Finding Blessings in the Unexpected and Sometimes Irritating.

So the last few months have been a lesson in finding blessing in unexpected ways and being reminded that when you are where the Lord wants you He makes sure you are taken care of. Lets start with the fact that my car is getting old. It will be 9 years old here soon and now has over 98,000 miles on it. It has been a great car, and I love it but as time goes on you have to get some things fixed and it seems that in the last 6 months all of those things have needed fixing. In September I put literally thousands of miles on my car. All were fun, but they add up. Part of all those miles was driving myself to Utah and back one week and this is where the fun begins. The trip was great, the car was fine. I got back to seattle on a saturday and was starting at my new job on Monday. Sunday I spent a lot of time at the hospital with Grandpa and everything was hunky-dory. then on monday i head up to seattle from auburn. As i am getting on to I-405 from SR 167 my instrument panel goes out. Well this had happened before and it was no big deal the car still ran. So i'm driving thinking it will come back at some point. Well i have some extra time so while driving on I-90 i get the idea to pull of and see if i can restart the car and fix the problem for now. Well at the light on the off ramp i turn off the car and she wouldn't turn back on. sad, i know. I had to wait for a tow truck and pay lots of money to get her fixed. But she was back. Then my car got side-swiped while parked at my grandparent's house in a gated community. Nice, no note, no way to find out who did it, i'm stuck covering the cost through my insurance company. then i got new tires and shocks and then just this this last week another problem came up. I had noticed recently that my car was not picking up speed as fast as i would like it too. So last tuesday i had my dad ride in the car and asked him what he thought. He said it was the clutch and that i needed to get it in soon to get it fixed. It just so happened that i was leaving out of town and could have it in the shop on thursday for as long as i was gone. No problem i thought, its still running pretty well and i just have to drive to and from work on wednesday and i'll be golden. Not so fast...I made it to work, no issue, then in the morning i noticed it was harder to drive than normal. but it was cold so i attributed it to that. Safe and sound i got home from Swedish just in time to finish packing and drive to the dealership to get it fixed. Well that is when the fun started. Have you ever tried to drive a car in neutral? I don't suggest it. i pretty much couldn't go any fast than 20 miles and hour and at one point thought i wouldn't make it. this would be a problem because i had a plan to catch. Well i made it and left the keys and my problems with the trusted folks at Bowen Scarf Ford in Kent. A couple hours later at the airport i got a call that my clutch was completely burnt out and that they had to push it in to the bay it wouldn't move from where i parked it. Ooops!

well you may ask where are the blessings? Everywhere. I made it home safely from Utah, driving all by myself. Then i did miss work but nothing too important and they were very understanding. I wasn't near the car or in the car when it got side swiped i was safe. and this last time the car didn't break down on I-5 or in the parking garage at swedish. it waited for me to get to the dealership. Sometimes we have to be reminded about the ways in which the Lord is watching out for each one of us. I learned this lesson very vividly throughout my mission. I learned of His awareness for each and everyone of us, but I think in the last few years i have forgotten them somewhat. I also know that when we are doing what He needs us to be doing He takes care of the rest. Its not always easy, and it may feel like you can't see the blessings but they are there. He promises us that He will always be there sharing the burden, helping us along the way home. At Christmas we get to remember the Savior and all He has done for us. I love Him so much, and feel overwhelmingly blessed and at times unworthy to have the testimony and knowledge i do.

Massages Are A Must!

I got a weekend off finally and got to come down to Salt Lake and get some good friend time in. Part of every trip back to Salt Lake that I make is to go to my favorite eyebrow waxer (you may think that anyone can do this but no, i only like to trust my eyebrows to Suzanne at waxing gurus. If you need someone she is the best!), and to get my hair done. I had managed to get these appointments scheduled within the first 24 hours of my arrival. Let me add at this point that it has made the trip so much more enjoyable. Along with my eyebrow maintainance i thought getting a massage might be a nice treat. Oh ho was i right my friends! now it has been 3 years since my last massage. I always think of getting one but then i decided that i don't know where to find a good massage therapist and i don't want to trust my back to just anyone. Well I know that I love Suzanne at waxing gurus and i have had excelent service there between eyebrows and airbrush tanning so i thought i would give her therapist a shot. And was i right. Her name is Julie and she is the best! Super sweet and thoughtful. The room was warm, and she was patient with my horribly tense back. i have knots on top of knots i think. I would like to add at this point that I did have a very long day before this and had not slept, except for on the plane, in over 24 hours. Also my car almost didn't make it to the dealership and my luggage was 9 lbs over weight that morning and my night at work and been a very emotionally draining one. I was a mess. Well after all the work she did on my back using some great visualizationd techniques and some expert hands my back is feeling better and i believe that i am completely converted to a monthly massage. After 8 years in healthcare and a mission that involved uncomfortable amounts of kneeling and biking my back is a disaster. And since i am only 26 (for 2 more months) i should really take better care of it.

So my advice to all of you, if you can get a massage, and drink lots and lots of water!

Where Am I Going to Live Next Month?

This is the great question on my mind right now. Everything seems up in there air! My plan has been New York in the New Year but that doesn't seem to be working. Partly due to the economy and partly due to the fact that NYC is a popular destination there is only one travel assignment that i have been able to find in the city and that is with several companies. So i have decided to start looking around for other options. Right now i'm still waiting on NYU and I'm in for a job in North Carolina, and six in California. We'll see what happens. Feel free to make your own prediction as to where i'll be next month!

Christmas Parties and Appetizers

The holiday season has arrived and the parties have started. Last night I attended a Christmas party with my parents that was hosted by some friends in our ward. Normally I'm not one to want to hang out with my parents at an adult party but having seen the pictures from last year which included my Dad dancing with a blue feather boa, I felt the desire to experience this party first hand.

Part of the party was bringing an appetizer or dessert. I took on this responsiblity for my family and made these yummy little bites called Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps. Sorry no pictures but they were delicious and here is the recipe.


Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps


1 ¼ pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (about 4 breasts)
1 (1-pound) package sliced bacon
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons chili powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes.

Cut each bacon slice into thirds.

Wrap each chicken cube with bacon and secure with a wooden pick.

Stir together brown sugar and chili powder

Dredge wrapped chicken in mixture.

Coat a rack and broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Place chicken wrap on rack in broiler pan

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minute or until bacon is crisp.


(from the kitchen of Melanie Bowers)

They are quick and easy and everyone loved them, especially the men. So I hope this can be helpful, and thank you Sister Bowers for the recipe!

Back to the party. Being in room full of people you have known for many years, some since you were 8 years old, acting silly is quite the experience. And I have to say, Mackenzie your Dad rocking out to the walkman he got in the white elephant gift exchange was hilarious. And becareful there is a new knife at your Dad's house that is very sharp. Don't want you to hurt yourself. Also Tina your parents added lots of laughs as contestants on the newly wed game. I think they only got 5 or 10 points. but they said that that was better than they thought they would do. And they also won an old kitchen sink. Nothing says Merry Christmas like really bad white elephat gifts. All in all it was a fun evening that kept me laughing.

Young Womens

Last night I got to revist the Young Women's program in my home ward. A lot of things were the same including the fact that my Dad was with me. It never failed while I was in the youth program that my Dad had a calling the required him to be at the church on activity night. For a few brief months right after I turned 16 Dad was made a High Councilman in the stake and that kept him away but the day before I got my driver's license he was put into the bishopric and there he was joining me once again for our weekly trip to the church. Now I love my Dad and there were some perks to him being there like I was always on time, I never had to wait for a ride home, once he brought a semi truck he was test driving and let me back it up and then took the girls for rides. But I did want the opportunity to drive myself and be like other kids but it never really happened.

Well last night I had been invited by one of my old Young Women's leaders to come and talk with the girls about premature babies and then they were going to do a service project. So I did, we talked about the needs of babies and we watched a short video by the March of Dimes. It was a lot of fun and they got a lot of work done on the fleece blankets they were making for the babies to use. Well you may ask why my Dad was there. The answer is I'm not so good at the technical things and so he came to set up the projector with my computer and the sound so that everything would work out super. Thanks Dad for making it a successful evening and bringing back all those great memories of Activity night together.

Here are the girls working on the blankets and some of the finished products.

The girls did a great job and I know that the parents and babies who benefit from these blankets will be very grateful.

Word to the Wise

Do Not EVER, I repeat for dramatic effect, EVER take an independent study class. Not having a deadline is a major problem for me. I just finished my last assignment for my US government class. I am so excited. Now I only have the final to take. But the shear pain of trying to motivate myself to do all the reading and writing assignments has been one of my more taxing educational experiences.

I am however proud to announce that all that stands between me and my bachelor's degree is a final! What a relief, now i can take my 183 credit hours and like 8 years of school and not change a single thing about my job. I hope this was all really worth it!

I Got Tagged!

so here is the 3rd picture from my 3rd folder. This is Kristina and I at the Brad Paisley concert, now 2 years ago. We had a great time. I'm sorry Kristina, I'm sure you don't love this photo but you look fine and it just happened to be the one. Just for the record if you ever have a chance to go see Brad Paisley in concert you should. And Carrie Underwood was there, and she was Amazing!!!!

So here I go, I have to tag 3 people: Emily, Charlie, and Mackenzie!