To Mom and Dad

With the wedding getting closer and closer, I've been thinking more and more about the changes that are laying ahead of me.

It's like this future life is crouched like a lion,

just waiting to pounce on me as soon as December 17 hits.

I am leaving home - for good.

I'm growing up, moving out, and becoming a wife.

With this new label that I'm about to take, I was thinking about my old label:

{daughter}.

Of course, I'm still going to be my parents' daughter, but things are going to be very different.

So mom and dad, this one's for you.

Daddy

From day one, I've been your little princess.

I have vivid memories of sitting on your lap on the computer room,

playing my Aladdin computer game with you,

and singing "A Whole New World" together.

Every night, you tucked me into bed and said, "Goodnight my princess"

And I responded, "Goodnight my handsome prince."

But let's face it, I definitely was less of a princess and more of a tomboy as I got older.

We had wrestling matches with the boys, 

and played Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles together.

You were always Shredder.

You taught me everything I needed to know about sports.

There were countless games of catch in the backyard.

You taught me to hit and bunt with the perfect stance.

You taught me to keep my eye on the ball.

And even though I got a black-eye here or there, I learned it eventually...

You taught me how to slide into home without breaking a leg.

I'll even give you credit for the amazing arm I developed... ;)

Then there were hundreds of games of basketball in the driveway.

One on Ones, Around the World, Lightning, PIG...

And you can admit it: I gave you a run for your money. ;)

The best part about all the sports?

You coaching me every year I played anything.

Sure, I think I've heard "Anticipate" enough times to scream, 

but you do know what you're talking about.

(I can admit now since the coaching years are over...)

There were the days we'd bike to Elm Creek Park after dinner to get ice cream.

And days where we'd walk the neighborhood and look for landscaping ideas.

I know I'm growing up, and you think you're losing me, but you could never lose me.

I will always be your little girl.

I will always be your little princess.

Remember how when I was in kindergarten, and I thought my dad was so cool that I brought you to Show-N-Tell?

I'd do it again now if I had the chance.

I know I've put you through a lot through years
(particularly more recent years)

But I love you so much, Dad.

And I'm sorry I don't say it enough.

I love you.

Momma

I don't even know where to begin, mom.

You have done so much for me throughout the years.

When I was much younger, you made sure I always had a fun childhood.

Every day there was something fun for all of us kids to do.

We went to the park, did crafts & workbooks, had kool-aid stands, and more.

I always loved when you made "Surprise Lunches."

You organized waterballoon fights and slip-and-slide parties.

There was always ice cream treats on hot summer days.

...even for the rest of the neighborhood kids!

You played fun, made up games with us.

The "Every Flavor Jelly Bean" game was a favorite,

as was "Hide Cuddles from Mallory."

Hahahaha

All my friends in high school would say, "Your mom's so cool."

And they were right.

When I had parties at home, you helped me get together food and supplies.

And then once people were here, you made sure everyone was taken care of.

And you're always joking and being such a hoot.

You have always supported me.

You cheered me on in my "Pretty Little Princess" pageant.

You came to every single sporting event.

And supported and celebrated my academic achievements with me.

I have learned so much from you.

I've made countless mental notes about how to be a mother.

All based on your example.

I know you and I have struggled to see eye-to-eye several times throughout the years,

but I love you.

I love you so much, mom, and I appreciate everything you do for me.

What Happened?

I watched Modern Family tonight, just like every Wednesday night.

At 8:30, the show had finished, and the show following it began.

I can't even tell you what show it was.

I never watch it, and turned it off after 3 minutes because it disgusted me.

The opening scene was all about sex.

Casual sex.

"Banging the hot bartender" sex.

"Getting over your dry spell" sex.

"Get in, get off, get out" sex.

So I flipped the channel.

I need to have background noise on while I work on homework, so I started flipping to find something worthwhile to have on in the background.

I realized just how disgusting TV is these days.

Where did the sanctity of sex go?

Sex is a beautiful, sacred thing.

It is a gift from God to be shared between husband and wife to {create life}.

That is the purpose of sex.

Creating life.

It is not something to throw around lightly.

It is not created for one-night-stands.

It is not casual.

It is a big deal.

The media hypes casual sex.

Glorifies casual sex.

We have movies like What's Your Number?, Good Luck Chuck, Just Go With It, and hundreds more, that send the message that sex isn't special. It's just sex.
It's not just movies, it's everywhere.
All over the radio and TV.
Even my beloved FRIENDS, I've now noticed, almost constantly downplays sex.

You can have sex with whoever you want, whenever you want.

The more sex you have the better.

More lovers make you a player - you're at the top of the pyramid.

Of course, that's only if you're a guy.

If you're a girl, the more guys you have, the bigger whore you are.
But I'm not going to get into double standards now - that can be a later post.

Where did we lose sight of the beauty of sex?

When did we forget the significance of it?

When did we lose the sacredness of it?

If you're a virgin, you are mocked.

If you stand up for the virtue of sex, people call you "old-fashioned."

If you don't show off your sex appeal, you're a prude.

If you dress modestly, you're not wanted.

Women have become an object.

We are told by movies, television, heck, even our peers, that we need to constantly be sexy.

We need to wear short dresses and skirts - the shorter the better.

We need to wear push-up bras, low-cut shirts, and show off our cleavage.

When we pose for pictures, we need to stand with one hand on our hip, 
and one leg bent at the knee. 

And we mustn't forget to suck in that gut, tilt our head,
 and flash that fake pearly white smile for the camera.

Men ogle us. 

They talk dirty about us.

They talk down about us.

They treat us like a piece of meat.
And we've been taught to accept it.

Heck, we've been taught to like it.

When it's time for a night out on the town,

girls get dolled up with the intention of making men talk about us the way they do.

It seems as if we've been trained to like that kinda treatment.

We've been objectified.

And we let it keep happening.

We encourage it.

By dressing the way we do, we continue to diminish our value.

We've lost sight of virtue.

What happened?

Let's change it.

Idiocy

It's been a while since I've last written a post.
Why is that, you ask?
Because life is boring.
I do the same thing every day.
Nothing to write about.
But, I searched my little brain for something to entertain you with
(Or at least try to entertain you with)
And I've come up with at least something.
I hope...


There's a lot of talk going around these days about guns and the right to carry them or should we ban all guns and blah blah blah.
Well, I'm going to voice my opinion about the matter.
Because people are making me angry.


Governor Walker of Wisconsin has recently passed law that had made it legal for licensed citizens to carry concealed weapons on campus.
I am NOT okay with this.
Let me tell you why.


I get all the "pro" arguments, I really do.
If some crazy wacko really wanted to come onto campus with a gun and go crazy and shoot people with it, they would.
Whether it was legal or illegal to carry a gun on campus in the first place.
And I completely agree.
Having a law against carrying a weapon isn't going to deter someone's intention of shooting others.


But when the Governor says it's okay for students to carry guns on campus, then I have a problem.
A big one.
Guns are {not} needed on campus.
At. All.
There is absolutely no reason anyone would need to carry a concealed weapon onto campus property.


People like to use the excuse: protection.
Well let me tell you something about protection.
If people weren't allowed to carry guns in the first place, I wouldn't need a gun to protect myself from other guns.
Someone told me, "Well, you're a little girl. Now you can go jogging or walking alone at night on campus and not have to worry about getting raped."
If girls are worried about getting raped, and therefore need a gun to protect themselves, here's a tip:
"Don't go walking or jogging through the wooded trails on campus at night. Alone."
Use your brains.
Not a gun.


If you want to protect yourself, learn self defense. 
Sleep with a bat next to your bed.
Get a guard dog.
Not a gun.


I just think there are different ways of protecting yourself.
Maybe I'm naive.
I think allowing people to carry guns in the first place is the problem. 
I guess there's the whole hunting argument, but fine. Use your gun to kill a deer.
Not a human.
And do not bring that gun onto campus.
There is absolutely, positively no reason to need it on campus.
And I think that the Governor is an idiot to think otherwise.

My Addiction

Modern Family.

It's on ABC Wednesdays at 8pm.

If you haven't watched it, you need to.
Tune in tonight.

Here are some highlights to entice you to watch this emmy-winning sitcom

(and to reinstitute some giggles if you're already addicted like I am)

Hope you laughed. 

:)

Picture Perfect Weekend

Life is wonderful.

And although I really hate writing insignificant posts about what I do every day, I feel like my weekend was just sooo great, that I just have to do that.

So here is how amazing my weekend was.

First, I went home Friday afternoon.

It was a leisurely afternoon: I read a bit, spent some time at home, then the fam went out for some din din.

Boston's. I had some delish buffalo chicken sliders.

While at dinner, I got a text from Thomas telling me he was already off work!

Woot!

 So we ended up getting to start our night together at 9, instead of 10/10:30.

So what did we do? We had a date night!

We went mini golfing at Grand Slam!

Then we rented a Redbox (Just Go With It) and cuddled up on the couch together.

Good day.

Family and Thomas.

Perf.

Then Sat was wonderful.

The morning started with some fast-paced shopping with momma.

Then it was off to my first bridal shower!

It was mostly the aunts and cousins from my mom's side of the family, and then some friends from school.

Oh my goodness, I had a hoot!

We played fun games, ate great food, and there were, of course, presents to open.

It was a wonderful time!

When the party finished, I drove out to a secret spot for a surprise from my Thomas...

He had text me directions to an address and told me he'd meet me there.

After driving for about a half hour, I came upon the secret destination: An Apple Orchard!

Thomas had read in my blog how I wanted to go to one, and so he surprised me in between his double shift Saturday!

It was so much fun!

We went through a corn maze,

petted some cute lil' goats,

picked a ton of apples (and ate a couple),

and picked a pumpkin!

The time went too fast before he had to go to work.

While Thomas was off at work, I went with my family to visit my grandparents.

It was my grandpa's 82nd birthday, so we had dinner and cake and ice cream over there with some other family members.

It was great to spend time together.

Plus, there were babies! :)

Eventually, Thomas and I saw each other again, and spent the last couple hours of the night cuddled up on the couch with another movie.

This time, we watched Mars Needs Moms.

Sunday came, along with yet another gorgeous day of sunshine!

Off to church Thomas and I went!

It was fast Sunday, my favorite!

Thomas and I both bore our testimonies in church,

although, that's normal.

After church, we had dinner with our families, then I went back over to his house.

And we carved our pumpkin!

Woot!

It was a simply perfect weekend.

I saw, family, friends, and Thomas.

It was filled with wonderful people, wonderful fun, and wonderful weather.

Life just couldn't get much better right now! 

It's not about the Shoe

Do you like her?

Is she wedding material?

Because this is what I'll be wearing the big day!

I'm pretty much in love with them.

Good purchase, if I do say so myself.

Thomas picked them out...be sure to tell him good job. 

But, this post is not about shoes.

It's not about the wedding.

It's about my Thomas.

And our life...the past, the present, and a bit of the future...

It kinda hit me today that it's October.

That means our wedding is two months away.

Two. Months.

I can't even believe it myself.

And as it hit me today, and I sat fantasizing about it, I thought about our life.

And the pile of stuff we've overcome.

And the blissful future that lies ahead.

It's hard to believe I found the love of my of life at only 17 years old.

I never, in a million years, saw my life taking the direction it has.

Thomas and I met in high school, through some mutual friends.

Sure, his super sexy British accent and gorgeous dimples caught my attention right away, but I never thought twice about ever becoming "a thing" with him.

But, eventually, we became best friends.

And long story short, he asked me to be his girlfriend on April 14, 2006.

From that moment on, things moved so fast.

Thomas and I fell in love so hard, so fast.

It was just two weeks upon becoming "official" that we told each other we loved each other.

At about six months, we were talking about a future together.

The months, and eventually years, that followed were amazing.

They were full of special days, like birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays.

And they full of normal days, like cuddling on the couch, laying at the beach, and parties with friends. 

Our relationship blossomed.

We had many highs, and also many lows.

We built unforgettable memories,

And created memories we wish we could forget.

But we stuck through everything together.

Eventually, I started investigating the Mormon church.

Thomas, as you know, was Mormon. 

I had absolutely no intention of ever becoming Mormon - I simply wanted to learn more about it as a way to learn more about the man I loved. 

If I was going to spend forever with him, shouldn't I understand the most important part of his life?

The more I learned about the church, the more I loved it. 

Eventually, I decided I wanted to be baptized into the Mormon church.

This decision was met with a lot of tribulations.

I lost friends, and for a while, my family.

But Thomas was with me the whole time.
Thomas spent countless nights holding me while I cried, and cheering me up.

He encouraged me, lifted me, and brought light to my life.

About two years down the road, Thomas told me he wanted to serve a mission for church.

A mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is two years.

During those two years, the missionaries literally drop everything and dedicate their entire lives to the service of the Lord.

They go around the world teaching people about the Gospel.

They can only email once a week, write regular snail-mail, and call home twice a year: on Christmas and Mother's Day.

For two years.

Twenty-four months.

104 weeks.

730 days.

My heart broke when he told me his decision.

But I promised to support him through those two years and that I'd be here waiting for him when he returned...

Those two years were the longest, hardest years of my life.

But I am so grateful to have experienced them.

I learned so much about myself and Thomas and I as a couple.

My entire faith was tested: my faith in Christ, my faith in Thomas and I, and my faith in myself.

I had some dark times, made some poor decisions, hit my lowest lows, and walked through hell and back.

But I also had some of my highest highs, learned some valuable life lessons, and found the person I want to be in life. 

I cried more tears than I have ever cried in my entire life.

But I laughed more laughs and smiled more smiles than ever before as well.

Our relationship grew infinitely through that experience.

We developed an even deeper, stronger, and more intimate love for one another.

We grew to appreciate the little things in our relationship a million times more, and we realized, through the absence of one another, how much we truly wanted to spend the rest of forever with each other.

We discovered what {real} love is.

Then, on June 8, 2011, after two long years, my Thomas came home.

I will never ever forget the feelings of that day.

The rush of emotion as I ran into his arms after two long years apart.

The way his lips felt against mine again.

The way his fingers fit between mine again.

The feel of his breath on my neck as he whispered "I love you so much" in my ear.

The evening we were reunited, although a blur, will forever be engraved in my memory.

And now, here we are.

Engaged and more in love than ever before.

Thomas is my soul mate.

I never believed in soul mates before I met him.

But I truly believe Thomas was brought into my life for a reason: to be my husband. To grow old with. To be my love for time and all eternity.

He is my better half.

I swear he knows me better than I know myself.

Over five years down the road, and he still treats me like a princess.

He still always opens doors for me.

He calls me {beautiful} and {gorgeous} 800 times a day.

He puts up with my [many] mood swings.

He bears my puppy obsession and baby fever.

He understands sometimes I just need to yell.

He also understands sometimes I'll choose reading a book over him...

He doesn't complain {too much} about the fact that I play Christmas music from September to February.

He at least tries to understand my shoe obsession.

He knows if something's bothering me without me needing to say anything.

And when I'm sad, he knows the perfect balance of letting me cry and making me laugh.

There's been countless breakfasts in bed.

Dozens of bouquets of flowers.

A handful of surprises.

Pounds upon pounds of chocolate.

Hundreds, yes hundreds, of trips to Taco Bell.

Probably thousands of kisses at red lights.

Countless midnight walks under the stars.

Endless wishes at 11:11...and 2:22, 3:33, 4:44, 5:55...

He showers with me with love every single day.

And now, we {finally} get to become one.

We {finally} get to become husband and wife.

We {finally} get to start a family.

We've been through every curveball life could throw us.

We've climbed every mountain that's been in our way, and reached the top stronger and deeper in love every time.

There is nothing in this life we can't make it through.

I can't wait for what the future holds for us.

I can't wait to grow old together.

I found my prince charming.

It's time to start my happily ever after.