I delight in copious amounts of watermelon.

Every Wednesdays, I get to have adventures that result in this. The picture above was the 'popcorn disaster of social skills 2011.' Today's results weren't much better. Almost every chair was overturned. Luckily it all only happened in the last 2 minutes.

Needless to say, Wednesdays are the days when nothing but clinic happens until 3:00. Of course today that was actually more like 4:30. By the time my social skills buddy and I got together...we had lots to talk about and luckily lots and lots of watermelon to eat. I wish I could describe to you just how much watermelon we ate so I'll try.

At Costco, they sell mini watermelons. I prefer these because the rinds, and thus the waste is smaller. Plus, out of all the watermelons I or my family have ever bought, we've only ever had one 'not-so-good' one. That's impressive for fruit, particularly watermelons. These amazing watermelons come in packs of two and that's just how much we ate...two mini-watermelons which is still a LOT of watermelon.

I think in the future, I'll keep watermelon on my list of good foods to have good conversation over.

I delight in a back-up alarm.

Ma mere et moi.

My alarm and I get in fights all the time. He plays me music at ridiculous hours of the morning that apparently I agreed to at some previous time but at the time he actually goes off...I wonder what I could have possibly been thinking. After all it doesn't take me that long to get ready, and I don't really need to do this or that, and who needs breakfast?

Basically in the morning...I can convince myself of anything and time has no meaning. Then about an hour later, reality hits. Have I really been wasting all this time in bed? I hit my snooze how many times? There are readings to read, e-mails to respond to and soaps to be written and now I have to go in 30 minutes!!! Hello panic mode.

Enter my alarm. When I got my new phone, I couldn't get the alarm to work just right. Mom volunteered to call me as a back up. Then I started just sleeping through my alarm, and again, my sweet mom volunteered to call. And now, even though I wake up, I can't seem to get up...and so my Mom has been calling me when her alarm goes off in the mornings...at six. You see she has to get up to do LB's blood and shot (she has diabetes so this is a normal activity), so she doesn't mind calling me since she's already up.

My mom has the impeccable ability to be super happy in the morning. Morning gets along with my parents and brother as for LB and I...not so much. She calls me with such 'perkiness' it almost makes me want to hang up. Then, somehow at 6 am, we start talking about something and before long my eyes (both of them) are awake and ready to welcome the day.

And so to my Mom,

You're the best back-up alarm I could ever ask for! :)

I delight in silence.

I almost got 24 hours of complete silence except that made by me or my Dad. This weekend we truly took a trip to the no-where's. I couldn't believe how pretty the range creek area was but it did not disappoint. For a complete trip report see my other blog...send me your e-mail address if you need an invite. Let's just say...a 40 mile four-wheel trip in, real sun, sleeping in a hammock, forging rivers, seeing deer, elk, buffalo, coyote, mountain lion and bear tracks and finally getting to go to two museums that I've always wanted to go to! And all with my trusty adventure buddy...my Dad.

I delight in the 50 states.

visited 23 states (46%)

Create your own visited map of The United States

So I have a goal to visit all the 50 states. I've never been one to desire world travel although some world travel (maybe just to Ireland and Sweden, oh and the Louvre) would be fantastic.

I've always been the kind who likes to not just look to the destination but the getting there. Hence...a bus trip to Nauvoo, Illinois and the round about trip back to my mission via New York, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. Anyway, I found this website and clicked all the states I'd been to so I could now have a visual representation of all the states I still need to make memories in.

How do I feel about the places still left to explore? I'm really excited about the pacific north west and the south. I have always wanted to spend time in Tennessee, the Carolinas, Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana. I've also always wanted to go to Northern California, Oregon and Washington...spend time in the land of tall timbers and beaches. Alaska and I are going to have a great time together one day...fishing will be involved, but no bears. Hawaii, I have my doubts about--islands just weird me out. Love 'THE' island but you know...it does have a bridge so that kind of decreases the 'weirded out' feeling just a bit. I think the hardest trip is probably going to be the Dakota's, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia. Tell me what's cool in those states so I can gear myself up or give myself a reason to one day go there. Research still must be done. Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas might also be an interesting area for me. Any favorite things there? I can't believe how much of the East I've seen...that missing little pocket will get covered when I go to lower New York one day....I've only been upstate (which I also plan on returning to one day...upstate New York and Maine and I are not done making memories. Same with the West...I'm a westerner at heart and it will always be my home.

I delight in the first day of summer.

And today, it felt like summer outside!

All I can say is, its about time. And its about time I got to go enjoy some of it.

I delight in sister time.

All weekend, I heard..."sister time is not today its on monday." Call me the cruel big sister but I had homework, things to do, and places to be.

So, I told Christin that "sister time" was Monday. And so, today, we had our sister time. The rest of the family headed south to the viewing and we got us some quality time together. You know, the usual...pizza at litzas, a trip to target, and the second harry potter movie. She drew pictures, I organized life, it was fantastic.

I don't know how I got so lucky (not that i believe in luck) to have a sister who wants to always have sister time with me, but I am so grateful for her.

I'm also happy that tonight was a 'success' on Craig's account. He walked in the door beaming from ear to ear; so happy about all the relatives he finally got to meet. Mom said, that one family walked in with 3 little kids, Craig rattled off all their names and they stood there stunned, wondering how someone they didn't know, seemed to know them and so well. Craig introduced himself as the family genealogist and everyone seemed to understand.

There is easily a quality (and quantity) of anxiety walking into situations like tonight--an un-'well-known' crowd, potential small children, potential people who don't 'understand.' But nothing brings more joy and more relief than an unknown crowd who becomes known, who understands and who believe in a bedtime for their children. Happy happy joy joy for successful days in the McQuivey household!

I delight in treasuring a memory.

Over Christmas Break last year our family went to visit Aunt Helen and her daughter Nancy. It was so nice to visit and spend time with them. Of the Dahlquist side of the family, my mother's mother's side--all of the children have passed away; three of the spouses remain: Helen, Afton and my grandpa, Harold. It was fun to hear Aunt Helen talk about Uncle Carlisle (who I never had the opportunity to meet) and Grandpa talk about he and "Rosie" in their younger years. Grandpa recently turned 90 and Helen was 93 so they're not spring chickens! :) I love hearing from the older generation about what it was like way back when. Aunt Helen passed away yesterday. I'm grateful to have known her however brief our visits were. I'm grateful she can be reunited with her husband whom she's been separated from for 30 years. I'm grateful for the memories that remain and the posterity that carries on.

I delight in 18 months home.

I can't believe I've been home from my mission for 18 months.

I can't believe that I've been home longer than I was on my mission.

I can't believe everything that's happened since I got home.

I can believe that the Lord knows all things and that as we are diligent and do as we ought that things will "work together for our good."

I delight in 54 years.

These guys have been married 54 years!

To celebrate, they decided to go to dinner at Timbermine (YUM!) and invite my family.

To which my Dad responded: "Well wouldn't you rather go just the two of you since it is your anniversary?"

To which my Grandmother responded: "We already spend all our time together."

We're happy they're letting us celebrate with them! :)

Happy 54th Wedding Anniversary!

I delight in believing.

Sometimes its hard to believe in the possibilities. But as this song puts it, "you gotta find someway, somehow to believe." And as you do, things will 'work together for you good.'

I love my town.

I took this picture Sunday as I lounged in my favorite place.

Salt Lake is growing on me. Slowly but surely.

Sometimes I wonder if its silly that I don't just commute.

This week has reminded me why 'commuting' is a horrible idea.

And so, my heart has turned to SL more fully.

So small update on life:

This semester...is utter chaos.

So consider yourself warned if my delights become few and far between

Or if they just become venting sessions.

I'll try and contain myself to my journal.

After all I signed up for it and I do love it...

ALL of it: 3 classes, 2 clients, 2 social skill groups and work

(okay kind of two works--but one is work out of pure love.)

And all in the course of 7 more weeks!!!

I delight in stamina.

Today, I spent 12 hours at the clinic.

The night is not over. And sadly that food on my desk is not as good as it may (or may not) look.

And I have to be back at the clinic, in less that 12 hours.

This is me trying not to be bitter.

I delight in feelings.

"How do you feel about all these men's pictures on the walls?" a woman from the Netherlands asked. I was caught off guard and my answer was delayed. But then it came to me..."The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world."

I'd never distinctly thought about how I felt about the actual pictures on the walls. For most of my seminary life the same 15 pictures hung on the wall. The photographs of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hang on the walls of every seminary and institute classroom. That means that for years, everyday or now, every week I look at these pictures. With this woman's question, I was forced to think about what I think about when I see these pictures, how do I feel?

Answer? I feel inspired, uplifted, and blessed.

As the conversation with the Dutch woman continued without me I wandered this wall of pictures, looking at each individually. I stopped at Elder Scott and I think the eyes of his painting penetrated my soul. I recognized the emotion as reverence and respect. Not only for the counsel I have received his voice (and all the other general authorities of the church) but for the lives they have lead to warrant such trust from the Lord. You see a valuable lesson I learned once is that God does love all his children, but he trusts them differently. These men have remained true to the trust all of their lives.

Concurrently I recognized that behind every good man in each of those paintings was an equally good wife as well as a wonderful mother. As I listened to the testimony of my mother, my roommate and the tour guide of the power and respect they personally feel as women in the church my heart resonated with their words.

I personally have always found great power in being counted as a female member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are blessed to have great influence in so many ways, as revered wives and mothers, teachers of the children and the young women, leaders in many callings and service positions. I have found purpose, direction, and empowerment as a Latter-day Saint woman in a time when the world degrades the eternal purposes of womanhood.

And so today, I share with you the feelings of my heart. I am grateful for the gospel in my life. I'm grateful to be where and who I am. The pictures of the 'men' are near and dear to my heart for each has taught me an invaluable lessons with the most paramount being that Jesus Christ lives. His church is again restored on the earth and is available to all God's children.

I delight in good music.

If you're looking for some great new music, may I recommend Meaghan Smith? She's fantastic. Tonight I had the opportunity to hear her perform live right here in Utah. You see, she lives in Halifax so the fact that she's here in my home state makes this perfect!!! With some fantastic company, I journeyed to Provo, checked out the burned down tabernacle (I have pictures, I'll load them later), and watched a concert on a rooftop. Ryan Innes (whose CD is now in my possession, thanks again!) and Mindy Gledhill were fantastic pre-performances to the big event. Honestly, it was like 3 fantastic concerts blended into one. I got to hear all my favorite songs from Mindy including, Its all about your heart and Anchor as well as my favorites from Meaghan--I know, 5 more minutes and heartbroken.

Expand your horizons, enjoy some new tunes.