So Long Sweet Summer.

Okay so technically the summer holiday has been over for a month. But I've been busy, a'ight?

Busy with what? Well. I will tell you.

James and Taryn got married in Bountiful, Utah. Hooray! So much fun to have family gathered for the dinner in Salt Lake, and then to be in Bountiful for the sealing and reception.

The next day after the reception, I drove back to Colorado to finish painting murals (more details on my art blog) and miraculously pack all my belongings. I don't even know how that happened.


We had a Colorado reception on August 27th, so we were driving back to Utah on Saturday the 28th. I  moved into my new apartment that night and started school the next Monday.

And it has been a whirlwind ever since. 

I could go into all sorts of detail, but it sufficeth me to say that school is great. :)  Busy, but great.

And I also think that the Lost Boys are here at BYU. And by Lost Boys I mean all the dashingly handsome, tall, witty, intelligent, socially competent men that you wonder where they have existed all your life, and then you stumble upon them walking across campus, and then you never see them again. I'm positive they're figments of my imagination. What a cruel joke imagination can play.

But I love my new ward, and it is filled with great, great people, of both genders. So I'm not too concerned about the Lost Boys. (At least for right now. ;)

It does not surprise me that the only difference between Oblivious and Obvious is just two little letters, because more often than not, they are the same thing instead of being totally opposite. Case in point:

Our living room window faces the hoop of our basketball court. We often are sitting in our living room while some game or another takes place, and occasionally we'll get a ball to the window. It's part of life.

However. When certain specimens of the male variety want to gain certain attention from a female within our apartment, they think they're brilliant when they throw the ball against the window and win a glance from within.

They think we're oblivious. 

How obvious. 

Word of the Day: frabjous \FRAB-juhs\, adjective; 1.  wonderful, elegant, superb, or delicious.

"I want my Momma."

When all else is failing, this is what my nephew pleas.  In a rather somber and sad voice, he states, " I want my Momma."  And he usually gets his desired hug, and it reminds me about how much I love MY Momma.

Jeanie is what her family calls her, Jean is how the world knows her, and Mom to me and my siblings.  "Mom" here is synonymous with ...

Hero.
Amazing.
Gentle.
Funny.
Sweet.
Good cook.
Angelic.
Beautiful.
Strong.
Capable.
Epitome of all things good and right.

And my greatest friend, and probably the only person in the world who knows exactly what I'm like at my complete self, because she's the only one I trust to be that way around.  (I am a social chameleon... not that I change my views or opinions, but if someone is shy, I'll be shy with them.  If someone is loud, I'll support their personality.  It's just how I've learned to be friends and make people feel comfortable.  But more on this theory another day.)

Yes, she's made some mistakes, and I've learned that mistakes are okay to make.  In short, she's great, I love her, and look very much up to her, even though she fits so nicely under my arm. :)

The greatest treat about going to Florida for her family reunion was finding pictures of her as a child, because honestly, I had only ever seen her wedding photos and one from the third grade.  It was a tender experience for me to see my mom in her youth.

And isn't she just so CUTE?

Love your Mommas.  Watching my sister take care of her boys has made me realize just how much my mom did for me.  "Raising a child" can't seem to contain all the diapers, scrapes, kisses, meals, books, songs, toys, lessons, and love it takes to actually do the job.  Here's my ode to you, Mom.

Thanks for raising me, being my friend, example, and all the things I needed to become what I am today.  I've had a grand time living at home with you, sitting next to you in church and just being around my mom.  Because that is the greatest relationship I have on this earth, the one with my mother.

You're the best. :)



Word of the Day: incunabulum \in-kyoo-NAB-yuh-luhm\ , noun;  The earliest stages or first traces of anything.

Do Mormons worship Joseph Smith?

I know I just posted about mormon.org.  But I just love the website so much!

What happens is I enter my membership number, and create a profile.  Everything I have written has come from my heart, and nothing has been altered by a third person.  All the people who answer questions are answering truthfully, because our answers get reviewed before they get published.  That's just to make sure no one starts talking about how the Good Samaritan was like a certain play in the latest football game. :)  There are no alterations made except what we ourselves change.

With that in mind, check out this website!  It is truly a great place to learn about this faith that causes so much joy in its members and so much controversy in the misinformed.


So back to the post title.  Do Mormons worship Joseph Smith?

If you want to know the answer to this question, many other questions often asked, and the part he played in the Church's restoration, check out :  http://www.mormon.org/joseph-smith/ .  It is an excellent explanation of who he is and what he did for us.

And, at the bottom of the page, you'll see this question answered about Joseph Smith by yours truly!  My brother and his fiance were looking over the website and happened to find my answer on this page.  Pretty neat.  I don't know how long it'll stay there, so be sure to check it out and see how I feel about it all.