I delight in fishing.

I've been sorely out of touch. It happens at the end of every semester it seems--so much to do and so little time. The end of summer semester has been no exception. Its not over yet but close enough that I'm celebrating! My method of surviving the last few weeks of the semester has been fishing. That's right, twice last weekend and I'm thinking its going to happen again this weekend. There is nothing like being in the middle of a lake early on a Saturday morning, working hard to get there (rowing) and then just sitting and spending time with the fish (and my Dad). I also find a number of things to laugh about when I fish: my lack of talent (that 10 and 2...I just figured out it was referring to the tip of the pole, not my arm), the size of fish I catch (some of my fish I should just cast back out as bait for bigger fish), and my Dad finds it entertaining when I try to NOT catch certain fish that don't fit my size requirements.

Needless to say, if you haven't delighted in fishing lately, whether its fly fishing or bait fishing...go, do, you'll be happier after! Promise!

I delight in Ruby.

Meet the latest addition to my family...Ruby. This picture was the first real life look I ever got of her.

She is one of the better puppies we've had. She's the smallest pup we've ever had but she's smart, beautiful and can hold her own against Penny.

A few facts about the new pup:

• My family had intended just to look at her (they hadn't officially decided they were going to get a puppy although Christin had been telling my Mom that she should want a puppy for her birthday for months) and brought her home.
• Her parents are red labs so she has a lot of red in her.
• She has the smallest paws of any pup we've ever had.
• She already points (hunting term).
• Craig is her favorite person. I decided this was a fact since she will cuddle up to Craig more than anyone else. And Craig carries her around the house...its the cutest thing you've ever seen!
• The item that she entertains herself with best is a plastic cup.
• She can go for a walk, but only walks next to you when there is someone ahead of you.
• She goes for rides with my mom and sibilings.
• She is a toe biter.

I delight in national hammock day!

In celebration, I'm sharing this giveaway with you! I'm typically not into giveaways but have I mentioned how in love I am with hammocks? I am!

Check it out here!

I delight in Ruby.

source

This week+puppy=bearable

That's the equation of the week. This week is...almost over, thank heavens! There is still so much to do (and the lack of sleep is not helping).

My family went to just look at a puppy the other day. Somehow the looking turned into adding a new member to the family. My Mom sent me a picture of Christin holding Ruby (the little pup) and the text said, "She is ours." I wondered if she meant Christin or the dog...she meant both. My whole mission I loathed dogs. If you were my companion--you'd know I loathed pretty much any animal (the cats, the cats, the cats, the dogs, the cats) but puppies melt my heart and little yellow lab puppies...ah! Ruby and I are going to be having some serious bonding time this weekend!

So, in summary--delights getting me through today:

• A successful session!
• A wee-bobby in a batman outfit (complete with cape)
• A chat with Craig
• Thoughts of a puppy
• The rainbows and butterflies group
• The team effort of the social skills group
• The reality of sensory integration
• The hamburger dinner I've been craving all day

I delight in the process.

picture from here

Right now, I'm consumed in writing a research paper--because I have procrastinated it. I haven't meant to procrastinate it, I've just enjoyed doing all the research. I keep finding more and more interesting articles that I just want to read and think about. Call me a dork or call me a passionate grad student, I don't really mind. Either way, I'm enjoying writing this research paper (minus the fear I have about not being 'creative' or citing my research in correct APA style since both of these things are in the grading criteria and I'm not feeling confident about either of them.

My paper is about Autism: Predictors in Adult Outcome. I chose this subject for personal reasons since Craig is in the adult category. I wanted to know if there were better answers about expectations parents can have for the future. Honestly, transitions are hard for people with autism (right Craig?). Change is just not his favorite thing unless its good change of course. But the transition from school life to non-school life is rough but do-able. As a one day/soon-to-be professional (meaning I have a degree and experience--however little experience that is...it'll be a start), anyway, I want to have answers for parents or at least a direction to point them in, resources to go to, possibilities to prepare for rather than the abyss of the future.

More on my paper later when I've actually drawn some more substantial conclusions in a more 'share-able' form--not that you're interested however I delight in autism so you hear about it a lot!

Anyhow, this week is about my Mom and yesterday she was super kind. She dug up the past, something she doesn't like to do. There is a reason that we keep lots of stuff piled in front of filing cabinets that hold documents from the past and that reason is because its in the past.

Remember how in the Lion King, there's a whole part about Simba and Rafiki where Rafiki is trying to get Simba to shape up and remember who he is. He knocks him on the head and Simba says, 'what did you do that for?' to which Rafiki replies, 'it doesn't matta, its in the past.' And so that's the view my Mom has taken in life...Whatever the past has been, you have a spotless future (kind of goes with yesterdays lesson huh?). However, there is something about looking to the pat and seeing how far you've come! Its a fantastic experience and yesterday as I read old papers--wow...progress! Being able to get far enough ahead to see with clarity what's really happened and how far you've really come is a variable amount of time, but its only a matter of time none-the-less.

I delight in a new day.

I'm stubborn by nature. I'm not saying I am permanently stubborn--its just the characteristic that always wants to come out first. This is no surprise to my family as they've been dealing with my stubborn-ness since birth.

Sometimes I resent my mothers favorite saying (regardless of how true it really is):

"Tomorrow is a new day." She likes to remind me of this when I'm frustrated, tired, upset, fill in negative emotion here--its her solution is a new day.

In my heart I give this statement more validity than what comes out of my mouth in response to my mother. In fact, I believe on countless occasions I've passed this advice on to others.

A fresh start, a clean slate--we all need it. Enter the Atonement of Jesus Christ which requires an enlightened perspective on our part. We must believe that better days are to come, that happiness is a choice and that we don't have to get stuck in the same sticky/frustrating messes everyday because of our ability to choose.

Back to Mom, today is the start of her birthday week. This week I'm going to try my hardest to really think about all the lessons my mom has taught me and share them here. For my mom to find strength in the fact that 'tomorrow is a new day' is a big deal because while my life is very transitory and changes in big ways each semester and in effect each day as different deadlines and specific stressors come and go, her life largely stays the same.

Being a mom is a full-time job but her calling is compounded by two children that depend on her entirely for their transportation, shopping, cooking, cleaning, healthcare (enter shot-giving/blood check and gluten-free meal making) and entertainment...the list goes on and on.

She takes it in stride, finds joy in the journey and doesn't seek the attention (positive or negative) from others who have no idea what her daily life is like but feel the need to make uninformed comments and reflections on what life must be like for her.

And so, today I delight that its a new day. And I'm grateful for a mother who taught me this valuable lesson in so many ways.

On this beautiful Sunday morning it reminds me of the line from a hymn: "There is hope smiling brightly before us; and we know that deliverance is nigh."

I delight in trying.

I'll apologize in advance for sounding like a Debbie downer. Those of you who know me, know that typically I am not. However, in an attempt to survive the next ten days I will be posting a delight daily (hence the idea of the blog which does not always come to fruition).

And so, today I delight in trying. I tried to do well on my motor speech exam today. Somehow I think I could have studied the rest of my life and not have done any better--except maybe remembered the word stridor in better timing. Either way, it is over and I tried real hard.

I really delighted in my client today--he sang me a song about peanut butter and jelly--how could that not make your day better.

I also delighted in free slurpee day and in going to at least the lesson portion of FHE with Michelle (my awesome neighbor--who I'm glad to know after living next door for almost a year!). Deciding to go was a good decision.

Also delighted in the sight on my bed when I got home (seriously probably the highlight of my day)--the quilt. That's going to be its own delight later when I take a picture and post it on here. Its the quilt I did the summer before I left on my mission and that just finally got all done--machine quilted and bound. Its beautiful--if I do say so myself!

Finally, I delight in going to bed before midnight...because its just been that long of a day.

I delight in a family 4th.

How festive and patriotic are we!!!

I delight in calm.

"Nothing is worth more than this day." Goethe

Don't count the days...make the days count!

I delight in the cabin.

me in my very favorite place in the whole wide world!

There's so much to update on...range creek, school in the summer, the cabin, family, recent learning experiences, write-ups, fantastic research...the list goes on. But for now I'll just say this...

I spent last weekend in my place. Its my place because it where I'm home, surrounded by family in the most beautiful place in the world. Its in the mountains which equates to the saying that's on my new shirt: "changes in altitude, changes in attitude." That's a true statement. Its where I feel most like myself. Going there is rejuvenating in every way. One day, I hope I can live there longer than the weekend but until then...I'll wait patiently for August when I get to return for a whole week!!! Its that thought that's going to keep me going in July. Oh July...why can't we be friends?