The Refiner's Fire

Doug and I were in SLC and had the amazing opportunity to watch gold be refined up close. I am banging my head against the wall that I didn't think to take the camera in... But I was completely overwhelmed by why this certain symbolism is used in the scriptures.

First, the gold goes into a very thick metal cup and gets put into a metal tub where the fire is. This fire was so powerful by itself that it was astounding to look at...and the people said the fire they have didn't get hot enough by itself, so they took what looked like a welding torch to it to get the fire even hotter every once in a while. I asked them how hot it had to be to refine the gold, and the answer was somewhere around 1800 degrees. Every so often he would drop in some powder that makes all the impurities cling to it and come together . After quite awhile of melting the gold, the refiner got the cup out and cooled it in buckets of water. He dropped the gold out onto the floor, and all the impurities were all together in a black shape on the bottom. He hit it and they all dropped right off.

Pretty simple right? I can't even explain to you what a powerful representation to me of why the refiner's fire is used as a symbol. You're going through a trial and it's really bad, and then when you think it can't get any worse, the fire gets hotter. It circulates between bad and worse, all the while you are (hopefully) learning what you need to and your imperfections are sinking down. When you bring the Savior into it, the imperfections or bad things can fall right off, just like in the gold.

It's odd to me how much this experience taught me..I definitely don't think it was a coincidence that we had this opportunity. I mean, I'm the type of person that gets emotional at gorgeous art and beautiful songs, not watching raging fires.. Not that I got teary eyed emotional at the experience, but I don't think I've ever felt so powerfully taught about a symbol and that I knew and understood why Heavenly Father chose that symbol to use for us. I remember that feeling of absolute understanding and I know that I was supposed to learn what I did.

Going private

I have thought about it and have decided to make our little blog private. There are lots of things I want to post and don't feel comfortable doing so in view of the general public. So, send me an email with the email address you use to login to: mmaarrcciieeATgmailDOTcom. :)

If there's a chance I won't recognize who you are by your email address, just write your name in the subject of the email. I look forward to posting about things, places, and people I love that I wouldn't otherwise do without having the blog being private. :D

Couple survey :)

My friend Allie did this and it was cute!

1. When is your "engagement" anniversary?
*November 19th

2. When is your "marriage" anniversary:
*February 6th

3. How long have you known your spouse:
*Ha, neither of us remember when we first met. But somewhere around 2 years.

4. How long did you date/court before you were engaged?
*6 months

5. Where did you meet your spouse for the first time?
*Neither of us remember! Haha! But it was through friends/my friends' single's ward/Institute. So probably at a party or an activity.

7. Do you have any children:
*Nieces and nephews for now :)

8. How many - boys/girls:
*As long as they're healthy that's the most important thing!

9. Do you have any house pets:
*A cat

11. Do you live in the country or town/city:
*Country

12. What are some of your favorite activities together:
*Spending time together. Relaxing, watching movies, playing games. Just chatting.

13. Do you have a favorite vacation spot:
*Mexico was really fun!

14. When did you first kiss?
*After we'd been "officially" together for a couple weeks

15. What church do you attend?
*The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

16. Did you get married in a church?
*Nope, Idaho Falls Temple

17. What town is your current address at:
*Our address isn't in a town :)

18. Do you work or stay at home:
*We're never home! Work and school!

19. Where did you go on your honeymoon:
*A month after we got married we went on a road trip to Nauvoo.

20.What was the funniest gift you gave when dating?
*Haha well before we got married I did a little countdown with presents for every day. For 6 days before I gave him a package of sugar cookies and I THOUGHT they had twelve so I said something like 6 cookies (times two) and there were only ten! He hasn't let me forget it. Apparently sugar cookies come in 10's, not 12's.

21.How long have you been together?
*A year and almost 5 months

22. How long did you know each other before you started dating?
*About 5 or 6 months, and then we dated for 2 months before we were together.

23. Who asked who out?
*Doug asked me

26. Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
*Our crazy busy lives.

27. Did you go to the same school?
*Nope

28. Are you from the same home town?
*Not "technically", but yes. Our moms grew up like a block away from each other too.

29. Who is smarter?
*We're both smarter at different things. For example, I have no clue how to operate power tools or build things. However, if he happened to hurt himself while using said power tools, I know how to take care of it. :D

30. Who is more sensitive?
*Me

31.Where do you eat out most as a couple?
*Good question. We like lots of places!

32. Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
*Mexico

33.Who has the craziest exes?
*It depends on your definition of crazy...

34. What attracted you about him/her?
-We were friends and he was super nice and fun to hang out with

35. Who does the cooking?
*Doug usually cooks breakfast and I cook everything else

36. Who is more social?
*Depends on the situation. I would maybe say Doug though. He can strike up conversations with people he doesn't even know.

37. Who is the neat-freak?
*For the kitchen and family room-me!! For the bedroom-mostly Doug.

38. Who is more stubborn?
*We're both pretty stubborn

39. Who hogs the bed?
*Neither of us. We sleep in the middle

40. Who wakes up earlier?
*Doug!

41. Where was your first date?
*His basement. We watched I am Legend. I kept jumping and he would laugh at me. Hahaha

42.Who had more boyfriends/girlfriends?
*Me

43. Do you get flowers often?
*No

44. How do you spend the holidays?
*Together and with fam

46. How long did it take to get serious?
*Awhile

47. Who eats more?
*Depends on what it is!

48. Who does the laundry?
*I do the actual laundry but Doug is good at helping me sort and hang

49. Who’s better with the computer?
*Doug

50. Leave a piece of advice for the other couples:
*DATE NIGHT!

The Crazy Lady at Wendy's

Here is a story that is funny, sad, and sure to make you shake your head. (I know, I get to

Doug and I were going to a movie and decided to grab dinner at Wendy's beforehand. It was on a weeknight and at an odd time so there were only two other tables of people and a few people behind us in line. We got our food and sat down at the second-to-farthest-from-the-counter table. We were eating when I saw a lady and a teenager walk in and march to the counter.
I heard, "BLAH BLAH BLAH SO I WANT A REFUND!" The manager kindly said, "I'd be happy to do that for you." The lady started railing on so loud that we could hear almost every word she said. She was yelling something about how her daughter had ordered her fries with no salt and she had seen them shake the salt shaker all over them. She accused the poor kid who took their order of saying things. She yelled (several times), "AND TO LET YOUR EMPLOYEES STAND BACK THERE AND TALK ABOUT CUSTOMERS...THAT IS SOOO UNPROFESSIONAL!" She continued on and said to the kid who took their order, "I AM HERE TO TALK TO YOUR MANAGER! YOU ARE JUST THE LOW MAN ON THE TOTEM POLE!!! WHY ARE YOU JUST STANDING AROUND?!?! GO CLEAN THAT FILTHY FLOOR!" This lady was so crazy that if we were in a big city, I'd honestly be scared she would pull out a gun and shoot the manager and kid. After more than five minutes of yelling, she finally stomped away.
We went up and talked to the people at the front since Doug knows them all, and the "talking about customers" was someone had mentioned something and used the phrase, "the girl who needs no salt on her fries."
Honestly?!?!?! Was it really worth yelling, insulting people, and making a bum of yourself to ask for a refund and make your "point"? How sad! People. *Sigh*

Wow

I was talking to one of my best friends from elementary school today who is now in the Marines, and he told me this story, and it was so touching I had to share it. Prepare to get teary eyed.

He was in the Phillipines for part of their deployment and every morning a little 6 year old girl named Cameron would wait outside for my friend to give him lumpia (think egg roll). He would give her food, water and a little bit of money for her family. Sadly, an older kid found out and beat her up badly and stole her family's food for the week. I asked him if she was okay, and he said yes. He had their doctor look at her and patch up.

Then, I asked him how he got the food to give to her. I am all teary eyed just writing this.. He told me he gave them MREs, and that they love them down there. I said, "Yeah, but how did you get them?" This was his exact reply:
"They were my rations, I'd only eat like once a day there, and I'd give the rest of them to her."

Is that a hero, or what? Sometimes being a hero isn't about the huge things. It's an amazing reminder that Marines aren't just hardened killing machines..

Doesn't this make you want to donate to a food bank?

Parking tickets bring out the best in people...

So you know those crazy people who think it is completely appropriate to yell at employees of some workplace about something that's totally not the employee's fault? Yeah... Mix parking tickets into the mix and it can get a little ugly sometimes.

The person who works next to me handles the parking tickets for the huge parking lot that surrounds our workplace. The other day, I was zoning out until I heard, "I GET A PARKING TICKET EVERY TIME I COME HERE!!" Of course the tone of voice caught my attention. I held my amusement down to (I hope) a small smirk. His rant continued, and ended with a really rather entertaining remark that went something like this. "IF I'M HERE MORE THAN HALF AN HOUR AND GET A METER TICKET....I'LL....BLOW MY TOP!!!!!!!"


Hehehe. Just a little amusement for your day. :)

50 things that make me happy

So I saw this as an idea for a scrapbook layout and thought it would be a fun blog instead. So, here goes.

1. My husband!!!!
2. Listening to rain
3. Cuddling
4. Our kitty
5. When my little nephew says something full of a-t-t-i-t-u-d-e. (Sorry Stacey..but you have to admit it's a littttle funny)
6. My nieces and nephews
7. Having sisters, finally :)
8. Reading a book so good that I can't put it down
9. My fluffy pig slippers
10. Making someone else happy
11. Laughing
12. Surprising Doug with something
13. Sales
14. Decorations
15. Cooking
16. Baking
17. Eating my creations
18. Watching movies
19. Sleeping in together
20. Hearing "I love you"
21. Wearing PJs
22. Giving compliments
23. Getting compliments
24. Drinking hot chocolate
25. Laying down after a long day
26. Paychecks being bigger than expected
27. Buying presents
28. Stargazer lilies
29. Friends
30. Getting free movie tickets
31. Singing
32. Dancing
33. Otter Pops
34. Hangin' out with my cousins (and their awesome kids!)
35. Date night
36. Hoodies
37. Beaches
38. The sound of the ocean
39. Traveling
40. Having my parents visit
41. My favorite Mexican restaurant
42. Pictures
43. Pictures of Christ with children (especially David Bowman's! Google his art. Now! Right now!!!)
44. 3 Doors Down, Linkin Park, Hinder, Saving Abel, and Nickelback music. Plus lots more.
45. The Twilight Series (so sue me. haha)
46. Sunsets
47. Organizing (it's a new one!)
48. Shopping
49. Holidays
50. Did I mention my husband? ♥


P.S. If you were naughty and didn't google David Bowman's art, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE! Haha.

P.P.S. You should do this too. I officially "tag" all of you who read this. :)