The Girl Continued to Smoke

I heard a good suggestion: To speak in the third person instead of the first person when writing; in my case, to say SHE and HER instead of I. I'm going try it and see how it goes. Please comment and tell me what you think.

A friend told her that the girl continued to smoke even when pregnant. She considered how it would be very hard to give up an addiction. She also thought about how every event came with a choice. She wondered if the girl had even thought that temporarily giving up smoking to have a healthy baby was worth the sacrifice. Maybe the girl rationalized in her mind why smoking while pregnant was okay.

She reflected on the girl and reminded herself how when tempted to give in, reminding herself of what she actually wanted helped her tremendously. (Looking at stuff, reading words, or hearing things about what she wanted created feelings of resolve.) She thought about how it's a choice to stay on track or to quit. She remembered how sometimes it's hard to stay on track. Then she reminded herself how when she stayed on track and remembered what she actually wanted, she more likely got it.

Wanting to Act Not React

Kindness

Sometimes my gut reaction is to burst in anger and say mean things. I don't want to do that ... ever! I really want to be in charge of myself at all times, and choose at all times how to act. I don't want to sometimes react with instinct but instead want to choose what to do.

Yesterday (while sitting in my living room chair) I had the impression that honesty diffused anger. I thought about the idea, and in my mind saw how when I said my feelings they wouldn't get bottled up and cause me to eventually explode.

I don't want to explode yet I want to say how I feel. I never control people's actions. It wouldn't be right to expect them to do what I wanted because they could make up their own minds. Sometimes people don't do what I want but the nice thing is to accept how it is and be nice anyway.

I totally believe that I control how I act. Sometimes I might feel to lash out, but at those times I need to suppress my instinct and instead be nice. I'm not an animal that only acts on instinct, I'm a human that chooses how to act. (I truly believe that if I don't give in to my instincts, those feelings will eventually go away.)

I'm thankful for my journal where I can express my feelings. When I'm mad I need to write down how I feel and not hurt anyone.

I'm Doing Something Besides Just Complain

The Unified Party
I'm starting my own political party. I'm tired of the two parties we have because both sides are hateful. What America needs is a party that unites not divides. I'm a registered Republican but some of my dearest friends are Democrats. I refuse to not like them just because we have differences.

The last presidential election had so much hate spewing from both sides. Children were crying because people on TV were so mean. I did my duty and voted but I didn't like how my candidate seemed to lower himself just to play a political game. I believe that people can keep their dignity and their ideals because they respect each other.

Do Something or Don't Complain
I'm not political-I don't even like watching the negative news. But I'm not going to do nothing and just complain about things. I believe 'either do something to help or don't complain'. I think a lot of people are like me-they're for unity not division. I will be the change I hope to see in my country. This morning I bought the domain name unifiedparty.org. It may become nothing but at least I did what I could.

I bought the domain, but there are people out there who are a lot smarter than me who can make the site look good. It doesn't just belong to me but to everyone who wants unity. I don't know what the site will contain, all I know is that I took action. I love my country and being American. I love patriotism and freedom. I'm not gonna hide in a corner as if ashamed but will openly declare my love for my country and do all I can.

The Political Game
Perhaps the politics we know has been a game where people lied to get what they wanted. Lying isn't a good political strategy in this digital world when nowadays everything one says is on the internet...most likely YouTube. I'm for honesty. I believe in strategy but I think it can be done honestly.

It seems like the political world in America has gotten too big for its britches. People pridefully seem to consider themselves above others and sometimes even above the law. I think everyone should follow the same rules because without rules there's chaos.

I  believe that we are in some ways the same (humans, male, female, attended the same school, have similar ancestry, believe similar things, etc.) but that our character is what defines us and makes us different. We are unique and individual. We aren't perfect but learn from our mistakes. We all did things when younger that we wouldn't do now that we're older because we learned from our experiences. Let's not hold our mistakes against each other but celebrate that we learned. Let's look at the good not the bad. Let's lift each other not tear each other apart.

Unity Not Hate
When there's good in the world, somewhere there'll be bad. Someone will always say something negative when someone else says something positive. Opposites attract. But I firmly believe that although opposites attract they can work together to make something good. I'm not like my neighbor but I don't hate him; I just know that he does things his way and I do things my way. Although we're different we're friends who want the best for each other. I say, "Enough hate. I want love." I want things that bring people together, not division. Our pledge of allegiance says, "Indivisible", let's not fight each other but only fight the enemy.

Don't Wait, Do It Now

Two things: 1) It's important to do what I say I'll do, so that people know they can count on me, and 2) I need to do it sooner than later. The question is not only if I will, but also when I will. Do I wait until the last second to act or do I act right away?

Looking back: When I waited until the last second to act, usually that meant that either -I didn't want to do it, or -I let other things have higher priorities. If I wanted to do something, most likely I did it right away. I always waited to do things until the last minute. In thinking about this, these are the possible reasons why: 1) I gave my all to whatever I did, and most likely I waited until the last minute because I knew I would go all out and it would take effort, 2) I felt more creative at the last minute (when under pressure.)

My creativity back then shined in most of the things I did (because I'm creative.) But when I waited until the last minute to do something, I felt stress. Also, by waiting until the last minute things came to my mind that couldn't be done because I needed more time. (Stress is a motivator. I believe that stress is a natural feeling that will always be felt. A person who prepares may feel butterflies in their stomach as they anticipate the thing for which they've prepared. But when a person procrastinates, they don't feel butterflies but anxiety.)

Since being sick, if I wait until the last minute the thing simply won't get done. My illness gives me the opportunity to prepare in advance...and allows me to feel more calm. I think back to when I waited until the last minute and believe the anxiety wasn't worth the procrastination.

Inspiring Video

I saw this inspiring video, and wanted to post it: Inspiring Video

The video shows a veteran in a wheelchair who is trying to walk, a young girl at a dance audition, and a guy with a knee brace lining up to run a race. The video shows each of them doubting their abilities, but, regardless of the outcome, attempting to reach their goals. The song says, "Didn't always hear 'YES' as much as I heard 'NO' and later it says, "I can do anything". 

The video shows the guy in the wheelchair standing, the girl dancing, and the guy with the brace running. I don't know if they achieved their goals or not, but that's not really the point. The point is that they tried instead of regretting that they didn't.

The guy who sang the song has Autism, Asperberger's, OCD, ADD, and Tourette's Syndrome. He has many challenges, but he doesn't let his disabilities stop him from trying. He may fail, but the lessons he learns far outweigh the failures.

A lot of people don't try for many reasons; they're afraid they'll look stupid, they're afraid they'll fail, they're afraid people will laugh at them, they're afraid they'll get in over their head, and on, and on, and on. They let being afraid stop them. Yes they may look stupid, yes they may fail, yes people may laugh, yes they may be in over their head, but the important thing is that they try. They are smart and strong. When facing a challenge, they'll figure it out. (At least they can say, "I did it" even though they felt afraid.) 

People can do more than they believe. I hope that people will try even when they feel scared.

The Successful and the Freeloaders

I heard a Jewish Rabbi (who is very familiar with the Talmud) say that only 20% of the Israelite's left Egypt and followed Moses. The Hebrew Bible says 1/5 of the children of Israel left Egypt. Perhaps the many who stayed said things like, "It's not so bad to be a slave," or "I like Egypt and I'm not leaving," or "My family is staying and I won't leave them." Whatever they might have said the point is that they chose to follow Pharaoh not God.

The percentage seems consistent with the many and the few. Regarding the straight and narrow path, few there be that find it. Regarding the broad path, many there go thereat. Freeloaders say they don't have the same chances as the successful. Wrong! All people have the same chance, but freeloaders choose not to do what it takes to become successful. 

Successful people plan for their future. Freeloaders don't plan - they don't see their future past right now. This truth reminds me of the story about the ants and the grasshopper:

In the summer, the ants gathered food so they'd have something to eat in the winter. The grasshopper just enjoyed the sunshine. In the winter, the ants partied in their warm house and ate their food. Meanwhile, the grasshopper froze outside. He noticed the ants inside all warm and toasty and full of food, so he knocked on their door and asked if he could join them. The ants said yes and gave him shelter and food, whereby the grasshopper did a jig.

Freeloaders have existed since at least the time of Moses, possibly forever, why should anything different be expected today? Successful people will continue to plan and freeloaders will continue to complain that life isn't fair. Successful people will continue to show mercy to freeloaders and each person's actions will say how they are.

We Need to Act

About a month ago I felt compelled to write a talk about afflictions and trials. I don't know why I wrote it other than because I felt the need. To make a long story short, I gave that talk in church on Sunday. (I truly feel I received inspiration to say the things I did.) I could have been a better speaker because I spoke too fast and didn't make eye contact. I know that, but didn't do them for a couple of reasons. First,  looking into people's eyes would have made me cry after feeling their emotions.  I can't contain my feelings, therefore I didn't look at them. Second, I spoke quickly because I know that my voice gets worn out when I speak, and to me it sounds worse.

When I step back and review this accomplishment, the important thing is not the words but that I spoke. I didn't let fear stop me from delivering the talk, but swallowed my pride and said things that hopefully touched another person. I put myself aside and gave the talk (even though I have limitations) because I hoped the words would reach someone.

After I'd been asked to speak in church, I kept thinking of the words "slow of speech."  I had read those words in the Bible where God told Moses to tell the Israelite's something and Moses said they wouldn't listen to him because he was slow of speech. I think God told Moses to speak, to test Moses' obedience. I believe God wanted to know that Moses would do what God told him. Moses could have made excuses, but instead he did as directed...and became a great leader.

I'm not comparing myself to Moses, but saying that it's important to be obedient when compelled to do something. We need to act not make excuses for why we don't. When we're obedient to promptings, God knows He can count on us. He uses us to convey messages that He wants people to hear. Perhaps the opportunity is lost when we don't act. I spoke even though I felt many insecurities. I hope that God knows he can count on me.

Here's the talk:

Afflictions and Trials

I’m Hawaiian and in the Hawaiian language there is the word ‘Ohana’ which means family. In families people express their love. I hope you will feel my love for you today and that the Holy Ghost will teach you (through my words) what you need to learn.

I have been sick for four years. Before that time, I could stand and walk and talk just like you.  I have MS and some of my symptoms have never gone away. I had a life before I got MS. I worked. I made dinner for my family almost every day. I cleaned my house. I exercised. I ran errands. I wrote in my journal. I played the piano. I sang and I served at church.

After I got sick, my life turned upside down. I became disabled. I had to quit my job. I couldn't cook, clean, exercise, or shop any more. I no longer had balance. My strength became weakness. I felt dizzy. My hands wouldn't hold things correctly. Writing became difficult. My hands shook whenever I attempted to play the piano; my fingers wouldn't stay on the keys of my favorite instrument; and, my playing became slow and included lots of mistakes. This has been a great learning experience for me. I always wanted to stay home and not work…but I didn’t mean and be sick too!

 Anyway, my illness is a blessing because now I get to talk to you about it. I can’t stand for very long (because then I get hot and feel like I want to cry) so I’m sitting while I talk to you, I hope you don’t mind. My voice has been affected by my illness. I haven’t always sounded like this, so I hope you can understand me.

Afflictions and trials aren’t the same thing. Most trials start out as afflictions but trials can be manmade, for example, when one doesn't learn a certain lesson so they experience the same trial again.

Sometimes people get afflictions to learn to live with them. When a person learns from their afflictions, they receive the benefit of being improved. We learn through the furnace of affliction. Isaiah records God saying: "Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." (Isaiah 48:10) We don’t learn from happiness but from sorrow. God doesn’t teach us when we feel happy – He rejoices with us! God teaches us when we feel sad.

Afflictions are a part of sanctification. Abraham recorded God saying: "And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them." (Abraham 3:25) God wanted to know if we’d be obedient to his commandments. Essentially, He said: “Put your money where your mouth is.” He wanted to know if we’d keep his commandments even when afflicted. 

Afflictions are whatever the Lord determines we need to experience. A great prophet in the Book of Mormon said: "For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been since the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, as a child doth submit to his father." (Mosiah 3:19)

Joseph Smith suffered for months because bad people accused him of a crime he didn’t commit. He said that he’d seen God, and because of that and other things, bad men locked him up.

He sat in the Liberty Jail during one Missouri winter. (I’ve lived in Kansas for over 20 years and know how cold it gets in the winter on the plains. Joseph Smith received the revelation that I’m about to quote from at the end of March - it’s still pretty cold then. Plus no glass covered the windows of his cell. I’m sure it got pretty cold in his jail room.) Joseph received a very touching answer when he prayed to God to ask how long he and the saints had to suffer persecution before God intervened. God answered him with this: “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes. Thou art not yet as Job; thy friends do not contend against thee, neither charge thee with transgression, as they did Job.” (D&C 121:7-10) Then God went on to say “…if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he? (D&C 122:7-8)

(I cry because I consider that the things God said to Joseph He would also say to me. God’s words comfort me and I believe that everything I suffer will be for my good.)

God told Joseph comforting things  – the last thing is also a bit chastising. Joseph wanted to know how long he had to wait for God to intervene, and God reassured him. God also said in essence, I’ll intervene when it’s time, not when you want. He basically said: “Be patient.” Sometimes we need to patiently endure our afflictions until God determines our endurance is enough. I believe that Joseph would have been willing to have patience, but that he really wanted the assurance that God would intervene. I think the experience is in the scriptures to tell us to trust that God will do the same for us. Trust is a hard thing for us to have because we’ve been let down. The thing to remember is that we’re trusting in God not a in a human. God won’t let us down.

We know that Jesus suffered. It’s not as well known that he suffered throughout his life. Paul told the Hebrews: "Though he were a Son, yet he learned obedience by the things he suffered." (Hebrews 5:8) Jesus thought higher than everyone else and even though He had friends He basically went through His life alone because no one related to Him. In the Garden of Gethsemene He sweat great drops of blood. On Calvary He got stabbed, had nails driven through His hands and wrists, and got crucified on a cross. He willingly suffered for me and I love Him. I thank Him. He had no sins - He was a perfect person - and yet He paid a price for me with His life. His atonement saved me from my imperfections. He is my savior and I will praise his name forever. Jesus had many happy times, but He also suffered greatly.

We learn through suffering - probably because in suffering we’re humble. God wants us to be humble, not proud, so He can teach us. When I first got sick I kept thinking about the scripture about the natural man. At the time, I also thought of this story about a crab. (Please visualize the images as I tell you my story.) 

"I'm brave. I'm fine. I can handle my problems" said the little crab.

"I have a shell and I'm tough. Nothing can break me", it continued.

The wise old crab asked the little crab to take off its shell.

"If I take off my shell, I'll be weak. I could be crushed" said the little crab.

"Take off your shell" said the wise old crab.

"Trust me. I have a reason for asking you to do this", he said.

The little crab took off its shell.

It saw the wise old crab and felt deflated.

"I'm exposed. I'm vulnerable. I'm not pretty without my shell," said the little crab.

"I can't hide. Everyone can see me for who I really am, and I'm just a crab" it continued.

The wise old crab saw the little crab without its shell.

The little crab is beautiful, he thought.

Other crabs saw the little crab.

"It doesn't have a shell" they whispered and thought of him as brave.

"I took off my shell like you asked" said the little crab.

It frowned and said "Now I'm not pretty. Everyone can see my problems. I'm not tough and I don't feel happy."

"That doesn't matter" said the wise old crab.

"One day you'll feel happy. Here, take my shell." he said.

The little crab crawled in the wise old crab's bigger and stronger shell.

"This new shell is good" the little crab said as he crawled into the shell and it fit just right.

The little crab realized that he had outgrown his old shell.

He felt grateful that the wise old crab had seen something in him that he hadn't seen in himself.

The little crab had taken off his shell and received a bigger and stronger one.

The little crab felt happy.

After I thought of that story, I wondered how God could comfort or teach a person when they had their shell on. It occurred to me that God wanted His people to be exposed and vulnerable so He could come to them. In my story, the crab's shell represented pride – tough and hard to crack. In my own life, I had replaced my Savior by thinking I'm tough, I can handle my own problems. I didn’t have humble thinking - but didn't consider myself arrogant and prideful. God wanted to be with me, comfort me, and tell me how to solve my problems, but when I thought I could handle my problems on my own, I wouldn’t let him help me and faced them alone. 

Recently, I read a book where the author also talked about a crab. He said that a crab had to walk backward to move forward because its front claws were too heavy. He related going backward to us becoming like a child. He quoted King Benjamin when he said that to live with God again we had to become like children. King Benjamin didn’t mean that we had to be children but that we needed to be like children…to have child-like qualities. He listed a bunch of qualities and basically said we needed to be willing to learn…which is a child-like quality.

Children don’t have egos that can get hurt or offended. They honestly acknowledge what they don’t know, then do what it takes to find out. They are positive and optimistic. They make friends without judgment. They include people. They have fun and don’t stay down in the dumps. Those are some the qualities that King Benjamin meant that we needed to have in order to have eternal life. He basically said that we needed to develop Godly qualities in order to live with God.

When I got sick, I had served in this ward for two years as the Young Women's President. I felt spiritual and did things like listen to good music and read my scriptures. I refrained from things that would make the spirit leave because I liked feeling His presence. Sometimes, I had spiritual experiences that caused my heart to swell. I'd been taught to be self-reliant and take care of myself and my family and that's what I did. I cooked. I cleaned. I ran errands and I tended to my children's and my husband's needs.

One day, right after I got sick, I sat in my living room wondering how I would endure sitting there for one hour, let alone for the entire day. I had always kept myself busy and felt torture doing nothing. As I sat there, I could feel no warm feelings in my home. On the contrary, my home felt empty, and, in a way, cold. I thought I’d rather be at work.

In speaking about our personal lives, we just did the motions at my home. We acted like a happy family, but everyone did their own thing and we were slowly drifting apart. Today, I shudder to think what my family would be like if I hadn’t gotten sick. Isn’t it strange to hear me say that my family would be worse off, if I hadn’t gotten sick? Even though my illness caused us to suffer, I consider it a blessing in that we’re close.

I’ve cried many times when I’ve thought of my limitations, but then the Lord has taught me something that has resulted in me feeling grateful to him. Whatever I’ve wanted to know I’ve learned, and then the thing has taught to me. I think of the quote: “Leap, and the net will appear.” That’s quote speaks the truth. I’ve taken the leap of faith many times throughout my life. Sometimes the net has been a book, and sometimes it has been a song. Other times it has been something someone said, or something I’ve seen.

In all of those cases however, it has been up to me to learn. If the net appeared to teach me something, but I didn’t learn it because I didn’t want to listen or hear, then it would re-appear until I learned its lesson. That scenario reminds me of the scripture in the D&C that says: “For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift?” (D&C 88:33)

What good does it do if we take a leap of faith but don’t learn from the experience? We won’t become a better person but will stay the same. Some people think well, I don’t want that lesson! They want to control their life instead of let the net be in control. They don’t get to determine the lesson – they only get to reap the reward or pay the consequence.

Another quote that I love is this: “When the student is ready, the teacher appears.” I believe that God puts inspired teachers in our life to teach us something. Again, sometimes it’s a book, a song, a person, a scene, or many other things. We pray and ask God for help then, when He gives it, we say: “No! Not that!” and don’t accept it. We’d be better off to accept His help, trust Him, and remember that he knows what we need better than we do. Let’s remember and believe what He said to Joseph Smith and apply it to ourselves - He said the experience would be for our good.

I’m thankful that I got to tell you this and that I got to spend some time with you. I know that our Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to have successful lives. Sometimes we are thick-skulled and won’t learn the things. He wants to teach us but if we won’t learn His lesson, we get to experience the thing again. If we experience something and don’t learn from it, it can become a trial in our life.

Let’s let Heavenly Father be in charge. Let’s trust him. We can spend our entire life focusing on things that don’t matter – things that build our pride – and ignore the things that do matter and that make us better people. Let’s be willing to learn what God wants to teach us. Sometimes we have to go backward to go forward. Remember the crab and that we need to be teachable and like a child in order to be taught. The only things we possess, that we can give to Heavenly Father, are our wills and our actions. Let’s take the leap of faith required to learn. And, let’s believe the lesson will help us become the person Heavenly Father knows we can be.

Not all the things we suffer are bad. Remember that our goal is to have eternal life. When we step back from the things we suffer and remember what we want, somehow the things we need to endure seem worth it. Sometimes all our faith needs in order to regain perspective is for us to step back, look at the big picture, and remember our goal. We want to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again. That’s a good goal to have. They also want to be in our lives right now. Jesus taught that he stands at the door of our heart and knocks. (Revelation 3:20) It’s up to us to let Him in. He won’t just open the door and walk in, we have to open the door and invite him in. Opening the door and inviting him in is taking a leap of faith to let God make our life better than we imagined.

Heavenly Father has made my life great as I've put my trust in Him. He's turned my sorrows into joys. My life may not be what I imagined, but like Nephi, I know in whom I put my trust. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today. God is my friend and will be with me throughout my life. I love him and will praise His name forever. He is my rock and my everlasting God. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Bryan and Kimbra Married!

On April 26, 2012, Bryan and Kimbra married in the Salt Lake temple! They married on a Thursday and shared their special day with at least six other couples. As I entered the temple, I could feel the reverence of the Lord's house. Temple workers, dressed in white, whispered respectfully and directed us where to go.

First, a temple worker instructed us to take off our shoes. (I'm guessing we did this to preserve the carpet and as a form of reverence.) Anyone could put on socks, stacked neatly in a basket. We didn't change into white clothes because we only witnessed the wedding, so we wore what we had on. Second, we went to a waiting room where we sat until we heard our party's name called. I didn't say anything to the lady sitting a few chairs from me (and in another wedding party,) but I heard her say she lived in Overland Park, KS, the town next to mine...what a small world.

Third, another temple worker called our name and our party went to the room where Bryan and Kimbra would be married. During the ceremony I realized I sat watching a wedding. (Members of my church call weddings in the temple "sealings" because we believe that couples with temple marriages are sealed for time and all eternity versus marriage until death.) Bryan and Kimbra exchanged rings after the ceremony and again I didn't realize that they had just been married. The temple sealer had said "husband and wife" and Bryan and Kimbra had kissed across the alter but the fact that they had married didn't hit me until at almost the end.

We went back outside and waited for the bride and groom to come out so we could say "Congratulations!" and take pictures. Bryan and Kimbra came out of the temple and some people in our party cheered. The bride and groom plus family and friends posed for pictures on the stairs of the temple. The day felt beautiful and didn't get windy until just before we left.

Bryan and Kimbra had arranged to have a really fun wedding reception in Provo that night. They did a great job and made the event a true celebration. The food tasted awesome. Instead of a guest book they had a photo booth where participants could pose for pictures taken in black and white or color; and use props or not. The participants could keep one sheet of photos and put another sheet in a book with a note they had just written. The photo booth added to the entertainment and documented people's personalities well.

Bryan and Kimbra's Wedding Video

Bryan and Kimbra went on a cruise to the Bahamas for their honeymoon. They had a lot of fun and relaxed a bunch! They saw lots of exotic fish, ate some amazing dinners, and swam in beautiful water. They spent so much time in the sun that they got burned! (sad face)

At the Atlantis water park - Nassau, Bahamas

A little burned - but VERY happy!

They both graduated (on April 20, 2012) from BYU six days before they tied the knot.  Bryan graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Advertising and Kimbra graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Human Development. They studied hard in school but felt extremely glad when it ended.

BYU Graduation Day

I have a married son and a daughter. Kimbra's a very nice girl. She's so sweet and caring. Boys are sweet and caring too but in a different way. I didn't realize how like my boys I'd become but when she didn't laugh at some things I thought of as funny, I saw how masculine my thoughts and behaviors had become. After living in a predominantly male house, I feel happy about adding another girl to our family.

Bryan and Kimbra visited us for two weeks right after their honeymoon and attended a wedding open house for them here in Kansas. Per cooked some yummy things for dinner and Bryan, Kimbra, and I did some fun things during the day. I'm glad they visited us because it gave us more happy memories of them. I know that they need to live on their own and establish their married life, but I will miss them.

Nick Camillo (the guy who sang the song on their engagement video) gave them this as a wedding present.

Wedding Gift from Nick Camillo

Here's the actual engagement video:

Bryan and Kimbra's Engagement Video

I love them both very much and wish them much happiness in years to come!