It's the little things

So I decided that I need to pay more attention to what brings me joy in life and to make more of an effort to remember it. Heavenly Father loves me and sometimes I don't feel that as much as I should. Logically, if God were my Father then he would be involved in the tiniest details of my life right? I just need to open my eyes to it. And as usual, he was just waiting for me to come looking for him. So what are the things that have been bringing joy to my life?



I like to laugh. A lot. At work, usually I'm the only one in on the joke but I don't mind.

Funny story from work

(for those of you who don't know what I do, I'm a lab tech in a medical research lab)

This may or may not be a Dramatic Reenactment

Changing mouse cages has become a stress relief at work. All you do it catch them by their tails, change their food and water. That's it. Nothing sketchy about that...

Sometimes the mice are really feisty and futilely try to hide under whatever there is to get away from the Giant Hand™

So I talk to them.

Oh, why don't you be like the other little mouse and don't run away! Look he isn't moving at all! I'll just get him out from under this nesting....

Hey little buddy...you don't look so good....

I don't know who drew this but I thank them for illustrating my nightmares.

GAH!!!! THIS MOUSE IS ALREADY DEAD@#$%!!!!!!


Another lab person decides not to ignore my existence like usual and says all sorts of casual "So what's goin' on?"
To which I promptly reply-perhaps a bit too promptly- that there is a cold dead mouse staring back at me that I didn't kill.

.... crickets

crickets

He shoots me a weird look and goes back about his business all within 5 seconds. 
Apparently I should not be freaked out by this because I work in medical research.
Whatever. His skin was coming away from his little skull!!! ;.;  
It made me so jumpy that when I was walking to the Institute building a guy on a bike passed me on the grass and I freaked out because I thought he was a squirrel coming after me.

Point being, I've come a long way since my move to Salt Lake. It also takes a little bit to get back in the swing of working in a lab.

Work isn't all about zombie mice though. The cactus I brought to work started to really thrive. One of the cacti even started to grow a flower! But then it started to die.

 Which was sad.

 but Laura fixed it with a specially made pipette tip antibody flower holder-upper. It worked great! And that's when Jen and Laura's nerdy friendship really began.



My family also makes me really happy.

Even though I am far far away from my family and therefore my niece Ariel, she still remembers how to make the trademark handy face that I taught her. I even get to see it on my iPhone because of a wonderful invention called "FaceTime"

that's my girl!

I also love hearing about how my dad takes my dog on long car trips to the hill country. She is my best friend in the whole wide world! PS this is not socially weird I swear! If you had a dog for 10 years you would understand!

It was cold outside and she just got shaved. Poor lil sausage.

On Saturdays and when I get out of work earlier I head on over to the Humane Society. I tried going around to help all the different animals at first but let's face it- I love the dogs best. I'm sure Diamond Belle would approve of this.

scratch my belly please

This is my friend Dante. I've seen him ever since he entered the shelter. I taught him to sit and shake my hand. Now he rolls over and wants me to scratch his belly whenever he sees me. He also likes to play fetch- or rather he likes when I throw things for him to get and then likes it when I chase him in circles trying to get it back.

Then there is Jet. Holy Crap this kid has ENERGY. He almost jumped over the 8 foot tall kennel wall when he saw me holding the leash. He would play fetch until he literally fell over and died. And he brings the ball back and waits for you to throw it again!

Watch out for him though- he is a fast mover...

                                                                           ...planted one right on my kisser! YUCK

If I'm feeling particularly down on myself I can drag myself to the humane society and no matter how late in the day it is BAM! unconditional love from my dog friends. They are just so FLUFFY I COULD DIE! There are so many awesome things going on with the shelter I just wish I could do more.

 

As a side note- if you know anyone in the Utah valley area looking for amazing dogs these are some of the best out there.

 

My library card is one of the best things that happened to me here. I am in love with the library hold system. I usually put 5 books on hold at a time and they trickle in at a great rate where I can find time to read to my hearts content. Unless it is all three books in The Hunger Games then I will read until 5 in the morning on a work day. You know it is a really good book if you won't sleep, eat, or go to the bathroom until you are finished. I've just read The Help, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Peel Society, and The Princess Bride. I currently have checked out The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, The complete poems and plays of T.S. Elliot (I needed a meaty piece of literature to research and absorb) and The Lives They Left Behind: Suitcases from a State Hospital Attic by Darby Penney and Peter Stastny. The latter is the one I'm currently reading and it is heart-rending and so interesting.

 This book is a tender mercy in and of itself because it is helping me open my mind and heart to my mom. One day I'll be able to call her more often and I know God will help me with that. I also have Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Hacks, and Good Food, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, and Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void (I think Teagan should read this one too) on hold. When I'm through with these I have 5 more to put on hold: Bold spirit : Helga Estby's forgotten walk across Victorian America, Don Quixote,  My life as a furry red monster : what being Elmo has taught me about life, love, and laughing out loud, Three Cups of Tea and Water for Elephants. I'm always on the look out for books to add to my list too. The other day I found that reading childrens book really helps me simplify my life and remember how much I am loved. It's like all my fond childhood memories from the Live Oak Library come up when I go read. 

She didn't live happily ever after, but she did have a long life and was happy most of the time.

 

Go read Her Mother's Face by Roddy Doyle. And if you're looking for a good laugh go read Walter the Farting Dog- highly recommended by the New York Times. Bubba the Cowboy Prince was also hilarious. I love to laugh at little things like this and I'm so grateful I have access to all of this with my library card.  Whole worlds are opened up to me that are full of such joy.

I also just learned that you can download 3 free songs a week through my library. Guess who just got Julie Andrews singing I'm so pretty? That's right. Me. BOOYA!

Life isn't always what we expect it to be. To be honest, sometimes I wonder if I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for this. It can be so hard. Knowing that things will all be made right in the eternities is comforting but it is the little things God shows me through the daily struggle that helps me hold on. He really knows me, you know? And He is still ok with me. That is what really amazes me. 

Total side note:

Can I just say how much fun it is to sit next to Star Christensen during sacrament meeting? Bah ha ha ha. Joy. That is what today was for me. Singing joy really loud instead of some equally good words during I Stand All Amazed.

Today in church we learned to focus on the things that bring us joy. These are just some of mine. Yours are probably completely different and that is ok. I would hate to think there were 2 of me running around. Write down the things that help you to know God is watching over you today. Don't wait. It will make you smile.