Night Owl/Early Bird

I am a morning person. I get this from my mom. That woman practically wakes up whistling! Unfortunately I didn't inherit this gift so I tend to giggle a lot instead. I'm pretty sure all of the "night owls" that I've shared tent space with, love me for this.

On week days I usually set an alarm clock-just in case-but I almost always wake up before it goes off. This is true no matter what time I go to bed. That dang early bird curse! Maybe my subconscious can't handle the terror of surprise.

Strange thing is every now and again I go through a definite night owl phase. I get this from my dad. I used to fall asleep to the muffled sounds of the T.V. coming from his man cave in the basement late at night. The sound was oddly comforting. However, the night owl in me can only surface for so long before I totally crash. I'm predicting that might happen by Wednesday.

So, why have I been up past 12, 1, or 2 a.m. for the last week? For some reason I've just had a hard time winding down at the end of the day. There are too many ideas I'd like to explore, so many things to read, too many plans I would like to make, so much to organize, and I suppose a few worries sprinkled in there, too.

With the candle burning at both ends this means I'm currently not much of an afternoon person (sorry coworkers). What do you do to calm your mind and body in preparation for sleep?

Wise Words

I found this quote by Elder Boyd K. Packer today:

"Some people think a miracle is only a miracle if it happens instantaneously, but miracles can grow slowly and patience and faith can compel things to happen that otherwise never would have come to pass."

This quote explains the exact process of something wonderful that is beginning to come into my life. Right now I want to shout it from the rooftops but, for some reason, I feel the right thing to do is ponder it quietly in my heart (and no, It is not dating related). I am so grateful to finally find an answer after seeking for so many years. 6 1/2 long years. There have been many days I've felt doubtful and drained of hope. It has been a long struggle. There have been many times I've had to pick myself back up, dust off the dirt, and try giving faith a chance again. One of the most validating things in life is to be heard, to have someone understand your heart. Today I'm especially grateful that person is God.

The Super Powers of Mullein Tea

Have you ever been hiking in the woods and noticed these soft stalky plants with yellow flowers? I have seen them a lot while hiking in Utah but hadn't really taken notice of them until last week.

That is when I got sick. Like the black-lung-wheezing-so-loud-you-can't-sleep-sick. It was terrible. I tried sleeping sitting up--too uncomfortable. I tried ear plugs--turns out they act as an amplifier to your own set of pipes. I tried taking the knock-you-out-cold cough medicines--they helped for an hour or two. I went to the InstaCare where a very nice doctor listened worriedly to my lungs and prescribed a bunch of steroids. They didn't seem to be working.

I was starting to freak out a little bit when I did a google search and discovered the awesome properties of this amazing little plant. It helps to relax the lungs when they get "tight" and also works as an expectorant to make coughing more productive. I was desperate so I drove down to my local health food shop in my sweats, my t-shirt, and raggedy hair to see if they carried it on their shelves. I was in luck! Within a few hours I noticed I wasn't concentrating on breathing anymore. The tightness in my chest seemed to float away on a cloud. I have been sleeping like a dream ever since. This is definitely an herb I'm going to keep on hand as my "go to" medicine for when I get sick.

Cottonwood Trees

So, I am re-creating my blog, once again, but that is okay because sometimes it takes a while to feel out where you really want to begin. It happens in my writing all the time so I suppose it is fitting that my blog journey has taken the same shape. I've been wanting to update my blog for a while. Coming up with a title that represents me better was important and in the end, though I love many of the posts on my old blog, I decided to come up with a clean fresh slate.

Last night as I was dozing off to sleep the title finally came to me. I've been searching for the perfect fit for a long time, picking up phrases and putting them down, trying to be patient until I found something that felt right, like a smooth pebble in my hand. Last night as I listened to the smooth rustle of leaves contradict the wheezing of my lungs I thought "The tree!" The title has to include the tree!"

I have this amazing tree that grows outside my window. It is one reason I love my bedroom. I live in a new development that is DEVOID of trees. I hate that. And yet, I somehow got lucky enough to find the one house that has a massive cottonwood tree growing behind it. It serves as a little reminder that God is in the details, that he cares about the things I love, and that there are still miracles in the world. Cottonwood trees have symbolized miracles in my life for a long time (You can read a previous post on this topic here: http://nasiegirl.blogspot.com/2010/11/desert-musings.html) I'm planning to include some of my daily miracles on this blog so I'm happy to have that symbol in my title as well.

Interestingly enough the number one question I've been asked this year is: "WHY did you move to Spanish Fork?" I can just see people trying to sort out why a single gal would choose to settle down right smack in the middle of small-town-family-suburbia-with-little-prospects-Spanish-Fork. I know it doesn't make much sense but I needed a place for my body to heal, I longed for a place to create, I wanted my own space to expand and explore, and carve out my own little place in the world. So I searched for a place where all of those things could coexist and when it all came together it was here, under the cottonwood tree, that I decided I belong. I hope you enjoy your stay.