Random Thoughts from Ann-Marie

Here's a picture of me and my staff on Opening Day.  They have all been so great in just jumping in and doing what needs to be done. They are also extremely patient as I am learning how to be their boss! More pictures of the library on opening day can be found here:

https://www.facebook.com/gumspringlibrary/photos_stream

This is my lone Christmas decoration! I don't currently own a Christmas tree and after all of the packing and unpacking I've done in the past few months this is the extent of my decorating this year.

The poinsettia and card are from the family ward. I was pleasantly surprised to see it on my door step last Sunday after I came home from a Christmas concert for a neighboring stake. Since I'm in a new place and don't know very many people yet, I've been extremely touched by the kindness of those that have made an effort to remember me. I've been lucky to get several Christmas cards from family and friends. A few people at work gave me treats (I didn't even think to bring treats for them...bad Ann-Marie!) and it has just meant much more this year when I'm feeling a little lost and lonely without my friends and family around me.

It has made me reflect on how I want to make more of an effort to seek out those that are a little lonely or forgotten. I have learned in the past month or so how important it is to look for those that are new and to fellowship them right away, not wait for someone else to do it. There is a family in the family ward that I'll be attending that has been so sweet to me. They've had me over for dinner, checked in on me during the Hurricane, and invited me to watch the First Presidency devotional with them. They are even taking me to the airport tomorrow. So this Christmas I'm extra thankful for the kindness of those around me and am committing to being better myself in including those that need a friend!

Now that I've been in Virginia for a little over a month and am starting to feel more settled in, I thought I'd try to revive the blog. I know that my aunt Tammy still checks every so often to see if I've written, so if nothing else...this one's for you Tammy!

My cross-country trek went well. It was a long time in the car filled with laughter, a lame book on cd (which we gave up on after a while and switched to a less lame one), snacks, and almost being left at a gas station.

What's that last one about you ask??? Here's the story:

I drove the first day (all 18 hours, yuck!) with my best friend Sariah. We left her house in Heber about 5:00 in the AM and drove all day long. I did the last few hours by myself and was tired and cranky by the time I got to my parents house a little before midnight. (Mostly I was cranky because I couldn't see the sign for their gravel road and went past it and had to turn around).

The next morning my mom and I took off for the second half of the trip. We stopped at my sister Shelly's house in Iowa for a few hours before getting on the road again.
     **By the way...if you are stupid like me and leave your car window rolled down with lots of your possessions inside, be sure to do this when you are in Iowa. And also when you have said your morning prayers. Because I'm pretty sure that's why no one stole anything out of my car when they had plenty of opportunity and time to do so. I'm was extremely blessed on this trip!**

Anyway, so that night my mom and I stayed in a hotel in a small town in Ohio. The next morning we got back on the road and not to long after starting out we stopped at a gas station. When you are driving on the Ohio turnpike (a giant toll road) they have these service stations with gas and food courts every so often. It's nice because you don't have to get off the freeway and pay the toll again.

So my mom was driving and we stop for gas. I get out, swipe my credit card, and get the gas going. Then I go into the service station to use the bathroom. When I walked outside again, I see my mom pulling away from the gas station and it looks like she's going towards the on ramp for the freeway again. Then she circles around the pumps and starts for the parking lot. At this point I notice that she hasn't even put my gas cap back on or closed the little gas door.

She's driving around and I'm not sure where she's headed. So I start running after her and waving my arms. I'm thinking "What is she doing? Is she going to leave me here at the gas station? I don't even have my phone with me! My mom's taking my car with all my stuff and leaving me!!!"

Finally she pulls in a parking spot, but then pulls out again. I had no idea what was going through her head! I caught up with her and once my car was in park, I asked why she was driving around erratically and why she hadn't even closed my gas tank. I guess she thought that the bathrooms were in another area, which was why she was driving around like a crazy person, but after that I took the keys for a while and drove myself. She claims that she wouldn't leave me at a gas station, but I wasn't so sure in the moment!

Moral of the Story: Always carry your phone, you never know if you're mom will try to leave you stranded in Ohio!

More stories to come soon, for now take a look at the pretty new library I'm going to be in. It will open at the end of February, but hopefully I'll start working out of it in early January!