New Cousin

She sweetly put _____ (chickpea warm spicy sauce) on my plate to eat with the angiam (purple-colored spongey pancake) when I asked "Please" but wouldn't look at me in the eyes.  We gave her a picture laminated from Emma-Dean's wedding last summer, including more cousins...I hear her favorite color is red and she wants a baby quilt that is just for her.  Ethiopian, beautiful, loves chocolate Reese's peanut butter cups, just turned 7 December 22nd.  Working hard to learn English and surrounded with lots of loving sisters!

Here We Are, Again

Hugs. I can only add one photo at a posting (I guess I reached the multi-photo upload limit???)

New blog needed, perhaps?

No more pictures? Have I reached a limit???? Having technical difficulty...

Giving Away Flowers

Retired t-shirts turned into flower brooches (A brooch /ˈbroʊtʃ/, also known in ancient times as a fibula) to give to the orthodontist receptionists on Valentine's Day.

Ta-Dah! Chevron, while it lasts

I didn't want to falsely represent my painting skills. Shelf liner, picked up at TJ Maxx, in white & graphite...I know, I know, trendy, but way fun.

No Public Warning

Rarely does my family see the changes coming. I suppose they could calculate how busy I am, what deadlines and projects I am dealing with, when I work outside our home, when I am home waiting for payday with paint in our basement just waiting for me. If I put my paint clothes on early enough in the day and they see, they might suspect something to be different when they come home.

I've been thinking of neutrals a lot lately. Or maybe it is my maturing color palette (or my color-sensory boredom with winter cloudy blahs?) that craves change.

So it is different. The trick is to get enough done during the day to turn it back into a functioning feeding station by dinner time!

Thoughts on Sister Missionary Wardrobe

I have a niece leaving on a misson next week. I was a sister missionary in Belgium & France 26 years ago...and I wish someone had told me this before I left:


A couple of things I wanted to mention about the clothes you take: they are not precious. They are not what you would "normally" even wear in your life. They become a uniform, a representation of serious, conservative, even business wear--like to the office. Ultra modest, so buttoned up even more than you may normally wear at home. You are not trying to attract the opposite sex. No date clothes. Pretty is okay, and being feminine is important, but not calling un-do attention to your features...if that makes sense?

Not cutesy. Not too young, or even teenagey or co-ed college girl. Older looking is good, because you are trying to talk to families, not just convert teenage boys or young men.

Sister missionaries get tired of their wardrobe. It is inevitable. Like the way pregnant women are almost ready to burn that one pair of pants that fits all the way to the end because you get so sick of wearing it. Mission clothes should be like that. Do not take your most favorite in the world top and hope that you will still love it. Most likely, you will wear it out, ruin it, lose it. Better to keep it home, and think "uniform. Representing whole Church to whole world."

We aren't commanded to live law of consecration now, but think of your clothes as a way to serve others, if needed. Companions, or a sister member who has less than you...I wish I had given away more--in fact, it would have been better if I had come home with only the skirt and shirt on my back.

It can't be a pride issue. Yes, you want to look nice, but think of your life up until now and you are giving a tithing of that life to the Lord. If He needs all your clothes you take, give Him that, too. Your time won't be yours, and don't hold on to your clothes too tightly, either. Give, listen to promptings, share, and don't cling to worldly things. I think that is what the scripture means about not taking purse or script or a 2nd coat. Just what is needed. It will be hard to know "what is needed" until you are there in the field, see the conditions, feel the weather. It is good to have options and good to unload as needed in the field.

One of my favorite heroes in the MTC was a sister who made a bet with an elder who was making fun of sister missionaries and all the clothes they brought--she decided that she could wear one jumper-skirt and just change shirts and accessories for two weeks. She was awesome, and looked great, and it was a good experiment. She really only needed one and a back-up for washing when needed. You don't need to ever worry that members or investigators will ever make fun of you for wearing the same outfit. In a row. Every Sunday. It is ok. It is actually a good example. It is a completely non-worldly way to look at things. If you can embrace the mentality.

Whew. Sermon over. Even saying all that, I love, LOVE, LOVE, color and fashion and fun things to wear. Probably why it was so fun to look and alter these long sleeve shirts into short sleeves and make them more modest. Hope some of it makes the cut to take with you--and if not, no hard feelings. Share with your family or friends. Practice giving away cute things. Especially if they don't fit. If slightly too big--the average sister missionary gains 15 pounds. You can fight the average, though. Do the exercise program!!! Or pray for stomach virus? Bahhahhaahaa. Hope not!

Hugs, Jennilyn

This eternity scarf is too heavy-weight for your mission. Maybe your mom will like it? Or Emma loves red!

I wanted you to see how easy they are to make, how flexible. Good way to add color.