December Craze

This month has been crazy! Finals are finally over. I had fun with some of them. My linguistics project was fun and I got an excellent grade on it, so all the work and sleepless nights were worth it. The editing one wasn't too bad; it just took me a long time! There's only one class I don't know how I did.

We finally sent out the Christmas packages to our families. Kara took me shopping for Justin, and I had a really fun time picking out his presents. I hope he likes them. While shopping, I also found a star to finally put on our tree. It was only five dollars and it lights up. The only trick is to clip it on just right or it flops over. Justin figured it out.

We cleaned the apartment yesterday and it looks great (it won't feel great until tomorrow when I vacuum). Basically we've been bumming around and watching movies. Friday we took Melanie to the airport, and since we were already up north we made some other stops. Justin checked out a golf store and we looked through IKEA. I got some great ideas for future house decorating.

Today we went to church. Justin could only stay for sacrament meeting (the first hour) because he has to work today. But it was nice to have him there. He's been working a lot of Sundays because of the holidays. I can't wait until it's all over and we can go to church together and he won't have to work really early or really late. Anyway, the meeting was ok. Not the best Christmas program, but it seemed like plans changed last minute. This elderly couple took turns sharing scriptures and Christmas stories and we sang Christmas hymns. Sunday school was all about Christmas too. Relief Society was kinda random (a talk from General Conference) but we ended early so we sang more Christmas hymns. Later tonight I plan on relaxing with Justin, maybe watch some religious Christmas movies. Last Sunday we watched Mr. Kreuger's Christmas.

Justin will be home soon (three hours is soon!). Dinner will be ready and we can finally enjoy each other's company on this beautiful Sabbath day.

Weekend Fun

Friday night after working out together, we had a double date with the Camachos. We planned to go see It's a Wonderful Life but we were late and it was full by the time we got there. So instead we saw The Nativity Story in the Varsity Theater. Justin and I mostly kissed and cuddled during the movie. It was a good movie. I didn't like the beginning too much but it got better, and the end was quite touching. I especially liked when the shepherd was hesitant touching the baby Jesus, and Mary told him, "He is for all mankind."

After the movie we went to an Evening in Paris. It was a dance and there was food: cheese, grapes, sparkling apple cider, croissants, and french bread. We stayed for an hour and half. It was a great night.

The next morning Justin and I made a big, delicious breakfast together before going to another movie on campus. This one was holiday shorts, including A Charlie Brown Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and The Snowman. We basically napped and watched TV the rest of the day. We were a little productive: we did three loads of laundry and Justin did some homework. But overall it was a really relaxing day spent together.

December 1

The morning of Saturday, December 1, was beautiful. The whole world outside was wrapped in clean white snow. It was soft and freshly fallen, still untouched except for in the roads. I decided to still go running while Justin went to play football. I was surprisingly in a happy mood. Everything was so lovely! The bare trees dripping under the weight of the snow, the perfectly smooth plateaus of white, the houses that looked like Christmas cards. I stopped to make a snow angel, my best one yet, and said hello to those outside shoveling their driveways. It wasn't even that cold outside. And the timing was perfect: the first day of December, the day I think of as the start of winter and Christmas. It set the mood for the rest of the day spent Christmas shopping and decorating. I love Heavenly Father's creations!

One Year Anniversary

Thursday, November 29, 2007, marked one year since Justin and I became girlfriend and boyfriend. It doesn't feel like it has been that long. A lot has happened in that one year, but it has all been worth it because it culminated to our eternal marriage in the temple.

I had planned on doing something cute for Justin, like making him a romantic note or buying something cute, but it didn't happen. When I got home, I expected Justin to be there waiting for me so we could get ready for our date night: dinner and a free classical concert. I knocked on the door so I wouldn't have to dig for my keys. No answer. It looked dark inside. Where is Justin, I wondered starting to get annoyed. I unlocked the door and stepped inside. It was dark and empty. And then I looked down.

There was a trail of almond kisses and rose petals leading me through the apartment, to the bathtub (with more petals, but the water had drained), and to the bed where a beautiful boquet of colorful roses and a romantic note lay waiting for me amid a sea of even more kisses and petals. Justin walked in the door looking gorgeous already dressed up to go out. I was so pleasingly surprised and happy. Justin is the most romantic guy in the world! I felt so ashamed that I had thought poorly of him when I first came home.

We went to P.F. Changs and then walked around the mall. We ended up not going to the concert and got dessert instead at Denny's. Then we drove home and watched Strictly Ballroom (I ended up falling asleep). It was such a sweet night being with my husband. I love him so much!

Truly Beautiful

Yesterday, Justin and I went to the temple with Kara and Isaac. It had been a while since we last went and it felt so good to be back in the house of the Lord. I love going to the temple, especially with my husband. I always leave loving him so much more than I already do. I love feeling the peace and joy inside. I love basking in the beautiful light and warmth of the Spirit. And I always truly feel beautiful. I feel like a lovely daughter of God who has so much worth and potential, so much light and truth, so much love and happiness. I love wearing temple clothing. It is the only outfit that brings out my true beauty inside and out.

Thanksgiving (Part 3)

Thanksgiving was great! It was so nice to be with family again--I especially missed my little sister and my nieces and nephews. I enjoyed cooking dinner and I stuffed myself silly. I'm grateful the roadtrips there and back went safely. And I'm glad to be back home with just my husband.

Thanksgiving (Part 2)

Blessings I am thankful for:

• my husband and his fun, thoughtful, sweet personality
• my family and their love for me
• our cute, little apartment
• my education
• the scriptures and all the truth, hope, and comfort they provide
• the beauty of autumn (and all of God's gorgeous creations)
• sales on needed clothing
• my safety and health
• proximity to the temple and other religious places
• my job
• lost items that are recovered
• my true friends
• people who have been answers to prayers
• warmth in cold weather
• good books, movies, and music

The list could go on forever because Heavenly Father will never stop blessing me! Remember to count your blessings daily and sincerely thank God for them.

Thanksgiving (Part 1)

I know it's not Thursday yet, but I'm not going to have any time to write then, so...

I am so excited it is finally my favorite holiday! Thanksgiving makes me happy. Everything about it is wonderful and uplifting:

• fall weather with cool days and red, orange, and yellow leaves (especially crunchy ones)
• loud, lively family all together
• yummy food that I enjoy cooking
• roadtrips home listening to music, talking, and laughing with my husband
• movies and board games
• the turkey wobble!
• Thanksgiving decorations of turkeys, Pilgrims, harvest foods, leaves, and cornucopias
• the history behind the holiday
• the countless ways God has blessed me

This last one I would like to focus on. Gratitude is necessary for lasting happiness. It dispels envy and covetousness, anger and malice, depression and insecurity. It brings peace and contentment, joy and optimism, love and admiration. And it invites even more blessings from the Lord! Let gratitude fill your heart while the turkey fills your tummy. :0) Happy Thanksgiving!

"And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more." --D&C 78:19

Motherhood

Francine asked me today, in response to me asking her, how I feel about having children. I cannot wait!! I cannot wait to have a living human, something that Justin and I created, grow inside me. I cannot wait to feel our baby kick and to have Justin rub my tummy all the time. I cannot wait to play classical music all the time to help our baby develop. I cannot wait to hold our baby in my arms and kiss and kiss and kiss every part of our baby's little body. I cannot wait to teach and care for and love our baby. I cannot wait to laugh at and record every cute thing our baby does. I cannot wait to watch our baby grow and learn and become a wonderful person.

And I cannot wait to do it all over again...

Harry Potter

So I just finished reading the final Harry Potter book...and I am in complete awe!!!! I can't believe the series is over. That's it. No more books. No more adventures. No more Voldemort (I guess that's a good thing, though). I'd have to say that the first two-thirds of the book were hard to get through, but the last part was AMAZING!! I love the detail and mystery interwined between all seven books. I would place J.K. Rowling beside another great female British writer of intrigue, Agatha Christie, whose mysteries I love. Both of these women exhibit brilliance, creativity, and ingenuity in their writing. Such talent!

I'm kinda sad there is no more Harry Potter. At least I still have the last two movies to look forward to.

Sweet Surprises

Justin is so thoughtful. Our aparment has not been cleaned for a long time. It's neat and tidy but not clean. So he cleaned the bathroom today. I was planning on doing the kitchen when I got home this evening, but I when I walked through the door it was already done! He even unloaded the dishwasher, mopped the floor, and cleaned the microwave. He left me a note saying he did it since he knew I was crunched on time and had a lot of homework to do. Now that's a great husband!

Language

I love my major! I'm working on my take-home midterm (the one mentioned before) and I'm actually enjoying it (except for the part where it's due tomorrow). Language is so interesting! It is so fascinating to analyze and dissect. All my favorite classes have been those in which we discussed and analyzed language: Discourse Analysis, Semantics and Pragmatics, Varieties of English, Empirical Methods in English Linguistics. There are so many aspects to language; it's a miracle that we can communicate!

Halloween

So I only had three groups of trick-or-treaters tonight. Sad!! I miss being in a regular neighborhood with lots of kids ringing the doorbell and shouting out "trick or treat!" while they hold out their bulging bags for more handfuls of candy. And I loved seeing all their cute and creative costumes! Oh well, it makes me excited to have kids of my own so I can dress them up and go trick-or-treating with them.

Even worse, I'm by myself tonight. Justin's at work...passing out candy to costumed kids and parading about as Michael Jackson, complete with a glove. Jealous! I didn't even get to wear my orange sweatshirt today because the weather was too warm. Of all days! I never realized how much I actually like Halloween.

We did go to our ward (church) Halloween party on Saturday. We dressed up in our martial arts uniforms. We bobbed for apples (I won against another girl; Justin lost because the other guy cheated), ate donuts on a string (I actually beat Justin!! I was so convinced he would win that I tried harder and won. haha), decorated cookies, and trick-or-treated in our apartment complex. It was fun! After the party, we watched Ghostbusters, Justin's favorite, though I ended up falling asleep for most of it.

Next year I hope will be better!

First blog ever

Ok, so this really is an excuse not to work on my take-home midterm for Varietes of English (which is a great class, by the way). But I thought this would be fun, especially since I love to keep journals, but handwriting entries takes time and gives me cramps. Hmmm, I don't quite know what to say. I have so much in my head but...where will I find the time to maintain a blog? Well, if my grades this semester suddenly suffer, you'll know why. :0)