Introductions.

On Friday I took my team hiking in the Superstition Mountains. I had so much fun and it really helped me to realize I need to enjoy all aspects of my job before its gone. (Yes, funding has become really volatile... again.)

My team is stellar! I got the rare opportunity of getting to hire and hand pick my whole team. Which has allowed me to avoid some of the issues I faced with my first team... when I was younger than them, had worked in the program less time than they had, and had to come in an re-train them on how to do their job.

These ladies I work with now are just so FUN. I feel honored to get to spend everyday with them and can't believe the changes they're helping people make in their lives. They do some hard work and they handle it all with class!

There's Danielle, Priscilla, Tara, & Bernadette. I still have one opening on my team... its been hard to find someone that can live up to these guys.

I tend to get most of my local news from azcentral.com and tonight I was clicking around and saw this article about the Child Abuse Campaign me and a co-worker have been involved with. Work has been REALLY busy with things that don't always seem work related but reading this gave me a little boost. It helped me to remember it matters. That people- families-children- community- it all matters.

You know your from Arizona when your toddler walks out into the rain, crinkles his nose and says, "Uh-oh. What is it?"

*sorry to Breanne who has now heard this recounted three times in one day. I found it adorable.

Did anyone else cry while reading about the quake in Haiti? I've been home with a sick Parker the last few days so its given me time to read about what's going on. I didn't hear about it till this morning and the first article I read made me cry. Over 100,000 lives?? Its just so sad that such a "humble" nation has to endure something like this.

We don't have a tv, and I'm glad we don't I know I'd be sitting here watching devastating images repeat themselves.

Calling

My favorite calling I've ever had was doing acheivement days with the Merrie Miss age girls. I know, its not called that anymore. What is it? Faith in God?? I had that calling before I got married and talk about FUN. Not so much the planning, but actually doing the activities with the girls. I liked hanging out with them... so uninhibited. I guess I like that age, because I also really enjoyed teaching the 11 year old Primary Class. I enjoyed the challenge of figuring out how I was going to get them to sit through sharing time when lets face it, most of the activities are no longer age appropriate. Young Womens was a GREAT growing experience. I definitely learned the most about myself in that time period. Although, young womens can be intense. Its a significant time commitment, and I felt a lot of pressure in nurturing such fragile testimonies. And the latest calling, Enrichment, that stretched me in new ways too. Honestly, I found it just plain hard. I know some people really enjoy planning activities, but to me it's hard. When you have so many sisters of various ages, stages, abilities, and interests, I just couldn't think of enough ideas to keep everyone engaged. But thats why you work on a committee for that calling! Whew-wee that calling would have been impossible for me without a committee.

Anyway, so the acheivement days (err faith in God) has been my longstanding favorite calling. But I think the newest calling will give it a run for its money. I've certainly never been more excited about a calling. Teaching Sunbeams is something I've always dreamed of doing. Three is my most favorite age. Everytime I've served in Primary I've looked at the Sunbeams class and wished I could be with them. They looked so innocent, so energetic, eager... so fun with their bright eyes... brand new to primary. So 2010 is on the up and up! And the place to be Sunday mornings, will be Sunbeams!

But now I'm curious; what's been your favorite calling? And why...

I genuinely like the people in Arizona- friendly bunch. But one thing that has always made me laugh is people's perceptions of "far". I've heard (from people who live in Mesa), "We're moving to Gilbert to be closer to family." Really? Wow. How close do you need to be. When my parents lived in Mesa, and Mark and I were in Tempe people would say, "Oh too bad you don't live closer." I thought it was an appropriate amount of distance. (So you should hear the sighs I get when people find out my parents are in Texas now.) Last night at Mark's work holiday party I sat across from a lady who has serious roots in Arizona. Generations of people live here. And when I asked her, "Did your kids all marry people from here as well?" She said, "No. One is from Glendale." Oh yeah, he might as well be from another country.

But one good thing about people's serious commitment to living with three square miles of their family, is that they feel bad for you when they hear you don't have a lot of extended family in the area. I get invited to multiple family celebrations each holiday, even by strangers sometimes.

Land That I Love

A week ago we were in the great state of TEXAS. Walking and driving around Dallas made Mark and I both want to move... we're not set yet though. We need to make a trip to Chicago to give it its fair shake. All I know is, we were both a little sad that Mark got such a good job offer here in Arizona and not somewhere else. Like Dallas! (or Chicago)

What made Dallas so fun?

Cousins

Cowboys

famous grassy knolls

a beautiful wedding with a glamorous bride

the Texas State Fair

The airport was like a wonderland to Parker until we got to Grandma & Grandpa's house

It has stairs!

and an age appropriate computer! Finally.