Another Week...

It's been another pretty uneventful week.  Things are going well and life continues to move on, more quickly than I would like.

Since there isn't much to say about this week, I think I'll do more random thoughts.

-I love flowers.  Love them.  I love calla lilies the most, then hydrangeas and roses, and I also like stargazer lilies -- they're gorgeous.  I had stargazer lilies in my bridal bouquet.  What I didn't realize is that they smell terrible.  And that their pollen is sticky and stains clothing.  I learned that lesson a few years later.  A co-worker received flowers at work this week from her husband -- a gorgeous bouquet of red roses and stargazer lilies.  After two days, her cubemates asked her to get rid of the lilies because they smelled so bad.  She went all through the office trying to give them away but the smell was too strong.  They ended up in the trash.  As with most things, it's the thought that counts.

-Alyssa has been feeling like she'll end up going to South America or Latin America on her mission.  I just want her to go somewhere safe, clean, and with all modern conveniences.  And no large bugs, natural disasters, or criminals.  Yeah, somewhere like that.  Again, I've been feeling strongly that this mission is something she needs to prepare her to be the woman Heavenly Father wants and needs her to be and that He knows she will become.  It is a humbling thought.  I wonder constantly now if we did enough to teach her and prepare her for this adventure.  I fear the answer is no, and I've been thinking about what we need to do differently (and start doing) so that Brie will be prepared in the event that she also decides to go on a mission.

-I taught Relief Society today and, as usual, I got through maybe one-third of the material I had prepared.  But the sisters contributed so many wonderful experiences, thoughts, and comments, that I feel like it's ok that I only got through a small part of the lesson.  It was interesting that the Sunday School lesson today was so closely tied in to the Relief Society lesson.  Coincidence?  I think not.  And what was also interesting is that both lessons related to a subject I've been pondering a lot lately -- receiving personal inspiration and studying the gospel.  Again...not a coincidence.

-I love long weekends.  This is a four-day weekend for me.  Happiness!  Haircut done, visiting teaching done, some laundry done, some grocery shopping done, dinner out with my husband (dare we call it an actual date?), some French coursework done, and some relaxing done. 

-I had a brief but heartfelt exchange of messages with one of my cousins today.  Her Dad acted on a prompting many years ago and ended up being exactly where I needed him to be at a very important moment -- he truly was an answer to my prayers.  Coincidence that he showed up when and where he did at the precise moment I needed him?  I think not.  I shared that experience with my cousin and she shared some of her currently struggles and frustrations with me.  I hope I was able to help her know that, while I haven't been through the same thing she is going through, I have been through something similar enough that I have great empathy for her.  I come from a large family with lots of cousins and I don't know them as well as I would like to.  But I am grateful for them all the same.

-I need to get to the temple.