Temple Night--BUSY

Was stake temple night last night. We had a cafeteria meeting prior to session and President Bateman encouraged members to consider working in the temple, as there will be 1300 temple worker releases extended with the opening of the new Draper Temple, plus an add'l 900 releases with the opening of the new Oquirrh Temple. I had already heard of the need and that the stakes will be putting out the requests. It's just not my season--I can hardly keep up w/all that I have right now, but would be nice, hopefully w/i a few years, to do at least one 4-hour slot.

Anyway, President Bateman also talked about the need to do the work and told an anecdote of when he was at the Tokyo Temple back in 2003 and looked at the slip of paper for the person for whom he was proxy. The name was written in Chinese script w/the English equivalent. As we all tend to do, he looked at the birth date and noted it said 2023. Thinking a typo, he brought it to a temple worker's attention. This kind, smiling man pointed to the BC after the date. Who keeps meticulous family records for four millenia? Evidently, the Chinese do. Unbelievable. And to think we are ecstatic to get our genealogy back into the 1600s. Hmmm?

Also, want to make note to anyone who questions the decision to build more temples here in the southern part of the Salt Lake Valley. The temple chapel was filled to overflowing last night, with people standing in the halls. The locker room was also overfilled with many sisters needing to utilize garment bags for storing their clothes. Interesting??

R ended up not getting back in time to make the temple session. I almost chickened out 'cause I didn't want to go solo, but I'm a big girl. I had the boys drop me off, as they needed the car and I caught a ride home w/someone.

He had a long day and I, too, but silly girl that I am I stayed up late reading a book. Now I'm paying for that lack of sleep--I'm tired and have 100 minutes of dictation calling my name, plus I've already been up since 5:30 intermittently working.

New Changes in Ward

Yesterday (and no I don't have any pictures to add) was a surprise. Our Bishopric was released and a new Bishopric installed. No mention was made of this change and it caught everyone off guard. I'm the RS President and was in Ward Council just the hour before the meeting, and yet didn't know. Bishop Jacobsen is being again deployed back to Afghanistan, was there three years ago, hence the change. He flies helicopters for the military.

Actually, I thought it might happen here quickly because a year ago Bro. Olsen, when we were working together w/activities, mentioned that Bishop Jacobsen might be deployed in another year or so and just recently some one mentioned that with the stake presidency changes here next week that perhaps our Bishop would be released, which got me thinking, as do we all contemplate, who a new bishop might be. I have to be honest, and wow this has never happened before, but I speculated quietly to myself and the first thought was Dave Smith, currently on the high council, a good heart and an organized leader. I also thought that Bro. Coleman, a nice, young father and also a seminar teacher, would make a good bishop, plus Bro. Brown, an articulate and humble man, also an accountant for the church, would also be a good bishop, they all having good people skills. I never thought past these three men and behold our new Bishop is Bro. Dave Smith, first counselor Bro. Jeff Coleman, and second counselor Bro. Nathan Brown. Wow, is that not clarification that these men are meant to be our newest ward's leaders.

Last night Tony went to a Melchizedek Priesthood Preview. He, Chris Olsen and JP Sanderson were in attendance. There are several other senior boys, but they didn't show (we've had some boys fall through the cracks). I'm grateful that Tony went, as he's so touchy right now. He wanted to go by himself and really didn't want his parents there?? Our new Bishop was chatting w/Tony and asked him about age, months until mission eligibility, etc. He counseled Tony to go home and start reading the BofM when Tony answered that he had not read the book yet, but only w/the family. I feel comfortable going to chat w/Bishop Smith about Tony and my concerns. I'm feeling hopeful for the first time in weeks that a new Bishop might be able to turn Tony down the road I so desire for him--a testimony and gospel commitment. However, it's really T's decision and the world--job, money for a car, everything not church related--is really pulling on him.

Inauguration Day

Watched the proceedings this morning of our new 44th president. I am proud to be an American. I love this country. I did not vote for Obama, as many of his political views scare me, but I give him my respect and will now refer to him only as President Obama or Mr. Obama, both titles correct. I want him to succeed, as his success as our country's leader will ultimately have an effect upon us all.

What worries me the most? The spend, spend, spend philosophy. I personally only spend money that I have in my pocket, not that I hope will mysteriously appear one day to pay off any debt I put on a card. Rafael and I work hard to live within our means. We go without if need be. We wish we could do more for our children and do more for ourselves. The economy is affecting us. We no longer have a 401K match, so we have to tighten the belt even more.

Governor Huntsman has set the example for the State of Utah. At his recent inauguration, he simplified drastically, cutting back on the money that had originally been budgeted and put that money back into the state's purse to use in other areas. He didn't want to be a spendthrift when so many are going without. He set the example of fiscal responsibility--sure wish Washington would get that memo.

Today is truly an historic day, and I personally stand to salute our new African-American President, but do we need to honor him with historically high inaugural expenses and more deficit spending? Okay, that's my opinion.

I truly will pray him President Obama and this country. Here's hoping he bowls me over.

Another Birthday, ho hummmm

I turned 51 last Friday. During the day I grabbed the camera and took my own picture. Wanted to document what 51 looks like, and dang I wish I could go back a decade or two (hate the wrinkles and bags under the eyes) but oh well I'm coming to terms with the fact that I've definitely lived more than is ahead, at least according to the actuary tables. For my b-day I asked simply that my family spend some time with me w/the TV off, the phones put away, and a boardgame on the table. Basically I wanted some old-fashioned time w/my loved ones. I got my wish, except that Tony bugged out early after eating a slice of pizza and getting his position established on the board. I love to play games and visit.

Boys + Snow = Sledding

The Scouts/Deacons for their mutual activity tonight went sledding. They left late afternoon and headed to Sugarhouse Park. It was a perfect day for sledding--plenty of snow, lots of sunshine, warmer temperatures today and no wind. When I asked Jared what he liked best about the activity, he said, "when we crashed a lot into everybody." Now that's a true boy response. He liked going over the jumps. "My butt hurts."

The Utes are Undefeated Through Sugar Bowl

Finally, the big bowl came. The boys had matching shirts and we had a bowl party with all the trimmings (yes, mom spent much time preparing). The underdog Utes, rated #7, busted a BCS bowl game against #4 Alabama and much to the Crimson Tide's chagrin, took charge of the game early on and never let go.

From one sportswriter's blog that I just read: The Utah Utes, 13-0, are the poster children for something to be done about the joke known as the BCS. This is an undefeated team that just dominated Alabama, 31-17 (not as close as the score indicated), a team that held the number one spot in the country for five weeks until losing to the Florida Gators in the SEC Championship Game on December 6th. Florida didn't come close to doing to Alabama what Utah did on Friday

New Day, New Month, New Year!!

It's a great morning. I've been working (yes, my paid job) in my PJs from my desk for a while. The sun has broken through the clouds and it's absolutely gorgeous outside, some blue skies/clouds w/the snow sparkling under the heavenly gas ball.

I read the Mormon Times that comes out on Thursday morning, a weekly section of the newspaper for the past couple months, and there was a section about blogs. I found out that blog is short for Weblog and is a site containing an online personal journal with reflections, insights and comments. My "reflections, insights and comments" tend to run in the 'hand-over-the-mouth boring level,' as I am no writer, definitely not, but then I'm writing for me, me alone, no one else really, although followers or peripheral gleanings by others are an enjoyment to me.

There was an article in the Mormon Times on Resolutions, of course, being January 1. Have I set any? No. Will I? Most certainly, but I need to think first. The article mentions the acronym SMART for specific, measurable, ambitious, realistic and timebound, giving the example from Pres. Hinckley a few years ago to read the BofM, which fit the criteria for a SMART goal. Something to think about.

Read somewhere recently, maybe even this morning (my memory is not so sharp anymore) about stretching oneself by reading something that makes you think, stretches your mental ability. I'll have to find that article and later insert. Anyway, I started a new book last night called Angle of Repose (a suggested read from the library list). After a few pages, I read about the author, a teacher of writing at Stanford, Harvard, other prestigious names, who wrote this book decades ago and for which he received the Pulitzer. Anyway, it's not an easy read, but I was loving his working of words. Had to stop several times and re-read. I was thinking about putting the book aside and starting another one (sometimes I have several books going at the same time), but now I'm going to rethink about stretching myself. Just finished reading Host, written by Stephanie Meyer of Twilight phenom. I liked this book a lot, because it was written for adults and it was not obvious where the ending was going, a nice treat. Also, I watched a "chick flick" yesterday and liked it also a lot. Bonneville, about three friends who end up on an adverturous road trip. Kind of made me want to take a road trip, although I related most w/the character played by Joan Allen (I think that's her name). Watch the movie and you'll understand.

Hubby is up and TV is on, thus ends the morning quiet, although it's getting closer to noon. I'm smiling--twill be a good day.

New Year's Eve

We went as a family to the unranked University of Utah's (Ute's) basketball game against Gonzaga University (#16) Christmas Eve. The Utes won by 1 (they were lucky). Anyway, I didn't take much in the way of pictures, although did snap the above of the football stadium (thought it was pretty) while we waited to get out of the parking lot. Kind of the last hurrah of Christmas. I like the decorations, but I'm sooooo glad that mine are down, down, down.

And here's a picture of the guys while we waited for the shuttle (the Trax) to pick us up from The Huntsman Center to take us to the parking lot at the stadium. We cheered in the new year from home, although V was w/one his friends, Austin, at a party down the street. J managed to stay up all night (good for him) watching Star Wars movies.