Friday, May 31, 2013

Charts On Charts On Charts

Around here it's been getting a little too jumbled.

To fix our mess problem I designed this cute little Chart for Goals, To Do's, and Chores!

hooray for organization!


Monday, March 18, 2013

Munday Funday Shmunday.

Today is Munday. The day I wish would never come. The Monday following a Spring Break is probably the most worthless day of the whole year. That day, and the day after Christmas...

Just to cover what happened over Spring Break:
1. I worked on my Tribute to Chuck Close Painting. (Finished pictures to come.)
2. Ryan and I bought Mountain Bikes. (HOORAY!)
3. We ate the best wings ever. (At a little wing caravan in Provo on Center Street.)
4. We watched a lot of "Lost." (The TV series.)
5. Sunday was St. Patrick's Day. (My Mom's maiden name is 'Patrick' so kind of a big deal.)

Pictures will come, but for now, try to carry on with your worthless Munday and try to make it a FUNDAY or else it will be a typical Schmunday

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Early Morning Wed-NES-day

What is this world I have discovered that one can only enter before 7:00 a.m. I haven't been here very long and I don't think I'll come back soon. I don't understand how people do this everyday. I am not a morning person, I'd like to be, but my body just disagrees.

I am still a wee sickly babe unfortunately but I made today count by getting up early, waking my sweetheart up with a kiss, making him breakfast, and driving him to work. I am rather proud of myself I dare say!

Last night was quite the evening. We made banana, blueberry, and buttermilk pancakes for dinner... or I should say Ryan made them while I worked on my color theory homework. He stirred his bowl of sweet sticky goodness while serenading me with Jack Johnson's famous "Banana Pancakes." Oh how I love him. Ryan, not Jack, although I am quite fond of Johnson's music. 

Since pictures, in my opinion, are what make blogs fun. I just thought I'd post one of my wedding. These are only some of the people who made my day wonderful. I still haven't sent out my thank you cards, I'm horrible. But I do want to say thank you to everyone who participated in making my life so happy. Whether by being my friend, co-worker, family, photographer, florist, and numerous others.


I love you guys. Thanks for reading my blog. 

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Sicky Sunday

Today I am sick.
My wide pointy nose is like a running waterfall.
I made it through a lovely sunday of church and then proceeded to return to the homeland to sit and stew in my illness.
I'm making it sound worse than it is. My nose is just red and hurty.

Today I feel really grateful for all the things that I have.
Especially my husband Ryan.


I love this boy so much. I can't believe the amount my love has increased for Mr. Decker since the day I met him. When people say "things things grow ripe with old age," let me tell you. "They ain't lyin." I really and truly LOVE him.

With Valentine's day coming up my brain is frantic with thoughts of what I am going to do to make that day special. I have never had a special someone on this holiday. I want to do something that is unique to our love and our relationship. Something I read in Stephanie Nielson's book "Heaven is Here" is that on birthdays they take that person and do a balloon launch. Meaning they get special birthday balloons and release them up into the sky. I was thinking of doing that with Ryan, and maybe we could write things on a card and send it up to Heaven.
When I was a little girl I once wrote a letter to my great grandfather, Fay Anthony, who had passed away. To the best of my memory I wished him the best in heaven and told him how much I missed him. I proceeded to put on my mom's very best lipstick and kiss the paper as though to recreate something I'd probably seen on T.V. I sent off the balloons with my letter attached and watched with excitement as they faded out of site. I think that would be a fun tradition to start.

Anyhow I just wanted to say how glad I am that I married this kid and am enjoying every second of eternity we get to spend together. One of Ryan's favorite movies is the Notebook, when I saw it for the first time is was because he made me and boy did I sob. How embarrassing. I was a mess. I loved that they passed away together still as much in love as they were the day they got married. That is how I want Ryan and I to be. Someday when it's our turn to fall into the deep sleep of forever I want us to go together.

My Ryan is proof that Heavenly Father is there always watching over us and seeking to help us reach our highest potential and happiness. Ryan helps me be a better person everyday and I don't know where I'd be without him.

That's all for today. Goodnight.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Wednesday

Wow, today is a wednesday I wouldn't mind if I never had again. I woke up this morning to a crazy flurry of snow! After digging my car out I made my way towards the dentist's office. Ended up calling and canceling because I decided my life is more important than my teeth. I arrived at school around 9:00 AM and proceeded to enter THE MATH LAB! Or otherwise known as the forbidden forest, for once you enter you can never escape. Needless to say I spent my day in the dungeon. I left once or twice to breath, visit the lavatory, and get a drink of water. I left my 2nd home around 7:30 PM. Don't ask me how I managed to be there that long because I really don't know. After exiting I went to the UVU Testing Center to take my exam. All I know is that whether I failed or not, I truly did my part and did my best. The image of a small card I received in Relief Society keeps popping into my head.


This is Leo our orange Tabby Kitty

"The simple secret is this: put your trust in the Lord, do your best, then leave the rest to him."

This quote comes from an LDS General Conference talk entitled, "Come What May, and Love It" Given by Joseph B. Wirthlin who has now passed away. If you get a chance, and maybe just need something to lift you up. I encourage you to read this talk.


Come What May, and Love It

ELDER JOSEPH B. WIRTHLIN
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles


Joseph B. Wirthlin
The way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life.
When I was young I loved playing sports, and I have many fond memories of those days. But not all of them are pleasant. I remember one day after my football team lost a tough game, I came home feeling discouraged. My mother was there. She listened to my sad story. She taught her children to trust in themselves and each other, not blame others for their misfortunes, and give their best effort in everything they attempted.
When we fell down, she expected us to pick ourselves up and get going again. So the advice my mother gave to me then wasn’t altogether unexpected. It has stayed with me all my life.
“Joseph,” she said, “come what may, and love it.”
I have often reflected on that counsel.
I think she may have meant that every life has peaks and shadows and times when it seems that the birds don’t sing and bells don’t ring. Yet in spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser, and happier as a result.
There may be some who think that General Authorities rarely experience pain, suffering, or distress. If only that were true. While every man and woman on this stand today has experienced an abundant measure of joy, each also has drunk deeply from the cup of disappointment, sorrow, and loss. The Lord in His wisdom does not shield anyone from grief or sadness.
For me, the Lord has opened the windows of heaven and showered blessings upon my family beyond my ability to express. Yet like everyone else, I have had times in my life when it seemed that the heaviness of my heart might be greater than I could bear. During those times I think back to those tender days of my youth when great sorrows came at the losing end of a football game.
How little I knew then of what awaited me in later years. But whenever my steps led through seasons of sadness and sorrow, my mother’s words often came back to me: “Come what may, and love it.”
How can we love days that are filled with sorrow? We can’t—at least not in the moment. I don’t think my mother was suggesting that we suppress discouragement or deny the reality of pain. I don’t think she was suggesting that we smother unpleasant truths beneath a cloak of pretended happiness. But I do believe that the way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life.
If we approach adversities wisely, our hardest times can be times of greatest growth, which in turn can lead toward times of greatest happiness.
Over the years I have learned a few things that have helped me through times of testing and trial. I would like to share them with you.

Learn to Laugh

The first thing we can do is learn to laugh. Have you ever seen an angry driver who, when someone else makes a mistake, reacts as though that person has insulted his honor, his family, his dog, and his ancestors all the way back to Adam? Or have you had an encounter with an overhanging cupboard door left open at the wrong place and the wrong time which has been cursed, condemned, and avenged by a sore-headed victim?
There is an antidote for times such as these: learn to laugh.
I remember loading up our children in a station wagon and driving to Los Angeles. There were at least nine of us in the car, and we would invariably get lost. Instead of getting angry, we laughed. Every time we made a wrong turn, we laughed harder.
Getting lost was not an unusual occurrence for us. Once while heading south to Cedar City, Utah, we took a wrong turn and didn’t realize it until two hours later when we saw the “Welcome to Nevada” signs. We didn’t get angry. We laughed, and as a result, anger and resentment rarely resulted. Our laughter created cherished memories for us.
I remember when one of our daughters went on a blind date. She was all dressed up and waiting for her date to arrive when the doorbell rang. In walked a man who seemed a little old, but she tried to be polite. She introduced him to me and my wife and the other children; then she put on her coat and went out the door. We watched as she got into the car, but the car didn’t move. Eventually our daughter got out of the car and, red faced, ran back into the house. The man that she thought was her blind date had actually come to pick up another of our daughters who had agreed to be a babysitter for him and his wife.
We all had a good laugh over that. In fact, we couldn’t stop laughing. Later, when our daughter’s real blind date showed up, I couldn’t come out to meet him because I was still in the kitchen laughing. Now, I realize that our daughter could have felt humiliated and embarrassed. But she laughed with us, and as a result, we still laugh about it today.
The next time you’re tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead. It will extend your life and make the lives of all those around you more enjoyable.

Seek for the Eternal

The second thing we can do is seek for the eternal. You may feel singled out when adversity enters your life. You shake your head and wonder, “Why me?”
But the dial on the wheel of sorrow eventually points to each of us. At one time or another, everyone must experience sorrow. No one is exempt.
I love the scriptures because they show examples of great and noble men and women such as Abraham, Sarah, Enoch, Moses, Joseph, Emma, and Brigham. Each of them experienced adversity and sorrow that tried, fortified, and refined their characters.
Learning to endure times of disappointment, suffering, and sorrow is part of our on-the-job training. These experiences, while often difficult to bear at the time, are precisely the kinds of experiences that stretch our understanding, build our character, and increase our compassion for others.
Because Jesus Christ suffered greatly, He understands our suffering. He understands our grief. We experience hard things so that we too may have increased compassion and understanding for others.
Remember the sublime words of the Savior to the Prophet Joseph Smithwhen he suffered with his companions in the smothering darkness of Liberty Jail:
“My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
“And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.” 1
With that eternal perspective, Joseph took comfort from these words, and so can we. Sometimes the very moments that seem to overcome us with suffering are those that will ultimately suffer us to overcome.

The Principle of Compensation

The third thing we can do is understand the principle of compensation. The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss. That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way. While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude.
One of the blessings of the gospel is the knowledge that when the curtain of death signals the end of our mortal lives, life will continue on the other side of the veil. There we will be given new opportunities. Not even death can take from us the eternal blessings promised by a loving Heavenly Father.
Because Heavenly Father is merciful, a principle of compensation prevails. I have seen this in my own life. My grandson Joseph has autism. It has been heartbreaking for his mother and father to come to grips with the implications of this affliction.
They knew that Joseph would probably never be like other children. They understood what that would mean not only for Joseph but for the family as well. But what a joy he has been to us. Autistic children often have a difficult time showing emotion, but every time I’m with him, Joseph gives me a big hug. While there have been challenges, he has filled our lives with joy.
His parents have encouraged him to participate in sports. When he first started playing baseball, he was in the outfield. But I don’t think he grasped the need to run after loose balls. He thought of a much more efficient way to play the game. When a ball was hit in his direction, Joseph watched it go by and then pulled another baseball out of his pocket and threw that one to the pitcher.
Any reservations that his family may have had in raising Joseph, any sacrifices they have made have been compensated tenfold. Because of this choice spirit, his mother and father have learned much about children with disabilities. They have witnessed firsthand the generosity and compassion of family, neighbors, and friends. They have rejoiced together as Joseph has progressed. They have marveled at his goodness.

Trust in the Father and the Son

The fourth thing we can do is put our trust in our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
“God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.” 2 The Lord Jesus Christ is our partner, helper, and advocate. He wants us to be happy. He wants us to be successful. If we do our part, He will step in.
He who descended below all things will come to our aid. He will comfort and uphold us. He will strengthen us in our weakness and fortify us in our distress. He will make weak things become strong. 3
One of our daughters, after giving birth to a baby, became seriously ill. We prayed for her, administered to her, and supported her as best we could. We hoped she would receive a blessing of healing, but days turned into months, and months turned into years. At one point I told her that this affliction might be something she would have to struggle with the rest of her life.
One morning I remember pulling out a small card and threading it through my typewriter. Among the words that I typed for her were these: “The simple secret is this: put your trust in the Lord, do your best, then leave the rest to Him.”
She did put her trust in God. But her affliction did not disappear. For years she suffered, but in due course, the Lord blessed her, and eventually she returned to health.
Knowing this daughter, I believe that even if she had never found relief, yet she would have trusted in her Heavenly Father and “[left] the rest to Him.”

Conclusion

Although my mother has long since passed to her eternal reward, her words are always with me. I still remember her advice to me given on that day long ago when my team lost a football game: “Come what may, and love it.”
I know why there must be opposition in all things. Adversity, if handled correctly, can be a blessing in our lives. We can learn to love it.
As we look for humor, seek for the eternal perspective, understand the principle of compensation, and draw near to our Heavenly Father, we can endure hardship and trial. We can say, as did my mother, “Come what may, and love it.” Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Good Night

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Tuesday

Today it snowed. I went to school attempting not to slide into anything in the car. I went to class Color Theory, Math, and Art History. Love the art classes, not so much the math. All I want this semester is to pass Math 1050. If I do I will never have to take another math class, EVER! If anyone understood what this means they would be crying they'd be so happy for me. I'm crying just thinking about never doing another quadratic equation, or plotting another point on a graph. Not literally but figuratively I guess.

After school I proceeded to go to work, the Library. I love it there. Being surrounded by books and great people make my life that much better. The smell of musty pages is sometimes comforting. (I think maybe I need to get out more).

After work, my math tutor came over. She is wonderful by the way, I may have found my solution to Math 1050, her name is Mackenzie and I absolutely love her. She is going to save me this semester. 

After that stressful excursion ended I walked into the bedroom to find a sleeping Mr. Decker. Did I mention that I love him? I'll have to write a bit more about my dear Ryan in another post, when it isn't 12:40 AM. But he left me a lovely gift hanging from the ceiling by a gift ribbon. It was a card in the shape of a Matryoshka Doll. Inside he whispered sweet nothings. He does so much for me and I couldn't ask for a more wonderful husband. I love you Ryan Decker.

Goodnight.



Monday, January 28, 2013

Monday

I'm reading a novel right now called, "Heaven Is Here" by Stephanie Nielson. 

She is the author of a blog http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/

It's a wonderful book! I recommend it to everyone I know. Her writing has brought happiness into my life by her positive attitude and how she rebuilt her happiness after it was shattered.

This is her Mormon Message
Her beautiful Family Now

Then
She was a burn victim of an airplane crash, is a mother, and everyday manages to be an amazing example of everything that women should be. In her totally "real-life" novel, she talks about her religion, motherhood, love, and many other things. It's been really refreshing and uplifting. She has inspired me to start a blog, where I can document my life, keep in touch with family, and also just talk.  

I decided to start small. I'm going to document today, and maybe when I am feeling a little more ambitious in the blog world I will document the past.

I'm procrastinating as usual. I have math to do, art history reading, and potentially dinner. I just want to blog. I've never really done one where I'm good at keeping up on it, but I want this one to be different. 
I married Mr. Ryan Decker on September 7, 2012. I have started a life with him and can't wait for the adventures we make our way towards everyday. I want to document our life together and all that the future holds for us. I believe in history, and here I will write our history. Probably more than anyone really wants to know, but it's for us and whoever happens upon these pages of our life.

Today I woke up, (obviously) created this blog, went to school, took some pictures for my photography class, came home to a sick Ryan, and now I do homework... or blog?

Ryan and I are doing our homework like good little children. When we are finished hopefully we can have a nice Family Home Evening. And sleep. 

You should do the same.

Goodnight.