that thing you do.

"When was the last time you were decently kissed?  I mean truly, truly, good and kissed?"

I don't want perfection.  I don't want clean.  Heck, I don't even want comfortable.

In this moment I'm yearning for something messy, scary, and utterly terrifying.

I'm willing to take my chances.

pep talk

Last night kinda sucked.  I think I need to take a break from Criminal Minds for awhile.

Today was the last day of classes.  Now only loads of studying and finals.  I can do this.

But seriously, I had no idea I'd be so exhausted today.

Bring it, Finals.

My Dad, Stepmom, and bestest little brother are coming to visit in 7 days.  SO EXCITED!

Today, I felt so close to the Spirit in giving my lesson.  I felt like, for brief moments, I understood what God feels for his daughters, and what he wanted me to tell help them understand.

This weekend I have become so incredibly grateful for the blessing of good friends who uphold and support me, and have realized how important it is to have those in close proximity.  For the first time since coming to Provo, I am really going to miss it.

I stand ready to face the next two weeks, with God, friends, and family at my back (and chariots of fire playing in the background) and a renewed determination to be the best I can be.  Bring it on.

It's okay to be alone.

Positive Parenting Tips

Each child is special and should be valued just as they are.

Use kind, clear ways to communicate.  Refrain from sarcasm or teasing.

Use kind names or labels when speaking to children.  Negative words hurt.

Help children learn to love who they are and follow their interests (not those of the parent).

Discipline with love and with natural and logical consequences.

Reward good behavior.

Talk positively about your children to others.

Focus on the negative behavior, not your child.

Listen to your child's opinions.

Choose age appropriate chores for children.

Be clear about your expectations for your child.

Keep your promises.

It's amazing how much a simple list like this can make me think.  

The Clothesline Project

For my sociology of gender class this semester, we were required to find an area of inequality and do something to remedy it.  My research emphasis was on emotional abuse.  For the project portion, I had the opportunity to volunteer at The Clothesline Project,  a traveling event to raise awareness about abuse.  The event features t-shirts where those whose lives have been affected by abuse can tell their story, hanging them up on clotheslines, metaphorically "hanging out the dirty laundry".  

It was an intensely emotional, inspirational, and reverent experience.

I even got to create my own shirt.

Many times throughout the day I found myself wishing my friend and family could be there to witness the lives that were touched, the stories shared, and the awe-inspiring sense of it all.  

It is my hope that by sharing this, you might be able to grasp a small sense of it.

April begins

Nice fake wedding, Terri.  

Spring is finally here.  Three consecutive days of warmth, and I believe it's here to stay.

Outside, it is somewhere in between slightly cloudy and overcast, just warm enough to wear shorts and sandals.  Conference today was comforting and wonderful.

In between sessions: Ultimate Frisbee.  It was a good confidence booster.

A little productive schoolwork, some covert breaking and entering service later.

Maybe Tangled tonight.

Today wasn't beautiful because of any specific event, but because I've spent the day around people I feel comfortable with.  I'm a little worried I might jinx it...but today has been perfect.