Romantic Poetry

So, I'm making this really quick because I'm tired but I felt like sharing this for the heck of it.

In AP European History for Chivalry Day I had to read a poem and a speech extolling female virtues. So, I wrote a romantic love poem. What seemed to me cheesy, actually made all the girls in the class swoon and many of them later told me it was really good. I'll possibly elaborate more on my thoughts about why this worked so well later.

Here it is (Read it slowly, romantically, seductively, and wish passion):

Extolling Female Virtues

A woman, finest of all,

Teaches us, how to stand tall.

She walks in light,

To everyone’s delight.

She sings, we cry for joy,

She dances, we gaze in wonder.

She stands strongest of all,

Where most men fall.

She comforts the weak,

While others walk by.

She’s a gem in all eyes,

That defies all belief.

Queens over us, she loves unconditionally.

Hence women must never, ever be passed by,

As they are greater, than any sort of guy.

The Beauty of Adoption

I love to share my story of how I was adopted with others, so I thought I would share it with all of you in a nice little post! Sorry it's a wall of text, but I promise it's worth the time to read!

Intro:
My whole life I've had questions buzzing around in my head. Why am I so different from my parents? How come my genetics and other traits so different? What do I do when my Biology teacher wants me to trace back my genetic tree? What are my genetics? What blood do I have in me? Where are my ancestors from? Who is my Birth Father? etc. etc.

What is my story of how I got here?

Here it is as far as I know:
When I was born my birth mother Mindy Hassard (awesome last name right!?) was not in a position to take care of me. Some conditions at the time include: she has bi-polar which makes her life much harder (just to clarify, bi-polar is not multi-personalities, it is when you have drastic mood swings. Everyone has bi-polar to a certain extent, but people diagnosed with it tend to have more regular EXTREMES of sadness or happiness). I also have a half-brother, Colby Hassard, who was 8 at the time of my birth. Also, whatever conditions existed at the time in terms of my father I assume were very hard. So, given these various circumstances when I was born, Mindy was in no position to raise me in a way that would be best for my growth and development. She loved me so much that she made the extremely difficult decision to have me adopted.

At the same time, my mom Jan Engle was trying to have her own child. She had a miss-carriage in the past and it was proving difficult for her to have her own child. So, she began looking to adopt a child. My Aunt Arlene was aware of my mom's predicament and desire to adopt. She also happened to live in the same area as Mindy, so 2+2=4 and the process of adoption took place and VWELAH! here I am in Provo, Utah with the best parents in the world!

I also would like to clarify that while I was adopted away from my birth family, we still have a very strong relationship with all of them. I love Mindy, Colby, Grams (bless her soul), Gramps, and everyone else in my family on that side. It's really cool to have 3 sides to my family. It's also really awesome to have such a mature relationship with them. At the moment my brother Colby is a return missionary who served a full time mission in Texas. He's going to UVU right now. I don't know him as well as I wish I do, but we love each other and that's what's most important. It's really hard to get together when I have crazy High School/Band owning my life and College/Marriage owning his.

In respect to who my birth father is the short answer is I don't know. The long answer is what I plan to do. My brother (who has a different birth father than mine) met with his birth father a few times before his mission. He was able to get to know him a bit and it sounded rather interesting. I think that's what I plan on doing. I think it will be a good experience, and the time will come.

Testimony:
Now why would I explain all of this? Well, to make everything clear I want you all to know that I don't ever question whether Jan and Ross (it feels so weird to say that, I prefer mom and dad :) are my parents. I love them as much as is humanly possible and I know they love me even more. We may not have the same genetics in common, but we have a much more powerful binding relationship. I have been sealed to my parents in the temple for all of time and eternity. I am so grateful that I have grown up, and live in a place where the Gospel is so strong, and I can have these sacred covenants and ordinances in my life. They bind me with my parents for time and eternity, so our genetics may not have any relation, but our spirits are bound forever. Take a moment to put that into perspective... that's amazing. Eternity's a long time, and I wouldn't spend it any other way.

I have a testimony that through the temple we can all be families together forever. I am so thankful that I have been born into the Gospel. The blessings I receive are innumerable. The Gospel makes everything possible, and as long as I do what God wants me to then he is able edify me in my every day life. It's humbling to think that out of the billions of people to live on this earth, I get to be one of those who has received the Gospel in this life. I bear testimony that these things are true and say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.