Attitude of Gratitude

This year Adam and I did our very own 24 Days of Gratitude, an idea I took from my friend Whitney.  She also does 25 Days of Christ during Christmas-time which we will be doing also, but it's not time for that just yet!  So for our 24 Days of Gratitude, every day from November 1st to Thanksgiving Day we told each other one thing we were grateful for.  And we even wrote them on a poster:

I must have written this in a frenzy - misspelled gratitude!

Here's our 2011 Gratitude list (in no order of importance):

• two working vehicles
• Kami
• pretty & fun music
• cold weather
• a job
• the Gospel!
• a body
• sports
• dance
• relaxing
• talents/skills
• technology
• family
• temple
• scriptures
• knowledge
• the Savior
• back-scratches
• Adam!
• water
• a home
• the right to bear arms
• freedom
• electric tools
• blankets
• the weekend
• money
• good food
• hot chocolate
• the Holy Ghost
• medicine
• leaders
• the prophet
• Pepsi
• a warm & comfy bed
• sleep
• to live in the USA
• revelation
• electricity
• good friends
• massages
• accessibility of things
• the plan of salvation
• happiness
• the earth
• life
• the ability to have children
• and all our many other blessings!

I hope this season of thanksgiving has inspired more thankfulness in us.  We have been given everything we have by God's hand.  He has created everything, and inspired all good things to come about.  He created us!  Both us as spirits and our bodies.  The only thing we have that is truly ours to give is our will.  I hope we can choose to be thankful to Him and happy for what we have.

Happy people aren't necessarily thankful, but thankful people are happy!

"Gratitude is a Spirit-filled principle. It opens our minds to a universe permeated with the richness of a living God. Through it, we become spiritually aware of the wonder of the smallest things, which gladden our hearts with their messages of God's love. This grateful awareness heightens our sensitivity to diving direction. When we communicate gratitude, we can be filled with the Spirit and connected to those around us and the Lord. Gratitude inspires happiness and carries divine influence."
Bonnie D. Parkin, "Gratitude: A Path to Happiness," Ensign, May 2007

13 True Things About Mormons

1.  Mormons are Christians.

2.  We believe in and worship Jesus the Christ spoken of in the Holy Bible and that He is the Son of God.

3.  The name "Mormon" is a nickname because of our belief in the Book of Mormon as additional scripture.

4.  The name of the church Mormons belong to is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

5.  We absolutely believe the Bible to be true and the word of God, as long as it is translated correctly.

6.  We believe that the Book of Mormon is also the word of God and is additional scripture written by Christ's people in the Americas and is a second witness of Jesus that He is the Christ.

7.  Joseph Smith was the first prophet of God in this last dispensation, or these latter-days, or this time when the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ will not ever again be taken away from the earth.

8.  God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith as he was praying in a grove of trees about which church he should join.  They instructed him to join none of them and told him that the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ would be restored through him.

9.  We revere and respect and look up to Joseph Smith because of everything he has done and endured for the work of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

10.  We make sacred covenants in holy temples, and we perform these ordinances by proxy for those who have died without receiving them -- and they then have the opportunity to accept them or decline.

11.  We believe life does not end at the grave but that because of Jesus Christ and His Resurrection we are able to be resurrected (spirit and body reunited in a perfected form) and to live eternally.

12.  We believe that Jesus Christ suffered and atoned for our sins and that because of this we have the ability to repent and to come closer to God and to be able to be granted into His presence after this life.

13.  We believe families can be together forever, but only by being sealed together by someone who has God's authority on earth (the priesthood) in His holy temples.

Learn more here.

Does God have time for me?

I hear this certain commercial on the radio every once in a while and it just kills me every time I hear it.  The girl is asking things like, "Doesn't God have more important things to worry about my life and my worries?"  I really wish people wouldn't think this way, but there are so many who do.  The thing that makes me the most sad is that if someone has to ask that question, they don't understand what the whole point of life is.  God is the Father of our spirits, and His work and glory is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."  His whole purpose is to help us make it back to Him to live with him and our loved ones forever.  He isn't up in the sky somewhere making the tides roll in and the wind blow and just watching us live our lives for entertainment.  He is listening to us and trying to prod us in the right directions and answering our pleadings.  We are His first priority!  And He provided a Savior for us, His Only Begotten Son in the flesh, even Jesus Christ, to come to the earth and show us the way to be able to return to our Father in heaven, and He suffered on our behalf so we would be able to do so.  Because if He did not, we would have no way to repent and be washed clean of and turn away from our sins, and since no unclean thing can dwell in the presence of God we would be cast out forever, for eternity.  But He DID suffer and die and was resurrected for US, so we could have a way to overcome the natural man or evil in us and become saints and be able to be permitted into God's presence after this life.

God hears our prayers.  And He answers them.  Most often He answers in ways we don't expect.  He knows us, and He loves us.  He has provided this beautiful and resourceful earth to live on.  He has created these magnificent bodies of flesh and blood for our spirits to be housed in while we live our earthly lives.  He wants us all to make ourselves worthy so we can return to live with Him after this life on earth.  He has provided the way -- Jesus Christ.  We have to give the only thing we have to give, since everything we have been given has been by the hand of God -- and that is our will.  He has given us the ability to choose; and to be the most happy and to gain the most blessings and to be closest to God, we must choose Him and live His way.

So, does God have time for you?  The answer is yes.  His hand is always extended to you; He is just waiting for you to reach back to Him. 

Learn more.

Immortality

I read earlier today that a scientist in the UK predicts that in about 20 years we will be able to make ourselves immortal.  He says that technology and our knowledge of the human body is accelerating at a rate that if it stays steady, we will be able to stop ageing and even reverse it.

I understand the desire for humans to live forever.  But I don't want to live forever in these conditions.  I want to die eventually, when I've finished everything I've come here to do and learn.  There is so much more, and better things waiting for us on the other side.  Death is a part of life.  And after death we will be resurrected (the reuniting of the body and spirit) and live in a much better way!  This wanting to live forever suspectedly comes from not understanding what happens after we die.  I'm grateful that I have that knowledge and that I don't have to wonder or be scared or nervous about it.  I know my purpose in life because I know my purpose after this life.  The ability that I have to be with God and my family forever through sealings (not just "'til death do us part") in God's holy temple brings me so much joy!  I know that we will live forever, and not only that but live forever in such great happiness and peace and joy if we do the things that are required of us by God.  There is a way, and Jesus Christ is that Way.  He has restored His church, the same as in the days when he walked the earth.  We don't have to live in confusion.  Our Heavenly Father (we are His spirit children!) is not a God of confusion, but clarity.  He has laid out for us what we should and need to do, and as long as we do those things we can achieve the highest degree of glory and happiness and live there with God and our families forever.  Because He died and was resurrected, Jesus Christ has opened the reality that we will all be resurrected also and have immortality - everyone who ever has come or will come to the earth.  But only those who obey His commandments (all of them, including the commandments He gives to us through His prophets in these modern days) will be granted everlasting life; salvation (a personal matter), and exaltation (a family matter).  We have so much potential!  His arms are ever extended to each of us.  I hope and pray that we will rise up to the call and take up our cross and follow Him, our Savior who has done so very much for us, to whom I am forever indebted and grateful.

And it Begins...

The HUGE new scoreboard!
Biggest in the West I guess (counting colleges).

Arizona football.  Oh hello.

Us at the game last Saturday against NAU!  We won of course.
(And got free tacos!)

This is what I get excited about!  The marching band!

U of A!  U of A!  U of A!

Go cats!

Summer-time is Birthday-time!

Both mine and Adam's birthdays are in the summer.

We gave each other breakfast in bed,

(dang, no pictures)

Went out to eat with the family, 

Olive Garden, of course.

Adam the "Wing Nut" at Buffalo Wild Wings

Took pictures by our homemade birthday posters made with love by Adam's mom, 

Opened super awesome presents,

And of course, I ate cookie cake.

I. Love. Cookie cake. (From Mrs. Fields only)

This was our second year celebrating our birthdays as a married couple.  Weird!  We're in our SECOND year of marriage.  I can only imagine all the wonderful and awesome things to come.  :)

(Just as a side note, we still have not eaten the top layer of our wedding cake from a year ago.  We should probably get on that since it gets older by the minute...)

(And as a side note to the side note, the freezer in which the top layer of our wedding cake was being stored apparently broke and it got ruined.  Oh well, I hear it doesn't ever really taste that good anyway.  We should just make a new top layer and eat that and call it good!)

Daughter of a King

Disney castle

Doesn't pretty much every little girl wish she was a princess and live in a castle with a handsome prince happily ever after?

Well I've got some news for you aspiring princesses out there --

You ARE a princess!

God is our King and our Heavenly Father, and we are His daughters, His princesses.  We have the opportunity to inherit all He has!  If we live faithful to the commandments our Savior Jesus Christ has given us to live by, and make and keep sacred covenants (or promises, or contracts with God) through sacred ordinances such as baptism by immersion into Christ's church, and receiving our endowment in the temple, and being sealed to our families for time AND eternity in the holy temple of God, we will be counted worthy before our Heavenly Father at the last day and we will be granted glorious blessings!  There are mansions awaiting us in our Heavenly Father's great kingdom where we can live for eternity in peace and joy with Him and the Savior and our families.

Salt Lake City temple

Such marvelous and wonderful blessings await us.  Heavenly Father has offered us so much.  But we must do our part.  Our "happily ever after" doesn't come all at once, and it doesn't happen by our own standards.  We must learn truth and stick to it, and live by it each day.  We must enter into the holy temple of God and make sacred covenants with Him, so we are better equipped to fight off the adversary in our lives and rise triumphant through our trials.  Though it doesn't end there.  It takes hard work every day to keep doing the right thing and to stay on the right, the straight and narrow, path.  But even though our Father in Heaven meant for us to be tried on the earth to test our faithfulness, He also had and has the intention of us to have joy!  Our "happily ever after" can being now.  And following the Savior and making covenants or promises with God that we will try to live up to our divine potential is how we can make that happen for ourselves.  Life is such a wonderful and beautiful thing!  This earth is so glorious and beautiful.  It was created for our benefit and also our enjoyment, that we might have joy!  We never would have been able to learn and know what joy feels like had we not come to earth to experience sorrow.  There must be an opposite in all things so we may know the difference between each and so we may know what joy and happiness is and feels like.

We have divine potential.  Potential to inherit mansions and glory and kingdoms.  Potential to live in happiness and joy throughout all eternity.  I am grateful for this knowledge I have of my divine potential and the purpose of this life on Earth.  I'm grateful for the Savior, Jesus Christ who has made it all possible.  I believe in Him, and I know He lives and visits the earth and leads His church on the earth today, which is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  This happiness and joy and understanding we all seek for in life comes by obeying all of His commandments and making sacred covenants with Him.

You ARE a princess, a daughter of a King.  And you CAN live in a castle with your handsome prince,

happily ever after.

Learn more.

The Lord Gave Me a Temple

One of the reasons our loving Heavenly Father sends His spirit children (us) to the earth is so we can obtain physical bodies.

I love my body!

Recently I have gained greater appreciation for this amazing gift.  And I also realize that it is an amazing blessing that my body is healthy and functions properly so I can do almost anything I want or need to do!  This is my new motivation for taking care of my body, this great gift.  I'm trying to eat regularly, but not too much, and not eat so much cruddy food (some, but not all the time!).  I'm trying to realize my limits when it comes to food!  And I'm getting myself back in shape by exercising regularly.  There are lots of ways to exercise!  In the last two weeks I realize that I don't HATE running as much as I thought.  When it's beautiful outside and you know you're doing something good to benefit yourself and your amazing gift of a body, it can be quite refreshing.  I'm not planning on running a marathon any time soon.  But I'm just sayin'.

I'm thankful for my body!  Its amazing ability gives evidence that there is a God.  And I know there is!

And the Verdict Is...

Adam applied for the Architecture program at the U of A and we have been waiting since May to find out whether or not he was accepted.  They were supposed to tell us at the beginning of June, and then they said they would tell us in the middle of July.  Well word FINALLY came!  Two days before we left on our two-week vacation to Utah and beyond, which would be July 19th or 20th, he got the letter.  Or email rather.  It said...  "Congratulations!"  I didn't have much doubt that he would make it in.  He worked really hard this last year (the "freshman" year of the Architecture program) and did a really good job at all of his projects!  Plus, it helped that the odds of getting in this year were apparently better than usual.  I think 80 applied and they were taking 70.  But nonetheless, YAY!  I knew he would do it.  I wasn't too stressed about it.  But he was!  Just the not knowing thing...  It kinda gets to you.  Especially since he kinda needs to be accepted into the program to be able to get a degree in this field that he wants to someday get a job in to support our family!  No pressure or anything.  So needless to day it was a load off of his shoulders.  And now begins the 4-year journey... (which isn't too bad considering some other majors!)

Someone...

 

...lost their "soul"!  :)

Hunting, Hiking, and Wisdom Teeth

Adam's cousin came into town to visit last week.  One of the activities they (well, we) embarked on was...

Jackrabbit hunting.

Do you see that? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 jackrabbits!

Oh, and this is because I was taking the pictures that night so I wasn't in any of them!

This weekend Adam and I went camping and hiking at Fossil Springs with some friends.  It was fun!  The water was FREEZING!  But it felt good after hiking 4 miles to the waterfall, and then 4 more miles back.

And Adam got his wisdom teeth taken out this morning.  Poor guy.  I think all four of his teeth were embedded.  Needless to say, he's still in a lot of pain.  But it went well and he is on the mend!  He had an awesome doc!

His teeth.

Celebrating the First of Many Years

Like I mentioned in my previous post, Saturday (June 4) was Adam and my first wedding anniversary.

He got me flowers!

 

 Aren't they so pretty??  He did good!

I kidnapped him on Friday and we went on a surprise getaway weekend to Phoenix.

We had dinner at this awesome restaurant:

 They even took our picture and emailed it to us!

Here's a close-up on that surprise "Happy Anniversary" dessert.

Adam says it was the best steak he has ever had.  Ever.  And he was surprised (about the weekend and dinner)!  Guess I done good.  :)

And the next day, our actual anniversary day, we went to a DBacks game with Adam's parents and his cousin who came into town to visit.  I wanted to tell the information people that it was our anniversary so hopefully they would make a big scene and announce it and whatnot.  Unfortunately that didn't happen.  Oh well.  At least the DBacks won!  Woohoo!

My co-worker/friend's husband insisted on saving the top of our cake from our wedding, so it has been sitting in their freezer for the past year.  Tradition is to eat the top part of your cake on your 1st anniversary...  We missed it by a couple days but we will be having it soon.  It will probably be gross, but I want to be able to say that we did it!  Haha.

Times Are A-Changin'

Hello my slightly neglected blog!  I just finished putting together the first family newsletter for my mom's side of the family (which was super fun!) so now is as good a time as any, especially since I'm in the informing mood!

Most recently, Adam and I moved last weekend to an apartment that is BIGGER (yay!) and closer to the U of A.  We had tons of help -- it only took 30 minutes to move our stuff out and 30 minutes to move it in!  It was awesome.  We're still living out of boxes but we're slowly getting things arranged and organized.  So far, we love it.

 Old apartment:

This is the Living Room; notice that tons of things are crammed in here -

Adam's desk, the keyboard, coffee table, couch (not pictured but to the right), Adam's Architecture stuff...

 Old apartment porch.
(And that window to the left is the bedroom.)

 Move-out day: Goodbye old apartment!

Move-in day: Hello new apartment!
(Spacious.)

At least those are empty boxes...

New apartment means new ward!  And this time a whole new stake!  Church on Sunday was a little sad, but we are excited for the new opportunities we will have and the new people we are going to meet and get to know!

Did I ever mention that Adam and I went to the Air Show (which was in Phoenix this year) back in March?  Well we did.  And we saw the Thunderbirds (they are awesome).  And I got a nice tan line from my watch.  I (kind of) wish I had a picture of that!

 

Adam applied to the Architecture program at the UofA!  We won't hear back from them to see if he made it in until July.  Boo.  But we're hopeful and optimistic that he will!  My husband is talented and smart -- he's pretty awesome.

And Adam's sister gradidated from high school, LDS Seminary, and the JTED nursing program!  Of course we went to all three ceremonies.  I'm just so proud.

And last but not least, this weekend (Saturday to be exact) is our very first wedding anniversary!  We will be celebrating.  But I cannot tell how because it's a secret.  Adam doesn't know!  Hehe!

Stress Relief?

A lot of people say that exercise, and lots specifically say running, is what helps them de-stress.  I'm not sure if this particular practice is a stress-reliever or stress-inducer for me.  I guess I'm just not very good at pushing myself through pain.  Soccer practices were never my favorite, all that running and having to be faster than others or a specific time.  Killed me!  I hated it.  Yeah it made/makes me be more in shape, and yeah I probably feel good afterwards, but I just have a really hard time being in the middle of it.  Also, exercise - I guess I'm not so fantastic at getting myself motivated to do it.  I'm trying to be better, and I'm getting there.  But mornings are probably the worst.  And ironically my ideal time to work out (and could be a whole other post discussing that).  If I can stay inside and work out it's usually better.  But trying to get me to get up early and go outside and run?  I can't say that it's easy.  Our new apartment complex has a nice work out facility AND a tennis court AND a racquetball court, and I am determined to do better!  Once we get there.

I think my personal stress relief is sleep.  If you know me at all, you probably know that I enjoy my sleep.  I like the mornings but don't really see much of them.  I'm working on that too.  Baby steps.  So, sleep = stress relief?  I don't know if that really is true, but if I didn't get much sleep the previous night and I find myself alone in my quiet apartment in the middle of the day, the couch is very inviting, and I will probably give in.  This also could be a-whole-nother subject...  I don't pop awake when it's morning-time (I'm not sure many people do? Hopefully I'm not alone in this...) but I also don't have great will power to make myself awake.  My warm and comfy bed is oh so VERY inviting.  It doesn't help that Adam covers the window with a thick blanket, which = no sunlight, and likes all sorts of fans blowing making it chilly up in here.  But on the other hand, if I sleep too much I'm quite susceptible to feeling guilty for doing so.  Which could = some stress.  Hmm.

I really need to learn to lead a stress-free life.  It makes life more enjoyable for me and everyone else around me, and I also worry about my ulcerative colitis acting up when I'm pregnant.  Stress = flare ups.  Example: planning a wedding.  I think I do pretty okay most of the time, but like I just mentioned, I tend to, I guess you could call it stress, when I sleep in and skip my shower to avoid taking another hour or more to get ready and then add a half hour to that to get to work.  I'm lucky though to have a loving boss who doesn't mind what hours I come in to work as long as I get my work done.  She's a good mom, I mean boss.  :D  I just don't want to put any future babies in any sort of harm with any sort of medication I may have to take if I have a flare up while pregnant or breast feeding.

So here's to being stress-free!  Wish me luck on finding my relief-outlet.  Thanks in advance.

Some Money Savin' Tips

I'm no expert, but I'm learning and so I wanted to share!

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Money Saving Tip #1 - Don't spend more than you earn.  This is a no-brainer but apparently lots of people have trouble with this concept.

Money Saving Tip #2 - Create a budget and STICK TO IT.  Make realistic and reasonable goals for how much you want to spend on certain things each month.

Money Saving Tip #3 - Coupons.  (This includes ad-matching.)  But don't buy things you don't normally buy just because you found a coupon for it.  I am a super beginner when it comes to coupons, but I'm trying to learn little by little!

Money Saving Tip #4 - Make a grocery shopping list before you go to the store.  Sounds too easy, right?  But it really does help!

Money Saving Tip #5 - Add up your groceries while you shop.  That way you can make sure to stay on track with your budget.

Money Saving Tip #6 - Keep a price log - of the things you buy and from what store.  This sounded hard and time-consuming when I first heard of it but Adam and I did it tonight and it is pretty simple!  Just write the current prices while you shop next to each item on your shopping list.  And then transfer it to an Excel spreadsheet when you get home.

Money Saving Tip #7 - Don't buy too many things you don't need.  I like to say we each can get one extra item, or maybe get as many extra items that doesn't exceed X amount each shopping trip.  We can live being frugle without living like we're poor!

Money Saving Tip #8 - CHECK THE RECIPT before you leave the store!  Silly?  Not so!  Just tonight Adam and I found we were charged double for something of which we only bought one.  Who knows how many other times that has happened!  Every dollar counts.

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And there you have it.

We are striving for better spending trends, and I feel like we're on a good track!

Do you have any tips of your own?

Prayers Do Get Answered

I love so much and am so grateful that God is not only all-powerful and all-knowing but He is our Heavenly Father and He loves us so much!  I'm so glad that He cares about us, His spirit children, so much that He will always listen to the prayers of our heart and will always give us the help and guidance we need.  Just as James suggests:

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."

I know that our Heavenly Father hears and also answers our prayers.  Sometimes it is through another person that He meets our needs.  But the Holy Ghost will always testify of truth, if you are listening.  How grateful I am for that- to know that my Heavenly Father wants me to be happy and that He has provided a way for me and all of us to learn truth, no matter what the world is telling us:

"...I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."

I'm so grateful to have a way to communicate with Diety.  And I am also so grateful that Diety desires also to communicate with me.

We all matter.

More.

One of the Two Most Awesome-est Weekends In the Whole Year

This weekend is the 181st Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!!


Picture from http://www.lds.org/

Saturday and Sunday will be packed with inspired messages from prominent leaders of the Church.  They are humble followers of Jesus Christ, and I look up to them.  The President of the Church, the current prophet, seer, and revelator, who directly communicates with the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, currently President Thomas S. Monson will be speaking uplifting words of encouragement and love.  He will say what Christ would say to us if He were on the earth with us this weekend.  I am so grateful for having Conference twice a year so we can hear the inspired messages we need to learn how to improve ourselves and our lives and our families in the following 6 months.

I know that there is a living prophet on the earth again today, President Thomas S. Monson.  I know that he is the one through whom Jesus Christ leads and directs His church on earth in these latter days.  I would invite all who read this to watch and/or listen to some of the messages that will be given this weekend, and see for yourself the goodness of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed the Mormon Church) and its humble followers.  People aren't perfect, but the gospel is.  Come unto Christ and be healed.  His invitation stands to all who will listen.  He is waiting at the door and is knocking.  Let Him in.  Come unto Him and find peace and rest.

New Blog Design!

I realize that it's a bit cliche to post on your blog that you re-designed it, especially since anyone who visits your blog can clearly see.

But I'm super excited about it, it's super cute!

And I also re-designed my recipe blog: kamisrecipebook.blogspot.com

It's super cute too!!

(I'm still working on adding things to it so it's more enjoyable

for you to read and search.  Just bare with me!)

Thanks for tuning in.  :)

Some Joys of Life:

When Arizona makes it to the Sweet 16 and then the Elite 8 (by SMASHING Duke)!!!

Let's go all the way Cats!

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Getting some friends together to play Hand & Foot!  So much fun!

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Spring is in the air and life is good!

Although, Spring doesn't look like this here...

More like this:

Which isn't bad, but that's only when you go out to the mountains or Saguaro National Park.

We have beautiful sunsets here though.

And awesome monsoon's in the Summer.

I'm just happy it isn't 100 degrees out yet!

March Definitely Is Madness

I've never been a follower of sports but I admit I always hoped my husband would be so I could bum some teams off of him to cheer for.  Well not only did I get that, but I married into a family (or really just Adam and his dad) who are a little obsessed with college sports, namely football and *basketball*.  And if you don't live under a rock you should know what basketball means in March.

Absolute MADNESS.

Adam and I entered into the couples tournament for March Madness that his parents do with some of their friends from our ward (church term).  This is my first time filling out a bracket.  And I have hardly any knowledge if any about the teams.  And let me tell you, I have not had much beginners luck!  The only time I wasn't sitting at the bottom in last place was at the very beginning because I was the second person to join the group.  I also filled out a bracket at work, and that one's even worse!  But I guess you just never know how these games are going to go.  And that's why they call March madness!  I have to say though that at least I've had lots of fun following my bracket and following the games.  It is a tradition I will continue to take part in!  It brings the family together...  Lol!

I Believe in God

I believe there is a God, and that we have a specific purpose for being here on the earth.  That God is our Heavenly Father, the father and creator of our spirits.  He desires our happiness.  He has given us laws and ordinances to live by so we can be happy and not be subject to the devil.  We lived with our Heavenly Father before we came to earth.  And He wants for us to return to live with Him again.  But we have our choice, our agency to choose which path we want to follow.  "Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." -2 Nephi 2:27  That "great Mediator of all men" is the Savior, even Jesus Christ.  I believe in Him, and know that He came into the world to show us the way and to sacrifice Himself to atone for our sins so we can have the ability to repent and come back to the path of light and truth, and also that he died on the cross and rose again as a resurrected being to break the bands of death that we might have eternal life also.  The Savior is our Advocate with the Father.  He will plead our case before Him when we meet at our judgement, if we have lived our lives righteously and strived to walk in the path of the Savior.  We have the opportunity, if we choose to live well, to gain not only eternal life, but salvation and exaltation, through the great Mediator.  We can receive all of God's glory and knowledge and power if we live worthy to receive it.  How marvelous and wonderful are these blessings!  Our Father in heaven and His Only Begotten Son of the flesh, our older brother, love us so much to give us this great opportunity and these remarkable blessings!  Their love is evident all around us, in every creation from His hand.

I know that this is true because of the witness borne to me by the Holy Ghost, and you can have that same witness if you desire it.

Oh, Just Some Things

Well I wish I had a way of making my life sound more eventful than it actually is.  But maybe it's good that things are calm.  I would rather not have crazy trials and challenges!  The ones I have are good enough!

I have the best boss.  The job isn't bad either.  I work for my mom and my hours are "whenever as long as the work gets done."  How awesome is that, right?  I've always loved sleeping in in the mornings, and I feel bad when I don't get up early.  But my boss doesn't care when I get in as long as I do my job!  Fantastic!  It's hard sometimes though to be motivated in learning new things since I have no desire whatsoever to ever do anything in the mortgage industry.  I could if I wanted to, but I really don't want to.  I hope I don't have to work at all when I have kids (and after Adam goes through school and gets a good job) so I can be a full-time mom.  That is my dream!  I know it's important and so that is my goal.

It surprises me almost at how many missionary opportunities are all around me.  Praying for them really helps me see them.  I hope to make a difference in people's lives one by one.

One of my very bestest friends, Elyse, is getting married!!  I am super duper excited and happy for her!

This is us last year after wedding-dress shopping for me.

(And we found it thank goodness!)

After searching online for the perfect outfit to wear on this special occasion and not finding it, I decided I'm going to make a dress!  I've never done it before and it will be fun (hopefully more-so than frustrating)!  My mom said she will set up my sewing machine on a table and have a place to make projects in the small room being used for storage, which was originally supposed to be a laundry room (excessive explanation, sorry).  I'm so excited and I can't wait to start making projects!

Adam and I and his parents went to the Arizona vs. Washington game with FREE tickets (thanks Mom and Steve)!  8th row, right across from the Arizona bench. Be jealous.

Notice our awesome "White Out" t-shirts:

Guess who was sitting two rows and like 8 seats away from us?? (Lute Olson!)

(This isn't a creepy stalker-ish picture, right?)

Student section: A!!!!!

And we also scored free tickets to the professional golf tournament that was in town last week.  We didn't see Tiger Woods, but saw some other apparently famous players.  Ha.  Players.  :D

Look what we found on the side of one of the courses: (hehe!)

Adam put my cowboy (cowgirl?) hat on my head while I was making dinner the other night and (sneakily) got the camera out and told me to look.  But I suspected what he was up to and this is what happened:

Until next time...  :)

P.S. Happy 9 months to us!  :)