17 Months

I just turned 17 months old!


And in the last month:

• My love for wooden puzzles grew. On the United States puzzle I can put some in the right place on the first try (like California, Washington, Arizona, Texas, and Florida)!
• I said "Nana" when our car turned onto Grandma M's street.
• I learned to say "knee" and touch people's knees. (I've been working on "elbow.")
  
• I bruised my forehead a couple times because I like stairs.
• My newest top incisor grew longer so it matches the one next to it. I have 6 teeth.
  

Earth Day

(This may seem like random things put in one post, but to me it's all related to Tuesday being Earth Day.)

Have you seen what people have made with their plastic bags? I thought it was so cool when I saw it a few weeks ago.

I remembered with gratitude this Earth Day that the Creator of this world is literally the source of its light and life. As beautiful as our world is now, I am happy to know that I can hope for an even better world.

Our Stake mutual activity (which was on Earth Day) did not have an Earth Day theme, but was very uplifting. It was Standards Night so our speaker spoke about living the standards in the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet. You know the Questar energy-saving guy in the commercials? He's the one who spoke to us, and his name is Daryn Tufts. He was born and raised in the LDS church. He has acted in church comedies including the Singles Ward, and also was a writer, producer and actor for Stalking Santa. I was really happy that we had 5 young women from our ward there instead of the usual 2.

4th Anniversary

On our anniversary D didn't have work. He attended his classes and then had studying to catch up on (because of days he missed for the Army). We just wanted to stay home. I picked up some Chinese food and a movie: Maid in Manhattan.

Then we had an "actual date" -- got my sister and brother-in-law to babysit -- the next night. We went to the movie theater where our friend Gordon works. He showed us how the projection works, which was really interesting. He gets the movies, including previews, ready and starts them at the times on the schedule. Some screens use 35 mm film and some are just digital. It's more complicated than you might think. We saw Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who and we laughed a lot. (Some time this week we are going to go to the temple. We wanted to on our actual anniversary, but they're closed on Mondays.) We didn't think of taking any pictures either day! But here are some that I love.

Our very first date, December 1997:

Our wedding day:

Celebrating our 1st anniversary about a month early:


The flowers D sent me on that anniversary (when he was in Texas -- he was still gone on our 2nd):

Our 3rd anniversary:

My Favorite Hymn which nobody knows

I was thrilled during yesterday afternoon's General Conference session when they announced that the choir would sing Lean on My Ample Arm. Yes, that song is in the current LDS hymnbook; it's number 120. I'm pretty sure I had never heard it until I was 19 or 20 years old as a music major at Ricks College/BYU-Idaho. We studied its gorgeous four parts one day in one of my classes. The highest note in the melody is an F sharp -- probably the reason no ward I have been in has sung it. But with the Church Interactive Music Player you can play it in any key. I wish we as a Church would learn it and sing it, or at least listen to it if we have the cds. Its text (from the Savior's perspective) and music are perfect and beautiful together. Thank you, Theodore E. Curtis and Evan Stephens.

Lean on my ample arm, O thou depressed!

And I will bid the storm cease in thy breast.

Whate'er thy lot may be on life's complaining sea,

If thou wilt come to me, thou shalt have rest.

If thou wilt come to me, thou shalt have rest.

Lift up thy tearful eyes, sad heart, to me;

I am the sacrifice offered for thee.

In me thy pain shall cease, In me is thy release,

In me thou shalt have peace eternally.

In me thou shalt have peace eternally.

______________________________________

PART 2

This morning as I watched conference, I was blessed to hear another favorite of mine, one that is more well-known. He Sent His Son is my favorite Primary song. Mabel Jones Gabbott and Michael F. Moody wrote it. I've told D that it will be sung at my funeral; he said he doesn't want to be there, so I need to tell others. :)

How could the Father tell the world of love and tenderness?

He sent His Son, a newborn babe, with peace and holiness.

How could the Father show the world the pathway we should go?

He sent His Son to walk with men on earth that we may know.

How could the Father tell the world of sacrifice, of death?

He sent His Son to die for us and rise with living breath.

What does the Father ask of us?

What do the scriptures say?

Have faith, have hope, live like His Son,

Help others on their way.

What does He ask?

Live like His Son.

I found this James C. Christensen painting today and I felt it belonged here with the other feelings I had. It reminds me of the many times that the Holy Spirit has witnessed to me that Christ was and is divine and that I need his atoning sacrifice. He IS "the sacrifice offered for [us]." I know He was resurrected and that all people will be resurrected. It is only through Him that I can be saved. I love Him and His gospel.