My Life Story told by gratitude

At church, one of the speakers exemplified gratitude by narrating his life by telling what he was thankful for from his preschool years to the present. It was fun to listen to, so I'm going to do the same thing.

When I was four and five I remember being grateful for:

• my Big Bird big-wheal bike
• tape recorders so that Desha and I could record our voices and then listen to them
• songs at preschool
• my pretend ironing board
• our giant hill in the back yard for rolling and sledding down
• our swing set
• my yellow blanky

When I was six and seven I remember being grateful for:

• barbies
• my two wheeler
• dress-ups
• being able to sleep with Desha and play Bedknobs and broomsticks
• piano lessons
• my purple backpack

When I was eight I remember being grateful for:

• being baptised
• my new set of scriptures
• my new baby sister
• all the second grade kids that were nice to me when I changed schools from CA to CO
• Squirty, our pet dog
• our brand new magenta van
• my first real friend in CO, Abbie Steinbrueck
• living next to my Robertson cousins

When I was nine, ten, and eleven I remember being grateful for:

• our new house
• cows in our backyard
• summer
• the giant bush in Grandma's backyard that was the perfect fort
• my cousins
• sidewalk chalk to make bike racing tracks on our cul-de-sac
• being with Dad

When I was twelve and thirteen I remember being grateful for:

• the girls in Young Womens who were nice to me
• the 2:35 bell indicating that one more day of middle school was over
• band
• cute boys
• my journal
• babysitting
• cousins
• going to the temple to do baptisms

When I was fourteen and fifteen, I remember being grateful for:

• Church dances
• drama
• choir
• prayer
• Dad's typing skills to help me when I was in a time-crunch for reports
• seminary because it meant that I didn't have to ride the morning bus
• speech and debate
• being Mormon

When I was sixteen, seventeen and eighteen, I remember being grateful for:

• my license and a car
• having jobs (secretary's assistant at dentist, babysitter, playgroup owner, and assembly line worker)
• musicals
• modest prom dresses
• good dates
• instant messaging
• my patriarchal blessing
• my parents' trust
• learning about biology
• graduation gifts
• lots of friends

When I was nineteen and twenty I remember being grateful for:

• my fifth ACT score that allowed me to get into BYU
• callings
• SO many friends that were of my same faith
• really hot mormon boys
• all you can eat every day
• freedom
• inspiration
• going to the temple every week
• boyfriends
• new perspectives
• the BYU library
• inspiration
• Jine
• Megan
• my rolling backpack
• clean dishes
• Mom
• honest roommates
• my rental piano
• BYU dances
• benefits of being a music major like free tkts to all of the arts performances
• knowing every secret study place on campus
• sharing meals
• Walmart
• Friday night 1:30 am curfew

When I was twenty one, after living in Thailand, I remember being grateful for:

• food
• clean streets
• clothes
• stable government
• books
• literacy
• folk songs
• money
• toilet paper
• cake
• laughter
• hugs
• cameras
• humidity
• The Book of Mormon

When I was 22, 23 and 24 I remember being grateful for:

• taking chances
• Las Vegas
• feeling my complete, best self with Jeremy
• the golden gate bridge
• the word Love
• temple marriage
• wedding gifts
• dancing
• a piece of paper with these words: Bachelor's of Arts
• pencil sharpeners
• collaboration
• un-invited hugs
• accurate assessments
• planning time
• that invigoration when a lesson clicked and was remembered
• witnessing 25 ten-year olds sing and sign "I've Got Peace like a River"
• narrow-minded administrators. Yes I was grateful because they taught me some important lessons
• unexpected homemade dinners and clean laundry
• square dancing
• Ryan and Chelsea
• being told I'm the coolest, nicest, prettiest, and best teacher
• The Atonement

Now that I'm twenty five, I'm thankful for:

• sea urchins
• faith
• palm trees
• sick teachers
• clear lesson plans
• faithful priesthood leaders
• Prop 8, not because it passed, but because of the work it required of me and the things I learned from working for it
• temple ordinances
• The Nilsson Family
• laughing everyday with my husband
• our dishwasher
• our piano
• having time
• knowing and learning my family history
• blogs
• peace
• the future

A Taste of Parenthood

From Friday to Saturday evening Jeremy and I babysat the Nilsson girls while Brooke and Ryan went to Catalina Island. In case you don't know yet, this is the family from church that I help nanny twice a week. They have three girls: Rylie, who is two, and Brielle and Zoey, who are twins, 11 months old. We actually volunteered to do it since we love their family and know that Brooke and Ryan probably don't get a lot of "couple time." And we hope that when we're parents there will be a nice, capable couple out there who would do the same for us.

I'm not gonna lie. It was the most rewarding work I've done in a long time. No kidding, it was a LOT of work and we were pooped by the time Brooke and Ryan got back. But it was also soooo fun. How often do you get smiles and giggles in exchange for making a silly face and simply saying "AaaBOO"? I mean, you've gotta admit how neat it is to have a little person fall in love with you simply because you make the most ridiculous sounds!

It was awesome to have Jeremy help. He is really embarrassed that I'm saying this, but I don't care! He deserves to be recognized. Seriously, I got a great catch. And fortunate, too, because I never had the chance to prove Jeremy's children skills before we were engaged. With every other guy I dated, I organized at least one date around kids to test his capabilities with children. Somehow Jeremy got a rain check on that one and I had to go on faith. It must have been his way of surprising me with his hidden talent. Jeremy is a complete natural with children!

Jeremy exceeds all of my child-skill expectations in a man. He holds babies and little people perfectly, not in the awkward way that some guys do- even though he is large in stature. He's really sweet and gentle with them. Even if someone else is holding the child nearby, without thinking about it, Jeremy will reach over to the baby and stroke its leg or let it grab his hand, just while he's carrying on a conversation with people.

Jeremy knows how to change diapers, rock babies to sleep, feed babies bottles, and calm an upset two year old. He can multi-task with babe in arms. He knows how to kindly discipline, play imagination, and read books without sounding monotone. In fact, Jeremy makes funny sound effects for every voice or object in books that he reads to kids. (I should've known since he does this in adult conversations, too, which is something that I fell in love with right away). Jeremy also knows how to use teachable moments. He makes mundane things like pushing a stroller interesting. He loves to cuddle, and kids love to cuddle with him.

Below are some moments to give you a picture of our babysitting weekend:

Funny Moment: While playing imagination, Rylie and I "drove" to the store. I asked her "What kind of store are we at?" Rylie proudly responded, "Um. A white one!" Later, Jeremy said that's how he categorizes his store visits, too. He either sells to Vietnamese, White, Hispanic or Black stores.

Most Stressful Moment: Bathing the girls one at a time in the kitchen sink. (Jeremy was at a bball game). Zoey was really upset about getting in the water, and kept leaning over the edge while I tried rinsing her off. Water got all over me and the floor. She cried a lot and I got frustrated.

Music Moment: Since I'm a music teacher and worked at the BYU music preschool for 2 years, you can imagine that I do a LOT of musical activities with the girls. We stopped at our apartment for Jeremy to change his clothes. The girls have been there once before, and Rylie was really excited to be there. (And I mean REALLY excited. It was so funny.) Anyway, while we played in the living room, Rylie got up to the piano and sang her version of "I am a Child of God." Then, she played some lower notes and talked in a deep voice, "Monstas walking in castle." She was retelling the Halloween story that we made up at the piano before! We told about a castle where ghosts, witches and monsters lived. The monsters were represented with low, slow notes. How rewarding to see that she remembered!!

Longest Quiet Moment: After calming Rylie from a nightmare, I went to sleep and the clock said 12:40am. The next time I was woken by Zoey and the clock said 2:35am. I have a better understanding now of what parents mean when they say Sleepless Nights. And this was cake compared to newborns!

Sentimental Moment: Jeremy gave me a kiss and we sat down together on the couch. Rylie jumped on my lap and said, "SawahLynn, Jehmy loves you?" I chuckled and said, "Yeah. And I love him. And we love you, Rylie." A big grin spread across her face.

Annoying Moment: I was holding Brielle, and headed for the pantry door that is in the corner of the kitchen. Rylie went ahead of me to help get the food. Keiko, the dog, lept in front of me before I got there. We were all cramped so that I couldn't open the pantry or move. When I finally got what I needed and tried getting out of the mess, Zoey and Keiko had creeped up and blockaded my way out! I know the dog's just trying to be a part of the family, but really. It's so annoying when I've got people in my arms and he's in the way.

Messy Moment: We got Wendy's and set out a picnic at Mile Square Park, which is a gorgeous square mile of grass, ponds, playgrounds and bike paths. I fed the twins baby food in their car seats. We had all our food spread out on the blanket and the girls' faces were covered in Gerber goop. But the breeze and warmth was perfect, and it was great to just be outside, eating and making a mess. All messes can be cleaned, ya know.

Another Funny Moment: We found some ducks to feed. The girls were enthralled. After 10 minutes of feeding the ducks, Jeremy realized that he was standing on a giant sign painted on the pavement: DO NOT FEED THE DUCKS. We looked around and realized that these signs were painted every five feet apart and there were other signs posted around the water. Then we noticed that people all around the pond were staring at us! Fearful of getting arrested or something, we threw in the last chunk of duck food and walked off to the playground, trying to look inconspicuous. We also got chased by geese later on. Not the friendliest bird-of-a-feather out there, that's for sure!

Favorite moment: Jeremy had Zoey bundled and cuddled asleep on his chest and his arm around Rylie, who was sitting beside him. Both of them were staring wide-eyed at SportsCenter on TV.

Educational Moment One: Unlike other times that I've done this sorta thing as a single gal, there was a huge feeling of security from the girls because Jeremy was there. Rylie often made comments about how Jeremy was going to go to the park with us and eat with us and sleep with us. Zoey and Brielle loved that he was there, too. Just more evidence of how important marriage between a man and a woman really is!

Educational Moment Two: Indeed, it was a lot of work. But very rewarding. I'm really excited for Jeremy and I to be parents someday! I think we'll do a pretty good job of it because we were a great team!! I'm still baby hungry, but I think I can hold out a little longer, as I really enjoy the freedom to sleep through the whole night undisturbed. We're gonna gladly sleep it up as long as the Lord sees fit!

Very Funny Videos

If The Other Party Wins


Sarah Palin Disney Trailer

We Have Fought A Good Fight

We voted! Yesterday was my first time voting in a general election. I was one of the 3% in CA that voted for Alan Keyes as president. He supports marriage between a man and a woman, is against abortion and wants to annihilate the income tax. I didn't vote for McCain because I don't agree with his war policies and his economic/tax/health plans. I didn't vote for Obama because I don't agree with his abortion and marriage views and his finicky ways. So I found what I feel was the best medium. And I can say that I helped make history, too, because Alan Keyes is black.

Jeremy voted for McCain mostly because his policies were supposed to help the food industry more than Obama's, so considering that's our income, Jeremy felt it a great need to vote for McCain.

Our Fight for Prop 8
The presidential election wasn't as exciting or nerve wrecking as fighting for Proposition 8, which was the measure to restore traditional marriage in California. Right now, 99% of the votes have been reported and it is 52% YES, 48% NO. This means that:

• Every vote made a difference
  
• The $85 that we gave to the campaign and the 100+ hours that Jeremy and I spent collectively walking door to door, rallying, calling voters, blogging, educating friends, delivering signs, attending meetings, and getting out the vote truly made a difference.
• Your support, no matter how meek, made a difference. Thank you!!
  
• The voice of the people is more powerful than 4 court judges, several multi-million dollar corporations, unions, celebrities, and biased media that all tried to keep this Prop from passing.
  
• We can trust the virtue of our people over the cunning ways of the rich and loud.
  
• Faith without works is dead. It wasn't enough to pray that voters would consider the future with Prop 8. We had to work to make it pass.
  

Interesting facts about Prop 8 results:

• Arizona and Florida also voted that marriage is only between a man and a woman. Both states passed this measure with flying colors.
  
• Las Angeles county had 100,000 more votes for YES than no.
  
• Orange county, where we live, had 57% YES and 43% NO. Can you imagine if we hadn't done anything?
  
• Nearly all of the coastal counties in northern California voted No.
• All southern California counties voted YES, but one
• Nearly all of the inland counties in California voted YES
• When the Campaign began, we were losing by 20 percentage points. By educating voters and prompting them to think about the long-term effects that allowing gay marriage would have, we made a huge come-back.
• Most of the other propositions, the presidential vote and the legislative votes took favor by the democrats. But Prop 8 stands apart from these votes. That proves it's possible to be a democrat and support traditional marriage.
  
• Unfortunately, Prop 4 did not pass, which means that parents don't have the right to be notified before their child performs an abortion. I wish that I had YES on 4 signs with my YES on 8 signs. But once again, this shows that we have to work hard for a cause, and when we do, the efforts pay off.
  

Highlights of our Experiences throughout the campaign:

• Practicing our "script" together in the car 5 times before we knocked on the first door in our neighborhood to tell people about Prop 8 and record their views on the issue. That was back in August! We were so naive then.
  
• Realizing after the first 10 doors that we needed to get our sources right if we were going to sound convincing.
• Being cussed out by several complete strangers on my blog.
• Arguing with Jeremy about how to record what the neighbors say and which route we should take on the street.
  
• Watching funny, disturbing, threatening, false, and moving u-tubes about Prop 8.
• Attending the Church broadcast about how to support Prop 8. Feeling the strong sense of urgency from our leaders to truly do everything in our power to preserve the family.
• Getting the nasty note on our window attempting to cover up our sign.
• Figuring out by trial and error how to put those rickety signs in the ground.
  
• Cheering whenever we found a car with a Yes on 8 bumper sticker.
• Delivering a sign to someone that was on the lawn with his friends and denied ever meeting me or saying yes on 8. What a dope for giving in to peer pressure.
  
• Seeing our friends on some of the u-tube ads and preservingmarriage.org videos.
• Figuring out how to spell ad after sending a note to a news station and Jeremy making fun of me for spelling it wrong!
  
• Participating in Sunday school discussions on how today is the time when people call good evil and evil good, esp with gay marriage.
  
• Surfing the internet during dinner and every sitting moment to correct false information in articles and blogs.
• Telling Riley and the twins about how much we are fighting for their future and how frustrating it is that so many people were mean to me about Prop 8.
  
• Enjoying healthy discussions with other bloggers that disagree with our stance.
• Laughing and crying with Brooke about the latest No on 8 arguments.
  
• Getting the finger and mean shouts while waiving signs with the Nilsson family.
• Being thrilled every time anyone would say they are voting yes.
• Constantly regretting that we didn't say such-and-such about this-or-that while at the door or on the phone with someone.
• Crying on my birthday for fear of the world my children will live in.
  
• Gorging on yummy snacks and gormet food made by volunteers while we walked and called.
  
• Meeting people from other churches and waiving signs with them.
• Realizing at the door with a stranger that we went to the wrong house to deliver a sign, but ending up having an awesome conversation, committing him to vote yes, and giving him a bumper sticker.
• Hearing about the abuse done by No on 8 including our friend that was beaten up while chasing after his stolen prop 8 sign and a lady at church that was pushed, hit, and kicked while walking to her car after putting some signs up in a public place.
• Meeting two funny, slightly drunk, loud ladies while walking door to door one day. They were so fun to talk to and said they would vote yes, but since they were felons, they lost the right to vote!
• Being hung up on.
  
• Getting angry at three voters who said they would vote yes, but wouldn't get to the polls because they didn't want to put their shoes on or because they were eating dinner!!
  
• Watching Rick get a citation for walking next to the on-ramps to put up prop 8 signs.
• Listening to our neighbor boy (6 years old) explain that marriage is for one boy and one girl, not two boys or two girls. He declared, "I'm voting yes on 8!!"
  
• Feeling my heart pound before entering the voting booth because I knew my vote would be crucial. It felt like taking a test, luckily I had my cheat sheet with me for all of the other Propositions.
  
• Feeling defeated, but working with every last ounce of hope to do our part.
• Having someone mad at me for calling to ask if they've voted, telling me to take them off their list. HELLO! As a registered voter, any campaign has access to your info. We can't take you off our list unless you un-register. Duh!
  
• With palms sweating, frantically dialing the last few phone calls before the polls closed.
  
• Saying our final prayer with the 110+ volunteers at our post that spent election night calling thousands of voters to make sure they voted. As President Ward prayed, it was a solemn assembly.
• Looking in near-disbelief at the polls. YES was in the lead!
• Feeling our heart sink every time the percentage for yes dropped. 57 down to 52.
  
• Taking a deep breath before I post this, trusting that 1% of the votes won't do anything to change the outcome. California, and America, we DID IT!!
  

My Final Statement on Prop 8
Throughout this campaign I and many others have been called intolerant, shameful, liers, hateful, satanic fascists and bigots because of our personal and/or religious beliefs. I can't understand how people can demand that I be tolerant of their views and yet refuse to be tolerant of my views.

I can confidently say that I have been loving, accepting, and kind to those who believe that homosexuality is acceptable. I know and believe that they are good people, but they are strayed on one basic element of humanity and eternal purpose. All I ask is that they respect my beliefs and realize that it is not hate speech to testify that marriage is between a man and woman and that maintaining this definition will preserve and strengthen the fundamental structure of society: the family.

We have fought a good fight. But we know that this was just one battle over truth. The war for protecting families, protecting truth and religious freedom still rages on. "Persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till... the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done." -Joseph Smith

Photo Journal of Our Week

A picture is worth more than a thousand words,
so here's a few to fill in the blanks for this past week.

ESPN Zone at Downtown Disney
for Jeremy's B-day

Prop 8 Rally
Stretched Along Orange County Coastline, over 1500 participants
check out more on this video

Our Natural Form of Halloween Decorations

"I call shotgun!" And other things we said as kids

Now that we're both a quarter century old, SarahLynn and I got to thinking about the good ol' days. We said some pretty stupid things when we were kids in the late eighties/early nineties. We only added things that WE said, not things we'd hear on tv. We made this list during dinner and I think it could be added to with some help.

• "First the worst, second the best, third the nerd who ate the bird turd."
• "This is the 90's!"
• "Guess what? -Chicken butt."
• "Ryan and Stacy sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage. That's not all! That's not all! Baby's playing basketball! That's not all, that's not all. Baby's drinking alcohol. That's not, that's not all. Mommy's in the kitchen, Daddy's in the hall. Baby's in the bathroom peeing on the wall!"
• "That's so rad."
• "Where is it? -Up your butt and around the corner."
• "M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I " (How come we never said anything to help us spell Massachusetts? That's the really hard one!)
  
• "I call shotgun. " (If that seat was already called in the Zavoral home, then you would say: I call seat by baby!)
• "Jinx! Can't say a word 'till I say your name!"
• "I'd like to bear my testimony. I know this church is true..."
• "Dude."
  
• "It's a free country; I can do what I want."
  
• (Say fast) "1,2,3 NOT IT!"
• "Eeny, meeny, miny moe. Catch a tiger by the toe. If he hollers, let him go. Eeny, meeny, miny moe!"
• "I bet you a Slurpee that...."(Jeremy)
• "Do you wanna play shadow?"
• "I'm rubber, you're glue. Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you!"
• "She started it!"
  
• "You're not the boss of me."
  
• "Can I just say one more thing?" (SarahLynn)
• "You're an MR" (mental retard)
• "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!"
• "Oh sweet dude."
  
• "Duh!"
• "He shoots..he scores!!" (Jeremy)
• "That's so retarded."
  
• "Do we have to?"
• "I'm telling Mom."
• "Who cut the cheese? -Whoever smelt it, dealt it."

Prop 8 Discussions- 3 Profound Videos

I know what you're thinking. "SarahLynn has really become a fanatic about Prop 8." But the truth is that I am passionate about preserving marriage. I realize that many of you are from outside of CA, but I hope you understand what a battle Prop 8 has become out here! Unfortunately, on both sides of the debate, unkind things have been said, people have organized groups to steal posters of the opposing view, and the campaign commercials are running constantly on TV. A testimony that whatever happens will have a huge effect on society. It's up to us to make sure the effect will be positive.

Jeremy and I have not been spared any of the excitement. We've been walking, delivering posters, blogging (thanks for your votes on our poll!), talking with friends, and displaying our own signs. Unlike you wonderful readers, some of our neighbors don't respect our freedom of speech as seen in this youtube clip. On Monday, someone posted a rather unkind note on our window, trying to cover up our Yes on Prop 8 sign. They said that we should take it down. "Just because you are ignorant on this matter does not mean that you have to display it..." Also, my Yes on Prop 8 bumper sticker is mysteriously missing two days after I put it on the back of my car. (Can you imagine what that theft scene must have looked like?)

To my dear neighbors and others that are stealing signs: Please respect our right of free speech. Although we may disagree on Prop 8, I would never dream of stealing your signs or asking you to remove them from your personal property. That isn't right or constitutional. If you have disagreements, why don't you come and talk with us instead of doing exactly what you accuse me and other Prop 8 supporters of--name calling and labeling? To answer your concerns about my supposed ignorance and intolerance, I ask you to watch the following videos.

To ALL my viewers, please watch these videos and let's talk about it--kindly. It would really help if we got comments from both sides, as it often inaccurately appears that more people don't support traditional marriage. Let's get an accurate representation on this issue!

Three Great Questions, Three Great Answers
(If the videos aren't working, you can find them on preservingmarriage.org)
I'm sick and tired of the intolerance and bigotry of religious people...


Won't Prop 8 take rights away from gay people?


Really, what's the harm with same-sex marriage?

25 Year Celebration!!

Let it be known that for the next six days, I am officially 25 years old and Jeremy is only 24. Pretty amazing to be 1/4 of a century old! Of course, Jeremy won't be able to know all the secret wisdom that I've acquired today until next week.

I love birthdays, but not quite in the way that most people do. In fact, most of my pet-peeves have to do with birthdays because of the drama queens out there that can't seem to live with themselves once another birthday roles around. Even more annoying are the people that love birthdays because they expect all their friends to call and do something nice, and if they don't, their life is over. I hate how at a very early age, in many ways we teach that birthdays are a selfish day where everyone is supposed to make you happy. While I gave into that as a child, it has really come to bother me over the past several years, and I think it is the underlying reason for most of the depression experienced on birthdays.

My idea of a perfect birthday is where the birthday person is happy they are alive, says thank you to loved ones, reflects on birthdays past, hopes for birthdays in the future and serves others on his/her birthday.

A birthday is a time to celebrate life!! I mean seriously. The fact that we were not only born at this time on earth, but born in America and into gospel homes is amazing!! What wonderful opportunities life offers us. What an amazing gift mortality is that God has given us! The fact that devils begged Jesus to allow them to posses the bodies of hogs shows how desirous the gift of having a mortal life is!! And that God has given us the power to create life, just as He does, is a miracle!

A birthday is a time to be grateful for all the wonderful people that have helped make me who I am. I love and appreciate my parents so much. For sleepless nights when I was a baby, for singing and reading to me, for making music for me to dance and sing to, for teaching me to work hard, for living their testimony and being with me in the temple at my wedding. I love my other two parents for doing the same with Jeremy. (Even though they didn't start with him until 6 days after I was born ;-) I love all 4 of my sisters and my 2 brothers and all that they've taught me about life. I love Jeremy. Other than the Savior, there's no one else that has helped me be my best self.

I also want to thank Jeremy for the wonderful surprise trip to see the musical Wicked at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood and the Thai dinner. We both LOVED it. What a great guy, huh?

Birthdays are a time to reflect on the past. Twenty five years is a long time. I've pretty much lived 1/3 of my life. I've learned a lot by living. What's the most important thing that I've learned? That true joy comes from doing all you can and then putting your complete trust in the Lord that your efforts will be magnified, whether the efforts are put toward a test, planning a lesson, a friendship or for forgiveness, the Lord really does come through when I do my part. What is the hardest thing that I have had to learn? That too many people see my enthusiasm for life and for change as a negative thing.

Another thing that I've reflected on is how threatening times have become. Family values and virtue are increasingly being lost to the enticings of the adversary. We've been facing a lot of opposition with prop 8. We put a sign up in our window, and yesterday we found a nasty letter on our window about our position. It's scary to think of what will happen if prop 8 doesn't pass. I honestly cried on the way to work today thinking of the spiritual war that my children will have to grow up in. I'm doing all I can to make the world safe for them, but the reality of it is that righteousness is outnumbered (but not out-powered!).

Most of all, birthdays are a time of hope. A rekindling of life. A re-birth. A new look into the future. More goal making. There is still so much for me to experience! More teaching, rearing children, a masters degree, cheering on Jeremy in his career, traveling, house flipping, teaching the gospel to friends and family, unexpected moves, and hopefully when we're really established, opening my own school.

Hope is why it's fun to make your birthday a day of service. If only to at least do the normal things with a little more pizzaz. My best birthday was the one where I made breakfast for my Grandma and Mom and put surprise notes on my roommates' beds. Today, I worked extra hard nannying my little girls. I took all three of them to the pool on my own and smiled the whole time- even when I had to wash poopy swimsuits and bottoms. Then I enthusiastically went to a prop 8 meeting and made a few more friends!

So my idea of the perfect way to celebrate a birthday is to recognize the miracle of life, have gratitude, reflect, hope and serve. I look forward to teaching my children how to do these things on their birthday, training them to realize that life is what you make it, not what others make for you.

Broadcast on Prop 8

I love this video shown during the broadcast that Elder Ballard asked us to post on our blogs because it shows young people in favor of traditional marriage.

Below is Elder Bednar’s Prop 8 Q&A with institute students, also shown during the broadcast.

To dispel misunderstandings from my previous posts I’d like to mention that at the church broadcast, they told us to do “all that we can” to support prop 8 “in every way possible.” They said “thank you for your money and time.” They gave a week by week outline of what we are to do, including specific hours and ways to walk, call, distribute signs, and get out the vote. While they did not ask for donations to protectmarriage.com, they did refer us to the website and emphasized that all members can participate in some way to support the prop.

Referring to traditional marriage, the leaders said that “we can vigorously proclaim this message…with love” as we blog, chat, twitter, etc. This is what I’m imperfectly trying to do. I’ve made mistakes along the way, but I’m new at making myself vulnerable to strangers, so please forgive me if I’ve offended you. Being bold yet not overbearing is a tricky balance, I must say.

They invited us to this website made by the LDS Church: preservingmarriage.org

If you saw the broadcast, I wanted to know, what were your favorite parts? Here are my favorite parts from the Divine Institution of Marriage published by the Church that Elder Cook read:

“Tolerance, Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Freedom
Those who favor homosexual marriage contend that “tolerance” demands that they be given the same right to marry as heterosexual couples...Tolerance as a gospel principle means love and forgiveness of one another, not “tolerating” transgression.

In today’s secular world, …instead of love, [tolerance] has come to mean condone… Jesus taught that we love and care for one another without condoning transgression. But today’s politically palatable definition insists that unless one accepts the sin he does not tolerate the sinner….”

“How Would Same-Sex Marriage Affect Society?
…Marriage is fundamentally an unselfish act… Same-sex marriage cannot be justified simply on the grounds that it provides self-fulfillment to its partners, for it is not the purpose of government to provide legal protection to every possible way in which individuals may pursue fulfillment.…

…. the all-important question of public policy must be: what environment is best for the child and for the rising generation? …. the legalization of same-sex marriage likely will erode the social identity, gender development, and moral character of children. Is it really wise for society to pursue such a radical experiment without taking into account its long-term consequences for children?”

“The Sanctity of Marriage
Strong, stable families, headed by a father and mother, are the anchor of civilized society….

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has chosen to become involved, along with many other churches, organizations, and individuals, in defending the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman because it is a compelling moral issue of profound importance to our religion and to the future of our society.”

Apple Picking!!

Crystal and Steve are our best friends here in HB. On Saturday, they showed us all the back country here in So Cal. We enjoyed apple donuts, coldness, apple samples, a funny old man that knew everything about apple growing, long talks, apple tasting, apple picking, finding a squished fox, watching little kids, being silly, getting lost, trying to play lacrosse with our apples and apple picking sticks that have a catcher at the end of them, losing Scott and Stacy, listening to a really bad banjo band, and singing the Johnny Appleseed song. Did you know he was an actual person? He had a different name though. It was a very fun day, and now we're really in the spirit of Autumn time! Thanks Lineberrys!!

Join All the Candidates in Supporting Traditional Marriage!!

This is something the reporters have conveniently left out of their evaluations of the VP debate. Granted, they changed the order of Palin's remarks in this youtube, but it actually makes more sense this way. I hope that we can all admit how Americans truly value traditional marriage.

This entry is for NON-Californians!! That's right YOU, out there in Provo, Las Vegas, Charlotte, Longmont, Philadelphia, Ft Collins, Seattle, DC, Queens, and good 'ol Austin Minnesota--even you. We are desperate for your support on Prop 8 here in CA. If you missed my blog entry called Prop 8, A Different Kind of Missionary Work, please read it.

Here's the quick background: The proposition is to put in the CA consitution these words: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid and recognized in California." 61% of CA already voted yes to this in 2000, but some San Fran judges decided to overturn the righteous voice of the people. If we vote yes, then we are saying again that we agree with this statement. Jeremy and I are voting loud and clear with Obama's, McCain's, and most American's view on traditional marriage: YES on 8!! Unfortunately, the polls are saying that it's 50/50.

So, if you aren't a CA voter, don't think you are off the hook on this issue!!! You can vote on this issue on our blog poll just to the right of this post. Also,
Our precinct (92646) is asking for all family and friends from outside of CA to help donate to the Yes on Prop 8 campaign. Please consider the following reasons why you should go to ProtectMarriage.com and donate to the campaign:

• You'll feel great knowing you are an active citizen and standing up for what's right.
  
• The prophet has asked all church members in CA to "support the proposition in every way possible," (Church broadcast Weds evening), which our local priesthood leaders said means donate $ to the cause. So since you're my friend or relative and most likely LDS, that practically makes you a CA citizen.
• Same sex domestic unions in CA already receive all the benefits that married people have. That goes for life insurance, hospital visitations, EVERYTHING.
  
• If people don't vote yes on this proposition, then your state may follow CA's lead in legalizing gay marriage. And if it isn't the state you live in now, it might be one you move to later.
  
• Even Obama and Biden support traditional marriage. So if you think you're better than them, you better get moving with supporting it.
  
• Massachusetts has already allowed gay marriage. As a result, all adoption agencies that don't allow placing children in gay marriage families are deemed unconstitutional. This means that LDS Services' right to perform adoptions in Mass is threatened. Catholic Charities has already had to withdraw their adoption agency from the state. This cannot happen in CA or any other state. Especially since Jeremy and I want to adopt (and may even have to) someday. Article Source
  
• Most states, including CA and Mass, teach according to their constitution. Mass already teaches in pre-school that there is no difference between gay marriage and traditional marriage. This will be true for CA and your state if prop 8 does't pass. VIDEO Source Article Source
  
• Help defend my rights and your rights to freedom of religion. I want to attend a church that believes in traditional marriage without it being charged unconstitutional. Churches and organizations in CA and other states have already been to court because they were pressured to marry and/or medicate same-sex couples despite their religious beliefs on gay marriage.
  
• When you watch thisYes on 8 commercial or this Yes on 8 commercial, you can tell your family that you helped pay for it.
• Elder Ballard said to Jeremy's Dad and all of the other Bishops in Sacramento this truth three weeks ago: “The issue of whether this is winnable or not doesn’t matter. We stand with the Lord Jesus Christ, and if we do what he wants us to do, he will smile upon on our efforts. The only acceptable marriage union in His plan is between a man and a woman.
  So, whatever happens at the end, whether Proposition 8 passes or fails – We stand for the Lord."

Thanks for joining our efforts by going to ProtectMarriage.com and clicking on the giant "donate now" button!! And if not, then at least participate in our voting poll to the right of this post.

SPAM and a Sandy Eggo

This week has been awesome!! Highlights involved serving samples of SPAM at the LA County Fair and a day trip to Sandy Eggo (San Diego).

Every year, the LA County Fair includes a SPAM cook-off where brave citizens attempt gormet meals with SPAM. While the judges taste and rate each dish, Hormel sales representatives serve samples of SPAM and handout SPAM t-shirts, pins, and food. Jeremy and I were on a team of four people preparing and promoting the samples. We cooked SPAM Terryaki served with rice.

It was actually really good. Here's the simple recipe: Buy SPAM. Open it. Cut in chunks. Put in skillet with terriyaki sauce and chunked pineapples. Heat until SPAM is crisp. Serve over rice. Enjoy!! (If you don't have terriyaki sauce, a nice alternative is soy sauce and brown sugar).

In payment for our catering services, we got into the fair for free and spent the day enjoying dog shows and magic shows. I figured out how the magician did his "mind tricks" while I was on stage with him as the guinea pig for some of his acts. It was cool.

On Saturday, we went to San Diego. The romantic date began with our first time in the San Diego Temple, which marks the 16th temple we've been inside as a couple (that means we average a different temple every 6 weeks that we've been married)! We went to the coast and explored tons of choral tidepools and found a baby starfish! After a little nap, we went to the Petco Park to see the Padres play against the Pirates. We got in free with some tickets that were found sitting on a bench.

It was by far the nicest baseball stadium we've ever been to. I couldn't get over how metro and modern, yet traditional and classy the place was. They had real restaraunts, restored 1900 buildings as part of the arena, a giant sandbox by the outfield for kids to play in, a wiffleball field for families and kids, and a park area where families played catch while watching the game!

Since we scored pretty good with free gas, free temple trip, free lunch, free aquatic exploration, the cheapest parking in town, and a free game, we splurged on dinner by getting two soft drinks instead of water and burritos instead of hot dogs!! After the Padres won, the stadium treated us to a free firework show to top off the romantic day. It was soooo fun!

We're in the Top Ten!

Just thought everyone should know that BYU has climbed up the polls to the #8 position in college football (according to the latest AP poll). They're 4-0 this season and have the longest winning streak in the country. They beat UCLA 59-0 a few weeks ago, too. Now sports writers are paying some attention to our conference and maybe we'll get a game or two on national tv or something. Now all we need to do is give food poisoning to the other seven teams ranked ahead of us and we've got a shot at the national championship.
~Jeremy

I'm Hired!!

Patience and prayer always pays off! Our planned profit for the month of August after bills, savings, and trips was $17, so Jeremy and I are thrilled that I now have two part time jobs!! My first job is with Garden Grove Unified School District as a substitute three days a week. So far, that has been fun. All the schools in CA have hallways outside, which reminds me of the schools in Thailand. Oh the memories!!

On Tuesday, I subbed for a second grade class and one little boy melted my heart. At recess he held my hand and jabbered on and on about his trip to Disneyland. When he told me about the space ride with the movie to make it feel like you are in outer space, he said "And do you know what?! We really went into outer space!" Another kid said "Nuh-uh." To which he replied "Yes sir! It was REAL!" Then he talked about Tinkerbell in the parade. "I think she lost her pixie dust because I saw a big wire coming out of her back." I got a chance to talk with the teacher and she said he came to school on Monday with a new hair cut. "What a great hair cut," she told him. His reply: "I had to have it to get the bugs out, but my dad said not to tell ANYONE!"

My second job is nanny-ing for a family at church that I met last week (more prayers answered). They have a two year old daughter and 9 month twin girls. I will help their mother, Brooke, two days a week. So far it has been a blast. Riley is a little peanut, and the twins are opera singers in the making.

And one final note of good news. I got TWO emails from some of my sweetest 5th grade students. They said they missed me "SOOOOOOOOO much" and wished that I'm still their teacher. What a rewarding feeling!!! (and an answer to prayer that I did some good) Even though I've got some great temp jobs, my heart still aches to be teaching full time. But I'm confident that more prayers, patience and enjoying the opportunities I have now will get me through until we're settled down in Minnesota.

Eight-Legged Visitor

For Labor Day, our parents from Colorado came to visit us!! It was their first trip away from home since my Dad retired this summer at age 54! Highlights of their visit included: fancy restaurants for EVERY meal except on Sunday, expensive golfing (very fun and pretty), boogie boarding with the best waves and low tide, I sang at church and my neighbor came with us, bike riding along Huntington Beach, nice long chats, games, piano playing, Crystal Cove and Laguna Beach.

When the tide was low on Monday, we went back to Crystal Cove to see the sea anemonies and crabs. Guess what unexpected visitor we saw?!? An OCTOPUS. It was 2 ft away from Jeremy, and he actually was standing next to it for almost ten minutes and didn't even know! It was brownish red and very camoflaged. The head part was the size of a nerf ball and it of course had eight tentacles, about 1 ft long each, but they were coiled up a bit so I'm not totally sure about their real length. We saw it sleenk under the rock when a big wave came by. It hung on under the rock and slowly crept two of its tentacles around the rock to feel what was going on. It looked like an alien! Jeremy touched it's suctions and said it pulled on his finger really hard. Of course, we didn't have the camera. But now Jeremy and I can say we've seen a real octopus in the wild!!

Prop 8- A different kind of Missionary Work

Knock, knock, knock....

Creeeeeek. (An over-weight, bearded man scowls from behind his door).

Jeremy: Hi, we're walking the precincts today to encourage people to vote on Proposition 8. My wife and I live nearby.
Guy: Oh, hi. (He steps closer to us and lets his dog out to lick our hands)
SarahLynn: Have you heard of Prop 8 before?
Guy: Uh, a little. Which one is that again?
Jeremy: It's the proposition about protecting marriage.
Guy: Oh really? What's wrong with it?
SarahLynn (trying not chuckle): Well, back in 2000, 61% of California voters said that they wanted a law that said "Marriage is between a man and a woman in the state of CA." Recently, some San Francisco judges said that the law wasn't constitutional. So now we want to help put in our state constitution to say that "Only marriage between a man and a woman is recognized in the state of CA."
Guy: Oh yeah. I'll vote for that. You know it says that in the Bible.
Jeremy: Yeah, we feel the same way. Would you be willing to put a sign in your yard about it?
Guy: Well, I don't know. I don't want any tootie frooties gettin' mad and comin' to my door.
Jeremy: Ha, ha. Okay. Do you have any other registered voters in your home?
Guy: Well my wife, she agrees with me, but she doesn't vote much, ya know.
SarahLynn: Well, it's going to be a really close vote, so we encourage both of you to vote this fall about it.
Guy: Don't you worry, dear.
Jeremy: Thanks for your time!
(After the door closes, Jeremy and I give another high-five to each other. Still, no one that has said they disagree!)

The prophet has asked, and we are following. It's been amazing to see the overwhelming support for protecting marriage here in our HB neighborhoods. Everytime I come home from walking, I feel energized and joyful, the same way I do when I come home from Enrichment or helping the missionaries. That's another testimony to me that what we're doing is right!

But some people have said they aren't sure about walking door-to-door to get support for Prop 8, or that they aren't so sure about the church taking such a strong stance on protecting marriage (notice that the focus is about protecting marriage, not about people with same-gender attractions). To those who doubt whether or not we should be doing this, I say: Where is your faith?! Our prophet, Thomas S Monson, has been told by God to ask that we do this. Where is your testimony of the prophet and of God's Plan?!?!

I use to think that if people wanted to have same-sex marriage, then they should have that right. It's not my business. But when I went to the temple and prayed about it, it was made very clear that God separately created man and woman for a divine purpose- to multiply and replenish the earth, which is the main purpose of intimacy, and the power to procreate is a sacred gift given to us to use only in the bonds of matrimony as husband and wife. Homosexuality is not in His plan, just like murder, pornography, alcohol, swearing and drugs are not in His plan. Although we have agency, this does not justify sin. People don't have a right to participate in sexual immorality without facing Heaven's judgement. And since immoral behavior has negative effects on society and families, it IS my business. I can certainly condemn this sin and vote to keep it out of society without condemning the sinner. Tolerance is to offer love to all people, not to condone all that people do.

For those who struggle with same gender attraction, my heart and the hearts of our church leaders go out to them. I know that our Saviour has prepared a way for them to be healed of their problem so they can have joy in participating in a proper marriage. Our church provides much help and support to these people and their families.

If you are still unsure about supporting marriage between a man and a woman, or if you are afraid to talk with people about supporting Prop 8, I invite you to get on your knees and seek God's will concerning marriage. Once you have a firm testimony that marriage is ordained of God and that it should only be between a man and a woman, you won't have any reason to fear the philosophies of men. You will be able to follow our prophet's request with love and boldness. You will have strength to fight the unpopular battle.

There are some mormons forming groups and saying they don't agree with the Church's stance on marriage. I am disappointed in their pride and lack of faith. Don't become one of them!! This is exactly what happened in Alma 53 when some of the members broke away from Captain Moroni. It is the beginning of the fulfillment of prophecy that the Saints will lose faith and rely on their own understanding, which will lead to the time when our constitution will hang by a thread because of our own wickedness.

If this proposition doesn't pass, it will be because of our lack of faith. Teachers will be required to teach tolerance for same-sex marriage in all CA schools (including pre-school). Also note that currently same-sex domestic unions in CA already benefit from ALL the rights that married people have.

We must defend the truth! Get out there and talk with people! If you live in CA, donate your money to the cause because the prophet and your bishop have asked you to!! Don't worry about the "tootie-frooties" that probably won't come to your door arguing about your sign. They are in the minority and they don't have God backing them up! "Who's on the Lord's side, who? Now is the time to show!!"

To learn more about Prop 8 go to protectmarriage.com (see our website list)
If you want to read the Church's teachings about marriage, read The Family- A Proclamation to the World (also in our website list)

My Parable of the Flower

I finally sent this story to the editor of the Ensign, one of the magazines for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We'll see if they ever publish it. Let me know what you think!

Parable of the Flower

By SarahLynn Zavoral

I once had the opportunity to work with people from all walks of life that seemed very different from my own. As I sought the Lord’s will to know how I could serve and work with them, I had a very clear dream. The message I took from it is one I will never forget.

In the dream, I found myself with a group of friends touring a museum. The guide led us into a courtyard where a vase of unusual looking flowers sat on a table. With some solace, the guide informed us that these flowers were special. “When you smell this flower,” he whispered, “it can tell whether you love it or not.”

What a peculiar thing for a flower to do, we thought. With a bit of cynicism toward the guide, a man from our group marched up to the flowers. He stooped down and took a hasty sniff. “I can’t smell a thing,” he announced. “What a wasteful flower, it doesn’t even smell.” Immediately, the flower began to wilt, to which the man became more annoyed. “What a stupid flower! It can’t even last a few moments of someone smelling it!”

Quietly, another man from the group stepped toward the flower that had just wilted before our eyes. He embraced it and gently held it to his nose. “Wow, this flower has the most beautiful fragrance!” Immediately, the flower opened its bud. “And look!” the gentleman cried. “It’s starting to grow again!” He sniffed again and assured us that it smelled wonderful. The flower continued to grow from its wilted state.

Others in the group, including myself, rushed to get a closer look. The flower was magnificent! As life was restored to the flower, colors of the sunset bathed its intricate petals. Pollen wisped throughout the bouquet, and water pearls seemed to rise out of the buds. The fragrance was like fresh honey suckle, and with every graceful whiff that we took from it, the flower grew more beautiful and more fragrant. Soon, its beauty was more remarkable than we had ever seen!

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the first man who smelled the flower. He was alone in a dark corner with one of the flowers from the vase. Unlike the ones I had smelled, all life from his flower was dried up. As he furiously beat at the flower I could hear him say, “What a worthless piece of nature. I don’t understand how everyone is so impressed with you and can love you! You’re no more special than an ugly prairie weed!”

Suddenly, I realized that the insight from the museum guide was true. The flower really could tell who it was loved by, and it responded differently to those who did and didn’t see its worth. I thought to myself, still dreaming, how similar this is with the way we treat people.

The next morning, I knew how I was to work with the people I was serving. I recommitted myself to live the council given to us from our Heavenly Guide in D&C 18:10, “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.”

How to Enjoy Marriage

Tomorrow is our two-year wedding anniversary!! We highly recommend being married. In fact, we're surprised that more people aren't getting married these days. Marriage is such a great thing! Already we've experienced a lot of joy from learning and growing together.It was my turn to plan our anniversary celebration, so I took Jeremy to a seafood restaraunt on Newport Beach, and after dinner, he was kidnapped by a Gondola Company. We went on a gondola cruise throughout the port while the sun set. We had baggets, sparkling cider, chease, salami, a gondolier and Italian music. Jeremy was really surprised by it all and actually liked it a lot.
Here's our thoughts on how to enjoy marriage:

• Eat off of the same plate while you watch TV.
• Take pictures of each other. It helps boost his/her self esteem.
• Learn something new to keep impressing your spouse, like playing the piano.
  
• Say "I love you" every time you think it.
  
• Pretend you're in a musical together while you make dinner or get ready for the day.
• Let her wear your clothes.
• Let him watch sports. To make him even happier, pay attention to what's going on, and then you can bring up something about LeBron James just when the time is right.
  
• Sleep as close to each other as possible.
• Occasionally send an email to your spouse about how good looking he/she is.
  
• Order an inexpensive gift like a book to come in the mail for no reason.
• Dance for each other. Make up your own music.
  
• Dance with each other. We find that on the beach is the most fun.
  
• Talk about how much you love Jesus Christ.
  
• While she's working on the computer, quietly walk up to her, give her a passionate kiss, and then quietly walk away--if she let's you.
• Put on something unexpected before he gets home from work.
• Sing the same voice parts to the hymns at church.
• Listen to every detail of her day and then remember it when she brings it up later.
• Watch the sunset together as much as possible.
• Go to bed early. Go to sleep late. ;-)
  

Here's our glam shots to show how HOT we think the other is!

Hermit Crabs, Family Smiles, and Food

I took Katie and Matt to Crystal Cove near Laguna Beach. We got to explore a bunch of tide pools. There were thousands of hermit crabs, hundreds of sea anemones, dozens of sideways walking crabs, several fish and one enormous sea slug. Make sure to click on our slideshow of Katie and Matt's Visit to see all that we did to entertain them.We drove Matt and Katie back to Jeremy's parents house in good ol' Sac Town. It's nice that we don't have to pay one penny for gas because Hormel gave us a company car to use however we want. It's the pimpinest Dodge Charger you've ever seen! My favorite part of the 8 hour drive was having Katie read the play Pygmalion to us. Jeremy says it was his least favorite part. He felt like Katie was yelling in the back seat, but he obviously can't tell the difference between noise and dramatic articulation.

It was Grandpa Davidson's birthday this past week, so we had a party. Don't worry, Jeremy took the opportunity to market as many free Hormel products as he could. The grub from Hormel included natural choice ham, beef wrangler's hotdogs, and for Sunday dinner with the Zavorals, Loyd's shredded beef sandwiches and snack trays.

I love being with family! The Davidson's always make me laugh so much. Not to mention they are great examples of staying strong in the gospel. Grandpa had a bunch of scar wounds from his latest fishing trip. I love how he is still really active, following in Grandma June's footsteps. Next to this picture of Grandpa's battlewound he wanted this caption: "The fish got away." He got injured while trying to get the fish in from the line!
We had a fun time visiting with the Zavoral family, too. Judy made the yummiest angel food cakes ever! This is us with Grandma Ginny, a real trooper.