I am surrounded by [insert noun here].

Has anyone noticed how much The Price is Right sucks now? I really like Drew Carey, but he doesn't even hold a tea light to Bob Barker's sunshine. They don't even play the same schmaltzy music anymore! What a bummer.

You're still all in the dark, but I figure I can make an official announcement: I decided I'm serving a mission. This decision came after weeks and weeks of uneasiness, of stress, of worry, of discontentment over my choice to start working at ABC. I started my job and these feelings only got worse. It was awful. Some of you experienced the awfulness with me (thank you, by the way). So I started thinking, "I need to find a new job." But that didn't sit right either. I knew it was time to seriously consider serving a mission. The more I thought about it, the happier I became, the calmer my emotions, the more peaceful my heart. By the time I'd talked to my bishop about it, I was completely confident and sure that this was the right choice. I returned to my natural, happy, confident self, and those feelings haven't left.

It has, however, provided some misgivings. The first question people ask is, "Wait, did you break up with Alex?" Is this the only reason why I'd serve a mission, i.e. because I have nothing to stay home for? No! In fact, quite the opposite! I have an excellent job (even if it is painfully easy and excessively boring). I'm dating the best man I've ever met in my entire life. I have more friends than I can count, people who I love and cherish. I play in a band with my best, best friends. The most excellent women I know, in large part, all served missions, and often at great sacrifice. There is nothing mediocre about serving a mission for sisters. Nothing easy because nothing is required. But this choice is something that will benefit me, my husband and my children for the rest of eternity. To reduce serving the Lord to something second-rate, to a last resort option, is to ignore the sacrifice, hardship and great faith required for such a decision. It ignores the need for missionaries, both sisters and elders, and the great benefit that comes from serving diligently. I will not accept this status quo mentality, that missions for sisters are last resort options. Likewise, missions are not for every sister. They simply are not in Heavenly Father's will for all of us, or in the sister's will for herself, and that is not a problem. But it is a problem when people belittle sisters for serving, whatever her motivation.

Anyway, my papers are almost in. I'm going home this weekend for my interviews, so my papers should be in sometime next week. I'll keep you all posted on my call.

In the meantime, please pray for me. I'm not going to back out, but let's just say it hasn't been easy, however correct it is.

Last night Alex and I watched "Jesus Camp." And people think Mormons are creepy! If you haven't seen it, you probably should.

Not last night but lastly, even though these bags may be a fashion statement,
you can make a bigger statement by being a personal spokesperson for the Earth! (bless her heart) by recycling all those plastic bags you get at the grocery store. Why should you? Because the 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags we use each year (380 billion of those courtesy of the U.S.) will otherwise sit for 1,000 years in a landfill (more facts here). While China has already banned the bag, New York and San Francisco have implemented city laws about recycling the menace. Now, I'm not advocating you make a statement with your handbags like the one above (because people will definitely think you're annoying if you do), but I am advocating reusing the little plastic pest. Even if you get them at the store and use them in your trashcan or bring them to the store the next time you go and put your groceries in them or bring your lunch to work in them or scoop your puppy's poop with them or give apples from your apple tree to your neighbor in one or find a recycling bin for them or whatever, just don't put them straight in your trash.

And that is my first and last soapbox for the day.