welcome back

You know you're in Utah when it snows and is 37 degrees at the end of May.

You know you're in Texas when it is hot, humid, & 97 degrees at the end of May.

Welcome back, ready or not!

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Also, I made a blog for/about my mission. You can locate that little guy here.

home.

Home.

Is it possible to have more than one?

Dallas, Texas is forever home. This is where I was born and bred. I would say I am Texan through and through! When I'm at school, I miss it so much! There is family love. This is where my parents, siblings, and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are. These are the people I love because they helped shape me into who I am today. I feel comfortable here, knowing that it holds my past.

But now that I am at my forever home, my heart is longing for its other home: Provo. There's all sorts of love up in that place too: friend love, roommate love, cousinly love, Swim's love, student singles ward love, Relief Society love...love out the wazoo! Although Dallas shaped me, Provo has refined me. Being away from "home" has led to so much growth! I feel like I've progressed as much in the past 3 years as I had all 17 years growing up.

I'm anticipating that Kirtland, Ohio is about to become home too. Cuz heaven knows there's gonna be love spreading all around that place! When I was serving as a Relief Society President, there were times when I literally felt like my heart and my body was going to explode because of all of the love I was feeling for my girls. So..I can only imagine when I can dedicate all day, every day to serving the Lord and His children how much love I'll be feeling then!

Basically, I think "they" are right: home is where the heart is because home is where the love is.

Just something to look forward to...

I think God was laughing when He inspired the apostles to send me to Ohio. See below for reasoning:

Kirtland is located in the snowbelt region of Lake Erie, and has snowfall and weather patterns similar to nearby Chardon. In this area, annual snowfall averages over 100 inches (2.5 m) per year, and anecdotal evidence indicates seasonal snowfall can exceed 250 inches (6.4 m) in some microclimate areas. (Thank you Wikipedia.)

Snow...my favorite. Ohhhh joy!

i want to do something CRAZYYYY so i don't go crazy here!!!

i think i'll buy a ticket to utah.

okay.

structure wanted. and needed.

Soooooo basically it hit me today that I do much better in a structured environment than I do in one that's not structured. I need a schedule. I'm a planner. I need to-do lists and goals in mind.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I love home. I love its dishwasher. I love its garbage disposal. I love its homey-ness, its heat, its humidity. I love having all sorts of family all around. It is wonderful!

But, school is good for me. I feel like I have purpose when I am there. I hold callings, I do work, I rush around like crazy... and there are people for me to see and to interact with.

Here...it's just not the same. So, I guess what I'm saying is...

Provo, I miss you!

clarity.

Dear world,

I am so happy to say that once again, I know where my life is going!

All I had to do was....

With faith, everything worked out! It was just jumping, and trusting that Heavenly Father wouldn't let me fall. And guess what. He didn't!


I made a decision and He gently let me know that wasn't quite right and led me back to the path that my life needs to take.

That said, I will be serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!

I GET TO BE A SISTER MISSIONARY!!!!!!!

On Sunday, I will be submitting my mission papers and I should have a call by the end of this month.

I am so happy that I get to share the thing that has brought me more joy in my life than can be imagined with other people.

Having direction in my life brings me so much peace. It's a beautiful thing!

Lots and lots and lots of love,
Leash

prayer

Honestly, the Priesthood is something that will never cease to amaze me. It truly is the power of God.

I got a blessing on Sunday night. I know that it came from Heavenly Father because some of the things it addressed were things I had not brought up to anyone.

The best piece of advice/promise?

"Wear out your knees seeking His guidance and He will ever be with you."

in the dark...

"Keep thou my feet;

I do not ask to see the distant scene-

One step enough for me....

I loved to choose and see my path;

but now, lead thou me on."

I have no idea where I'm going to be in the next 4-7 months of my life.

I thought I did...up until about a month ago.

Now I'm just a little bit confused.

All I want to do is whatever Heavenly Father wants me to do!

I'm sincerely trying to figure out what exactly that is, and trying to let one step at a time be enough for me. That song at the top of this entry is what I'm striving for.

It's just hard though! Imagine a room that's pitch black with only me in it. My task is to find the door. Picture me with my hands out in front of me, repeatedly bumping into the walls, struggling to know which way to go....and welcome to my life right now!

In my blessing that I got before school, it says that I'm not shown the whole path but turn by turn, I'll be instructed to my destination. That, coupled with previous experiences, reassures me that Heavenly Father's looking out for me and He's going to put me where He needs me to be. That brings me some comfort.

Still...not knowing where you're going is SCARY. However, I know that walking by faith requires moving...so walls in that dark room, meet Alicia. I have a feeling we're going to be really good friends by the time I finally find that door.

just a little bit of bragging...

I would just like to say that yesterday, I resisted eating an entire pack of M&Ms and 2 cupcakes (CUPCAKES!!!!) that were offered to me on separate occasions. Yes, please feel free to applaud. :)

Hooray for sticking with New Years Resolutions!

hello 2010!

Dear 2010,

HELLO! Sorry that it has taken almost 3 weeks for me to acknowledge your presence in my life. It's been a little bit crazy since I've been back in the bubble that is Provo.

Life is so good right now!

I'm in the second semester of the Elementary Education major, aka the 1st Cohort. Basically, that means I have pretty much all my classes with the same 30 people. It's kind of nice but I miss all of my other friends from the arts semester that aren't in the Provo cohort! My classes include: El Ed 302 (Planning and Management), El Ed 351 (Multicultural Education), Mth Ed 306 (Concepts of Math), El Ed 356 (Teaching Reading and Language Arts), IP&T 301 (Educational Psychology) and IP&T 287 (Instructional Technology in Teaching).

They aren't so bad. I especially like Wednesdays and Fridays because I only have 1 class and it's done at 9:00 am! Last week on Wednesday, I got up and ran around the track for 40 minutes before class and then went to the temple right after class. It was probably the best day of the week. I'm hoping to keep that up for the rest of the semester.

Church is...hmm...how to describe it?

awesome. crazy. long. so so uplifting. more enjoyable than it's ever been before. energizing. rewarding.

This semester I have the blessing of serving as one of the 3 Relief Society presidents in my ward. Although I was really intimidated by the calling when they first told me at the end of November, I feel better about it now. I mean, I feel a lot of responsiblity on my shoulders but can I tell you something?

I HAVE NEVER BEEN HAPPIER.

I feel so much love in my life: my Heavenly Father's love for me, His love for the girls that are in my Relief Society, my love for those girls and all those around me... it is honestly the most incredible feeling I've ever felt. I don't really know how to describe it. This feeling of charity has just filled up my whole body. I feel like my heart can't hold it all in. Don't think I'm weird...the feelings actually pretty amazing.

Anyways, I have to go now to take advantage of my holiday and do the homework that I procrastinated...woohoo. (Not.)

Oh, p.s. guess what random thing I'm doing this semester?
Inner tube waterpolo.
That's not a joke. I have no idea how it's even played. Hahaha I must say, I'm pretty stoked to look like a complete idiot.

Here's to a most excellent 2010...I'm feeling like it's got great things in store for me!

Love you all!

Leash