Happy Veteran's Day

I was impressed by how many of my friends posted something about Veteran's Day. Granted, most of them didn't get today off or probably do anything too special to celebrate, except to remember all those who have fought for our freedoms in America. I am also grateful for the sacrifices of men and women who fight for the freedoms of this country. Both of my grandpas were in involved in war--WWI and WWII--and I recognize their sacrifice to support their countries.

To all of you who have fought: thank you.
To all of you who remember: thank you.

May we never forget.

Melly

Reflections and news

So, it's been a while, cyberspace friends, since I last wrote an entry here. And, boy, a lot of things has happened. Some drama, some change in perspective and goals, some realization that the only thing to do is trust in God, and some fun and happiness.

But first things first. I moved today. From one Provo location, to a new Provo location. Go me! And as I'm sitting here in my new bedroom, listening to one of my roommates listen to her music, the first thing that comes to mind is that this room is probably a tad bigger than my last room. And that I'm really fortunate to have found this place. Church starts at nine, which, to be honest, will probably be rough for a few weeks. I'm also grateful for my family and friends to help me out get moved in and buy new things (a bookcase and small night stand.) And, yes, I do believe this room is just a little bit longer...

These last few months I realize that some people are really crazy and expect impossible things to happen. Sometimes I put too much pressure on myself to "hang onto" relationships. Time to let go, folks. Time to let go.

I reread some books and realized I'm more of a Blue personality than I thought. And it doesn't help when all of my hormones are out of whack. But being emotional doesn't mean I'm a bad person. It just means that I'm a person.

Sometimes good things happen in the midst of trials. I'm stronger than I think I am, and I can handle stressful situations better than I would have a few years, and maybe even a few months, ago. Repentance is a wonderful thing to achieve, especially after going through some lows. And trusting in blessings that they'll come true is a scary but exhilarating process.

I'm looking forward to the new possibilities in my new place. I'm looking forward to spending these last two months of 2010 here even though I don't know hardly anyone in this ward. I'm looking forward to finishing up the Book of Mormon again. It was an unexpected move, but in some ways, I think this will be the best move I've made in a while.

And look at me, going on a like I haven't written in awhile.

Till next time!

Melly

Twelve Snapshots of Me

I thought it would be fun to show twelve "pictures" of my life. Maybe you'll learn something that you never knew about me.

1. Picture of the Canadian and American Flag

Might as well start with my heritage, something that I’m quite pleased with. You would have found out sooner or later anyway. I was born in Canada and lived there for seven and half years. My dad’s Canadian, but my mom is not. I love visiting my birthplace. We moved to Utah over 20 years ago, and I consider the United States to be home.

2. Picture of my family

Without my family I would be nothing. I have four older brothers and one younger sister. We’re pretty close and I do a lot of activities with my siblings. I have a good relationship with my parents and siblings. I love my family.

3. Picture of my bookshelves

Books, books, books. I’m a book editor for a publishing company, so I’m reading all the time. I have to admit, though, that after a long day of editing, I don’t come home wanting to read. Sometimes it takes a while for me to get in the mood, while other times I’m ready to dive in.

4. Picture of a racquetball, basketball, and volleyball

I love to play sports, although I’m not that good of shape. My favorite by far is volleyball and I play it weekly with some friends. I learned racquetball on my mission, and am always looking for someone to play with me. I may not be the best, but it lets my competitive side come out. And who doesn’t like basketball? Seriously, there’s a reason we have basketball hoops in the cultural halls of churches.

5. Picture of board games, card games, and video games (Wii, DSI, and so on)

On the other hand, I love to spend time playing games with people. It’s one of my family’s favorite pastimes, so we have quite the collection. As you can imagine, playing with my siblings has allowed me to have quite a variety of favorites. I love Monopoly, Sorry, Curses, Apple to Apples, Scrabble, and Axis and Allies (I’m not that great but enjoy the fact that it takes all day. Quality time!) Ligretto, Phase 10, and a family card game called Church Rummy are good too. I love playing on my Wii (great to play with friends as well as winding down after work) and DSI (good for long road trips when I get tired of reading).

6. Picture of the mountains

I love nature and like to go to the mountains to think sometimes. I love car rides through the canyons and like taking pictures of trees. I like trees. Living in Utah County gives me a great view of the mountain. I don’t know if I can live somewhere without mountains close by.

7. Picture of BYU campus

Yes, I’m a cougar. I will always bleed the royal blue, no matter what. Most of my family has graduated from BYU. And I love Cougar football. It somewhat irked me that the Utes were invited to PAC-10 league and BYU did not. That’s the rivalry streak coming out. I also enjoy watching the women and men volleyball teams. I love BYU campus and, of course, the BYU creamery. Even though I graduated in 2006, BYU has continued to influence my life. I love BYU.

8. Picture of Orlando, FL

I served my mission in Orlando. I loved the area, the people, and the crazy culture. I did not like the hurricanes, and that’s the main reason that I’ll probably won’t live there. And also fact that it’s so hot and humid in the summer and everyone is practically dressed in swimsuits. My mission influenced my life in so many ways. I’m a better person because of it. I love to visit!

9. Picture of my camera

I love to take pictures, but won’t claim that I have any skill. I often have my camera with me to take pictures and really regret it when I don’t. I like taking pictures of old cool-looking trees. And I like taking pictures of my family. I don’t have an expensive camera, although I would like to save up and get one. Taking pictures relaxes me and I have a lot fun experimenting.

10. Picture of me smiling

I love to smile and laugh and I try to get others to laugh as well. Life is good for the most part! A lot of my favorite memories include me sitting around with friends just laughing and having a good time. Most people don’t know that I can have a pretty wicked sense of humor. I would say that my laugh is contagious. I take after my mom. We’re the best laugh soundtrack a theater could ever get.

11. Picture of a jump rope, tennis shoes, and my workout shirt

Yeah, I like to be active, but my body shape does not quite agree with me. I exercise about 3 to 4 times a week, but it’s something I’m working on. Finding time or motivation can be difficult, but lately I’ve been doing better at planning. I hate running, but that hasn’t stopped me from trying to run. I do better when I exercise while playing sports.

12. Picture of me and my friends

I love spending time with people. I’m kind of quiet, but my friends know that I’m loyal, dependable, and a great person to be around with. People are important to me and I would do anything for my friends and family. Being social is an important aspect, but so is being there for them, providing a listening ear and sympathetic heart. One on one time means a lot to me.

There you have it. Twelve snapshots of my life.

Running...

HURTS! Okay, I'm writing before I actually run, but hey, I can already see myself on my living room floor bemoaning the fact that I ran and hurt.

I'm trying out the running thing....to help me be healthy....and lose some weight. I don't ever want to find that weight again. I loathe running. I didn't like it in elementary, jr. high, or high school. So what in the world am I doing taking up running (actually, more like jogging by the pace I set)? Uh.....

No pain, no gain?

Because, let's be honest, running burns more calories, works more muscles, and does more good than just a walk. All things I need.

The good news is I'm starting out slow. And my good friend Ben is taking me through it step by step. He wants me to succeed and endures all of my whining. And believe me, there is whining.

Onward, Melissa, onward!

Grateful for the Provo Library!

I finally got a Provo library card and have been in heaven ever since. I spent like two hours just exploring the building and seeing what it had to offer. I walked down almost every shelf and just looked at all the titles. And then I finally settled on three books to read. Yes, I had to limit myself. I already have three books at home that I'm reading, so I couldn't just get ten more. :)

I am a YA and children's book junkie. They're so much fun to read, and right now, there are so many that are creative, awesome, and amazing. I also am in a biography/nonfiction mode. I got a book about bullying. Sad to say, I experienced some bullying in my youth, but nothing to the extent of the author's experiences. I read that book in two nights. It's called "Please Stop Laughing at Me," and it changed my perspective on victims and bullies.

Coming from such a book geek, I love libraries!

Grateful for homemade smoothies

What do you do with three ripe bananas? Some would make a cake or a loaf of banana bread. I made a homemade smoothie. With just some ice, frozen berries, a little frozen yogurt, and orange juice, I made a delicious dinner.

Whoever thought that blending up various fruits with ice would make a great treat deserves a reward.

Mmmm...so satisfying.

Grateful for nice summer days

I took a walk today to think about some things and couldn't help but notice how beautiful it is. Summer is officially here, at least according to my count of grasshoppers that I passed--at least fifty. I'm grateful for summer. It's my favorite season--except in Florida. ;)

Grateful for nature

I moved into a new ward a few weeks ago, and it's been a good experience so far. Last night was a RS retreat where we went to a cabin somewhere in Spanish Fork Canyon. The cabin was super nice, with tons of rooms and plenty of things to do and look at. But it was nothing compared to nature itself. Star gazing last night and then pondering about life in the "woods" this morning were both incredible experiences.

I'm so grateful for nature and the way it reminds me just how much God really loves me.

Grateful for sunny days

Took a refreshing walk around the neighborhood today. It's so nice and sunny outside! I love these warm spring days and I love walking. Go outside for a while. It's perfectly pleasant.

So grateful for friendly people

Moving to a new place is always a little scary, and likewise going to a new ward. You instantly become "that new girl (or guy)." And then there's that question of whether you'll really fit in. Fortunately, the new ward I'm going to seems to be pretty darn cool.

We flew some kites tonight, one of my absolute favorite things to do, and it was just relaxing. After a crazy day at work, this was absolutely wonderful. The members were so nice to me too. I loved it. Overall, friendly people are the best. :)

Grateful for cream cheese and bagels

At one point in my life, I didn't like bagels or cream cheese. Now I can't get enough of the stuff, which isn't necessarily a good thing, but it does motivate me to exercise at times. "If you do this, you can treat yourself to a bagel and cream cheese!" And, right now, that's practically what I have left in the fridge, besides some cheese and a half-gallon of orange.

I need to go grocery shopping.

All in all, though, a bagel makes a great lunch!

Grateful for good stories

I just watched the last few episodes of "Avatar: The Last Airbender," and was blown away. That was some great storytelling. I am totally a fan of that series and I can see why so many other people like it too. I'm so excited for the movie! :)

What the May?

Gosh, I need to figure out my schedule better. It's already May 5, and to some people, that's a very a very important date. My gratitude blog isn't dead--just procrastinated to the edge of death. In any case, I will figure this out and get back to writing something every day. As the case is, though, I just gotta do the best I can.

Today, I'm grateful for comfortable couches. I love Kristine's couch. It melts away all my worries from work and life. And that makes it the best spot in the house. :)

Grateful for a good compliment

I mean the kind of compliment that is sincere. The kind that has truth to it. I like those kind.

A lot of things can happen in a few days...

Just when I declare that I can keep up my gratitude blog, life decides to step in and make its presence known.

My great-aunt Linda died a week ago. She was a good person and was pretty sick with Alzheimer's and dementia. Everyone will miss her greatly, but she is in a better place.

Because of her death, most of my family went up to Idaho for her funeral and we stayed at a cousin's house, which had no wifi. It really didn't bother me; I was glad to be there to support the family. But it also meant no way to write on my blog. The funeral was on Saturday and we stayed for a couple of days.

I guess this leads up to what I'm grateful for today...the plan of salvation. If anything, I've thought about that plan a lot this week, and it's helped me to feel peace. There are a lot of things that I don't know in this life and a lot of things that I don't know how they connect with me. I sometimes wish that I could see what God sees with my path, so I know which turns to take to get to the best end. But that's not how the plan is set up. And it's better that I make some twists and turns on my own in order to become the best that I can be in the end.

And that's what I'm grateful for.

Grateful blog put on hold for a little, but I'm back!

So I moved to Provo last Saturday, and the getting on the Internet has been a little tricky. I may have to post these on my lunch break to ensure that these get posted. I love my place in Provo!
I moved in with a friend, Kristine, and it's been really good so far. I feel great about this decision. At the very least, the commute to work has been downsized considerably.

So I'm grateful for my car. It gets me to where I'm going without causing me too many problems.

Lunch is over! Till later.

Melly

Grateful for my bed

my nice, nice bed.

Grateful for good lunches

Now, granted, I did take some leftovers for lunch today. But I had to drop some things off at my new apartment, and decided that something bought would be nice. So I went to Bajio's, which is just right around the corner and probably too close, but oh well. I ordered my favorite, which happens to be today's special—the small Bajio salad. It was amazing! I was so content afterwords. And it was something that made me happy. :)

Grateful for sturdy boxes

Been packing up my books, and I'm really grateful for sturdy boxes. I have so many books! and they weigh so much when put together. But the boxes held when I carried them from room to room. So way to go, box-making companies! You certainly made my day easier.

Grateful for hugs

Especially the kind that make you feel better.

Grateful for the stars--not the movie stars either

I took a nice long walk this evening, and as the sky kept getting darker, the stars kept getting brighter. No moon tonight, or at least I didn't see it, so it was a little difficult to see the non-sidewalk areas. But the stars were amazing. I found the Big Dipper (the easiest one to find for me), looked for the Little Dipper, and just marveled at how beautiful it all was.

Stars don't make me feel insignificant; they make me feel awe. And I know that someone greater than I had placed them in that order. I always think of Jesus when I look at the stars. I know it may be a bit weird, but that's just how I am. Maybe it's because I like the name "Morning Star." Whatever the case, the Savior often comes to mind. I love the stars because of that connection.

If there's one thing I absolutely need in this world, it's to feel connected to the Savior.

Grateful for birds that sing

I was sitting at my kitchen table today, working on my Sunday School lesson, when a bird started to sing outside the window. It was beautiful. I took a few moments to enjoy the sound of it, and I started to think how that meant that spring is here...or almost here. That little bird brought some joy into my life. I hope to bring joy in another's life someday.

Grateful for cellos

I am grateful for cellos. They are indeed beautiful and beautiful-sounding instruments.

Grateful for good nights

And by that I mean when we say good night to those we love. Are there sweeter words than to hear someone say, "Good night" as you're drifting of to sleep? Well, maybe so, but for me, I love those words. It creates a sense of security and love, all wrapped in a blanket of warm fuzzies.

You know, I read the book about the five languages of love, and found that I'm a quality time person, closely followed by words. Yes, I spend time with those I love, but hearing a good compliment or even a sincere good night will fill my love tank. Words mean a lot to me, being an editor and all, and so when someone takes the time to say good night to me, I feel extremely loved. Take note parents, siblings, and future dates! I'm giving you a big Melly secret. Well, not so secret anymore.

And that's all right with me.

Grateful for lunchtime walks

Since the weather has gotten better (ha!), I've been taking more lunch time walks. Not only do these walks give me the opportunity to exercise, they also give me some pondering time. Far too often, my life is filled with all sorts of noise from music to chatter to TV. Those walks help me to think about my life, the direction it's going in, and also to come up with solutions. Best of all, it allows me to commune with my Father in Heaven and to listen to the Spirit. These walks are only about thirty minutes long, but what a wonderful thirty minutes.

Burning calories and building spirituality! what a great combo.

Till tomorrow,

Melly

Grateful for Easter

Although I was sick for most of the day (sigh), I am grateful for Easter. What a wonderful time of year to remember Jesus Christ and what he has done for all of us. Conference was awesome as well and I loved listening to the Pres. Monson, his counselors, and the other general authorities.

I took some time to think about the Savior and his atoning sacrifice. The Atonement is one thing in this world that gives me a lot of hope. After pondering this great event, I am always filled with peace and happiness, something that I crave right now. I love receiving spiritual comfort; it gives me something to hold onto for the rest of the week. And it helps me see the big picture of life.

He is risen! He is risen! Let that be my praise today.

Till tomorrow,

Melly

Grateful for free books

I went to Ladies' Night at DB, and won a free book! One Eternal Round by Hugh Nibley. It's about 700 pages long. I'm grateful for free books. :)

Sleeping babies

Today, I had a chance to babysit my nephew Monte. I love that kid, so much. At 8 months old, he is incredibly adorable. But I think I like it best when I rock him to sleep, and he actually goes to sleep. That is what I'm grateful for today.

Gratitude post number 1

I know it's April Fools' and that everyone is expecting some sort of joke, but I had an epiphany last night, and this is me following through. I want to write a gratitude blog. With so many things that cause me stress taking up some of my life, I think it's time to focus on those things that I'm grateful for.

So here's the deal. I want to write once a day about something I'm grateful for. That probably means shorter blogs, but more of them. And if I'm diligent, from a year from now, I will have a whole lot of recognized blessings.

Today's gratitude is good music. Nothing like listening to some music that can put you in a good mood. Today's selection was BYU Men's Chorus. Lovely. And inspirational.

My Birthday!

My birthday was on the Feb. 18, and it was pretty fantastic, thanks to my friends and family. It was a great day. Lots of fun and lots of gifts.


My friends made a great cake for me and put the right amount of candles.


I love birthdays.

Valentine's Day...or the Broken-hearted Sugar Cookie Party

As we all know, Valentine's Day was on Sunday, and regardless of past relationships, I was once again not committed to anyone. So, in celebration, my friend Emily and I threw a party on Saturday night, and called it the "Broken-hearted Sugar Cookie Party."

It was a lot of fun! We made Sugar cookies, broked, baked, and iced them, and ate them. It was delicious.

Halloween Party and Villians

Here are a couple of movies that I helped out with. I posted this on Facebook but didn't post them here, so now I am. The first one I recorded at Halloween. It's the Office Halloween party:




And this next is the top five reasons to be a villain.




Enjoy!

It's the New Year! 2010!

Well, there goes my resolution to not to procrastinate. It's already 12 days into the new year, and here I am posting a little late. Just doing my best here, folks.

2009 was an interesting year for me, and here are some of my highlights:

1. Learning how to play Axis and Allies.
2. Becoming better friends with Ben.
3. Being released as the Relief Society president.
4. Gaining a new nephew in the family. Welcome Monte Duward Jones.
5. Attending my grandpa's funeral.
6. Going on two road trips with Ben--both times to Rexburg, Idaho.
7. Seven Peaks! Free tickets even.
8. Lagoon! Twice. I had to pay both times, but both were good experiences.
9. Watching The Office and finally understanding the obsession this show creates.
10. Going on a lot of good dates.
11. Being kissed. And then kissing.
12. Holding hands.
13. Attending the Broken-hearted Sugar Cookie Party on Valentine's Day.
14. Getting lost in the corn maze in October.
15. Writing. Writing more than I did last year.
16. Teaching as the gospel doctrine teacher.
17. Thanksgiving and Christmas with the family.
18. Buying a new laptop---my sweet, sweet Mac, nicknamed Bernie.
19. Buying a Nintendo DSi. I love playing it when I need a break from reading.
20. Attending a BYU football game--Air Force.

So, it's been an eventful year. And I'm excited for this year to get going. I've made a few resolutions:

1. Read the Old Testament. I'm teaching it, so I might as well read it too.
2. Lose at least 20 pounds. I'm going to do it.
3. Go on more dates. I like dates, but I'm looking for that special guy. He's out there--I know it!
4. Obtain the Young Value of Virtue, which means reading the Book of Mormon.

That's it. Looks like I'll be reading, exercising, and going on dates. Sounds good to me. :)