Hmm...a little explanation, and more on Beautiful Girls.

Hey all.  It's me again.  I know, I know...you're thinking, "So soon?...why?"  But I feel like I have to make some amendments to my last post.  My main point in writing it was to let Moriah know how excited I am for her and Jason.  I love, love, LOVE being married.  As you all have heard a bazillion times.  In all honesty, when I find out that people are happily married, it's like my happily-ever-after, all over again. Does that make sense? (And when I find out that people are completely happy being single and living life, I'm happy, too.  I don't want anyone to think I'm a "single-ist", because I promise, I'm not).  I guess because I know how Jeff, and my being a mom has changed my life...and  if you would have told me like, a month before I met my husband that I'd end up this sappy, I probably would have done ANYTHING I could have to avoid it because I had a pretty cynical opinion of all that "love crap".   I had some solid ideas about how my adulthood would play out...and it really never involved children, or a best friend..but it did contain a lot of stuff like, "Strong-willed individualism, and Career, and Personal satisfaction", and so on and so forth. (Not that that can't be a part of a great relationship, but the whole "relationship" word just never factored in my "ideal adulthood").   So my life becoming this marvelous surprise, is just something that makes me carry around a soapbox and a will to stand on it at any given time.  And you're just bored at work or at home or at school so you indulge me by killing a few minutes reading my self-absorbed prattle and preaching.

Okay, so somewhere along the line, after re-reading my post...it sounded like I turned it into an "Am I pretty?  Am I pretty?" essay.  And I'm sorry.  And I have deep shame, because I mock that person that I blog-stalk for exactly that reason.  Let me say it's NEVER a bad thing to hear compliments about me, but I apologize for setting it up to be that way.  I roll my eyes at such drivel.  And I'm willing to acknowledge there were eye-rolls all around.  Deservedly so.
My main point was to distinguish how my life was before Jeff...before having my family.  How different I am, because of how different my life is now.  But instead I showed you all how insecure I was as a teenager/early twenties girl.  In all actuality, my husband, my kids...they've made me realize that there is SO much more than me.  That's one of the greatest gifts I've received from them.  Not that I don't have those "poor me" days--weeks, even.  As you all know.  Uh, yeah..I posted about it.  But I PROMISE this wasn't one of those times.  I promise I will really try to give you readers fair warning before I spring my pity parties on you.  

Anyway, it made me think.  About personal memories and stories about beautiful girls that I know...that maybe you have or haven't heard before.  But I'm going to share...because I can and this is my post.  I'll probably just keep it to people that I know that read my blog...because I have stories about you all that have affected me.  
Let me give a little background before I start divulging precious memories.  (The male readers of this blog may want to stop reading because this next bit might bore you immensely.  However, if you're already bored, you may want to continue reading and pick up a few tips).  
Another reason why I love the movie, Beautiful Girls, is because of the line:  "The thing is, there's a guy out there thinks the same thing about (enter your name here) and he's jealous of you because you get to do all that with her."

I've thought a lot about that.  Sometimes, despite my love for my husband, I take him for granted...and I know he does of me.  I'm afraid that's normal life.  But, I always try to look at him from other viewpoints--maybe he didn't take Syd's poopy diaper to the outside trash can right away like he KNOWS is my rule...but he DID stay on the line with tech-support for FOUR hours, trying to fix my phone because he knows how much I love it.  (Even though it was pronounced dead after all that hard work and no one will give us any type of deal.  B-words!, all of them).  Things like that, you know?  Things that are obvious, but when you get into your routine, trying to live life, you sometimes lose sight of.  Or maybe, I'm just a rotten b!t@h that doesn't deserve him.  That's a possibility as well. Anyhoo, on to my memories.  Just fyi:  I'm going alphabetically because it will help me remember who I have and haven't mentioned.  Also, I'm only mentioning girls that have commented on my blog or told me that they read it.  This doesn't mean I don't think there are any other beautiful girls in my life, but these are the ones I feel (hope) would be okay with hearing how I  see them.  And if not, please let me know, and I'll remove your story immediately.  Also, I'm totally going to steal some of your Facebook pics, and if that's not okay with you, let me know as well.  I don't want anyone feeling uncomfortable. Phew...this could all blow up in my face.  See how not having my blackberry gets me in trouble?  I should be texting stuff to people...or checking Facebook for the millionth time.  Instead I'm here, possibly getting ready to embarrass or offend the women in my life.  And yet despite the risk, how dumb does it say that I am, that I'm still going to do it?

Amy (Kory's Amy):  This last summer the kids had swimming lessons at Maida's house.  Amy was pregnant.  Now, all you know I HATE being pregnant.  But Amy did it quite well.  Through morning sickness she was nice to the annoying kids, (something I'm not), she overlooked the grossness of my son's boogers, (something that's even hard for me to do), and she smiled at the kids and gently and firmly told them what to do, even though they didn't listen like they should have.  (My son, again). She didn't yell, or roll her eyes or threaten any of the kids that were "having fun" when they should have been listening.  (Something that I wanted to do SO badly from the sidelines that I had to "go to the restroom" like four times during the hour).  
There was one particular sunny day (and it wasn't common this last summer, as it rained most days), that after the lesson Amy got out of the pool to come chat with me and let the kids play for a while until her next class arrived.  She was lovely.  Her skin was that deep gold, and her teeth were bright white, and she wrapped herself into her towel and sat down and put her hands on her tiny tummy bump that for her was a baby, but for me would be after I ate a bag of cheetos.  And she was so beautiful in that moment that I was reminded of what it was like, to know that you'll soon be a mom, and I knew that whomever was living inside was loved.  Since then, I think of that often when I think about Amy.  And it warms my heart.

Ashley (Brandon's Ashley)--this one may not be that sentimental, but I love it.  On Halloween, what?  Two years ago?  She and Brandon dressed up as Mario and Luigi.  I didn't know her very well.  She was in this outfit with a hat and mustache, and hanging around with Brandon, and it was picture time...and both of them went over to the "family pic spot" and waited until Kelli gave the okay, and then did this Super Mario stance complete with bent arm and leg at exactly the same time.  Totally something I could see Brandon doing, but knowing he found the perfect woman for him when I saw that synchronized move.  She was so cute and smiling and happy, and so quick on the wit; just this tiny body of energy--totally someone I knew would be fun.  I stared a lot...possibly uncomfortably so.  But I really wanted to get to know this adorable girl.  Maybe it was the mustache? ;)

Brandi.  I met her through my sister, Muff and she's also one of my bookclubbies.  Brandi is one of those girls that continually surprise you--in a good way.  She's funny, and devoted to her kids, loves being a mom and wife, is filled with tidbits of pop culture, and has like a photographic memory-her attention to detail is literally amazing.   She loves to read--and she introduced me to books that really have affected me in different ways--ones that I never would have read without her recommendation. I got to see this new side of  Brandi last month, in her new home.  It's beautiful and ginormous, and she was so content there.  She seemed to have an overall peace and as she showed us her children's bedrooms and places to play, you could see how excited she was to have something great for her family.  She was glowing, and lovely. I'm glad I met her.  

Erin is actually someone I started blogstalking. (She is NOT the person that I continually mock).  She's Kelli's sister-in-law, and Kyle's sister.  I met her a couple times at various Anderson functions, and noticed that her kids had this gorgeous olive skin, and rosy cheeks. (See?) I "officially" hung out with her one summer day when I was invited to Payson pool with Kelli and the Coplen kids.  I didn't tell her at the time that I'd been reading her blog avidly, as I assumed that could be on the creepy side.  But after I started talking to her I was immediately intimidated.  Not that she made me feel uncomfortable, I was about seven months pregnant--uncomfortable was an everyday thing. She had a zen, laid back vibe.  And see her smile in the picture?  She was that genuinely happy and fun to be around.  She was totally smart, telling us things she'd read about--and different methods of teaching kids and so on.  (Obviously, I didn't pick up on it...I was too busy trying to think of something smart to say, and rest assured, I came up blank). And the entire time she was talking, she had her daughter in this little sling, because she didn't want to be a centimeter away from her mother.  She was very vocal about it.  ;)  And Erinn just smiled, and rocked her little girl and congratulated her little boy that was splashing in the pool, and continued to joke and laugh and pay attention to everything that was going on.  I was in awe.  Here I was, pregnant, and I'd lost Cole, whom was supposedly big enough to know to stay by me, and Riley had to help me find him.  And I couldn't concentrate on anything that anyone was saying or doing, because the sun was really bright and it was loud.  See why I was intimidated?  I quickly learned that Erinn was one of those moms that I really wanted to be, but fall really short of. 

Karen.  My first impressions of people aren't really that great, usually.  Perhaps I'm too skeptical?  Too cynical?  I don't know...but I guess I have a bad habit of writing people off my first time meeting them. I'll say it takes me a while to warm up, sometimes.  Anyway, this wasn't the case with Karen.  The first time I saw her, I was at an Anderson function.  Kurt was dating her, and had announced that should she agree, she'd be "the one".  So, when Kurt brought her to the picnic, and I can't remember what it was for, I, like the rest of the Andersons, inconspicuously (so we thought) stared and didn't say much to her.  We all knew who she was, and we all knew the situation, and we all were curious about her.  But then all of us were afraid to overwhelm her, so sometimes we seem kinda...standbackish.  I don't know.  Not ALL of us are like that, I'm just saying, that's how some of us, like Jeff and I, are.  ;)
Okay, so she was this tiny, bubbly blond.  And I thought if there's a place that would be intimidating to meet the Anderson family, it's at one of their get-togethers where they all know each other, and know your situation, and are curious about you.  Karen was introduced to about a bazillion people that night, and she smiled and was kind, and then when she went home, I kinda felt sorry for her, because I remember how hard it was for me to remember who everyone was in such a large family. And I'm NOT in anyway saying the Andersons are weird and awful people, because they're really great.  I'm just saying there are a lot of them.  And it's intimidating to get situated.  I think most of the in-laws can relate.   (And it took me years to get a handle on it).  But the next time I saw her, like...weeks later, she came up to me and said, "Hello Rainey.  So, how old are your kids?" She listened to my reply like it was interesting stuff, and then told me about her kids.  First of all, I couldn't believe she remembered my name.  And secondly, she asked about my kids...and seemed interested.  If there's a way to my heart, it's definitely through them.  I will also mention that Karen is exceptionally strong.  And those that know her, know this to be true.  She is an emotional mountain, and I respect her greatly.  She's amazing.    

Kass.  I have a lot of examples of Kassie.  As I'm sure we all do.  But when she was going to Provo College, and Jeff was gone most of the time, and Jerome was on his mission, Kass used to come to occasionally eat lunch at my house, or just visit.  And one time I remember her coming over, and she brought me and the kids frosties from Wendys.  My kids were so happy because we were SO completely poor at that time, and I don't think we'd had a treat like that forever.  Cole came and ate his the way he always does...bites between going to catch glimpses of what's on TV, and he spilled this huge glob on the floor, and true to style, he just squatted down and licked it up off the gross linoleum.  Kassie started her giggle--that one that is completely contagious?  I laughed too, and noticed just how gorgeous her skin is--soft and smooth and some freckles, (you know how I feel about freckles), and I thought at that whomever she ended up with, would be so lucky, because she had that love that you can just feel when you're with her.  And I felt it, and my kids felt it, and I was a little overwhelmed at how lucky I was that I had a friend, a sister, like Kassie.  She was radiant at that moment.  I know that those that know her, understand what I'm talking about. 


Okay.  I'm not not done, not by a longshot.  But I'm going to go in six "beautiful girl" increments.  Otherwise, this post will be forever long, and someone may get lost in the trying to save and whatnot.  Sometimes I like to hear what people think of me...if it's nice. ;)  But I think it's important to say nice things, too....to let people know things that you think about them...and whatnot.  Anyway, I just wanted to share some stuff with you all.  I think it's interesting to see and hear other's stories.  But if any of this makes anyone uncomfortable, let me know.  Love to you all and I've already gotten started of the next five lovely ladies!  So there's your teaser.