7 months

as of yesterday, christian and i have been dating for seven months - which i think counts as a noteworthy event. the picture below is documentation of our six month dating anniversary - nov. 6, 2009 - one month ago. a lot going on for dating six months, right? i mean, balloons, flowers, AND a cake? there is a funny story to it all. you might want to ask me about it sometime. i'll give you a little teaser - the balloons are compliments of the lovely kate gildea, the cake is because christian is one of the funniest guys i know and the flowers are just because christian sabey treats me like every girl ought to be treated. happy anniversary to us!

i found something for the christmas wish list...

can you imagine how fast i will be able to ride my bike with this contraption strapped to my back?

elder holland does it again....

i recently read this talk:
http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/56453/Elder-Jeffrey-R-Holland-Remember-Lots-wife.html

elder holland does it again. his talk, remember lot's wife, reminded me that we have a Savior and a Father in Heaven who love us and look at who we can become. although i've got a long way to go, i've got a lot of hope that i'll get there. that hope comes through my Savior, Jesus Christ. i have days where i forget. i focus on my mistakes. i become hopeless. but, again and again i am reminded that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real. that learning and trying to understand it is continual. that i can't do all there is to be done, but that with my Savior ALL things are possible. He can and is willing to do what i can't. it helps me remember that my "future is as bright as my faith." during this holiday season i am so impressed by and grateful for hope. the hope of ALL things.

"are you elder holland?"

saturday evening i quickly ran to barnes & noble bookstore to purchase a gift. i didn't really want to take the energy to go out into public, but decided that i needed to do it at that moment or it just wouldn't get done. i rushed into the bookstore, hoping to take no more than 10 minutes start to finish. i hurried up the escalator and headed toward the children's book section. as i was rushing to the back corner of the store, i noticed a man that looked a lot like elder jeffrey r. holland. it was a side/back view of him so i wasn't sure. i did a quick double take. at second glance i thought to myself, "no, that isn't elder holland. elder holland is taller than that...AND his hair is darker." i'm not really sure why i thought i knew how tall or the exact shade of haircolor elder holland has - but in my mind, i knew. since it wasn't him and since i had a strict time frame to adhere to, i carried on. i had a mission, and i was going to accomplish it as quickly as possible. after a minute of searching, then speaking to a sales associate, i had the book in hand. as i walked around the corner i saw a man sitting on a chair by a book display. with the view of his face, especially his jowls, i realized that elder holland is probably not as tall as i thought he was AND his hair isn't as dark as i thought. i wasn't positive, but i was becoming more certain. he didn't see me, but i saw him. i stopped. a slight inner battle began - do i stop and exchange a few words with an apostle of the Lord (or at least a person i THINK is elder holland) or do i just let him have his peace at the barnes & noble bookstore? i have always thought that i wouldn't bother an apostle if i ran into one of them in public. my logic being, they didn't ask for the title they have, they probably get stopped all the time especially here in utah and it is probably really annoying. i just always figured i would admire an apostle or prophet from a distance if i were to see them. so, after the short inner battle inside my heart and head, i approached the man i thought to be elder holland. i was in such a state of shock, that i didn't realize i was being one of THOSE people. this is kind of how the conversation went:

me: "i'm sure you get this all the time, but are you elder holland?"

man: "i look a lot like him..."

me: (thinking to myself, so maybe it isn't. hmmmm...)

man: (smile on his face) "i am." (extending a hand to shake.)

elder holland: "what is your name?"

me: "erin petersen"

elder holland: "well erin, you're cute as a button."

me: (blusing with a dumbfounded look - something i do well.)

elder holland: "i hope you have a happy thanksgiving."

me: "thank you. you too. we pray for you."

then i smiled, turned and walked away. that was it, my run-in with an apostle of the Lord at the bookstore.

i walked away from the experience just wanting to be a better person. i smiled at more people on my way out. i was more personable to the clerk who helped me check out. i paused to hold the door for somebody. i wanted the world to feel God's love, because i had just felt it. it was really humbling to me to think that elder holland was so pleasant while i was indulging myself by bugging him in the bookstore. he has plenty of important things to do. he is a busy man. if i were him, and people were stopping me all the time, i think i'd be right annoyed. he wasn't though. he was pleasant and kind and reminded me of how we all should be, a disciple of our Saviour at all times and in all places. my encounter with him reminded me of a scripture in mosiah 2:17-18:

"and behold, i tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that you may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

behold, ye have called me your king; and if i whom ye call your king do labor to serve you, then ought not ye labor labor to serve one another?"

yes, i think i ought. so, as usual, i need to try a little harder and do a little more. as usual, God is teaching me lessons. as usual, i am stumbling along. and, as usual, God is being patient with me.

lists

'tis the season for lists. each year around thanksgiving my mom busts out the christmas lists. the christmas lists are not my favorite thing in the world. i just feel like i am 30 years old and i feel kind of silly and really greedy when creating a wish list.

now there are other kinds of lists that i love. when i have lots of things to do, i like to write them down and check them off. it helps with me organize this crazy head of mine. there is also a real sense of gratification in marking something off of a list.

there is another kind of list that i love, it is the kind of list that i have in my phone. i have pages of lists to help me remember things. it all started with the movie list. every time i decide it is time to rent a movie, i get so confused. it seems i can can always think of movies i'd like to watch, except when it is time to rent a movie. whenever i am at blockbuster or hollywood video, i walk up and down the isles dumbfounded, not knowing what movies to rent. the solution to this problem, a list of movies in the phone. i'd like to share my list with you all, and if you have anything to add you can just let me know. please note, these movies mostly came from recommendations:

• hotel rwanda
• penelope
• west side story
• confessions of a shopaholic
• the secret life of bees
• gone with the wind
• pursuit of happyness
• dave
• steve prefontaine movie
• romeo and juliet
• o' brother where art thou
• the horse whisper
• steve prefontaine movie
  

then, there is the list of places to eat:

• red iguana
• ruth's diner
• sun and moon cafe
• rino's
• benihana
• naked fish
• east west connection
• mac cools
• mazza
• bombay house
• himalayan kitchen
• litza's pizza
• porcupine grill
  

one of my favorite lists is my list of gift ideas. it makes shopping for gifts alot easier. for obvious reasons, i am not going to post that list. however, if you have something you'd like me to add to that list, feel free to let me know. disclaimer - i recognize that it is a bit hypocritical to not like the christmas wish lists that my mom passes out, and then ask for you all to add to wish lists i have for each of you. what can i say - i have some work to do.

i love my lists, lists, lists. maybe i should start creating a list of my lists, or maybe not...

chuck e. cheese - ever heard of him?

my nephew, spencer has and he was uber excited when we all met up for his birthday at mr. cheese's place. i remember being spencer's age. my fascintation with chuck e. and his friends was absolute. you remember them, don't you? the big animals on the stage that dance by turning their head's half a centimeter and moving there hands one full centimeter. they sing too. remember? at a young age i was enamored by these performances. i thought the animals were larger than life. now...well, i think they are a bit frightening. the kids love them though. jack was drooling with joy and spencer couldn't stop clapping and jumping up and down. it was GREAT! do you remember the pizza at chuck e. cheese's? it is like glorified frozen pizza. as a kid, it takes like a gourmet delight. and the games? nothing is better than skee ball, right?

as i go back over and read this post, i realize i may sound a bit cynical. that is not the intent at all. i had an absolutely wonderful time at chuck e. cheese's. i am just trying to paint the picture, and remind myself, of the simplicity of a child's joy. as a kid, i had no complaints about the food, entertainment, or atmosphere of chuck e. cheese. in fact, it was much the opposite. i thought we had made it in life when we were at chuck e. cheese. i was on top of the world. jack and spencer were much the same. and really, i actually was too. being with my family, where ever it may be, is the top of the world for me. my dad and mom bought tokens that they distributed amongst the masses. as it should have been, spencer received the largest sum of tokens. christian and i got a few. we found a game that we loved. it wasn't your conventional game. we didn't even have to put a token in to play. we found one of those games that you smack the animals head as it pops up. when you hit their head you get a point. well, as we were looking at the game we saw that some tokens had fallen down inside the cracks between the animal and the bottom of the game. we decided to try and fish the tokens out. it was so funny. two 30 something year old "kids" sneaking tokens out of the cracks of the game. christian was the winner. his skills at this game were well developed and his motivations were high. he was an inspiration to me as i fished out a couple of them. i think when we tallied it all up, christian got 5 tokens out of the game and i retrieved two. it was such a rush! we used those tokens to play a pinball type game that guaranteed a lot of success. success equals tickets for prizes, and this game yielded success. the end result, lots of tickets for the birthday boy to win a great prize. what a night. next time you are thinking of a great date night, might i suggest chuck e. cheese? it's a rather romantic place.

26.2

it was a lovely saturday morning, and the loveliest part - i was watching the st. george marathon and not running it. christian ran his first marathon on oct. 3, 2009. he did sooooo good. i went up snow canyon to see him at mile 17. i was so impressed. he was running along like he had just started. he was ahead of schedule. i tried taking pictures, but he was running by like a bolt of lightning and i didn't get any good shots of him.

after i saw him run by and hooped and hollered things like, "focus on the finish line!" i headed back down to the finish line. the whole way down i was fretting that i wasn't going to make it to see him finish. i was also really worried about how he was feeling and doing. the last 6 miles of a marathon are generally rather grueling. i kept thinking, "there is nothing i can do to help him." then i kept thinking, "he trained hard. he will be fine." all i could do was pray that his training would pay off, he would feel good, and make his goal. i had a glimpse of what my parents must have felt as they have supported me in different races. i appreciate, in an even greater way, the support they have and continue to show for me and my crazy ideas and endeavors.



i made it to the finish line and found a spot on the bleachers. i was pretty emotional as i watched people cross. then, all of a sudden, there christian was. i started cheering really loud and looking rather foolish. i tried taking a picture, and was yet again, unsuccessful. it didn't matter though. christian was successful and that was what the race was about. did i mention that he did an amazing job? his time was 3 hours and 34 minutes. can you say speedy gonzales?

26.2 - what an accomplishment! after the race we fed ourselves both physically and spiritually. in-n-out and general conference were the perfect mix of goodness. we have done a lot of sitting around since the 26.2. i've enjoyed every minute of it.

and thus it is, the end of our summer of training and the end of our epic events. for now...

my mid-life crisis

well, i'm 30 and i believe this picture proves that i'm

lookin' good after 206 miles...or maybe just looking like i rode 206 miles.

the team minus meagan - we were hard to miss with our neon jerseys.

please note, jessie and my perma wave. love what those helmets do for the do!

being supported by my support crew. christian made sure i had full water bottles, a pickle, and some major encouragement at each feed zone. he also consistently encouraged me through my training and my crazy long rides almost every saturday for 4 months. i couldn't have asked for better support. i regret to say, i didn't get a picture with my parents. they were ALSO wonderful support during my training and the actual ride - just like they have been for the past 30 years.

as i have mentioned before, because i turned 30 on sept. 8th, i decided i needed to prove to myself that i still have it in me. i'm not exactly sure what "it" is. but, after the event, riding 206 miles through three states i have concluded that lototoja was the ride of a lifetime. it was amazing, but i don't believe i'll ever do it again. (there is a slight possibility that i may eat my words - but the possibility is just slight.) "don't ever let me do anything like that again," were, i believe, the first words i spoke to my support crew after i crossed the finish line.

most of the ride was picturesque. considering what i was doing, i felt really great mentally and physically for most of the ride. the only mechanical problem i ran into consisted of two flat tires due to about 12 thorns within the first hour of the ride. the weather couldn't have been more perfect. our support crew was at every stop and ready to fill us up with water, food, and words of encouragement. it was a rather amazing day, if i do say so myself.

a few things i'd like to be sure and remember about the day i rode from logan, ut to jackson, wy:

• the love and support i felt from family and friends, and most of all from God, during the four months of training and the day of the race.
• the blessing christian gave me the week before when i was getting close to breaking down mentally, and the blessing my dad gave me the night before as i was worried about breaking down physically. the reminder that God cares about significant and insignificant things. He can make the impossible possible and the weak strong.
• the orange flamed EP flag my mom carefully crafted for me.
• the fantastic mac & tom dinner she prepared the night before.
• the excitement of crossing the starting line.
• jessie shurtleff - i told her this, and i'd like to put it down for the record - i don't know that i would have made it through all the training rides, mental exhaustion and doubts, and physical lassitude without my dear, sweet, blonde-headed jessie. she's a keeper.
• the phone call i made to christian when i had my flats and wasn't sure if we would have enough tubes or co2 cartridges. he was calm, cool, and collected as i was in a frenzied state of uncertainty.
• our awesome orange jerseys
• pulling up to the first feed zone, looking in a crowded sea of facing, hoping to see one i recognized. then, christian walking out of the sea with a smile on his face and waterbottles in hand.
• the absolute pleasure of drinking ice, cold water.
• the difference between trying to ride in a pace line of a bunch of guys who kept stopping and going and the smoothness of riding with jessie, meagan, and janessa in our own pace line. training together ended up being a huge blessing.
• feeling great the whole way up the first pass.
• slingshots with jessie - i love riding down hills with that girl. we ride well together.
• the brutal headwind after the first canyon.
• the rumble strips in ovid.
• dejavu as we pulled into montpelier and rode over a bridge - a strange familiarity to riding my bike in taiwan.
• the surprise of seeing my parents at the second feed zone in montpelier.
• wild horses running down the mountainside as we were starting our second climb. it was surreal. i felt like i was in the man from snowy river, except on a bike and in spandex...and not in the middle of the horses, but watching them from the road we were riding on.
• how hard it was to eat.
• tampons - i don't think i'll expound on this one.
• the wonderful volunteers.
• the 1 km signs before the feed zones, and the anticipation of fresh water and words of encouragement.
• feeling a bit nauseous as i was riding up the second pass.
• the anticipation of the third pass and nowing that there wouldn't be anymore huge hills after that. then, seeing my parents at the top of that pass.
• christian reporting that steph called and texted to check in and find out all the details.
• christian reporting that his parents called from ghana to see how i was doing.
• my mom cheering words of encouragement as they drove past.
• mark - who joined us along the way. he was a good pacer and he liked how we rode together. he rode the last half with us. he was absolutely wonderful.
• needing a bathroom REALLY bad. having to ride over rumble strips and wanting to cry because i thought my bladder may just explode. pulling over in some weeds that were rather exposed and taking care of business because there just wasn't anything else we could do.
• pulling into the last feed zone and not wanting to eat anything. christian doing his job, forcing me to put some fig newtons into my mouth, chew, and swallow.
• a pickle at every feed zone.
• teton pass - wow! it was breathtaking. the mountains all around and river on one side of us.
• the cheese crackers they provided at the neutral feed zones. those crackers couldn't have come at a better time. i didn't have energy to chew and i needed salt. cheap cheese crackers fit the bill.
• looking at my watch and dreading the fact that 30 minutes had gone by, because that meant i had to eat more food.
• seeing sweet tricia buck, from my ward, volunteering at the last neutral feed zone.
• the red vines peaking out of jessie's back pocket.
• praying, a lot. some prayers were asking prayers, others were gratitude prayers. the distinct feeling that i knew God was listenting to and answering each of my prayers.
• my burning toes. for some odd reason, my toys would get unbearably hot. they hurt so bad. the pressure when i pulled and pushed to pedal was pretty excruciating. it happened a few times within the last 100 miles or so, and i prayed a lot during the last 100 miles or so.
• 14 miles to go. it seemed unreal - i couldn't believe we still had 14 miles.
• jessie's parents driving alongside us and video taping jessie for a minute during that last 14 miles.
• 5 miles to go. i knew i could keep going for 5 more miles, right?
• knowing i needed some calories within that last 5 miles but having a really hard time coming up with the energy to pull out the orange flavored sport beans from my back pocket, open them up and chew. feeling so grateful christian put them in my pocket at the last feed zone.
• pulling the last five miles. it was getting dark and we were on a busy road. there wasn't opportunity to move to the back of the line. it was just too dangerous. my mental and physcial energy were waning. i was doing a lot of positive self talk and a lot of praying at that point.
• an italian restaraunt i recognized
• chasing daylight and feeling the pressure of needing to keep a good pace up front, or else our team may not finish before the finish line was taken down.
• the 5 km sign
• the 4 km sign
• the 3 km sign
• the 2 km sign
• the 1 km sign
• jessie and janessa yelling for me to slow down so that we could cross the finish line together.
• seeing the finish line.
• a burst of engery at the end to just CROSS THAT LINE.
• feeling like crying, but not having the tears to do so.
• crossing the finish line. wow. what a feeling. it was done.
• 14 hours and 23 minutes
• shaking legs as i tried to clip out of my pedals and get off my bike.
• christian running over to give me a hug and reminding me that i'd finished. i did it. it was done.
• my mom and dad making their way over to give me hugs and tell me how proud they were of me.
• legs that didn't want to work after i got off my bike.
• getting really cold - thank goodness for christian's jacket and my dad's blanket.
• standing in line for my finisher's hanger - a hanger made out of bike wheel parts.
• my dad and mom telling me that paul bernstein called to check in and see how i was doing.
• my dad handing me the phone and lance being on the other end of the line.
• text messages and phone messages from ryan, and other friends.
• teton village all lit up.
• my left leg, especially behind my knee, feeling tighter than it has ever felt before.
• my mom pointing out, the next day at church, the line in the hymn, "though thorny ways, lead to a joyful end" and giggling about it.
• the beautiful drive home - and feeling so glad i was in a car and not on my bike.

and, after all that, i'm still 30 years old.

3 states, 206 miles, 1 day...

at least that is what the shirt says. i wanted to post an update and let you all know that i finished. sept. 12, 2009 was one LONG day. it was a beautiful ride. the only major setback was 2 flat tires due to about 12 thorns within the first hour. it was a little frustrating, but it all worked out. it was all uphill from there. literally uphill. in fact, it was about 10,000 ft. uphill. i felt better than i thought i would. we barely made it before the closed down the finish line. i reached my goal. finishing. i'll write more when i can post some lovely pictures. until then, thanks to everyone for your prayers and support. it was felt...

boo!!!

funny, and a little frightening. wouldn't you say? this is the closest i've ever had to glamour shots. it kind of looks like deb from napolean dynmaite helped me out here. it is actually a visa picture i had taken for back in the days when i'd travel to china. the "photographer" wouldn't let me smile in the picture. i was told that smiling changes your face structure. go figure. one thing i can't blame them for all is all the lipstick i applied that day. i'm not really sure WHAT i was thinking while liberally painting that bright red substance on my lips. nonetheless, it is with great mirth that i post this lovely picture for you all to see. i'm always grateful for a good chuckle. i thought you all might appreciate it too.

the lights are on, and somebody's home...

my brother, lance, happened to be in salt lake city this weekend. i loved getting to see him. he stayed at my house on saturday night. he got to my house and went to bed before i made it in. i've been living alone for the past couple of weeks, because both my roommates just got married. when i come home at night, it is usually to a dark, empty house. when i got home on saturday night, i was pleasantly surprised. although lance was not awake when i got there, he had left the porch light and a light inside on. all growing up, my mom and dad used to do this for us. i didn't realize the impact of having somebody who cares for me do something as little as leaving the light on meant. it brought back a flood of warm memories. having a home filled with love and people who care for me is something i always had growing up. i will forever be grateful to my family for providing such an enviroment...and most recently, i'm grateful to lance for reminding me of it.

bacon grease

my grandma della used to brush bacon grease over the top of her rhodes rolls to give them an extra special flavor. since we were making rhodes rolls as part of our sunday feast, and we had bacon grease, i decided i'd carry on the family tradition. while the brushing of the bacon grease was going on, my friend ryan said, "erin, that is the last thing i would expect YOU to do."

what can i say, the big city is changing me. i'd like to believe i'm a little less uptight about a few things. bacon grease being just one thing on that list...

i don't think i'll ever be able to make rolls like my grandma did. however, just trying to recreate her masterpiece brought back some wonderfully nostalgic memories.

peek-a-boo, i see you...

i promise i'm not hiding. i know it's been awhile. i also know how some of you worry when i don't write. so, i thought i'd give a quick update. over the 24th of july i went with my ward on a pioneer trek. i had a bad attitude about it at first. (mostly i didn't want to wear the pioneer skirt, and most of all the bonnet, that my mom made out of drapes when i was in young women's and we went on a mini trek.) however, i donned the apparel and my bad attitude and i got on the tour bus to wyoming for 2 1/2 days of walking. as we walked and walked and walked...just like the primary song says, my love and respect for my pioneer ancestors grew. i'd always recognized that they had done a great thing but i don't think i ever really realized HOW great. i had one of those "ah ha" moments as we pushed our handcarts. my testimony of the pioneer's sacrifice for their families, both present and future, and most of all, their God, grew and became solid. how grateful i am for the sacrifice of those who went before me. their love for me motivates me to be better and do more. although my attitude changed and my heart softened as we walked the desolate plains of wyoming, my attitude of bonnets did not change. while i recognize they are functional, i just couldn't force myself to put the bonnet on my head. much to christian's dismay, it hung around my neck the whole trek.

another big event - the sabey family reunion! (see picture above.) christian and i headed to island park for a few days of sabey family fun. meeting family always gives perspective. while i teased him about the perspective it gave me, it really was a delight. his aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are all really good people. they are very comfortable to be around. (i assume that playing the spoon-tied-to-a-piece-of-yarn-and-weaving-it-up-and-down-each-other's-clothing game naturally lends itself to being comfortable with each other. ask me about it later...) we ate, played rook, ate, played jeopardy, ate, talked, ate, went to the first homestead in island park, and ate some more. christian's parents called to talk to everyone. they are on a mission in south africa. it was fun to watch the excitement of everyone as they got the chance to talk to president and sister sabey. the whole weekend was a good experience. on sunday we had a testimony meeting. i really appreciated the spirit i felt as his family bore testimony of families and of our Saviour. i also really appreciated having grandparents around. christian's grandpa burns and grandma elaine were an absolute delight. it was really special watching them interact with each other and with the rest of the family. there is something very calming about having grandparents around. it made me miss my grandpa reid and grandma della, and grandpa pete and grandma amy. it also made me grateful that i had the opportunity to grow up near them and have a close relationship with them. i look forward to being with them again someday. is this the part where i am supposed to say something like, "family, isn't it about time?" i think i am and i think it is. i am really looking forward to the petersen family reunion. i love spending time with my fam, both extended and immediate.

last but not least, i've been on my bike a whole lot....and i think a whole lot might be an understatement. two days ago i rode my bike 140 miles. that was a first. my friend, jessie, and i rode the first canyon of lotoja. we wanted to prepare ourselves for what is to come. we felt pretty good...until the last 20 miles. at that point, i'm not sure what didn't hurt. we knew we had to keep eating, but it was a chore. our backsides hurt, our hands hurt, our backs hurt, our toenails hurt, and jessie's lungs even hurt. i am not ready for the big 206 miles now, but i am getting close. mentally and physically, i'll be ready on sept. 12th. until then, if you can't find me, i'll probably be on my bike somewhere.

let freedom ring

july 4th is always a special day - one of my favorite holidays. bright sun and hot weather, kids running through the sprinklers during the day and with sparklers in their hands at night, the nostalgia of a fireworks show, the smell of summertime - all of it brings a sense of peace and a feeling of gratitude for the blessed country i am a part of. the big event this year, as pictured above, was the delta demolition derby (or d cubed as i affectionately like to call it). christian, generously invited me to be a part of this tremendous traditional. really, what is more american than old cars ramming into each other, exhaust filled air, dirt flying into your face, and people watching the show before them in absolute awe. the derby was really fantastic, the people watching even better. my top picks for the people watching contest were unbelievable. there was a gentelman standing near us (yes, you heard it, standing room only at this derby). the first differentiating characteristic that caught my eye was his camo neoprene cover on his bottlenecked beverage. what kept my attention was his turquoise bling. i've seen turquoise before, but NOTHING like this. he had 3 HUGE stones on EACH hand and a MASSIVE bracelet on EACH wrist. i can't imagine what that guy was worth! just seeing him would have been worth the drive to delta. however, even better was my next siting. i saw a woman...i think. her hair was butched on top. the sides were super short. the top was spray painted red, middle was spray painted white, and the bottom blue. oh, but wait, she had stars buzzed bald on the bottom section of her hair that didn't have any spray paint color filling them in - so they REALLY stood out. it was absolutely amazing. i have NEVER seen anything like it before. talk about patriotic! i was so amazed by both of them that i completely forgot to pull out my camera and get a shot. the only disappointment of the whole derby - not getting a picture to document these people who, without even knowing it, made my heart leap with joy.

on different note, the drive to delta was loads of backroad fun. we didn't take the freeway. christian's GPS led us on a road less traveled. one of my favorite parts was a section of smooth blacktop. as we drove down the oscillated path, i felt the same way i do when riding a roller coaster. we were like little kids at the fair - wide eyes and laughter filled the air conditioned vehicle. what a pleasant surprise. the conversation to delta was also very pleasant. one of my favorite parts was talking about the gratitude in our hearts for what we have been given. we discussed the star spangled banner. while the whole anthem is eloquent, i'd like to make special note of the fourth verse:

oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand

between their loved home and the war's desolation!

blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land

praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

and this be our motto: "in God is our trust."

and the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

let freedom ring.

greener pastures

as i was riding the little red riding hood century in cache valley last weekend i looked around and couldn't help soaking in the beauty of the valley. the air was so clean and the pastures so green. i began longing to road ride on a daily basis in such a picturesque place. as i began aching to be back in the place i call home, i suddenly realized that although, literally speaking there are greener pastures in cache valley...

figuratively speaking, there are far greener pastures for me elsewhere...

and i was reminded how grateful i am to be in the lovely slc.

let the games begin

lotoja is a road cycling race held annually on the first or second saturday in september. the race is believed to be one of the longest single-day road cycling race in north america, if not the world and is the longest one-day race sanctioned by the usa cycling or the united states cycling federation. lotoja starts in logan, ut and travels into southeastern idaho and finishes in teton village, wy. the current course covers 206 miles and includes three mountain passes. the total climbing during the race is nearly 10,000 feet with the race finishing about 1,800 feet higher than it began in logan.

this race is something i've heard about since i was a kid. as i young lass, i thought it sounded like an insane thing to do. as i approached adolescence, i thought it sounded like a really cool thing to do, but never thought of myself as being an individual able to accomplish such a task. as i am approaching my 30th year of life on this earth i've decided to take the plunge and participate in this dauntingly exhilirating event. i have been mentally preparing myself for about 8 months now. last september i had an epiphany that the celebration of my 30th year needed to be a unique sort of revelry. i've been thinking about it ever since. i made it through the first step - the lottery registration. this was a feat in and of itself. now, on to the training. i've started long rides each saturday. i've also started interval training each week. i've tried to become more proficient in riding in pace lines with a group - a definite work in progress. starting to train again for something has been a welcome change. after last year's half ironman, i had a lapse of motivation to train for any type of endurance event. as most people with an addiction, i've relapsed, and i'm back on the training bandwagon. i'm trying to be a bit more realistic about this training. fitting it into the balance of the rest of my life is the task at hand. it's been a gratifying challenge. i've still got a few months to figure it out. we'll see how it pans out. at this point i'll just say, let the games begin...

things to do in the rain...

enough said.

wrinkles

interesting. i am not yet 30, and i have wrinkles. i fondly remember living in hawaii a few years back. i was 23 years old and at the prime of my life. when we would go to the store, angie would always look at the wrinkle preventing lotions. i couldn't figure out why she was worried about such things. it seemed to me, a waste of time and money. six years later, i get it. (sorry for judging, ang. you were right, i was wrong.) i now have wrinkles and there is no going back. i'm not going to sugarcoat it and try making it sound better than it is. i'm getting older - not much wiser, but older. i'll embrace it.

mile high city

okay, for all you fans who have wanted to see pictures of christian, you can check them out below. we took a little trip to littleton, CO to watch his brother, paul, play in the the MCLA tournament. byu made it to the final four...

the game ended sadly, but we all still looked great in the pictures afterward.

come on baby, light my fire.

wink, wink, nudge, nudge...

we made it to mile high stadium to watch a professional lacrosse game.

we heart art. this orange masterpiece was outside the art museum in denver. you can't see the tears in my eyes, but there were definitely tears. i hit my head really hard on the breathtaking orange steel. i must have been distracted....

there you have it, my weekend in colorado. for more details, please feel free to contact me on my cellular device.

where everybody knows my name...

knock, knock - who's there? ralph waldo emerson wasn't, even though this is his pad.

apparently touching john harvard's gold foot increases intelligence. i'm just sayin'...

josh and whitney are one of my role model couples. they have definitely made my top 10 favorite couples list. .

i just really loved this red door - and whitney makes the cutest pizza delivery girl i've ever seen.

i love to see the temple.

i'm slow on this post. however, i feel okay about it. i am historically a slow person. i 've never staked a claim on being fast. speed is not my forte. i go at at steady, even pace. endurance is more of a skill set i consider my own. having said that, here i am, posting pics from my trip to boston, about three weeks after my return to utah. i headed to boston, where everybody was supposed to know my name, for about a week. beantown was an adventure. i was on the last leg of my walking pneumonia when i got onto the plane. it was kinda rough. i felt good about the fact that i was sick BEFORE the plane ride. it helped me feel confident in the fact that i didn't contract the swine flu on the plane. i thought my sickness was over because i'd been sick for four weeks, to the doc twice, and through one set of antibiotics. i was feeling a little better, but the plane ride just didn't help. the week was full of a lot of coughing, a low sexy voice, mucinex, a few bags of ricola cough drops, schmoozing with clients (did i mention this was mostly a work trip with a few days of fun with whitney and josh tacked on to the end), and some great sight seeing. whit and josh are phenomenal friends. monday night they came to my hotel. whitney had a care package in hand and josh gave me a blessing. i felt the spirit so strong the moment he started the blessing. i knew i'd get better..and i did. i stayed sick throughout the week, but i did slowly get a bit better.

some of my favorite memories of boston include:

• the union oyster house - the oldest restaraunt in the U.S.
• walking down the cobblestone streets of boston along the freedom trail at night feeling the solemnity of the historical city i was in and putting on my "mean face" so that nobody would mess with this "little girl in a big city"
• practically walking to cambridge with lori while we were trying to find the tram station to cambridge
• running into the sister missionaries on the streets of cambridge
• cvs stores and dunkin' donuts every 50 feet
• the girl from nepal i met near fanuel hall and quincy market who sold me a hand-made journal
• meeting up with whitney for fro yo and to walk around harvard square
• a weekend with my sweet whitney - talks about our families we love so much, pride and prejudice w/ popcorn and hot tamales, walk/jog along cambridge river, the sacred grounds of the temple, the homes of ralph waldo emerson and nathaniel hawthorne, the historical grounds of lexington and concord, author's ridge, inspiring conversations w/ whitney, our shopping splurge at target, dinner from a little turkish pizza place, watching nascar with whit and josh, and church at the infamous cambridge 1st ward

there it is, my trip to boston.

nascar

i just barely rolled into town. i've been in boston for a week. i plan to post some pics and highlights of the trip at a later date. for right now, i just need to express my gratefulness to josh and whitney cutler for sharing with me their love for nascar. for the first time in my life, i watched bits and pieces of a nascar race on television. i am amazed and grateful for two things i heard the announcer say while watching the race. "dag gum right it is, " was the first lovely phrase. the second came as the race finished. drumroll please..."cut the chees and pour the wine." what?! who says that? only nascar ladies and gentlemen, only nascar...

santa claus is already in town

it's april, but i can't stop thinking about santa claus. interesting, i know. the thing is, i have just "run in" to him a lot lately. i often have specific themes consistenstly pop into time frames in my life. most recently, santa has been a theme. ever since i moved to salt lake, i have been seeing him everywhere. here is how it usually plays out:

1) i go on either a bike ride or a run

2) i see a red car, truck, or SUV driving down the road

3) i look at the driver of the vehicle

4) it is most often an older gentleman with a big white beard and a pleasant looking face (quite

similar to the picture dislpayed above)

5) a smile appears upon my face as i wonder what santa claus is up to

if this was something that happened once or twice, i would probably just shrug it off. however, the fact that i see santa three to five times a week has me wondering why. is there meaning behind this recurring theme? i am still trying to figure it all out. at this point, all i can gather is, that santa claus is already in town. so you better be good...

sicko

so, i am sick. i have some sort of bronchial viral deal - a cough, fatigue, congestion - you know the drill. there are a couple of cool things about it all. let me just name them:

• it has been a snowy week. it would have been kind of hard to figure out what to do for exercise this week because all i want to do is bike, but with the weather like this, biking is pretty rough. cool thing is, i don't have energy to exercise this week anyway. problem solved.
• i work from home. work is still work, but i can feel like crud and look like crud and it isn't near as obvious as if i was having to go to "the office" each day.
• my voice is a little raspy, which i think might be kind of attractive to all the men i talk to.
• i am reminded that i don't get sick very often. in fact, the last time i threw up was when i was in the 9th grade. pretty radical, eh?

don't worry, i am going to kick this thing soon. until then, i have a lot to be grateful for. don't ya think?

moab half marathon

20 hours in moab, 8 hours in a subaru outback, 1 amazing friend, 13.1 miles of running, 1 big blister, and a whole lot of fun - that is what i call a weekend well spent.

"excuse me mam, this is the men's room"

headed back from austin, TX i had a layover in the denver airport. (which, by the way, is one of my favorite airports. there are two reasons for this: 1) clean environment and 2) friendly people.) it had been a long weekend. i was tired. finding a restroom was on the top of my priority list. wandering around aimlessly, i found what i thought was the little girl's room. as t limped in (my shoes were hurting my feet and my bag was getting heavier by the second), i notice a very masculine looking girl in her army fatigues walking out as i walked in. i quickly realized that "she" was a he. i thought to myself, "how embarrassing for him to be in the lady's room and have me catch him." he very respectfully and with a concerned look on his face said, "excuse me mam, this is the men's room." oopsy daisy. i was so tired, i wasn't even embarrassed. i smiled, thanked him, and walked across the way to the little girl's room to take care of some long overdue business. quite possibly the most important business of my whole trip.

getting stronger...

i rode my bike to church today and it made me soooo happy! biking season is just around the corner. the thought of breaking out my bikes and spandex brings me butterflies of joy. can you tell i'm excited?

as i enjoyed pedaling the cruiser on this crisp sunday morning, i would occasionally look down to make certain my skirt wasn't being blown up by the wind, giving a peep show to the people crusing by in their caddy's. i was reminded of a time a few years back when the air was humid and muggy, the streets were packed with people on motor scooters, and i navigated the roads of tawain on my bike in a skirt. in those blessed days, i had knee highs i could tuck the bottom of my skirt in as a preventative measure from creating any kind of spectacle. (as if a blonde foreigner riding her bike down the busy streets wasn't enough of a spectacle...) as my mind was carried back to many fantastic memories of traveling through the sea of people on my bike in tawian, i was reminded of a very special experience that took place one night. i was taken back to the close of a long, hot, sticky, exhausting day of missionary work. my companion and i were riding our bikes home to our apartment in beitou. we were on our familiar route, one we took home every night. the road we would ride on past a block of apartments with the big statue of some sort of chinese political leader outside one of the living quarters was clear. i recall the sharp corner we had to take down the alley way. the image is vivid in my mind, so vivid, it could have happened yesterday. on this particular night, we were running late. we has a fifteen minute ride ahead of us, and only ten minutes before we were supposed to be home. my companion and i fully recognized the blessings attached to being obedient to our mission rules. being out the door in the morning and inside at night on time were simple rules we knew we could and should be keeping. we were very aware of what we should be doing and strived to be obedient. as we raced home, gratefully hitting green lights, i was praying. i remember repeating a lot of the same things, letting Heavenly Father know that i wanted to make it in on time, i knew my companion did too, and that we were trying our hardest to do so. i asked Him for help and for strength. at that point i was physicall and mentally spent. i remember passing the statue and feeling complete exhaustion overwhelm the whole of me. i kept trying to pedal faster, but felt fatigue setting in. just when i thought i couldn't pedal anymore, it seemed that pedaling became significantly easier. i felt something push me along. i knew, at that moment, that there was a power beyond my own making the possiblity of getting home on time a reality. i had help. it was such a special, powerful, and real experience.

i was also reminded of a time when i participated in a critical mass bike ride last fall. a group of friends were riding together. there were all sorts of bikes - road bikes, bmx bikes, mountain bikes, tandems, and cruisers. my bike of choice for the ride was a cruiser. i looooove riding my cruiser. if i'd have known that part of our route would be to ride up the hill by the university, i would have opted for a different choice. as i tried to ride my cruiser up the hill, i noticed that it was really hard. people were passing me on both sides. because of the way the handle bars were positioned, it was next to impossible to stand up and gain the leverage i needed to help me move forward. i was clearly in a challenging position. just at the point when i didn't think i could ride any further, i felt the resistance on my pedals decrease. my little brother was on his track bike behind me. he saw me struggle. he took one of his hands off his handle bars, set it on my back and pushed me as we both pedaled. he was obviously carrying the heavier burden. once again, i felt a power beyond my own help me do something on my bike that i could not have done alone. we both made it up the hill.

i know i am being watched over. God is in the details of my life. whether it be on my bike or in other aspects of my existence, i know God gives me strength through unseen powers. the strength i feel helps me move forward in times i would otherwise be in a standstill.

elder jeffrey r. holland of the quorum of the twelve apostles recently said, "my beloved brothers and sisters, i testify of angels, both the heavenly and the mortal kind. in doing so i am testifying that God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face. “[n]or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man [or woman or child] upon the face thereof to be saved.” on occasions, global or personal, we may feel we are distanced from God, shut out from heaven, lost, alone in dark and dreary places. often enough that distress can be of our own making, but even then the Father of us all is watching and assisting. and always there are those angels who come and go all around us, seen and unseen, known and unknown, mortal and immortal."

while getting stronger on my bike is a main objective this year, increasing my strength in the Lord is a more important goal to me. i find joy in the fact that He helps me blunder along and try and figure out both.

i says, i love the d.i.

i recently decided to add two new things to my "things i love list":

1) the phrase i says, he says, or she says when used as a past tense verb. examples include, "we was talkin' and he says..." or "i says to her that i durn near better see her next time she comes to town" or "she says she ain't goin' to the store". i have found that some of my favorite kinds of people use this phrase and I LOVE IT.

AND

2) deseret industries, better known as the d.i. last weekend i happened to stroll into the d.i. and i came out with 9 pretty salad plates, 2 leather handbags, 1 authentic cowboy belt buckle (belt included), 1 not-so-authentic gold belt buckle (belt also included), 2 winter coats (one of which is probably the most fantastic vintage coat i have ever seen), 1 pair of patent leather shoes, 1 hideously cute shirt, 1 pleated retro skirt, and a partridge in a pear tree. okay, so the partridge wasn't included - but i don't doubt that it could have been if you'd given me 15 more minutes in he store. now the best part, all that loot for $48. can you believe it? I SAYS, can you believe it? i have decided that i don't love to shop, but i do love to shop at the d.i. (and other thrift stores). some of the reasons i love to shop at the d.i. include the fact that it is super inexpensive, i get to use my creativity in coming up with how i can use some of these items to enhance my wardrobe and or decor, and most importantly, the fact that the d.i. does amazing things to help train their employees to gain long term employment and effective life skills as well as contributes in amazing ways to help those less fortunate than us with humanitarian efforts. if you want to learn more, check out this link http://www.providentliving.org/channel/0,11677,2022-1,00.html.

if you want me to model the coat for you, just let me know. i'm sure we can work something out.

each day is a gift

as i drove out of logan canyon into cache valley on friday i was overcome with emotions of peace. i come from such a beautiful place. the snow covered mountains, the horses poised next to a windmill, the log fences, the flocked trees, the hazy fog that february always brings - it was breathtaking. i was reminded of so many of the good things of my life during that instant of peace. it was almost like i was breathing in comfort and breathing out the stress.

the past couple of days, in so many ways, i was reminded that each day is a gift. my reason in going to logan was to attend a funeral of a good family friend. troy nielsen, my dad's old high school crony, passed away this week. he was diagnosed about a year and half ago with skin cancer. the funeral was filled with good friends and family remembering who troy was and reminiscing about the laughter and goodness he brought to those around him each day. life is fragile. each day is a gift.

friday night i couldn't think of anything more enjoyable than spending time with my mom and dad. we went to dinner at cafe rio and ran into some people we knew. one of the guys i ran into was shane johnson. when we ran into him i was reminded of a time he helped me out of what could have been a frustating situation. about a year and a half ago, katie white and i were biking. i got a flat tire. we were near shane's house. i didn't know shane well, but katie did. we would have been stranded, but katie immediately thought of shane and his biking abilities and kind heart. we walked our bikes to his house, he changed the tire and sent us on our way. he was so kind and giving. it left an impression on me. asking for service and being willing to serve strengthens both parties. there is good to be done in the world. make each day a gift for yourself and those around you.


when katie and i were at shane's house getting our bikes fixed, we met a girl he had just started dating. they are now married. they were there at cafe rio with her two boys from a prior marriage and their brand new three month old baby. shane looked so content with that little guy. it took him awhile to find what he wanted, but the Lord guided him and he is living the dream. miracles happen each day. each day is a gift.

my dad, my mom, and i went home and just hung out after dinner on friday night. mom and i changed the sheets on my bed and talked about all the latest happenings of cache valley. dad turned on "rooster cogburn" and was watching it. mom and i joined dad and just enjoyed each other's company. spending time with my parents and sleeping in my bed at home felt like a dream. each day is a gift. allow for simplicity and relish in it.

on saturday morning, lisa lloyd and i went cross country skiing up green canyon. it was so wonderful. lisa had great stories to tell. the canyon was snow covered. we were both a lot better at skiing that we had been the year prior. it felt great to get our hearts pumping. a wonderful start to the gift of that day.

lisa and i rushed from skiing to the temple. we were meeting her friend there. as i rushed into the house of the Lord, i ran into steve miller and jill whittaker. i can go most anywhere in logan and run into people i know. i love that logan is filled with good people who bless my life. although lisa and i were still defrosting from our skiing adventure, it felt so good to be in the temple. the Lord has blessed my life with amazing people all around. i have also been blessed with the understanding that our relationships can go beyond death into eternity as i follow God's plan. relationships are crucial. developing them can bless my life. each day is a gift full of good people to learn from.

after the temple i decided to go for a little run. it was just too nice outside not to. i feel so blessed with the opportunity to be able to run and enjoy the way it makes my body feel and the time it allows me to work things out in my mind. i ended up stopping at lance's house and chatting with him for awhile. as i sat at his house, i was reminded of the car accident he was in while i was on my mission. he was watched over and protected and my family felt the hand of God in their lives through other people. God was and is in the details of our lives. my heart was grateful that lance is here to bless our family with his thoughfulness and with laughter. each day is a gift. be thankful for the time you have to share with the people you love.

before i headed back to salt lake i made a pit stop at the stowers' house. i was friend's with one of the stowers' boys in high school. i fell in love with their family. they are the kind of people that make everyone feel so important and loved. they radiate nothing but goodness. i just found out that steve stowers was in a horrible accident on new year's day. so many things could have gone wrong, but they didn't. steve had a lot of internal damage and numerous broken bones, along with head injuries. i got there, not knowing what to expect. steve, carol, and amy were all there. they were all in good spirits. steve shared with me countless miracles that have taken place in the last month and a half. it is amazing that he is doing so well. life is fragile. each day is a gift.

in the words of job, "the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." i was reminded again and again this weekend, that things don't always go how we want or how we plan...and sometimes they do go how we want and how we plan. regardless of it all, the Lord has His hand in all things. if we open our hearts to learning and understanding in all these experiences and treat each day as a gift we will live lives full of joy.

spark plugs and spark wires

most girls like to spend their money on clothes and makeup. not me. spark plugs and spark wires are my most recent purchase. $219 dollars later and the subaru is running like a dream. the best part. i didn't even have to do any of the shopping and the plugs and wires were the right size AND color.

conspiracy theory

to prepare for my most recent business trip to dallas, TX i had to go to the store and purchase a mini tube of toothpaste. while driving to the store, i came to the conclusion that the airlines and the toothpaste companies have some sort of conspiracy going on. think about it - if you are going to carry a bag on when jumping on a plane to head out of town (which, might i add, is your best option, because it now costs $15 to check a bag - UNBELIEVABLE!). then, you NEED to purchase mini toothpaste. since liquids need to be in 3 oz. or smaller containers many of our personal favorite toiletry items can be transfered into your own special, smaller containers to take on the plane. however, toothpaste is not something that is easily transfered from a large to a small container. hence, the need to purchase mini tubes of toothpaste. the average cost of a normal size tube of paste costs anywhere from $3 - $5. the mini tubes, which are at least 1/8 the size of a normal tube cost about $.97. ounce for ounce, the mini toothpaste is kind of like gold. do you see where i am going with this? if you travel much, a lot of money is being spent on mini tubes of your favorite teeth cleaner. the thing is, toothpaste is something i refuse to go without on a trip. my parents spent a lot of money on braces for this killer smile of mine and i won't let this consipirarcy ruin that. the conspiracy of the toothpaste companies and the airlines will continue, and it seems, i will spend hundreds of thousands on mini tubes of paste.

heart, body, and mind

"i cannot heave my heart into my mouth." - william shakespeare

if shakespeare has trouble with it, can you imagine how hard it must be for me? nonetheless, i am going to try...

a couple of events have transpired which have me thinking a lot about the heart, body, and mind. most recently, attended an exhibit called bodyworlds. i've heard a lot of people talk about the fact that it took them between 2 to 4 hours to make it through the exhibit. it took me 30 minutes. i was strapped for time, so i was a bit quicker than the average joe. i didn't get the chance to read all the explanations, or listen to the commentary. however, i did see enough to get the gears in my mind working. my thoughts have been very absorbed in the miraculous human body. what complex creatures we are. the exhibit was of cadavers and explantions of the human body. the cadavers were in all sorts of interesting positions - a ballerina, a hurdler, a javelin thrower, the progression of a fetus into a baby. it was really humbling to see the creation and complexity of these bodies of ours. i was in absolute awe as i looked and realized. it helped me to stop and recognize the miracle of the body my soul resides in. it compelled me to want to never complain about my body and it's shape and function again. there are so many complex things going on inside of me. there were a lot of displays of the heart. hence i was thinking a lot about the heart and it's function.

i also recently watched a movie about the heart - at least it was kind of about the heart. shadowlands was the name of the flick. it was a painful love story - the real life story of cs lewis. it was not the usual nauseating hollywood love story. it was realistic and it was tough. there were a few ideas from the movie that i've been pondering in my mind since i watched it. cs lewis didn't marry until much later in life. joy davidman, who plays his counter part had been married before and had a son from that marriage. her first husband had opened his heart and fallen in love with another woman. he was an alcoholic and abusive. so, we have somebody who struggled with opening up to love because he had never really allowed himself to open up to it. we also have a person who is afraid to love because she has loved and has been hurt by it. the idea that there is something scary and painful about each of these situatoins has been in the front of my mind. the ability to allow ourselves to feel emotion is a risk - emotion can be the most wonderful thing and the most awful thing. however, if we don't allow our hearts to open up and to feel, then our growth will be stunted.

there was another twist of irony in the story. cs lewis was badly hurt when he was a child. his mother passed away when he was about 8 or 9 years old. it was an extremely painful and difficult situation for him. he didn't have much interaction or support from his father during their time of loss. apparently that was not the role the father played. as the story proceeds, cs lewis falls in love with joy. she has cancer. knowing this, he still allows himself to open up to the emotion of love and both the peace and pain that comes with it. as the story progresses, joy passes away. at first, cs lewis doesn't interact with or help the son. he is absorbed in and dealing with his own pain and doesn't know what to do to help the boy. the irony being that cs lewis was once in the same situation as the young boy. it is often difficult to look past what we are feeling and open our hearts and eyes to others situations and needs. it took a little time, but cs lewis realized (with the help of his brother) that the little boy need emotional support and guidance. he opened up his heart and conversations to the boy. i am certain it was painful and difficult, but he know it needed to be done. lewis changed the cycle. he could have done just as his father did, but he broke the cycle. he made a situation better than it had the potential of being by learning from past experiences. i believe the major theme of the movie was that of the role that both pain and joy play in our lives. love opens us up to both these things. it is part of the deal. allowing ourselves to feel the pain, as well as the pleasure is a part of allowing our lives to be real...to be as it should be. the reality of mortality involves pain.

the heart, the body, the mind - all complex in their different forms, all capable of greatness.

disclaimer

to all who have read and will read my "14 long years..." post, please be aware - this short story was BASED on a true story. the actual story is accurate, however the comments under picture samples C and D could lead those who are unaware to believe, that "elder taylor" and i are "together". we are not. in fact, i hope he will still consider being my friend after reading the post...andrew?

14 long years...

most recently andrew taylor, his cousin - reggie, and i went hiking up big cottonwood canyon. when andrew's dad asked who i was, andrew said, "well dad, we've know each other for 14 long years..."


and so the story begins...


at age 14 i attended EFY. while there, i took many a picture with all the "cute" boys in my group. it was quite an interesting time of life. (take note of the first picture below.) it was a time of discovery, a time of awkwardness, and a time of little-to-no sense of fashion. while there, i met a young man named andrew taylor. apparently he didn't leave much of an impression on me. as we fast forward to my 21st year, take note, that i had no recollection of this young lad.


in the year of our Lord two thousand, i served a mission for the LDS church. hualien was the first area i was assigned to proselyte. hualien has been described as the hawaii of taiwan. it is a captivating place. i have fond memories and could bore you with countless explanations of street signs. mopeds, and noodle shops on the side of the road, but i'll spare you those details. however, i won't spare you the details of my lovely district in hualien. elder telford - a real life cowboy, elder kearl - a mad scientist genuis, elder carter - my district leader and "father", and elder taylor - a westpoint cadet, all served with sister allen - my texas trainer, and i. these elders were all a real pleasure to work with. district meetings were packed with lots of laughs, feelings of the spirit, and lunch at the fried rice stand near the church afterward. i enjoyed working with everyone in my district. the combination of jet lag, the inability to communicate, and a bout of homesickness did not stop me from relishing the time i served in hualien. i would like to say that i served with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. i don't know what others might say - but, this is my blog, so it doesn't really matter what they say, right?


after hualien, i was assigned to beitou, and then to taidong. taidong was also like paradise - surrounded by ocean and many other scenic hot spots. once again, i had the opportunity of serving with elder taylor. he was my zone leader in, what we all liked to call "the taidong love zone". let me clarify, lest you be confused, the taidong love zone was all about loving all those around us with Christ-like love and charity. (just wanted to make sure that was clear.) my relationship with elder taylor had come full circle - from the first of my mission, when he said he didn't know if i was going to make it the full 18 months because i looked so bad, to the end, after i had tried my hardest to serve the Lord in the way He wanted me to serve Him - and i probably looked worse than when i started. elder taylor was, as alma describes in chapter 17, "still my brother in the Lord". our missionary relationship had come full circle. what a special experience, to begin our missions together, and to end our missions together.


but wait, can you imagine my surprise once i returned home and found elder taylor's 14 year old picture in my EFY scrapbook with our arms around each other. i felt my mission had been tainted. i was barely able to shake his hand while in taiwan, let alone have my arm around him. what had we done? it just seemed so wrong; so wrong, but so right; so wrong, but really funny. of course i copied the picture and sent it to him with a well versed letter discussing the destiny (or yuan) that must have been involved in us meeting up again while on our missions. please take a look at the sample pictures below:

sample a:

attractive 14 year olds at EFY - he couldn't keep his hands off me...

sample b:

serving together in hualien, elder taylor in one corner and me in the other - so well behaved...

sample c:

"the taidong love zone". hmmm...looks like elder taylor has postioned himself rather close to me. can you say, "lock your heart, elder?"

sample d:

oh, here we are, after "14 long years". finally able to be back in each others arms.

and they lived happily ever after.

the end.