Being able to spend time with my family was amazing. It was our first Christmas in Rexburg. Holly and Mark and my niece and nephews came from St. George and we just had a blast playing games, swimming, playing in the snow, and talking. Every day was crazy full of crying, laughing, yelling, and love. I love my family.
I am not going to lie. I am obsessed with my niece Jane. Maybe it's because I saw her the very first day that she came into this world. Maybe it was because I did pregnant pilates with my sister while we were preparing for her to finally come into this world. Maybe it was because I was able to help Lucy along with my sister Adell after she was born which really means I got to hold her while Lucy slept. Maybe because she is the cutest/most beautiful little girl. I don't know what it is, but every time I see her I want to squeeze her and kiss her chubby little cheeks. Each time I go up and see them She has developed a little more of her sassy little personality. I just love her so much!
Other Highlights From Christmas Break:
* Seeing Les Miserables.
* Sledding and watching my mom fly through the air (don't worry, she is okay).
* Having a girl's night with Mom and Lucy watching Hallmark style chick flicks.
* Spending time with my mom, just me and her.
* Going to my mom's Sunday School class.
* Adriana coming to Provo!
* Sledding with Adriana, Saryn, Jessica, and Chris.
* Sledding down the humungo hill with Adriana.
* Going to Salt Lake and doing Baptisms in the Salt Lake Temple for the first time.
* Finishing The Secret Garden (Easily one of my most favorite novels).
* Visiting with Jessica Miller (also known as Sister Miller to Adriana and I).
* Going to the Logan Temple with my cousin/best friend Kurt.
* Buying "Pillow Talk."
School Started!
Last semester was challenging in every way and after the break I was feeling ready, hopeful and even a little excited for school to start.
I love my major! I am a Therapeutic Recreation major. Let me tell ya, it was a journey getting to this point. In the first chapter of my Intro to TR textbook it summarized everything that I have been learning in the last 4 years. Every time I go to class I feel the spirit and feel pumped and inspired. I am learning so much and cannot express how blessed I feel. The Lord is so merciful and kind.
Last week I taught the first chapter of Gospel Principles in Sunday School. The first chapter is Our Heavenly Father. We had a great discussion about God and who he really is and what our relationship to him really is and how we can come closer to him. One of the things that stuck with me was how he shows his love through tender mercies and how specific those tender mercies are. In the last two weeks I feel like my life sped up a million notches. I have been trying to record in my journal all the tender mercies that happen in one day, but 1.) There are too many to even write and probably a million more I don't even realize. 2.) I am so exhausted by the end of the day that I can't write all of them down. The beautiful thing about this is that my life isn't perfect. There are still things that happen throughout the day that I would rather not happen, I still make so many mistakes, but the tender mercies are so specific that I cannot deny that God loves me and that he is watching over me and cares about my life.
I am on an Intramural Water Polo team and Soccer team this semester. It is so fun. Last night we had our first Water Polo game and it was hilarious. We play on inter tubes because let's be honest, real Water Polo would be extremely hard. The best part though was seeing people flip out of their tubes and watching their feet fly straight up in the air. I think my abs got the best work out from laughing so hard. We have our first Soccer game tomorrow. I am super excited. I haven't played Soccer in so long. I am a little rusty, but hopefully I will be able to help a little!
Over the summer I was in a weight training class with Professor Bailey. This semester I really wanted to take his class again, but it was full. Yesterday I checked and he had spots open so I get to be in his class. It will be awesome!
Another awesome thing is that I am taking Water Safety Instructor Training. By the end I will be certified with Red Cross to teach swimming lessons. I am pretty stoked.
Last year I made a friend in my personal finance class, Jeremy Hammer. We had fun studying together, but since I have moved I didn't really keep in touch with him. Through facebook I found out that he got married to the girl he was dating last year and I was super excited for him. Anyway, the other day at work I was out on campus with Tessa doing some service requests. We were walking out the Crabtree building and there was Jeremy in his car delivering Jimmy Johns to someone at BYU. It was so good to see him! It made me so happy and made me think about Dixie and how much I LOVE IT! I love that school so much. I am so thankful I was able to go to school there and meet all the people I did and got to be involved in Institute.
Little by little the experiences that I have had are starting to make more sense to me and I am starting to see why I have been on the journey I have been on. It has been great. Yay for growing up!
So there is my mega long update. I will leave you with one last quote that I have been obsessed with lately.
"Go into the world today and love the people you meet. Let your presence light new light in the hearts of people." - Mother TeresaPretty much one of my most adored role models.
So love people in whatever way you can!
Thanks for updating Joanie! It was fun to read. It was nice to be reminded of the fun times we had during Christmas break. I need to write more specific events. It is so wonderful to see how you have been led to the right major, the right activities, friends and probably much more than you can imagine. I so happy that you are happy!! I love you!
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