Not a thankless Thanksgiving

Karen spent most of the daylight hours in the kitchen as she put together our Thanksgiving meal. By the time it was ready, I had snacked too much to really dive in. But I did have a little of everything! And it was stupendous.

There’s just one small detail we accidentally omitted from this meal. Of all the meals throughout the entire year, this is one of the very few—if not the only one—that didn’t start with a prayer. You’d think that of all the meals we eat, this is the one for which we would offer much THANKS...but alas. We did not. We simply forgot to. Don’t ask me how.

I should say that we talked a bit this morning about how blessed we have been this past year. This has been a subject of conversation for quite some time, actually, as Karen and I have reflected on what 2012 has delivered to us. We both feel more blessed than we can say that we have been fortunate enough to move here to Logan, for me to go back to school and pass Exam P, and for all the other things in between. Our fridge broke three times, someone got into a car accident with me, and some other unwanted things occurred, but above all of that we are moving forward as a family and progressing to a point of establishing ourselves in a good career. The future is bright, and we are thankful.

Here's a quick top ten list of thankful-fors, so called because they are the first ten things, for which I am thankful, that I am writing off the top of my head.

1. A passing grade on the first actuarial exam
2. Reach mint-waxed floss
3. The scriptures and the gospel of Jesus Christ
4. A temple so close by
5. My Zebra mechanical pencil and Pentel Tri-Eraser
6. Ice cream
7. A vacuum and a mop
8. Karen's unfailing sense of love and optimism
9. Kind words from strangers
10. Baby Einstein videos

Give and take at Utah State

Spencer, my calculus teacher, asked at the beginning of class yesterday that someone be willing to take notes for a classmate for the remaining week of school. The notes need to be well organized and thorough, which I think my notes usually are, so I offered my services via email yesterday evening.

This afternoon, Spencer replied to my email. He said that someone else is on it, but that I was one of three students he had in mind for note-taking. Then, he said this:

By the way, let me know if you want any information about studies in mathematics. I can tell you about graduate schools, careers in mathematics and things you can do now at USU (like hooking up with a professor and even starting to research as an undergrad) to prepare you for whichever career path you are thinking of taking.

Isn't that awesome? You just never know how a relationship with a professor will pan out. Spencer worked as an actuarial assistant for a few years, so I know he will be able to offer some great advice.

The day the earth rotated off its axis

was the day I got laid off, Karen came down with mastitis, and McKay got a job offer in Portland. Which of these things is not like the others?

We're very excited for McKay to start working for Cambia. And it sounds like they are thrilled. McKay called and wanted to know what I thought of Portland (because we both know he's probably my "in" to the industry), and I definitely approve. That's about three years out, but it'll come quickly, I'm sure. (I know nothing about Portland, by the way.) Here's hoping my career as an actuary just got a little closer.