"the christmas video!"

Our father was in the Army for the first 8 or 9 years of my life. During some of that time we lived on a military base in, what was then, West Germany. It was a fantastic life for a kid; loads of other families living in close quarters or barracks as we called them. Rarely were we ever inside to care about what was on television, OK, I don't recall television at all, but apparently american television was very hard to come by. I am told that there was only one station that played English speaking programming and only then was it broadcast for a few hours a day one day a week. Luckily, for our parents sanity, our Uncle Mean Mike dutifully recorded from television Christmas cartoons minus the commercials and sent the VHS over the pond for us kids one Christmas. This video was loved and cherished and played so many times that the tape broke several times over the years. We became pro's at opening the VHS cassette and carefully using scotch tape to put the snapped tape back together. This compilation fondly had been dubbed "The Christmas Video." Over my 35 years I can count probably only 5 Christmas', since this video came to be, that I have not watched parts or all of the video. Those 5 years were rough! All the moving and transitions from VHS to DVD tragically misplaced our beloved video. Gratefully with much hunting and hoping and a dash of Christmas miracle The Christmas Video was located and digitally recreated only to be lost once again. New children, my sisters', had learned of and watched with eyes a-glow on frosty nights our treasure. Last year all of the cartoons were located on YouTube and lustfully watched with only one favorite missing. A short cartoon with no words or dialog as it were, just music and sounds. After much sadness and acceptance that its name and location would never be known another Christmas miracle, in August to be exact, the remaining lost treasure was named and located! Today I was able to locate all of our The Christmas Video cartoons and joined them together never to be lost again... I HOPE! These are they as followed above in exactly the order of sequence from our VHS that have danced like sugar plum fairies in our heads!

Snow White, Snow White, or Snow White?

                   

Snow White sure has something going on; hot commodity that girl is, no wonder the Queen wanted her gone!  Last year ABC brought its viewers the town of Storybrooke and it’s, forgotten to themselves, characters in Once Upon a Time. Heading up the pack Emma Swon finds herself tied, by her estranged son, to the town and his ideas that his adoptive mother is the wicked Queen who has magic-ed the world of fairy tales to the world where no one has a happy ending.  Emma, having forgotten that she is Snow White, is the only one who can bring everyone to themselves and defeat the wicked Queen; season 2 is scheduled to air October 2012. While Snow has been on break in Storybrooke she got to tell her story twice more in, Mirror Mirror and Snow White and the Huntsman. The Huntsman seemed to have stolen the thunder of Queen Julia Roberts this last Spring; which I understand was a boring flop.  While I haven’t met the seven dwarfs Ms. White runs into while escaping the Huntsman I did meet the charming seven who take her in before the mirror betrays her still living. In this account we get to see Charming in his all-togethers, oh my (woopsies, wrong story)! This comedy is well worth your time, will bring you some laughter, and will certainly give the Queen a little happiness in knowing that she gets a little more face time, even if it is thanks only to Snow White!

flip-flop or not?

out of the mouth of babes did revelation from heaven come. 

I scurried about the bathroom and my bedroom readying myself to attend church meetings; thoughts of make-up, hair, and clothing at the front of my mind.  While in this revere I considered slightly more my choice of shoes for the day; a pair of sandal crocs, cute ones, which I count myself happy to have.  Incredibly comfortable and behooving (no pun intended) to wear, like milk for the body, does a foot good!  Quickly, the words of  Elder Holland from 2005 entered my mind.   

“I make a special appeal regarding how young women might dress for Church services and Sabbath worship. We used to speak of “best dress” or “Sunday dress,” and maybe we should do so again. In any case, from ancient times to modern we have always been invited to present our best selves inside and out when entering the house of the Lord—and a dedicated LDS chapel is a “house of the Lord. Our clothing or footwear need never be expensive, indeed should not be expensive, but neither should it appear that we are on our way to the beach.” 

In a matter of 10 seconds the following thought process proceeded.  In a non-flimsy-rubber sole, flat or with heal, a strap between big toe and its neighbor, possible bling or flower adorn, qualify a shoe as Sunday dress or just a fancier flip-flop? Were these fancier flip-flops invented before 2005 or had Satan introduced these just about the same time as Elder Holland, servant of Jesus Christ, reminded us of our Sunday best.  Are these shoes a tool of Satan?! Just like the camel who wanted only his toe (no shoe I imagine) to enter the tent in the sand storm and before long the whole camel crowded out the master,?! Has Satan started inching his way in by flip-flop foolery?! I have no idea! I will wear my brown ones and not my brighter teal ones, more subdued, and I will be off to church! 

Just as the closing prayer for sacrament meeting was to begin a young man of 3, I suppose, bowed his beautiful blonde head toward the floor and said without reservation, “NO FLI-FLOPS IN CHURCH!” His mother quickly gasped and grabbed this vesicle of knowledge with apology as I asked in amazement, “What did he just say?!” Just after the closing prayer she quickly turned and said that this morning her daughter, age 5ish, wanted to wear a particular pair of shoes, to which mother instructed that no flip-flops were to be worn in church. Thank heaven for mothers who follow the prophets and teach her children their cry and for little boys who listen, learn, and share in the best way they know how!   

for the beauty of the earth...

Oh how I love morning church! We had stake conference this weekend and were done with meetings at noon! An entire day to rest from the worries, cares, and responsibilities of daily life! My afternoon was spent exploring some hidden treasures just south of the St. Louis area. A covered bridge park, http://www.mostateparks.com/sandybridge.htm and a nearby tower to overlook some current fall color! I'm so blessed to have dear friends to share afternoons enjoying the beauty of the earth. Pictures are as close to jarring up my favorite things in life. I wish pictures could be "scratch and sniff" only better, "scratch and feel"! Hopefully these portray a bit of the feeling I felt!

This reminds me a bit of some art by Steven R. Greenwall, http://www.stevengreenwall.com/, a good family friend.

When we pulled into the "tower" park this reminded me of Germany or grandmas old property outside Atlanta, Georgia.





accepted!

After much toil and labor I accomplished a goal of paying off all my debt and now it was time to revisit the goal of becoming a dental hygienist.  Missouri College, where I received a certificate in Dental Assisting in 2006, finally opened a Dental Hygiene program!  The process for consideration at Missouri College seemed rather intense and competitive; the only other program in St. Louis, Forest Park Community College, has a 2 year wait list for acceptance, but with the help of my parents, both Heavenly and Earthly I'll complete my degree in May of 2012!

Here was the process:

1st - sit for an aptitude test, if your scores meet the minimum requirement you are then asked to
2nd - complete a writing assignment explaining "Why am I interested in the dental field?" if you score high you are then asked to
3rd - schedule an interview to sit with the programs board for further consideration of the 30 seats available amongst hundreds of applicants.

Here is my writing assignment!

I distinctly recall the day I decided to look seriously into the dental field. I was sprawled out on the warm tiled floor in the home I was a nanny for in the afternoons. I’d held a variety and number of jobs in my short stint; helicopter and Internet companies, book store, data entry, administrative assisting, doctor’s office, construction, head hunting, and teaching life skills to those with disabilities. For as many different jobs I’d tried my hand at I couldn’t quite alight on a career. I began to realize that for just as much as I didn’t know what career to pursue the bigger issue was I didn’t know what was available in this wide world. I decided the best resource to find the answer to my lack of knowledge was… drum roll…the Want Ads. I began a very serious daily study of The St. Louis Post Dispatch. I read and I read. I read every jobs description and qualifications from Accounting to Zoo Keeping. After several weeks I began to notice a trend. Almost always I saw postings for dental assisting. Hmmm… could I work in the dental field? I began a veracious search for any and everything that would tell me about the dental field; assistants, hygienists, dentists, and all the specialties in and around these varied roles. As I considered my fit in this field I wondered about my aptitude, personality, and character.

I had always loved working with my hands; dexterity and agility had become skills I had developed over my life time, with playing the violin and piano and learning to create with needle and thread projects. I had even tried my hand at more than a few building and constructing projects between helping my dad with handiwork around the house and shop classes in high school. The dental field most certainly would require a great deal of working my hands.

I thought back to the jobs where I seemed to excel and enjoy my work and interactions the most. Where had I noticed making a difference in people’s lives? I worked for a number of years at a book store and as I began to consider the atmosphere and working conditions I wondered at the possibility that a book store and a dental office might have more in common when truly considered. I appreciated working with my co-workers on a daily basis and having others from the community added to the mix. Having a core staff of co-workers and building close relationships with them aided in our working together to help those who came through the door to find that perfect read. As I worked with the community I felt a growing sense of understanding and appreciation for their needs and wants. Sharing my knowledge in the books I had read, kept up on and began to know like the back of my hand and how they would help our customers. Communicating and work with a variety of personalities and needs in a fast paced and organized methodical mayhem was exhilarating. I just needed figure out where I would gain more knowledge and a skill set.

As I left my admissions and counseling appointment at Missouri College for the Dental Assisting Program, I couldn’t believe I had let myself be talked into a firm date for beginning school. I had walked in with the intention of continuing my research and gathering data and I walked out committed. I asked myself “am I really ready to step into this journey? Could I really be part of a team that I’d feared most of life?” I fretted a few days and then jumped in full speed. As I donned my red scrubs and learned about trigeminal nerves and gingivitis, crowns and bridges, and proper flossing techniques I looked forward to using and sharing my new found love. I was even elated in a timely new experience of having my first root canal!

I began working in the hygiene department of a dental office assisting six hygienists keep four operatories running smoothly. As I x-rayed and scheduled, polished and flossed, I realized quickly that my earlier considerations of my aptitude, personality, and character working in the dental field were like toothpaste, brush, and floss to proper hygiene. I had core co-workers and a community of patients with comfy teeth needs. My own experiences kept me understanding and empathetic to dental visit fears. My hands moved nimbly in helping create confident brighter smiles. Sharing my dental knowledge and encouraging proper hygiene needs and then seeing the fruits and excitement at re-call appointments were elating. In my education and experience I realized that not only was the dental field a good fit for me, but I am a good fit for the dental field.

driving down memory lane

What are the odds of driving to the office by leaving the office while working for the office?

I took a trip down memory lane today. My office manager, Jennifer, asked me to drive out to Illinois today to pick up some paper work from our accountant. I was excited to get out of the office for a while and enjoy the beautiful weather. My excitement was hightened when she told me the accountants office was in Swansea. You see I worked for an internet company out in Swansea for a good chunk of time back in...who even remembers what year. Anyway. I knew my way well as I crossed the river and took the Belleville exit and headed toward Swansea. I giggled and grinned as I saw the local restaurants and remembered lunch outings and racing to make the next and the next and the next green light before I was officially late for work. I was suprised by the growth in the area and happy to see the old still staking its place.

As I entered the intersection and saw my destination up ahead I realized with giddyness that this was the same office complex I'd worked in all those years ago.

Papers obtained and heading back to Missouri I reminissed at all the jobs I've had over the years, Burger King, A-Net/AccessUS, Geppedos, Life Skills Foundation, CitiBank, Pepose Vision Institute, Deseret Book, Nanny, a head hunter, St. Louis Helicopter, and certainly a few more that have some how slipped my mind at the moment. My occupations have been many and varied over the years and I'm grateful to have experienced the challenges and joys that each have presented.