life in color

As we just celebrated Fathers Day, I wanted to give a special shout-out to some of the wonderful dads and father figures in my life. My dad - June is a special time because we get to celebrate my dad twice: for Fathers Day and his birthday. We really should celebrate him every day because as far as dads go, he’s the best. He is patient, selfless, and gentle. He’s always smiling and ready to serve others, especially his kids. My dad taught me how to do math problems and how to ride a bike. He pulled teeth, coached my failed softball career, and watched countless show choir competitions. When I would come home from a late-night practice or from a friend’s house, I would often find our manual garage door already opened, awaiting my arrival. In those small moments, I knew my dad loved me. My father-in-law - One cool part about getting married is your family grows, and two years ago I gained an amazing new dad. My father-in-law is one of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet. He ...

Photo by  Paul Hanaoka  on  Unsplash Recently, many LDS teenagers participated in a week-long social media fast after being challenged by President Russell M. Nelson. I felt inspired to join in (maybe because I look like a youth), and I had a great experience. Here are a few things I learned: 1. Even without social media, I still waste a lot of time . Instead of scrolling through Instagram, I watched YouTube videos, looked at Riverdale memes, and read movie reviews. Removing social media from my life is not enough; I must actively replace the activity with something else. 2. I didn't miss it . I thought that seven days without social media would be difficult. But it wasn't. I thought I would it would bother me not knowing every engagement, vacation, and baby milestone on my Facebook feed. But it didn't. I thought I would habitually open the Twitter app. But I didn't. I think it helped that I turned off all notifications. I think I might keep the notifications o...

Photo by  Alexander Possingham  on  Unsplash "Mom?" I whisper into the darkness. Silence. Then the rustling of the sheets as she rolls over in bed. "What is it, Maggie?" she responds. "I can't sleep." "What's wrong?" "Nothing. I just can't sleep." "Crawl back in bed and shut your eyes. Even if you can't fall asleep, you'll still be getting much-needed rest." "Okay. Goodnight, Mom." The other night I had a hard time falling asleep. I don't know if it was the jitters of moving or if I simply binged too many Supernatural episodes that day. Either way, my mind was racing. I listened to every car drive by, every creak of the house, my husband's steady breath. All the while, my mind raced. As I stared at the ceiling, I thought of my mom's advice: Crawl back in bed and rest. As much as I wish that every night I could instantly fall into deep REM sleep and dream of sun...