Humbled and Happy

I was able to spend some time with Sara, Chrissy and my dad last night because Dad came up to Salt Lake for a meeting. Sara made a yummy dinner and we sat around and laughed about stupid boys while we ate. Sara had just moved into her new apartment and wanted it blessed by the Priesthood so Dad, of course, stepped in willingly. It was an amazing experience as he exercised that power. It was too special to share, but very powerful. Then we went and wandered walmart... us girls in the girl section and dad in sporting goods. :) We got back and helped Chrissy decide on what to do about her overwhelming semester schedule... especially now that she has been called as the Relief Society President in her ward. She has such a golden heart and longs to do the very best she can... almost to the point of completely wearing herself out. We hugged her and loved her, pick her up, motivated her and shared some more tender and spiritual moments.

I am so incredibly blessed beyond words. I look around me everywhere and there are families being ripped to shreds and suffering in agony as they hold on to what little they have left of 'home'. I am so overwhelmingly humbled to realize how rare a thing I have in my family. I feel so much peace and love; a thick, pure, real and lasting love; a true and eternal love for my family. It's something so deep and strong, that when I really try to comprehend it and think about it, I feel a small and uncontrollable giggle rise from the very depths of my heart and ring out of my voice, accompanied by a tear or two of absolute joy. I start to wonder, "How did this happen? How did my family survive the horrible temptations, enticements and distractions that the world has to offer? How is it that we are the way we are?" But almost without hesitation, the memories come flooding back... Memories of the battles over getting everyone knelt down for family prayer. The eyes that rolled when mom would tell us it was time for scripture study. The unexpected fights that would erupt-- just before a special moment would come along; one that could have kept that good experience from happening, but didn't. These simply vital moments kept us close as a family, no matter how 'painful' and exhausting they were.

I have a testimony of the 'small' things. Pray with your family. Go to church. Share your testimony in the most random of moments. Have family home evening every week. Serve together. Be a real true family and don't be afraid to say 'I love you.' It's THOSE kinds of things that have helped me and my family get where we are. This doesn't do them justices, but I LOVE MY FAMILY. It is this kind of a family that I am going to fight for in my future as well.

New Lesson Learned/Learning

Church was great yesterday. But the lesson I've learned, or that I'm learning is not one that was learned in one day or during one meeting. Its something I've been slowly realizing and learning throughout the last year or so. I am learning that most of my life really isn't about me. I am learning that most of my life is about how I use it to serve others. Here is my thought process:

We are here to follow the example of Christ, to do our best to be like him so that we can return to live with God. The scriptures say that He and God are one. We know that this refers to them being one in purpose. Soo....

If I need to be like Christ, to be one with Him and God, to have the same purpose (Moses 1:39), I need to know what He was like and how he did it. What was he like?: Selfless. How did he do it?: Service. Done. The end. To obtain the reward I desire: Exaltation, I need to forget about myself. I need to focus on those around me because it is through service to them that I will get what I came here to prove myself worthy to receive.

Of course there are many other dimensions and things that must happen, but all of them seem to maintain a connection with this concept. Correct me if I'm wrong. :)

Thoughts? :)

Hmm...

Should I chop off my hair? I'm kinda bored with it. Just wanna do something different. What are your thoughts? Maybe more layers? I would love to highlight it but that's too much $$. Hmmm....

I did NOT feel good about my stats test... Pretty sure I'll be retaking it this summer. Good thing Brad will be in that class. He's a great study buddy and an even better friend. That makes things so much easier. But retaking stats will put me at 17 credits for Summer Semester. Whew! It's gonna be intense but way exciting at the same time because that means I'll be graduating in the Spring next year instead of the Fall. Yay!!!

Almost a year!!

Ha ha! So it looks like it's been a while since I last did anything on this blog. But I thought I'd start to try... again... to do better with it. I was all worried about making sure there were plenty of pictures and such to go on it but I won't worry so much about that as I will just simply updating it.

So... Life is different and a lot has happened within the last year. So if any of you want details you'll have to just ask because I'm going to just start from here on out. Currently I'm in the stress phase of preparing for finals. I have my worst one tomorrow... STATS. Cursed Statistics of Social Research. I have never hated a class with so much of my soul as I do stats. But tomorrow it's the final. I've done so horribly that I just might not pass it and will have to retake it in the summer. However, I am already enrolled in a class with a good teacher and will be taking it with a really good friend of mine. So I am already prepared for the worst. But I'm still crossing my fingers that I will pass and not have to worry about it at all anymore.

I am also on the last few weeks of my calling as Relief Society Secretary. I have mixed feelings about it. It will be really great to have my Sundays back and not have to worry about so much added to my already busy schedule. But then there is the fact that I won't have the opportunity to get to know the girls the way I do now. Well, I will. It will just take a lot more real effort on my part in order to make it happen. I like my calling even though it uses so much time and work. I enjoy caring for the girls on a more personal level.

As far as the dating side of things, I am newly single and ready to get back out there and have some fun, get to know plenty of people, and make more memories. Dating is exhausting. I'm sure ready for my Prince Charming to come riding up on his white horse... Wait... Is there such thing as prince charming anymore?? I'm really beginning to think not. :) Just like there really is no such thing as a perfectly beautiful princess!!

Hi again

So I'm trying to play tricks on myself and instead of waiting forever to post the new news... I'll post saying that I have new news, just to remind myself to put up the pictures for it. That way I can't wait too long to put up new pics because I've already promised them... For example:

I WENT SKYDIVING!!!! Yep. I jumped out of an airplane last weekend and also went to the Brian Regan concert at Tuachan. It was a crazy fun weekend. I do have pictures but I don't have them uploaded on my computer yet. So I promise I'll post them soon. (See, now I can't wait too long until my next blog or I'll be breaking a promise!!) Wow. I'm a dork.

Also, things have already ended with Jeff and I. Just wasn't meant to work out I guess. So that means back to single life, dealing with weirdos, and awkward dates. Uhhhhgggg. No bueno. But that's life. What can ya do right!? But don't worry. I'm still smiling!! :D

I've been a bum... as usual. :o)

Okay so I've been a top-of-the-line bum for the last few months and haven't updated my blog. I just have a hard time sitting down and doing it.

My life is still great and I'm happy. I'm working on getting my schedule for fall semester put together and it's kinda stressful since I have to go full time in order for the government to help me out financially; but I have to keep working full time in order to make ends meet. So that limits me to a full schedule of night classes and many of them overlap. Grr. Oh well, I'll figure it out.
As many of you already know, I am officially dating someone. It's been a while since I've dated so this may come as a shock to a few of you. ;o) I had to break a few hearts to make it happen but it happened. He's a wonderful guy named Jeff Kohler and things are going well. Sad to say, I only have one picture of us... I look terrible and he's pulling a really crazy face. So for his sake I won't post it. ;o)
But here are some pictures of what I've been up to. Hope you all enjoy!!

Our little group of St. George girls got together for dinner at Darley's house. It was fun to see everyone and their little families!!
We had a big group of friends com to St. George for a "camping" trip... obviously we weren't roughin' it too hard!! But it was fun and we did spend plenty of time outdoors!! ;)

This was the evil bush that Laura and I fought for 45 min with her little gardening shovel to get out of the ground. As I pulled it out of the ground, Bro. Smith turned the corner and offered the shovel he had in the back of his truck!! Thanks anyway Bro Smith! haha!
These are my babies that took the place of that ugly bush! They are so happy and I am so happy that they are so happy!!! I love white roses!!!
This was in preparation for a Hollywood themed party that I decided to go to at the last minute. I am a back-up dancer for Beyonce and Jessica is Jessica. :) Laura didn't go so she's just Laura too.
Fine. I'll post the nasty picture of Jeff and I. Although it really does resemble the crazy fun relationship we have. We had just gotten done playing that "Rolling Logs" game on the floor where you just roll over each other as you move across the floor... hence the lovely 'do. What a cutie!!

Doot do dooo!

I'm pretty much just posting because my last post wasn't exactly the most motivating and positive post in the world and I didn't want it to be the most recent thing on my blog!!
So for now I guess I can just do a regular old update. For those who don't know, I will for sure be heading back to school in the fall. Applications are in and getting ready to do the whole loan thing, etc. I'm kinda nervous cuz it's been years since I've gone to school at all, but way excited to actually start doing something with my life. I've been saying I would do it for a while now but now it's actually gonna happen!!
I'm going to get my bachelor's in Human Family Developement in order to do a special program through the state to become a child life specialist. A CLS is someone who does a lot of nurse to patient communications as well as patient education in the hospitals. It's a really wide range of responsibilities. Anything from teaching the child/patient what to expect in a procedure, or educating parents on things that they themselves can do in treatment and care. I will also help the infant unit with babies who are there long term and make sure that they are still learning to develop motor skills and that they don't just lay there all day. I basically take care of the stuff that the nurses simply don't have time to do.
My two roommates are nurses. One works in the infant unit and the other in pediatric intensive care. They both say that they LOVE their CLS's and that she runs herself ragged with all that she has to do to help the kids. I'M SO EXCITED!!! I am going to love it!! Besides, everything I learn is going to help me be a better mom!! :o)
Anyways, that's enough for now. Until next time. Hopefully by next time I'll have some new pictures!! Smiles.