That's Not Everything

I was at a game night with some (new) friends in my (new) ward and the conversation drifted to dating.  This is NOT my favorite topic, especially in mixed company (he's and she's).  Discussion flowed and swirled around any dating/relationship/flirting topic you can think of when one of the guys piped up....

Before I tell you what he asked, I'll tell you a snippet about this fellow.  He has a medical condition that has severely disabled many of his everyday functions.  His body is basically skin and bones, but his mind is just as sharp as anyone.

....He wouldn't look any of the girls in the eyes, but stared at the ground and asked...."Do you think my condition is the reason no girls like me?"

Everyone sat in silence, not knowing what to say or how to answer.  I thought for a second and replied: "___, your condition is only one part of who you are.  Any girl worth your time will see all the other things that define you and those are what she can decide from.  Yes, our physical appearance is the first thing any potential partner sees, but they have to look inside to find a match."

Once I said that, others chimed in and the discussion moved on to other exciting things.

When I got home that night, and many nights since, I have had to sit my heart down and remind myself of that very thing -- this thing/weakness/quirk/flaw is only one part of who I am.  I am worth looking into; I am worth being loved.  I am like an antique book -- only those who really know the worth of the story inside will place me among his other treasures.  That man is the only one I want.  He is the one to whom I will open the pages of my deepest heart.

Cannot be Separated

"Remember Mormon’s promise: that such love—the love we each yearn for and cling to—is 'bestowed' upon 'true followers of Christ.' You want capability, safety, and security in dating and romance, in married life and eternity? Be a true disciple of Jesus. Be a genuine, committed, word-and-deed Latter-day Saint. Believe that your faith has everything to do with your romance, because it does. You separate dating from discipleship at your peril. Or, to phrase that more positively, Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, is the only lamp by which you can successfully see the path of love and happiness for you and for your sweetheart. How should I love thee? As He does, for that way 'never faileth'." -- Jeffrey R. Holland

Perceptions

"Perceptions are right 100% of the time." - Dad

Whatever I perceive about a situation is completely correct.  What you perceive about me is correct.  What the team perceives about the outcome of the game is correct.  Without the full knowledge or information on the situation, all you have is perception.  That is all that stands between you and what you see.

Becoming Sabrina

I grew up on Classic movies - Doris Day, Shirley Temple, Cary Grant, Debbie Reynolds, and Rock Hudson. I have been thoroughly polluted by the beauty and simplicity of old movies...and I LOVE IT!!!  One iconic movie I was particularly inspired by is "Sabrina" starring Audrey Hepburn. I love her love of cars, her simple fashion, her transformation, her honesty, and her love of travel.  

The French cooking school scene gets me the most excited. I have always loved cooking, especially watching my mom work magic, so I have always wanted to go to a professional cooking school. So that you understand my perspective, take a look at this home movie from inside my dreams (or from the movie "Sabrina").

  

I was able to fulfill that dream!!  For Christmas, my parents gave me a few lessons as the Salt Lake Culinary Center.  I took various classes, including Homemade Pasta, Superfoods, Souffles, and Knife Basics.

Homemade Pasta - included making Caeser salad Ravioli

This is my favourite instructor - Amy

Superfoods -- Salmon, Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Greek Yogurt
and berry pie.

My absolute favourite class was SOUFFLES!!!!  Here is another recording from my dreams:

Now for the reality of what I was taught in the "Successful Souffles" class.  This class created my favourite foods of all the classes I attended.  I have recreated a souffle once since then, and it was just as I remembered.

"Collar" is an essential to a souffle...and it
makes you look fancy

Ramekins -- use for individual souffles

Chocolate with Berry drizzle

Pre-baking - - Sweet Potatoe
(MY FAVOURITE)

Egg and Spinach (this one looked the fanciest of what we made

Peeking between the collar

I haven't taken any other classes in awhile, but I have definitely made the foods I learned.  I have made the Greek Yogurt with Berries and Ganache pie a couple times, I make salmon all the time now, and I made a Sweet Potato souffle for my dad's birthday this year (and it got rave reviews).  I'm definitely glad I did it and, who knows, I may take other classes sometime soon.

Mission President Seminar 2015

Working with this bundle during the Mission President Seminar has been a blast.  We've survived another year of being displaced and relocated from our office.  We worked in cubicles, shoved in the depths of the dungeon.  AND WE HAD FUN!!

Hairy Fortunes

This is a post dedicated to the crazy that is ANNE'S HAIR!!! While deciding what to blog about, a friend of mine came in, sat down, stared at me and said "Can I shave your head now?!?!". She went on (for what seemed like forever) complimenting me on my hair. For anyone who knows me you know I do not do well with compliments; I get embarrassed and anxious. So, in order to get the good, bad, and the ugly of my hair-self out there, here's a hair post.

I'm digging in the archives for some never-before seen photos too.

(1989) Blonde peach fuzz

(1989) Birthday suit hair

(1991) We've got ourselves a blondie!!

(1991) Natural Shirley Temple blonde

(1992) blonde ringlets

(1993) Wild little blonde thing

(1995) Kindergarten.  Hair down to my waist.

Going brunette.  Soon after this picture, my

mom took me to the hair salon and had my hair

chopped up to my ears.

(1996) Short, brown, poofy, straight, fluffy from
here on out

(1998) Brown, wavy, and fluffy (curls went in
for hibernation in 1996)

(2000-2006) This sums up that time period!!
My hair was introduced to HUMIDITY in 1999, when we
moved to Ireland.

(2006) No shape and no layers = mushroom

(Fall 2007) Natural Arizona sun all summer
caused awesome highlights for the Fall.

(2008) Chopped it

(2009) 1st bangs.  Straightening those everyday
was insane, but I enjoyed the look.  

(2010) Chop + bangs

(2010) 1st and last dye.  The next section of my life was
hating the color as it grew back out to normal.

(2010) Meet the orange hair.  The main reason I hate
looking at my mission pictures.

(2010) In order to combat the orange growing out, I
continuously chopped my hair on my mission.

(2011) Developed the "wet-twist" to deal with craziness.
Makes good hair days last 4 days

(2011) No product, post-wet-twists.
FAVOURITE STYLE!!

(2011) Almost normal color.  This is ombre before it was cool

(2012) Fresh post-mission natural color
and style.

(2013) discovered "glamour waves"

(2013) "Glamour waves" almost an everyday occurrence

(2013) Employee photo

(2013) Curly meets Oakland, CA

(2014) Side ponytails are my go-to from
this point on.
THIS IS A FAKE POLICE PICTURE!!!

My hair is always a topic of comment
from my friends

(2015) Finally mastered a French Braid

(Summer 2015) I haven't had hair this long
since I was 5yrs old.