Hot cross buns

Hot cross buns

Hot cross buns

One a penny

Two a penny

Hot cross buns

For those of you who don't yet know...

There's a bun in my oven!

And I'm pretty dang excited about it :)

(But please don't ask me to eat anything like what is pictured at the top of the page or I for sure would lose my cookies... does morning sickness ever end? Really?)

So Sad

Just so you know, I'm not going back on my promise to be a better blogger... I just don't know what to do when my computer freezes everytime I turn it on. Anyone know how to get rid of what seems to be a nasty virus (possibly on Mozilla)??

Sigh. Not I.

In the meantime, I'll cross my fingers I'll see you soon.

Yes on Prop 8

I haven't written anything on my blog about Prop 8, but that's not to say I haven't been following it closely. I remember Prop 22 in 2000--my senior year--with vivid clarity. Mostly my busy senior schedule only allowed me to make phone calls, while members of my ward and community walked streets, knocked doors, posted signs. We donated money and time and prayer. This time I am not in California, and thus not able to donate much more than my means. And a lot of prayer and encouragement and support as my family and home stake rallied around the Prophet's call to donate time and means and resources to defending the doctrinal truth that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God. While it is tempting to simply appease homosexuals in their desires for gay marriage, I cannot shirk the truth embedded deep in my heart that it is terribly wrong, for any of us, in any manner, to justify sin. And I know that marriage between a man and a woman is an integral, even essential, part of God's Plan of Salvation for his children. I know that any other way is not only contrary to His plan, but in fact sin. And while this issue, with Prop 8 in California, goes deeper and affects so many other things, this is the root of why I support it.

So two nights ago (November 4th), when I got home from work, I was not terribly interested in the exit poll results for the new President. I was a whole lot more worried about how Proposition 8 was doing. I hunted and searched and googled until I finally found a website (www.latimes.com) that showed the fluxuating results as more and more precincts reported. I hit refresh over and over and over again, watching the 56% yes (at 12% reporting) get closer and closer to 50%. All night long I woke up with dreams that the yes vote crossed the line into the minority. When the alarm finally sounded, I raced downstairs to hit refresh again.

By the end of yesterday, with 99.7% of precincts reporting, and 52.5% yes, I finally was at ease.

I can't tell you how grateful I am, first of all, that it passed (and it passed in Arizona and Florida). And secondly, for all of the countless hours and prayers and money and work that went in by so, so many Californians (and others) who fought so diligently for the cause. I know their efforts were consecrated. I know the prayers to touch the hearts of the people were answered. And I know that it made a difference. Thank you.

Once upon a time...

For at least the past five years running (minus the mission, of course), I have donned my reddest shoes and the Little Red Riding Hood cape my mom made years ago, and stepped into a fairy tale for Halloween. This year I dressed up for our work Halloween Family Fun Night on Thursday. I loved skipping around with my basket of bread and fruit in tow.

What is it about living in an alternate reality that is so appealing? For as long as I can remember, I have loved fairy tales and fantasy stories. And I have, honestly, tried hard to emulate some of my favorite fiction characters all my life.

As a little girl, I wished with all my heart that I could be as good and kind as Cinderella. I loved the Disney version where she spoke with animals (which scare me in real life) and sang like a lark. I wished I could do the same. I tried so hard to do whatever chores my mother gave me without complaining--just as Cinderella would have.

Of course, I have also long been in love with Miss Anne Shirley. I loved the movies and the books (still do) and wished I could be as feisty and fun and fanciful as she. In the books, she has this magical way of seeing the fairies and of building castles out of wild flowers and sunsets. I wished I could be as imaginative as she never failed to be. I always feared I was as a daft as dear Diana, despite my red hair.

When I read Les Miserables in high school, I was moved beyond measure by Jean Valjean. I wanted to be as noble and humble and worthy of respect.

In college when I first read The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley, I was impressed by Harry's strength, her resolve, her determination. I wondered what it would be like to be stolen in the night and to ride a horse bare-backed. Someday, perhaps.

Even my little Red Riding Hood, whom I imitate each year at Halloween is described as "a little village girl who was a sweet as sugar and as good as bread. Her mother loved her very much, and her grandmother was even fonder of her." Who doesn't want to be as sweet as sugar and as good as bread? I do!


If you could be (or be like) any fictional, fanciful, fairy character, who would YOU be?