What would you choose?

This post is inspired by a recent rereading of Anne of Green Gables. When Anne first meets Matthew, she asks him if he would rather be "dazzlingly clever, stunningly beautiful, or angelically good?" I was asking myself the same thing tonight. If I could be naturally one of the three: clever, beautiful, or good, what would I choose? (For the sake of the rules, you could still be moderately the other two. If you chose beautiful, for instance, you wouldn't then have to be dim-witted and evil. You could still be bright and want to be good.)
To be naturally angelically good would be fantastic. To never again have to fight with my conscience over unkind thoughts or an inappropriate word that slipped from my mind out my lips. But I'm afraid it would be boring. Would it be boring to be angelically good? Would an angelically good person think it was boring? That's the question.
And to be naturally stunningly beautiful would be awesome. Think of all the time it would save in trying to do the best with what you've got. You would just always look great. But again, would it be boring?
I'd have to go with dazzlingly clever. It seems to have the most scope for fun. (But really, does it matter? Has a genie offered me these choices? No.)
What would you choose?

President Hinckley

I've always thought I would just be so sad when President Hinckley died. So many of his talks, articles, lessons, and quotes have inspired my life, but all I can think is "Good for him." I mean, no one can go to his maker better prepared, and Marjorie is there waiting for him. I bet he's so happy to get a little rest. (Although, probably he'll just get right back to work, chugging along.)
Some of the the things that inspire me most about President Hinckley:
1. More than double the number of temples were built and put to work during his years as prophet as all the years before that. And that genius idea of mini-temples (the first in Monticello)--absolute genius.
2. His reassuring message of "just do your best," but followed with the challenge of "make sure it's your very best." Those phrases have inspired more introspection in my life than any others.
3. His entertaining, forthright appearances on the national media circuit. With Larry King and Mike Wallace, he showed how comfortable he was in his own skin and with his own beliefs. It was awesome.
4. I love the song he wrote for The Friend, "Don't Ever Forget to Pray." I loved that he made his message to the children so simple, so important, and so unforgettable. It really is one of my very favorite Primary songs.

I'm sure I'm missing something, something significant, but again, all I can think is, "Good for him."

"Expert"

Rachel Weber was here this afternoon, and when her new birthday necklace broke, was very sad. I told her that I could probably fix it. I could see her mind at work when she brightened up and said, "Oh. . . my dad can fix it. He's a doctor AND a builder AND an ex-pert."
"Well," I said, "good!"
Livi said, with joyful surprise on her face, "My dad's a doctor and a builder, too!! I think he can fix it."
I wish John could have been an expert as well, but we can't all be Steve Webers.

Frustrations

Our new camera (thank you, Mom and Dad, and luckily you didn't have to pay that price.), which takes such lovely pictures, does not seem to take pictures that can be uploaded to the blog. Certainly, there are also possible deficiencies in the computer (which is old) and the internet connection (which is often dysfunctional), but being irrational as I am tonight, I want to place the blame squarely on the camera. John took a fantastic video of Mimi in one of her most fantastic flaming fits this afternoon (I think that girl has a monthly quota of tantrums that she absolutely must fill), and it cannot be shown. The blog mourns.

Wells Family Best of 2007

We are back in Toledo, and to celebrate, are posting the Wells Family "Best of" List for 2007. I wanted to add pictures, but the internets would not cooperate, leaving me without photographic proof of our accomplishments. I am posting anyway.
Best Movie:
John: Star Trek: Voyager (Season 4) What a marathon we had at Fish Lake and almost completely on a 6" screen.
Em: Amazing Grace
Liv: She says "Peter Pan," but she asks to watch "Thumbelina" every single day
Mimi: Sleeping Beauty. I'm beginning to think the Sleeping Beauty Polly Pocket is growing permanently into the skin on the palm of her hand

Best Book:
John: Undaunted Courage (Editor's Note: We would have been really proud of him if he could have branched out into some fiction for his favorite, but since "At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances" comes in second, we are still moderately proud)
Em: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Dumbledore disappointments excepted)
Liv: The Rainbabies
Mimi: Sleeping Beauty (big surprise)
Best Part of the Interview/Holiday Trip:
John: Hiking all over the desert with my girls
Em: Sledding up on the Blue Mountains and at the cabin
Liv: Playing in the cubbyholes at the "cavin" at Fish Lake and climbing on the rocks when we went hiking
Mimi: Playing flashlight tag at Grandma Anderson's house for Family Home Evening

Most Exciting Event:
John: Honduras with Pops
Em: Washington D.C. -- both times
Liv: First Day of Preschool
Mimi: Trick-or-treating as Sleeping Beauty--especially when accompanied by Prince Phillip

Best Gift Received:
John: Sony H-9 camera
Em: The green corduroy jacket that I picked out for myself, wrapped for myself, and tagged "To Em from John."
Liv: Mini Barbies (and I must add that the snap-on clothes are a huge improvement from the eensy-beensy snaps and velcro strips of normal Barbies)
Mimi: The trunk full of dress-ups from Grandma

Most Valuable Lesson Learned:
John: Life is good, help others, be happy for others, don't waste time. (Editor's Note: This seems like a life lesson, not a year's lesson. I'm pointing that out mostly because it makes my valuable lesson look like petty and insignificant.)
Em: Don't put off buying a pair of shoes for an important event then compensate by buying two pairs of "not-quite-right" shoes. Furthermore, expecting a stressed husband with no previous expressed interest in fashion to help pick out which shoes are more appropriate simply compounds the problem.
Liv: Learned her address and phone number
Mimi: Also learned the address and phone number, plus learned that "Mom needs exercise to make her not grouchy."

Biggest Disappointment:
John: Calling Palm Tech Support (1.5 hrs) having them walk me through deleting everything on my palm and computer then telling me to try a different cable and hanging up. A little cable wiggle later and it works....too bad all my contacts and other programs are gone. (Editor's note: This is a recent disappointment, and so it weighs heavier than any other disappointments. However, if this really is the biggest disappointment of the year--doesn't he live well?)
Em: I couldn't go home for my Grandpa's funeral.
Liv: Ella was lost in Chicago. :(
Mimi: Mom, on occasion, refuses to put a long-sleeved dress on a Polly Pocket, citing the difficulty of doing so, and instead requests a short-sleeved dress. This can be devastating.

Greatest Success:
John: Thrived during 3rd/4th year and actually felt like I was helping people a little.
Em: Made it through seven interviews without really cracking--to imagine punching a smug smiler is not the same thing as actually punching him
Liv: Prevailed over mom in getting her desired haircut
Mimi: Now makes it through three sacrament meetings per month without having to be removed because of disruptive activity

Favorite Project:

John: Fixing my father-in-law's Cobalt after Em ran it into the little truck

Em: Little girls' dresses for brother Dave's wedding

Liv: Painting page after page at the Art Museum and making a scarecrow at preschool.

Mimi: Arranging and rearranging all of Grandma Wells's (how do you show Wells possessive?) collection of nativities, sorting by character within the nativity story. (All the Marys together, all the Josephs together, and especially all the babies Jesus together in a basket.)