Mudlake Idaho

Most beautiful place on the face of this earth. I found my soul there and felt more connected with the Lord than I have in any other place. Part of it was the people I was there with and part of it was that I was cut off. By that I mean that I had little to no way to reach out to the world beyond through electronics. The internet cable was chewed, I had no cell phone service and the nearest town with places to shop was forty minutes away.

The family I stayed with was amazing beyond amazing. Here is their oldest child. Howard. He was two and he LOVED riding the four wheeler, hence the helmet on his head. He was sassy, adorable and the sweetest child I've ever met. He once pushed his dinner plate toward his father and said, "No, YOU eat it." Oh dear Howard.

Here are the kids with their father. An amazing man with an amazing wife. They were kind enough to let me stay with them while I was working and searching for a job. This was Memorial Day 2009. Such a good day. I ate way too many roasted marshmallows that day because James just kept roasting them and passing them around. He was an excellent roaster I might add. Mmm....

Here is Doc/Big Red, I named him but I couldn't decide which name I liked better, the horse I was to train for the duration of my stay. He was gentle horse that didn't really like to be away from his tiny circular corral. May I add that I love horses? They are beautiful creatures.

And here is their second child. Omi. Naomi. The cutest, sweetest, smartest little girl I've ever met. I taught her to wink, kind of, she winks both eyes but I taught her how. I love her laugh. She is lovable and full of love to give. She warmed up to me faster than Howard did. I remember her talking into the phone to no one on the other end but she was so happy to be doing what her mother did all the time. Oh children.

The people of Mudlake were much like the angels in heaven. Everyone was open and friendly with the intention of making everyone feel at home. From the first moment I joined them in Enrichment to the day I left I felt welcomed and cared about. I only wish my stay could have been longer. It was the closest to Zion I've ever been.

I've always loved small towns and Mudlake, Idaho reaffirmed the wisdom to my wish. I felt safe and alive in that small town. I hope I can live somewhere like it someday.

You could most definitely feel the love in that town. I imagine that Enoch's city was so successful because everyone loved each other and were concerned with their neighbor's lives and how they could make them better. I intend to live the rest of my life watching out for the other people I'm around.

(Song: Vanilla Twilight - Owl City)

Bahahahahahahahaha!

Hopefully I will be able to make you laugh........ if you don't laugh you must either a) be a robot and should probably get that checked out; b) not have the same sense of humor that I have (definitely get thatchecked out); c) be a relative ofScrooge (which means you should learn from his experience... don't make the ghosts come after you too)
In the HFAC (oh how I love the HFAC) at nine in the morning I said this exact phrase is shocked surprise,"Son of Mother!" The girl in the elevator, whom I noticed only after this outburst, stared at me for bit... Perhaps I shouldn't have said it but, there was a MONSTER in the elevator!!!!! Okay, it was made out of fabric,lightbulbs and paper mache. It is hideous!

I fully expected to be devoured by it when the girl exited a floor before I did. Luckily nothing happened any of the four times I passed by it.... creep. Click HERE to see a funny monster prank.

Today I signed up to help paint hat bills ( the part of the ball cap that shades the eyes). Blue. All was going well until I tipped over my cup of water (colored blue due to the many times I dipped my paintbrush) and spilled it on the yellow felt M's. I started hopping up and down and crying "Oh! Oh! Oh No! Oh!" and grabbing M's to stick on my arms out of reach of the blue wave descending upon it. Sadly not one was saved, even more sadly, no one noticed my frantic cries until it was too late. Saddest, they were not even a foot away from me! I felt horrible. But, we finished the hats! :) Yay us... Sorry about the M's Janet...

(Side note... Janet has one of the salon type hair dryers in her room. We put the hats in the chair and turned on the hair dryer machine. Janet, you're a genius!)

Have you ever done the trick where you bend over and pick up a chair? Your back has to be straight and you are basically trying to make yourself a table. Your legs must be directly under your hips and you should have your head touching the wall in front of you. Now extend your arms and pick up the chair with you have hitherforeto placed between yourself and the wall. Now, with chair in hand stand up. Do this in mixed company. (meaning males and females) So funny. Report back to me. If nothing happens out of the ordinary... don't tell anyone I told you to do it. Hopefully you get a few good laughs over it. HERE is what is supposed to happen.

After explaining the trick and why it works the way it works to one of my friends he said, "I have neither the hips nor the brawn." But what I thought he said was, "I have neither the hips nor the bra on." I just about died laughing and he had no idea why. Oh sir, you are so funny!

Imagine this: Two sympathetic pukers in a room together. One of them vomits.... can you imagine the rest? *Hint: Bleh, bleh, bleh, bleh, bleh. Too bad people can't be sympathetic snorters. (the "tehehehe*snort*" kind not the "line 'em up kind")

Fun trick: Wear a backpack (BAHAHAHA) just kidding the trick isn't over yet. Hunch over like a little old lady, bowl your legs, grasp an invisible cane in front of you and chase your friend down the sidewalk. Report back to me on the reactions you get. It works best if you yell, "Wait! Wait little girl (or boy)! I've got candy!"

Hopefully somewhere in this jumbled madness I call a blog post I have made you laugh. If not, remember it's not too late... You can still be saved. Consult with a professional now!

(Song: Inches and Falling - The Format)

I Can't Answer That For You

Chuck: "I don't know who I am anymore."

Casey: "I can't answer that for you."

Only we can say who we really are, each day we have to rediscover what makes me, me. Every day we make choices that belie our inner selves and show us and others what we are really like. We are sculpting the masterpiece that we will someday become. We will never be finished as long as we are alive and I think even after we die we will be constantly reshaping ourselves.

But, as my friend once said, "I think our cores is still the same. It's just finding that core among all the little changes that's the hard part."

How true that is.

I hope you find yourself Chuck.

You are not alone in your search.

(Songs: Swim Until You Can't See Land - Frightened Rabbit)

The Cost of a Colored Cut

So today was a lovely and exciting day. It all started with me finishing my set that I was constructing for class. (A mini set out of play dough) It was beautiful! Madison and Shaelyn can attest. I packed it up neatly so I could take it to be presented to my class. Lovely.

Then I went to meet Julie so we could go to her hair cutting interview. Basically, she would dye and cut my hair so that the owner could see how good she was and hire her. The foiling of my hair took a lot longer than either of us expected. So, I ran to my presentation looking like this…

but with my face. Naturally. I ran in just as my group was starting their presentation so I had no time to set up my beautiful stage. The director simply said, “And this is Tegan, she is playing the princess.” I felt deeply, deeply embarrassed. It wouldn’t have been so bad if I hadn’t been late. I thought about not doing it but, my group was depending on me. I couldn't just not show up, our grade depended on it.

Then it was my turn to present and I started whipping out my set and most of it fell apart. My castle broke and I tried to make jokes but I knew that my professor wasn't at all impressed. I was devastated. I had worked for weeks on that tinee little stage, sculpting it out of play dough and painting it. My face was so red and I felt retarded. Each and everyone of my group members gave me the “I pity you.” face. It was horrible and I almost started crying. But, everyone told me they were impressed I even showed up and with all the work I’d put in. I only wish my professor though so. I'm almost afraid of what he will grade me for. I am extremely grateful that I was able to make it to my presentation though. If I had just not shown up? That would have been awful!

So, with my pride broken I went back to the salon and Julie finished my hair. It looks fantastic! Five hours from the start here is what I look like. J

Isn’t it lovely? Yay!

Blogging

Has anyone else noticed how selfish blogging is? Every post, practically, is about me, me, me, what I did, what I learned? I just watched Julie & Julia and Julie realized that too. I think it's okay though. I love reading other's blogs and learning about them, them, them. My mom thinks it's silly because "you have to be arrogant to believe that other people want to read about you." To all my fellow bloggers, I LOVE reading about YOU!!!!!

(Song: Toby Keith: I Wanna Talk About Me)