Favorite Things: Neverending box of Bounce dryer sheets

When I moved to Utah to attend BYU in 2004, my mom came down and bought me all the essentials, including this box of Bounce dryer sheets.
Since that time I have graduated college, gotten married, and moved a total of ten times. And this box of Bounce is still in my cupboard, still going strong. I have lost clothes, jewelry, bedding, dishes, a bike, and many other more important possessions over the last six years. But this box of dryer sheets has somehow managed to hang onto me. And I'm not kidding when I tell you that I even took it to London on study abroad.
That corner advertisement says 35% more.
I guess 35% more=eternity.
Thanks, Mom.
I'll never have to buy dryer sheets again.

Never too old for that

I inherited my mother's tendency to cry about everything. No seriously, everything. Commercials, game shows, cartoons, just about anything in church. And lately I find myself tearing up at work more often than usual. Most of my day here is spent running around, stressed out and never slowing down. But today one of our patients, a younger man, came in with his daughter who was only about four. He was the one being seen, and as I seated him in the room, she climbed up on his lap and said "Don't worry Dad, I'll hold your hand". I put the blood pressure cuff on his arm, and she got a very serious look on her face as she took his hand in both of her little ones. I had to turn and just look at the computer to keep from crying right there. I think we could all use a little bit of that sometimes. Someone who doesn't care if we have legitimate reason to be scared, but just wants us to know that no matter what, they will hold our hand and we will be okay.

Our First Christmas

Inspired by my mother's incredible talent for writing poetry, and to avoid any ranting and anger that could come from relaying the story, here's an emotionally controlled version of mine and Austin's first, and somewhat tragic Christmas together.

'Twas two days before Christmas
And all through the state
Travelers were unsure
Of their holiday fate

With snow came delays
And cancellations a-plenty
It fell in record highs
In inches up to twenty!

Austin and I with our suitcases
Were well on our way
To the SLC airport
To catch our United plane

Everything went smoothly
We could not foresee it
We thought we'd be in the air shortly
Enjoying our complimentary peanuts

But after hours in the airport
And with much devastation
We learned we would not
Reach our beloved destination

The "customer service" agent
Was just a mean old man
Nothing could be done
We'd been dealt a terrible hand

Christmas was ruined
And I cannot deny
I wanted to punch a United employee
Right in their dumb eye

But what good would it do?
It wasn't their crime
As sad as I was
Holiday spirit we would try to find

We started right away
As soon as we got home
We prayed for comfort,
And peace, and hope

Our eyes were opened
And our hearts were too
We clearly understood
What we needed to do

We started off by counting
All the ways we are blessed
Even with such a tragedy
Our lives are the best

With friends and family
We are loved so much
A home, jobs, cars, schooling
We have more than enough

We have our health, the Gospel
Many talents to share
We could find a way to show others
How much we care

So we baked and frosted
Most all of the day
Then we went out
And gave our cupcakes away

It was something so simple
And so easy to do
But it lifted all
Of the sorrowful gloom

Now we are cheerful and grateful
And have certainly found
No matter where you are
You can spread love around

Gale family fun and tradition
We have undoubtedly missed
But there will be other years
That we can enjoy it

From anger to joy
In just a few hours
Your outlook on life
Is all in your power

The Lord's love is stronger
Than any hardship
Even the disappointment
Of a ruined trip

This Christmas tale
Our kids will surely hear
Of the greatest day
Austin and I had all year