Celebrate Your Life

Forward

2011-01-17T15:16:00.000-08:00

Of course there is no going back, but only forward. Rather than dwelling on the past, we should make the most of today, of the here and now, doing all we can to provide pleasant memories for the future.

-Thomas. S. Monson

The following YouTube Mormon Message and talk given by Elder Holland correspond so well and have reminded me how I want to start 2011 and how I want to live my life, looking forward. Enjoy.

Look Not Behind You ~ YouTube Mormon Message

Genesis 19:17

The Best is Yet to Be ~ Talk given by Elder Holland

Happy New Years 2011!

2011-01-01T14:41:00.000-08:00

It was a Merry Christmas

December 23rd

This year, for the first time ever, the Castletons enjoyed Christmas in Arizona at the lovely estate of Rachel and Dean Delap :) It was a splendid time had by all, beginning with a Castleton Family Christmas Concert for Rachel and Dean's friends in Rio Rico and Nogales. Featured numbers included favorites like Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming, Past Three O'Clock, and Coventry Carol, as well as some newer additions including Rogers High School Jazz Choir's version of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. It was so nice to sing together.

December 24th

On Christmas Eve, some of us took a Trip to the Boarder to find something fun and different for the White Elephant Exchange. Needless to say, there were some really great finds!

Bethlehem Dinner

Besides Christmas Caroling, for which without, our Castleton Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas :), Bethlehem Dinner is a special, looked forward to part of celebrating our dear Savior's birth. Since we were kids, mom and dad would put white sheets over everything, lay out a long piece of wood, and light candles throughout the downstairs basement living room... Well, they'd invite others to participate as we turned off the lights, sang Christmas carols to candle light, and enacted the Christmas story in Luke while Dad read it for us. Dinner consisted of a great assortement of dates, cheese, crackers, figs, olives, nuts, tabouli in pita bread, grape juice, water...hopefully close to what they might have eaten. Dad would always remind us that Mary and Joseph were very tired and hungry as they came to the stable where Mary would birth the Lamb of God, the Savior of the World. So, we could do with waiting a bit to eat as we remembered the Holy story. We would imagine the shepherds, the wise men, the beautiful bright star leading their way, and all those who came to see and worship the Christ child. Someone was usually a donkey, at least one angel, and others played the rest of the parts. During some years, neighboring children would play the parts as we got a little big for the roles. But, now it has come full circle and our children will play the parts that taught us to love the story of the first Christmas.

After dinner and caroling, we had a bit of recorded fun...enjoy :)

A little Trumpet mixing with the Ivory Keys ~ Below is a YouTube link to a great piece played by Abbs, Joel, and Joe. I hope you can access them this way. For some reason I couldn't upload them properly to the blog.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas: Abbs, Joel & Joe

Dancing the Night Away ~ More YouTube links to some awesome footage of Christmas Eve dancing that made us all laugh til our stomachs hurt.

Part 1: Quite the show from Joe & Abbs
Part 2: Amazing moves from Joe, James, Mary & Abbs
Part 3: Sass from Joe & Abbs
Part 4: Teaching Abbs how to keep it right here...

December 25th

Christmas morning gave me a beautiful gift with Abbs, the Christmas Elf, taking me on a lovely run in the morning sun. She really got me through the that. Thanks Abbs! And she never complained through all my out-of-shape panting!

We came back for a morning full of fun times with the fam as Lena and Caleb gave us our stockings and gifts...with the assistance of course from a special red and white capped elf, and his other helpers :)

Hope you enjoy the pictures...it was so fun, I had to include a bunch. I love the pictures of Elena and Caleb with their BYU t-shirts on down below. They are such beautiful kids with great parents. They really took their job seriously...well both jobs really...the one of giving out gifts and the other of opening gifts! :)

Now, of course, Christmas doesn't need tons of presents under the tree to be wonderful...no, the time together, laughing while we opened gifts or watching the kids open theirs and play, or even listening to each other talk of this and that...the combination of all that is enough to make the day wonderful, with warm feelings to accompany the memories in years to come...but there were gifts given this Christmas and truly, the fact, that opening gifts got us together in one room, joking with each other, teasing and laughing at one another, interested in what wordage

Dad would use on his tagged gift that he and mom gave each of us...that really made the morning meaningful and fun. It seems to be like that every year...and that's why I love the tradition of presents under the tree. Mom's and AA Laura's well stacked stockings with oranges, dried bananas, almonds, and of course some hot chocolate from dad...that doesn't hurt my experience either :)

There were some pretty wonderful gifts, soft gifts, hard gifts, incredibly creative and meaningful gifts, and then some darn right practical and funny gifts, ahem, the batteries, one in every accompanying present to that lucky receiver!

Awesome Aunt Laura made little glass place holders with pictures of us as kids way back when, for Rachel and Dean (she was their Secret Santa this year :) ...and well, as I said, there were so many gifts, great, fun, wonderful gifts that I can't name them all.

I will mention a special gift I received from my Secret Santa, Abby. It is the picture below of a wooden frame she painted and decorated with pictures of Christ from an old calendar that mom had given her. She is so creative! There couldn't have been a better gift for me, thanks :)

And thank you to all my family for the fun love you all share with each other and me. Being able to Skype with those not in Arizona and singing and playing games with each other really blessed my Christmas this year.

Voyage of the Dawn Treader

We had another very special event, on Christmas Day afternoon... we managed to get 10 of us gathered together and off to Nogales to see Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. And, having arrived there 37 minutes early [we should all pat AA Laura on the back for that one!] we had time to sing carols to some of the moviegoers! The movie was incredible, and afters, some of the local moviegoers thought we should sing again. Here are two YouTube clips a lovely listener took:

Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming

Past Three O'Clock

Now, time for some close ups on little Isaac and lucky baby holders...can the little one be more perfect? :)

Here is a fun little show with Elena and Caleb dancing to Joel's piano playing...they loved his music!

December 30th

Can you guess what this is? :)

Scripture Study with the family...you have to watch for Caleb's face at the end of this clip...it's classic funny Caleb!

Happy New Year to all ~ 2011!
May it be full of all the experiences you really need.

...and we're back!

2010-09-20T15:57:00.000-07:00

...Well, sort of. It has been so very long since I've posted anything here...though there has been so much to celebrate about the last many months...My goal after Saturday, is to actually complete the posts I started and never finished :)

The thought below is something that has been on my mind a lot recently, it is something I need and want to remember, and so when I saw this quote today, I wanted to share it with anyone who may possible take a glance at this page.

Day by day, minute by minute, second by second we went from where we were to where we are now. The lives of all of us, of course, go through similar alterations and changes. The difference between the changes in my life and the changes in yours is only in the details. Time never stands still; it must steadily march on, and with the marching come the changes…

I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey---now.

--President Thomas S. Monson

Monique White

2010-03-28T21:03:00.000-07:00

White Family - Fall 2008

Monique White was born to Veronique and Roger White August 30th, 2000. Last Sunday, March 21st, 2010, she returned to her Heavenly home. As Veronique and Roger describe her, she was a miracle child, and a perfect little angel, born with so many physical disabilities and difficulties. Monique has been completely dependent upon her parents for everything. She has not been able to communicate in the way that each of us make sounds, talk and move. This said, you can't be with her and not feel of her strong, beautiful spirit. Through the experience of being with sweet Monique, especially when I returned home from my mission, I learned that we each absolutely do have a spirit inside us.

It was beautiful to be at Monique's memorial service Friday and to listen to her parents, two of my heros, speak about what they learned from Monique, that providing for all her needs taught them of our dependence on our Heavenly Father, how necessary He is in our lives. And then the focus on the Resurrection and of Easter. The spirit was so sweet in the room during the service and also afterwards as people met in the cultural hall filled with lovely pictures of the White family and especially of Monique. Veronique and Roger included Monique in everything, including dressing her up for Halloween. They loved her unconditionally. It's difficult for me to describe what I gained this weekend, when I try to verbalize it, I begin to cry.

I love what the Whites said about this difficult experience, "During this difficult time our family testifies of the reality of the resurrection which is a gift from our Savior Jesus Christ and we are filled with an overwhelming sense of love and hope. We take strength in a sure and peaceful witness that our Father in Heaven loves us and has prepared a way for our family to be together no and throughout all eternity."

I miss you Monique. I'm grateful you are free, finally able to move and dance as you'd like. Thank you for what you have given each of us who met you, thank you for sharing your beautiful spirit with us.

Home

2009-12-11T22:36:00.000-08:00

I want to go home. What a blessing that I can.

I heard mom's voice for a moment on the phone today and was able to comprehend for a second the great gift the Lord gave me in giving me a place to truly call Home...a place where I belong, where I fit in - a place where I'm accepted, wanted, where I don't have to be understood and yet feel that I am more than anywhere else - a place of goodness, warmth, busy-ness, happiness, and where love is a work in progress...always improving and increasing.

How grateful I am to be able to go there, to return home. What a blessing that I can.

St. George Marathon

2009-10-05T12:55:00.001-07:00

March 28, 2010

So...many many moons ago, I ran the St. George Marathon. I wanted so much to blog about it but never found the time to describe that experience. It was unlike any race I've ever participated in. No race has left me on at least a 2 week high like that one did :) and no race has made me love and believe in running like that one did. It still makes me excited when I think about that cool experience. There were so many times during the race when I felt tangible support from Heavenly Father or my family and my friends.

I was more scared before the race began than I've been doing almost anything...but right after I crossed the Start line, I felt peace and knew this was my race, that I would be able to do it, and that God was with me. The course was better than I could have imagined. It was gorgeous and the rolling hills accompanying the downhill trend was perfect for a first timer...perfect for anyone, but definitely encouraging for this little runner. At mile 17, I started to cry. Anyone whose run something like that knows there are emotions that come, specific to the experience, which are hard to really explain. I knew I would finish the race and couldn't believe I was going to be able to really run and finish a marathon. It was so encouraging seeing all the posters and signs for folks. Each one seemed to be for me, cheering me on...even the ones encouraging parents. I'd look to the sky each time I saw one and would think, "thanks kids, I know you're up there! We're going to talk about this someday!"

My friend Bret came to cheer me on at the end. He had family running the race, but he ran the last part with me...it was perfect...right when I really needed the encouragement!

Hope you enjoy this video Bret took of me at the end. I had a mile left...definitely ready to finish, but really happy to have run the race. So glad to have this memory!

Yes...I even celebrate how much I love this family!

2009-07-29T15:58:00.000-07:00

These are two of my favorite pictures of Ben and Emily's family this year. The bottom picture is earlier this last February at Em's sister's wedding, and the top picture was this last month when Ben and Em and company came to Utah to visit. Thanks for being such a

wonderful and beautiful family!

Visiting Rach and her little ones

2009-06-23T14:44:00.000-07:00

Wow...so, this was quite a while ago...but I must blog about it as it was such a great trip and you must have the opportunity to see more pictures of Rachel's little gang. I love her family.

~~~

Liz and I flew down to Rio Rico, AZ for Memorial Day weekend. Actually, it was because I was buying Rach's little car...now named the Lil' Digg...and that was the only way to get it...but Rio Rico was exactly where I wanted to be. Felt so spoiled...didn't think I would be able to visit Rach for quite a while after that trip in February.

Back to the trip :) It was wonderful to be with Rachel and her little family. Lena had grown a ton and it was heaven to be around all four Delaps. Man, if I can do that a few times a year for the rest of my life...how great life would be.

Enjoy these masterfully shot videos of us playing with Caleb and Lena.

Liz was so good with the kids...seriously, that girl has a gift for playing and teaching children; it was fun to see. Sorry for the back shot starter there Liz.

As you can tell, Caleb never got tired of Ring Around the Rosie...nope, he loves that game!

This one is so funny of Lena...she really wanted all 10 fingers in her mouth!

We both really enjoyed Caleb and Lena. Lena can smile so big you question if it's really that healthy to open one's mouth so wide :)

Caleb was very interested in everything he wanted to do. I love that picture of Dean and Caleb walking out in their back yard. It just seems like a Calvin and Hobbes picture.

Our friend Rick took Liz and I to Nogales and showed us the border fence, many of the posts, and the fine dinning Nogales has to offer visitors :) Lots of cheap shopping for cheap clothes, if you're down for the trip!

~~~

With so much time existing between myself now and when I took that trip, I can't remember all I wanted to originally say. This one thing I will add...Rachel is such a good mom. She impresses me with the effort she puts into teaching and raising her children with love. Dean is so good too. Very patient with the ever-willing-to-challenge-anyone Caleb ;).

We also sang together, of course, and there isn't much that makes me feel like that does. Yep. Very grateful for the wonderful person and blessing she is.

Liz and I drove back in the Lil' Digg and it held up great! There's quite the lovely scenery between the Rio Rico and Salt Lake City :)...though we were missing the folks we'd left in Rio Rico.

To Radiate Light

2009-06-22T10:50:00.000-07:00

Found this on my uncle Laird's kitchen fridge :) and really loved it:

There is no end to the good we can do, to the influence we can have with others. Let us not dwell on the critical or the negative. Let us pray for strength; let us pray for capacity and desire to assist others. Let us radiate the light of the gospel at all times and all places, that the Spirit of the Redeemer may radiate from us.

-Gordon B. Hinckley

Comes the Dawn

2009-06-17T17:29:00.000-07:00

One of my Young Women's leaders gave this poem to me years and years ago. It's helped me breathe easier when going through relationship rough times. After discussing a situation one of my friends was going through recently, I remembered the poem and thought I'd share it on my blog for anyone to whom this might give comfort and perspective. Wish I knew the author but it said anonymous.

Comes the Dawn

After a while you learn the subtle difference

Between holding a hand and chaining a soul,

And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning

And company doesn't mean security,

And you begin to understand that kisses aren't contracts

And presents aren't promises,

And you begin to accept your defeats

With your head held high and your eyes open.

With the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child.

You learn to build your roads

On today because tomorrow's ground

Is too uncertain for plans, and futures have

A way of falling down in mid-flight.

After awhile you learn that even sunshine

Burns if you get too much,

So you plant your own garden and decorate

Your own soul, instead of waiting

For someone to bring you flowers.

And you learn that you really can endure,

That you really are strong

And you really do have worth

And you learn and learn...and you learn

With every goodbye you learn.

Starting a new life...555

2009-06-08T11:08:00.000-07:00

Last night, Liz and I had dinner with one of my favorite people on the planet!...I really want to emphasize my Beckiness by saying it like that :)...and mostly bug Joe because he loves it when I say such statements! Okay, okay. The truth is Adam is and has been one of my very best and closest friends while I've been here in Utah for the last several years. We've both worked at Thai Ruby together and he's impressed me so many times with how good he is to others and how loyal he is to his friends. He inspires me to be a better friend to others.

Adam was recently offered a job

in Hawaii working as a quality control specialist on fishing boats. He's all kinds of smart in micro-biology and he's excited about the opportunities and experience this job will provide him. We're sad he's leaving but happy for him...and Hawaii...man, how neat is that?!

In this first picture, I think Liz is overcome with sadness because Adam is leaving...which doesn't explain Adam's smile...oh, maybe that's because Adam thought he was being funny while Liz was washing all the dishes! Yes...that's it. And in the second shot, it really looks like Adam loves us...well, he does...he just doesn't always feel like smiling, especially when I tell him he should :)

We had dinner at the Briles family homestead :) Here we have Adam's family from the top left to the bottom right: Dad, Mom, Adam, Uncle Eric, Granny, sister Mares and her fiance Travis. This family is the coolest family - way down to earth and they do an incredible job of living off the land...using their resources efficiently. Don't know if that is the best way to put it - but they are quite the family and a ton of fun!

Think we had a bit too much fun with this last pic.

We'll miss you Adam. You're amazing!

JoeCool

2009-05-19T21:22:00.000-07:00

Joe turned 28 today! Wow...how did that happen? He's posted a hilarious bit on his blog that you have to check out and comment on :). Here's the link to his blog if you don't already have it. It is also along the side of my blog in the list of others' blog addresses.

Joe is a master at words so me writing something about him will just not do him justice. All the same though, I do want to verbalize in the smallest of ways, why I absolutely love Joseph McCune Castleton. I think it started when he stole my ice cream, that first of a gazillion times...definitely didn't start any earlier...he was still screaming for the first few years of our lives...from screaming to stealing...what a great start Joe. He made us all laugh and could get away with anything on the planet because of that. Joe's always been good looking...he made best friends with all the girls in our junior high...and on the first day of school too, just because he was "so cute." Yes, you were definitely called cute.

With his gift of bringing us to laughter and sometimes to the point of tears too, Joe also had the gift of a beautiful singing voice, amazing piano ability and creativity, a steady and consistent approach to life, fast legs, great bowing on his cello, and awesome moves on the wrestling mat. It was fun growing up with him. Joe was a great listener and he also taught me quite a bit about what matters most.

From picking up trash on the freeway together, sharing the MTC, hair cuts on end, and long conversations talking about our funny dating experiences, I have always been so proud to call you my brother. Yes, you're right, it is I that is lucky to have you in my life!

Let's hear it for a great year for JoeCool!

Happy Easter

2009-04-09T10:08:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share this beautiful, tasteful piece on how to live our lives with peace and focus on Christ. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

Elder Elder Enzio F. Busche's book,

Yearning for the Living God is also wonderful. Happy Easter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snAjZ8mfoYw

More of Lenichka and Caleb

2009-03-25T16:37:00.001-07:00

Aren't these pictures just the cutest? Rach sent these out and I thought I'd add them here for everyone's viewing pleasure :) Enjoy!

Ben, Em & Company

2009-03-19T08:40:00.000-07:00

Ben, Em and their three little kidlets came to Utah over a month ago for Emily's sister's wedding. We were so excited to see them and to spend time with them. Thanks for making the trip Ben and Emily.

I love this picture. The only sad thing is that Emily isn't in the picture. The kids are their usual fun selves and we're enjoying them...while poor Benni is tired, but trying to smile :). I can't believe he and Em have three kids! Amazing. They have brought so much happiness and light into our family.

Patience

2009-03-11T16:05:00.000-07:00

The word seems harmless enough. Be patient.

Yes, I understand: wait, pause, be still, hold your breath, take in a few deep ones, close your eyes for a sec, now let it out. Yes, that is all part of patience. But, man, it is still so difficult. So many things to be patient about...especially if you're an intense person. Yes, be patient: pray, meditate, go for a walk, take in another deep breath and let it out again, ponder, listen, and be still...again.

Patience is the teacher and I'm the student.

Much to learn - much to learn.

March 1st - Celebrate Your Life

2009-03-02T12:46:00.000-08:00

Well, it really happened, Becky Castleton really turned 30 years old! Yep, didn't see that one coming now, did ya? :) Me neither. How do I feel? Honestly, I'm excited - I'm ready! For my birthday, all sorts of surprises came my way...and let me tell you, I was most certainly surprised!

Friday, Feb 27th, Liz and Mares got together and threw a super surprise birthday party for me at Thai Ruby, the Thai restaurant I used to work at. That was so nice - so fun - and so great to see several folks that I haven't seen in a good while. Loved that - yep. Such wonderful people. Because I'm so all about green :), Liz provided the birthday girl with tons of green balloons, several green St. Patrick's Day beaded necklaces, and this funny green St. Patrick's Day headband...I'm most definitely wearing it on the 17th!

As you can see, I wore everything that night - no shame - I'm 30 - it doesn't matter anymore :). She also gave me beautiful flowers and a ginormous ice cream cake!!! Who does that? :) Thank you to everyone who came! That meant so much to me and made this year for me.

Dad was also in town for Seth's solo in BYU's Night of Concertos and so it was such a treat to have him with us, celebrating my birthday. It has been at least a decade since he and I were together for becky's b-day. So great. The best thing of the party was that I had NO clue! How does that happen? No one spilled the beans; I walked into Thai Ruby, ready for dinner with my family and instead was thrown the best birthday celebration known to man...and with such awesome peeps.

Because I'm a slightly crazy planner, I'd planned everything out that weekend ...but Liz and Mares were smarter than that and figured out how to get me in the end! What a blessing to be loved by such great people. Hope you enjoy the pictures. Guess they're mostly so I can immortalize the events :) Unfortunately, I don't have pictures of everyone that made these events so amazing.

This picture is so cute. Maybe it is obnoxious to show gifts...sorry! Just thought these lovely designed gift bags looked so awesome and fun that I had to take a picture and share! On the morning of March 1st, I found these waiting for me, filled with fun green gifts!

For this year's Celebrate Your Life, I wanted to make a health dinner that others could enjoy. Mom and I talked over the best options for Miss Cooker Becks. The thing is, anyone who has ever lived with me can tell you how much cooking and Becky Castleton don't go together! I can make great cheese, tomato and spinach sandwiches, but I have rarely ventured into the world of cooking...and I wanted to change that!

Following mom's instructions, the dinner included a chicken soup filled with tons of fresh vegetables, a lentil chili of sorts, brown rice, tasty fruit salad, homemade graham crackers, and other fun eats. Liz was amazing and did so much to help out. Thank you to Mares and everyone else that also helped and made the event so much fun.

One of my favorite things is to be with those I love and this dinner was just that. A huge thank you to everyone who came and to all who have added so much to my life.

As seen in some of the pictures, Tristan and James decided it was their responsibility to wrap me up like a present! Thank you very much you two...and that goes for all the onlooking bystanders too.

Adam thought it was

necessary to document

the experience with these photos, so there you go! I've included pics of some of the others who came too :).

I'm going to be a bit sentimental here for a sec. For about two weeks leading up to the big "3-0" b-day, I had a flood of memories fill my mind; without even trying to let them in, they came. Over and over again, I was reminded of how this person, that roommate, this relative, and that experience, has shaped me, blessed me, and given me the joy that qualifies celebrating life.

Truly, I have been showered down upon by blessings and gifts that came in the form of the most wonderful of people entering my life. There are not words to adequately offer thanks, but I guess I want to try all the same.

One of my friends suggested giving away 30 of my favorite things and so at the conclusion of dinner, everyone chose some little (and very cheap :) thing that I like...kids' soccer ball, favorite toothpaste, gum, water bottle, ice cream, soap, seeds, quote book, running socks...good times.

One more thing, Megan O'Hanlon, my Irish other half, set up the funniest group on facebook for me and I've had quite the time reading through it! Folks shared funny memories about me there...and isn't that the type you'd expect? Joe also wrote quite the discussion post on the page which is now on his blog fyi, if you're ever needing a laugh :). Megan creating such a group made me laugh and almost didn't surprise me - she's always doing something sneaky-funny like that :)! Missed you megs.

Thank you again everyone! You've made my life the awesome
experience it has been so far.

My visit to Rachel's

2009-02-27T17:21:00.001-08:00

Can't believe it has already been two weeks since I visited my little sis Rach in Rio Rico, Arizona...right near the border. It was such a great experience spending time with her, meeting the lovely new addition to her family, Lena, and getting to know little Caleb a little bit better. That kid looks just like rach did at that age...except, his head is a bit bigger :). It was also so good to hear more about Dean's job and to get a better understanding of what he's doing. It was neat to see how good he is to my sister. They are a great team!

Visiting with Rachel was so nice. I'm not sure there is anyone in this world with whom I can talk to and feel so understood, speak freely and not feel judged, and with whom I know I can always be my truest self. Feeling this way is such a gift. When I make a mistake, I know she will always forgive me and always help me be my best. Saying it was refreshing to be with her is an understatement - it had been a while since we were together and being with her rejuvenated me!

Hope you enjoy the pictures. I couldn't believe how perfect little Lenichka was...is. Seriously, the pictures don't even do her justice!

She is so precious!

Please excuse the camera lady. She still doesn't seem to know how to hold a camera upright nor how to refrain from saying weird, annoying things on camera :) How unfortunate for the viewer.

Here is Caleb telling me all about the cows :) Rach and Dean live in an open range area which means that cows roam the area freely...quite freely! This was especially funny when there were 7 of these guys right outside their back door.

Below, Caleb demonstrates several animal sounds...he especially likes doing that while on Dean's back. Though a little camera shy, you can get the idea. He's a pretty funny little guy :).

Spot Light on some Family Funnies

2009-02-15T22:03:00.000-08:00

There are things that really make me laugh and one of them is watching videos of members of my family doing funny things. As I've been visiting Rachel this weekend, she's reminded me of some of the videos she made while living in Puyallup with Caleb last year. The videos posted here are mostly funny if you know these peeps and especially if you grew up with them :). They seem to capture some of my siblings in both a hilarious and cute way!

Abs, Mares, and Joe indoctrinating Caleb: Harry Potter

Abby and Mary singing "Hey, Baby"...which was supposed to be Abby singing it to Caleb...but then Mary decided she wanted in on the fun too. Great potrayal of these two!

Joe here is giving Caleb his first lessons in flying.

Abs and Mares dancing up a storm. Very cute. Makes me miss time at home.

Rachel Had Her Second!

2009-01-31T10:56:00.000-08:00

My sister Rachel had her second little one last week! Here is the info and a few pictures Rach took. When I visit her in a few weeks, I'll take more. Isn't she so cute?! Love that little baby face.

Elena Rachel Delap was born Jan. 19th, 2009 at 6:51 pm. She was 7 lbs. 2 oz., and 18 in. long. Here is the link to an announcement made while they were at the hospital.

It sounds like little Lenichka is much quieter and peaceful than little Caleb, so that might be nice change. Elena (or Lena, Lenichka, or Lenita is named after one of our friends from Joe's mission who Rachel became great friends with when she lived in Russia and who I was also blessed to meet when I was there as well.)

So happy for you Rach - and so glad you're doing well.

A little bit of San Francisco and Boston to start the year off right

2009-01-24T12:31:00.000-08:00

To start 2009 off right :), I took the opportunity to visit friends and family in San Francisco and Boston! It had been quite a long time since I'd been to San Fran or anywhere in California for that matter. The weather is usually a little cooler and more windy, but that weekend...though it was January...my friend Reid and I experienced amazing sunshine and t-shirt weather which I forgot was possible at this time of year! Oh, how I loooove the warmth from the sun. San Francisco is the coolest city, with people from everywhere in the world walking the streets, which just so happen to be lined with some of the neatest, sweetest looking buildings. While there, we visited Alcatraz, the old intense dangerous prison on the island in the bay, crossed the Golden Gate bridge and saw the city at night time...which looked a little like what I imagine some of those European cities looking like...very lovely and crammed...if you can say that in the same sentence and make sense of it!

Boston was the next weekend, full of snow fall and great visits :)

Denison, Ben and Emily's first, celebrated his 5th birthday Jan. 16th, so of course, I had to be there. He is the one that opened my heart to the wonderfulness of nieces and nephews! Seeing him happy and smiling and full of excitement is worth any effort I ever make to be there. It was important to me to be with Ben and Emily again and to see little Annie in all her cuteness and sweetness, and to also be with the very lovable and happy Brigham. There isn't a lot that makes me more happy.

During the weekend, I met up with one of my mission companions and her husband. They are both such creative and amazing people and it was wonderful to see Zanny in her new Boston location...and with a husband at that! Turns out that one of Ben and my dear friends from high school also lives in Boston and we all visited with her Sunday evening. Brittany celebrate the blowing out the candles on Den's special dinosaur birthday cake with us...see that volcano...Emily is the coolest mom! Den loved his cake...and so did Annie :). Brittany was so good with the kids...they loooooved her too. As she talked with Ben, Em and I, there was great peace, sweetness and love in her though she has gone through what some might call "the war." Knowing her and especially visiting with her that night reminds me how important we can be to each other, how much we need to be there for each other, and to be grateful for the small joys that make life wonderful.

The weekend also consisted of a super excited and loud experience in McDonald's big play room for Den's birthday with tons of his little friends! There was also ice skating with Den and the fam; it was his first time and he said someday when he's really good, maybe he'll play on the local hockey team called The Canadians...someday...for right now it's balancing and relaxing and moving those legs that we need to work on - that said, for a first timer, Den was awesome! What a champ, and didn't even complain when he fell :). I spent a dinner and a lunch and time singing with several friends during the weekend too. What a blessing good friends are. The weekend really was such a gift. Many meaningful conversations were had and I felt renewed in my goals for this year and gained several ideas on how to do more at work and be better. Love moments of clarity like that.

Happiness

2009-01-08T06:56:00.000-08:00

The BYU planner offers inspiring thoughts and quotes on most of its pages. One I recently found, which I'm considering to use as my theme for this coming year...one of them at least, right? :)...is this quote below. The reasons why I love it and the words which could explain why I connect so well with it are insufficient...so we'll stick with how the author phrased the thought. Hope it inspires you too. Happy New Year.

Happiness consists not of having, but of being; not of

possessing, but of enjoying. It is the warm glow of a

heart at peace with itself...Man is the creator of his

own happiness; it is the aroma of a life lived in

harmony with high ideals.

- William George Jordan

Healthy Websites!

2008-12-11T16:34:00.000-08:00

Since beginning two weeks ago at the Utah Department of Health (UDOH), I have been exposed to quite a lot of health information :) There are two sites that I love love love and wanted to share with anyone who feels like checking out some fun and beneficial reads.

The first is called: Check Your Health and its fabulous. Check Your Health's layout it simple and easy to understand. That's my type of website. Topics cover healthy eating, being active, health for kids, and necessary screenings. As you look through the site, it is great because a lot of the information is practical and not overwhelming! Love that.

The second is CDC's Physical Activity site. Here again, the layout is pretty easy to understand and the information available is pretty clear. CDC offers physical activity guidelines for children, adults and older adults and helps individuals know how each should determine what is best for him or herself based on various needs.

These might not leave you excited for hours, but hopefully they can give you a couple of ideas if you're looking for a few reminders on how to be healthy. Hope you enjoy. There are also quite a few blogs out there with health themes and with great ideas on ways to maintain good overall health. They aren't all credible, but those that are can be great educators and motivators.

This week, I've been reminded of how much I absolutely loooove to run...especially outdoors. During my longer breaks at work, I've run outside and man, there isn't much quite like having the wind whip your face with fresh air, having time to think or to not have to think, and to be moving with the earth. Its probably the time I feel the most at peace and at one within myself. We all need to find whatever does that for us - when I forget or get "too busy," it seems my psyche suffers :).

From Boston to the Utah Department of Health

2008-12-01T21:29:00.000-08:00

White Rabbit! Congratulations to everyone who remembered to say this today! It felt like my birthday, receiving so many texts from folks claiming good luck for the month. Today also marked a huge change in my life: a transition from Boston to my new job at the Utah Department of Health in Salt Lake City.

Though I have not posted much about my experiences in Boston, living there with Ben, Emily, Denison, Annielle and little Brigham was a blessed experience that gave to me in many ways. Being around them taught me a great deal. It was especially nice to be with them at Thanksgiving.

While staying there, a good friend visited me, we watched the Celtics play, visited many historical sites, I met fabulous folks, staffed at Harvard's Business School (...just saying :), and even received "specialized" training workouts and went on fun adventures throughout both Boston and Cambridge with Boston's very own VIP, Rob Leahey! It doesn't feel like I was there very long, but somehow I became very attached to that lovely old historic part of our country and to the people living there as well. Being downtown, around those old buildings, made me feel I'd stepped inside a history book...and I kind of did...it was just too cool. It would be wonderful to live there again in the future...a little more long-term-like.

Feeling a bit torn, but also quite hopeful, I moved back to Utah last weekend. And, as of today, I have begun my "career"...or actually, just my job, but I really like thinking of it as my career because the word is so "adult-like" and mature-sounding...oh, yes...the job...as a Health Program Specialist in the Utah Arthritis Program. This opportunity will train me in several areas and will help me for future experiences as well. The program is intimate though it connects with others in several areas throughout the Department of Health. A number of BYU Public Health grads who I know are working at the Department too, so this will be quite nice to spend time and learn from their experiences. What a blessing to have a job in my field, with such good people, and in such a good area. I have moved in with Liz and her family in Salt Lake City and its already proved to not only be a huge blessing, but also a load of laughs.

Happy start to this holiday season one and all :)

The Second Door: Another Beginning

2008-11-11T19:43:00.000-08:00

As I sat in my chair reading tonight, I had reason to recall the lines I've included below. Feelings came to me so strongly, I thought I'd include a few here. This year, I've been reminded several times that there are two doors to our mortal existence, and both are miracles. Because I believe in the Savior, I believe that death is not the end. Saying this does not deny the pain, that it still hurts. This comes because we love. And as we try to make sense of our feelings, we look forward with hope, with a touch more wisdom, and with added compassion due to the stretching and tugging our hearts' have been given. I know its okay. It is. Its just that it comes, and sits with me a while, reminding me...

What is this thing that men call death,
This quiet passing in the night?
’Tis not the end, but genesis
Of better worlds and greater light.

O God, touch Thou my aching heart,
And calm my troubled, haunting fears.
Let hope and faith, transcendent, pure,
Give strength and peace beyond my tears.

There is no death, but only change
With recompense for victory won;
The gift of Him who loved all men,
The Son of God, the Holy One.
-Gordon B. Hinckley
(In a great talk he gave, May 1988)

Megan O'Hanlon Marries Alejandro Solis!

2008-11-04T20:22:00.001-08:00

One of the dearest people in my life, my partner in both roadside cleanups and in classical sing offs, the one who taught me pretty much all I know about jazz and introduced me to the "greats," the one who has spent at least a gazillion hours on crazy road trips with me, choir trips, hikes, midnight Denny's study parties, and numerous other adventures, one who has largely influenced who I am today...well, she, Megan O'Hanlon of Irish descent, got married, October 25th, 2008, at a lovely Unitarian Church in Mt. Vernon, right outside of Washington, D.C.

It has been difficult for me to put down in words my thoughts; its hard to know where to begin when talking about something so important happening to someone you love so much. At one point, Megs asked me how I felt, and honestly, I just felt so happy for her and to be with her. There is no where else I would have been. The entire experience was a ton of fun, full of memories, and a very action packed blurr in my mind :). That week leading up to the wedding was full of activities and little details to help everyone feel special and feel apart of this most important day for Megs. I was so impressed with the great attention Megs gave to even the smallest of details. Not only was her wedding a wonderful and a very special occasion, but also an event that gave to all who participated; it was like a sincere thank you to all those Megs loves.

During the week, Megs and Alejandro threw a sweet bachelor and bachelorette party at an 80's club where we danced the evening away, all decked out in 80's garb. As bridesmaids, we spent part of the week with Megs in an antique-like, history-filled hotel in D.C., and then she took as many guests as wanted to go, on a dinner cruise out on the Patomic River the night before she was married. It was such a blessing to see so many people we have loved through the years, to hear how they're doing and to catch up on their lives. We all had such a great time - its just too hard to describe all the feelings I experienced.

During her ceremony, Megs used an Irish folk group to play the processional and recessional music. They were fabulous! This group also accompanied Joe and I as we sang "Be Thou My Vision," one of Meg's favorite hymns. As we sang that piece, I felt something unique and really special. The ceremony was performed by a wonderful man dear to both Megan and Alejandro, who did a lovely job. Everything with the wedding party also seemed to go smoothly which was a great relief since it had been rather funny and crazy trying to pull everyone together before hand! The night ended in a amazing dinner and dancing. Ben, Emily, and their kids came as well as James and Joe. It was too much fun partying it up with these folks. This last picture was near the end of the night. I just love my brothers - it was so nice to be with them! Thank you Megan for everything and for blessing my life and making me a part of this memory. I love you.

A Tradition I Love

2008-11-04T20:20:00.000-08:00

Since my first year in Provo, I have visited Zion National Park on numerous occasions to camp and hike through the Narrows, the Emerald Pools, to Weeping Rock, etc. My mom is from the desert. As a little girl, mom's favorite hike was up Angel's Landing, which she and her two siblings would do practically running, as little kids do :). For some reason, it was not until last year that I actually hiked Angel's Landing for the first time. It was a really special and sacred experience for me as every step made me think of my angel mother. She is the reason for soooo much good in my life and one of the most important reasons I have the beliefs I have. As I reached the top that first time, I felt a very real connection to her that I hope to never forget.

This all said, Liz and I decided later last year that it was time she and I hike it together, and so, posing as foreigners that only speak Thai...which we do...in addition to English :), we hiked Angel's Landing. Doing so was healing, actually invigorating, a ton of fun and beautiful beyond words! Before I left Utah for "next stop is anywhere I get a job" a few weeks ago, she and I hiked it again. We decided it's a tradition :)...a new one, but one at that and I hope we continue it. Look at these amazing views. There's not much quite like it. You have to hike it if you haven't already.

The day after the hike, we visited my feisty and hilarious grandmother McCain in Cedar City at this great rehabilitation center where she is relearning how to walk(!) because of complications. She was too good to us and I was so grateful to see her. It has come to me that she has blessed my life more than I will ever really understand. Thank you Grandma. Enjoy the pictures all :). Cheers!

Happy Halloween & How About that Immune System!

2008-10-31T10:49:00.000-07:00

Well, its Halloween! Even in Boston, kids of all ages dress up and pretend to be something or someone else, and then ask you to give them candy for their efforts. Love that. This year, Den is Dracula...and a very scary one, if I do say so myself. Annie is a bumble bee...even though she was going to be ghost for pretty much this entire week and only changed her mind at the last minute. Got to love that too. Em dressed up as a scary witch and I respect that :) And of course, Ben was himself as he carried little Brigham around.

Yesterday, we went on a hay ride at Wilson Farms, and it was the first Halloween thing I have done in a long time that I actually enjoyed. The whole scary holiday thing doesn't really suit me since I get scared so easily! The sun was out and it was so much fun being with Em, Den, Annie, Brigham, and Duncan (Den's friend) as we passed the hay rolls that were decorated as funny spiders and drove through the tunnel with all its decor of spooky bats, ghosts, spiders, etc.

The air smelled so fresh and fallish as we drove and I couldn't help wishing that fall would never pass onto winter. It's amazing to me that leaves never seem to bore me. Every step on a pile of leaves, comes with so much pleasure as I hear the crunching sound of the red, yellow, orange, and brown little ones beneath my feet. And though I know I should feel bad, even as an adult I just love to run through a pile of leaves and scatter them everywhere. Leaves aren't meant to be in a pile...they are meant cover the earth!

Yesterday and today have also reminded me to be grateful for good health. Don't feel sorry for me because I've been sick. I certainly don't feel sorry for myself. The experience has forced me to be still and to ponder several things that I haven't allowed myself the time to think about lately. Somewhere between 2 and 6am this morning, as I alternated between blowing my nose, drinking water, climbing the stairs to the washroom from the basement, and then hitting the bed again, laying on my back and looking up at the ceiling, ...I had a pretty neat experience. Well first, I thought something very funny. My independent self thought, "I just want someone to take care of me and go get me some hot lentil soup and make my headache go away!" And yes, I did feel kind of woozy crazy, but after my headache left, I felt a wonderful peace...one that invited me to review my life for the last bit.

Quite clearly to my thoughts came the many simple and small things I am grateful for: a bed, a closet to finally hang my clothes in, a wonderful family that puts up with me, holidays, tissue paper, blankets, my eyes, heaters, my sister Emily, my brother Ben, the opportunity to think, and the ability to smile. As this happened, I was reminded of things I should make amends, and I was filled with a repentant spirit. Gratitude for the Savior and for the Atonement came next and then peace again came over me.

It wasn't a huge experience or one I feel is too special to share. It just reminded me that I need to take time to be still, to express gratitude, to make right the things I may have done wrong. As I was laying there, I started thinking about the immune system...I told those little white blood cells to hang on and bring me through :) and then I realized how crazy I am! Oh, how I love the human body...at Halloween time or another time for that matter. Thanks for allowing me to share!

Today I Feel...

2008-09-29T18:58:00.001-07:00

It's no secret that I love my family...and it's definitely no secret that I am crazy about each one of my sibs individually... With that said, I thought I'd share what my friend Liz and I made my bro Joe last week as a "house warming" gift for his new pad in Columbus. He's just started a grad program there at Ohio State. This "mood magnet perfecto" makes me smile everytime I look at it because I just love the millions of faces Joe makes everytime anyone tries to click the camera. Here it is folks. Enjoy a few of the many faces of Joseph Castleton.

Good Hair Day

2008-09-28T20:33:00.000-07:00

Liz and I had a wonderful time going to church this morning. The sky and the mountains really shone and their beauty made us smile. At church, we listened to a wonderful musical program by the U's Institute Singers. It seems that music speaks most directly to me and a few of their numbers did just that. Later, we were asked to introduce ourselves by naming our favorite flower. We found out that lots of lovely folks favor orchids and lilies. Who knew?!

To top things off, Liz and I discovered that we were both having really good hair days today! This is definitely an accomplishment worth documenting, and here is the picture to prove it. Don't you just love that face of Liz? She is so darn cute and so much fun.

Hope you had a good hair day too!

Because I Remember Them

2008-09-27T23:08:00.000-07:00

Anyone reading this will most likely already know about their passing, but I'm keeping this blog just as much for myself as for anyone else who would like to read it. Although my dear friend Allison Walther and her dad, Craig, died in the car crash reported in the news July 19th of this year, it has taken me a while to be able to write about it formally. My journal contains my thoughts, but I wanted to post a tribute to both Craig and Allison - two wonderful people who have both played major roles in my life.

Ali was probably wearing one of her over sized sweatshirts (as we all did in those days:), with her beautiful straight blond hair flowing behind her, that first time I met her. We were going into 6th grade, I think, and I remember liking her from the start. She was happy, had a fun laugh that made you laugh right along with her, and beautiful eyes that always seemed to be smiling while they sparkled. Throughout the years, we sang in choirs together, went to church together, took math, English and history together, ran together, and laughed and talked together about funny things at school, our friends, and yes, even boys. Everyone who knew Ali, liked being around her. She, in turn, seemed to like everyone too.

The summer before our senior year at Rogers High School, Craig let Ali and I work at American Linen, where he had a senior position. Since we often worked different shifts, we'd leave each other love notes on yellow lined paper before or after most shifts. It was such a fun time and I treasure all our funny notes to each other. She seemed to always be full of so much happiness, love and good times. Though I kept it to myself, I often felt that I wanted to be like her.

Ali's sealing to Jeremy Van Gieson in the Seattle, Washington Temple was the first that I ever attended. While there, I had a powerful witness that what she was doing was not only beautiful, but wonderfully right and the goal I should always maintain. Since my mission, I have seen Ali off and on as her family increased from two to five. As a mother, Ali always impressed me, especially because she seemed to continue to maintain that happy laugh and smile despite craziness :) and ups and downs. Yes, I'm aware she wasn't perfect, but she was so good.

Ali and I attended our high school reunion a few months ago. On our way home, we both had parents ask us to pick something up from the store, so what did we do? We caravaned to good ol' Top Foods, and ran through the store looking for the goods. It was a simple thing, but I am now so grateful for the mercy given to me; one more fun time with her, talking and laughing about the many adventures we've experienced.

Craig is Ali's dad. In many ways, he represents what a good father and husband should be like. Since I first met the Walther family, I remember Craig referring to his wife, Kathy, in church or in conversation, as his better half, as the reason he was who he was at that point. Throughout the years, he continued to praise Kathy and as I listened to him, I made a silent promise to myself that I wanted to find someone who respected women and would view me in that way too.

The Walther house is visible from the windows in the Castleton house :). On many afternoons, I would look out and see Craig and Ali practicing volleyball hits and serves on their lawn. Ali told me once that she knew she could talk to her dad about anything and that she felt he always loved her. Once again, I hoped I would find someone who would be that way for my girls someday.

I still remember coming to my family ward for church one Sunday while I was studying at Pacific Lutheran University. As I ran into Craig and stuck out my hand to give him a shake, he said something like, "Ah, Becky, you don't have to keep giving me handshakes - you're like my daughter. You have to give me hugs from now on!" And, I always did. Everytime I came home, I looked forward to running into Craig, giving him a hug and catching up on life for a moment. It was always very obvious to me how much he cared about me and about all of us "kids"...friends of his kids.

As I have thought about honoring Ali and Craig, I have decided to try and reach out a little more, be a better friend, smile a little more, and laugh a little truer. Ali and Craig did that for me; they lifted me and their memory continues to lift me still. I miss them both, but because they loved me and because I love them, I will be a better person to the rest of my siblings on this earth. Thank you to both of you.

http://craigandallison.blogspot.com/

When it Rains

2008-09-07T21:26:00.000-07:00

This week was wonderful. It was also difficult - kind of a bummer for a couple people I love. Nothing terrible happened in their lives, just difficult things, disappointments, hopes not met. Why do I include this in my Celebrate Your Life blog? :) Well, because I felt the desire to do so tonight as I listened to a great speaker discuss how sometimes, the hardships we experience, as terrible as they can be, are what push us forward in life, and are the experiences that bring us closer to an understanding with God and with ourselves. It can be beautifully sobering. Though the process almost feels physically or emotionally debilitating at times, we need to struggle, to feel disappointment and sorrow. Through this, the Lord blesses us, enlarges our hearts, and can give us eye-opening, revelatory experiences.

My life has been beautiful. As I reflect on the situations and circumstances I've been given, I realize again and again what a gift it is to experience pain, loss, sadness, and disappointment. Struggling, climbing, fighting to run, to breathe and to sing is a purifying and perspective-giving process. And then, when you smile, your eyes not only carry brightness and light, but an increased measure of depth. They not only feel happy because of something positive, but because they know how much sweeter the good is from the unpleasant, how much more wonderful the beautiful is than the unattractive, and how much more enjoyable it is to laugh than to cry. But, this appreciation still respects the unpleasant, the less than beautiful, and especially the tears. These strengthen its inner joy, light and peace.

I wish you sunshine from the rain, but while it is yet raining, remember that you can still hold your head up through the storm, wet as you'll be. The rain will stop eventually, your rough days will always come to an end. Things will get better. I can not take away your pain, but I can love you and can hope for patience while we experience this refining process. Sunshine is right around the next corner.

A Promise of More Posts!

2008-08-24T21:16:00.000-07:00

It has been brought to my attention that I have been neglecting my blog reading fans by not posting anything for far too long...I must apologize! Truth be told...I have at least three more blogs I wanted to finish on my experience in Russia...to say nothing of my numerous unwritten blogs about my experience in El Salvador with Mary this summer. The short is, there are too many blessings I've been given this summer..."my cup runneth over," if you know what I mean. But, my excuses are at an end and I commit (to all those who care :), to get back to blogging...within the next 10 days :).
Love flows!

My Last Day in Russia

2008-07-05T14:51:00.001-07:00

Russian Beauties

2008-07-05T14:23:00.000-07:00

I never tire from looking at the Russian Orthodox churches. I’ve made Scott and Justin and whoever else is with us, enter so many of them, much to their dismay at times. They said once you see inside ten, you've usually seen the same thing, but somehow entering these places of worship still interests me and helps me get a little better feel for the structure of these people's faith. Many say that the churches are more beautiful on the outside than the inside…and I’d have to agree with many of them.

Here is Christ’s Church which is pretty incredible on both the outside and the inside. When you walk inside most Russia Orthodox churches, you can usually see icons of the Holy Mother Mary or other Saints lining the walls or in clumps in parts of the church. Pictures of Saints and more recent church leaders, which might also be considered icons, decorate the inner walls of the churches too. Candles and incense are lit and fill the churches with an old, musty sort of smell. Some churches we visited seemed more in touch with the stories found in the Bible than others. I loved it when they were.

A few times, as I was passing one of the churches, I would hear beautiful singing and so, of course, had to go inside and check it out. The music consisted of singing/chanting by one of the priests and a chorus. It was really quite lovely sometimes. I may have mentioned it before, but when a woman enters these churches she must cover her head. It was really neat to enter the churches during a service as I did a few times. Either way, the believers do a series of bowing and crossing themselves at different points in the service or as they approach various icons.

St. Petersburg’s Finest

2008-07-05T14:19:00.000-07:00

I was able to go to St. Petersburg for three days, and visit a part of my brother Joe’s mission. Not having him with me was sad, but being where he’d served and loved the Russians for two

years was priceless. Scott, Merilee (Scott’s mom who came to visit his mission and travel with us for the last 10 days of our trip :), and myself were able to visit the Hermitage, the Cathedral of Spilled Blood, Peterhof, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, as well as many other sites. We even attended a night of folk singing and dancing called, “Feel yourself Russian.” So amazing and beautiful! St. Petersburg is such a lovely city – Merilee and I were impressed with the cleanliness and the beautiful architecture. Peter the Great built this beauty with the hope of making it look much more like the cities of Europe because he didn’t like the older and less refined look of Moscow. And, there is a definite difference. Personally, I still also love the more communist and possibly rougher look and feel to Moscow.

While in St. Petersburg, Lena (Joe and Rachel’s friend) did a lot of the sight seeing and

research with us. She’s absolutely pure gold! Lena had me at her place, about an hour from St. Petes by metro and mashrutka. She was soooo kind and nice, and she even helped me on our project, going on all the metro lines, counting beer advertisements and alcohol

brands, as well as counting advertisements and alcohol and cigarette sales on the streets. Meeting Lena, was very special for me because of her connection to Joe and Rach. She introduced me to others that knew Joe as he served his mission in St. Petersburg which was a blessing for me. But, getting to know and becoming friends with Lena was even more zdorava (wonderful)! I was so impressed with her great dedication and pure goodness. Many of the Russians who share the same faith with me have also been such good examples of this to me and it has touched me

deeply to witness their faith in action.

Russian Buildings

2008-07-05T14:16:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my first post in Russia, I love the Russian buildings. They speak of the communist era and are lined with character! Here is a picture of a typical apartment door with two major locks on it. As soon as you open that door, you shod your shoes and usually put on some type of indoor slipper. Most apartments I’ve been to consist of a small kitchen area, bathroom, and one to three bedrooms (usually one or two).

As if your front apartment door wasn’t secure enough, the front door of your apartment building also has a security set up in order to get in. There are some of the most interesting and cool elevators in the Russian buildings too! Usually they are covered in graffiti or other messages and they are often quite small :). When you arrive at your floor, you have to wait a second while the elevator actually decides to stop and then eventually the doors open, and you’re off! One elevator I used was so completely not new! A wooden box traveled up and down the floors in what looked like a wire encasement with a metal door.

Living in one of these apartments has really helped me realize how little space I need to live in…makes me want to get rid of anything I don’t need :). Millions of people throughout the world (the amount floors me every time I think of it) live in apartments like the ones I’ve described, and yet I’ve always imagined living in a house. Really though, you can live in much less than a house – its just that many Americans are able to choose the house and therefore think that’s the way it is for most folks.

The Most Amazing Moskva Metro

2008-07-05T14:10:00.000-07:00

Moscow has just about the most amazing and largest metro system in the world and you believe it when you use it. Besides the fact that there are over 11 lines with stops being created all the time, and the fact that 8 million people use the metro everyday in Moscow, and that it connects the center of Moscow to the far reaches of the city boundaries (traveling about an hour or more to the end of each line from the center)… All that, and Moscow’s metro is incredibly decorated too! Statues of Lenin, other leaders, great writers and poets, etc. decorate the halls of various metro stops. Mosaics of Russian victories, the communist people and important symbols decorate the halls and ceilings of the metro stations. Gorgeous carvings of the same also line the walls and ceilings. Great history lessons could be taught by bringing students on field trips to these stops! I feel I learned something about the Russians or their past every time I traveled through those halls. I loved looking up and also seeing the beautiful chandeliers hang from the ceilings of many metro stops.

Living in Moscow this past month has really made me re-think transportation in the US! Not only is the metro an atleeshna (excellent) way to travel, but when you walk outside, you have available any form of transportation you’d like to your next destination; there are mashrutkas, buses, electric buses, taxis and of course, walking!

When people travel outside of Moscow, as I have done several times now, they choose one of the many types of trains for travel. I’ve taken the night train a few times and let me tell you, we seriously need to invest in something like that in the US! You turn your bench into a bed and rest while you get to your next destination…and it doesn’t cost too much either! I loved it. You can also meet all kinds of people while traveling on the train...and maybe, if you’re lucky, you’ll even sing few songs with them too.

Mother Russia and Becky Meet

2008-05-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

First Impressions
I am in Russia now...yes, it's true! So much has happened since my plane hit the runway; I feel I've learned so much, seen so much, met so many wonderful people, and well, used the metro so much! Later on, I'll include a picture of a metro map because it is something you have to see! The buildings here have become one of my obsessions :). These first two pictures are of buildings outside my building, in a really nice part of southern Moscow. As I include other buildings that are less new and nice, realize that those represent the majority of Russian apartment buildings...very worn down, cement blocks, with all apartments looking the same though different. Each has a set of run down elevators, walls that look live they've seen better days, sometimes with stairs that are falling apart, and then in front of most individual apartments, a fancy door with multiple locks acts as the entry way into the Russian's homes. I can't get enough of the buildings. Many whisper of days when the country was run by communism. The history begs me to become educated and everywhere I go, I ask Scott to ask people about how it was "then" and how they feel about Russia "now." It has been fascinating listening to Russians' opinions and stories. Somehow, I seem to love them already.

Who is Scott? This strapping young man is a student at BYU, studying Exercise Science. We met last fall as we both wrote our ORCA Grant proposals, and ever since we've gotten along great and he's been a wonderful help. He is hilarious, a member of BYU's Divine Comedy group, a returned missionary from the Moscow Mission and therefore speaks terrific Russian :). When I first met Scott, I also met Justin, who is it just happens, is awesome too and is assisting in our research here. The two guys are roommates at BYU and served in one of the same areas on their missions. They have been so good to me and have also introduced some of the best people to me. It has been really neat to see how much they love and care about the Russian people. Being around them has made me laugh a ton! - and it has also really made me want to be better in so many ways. The picture above shows Justin on the left, his lady love Ksenia in the middle, and Scott looking at something really important on the right.

That first day that I arrived, I met my first friends, Ksenia (Russian) and Anya (Ukranian), who served with Scott and Justin, and we had my first meal in this lovely Russian restaurant. During my first week, I was also able to visit my very kind and loving Uncle Craig McCune. Uncle Craig and Aunt Lorna are missionaries in the Moscow/all of Russia Mission because Uncle Craig is one of two medical missionaries called to meet the needs of the missionaries in Russia and nearby countries. He invited Scott and I over for good times with pizza and icecream and a touch of swing music on the side.

The Research
After getting used to the schedule a little, I was able to meet with the research organization (Levada Center) who Justin and I have been communicating with in Moscow to contract with them the addition of my survey questions to their already existing Nationwide survey. Our meeting was long but successful and we have most things ironed out. The survey will be conducted face to face, among 1600 people in Russia. Levada Center is one of the more respected organizations in Moscow's research world. Alexei (pronounced Alexay in English), the man we are working with, reminds me a lot of an older history or chemistry professor who is always working and researching. He is tall, has lots of fun hair, big glasses, and is fortunately very kind. Now, I wait until the results come back to analyze the data. In the meantime, I have a couple of side projects; video tapping Scott or Justin asking random people on the streets questions about both cultural and alcohol/tobacco industry questions. Doing this in Tver was both fun and surprising. The people usually knew all the answers to our Russian cultural questions and more were stumped on the tobacco and alcohol brand questions.

Scott's projects have to do with alcohol advertising, pricing and the availability to purchase alcohol on the streets within one kilometer measurements. I've helped him with that and have also documenting the number of Kiosks in the kilometer that sell cigarettes, noting the cheapest priced cigarettes and the hours these are available. Its alarming how cheap you can buy 20 smokes for in Russia...and just as terrible is the cheap alcohol that is so readily available for anyone to buy. I can't tell you how many people I've already run into who are drunk on the side of the street at all hours of the day or evening, those that nearly walk into me drunk (don't worry mom, Justin and Scott have warned me so I move out of the way:), and how many look like they don't have much left in them to keep going as they hold their bottle and sit on the cement stairs that lead to some market. Yes, I'm well aware that this exists all over the world - but I'm not anywhere but here in Russia, and so that's what I'm talking about. These folks smell strongly of cigarette smoke - but I guess that isn't saying much since all my clothes now smell like that too because people have been smoking almost everywhere I've been. I want to give these people I see on the street a warm bath, lots of bread and soup, and help them figure out how to get out of the terrible cycle they find themselves in - going pretty much no where. It is much more complicated than that - and this reality saddens me while it also strengthens my determination to see if I can find and be some small part of the answer for improvement.

Tver
After the first several days, Justin, Scott and I headed to Tver with some of their friends. Tver was founded in the 1100s and is about 2-3 hours north of Moscow on train. While there, we visited friends, made new friends, researched and enjoyed
the city. At night, Justin, Scott and I would laugh for hours - mostly because they are both so darn funny and had the greatest stories to tell. It often feels like I'm with my brothers when I'm with them, and that has made this trip so awesome for me.

Since much of this experience in Russia is visiting Scott's and Justin's mission, I have been blessed to meet a few of those they taught and worked with. Doing so has humbled me because of their great sincerity. Their committed faith inspires me and I feel increased desire to live better and to be a more pure disciple of the Lord. Here is a pictures of Mickel and his family who Scott really loves. They were wonderful and fed us the meal in the picture. Mickel is super poor (four of them living in one very narrow room) but somehow is so committed to the gospel...and not in some flimsy sort of way. It was beautiful to spend time with them.

While Scott, Justin and I were interviewing people, we met these two guys (Andray and Roman) who were about 20 years old. They were awesome to spend time with and turned out to be great tour guides. Here they are with us infront of a statue. There are soooo many statues and memorials here in Russia - pretty much on every block - honoring Russia's triump in the Great Patriotic War (World War II) or great poets, writers or others in Russia's recent history. As Scott and I scoped kilometer stretches on the road, we past by this church and went inside. Russian Orthodox priests were chanting and a choir above our heads were singing beautiful lines in response to the priests. It must of been a service hour because there were many baabushkas (older women), other men and younger Russians who were, with heads covered, bowing at times and crossing themselves several times. It all still doesn't make sense to me...as far as the substance in their faith and religion. But it was neat to witness and since then, I've talked with Russians to better understand that faith better. The churches are beautiful here in Russia - its just interesting how things are run and attending that service let me in a bit into the Russian's Our last day in Tver, not much made me want to leave. The place felt interestly like my first area on the mission I served in Thailand and I'll admit, I fell in love with the city, the people, the cars (they look like there from the 80's), the churches, the buildings, etc. :)

Back in Moscow
During the past few days, we were able to see a concert of professional musicians who are also members of the church in this area, perform beautiful piano, violin and other peices. I did my first souvenior shopping Saturday at a huge beautiful market. There were so many wonderful things, it was hard to decide on anything! Not that should surprise anyone who knows me :). Needless to say, I'll be back.

It was a rather rainy, cold Saturday, as it has been most days :), and so Scott, our friend Anya, and I went and saw Prince Caspian in Russian! Seeing it in Russian with them was so cool...except that the movie was pretty much one big fight..but besides that it was sweet and Scott was good enough to translate for me. After that, we walked around and met this man playing his lovely instrument on the street. It was sooo fun listening to him that I'm posting this for you to enjoy ...and mostly for my brother Seth since he loves and plays this instrument too! (Be prepared for low quality videoing - still learning how to hold a camera :)

Red Square was the grand finale, and as Scott and I turned the corner and saw the lighten building and beautiful structures we were both quite impressed! Pictures don't do it justice but I'll include them at any rate because it was all so beautiful. In my mind, I kept invisioning soldiers and people filling the square with Stalin or Lenin address the croud. It just felt like the spirits of the people who had fulfilled whatever duty in that spot, were somehow still quite close. Well, one individual was definitely still there...Lenin. His body lies in a large fort-like shiny structure next to the Kremlin. I'm definitely coming back during the day to take a looksee inside all of the buildings on Red Square. I was most definitely amazed by it. As we headed into the metro area, Scott pointed out a man sitting playing a saw with a violin bow! I couldn't believe it! How awesome - one of his selections was Strangers in the Night...and it sounded just like it! This post is mainly for Rach since I knew she'd love it so much!

Let's celebrate by graduating!

2008-05-14T19:07:00.000-07:00

Yes, Becky Castleton...otherwise known as Rebecca Castleton, BS in Public Health...finally did that one thing called graduating from college, April 24-25, 2008! It definitely took a unique amount of time :), but the time was exactly what I needed. A couple of years ago, I made the decision to change my major, yet another time, and further my undergraduate experience, jumping into the world of Public Health at BYU. There really is not another major I can image that suites me better. Studying health really made me excited, caused me to reflect on my own personal health practices, and educated me in the basics of so many subjects that I completely love and feel passionately about...for example: women's health, chronic disease, infectious disease, reproductive health, international health, sexuality education, mind and body health, and various methods to plan and implement health change.

The professors I was able to learn from gave me an invaluable education in more than their lessons and lectures. I owe each of then an incredible dept and will endever to follow their examples in a number of ways. The friends I gained from my studies in Public Health remain as great examples, friends I respect a great deal, and people I know I can turn to for a variety of reasons.

My parents supported me through all of this, encouraging me as my path continued to turn this way and that. I still remember mom's words the day I called to consult with her and pops about changing my major one more time. She said, "sometimes you have to make several turns until you find the right path, the one you were looking for. You wouldn't have found it without taking all those previous turns." I thank my family and close friends for all their help getting me to the spot I am at today - it truly has been a joint effort!

Thank you.

Cherry Blossoms in DC

2008-04-15T17:44:00.003-07:00

Spring is in full bloom here in DC - its enough to make anyone smile! Oh how I love life as its just beginning! Megs and I spent time around some of the monuments and blossoms and loved the scenery and excitement of the Cherry Blossom Festival. It was all so beautiful that I've found other reasons to return:). Winter has finally left us here in the DC area, and though the chill in the air still causes me to carry my coat, the increase of sunny weather seems to have poured more life into me...I'm starting to warm up! Spring is in full bloom here in DC - its enough to make anyone smile! Oh how I love life as its just beginning! Megs and I spent time around some of the monuments and blossoms and loved the scenery and excitement of the Cherry Blossom Festival. It was all so beautiful that I've found other reasons to return:).

Winter has finally left us here in the DC area, and though the chill in the air still causes me to carry my coat, the increase of sunny weather seems to have poured more life into me...I'm starting to warm up!

years to your life...

2008-03-23T20:12:00.000-07:00

So, this is my new blog. Yes! It's all about celebrating your life. For starters, let's talk food: eating 5 fruits and vegetables each day is vitally important to your health..."it will add years to your life!" (quoted from CYL speech 2007...and often by my brother-in-law Dean). And when you live longer, you will have more life to celebrate. So, remember: 5-A-Day!
This has been a message from the Ad Council...

Okay...so, there is more than this to celebrating your life :) stay tuned for more cyl updates!