Saturday, June 29, 2013

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Lately

A few things:

1. We had our first ever official yard sale today. It was fun! Our whole complex participated and there was a great turn out from the community. We sold our Wii which my mother got us when we first got married. We loved it, but we just don't use it enough to keep it. We don't have time! Most of our time is spent doing homework, sleeping, and taking care of Madeline. We thought we should sell it while it still was worth a good bill. We got $100 for the whole package deal--I wish we had gotten a little more, but I think it was still a good sale.


2. After we were done with our yard sale I dropped Maddy and Marcus off at home and went Yard Sale hopping. I found three pieces of furniture at three different yard sales! We got an entry table for $20, a futon for $15, and a pink princess toddler bed for $25! I think we spent our money well. The futon will go in our guest bedroom/office where Brian and George will be staying over the 7 week break. One of them will sleep on the futon and the other will probably sleep on an air mattress unless they want to sleep on the couch. I was really excited for the futon because it was such a good deal and we can now have guests sleep in a more proper sleeping arrangement.




3. The toddler bed I just mentioned was a huge hit with Madeline. She climbed right in when we brought it into her room. And then when it was time for her nap we said "bed" as we usually do and handed her her bottle of milk and she walked into her room and went straight to the toddler bed passing the crib. I was so pleased! Now we just need to get rid of the crib!

4. Sampson peed inside for the first time. He knew he was in trouble. We got some carpet cleaner to remove the odor, and hopefully there will not be another incident. He is funny when he knows he did something bad because he will get these really sad eyes and then look down at the ground. We still have to discipline him though. He is getting the hang of us being his parents. He finds Maddy super annoying at times though. He sometimes hides from her because all she wants to do is give him hugs and kisses, but occasionally she will pull his tail and ears.

5. I have a new show that I watch. It is a mix between X-files and Alias. It is called Fringe. Marcus is getting annoyed by it, but I can't stop watching. I just want Peter to be everything. It's confusing. The show has the same kind of weird science that Alias has toward the later seasons and the same exact feel as X-files. (Racheal, you would like it).

6. I finally got visit taught! It's been about a year... One of the ladies, Stephanie, had twins last month, and she brought one of them with her. I couldn't tell what Maddy thought of her, but it was like she knew that there was a very special person there. She was very interested. I told her to be soft and she poked the baby with one finger. She then started to try and climb into the baby's car seat (her mother was holding her so don't worry). I don't know why she did that because she has never done it before. But she is such a cutie. I love being her mom.

7. There is only 24 days left until the end of my last semester!

Friday, June 14, 2013

Impressions.

I have been going through a little bit of an identity crisis since I got married two and a half years ago. I was feeling like "who am I?" and "what happened to the old me?" I want to share a few things I learned at the temple this morning.

At the beginning of the semester I received a blessing from my husband in which Heavenly Father told me to make time for myself at the temple. It has been difficult to find that time, but since my practicum class ended I now have a little more free time and have committed myself to attend once a week on Fridays.

When I walked into the temple it was the first time going alone since I was single. I handed my recommend to the man at the front desk, and it felt strange not having my companion with me. I walked into the ladies dressing room and they directed me to the area designated for the special ordinances I was partaking in. It had been more than two years since I had done initiatories and I was excited to be reminded of my blessings as a woman. While one of the workers was saying a blessing, I received many impressions. One was: there are so many terrible things in my generation such as open adultery, abuse, and the breaking of other commandments, but I have been promised that those things will not effect me. I will be able to be strong and do the things I was set on Earth to accomplish. I am grateful for this blessing. Another impression was: I have a protection from terrible things on my persons. I can do many things others cannot because of this blessing and gift. I want everyone to have this protection because then the world would be perfect, and nothing bad would happen to anyone ever again. I need to spread the gospel, and be more active in my duty as a saint. The most important and striking impression that I got was: I am a  daughter of God, and he has a Great Plan and part of that plan was for me to get married and become an eternal companion. That means that I am part of a partnership, and that I shouldn't be the same person I was when I was single. I am more than I was when I was single because God gave me a husband to be my companion and to help me and make me something I wasn't before...complete. I am his companion as well and I complete him. Together we make a whole and can enter into exaltation jointly. What a blessing it is to know these things without a doubt, and with conviction. I am here. I have a purpose. I will do the things the Lord has commanded.

To those of you reading this not of my faith, I invite you to learn more about my faith and testimony. Feel free to ask me any questions. Also, I invite you to find out these things for yourself so that you can receive your own knowledge. God loves us all, and he wants all of us to receive the blessings I have mentioned above.

Thanks for checking in!

Quotes of the day:
“It isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don't worry. I say that to myself every morning. It all works out in the end. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us. If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers.” Gordon B. Hinckley

"Mediocrity will never do. You are capable of something better." Gordon B. Hinckley

Sunday, June 9, 2013

12:01 and News Lately

Dear World,

As it is 12:01AM, it has officially been one month since I wrote last. I apologize for the missed weeks, but I promise it was for good reason.

1. My sister-in-law, Anna, got married May 25th in Portland, OR. I used to want to get married in the Portland temple, but LA was really my home. In any case, the wedding was beautiful--the sealing. Marcus and I sat directly behind Anna and her fiance while the sealer was talking to them so it was like he was talking to us. It really reminded us of the day we got married..the day we began our eternal family 2 and a half years ago. Wow. He said fabulous things like "sometimes when we kneel at the alter one spouse ends up reaching further than the other. It is important to know that in life this will be true, too." I feel like this sometimes. Marcus will be reaching further to lift me up, and other times I will be reaching further to lift him up. It is amazing to have an eternal companion that cares always and that sees my flaws and loves me anyway. We are a team and we work together to make our lives better and happier. I imagine that this is what joy feels like; never having doubt that the other will leave and to be truly happy--so happy that it fills my stomach, veins, chest, and even nose with a contagious energy that just wants to burst out my ears. 

2. Marcus and I just watched House at the End of the Street with Jennifer Lawrence. It definitely has a twist ending. *spoiler alert* Ryan, played by Max Theriot (sp?) the son in the movie The Pacifier, turns out to be the evil one. His sister is not even alive. He was abused as a child and freaked out and killed his parents and then had to kidnap girls that could play the role of his sister so that he could play his role as Ryan. This was because his parents made him act the role of his sister after she died from falling off a swingset. They were druggies and terrible parents. Simply put, he could not be Ryan unless there was someone else to be his sister. Anyhoo, Elissa (Jennifer Lawrence) moved in next door and had a little vibe with Ryan, but she finds out that he is a creepo a little too late and so she ends up shooting him with the cops gun, who had been previously murdered by Ryan. It's complicated. Ryan ends up killing about ten people and who knows how many girls he had play his sister's role? All in all, I liked the movie, but probably will never watch it again. I just really like Jennifer Lawrence. 

3. I took the PRAXIS again last Saturday. I am sure I did good enough to pass, but I really need to brush up on my literacy skills. I passed the other two PRAXIS tests I had to take, but unfortunately I took one of the wrong ones. Sad day. In any case, that testing is over as is my Senior Practicum aka Kindergarten Practicum aka ED427. Hallelujah. It was quite stressful having to go to the kindergarten every other day. I LOVED thee children though. I miss them! They're in Kindergarten, right? Well, the other day I heard a girl tell a boy that she didn't like him but that her friend did. It was silly. And so the chasing begins. Young love. 

4. We got a dog. His name is Sampson and he is an 18 month old up to date on shots and neutered Pug Australian Shepherd mix. We love him! He does not have a squished in face like a pug and I have only heard him bark once...at a horse...and he growled once when he saw himself in the mirror. Madeline loves him and they will have fun growing up together. Sampson knows one command for sure; "sit." I think we need to train him to do other things, but he is already housebroken which is awesome!

5. We are moving into our new home on Saturday. It is a bigger place than we have now and we will have our dog with us, he is at a boarding house for now, and a park right across the street. On the downside: I will miss our ward so much! AND the rent at the new place is higher, but it is bigger so...you get what you get. On the upside: There will be so much space! We can have a dog! It is across the street from Porter Park! All good things there!

6. I have made a goal for myself--I don't know if I should call it that since I have a habit of not finishing goals--to go to the temple weekly by myself. Since my Practicum has finished my MWF are suddenly free. At the beginning of the semester the Lord said to me in a blessing from my husband that I needed to attend the temple more often and I would find great peace there. So, I plan on going on Friday mornings around 9. Madeline will stay with the fabulous lady who inspired me to go. When I told Marcus of my plans he was happy but also disappointed that he wouldn't be able to come with me. My plan is to do initiatories because I love hearing about my divine gifts as a daughter of God. Plus, I think it will way help with my self esteem because I have been feeling blue from time-to-time. I have gifts that are hard for people to recognize; not like singing, dancing, drawing, remembering life events (even small ridiuclous things) or being really crafty. I have always been mediocre at those types of things. I want to be great, but it's just not in me. My gifts are more like for remembering people's names, and wanting to make new friends and make people happy. Those are good gifts, but I want more. I pray for more. That sounds selfish, but I want to be someone that people can appreciate. 

Quotes of the day: "Simply do what you can do, in the best way you know, and the Lord will accept of your effort." AND "You rock a sobbing child without wondering if today’s world is passing you by, because you know you hold tomorrow tightly in your arms." 

Thanks for checking in! Feel free to leave a comment :)