The problem with not blogging for 2 months

is that it's really hard to get back on the horse! I've just tried to start this entry 3 or 4 times, and I'm not having much luck. Constantly, over the last 2 months, I've composed blog entries in my head - mostly while driving - and let me tell you: some of them were really great! I've been laugh out loud funny, spiritually poignant, edge of your seat interesting, and life changingly thought provoking. Well, in my head, anyway :) Of course now that I've finally committed myself to an evening at the computer, I'm going completely blank!


Hmmm... So what have I not written about... well, my brother got married (he's so happy!). My grandmother come up from Adelaide and stayed with us for 2 months (it was so nice to be able to spend some time with her). I flew down to Melbourne and saw 'Wicked' with Mum, Dad and Grandma (what a great show - totally loved it!). We had the Stake Young Womens Camp (which totally consumed our lives for a good couple of weeks and kept me busy for a month or two - but the girls had a wonderful time when all was said and done, so it was all worth it in the end). My niece is getting cuter and cuter and I love hanging out with her and her parents. Bethany and I have discovered that we're mystically lucky when it comes to getting the best car spots (touch wood). Abby cut my hair (a great story, check out this entry on her blog). My family has had lots of fun activities, including a BBQ in the bush (2 hours later we managed to get a fire going and cook our breakfast!) and a video day (we got ourselves into two teams and each spent the day making a movie). I've had some fun evenings with the twins - they're such great boys. General Conference came and went again (I love, LOVE, general conference - what a boost!). An old friend got married, which made my heart hurt but also helped it finally start to mend. I've actually managed to have a few conversations with people my own age, even a few members of the opposite sex (*gasp*) so that's a good sign :)

I had a really nice night out with Dad - we went to see Barry Douglas a concert pianist play (we were the only people under 87 there, but I loved it! I hadn't realized how much I miss beautiful classical piano music). We had a lovely mothers day (with my wonderful mum who is honestly the best mother I could possibly imagine). Work got crazy busy, then crazy slow (yucky global financial crisis), then crazy busy again (why oh why can't it just be nice and steady. I could do nice and steady!). I've been busy in an ongoing way with Young Womens, and I've accidentally become a sort of video specialist in my stake, being asked to shoot and/or edit videos for Young womens, the stake Welfare committee and the stake activities committee. I'm really happy to serve in these ways because I feel quite strongly that with all of the bad Satan's doing with media, it's important that a few of us are trying to use it in good ways, but editing is really time consuming!


And just recently, I was lucky to fly down to Canberra for a few days last week - the church asked 80 of us YSA from around Australia to go to a day of meetings at Parliament House to be ambassadors for the church. We had several training meetings leading up to it, and they'd put in a lot of preparation. I really enjoyed it. We met with several really prominent government leaders and Ministers of Parliament in small groups, and it was heartening for me to realize that we're not the only one's trying to uphold high morals. It also made me really feel like getting more involved in my local community, or joining a political party - I think it's important that we stand up and make sure our voices are heard. I guess I'll do that in my spare time! I had the chance to spend several hours at the national war memorial too, which was a really moving experience. I'm always touched when I realize how much was sacrificed for us all. I had to blink back tears a few times as I read old letters and pieced together people's stories. I spent some time looking for my great-grandfathers name on the two giant walls of people who died serving in Australian's armed services. It was moving to say the least, and I felt proud and saddened.


While we were in Parliament, it was also a wonderful surprise to catch up with Elder Holland. He was in Parliament the same day we were (meeting with various government leaders I believe), so he took some time to come and speak with us, which was lovely. And then, the night after I got back to Brisbane, I went to a special fireside for the Priest, Laurels and Young Single Adults, where Elder Holland (who'd also flown to Brisbane) spoke to us for the evening - what a wonderful uplifting experience that was :) I really needed to hear some of the things he had to teach us.


So there's a lot going on. Lots of good stuff. I'm trying to learn how to enjoy things as they happen, rather than stressing constantly about how I'm going to tackle the next deadline. The last couple of weeks I've been feeling like one of those crazy rodents in a hamster wheel - always exhausted from running so fast, but not really getting a whole lot done!

And to make matters worse of course, this giant Tammy holding hamster wheel is only figurative, so the running hasn't resulted in ANY weight loss at all :) But not to worry. Last night I got some personal paperwork done, and tonight I've checked in on ALL the blogs I used to follow (before this 2 month mystery disappearance), so I'm getting some things done :)

Well, I'd better head to bed. But it's been nice to read through your blogs and catch up a little. I hope you're all doing really well.


Lots of love,
xo Tammy

PS. I was looking for pictures of hamster wheels to post with this entry, and I found this one. It has nothing to do with my entry of course, but I loved the idea of it :) A way to walk on soft grass wherever you went - I love going barefoot! Of course, I realize this idea would never work for me. I'd be terrible at steering, and I'd spend the whole time climbing OUT of the wheel in order to move it away from the pole, wall, road, etc. etc. etc. But this guy seems to be doing pretty well. So good for him :)