Cute family!

Yesterday I got to take photos for this great family! They are some of the kindest people I know, and their smiles match!

It's too bad the light was a little crazy, but this was just too cute!

Thanks for letting me have fun with you guys!

Spring | /spriNG/: (noun) the reemergence of photos

Some photos taken on campus doing an assignment for class. Nothing amazing, but I just love taking them. And it shows how much like spring this winter has been...   

While I was wandering around, I happened upon another girl taking photos who stopped these pogo-ers and asked to take their photo. It was a cute little scene.

And we're off to INDIA!

We've decided to spend our summer doing humanitarian work in India, and we are so excited!

I've started a new blog with some info about our new adventures... I'll probably post on that more frequently for the next few months. We'll update it often (or at least that's the plan) with info about our preparations, and finally stories about our projects and adventures in India!

Follow along!

http://lettersfromhyderabad.blogspot.com/

postscript

I am starting a photography class this week. And I am so. ex. cited!

So hopefully I'll be posting photos a bit more often again... and posting some I've taken during this hiatus.

This makes me happy.

Charity

Sitting in the temple last week I had the opportunity to think about charity. What better topic is there, really? But this time it was like a new topic completely, at least to me.

The scripture that got me going was 1 John 4:18 - "perfect love casteth out fear." Thinking of all of the things that worry me, scare me, even paralyze me, it is amazing to think that love - perfect love -banishes them if I let it.

So my mind went like this.

Perfect love, that's like Christ's love. And the pure love of Christ is called charity. So it's kind of charity casts out my fear. But I usually think of charity as something I need to possess so that I love other people, so I see them for who they are. Yet this scripture makes it seem like it's something for me. Maybe charity isn't just Christ's love that I need to have for others, but it's Christ's love I need to accept for myself. That's how it casts out fear. Perhaps my usual construal of charity skips a step. (For some reason lessons on God's love for me and charity never overlapped in my mind... who knows why?)

Charity is something I work to have everyday for other people. Kindness, patience, love, non-judgement. And this is so important. But I think that to have that degree of love, to truly see others for who they are and have real charity, we need to possess it for ourselves. It is a gift. We need to feel our worth and our purpose. And as we accept the love of Christ for ourselves and seek after it, it will naturally radiate. I can't skip straight to praying to purely love others if I can't first feel that love for me.

This isn't to say that we have to be 100% positive self-esteem, confidence, and happiness all the time. And it doesn't mean that we need to focus on our own needs primarily. But I do think it is vital that we take the time we know we need to rejuvenate and remember our relationship with God first.

Spend time with God everyday, even if it's just reading a few verses of scripture. Pour your heart out in prayer. Do things that make you feel happy - that make you feel like the best you. If you love to cook, don't go too long without trying out a new recipe. If nature enlivens you, take the long way walking home.

I believe that we were given talents and desires to bless our lives as well as the lives of others. Developing our gifts isn't just for the end result. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if it is more for our learning and joy along the way. So don't be frustrated when you feel you fall short in a skill. The important thing is that you took the leap, and that you keep going. Enjoy the journey.

So much changes when I do this in my life. When I stop getting caught up in daily tasks and comparing myself to others, and just find simple ways to love myself. I am so much more loving to other people when I make sure to remember who I am - I, Katrina, who loves to dance and cook and take photos and serve others and drink in nature. I am supposed to be me, with all that comes with me. And I remember that so much more when I stay close to God every day, and when I don't forget to use the gifts he has blessed me with. That allows me to rejoice in others so much more than when I'm unsure of myself.

Now when you read Moroni 7:48, maybe you'll have a new aspect of charity to pray for. At least I do.

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen." Moroni 7:48

Gratitude

I drove home from work today with my windows down - hair flying everywhere - just drinking in the crisp air and changing leaves. I felt so happy and so grateful for the subtle beauties of this life.

It's not that I haven't enjoyed my rides home before, but today I was unrestrained in my joy. And what was it that unlocked my wonder? I think it was gratitude, plain and simple and true.

Kyle and I have been thinking about gratitude the last couple of days because we prepared a family home evening lesson on it to share with another couple we joined for family night. We both gravitated towards the topic, probably because we mighta, sorta needed it. Most of our studying came out of Standing for Something by President Hinckley.

As we read, we were amazed at the wonder that he finds in every situation. Though he's seen slums and degradation in his travels and obviously understands the wickedness alive in this world, he is constantly optimistic and amazed by the good. He did not give any fancy explanations about what gratitude is or how to get it. He mostly described what he is grateful for, and how gratitude is the foundation for all other virtues. His advice for us: work at it.

So just in the last 24 hours, I have. I feel a weight lifted in a way. I am focusing on the better, lifting my sights, not settling for ingratitude because it's easier. I know it will take work to keep it, but I know it's possible. So I am going to try and keep a sort of gratitude log at least in my mind every day, just like Elder Eyring suggested.

Wanna know something else cool about gratitude we learned in our studies? Gratitude is exalting. And I don't think it's because it's going to be like, "Hey, you were such a thankful person, here's some great attributes and glory." No, I think it's because the very attitude of gratitude makes us humble and allows us to receive so much more goodness in our lives. Being grateful makes us better. And that is really cool.

a list just because

This week I've:

-been hired for full time employment at ancestry.com

-cooked coconut curry for the first time... and it was delicious

-learned how to freeze zucchini, corn, etc. by first blanching it

-been reading The Picture of Dorian Gray, which has both intrigued me and disgusted me

-found that my second-to-little toe is somehow jarred really bad (no matter how much I wish it wasn't) and I do not know what I should do next... I pray it doesn't mean I have to stop running :(

-done more organizing in our apartment and finally took our pile of stuff to DI

-picked up a bit of crocheting again... there might be more on this later if all turns out well

-started thank you cards

-watched some great speeches online about creativity and changing the way we think (I'll post the links below)

-basked in the complete happiness that is being married to my best friend!

And I get to go to the temple tonight!

The speeches I mentioned:

*this one makes me want to delve into my creativity and get past my fears... for I have many when it comes to creating things:

http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

*this one gives an interesting perspective on education and divergent thinking. Very interesting:

zucchini garden

Earlier this summer, amidst all of the craziness of wedding prep, we decided we wanted a little garden at our new home. So we planted some zucchini and yellow squash. (And some tomatoes, but we don't need to talk about those).

I've been in heaven with this bounteous harvest (see picture below) because zucchini and yellow squash are my favorite. So yeah, we've eaten lots. And of course made some awesome zucchini bread too.

That's how we discovered that zucchini bread dough is Kyle's absolute favorite thing. Ever. Who would have thought? I mean, it's good, but does it really beat out peanut butter? :) So we've had some dough in the fridge for him, and once we even mixed it with vanilla ice cream. I know, sounds crazy, but it was reallllly good. I have a feeling I'll be experimenting with more zucchini recipes soon. (Have you ever had zucchini lasagna before? I made it last summer and it was quite good, actually).

On that note, it's about that time of year when I will once again make an oreo cake. I have searched high and low for the one I used last year, but I cannot find it. But this one and this one look like they're similar enough, and delicious too. Happy (early) birthday Taush!

a sweet, sticky fluid made by bees + the natural sattelite of the earth

Couer d' Alene, Idaho- what a wonderful place to honeymoon. We spent a few days there, enjoying the little shops (especially the toy shop and candy corner), the beautiful lake, and a fantastic hike. It was a wonderfully stress-free and happy time, including a midnight swim in our pool, movie watching, and finding a golf ball in the lake.

Next, we headed over to Yellowstone because Kyle's aunt and uncle generously gave us two nights' stay there.The drive was interesting, to say the least. Both of us were feeling under the weather, there were miles and miles of roadwork (in Montana??), and the car was doing some weird jerking things now and then.

By the time we got to West Yellowstone, the jerking had stopped (we suspect bad gas... ha ha), but our tire was squeaking. We looked at it and saw this.....

Not the best picture, but the inside of our front left tire was totally ripped up. We were so grateful we got to Yellowstone in one piece! So we resolved to take it in in the morning and get it replaced and figure out what the problem was.

Long-story-short, the front tires were different sizes and it took the whole day we were going to go into the park to get them replaced. So, we went to Yellowstone, but didn't actually set foot in Yellowstone. But that was probably for the best. We went to shops, watched movies, ate huckleberry ice cream. Plus, it gives us a great excuse to go back sometime. :)