Hola.

I'M ALIVE!! :)

It has been a crazy month, to say the least! First of all, 4 days after I got home from my trip to Alaska, I went back. I left home on a Wednesday night, arrived in Anchorage at 2am Thursday, left Anchorage that night at 5pm, and got home at 7am Friday. Talk about some jet lag! :) It couldn't have gone any better though, and I am VERY grateful for that!

I started my new job the next week. I'm still working with a few birthmoms who have not delivered yet, so that they do not have to work with a new caseworker at the very end of their pregnancy. It's made for some late nights doing both jobs, but it's so worth it! I really feel like I'm not just meaninglessly working my life away through the long hours, since the very nature of what I'm doing is at the center of Heavenly Father's plan. I just feel that being part of putting strong families together is the most rewarding investment I can make with my time right now, and I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this!

Last week for work I went to New York again Monday and Tuesday, then SMALL town Corsicana, TX Thursday and Friday. The restaurant my coworkers and I ate at in Corsicana says it all:

So does the quarter "body jewelry" my quarter bought my coworker while we waited for our food (*Note: she only kept it on for the picture--this was not a permanent addition):

We had stake conference a couple of weeks ago. Elder Robert S. Wood from the 2nd Quorum of the 70 came as a visiting general authority. I was SO excited to find out he was coming! He was the area authority that my mission was in while I was there, and he came and spoke to us multiple times. We loved him always, and I knew stake conference would be no different. I was right--it was absolutely amazing! The spirit was so strong as he shared the messages he prepared and the spirit bore testimony of the truths shared, by him and by everyone else who participated.

I was also called to be in the Stake Young Women presidency at stake conference. I feel such an enthusiastic excitement! I think my motto is going to be "infuse the enthuse!" :) We had our first meeting last week and started talking about things like girls' camp. Some of my absolute best memories and testimony building experiences as a teenager were from girls' camp, and I am so excited to be a part of passing that experience on. The other women I get to work with are fantabulous, just adding to my enthusiastic excitement. :)

And Thanksgiving is just around the corner! I LOVE Thanksgiving! I think it is my favorite holiday, along with the whole Christmas season. I love the excuse to get together with family and eat gobs and gobs of seriously delicious food! Oh Jacks, remember our Thanksgiving in Provo?? We're such serious chefs! That must have been the beginning of my true love of Thanksgiving--it was so much fun planning our party and getting it all together! The joy has just carried on and grown since then!

So on a final note and just for kicks for anyone who's interested, here is a newly discovered, newly FAVORITE, recipe for sweet potatoes to try this Thanksgiving--even if you don't like sweet potatoes, you'll love these! (From KraftFoods):

Sweet Potato Pie

1 bag large Marshmallows

1/4 c (1/2 stick) butter or margarine

1 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp salt

3 cans (15 oz each) sweet potatoes, drained

Heat oven to 350. Cook 6 marshmallows, butter, cinnamon, and salt in medium saucepan on low heat until marshmallows are melted and mixture is blended, stirring frequently. Place in large mixing bowl.

Add potatoes. Beat until well blended. Spoon into greased 8" baking dish. Top with marshmallows. (Put enough on to cover the whole top! The sweet crispy gooeyness is the best part!)

Bake 15-20 minutes or until heated through and marshmallows are lightly browned.

Try it out this Thanksgiving! It was a huge hit last year when I discovered it, and I will continue to make it year after year. Even those in my family who don't generally eat sweet potatoes liked it! Let me know how it turns out and what you think.