Previously Unpublished Photos for 2008

January

It was a good thought, but I'm not sure I like that angle.

February

Don't worry - I'm sure she deserved it.

March

Oh that cursed pink eye.

April

Teddy Roosevelt.

May

A fun outing to the park. Maybe a little hot.

June

Nebraska, or possibly Iowa, maybe Wyoming. I really couldn't say.

July

That's my brother. I love him. Lots.

August

I am totally ashamed that I have NO pictures in my collection for this month.

September

See above. And double the shame.

October

Okay. Everyone say CHEESE. Perfect!!

November

My nephew Gage is going to be a pro wrestler.

December

Instead of a holiday picture I picked one that may express how we all may feel after surviving another Christmas season. (Yes he is really sleeping.)
Happy 2008!!

Questions for Me

New Year's Resolutions aren't for everyone, but I love them. I like that whole reflecting thing. Whether I keep them or not, I love the rush I get as I plan for my great improvements/perfect life that will be mine in 2009. I've done this reflection exercise every year (every year since I've been blogging that is - which means 1 year) and I'm excited to do it again.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? I was a tour guide in DC for both my parents and brother and my in-laws. I loved that. I also visited the postal museum, Boston Aquarium, Roosevelt Island, The FDR Memorial, Kayaked the Potomac and drove across the country. I made a pie, became a soccer Mom, saw wild horses on Assateague Island, visited several church history sites, went to a witches tea party and sewed a quilt (well a wall quilt).

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I know I set some, but I didn't write them down. The only one I do remember... I failed at miserably. I will try again this year and may even write them down.


3. Did anyone close to you give birth? My friends Katie and Kaelene had babies and my brother and his wife adopted a little baby in June.


4. Did anyone close to you die? No relations - but President Hinckley died this year and that felt very personal and sad.


5. What countries did you visit? none


6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? A penpal. That's the weirdest thing I've ever wanted, but it is true. Also a vacation with just me and Aaron.


7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? June 24th - the day we ended our road trip and arrived in Utah. Sept 27th - the day we moved into our new place.


8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Being happy.

9. What was your biggest failure? I wasted too much time. (I said that last year... but it was true again this year.)


10. Did you suffer illness or injury? no


11. What was the best thing you bought? Probably Aaron's GPS. It has been so useful and we loved it in DC and here.


12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Andrew (he learned to use the potty), C Jane and NieNie (bloggers who I don't actually know, but who impress me a lot), Aaron's incredible research paper publications.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Lots of politicians, anti-mormons, etc.


14. Where did most of your money go? Rent and Aaron's interviews


15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Our trip to Ocean City, driving into the Salt Lake Valley, moving into our current place.


16. What song will always remind you of 2007? A song called New Soul by Yael Naim. I don't know why. And Christmas Cookies, because we heard it on Christmas Eve on the way to breakfast for the 3rd year in a row.


17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? 
b) thinner or fatter? 
c) richer or poorer? I think I am about as happy this year as I was last year. I think I feel a little more anxious this year, but just as happy. Same weight as always and definitely poorer than ever before.


18. What do you wish you’d done more of? I wish that we'd continued doing fun outings with the kids like we did in DC. I should have turned up the music and danced with my kids more often. I wish I would have listened to Aaron more and tried to understand what he does all day. I wish I would have written in my journal more often and gone to the temple more.


19. What do you wish you’d done less of? I wish I had nagged less and lost my temper less often.


20. Did you fall in love in 2007? Just to be cheesy - I think I've fallen in love with my kids this year.


21. What was your favorite TV program? The Office.


22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? Not really.


23. What was the best book you read? This year I found Shannon Hale and the Bayern series. I love those books. Mrs. Sharp's Traditions, How to Behave So Your Preschooler Will Too, Last Child in the Woods, Mrs. Mike. Those were a few goodies this year.

24. What was your greatest musical discovery? I started teaching piano lessons this year and remembered how much I love playing the piano. I will call myself my greatest musical discovery not because I'm great (I'm not) just because I lost that love and I found it again.


25. What did you want and get? I wanted to move into this home that I never thought would ever really work out but somehow (thank you Wrights) it did.

26. What did you want and not get? I wanted to take a trip to Palmyra and Niagara Falls while we were in the East, but it didn't happen.


27. What was your favorite film of this year? Nothing stands out.


28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 29. Aaron got home from an interview in the afternoon and I believe that we went out to dinner to celebrate my birthday. I got a sewing machine from my parents and my in-laws.


29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? I would like to see my brother get all the good things in life that he deserves. That would make me more happy than I can express.


30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? I hate this question. I really doubt it'll change even if I have lots of $ - I'm just a Old Navy, Kohls, TJ Maxx or whatever is on sale type of girl.


31. What kept you sane? Reading in the bathtub (a lot), prayers, Kaelene Harrison, blogging, living close to family.

Month in Review

"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love."

Hamilton Wright Mabie

Our traditions....a few new things and all the good stuff that brought joy to my life this month.

* Making gingerbread houses with my Mom and sisters (honestly my house stunk because I'm not patient enough but it was still fun.)

* Cutting down the tree (We might have done better if we'd been able to see anything)

* Decorating the tree (I love going through ornaments and remembering each year.)

* Gardner Village to see the Elves and pick out our ornaments for this year.

* Taking Christmas treats to the local nursing home. (Lizzy has now started pointing out to me.... "Look Mom, an old person!")

* Seeing Santa (twice). (No tears this year.)

* Visiting Temple Square. (We almost skipped it this year. So glad we didn't.)

* The Larry Miller sing-a-long at the Energy Solutions Arena (This was new but I'd totally do it again. Besides the free hot dogs, drinks and free tickets it was also fun and heart warming to see the telecast from Iraq and sing Christmas songs with total strangers!)

* Brown family party (Complete with the nativity, Christmas pie and a streaking cousin.)

* Goodrich Christmas Eve Celebration (Tons of delicious food and then being a little bit sick afterward is part of the tradition too. Always love the short message from Dad and the singing.)

* And of course... Christmas Day.

Merry Christmas to all... and to all a goodnight.

Ya' Know What I Love...?

I love family gatherings.

People who don't see my kids everyday actually find them entertaining....
......and are willing to entertain them.

I love that.

Fortunate Accident

Sometimes the fates conspire to save us from our own stupidity. Such was the case this morning when Aaron set his alarm clock for 4:45 PM instead of AM in order to make it to the airport for his flight to Minnesota. Someone up there must have known we needed a little push and so Lizzy came into our room to inform us in her big loud voice (she never whispers at 4:30 in the morning) that she had wet the bed. I got up and took care of it. Aaron, like most men, has the gift of selective hearing and didn't budge. I wondered briefly if he should be getting up soon and then promptly fell back asleep. Obviously, we needed one more little push, because at 5:45 Andrew let out a loud wail informing us that he, too, had wet the bed. This time Aaron nearly lept out of bed, realizing that he should have left at least a half hour ago. So thank you to whomever made my kids wet the bed and saved us from ourselves. I don't know if I will ever say that again so I'd better say it one more time. I'm thankful that my kids wet the bed. I didn't want to miss anything so I came along to snap a photo of Aaron making a mad dash.

The Match - A Guessing Game

We are in the middle of applying to residency programs. It is scary and exciting at the same time. This whole process is very different from any other job application I've ever heard of. A lot of people have asked how it works so I'm going to explain it now.

During the last year of medical school, students choose a specialty. Aaron has decided on Radiation Oncology (which by the way is very different from Radiology). He then applied to about 1000 Radiation Oncology programs. (Actually about 40). Then we wait... for interview offers. Aaron has interviewed at 4 programs and will interview at 10 more in the next few months. At the end of interviews.... we will rank all of the programs that he interviewed at... from 1 to 14... or how many ever interviews he ends up with. Each of the programs will also rank all of the students that they interviewed. It then goes into a giant national database. Someday in March... we will receive our MATCH. The system will match us up with the program that was the best match. Some students will get their 1st choice and some with get their 14th and some don't match at all. I can't even imagine that day when you all gather together and receive the envelope that tells you where you will live, work, and raise your family for the next 4 years. I think the whole thing is crazy. To shake things up a little more... Aaron's specialty also requires a transition year which is completed a year prior to residency. The interview and match process is completely separate. We hope to do our transition year in Utah. So that's it. Any questions? Good.

These are where Aaron has interviews:

Michigan (2: Ann Arbor and Royal Oak)

California

Iowa

Utah

Colorado

Ohio (3: Cleveland, Cincinnatti and Columbus)

Texas (3: San Antonio, Houston and Dallas)

Minnesota

Oregon

Wisconsin

Make a guess at where we'll end up and winner gets their favorite candy bar. Unless of course there are 2 of you that guess right... then you'll have to share a candy bar because hey.... we're poor students.

Joseph B. Wirthlin 1917-2008

I just learned that Elder Wirthlin passed away last night. I love Elder Wirthlin. I always look forward to his messages at conference. He just radiates with Christlike love. It is funny to think that I feel so personally connected to someone whom I have never met. But he seemed to always hit on things that had personal significance or that were particularly meaningful to me. I have spent some time this afternoon reviewing some of my favorite talks by Elder Wirthlin. These are all quotes that have had special meaning to me and that have helped me in different times of my life:

The abundant life is a spiritual life. Too many sit at the banquet table of the gospel of Jesus Christ and merely nibble at the feast placed before them. They go through the motions—attending their meetings perhaps, glancing at scriptures, repeating familiar prayers—but their hearts are far away. If they are honest, they would admit to being more interested in the latest neighborhood rumors, stock market trends, and their favorite TV show than they are in the supernal wonders and sweet ministerings of the Holy Spirit.

"The most treasured and sacred moments of our lives are those filled with the spirit of love. The greater the measure of our love, the greater is our joy. In the end, the development of such love is the true measure of success in life."

Love is the beginning, the middle, and the end of the pathway of discipleship. It comforts, counsels, cures, and consoles. It leads us through valleys of darkness and through the veil of death. In the end love leads us to the glory and grandeur of eternal life.

Sometimes we feel that the busier we are, the more important we are—as though our busyness defines our worth. Brothers and sisters, we can spend a lifetime whirling about at a feverish pace, checking off list after list of things that in the end really don’t matter.
That we do a lot may not be so important. That we focus the energy of our minds, our hearts, and our souls on those things of eternal significance—that is essential.

Kindness is the essence of greatness and the fundamental characteristic of the noblest men and women I have known. Kindness is a passport that opens doors and fashions friends. It softens hearts and molds relationships that can last lifetimes.

May I learn to see life as he has seen it and love people as he has loved them. Then... I would consider myself successful.