There Is Beauty All Around...

So today my friend-that-I-haven't-met-yet-but-plan-to-someday wrote the following on her blog:

After I got home, I decided to look around my house. I love beautiful things. I love to surround myself with things that radiate happiness and beauty. Jane came home from school one day with a large branch of cherry blossoms. The colors were vibrant and gorgeous. Simple things like that allow me to feel special, happy, loved, and most of all... my favorite... feminine. We are women of a God who delights in his daughters to feel beautiful and adored. Whatever that is to you personally, don't let it go undone. It is in you safe and warm and no one can take that away from you...no one.

and I realized again that this is part of what's missing in my life. I look at her home and the homes of many of my friends, and they're filled with beauty and light and physical reminders of love and joy.

My world really isn't. It's not bad, but it's not what I'd call beautiful. The most beautiful things in my home are my kids. But they're gone most all of every day, taking their vibrancy, light, and beauty with them. And then I'm surrounded by function, basic forms, neutral colors, and dullness. Unless I go down and hang out in Bunch's room, that is.

I've recently tried to add some splashes of color to my wardrobe. This helps me feel a little more feminine and pretty...but my home and yard really lack right now. They always have.

I remember marveling at my best friend from childhood's home when I visited it for the first time. Neither of us grew up in "beautiful environments". I was living in the garage amidst the piles of junk, tools, car parts and storage. Inside, the house was no less cluttered and packratty. Likewise, my friend's home was a hodge podge of mismatched second-hand furniture and clutter (though I secretly envied the fact that her house itself was "nicer"...in a newer neighborhood with bigger homes than mine. Which seemed like a big key to being "cool" in my childhood).

Somehow my darling friend managed to create the nicest home for her husband and children. It's just lovely. The colors, furniture, decor, lack of clutter, organization, landscaping...it was so nice. The first time I visited, I was amazed. And flummoxed. Is it a gene I'm missing? I just don't have a clue where to start...and it all feels overwhelming.

I'm sure this missing link is why I've long been fascinated by those shows where they just come in with their team of designers and capable builders and redo a house or a room for the lucky family. If I'm ever commuting to work and watch a show on the plane (the only time I ever watch tv), that's the kind I watch. And as I watch my head will fill up with grandiose visions of how I could remake my house.

But then I look at my bank statement, and survey my creative/artistic ideas, and the motivation evaporates like an August rain in the desert. And yes, I know a can of paint can make a big difference. But it's the stuff beyond paint that stumps me. The Devil's in the details, as they say.

And then there's the issue of what style I'd have if I could have any one. I have no idea. I like them all as long as they're nicely done. I guess I'm least drawn to the modern look, but even that can be nice in a sparse kind of way. And certainly better than no style at all.

Still, I do so love being in peaceful, cheerful, beautiful places. Environments that provide uplifting sensuous experiences. It's good for the soul. I dream of someday having a cute, tidy cottage on the creek in our neighborhood. I don't believe I'd ever tire of the sound of the water rushing by. And I'm sure I'd love being in Nie's home. Maybe her beauty karma would rub off on me?

Meanwhile, a couple times a day I go stare at the tulips that pushed up through the earth this week in my back yard. They're perfect.

Making ♥ Out Of Nothing At All

Okay it's time to share my secret.

Lots of people like the hearts that I strew all over the internet with regular abandon. And on many many occasion, people have emailed or posted comments asking how I do that.

So today I'm going to share with you how to make ♥s

First off, I should mention that they don't translate to most email programs. So if you send one on email, it will arrive as a jumble. Sorry about that. I have my people working on the matter, but it might be a while.

Still, it does work on most blogs. With TypePad though, if you do this and post a comment, it will simply disappear when your comment is displayed. I have my people working on that too. But don't hold your breath.

So there are two ways to make ♥s. The first is that you can just highlight, copy, and paste them. Voila!

The second way is to type the following without any spaces (I'm putting a space in so that it doesn't convert it automatically. I've made that mistake before):

& hearts;

Once you post your comment on the blog, (or in FaceBook or wherever), you will have your very own heart.

And so there you have it. The simple way to spread a little ♥ around.

♥,
Blue

Tonight's Recital

Bunch had a piano recital tonight. There was some question till just this past Thursday about whether or not she'd be participating, because she injured her finger and hasn't really been able to practice the past few weeks. The song she was working on is pretty rigorous. But she got up there and did it, and we're pretty pleased with her progress. She's had just over two years of music lessons now, and has a fantastic teacher who believes in inspiring rather than punishing her pupils. Clearly with Bunch, her method is working.

A Few Reflections

A wonderful family friend died this week. We had overnight guests Thursday, and spent that evening and all day Friday involved in the viewings, funeral, graveside service, and a lovely luncheon afterward.

There were a number of things said during the funeral that really touched my heart. I haven't been to many funerals in my life. Counting back, there have only been five total...including a complete stranger that I'd never met before. I know it's kind of strange to be forty and not have been much touched by death. That will change, obviously, unless I end up dying sooner than later.

Despite my lack of exposure to death, I've found that funerals are a good opportunity to reflect on my life. Am I who I want to be? (no) If I died today, would my life have been enough of what it should have been? (no) What lessons do I still need to learn? (so many!) What legacy am I leaving in my wake? (that's another post entirely)

These may not be the typical questions you think of when it comes to dying. But I've had some experiences in my life that have given me an ironclad faith and testimony about the veracity that this life is not the end. That our Heavenly Father has a plan for us, which I am grateful to have a testimony of. And that plan included coming to earth, getting a body, dying, and being resurrected someday. And that we will see our loved ones again...they are not gone forever. And that if we choose the right, and repent of our wrongs, we will be able to be with them for all eternity.

So as sad (and tragic, in some situations) as death is, I have a strong faith that it's not sad for the person who died. It's only those of us who are left behind, missing them and wondering how life can go on without them who are struggling.

One interesting thing about the service yesterday is that this man had lived an amazing life, and there were many notable experiences worthy of honoring. But none of them were mentioned. The things that were shared about him all centered on his character. What kind of person he is. His noble traits (charitable, forgiving, service-oriented, his sense of humor, his lack of ego), not his many outstanding accomplishments. I thought that was interesting.

Everyone loved this man. He was a good, kind, generous, loving father, husband, brother, uncle, and friend. He was a very talented musician. And he endured a horrible illness without complaint, with grace and patience. There was much to celebrate about his life and example, and I was honored to be part of the celebration of his life yesterday.

So now I need to spend some time setting some goals that will help me along in my own life journey. To allow those thoughts and feelings of yesterday to inspire me towards a better today. Just wanted to share that here. What feelings and experiences have helped you to make strides in your life journey? Do you have any experiences that have helped you overcome hurdles and propel you forward?

If you had to move to one of these cities...

...where would you go and why?

Good afternoon lovely little Gemmies!

So the other night Doc made a list of 114 possible residency programs. Not included on his list were any states that he personally couldn't handle living in. Then gave me the list.

"You edit it down" he told me. "If you're not happy, no one will be happy."

Which might very well be true. As it turns out. (Which begs the question is the converse is true as well? Cause, Oh The Power!)

So I opened up Realtor.com and Google maps, and systematically plugged in information about each city to see if we could A) actually afford living there and B) how doing so would impact my getting to/from work. Any city that didn't have even modest abode in our price range was out, as were any locations that would force me to quit my job. And I confess, I did kind of avoid most of the Arctic North programs. Long, dreary, endless winters are rough on my psyche.

I did this for hours, till I finally pared his list down to 35 programs. Believe it or not, every place on this list has homes we could afford. Who knew! Noticeably absent are any programs in Boston (ouch on the housing!), despite there being an abundance of excellent programs in that city. Doc will be on call a lot, so living reasonably close to the hospital is a must.

So my wise little Gems, whadda say? I'm sure some of you have opinions on some of these locations. I love hearing about different places, and if you have personal experience with any of these, let's have it.

Obviously we can't make the decision based on who lives there. Friends in the area would be fabbo, but it's not a deciding factor. Good great Schools for the kids (junior high and high schools) are crucial. As are safe neighborhoods. Pluses are agreeable culture, natural beauty, sundry amenities. And I confess I'd love it if there was an active LDS church community with strong youth programs for my angel kids. The teen years are hard enough without that kind of support.

We'll be living wherever we end up for between five and seven years (some programs are more consolidated...another factor), so I need to make the best choice. So if you have any input, leave a comment. Thank you and thank you again!

H♥gs,
Blue Jeuls

(Sorted by state)

Utah
University of Utah Program - Salt Lake City, Utah...where we'd prefer to go since we're here and it's an excellent program. Our #1 choice

Arizona
St Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center - Phoenix, Arizona
Maricopa Medical Center Program - Phoenix, Arizona

California
Loma Linda University Program - Loma Linda, California

Colorado
University of Colorado Denver Program - Aurora, Colorado

Connecticut
St Vincent's Medical Center - Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport Hospital/Yale University Program - Bridgeport, Connecticut
University of Connecticut Program - Farmington, Connecticut
Hartford Hospital Program - Hartford, Connecticut
Yale-New Haven Medical Center Program - New Haven, Connecticut
Hospital of St Raphael Program - New Haven, Connecticut
Norwalk Hospital Program - Norwalk, Connecticut

District of Columbia
Georgetown University Hospital Program - Washington, District of Columbia
George Washington University Program - Washington, District of Columbia
National Capital Consortium Program - Washington, District of Columbia

Delaware
Christiana Care Health Services Program - Newark, Delaware

Illinois
St Francis Hospital of Evanston Program - Evanston, Illinois

Massachusetts
St Vincent Hospital Program - Worcester, Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts Program - Worcester, Massachusetts

Maryland
Johns Hopkins University Program - Baltimore, Maryland
University of Maryland Program - Baltimore, Maryland

New Mexico
University of New Mexico Program - Albuquerque, New Mexico

New York
University of Rochester Program - Rochester, New York
Rochester General Hospital Program - Rochester, New York
SUNY at Stony Brook Program - Stony Brook, New York
SUNY Upstate Medical University Program - Syracuse, New York

North Carolina
University of North Carolina Hospitals Program - Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Duke University Hospital Program - Durham, North Carolina
Wake Forest University School of Medicine Program - Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Ohio
Ohio State University Hospital Program - Columbus, Ohio

Oregon
Oregon Health & Science University Program - Portland, Oregon

Rhode Island
Brown University Program - Providence, Rhode Island

Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Program - Richmond, Virginia

Washington
Virginia Mason Medical Center Program - Seattle, Washington
University of Washington Program - Seattle, Washington

Have you ever been stupid?

Hello my little Gems!

Last week I was sitting in my office and saw two guys walk across my lawn through my blinds.

I thought it was my neighbor and his roofing-company-owner-brother, who had said earlier in the day he’d give me an estimate on re-roofing our garage, which is falling apart, so I answered the door.

It wasn’t my neighbor, but rather, two college-age white males. One of them, the slender one, was holding a couple blue fliers in his hand.

“Good evening Ma’am, we’re in the neighborhood demonstrating our new foam carpet cleaning system, and will clean the largest room in your house free of charge” he informed me.

“No thanks” I replied. “My carpet’s in pretty sorry shape. Needs to be replaced more than it needs to be cleaned” I said, while thinking about how it could use a good cleaning…there are a few spots I’d love to have removed.

“We’re happy to take a look at it for you” Slender Guy offered. Heavy Set hadn’t said a word yet. He didn’t seem to have the same level of social skills as his partner.

“The thing is, if I let you clean my carpet, you’ll want me to buy something. And the fact is I’m broke.” I told them.

“Well ma’am, my company pays me a little bit for doing a demonstration, which helps me out, and you’d get your carpet cleaned, so really it’s a win-win situation. We only ask that you tell your friends and neighbors about us” he encouraged.

So I consented. It was about 7:40pm, and Doc was downstairs watching NOVA on PBS with Gator, and Bunch was at a youth activity. Heavy Set and Slender came into my living room, which was littered with the Trappings Of Tuesday (music lessons, scouts, school). We try very hard to keep that room as clean as possible, but it can go from spotless to strewn in .065 seconds when the kids get home. Bunch’s viola was on the floor next to the case, books, backpacks, sweaters, socks, shoes, Cub shirt, PTA fliers all scattered the floor.

As I hurriedly tried to tidy up and point out the stains on the carpet, Slender commented “looks like you’re a musical family”, noting the viola, guitar and grand piano in our small living room. I concurred, babbling on about how Doc played guitar and piano, the daughter viola and piano, and me just piano.

He started jotting down notes on one of his blue fliers and I asked when they’d like to make an appointment.

”Oh we’ll do it right now.” He replied.

Now? I asked.

“If that’s okay” slender said. “We’re just on our last run of the night.”

How long does it take? I asked.

“About 30 minutes” he told me. So I said I guess that would be fine (this would be an example of carpet diem I guess. Ha! I slay me!).

”Are you married” Slender says.

Yes.

“What’s your husband’s name?”

Doc.

“Is he home right now?”

Yep. Downstairs watching tv with the son.

“How many children do you have?”

Two.

“Well we’ll just go get our equipment and be back in about ten minutes. Don’t worry about moving out furniture or anything. We’ll just do high-traffic areas.” Slender says, as he and Heavy Set leave to get their stuff.

I scurried around moving the piano bench, guitar stand and other smaller items out of the living room. NOVA ended and Doc came upstairs and I told him what was going on. By then it had been more than ten minutes, and suddenly my mind started to be a bit uneasy.

What did I just DO? I thought to myself.

I let two perfect strangers into my HOME, and gave them information about my family. I started to desperately hope that they’d return with carpet cleaning equipment and actually turn out to be what they claimed.

But they didn’t.

After about 45 minutes, I was pretty freaked out. So I called the non-emergency police number just in case they’ve heard of some scam in the area. They hadn’t, but they agreed it sounded fishy. “People who clean carpets are interested in stains and spots, not whether you’re married and if your hubby’s home” the officer informed me. Because I didn’t already feel like an idiot.

They sent a car out to talk to me, and scope out the area. But we haven’t seen them since. Doc thinks they were looking for an easy target, and decided we didn’t qualify. Plus they probably (rightly) concluded we don’t have much worth taking.

Anyway, the experience reinforced a few key things for me:

1. If solicitors come on my property, I don’t owe them anything, and according to the police, I should ask them to leave immediately.
2. I need a “No Solicitors” sign on my house.
3. I’ve been too trusting of strangers. Thankfully nothing bad has happened (so far) from this experience, but it’s not the same world today that it was in the past. You can’t just let people into your home any more. You’d think I’d have learned something from the whole Elizabeth Smart story!

My kids were (to say the least) somewhat freaked out when they found out what had happened. I did my best to reassure them and comfort them…but we’ve definitely been more cautious since then about leaving doors unlocked and whatnot.

My bubble has been popped. I’m now officially solicitor and stranger-leery. The next day a knock on the door came right as I was leaving for an appointment. I mean I was standing in the doorway about to open it. I looked through the peep hole and saw one guy wearing a badge. I opened it because I had to leave anyway, and he claimed to be from the U.S. Census Bureau. I asked if I could examine his badge and he readily agreed. It looked legit (but like I have any idea what an official census bureau badge looks like). He handed me the census paper he was holding a stack of, and asked if there were any apartments attached to our dwelling, which would be nice but unfortunately, no. That was it...he thanked me and left.

From now on I’m asking for ID. And I’m being cautious about answering the door, especially when I’m home alone …cause you just never know these days.

Be safe, my little Gems! It's a kind of crazy world.
♥ Blue Jeuls

Doc's Latest Accomplishments...

So in addition to remaining extremely competitive with his academic pursuits, Doc has been capturing notice in other areas of his life lately as well.

Here he is, my own cover boy, hitting the newsstands nationwide today. These are two magazines I can't wait to find copies on the airplane!

D