That time I felt so sad.

We don't need to talk about the game last night.

.....

Well, we'll talk just a little bit about it.

I clapped and cheered for those Utah boys as loyally as I could,

completely by myself surrounded by yellow-clad people...

until we were losing by 30 points. Then I kind of just pouted.

Conversation behind me:

Guy 1: "Did you know the Jazz were this bad?"

Guy 2: "No, I didn't know they were this bad. I don't think they usually are?"

Guy 1: "I don't know, they look really bad."

Girl in front of them in the Jazz shirt: More pouting.

Are you surprised they put us, a temporarily dysfunctional couple, on the Kiss Cam?

Jazz shirt and all. It was easily the highlight of the sad, sad game.

Well, folks. Maybe next time. 

And by next time, I mean January 26 when the Pacers totally

lose their cool in the Energy Solutions Arena Delta Center.

Right? Right.

p.s. Who is this Draco and what's with his threatening of holiday plans?

I'm way too excited for our flight tonight,

and he is NOT permitted to be another holiday flight fiasco.

Don't come between me and Utah, Malfoy. 

Jazz in the City

This Jazz schedule looks at me every day.
And I keep forgetting to bring pictures for my desk at work,
so it's all I look back at.

December 19 has a big circle around it...
the boys are here to play the Pacers tonight!
Michael and I will be there, cheering them on!

Well, I will.

Michael informed me last night that he would be cheering for the Pacers.
Psh.
Then my sister informed him she was no longer willing
to pick him up from the airport tomorrow.

I still get a ride though. And I'm stoked!
One week of family time in Utah, with a new little nephew we need to meet!

Finally through Finals

Michael finished his last final yesterday!

And then he did a happy dance.

That's not true, actually, because he gets along with dancing

about as well as I get along with mice.

But I know that he probably did at least a little happy dance inside.

First semester down, seven to go :)

We went out for Ethiopian food to celebrate. Have you had it?

You eat with your hands, pulling apart Injera (a flatbread made with just ground teff seed and water).

The bread is spongy, and somewhere between a pita and crepe.

The owner of the restaurant was so nice to us. He is from Ethiopia,

and is his wife is from Eritrea. She makes everything that they serve.

Then we came home and played games with friends until midnight.

That's cool right?

Since we usually go to bed at 9:30 on Fridays. SO lame :)

You should listen to this album with me. 

I'm addicted, and SO excited for our Christmas trip to Utah this week!

And on Wednesday, the JAZZ are coming to town to take on the Pacers!

We bought tickets like eight years ago it feels like,

so I'm excited to finally go cheer them on.

For Connecticut

What a heartbreaking day.

My thoughts and prayers are with the families affected by this tragedy,

and I am so sick about what happened.

Christmas will be so painful for those families this year.

I'll pray that they'll be able to feel closer to the ones they lost,

and know that those loved ones are with Christ as we remember His birth and life here on earth.

And some day, they'll all be with Christ together again. As a family.

photo: LDS Smile

Thoughts: on those moments of inadequacy

I remember the spelling bee in 5th grade. It was so nerve-wracking.

The students all stood up round after round, giving me a nerdy adrenaline rush every time it was my turn. Suddenly only three of us were left, and I walked up to the microphone that was just as tall as me.

And then I misspelled "inadequate."

Quite the ironic blow, right? But I have to smile a little every time I remember that moment -- and I'm surprised by how often that is.

It comes up often in my mind because the topic does first. Inadequacy. Do you know how often girls talk about that, directly or not? It's heavy on our minds, and hearts too, because girls are like that. We all know it. We want to do our best, always, at everything. And when we just aren't understanding why that's not happening all the time, our feelings of inadequacy spill into our words.

"I didn't get enough done today."
"This doesn't taste very good. At all, actually."
"This entertainment center shouldn't have taken 34 man hours to finish."
"I feel inadequate."

That last one comes out on those terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad days, or when we give up trying to have our minds read by the other gender.

But you know what? I've realized that the times I feel inadequate are when I'm challenging myself. I feel inadequate when a project takes longer or costs more than I planned -- but that means it's a project I've never done before. I feel inadequate when dinner is ... meh... and the leftovers aren't even that, but that usually means I tried something new. I feel inadequate when I have to practice someone's piano accompaniment over and over and over. and over. But that means it's a song that's pushing me.

So I guess I let those moments of inadequacy hide what I'm becoming. They find a way to steal perspective, then I forget that I'm doing what I should be doing. I'm trying to better myself, to ditch comfort zones, to learn. Little failures are not a reflection of who we are. Big failures are not a reflection of who we are. They're just a time to be patient with yourself.

I think even the most patient person has some trouble with that one.

But be patient, because "He will turn your supposed inadequacies into recognized strengths."

Supposed inadequacies. That's all they really are.

Our Holiday Days, as of late

December. So wonderfully busy, right?

Here's a wise reminder from a Dove chocolate that I probably ate before 10am at work:

The holidays really do feel magical.

Especially when you remember what Christmas is all about,

and just enjoy the way that everyone is a little happier and more kind this time of year.

So, life as of late. 

Ready?

 We went to a Butler basketball game with some friends,

and it was so much fun. 

We stopped downtown afterwards at a new sweet shop.

We felt like kids in a candy store. Let's be real, we were kids in a candy store.

I'm still just not sure when you are actually a grown up.

(Saying adults instead of grown ups is probably a factor.)

 Speaking of downtown...don't you love cities at night?

This is in the middle of Monument Circle, right downtown.

Monument turned Christmas Tree, currently. Complete with Santa's Mailbox at the bottom.

If you want to mail me your list, I'll drop it in for you.

And speaking of the Circle, this is Michael before smugly snagging a parking spot right in the Circle.

Hard to do, people. At first I thought it was lucky...

but now, every time we go downtown, he wants to try his luck again before settling. :)

We walked across that cute bridge to go to Christmas at the Zoo.

Oh I love Zoos. So of course I love them with Christmas lights all around,

and late night dolphin shows to Christmas pop songs,

And wide awake polar bears and tigers. It.was.wonderful.

Plus, they had real reindeer! I immediately loved them because their eyes look just like cows.

Pure. Not stupid. Pure.

 I know pumpkins are so last fall,

but look how fully we took advantage of our former front-porch friend.

We figured since we never even made him a jack-o-lantern,

we had to give him some purpose in life.

So, we baked the seeds, processed the pumpkin, and composted the outside. !!

Impressed? 

Good, because next year I think I'm opting for the jack-o-lantern option.

And finally, a few shots of our rocking ward party last Friday.

I played some Christmas songs for the kids to sing before their big red visitor came to town.

It was way too much fun, which is always true when Ami Bunker is leading.

She has serious talent.

Then, Santa arrived! And I had fun being the bell-jingler by the photographer,

and getting a front row view of kids and their love-fear relationship with Mr. Claus.

Those are the happenings at our house lately!

Plus lots, lots, lots, lots of studying on Michael's end. 

Finals this week, then his first semester is done! I'm so proud of him. And our pumpkin.