Soul Carving

12 months in a year. 12 roses in a bouquet. 12 donuts in a box. 12 eggs in a carton. 12 inches in a foot. 12 Tribes of Israel. 12 is the Atomic Number of the element Magnesium on the Periodic Table. (Just had to put that one in there since I'm studying it in my Physical Science class)      And this week, my sweetheart and I have been married for 12 years.      "Do you think I've changed much since we've been married?" Richard asked me. We were sitting at the restaurant, waiting for our food. The light was dimmed but warm, and the savory smell of Indian spices perfumed the air. I felt so contented, sharing this special evening with him. But I sensed a hint of concern in his voice. I wanted my response to soothe whatever fears he may have. I wanted him to feel assured that not once have I ever regretted my decision to marry him, and that while we each at times may fall short of the grand expectations we hold for our marriage, I love him more...

       I had my second midterm exam for Physical Science this week. I was overjoyed to receive an A on the first. But I must admit, I was also very concerned. You see, for a portion of the test we were allowed to go over our answers with a pair of fellow students. I found this collaboration extremely beneficial, and changed many of my answers after discussing them with my partners. But, was my unexpectedly high score merely a reflection of their knowledge? How would I fare the next time around?        Meticulous note-taking, reading and rereading the textbook chapters helped me feel I'd prepared the best I could. So I headed out the door with a light heart, amid the cheerful encouragement of 5 childish voices, heeding Daddy's direction, "Everybody wish Mama good luck on her test!" "Goodluck, Mama!!"              The glorious, crisp October weather kept my spirits bright. And the stroll up the hill on the south...

       Children are pleading for my attention, dinner preparations are stalled, I'm staring at the computer screen with my head in my hands as I realize there's another page of 7 more questions to complete for my homework that's due in 20 minutes. But my class starts in 15 minutes and at this time in the evening, it usually takes me that long to drive there. Then add another 7 minutes to walk from the parking lot to my classroom. It's the second week of classes and already I'm toast. This is how I spell "S-T-R-E-S-S-E-D  O-U-T".        Plus, it's raining out.        So I fumble through the homework questions as best as I can, stuff the textbook into my backpack, throw on a sweatshirt and head out the door, grumbling all the way. In my mind I could hear a calmer, more optimistic me trying to reason with myself.         "Okay, so you're late to class. At least you got the homework done. Feeli...

       I'll be the first to say, my life has been pretty easy. I am tremendously blessed and when I look at some of the challenges that others must face, I feel great admiration for them. I pray that they will be strengthened in their trial and I will admit that I thank God I was spared that particular challenge. But I also ask for similar strength, should I ever encounter such struggles.       Every once in a while though, something presents itself in my life that has a much more powerful affect upon me than I anticipated. It may start out as seemingly benign and I think like any carefree, go-getter girl, that I can simply brush it off and continue with my life. But sometimes it's not that easy. Recently, I learned that some things will interrupt your life and demand more time and energy than you may be willing to give them in order to be processed and moved passed.        My experience taught me at least two important lessons....

The musty smell of chlorine mingled with sunscreen. Drippy chins stained blue or green from popsicles. Barbecues, car rides, fairs and fireworks. Summer brings it own brand of exhausting and exhilarating magic. Utah offers unique opportunities for fun and education throughout the summer. Today I'd like to highlight some of the events we've enjoyed this season. Splish-Splash Bash        Fitting for a desert, this area has no shortage of public pools and water parks. Spanish Fork and Springville both boast lovely splash-pads, free and open to the public. My children like to gather bark or bring bath toys from home to have boat races! Springville's pad is much longer, with a variety of depths and fountain areas. Spanish Fork's will get you wet whether you intended it or not! But each has a separate playground next to it and bathrooms available. I also love the sculptures, waterfall and rocks that decorate Springville's pad. Of course either one gets pretty crowd...