deep, deeper, & deepest thoughts

So I created a new blog for my more deeper thoughts. It takes on a completely different tone than the one I use here at "Random Ramblings."

Here is the link: http://deepest-thoughts1.blogspot.com/

and the new calling is...

Primary teacher for the Sunbeams!

That's right. I am now a primary teacher...now I've covered every age group from Primary to Relief Society. Yep.

When I was told I was going to meet with the Bishopric today, I just knew I was going to get called to Primary (I tend to do that sometimes...just "know" where I'm going). I will admit, I was kind of skeptical about going to Primary...it would not be my first choice if we had the pleasure of choosing our own callings, but I am somewhat excited about it now.

I will be teaching 3- and 4-year-olds, all girls and one boy (thank goodness...I don't do well with boys). It will be an interesting experience for me, I think. Definitely different...I've never had a calling where I interacted with kids before; teenagers, yes, but never anyone under 11.

We'll see how I do. I don't have much experience with Primary, even personal experience of my own when I was a child (I wasn't a regular church-goer at the primary age). Wish me luck! I just got to keep in my mind that the Lord knows what He is doing.

day at the zoo

My niece is two now! Holy cow, where has the time gone?! She is growing up so fast.

For my niece's birthday her parents took her to the zoo (a tradition that they want to keep going). I, this year, was invited to join them (thank goodness I had work off), along with my mother.

I hadn't been to the zoo in about 5 or 6 years, and it has changed somewhat since then. I was so excited to go, and I wanted to see everything. When I first walked in I couldn't believe how much of it looked familiar from when I was a kid. I remember going there on school field trips and my birthday as well. Walking in, I felt just like a kid again. I was so excited that I was jumping up and down and had somewhat of a skip to my step (I know, hard to imagine).

I would have to say my favorite part of the zoo trip was seeing Zuri, the new baby elephant. She was so CUTE!!! *insert sigh here* I love baby anything, so of course I fell in love with Zuri. She was cute playing in the mud and walking around with her mom. Oh, interesting fact: Elephants are pregnant for 21 months! I don't know about you, but I can't imagine spending nearly two years of my life pregnant...I can't even imagine almost one year pregnant. And their babies weigh 200 pounds when they are born...Yikes!

We walked around and saw several other animals. My niece loved the gorillas...so did I. We saw tigers, ostriches chasing each other, and all sorts of other cool creatures. I cannot wait to go again soon.

Although the zoo was wonderful, the temperature was not. It was a lovely 99 degrees...all day long. It was so hot that we were all soaked in our own sweat. But it was totally worth it. Thankfully, the zoo had several areas where they had giant fans and misters running...we sure took advantage of those.

After the zoo we stopped at Subway for a very late lunch (we had spent about 4 hours at the zoo). A very good day.

personal progress update

Wow! Can I just say that I am way glad that I am working towards earning another Personal Progress medallion. It has been a great experience so far to work on the value experiences. I'm so excited about it I find myself wanting to work on a dozen value experiences at once...but I realize I can't handle that much, so I resort to working on two or three.

I'm discovering more about the Gospel and it's place in my life. I am learning more about what it means to be a Daughter of God and how much He really loves me. I will admit when I first started this I wasn't getting much out of it at first. But I'm realizing that the farther I go and the more value experiences I work on and complete that it has had a significant impact in my life. I cannot even describe the feelings and experiences I've had...it's just been this slow and gradual change that has been occurring over time...and it feels great! I love what I'm learning about myself and my Heavenly Father and Savior. It's really cool! I believe it really is helping me to become the woman I need to be, and some day wife and mother that I want to be.

never alone

This is a great song from a band called BarlowGirl. They are awesome and I love the messages in their songs.


BarlowGirl - Never Alone
Watch Music Videos at www.yallwire.com

ups and downs

I sent out an email last night that talks about the ups and downs of life (which I have many of those it seems):

Life is like a roller coaster...you go up and down, and sometimes you feel like you are spinning out of control. This is for all of you who wonder if life will ever "even out." I am just as guilty as you when it comes to wishing life would mellow down for a while without the intense highs and lows. Hopefully this will give you a little perspective...it sure did for me. I got it from a book I just finished recently called "The Continuous Atonement" (a good read, by the way).

I'm just going to quote straight from the book because I am lacking in eloquence tonight :)

"I remember as a young schoolteacher...asking my wife, Debi, 'When does life even out? Why does it always feel like a roller coaster with so many highs and lows all in the same day? I wish life would just level out.'

"Being a nurse, Debi replied, 'Brad, when you get hooked up to the heart monitor, you don't want to see a straight line. That's bad news. It's the ups and downs that let you know you are alive.'

"The highs and lows let us know we are participating and not just observing, learning and not just existing. President Gordon B. Hinckley said, 'I know it isn't easy. It's discouraging at times, sure. Aren't you glad it isn't just fun all the time? Those valleys of discouragement make more beautiful the peaks of achievement' (Discourses, 1:301)."

it passed!

I am proud to say that my lovely little car passed safety and emissions today! Wahoo! Here's to another year of driving in my little green car. :)

persons unknown

Persons Unknown is a new TV series that I'm totally hooked on (hey, I needed something after Lost ended). For the most part, I'm not much of a TV person, but this show is great. The story begins with seven people waking to find that they have been kidnapped and placed in a "town" in the middle of nowhere. They come from different places and have no evident connection with each other. They have no idea where they are, why they were taken, or who even took them. There are cameras everywhere watching their every action. A lot of the show is very psychological, with all these absurdities taking place which serve to break the victims down emotionally and psychologically.


Very suspensful and full of twists and turns. I would say a must watch for the summer.