Today I get to introduce you to one of my favorite people I’ve met through blogging.  Becky and I blog-visited for quite a while before we actually met you each other last year, and I immediately liked her.  She is down-to-earth, funny, and has a deep heart and mind.  Once you get to know Becky, I’m convinced it’s impossible to not like her.  Here’s Becky:

First, an ode to Stephanie:

Okay, after sitting at my computer for several minutes, it is apparent I can’t write an ode. Shakespeare I am not. How about a haiku? They don’t even have to rhyme! Ahem.

The real Stephanie

Is as real as real can be

And she makes me laugh.

Okay, so I’m no good at poetry. How about this: I love Stephanie, and if you’re reading this, then you do, too. She’s down-to-earth, hilarious, and intensely spiritual to boot. I feel like I’m treading water whenever I read her blog. And when I met her, I was quite confident that we could have talked for a week straight if she hadn’tve gotten strep throat.

Reader, you have excellent taste. Good job.

So, have I put off writing about myself long enough? Yes? Okay. Let’s jump in.

Name: Becky. Code name: That Girl. Age: I’ll-be-thirty-in-less-than-a-month-and-I’m-super-excited-about-it. Blood type: O+.

Married nine years to my perfect companion, four boys under seven. Life rocks.

Grew up in Michigan, went to BYU, majored in Family Life Education with big dreams of teaching marriage prep, communications and conflict resolution, and parenting. Blogging is a great place to spout my ideals; then my listeners can just click off the page, rather than grow glassy-eyed in my presence.

After we’d been married for two years, my husband was transferred to Brazil for work. He’s a finance guy. We loved it, and two of our sons were born there. I blogged about it on The Misplaced Americans. We lived there for five wonderful years, then moved to Arizona for the past two. I love Arizona more than I ever thought possible (people probably get glassy-eyed about that, too ….)

I keep busy exercising, reading, writing, building Lego monstrosities, serving, monitoring foam sword fights, long bike rides, and recently learning to cook with a Sun oven.

I love my family. I love the gospel. I love carbs. That’s pretty much my life.

1. What’s your favorite part of motherhood?

Getting to know my children as people. Laughing at their jokes. Having the same interest in books. Appreciating their insight. I feel so incredibly honored that I get to be part of the process – and yet I feel like I’m not doing a dang thing, either. My kids are just naturally awesome, I think. (Note: I am not currently potty-training anyone …)

I’m also very partial to their toes.

2. What part of motherhood would you subcontract out if you could?

Tcha. Laundry. No contest. And perhaps potty-training. (Although I could TOTALLY write a whole post just on how laundry is NOT part of motherhood. Anyone else agree?)

3. Name 2 or 3 items on your “bucket list.”  (Some things you’d like to do before you die.)

Oh, gosh. Travel more. Europe in particular. I’d like to finish my kids’ scrapbooks some day. I have a goal to make quilts for all my grandchildren. Hot-air ballooning sounds fun. So does Lasik.

But I can’t die until I see all my children in the temple.

4. What are you loving lately?

Learning! We are told to “seek learning by study and also by faith,” but I never really knew how to apply that principle on a daily basis once I’d graduated from college. But I’m taking a class now that has really opened my mind, helping me see opportunities for growth in everything. It’s thrilling. I feel more alive than I have in a long, long time. It’s good to use my brain for more than memorizing Elmo’s latest CD.

I also think I’m finally starting to figure out this whole mothering thing. (My poor, poor first child….) I’ve calmed down a lot about things that used to send me over the edge. And I’m starting to understand my responsibilities as far as education is concerned. It’s overwhelming, but inspiring. I’m glad I don’t have to teach them alone!

5. What do you gravitate toward during your unscheduled time?

Reading. And compulsively checking my email.

Recently I found myself without any kids for a couple hours. Two were sleeping (and Grandma was home to watch them), one was at school and one was on a playdate. And once handed this private, unexpected luxury … I ran errands.

I’m so boring.

6.  What parts of your testimony are you the most sure of?

That The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. Wholly and undoubtedly. I may not know how or why, and I may not know much, but I know it’s true. It is true and it is good.

7. Desert Island Question.  If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take 3 items with you, what would they be?

Am I allowed to bring my husband? No? Then mascara, a hygiene kit, and a library. I’m sneaky. ;o)

8. What homemaking job/task gives you the most satisfaction?

Hmmm. That’s a toughie. Really – if ANY part of my house is clean, I am most definitely satisfied. Be it the dishes, the bathroom, or yes, even the laundry – I get a bursting, bubbly feeling when it’s DONE.

Yes. Done-ness makes me happy. Doesn’t matter what it is. If it’s clean, I’m happy.

9. What’s something unexpected in your life, and how have you dealt with it?

Well, my parents got divorced last year. Not entirely unexpected, but most certainly unwanted. (“Sad” doesn’t really cut it here, does it?)

The end result was that my mother and little sister (she’s sixteen) have moved in with us. This has been … hard.

(Gosh, I need a thesaurus.)

At first it was not fun. Really, REALLY not fun. And I found myself “venting” all the time. But I had to learn that “venting” was really just “complaining,” and that I just plain felt worse afterward. I’ve stopped venting, and magically stopped being annoyed.

But please don’t ask about it, because I’m still in recovery from Venting Anonymous, and I don’t want to be tempted.

10. Tell us about your blog.

Well, I started the whole Blogging Thang way back in 2008. (I actually had to look that up. How sad is that?!) Back then, I was living in Brazil, and feeling mighty lonely for all things American. (Including friends. And Target.) So I started a blog. It kinda sorta took off, and eventually landed a job for my husband in the States. There was much rejoicing.

Now we’re back in the States, my blog lost more than half of its readers, and I’m thoroughly okay with that.

I’m pretty boring now. I talk about my kids. Our weekly dates. Attempts at organizing. Blah blah blah.  (You can find Becky’s blog at Pensievity.)

In addition to which, I’m taking a Summer Sabbatical from the blog, so this is kind of a hard time to get to know me through the internets. Read the Brazilian blog. I was way funnier then, and I had a lot more interesting things happen to me than, say, cleaning the garage.

11. Tell us some of your best mom-tricks  (things you’ve figured out that work well for you).

Routines. Deciding what’s important to you, and creating time to make it happen. I’m big on piano, reading, outings, friends, service, cleanliness, cooking. I’m not a fan of boredom and TV.

I also have a very strong testimony of snacks. And naptimes.

12. Give your best advice to a newlywed or expectant mom.

Don’t listen to all the advice!

No, really – decide what’s best for you and your family. Discuss. Talk. Communicate. (This includes prayer.) Then follow the inspiration you receive! We all get hung up on “right or wrong” ways of doing things. When to start cereal? Co-sleep or crib? Do we divide up household chores the way our parents did it? How often is it okay to have pancakes for dinner?

The answer is – there is no answer. Don’t worry about what your neighbor or your sister or your old college roommate is doing. Love your family unselfishly and unconditionally, and you won’t go wrong.

 Thank you Becky–  first, for participating in Find-a-Friend Friday, and second, for being so cool.  Go ahead and stick her blog in your reader list because you won’t regret it once she stops playing around all summer and picks the blog back up again.