I'm sick.

Like, really sick. So achey that even my hair follicles hurt. I bucked up and went to our ward talent show tonight with my new roomie, Alexis, and on the way, we picked up my neighbor, Dan. After the activity, he invited us over to his house for ice cream and since I have made it a point to never turn down an invitation to be social this semester, Alexis and I graciously accepted. Whilst there, the guys noticed I wasn't feeling the greatest and asked what I needed. I asked for a priesthood blessing and that is what I got. Ryjan anointed my head with consecrated oil, set apart for the blessing and healing of the sick, and Tom gave me a beautiful blessing in which I was told that as I had faith in my body and took the necessary steps to make myself healthy that I would be blessed with the ability and strength to do all the things I need to. How grateful I am for the priesthood of our god-- the ability of man on earth to act in God's name. I am grateful for worthy men who hold this authority and for the blessings of healing, comfort, and council I have received at their hands.

The other neat aspect of this experience is that Alexis, who was baptized last year, and Dan, who was baptized three years ago, who has not yet been ordained an elder in the melchizadek priesthood, were both there. They felt the spirit, and it opened up an opportunity for me to explain to Alexis the way blessings work. Previously she had only received blessings of comfort, so for her to learn that she could call on the power of the priesthood for blessings of healing when she was sick was really fantastic.

This whole experience reminded me of this talk by Elder Dallin H. Oaks. Watch it. It's superb.

So there you have it-- I'm thankful for the Priesthood, good neighbors, chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, new roommates, and teaching opportunities. Life is good-- even when you're sick.

The Little Things...

It's here-- that mid-semester slump where you've been going to class for two months and theres a month left and all the projects are starting to be due, you're neck-deep in round two of midterms, and you're just ready for the summer nights, summer vacations, and summer loving to be here, but they're just not... So I'm focusing on the little things in my life that make me smile:

The First Bloom of the Season

This little beautiful crocus popped up in my front flower bed and beat all the other bulbs that were planted last spring. Seeing it still makes me smile, and I'm grateful for the beauty of the earth that our Heavenly Father blesses us with (:

This Girl

Miss Jennifer Seiter makes me smile endlessly. Certainly she's one of the many reasons I'm glad I served my mission in The Great Ohio Columbus Mission-- we always have such a great time whenever we're together, and I'm so grateful for her friendship! We talk about everything, and one of the things we always end up talking about is the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's so great to have such an uplifting best friend who I know will love me no matter what.

My House

This cute little house in Provo, Utah has been my home since August, and being able to decorate it, host parties in it, and learn how to be a domestic goddess in it has provided me with endless smiles. I'm so grateful for my parents who so wonderfully let me live here and who enjoy visiting!

Breakfasts and Facials with a Best Friend

Robert Baker is one of the best friends a girl could ask for... We like to get together every so often and get breakfasts at Kneaders on Saturday mornings, and make midnight Walmart runs to have facials. Speaking of faces, he can always put a smile on mine. I'm going to miss him for two years when he goes on a mission, but I'm grateful for his desire to serve the Lord, and I know he's going to be an amazing full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Crafting

I just love to create things. It makes me smile. That's all.

Newlyweds

I have had the privilege of being able to see two of my dear friends sealed for time and all eternity in the House of the Lord. Scott and Natalie Savage were married on the 24th of February at 11:00 in the Salt Lake City, Utah Temple, and Aubin and Jeff Palmer were married on the 11th of February at 11:00 in the Albuquerque, New Mexico temple. These two wonderful couples are as happy as can be, and thinking about their bright futures makes me smile, and I am so grateful for the knowledge I have that families can be together forever

Corny Jokes

There is nothing greater than jokes that make you groan and smile and roll your eyes...

Friends from The Ohio

Where would I be without these friendships and the things I have learned from these wonderful men and women? I treasure the times when we are able to get together-- seeing them makes me smile-- and I am so grateful the Lord put us all together in The Ohio to have the opportunity to become lifelong friends.

Life is BEAUTIFUL...

A thankful Heart

I'm at this wonderful point in my life called young adulthood. I've fallen in love a time or two, traveled, studied abroad, served a mission, had my heart broken, discovered several things I'm good at-- and even more that I need to work on, been lucky enough to make a few really wonderful lifelong friends, and blessed with amazing testimony-building experiences which have made completely clear in my mind and my heart that the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is 100% true. By every definition of the word I am blessed... Not to mention my fantastic forever family. Seriously, they're amazing.

In an effort to jump back into the blogging world and to continue documenting my young wonderful life, I will be posting at minimum one post a week expressing grattitude for the tender mercies the Lord bestows on me... After all, Izaak Walton said,

"God has two dwellings; one in heaven, and the other in a meek and thankful heart."

This week, I am thankful for:

Daily scripture study and the weekly opportunity to partake of the sacrament

The temple that is five minutes up the road from me

Sewing and creating beautiful things

Amazing friends like Jenn S., Bethany H., Rob B., and Aubin P. whom I get to see often

Good music on Pandora

My life experiences which give me wisdom, memories, and perspective.

What are you grateful for? Take thirty seconds and make a list... Try it, you'll like it!

To Be Cliché: It Is The End Of An Era.

I began working at On the Border summer of 2008 when I got home from Utah. I applied at this particular because my good friend, Serena, was a server there, and I needed some sort of incoming cash flow. I was hired as a food runner, and got to be dang good at my job. When the summer was over, I went to TCU for the fall semester. Spring semester, I came back home to experience internship preschool life at AppleCreek Private Preschool, and again, I needed a job with some sort of cash flow, and asked for my job at OTB back and they were thrilled to see my smiling face again! I began working in February as a server, became a trainer in May, and had my last day there today. I met a lot of wonderful people here, learned a lot of valuable people skills, and was able to save a dollar or two too! Here are some pictures of my last day as a waitress... for now!

These were my trusty clod-hopping Frankenstein shoes... Yes, that IS a hole in the toe!

Michael and Lindsay, two of my favorite people!

Kyle went to Baylor, just like Lance, played soccer, just like Trevor, and is a Theatre nerd, just like me. We had lots to talk about-- plus, he knows just about every random useless fact you could ever be curious about... Just don't get him started on Alice in Wonderland!

Michael and Austin-- two more of my faves!

It's a Chelsea picture-- Here I am with Chelsea K.

And it's a Lindsay picture-- Lindsay W. and Lindsay M.

It was Lindsay W.'s last day too... She got saran-wrapped to the chair and spun around...

This is Russ... He just graduated from Plano West (like me), was a theatre nerd (like me), and is a server (like me). He's basically the boy version of me but three years younger!

Isa and Michael. Isa is so amazing-- she's one of the cutest people I know!

And here we are... Last day buddies!

On the Border was definitely a blessing of a job to have-- Thanks for the memories guys :)