What's not to love?

Holy smokes, life has been so blessed lately. My knowledge, testimony, conviction has grown, deepened, and become even more a part of me. Sometimes I feel like these things are just who I am. Sometimes I'm not exactly true to who I am, but I'll just have to keep working on that. Despite my great weakness I KNOW a few things...

God is real.

He is my Father in the most real sense.

His Son, Jesus Christ, redeems me.

They are Alive.

They are active in my life.

They have a perfect, beautiful Plan.

They are fulfilling it.

I know that Plan because They teach it to Prophets,

Yesterday, today, and forever.

I know who those prophets are.

They speak. I hear Truth.

I KNOW because of The Spirit.

I love the Spirit. He is kind, clear, and comforting.

.....

Just as surely as I know anything, I know these things are true. I love that we can KNOW. How cool is that?! What we are a part of is something huge, the breadth and depth of which I sense but cannot comprehend. Pretty exciting, humbling, wonderful...

one year ago...

Ten months ago today

I said goodbye to a life I loved,

boarded a plane,

and took off that cool little tag.

This was me a year ago

knockin' doors,

proclaiming truth,

inviting people to change,

offering JOY.

The mission feels a world away, so long ago is some ways.

I am in such a different place now.

Life changes in interesting ways, but it is all meaningful

and all good.

I love life. All of it.

mmmm....

One of the views from my apartment.

We can see much of the valley, Old Main, and the Temple.

Sunrises and sunsets.

I like it. :)

Missing this place...

Funny how I can love where I am
and miss somewhere else so much at the same time...

{I heart Kalispell.}

Life is Good

Occasionally, there are times in life when I sit in awe of where I am and what I've been blessed with. Things are going so well right now. I am very happy. I'm considering this a "breather". You know, usually there is some kind of stressor or another, and I tend to blow them out of proportion. :) So, I'm enjoying this time of relative ease. I LOVE Logan. I am enjoying Utah State again. Classes are interesting. I lucked out with awesome roommates (we're becoming good friends). I'm meeting people. I love my work. Things are just good. I'm so lucky... scratch that... so blessed. :)

need some Cache

Back in Logan and loving Cache Valley. :) I'm sure I'll love it more when I have a job that will pay the bills and some friends to take my mind off the bills and the job that pays them... but things are good. :) A BIG THANKS to Mom and Dad for getting me up and settled. I'm loving my apartment (although it be furnitureless), and I get along great with the other girl who's here already. The other two will arrive before long and I'm crossing my fingures that we'll all be good friends. It's been pretty quiet (boring) these few days, but hopefully that changes when more students arrive.
I have been busy, though, with the job search. I had an interview yesterday that went really great. It was for a nanny position and everything sounded just perfect until she mentioned that she pays a whoppin' TWO DOLLA and hour. What the heck is that about? hahaha... On to other prospects. I have two other interviews set up so far, one is a position working with children with disabilities, the other at a residential treatment program for girls with eating disorders. I would LOVE a job along these lines. Pray for me. :)
Monday I joined the ward to attend the SLC BEES game. I was reminded how much I don't love being the new girl and baseball. Super bad combo. And last night Heather (roommate) and I went with some people to watch the meteor shower out in the boonies. I remembered some of the joys of college life, crude boys and unwelcome flirtation. Blah. On a brighter note, however, the nights are cool here, and it was great to wrap up in a quilt and lie on the ground out in the country gazing at the stars. That's good stuff. I do love this valley, community and school. I'm sure this "new chapter" will be a good one.

good for the soul

Get away.

Get away for maybe just a day...
Go somewhere quiet.
Somewhere beautiful.
Go to a place where your mind can clear and
things that are real remind you what life should be like.
Take the ones you love.
Put on old, worn clothing and broken-in shoes.
Turn off your ties to the world.
Forget about obligations just for a moment.
Remember the big picture
and the little things that actually matter...

{Thanks to the Rebers for sharing their little piece of heaven.
It was wonderful.}

The weekend of President and Sister Fisher's homecoming was AMAZING. Enjoyed a "Sisters sleepover" at the Barlow home (THANK YOU!), then a fantastic day in Morgan with the Fishers and many mission friends. Was too busy having a good time to take pics!

Hearing the Fishers again was a powerful experience. I'll leave it at that. Just no words suffice. I will say that I have never been in a church meeting where there was standing room only. The chapel was filled, overflow, gym, stage and many stood in the back as well. As many of you have experienced, I gained another family during my time in Montana. I am so blessed and very grateful.

A few Sisters at the Barlow's home... back L to R: Skye, Kelly Gabbart, Brandie Dormer, Marleny Sanchez, Megan Bly. front L to R: Whitney Adams, Melissa Packer, Emily Nance, Seda Gasparyan, Holly Coombs.

Welcome Home

So so excited! My dear mission president and his sweet wife returned home a few weeks ago. Tomorrow they are speaking in their ward in Morgan, and MBM alumni are coming from far and wide to hear them. :)

Few people on this earth have impacted me more than President and Sister Fisher. Serving under their direction was one of the greatest blessings of my life. Their guidance, love, testimonies, example and friendship will always be treasured. Thank you, and welcome home. :)

Summit Mountain

I grew up "vacationing" on Summit Mountain every summer. It was just a part of life... an essential, wonderful, looked forward to part of life! Well, life got busy, and I figure the last time I was there was when Sam and Cherin were dating... some eight (or was it nine?) years ago. So yesterday was a treat! What a blessing to have access to this property. It's fun to return and remember the generations that have all come to Summit Mountain.

good news

Sorting through some old pics,

I found this shot taken at the Provo Temple

when I was a fresh, new missionary in the MTC.

Ready to take on the world! Ha, yeah right.

But anyhow, for some reason

this picture makes me grateful.

It makes me excited.

It reminds me of the good news

and the awesome time in which we live!

The truth is rising out of obscurity

and is now being proclaimed 'round the globe!

With anticipation, I look to the day when

"every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess" that

{Jesus is the Christ.}

Um, yay. :)

false alarm

Despite my excitement to return to "the ghetto", as some of my family call it, I received a different offer and TOOK IT. :) I will not be moving back to Anderson... Maple Valley will become home.


Older (and clean) girls to room with... nicer, newer, larger apartment... our own washer and dryer... pool and hot tub... same rent as Anderson. Yes, I think it will be fine.

up & back

In effort to find a roof and some walls to reside in beginning next month, I headed north to Logan for the two days I had off work. What a job, trying to find a place to rent. It was a long, unpleasant search, and I left the valley with no real options.

Thank goodness, I had a fun distraction from my misery! I spent the night with the Barlows in Fruit Heights. Sister Barlow and I picked up Sister Gasparyan and headed to Sister Julie Broome's reception. It's so much fun to meet up with friends from the mission. :)

Here are a few of the sisters who attended. Kelly Gabbart (my trainer), Emily Nance, Seda Gasparyan (my Armenian comp), Sister Barlow, and yours truly. A few others missed the pic. Anyhow, it was great to see them all!

Luckily, on my way home, a girl called who was trying to sell her contract. I said "YES" and will now be returning to the wonderful world of Anderson Apartments come Aug. 22. Mixed emotions about this, but I'll take it. It's just as classy as it looks :] but I enjoy it there. I'm actually a bit excited! We'll see how it goes...

trippin'!

Here are just a few pics from the trip Kauri and I took to
{Montana}.

Whitefish Lake. Love Whitefish!

Our view each morning in Bigfork. (thank you Stanfills!)


Avalanche Gorge @ Glacier National Park

Lake McDonald @ Glacier


Flathead Valley from above. (thanks Pres. S!)


in Helena...


Crow Creek Falls hike near Townsend.


Over Beartooth Pass. Still frozen!


This little guy was talking to us. He was so adorable.

We seriously took over 300 pics (a few more are posted on facebook), and I could go on and on forever telling you about the trip. It was so rewarding to return to the places I love so much and see the people who are family to me. An experience like a mission ties your heart to a place like nothing else. Thank you to all of you who helped make our trip amazing. Can't wait to come back. :)

Can't wait to...

...take Kauri to Pryor.

...visit this temple again.

...finally see Billings with leaves!

...savor the small town.

...drive east of Canyon Ferry.

...hike to Avalanche Lake.

But MOSTLY, I can't wait to see my Montanan family and friends!

BIG SKY COUNTRY here we come. :)

At last...

I was driving home from work yesterday. The evening was a beautiful one. And as I turned onto Cottonmill East into the old neighborhood, I passed good ol' Brother Woodbury on his little motorcycle. We both smiled and waved, and I headed up the road to park next to the big pine tree. For the first time in... well... a very long time, I felt like this was home.

Now, I spent the first 19 years of my life in this town. A blessed 19 years. And I've been back now and then for a few months at a time, but my life was always elsewhere. It's taken me a while, obviously, to settle in again, psychologically. To embrace the fact that I am here. I am not a missionary in Montana. I am not a student, roomate or friend in Logan. I am a sister and a daughter in my home in Washington. That is my place for now... and this is home.

I am grateful for the different phases of life and the endless lessons to learn. I'm thankful for the still small whisperings of the Spirit that reveal the profound nature of even the most minute details and happenings in life. I am glad to be here... in this little house... with people who love me despite me.

BANG!

hahahaha...okay. I've been in desperate need of a haircut. I've been putting it off trying to decide how brave and original to be. I finally chickened out and went for a style similar (okay, pretty much the same) as I've had for a very long time. I washed my hair, rolled up the bathroom rug, pulled out the folding chair, called my mother in, and handed her the scissors. I just love my mother, and I love what she charges for a cut... "Free" suits my pocketbook just fine.
All was going well... she was meticulously following my instructions and the five example photos I had printed out for her. The bangs looked just right... "except for that little corner that doesn't blend quite right." I asked her to trim it a bit.... Still not right.
"A tiny more."
"Now fix that part."
"Oops, now a slightly steeper angle.... um... oh no."
"What now? Is there a way to fix that?"
"What if we comb it this way?"
"HA! You look like a MAN. A man from the 70s! Get Kauri in here. Ha, that is hilarious!"
"Thanks, Mom."
"Where's this little piece coming from?"
"What if we cut...."
"PUT THE SCISSORS DOWN!"
By this point my mom and I were laughing hysterically. The worse the bangs got, the harder we laughed. Tears were rolling down my face... One might assume it was because of my awful bangs. But really it was just too funny.
Thanks for the cut, Mom. I like it. (and i take full credit for the bangs.) :)

blah...g

So, here it is. Despite suggestions from friends, I have put off the blogging thing because, well, my life doesn't seem to be bloggable material. I'm single. I live at home. No cute kiddos. Or anything exciting to post, really. But then, I realized that nobody has to look at this anyway. If you do and you're bored, it's your own dang fault. So here I am. :)