The number of times I felt like an official grown up because I went to a real, live cheese party: one
The number of times I reminded myself that I am far from being an official grown up, mostly because of these pictures: five
(Let's ask ourselves why I mostly end up looking drunk. And why was I always cast as the drunk in plays in high school?)
Number of loaves of Challah I baked: four
Number of times I meant to add bananas to a dessert but forgot them, so used blueberries instead: one
Number of photo shoots I participated in (family pictures in bluebonnets): one
(these will be posted as soon as Mike is "photoshop satisfied" with them)
Number of awesome fathers-in-law who take real good pictures of people in bluebonnets: one
Number of times we told Pete to stop eating grass and bluebonnets because he would just throw it all up later: twenty seven
Number of times Pete threw it all up later: one
Number of things that really, REALLY, jumped out to me from general conference: one, just one
Let's talk about general conference, shall we?
For those of you not of the Mormon persuasion, twice a year (first weekends of April and October) we have the privilege of hearing talks given by the general leaders of our church. It's kind of a big deal. It's broadcast into a bunch of countries in hundreds of languages (true story, I've been in the language translation part of the conference center and that place is bananas).
What makes it an even bigger deal is that we get to hear from real, living apostles and the prophet.
Now, typically, at least for the past 3 years or so, there are one or two talks that jump out to me and I think about them over the next few weeks until the conference edition of the "Ensign" comes out and I get to reread all of the talks that were given, but especially the ones I connected with.
I didn't really feel that impression this time. Don't get me wrong, it was a fantastic general conference! But I felt that, rather than delivering a message just for me in one specific talk, the Spirit pointed out different thoughts and statements from every single talk. It was a pretty neat experience actually.
The thought that jumped out to me the most, though, that I'm still thinking about today, was from Saturday morning's session when Boyd K. Packer spoke.
Oh that man. I almost cried when I saw him, he's getting so old and tired looking, but he can still pack a punch when it comes to speaking. At one point he was talking about how when he gets to the other side of things, before he hears his Heavenly Father say "Well done" he wants to hear it from his earthly father first.
That really did make me cry.
It has been one of the greatest desires of my heart, ever since he passed away, that my dad be the first person I see when I get where I'm going (you know, like that Brad Paisley song. I LOVE that song, go have a listen). Since adopting Pete into my life, and not being naive enough to think that he will live as long as I do, I would also hope that he is right on my dad's heels (honestly, I think Dad sent Pete to us. He knew I needed a spastic dog to love before I knew it).
It was just so WONDERFUL, and refreshing even, to hear an apostle of the Lord express the same desire. I've always felt that it was a selfish, and maybe unrighteous desire. You know, wanting to see your earthly father before your Heavenly one? So, hearing him say that was peaceful to me.
Oh one more,
Number of times I fell asleep for 45 minutes during the last session: one
(luckily I woke up in time to see President Monson wave his finger around when referencing everyone in the conference center. That man cracks me up. I would like to have lunch with him.)