Patience

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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