Today I...

Planted my last flower...

Pulled my last weed...

Deadheaded my last Marigold (which I am no longer a fan of...), Petunia, Cosmo, Geranium, and the list of flowers could go on and on...

Bent over one last time showing my back end to whom ever was passing on a busy street - thank heavens for my overalls!

Shoveled my last pile of dirt - by the way, I now hate the sound of a shovel scraping over cement!

Picked up my last bit of garbage...

Dumped my last pile of garbage...

Pruned my last bush...

Screamed one last time at a slimy worm poking their head up at me...

Watered my last flower bed...

Wore my overalls one last time...they are going into hibernation until next May when I start working on the flower crew again!

Soaked the sun up for one last farmers tan...

Woke up at 5:30am for the last time...(although, I hope to keep up the early morning routine so I can study my scriptures in the dawns early light, rather than just before sleepy time!)

Shoved dirt under my fingernails and toenails one last time...My poor feet look horrible, a much needed pedicure will take care of that tomorrow!

Finished several books (including Harry Potter 3 & 4) on tapes...

Got off work one last time smelling dirty, and looking sweaty...

AND...

Tried not to cry as I said "Goodbye," or "See you all next May" to my fun summer job working on the Flower Crew at SUU.

This is Ross, my Boss! Him and I would wear our overalls everyday...he's the one who inspired me to buy a pair. Ross the Boss also taught me a lot about planting, gardening, and flowers galore! He was a great Boss, that Ross!

Oh Crystal, my coworker who taught me a lot of patience!!! However, even though I couldn't stand her most of the time, not to say I'm not a pain in the butt, I told her today if she is working on the Flower Crew next summer I would be happy to be her "companion" as she called us, next summer. (Note about flower bed: this flower bed is in front of the President of SUU's home - Crystal and I would take care of it, and boy did it take a lot of work to make it look this good! If anything the people that drove down this street got to enjoy this beautiful flower bed. Also, it's a lot bigger than what is shown in the picture.)

Natalie and Holly - they worked on the lawn crew, but the three of us became fast friends! In fact, Natalie (the one in the red shirt) happens to be in the same situation I am in...Oh how the Lord works in mysterious ways...We are both 29, return missionaries, and trying to figure out our lives, and get through school. (By the way this picture was taken at SIX in the MORNING, so as to why I'm not as chipper looking...)

Flat Tire and the Law of Tithing

Aren't Monday's just wonderful? Well for me, my Monday was less than fun. It all started out at 5:30am as I head off to work. I got to work and realized I didn't have my lunch. Packed it the night before, but forgot to get it out of the fridge on my way out the door. Top it off I didn't get a weekend either; it was my turn to work Saturday and Sunday watering all the flowers at the Shakespearean Courtyard.

As lunchtime came around I decided since I'm the poorest I have been in my 29 years I would go to Wendy's and get my $1.29 (paid with change...) chili, which is pretty tasty, and very filling. As I was leaving the drive thru and was on my way back to the Grounds Dept. I started to hear this thumping noise from the back of my car. I kept driving because I was only a few blocks away when I realized my back tire was flat. Not a good thing to be driving on it, but I was so close to work I had to keep going. I made it to work, and walked into the break room to try to enjoy my lunch. One of my coworkers was in there and asked me how my day was going. At this point I slammed down in my chair to eat and said, "Horrible, it's definitely a Monday." He said, "That good?" I then continued to tell him my tire is flat, and I don't really have the money to be buying a new tire. He was kind enough to take a look at my tire, he found that I had ran over a nail. He filled my tire up and told me to take it in to Rolling Rubber, and they can patch it up.

After work I immediately drove over to Rolling Rubber to get my tire patched up. I was expecting to pay around $30.00 to get it fixed. After waiting about 15 minutes my tire was patched up, and good as new. I went to pay for the patch/labor and they said not to worry about it. I tried to fight them and pay for it but they said it wasn't a big deal.

As I left Rolling Rubber I said a quick prayer of gratitude. I know that the Lord helped me out on that fix for sure! By obeying the law of tithing the Lord has blessed me in so many different ways. Once again my testimony of tithing is being strengthened. Many times in my life I have probably spent money on things that I shouldn't (recent trip), but am trying to live the gospel and make sure that I always pay my tithing FIRST! Whenever I receive money, be it work paycheck, gifts, etc. I write out my check to the Lord first, and then take care of the rest of my worldly things second. I am SO INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL for wonderful parents who taught me at a very young age the law of tithing and the importance of paying my tithing, and the blessings that come from paying my tithing. My parents have never had much, but we always had the funds to survive and live comfortably. I am impressed by a brother who may not be the most active in church but has a strong testimony of tithing and has bore that testimony to me and others. With much faith he pays his tithing faithfully. I'm also grateful for a dear friend who has recently bore a strong testimony to me of paying fast offerings and how I have tried to pay my fast offerings faithfully the last couple of months.

It is amazing how the Lord takes care of me when I pay Him first. I am once again blown away by the Lords help that He provides for me on a daily basis. My testimony of tithing and fast offering has been strengthened once again.

Why Is It I LOVE to Road Trip???

Yet again I set out on the dusty road for a road trip to Boulder, Utah, Durango, Colorado, and Monument Valley, Arizona. I have to admit this was my first time to Colorado - minus the airport, but I am in love with what I saw in the state, and will definitely be going back...possibly to MOVE, but then you know how I am - always wanting to be somewhere besides Utah...

The trip started out Friday morning July 31, 2009 and my family and I headed up to Boulder Mountain to stay with our friends the Griffin's, in their cabin. The cabin was so nice, and the stay was wonderful! We had great friends to be surrounded by, wonderful food, and awesome weather! On Sunday we all drove down the Burr Trail. We did a little hike, and on the hike found some geocaching. We took the leigh and left a dollar and bracelet. Next year when we go back we'll check it out and see what's new. After our hike Jessie and I took the Burr Trail to Bullfrog to catch the ferry. Little did we know they take cash only, so we went with our original plan. I was so bummed, but I guess that's what happens when you don't stick to plan. That's a long story, and this story is already going to be long, so that is all you get about that detour.That evening we headed up through Monticello, and on to Durango. I didn't get any pictures of the cute little city Durango, but I fell in love with the town. They have a tourist train...Oh you know I'm going to look into that! We stayed the night and then were off to Mesa Verde. We spent all of Monday in the park exploring and going on the tours. It was a little frightening at times climbing up the ladders, and crawling through small tunnels. I was so pleased with Jessie - since she has a fear of heights.

After a day in the park we were off to the Four Corners - where the four states meet. New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. Can I just say we paid six dollars for five minutes of picture taking. Lame, but kind of cool?!?!?

That night we made it to Gouldings, in Monument Valley, and set up camp. We ate dinner and watched a movie then sweated in the heat all night long as we tried to sleep. If I go back again and end up camping I'll pick a cooler time of year. We spent that morning seeing the sights there, and of course getting our "Forrest Gump" picture, then headed on up to Page. We got to Page and stopped at the Glen Dam to eat some lunch and then drove home.

The best part of the trip was my new GPS Tracker that my friend Audra gave me for my birthday. It was such a help, I don't know how we ever did it with paper maps. KIDDING - I made to Alaska just fine with a good old fashion map. But, I love my new GPS.

We got home on Tuesday, and I realized that I am good for a long time before I take another trip. Trips are great, but so draining. It's time for a break in the traveling department, and my baby (car) needs to take a break too, especially if I'm going to run her to the ground. (I told my mom I was done traveling and she said, "Right! I'll believe it when I see it.") At least for a few months I'm good to just stay close to home.

Summer Concert - Totally AWESOME!

On Friday, Pioneer Day (in Utah, of course), my buddy Audra B. and I went to the Secondhand Serenade concert in Sunny St. George. The opening band Parachute played, and they were awesome! However, Secondhand Serenade was TOTALLY AWESOME!!!! It was a lot of fun to be in the nice outdoors enjoying a couple of great bands. We saw some friends from my old ward (Audra's current ward...and soon to be my ward again - I'm going to come back to church in St. George on Sunday's....Cedar's just not doing it for me anymore - church wise, school I'm still hanging in there...) and hung with them. The show lasted until 10:30pm and then it was time for me to go home. I had to work on Saturday morning, ugh. Oh well. I'm still kind of young, can still play late, and get up early. Not sure how much longer that's going to last though.

If anyone hasn't heard of these two bands look them up on iTunes - they're really good. Although, the wonderful radio stations of Southern Utah have overplayed one of Secondhand Serenades songs, "Fall For You," but I still enjoyed the song being played live. Hooray for July 24th!

Hi, Is Myra Maine's There?

Saturday evening as I was visiting my family in South Jordan, it was close to midnight when I received a very interesting phone call. My cousin and I were messing around on her computer when the call came in. I had no idea who the number was, or where they might be calling from. I answer the phone and it turns out the number was a call forwarding service. How odd, I thought.

Conversation goes like this: "Hello, Is this Liberty Williams I am speaking with?" "Yes, this is her." "Liberty, I am with a call forwarding service and we have received a phone call from a third party and have a phone number and name that you need to contact." "Yes, okay?" "Do you have a piece of paper you can write the number and name down?" I frantically get a piece of paper and pen... "Yes, I'm ready." They give me the number (which they tell me is a St. George number) and name, I write down the name Myra Maine's. I think to myself who in the heck is Myra Maine's, mind you, I said it out loud even? I try to ask if they have any other information, they have none, again they are just a "call forwarding service." I immediately get off the phone and tell my cousin the situation. She reminds me of what time at night it is, yet I still go ahead and make the phone call. I dial the number, after two rings the voice on the other end say's, "Metcalf Mortuary" I say, "Hi, Is Myra Maine's there?" Immediately the voice on the other end say's no and hangs up. I then continue for a moment to say "Hello, Hello." As my cousin is listening it clicks for her that I just called a mortuary and asked for my remains!!!! ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME! I then immediately, at midnight call my parents family friend who works for Metcalf Mortuary thinking that he set me up for this little sneaky prank. I wake him from a dead sleep - no pun intended, and ask him if he put me up to this. I tell him my story and before I am even finished he say's "Libby, do you know who "Myra Maine's" is?" I DO NOW! As I'm on the phone with him I get another call, it's the "call forwarding service" I tell my friend goodbye so that I can get to the bottom of this whole prank, that I fell for... I answer the phone and the voice comes on and asks, "Is this Liberty Williams?" "Yes!" "This is the call forwarding service, and we are just calling to make sure you were able to make the phone call." Then, on the other end of the phone I hear the roar of laughter! My dear friend, Miss Audra B. and her dear family (Audra's brother in law, DAN, who LOVES to tease me) in Southern California, who is so wonderful and good to me had done the whole set up! They had such a good laugh, and I am so grateful that I could provide them with that as I was up in Northern Utah.

The moral of this story, I'm what people may call gullible (the dictionary defines gullible as easily deceived or cheated), or it's just that I am a natural dumb blonde (dumb blonde: lacking in both common street-sense and academic intelligence, as per wikipedia.). My thoughts on the situation - it was late at night, and I have a lot on my plate, so that is why it didn't quite click for me. You decide!

Someone Else is Living My Dream

Today, like many days, after I get my daily mail I drive pass a decrypted sad house. Everyday I drive by I think to myself, I wish I had money to buy this house and restore it. Ever since I was a little girl and would come to the quiet town of Kannaraville to visit both my Grandparents I would walk between both my Grandparents houses, which was three blocks between each other. As I would walk from one house to the other I would pass this old, yet beautiful house. Even as a little girl I wished that I could someday buy this house. As truth be told I did not get the chance to buy this house. However, someone else did, and praise the Lord above they are taking the house and restoring it for me. Well, not for me, but they are restoring it and making it beautiful once again. I get joy just knowing that they are going to turn this house into a real beauty! So, like many days of driving by on my way from the Post Office I took a chance and stopped. I saw two men working away on the house and asked if I could, by chance, take a gander at what remained. Both gentlemen were kind enough to take a break and give me a tour. Along with the tour they described to me what the plans were for the eventually restored house.

As you walk in the front door of the house you have a very open entry way with a set of stairs that lead upstairs. The stairs are going, and they are putting in an elevator. To your right of the entry is a living room, which will stay a living room. To the back of the living room there is a door leading outside. They will turn that area (outside) into a laundry room and bathroom. By the way this house has no bathrooms??? Going back to the entry if you go to the left you enter into a very sad kitchen. This kitchen will turn into the couples dinning room. At the back of the kitchen there is a door that leads, once again, outside. There is going to be an extension with a huge, gourmet, state of the art kitchen. Now go with me upstairs. The upstairs, as of now has two large bedrooms. The bedroom on the right will turn into the master bedroom with an extension that adds a master bathroom. The bedroom on the left will be turned into an office with a balcony leading out the back over the new kitchen. Finally there will be an attached garage in the backyard, over the front door will be another balcony, and the scary old cellar, well it's becoming a wine cellar, and yes, the elevator will go down to the cellar as well. (I failed to mention that there will be a set of stairs leading from the kitchen up to the office in the back of the house.)

I hope that gives you an idea of my dream home. I'm excited to see the finished product. The contractor said it should be finished in about 9 months and when it's done they will have an open house for the folks here in Kanarraville to parade through. You know me, I will have my camera, so be patient and in 9 months when I'm pregnant - KIDDING, I'll have pictures of my finished dream home to share! You will definitely want to stay tuned!