Monday, November 19, 2012

thanks

Blessings are in abundance in my life.  It's a wonderful thing.  Even though I'm stressed with school (finals are just around the corner), work has been busy as all get out (new assistant, tons of new cases, 2 cases went to trial last week), and cleaning gets me even more stressed (however, I have been keeping consistent with keeping the bathroom clean and keeping up with laundry. Small victories!).  Sometimes I find myself struggling to keep positive when things aren't going the way I want, plan or expect.  However, with the holidays approaching I am thinking about all of the wonderful blessings in my life.  So, here I go to try and list a few:
  • My husband, he makes me so happy
  • The Coca-Cola Company, for giving me the amazing opportunity to attend college.  I am a 2011 Coca Cola Scholar and part of an amazing family of wonderfully talented individuals.  20,000 applied, 250 were chosen.  I am lucky to be part of such a wonderful group.  After attending the scholar conference in Atlanta, GA and meeting scholars from around the country we interviewed for the various levels of scholarship awards.  I was fortunate to receive a $10,000 scholarship to attend college.  It is only through the Coca Cola Company that I am able to continue my education and earn my degree, even if I hate college sometimes.
  • Diet Coke, not only is it putting me through college with money, it gives me the energy necessary to stay up until all hours of the night studying and accomplishing homework.
  • Family, my siblings (both sets) are always there for me, I have the most gorgeous nieces in the world and I have the best parents (both sets) on the planet.  I'm also fortunate to be close with my cousins, aunts and uncles.
  • Wyoming, I really enjoy where we live.  My parent's have been so wonderful letting us live rent free in the basement.  We both have jobs here.  I can attend college at a good rate here.  I like living in a small town.  I grew up in a small town, I hope to raise my children in a small (or at least smallish) community.
  • This blog, it's small.  I don't have a lot of followers.  However, I love each and every person that reads.  It's a wonderful outlet to express my thoughts and hopefully others relate to me.
  • Jobs, JD and I both have employment making us money so we are able to pay our bills and save for our future. 
  • My faith, I love the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  I am so happy I was married in the temple for time and all eternity.  I am so happy I have the gospel in my life.  I am so grateful for missionary work and for the opportunity to participate in the full and everlasting gospel in these latter-days.
  • Friends, even though I live SO far away from my school friends and I miss them like crazy, they always keep in contact with me.  And it makes me so happy.  I also am happy to be making friends up here in Wyoming and to get to know the women in my Relief Society group in our ward.
Life is unpredictable.  Things ALWAYS change for the better, even when it doesn't seem like it.  Blissful contentedness is a wonderful thing.  And I'm happy to be finally experiencing it after a few weeks of heartache and frustration.  

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

rare breed of lady

I'm a die hard feminist.  Seriously, it's almost detrimental.  I believe we deserve equal rights as men (quite honestly, I can't believe we're still debating the topic.  I mean, it's the 21st century).  I believe we deserve to make our own choices about our health and bodies.  I believe we deserve to be paid the same amount as men for the same job.  I believe we shouldn't be forced to pay more for products just because they're the color pink.  The list goes on and on.

I love being a wife.  Getting married was, seriously, the best decision I ever made.  I've heard every single negative thing about me getting married as young as I did.  However, it was what worked for our situation.  It's not right for everyone, I'd never encourage just anyone to get married before they're 20.  It was a decision that required lots of prayer, contemplation and scripture study.  When the time is right, you know it is right.  Timing is everything.  I know how cliche it sounds, but it is.  My own mother didn't get married until she was 39.  That was when the time was right for her.  The time was right for me at 19.

As much as I love being a wife, I am SO excited to be a mother.  I can't wait to have little JD and Megan combinations running around, making my house a mess, pulling my hair/earrings out and keeping me awake until all hours of the night.  Nothing makes me happier that I decided to share my life with JD then when I think about the children we will have together.

Now that you know my background, I'd like to disband a few "myths" about women who are feminists:
  • All feminists hate men. FALSE.  I love men.  I love my husband.  I don't believe every man is trying to oppress me or put me down. However, I do believe there are some out there who do oppress, abuse and take advantage of women.  It's a sad fact of our society.  I just happened to be lucky enough to have the self esteem and good sense to not associate with men of that breed.
  • Women who stay at home with their children are being oppressed by their husbands. FALSE.  My goal in life is to become a stay-at-home mother.  Feminism is about women choosing what they want to do.  If they want to pursue being a stay-at-home mother, great!  If they want to become a doctor, also cool!  
  • Women who wear make up, do their hair and dress nice are conforming to society's idea of beauty.  FALSE.  Fun fact: I'm obsessed with doing hair and make up.  I love getting ready in the morning.  Women don't have to do their hair and makeup to be beautiful.  However, that doesn't mean they shouldn't or can't.
  • Feminism is a bunch of women being whiny. FALSE.  Feminism is about women being able to pay the same amount of money for products/services as men, be paid the same amount of money for the same job as men, be treated with respect, being allowed to make their own health decisions, etc.  Women deserve to have a CHOICE and not be directed by the government or others just because they have a uterus.  
  • All feminists are democrats. FALSE.  I'm a  registered republican, although I label myself as more of an independent.  I think democrats are stupid.  I also think republicans are stupid.  I think they both have good points and also have terrible points.  However, I agree more with the republican party regarding economic issues and tend to sway to the democratic party for social issues. Essentially, I vote for whomever/whatever issue make the most logical, ethical and moral sense.
I'm a strange, republican woman that believes in the radical notion that women should be treated like people.  Also, here's my favorite observation ever on the new "Bic for Women" pens.  Seriously, have you seen this yet?  What are your thoughts?  Do I sound completely stupid or do I make any sense?



Monday, November 12, 2012

it never ends

Homework, Lawyer work, Housework....It never ends. 

And I am 200% positive I've already written about this.  However, I recently read this post on the lovely Annie's blog and felt inspired.  I remembered being in her young women's and ballet classes and relating so well to her.  If you don't follow her blog, you should.  Because it is lovely, her children are lovely, she is lovely, it's just a bundle of lovely.

I think I've mentioned before, I'm a legal secretary.  Work lately has been crazy busy.  Our office moved, we have another assistant that was recently hired, and things have been so busy with 2 trials this week.  It's stressful, difficult and basically totally overwhelming.

Homework...sucks...I hate general education classes.  Why can't I just get on to my arts/education/whatever else degree?

And, my house is basically a wreck.  It looks like a bomb went off...and I don't have the time, patience or energy to do anything about it.  I'm a naturally messy person.  I have never been good at organization for myself, I've never been good about cleaning.  I generally only clean when I absolutely have too.  I've been depressed, frustrated, anxious and all around difficult to live with lately (sorry, JD).  And I can't figure out how to accomplish everything.  I never feel like things are clean.  I never feel like I'm doing enough.  I never feel good about myself, my home or my work.  The only thing I have been feeling good about: my marriage.  Which is why I so frequently blog about our relationship.  Because it is the one thing I feel like I am succeeding at.

Annie talked about her recent struggle with this same issue and I felt inspired.  As of today, I'm attempting to turn over a new leaf.  I created for myself a home management binder, which is my new favorite thing.  At some point I will share with you how it was created.  I'm going to be better about making myself a priority.  And I'm going to be better about keeping myself, my home and my schooling in order.

We'll see how this works...

Friday, November 9, 2012

bundle o' sad

Every once in a while, it's a good thing when your spouse locks you in the bathroom and shouts from the other room "You either relax and take a bath with the new bath salts and body wash I bought you or you sit and sulk for 20 minutes.  Your choice."  I'm hard-headed, but he always knows how to get through to me.  

Today, I have basically just been a big bundle of sad and emotions.  Work was terrible, homework sucks, I have a cold.  The odds are not for me today.  When JD finally got home from work, he promptly held me, let me cry for a bit and made me some toast.  Toast, it's kind of my comfort food.  Then I got back to trying to do my homework.  After being incredibly frustrated with every attempt he finally intervened after watching me struggle because of how stressed I was.  He took my laptop off of my lap, pulled me to our bathroom and closed the door.  My favorite thing to do at the end of a bad day is to basically sit in the tub for an hour.  Silent, warm, alone, ahh...so perfect.  Then the previous exchange occurred.  It was perfect.  However, I still had basically the suckiest day in the history of ever.  So, I've gone to youtube to drown my sorrows away.  Enjoy a few of my favorite sad day videos.


They're not all Sophia Grace and Rosie videos.  Even though they are adorable...and I adore them...

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

images of an election

This was an election for the history books.  First ever African-American president to get two terms, third consecutive president to serve two terms, First Mormon candidate to get SO close to the presidency, First disabled, female, war veteran to serve in congress.  My grandchildren will be asking me about this election.  It was a whirlwind of emotions for every person involved.  Whether you are team Romney or team Obama, it was a wonderful evening.  And, I mean that completely seriously.  It was amazing to watch how passionate Americans can be over an election, even once it is decided and over.  I cannot even express to you just how many hateful, wretched, awful things I read last night about Barack Obama, about Mitt Romney, about the entire election, on a trivial social media site.  And it just made me sad.  Passion is good, but hate-filled rantings on a silly social medial website make you ALL look stupid.  In my humble opinion, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are amazing men.  They are two of the most outstanding men in our nation, which is why they were candidates for such a prestigious title.  The election is over, Barack Obama will continue to serve as President of the United States.  And I'm happy.

I am looking forward to see how he decides to shape our nation.  I am also looking forward to see if Governor Romney will run for President once again in 2016.  I believe Governor Romney had some great ideas to shape our country's economy that many American's agreed with.  However, President Obama I believe is more in tune with the majority of the nation's views on social issues.  Either way you slice it, the man who needs to be in the President's seat now is.  Regardless of who you wanted, the man that needed to win did.  Personally, I believe God is watching over this country.  God will direct the leaders of the USA.  God has a plan for this great place we live and it will be His will, not ours, that will be done.  He knows all and he planned for Barack Obama to be this nation's 44th President.  Perhaps the 45th will be Mitt Romney. 

Here are a few of my favorite images from the election season this year

 Does anyone else love how every picture of them in this debate makes them look like they're singing a cute duet?  Or they're pointing at each other saying in a very girly voice "Oh, you!"


I love this.  He just has such a look of pride and love for his wife.


Ah!  SO much love!  Seriously, whoever you voted for, I love both of the pictures above.  It is obvious these two men love their wives and put them above all else.  It just makes me so happy.

 The entire Romney Clan

The Obama Family at the Victory Rally

 I love a politician with babies.  He's carrying TWO of them!  In the cutest tutus I have ever seen!

Seriously, look at his face.  And look at the baby's face.  This is just adorable on all levels.

 My newest hero, Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth.  Such an inspiration.  Read some more about her story here.

Friday, November 2, 2012

21 before 21

My birthday this year led me to observe what I'd done since my 19th birthday.  I completed my first year of college, I transferred colleges, I got engaged, I went through the temple, I got married, I moved twice, through two states.  It's been insane.  And I've loved every second of it.  However, I really didn't have any major goals for the year.  I just was doing what I wanted when I wanted to.  Lately, JD and I have been talking about our "bucket list."  What we want to do together before we bite the dust when we're 120 years old.  (yes...we have it planned out when we're going to die.  life now only needs to bend to our will)  I decided I wanted my own little bucket list.  21 things to do before I'm 21.  Do you have goals you want to make?  Join me on my experiment!  I'll keep the blog updated with my progress.

1. Go on a vacation out of state
2. Have consistent date night with the hubs (we, honestly, have been on very few honest to goodness "dates".  We're not very formal people.)
3. Complete my second year of college
4. Learn to bake and decorate (at least half as good as my sister) one awesome cake.  (Have you seen Coley's Cups and Cakes?  They're AMAZING.  And she just happens to be my sister.  I hope my children get some of her creativity genes, because she's awesome.)
5. Buy a bed spread (This one sounds weird, but JD and I are both blanket hogs, and we just never sleep with the same blanket.  We each have our own.  And we don't have a specific bed set, it's just whatever quilts we both feel like and our black sheets and mismatched pillow cases.  As I said before, we're not formal people.) 
6. Lose 30 pounds. (I absolutely know I can lose at least this much in a year.  And if I happen to lose more....YAY!) 
7. Get an elliptical.  (I love working out on an elliptical.  They're amazing.  And they're really not too expensive.  So, it's something I'd like to save up for.)
8. Own the entire Star Wars series on DVD or Blu Ray if we ever buy a blu ray player.
9. Move the Xbox out of our bedroom(...yes...I caved and let my husband bring his Xbox into our room...And now I think it needs to go back into the living room...This one will be done very carefully)
10. Sew myself a skirt or dress.
11. Decorate for all of the major holidays (Valentines, Christmas, Easter, St. Patty's Day, 4th of July, Fall in general)
12. Spend less time on pinterest (Yeah, I'm an addict...it's true)
13. Build a snowman
14. Have a snowball fight
15.Have a weekend getaway with the hubs
16. Make someone feel special
17. Dye my hair different then it's current color
18. Get closer to our goal of having a baby
19. Write a missionary once a month (I suck at this...even when the hubs was out and we were writing, he wrote me WAY more than I wrote him...also, any of my cousins can tell you I suck at writing them as well)
20. Go to Disneyland
21. Buy a ruffly apron (I know, it's anti climatic for the last one on the list.  But I am OBSESSED with aprons...I love them...and I've been envious for a ruffly one forever!)

A few highlights from this year:


Me, Cee and Teish Ushering and Tuachan.  Such a blast.



Moved my room in with this lovely lady and became her caregiver.  Miss her so much!

Got Engaged to my best friend.

 Saw the Hunger Games at midnight, out of state with these lovely people.  And I made our shirts.  Which were also awesome. 

 Moved to another state and got our home ready.

And, probably most importantly, I got married.