Happy Happy Joy Joy!

I have had a difficult week.  Work, though I like it a LOT, has been stressful. My left wrist is in a splint for 6 weeks because of SOMEHOW killing it at the family women's retreat.  And my headaches have been kicking my butt lately.  Besides my regular battle (and oh, indeed it is a full-scale BATTLE) with Depression. 

HOWEVER, some very happy things!  So here they are, this week's happy thoughts!

The Penguins

Yes, the ADORABLE Gentoo Penguins have ARRIVED at The Living Planet Aquarium!  They are so cute! Megs and I went to the members only (which reminds my, my membership will expire next month. I will DEFINITELY be renewing. They aquarium is a fun place and membership is a great way to do it... very cheap, compared to how often I go after my Dentist appointments.) Sneak Peak of the penguins and we had a blast.  The penguins were darling, the rest of the aquarium was fascinating as usual, and it was SOOOOOOO GREAT to hang out with my favorite cousin/bestfriend.  We talked and just hung out and I am so proud of her going to church and stuff and we talked about that.  It is good to have her as an example for when things get hard for ME to go.

Today was a hard day for me at church as I felt too sick and had to leave right after the sacrament. Days like that, when I can't complete even the simplest of goals really frustrate me. It's like that machine that fights against itself I just saw on Instructables. 
 
 It made me laugh because I could really relate to that little box!  Especially Sundays because I want so badly just to be able to go and enjoy church.  But like you said, at least the Lord knows my desires and that helps.  I believe He blesses me to be able to at least partake of the sacrament.




JanBrady's Baptism

Yesterday was great though. Squall, well yesterday her little girl, JanBrady, who comes to play at my house a lit because she loves all my animals, was baptized.  Squall is a single mom of 2 little girls now (JanBrady and MiniSquall) and has worked so hard to bring them up in the Church.  So I was proud of her, and of JanBrady, too of course to make that decision!  Baptisms are so happy! I love those little girls and am so glad that they are already following Jesus in this life!  And baptisms make me think about happy times from the Mission, a time I often miss in my life. (Apparently a lot, as last night I dreamed I was hanging out with Coats and Parker.)

A Letter from MyNigerian

LE SIGH! For serious. His letters... GOOD LETTER WRITER that one! Which is handy since, you know, he is a bazillion miles away and I like him a LOT.  He is just... SIGH. I am so twitterpated.  He is so cool. I can finally pronounce his whole name by the way, which is an accomplishment!


So there you go. THOSE are the happy days this week.  Good ones, eh?  Anyway, pics to come later.

WARNING! WARNING! girly blather ahead!

Sooooo twitterpated. Blame the weather! Blame the BOY! I like Ola, MyNigerian a lot.  But hey, since my mood is usually one of depression and pain, I will take twitterpation (okay, and still pain... what are ya gonna do, right?) any day!

Last night I sort of "broke up" with the BrazilianVampire. Not that we were together but basically told him we just really never would be because we were too different, especially in the importance the church is in our lives, respectively. The part I did not go into is that MyNigerian is the complete opposite of him in all the good ways.  I know there are still similarities that are there... internet boy, from another country and culture... but they don't seem so much of an ISSUE with Ola.  They just seem like, "meh. No biggie." because the rest of everything is so good. *LE SIGH!*

In other news (SEE?! I can think about other things!) one of my best friends is moving TO ENGLAND! Congrats, Mali, but geez.... could you go any further from Utah?  I get nervous every tome Jakey jokes about him and Megs just moving to TEXAS! (I seriously would probably have to follow them.  I can just see it. "Yes, this is our first house... And this is my wife's crazy cousin who lives in our basement because she she can't let go of Meg's ankle."  On the bright side I DO know it is legal to own a Capybara* in Texas which would make things much more cheerful!



*This computer's spell check didn't recognize CAPYBARA! (lucky thing *I* know how to spell it.)  My 2nd favorite animal, the largest living rodent, and it doesn't even KNOW THE WORD. I feel highly insulted. Bill Gates, a pox on you and your capy-hating ways!

delightfully crushy after a family reunion... don't worry, those things aren't connected

I spent this weekend on a "family women's retreat" which was really basically a big sleepover for a lot of cousins, aunts, etc. at my  It was fun, really!  Granted, having a headache and feeling sick (my status quo) during it was NOT fun, but it was pretty nice to see (and in the case of some of the little ones meet for the first time) relatives.  I was really glad that Squall came! I like her a lot.  I am excited, too, for next weekend when her funny, animal-loving daughter, JanBrady, will be baptized. I LOVE that kid!  Squall and I played a mean game of air hockey there, I tell ya... but that is not how I hurt my wrist, it was hurt before. (Still, she clobbered me. And she still sucked, so I, like, UBER-Sucked). We all played Bunco because I swear that IS our family game, well, the women. The men, I guess would have to be golf.  But we also did white elephany gifts and I got 3 inch heels (HA HA!) and Rinny got this pillow one of the cousins made IN the 70s that will definitely come back again as a white elephant at the next party. It is freaking awesome, though. Like SO ugly it's cool and packed with PACKING PEANUTS. Got to meet the new and CUTEST little cousin's baby they just adopted, Lexi.  She was darling.

I also found out that not ONE but TWO of my FAVORITE cousins were in line trying out for The Biggest Loser this morning.  If EITHER Vance or Jake gets on, well, I will actually WATCH the show for one thing. But for another I will just have them in my prayers not to DIE.  I mean, geez, I feel like we almost lost Jakey when he was in the hospital with an infection, they better not let him get hurt!!! :(

In other news, I have gone full-on swoony for MyNigerian.  Yes, I like a guy from Nigeria. In Spain. We have been chatting awhile, and no, I am not an idiot and no, he is not one of those... at ALL. Actually, he is pretty much my hero in the way he holds the priesthood and feels about the church in general. And he is sweet. And funny. And cute. And kind.  And we were talking for awhile today so I am sort of on a high right now, but still, yeah. *LE SIGH* MyNigerian.

puppies, lambs, and hummingbirds... how cutsie of a title is THAT?!

I am sitting on the couch now with the doggies. Trinket is trying her best to convince me to steal a bone from Shasta for her.  It is still COLD in this house though. Today I think it was warmer outside than in here. The Ark is NOT warm.  I am ready for REAL spring. I am tired of all this blustery cold "in like a lion out like a lamb" crap. I WANT A LAMB. LAMB!!!!!

I'm tired of being cold.  I am also tired of being sad.  Sadly, weather pretty much changes every year. Depression doesn't ALWAYS go away, despite what my med commercials lead me to believe.

But spring is on it's way, I KNOW that.  Even if it is because I am watching the nest of a hummingbird named Phoebe and her 2 eggs via WEBCAM. http://phoebeallens.com/

Playing House

In my own house this past week has been... hard.  I want so badly for it to feel normal and good and happy but the thing is your problems follow you no matter which of your beds you sleep in.  This I know, but it doesn't make it more frustrating.  I WANT TO FEEL HAPPY AND HEALTHY! I have to settle for, well, getting a few things done.

Things-a-Day:
*Poster for April Relief Society thing (except for the e's... as I ran out of those stickers, in that font, and have to wait for more. Grr) - I am publicity person, that is my church job.
*Found a new source for my Brazilian Cheese Rolls! Thank you, Good Earth!
*Visited world's coolest half friendly/half feral cat, Cali.  She made me feel pretty happy for awhile. :)  And I am not a cat-PERSON per say. She even impresses Cat-HATERS (like Padre.  He loves her, and I don't think he has ever even wanted a cat to not DIE before.) Yay Cali!


I just get sick of feeling like I am only PLAYING house in my own apartment. My own life, really.  No control.

On the bright side...

I'm now the Girlfriend of a Sex God. No. Wait, that's Georgia Nicholson.

I am not the girlfriend of anything. BUT I AM at my OWN house this week!  YAY! Yep, back at the Ark for a change.  The Roomie is in Florida with her BoyfriendQuestionMark  (at a trade show thing) and *I* am babysitting the puppy dogs and the birds and my own turtle.  The Padres are sorta tending my tortoise, lizards, and frogs back at their house for now.  The gliders are with me. :) I like being at my apartment.  Feeling a small percentage of normalcy. SMALL.

Other than that "bright side" I am not well. I have felt like crap, especially today.

But the good things I did (Remember, *MY* Things-a-Day are considered successful if I do something Creative OR Productive!):
Worked out at the pool a little.
Did the dishes and a load of laundry.
Went grocery shopping.
Read awhile 1. Book of Mormon, 2. Secret Speakers (P.S. Karey, I am LOVING it so far!) 3. 20.000 Leagues Under the Sea. Yeah, I am a Leeeetle ADD.