Dinner

So, it looks like I'm back to blogging about my latest adventures with food. A wonderful friend presented me with the lovely gift of lemon pepper a few weeks ago, and today I am cooking with it.

It smells so good in here. This is why crock pots are beautiful and yet tormenting. But in a few hours when I come home from work after a delightful walk in which I will add to my delightful tree journal, I will have delicious pork chops with red potatoes and carrots and caramelized onions and lemon-pepper/applesauce/worcestershire sauce all over them! Sounds a little weird, I know but, seriously- yum. It's going to be good, people.

UPDATE: It's 5:52 pm, and I was right- dinner was delicious!

On the Topic of Being Loved...

I have been super-loved this weekend. Which is good, because the weekend looked like it was starting out in a very lonely manner. But instead, lots of people have absolutely showered me with love. This 21st birthday has been fabulous!

Most importantly, my Father in Heaven loves me. He has my life and heart cradled ever so gently in his incredibly capable hands, and is guiding my path. I'm not really sure where He's leading, but for now that's okay; wherever I end up, as long as I have been following His lead, will be perfect!

I don't really know what else to write. I'm loved, and love it!

Birthdays!

Mine is Monday, and I am super excited! Today I got a massive package from my home. Seriously, we are talking HUGE! A whole 1728 cubic inches of pure joy, people! AND, at the top of it, I found brightly colored tissue paper- WOW! Talk about an exciting box! I'm trying to decide how long I can stand the anticipation before I have to open everything inside... especially the Banana Republic gift bag... I am exceptionally curious. There is a lot of brightly colored wrapping paper in there.

I am going out to dinner with my roommates tonight, and we are going to seriously celebrate. It'll be great! I love those girls so much. They take care of me no matter what kinds of messes or challenges I get myself into, and keep my fragile little heart very close. Which is good; I'm sick of fence-hoppers. This week has been a good one for that. School, work and love have produced so much stress, and a fair measure of heartbreak, but I know at least that these two love me, and will always, always, be there me. So, I am excited to go out and just laugh and be loved, and maybe flirt with a cute waiter or two.

Tomorrow I am going to dinner with my Smith family, and there is sure to be a cake. Yum! And- more love! They are the best. So good to me always.

Then Monday will happen, and it will be my birthday, and hopefully lots of people will love me that day. Lots of people love me every day- I desperately need people to approve of me- and so I'm sure there will be some love on my birthday.

That's all. I'm going to return to sitting anxiously over my big, brightly colored box now...

Faith

Some things in life are hard, and sometimes you have to make decisions that you don't like or understand. In consequence of these circumstances, I find myself once again single. Funny how that works, huh? I'm not really a fan of not knowing why things are happening, but I guess that's why I need faith in my life.

I know that my Heavenly Father has a plan for my life. I know that as I continue to listen to Him and to love Him, my life will work out better than I can imagine. Proverbs 3:6 says "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."So I will continue to acknowledge the hand of my Lord in my life, and all will be well.

A Variation on the Definition of the Word "Wonderful"

According to Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary:

Wonderful
Won"der*ful\, a. Adapted to excite wonder or admiration; surprising; strange; astonishing. Syn: Marvelous; amazing. See Marvelous. -- Won"der*ful*ly, adv. -- Won"der*ful*ness, n.

Well, that's a lovely definition, very useful, applicable in all situations, etc.

In music, composers often create a theme (a melody that is used as the basis for the whole composition), or take one from another composer. They then create variations (different harmonies, rhythms, etc.) from the original theme. Hence, the "theme and variations" (i.e. Rachmaninoff's Variations on a Theme of Corelli). I am copying this concept to create my own variation on the above definition. While not musical, my variation makes me want to sing for joy.

Wonderful
Won"der*ful\, a. ridiculously easy to be myself around; accepting of all my silly quirks. b. talented at brightening my days through optimism and quickness of laughter. c. impresively hard working, with (mostly) balanced priorities. d. able to listen well, and ask the right questions; curious about important topics. e. smart, with a desire for teaching and learning. f. good at remembering conversations, even if only mentioned in passing. g. perceptive of my moods and feelings. h. willing to serve others. i. having a desire to be good, and spread goodness all about. j. cheerful. k. humble. l. curious. m. confident in expressing emotions, concerns, etc. n. decisive. o. lighthearted. p. full of compliments and praise of others. q. beautiful. See Marvelous, Precious, Lovely. -- Won"der*ful*ly, adv. -- Won"der*ful*ness, n.

Right now I am feeling exceptionally grateful for the wonderful people in my life. Especially my Mommy and my Daddy, and the siblings, and my roommates, and Braun, and some particularly dear friends.

That's all. Love you all.

Things to Look Forward To:

There are lots of things going on in my life!

1. I turn 21 in 11 days! Yay for birthdays!
2. Student Career Days is in 20 days!
3. I'm going home at the end of the semester- I'm not going to make a countdown for that, though. April 23rd through May 4th!
4. This evening I get to hug Braun, probably! But if I'm going to do that, I need to get working on homework!
   

That's all! Love life!

Squelched

I like that word. It reminds me of grape crushing. Imagine a great big barrel, full of grapes, being smashed as an old woman steps rhythmically up and down... squelch, squelch, squelch.

Fun word. Not such a fun feeling, however. And I'm sort of feeling it lately. It's a little dizzying. One minute I'm happy as a clam (never understood that expression) and the next- squelch- I've been a little crushed. Stupid, stomping feet.

Here's how it all pans out: I am ridiculously excited about my life. All joy and skipping and smiles, right? Other people are being pessimists, though. They keep telling me that my plans won't work, and that my enthusiasm won't last, and that I'm going to end up impoverished and alone on the streets... dying. Talk about squelching!

Okay. So maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration. No one has told me recently that I'm going to die of loneliness and starvation. But I feel like the rest of the world is less than perfectly excited for me. And also, they think I'm ridiculous and silly. With so much enthusiasm brimming over in all aspects of my life, I am in need of people who will share it with me. I need some of that joy to be reflected back at me, instead of sucked up like light trying to reflect in a dark room. I need some mirror-people to bounce a bit of joy back off on me!

Oh well. As soon as I get over this brief bout of irritation, I'll be back to beaming life and light and joy off on everything I see.