I delight in a delayed start.

You see, most of my classmates have started their externships for the semester. Some started last week, some started this week, but I don't start till Monday.

At one point today however, I thought to myself, "Self, it's time Christmas break was over. You've cleaned, rearranged, cooked, sewed, and taken pictures, you've studied for the praxis, caught up on your journal. You even made a rack to hang all your scarves on. You've also gone to the temple, played games with your family, hung out with some friends, visited the grandparents, and read some books." Yes, I've definitely enjoyed my "me time" break, taking care of all the odds and ends that never seemed to get done in 2011. Now however, I'm feeling the great urge to get back into my groove of being a speech language pathologist.

And so, next week--I'm ready for you to come!

However, until then, I'll enjoy the time I've got. :)

I delight in a brand new year.

I brought the new year in with a bang. Literally. It is indeed me in that large coat and horrendous hat. But its an uzi in my hand--so that overrides and makes the entire picture amazing!

2011 is over and 2012 is here.

All 2011 I thought--this is the year of death. In retrospect, it was a year of comfort. For the most part at least. I spent the year doing 3 semesters of school, working in a safe clinic with supervisors watching most every move. I had colleagues who were also students who experienced this same steep learning curve. We did it together. We became family. 2012 leads me out into the big bold world. Oh the places I can go. First I venture into an externship next week. That means me, in a hospital with people who have conditions, diseases, disorders that I've never seen or heard of before and who are all over the board in regards to life circumstances, possibility for recovery, familial support, etc. Indeed, this is the year I step right on out of my comfort zone and take a swim (so to speak).

But it's a brand new year and that alone excites me. Stepping out of my comfort zone, as much as my stomach hates it, is exciting and keeps me progressing. There are lots of things I want to do this year, lots of accomplishments that will happen (graduation--hello?!?), and I'm sure a fair share of trials. But I'm in. I'm all in.

Here's to learning new things, making new friends, becoming a little more kind, more quick to observe and more diligent in doing the things I know I should. Here's to more service toward others, new opportunities and new experiences. Here's to keeping my family and friends near and dear but expanding the circle to develop new and quality relationships with others. Here's to laughing and loving more. Here's to running and hiking more. Here's to a year to remember.

I delight in 2011.

At the beginning of this year I was certain this was going to be the year of death and that I'd be lucky if I survived. But lo and behold, three semesters of grad school aka the most academically and mentally challenging year of my life has passed and I'm still here to tell the tale.

...::: Highlights from 2011 include :::...

--celebrating 1 year home from my mission--treating my very first client ever--

--social skills groups--attending ASHA--going to St. George/Zions/Kanab with my family--

--working with some of the most amazingly talented and educated supervisors ever--

--spending fall break in Disneyland with my Mom and LB--

--learning to love love love my ward and serve the dear sisters of the Ensign YSA ward--

--traveling to California 3 times in 1 year--sleeping the entire car ride to Rio Del Mar, CA--

--experiencing San Francisco understanding what they mean when it's said, "I left my heart in San Francisco."--secured 3 awesome externships for the upcoming semester--

--learned lots and lots of new lessons--ran a half marathon--met temple grandin in real life--

--finally went to the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry--went to the Vernal Temple---

--adventured in eastern utah with Mary--hiked Arches with Dad--

--ran the Island Park Stampede 5K--sewed a quilt of all my high school t-shirts--

--drew Christin another coloring book--got a 4.0 one semester--moved home (again)--

--celebrated grandpa's 90th birthday--experienced my second root canal--

--got a puppy (Ruby!)--interviewed for real jobs--blogged about my delights--

--went to the U2 concert with the Hewlett sisters--had both Craig and LB for sleepovers--

--got a sewing machine and sewed up a storm--shot an uzi--went to 3 new temples--

--got to see sister b and meet her husband--saw sister k in america--went to sister h's sealing--

--locked myself out of my house--shook elder oaks's hand--drank more diet coke than water--

--pulled out more creativity than ever before--received more blessings from serving a mission--

--spent outrageous amounts of time studying and skype studying with Mary--

--took tests--wrote papers--wrote reports--tested cute kids with CP

The list goes on, I just can't think of anymore. It has been a great year!

I delight in truth.

"Yes, we have unprecedented mass entertainment and mass communications, but so many lonely crowds. The togetherness of technology is no substitute for the family."

Neal A. Maxwell, “‘Plow in Hope’,” Ensign, May 2001, 59

I delight in dinner.

Tonight, I went home for dinner. I delight in this for many reasons.

First of all, Mom makes better food than I can make for myself.

Second of all, Dad cooked steak...a food I don't think I'll ever cook.

Third, well the pre-dinner entertainment was a little much.

But dinner its self was fabulous once everyone settled on down.

Point of this delight...Family...isn't it about time?

I love when the opportunity comes to spend quality TIME with my family. No where to run off to, no need to rush. Just some quality sitting, eating, talking, and laughing.

I delight in treasured times.

Since I was in Junior High my Dad and I have gone on walks. We have our typical walk, it takes about an hour to go up, over, and back down again. Since this tradition has been going on for 10+ years now I can't help but look back and contemplate the impact our walks have had on me throughout the years.

There is often a debate about quality verses quantity time. Some believe you can make up for lack of quanity with more quality. Some thing that quality outweighs quantity anyway. I believe in both and that's exactly what our walks are.

Sometimes we talk non stop, other times we've been known to walk in silence--typically during my moody Junior High days (thank goodness those are over!). Sometimes Dad does more talking, although most of the time I do more talking. I tell him all about life, my questions, comments, concerns. He listens, doesn't usually interrupt and comes up with some sort of an answer or a relational story for me. He doesn't take me too seriously and seeing as I don't take myself too seriously, its a good thing. My favorite part though is that I have his undivided attention. I'm a lover of quality time...what more can I say?

Tonight as we walked and I discussed my latest thoughts, he listened and so wisely gave me his two cents. It is truly something special when you can really treasure some ones advice and when you can feel their love and respect for you through their words. I truly delight in this time treasured tradition!