Steamed Bum: The One Year Anniversary of Visiting China

Oh the children.

 This time a year ago I was in Beijing with Chamber Singers and was loving my life. I never posted as much as I wanted to about it because there are an overwhelming number of things to say about the whole experience, a lot of which are in my personal journals already. 

I will say this though: I was reading back in my journals from that spring to after I came home from China and noticed a change in myself. Towards the end of that school year I was feeling so small. I made some of the most difficult sacrifices I've ever had to make and it left me wondering if I would ever be deserving of good things. I didn't feel fulfilled and I couldn't get out of myself. 

Everything I experienced in China was what I needed to have a change of heart.

Even my family noticed a change in me. This new heart set the tone for the rest of my summer and it was one of the best I've had. I'm grateful for that opportunity I had to be there. It was a blessing really.

Changing gears now to reminisce about one of the absolute best memories of China times. The food. Now, unlike my siblings, I am not a picky eater. I'll pretty easily try anything at least once. I knew I wasn't going to have a problem with the food in China. Our hotel had buffet style meals for us every day complete with the english translation of what food we were eating. Here are just a few of such delicacies. 

Enjoy.

Acid Article Mutton - Tantalizing 

Onions Blasting Mutton - Divine

Chopped Garlic Rape(?!?!) - Scrumptious

Steamed Bum in Triangular Shape Stuffed with Sugar - Delightful

I'm not sure what pocket dictionary or online translation help they used, but I'm sure happy they did. 

For my other post on my time in China, click here

Attitude of Gratitude: Laughter

Has anyone else felt like today was a weird day?

Maybe it was because I was pretty much fighting demons in my sleep last night, or maybe it's because of all the negative energy people have been releasing from the outcome of the elections (knock it off already - no one needs bad juju). Whatever it is, I've been in real funk today. 

Which is why I am SO grateful for laughter.

Learning to laugh has been one of the most valuable lessons I've ever learned. It gets me through some strange and trying times. Sometimes life throws you a curve-ball, like when I unexpectedly had to move out of my house in the middle of December during finals week of my most difficult semester at school. Trust me when I say it was a pretty rough time of life, but I laughed about it then and I can laugh about it now. There are literally some days where there is nothing else I can do except laugh. The people I love being around most are the ones that I can let loose and laugh with. I'm grateful for the people that know me and my sense of humor well enough to laugh right along with me. 

Like after a very fateful date a couple of years ago. 

Story time: It was a first date and this guy (I'll call him S) brought me to his brother's house to play games and watch a movie with his older brothers and each of their wives. S had already asked me out the week before and wanted me to cook him Brazilian food (red flag #1)... I thought that was a little strange and luckily I was already going to be out of town so I had to decline. So When he asked me out again and told me the plan, I felt it was pretty safe. S and his family were very nice, and he let me know that he was looking to be married and planned on it being really soon. Red flag #2. So meeting the family and having them ask when we're getting married was a little too much for me on a first date. Red  flag #3 (did I need any more?). Not long into the evening I realized I couldn't really see myself with this guy for longer than however long the night would last (I'll spare you all the details that led me to that particular conclusion...). When he dropped me off, I realized I had forgotten my keys and all my roommates were out of town. S and I tried to break in without any success (that was certainly something to laugh about right there), but I strangely had my spare car key in my purse. He called his brother, told him the situation, and his bro said to come back to his place where S and I could share the hide-a-bed. Seriously? That was the icing on the cake right there. But I followed S in my own car back to his bro's apartment. I was texting and calling everyone I could who might find it in their hearts to take me in for the night. It was close to 1 AM and everyone had gone home for Christmas Break, so things were looking pretty bleak. I was in serious need of a bonafide Christmas Miracle. I finally just texted someone (let's call him D) who I knew would laugh about the hilariosity and the uncomfortable atrocitation of this night with me. He definitely laughed with me. He also told me he was with his family at his mom's house in Providence where I was more than welcome to spend the night and where I would have my own room. I quickly took him up on his offer, told S and his bro's family thanks and headed out in the opposite direction. I got to Providence where D and I laughed about my night and about so many other things. Since then, we've shared some pretty hilarious times together.

He's always been really great at hearing me out, giving me some perspective, and especially laughing with me.

Laughter is a really great way to bring people together and it makes the journey so much more enjoyable. So next time you're tempted to complain, or groan, or be really mad about something, attempt to laugh instead.
Give me call, I'd love to laugh with you. 

Source: blogginwithbobbi.blogspot.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

"You'll shoot your eye out, kid!" and other weekend adventures.

(Actually, you'll probably shoot more than just your eye out with the gun we were using -  It definitely wasn't a Red Ryder BB gun.)

On Saturday I had an 8 AM meeting and then work until 3.
Which was fun.
But not really.

I went on a double date that was real fun though! Tim and I, and Jake and Audrey wet to a shooting range and shot with Tim's gun. The guys showed off (naturally), but Audrey and I were a bit rusty. We each took turns shooting clay pigeons. I felt like I was doing the walk of shame back to everyone if I didn't hit one. But I finally did! In fact, I hit 6. And I brought fruit-roll-ups to share as a snack for everyone. I'm so thoughtful.

 

Matching Shrek ears and North Face jackets.

Jake helping out "Goddess Divine" aka: Audrey

 

We shot for a while and then went home to get ready to go to Salt Lake City to see the Opera Il Trovatore at the Capitol Theatre.

I imagine that for most people, when they hear the word opera they think of this:

  

or this:

( I LOVE Phantom, but please understand - this is NOT opera)

Well, the performance I went to was not like either of these things. 

There were some really beautiful moments and I love the story of Il Trovatore, and it's a Verdi opera so it's really lovely music. I think being a vocal performance major has turned me into a bit of a snob because I'm a little critical when I go to these kinds of things. I expect a lot. The tenor and the soprano leads weren't too bad, but the baritone and the mezzo were kicking some butt. We enjoyed it overall and we went and got In-n-Out afterwards which was the greatest. 

Guns, Opera, In-n-Out, and great people: it's a pretty good life

Us after the opera. (Sorry it's blurry, but it's the only one we got!)

Uh, when did you grow up?

Look at this gem from Thanksgiving/Christmas in Star Valley circa 2005. This spunky little girl full of love and loved to chat. Loved all of Greek mythology and Pokemon.

She grew up and graduated high school.
Whoa.

Still quite the spunk.
We're weirdos.
My dad was behind the camera probably giving us the prompt "you're a llama!" and this is what we interpreted that to mean.

This cute (not so little) girl graduated from John P. Stevens High School back in June. 100% humidity and 104 degrees. That is not an exaggeration. I thought people were going to pass out in the Rutgers basketball stadium. But it was so fun to be there and to see her walk to get her diploma. My brother couldn't make it from Texas, so he was missed. Kimberley, me, my grandparents, and my parents all went to Benihana's to celebrate afterwards.

Don't worry, my grandpa is having a good time, that's just the face he makes for everything.

So... Today I just bought a plane ticket to go back to New Jersey to drive back out to Utah with Kimberley and my mom for my sister's freshman year of COLLEGE! Yeah... when did you grow up?
We'll be stopping in Nauvoo along the way, something I am extremely excited for! Pictures and stories to come for sure.

Love a good adventure.

Remember three months ago?

Remember how three months ago I had not been to China and climbed the Great Wall, or seen my little sister graduate high school? Remember how 3 months ago today I was feeling like this? Remember how I didn't know that I was going to be an EFY counselor for a second summer in a row? Remember how life never goes the way you expect it and a lot happens in 3 months?

You don't remember?

Well I do.
Allow me to share just a little.

I have adventures to tell. Don't you worry, I will update soon.