Traditions

For me this Christmas a profound theme has been traditions. I desire to incorporate and adapt traditions into our marriage. Both Joshua and I have grown up in different homes with many different traditions. I have loved seeing and experiencing the traditions of the Williamson family. There are many which I desire to combine with the traditions of my family. I know that it is important to carry on these traditions and to establish new traditions in our new family unit.

Traditions are not just those things we do just at holiday time, but it is also the habits and actions with which we handle various situations of life. In every home, there are good traditions that can bless lives if we choose to continue them, such as family prayer, reading scriptures together and frequently sharing meals. And there are those traditions which we would be better off choosing to not continue such as reacting in anger to certain situations.

With this new year upon us, it is my desire to change some of the traditions which I currently have, get rid of others and choose to enact others. I know that my life and those around me will be blessed as I choose to do so.

A Very Merry Christmas

This Christmas break has proven to be a wonderful one for Joshua and I. We started off vacation by heading to California. It was a long trip, with lots of snow, traffic, snow, even more snow. We entertained each other by reminiscing about the days of old and family traditions. Despite it being a long trip it was well worth it.

We spent a few days in California and I was touched as we spent our Saturday attending the wedding of our friend Naomi in the San Diego Temple. It was a beautiful day with blue skies. It was wonderful to hear again the words of the ceremony and remember the day that Joshua and I were married in Arizona. I love knowing that if we will live true to our covenants made in the temple, we will be together forever; even after this life. Since Joshua is my best friend, he is who I want to always be with.

After the wonderful day's in CA we flew on over to AZ. It was fun to see have Joshua's parents drive over for Christmas in Gilbert and for us to stay with Grandmother too. His cousin's also live there in Gilbert so we were able to see them lots also. It was a busy trip. When we weren't with his family, we were with mine. We played racquetball, swam, bowled, went to the mall, visited Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and cousins in Coolidge for Christmas, and even had a birthday party for Jasmyne. It was a blast. I love all of my siblings and had such a great time with them. I love watching Joshua with them too. They all respond well to him. Except we did make Adam (16) pretty mad on Christmas.

In our family, we drew names for who to buy gifts for. Josh had Adam. For weeks and weeks before Joshua Told Adam he had a gift for him that was something big; it was too big to bring on a plane; to big to put in a car; it was something he always wanted.... Anyways, he made it seem that he was buying Adam a dirt bike, the gift Adam has asked for for YEARS! Christmas morning Joshua took one of Dad's work trucks with a pipe rack on top and wrapped it with sheets. When it was time we all went out and Adam ran to the truck, throwing open the sheets and then staggered back yelling (and trying not to laugh), "You guy's are so mean." One by one the rest of the family went to look in the back of the truck only to see two little toy dirt bikes.

It was funny to everyone else. We picked Adam to do this to because we know he has a good sense of humor. In the end, Joshua worked out a deal with mom and dad to allow Adam to get a bike, paying half, if Adam will do several different things. Contracts were immediately written up and signed. Now Adam is one track to have a dirt bike on Wednesday if he accomplishes his part of the deal.

We have now said farewell to our family and friends in Gilbert and are relaxing in CA. All too soon though, we will be back in Utah knee high in school. It will be wonderful to continue our education and work to work on our goals.

Life Lesson's Learned

It has been a long and exciting semester with new classes, being married and both working at the BYU pool. But it has been a fun one too. Along the way I have learned many important lessons such as better managing time. Crock pots are my favorite! It really helps saving time. I have found that if I can put everything together the night before, leave it in the fridge and then in the morning, wal-la! I can plop it in the pot. Come evening, and our place smells delicious. It relieves so much stress to know that a homemade, wholesome, well-balance meal is already prepared. Fun thing is, I don't even feel I have slaved away at.

I have also learned that as a newlywed couple selflessness is key. The prophets are complete correct in this counsel. It has been a learning experience to allow another (my wonderful husband) to help me more. Interdependence in marriages is wonderful but not something that comes naturally to me. But I know that with the help of the Lord, and the patience of my husband we can do it.

Some other things this school year I have learned is that I can only eat something for about a week and then I am done with it. I have to take a month or so off before I can stand it again. The reason this came up is because I was diagnosed with reactive hyperglycemia (aka my blood sugar drops too low about 2 hours after eating). There is no medication for this, only diet modification. So now life is full of food (can't be that bad, right?) I have to eat every two hours but it can't just be any old thing. No sugar is the first rule. And the second is that when I eat I always need to have a carb and a protein combination. Peanut butter works well. When I am on my PB kick I'll eat: PB and apple, PB on banana, PB on bread, PB on a spoon, PB on crackers, PB on bagels, PB, PB, PB. Once, I actually went through a jar of PB in 2 day. A Record. So right now, I am not touching PB, blah! I've had enough. Another thing I am learning from this is moderation. Eat in moderation. Don't eat the whole jar. :P Other than that, life will be just peachy!

So now with the semester over, Joshua and I are packing up to head home for the holiday's. In the morning we're off to California to enjoy the beach and a wedding, then out to Arizona for more festivities. Once that's all done, it's back to California for a week of the beach and to go to the Rose Bowl Parade. Joshua says we are sleeping on the streets for New Years when we go to the parade but boy does he have another thing coming to him if he thinks I am going to sleep on a street corner! NO WAY! I'll at least be in the car where I can honk the horn to wish us all a happy new year.

WE DID IT!

We may be behind the times but we are stepping up in life. We final have our own blog. Still looks empty but that's okay. Maybe I'll be better at this than at facebooking. :)