Super Random...

So, I have really weird dreams. Often, the kind of dreams that are so weird that I wake up with huge relief. Luckily, I don't put much stock in dreams being a reflection of real life, or I would be one messed up lady.
Last night, I had a dream that I was dating someone. Who would that person be, you ask? I will tell you, and my hometown girls may know this name. The man in my dream was none other than the boy I "went with" for, like, a day, in 7th grade, Mark Robilliard.

I'm sorry, WHAT?!

Huge relief. Seriously.

Still There...

I just wanted to share that there is still a gaping hole in my ceiling. REALLY?!

A Few Randoms....

I went to New York City a few weeks ago, and had a total party. This is me and Jenny Lattimer, my fabulous friend. Please forgive all the pics in this post- they are all from my phone. But this was us at Don't Tell Mama's, a piano bar we went to. Originally we went to a separate room for some comedy show- it was painfully bad, and offensive, so we walked out after the first act. I am pretty sure that waitress hated us. But I don't care. The piano bar part was really fun; I love listening to live music! There were, however, some very nice middle-aged women at the table next to us. One of them, as she got more and more inebriated, kept pouting and trying to get us to sing, since it was open mic. I may have wanted to punch her, by the time we left. Maybe. We laughed so hard all weekend. I love that girl.

We also had a singing party with all my friends who are still in the City- it was so fun to sing with my old friends again! I know such talented people...I have not laughed like that for a long time; I may have cried a few times.

This is my cat Jack. I love him. He is pretty naughty. Always playing with our blinds, and scratching on our couches. We have tried spray bottles, and now we just shut him up in the pantry, like a time-out when he is bad. We are such good parents.
Jack has yellow eyes that show up green in pictures. He looks a little like a demon cat. This bag is his favorite toy.

Jack, I am sure, is looking at something very interesting.

Finally, it snowed this weekend! Quite a lot, apparently, for this area. This is the view out our bedroom window. It was so pretty, it made me happy.

Ok, I decided I am not quite done, sorry. When I was in Texas over New Years, I went shopping with my mom, my sis Carolynn, and my niece Amy. We had so much fun! I sure love that little Amy. She is 11, super cute and smart, and I am really looking forward to seeing the great things she does in her life.

Amy's little sister Kathryn is a little bit hysterical to me. She got hold of one of the drums my parents brought back from Ghana, supposedly for my nephews Caden and Gavin. However, on New Years Eve, that sucker was all hers. She is even holding it correctly, with the rope over her shoulder. She knows what's up, and she will let you know she knows. I died many times that night just watching.

Well, now I guess I am done. Again, please excuse the poor quality in pictures. My desktop computer is still on the fritz, and that is the only computer my camera will upload to. Boo.

Rain, Rain...

When I left Las Vegas, I was so rain-starved I swore I would never complain about the rain. Ever. I still won't do that. But I just have to say, it would be nice if the rain stopped for long enough that my roof would dry and someone would come fix the still-gaping hole in my ceiling. It would be nice.

There is a play called "Absent Friends."

And I am one of them. It is true. I have not posted for a long time. Our desktop computer is down, so I can't really even post any pictures. Sorry.

Life has not been too exciting lately, so I will just give a quick run down of the holidays, now that it is the middle of January.

Thanksgiving was wonderful. Cristian and I went to the Charlotte, NC area and spent the day with the Cheney family and all their glory, and also my brother Dave and his family. It is always great to be with Dave and Becca, but it was so fun to see old friends again after so many years. We were welcomed and taken care of. Cristian was a really good sport about all the reminiscing going on with the Cheneys. I swear, they remembered things I did that I don't remember. Maybe that is a good thing.
We also helped Dave and Becca pick out a Christmas tree the next day, and that was so fun. Then Becca, Nellie and I saw "New Moon." I am admitting right now that I am a fan of the books, though I have only read them once. I am not a repeat reader. I enjoy the movies for what they are, so it was really fun. It was a great weekend.

For Christmas, Presbyterian College completely shut down for 2 weeks. That's right. I got 2 weeks paid Christmas vacation. It was truly a Christmas miracle. The first week Cristian and I just hung out; we made cookies for a few people and went to Greenville to the Festival of Trees downtown. We spent our first Christmas without any family nearby. We just stayed home, the two of us. It was a very nice, relaxing day, complete with a yummy ham dinner and a viewing of "Star Trek" that C got from my brother Gary and his family. What a great gift.

The next day, my Mom's birthday, C took off to Florida for a stage combat workshop. At the same time, I took off to Texas to see my oldest sibs and their families, and my parents, who were also there for the holidays. They just returned from their mission in Ghana in November, so this was the first time I saw Mom and Dad since coming home. It was so fun! I love my family. I took a few pictures with my phone, but I don't know how to upload to a computer from my phone, so I don't have anything to show for it. But I had a great time. Some of the highlights- sitting in on my sister-in-law Melissa's Sunday School class, (she was awesome), shopping with my mom, my sis Carolynn, and my niece Amy. Amy and I walked around this accessories store doing running commentaries on all the jewelry. It was great. Love that girl. Loved going to the temple with my parents and Carolynn, then meeting Tim for lunch afterward. Seeing Pat and Jerry, Cristian's parents, and of course his brother Brett and sister-in-law Lisa. I love the family I married into. I am lucky. Talking to Melissa, anytime. Talking about BYU with Jen, my niece who is the cutest Freshman you have ever seen. Doing a puzzle with my dad and Caden and Tristan. Watching Gavin, Caden, then little Kathrine play the drums Mom and Dad had brought back for the boys. Seeing Allison and Jen with their friends. Celebrating NYE with all, eating fondue and other yummy treats until I thought I would die, doing a count down at 9:20pm, then being in bed by 11pm. Happy New Year.
I flew back into Charlotte and spent the night with Dave and Becca before coming home. I love talking to them, and we stayed up late doing that. My favorite quote of the whole trip actually came from Emily on the way to their house after Dave picked me up from the airport. She said, "Aunt Nicole?" What, Baby? "When we get home, I want to show you my moves." Awesome. She is a funny little 5-year old. Of course, her current favorite song to dance to is "Dead Man's Party" from Oingo Boingo. Then Caleb got into it by doing his head stands while Emily rolled and shook and writhed around him. How much do I love this family? So much.

It was a great trip, but I was ready to come home. Life marches on, somehow.

I am optimistic about 2010. I have no idea what it will bring. But I am optimistic. Cristian and I are lucky- we both have jobs, we live in a great little town that we love, we have a great ward, and callings with the youth. Even though I am sitting in my apartment (which is another blessing) listening to water drip through a hole in our ceiling into the cooler that C placed underneath, I know life is good. Water drip or no.

Miracles

My wonderful college friend Eldon lost his wife Heather this morning to breast cancer. I have no words to describe the sorrow I feel for him, and I only met her once. But she was the love of his life. She battled for a year, always full of faith and hope and perseverance.

Last Saturday, Eldon knew she needed a miracle. So he put on their website that he would fast and pray on Sunday for one; sort of a last-ditch effort for healing, then maybe on to trying to accept whatever may come. So I, and many people who love them, fasted with him for that miracle. It was a great experience, feeling close in spirit to so many for the same purpose.

Monday morning I received word that Eldon and Heather (in one of her less-frequent lucid moments) knelt in prayer together to ask for a miracle. They both felt very strongly it would come, and therefore, just asked us to pray that her healing would come quickly so she could raise her three small children. I was so happy I cried, and prayed my thanks.

All week I waited and wondered what was happening, how she was doing. There was one message this week indicating she was slipping. This afternoon I received the email-notification that a journal entry had come in. I quickly opened it to find the message that she had passed this morning. Again, I cried. I cried for my friend. I cried for his sweet children. I wish for nothing more at this moment than to fly to Colorado and just be there.

I grieve tonight for a loving wife, mother, sister, daughter. Heather is healed; she is whole. But that is small consolation to a grieving husband and children. So I will ask for another miracle- for the healing of a family.

In Homage to my Favorite New Show:

For those of you who watch "The Office:"

PARKOUR!


For those of you who don't, and even those who want to feel the joy again, please, PLEASE watch the clip in the post below. Seriously.