This That and The Other

The Blog Has Moved!!!

2010-05-21T23:49:00.000-07:00

Due to my recent big step in life.....becoming Jeffrey Glenn Brown's wifey-poo....I have switched my blog. You are now going to be able to follow OUR adventures at http://mjbrownadventure.blogspot.com

La Caille Morning

2010-04-13T20:52:00.000-07:00

So here are some of the bridals that made the cut!

Bridals

2010-04-04T20:55:00.000-07:00

So on Saturday April 3rd Jeff and I, along with my besties(Amelia and Stefanie) went to La Caille to get my bridals done. YAY!!! I don't have the pictures yet but I think they will turn out fabulous! We went in the morning and had perfect light. Also, God showed a tender mercy and held off on the crazy April snow.

I had Jeff rent a tux so he could be in the pictures. I know, I know. A lot of you are gasping right now and the thought of the groom seeing the bride before the wedding!!! SHOCKING! However, I had my reasons. A.) In the Mormon world where people get married in the temple, you don't get that groom seeing the bride in her dress for the first time experience. Even if you do get to be lucky enough to have your dress approved to be worn, it doesn't really show. B.) Why would I want an 11x14 of just me in my living room....no offense to those who do....;-) C.) Jeff brings out the best in me... so, I pretty much make him go everywhere I go. Any way, Jeff looked super handsome and it all turned out great.

PS This picture is us having breakfast before the shoot. We had to get up super early to get my hair done, however, we planned more time for my hair than I needed...So, we stopped to stuff our faces at IHOP on our way to La Caille. Yum!

Concert Fun

2010-04-01T21:39:00.000-07:00

Last night Jeff, Amelia, Lisa and I all went to a fantastic concert by ....

Michael Bublé

Oh how I love that man! If I couldn't have my Jeff he would be next on the list, FOR SURE! Not only can the man sing my heart into melted butter, but he puts on an excellent show. I am so glad that Jeff and I found someone Jazz related that we both enjoy. :-)

PS Watch for some upcoming video clips of the concert!

Bridal Shower #2

2010-03-31T23:14:00.000-07:00

I just had my second bridal shower. My dear friend Stefanie threw me such a fun shower with such yummy homemade goodies. It was so much fun seeing such great friends and family. I am so lucky to have such wonderful support and love in my life!
ThAnK yOu StEfAnIe!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Craft Time

2010-03-27T23:05:00.000-07:00

I recently made this super cute magnet board. I am on a role! I am finally re-finding my craft-self since I started and finished nursing school. Yay, fun!

Brown Family Wedding Shower

2010-03-16T00:22:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday I experienced my first wedding shower thrown for me and NOT by me! It was super fun! Even though it was a bit overwhelming to have a million new family members, it was a great experience. They were even kind enough to design mine and Jeff's wedding outfits. SO stylish.

ThAnKs NeW FaMiLy!!!

By Popular Demand....

2010-03-04T01:13:00.000-08:00

I am constantly being asked what my colors are and when the wedding is. I suppose I really should have posted this information earlier, but better late than never.
The wedding is on April 22, 2010. ITS ALMOST HERE!!!!! The planning has been going really well. As a matter of fact, it has been very smooth from the beginning. I guess it helps that I am one of those girls that has thought about her wedding a million different times before actually being engaged. It is also very helpful that my friends are so talented. My best friend is an event planner and willing to help with set up and figuring out fine details and my other dear friend is a hair mastermind and a floral connoisseur. I am one lucky girl to have friends like this! I give them my vision and they make it happen! Oh not to mention the fact that my Fiance is super supportive and willing to help out. Any way, I decided I wanted a very romantic spring feel to my wedding and chose RED AND PURPLE.I first got the idea for putting red and purple together during a Syttende Mai, or 17th of May, celebration. (It is a celebration of Noways constitution day). During this time all the tulips and Lilacs are in bloom and it is very common for my mom to cut these flower and arrange them together. It is just beautiful. Any way, a few years ago I thought that those colors would look really good together for a spring wedding...I ended up going with a deeper more passionate color but the effect is still the same...stunning.

Driving with Tu-tu's

2010-03-03T22:58:00.000-08:00

So on our recent road trip I took a little craft with me. I had seen a girl at work making and selling some fetching cute tutus and I thought it would be fun to make some myself. My ADORABLE niece, Rylee, who is three now and super into dress up, was pretty much the reason I even thought to make these tutus in the first place. Well, I thought that if I was making one for Rylee I should make some for Jeff's twin nieces that are the same age...but then I thought that if I was going to make them for two of his nieces I really should make them for all of his nieces. Any way, to make a long story short...or a short story long...I ended up making 6 tutus while driving to and from San Diego. Our entire car was full of tulle. It was awesome.

Road Tripping to San Diego!!!

2010-03-02T19:14:00.000-08:00

Jeff and I recently took a small trip to get away from wedding planning stress. We went on a road trip to San Diego and had a blast! The first night we were staying in Vegas. We had prepayed for a room at Bally's and when we got there we had to wait in a huge line to check in. When we made it up to the check-in desk they informed us that they had up-graded us to a suit on the 71'st floor! The room was bigger than the main floor of my house and had a hot tub. It was excellent! The next day we finished making our way to San Diego and my cousins house where we were welcomed with excellent 'authentic Mexican' rolled tacos. YUMMY!!! The first day in San Diego was very rainy....almost monsoon like, so we spent the day at the Viejas Outlet malls. It was great and Jeff was actually a really good sport spending the day shopping. The next day, however, was beautiful and warm. We went to La Jolla shores and spent the afternoon on the beach eating Mexican food then went downtown and spent the evening at the maritime museum. It was such a nice and refreshing weekend away. I am so glad my great cousin Anne Lise and her awesome family let us stay with them. THANKS GUYS!!!

GeTtInG eNgAgEd

2010-02-20T17:31:00.000-08:00

I am sure that most of you already know, but back in October I got engaged. It was awesome and Jeff is the best EVER! He proposed on October 30, 2009 at a Harry Potter themed party that our cute little Amber hosted. It was so creative and I loved it! Recently we went up to park city to get our engagement pictures done. It turned out to be a beautiful day and pretty fun. Our photographer, Darla from Darla Roze Photography, did an awesome job.

The Bridals

2009-10-14T21:15:00.001-07:00

This past weekend I had the opportunity to shoot Amber's Bridals. It was so much FUN! We went to Liberty Park and had a hay-day! One of my besties, Amelia, came with to be my assistant. Let me tell you what, she was the best assistant anyone could ever ask for! She had Amber posed and looking perfect before I ever had to ask her. ThAnK YoU AmElIa!!!

Derek and Amber are Getting Married

2009-10-03T21:11:00.000-07:00

So, Derek finally popped the question to Amber! Wahoo! Sweet Amber was nice enough to ask me to shoot their engagement pictures. Um, for the record, Derek is not the most cooperative when it comes to cheesy stuff.

Preikestolen

2009-09-14T20:53:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this is technically part of my Norway post, but it is too spectacular to not have its own entry. My dad, cousin Tommy, and Uncle Inge and I all decided to make the trek up to the top of Preikestolen (aka Preachers Pulpit). This is an intense hike that the Norwegians describe as, "a nice nature walk". Bah! Nature walk my foot. This is a 1,982 foot cliff that takes 2.5 hours each way to reach. It is really only 2.5 miles each way but you are on rough terrain that, at times, has a very intense incline. The four of us had all climbed it 6 years earlier, but we had forgotten how hard it really was. I'm pretty sure, at one point, my dad started to cry because he saw the massive trail up the side of the mountain that was covered in boulders. Ah, the memories. In the end, after hours of clambering over rocks, that seemed to get bigger and bigger until you were just climbing on solid granite, we reached the top. So worth it! Its kind of like childbirth, after your near death experience, you get this massive rush of endorphins that make it all worthwhile and exhilarating. I am already forgetting how hard it was and I am ready to go back. I guess, as with all things, there must be sorrow to feel the full extent of joy.

Norge Mitt Norge

2009-09-14T20:15:00.000-07:00

In August my parents and I had the opportunity to go to Norway. It was awesome! We were able to visit with family and see a lot of sights. We also traveled through the fjords and popped on over to Copenhagen to show my mom where her ancestors came from. Every new place was an adventure. It was also fun to show my mom things that she had never seen before. That is probably my favorite part of being with people that are experiencing something for the first time, you see it through their eyes. We stayed in some questionable hotels and B&B's. There was one hotel in Denmark that was smaller than our inside cabin on the cruise ship. Oh the joy! So, as you can imagine when 3 adults, that are all very independent, become cooped up together for 3 weeks it can become a bit tense. HA! Ok, so I can become a bit tense. The parents were fine it was my minimal patience that wasn't. I am so glad my parents love me! Not only did they end up putting up with my random outbursts, they also put up with my 6am calls home to my boyfriend. Towards the end of the trip we discovered that if I could just call the boyfriend the days went smoother. Hmmm, maybe next time he should just go with us... Now, back to Norway.

Norway is such a wonderful country. There is so much beauty there. I have seen a lot of Europe and every country has something different that is truly remarkable, but Norway is breathtaking. I am pretty sure it is what Heaven looks like. While traveling through the fjords we had the opportunity to stay in some cabins on the waterfront. We would literally wake up and walk on to deck and look at the most transcendent view. Right there, 10 feet in front of us was the fjord. It was so inspiring to be able to just sit there and take in some of the most exquisite creations from God. Of course, aside from all the natural wonder and beauty, there was also the culinary smorgasbord of delight. Mmmm, just thinking about all of the wonderful food is making my mouth water. No really! I have to admit though, that being immersed in such a tasty culture really did a toll on my waistband. Ah, but I'm not going to lie, it was totally worth it. Every bite of Kumla covered in dripping, sizzling bacon fat was worth every one of those 8 pounds I now have to run off. GoOd TiMeS!
So, in the end, even though I gained weight, argued with the parents and missed the boy, I had a fantastic time. I highly recommend Norway to anyone looking for a magnificent experience.

This Just In: I Am Learning Norwegian

2009-05-04T21:25:00.000-07:00

Ever since I was a wee lass I have had the desire to learn Norwegian. Unfortunately, my Father never deemed it necessary to teach me. So, now that I am older....and wiser too....I have decided to teach myself. Wahoo!!!!! Now, to be completely honest, this ingenious idea came to me years ago but the motivation came after my parents invited me on their summer trip to Norway and Denmark. I knew that now was the time to learn what I could. Hopefully I wont be too awful....maybe I will only use it on attractive Norwegian men that I meet randomly....better yet, maybe I will find an attractive Norwegian to help teach me. ;-) Norway here I come!!!

Seriously So Fun Camping Chronicals Part 1

2009-05-04T14:58:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went with some friends on a little camping adventure. I just LOVE camping. We went to Yuba Lake. We got to the campground pretty late with just enough time to set up camp before the sun went down. We then built ourselves a nice little fire and went to work stuffing our faces with hot dogs and marshmallows. Mmmmmhmmm! Later that night, around 1:00 am it started to rain. We expected this and had been planning on it. It rained off and on through the night. What we hadn't expected were the monsoon like winds and pelting rains that came around 8:00 am. My trusty, cheap tent has withstood rain before, however, it doesn't like monsoons very much. Soon the water was collecting in puddles on the inside of the tent and the wind was blowing it throught the ceiling. We decieded that it was time to pack up. We ate a picknick breakfast in the other tent, of muffins, donettes, flaming hot cheetos, and strawberries. Breakfast of champions! This is only one of the many camping adventures to be had this summer.

Jackson Hole Adventure...with the Seattle People

2009-04-30T14:32:00.000-07:00

So, some people I met on the Singles Cruise came to SLC for a friend's wedding. I caught up with them while they were here and due to my excessive coolness they invited me to go with them to Wyoming. True story. Naturally, not being one to withhold my coolness from others, I accepted. This was a fantastic adventure. I ended up offering my car to drive because the other option was a Mini....yeah not the safest choice. I was amazed at how well my car handled going uphill in uncut snow. Yeayhoo, go Beemer!!!
While in Wyoming we went to the World Champion Hill Climb for snowmobilers. So cool! We had to take a chair lift up to the top of this mountain and then climb part of the way down to see the competition. It was awesome....and a little scary. There were several snowmobiles that lost control and flew into the audience. At one point they couldn't stop a specific snowmobile and it started rolling, or should I say flipping, down the mountain through the crowd. It was intense. I remember people yelling run and then thinking," um....which way?". We ended up lunging for the trees and eventually they stopped the sled without anyone being injured. GOOD TIMES!!!! After the competition we had to slide down the mountain on our butts to get to the bottom. This was probably the best part of the entire event.
Ahhhhh, the memories.

Death by Snowboarding

2009-01-06T13:35:00.000-08:00

Back in the first of December my dear friend Jenni finally convinced me to try snowboarding. Ah, what an experience. I will have to admit that in the beginning of the mountain I was having fun. I did fall a lot.....as a matter of fact, I didn't even bother counting, but I am pretty sure I spent most of my time on my butt. Thankfully our friend Abby, who is a skier, helped pick me up every time. I am pretty sure that if it wasn't for her I would still be on that mountain today... Any way, for those of you thinking of snowboarding, I recommend going with good friends that will not abandon you half way down the mountain. Also, schedule yourself for a massage the next day because I guarantee that you will not be able to move. ;-)

25 and Alive!

2009-01-05T01:44:00.000-08:00

It was my 25th birthday.....it had great potential to be depressing...but was a great birthday instead. I didn't even find any gray hairs or new wrinkles ;-) In the evening my good friends and brother went with me to the Spaghetti Factory to celebrate. They even brought me a cake!!!! It was fantastic. I love you guys!!!! I also received the best gift ever...twice. Amber and Stefani both gave me Harry Potter scene it. They ROCK!! All in all, pretty darn good day.

When in Rome.......

2008-11-01T04:03:00.000-07:00

After Romania we had the opportunity to hop on over to Rome for 4 days. What a treat! I LOVE Italy. It was so fun and cram-pact. The first day we pretty much did all of Rome except the Vatican. It was a long and exciting day. We saw the Coliseum, Palitine Hill, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, Campo Di Fiori, Michelangelo's Square, and a bunch more. Our feet were really tired at the end of it. The next day was spent at the Vatican. Words cannot express the shear pleasure I felt when I saw the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. It was a little like a dream come true being able to see these great works I have learned about my entire life. They were breathtaking! St Peters Square was massive and St Peters Basilica very impressive. Although, I must admit that, even though beautiful, St Peters Basilica was a disappointment. It was adorned with large statues of Popes. As a matter of fact, they had a preserved pope in a glass coffin........Here is the kicker, In the entire Basilica there was only ONE statue of Christ. Albeit an amazingly beautiful one by Michelangelo but only one. It made me question who they really worshiped. At the end of the day we walked the streets of Rome at sunset. On the third day we visited the Borghese Gallery. This was probably my favorite part of Rome. Why you may ask....for 4 very good reasons. The four statues of Bernini. He is a master! They were exquisite. They held so much raw passion and emotion that they spoke to you. And to think, he did these impressive works when he was 21 yrs old. I mean, just amazing. What a great trip!

Tearful Goodbyes

2008-10-29T02:54:00.000-07:00

After three long, and sometimes frustrating weeks, we said goodbye to all our little children. Saying goodbye didn't seem real. I felt as though my professional self had taken control. However, I was sorely mistaken. As we drove away from Barlad towards the Capital of Bucharest, we passed through Tutova. I could vividly remember the excitement of the first night we arrived. Mihaela, our team leader, and told us all that if we hurried we could get a glimpse of the clinic. We all pressed our noses against the pitch black windows and searched for what was going to be our home for the next three weeks. The exuberance of finally arriving to do what we set out to do was tangible; it was electric. Now as we drove away, down that oh so familiar road, all my walls and coping mechanisms came crashing down. I was actually leaving. I would never see these children again. I would never hold them or comfort them. My tears came then; silently. It was so hard to have hope in that country where there is still so much corruption. My experiences in this country were definitely eye opening. My gratitude for the things I have has multiplied greatly. My love for others has expanded. I feel as though I have a better understanding of some things there.....and yet, I leave with so many more questions. There are still things in this world that I may never be able to fully comprehend, but for now I will have to settle for what I do.

*Pictures compliments of Tamera

The Painted Monasteries

2008-10-25T02:35:00.000-07:00

While in Romania, at the end of a long and emotionally draining week, we would get the opportunity to take weekend excursions to various touristy areas. On the second to last weekend there, we went to the Moldavia area and visited some of the Painted Monasteries. They were absolutely incredible. It was a truly spiritual experience being able to walk on the grounds and see these vivid paintings depicting the life and teachings of Christ. How wonderful it is to be able to have a few common facts among different religions.

There was one particular monastery, the Varonet Monastery, that moved me. It was commisioned in 1488 and finished in 1547. It is a masterpiece. The western wall is completely covered in a fresco depicting the Last Judgment. They use a very rare blue stone for the blue paint. At the same time this fresco was being done at this monastery, the Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel was being completed my Michelangelo. He also used the same rare stone crushed for his blue paint. These works of art are unbelievable! Words and even pictures do not do them justice.

Family Photo

2008-10-14T12:07:00.003-07:00

While visiting Bran Castle we were asked to pose by this door.......doesn't it look like a cheesey family photo? Ah good times!

I Have Fallen in Love

2008-10-14T06:33:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend some of our group went on an excursion to Transylvania. While away I had an 'aha' moment.
The first week I was here I struggled with whether I was making any difference at all or if it even mattered that I was here. However, having time away to think things over opened my eyes. I have realized how much I already love these children. They have totally wiggled a space into my heart. I know they need us. I know they need love. I know they are alone. They have such sweet spirits. These are some of Gods children. I have been so blessed in my life and I see their current struggles and understand that life will just get harder for them. Most of them will never know what it is like to truly belong to a family.
So even though I like to see instant results and it is hard to work blindly at something every day, I now know I am making a difference. I am one of MANY hands that are molding a better future for these children. I alone may not change the world but I can help by doing my part one piece at a time. Every little act of service is a step! It is a move towards progress and change. These children may not remember me or the roll I played in their lives but I will always remember them and the opportunity they gave me to love selflessly and to grow.

Fun in the Fresh Air

2008-10-13T06:27:00.000-07:00

So today we were finally able to take the kids outside. They are really afraid of drafts here in Romania and try and keep us and the kids inside with the heater on and the windows closed. Blah! It gets really hot so when they said we could go play out side we all tripped over eacher with excitement. I think we were as excted as the kids. We went for walks, played on the swings, and ate fresh pears from the trees. Oh the day went so much faster with the sunshine! I really hope that the nice weather sticks around for a long time......

Alexandru

2008-10-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

Oh the trouble! This sweet little boy is a twin and has a heart defect. His family still visits him occasionally. He has been so starved for attention that he has conditioned bad habits for himself. He throws horrible tantrum sometimes over a toy, or food and other times for no apparent reason. He will start banging his head on the floor or wall when really upset and it takes a lot to get him to stop. Like the other big kids in the Mobile infant unit, he is a bit of a playground bully. He steals toys from the other kids and then goes around whacking them on the head with it. They are usually nice hard toys like rattles or big blocks. This child keeps us running. He is probably the most emotionally draining. When he has a bad day we go back to the hotel completely drained. I am usually asleep by 8:30pm on those days.

Andreea

2008-10-11T11:47:00.000-07:00

This precious child was a preemature infant of a 16 yr old mom. She was abandoned at birth. When she arrived to the clinic at 7 months of age and 7 lbs they had given her 3 months to live. She has an untreatable hole in her heart. She is now 3 yrs old! She has cereberal palsy, mental delay, and cannot see. She does however hear and loves to be tickled! She is a sweet baby. We are not sure what will happen to her. Once the children reach the age of 5 they are suppose to be out of the clinic. They will have to find a foster family and that is very hard to do with disabled children.

Daniel aka Chubs or Fatty

2008-10-11T11:34:00.000-07:00

This little chunk is here for....wait what is he here for? I think he was here for malnutrition. It was most likely due to his family not being able to afford food because this kid could eat a horse! Um...as a matter of fact I am considering putting him in my carry-on luggage and bringing him home. I just love this fat baby! He is so happy and mellow. When the other kids steal his toy or hit him on the head with it he will just look and them and then crawl somewhere else and find a different toy. Nothing bothers him....well, except when the yogurt runs out. He loves his yogurt. Actually all the kids love yogurt hour. Every day at 11:00 am chaos occurs. The aids bring us the yogurt and the kids maul us. We serve all the children with the same spoon from the same bowl. I know! It was a big adjustment. It went against every infection control policy I have ever known...but when in Rome.... So, needless to say, 11:00 is the most hectic and most messy. There are usually several tantrums thrown by the kids when the yogurt runs out. Really I am pretty sure these kids could eat yogurt until they burst. As a matter of fact that could be why chubby cheeks is so solid. He gets a lot of yogurt.

Sammy

2008-10-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

Sammy has been in the clinic since he was just a baby. He has mild down syndrome and had initial malnutrition. He is now 3 and still doen't walk. Jenni and I try to get him up and moving as much as possible. It is sometimes hard though because he is very content just sitting in the same place for hours. He is a very funny boy and will mimic you once he warms up to you. We love Sammy!

Mihaela

2008-10-11T11:26:00.000-07:00

This adorable child has been in the clinic since infancy. She was here for malnutrition. She is obviously much better now. She is a doll and she knows it! She is sassy, sassy, sassy! Soon she is going to go to a foster family. She is lucky that there is one for her. Her curls melt my heart.

Ionella

2008-10-11T06:21:00.000-07:00

This little one is so sweet and loves to cuddle. She is so happy and loves to smile even though it is so hard for her. Ionella had a cleft palate and lip. They do the surgeries in stages here due to various reasons. She has had her lip fixed but the scar tissue makes it difficult for them to smile. She crawles every where and though she cannot walk she will stand up and dive for you.

2008-10-06T10:36:00.001-07:00

Here is a little video of some of the kiddos. Its not the best but it is a start!

Tutova

2008-10-06T10:09:00.000-07:00

Today was our first day in the clinic. It was a real eye opener. There are approximately 24 children that are currently in the long-term failure to thrive clinic. These children are either too unwell to be with their families or they have been abandoned due to medical conditions. These children will never be adopted and most will never go back to their parents or into foster care.
Tutova is the poorest area in the country...as a matter of fact, it is the poorest area in the entire European Union. The Tutova hospital is one of two hospitals left with a long term care facility for malnourished and disabled children. There use to be 48 but the government shut them all down due to costs.
These children are happy and, thanks to this organization, are clothed and well fed. They are very active and totally wore me out! This is a nice bit of birth control;-) So far I am having a great experience.

Welcome to Romania!

2008-10-04T10:04:00.000-07:00

Here I am in Romania. Jenni and I arrived safe and sound. There was very little excitement to our travel.....other than the entire plane full of beautiful Romanians.

Sadly, internet connection and pay phones are few and far between so up dates may be minimal. Sorry for that. The only thing that I can really say so far is that it isn't like any thing I have ever experienced. This country is so tired. It has been through a lot and it shows.

I am a Tourist!

2008-09-18T03:40:00.000-07:00

My newest adventure! I recently went to Seattle Washington to visit a friend. I am not sure how it happened, but the entire week was sunny with a blue sky. I some how managed to leave the clouds and rain behind in SLC.

Snoqualmie Falls

2008-09-18T03:35:00.000-07:00

The first day I was there we decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and visit Snoqualmi Falls. Gorgeous! Everything was so green...and covered in moss.

Seattle

2008-09-18T03:30:00.000-07:00

The next day was all about Seattle! We went on a tour called Ride the Ducks. It is a land and water tour in, well in ducks. DUCKS were originaly made during WWII to help transport supplies directly from land to water crafts. Now days they transport crazy tourists all around.

We then went to the Spaceneedle and had lunch. The view was spectacular and, not to mention, the dessert exciting.

2008-09-18T03:29:00.000-07:00

Later in the day we went to the water front. There you will find all sorts of touristy attractions. My favorite part of this trip occured at the Ye Old Curriosity Shop. This little store had everything you could imagin. It had shrunken heads, mummies in displays, mexican jumping beans and much, much more! As a matter of fact, I found some very 'authentic' viking hats. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to show my true colors so I put it on and wore it around the store. I also found this vintage carnival love meter. You hold onto the metal handle and it rates your love level.....I rated at the top; uncontrollable. It was the best 25 cents ever spent. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time.

Sunnyside...not so Sunny

2008-09-18T01:31:00.000-07:00

Finally I had the opportunity to see where I came from. As an adopted person I have always been a bit curious at to where I was from and whether or not that has had any impact on who I am. Well, Let me tell you...it most certainly does not!

My first view of Sunnyside was coming off the freeway. In front of me were hundreds of cows. Its true. Just hundreds of them. Then we saw the welcome to Sunnyside sign and naturally I needed a picture. As we stepped out of the car the overwhelming aroma of country gold swarmed over us. It was so pungent that shallow fast breaths were required in order to survive. We then decided to drive through this thriving metropolis of a country town and take advantage of a restroom. Interestingly enough....Sunnyside is not very friendly to travelers. We stopped at three different popular gas stations and none of them had public restrooms. I know shocking....We decided to follow the big blue "H" signs to the hospital. Shocking as it was that this place even had a hospital we figured it had to have bathrooms. So we pull up to what must have been my place of birth. I am pretty sure this hospital only had five beds! Maybe one nurse! It was a miracle that I survived. Ah just kidding. But really, I am so very blessed to have been adopted and given this wonderful life and upbringing. Because when you think about it, the suburbs of Utah are ten million times better than Sunnyside, cow town, Washington.

Read this and you will be smarter...or more informed.

2008-08-16T22:52:00.000-07:00

I was bored at work tonight and decided to give you all a bit of useless information....

The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time television was Fred and Wilma Flintstone.

Coca-Cola was originally green.

The Hawaiian alphabet has 12 letters.

City with the most Rolls Royces per capita: Hong Kong.

Average number of people airborne over the US any given hour: 61,000.

First novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer.

The San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile National Monuments

Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history. Spades - King David, Clubs - Alexander the Great, Hearts - Charlemagne, and Diamonds - Julius Caesar.

If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle; if the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in battle; if the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

Only two people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, John Hancock and Charles Thomson. Most of the rest signed on August 2, but the last signature wasn't added until 5 years later.

Hershey's Kisses are called that because the machine that makes them looks like it's kissing the conveyor belt.

The phrase "rule of thumb" is derived from an old English law, which stated that you couldn't beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb.

The Eisenhower interstate system requires that one mile in every five must be straight. These straight sections are usable as airstrips in times of war or other emergencies.

Q. What do bullet proof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser printers all have in common? A. All invented by women.

Q. This is the only food that doesn't spoil. A. Honey

40 percent of all people who come to a party snoop in your medicine cabinet.

Grapes explode when you put them in the microwave. Wine will spoil if exposed to light, hence tinted bottles.

Every citizen of Kentucky is required by law to take a bath at least once a year.

If you put a raisin in a champagne bottle, it will rise and fall continuously.

"Almost" is the longest word in the English language with all the letters in alphabetical order.

Women blink nearly twice as much as men do.

For the "wrong handed" people...Over 2500 left handed people a year are killed from using products made for right handed people! That means DEATH to Lefties

A cockroach can live several weeks with its head cut off - it dies from starvation.

The state of Florida is bigger than England!

A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.

The reason firehouses have circular stairways is from the days of yore when the engines were pulled by horses. The horses were stabled on the ground floor and figured out how to walk up straight staircases.

The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.

The name Wendy was made up for the book "Peter Pan."

Newborn babies have about 350 bones. They gradually merge and disappear until there are about 206 by age 5.

Donkeys kill more people than plane crashes.

Shakespeare invented the words "assassination" and "bump."

Now if any of you win a game show from one of these facts I would like you to remember me.

I bake because...well, a boy told me I needed a hobby.

2008-08-06T04:09:00.000-07:00

Recently a friend of mine, whom I will refer to as Irish, informed me that I needed to get some hobbies. This came about during one of our lengthy conversations regarding our antisocial tendencies. While we discussed cures for common loneliness he asked me what my hobbies were and that maybe I should get more. I have a good size list of hobbies, some of which being camping, travel, photography, shopping etc. The problem with those particular hobbies is that they are best done in groups. Which brings us back to the entire point of the conversation; hermit like behaviors and lack of friends. He informed me I need hobbies that can be done alone. I informed him that I regularly sing in the shower and while blow-drying my hair. This is something I enjoy doing so surely it must count as a hobby. He wasn't impressed. So now I am subjecting my family, girls I visit teach, and elders quorum presidency to baked goods. I hope they all gain twenty pounds.

Wonderful Camping and the Hike of Death

2008-07-31T00:11:00.000-07:00

I went camping over the weekend of the 24th with some of my favorite people. We stayed in a campground located in Huntington canyon aka Manti-LaSal mountain range. (Note: this area is known for its dense population of black bears) It was gorgeous! I cannot believe this was my first ever experience in this area. I have totally missed out in the past.

The first night there, as we were wide awake in the tent pretending to sleep like normal people (note: all members in that particular tent work graveyards at the hospital and therefore sleep during the day), we heard a sound that could only be described as a growling roar. The conversation that followed went something like this. "Do you guys hear that?" I ask in a hushed whisper. "Yeah what is it?" they whisper back. "I don't know...you don't think it sounds like a bear do you?" I reply. "No, but what could it be?" they ask back. "Well, if it’s not a bear then it could only be one thing....it’s a mountain lion." I gravely respond. (Note: this conversation is fact and quoted to the best of my ability. We never actually saw the animal but did get verification the next morning regarding the likelihood of mountain lions) So naturally, the next morning all the members of our camping party were having a bit of a fit at the idea of large and aggressive wild animals. (Note: present members were: one high anxiety mother whom I love with all my heart, one well camp-trained father, two Seattle city-slickers, one adventurous backpacker, and me the calm sane voice amongst the chaos.) I, being a kind and concerned friend, go over the basics of outdoor safety and reminded them in a soothing voice that the only animal that actually hunts down humans for food is a polar bear. Since we are not camping in the Arctic Circle we can consider ourselves safe so long as we remember we are guests in their home. As you can guess, my mother freaked out and wanted to arm all of us with police standard flash lights that we could use as weapons....just in case we got mugged by a ferocious wild animal. Ah, I truly forgot how much I love camping.

On the Saturday of our trip we all decided to go on, dum dum dum, the Hike of Death! (Note: my parents had already headed home in order to see the Osmond’s perform with the MoTab and one Seattle city-slicker opted out) So the three of us pack our camelbacks and backpacks with water and necessary sustenance and make plans to complete the 9.5 mile hike. The first 2.5ish miles of the hike were straight up the mountain. The plan was to get to the ridge and cross a pack trail and then head down a canyon 4.5miles to our parked truck. Not too bad, right? Well, we were over halfway to the ridge when we saw our first sign of weather difficulties; hail. (Note: we had already been hiking for about and hour and a half due to the constant need to stop and regain lung control) We hiked through the hail, which eventually stopped, assuming it would blow over. By the time we were to the ridge it had begun to rain very hard and coverage was becoming scant. (Note: at this point the backpacker was kind enough to remind us that mountain lions enjoy hiding in the thick brush) Since it was raining pretty good and had not started showing signs of lightning we took a rest under a large pine tree and regained some energy. (Note: energy source of choice was sour patch kids) We noticed that even if the rain stopped where we were currently sitting, the clouds were still moving towards the canyon we would be hiking through. Then the inevitable happened; lightning. We knew we only had one option and that was to head back down the way we came. The thought of 2hrs of hard work going down the drain was heartbreaking but it was countered with the thought of being fried by a lightning bolt. We ran! (Note: as mentioned previously the coverage was scant and the only lightning safety any of us could remember was to be the shortest object around.) The biggest problem was the 3/4 mile of switch-backs in a field of flowers on the side of the mountain. I was in front and set the pace. In what seemed like no time with what seemed like no breathing difficulties we made it back down the mountain. (Note: it took us approximately 30 min to get down that mountain) After arriving safely at the bottom we took inventory of ourselves. We were soaked from head to toe and covered in an unusual amount of mud. (Note: mud was due to all the mud puddles we ran through and the several falls we took while running through them) Since we were planning on coming out way down the mountain we had to trek another 1.5 miles through the downpour to our camp site. We arrived to find all our chairs and wood wet, my knee bleeding a smidge and the backpackers arms breaking out in hives. (Note: we had not noticed the bleeding knee due to mud coverage and the hives were a surprise from a random plant) We ended up driving into town soaking wet and sore to get some Benadryl and dry wood. The rest was a bit of a blur. The backpacker was drugged on my command and shortly passed out. I then cleaned off the mud and stripped off my wet cloths so I could take a nap. For the next 2.5 hours the world could have ended and neither of us would have known. When I woke up I could barely move and that feeling stayed with all of us for several days. (Note: being that we were all too cold, drugged or tired none of us found it necessary to stretch after our marathon hike resulting in a severe stiffening of the muscles and joints) Even though it has been hard to walk, climb stairs and sit we feel that it was worth it for having survived, dum dum dum, the Hike of Death!

A Big Adventure Soon To Be

2008-07-11T04:18:00.000-07:00

As some of you may already know, in October I will be venturing half way across the world to volunteer in Romania. I am very excited! My friend Jenni and I are traveling with an organization intitled Global Volunteers. We will be working in the Tutova clinic which is the infant portion of the orphanage for a month. We will be caring for abandoned or disabled infants and toddlers. Most of these kiddos were severely underweight babies who arrived shortly after birth. Our goals is to nurture them back to health.

Throughout my trip I will be blogging about my experiences and hopefully have pictures of the sweet little things I will be helping. Stay tuned in for the updates.

My name is Melissa Dahl, and I am a relationship saboteur...

2008-07-11T02:11:00.001-07:00

For all of you who have ever wondered, "Why is that cute little Melissa single", I am here to enlighten you. I am a relationship saboteur. It’s true. I sabotage any possible relationships and I also sabotage any current relationships. Why, you may ask? Well, I get an intense, overwhelming sensation of fear. The moment I think that a guy might actually like me, and that I might actually be required to like him as much, I panic. My stomach starts twisting into a thousand knots, my mouth goes completely dry like Death Valley in July, and my palms start to sweat like the leaves of the Amazon, and my mind, oh if you could only hear it. My mind starts screaming a thousand miles a minute, "What’s going on, what just happened, what am I going to do..." Well, naturally, I do what any sane person would do after the fight-or-flight mechanism has been activated...I run! I run as fast as my out-of-shape lungs will let me. Usually it is fast enough and after the escape I feel a very mixed sense of relief, regret, and most of all guilt. Ah, one more notch to add to my list of broken hearts.
Am I, in any way, proud of my accomplishment? No, I am never proud. As a matter of fact, I go to my dark place and mope for at least a week. I feel sorry for myself, I feel sorry for the guy, and I feel like a failure. The women we are always complaining about, the ones that break the boys so that they never want to date again...that’s me. I am a monster! Ok so maybe that is a bit extreme, but really I am not normal. To be fair to myself, I don't always realize what exactly it is I am doing until it is already done. I have always thought that the feeling of fear was my answer that he wasn't the 'one' and why should I string him along if I don't feel the same way, but, now I see that it was more of just an overall fear. Its ok, you can call me it; I am a commitment phobe. And I bet you thought it was just men.
I would also like to address the recent issue of flowers. Why did it vex me so much to have flowers sent to me? Does not that show interest? Am I not always tooting my own horn about being a hopeless romantic? Should I not jump at the opportunity to have a romantic notion acted on for me? The answer to all of the above is yes. I most defiantly should want flowers and I find them very romantic and very sweet. However, the Mormon society and generation I have been raised dictates that any and all flowers sent to any one woman by any one man be a representation of extreme like. Yes, when flowers are sent it is usually because you have dated the person, the holiday requires it or he is in big, big trouble. Therefore to receive such a gift is very overwhelming to say the least. As a matter of fact the last flowers I have received from a boy were a dozen long stem roses on Valentines Day my junior year. Since then I have received nothing. This caused the most recent flowers to have a sense of foreboding, like he new something I didn’t. Did I overreact? Absolutely. Should I have taken a few deep breaths and informed myself that since I am a very charming person it is only expected that I should be sent flowers? Yes. All of which, were huge mistakes on my part. If I ever have the pleasure to receive any more flowers for no other reason than someone found my company enjoyable, I will most definitely handle it differently.
All in all, I look at my experiences in life as opportunity for learning and growth. Have I missed out on a lot of great opportunities to date and get to know some amazing guys? I probably have. Ah well, admitting is the first step to recovery.

The best job ever!

2008-07-06T03:24:00.000-07:00

As my title implies, I have the best job in the world. I am a nurse and I work very strange hours and lots of holidays but it really doesn't get much better than what I do. My patients generally weigh less than 5 pounds, have very spunky personalities, and make me realize every single day how amazing this life really is.

To give you an idea of what I do, I have decided to outline an average day. I arrive at work a little before 7pm and see which assignment has been given to me for the shift. An assignment consist of 1, 2, or 3 babies. The more sick or attention needing the infant the less the number of babies in the assignment. For example a baby that weighs around a pound, needs a lot of support to breath, and is requiring a lot of serious medication may be a 1 baby assignment. After finding what my assignment will be I go and get report. The off-going nurse will tell me what the history of the baby is (i.e. how he/she was born, what was needed at birth, etc.), what the baby eats, what the baby has been prescribed for his/her respiratory needs, and if the baby is on any medication. Then I take over. The babies are now my responsibility. If you look at it in pounds it doesn't seem like a lot but if you think about it in life and vulnerability it is huge.

In a shift I will change each babies bum approximately 4 times, the babies will each be fed 3-4 times, vitals signs will be recorded hourly, and medication will be given as prescribed. I have given all kinds of medications ranging from blood pressure medication, to caffeine (helps with respiratory drive) and I have started hundreds of IVs. To put that in perspective for all of you, that is like starting an IV in an adult pinkie finger. I have sent babies home with mom and dad, and I have sent babies home to heavenly father. Each shift is a surprise of what I will be faced with. I never know if I will be working with little champs who pass every mile stone with flying colors or if I will be working with the little ones that will struggle for the rest of their lives. Some days I feel as though I could never do enough for these babies and other days I find myself wondering if sometimes as a unit and as a technology we do too much. I have rocked babies to sleep, and I have comforted them during a procedure. I have also wanted to pull my hair out because of the crying but every time you see a new one, every time you hold a tiny life in you hands or, hand as is sometimes the case, it is all worth it. All of the hard times, all of the stress and crazy, non-English speaking parents are fine. Its all OK because for 12 hours at a time you are responsible for one of Gods most beautiful creations and you have the chance to make the first trials of their life less difficult.

This is why I have the best job in the world.

2008-06-19T04:55:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while life throws something at you that really makes you think about the way you live and the things you say.
Around the second week in May my grandmother had an "episode". I say episode because ever since she shattered her knee, she has had them regularly. She has been in and out of the hospital with various issues regarding dehydration, pain, nausea, and her heart. Every time we thought was the last. This time, I refused to think it the last. I brushed off all the concerns of my mother and informed everyone, in a very condescending manner, that she was not dying. A few days later I was humbled by her declining state. My home became a dismal place were strangers came and went at will saying their goodbyes and cousins sobbed on the bedside. A few days later, after my brother and I thought that we could not handle any more, my grandmother was sitting up eating food. The calm before the storm? Well, sort of. It has been the calm before the stormy season. My grandmother, bless her heart, has had good days, denial days, grieving days, and just plain bad days. Every day is guesswork. We never know if she will eat or not wake up. I always knew that I could handle death. This, however, is not death as I know it. When one thinks of death they think of a tragic accident or someone not waking up. We don't generally think of watching a loved one waist away. I have felt so many emotions. I know my cousins find me heartless because of my use of humor and maybe even selfish due to my lack of instantaneous willingness to quit my career. Inside I have felt both. I know, however, that I am not alone in these feelings. At this point in the game everyone has felt them once or twice, along with the guilt that comes after. I feel tired for her and find myself telling my equally tired mom that this won't go on forever. I repeat my aunts favorite line, "this to shall pass." Then think, "who knows maybe my grandmother really is the 4Th Nephi.... "

I made a blog!

2008-05-30T02:34:00.000-07:00

With the never ending drive to be like "the cool people", I have taken one more step toward conformity. Deciding to make a blog is me saying to society, "I wanna be like youhohoo doobedoobedo, I wanna walk like you, talk like you, oohooo doobedoobedoo..." I have decided that individuality is overrated and come to the conclusion that it is far too much work being myself... Ok, so really I just thought it would be fun to share my wild adventures and entertaining moments with all of you! It goes to show how much I really care...