Do we know each other or WHAT?!

HAHAHAHAHA!!!! Okay, I have to tell you a funny story!

So every Christmas season myself, my 2 sisters, and my 3rd adopted sister (Ruth) get together for an annual "Sissie's Christmas Outing." We go to dinner and try to hit something else fun like a play or a movie or a place that sounds interesting (one year we went to the Old Deseret Village at Heritage Park http://www.worldofstock.com/closeups/PHI2163.php).

This year we didn't go because 1) Ruth and I were in mourning over Brizzy's death, 2) Everyone was extremely busy, and 3) it was a short holiday season. We swore we'd just postpone it until after the new year. And in the meantime we began to think about (and acquire) Christmas presents for each other.

So ... the new year came and went ... January came and went ... February has come and gone ... and how close are we to having our Sissie's Christmas Outing?! HAH! You guessed it -- NOT VERY! We love each other, but we're such slackers when it comes to planning outings!

But you certainly can't say we aren't in tune with each other because ... you see ... well, my sister Sue told it best (this comes from an e-mail she sent to Mom):

"Remember how I said I was going to buy the Charles C. Rich DVD for Judy for Christmas? Well, ... I found out that she ALSO got Nancy the DVD for Christmas and was hanging onto it to give her for Christmas. So, Judy has one for Nancy, and I have one for Judy. Well, Nancy told me that she bought the Charles C. Rich DVD for herself because she's been feeling this real connection to him. SO! Nancy already has the DVD. I sent an e-mail to Judy telling her that Nancy already has the DVD and so now Judy said, 'Oh well, I guess I'll just keep the DVD for myself.' Well, that means that I have Judy's DVD in my closet just sitting there and now I can't give it to her because she's keeping the one she was going to give Nancy. So, guess what? I guess I will now keep the DVD I was going to give Judy and so now we each have one. Isn't that hysterical?!!!"

HAHAHAHAHAHA! THAT's what we get for postponing our Sissie's Christmas Outing! The only thing that would've made it funnier is if someone had bought a Charles C. Rich DVD for RUTH! Then again, Charles C. Rich is our great-great-grandfather and not hers, so that would've just been weird, eh? But it just goes to show you how in tune family can be with each other, eh?

Creativity - I do love President Uchtdorf

My BFF sent me the following wonderful clip the other day ... it's so good, I wanted to share:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhLlnq5yY7k

It really is a most powerful, inspirational message -- so beautifully done it made me cry, a little (of course I'm always hormonal, these days).

I don't know who puts together that Mormon Messages site on YouTube, but I'm glad they are doing it. They are helping to communicate some of what we believe, as LDS peoples.

This clip came from a talk given by President Uchtdorf last September, during the LDS Women's General Conference Broadcast. That was one of the best talks I've heard in a long time -- so inspiring and empowering. And delightful, too! President Uchtdorf is such a charming human being. Here is a link to the talk:

http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-947-37,00.html

If you can watch the video, do that because hearing the talk is a different experience from reading it (just scroll down to the very last talk on the page -- it's called "Happiness, Your Heritage"):

http://lds.org/conference/sessions/display/0,5239,23-1-947,00.html

But if you can't watch it I hope you read it ... again and again and again. Even if you are not LDS, I think you will enjoy and appreciate what he has to say.