Thoughts

- After 2 1/2 years of serving in the Young Women organization as a Laurel Advisor, I have been released. I totally have mixed feelings since I love my girls and teaching them, but was getting somewhat anxious for a new adventure. (One can only handle so much of teenagers!) But when I knew I was going to be released, I didn't want it to happen. I love being a part of my girls lives. My new calling is as the Ward Music Chair. Ha! I have never had a musical calling in my life. I am just glad I don't have to lead music in Sacrament meeting. I am in charge of music for the ward, meaning Sacrament hymns and special musical numbers. Should be a learning process!

- Marshall started teaching at Dixie State College this past week. His friend from work, who had been teaching for the past ten years, decided to quit and offered the position to Marshall. If you know Marshall at all, you know he loves to teach. So once a week on Wednesday evenings, from 5-8, he teaches Juvenille Justice. And he's already set to teach another night class this Fall. His first week of teaching went well. I hope he enjoys it! What a great opportunity!

- Right now I am reading "Ivanhoe" and really really liking it. It is full of drama, action, intrigue, and even comedy. The character "Robin Hood" originates from this book. I love Medival times, though am glad I am not a woman living in them. Such a fascinating part of history.

-I think I would adopt all the cats at PetSmart if I could. They have pets there that you can adopt and Jacob and I looked at them the other day. There were some really sweet cats there that I just wanted to take home. One in particular melted my heart. Penelope, who is our outdoors adventurer, must have sensed a disturbance in the force because she made sure to be extra affectionate to me this morning. It was sweet.

-Penelope is growing up. She made her first kill last week. It was a lizard. The kids were horrified. She's also killed a mouse over at the neighbor's yard. Our neighbor was very grateful. There are some good things about having a roaming outside cat.

-Exercise makes me happy. Seriously. I have been in a funk and today I decided to just snap out of it and get active. I went to the gym and worked myself hard. I felt so much better afterwards. Pedicures are nice, but give me a tough work-out any day. There's nothing like accomplishing that and feeling good about yourself. Yeah for a working body!

Moloka'i

Young Rachel Kalama, growing up in idyllic Honolulu in the 1890s, is part of a big, loving Hawaiian family, and dreams of seeing the far-off lands that her father, a merchant seaman, often visits. But at the age of seven, Rachel and her dreams are shattered by the discovery that she has leprosy. Forcibly removed from her family, she is sent to Kalaupapa, the isolated leper colony on the island of Moloka'i.

I loved this book because it is about both a beautiful place and horrible disease that I know little about. I have always wanted to visit Hawaii, and hope to some day, and reading Brennert's descriptions of the people and islands made me want to go even more. What a gorgeous place to set the tale about such a devestating disease. Althought fictional, some characters and the events of sending leperous people to Moloka'i are real. I enjoyed learning about this disease that I have no exposure to and also seeing how those on the island grew together to form their own community and family.

And I had no idea about the leper colony there and how families were torn apart from the disease. I couldn't imagine having my 7 year-old Rachel taken from me and sent off away to suffer such pain and fear on her own. It would have been awful to be so powerless.

I felt like I was right there, following the life of Rachel Kalama as she experienced Moloka'i. Definately a good read.

Another good marriage book

You all know my love of reading books about marriage and how to improve that important relationship, thanks mainly to Marshall's sister who keeps passing along good books. "His Needs, Her Needs" by Willard F. Harley was a golden book. I learned more about myself and my needs and also about my husband. I love it when I read a book and learn more about how to be a better wife.

I love the simple way Harley explains thing. He doesn't talk down to his readers, but he speaks in a way that can be easily understood and makes sense. There were a few times while reading the book that I felt kind of an "aha!" moment, where there should have been a light bulb glowing above my head. "Now I get it! Now I understand why certain things are so important to me and totally different things mean so much to my husband." It was a great eye opener.

I recommend this book to anyone wanting a good read on how to improve their marriage. All of us could use a refresher. After all, if it's going to be eternal, why not make it as amazing a relationship as possible?!

I love this girl

I love this girl and her ability to be herself. This week she was invited to a birthday party where the guests can dress up as their favorite Disney character. Her friends are all going as girlie characters, like Minnie Mouse and various princesses. But not Rachel. She is going as Flynn Rider, whom she has loved since the movie "Rapunzel" came out. We've been working on gathering pieces for her costume and have it all set for the big party tonight. I love that Rachel can be who she is and not apologize for or be afraid of herself.

I remember once I posted on Facebook about Rachel's tomboy side and I had a lesbian acquintance comment on how Rachel might be gay. I didn't really respond to that, but laughed to myself as my child is only 7. I think too often in our "open minded" society, we are quick to label people. Kind of a big contradiction if you ask me. We're supposed to love people for who they are, but we need to label them as well. Or at least our children when they show certain tendencies. Wow. Imagine how much different Rachel's life would turn out if I immediately thought she was gay and favored her supposed "lesbian tendencies".  Thankfully, I am smarter than that.

Right now I see Rachel as a 7 year old tom boy and will treat her as such. I am in no way worried about her. When I was her age I avoided taking showers at all costs, barely brushed my hair, and was often found playing soccer with the neighborhood boys, when I wasn't beating them up. I did not care about how my clothes or hair looked. If I was dressed, I was good to go. And I think I turned out okay. I am sure we all know that I am not a lesbian. I love my husband, who is a man, and find him irresistibly adorable. But how different and confused would I have turned out if my mom immediately started treating me different and shaped me into thinking I was gay.

I think we label people too early in life, with children "coming out" when they are just being children with their various personalities and tendencies. By labeling our children, we cut short their normal development, hindering them to become who they are. Then we wonder why they turn out as depressed teens or adults.

Guess what? I love to wear big dangling earrings and a nice skirt, but I still enjoy getting dirty and banging things with a hammer. That is just who I am and I love it. And I love Rachel for being Rachel, exactly who she is supposed to be.