calendar girl

Today I changed my calendar from January to February. Since Stephanie has been making family calendars, each month's end always presents a certain excitement. What will the new month look like? Which family pictures made it into this year's edition? I have looked through this calendar several times, but I am still excited when the pictures of the new month proudly overlook my occasionally-clean bedroom. As you may or may not know, I turn 22 on Sunday. I decided to give my own version of how my 22nd year of life has played out. I hope you enjoy:

FEBRUARY
~ A visit from Mom and Dad in Rexburg to take me shopping for new shoes (thank goodness!) and a meeting involving an assessment of the temporary living arrangements with the Samuelson family.
~ The sudden passing of President Hinckley and welcoming in of President Monson, just in time for the Rexburg Temple Celebration (I was one of seven from my ward to go) and the Dedication (a truly uplifting and enriching experience)
~ A lot of panic attacks and mixed emotions, counseling, medications--basically a nightmare.
~ Trip home for a weekend with Grammy and Sierra. The best part--shopping for a blessing dress for Sophie! Dad is right in Grammy's eyes.
~ The decision to medically withdraw from school. Again, a nightmare.
~ Acceptance into the NULC (National Undergraduate Literature Conference) at Weber State in April

MARCH
~ A tearful farewell to Rexburg and the move "home." For the first time, I actually live in Syracuse
~ A week of hell, followed by a two-week trip to Seattle to see newborn Sophie. Despite all the struggles, a definite highlight.

APRIL
~ General Conference in Rexburg
~ Opt out of the NULC for health reasons
~ Begin therapy in Utah--demanding and exhausting, but on the whole, a good experience.
~Another Rexburg trip

MAY
~ Fly to Utah for a flash-family reunion and the blessing of Sophie. Family pictures that turned out FABULOUS!
~ A week with Aaron's family in Utah. So, so fun! Oh how I love my Talmage and Anya!

JUNE
~ A bunch of stuff that I don't remember (or maybe nothing really happened, which is quite possible!)
~ I think another trip to Rexburg

JULY
~ Independence Day in Rexburg
~ Brent and Nancy and their family drive out and spend a week in Utah. Lots of pool time, a little bit of sunburn, and AMAZING Oreo milkshakes.

AUGUST
~ Sarah's family in Utah, which slightly overlaps with Brent and Nancy's stay. Sophie is a doll. Sierra is a wonderful big sister.
~ Camping trip in Vernal. I'll admit now that I was a definite party-pooper.
~ My half-birthday (more important than the actual birthday, I think), Steph's birthday
~ Visit from Grammy over her birthday. Dad's right again! Who would have thought?
~ I'm sure another trip to Rexburg, but I have no idea.

SEPTEMBER
~ Back to school. Glad to be back, freaking out. Thank you, Brother Stoddard and Dr. Zohner!
~ Visit from Mom and Dad to help me buy a laptop. Most unsuccessful. Thank you, Brent, for helping me get a great deal through Boeing! Welcome to the Lindsey Kay Family, Benjamin Franklin Pierce!
~ A lot of homework, 27th Ward activities ("Are we a family? Yes! We're a family! Name of the family? 27th Ward!")

OCTOBER
~ Sick with a bad cold, the worst medication side effects, and a lot of missed class. Oh brother, here we go again...
~ A trip back to Utah for the release of HSM3. Good, but I'm just not as big of a fan as I once was.
~ More homework, FHE, and 27th Ward Activities. Visits from Liz and Kathryn Moore, the RSP and my VT. Both wonderful girls who definitely looked out for me.

NOVEMBER
~ Unsalvageable semester. Attempt to medically withdraw, major backfire, and back to Utah we go...This time without a spot saved for next semester. Tearful farewell.
~ Andra is home from her mission! It's about time! Eighteen months is just too long!
~ Fabulous Thanksgiving with Jason, Paul, and Heather. Rockband, a little Hokey 6, Brian Regan, and a newfound favorite--ventrilaquist Jeff-fa-fa Dun-ham (dot com).

DECEMBER
~ Initiation into the Meadow Park Branch. Such a blessing.
~ Santa gigs as "security officer" (see Paul Blart: Mall Cop). At last I can speak Elf! Problem: I can't stop!
~ Weekend trip to Rexburg to surprise Elisabeth at the end of the semester. Scary roads, but it was still worth it.
~ FHE with the Branch, Linger-longers, and various activities, as well as some Syracuse Junior High concerts and their production of It's a Wonderful Life with Stephanie.
~ Christmas Eve--visit to the Barnes' house to give the kids gifts and to see baby Kate, followed by our fancy dinner, and finished off with a nativity reinactment, treats, and matching jammies with the Palmers. By far the best Christmas Eve in Utah.
~ 5:00 Christmas Morning. Opening gifts, calling family, and an episode of the original Get Smart show before a dash to the airport, a long wait, and then a flight to Washington.
~ Santa appearances at Brent's and at Grammy's. Finally we get to see Sierra, Sophie, Rochelle, and LaMar. Oh...and their parents.
~ Sleeping at Grandma's house, Zoo Lights at Point Defiance, cabbage rolls with Grandma, sleepover with the grandkids, Olive Garden and party at Brent and Nancy's for New Years Eve...All so fun! Definitely the best Christmas season I've ever experienced. Perhaps the same next year only with Aaron and Brandon as well? ;-)

JANUARY
~ Day trip to Rexburg with some of Brianne's things.
~ Our hunt for kittens, and at last we have success! Welcome, Pip and Scrat! I didn't realize how much work they are, and how much trouble they can get into!
~ A week-long trip to Rexburg, compliments of Elisabeth. Such a great trip full of all my favorites: Jack-in-the-Box, MST3K, RocketMan, AFV, Whose Line, Champagne Thursday, Sims, late nights, laughing hysterically, Sunday dinner, cuddling with Isaac (a Samuelson grandson), playing with Ethan (another grandson), long conversations with Mom and Dad Sam and Paula, Applebee's, American Idol...I know I'm forgetting things, but this is all that comes to mind. And of course a few new favorites too, such as Sleepless in Seattle and dinner at The Backyard with Brianne, as well as a much-needed visit with Andra.

If you are still reading this, apparently you have nothing better to do with your time, and you are probably bored out of your mind. What I see as I look back over this exhausting year is a lot of the unexpected, some disappointment, attempts to feel even a little better...but I see so many good times with good people. I have made some amazing friends (Elisabeth, Mom Sam, Paula, Ben, the Moore sisters, Michael), developed new interests (watercolors, pastels, guitar, a great love of M*A*S*H), created memories that will forever remain among the best (time with the my siblings and their children, trips to Washington and Rexburg, church activities), and found help in some of the most unexpected places (Brother Stoddard, Samuelsons, Paula, Ben, Kim, Jane and Gerry, Liz, Bishop Mickelsen, President Moyes, the ever-talented Yoko). Family relationships have strengthened (Paul, Jason, Brianne, Nicole, Gary and Kina, Pamela, my grandparents) and passions have grown (writing, reading, painting, music-making). I have loved (new and old family and friends), lost (pride, self-worth, difficult goodbyes), and made up (strengthened relationships with my immediate family, reapplied to BYU-I, therapy). It has been awful, wonderful, difficult, exhausting, mind-boggling, crazy, fun, exciting, excruciating, and enchanting. I've experienced the my lowest moments, as well as some of my highest moments.

Thank you for helping me through the year. On to the next...

"home" for the holidays

This weekend I made a quick trip back to "the greatest place on Earth!" No, not DisneyLand (though that would have been really cool). I went to Rexburg. I drove up on Friday evening to surprise Elisabeth. She was very surprised! I had a great time up there. I watched two great Christmas movies--A Matter of Principle and the original Miracle on 34th Street. I had not seen either of them. I also watched several episodes of Whose Line is It Anyway?, Time Warp, and Destroyed in Seconds.

On Sunday, the Rexburg 15th Ward had their Christmas program. Elisabeth and Mom & Dad S were in the choir. Mom S also played the piano for the Primary kids, and Elisabeth played her cello for one of the choir pieces. It was a wonderful meeting. On Monday night I went to a REAL Family Home Evening! We went to Andrea (the oldest Samuelson) and Kevin's house for a lesson and activity. They have five boys between 13 and 1 years old--Adam, Nathan, Daniel, Seth, and Isaac. Also, the two younger Samuelson boys were there, Ian and Richard, with their wives and son's--Isaac (Ian's) and Ethan (Richard's). Andrea taught a lesson about gifts from Christ. Then Mom S and Elisabeth played "Sleigh Ride" on the piano. After that the kids went downstairs to watch "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," while the adults and Adam had a "white elephant" exchange. I got four stress-reliever lego pieces. They're fun. We had treats and watched some cute videos of Andrea's boys.

I painted three pictures to give to Dad & Mom S and Elisabeth. They will be up on Blackbird eventually, when I find a way to get the pictures from my camera to my computer. In return, Elisabeth gave me two of her drawings, both very beautiful, and Mom & Dad S gave me a framed picture of the four of us that was taken on Sunday before church. I had a hard time leaving them to come back to Utah, and they are already planning another time for me to come back.

Although I miss Idaho, I'm glad to be back in Utah. Mom & Dad, Stephanie, and I are going to see "Savior of the World" tonight at the Conference Center. On Christmas day we are flying to Washington to be with Sarah and Justin and their families. I'm so excited to be there. After being around so many little kids this weekend, I can't wait to see Sierra, Sophie, Rochelle, and LaMar!

blackbird fly

I decided that I would create a blog just for my artwork. There is a link to it under "my creative outlet." I figure this is a good way for people to see just my artwork, while this blog will be used for other things like writing and such. I hope you enjoy. Feel free to leave comments and critiques on my work.

Back to Art

I took a break from my painting and pastels, but I decided to get back to it. There is this part of me that is so in love with creating something new, of recreating bits of what I've seen, whether with my eyes or with my mind.

Here is a watercolor that I have called "Out Back" after the essay I wrote about my backyard in Washington. This is the famous Japanese Maple Palace. I enjoyed painting it and trying out a new technique of putting salt on the wet paint for some texture.


This is a pastel that I did a while ago, but I didn't post it before. It is called, go figure, "Two Worlds, One Family." It shows how I feel--as though I am truly split into two people. It's not the cheeriest of pictures, but it is often how I feel these days. I think it's about time I share this part of myself.



Part of what I love about pastels is the smearing and blending and the mess it creates. This particular pastel turned my fingers black, but I loved every minute of it. I am so drawn to silhouettes. While watching The Notebook with Stephanie, I got the idea to do a pastel of the moonlight. I'm not sure how much it looks like that, but I still had a good time doing it. I call this one "Silver Stream."


This particular pastel was also fun to create, especially when it came to the blending of the colors. It is called "Fruits of Perelandra." The idea comes from the C.S. Lewis book, Perelandra. I have not finished the book, but I have enjoyed what I have read so far. This is a close look at the fruit in the story, which means perfect fruit to me. It is signifies all that is good and beautiful. I hope you enjoy it like enjoyed creating it.

Newest Artwork

I decided that it has been too long since I did any kind of artwork, so I did one watercolor and a few pastels. Let me know what you think.

Among the Acacia

I have a poem called "Among the Acacia" that I'm not sure if I ever posted. So I am posting that in addition to the painting I like to call "Among the Acacia." It might make the poem clearer. I found this picture in a magazine, and I absolutely had to paint it.

Among the Acacia

Deep freckles, too many to count, and more appear each day
Enormous eyes squint in the bright morning sun.
A giantess, unnoticed.
Week and wobbly, though at first
Elegant and grand one day.

Stretching upward, upward, up
A taste of Acacia dew
Then down, down, down to heaven’s mirror.

High to low, then low to high.

Awkward.
She can’t utter a cry, even in desperation.
Fearful of what may come.
Safety.
Only found at Mother’s side.

Can wind sway her like it does the Acacia?
Can a storm uproot her like a grain?

Tan as grass, brown as Earth.

Beauty.
Gentility.
Grace.

Sweet Tooth

I just painted this picture today for fun. It's not my best, but that's okay.

Commissions

So, Sarah asked if I do commissions. I will take requests, and paint for customers. I'm thinking $25 for a painting is about right for an 11 X 15. Email me at kayo5oo1@byui.edu if you are interested. Remember, I am still starting out.

Just a Little Fun II

Here's the second "painting" I did on my computer.

Just a Little Fun I

I haven't been painting with watercolors the last couple days, but with the computer. Kind of fun to create, relaxing...Not as difficult because you can always hit the undo button!

Pennies Fade

Here is my second painting. I got the idea from a beautiful sunset on the way to get ice cream at Farr's on Monday night. I didn't follow the picture I took exactly but rather did my own interpretation. I'm not sure it's my favorite. The name came from this thought I had that the sun looked like a penny as it was fading behind the horizon. Maybe there will be another draft of this one coming eventually, but at least for the time being, I think I'm done with sunsets. Let me know what you think and any suggestions you might have.

Heaven on Earth

At last I have something to show for the last month and a half I've been home. It's not writing. It was actually much more pleasurable than writing, because with writing comes anger and frustration. I tried out watercolors. I drew on Monday, painted on Tuesday, and perfected today. I still don't know if it's just what I want. I can still make changes. If you have suggestions, let me know.

The Rexburg Temple

The temple is definitely in the air here in Rexburg. I went through the Open House on January 17. When one of the ushers was showing me where to go, he said, "Single? All by yourself?" and he shook his head. Thank you, kind sir, for reminding me of my pathetic single life. The temple was absolutely amazing. I had never been inside a temple before, other than in the waiting room or baptistry. All of the designs, motifs, and murals were created by locals. A common motif throughout the entire temple is wheat. The idea stemmed from the wheat fields next to the temple. Even the refreshments after the Open House are from Broulim's and Albertson's. The temple will be dedicated on February 3 at 9:00 a.m. My ward is assigned to meet in the Kirkum for the dedication.

I have also been involved in a temple art project with one of my English teachers who is an accomplished watercolorist. He made 24 Rexburg Temple paintings that now hang in the McKay Library. I quickly learned the virtues of art critiquing and was able to give feedback and suggestions for how to improve the paintings (I hope!). I also helped edit his artist's statement, which is a talk that he gave at the show's opening reception. The night before the show I joined his family (or at least part of his family) in hanging the paintings. It was a lot work--deciding the order of the paintings according to size, color, theme, etc.; bending and cutting the metal hangers so the paintings would all hang at the right height; leveling the paintings; measuring the distance between paintings; hanging placards; and then taking the paintings and placards down and starting all over again whenever someone would say, "I don't think that is going to work. Those two paintings can't go next to each other." Two-and-a-half hours later, I was tired and sore, but very happy with out how it turned out. I also attended the opening reception Thursday night, which was wonderful. Being involved in this whole process has been very educational and provided me with many opportunities to meet new people. After working so closely with these paintings, I was almost sad when Brother Samuelson said he'd already sold four of them. I think I'll take pictures of them all before the show closes in March. They are beautiful paintings.

I received two new callings last Sunday. Last semester I was the compassionate service leader, and I figured I would stay there. This semester, however, I was called to be the Enrichment leader. I'm not sure how this is going to work out--I've never been in charge of something like this before, and the thought is very scary. My other calling was one I kind of asked for. Our ward was assigned to fill five slots for weekly Rexburg Temple workers, and I volunteered to be one of those five. I'm not sure what my assignment will be, but I was assured that I don't have to be endowed. It sounded like I will be doing baptisms every week. The student stakes also will have a monthly cleaning rotation. It's so cool to see how the temple has and is drastically changing the entire community.