I had no clue....

During these past couple of year living in student housing, I have learned so much, for example: baking beautiful whole wheat bread, sewing a zipper, taking a better picture, cleaning my oven more effectively, running up a hill both ways, and feeling frostbite. But this past month I have truly been awe struck, one of our friends here, is a fellow in cardio-thoracic surgery and wow the life saving stories he tells. It blows the mind at how doctors save peoples lives everyday and to them "It's all in a days work." Hans & I have listened to Brian for hours, talk about blood and guts and how he feels it's his calling and duty to save people's lives. It's so amazing!
On his latest story he told us of a procedure called Deep Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest or Aortic Arch Replacement. Wikipedia explains it best.

A surgical procedure that involves cooling the body of the patient and stopping blood circulation. It is used to repair brain aneurysms and aortic arch defects.

The procedure requires keeping the patient in a state of hibernation at 15 degrees Celsius with no breathing, heartbeat, or brain activity for up to one hour. Blood is drained from the body to eliminate blood pressure. The patient is considered clinically dead during the operation.

Apparently this operation can be done on 2 month old babies to the very elderly.

Who knew?

Do you have anything nonalcoholic?

As a child and later active practicing Mormon, I always ordered a Shirley Temple (lemon lime soda w/ cherry syrup). But now that I'm getting on in years I wanted to try something more sophisticated, but that I could drink all night. Well I found it, at a country club. It was open bar, which really doesn't mean much to a stone cold sober Momron, but when the hostess recommended trying a bootless, open bar made me as happy as the next lush.
A bootless is basically, club soda, lemonade with chopped fresh mint. The picture to the right is glamorized to show the beauty of the mint and lemons, it actually looked a little like sparkling wheat grass juice, thus giving the allusion of something on an infomercial, presented by an overly tanned health nut, in his 60's, who always wears a jogging suit. But contrary to the true appearance, it tasted refreshingly awesome. I think I downed 6 in a 2 hour period and also got Hans & a friend to have a couple rounds as well.
I highly recommend it to anyone at an open bar party who's sick of ordering the juvenile 7up with cherries.
Oh and I know this will lower my "genius" readability on my blog, but Hans & I noticed that unlike many other flavorful food, the bootless burps are even better.
So finally my question to all of you, What is your open bar, non-alcoholic beverage of choice?

This is what I do in my spare time

Ever since I was in the 7th grade I have loved to make jewelry using beads. Back then I wore these plastic hippy seed bead necklaces with my Greatful Dead tie dye tees. Those were the good ol' days of excess time and cheap supplies. I put this hobby away for a few years, bringing it out now and again to make a rainbow necklace for a goth friend or macrame-ing hemp bracelets for girls camp. But it pretty much stayed in a drawer until I was married and ready to move to France.
I wanted to make a gift for my close friends and family that would tide them over Christmas & birthdays, so I decided to knot pearl necklaces. With the help of Linda Burden and a few whole sale jewelry making catalogs, I loving finished all of the necklaces just before I left, only losing one to the post office box monster. (Sorry Hannah.) Upon returning to the US, I decided to start making jewelry again, primarily using precious metals, semi precious gem stones & vintage beads. Unlike some craft that take up a ton of room and are pretty spendy, I have found the opposite true with beading. (This makes Hans happy.) I have also been able to teach classes at my boys school & for church enrichment groups.

So I'm 30 ... Part 2

Having a birthday is a very reflective time for me, especially when it's the closing of one decade of my life and the birth of a new. Hans & I have been in great discussion on this topic and I can safely say that I like who I am now a lot more than the person I was 10 years ago. As I was pondering this, people I have associated with kept popping into my mind. It is because of some wonderful friends that I like who I am, so in this post I wanted to thank at least 30 people who helped me be a better person.
*Many of the people who surround me here in Minneapolis have played a significant part in bettering my life, but I will not mention them at this time. I hope to show you my appreciation while we travel life's journey together.

(List is in alphabetical order by last name.)

1. Bishop Garth Abbott-Thank you for telling me "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead" in regards to our marriage plans.

2. Jen Anderson- Thank you for teaching me life skills like washing dishes. I know that sounds lame, but every time I wash dishes I think of you.

3. Gary Boyd- Thank you for teaching me by example how to sincerely accept a compliment.

4. Jana Bundy- Thank you for helping me to go the extra mile and encouraging me to run a 5k.

5. Grandma & Grandpa Call- Thank you for always making me feel welcome in your home. Also because of your generosity I've been able to have a lot of life enriching experiences which would have been unavailable otherwise.

6. Kristin Chesnik- Thank you for showing me that "WILD" can be G rated.

7. Brother Steve Fotheringham- Thank you for teaching me the gospel & giving just the right amount of advice.

8. Danielle Garner- Thank you for teaching me Christ-like and sincere love.

9. Mr. Phil Haines- Thank you for teaching me that "to be early is to be on time" and for being consistent when my high school life was less than stable.

10. Danny Hastings- Thank you for being a beautiful example of a father; I am indeed envious of your girls.

11. Rex Hughes- Thank you for feeling comfortable enough with us to come over at 10 p.m. and just talk.

12. Cherida Jones- Thank you for being a spiritual beacon that I could look to throughout my life.

13. Krista Kader- Thank you for your never-ending dedication to our friendship; it has been a great constant in my life ever since the 6th grade.

14. Dr. Bob Kottell- Thank you for your zany psychology classes; you helped me work through a lot of things in my young mind.

15. Lane & Janina Lambert- Thank you for including me in your simple devotion to the pure gospel.

16. Jill Mennig- Thank you for understanding that I cannot always be the perfect friend and accepting me.

17 & 18. Summer Michaelson & Jeanette McEachran- Thank you for being my BC wife buddies at BC get-togethers, when the rest were KS-ing and Chaparral-ing.

19. Rebecca Miller- Thank you for being a refined, feminine, and compassionate friend, and for sharing our time in France.

20 & 21. My Midwives- Kaye Bullock & Mary Henderson- Thank you for delivering my babies with care and long-suffering.

22. Cynthia Roland (Mom)- Thank you for all the long nights you stayed up with me finishing projects, sewing costumes and rehearsing parts of plays and dance routines.

23. Patty Navaarro- Thank you for showing me balance, organization and understanding in the work place.

24. Terra Perry- Thank you for your never failing smile and infectious laugh.

25. Amber Pike- Thank you for teaching me by example to sincerely acknowledge another's thoughts and ideas in order to deeply communicate.

26. Hans Rawhouser (of course)- Thank you for loving me, for being my eyes when I couldn't see, for parting my lips
When I couldn't breathe, Thank you for loving me... But seriously, thank you for pushing me to be more than I thought possible and loving me in spite of me.

27. Mrs. Andre Reid- Thank you for treating me like an adult at 16 and expecting me to act like one at 6 a.m. in Chemistry 2 AP.

28. Robert & Marian Rodriguez- Thank you for your truth and passion about life.

29. Mark Roland (Dad)- Thank you for showing me that it's important to do your best and finish the job you've started.

30. Shaunna Sanders- Thank you for defining balance with your example- intelligence, talent, sincerity, sacrifice & pro activity.

31. Becky Sattler- Thank you for being spunky and excited about the gospel & motherhood.

32. Jack & Janette Schofield- Thank you for all those late night talks, your amazing artistic perspective and teaching me how to show love to the unloved.

33. Jean Smith- Thank you for helping me transition from 2 to 3 children and showing me that a little sparkle can make all the difference.

Potty Training quote

So Amelia hasn't yet gone to bed because she wanted to see all the earrings that some of the ladies made in Monica's Relief Society small beading group. As the last ladies were leaving she said, "Daddy, I peed," while standing over a large puddle. We quickly cleaned it up and then wiped the floor with a soapy sponge, which left the floor wet. Then as we were leaving the kitchen Amelia said, "Daddy, don't slip on my peeeee!" So thoughtful.

lovey dovey paintings

I do not claim to be a connoisseur of art, but I love to look and enjoy the beauty of it all. These 3 paintings are just gorgeous and the artists captured the moment so brilliantly, that I thought I would share them with you.

The Price's Choice
Thomas Reynolds Lamont

Garden of Eden
Briton Riviere

The Painter's Honeymoon
Frederic Leighton

The Painter's Honeymoon awoke my love for Renaissance art. I am utterly amazed at how life like her dress and his hands looks. That is truly a gift from God to be able to compose such a masterpiece.