Child of God

I am a child of God.

And so are you.

Farewell Theodore

Remember Theodore?

Remember me complaining he wasn't eating?

Yup. He died.

Flushed him down the toilet today.

I'd say I was sad, but how much can you fall in love with a fish after two weeks?

However, I am a little concerned about what this means...

I know he died because he wasn't eating...at least I'm 99.9% sure that's the case. But still, if I can't keep a stinkin' betta fish alive for more than two weeks, how am I meant to keep my puppies alive when I finally get one? Or worse! What about my real babies?! Ooohhh this is not making me feel confident in my ability to be a mother...I guess it's a good thing I've got quite a few years before I have to worry about that!

 

In the meantime, farewell dear Theodore

The Life of Residence Life

I am in love with my job. Love it, love it, LOVE IT! In case you don't know, just to fill you in, I work as a Hall Manager for one of the residence halls on campus. This means I manage all the paperwork for the building, facilities, funding for events, all 200 residents, and my 6 Resident Assistants that I supervise. I absolutely adore working in Residence Life. These last three years that I have been blessed with the opportunity to do so have been some of THE most influential, life changing, and just plain FUN years of my life.

The job can be extremely time-consuming, but it's never bothered me because of how fun it is. My job is extremely social. Back when I was an RA, I got to plan tons of fun programs on a very nearly weekly basis. There was always something fun to attend, relationships and friendships to build, and memories to be made. For me, the social butterfly, it was the ideal job. And now, as a Hall Manager, it is still very much a perfect job for me. I still get to be very social with 200 girls every day. I get to attend these awesome events and programs (and be a part of planning and executing these events) and I'm still making incredible friendships. It's almost even more awesome this year because as a Hall Manager, I have a higher profile so more people know me, which means I in turn get to meet more people, build more relationships, and meet more friends than I did as an RA.

It really is awesome. Except that lately I am really missing having a social life outside of my job. Yes, the job is incredibly fun and rewarding and social, but I miss my old friends. The job is sorta like a mandatory socialization. Which, I mean even when it's kinda mandatory, it's still really fun, but I have a lot of rules. I have curfews, and meetings, and other obligations that take away from my ability to interract with my friends I have outside of Residence Life. I miss out on fun social events like parties, birthdays, movie nights, and get togethers. My job trumps other things in my life too, like church activities.

But as consuming as the job can be, it is the most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life. It is so rewarding to watch a community of girls come together, to be a part of building relationships that will last for years and years. It is so rewarding to put on a successful, fun event. I love this job! I am really going to savor my last semester of this amazing work!

Meet Theodore!

Meet Theodore!

I adopted Theo just last weekend, Saturday to be exact! He's my new baby - and my very first betta I've ever had! I was feeling very motherly for quite awhile and decided I needed to do something about it. I needed a pet. Now, of course my first choice would be a puppy, but because I live in a residence hall, that's a big fat no-no. Sad day. Because otherwise I woulda gotten me one of these cutie patooties...

How can you not fall in love with those adorable eyes?!?! GAH!! Cavalier King Charles Spaniels - those are my dream puppies. I will own one someday...just not today, I guess.

So anywho, I got Theodore to soothe my motherly cravings that were taking over. Well, he's gorgeous and everything, but he can't fetch, he can't cuddle, I can't pet or play with him, basically he's really not curing my motherly feelings. Oh well. I do still love him. Although I'm pretty sure he's going to die soon...he won't eat. Well, if he does it's always when I'm not looking and very miniscule amounts because the food is always floating at the top of his water. I really hope he starts eating because it will be devastating it my very first fishie dies right away just because he's stubborn and won't eat.

But in the mean time, I love him very much.

Mark Your Calenders!

I got one of the best emails today...Thomas received his release date!! And the day he's coming back home is...drum roll please...

JUNE 9!!!

That's right ladies and gents, a month earlier than I had anticipated! Check out the newest donut of misery:

Oh yes, I have now dubbed it: Donut of Excitement! I mean come on: I'm down to 4 and a half months, I can count the months on one hand, only 141 days left out of 701...I think I've reached the point of no return, the moment when all I can be is happy! All those teary nights? So long! I only have 4 months left! It was GLORIOUS to watch that donut zip from 23% to only 20% when I typed in his new date. Simply glorious. A whole month gone, just like that. *snap* Disappear!

Well, hopefully I can carry this mentality for the rest of the mission. Hopefully I can stay giddy and excited instead of getting those awful sad spurts. Because right now, I'm feeling on top of the world...and I don't ever want it to go away.

Live for Others

Happiness. Peace. Love.

What brings you happiness in life? Like real, genuine happiness? When do you feel at peace? Have ever even felt at peace? What about love? What do you love? What is love?

Life.

I just watched Eat.Pray.Love. and now I'm sitting here thinking and reflecting on what makes me happy, what brings me peace, and what love is. My answer, I've concluded, to all the above is: life. But in order to have life, you must live.

So how do you live? For others...but also for yourself.

Now I'm only 22, I don't have experience. I'm not wise. I have lots to learn about virtually everything on the face of this beautiful planet. But I feel like when it comes to living, I've learned a lot...especially in the recent past.

I have learned that one of the greatest ways to make yourself happy is to make others happy. I saw a quote somewhere, who knows where, I'm always looking for quotes, but anywho, I saw this quote: "Only a life lived for others is a life worth while." That's Einstein....the guy knew his stuff. Life is so much fuller when we learn to live for others.

I think people can be so selfish. I know there are times where I have definitely been selfish. Everyone has selfish moments, but I feel like society in general has become too selfish. America is a very individualistic society; we are constantly told to make our own decisions, think for ourselves, be ourselves, fend for ourselves, yadda yadda yadda. And while all that is great and good and true, I think it's become so much of a part of society that now it's virtually the only part of our society. We focus so much on ourselves and making ourselves happy that we forget to help make others happy, and in turn we forget that making others happy makes us happy. It's a win-win situation!

I love helping others. I get so much joy bringing a smile to someone's face. That's why I've fallen in love with my job. It will be so different (and I'm worried extremely hard) to adjust to no longer being in Residence Life after this year, but I guess that's a story for another post...

For now, I'll just leave you with this: What have you done for someone else today?

...and so it goes...

It never ceases to amaze me how much life can change...and so fast too! I am sitting here tonight, a little nostalgic, reflecting on the past five years of my life, and I am amazed at how much has changed. My life is nothing like I expected it to be - but it is the richest, fullest, most blessed life I could ever have asked for.

In high school, I had amazing friends. Just simply amazing. We called ourselves "The Good ol' Gang." These peeps were my life, my world. We hung out all the time. No, literally, all the time. I swear there was a party or movie night or game night or something every weekend during the school year. And summertime was full of nonstop bonfires, trips to Valleyfair, the beach, and more endless nights of just hanging out and acting crazy. There were endless games of poker, Apples to Apples, charades, pool, and even a few wrestling matches here and there! These people were the best people I had in my life. I was struggling with a lot of issues in high school, and these amazing people made me laugh till I cried and became my family. And we were going to be friends forever. Not like all those other people who "claimed" they were going to be friends forever; no, no, no...we really were going to make it.

Today, I have no contact with virtually all my high school peeps. I still have a handful that I love dearly and are still very much a part of my life, but for the most part, "The Good ol' Gang" is gone, all dissolved. And I could not be more grateful for that. Yes, those people were amazing, and played such a crucial part in making me who I am, but towards the end of it all, we had all become so different (college will do that to ya), and it was exhausting trying to cling onto friendships that clearly weren't the same anymore. So I "cut myself out" of that group and started to move forward in my life.

Now, I have an entirely different group of friends. I have an entirely different lifestyle. My life is completely different than it was five years ago; nothing like what I thought it was going to be like. I don't know why I'm so surprised by it. It's only natural, and expected, that you change and grow as life moves forward - particularly through college. But it's just weird how much changes.

I never ever ever, in a million years, thought I would be Mormon when I was in high school. But becoming Mormon has been one the greatest changes in my life, and has also brought the most challenges. It's tested my relationships with friends and family. It's tested my strength and dedication. It's helped me learn a lot about who I am and who I want to become. Words cannot express how grateful I am to have discovered the Mormon church. It has been the best change in my life.

I never thought Tom would go on a mission. Whenever we talked about it in high school, he never wanted to go. He didn't want to leave his family, friends, me, his job, everything, for two years. Whenever we first started talking about it, I never encouraged him to go. Heck, I was ecstatic he didn't want to go - I would get to keep him with me then! But then, through the years, I realized how much the mission would change his life, and I knew he would regret it in the future if he never went. So, whenever the topic came up, I started nudging him to go and encouraging him to go (even though deep inside, I really didn't want to give him up for two years). Finally, to my surprise (and heartbreak), he sat me down and told me he wanted to be a missionary. My heart fell to my stomach and I fought back the tears as I gave him the biggest hug, put a smile on my face, and told him I was so proud of him. He thanks me often in his letters and emails for nudging him and encouraging him because it's been the most amazing experience for him. And ya know what? I don't regret him leaving at all - I could not be happier, and I am sooo incredibly glad he went. I love seeing how much he's grown and hearing the love and passion he has in missionary work. I could not be prouder of my man!

As I said before, I have an entirely new group of friends - my fellow Res Lifers. It amazes me how much being in Residence Life has changed my life! Being an RA and a Hall Manager has helped me grow SO much and has greatly impacted who I am. I have develoed numerous life skills. I have become so much more aware of the needs of others. I have become more aware of my thoughts, and how those thoughts influence my actions. I feel like I have become a much better person; someone with a much bigger heart and a much more open mind. I have developed lifelong friendships. People have entered my life and left footprints on my heart that won't ever fade. Strangers became my closest friends, and those friends have become my family. I have learned to let my walls down and to let people into my heart. I have learned the value of living in the moment and making each day count. I have learned that a smile goes an incredibly long way, and a hug can cure anything.

It's amazing how much life can change so fast, but it's even more amazing how those changes can be so wonderful.

Culinary Student and Teacher in One

I cannot cook for the life of me. Just ask Thomas; I've made him eat so many disgusting dishes that I've ruined over the years. There was the time I tried to make a cheesey broccoli stir-fry and added 3x as much velveeta as the recipe called for...it was basically velveeta soup with bits of chicken and veggies. Then there was the time I tried to make him breakfast...I burnt virtually everything on the plate...even the toast. There was one time the food turned out okay...but then I burnt my hand on the oil in the pan and now have a scar because of it. The nights I attempt to cook dinner for him, we usually end up at Taco Bell.

Bottom line, my cooking skills really need to improve before I marry the love of my life. Poor Thomas. He really got the short of the stick when it comes to settling for me. But, I've been practicing...and improving! Not to mention, I got this super cute apron that totally boosts my self-esteem in the cooking department. ;)

So, back to the practicing! It helps because this year I am in an apartment instead of a dorm room. This means I get a full kitchen! I actually have space and a facility for cooking! Complete with stove, oven, and a humungo refrigerator - great for storing cooking supplies! I also invested in some key kitchen appliances, since I have the room to store them this year. I don't know what my favorite is: my George Foreman grill or my Ninja blender. Both are perfectly amazing. With my George Foreman, I can grill myself up a BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger in no time and it tastes like I'm out at Red Robin...Yuummmm! :) With my Ninja, well my Ninja is perfect for all those girls nights - smoothies and chick flicks!

I've practiced simple cooking things, like grilling on my George Foreman or boiling pasta (I have now discovered the importance in adding salt to the water when you boil pasta). But there have been a couple times where I've actually cooked a full meal! Once, I (successfully) made pan-fried chicken complete with mashed potatoes and ceasar salad. It was delish, if I do say so myself. Another time I made an entire breakfast for my entire staff! I made pancakes, fried bacon, and cooked eggs all by myself! Then, just last night, I decided to try making some enchiladas! I was really stressed about this one because I was using a recipe from my aunt - and I LOVE this recipe, so I had pretty high standards! Well, they turned out PERFECTLY! They were delicious! Even my girls said so. I was pretty happy with myself! My skills are improving! Next weekend, I'm going to tackle another full entre, I just haven't decided what yet.

I think what's been helping me improve my skills (or lack thereof) is this amazing cookbook I bought over the summer when I was in the Dells. This is my kitchen Bible. The best part about this cookbook is not the incredible amount of recipes that is full of. Instead, it is this awesome introduction section that it has. This introduction is full of incredibly helpful hints and tips for cooking. Some of the key sections I like (and find incredibly useful) are:

• The Kitchen Toolbox: This explains essential tools you need in your kitchen and how to use each one. It has everything from different kinds of spoons, bakeware, pots & pans, appliances, and so much more!
• The How-to Section: Pretty self explanatory, but probably my favorite part of the book and the most important. It tells you how to do literally everything. From cleaning, peeling, and coring every kind of fruit and veggie you can think of, to measuring, to softening butter and cream cheese, to using different kinds of knives - do you have any idea how many different kind of knives there are out there?? A lot.
• Top Ten Tricks Only the Pros Know: A pretty dang cute, and helpful, section. Helpful tips that even your mom or grandmother may not know. For instance, love french breads? Everyone does right? But because they contain virtually no fats (appartently) they dry out after only a day. No problem! Spritz it with water and warming in the oven for about ten minutes and voila! Fresh bread again!
• Ask Mom: At the bottom of every recipe is the "Ask Mom" section. Obviously, these are simply little questions that normally you would call your mom for when cooking, such as: what is mincing and how do I mince garlic? Or what does it mean to dredge? I love this section!

As you can tell, I am in love with this book. And for anyone trying to learn to cook (or just interested in some delicious food) I highly recommend you invest this book. Oh! Did I mention it comes with a DVD? Yes, it does. I haven't watched it, but I'm sure it's just as awesome as the rest of the book. The DVD is the "How-To" section of the book, so I'm sure it's incredibly helpful. Oh, and every recipe is rated on a scale of 1 to 3 based on difficulty, with 3 being the most difficult, so you can easily decide which recipes to try first.

My goal? Continue using this book to become the world's next Top Chef! Okay, maybe not that great of a cook, but I wan't to be pretty dang accomplished. Because, as we all know, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach...and my man has a big heart, so he's gonna need a lot of grub!

My 12 Days of Christmas

I realized I never update ya'll on my amazing 12 Days of Christmas that my Thomas did for me! So, allow me to show off for a post how wonderful my man is. :)

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me: A christus in a glass cube.

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me: two neck-a-laces!

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me:  three videos!

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: four funny photos!

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: five forever marry me's!

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: six silly drawings!

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me: seven secret messages!

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: eight lovely letters!

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: nine poetic promises!

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: ten special scriptures!

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me: eleven love languages!

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: twelve tulips on shoes!

The Rest of Forever

Heeelllloooo 2011. Man oh man, I feel like I have waited so long to be able to say: "My Thomas is coming home to me this year!"

Sure, I've still got 6 months to go. But ya know what? Six months? That's only a fourth of the way left!! A FOURTH! I'm totally serious! Yeah, I know, I can't believe it either. Just check out my most recent donut of misery:

Pretty DANG awesome, huh?!?! And, yes, I'm aware it says 26%, it's not quite a fourth of the way, but that's because his return date is set to the 8th, so it wont say 25% till the 8th. Speaking of which, can I just say I am pretty much ripping at the seams with anticipation to get his release date! I'm not sure when it we'll get it exactly, but I am just pumped to know when exactly he's coming home!! I can't wait to get his flight information and everything! Oooh exciting! The funny part? I don't even have his release date yet and I'm already giddy with excitement. I think it's just that it's finally the year he's coming home!

I got to have him in my life (and my arms!) the first half of 2009. Wonderful, right? Right. But then 2010 came and OH. MY. GOSH. I was so not looking forward to an entire year, aaaalllll of 2010, without him. Not a single touch of him. Oofda. I was feeling overwhelmed. And now? Well, now I only have to go the first half of 2011 without him by my side! And the best part?...

...after that first half is over, never again do we have to be apart like this. After the first half is over, we get to be together for the rest of forever.