General Conference was a spiritual feast and we especially enjoyed listening to the testimonies of apostles and prophets speaking of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I can't say we 'played' during this, but it was certainly uplifting and wonderful. I am so grateful for my Savior, OUR Savior.

Do you Feel there are Expectations for Christmas blog posts?

I feel like this is the time of year when I ought to be making incredibly meaningful posts about faith, service, family, memories and especially a Babe born in Bethlehem. Pressure is on, ya know?
But while I FEEL grateful for my Savior and enjoy focusing upon His birth... I don't have any inspiring thoughts to share that we all haven't already felt. My older sister had a wonderful post about finding Christ in Christmas. My younger sister had a wonderful post about acts of kindness and giving. I've got... well, I feel like the only things I have to say right now are pretty boring or mundane.

Who wants to read about the hours I've spent trying to send out Christmas cards, the corners we cut to try to make it affordable, the anxiety when we realized it was still about 100 dollars if you included stamps?

Along those lines, who wants to read about our determination to go cheap next year in all the gift, card, and package sending departments next year after the stress of realizing how much things cost this year?

Who wants to hear about the planning way back in August and September to make this year's Christmas goodies for our local friends, the time it took to label and tie ribbon on each, the joy of delivering them?

Who wants to hear about our role this year as rides to the airport since we are one of the only families here til Christmas, the stress of forgetting to pick someone up, the joy of chatting with them in the car as they prepare to reunite with loved ones for the holidays, the satisfaction and peace from serving where we can?

Who wants to read about the challenges of working out about a million different problems with paying tuition and registering for classes that begin in January, the anxiety it causes me, the insomnia, or the annoyance of being on-hold for 45 minutes only to be transferred to an answering machine of someone who doesn't call you back ever?

Who wants to know the details of my lack of computer skills, the fights I've had with technology as I'm making Christmas gifts, the frustration as hours of preparation goes down the drain when there is an error during the burning process, and another DVD joins his buddies in the trash?

Who wants to hear how grateful I am for Baby Einstein, for small distractions for the lil gal, for friends to play with, and friends to take toys from, and especially for days when she takes both her naps blissfully?

See, I haven't even made Christmas cookies. I probably won't. I haven't served in the community this year unless you count the rides to the airport. Other than that, I probably won't. I haven't bought new or donated old items to needy families. Unless you count the quilts at the beginning of the month, I probably won't. I haven't caroled. We probably won't. I just don't have anything inspiring this Christmas.

I hesitate to ask this, because I'm not sure I want to know the answer... But,
Do you think that means I'm not focusing enough on Christ?

Does anyone else feel like there is a strange pressure this time of year to be extremely inspirational in their posts?

Edified at the Feet of Christ

Today, I felt like this woman:

as I sat listening to the inspired teachings of modern day Prophets and Apostles, I felt that I was sitting at the feet of my Savior, Jesus Christ, enjoying the peace and love radiating from His messages of hope. I loved all the uplifting stories of faith, the funny analogies and personal experiences shared, and knowing that my loved ones were hearing the same inspiring and inspired things.

So many words were for me in my calling as a teacher,
in my role as a mother and wife,
and in my potential as a daughter of God.

I feel a greater desire to be better,
to draw nearer to my Savior
and partake of His freely offered Love more deeply,
and to more fully offer that love again to my fellow man--
especially my family.

If you missed Conference, take time to view it online. If you don't know what I'm talking about, drop by this website. I know you will feel the Spirit of the Lord and the incomprehensible love of our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ. You won't regret it.

ps. Gwen's favorite parts were dancing to the choir music. She thought that was grand.