Happy Thoughts

I believe in Manicures. I believe in Overdressing. I believe in Primping at leisure and wearing Lipstick. I believe that Laughing is the best calorie burner. I Believe in Kissing; Kissing a lot. I believe in Being Strong when everything else seems to be going wrong. I believe Happy Girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I Believe in Miracles.

--Audrey Hepburn

My Sexy Voice . . . ?

I made a fatal mistake this year--I did not get a flu shot (this is because I never get sick...really!) and thus, I am experiencing my fourth flu since October. (If they haven't all been the flu, then they've all been really bad head colds, but I'm skeptical.) This time around I have lost my voice and have been left with raspy, guttural sounds that occasionally make out words which occasionally can be pieced together to make sentences. It reminds me of the Friends episode when Phoebe gets sick but still has to sing and she soon discovers that her voice is sexy.

Angels

I know that I mentioned I was in a car accident over Christmas break and I've debated whether to blog how it all happened. It feels like I've told it a million times and I've grown tired talking about it. In truth, both Kaylin and I really downplayed how it all went down and sometimes when I think about it I realize that it could have been much more serious if things had gone just a little differently. Luckily, Kaylin blogged her own post about the car accident and so now I don't have to. If you're interested in reading about it:

http://www.dailyphilup.blogspot.com/2009/01/my-christmas.html

This whole experience has been one of those ah-ha moments in your life--where you look around you and see a hand in your life that is guiding you towards safety, security, and sense in some respects. I'll admit, when I left my car in Oregon I was so angry and even asked (I'm ashamed to admit) Why me? Even as that fateful question uttered itself in my head, I knew it was just a car and that we had all been lucky not to have been hurt. Still, I was angry. I felt that if the Lord had been watching over us this never would have happened at all.

Funny enough, I'm reading the biography John Adams by David McCullough (he wrote 1776 and it's fantastic. More on that when I finish it.) and there is one passage that Abigail Adams wrote to her son and it flashed over and over through my mind:

These are the times in which a genius would wish to live. It is not in the still calm of life, or the repose of a pacific station, that great characters are formed. The habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulties. Great necessities call out great virtues. When a mind is raised, and animated by scenes that engage the heart, then those qualities which would otherwise lay dormant, wake into life and form the character of the hero and the statesman.

I know that I'm no where near being a hero, but I was certainly grateful for the reminder. It dulled the flash of anger that coursed through me, and I can say that I'm thankful for the lessons I learned and the love I felt from so many people--family, friends, and even strangers. There were so many people who watched over me, and I'm amazed at how generous and selfless people are. Seriously, I'm in awe of the people around me. I stand at their feet and wonder if I could ever take a step in their shoes.

We talk about how there are always angels around us--I can say that I know for a fact there are angels around us. I hope this doesn't sound too saccharine, but here is my feeble attempt to thank all of the people who watched over me these past couple of weeks:

The couple who picked us up: I can't remember their names off the top of my head, but this couple ushered us into their car while we were standing on the side of the road waiting for the police to show up. They offered us a warm car and eventually drove us to Boise. What they had, they freely gave--gum, conversation, a ride. Such simple gestures and yet I'll never forget them.
The Marshalls: A friend of ours, Christina Marshall, lives in Boise and she and her parents freely offered us their home. They fixed us lunch and Christina's dad even had the idea to drive us to our brother to minimize the waiting time. We hopped in their van and started driving south and eventually met our brother and sister-in-law, thus avoiding having to wait for Tim and Kaitlyn to make it across the state of Idaho and up to Boise.
Tim & Kaitlyn: On their 2-year anniversary no less, Tim and Kaitlyn jumped in the car the minute they heard we were in a car accident. They rushed to our sides and helped us eventually get home. Happy Anniversary, guys! You deserve a medal, a gold star, and a million dollars. The check is in the mail. Also, Tim answered a million questions about cars and gave me a lot of advice. It was so appreciated.
Kaylin: I made a big deal initially about the car and all of the drama associated with an accident, but Kaylin was just as impacted by it all. She patiently drove me to work, the gym, and to other errands that I needed to attend to. She was really helpful in getting me back on my feet.
Alicia: Alicia never complained once throughout the entire ordeal. Poor Alicia just dealt with it, even being stuck in the car upside down for 15 minutes. She was calm and composed and I wish I had some of that mojo.
Tracy & Matt: They offered me their car and Tracy even took a few hours out of her day to help me run some errands. I'll admit the best part of this affair is when little Spencer saw me walk up to their truck and he got so excited that he was laughing hysterically when I opened the door--way to make a girl feel loved!
Sarah & Jimi: They offered countless questions of concern and care. Jimi even answered some of my car questions as I searched for a car.
Mindy: My roommate picked me up from the gym one night at 11 p.m.! I was so appreciative of her help.
Allyson: My roommate took me to work a couple of times. Thank you!
Carrie: My roommate offered me her car without thought for herself. What a girl.
Erik: My travel buddy who drove the 10-hour drive with me yesterday up to Boise. We got the rest of the things from my car and he even drove the way home from Boise to Salt Lake because I wasn't feeling well.
My Parents: They offered concern and so much advice about how to buy a car. I was so overwhelmed by the prospect but they helped walk me through it. My parents are always there for me, rarely without thought for themselves. I love them.

If I've forgotten anybody, I'm sorry! But know it was appreciated.

Sold!

Well, I bought a car! Bear with me . . . since I drove Baby for eight years, it's probably going to be another eight years before I get another new car. I have to tell you, buying a car is a stressful and overwhelming thing to do . . . especially when you don't know what kind of car you want. I guess that's a key ingredient when car shopping--know what kind of car you want and then go test drive it. Ha ha, call me slow.

I was having the worst luck with cars, nothing was really jumping out at me. I did drive a Honda CR-V and it's a dream boat. But it was a little out of my price range and I couldn't justify the expense.

Anyway, I found this '07 Honda Accord, and I think she's be-yootiful. Take a look:

If Dreams Were Cars

In a series of unfortunate events, I got into a car accident and totalled my car. Kinda sad. My first car, a 2000 Pontiac Sunfire who I called Baby (only because that's all she was ever called, like come on, baby, make it up the hill, baby) is on her way to sleep with the fishes. It's kind of a bittersweet event. I'm excited by the prospect of a newer, better car. For example, I had broken the lock to my trunk so that I could only access it by folding down the back seat. But Baby was a good car. I had very few problems with her. She was cheap . . . good gas mileage and nobody was going to break into it and steal the CD player.

So now I'm faced with the process of buying a new car. It's a daunting task and I feel severely overwhelmed and inadequate. I find this funny. I'm a reasonably smart, capable person and yet I feel like I'll have to call on the powers of Allah to get me through this one. In all seriousness, however, I have been truly blessed in this experience (more on that later). But it's been one of those moments where you know that everything is going to work out. What a boost to my testimony and faith in Heavenly Father.

Since I'm still in the entertainment stage where I can entertain the thought of any car, I've been seriously considering a Nissan Murano or a Toyota Camry. These are probably my top two car choices. When I worked for Enterprise, the Nissan Murano was my all-time favorite car. It was spacious, drove so smooth, and was reliable. But, it's an SUV so I'm not entirely sure how fiscally prudent it would be to get that car. The one bright spot is that I work 10 minutes from my house. I don't drive a whole lot so even when gas goes back up, I don't think I'll be suffering from gas prices like a person who has to travel on the freeway and for long periods of time. The Toyota Camry also appears to be an excellent vehicle. In fact, I've heard very few complaints about this car. Considering my price range it might be right up my alley. On a lesser note, I'm also looking into the Nissan Altima and Honda CR-V. I like the Nissan Altima, my brother owns one and I've driven his a lot. It drives great and I've always liked it. I'm not sure about its reliability, however. And since I've been thinking about an SUV, the Honda CR-V has really jumped out at me. I've never noticed them until now so I might as well test drive that one.

So what's your advice on buying a new car? Anything helpful you can pass on to a rube like myself? Also, here are my car choices . . . tell me what you think:

Take a look at this car! How awesome is it?

Baby, It's Cold Outside

It's cold outside . . . luckily, I'm warm inside.