In Like a Lion

March has certainly come in like a lion. I'm sitting at home on Sunday, March 1st, still in my pajamas because church was cancelled today. We had a snowstorm roll in last night and continue throughout the day, dumping about seven or eight inches. I'll admit, I was pretty tired this morning so I wasn't too upset about the cancellation. But it's a bit harder to fast when you're at home next to the kitchen all day.

A couple weeks ago, I went to my parents' house to spend some time with them and visit my Grandma. While I was there, I pulled out some of my old scrapbooks and found these beauties of my family. We were so cute!

Halloween 1986 - Tessa almost 8, Isaac 7, Jacob 3, me almost 1.

I'm going to guess this was about 1990/1991ish. I would've been about 5 or 6 years-old.

I think my mom said I was about 3 in this picture, so that would put this about 1988.

I think I was about a year old here, so about 1986.

The next day, Presidents' Day, my mom and I went out to my Grandma Elsie Shoaf's house to talk to her and record some of her stories. She's such an impressive woman and I want to make sure I learn as much about and from her as possible while I can. Her faith and quiet diligence is a constant inspiration to me.

Last Saturday, I met my friend Rebecca Buxton downtown for her favorite yoga class. I'm not usually a yoga fan because I think it is deceptively difficult and I don't like to be deceived. This class was pretty low-key, though, so it was pleasant. Afterwards we went to lunch at City Market which is an adorable indoor food market that I had no idea existed. I don't know how I missed it, but I loved it! This is exactly the kind of place I'd make sure to go to if I were visiting a city and I had one right here in my own city all along!

That afternoon I went to my cousin Jacie Shoaf's bridal shower. There had been quite a bit of snow that day, so I ended up the only Shoaf who made it to the shower. I decorated these wedding dress cookies which were beautiful and delicious.

These twin five year-olds are crazy. They get silly at night and this night they were wearing clothes on their heads and thought it was just the funniest thing.

Yesterday Emerson performed in her first play. She was an orphan dancer in a number from "Annie." She did a great job and I was really impressed by the whole show. It was such a fun afternoon to go to the play, then to Moe's for a snack, then to Campbell's basketball game, then to dinner with Isaac, Dominika, Adelina, and Tessa. My parents and Tessa's kids were with us for the play and game but left afterwards. Sometimes I'm overwhelmed at how great my family is and how much I love them. It's such a blessing to live close to them and be involved in day-to-day things.

After dinner, Tessa and I headed downtown for a Maroon 5 concert. The person she'd planned to go with had to cancel last-minute, so I was honored to be her back-up guest. Our seats were good and the music was fun. We had a great time!

I'm a Maroon 5 fan, and I can't deny that Adam Levine is an attractive man, but he's never been my favorite. He is Jaime's favorite, though, so I felt guilty being there without her. I took lots of pictures for her. :)

This is how much everyone wanted Adam to come back on stage. Cell phone lights all over the stadium.

 

The drive home was a little sketchy - the snow had already started and the roads were rough. I was pretty nervous in a few spots - a few steep ramps I wasn't sure I'd be able to get up and over. I was praying pretty intently the whole time, though, and just in those steep spots, a clear section of a lane miraculously appeared. It may seem like a lucky coincidence to a lot of people, but for me those were direct answers to prayers - tender mercies from a Heavenly Father who not only protected me the whole drive home but helped me when I needed it most.