DeMaso family vacation-  Maui, Hawaii; January 2012.

“A happy family is but an earlier heaven.” – James Bernard Shaw

Had lunch yesterday with a good friend and she mentioned this essay, “You Should Date an Illiterate Girl”. And I just read it. And loved it. And it made me think. And laugh.

Warning: Some obscene and offensive language (said: God’s name in vain and an abrupt usage of the f word. woof). Proceed with caution.

As I sat there, watching travelers come and go (could do that for hours), I noticed the hustle and bustle of a large group enter the airport to greet their returning travelers.  Grandmas, grandpas, moms, dads, teenagers, children.  And then I watched as a group of Bosnian teenage girls (if I had to guess returning from some kind of religious/band/knitting camp–you know, if I had to guess) , walked out of the terminal…  their crowd. went. wild.  Hugs, kisses, smiles, laughs and my favorite part…  flowers!

For some reason, I couldn’t get over how great it was that the greeters all brought the girls flowers.  I sat there and thought to myself, next time I pick someone up from the airport, I want to bring them flowers.  Happiness.

Well, I have yet to live up to my resolve.  However, yesterday after returning from a week away, for the first time, I was the recipient of such a thoughtful airport-pick-up gesture.  And it was great.  And I was happy. (Almost as happy as I was to see the guy who gave them).

Hooray for January 4… Happy not un-birthday to this guy!

Noted during work analyst training:

Tired of paying rent + great rates+ killer prices+ incredible agent+ supportive friends/family+ years of savings+ general love for homemaking/nesting = biting the proverbial bullet. I bought a house.  Schwing!

Location: Salt Lake City, UT (SugarHouse)

Favorites:
- the fireplace
- the wood floors
- the arched walkways
- the street/neighborhood
- the layout
- the open kitchen
-the 15×15′ balcony

and mostly…

- having those I love inside

Most important home purchase t’date?: Queen air mattress. Aka… I’m ready for you! Sleepovers!  Come visit!!! (I’m talking to you EDHers, SFers, DCers, TXers, CHIers, OCers, LAers, NYCers, MIers & Parisians)

Arlington, VA –> Salt Lake City, UT

Ammon knows.  I read this in The Book of Mormon last week:

“And it came to pass that as Ammon was going forth into the land, that he and his brethren met Alma… and behold, this was a joyful meeting.  Now the joy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea, he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting of his strength; and he fell again to the earth.”

Happens to the best of us.

I ran my 4th marathon in St. George, UT, on Saturday.  And before my race, Dad surprised me and called to tell that he and the fam would be driving from CA to cheer me on.  First race of mine they’d see.  Saturday, October 1, after a grueling 26 miles (Really, hardest race yet.), to first see 3 wonderfully supportive cheering friends, and then an ecstatic  DeMaso crew just yards from the finish line, I was overwhelmed.  In the best way possible.  Full.

Thank you to God for a body to be able to run.
Thank you to friends who would drive 4 hours to the dessert to cheer me on.
And thank you to a family, who’s support I feel daily, but was especially grateful for at mile 26.18 Saturday morning.

… 6 days later ….

- Go on run, concluding at Pep Boys to get Pearl and drive her home
- Approach the parking lot, Pearl is no where to be seen
- Panic ensues
- Calm myself
- Pray
- Sweaty self walks inside Pep Boys
- “Oh, we had it towed this morning” employee mater-of-factly states
- Bust
- Handed the card of the towing guy
- Call towing guy
- “It’ll be $380 to pick up.”
- Oh hell
- (I purchased Pearl for $600)
- Ok
- “What’s the address?”
- 1200 W. 450 N…..
- OGDEN.

Allow me to pause….  My $600 scooter was towed from a Pep Boys parking lot in Salt Lake City, Utah, 40 miles north to Ogden.  And I have to pay $380 to pick it up. WOOF.

- “I’ll only charge $250 if you get it today.”
- So accommodating
- Frustration ensues
- Deep breath
- Text Eric DeFries…. “BIG favor.”
- Eric is the bomb dot com: borrows dad’s truck, goes to towing company, later that night delivers Pearl to my door

Pearl= bad.
Eric= Angel.

So grateful for friends.  Especially friends willing to help on a dime.