Family Reunion

A couple weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend a 3-day family reunion. It was my dad's brothers and their kids. I needed the time away and it did me a world of good!

Before the reunion, "stressed" didn't even begin to touch how I felt about being home! I felt tense, short-tempered, irritable, angry, frustrated, hurt, betrayed, undermined... I thought for sure, I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown!

But 3 days of laughing and talking, playing with little and playing new games, great food and new recipes, calm and peace did me a world of good-- I really needed the peace!

My mom, two uncles (and corresponding aunts), six cousins (and five spouses.. a couple of which I hadn't met before), and over a dozen of the next generation were in attendance. We had littles running all over the place- splashing in the water, making chalk drawings on the sidewalk, watching movies, playing with toys.... I loved it!

Cousins!!!

But something I noticed.... something wonderful!

Those little kids were all pretty young- all under 10. There were a couple of tinies that were just barely walking, and if you've dealt with kids that age, you know that they fall- and not always the cute little bounce to their butt. Sometimes, the fall includes a whack to the head or a bruised ego... and crying. And here's the thing I noticed: No matter who the parents were or where they were, someone was there to pick up the sad little one. Even if the adult wasn't one of his own parents.. or her direct aunt or uncle.. someone was always willing to rush to the baby, pick him or her up and snuggle and dry tears. We were all there for each other.

As I was driving home, a 6-hour drive, I had a lot of time to think about this. And I realized something- This is how I think heaven would be- we're all there together, people we know and love, people we worry about and care for (the kind of caring that involves actually doing something, not just the feels). And no matter what hurts, how or why it hurts, there's someone... Someone there to hug the hurt away, dry the tears, and set you down to continue your adventure!

An Older Brother

When I was growing up, I wanted a big brother. The big brother who would take his little sister out for her first date so she knows what a "real gentleman" is like, the big brother who threatens to break any boy who breaks his sister's heart, the big brother who would move heaven and earth to protect his little sister....

And then I realized..

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

I always did!

Analogies, Parables, and Teaching Stories- Part 8

I've always had a thing for analogies, parables, and the like. As teaching tools, they use every-day situations and ideas to explain complex principles, making those complex ideas a whole lot easier to understand. Often, they can explain ideas that would otherwise be nigh impossible to explain accurately.

Jesus Himself used parables all the time in His teaching. Sometimes this was to make the teaching of a certain principle easier. But often He didn't give an explanation. He simply allowed people to take from the "nice story" what they would- an act of mercy, given that we are each held accountable for following the doctrines we understand.

The first in this series was about ducks. The second one was about medicine.. and salvation. The third was about math class. The fourth was about engines and society. The fifth was about dirt. Number six was about my grandma's puzzles. The most recent, seven was about light- lightning vs. a flashlight.

Today, I'm gonna talk about butterflies!

A butterfly has four stages in his life cycle: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and full grown butterfly.

The egg doesn't do much beyond sitting still and growing from a fertilized egg cell into a squished-up tiny caterpillar.  And to be fair, that's all he can do... and all he needs to be able to do. But there comes a point where he has to hatch and continue his progress or he dies.

So he hatches and is freed from the confines of his egg. He has legs and a mouth! And he uses both! He walks around and eats and eats and walks around... and gets bigger and fatter.

Eating and eating and eating!

Then he hangs upside down and... just hangs there. From all appearances he's dead. But really, inside there is something marvelous happening. His whole form is changing: he is losing nearly all those legs, he is slimming down, his ravenous mouth is changing shape and function... and he is growing wings!!

A minute or two after breaking out of the confinement of the chrysalis, he is something entirely different from what he was at the beginning. He has (nearly) complete freedom of movement with those beautiful glorious wings. Instead of crunching leaves, he drinks nectar from flowers with a delicate built-in straw. He isn't even the same color anymore! He's downright amazing!

And its not offensive to the beautiful butterfly momma  when that little green  caterpillar declared that someday, he could be a butterfly.

So it is with us. We also have four stages to our divine life cycle- there was a stage where all we did was learn. But there came a point where we had to leave the confines of our heavenly home to continue that development.

So we came to earth. We walk around consuming information and knowledge, hopefully growing fat in wisdom.

Then one day we die. But that's when the magic happens! Our physical bodies are dead but what was inside of us making us alive becomes something so wonderful. We lose all those physical problems we had (mental illness, physical shortcomings, physical and emotional scars). Our minds are enlightened with the knowledge of who and what we really are. We are preparing to BECOME who and what we really are.

And its not blasphemy to our glorious Father when we as his mortal children declare that some day, we can be like Him!

Analogies, Parables, and Teaching Stories- Part 7

I've always had a thing for analogies, parables, and the like. As teaching tools, they use every-day situations and ideas to explain complex principles, making those complex ideas a whole lot easier to understand. Often, they can explain ideas that would otherwise be nigh impossible to explain accurately.

Jesus Himself used parables all the time in His teaching. Sometimes this was to make the teaching of a certain principle easier. But often He didn't give an explanation. He simply allowed people to take from the "nice story" what they would- an act of mercy, given that we are each held accountable for following the doctrines we understand.

The first in this series was about ducks. The second one was about medicine.. and salvation. The third was about math class. The fourth was about engines and society. The fifth was about dirt. Number six was about my grandma's puzzles.



There once was a man who traveled for work, coming home each Friday evening. One weekend, a storm rolled in along with the man. Because of the storm, he was later than usual and particularly eager to get home. In his hurry, he hadn't kept track of the fuel gauge on his car and ran out of gas just a couple miles from the station near his home.

Taking advantage of the occasional lightning, he would run as far as he dared, and then he would slow and stumble in the dark, waiting for the next flash of light. It took much of the night to get to the gas station.

He finally got there, filled his gas can, and paid the attendant. As he was about to leave, the attendant handed the man a flashlight. While nowhere near as bright as the lightning, the flashlight gave constant light and the man was back to his car soon.



Like the lighting, the "light of Christ" is given and available to all mankind. It's not constant, not consistent. Its light is only occasional, lighting for just short times. On the other hand, the gift of the Holy Ghost may not be flashy and blindingly brilliant, but it's constant. So long as we keep ourselves worthy, this light will be our constant guide, making progress easier and faster.

How Will They Know?

Our children are being robbed.

They are not growing up in the America this nation was meant to be. I don't know about some, but that's not ok with me that they not be able to partake of the inheritance that was this nation.

They aren't going to learn the glory and wisdom of the Constitution. They won't see the checks and balances our Founding Fathers built into the three-branch government. They won't experience the power and poetic self-regulating equilibrium of a truly free-market economy.

And these things won't be taught in public schools.

Just as faith in God, His love, His miracles, and His power, these things will have to be taught in the home. If the rising generation is to know these things, it is up to us to teach them.

We need to read the Constitution and study it and understand what the Founding Fathers meant. We need to know why it was so important to them to protect these freedoms- speech, religion, be armed comparable to the military and law enforcement, and have a fair trial. And we need to have faith that their ideas were inspired by God.

We need to understand how various economic and political systems work (and don't work) so we can transmit the value of freedom, agency, and liberty to our children.

We need to keep our testimonies and faith in God bright. We need to keep in contact with our Father- praying to Him and reading His word so that we have oil in our lamps to share with our children.

We need to be educated so we can communicate those ideas to our children.

These ideas and ideals will be lost unless WE are the ones who keep them alive by living them, talking about them with our friends and neighbors, and actively teach them to our children.

 How Will They Know?

1. How will they know, the ones for whom we care,
   That God is love and with us everywhere,
   That life is good, with blessings all can share?
   How will they know unless we teach them so?
2. How will they learn that, though they go astray,
   God will forgive and help them find the way?
   How will they feel the Spirit day by day?
   How will they know unless we teach them so?
3. How will they grow in wisdom and delight?
   How will they choose to follow what is right?
   How can they trust the future will be bright?
   How will they know unless we show them?
4. How will they live when they at last are grown?
   What will they give to children of their own?
   Will they reflect the values we have shown?
   How will they know, as on through life they go?
   How will they know unless we strive to teach them so?

Peace for the Broken Heart

Recently, I've been struggling with feelings of inadequacy. I flip-flop from what I know in my head to the stormy seas in my heart. I struggle being patient with customers at work who are frustrated and afraid. I find myself feeling intolerant of those whose values and choices diverge wildly from my own. I struggle to stay kind with those who insult and offend. I have to tamp down my own impatience so I can be loving to those who need me.

I know in my head that their frustrations, differences in knowledge , views, attitudes, priorities, needs, circumstances, and even personal history all play a part in how they behave. But I still find myself feeling frustrated, getting unreasonably offended or angry at the smallest slights and the mildest of requests, or crying because it hurts so badly.


Why can't I stay kind and patient with those who are afraid or hurting or don't understand? Why am I not enough to inspire those with walls around their hearts to bring their walls down? What do I need to do differently to be the kind of person that everyone thinks I am?

The weight of this was heavy on my heart one night- Why am I so weak? Why am I not enough?

I know there's solace somewhere, but that night it was out of reach. My heart was so broken, I didn't even have the presence of mind to ask for help from Him whose name is seen as synonymous with comforting the broken, healing the sick and wounded, feeding the hungry soul.

A blog I follow is Women in the Scriptures. The author pulls references to a woman or group of women in the scriptures and does an abstract, from Eve to "the concubines of Judges 19." Other times she simply lists her Five things for Friday- things she is grateful for from the previous week. One time, she shared a review of a book, Glimpse of Heaven, an account of one LDS woman's death experience.

The part I found fascinating was that once the Veil of Forgetfulness was lifted from the book author's mind, she saw herself as our Father sees His children:

"Once the blocks were removed from my memory,  I was a completely different person. Gone were my insecurities and doubts. (Gone was my depression). Eternal truth and God's love dominated that realm. As a result, my confidence was supreme. I struggle to find the words that can even being to describe what it felt like to be me in that sphere of existence. My entire being was infused with love and  gratitude and devotion to God... Being allowed to know my strengths and my abilities again was the most wonderful reunion I have ever experienced, and the reunion was with the real me." (pg. 5)

All of our insecurities and doubts and handicaps- whether they're about our looks, abilities, temptations, fears, struggles that stem from health issues (mental or physical)- are foreign to our divine nature. We are His children and His children are awesome!


Now if I can just get this knowledge into my hear.

Quick Thoughts on the 2nd Amendment

Jan 19 was Gun Appreciation Day. All over the country, gun rights advocates gathered on the steps of state capitols to declare that we will not go softly into the night. We will not go the way of Holland, falling to socialists in 5 days because they weren't armed. We will not have God-given rights defined by our founding fathers in the Constitution taken away by executive order of a President who cheated his way into a second term.

Some think that gun rights are about skeet shooting or hunting. That's included, but that's not really what the Founding Fathers were worried about. Others take gun rights a step further, to personal and property protection. Again, that's included, but not really the ultimate intent of why the Founding Fathers wanted to secure the right to be armed.

The fathers of this nation wanted to limit government. The Second Amendment is about preventing military and government coercion. The right of a citizenry to arm themselves comparable to the military is a deterrent comparable to the little old lady armed to the teeth- she may be old, weak, and medically frail, but her sidearm levels the playing field between her and the strong healthy 20-something criminal intent on harming her, taking her property, or even her life.

There are those who think it's offensive and disgusting to even consider comparing Obama to Hitler. I will quote my brother's thoughts on this (a FB comment):

Comparing two things that are similar happens quite frequently. Why is it offensive and disgusting? Because we have the benefit of hindsight, a view of their end-game on one, and a large gaping hole to the other. A comparative analysis in an attempt to predict the future, or prevent a negative future or event also happens with relative frequency. I'm not trying to put anyone down, but why do you think its offensive?
I agree that we should promote what we believe in over putting something/someone else down. But in a comparative analysis or assessment you've got to weigh the pros as cons of both sides. Or at the least be aware of the pros and cons of both sides.

The reality is that Obama may be doing it slower, but he's attempting the same path der Fuhrer took prior to WW2. With the benefit of hindsight, why would anyone not take advantage of that wisdom?

The reality is that the right to arm oneself was spelled out for the express purpose of keeping the government in check. Some elected officials have backed us up on this.

7 January 2013

The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States of America
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Obama:

We, the elected sheriffs of Utah, like so many of our fellow Americans, are literally heartbroken for the loved ones of the murdered victims in Connecticut. As Utahans, we are not strangers to this kind of carnage – one of the latest being the 2007 Trolley Square murders wherein nine innocents were gunned down – five losing their lives.

We also recognize the scores of other recent domestic massacres, which have decimated countless honorable lives. As Americans, we value the sanctity of life. Furthermore, similar to our inspired Founders, we acknowledge our subservience to a higher power.

With the number of mass shootings America has endured, it is easy to demonize firearms; it is also foolish and prejudiced. Firearms are nothing more than instruments, valuable and potentially dangerous, but instruments nonetheless. Malevolent souls, like the criminals who commit mass murders, will always exploit valuable instruments in the pursuit of evil. As professional peace officers, if we understand nothing else, we understand this: lawful violence must sometimes be employed to deter and stop criminal violence. Consequently, the citizenry must continue its ability to keep and bear arms, including arms that adequately protect them from all types of illegality.

As your administration and Congress continue to grapple with the complex issue of firearm regulations, we pray that the Almighty will guide the People’s Representatives collectively. For that reason, it is imperative this discussion be had in Congress, not silenced unilaterally by executive orders. As you deliberate, please remember the Founders of this great nation created the Constitution, and its accompanying Bill of Rights, in an effort to protect citizens from all forms of tyrannical subjugation.

We respect the Office of the President of the United States of America. But, make no mistake, as the duly-elected sheriffs of our respective counties, we will enforce the rights guaranteed to our citizens by the Constitution. No federal official will be permitted to descend upon our constituents and take from them what the Bill of Rights-in particular Amendment II-has given them. We, like you, swore a solemn oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, and we are prepared to trade our lives for the preservation of its traditional interpretation.

The Utah Sheriffs’ Association

One Utah Sheriff's signature was missing- Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder. I asked him:

Why didn't you back my right to carry a gun in your county and not be disarmed by federal agents? Do you not uphold the Constitution, specifically the 2nd Amendment?

Rosa Parks didn't have a "need" to sit at the front of the bus, but that doesn't mean she didn't have the right to do so.

I may not "need" to carry a bigger clip, but that doesn't mean I don't have the right to do so.

Man up and take the solemn vow you made when you became sheriff seriously.

Why didn't Sheriff Winder sign this letter? Why was he not willing to re-affirm the oath he took when he took the badge?

I guess the part of this whole deal that bothers me the most is that there are those who would give up a little freedom to get safety. I have to agree with our dear Brother Franklin- they deserve neither.

Do I need an Ak47 to hunt a deer? No. Am I comfortable with the general public owning large clips and automatic weapons? No. But something I am far, far more uncomfortable with is someone attempting to take away my freedom. Even pieces of it. This isn't a gun debate, this is a freedom debate, and the fact you are willing to hand over a few of your freedoms... any of them, is alarming at best.

Thank you, dear FB friend from ages past who put it much better than I could have.

Analogies, Parables, and Teaching Stories- Part 6

I've always had a thing for analogies, parables, and the like. As teaching tools, they use every-day situations and ideas to explain complex principles, making those complex ideas a whole lot easier to understand. Often, they can explain ideas that would otherwise be nigh impossible to explain accurately.

Jesus Himself used parables all the time in His teaching. Sometimes this was to make the teaching of a certain principle easier. But often He didn't give an explanation. He simply allowed people to take from the "nice story" what they would- an act of mercy, given that we are each held accountable for following the doctrines we understand.

The first in this series was about ducks. The second one was about medicine.. and salvation. The third was about math class. The fourth was about engines and society. The fifth was about dirt.

This time, it's play time!

L-R: Me, Grandma Hale, Mom
Mom's first Mothers' Day as a mother.

My Grandma Hale loved jigsaw puzzles. By the time she passed away, she had an entire closet full of them! Unfortunately, they hadn't been exactly kept separate, some puzzles were in the wrong boxes, and some puzzles were just in zippy bags (It happens when you raise 5 boys!). Good times ensued trying to figure out what pieces went together, what the picture was meant to be. If you don't think that was a task- The only way to make sure you had the whole puzzle was to put it together... all of them!


That's kinda like the truth of God.

He's got the full picture. He gives mankind the full puzzle, including the picture on the top of the box and we rip into and put it together. Some people don't like the picture, others want to be the one to put the last piece in so they hide one or two pieces. Sometimes people just make up their own pieces.

Now take these kinds of shenanigans and multiply them by centuries.. and add power-trippers and bad lighting for translators... you get the idea. You have loads of people who think they know what He's got going on, and they're all a little off.

But Father loves us and doesn't want that for us. So every once in a while, Father re-issues a new box with a full set of pieces for His puzzle. He gave a new puzzle to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaiah, and Joseph Smith (not a comprehensive list, clearly).

This church has the most complete copy of Father's puzzle available on earth today. I'm positive there's more to it, but we're not ready for it. In the meantime, I'm grateful for the pieces we have, for the beauty of the picture we've been given.

Another Movie Review

Jean Valjean, Prisoner 24601

For those who have read the book or seen the movie (there have been a couple) or musical a lot of this will be a review.

The story starts in post-revolution France and the law at the time was pretty hard-line about criminal behavior- Jean Valjean stole a loaf of bread and got 5 yrs. Of course he tried to escape and ended up serving a total of 19 yrs.

With a criminal record, he was unable to find work and was left on the street- cold and hungry. He came to a church and was given food and a bed for the night. He got up in the middle of the night, filled a bag w/pieces of a beautiful silver service, and ran. He was caught by the police and brought back.

Valjean had lied to the police, saying the silver was a gift. The priest of the church then did something extraordinary- he could have condemned Valjean to a life sentence in prison, but instead, chose to agree that the silver had been a gift, and asked Valjean why he left the best pieces- a pair of huge silver candlesticks.

In this small act- choosing to not accuse him- the priest offered Valjean forgiveness and compassion and a chance at redemption that he didn't expect to receive. Valjean was able to receive that gift and he ran with it, becoming a successful businessman, even the mayor of the town.

Jean Valjean, ready to fire a warning shot
at Javer at the last baricade.

Throughout the rest of the story, Valjean then offered those same gifts to Javer. Two separate times, Valjean could have utterly destroyed his enemy, but he didn't. He forgave him, and spared his life.

But unlike Valjean, Javer was simply unable to wrap his head around these concepts. He couldn't cope with it.

Valjean's compassion, forgiveness, and honor conflicted with Javer's concept of him being a criminal- a  "dangerous man." It flew in the face of everything Javer had based his life on- justice and the letter of the law.  Valjean's character simply didn't fit this black/white paradigm.

Valjean proved that Javer's entire life had been based on a lie, and he was unable to accept the forgiveness Valjean offered and the goodness in Valjean's character.

I think that's really the wonderful and tragic thing about this story- two men from such different backgrounds who need the same thing and are given that very thing they need so desperately. While one is able to take it and make a wonderful life for himself and those he loves, and the other is unable to accept the gift.. and the dissonance in his own soul destroys him.

The Atonement really is an amazing and wonderful gift.. if we can wrap our heads around it and accept that gift.

My Christmas Playlist

I heard once that there are three levels of Christmas.

Santa Claus

Baby Jesus

The Resurrected Lord

Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then?

Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this

end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world,

that I should bear witness unto the truth.

Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:8-11:

 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

For some, faith comes easy. They "just know." Others have this ability to take testimony of others and use it to light their own lamps. But there are others who don't have either.

Some simply don't have the experiences or exposure to know what faith feels like. They think too much. They don't have the ability to shut their brain off enough to just listen and feel.

In a way, I envy these people- their lives seem so much more simple. WYSIWYG- What you see is what you get. The world is exactly as it appears on the surface. Nothing more, nothing less.

But then again, I don't. I'm so grateful for the knowledge of the gospel. I'm grateful to know that I will see and be with my family again. Some of them I may not like, or they may make me feel inferior.. or superior. Some are goofs, some are somber. Some are pretty rough around the edges and others are refined and genteel. Some are young and naive, others are wise beyond their years, and some are so full of wisdom they are beginning to loose the ability to remember all they know.

But they are mine. They are my brothers and sisters (in law). They are my aunts and uncles, my cousins )and in-law).

I'm sealed to them- They. Are. Mine.

And I am theirs.

I an a daughter, a sister (in-law), a cousin, an aunt, and a friend.

Our faults and flaws- bossy, irreverent, rebellious, selfish, lazy, judgmental, paranoid, arrogant- those are all covered by the Atonement. The faults and flaws and sins inside each of my family members are accommodated for. Through the At-one-ment of our Eldest Brother, each one of us can return to Father.

We can return to Him in the greatest family reunion ever! Our brothers and sisters who came to all the corners of this earth for a body, through all the history of mankind- each of us can tap into the sacrifice our Brother made and repent, become clean each week through the sacrament, become refined and polished gems- the great and noble ones He knew us to be so long ago.

I know I'm flawed. I'm bossy and arrogant. I'm selfish and lazy. I don't always have all the answers... but I can make it. We all can.

The peace that brings, the confidence the knowledge of who I really am, the comfort this brings cannot be found anywhere else.

I'm unspeakably grateful for the wisdom that created this plan, the love that allows this plan to function, the work and sacrifice that brought that knowledge to this day, for this gift.

Come Listen to a Prophet's Voice

So yeah, this is what I'm doing this weekend- 4 hours yesterday, 4 hrs today. Feeding my soul- good stuff!

Come, listen to a prophet's voice, and hear the word of God,

And in the way of truth rejoice, and sing for joy aloud.

We've found the way the prophets went who lived in days of yore.

Another prophet now is sent this knowledge to restore.

The gloom of sullen darkenss spread through earth's  extended space

Is banished by our living Head, and God has shown His face.

Trhough erring schemes in days now past the world has gone astray;

Yet saints of God have found at last the straight and narrow way.

'Tis not in man they put their trust nor on his arm rely.

Full well assured, all are accursed who Jesus Christ deny.

The Savior to his people saith,"Let all my words obey,

and signs shall follow living faith, down to the latest day."

Then heed the words of truth and light that flow from fountains pure.

Yea, keep His law with all thy might till thine election's sure,

Till thou shalt hear the holy voice assure eternal reighn,

While joy and cheer attend thy choice, as one who shall obtain.

Prayer.. and a Miracle

Deadline.. Gotta be out by...

Tuesday evening, I shared with my mom something that had been on my mind, been worrying me for a while.. like since about early April.

• I lost my job (the best I'd ever had) at the end of February... and I hadn't been able to find anything else.
• I'm expecting my landlord back in Colorado Springs around mid August and I absolutely couldn't be still living there when he returned.
• I'm engaged to be married in late July and I'd really prefer living with him... and he's going to school in Salt Lake City.

Without an income, moving was essentially impossible. I really didn't know how I was going to be able to do it.

Wednesday morning, I was online, and a friend got online. She knew that I was engaged, and that I needed to move back to Utah. Here's the conversation:

Friend: hola

Me: hiya

Friend: how are ya?

Me: good..

Friend: good..

Friend: I was thinking....

Friend: did you talk to your parents about a truck?

Me: yes.. Mom isn't working this summer.. she's out $900..

Me: add the food for the reception and food for a family reunion..

Me: they can't help..

Me: there is a possibility for E's parents to help some..

Friend: How much is it going to be?

Me: they're planning to come out, could rent a trailer.. but the only company that has trailers is Uhaul.. and their biggest isn't big enough.

Me: a truck.. the prices I got yesterday were $500 some..

Friend: wow..

Me: mmhm

Me: not counting fuel

Friend: have you checked into a pod?

Me: I did when I was looking at moving here.. they're more.

Friend: oh.. ok

Friend: hmmm..

Friend: I wonder if Dad has a trailer...

Me: but to haul that here.. and then back..?

Friend: how big of a truck do you need?

Me: at least 14'

Friend: ok... I was wondering if you wanted to come early..

Me: I'd be fine with that..

Friend: I could drive the truck down.. unlimited miles..

Me: the only concern would be paying for stuff..

Me: Hmm.. lemme check something..

Friend: well, if you were here early, you could get a job.. use one of our cars and make some money

Me: exactly..

Me: but it's a case of paying for it before I have the money..

Friend: I would cover it and then when you start working you could pay me back a little at a time.

Me: I'm gonna talk to my brother.. see if he has any suggestions..

Me: are you sure?

Friend: yeah.

Friend: I think you need to get here..

Friend: and since you aren't working...

Me: is it ok with your husband?

Friend: I'm talking it over with him...

Friend: calling now.

Friend: could you come to denver later today

Me: ...?

Me: to pick you up??

Friend: yeah

Me: I have scouts at 3.. 3-4:30.. and it's about an hour drive from here

Friend: ok.

Friend: I'm thinking it would be cheaper to rent a car.. I have coupons for that..

Friend: switching computers.. brb

Me: k

Friend: I think I may rent a car..

Friend: ok.. if I go with Hertz, there are 9 locations in CS..

Me: at the airport is closest

Me: 7770 Milton Proby

Friend: enterprise is cheaper..

Friend: let me look on expedia

Me: again, the address on Proby is closest.

Me: (love google maps!)

Friend: lol..

Friend: me too..

Friend: are you ok with me coming this weekend?

Friend: I didn't even ask..

Me: you kinda did, though..

Friend: true

Me:

Friend (6/20/2012 10:53:45 AM): ok... I was wondering if you wanted to come early..

Me: to which I responded..

 Me(6/20/2012 10:54:02 AM): I'd be fine with that..

Me: I'll need to make a couple calls, send a couple emails..

Me: tie up loose ends..

Me: and pack like a mad woman!

Friend: lol... ok

She had been planning to fly out a week and a half before the wedding to help me pack and move. She checked her tickets, found that moving the date up would be more expensive than she wanted to do. Instead, she rented a car which she picked up at 3:pm. She then drove to my home in Colorado, a 9-hr drive, arriving at midnight.

We all KNOW it's never this simple.
Why do they make pictures of it being this simple??
Did I mention that I really dislike moving? I do.

Thursday, we packed boxes.

Friday morning we got the moving truck and packed some more boxes. Friday afternoon, my home teacher came over to help load the truck. Over the course of about 45 minutes, we filled the truck. There were a few odds and ends that needed attending to.

We left the house in the truck at 6:30. We stopped at the church as I needed to drop some things off to my Scouts assistant and I knew she was at Pack Meeting. We also stopped at a good friends' home on the north end of town to drop off a couple of records... and then we left town.

We got about 3 hours worth of the drive done that night. We stopped at a hotel and slept. I showered that night, she showered the next morning before we got back on the road.

We arrived at my fiance's home at 4:30pm on Saturday.

Three days, 604 miles, and about $900.. and I'm moved.