The Secret

Today as I was setting up the banquet room for an event this evening a little old man walks in and greets me. He asked me if I had a table I could help him set up for a display. He showed me the pictures that we was wishing to display and the first set of pictures were some very old wedding photos. Unbeknownst to me, I admired the photos and he thanked me. Then he admitted that those photos were him and his wife....50 years ago.

I'm not quite sure I had the reaction I did, but I immediately felt all warm and fuzzy inside, almost to the point of tears and congratulated him on his anniversary. He's just this little old man, all wrinkled and adorable, with his fading but still present dutch accent. He has worked for the air force in computers for most of his life and it is apparent that he has done many great things.

So, naturally, I asked him -- "So, what's your secret?"

He answered, " Well, you really know how much you love someone after you're retired." I agreed with him. I mean, your kids are gone, and neither of you are working. So you're stuck together again...only this time after years of things to keep you busy. We went on to discuss how that arrangement works out for him and his lovely wife. Then he told me, "The most important thing we give each other is plenty of space. If she wants to go somewhere, or do something, I let her do it and she does the same for me. I love my wife more now that I did 50 years ago."

Again....thank you, little old man, for putting me on the verge of waterworks. I was truly touched. I have watched a lot of failed marriages and it is so refreshing to see one that has made it. His name is Henny. I'm excited to see all of the people show up for their big celebration tonight. A 50th wedding anniversary is nothing to snuff at. I can only imagine how much hard work has gone into their marriage. I am so glad I met Henny today. It definitely gave me time to reflect on my own desires. But I think he gave fantastic advice. It's about support and love. It doesn't have to be a life where you're on top of each other. It's a team effort to get through life together. That's really all it is...and you have to love them and put their desires before your own. When he said space was what is the secret, what I realized is that by allowing someone space and time, in many ways you are being selfless. Most often times, our selfishness gets in the way of our relationships with people. So I am glad I met Henny. He brightened my day (that could also attribute to the fact when I told him I was not married his reply was "A beautiful girl like you is not married? How is that so?" .....). He made me remember who I am and who I want to be. Also, he helped me remember what I'm searching for. In this world, it is easy to get caught up in being snide or sarcastic. It is most definitely in my nature to tear others down with a quick witted side comment -- but as I've grown up I've realized that I what I want to be known for is something different than that. One day, while talking to Anthony (many of you will remember who I mean but for those who don't -- Anthony was my very first love and boyfriend. We reunited about 3 years after HS and remained very close friends after that. He wanted to get back together and I always refused him because of his lifestyle choices....He died last November of an overdose) on the phone, I asked him why, even though we are so different, he would want to be with me? His reply "because you're the sweetest girl I've ever known. You would do anything for anybody and you are genuine." Now, I don't know if I agree with him, but let me tell you that that thought has stuck with me for a long time now...and I strive for that. I want to be the sweetest girl, not the meanest girl or the most sarcastic girl. It takes time, but I'm starting to realize that love is the beginning and the end. It's not attraction that keeps a marriage going, or money, or material, shallow things, it's love and time and trust and selflessness.

Congrats on 50 years, Henny!

Jamming out.

Hello loves.

So let me tell you that I am loving this fall season. I drive through the Logan Canyon every weekend to go to work and it is SO beautiful!

So how was your Sunday? Mine was excellent...all except one teeny tiny, um, incident.

There I was, minding my own business, feeling all cute in my gray skirt and black stiletto boots. I get up to go sing with the choir, the front of my boot slips off the front of the step and BAM. I totally biffed it in front of my entire ward. I quickly got up, turned around, did a couple of curtsies to admit it was quite embarrassing but I've done worse and proceed to sing. All is well, minus my jammed finger and ego.

On a great note however, I made some fab tortilla soup tonight and it is a VERY simple recipe so why not share with you all?

Boil some chicken stock, add a palmful of cumin and a palmful of paprika, a little pepper and salt, a couple of bay leaves and pico de gallo. Grill or saute a chicken breast in olive oil. Dish up soup, add cut up chicken strips to soup, add a palmful or so of your favorite mexican cheese (or cheddar or mozz), top with tortilla strips and ole! Mexican heaven in your mouth! Enjoy :)

I am so excited...

for Halloween!!! I just wanted you to know.

Working harrrrd for the money!

Well hello! Sorry 'bout my little fit earlier. Sometimes a girl just has to rant.

Anywhiz.

So, my weeks pretty much consist of one thing. Work. I enjoy my job, don't get me wrong, but man oh man...I'm a tired girl on Sundays. On Saturdays I have been working doubles at Cafe Sabor in Bear Lake in addition to the regular crazy busy schedule I work at Hamilton's during the week. It's about an hour drive through a gorgeous (and very curvy!) canyon but I always make really good money there so, to me, toootttally worth the drive. Not to mention, Justin lets me drive the company's 4'runner up there so I don't have to put extra miles on my car or use my gas money :) Gotta love having a boss who's on your side.

The only downfall to all this work is my lack of a social life and lack of energy to have an "after work" social life. I am normally pretty spent after running around on my feet for 10 or so hours. I love doing it, so I really don't mind, but it makes life outside of work a little less than entertaining. Luckily, when I come home I'm not all by myself so I haven't turned into a total isolated being. The money has been nice, and very helpful! I am happy (and embarrassed) to report that I am driving with a valid driver's lisence, plates, and insurance. It always seemed one or the other was missing in the equation. Although don't get me started on how I feel about paying $90/month on insurance. Ugh.

So needless to say trying to hang out and meet people, let alone go on dates, has presented itself with a challenge! But I'm happy to report that I have managed to find a date that is just as busy as I am and we both have Monday nights free! hahah. How about a little FHE dating action? Oh yeah....well, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, right!? I made a goal for myself to go on at least one date a month -- nothing major, just something casual -- so I can meet some people and maybe one day snag up some stellar dude to bring home to my daddy. I've met some great guys so I figure, why not? I'm at a point in my life right now where something serious might be too complicated for me, but I think I need the experience of casual dating. So, it should be fun. :)

Tomorrow should be an exciting day. For starters, I have the day off. HOLLERRR. But in addition to that, I am going to expand my horizons and yes, wait for it..................................I'm going to learn how to change my own oil. Nice, right!? I think girls should know how to do that. I enjoy being handy and having additional knowledge so I'm pretty stoked. Charlie is being a gentlemen and helping a girl out with my first time. Wait, er, um, I mean....yeah that didn't sound so good. haha! You know what I'm trying to say! Get your mind outta the gutter!

Life is pretty good, folks. I can't complain. I hope life is treating you well also.

Oh, and since it's fast and testimony Sunday, allow me to share.

If there is one thing I want you all to remember me by it is the fact that I know God is who He says He is. I know He is our Father in Heaven and He stands as the Supreme Being and God of this universe. I know He is a loving and almighty man, who lives, and knows each of us by name and situation and status. He sent us His only begotten Son, even Jesus Christ, to this earth to walk and talk among men. And Christ came here to minister unto us and to all people to show them the way back to our Father in Heaven. He made the ultimate sacrifice and was crucified on a cross for our sins, our pain, our sorrows, our heartaches. He bled from every pore for each of us. I know that Christ established a church, one church, that taught the fullness of His gospel and message. I know that although at one time lost due to the iniquity of man, we are now in the fullness of times, the last dispensation before the return of our Savior. Jesus Christ re-established His church again on the earth and He did this through a prophet, Joseph Smith Jr. Joseph Smith did have a vision. He saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. He was given the keys and authority to restore the gospel of Christ back into it's glory and fullness so that we might prepare the Earth for Christ's return once again to rule. I know that His church is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It is through His living Church we have the answers to some of life's most difficult questions. I know these things are true by the power of the Holy Ghost. I have felt it's power and I have received a witness of these things. I love my Savior and I love my Father in Heaven. I pray for their mercy and forgiveness of my mortal mistakes and am eternally grateful for the sacrifice of a perfect man on my behalf to make me whole.

I leave that testimony with you in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Hmph.

I am most certainly in a moody fit at the moment. Yesterday I went to Wal-mart and bought stuff to make chocolate chip cookies. True to my own form, of course I bought organic all purpose naturally white flour (it's not bleached and it way better for you) along with natural cane sugar instead of refined table sugar. I use sea salt instead of iodized table salt, etc. I use those ingredients because they are REAL things and haven't been processed with a million chemicals to make them cheaper by the dozen. I was so excited to make chocolate chip cookies tonight. I haven't baked in such a long time. Charlie's favorite is oatmeal chocolate chip, but I didn't make the cookies for him, I made them for everyone so I thought I'd go with good ol' fashioned chocolate chip. I use nuts in my cookies because walnuts have a lot of mono-unsaturated fats which is good for the body and helps the sugar that is in the cookies to be absorbed at a slower rate, therefore, a nutritional boost if you will. I assure you, these cookies do not taste like cardboard. No where close in fact. They were perfectly baked, and tasted great! I like to make food for people, but in this household, my food isn't really appreciated. Charlie was going to take some cookies home and as soon as he saw the walnuts he decided he didn't want any. You can barely taste them!! Then he told me that "real" chocolate chip cookies aren't made with nuts. I never cook for any of them because they have the pallette of people who have never eaten anything other than burgers and fries their whole lives. And in their cases, mexican food too. It just frustrates me so much! I was really looking forward to baking cookies...and part of the fun is sharing them with others. Is is weird that I'm so upset about it? I know I'm probably totally over-reacting but it is just one of those things that gets under my skin. It didn't help that I had a crappy night at work tonight either. I'm just having one of those days I guess. I was fine all day, but work really pissed me off. Ugh. I miss having people in my life who appreciate a nice gesture.

Yes, yes I know...I'm a slacker!

Moving out west has done nothing for my blogging adventures, that is for sure!

Well, of course there has been 1.394838483 million things that have happened since I wrote a couple of months ago. I can't believe I let two months go by! Yikes!

Anyhooooodle. To catch you up on where in the world is Courtney Rosemeyer -- I am still in Logan, Utah. Annnnddd....It looks as if I'm here for the long haul. Now, before you get all concerned, I'm NOT quitting school. I'm transferring to Utah State next fall and in the meantime can take my generals from BYU-Idaho online. See? I can do things and still accomplish the major goal at hand. Why am I staying in Logan, you ask? I haven't the foggiest idea, other than to tell you that I feel this is where I need to be for one reason or another. So, I'm an official "utard" as we called them in Indiana. I have Utah plates and driver license now. Yikes. Oh, and two traffic tickets to boot. Dang Utah cops. Maybe living here will make me a more careful driver?? Hm. We'll see.

BUT one thing Utah has done to me....and don't ask me why...I am starting to like country music. Okay, I did like country back in the day. And when I say back in the day I mean as in 9th grade. Trisha Yearwood and the Dixie Chicks were rockin. But I've never been an actual country fan until now. My heart still belongs to the hip hop beats though. With that thought, I have to promote this country band, Lady Antebellum. I'm obsessed with them. I'm obsessed in particular with this song.....



Lyrics ::::::

I know that the bridges that I've burned along the way
Have left me with these walls and these scars that won't go away
And opening up has always been the hardest thing
Until you came

So lay here beside me, just hold me and don't let go
This feeling I'm feeling is something I've never known
And I just can't take my eyes off you
And I just can't take my eyes off you

I love when you tell me that I'm pretty when I just wake up
And I love how you tease me when I'm moody, but it's never too much.
I'm falling fast, but the truth is I'm not scared at all
You climbed my wall

So lay here beside me, just hold me and don't let go
This feeling I'm feeling is something I've never known
And I just can't take my eyes off you
And I just can't take my eyes off you, off you, off you

So lay here beside me, just hold me and don't let go
Oh, this feeling I'm feeling is something I've never known
And I just can't take my eyes off you
And I just can't take my eyes off you

------------------

Gorgeous, right!? Ah, I can't stop listening to it. I wouldn't mind dancing to this song on my fictitious wedding day.

So, what am I doing with my time here in Utah? Well, work is what consumes a majority of it. I'm still working at Hamilton's Steakhouse and I've also been helping out at Cafe Sabor up at Bear Lake. It's the other restaurant that Justin has. It's mexican and soooo good. And not good for me that I have access to unlimited chips and salsa when I'm there. So working....yeah it keeps me busy. That, and late night trips to Wal-mart. My only complaints about Logan are these: 1. Lack of the Tar-jay (Target). I miss you Target. Why must you be an hour away? 2. No Secrets to be found anywhere. Where the hay am I supposed to buy bras if there is no Victoria's Secret? What kind of mall is Cache Valley Mall anyways!? hah. Target was my backup bra buying store. And now, nothing! I've tried wally world...and they aren't doing me good. So I'm on the hunt for a good bra store.

OH! So good news is that I've lost roughly 10 lbs since moving down here. Crazy, huh? I love it. Total weight loss so far since my journey began has been almost 60 lbs. I've lost 20ish since I left Indiana. So weird to think I used to be that big. But I'm not done yet. It's a slow and steady process....but I will reach my goal weight. Just you...weight. HA!

Now, I know the question you're all dying to ask. And no, I'm not dating anyone. I've gone on some random dates here and there but nothing serious. One day my prince will show up, or realize what he has in front of his face. In the meantime, I'm just hangin out.

And a sidenote to this topic-- I went to a soccer game today and was listening to these moms and such....and can I just say that I can't wait to have kids. I have no choice but to wait, but still, my kids will be athletes if I have any say in the matter. They will play any and every sport. The girls will dance. The boys will too. Haha. I have no problem with being a soccer mom someday (or football or baseball -- I doubt I'll have any kids playing basketball...unless I marry a very tall man) . As a matter of fact, I think I am looking forward to it. BUT I'm enjoying the fact that I can sleep as long as I want, do what I want and answer to myself and God right now. I need to take advantage of that while it's here, because one day I'm sure it will be gone.

I'm still working on getting a job substitute teaching here in Cache Valley. I think it would be so much fun! I'm still debating on changing my major to Music Education...or elementary ed. Ugh. We'll worry about that later though. In the meantime, I just need to take some general classes and get them out of the way.

So, that's been my life! Sounds exciting, huh? How have you been? :) I will try to be better about posting!!