Upcoming Fall Semester

I'm nervous. I'm taking 9 credits of English classes, 1 English language class and a religion class. I'll be working 18 hours a week and trying to plan a wedding. 

Regardless, I am excited and here's why:

1) I just moved into a new apartment and it's significantly better than my last place.

2) I have a private room with my own desk

3) I love my roommates. (There is one weirdie but that will be fine, we can handle that). 

4) I work with fantastic people. I especially love that the girls are helping me plan the wedding. 

5) I'm getting married! (how do you not get excited about that)

6) Most of the wedding is already planned or will be planned before school starts on Monday

7) My actual class schedule isn't too bad, I have breaks for homework.

8) I just picked up Racquetball and it's super fun. 

9) I got time off to go home for labor day weekend. 

10) the weather isn't so blazing hot anymore:)

The story that we've all been waiting for

Sometime in early or mid june I went to my temple prep class and left Jonathan with my roommate Lyss for an hour or so. I felt bad but it was early evening and I knew I would be back soon. The class was just getting started when there was a knock on the door. Jonathan and Lyss were standing there and wanted to talk to me. It was then that Jonthan invited me out to Florida with him. His mom found some sweet flights out but they were expiring that night. So, on a whim, I decided to go on vacation with Jonathan to visit his family in Florida at the end of July. 

Time passed and before I went to Florida, I decided that I would no longer be serving a mission. (see my previous post). 

We had been ring shopping, but Jonathan and I "had an appointment" with our Jeweler when we got back from Florida. 

July 24th- Pioneer day. We flew out to Florida and from the airport there drove 3 hours out to Key West for some serious "lobstering". There I went snorkeling for my first time, saw Florida lobsters for the first time and got to watch the sunrise over the ocean. 

Our first plane ride together!

Those Lobsters really did scare me....

 Anyways, because we hadn't gotten very much sleep, we were all pretty tired. We came in from the boat and we couldn't check into the hotel yet so Jonathan, Emily and I were desperate for something to do to keep us occupied and out of the sun. Upon checking the local movie listings, we found this little cinema that was supposedly showing an otter documentary. After a frustrating drive and finding parking, we walk up to the small, sketch cinema, only to find out that they weren't showing the otter movie because of some technical difficulties. We settled on what we thought would be our next best option... a movie call "Moonrise Kingdom". Essentially, it was a hipster film that weirded me out pretty bad and I tried to sleep through part of it. Afterwards, we finally got to go to the hotel and get cleaned up. Let me tell you, after the ocean, the humidity and that movie theater, a shower was the best thing I could have asked for. After we were all feeling human again, we started out again so that we could meet Christopher's friend and take a private plane over Key West.

Quick side note about the plane ride: Only a few days before we left, Christopher asked Jonathan and I if we wanted to have a private plane ride. Of course we agreed! Little did I know that it was the beginning of this brilliant plan.

Anways, so it is this tiny plane, only seats 4 people. So it's our 17-year old pilot and Christopher (Jonathan's brother) in the front and Jonathan and I in the back. Jonathan kept saying how nervous he was and I kept telling him that it would be fine. I thought he was nervous because of the plane... little did I know....

The microphones on our headsets weren't working. Luckily for us, Jonathan has been teaching me some sign language. So we were signing to communicate, talking about how incredible the view was and everything. Then, just as we are flying over the reef he turns to me and signs "I have a secret for you". I'm thinking Oh how cute, he's going to say 'I love you'. I was wrong in the best was possible. He signed to me and asked me to marry him. About the same time I was processing what he was asking, he pulls out a ring and I understood. I'm still surprised that I even remembered to say yes because I was freaking out so much! I think I just ended up nodding my head! I was THRILLED! He pulled it off. He had surprised me.

Yeah I love him like crazy- This was a great moment :)

By the time we landed, we had texted this picture to my immediate family and some close friends. His family was waiting for us with a sign that said "We hope she said "Yes!". That is where the sign came from in the picture below.

I love him so much. I'm blown away everyday by how real this feels. I feel so lucky to have him and I can't wait for the day we get to start our forever together:) The date is set for December 21st, 2012 in the Redlands Temple. 

Just a few pictures for your enjoyment :)

Thank Goodness for Butterflies!

At some point growing up in the church I went to a class. In that class, I don't remember when or from  who,  I was given a small piece of paper, and on that paper was an anonymous quote.

"Without change there would be no butterflies."

That quote has stuck with me through all these years. It is a profound and beautiful concept; one that many people, including myself, struggle with. Regardless, I believe that change more often than not, results in beautiful things. I spend so much of my life trying to figure out what changes to make in my life, which ones will make me the most happy. More importantly, I've been trying to follow the spirit, even if the prompting is faint. I've stopped stressing over every little detail and found that when I simply do what feels right with the guidance of the spirit my life is happier. So I try to follow promptings even if I don't know why I'm being told to do that.

This summer has been a summer filled with promptings and changes. First, I was supposed to go to Mexico- and I bailed on that because I decided that I should stay home. Second, I was supposed to quit my job and go on a mission.

I know what you are thinking..."Supposed to go on a mission??? Say what???'

That's it kids- cat's out of the bag! I'm staying home.

It started really small, I started dating Jonathan. I was in denial for a while but by the time I admitted to myself that we were officially dating I was hooked, so incredibly hooked. I'm not sure how he did this but he swept me off my feet and I was more than happy to oblige. I kept telling people that if I wasn't okay with the idea of losing him I wouldn't go on a mission but I would live therefore I was still going on my mission.

Then I started to realize that I didn't want to be apart from him. So I considered staying home. I started considering it. I told Jessica that I was was still 95% sure that I was still going but I was considering going. Within a week and a half the tables had completely turned and I was staying home. I could only make the decision after calling my Dad and asking his advice.


So that was it I decided to stay home and get married to Jonathan :) Just as a note to all those people who I told in the past that I didn't understand how people get married: I get it now :D