What I Know About Dating

A really great date right here.

I know a lot about dating, it's true just ask my girlfriends and all of the great advice I give them....... Or, all of the great advice they give me, OR the same advice that we just shuffle back and forth to each other. It's the blind leading the blind I tell you. 

Here are a few things I HATE about being Mormon and dating:

1. At first can we just date for fun? What is with this secret mental thing that goes on when you think..Could this possibly be my eternal companion? HEY..HEY! Don't act like I am weird for saying that out LOUD it is TRUE AND I HATE IT. Where did this come from, and how did it get ingrained in our brains? Can a date just be a DATE?  

2. I don't really know what else I hate about being Mormon and dating. I think that is pretty much it, as far as the Mormon part goes.

What I do know for sure about dating:

1. I think most people aren't very good at it, unless you are a serial dater and have made it your life long profession. If you are really good at it, it is time for you to get off the schtick and get married. 

2. The first date is always awkward, just a little you know so you should always go on a second date just to see. 

3. My kids are not baggage. I was told that children were baggage. Guess what, if you think my children are baggage. I don't want to date you anyway. 

4. Confidence is good, opinions are good. I like a guy that has good solid opinions about stuff, especially if they are different from my own and challenge my way of thinking. Now that is exciting stuff, you will earn a second date.

5. If I have been hanging out with you for a while and say, hey your cool we should date. That does not mean: 1. I only want to date you. 2. We are getting married 3. Your the best thing that has come into my life since nachos. It means. You're Cool. Let's go on some dates. 

6. Keeping the Commandments, is HOT. Period. 

7. Not all women are gold diggers. It is true, there are some of us who just want to get to know YOU and what you are all about, what you like or don't like. 

8. Don't be afraid of my confidence OR sometimes LACK of it. I am a woman, and that should explain everything. 

9. Don't kiss me on the first date. I'll think your desperate, and you probably are. A little mystery is good, it will keep me coming back for more. 

10. If you chase me too hard I will run away. FAST. In the other direction. However, if you are a slow mover, you will confuse me. 

11. Please brush your teeth. 

12. I think the most fun thing EVER about dating is when you meet someone and you like them, and when you STILL like them after 5 dates or so and then when you get those little butterfly things in your tummy. That. IS. Awesome. Because, actually that doesn't happen very much for me. You know, there are people who fall in and out of "love" fairly easily. I am not that person, if I like you enough to get the butterfly things you are pretty cool in my book. 

13. I think it is really cute when you get all ready. 

14. Being Dependable is really attractive.

15. Hold my hand and open my door, buy me popcorn at the movies, if you like me. 

That's it.  

The Sunny D  XOXO

Someone ALWAYS has it WORSE

You know those head bands that have teeth on them to pull your hair back off of your face? Yeah. That is what happened to my foot. I awoke groggy in the middle of the night. I got up to use the lavatory. Isn't lavatory the stupidest name for the bathroom. I think it is AND I have thought that since the first grade when my teacher made us call it the lavatory and if we couldn't remember the name of it we couldn't go. OK back to the middle of the night. So I walked to the bathroom and stepped RIGHT ON the headband. YOWCH!! I shuffled to the potty and then back to bed. Ellie loves to get in to things and leave them all over the place, the headband was no exception. I awoke the next morning and stepped out of bed when I had an ache race across the arch of my foot. I looked at my foot and remembered the night before. My foot was covered in dried blood. It was gross. It has also been a week later and I still have puncture wounds in my foot. 

However.

Someone WILL always have it worse than you. Trust me. It is true, no matter what it is. 

Last night, I went out to dinner with my BFF M&M. We went to our favorite haunt Pita Jungle. I ordered the lentil fetoosh salad. It was pretty delicious. I arrived first and sat near the wall that is covered in salvaged wood. I love that wall, it has so much character. There was a painting called green water I think. It was beautiful, I loved it so much. I was engrossed in the colors of the painting when I looked up and M&M was walking toward me. I was so happy to see her. As she sat down she PUSHED the table toward me, in fact almost knocked it over. She was bent over and I thought she was looking in her bag, when she looked up she said, in a gasp...I stubbed my toe. We both looked over the edge of the table to see.......................

Her toenail GUSHING blood all over the floor. It shattered in three chunks. It was so sad. I mean SO SAD. Not to mention our weird high waitress. Poor M&M, and she had a really rough day too. I hope today was much better for her. 

M&M, I love you and I am sorry about your toe. You def got the worse end of the foot deal in the last week. 

XOXO,  The Sunny D

Live Love, Love Living

The Sunny D, Grandma and Morgan at the East Valley Mormon Choir Concert

What I know for sure, isn't a lot.  I do know the more love you give others, the more you will have yourself. I am so grateful to be learning this simple truth. I guess everyone can count their losses, I mean I sure can. The key is to open your eyes and look at others around you, there are opportunities everywhere to lift someones sad spirits. It can be as simple as a smile, or saying hello, or choosing to be patient with your children when they are arguing in the car incessantly, or saying yes to lead the music in Relief Society a lot of the time even if you're not very good at it. 

I have been trying to count my blessings and really LOOK at those around me that need help. There have been so many opportunities to lift the feeble hands that hang down. I think everyone has a day like that here and there. I have tried hard to notice, instead of being caught up in my own troubles. Sometimes I have insomnia like tonight, my children are safe and so happy. It was a long day to say the least, there are things that worry me. The answer is to love, when your tired love. When you have had a long day at work and your kids come running and cling to you because its been four looong days since you've been able to hold them, you cling back and give love. When all you want to do is go home and clean your house, get in the tub and go to bed but you have a friend who is hurting and needs you to go to a singles party you really don't want to go to, you go to support her and give love. Or you end up at a town council meeting to support a friend after a long day at work because THAT IS WHAT FRIENDS DO, and you know she would do it for you in a heartbeat. Or maybe your Mom is worried about Grandma because everyone is out of town, who will check on Grandma???  Then, a wonderful opportunity arises to take your sweet Grandma out to a magnificent concert, which really blesses YOU because the music lifts your spirit and reminds you who you really are. When your dizzy because your so tired, you know that you should make a healthy home cooked meal for your family, you strap on that apron and make it out of love. When you don't think you can do much more but you have cub scout pack meeting and you would REALLY just like to sit down for a minute....you put your shoes on and walk down to the park with your kids racing ahead happily on their scooters and then you are filled with love and strength to keep going. This is a regular occurrence for me, when I do my best I am rewarded with just what I need to get through. I am given golden nuggets of my children's laughter or both of them clinging to my sides as we walk into a store, or two great little snugglers as we nestle down to read scriptures before bed. Or when you get to FINALLY sit down and EAT that dinner after cub scouts and play the "Best/Worst" part of your day game your kids always say the best part of their day is coming home to see you. You SEE, and you realize you didn't really do anything special. You learned to live love and by living love, you love living.

You look........

I have my own rock. Who knew, it is intrusive igneous-volcanic

I was at my Mom and Dad's tonight and I had a conversation with my Mom about modesty. She mentioned a friend of mine and how she is always modest in the pictures she puts on the internet and how impressed she was with her. You know, I never even thought about that? I always dress modestly. However, sometimes pictures will be snapped and I'm in my swimsuit or just home fresh from a workout. I usually shower and change pretty quickly but I never thought about what others might think of me by putting photos of these on my blog or on Facebook. It was just food for thought and made me aware that others are always watching. I have a daughter, she is young but I want her to learn that her body can bring her such joy from what it can do and not just how it looks. I want her to be proud of who she is and others to see HER spirit. She has such a great one, spunky and sweet all in one. So, those are my thoughts for tonight. Conference was wonderful, I am kind of mulling over those thoughts. So, more on that later. 

XO The Sunny D