mrs ruano

 10 days ago i got married. i am a wife, i have a husband. and i love it. when we got engaged, a lot of people called me crazy, saying i should just enjoy the freedom of being single. that marriage is just another thing to tie you down and make you lose yourself and your dreams. i disagree 100%

i married the best man found on the face of the earth. i know a lot of women say that, but really i did. he is wonderful. getting married to him was the best thing i have done so far in my life.

our wedding day was amazing, the most marvelous day. nothing went (overtly) wrong, and the little hiccups that did happen no one knew but me. the weather was absolutely perfect. sunny and 70 degrees in the middle of december, in DC. miracle! it was a gorgeous day and we were so happy. there were many wonderful people who helped us. i felt so much love from my family and friends and am so grateful for their wonderful support.

sometimes i can't believe that it actually happened, that we got married and that i am now no longer miss briney, but mrs ruano. (yes that takes some getting used to!) but we did it and i am sealed to this amazing man, forever. i still get excited thinking that i get to live with, progress with, and stand next to him for eternity.

in the temple, the sealer (a man who holds the power and authority to bind families together for eternity) pronounced us man and wife not just for this life, but for time and all eternity. i was, and still am, in awe that our heavenly father has given us this special gift. he has given to us the ability to be bound together forever, not just in this life. i know that this power is real and i am eternally grateful for it and that i am able to access it through entering God's holy temple.

i dreamed of that day my entire life and began preparing for it many years before i got engaged, and it was the perfect day with my perfect person in the perfect place at the perfect time. i cannot believe that my life has turned out the way it has, i could never dream that i would be where i am today, but it has all worked out in a harmony that seems only could be made above and guided by a loving eternal Father.

crazy in love

so I have realized I might be going crazy......

and my family and Marvin are probably feeling it.

in the next 60 days I will be moving 112 miles south, unpacking, setting up a new apartment, finding/starting a new job, finishing wedding plans, and getting married.

 (if you ever want to know how many days remain between today and the 21st of december, feel free to hit me up anytime :) not that I'm excited about that day or anything....)

my mind is reeling with requests from people, offers to help, advice, ideas...

decisions to be made.....

whether I should wear a veil...

will my dress look good with the earrings or are they too much...

how to do my hair...

buy or make necklaces for my sisters....

wondering where in the world can we get or borrow cheap trees....

somehow getting enough twinkle lights without spending a million dollars...

deciding on the thank you favors....

who will make the cake...

making sure there's enough food...

which picture to use for the announcement....

planning a honeymoon....

coordinating travel for incoming people...

not spending a gazillion dollars....

sorry no I don't want to throw a bouquet....

neither do I want an arch with a receiving line...

trying to coordinate everyone's wardrobe...

because yes I do know how I want it to look....

I have a big problem with trying to please everyone. when someone offers something or proposes an idea, I have a hard time saying no cuz I don't want to offend them. especially when they are so kind and caring. but we cant do everything nor do i want to do everything. somehow I will figure this balance out. probably in the midst of this wedding stuff. experiences are the best teachers right? haha. 

and did I mention I'm also moving? and need to find a job? yup craziness. 

so if you happen to offer me a suggestion or service and I cringe a bit, don't take it personally. I appreciate all the offers, please don't be offended when I don't use it. I promise it doesn't mean it was bad idea it just means I can't do it all :) 

....and I'm sure Marvin wants to keep his sanity. good thing he is super patient and wonderful. def reason #1 I'm not yet insane. 

reason #2 "it is not requisite that man should run faster than he has strength." not only is it not requisite but literally I can't. 

ill get there. 

but in the mean time I'm reminding myself that the most important thing out of this whole crazy process is that we will be getting married. I'm going to start a new chapter of life with this man who loves me.

I feel like 90% of the time people forget the point of a lot of big things, especially weddings. at the end of the day, the point is that a marriage has just begun. a union that was consecrated and designed by God himself. sounds pretty important and amazing right? 

even more amazing that mine will start with a slew of blessings promised by God in connection with that marriage, including the promise that it will last forever. (still wrapping my head around the thought of being with him forever...like eternity...like never go to sleep or work or vacation or meetings or death apart cuz we'll be together roaming about the universe as eternal beings. yeah if that's not mind blowing I don't know what is, but that's a whole other story/thought in itself)

so I keep saying to myself that I am really and truly only going to care about 3 things:

#1 that we get married (temple appt set, marriage license obtained... this part's in the bag!)

#2 that my family be present (no flights booked yet so that's still a bit stressful)

#3 that I look gorgeous. (ok a bit selfish and vain, but I'm still human and a woman so I think it's allowed, or maybe at least not frowned upon) 

how great thou art

the more I learn about the human body or the earth the more I see God's power and wisdom and the deeper my faith grows. it is impossible to see all of these miraculous and amazing things and say that it is all by chance or some cosmic accident. 

today I read an article that reported how breast milk contains proteins to fight HIV transmission from an infected mother to her infant, an occurrence previously thought to be unavoidable due to sharing of bodily fluids and blood by both during pregnancy and delivery. the article states:

Tenascin C’s presence in breast milk, though, prompts a deeper question: Why would milk naturally include a protein that battles HIV, a virus that evolved extremely recently in our evolutionary history, sometime in the early 20th century?

In other words, Tenascin C is effective at combating a large variety of infections (perhaps related to its role in adults, where it holds various types of tissue together, necessitating receptors that can bind to a wide array of different cells). The fact that it happens to bind at just the right spot on HIV’s outer envelope so that it combats the virus’ transmission, as Permar puts it, is “a gift from evolution.”

http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2013/10/discovered-a-natural-protein-in-breast-milk-that-fights-hiv/#ixzz2iSSY6Qsk

I do not believe that this was a gift from evolution, but rather a gift from a loving and merciful heavenly father who knew before the world was created that innocent babies would be affected by this tragic virus. 

God loves us, we are his children and he created us in his image. he created all things on this earth, for our benefit. his power is endless and it continues to bless us even when we don't realize it or deserve it. 

it amazes me and makes me stop in wonder like the poet penned--

    O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder

    Consider all the worlds thy hands have made. 

    I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,

    Thy power through out the universe displayed,

    Then sings my soul, my Savior, God, to thee,

    How great thou art!

    How great thou art!

its a love story....part two

i was sitting at home on a Friday night, fixing a skirt and missing my guatemalan man, expecting not to see him till saturday as usual. when all of a sudden he tells me he's on his way up to DC. best surprise number one. 

we had been wanting to go on a bike ride ever since he got a bike, so he brought his bike up and asked me where I wanted to go the next morning. i had been really wanting to go up to Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, for a while (don't ask me why). so we went!

we found the national park area and were pleasantly surprised when miraculously it was a fee free day! (Heavenly father really wanted us to be there we decided :) )

so we parked the car, jumped on our bikes, and made the very hilly ride down to the town of Harper's Ferry. 

it was kinda busy but we walked our bikes to the overlook where the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers meet. it was beautiful, although a bit of an overcast day. we crossed the Potomac on the old railroad bridge and parked our bikes with the bazillion others there. 

the C&O canal trail winds along the Potomac so we thought to venture along it. he saw a open spot of the river bank so we stopped there to enjoy the view of the two great rivers merging under the steeples of the town. it was so gorgeous and peaceful. 

there was a weathered tree that had been bent to form a natural bench. I hopped up and perched on it for a bit while we enjoyed the view, took some pictures and blissfully (and I ignorantly) chatted. with him telling me how happy he was and being his typical romantic self (si amor, te digo que eres romántico)

some people strolled down to enjoy the view also so I hopped down from my perch momentarily. when the passers-by continued on their way, he asked me if I wanted to sit on the tree again. I laughed a bit and asked if he was really asking me if I wanted to sit on the tree or if he was asking me to sit there again. he smiled and said when he asks that it means he wants me to sit up on the tree. :) (yes I can read him like a book)

so I jumped up onto the branch again and chuckled at this silly man that had captured my heart. he asked me how much I loved him and I laughed a bit again knowing how many times I had told him how much I love him. but I humorously responded that I couldn't count how much I loved him, to infinity. (this is our fun game- one asks the other how much he/she misses or loves the other and they respond with some ridiculous distance or quantity) 

he then told me to close my eyes cuz he had another question to ask me. I dutifully closed my eyes as he pestered me to keep them closed until he was satisfied that I wasn't peeking. then he asked me if I would marry this silly, poor, crazy, in love man. I happily said I would as I smiled with closed eyes. he told me to open my eyes and there in front of me was a sparkly gold ring. I swear it appeared out of nowhere! (note we had just biked 4ish miles up and down the crazy hilly streets of harpers ferry. no idea where it was hidden-inside the box!- that whole time) i was speeches for a total of 12 seconds as he put the ring on my finger and put his arms around me. 

I thought I would cry or jump up and down or launch into a chatter-fest, but instead I was so content and blissfully happy that I just silently smiled in between bursts of random giggles. in fact I couldn't stop smiling as we walked along the trail. he kept asking me why I would start giggling randomly every few minutes or so and I told him I was just so happy! happily thinking about being married to him. 

the trail and rivers seemed to be the perfect metaphor for the moment....2 rivers merging into one, just like 2 lives coming together....us walking along the trail like beginning journeying through life together. I was telling him about the canal and the trail, how they go all the way down to DC--almost to the end of the world! I said. he said do you want to walk to the end of the world with me? and I said yes I did very much, except maybe not that day cuz I was hungry. :) well, he said, we have our whole lives now to do it. (awwww...yes he's the best)

so I ended the perfect day with the perfect moment, with my perfect person. 

(my apologies if there is too much cheesiness in this post. I blame it on being in love...especially with a suave Latino man. :) )

it's a love story....part one

so here's the story everyone has been waiting for...

during a cold and wet February, I was feeling a particular need to escape the craziness of Washington. my friend, Chris (happy now Chris?), invited me down to Richmond for a visit and to participate in a singles activity down there. it being a holiday weekend, I thought sure, why not? so I drove down, anticipating nothing except dancing, visiting my dear friend in charlottesville, and going for a bike ride. 

the evening started simple enough with a bit of socializing and mocktail drinks. and then they instituted the forced "speed dating" portion of the activity which I was ignorant of prior to arriving. I was there to dance and that was all. 

but I reluctantly joined in the matching up in support of my friend with thoughts of the time passing quickly until the music started. 

I dutifully chatted with each guy that passed my way, answering and asking silly questions. there happened to be two latin guys in the group, one from Mexico and one from Guatemala. they stood out obviously, or rather I stood out, because in both conversations it came up that I spoke Spanish and I chatted with both a bit in Spanish. 

after the rounds of speed dating, I strutted out to the gym, ready to get to the best part of the night (ie: dancing). no sooner had I gotten a good spot when the Mexican guy came up and began to talk to me quite a bit. 

all the while I noticed the guy from Guatemala hanging around a bit. it kinda looked like he wanted to talk to me but I was a bit consumed with trying to kindly extraciate myself from the other guy's presence in order to dance.

 I finally was successful and then was able to enjoy the music. and then the guy from Guatemala made his way to my side, more than once in fact. and it was a great contrast talking with him after the other guy. like a breath of fresh air...or latino air. :) we danced, talked, laughed. it felt really good to be around him. he was so nice and funny and easy going, and persistent! as he then asked for my number. I was pleasantly surprised although not really expecting much to come of it. 

but then the next day he texted me. and then kept texting me! and calling me. he asked me when he could call, and he actually called when he said he would!! miracle!

our first date was to the DC temple, which of course I enjoyed...going to the temple and all. the thought occurred to me that this could either be a really good sign or....well to be honest a really scary sign. 

it struck me that day that he was a perfect gentleman. and maybe too good to be true-- he calls when he says he will, is respectful, goes to the temple, serves in the church, drives all the way up to DC to see me, tells me I'm wonderful....I kept waiting for a catch.

 well there never turned out to be a catch because the past 6-ish months if my life have been the most wonderful time getting to know this amazing man. he has such a good heart and would do anything for me. I love being with him-laughing with him (which we do a lot), talking with him, serving with him. it never gets old. 

winning the battle

I have remembered a few things lately. I am calling them my 3 keys to winning the daily battle :) 

#1 I need to pray every day, even all the time. And I need to really pray, not just tell my Father in Heaven what I need or what I'm thankful for, but communicate with my all-wise, all-knowing Father. He responds when I make an effort and put in more than just mumblings in a half-awake daze. I love what Preach My Gospel says about prayer:

Strive to pray sincerely, with real intent, and with “all the energy of heart” (Moroni 7:48). Effective prayer requires great effort (see Moroni 10:3–4;D&C 8:10; 9:7). Give serious thought to your attitude and to the words you use.https://www.lds.org/manual/preach-my-gospel-a-guide-to-missionary-service/how-do-i-recognize-and-understand-the-spirit?lang=eng

When I studied this as a missionary I wrote in the margin: Prayer is a form of work!

I love it when I have a conversation with my Father in Heaven, not just speaking to the air, but pouring my heart out and then listening for what might come in response. 

And guess what, God does answer our prayers! I have had some wonderful experiences lately in which I counseled with Him and received guidance and peace. 

Sometimes I don't receive actual answers to my prayers right away, but I feel close to my Father and am able to feel calm and strength in the midst of a crazy life when I consistently seek out opportunities to sincerely pray. 

I have come to realize that in order to make it in this crazy world and these difficult times, we must pray. When I don't I can feel the adversary pushing his way into my thoughts and discouragement overcoming any faith and hope I have. We can't do it alone. The forces around us are strong and as Christ said to the Nephites:

Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for ^aSatan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. 3 Nephi 18:18 https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/3-ne/18.18?lang=eng#17

When I read this I picture in my mind satan laughing as we slip through his fingers...or something like that. Bottom line: We need to pray!

#2 I need to read the word of God every day. And not just read, or even really read very much, but more ponder what it means and listen to the spirit. I have learned that the spirit will teach me what I need to know from the words that day if I will take the time to pause and consider the scriptures. 

And I truly need to do this every day. Just like praying, I need that strength and peace that comes from the spirit, but I also need the direction and eternal perspective that comes from the word of God. 

Every day I am in a battle. We all are. And its not a battle of words or bullets, but a battle for our eternal welfare. Satan is really patient and he doesn't take us by making us fall to his level all at once, but he does it bit by bit, each day that we don't strengthen our relationship with and knowledge of God, he claims a small victory. He chips away at our strength if we aren't actively working at fortifying it. And he is way too good at it. The scriptures give us the means to fortify ourselves every day. 

#3 I need to be 100% obedient to God's commandments. Once again, not earth shattering news, but something I am remembering. Obedience gives us power. God's power. No really, it does! 

I am not sure how it all happens, but it is amazing. When I know I am doing the best I can to be exactly obedient to the commandments, I feel strong and I feel the Lord's power moving in my life. And oh how I need to be strong and have his power at work in my life. We all do don't we? 

Lately I have been pondering on the great example of Adam, who built an altar and prayed to God, not knowing why except that he had been commanded to do so. His sincere desire was to be obedient to all of God's commands, whether he knew the reason for doing so or not. 

I find that sometimes I want to have a logical explanation for a each commandment so I can feel justified in obeying them. Why not because God asked me to do so? If I truly trust in a loving God, who wants my eternal well-being more than anything else, I would do anything he says without question. 

Adam was the father of all mankind, the lord over the whole earth. He was a great prophet and patriarch, and I believe his power and wisdom came from his unfailing, unquestioning obedience. 

As I am typing this I realize this is similar to my formula I created as a missionary that I always pestered my poor companions with:

Prayer + hard work + 100% obedience = miracles

It sounds a little too simple maybe, but it carried me through 19 months of missionary service and I really did see miracles on a daily basis. 

Why not have miracles in ordinary life? We can. I love what Moroni says in Moroni, Chapter 7 of the Book of Mormon:

 27 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, have ^amiracles ceased because Christ hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the right hand of God, to ^bclaim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men?

29 And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have ^aangels  ceased to minister unto the children of men.

 30 For behold, they are subject unto him, to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mind in every form of ^agodliness.

35 And now, my beloved brethren, if this be the case that these things are true which I have spoken unto you, and God will show unto you, with ^apower and great glory at the last ^bday, that they are true, and if they are true has the day of miracles ceased?

 36 Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he ^awithheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?

 37 Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that ^amiracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of ^bunbelief, and all is vain. https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/moro/7.27,29,35,37?lang=eng

Miracles can and do still happen! It is up to us to see them and have the faith to participate in them. One of the miracles is wining this daily battle we are engaged in. I'm going to make better use of prayer, the scriptures, and obedience in my battle plan.

On another note...as I do this my faith will undoubtedly increase..thus helping me see those angels that are supposed to appear and minister as Moroni mentioned right? :) (next goal: see angels)

sometimes

sometimes I wish I was skinny....

and then I remember that in many countries in the world people are skinny because they are malnourished or starving. I am grateful that I am healthy and have never lacked in nutritional or medical needs. 

sometimes I wish I had all the money in the world so I could not worry about budgeting and could buy all the beautiful clothes I wanted....

and then I remember how much I do have, how some people live on less than $1 a day (I make $1 in 3 minutes), and some women don't even have more than one outfit let alone the closet/dressers-ful that I have. 

sometimes I wish I didn't have to sit at a desk all day to work....

and then I remember how many women around the world have to walk miles each day just for water or stand all day in a hot factory or don't have a job or don't even have the opportunity and freedom to have a job. 

sometimes I wish I was a man so I didn't have to do my hair or buy tampons or deal with many other unavoidable aspects of being a woman....

and then I remember how much God loves his daughters and the miracles that occur due to the functions of a female body in bringing life to this world. 

sometimes I wish life wasn't so hard....

and then I remember the growth and learning that occurs through difficulty and how Christ always strengthens me to handle everything that comes my way.

sometimes I wish that there was no suffering or sadness in the world...

and then I remember how it helps me have charity and empathy for my fellow man and gives me the opportunity to serve them. 

sometimes I wish I knew the end from the beginning so I didn't have to worry....

and then I remember how a loving, powerful God is in control, he knows what's best and has asked me to trust him-- I get to enjoy the ride and the thrill that comes when something delightful happens!

sometimes I wish I never got sick or hurt or physically weak....

and then I remember how amazing that our bodies usually function well on their own and can heal themselves of many ailments. I also remember how wonderful people have helped me when I am sick and how much I am loved. (mostly by my mom)

sometimes I wish I was naturally incredibly gorgeous....

and then I remember that physical beauty will always fade with age and time, but good character, knowledge and my divine worth will never be lost or change. 

sometimes I wish I could be superwoman and be perfect, help everyone, know everything, do everything, and never get tired of it all.....

and then I remember that I don't have to be perfect because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, and I don't have to do or be everything because Heavenly Father loves me the way I am and will help become the woman he wants me to be. 

a little bug..

it's funny the things that bug us. maybe that's not funny to anyone else or no one else gets bugged by things. if that's true then I'm a bad person maybe. but a couple things bugged me today that I feel the need to rant about to the world wide web.....

#1- every person that lives on this earth has the same intrinsic value. when we are born I am not of anymore worth than you nor does anyone else have more worth than me. we are all human beings. so why is it that some frequently demean or look down on others? for example why do some treat all the paper pushing lower rank workers like dirt in favor of one important official? 

#2 - the next time I hear a woman complain that they miss husband/boyfriend and have to wait till they get home from work to talk to them, I'm going to slap her across the face. some of us - being me - have to travel 110 miles to see their man, and others - my sister - have to wait months to see their man for him to return from across the world. 

I realized today as I sat down in my usual seat on the bus that I am an overly consistent creature of habit. if someone sits in that seat I am bit irritated and I feel all out of sorts. my go to outfit for work: pencil skirt, ballet flats, t-shirt and accessory such as necklace or bracelet-never both but always with earrings....and during the winter throw on a cardigan or jacket and it's all the same. take the same route to work each day (granted there aren't many options but I kinda feel good about that) I even go to the same train doors on the metro. I wake up at the same time every day, shower, get ready, and read my scriptures while eating breakfast. seriously the same every day (except for weekends of course) I talk to my favorite person the same hour every night.

reality

someone asked to see my blog the other day and, upon skimming a few of my posts, said: wow, you sound like happiest person ever! and perhaps on here I do sound like I am always happy, grateful, and loving life. while that is partly true, I am very grateful for the many good things and joy in my life, I am still human and still face bad days and disappointment and rough times. 

usually I don't like sharing my bad days or trials publicly as I would rather add cheer to the sadness and suffering that is published around the world. but since today happens to be one of those rougher days, ill share a bit. 

I spent this past weekend in Richmond, which usually includes a 2 hour drive each way. this time however, I encountered traffic on the way down, making it 3.5 hour trip, as well as on the way back, a 4.5 hour trip. I slept a total of 8 hours in a 48 hour period due to the intense journey back home, during which I did actually fall asleep 3 times while driving. if you have done this you know how scary it is to wake up and realize you are still directing a moving vehicle! I am exhausted from all this lack of sleep. 

yesterday was my last class of the semester, wherein everyone presented on their research and paper topics for the final semester project....I had identified my topic and found some sources but that was the extent of my research and prep for this project. so I spent most of my time at work yesterday furiously skimming the articles I had found, to be able to sound semi-cognizant when it was my turn to address the class. which I did thankfully. (I've gotten really good at speaking to groups and making whatever I'm saying sound coherent over the years, even if I have no idea what I'm talking about apparently) now the task comes of taking what I read and writing a 10 page thesis paper, due next monday. (ps: I have no idea what I am going to write) oh yeah and I still work 40 hours a week. 

and since I have been crazy busy and running around, (gone all weekend, at class till 9:30 at night, working all day) I have no food in my house at the moment. my body was not happy with this fact this morning and I am feeling the consequences. my bank account is also not too happy with this as it's balance dwindles as I eat out so I don't die. 

bottom line: I'm a bit stressed out and tired and hungry and poor. and, as it happens, currently freezing in my office. 

that's life. it happens. not every day is perfect. and anyone who pretends that it is is in denial. 

I've tried to find a way to be perfectly happy all the time and decided it wasn't going to happen. I've got an imperfect, mortal body subject to sickness, fatigue, weakness, and mosquito bites. (THE BANE OF MY EXISTENCE RIGHT NOW)

(side note: look up 'bane' and it will accurately describe how I feel about mosquitos....curse, nemesis, scourge, cause of great suffering or distress. you might think this is extreme, until you see the condition and large number of bites I have on my body)

besides the physical trials, life throws curve balls at you and you are emotionally and mentally taxed as well (that was last week for me haha)

in the midst of all this craziness and almost dying I have realized a couple things:

1) there's a reason why most humans have traditionally lived with other humans in a family arrangement. it is easier to take care of yourself and the necessities of life when you are sharing those responsibilities with one or more people. 

2) some days you have to just keep going. or just keep swimming as my friend dory would say. 90% of the time whats going on won't kill you, and if it does, what can you do about it? (that sounds harsh and morbid...but it's true) so we just keep truckin along...cuz really what else can you do? sit down and give up? you know you don't really want to do that, let's be honest. 

3)  just because one day is rough-or even one week, month, year- that does not mean your whole life is bad or hard. sometimes we have bad days, or years. 

4) tomorrow may not always be better, but it will be different, a new day with a new perspective. that's the great thing about life, every thing always changes. 

5) one day down the road, it will be better. 

6) sleep tends to make things better....no it doesn't fix most things in life, but it can reboot your heart and mind so you can tackle the hard stuff. 

6) everything has a purpose. maybe it doesn't seem obvious or positive, sometimes it is up to us to find the purpose and learn from it. 

and most importantly, I have seen how prayer helps. it can get you through anything. 

so my life is not all roses and primary songs, but that is a big reason why I started this blog of counting my blessings and looking for joy in my life. I found that when I did that and shared it here, it lifted my day a bit and helped me when I needed to remember why my life is great. an inside hint: sometimes the days I post are the ones I need reminders the most. 

so here's the list of joys in my journey today:

trees....summertime trees in va are gorgeous and make me happy to live on earth

hot chocolate...yes I had hot chocolate this morning, the 6th of august. I told you my office was freezing :)

wearing the necklace I bought in Spain....reminding me of that great trip. and giving me joy in a pretty little thing (yes I am a girl who likes pretty jewelry)

music..always fills my soul with joy

sunsets....I saw the most gorgeous sunset the other day in a rear view mirror and can still picture it in my mind

good coworkers.....I work with some great gals and very much enjoy chatting with them every day, or even venting to them. they always listen to me and somehow don't mind. maybe they just think I'm crazy and enjoy the free entertainment. win win right? :)

showers....every day I am so grateful I can take a shower with warm running water. I love feeling clean and it really is amazing when you think about it-- you get a stream of heated water inside your house. cool huh?

i like food

...it's true. perhaps I like it more because of the way I feel after eating. my body does this crazy thing where it gets super cranky at me when I haven't eaten in a few hours. and I mean like can't walk, can't think, head pounding, no energy, weakness and numbness everywhere. i feel SO much better after I eat. it's really annoying sometimes. but it's my body and it's the only one I've got so I've leaned to deal with it. sometimes I feel bad that it affects others but through this I've learned about those who truly care about me and about allowing others the opportunity to serve me. 

so back to eating....it makes my body super happy so I like doing it. and I like eating a variety of things. I love Latino food, indian food, thai food, italian food, steak, pizza, fruit, sandwiches, avocado, hamburgers, ice cream, French fries, bread, bacon, chocolate, zucchini, tacos....the list could go on!

 I frequently see people engaging in fad diets such as carb-free, lean-protein, dairy-free, sugar-free, etc. every year there's a new diet. every year there's a new theory on health and nutrition.  

if you look at the list of my fav foods you might think that I eat crappy, but ask my family and they think I eat über healthy. I wouldn't say I eat super healthy or poorly, but that I eat everything in moderation. I don't think God gave us the need to consume protein to avoid enjoying a good burger every now and then. I don't think he made carbs the building blocks of our cells and then have us not eat them. our bodies need nourishment found in food. that is how they were created and who am I to mess with the creator of all things?

according to some standards of beauty and health Im not considered thin, and many people have told me I should lose some weight. but I am happy and I feel good about my body and how it feels. my body needs nourishment and my heart likes chocolate so I don't feel bad about not eating a salad or fat free yoghurt for lunch every day. in fact I find it almost silly that women are expected to eat that way. sometimes my female coworkers think me strange for not ordering a salad when we go out to lunch. first of all, this body of mine needs certain nutrients at each meal that are not found in most salads, second I get bored eating the same thing every day, third I like enjoying what I eat! 

yes eating healthy and balanced meals is important, but I don't think eating pizza one night or ice cream every now and then is going to kill you prematurely or make you unhealthily obese. 

instead of counting calories or starving to shed 2 pounds, let's focus on being happy with who we are and what we have. lets teach kids to eat when they're hungry and not when they aren't. lets remember that our bodies aren't machines but are like ecosystems that require certain inputs and balances to thrive. lets focus on caring for these amazing gifts that God gave us to experience life, instead of punishing them for certain natural tendencies or cultural norms. every body is mortal and has its own weaknesses and deficiencies as well as unique strengths and characteristics. 

your body is a gift from God and you will live with it forever in the next life. learn to love it and care for it and you will be so much happier now and forever. 

selfless acts

beauty I saw today that couldn't be captured in picture form:

a big, tough looking, tattooed man dressed in construction gear carrying a bouquet of flowers on the metro...you know he didn't buy those for himself. 

an adorable mom singing 'if you're happy and you know it' as loud and excited as can be with her little girl so she wouldn't notice how miserable it could be to wait for the bus in unbearable heat...you know she could've done a million other things to keep herself occupied during the wait. 

the Book of Mormon

Today I felt the need to share my thoughts and feelings on the Book of Mormon. I love this book! 

Every time I read it it's like I'm reading it for the first time for all the new ways I am able to apply its teachings to my current life as well as the vibrant spirit that always accompanies a reading of it; yet at the same time I remember all the things I have learned and felt through it and my experience is deepened even more. It is so incredibly powerful; one verse can help me feel more peace and enlightenment than all the "enlightened" or meditation books in the world. 

Every chapter and page teaches about Jesus Christ. It's words teach about His purpose, His nature, His gospel, and His identity. It teaches about God's plan for us, his children, and the purpose of this plan. 

It can guide anyone to answer any question in life. It is universal in its application and scope. It can teach anyone the truth of all things. 

This book contains the words of God, spoken to ancient prophets. And they are as true and applicable today as they were 2000 years ago. 

I have read this book many times and have asked God if it is a true book. And he answered me. Through his divine messenger, the Holy Ghost, I knew in my heart that the Book of Mormon contains the words of God. And I continue to recieve this affirmative answer every time I read it. Anyone can know this too if they will read it and ask God in prayer. It's simple. 

God loves us and knew that we would need help and guidance in our lives, so he gave us the Book of Mormon. 

I love this book and have seen for myself the truth of the promise by the prophet Joseph Smith that anyone will get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts than any other book. 

I invite you to read it if you are having challenges in your life- I promise you it will give you peace; if you have questions about anything-it will give you answers; if you are feeling confused- it will give you direction and vision. I know because it has happened for me. 

To read it: 

http://mormon.org/beliefs/book-of-mormon

www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm

carving chips off the block

it's funny how I think the lord prompts me to learn things by me realizing I need to work on something and setting goals to improve in that area, and then he really teaches me through the experiences in life. ok so maybe it's both but lately I have realized the more I try to handle things-- not in a prideful controlling way, but just making things happen in my life--the more god just takes me and shapes my life and molds me in his own way. perhaps as I try to do it on my own he sees I'm willing to progress and takes that opportunity to help me learn other things while I'm willing and ready to receive it....or maybe that's just the times I actually notice this process happening. 

either way I'm surprised and grateful for the ways he polishes me, chipping away at my rough edges. 

sometimes i feel like it never ends. and frequently, funny enough, like he's found all my rough edges to chip at all at once. but that's what is the great thing about this life! if we give up our stubbornness, our Heavenly Father will constantly make us better, into who he wants us to be. and really we just have to give in. he kinda does the rest. and yeah that's like the hardest part...cuz we're human and like to control things, but once you give that up its easy! 

so right now he's teaching me to give up my independentness and rely on others. and not only that but to be humble enough to not feel bad about it or indebted. but just allow others the opportunity to serve me. I know this sounds like an easy and obvious task but I'm used to being the server, not the servee, as i very much enjoy serving people, and additionally i was taught to take care of myself and work hard so that i could serve others. and then all of a sudden you find yourself as the servee with no idea how to be the server except to accept their service with humility and gratitude. 

I think this is one of the beautiful parts of relationships with others and, most especially, the savior in this life. sometimes we just have to allow them to do things for us, whether we can do them for ourselves or not.

these are a few of my favorite things

adorable commercials

military homecomings

families

watching little kids play or run

trees

flowers

happy movies

fountains 

brightly colored buildings

a child's laughter

sunshine

a baby's smile

thunderstorms

evening walks

red doors

big windows

walking barefoot

warm breezes 

feeling sand between your toes

the sound of water

lighthouses

bridges

transportation

today I am extremely grateful for bus drivers and metro drivers. especially happy ones. public transportation is great. maybe it's not perfect, but when I'm exhausted after a long day of work and class I am more than happy to let  someone else take me where I need to go...namely home. and that it is accessible. thank you Washington metro area transit authority. 

and thanks to Heavenly Father for pointing me in the direction of teaching. I taught a lesson in my class today on maps (we got to choose the topic) and I was in heaven! seriously who knew that anyone could get excited over teaching about maps of Africa....cuz I was like giddy. I didn't want to stop. I was having fun...teaching a lesson...on maps. yep found my calling. Life is good 

summertime

you know summer is here when you see corn on the cob at the grocery store...funny cuz I'm pretty sure that corn is harvested in the fall, but it's become the must have at summer BBQs. so when rach and I saw corn on the cob got excited and just had to get it. so here was last nights dinner: BBQ chicken, baked potatoes, and corn on the cob.mmmmmmm

and now I am SO excited summer is here cuz that means hikes, bikes rides, tubing in the river, BBQs, fresh fruit...and me turning another year older in 26 days. crazy how time flies. and crazy how much I love summer! :)

water

I love water. in every form. I love rivers and lakes and waterfalls and rain and of course the ocean! my sisters and I were known as the fish growing up, I've been swimming since I was 4, lived by an ocean till 14 and the only thing we wanted to do on vacations was go to the pool. I'm not quite sure where or why the strong connection with water, but it definitely brings the warm/peaceful fuzzies. 

simple beauty: water

life

it is amazing to me that you can see life everywhere you look in this world..trees, birds, grass, people. and all of it is cared for by a supreme Being. so today's simple beauty is that life exists, even in a small yet perfect flower

recreation

as I was walking along the mall I glanced over and saw this scene: 

I thought this was simply beautiful-tossing a frisbee. it would be even more beautiful if it is a father and his sons so we'll pretend that we know the are a family. :) simple beauty 

capturing beauty

I read a thing somewhere that said: capture simple beauty every day and share it. so this is my new mantra and goal. today's beauty- after the clouds had dumped their excess moisture in a downpour, the sun broke through and this was the result

overcoming the shallow self

at this moment hell is freezing over, my mother would be exclaiming out loud, and I am shocked and amazed at myself....
today I received an email from a deal site advertising an amazing deal on a knock-off of the most adorable necklace that I have been coveting longingly at JCrew. I went to the site...stared at it for a bit...lamented to myself how adorable it is...and then didn't buy it. I am crying a bit inside because it really is the cutest thing ever and it was super cheap but I am honestly making an effort to minimize my possession of and spending on material things that really are unnecessary. I'm even going to clean out my closet and jewelry box(es)...after I moved. haha
this is a big deal for those who know me. my family would be shocked. shocked i tell you. I love beautiful things, and beautiful clothing and accessories are some of those things. but really I do know they are just things and do not bring me true happiness. so this is the start of me downsizing and limiting my acquisition of these things...no matter how beautiful they are.
wish me luck cuz this is going to be a bit hard but apparently I have a knack for doing hard things (grad school is starting in 11 days....and I'll still be working...while trying to finish an online class...)

in this spirit I am going to list the joys in my day and exclude any material possessions:
my sisters....I miss them so much! I haven't seen my family in a year and it's a bit torturous. I love that we send each other texts with random questions or asking advice. it's how we stay connected :)
reading...I love reading. today I am reading lots of inspiring articles and quotes. this morning I read scriptures about the Holy Ghost and how it can inspire, teach, enlighten, and move us to good things. I am a bit in awe that you can transmit knowledge through written/printed symbols put together to form words and sentences that someone else and see and then comprehend.
the Holy Ghost...as I was studying this morning I was overcome by gratitude for this amazing gift. for example, when something is constantly on your mind, if it is anything good (everything good comes from God), then it is the Holy Ghost! it's so simple and wonderfully powerful.
tender mercies...last night I had orientation for my masters program and was planning to take the bus home but i got to the station too late and it was raining so I was a bit disappointed to see that I would have to wait 30 minutes for the next bus to come. I was hungry since having gone straight there from work and a bit tired, being that it was the end if the day....and then the bus pulled up! not sure if it was early or late but I didn't really care ...just happy to get on it
prayer....I read an article this morning that talked about how we can get more out of our mornings by taking the time each day as you wake up to practice quiet meditation and mindful gratitude....sounds a bit like prayer to me! and praying has the added benefit of knowing that God is listening and improving your relationship with Him. I very much enjoy starting my day conversing with my Father in Heaven.
good people....I am so grateful for good people in the world who help others, stand up for what is right and in other ways are an example to me. "Be the change you wish to see in the world"

daughters of God

I have been wanting to post about my beliefs and feelings about womanhood, motherhood, and female roles but haven't felt the right time or complementary avenues to do so. Today I read a speech given at BYU by Elder Glenn Pace of the quorum of the Seventy of the church entitled "The Divine Nature and Destiny of Women." His speech lovingly and perfectly describes the true nature of women and their roles in relation to men - in marriage, families, etc. I love what he says when talking about the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman:

  'Milton goes on to suggest that God delayed the introduction of Eve until Adam could fully appreciate her.     Seeing that Adam is now ready for the introduction of Eve, God describes what is going to happen next. I love Milton’s description of what Eve would mean to Adam:

What next I bring shall please thee, be assur’d,
Thy likeness, thy fit help, thy other self,
Thy wish exactly to thy heart’s desire.

“Thy fit help”? No, this doesn’t mean she would be in good shape. It means she would be a match, a complement, a counterpart, even his “other self.”

Finally, Eve stood before him, and she exceeded his highest expectations. He had never seen anything like her in the garden. Milton continues:

Under his forming hands a creature grew,
Manlike, but different sex, so lovely fair,
That what seem’d fair in all the world, seem’d now
Mean, or in her summ’d up, in her contain’d,
And in her looks, which from that time infus’d
Sweetness into my heart, unfelt before.

I hope Milton will forgive me for adding my opinion that the “sweetness” Adam felt, which was “unfelt before,” was much more than that which was generated by Eve’s physical appearance. Those feelings flowing into him had as their source her wellspring. His feelings were the direct result of standing in front of one of the daughters of heavenly parents who had a divine nature different from, but complementary to, his own divine nature.

I believe the Father’s statement “It is not good that the man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18) had a much more profound meaning than the obvious biological implications. It also went further than providing Adam with “company.” Adam’s ability to obtain the purification necessary to get back into the presence of God was dependent upon his continuous association with Eve...

Many years after the creation of Adam and Eve, Paul said, “Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 11:11).'

What simple, divine truths! I felt great power in what he said there the first time I read it. This is why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints places such emphasis on marriage between a man and woman and eternal sealing in temples of God. Restored truths taught by modern prophets and apostles give us to know the great divine nature of women, their true eternal potential, and their role in God's kingdom as future queens.

Elder Pace beautifully recounts the influence of women in his life:
'I developed a love and appreciation for womanhood in my childhood. My mother, sisters, grandmas, aunts, and female cousins and friends brought immeasurable love into my young life. This set the stage for the adult relationships with my wife, daughters, and granddaughters.

All of the above have contributed to my feelings of reverence, adoration, and even veneration of righteous women.

In pondering the effect women have had on my life, I have concluded that there has been a metamorphosis of my spirit that could not have taken place without these relationships.

Of course, the first woman in my life was my mother. How can I describe the impact of my mother’s love? A lullaby, being tucked in bed, are you warm enough, a kiss goodnight, Glenn, you’d better get up, you don’t want to be late for school, a kiss good morning, you are such a special boy, oh honey, how I love you, I made some chocolate chip cookies, I want to take your picture, I’m so proud of you, I know you can do it, are you going to go on a mission, you are going to go on a mission, I miss you so much, frequent love notes, let’s go look at the roses, did you see the full moon, aren’t the mountains beautiful today, the love in her eyes, her touch, her smell, her elegance, her tender heart, her sensitivity, her femininity.'

What great power and influence for good women can have in the world! Myself, I am eternally grateful for a loving mother who never faints in her service to her daughters. She is always thinking of us, her kids, and even though we are grown and out of the house (but one, but soon to be all!), she still puts us before anything else. I strive to be so selfless and hope to emulate this divine gift she has.

Elder Pace gives this instruction to women:

   'Since melding our divine natures is a necessary element in bringing about perfection, we must guard against any deterioration of those natures. Sisters, keep in mind anything that detracts from your divine nature should be avoided. You live in a time when you have more opportunities and options available to you than any other women have had throughout the history of mankind. Some of these options will complement your God-given natures. Others will chip away at it. Some things will make you strong. Others will make you hard. Some will increase your spiritual sensitivity. Others will separate you from the Spirit.'

I want to keep this vision and I hope that I can live up to all the wondrous and eternal blessings that our Heavenly Father has in store for His righteous daughters, for they truly are limitless. I have learned so much about the amazing gifts that He promises to His daughters through the temple and His prophets. We are not second-class citizens in male-dominated hierarchy but sacred, precious heirs to His glory in partnership with His righteous sons. He has given us special gifts and talents to uplift and serve the world, to make it a better place in ways that only women can. And He needs us to do so!

I know, with all my heart and soul, that I am a daughter of the most powerful being in the universe, the God of all things. It is humbling to me that such a being wants me to call him 'Father,' and loves me more than I can comprehend, but it is true. God loves His daughters and desires all the best He has for them.

april showers bring clean cars

today I am very pleased and grateful that the rain has washed my car of the pollen that pervades nova with a thick yellow layer of dust. the last weekend my car got a very good thorough washing...and it was already yellow by the middle of last week. my car is shiny black not yellow! so I begrudgingly paid the $20 on saturday to wash her again in an effort to save her paint and my sanity. but pollen never sleeps and had already began its slow but steady scatter over everything. then came the rains.... and now the car is squeaky clean once again :)

I am also grateful for the rain because it means that we do not have to worry about water shortages or drought here....not that this is ever an issue in the wet mid Atlantic. but having grown up in much drier climes, and having travelled to and read of countries where water is in very short supply, I feel blessed to live in an area of water abundance. never complain when it rains, you never know who is fearfully praying for it!
plus it makes every living thing glow a bright neon green and makes the land seem to burst with life and beauty.
saturday was the most gorgeous day this year so I biked down the mount Vernon trail and almost died over the perfectness that surrounded me as I followed the banks of the Potomac. the water was shinning in the sun, green and turquoise. trees were full with young leaves. flowers popped up here and there in the wild brush or hung down from vines that climbed high limbs. I live in the most beautiful place! you could even smell the lilac from the trail. heaven.

I am also happy today that I am sore....I know what you're thinking: I'm crazy. but if I'm sore it means that my body works! it means that I am able to move, run, bike, dance, and do my kicks/push ups/sit-ups/lunges/planks. it means that new muscle is being formed and tomorrow ill be able to use that muscle (if it's not hurting still). it means the miracle of the human body continues. I love my body!(of course sometimes it plagues me with pain and illness because it is not perfect...yet! but still is amazing)

the celebrating continues today with color. how wonderful is color? could you imagine a world/life without colors? ----sometimes I see it in the clothing and decor of my fellow government workers,... haha(...i laugh but it is so true) I love that spring means the return of bright colors into all aspects of life. (even tho not everyone gets the memo :) ) my challenge to everyone: bring more color into your life! wear a yellow shirt or change your sheets to bright blue or...wear an entire outfit that has no black in it. gasp! you'll be glad you did I promise. :)

random gratitude:
thank goodness for big black security men who pray
thanks to the metro drivers for being super chipper of late and making me smile during my commute
thank all the powers that be that I have a secure job which I can reliably count on to pay me twice a month
thank goodness that the job is not super stressful on days like today when I have no energy whatsoever :)

miracles and blessings

things I am so happy about/grateful for today:

ballet flats....adorable, office appropriate and very comfy what more could you ask for?
apples...and eating the whole thing-skin and all, my mom would be so proud
daily walks on the mall during lunch
sunshine!! spring has returned to the mid Atlantic coast today after a brief hiatus during which we renewed our acquaintance with winter
the Book of Mormon...I read 8 verses of a chapter in 3 nephi and gain more insight and joy in my day than a whole website full motivational quotes. best. book. ever.
talking with mom for 1.5 hours last night
talking with sister for 2 hours the night before
ponytails that somehow turn a late morning into a cute hair day
self motivation....sometimes when I feel overwhelmed by the craziness of my life I tell myself things like: I can do hard things, or sing "He will feed those who trust Him, and guide them with His eye" ...and if those don't work I pray. a lot. but somehow I always feel less stressed and like I can take on the world again.
laughing....at myself when I do things like tweak my back again. haha

and of course I'm always very grateful to know that things work out. they always have and always will. even if I have no idea how I'm going to get everything done or pay all my bills or have the energy to last the day, I always make it. Heavenly Father gives me miracles every day. and I know it's all Him since I'm still human and imperfect. Amazing isn't it?

changing something every day

this week I have been reflecting on how much stuff I have and my own materialism. I never have thought I was very materialistic, then I went to South Africa and lived out of a suitcase for 3 weeks and wore the same clothes over and over for those 3 weeks. and you know what? I actually didn't mind it nearly as much as I thought I would. I actually liked the simplicity that it afforded. it's amazing how simple your morning gets and how quickly you can get ready when you only have like 3 outfits to choose from. similarly the people in Africa have nothing compared to us in America and yet are just as, if not maybe more, happy. take this photo for example- this girl from Zambia was asked to show her favorite toy, she said she just likes playing with her friends outside so this is the picture that came out:

isn't she adorable?! and so incredibly happy! I love it. so my goal is to be like this girl - extremely happy with anything and everything I have, and not worry about having the latest fashion or technology.

also- I have the best mom ever! she sends me chocolate, and not just chocolate, but mint with chocolate whenever possible because knows how much I LOVE mint and chocolate together. I am so grateful for my awesome mom.

quirky South Africa

the toilets spew water up to flush
parking lots have big umbrella like coverings to shield cars from the sun...I had never seen this before and asked someone why this is-the response was because the sun is so hot...I laughed a bit to myself, thinking how much hotter the sun is in Cali and Utah...they don't get much extreme weather here
people here have no concept of privacy or boundaries
they eat so proper. I feel like a barbarian sometimes when I'm eating
along with the proper eating is drinking wine all the time...I now very much dislike even the faintest smell of alcohol
they don't believe in deodorant...everyone should believe in deodorant in the summer, don't you think?

CAPE TOWN

both Friday and Monday were public holidays here in South Africa, so what did I do? I took a short plane ride down to Cape Town. And I absolutely LOVE Cape Town. I mean, it's a gorgeous, lively, diverse city on the coast with a year-round Mediterranean climate...of course I loved it. It was like a Eastern hemisphere version of LA. which meant more Muslims, more Dutch and German influence, less Asians, no Latinos, and throw in the African part of course. haha. but it did boast many palm trees, beaches, piers, open air markets, colorful houses, laid back attitude and balmy sunshine just like Cali, oh yeah...and GREAT shopping. :)

The most prominent and distinctive feature of Cape Town is Table Mountain. Capetonians, as they are called, are extremely proud of this landmark. It was on my must do list, but unfortunately the weather did not cooperate. From the moment I touched down in Cape Town on Friday night there was this fierce wind thrashing everything in the city. It seriously woke me up every hour or so while I slept. It was insane and I didn't really understand what it really was. I thought that, like in LA which has similar strong winds from the ocean, it would subside in the morning and all would dawn clear and peaceful. I was so mistaken....

Table Mountain covered by the "tablecloth"

V&A Waterfront

  I stayed in this adorable B&B owned by a couple, Leah and Shane. The little 3-story home has 5 rooms and I occupied the attic room, which was small but just perfectly cozy for me. The house was built in 1909 and was painted bright coral, and all the rooms had been painted other bright colors- my little room was a perfectly pale, yet cheery yellow. It was fantastic with single-paned windows and a skylight. Leah and Shane were the best hosts and served breakfast every morning in their garden...can someone say paradise? yep.

My hair taking over my face from the wind

So anyhow, back to the wind...this extremely old, but cute, house swayed a bit in the wind I swear. I seriously thought it was going to topple everything over in the night. I thought this was a very rare and strange occurrence  a wind this crazy that lasted all through the night and was still going in the morning...nope. It happens ALL the time there. In fact, it continued through the entire day on Saturday. for 24 hours straight. No clouds, no crazy storm. Just insane wind. I cheerfully and playfully put up with it for the first few hours, finding humor in its strength. But by the end of the day, after being thrashed by its force and whipping my hair in my face all day, I was tired of it.

Castle of Good Hope

I was planning on going up Table Mountain, the have a cable car that takes you all the way to the top. But the crazy weather closed the mountain. Yes they closed the entire mountain (the whole thing is a national park) because of the wind and the large flat cloud that covered the top of the mountain due to the wind. So I adjusted my plans and instead took an open-top bus tour through the city. My first stop was the Castle of Good Hope. Really its just the first fortress built in South Africa by the Dutch, but they call it a castle and really like calling it a castle. haha. I then stopped through Green Market, which is an open air craft and artisan market. had some fun there haggling with the locals over teak wood bowls and hand dyed tablecloths. (pet peeve from this experience: I understand that people see America as a place of wealth and opportunity and I am grateful to have been born in the US, but just cuz I am American does not mean I am rich! I may make more on a daily basis than the majority of the people who live here, but it is also more expensive to live where I live. But people hear my accent and automatically assume I am made of money and take advantage of that stereotype. so I even adopted a South African accent at the market and told everyone I came from Pretoria. seriously it was better. not going to lie, I'm a bit tired of people taking advantage of me cuz I am American. the end of my rant)

Camps Bay

After collecting the rest of my South African souvenirs at the market, we traveled to Camps Bay, where I braved the fierce wind to lunch on fish and chips overlooking the beach. It was gorgeous and perfect...deceptively so as the wind whipped all around me once I ventured out in the open.
Of course no seaside city is complete without a lighthouse! I gleefully spent quite some time at the Green Point lighthouse. :) And ..... finished my day doing what else when I can't go outside in a great city? shopping on the Victoria and Alfred waterfront.

I was very relieved to wake up the next morning to a brilliant sun and crystal clear skies...but it didn't last long. A couple hours after leaving the Lodge the clouds rolled in and the temperature dropped. Oh well, I thought, it can't be completely perfect right? :)
I started the day weaving around Table Mountain to the Kirstenbosch botanical gardens. It looked like I was in a tropical jungle. The mountain actually has its own biome. bottom line: beautiful.
The route followed a valley behind the mountain where we passed by a shack township and bird sanctuary before ending at Hout Bay. The water was a pretty blue-green with white sand lining the half-circle coastline. I then returned to Sea Point and soaked in the sea breeze at the causeway. I was in heaven.

Hout Bay

And thus ended my wonderful weekend in Cape Town.