Can I just tell you...

...that I absolutely love Mormon Messages? Just ask my husband. Whenever I have a bad day, I ask him to pop in that well-loved DVD (which is less than $10. Best deal ever!)

And I especially love this new Mormon Message.

Most of all, I love my Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the one that frees me from sin every day of my life. The power of the Atonement is real. Find out for yourself.

Friday, Bob Dylan, a Baby, and some Anniversaries

If you haven't heard about this ridiculous song and music video yet, you must watch. It is absolutely horrible, and absolutely hilarious. I can't decide if my favorite part is how she agonizes over choosing between the front seat and the back seat, the random Usher-like rap in the middle of the song, her horrible vowels and intonation, or that relevatory line, "Yesterday was Thursday, Today it is Friday, Tomorrow will be Saturday and afterwards is Sunday!" But Rebecca, what comes after Sunday? Now we'll never know.





And if that wasn't good enough, someone decided to cover the song in the style of Bob Dylan. It's a strange mix, soothing and amusing at the same time. My husband just loves it.





After waiting 6 days, we finally got our new nephew last night! Pierce Montgomery Moon was born on March 17, 2011 at 8:15 pm. He is 8 lbs 15 oz and 21 inches long. We were hoping that he would be born on the 15th so we would have 3 nephews named Ezra, Taft, and Benson all born on the same day - but we're just glad he is here. Maybe Brandon and I will just have to have Taft...

Isn't he beautiful? I can't wait to hold him! Being an aunt is so fun.

Today is a special day for the Hintons and the Moons. My parents were married 22 years ago 
today, and Brandon and I have been married 1 month today. I'm grateful that I am part of this amazing, wonderful, loving family for all eternity. 

When we were dating, I remember feeling absolutely terrified at the thought of losing Brandon. I knew that I would be so lost without him in my life. I'm so glad that I never have to worry about that again, and that I get to be with him for all eternity. This last month as his wife as been the best of my life - and I feel so blessed to share many more months to come with this sweet, steadfast, tender man. I love you honey :)

French Fashion, Feminism, the Priesthood, and my Opinions on All

Today in my Women in French Art and Culture class, we talked about designer Jeanne Lanvin. I just love her feminine, whimsical dresses and especially her mother-daughter ensembles. Don't you?

The artist herself.

My professor credited Lanvin for the invention of the rosettes we pin in our hair and on our dresses. Can you see why?

Check out these mother-daughter images - I think they're so sweet. I love how she often she represents women as mothers and her insistence that motherhood and fashion can go together.

 

Watch out for the scary cat!

For the same class, we were assigned to read the last chapter of Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex, arguably the most important piece of feminist literature in the Western World. Reading Feminist theory is difficult for me; the mixing of truths, untruths, negativity, and general hatred towards men turns my brain to jelly. I do not enjoy the debasement of men any more than I enjoy the debasement of my own sex. Somewhere in that chapter, Beauvoir wrote, 

"We have seen that it is possible to avoid the temptations of sadism and masochism when the two partners recognize each other as equals; if both the man and the woman have a little modesty and some generosity, ideas of victory and defeat are abolished; the act of love becomes a free exchange" (692).

If men and women are to be "equal partners," as the Proclamation on the Family suggests, both men and women need to see each other as such. Men do not only need to honor and respect women, but women need to do the same for men. Man-hating, backbiting, criticizing, and proclaiming that one "doesn't need a man" can have not a place in our lives if we are striving to end sexism and work together as one. 

Some in the Church claim that only men hold the Priesthood because they are inherently less virtuous or righteous than women. I find this argument degrading, depressing, and out of line with the loving nature of our Heavenly Father. 

I believe that the Priesthood is not just a power but a responsibility and an opportunity to serve as Christ did, and thus become like Him. I believe that motherhood/womanhood are the same things - opportunities to serve as Christ did and become like Him. These offices involve different skills and different assignments, but their purpose and their promised blessings are just the same. 

As a mother, a woman gives life to a physical body and maintains it through daily care. She teaches, encourages, uplifts, comforts, counsels, and bears testimony. She serves the needy, cares for the sick, and clothes the naked. Most importantly, she leads her flock to make covenants with the Lord through sacred ordinances. Through this service, she finds joy, fulfillment, and exaltation.

As a Priesthood holder, a man gives life to a spiritual body and maintains it through daily care. He teaches, encourages, uplifts, comforts, counsels, and bears testimony. He serves the needy, cares for the sick, and clothes the naked. Most importantly, he leads his flock to make covenants with the Lord through sacred ordinances. Through this service, he finds joy, fulfillment, and exaltation. 

Both men's and women's are important, Holy, and necessary for our salvation. Why should one sex and their foreordained role be heralded as better than the other? Every single one of us needs the blessings we receive from women and men. 

Michèle Le Dœuff wrote that, "a feminist is a woman who does not allow anyone to think in her place," and I try to live up to this definition. I also believe that a feminist should be someone who understands the pain of injustice and does not wish that pain upon anyone else. Therefore, a feminist should not belittle men, but honor them in righteousness and work with them to create a better, happier world.

Someone is having a birthday...

I'm so lucky to wake up to this face every morning!
(Well, he's usually not this exuberant or this scruffy...
but you know what I mean.)

Today is my sweetheart's birthday. Yes - my darlin', my honey pie, my pickle breath - he is 27 today. 

To celebrate, we are going to the temple, snuggling up together in front of a movie, and I am going to attempt to make him an apple pie. (Thankfully, his sister Melinda will be helping me, so I shouldn't set anything on fire this time.)


I will spare you another mushy post listing all of the reasons why I love him, because heaven knows you have all had to read far too many of those in the past couple of months. I'll just give you a picture instead.

I love you, honey. Like, a whole stinkin' lot. I'm so glad we get to be together forever. 

What I've Learned in my Two Weeks of Being Married

 

Since I am now so wise in the ways of matrimony, I decided to bless you all with my wisdom.

(Please tell me that you caught the sarcasm in that).

But seriously, there are a couple things I wish someone would've told me when I was engaged, and I'm hoping my experience can help some of you out there. 

1. If possible, make sure you have about a week for a honeymoon. 2 1/2 days is NOT enough. 

2. Your wedding day is very exhausting. Unless you are superwoman, you should schedule some time for a nap in between the wedding and the reception, or even hold the reception the night before the wedding. We arrived at the temple at 9 am and didn't leave until about 3:30 pm. By the end of the day, we were wiped out.

3. You may be called upon to give a little speech at your wedding luncheon, so be prepared. I had no notice and gave a short, flimsy, sniffley, sorry little tribute to my wonderful husband that certainly did not do him justice. If you prepare some eloquent words in advance, your guests will not leave wondering how you ever graduated from high school with such poor rhetoric.

4. I highly recommend the Premarital Health Class at the BYU health center. It taught me everything I needed to know in an uplifting, non-intimidating way. It prepared us to talk about intimacy and helped me overcome my fears and anxieties. It's just one more reason why I love BYU soooooo much. 

5. Make sure you get pictures of the guests in candid moments. The day goes by so quickly, and it's so sweet to look through our pictures and see the little moments we didn't catch. I love seeing photos of our family and friends showing such love and devotion for each other and feeling the overwhelming love of that day all over again.

6. It's very likely that you will receive 3 or more crock pots as wedding presents, even if you do create a registry. Be prepared to return them/regift them/sell them on ebay.

6 1/2.  If you like camping and the outdoors, you should register at REI. You won't regret it.

7. From the beginning, make family prayer and scripture study a habit. It helps unite you as a couple with each other and the Lord. I think this quote says it best:

“I know of no other practice that will have so salutary an effect upon your lives as will the practice of kneeling together in prayer....The little storms that seem to afflict every marriage become of small consequence while kneeling before the Lord and addressing him as a suppliant son and daughter. Your daily conversations with him will bring peace into your hearts and a joy into your lives that can come from no other source. Your companionship will sweeten through the years. Your love will strengthen. Your appreciation one for another will grow.Your children will be blessed with a sense of security that comes of living in a home where dwells the Spirit of God. They will know and love parents who respect one another, and a spirit of respect will grow in their own hearts. They will experience the security of kind words quietly spoken. They will be sheltered by a father and mother who, living honestly with God, live honestly with one another and with their fellowmen. They will mature with a sense of appreciation, having heard their parents in prayer express gratitude for blessings great and small. They will grow with faith in the living God.” -President Gordon B. Hinckley, "Cornerstones of a Happy Home" 

8. Be patient with yourselves in the first couple weeks of marriage. It's tiring to adjust to a new way of life (not to mention sleeping with someone else in your bed). Don't try to take on too much. Make sure to put each other first. The piles of boxes can wait; your spouse really is more important than unpacking.

9. Focus the day on the temple. It is really the highlight of your wedding day, and in many ways the highlight of your lives. Commit to return often so you can learn. It's impossible to soak it all in at once, and even sweeter with the experience time and repetition gives you.

10. Marriage really is so wonderful. It's beautiful to be so united with your best friend and sweetheart, and to work with them towards building an eternal family. If you work at it, your love will grow stronger every day, and you will find the greatest joy you can experience in this life. 

 

"Marriage can be more an exultant ecstasy than the human mind can conceive. This is within the reach of every couple, every person." -President Spencer W. Kimball  

My Little Brother is Growing Up.

Ten years ago today, my sweet brother was born. He was due on the last day of February, and when he didn't come I prayed that the baby would be born the next day. And he did. It was pretty exciting for a ten year old's prayer to be answered in such an exciting way. 

I remember waiting all day for him to come, fidgeting my way through school and my afternoon homework, anxiously waiting for the time when we could go to the hospital to see my mom. We were in the room at 10:44 pm when my brother came into this world - and what a special experience that was. 

James made our family complete. He is a very unique and special spirit. He has my father's calm, gentle spirit and my mother's ridiculous sense of humor. He has a strong testimony of the Gospel and is constantly looking for ways to serve. Even in his preschool days, he was always willing to share and compromise with his peers, just because he wanted them to be happy. 

James has always been my little buddy. It has been a joy to be his older sister and somewhat of a second mom. I love reading to him, playing checkers with him, talking on the phone with him, snuggling up with him while watching a movie, listening to the songs he makes up, and just being in his presence. He makes me want to be a better person. He amazes me with his creativity, his humility, his goodness. He is truly an angel on earth.  

I can't believe that he is becoming a little man, and in just three more years he will be a teenager! I don't worry too much about him though, for I'm sure he will be the sweetest teenage boy the world has ever known. I can tell that my brother is going to do amazing things in his life, and I look forward to watching them unfold. 

Happy birthday, sweet boy! We all love you so dearly.