Noteworthy - How Great Thou Art

Sometimes I feel this way about God!

8

So I thought I would bust this out again with a twist! Since the last time we played this game it was called 7 I figured I'd change it up a bit and call it 8 this time around! I changed a few of the categories, I tagged a bunch of you, and I'm hoping to learn a few new things about ya'all!

For those of you who are new to this little game check this , this, this, this,and this blog out to see how it's done.


8 Things I'm Passionate About:
1. Writing
2. Music composition (singing, playing the piano)
3. People
4. Teaching the gospel
5. My family
6. Mentoring
7. Reading
8. My friends

8 Things I want to do before I die:
1. Write a novel
2. Sing with a live orchestra
3. Own my own car
4. Have a child
5. Learn to play the guitar
6. Travel
7. Make another CD
8. Sit on the Spanish Steps in the Piazza de Spagna

8 Things I say (or do) often:
1. Frequent "Not your Average Joe's"
2. Diet Coke
3. "Who does that?"
4. Take allergy drugs
5."How you be?"
6. Run on a treadmill (prep for marathon relay)
7. Eat turkey sandwich's
8."Ha-ppy!"

8 Books I've recently read:
1. currently reading... "1776" By Davide Mcullough
2. "Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbon" by Anne Rinaldi
3. "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer
4. "New Moon" by Stephenie Meyer
5. "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer
6. "The Perfect Storm" by Sebastian Junger
7. "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz
8. "The Tenth Circle" by Jodi Piccoult

8 Songs I Could Listen to Over and Over:
1. "Small Enough" by Nicole Noredeman
2. "Everything" by Michael Buble`
3. "Every Day Must End" by Auburn (Cassey Goalie & Daniel Wood)
4. "Lessons Learned" by Carrie Underwood
5. Nickle Creek
6. "The Blower's Daughter" by Damien Rice
7. "I Love You" from the Broadway Musical, "Putnam County Spelling Bee"
8. Audra McDonald

8 Things that Attract Me to My Best Friends:
1. Passion
2. They keep me laughing
3. Integrity
4. Honesty
5. Inspiring
6. Drive
7. Unique Individuals
8. Empowerment

8 things I've learned since the last time I did this (in the last year):
1. That I still am in love with Boston even a year later!
2. True Love still exists (thanks Marie & Preston)
3. The importance of being and having a mentor
4. That my life is much better with Natalie Williams in it
5. That I tru lyhave wonderful friends
6. A whole lot about myself
7. It is amazing what people will tell you if you just ask
8. The truth about faith over fear

8 People that I think should do "8"
1. Natalie
2. Julie
3. Timothy
4. Seth
5. Jared
6. Michael
7. Marie
8.Yancy

+ 2: Don & Jason

Phillis Wheatly

Most of you have probably never heard of Phillis Wheatly--then again maybe you have. I just finished a great (fast) read of her life. The book is called, "Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons" by Ann Rinaldi. It's a historic fiction novel about the first African American Poet. An inspirational piece reminding me not only of the American freedom I am so blessed to have but also the freedom that reading and writing has given and will continue to give me in my life!

Summer Fun!

SURF RIDER & BRICKHOUSE BOARDS EVENT
Some of you know that I was in charge of this big Surfing Event at my job. It was incredible. The organization Surf Rider (shout out to Ben who is a member) , Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mass. Bay, and Brickhouse Boards combined for the 3rd year to put on this great event. Littles get to learn about protecting their Ocean, they get to have fun on the beach, meet other matches, and of course--learn to surf! We almost got blown away by the 20 mile an hour winds but we survived and had a great time!


Here we all are learning about keepin the Ocean safe. Did you know it takes 2 million years for a glass bottle to decompose! Seriously. Orkina, the Coast Gaurd specialist had a lot of fascinating facts to teach us all.


Little learning how to surf.

NICKLE CREEK & FIONA APPLE

This is the best picture I could get. I was so excited to go hear Nickle Creek play here in Boston. So I braved it to the Bank of America Pavillion all by my lonesome (that's a first for me) to hear them perform. Now that's a loyal fan! I'm not a huge fan of Fiona Apple...but Chris Thile, Sean Watkins, and Sara Watkins were amazing! It was well worth. At one point in the show this little old ladie (ticket checker) told me that she wouldn't look if I moved closer to the stage so I didn't feel so lonely. Bless her heart! I took her advice and had an amazing seat! Yippee!

AFC REUNION

(L-R) Justin, Kylee, Karlee, & Charlie. These are my coworkers from last year. Funny what 1 year can do. Now none of us work there. Justin (founder and CEO of AFC Mentoring) is now going to Grad School, I'm at BBBSMB, Karlee is going to Grad School in England, and Charlie works in finance. It was great to spend some time with them and reminace about old times.

LPL KIDS DAY at FENWAY
This is the 11th year that LPL Financial has sponsered a Kids day at Fenway. They buy out the Avalon-where we have lunch and a huge pre-game party. Then they buy 300+ tickets and give them to our Bigs & Littles so they can go to a Red Sox Game. This was a smashing success. Now if only the Sox had won...


Here I am at the Red Sox Game for work--it doesn't get much better than that!


Here are a bunch of the incredible Match Advocates that I work with everyday.


This is a match I've worked with since I started at Big Brothers Big Sisters back in February. I love this match! They had a great time at the game--I got to sit with them!


I work with these two fantastic women!

GOOD BYE TANIA!

I love these ladies! Marcy, Kylee, Abby, & Trisha


David & Kylee


Tania & Jared


Jared & Kylee


Tania you are love and will be missed!


Kylee saying goodbye to Tania...off to be with her true love!

DINNER TIME

Kylee & Shannon (oh, and Jeff in the background)


Kylene & Abigail (almost cousins)


Kylee & Natalie ( I think she's really excited to eat!)


Abby & Joey

PALMYRA

This was a great whirlwind adventure! A bunch of us loaded into a few cars, drove to Palmyra, stayed in a sweet camp ground, saw the upstate NY sights, watched the Hill Cumorah Pagent, and then drove home. This is the trips that memories are made of!

Ben & I in the Sacred Grove

Gotta love the girls in their glasses Carly, Lora, and Kylee

The entire gang outside Joseph Smith's Birthplace

What a great group!

BIRTHDAY TIME!


I love this picture! Nat with her famous open mouth smile, Wylie just being himself and who knows what happen to the rest of my body?


Happy Birthday Marianne--what is your wish?


Here we are for Marianne's big 19th Birthday!
(Marianne, Kylee & Natalie = summer roommates)

LIFE is GOOD at FENWAY

Brendan was excited to sign our names on the huge Baseball!


Brendan & I soaking in the sun!

Sleepy Time

I know that I need to update my blog. I have lots of summer pictures and adventures to share. They are forthcoming....

After one such adventure this weekend (a big surfing event I planned for work) I was exhausted. I came home around 5:00 pm and not feeling well (the wind had given me an allergy attack) I figured I'd lay down for a few hours before going to a music night. Well I laid down at 6:00 pm on Saturday night and didn't wake up at all until 10:00 am Sunday morning. That's 16 hours people! That is insane. I got up at 10:00 realized I wasn't going to be going to church got some food and went back to sleep from noon until 5:00 pm. (anther 5 hours).

You would think by this time there would be no room for sleepage--not so. I went to bed Sunday night around 12:00 am and awoke nice and awake at 8:45 am this morning. Yes people I am rested!

So I am glad that my body seems to go into this immune deficency shut down at points to rest and repair my immune system. This is much better than the awful allergy attack I was suffering Saturday night (almost busted out the Epipen--but alas-no).

So if you haven't heard from me--blame it on the sicki-sleepiheadness that was me this weekend!

this blog is for you

Because I said too much and didn't listen enough. Because I spoke before I really thought through some things. Because listening to you made my heart hurt and instead of telling you that -I filled up the space with useless scenarios and blah advice. Because instead of taking the time to resonate my feelings with what you were saying I got frustrated. Because I talk too loud.

Because all I really wanted to say was that I'm here for you and what can I do to help?

Veruka Syndrome

I was teaching an Institute class a few days ago and we were talking about the signs of the second coming. One sign is that "iniquity will abound and love will wax cold." The class was sharing examples of this and I said something like, "Somewhere along the way our society and generation got Veruka Syndrome!"

For those of you who don't understand what I mean by Veruka Syndrome it is the name of the girl (Veruka Salt) in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" who wanted everything and got it or she would have a fit-- and then she would get it. Thus her famous line: "I want the whole world, give it to me now!"

It is just amazing to me the things people not only want but expect to have or be given. Things that to many would be privileges or unattainable extras seem to be the going rate or the norm these days. It's hard to compete in a world like this. There's always something bigger, better, newer, fancier, and so forth.

I am very grateful for what I do have and hope to be able to stave off the Veruka Syndrome in my life!