The Best Compliment I've Received... In a While

I was sitting in class this last week, waiting for the class to start. The class didn't start for another 15 minutes, but I was stressed. I was thinking about the impending finals and taking Practice Court in the Spring.

I'll be honest, I've been so stressed that I haven't been a very good friend lately. I'd turned down multiple lunch offers from friends and rolled my eyes when my friends at law school said something silly to try to lighten my mood.

As I sat in class, my friend José came in. He had just returned from lunch- one that I had declined to go to. José walked right up to me and started asking me questions about stuff that had been talked about over lunch. Now, José is from Arizona. He told me that at lunch they'd talked about Mormons. He asked me if I was a typical Mormon. (I laughed a little at this point. I mean, that's like asking if I'm normal). He went on to explain that most Mormon women he knows wouldn't go to law school.

I responded that he's right. Most would not go to law school. But most still value education. We went back and forth a little bit. But basically I explained that Mormons come from a lot of different standpoints- some are Democrat too! Really! I explained that my choice to go to law school came from many spiritual impressions to do so.

Ok, so here's where the best compliment comes in. I said to José, "I guess I'm different because family isn't as important to me." José was shocked! He responded, "That's not right Chow. You put Russ before everything else. One thing I've noticed about you is that while law school is important, you have always put your family first."

That may not seem like a nice compliment to you. But for me, I've heard that I don't put family first from other people. And after people tell you something for so long, you start to believe it.

So thanks José for reminding me that I'm just fine the way I am. I may not be the cookie cutter, typical Mormon girl. But I know that I am exactly who I am supposed to be.

Just wanted to remember that! This is more for me than for anyone else!

Oh Christmas Tree...

Russ and I have an odd-orable Christmas tree. And there's a story behind it.

Flashback to our first married Christmas (2007).

December 2007 we were paying for a condo in St. George, an apartment in San Marcos, and our first house payment. To be frank: Money was TIGHT! It was a month of transitions and we counted our house as a Christmas gift to each other.

The residual effect was that we had no money for a Christmas tree. Or lights, or anything! I thought we should try to get a little something to celebrate. I had borrowed a tiny Christmas tree for a lesson at church (it was about 4 inches tall). I asked the lady who lent it to me if I could borrow it for Christmas.

This sweet, elderly lady was quite dismayed that we were about to have our first married Christmas without a tree. She told me to stop by her house and she'd get something together for me.

2007

2008

2009

2010

I will never forget her kindness. Sounds cheesy, or whatever, but it was nice to have a tree. And we still use this tree. It's fake, it's maybe 6 ft. tall, it's not pre-lit, and most of the ornaments are second hand.

Oh, and the lights only work if our little elf is plugged in working on his shoe. So.. it also makes noise. I'll have to make a video of this guy and post it on here this weekend. It's hard to explain the elf.

But I LOVE it!!!