Journal Jar entry

Q: What would you like most to be remembered for?

A: This is a hard one...I first thought about what others may remember me most for and it boombarded my all too feeble mind with many thoughts. Then I thought about what I remember most about a person who I love and miss each and every day. What I remember about her is how Christlike she was. It was not how cute and petite she was, it was not her age defying beauty (although she possessed that and I only wish it was a gene that was given to me). It was in the manner in which she treated every single living thing that came into contact with her. With the utmost respect and honor of meeting them, like it was a gift that she was able to meet them, when I always saw it as the other way around. She made each and every person feel as though they mattered.

She was in a word, kind. It is such a simple word, that carries a whoolup of expectations and the older I get, I realize just how important that one word is to people.

I am no where near being the person I most want to be remembered for, but I would like to think that if anyone I have had any significant contact with would remember me as someone who made them feel as though they mattered. It doesnt take a lot to make a person feel like they matter, and that is what I hope people remember about me. That in one point of our time together, that they felt like they mattered to me. Because whether they know it or not, they do.

Journal Jar entry

Q: What advice would you give to those younger than you?

A: I was in Young Womens for quite a number of years (at least for me it was the longest calling I have had yet) and I remember always telling them to decide who they wanted to be now, and to just BE that person. If you want to be a mother, then be a mother, if you want to be a Lawyer, a nurse, a hippie, whatever it is, then do it.

Paths may change, the scenery may change, but if you know what or who you want to be then you will get there. If you keep your goal in mind. There are some things that I have not done (yet) and would still like to do, and I would love to have shook the younger me and told her to listen to the now older me and just do it! If that made any sense whatsoever.

I can only keep on doing what I know is right now- you can't look back. I love the quote from President Monson "The past is behind you, learn from it, the future is ahead of you, prepare for it, the present is here, live it. " (this is probley not word for word, but you get the drift!)

So advice? I may not be the best person to take it from, but I will always be honest with you and point you in the right direction...after all. I have a Garmin to get me around the city I have lived in for 12 years....

Journal Jar entry

Q: Your first experience with driving...and all that entails...

A: My Dad had it correct. We could not touch the automatic car until we had the stick shift down pat. My first attempts to master the stick shift were made in a parked car in our driveway. My Dad would have us go out and just practice shifting the gears back and forth and working the pedals. I still remember watching Marshall Hutchinson (your fabulous husband Cherrie!!) while he drove me to seminary every morning and watching his feet as he shifted. He probley thought I was crazy and had some insane foot fetish...But it helped!!

Once we thought we had the shifting somewhat down, we graduated to the good ole Church parking lot, AKA- beginner drivers course. It was the best place to learn and I have used it a number of times on Sarah, and the Red Flame as well. Not much you could run into (especially other cars) and good practice for the real deal.

My "real deal" was a nightmare all it's own. For those of you who remember Grandpa Pederson's (Great Grandpa Pederson for some of you out there!) red truck, I had to drive that thing on one of my first outings. I was headed to a "Daddy-Daughter" night at the church and was already nervous enough since I had not had the opportunity to do anything like this with my Dad before. So I was doing pretty well with shifting...till we got to the stop sign. For the life of me I could not get that thing into first. I kept on putting it in second and killing it immediately. So here I am, in the middle of the road, killing and re-killing the engine while my Dad is telling me to put it back into first, try again and go! Second gear you said? Oh ok. I can do that! Ugh. It was horrendous. I really don't remember how I made it out of the middle of the road, surprised that I did not get into an accident (or cause one for someone else) and got to the church. Needless to say, I was drama (shocker) and probley made it fairly painful night for my Dad. But that my friends is what we call parenting to the only girl in a family full of brothers. Sometimes there will be a little drama.

Ahhh. The joys of learning how to drive....

Journal Jar entry numero uno!

Yes. I am finally posting. Dad- so you know, my best friend Jacki got me a "Journal Jar" for Christmas with a billion questions contained in it for blog entry ideas. Some may be edited for the faint of heart (or if I need to cover up anything from my wayward youth!) but most will be just some more info. that some may or may not know about me.

Q:-Were you ever involved in speech, drama, sports, or glee club?

A: Girl, I WAS Drama. LOL. Ok in all seriousness, yes I was involved in Drama. My acting debut was in 6th grade..I think. When I starred in our musical "Luane" like the comic. I remember having fun with it and having the "hearthrob" of the school in the play, playing the love interest. But since this was 6th grade and we were all pretty awkward- I think I played the part as an awkward pre-teen perfectly...without much acting on my part. I remember my parents coming to see me and how nervous I was to have my Dad there.

In Highschool I played Sandy in "Grease" which was SO FUN!!! I only got to do 2(?) of the shows but it was a blast. The guy who played Danny Zuko was a guy a few years younger than me in school and the car scene when were supposed to be kissing, we just rubbed noses. Hehe. Cracking up the entire time. That was a fun musical to do.
I played some spin-off part in "The Wizard of Oz" which I am still a little bitter about since I wanted the part of the Lion cause he has such a cool song. Turns out the kid who got it was completely tone deaf and had to TALK the song, not sing it. BELOW AVERAGE.

Then I got to play Mother Superior in "The Sound of Music". Yeah...I might even be able to pull out a pic of that one. The fun thing was, I was able to be in it with my youngest brother Russ who played one of the Von Trapp kids-Kurt I believe. He was adorable! Me as Mother Superior? Not so adorable. I had make-up PLASTERED on me to look older and although all the adults said it was the best part, I had to beg to differ. It was a fun musical to do though and I don't regret it. I guess it could have been worse...I could have had to "talk" the song instead of sing it.

Although I did not do any acting in College, I was in some debate classes and LOVED them. I remember winning a debate and scoring some free hotel nights that we used in Hawaii which came in very handy when we went. I was pregnant with Sofia and burned to a crisp. I have never been so miserable. Russ made me a concoction of lidocaine and aloe and I made it through, but MAN. That was painful. The hotel? Pure luxury!

No more excuses

My bestie Jacki gave me a jar of questions for Christmas which will MAKE me post to the blog more and perhaps reveal a bit more about me and our family doings. Im excited about it. I LOVE her to pieces and LOVE the gift she gave me.

Hope eveyone had a great New Year. The postings will begin tomorrow. (I promise Jacki!)