playing grown-up

Today we went to the adults only session of Stake Conference. Due to my new calling I had the "opportunity" to conduct the music - so I ended up sitting on the stand. There is nothing like sitting next to the entire stake presidency, the mission president and a former bishop/mission president to make you feel insignificant. Maybe that isn't quite the right word, maybe... inexperienced is better. I felt like a little kid playing dress-up in her mommy's clothes. I had no clue what I was doing up there. It was fun though. Of course, I had drunk like 3 water bottles before earlier so I had to -not so gracefully- sneak off the stand in the middle of the meeting to go to the bathroom.
The one highlight of the meeting, beside the really great special musical number by a new sister in the Chester Branch, took place during the closing hymn. While I was busy waving my arms around I saw one of our wonderful West African brothers from the 1st ward, Quilly, standing in the back holding my friend Christina's new baby boy. Quilly is one of the most big hearted people I know and you could tell by his expression that he was loving his time with little Issac. I wished I had had my camera with me. I would have stopped conducting just to take a picture of them together. It was a priceless moment. I miss seeing Quilly's big smile every Sunday. Heck, I miss my Philly 1st ward!!!

favorite soundtracks

I was listening to my iPod today and was inspired to make a list of my all time favorite movie soundtracks. So here they are. They are in no particular order since choosing my favorite depends on my mood.

1. Last of the Mohicans
2. Braveheart
3. Moulin Rouge (even if you hate the movie, you gotta admit the music was awesome! Who knew Ewen McGregor could sing?)
4. Avalon
5. The Mission
6. Star Wars
7. Somewhere in Time
8. Schindler's List
9. The Lord of the Rings
10. The Godfather

Don't agree? Let me see your list.

the big green

Samuel played his first game of soccer this weekend. John somehow got suckered into being the head coach for his team. They are both loving it! Here are a few candids of my boys having way too much fun.

Samuel and Samuel - who knew the name was so popular?

Halftime team meeting. Are they really listening?

With the games being only 4 on 4, Sam actually had a chance to kick the ball.

the work of faith

In church lately we have been talking about how best to be a member missionary. This is honestly not my strongest point. I truly believe in the gospel and I lead my life by its teachings, but when it comes to sharing I am more concerned about keeping my friends than spreading the word. Which, if you think about it is incredibly short-sighted because if I truly love my friends then I want them to be with me in heaven (provided I make it which, lets face it, is a long shot most days!).
Anyway, regardless it is something I would like to improve about myself. As I was reading a friend's blog today I was thoroughly impressed by his ability to unabashedly bear his testimony to his friends and blog readers. It was so amazing that I thought my friends should read it too! http://www.whiteeyebrows.com/why-i-choose-to-be-religious/ I just hope he doesn't shoot me for sharing.
So as you read through his account, just pretend you can hear me talking. He managed to say exactly how I feel about the gospel but in a way far more eloquent than I would ever manage.

Sam's first day of Kindergarten

Today was Sam's first official day of kindergarten. At 12:04 the bus picked him up right in front of our house. I was mildly anxious for him. He was nervous too but we said a quick prayer before he left and that helped him feel better.

In the three hours that Sam was gone I missed him more every passing moment- but not why you think. I had no idea how much he kept James occupied! While Sam was at school James had me play a race car game on the x-box with him, watch an Elmo video, play Candyland, play Pangoloo, play Hungry Hungry Hippos, and set up 4 different train tracks and move the trains around the tracks making choo choo noises all the while. It was exhausting!! I really need to find something for James to do during the day and soon.

At 3:10 the bus dropped him off at home again.

I was not the only one glad to see him come home!

bugger!!!!!

Some obnoxious, horrible person put the partial manuscript for Midnight Sun (Twilight from Edward's perspective) on the internet. Stephenie Meyer is so devistated by this abuse of her trust, not to mention copyright laws, that she will no longer work on it and possibly never finish it. Who is up for a lynch mob with me? This person should be skinned alive and boiled in hot oil!!
Stephenie posted the illegal version on her website (what more damage could she do?) so you should definitely check it out. It may be the only chance you get to read it. The killer of it is... the draft stops just before the scene in the clearing. Bugger!!!

complications

For bookclub last month we read the book "Complications: A Surgeons Notes on an Imperfect Science" by Atul Gawande. I read mostly fictional literature so it took me a while to actually get excited to read it (I finally picked it up this week) but once I started, I couldn't put it down. Gawande writes about his experiences as a surgical intern - it is almost like reading episodes of ER minus all the lovey dovey stuff. He also points out all of the guesswork and intuition that doctors use in medical diagnostics. How fallible all doctors can be regardless of the ability, training and experience they have.

It was especially enjoyable to read because I am married to a doctor. It was fun comparing what I know from John about medicine and what was presented in this book. I can't even tell you how often John will come home and tell me stories that are very similar to the stories in this book - just related to family medicine not surgery of course. Anyway, this is a must read. Not only does it have a cool story about flesh-eating bacteria, but it talks about the dynamics of patient - doctor relationships and how medicine can improve and destroy lives depending on how it is applied.