Sunday, April 29, 2012

PAPERS = SUBMITTED

My papers are final submitted on my part! Finally after figuring out the passport ordeal (read on) I finally was able to press the submit button!

Let me remind you that the picture process took me the longest and caused me the most stress. I could not figure out what type and style of picture I should send along.  It was a headache.  So I tried lots of different options.

First: I tried a full body shot in appropriate missionary attire clothing and I looked like a pioneer. Yeah NO

Second: I tried just a waist up shot but with no make up (just mascara) and my moms Pearls. YEAH SO NOT ME.

Finally: I had my little brother brandon stand on a stool and take a ton of pictures of me right before going to church.  This was a success! I hope I got to capture my personality, and who cares if I have make up and jewelry on right? Still gotta show and be me!

Here's the winner.


I hope they can tell how truly happy I am! I am so excited to be a missionary! I've never felt like Ive made such a right decision like I do with this! Now get me outta here all ready! ;)


SUBMIT! WOOHOO! 

Sweet baby Madden

I'm an aunt again! Madden Lee was born Monday April 23.


I got to play with Braxton and Merrek a couple days this week. Of course Brax wanted to "take pictures and put it on instagram" It was an early morning.  I still have morning eyes and the last nights make up on ;) but look how he poses for every picture so funny!



CONGRATS Kevin and Jenna. You make the cutest kids!

Red face season

Kay see this... this is my dad. This is my dad in the winter time.  This is his red face year round.  When he was bishop they'd call him Big Red because every Sunday after working out in the yard all day Saturday his face would be glowing Fire truck RED not exaggerating.
picture doesn't even do justice
WELL.. I have been given this gene as well but it only really hits me in the summer time.  My face is red all summer long! I can't say I hate it because it is nice not really having to wear face make up.  But even if I wanted too I literally can not because it does no good and no color matches RED.

This is just after our first hot sunny day and all I was doing was driving around running errands! Oh and my eye lids, yeah thats not make up thats color from the sun. BAHA so out of control.  Yay for red face season!


Passport experience.

So I have a neat silly story that will come across so little but it was such a sweet little blessing and something I will never forget!

One of the questions on the missionary papers is Do you have a passport? So I put yes and went to the file got my passport and filled out all the necessary information.  When I was done I thought, I NEED to put this back into the file right now or I know I am going to lose it.  Well guess what, I didn't put it in the file and I totally could not find it! When I went to upload my picture (it was the final thing I needed to do to complete the paperwork) I thought I was all ready to go and I was so excited to press submit! Well then they ask you to scan a copy of your drivers license and your passport.  So I scanned my drivers license went to get my passport and I COULD NOT FIND IT ANYWHERE! It was 11:00 pm and me and my dad looked everywhere! My room was spotless but I tore it up looking for it, we even checked under my mattress and everything. Then I went to the filing cabinet and went through every single file thinking maybe I slipped it into another file. WELP nothing there either.  I had come to a conclusion that I probably threw it away when I went on my rampage earlier that week throwing crap away in my room. I didn't give up tho I looked for a couple days after still hoping I'd find it.
                  Well After 4 days I came to terms that I had thrown it away. So I called the passport people and they were telling me how I'd just have to fill out a stolen or lost passport application and then just do the whole process over again.  There was NO absolute way I was going to pay $135 AGAIN for a passport.  When I was on the phone they asked if they wanted me to dispatch the passport right then. Something inside of me (and not wanting to pay $135) just felt like No not yet.  So I hung up the phone Got On My Knees and just prayed and begged to find my passport. Begged that my eyes would be open and that I would find this! Less than 5 minutes later, probably within like 2 minutes I FOUND IT!! Funny thing is I looked in that spot probably a good 10 times before hand because its always where I "hide" things when our cleaners come.  It was such a tender mercy and such a sweet little experience for me.  I don't know why Heavenly Father made me stress it for an entire week but it made finding it way more special.
                 Sometimes He answers our prayers immediately but sometimes it takes a good long while but He does hear us and He is always assisting and guiding us as long as we are kneeling before Him, allowing our hearts to be humble, and putting our trust and faith in Him.  I am grateful for the power of prayer and to know that we have a Father in Heaven we can rely on and turn to.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Summer Events!

I'm just beside myself right now with all these great things coming my way!

I will be going through the temple in just a month or so!  I am so ready and excited to make this next big step. Its all just sureal and special. I've been looking forward to this day literally my entire life and its finally time.


NEXT: I'm going to Belize and Guatemala this summer for 2 weeks! I'm so so excited!

THEN: well I'll know in a few weeks where the next place I'll be heading too!.. AGH can't wait!

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Greys Anatomy


I'd like you to meet my new friends.  Seriously not kidding I forget I'm really not apart of their lives.  Netflix is the devil and its got me hooked on show after show.  I've gotten through 4 seasons in like 2 weeks. Thats just sad really! haha! After this show tho I'm done with netflix! But I really do like them...

*hopeful*

This picture is just so so sweet!

Taste In Men..

So I've realized my taste in men kinda pretty much sucks.  I just can't pick them right! Its crazy how people can turn out SO different with time.  Seriously people dating is awful.  An arranged marriage is sounding so good right about now! And the only reason I'm even venting to myself is not because I'm single and want to get married its because I don't like when I don't have a control over a situation or when someone can really just jerk you around like its nothing. Its totally really not okay! No I'm not dating Yes I'm going on a mission (so excited) but a girl gotta eventually let go. And guys need to eventually stop being babies.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Its sunday..

Its Sunday so I need to blog... but I don't know what to blog about... So here's some ramble

1. Time seems to be going by so slow.. yet so fast.  The weeks seem forever long BUT we are already in the middle of April.. How is that possible?

2. I am beyond stressed and afraid I'm not going to find anything to where on the mission.  I have to get an entire new wardrobe and I guess you can't wear anything with pattern or bright colored? How am I going to survive?....

3. Facebook constantly reminds me that people uglier than me are married or getting married. LOL (singles ward joke) just kidding going on a mission I can push aside that thought for a year and a half...

4. The few Single friends around me seem so totally miserable and bored with life and it makes me sad.  Trying to figure out how to bring some energy and life to everyone I can't take it anymore!

5. I really do HATE scary movies.  The church should make them against the rules.

6. I'm in love with Arizona and its weather.

7. I'm excited for this 10k Down Syndrome Glow Run..

8. I love to sing

9. I'm grateful for life.

10. I'm grateful for who I am.

Theres 10 randoms for the week.  Hopefully next week I'll have something better to write about!

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

I'M GOING ON A MISSION!

AGH! I can't even believe it! I'M GOING ON A MISSION! I am just feeling so beyond grateful and blessed as I've prayed and came to the decision that this is the next step that I am to take.  I have gone back and forth and then back and forth again for months now on what to do with my career with school just with life in general.  There's so much I want to do and so much I want to experience and I just didn't know where to begin.  Heavenly Father is sending me on a mission!  It has been the most emotional past few weeks.  Every time I think about it I get chills up and down my body and I just know this is where I need to be.  Can't wait to finish my papers and to get my call and go through the temple!

Surrounded by love!

It has been a fun and busy few weeks! My friend Ashley Lindblom *Brown* just got married and it was such a beautiful day! Kimber came from Indiana to support Ash and stayed with me for the entire week! We had so much fun just relaxing and doing all sorts of random things.  I loved having Kimber here with me! I've missed this girl so much!

Also here's just some cute pix of me and Kali while we were waiting to pick up the other girls from a birthday party.








Sunday, April 1, 2012

Can this spring day get any Better?

This is the prettiest day I think we have had in YEARS! And it makes it more special that its a Sunday and its Conference Sunday.  Windows are opened, birds are chirping, airplanes flying low, dinner smells delicious, family is all playing outside, and funny jokes have been played! 

Days like this remind me of my childhood and how great it was.  I decided to play out of a song book my brothers used to always play out of! People ask me how I was able to pick up the piano so quickly and it is because music filled our home and all 4 of my older brothers played and I wanted to play just like them.  So these Yani songs will always hold a special place in my heart.  

Lots of changes.

Its a bitter sweet time.  I decided to leave the family I was nannying full time when they told me they had to cut my hours and pay. I was so so sad! I cried at the beginning of the week and when I was saying good bye!  I have been so overly blessed with all the job opportunities that have come my way.  I have been asked by many to go in for an interview and to take a position at different offices.  I thought it was going to be way more difficult to find something and something that will work with my piano studio bc I did not want to drop that.  I have been so blessed and still trying to figure out where I want to go! We will find out soon! 

AND Ashley I cant believe you are getting married in less than 5 days!! 

beautiful conference week

There is nothing more uplifting, peaceful, rejuvenating, and encouraging then General Conference!  I was touched by the spirit with all the beautiful talks that were given.  Some of my favorites and favorite quotes were:

- Elder Holland : "Repent and REPAIR" the word repair really struck me.  That really is what the atonement is all about repairing and bettering our lives.  All lots of things do take faith and *repair*
Same talk : the formula for faith is to hold on!

Elder Hales: As our spiritual desire increase, we become more spiritually reliant.

David Baxter: "You can not come to me now, but I can come to you" - Heavenly Father

Ulisses Soares: If our attitudes are good we will be influenced by God.

President Uchtdorf: "STOP IT" :) and "dont judge me because I sin differently than you"

Julie B. Beck: "It is my privilege to exchange rags with spiritual robes"

L. Tom Perry: key word Deliverance.

M. Russell Ballard: Loved his Cause --> Effect theory

Larry Y. Wilson: His parenting talk reminded me exactly how my parents have raised me. I loved this.

David F. Evans: Love and forgiveness will draw our children closer to us and to Christ.

Paul B. Pieper: Liked how he talked about recording our promptings and showing that recognition to God.

Neil L. Andersen: "What does Christ think of me?" LOVED his story about the family in Haiti
         and " He will do that which I can not do myself"


These are all but a few of the amazing things that were said this weekend.  I am grateful for these latter day prophets and apostles and for their testimonies and the love that they have for this gospel and for our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.