Tell You [a] Little Story

In anticipation of my travel plans and temple goals for the year, I've been thinking a lot about my list of temples visited. I can't match the pace of new temples being added all around the world, but I feel pretty good if I can go to one or two new-to-me ones each year. This year I hope to add San Jose Costa Rica and Monticello Utah. For my own OCD purposes, here is my updated list: St. George Utah Logan Utah Manti Utah Salt Lake Cardston Alberta Mesa Arizona Los Angeles California Oakland California Ogden Utah Provo Utah Jordan River Utah Boise Idaho Denver Colorado Portland Oregon Las Vegas Nevada San Diego California Bountiful Utah Mount Timpanogos Utah Vernal Utah Albuquerque New Mexico Snowflake Arizona Redlands California Manhattan New York Newport Beach California Rexburg Idaho Draper Utah Oquirrh Mountain Utah Reno Nevada Columbia River Washington Nauvoo Illinois Brigham City UT

I ought to acknowledge that today is my  darling sister's  birthday. It has been a joy to have her and her family so close. They are some of our favorite people in the world, and we are hopeful that soon they will live even closer.   Also, 15 years ago my life changed forever when this cute boy who was my very best friend picked me up from studying at the library and took me up Hobble Creek for a late night hike, whereat we promptly sat down next to the creek and preceded to broach the huge elephant in the everything that was the tension (the good kind) building between us and how we were falling for each other. He admitted that he didn't want to lose me, I admitted that I'd loved him since August 10, 1992, he said he wanted to marry me, I swooned, I Love Yous were exchanged, and finally, a first kiss. That was a pretty good night. Happy birthday, Abby! Happy engagement day, Steve!

It's blurry, but it's a gem.  Steve found this photo of his young teenaged self from a friend online, and I couldn't resist posting it here. What a doll he is and was.

Do you know what I hear a lot that makes me want to scream? "Everything happens for a reason." When someone says that, it is usually the most ridiculously wrong time to assert my belief that, "Nah, they don't. Maybe some things, but not everything." The sayer has likely experienced a setback or tragedy or difficult time and is trying to find solace through her faith that God is the master puppeteer, orchestrating our daily interactions, choices and consequences of every little thing that goes down on this here planet.  When I hear an LDS person say that, I get especially frustrated. Doesn't that idea fly in the face of our doctrine? Have we been paying attention during General Conference, or haven't we? Sure. God can and perhaps very frequently does intervene on our behalf. The power of prayer is real and miracles happen all the time. There are always opportunities for growth and learning and exercising of faith when bad things happen, but does

Sometimes the life of a hermit or recluse is really, really appealing to me. If I could do that, I would become a good reader and read everything. I used to be a great reader but I'm not anymore and it's one of the disappointments of my adulthood. Steve and I are in a book club with good friends through his work. Attorneys and homemakers all, similar ages and interests, and stations in life. Plus a professorial couple thrown in for a little academic clout. We have hordes of children between us, all around the same age, same elementary and middle schools. They are good people. Because I like lists, this is what we are reading this year: The Dirty Life by Kristin Kimball Increase In Learning by David Bednar Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson The Mormon Image In The American Mind by J.B. Haws The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Baub

I wanted to recap 2011 with facebook status updates, but facebook thinks it's smarter than me and only shows me ones it thinks are important. Facebook is sort of lame that way. My memory is the worst thing I have, so if something isn't written down, it didn't happen. Also, I hate writing down stuff. Here are a few things I remember, in two minutes or less: drove to San Francisco with the family drove to Oregon Coast with Steve's family van engine died en route home from Oregon new car! that we weren't financially prepared to buy! but we made it work anyway! controversy with the cousins Isaac got baptized Elliot got the Priesthood Norah and preschool = good idea Calvin sailed down Apple Ave. on a rolling football and didn't die Aaron made duct tape creations continued to love  this didn't blog especially didn't twitter chose to not care about pinterest tried to learn some Chinese started a book club Two minutes are up. Maybe I'