Kisses from Mr. Twining

Brad handed me my school binders today after he found out I was searching for them.

I thankfully accepted them, and then gave him a thank you kiss.

Then, all the sudden, I felt it. I felt that feeling you get when you know you are kissing your sole mate. The feeling of so much love, devotion, and appreciation wrapped up in one kiss. I got weak. I dropped my binders; I felt so weightless. I love those kisses. Thank you for 2 years of wonderful kisses. Anniversary: 11/30/09

My Husband = Genius

So, Brad was apart of this innovation and creativity boot camp here at BYU for all Information Technology majors. They divided the class into groups to come up with a new way to improve existing things. Brad's team chose to improve the math lab at BYU, which is in some serious need of help! They presented there idea tonight and WON!!!! And they didn't just win a dumb certificate or $5 gift card to the BYU book store, but they won $50 gift cards to amazon.com!!!! HALLELUJAH! Now we can finally get a digital camera that we desperately need because both of ours are broken! We are blessed! Thanks for being cool and smart and wonderful Bradley Joel!

In Need Of a Break

Do you ever realize you feel worn out, tired, and are counting down the days til' your holiday break, just to complete all the other countless tasks that you have been putting off during your pre-break activities?

Well, I do. I am counting down the days til' Thanksgiving break so I can have a day of relaxation, and the rest will be spent completing my internship paper that I never seem to actually sit down and do.

Do you have similar experience? Are you vacations solely for relaxation, or do you have a "stay-cation" to do list?

A Battle with Deception

Have you ever reflected on your life, and felt like you could do more, or rather, want to do more? How can Mrs. So and So raise 6 kids, be PTA presidents, Young Women's President, all star home maker, have the perfect house that is neatly organized, have a model body, handsome husband, and what seems to be the perfect marriage? Have these comparisons stabbed you to your very core to the point of despair, depression, and discouragement with your own life?

It's so easy in today's world to be deceived. There is photo shop, make-up, spanx's underwear that make you look 20 pounds lighter, plastic surgery, and the list goes on. Deception comes from the adversary. He wants us to be decieved until he traps us and we can't excape.

I know that truth, not lies and deception make a person truly happy!

Consecration

All throughout scripture is a reoccurring theme of "hiding your treasures unto God," "not burring your treasures where moss and dust corrupt them...," "When your treasure is, there will your heart be also..."

What does it mean to hide your treasure unto God? How do we hide or treasure unto God today?

Hiding your treasure unto God means you consecrate all that you have and give it to the Lord. The word consecrate broken down: con= with and secrate= sacred. Using this information, it is safe to say the if we hide our treasures unto the Lord, it is taking all we have, all that we hold sacred in our lives, and giving it to the Lord to help further His work here on the earth.

Today, and throughout history, Satan strives to lead the hearts of the children of men away through two tactics: 1. Salvation in Sin, and 2. Salvation via money. Men, who become rich are easily swayed when in comes to consecrating all that they have to the Lord. They buy fancy cars (or you fill in the blank) (where most and dust doth corrupt it) instead of consecrating money to humanitarian work, etc. where these donations are favored of God because they are consecrating what they have to help the Lord's children.

We have also seen this throughout scripture where the rich are prideful and turn away from the Lord. But, what about those who Pres. Benson referred to in his talk "Beware of Pride," as those "at the bottom looking up"? Consecration can be a challenge for those people too in our society today. One might say, "How can I consecrate all that I have including my time, talents, and energy to helping build the Lord's kingdom when I don't even have time for myself after working 3 jobs, going to school, etc?" They then become hopeless, and exercise self-pity.

Since I am in the latter category, I pondered this a lot. How can I take my treasures: time, talents, and energy, and give it to the Lord? What is my status in this area of my life? What am I doing well at, and what do I need to be better with?

I am not going to go into all the detail's of these questions, but I will say that I came up with a question I am going to ask myself daily as I strive on the path towards eternal life. And that question is: Is what I am doing right now helping to build the Lord's kingdom on earth?

Think about it...

Gratitude #4

So, I found out this weekend how grateful I am for the Internet because I didn't have it at all on Sat. and Sun. It's amazing how much of my jobs, school, and even church callings requires the Internet. What did we ever do with out it?

I'm also grateful for my primary class. My class is so amazing in every way. They make me laugh, and cry (not because they're bad, but because they're so spiritual and good at such an early age). Funny story from this week. We showed them the movie "Only a Stone cuter," the story about John Rowe Moyle who crossed the plains, and walked 22 miles from his home to work on the Salt Lake Temple. A tragic accident happened to John Moyle when a cow kicked his leg creating a compound fracture that was immediately amputated with a buck saw. Infections were so prevalent after amputations, but his infection never came. When he was able to get out of bed, he carved himself an ingenious wooden leg that hinged at the ankle and everything. It was very painful to walk on it, but he practiced every day until he had enough strength to make the 22 mile journey.

After the movie was over, I told the class about how even ordinary people can do extraordinary things. We talked about hard work and dedication to your tasks, and many other lessons we could gain from that story. When little Eli left our class and his parents asked, "What did you learn about in your class, Eli" Eli exclaimed, " We watched a movie about a guy who got his leg cut off."

It's funny what little people remember. I guess that movie may have been a little hard for a 6 year old to grasp. Oh well.

Gratitude Day #3

Today I am grateful for:

1. Easter Shore Cuisine. Namely cornbread and chicken & dumplin's.
2. The glorious internet. So much information at my finger tips; I love it!
3. The Bible Dictionary- it's a great resource to understanding the scriptures.

Gratitude Day 2

Today I am greatful for:

1. The fact that I can sleep in on Thursday's if I want to, and yes, I did take advantage of this situation.
2. A sweet but tart small, juicy orange that awakes all my senses and makes my mouth happy for breakfast.
3. i tunes, do I even have to elaborate on this?
   

Gratitude

From now on I am going to try and post at least a weekly gratitude post expressing my appreciation for all the things this life has to offer.

I shall start now. Today I am grateful for:

• The fact that I actually made it to the gym today and ran 3 miles
• Stephanie Nielson
• A loving husband who sticks with me because I hate Wal-Mart.
• Daily calls from my mother, no matter how long or short they are they make my day so much better
• My Granny's willingness to help me write her history for her posterity, don't worry Poppop, you're next.

Finding Strength

I don't have cable TV. The main purpose for our small TV is to watch the occasional movies that we find time for. I really want to watch TV today because a super hero in my ward, Stephanie Nielson (mother of 4 who survived, along with her husband, a fatal plane crash last August) will be on Oprah.

I have the once in a lifetime opportunity to Teach her second oldest Jane in my Primary class. Jane is so strong, she is just a wonderful person, and you can tell she was raised by a wonderful mother. Stephanie's days are hard, and she struggles doing things that I take for granted.

I could express for hours about how wonderful I think she is. However, I will say that I believe she is a hero- a Mother Warrior as Oprah's website described her. Every time I am having a bad day, or stressed out, I think of Stephanie. She enjoys the little things. I will enjoy the little things!

Ode to Fall!....Well, sort of!

I'm ticked at the fact that it is still over 80 degrees every day, and it's nearly October. What can a girl do to get some Fall around here? I miss the Fall back east. I was so surprised to go to several stores and find no Mums! When I asked the cashiers they gave me a look of near disgust and disbelief when I asked them If their store carried mums. Scoff. "Mums, what the heck are mums," replied one college freshman at Buy Low. "Oh forget it," I thought to my self as I politely thanked him for his time, told him I'll look elsewhere. and left the store.

Costco sold out of there mums in like 2 seconds, but not their pumpkin pie. You better believe I got me one of those ginormous pies of goodness. For me, pumpkin pie definitely equals fall.

I love the colors, the leaves, the chill in the air that I like to refer to as "hoodie weather," the pumpkins, everything! But, this does not mean I like Halloween. It's not my favorite, unlike everyone else I know.
(Bradley at the Natural Bridge Zoo in Virginia
during Fall,2007)

It's a poopy situation, but all is well in Zion!

Well, most of you know what happened, but we're gonna tell you anyway! August 7th was the fateful day. The day that will go down in history as the day the floods came up on 1455 Cherry Lane and ruined most of our possessions with backed up sewer from the city's man-hole. We received a call a few days later explaining that everything was ripped out of our house and we had to go claim what was ours, make a spread sheet of items lost in the flood, and then proceed to move back in all while getting ready for school, working, etc. This experience has consumed our lives for over a month, and I am sad to say that it will continue to do so until the city decides to mail our check!

We lost most of our furniture, pillows, some blankets, shoes, etc. Total damage: $3,1000. How much the city will supposedly reimburse: $2,800. The matching throw pillows we lost for our couch that was discontinued: priceless.

I know it's sounds rather trivial, but I was most upset about losing the throw pillows for our couch. They were beautifully designed, plush fabric pillows that coordinated with our home so well, and now they are gone. I've looked everywhere and found none like them. However, we, rather I, will get over it eventually. Brad just laughed at the fact that I was so distraught over throw pillows. Maybe some other female will understand!?

This process has been a great learning experience for the two of us. We have learned to be served. A wonderful lady in our ward, Sister Burkman, lovingly offered us her place to live while we were displaced for about 3 weeks. She cooked for us, let us do our laundry there, and expected nothing in return. We would continually thank her for all that she did, and then she would explain she was grateful we were in her home because we were a great example for her children. What? Brad and I good examples for someone's children? But the more I tried to see it, the more I realized she was right. We were able to open our hearts to her teenage boys and younger girls. They did look up to us, but we genuinely cared for them. Lesson #2: besides learning to humble ourselves and take service, we can too serve those who are serving us by answering their prayers for their children. We also learned life from a mother's perspective while we were living there. I realized how much my actions hurt my mother while I was growing up. For that, I learned to be a kinder, more gentle person.

Brad and I also learned to rely on Heavenly Father. This was a very tough experience, but we got through it with faith, prayer, scripture study, and temple attendance. These actions combined brought peace, joy, and comfort into our lives that continues to dwell with us. While we are now back in our house, and things still aren't perfect, there is still such joy in our home. I am so grateful to be on this Journey together with Brad. I couldn't imagine going through life, let along this experience with out him.

Last but not least, dealing with the city has taught us patience. We have made several phone calls with no returns. Emails were written to the adjuster and we heard no response. Then, one day this week, he decided to get back up with us and give us the final number for how much money we were going to get back. We were grateful that our stuff didn't depreciate too much, considering most of the stuff was only 3 months old!

Do we want to go through this again, NO! But did we learn a ton and grow a ton and come out of this experience better people, YES!

Maryland, my Maryland!!!!

So, I last left you loyal readers (all 4 of you give or take) with the declaration that I was leaving Utah a week and half early to go back to MD with my amazing wife. Wow, has a lot happened since then. This post will be about our vacation, and the next will be about the fun that was awaiting us on our return.

My vacation was amazing in MD. I was still able to work from home for my one job doing web programming, and I was also worked for dad at a very lucrative wage :) I was rather happy about that. While Leslie was finishing her volunteering at PRMC and working at Fishers, I was working either from my computer or from my parents living room, helping my wonderful mother declutter her office and storage unit, aka the Bermuda Triangle. Life was wonderful.

One of the first places i went to eat in MD was the Old Mill Crab house. Can life get any better? All you can eat shrimp, fried chicken, corn on the cob, clam strips, hush puppies and Maryland blue crabs. Wow. Happy birthday to me!

We took a trip to NY with Leslie's parents and her aunt Jeannie. Again, absolutely wonderful. We arrived in NY at the perfect time, got tickets to a show (Mamma Mia!) right before the heavens opened and rain came flooding down. While in the show it stopped raining, making a perfect day to walk around and enjoy NY. The next day we went on a Water Taxi, where they drive you around the Hudson and you see the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Brooklyn Bridge and get to take a ton of pictures from the boat. Then we enjoyed a nice lunch in Little Italy, and even walked through Chinatown. then it was back to the car, and a long drive home from an action-packed 2 days in New York City.

Another highlight of my vacation was my first time surf fishing at Assateague Island. Unfortunately, the surf was too rough for any bites, so we didn't catch anything, but it was way fun. Especially the KFC :)

Towards the end of my sojourn in MD we received a phone call from Barbara Morgan, Leslie's professor she assists and neighbor. (Side note; as I write this me and Leslie finish our small bag of popcorn and I hit a record. only 4 kernals were unpopped and none of the other ones were burnt. go me!) This phone call was not exactly the birthday greeting I was hoping for. We learned that our apartment was flooded with 2 inches of backed up sewage from the manhole in the street. We couldn't wait to get back to Utah. cue the next post....

Distance might make the heart grow fonder...but I CAN'T TAKE IT!!!

As many of your know, my dearest Leslie is away from me. She is enjoying Maryland and having the time of her life learning about Diabetes and education people about how to live with it. She is selling more popcorn on the boardwalk than I will eat in my whole life, and she just loves it. Well...almost loves it. How can you really truly love life when someone as awesome as myself is 2000 miles away?

After much deliberation (nice word, huh?) and thought, I have decided to journey home early. I will more than likely be traveling home on Monday July 20th, exactly two weeks before originally planned. Luckily, both my jobs are very flexible and one of them will even allow me to work from MD.

This has been in my mind for a few weeks now. When we originally bought the tickets, I was staying behind because work required me to do so, however, I quit Brick Oven, and my employers are much more flexible than Brick Oven.

I am fully looking forward to seeing my amazing wife again, and also our families. 4 weeks apart is long enough for me, and I'm pretty sure that we are not planning this long of an absence again. If this happens again, please shoot me.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Founder

While I was having an amazing time in Seattle with the Gottula's, Brad sent me a text that expressed how much he loved and missed me. He also said, "I truly believe absence makes the heart grow founder." My initial thought was, awwwe, how cute! But, then I thought, was he just feed up with me and needed a break to appreciate me more? No, that wasn't the case....well, not for him anyway! Just Kidding! Those 4 days that we were apart were were just practice for a long absence from him while I'm in MD this summer.

Coming home from Seattle and realizing that I only had 11 precious days left before the trip really made me thing how much I am going to miss him. Bad breath and all!! I asked him if he was going to cry at the airport, because I know I am! He said he probably would because he's a big softy. :-)

So, I guess the point of this post is to let the family know that it is really going to suck ( I couldn't think of a more appropriate word to describe how I feel) being away from each other. We love one another so much, and Seattle proved that 4 days was no walk in the park. Help us! Encourage us, take care of my Bradley while I'm gone, and hopefully we'll survive!

Memorial Day

My grandfather was a Marine. My Uncle was a Marine. My cousin was a Marine. My other Uncle was in the Army. Even though they are not in the same branch of service each of them had one thing in common. They served during a a conflict in America. My grandfather served during the Cuban Missal Crisis and toward the beginning of the Vietnam war. My Uncle's served during the Vietnam war. And my cousin went to Iraq. Why should I write all of this? Shy should I care? Why should I let another memorial day go by without thanking them?

To answer question number one, I'm writing this because I think it's important to know the military history of my family. I love history, and this is a good thing to know about each one of them. I care because I have great respect for them. I believe 3 out of the 4 freely enlisted. They wanted to serve there country, they respected this land and the beliefs held in it so much that they sacrificed there time, talents, and energy to defend it.

With all the respect and love in my heart, I thank them for all they have done, along with other soldiers, marines, navy man, and those in the air force. You are my hero's! God Bless America!!!

I Love My Family!

We haven't written in almost a month! How Tragic! So, here is another random update. As soon as we got back from Colorado Springs on May 4th it was time to get to work stripping wall paper off of the three rooms in our new apartment. The little office only had the chair railing or bottom half of the wall covered in wall paper, so that too the least amount of time. By the end of day one part of the kitchen wallpaper was off and the office was done. Day two we ran into some problems with the stubborn wallpaper. The stuff would not come off the walls- so my awesome landlady rented a steamer and Brad and I went to town and had all the wallpaper off by day three. Day 4 we cleaned the nasty walls and determined that the kitchen and bathroom were beyond repair, so we decided to do a light texturing on the wall that is similar to orange peel. Thankfully our landlady's son did the texturing. The rest of day 4 was spent rolling the coats of white onto the little office that was originally pink. Day six was if I remember correctly Sunday- so we took a day of rest, a big nap, and then went to go pick up my mom from the airport. It was awesome seeing her on mother's day. She was a huge help to us! By day seven all the painting, except for the cabinets was done! Needless to say we were tired. But, It didn't end there! We then had to worry about packing up all of our stuff and making several little loads in our Kia and a few big ones in a minivan of someone who was helping us in our ward and in a large dodge truck also generously donated for our use by someone in our ward. Brad changed our light fixtures and plugs because he is an awesome electrician. I am so glad that he is handy! Everything we buy he puts together with ease, and it looks amazing. We still don't quite have everything done- but what we do have done looks great. I owe all of that to my mom. She knows how to make things work and make things beautiful. She also works so hard. I'm sure she'll need a long nap this weekend!

Ok, now that you've been updated, I wanted to write a little something to each of my immediate family members telling them how much I appreciate them. You all have been on my mind lately, so here it goes:

Brad- You're amazing! Everyday I fall more and more in love with you. I am grateful for your patience when I get feisty. I am grateful for your skills, intelligence, and knowledge you have of really practical and important skills. When I married you, I pridefully thought that I was a little cooler on the cool scale than you were. Boy, was I wrong! You are way cool and so much better than me in every way! I can't wait to see what our bright future together will hold.

Mom Little- I'm becoming more and more like you everyday. Some times its scary, but most of the time I'm glad it's happening. I'm glad you gave me your love for people, your desire to serve them, and your excitement for home projects. I'm trying to put others before myself like you do, but I know I have a long way to go. I'm grateful to have you as my awesomely cool mom! Thanks for all that you do for us!

Dad Little- You are an inspiration to me. In school whenever they would ask us to name our hero I would always choose you Daddy. You're funny, smart, and way talented. I'm glad I learned how to sing like you, and I'm also grateful that I got a touch of your sense of humor. I can't wait to spend a little time with you this summer, because that is one thing that I wish I had the most with you- time! But, I know you're busy working to provide for the family. Thanks for being an amazing example of someone who's time is so limited, but you still manage to work, play in the band, and do your church calling with loving service. You're great!

Mom Twining- You are amazing! You're smart, funny, and work really well with children. You are full of goodness- I don't think there is one evil or spiteful bone in your body. You always talk highly of others and I've never heard you speak ill of another person. You serve diligently and love greatly! I love you!

Dad Twining- You are super smart. You are a whiz with technology and electrical work! That talent has been used to bless the lives of the Salisbury Ward and countless others- including my dad who I think electrocuted himself when he was doing electrical work at the house in parsonsburg! You have blessed the lives of others by sharing the gospel with them. Thank you for being a good example to me!!!

Angela- Is there anything that you can't do? You're confidence amazes me! You are enthusiastic and have a great love for life. You are an amazing writer! I am also amazed seeing you be a wonderful mom to Wesley. I know that you take your sacred calling of motherhood seriously, and that is shown in the way your research about parenting and interact with your son. I love you too!

Shane- Dude, I don't really know you too well, but I know your funny and super smart! We really heart our Bowing magnet you gave us our first Christmas together! Thank you for being a great dad to Wesley. I love the picture of your two lounging on the bed watching football- it's sooooo cute!

Kurt- You're talented in so many ways- and you know all of your talents! One thing that I admire about you the most is the way you center your life around the gospel. The gospel is seen in your home when you pray and read scriptures with your son, when you speak with patience, and by the pictures you have to decorate your house. You are a great provider for your family!

Melani- You have so many gifts and skills that I admire. You sew, you cook special food for Kyler, your make your own baby wipes. How cool is that. You have the best smile and a great love for the gospel just like your husband. You guys are the perfect couple! You are a great mother who is keeps the spirit in her life as she parents. And that's the most important thing!!!
Who cares if your kid has a Binky til he's 4?!?! Thanks for being so accepting of me and loving when I joined the Twining clan. I know I'm different- but you love me for who I am, and I thank you so much for that!

Love you all!!!! -Leslie

Let's Get It Started

Brad and I recieved a generous gift from our grandparents while they were in town a couple weeks ago. It was a beautiful brand new white, round table with leaf from the "As Is" section at IKEA for $175 because we need a new table when we move into the Cherry Lane apartment. Right now we are mooching off of our really generous landlady by using her spare one.

At IKEA, my favorite place in the world besides the D.C. Temple, Ocean City, and Home, the Chairs that match our table were $50 each and we had to put them together, not only that, they really didn't look like they would be very sturdy and hold up to the pressure from our butts, so we wanted to look on craigslist and ksl.com for some chairs to match.

I was talking to my mom on Monday as I was surfing the Internet, and that is when I found these:

This lady that lives past Salt Lake was selling them for $40 dollars each. They retailed for $245 each. They are solid wood and the cushions are sturdy and comfortable. So, Brad bought all 4 she was selling, she met him in SL, and he took them home in little old Pedro (our car) because there is no way that I would actually fit in there with all the chairs too.

When Brad brought them in I got really excited. I started cleaning them right away. I took my Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (best thing ever) to the pink permanent marker on them and it came right off, including the barbecue sauce, green marker, brown paint, and old peanut butter. Once I was done scrubbing away at them they looked beautiful, except the cushions we a little too stained for my liking.

So, me being the home decorating visionary that I am, decided to sand the chairs down and paint them white to match our table. Also, that old fabric just needed to go, so I went and picked out a very rich, Frenchish, thick canvas fabric from Wal-Mart of all places to re-upholster the cushions. A man that Brad knows from the upholstery shop at BYU is more than likely going to do it for us for a cheap price.

So, yes, when this is all said and done the chairs will probably end up being about $55 dollars each including all fabric and painting materials. But, that's okay with me because I love, love, love beautifying my home and turning something old into something new. Stay tuned for the end result!

Eyebrow Waxing= New ME!

Call me crazy, but I feel I look like a new person when I get my eyebrows waxed. It's pretty painless and inexpensive. I just love it. It makes me feel more feminine and like I just spent a day at the spa.

But on top of all the eyebrow waxing goodness, I actually got my hair dyed, cut, thinned, and styled. How super exciting! The best part about all of this is I got it all for $50 from a top salon in the Riverwoods shopping center. How do I justify such an expense? Well, it's a birthday/ end of the year/ got straight A's this semester present.

I've realized that every time I get my haircut that the stylist always comments on how thick my hair is, like I don't already realize how much of a coarse, curly mess it is. One of my favorite parts is when they thin my hair. I see huge globs of my hair being ripped out of their thinning sheers, and it feels so satisfactory to me because that means less I have to deal with.

Once there done, and it's all over the floor, it feels good to see all of the hair gone. About 1/2 pound, it feels like, just taken away. I feel like a new person. So does everyone love getting their hair done as much as me or do they run an hide for fear the stylist isn't going to do it the way you want it?


Oh, PS- My stylist was from Seattle, and it made me think of the Gottula's and that I NEED to get my plain ticket to see them!

Moving....AGAIN!

It's official. We cannot stay in an apartment for more than 9 months....Hopefully that trend will end!

We have found a better and cheaper place to live. It is about a 5 minute walk from where we are now, and is still in the same ward(BIG plus). We love this ward, and we definately did not want to leave anytime soon. It is a basement(that's the only thing we can afford).

PROS:
Large bedroom, bathroom and kitchen
Small(very!) 2nd room which can be used for an office and/or a nursery
495 a month!!!
Internet, electricity, water, etc. all paid for
gorgeous yard

CONS:
No living room
Solution: Huge bedroom and kitchen, with room for dining. No biggie.
No washer/dryer
Solution: Laundry mat! Once a week, for about 1.5 hours and 5 bucks, it will all be done!
cable not included
Solution: Comcast Basic Limited. 10-15 bucks a month, just the basics

yep thats right, only 3 cons with 3 simple solutions. Even when we add the money for laundry and cable, we are still saving over 100 bucks a month. We are so blessed to have this in our lives. We will be initally painting the rooms there starting the day we get back from CO this May. Hopoefully all will be ready for us to move in around Mid-May. We shall be done with 939 Cedar Ave as of May, 31st(officially). Hopefully Sis Arnold can sell the place by then.

So, Life is exciting. and wonderful. and Happy. and great. and I love my wife. And I just wanted to say and again.

Brad Has Herpes

Leslie's viewpoint:
Herpes Zoster that is, which is the latent form of Varicella- aka chicken pox. So, in cultural terms, Brad has shingles. Adults die more easily of chicken pox than children- scary. Here is a genius moment for Leslie and a perfect time for her to share all of her Public Health knowledge-- Brad had this weird bumpy rash on the side of his abdomen. He showed me, and because I'm taking infectious disease this semester I told Brad, " I think you have Herpes." But he said it wasn't painful, so I wasn't exactly sure. Well, it doesn't get any better, he decides to go to the health center, and sure enough- it's herpes zoster. My first diagnoses, and I got it right!!! Look out Kramer (episode where he acts professionally for medical students so they can diagnose him based on his symptoms he describes--in that episode, he had gonorrhea).

Don't worry Brad has great big horse pills that he has to take 4 times a day, and he is dealing with the mild pain that he's experiencing right now just like a man- whining and complaining the whole time- just kidding. Brad's a real trooper. The sad part about this is you're not supposed to get shingles until your in your 50's and 60's. So, poor Brad is balding and has shingles...sad day!

Brad's viewpoint:
So a couple of days ago, maybe Monday, I noticed a small rash on the side of my abnormally large belly. At first, it wasn't a big deal, I know that I am hot-cold sensitive which tends to give me rashes, also on my abnormally large belly. I didn't pay much mind to it until it continued and developed into a nasty looking rash. It didn't hurt, it just looked gross. Wednesday, Leslie tells me "I think you have Herpes." I thought...isn't that an STD? How could I get that on my stomach? So I go to the wonderful Student Health Center, pay 15 dollars to see a Nurse Practitioner. I tell her my symptoms and she gets up to take a look at it. The second I pulled my shirt up, she stopped, midway from me and her chair, and said "I know what that is. Its easily diagnosable." She didn't even need to look at it close up! Anyway, its Herpes Zoster, aka chicken pox for grown-ups. Although I don't remember chicken pox hurting this much.

She said that my prescription will stop it from growing further and that it will take maybe 2 weeks to fully heal. Dang! Since I got to the doctor quickly, she said that my recovery will probably be quick. Woohoo! The past couple days I've noticed one end of the rash healing and "crusting over" while the other end is still in full swing. It now hurts, but only when pressure is applied to it. This morning I accidentally scratched it pretty bad while trying to move the covers, and I thought my intestines would fly out of my abnormally large belly. Wow. I never want to scratch it again. Ever. So that's life with Herpes. I can't imagine getting this on my junk.




DON'T KEEP READING IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE A PICTURE!!!

eww....

We are blessed!

God is mysterious, and I truly believe that. But sometimes his ways are clear and paths are easy. Brad and I have been bouncing different ideas back and forth about what we should do about when to have kids, if we should move, how to space out our schooling, grad school, and me applying to be a hall advisor.

All of these things are constantly on my mind on a daily basis. So, once our land lady told us she was moving out I thought, "Oh no! Now what are we going to do? Will we still be able to rent from her, are we going to move out during finals...." She is moving out the 18th of April.

A few weeks ago the professor that I TA for, Sister Morgan, mentioned that Marrianne Kjar (an older widow in our ward) will be renting out her basement after the first of May. Yet, another option to consider.

So, I finally called her up. Her sweet voiced answered. I told her who I was and then she said, "Oh I heard all about you from Lisa, and what good renters you are! Yes, the apartment is still available to rent, and I would love to have you rent it." SCORE! I said, "Do you mind if I ask how much the rent is per month?" "It's $490 including all utilities and internet. And I pay you to mow my lawn." Double score considering we pay $650 a month now.

We're going to go look at it this week. I'm sure it will be great because her house is really beautiful on the outside. Brad and I are always being looked after by a loving Heavenly Father who sometimes works directly or indirectly to help his children through this life.

Taco Soup =Remedy for EVERYTHING!!!

I heart Taco Soup...really...there is just nothing like it. Scoop it in a bowl and top it with lots of cheese and use tortilla chips instead of a spoon. Yummy!

Well, I'm going to switch topics and talk a little about life for Brad and me the past two weeks since we have been lazy about posting anything.

My Dad calls me up and asks me if "hell week" is over. It's been pretty much hell month if you ask me. Mid-term, paper, project multiplied by 37. I have never been so sloppy about house work, laundry, everything. My life was truly crashing down around me as I sit at my computer for multiple hours a day meeting deadlines, looking over notes for my midterm, etc. School is great, and I love learning, but I really hate busy work that teachers give us to think we'll actually get something out of it. Does anybody know what I mean?

Brad and I attended our first Humor U show. It's BYU's stand up comedy club. They were awesome. There are actually 2 guys from the Wilmington DE stake in it! How cool is that?

We had a younger couple come and look at our house Saturday because our Land Lady is thinking about selling her house and banking the money so she can go a serve a mission. We haven't heard if they choose our house or not. We just know its between our house and another one. Luckily we'll still be able to stay in the house because they want renters!

Four more weeks of school left. YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brad officially hates Physics on days that end in Y. He also has a band concert on April 14th. Cool!

That's it...kinda random, but now you're updated!

Who wants to be a millionarie!

Here is the final question, for 1 million dollars:

Your breath smells like lama dung and hay. This is a:

a. Good thing
b. Bad thing
c. Not a bad thing
d. Sign to brush teeth

Have you figured out the answer? Computer, lock in their answer!




The answer is.....





























c. Not a bad thing. This is according to Leslie, so your answer may vary depending on how you think about it. Thanks for playing, Who wants to be a millionaire!!





So this is an actual occurrence that happened in my life this past week. It was bedtime, and we were cuddling in our little double bed getting ready to fall asleep. Leslie turns to me and says "You breath smells like lama dung and hay. (I immediately turned away, disgusted and was ready to fall asleep immediately, in response to this, she says immediately) But that's not a bad thing! Come back!" I was laughing for about 5 years. Has your significant other ever told you something bad about your breath, smile, face, fart, smell, etc?

Lists

Okay, I hate to admit this about myself, but I am OCD when it comes to making lists. I seriously make lists about everything. A list for cleaning the house, a list for when I go to the grocery store, a list of home work I have divide up into each class, lists for church, etc. It's crazy. Why do I obsess like this? Well, I can think of a couple reasons why. One, my mom was like this. She too made list after list- like mother like daughter. Two, it helps me to organize and prioritize my life. But it's so sad when I have to write when to get up and when to fall asleep to insure 8 hours of sleep. My life isn't dictated by my lists, but they do play a big part in organizing my life for me.

Are there any LMA's (list makers anonymous out there)? We should form a group. Compare and contrast the details of our lists, and help each other know when to say enough if enough, just LIVE you life!!!

And I say to myself, What a WONDERFUL World!!

Today is the happiest I've felt in a while. The snowy, dreary winters here are really hard from me. Here are some things that make me really happy:

• Babies...even if I don't have my own, I love looking at my friends children, playing with them, holding them, etc. I love it when they give you a toothless corner smile, it just melts my heart away.
• The SUN! It has been so beautiful here in Utah in February of all months!? I'm actually outside typing this blog with the sun warming every inch of me. How therapeutic! How wonderful!
  
• My Neighborhood has to be the most idyllic in Provo. I hear the BYU bell tower chime, waking me at 7am almost every morning, kids are constantly riding their scooters and playing in our not so busy streets, my visiting teaching companion lives next door, and the creamery is only a 2 minute walk from my house, and during the dinner time rush I can smell the delicious greasy hamburger smell as soon as I walk out my door.
• Spring! Spring is a time of rebirth, rejuvination, life. I love going through every last inch of my house to clean it and get rid of items to go to DI. I love seeing the little girls in church with cute pastel dress and white gloves. I especially love being outside planting pansies or any other plant for that matter. I love that my birthday is in the spring. Not too hot, not too cold; perfect!
• Really good inspirational non-fiction books about people who have devoted part, or most of their life to helping others in foreign countries. 3 Cups of Tea, and Monique and the Mango Rains are the two I would recommend.
• The excitement of the unknown. The past few weeks I've been really stressed about the unknown. When and where to complete my internship, when to have children, will I EVER graduate?, where to move, etc. But today I realized that the unknown is exciting. I can plan and prepare for life as much as possible, but sometimes I have to give up my worries to the Lord and move forward in faith. I know God has great plans for Brad and I, so I need not worry.

Okay, I'm done with my positive fest. Hope reading this made you think of some of the tender mercies you just LOVE!

-Leslie

Grey, Grey, go Away!!!

Brad is almost 23 and 1/2 years old. And today at 10:51 I found his first grey hair. Dunt, dunt, daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!! Ah, the joys of being old...or not!?! So, to my old in laws, well those who are older, because that sounds better, when did you get your first grey hair?

Throughly Modern Millie Date!

Okay...Brad and I have been married over a year now, and we don't have kids. Given those two circumstances, we still don't go out on real DATES very much any more. With school, work, church, and a house to take care of, a date usually consists of a NetFlix movie (which I don't mind).

Every once in a while I love to actually do something date'ish', like: go to a play, a concert, mini-golfing, etc. President Temple was right when he told us on our wedding day to still go on dates with each other. We get to talk, leave behind certain stressors, and just have a good time (check out of real life if you will).

This Saturday we did something date'ish', and it was fantastic. BYU preformed Millie, and it was just blissful. I miss the stage very much, so its great that I have a husband who actually likes musicals. It's the best!

The show was amazing, and cheap. I cooked a nice dinner at home, we dressed up, and off we went. Ahhhh...I love dates....

It's February Already?

February is here; I can't believe it. Why does time fly so fast? One minute we're in MD for Christmas, and at the blink of an eye is February, and we're already 4 weeks into the semester.

Does time go by faster as you get older? Does it go by even faster when you have kids?

some pictures, because they're cool!

Brad with his first Stash! This isn't the best pic;
I actually liked the stash though!

If only my teeth and mouth could be as big as Brads!!!

Me getting my new Phone at the Verizon Store!

Home Alone

I am grateful for a husband who is a hard, diligent worker. He works at Brick Over restaurant three nights a week, while I stay at home. During my home alone time I try to get caught up on homework, clean the house, do laundry, etc. But sometimes I seriously just want to watch a movie, sleep, or aimlessly surf the internet. It is during tempting times like these that I think of my husband, and that helps me forge ahead to be a productive wife.

All around me there are these super women. 23, graduated, 2 kids, working to put their husband through grad school, taking care of their house, attend the temple once a week, and still find time to make their house look perfect. I have two feelings about this. One, they are either seriously abusing meth. Or two, they feel tired, worn down, and sick.

My mom used to have every thing so perfect. She would doll me up in these cute frilly dresses, have a clean house, and work too. After I grew up and moved out for my freshman year of college, she said her biggest regret was not playing with me enough because she was worried about getting the dishes done from dinner, or picking up the toys in my playroom.

Wow, high school I was something of a super woman myself. Early morning seminary, cheer leading, field hockey, 4.0 club all four years, 10 musicals, SGA, Laural President, All-State Choir, band, drum captain, drum major, and the list could go on and on.

Looking back no wonder I was thin! I had NO time to eat! I have many good memories from all my activities, but with those memories also comes regret. I regret over scheduling myself. I regret not being able to spend more quality time with my family, and I regret not devoting myself as much as I should to my church callings.

Spreading yourself so thin leads to depression, anxiety, sleep deprivation, and very low immunity levels. I don't know how Brad does it and NEVER gets stressed, upset, sick, or anything. It's amazing!

I think Brad is like this because he is great at prioritizing and not getting overwhelmed with little tasks. When we were first married I couldn't go to sleep if I knew there were a few dirty dishes in the sink! Boy, times have changed! He has helped me realize that spending time with each other and with school work is the most important thing right now. Not making sure that my house is absolutely spotless every second of every day.

Now there are grocery sale paper, spiral notebooks, laptops and books piled up on my kitchen, and it doesn't really bother me. Our house looks lived in. Not dirty, not really messy, but lived in. I hope the way our house looks now can symbolize my life from here on out. I won't always have the perfect body or features, I'll put my best efforts forth to keep myself clean and presentable to the Lord, but most of all I will drink in all the beautiful and small things in life that make it worth living. Things like the way Brad cha-cha's to make me roll with laughter, or the way we say our prayers in cute kid voices like our primary class because it makes us feel more meek and submissive, or when I really listen intently to Brad going on and on about BYU athletics and how we haven't gone into overtime in a Basketball game against Utah since 1991!

Those little memories will be more important than whether I vacuumed or volunteered for 30 organizations, or made everything perfect all the time. I hope to have this same mentality when I have children and all the obligations that come along with that responsibility.

Prop 8, Celebs, and Feelings

Jason Mraz, Jim Carry, and Tom Hanks are three of my most favorite actors and musicians. Unfortunately, all of them said NO to prop 8. That's fine, everyone has an opinion, and should exercise it freely. But what really bothers me is that Tom Hanks called the LDS church Un-American because we voted yes for prop 8. Isn't freely exercising our right to vote American in it self? Actors and musicians who I've supported and respected for years are speaking out against the LDS church over a proposition that was voted "yes" by several other christian churches and ethnic groups who are opposed to homosexual marriage in their churches.

My dear uncle died in 1999 of AIDS; he was homosexual. I miss him every day, and it is hard for me to be asked by the church to take such a political stand for my religious beliefs. Feeling this way made me realize something. I can respect the gay and lesbian community. I can have friends that are homosexual, and I can do all that I can to show them that I care. However, they will know that I don't believe they should get married in a Christian church, where the beliefs of that church lie in the creation, Adam and Eve, and marriage being solely between a man and a woman.

If anything, taking such a firm stand has made me realize that I am being American for exercising my right to vote, having Christian beliefs, and also respecting others that are not of my faith or believe the same way that I do. So, Tom Hanks, I AM American, and you are too! Isn't life wonderful? -Leslie

Ctrl-Z

Wow....I have neglected this for quite some time...quick update before I get into the meat of this post.

         I am happily enjoying my new Computer Support job at BYU.  I am learning a ton with my co-worker and boss, and hopefully this will be a good resume booster.  Leslie, however has learned that she will more than likely not have a job with Sister Morgan next year. Sad day.  But she is looking for opportunities to build her resume as well.  

          Classes are going great.  I am learning aLOT in physics, which is more interesting than my freshman year physics.  I am able to stay on top of my homework and labs, and currently have a 98%... granted the first test hasn't happened yet.  Leslie is doing awesome in her classes. She's taking a 400 level health class which focuses on women's health.  She even started a blog devoted to child birth and news, etc.  check it out: childbirthinamerica.blogspot.com.  I'm, so proud!!

          So, onto my topic for today, and maybe even for a few posts...Ctrl-Z.  I got a stress ball once that had Ctrl-Z on it in big bold black letters.  This Ctrl-Z in the computing world it the shortcut to Undo something we didn't want done.  These past few weeks I am attempting to undo something that took much longer to happen than the time it took me to post this blog.  It's not as easy to undo as Ctrl-Z, but it has to get done.

           I have neglected my body for the better part of a decade.  15 years even.  This new year I have many "resolutions" and they all tend to focus around one thing : me and my body.  I signed up for a weight-lifting course.  This is a course where your final grade is not how much you improve.  Its based on how much of your body weight you can do.  There's 3 parts to the final:

1. A written exam--open book, piece of cake, 100 points.

2. A muscle strength test---how much of your body weight you can do how many times 114 points

3. A muscle fitness test.--how many time you can do a pull-up, sit-up, push-up and dip. 155 points

          So,quick recap of #2 : 6 exercises.  Bench-press, Arm curl, Leg curl, Leg Extension, Lat-pulldown and sit-ups.  your grade is based on how many times you can do each exercise with a given percentage of your body weight.  In order for me to be considered superior, I need to bench 200 pounds 19 times.  Fat chance.  

          Quick recap of #3: 4 exercises, each repetition of an exercise equals one point.  60 max sit ups, 50 max push-ups, 20 max dips, 25 max pull-ups.  Or something like that.  25 pull ups.  Fat chance.

OH, did I mention that this class in only half a semester long, so I have approx 7 total weeks to do this?

          So why am I putting myself through a course that I am destined to fail?  Because it gives me reason.  I see this A as an impossible feat, but just that idea is what gives me hope and gives me strength.  I will get an A in this class.  not just for the sake of an A, but for me.

          What also helps a TON is the fact that this professor, Dr. Allsen, is the bomb.  He is willing to work with anyone who walks through the door.  He told stories of people who were blind, had one leg, or were severely overweight, like me.  They were willing and he was willing, and they got an A in his class.  he said the first day "You may not earn your A in these 8 weeks, but if it takes a year, you can get an A in this class.  I will go and change the grade on your transcript, as long as you're willing."  So I went up and talked with him and he is working with me.  I'll tell you how in a few moments.

          Since the start of this semester, I have been to the weight room every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.  I have added over 30 pounds to my bench press.  Every single one of my exercises has increased by at least 30 pounds.  I can already receive full credit in the leg curl, leg extension and arm curl exercises.  I feel like I'm increasing little by little every day, and I feel great!  Also, every Monday Wednesday and Friday I am either on the track running or working at the BO(I consider that exercise, carrying a bucket full of glasses back and forth...definately exercise!)  I ran a mile for the first time in years the week before, and I thought I was gonna die.  Last Friday I ran 15 minutes without stopping, I ran an extra lap than I did when I did the mile.I already feel so blessed with this new program I've started.  

          Dr. Allsen also is working with me to develop a new nutrition program.  Exercise isn't complete without diet, and vica versa.   I can go into more detail about that later if you want, but I feel that this is next big obstacle for me to overcome.  I'm working out, lifting, and feeling great.  Now I need to see if I can eat right on top of it all....