5 best things this weekend

5. Swimming

4. Eating Banana Bread

3. Spending time with my family

2. Meeting Elder Jeffery R. Holland at Stake Conference

1. Listening to Elder Jeffery R. Holland Saturday night and Sunday morning

Broken

1. Elder Hollands talk on Saturday night was amazing. His message was on how to fix broken things. Our broken hearts. I love Elder Holland. His message is just what I wanted to hear...needed to hear. These past few months have been hard. Really hard. I don't like being so far away from David and I know he misses me and Elizabeth terribly. But our house isn't selling. Depression has hit me in ways I didn't know existed. I have said way too many times "I can't take it anymore" But this weekend I was given hope. I am broken, but through my Redeemer I can be healed. All I need to do is learn how to offer my broken heart on the alter for Christ to mend. As I have been mulling over his words and viewing my friends comments on Facebook I realized there is a song by Kenneth Cope that beautifully captures his message

I know that my Redeemer lives. I know that He died for me and suffered so that I may be whole again. While I am far from being healed this very minute. I know that I can continue and that the Lord is watching out for me. We all have to suffer just a little of what He suffered, so that we can become like He is. It gives a whole new outlook towards the atonement. I am so grateful that I have a loving Father in Heaven who is looking out for me.

The other thing he talked about that really hit me was also about the Savior. He told the story about Christ and the Apostles on the boat in Mark 4

36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea,^aPeace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great ^bcalm.

40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so ^afearful? how is it that ye have no ^bfaith?

41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

Some key points in this story:

• Christ had a pillow to lay his head upon; He sacrificed and had so little, but had a pillow on this stormy night
• The apostles were fishers and used to storms. Yet they were afraid of this storm. It must of been extremly bad
• Christ is always working and teaching and healing. He must of been exhausted to be able to sleep during such a storm
• Yet, the apostles still woke him up.
• The Lord rebuked the wind, and the waves, and the apostles.
• When lifes storms come upon us, we too should turn to the Lord with faith that he will calm the storm
• We should stay in the "Boat" (Church). The dumbest thing we could do is jump ship in the middle of the storm and not seek help from our Savior.

This reminds me of a beautiful Hymn "Master the Tempest is Raging" by Mary A. Baker

Master, the tempest is raging!

The billows are tossing high!

The sky is o’ershadowed with blackness,

No shelter or help is nigh;

Carest Thou not that we perish?

How canst Thou lie asleep,

When each moment so madly is threat’ning

A grave in the angry deep?

• Refrain:
  The winds and the waves shall obey Thy will,
  Peace, be still!
  Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea,
  Or demons or men, or whatever it be,
  No waters can swallow the ship where lies
  The Master of ocean, and earth, and skies;
  They all shall sweetly obey Thy will,
  Peace, be still! Peace, be still!
  They all shall sweetly obey Thy will,
  Peace, peace, be still!

Master, with anguish of spirit

I bow in my grief today;

The depths of my sad heart are troubled—

Oh, waken and save, I pray!

Torrents of sin and of anguish

Sweep o’er my sinking soul;

And I perish! I perish! dear Master—

Oh, hasten, and take control.

Master, the terror is over,

The elements sweetly rest;

Earth’s sun in the calm lake is mirrored,

And heaven’s within my breast;

Linger, O blessed Redeemer!

Leave me alone no more;

And with joy I shall make the blest harbor,

And rest on the blissful shore.

4 years

4 years ago I married my best friend. It was the best day ever. I didn't have a blog then. So I will tell our story now. D and I started dating in May 2006 after running into each other at the grand Morris Center. Despite my sudden decision a month later to live and work in Vegas for the summer we continued to date long distance. Then towards the end of the summer D's car broke down and he had to fly to Texas to pick up a car from his parents house. I decided I wanted to go down see my family for a few days and then drive back up to UT with D and his brother. We had been dating 3 and 1/2 months. Everyone said by the end of drive, we would be engaged or broken up. We were neither.

However as the fall semester started up we continued dating. In September we went to football games and enjoyed being around each other again. In October, I started to get scared. I had never dated anyone for longer than 3 months. D and I had reached 5 months and I was still completely content with our relationship. I was so scared by this that I even pulled out the mission card, just wanted to see what he thought about me going on a mission. He told me he would not wait around for me.

Then November came. Thanksgiving. D went to visit his brother in Colorado and my dad suprised me with a plane ticket home. The first time I got to be at home for Thanksgiving since leaving for college. I spent the whole time missing D. I couldn't get back to Provo fast enough.

Following Thanksgiving were finals, which as you know is a time when you don't have a lot of time to spend with anyone. Lame. I didn't want to be away from D for Christmas break. It was only going to be one week, I know... but Thanksgiving was fresh in my memory still. But our relationship wasn't at a point to visit each other over Christmas, so I went to Orange and D went to G-town and we talked everyday on the phone. That is when I knew that I never wanted to spend another holiday without him. I tried to get him to say the "L" word over the phone. He said, "I lion you." I said "HUH??????????"

January, going on 9 months of dating. We were in love, but hadn't told each other. We were watching my roomates copy of Cinderella. He wanted to watch the scene with Gus Gus's shirt rolling up over and over. Finally after the millionth time, I got an idea. I told him that Cinderella was being held hostage. Until he could fix the "Lion" statement.

Yes.

It had been a month since Christmas and I was still hearing "I lion you." Needless to say he got to see Gus Gus and "catcat" soon after that.

For Valentines, I got him the Cinderella movie, so he could watch it all he wanted. I also got him his own Gus Gus and Jacque mice stuffed animals, they were cute. We still have them somewhere.

March, April, May....not much to say. We were still very happy and talking about marriage. We went ring shopping and found the perfect ring. Then I started working at Dillards. D was supposed to pick me up one evening in May. When he didn't show up, I called him. He didn't answer. So I called his brother, he told me D was down by FYE or something. So I go over there and see D in the ring store....buying my ring! Whoops! He told me it was for his other girlfriend. I told him he has to work really hard to surprise me now that I knew he had the ring.

So I sit around waiting. And waiting.

On June 23, 2007 we were eating at my favorite resturant, Brick Oven. During the conversation, his mom calls and asks if he was going to propose. All I heard was his side which went something like this, "I haven't asked her dad..." "I dont have it with me now" "not tonight" So my hopes were dashed. He has had that stupid ring for a MONTH! Why was he making me suffer!!!! grr I was so anxious, lol

After dinner we went for a walk in the park and he suddenly without warning dropped to one knee and asked me to marry him! I was so excited. I said yes and we went back to his house to get the ring. He had asked my dad, but really wasn't planning to ask me that night so didn't have it with him.

Well we spent the month of July planning for a wedding and got married August 18, 2007 in the Manti UT Temple. Here are a few of my favorite memories from that day. I love you D, Happy Anniversary!



We had lots of people come celebrate our joyous occasion



















Our families


















Our loving Parents



















My bouquet


























One of 700 pictures, but my favorite





























Doesn't he look so happy here? I love him!


























Standard under the veil kissing photo

























Our wedding rings


















Off to start our new life together

Tender Mercies

So these past 6 months have been interesting to say the least. I have been living in Houston working with E. And D has been in Beaumont going to school. During March and April I got to see D on Tuesday and Thursday evenings after his clinic and then of course on weekends. Then his schedule changed and his clinics were in Beaumont. So I tried going back to Beaumont once or twice during the week. It was great to see him more, but waking up at 445 am was mind numbing. I was a zombie all day. It was horrible. But I still had E with me and her cute face.

But last night D told me he wanted to go visit his parents this week and take little E with him.

So now I am stuck here without my husband and without my baby.

As I was wallowing in my loneliness and self pity. I was watching a TV Show where a man was grieving his late wife who died from cancer. Then just after that I got a song stuck in my head. I kept humming the chorus aloud over and over until I realized what the song was.

If you want to know the song go here

I just sat there and sang it over and over until I felt better. Because I knew that my husband and baby were coming back in three days. They aren't gone forever and they are with people that love them and Heavenly Father is watching over them and me.

Here is a picture of that cute baby who mom loves.

Fish tail

So I do a lot of driving these days. Driving through Houston you can see almost anything.

Let me enlighten you.

I was driving on I-10 yesterday and there was a pick up truck pulling a flatbed trailer. He was two cars ahead of me. Oh and did I mention that we were driving in the far right lane. And it was rush hour just past 610 W.

So back to the truck. All of a sudden the trailer is fishtailing across the lane. So I slow down and try to decide if I should switch lanes or not, when the trailer detaches and flies across 5 lanes of traffic. I don't know know how, but it managed to not hit one single car. I guess everyone said their prayers that day. I know I do every time I drive in Houston.

Kitchen help

E likes to help out in the kitchen. Note the stuffed jaguar that is playing with her...

Sundaycapades

Church over the past few months have become brutal for E. First her morning nap happens between 9 and 10 every morning. That is right smack dab in the middle of Sacrament. More precisely during the Sacrament. So D fights with her while I help interpret for Dawn.

Then during Sunday School I take E to the mothers lounge and rock her and hold her tight until she falls asleep (unless another baby is asleep or nursing in there, I don't want to wake them up) Because she literally fights me screaming and twisting up until at least 10:45. Just in time for the bells to ring for class changes.

So then I cover her face and go to RS, not wanting to miss all my meetings, and to help interpret for Dawn again. So E wakes up and I pass her off to D in Priesthood. Making her nap last a total of 15 minutes.

After church we go home and she gets lunch and a proper nap. I thought it would be fun to take a walk at the park. So we go, despite the 100 degree weather.

When we get home I was going to make cookies. But when I went to turn the oven on, I realized we had no power. And it is still 100 degrees outside.

Our neighbor said the power would turn back on at 10 pm. It was 5 pm. And already 83 inside the house. E is sweating like a dog. So I told D, we are going to see if the mall has power, and we left again.

We arrive at the mall and discover that apparently only Books a million is open. The rest of the mall closed for the day. I guess if we went to the mall more often on a Sunday then I would of known it closes early on Sundays....

We met up with D's brother and sis in law and went out to eat with them. E decided she would crawl up on the booth and then the table and walk around like she was the Queen of the world. It scared me to death.

We finally went home at 8:20 and the power was back on.

Who in their right mind decides to do rolling blackouts in the middle of a Texas Summer???

Oh and then E woke up at one screaming horribly. I went to go give her her bink again. I noticed the "glow in the dark stars" on her ceiling that require light to shine, were shining. I was so afraid there was someone in the house. D got out of bed with me check the house and found nothing. Then he set up the pack in play in our room and brought E in for the night. I still had nightmares.