Friday was full of crying (see previous post), shopping, cleaning, prepping, guest welcoming, and staying-up-until-midnight-because-that's-when-Brandon-got-home-hallelujah!
Saturday morning was #2's Baptism! Technically, it was a Stake Baptism (meaning that all the children who turned 8 years old and have chosen to be baptized do it on the same day. It saves time, water, and stress. Personally, I'm a huge fan of it), but #2 ended up being the only one to be baptized, so it was considered "private." That means I had to plan the whole program, and it went well! My mom gave a talk on Baptism, my sister gave a talk on the Holy Ghost, and #1 sang a solo. Brandon had to baptize #2 twice, though --he accidentally called her by her nickname when he first baptized her! I was the only one who seemed to notice and I immediately told them to do it again. We all laughed about it --I'm kind of glad it happened because it'll make a great story for #2 to tell for the rest of her life. :)
After the baptism, we had a luncheon (just at the church building). I refused to cook/bake for it --everything was purchased at Costco. Yay, Costco! When we finished up with that, we had family at the house for the afternoon, and then Brandon and I got to go see my cousin sing. He is the bass for BYU's Vocal Point --and it was amazing! If you ever get a chance to see Vocal Point perform live, dear reader, you MUST. You simply must! They are fantastic!
This morning I got to teach Gospel Doctrine (Lesson #10). That meant a stressful morning (plus the fact that we all slept in because of our crazy weekend), and nerves. But it went off really well --and again, I found myself grateful for a very supportive ward. People answer questions and provide insight and share personal stories. I love it! I makes my job easier.
Now we are home. Lunch has been eaten, fast offerings have been paid, newspaper has been read, movies are being watched, and naps are being had. It feels good to have the big event (the Baptism) behind us. I have motivation to get the house organized this week --maybe starting with the BIGGEST project: The Office. I can't even begin to describe the state of horror that room is in, but I'm feeling optimistic for some reason.
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Random New Goal: To not bite my fingernails for the entire month of March.
Do you think I can do it? Do you bite your nails? Did you stop? How did you get yourself to stop that nasty, awful, nervous habit? I've seriously been biting my nails for nearly 30 years. Maybe. I don't even know when I started. I think I kept doing it because it was faster/easier than cutting them, and being a pianist and all, having short nails is important. I hate the clicking of nails on the piano --plus, it prohibits me from playing as well as I could, too. So, I just keep biting them. Plus, it's a nervous habit; when watching a scary movie or reading an intense novel, I bite without realizing it. I don't bite them down to the nubs, though --my habit isn't quite that bad. Isn't this a fun subject? Are you thoroughly grossed out now?
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Most of you know I'm obsessed with British history. I'm not an expert (far from it), but for some reason, I'm thoroughly attracted to all things British/Scottish/Irish --and the more rural, the better. I love the historical romance, the historical intrigue, the architecture, the language, the culture, etc. I wish I knew more and had time to learn more, and definitely had the time/money/opportunity to travel there. The one week I spent in London was a dream come true for me (it was in January 2009), and I wonder each day when I'll be able to go back to the UK again.
Why do I feel this way? I'm really not sure. But I've been pondering on my family history lately, and I realized that most of my family come from Scotland and England. Several lines are from Denmark (and Sweden), too, but the majority are from the UK. Is it a familial thing drawing me back to the land of my ancestors? Makes sense to me! But the irony is that it's not the modern England that attracts me (although I don't mind it) but the historical England. That's why I think it has to do with my family. They don't live in the modern British society. Obviously.
And now, I think I'll watch Under the Greenwood Tree again.
Are you slightly obsessed with a culture/country/geographic region not of your birth or current residence? Is there a reason for it? Did you live there? Serve a mission there? Or do you have historical ties to it like me?
Ooh! And tell me, where is your family from? Where are your ancestors from? What is your cultural heritage? I love learning this about people...
8 comments:
if i keep my nails painted, i don't chew on them. that's the only thing that has ever really helped me!
If you only bite them to keep them short, find somewhere in your daily routine to add a nail check/cut - put clippers on your bedside table and do it first thing in the morning or at bedtime, next to your toothbrush, or maybe even with your scriptures. Attach it to something that you already do every day. If you've already cut them short, then hopefully you'll lose the habit of biting them.
(mine are next to my laptop and I do it while I check email in the morning)
My family is Scottish/English/Welch, seriously all from the British Isles! I went to England/Wales when I was 18 with my parents and fell in LOVE, it felt like coming home to me. Went back with my husband 12 years ago to visit my parents serving a mission there, and again it was magic and I fell in love all over again (with the country and also my husband :) I get the love affair with England. I would choose to go there over almost any other place on vacation!
I was the only one who seemed to notice
That's why mothers should be the witnesses! ;)
Good luck with the nail-biting-stopping. If you find something that works, let me know. I don't bite my nails (the thought makes me shudder), but my daughter does. The girl hasn't had to trim her nails in probably 10 years because she bites them so regularly. She also bites her toenails, so...yeah, I can't help you.
Hey have you seen "Miss Potter" with Ewen McGreggor and Renae Zellwegger (don't laugh, I can't spell). The cutest film and it's PG and has fun bits like moving illustrations that my kids loved. I watched it twice in one night. It's about Beatrix Potter who wrote Peter Rabbit. Check it out if you haven't seen it.
Miss Potter is darling.
And about the nail biting, I don't really have any tips for you. I bit my nails from about 5 or 6 until I think I was 11. Then I just decided I didn't want to anymore and stopped. I liked the way my nails looked too much when they grew out to ever do it again.
I stopped biting my nails my first year of Girls' Camp because they had so much dirt caked under them that I just couldn't bring myself to put them in my mouth. So...maybe when you start your garden you can just leave the dirt under your nails. ;)
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