All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves.
Anatole France
Monday, August 6, 2012
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Strong Women
I was talking to a friend the other day about family history. She was telling me she does not know a lot about her ancestors, and wanted to find out more. It struck me then how lucky I am to know as much about my family's past as I do. You see, my maternal grandfather was a professional genealogist. He worked for the LDS church for a long time, and directed the church's huge family history library for a while. After he retired, he would consult for people, give talks at family history conferences, do individual's history, etc. He wrote a book. There is even an association for genealogists that now has a scholarship in his name so others can learn how to do this kind of research.
Anyway, letting you know how awesome my Grandpa was is not the point of this blog post.
As I was thinking about my family history, I realized how many strong and amazing women I have in my past.
The first that comes to mind is obviously my mom. She rocks, but you all know that.
My 5th (?) great-grandmother's name was Elizabeth Panting. Some of you will recognize her story from the movie 17 Miracles. She left her abusive, alcoholic husband in England with her two young children (a boy, Chris who was 8 and a girl, Jane who was 1 or 2). She got on a boat and came to America all by herself because she knew it was what would be best for her and her children. She pulled a handcart with all her belongings and her two kids in it across the continent...by herself...in the freezing cold winter. Even after she made it to Salt Lake, her life was hard. I could relay story after story about her faith and her strength.
Her daughter Jane was my 4th great-grandmother. She learned all about natural healing from the Native Americans in Logan, and helped a lot of people in her town.
My great grandma Ruth, who I get my middle name from, raised her children in the poor, rural south with an alcoholic husband. She is a tough and resourceful lady. But probably the coolest thing about her is that she always took care of of other people. In her small town, everyone loves and respects "Miss Ruth." I am proud to carry her name.
My great grandma Helen's family came over from Europe and made successful lives in California. My Grannie Helen was my kindred spirit...she and I both love to read and write, we both love nice things. She was so classy. I remember her love of cashmere sweaters, and she always read the newspaper. She was in many ways a rebel, but you would never know it by looking at her.
My great grandma Byington was also a character. She loved to laugh, and laughed loud! She wouldn't hesitate to tell you what she really thought, and often swore like a sailor. She 'planted' plastic flowers in her front yard, with a sign telling them to "grow, damn it!"
There are many, many more that I could tell you about. They all came from different countries, classes, and religions. The one thing all these women have in common is that they all had very strong wills and personalities. All of them did hard things and came out stronger for it. Many of them had to take care of themselves and their families during times when women did not have the opportunities they have today. I can't help but feel like they gave me some of that strength. Maybe that's why I have taken the path that I have taken. I do know that at the very least their stories have taught me that it is ok to be strong and opinionated as a woman. They have also taught me to do my best to live up to my ideals and values. I am so grateful that I know their stories and have their strength to draw on.
Anyway, letting you know how awesome my Grandpa was is not the point of this blog post.
As I was thinking about my family history, I realized how many strong and amazing women I have in my past.
The first that comes to mind is obviously my mom. She rocks, but you all know that.
My 5th (?) great-grandmother's name was Elizabeth Panting. Some of you will recognize her story from the movie 17 Miracles. She left her abusive, alcoholic husband in England with her two young children (a boy, Chris who was 8 and a girl, Jane who was 1 or 2). She got on a boat and came to America all by herself because she knew it was what would be best for her and her children. She pulled a handcart with all her belongings and her two kids in it across the continent...by herself...in the freezing cold winter. Even after she made it to Salt Lake, her life was hard. I could relay story after story about her faith and her strength.
Her daughter Jane was my 4th great-grandmother. She learned all about natural healing from the Native Americans in Logan, and helped a lot of people in her town.
My great grandma Ruth, who I get my middle name from, raised her children in the poor, rural south with an alcoholic husband. She is a tough and resourceful lady. But probably the coolest thing about her is that she always took care of of other people. In her small town, everyone loves and respects "Miss Ruth." I am proud to carry her name.
My great grandma Helen's family came over from Europe and made successful lives in California. My Grannie Helen was my kindred spirit...she and I both love to read and write, we both love nice things. She was so classy. I remember her love of cashmere sweaters, and she always read the newspaper. She was in many ways a rebel, but you would never know it by looking at her.
My great grandma Byington was also a character. She loved to laugh, and laughed loud! She wouldn't hesitate to tell you what she really thought, and often swore like a sailor. She 'planted' plastic flowers in her front yard, with a sign telling them to "grow, damn it!"
There are many, many more that I could tell you about. They all came from different countries, classes, and religions. The one thing all these women have in common is that they all had very strong wills and personalities. All of them did hard things and came out stronger for it. Many of them had to take care of themselves and their families during times when women did not have the opportunities they have today. I can't help but feel like they gave me some of that strength. Maybe that's why I have taken the path that I have taken. I do know that at the very least their stories have taught me that it is ok to be strong and opinionated as a woman. They have also taught me to do my best to live up to my ideals and values. I am so grateful that I know their stories and have their strength to draw on.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
I Am No Longer Homeless!
I have a place to live in 3 weeks when I move :) I have an address with a 14607 zip code :) Whoop whoop! And here it is...
My new apartment!
I can't wait to decorate and get settled in!
I thought that as this move got closer and closer that I would get more and more nervous. However, that is not what is happening...I mean it kind of is. I am a little anxious about handling being away from my mom and my family. I am really nervous that I am going to make fool out of myself and be in way over my head. I worry about being alone and having to make all new friends, something that doesn't always come easily to me.
But I am also super excited. I am excited to learn new things. I am excited to work with my advisor. I am excited to do more research. I am excited for the challenge of being somewhere new. I am excited to be closer to my East Coast friends.
All things considered, I know I can handle it. It is all coming together! And basically, I know that I am doing the right thing with my life. I am excited to see what the future brings!
My new apartment!
I can't wait to decorate and get settled in!
I thought that as this move got closer and closer that I would get more and more nervous. However, that is not what is happening...I mean it kind of is. I am a little anxious about handling being away from my mom and my family. I am really nervous that I am going to make fool out of myself and be in way over my head. I worry about being alone and having to make all new friends, something that doesn't always come easily to me.
But I am also super excited. I am excited to learn new things. I am excited to work with my advisor. I am excited to do more research. I am excited for the challenge of being somewhere new. I am excited to be closer to my East Coast friends.
All things considered, I know I can handle it. It is all coming together! And basically, I know that I am doing the right thing with my life. I am excited to see what the future brings!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Moving On
Saturday was my last day at The Children's Place. I have worked there for 4 years...almost to the day. I was super blessed to have a job. And that it was a job that was flexible enough for me to stay a full time student; it paid for my car; I made some awesome friends. I am glad, though, to be done. If it were not for the people at my job I would have left it a long time ago. Leaving the store on the last day was a crazy mix of emotions. I will honesty and sincerely miss my dear TCP family. I will not miss the company I worked for. (If I'm being 100% honest, I will probably not even shop there if I ever have kids.) A big thanks goes out here to the internet universe for my co-workers and all their support!
It's time to move on!!
It's time to move on!!
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Bookworm
Today I was talking with my boss about her kiddos and how much they love to read. She asked for some suggestions of books that they might, and that got us started talking about books we read as kids. I read a LOT growing up. My mom used to read out loud to us before bed pretty much every night. She read all kinds of things...Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Where the Red Fern Grows, The Berenstein Bears, and everything in between. I also read a lot on my own. The worst punishment was mom taking my flashlight away; I would stay up till all hours reading under the covers. I even remember a couple of times she took the lightbulb out of my lamp so I would go to sleep.
My reading habits once even started a feud between my third grade teacher and the school librarian. The library books were shelved according to grade level of the books, and my teacher would only let us pick books off the 3rd grade shelves. Well, at this point I was reading on like a 7th grade level (thanks to my mom) and I had either already read the 3rd grade books, or they were way boring. The librarian knew me pretty well, and tried to get my teacher to let me pick from the older shelves; he refused to let me. So the librarian would let me come back after school and check out harder books when my teacher wasn't around.
The books we read as kids are so important; they can either suck you in and make you a life long reader, or not. SO... this weeks top ten is a list of the most influential books from my childhood. (You can read about my favorite big-kid books here.)
1) The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White. Such a sweet story!
2) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I totally related to Scout. It took me a while to get what this story really was about, but it is so good. This book is what first sparked my interest in social justice and what that meant.
3) The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner. I kind of wished that me and the bros could live in a boxcar in the woods like them.
4) The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I love the imagery in this book.
5) Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Jo is still one of my heroes (or should I say heroines?). She is so strong, but loving and kind at the same time.
6) The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein...along with all his other poetry. The Giving Tree in particular struck a chord in my young, burgeoning environmentalist self.
7) The Nancy Drew mysteries by various ghost authors. Nancy was another one of my heroines. I always wanted to be as smart and brave as she was.
8) The Giver by Lois Lowry. I think this reading this book (one of the ones I took with out permission from the 6th grade shelf) was the first time I realized that authority could be wrong. And that sometimes it was ok/necessary to stand up against them.
9) Anything and everything by Dr. Seuss. Confession: I still break open my copy of Sneeches and Other Stories every once in a while...again with the social justice!
10) The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. I know, I know... cliche. But these books permeated my childhood and adolescence. The details and the way everything fits together is so cool; every time I read them I make another connection. They are just good!
My reading habits once even started a feud between my third grade teacher and the school librarian. The library books were shelved according to grade level of the books, and my teacher would only let us pick books off the 3rd grade shelves. Well, at this point I was reading on like a 7th grade level (thanks to my mom) and I had either already read the 3rd grade books, or they were way boring. The librarian knew me pretty well, and tried to get my teacher to let me pick from the older shelves; he refused to let me. So the librarian would let me come back after school and check out harder books when my teacher wasn't around.
The books we read as kids are so important; they can either suck you in and make you a life long reader, or not. SO... this weeks top ten is a list of the most influential books from my childhood. (You can read about my favorite big-kid books here.)
1) The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White. Such a sweet story!
2) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I totally related to Scout. It took me a while to get what this story really was about, but it is so good. This book is what first sparked my interest in social justice and what that meant.
3) The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner. I kind of wished that me and the bros could live in a boxcar in the woods like them.
4) The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I love the imagery in this book.
5) Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Jo is still one of my heroes (or should I say heroines?). She is so strong, but loving and kind at the same time.
6) The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein...along with all his other poetry. The Giving Tree in particular struck a chord in my young, burgeoning environmentalist self.
7) The Nancy Drew mysteries by various ghost authors. Nancy was another one of my heroines. I always wanted to be as smart and brave as she was.
8) The Giver by Lois Lowry. I think this reading this book (one of the ones I took with out permission from the 6th grade shelf) was the first time I realized that authority could be wrong. And that sometimes it was ok/necessary to stand up against them.
9) Anything and everything by Dr. Seuss. Confession: I still break open my copy of Sneeches and Other Stories every once in a while...again with the social justice!
10) The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. I know, I know... cliche. But these books permeated my childhood and adolescence. The details and the way everything fits together is so cool; every time I read them I make another connection. They are just good!
Friday, June 22, 2012
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