Conquering My Fears

We love to climb.  However, for the past while we felt like we kind of stagnated.

So, how do we get better?

Learn to fall.

Derek conquered his fear much quicker than I did.  He wasn't scared to fall.  He was nervous about lifting me off the ground when he fell, or me not stopping him.

But I can.

So he isn't scared anymore.

Anyway, after a long to of being told, "You've got to fall," or, "Just practice falling," to which I'd laugh and say 'Why on earth would I voluntarily let go of a perfectly good hold?'  I fell.  I think it was last week.  I thought I could make the move, I wasn't even nervous about it.  But I didn't make it and I fell.

I screamed.  But it wasn't scary.  It was actually the opposite.  Quite exhilarating.

So tonight at the gym we were climbing.  It was pretty packed so it was a matter of finding open climbs. I decided to be brave and went for a 5.10b.  (This is a big deal for me.  I started with 5.9's, and wouldn't move to a 5.10a until I had climbed every 5.9.  And 5.10a's still made me a little nervous.  But hey, I've fallen.  I honestly thought, 'If I fall, I fall.')

I did it.  No falls.  I'd rest to look at the moves and plan in my head.  But I did it.

Next, I did a 5.10c.  Oh yeah baby.  No breaks.  No falls.  Very sweaty hands.

Hooray!  I am so proud of myself.

Good News Minute

Sometimes I wish Relief Society didn't do away with good news minute.  Because I have some really good news.

Drumroll please..............(insert drumroll sounds)................

I GOT A PROMOTION!

YAY!!!!

I am now the Director of Recreation Therapy at St. Joseph Villa.  Hooray.

Reader's Digest Version: Our accountant/volunteer coordinator had to quit due to health issues.  So, my manager applied for that job and got it.  So today she came in and threw this job into my lap and I am taking off running.  Running to a Rec. Therapy conference for the next 2 days.  So I guess I won't really start until Monday.  But exciting stuff.  All except one thing...I am now salary, which = not getting paid for overtime.  Boo.  Oh well, what'll ya do?

Tag. You're it.

So I think these things are great for being bored at work.  Here is what you do (look below).

 

Rules

1) Post the rules.

2) Post a photo and 11 random things about you.

3) Answer questions.

4) Ask questions.

5) Tag.

11 Facts

1.  Really nice cooking appliances (aka pots/bans, ceramic bakeware, etc. make me drool)

2.  I am re-learning spanish by slowly (and sometimes painfully) reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish with my English version next to it.

3.  I am still secretly bitter towards my parents/self for not truly pursuing dance like I wish I had

4.  (This is especially for Kate).  I teach the 12 year olds in Sunday School and it does not always merit a fist pump

5.  I go to bed at 10 o'clock at night and wake up in the middle of the night to pee (I have either aged too quickly or reverted back to childhood) 

6. I am obsessed with the Hunger Games trilogy.  I read all 3 books in 1 week while working full time and watch the trailer weekly and am seeing it on FRIDAY!

7. If I had a tattoo it would be a daisy on my toe (the 2nd toe of my left foot to be exact)

8. I have cried in very few movies: Gladiator, The March of the Penguins, Saints and Soldiers, Season 2 of 24 (when Jack Bauer is going to go sacrifice himself with the nuc and is saying bye to his daughter), and newest on the list The Help (every time I watch it).

9.  I am training myself to like vinegar.  I am now able to handle balsamic vinegar pretty well and love apple cider vinegar and honey tea (that one was rough but it fights the common cold/sore throats like a champ!)

10. I can't stand John Mayer

11. I can do 1.5 pull ups.  Oh yeah baby.  Go me.

 

Kate's  Questions (my answers)

 

1. You can only watch one movie for the rest of your life, which one? Beauty and the Beast.  I could also put it on mute and quote it for you word for word
2. What is a favorite memory that always makes you laugh? Thinking of Grammie dressed in the alien helmet/goggles/fairy wings and dancing at the family Christmas party
3. What's one song that you always get stuck in your head? The stupid emo shoe hater song.  "All the other kids with the pumped up kicks better run better run, out run my gun."  AKA All the kids with Air Jordans better run because I am jealous I never got them so I am going to shoot you and take your shoes.  Hope they fit.  Great.  Now it's in my head.
4. What's the best meal you've ever had? I plead the 5th.  Too many to remember.  Pallella in Florida
5. Who was your favorite teacher and what did they do to deserve that status? Dr. Z at BYU.  He was so invested and had so much energy and everything he said seemed to be the most important thing in the world.  Everything I know about my profession I learned from him
6. What's your favorite physical quality about yourself? My ability to do the "live long and prosper" sign thiingy from star trek with the toes on my right foot.  Or that I can touch my nose with my tongue.
7. What's one bad habit you have? Which one?  I chew too much gum.
8. Where is your favorite place to visit? Moab
9. If you had to move overseas where would be your first choice? NEW ZEALAND!
10. Which do you prefer to use...pen or pencil? Pen all the way
11. What is one of your favorite photos and why? The one of Derek and I at Cabel Arch at sunset.  (I used it as my phot above because it was the only one I had access to at work.)  Becuase it embodies us perfectly and we look awesome.

My Questions (you answer)

1.  What did you eat for lunch today?

2.  If you lived in the zoo for 24 hours, who would you bunk with and why?

3.  Paper or plastic?

4.  What is your #1 pet peeve?

5.  What is one bit of advice everybody in the world should hear?

6.  If you could have dinner with 5 people that have ever lived, who would they be and why?

7.  What is your guilty pleasure?

8.  What is your favorite vegetable?

9.  What was your high school mascot and how is it better than all other high school mascots?

10.  Do you prefer soft or firm pillows?

11.  How many Kevin Bacon films have you seen?  (You can get his complete list of films on imdb.com)

March Maddness

For all of you who think this post will be about basketball, think again.  Come on, you know me better than that.

This is my March Maddness.

Who will win?  I hope all of them.

These are my seedlings for "Big Red" Tomatoes, Rainbow Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, and Pre-sprouted Sugar Snap Peas.  I will start the rest in May.

Wish me luck.

Soul Rejuvenation

We went to Moab this weekend, just the two of us, for some much needed rejuvenation of our souls.  Wow.  It is amazing what that red rock, desert, canyon country can do for us.  Just being their makes us so much happier and lighthearted.  Like we haven't a care in the world.  Literally everything just melts away and the only thing that matters, is Moab and being in Moab.

It was awesome.

Started out with some big time nostalgia of staying at the World Wide Warehouse (it was clean.  I was kind of freaked out.  And has new couches and 2 refrigerators.  That has to be nice for river kill purposes).
We quickly found out that AT&T gets crap service in Moab.  Although we'd have full bars, our phones would only work in certain places.  And the warehouse was not one of those places.

We went to Indian Ladder with Annie Fuller and her friend Friday night.  It was cold.  But the stars and moon were amazing and totally worth it.  Plus I got to hold Lucky Ducky (friend's pet pillow) on the way there and back.

Saturday was packed full of amazing joy and fun.
Did a hike in Hidden Valley that I haven't done since was was 14.  We found the wall of petroglyphs.  A huge long wall with panel after panel after panel of petroglyphs.  Some looked really good, others you could barely see if you weren't looking.  But awesome stuff.  Here are just a few examples.

 1st and only time I've ever seen snow in a petroglyph

If you look close it looks like a menorah...Jewish?  

We were also able to get up on top of the cliff and find the Hidden Keva.  It was awesome.  There was another one down on another cliff, but there was a large gap (as in over a 50 ft jump) and we figured we shouldn't jump that, and didn't have time to find a way up that cliff.

And I figured out their secret.  I know how and why they did all this....

ALIENS!!!!!  (just kidding.  but have you seen those shows on the history channel.  So funny.)

No time?  You ask.  That is because we had our picnic from home on the lawn of WabiSabi and went shopping.  What did we find?  Oh,  a brand new 45 meter climbing rope.  We both inspected multiple times.  $20.  Oh yeah.

Next, road biking in Arches National Park.  We parked just after the switchbacks (a little too narrow and tight turns for cars and bikes).  We biked out past Balanced Rock to the Windows and back.  It was really fun.  Also, it was the first time I ever used clipless (aka cement your foot to your bike) pedals.  Learning them in the parking lot was a bit frustrating for both of us.  But I got it.  And oddly, I thought I'd be nervous being stuck to my bike in such a manner.  But I wasn't.  I was more comfortable and confident.

Next stop, Wall Street.  Climbing.  We only had time for 2 climbs.  But they were fun.  We have gotten a lot better at leading.  And by we I mean Derek, because I am still too much of a wimp to lead outdoors.  I'll admit it.  I freak out just having to clean a climb, it scares me to death.  But it was fun.

We had to leave because it was Ivy Hazlett's wedding.  (She is my bosses' daughter).  Fun stuff there.
We went to the Brewery and you can get in faster if you sit at the bar, but they won't tell you that.
We spent the rest of the night hanging out at the Hazlett's house and then watching River Wild.

Sunday morning we hiked Cable Arch and went to Jed Hazlett's mission farewell.  I love Cable Arch, however that cable is getting wicked bad.  Don't go up without gloves.  I am serious.  But I do think Cable Arch is one of my most favorite places in the area.  From the top you can see the Colorado River, Wall Street, Arches, Sand Flats, the Fins, and the La Sals.  It is beautiful.  And, nobody else is ever up there.

We came home earlier than originally intended because my sister had a baby on Friday night.  Welcome to the family James.

Lake to Lake 50 Miler (Round 2)

So, it finally snowed in Utah.  I mean dumped in the mountains.  As in Alta (our resort of choice) had gotten 39 inches in 3 days and where were we?  In St. George.  The weather was nice, but I must say, I am still the slightest bit bitter I wasn't here skiing instead.

However, we had a good time.

Dad, Lisa, Derek, Jaren (a nephew of a friend because he dogged out to snowmobile), and I ran a 50 mile relay from Gunlock Reservoir to Sandhollow Reservoir in down by St. George, UT.  It was really fun and I have no pictures (even though I brought our camera and video camera).  The weather was perfect for running.  Warm (but not hot) and no wind.  It felt to be running in shorts and a t-shirt again.  We all ran 2 legs (Derek wound up running 12 miles and I did just shy of 11).  And our team rocked.  Lisa is super fast, so she started us out and got up into 7th place (behind all men) and then Jaren brought it up to 5th, I (unfortunately) sunk it back to 7th, and I believe we ended in 9th place over all.  Not too shabby.  (Especially for having a 60 year old man on our team.  But he is in better shape than most 40 year old men.)  But, we were the 2nd "Mixed" team to come in.  That means 7 out of the 8 teams ahead of us were all male teams.  And as much as I hate to admit it, men are faster than women for the most part.  So go Lisa and I.

It was a really good time.  The best was when my dad would pass some young (30's) woman and I'd be like GO DAD!  PASS HER!  Then I'd smile and say, "He's 60" and people would go, "Wow".  Basically, my dad is the Man.

After, we did a little rock climbing (felt good to be on real rock) but I could tell I haven't climbed in awhile (wrist injury).

We went to dinner with my best friend from high school, Megan, and her baby, Evie, and it was delicious and fun.  Watched Hugo (way good movie), hung out, watched Lisa waddle (she was walking like she'd run a marathon.  She went fast).

Great weekend.

That's the Power of the Gospel

It will make a weak man mighty
it will make a mighty man fall
it will fill your heart and hands
or leave you with nothing at all
it's the eyes for the blind
and legs for the lame
it is love for hate
and pride for shame

that's the power of the gospel
that's the power of the gospel
that's the power of the mighty power
that's the power of the gospel 

Ben Harper puts it well and I agree.

I had a rather strange experience yesterday.  I was at work, had about an hour left in my day.  We were starting out last activity of the day and instantly I felt like someone walked up and stabbed in in the stomach.  Literally I felt like there was a giant knife stabbing in in the left side on my thorax (right under my ribs.  aka stomach region).  At first when it was only localized there I was able to shake my head and push through it.  After about 10 minutes though I was starting to shake and have hot and col flashes.  My vision was going in and out.  After taking a resident back to their room I made my way to my office.  The pain was now radiating into my ribs and all the way down to my pelvic floor.  I was doubled over.  I couldn't breath.  It was so intense it was making me want to vomit.  But I couldn't.  

I had the thought, I've got to go home.  But there was no way I could drive in this condition.  Enter usefulness of cell phone and world's most amazing husband.

Yes, I called Derek.  Was telling him my symptoms and seeing as I am not one to ever admit the amount of pain I am in, he knew I was serious.  He drove out to rescue me.  (I work 20-25 minutes away from home).  He stayed on the phone with me the whole time asking about my conditions, my pain, telling me where he was, etc.

We were trying to decide what to do.  I was honestly thinking, "I am going to die.  I am going to die.  And I wanted to climb today.  I am going to die.  If childbirth is worse than this I don't want to do it.  I am going to die."  

Derek was on the phone with my dad trying to figure out what to do.  Emergency Room visits = expensive.  We pulled into the emergency room of IMC and Derek went in for a minute.  When finally the pain was so bad I really did vomit.  Luckily I got the car door open and boy did it burn.  But Derek got me out of the car and into the cold air (it felt so good.  when do I ever say that?)  He said color started coming back to my face (apparently my lips were the same color as my skin.)

We went home.  I started feeling better.  But here is where the title of the post and the song lyrics come in.

I am lucky enough to live in a home with two worthy priesthood holders and they were able to give me a blessing.  Derek blessed me to be healed.  My pain was gone.  I felt a little woosy the rest of the night and just took it easy eating oatmeal, applesauce, toast, and brothy soup but THAT is the power of the gospel.  THAT was and is the power of Jesus Christ.  He can heal you in any form.  Whether it be a physical ailment or an ailment of the soul, he can heal you as long as you have the faith to let him.  Sometimes, it is not according to his plan to heal everyone (or nobody would ever die), but it was his will to heal me.  And he did.  And I thank and praise him for it.