The Benchmark Photo

In case anyone has noticed the beautiful fall photo to the left (Mal)....yes it is the footbridge in Somesville, MDI. Sigh.

INTRIGUE!

The 5 most intriguing things--things that I wonder about and seem to puzzle me a bit right now (given in no particular order):

1. The Twilight series by Stephenie Myers. Maybe I'm behind the times, but I only heard of this book recently and frankly I wasn't much interested--vampires and stuff that I was into at 13. Then I learned that it had wrested the #1 spot on the YA bestseller list from Harry Potter 7. Hmmmm....and with nowhere near the hype....they're on their way to a mailbox near me right now.
2. Facebook. What a phenomenon this thing has become. When Mal got me to sign up for it several months ago, it was just a college cyber-hangout. Now each time I log in I half expect to see a friend request from my mother!
3. Casinos on Saipan--is this good or bad? I honestly don't know (which is intriguing to me all in itself considering what a die-hard Mormon conservative I am). I've only got a few more weeks to figure this one out.
4. The Old Testament--it's this year's Church Education System course of study. This book always intrigues me and I guess it always will. It challenges my views of right and wrong and how much of what I understand along those lines are God-given and how much are societal norms (i.e., my own perceptions). It forces me to think "outside the box." (Of course, I tend to live in a pretty small box.)
5. Bloggers--they're ALIVE! It's weird to think of this medium as being as powerful as it is seeming to become. It's kind of morphing from journal to soapbox to...well, I'm not sure what, but it's certainly become more than an online "log".

Book Club

I have joined a book club that a friend of mine has just started. Our first meeting was a couple of weeks ago and there were only five of us there, which I actually think is a good group. If there are too many there begin to be groups within the group.

I really need to do this...I need the motivation not just to expand my reading, but I think that the discussions will help me put what I read more firmly in my mind (i.e., "Wait...have I read it? No. Wait. Maybe I did. Wait. What's it about? Oh no. I haven't read it. Oh? Maybe I did read it...yes. I definitely did. Wait. I don't remember that...maybe I'm thinking of some other book...). You get the picture.

I also need to expand my acquaintances here on island. I'm a great one to know [enough to call them friends] only the people I go to church with. That's it. I don't work outside of my home and most of the people I know from my kids' school are also people who go to my church, soooo...well, it's good for me. It's easy for me to let my life involve only my own family and to be perfectly honest I have such an interesting and compassionate friend in my husband I rarely feel like I have a need for other close friends as confidantes or companions. I've kind of overlooked the idea that as well as having friends it's important to be a friend...the ladies in the book club are very nice, intelligent women and I really look forward to hearing their insights and opinions.

Here are some of the books discussed at our first meeting where we basically came with titles we wanted to suggest:

Much Ado About Nothing (we're starting with this since it's so easily available--we have to allow adequate time for shipping any books that we may have to order.)
Les Miserable
My Name is Asher Lev
Promise
Chosen
Devita's Heart
3 Swans (I loved this book when I read it several years ago.)
Man's Search for Meaning-Frankel
Agony and Ectasy- Stone (One of the few books I've actually read twice, but about 25+ years ago!)
Salt- Mark Kavanski
Fire in the Bones
The Shelter of Each Other

Eden's Big Day

After a week of rainy weather, we finally had a break and the day was beautiful and sunny. Since it's a holiday weekend we were a little concerned that the beach might be crowded, but we only saw a couple of fishermen--it was quiet and beautiful.
Eden and I did the program last night and it was then that she asked if Sam could baptize her instead of Dad. Sam's response: "I'd love to baptize you Eden. It would be an honor." He's such a nice guy.
Eden was excited and a little self-concious which is normal I think. She had asked Jake to give a talk about baptism and he directed it right to her. He reminded her of something that Mal had said in a birthday note. She said that since she was the last one of the kids to be baptized that she was key to us having our whole family together forever. After the ordinance, Ezra read Matt. 5:14-16, then Dad confirmed her and as acting B.P. welcomed her to the Church and the branch. After the service, the Brown's gave her a plumeria lei and then the family went out for brunch.

A little last-minute instruction... "Is this deep enough?" We had to check for high tide, otherwise they would've had to walk half way out to the reef.
Congratulations from Jake...
and from the pre-8-year-old set.
Happiness is...
Family.