Penny on the Train Track

Today is Sunday.

Yesterday was Saturday.

My story, however, begins before these two days.

You see, it was Thursday, when I went out to Stamford to dinner with one of the previous nannies. Her name is Jennifer and she is also from Utah. She nannied for the Hymowitz two years prior to my current time, so she wanted to check up on me to see how I am doing. We went to a little peruvian restrarunt called Fiesta. It was so nice to just sit and talk to someone about what is going on and have them put in their imput from personal experience. The evening was just so much fun. Jen is great and I hope to hang out with her more.

I also met with my bishop that night to get a new temple recommend. He seems like a really cool guy. We talked for a while, got my recommend, then headed to meet Jen. I am starting to like my ward more and more, which is good because that means I am becoming more comfortable.

So Friday, Kayla had iceskating and Maddie wanted to ice skate there while she had her lessons. I was like, sure, why not. After I said yes though, I started freaking out because I am not the biggest fan of standing on two blades balancing while trying to move on frozen water. So I was mentally freaking out while we were headed there. When we got there, we dropped off Kay and Nicole to the big rink, then the mongoose and I went to the kiddie rink. I was actually quite comfortable on the ice. Maddie did a great job skating, so we then joined the girls on the big rink. We all traded holding hands with Mads, but when I was by myself in the back, I lost my balance. Not the best thing for me. I screamed, loudly, and fell on my back. It didn't hurt, but I saw three staff men come to my aid asking, "Are you alright? Do you need help? Blah, blah, blah?" and I was just thinking, I am alright I didn't get hurt. It was hilarious really. I was just saying "I'm ok, I'm ok," while trying to get back up. Classic moment for me.

That sums up Friday

Saturday, I went on a temple trip with my ward. I met up with an adorable girl on the train, named Kelly, and we rode our way into Grand Central. Kelly is just great. We get along so well, and we are assigned to do everything together. It is hilarious really and we are just so lucky to get along. We got off the train, went on the subway to 72nd, then walked to Lincoln Center to the temple. That is such a neat temple. I is so weird to think of how compact it is in a little building, where I am used to a temple having grounds and lots of room. We did conformations and baptisms, then out to lunch at the next door Europan. I got a delicious veggie burger and discussed Yogi Tea with a fellow ward mate. Great times.

Kelly and I then went to Times Square to meet up with her sister and Debbie. We met them at Anthropologie at Rockefeller, enjoyed some time there, then I was off to home to let the dogs out. I later on picked up Kelly at the trainstation and we went to Stop and Shop to buy food for church the next day. We bought twenty packages of deli meat, four bags of chips, seventy-two mini sub sandwiches, and three cake mixes. We went all out. I proceeded to drive her home, then made a cake in a heart shaped pan. Divine. Ashlee, Jake, Marz, and other misc. Lloyds and I talked for five hours, which ended with me going to sleep at three in the morn. Great day and great night.

Today went well. The munch and mingle was a huge hit. Everyone had a blast and enjoyed the food. I was set apart and I am excited for my calling. It is going to be a great experience. Overall, I spent six hours at the church, and I am now just sitting in my bed, falling asleep. I hope this blog isn't too boring. I mean, I wrote most of it with my eyes closed--Literally. I hope everyone is doing well. I will write a better blog sooner than later. Love and miss you all.

Cheers.

Ch.Wa.

Black & Blue

Happy One Month For Me!

My goodness, my gracious, I cannot believe that I have been gone from home for one month. It has gone by so quickly, I just cannot comprehend it all. I feel like I have been out here for years, like I have grown up in this town my whole life. This has been one interesting journey for me.

So I totally forgot where I left off from my last blog and since I am too lazy to look back, I am just going to start with Saturday.

Saturday was actually a great day. I sat in my room all day. No joke. I just showered the body, because I was too lazy to touch the hair, then put my pajamas back on and relaxed. I really didn't do anything TOO productive because who wants to do that on their day off? Not the past Saturday me. No siree. So I just sat on my bed, wrote letters, colored some valentines, burned cds, then talked to Ashlee for four hours. That was pretty much the best part. We are the biggest dorks, just posting pictures of bands on each other's facebook, laughing hysterically. It was like I was back home, chilling in her basement. It was great.

Sunday was a bright day. Honestly, it was a beautiful day. Another tender mercy from the Lord. The drive to church is something else. It is the most beautiful thing ever. It is just another reason why to go to church. You are on this two-way highway, with tree branches sheltering you on either side. With the song on the branches and the sun out with a pale blue sky, it was remarkably breathtaking. That was truly something else to take it.

This week in church, I decided to have a totally new perspective of the people. I decided that I needed to find someone who needed me, not me having someone come to me. It worked great. I walked in with a big smile, talked to as many people as I could before sacrament, then sat down with my friend, Alacia. It is hard to decide to put in the effort, but once you decide that and get into the groove of it, it becomes so easy. I gave myself to the Lord that morning, and he did the rest.

So it was Fast Sunday, which means testimony meeting. I actually said the opening prayer for the meeting. Afterward, all the girls were complimenting my outfit. The best way to get known is to get on the stand, people. After that, it was time to write Tommy and color more Valentine hearts with a couple of the girls. I came prepared with the paper and the markers, they came prepared with their hands and creative minds. One of the girls, Jenna, asked me if we have to write it to someone specific. I was thinking, uh, no. Why would I make you write a Valentine to someone? I didn't say that though, promise. So sacrament went very well. The spirit was felt, friendships were made, and I was back to my old self.

The bishop came into sunday school to take me out for a little chit-chat. He seems like a really cool guy. We went to talk in the nursery; I got the rocking chair, he stole a chair from another room. We talked a bit, him asking me about my previous life (not as some monkey in the Amazon or whatever, but Utah life) and why I came out here. I told him openly that I don't know why I am out here. I just got an itch that needed to be scratched and then everything else fell into place. He asked how I would feel having a calling in the ward and I told him I want to be extremely involved with the ward. He told me I would, then there was a little more chit-chat. After a while, he said to me that he would like to extend a calling to me. I was thinking, oh wow, that went by quickly. So I told him I am fine with whatever and the calling I now have is being a ward missionary. When he said that, I just felt so grateful to the Lord. I had been asking about how I can come and help others, to get out of the "woe me" stage and to actually care of others. It was completely overwhelming. So our funny, little joke of how this is a mission, actually turned out to be, well, a mission. I will be working with investigators and converts, helping them along the way, and other misc. things. It is actually a big calling, but I am so ready for this. I just feel so grateful and amazed that I get to share this gospel with others now. It is a little overwhelming thinking of what an example I will have to be, but I know it will be good.

Sadly, I don't get a badge.

Everything else went by smoothly in church. I ate dinner there, laughed hysterically with Jamie, and drove home. It is nice to know that wherever I am in life, I can always go "home" in a metaphorical sense. After that, I knew that this week would rock the socks off of Harrison.

Monday, Monday. Was it so good to me? I really can't remember right now. I have gotten into losing my mind quite easily. I sometimes can't remember what I did three hours prior to the present. Ah, but I remember now. Monday was a fiasco of errands. I first started at the mall, exchanging Kayla's christmas clothes for a larger size. I was looking in the store windows, seeing if I could find a dress to wear to the wedding in June. Hopefully J.Crew or Anthropologie will get some good stuff soon.

Next was the grocery store, post office, the rec. center to renew Mitch's coaching license, laundry, and other things. I was pretty busy, if I say so myself. The girls were fun. We all talked a lot and bonded well. Maddie and I watched Spongebob while she bathed, then I was off to pick up Kayla from soccer. Her friend is adorable and it was actually really fun picking them up. After that, I had to go to A&P grocery to get some cookie dough and then the gas station. There was a tender mercy at the store though. My favorite food checker-cashier...person, was there. It made my day because he wasn't there in the afternoon and I just needed a pick-me-up from him. Two hours post shift, I made it home, got into bed, and slept. Monday was a good day.

Tuesday. That was yesterday. I didn't have any errands to run, so I just stayed at home and got ready while Maddie was in school. She gets out at eleven forty on Tuesdays, so it was just a nice, little break for me. I forgot to pack Maddie her snow clothes, and since it was snowing, I didn't think it would be a nice day to play out. Boy, was I wrong. They went out, alright, and the poor babe had soaking pants. It was so sad. She had to ride in the car with just her underwear on. We ate some lunch then headed to ballet. I love watching her learn how to read. She was spelling out the letters of the book I was reading, and then I would tell her what it said. It was great. She is such a smart, spicy girl.

After ballet, nothing really happened. The girls came home from school, Stephanie watched Maddie, and we worked on homework and ate dinner. Kayla had tae kwon do and a test for her black belt candidate class. She got 99 percent, which is great! She is a smart girl and she is getting so excited to qualify for this. After that, I was off shift, I went in my room, talked to Ashlee, then went to bed.

Today, I have a cold, but all is well. Maddie has school until two today, so I am just chilling, and I am about to have a Starbucks run. It is crazy to think I have been here for one month already. I am excited to see what the upcoming months have to bring. I miss you all, but I am here for a reason. Knowing that, it makes is so much easier to be here. I love you all, and I hope ya'll are having a fabulous time. I will write again soon, so enjoy your lives!

Cheers.

Ch.Wa.