advent

I have wanted an advent calendar for YEARS. My mother the sewing goddess made a reusable one 20+ years ago and it was always the highlight of Christmas. My siblings and I would always fight over whose turn it was to pull the lovingly hand-embroidered felt pieces each day (candy advents are for suckas.) :). I still ache a little each year knowing my mom is now in St George having all the fun!

Today I did some searching and after looking at scores of ideas-including an ADORABLE nativity one that I loved but worried it was just TOO ambitious-and found this:

Cute huh? Of course I'll tweak it a little and make it my own (mostly because there's no pattern so I'm doing it from scratch), but I also love the buttons--among other things.

Well, here goes. I'm headed to the fabric store tonight.We'll see in a week or so if I've bitten off more than I can chew, because the sewing gene definitely skipped a generation with me...

priesthood blessings

Why is it the simplest things are the hardest to ask for? For me it's Priesthood blessings. Maybe it's because my dad has never been active in the Church and my brothers fell away as they got older so I have never had a Melchizedek Priesthood holder in my home. I always relied on my grandfather, my mom's brothers, and my Uncle Gregg for Priesthood blessings, and then it was usually for the 'big stuff' because getting one was usually a bit of a production-them taking time from their families to drive out to our house, and us having to wait until they got there. I'm sure they never minded coming out, but I always remember feeling guilty because they were going to all this trouble for me. I never received a father's blessing at the beginning of a new school year, I never got one when I was sick (unless I was really REALLY sick-and then we called the aforementioned Priesthood holders), I didn't have one the night before I had my wisdom teeth out, and I have never been able to receive one when I just felt I needed a little extra...something. Because of the production I remember it being growing up I've never felt that I have had that power at my disposal so I have trouble utilizing it. Please don't mistake this for anything more than me sharing a fact of my life with you-I am not playing the martyr, I love my dad and my brothers more than anything, and I wouldn't trade them for ANYTHING. That being said it was hard not having the Priesthood in my home growing up, and it makes it even harder to ask for it now I'm grown.

I know that there are plenty of Priesthood holders in my life who would be happy to give me a blessing, but I feel weird asking- mostly thanks to a 'well-meaning' bishop who made me feel guilty during my teenage years because I would ask the men in my ward (usually my friend's dads whom I knew and trusted) because I was taking them away from their families. Now that I'm grown and still single, most of the men I know are married and I feel even worse asking-and even worry that it is inappropriate of me to do so. I don't know who my Home Teachers are and I have NEVER been comfortable asking complete strangers for help, let alone something as personal as a blessing. Mr. Wonderful is a Melchizedek Priesthood holder, but all I will say is he is working on some stuff and leave it at that.

The reason I'm bringing this up-aside from the fact I've been thinking about this forever-is yesterday I received some not so great news. I'm not dying, and I am not sick, and it's not horrible, but it's not great news, either. I don't want to share it here (I am happy to tell you privately), but I am more broken than I had originally thought and hoped, and I am feeling very scared, worried, and very very alone. I want a blessing now, but because of my sillyness I can't bring myself to ask anyone-not even Mr. Wonderful's dad because I'm afraid of being a burden. I know that you can't use the Priesthood on yourself and in order for it to bless you you have it to use it to bless, serve, and help others, but I am so worried about being anyone's burden it keeps me from asking, and then I feel like I am when I do. I know it's ridiculous, but because I only got them for the 'big things' growing up I'm not used to asking for them whenever I feel like I need it-or even when I know I do.

I'm just so glad that Mr. Wonderful has the Priesthood and he will be able to use it in our home-and I am even happier that he will be able to bless and lead our family in a way my dad was not able to. 

répondez s'il vous plaît

When did it become ok to NOT RSVP? Seriously, HUGE pet peeve of mine. I understand there is some confusion about it-I'll admit I'm guilty of not RSVP-ing when I know I won't be there (which I am trying to be better at), but I NEVER don't RSVP and then show up.

As a hostess it makes it hard to plan-especially when I have family in town that I wasn't planning on being here when I sent out invites so now I need add them as well as try and figure out what the final number will REALLY be...ugh. With all the technology we have it's so EASY now to say 'yes' or 'no'-and in a prompt manner. I don't need anything fancy, send me a frickin text for all I care. I don't know why I even bother.

I get people are busy, and things happen, but seriously. I shouldn't have to to baby sit you and bug you about RSVP-ing, we're all adults here. If you want to come say yes-and promptly-did you know Emily Post says you are obligated to respond in 2-3 days after receiving an invite? It's true. I sent these out a month ago and am still waiting for people, so now I get to make those obnoxious/embarrassing calls of "hey, I sent this out a month ago, now we're two days away, I need to give the restaurant a final number, are you coming or not?"

Seriously folks. RSVP to your host/ess and save them the pain of tracking everything down. They've got enough on their plate.