i love to see

Fun fact...I love the temple.  Okay, that's actually a huge understatement.  Since I went through the Salt Lake City LDS Temple for the first time in May of this year, I have constantly craved going back to the temple to feel that peace and that spirit.  When we were married we were given brilliant, amazing counsel from our officiant to return to the temple as often as we could.  Where we live in a remote area of Wyoming, the closest temples are 2 1/2 hours away in Utah.  Gasoline is expensive.  We don't make a whole lot of money (we're newlyweds, in college...it happens), so traveling that far is difficult.

However, we've been fortunate enough to have opportunities to travel with family (saving us money) and we save up money specifically to attend the temple. Any loose change, any extra money we randomly come into, it goes into our "temple fund."  Each time we attend we grow closer together as our little family unit of just the two of us.  I just love it.  Since we were married we try to make a goal to attend the temple once a month.  I'll be honest, we've missed a month and in our years and years of eternity to come I'm sure we'll miss more.  We've been fortunate to do sessions at the Salt Lake City, Jordan River and Mount Timpanogas Temples.  Most recently we attended a session last week for Cody Adams, one of my closest life long friends.  He made the decision last year that he wanted to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  And I couldn't be prouder of him. We weren't able to spend the day with him, but we were able to spend the most important part of the day with him and that's what counts.  It made me so grateful for the opportunity and priority we've made temple work in our family life. 

My point is this: If you are LDS and have been through the temple: GO OFTEN.  Even if you only have your recommend for baptisms, go.  Baptisms for the dead are great preparation for feeling the spirit in the temple and understanding the higher ordinances you will one day take upon yourself.

If you aren't LDS and have no idea what I'm talking about, no worries.  You can basically ignore this post.  However, go to a temple open house someday.  It gives you a great opportunity to learn about the gospel and see what temple work is about.  Also, talk the missionaries or to a mormon friend...LIKE ME!  My email inbox is always open :)   (go to the Me. page for my contact info)

Jordan River Utah Temple

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Mount Timpanogas Temple

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Salt Lake City Temple

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"The temple is concerned with things of immortality. It is a bridge between this life and the next. All of the ordinances that take place in the house of the Lord are expressions of our belief in the immortality of the human soul."

—Gordon B. Hinckley

reasons why this week is going to be exciting

-After 3 naps and several tylenol, my migraine went away.
-Because of the aforementioned, we get to go to American Fork to be with our friend as he goes through the temple for the first time.
-JD is the man.  He's helped me with tons cleaning, decorating and everything.  He's awesome.
-I actually fixed my nails and painted them fresh today.
-I have a very important interview this week.
-It is super warm in the basement.
-And...ONLY 61 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS.
-And...ONLY 36 DAYS UNTIL EMMA'S WEDDING (AND US GETTING TO SEE OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MONTHS).

the weekend o' 20

My birthday weekend was practically perfect in every way.  Being low on funds, because, ya know,we're newlyweds attending college living in a basement we stayed in my Aunt's basement in Salt Lake for a weekend.  We shopped, ate at Cafe Rio and did a session at the SLC Temple.  I hadn't been to that temple since we were married, so it was a beautiful day.  Then we got a call from my Aunt, asking what my favorite cake was.  Obviously, she had something planned so we went back to her place and she surprised us with a delicious dinner complete with steak, salad, lobster and chocolate tower cake from Cheesecake Factory.  Basically, we were royally spoiled.  It was wonderful.  The next day we relaxed, watched movies, bought my birthday presents (cover for my Nook Color, Zumba video game for the Xbox Kinect, new slippers) and drove home.  It was wonderful.

Then we got back home, and I was expecting everything to be in the exact same place I left it.  A complete mess.  Then something magical happened.  My mother, for part of her birthday gift to me, had cleaned by living room, bathroom and the spare room that is slowly becoming JD's man cave.  I was so incredibly excited!

Life is good.  Things are good.  And now I've got homework to finish.  Happy 20 years to me.  The weekend left me time to reflect, set goals and decide what I want this next year to bring me.  More on that later. 

evolution

I think it's amazing how much people evolve as they age.  I had a great, long, amazingly wonderful conversation with my good friend Cody this week.  We go WAY back.  He's one of those life long friends I have.  No matter what either of us have gone through, we're always there for eachother.  No matter how long it's been since we've talked or anything, we still communicate.  And it is nice.

The glorious visit we had last year after not seeing each other for months...as well as a delectable lunch at Mimi's Cafe in Provo, UT

Outside the temple after my wedding. Cody was in our bridal party and there all day for us. Also, you can see how absolutely different I look with and without make up.  Crazy, right?

 During our conversation on my long drive back to Wyoming from Utah, we talked about his upcoming mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, updated each other on our lives and reminisced about our years and years of friendship.  How crazy we were in high school.  How crazy I was about getting straight "A"s.  How many hours we spent in the theatre at school.  We both mused at how much we'd changed since graduation.  Cody is going on a full-time mission, working and living in Provo, bound to do AMAZING things.  I'm married, living in Wyoming (trust me, high school me never saw that coming), working, going to college and preparing to start a family with my husband.  We've evolved into the people we need to be.  And it's a beautiful thing.

The whole point of my story (other than to feature how awesome Cody Annyong Adams is) is this: I celebrated getting a "C" on one of my exams today.  If I so much as got a "B" in high school, I hated myself for about a week.  Now, I'm celebrating over a "C".  Oh, evolution...how you changed me...

a blessed day

1. Me...Driving...For a long time it felt...

2. Mikale Winn Potter, snuggling on Grandma Potter

3. The happy family, Shaynia, Jesse, Savanah and Mikale.  Well, Jesse and Savanah were happy...Mikale and Shaynia were tired.

4. Jesse and Shaynia

5. Mikale

6. And another one just for good measure.

Yesterday was the little angel featured above's blessing day.  My brother, Savanah and their two daughters Shaynia and Mikale are currently living in Ogden, UT.  The blessing was held at their ward there.  Unfortunately, since JD just started this new job, he had to work and couldn't come with me.  However, I went by myself and met my parents there.  It was an absolutely beautiful day.  Both girls looked darling in their dresses.  

I absolutely love both of these little girls.  They're so sweet and so precious.  Shaynia has a disorder similar to downs syndrome.  But she has such a perfect spirit.  It warms my heart to be near her.  Mikale is so pure and precious.  I just have a thing for newborn babies.  Granted, Mikale is 3 months old, but she still has that precious sweetness.  It was wonderful to be up with the family for a day.  Even if the drive felt long...Mostly due to spotty cell service.  

right now...

I am, literally, blogging from my bathroom.  And here's why...my husband is taking a shower.

And I know that sounds super weird and like I'm going to get into some weird, steamy talk about our love life.  Quite the opposite actually. 

I work mornings...JD works 2 four hour afternoons and then 3 twelve hour days this week.  So, we haven't had a ton of time together.  Because I get home from work, then the hubs is gone to work.  Then when he gets home I am either doing homework, cleaning, etc. Then, we go to bed.

So, I got home and JD was getting ready to take a shower and get ready for work. And he was sad because he was going to spend the only time with the two of us today in the shower alone.  So, to make it so we could actually spend a bit of time together, I'm on my laptop, sitting on the top of our toilet, talking with my best friend.  And listening to good music.  And working on homework.

Also, our bathroom is directly below my parent's office where the wifi router is.  The internet connection in here is amazing.  Maybe I need to use my computer in the bathroom more often...

Us...and our adorableness...First thing in the morning...

He really is my favorite human on the planet. 

work, work, work

It seems there are three types of work surrounding my life.  And I can't ever seem to get all of them accomplished at once.

Homework.  Doing solely online courses, EVERYTHING is homework.  Let me tell you, it's super annoying.  I feel like I get no breaks.  However, it is convenient because I can work in my time frame and let school fit my schedule, not make my schedule fit school.  There's always pros and cons to the whole online education thing. But I am enjoying it thus far.  Once my English class begins I may feel differently.  But, so far I'm enjoying my two math classes and psychology.

Housework.  Otherwise known as, the bane of my existence.  I've never been tidy.  I've never been super neat.  I am organized at work, I am organized with school.  Because my career is literally keeping attorney's organized, when I get home the last thing I want to do is organize and clean my own house.  However, with JD starting to work full time and I'm only working part time, I know it's something I need to be better with.  He's so tidy.  He's so neat.  And I aspire to one day be as organized as he is.  Until then, I'll continue to watch The Office as I try to will myself to put the laundry away. 

Work Work.  My job, being a legal assistant at Blue Law Offices.  My boss is fantastic.  I absolutely love her.  And I love working with our clients.  It always makes me happy to have relationships with our clients, especially when most of our clients are going through difficult times.  Unfortunately, when most people are in need of using the legal system, they're going through difficult times.  It is rewarding to metaphorically hold the client's hand as he/her are going through difficult times. 

Although I work, work, work a lot of the time, I've got two awesome men in my life that make it all worth it.  I write all of the time about my best friend, partner in crime and eternal companion.  And this is our baby.  The sweetest, cutest, most darling black Labrador you'll ever see. 

This is Captain Morgan Belcher.

And he makes all of the crazy stuff I do worth it.  Ya know, and the hubs.  He makes it worth it too.