I'm on a roll :)

I have a lot to be grateful for. I have so many opportunities and reasons to be happy. Here are just a few things that make me smile...

1. Getting a voicemail from a family member. I don't know why I love it so much, but I get so excited when I get a voicemail! ESPECIALLY when that voicemail is full of sweet little singing voices :)

2. Lole. She is so cute. she is back to her old self after all the puppies are gone, and she has such the sweetest personality! She makes me laugh every day! Every morning when I wake up, all she wants to do is run around and play with me. And when I am down, she will lay down and whine with me :) (misery loves company haha)

3. When my students are trying to spell something and they accidentally do a naughty word without meaning to :) For example, one of my students wanted to write that she was funky looking and wrote a 'c' instead of a 'n'... I love how innocent they are.

4. Weekends. Having worked weekends all through college, I never really had too much to be excited about when Friday rolled around. But now that I am dating this amazing guy that lives in LOGAN, I have learned to appreciate and look forward to the weekends, where I can just wind down and enjoy the company.

5. Email. Similar to voicemail, I love it when my momma sends me an email to let me know she is thinking about me. It always brightens up my day.

6. Not having a headache. I have finally found a prescription to take away my chronic headaches, and it is crazy how much more enjoyable life can be when you don't have a headache :)

7. Brent. We can seriously be doing nothing (i.e. wandering around the gateway and realizing that neither of us knows where we are going) and have so much fun. He is willing to be spontaneous, he is romantic, he is fun, and he always knows how to make me smile. It was truly a tender mercy to have him come into my life when he did, and I am so blessed to have the experiences I have had... because I think without them, I wouldn't truly appreciate what we have and the kind of man he is.

8. Picture books. I absolutely love reading to my kids. And in 2nd grade we read a lot of picture books, and I didn't realize how much we miss out on when we grow up. There are some great books out there! I love to watch how intently my kids watch and listen while I am reading a story.

9. Honesty. For example, one of my students asks to use the restroom at a very inconvenient time, to which I reply "Can you wait, or is it an emergency?" and he looks behind him and says "it is kinda leaking..." haha

10. The scriptures. I have been off and on since high school about being diligent with reading my scriptures, and the past couple years I have been terrible. I have been reading the scriptures nightly (well most nights haha) right before I go to bed, and I love the way it makes me feel. I love reading about my Redeemer and the things he has done for me.

11. Family and Friends. Through everything in the past 2 years, good and bad, I have realized how amazing the people around me are. I am so blessed to have all of you in my life. I know that whenever I need anything, that there are so many people I can count on. I am truly blessed.

2 Years Later...

I know I haven't been very good about posting the past couple of months, life has been crazy busy lately! But today I can't not post. Today Elder Bubba comes home. I can't believe that he has already been gone two years! It is crazy to think about everything our family has gone through in the past two years and now here we are! Sickness, surgeries, death young and old, new life, divorce, moving,... a lot has happened. I am so proud of my little brother. I like to call him my 'little' brother because age wise is really the only way I can get away with that. He is such a spiritual giant and has been such a great example to me. He has spent the past two years serving others and bringing them the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is such a testimony builder to me to hear about all of the amazing experiences he has been able to have, and the lives he has obviously changed for the better. I wish I was going to be there when he flies in, but unfortunately I will be in Utah and he is flying into Iowa. I know the rest of us will be there in spirit! I am so excited to just give him a big hug and hear in person about what he has experienced! Love you Bubba!