Dream House

I have always loved looking at homes and admiring their architecture. In college, my friend convinced me to watch "Gone With The Wind" with him. And ever since then, I have always want to own a Southern Plantation...my own Tara. So needless to say, when I came across this home, it was love at first sight! So - anybody know where I can get about 2.8 million to make this happen? (yeah, me neither)

No More Changes!!

Ok, I promise!! No more changing my blog background (until I find something cooler). It has actually been a big pain in the arse!! But it was much needed since the skulls were getting a little morbid...

Another shocking change. I got called to the Relief Society Presidency. Yep - as second counselor to be exact. What does that entail? Enrichment. Huuummm....could it be the Lord is calling me to repentance since I have NEVER been to an enrichment night since I moved into this ward a year ago!? Probably! And I am so not the crafty type. So, I think the Lord will get a big kick out of watching me squirm. Oh the joys of church callings that make you stretch and grow out of your comfort zone.

Any advice from your crafy women out there? I need all the help I can get!!

Feliz Cumpleanos, Terbear!

Te Amo, Argentina

Just for today, I miss this..

A little bit of this...

And a WHOLE lot of this...

Oh Argentina...Remember when I arrived as a missionary and wanted to go home? Remember when I botched your language and everybody laughed at me? Remember when my companion and I pounded your doors and found those searching the truth? Remember when it came time to go home and I wanted to stay? Remember when I promised I would come back and I DID?!

::Sigh::

I still haven't forgotten about you...

A Letter for Little People

Dear Future Adoptive Parents,

You don't know me, but I have a special message for you. I know you want to adopt a child. Maybe its because your parents did. Maybe its been your life dream. Maybe its because you can't have children of your own. But I have a reality check for you...

Children have feelings. Yes, that's right - feelings. You see, as you look through the websites and "shop" for a child, remember these children come with invisible baggage that you have to help them work through. Behind their smiling eyes are fears, anger, loneliness and even some hope. They so desperately need a home. They so desperately need a forever family. Even infants come with their own set of baggage that later will show up at your doorstep out of the blue. These children want to be connected to their past, no matter how horrible it was. Didn't YOU want to know where you came from? Didn't YOU want to try on your mom's old prom dress or see where YOUR dad was born? Well, so do adopted children.

So, when you find that "absolutely adorable" baby or child, that would just complete your family's circle of love, you better make sure its for forever. Because..THERE IS NO RETURN POLICY. This isn't Burger King. Its not "your way, right away". We aren't Macy's - there are no "store credits" or "partial refunds". You can't swap them out for another child because "they just don't fit" in your family.

So when you are thinking of adopting a child from China, Russia, Mexico or even the good old U.S of A...YOU CANNOT SEND THEM BACK!

Don't you realize that would only make it worse? What message are you sending? Do you think they will EVER trust another adoptive family when they say, "We will be your forever family" because guess what - didn't you say that to them too?!

Yes, I know this is all about you and what isn't working for you but if you can just imagine for one second of your life that the world does NOT revolve around you, maybe you would realize there is a "little person" who so desperately needs you. A "little person" YOU told would be part of your forever family. What are you going to tell them? That you were just joking?! That you changed your mind?! That "it's not you, it's me"?!

So, when your "honeymoon" is over with your adoptive child and they are telling you to "F" off or are smearing feces on the wall or are banging their head against the wall until they are bloody because they didn't get their way, what are you going to do? Wait -let me reword the question... What would you do if this child was your flesh and blood? Directly from the womb. Would you send them back to where they came from? Because I have to tell you, that would probably be really difficult to do....and probably not too comfortable.

In conclusion, adoptive parents, these "little people" DESERVE a home that YOU promised them. You are not a bad person. It's difficult. But there is help. Get counseling. Seek resources from your State. Join a support group. JUST DON'T GIVE UP. When these "little people" yell and scream and tell you they hate you, they really mean "Please don't leave me. I'm scared. I need to be loved. I need YOU."

And if all else fails, just remember... one day these little people will become big people just like you!

Sincerely,
Disgruntled Social Worker

Wanted: Adventurous Travel Partner

Hello friends and family..all three of you that read my blog :) Today is your lucky day! I have a proposition for you....

How would you like to go here with me?

Or here?

Maybe here?

I am trying to convince my husband to take me on a Mayan temple tour in Central America. My current tactics are not working. I mean who would pass up a vacation ziplining through the rainforest, canoing down a pirhana invested river, sleeping in bunglows with grass roofs and climbing really-high-maybe-nephite temples?! Awesome, huh? (I know!)

So I need a backup travel partner. Any takers?

P.S. Since there are only a few readers, we may have to have a cage match if more than one of you want to go.

I HEART NKOTB!

Anybody else excited about this?! I'm totally there!

A Little Piece of Heaven Coming Our Way!

That's right! We are getting a temple in Gilbert! It will be three miles from our home and we couldn't ask for more. Actually, they could have built it in the dirt lots our builder still has available..but that is another story for another day! This photo is of the Panama Temple. They speculate it will either look like this temple or a scaled down version of the San Diego temple. I'm just excited to FINALLY get a temple with a Moroni on top! I guess it is finally paying off to live in the middle of nowhere! A new mall, a new temple..what's next Gilbert?

Holy Canole!

So my husband has been talking non-stop about financial meetings he has been attending. I mean literally, non-stop. At dinner. In the carpool lane to and from work. Getting ready for bed. Laying in bed. In his sleep. (no joke. my husband is a sleep talker.) So finally one day I told him to "callate la jeta" which is spanish for "shut your face." It probably wasnt a nice way to say it but if he would have talked about mutual funds or the current return rate on a IRA one more time, I think I would have had to super glue his mouth shut. Literally.

You see, numbers dont turn me on. In fact, they have the opposite effect on me. Remember the student in high school that sat in the back of math class trying to be invisible? That was me. So, is it any wonder that when my husband said he wanted me to go to financial meetings with him I told him I'd rather run a marathon. In Arizona. In the dead of summer. With all my clothes on. Get the picture?

So being the good husband that he is, he called me out on it. He challenged me to go to two meetings with him and if I didnt like them, then he would never talk to me about finances again. So I thought I would give him a run for his money and told him I would go. The first meeting was so painful that I thought about backing out. But - a promise is a promise! So - last night I went to what I thought was my last meeting. AND I GOT HOOKED. It was one of those "holy moley" blow your mind crazy moments when everything comes together and you think "hey - i need to share this message with everyone!" I havent felt that way since my mission!! So as of today, I am training to become a financial adivsor. And if I can do it, anybody can!

Rachel Burneez