.Sharing Parties

Seth, Jordan, Elisa and I are the youngest four kids in my family. When we were the last ones living at home we created sharing parties. We had so much fun.
One of us would put together invitations and hand them out to the rest of us. {Usually these invitations were made of things like paper towels in toilet paper rolls with smeared toothpaste and mousse all over them} We would climb through my Mom's laundry shoot whenever possible to deliver them to each other.
The invitation would simply designate a meeting place and time and a reminder that we needed to bring something to share with everyone else.


This is what makes it a sharing party.


Someone would bring enough pieces of licorice {from Dad's secret stash} for everyone.
Someone would make smoothies for everyone.
Someone would come up with a game for everyone to play.
And someone would think of a movie for us to watch.

I'd say we bonded :)


The last couple of times that Air and I have visited Utah we've all been restoring and breathing new life into our old sharing parties again. Of course most of us are married, and Seth and Jordan have kids and homes of their own now... but involving our spouses and the kids is the funnest thing about it now! Last month, all of Seth's kids brought something to share (show) to the rest of us, and Jordan's kids shared cookies that their Mommy brought for them. We played a story-telling game. Seth made everyone smoothies. Elisa played the piano while Jordan played his guitar. And we watched The Last Unicorn and some hilarious old Marx Brother's movies.


So awesome.


Next time we come, I call that we have a back-scratching-train! That way, everyone shares! Except me, in the front...

(Jordan, me, Dad, Elisa)

.

.On a clear day...

My family's forever.

I've been living in Canada for a year now. I notice that one of the biggest differences in my life has been the fact I have been very much out-of-contact with my brothers and sisters. It's not the same when you don't all live under one roof any more.


I hate that.


How can I stay in contact with all of them, all of the time!?? I really wish I were better at it!

~I miss riding to 7-eleven for candy with Heather. I even miss screaming and laughing and hanging on for dear life when she played "drunk-driver", swerving around in the lanes.
~I miss going on daily walks and talks with Megan around her green little Illinois neighborhood. We would go out right before sunset and we would get back a little after the fireflies came out.
~I miss going fishing at Mirror Lake with Tyler and the brothers in the middle of the night. Of course we never went to the lake without stopping for doughnuts, jerky and drinks first. My favorite part.
~I miss sitting on Gwen's lap and having her tell me that I'll always be her baby; before she had any real babies of her own.
~I miss going to see every movie that came out with Seth, getting rides on the back of his motorcycle, and hanging out at his many different apartments over time.
~I miss begging Jordan to do all of my school art projects for me. Always. My art teachers thought I was so creative! Thanks Jord!
~I miss sharing everything with Elisa. The basement bathroom, our groups of friends, bedrooms and clothes.


I have a lot of siblings. And they are so cool.

(me, Megan, Heather, Missy, Elisa, Alexis, Gwen)

So, if any of my siblings read this, just know that I miss ya. And that I love you too.

And I promise that this post is unintentionally cheesy.

And now that I'm finished writing this post, I feel the need to put a disclaimer here that I am not as homesick as I may seem. Life is lovely here.

Were you worried about that?

.A tender mercy

This morning my lesson in seminary went pretty well,
as they have been going well since I started. I never really know if the
kids are getting as much from the lessons as I am though... How do
you ever know that? I suppose some of the kids are responding to my
ever-persistent prodding and questioning during class. So they must
be hearing something. Right?

At least I hope so.

We've been talking a bit about how worthy followers of Christ are
blessed and helped through life.


This morning that reality hit me pretty hard.


After class I dropped Air off at the train station so that he could get
to his stats class on time. Right after I pulled out of the station I
realized that Air had forgotten his bus pass! He had forgotten his
entire wallet! I didn't think that he could get on the train without it.
I turned right around, hoping that he had come back out to find me...
but he was nowhere to be seen.


I sat there, waiting for him to come back and remember his wallet.


I was thinking, 'boy it would sure be nice to have a cell phone or a
pay phone handy. He must be just standing there in the train station
trying to reach me at home'... but I wasn't home. I was parked right
where I had dropped him off.
I didn't want to drive all the way home and then have to come back
just to give him his wallet. He would have missed his class by then!


I started thinking about asking someone who pulled up if I could use
their cell phone... I thought that was a pretty crazy/creepy thing to do,
but just as I turned to the minivan that pulled up behind me I noticed
that the lady was someone I recognized! It was Sister Dowling! I knew
that she was an incredibly sweet lady and I just couldn't believe my
luck that she should pull up there right then!

I waved and started walking towards her, she rolled down her window
and said, "Hey Sister Gusa! How are you?" I began to ask if she had a
cell phone that I could use, but before I could even finish my words,
tears came to my eyes... and before I knew it, I was crying! AHH!!
She hopped out of her car and gave me a big hug.. {thinking that
something horrible had happened, or that my car broke down}

I am still so embarrassed that I cried at all, I really wasn't that scared
or nervous about Air not having his bus pass... I figured he might have
been able to get on the train without it, and hopefully nobody would
check him for it today.
{Luckily Sister Dowling is a crier too, so she understood my silly
emotional response to something so insignificant... haha}



I cried because I was so grateful that she showed up. I couldn't
believe that I was being given this blessing.



There aren't a lot of people I know around Edmonton normally. In fact,
this is probably the third time that I've bumped into someone from
church outside of church.
I really think that the Lord was blessing me this morning when he
prompted me to ask someone if I could use their cell phone. That's not
something that I would normally do. Ever.
I am really grateful that Heavenly Father knows my concerns and my
problems. I felt his love so strongly this morning. I'm grateful that he
extends his hand to me, because he loves me.




It's so wonderful to know that.



.

.roadsinger

Maybe it's something about the home I was raised in. My seven older brothers and sisters especially. But I have always had a very deep love and appreciation for music. Good music. Especially music that is typically reserved for people a few years older than myself. I grew up listening to Bread, Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles, Cat Stevens, about a million 80's pop bands, classical music, and oldies of course. I love it all.


A few months ago I was pleasantly surprised that Cat Stevens is making a comeback into the public eye. Whatever name he goes by now, I still love his music...

{And for those wondering- he changed his name to Yusuf Islam}

When Air and I were driving home from Utah last month we came across the song "You Make My Dreams Come True" by Hall and Oates. It's such a fun, upbeat song that we decided we'd never get sick of listening to it. We made a pact then and there that we would listen to that song and that song alone in the car until we couldn't stand it any longer. That was over three weeks ago and we're still going strong!

What an accomplishment, right? :)


Music is so great! Music can make me feel happy or peaceful or comforted... any kind of emotion really. I love how hearing a certain song can bring me back to a place and time in my life. Some songs strongly represent people who I know/have known. When I hear the song it's almost like I'm with that person again. How does that happen??
For example: whenever I hear "Rhapsody In Blue" by George Gershwin, I think of my Dad. That's probably his favorite song. He used to put it on surround sound as loud as it gets, turn out all the lights in the house, sit back in his reclining chair, and just lay there with his eyes closed as if he were absorbing the beautiful classical melody.

My Dad is awesome.

I also love new music, though. My favorite type of music is indie (short for independent). If you want to hear some of my fav music you can scroll to the playlist on my blog and push play. I'm always adding to it.
{I've also got the Hall and Oats song on there, close to the bottom, for those interested}

Hope you enjoy!


.

.Where The Wild Things Are

Ridiculously excited about this one! I loved the book growing up.

Just one month away...

Pretty sure Air will don this t-shirt to the theater too :)

.On living with mice

Today I discovered that we've been living with mice. It was actually about 20 minutes ago.

I have no idea how I never noticed them running around before!


I just took these pictures too, can you believe it!!?? They made me a beautiful ball gown and we've just been dancing around the house singing for joy ever since! Now that I think of it, I've always wanted pet mice!


I lied just now.




Unlike Cinderella, I don't feel too good about this fact. And I'm learning a lesson: Life isn't always how it is in the movies. Well, I learned that lesson when I was like 4, but here I am again, learning that lesson.


The little guy was in the bucket of water that sits under our water heater catching drips, it needs to be dumped EVERY DAY and we just dumped it last night. Today when Air went to class I went to dump it again and beheld:
If I were to use my acquired crime scene investigating skills I would say that he was simply trying to get a drink when another, larger mouse, pushed him in and held him under the water. It appears that he was so scared of the bad mouse that he had an accident... and then he just laid there peacefully until the water took his life. That murderous mouse is just lucky that there's no punishment for killing rodents. Only rewards.


I had to dispose of him myself because Air is still gone to class... I'm so glad that he had already died because I kept imagining him suddenly swimming to the top and jumping out at me!! AHH!! I am horrible when it comes to spiders and rodents.
Since I found him I've just been huddled in the corner of our sofa rocking back and forth, nervously staring at the floor and watching for more of them. haha... ok, not really, but I don't think I'll sleep too well for a while.
I just need to get up the nerves to go back into the laundry room and check if any mice have chewed up our food storage. GAH!!



Anyone know of any REALLY cheap apartments nearby?


.

.record keeping

my Grandpa, Robert Ellis, sitting on the floor to the left playing with toys

The other day my lesson in seminary was on record keeping.
{Record keeping sounds like a really boring subject, doesn't it? And I'm sorry to blog about seminary again. Can't help myself.}

I brought to class a few of my old journals and set them out on the table in front of me for the kids to see. This made me a little nervous since there is a lot of really personal stuff in those books... I asked them if they kept their own journals. Only two of them raised their hands! That's two out of 18 kids!!!! I was totally surprised that more kids don't keep journals.
Just like Nephi, Joseph Smith, et al, we are commanded to keep a record of our own lives.

"Get a notebook, my young folks, a journal that will last through all time, and maybe the angels may quote from it for eternity. Begin today and write in it your goings and comings, your deepest thoughts, your achievements and your failures, your associations and your triumphs, your impressions and your testimonies. Remember the Savior chastised those who failed to record important events."
-Spencer W. Kimball


That's big right?


One of my students asked me if all of my old journals were full...... they aren't. I have about ten old journals that are all about half full. How the heck did that happen!? I'll tell you- whenever someone would give me a new journal I would simply ditch the old one and start fresh in the new one (which goes back to my love of new things). Pretty crazy, I wonder if a lot of people have the same problem... do you? I need Mormon to come and combine all of my writings into one book for me. That would be great, thanks. (and by Mormon I mean the prophet himself, not a member of the church. I know that can get confusing)


My extended family has done a great job of recording our family history. We have multiple family history and genealogy books floating around.... (hmm, just writing that makes me feel exhausted!). I'm just so grateful to them for doing it so that I don't have to. They are wonderful people.
I just love writing in journals, not so much because I really like to sit and write, but because I love to go back through them and read what I wrote back then.
I know that we have a lot to learn from what others have written in scriptures, books, Ensigns etc. But, I also think that we have a lot to learn from ourselves! Our past selves!
When I was single I went through my journals from when I was in Young Womens all the time. I could find some really great quotes and thoughts in my journals that I would remember writing. When I remembered those feelings I'd had back then, I knew that I did feel the Spirit, and that I could feel it again. (though, most of what I wrote in my journals back then was just incredibly silly and non-spiritual) It gave me a totally different experience than I would get reading anything else that was written by someone else. I love that!

And now I write in this blog/journal, and I'm especially glad that I can share it with you guys who read it (because I was really starting to lack in the journal writing department since I've been married). This works much better for me, so long as I don't ditch this blog and start a new one? I really love reading all of your blogs too.... We have a lot to learn from/about each other!



So, thanks to all of those who have blogs and even to you who just read them!
Keep sharing with me, I love it!
And I love you! .....blog friends forever? Sweet!


.

.objects of my affection

I admit it. I love new things.

I love to shop! But it's not the shopping part of shopping that I love; I only like shopping because I love to get home with my bags full of fun new things. I love to pull them all out and use them for the first time. Shopping online is the same, once I get that package in the mail with something new... oh boy am I happy! It really doesn't even matter what it is most of the time. Air ordered some computer parts in the mail a while ago and I couldn't wait to rip open that packaging and pull them out.
It's silly, I know. Luckily Air shares this passion with me.
New things are always more exciting than old things!



These are some of the objects of my affection...

my raspberry harvest

our Cutco knives

they are so sharp Air cut his thumb while we were buying them!

these comfy shoes (they aren't really that new anymore, I guess)

this pillow (still trying to find more accents for my living room in this color)

this computer (our old one died)
these earrings

this faucet (also not so new)

my nail polish colors

I know this color looks red, but it's more coral-ish

these cute little snap dragons that just popped up in my flower bed!



but yeah,
"The most important things in life... aren't things."

gotta remember that.


.

.When class ends

So there I was yesterday morning at 7:25am,
right in the middle of my lesson on the Plan of Salvation.
We just read Alma 11:42-45 to figure out what we will be
like after we are resurrected.
I'm pretty excited for them to learn that everyone who
lived on Earth, righteous or not, will have an immortal
physical body because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

A student in the back raises her hand! I'm shocked that
someone actually wants to add something! YAY!
"Sister Gusa, this question doesn't have
to do with the lesson or anything. But
when is this class supposed to be over?
7:20 or 7:30?"


dang.


I say: "7:30"
Says she: "Last year we finished at 7:20"
Me: "Oh, sorry, Brother Gusa taught your
class last year and he told me 7:30"
Her: "He was supposed to finish at 7:20"
Apparently she knows more than me on this subject.
Everyone starts putting their scriptures away...
I speed through the remaining words I wanted to say to
them, bear a quick testimony about having an eternal
perspective, and ask someone to pray.

They all run to the gym to play basketball and wait for
their buses that don't come until 8:30...







yep!

That's how exciting my lesson was yesterday! haha


.

.It Happened One Night

When Air and I were dating I was pretty adamant that I wouldn't ever marry him. And yet I couldn't stop dating him... It was such a conundrum!! I didn't want to move away from my family again and I didn't want to make him leave his family either. But, at the same time, I couldn't bring myself to leave him. I prayed and prayed over what I should do and I felt that it might just be a choice that I'd have to make on my own.

I was almost prepared to break up with him over this when I was visiting him up here in Canada for Christmas 2007.... and then I had this dream one night:

I dreamt that it was my wedding day, and I was marrying Air on August 8th, 2008. Everything in my dream was absolutely perfect. We were so incredibly happy, and most importantly, I knew it was right.

I woke up that next morning feeling absolutely positive that I could/would/should marry Air on August 8th, 2008. I'd gotten my answer through my dream! And that's when I realized that the date in my dream happened to be 8/8/08... weird! I eventually told Air about my dream and he instantly agreed and knew that it would be perfect. I didn't know it before, but 8 is his favorite number because it's 'infinity' sideways.

All of this was incredible to me


**{FLASHBACK THREE YEARS}**

You may already know the story about how Air and I met, but I thought it would be fun to actually get this stuff documented on the blarg! I've actually always hated telling people how we met because it can be a little embarrassing. But I like to assume that everyone who reads my blog loves me. Also, I think it's safe to say that only one or two people will actually read this.

So here it is:

Air and I met.........{drum roll}......... on the internet. ldslinkup.com to be exact.

There, I said it.
Now once you stop gasping and fainting you can go ahead and read the rest of the story! :)

I joined ldslinkup when I moved to Chicago for 2 years because there were ZERO dating opportunities for me in my singles ward (no offense to anyone in Chicago).
Air joined because his buddy thought it would be funny..... ? haha
I got a lot of random emails from people I didn't know on there... all of them were pretty generic. Nothing special.

Then I got one that stood out and made me laugh pretty hard. It was from a guy who's username was "Goosa", and it said something along these lines:

"Hey, my name is Aaron! I'm from Canada.
Is it too soon to tell you that I love you? Now is it too late to tell you that I'm not creepy?

I'd love to hear back from ya!"

And this is the first picture that I ever saw of Air:

I thought he was pretty dang CUTE!! Still do!

I wrote him back, and we just kept emailing from there. We talked online as much as possible, until we finally started talking on the phone a while later. That turned into almost daily phone calls. We were both pretty bored anyway. Me a nanny with no friends; and him working up in the oil field completely alone. I think he spent lots of money on long distance calling cards during that time. haha... Anyway, it was amazing to talk to someone who was so hilarious and happy and passionate about living, he had the best values of any guy anywhere, but most importantly he was really interested in learning about me. I loved that.

This is the first picture that Air ever saw of me:

Later he wrote this comment on my profile page:

Amber is pretty much A SUPER HERO...IN, HEROIN!
Well, Ambuh is EXTREMELY special to me. She has filled every void that has existed eternally in my soul with her personality, ideals, dedication, and humor. I actually don't like being without her but I don't really have a choice. If I had the means she would definitely be the woman I would be "chasing" after. She is the type of person that will give a man the nickname "Lucky"! Without her life would be bland. THANKS AMBUH! ILU!

And then I wrote this comment on his:

This guy is the best aarmchair in town... I mean out of town!

Well once I started talking to this amazing man I soon realized that guys like him don't come around.... PERIOD!! He is funny, smart, spiritual, family oriented, handsome! AND soooo many more things that I cant even go into now... The best friend I've ever had. and the hadest best I ever friended... the friendest had I ever bested. had friending the ever best. ever best friender. having friend... the most best hadest. blue tooth.. red purple three one two.

He replied with this message:

"I think I broke your brain! Your my bestest friend hadder ... best mad hadder friend? COLORS!! TURKEY!!! SEA TURTLES!!! SEQUOIA!!!!!! Aa"

Even after all of this I still wasn't prepared to make a trip up to Canada just to meet some guy from the internet. I knew him really well - but gosh! It would be so crazy to pay for a flight to see someone who you've only communicated with through phone calls and emails!
A year after our first emails we finally met in person. In February of 2007 we were both making a trip to Utah at the same time. Me to visit my family, and him to visit his friends from his mission (and me). Long story short- everything was perfect! Better than it had ever been... :)
I never would have guessed that I'd end up marrying that guy from Canada on ldslinkup...
best choice I ever made.

...and now we're living pretty happily, for an eternity after :)