I have felt like for the past couple years, well let's be honest, for the past 6 years, it's been move after move, change after change, new job after new job. This time, it's been a familiar change, but still a change. Since Andre and I have been married, almost 1 year and 8 months, we have moved 4 times. When we started off, it was back to Rexburg. Then Andre decided he wanted to change his career path. So, we left Rexburg in April 2014, never to return (Now, let's remember that I graduated in April 2013, and left not knowing if I'd ever be coming back, because Andre and I were still dating and hadn't made any commitment to marriage yet. So that's twice now that I left Rexburg thinking it'd be my last time). Then we moved to Sacramento, California until September, where Andre worked as a door-to-door sales rep for Ecoshield Pest Control. After that, we moved to Twin Falls, Idaho, where we were planning to stay for 3 years so that Andre could apply to the Rad-tech program at CSI, where he would study for 2 years, then we'd move to Boise so he could finish up with his Bachelor's in Sonography at BSU. That meant he'd be in school for another 4 years, and that's the plan we were sticking to. Then, in January of this year, something changed in Andre, and he decided that he didn't want to go down that path anymore. So he started researching other options. That brought us back to Rexburg, once again, so that he can study Occupational Safety and Health. He'll graduate with his Bachelor's Degree next April 2016.
So, for now, that's what we are sticking with. Andre seems content with his choice, and I am just trying to be a supportive wife as he figures out what he wants to do for the rest of his life, career-wise. I have to be honest, at first, the thought of moving back to Rexburg was... well let's just say, I wasn't too excited. I LOVED Rexburg while I was going to school, and was very sad to leave, but by now, I was over it and had moved on. I felt like, in a way, going back to Rexburg was a step backwards. But, as we prayed about our decision, and took the steps to go forward with the move, I started to feel better about the idea. To be honest, neither Andre or I were super in love with Twin Falls, and had been thinking about other options, but I never thought it would come to this: moving back to Rexburg, for like the 5th time for me, I might add. I just can't seem to get enough apparently!
Since we've moved back, it's been about a week and a half. School started this last Monday, and I am proud to say that I am taking a Spanish class on campus! One thing is to think I would never live in Rexburg again, but I am a BYU-Idaho student again after 2 years, which is something I seriously never even imagined would happen. It is definitely a funny feeling walking around campus with a backpack on and looking like every other normal student, when I know that I already went through all that! haha But, I must say, I am happy and extremely excited to learn spanish! I am blessed to have this opportunity and the time and money to learn the Spanish language, and will hopefully, one day fairly soon, be able to communicate with all of my spanish-speaking friends and family! I can't wait! I am especially excited for the next time we go to Ecuador, so that I can actually understand what's going on! I think going to Ecuador was what hit me the most. I realized that marrying Andre brought a huge amount of new people into my life, many of whom don't speak much English, if any at all, and I realized how truly important it is for me to be able to speak their language. Many of these people have been influential in Andre's life, and it is so important to me to be able to communicate with them!
As for jobs, Andre was able to transfer with Syringa Wireless in Twin Falls, to the store here in Rexburg, He works Monday-Friday here, and then works at the store in Idaho Falls every Saturday. In addition to that, of course he is also a full-time student. Boy, do I love that man. He knows how to work and he's not afraid of it. He does what needs to get done, without complaining a bit. For me, I don't currently have a job, but am in the process of finding one. I have a few things that may be possibilities, but haven't really panned out, so we'll see. Right now, I am focusing on learning spanish quickly and effectively, as well as getting back into a daily exercise routine, which I might add, I missed SO MUCH while living in Twin Falls. That's another blessing of being at BYU-I; a free gym and indoor track that are in walking distance from our apartment. I love it. Andre and I were both super excited to come back just for that. haha
Well, I think that's about it. I am so excited to see what this year has in store for us. We are looking forward to having my parents come up and stay with us for about 4-5 days in May, and we can't wait to show them our cute new apartment and spend some much needed time with them. We are so grateful for God's plan for us and are ready to keep going with whatever he throws at us. Happy Spring Everybody!
Love,
Wendy
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Monday, January 26, 2015
2014 In Review
Once again, it's time for my year-end post. When I think back on 2014, there aren't too many experiences that stick out to me as unforgettable, but as I've been thinking a little harder and digging a little deeper, I've been able to think of some experiences that actually were pretty awesome. So here goes:
1. When Andre took the day off from work and surprised me with a day trip to San Francisco for my 23rd birthday! Up until the night before, I was thinking that Andre was gonna be going to work just like any other normal day, and my birthday was going to be pretty lame, but as we were laying in bed the night of the 16th, he turned to me and said, "so, I have to work in San Francisco tomorrow... and you're coming with me" haha. So, we got up fairly early the next morning, made a stop at the Black Bear Diner for some delicious breakfast, then made our way to San Francisco where we went to Ghirardelli Square, the Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 39, Chinatown, and then just drove around and looked at the cool houses in the city. It was such a great day spent with a great husband. :)
2. When my mom came to visit Sacramento. My mom means so much to me, and every time I move somewhere new, I love to share it with her. It was so great of her to make the trip up to Sacramento to spend some time with me and Andre. It also happened to be just a few days after her birthday, so we surprised her with a birthday cake and a present the night she arrived. Throughout the time she was there, we did some pretty awesome things. We went to Calaveras Big Trees State Park, Downtown Sacramento and toured a historical mansion (I don't remember what it was for or what it was called, but it was cool), we went on a day trip to a cool little town called Sutter Creek where we ate some super delicious sandwiches, and then she even came to my yoga class with me one day. My mom is the best, and I love her so much!
3. The summer in Sacramento, California. Ok, so this is more than one experience, but it is definitely a summer that sticks out as unique for us. For me, it was basically a summer full of exercising, yoga, swimming, watching netflix, socializing and exercising some more. I went to the zoo, the pool almost every week probably, we went golfing, bowling, swimming, hot tubbing, camping in our living room, picnicking, you name it! I for one, did so many fun things, with lots of time to relax and just watch netflix too! Andre on the other hand worked long, hard days and weeks with some fun here and there. We had very different summers, but I think we can both say it was a summer to remember.
4. Visiting home in April. Basically anytime I get to go home to Prescott and spend time with my parents is a favorite experience of mine. I have such fun parents to hang out with! I love the conversations we have, the jokes my dad makes, the games we play, the food we eat, everything! One thing that sticks out to me from our trip in April is playing Boggle with mom and Andre. One of us must have said something super funny, or came up with a ridiculous word, and I just remember all 3 of us laughing our heads off for about 3 minutes. It was the hardest I have laughed in a long time. We also played a version of the newlywed game with my parents, and it was awesome! Then we went on a couple different hikes around Prescott and just enjoyed the great outdoors :)
1. When Andre took the day off from work and surprised me with a day trip to San Francisco for my 23rd birthday! Up until the night before, I was thinking that Andre was gonna be going to work just like any other normal day, and my birthday was going to be pretty lame, but as we were laying in bed the night of the 16th, he turned to me and said, "so, I have to work in San Francisco tomorrow... and you're coming with me" haha. So, we got up fairly early the next morning, made a stop at the Black Bear Diner for some delicious breakfast, then made our way to San Francisco where we went to Ghirardelli Square, the Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 39, Chinatown, and then just drove around and looked at the cool houses in the city. It was such a great day spent with a great husband. :)
2. When my mom came to visit Sacramento. My mom means so much to me, and every time I move somewhere new, I love to share it with her. It was so great of her to make the trip up to Sacramento to spend some time with me and Andre. It also happened to be just a few days after her birthday, so we surprised her with a birthday cake and a present the night she arrived. Throughout the time she was there, we did some pretty awesome things. We went to Calaveras Big Trees State Park, Downtown Sacramento and toured a historical mansion (I don't remember what it was for or what it was called, but it was cool), we went on a day trip to a cool little town called Sutter Creek where we ate some super delicious sandwiches, and then she even came to my yoga class with me one day. My mom is the best, and I love her so much!
3. The summer in Sacramento, California. Ok, so this is more than one experience, but it is definitely a summer that sticks out as unique for us. For me, it was basically a summer full of exercising, yoga, swimming, watching netflix, socializing and exercising some more. I went to the zoo, the pool almost every week probably, we went golfing, bowling, swimming, hot tubbing, camping in our living room, picnicking, you name it! I for one, did so many fun things, with lots of time to relax and just watch netflix too! Andre on the other hand worked long, hard days and weeks with some fun here and there. We had very different summers, but I think we can both say it was a summer to remember.
4. Visiting home in April. Basically anytime I get to go home to Prescott and spend time with my parents is a favorite experience of mine. I have such fun parents to hang out with! I love the conversations we have, the jokes my dad makes, the games we play, the food we eat, everything! One thing that sticks out to me from our trip in April is playing Boggle with mom and Andre. One of us must have said something super funny, or came up with a ridiculous word, and I just remember all 3 of us laughing our heads off for about 3 minutes. It was the hardest I have laughed in a long time. We also played a version of the newlywed game with my parents, and it was awesome! Then we went on a couple different hikes around Prescott and just enjoyed the great outdoors :)
5. I don't know if it's lame that 2 out of 5 experiences involve spending time in Prescott, and 3 out of 5 involve my mom, but what can I say? I guess we know what I love. haha For Christmas we went back to Prescott again. My parents showed us a bunch of the Christmas stuff around town, we got to spend Christmas day with all of my brothers with Eric on Skype, we played games, ate yummy food, drank hot chocolate in a freezing cold Ihop, and then I even got to spend some time with my life long bestie, Michelley! :) I love her so much, and it was so awesome seeing her and her daughters! Also, did I mention that this trip was a surprise for my dad and my little brother. My dad's reaction was priceless. It was so fun! :)
Friday, September 5, 2014
A Year of Love and Learning
This past year has been a whole new world for me. A year ago today, Andre and I got married! It's weird because when I think about that day, it seems like there's no way it was a whole year ago, but when I think about everything that has happened between then and now, it's amazing! I can say I have learned a lot, but I can say even more confidently that I still have WAY more to learn. Seriously, marriage is an everyday learning process. If I have learned one thing from being married so far, it's that our home is a much happier place when we are both humble, forgiving and don't sweat the small stuff. I'd say I've definitely had to learn that the hard way and I've unfortunately had to drag Andre through it with me, but it has helped me to see how patient and caring he truly is. I can say the same things about him now as I said a year ago; Andre is one of the most patient, humble, selfless men I have ever known (the list could go on and on), and I am blessed times 1 million to be able to call him my husband for eternity :)
Thursday, August 28, 2014
People
Today I feel grateful. This summer has been spent exercising, watching tv, grocery shopping, doing laundry, hanging out by the pool, doing fun things with friends, exercising more, watching more tv, and waiting for Andre to come home each night between 8:00 and 10:00 pm. As you can see, it was a very long, fairly boring, but very laid back summer. One thing I have come to be very grateful for this summer though is... people. Complete strangers who I normally would have nothing in common with, who became wonderful friends and people I will never forget. Let me explain.
I decided this summer that I would take up yoga and pilates. So, four days a week for the past four months, I have been going to this class. Back in May, I walked into this class with people nowhere close to my age, who had been doing yoga for months to years, and I was this newbie 22-year old who had never once done yoga in my life. But, everyone was so kind and welcoming and was excited to see a fresh, new face in the class. At first, I felt a little young and out of place, but quickly became good friends with these people who were no less than 15-40 years older than me. I guess at my age you just don't imagine yourself hanging out with 40 to 60-year olds four days a week for fun, haha. But oh my gosh, I love these people! I've started asking myself, "why don't I hang out with 40 to 60-year olds more often?" They have life experiences, kids, families and real jobs and it's so fun to hear their stories. Sure, they liked to tease me about how young and inexperienced I am in life, but it was fun! They always reminded me to be grateful for where I'm at in life right now and always made "old" jokes about themselves that just made me laugh! These people, who came into my life for just a few short months, have made such an impact on me and have made me so grateful for just people in general.
I have associated with the so many L.D.S people in my life, especially in the past 5 years, and haven't had a ton of experiences outside of that. This summer, spending most of my time with people outside of my faith, has opened up my heart and mind to them. You don't have to be a mormon to be a good person. Of course, I already knew that, but I have felt so narrowed the past few years into thinking that the L.D.S. lifestyle is the best thing out there, but I have really come to realize that there are amazing, fun, friendly, good-hearted people out there who maybe don't even believe in God or Jesus Christ, and that's ok! For instance, there's this one lady named Pam. Oh my gosh, one of the kindest people I have ever known! Right off the bat she was just a sweetheart. A few weeks into the class, she invited Andre and I over for dinner. At first, I was a little surprised and thought, "wait, is she L.D.S?" Haha, I honestly thought that people don't typically just invite people over for dinner and that that was kind of a "mormon" thing to do. But I thought that it was so nice of her and of course we accepted the invitation. So, we went over there for a nice Sunday night dinner, we brought some flowers over and Pam and her husband had prepared a salmon dinner with a few different side dishes, and it was delicious! They offered us wine and beer and we politely turned them down and told them we don't drink. They said ok, didn't think much of it, and we just had a great evening full of conversation and laughs! Now, to someone who is not L.D.S, or someone who has spent most of their time associating outside of the L.D.S. bubble, this probably doesn't seem all that significant, but to me, it was a real eye-opener! There are normal people out there who maybe believe nothing close to what I believe, but who are kind and generous and who are wonderful people! I have truly grown to love these people, and Pam is just one of them.
Tonight was my last night of class before Andre and I move back to Idaho. So, after class they treated me to ice cream and we all just sat and talked and ate our ice cream and I just thought about how all these people, who were complete strangers just 4 months ago, now mean so much to me. I'm sad to say good-bye to them! Seriously, I don't even know any of their last names, but I have made friends who will be in my heart forever. And if I ever come back to Sacramento, I will most definitely be visiting that yoga class :)
I decided this summer that I would take up yoga and pilates. So, four days a week for the past four months, I have been going to this class. Back in May, I walked into this class with people nowhere close to my age, who had been doing yoga for months to years, and I was this newbie 22-year old who had never once done yoga in my life. But, everyone was so kind and welcoming and was excited to see a fresh, new face in the class. At first, I felt a little young and out of place, but quickly became good friends with these people who were no less than 15-40 years older than me. I guess at my age you just don't imagine yourself hanging out with 40 to 60-year olds four days a week for fun, haha. But oh my gosh, I love these people! I've started asking myself, "why don't I hang out with 40 to 60-year olds more often?" They have life experiences, kids, families and real jobs and it's so fun to hear their stories. Sure, they liked to tease me about how young and inexperienced I am in life, but it was fun! They always reminded me to be grateful for where I'm at in life right now and always made "old" jokes about themselves that just made me laugh! These people, who came into my life for just a few short months, have made such an impact on me and have made me so grateful for just people in general.
I have associated with the so many L.D.S people in my life, especially in the past 5 years, and haven't had a ton of experiences outside of that. This summer, spending most of my time with people outside of my faith, has opened up my heart and mind to them. You don't have to be a mormon to be a good person. Of course, I already knew that, but I have felt so narrowed the past few years into thinking that the L.D.S. lifestyle is the best thing out there, but I have really come to realize that there are amazing, fun, friendly, good-hearted people out there who maybe don't even believe in God or Jesus Christ, and that's ok! For instance, there's this one lady named Pam. Oh my gosh, one of the kindest people I have ever known! Right off the bat she was just a sweetheart. A few weeks into the class, she invited Andre and I over for dinner. At first, I was a little surprised and thought, "wait, is she L.D.S?" Haha, I honestly thought that people don't typically just invite people over for dinner and that that was kind of a "mormon" thing to do. But I thought that it was so nice of her and of course we accepted the invitation. So, we went over there for a nice Sunday night dinner, we brought some flowers over and Pam and her husband had prepared a salmon dinner with a few different side dishes, and it was delicious! They offered us wine and beer and we politely turned them down and told them we don't drink. They said ok, didn't think much of it, and we just had a great evening full of conversation and laughs! Now, to someone who is not L.D.S, or someone who has spent most of their time associating outside of the L.D.S. bubble, this probably doesn't seem all that significant, but to me, it was a real eye-opener! There are normal people out there who maybe believe nothing close to what I believe, but who are kind and generous and who are wonderful people! I have truly grown to love these people, and Pam is just one of them.
Tonight was my last night of class before Andre and I move back to Idaho. So, after class they treated me to ice cream and we all just sat and talked and ate our ice cream and I just thought about how all these people, who were complete strangers just 4 months ago, now mean so much to me. I'm sad to say good-bye to them! Seriously, I don't even know any of their last names, but I have made friends who will be in my heart forever. And if I ever come back to Sacramento, I will most definitely be visiting that yoga class :)
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Another Year Flies By...
Well, it's that time of year again. I wanted to do the same thing I did last year and write a post about the past year, but I don't want to forget to do it, so I'm doing it now, even though there are still a couple weeks in the year.
Boy... this year has been one to remember! That's for sure! So here we go. My top 5 for the year 2013.
5. So I think number 5 is going to have to be a tie. It's between the weekend I went to California to "surprise" Andre, and the week we spent in Virginia before we got married. So, if you want to read about that weekend in California, go back to my last post and read it. Otherwise stay here and read about our trip to Virginia.
So, we went to Virginia at the end of August where I got to meet Andre's parents and siblings. Oh my goodness. I love them! I felt a part of the family in an instant. The love they showed towards me was way more than I had even hoped for. I knew from the moment I met them, that I was going to love being a part of their family.
Mary has the most caring heart and the love that pours out of her is just unbelievable. I can't even express to you how loved I felt from the beginning. Andre told me the other day that the first person that comes to his mind when he thinks of someone who has inspired him to be better, is Mary, and I can totally understand why. She is literally one of the most kind-hearted, soft-spoken people I have ever come to love. I am grateful to be able to call her my sister :)
Alex would make conversation with me everywhere we went. She would ask me all kinds of questions, and I felt like she was trying so hard to get to know me. She even trusted me to take care of her newborn baby, Alessia, for a while during Mary's wedding! Only 1 hour after she met me! haha.
Pie is just... awesome. From the moment she saw me and ran to me to give me a huge hug, I could tell I was gonna love her. It was like she had been waiting forever to meet her soon-to-be sister-in-law and she made me feel so extremely loved, it's incredible.
Chris is so much like Andre, I feel like. He seems to be calm and quiet, but has a great sense of humor. He and his best friend, Zach, picked us up from the airport at 5:00 am! It was kinda funny to meet them for the first time when they were pretty much still asleep. haha But later that day I got to talk to Chris a little more, and he was there to help me take care of Alessia for a little while. Chris simply has a sweet spirit. He is definitely Andre's brother.
Nikki and Sebas are Mary's boys. I'm not sure how they felt about me at first. I think Sebas is just a little shy and was scared to talk to me. I think by the end of the week though, he was starting to warm up to me. Nikki on the other hand is hilarious! See, I have this problem where I always seem to be cold. So Nikki liked to call me "cold-blooded." For some reason, I really wanted Nikki and Sebas (and Alex's son, Adrian - but he's like 2) to like me. I mean, they are my first nephews and I want to be classified as a cool aunt! So, when Nikki would talk to me and even tease me a little bit, I liked it because I felt like he might actually like me! haha I know, I'm weird.
Gloria is Andre's Mom. I love her so much. We have a hard time communicating just because she speaks very little English and I speak very little Spanish. So... it's hard to carry on a conversation without someone else there to translate. Sometimes I really wish there was an easier way to talk to her, but I can feel the love she has for me just in the way she acts towards me. She has such a kind, loving spirit, and the love and respect I have for her is so immense.
Jimmy, Andre's dad, went out of his way, every chance he had, to make me feel a part of the family. He was always making conversation with me, getting to know me and including me in everything. He said something to me one day that almost made me tear up because I felt so loved. Unfortunately I don't remember exactly what it is was that he said to me, but I remember how I felt, and how much love and gratitude I felt in my heart!
4. Number 4 is something that is very personal and I'm not sure how many details I want to share, but at a time during this past year, I went through quite a few emotional struggles. One in particular comes to mind that was one of the hardest trials I feel I have had to go through thus far in my life. It was something I was completely overwhelmed with. I felt heartache, sadness and confusion everyday, and I got to the point where I just didn't know what to do anymore.
In the L.D.S. church, we have something called the Priesthood. All men in the church who are worthy to hold it and use it and have been given that authority, can use it when they feel it is necessary. My family has been blessed to always have a father who is a worthy Priesthood holder. At this time, I felt like I needed extra help, so I asked him for something called a "father's blessing." In this blessing, I was told I would feel peace... very soon. Not even 5 minutes later, I felt peace, and I went throughout the rest of the day feeling content and happy. I didn't even realize it until later that night when I sat down and realized what happened that day, and I knew what I needed to do.
I have always had a testimony of the priesthood and the miracles that it can work, but this was the first time that I felt like it helped me on a very personal level. I know this doesn't seem like much of a miracle, and without details, it's hard to put enough emphasis into the story, but this was an amazing enough experience to make my top 5 list of experiences in the past year. I mean, it's up there with getting married and graduating from college. haha I can definitely say my testimony of the priesthood grew immensely this year because of that experience. I can even say that it was a life-changing experience. I don't know if my life would be completely different now if I hadn't received that fathers' blessing. In summary, I am so grateful to my father for always being the amazing man he is and for enabling me to have this experience.
3. Coming in at number 3 would have to be August 29. That is the day I went through the Washington DC Temple. Though at the time I was not too sure of what was going on, I came out with an incredible feeling in my heart. What made it even better is the fact that my parents were able to be there with me. My mom was even able to be right by my side the entire time. Andre and I even got to sit next to each other in the session, which doesn't get to happen in many temples. It was a wonderful experience, once again, to do something I've been looking forward to for many many years. I'll never forget that day and the feelings I felt while being inside the Lord's House.
2. I graduated from college. Yup. the excitement of it is over now, but at the time it sure was exciting! I have been the owner of a Bachelor's degree for about 8 months now and what have I done with it...? Well... I have gotten a couple different jobs. I suppose the word "degree" helped, but only one of them cared, even a little bit, that it was interior design. That job only lasted the summer until I got married and moved back to Idaho. Then I got the job I currently have where my Interior Design education is slowly fading into my past life.
Anyways, I feel accomplished either way :) The skills I obtained and the lessons that I learned from that Interior Design program will help me through the rest of my life. Those four years were extremely hard, but I would never ever take them back for anything. If I don't do anything with the degree I hold, I will at least always remember the experiences I went through and the amazing people who came into my life throughout that program. Even if nothing comes of it, I am, and will forever be, classified as a college graduate, and if nothing else, I can always look back and be proud of what I accomplished.
1. This one takes the cake for sure, no doubt about it. It was a huge, life-changing event that I have looked forward to for as long as I can remember, and it happened to me this past year. I got married! And let me tell you, I got married to the best man in the world. Holy smokes. How did I get so blessed? Let me just brag about my husband for a few minutes here. He:
a. Is one of the most patient people I have ever known
b. Has a huge, loving, caring heart
c. Wants nothing but for me to be happy
d. Serves me in any way he possibly can, no matter what day, time or circumstance.
I could go on and on, but let me sum it all up by saying this. A few weeks ago, we were talking about our marriage and how we've been doing living together and such and he asked me to tell him anything he does wrong and how he can fix it. Ok seriously, I would have told him if I could think of anything, but I just couldn't! I mean, ya, he plays video games...but only like an hour per week! And sometimes he spends time doing homework instead of spending time with me but...come on... I can't actually complain about that. My point is, I have the best husband :)
I know this is an insanely long post, but I feel like this past year deserves a lot of recognition. It has been one of the most memorable years of my life. If you read through this entire post, thank you for taking the time :) I hope you enjoyed learning about my life.
Love,
Wendy
To learn more about temples and the priesthood, you can go to: http://mormon.org/
Boy... this year has been one to remember! That's for sure! So here we go. My top 5 for the year 2013.
5. So I think number 5 is going to have to be a tie. It's between the weekend I went to California to "surprise" Andre, and the week we spent in Virginia before we got married. So, if you want to read about that weekend in California, go back to my last post and read it. Otherwise stay here and read about our trip to Virginia.
So, we went to Virginia at the end of August where I got to meet Andre's parents and siblings. Oh my goodness. I love them! I felt a part of the family in an instant. The love they showed towards me was way more than I had even hoped for. I knew from the moment I met them, that I was going to love being a part of their family.
Mary has the most caring heart and the love that pours out of her is just unbelievable. I can't even express to you how loved I felt from the beginning. Andre told me the other day that the first person that comes to his mind when he thinks of someone who has inspired him to be better, is Mary, and I can totally understand why. She is literally one of the most kind-hearted, soft-spoken people I have ever come to love. I am grateful to be able to call her my sister :)
Alex would make conversation with me everywhere we went. She would ask me all kinds of questions, and I felt like she was trying so hard to get to know me. She even trusted me to take care of her newborn baby, Alessia, for a while during Mary's wedding! Only 1 hour after she met me! haha.
Pie is just... awesome. From the moment she saw me and ran to me to give me a huge hug, I could tell I was gonna love her. It was like she had been waiting forever to meet her soon-to-be sister-in-law and she made me feel so extremely loved, it's incredible.
Chris is so much like Andre, I feel like. He seems to be calm and quiet, but has a great sense of humor. He and his best friend, Zach, picked us up from the airport at 5:00 am! It was kinda funny to meet them for the first time when they were pretty much still asleep. haha But later that day I got to talk to Chris a little more, and he was there to help me take care of Alessia for a little while. Chris simply has a sweet spirit. He is definitely Andre's brother.
Nikki and Sebas are Mary's boys. I'm not sure how they felt about me at first. I think Sebas is just a little shy and was scared to talk to me. I think by the end of the week though, he was starting to warm up to me. Nikki on the other hand is hilarious! See, I have this problem where I always seem to be cold. So Nikki liked to call me "cold-blooded." For some reason, I really wanted Nikki and Sebas (and Alex's son, Adrian - but he's like 2) to like me. I mean, they are my first nephews and I want to be classified as a cool aunt! So, when Nikki would talk to me and even tease me a little bit, I liked it because I felt like he might actually like me! haha I know, I'm weird.
Gloria is Andre's Mom. I love her so much. We have a hard time communicating just because she speaks very little English and I speak very little Spanish. So... it's hard to carry on a conversation without someone else there to translate. Sometimes I really wish there was an easier way to talk to her, but I can feel the love she has for me just in the way she acts towards me. She has such a kind, loving spirit, and the love and respect I have for her is so immense.
Jimmy, Andre's dad, went out of his way, every chance he had, to make me feel a part of the family. He was always making conversation with me, getting to know me and including me in everything. He said something to me one day that almost made me tear up because I felt so loved. Unfortunately I don't remember exactly what it is was that he said to me, but I remember how I felt, and how much love and gratitude I felt in my heart!
4. Number 4 is something that is very personal and I'm not sure how many details I want to share, but at a time during this past year, I went through quite a few emotional struggles. One in particular comes to mind that was one of the hardest trials I feel I have had to go through thus far in my life. It was something I was completely overwhelmed with. I felt heartache, sadness and confusion everyday, and I got to the point where I just didn't know what to do anymore.
In the L.D.S. church, we have something called the Priesthood. All men in the church who are worthy to hold it and use it and have been given that authority, can use it when they feel it is necessary. My family has been blessed to always have a father who is a worthy Priesthood holder. At this time, I felt like I needed extra help, so I asked him for something called a "father's blessing." In this blessing, I was told I would feel peace... very soon. Not even 5 minutes later, I felt peace, and I went throughout the rest of the day feeling content and happy. I didn't even realize it until later that night when I sat down and realized what happened that day, and I knew what I needed to do.
I have always had a testimony of the priesthood and the miracles that it can work, but this was the first time that I felt like it helped me on a very personal level. I know this doesn't seem like much of a miracle, and without details, it's hard to put enough emphasis into the story, but this was an amazing enough experience to make my top 5 list of experiences in the past year. I mean, it's up there with getting married and graduating from college. haha I can definitely say my testimony of the priesthood grew immensely this year because of that experience. I can even say that it was a life-changing experience. I don't know if my life would be completely different now if I hadn't received that fathers' blessing. In summary, I am so grateful to my father for always being the amazing man he is and for enabling me to have this experience.
3. Coming in at number 3 would have to be August 29. That is the day I went through the Washington DC Temple. Though at the time I was not too sure of what was going on, I came out with an incredible feeling in my heart. What made it even better is the fact that my parents were able to be there with me. My mom was even able to be right by my side the entire time. Andre and I even got to sit next to each other in the session, which doesn't get to happen in many temples. It was a wonderful experience, once again, to do something I've been looking forward to for many many years. I'll never forget that day and the feelings I felt while being inside the Lord's House.
2. I graduated from college. Yup. the excitement of it is over now, but at the time it sure was exciting! I have been the owner of a Bachelor's degree for about 8 months now and what have I done with it...? Well... I have gotten a couple different jobs. I suppose the word "degree" helped, but only one of them cared, even a little bit, that it was interior design. That job only lasted the summer until I got married and moved back to Idaho. Then I got the job I currently have where my Interior Design education is slowly fading into my past life.
Anyways, I feel accomplished either way :) The skills I obtained and the lessons that I learned from that Interior Design program will help me through the rest of my life. Those four years were extremely hard, but I would never ever take them back for anything. If I don't do anything with the degree I hold, I will at least always remember the experiences I went through and the amazing people who came into my life throughout that program. Even if nothing comes of it, I am, and will forever be, classified as a college graduate, and if nothing else, I can always look back and be proud of what I accomplished.
1. This one takes the cake for sure, no doubt about it. It was a huge, life-changing event that I have looked forward to for as long as I can remember, and it happened to me this past year. I got married! And let me tell you, I got married to the best man in the world. Holy smokes. How did I get so blessed? Let me just brag about my husband for a few minutes here. He:
a. Is one of the most patient people I have ever known
b. Has a huge, loving, caring heart
c. Wants nothing but for me to be happy
d. Serves me in any way he possibly can, no matter what day, time or circumstance.
I could go on and on, but let me sum it all up by saying this. A few weeks ago, we were talking about our marriage and how we've been doing living together and such and he asked me to tell him anything he does wrong and how he can fix it. Ok seriously, I would have told him if I could think of anything, but I just couldn't! I mean, ya, he plays video games...but only like an hour per week! And sometimes he spends time doing homework instead of spending time with me but...come on... I can't actually complain about that. My point is, I have the best husband :)
I know this is an insanely long post, but I feel like this past year deserves a lot of recognition. It has been one of the most memorable years of my life. If you read through this entire post, thank you for taking the time :) I hope you enjoyed learning about my life.
Love,
Wendy
To learn more about temples and the priesthood, you can go to: http://mormon.org/
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
The Proposal
Alright, so this is how it happened. I went to California (where Andre is this summer) a couple weeks ago as a surprise to Andre. I had it all planned out with his roommate Richard. They were all going out to dinner as roommates on Friday night, so I went to surprise him there at the restaurant. I walked in behind him and put my hands over his eyes. When he finally turned around and saw that it was me, he acted so surprised, "Babe, what are you doing here?" "Oh my gosh I can't believe you're here." I thought I was the best girlfriend in the world! So, dinner was over and he says, "Hey, I want to take you somewhere!" So I said, "Ok let's go!" Of course I didn't suspect anything because he didn't even know I was going to be there. So he drives me around Santa Clarita and we finally end at this place where he has lights and paper lanterns and all that cheezy, romantic stuff setup. I look around very confused for a few seconds and of course the first thing I say is, "You knew I was coming?!" He ignores my question and proceeds to pour his heart out to me. He said something about happiness and making me happy and making him happy and something else about happiness. I don't remember anything because the entire time I was trying to figure out how he planned this when he didn't even know I was coming! So he gets down on his knees and asks me to marry him and I just say something to the effect of, "I can't believe you knew I was coming!" And then I say, "Of course I'll marry you!" Then we kissed and got all mushy gushy and then his friends came out and I wanted to hit Richard for telling Andre I was coming, but at the same time, I couldn't be mad! How could I be?! Yes, he stole my thunder! It was supposed to be MY big surprise, but they turned it around on me and made it an even better big surprise. Then I got to spend the next 2 days with the love of my life as an officially engaged couple! Life is goooood! Also, I love Andre :) The end!
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Dreams Do Come True :)
Well, it's that time. That time in my life that I have looked forward to ever since I first learned what it was. That event that I have yearned for and dreamed about. That time I thought would never come when all I saw was everyone around me (at least that's what it felt like at times) falling in love and living that "fairytale." Yes, it's true. I'm getting married!! I have fallen in love and continue to fall in love more everyday. I am planning a wedding. MY wedding! For real! Yes, I am very, extremely excited. How could I not be?! But the road hasn't been easy. Getting here hasn't been a "fairytale" all the time. Falling in love was a whole lot harder for me that I ever imagined it would be, but lucky for me, I got to go through it with one of the most patient, loving, selfless people i have ever known. These experiences have helped me to know that for the rest of my life, I get to go through happiness, sadness, trials, tears, joy, fear, heart ache and complete contentment with that same person. My Heavenly Father has blessed me with the kind of man I always dreamed of marrying. I prayed and cried over having someone like Andre in my life for what felt like forever but really was only a few years compared to the time I get to spend with him from here on out. We get to spend the rest of eternity getting to know each other, learning about each others' strengths and weaknesses, working through unbearable hardship and experiencing indescribable joy. I feel ready for anything life is going to throw my way because I know I will have Andre right by my side. I am completely blind to the trials that we will face over the next 100+ years together. There are millions of scary things out in the world that can potentially hurt us, come between us and completely destroy us. There are experiences that we will go through that right now, we probably can't even fathom, but we're gonna survive it together. Why? Because that's the only option we are giving ourselves! We're going into this together, and there's no one I would rather do it with! I'm not perfect. Andre isn't perfect. No one is perfect! We both have flaws, we both make mistakes, we most definitely will argue and disagree on things and will probably want to run away from it all. I know that there are things we will find out about each other that aren't so great. I'm not ignorant. I know marriage isn't going to be nothing but bliss and "happily ever after." But I do know that if we go into this commitment with the same desires, goals and determination, we'll be just fine :) In the end, I LOVE Andre, and love can be a very strong thing. I believe it can work miracles. I also believe that when Jesus Christ is at the center of our lives, He will never let us fail. It's not going to be easy, but it IS going to be worth it :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)