Not coincidence

Some things happen and you know they cannot be coincidence.
Like last night Dan and I decided to check out a great lot for my clients and we ran into this neat neat lady named Lori. She introduced herself to us and we talked for quite a while. She offered that we could talk to her if we needed anything.
Then my clients (shannon and cory) came in this morning and she liked one home and he liked the other and they look very very similar on paper. So we have to find a model of each; but we only have a model of one of them.
So we walked by to look at a lot they may be interested in and once again, Lori's outside her home. She let them see her home (which is very important in purchasing a home by the way). It was beautifully decorated and nearly immaculate though she has 6 children! She gave them a much much better tour than I could have showing them how to move the island 2 feet and how to make your kitchen look bigger and how to finish the basement walls with arches and eliminate a hallway and how to create inexpensive storage and coat hangers. She was perfect! They connected with her so well! It was a God-given blessing to make them feel like they would fit into the community and love that home!
I am so grateful the Lord looks out for us in teeny ways that show us He cares.
What a glorious day!

My sister, Amy

Amy is cool.
I love her artsy side.
She is a better artist than me but no one knows she draws.
I love this picture but you have to see it at her blog because I don't have a copy.
I love the gorgeous green eyes! And the angle. And how everything's flipped.

I decided I think she would be an awesome "Blink" music producer (by the way, if you haven't read Blink it's a really cool book -- you should read it!). She sees talent where most don't recognize it. And she does so instantly.

An ENTERTAINING evening all around!

Tonight we came home from work and have had one of my most enjoyable evenings in quite a long time. It has been filled with laughter and spiritual moments as well as surprises!

I heard the music of a long-lost friend from freshman year in college, Caleb Blood.
I love his music because it is a mix of Regina Spector, Jack Johnson, Owl City, TJ McCloud, Katie Dellenbach, and Dillon Brown.
It has a lot of variety, catchy melodies, and charming words.

He's posted the entire tracks on youtube

NEXT...

I randomly ran into Owl City (Adam Young's) blog.
And I spent about 2 hours reading it.
He has a lot of charisma and is athletic -- he told an embarrassing football story that made us laugh out loud SO hard!


I found my favorite new poem:

I saw the autumn leaves peel up off the street, take wing on the balmy breeze and sweep you off your feet. You blushed as they scooped you up on sugar maple wings, to gaze down on the city below, ablaze with wondrous things.
Downy feathers kiss your face and flutter everywhere. Reality is a lovely place but I wouldn’t want to live there.
Weighed down by heavy lids and lunar lullabies, I knew you were wide awake because you smile with your eyes.
Downy feathers kiss your face and flutter everywhere. Reality is a lovely place but I wouldn’t want to live there.
From the green belt balcony, the wildfires look so pretty. Ponderosa canopy, I’d never leave if it were up to me. To the ruby redwood tree, and to the velvet climbing ivy: painted all mahogany, I’d never leave if it were up to me.
With a starry brush, paint the dusk venetian blue, because in the evening hush, you’ll never believe the view. And when the leaves return and their whisperings fill the night, they’ll freeze and burn where fire and ice collide.
Can you feel a silk embrace in the satin air? If we dissolve without a trace, will the real world even care? Downy feathers kiss your face and flutter everywhere. Reality is a lovely place but I wouldn’t want to live there.
The twilight deepens and the city is suddenly ablaze with shimmery enchantment. It’s getting dark but you’re still chasing rainbows and I’m rearranging lobby chairs on the hotel patio. Across the avenue, the garden carpet peels up and sweeps you off your feet, swinging you out over the edge of the veranda balcony, swirling and twirling you through the eventide. I look up and try not to smile because I rather admire you.
I guess I just want to say that if you ever need someone to keep you company, I’ll be right here.

I am so impressed in his willingness and eagerness to express his faith in his Savior Jesus Christ.
I really admire it.

I love his description of the world and how sometimes the ghosts in haunted houses silently long for daisies to spring up and the darkness to push away and how this is how he feels in the world; how he wants the Lord to be a part of his life and how he longs for his sins to be taken away.

I also love that he clings to everything uplifting and beautiful and harmonious.
He longs to express the music he hears in his head, just like Dillon does. That is such a gift; an unbelievable gift!

He has built up his fame and is using it to convert the world to Christ. Our favorite song of his is MY HOPE IS FOUND
He is deeply DEEPLY religious. "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ" describes him well. Sometimes -- ALWAYS -- I think the gospel should be more prominent in our lives. My Christian friends did a much better job of saying they received everything because of the Lord and voicing that to everyone they knew. I am inspired to be a better missionary when I read his blog.


THEN...
We ran into Adam Young (Owl City's) song for Taylor Swift and her song to him. And we of course had to investigate (Dan being Dan who checks facts and wants to get to the bottom of every story).

AND FINALLY!!!
The surprise!!!
A girl from my work, Allison, calls me about 11 pm. I hear loud noises and friends in the background and I knew she was partying. I expected her to ask me to come pick her up or something.
But she just says "Cutie, how's it going? No really, how's it going? Life is crazy..." and a few other indiscernible things that aren't too meaningful. And then hangs up.
SHE WAS TOTALLY DRUNK!
So, do I tease her about it on Monday at our meeting? I'm pretty darn sure she won't remember a thing from tonight...

Danny works with me!!!

Danny works with me! I love it! We get to spend all day together --- driving in the car together, eating, talking to clients etc. It is AMAZING.
Somehow I knew we would end up working together because I love business just as much as he did but I never thought it would be possible this summer!
AND
HE GETS PAID!
It's such a sweet deal!

Two days ago I asked my manager what he was looking for in a new employee and he said "a mirror of you." I told him I had one and he hired Dan before even meeting him.
We all met together the next morning and got along SO well!
He offered Danny a position as a Sales Consultant (which is commission) OR to be the Sales and Marketing Coordinator (which is salary) --- whichever he chooses. And he's even allowed to do both!

We get to go to meetings in SLC and weekly sales meetings together, which is so fun because I have told him about all my co-workers and the hilarity that goes on at our sales meetings each week.
I am so excited!

Yay!
Yay!
Yay!

The Lord knows better than we do -- he set us up in a position to succeed so much better than we ever could on our own. Remember last week how my scripture study was about the future and having faith in the future and Dan's future job and that it would work out? I remember reading how the Lord would pour out the blessings of heaven upon us AND HE HAS!

I challenge you to TRY IT YOURSELF this next week. 
Read your scriptures with a question in mind and the Lord will answer your question through the words of living prophets (or the Bible if you aren't LDS). Then watch to see His promises fulfilled and blessings poured out upon you. I PROMISE YOU IT WILL HAPPEN. He is there and will hear and answer your prayers!

Work

Danny and I now work together. It's super awesome!
One of my favorite moments at work was this morning but I have to give a little intro...
A lady walked into the model home yesterday wanting to rent a home. I mentioned building and we started talking a million miles a minute about how the Hampton plan was our very favorite dream plan. It was full of excitement and we swiftly ran through the model home and she was off in 10 minutes to return with her husband today.

We met Cory this morning. He is just like Dan -- super great business man, smart, lives life for fun and adventure, and is very analytical. He is controlled in his emotions, yet has opinions.
Of course, Shannon and I squealed and delighted in house plans once again, talking about the great bargains and bonuses -- occasionally misquoting square footage or rounding sq ft very generously.
It was so cute because each of our husbands would quietly and politely correct us to the exact amount or square footage.
We were just 2 peas in a pod x 2
And it was one of my favorite moments of work

P.S. they'll get us the bikes we've been anxiously awaiting FOR FREE because he owns 5 canyon sports shops!!!

I love them! 

Stroking his eyelashes...

I grind my teeth most nights (lately) and last night I woke up because Dan was talking quietly and laughing to himself (but it was all in whispers). I looked over at him to see if he was awake --- and found him stroking his eyelashes between his thumb and pointer finger. 

Note. He did not do this slowly -- it was a very rapid rubbing. FAST back and forth and he changed positions and fingers.

He doesn't remember doing it but I told him about the experience and whenever I mention it he still bursts out laughing. Believe me, I've remembered like 6 times today :)

To Fly with Danny!

Elder Uchtdorf April 2011 General Conference

“There were also a few who seemed to be merely going through the motions. They had mastered the systems and the handling of the jets, but somewhere along the way they had lost the joy of flying “where never lark, or even eagle flew.” ¹⁶ They had lost their sense of awe at a glowing sunrise, at the beauties of God’s creations as they crossed oceans and continents. If they met the official requirements, I certified them, but at the same time I felt sorry for them.”

Danny is the most fun person to fly with! He has such a great enthusiasm It’s as if he could look down to the ground pointing to the beautiful snow-capped mountains and never grow tired of it! I love that he appreciates the beauty all around him. He knows he’s going where the eagles go and that he’s in the air!

One of his favorite comedy clips says “you are on a chair in the sky!”

I always love reserving the window seats and siting by Danny --- its such a delight to see how he loves flying every time and how he’ll never get tired of the experien

I love music

I have discovered my favorite music station of all! It's Emily Rossum Radio.
It reminds me of rainy days...
and the Kiera Knightley version of Pride and Prejudice.
Try it --- you'll love it!

Just reminds me of oils class...

It reminds me of Sydney Bowman, my oils teacher. She would do these luscious, sumptuous oil paintings in color spectrums like the ones above. 

Stained Glass

I've always been intrigued by stained glass in kind of a love-hate relationship. I think it's neat and a little old fashioned but I've never seen a place I just love it.
I remember a man from Boston who was deaf who came to Shelter Cove, CA where my grandparents have a beach house. He taught us how to do stained glass and I was so fascinated as I watched him.
I knew from that day on that someday I wanted to make something out of stained glass. It didn't mean I had to master the art, but that I wanted to make a piece that was meaningful to me in some way.
I loved traveling Europe and seeing beautiful Rose windows and I also loved the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris -- it had amazing stained glass walls in the high Gothic style when the goal was to nearly erase all structural elements and instead use stained glass.
So I've told Danny I want to make a door with stained glass in our future home.
I finally figured out what I want to do -- it will be BEAUTIFUL! (And yes, probably much beyond my skill level, but what can't you do with Danny at your side?)

via

Happy Day

I am so glad for happy, sunny days. I love running to the gym and seeing the dew on the grass. I love seeing tulips all open and gardens that are thriving – especially with old men working out in those gardens.

I love being in beautiful places and being able to change model homes each day because I get to be in places that remind me of the temple; they are clean and not cluttered but harmonious.

I love Danny so so much! He does everything he can each day to make my life the happiest life in the world. He’s let me take our new Sonata for most of the week and this morning he moved all my stuff into the Sorrento, which was way sweet because there was a lot of stuff! He satisfies my every whim; when I wanted to get Sammy’s shakes last night because I was hungry and on my period and hadn’t eaten basically anything all day, he took me there and loved every second of it. I love memories of guessing each other’s favorite paintings in Sammy’s and driving with the blue lights of our brand new car, listening to fun music that both of us enjoy. I love how he’s always so happy to see me when I get home and that he gives me a hug and kiss and we go sit on the bed and talk; there’s never too much stressful stuff he talks about when I get home but just pure happiness to be with him where I belong.

I love what a hard worker he is and how much he enjoys thinking of business ideas; even when we go to Sammy’s we have an idea of how this could become huge and where it would succeed and how the people in a certain place would receive it. We wondered about the cars all decorated and parked outside of Sammy’s and whether they drove those cars even with flat tires.

I think it’s so funny that he often forgets lunch. Even when he makes it; I feel so badly on days like today when I see his lunch sitting on the counter when I know he wanted it so badly and just forgot. It’s funny because you think boys are always thinking about food; but he’s not always.

He is so hot! I loved seeing him this morning in his favorite blue shirt and tie; his hair fixed and he was just bursting with energy --- ready to go conquer the world!

I love how often he calls me during the day when we’re both at work. I’m glad no one minds when I talk on the phone and that Steven knows that Dan’s completely devoted to me as Steven is to his wife --- so he’s understanding about all the talking when Dan’s at work. It’s funny because the first few months of our marriage we hadn’t been apart longer than to use the bathroom so that’s established a pattern that we just expect to be together every moment we possibly can!

I love how much he encourages me and calls me “star player” and “playmaker” and knows I will succeed. And funny thing, even if I didn’t sign a home for months he’d still think I was succeeding; even if I didn’t work hard, he’d know I was succeeding in something else. How fantastic a life I have; how fantastic a love.

I LOVE YOU DANNNY!!!

P.S. this is part of a new thing I'm TRYING to do each day called a feelings journal. You just write whatever you're thinking about. Part of it is to record your happy moments but also if it's something you're worried about, you just write about it until you have nothing left to write and then burn it -- so you don't spend time agonizing about it.

Hawaii

Here is a record of all the fun we had in Hawaii. I was amazed because I imagined Hawaii being Oahu (developments) and then hotels and beaches. It was amazing how many natural wildlife areas there were and how there were little shacks.
We saw huge slugs and cockroaches...and a lizard's wriggling tail after it had fallen off! I've always thought that would be quite a sight!
We enjoyed restful sleep and days full of excitement --- riding the waves.
I especially loved reading The Slight Edge, a book about how to implement your goals and how to structure your life.
I am so so happy I didn't get burned. I thought the first day it would surely happen but I put tons of sunscreen on and would even sit on the beach wrapped up in towels...but there will be no skin cancer here!
Here is a record of all the fun we had in Hawaii. I was amazed because I imagined Hawaii being Oahu (developments) and then hotels and beaches. It was amazing how many natural wildlife areas there were and how there were little shacks.
We saw huge slugs and cockroaches...and a lizard's wriggling tail after it had fallen off! I've always thought that would be quite a sight!
We enjoyed restful sleep and days full of excitement --- riding the waves.
I especially loved reading The Slight Edge, a book about how to implement your goals and how to structure your life.
I am so so happy I didn't get burned. I thought the first day it would surely happen but I put tons of sunscreen on and would even sit on the beach wrapped up in towels...but there will be no skin cancer here!
Here's a smilebox my mom made:
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