FHE

FHE (Family Home Evening) is so much better when you are really with your family. I like it at college, but it's just different. Tonight we took pictures for our Christmas card. I honestly can say that we didn't mean to fall that way, but it really happened. Good times!

I'll Be Home For Christmas!

It’s so nice to be home for such a long, fun Christmas break. I’ll be home for 3 ½ weeks. That is the longest that I will be living at home until I am graduated from college and officially move back. I am going to try to have a productive few weeks and not be too lazy. I want to exercise on the elliptical (that I didn’t know my family had). I have lots of parties and friends to see. I have lots of babysitting little Lukester to do. I have to wrap all of Santa’s presents (I’m his/her elf). I have shopping to be done and lots of organizing I want to do. I also want to watch some movies with Stockton and Cabe and maybe Brynlie and Caleb as well. I am so excited to be home. It really feels like Christmas now. I love this time of year and want to spend the rest of the Christmas season with family and friends. It’s good to be home and I’m going to try to live up every moment of it.

When I'm old...

I decided this morning that when I am old and have money I NEED a garage. Okay, I don't really need one, but I really, really want one. This morning I got ready and so five minutes before I was going to drive to class I decided I should go start my car. (Usually I do it before this, but I forgot.) When I went outside it was freezing. (The high today in Rexburg is 16 degrees... brrrr!) I started my car and went out five minutes later. None of the ice had come off my car at all and scraping it wouldn't work either. It was way to frozen. So I took the keys out and began walking to campus. I don't live that far away, but it felt far today. As I was walking, I had my first encounter with "frozen nose hairs" in 2007 (since I began 2007 in Ecuador.) For those of you who haven't experienced "frozen nose hairs" it's quite the experience. See, the liquid in your nose freezes, because it's so cold. Then as soon as you get inside your nose starts running, because it isn't cold anymore. Anyways, cold days are here in Rexburg and I have a feeling it's going to be a long winter! But I am willing to take it for all you skiers and snowboarders... so... bring it on! What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger... right? And I can wait a few years for the garage. I just hope it's sometime in the future!

Finally...

You probably won't believe this, but last night I wrote a blog about our fun, family trip to Cancun! I had just uploaded pictures and my computer shut off. Don't worry, it's been doing this lately. It will just shut off in the middle of whatever I am doing. Since I have discovered it I have been saving everything to my roommates jump drive so I haven't lost any homework, but it's so frustrating. I am taking my computer in to get fixed this weekend and will hopefully have it back by next week. A little ironic that it's during finals week?! I just got a very positive, happy email... so I am going to try to do the same. I can use the schools computers or my roommates (like I'm doing now!) It's really not that bad, but I won't be able to post any pictures. At least I wrote something though! :) I going to try to keep this a habit... but we'll see!

Uno Mas

I forgot to put one more thing on here for tag...

I can fall asleep anywhere. Really, it's true. I get it from my dad. I can sleep in cars (if I'm not driving), I can sleep on planes (I slept all but one hour on the way to Ecuador), and I fall asleep during most rented movies (especially when I fall asleep on Garan's lap). I don't know if this sleeping habit is good or bad, but it's definitely there and I don't really mind.

Tag! I'm it!

I think I must share too much information, because I can't think of things you don't already know, but I'll try really hard... here it goes!

1. I've been a huge BYU fan since 4th grade when a boy and me talked and wasn't very nice about the game... He was a Ute and so it all began. My dad was very happy. I pretty much cry in every BYU vs. Utah game. Either because I'm happy or because I am sad. I'm pathetic, I know. At least I can admit it right?

2. I have talked to my mom everyday of my life except one, it was sad (I forgot to call her). She is amazing and thank heavens for cell phones and family plans.

3. I started dating my best friend on December 27, 2003. Holy cow, that's a long time. (Almost 4 years). I haven't talked to him since Mothers Day or seen him since June 27, 2006 and I'm still crazy about him. I think that is a good sign and I got way lucky!

4. My brother got his mission call today, but we can't go home until tomorrow because he has two tests. I'll let you know where he is going, no worries. Having him here at college with me has been a huge blessing and I am so grateful.

5. My heart is all over the world. It's in Ecuador with my kids, it's in Idaho with everyone I love from college, it's in Texas with Gar, and it's in Utah with my family(ies). I am the luckiest girl in the world. I want to be in every single one of these places.

Humbled in my wheelchair

School has been crazy busy. I forgot how hard school is and being a junior/senior is even harder. I have been reading a ton and still am not caught up. I am loving it up here in Rexburg though. I've been trying to cook more and it's easy because I've been cooking for my brother and roommate so it's lots more fun that way. I am in a class called Exceptional Students. It's about students with disabilities. We discuss mental, emotional, and physical disabilities. My assignment for today is to be in a wheelchair for four hours. I scheduled them when I wasn't in class because I thought it would be easier. That part was easier because I haven't been trying to rush from class to class, but by no means is this easy. There were some requirements of things that we had to do. We had to go up and down a hill, open a door with the wheelchair button, open a door without one, go to the drinking fountain, and go into a bathroom stall and get yourself from the wheelchair to the toilet and back. I cannot explain to you how difficult these tasks were. I decided to kill two birds with one stone and open the bathroom door and then just go into the bathroom. I came around from the corner and opened the door, but then I couldn't get the wheelchair in because of the angle I was at. A girl came and held the door for me, but it still took a few minutes to get through the door. I finally decided to call my brother. I needed help. He was on campus and came and found me and helped me get to the library, where I am now. As he pushed me into the library I couldn't believe the stares of people. It is a very humbling experience. I only have a little over an hour left and then this experience will be over. It has definitely taught me a lot and I wish that everyone could have this experience. It's hard to look for ramps since you can't use stairs, it's hard to get in doors, but it's even harder to take the stares of others. They could be concerned or curious, I know I always am, but that doesn't make it any easier. As I was pushing myself up the hill a guy walked right by. I am sure he was in a hurry, but it was hard to watch him walk to class, when I was struggling to push myself there. Soon after a girl asked if she could push me up the hill. Of course I said yes and we had a nice conversation. I am sure she isn't aware of how much that meant to me. I think today will definitely change my perspective on how I look at and help others who are probably struggling. Maybe it will change yours too.

I miss my friend!

Out of all of her children my mom probably didn't expect me to cry myself to sleep. Okay, well maybe she did, it would either be me or Luke. But I did. It's been a while since I've cried myself to sleep. I think it was in July of 2006. And to answer your question... yes, both times it was for the same thing. I miss my friend. I miss my best friend. I've heard that the last year is easier than the first year of having your "missionary" out serving. Some parts are, some parts aren't any better. I still miss him everyday. I found a quote a few months after Garan left and it sums up exactly how I felt. "I miss you when something really good happens, because you are the one I want to share it with. I miss you when something is troubling me, because you are the one who understands me so well. I miss you when I laugh and cry because I know that you are the that makes my laughter grow and my tears disappear. I miss you all the time, but I miss you most when I lay awake at night and think of all the wonderful times we spent with each other; for those were some of the best times of my life." That sums up my night. Last night it wasn't easier the second year. I really have enjoyed the past 14 months, for the most part. It's just one more of those bittersweet things in my life. I have done things that I never could have down with him here. He's happier than he's ever been and I'm learning so much about myself and about life. I am grateful for the experience, but am ready for the next 10 months, okay 298 days to fly (not that I'm counting!) :)

Walking

Feeding Luke his lasagna!

Tonight Luke and I went on a walk. We go on walks a lot, but usually it is with my mom. She was gone tonight so it was just me and Luke. When the three of us go my mom and I talk about everything and anything. I love it. My house is always noisy with so much going on so one of the only times we get to talk is on our walks. Tonight, without her there, I had lots of time to just think. We are all busy and it was nice to have some time with no distractions to just think. I thought about lots of things. I thought about going back to school. Part of me is excited, the other part isn't. There are so many things I will miss from home, and so many things I love at college. It really is one of the most bittersweet things in my life. As we walked I thought about the things I would miss. It was weird, it's not like it's my first time leaving home, but it's never easy. I will come back on some weekends, but it's different than living at home. Anyways... (This is how my mind was on this walk, all over the place!) I thought about my family and the things I would be missing. (Early today I went to C.J.'s sophomore football game. Parker's comp soccer games. Colby's cute laugh, and reading with Kayli. Fighting and lauhing with CJ and of course being taken care of by my parents.) All of these thoughts were running through my head. I was getting a little sad and then I thought of my little Luke. He will definitely be the hardest to leave and I mean that. It's not that I don't love all of my family, I do, but it's a little different. I can talk with everyone on the phone... except for Luke. Small things will change with my other siblings, but when you are that little you change a lot. It might sound corny, but I need Luke and he needs me. 14 months and 9 days ago Garan left on his mission. Luke was 3 months old at the time. I needed someone to hold and he needed to be held. When I wasn't at work that summer, I was with Luke. He was what I needed that summer. The past 7 weeks have been much the same. I have been home and missing my boy, but Luke has done a pretty good job at keeping me busy and happy. He is now 18 months old and will be even harder to leave. I know this sounds all over the place, but it sums up just how I feel. I feel all over the place. Luke won't remember our walk tonight, but I will. I am happy to remember the good, fun times, and forget the frustrating ones. And... I know I will love college... as soon as I get there. Better start packing, huh?

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

I've come to the conclusion that this really is the most wonderful time of the year. I love from about mid August until the beginning of Januray. The weather is perfect. I love when it starts to get a little colder outside. I love when the leaves begin to change colors. I love the anxiety before starting school. I love being anxious for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and of course Christmas. But most of all... I LOVE FOOTBALL SEASON!!! I think that is one of the biggest reasons that this is the most wonderful time of year. I have no problem admitting that I have an addiction and probably a problem. I have been counting down the days for weeks and it feels so good to be writing this as I am watching a football game. I really love to watch all football, it doesn't matter who the team is. Right now I am watching the Utes play the Beavers. Don't get me wrong, I am a Cougar, not a Ute, but I love to watch it all. My Cougars play on Saturday and I really can't wait for that game. I'm just so excited that this season has finally begun! So... let the games begin! Go Coug's!