Gratitude, Day 2

For my first few months here in LA I attended a singles ward for church, and since I knew I'd be aging out in 3 months or so, I was ambivalent about getting involved.  I'd be moving on soon to a regular ward, what was the point of jumping into an assignment when I'd be leaving in a few weeks?

I was a bit nervous about my transition back to "regular church," full of old and young, babies, newlyweds, etc. Where would I fit, would I make friends, find people to relate to, etc?  However, I did know all along that I really wanted to fully jump in and do whatever I need to do to get involved and have people get to know me.

I am really grateful for how welcome I feel and opportunities that have arisen for me to participate and make friends, even though I've only officially attended this congregation for two weeks.  

I met my new bishop, and we had a great introductory conversation.  And turns out we had tickets to the same concert a couple weeks ago.  That's an excellent sign.

I already have home teachers who visited me.  One is from Mauritius, the other from France - we will have French lessons each time they visit me.  They are both gregarious and we'll be friends, I'm sure.

My visiting teacher emailed me today.  She spoke in sacrament meeting a couple weeks ago with her husband, who I recognized from my DC days.  I had hoped we could be friends, and now we will be.

I know two other people in the ward from DC (all the way back to 1999).  They've invited me over for dinner on Sunday.  Yay!

I've gotten a couple phone calls from other people in the ward, wanting to welcome me in, and even asking if I can fill in on the organ from time to time.  Sigh, maybe I let that news out too soon, but I'm happy to play.  And I'm going to make dessert for a Relief Society cooking class in a couple weeks. I'm excited.

If only every new member or visitor at church felt like I do.  There's a challenge to me, to be as welcoming to everyone else as they've been to me.  This is gonna be good.  

November Challenge

30 days of November = 30 days of posts of things for which I'm grateful.

Chantal's already kicked things off, and I think I'll follow her lead, seeing that we are in Thanksgiving month already! And I don't really feel like blogging much lately, so this will maybe help me stay current.  

There will not be any particular order to my gratitude and it will potentially run from extremely shallow to the profound, but I will be grateful for each of these things.

So....

#1

My hearing.

There's so much good music out there, especially lately, and I'm glad I get to listen to it all.  It makes me happy.  I've long answered in the 'would you rather be blind or deaf' hypothetical that I'd rather be blind, so that I could continue to have music running through my ears, even though my independence might be more hindered without sight.

Music isn't the only thing worth hearing, of course, but it's the one that makes me most happy.

Speaking of, it's almost time to compile my Best of 2011 and start mix making.  Cheers to Spotify for making that a little easier this year.

I Can't Sew

To all of you who kept arriving at my blog wanting to know how to make a twister costume - sorry I didn't have more details.  I bought the game, handed it to a friend, and she made the dresses.

I'm about to lose my blogging job anyway, since someone else is clearly doing a better job at documenting my adventures.