This is NOT cry for sympathy. Just an observation...

I think I have a sinus infection. I've pretty much been confined to my bed for the past 43 hours. Yesterday I slept for 18 hours. Today, I have not, but it took me a good 8 to do my Shakespeare homework (no thanks to facebook). I'm pretty sure I would have failed out of undergrad had facebook been around then. Maybe my attention span is getting shorter the longer I'm out of school. We'll say that's true and the longer I'm in school, the longer it will get? Right? Am I talking crazy talk? As my roommate pointed out last night it could be the Dayquil/Nyquil talking right? I think I'm going to the doctor tomorrow. One thing that hasn't changed since undergrad is the soothing power of Aaron Copeland. Appalachian Spring has had a calming focusing power in my life since my freshman year. Don't worry. It worked today too.

Conversation with Wiggles

I had Sunday dinner with my sister-in-law and nephews today. After dinner Wiggles and I were playing while Mom was getting Nabber ready for bed. We were discussing sleeping in the bed vs sleeping on the floor. I laid my head down on Wiggles and the conversation went something like this:
S: "are you going to be my pillow?"
W: "No, An Sanny, I'm not a pillow."
M: "did you say pillow or pickle?"
S: "are you a pickle? you're wearing green."
W: "No, An Sanny. I'm not a pickle."
I love the conversations-legitimate conversations-that I have with my nephew. They are so innocent and everything is so literal and true. If only lines of communication were so open with everyone that I talk to...

Blessings to count.

1) Sleeping in on Friday morning.
2) Free oil changes.
3) Sunshine on my shoulder.
4) Sushi.
5) Humor.
6) Sweater weather.
7) Kabobs.
8) Yoga.
9) 3 Day Weekends.
10) Good friends.

Bones to pick...

1) Why is the sun shining when it is supposed to be 34 degrees outside and snowing?
2) Dear Patient.
After being dismissed for cocaine use, asking "why has this never happened before?" might not be the smartest question to ask.
Love, Me
3) Why must weeks have 3 Mondays in the them only to be followed by snow for the weekend?
4) Who's getting married and why do I care?
5) Why must the minky in the bag insist on exploding all over my room?

Simple Truths.

For the past semester I've been taking a world religions class. Anyone who has talked to me more than once a week has probably heard "If I didn't believe in God, I'd make an awesome Buddhist" or "I'd be an amazing Jew or Muslim if it weren't for that whole Jesus thing". I know, I've been kind of flippant in my statements and if I didn't know myself better I might think I was a bit disrespectful, but because I do know myself I can see that my horizons have expanded beyond the world that I see and it fascinates me.
So last Sunday was Easter, basically the most important holiday in the Christian world. I celebrated by picking up a copy of Tad Callister's THE INFINITE ATONEMENT. These are the two paragraphs that were written just for me.

No doctrine supersedes or even approaches the Atonement in importance. It is the grandest miracle to have ever occurred. C. S. Lewis observed that if one takes away the miracles attributed to Buddhism, there would be "no loss" to the religion. If all miracles were eliminated from Islam, he adds, "nothing essential would be altered." Then this striking observation: "But you cannot possibly do that with Christianity, because the Christian story is precisely the story of one grand miracle, the Christian assertion" that Christ came "into human nature, descended into His own universe, and rose again, bringing Nature up with Him. It is precisely one great miracle. If you take that away there is nothing specifically Christian left."
The Atonement is, as Elder McConkie observed, "the center and core and heart of revealed religion." It is indeed the keystone of Christianity and the foundation of a spiritual life. It is the beacon of light for a benighted world. It is the fountain from which all hopes spring. Any theology, any philosophy, any doctrine that teaches contrary to the Atonement is built on sand. Brigham Young taught: "The moment the atonement of the Savior is done away, that moment, at one sweep, the hopes of salvation entertained by the Christian world are destroyed, the foundation of their faith is taken away, and there is nothing left for them to stand upon." The Atonement is our singular hope for a meaningful life.

The miracle of miracles that I see in this is the fact that I know these things to be true. I feel so blessed for having known these things my whole life. I don't have to sift through all the many other religions to find the truth. ALL OF IT. not just part of it. I'm so grateful to know that I can continue to learn about all these things and that these truths will never change.

2 in 1 day. Ridiculous. I know.

I should be in bed right now. I know. I'm well aware. If I were to email my friend Carrie right now she would email me tomorrow and tell me that I should go to bed earlier. Oh yes. I believe that too.
I just had one of those epic moments that made me appreciate my mother in my childhood. Today was my boss's birthday. She always goes the extra mile to make sure that we feel appreciated on our birthday. I know she has a particular liking to red velvet cupcakes. I told her I would bake her cupcakes for her birthday. My roommate makes cupcakes for the kids in her class. No big deal, right? I've just spent the last 2 hours baking cupcakes for work tomorrow and the birthday celebration. I'm not so sure that I think cupcakes are worth it if I have to bake them for myself. I'm all for the cute little cupcake shops and stuff. Cupcake Wars? DC Cupcakes? Sure. They're all fantastic and I have a brand new respect for anyone that wants to make a career out of cupcakes. I mean, they're tasty and all, but REALLY? I could have finished my chapter on Christianity and read half of my chapter on Islam. I could have read 16 pages in the Book of Mormon. I could have done any number of different things, but I didn't because I want her to feel appreciated too. The things my mother must have done for me. Thanks Mom! Love ya! I do appreciate the birthday cake/prom dress/early morning sacrifices that you made for me.

***side notes***
During the cupcake project I did do a few things that I'd like to chalk up to experience and add to my cool resume of new things I've tried:
-I made my own buttermilk for the cupcakes.
-I piped frosting with a ziploc bag.
-I ran (literally. without stopping.) from my house to the grocery store behind my house twice (2 TIMES) without stopping AFTER I went running with my running buddy (on her first anniversary of her back surgery.) That's impressive. Ask my parents about my soccer career. They'll back me up on this.
-I BAKED FROM SCRATCH!!! (not going to lie, i was kind of banking on a cake mix, but apparently they don't carry red velvet in march.)
-I tried my first Paula Dean recipe. She REALLY likes to fatten things up.
-I have pink finger prints. Apparently obscene amounts of red food coloring will do that.

I really am going to bed now. And I have a sugar headache from the cream cheese frosting. (PS I have a definite surplus is anyone has a need for frosting.)

laundry list

I feel like I am forever and always posting lists of things here. I really do think in lists. I'm pretty sure that my life is a giant Post-It note. Here are a few thoughts:
1) I have no personal taste in music. I went on a road trip/camping trip not to long ago and had this realization all over again. Every CD that I had in my car was a gift from someone else. When one of the girls asked me what my favorite song was my response was "I sing the 'baby bumble bee' song while I run?".
2) I like food. A lot. I decided the other day that artichoke hearts are not my favorite thing in the world. I'll eat them (I'll eat most anything), but I can live without them.
3) I miss writing. I find it therapeutic. I see some essays in my near future entitled "seeing life through rose-colored glasses". My parents gave me some pale pink aviator sunglasses last summer. This summer I plan on putting them to good use.
4) I also find camping/hiking/'the great outdoors' therapeutic.
5) A sprained is the worst thing that can happen to a new running habit.
6) Les Miserables 25th anniversary concert is the best thing that has ever happened to a sprained ankle.
7) We had a patient call in requesting that their records be sent to Panama. That is very different from the Arizona, California, Oregon, Texas, and Louisiana that we usually get. Hope the new doctor speaks/understands English because my doctor doesn't speak Spanish.
Well. I know this isn't much, but it's a start. I'm amazed by how easy it is to get out of the habit. I'm re-committing to be better.