Creation

I've been thinking about the topic of Creation a lot lately. When people ask me how I'm doing, I frequently respond that I am loving my yard. It may sound boring, but I am really loving being a homeowner right now. I love to walk outside my front patio and admire my pretty plants. I think it is more then admiration for beauty, but a joy that comes from being part of creation. I heard a talk titled "Happiness, Your Heritage" by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf at a General Woman's broadcast in September of 2008. Here are a few quotes from it that sum it up quite nicely. 

"The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before."

"Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty—"

Homemade Three Berry Pie for Easter

 In April finished the third season of the great British baking show and decided to try a rough puff pastry. After three hours of work my yield was very small because that dough is impossible to work with. My instant reaction was complete disappointment. But once I was  eating it I could imagine Mary Berry telling me that the combination of goat cheese and fig jam is spot on and quite delicious, and the pastry has an even bake. But I bet Paul Hollywood would tell me that the lemon-thyme meatball empanadas were ugly and not identical. Here is to trying something new even if I kind of failed. 

Homemade Coconut Cream Pie

"Isn’t it remarkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God? Think about it—your spirit body is a masterpiece, created with a beauty, function, and capacity beyond imagination.

This started out as a 3-4 inch piece given to me by a patient. Not sure what kind it is, but it is suppose to blossom eventually. Still waiting on that. 

transplanted from dad's yard

"But to what end were we created? We were created with the express purpose and potential of experiencing a fulness of joy. Our birthright—and the purpose of our great voyage on this earth—is to seek and experience eternal happiness. One of the ways we find this is by creating things."

Jalapeno plant stripped by rodents! but once the rodents were taken care of, it has grown back. 

Mostly the bugs and birds get the strawberries, but I still like it. 

Spaghetti Squash....

...and it's growing like crazy! 

"If you are a mother, you participate with God in His work of creation—not only by providing physical bodies for your children but also by teaching and nurturing them. If you are not a mother now, the creative talents you develop will prepare you for that day, in this life or the next."

"The bounds of creativity extend far beyond the limits of a canvas or a sheet of paper and do not require a brush, a pen, or the keys of a piano. Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before—colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter."

"President Brigham Young spoke to the Saints of his day. “There is a great work for the Saints to do,” he said. “Progress, and improve upon and make beautiful everything around you. Cultivate the earth, and cultivate your minds. Build cities, adorn your habitations, make gardens, orchards, and vineyards, and render the earth so pleasant that when you look upon your labors you may do so with pleasure, and that angels may delight to come and visit your beautiful locations. In the mean time continually seek to adorn your minds with all the graces of the Spirit of Christ.”

Got this at my house warming, still alive and growing new flowers every few months. "Anthuriums"

Also a house warming present. So glad the fern decided to come back after winter. 

"The more you trust and rely upon the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create. That is your opportunity in this life and your destiny in the life to come. Sisters, trust and rely on the Spirit. As you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness, you improve not only the world around you but also the world within you."

And sometimes you find joy in enjoying other creations... 

I guess you can say I'm a runner now

Somewhere in January I decided I wanted to run a half marathon. The most I had comfortably run at that point was 5-6 miles. I decided to do a 10K first, and keep training for a Half. I ran the Chattahoochee Trail 10K in Atlanta, GA on March 4th, 2017. I mixed that race with visiting my good friends the Elizondo's.  It was 32 degrees when the race started and I hadn't prepared for that. I had one super thin long sleeve shirt and two t-shirts on. I was so cold, but by mile number 2 I didn't notice my hands being frozen anymore. The last mile was downhill. Running downhill after about an hour of running was exhilarating. I mean talk about feeling like Super Woman! Dear Virginia was there to capture the moment and cheer me in. Then her fantastic husband had a delicious brunch ready when we returned, I'll never forget: edamame spaghetti noodles, vegan sausage, and spaghetti sauce with sauteed squash and zucchini. The Elizondo's are some of my most favorite people. 

It was a fabulous stop on my running adventure. 

Pre-Race 

Happiest runner you'll ever see. (blue headband, purple shirt)

Next stop... 1/2 marathon. 

In my training I rewarded my first 8 mile run with the most amazing Torchy's Taco- the Roscoe. a crispy waffle, a fried egg, fried chicken, a slice of bacon with syrup on a flour tortilla. 

I found a small race in San Antonio called the I Ran Marathon April Showers series. It is a weeks worth of races in a Greenbelt near 1604 and I-10. Friday afternoon my mom and I drove down and stayed in a hotel that literally backed up to the trail head and start of the race. 

On Saturday, April 1st, by 6:30am I was up! I had my “Stronger then the boys” shirt, my fancy running socks, my body glide to prevent chaffing, my “Absolutely Brilliant” headband, my play list, salt tablets, and Salted Caramel Gu.  I got all geared up and we headed to the trail head at 7:15am. Our prayers were answered. The night before their was a 50% chance of rain by the start of the race and an 80% chance by 10:00am. Miraculously and hour before the race the rain chances disappeared.  It was about 60 degrees, partly cloudy, and no rain!

We found out it was a really small race, with 5k, 10k, ½ and full marathon, all running the same race. One lady was organizing it from start to finish. My number was 238 (it was 823 at the Atlanta 10K I did in March) but there were nowhere near 238 people at that event. I guess more will show up to various races throughout the week. The course had me run a 1.55 mile route one way and then back, four times.

We started at 7:45am. I took my first Gu and I was off!

Since it was a public greenbelt, there were lots of others out running and biking. Mom went and had breakfast after I started, but then came out and walked the same trail as me for 4 miles. I am so glad that she was there. It was encouraging to pass her and know she would be there at the end.

My play list did it’s job in encouraging me. I tried to think of the person I identified it with each song, a fun memory of that person, and then pushed on.

Every 3 miles we were back where we started and I drank a couple small glasses of water, and swallowed a salt tablet. Every 45 minutes I ate a packet of Gu.  I went 6 miles before doing a little bit of run/walk. My breaks of walking never lasted more then a minute. After 10 miles I was pretty exhausted. Ten miles was the most I had ever done in a training run. I was all out of steam, but I knew I would finish. I knew I could walk a bit, and I never felt like I had to stop all together. My goal was to do it in less then 2.5 hours. My fastest mile was my first- 9:53, and my slowest was my 13th mile at 12:14. My pace stayed in the 11 minute range for the majority of my run. My final time: 2:26:52. Bam! I did it!  It felt so good.  I accomplished a great feat without feeling like it almost beat me!  It felt wonderful. 

At the end of the day when I got back home I discovered that my sweet sweet dad left me 13 roses. One rose for every mile. Now how did I get so lucky? 

This morning I feel pretty good. I am a bit wiped out, sore every where, but not that I can’t move. I am amazed at how great my knees have handled this, not bothering me at all today. I am so grateful for all the advice I got from runner friends, and for the encouragement that I could do this. I could do this! I did this!  I ran 13.1 miles in under 2.5 hours.  Now what? I am not sure. I have a stubborn 10 pounds gained post surgery that I need to get off to feel better about myself. I will work on that. I don’t play on training for a full marathon at this point, but I can definitely aim to do another half! 

 

Christmas 2016

The Christmas Season started in Texas for me. The two weekends before I had house guests, Elizabeth and Scott came in to town from Utah for the BYU/Texas Women's Volleyball game.
Then after that I had the Elizondo's for 2 days the next week. I had another Utah visitor come drop by one evening just days before my own Utah trip.  December was a whirlwind of a month with guests, work, church callings, an a lot of friends who needed extra love.

  My trip getting to Utah was not easy. It was full of a few tears, an extra ticket bought, an unexpected stop in Detroit, and the blessing of a chocolate bar in a christmas card from a patient who ordered me to not open it until on the airplane.  However, I would have to say that my trip to Utah was pretty perfect. From immediate family, to aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents, I saw 32 relatives! 32!

 I received two very cherished gifts. One, my grandpa Jack Hutchison wrote out his life story and gave that with a pedigree chart that has a photo of EVERY SINGLE ONE of his POSTERITY. It is the coolest thing I have ever gotten from him. The second is the gift of a family heirloom. I was given the wedding band that belonged to my great-great grandmother Elizabeth Davies. She was married to Peter Cox in 1899 in England. I've known I would inherit it some day, it was a joy to be able to receive it in person from my grandma Aline Kelm.

Christmas Eve was spend celebrating with my dad's family, his brother and sister and their families. 

We did the traditional Kelm Candy Houses. I'd say they were spectacular this year. 

Here is mine with Yoda, Princess Leia, and Chewbacca characters. 

Here is my uncle Warren's with the Imperial Walker shooting at the rebellion on the planet Hoth 

And here is Adam Kelm making his first candy house. He was very proud of his sprinkles. 

And here is the whole village. 

After the houses we had another Kelm tradition. GERMAN PANCAKES! 

Followed by a German and his bride of almost 60 years imparting of their wisdom to us. 

It was great to see Grandma Aline, Grandpa Wolf, Warren, Misty, Halle, Trisha, Darian, and Alisha. 

What a Merry Christmas Eve it was! 

And Christmas Eve it snowed all night long, and we woke up to this! 

 A WHITE CHRISTMAS! 

Mom and I got ready to head to church only to discover we were matching! 

Seriously didn't plan it, but I sure love this lady! 

After I walked home from church, and everyone thought I was crazy, I made us all take pictures outside while it continued to snow! 

What a good looking family I have! 

These two were so fun to have around Christmas morning! 

 NOW get ready for an EPIC photo shoot I had with Aline Kelm... 

Christmas day was filled with my mom's side of the family with the Hutchison's being our gracious and generous hosts. We had grilled steak for lunch.  Teresa and her family joined us. 

The day after Christmas we were joined again by Teresa and her family, as well as my cousin Beth and her crew, and Mike, Terri, and Heather. More family to have fun with. The Texans made all willing persons come outside and build a snowman! 

Yes, that is a Darth Vader hat provided by Clark! 

Then things got a bit carried away. I swear I didn't mean to hit Savannah in the face. I mean, I did mean to hit her with a snowball, but not in the face.  

Then I was viciously attacked by my so-called loving brother Michael. 

He said he was just wanting to help me re-live old snowball fight memories. 

Grrrr, I was angry ( I mean look at that face).... but got over it quickly! 

On my last day there we ventured to Kneaders for all you can eat French Toast. This darling one could not get enough of the whipped cream! 

Can you look much happier then this? No, no you cannot. 

We then posed by our fabulous creations... 

...before Adam destroyed them for us this year! 

Some victims were left in the wake of the destruction... 

We ended the day with a trip to see the lights at Temple Square, eat a little pizza dinner, then off to the airport I went. 

Christmas 2016, you gave me so much joy! I thank you!