What Cute Kids!

Mama's Apron Debut

Have you heard the rumors of my mom's aprons? Well they are adorable and their debut will be soon. Lucky you, you get a sneak preview. These are a few of my pictures of Benjamin modeling the boy version of her aprons.

Books, Babies, and Brilliant Music

I know I am enjoying Summer when I find myself reading these words, "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." For those of you who aren't fans of Jane Austen, this is the opening line to Pride and Prejudice. Every year I have to revisit my favorites: Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Sense and Sensibility. Am I just such a girl or what? One year for my birthday, my dear Mother bought the complete works for me so I wouldn't have to borrow Steph's copy anymore. Instead of getting the same one that Steph has, she bought me this huge book that is bright red, heavier than a small child, and as ornate as an old family Bible. Thus it has been dubbed "The Jane Austen Bible." It's an absolute treasure, but too embarassing to actually read it in public.

Last night Andrea, Rebecca, and Teresa all joined me in a Sister Party at my apartment. This morning we got a call from Stephanie with the results of her ultrasound. She put Benjamin on speaker phone so he could tell us whether the baby will be a boy or girl. His message - "She's a boy." Haha, nice. She's actually a girl.

On the 29th, back in May, I went with my parents and friends to see Foreigner, Kansas, and Styx. Here are my disjointed thoughts:

1. Amazing. Incredible. 
2. I can't even begin to share all of my favorite songs, but I just about died when Kansas performed Dust in the Wind. At that point I was only 10 feet from the stage. It was beautiful. 
3. Foreigner was fantastic. A lot higher energy than Kansas and so so entertaining. The lead vocalist just decided to climb up the side of the lighting supports and was right above us. If he had fallen we would've been crushed - that's how close we were! 
4. Styx! They really know how to put on a show. Come Sail Away couldn't have been better, and Lady was perfect, just perfect.

Ugh, there's so much more that's been going on, but I don't have the pictures...sorry!

The Best Stories

The best stories are the ones that are true and also teach us truths. Right now I am reading a book that I got for my birthday back in December - Behind the Iron Curtain: Recollections of Latter-Day Saints in East Germany, 1945-1989.
The stories are just amazing. What makes them more amazing is that they aren't works of fiction. They will probably never make a major Hollywood feature, but they offer a glimpse into the lives of one group of people who went through trials and were blessed for their faith.

For example, during the bombing of Dresden, Germany by Allied forces, at the end of World War II, many people fled to a nearby river to escape the burning city. An LDS family was running through the chaos, trying to stay together. The mother and her daughters fell behind and came to a fork in the road. On one hand was an open and wide street that looked like a better option than the cramped streets that her husband had chose. After a moment's frantic indecision, a daughter said, "Let's follow Dad. He has the priesthood." So they did. When they reached their destination they saw a sobbing elderly woman, their neighbor. She told them that her husband had run down that wide, innocent-looking street. Unknown to them, the street was covered by liquid phosphorous from a bomb. The woman's husband was burned alive, and so would have the mother and daughters if it weren't for that moment's pause and the daughter's determination to follow her dad and the priesthood. Amid the tragedy and destruction of the bombing, there are stories like this one small act of faith that saved lives. These are the kind of stories that remind us how raw and fragile life is, but they also remind us that Heavenly Father is in charge.

Exciting Times

So, living at my parents' house had been frustrating because I had absolutely no social life. Well basically no social life. Also, my Dad asked that I stay in the family ward for a year, so there were not many peers at church either. Everyone said that would change when I moved out...and it's so true! I love it! I don't even have to make plans; they just happen.

My new ward is really welcoming, although I wasn't exactly into the whole Star Wars party on the roof thing. Who knew that "May the 4th Be With You" was a holiday? (I even saw Jiffy Lube's scrolling marquee that said "Lube...I am your father.")

But better than that...

I Am Excited For

 Roommate Bonding w/Bones

Institute Party

History Block Party 

(yep, that's right)

Bi-Stake Dance

Mother's Day

Steph and the Boys Coming

THE WEDDING

Finally getting my cell phone

and...

WARM WEATHER!

Do You Feel Validated?

I love this YouTube video! It makes me happy.

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I moved into my apartment on Monday.
I am now adjusted to feeding myself and all that good stuff. (I've only eaten Ramen noodles twice)
I am pretty sure that just about everything is only around the corner from our apartment building - Taco Bell, McDonald's, Arby's, Yozone, Macey's, Rite Aid, and every other restaurant or store that I could ever need.
So on Friday, our ward had a spring opening social and guess who was there...Harper!
Not only am I rooming with Melissa, who has been my friend since we were born, but now I have a cousin in the ward. Well, he'll be there until he leaves for Singapore just after Jake's wedding.
I think everyone's going after the wedding. Jake and Kylee will be in Logan. Corry will be leaving to Arizona. Then Steph and the boys will return to Alabama.