Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Mail Adventures!

As many of you know, my mailbox has been blessed recently. First, I got that letter from Wayne and it was so cute. Then yesterday I got a small package from Tim containing three melty (but delicious) bars of European candy and a letter. That absolutely made my birthday. Then today, I came home from work and another small package was sticking out of the mailbox for me. Ben sent me a bar of chocolate too, plus a letter. These boys really know how to treat a lady. And Ben's letter was very special to me. It showed me just how much Ben is changing and growing. He also said many hilarious things. I can't wait to see him again in a few months!
Long story short, this birthday is already shaping up to be pretty great, and it's not even for another few days! I miss my boys who are still gone, and excited for the ones who are coming home/already home. I hope I can make the transition a little smoother from mission life to RM life.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

ppffff, lame!

I got Charlie's letter back that I had sent him a couple weeks ago. And seeing as he is coming home on Monday, it's a little late to go out with a bang letter-writing wise. Dang you parcel mail!!!
Having all my boys beginning to come home is freaking out my mind on many levels. I'm excited to see them, and hang out with them, but at the same time it might be a little weird. We prolly won't play together as much as we did freshman year, and since we've all been living separate lives for two years, what will we have to say? Mission stories get old after a while.
I've begun planning my birthday! The plan is for all the Chatfield ladies (and Flanagan men) are going to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple openhouse at about 11:30. I'm the only one in the bunch who has gone, so it will be fun seeing them see it for the first time. I'm amazed at how differently they run it than how they ran the Redlands temple openhouse, but it's still an great experience. After that we might go get some lunch (with a little 21-year-old juice on the side). Then I get to max and relax until 9 PM. This is when the booming music and lampshade hats come in: Rootbeer-pong party!!! For those who don't know, rootbeer-pong is a game where two people face each other with a group of cups in front of them organized like bowling pins. When they bounce a ping pong ball into the other player's cup, that person has to drink the rootbeer inside. Whichever player drinks all his rootbeer first loses (although, I don't know how drinking rootbeer is ever a losing situation). So that will be the main attraction, but there will also be some pretzels and nuts to make it more authentic, maybe board games going on, and the night will possibly end with a movie. It's going to be way chill, and I expect that those I invite won't stay the whole time, which in my mind is ideal. I don't like throwing parties because I feel guilty if they're not having absolutely the most fun the whole time, which is silly but true. So now begins the process of acquiring all the neccessariy items I'll need, and start hyping myself up to be the queen of August 1st!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

I Love Wayne!

I got a letter today from my good old buddy Wayne Robison who is currently serving in Las Vegas, Spanish speaking. It's just nice to know we're still friends, and he is still so adorable, although I can tell he's really maturing in many ways. He kept referring back to questions I'd asked him or stuff I'd said that I never remember writing. It was kind of mind blowing, but fun that he commented on them. Makes me remember that I've prolly got a wave of letters coming from around the world. You see, I just wrote a general letter on the computer, then personalized it for whichever missionary I was writing at the time. I love to look at my huge stack of addressed and stamped envelopes to my missionaries, because I know it's a pile of love. It will be so fun when they're all back and we can play together and reminisce about old times.
Thanks for being a great brother, Wayne!

You're the cry that ends in laughter,
You're the joy that ends disaster.

Monday, July 06, 2009

Book Analysis

I just finished the Count of Monte Cristo, and it was incredible. And I feel accomplished because the thing was like 600 pages long. But I did not agree with the author's crazy notions of God's placing the responsibility on Monte Cristo to exact revenge on everyone. Where is the Christian forgiveness in that! Plus, he was mean to the heroine at the end, and she ends up sad and hopeless because he ruined her life, while he gets to be with his nice little slave girl on some yacht. Where is the fairness in that!!! Obviously it impassioned me, but it was still a good book. I was on the edge of my seat for like 150 pages.
Since I had nothing to read today, I stopped off at our library (which is beautiful, by the way) and checked out a few books. I checked out a set of Newberry Award winners that my children's Lit teacher had suggested. My dad started one of them and was laughing out loud. I'm pretty excited to start it. I read the Little Prince today, which was very sweet and insightful. Bare with me while I expound on some of my favorite parts. If you've never read it, the little prince talks to a fox about the meaning of "tame." He speaks of how to him, the little prince is nothing more than a boy among millions of boys, and he is nothing more than a fox among millions of foxes. But if the boy were to tame him, he would be unique to him in all the world. The fox would love to look at the wheat because it would remind him of the prince's hair. The prince then says, "There is a flower... I think that she has tamed me..." For some reason, all this really struck a chord with me. I've been tamed by so many people and things. Just tonight I was looking up at the full moon, and thinking about all the wonderful nights I've had under that moon. All the special memories I've made and people I've talked with and laughed with and cried with under that moon. Also, it's nice to think that everyone in the world gets to see it, it's sort of something that binds us all together. It's strange to think that you might see my moon tonight.
The fox also talks about "rites:" how the prince must always come to visit at 4 o'clock, so that hour will be special. If he comes just anytime, how would he be able to get excited? This is a very important principle, I think. It's good to have something to look foreword to and be excited for, to make one time different than another. Otherwise, what would be the spice of life?

Thursday, July 02, 2009

Suggestions?

So all the sisters made a movie recently, and the film is pretty hilarious. The babies got a cameo as well, and I think they're one of the best parts. Anyways, I started cutting it together today, and it's gonna turn out real nice. However, I cannot think of a good name for it. Previous movies have been called "The Good Ol' Days," and "The Cool Miesta: whoo whoo, it's show time!" These titles don't have a whole lot to do with the movies, but then again, there wasn't a whole lot of plot in either one. Since we're all a little older, more mature, more wise, the movie is a littttle more refined. So this is an offical call out for a cool name. Anything catchy and awesome will do. Any suggestions?