A Wonderful Dream

I know I've talked about who I was named after before, my sweet grandma Patterson. She died about three years before I was born. When I was younger I had a hard time knowing that we shared the same name and having it remind me that I never even met her. It took some time, but I have learned to love my name.

Anyways, last week my dad shared that he had a dream about her. This was the first time since she died over 20 years ago. He emailed it to his siblings and dad. What he remembered most clearly was how beautiful she was. My grandpa responded to the email saying that he has seen her and agreeing that she was very beautiful.
 

Well, just a couple of nights ago I had the privilege of seeing my grandma's beauty for myself. I too, had a dream about my grandma. Mine was a little different because there were two of her, the older one that my siblings remember from their childhood and a beautiful, young version of her. It was wonderful! I sat down next to the younger version of her and started asking her some simple questions. Right when I had built up enough courage to ask some deeper ones, a car alarm went off! I woke up wanting to go back so I could talk to my grandma more. I wanted to know if she knew who I was. I either have a feeling or am hoping that I get to have that dream again. I feel like this dream is my early Christmas present.

The Nutcracker Tradition

I love going to the ballet. It reminds me of my childhood. I remember the years of attending the Nutcracker and then when I performed in it. Every time I go to the ballet, I look back on these wonderful memories. This year was no different. It was so nice and we even got there about 10 minutes early. (Usually we are practically running to our seats!) It was so cute seeing all of the little girls all dressed up not knowing what they were about to see. It will be so fun to take the little girls to the Nutcracker in a few years.

The performance is about to start.

The Snow Queen.

After the performance is over, we always go to Rick's Diner! All they have are desserts and yes they are amazing! We had the mixed berry cheesecake, raspberry torte, and mint chocolate cake. They were all so good!

I love the ballet and I can't wait to share it with Jonathan. We are going to Midsummer Night's Dream in the spring!

Das Auto

Our cars have been doing quite a few stunts to get our attention for the past couple of months. Our Honda doesn't always feel like starting. Sometimes it's because Jonathan doesn't feel like turning off his lights and other times it doesn't have a real reason. I've lost track of how many times we've jump started that silly little car!

Well, our Nissan decided that we were giving too much attention to the Honda. It started out small by letting the back brake light get loose and flop around as I drive. Well, that clearly wasn't enough, so my front tire shredded on my way home from the Relief Society Christmas Dinner. That proved to be such a blessing. If I hadn't gone to the dinner, my tire would probably still be susceptible to shredding and would have happened either on my way to work or to turn in my last physics lab. I would have been stressing out and Jonathan would have been at work, completely unable to help rescue me. I am so grateful that it happened when it did.

With all of these car problems, Jonathan spent his first day off with no work or school fixing up our cars. I love that he knows so much about car maintenance and can do it all by himself.

It's Finally Happening!

I am finally starting to get into the Christmas spirit! Now I know that makes me sound a bit like a Grinch  but let me explain. 

I think that there is something very wrong when you go to a store in October or November and they are decorated and selling Christmas items. Yes, I am one of those people who gets mad when I hear Christmas music before December. Thanks to my mom, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and you can (and should) have your decorations up all month long. Then we have Thanksgiving. I'm honestly not super big about the meal on Thanksgiving, but you can tell that I love theme of that holiday. I put away my more ghoulish looking decorations and leave out my pumpkins and have reminders to give thanks for what we have. I don't appreciate stores trying to push aside these holidays in order to make the Christmas season last for three whole months.

This year, I've had an even harder time than usual getting into the Christmas spirit. I think it's because I've been so focused on doing well in school this semester that I haven't really done much decorating for any of the holidays. I honestly took down my 4th of July decorations in the middle of October. (What can I say, I just love our red, white, and blue!) Anyways, let me tell you what helped me snap out of this holiday slump!

Last week, my ward had it's Relief Society Christmas dinner. Jonathan and I were asked to participate in the program. We read parts of the Christmas Jar. This was the first time I have ever heard that story. It started out with a couple (Jonathan and me) having their first Christmas. Money was tight, so they decided to fill a jar with their pocket change and use that money for their Christmas gifts. It became a family tradition and grew to include their children. One year as they were taking the money to the bank and the daughter saw a woman crying. She offered the money to the woman and their family tradition was forever changed. They started using their Christmas Jar to help others. Years passed and her husband died. The evening after the funeral, she received dozens of jars in return. Some of the people shared their stories of when they were in need and a jar was at their door.

I love the spirit of giving in this story. I love how their simple, daily sacrifice was able to grow and help others. I found a blog where people share their own Christmas Jar stories. (Click here. They're really good!)

I want to start this tradition for our family.

Yet Another Reason I Love the Temple (like I really need another)

My love of the temple is rather obvious to anyone who reads my blog.

Well, now I have a new reason to love the temple. I get to work there! It is so much fun. After I went through the temple for the first time I decided that I wanted to work at the temple. So, you can't just show up and start working there. (It's a house of order and that would just not work.) Just before summer started, I noticed little cards that you could fill out if you were available to serve. I got so excited! I filled it out and turned it in. 

I forgot that I had filled out the card and a little over a month ago I got a call from the temple recorder. (It's a person not an automated machine.) He told me that my bishop had suggested me to serve at the temple and he had a couple of open shifts in the laundry. I quickly agreed and was ready to burst with joy! I know that most 22 year-olds don't like doing their own laundry let alone volunteer to do laundry for 4 hours, but I'm not most 22 year-olds! I love working at the temple.

As I work at the temple, I feel closer to my grandparents. My grandma and grandpa Machen served twice a week at the Oakland temple for years. I am named after my grandma Patterson who died a few years before I was born. Before Jonathan and I were married, I would try to go to the temple every week to do baptisms. As I would sit in the baptistery, I would end up thinking about my grandma. I would get the feeling that she was proud of my decisions and glad that we share the same name.

I am so grateful that I live so close to the temple and that I can serve there.

Almost Done!

Jonathan and I are almost done with another semester! Just one week left!

Our last Saturday night doing homework!

I got to watch a tape on special relativity. I didn't know they still had those machines!

Jonathan asked me how we were going to celebrate the end of the semester. I was totally caught off guard. It's been awhile since we've been at the end of a semester that I don't really remember doing anything special... It will be fun whatever it is that we end up doing!

I plan on starting all of the many Christmas projects that I have and decorating our apartment for the season. (I may or may not still have my haunted mansion out from Halloween...) I can't wait for a break from school!