The photo

I stole the photo at the top of my blog from Corinnie's pictures of Massachusetts. I took some that I liked of this same place but I think this one really shows the beauty. So thanks Corinnie for being so dang talented and for letting me take advantage of it!

A few years ago I wrote this blog about one of my best friends who was getting married the next day. Two and a half years later she is still one of my best friends and now she and her husband are in the process of trying to adopt. Lora & John are two of the most amazing people I know. They're absolutely brilliant, so fun to be around, they truly understand the meaning of friendship, they have strong testimonies of the gospel and the best part, from a best friends perspective, they are crazy in love with each other. I think you'll all agree that we want the best of everything for the people we care about and I truly feel that way for these two wonderful friends. I have placed a picture and link of John & Lora on my blog (look to the right!) If you click on the picture it will take you to their adoption profile. I want, more then anything, for my friends to be parents to a little baby somewhere that deserves the blessing of parents that love them more then life itself. This is my way of helping to get the word out. Love you guys!

I think you all should know.

I've mentioned my friend Chris a few times on this here bloggy blog but there's something I think you all should know. He's pretty awesome. Tonight I went up narth (that's north for you non spanish farkians) to hang out with Chris for a few hours. I'd had a good day but parts were a little bit hard and, even though he hasn't had the greatest week, he really lifted my spirits.

We've been friends for about 6 years now and I think a lot of that time I took him for granted. The past year and a half or so I have really realized what a blessing his friendship is to me. He has taught me a lot, about the gospel, about being a better friend, and a ton of other things. He has shown insane amounts of patience when many people probably would have given up...on me that is. I sure can be a pain in the butt as a friend sometimes and he has put up with a lot from me but continues to be patient and forgiving. He is kind, accepting, supportive, funny and faithful among other things. What a blessing it is to have a friend like Chris.

Funny story from tonight. Yesterday I went to FYE and got a FANTASTIC deal on an iTrip. ($12 to be exact) It had been opened so I kind of thought it might not work but I thought I'd give it a try and return it if it didn't work. I wasn't surprised when I went to turn it on and it wouldn't come on. I planned to just return it today but never got around to it. I pulled it out when Chris got in the car and asked if he would try it, just to be sure I wasn't crazy. He played with it a bit and couldn't get it to work so we just figured it was broken. But then, in a moment of pure genius, Chris pulled out his early 90's nintendo skills. You know the ones, when the game would freeze, you'd pull the game out and blow on it to get the dust out, or whatever it was that made every kid in America think the game wouldn't work anymore. Yeah, that's right he blew on the iTrip then on the iPod and then just for laughs, tried again. As we laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation I hear Chris say "it worked!" And he was correct! It really did work. My once non-functioning iTrip suddenly started working. So ladies and gentlemen, this is living proof that although we all looked foolish doing it, there was a purpose behind those moments of desperation as children. I must say, I haven't laughed that hard in so long. So thanks Chris, for being such an incredible friend and for helping to lift my spirits tonight. You're truly one of a kind!

What's a blog without a picture?

Me, with Rach & Chris after watching the Joseph Smith movie & having a picnic on temple square.

On being an Auntie

Okay, so I always knew I'd like being an Auntie. I just never realized how much. :) Today was just one of those days where my heart was filled with joy because of my sweet little nephew. He's growing up so much and I loved spending a few hours with my sister, bro-in-law, and nephew. The little guy has started dancing and I was able to enjoy that cuteness today as well as lots of big grins, hugs, kisses and all around cuteness. These are the moments that I always hoped for when I thought of being an Auntie. We're working on getting the kiddo to say my name. We're starting out with "ah beh" he doesn't have it quite yet, but he'll get there. I need to train him because whatever he calls me is what all the kiddos will call me. I want it to be good! :) Here are some pictures of the cuteness.

Tender moments

haha yeaah, not so innocent is he? :)
Okay that makes it all better.
This is just dang funny.

Just wondering...

Every time I sneeze my throat starts to itch afterwards. Is this a personal problem or does it happen to you too?

Boston Day 1: Random Wanderings

The first day in Massachusetts really was just a day of random wanderings. I flew into the Boston airport, picked up the rental car and then drove to Rhode Island to pick up Corinnie from the cute little airport there. Let me tell you, renting a car was a huge deal for me. I've rented a car before but wasn't responsible for anything and my insurance agency took care of everything for me. All I had to do was pick it up. I was somewhat nervous to rent a car and I felt insanely grown up. It was much easier then I thought it would be and, thanks to the advice that Chris gave me, I was able to get the price that I reserved the car at and not the new, more expensive price they tried to charge me. I drove to Rhode Island with no problems and really loved it. I felt so at home and so safe driving on I-95 even if it was so much further north then I have ever driven. It was still 95!!

It was so good to see Corinnie when she came down the escalator at the airport! We saw each other last summer but didn't get to spend hardly any time together, so this was a big deal! This is the most time we have been able to spend together since she moved back to PA. We loved being roommates so I knew things would be perfectly fine and I was right. We picked up right where we left off and had a blast right from the start.

A fun one from the good old days!!

Another old one, we have the same eyeshadow. :)

After leaving the airport we stopped in some random towns along the way and took pictures of ourselves as well as pictures of churches and some other pretty things.

One of the pretty churches!!

Us!

Another pretty church!
Pawtucket,RI is beautiful!!

After the fun stops along I-95 we went to check-in at the hotel and then to meet Tom at the ICA. Most of the museum was under construction so we paid for 3 rooms. Not the best $12 I have ever spent but, ya know, every traveler has to make a mistake sometime. Luckily mine was a $12 mistake on the first day of the trip. I'm really glad that Tom came up from New York to wander around Boston with us. Tom and I always end up on these random little adventures and I hope we'll keep it up through the years. We always bicker (usually because I start it) but I am always so happy to see him and always really enjoy the time I spend with him. After the museum we decided to walk around the city. We were all pretty hungry, so we walked to a place that I heard about called the Barking Crab. We had shrimp and crab claws and I remembered why I am an east coast girl. Oh my seafood. How I love it.

Tom, Corinne & I at the ICA

Rin and the shrimp! Oh yum!
It would not be a Beth & Tom trip without seafood. I'm glad we made it official.

This is where the random wanderings title really comes in. We walked for 6 or 7 hours. We wandered along the harbor and then went into the North End, rested at Christopher Columbus Park, walked around Little Italy, walked around beautiful neighborhoods filled with beautiful homes and quaint little courtyards, walked to Bunker Hill and rested on top of the hill while looking at the monument, walked through the beautiful neighborhoods and took tons of pictures, walked to the USS Constitution and looked at it through the gates, went to Quincy Market and walked through Faneuil Hall and then went back to Little Italy to meet a friend that Tom & I met in Minnesota last year for dinner. We went to a little restaurant called Giacomo's that has maybe 8-10 tables. We stood in line for an hour and a half and finally got in right before they were closing. There was a couple behind us that overheard our declarations that the food better be good after that wait. They told us that they go to Boston from Florida just to eat at Giacomo's. My first thought was, "what would it be like to have that kind of money..." soon followed by, "sweet, the food must be good!" We were not disappointed! I felt silly ordering Chicken Parm but I really wanted it and I don't regret it one bit. The red sauce was to die for. Mmmm. Yum.

Rin & Tom at Christopher Columbus Park

The view from Christopher Columbus Park

Bunker Hill Monument

Rin & I in front of the Zakim Bridge
Tom waiting ever so patiently, for us to finish taking pictures
Quincy Market
The line for Giacomo'sWe finally got in! Yummy!

After dinner we took a cab back to the ICA where our car was parked and then took a few pictures on the deck behind the ICA. Then we drove back to the good ol' Red Roof Inn-Saugus, that would be our home for the next 5 days and quickly fell asleep. It was an amazing, fun-filled, first day and I'm really glad Tom came because I think we were able to see a lot of things we probably would have missed out on had he not taken the lead.

My attempt at an artsy shot of Tom. It was his idea, in his mind it probably looked much cooler.
Another attempt, I just look angry.
That's better.
Ah, home sweet home. Our cigarette smoke filled, "modern decor" room.

Stay tuned! At this rate I might blog about days 2-5 before December!! Woah!

The update before the update.

Yeah, that's right, I'm going to start the Boston update. I'm sure you're all dying to hear about it. Right, yeah I realize it was a month ago but my life is crazy right now.

But before Boston, a more recent update. This past weekend I went to St George with my amazing friends Rachel & Brian. Tuacahn is having Broadway in the Desert this summer and they did Les Miserables! We decided we just had to go and it was amazing! I'm so glad we went. The weekend was a blast overall. It was soo nice to get away from Provo again and to spend time with Amy & Josh and with the Hench's, our family friends that moved to St George from Maryland. The Hench's were so generous and let us stay at their house. I was able to spend some good quality time with them, which I haven't been able to do in years. I love them so much! They made my friends feel so welcome and just took them in as their own, just like they do with everyone they meet. They are so generous and kind.

Les Mis was amazing. We had such a great time and now I'm a little obsessed with the music from the show. That is to be expected I assume. :) I'll get through it. I never thought I could get so involved in a musical but I really did. I cried when people died, my heart ached with Eponine as she had to watch the man she loved fall in love with someone else. It was amazing. I would recommend it to anyone that is Utah, or around these parts that can get to St George. Go! It's playing all summer and it's worth every penny.

Here are a few pictures from our weekend. And keep reading because here comes Boston Day 1....

Gotta love the big rocking chair at the Chevron in Beaver!

Brian saved me from a coffee flavored Jelly Belly. He's holding the spit cup, I'm holding the chewed up jelly bean...ew.

Rach & I sitting in the car at Amy & Josh's house. We were so tired...

Those cute Holt's! I love them :)

Lately I've been thinking a lot about God's will and my own will. There are a few aspects in my life, one in particular, that I feel like I haven't completely turned over to Heavenly Father. The time that I was on vacation gave me time to actually think about my life, which is something I haven't done in awhile because I'm constantly doing things. Then this past week my home teachers came over and they taught us a lesson about prayer. I know that prayer is important, I know that it is the way to have a relationship with my Heavenly Father. I know that He knows me and really does want to hear about every little thing in my life. These are all things I know. While we were talking my home teacher talked about praying to make our will in line with God's will for us. As I said, I had been thinking about that but hadn't connected it with prayer. Good ol' home teachers, teaching by the spirit. Since I had been thinking about this last week it really struck me and I realized it was for a reason that this has been a theme lately. So, I'm trying. I want to let go of the things that I cling to. There are things I want so badly, but I don't know that it is His will for me to have those things right now, or at all. I decided to turn everything over to Him and although it was hard for me to set aside my pride to do that, I really feel that He is proud of me and I KNOW that He knows what is best for me. I want to live a life that emulates that of my Savior. I have a bit of heart ache over one of the things that I turned over to Him the other day but I know there is a purpose. I will not be given more then I can handle. I know that Heavenly Father knows the desires of my heart and I know that as long as they are righteous desires, in time, I will be blessed with those things.


A picture of one of the beautiful sights in Massachusetts. There really is more to come, in time. :)