Rediscovering Gratitude

So today was good. I got to see so many friends. And my is it so good to be with people my age. I don’t feel young very often any more. I kind of just feel old and worn out. It surprising for me that I am only 19. I don’t feel like how I always pictured a 19 year old. I feel different. Older. It will be interesting to go back home and not be “responsible” any more. It’s almost like a freaky time travel movie like “BIG” or “17 again” or “Back to the Future 3”. I get to grow up for a short time and be really responsible in a family. Then all of the sudden I am thrown back into being a very young adult with no responsibilities but to learn, and have fun, and keep my room clean. But the catch is that I get to keep all the lessons and insights that raising kids gives you. And all the insight into what makes a marriage relationship gel or H—L.  I’ve learned a lot from that too. And I’ll carry it with me. I am really fortunate to have had this experience. No matter how hard or tiring some days are. I know I can do it. I know I can put 4 young kids to bed by myself. I know I can cook dinner for 7 people and simultaneously keep the kids and house under control. I’ve learned how important investing time in neighborhood relationships are, and how fun it can be to have another adult around to talk to when you’re doing the daily things. And family. I want to live so close to my siblings and parents. It’s so special to have your family know your kids. 

 

I’ve been having a hard time the last few months and I realize that the bulk of what has made it hard was that I could not see-or rather keep a firm focus on what was still so incredibly positive in my life. My worries and tiredness would fog over it and I couldn’t remember how to keep the sunlight in. I’ve remembered now. The key is appreciation. It’s the highest form of love. I’d forgotten how to appreciate. My prayers said vague thank-you’s and then moved on to plead for help with everything I was worried about. I did not realize that turning my vision to appreciation toward God would help lighten my load. My first few months here had their difficulties but they were also incredibly good. That is because I would walk home each day and just smile and appreciate the day, the trees, the sunlight, anything small or big I saw or heard that was good. I said thank you to God for, and it felt so good, and somehow deepened me. Doing this filled me with a reserve so that when bad or sad things ran through me, that’s all they did-run through. They had no place to stay. But slowly, I stopped doing this. And then there were lots of places to stay. And one hard thing added to another, until I was so heavy and it took so much effort to look for sunlight, and good things. I’ve started to appreciate again. And I testify the world is lighter. If you ever have a problem with someone try appreciating them, and I promise loving them gets easier.

Oct.28th

I got to talk to my dear friend Suzannah Gratz via facebook chat last night(I feel like Kip from Napolean Dynamite right now admitting to that-"Napolean ive spent the last 3 hours chatting with LaFawnda")

We had a long discusion about spirituality and connecting witih God. I really want to refocus and recenter my life. She reminded me in our talk about how easy it is to get caught up with how many things we need to accomplish in a day, that often we push out time for what is really the most important-Our reltionship with God. We lose focus of who we really are-first and foremost spirit children of God. And as we acknowledge that and attend to that, everything else falls into place. and those things which are relly not important fall away. I really have started to see more clearly these past few months how important it is to keep my relationship with my father in heaven strong. Im happier and the direction my life takes is better. Its like I can see the best path to take, in big and little decisions, more clearly, and following that path I am able to  walk with confindence and peace. And that makes me feel happy. Im trying right now to set aside at least 10 min at the start of my day for prayer and for scripture study and listening. I know it isnt much for something so essential to my growth as a spirit, but its something.

Ive been reading this book by Gordon B. Hinkley called "Standing for Something-10 Neglected Virtues that Will Heal our Hearts and Homes". In this book President Hinkley( a universally beloved former religious leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) talks of how when we make the decision to do what is morally right, only then can we live in peace. That living  a moral, virtuos life supplies an inner peace that we can get in no other way. I think that is true. When you live a just kind life, you have no reason to lower your head at the end of the day. You can look at yourself in the mirror straight in the eye and say today, I tried my best, and love was at the root of actions. I think that is what allows us to "sleep in peace when day is done" as a line from one of my favorite songs puts it. Its keeping a good name.

There Must Be More than this Provencial Life! Oct.22,2011

View form outside our Balcony.

A castle we visitied.

Natasha crawling around the castle.

Tyler:)

The girls in the "Sleeping Beauty" staircase.

I am in Provence with the Woolleys! Here is my impressions my first few days here. Oct.22.2011

“There must be more than this provincial life!!”—Beauty and the Beast

Being here and looking out over this quiet beautiful valley, it’s hard for me to sympathize with Belle. Didn’t she realize what she had?! Open skies and lavender fields and rivers that run through green and gold valleys. She was so incredibly rich. For a girl who grew up in the suburbs of Garden Grove, where we had to go on field trips or vacations to get to land as open or pretty as this I just don’t see how she could get tired of it. But I guess people who live in the country may say the same about me. How could I get tired of the big city and the beach?! I’m not….I just want to see other things too. So maybe it’s all an issue of perspective. The grass is always greener… (Or the city is always cleaner) on the other side mentality. That is what I’ve loved about traveling. It opens your mind in a way that can’t really happen until you travel and live in a different place.  You get to see life through a new set of glasses and the perspective stays with you. You jump out of a pond and into the ocean and are fuller for the experience.

October 22,2011

This morning I slept till 8:45 (the latest I’ve slept in, when the kids are around in a while) and then got breakfast with the family continental style.  It was French style so a lot of bread, croissants, cheese and jam options. The highlight of breakfast for me was Hot chocolate. It was this South American kind and you the powder was the color of burnt sienna and the sugar crystals were visible. I want to only drink that kind for the rest of my life. Well this update definitely centered on food, but that has basically been the highlight so far. More adventurous stuff to come later…

Today after lunch we drove Rob to the foot of Mount Aventoux and form there he began a cycling ascent of the Mountain. Roberta and I took the kids to explore a nearby castle for the inbetween hours. The castle we went to was form the 13^th century and had gone trhough a 10 year restoration period form 1929-1939.The only problem I that  shortly there after World war 2 broke out and the Nazis overtook the castle and used it as their headquarters for that region of France. At the end of the war they set fir e to the castle and it burned for 10 days. So it had to be restored all over again. Sucky deal for the guy who restored it in the first place. That was definitely some bad timing. The Stewarts, Trogers, and Elisabeth arrived tonight! Roberta I and the kids went over to their place and visited for an hour. The kids were watching France’s version of funniest home videos. A lot of them were actually borrowed from the American version of the show. Funny. I guess French people don’t commonly tape their friends and children awkwardly hurting themselves and then try to exploit their embarrassment on national TV for the amusement of strangers. What squares! It was nice being over there. I love those families. I am watching my kids tonight and Elisabeth theirs while the adults go out to eat. The quiet time is good because I get to write and wind down. Well until tomorrow!

Ok so earlier today I said I didn’t understand Belle. But now it is 10 pm at night, we just spent the better part of our day driving through the Provencal valley’s and towns and I can see why she is restless. Little towns are… well little. Who wouldn’t want to go and explore. Stretch their horizons as far beyond these small places and then come back again. I realize that is what Im doing. Belle and I aren’t so different after all.

Provence,France----Fall break with the Woolleys:)

Pictures from the family resort we were staying at in Provence October 21,2011-evening.

Yesterday (Friday, October 22d,2011) we left Nyon at about 10 am and headed on our road trip toward Provence (France) it is a really lovely drive past little towns and valleys in their last stages of green before blue gray winter takes over. It actually looked pretty similar to our drive through this same region last February on our way to Spain. On our dive up I was sitting in the back seat next to Anna and Mariah. I read them a few books to pass the time, but that only lasted about 40 min.  When that was done the kids started their movie pleading. The parents have laptops and an iPad so those were passed around and the kids were set for the rest of the drive. Now I’m usually of the opinion that being attached to a movie means that you miss out on all the amazing scenery around you but I guess when you’re a kid you don’t care and when you’re an adult its really nice to have the kids not yelling in the back. I tried my best to take in the scenery and make the most of this opportunity riding through France but then Anna next to me put on “Avatar: The Last Air Bender” and that was the end of that.;) That show is AWESOME! (holla out to Sarah, Josh, and the Campbell’s-we still got to watch fire season when I get home!) We got through like 3 episodes before Anna got sick and threw up all the rolls shed eaten next to me. That was disgusting. I felt sick till lunch and went back to looking at France, and sleeping. For lunch we stopped at a rest stop and I bought some hot soup from this “Back to the Future”-esk soup machine. It was sooo cool. I put in 1.50 Euros and pressed the vegetable soup button. Then from inside the machine I heard the knobs whirring and twirling and the next thing I knew this small door opened and a metal claw was holding my steaming cup of soup….WoOoOahOoOoOaoaooOoA. Welcome to the 21^st century folks. Road trips where you don’t look outside and soup that makes itself.

We got to our destination about two hours later. It’s really cold here and fall is in full swing. I appreciate southern California weather more and more.  We are staying at a little resort village made to blend in with the architecture of the rest of the valley and I really like it. It’s a mini apartment with 3 bed rooms, 2 bath, and a kitchen and living room area. I’m sharing a small dorm-like room with Anna. She’s really excited about that. For dinner we went to this restaurant that was AMAZING!  It came with a meal plan and turned out to be a 3 course deal. It was awesome for the adults but not so good for the kids, as the finished their dinner before our main course came. I don’t want to make everyone start salivating or anything but first they brought this beautiful Cesar salad covered in crotons, chicken and a light spread of Cesar and balsamic dressing with tomatoes and a weirdly cooked egg on top. It was DE-licious. Sarah would have died.  Then came a fish fillet and bowl of risotto with a cream base and cheese on top.  Also amazing.  For dessert I had 3 scoops of ice-cream in a vase-vanilla, pistachio, and almond, with whip cream and fudge on top. The French really do know how to make a beautiful meal. The kids had french-fries and a hamburger patty which they seemed content with. The good news is we have a till Tuesday here so hopefully all the meals there will be just as delicious! Also what I m really excited about is that there is another family in our congregation at church(the Stewarts) whom the Woolley’s are pretty close with and they  are coming up here for the weekend as well. My new friend Elisabeth who is an au-pair living near them is also coming up with them, which is a HUGE blessing because I will have someone to hang out with! I was pretty lonely last vacation when we went to the Alps for a week. It’s just sad doing things by yourself, (i.e. taking hikes, going to movies, swimming...) and honestly its weird doing everything with the family because you need to give them just family time. So I’m so GRATEFUL Elisabeth is also coming!  

CRIKEY! (friends, pizza, france,ect.ect.ect.)

Oct. 20^th, 2011---written on oct.22 2011

Today was a fun day, and really a blessing that I got to have it. My friend Abbey had contacted me and some other girls earlier in the week about meeting up Thursday and going to the lush store in Geneva, and I was so excited about it, and luckily Roberta and Rob decided to postpone leaving for vacation till Friday morning so I was able to meet up with them and go!

I met my friends after a paricullarliy good day of french class, at the LDS Geneva chapel. I went into the church to use the toilet and was bombarded by missionaries. There was a multi-zone confrerence going on that day. I talked with the mission presidents wife(Sister Murdock) and then ran back out to the car to my friends. I totally ate it on the grass next to the car which my friends had a good laugh about. I think God must have helped me not break my ankle because the way I landed I definitely twisted it weird and it is still giving me a little bit of trouble if I step weird.

 Caitlen,Abbey and Elisabeth and I decided to forgo  a visit to LUSH(the most amazing organic lotion and cosmetic store ever!!!) in favor of getting pizza in France near where they live. We took a beautiful 20 min drive out to France and ate at a small pizzeria on the 2d story of shop in Ferney-Voltaire. This is the town that Volataire lived the rest of his life in after he was exiled from Paris. Chosen specifically for its proximity to the Swiss border. I wasn’t feeling very pizza-y so I went for the soup and salad which was delicious!! (Plus at these places when you get pizza, they literally bring you a WHOLE pizza and I always feel obligated to clean my plate, which is a BAD idea with a pizza that size.) We spent a lovely two hours just talking and laughing.  Towards the end o f lunch we got on the subject of Steve Irwin- the crocodile Hunter.As we were talking about him I shouted out "CRIKEY!" in my best Irwin imression. The only problem was lunch was now ending and we were now in a considerably more quiet pizza parlor. Trying to mask our giggles, and my sudden case of terrets we called for the check and hastley made our way out of there. After the lunch we drove back to another French town and everyone split off to start work at 3:30pm.

 Elisabeth was good enough to drive me back to Geneva where I was able to catch a bus to the airport and from the airport take a train to Nyon. (I saw the mission president’s wife at the airport again and gave her a HUGE hug. She and her husband were picking up a bunch of missionaries or something. I love when things like that happen. When you see someone you love unexpectedly. She is always so complimentary toward me, and I really love her for it. It makes me feel so good to be around someone who is looking for the good in me, especially when I feel my mistakes and bad parts are so apparent. But she doesn’t judge and is just so kind, and I can tell she really cares about the people she talks to. I just love standing in the glow of her sunlight. I got home an hour late and Roberta was really cool about it. (I really appreciate Roberta. She is an awesome woman, and I forget that sometimes.)

I helped get dinner on and pack up for vacation, before leaving for institute at 7.Instittue was really good. I decided to go to the English language class instead of the French because I felt like I really needed to understand the spiritual message tonight-to be built up rather than stretched. It was a great lesson. We are studying the Beatitudes right now and I was absolutely just eating up in a way that I hadn’t before. My soul really needed the scriptures that night. Blessed are the meek. I love that. I want to be meek. I want to be humble. I want to be like Jesus. It’s funny. The more I am serve-really selflessly serve the more I love him. Maybe it’s because I understand him better. Its hard to really love someone you don’t understand. And its hard to understand something you’ve never done. (The baby just awoke and cried as I wrote this. With that in mind-wanting to be like Jesus it was easier to get up and go to her. She went really fast to sleep. I am thankful.)

 Gabriel and Aubry Jaquier (two really awesome brothers) drove Erica and I to my house tonight. BLESS THEM!! I was feeling so tired and really did not want to face walking home in the cold. Gabriel regaled me with his usual passion-filled talk of musicals and it was a fun ride. We listened to songs from “the Lion King”, “Catch me if you Can” (he saw that like 7 times, because he worked on Broadway and could just go in) and “Book of Mormon”.  Roberta was kind enough to let me drive Erica home to Genolier, using the minivan at 11pm shortly after we got home. I got to talk to Rachel on the phone (I called at like midnight) it was very good to talk with her. Talking with family and friends from home is always good. Bless Skype. J  

Elisabeth and Elisabeth in front of Voltaire's Statue in Ferney-Voltaire, France.

Caitlen Willey and Elisabeth W.

Elisabeth, being our trusted driver for the excursion and Abbey.:)

Ferney-Voltaire-its fall!!

She's just happy about the pizza.;)

Well now I am sure these boots aren't water proof- and other revelations on a rainy day.

Today was one of those days where I was reminded frequently of the widom of buying fall clothes BEFORE fall.  After school today in Geneva, Erica(Erica is a from mexico and is the girl who took over for Rachel after she left for the states.Erica is really nice and melow and so easy to be with. We go to the same school,and it looks like she may stay in Switzerland till June, so she can pick up French) and invited me to come and spend the afternoon with her and Latecia Oguey. Latecia is one of the first girls who was nice to me and took the time to talk with me as i struggled to form my thoughts and ideas into intelligable sentences in french. I love her. Roberta was nice enough to not have me work till 3pm so I was able to go with them. It was POURING when we left class, which was shocking to me as yesterday the weather was beautiful.We ended up walking most of the way to the train station and I got pretty wet.I didnt mind too much. I decided to a long time ago to enjoy the rain when it falls on me. Even if its really cold, or inconvienent. Fighting getting wet just takes too much energy , and honestly it isnt so bad once you except it. Most times I actually enjoy it. Today though was really cold, and all i wanted to do was get out of the rain.  Latecia pointed out our good fortune that at least the wind wasnt blowing. Good point. That cold fall wind is brutal.So we were being blessed,even if I couldnt see it at first. I tried tip toeing most of the way so the rain would quit seeping into my boots an socks. No use, but the tip toeing did give me a good work out. thank you 3 years of ballet for equipping me with the muscels necessary to walk far distances on releve! We finally got to Latecia's car and she drove us to her family's home where we had a really nice hot lunch with her parents and assorted inlaws and children. It was perfect. I was happy to find that i could comprehend alot of the conversation in french-I am improving! By th way Latecia' family has th emot amazing 3 story house ive ever seen.It reminds me of Elizabeth Bennets house form Pride and prejudice but bigger. So cool. And VERY unusaual for switzerland.Most people live in france if they want a house that big.\, becaus efrance is cheaper real estate(and is only about 15-20 min away fom geneva)
After lunch we walked thourgh the freezing rain again to get the tram back to Gare Cornavin(train station) I took the train back to nyon and got home just at 3 oclock. whew. Today Roberta ha her friend Jen and Jen's two children over to make cookies and play. We had fun baking and talking  and little anna even taughth me how to make a paper boat which i could do by myself after the first time(which im secretly very proud of)
Best of all Jen brought over a PUMPKIN PIE!!! You normally cant get that here as it is an american thing.i was so happy. we ate that for desert with vanilla icecream, after I through together a late supper of pumpkin soup(delicious stuff, we buy from the store-im going to miss that back in the states) cucumbers, and ravioli. I put the kids to bed by myself tonight (roberta had to work out some stuff with rob) and i felt really proud of myself that i was able to get all 4 of them in bed in about 40 min. I can do the mom thing. And that feels good to know.  Mariah is still up as i write this yelling about some bear being in her room. 
Hmmm. Well thats what my life looks like these days.Ill let the parents take that one. good night!

Fall is here!

Hello Family and Friends!
 I've now been in Switzerland for over 9 months and I thought now would be as good a time as any to get this blog up! I have so many pictures and stories to share with you all and i hope this blog will help me begin to do that! One of my favorite things about being in Switzerland this year (as a California Girl) has been experiencing the changing seasons for the first time in my life. Growing up in Southern California (near the coast) you just dont see much of that. The trees lose thier leaves and it get cold and rainy for a while and then all the sudden the days rememeber how to be warm and its spring.Oh and the leaves come back. But here...What a contrast!! I came here January 6th,2011 and natures prodominat colors were browns, blues and grays.And my was it cold! Id never owned a real jacket before, so you can be sure i bought 2 of those before coming up here, while in Utah after christmas visiting my sister Becca.(That road trip up with all the girls in my family the last week of December was SOO fun! Its really great growing up and finding out just how cool your family is.I miss you Anna, Becca, and Sarah!) It stayed cold and gray for about 2 months and then in march people started planting things. Rachel and I went to Paris the first week in April, and by the time we got back spring was in full swing! It was wondrous (especially living n a country with the most carefully planned fields and gardens).I just feel so absolutly lucky to have had the chance to live here these past months and partake in its beauty.Thats one thing i really admire about the Swiss-culturally they pick up their trash, they clean their yards and keep themselves tidy-and they expect the same from those who come here.Politeness and consideration are things people have been raised with and its wonderful to see a society that really vlues those thing s as a whole. The people enforce courtesy  and so the government really doesnt have to.  Summer was so green and beautiful. I especially loved all the sunflower fields that went up and the tall tall fields of golden wheat, and grass. Driving anywhere here is simply lovely and sometimes breathtaking depending on the time of day and season. I remeber driving home on the freeway at 7 oclock in summer and jut marveling at the beautiful hills and vinyards on te left sie of the road. The sun was setting and everything was golden and Ive never seen anything more beautiful. And that was just on the drive home.I feel very rich when I remember sights and experieces like that. And deeply greatful.  And then summer ended very unexpectedly. Rachel and I left for  Israel the second week of September to 30 degree celcius weather.Israel was hot and getting off the plane onto the tarmack in our flowy pants and light sweaters we could not believe the sharp chill we felt. Luckly my mom and dad who came and visted a few days later and brought California weather with them. It stayed in the 20-30C range for their whole time in Europe. The Swiss said it wa their hotest september on record. But my parents have now left so its back to being freezing and fall again.I really need to buy a P-coat. Badly.I m so cold all the time. By the way I LOVE the fall colors!I kee phoping the wind wont come and knck everyhting off the trees. I want to get up to Interlochen one more time while it is still pretty, and see the mountain up there.(Interlochen is the swiss equivalent of Yosemite, but majestic and beautiful in a different way. it is what heaven will look like.)
School started up for me again in September, so Ive been trying to balence school, travel and work. Ive completely let my UN internship slide(with the World Wide Organization for Women-W.O.W.-) so I need to try and get back down there and actually attend some conferences before my time ends in December.

I love you all ad I will try to update this regualarily and let ya'll know what im up to.

Much love,
elisabeth