Fuse Beads

There is a time guzzling drug marketed specifically to 4 and 5 year olds- It's manufactured in a multitude of colors, with or without glitter, transparent or opaque... Yes! Fuse beads! If in your youth you missed out on this activity of wonder, there's still hope- somehow adults are willingly lured into the fuse bead festivities of their children-

Today at work a valuable lesson was reintroduced to me. Gabriel had be slaving away at a circle template with a deliberate color pattern. This had involved asking everyone at the table to excavate their individual fuse bead bowls for a few rare and precious black fuse beads. Then he had to convince the other 6 children that they wanted to devote their coal colored beads to him. It was an arduous process. I had been so proud of him for working hard to obtain his goal.

Meanwhile, one of the girls was drawing a crowd at an adjacent table with her 3 pokey-backed black caterpillars she'd captured at home. Gabriel and "Carlito" left for a moment of admiration and upon return, Carlito's elbow sent Gabriel's beads rocketing across the deck- Gabriel's face dropped, his brow crinkled, he huffed a few understandably flustered words and jetted to the structure to be alone-

My heart ached, especially because Gabriel refrained from retaliation (a common response at this age). I wanted to scoop all the orphaned beads into a bowl and recreate his masterpiece for him. As a Purple Side teacher, I know that fixing or saving a child from disappointment is a big no-no. Still, I let my natural response mode get the best of me, at first. I collected as many black, green, red, and white beads as I could find from the floor, put them in Gabe's bowl and even started beading the black periphery. Years of training began creeping into my mind.

Am I helping Gabe by trying to take this negative experience away? It might make me feel a whole lot better. In the long run though, kids need to go through hard things so they learn how to handle trying situations, the emotions *and appropriate solutions* that accompany them.

I dumped the beads back into Gabe's bowl, set the template on top, and asked another teacher to check in with Gabe. No immediate response. A while later he started playing with Ricky. Then! A half hour later he returned to the table. This was terribly rewarding to see.

I offered him the scavenged remains and his barren template. He refused the template saying he wanted to use a square instead of a circle. With the same color scheme, he created a white door with a black nob and deemed it far superior to the original. In his words, "I didn't like the other one. This one is a lot better."

As he made this remark Andres' fuse beads spilled from his template. Disgruntled, he began chucking the beads across the table. I stopped him and explained how Gabe had lost his work that day and that sometimes when we are forced to start over, it is an opportunity to assess where we've been and create something better- :) The principle clicked and Andres began a new project, agreeing that he could like this one even more than the last.

Great lessons for life. I heart preschoolers!

Ansa Verse SOiReE

A soiree- a party; a social gathering of celebration and recreation, with religious, cultural, or seasonal implications...

Last April I ventured to the desert wonderland of Ansa Borrego with my dear friend Erin. Yesterday we returned to this arid landscape, bustling alive with flowering spring- it was GORGEOUS! And, instead of two, we were three! I accompanied Erin and her fiance of two months, Brandon, and shot a days worth of engagement photos.

As I reminisce about the day's activities, I smile. It was truly a fun adventure- Loved every minute- even the moments I stepped and sat in cacti! I'm still laughing about that! :)

Thank you Erin and Brandon for a great day!

My Momma

I gotta pay some homage.

In countless ways throughout my life, my mother has shown me what it means to put her children first. She has modeled sacrifice, sheltering, and selflessness. I hope to shadow her one day.

Let me share two illustrations.

Two weeks ago, she attended an annual Spaghetti dinner fundraiser- after dinner, to add to "the pot", they had a dessert auction. My mom monetarily maneuvered her way into winning a plate of rice krispy treats sprinkled with a rainbow of M&Ms. Let's just say those turned out to be the costliest marshmallow delights in the world! AND she gave them to me to take to church the next day for the Linger Longer Pot Luck! Elmo says sharing is caring.

Yesterday, after having spent a full morning orchestrating and running the Scouts Pinewood Derby then grocery shopping the afternoon away, she agreed to prepare and host a family dinner especially for a scene in my documentary short film. She fed all the family and my small crew of friends and helped dinner convo to stay on topic. She is a lifesaver! God bless you Momma! Thanks for 31 years+ of hard work and love.

Free at Last

Friday was laced with good intention. I attempted to fulfill requirements for 2 photography assignments in one go; one project focusing on color, the other composition. I drove to Signal Hill's industrial district, parked in 1 hour parking, and began to scout the area on foot.

I stumbled upon a photographic treasure trove at Gardena and 29th St. A giant lot heaped with monochromatic and analogous colored scrap metals, orphaned car parts, and towering trucks. I asked the 2 men sweeping for permission to take a few photos. They welcomed me. Before I knew it, 1 photo led to another and another...and...

One of the men called to me as he was leaving, "Good luck with your project!" "Thanks!" I called back. Half an hour later it occurred to me that it might be beneficial to my pocket book to move my car so I wouldn't get a parking ticket, or worse, towed.

I walked towards the gate I had originally entered. Strange. It was closed. Anxiety inducing. It was locked. It was the only way out and I was the only one inside! Which left me with this chilling challenge: To find a way out!!!

Like a pinball rickashaying off all 4 walls, I bounced from corner to corner, searching for a loose board, a latter, anything that would help me scale the tall gate sporting it's wiry barbed hairdo. Nothing.

My eye spied the vintage truck parked beside the gate. I hopped onto the running board which lent me enough height to become a floating head. "Look at me, here I am, right where I belong..." A bobbing head-

I tried waving down the cars driving by, yelling to cell phone man down the street- no one noticed me- My car! I had to get out of here! I offered a desperate prayer. Heavenly Father, please please please send someone to rescue me. Five minutes later a delivery truck pulls into a driveway across the street. On his way out, he begins rolling down his window. I call to him, he stops! He let me borrow his cell phone. I called the cops.

An officer showed up with backup. The first thing he said to me was, "So you're turning yourself in for breaking and entering huh?" "No officer, I got permission to be here." "Oh yah? From who?" "Shoot. I didn't get their names." "Oh. You don't know their names..." He gave me a really hard time, laughing all along the way.

The officer had just completed a two hour lock picking training a couple weekends before! Unfortunately it didn't help him. Somehow they were able to get a hold of the company's owner and 2 hours later I returned to my car. Yes! It was still there and no ticket! :)

Cappy

Answer to prayer #40,109,327.
After rushing to class last night, I was surprised and saddened to see the lens cap was not attached to the lens of my camera. Where could it be!? I was sure it was intact before I got in my car to drive to school...

Long story short; I tore apart my room, my car, and retraced all my steps. This included leaving a half hour early for work this morning, returning to school to comb the grassy lawn, carpeted floors, and hallways.

Fortunately, I had more than luck on my side. I'd prayed to find cappy and the Lord saw fit to align circumstance. The Lord has the power to put us in the right place at the right time. For me, this meant being in my car, facing west in a parked position at 8:15 a.m. Having to wait for peace of mind any longer than that may have figuratively killed me.

After scouring the campus, I returned to my car defeated, yet oddly hopeful. I opened the driver side door, eyes skimming the ground as I sat down with door still open. And there it was- a brilliant ray of morning sun, acting as a spotlight, shown into the floor of my car in the exact spot where my lens cap lay, upside down, atop a patch of plastic flooring that matched the cap exactly.

I immediately and profusely thanked God for this tender mercy and went to work with a huge smile on my face.

The night ended just as wonderfully. I had a great reciprocal visiting teaching session with Meagan, Alyssa, and Ashley. I love those girls! It's such a blessing to be surrounded by people who share my values.

Thirt Tee Won

I had a great birthday today starting with a serenade from my mum and salmon tinted tulips from Autumn (my favorite flower and sister). When I walked into work, all the teachers and kids sang to me- I got lots of hugs- they made me a birthday banner signed by kids and staff, complete with a gaggle of glitter! As I was getting ready to leave work, a group of kids walked the completed banner towards me, surrounded me and cut off my air supply. Not really, but that would've been creepy. The afternoon staff and kids sang to me- more hugs!

I went to Institute, Br. Johnson and the people hanging out sang to me- a stream of texts poured in throughout the day- I have yet to check my facebook profile, but as of yesterday I'd had several happy birthday posts. Do I feel loved or what?!

I went to Disneyland in the afternoon *for free* It's their new promotional for the year, and then upgraded and bought an annual pass- a gift to myself- Autumn and I met up with Kristen and her friend Joseph-- We went to dinner at the Grand Californian and rode Heimlich's Chew Chew Train- it was my first time, and I laughed my head off for the entire duration of the ride! What a great way to end a first day back at the park-

The day finished with my beloved photography class and when I got home I opened a gift that had been dropped off by my friend Jon...a 24 carrot necklace. That's right folks. Literally. We plan to juice it tomorrow.

p.s. I got my first dslr camera last Friday from Momma. YaY! I shot pix all day on Saturday- loved it! A BIG THANK YOU to everyone whose helped to make this birthday SO special!!! xoxoxo

The Crazy Chicken

I was sitting in Moran's History of Broadcasting class last night when he offered this philosophical gem: We are unnecessarily competitive. There is more than enough for everybody, if we organize it right- so stop hurting each other.

It's a beautiful thought and invitation. What kind of world would it be if everyone operated from a place of abundance rather than scarcity? Certainly our mortal sphere would be a much different place, if everyone had sufficient for their needs.

This is not a Utopian theory- it is a call for the elimination of greed and a belief in abundance.

I'd come home between work and class- Momma brought home El Pollo Loco for dinner-bringin home the chicken- I noted that each of us prefer a different cut- and when all is divvied up, there is a perfect amount for each of us and everyone gets what they want- it works out perfectly. With a little faith, maybe this is how all areas of life are meant to work- not just dinner.

Saved from the Eternal BBQ

This week has been filled with goodies, with the best yet to come; a weekend in the mountains with family- we leave tomorrow- yay!!!

The 24th marked the 8 year anniversary of my return home from my mish and the 27th, my 1 year celebration of semi-regular contribution to this here bloggie-poo.

On Monday, my coworker brought homemade chocolate chocolate chip cookies to work- I told myself I would wait to snag one after a proper lunch, if there were any left- When I finished work, there was one lowly cookie, staring up at my open mouth as I chomped it to oblivion. One left, just for me!

Little Albin came running up to me today, hands cupped, smiling. he said, "dawn. guess what i have." "what is it albin?" his hand blossomed to reveal two plump purple worms with bodies swirled around each other. albin's smile widened, "they're wrestling!" we both started to laugh. SO CUTE!

A miracle transpired yesterday. If ever you've wondered if miracles still happen today, I am here to tell you they do.

I've had a power strip that plugs into a wall outlet, closest in proximity to where I lay my head at night to sleep. This power strip has been the hub of all nightly electrical activity in my room; the alarm clock, stereo, lamp, cell phone charger, and camera battery charger have all juiced up here until two nights ago.

It was akin to a scene from the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. It started with my alarm clock, which began to flicker. My lamp sulked 12 degrees dimmer than usual, emitting an eerie fluorescent glow instead of it's usual intense white light. There was a faint smell of electrical burn, but I couldn't pin point the source and assumed it must be my lamp which I then promptly turned off. The smell subsided.

In the morning, I found my alarm clock completely dead and my cell phone uncharged. I went to turn on my stereo to listen to my morning news show- it fuzzed out twice, defaulting the tuner to the beginning of the fm dial, causing inconvenient interruptions to my programming. What the heck was going on?!

Long story shorter, I later shuffled things around and plugged my lamp directly into the wall instead of the power strip to see if it would bring back the brightness. It did. As I was plugging my phone into it's charger last night, surely I was hearing a sizzling sound coming from behind my bed. I crouched down to get a closer look. There it was. The converter situated between the power strip plug and the outlet was melting before my very eyes! Hence the smell and all other weirdness.

I quickly unplugged everything and threw the power strip away. An electrical garden had been sucking energy from that source the entire day. A fire could have easily spewed forth from that wirery orifice- I am completely convinced we were protected from harm these past few days. Thanks be to the sheltering hand of the Lord.

Did I Do That?

All week, my sister's car has refused to do it's job and start! Well, today is street sweeping day and you know what that means. Move it or be fined. It was early, round 7:15a.m. Zack came over to give Autumn a ride to work. In addition, he thought he could jump-start her car so she could drive, rather than push, it onto the sidewalk and out of the Sweeper's way.

I'd previously overheard Autumn explaining she'd just bought a new car battery and felt sure that wasn't the source of malfunction. Still, Zack was now attaching battery cables. Old Red's ignition clicked away- nothing connected. Zack unplugged the cables and while storing them in the back seat, I decided I could make his job easier by shutting the hood of his car for him. He could then simply board his car, back it up, and we could push Autumn's car to safety.

Sturdy and almost unwavering, I really had to give his hood a good shove downwards before it connected with the rim of the front bumper. All I saw was the expression on Zack's face, a combination of terror and quivering lips.

Yes. There was a metal rod holding the hood in upright position. And no! I had not removed it from said position before closing the hood! You can imagine my dismay when my eyes commuted from Zack's panged visage to his now v-shaped hood. Oh me! Oh my! Oh no! In the immortal words of Urkel from Family Matters, "Did I do that?"

I immediately boosted the hood back up and reached for the latch which proceeded to break in my hand. That couldn't be good either. The whole thing was just sort of unbelievable. I left the house with intentions of being helpful and I broke Zack's car instead. I'll probably have to pay a pretty penny to get it fixed.

Moral of the story: when given the choice to stay inside your warm cozy home or egress to the frigid exterior and help someone in need, Please! Stay inside! Both of you will be glad you did.

A Vote for Walkable Cities

I would love to live in a walkable city. Why? Opportunistic for cool shoes! And the real reasons: For cleaner fresher air, water, and world; less traffic accidents; less DUI's; retention of moola that might have been spent on fuel, insurance, registration, tickets; increased physical activity; added opportunity for cordial community exchange; less conflict over oil...world peace? OK. Maybe that's taking it a little too far, but the list of benefits go on!

Transportation could be provided for the necessaries: large loads to carry, women giving birth (other medical oriented stuff), travel to far away places, etc. But, if a majority of movement could be made by foot, everyone might just be a lot happier and healthier. AND incidents (as mentioned in above post) would be eradicated from reality.

P!S! After walking back to the house from noted auto-fiasco, we discovered the storm drain had detached itself from the side of the garage and landed on top my grandmother's Camry, leaving a large gray scratch in place of the once umber-toned paint. Another mishap that could have been avoided if we didn't have such a dependency on automobiles!

Spirited Away

Today at work I was surrounded by the chitlins- I've been given an opportunity this week to get to know some of the younger kids at The Center, as age groups 2&3 and 4&5 are combined for Winter Session.

We were in a woodsy corner of the yard where clusters of bamboo and pine tangle together forming a natural wall separating us from the outside world.
Some of the kids were showing off their bamboo balancing skills when without warning, pine cone particles began spilling from the tree tops. I heard a rustling in the boughs and told the kids we had a visitor-- "A squirrel is having lunch up there." I pointed skyward.

A hush fell over the group. We all huddled together, chins up, trying to locate the little critter. "I don't see it!" came the bewildered chorus. "I don't see the squirrel either." I tried to appease them. The kids resumed their acrobatics.

Claire approached me. Something had just fallen on her head. I removed a russet colored pine cone piece. And then the little showers of debris began again. This time the squirrel was hopping from one tree to another. We watched it shower over there, then there, then there... I smiled.

Phoenix deduced, "I can't see the squirrel, but I can hear it! And I can feel it!" The thought came, "this is a perfect parallel to the Holy Ghost!" I paused. My eyes began to get all salty-wet as I looked at this sweet little girl and thought of how precious kids are- We had just experienced an eternal truth in a new way.

Jan You Air Re

This smorning Erin and I put our best feet forward! As tradition, 2009 marks year New Years Day Hike #3. :)

We rolled along the 110, and followed the twisting curves of San Pedro. Across the board, every possible view was dripping with fog. It reminds me of the new song my brother and I made up last night. Put to the chorus of The Killers, Human, "Are we driving? Or are we flying? Are they clouds? We can't tell..."

8 hours later the land of So Cal was still blanketed in brume. Erin and I managed to arrive at a perfect hiking spot. We drove aimlessly right to a hillside dropping down to a rocky beach. Here is what we found on our adventure:

1. Drunken ninja man, dressed in black from head to toe, stumbling over the tall grass across the street. He was calling out to the wind, "Yaaaaaghhhh! Ughhhh-Yaghhhh!" fighting some invisible force known only to him. We stood in amazement, hoping he'd win.

2. A beach side cat colony- approximately 60 gatos! They are being fed and cared for by a team of volunteers, one is a woman named Sandy who had pushed her graying hair back with a fuzzy black cat-eared head band. She gave us the low-down on the situation-

3. Sea glass for Sarah L., frosted by the relentless pounding of the sea.

4. A network of rock-side channels, miniature water slides.

5. Rob and family who'd arranged a tiered kaleidoscope of flowers and fruits as an New Year's offering to the God of the Sea. Talk about organic art. Swollen purple grapes, placed inside a halved coconut, floating in a bath of molasses, mangoes tangoing with oranges... Yum!

It was such a beautiful varied morning & early afternoon, which brings me to my New Years Resolution. Grateful girl in 2009.

Happy start of the year to you all! Much Love!!!

Who does Number 2 Work For?

I find myself thinking a lot lately about a dear former friend. We used to spend gobs of time together. Gobs is actually an understatement. Our spirits had been surgically sewn together.

Sadness caused his face to crumble the day we parted ways. I was leaving for my mission. Yes, *sigh*, that was a long time ago... If I had known, as he most probably did then, that that moment would eventuate our slow divide, my face most likely would have joined The Puffy Pink Pancake Club too.

Those few years together were sheer panacea; The Wonder Years; some of the happiest times of my life. (Funny how our minds can polish memories into perfection-overlooking the rough and tumbly.)

I miss our connection. I hope to find someone like him again one day, God willing.

Sweet Ginger

Ginger Cox married Sean Jones today. They are so happy together. *Yay* I happened to be volunteering at the L.A. temple and finagled my way into being assigned to Ginger's wedding party- Hah! Ha!

When I approached Ginger and Sean to unite them with their adoring, but reverent, fans, Ginger invited me to witness their sealing- that was sweet of her! During this same shift, I ran into a couple whom were married last November, whose family I had been assigned to help congregate, and now his brother was getting sealed- both cousins of Mark Wright... Small world!

Speaking of love at Christmas time... though ironic it is, did you know mistletoe is a parasitic plant that usurps nutrients and water from it's host plant? It's also poisonous... I wonder who decided to deem it the trigger to share a kiss.

"Look honey! A poisonous parasite is looming above us! Can't eat it, but why don't you come over here and gimme a kiss!"

Butterfly in the Sky

I can fly twice as high.

Yesterday I crashed an advanced writing class in order to be a part of a magical experience. Levar Burton, a familiar name to anyone with children or a childhood over the past 25 years, is the proud co-creator and former host of the pivotal children's show Reading Rainbow. But you don't have to take my word for it.

The series aired by PBS from June 6, 1983 until November 10, 2006, encouraged reading among children. Each episode centered on a theme from a children's book and was explored through a number of segments or stories. In later years the series tackled issues that other children's programs have historically avoided, such as poverty in U.S. inner cities, the September 11 attacks, childbirth and its impact on the family, and prison, all from a child's point of view.

Levar has an electrifying presence. It was such a pleasure to be in the same room with him. He spoke for practically 2 hours. He asked which of us were born to be filmmakers. Which of us MUST make films? If we don't wake up every morning living, breathing, and dreaming the film making process, then it is time to get out now.
Find your passion.

He told us of his journey from USC grad to stardom. His first film role was Kunta Kinte in Roots. I remember watching that 8 hr miniseries in 10th grade history with Mr. White. In the period of a week, when Roots aired, Levar's life changed forever.

He talked about the importance of balance. If there was one thing he would have done differently in early life, it would be to just relax. Relax. Everything will work for your good.

The life he dreamed of as a youth was never as good as his life has turned out to be. He gives all the credit to God. It was awesome to hear him praise and offer thanks to God in front of the class.

Stepping Into Liquid

I attended a baptism tonight. I'd originally planned on going straight home after Linger Longer clean up (Linger Longer = snacks after church). Instead, I drove myself straight to the baptism and thoroughly enjoyed it.

A young man baptized his girlfriend of two years. I watched as they entered the water together, both dressed in white. I thought about the commandments they were living in order to be worthy of participating in that ordinance.

While millions of teenagers in the world are caught up in themselves, partying, drugs, sex...the list goes on- here are two young people who care deeply for the Lord. They are committed to Him and to living His teachings.

I am so grateful I ignored what I wanted to do and chose instead to be a part of an uplifting evening. The Lord's way is always the better way.

What Choo Talkin Bout?!

As I reviewed Our Hearts Knit As One by Elder Eyring yesterday, the immortal words of the "Different Strokes" theme song came into my mind-

Everybody finds a way to shine,
It don't matter if you haven't got a lot
They'll have theirs, You'll have yours, and I'll have mine.
And together we'll be fine....
Because it takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world.
Yes it does.

What this song says to me is, there is abundance in the world and I have a little piece of it. Each of us carries a person-sized portion. This is why we must work together to combine our parts to make a whole. Each of us has a unique gift to contribute. Knitting our hearts together as One.


Two of the stand-out thoughts from Elder Eyring's talk were:

1. The Great Truths of the Gospel are more important than our differences.

2. Differences can help bring you what you lack and help you serve God better.

I sometimes feel intimidated by qualities in others that make them different from me. Fear exists because the Unknown exists. We fear things only because we feel there's a possibility they can hurt us...

I now know that differences in others are encouragements for us to become better and stretch a little further.

Prevent the Madness

Just when you thought there was nothing left to burn...California is on fire... again. This time it started in Santa Barbara County Thursday night.

Since Thursday evening, the wildfires in Southern California have destroyed an estimated 800 mobile homes, houses, apartments and other buildings and blackened an estimated 67 square kilometers of land. Street signs are melting like milkshakes.
Add to this, the infamous Santa Ana winds, scorching temperatures (which were predicted earlier in the week), low humidity levels, and you've got a recipe for disaster.

Fire erupted in both Orange and Riverside counties last night.

Capt. Leonard Grill, a 20-year veteran of the Riverside County Fire Department,has been quoted as saying, "It's gotten worse and worse every year. I can't keep track of them anymore. These used to be the out-of-the-ordinary fires, once-in-a-career kind of fires. Now they're every year."

On a local level, a blanket of smoke that came from the North stretching towards the sea, choked all the blue from the sky. Buckets of ash were falling in flurries to the ground- California's version of a "winter" storm?

Employees at Costco were wearing masks to prevent extreme exposure to the carcinogenic dust. The afternoon took on a bit of an Apocalyptic feel... This mornings air quality is incredibly poor. It's really difficult the breathe right now. *cough* *cough*

Interesting that these fires are raging on the weekend of the planned nation wide protest against Prop 8. Could this be God's way of saying, "Protesters stay home."
It's very possible.

The Garden

Today I attended a pot luck lunch at the Wild Oats Organic Garden in Long Beach upon invitation from my co-worker Charlene. If I could give Charlene a nickname, it would be Mother Earth...She is One with the soil, rooted deep in concern for the environment. I like her. She's always smiling and her pockets are filled with inner peace.

The idea of a Community Garden fascinates and intrigues me. It appeals to me in every way! People come together, practicing principles of self-sufficiency, organic sustainable living, hard work, and getting back to the basics. It's a remarkable way to connect with your neighbors and the serenity of creation!

A note about the pot luck lunch- (they have work days from 9-12 every 1st and 3rd Saturday which ends with lunch at 12ish- let me just say, the chicken dogs, homemade lemon hummus, fresh salads, and the thick sweetness of the raw smoothies were divine!) Come give service and then enjoy the food!

What I learned:

Spinach doesn't like to grow in heat.

There is a variation of mint that tastes like lime called, of all things, lime mint.

Cauliflower comes in purple.

The director of the garden, Heidi, is brilliant and she says non-profit work is SO much harder than being an Executive Program Developer...she wants to create a quilt of gardens throughout the city.

If you eat a pot belly pig, it will trigger a virus in your body that goes straight to your brain and makes you wacko.

I ate with a potato fork. (Forks can be made out of potato!!!) AND I've drank from a biodegradable cup made from corn!

Sorrel is a baby green that tastes like lemon!

LBCC has a spring sale with all sorts of seeds and starters for sale!

Quote for the day: A poochie poochie girl in a gucci gucci world.

West Coast Rendering Company off of 4105 Bandini Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90058 has a subdivision, which I believe is called Baking Commodities, who are part of the animal food production process. They add all sorts of evils to pet food, such as cancerous cow tumors, and euthanized animals from the pound... dogs weren't meant to eat other dogs were they? Combine this with the soy and wheat that go into most major brands of pet food and wuh-la! You've got pets with cancer, allergies, asthma...

I met Johnny the urban missionary, who was tending his plot. He plans to embark on a missionary trip around the world in 2010 through a program called TheWorldRace.org

I took a hulking amount of photos- maybe I'll post some on Facebook...

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Wild Oats Garden.

Just the Beginning

The elections were three days ago, and proved historic is so many ways. On a personal note, it was my first time getting involved in a campaign, one which was not just political, but moral too. I am so thankful I was able to participate in the overwhelming task of fighting for freedom of religion and the sanctity of marriage within one of the most liberal states of the Union. Sweat, disappointment, and blessings flowed, as the LDS community, in a small way, helped Proposition 8 to pass. We were a small cog in a BIG wheel.

I spoke with a gay father several weeks ago, and his words now return to my mind. "No matter which side "wins", you think that will be the end? This is just the beginning!" Is it really the beginning though? It seems to me, an extension of the war that has been waging since the beginning of the earth.

I watched the 11 o'clock news last night. They had air-cam shots of the L.A. temple. No on 8 protesters swarmed the grounds, flooding the streets. The boiling point was reached when some of our Pacific Islander brothers and sisters began tearing down hateful signs that had been posted on the temple gates, and telling protesters to take their anger and energy somewhere else. They were among the few brave enough to face the rioting masses.

Threats were made regarding the temple, fire and destruction were promised- Thankfully the temple was reopened today and serenity has maintained. The Lord is protecting us.