Boston

The tragedy that happened earlier today in Boston is heartbreaking. 

I had close friends and family in the race and although they are thankfully okay, there are many people and families that are not okay. 

Pray for Boston. 

[When sore trials come upon us, it’s time to deepen our faith in God, to work hard, and to serve others. Then He will heal our broken hearts. He will bestow upon us personal peace and comfort. Those great gifts will not be destroyed, even by death.]

-Russell M. Nelson-

LOVE this perspective:

[My greatest victory has been to be able to live with myself, to accept my shortcomings. I’m a long way from the human being I’d like to be, but I’ve decided I’m not so bad after all. ]

— Audrey Hepburn 

26 Acts in 28 days

So I realize I'm a little late here, but I've just heard about this "26 random acts of kindness" to honor the lives of those who were killed in the Sandyhook Elementary school shooting, so I've decided to commit myself this month and do it! 

(That's about one a day, giving myself a little wiggle room just in case I forget to on a couple days. )

I think this is the neatest idea! And such an inspired way to try to make this world a better place, even while there are those trying to tear it down. 

I read a quote in one of the articles that said: 

"Can you imagine the impact if every person touched by the bravery of those killed at Sandyhook committed themselves to do just 26 acts of random kindness? I'd like to see a world like that."

So there you have it! I think it's interesting that I'm just hearing about his campaign now -- this past month I've found myself feeling completely overwhelmed and like I don't even have enough time to finish what I need to do, let alone do anything for other people. And as a result I've noticed my happiness narrow, trivial matters consume me, and I've began to lose perspective of what is really important. And I'm tired of feeling like that.

So who's with me? 

#26actsofkindness

via

[Though my work may be menial, though my contribution may be small, I can perform it with dignity and offer it with unselfishness. My talents may not be great, but I can use them to bless the lives of others... The goodness of the world in which we live is the accumulated goodness of many small and seemingly inconsequential acts.]

-Gordon B. Hinckley-

"Exegi Monumentum Aere Perennius"

This little brass plaque hangs outside of Oupa's house and translated from Latin it means: 

"We have built a monument that will outlast brass." 

It's a pretty powerful motto and such a neat attitude to have towards your family. I'm so grateful for the opportunity I've had to come to Australia and meet and spend time with JP's extended family. They are absolutely amazing people, able to make you feel welcome and included and are so much fun to talk to and do things with. Even after just 2 weeks I really feel like they're family.

**********

Before we left, Oupa let me feed his koi fish and it was one of the highlights of my trip! 

He calls to the fish, and they all swim over in a great hurry and basically jump out of the water over each other because they're so excited to eat. It's very entertaining to witness.

Feeding these fish is serious business too, because each one costs almost as much as I pay in tuition for a semester of school :)

Happy 1 Year Anniversary to Us!

I simply cannot believe it has been a whole year since I married Jean Paul. 

It has flown by unbelievably fast but at the same time it seems like I have never not been married to him. 

Our wedding day was easily the happiest day of my life, and the most fun, so I wanted to share a few more pictures from August 19, 2011. 

Happy Anniversary Darling! 

One year ago you and I started down the best path I could ever hope to follow!

and I thought I loved you then...  :)

[“I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep your eyes close.” ]

― Pablo Neruda, 100 Love Sonnets

Happy Sunday!

 

 Here is a little Mormon Message that brightened my Sunday:

:)

 

[Faith is the sense of life, that sense by virtue of which man does not destroy himself, but continues to live on. It is the force whereby we live.]

-Leo Tolstoy-

Absolutely Obsessed With This Quote:

Some Things I am Loving:

Hello there! 

Sorry it's been almost 5 days since my last post! Life sort of took over for a minute -- things like Organic Chemistry tests (hello 4+ hours in the testing center), a much-neglected messy apartment that needed cleaning, late night chatting (Mr. JP and I get funnier and funnier as the night gets later and later), and some exciting news* has been preoccupying my time and my thoughts.

But here are some things that I am loving lately! Enjoy :)

This is one of my favorite online magazines (gotta save those trees) -- very insightful and creative articles. 

Possible one of the sickest music videos ever produced. Ever. Watch it, love it, and you're welcome in advance.

One of my new favorite design blogs! Really fabulous stuff going on over here. 

Also, I'm just a little obsessed with flowy blouses and color blocking so when these two worlds collided I feel in love.

This pillow series is pretttttty awesome. Since I don't really have a good theme going on in our apartment I might just add one to the awesome hodge-podge that is our living room. 

Oh and of course I am obsessed with quotes, and here are some of my most favorite recent discoveries:

*I'm not pregnant, just to clear the air.

 

Happy Leap Day!

I was so excited for Leap Day! 

It only comes around once every four years people, four years! 

We get a whole extra day in our lives this year, what did you do with it?!

 Personally I left class early because that was the last place I wanted to spend my Leap Day, and had a lovely two-hour chat with my fellow class-ditcher Rachel. And then I went and fulfilled my TAing duties (a little responsibility was probably a good idea) Then tonight I had a waffle party. And watched 'Modern Family'

 

Homework? That can wait til tomorrow. Today is Leap Day!

[When in doubt, make a fool of yourself. There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth. So what the hell, leap.]
 

- Cynthia Heimel-

You know the motto...

Want to know my current favorite thing about Mr JP?  

(I do try to refrain from these kind of posts... but this is just too good)

Whenever I ask him to do something particularly un-fun or time-consuming or inconvenient (you know, like load the dishwasher or go outside in the freezing cold to get my schoolbooks out of my car) 

he pauses for a second, gets this look on his face, kisses me on the forehead, and says: 

"you know the motto, anything for the wifey."

Haha! That's me. I'm the wifey. 

And just like that, I realize I don't have any reason to complain about anything, ever.

Happy Weekend!

Auld Lang Syne

We'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne,

Here's to 2012:

A chance to become better. 

An opportunity to fix mistakes and move forward.

A clean slate.

 

A new year means another chance to recommit yourself to becoming who you want to be.

And perhaps this will be the year you decide what kind of person you want to be.

We'll be given more opportunities, be placed in new situations, and be faced with harder decisions.

And we will get to prove to ourselves that we can do hard things. 

 This year is bound to contain happiness & heartbreak, goodbyes & reunions, inspiration & discouragement,

but we get to decide how we let it affect us.

 

 

 

[Life can be magnificent and overwhelming — that is the whole tragedy. Without beauty, love, or danger it would almost be easy to live.]

Albert Camus 

Happy Christmas Eve!

"This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten

friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write

a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest

your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a

grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand.

Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone

else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your

gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child.

Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth.

Speak your love and then speak it again. Christmas is a

celebration, and there is no celebration that compares

with the realization of its true meaning-with the

sudden stirring of the heart that has extended itself

unselfishly in the things that matter most."

-Howard W. Hunter-