Happy Birthday Amy!

I am commandeering this blog to wish Amy a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY, whether she likes it or not! She's my best friend and I'm her biggest fan. Although I may only be "Number 10" on her list, she knows she's at the very top of mine...

Why This Week Has Been Great (or in other words - My Life When We Turn Off The TV)

We got back to our nightly constitutional, which I have missed, and the fall air has been chill and rich with the smell of wood fires and decaying leaves. (Sidenote: Paul says I have to explain that a "nightly constitutional" is an evening walk, but you know that, right?) Both of us powered through a couple of great books and actually discussed the IDEAS in them (yup, we're super-intellectual now). We sat on the faux-grass sidelines of an indoor soccer field and watched my superstar sister tear after the ball and tear up her knee. I spent more time in the scriptures and less time on the couch. And sans noise destractions, my creative juices started flowing and I have been writing again.

The week has been so wonderful that I plan to forego most television shows next week as well. ANTM and Heroes aren't that interesting this season anyway.

Fall Break

This weekend, we drove south three hours to visit Arches National Park. Rather than writing all about it, I decided to let our photos do most of the talking.

Ten things that make me smile

1. Juice dripping pink and sticky down my hands from a blushing end-of-summer peach.

2. Planning and scheming about my next "world tour."

3. Sweat beads on my forehead during the last set of crunches in a good workout.

4. Seeing that someone has commented on my blog.

5. Rainy weather (Am I warped? Yes.)

6. Opening a new book and reading the first sentence.

7. Photos taped on my law school carrel (Eiffel Tower, Trevi Fountain, Prague Castle at dusk).

8. Shopping trips where the clothes don't just look good on the mannequin.

9. Really, really loud music.

10. Paul.

Taboo

Sometimes I feel lonely. Like the summer I was 11 and all the other girls turned 12 in the spring so I went to Primary by myself for 6 months while they went to Girls' Camp. Or my sophmore, junior AND senior years of high school in North Platte, Nebraska. Or yesterday when I found out that literally my last married-but-no-kids-yet friend is pregnant. I so admire and respect and love my friends who have kids. They are wonderful examples for me. Not being able to have children doesn't make me sad or depressed or angry or even jealous. But sometimes it makes me feel lonely.