stuck in the middle

who has read this?

this is the third book of the Children of the Promise series. i really liked the first two, but this third one seems to be dragging on... and on..... and on. i'm about ready to throw in the towel. does it get better? please say yes.

four score & seven years ago

as i was driving on saturday i was thinking about the evening exactly seven short years ago, february 13, 2003.

on that cold thursday night, i was sitting at my best friend's (maren) house trying to decide what outfit of hers to wear the next night. it was a very important decision, since the boy in my math class, whom i had been obsessing over, finally asked me on a date. our first date. on valentine's day.

as we were lost in our giddy, late-night conversation, i receive a text message. it was the cute boy from my math class. at exactly 12:00am, i read, "I JUST WANTED TO BE THE FIRST TO WISH YOU A HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!" *yes, i remember the text was in all caps*

seven years later, i am so glad i was able to spend this weekend with both maren, and my math class crush!

i got to meet this little twirp, lucy. she is such a doll!

i hope you all had a fantastic ♥ day.

from my heart to yours

call me old school, but i love getting packages in the mail. meet helena. that girl gets package, after package, after package. i've always longed to see one of my very own sitting on my doorstep.

since snowmageddon, our mailman hasn't journeyed down our two-dead-end street for a while. needless to say, the mail has been a little backed up. as we were pulling into our driveway this evening, i noticed a few parcels sitting on our snowy porch. this isn't out of the ordinary in the newland family, since the husby is an e-bay addict. as we made our way to the front door, i noticed they were addressed to me. huh?

i recognized the handwriting on one of the packages immediately. my darling sister. she had so thoughtfully sent me a valentine-themed package.

how cute is that apron? and those valentine mugs (with a hot chocolate recipe inside)?

there was a bunch of other stuff, too, but you guys would just think it's weird... but everything was very thoughtful and personal.

and then i get to the one that was very unfamiliar. as soon as i cut the tape, red and pink papers started gushing out. i dig my way through the valentine bear, pistachios, heart-shaped cookie cutter, and skittles trying to solve the mystery. and there it is. a homemade card.

as i read the name my vision becomes extremely blurry and i feel a lump forming deep in my throat.

my thoughtful, caring, sensitive, & wonderful friend, jesse. oh how i love her.

i have known jesse since we were, oh, i don't know... this age:

as i dig deeper, i see another card that jesse had had the girls we worked with write a few words to me. those big jerks made me miss them even more.

i honestly can't recall a time where i have been so astounded by the thought, preparation, and time one has demonstrated on my behalf.

thank you. thank you for making me feel so loved, even though i'm so far away.

i'd rather be snowed in with you

because of this

work was canceled.

and i got to be snowed in with a handsome lil' fella.

and play lots of this

and of course, valentine's week wouldn't be complete without making some of these

i love me some sugar cookies.

i feel like i've been hit by a freight train

*image from google

since moving to pittsburgh, i have been on the lookout for a gym to join. in salt lake, i was spoiled because the gym was a 3 minute walk from my front door.

about the second or third week in living here, i went on my gym hunt. one gym downtown, you had to pay for parking. another gym didn't have ANY parking (even the residential areas around it, you had to have a parking pass to even park on the street). the obstacles in my way of becoming a gym member were simply overwhelming.

i gave up my search and got quite used to the whole not-working-out-thing.

i recently received a flyer in the mail for a new gym that is opening. it's sooo nice, has FREE parking, about a 10-12 minute drive... and i am thrilled about it!

i have finally started to work out again and oh, it's hurts so good.

the cult

as i mentioned in a previous post, tannon went to Haiti on his mission. he has wanted very badly to go back to haiti ever since, but the opportunity hasn't presented itself. until a couple weeks ago....

there is a Christian group in Virginia that is going to do dental service on the island of Haiti. dental student, check. christian, check. speak Haitian Creole, bonus!

he must be a shoe-in, right? he was like a kid in a candy store. until he found out he couldn't buy any candy.

after submitting his application, he got this email:

"Our church would view the LDS church

as something more like a cult that does not

adhere to Orthodox Christian Beliefs."

guess he won't be going to Haiti after all.