Weekly Delights

* Sam calling me "You sillys"

* Having amazing and long conversations with Sam about parenting and how we are going to approach some parenting topics {how to exactly apply being authoritative through examples}.

* Going to an awards banquet and being recognized for my accomplishments {It felt great to be applauded by the president of BYU and Deans of colleges}

* Falling asleep snuggling {Sam always goes to bed with me and then gets back up to finish his homework}
* A hard-working husband

* Seeing blessing after blessing come to Sam during his {most likely} busiest college week yet.

* Having a luncheon with the donors of my scholarship and their kids, two donor liaisons  and the director of the School of Family Life. {More on this to come later}

* Finding out I was in a picture for an advertisement for a department on campus. 

* The warm weather and sunshine

* Having an awesome talk about ideologies with Sam

* Date night with Sam using our Texas Roadhouse gift card

* Giving advise

*Having a conversation with my big brother Syd {see below}. 

* Having my mother remind me of how rare of opportunities that I have had in my life {like the Heisman winner and state finalist}

* Talking to my lil' sis Courtney for 2 hours

* Rediscovering every day why Sam is so perfectly made for me

* Watching Sam's intramural team win their game!! It was tied the second half. With 20 seconds to go the other team scored {2} and then with 11 seconds to go we scored {3}. It was exciting!!

* Feeling soooo much love my heart and soul feel like they are going to burst

I Thank You Syd

I called Syd up to tell him about my luncheon with the Sandorf family; I knew he would think that was awesome because he has been there before and he could relate. I also wanted to make him proud of the little girl he raised. I also wanted to tell him something that I learned/ realized in my classes when we would talk about transitional characters. I could never picture myself as the one turning the table 180 degrees, even though the outcome would seem so. I feel like my contribution is small {comparatively}.  I knew this was because of Syd {the physical affection and better communication}. Syd took on everything and through it all was able to turn the trajectories. I called him to thank him for all what he did and for having courage and strength to do so. 

He also surprised me by complementing  me on my successes. He really put it in perspective for me. To summarize he said:
            A girl making it through through multiple dysfunctional families... is rare          
            A girl from a once broken down home graduating from High School ... is rare.
           On top of that going to a college, and even a good college... is rare.
           On top of that going to a nationally ranked college and being at the top of her class is   
           even more rare.
           What's even more impressive and rare is that she has a learning deficiency. 

I just wanted to reiterate what Syd said: We can really see the hand of God in all things, He is there and He watches over us. He loves us. :)

I hope that Syd knows I wouldn't be where I am today if it was not for him. I have so much gratitude towards him. I hope that he knows of my appreciation for what he has done for me. For the impact that he has made in my life. For the example that he is to me. For the many blessings that he has brought into my life. For his advise. For his help. For trusting me. For doing what he knew was right... For being selfless so I could reap the blessings from it. 

I love you Syd. 

This Nation Won't Fail

In light of all of the corruptness going on with the government. I find this quote by Harold B. Lee to be comforting:

"Men may fail in this country, earthquakes may come, seas may heave beyond their bounds, there may be great drought, disaster, and hardship, but this nation, founded on principles laid down by men whom God raised up, will never fail. This is the cradle of humanity, where life on this earth began in the Garden of Eden. This is the place of the new Jerusalem. This is the place that the Lord said is favored above all other nations in all the world. This is the place where the Savior will come to His temple. This is the favored land in all the world. Yes, I repeat, men may fail, but this nation won’t fail. I have faith in America; you and I must have faith in America, if we understand the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are living in a day when we must pay heed to these challenges.

I plead with you not to preach pessimism. Preach that this is the greatest country in all the world. This is the favored land. This is the land of our forefathers. It is the nation that will stand despite whatever trials or crises it may yet have to pass through."

( Source: Ye Are the Light of the World 350-51 )

Prepare Every Needful Thing

“Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God” (D&C 88:119).

For some reason, I have felt very impressed to obey this particular council lately, especially the past couple months. Quotes, advise, random things that would help me prepare every needful thing and establish a house of God, has popped from the pages, things people would say would stand out to me or stick with me until I wrote it down on my goal sheet. 

To get my little family in order and to prepare every needful thing . . .  keeps penetrating in my mind and my heart. I don't know why, besides the fact that I know it is a good thing and it's something that I want. But what I know for sure is that my loving Heavenly Father has a plan for me. :)  

{Forever}

If you want something to last forever, you treat it differently. You shield it and protect it. You never abuse it. You don’t make it common or ordinary. If it ever becomes tarnished, you lovingly polish it until it gleams like new. It becomes special because you have made it so {referring to marriage}. - Howard

The Lord's Timing

I got married the same month that I turned 20. When people would find out that I was getting married at 19 I could see their worry cross their face, like it once did in mine. I never wanted to get married at 19, I told my self that I would never do it. But because of the situation that I was in, it was the best thing to do and it felt right. I told myself that 3 weeks {or even 4 months} is not going to be the determining factor of weather I have a satisfying and quality marriage or not. It was a great learning experience to trust the Lord, His timing, and to have the courage to marry "at the right time."

Last week, however, I heard the statistic again: the number one risk factor for getting a divorce is getting married as a teenager. This made my heart begin to race again, questioning if I should have just waited those 3 weeks. I reminded myself of all of the many reasons we chose the date that we did (housing contracts, pell grants, school schedule, finals week...).

I tried telling myself that everyday during my marriage preparation class {the SFL one that really digs deep and incorporates the secular and spiritual -- in my opinion it's a lot better than the religion one} I was impressed by Sam and my relationship. As the teacher would discuss how to effectively solve conflicts, how to have mature love, how to have the best communication patterns, what foundations make marriages last {the list goes on and on}. As I would sit there and feel the spirit {day after day} I knew that moving forward with Sam was the right thing to do. We really did {and still do} have great interdependence and resiliency.

As it is well known, a 19 year old can be as mature {and even more mature in some cases} as a 21 or 23 year old. The "dead-set" cut off is an average for the population. There are people that get married at my age that are successful that balance out the people that get married a little later and are unsuccessful. This helped but my soul was still seeking more.

I remembered when my mom told me that I am still more immature in some aspects but that I am also very mature in other aspects that exceed that of my peers. Like being self-reliant, responsible and independent {i.e. doing well academically my freshman year where as most people did not see the long term impact and consequence of 'partying' too much that first or second year & not relying on her to do things for me that I could do myself}. She also tied this into being self-disciplined and being motivated to do things {i.e. homework} even when I did not want too. I also thought about how a lot of my good friends are a year in school older than me because that is what I am comfortable with.

These things helped, but what really gave me that piece that I was looking for was when I remembered that social scientist statistics only apply to the majority of that specific population. When I applied this to me I got the impression that I may or may not fit into that population. Because of my family demographics I feel that I was prepared and reared differently than the majority of the population that would have prepared me more for marriage.

I also thought about the fact that I am an outlier in many other statistics like people get worse grades if they work more than 10 hours a week, {see post "I thank you Syd"}. I am definitely an outlier. By connecting the dots from my secular learning to my spiritual knowledge-- reminded me once again the peace and comfort I felt that it really was the right thing to do. I'm not saying that I do not apply to the said "rule" to myself. I just feel like I was given a very special opportunity, to a very special guy, at a very special time . . . One that cannot be mistaken.

I am so glad that I followed the Lord's timing and not my own. I has been a humbling experience for me yet I feel closer to my Savior because of it. I never thought that being an outlier would make my faith increase and draw me closer unto Him. I am grateful for not being the "norm" and for my Father in Heaven that loves me more than I ever thought possible {and knows what is best for me and my family}. That He know what is best for me, even when I may not be able to see it at first.

{Side Note: A benefit of the day that we choose is that I had another month that I got to spend married with my husband, (and not single) and receive more of the blessings from making this covenant when following the right precepts.}

New Friends

Study, Work, Eat, Sleep. That pretty much sums up my life. When I would hear people talking about being a friend or making friends... I always wondered if I am good at making new friends. As you can tell my "work, study, eat, sleep" does not entail making friends... Therefore, I don't think of myself as someone that makes new friends or is very social.

Background: When Sam and I would be out and about we would always run into someone I went to high school with or someone I knew from a class. He would always comment and asks how is it possible that I know so many people or say that i'm "so popular".

However, the other day Sam and I took a break from homework and went on a run. We ran into a friend that I made in one of my classes. And I finally realized that contrary to my popular belief that I do my homework so much I don't socialize--I do. It made me so happy!! I realized that I am actually very social... Some how I managed to forget that for a while.

I thought about how many friends I have made since coming to college. I barely go anywhere without running into someone. I would meet someone in class and find out they were struggling and I would offer to have them study with me so they could improve their grade. Or I would talk to the person I was sitting by until class started and then it became every time we had class we would catch up. I would also put together study groups where I would share different ways that have helped me to remember lots of different terms or concepts.

I realized that I actually do make friends! I know that sounds silly but I am so grateful for all of the friends that I have here at college and how we still keep in touch.