Our Money Pit

I have to say that I am very familiar with a vehicle being an endless problem. I currently drive a 1984 pickup which has fewer things right with it than wrong. But that's not what I'm writing about. (I also had to deal with an Isuzu Rodeo when I got married, but that's another book that will never be written. I still twitch at night when I think about it.)
Recently I read a post on my sister-in-laws blog about a recent tire escapade and I laughed pretty hard. I too have sunk what seems like an endless amount of money into our "new" car. First of all, last winter was like driving on an ice rink with the "high performance all season tires" that it had. Yeah, lies. So we decided to get some soft composite winter tires. But hey, if your going to pay for mounting, balancing, dismounting, and re-balancing for every season you might as well buy a new set of rims. Right? They'll pay for themselves. That felt pretty good on the debit card.
So the winter goes by great. We put our "high performance all season tires" with our new rims on the car for summer driving. Low and behold, the tire bands had broken apart and were waiting for a pot hole to have a catastrophic failure (see picture above). I didn't want my wife to have that much excitement in her day, so I decided to go and see what it would take to get some new tires. Well as it turns out, it was only really bad on one tire, and since you can't just replace one when the others are half gone (yeah, you would think a tire should last a little longer that half it's life. However, the previous owner didn't see fit to grace us with the warranty on the said "high perfo....junk tires"). I didn't strike a gold mine in the back yard of my rental apartment over the winter, so I still was in the condition I was and the beginning of the winter, poor. Only more poor. So what does a guy do. I still didn't want my wife to have that much excitement on her way to school so I busted out my beaten debit card and only bought two new tires. Yes, the front are bad, but I have to put that on in the hands of the Lord. We are trying desperately to make it to the end of the summer to my internship. If we can just get there alive I will be so, oh so happy.
All you people out there battling with the preserve my life vs. fix my car...I feel your pain. If it were my car, I wouldn't care. I suck CO (carbon monoxide) from my broken exhaust on my truck to prove it. But that's another story. I hope I don't get too much brain damage. I try and drive with the window down. Winter was tough. My heater doesn't work either.
Paul

I'm a Survivor (Part 2)

Welcome to the "Days of Our Lives"
I literally feel like I have stepped into a soap opera. Each day I wake up thinking that I dreamed everything that happened to me the day before. Last week I woke up a few times wishing the day before had been a dream. I'm glad that at least school is coming to a close at the end of this week. One less thing to think or worry about. Yet even as I write these things I feel that I have no room to complain. Others would have a better reason to ask the question "Why me?"
While I have found my share of downs this semester, there have been a lot more ups, and I can say that I am grateful for the blessings that I do have. I have truly found comfort in the talk given by Elder Jeffery R. Holland posted previously. So if you're having one of those days just find comfort in the fact that someone else knows exactly what your going through, and he is there with you every step of the way.
Em

Easter Message

I'm sorry everyone I deleted this....having technical issues. You can find it on YouTube under "Elder Holland's Easter Message"

By Elder Jeffery R Holland, an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
I am so grateful for my Savior today! I love him and am so grateful for his presence in my life. He is my constant.

My Love, My Valentine

During this last month was the blessed day of valentines. This year I heard people getting all up in arms about it being made up by the card companies, just another holiday for them recieve an abormally large sum of money. ( Which by the way could not be farther from the truth)

Yet I don't think one woman would deny an excuse to go out, get flowers, or even the occassional card from the one she loves.

So I'm going to dedicate this post to Paul. I honestly could say that no man could be more perfect. I wouldn't hesitate in saying that I got the better end of the deal. I still cannot believe that I married the little boy I met in my 9th grade math class. It still blows me away when I wake up next to him in the morning, and he still gives me butterflies when he walks into the room. Although the road here was a long one, I am so grateful to have him as mine! Our famous saying was always..."The best things in life are worth waiting for". I truly believe that, and I'm glad that I got what I was waiting for.

Goberment?

I was looking through Paul's mission photos and found this..... thought you all would enjoy it!



















Need I say more!

Then You Stand

Today was a really overwhelming day. I truly think that some people were inherently born with the talent of suppressing stress. Although I may try my hand at breathing exercises, and anxiety books, I don't think I will ever manage a life devoid of tension. I was driving home after a long day at school and once again I was feeling it build up inside of me. It seemed to move all the way through my body until it conveniently positioned itself in my forehead. Out of habit I looked in my review mirror to switch lanes and I took a good look at myself. I hardly even recognized the person staring back at me, I continued to stare trying unsuccessfully to straighten out my forehead. I composed myself, focused and even began to rub it back and forth until I finally got it to look normal. Just as my focus moved to something else it would tense back up again. I was tempted to get frustrated with myself but what's the point in being frustrated with my frustration. Needless to say I failed in my attempts to once again conquer my disease of tensionidous.


About two weeks ago I was given a rather large tedious assignment in my "Form and Analysis" class. I walked away feeling like I had just gotten hit by a bus. I don't think these professors understand what they are doing to me!!! It was only an hour later that my left eye lid began to twitch. I must admit that it was probably the most annoying thing that I have ever experienced in my life up till this point. Not to mention I had to keep people from getting too close to me while in conversation for fear they would notice my one retarded eye blinking by itself. I began to wonder what I was going to do when it continued to go untamed the next morning. I sat in the farthest corner of the classroom and hoped my professor didn't notice this newly formed habit. Today I continue to hide myself from civilization as it has been roughly two weeks and my eye lid is still loving this newly found freedom to do whatever it pleases. Someday I will find peace!

Em

Home for Christmas

Christmas was great. I can't describe how great it was to just sit down and watch Christmas movies with Paul and have nothing in the world to think about, No homework, no events to sing at, no need to go to bed early.
We went shooting with James, and Paul's Dad. A day that should be documented considering it was the first time I actually shot and hit more clay than I didn't. We also did some snowman building, game playing, Christmas decorating, niece entertaining, and LIPS singing.

Now we have returned to our normal routine and although it can be stressful I am excited for this semester. I started an Opera Workshop class which has definitely been a new experience for me. I am not an actress, but I knew I needed to take this class to get over the many nerves that still continue to accompany me when I sing. Becoming a character sort of allows you to step out of yourself, which is a much needed process for me at this time. Now I just have to get over acting in front of people. I almost feel like I'm opening myself up for rejection by letting people see me not as myself, but I hope it helps me at a performance level. I'll also be learning how to better speaking the languages I sing in, and have a semester performance where I will be singing an Italian aria (Voi Che Sapete) while I act out the scene it's taken from.
Along with many other performances this semester my most important is my junior recital which will be at the end of the semester. I am a little nervous because it's first time that I will be the only one singing on the program, 45 min all alone...a little intimidating. I'm just grateful to have people who support me in everything, especially Paul who has to listen to me practice everyday. I can't be easy to do math while you wife is singing opera. I love you Babe!