Blazer and Jeans Kind of Girl

Last year for my birthday, my incredible mother-in-law, Jennifer, took me shopping in Park City. It was a blast, especially because shopping with Jennifer, Ryan, and Erin is always awesome. 

We spent time perusing various stores, and walked into Banana Republic. Instantly I saw this gorgeous red blazer with brass buttons and immediately asked an associate if they had it in navy. 

They did. A gorgeous, tailored, blue blazer with brass buttons. I was in heaven. 

I have loved this blazer. It has become my statement and I love it. 

Random Valentine's Day Picture... 

#selfies 

Family Pictures (July 2014) 

Bar Hopping with Heidi (: 

Bowling with Heidi 

 

and Chuy's Baptism 

My last day at BYU, when my office threw a going-away party, my favorite thing was the #hashtag on the board that says... 

#blazersandjeans

Heidi seriously knows me so well. It put a huge smile on my face. 

The morning I left Utah (to be blogged about shortly), I had decided that although I really, really loved everything about this headshot for my new LinkedIn Profile: 

It was lacking one major component: the blazer.

So the amazing Mar Downs snapped a few more mere hours before I hopped on a plane headed 4,000 miles away. 

That plane ride started with the blazer on... 

and almost ended treacherously when the littlest Binx picked up the hats from underneath the seat but forgot the blazer. We were 3/4 way to our next gate when I realized it. 

I had almost given up hope about getting it back, but after a discovering we knew friend on the plane (what a blessing) waiting at the gate, I sprinted the 1/2 mile thought JFK to beg the flight attendant to go back to see if it was there. 

Thank my lucky stars. 

I love this blazer. 

I am (at least when in the United States in temperate climates) a jeans and blazer kind of girl. 

Confessions of a Newly Minted SAHM

A friend of mine recently lent me a copy of a book called "Change It Up". It has been incredibly fascinating to me because our little family is in a season of change. New places, new friends, new routines. 

New roles. 

It's enabled me to think openly about the changes that I want to implement in my life, and what better time than the present?

Considering I've been a working mom for the past four and a half years, I've found that there are a few things to which I've become accustomed, for better or worse. So, in this season of change, I wanted to make some goals as a newly minted stay-at-home mom (SAHM). 

1) I want to develop better patience. With myself, with friends around me, and most importantly with my family. Experiences helping take care of Laura's little ones made me realize that life is too short to not treat your family as though they are the VIPs of your life, because guess what... they are, and I want them to know that.

2) I want to be a better listener. As an extrovert, this has not always been the most natural quality for me, but daily I am recognizing the need to simply listen. I want to listen to others and truly help them be heard, especially Ryan and Adi. 

3) I want to cultivate an attitude of gratitude. During the month and a half in which Ryan and I have been away from each other, I have become more and more grateful for a wonderful, loving, patient, and talented husband. I knew he was a keeper to begin with, but being apart offers new perspective. In conversations we've had while we've been apart, Ryan has made observations here and there that remind me of how truly blessed we are as Americans and as members of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). As such we have a great responsibility to the world and I believe it starts with gratitude. 

4) I want to be more optimistic and positive. My best friend, Adriel, and I recently had a conversation in which she corrected me when I compared degrees of child development; to be honest I was a little embarrassed, she was right. She had focused on the positive while I had focused on the negative. She really helped me see that looking at the glass half full changed the attitude and tone. So I want to replace focusing on negatives to a habit of focusing on the positive (for example, when seeing a woman treat another woman rudely on the plane this morning I could say, to myself, "I really love it when people are kind and understanding", instead of saying, "I hate rude people."). Some of the words I would like to use more are words such as love, like, can, will, should, right, good, doable, prefer... I'm sure the list will continue to grow. 

5) I want to institute some kind of routine. I am flexible, spontaneous, and random, and want to continue being so; and I am confident a routine will help balance our med-school life. A routine will also help us see more of each other, build our testimonies, stay healthy, and learn more--I'm actually really looking forward to it.  

6) I want to get up, get ready, get going, and get out every morning. I am a social being and both Adi and I thrive with social interactions. We may have to instigate these interactions, and may have to adapt, but we'll both benefit from jump starting our days with a shower and planned activity. 

7) I want to develop new talents. At any age, learning something new is an adventure, and I'm excited that my new role allows me to do so. I want to learn to swim (better), snorkel, and to surf. I want to get scuba certified. I want to develop my photography abilities and jump start my consulting firm. I want to grow a garden and meal plan. It's never too late for any of these. 

I'm sure these goals will evolve over time and that I will come up with new goals as time moves forward, but I wanted to be ready to embrace change and meet it with a smile. 

So, let's change it up already! 

Because All the Hernias

At work we would often have discussions about books, movies, research that faculty was doing, or something related to an elaborate, ongoing joke about IRB implications of making clones and cyborgs (I blame this one on our webmaster and am not even going to try to explain it). If we were unclear on some aspect of someone's research project, wanted to know what time it was in Arizona, or what characterized something/someone as a cyborg, I would usually quickly turn to Google.

As I was typing in "indirect vs. direct inguinal hernia" to help me visualize the differentiation (it's one thing to read that a direct hernia is medial to the inferior epigastric vessels and another to actually see a side by side diagram, which unfortunately isn't in Gray's), I couldn't help but realize how much my Googling has changed. 

Because all the hernias.

Speaking of work (and not hernias), I didn't get to see the actual products for this year's ORCA Grant campaign. My replacement was kind enough to take a few to Kenz so that she could bring them to me.

It's nice to see the product of hours of planning and design and hear that ORCA has had great response from faculty and students.

And here are the new pins for this year (showing how ORCA fits into any field of study - some of last year's are here).

Sounds of Grenada II

Ever wonder what one listens to while cruising around in one of these (and by cruising around I mean bouncing around trying to read my notes until we get to campus)?

Wonder no longer because here's some of the good stuff (really, I like it).

The amazing thing is that if you don't like the lyrics to this song I found there are at least seven to eight other versions with just the lyrics changed.

Do a little search on Spotify and you could get down to this "riddim" all day long.
(And check out an old original and the reggae-fied remake here: original and remake.)

Bachelor Confessions

I have eaten the Grenadian version of Oreos (TeaTime made by Wibisco) and popcorn for dinner because, well, it sounded better than making anything else. **Post-editorial note: I just made the best black bean burgers ever. Don't worry, I do eat real food. And vegetables, too.**

I hang out in my underwear at home because it's just too darn hot and I'm too cheap to use the AC. Luckily I don't get visitors (or if I do I'm not home and on campus, but there have been Sundays when I have irrationally panicked thinking someone would come by).

The whole bed is mine and I use it all, too. This presents a possibly difficult adjustment when Kenz arrives but I have started a readjustment plan that makes use of a rolled comforter that is supposed to keep me on one side of the bed. Hopefully this training works out.

I wash my clothes in the kitchen sink because it's not worth the time or money to go use the washer. I don't iron anything because, hey, the humidity takes care of the wrinkles (either that or sweat).

I go to campus at 7:00 AM and am at home around 10:00 PM. So much for work-life balance.

I check the empty room and the shower for unwelcome visitors (human, insect, or reptile) before I go to bed at night. I have a vivid imagination.

My Saturday night is comprised of study with a few episodes of Bones or House on Netflix, accompanied by TeaTime and popcorn, of course.

I can't wait for my girlies to be here with me.

Thoughts on the Mo-Fem Movement…

Someone today asked me about how I felt about the "Ordain Women" movement of a group of LDS women. While I recognize this as a possibly controversial issue, I wanted to express my personal and heart-felt thoughts: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints proclaims that women and men have an equal partnership before The Lord. 

When individuals misunderstand that women's and men's responsibilities need to be equal, pride is getting in the way. 

Equality and equity are two completely different ideas: equity indicates fairness and equality indicates. sameness (e.g., If I need a pair of shoes and you need a pair of shoes and someone gives me blue shoes that fit and someone gives you red shoes that fit what we have is equity. If, however, I demand equality, I will be given the same red shoes that you have, even if they don't fit.) 

God's Plan is perfect. The Priesthood is the responsibility of men in the church. That is by divine design. I know that together with my husband we are able to lead our family where we need to be.

Finally, for those more intellectual and scholarly arguments. The word Elohim in Hebrew references the plural of God (El) and means exalted husband and wife. The implications of this idea are deep and far reaching. However, the most important point to me is that this demonstrates that for my eternal happiness and salvation my husband and I must work extensively together. And, that without one another we are stagnant, imperfect, and unable to progress and live with God again.

The Pink Convertible Bug

Yesterday morning, the Binx told us she was going to go for a ride in her "pink convertible bug" (I have a feeling that this little one is going to be even more of a handful as she gets older.) Just to get a better idea of what she was envisioning (it's all about setting expectations early, right?) we took a look at what was out there. 

We quickly passed over some of the more practical options (as if any pink convertible bug could be classified as 'practical') and immediately found her car. 

Fully loaded, pink accessories to the max.

Did I mention it had a make-up case in the trunk?

And remember that part about having our hands full when she grows up?

Luckily, I can have a convertible, too. 

A blue one.

And this was it. 

(Not too shabby, but I hope she's paying.)

Then, she went on to tell me which convertibles belonged to whom.

This was Papa's because it would go fast:

This was Grandma Jennifer's because she likes red and it's shiny:

This was Grandma Diane's because it was also red and shiny and she likes it:

This was Grandpa's because it was orange:

And this was mama's: 

Nice, but I think Grandma Jennifer got the better deal.

Extroverts are Overbearing!!

Or so I'm often reminded.

I was at a conference last week during which I attended two, back-to-back sessions on the MBTI. The ironic thing is however that in the first session, people were ragging on extroverts as flamboyant, overbearing, talkative, interrupters whereas in the second session people were ragging on introverts as socially backward, unfriendly reclusives. 

It can get a bit touchy. We're talking our personalities here and we all fall somewhere on the spectrum, but they're just preferences. Heck, you might be an "ambivert" playing gracefully to both sides. (Find out here.)

This particular day, it did get a bit touchy. Surprisingly so. 

And you know what, it caused me to shift uncomfortably in my chair.

I am an extrovert!

And a strong one at that. And I'm perfectly happy with it. 

And guess what? 

Ryan's an introvert.

And I'm perfectly happy with it. 

In fact, our marriage is a wonderful, dynamic partnership because we are so very different...

So why, might you ask was I shifting uncomfortably in my chair? 

It is so very loaded! 

When I talk to students about the MBTI, they often let it define them, especially the E vs the I. 

And that's okay. But it doesn't have to. 

Additionally, they also view it as good or bad. And that's not okay.

We extroverts enjoy group activities, parties, and discussions. They energize us! But, we recognize that not everyone likes group activities, parties, or discussions. We also acknowledge that introverts aren't simply cold, distant people. They simply enjoy their time to recharge, think, and relax. Is either a "bad" thing? 

The answer is simply 'no'. 

It bothers me when individuals put down one side or the other. 'We certainly know your preference" is a thought I have over and over again as negative comments surface. 

Well you know what!? either way you're insulting me or you're insulting my husband (or Heidi, a close colleague). 

I am grateful that I can think and speak off the cuff, have in-depth, personal conversations in a group setting, and brainstorm like nobody's business. 

But, I also appreciate the subtle, thorough, and logical thought process that Ryan can achieve so flawlessly. 

---

So, while extroverts can come across as overbearing, they bring a lot to the table. 

And, while introverts can come across as distant, they bring a lot to the table. 

The sweet spot is in the joint appreciation and collaboration. 

Things.

Things.

I really enjoy and like things. 

Many of us do and there is nothing wrong with that. 

A watch here, a car there.

But, an experience recently helped me see more clearly and in new light the importance of the scripture Matthew 6:19-21:

 "19 Lay not up for yourselves atreasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 

 20 But lay up for yourselves atreasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor bsteal: 

 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

As I sat in a hip restaurant in Washington, alone and contemplative I couldn't help but think of a recent acquaintance. Mid-thirties, pretty, successful professionally and financially, chic, well-dressed, and well-traveled. I felt a pang of jealousy as I thought about what her life must be like. In fact, when she commented on how little luggage I had in comparison I felt a little small that I didn't have a more complete wardrobe to pack and show off.

But, like I said as I sat there, alone and contemplative a small thought grew brighter and brighter, "Yes, it would be nice, but don't you realize that you everything."

And I realized it. was. true. 

I could hypothetically collect Gucci, Coach, and Prada shoes for a conference, or I could watch Adi grow through Swimming lessons, Dance, and Preschool. 

I could drive a fancy car, or I could plan a trip or two to Disneyland. 

Here's the rub: I can't have both. 

Yet.

The emerging conclusion in my mind flashed across my mind: each stage of life is accompanied by things (material and otherwise) whether great or small, but the important thing is being able to appreciate what it is that you have right now. 

The Motherhood Continuum

This week I ran across the most uplifting blog post about Mother's Day, and considering motherhood is so much more than having our own children, I wanted to share the highlights! (Italics added.)

Happy Mother's Day!

"To those who gave birth this year to their first child—we celebrate with you

To those who lost a child this year – we mourn with you

To those who are in the trenches with little ones every day and wear the badge of food stains – we appreciate you

To those who experienced loss through miscarriage, failed adoptions, or running away—we mourn with you

To those who walk the hard path of infertility, fraught with pokes, prods, tears, and disappointment – we walk with you. Forgive us when we say foolish things. We don’t mean to make this harder than it is.

To those who are foster moms, mentor moms, and spiritual moms – we need you

To those who have warm and close relationships with your children – we celebrate with you

To those who have disappointment, heart ache, and distance with your children – we sit with you

To those who lost their mothers this year – we grieve with you

To those who experienced abuse at the hands of your own mother – we acknowledge your experience

To those who lived through driving tests, medical tests, and the overall testing of motherhood – we are better for having you in our midst

To those who have aborted children – we remember them and you on this day

To those who are single and long to be married and mothering your own children – we mourn that life has not turned out the way you longed for it to be

To those who step-parent – we walk with you on these complex paths

To those who envisioned lavishing love on grandchildren -yet that dream is not to be, we grieve with you

To those who will have emptier nests in the upcoming year – we grieve and rejoice with you

To those who placed children up for adoption — we commend you for your selflessness and remember how you hold that child in your heart [To those who were placed for adoption — may the mothers in your life fill you with joy regardless of genetics.]

And to those who are pregnant with new life, both expected and surprising –we anticipate with you

This Mother’s Day, we walk with you. Mothering is not for the faint of heart and we have real warriors in our midst. We remember you."

Girly-Girly

Friday morning while we were getting ready for work, Adi asked me to help her put on my chandelier earrings.

When I told her she couldn't she asked why. I said that I had pierced ears--that I had a little hole in my ear--to which she responded, "can I have pierced ears?"

Cue panic.

---

When I had my ears pierced when I was five, they were constantly infected. I have pictures from kindergarten, first grade, and fourth grade with obvious, very bad infections.

It took a while, but we slowly learned I was extremely allergic to metals other than 14k gold and sterling silver.

They got so bad that I let them grow together and had them re-pierced at twelve.

---

The next part of the conversation went something like this...

Me: Adi, it hurts.

Adi: That's okay.

Me: Are you sure?

Adi: Yes, I want pierced ears!

Me: (Thinking... okay. I can do this? But wait, should we wait until she's five? Or maybe eight? What if she doesn't want the second one pierced? Or what if she backs out? Or what if she freaks out? Or what if I freak out? Or what if they get infected? What if they get infected like mine??) Okay... if you really want to.

Adi: I want to!

---

So after work we headed to Claire's. Adi wanted little pearls like mine, but alas they only had little stones. Can you guess which color she chose?

It took a little while to get through the paper work and the legal stuff (I was a little concerned, then I realized if I were Claire's I wouldn't want to get sued if someone's (or everyone's) ears got infected.

She asked if wanted them pierced separately and I immediately jumped at a no response. Together. Quick. Easy. Same time. Yes.

We prepped Adi and I kept asking if she was sure and she said she was.

So, the got the guns ready to go We told her how very important it was for her to remember that she couldn't touch her ears, so I helped by holding her little hands.

Then it was go time.

Ready, set, pierce!

The look on Adrielle's face was soooo sad. She was looking me straight in the eyes with a sequence of happy, then quizzical, doubtful, fearful, culminating in slight hysteria with huge crocodile tears.

I was traumatized. So was she. She got over it. I still feel bad. Ryan wasn't phased. His response was along the lines of an objective, "we told her it would hurt." (I guess you would have to have had your ears pierced to know... Ryan? ;)

When all was said and done they gave her a yummy sucker and she wiped away her tears when she saw her pretty ears in the mirror. (I was a little worried by how red they were, but that quickly faded.)

She has been showing them off ever since. 

She is our little girly-girl. 

We love her. 

And her little pierced ears. 

The trigger.

Our country has many problems, one of which is passivity. Things happen to us. We, as intelligent and psychologically complex individuals, have no control. So, as a result, we end up blaming inanimate objects. 

If we blame guns for the deaths of innocent people, we in the wrong. That rational would lead us to blame box cutters for September 11th. I refuse to accept that to be true. Ultimately, someone has to pull the trigger. 

Yes we need responsibility.

Yes we need accountability.

But, it is irresponsible for us to suggest that if we simply ban guns or box cutters that bad things will cease to happen. 

Humanity will always have those who make bad decisions, but it is our responsibility to take a well-rounded, balanced, and strategic look at how we can mitigate those bad decisions. 

Burpees for Boston

**An aside...

Today (to our office retreat) I wore my favorite running shirt in solidarity for runners everywhere.

And, while I'm not a hard-core runner, I recognize that the spirit of running has tied a lot of people together this week...

---

Monday Ryan came by my office. It was a busy day and I hadn't been using the Internet much. He asked me if I'd heard about the Boston Marathon, and I said, "No, what?"

Then I pulled up CNN.

Horrible.

Heinous.

Why would someone do that?!

It wasn't until later that night that I started to hear the stories, the horror along with the heroics.

---

"Bootcamp" came bright and early the next morning at 6am. I wasn't too excited about a 6am butt-kicking...

But when the guy in charge, Scott, started out by mentioning the bombings and then number of causalities and that we were going to honor them, my attitude changed.

Then we did burpees. Burpees for Boston. 147 of them to be exact. The casualty count as of Tuesday morning.

We did them as a group, but it was still hard. It reminded me of this run and made me miss Wes. And again I thought to myself, "Wes didn't ever give up, so why should I?" and "Those people didn't give up, so why should I?" 

It was emotional. Spiritual. 

It brought me closer to the Savior. And a quote came to mind... 

(Pg. 52 of "Preach My Gospel") 

The horrific acts of some lead us to question why?

Sadly, we may never know the answer. And, even if we do, we may never understand. 

But, in Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, all that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement. 

What a wonderful, uplifting reality. 

While those in Boston are grieving, we are praying. Praying that they may recover. Praying that they may have justice. But most importantly praying that they might have peace.

Here's to Boston! Because "If you're trying to defeat the human spirit, marathon runners are the wrong group to target." -Patton Oswalt 

PB Pijo

I've known this for some time. I am a peanut butter pijo.

Yesterday I left the grocery store with my own peanut butter. If I'm going to eat peanut butter, it's gotta be the good stuff (and there's no better mid-day snack than good PB and apples).

A Stubborn Man

As an admittedly stubborn man myself, I had to laugh at this.

Coping.

Work is crazy. To say the least.

And, I realize I don't cope very well. In fact, I've been faking a smile for a couple of days. I hate feeling fake! Lucky for me though, I'm often able to rise above it with a quick laugh or distraction. 

(In fact, I've decided to blog and listen to music for 15 minutes as my coping mechanism during my so-called "lunch".)

---

Yesterday I was feeling a little overwhelmed, and then I went to teach my night class. They are the best. Seriously.

They were giving their presentations, and they. were. awesome.

One presentation in particular peaked my teaching interest. It was a comparison to they Myers-Briggs test to various type of candy. She did such a great job making the following connections:

• Extroverts (Reese's Pieces - energy from others) vs. Introverts (Reese's Peanut Butter Cup - energy from within)
• Sensors (Tootsie Roll - right in front of you) vs. iNtuitives (Tootsie Pop - inferred) 
• Thinkers (Trail Mix - a tasty, healthy-ish snack) vs. Feelers (M&Ms - the part people will just pick out)
• Perceivers (Pop Rocks - spontaneous) vs. Judgers (Cherry Sours - exactly what you expect) 

It really was insightful. So I commented that I thought it was brilliant and that I would likely use it the next time I taught  it. It was so obvious. 

Then a girl in my class, Miss Bennett, (I love calling her that!) said the nicest thing. She said, "she changed her teaching, it's beautiful!" I thought it was so nice! I'd never thought about people who teach the same thing over and over and over again without looking for ways to improve. You can't become better if you don't implement new and creative ideas. I know I have so much to learn and improve on, so I'm constantly looking for those ideas. 

Either way, it really made my night. 

Thank you Miss Bennett. 

Tinted or Tainted

Each of us views the world through a different set of lenses. Our gender, religion, ethnicity, and nationality are all lenses. And, alongside, our experiences craft lenses that either tint or taint our views of the world.

I wrote this post a couple of years ago, and I recognize that as one who has not struggled with infertility, my thoughts then and/or now might be misunderstood or brushed aside.

While my experience with infertility is only from secondary, anecdotal sources, I have enough information to draw two sociological conclusions:  Sometimes, when we (i.e., society) are un-sensitive (not to be confused with in-sensitive) to a certain topic, we alienate others. Sometimes, when we (i.e., society) are sensitive to a certain topic, we alienate others. 

This is especially true with infertility.

Referring back to my June 2011 post, that positive cousin of Ryan's has since seen her promise come to fruition through adoption. Likewise I have met (or know) many more couples who have adopted or conceived after long battles with infertility. On the other hand, I have seen some couples undergo excruciating suffering (physically, mentally, emotionally) as they have lost child after child. 

I may never know their pain directly, but do I know that through the Atonement all that is unfair in the world will be made right in Christ Jesus. 

So, next time someone says, "let's kick all the pregnant ladies" or something about a "malicious, April Fool's pregnancy joke" or announces that they're pregnant, or mentions the loss of a pregnancy, realize that regardless of what anyone ever says, you will view the world through a set of lenses. 

The choice is yours however as to whether they're tinted or tainted. 

Never Again.

Yesterday, after the race, Adi and I came home to find our sweet neighbors with a new dog on their leash.

It turned out to be lost and they were trying to find the owner. Adi loved the idea and wanted to help, so we went and knocked on a couple doors where we thought he might belong.

No luck.

What to do?

Our neighbors have a dog, so I offered to keep him in the backyard. What could it hurt?

Adi was on cloud nine. She loved it.

She kept hugging him and wanting to help him eat, although the funniest thing was that when we closed the screen door, he would whine and she would say to me, "You made him sad." So funny. 

Well... soon after Ryan got home, our little friend was nowhere to be seen from the window. Now we know why... 

He was digging a hole in our yard. Ryan was not happy. Neither was I.

I felt a little foolish that I'd left the dog unsupervised, but I really didn't know what to expect.

Needless to say, never again.

Sorry Adi, you're going to have to get your pet loving somewhere else.

Thoughts on Evolution

I like the satire of the idea of reverse evolution, even though reverse evolution is technically an erroneous notion.* 

* Evolution is not a movement or progression to any given end goal of an ideal species. It's all about the ability to survive in one's environment. Those who possess traits more suitable for thriving in any given environment will pass along those traits and others will, well, die off. A good contrast to spiritual evolution where there is an end goal of perfection. At least we can take comfort in that the evolution that matters is progression with an end goal. The other, well, is temporary. But I digress ...

Well, I got to thinking about the reverse evolution of the cell phone yesterday when I was handed this sucker to be on-call as a Disaster Action Team Lead for our local American Red Cross.

It was just large and heavy compared to what I usually carry around and I am carrying it around for the next 6 days. 

So, I give you the retro-evolution of the cell phone.

 

And finally ...

It appears that the selective preference for diverse technological capabilities is producing larger phones, but only evolution will tell us whether bigger will be better.

Ode to Blogging

It's 12:44am 12:55am.  

I should be sleeping. Or reading. Or responding to e-mails. Or coding. 

But I'm stuck on something... 

What's wrong with this picture? 

Oh yes. Do you see that 14?

Only 14!? 

Last fall, I fell into a rut. And I've had a difficult time climbing out.

You see, I've never really felt like I was good at anything. Like really good. Like could "claim" it as my own good. Until it came to our blog. I was good at writing on our blog. On updating our memories. I was a blogger in my own right.

Unfortunately, last fall, I let inferiority get the best of me. I stopped blogging regularly. I stopped posting about small events and even big events all together. (I didn't completely shut down. I've used Instagram pretty regularly and we just passed our 2,000th picture! (I'd say that's pretty impressive.))

I regret not keeping up with the blog, and although admittedly got more sleep, I lost some memories.

I want to remember. I want to laugh and cry. I want to record the significant and the not-so-significant.

Here's the new resolution to catch up and stay caught up.

To blogging.