delighting in week 6/52

freezing rain driveway

jan 2013

In the whirlwind of normalcy, another week has come to a close.

delights include:

• reading books, two simultaneously
• doing things i've never done before and seeing things i've never seen
• spending time with a friend
• the opportunity to bear my testimony
• laughing, a lot of laughing. in therapy with patients and parents, at home with my family and everywhere in between
• a snowy saturday where i could live the dream of books, cocoa and movies
• observing for lend
• mission snow boots
• lend panel discussion with u of u students with disabilities
• finding cute fabric for my next project(s)
• hearing craig's genuine laugh during dinner
• paycheck in the mail
• hearing the i love lucy theme song from the neighboring room
• watching the old man in front of me love and laugh throughout a play that i did not find to be funny at all, okay pathetically funny but not genuinely funny, he thought it was genuinely hilarious...or so he acted
• unorganizing my closet
• going to institute and being able to be the answer to someone's prayer as a direct result
• going to bed ridiculously early to avoid sickness
• my planner
• finding all my tax information
• my new valentine's day necklace from christin

Sometimes I wish my life weren't so protected by HIPAA and that I could share details of my week. It brings me so much joy, but alas you get it in vague terms and that's just the way it is. Overall, it has been a delightful week, tough but delightful. There is something about the days when you feel absolutely exhausted in every way that is so satisfying. 

I was thinking of someone I know who retired early and is currently "living the life" or so one would think. As I thought of our lives in contrast, I thought and wondered what that would be like...no work, no demands, and an abdication of family responsibility. What's left? And what kind of a life would that be? I can't imagine.

That's when I immediately thought about the general authorities of the church, all the senior missionaries serving across the world and parents who care for children with special healthcare needs and children who care for aged parents. The opportunity to work, learn, serve, love and progress is fantastic regardless of the specific capacity with which we are able to do it in. 

I delight in a new kind of school.

Today classes started at my old alma mater, the University of Utah.  I delighted that I didn't start with them.  I however, start "school" of a different kind come Thursday.  For the next two years I will be doing a post-grad fellowship program called URLEND.  There are LENDs all over the country, this one is LEND for the Utah Region (UR).  Specifically I'm doing the Autism Enhancement program which makes me SO excited.  Here's to new adventures!  Here's to continuing education!

I delight in loving my little life.

this is the quilt i'll be making (although i'll be doing a different version but essentially the squares are the same).
work:  Today, I was a commuter in the Salt Lake Valley.  Oi!  Going to the Sandy Clinic was such a great experience!  I'm so grateful for the opportunity to observe so many awesome clinician's during my "training" period.  There are so many things I am excited to incorporate into my own practice as an SLP.

learning:  Today also marked me doing the URLEND+AE program "official."  I'm really excited, a little nervous to embark on this 2 year post-grad fellowship but it will be so good.  Its amazing all the people I've just happened to meet to make this happen, and who will help to make it a success!

family:  Tonight the parents went out on a date, aw.  So it was me and C and C for the evening.  LB wanted to 'finish her own stuff' (aka making necklaces, because she is the most thoughtful kind soul ever), Craig was watching wagon train, and I was...doing nothing (my brain is reaching its capacity, i swear).  Well, then I hear someone go outside and soon,  there was Christin with Ruby all leashed up, knocking on my window, ready for a walk.  So off the three of us go...Christin in one hand, Ruby in the other.  I'm sure we were quite the sight, and we got some great looks (story of my life).   And I just relished in every moment.  For so long I thought living at home was so bad, but it is so good!  I get to come home to this!  And so, tonight as we walked, I really felt like it was one of those 'perfect moments' to be filed away into the permanent happy thoughts file in my brain.  (And Ruby is the best dog ever!  Story of the dog not on a leash, dog comes running up, Ruby of course, got her mohawk, but as soon as I said, "Rubes" she twirled in a circle, and came and sat at my foot, still attentive on the runaway dog, but sitting and being obedient.  High praise for the pup!)

talent development: i may have signed up for a quilt square group.  yes that means that starting next month, every second saturday i will be at sew and save, taking in my made up square and getting the pieces for a new square to have done by the next second saturday.  thankfully i have the best mom and neighbor to teach me the tricks.

gospel studies:  i've been stuck on the same chapter and verse all week. I start the chapter over again, only to end up at the same place, pondering and pondering and pondering.

 "I will give away all my sins to know thee..." (Book of Mormon, Alma)

right?  It just makes me think, reflect, and ponder change and repentance.  Intentional change.  Intentional repentance.

mission: President 2 got home earlier this month.  Roadtrip this weekend to his homecoming with fellow sisters.  I'm super excited about it!  As I talked to one of my companions the other night, I couldn't help but think about how I am so grateful for the experience of a mission for a million different reasons.