Becca In Bloom

ReadySetGo!

2010-01-10T19:10:00.000-07:00

My new blog is up and ready to go! Thanks for reading...I'm looking forward to lots more blog-worthy adventures! :) Love y'all!

Last "First Thursday" of 2010

2010-01-07T07:43:00.000-07:00

I've been feeling like I need a fresh start. So I'm starting up a new blog. It hasn't been born yet, but hopefully it'll be up by next week. And I'll be sure to post the new link here.

Is it February yet?

2009-12-29T19:57:00.004-07:00

Or better still...is it March yet??

Gah, I'm getting soooo anxious to start on my mission papers!!! Six months from today, I might be in the MTC!!! And I've got almost 3 whole months saved up, woohoo!! Only 15...more...to...go...I can do it, think those positive thoughts!!

Anywho, I think I'm officially the worst blogger ever. To be honest, I've decided to go the more traditional route and have been writing in my old-fashioned journal the last few weeks. But I'm back, and I'll try to do a better job at posting on this thing!

Christmas was amazing this year!! This is my favorite time of the year. Everything about it makes me so happy!! It was especially fun this year, because someone (we have no idea who!) did the 12 days of Christmas for our family!! On the first night, the bell rang, and when we went to answer the door, no one was there, but a honey ham and a golf tee were sitting on our doormat! Every night leading up to Christmas Day, we found a new surprise from our "true friends!" Some of the other surprises included two bells, five cinnamon rolls (yummy!), six scented candles, eight cups of eggnog, and a CD of 10 Christmas carols! And on Christmas Eve, we found a musical Christmas nativity and "a lot of love for my family!" Our "true friends" added a whole lot of fun and joy to our Christmas this year!!

Most of all, I'm grateful for the best Christmas gift of all, the gift of my Savior!! And this is what the season is all about!

I hope your Christmas was excellent!! And we only have two more days of 2009 left!! Can you believe it?! Hope 2010 is full of blessings...let's make it the best year yet!! :)

Love you all!!

Happy December!!

2009-12-05T16:21:00.003-07:00

So I'm pretty much bursting with joy and happiness right now...Mom just finished her first lesson with the sister missionaries!! It was soooo great! Sister Allan and Sister Prince are the sweetest!! We read a couple of scriptures, and they talked about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. The Spirit was so strong, it was amazing! :) The sisters must've thought the lesson was going well, too, because they asked my mom if she wants to be baptized! She said not yet, but we're going to try the family ward next Sunday! I'm sooo excited!

Anywho, I know I haven't posted in forever...sorry!! It's been a little crazy the last few weeks, and Christmas is right around the corner! I lovelovelove Christmas...everything about it gives me those lovely warm 'n' fuzzies.

Hope your December is off to a good start! :)

One Year

2009-11-15T10:17:00.009-07:00

It's my birthday...kinda sorta. :) It feels like it is, at least!

November 15, 2008...that's the day I was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I cannot believe it's already been a whole year!!

I've been looking forward to this day for a long time, as it shows me that this is something I can do. It definitely isn't always easy, but I'm trying my hardest to do the right things and to keep my hold on the iron rod. I still feel like a baby in the Church, though...there is sooo much to learn, and I feel like I should know so much more! But I guess that just gets me more motivated to study and learn as much as I can.

I love this Church.

I love the gospel.

I love my Heavenly Father.

I love my Savior. I'm eternally grateful for His example and for everything He's done for me. I'm so thankful for the opportunity I have to be perfected through Him each day.

Happy Birthday to me. :)

:)

2009-11-04T18:32:00.004-07:00

I just got back from a meeting with my bishop, to talk about the big "M" word. I've been holding off for a while, just in case I changed my mind or something. I wanted to be absolutely sure that this is the right thing for me before I started telling everyone about my plans. Now that it's "out," the mission feels so right. And I couldn't be more excited. :)

If anyone has any good quotes, tips, or advice, I'd lovelovelove to hear it!! Also, I've decided to follow in Madison's footsteps...

Fundraising by EFI

Your Source For Fundraising Products

Update Fundraier Thermometer Here

Hopefully we'll start seeing more red soon!!

Oh, and the job hunt is still ongoing...I went to the Superstition Springs Mall yesterday and today and filled out applications at every store that looked interesting. So hopefully I'll hear something from at least a few of those stores...

Hermana Taets :)

2009-10-28T08:12:00.005-07:00

Madison goes into the MTC TODAY!!!!!! I can't believe it!!!

Her farewell talk was on Sunday, but I didn't get to make it. :'( I was going to meet some friends at the institute that morning and carpool over to Avondale with them. I almost made it to the 'tute, but as I got closer to ASU, I started seeing some orange cones. Ok, construction, no biggie...but then, I started seeing bikers. Lots and lots of bikers. It was a triathlon, and it was pretty much impossible to get onto the campus. I was soooo bummed and pretty much cried all the way back home. But I called Madi on Monday and we got to talk for a bit, yay! She sounded sooo happy and excited!!

Madison is one of the strongest people I've ever met, and she is going to be such a great missionary. I'm sooo grateful that Heavenly Father allowed our paths to cross again! I know the Texans are going to fall in love with her, and she'll love them right back.

Missing U5

2009-10-22T12:11:00.003-07:00

bahahahaha!!

Let's do this!!

2009-10-19T13:45:00.001-07:00

Click on the smiley face to read all about it! :)

In other news...I just got back from an interview with Barnes & Noble. It went good; we'll see if I get a call back. Keep your fingers crossed, please!

I got to see all of my wonderful friends at 5th Ward yesterday morning!! It was so great to see everyone again! But boy, has that ward changed a lot! It's huuuge!! The Relief Society fills up the chapel, haha! I also went to my new ward in the afternoon, and I came home happy! :) Yay! I'm starting to feel a little more comfortable there, and I'm seeing more and more familiar faces each week. The talks were really great, too; one gal who spoke had just returned home after serving a mission in Nauvoo, so she shared some of her experiences from that, and Brother Calton, one of my favorite institute teachers, talked about General Conference.

And that reminds me, I never wrote a post with my thoughts on the last Conference! Oops! So in a nutshell, it was A-MAY-Zinnng. As always. :) One thing I especially noticed, though, that I don't remember doing a whole lot in previous conferences, is that I laughed a lot from things the speakers said. I hope that doesn't sound bad, I had my serious moments, too, haha! I just found myself laughing a lot more with the speakers...maybe I'm understanding Mormon humor better?? Anywho, it was kinda fun to be feeling the Spirit so strongly, but also to have some of those lighter moments, as well.

I will write some more thoughts on Conference in my next post, but I've gotta run now...love you all and hope you're doing fabulously!!

Call Me Irresponsible

2009-10-15T08:37:00.002-07:00

Woohoo, I've made it to 11 months!! I can't believe it's been almost a whole year since my baptism...crazy!

I like making lists; it makes me feel very accomplished when I can check something off as done. :) Sooo here are some goals I hope to accomplish over the next few weeks up until my favorite day on the calendar.

Go to the temple at least once a week. Attending the temple regularly is something I need to work on. I love the temple, but I guess I just find myself "too busy" to go, or "too this" or "too that" or whatever. By the way, most Americans think that "whatever" is the most annoying word to ever be put in our vocabulary. What do you think? Kind of a funny story, I was getting ready to go to the temple one night, after having been maybe a week or so before, and my mom asked what I'd be doing there. I told her I was going to do baptisms, and she went, "a-GAIN???" (I don't know if she said it that loud, but it sounded pretty loud to me, haha.) I really do love the temple, and I want to make it a part of my life...I don't want it to seem like a big deal or an event whenever I go, I just want to go.
Get the nerve up to ask my mom if she wants to talk to the missionaries. We'd talked a little bit about the possibility before the move, and she said "maybe." I wonder if that's another one of the most annoying words...it's not yes but it's not no, it's just in between.
Be a better example, especially to my family. This one's on-going. Chris definitely keeps me on my toes, especially with the WoW...if I pull out a Coke, he yells out, "Bad Mormon!!" haha, oh brother. :)
Speak up more in Sunday School and RS.
Make a major decision about my mission. This may or may not be accomplished by November 15....we'll see. The major decision being when to put in my papers. My savings account is looking pretty sad right now, so I'm thinking I won't have the $10,000 I'll need by March...or April...or May...or June (I don't know when exactly I would have to have the money...but you get the idea). So I may go ahead and just wait until closer to my 22nd birthday...my parents would be a lot happier, and it would give me a little more time to prepare myself. Again, we'll see.

I wish I had more goals, but my brain is not working for me right now. If I think of more, I'll add them, and if you have any thoughts, I'd be happy to hear them! :)

I love you all, and I'm so grateful for my friends. I hope y'all know how much I appreciate each of you.

P.S. I have a job interview tomorrow; please pray for me!!

P.S.S. The title has nothing to do with this post. It's been a weird few days and I just have Michael Buble going through my head.

What do you do?

2009-10-14T21:37:00.002-07:00

What do you do when one of your friends is having a hard time and all you can do is sit on the sidelines, even though you want to step in and help?

What do you do if that same friend is the one who introduced you to the Church and the gospel, and it's looking like we're finally going our separate ways?

I'm relying on my testimony of the gospel now more than ever to get me through this. After all, the people who show you the way are important, but it's the message that really counts. And I know that I have a Friend in Christ, and He will always be there.

He lives, my kind, wise heav'nly Friend.

He lives and loves me to the end...

Samantha Crowe

2009-10-12T18:08:00.005-07:00

On Saturday, October 10, my family had to make the hard decision to put one of our babies to sleep. We all knew it was time. Mom and I didn't go to the vet, but Dad was with her till the end.

Sam was as much a part of our family as any one of us, just like our other 3 kitties. We loved her to pieces, and she will always have a special place in our hearts. She was with us for a good long 15 years; we got her as a kitten in Jacksonville.

The hardest part is waking up in the morning. I don't remember for a bit, and then it hits me. And the tears come. I try to keep my crying time to when I am alone, so that Mom doesn't have to see. She was especially attached to her.

Dreamin'

2009-10-02T10:18:00.008-07:00

So late last night or early this morning (I couldn't tell--I was asleep), I was having a dream. Not of California or sugarplums. But of my mission call.

I had the envelope in my hands, and my family and I were sitting in the living room. I slowly pulled out the letter, and read aloud, "You are assigned to labor in the...Chile Earl Grey Mission." Maybe I went to bed hungry last night??

I kept reading the letter. I was supposed to report to the MTC on September 42 (yes, 42 as in forty-two)...and then I realized that...wait, we're already in the month of October!! And then I realized that I wasn't even 21 yet...and then my parents told me that they had changed their minds, that I couldn't go on a mission after all...

And then I woke up.

And then I realized that I still have five more months to the day before I can turn in my papers.

Oh yeah, and I quit my job (in real life, not in my dream). So I'm on the hunt once again...but I feel like everything's going to be ok. :)

Happy Conference Weekend!!!!! :D

Counting down!!

2009-09-27T16:32:00.002-07:00

*ahem*

General Conference is in...SIX DAYS!!!! And guess what the topic was for the talks in sacrament meeting today?? Hmmyuppers. How to prepare for conference. Here's my list of what I'll be doing to prepare!!

Before Conference...

Pray for the speakers, so that they will be guided by the Spirit, as well as for myself, so that I can be ready to hear what they have to say.
Fast. I'm thinkin' Wednesday will be a good day...
Buy a notebook/journal so that I can take scrupulous notes. (I love that word..."scrupulous.")
Write down some questions that I hope to have answered next weekend.
Meet with the bishop...
Invite my mom to watch a session.

During Conference...

Get up early, get dressed up, and go to the stake center to watch the sessions.
Pray some more.
Pay attention!!
Take scrupulous notes. :) Also, write down any personal goals I would like to accomplish over the next six months.

After Conference...

Apply it!!
Share what I learned with my family.
Write a post about what I got from the sessions.
Give an issue of the November '09 Ensign (when it's available) to one of my friends.
Review my notes frequently.

So what are you doing to get ready for Conference???

I'm still getting used to my new ward. I think it's going to be awhile before I feel like it's "my ward." I've met a few people, and they seem nice. But so many people talk and text and other things during the meeting...which is a little frustrating when you're trying to focus. Remember in Pride and Prejudice, Mormon version? "I'm trying to feel the Spirit!!" ha! Anywho, I think I met the bishop today, but I'm not positive...I told him who I was, but he didn't tell me who he was. So...I guess for now I'll just assume he's the bishop.

When I came home after church today, Mom said I didn't seem as happy. "You're always so happy when you get back from church." *sigh* I guess I'm just really missing 5th Ward. Hopefully it'll get easier the more I go.

Turning Points

2009-09-24T11:50:00.003-07:00

Ok, so I really need to do a better job at posting on this thing...I have been busybusy!! Where to start?

It turns out that since I don't go to ASU anymore, I can no longer go to 5th Ward. :( :( So sad!! So I'm now in plain University Ward (without the "5th"). I went there for the first time this past Sunday. It's...interesting. Most of the people are in their mid- to late-20s, and they're a lot more focused on dating/marriage. I heard the words "kissing games at FHE" in Sacrament Meeting...yuppers. Hopefully no cute boy proposes between now and the time I go on my mission, with or without kissing games. I'm going to stick with it, though, and give it a chance. I think this is just the awkward phase right now, as 5th Ward is all I've known. I definitely miss it like crazy!!

So, what else...work. I finished training, and now I'm on the floor, working with students. Or, I would be if I wasn't sick. I hate to say it, but I'm honestly trying to decide whether or not I want to stick with it...hardest.decision.of.my.life!!! I've discovered for myself why a call center gets a bad rep...I'm stressed all the time, and I know this is what's making me sick. I just hate the idea of quitting...I haven't even been there a month yet. And the idea of job hunting again...yikes. I had to leave work early yesterday afternoon, I was feeling so bad. But on the way home, I was able to drive by the temple, so I decided to walk on the grounds for a bit. Unfortuantely, I didn't have my temple recommend, but just being there, not even going inside, made the biggest difference in my day. I'm so thankful that Heavenly Father knows what I'm going through, and I know that my Savior is walking right there beside me, every step of the way, and I know that whatever happens, it will all work out for good.

First week!

2009-09-05T16:01:00.002-07:00

This is gonna be quick...

So I survived my first week of training for my new job...yay! It's been one fun.crazy.overwhelming.fast-paced.information-packed week. I feel like my head is about to explode, and I have academic policies and COE--aka College of Education...gotta learn those acronyms!--policies on the brain. It takes me an hour to get to work in the morning, and almost an hour and 20 minutes to get home. I'm pretty much dead at night...I eat dinner and then jump in bed. What little night owl-ness I had in me is gone. Lammme-oh. But I love GCU...the people are so sweet and it seems like a great place to be!

We also moved into our new house on Monday, and we l-o-v-e it!! Especially now that we have the AC working in all the rooms, lol. Chris and I camped out in the 'rents' bedroom, the coolest part of the house, for the first few nights. But now we have our own rooms set up and we're getting things unpacked and situated, slowly but surely. We're all happy with how things are working out. :)

A new toy...

2009-08-29T13:43:00.010-07:00

Chris bought his first car last night.

A 2010 Tsukuba Red Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Grand Touring. Try saying that five times fast!

Yay! Eep. Yay!

2009-08-24T11:37:00.002-07:00

So I start training for my new job exactly one week from today. Woohoo!! I am waywayway excited!!! It's funny, I'd actually wanted to go to school at GCU, but it's a private, Christian school and the tuition didn't look as pocketbook-friendly as ASU's. I never would've thought I'd still get to go there, albeit not in the way I'd thought, haha. One thing that has me excited is that I'll be able to get 100% tuition covered if I take classes at GCU!! I'm looking at their Master's of Science in Leadership. Decisions, decisions...we'll see what happens!

I will admit, though, even though I'm still super excited about my new job, the jitters are starting to do a dance in my stomach. I worry about the silliest things, too. Probably the biggest thing that has me nervous, though, is the fact that I'm going to be driving from Mesa (newsflash! we're moving on August 31. the same day i start training. perfect timing, lol.) to 24th Ave. and Peoria. As I said in the previous post, I just got my license on Friday. I've only driven on the freeway twice, in light traffic, so I'm sure I'll be saying my prayers the whole time I'm on the road (with my eyes open of course, haha). If you want to say some prayers for me, too, I'd really appreciate it! I'm sure I'll need all the protection I can get!

Look out on the road...

2009-08-21T14:05:00.004-07:00

I now have my driver's license! Finally! Yes, I know I'm four years late...but my family didn't think Chris and I needed to be driving when we were 16, and Chris ended up getting his license first. So until now, I haven't really needed to drive. And to be honest, I was scared to drive. Too many people try too many crazy stunts while driving...texting, putting on make-up, flossing (totally serious...I saw someone flossing on the freeway a few weeks ago). And it's not just the other drivers...I wanted to make sure I feel responsible enough for others' lives whenever I get behind the wheel. So now, here I am, four years late but starting to feel a little more confident on the road.

Kind of a funny story, although I didn't think it was too funny at the time...I went last Friday morning to the MVD in Tempe. I felt good and ready for the test, so I wasn't too nervous. I guess I went to the European-style MVD, though. First, the guy who would be with me for the test was Russian. I couldn't understand him when he was telling me where to drive the car for the test, so I kinda had to wing it based on the little bit that I did understand (luckily, I ended up at the right spot). The first thing I had to do for the test was the parallel parking...with the cones on the left side of the car. Of course, I'd only been practicing the normal parallel parking, by backing up and pulling in on the right. If I didn't hit a cone or jump the curb first, then I got three tries to get into the cones and get my wheels on this yellow line that was about 8 inches away from the curb. The first time, my back wheels touched the curb and I was scared I would jump it, so I asked if I could try again. The second time, I got in ok and I think my wheels were on the line (I'm not positive), but I thought the Russian guy had said that once I was in the cones, I had to pull forward once and reverse once, but it turns out that he'd actually said I couldn't adjust at all. Oops. Third and final try. Once again, I got in the cones ok. I looked around, looked up at Vlad to see what he thought...he was just standing there, staring at me, so I asked if I'd gotten it...he shook his head at me and told me to open my door. I was about 6 inches away from the line. I didn't even get on the road. I was completely devastated, but luckily I waited until he was far, far away and my dad and I were back in the car to start bawling my eyes out.

So back to today. Since I've decided to avoid the Tempe MVD at all costs, my dad and I drove out to one in Mesa instead. Compared to how calm I was before the nightmare test last week, I was terrified this morning. But obviously, I passed! Yay!! It was a piece of cake; I got the 3-point turn on the first try, and the worst thing the lady said to me was that I have to stay stopped at stop signs for at least four seconds before I can go. Um, no offense, but who does that? Especially here in Phoenix...you'd get run over.

I never thought it would be like this, but I really do feel like I have more freedom. If I want to get with some of my friends, I don't have to coordinate with my family's schedule to make sure I have a ride. I can go to the temple whenever I want to, not just when one of my friends asks if I want to come along. I can drive myself to church stuff...to go shopping...to work...

Add another check on my to-do list. :)

Grand Canyon University

2009-08-13T13:05:00.008-07:00

They just called to offer me a job.

:D :D :D :D :D

I'm going to be an Academic Counselor in the College of Education.

I start training on August 31.

Excited much? You have no idea...

:D :D :D :D :D

GCU, here I come!!!

One year and forty-five posts later...

2009-08-08T18:54:00.002-07:00

My blog is a year old today.

:)

It's fun to look back on old posts, but today it's especially fun to look at the very first post that started it all...

It turns out that blogging isn't as addicting as I thought it might become. And thankfully, my GPA did not suffer...yay! :D However, reading other blogs and keeping up with my friends through the wonderful world of blogging is a lot more addicting than I'd anticipated. I hope that doesn't make me sound like a creepy stalker...I just don't always have something as interesting to say as my fun and fabulous blogger friends.

I am a year older than I was when I started this blog, and I am no longer a student at Arizona State University but a college graduate. Woohoo!!! I still don't know exactly what I want to do when I "grow up"...but Dad says that he doesn't know what he'd like to do yet, either. So that makes me feel a little better. I still live with my family and our four cats in Scottsdale, but we're getting ready to move. Where to, we shall see...

I no longer work for my brother and I'm pretty sure I'm no longer "on call" at Hallmark, since the last time I was asked to cover a shift was in January. But now I'm looking for a full-time job. I've had several interviews, and the last one was a phone interview with a recruiter from Grand Canyon University; it went great, and I have an in-person interview scheduled for this week! We'll see what happens!!

I am still Christian, and my faith is still the most important part of my life, but there is one big difference: a year ago, I was not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Wow, crazy! I'm so thankful for the answers to prayer I've received, and the decisions I've made within the last year have helped me to grow closer to my Heavenly Father and my Savior each day.

Since that first post, I have met lots of wonderful new people. My family and friends are absolutely amazing! They have each helped me to grow into the person I am today, and I am so grateful for their (and your, if you are reading this!) love and friendship.

Now, onto another year of blogging!!

Missionary Moments

2009-08-04T14:23:00.004-07:00

Last Friday, Sarah and Lyndee hosted a girls' night filled with those things that bring out our girly side: chocolate, pink finger nails, facials, a chick flick, and a clothes swap! It was way super fun!! We watched Confessions of a Shopaholic...it was sooo cute!! I also liked it because the main character was named Rebecca! ha!

Another fun thing is that I invited one of my real good girlfriends, Joan, and...she came!! She had a great time and loved everyone! And on the way home, I told her about my baptism (mostly how my family took it and how happy I've been) and about how I'm planning on serving a mission. It was so cool! And it was fun getting to hang out with her and catch up!

And yuppers, I have decided to serve a mission!! Yayyyy!!! My family has warmed up to the idea a lot. It makes me incredibly happy to know that I have their support in this!! Now I need a job so that I can start saving up...it'll be good, though! :) I had an interview with Verizon last week, and it was going good...until I heard that I'd have to work Sundays. :( Sooo I'm still looking, and I have another interview scheduled for tonight. It'll all work out the way it's supposed to.

My Happy Place

2009-07-30T14:05:00.000-07:00

Marvelous Madison...

2009-07-26T21:56:00.002-07:00

...got her mission call!!! YAYAYAYAY!!!! I logged onto Facebook on Thursday afternoon and almost immediately saw Madi's status update: "it came." Of course, everyone who knows Madison knew what that meant, so I texted her right away, asking if she'd opened it, and she texted back right away, saying that she had! I'm not gonna say where she's going, though, because that's her special news to share. But I was so happy and excited when I read where she was going, I had to call her! I was pretty much crying and laughing and crying, lol! And I had to give her a big hug at church this morning!

Madison is one of the most amazing people I know. Sadly, it seems like we don't get to talk as much as we used to, but I am really going to miss her while she's gone (thank goodness for good ol' old-fashioned snail mail!). She has been such a huge example to me, and I hope every day that I can be more like her. Her testimony, confidence, and zeal for life are inspiring, and she is going to be a super sister missionary!! I'm so thankful that Heavenly Father allowed our paths to cross again.

lol+blonde Moment of the Day

2009-07-23T10:34:00.005-07:00

I was checking my e-mail a little while ago, and the first message that caught my eye was the daily newsletter from LDS Living. I read the heading: "Order Men With a Mission and Save."

...umm, what? I didn't know you could buy a man, with or without a mission...I open the e-mail, trying to figure this out, and at the top of the message are the words, "Family Products." Wow, they even have family men!!

Then, my eyes go down to the rest of the message.

Turns out that Men With a Mission is a book.

Oops-a-daisy.

Rawhide!

2009-07-20T19:10:00.002-07:00

Our landlord has decided that he wants to move back in. But before he can do that, we have to move out...

...sooo, we're moving. And this time, it's for reals.

We're looking at places in Scottsdale and Mesa. I'm hoping for Mesa, but it's looking like we'll end up staying in Scottsdale and going further north, closer to where Mom works. We'll see what happens!!

Anywho, my favorite person is getting her mission call sometime this week...! Ahhh!! I am sooo excited for her! She is a huge example to me and to so many people. Wherever she goes, she will be a blessing to everyone around her.

A New Favorite

2009-07-19T15:59:00.006-07:00

God doesn't give you the people you want. He gives you the people you need...

...to help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you...

...to make you into the person you are meant to be.

:)

The sun'll come out...

2009-07-15T13:01:00.002-07:00

So my last post was kind of a downer, huh? But yesterday didn't turn out so bad. :) I've decided that, whatever happens, happens; I'm not going to let it bother me, and I need to just move on.

Yesterday afternoon was the best part, though! I got to see one of my friends, Mary Helen, from when I was going to St. Theresa's, and we hadn't seen each other in, like, two years. We went out to the Sugar Bowl, a very cute, very pink (lol) ice cream place in Old Town Scottsdale. We had sooo much catching up to do! Then, we drove over to her house, where she showed me pictures from her family vacation to Washington and her trip last summer to...AUSTRALIA!!! Yeah, lucky duck!! She went there with some other teens for World Youth Day...from what I understand, it's kinda like a really long General Conference for Catholic youth. It was way fun getting to hear all about her travels and what she's been up to!

I've fallen in love with a quote I came across this morning. It went something like, "What you do for yourself dies with you, but what you do for others lives forever." When I read that, it made me want to run outside and give the first person I saw a ginormous hug, lol. Today makes it eight months since my baptism, and I also thought about all of my friends who have been so sweet to me, not only when I was investigating, but in the last several months, as I've been trying to find my way in the Church. I've really come to appreciate my true friends, and I love you all. :)

I'm really looking forward to tomorrow, because I am going up to Prescott to spend a few days with my grandparents! Yayay for family!! It'll be great to get to see them again, and it'll be nice to relax in some cooler weather, haha! Should be fun!!

Is today August 5?

2009-07-14T08:19:00.004-07:00

It seems like August 5 is my own personal Friday the 13th. Every year, something wacky-crazy-unexpected-painful-tearful-yougettheidea happens on the same day...August 5.

The calendar tells me that today isn't August 5, but it feels like it should be. And the day's hardly just begun.

Oh joy.

The Holy Secret

2009-07-10T15:54:00.002-07:00

So I just finished reading a super amazing book. It's called The Holy Secret. The book follows Michael and the conversations he has with a widower in his ward, Albert. Michael--and the reader--learns from Al what it's really like to love the scriptures, the Sabbath day, and the temple, and in the process, he also learns some important lessons about repentance, forgiveness, and loving and serving others.

I have learned so much from this book. It was like listening in on someone's personal scripture study. I'm hoping to read it again, but next time, I want to have my own scriptures and a pencil nearby. I especially enjoyed the part about the temple; now, I have a totally different perspective on why it's so important to go. The part about the scriptures was also really cool! There were so many familiar passages brought up and examined, but at the end, I'd be saying, "Huh, I've never thought of it that way, but it totally makes sense!" I love it when that happens...don't you, too? :)

"Mom, I think I wanna go on a mission."

2009-07-02T09:51:00.004-07:00

"...you WHAT?!?!?!?"

Yup, this conversation didn't go quite as smoothly as I'd hoped...especially when she pulled the "I've-been-supportive-with-everything-else-but-this-is-going-too-far" line. :( Ouch.

I don't know what to do...I love my family so much, and my mom is my best friend. I know a mission trip is ultimately between Heavenly Father and I, but I don't know if I could do it if I knew how much she was against it. I don't want to upset her or do something that would make her unhappy...

There, now that I've vented a bit, we're gonna end on a positive note. I went to 5th Ward for the first time since, like, Easter. And it was seriously the best Sunday I've had in forever!!! All of the meetings were super amazing, and I felt so close to my Heavenly Father all day. But I was so exhausted by the time the day was through...I slept like a rock that night, lol.

The last few days have been sooo different, when I look back on the last two months. I'd been feeling so alone and afraid, and I hadn't felt that same happiness I'd felt over the previous months. I thought something was wrong with me. But since Sunday, I feel so excited and happy!! I feel like Sunday was a new beginning for me, and I've re-committed myself...to be excited about the Church all the time, like Mo; to be sincerely happy and loving, no matter what, like Abby and Lyndee; to be missionary-minded and know the temple, like Madison; to be not just a visiting teacher, but a true friend, like Brianna. The temple goal is a little hard to accomplish right now...I haven't even been since April, when we stopped in St. George on the way up to Conference. I really miss it. But once I have my license, I plan on going at least once a week.

Oh, and I'm going to see this tonight with my mama...

I am sooosososooo stoked!!!

And, as promised...if you want to see all of my family's photos from our vacation, go here and here.

I love you all. :)

ALASKA!!!!

2009-06-05T07:42:00.005-07:00

Wowowowow!!! May 24 through June 3 were seriously the best days ever!! To celebrate our graduations, my family decided to reward ourselves with an Alaskan cruise! My 20th birthday was also on June 2, so we tied that into our little celebration, as well!

We drove to San Francisco all day Saturday, the 23. Boy, that was a loooonnng drive. But I loved every second of it! I loved looking out the window and seeing something different, and I think I almost have the Pride and Prejudice and the Becoming Jane soundtracks memorized, haha. We stayed the night in Oakland, and the next day, we drove up to my new favorite temple. I didn't think I'd like the Oakland Temple so much (I'd always thought it looked kinda weird in the pictures, lol), but it was so beautiful in-person!! It's right on the side of a hill and it overlooks the city. I didn't get to go inside, as it was Sunday, but we walked around the grounds and took a few pictures. Then, we drove down into San Francisco and got on the boat around 1!!

I wish I could give all the details about every day we spent on the ship, but I don't know if you'd really enjoy that too much, lol. So...I'll just do a quick rundown on some of the highlights of our trip.

We stopped at four different ports--Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and Victoria. My family isn't a huge fan of tour groups, so we mostly explored on our own. We went whale watching in Juneau, which was amazing!!!! Kevin, the captain of the boat we were on, was super cool. He had a really long beard and couldn't get over the way we were dressed, especially my mom and I, haha! "I'm freezing the Arizonans!" We saw two pods of killer whale, lots of humpbacks, bald eagles, and sea lions. We even saw one humpback do this, twice:

And the same whale came up about 5 feet away from our boat!! Coolest thing ever!!

When we pulled into port in Skagway, we rented a car and drove up to Whitehorse, Canada. The drive up was breathtaking. It was like another planet!! We saw two bears, one black and one brown. And it started snowing on the way back down! Yuppers, snow in May...it looked just like a Christmas card!

And we can't forget the ship...the Sea Princess!! The food was amazing...you definitely couldn't say you were hungry while on the boat, lol. There was a 24-hour buffet, which was both a blessing and a curse. I loved the waitress we had at dinner; she was from Romania, and she always called my family her "sweeties" and she called me her "little angel!" Aww!! I'm going to miss her. :( Chris and I also enjoyed watching movies in the Princess Theatre, and they also showed "Movies Under the Stars" on the deck, but it was way too cold and windy for us "Arizonans," lol.

Kind of a funny story...every night, we'd get the "Princess Patter" delivered to our staterooms, describing the next day's activities. On Saturday night, I was looking at the Sunday morning activities, because I'd heard they'd be having an interdenominational church service and was planning on going. I found that one, and then looked at the 9am activity: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Service!! Yuppers, they had a Sacrament Meeting on the boat! It's funny, though, because it was held in one of the bars on the ship, lol. So now I can say that I've had the sacrament in a bar, lol! I hadn't been to church in over a month, so it was great being able to take the sacrament again.

Another story...we ran into a psychic!! We were in the elevator headed to the buffet for lunch, and a couple was going to the same deck as us. We were having small talk in the elevator, but when we got out, the lady stopped our family and told my parents that "your children love you very much and you have done a wonderful job with them." My parents thanked her and got in line for the buffet. I'd started walking with them, when she touched me on the arm and said something along these lines: "You are very musically talented, and you shouldn't give it up. It is your gift, and you bring joy to those around you when you share that gift. And what you've been thinking about the piano...go for it." How could she have known about my music?!? I'm definitely not as musical as I used to be, so I hadn't told anyone on the ship that I could play anything. And how did she know about the piano?! I'd been thinking about starting lessons again...dodododododododo it's the Twilight Zone. lol!

Anywho, we celebrated my birthday at sea! I woke up that morning and when I opened the door to go down to breakfast, I found three "Happy Birthday" balloons--purple, pink, and red!--taped on my door! Then, at dinner, I was sung to by our waitress and her assistants and got a special birthday cake, with a pink candle! And then, as it was the final night of the cruise, they had Baked Alaska for dessert!! The waiters all paraded around the room with them, and they played "Feeling Hot Hot Hot!" It was the coolest thing ever!!

So that is basically our trip in a nutshell! I will post some pictures soon! We got off the boat on the 3rd, spent the night in L.A., then drove back home yesterday. I'm so sad it's over...we had the best time!!! But Chris and I are already planning on doing another cruise next summer, possibly to the Caribbean!!

So you wanna be a [fill in the blank]??

2009-05-09T21:54:00.005-07:00

Elementary school teacher?
Speech-language therapist/pathologist??
Counselor???

Maybe I'm not quite finished with school yet, after all...

This morning, my family drove up to Flagstaff, so that my dad could walk in his graduation from NAU. He got a Master's in Career and Technical Education. I'm sososo proud of him!! He's been dreaming about getting his Master's for years and years and years, and he was finally able to get it in one year, while still working full-time. He's worked harder than anyone else I know for this, and now it's time to celebrate!!

Chris and I have a few more finals left, but we're wrapping things up and getting ready for Wednesday. Honestly, though, we're more excited for our convocation on Saturday. No offense to y'all Obama-lovers, but we wish he wasn't speaking at our commencement. It was pretty exciting when we first heard about it, but now our graduation has just turned into a huge hassle. Chris and I have to get to the stadium by 3pm...the ceremony doesn't start till 7pm. Our parents' tickets say they have to be there at 3:30. When they first saw that, they were thinking about avoiding all of that by just going to our convocation, but they're going to get there at about 6 instead and hope that they'll still be let in. I'm hoping and praying they can get in...it wouldn't feel right without them there, because Chris and I wouldn't be there in the first place if it wasn't for them.

Anywho, now that I've vented about that, haha...two weeks from today, we'll be on the road to San Francisco, and two weeks from tomorrow, we'll be leaving on a big boat, on the way to Alaska. Yuppers, our graduation present to ourselves is a 10-day Alaskan cruise! We're super excited...this will be our first vacation in years!! And the best part (for me, at least)...we'll be on the boat on my birthday!!! Woohoo, I never imagined that I would be celebrating two decades of life while on a cruise ship, haha!

One week.

2009-05-06T07:40:00.003-07:00

That's how long I have left before I graduate. I've been feeling a flood of emotions as the date looms closer. It's mostly been a battle between excitement and fear.

I am currently at one of those times in life when I'm closing the door on one chapter and opening another. Of course, this brings to mind the big "c" word--change. It's definitely exciting to think about trying new things and getting out of my comfort zone a little more, but it's also pretty scary.

I'll be 20 in about a month, but I'm going to be done with school in two weeks...I don't feel ready to be done. I feel like I should still have two more years to figure things out. Lately, I've been wishing that I could have gone to high school and gone through the same experiences that all of my friends have gone through. I haven't wished that in years. It's frustrating, because I thought I had accepted Heavenly Father's plan for me...I don't want to be bitter and fill my life with regrets and "if onlys."

I don't want this post to be a downer, so I'm going to shift gears and end on a positive note. Let's look at the good things about graduating...

1. I'll be done!! Yay!!! haha, I am really happy about it, I promise I'm not all doom and gloom! And I'm excited that I get to share my graduation with my best friend and my brother, Chris. And our dad is getting his Master's from NAU this Saturday, woohoo!!

2. I'll be able to work again. I've really missed having a job, but since I made the crazy decision to complete 42 credit hours in a year, I didn't really have time for a job. Be happy in your worrrk! (Bonus points if you can name the movie!)

3. The possibility of a roommate. Since I won't be going to ASU, I may have to switch to another ward. *tear* But I'm thinking of trying to find a roommate in the 5th Ward boundaries sometime in the fall semester. So if I do have to say goodbye to my wonderful ward family, it'll probably only be for the summer. And we can still keep in touch until then!

4. A mission...? This is still way, way, way up in the air, mostly due to timing. Because I'd be done with school, I wouldn't have to worry about making the transition back into study mode. I've talked about the possibility a bit with my parents, and they think if I do go, that I shouldn't leave when I'm 21, but that I should stick with my job for awhile (if I find one I like) so that I'll have something for when I come back home. But I have been seriously considering a mission since pretty much right after I was baptized. I'm so grateful for missionary work, because I know without it, I wouldn't be who I am today...I really want to give something back and help others find the same joy I have found.

So there you go. A sneak peek at the workings of Rebecca's brain, lol.

Happy May Day!

2009-05-01T09:27:00.008-07:00

This is pretty much my new favorite song. :)

The national animal is the kiwi.

2009-04-23T16:34:00.010-07:00

My family is talking about moving again.

This time, it's New Zealand. Yeah...They're looking at moving sometime around next March...Mom and Dad first, then Chris (and I??) a bit later. When I got home from church on Sunday, I found out that Dad had already been doing some research for me..."Look, there's Mormons there! You wouldn't be the only one!" haha.

Honestly, I don't know what to do...I don't know if I could leave everyone I love and everything I know behind, but my family is the most important thing to me, right up there next to the Church.

I don't know...I'm definitely gonna be praying about this one a lot...alotalotalot.

Happy Easter!!

2009-04-12T14:55:00.002-07:00

"The future is as bright as your faith."

2009-04-11T09:32:00.015-07:00

Last weekend, I had the amazing opportunity to go on a Mormon pilgrimage with some girlfriends to see General Conference in Salt Lake City!

Jenny, Brianna, Candice, and I began our journey early Friday morning. We had a blast singing along to Wicked and Anastasia. On the way up to Provo, we stopped at the St. George Temple, which was absolutely beautiful, to do baptisms! After that, we were on the road again. We dropped Candice off at her mom's in Provo, drove by some of the highlights (the Provo Temple, BYU, and the MTC), and then headed to Springville, where we'd be staying with Jenny's mom, who was an absolute sweetheart!

Candice decided to stay at home and watch Conference with her family, so Jenny, Brianna, and I got up early Saturday morning and drove out to Salt Lake City. We were planning on just trying to make it into the afternoon session; Jenny said she'd stand in line while Brianna and I explored Temple Square. But when we got there, we decided to make up a sign, saying we needed 3 tickets. As we were walking through the crowd, we passed a group of people and overheard that they had some extra tickets!! They only had two for the Saturday morning session, but Jenny told Brianna and I to take them, as we'd never been to Conference. Brianna and I were ecstatic!! As we were heading back to the Conference Center, though, we realized that the tickets were in different sections...lol. But we made it in, haha! It was so amazing being inside the Conference Center; when I walked in and saw the organ for the first time, I got this really silly grin on my face, haha. I couldn't believe I was actually there!And then when the prophet walked in...ahh, so exciting!! This was also the session when they announced the new Apostle: Elder Andersen!! I almost squealed when I heard who they had called, not only because I could put the name and the face together, but his talk in the last Conference had a big impact on my decision to be baptized!

After the morning session, I met up with Brianna and Jenny again (thank goodness for cell phones!!), and we stood in stand-by for the afternoon session. We were right near the front of the line, but we still had to stand in line for almost two hours. It was sooo cold!! We ended up putting blankets on our feet, haha! They let us in about five minutes before the session started, so we missed the first couple of minutes.

We drove up one more time to SLC on Sunday morning. The sky had cleared up, the sun was out, and it was sweater weather, yay! Candice's mom had 3 tickets for the Sunday morning session, and she was so sweet and gave them to us!! This session was my favorite; each talk that was given has inspired me to "get off the sidelines" and strive to become a true disciple of Christ.Afterwards, we explored Temple Square a little bit and got some pictures.The Salt Lake Temple is amazing!! As I was looking up at it, I couldn't stop thinking of the early Saints and their incredible faith.We picked up Candice at her grandparents' home in Bountiful and then started the journey back home, while listening to the afternoon session of Conference on the radio. I've labeled this session the "TT"--Temple Talks, haha. I haven't been able to go to the temple as much as I would like to, but I'm hoping to start going at least once a week, once I get my driver's license (soon, haha!). We stopped in St. George one more time, to get some photos of the temple.
And then we were home!! What a wonderful, edifying, testimony-building weekend!!

He's speaking at my commencement.

2009-03-25T16:22:00.005-07:00

Yuppers. Even though I don't really care for him, I'm still pretty excited about it. After all, how many people get to say that the President of the United States spoke at their graduation? I can totally see myself sitting in a little rocking chair, telling my future grandkids about it, haha. And, if nothing else, it'll make for some interesting conversation at a first date. :)

Sorry, I lied.

2009-03-10T09:57:00.006-07:00

So it turns out that my family won't be moving in a few weeks, after all. Which is a huge blessing for my family, because of four little words: We don't have to. My parents wanted us to keep the details as to why we had suddenly decided to move on the down low, but as everything has gotten worked out, it's now safe to share.

Right after the new semester was getting into full swing, we got a letter in the mail, informing us that our home was going into foreclosure. It turns out that our landlord had not been making the house payments for months, and our home was scheduled to be auctioned off sometime in April. However, the good news is that our landlord is able to keep the house!!! I don't know all the details about what he did to make the Big People change their mind, but we don't have to get out of our home!!!

While moving into a new house can definitely be fun and exciting, reading that letter, spending hours browsing rental houses on the Internet, and scouting out the big white signs while driving through countless neighborhoods has made me realize how much I love our home. It certainly is no mansion, but what it lacks in splendor, it makes up for in family, love, and friendship.

There really is no place like home.

Time for an update...

2009-02-28T13:50:00.006-07:00

Oh boy, I really need to do a better job at posting on this thing, don't I? I guess there hasn't really been anything too exciting to write about...sorry! I've been keeping busy with school and church stuff, and spring break is only a week away, yay!!!

I do have some pretty big news. My family is planning on moving in a month or so. Luckily, we'll still be staying in the valley, so it won't be too big of a change and I'll still be close to all of my wonderful new friends! We haven't found a place yet, but we're looking at either staying in Scottsdale or finding a place in Mesa (Mormonville, yeah!!). The only thing I'm worried about is that I might have to go to a different ward. :( But I'm sure that whatever happens, it'll all work out. :)

I'm going to my favorite place to do baptisms tonight with some girlfriends, yay! When I told my mom what I was planning on doing, I got to share with her a little bit about the Plan of Salvation...hooray, missionary moments! I don't know how well I explained it to her, but I tried, haha. I wish I was more articulate when expressing my beliefs. Hopefully practice and lots of prayer will help with that.

Faith defined.

2009-02-13T20:38:00.002-07:00

Hope is the anticipation that the outcome will be good...

Worry is the anticipation that the outcome will be bad...

Faith is the anticipation that whatever the outcome, it will be for our good.

First week!

2009-01-23T17:17:00.002-07:00

I am super happy right now. Seriously. :)

I love all of my classes, I love my friends, I love institute.

I have a feeling this is going to be an amazingly wonderful semester.

Is it over yet?

2009-01-14T07:45:00.003-07:00

Two more days...two more days, and then I'll be happily clicking the "Submit" button and sending off the final paper for my winter class.

And then it's back to work again on Tuesday. Yay? Here are the classes I'll be taking this semester:

BIS 401--Applied Interdisciplinary Studies (aka "the internship")
BIS 402--Senior Seminar
ENG 356--The Bible as Literature
REL 305--Ritual, Symbol, and Myth
REL 394--Current Issues in Mormonism

To be honest, though, I'm really looking forward to the new semester. I'm interested in all of my classes, and I'm especially excited for ENG 356! I've been waiting to take it since my first semester at ASU, and it fits perfectly with both of my concentration areas. And then, there's institute!! :) I'll be taking Latter-day Hymns, Book of Mormon, and World Religions. I've been called to serve on the Student Council, yay, so I'll also be taking Principles of Leadership. So excited!!

Anywho, I have to get back to work...two more days, two more days (that's my mantra right now, haha). Love y'all!!

"Ring, happy bells..."

2008-12-31T15:11:00.008-07:00

I probably say this every year, but gosh, I can't believe the year is almost over!! Only a few hours left!!

I've never really been one for New Year's resolutions, but I decided to give it a shot this year. Some are for my eyes only, ha, but here are a few of the not-so-personal things I'd like to accomplish within the next 12 months:

Serve others.
Remember my PJS. At the end of each day, I will make sure to spend some time in Prayer, Journaling, and reading my Scriptures. (Thanks to my fabulous visiting teacher, Brianna, for this one!)
Learn how to cook.
Learn how to crochet and knit.
Have the courage to share my testimony in church.
Read at least one book that isn't on a syllabus a month.

2008 was great, and I'm sure 2009 will be pretty fine, too!! Happy New Year to you all!!!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!!

2008-12-23T08:55:00.004-07:00

Yuppers...Christmas is right around the corner. I love everything about this holiday--the lights and decorations, the music, spending time with those we love...

The lights and decorations...

Last weekend, my mom and I went with her coworker and friend, Ponda, to see the lights at the Mesa Temple, and we also walked through the Visitor's Center. We had the best time!! The twinkling lights turned the grounds into a fabulous display of colors. After listening to a flute quartet perform a short concert, Ponda asked if we wanted to see the front of the Temple. As we walked around it, my mom kept saying how "beautiful" it was, over and over again. What a perfect night!

The music...

I lovelovelove Christmas music!! If I could listen to it 24/7, I would. One of my very favorite Christmas songs is called "The Gift" sung by Aselin Debison. It is soo sweet, and it always makes me cry!

A poor orphan girl named Maria
Was walking to market one day.
She stopped for to rest by the road side
Where a bird with a broken wing lay.
A few moments passed till she saw it,
For its feathers were covered with sand,
And soon clean and wrapped it was traveling
In the warmth of Maria's small hand.
She happily gave her last peso
On a cage made of rushes and twine.
She fed it loose corn from the market
And watched it grow stronger with time.
Now the gift giving service was coming
And the church shone with tinsel and light,
An' all of the town folk brought presents
To lay by the manger that night.
There were diamonds, and incense, and perfumes,
And packages fit for a king,
But for one ragged bird in a small cage,
Maria had nothing to bring.
She waited till just before midnight
So no one would see her go in,
And crying she knelt by the manger
For her gift was unworthy of Him.
Then a Voice spoke to her through the darkness,
"Maria, what brings you to me?
If the bird in the cage is your offering,
Open the door, let me see."
So she trembled, she did as He asked her,
And out of the cage the bird flew.
Soaring up into the rafters
On a wing that had healed good as new.
And just then the midnight bells rang out,
And the little bird started to sing
A song that no words could recapture
For its beauty was fit for a King.
Now Maria felt blessed just to listen
To that cascade o' notes sweet and long
As her offering was lifted to heaven
By the very first nightingale's song.

Spending time with those we love...

I love my family and friends!!!!

I love this special time that we have to reflect on the birth of our Savior. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, and may 2009 be filled with much happiness and many blessings!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2008-11-27T12:34:00.003-07:00

I am grateful...

I am grateful for the rainy, cozy, time-for-hot-chocolate-with-marshmallows weather that has come our way, just in time for this special day of giving thanks.

I am grateful for my new jeans. I hate shopping for new jeans with a passion, because I never seem to find a pair that isn't too tight, isn't too baggy, isn't too short, or isn't going to trip me up because they're too long. However, in this case, the first pair I grabbed fit perfectly...not too tight, not too baggy, not too short, and I'm able to walk with confidence. And the best part? They were 50% off!! Woohoo!!!

I am grateful for my kitties and their quiet friendship and love. Abby, Sam, Mushu, and Emma really are part of the family.

I am grateful for the opportunity I have to get an education at ASU.

I am grateful for missionary work.

I am grateful for my good health.

I am grateful for my wonderful friends. They light up my life with their kindness, love, quirkiness, and sweet spirits.

I am grateful for my family. They have filled my days with laughter and smiles and lots of the good ol' TLC. They have offered me advice and guidance when I have asked for it (and even when I haven't), and I know that I am who I am in large part because of who they are.

I am grateful for the gospel and the happiness it brings.

I am grateful for the love of my Heavenly Father and my Savior.

I am so blessed...and I am grateful.

November 15

2008-11-22T10:31:00.021-07:00

Last Saturday was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, and there was hardly a cloud in the sky. What made it especially beautiful for me, though, was that it was the day I was baptized as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The ceremony was so special, with the wonderful talks and lovely music, and the Spirit was so strong. My institute teacher, Brother Wood, performed the baptism. The actual ordinance was quick, but in the Book of Mormon it says "that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass" (Alma 37:6). When I came up out of the water, I felt sooo happy, and I knew I had done the right thing. Having my family there to support me made it all the more special to me. I know how lucky I am to have my family's support, and I am so very grateful for their love and understanding.

Later that day, when things had calmed down a bit, I was able to think on my own a bit about what had just happened. I started thinking of some things I had done in the past that I'm not too proud of. I felt this empty feeling, but it wasn't the bad, depressing, something's-missing-in-my-life kind of empty feeling. It was more peaceful than that, and I knew, I was absolutely 100% sure, that I had been forgiven of my sins. The Atonement is incredible!!

The next day, I was confirmed in sacrament meeting. It was amazing, and I got to take the sacrament for the first time! This day was very special to my family for another reason, as well, as it would have been my grandma's (my mom's mom) birthday. Even though I never had the chance to meet her, I knew she and my sweet grandpa were there in spirit.

I am very excited to be starting out on this path. I feel closer to my Heavenly Father than I've ever felt before. I'm so grateful for those who have supported and encouraged me over the last few months, particularly Brother Wood, Madison, Lyndee, Jesse, Heather, Brother Calton, Blake, and Abby. I love you all. :)

Dancing Queen

2008-11-14T10:06:00.010-07:00

I saw this on Madison's blog and thought it might be fun, so here we go!!

RULES:
1. Put your iTunes, Windows Media Player, MP3 Player, or whatever on Shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. You must write down the name of the song, no matter how silly it sounds!
4. Put any comments in brackets after the song name.

If someone says, “Is this okay?” you say?
Keep The Commandments - Paul Cardall

How would you describe yourself?
Sunshine and Summertime - Faith Hill
[I've been told I have a sunny disposition.]

What do you like in a guy/girl?
Girls Just Want To Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper

How do you feel today?
How Shall I Live - YW Selected Songs

What is your life’s purpose?
Unwritten - Natasha Bedingfield

What is your motto?
Jesus Said Love Everyone - Paul Cardall

What do your friends think of you?
Chiquitita - ABBA

What do you think of your family?
Raise Your Voices to the Lord - Hymns

What do you think about very often?
Jesus, Once of Humble Birth - Hymns

What is 2 + 2?
Time To Say Goodbye - Sarah Brightman
[Yeah, math is not too high up on my happy list...]

What do you think of your best friend?
Faithful - Paul Cardall

What do you think of the person you like?
I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair - South Pacific Soundtrack
[Hmm, I don't think this fits...]

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Prima Donna - Phantom of the Opera Soundtrack

What do you think of when you see the person you like?
Speeding Cars - Imogen Heap

What will you dance to at your wedding?
The Loco-Motion - Little Eva

What will they play at your funeral?
If My Heart Had Wings - Faith Hill

What is your hobby/interest?
Strength Beyond My Own - Seminary Music
[This song is sooo beautiful. It's about the temple, I can't wait to go!]

What is your biggest fear?
Everything - Michael Buble
[HAHA]

What is your biggest secret?
How To Save a Life - The Fray

What do you think of your friends?
How Gentle God's Commands - Hymns

What will you post this as?
Dancing Queen - ABBA

Ready or not...

2008-11-13T15:03:00.006-07:00

With four weeks left to go, the semester is winding down, and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I've been pretty busy over the last several weeks, which is why I haven't posted anything in, like, a month. School has been taking up almost all of my time, but I did get to go to a wedding last weekend!! The bride was one of my very favorite Hallmark ladies, Krista. The ceremony was simple but beautiful. I'm so very happy for her and her new husband, Nick, and hope they both find their "happily ever after!"

I've also been getting ready for my baptism (2 more days!!!), and I am so very excited!! It's hard to believe that the day is almost here...a month ago, it felt like ages away! I wish I could say I'm not nervous, but that would be a lie, haha. I'm not having second thoughts about my decision or anything like that. It's just little stuff...I keep finding myself thinking things like, "What if the water's like freezing cold?" and "Don't forget a towel!" Stupid stuff like that (although it's probably a good thing that I'm thinking about the towel, haha!). I know that whatever happens, though, it will still be a day that I will cherish forever...the first step in the beautiful journey back to Heavenly Father.

"I like to look for rainbows..."

2008-10-16T14:58:00.008-07:00

I have some super exciting news!! In a few weeks, I will be baptized as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!!!!! Lots and lots of thought and prayer has gone into this decision, and I know with all of my heart that I'm making the right choice. The date is set for November 15th, and I cannot wait!!!

Father, all my heart I give thee;

All my service shall be thine.

Guide me as I search in weakness;

Let thy loving light be mine.

It's funny how it works out sometimes...

2008-10-13T20:26:00.010-07:00

As is often the case, when I almost decide not to go to church for various reasons but end up going anyway, it turns out that getting out of the house for a bit, feeling the Spirit, and laughing with my girlfriends is exactly what I need to start a new week with a smile on my face.

I started to freak out on Saturday night, because I ended up having more homework than I'd originally thought I had at the beginning of the weekend (don't you just love it when that happens? haha). So pretty much all Saturday night and all Sunday morning, I was debating whether or not I should stay home and get my homework done. I'd been especially looking forward to this Sunday in particular, as it was Testimony Meeting, and I hadn't been to one of those since May...and Marvelous Madison had invited me to have "pirate stew" at her place afterwards. I decided, though, that I would probably feel worse if I didn't go to church. So I went...and I'm so glad I did!! I loved hearing everyone share their testimonies. And dinner at Madi's was super fun! The pirate stew was delicious, and when we were done eating, we watched the LDS version of Pride and Prejudice. It was super cute!!

And now for the best part!! When I got home, I was finishing up a final paper for my BIS 301 class that was due tonight at midnight. I got most of it done last night, but I wasn't feeling too confident about it. My teacher had asked us to bring a hard copy of our final draft to this morning's class with us, so that we could do a final peer review. When he was passing out the sheet with the stuff we were supposed to be focusing on, he said there was a surprise. I started reviewing my paper and wasn't paying attention to the surprise, but then Chris turns to me and says, "Did you see what the surprise is?!" Our teacher had extended the due date to tomorrow at noon!!!

Now just think how I would've felt when hearing that if I hadn't gone to church...haha!

Witty Wednesday!

2008-10-08T16:35:00.007-07:00

This past weekend was super special, with it being my brother's birthday and General Conference weekend. Chris seemed to really enjoy his special day...18, oh my goodness!! Seriously, I don't think I realize how old I am until his birthday comes rolling around, haha!

General Conference was even more amazing than I'd imagined it would be. I knew it was going to be a very spiritual experience...I just didn't realize how much of one it would be. My love for the gospel and for the Church has grown sooo much after listening to the speakers. I've been encouraged and inspired in so many ways. I can't get over the range of emotions I've felt over the last few days, either...one minute, I'm quietly enjoying the scenery, letting everything sink in, and the next thing I know, I feel like I'm ready to run a race for the Lord, haha!

Anywho, here are just a few of the many wonderful gems I got out of this weekend...

"You must never underestimate the power of your righteous influence."
--Elaine S. Dalton

"Seen or unseen [angels] are always near."
--Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

"Come what may, and love it."
--Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

"You don't know everything, but you know enough."
--Elder Neil L. Andersen

"Meekness is not weakness."
--Elder Robert D. Hales

"Every cloud we see doesn't result in rain."
--Elder Quinten L. Cook

"Find joy in the journey--now."
--President Thomas S. Monson

Happy Birthday, Christopher!!!!

2008-10-05T13:38:00.012-07:00

18 reasons why I think I have the best brother in the whole world...

18. I lovelovelove his curly hair.
17. He's honest, especially when it comes to food.
16. He's my boss.
15. He makes me laugh. A lot.
14. He is my at-home tech help, so I don't ever need to call the Geek Squad.
13. Car rides with him are the best.
12. He sat through all 107 minutes of Enchanted.
11. He waited until we were outside of the theatre to start complaining about having to sit through all 107 minutes of Enchanted.
10. He is super intelligent.
9. He isn't afraid to try new things.
8. Four little words: "It was the chair!!"
7. He introduced me to Harry Potter.
6. We're only 16 months apart.
5. He lets me "serenade" him when we're driving without complaining too much.
4. I have an awesome study buddy!
3. Even though he's younger than me, I look up to him (both literally and figuratively, haha).
2. I'm so thankful we ended up in the same family.
1. He is the best friend I could ever ask for. :)

It's scientific!!

2008-09-26T11:57:00.009-07:00

And now for something completely different, haha...an update!! Like I'd said we would in my last post, my mom and I went to church with her super sweet coworker, Ponda, last Sunday. We stayed for Sunday school and RS, too. Mama loved it!! She cannot get over how friendly the people were, and she lovedlovedloved the music and the talks. She even spoke up in Sunday school! And...she wants to go back!!!! Oh my gosh, I am so happy!! I've been praying and praying for something like this to happen!

This past Monday, the 22nd, I had my first lesson with the missionaries!!! I was sooo excited, and Madison got to be there with me, yay!! We talked about the Restoration, and we read a couple of verses that have really stuck with me this week:

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:
"And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it."
--Amos 8:11-12

I had goosebumps when I heard that, and I just cannot stop thinking about it! I'm planning on making it to 5th Ward this Sunday. Heather's been trying to talk me into singing in choir...so we'll see what happens, lol.

Anywho, I have to get back to work...love y'all!!

Time passes...

2008-09-18T19:30:00.003-07:00

...and it feels like I'm barely keeping up.

Lately, all of my waking moments have been devoted to class, Institute, and homework. At least, that's what it feels like. Surprisingly, though, I'm not really that stressed. But let me tell you, prayer works wonders!! haha. :)

Thankfully, I will definitely be making it to church this Sunday...but I won't be going to 5th Ward. One of my mom's coworkers, Ponda, is LDS, and my mom and I are going with her to her family ward!! It'll be Mom's first LDS service, and my first service at a family ward. We're both super excited, and I can't wait to see how Mom likes it!

Witty Wednesday!

2008-09-03T15:57:00.008-07:00

"What you believe, you can achieve."
--Mary Kay Ash

What we've covered during the first two weeks of my BIS 301 class can pretty much be summed up in that quote. For our first discussion post assignment, we had to watch Randy Pausch's "Last Lecture." Wow!! This guy was amazing, so if you haven't listened to his lecture, you can watch it here. Just to warn y'all, though, there is some language...and the video's over an hour long. But if you have the time, it's totally worth it!

Anywho, my shift at Hallmark last week went very well. The only big wigs who visited our store while I was there were some Canadian managers, so it wasn't too stressful.

Let's see...what else? Ooh, I'm super happy right now, because I just got done with my Institute class!! I was able to find a class that worked out with my schedule, so I don't have to wait until the spring to take one, after all! Hooray!! I'm taking the first half of Book of Mormon with my lovely friend, Heather, and I can already tell that this class is going to help me a LOT with my Scripture study. It's going to be awesome!! Also, when I got out of class, I ran into my ray of sunshine, Madison!!! Seeing her definitely put the icing on the cake. :)

Other than that, I've just been trying to keep up with all of my assignments. Fun stuffers.

Let the games begin!

2008-08-26T16:03:00.005-07:00

Yesterday was my first day back at ASU, and I think it went pretty well. I've changed my class schedule a bajillion times this semester, so I'll do a run-down on my classes, for those of you who haven't heard the latest changes. On Monday and Wednesday mornings, Chris and I drive out to the Downtown campus for BIS 301, a fast-track, eight-week course that runs into the end of October. When that one is done, we start up BIS 302 (same days, same time, same teacher). We're also taking another eight-week course together online, ARS 300--Introduction to Art. Then, I'm taking two more online classes, ENG 301--Writing for Professions--and ENH 380--Ents, Orcs, & Hobbits: Tolkien's Vikings in Middle-earth. While it looks like I'm going to be reading a LOT this semester, I think I'm going to enjoy all of my classes.

I am disappointed, though, because I was planning on taking two classes at the Institute this semester, but I ended up dropping them. I'm not on the main campus at all this semester, and Chris was going to have to make a bunch of extra trips to get me to my classes (I hate being a burden to anyone). It was going to be way inconvenient for him, and after seeing the syllabi for my classes, I decided it was going to be too much with my work load. I hated having to make this decision. I'd been looking forward to these classes all summer. There's always next semester, though...

Anywho, I'm super excited for tomorrow afternoon!! I get to don my Hallmark apron again for the first time in almost 3 months!!! I just hope that I'll remember how to do everything, haha, especially as we're having a huge visit. Ahhh!! Prayers, please!! :)

How you gonna have a dream come true?

2008-08-21T13:12:00.011-07:00

Yesterday was a really good day for me. First, I got my stitches out!! *happy dance* No more crazy hair-do, and goodbye to the globs and globs of Vaseline getting stuck in the crazy hair-do! Then, my new cell phone arrived in the mail, the Motorola W755. And I am absolutely positively in love with it, mostly for one reason: it's PURPLE!!!! Finally, I finished reading Twilight. Oh my goodness. Nothing could ever replace my obsession with Harry Potter, but I must say that this comes pretty close. And that's saying a lot.

Sooo...school starts in 4 days. While I'm excited about my new classes and a new semester, it feels kinda weird to think that this will be my last year at ASU. I'll definitely be happy to get my bachelor's degree and to start something new and different, but I don't even know yet what I want to do with the rest of my life. Right now, I'm looking at either getting my Master's in Library Science from UNC at Chapel Hill, or possibly going to Mesa Community College for their library science and technology programs. I've also thought about taking a break from school for a bit and working full-time. I don't know...

Sometimes, it bothers me that I don't know what I want to do yet, and I have less than a year to decide where I should start. The first question out of most people's mouths when they find out how I went to school is, "Oh, so you're going to be either a doctor or a lawyer, right?" NO!! I guess this is just me worrying about my future again. I know that everything will work out if I put my relationship with Heavenly Father first...I just need to work a little harder at putting my absolute, complete trust in Him and His plan.

Witty Wednesday!

2008-08-20T10:05:00.005-07:00

"I came to a clear conclusion, and it is a universal one: To live, to stuggle, to be in love with life--in love with all life holds, joyful or sorrowful--is fulfillment. The fulness of life is open to all of us."
--Betty Smith

It's my funday.

2008-08-17T15:31:00.010-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted anything for a few days. I've been devouring Twilight. And it is AMAZING!!!! I cannot wait to get started on New Moon!!

Edward: "And so the lion fell in love with the lamb..."
Me: *dies*

On a completely different note, I didn't make it to church today, because I pretty much look like Frankenstein's bride. To try to make up for missing church, I read some articles in the conference issue of the Ensign (thanks again, Madison!!) and played some hymns on the piano. And that's pretty much been my day...that and Twilight.

I know I've talked about church stuff quite a bit since I started blogging. For those of you who don't know, I am not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I've been learning about the Church since I was 15 years old, and I've been looking at it more seriously since January. So I guess you could say that I'm a "friend" of the Church, haha.

Love y'all!!

Witty Wednesday!

2008-08-13T16:21:00.015-07:00

I love quotes. Like, lovelovelovelovelove them. As a result, I've decided to try something a little different. Every Wednesday, whenever I am able to write a new post, I will post a quote that has spoken to me in some way. The quotes may or may not be entirely witty. However, they will certainly have special meaning to me, and I hope that they will inspire y'all, as well! And so we begin...

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
"In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
--Proverbs 3:5-6

Those who know me best probably see me as the biggest worry wart in the entire history of worry warts. Seriously. I worry about anything and everything. School. Work. School. Career. School. Dating. School. Friends...the list goes on and on and on.

Earlier this afternoon, I had to have a mole on my hairline removed. I'd had two removed before, so I had an idea of what the procedure was going to be like, but I'd passed out on one of them. Of course, that episode was going through my head all day up until I went to the clinic...just what I needed. Once I got settled and everything, though, it was no biggie, and now I'm sitting here wondering why in the world I was so anxious about that little procedure!!

Sorry, that probably isn't the best real-life example, haha, but hopefully y'all see where I'm going with this! Just like the doctors who stitched me back up today, Heavenly Father knows what He's doing up there. I just have to learn to put my trust in Him. My mom always says that half of the things we worry about never even happen, and I'm starting to think that's true...

The results are in...

2008-08-12T07:25:00.003-07:00

...and they stand as follows:

Introduction to Shakespeare -- A-
Literatures of the United States, 1860 to Present -- A+
Survey of English Literature -- A+

..."CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES, COME ON!!!!"

"Now let us rejoice in the day of salvation."

2008-08-11T13:26:00.009-07:00

I'm really glad I made myself go to church yesterday. There was a lot of drama last week, and my whole week was pretty much made up of "blue" days. I found myself questioning my beliefs and what I stand for, so I really wasn't in the mood for church. When I was sitting in the sacrament meeting yesterday afternoon, though, I felt genuinely happy. I can't even tell you how great that felt after trying to wear a cheerful face all week for my parents, haha! Just being there with people who share the same standards that I've set for myself gave me this great feeling, and I've been encouraged to stay on track. The talks, the music, the Sunday school lesson...I hope this doesn't sound egotistical, but it seemed like everything was speaking directly to me about what I have been struggling with lately, telling me not to worry, and that no matter what happens, as long as I try to do what I feel is right, everything will work out.

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virture, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
--Philippians 4:8

Enjoying some R&R...

2008-08-09T16:43:00.011-07:00

Oh my goodness, it feels sosososo nice to be done with summer school!!! The last two weeks were especially insane, but I'm finally done, woohoo!!! "Celebrate good times, come on!!" haha, ok, I'm done with the singing, too. Now I get to sit and wait for my grades to come in...yikes!!

Seriously, though, it feels so nice not to have to worry about homework and due dates. For one thing, I'm starting to play the piano more. When my mom, Chris, and I quit playing in the handbell choir at our old church last year, I ended up putting my music on the back burner and focusing instead on work and school. I decided to buy some new sheet music a couple of weeks ago, and one book that I'm really excited about is a collection of simplified LDS hymns. I love being able to play (and recognize!) some of the music I sing at church on Sundays! It feels great to think that I am learning to play the piano again, and I'm feeding my soul at the same time, haha!

For me, I think the best part about being done with school--I get to read something that isn't on a syllabus!! I finished up The Last Battle (amazing, amazing book), so that means I have FINALLY finished reading The Chronicles of Narnia, which I started right around my birthday in June. C. S. Lewis is now one of my favorite authors, and I regret not having read the series earlier. *sigh* So many books, so little time. After hearing some of my friends rave about Stephenie Meyer's Twilight, I've decided to give it a shot. I confess that I was a little hesitant about trying it at first, as I don't normally enjoy the sappy stuff. And it has vampires, which is another thing that I tend to avoid in literature. So far, all I can say is this: Mr. Darcy...you've got competition.

First blog!!

2008-08-08T13:35:00.005-07:00

So I've finally done it...I've created a blog. I just hope it doesn't turn out to be as addicting as it sounds, or else my GPA might suffer...not cool, haha!

I should probably start out by telling y'all a bit about myself. I am 19 years old. I'm a senior at Arizona State University, majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies with concentrations in English Literature and Religious Studies. I'm not real sure about what I want to do when I'm done with school, but I'm trying to go with the flow and take things as they come. I live in Scottsdale, Arizona, with my parents, my younger brother, Chris, and our four cats. I am the sales and marketing assistant for my brother's website development and design agency, Workmotive, and I am also "on call" at Hallmark. I've lived in Arizona since I was 7 years old, but as I was born in Jacksonville, Florida, I like to consider myself a Southern girl (no accent, though *sigh*). I am a Christian, and my faith is the most important part of my life, hands down. I l-o-v-e to read, and I count bookstores and libraries among my favorite places. My family and friends are absolutely the most amazing people on the face of this planet!! Without them, I would be nothing.

Well, I think that's good for a first post. I hope my life is interesting enough to deserve a blog...if not, that's ok, I like how my life is going anyway, haha! Have a great day!!