Sunday, December 28, 2008

My Christmas Miracle

So today in sacrament meeting they announced that the opening hymn would be Away in a Manger. My heart fluttered just a bit because that meant I had been given another chance to sing The First Noel. I quickly looked to that thingy on the wall where they put the numbers of the hymns. "213, 213, 213" I chanted in my head. . .

It wasn't there. We sang Away in a Manger, and I enjoyed having one more week of Christmas songs with only a slight feeling of loss. However, when Bro. Folkerson got up to announce the rest of the meeting, he said there had been a small change to the program. For the intermediate hymn we would sing The First Noel. It was a Christmas miracle! It was accomplished by a certain dashing, young gentleman who sits in a convenient location on the stand from which to change songs, namely the organ bench. Isn't that romantic? I thought so. I think I'll go snuggle with him now.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Christmas Conspiracy

Last year we never sang my favorite Christmas song, "The First Noel" in sacrament meeting, in Relief Society, or at the stake sing along activity. I was sort of bummed. I mean, really, there are only so many Christmas hymn in the book, we should have sung it at least once. Of course I sang it myself, but it's different to sing it with a few people than to sing it surrounded by dozens of people singing with you.

This year I took matters into my own hands. I'm the ward choir director, meaning I get to choose one of the songs for the stake sing along. I had it chosen months ago. Perhaps I would have preferred to sing it as part of the congregation, but I wasn't going to chance a Christmas without it again.

About an hour before the stake sing-along the stake music director called as asked that we change our song, as another choir was singing "The First Noel" for their choir piece, and I just had it down as the sing along with the congregation piece. Kevin took the message (I was napping), meaning I had zero chance to defend my case. (Granted, I probably wouldn't have anyway.) So, we sang Joy to the World. I like that one too, and we still had another Sunday to sing my song in sacrament meeting.

Turns out the choir that had asked we didn't sing our song, sang a Christmas medley. Please! They sang, like, the chorus and that was it. And I didn't even get to sing! Plus, would anyone really mind singing the song a choir had sung a snippet of? I would wager at least half of the congregation wouldn't have even noticed. (I realize that my arguments are purely selfish in my desire to get to sing my song with dozens of people. I also realize that there is a counter-argument. However, I am choosing to ignore it as they appear to be napping rather than defending their case.)

So, it was down to the wire yesterday. Would we go two Christmases in a row without singing the best Christmas song in the book? I only had 2 chances, as the choir was singing the intermediate hymn, and I don't get to go to Relief Society anymore. The answer is yes. Two very sad Christmases in a row without getting to be surrounded by dozens of people singing my favorite Christmas hymn together. I can't even believe it. How could it happen twice in a row?!

If there are dozens of you reading this and feeling the anguish of a noel-less Christmas, meet me at the church at midnight. I know someone with a key.

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Thursday, December 11, 2008

Talking, a Song, & a Prayer

Alena has made leaps & bounds in learning to imitate words & sounds, and associating them to people & objects. Here is just a smidgen of what she knows:



She also loves to sing & dance (thanks to Talyn), plus she's really good at folding her arms for prayer.



The dancing will have to wait until next time...

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Tagged

It took me quite a while to finish this post. That's why "yesterday" was November.

8 favorite TV shows:

Yuck. I don't like this question.

8 Favorite Restaurants:
Macaroni grill
Cafe Rio
Little World
Texas Roadhouse
Taste of Thai
A good Dim Sum place
Bajios (I realize that's pretty much the same place as Cafe Rio. I like them enough to be put up twice)
Mimi's Cafe


8 things that happened yesterday: (Nov. 26)
Walked to Gardner Village to take pictures of Alena with the elves, and then ended up just following her around.
Had a friend show a small kindness that meant everything.
Took a long nap.
Played basketball.
Made yummy chinese food for dinner.
Did lots of dishes.
Made pie crusts.
Had a nice long walk in Autumn air.

8 things to look forward to:
Sweets days (that's when I get to eat whatever I want with no guilt)
3.5 pounds from now when I've lost all of my baby weight
Puerto Rico
Hawaii
New York
Playgroup
Christmas Caroling
Hot Baths

8 things I love about fall:
You can wear hoodies and flip flops
Squash!
Stew
Wind and Rain
Colors
Sweaters
Squash!
Stew

8 things on my wishlist:
Coat Closet
Son who plays the cello
Somebody else's metabolism
Chinese take out
Peach Tree
Master Bathroom
Super deep tub
Trees who's leaves disintegrate immediately before the first snow that sticks to avoid raking

Friday, December 5, 2008

Laughing All the Way

Alena loves to laugh. Sometimes it's a fake, social laugh - but usually, it's an evil cackle, a cute squeal, or a hearty chuckle.

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Thursday, December 4, 2008

My very full life

This was fun for me. I stole this list from someone's blog, and then put the things I did in italics. I was happy that I experienced just over 42% of these things. (Why are there 99?) Although, I'm not shooting for 100%. Some of these things I won't feel bad if I never do, like buy a new car, or get stung by a bee.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland (But only if DisneyWORLD counts)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train (The sleeping part is a bit iffy)
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23.Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (I'm glad the person who wrote this list was smart enough to use satisfied rather than happy)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight (In Fiji no less)
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (Although I almost didn't go to the top because I'm too cheap. Luckily Kevin was smart enough to go all the way)
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (Does selling bookmarks on the corner count?)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma (I tried, but my iron was too low, and I've been using that excuse ever since)
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar (And liked it!)
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper (Numerous times. I come from a small town)
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake (The swimming is a bit iffy. Does standing in the water holding your nose count?)
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee