Tuesday, July 15, 2008

#20



Last week my birthday happened. It came, went and then I was 20-- and I wasn't a teenager. Surprisingly it feels very different. I feel older and wiser. It was one of the best birthday's ever. I had a party with my family the day before and I got money and an awesome Murder Mystery Dinner Party kit. I'm using some of the money I got to put towards an airplane ticket to go visit my brother Ben and his family in California the last week of July. The rest of it I used to buy Tevas. I was going to get Chacos but they're too expensive. So I settled for the Tevas. They aren't cute, but then again neither are Chacos. They are however, very practical for hiking in (and waterproof too so I can forge through raging rivers).

My friend Jenny (she's the one with me in the first picture) had flowers delivered to my work, my friend Camron took me to lunch and my roommate April did my cleaning check jobs for me. My Visiting Teachers (for those who don't know within the LDS church they pair each of the sisters up and assign them a few sisters to visit shortly once a month. They are there to comfort, listen, and inspire, and just to be a friend) anyway, they gave me a card that sings a song when you open it! I got phone calls, text messages, facebook messages and cards all day long from kind people who took time to wish me a happy birthday. I was very grateful for such good people in my life, and inspired to be a better person.

Later on in the week I went to the Payson Scottish Festival. I got a kilt and dressed up like I was Scottish. So did Jenny and a few others from the ward. Someone even told Jenny that they liked the tartan in her kilt. We learned that a tartan is the design in the kilt; each clan has a different design. A clan is a family group. I looked up my last name in the Scottish clan book and I found it! That means I'm slightly Scottish!

On the way home from the Scottish Festival we stopped at an aluminum statue sale. They had giant horses, gorillas, alligators, giraffes and as you can see in the picture, rhinoceroces. I have no idea how to spell that.

Before I close I have to say that I love my new friend Jenny. We got free slurpees on 7/11 day even though they claimed to be all out (thanks to Jenny's craftiness), we dressed up at the Scottish Festival, saw an improv comedy act, we play the guitar together, sing together, laugh together. She is one of the most amazing people I have ever met and hope to be like her when I get older. She's the best and I'm lucky to have a friend like her! Oh, and here's a shout out to her mom Kathy! Thanks for reading my blog Kathy!

4 comments:

Tyler and Lisa said...

HAPPY late BIRTHDAY!!! You look more and more like your sister Sarah. That is exciting that you are coming to California to visit Ben and Val. I think they might be coming to see us when Grandma/pa Porter are here next week. Not sure though?!!?

Valerie said...

Have you received any grey/gray? hairs lately since you have left your teenage years behind? I hear that is a sign of someone who is very wise.

P.S. We can't wait to see you? Anything special you want to see?

Ben Porter said...

Thanks for the explanation of Visiting Teachers for those who aren't LDS, though if they weren't LDS, they might be confused about all that talk about "sisters". They might think you and your visiting teachers are nuns. Can't wait to see you old lady.

Jenny said...

Lovely, lovely Abby! I was just thinking that I wanted to be like YOU when I grow up!! What a coincidence!

I AM PECULIAR (this is a permanent post. If you have already read it, scroll down to see my latest)

Those of you who read my blog could probably make a list of all the reasons that you think I am a bit peculiar. No worries, I would be the first to shout an amen to everything you could think of. I know I’m peculiar; but let me tell you the number one thing on my list that I think makes me a peculiar person.

I know where I come from, why I am here and where I am going. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some of you will know me as a “Mormon” although that is just a nickname. The word ‘Saint’ just means ‘member’ in this context. I believe in God the Eternal Father, that I am a daughter of God, and that He loves me and wants me to be happy. I believe in my Savior Jesus Christ who lived a perfect life, atoned for my sins, died and was resurrected all that I might enjoy the blessing of being forgiven of my sins, and having my body and spirit reunited after death. I know that just as God called prophets in the Old and New Testament times that He has in fact called a prophet to lead and guide us today. I believe that families can live together for eternity; death does not have to be the end of our relationships with the ones we love. Some of you may wonder how on earth I can know these things. As I learn more and more from the Bible and other scriptures and actually live what I learn I see the promises the Lord has made being fulfilled in my life, and I feel the Holy Spirit bear witness that these things are true.

I know, I’m peculiar, but thankfully there are over 13 million other peculiar members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and with each year that number grows. I feel so much joy and happiness in my life because of this knowledge. If you want to know more depth about anything I have said that makes me peculiar, visit www.mormon.org. This website explains in detail much of what I have just professed to believe and more.