The Christmas That Changed Me

The past couple of weeks, my emotions have been really close to the surface, especially at church or other places that I have been able to feel the Spirit. The same Christmas memory comes to my mind and so I thought I would share it with you!

It was the Christmas of 1988, I was in 5th grade. Christmas Eve my dad took me to KMART so I could buy a Christmas gift for my brother David. I picked out this tri-fold wallet mini planner thing. Christmas morning it was my mom, dad, David, and myself. I remember about half-way though opening my presents looking at David and realizing that all he got was a pair of black socks and the wallet I purchased him. The magic of getting presents on Christmas was gone. I didn't want to open any more. I felt a terrible pain in my 10 year old soul, I didn't want to get more presents than him.

Later that day our family met at my sister Inez's house. David gave everyone his present to them. He has spent that year cutting out blocks out of levi's, sewing them together, and tying the quilts. He had made one for all his brothers and sisters, with enough left over to give one to each of his children. Yet, he still had only added a small cactus to his small pile of Christmas gifts. He didn't seem to care, he was happy with the presents that he gave. He wasn't expecting anything in return.

This was David's last Christmas. He died in April of the next year. He had spent a good part of his last year on Earth working on a gift for those he loved most.

His last Christmas left me with an important truth. This time of year is NOT about getting temporal gifts, it is about giving. Every kind of giving. Since then I have stopped making REAL Christmas lists. I really don't care what I get. I am more concerned with others and making sure they have a good Christmas. It is a time to show love to others. It is a time to give service, a time to share the gospel, a time for rejoicing, and a time to look outward and not be selfish.

Christmas since 1988 has lost that magic of childhood, but has gained much more. I am thankful for this gift that I have been given: an understanding of the meaning of this time of year.

My Letter To Santa Claus

Dear Santa,

How have you been? Well I hope. Is Mrs. Claus being nice this year? I hope so, she is kind of tricky sometimes. I know this is late, but, in the digital age I figured you would still get my Christmas list in time for the big day.

I would like the following:

1. A great score on the GMAT I am taking in January.
2. To get into the MBA school of my choice.
3. A pony, black please.
4. A new IPOD or ITOUCH.
5. A new car, preferably a Range Rover in black, but I will settle for an Altima in black.
6. My own house, with hard wood floors, a pretty kitchen, and fancy craft room.
7. Some diamond earrings.
8. A cute boy to smooch with.
9. For Big Dave the Korean to be nice when he visits and to let me hold him and love him and kiss him a lot.
10. Plane tickets to New York and Europe.
11. For it to be Summer RIGHT NOW.
12. A new gym membership, mine just expired.
13. Oh, and peace on Earth and to cure world hunger.

You're the best!
Love,
Delia D'Nell

The Stairs of DEATH or D'Nell the Ditz

It was a normal Saturday morning during Open Enrollment season, and I found myself at work. Because the workload this time of year when I got to work I didn't read my email (I was at an all day meeting on Friday so didn't read that email either) and just started on the 6 inch pile of papers in front of me. I was alone and had the music turned up...life was good.

Two hours later I hear what sounds like a walkie-talkie, I thought nothing of it. The security guards usually make their rounds a couple of times. But the noise persisted. I turned down the music only to hear:

"ATTENTION! ATTENTION! There has been an emergency reported in the building. Please exit the building using the stairs as quickly as possible. Do not use the elevator!!"

My heart started to race. I quickly finished what I was doing and grabbed my purse and coat and headed for the stairs. (side note:My office is located on the 10th floor.) I preceded down the stairs. On the 7th floor the stairs stopped and you had to go down a hallway. I wasn't concerned. Office's start on the 7th floor and go up, the parking garage is floors 1-6 (they are tearing the parking out...). Anyway, at the end of the hallway was another set of stairs. Another 2 flights and the stairs were blocked by a makeshift wall and I was forced to go down another hallway. This one looked creepy and like it was put together at the last minute. In some areas the walls were crooked and you could see out the the DESTRUCTION zone below. My heart starts beating a little faster and I am starting to feel the anxiety rise.

After the "creepy" hallway was a door. It opened into what I affectionately call the "STAIRS OF DEATH". They were metal stairs held together with pipes. The stairs are covered in a white tarp material, but were wet. I paused thinking if it would be worse to die in the building or on these stairs. (For those of you who don't know...I am super super scared of heights SUPER SCARED). I decide I will be brave and chance the stairs. I step on too them and the structure shakes and the metal gives slightly below my feet. I hold on too the cold railing and proceed down praying they hold and I don't die in a pile of metal. The whole way my heart is beating so fast and loud and anxiety has started to morph into panic.

After what seemed like an eternity, I make it to the bottom and go through the door the puts me out in front of the normal entrance to the building. I look around and see only a lady coming out of the building...from the elevators. I stop and ask if she knows what is going on, and this is her reply.

"Oh, they sent an email out yesterday that they would be testing the fire alarms this morning."

WHAT!?! A feeling of being a complete idiot washes over me. I thank her and take the elevator to the 10th floor. When I get back to my desk, my co-worker is there and starts laughing as I tell her of my mistake. While I did feel like an idiot, the experience provided much in the way of humor for me and my co-workers all week! Including a field trip so they could experience the stairs of death for themselves. Enjoy the pictures below.

p.s. the last pictures are of my building and the destruction going on...kind of creepy, but we have been assured it is still a safe place to work!

Humor Makes Things Better

I have been working millions of hours and still feeling constantly behind. My personal life isn't much better. I feel like I don't have time to do the things and be with the people I want. Let's just say it was a long day, heck a long week, month, and today I would say LIFE.

What awaits me when I check my email? An email from my niece Erin, subject "Liberty Loves Santa." I didn't read the email before I looked at the pictures. This picture made me laugh out loud and suddenly everything is better. Life is good. Humor, Laughter, and loved ones make me happy, grateful, joyful, and feel like a million bucks!

Things That Must Go - Seriously

So, I was driving to work last week and I heard an advertisement for UFC (Ultimate Fighting) something about children allowed, and I thought to myself, "What the ?!@@$#"!

Here's the deal. I don't really understand why people want to participate or watch to people locked in a cage fighting! I haven't ever been, but it sounds awful and barbaric, not to mention WEIRD! What is the attraction to seeing someone get beat up? Why do these things draw crowds? What would you do if your brother, husband, sister, friend, child, etc. came to you and said they wanted to be an ultimate fighter? I think I would take them to the therapist.

When I got to work that day I was sharing my opinion with my friend and she said it is a good outlet for people who have a lot of aggression. If they didn't do this then they might do something worse. WHAT THE?!@$@? She asked why ultimate fighting was worse than boxing. Honestly, I had a lame answer that day, but the more I thought about it...I agreed...I guess there will be no boxing matches for me in the future.

I think ultimate fighting must go.

Is it a double standard that I LOVE HOCKEY, even the smashing, but now detest ultimate fighting and or boxing? hmmmm.....

The Magic of Ordinary Days

Thanks to Ashley for recommending "The Magic of Ordinary Days" by Ann Howard Creel . It is a simple heartwarming story about life, love, and ordinary days. I recommend reading the book and then watching the movie. The book is better than the movie. But I fell in love with both!

Narla Stikes AGAIN!

Okay, so maybe not. At the end of October my nephew Jake had a surprise birthday party at Laser Quest. Since I hadn't ever played before I decided to give it a whirl....oh my HECK! I loved it! Well, not so much the part that I totally sucked and came in LAST place, but other than that I loved it! Above is my score card. It is definitely going in the box with my cool memory stuff. If anyone wants to go play...just give NARLA a call!

Side note: my 4 year and 7 year old nephews did better than me. Wow! I am really really bad and need some serious practice!

**Carrie, remember when we made up hockey names? And remember DaNarla was mine...now it is just shortened to Narla...making up nicknames...oh the crazy times...***

Pierced My Heart

Today we had stake conference. A mother of 7 spoke, and during part of her talk she was relaying how this one week in particular she was having a hard week and she felt that she was inadequate in many things in her life. She went to the temple at the end of that week and was renewed and this thought came to her.

"I can do hard things."

This statement rang true in my soul as she said it. Who doesn't have periods where they feel inadequate for the life they are trying to achieve, and who doesn't wonder if they are making correct choices, or doing all they could. I wanted to jump up and say "Me too, Me TOO!" But that would have been weird and awkward so instead I am doing it here...

"I CAN DO HARD THINGS!"