Headed to Oklahoma City --for 3 weeks

I was going through airport security on Monday and was somewhat annoyed (very slightly) by this couple in front of me that was moving slowly and taking up the whole walkway so I couldn’t go around them. I had arrived plenty early so I just thought, ‘oh I have plenty of time I’m just going to stay here and not try to get around them.’

I noticed they had some walking sticks with them and so I struck up a conversation with the wife. They were going to go hiking in the Rocky Mountains. Well at security their stuff didn’t go through at all. The security personnel had to keep coming back and putting it back on the belt. These security people were really intense. I think every person had their bag opened. They took away my yogurt. They said it was considered a paste—which is so incredibly dumb! After working for the federal government I am starting to understand why there are so many incredible dumb things we have to do.

When I got up to the gate this gentleman struck up a conversation with me which was very interesting. We noticed this guy walking around with this thing sticking out of his bag that looked like a bull horn. We talked about it and commented that it looked like a weapon. When he boarded the plane I went up to this other guy and asked him about it. He was so delighted that I had asked him. He had been at the World Cup in South Africa and was just returning. It was fun to hear about his experience there.

Then I finally got to board—I was in the last group—I got to my seat and the couple at security was sitting next to me. I laughed and comments on how funny that we. We had a wonderful conversation throughout the flight. They were from Belgium where I have lived so it was fun to talk about that. They had seen some things in DC that I didn’t know about so it was nice to learn about that.

I was so grateful that I had spoken with the couple and the other people I spoke with. It really made my trip delightful. When I got on my flight to go to Oklahoma, (for work), the person sitting one seat in front of me was a friend I had made at the FAA who works in San Francisco. I said, “Jen!” She turned around and saw me—took off her seatbelt and stood up to give me a hug. She is really such a nice person! We talked for awhile until the guy next to us rudely in a way told us to stop talking. She offered to take me to my hotel. So we met up with a friend of hers and went to my hotel, their hotel, and then to dinner. It was such a fun day!

Now, I had a great day, but my co-worker, Mike, did not. He was able to get a flight through Chicago, but his flight was full so I decided to take the flight through Denver. When I got through security and stopped at the monitors I noticed that his flight had been canceled. I called and asked what he was going to do. To make a super long story short, he didn’t get in until around 8:00 and his bag didn’t make it with him. He waited at the airport for two more hours. Originally he was supposed to be in two hours before me. I was so incredibly grateful I was not able to get on his flight!!!

I’m in Oklahoma for work for the next three weeks. I do get to go to see my sister and her family this weekend instead of going to DC. I haven’t seen them since December so that will be a lot of fun. I also haven’t been to Colorado in the summer so I’m looking forward to seeing how beautiful it is. My social calendar is filling up. I was teasing one of my coworkers that he needs to decide when we are going to go golfing because my time is filling up. He promised to take me to the driving range. So many fun things to do, but so much work to do too. Not sure if I have enough time for the fun, but I’m working on it.

Wedding and Old Friends

Margarita Tapia and me at Marty's open house

Me, Marty, and Kat. Her wedding dress was beautiful!
Below is a picture of Ann and me. I served my mission in western Pennsylvania. While there I met this wonderful family, the Browns, whom I have kept in contact with since my mission. The kids, Marty and Mike, were in junior high and high school when I was there. Now of course they are all grown up. I went to Prague with Mike a few years ago and Marty and I get together once in awhile to catch up. Marty got married in June and had an open house this past weekend. I was so excited that he got married. When he called and told me that he was getting married I literally screamed in his ear. He asked me if I was done and I said no, took the phone away from my mouth and screamed again. I was just so excited that he found such a fantastic woman because he is such a great guy, but he’s quirky.

When I walked in, I first saw Jerry, the dad. I went up to him and when he gave me a hug he actually lifted me completely off the floor. It was so funny and sweet. I totally enjoyed the attention. Ann, the wife, was there too. I was so happy to see her. She is an amazing woman and I appreciate her thoughts and the way she sorts through information to get to the heart of things. Then, my old housemate, Maggie was there. I was so excited to see her. She has lost a lot of weight and just looks so beautiful! She was always beautiful, but without some of the weight she just looks amazing. It was fun to talk to her and catch up. The bride, Kat, came up to me and said, 'Oh, you are the unofficial sister. I have heard a lot about you.' It was so sweet to know that they had said they had an unofficial sister. Mike wasn't there because he had to work. I wished he could have been there. I'm trying to convince him to put me back on his flight benefits. :)

Easy Button

I have been thinking about how life can be so hard which seems so unfair. Not that it is on my mind all the time, but it kind of stays in the back of my mind. When something happens to me or someone else those latent thoughts pop up.

As we have just celebrated the 4th of July, people have been talking about the forefathers of our country and how difficult things were for them after they signed the Declaration of Independence and how many of them lost their families and even their own lives. The country was devastated after winning the war. I was thinking what they have done for each of us, but how difficult it was. They didn't have any easy button.

Then I was reading in the scriptures and I was thinking about Nephi and how he and his family were in the desert for eight years. I cannot imagine how difficult that must have been. I don't even like camping and they did it for eight years knowing what they were giving up to be there. They didn't have an easy button, but they followed the spirit.

Then I was thinking about Joseph Smith and how incredibly difficult his life was. Imagine being fourteen and then having such an incredible responsibility placed on you. His whole life was one difficulty after the next. He had moments of joy, but he also had a lot of trials.

I wonder if these people ever knew how difficult their lives were going to be. I think that the media including magazines, movies, and tv shows--make life look easy. I was watching some mindless tv show last night. The main character was having all these problems, but in the course of an hour everything turned out perfectly. All of my favorite TV shows and movies all have happy endings. They all have easy buttons where things all come together and work out just like they want them to.

The problem is, life is not like that, but I think the more I watch the shows, even though I know it's all made-up, I have this expectation in my mind that things should work out perfectly and everything should be wonderful and easy. If there's a hard patch it's quickly taken care of and life should be just as I think it should be. I get a little angry, depressed or upset when things don't go the way I want them.

I'm still kind of meditating on this stuff, but I wanted to 'write' it down. I think I need to be reminded that even though I think my life should go a certain way, history shows that that is not the case and not going to happen. There is no easy button, but that doesn't mean that there aren't great moments.

Mamma Mia

I went to Mamma Mia with a group of friends last night. It was SO much fun!!! Evidently we weren't supposed to take photos (which someone told me later), but I took this one of the cast.
Starting from the back of our group is Austin (in the white shirt), Nick, Lynne, Dave, and Lexi Tenny, Mike Mobley, and me. It was a really humid day so I went with light colors, but we were all very sticky.
I had seen Mamma Mia a few years ago (the broadway) and loved it. I convinced the Tennys and Mike that we had to see it because it was so much fun and soooo much better than the movie. It is so lively, energetic and fun. We were cheering, clapping before the scenes were over, and laughing. It is just such a great show! I woke up singing the songs this morning.

Things have been good since the breakup. I miss Dave, but really I'm doing better than I expected. I'm super busy so that helps. Dave was so into me right from the start. It's going to be hard to go back to the LDS crowd where they don't seem to know how to show that they like you. Work is hectic and I have to go to Oklahoma for a few weeks for work, so again, keeping busy. I have great friends who have invited me to things and helped me keep my mind off of it.

I think I am going to try and start running. I went and was fitted for running shoes yesterday. I ran awhile ago and really enjoyed it. My knees didn't hurt and I was able to run for a half hour without any problems. I've never been a runner because I do have knee problems and honestly I didn't think I could do it. However, I guess I can because of all the exercise I do. I have gained weight and feel like I'm just gaining and gaining--because I am. I have got to change some things up so running is something new I can try. I may also join a gym so I can go do classes every morning. They help motivate me so much. Despite all of this, it's really the motivation to do it because it's really not about the exercise. It's about the food intake. I'm just not motivated to stop eating all the chocolate I eat. Part of it's stress, part of it's boredom, and part of it's just psychological. I wish there was a pill I could take that would just make me not want to eat. I would love that!