Luke 24

Luke 24:6

He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

December 23

Today I was reminded that it is Joseph Smith Jr.'s birthday. I love this video as it shares the many things that Joseph did to restore the gospel of Jesus Christ. It also has excerpts of testimonies from people that were close associates of Joseph. I am so grateful for the gospel in my life and everything that brings into my life as well.

Luke 23

Luke 23:38

And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Christ did come. He came into this world as a little child. Meek and lowly. He performed many miracles. He was about His Father's business. He taught those around Him how to serve, to be kind to one another, the importance of keeping His commandments, He laid out the organization of His church, and He taught His gospel.
This chapter is about the crucifixion of the Lord. We all know the story of how it happened. But I really love that while He was being mocked and being crucified for being what He said He was, there still on the cross were the words King of the Jews. That is what He was and still is. He is the King and the Savior of the world.

Luke 22

Luke 22:32

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

There is so much in this chapter. Christ is betrayed by one of His own disciples. He does the sacrament-  the sacrament is in remembrance of Him. Christ goes to the Mount of Olives. He does this so He can take upon Him the sins of the world. He bleeds from every pore. He asks for His disciples to not enter into temptation and to stay with Him. Even an angel comes to help HIm through the process.

With everything that is said within this chapter I really liked the above scripture because with all that was going on at this point in Christ's life- He was still praying for those around Him. He could have been selfish but again He put others first. He prays for us, that we can have and keep the faith that we need and then use that faith to help others around us.    

Luke 21

Luke 21:26

Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Christ will come again. He has said so Himself, there have been prophets after prophets telling of the signs. Christ will come again in all power and glory. I cannot wait for the day that this happens.

Luke 20

Luke 20:34

And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world would marry, and are given in marriage:

Nothing really to do with the above mentioned scripture but this is one of my favorite Christmas songs-

Luke 19

Luke 19:10

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost.


Just because I like this song and because it has the word lost in it..

Luke 18

Luke 18:16

But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 

Luke 17

Luke 17:6

And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

Faith- Children's Songbook #96
Faith is knowing the sun will rise, lighting each new day.
Faith is knowing the Lord will hear my prayers each time I pray.
Faith is like a little seed:
If planted, it will grow.
Faith is a swelling within my heart.
When I do right I know.

Faith is knowing I lived with God before my mortal birth.
Faith is knowing I can return when my life ends on earth.
Faith is trust in God above;
In Christ, who showed the way.
Faith is strengthened; I feel it grow
Whenever I obey.

Luke 16

Luke 16:13

No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 

Luke 15

Luke 15:10

Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

This chapter has 3 parables in it. The ones that I usually focus on are the lost sheep and the prodigal son. We are all at one point or another that lost sheep that Christ Himself will go and search for to make sure that we come back to the fold. We are all at one point that prodigal son. It may not be with our earthly family but there are times that we do something that may not be entirely inline with what it right and we realize that and come running back to our Father in Heaven. How much He does for us as we come back to the straight and narrow. How much He loves us with an infinite and perfect love.

This video was shared with me when I was going through a rough time. 

If you want to listen- another song that goes along with this scripture is Kory Kunz's Welcome Home.

Luke 14

Luke 14: 34&35

Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

JST Luke 14:36-
And Jesus answered, saying, Ye know not Moses, neither the prophets; for if ye had known them, ye would have believed on me; for to this intent they were written. For I am sent that ye might have life. Therefore I will liken it unto salt which is good;

Luke 13

Luke 13:34

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and we would not!

Cross reference-
D&C 29:2- Who will gather his people even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, even as many as will hearken to my voice and humble themselves before me, and call upon me in mighty prayer.

Luke 12

Luke 12:27

Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Luke 11

Luke 11:9

And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

I often think about this verse. I have so many wonderful friends and family members that would drop anything and help me out. They give good gifts. They are my friends because they would do anything for me. That's what friends do. So if I have friends like that, my Father in Heaven who is perfect would be that much better at it. He is perfect. He gives the greatest gifts. He knows what I need, how much I need of it, when I need it and so much more. All I have to do is seek Him, ask Him and it shall be given to me. Oh how thankful I am for a loving Heavenly Father and Savior.

Luke 10

Luke 10:41

And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

Even those that were around the Savior during His ministry had troubles and doubts. It is important to remember that He can help us with those just as He helps take away our sins. Choose the good part and not be so worried about the things around us that may not be going according to plan.

Luke 9

Luke 9:24

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

Cross reference-
D&C 103: 27&28-
27  Let no man be afraid to lay down his life for my sake; for whoso layeth down his life for my sake shall find it again.
28  And whoso is not willing to lay down his life for my sake is not my disciple.

Luke 8

Luke 8:25

And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

He can calm the storms of the weather, He can calm the storms in my life. Where is my faith to allow this to happen in my life?

Luke 7

Luke 7:50

And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

This woman, who was a sinner, had a box of very expensive ointment. She stood at His feet, anointing His feet with the ointment. Weeping, she washed His feet with her tears and kissed His feet. The Pharisees seeing this accused the Savior of not knowing that she was a sinner and said that she shouldn't touch Him. The Savior taught a lesson using a parable. He doesn't love those with more sins less than others. He loves us no matter what. No matter what I do I can always return to Him. He is always there with His arms outstretched for me.

Luke 6

Luke 6:19

And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

He has the ability to heal everyone and I know that He does just that.  

Luke 5

Luke 5:20

And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

That is the greatest thing that the Savior has done for me and for all of us. He has the ability to take away all of our sins. With that we can again stand in His presence and hopefully live with Him again.

Luke 4

Luke 4:10

For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:

This life we knew would not always be easy. There are days that everyone seems to have it together. There are other days that, even if not seen with the eye, people struggle. I know that on those days I will take all the help that I can get, even the angels that He can send my direction to help keep me afloat.

Luke 3

Luke 3:22

And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

The Godhead are 3 distinct individuals. God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. They are one in purpose. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we believe this to be so- Joseph Smith saw the Father and the Son, as separate personages, in a vision in the sacred grove.

Luke 2

Luke 2:11

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Christ was born to Mary. The star of Bethlehem witnessed the birth of the Savior. He came not into this world wearing a velvet robe or having a golden throne. But a manger only, that didn't house any worldly things, that made that child a King.

Luke 1

Last month I did a day of gratitude each day leading up to Thanksgiving. It made me think back each day and really think of things that I was grateful for and the many blessings that I have.
Each December I add the book of Luke to my scripture reading each night. 24 chapters of Luke each night until Dec 24. Tonight is Chapter 1.
Out of the entire chapter this is the verse that stood out to me the most.

Luke 1:37
For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Self-explanatory and so true.

Opening and Closing of Doors

This conference talk was given just a little before I was born- however, it still has good concepts that I can apply in my life. It's good to remember that when the door seems to be closed another one will be opened.

Another good talk- it sums up a lot of what we believe.

Gratitude Day 22: Everything

Where to start?!

I am so thankful for everything in my life.

I am thankful for my family, my friends, my best-friends, my soon-to-be family member, the gospel, the knowledge of eternal families and the possibility to create one of my own in the future, my nursing license, my job, my paycheck, the roof over my head, the bed that I sleep in, the clothes in the closet, the shoes that cover my feet, my car, the country that I live in, the food in my fridge, washers and dryers, wonderful weather, the holiday season, movies and tv shows, seeing stars in the sky at night, the sun that gives us it's warmth, the little reminders of God's love for me, His tender mercies, the blessings in my life even though I am undeserving, the hobbies I enjoy, my ability to exercise, laughing, crying, people that come into my life- whether they stay or leave, lessons learned, lessons that I'm still learning, my critical thinking and problem solving skills, healthy children, my health, the lessons learned every shift on how not to treat my future children, spiritual strength of others, the ability to change, the scriptures, past relationships, relationships in the future, influences of others, the leadership of the church, my hope and faith in the future- the future of my personal life and of things to come, sacrifices of others, the ability to take showers each day, the freedoms that I enjoy each and every day, books, music, the changing seasons, all the worldly possessions that I have that make living just a little bit easier, Christ and His sacrifice of the atonement and His crucifixion, being able to be reunited with family members that have already passed on, the pets that I've had, modern technology, running water in my apartment, heat and air conditioning in the apartment...

That list could go on forever if I were to think of every little and big thing that I am truly thankful for.

There is so much to be thankful for...

Gratitude Day 21: Kind Words

So much of what we do every day goes without notice let alone words of gratitude.

Today I'm grateful for those that take time out of what they are doing to say "thank you". Those thank you's go a long way and sometimes they can make the day so much better.

Thank you for the "thank you's" and all the kind words.

Gratitude Day 20: Education

After days like today I am so glad that I was able to go to 2 very distinguished schools for my bachelors degrees.

I prize my degree from BYU so much. I loved the classes that I was able to take and for the knowledge base it gave me to base my life on.

I may have to pay for my degree from Duke for the rest of my life but I realize that I am so grateful for the education it gave me. The teachers and instructors pushed me but I think it has made me a better nurse. You get what you put into it. If you don't ask for opportunities or get out of your comfort zone- once a real job falls into place it will be a rude awakening.

I will be forever grateful for the education these two universities gave me.

Gratitude Day 19: Blowing Bubbles

Today I am grateful for happy babies and their ability to blow bubbles.

Tonight I had to say goodbye to a baby boy that I have grown to love. It's so hard to say that goodbye when you become so attached. He has been my favorite to take care of. I will miss him dearly.

Today I got my last snuggles in and he made me laugh so much when he was blowing bubbles at himself and everything else around him.

Gratitude Day 18: Memories

Most of the fun things that I've done in my life have pictures to go along with them. Some do not.

Whether they have pictures or not, I am so very grateful for the memories I have. I may not have the best memory in the world but I can still remember the good times I've had on my birthdays, secret trips out of the state, concerts, boys, theme parks, Christmases, New Years celebrations, church activities, going out of the country, pets, church events, EFY, weddings, babies born and oh so many more things in my life.

Tonight I started scrapbooking some of these things and it brought nothing but joy and happiness to me as I went through picture after picture.

Because I don't say it enough, and sometimes I don't really think it, but...
I LOVE MY LIFE!!!!

Gratitude Day 17: Shopping and Pumpkin

Today Jennifer and I went out to see the Raleigh Christmas parade and then ran a couple of errands afterwards.

I love and am grateful for those impromptu shopping sprees that I can and do have with my sister on a regular basis.

At the end of shopping trip we went out to Sweet Tomatoes for dinner because they had a limited time only dessert- a pumpkin walnut custard thing! It was so good!! In the fall I'm so glad that I love all things pumpkin! :)

Gratitude Day 16: Good Reads

Today I am grateful for books.

I have always enjoyed reading books. Novels and the like more than textbooks but I will read pretty many anything.
If I could afford it I would have a library room in my future house.

I need to be better at reading more classics though.

I made a to-do resolution for this year to read at least 12 books for fun, I think I'm on track to read that many if not more.

I love books!

Gratitude Day 15: Communication

I may not always appreciate it but I am very thankful for the communication that I have with my parents.

To some they may seem over-bearing, but I know that they really just want to make sure I'm okay and that I'm doing okay.

It usually isn't more than 2 days that I go without at least texting my mother but it's usually a daily phone call. I'm so glad that I have a mom that cares and loves me enough to make sure that she hears from me once a day, at least.

I know that if she were to go a couple of days without hearing from me she'd be the first one on the phone contacting the local police department to do a well-person check to make sure I was okay. If she didn't do that then she would for sure drive or fly up here to make sure herself.

So thank you technology- cell phones, email, texts and all other forms of communication.

Gratitude Day 14: Apartment

Tonight I am thankful that I made it home to my apartment in one piece.

On the way home from work I ended up running over a mid to large size something that looked like a leaf from a distance so I figured it wouldn't hurt to run over it. It turned out not to be a leaf but something much harder. Knowing that I had a drive home on the Interstate, every possible gone wrong story popped in my head.

My car may have a flat tire in the morning, which won't be fun either if that's the case, seeing as I have to work again tomorrow. But I'm thankful tonight to have made it home, along with my car, in one piece.

Thank you Fred for being such a good car to me!!

Gratitude Day 13: Heater

Tonight I am so very grateful for my heater in the car.

It's gotten down in the low 40's- mid 30's lately and even though that's not the coldest I've been in, it's still pretty cold.

I am glad that I have a heater in my car that works that combats that cold air for me.

Gratitude Day 12: Coos and Babbles

Today I'm grateful for healthy babies and their cooing and babbling.

I even adore his monkey looking face. He's adorable. I'm glad that he's going to be going home soon but he will be one missed baby on the floor.

I feel so much gratitude that he's made such strides in his development- rolling from front to back, holding bottles and laughing at himself. He has us wrapped around his little finger.

Gratitude Day 11: Restoration

Today I am thankful for the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

One of the great things I love about my church is that it resembles the original church that Christ himself established on earth during his ministry.

Many years ago Christ walked this earth. One of the many things He did was to establish His church among His followers. He called 12 men to be apostles. Together with these 12 men, Christ proclaimed His gospel. After Christ's crucifixion the apostles continued to teach and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ until their eventual deaths. The deaths of the apostles and of Christ himself, lead to what we know as the great apostasy.
Years later great men like Martin Luther, John Calvin and others were inspired to question and try to reform what the churches had become. This all lead to some great religious excitement across the world. It was even felt in a small town located in upstate New York.
Joseph Smith Jr. was just a young man at the time but he felt very torn on what religion he should choose to be apart of. He read in the Bible, James 1:5 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." Joseph knowing that he lacked wisdom needed to ask God which church to join. He did just that. He went to a near-by grove of trees and started to say his first spoken prayer. As Joseph recounts, "I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it rested upon me... I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other, This is My Beloved Son- Hear Him!"
As the years went by, Joseph found himself in the middle of some persecution. But he knew what had happened and he knew that God knew and he could not deny it. Joseph continued the work of the Lord, he received the records of the ancient inhabitants of the Americas and began translating what we now call the Book Of Mormon, which is another testament of Jesus Christ, one that works hand in hand with the Bible. He had the Aaronic priesthood conferred upon him which gave him the authority to perform baptisms. He later received the Melchizedek priesthood. He established Christ's church again on the earth in the spring of 1830. The church was after the same order of Christ's church. Temples were constructed just like they had been in the past.
Today Christ's church is still on the earth. It continues to grow. Temples continue to dot the earth. The church has a Prophet and 12 apostles that lead, guide and govern the church- just as they did when Christ was on the earth.

I am eternally grateful that I was born into this church. That I have the knowledge and the blessings it gives to me each and every day. I am grateful for the sacrifice of the atonement, crucifixion and the resurrection that Jesus Christ did in my behalf. I'm grateful for the sacrifices of Joseph Smith Jr. during his life and making sure to restore, or bring back the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Gratitude Day 10: Captain America bandaids

Today while at work I sliced open 2 of my knuckles.

I'm thankful for my ability to bandage up my own fingers (even if they are on my right and dominant hand) and for working on a pediatric floor where there is never a shortage of Avengers band-aids! :)

Gratitude Day 9: Running

It may not be fun all the time but it's not bad.

Today I'm thankful that I have the ability and self-discipline to run. I may not be able to run far but I can still do it. I'm hoping that as I continue to do so my ability will increase so I can enjoy it more.

Gratitude Day 8: Dinner Dates

Today I'm grateful for spontaneous dinner dates.

Dinner dates with my sister that is. I really wanted some sushi and that's what we got. It was so very good.

I'm grateful for her and her ability to put up with me most days.

Gratitude Day 7: Stars

It may seem like a little thing but tonight I am thankful for the stars in the sky at night.

I've always loved looking up at night and seeing a black sky full of little stars dotting the vastness.

I love to look for shooting stars. Sometimes I feel like their presence is just for me. I love to find the north star that is usually the brightest, positioned at the north celestial pole.

I think I like the stars so much because it's a reminder to me that we're not alone in this universe. There is a larger force and reason as to why we're here. There is a God that is watching over us and knows us individually. He knows our needs, our wants, desires, heartaches and our defeats. We are numbered, just as the sands and the stars.

Genesis 15:5- "And he brought him forth abroad, and said,  Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be."

Gratitude Day 6: Agency & Freedom

It's election day.

Today I'm grateful to live in a country where we can vote for who we want to run our country for 4 years at a time. I'm grateful to live in a land of liberty and a free land.

We have the gift of agency as well. We can choose to vote or not to vote. Remember if you don't vote- you have no room to complain about how the next 4 years goes. We have the ability to vote for that person who we think can do the best job for our country.

I did just that. I voted. I don't have a sticker to prove it but I did. I'm excited and nervous to see the results roll in tonight.

Gratitude Day 5: My Brother

Today is my brother's 29th birthday!! Happy Birthday Jorden!!

Can't believe that he's turning 29.
It seems like just yesterday we were sitting on the floor in his room playing with matchbox cars. We had a piece of wood that had a town and roads drawn on it. We would play with cars for hours. There were times that we would even build buildings for the town out of legos.

We haven't always gotten along but he is a great older brother. I couldn't ask for a better one.

He knows more than what he gives himself credit for. He's my go-to guy for anything car related.

I love him more than I express in words and I know that he is one of my biggest supporters and I'm one of his.

Gratitude Day 4: Music

Research shows that music has an affect on you. The type of music matters.

I'm grateful for the many artists that are very talented in music that I can pop in a c.d. and immediately feel uplifted.

I've had a rule to only listen to Sunday music on Sundays. On Sundays when I work, like today, it's no different. I've been playing a c.d. lately by Jenny Phillips and I love it. The music is clean, uplifting and it always puts me in a better mood. It reminds me that there are bigger things in life than the small things I seem to be going through at the time. I love that music can do that for me.

I love music. I swear that half the capacity of my brain is made up of song lyrics.


This has been one of my favorites lately. It's been on repeat.

Gratitude Day 3: Friends

I'm grateful for friends.
For friends near and far.

I'm grateful for friendships that have remained solid even though there is distance, marriages, life changes and everything else that seperate us.

Gratitude Day 2: Work

As much as I love my sleep and the idea of not having to do anything, I am so grateful for the fact that I have a job and a career.

I have worked very hard to get to where I am. There were lots of prayers from many people in my behalf, prayers of my own, difficult decisions, long nights, tears, cramming and a long overdue walk across a stage.

To some people the fact that I have my life already figured out may be intimidating but I am 25 years old and I have figured out my life. That is something I am very proud of. I worked hard, studied hard, put my schooling before much else and have landed a great job.

I'm grateful to be a pediatric nurse. It's not what I thought I'd end up doing but it's great. I'm grateful to be off orientation and to be doing my own thing. I'm grateful to be employed. I'm grateful for working on the pediatric floor that I do.

Gratitude Day 1: Sleep

For the first day of November I am very grateful for sleep.

After working night shift I was able to come home and sleep until whenever. Had an alarm set but didn't wake up to it. I slept for 12 hours. 12 hours of un-interrupted sleep.

Halloween

Both Jennifer and I worked Halloween night- the one night that we don't have to wear our blue scrubs. We decided to dress up as Sophia Grace and Rosie. It was so fun to run around the unit in a tutu!!

Football

This weekend BYU played Georgia Tech at Georgia Tech. It was a fun game to be there for. Thankfully we were in a section mostly with BYU fans. But there were several, namely a ginger that both Jennifer and I wanted to deck. Every time GT would get a first down he would turn around and point to us and say first down. I wanted to respond back with "look at the score board- oh wait you're like 20 points behind". Stupid GT fans.
BYU ended up winning 41-17. Clearly the GT fans needed to look at the score board more frequently before they started poking fun at us. Our defense was awesome and held GT to only 50 yards rushing.
So proud of the boys in blue!! They played an amazing game and I am so glad that we made the trip down to Georgia to see them play again in person!!

Venting

When people complain about things that are going on around them my first thought for them is to do something about it.
If you want to move out of the area so you can get away from everyone that has known you for years and knows everything about you then make the jump and move out of where you are. I've done it before. It's never an easy decision. It's often scary. But if you never leave then you don't have the opportunity to grow. Move out of the state you've always lived in, make new friends, get away from some of the influences around you, get out of your comfort zone and be the person you want to be.
If you think about it, often you've gotten yourself in the situations that you are in. Stop wallowing in them and the consequences of the decisions you've made and move forward. Grow up, act your age, realize that you can change your life if you really wanted to.

On another topic-
You told me that you never say never. But that you usually don't keep in contact with those that you break up with. However, there is one that apparently you do. You would have phone conversations with her even when in the company of friends and me. You're apparently hanging out with her now. Your mom even told you that she wasn't a good girlfriend for you. Or was that something that you just told me to see what I would say? Is this the person that you were engaged to for awhile? Is she still with her boyfriend?
Don't tell me that we have too many differences that you can't get over. Don't tell me that you want an easy relationship. That you don't want to work at it. All relationships need work. Relationships aren't meant to be easy. Any relationship is at least trying for. It may not last in the long run but if it doesn't then you can say at the end that you've tried. Even if there are differences, a relationship that is built on a solid foundation can make it. Relationships are also built on compromise, give-and-take. Once this is learned relationships will be so much better.
Beginnings of relationships are awkward. The middle is great. The ending- someone usually gets their heart broken.

Mr. O

Today we lost another one of our kitties. We've had Oreo for about 17 years. He was getting old but that doesn't make the loss any easier. He was Jennifer's cat but he was loved by all of us. Oreo- you'll be one missed kitty in our family!!

Soft kitty
Warm kitty
Little ball of fur...

25 random facts

25 things about me in honor of my 25th birthday!! Some may know lots and some may only know 1. Can't believe that I'm 25 now. Quarter-of-a-century!!! :)

1. I'm allergic to kiwi. Haven't been officially tested for it but I'm pretty sure that's true. 

2. I've only had 1 boyfriend. Yep. Ok. Moving on to #3...

3. I have 3 degrees from 3 different universities in 3 years. Associates degree- BYU-Idaho, Bachelor's degree- BYU, Accelerated Bachelor's degree- Duke.

4. I love roller coasters. Wooden. Metal. Kiddie. Trill. Doesn't matter.

5. I hate wearing a watch.

6. I dressed up as "Jim" growing up so I could go on church father/son camp-outs with my dad and brother. Ball cap, polo, suspenders, jeans and tennis shoes. 

7. I think I may have OCD. I have to make sure the locks on the doors are locked before I go to bed.

8. I don't call myself a picky eater but I can be and I don't really like my foods touching on my plate.
9. My favorite holiday is Christmas. My least favorite is Valentine's Day.

10. I've gotten 1 ticket and have been in 1 car accident- neither of which should have been my fault.

11. I have an irrational fear that I will never be loved by someone.

12. I have only lived in 4 states- Florida, Idaho, Utah and North Carolina.  

13. I hate stopping at the top or middle of bridges- over water or roads. I have a fear that they will break and I'll go crashing to my death in my car.

14. I feel like a 5 year old every time I go to Disney World. Literally.

15. I'm the youngest of 4 children.

16. I hate wearing shoes. Socks too usually. Flip flops or bare foot is the way to go.

17. I play the flute and piano. 

18. I cannot look at people passing me in cars whether I'm driving or a passenger, mostly as a passenger. It stems from when a lady pulled a gun on my dad and I as we were driving home from church one Sunday, years and years and years ago.

19. I really like taking naps.

20. My favorite color is blue. Pretty much any shade.

21. I love the smell of rain.

22. My favorite thing on playgrounds are the swings. Ironically, while attending Montessori school I had 2 or 3 swings break while I was on them. 

23. I love chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chip cookie dough and chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. Really anything that involves chocolate chips, I think. 

24. I love snuggling up on the couch with a cozy blanket to watch a movie. 

25. I'm grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I'm grateful to know that a loving Father in Heaven knows me by name and knows what I need when I need it. I am a Mormon. I know it. I live it. I love it.

By faith all things are fulfilled

Throughout conference I kept getting the message of "in the Lord's own time, be patient and things will work out how they are supposed to". 
He can see the whole picture. 
He knows the end from the beginning. 
He knows the plan that's in place for my life. 
He knows where I'm supposed to be, when I'm supposed to be there and who I'm supposed to meet in those places. 
He knows all the above but I do not. I can only see a little bit ahead of me, maybe only 1 step. Sometimes and usually the path is dark and I have to take a step into the darkness. It's called faith. It's scary but it's required. 

...

I do not know where my life will lead. 
I do not know when or who I'll marry. 
I do not know if I will always live in NC. 

But I do know this;

I know that if I'm sensitive to the Spirit while making every decision in my life, I will be happier than I could ever imagine.
I know that I will be blessed with a choice guy, a wonderful son of God, to be my husband and I will love him deeply.
I know that my life may go in a completely different direction than I expect but if it's the Lord's will and in the Lord's timing, I will know that it's the best thing for me.

But all of this is in His time.
He knows me.
He loves me.
He guides me.


(Last part adapted from the Mormon in Manhattan blog.)

Visible

I haven't been watching Glee on a regular basis for awhile now. However, this week's episode got something right.
Rachel: "Don't you get it? No matter how rich, famous, or successful I become, when it comes to you, I'm always going to be that moon-eyed girl... You were the first boy who made me feel loved, and sexy and visible. You were my first love..."

As silly as it sounds that's how I've felt for about 2 months now. There was this boy. Still not sure what all he found attractive in me. But he saw me. He was the first boy to ever do so. It felt good to feel "loved, and sexy and visible". Now I've been working on getting over not feeling that everyday. I'm working on not expecting a text from him. I'm working on accepting that I'll probably never hear from him again. It's been a sad realization because I'm pretty sure he's been doing just fine and hasn't had a single second thought about me. It's times like now that I hate being a girl. There's so many emotions and thoughts and everything else that get everything tangled up in a big ol' mess.

Think Like A Man part 3

3rd and final segment.

Part 3: The Playbook

• "I became the man she needed me to be because she had sense enough to have requirements- standards that she needed in her relationship in order to make the relationship work for her."
• "If you tell us what you like and what you don't like, we'll do anything we can to make sure we live up to your expectations, particularly if we're interested in forging a relationship with you."
• Don't give him a blueprint of everything that makes you happy- let him figure some of this out on his own. 
• 5 questions that every woman needs to ask before she gets too deep: What are your short-term goals? What are your long-term goals? What are your views on relationships? What do you think about me? How do you feel about me?
• Ford Motor Company has a policy where you have to work for 90 days before you get their benefit package. It's an easy equation: work hard, prove yourself, get the benefits. "Why, ladies, are you passing out benefits to men before they've proven themselves worthy?"
• "...your benefits- are special, and that you need time to get to know him and his ways to decide if he deserves them."
• There are other forms of payment. "Hugging? Payment. Kissing? Payment. You getting dressed up? Payment. Going out with us? Payment... But if he wants to sleep with you? Those are benefits." 
• How does he react when you tell him you've got some problems? How does your man react under pressure? How does he react to bad news? How does he react when he's told "no"?
• "Your man hasn't asked you to marry him because... you haven't required him to marry you or set a date."
• Say "I respect you, I adore you, I'm affectionate, I pay attention to you, I'm punctual, I'm kind, I'm loyal,... I need your time, loyalty, support, affection, attention, punctuality, kindness, gentleman ways- I need the doors opened, chairs pulled out, your respect, and above all else, your love. I also expect a diamond ring and a walk down the aisle."

Change Is A Good Thing

So after finally working up the nerve to get my hair chopped off I set off hoping that I had found a good place to do it at. I've been talking about cutting my hair for months now and I just figured I needed to do it. It's never a easy choice to cut off so much at once. But I love it once I finally do. This time I cut off exactly 12 inches. That's a lot!! Apparently I didn't think that cutting off 12 inches was enough of a change in my life- I decided to dye my hair too. For the very first time. I wanted to go lighter. It'll take a couple attempts probably to get it to my color I want but I think that what I ended up with was a good start. I'm still getting used to it being so short. But hair grows back right?! I'm still adjusting to it but I'm also really liking it right now.

Before:

After:

Good Things To Come

I love this talk. Elder Holland always seems to know what I need to hear and when I need to hear it.

Think Like A Man part 2

To continue where I left off from part 1...

Part 2: Why Men Do What They Do

• A sports fish- doesn't have any rules, requirements, respect for herself or guidelines VS. a keeper- never gives in easily, standards are up front, she commands respect and she understands her power. 
• How to tell if he's looking for a keeper: genuinely interested in what you have to say, willing to abide by your rules, pays for dates, introduced you to his people, wants relationship to be exclusive, has himself together financially, emotionally, and spiritually.
• "It's much better to be in a relationship with a man who loved his mother than it is to be with someone who can't stand the woman who gave birth to him."
• For some "sex can be a purely physical act for us- love has absolutely nothing to do with it."
• Priorities need to be: God, family, education, business and then everything else.

Think Like A Man part 1

Now this post might not be relatable to anyone that hasn't or won't ever date a non-member (or maybe some little things may be) but I figured I would jot down a couple of my thoughts and take aways from Steve Harvey's book Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man.

Part 1: The Mind Set of A Man

• Men are simple.
• There are 3 things that drive men: who they are, what they do and how much they make. 
• "If you are her man, she will walk on water and through a mountain for you, too, ... And if you're her man and that woman loves you- I mean really loves you?- she will... encourage you when you're down,... and hang on your every word,... she will give you her very best and then some, and keep right on trying to win over your heart, even when you act like everything she's done to convince you she's The One just isn't good enough. That's a woman's love- it stands the test of time, logic, and all circumstance."
• "How do you know when a man loves you? Simple: he will do each of the following 3 things. Profess- If your man loves you, he's willing to tell anybody and everybody, 'Look, man, this is my woman' or 'this is my girl.' He will give you a title... Provide- The more he can provide for his woman and his kids, the bigger and more alive he feels. Sounds simplistic, but that is the reality... if he loves and cares for you, this man will provide for you all these things with no limits. Protect- When a man truly loves you, anybody who says, does, suggests, or even thinks about doing something offensive to you stands the risk of being obliterated."
• 3 things every man needs- Support, Loyalty and the Cookie. Support- "We have to feel like somebody's got our back- like we're the king, even if we're not." Loyalty- "love is loyalty. To men, they are one and the same." The Cookie- "We need to be physically engaged with the woman we love... Every man needs that from his woman. Every last one of us." (More about this and the 90 day rule later in the book.)
• Never say "we need to talk". 
• If you need to vent just tell your man "nothing is wrong, I just want to tell somebody something", then he'll put his Mr. Fix-It tools away.

Part 2 to come.

Sometimes. Eventually. Maybe.

So I have learned that sometimes things don't make sense in life. Not sure why things happen the way they do. Why couldn't I get into the nursing program at BYU? Why did I go to Duke? Why couldn't I find a job for several months after graduation? Why did I end up going to camp this past summer? Why do I take care of some of the kids that I do at work? Why are we sometimes put in some hard or sticky situations? Were they all learning opportunities? Were they all for a reason? Why did I have to go through that experience? Were these all experiences that I needed or were they more for the people around me? I could come up with a million whys. Sometimes I want to know all the answers to these questions. Sometimes I can push those questions to the side and move on.
Eventually I know that things will look better because I will have a better perspective. Hindsight is always 20/20. I know that eventually things will fall into place more than what they already have in my life. I know that I eventually will have some pretty great things in life. ...Eventually...
Maybe I will never get the answers that I want. Maybe I will. But whatever happens I know that all will be well. Life may be hard and frustrating at times but there are some pretty great moments too. Everyday can't be all about rainbows and butterflies but maybe I can have the will power to make the best out of each day. Maybe I can take all these experiences and move on and be a better person. One thing I know for sure is that there are a ton of maybe's in this life.

Running

I may not consider myself a runner, nor would anyone else I'm sure. But I do run on a regular basis. My goal this year was to participate in a color run in Charlotte. It's only a 5k but I felt like I should start somewhere. However, when I went to register for this run it was sold out. Dang.
Well maybe there will be a bigger and longer goal that I'll working up to. A half marathon in March. Maybe. Not sure if I can do it. But I will at least start training and see how it goes. So Charlie, if you are reading this, I need your advice on how to go from barely running to running a half marathon. If anyone can make it possible for me to do- you can!!
It's not a for sure thing but it is definitely a thing that I am considering.

:)

Down Dooby Do Down Down

Come-a come-a
Down dooby do down down
Come-a come-a
Down dooby do down down
Breaking up is hard to do
Don't take your love
Away from me
Don't you leave my heart
In misery
Cause if you go
Then I'll be blue
Cause breakin' up is hard to do
They say that breakin' up is hard to do
Now I know, I know that it's true
Don't say that this is the end
Instead of breaking up I wish that we were making up again
Remember when
You held me tight
And you kissed me
All through the night
Think of all
That we've been through
Breakin' up is hard to do

Carowinds

Yesterday I went down to Charlotte, NC (technically SC) with Xen. We meet up with some of his friends, Ryan and Kathryn and went to a theme park called Carowinds. It was so much fun. It's half a theme park and half water park.
The ride that they are toting as the big thing for the summer is the Windseeker. It was a swinging ride that went up about 300 feet. It was fun but it wasn't that big of a deal. The roller coasters is where it's at though!! The Intimidator was my favorite- it's a Nascar themed ride and it was so much fun! We were able to go on it twice. The Hurler and the Goldrusher are wooden coasters. The Hurler was so shaky it kinda made my head hurt. The Nighthawk is a roller coaster that you lay back for. It was such a weird way to ride the coaster but it also made it that more interesting. Ricochet is the equivalent to Disney's little kid dinosaur ride. Disney's is a little better plus it spins instead of just yanks you from side to side on all the turns.
The water park side was fun too! We hung out in the pool but the waves the pool generated weren't all that big. Which was disappointing. We also rode the Rip Roarin' Rapids. Xen got soaked but fortunately I was able to come out of the ride with relatively dry clothes.
We spent all day there. It was so much fun. We went out to dinner afterwards at Steak n' Shake. It was so good!

Baby baby baby

One of my really good friends and one of my best roommates let me know today that she's expecting a baby boy in December!!
I am so happy for her and her husband!! They will be great parents and I am so excited for this little boy to be welcomed into the world.
Let the baby clothes shopping begin!

First day on the job

Made it through the first day on the job.
It was more of a shadowing day- just to get the feel of the unit down and see how things are run. I have a feeling that I'm going to really like the unit and the people that work there too. I'm excited to be there for a career and see how much I can learn. I know that I have a lot to learn but it's always better to learn on the job and typically it's a lot more fun to do it that way too!!
Here's to shift number 2 tomorrow.

Olympics

Tonight the olympics started.
The opening ceremonies always seem to take forever to go through especially the parade of athletes. But this year's it seemed like it went by pretty quickly. I think it was awesome. It made me want to go to England that much more than I already do. My favorite part of it all was Bond with the Queen. Bond saved the Queen!!! :)

On a different note- made it through week 1 of orientation. Only 1 more to go.

Country songs

There have been 2 country songs that I have really loved listening to for the last couple weeks. I love how country music always tells stories that are relatable to everyone in one way or another.

Kissed You Goodnight- Gloriana
I dropped you off
Just a little after midnight
Sat in my car
Till you turned off your porch light
I should have kissed you
I should have pushed you up against the wall
I should have kissed you
Just like I wasn’t scared at all

I turned off the car
Ran through the yard
Back to your front door
Before I could knock
You turned the lock
And met me on the front porch

And I kissed you
Goodnight
And now that I’ve kissed you
It’s a good night good night baby goodnight

I turned off the car
ran through the yard
back to your front door
Half scared to death can’t catch my breath
Aren’t these the moments we live for
And I kissed you
GoodnightAnd now that I’ve kissed you
It’s a good night good night baby goodnight
It’s a good night good night baby goodnight
It’s a good night good night baby goodnight
It’s a good night good night baby goodnight 

Glass- Thompson Square
Tryin' to live and love
With a heart that can't be broken
Is like tryin' to see the light
With eyes that can't be opened

Yeah, we both carry baggage
We picked up on our way
So if you love me, do it gently
And I will do the sameWe may shine, we may shatter
We may be pickin' up the pieces here on after
We are fragile, we are human
We are shaped by the light we let through us
But we break fast 'cause we are glass
'Cause we are glass

I'll let you look inside me
Through the stains and through the cracks
And in the darkness of this moment
You see the good in that

But try not to judge me
'Cause we've walked down different paths
But it brought us here together
So I won't take that back

First day of being a big kid

Today was the first day of orientation at UNC. It was a most very long day and it was full of  information. There were people who talked about how great of a place it was to work, customer service, parking, badges, benefits, insurance and so many other topics.
I officially feel like I'm a big kid. I have a real job, one that could be classified as a career, one that requires a professional license, I have certifications, a 401(k), health insurance, parking permits, medical id number, etc.
I know that the feelings of inadequacy will subside and I will have a great time doing the thing that I know I love. I can't wait to get out onto the floor and start.
Here's to another 8 days of orientation and residency classes.

I am a big kid now- scary but so worth it!!

Urgent care

Today I made a trip into the local urgent care. Yesterday I woke up with my left eye looking horrible. I'm not sure what all happened but it didn't look good. Yesterday when I woke up I tried everything that I could think of- cold and warm compresses, benadryl, sleep and hydrocortisone cream. This stuff seemed to help a little bit but when I went to sleep I still had a swollen left eye.
Today it wasn't was bad as it was yesterday but it still concerned me. I made the trip to urgent care to have someone look at it. I was able to give the PA enough info to help rule out things that I already knew it wasn't. She finally looked at my eye and ruled out any bug or spider bite. She thought it was an eyelid infection and prescribed me an antibiotic cream.
I'm looking forward to getting the puffyness out of my eyelid.

New job

I cannot believe that in 2 weeks I will be starting my job at UNC Children's Hospital. I have all sorts of mixed emotions- scared, happy, excited, nervous, joy, anxiety, worry, etc. I know that the skills that I learned in nursing school will still be there. I know that there will be many nurses that will help me out if I need them to or ask them to. But it's always a little scary to start over at a place that is a little foreign. I know that I will enjoy it there though. I cannot wait!

Independence Day

Happy 4th of July!!!
This is what July 4th looked like for me this year. It was spent out at Camp Kanuga. It was a pretty fun gathering of campers and adults at the Kanuga Lake Dam.

First Date

While at Youth Week last week I was able to meet several awesome people. I have really enjoyed my time out at Kanuga Conferences and Youth Week was no different. I was able to stay at the conference center where Youth Week was being held so that I would be available any time that the coordinators needed me.
It was during the first night, after all medications had been given out, that I decided that I should go get my stuff out of my car before it got too late. I decided to be lazy about it and just cut downstairs and out the hall to my car. Once I exited the staircase I realized that I was on the boys only floor and was met with 5 counselors and such. I tired to play it cool and introduced myself as the nurse for Youth Week. They allowed me to go through on the account of that I had probably seen naked middle school boys before if I was a nurse. I went out and got my bags of stuff and decided that I could quickly make it back through the hall without much commotion. One of the guys then said to me, as I was walking down the hall, "Jannette I hope you won't be causing this much trouble all week." My response- if I was the biggest of their worries then they would have a pretty easy week.
The week progressed and that same guy, whose name I figured out to be Xen, would go and round up the kids from JYP and bring them my way for their breakfast and night time medications. He made my job so much easier. He would stay awhile and chat and then be on his way. It wasn't until Friday morning, the last day of Youth Week, that he finally came up to me and asked if I would like to go out to lunch with him some time. Of course I said yes and handed over my phone number.
Well today is when we got together for lunch. We met at TGI Fridays in Greensboro on my way back out to camp. I know that I can say for myself that I had a great time getting to know Xen a little bit more outside of Youth Week. We had great discussions on what we were doing, school, family, religion, Youth Week and so much more. After spending just about 2 hours at lunch we decided that we would like to do it again sometime. For the next date it might take a little bit more planning because of the fact that I'll be at camp for the next month but hopefully we'll be able to work something out.
For it being my first official date I would have to say it went well. I really enjoy spending time with him and he's so fun to be around. Here's to a possible 2nd date. 

Kumbayah

Kumbayah

Today I came home from my first sessions of camp. I will be returning in about a week. I remember being terrified about going out there. That I didn't know enough to help kids out there. What if there was an emergency? Could I handle it? What if I didn't know what to do? What if I didn't like the other nurse that I would be working with?

The first week I was at Camp Kanuga Saturday- Sunday. It was a good intro into what camp nursing was. Not too many things happened that needed at lot of attention. We did send one camper to the ER after his counselor stuck him with an epi-pen. He thought that he was stung by a bee but it turned out that he ate a peanut and he was allergic. So the camper, the camp director and I all headed up the area hospital. It was quite the experience. Other than that it was just a bunch of little things that kept Patti and I busy all week. The infirmary is pretty much new and it kept itself very cool without any a/c. It has 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, 1 office, 1 living area and a kitchenet.

Then it was off to Camp Bob, Monday- Friday. The room smelt like mold and it was not a very fun infirmary to be at. The kids that come to this camp are from low SES families. They don't have a lot and they are sponsored to come to camp so that they can have a camp experience. The kids are super nice most of the time and they really want to be there most of the time. I was able to have a day off this week. But unfortunately it was the same week that I got sick. Just a head summer cold but towards the end of the week I was miserable. Saturday was another day off for me due to one camp being over and the next one not starting until Sunday. Patti wanted to set me up with her soon-to-be son-in-law Brandon. I started texting him and we had some very good but very long conversations. It was fun to get to know him a little bit at a time. He plays baseball at Lander University- he's their pitcher.

Week #3 was spent at the conference center, Sunday- Friday. I was there to help take care of Junior Youth People (JYP) and Senior Youth People (SYP) for Youth Week. The best way to describe what it was like would be EFY meets Youth Conference. This was grades 6- recent high school graduates. It was a very fun group of kids. I wish that I had had the opportunity to spend more time with the kids doing their activities but I wasn't able to. This was the week that I was going back and forth between Youth Week and Camp Bob again. There was a counselor or something that always helped me round up the kids from JYP that needed their meds. He was also the same person that asked me what I was doing down on the boys floor the first night of the conference. It was fun getting to know him a little during the week. This morning he asked if I would like to go out to lunch with him one day. I told him that would be great and gave him my number. We'll see if he actually carries it out. Brandon has stopped texting me at this point so really I didn't see any harm in giving Xen my number.

As busy as I was and as much as I probably complained in the last 3 weeks I have really enjoyed myself. I have had to step up and be the nurse that I've always wanted to be. I've had to make my own decisions and carry out what I thought was best. It has been a great start to my nursing career.

The people at Youth Week kept telling me all week that I had been the best nurse they've had in years and that they wanted me back next year. I'll have to see if there is any way that I could possibly swing doing that. They even went so far as telling Bethany, my boss, that I had done good work and that they really appreciated everything that I did for them.

I was also able to go the Hendersonville Ward for church every Sunday. They have some very interesting people in that ward. Testimony meeting is not the meeting to go to on your first Sunday anywhere because it is a definite that the weirdest people will step up and bear their testimonies.

Here's to looking forward to the next couple of weeks of camp.

I'm excited to have a week off though. I need to catch up on sleep and get over this cold finally.

Blessings come in all forms

For anyone close to me knows that the past 6 months have been quite stressful. The beginning of the job search was fun- it was cool to look at all the possible places that I could end up. However, rejection after rejection the fun of job searching turned sour. After traveling to other states, coming up with more hospitals to apply to and talking to friends to see what hospitals they suggested I ended up applying to about 50 positions. From Idaho to Florida. From Texas to Connecticut.
A couple weeks ago I had a job interview at Duke in the PICU. However, it wasn't meant for me to get it. The job search continued.
Last week I was offered a position as an RN at a Christian summer camp in Hendersonville, NC. This position would give me a couple weeks of an income in June and July.
This past Monday I had my second interview. This time at UNC. This time it was meant to be. I got offered the job today.
I am so blessed with the opportunities that are coming my way. I will probably never get the chance to be a camp RN again after this summer. So I am so glad that I will be able to do this for this camp. It will be so much fun to hang out with the kids this summer. I am blessed again with a full-time job now as a RN at a children's hospital that I truly love.
What I am trying to say is that not only have I received the best blessing of now having a job that I have worked so hard in getting but I also have other blessings that come in the form of going to camp this summer.
I am looking forward to the many things that I will learn, the mistakes that will make me a better person and nurse and all the fun times that I will have both at camp and in the hospital!!!

I love to see the temple

I'll go inside one day.


Tonight I went to the Raleigh temple with my ward to do baptisms. It's sad that I can say what I'm about to say, but it's almost been 2 years since I last went to the temple. I had forgotten how good it feels in there. There is a sense of peace that you can only find in the temple and seeing everyone in just white is amazing. Guys in suits is my weakness, however, guys in temple clothing- close second. But I digress.
I think I was hoping to get some sort of personal revelation to guide me in what my next step should be in life. But all I got was a feeling of peace. I can't help but feel like it was the first of many stepping stones that I need to take to get back on the path that I should have been on for a long time but I have always found reasons to not go. I was busy with nursing school, I had clinicals, I had clinicals again, I had tons of homework, I had an exam to study for, I didn't want to go alone to a new temple.
This past Sunday I felt that it was time to overcome all that and I decided to just go with it. I'm glad I did.
How can I expect things to go right in my life if I'm not doing all the things that I should be doing? I can't and I shouldn't expect that. Hopefully with doing more of the right things in my life more blessings will come- possibly a job.
If only I could bottle up the feelings that are felt in the temple to feel them anytime I wanted.
I am so grateful for temples around the world and for being within 15 minutes of one again.

Are you there?

Speak, he is listening.

Sometimes, just sometimes I wish there was a room where I could go inside and have a two-way, face-to-face conversation with Heavenly Father, where I could hear His voice.
Today would be one of those times. I just wish that I could hear Him tell me that it was going to go be ok, that He is watching over me and that He is leading me on this path that I am on and that He knows best.

There have been a few times in life where I have felt stagnant. Where I feel like whatever I do isn't good enough or will do anything to help me.

This isn't supposed to sound negative at all, it's just me venting over what has happened in the last couple of days. I just want something good to come my way.

It's Been A Hard Days Night...

... and I have been working like a dog.

Working to find a job that is.
Today alone I applied to 11 job openings. Yes, you read that correctly. 11 jobs. Just today. These openings are everywhere across the US. Ohio, Philly, Florida, Texas, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Dallas, Indiana and New Haven. This is just a partial list. The list is longer if you include the places that I looked at but they didn't have any job openings.

This job searching thing is getting a bit overwhelming but I'm keeping my chin up.

**Update- thank goodness I spent all day filling out all these applications because I didn't get the job at Duke that I interviewed for.

Star Light

Star bright,
The first star I see tonight;
Wish I may, Wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.

The picture doesn't do what I saw last night justice. The moon was just a sliver and the northern star was super bright. I get the sense that we are not alone in this life when I see things like this. To other people it's the flowers in the spring, to others it may natural creations in the earth's formation.
I really like watching the night sky. I love the moon. The brightness that it gives off is a nice contrast to the black night sky. At times when it's rising it's huge and as it makes its way into the night's sky it decreases in size. At times it's red, orange, white or grey. At times it looks as if it was made of swiss cheese. I also love watching stars. When I go on a road trips I always look for shooting stars, sometimes I'm successful and sometimes not- I just love them. I think that it's cool that people can look up and pick out various shapes and people that the stars, to them, make. I've never been good at connecting the stars.
I just wanted to share my love for moments like this. They don't happen often but when they do it's often the time that I need them to happen.

Interview

When we got home from Texas last Wednesday I was checking my email and I had an email waiting for me about a job. I have my first interview tomorrow morning with the Duke PICU. Now, I'm not holding my breath but it would be a pretty cool first job. From what I have seen I think I want to work in an ICU area for a career- it's just finding out what type of ICU that should be.
If I were to get this job it would open so many doors for me and be a whole new learning experience. Hopefully everything will go well tomorrow and I will finally have a job. This no job thing is getting kinda boring.
Everyone- cross your fingers!!

Mr. & Mrs. Steven Alexander

This past week I had the privilege of going to Texas to see one of my best friends get married.
Charlie and I got to know each other in the Fall of 2008 after I decided to transfer from BYU-Idaho. We've been friends ever since. Last August, while between semesters of school, I went on a trip to Texas to visit Charlie and Sam. During this trip I was able to meet the guy that she was thinking about dating. I got to meet Steven before they officially started dating. Then only 8.5 months later I traveled back to Texas to see them get married.
The McClellan family always treats me like family and this trip was no different. While there, Jennifer and I were able to join in with the celebrations of frozen yogurt, rehearsal dinner at Eden's Cafe, the temple, family luncheon and the reception.
Everything about this past weekend was wonderful. The colors were bright, the flowers were beautiful, the weather wasn't too hot, the friends were great and the reception was amazing.

I couldn't pick favorite pictures so here's a few.

Coming out of the temple-

The girls-

The guys-

They looked so happy the entire time-

Sisters-

Charlie and Adison-

Sam and I-

Bridals-

Me, Charlie, Jennifer, Sam-

Jennifer and I-

The decorated car-