Apologies for the price of postage

We were unable to send a card and letter to everyone we would have wished, so here it is. Merry Christmas. Isn't our Savior the greatest!?

You guys. 2013. It happened. It happened in a marvelous way. We arrived in Le Sueur, Minnesota on December 31, 2012, and started out the brand new year in a brand new place. It has had its challenges, but they have been mustard seeds in comparison to our yoga-ball sized blessings.

Chesley continues to work like a mad man to keep our lives up and running. He worked many 18+ hour days this summer, and always still had a positive attitude when he got home. He even still had a positive attitude when he would wake up before 4:00 the next morning to start another long day. Can we just bottle this positive energy already? We’d be rich. He got more flight time than last year, and is so excited to be a full time pilot next year. Finally! Three year old Chesley’s dream comes true!

I am still momming it up around here. Bein’ a mom.  I have a hard time finding grown up things to do sometimes, but building blocks and Bob the Builder will have to do as pass times for now. The baby and I spent a full three months in Utah and Idaho this summer while Ches was working those crazy hours. I did have some elderly women in my parents’ ward concerned about my marriage after such a long trip, but we managed to stay in love, and the trip was a treat. With Chesley being gone so much we were right where we needed to be.

Maverik grows and grows and grows! In both stature and personality. He is busting at the seams with it. He doesn’t say many actual words, (mama, daddy, and Bob), but he jabbers nonstop in his own little baby words.  He loves to throw, and we are constantly blocking our faces and flinching away from projectiles. We are working on clearing up the rules on what can be thrown safely and what draws blood.

So, we raise our glasses of non-alcoholic sparkling white grape juice (it’s the best kind) to the passing of another wonderful year. We hope the Spirit of Christ fills your Holiday season. Loves from the Lewis family.

you should love yourself because I said so, and some other reasons

I had a very lovely and much needed girls night out this weekend. Isn't it amazing to talk, laugh, and just interact with other women ?! Don't get me wrong, I am a F-A-N (I reeeeally like them) of men, but women need women too.

There were ten of us sitting at the chef's table at Olives, and I can assure you that the conversation was delightful, and the laughter free. We talked about hair while I tried to convert everyone to dry shampoo, watching your children grow, and how weird it was that bread is so addicting when it is so simple. 

At one point they had me talking about my family, and how we each seem to have a different niche, and how it is so easy to be jealous when a talent or ability (or in my brother Shane's case just being beautiful) comes so effortlessly. I began to think about how desperately women have fought at times to feel like their lives were as exciting or beautiful as the lives of people whose blogs they follow, or whose posts they see on facebook and instagram.  

To counter this, I made this list:

1. It sounds cliche, but I am the only person exactly like me! I may not be an interesting person because I have been to amazing places, or done a lot of cool things. But, I am an interesting person because of my thoughts, quirks, and the way I express myself.

                

2. As women we simply deserve to feel pretty and loveable. I am aware that may sound too simple minded, but I believe it with all of my heart. Each of us has something about us that is beautiful. What I have to offer the world may not be as big or public as what some other women offer, but I have people to whom I am more important than any of those other women. So do you. That isn't to say that they or what they do aren't valuable, but you can not base your worth or beauty off of that of other people. Also, when your husband, boyfriend, best friend, or someone that truly knows and loves you tells you that you are beautiful, BELIEVE THEM.

3. I have some stellar abilities. I can't draw like my sister, make music like my brother, or compare to another brother's quick wit, but I have my own stuff. I am good at making people feel comfortable. I have a stellar British accent. I am good at resolving disputes peacefully. I have an artistic eye. Abilities. I have them. You have them.

4. My body does everything for me that I need. My relationship with my body is long and very much resembles what you would see on a heart monitor. I have  felt too big since middle school (haven't we all), my nose is big and has a weird shape, I have poop brown eyes, can you say man hands?...on and on I hashed at my body. Only in the last few months decided that I actually like my body. I like my body despite that fact that I am as big as I ever was, not counting pregnant me, and have serious scarring from that pregnancy. I look just fine in a size 12. If you struggle with your body, at least be aware and thankful of what it does for you. That will help you to appreciate it a little more. 

I can get off of my soap box now, but I would love to hear how you have reminded yourself that you are important and brilliant even when the pictures you post on facebook never seem to be as perfect as that one girl with which you went to high school....? 

Lets help each other out! Spread the love! Leave me a comment and post a pretty picture of you today!

If you don't have friends like this....

Get some.

This is Hannah. Don't mind my hideous expression (I saved the file to my desktop as chins.jpg). Also, don't mind that she seems to be guarding her chest. She was. She wanted a goodbye hug, but is a little weird about chest bumps. We love her anyway. 

Hannah and I had the following text conversation last week.

May you all have people in your lives with whom you are afraid to express nothing, no matter how ridiculous.

Letters

Dear Hannah and Lacy

Thank you for letting me copy you. I like you.



Dear Bangs
Please stop blowing apart in the middle so that I look like I have drawn back curtain on my face.


Dear Gym
Will you stop being so unappealing please? Right now the couch is totally beating you.

Dear Favorite Yellow Shoes
I am sorry I had to leave you outside. If you had been more conducive to sock-wearing I might be able to keep you in my closet.



Dear Internet
You should reach just a tiny bit farther into my front room, so I can preserve my toosh from this unfriendly cement slab that is my front step.


Dear Pinky Toe
I am so sorry that half of your nail came off. The edge of that couch was closer than I calculated.

Dear Sunshine on My Face
You feel nice.



Dear Freezer
I am so glad that you are holding some pecan caramel ice cream for me. How nice.

Dear Chenyl and Mark Sam
I miss you. But mostly Chenyl. But I guess Mark Sam too....



because although I don't particularly miss this....


I miss this


And this.....VERY much



Dear Helicopter
Please be good while husband is flying you. I am rather fond of him, and would like him to be around long enough to see me become a good cook, so...a long time. And besides...


He's so....spectacular

Copy Cat: Then and Now

My fantastic friend Amanda wrote an inspiring post on the journey she and her husband have had together. I am totally stealing this from her. Chesley and I did not meet when we were young teenagers, having hand holding sessions on choir trip buses, but I think we have come a long way regardless.

Then...I thought you were stuck up, and had no desire to talk to you
Now... I think you are the funniest person in the world, and I make you turn the radio off in the car just so we can talk.

Then...I reluctantly went out with you. I tried to unload you on a friend.
Now....I gleefully go anywhere and everywhere with you, and feel rather smug when I notice other women noticing how handsome you are.

Then...I compared you to other men I knew and respected.
Now....I compare everyone to you. No one measures up. You're so weird. It's awesome.

Then...I had a little crush on you, and when you held my hand it made me blush.
Now....I am am pretty much in love with you, and live with constant blushing.

Then...you did things like take me off roading, and show off your frisbee skills to impress me.
Now...all you have to do to impress me is do the laundry. I've been permanently impressed.

Then...I would stay up until 1:00 a.m. so I could see you for five minutes after you got off of work
Now...I got to bed at 10:30 p.m. so the time will go faster, and you can kiss on the temple when you crawl into bed.

Then...I had to pray about you every night. Such anxiety in the decision.
Now...I pray with you every night, and it is much more anxiety free.

Then...I had no idea what was coming.
Now....I still don't, but you're coming, so it'll be neat

RUSH!!!!

Welcome Rush in EAB. This is the chaos we lived in, cried in , and loved in.

This is our shipping area. There is usually someone there for 10 or 12 hours.

We pretty much made a maze with carts full of books. We became the smart maze rats.
I'm not sure what that means

Caleb always goes out of his way to help customers. Really, one time he met a customer at Wal-mart to get him his book order because the store was closed. Too much customer service.

Whitney Fae working away.
heh. That rhymes. smile

Lacy should definitely be a head-set model.

Bobbi did this same pose several times for the camera. We definitely know how she felt.

These two are the Asians. They make an entire Asian. Neat.
(sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters)

Hannah and I had a hard time coordinating which face we were supposed to be making.

Maybe next time.

We've all gone crazy.

But we like each others company.

Availability is a beast

My co-worker Lacy (who is pictured below. I labeled the picture for reader/viewer convenience. I was not pictured in the picture) and I were talking today about the woe of being hungry while you are on campus. This situation is woeful in our estimation for two reasons. (One reason being much more substantial than the other)

Reason #1: I didn't have enough forsight to pack a lunch....even though I was abominably hungry at this exact same time yesterday and had no food then either. The only option we have to amend the lack of food is to purchase something from one of the outrageously overpriced food markets in the Taggart Student Center (They charge $2.50 for a slice of bread with a tomato on it! Bollucks!). Often our most hungry hour is within an hour of when we will be returning to our humble college student abodes. We shall wait to raid our cupboards.

Reason #2: Upon the thought of these, our very own cupboards of storage that we have, we realize that there is nothing to eat. We are hungry at school, we are hungry walking home from school, we are hungry while we stare at the corner of the cheese packet that came from our last box of mac-n-cheese that we made yesterday and carelessly tore and threw back in the cupboard instead of the garbage. Sigh. We. Are. Endlessly. Hungered. Woe is us.

The Shiny Thing

You know, I am in a very interesting stage in my life. I know being a college student is really kind of weird for everyone because you don't really belong at home anymore, but you know you aren't going to be at school in that drab apartment forever either. So where do I really belong right now? What is my identity? I have found my home away from home in my friends. I don't care what anyone else says I DO happen to have the best best friends in the world. I have made a set of siblings in Mark Sam and Jenelyn who, weirdly enough, are getting married to each other soon. Good things they aren't like siblings to each other :) When I found out that they were getting married (and I've known for a while. Secrets are HARD) something dawned on me. There go my last two very best friends in the whole world off into married land where singles cannot follow. Drat. Every single (no pun intended) one of the four girls that I felt closest to as friend in the last two years will have all bitten the dust within nine months. I know this is beginning to sounds like I am not happy for them. That is not the case! They have found incredible young men! Coli, Michelle, and Moe, I'm a little partial to Mark Sam because he is my brother, so I think Jenelyn is the luckiest, but you all did very well too! :D Coli, you can just see how much Scott adores you when you two are in a room together. Michelle, I love watching you and Jason laugh together. Moe, you and Paul were pretty much matched in heaven. The internet can do good things :) Jenelyn, take good care of my big brother please. I think he likes you. ANYWAY.....I love every single one of these people. Then why can't I shake the feeling of being left behind? It is like I was standing in a happy circle living and laughing with these eight people, and then they all saw something shiny at the same time, and I didn't see it, so they all ran away at the exact same time to catch the shiny thing, and then I was the only one still standing in the circle....except it wasn't a circle anymore. Just me. A vertical line instead of a circle. By myself. All of my friends chasing the shiny thing. I wouldn't want to hold them back from the shiny thing for a second, but....all at once...? I think it is probably the doing of the Big Man Upstairs, which means I HAVE to be okay with it....He probably thinks it's funny. Teaching me patience or something. I don't even want to get married this very second, but do I have to be left alone?! Well, the answer is clearly......There is no clear answer!
Okay. Phew. I'm done getting my selfish rant out. I feel better. You four girls are incredible! I am so glad that you found worthy men! Now you have to help me find one! Kapish? :D
Peace Out

The People

Sometimes I feel like I get so busy that I forget about 'the people'. I have been busier the last few weeks than I have been maybe my entire life, and when things started to slow down, and I had time to breath again, I started to remember 'the people', how wonderful they are, and what I had been missing or taking for granted about them. Here is a list of some of the people.

Mom: That woman loves me an awful lot. She jokes with me, feeds me, teases me about marrying boys I only talked to once, gives me pouty faces, listens to me whine about everything that I don't really have to whine about, has bigger crushes on anyone I date than I do, and makes the best home made pizza ever known to man, woman, child, baby, or pagan deity.

Dad: Is the most fantastic father ever, and yes my dad could beat up your dad..no...he really could. He always gives me a gigantic hug and a kiss on top of the head when I come home, he likes to take me to the movies, he thinks I look like Hoshi on Star Trek(she's Asian), he growls whenever he sees Michelle Pfeiffer or Angelina Jolie, he loves to laugh more than just about anyone I know, and he does spontaneous Irish jigs in the kitchen. He's the bomb.

Kim: Most patient sister ever. I am pretty sure I was a devil of a little sister. She is on her mission now. I think I'm going to have to get to know a whole new person when she comes home.

Shane Kade Wyatt: Big goobers who love me, and I love them. If you want to know more about why, see previouis posts. Ducks, muscles, hotdogs, and football are frequently involved. Oh, and flatulence.

Grandma: Probably the most angelic person I have ever encountered anywhere. She loves people, loves the Lord, loves me, and pretty much loves everything good. She and I have some very good talks. I learn much from my beautiful grandmother. She even looks like Audrey Hepburn. Go grandma!

Amanda Marie Sutton: Girl. I am almost crying writing about you. This girl is one of the most giving and forgiving people I have ever met. Plus she's HILARIOUS. I am pretty sure I've been close to wetting my pants a few times because of her. Even when time, conflicting schedules, location, and life get going, she is always sure to check up on me. She seems to know just when I need her. I miss her a lot. I especially miss the spandex and the leg wrestling. :)

Jennifer Dawn Beukers: Can you say 'girl who gives the most smile fruit snacks and dollar toys and cheer up kits ever!'? This girl is namazing. I don't think I have ever seen her worried about herself. She has a laugh that is more than contagious. She is going to be an amazing elementary school teacher. I'll send my kids her way for sure!

Whitney Fay Daley: loves lobsters and Will Ferrill (eew). This girl is so strong. Her life is not easy, but she doesn't let anyone know it. She is knows as the happy funny girl who everyone loves. Her faith and strength in the face of difficulty has been a tremendous example to me. I think she might be a saint.....even if she does like Will Ferrill... :D

Melissa Mae Grish: I didn't know it was possible to love six feet of person and red fro so much. This girl has a real and genuine love for life. I was so glad to find a companion in my radom belting of any song that popped into my head. When I hug her it is perdy much planned in the preexistence. She knows the meaning. Love you! You are wonderful!

Dallin Jolley: Juice, Yoga ball, Wal-mart, rides to the church, laughing so hard I fall over, making me say outrageous things, music videos. Dal. I'm pretty sure I laugh 93% more since I've started hanging out with you. You should see the before and after pictures of my abs, but I wont show you because that's awkward....

Catharina Anderson: works harder at her goals than almost anyone I know. I haven't talked to or seen her in a really long time, but I've thought of her often lately. She has a strength that I don't think I will ever understand. There was a time in my life that I could count on her for absolutlely anything, and I never told her how much she means to me. Catharina, I am so grateful to have had you in my life!

Mistie Park: knows how to genuinely be interested in peoples lives and well being. I know I could call Mistie any time at all and she would listen to me. She is a fantastic woman.

Hannah Mitsuko Hesley: Han. Han. Han. There are so many things I could say for you, oh one of the orient. Who would have thought that the girl who was sick and absent my first week in EAB would turn out to be one of my most favorite people in the world. I see many things in our future. Odes, viewings of Colin, Michael V, Channing, & others, dry-erase murals, silent soul bonding as we each sit at our computers, W.W.H.D. discussions, and adoration. Have Happa Day. ...Did I get that right....?

Kenneth Spencer Reid: This kid was here for me for so many late night discussions when I thought I was going to go crazy living with all girls. We are excellent eating partners, we love to go out to eat. We are very different from each other, but can talk about pretty much anything. He's pretty much a stud.

Ross Barton Nelson: There are almost no words. Ross is my bosom friend. We are pretty much kindred spirits, and I'm pretty sure he even knows where that phrase comes from :) I'm not sure how we've become as close as we are, but this kid knows me down to the stuff that no one else knows. He takes care of me. He calls me sometimes just to check up. We can be apart for months and pick up like we were never apart. His testimony awes me. This kid knows and loves his savior. Ross. Love you.

Mark (Sam) Summers: You smell of beef and cheese! This boy is the older brother that I always wanted. Really. We even torment each other like siblings. He is picky about the boys I date, and when I have questions, whether they are serious, deep, silly, or ridiculous, I know Mark Sam will be there for me. He's listened to me whine, cry, laugh, be tarded, and pretty much everything else. I adore this kid.

Ashley Hilton: Ashley has got to be the most phenomenal boss ever. She keeps me in line at work, doing what I am supposed to do, but has managed to become my friend as well. I love that we can laugh our heads off at work together, and I especially love that she and Hannah got me to jump on the Naked boat :D She also got me addicted to Lost. I don't know how I feel about that one yet....

Jacob Michael Anderson: Jakey Poo, what wouldn't I do for you? Girls, this kid gives the most phenomenal non-professional back rubs perdy much ever. He is an excellent racquetball teacher, will give rides to Jamba on his awesome little motorcycle, randomly screams very loudly in Spanish, and gives some of the best most heart felt advice I've ever received from a guy friend. His hugs could cheer me up absolutely any day.

Kelby Jay Perry: I don't know that I have ever become such good friends with someone so fast. This kid is sharp. Although he occasionally joins Dallin in making me say outrageous things, :D I am very very glad to have Kelb in pretty much my every day. Kelb, you make me wanna be better than I am. (Watch those hands!)

Lisa Arzella Vincent: make me smile as soon as she is in the same room with me. Lisa knows how to make life enjoyable. Her energy exudes to pretty much everyone around her. You can't help but love her to death. She is really good at giving and receiving awkward hugs, has the prettiest teeth on the planet, has the longest torso ever created under heaven, and I pretty much hope we are friends forever. Losa, I love your face!

Janalie Wilkins: Jan, where would I be without you? You are my other half after all. If you didn't exist I would only be half a person! That would be extremely awkward because either way you split us I would have innards spilling out....gross....I love that I need absolutely zero reserve when I am with you. You know me exactly as I am, as weird and scary as it can be. Thanks for always being there to laugh about boys when we are really sad about them, and making me feel lovely when we all know you are the most attractive one :D We're family. We're gonna be together for Eternity!

Jenelyn Debrah Perry: There are really not words for what this girls has meant to me in the last year. We have the kind of friendship where we can sit completely comfortable in silence one day, and the next day we can hardly keep ourselves from talking to eachother while we are supposed to be doing homework. We have lived together long enough that I have picked up a few of her quirks, and she has picked up a few of mine ( I swear you will say "buddon" by the time we're through with each other!). She is one of the most beautiful girls I know inside and out. Chenyl, I luuuuv yeeew.

and these are the people that have been on my mind. Thank you, and all of those other people that I love, so much for making my life the incredibly blessed one that it is. You make me pretty much the luckiest girl in the world.