Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Could He love me more?

I think not. Miracle #401931257: my new visiting teacher, LJ, who also happens to be the administrator OVER ASL AT THE MTC. That's right. You do the math.

Thank you, once again, Heavenly Father, for reassuring me of your ever-present position at the helm.

Onward, once again...

Monday, September 27, 2010

I. Love. President Monson.

There isn't much more to say...as those words house every expression I can drum up to encompass how I feel about Our Prophet.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Oh my...good guga-muga...

So freakin' excited.



Can't even put it into words...

Monday, September 20, 2010

Once upon a time...30 years ago...

Someone stole my dolly in nursery. Rude. So I bit her. In the eyeball. (That's right. The eyeball.) And we've been best friends ever since. Happy 3-1, Rachie Kay! Here's to 31+ more. Can't imagine my life without you.

Me

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Three GAs in one day...it's not even October yet!

What a wonderful day! Regional conference + fireside = Beck, Scott, Holland AND Packer all in one day. Sheesh. Spoiled.

If I could write every inspired word said, the world would be a better place, and this blog would serve a greater purpose. Instead, it only houses my meager thoughts...

Sister Beck: "You're doing better than you think you are." "We can do better than we're doing."

Elder Holland: "The forces of righteousness will ALWAYS prevail." "This is the work of God and requires the best we have to give."

Elder Packer: "From now on, its going to be different AND harder." "We learn in the temple that the adversary has his limits. He can only do what we allow him to do."

Elder Scott's feelings about his wife and sweet children beyond the veil: too tender to repeat. The rest of his marriage advice: HILARIOUS.

With the Spirit so strong today, I was led to an entry in my journal exactly six months ago. While the kids sitting next to me stared at the crazy lady with tears running down her cheeks, I most certainly needed reminding...

"Yesterday, I opened the letter that said, 'You have been admitted into the PhD program at Brigham Young University.' Oh the emotions. I mean, I guess I knew this, but oh my... This is so real now. It is Heavenly Father lovingly urging me down this path, a path I would never ever had chosen myself. There is such peace in remembering/knowing that He knows all. This is His doing...I am simply the instrument. Oh how humbling... he must help me. He must. I'm so inadequate. So trivial. But with Him, I guess I am to make a difference...only with Him.

I shook with mixed emotions for about an hour last night. Excitement. Nervousness. Overwhelmedness. Humility. Fright. Jubilation. Exhaustion. Worry. Anticipation. I know I am supposed to do it. I have for a long time. But now, it really must be done...

"Press on, Diligent Karen, press on." Remember the many lessons and miracles you have been privy to thus far. Remember how much more meaningful your life is when you truly allow the Savior to pilot it. To quote President Baker, "Blessed are the hard core." Take it and make a life of it. Shoulder the goal with energy. Keep going, keep trudging...on the way to being Ph.inisheD. with what the Lord has put before you.

Me"

...........................Amen.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

T-shirt buckles...Banana clips...Leg-warmers...HA!

Inspire by C-dawg's chat status: "Hey Mickey, I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight after Jessie's Girl started St. Elmo's Fire in the Danger Zone." After I laughed out loud and subsequently rocked out silently as each chorus raged in my head, this blog post began spontaneously frothing at the...keys. :) Read on, my once-neon-and-probably-spandex-clad-80s-product friends...

Scene: Karen's room, assisting her roommate (24) trying to figure out how to dress for the 80s party that night...

"You could peg the jeans."
"What?"
"........." (Registering the weight of my age now beginning with a 3...)
"Is 'peg' a verb?"

Bah! I am not that old! But, yes, I had to explain, nay, demonstrate how to peg-leg jeans. I tell you... Senior-citizen feelings aside, the brainstorming of 80s fashion brought back some FANTASTIC memories. For one fleeting moment, I thought about posting self-portraits of yours truly modeling the following beautiful disasters...but, alas, pride won out. :) Instead, please direct your attention to the following list. (If you knew me back then, you're probably laughing at the flash-bulb 4-H memory now emblazoned across your mind's eye...my apologies...)

Neon. Taffeta. Polka-dot. Hair bows--shoelace variety, etc. Rainbow Brite. Cut-nylon bracelets. Bill and Ted. Boondoggle. Jewel-tone tights. Jelly shoes.
Guess?. Esprit. Ratting. Trapper-keepers. Stirrups. Thriller. Whitney Houston. Air Supply. Chicago. Hair-band power ballads. (Oh, the music.) Vogue. Hammer pants. T-shirt knots. Girbaud jeans crotch tag. Cricket. Karate Kid.

Sheesh, I almost couldn't type fast enough...this could go on forever. How about y'all put some of your faves in the comments, eh? Bless the 80s...and please bless that the fashion never returns to full force...ever again.

Peace.