Vacation - Part III

Thanks, Heather, for posting your little summary on your LJ--I'd almost forgotten the order of what happened the rest of the weekend.

Friday evening, after Heather got up, we went back to the mall. First, we went to JCPenney, where I got four sets of pajamas and two sets of long underwear. I also bought a set of pajamas for Heather.

After that, Heather bought us both pretzels and lemonade at Auntie Anne's, and we went to Zales, so that Heather could get the bi-annual cleaning done for her ring. While she was doing that, I bought a new pair of ruby studs with starter posts, since one of my original studs had gotten lost when one of my sisters borrowed them. I also bought a pair for Heather with the gem she wanted.

We went back to the pet store to coo over the puppies again--that husky was just so pretty--before we went back to her place again to watch the rest of Haibane Renmei. Then, we went to McDonald's to get some dinner, after Stephen got home from work later than usual due to a meeting.

Saturday, we went to the Cheesecake Factory for a late lunch/early dinner before Stephen went to work, and then Heather and I talked while I packed. We then went to Wal-Mart, because I needed a box to put my stuffed animals in from the fair--they wouldn't fit in my suitcase. I also bought a bunch of souvenirs, some bubble wrap, and packing tape.

After packing up the souvenirs and the stuffed animals securely in the box and putting my name and address on it in sharpie, I used Heather's computer to schedule a UPS pick-up for this afternoon. I'll get the box by next Monday at the latest.

Heather and I then went on the League of Women Voters website so that I could show her how to research the different candidates for the election and make an informed decision when she votes. We also decided which presidential candidate's ideas we liked the best, though it was kind of a tie. I can't remember whether we'd decided we liked Nader or Obama more though--we definitely didn't like McCain as much.

We were both reluctant to go to sleep, but around 12:30 I decided I'd better sleep. I woke up at 8am and got dressed, putting the last of my stuff in my luggage and carry-on before taking them both out to the car after I ate. Then I waited for Heather and Stephen to get up.

At nine, we headed to the airport. I followed Stephen and Heather in the car I'd rented, and once I returned it, they drove me to the terminal and walked in with me as far as the security gate.

The first flight was uneventful, except for the fact that we arrived in Atlanta early. Even then, I barely had time to use the restroom and get some food before boarding my next flight. I managed to finish my burger, but I was halfway through my chips (and hadn't even started on my cheesecake) before they announced they were ready to board.

I finished my dinner on the plane to Baltimore, and that flight landed early as well. I had a headache after that flight, since I hadn't bothered to chew any gum during takeoff and landing, like I did for the first flight.

Anna and Kayla met me outside security, and we went home in Anna's car. I un-packed my luggage, and had planned on balancing my checkbook and paying my bills, but I just wanted to lay down so the Excedrin would kick in, so I'm saving that for this evening.

I couldn't get to sleep until around four this morning. I took an Excedrin when I got home, but it wasn't enough, since my head was still hurting more than two hours later. So I took another one at that point. It didn't kick in until around two, but then the medicine head kept me up until at least four. I hate my head sometimes.

A Great Weekend

Yesterday started out pretty slow, but it got better.

I woke up around 10:10, took a shower, then watched Avatar: The Last Airbender (2 episodes every Saturday morning on Nickelodeon from 11 am-12 noon!). About 10 minutes before the second episode was over, Jason (my brother) called to see if I would be willing to take him to the library. I said sure, I'd be there after the show was over.

We went to the library, and Jason couldn't find the book he was really looking for, but he checked out a different book instead. We tried to get him a new library card (he keeps losing his), but they require either a school ID or a report card to show that he is who he says he is. And Jason's also lost his school ID. He used my library card to check out the book.

After that, Jason and I went to McDonald's for lunch. He still had a gift card from Christmas, so he treated me to lunch yesterday, and considering he's not yet 12, that was pretty cool.

Jason finally got to see my new place yesterday. We ate our lunches here in the kitchen, then I gave him the full tour of the place. He thought it was pretty neat.

A little while later, Anna and I went over to Patrick J.'s house to meet everybody (Kayla, Jason O., Devon, Kendra, Patrick J., & Cassie) to go hang out. Cassie took a wrong turn when she was trying to get to Patrick's house, so we just met her and Kayla in the church parking lot.

We went to the good theater to see Wild Hogs. It was HILARIOUS.

After that, we decided to go to Jason's house, where he'd order pizza--Anna was hungry.

When we got there (Anna, Cassie, Kayla and I all got there before Jason and the others), Brother and Sister O. were watching Monster-in-Law with another lady, so we all decided to watch it with them. That was an awesome movie.

Then we all talked for a while while we decided what to watch next. Finally, we decided on The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which was actually the first one anyone suggested. It was okay--not good enough to be one of my favorites, but not bad either.

After League, we all decided to go home. There was a pretty thick fog, so Anna drove slowly until we got back to Liberty Rd. She finally dropped me off around 1 am-ish.

After that, I got ready for bed and went to sleep--I didn't even do any reading or turn the TV on sleep like I usually do. I was exhausted.

This morning, Sister G. called me at 7:45 (half an hour before I had to get up!!!) to ask me to let Jen C. know about something that she was doing this morning. I knocked on Jen's door, but it sounded like she was in the shower, so I slipped a note under her bedroom door and then went back to sleep until 8:15 when I had to get up and get ready for church.

My left knee had been bugging me off and on yesterday, so I put on my knee brace this morning too. It started to feel better somewhere between Relief Society and choir practice, but I'm not sure exactly where. Just a few minutes ago, I took the brace off because it was starting to chafe, but then I had to answer the door and go up and down the stairs to see if one of the Jens were here, 'cause that's who the person at the door was asking for.

Yes, I actually went to choir practice today. My allergies and throat were actually cooperating today, so I figured I'd better take the opportunity to do some singing. We practiced "All Glory, Laud and Honor" for the Easter sacrament meeting coming up, and then we started on another hymn--I can't remember the name of it, but it's fun because there are a lot of eighth note-double sixteenth note combinations, so it kind of sounds like mini trills.

Dad was at my ward this morning, and he asked after the third hour if I wanted a ride to his house, but I told him I was staying for choir and I had stuff to do at home (like get lunch) first. He added that if I drove myself, I wouldn't have to get someone there to drive me back home afterward, and I said that yeah, that's probably a good thing too. According to Dad (and he would know, since he's the main cook of the family) we're having lasagna. YUM!

Scriptures/quotes from this week:

3 Nephi - The Savior's visit to the Nephites
Moroni 10
1 Nephi 19:9

In Sunday School, we went over the last half of the Sermon on the Mount, and we found things in Matthew chapters 6 & 7 that true disciples should and shouldn't do.

The Relief Society lesson today was about Elder Bednar's talk from the October 2006 General Conference called "And Nothing Shall Offend Them." Here are some good paraphrases from the lesson:

To be offended is a choice we make. It is not something afflicted on us by others. We can't blame the other person just because we took offense to something they did or said.

Try not only to not be offended, but also try to be careful not to offend others.

If a snake bites you, you have two choices:

1. You can curse the snake, yell at it, abuse it, or any amount of other things done or said in anger at the snake's action.
2. You can go immediately to get help to get the poisonous venom out of you before it kills you.

So it is with being offended. You can choose either to be angry and take offense to something someone says or does to you, or you can take a moment to think on the situation and do your best to get the poisonous feeling of anger out of you as soon as possible.

One of the sisters said that she tries to see the other person the way the savior sees him or her. Often, the other person doesn't realize that what they've said could be taken as offensive, so looking at it from the other person's point of view may help to keep you from taking offense as well.

And now, for my favorite quote of the day:

And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?
~ Alma 5:26