Mondays with Emma

Here's our weekly inspiration from Miss Emma. Love that girl!


One of my favorite lessons from this week was found in Helaman 5: 51-52 which say, “And as many as were convinced did lay down their weapons of war, and also their hatred and the tradition of their fathers. And it came to pass that they did yield up unto the Nephites the lands of their possession.” I like this because up until now, this group of people (Lamanites) had generally had a tradition of wickedness among themselves. However, once they heard the gospel they completely changed and became a righteous people. I think this is wonderful because I think sometimes we have sins we want to give up but Satan tries to tell us that there are things about us that we can’t change, we just are going to have to live with it. However, this scripture gives us encouragement, because if the Lamanites could change their entire way of life, I can change the little things that I need to change. If you are ever feeling down on yourself, just think that you are probably not doing things as bad as the Lamanites were, and they changed so we can too!


I also like the word choice in this scripture of “convinced”. When I read the word “convinced” I thought of the word “converted”, because I think part of being converted is having a belief, or being convinced, but after the Lamanites were convinced or converted, they didn’t just leave it at that. Rather, they acted upon it. Because they knew, they changed their way of life and didn’t war anymore. This applies to us because it is great if we believe the gospel is true, but we also must do something about it in order to strengthen our faith. Today in Ward Conference my Stake President shared something that I really love. He said, “Testimony is what we know and feel. Faith is what we do and become.” In conclusion, I learned two major lessons from this part of scripture. 1. I believe that we are never too far gone to receive God’s help to make us better and 2. I believe that once we are “convinced” or have a testimony, the next step is to “do” or live it. This will help us be even more useful in the hands of God.

Chad's Sculpting Contest

Okay, so every year there is a giant contest for all the dental students in Chad's school. The contestants are given small 4-inch blocks of wax to sculpt into whatever they want. Chad wanted to sculpt his into a naked man! (weird.) Last year, Chad made an awesome guitar. He won second place, and earned 75 bones.

This year, Chad spent many hours re-creating this amazing wax guy. (Sorry for the nudity--at least he's got a leaf on, right?) One of Chad's teachers is always showing a slide with a picture of the Statue of David with his a picture of his own face pasted on it labeled, "The Statue of Carmine" (his first name). Apparently everyone loves this particular teacher, so the statue was an instant hit. Wednesday was the day of the convention, and Chad won first place!! Isn't that amazing? Not that I was surprised, mind you--look at the amazing detail on that guy! I am so proud of Chad, dental student/sculptor extraordinaire! You can just imagine how good he is getting at drilling and filling with utmost precision. I'm excited for him to start seeing patients in a couple more months!

Long Hours = Grouchy Me.

I really just think I wasn't cut out to work 12-hour days. I scrambled to get my hours all done by yesterday so that I could have a long weekend again, and I only half-achieved it. It's such a let down to work all the live-long day and then not get the day off you were expecting. I'm just being a whiner, I know. You don't have to read this.

But while I'm at it, here are things I wish would/would not happen in my job.

1. I wish people would not cancel or no-show. It happens a lot less now that I go to people's houses, but people still stand me up from time to time, or cancel. Which is why I have to see people today. It's just common courtesy, you know?
2. I wish everyone would stop threatening to "send [their kids] off."
3. I wish my 4:00 appointment kid would talk to me, because 4:00 is my nap-time and I almost fell asleep on him yesterday.
4. I wish other therapists/service coordinators/etc. would only make referrals to me for people who actually want or need in-home, intensive therapy. Otherwise it puts me in a really awkward position where they're like, "Yeah, we don't have any problems with him at home/school. Who are you again?" (it's only happened twice, but still.)

That's pretty much it for the moment. I know I just need to suck it up and 1)be more assertive with people about no-shows/cancellations, 2)continue trying to change the false notion that sending your kids off gets great results, 3)take a power nap before I visit the quiet kid, and 4)communicate with the referral source about why-the-heck they referred Mr. Perfect and his perfect family for in-home therapy.

Sigh. Yesterday morning we had a work meeting. Our boss asked us to write down why we do this work, and to tape the little paper in a place we'd see it. I wrote two things: 1) Because relationships matter, and 2) Because I get to be the Lord's hands. Why is it so hard to keep that perspective sometimes?

I'm sorry for complaining. Things will get better.

The Illustrious Liebster Award.

So apparently, sometimes bloggers nominate each other for awards (who knew?!). I have a new blogger friend at ccmcafeeperspective.com (creator of the Valentine's printable I showed off last week), who nominated my blog for the Liebster Award. The only criteria for winning the award is that your blog is relatively new and you have less than 200 followers. So, yay for being new(ish) and unpopular. . .

Just kidding. I really am honored. What a cool surprise!

At the end of this post, I will nominate 11 of my favorite blogs for the award.

ta-da!! here it is, in all its beauty.

There are a few rules to follow if you receive the award, so if I nominate your blog, here are your rules: 1) Post 11 random facts about yourself. 2) Answer the questions I've set for you in this post (for simplicity's sake, just answer the same ones I answered), then create 11 new questions for the bloggers you pass the award to (or use the same ones--whatever). 3) Choose 11 new bloggers to pass the award to and link them in your post. 4) Go to their page and tell them about the award. 5) No tag backs.

Okay, so it feels a little email forward-ish. But it's an award! I can't not be excited about this. (I think I just figured out how spam-email-forward creators can generate even more forwarding action.) Oh, and side note--if you receive the award and choose not to follow the rules, that is okay. No pressure. Your wishes may still come true, and your one true crush might not shun you.

Here goes.

11 Random Facts

1. I can frown and smile at the same time. I call it the frown-smile. Or the smile-frown. I think it's more of a frown-smile.

2. I love to improvise when I cook, and I like to make up recipes or make substitutions. Sometimes when there is a recipe I want to make and I am missing one of the ingredients, I view it as a challenge. I say, "Oh, you think I'm not going to make this just because I don't have self-rising flour? (or eggs, or onions, or milk, or whatever). We've had some real dud meals because of this little habit, but we've also had some awesome ones! Ones I may never be able to re-create. I usually wait until after Chad has taken a few bites and given his stamp of approval before I say nonchalantly, "Oh, that? Yeah, it's just something I made up. . ."

3. I can be the most passive, gentle, agreeable, easygoing person (most of the time). But when I decide something is important, I can be THE MOST bull-headed, determined girl you have ever seen. I think maybe I get both sides from my mom.

4. I speak Spanish. And Papiamento.

5. I love reading. I don't always finish books, though. Sometimes I will check out several books at once and dabble in all of them.

6. I am the oldest of SEVEN kids. I absolutely love being the oldest, although you may have heard a different story 10 years ago.

7. I am a Marriage and Family Therapy Associate. Meaning that, upon completion of 1000 client hours, 200 supervision hours, a national exam, and a boatload of paperwork and money, I will be a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. In Kentucky, at least. We'll see what happens when (if) we move. I LOVE my job.

8. I pick hot over cold. Beach, beach, beach. I am in love with Aruba. Sarasota, Florida was the most beautiful beach I have ever seen in the U.S. We honeymooned in Daytona Beach, FL. I just can't get enough of the ocean.

9. I have a really high value on keeping in touch with people. I catch up with my best friend from college weekly, for the most part. I have other friends from high school, college, grad school, or my mission that I talk to much less frequently, but I make an effort not to lose contact completely.

10. I married Chad at age 27 and after feeling somewhat hopeless about my prospects. My younger brother AND my younger sister were already married, so I felt somewhat old maid-ish. We met out of the blue, when the time was right. It's so much easier to see that in hindsight.

11. I write songs, although I haven't written any for a while. I have been feeling an itch to get started again, though.

My Answers to the 11 Questions

What is your favorite book?  
Tough. I have always loved the Anne of Green Gables series--all of it.      


Are you a cat or dog person?
Dog. I've never actually owned one, though, and I tend to get somewhat panicked when dogs jump on me, so I don't know how much I would actually love owning a dog. Plus Chad would never go for it.


Where do you see your self in ten years?
Who knows? In Florida, Texas, or Colorado with 3 kids. Chad will be the best dentist ever, and I'll see therapy clients during naptime/school hours. 

        
What is your favorite form of social networking?
Blogging.


What are you most excited about in 2013?
Going home to CO for Emma's mission farewell. Also the half ironman on June 1st. 


What is your favorite Holiday?
Christmas.


Do you prefer coffee, tea, or neither?
Neither.

What is your favorite thing to do in your spare time?
Hang out with Chad, or traveling. Or BOTH.


Do you have any weird habits?
Umm. . . I used to always commit to every party, study group, get-together, etc. even if I knew I was double-booked or would have to cancel on somebody later. I have worked to get rid of that habit, but I still feel the urge to say "yes" now and then when I should say "no."

What's your favorite smell?
Cookies in the oven.


How many siblings do you have?
I have 6 siblings--3 brothers and 3 sisters.

And the 11 Liebster Awards go to. . .(drum roll, please)

Katie@Mr & Mrs. Smith

Alyssa@The Objects of My Affection

Kat@Fritzi Marie

Jenny@From the Elms

Elise@The Powell Family

Kelsey@jmac+kmac

Pam@All Four Sons

Olivia@Olivia in NC

Curt@Tortoise Leak

Amanda@For the Love of Life

Kim@Happy Stanley Family

My Favorite Little Guest Writer.

Says Emma:

As human beings, when we are presented with a “difficult circumstances”, I think we often react by feeling stressed out or feeling afraid. It just so happens that this type of situation is presented in Alma 58. Verse 6 says, “And the Lamanites were sallying forth against us from time to time, resolving by stratagem to destroy us; nevertheless we could not come to battle with them, because of their retreats and their strongholds.”  In addition, the Nephites were not receiving the food or provisions that they needed. Initially, they were “grieved and also filled with fear…”, which seems like a reasonable reaction. But I love this part in the scriptures because this despair directly contrasts with what they decided to do next. In verse 10 it says, “Therefore we did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he would strengthen us and deliver us; insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him.” Afterwards, they “did take courage will all our might” and “were fixed with determination” “and thus we did go forth”. I love the comparison between their initial feeling of grief and their later expression of faith. I love how after they exercised their faith, they were blessed with many gifts that we could use in our daily lives, like the gift of peace and the gift of courage. Reading these verses together just shows how faith is so much more productive than fear.  Faith may not be our immediate response to a difficult situation, but as we move past fear into faith, we will be blessed with many gifts fromGod. We will have the strength to keep going and He will be able to make much more out of our lives than we would be able to without Him.  

I just want to brag about my man--is that okay?

So, yesterday was my first Sunday acting as quasi-ward choir director (recently got called as ward music chair, and decided to pull together a pick-up choir to do a special musical number in March). Not only did Chad participate in the choir like a good husband, but he came home and spent several hours using his tech savvy to transcribe the musical number I had in my head (the number splices two different hymns, Where Can I Turn for Peace & My Redeemer Lives). Now everyone can have a copy, and I can look like I know what I'm doing! He makes my life so much easier. I love that man.

Friday's Musings and Our New Bedroom!

Today is Friday and I didn't have to work today! Well, other than writing some casenotes from yesterday's sessions. I have several co-workers who work 4-day weeks, and I've always been jealous. This week I set the goal to get it all done in 4 days, just to see what it was like. Yesterday I got 8 hours of therapy in! (I realize that may just sound like I worked an 8 hour day, but when you consider meetings and driving, it was actually a 13-hour day with no breaks). I actually don't know how I did it... but today has been nice. It may or may not ever happen again.

I've had some experiences with therapy this week that felt like setbacks, but I am trying to view them as learning experiences. One client's parents dragged her to a residential treatment facility one night when she was "out of control." It was so disappointing, because I really felt like we had started getting somewhere, and I had to close the case because insurance would consider mine a duplicate service (if I were to continue seeing the parents while the girl is in residential, that is). If the parents would have called me, I know I could have helped them to work through the heat of the moment and make a more reasoned decision about what was best for the girl. But then again, maybe mom and dad didn't want to be talked out of it. Sigh.

Anyway, it was a day off and I got to spend part of it in the dental lab with Chad. I drilled little shapes into a practicing board, sanded stuff, used a little mini saw to sort of "floss" in between some fake teeth, and mixed up some cement-y stuff to make an impression. Oh, it was fun. And now I  need to go train. Must train. Don't want to train today. Will. Must.

The bedroom makeover is complete. The rug I ordered arrived yesterday. I like how it turned out. Do you think I did an okay job pulling the browns and black together? (black rug/black bed frame; brown door frames and furniture; blackish brownish ottoman and pillow cover)

I have to say I'm super pleased with how it turned out. I'm not much of a seamstress, but I had such a fun time making the curtains and the pillow cases (thanks, Duane & Andrea for letting me use your sewing machine!). It feels so much better being in that room now than it did before--oh, how I wish I had some before pictures. It was pretty blah.