A Whole New Blog!

Jonathan and I started a new blog! No need to fear, we are continuing with this one.

I was talking to Jonathan about updating his resume to include his hobby of 3-D animation with the URL of where they can be viewed. I realized after I said that, the bulk of his animations are just on the hard drive and wouldn't be accessible to really anyone but the two of us. I suggested we start a new blog for him to get his work out there for the world (and future employers) to see. I realized that I wanted to be able to share some of my more artistic projects there as well and so that is how Nelson Creations came about.

I'm going to keep a link to it in the side bar for anyone that is interested in our posts there. Honestly, I have no idea of how often there will be new posts there.

What's In A Name?

I want to share the inspiration for the name of our blog, Tea For Two. In middle school and high school I listened to a lot of big band music. Some of my favorite artists are Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald. One of my absolute songs is Tea For Two.

It seriously sounds like Jonathan and me. We are both homebodies and aren't particularly social. (With exception of when we were in the Singles Ward, because you aren't going to meet people if you don't go to the activities.)

One of my favorite stanzas is:

Nobody near us to see us or hear us
No friends or relations on weekend vacations
We won't have it known, dear
That we own a telephone, dear

I treasure our time together and the adventures we are able to share as the two of us.

The stanza that sealed the deal for naming our blog after this song is: 

We will raise a family
A boy for you and a girl for me
Can't you see how happy we will be?

Before we were married, we shared the desire to have a family. I started the blog a few months after we were married and so I felt like this fit perfectly except I love little boys and so the boy is for me and the girl can be for Jonathan. (That's what happens when you have 5 nephews in a row I guess!) Anyway, that's why our blog is named Tea For Two.

My People

These are my people. They are my ancestors that Jonathan and I have taken to the temple.

There are more I have to take and others that I've shared with my parents and siblings. They are very much alive and supporting me. I love the quote they are surrounding. It says "Suddenly all my ancestors are behind me. 'Be still' they say. 'Watch and listen you are the result of the love of thousands.'" My mom saw it and knew that I needed it. I won't let them be forgotten and in turn they are watching over me. Sure, they don't change what's going on in my life, but they are cheering me on. They don't forget me.

Tuesdays

Sometimes Tuesdays can be as rough as Mondays...

So take a break and smell the {giant} flowers!

Answers to Life's Questions

Early on in our marriage, Jonathan and I had some big decisions to make. We weren't really sure how to find the answer, so we met with our Bishop. He didn't give us the answer, but he counseled us to go to the temple because we would get our answer there. Sure enough, we got our answer. It was crystal clear and I know it didn't come from me because it wasn't the answer I wanted.

Our first temple.

"Temples are places of personal revelation. When I have been weighed down by a problem or a difficulty, I have gone to the House of the Lord with a prayer in my heart for answers. The answers have come in clear and unmistakable ways."

—Ezra Taft Benson

Our current temple.

We take just about everything to the temple. There is nothing too insignificant that Heavenly Father won't offer guidance. Jonathan regularly takes some time to ponder about his homework and typically he gets insight on something he wasn't totally understanding. There is a clarity in the temple that makes it much easier for us to recognize the answer to whatever questions we have. It truly is the House of the Lord.

A Quick Project

A few months ago, I was organizing my jewelry box and noticed two things. I hadn't worn most of them in months and that they were tangled like crazy! I wasn't wearing them because I didn't see them. I decided to make my own necklace organizer.

I had an extra piece of wood from a previous project and lots of finishing nails. I painted the board and hammered in the nails. Now I can see my necklaces and have started wearing them again!

Fireflies in Utah

Last month, Jonathan and I went to the Goshen area to see fireflies. I know that most people think that fireflies really only live in the Eastern United States, I did too. Last year, I saw a video produced by BYU talking about fireflies living here in Utah.

I have wanted to see fireflies for years and years and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see them. I did some research to figure out where they were in Goshen.

Luckily, there is a marshland that the state has preserved right next to an abandoned railroad line. We got there over an hour before sunset to scope out the area and see where the fireflies were likely to be.

We were unfortunately unprepared for the hundreds of ravenous mosquitoes. Thankfully, we were prepared for it to be cold and so we wore our jackets and hoods to protect ourselves from some of the mosquitoes. Jonathan ended up with at least a dozen bites on one of his hands from taking pictures.

Right around ten o'clock though, the fireflies started lighting up! We only saw about 8 or 9 fireflies, but it was still magical! Jonathan admitted that the mosquito bites were worth seeing them. We weren't able to get any pictures of them because the camera couldn't focus on them. After about 10 or so minutes of not seeing any more fireflies, we headed back to the car. As we were walking along the railroad tracks, a firefly flew between us and lit up! It was equally amazing and terrifying because we were not expecting it at all!

It was so awesome to see fireflies! This will hold me over until we can travel back east and see hundreds of them lighting up all at once.

A Special Witness

On the same day we went to the Masonic Temple, Jonathan and I went to the Salt Lake Temple. We were able to squeeze in and do a few sealings for my family members. It was a very busy day with 36 couples being sealed, so we weren't able to do all of the family names I brought. I was still very happy that we were able to get any done. Afterward, Jonathan and I spent a few hours talking about some of our challenges in the Celestial room.

Before we could leave, we needed to stop by the sealer's office to get my family's ordinances recorded. When we entered the office there were two men at the far end of the table and a sister sitting close by the door. One of the men was sitting down at the table and I thought he kind of looked like President Hinkley. When you live in Utah there are a lot of people that are related to General Authorities and so they look similar. The other man was leaning over the table and his voice sounded a little familiar. He was excited because he had just done some sealings for his family. We asked the sister if we could get our names recorded and she said she would in just a moment. She then walked over to the two men and the man leaning over the table stood up straight and I quickly recognized him. It was Elder Dallin H. Oaks, one of the men I just sustained the month before as a prophet, seer, and revelator for our church. I couldn't believe it! Jonathan and I went to see him speak last year at a symposium, but I never expected to just bump into him in my everyday life. As soon as I recognized him, the spirit in the room changed.

This is how we normally see him.
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Jonathan thought it was him, but when the sister walked past us to get to the computer he asked her if it really was Elder Oaks. She told us it was him. The man with Elder Oaks led him to the computer and the sister scanned in his family cards that he just did the sealings for. He was so excited just like I am each time I take my family to the temple. After his family was recorded, he went back to the far end of the table and thanked the man who helped get his family recorded. Elder Oaks then looked at us and asked if he could "shake this young couples' hands?" We were already planning on not letting him out of the room until he shook our hands, so it was nice that he noticed us or it could have gotten awkward.

As he shook our hands and patted our backs, he asked if we were getting married and I told him that we already were and that we were doing sealings for our family. He was excited and said that he had just done the sealings for some of his family. After Elder Oaks left, the man he was talking to came over and told us that he is in the same ward as Elder Oaks. Oh, life in Salt Lake!

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I know without a doubt that this man is truly an Apostle of Jesus Christ. I have seen him interacting with others and his excitement from participating in the ordinances of the temple for his family. From our little interaction, I feel like I am old friends with him and I will treasure this memory.

Founding Fathers

Since Saturday is Independence Day, I decided to share a few quotes from some of the Founding Fathers that are also my cousins!

Abraham Clark - My 12th cousin 11 times removed.

As to my Title, I know not yet whether it will be honourable or dishonourable, the issue of the War must Settle it. Perhaps our Congress will be Exalted on a high Gallows

- Abraham Clark

Joseph Hewes -  My 11th cousin 10 times removed.

Were I to suffer in the cause of American liberty, should I not be translated immediately to heaven as Enoch was of old?

- Joseph Hewes

Thomas McKean - My 10th cousin 17 times removed.

Our cause is good, our army in health and high spirits, and more numerous that that of the enemy. May the divine Disposer of all events crown our victuous endeavors with success and save our country; of this we may be confident, "for he delights in virtue, and that which he delights in must be happy."

- Thomas McKean

Charles Carroll - My 10th cousin 8 times removed.

Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and pure (and) which insures to the good eternal happiness, are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments.

- Charles Carroll

There are certain unalienable and fundamental rights, which informing the social compact, out to be explicitly ascertained and fixed - a free and enlightened people, in forming this compact, will not resign all their rights to those who govern, and they will fix limits to their legislators and rulers, which will soon be plainly seen by those who are governed, as well as by those who govern: and the latter will know they cannot be passed unperceived by the former, and without giving a general alarm.

- Richard Henry Lee

Roger Sherman - My 3rd cousin 9 times removed.

The only real security that you can have for all your important rights must be in the nature of your government. If you suffer any man to govern you who is not strongly interested in supporting your privileges, you will certainly lose them.

- Roger Sherman

These men recognized that they were part of something that was so much bigger than anything that had been attempted before. I love how Abraham Clark freely acknowledged that they didn't know if they would be successful or not, but that was not going to stop them. They knew that what they were doing was right and many saw the hand of the Lord throughout the formation of this independent nation. They also saw how these freedoms and rights could be taken from us. It is vital for us to educate ourselves on the candidates and remove them from office if necessary for limiting our freedoms. There is still so much we can learn from our Founding Fathers if we would take the time to study them.

If you want to find out what Founding Fathers you are related to go to www.relativefinder.org.
Here's some more patriotic thoughts for this Independence Day.