Sister Paulette Hailey Hood

2 YEARS.

i am such a nostalgic.

i love to remember dates. 

i know i have talked about this before ..

but i love to remember what i did the years before.

i like comparing them to the present.

i like to think.

i like to see what other people were doing at the same time.

its so interesting to me.

SO ..

2 YEARS AGO ..

i flew to the WMM.

i left the Provo MTC and got on a plane with 6 Elders.

we made the flight across the US safe and sound.

i remember a lot of things about that day. 

feeling SO inadequate was def #1.

but we all went forth. 

these fine young men and i.

the only thing we knew was we were to get off the plane in the Wiscons and find our President Barrett!

[my elders!]

President Barrett loves his Sisters!

i remember him coming up to me. 

shaking my hand and just looking at me for a moment.

and then i quote ..

"Sister Warner. Your hair is a lot darker than your missionary photo!"

yep.

platinum blonde to dark brown. 

the following day ..

SEPTEMBER 3rd 2008

that was an adventure.

we were all very anxious.

we were going to meet our ..

TRAINERS.

your everything in the mission.

this entire post goes out to my beloved

MAMA HOOD.

now jones. she will always be my sister hood!

as we were in the transfer van the APs were saying how much i was going to LOVE my trainer.

all they said was ..

"she will have you running from house to house!"

oh man.

did that freak me out!

BUT ..

i quickly learned that 

PRESIDENT BARRETT is an INSPIRED MAN.

SISTER PAULETTE HAILEY HOOD.

she is my mother.

i am proud to be her daughter and of the Hood Legacy.

[i will explain later.]

[the day we met. 2 years ago.]

she called me earthy. i guess i look it right here!

but she soon found out i was from LA!

the adventures started and never ceased.

my mama was/is the best.

i REALLY wanted to KNOW WHY the Lord sent ME to WISCONS.

i expressed this burning desire to my mentor.

she prayed for me everyday for the Lord to show me WHY.

the answers came flooding around me.

one was our sweet corry.

[photos on fb.]

a special girl. an amazing experience.

another was baird creek road.

driving. soft music. sunshine through the trees.

simple and small confirmation.

we also covered STURGEON BAY.

the peninsula of wisco.

i really wanted to go there as soon as we could.

the little red lighthouse and families won my heart.

[algoma, wi]

i did my first tracting here.

every door shut in my face. almost cried.

but sister hood had my back and picked me up!

NEVER does anyone LOVE the Barretts more than Hood and I.

well maybe pammy jo black too!

sister hood also convinced me to CHOP MY HAIR OFF.

i did it. i listened. i am glad i did. 

[it was a fun little do']

my mama helped me not only to see the literal beauty of wiscon but she taught me how to see the gospel literally change the lives of others.

just as the fall leaves changed.

she was OBSESSED with wisco.

i became OBSESSED with wisco.

she taught me the true meaning of love.

[door county, wi]

NEVER did anyone love the ROBERTSONS more!

these are our girls and our mama robertson.

THE LORD BLESSES US!

[lisa.annie.jocelyn.]

she liked to strangle me sometimes. i was ok with it.

i knew her love was more!

and it was usually just a photo opp.

[the gb dist.] 

HOOD is the most COMPETITIVE person i've EVER met.

i would say ask her husband now.

she was dared to eat a CENTURY OLD EGG.

she did it.

[100 year old egg.]

we have many nicknames for each other.

mama rex and baby t.

thank you neville public museum.

but no thanks for NOT letting us volunteer.

[baby t. mama rex.]

fall brought halloween.

halloween brought the POPPINGAS.

brady poppina = GB Packer Line Backer?!

Poppingas brought ..

this.

[devil worshiper and vegas showgirl]

like i said.

the adventures NEVER ceased.

it was DEF hood's idea to try and fit a bike box in a mini coop.

it failed.

luckly the ZL's had a van.

thank you e.hawkes and e.jolley for saving the day!

[thank you jrib and fami for the mini coop and driving us everywhere!]

promise we did ACTUAL missionary work!

on to the HOOD LEGACY.

hood trained a greenie right after she was done being a greenie.

she REALLY wanted one of her girls to do the same.

carry on the legacy.

hafen - girl #1

warner - girl #2

sometimes i still think Pres is crazy!

he asked me to train right after hood trained me.

the legacy lived on!

the coolest part was that hafen trained too! 

at the same time! 

[matching is required among sisters. not really.]

hafen was older than me in the mission.

i was terrified!

but my mama gave me AMAZING advice AND confidence.

she is the best.

[especially with those bangs! i am glad you cut them every saturday night.]

MY MAMA HOOD.

i havent seen you since this day.

november 26th, 2008

its been WAY too long.

Thank you for your inspiration.

for teaching me how missionary work gets done.

how to listen to the spirit.

how to plan.

how to find.

how to work with the members.

how to use the gospel in everything.

how to always teach.

how to reach our circle of influence.

how to be a missionary who knows.

how to increase faith.

how to look cute as a sister missionary.

how to have fun and work hard.

how to never give up.

how to keep running.

and most importantly ..

HOW TO BE SISTER MELANIE ELIZABETH WARNER

your legacy lives on ..

the HOOD / WARNER posterity is safe in the WMM!

[and then came the first generation of the warner line .. sister black! my soul sister.]

I LOVE YOU MAMA HOOD.

i miss you terribly.

you are gonna be the best mother to littlest ruby [elizabeth]

and you have the best hubby.

OUR REUNION ..

OCTOBER 1st 2010

its happening.

technology.

i love it.

look what it can do now.

http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/

go to that. you will not be disappointed. promise.

what i do.

i have a job!

it is a blessing.

i have been working now for 2 months.

serious blessing.

i had been home from the WMM for about 4 months when this prize came along.

the first interview i had after being home was for a company in Pasadena.

the day i found out that the position i applied for had been filled i came across my now job.

gotta love craigslist.

all i read was ..

studio manager. local photography studio.

local = arcadia. check. photography. def check.

i applied. out of 200 resumes mine got in the top ten.

thank goodness.

i went for an interview and i was the youngest who had applied.

luckily the owner had some background with MORMONS so my mission was understood.

he called me a few days later and i got the job!

blessing.

funniest part about this is ..

THIS.

i am the Studio Manager for ..

BELLE N' BEAU PHOTOGRAPHY

where i took my MHS Senior Portraits!

this is circa 2003.

my hannah hamill is the one who even told me about this lovely place!

so i manage myself. and ray. the owner/photographer.

when in reality he manages me.

but i take care of everything that goes on for the studio.

i love it.

i love cameras. i love high school seniors. i love eagle scouts.

i love it all.

and the biggest plus is ..

i get to ride this beauty every morning!

my sweet Electra Gypsy Beach Cruiser.

best part about this bike is that my uncles neighbor sold it to me for 50$.

its in stores for 600$.

BLESSING.

bike basket to come this week!

just wait.

i also really LOVE listening to death cab on my ride in the am and pm

it just puts me in a chill mood.

its the best bike ride music.

seriously.

ESPECIALLY ..

summer skin.

i usually listen to it on repeat 3 - 5 times both there and back.

its the best.

summer 2010.

SO MANY BLESSINGS!

job. bike. death cab.

good weather. most of the time anyways.

life is good.

h + b = 1 year!

LOVE.LOVE.LOVE.

this is heather. 

my sister.

this is braden.

my brother in law.

they love each other.

it is beautiful.

today is their ..

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

wow.

here is a photographic trip down memory lane to present.

August 28th 2009

Mesa, Arizona

145 degrees

[i was on my mission in the beautiful wisco. but i was present. see.]

[i am DEF the only one ready for this photo!]

[big sister and little sister. she looked good!]

[all the girls. i feel like i was there. i matched anyway!]

[i knew i could count on my jose romo jr to represent me!]

now to the present .. 2010!

my life size portrait is in our house yet.

its fun to look at.

h&b you better be glad i didnt give this to you as a gift today!

i just really find this humorous! 

[sister warner & melanie elizabeth]

so TODAY.

h&b came to CALI to celebrate their anni.

guess where?

happiest place on earth.

DISNEYLAND!

we went to Downtown Disney to have a romantic anni dinner with them.

i am really grateful that i got to share THIS YEAR with them!

i love you sister and brother.

seriously. best and funniest couple. ever.

i am kinda obsessed.

August 28th 2010

Anaheim, California

79 degrees

[the happy couple. and braden is still all red even though it is 65 degrees cooler! its b.c. he is albino.]

[my crazy sister! she charged me down when she saw me. secretly really loved it.]

[this is why i cant get enough of these two. braden thinks he is gangsta!]

[love at its finest.]

[and FINALLY. i love. LOVE. love them.]

on a more serious note.

there is no one better for each other.

i barely met braden 5.5 months ago.

when i stepped off the plane from wisconsin.

but i could not want or pick anyone better for my sweet and crazy heather.

you two = the best match!

many. many. many more years of love. laughter. memories.

you know that will happen with braden around!

HAPPY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

mommy.

this is ..

Hannah Rebekah [Terrill] Hamill

best friend since '97.

not really sure if it was that year but we'll say it was.

she is 25 today. 

happy day of birth.

we like to call each other mommy.

we also liked to swim and play water polo together.

we liked to share the number 5 as well.

we liked holding balloon flowers after losing games too.

[thank you ryan menlove and your clown skills!]

my dear hannah and i have shared MANY things.

to name a few ..

*a bed

*clothes

*boyfriend 

[that one i can say b.c. she printed it on her wedding program!]

*toothbrush

[maybe didnt share but i had one at her house!]

*food

*family

*driving

*college apartments

*231 fb friends

the list can go on and on ..

one of my fav shares was our kitteh 

LUCILLE.

we were proud mommies of this little girl!

sad day when we had to give her to a new mommy.

dang provo housing!

hannah and i grew up together in Monrovia.

we have come along way.

instead of holding balloon flowers we graduated to REAL WEDDING FLOWERS!

well SHE did anyways!

this was one of the last times i have seen my hannah.

i was lucky enough to leave on my mission AFTER her and rob tied the knot.

what a blessing.

we have def grown up.

back where we started.

at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints!

i knew hannah from church and boy has she blessed my life!

always encouraging me to keep going after my goals.

being one of the best college roommates ever.

always knowing when we needed each other.

we are somehow psychic with each other.

for example:

i of course was going to CALL this sweet woman today.

no text or fb post for her.

the real deal.

i decided my lunch break would be the best time.

i was going to at the start of my break but i was oh so hungry.

so i waited.

i called.

hannah just laughed and said ..

robbie and i WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT YOU!

right as i called.

psychic.

doesnt get any better than this.

now we just need to see each other.

its been 2 years too long.

i miss you mommy.

i love you.

heres to you being 25!

oh time flies ..

2 YEARS!

can you believe it?!

i cant.

August 13, 2008

the day i went into the MTC.

oh how i loved the Missionary Training Center!

so many memories!

the day i officially became ..

SISTER WARNER

for the next 1.5 years!

[and started the journey of meeting SO many greats! SO many its hard to name!]

just go back and read my old letters! 

i said goodbye to THIS lovely bunch and said hello to a whole new world!

what a wonderful AND tough world that was.

the MTC is a refiners fire [as said by my sarai!]

i knew the Lord would take care of all them while i was in His service.

He kept to His promise as i labored in His vineyard.

my heart ached for them everyday

BUT

the Lord blessed me in His little tender ways.

one time i REALLY really REALLY missed my sisters.

the whole day. i was new yet to the mission life.

i was in green bay. it was the fall. i was with sister hood.

we came home for lunch.

what a tender mercy! i had 3 letters from my sisters!

Heather tended to write letters. all at diff times. BUT mailed them at the SAME time in DIFF envelopes!

loved it.

1 YEAR AGO!

August 13, 2009

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

i was JUST transferred to this GREAT area the prior week.

i fell in LOVE with the Kozlosky House!

they became instant fami!

ALSO i got put back with my SISTER BLACK!

AND

with SISTER BEHRENDS!

TRIO NATION i dubbed us.

i wrote rhymes and raps on the bathroom mirror for Papa K.

i felt like b.c. i was in the MKE i needed my LA skills to come through!

[i dont have much though! dont tell Papa K!]

Papa K lit a fire this day for me.

to BURN something for my 1 year mark as Sister Warner!

what did i choose?!

oh just my beloved PANTY HOSE!

[thanks lisa jane .. btw!]

we the TRIO NATION also had the wonderful opportunity that day to go to the 

CHICAGO TEMPLE!

[thank you lauren major for driving us!]

they had a RC [recent convert] go for the first time!

what a blessing!

what a good day!

now to ..

AUGUST 13, 2010

this is today.

now i am home. 

i miss Wisconsin EVERYDAY!

TIME FLIES. 

it really does.

i just really like dates and memories.

this is me now. 

i work. i spend time with my mom. i go out with YSA in LA.

i speak in acronyms.

i text again.

a lot.

but not as much as before.

ok. that might be a lie.

either way. texting or not.

I LOVE LA.

but really ..

I LOVE MY MISSION.

i will NEVER get tired of saying it.

i will NEVER forget it.

or anything associated with Wisconsin.

and i am happy about that!

just like my Sister Hood [Jones. Wife of Nic. Mother of Ruby]

said to me ..

i will be that one crazy lady who always says ..

ON MY MISSION ..

yep thats me.

24/7/365

serisously.

and i love it. 

hope you get use to it!

on my mind ..

dates. events. activities. memories. years. people. details.

i remember things. A LOT. of things.  

i am your go to woman if you need a refresher about something in the past. 

[if i was present for it. or you told me about it. obvi.]

my companions on my mission would sometimes get annoyed that i could remember every detail about a place or people.

sister black would still call me after i left GB to ask me details. i loved it.

my big sisters fav thing to tell me is .. "CLIFF NOTES VERSION!" .. because i can remember every detail to a story or a dream and i REALLY feel like i need to tell her it ALL when i am sharing a story with her!

she really loves it.

my sarai wishes i was still living with them in spanish fork so i could mentally document the kids' life and tell her all their crazy stories over and over!

one of the many memories on my mind today ..

this photograph was taken 1 year ago today. it was a wednesday.
 i could tell you every thing we did before and after i took this photograph. 

and even WHY i wanted this photograph.

it was my last day in appleton, wisconsin.

and we were dubbed the WINNEBAGO SISTERS!

sister warner & sister v.johnson.

i left this great city and went to the greatness of milwaukee the next day.

wow. memories. i love them.

today is another day of greats. its been 5 months. 

5 months of "normal" life we will call it.

the adjustment is interesting. 

good. funny. awkward. hard. intimidating. new.

so many things.

i hope i dont get Alzheimers one day. 

seriously.

i love having a good memory.

sometimes its beneficial. 

sometimes not.

so if you want to remember something.

just ask miss melanie.

the mind freak.

4 months ..

the WMM [wisconsin milwaukee mission] has my heart.

always. forever.

its been four months since i have been home.

AND

still not one day goes by that i dont THINK about or TALK to someone from Wisconsin.

i love that place.

dont get me wrong. i love home too.

cali nation gots it going on.

but wow. wisconsin.

the restored gospel of jesus christ is true.

it is!

"normal" life is good. i am getting the hang of it better and better. each and everyday.

President Barrett told me when i left the WMM ..

"Good things come to an end so that BETTER things can come."

its happening.
good friends. A JOB. lovin the summer fun.
day by day.

7.4.10

independence!

FREEDOM.

i love the fourth of july.

especially sparklers.

last year i wore this red dress and blue earrings to show my love of America.

last year i was in Appleton, Wisconsin.

last year i was a missionary.

did you know missionaries are NOT allowed to play with fireworks?

ya its one of the many rules.

i really did COMPLETELY forget.

i saw sparklers and got SO excited.

only AFTER the fact of playing with them did one of the elders remind sister johnson and i that is was illegal for us.

thanks. telling us BEFORE would have been a greater help. 

too late. we got some sweet photographs though.

i miss this girl. my little sister j.

V = for Virginia. her first name.

nothing prettier than Virginia in May. Johnson.

this year was quite a diff experience.

for 1. july 4th was on SUNDAY. 

Sundays for me means i dont do anything but Church and relax with marmie.

for 2. i was NOT a missionary.

which meant SPARKLERS = GO FOR IT!

for 3. i was HOME. monrovia style.

that hasnt happened in 4+ years.

funnest time all together.

we [mikey. hillary jones. d-roq. melanie.] played with sparklers and photography.

we also played rook most of the night.

thanks for introducing me to the game mike!

you and d-roq = team domination.

good thing we split you boys up.

HAPPY AMERICAS DAY!

freedom is the best.

7.4.10