I have LOVED this month.
I decorated for St. Patrick's Day. I love the little spots I have in my house to add some decor - from hanging an apron, to using holiday dishtowels, arranging fun items on my chest of drawers and my plant stand. It really makes me smile to decorate.
March is Women's History Month. I introduced my students to Ellen Swallow Richards, the founder of my field, I shared with them my appreciation for Emma Smith and how extraordinary it was that she was called to expound the scriptures to the church (Doctrine and Covenants 25). We also talked about the early days of the Relief Society, which was organized on March 17, 1842. I'm learning to think more about marginalized individuals, like women, my brothers and sisters who are Black, indigenous, Pacific Islander, Asian, and other minorities, as well as our LGBTQ+ friends. I got to read the report of BYU's council on Diversity and Inclusion and learned a lot.
Yahtzee Holiday! I heard a suggestion on The Lazy Genius podcast to make your own holiday in February or March since those months are so long and cold. March 3 is "National I Want You to Be Happy Day" so I sent the kids Yahtzee games and money for treats. I love to play Yahtzee and we love being together so I thought it was the perfect way to celebrate the day. We may have to make it an annual event. We set a time to join each other via Zoom and played Yahtzee for over an hour. Allie and Melia actually ended up coming over here. Kamiko tells me he often plays Yahtzee now. I do too. In fact, it kinda stays on my kitchen table. We have since played Yahtzee on FaceTime a couple of times. Oh, Allie had moved out at the end of February. She found a perfect studio apartment in Provo and loves it. I am doing well without her. She's doing well without me. We are both thriving.
I also got to spend some time with one of my favorite former students, Chelsea Bauer. Chelsea took my class years ago and we just clicked. A few years ago, she felt impressed to move to the Bay Area. I connected her with Kristen and Doug and she lived with them for a while. She also visited them often, seeking priesthood blessings from Doug and just a feeling of home. She's from El Paso, Texas, and studied photography. She works in marketing and lives in South Jordan right now. I was observing a student teacher last week in West Jordan, so Chelsea and I met for lunch. We had a blast sitting in my car and eating Chick fil-A. We caught up on what's going on. We also had Kristen join us via FaceTime. She just celebrated her 30th birthday and she's a rockstar. Honestly, I can't figure out why these great women don't meet and marry equally great men. It's the men's loss.
THE HIGHLIGHT: Kamiko and Bekki came for the week. They arrived on Tuesday night, March 16. Coincidently, I didn't have class on Wednesday, so we were able to spend some time together. We went on a walk in the morning then Bekki and I did some much needed research. She ran crazy complicated computer programs that analyzed her data and I tested recipes for cinnamon rolls and dinner rolls. Both important research! LOL. We also did a little DIY project and hid the cord to my TV. The cord used to hang down and was visible. Now it's hidden in the wall and done according to code. I'm very proud of the project. Kamiko and Bekki were my cheerleaders and helped me map it out. It looks sooooo great.
I had work on Thursday and the kids had things they had to do, but it was just sooooo fun to have them staying with me. They got to break in the new, cute bedding I got for my guest room. I found it on Facebook Marketplace. I got a bedskirt, sheets, duvet and duvet cover, and pillows all for only $50!
When I found out the kids were coming, I made plans for all of them to come over to my place for takeout from our favorite Chinese restaurant, T Bone, and for an Easter Egg hunt. My kids go crazy every year for their Easter Egg hunt. Melia reminded me that I even sent them supplies last year for an Easter Egg hunt since we couldn't gather due to Covid. So, Friday I worked at home and got a lot done. I took down St, Patrick's decor and did Easter decor. I went to an appointment with my therapist, I took dinner to my friend Amy Christensen, and I ordered the food. We all gathered at 6:30 and had yummy food, then the fun began. While I hid eggs, the kids waited outside. They decided that I would lead them inside while they all kept their eyes shut so nobody would have an advantage. They lined up until I counted them down and told them to search. They found them all quickly. My living area/kitchen/bathroom aren't that big. HAHA. It was so much fun. The kids emptied all of the contents of the eggs into paper bags and referred to it as their trail mix. We played Yahtzee with "Hamilton" playing in the background. All the kids slept here and it was so much fun. My kids are fantastic. I love having them here and they say they love being here.
Kamiko and Bekki spent Saturday house hunting with the Braus and they had breakfast with them this morning. I'll be seeing them soon at Bekki's graduation on May 6. Then they'll be moving here. They'll probably stay with me for a bit. I honestly don't know why they choose to stay with me since the Braus have way more space than I do, but I'm so happy they like to be here. My heart is full. Life is great. My family is just perfect for me. We had good talks, we laughed, we spent time together. I also stayed out of the way while the kids had time together.
I have signed my contract for the 2021-2022 academic year. I'm working with Independent Study to get that class aligned with what we do on campus and online. I had the opportunity to submit a proposal for equipment to be purchased for the labs and it got approved, so we'll be ordering some items for the lab. We're making improvements in our curriculum and it feels good to contribute. Life is GREAT!
Here's a quote I saw today in my friend Adrienne Murray's Instagram feed: "If you trust the open doors, you gotta trust the closed doors too" (Nakeia Homer). When things don't make sense, I hope I can remember wonderful times like March 2021.
