Lord, I am grateful...

So lately my blogging has been happy and go lucky, which is true. Life is fabulous right now. I have an amazing boyfriend who treats me better than I have ever been treated. Classes are going really well regardless of the fact that finals are looming deadly on the horizon. I have a great job that I enjoy for the most part. I love my roommates. I love my family.

But recently there are have been some bad things happening like mom's minor trip to the ER and Dad's upcoming surgery on April 5th. There are other things that have happened. Lately it feels like God doesn't think our family likes the calm of the security of a job and the great blessings that come with the job. It has been a year on April 16th since Dad has lost his job. A year is a very long time. Time fades and the world drones on. But through the crisis mode that my family has lived in for basically the last four or five years I have realized that there are great blessings in our lives.

I have struggled being here in Rexburg and knowing that my family could use my support back home. But I know that I am where I am suppose to be but that does not mean that it is not hard to be here. I love having my family call me and talk to me about what is going on in their lives because listening is what I can do right now. That will have to suffice till I get home in a week and a half. But with all this trial that has been dished out I have this resonating comforting feeling that is telling me that God has our lives in His hands and that things will work out. That He has a plan for us that we do not understand but in the eternal perspective things will make sense. He prepares us bu taking us to our lowest lows only to send us soaring to the highest highs that we are capable of when we rely on His power and strength.

Gratitude is what has been helping me make it through lately. Great friends and roommates are a great support. But the realization that I have so many positive things in my life has by far out balanced the fear of the uncertain future. Lately I have been listening to the song "Eden" by Paul Cardell which epitomizes what I feel right now. So now I can say that I am grateful for the trials that I have because they make me stronger, and have made my family stronger. We have a great love and reliance on each other because of what we are going through. The gospel is true. The priesthood is the power of God and I am blessed by the men in my life who live worthy of this gift. The opportunity I have to go to the temple regularly because of its close proximity. I am so grateful for my parents that have sacrificed so much for me to be where I am today. For my little brothers who smile and laugh and bring joy into my life. For my sister who I share a relationship that I can't have with any roommate in the world. Sisters are something that can't be replaced. She holds a special place in my heart and if I could I would do anything for her.

St. Patty's!

For St. Patrick's day we made some yummy cupcakes to give away from green cheer! They turned out really cute and so yummy!

Cabin Weekend!

So March 20th was the day of the Bishop's cabin extravaganza. Our bishop in 87th ward owns a cabin in Island Lake, Idaho. Heather, Mike, Brock and I all hit the road at 4pm and we were on our way. At the cabin we had delicious food and desserts, watched the home videos that were created by each FHE group, ours was hilarious. I will post it soon on the blog for you all to see. We played our favorite game on the pool table, "OH CRUD!" which involves the black eight ball and the white ball. Basically it is like the basketball game of horse, but you can't let the ball stop at all, and you don't want it to drop in one of the holes. You have to serve the white ball from the two ends of the table which means no side serves. It is a blast. I am not very good but I love it. Mike won Crud for the first time.

We then went to bed, girls upstairs and boys down in the basement. The next morning we had a yummy breakfast and then played some more crud. We went shooting! So fun. I shot a 22 and a 45. I screamed the first time I shot the 45. So scary but so thrilling. We watched Runaway Jury in the theater room, and then we made our way back to Rexburg. The rest of the weekend was spent watching Tommy Boy, eating Pizza Hut, playing games and making a yummy Sunday dinner. I spent pretty much the whole weekend with Mike, which was awesome and I love spending as much time as I can with him. It was an action packed weekend with a ton of fun and not a whole lot of school. Which in essence makes it a perfect weekend.

The backyard view of the Bishop's cabin. It was more like a lodge! It was gorgeous!

Starting the drive.

 

Excited for the trip!

 

The girls together, CT was kicking some butt in Crud during the pic.

 

Taking a final pic of the couples together.

 

Leave it to Heather to not take a picture seriously.

 

Brice 

  

Making dinner.

 

Apple Bars!

Lo Hiney was sick! :(

 

James Showley and Rhett came for dinner!

The B-friend. :)

So much happening!

Well Life is moving fast and it takes all of my energy to manage all the great things that are happening. I am learning that it is super hard to fit everything that you want to do in with the things you have to do. A boyfriend definitely makes it a lot more difficult, but with as much fun as we have together it is worth it.  A lot has happened in the last weekend and every minute of it was fabulous. A blog post is soon to come! 

 Mike and I discovred I-photobooth on his Mac and so we took some crazy pics together. This was my favorite one.

Mmmmmhhmmmmmm.... : )

Can I just say that being happy is just the most fabulous feeling? Even with the stress of finals looming over me, there is just so many great things about life. It has been incredibly warm lately with the bright sunshine. Great roommate bonding time has been happening. Learning lots of new things in my English classes. Devotionals have been about things that I needed to hear the most. I get to go out of town with my roommates and the rest of the ward and go to the bishop's cabin. So life is just great.  I am full of smiles.

Yeah, It's cookie night!

So Sunday is a day of rest and relaxation, so we like to restfully party it up. Brice Hunter, one of our friends we play games with every Sunday night, has family in Idaho Falls. His Aunt makes cookies and desserts for his friends every other Sunday and we play games and talk and have fun. This was our first time going. It was so much fun. We had rice krispie treats, brownies and yummy scones with jam and honey. It was delicious. We played Rook and a game called "Oh Crud". "Oh Crud" was a fun one that we played on the pool table with the white ball and the black 8 ball. It is hard for me to understand so I won't try to explain it. We left there at like 8:30pm. After I went over to Mike's for the rest of the night and we skyped with my family, and he survived the craziness of the siblings fighting over the computer. Completely hectic. It was a great day.

Cute face, Lorrainey! Playing rook. 

Daniella and Tyler played with the little kids. Super cute.

 Playing Oh Crud. 

Mike and I. 

 Alex dashing for the white ball! She won the first game.

Brock bonded with 3 year old little Saley. It was really cute!

Daniella and Tyler. I loved Daniella's funny face. lol

It was a great weekend that went way too fast! 

No Boys Allowed Day!

So as per the demand of the roomies, this last Saturday we had a "No Boys Allowed Day" that lasted until 8pm. It only lasted until 8 because the boyfriends demanded us back by then. lol So Heather made a sign and taped it on our front door. She spelled cooties wrong though. She spelled it as "cuddies". Gotta love that girl!

Heather and the sign.

We started the day out with completing homework and other projects before we departed at 3pm for our girls shopping trip in Idaho Falls. 

 Study time.

Study time! We are working ourselves to the bone. 

We finally got to the long awaited time of girls shopping! We primped and prepped and then went on our way. We got lost on our way there and lost on the way back. Lorraine receives the award for spending the most money. If I had any money I probably would have beat her or been a close second. So many clothes, so many cute outfits, and no money! Not a good combo. 

I did get a cute new tank top, and a new bracelet all for only $16.00! Love it!

For dinner we stopped at Five Guys and Cafe Rio. Five Guys is a delish hamburger restaurant that tastes just like the Hamburgers that dad makes every summer! Lorraine bought a burrito at Cafe Rio. 

Getting ready for shopping til we drop!

Delish Five Guys! Mike was jealous that we went. lol

Great Girls day!!!!!

That night, Lorraine, CT and Kynsey (CT's friend from out of town) went on a group date. Heather, Daniella, Tyler, and I went over to Mike's and watched Zoolander! Love that movie. It was a great day.

Happiness : )

So it is funny how life changes so fast sometimes. School is going to be done in three weeks and I have a lack of focus when it comes to school work which I am fighting to the max. Grades are vital to my existence right now. Work is more of a dream than a reality. We wake up and go to work and leave by 8am and then 3 hours later in the day I forget that I even went to work. It is slightly ridiculous. Church is going great. We all have callings. Relief Society is my least favorite hour of the church day but I am trying to repent and start liking it more. Projects in classes pile and it seems that I have no time to get my things done that are due daily in classes much less have time to finish future projects. But the boy department is so much better than it was at the beginning of the semester. I went through dating a lot of jerks but finally found a genuine guy who is really sweet. His name is Mike Garrard. He served his two year mission in West Virginia, and is from Las Vegas Nevada. We have been doing lots of fun things like going to Guitars Unplugged, Extravadance, and Grand Piano's Live. He took me to Twizzle Berry for the first time which is a frozen yogurt place. He makes me smile.  Which is what everyone needs in their lives.

Mike and I before our date to Extravadance. 

Heather, Brock Laney, Mike and I. We had a blast that night.

 Lorraine and I have been incessantly pestered by our best friend Nathan Wilde, who is serving his mission in Independence, Missouri, to meet his little brother Kevin. We finally met him! It made us miss Nate tons!

Life is good! School is stressful. But the church is true and nothing else matters.

Hw......

 

This is the happiness I feel when I am Facebooking or blogging.

So I have decided that Facebooking and blogging are a lot more fun than doing loads of homework. It really is much more enjoyable.

The Priesthood

Well tonight I am sitting on the couch with Heather and Lorraine, and I am looking of old pictures of the last year and how far I have come from being a freshman in college to being half way through my sophomore year now. I am thinking about the boys that have changed my life and my roommates lives in the last year. I am so grateful for the priesthood and for these guys who are worthy to hold it and are living up to their priesthood callings. To the ones who are here after serving their two year missions faithfully and to others who are out in the mission field right now. I love them all! Thanks so much for being a part of my life guys! :)

 

Lorraine, Jake, Brett, Nate, and I

Brett served his mission in Florida. Jake is now serving in Denver, Colorado. Nate is serving in Independence, Missouri and is speaking spanish.

 

Scott Gassaway and I.

He is now serving in Denver, Colorado and is signing American sign language. 

 

James Showley, Bobby, Daren, Greg, and Buddy!

All Return Missionaries except for Greg who is serving in McAllen, Texas speaking spanish.

 

Justin, Heather, James, Bobby, Greg, Me, Lorraine, Daren

 

My Vending Men!
Top Row: Heather, Brian Hopkins, Me, Nick Albright, Justin Wood, Shon Barnes

bottom row: Zach Snider, Brian Welty, Ian Winters

All RMs!

 

Nater! I miss him soooooooooooooo much!!!!!!

 

Jake! Such a joy in our lives. He was obsessed with playing with the phone cord every time he came over.

 

Brett! :)
 

Mike Fox and TJ Lund!

Both Rm's!

Love them to death.

THANKS GUYS! YOU ARE ALL GREAT BLESSINGS IN MY LIFE!