Deer Hunt Weekend

As is tradition in the Rowley family, many or most of us travel home when that special time of year comes around again. That's right. The deer hunt. :) What can I say, it really is a family tradition. I remember very well back in the day when my grandpa would come down and my uncles and cousins. We would all sleep in the living room in sleeping bags and very early, the hunters would go out and attempt to add to our food supply for the coming winter. Needless to say, there aren't quite as many of us that come anymore, but all of us that can still come home for the event. While the boys go out hunting, the rest of us stay home and hang out. It was such a fun weekend and so nice to just leave Provo and everything else behind for a few days. I wish it could have lasted a little longer, but I enjoyed the time we had. So here are a few pictures.

The hunters - Dad (In the background), Daniel, Kevin, and Trent. So far, Daniel and Trent were both able to get deer. My brother Brian did as well, but him and Greg were hunting in a different part of the state.
Playing with Steven on the tramp. He loved bouncing!Grandma and Hayley making cookies. I thought this was just really cute. Hayley is definitely developing quite the personality. She just makes me laugh. *Disclaimer: I did get pictures of my other nieces and nephews there, but they're on my parents camera in Richfield.

And, just in case those of you who read my post on "the 8's" and didn't really believe what I was looking foward to, here you go. Mom's strawberry rhubarb pie. Ah...... it's just heaven.

Yup, it tasted pretty good! :)

Wrong Era?

So, sometimes I think that maybe I was born in the wrong time period. And I'm not thinking I should have been born in Jane Austin's time or anything like that. Just probably about 50 or 60-ish yrs earlier. What can I say. I pretty much love the music of that time. The old standards - the classics I call them. You know, the greats like Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr., etc. I think you get the picture. Well, last weekend (Oct 11th), I was able to go with two of my friends and my parents to the show "The Rat Pack". It's a Broadway touring show that is if you were at a live concert of the Rat Pack back in the day. And for those of you who are't familiar, the Rat Pack is Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. (Okay, there were 2 others that people don't really know). Talk about such a fun time. We totally loved it!!!!

Here's a picture of the guy that was playing Frank Sinatra. (Shhh... we weren't supposed to take pictures...)

Hilary, Annie, and me after the concert.

Hope

Wikipedia defines hope as "a belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one's life. Hope implies a certain amount of despair, wanting, wishing, suffering or perseverance - i.e., beliving that a better or positive outcome is possible even when there is some evidence to the contrary."

Okay, yes, I know it's Wikipedia, but I like what it says. Today and tomorrow are General Conference, and what a great opportunity to listen to what the Lord has to tell us through the prophets and apostles that He has called.

In the two sessions today, there is a theme that really stuck out to me. That is of faith and hope. President Uchtdorf stated that we need to make hope a more active part of our lives.

I've noticed lately that sometimes I struggle with that. In my line of work, I see a lot of the worst that society has to offer. I see many people that have lost hope because of their own decisions or decisions of others that have caused them to suffer. I have to admit that sometimes I feel despair and wonder about humanity and just think that the bad is starting to overtake everything. But there were so many things today that spoke to my heart and reassured me that there is a reason to hope. And also of how aware the Lord is of us and always with us. I love when Elder Holland said that the latter-days are not a time to fear and tremble. It is a time to be believing. And in order to have that faith and be believing, I have to do what Elder Andersen said, that "Faith is not just a feeling. It is a decision." Elder Holland also said to take heart and be filled with faith. The Lord has said that he will fight our battles. What a great re-assurance that I'm not in this fight alone. None of us are. Satan is not going to triumph. And why? Because of the greatest hope of all. "The hope that transcends the trivial. The hope of Israel."

My greatest hope is in Jesus Christ. The hope that things are all going to work out okay. The hope that people can change and heal. The abiding trust that God will fulfill his promises to us. As Elder Uchtdorf said, "Hope teaches us there is a reason to rejoice, even when all seems dark around us." And that's how I feel right now. The world has been seeming like a very dark place. But I've been reminded of The Light that chases away all darkness. And that hope and that knowledge is enough.

"...I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." (D&C 84:88)

Crazy 8's - the tag that is

Okay, well, Jenny tagged me with this one. So let's see...

8 TV shows that I love to watch:
1 - The Office
2 - Chuck
3 - Bones
4 - Psych
5 - Private Practice
6 - Friends
7 - Gilmore Girls
8 - BYU Football (Especially when they win. Which is a lot right now!!!!)

8 Favorite Restaurants
1 - Costa Vida
2 - Olive Garden
3 - Winger's
4 - Mimi's Cafe
5 - Chili's
6 - California Pizza Kitchen
7 - Tucano's
8 - I love New York Pizza (It's in Albany)

8 Things that happened yesterday
1 - Went to work
2 - Was amazed by some of the really stupid decisions some teenagers make
3 - Tended 4 of my nieces and nephews
4 - Went to a birthday party for a friend
5 - Stayed up too late
6 - Got my finger cut and bruised in a sword fight (yes, it's still swollen)
7 - Laughed when people didn't understand and gave me funny looks when I told them about #5
8 - Got new play therapy toys in the mail

8 Things that I am looking foward to
1 - Christmas season! (I know, maybe a little lame. But I really am)
2 - More fall-like weather
3 - General Conference
4 - Eating strawberry-rhubarb pie the next time I go home
5 - Someday (hopefully) feeling like I actually sort of know what I'm doing as a therapist
6 - Going to Wicked again in April!
7 - To someday have my own place where there aren't four of the same items all over the place, and to know that any mess that is made is by me or someone I chose to live with
8 -Eating some good food today.

8 Things on my wish list
1 - To get married (if you want me to be honest anyway)
2 - Go to Italy
3 - Go to Disneyland again really soon. :)
4 - To get to see all my cool family more often!
5 - To be done with roommates (Although I really do like some roommates!)
6 - To attend a Michael Buble concert (and sit real close!)
7 - To not get sick when flying (yeah right, but as long as I'm wishing...)
8 - To have more opportunities to sing. I don't have a lot of those right now.

8 People I Tag (uh....)
1 - Holly
2 - Emily Roundy
3 - Lori
4 - Emily West
5 - Bonnie
6 - Tiffany
7 - Hilary (One of those roommates I like :)
8 -Audri