RUSSIA here I come!!

I got my Mission Call!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm going to the Russia, Novosibirsk Mission and I report August 26th!!

I'm freaking out! Haha! But I'm way excited at the same time. My call came a week before I was expecting!! It came yesterday and I opened it last night! It was such a surprise!! So I opened it in Rexburg, and had my family on a webcam. So it worked out well.

I still can't believe this is real- I'm getting sent to a foreign country! Russia was such an obvious choice because I've taken some Russian language classes in college, but I seriously never thought I would be sent there! I dunno, it's blowing my mind!

But I feel so priviledged to be sent there- and I know that the place and the time are exactly where Heavenly Father needs me to be. And I know that there are people in Russia waiting to hear of their loving Heavenly Father and are eager to come to Him.

I have a month after school's out to buy all the stuff I need to buy, and get the final details figured out, so that's a blessing in a way. I was wanting to leave right after school got out and not wait around, but this could be good for me.

I know I kept going on a mission on the DL, and kinda a secret... I dunno... It just felt right to not let it out yet.

SO anyway!! I will be putting my address on here, so y'all better write me!!!!!!!!!!

Love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!




*The stuff in the purple is my mission. I'm pretty much going to FREEZE to death!!*

It's official...

SOOOOOO a couple weeks ago before I headed to school in Rexhole, I met with my bishop, then my stake president. I got all my medical and dental work, along with all of my interviews done within about two weeks- which was a miracle how everything worked out just right.
I'm going on a mission!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My papers went in officially on April 25th- my availability date is July 25th- two days after school ends. Who knows if I'll actually leave that soon. That would be kinda nice... I don't really want to wait around to leave once I get my call.
So hopefully next week I will be getting my call and finding out where I will be spending the next 1 1/2 years of my life!

I have been thinking about going on a mission since I was like... 19. After a while it became kind of a stressful thing because the sooner the time came that I needed to figure out if going on a mission was what Heavenly Father wanted, I was praying A LOT. I wasn't getting any answers. But as of recently I really put my faith in Him, knowing that He knows best. I decided to go for it, knowing that if it wasn't the right choice, it wouldn't work out. As of so far things have been working out pretty much perfectly. I am SO excited to go serve.

I know that there is nothing better I could be doing with my time at this point in my life than serving God and His children. I know that wherever I am sent, it is where I am supposed to be. I am so excited to help others come to their loving Heavenly Father. I want to teach my brothers and sisters of the truth. I know that it's going to be hard, but I know that Heavenly Father will direct me and always be with me. I know that He loves His children so much, that He will have them hear the truth by whatever means He sees fit. I feel so priviledged to be an instrument in His hands.

Now the wait begins.....

Love Story meets Viva La Vida

I found this from someone else's blog and I LOVED IT!! Jon Schmidt is amazing-- it's definitlely worth watching the whole 8 minutes.

Clay Ethan Reed!!

Thursday, April 16th at 11:45-ish pm, Clay Ethan Reed was born!! My new little nephew!! He was 7 lbs, 4 oz, and 20 inches long. He was a bit early, so he's a big boy for being premature! He is sooooooooo cute! And so sweet! I just love him! I'm so happy to be an aunt!!! Here are some pics:

Oh...MacGyver...I hardly know you!

So I watched MacGyver for the first time last night. Now I know why everyone was so upset that I had never seen it... it's amazing!

...2009...

It's been a while since the last time I updated!
Life is good right now- I've just been doing a lot of working and trying to take it easy sometimes. :) I'm taking an online class right now, which is probably one of the dumbest choices I could make. Mainly because I am SUCH a procrastinator. It's a really bad habit- and I have been working to cure that. :)
Right now in my singles' ward I am a ward missionary and I LOVE it. It's amazing how much you learn to love complete strangers (until you become friends with them and love them even more). I am really going to miss that when I go to school in a month. I never thought I'd say it, but I'm really going to miss singles' ward... and the people from here. I have come close to many new people this time around... and it's going to be hard to say goodbye for a few months. I am excited and ready for a change of pace tho, and that's the blessing of going back to BYU-I. And I LOVE school. I am always sad to come home after a semester. I guess change is just hard for me!
This new year has been really good for me. Based on the things I learned in 2008, I feel like I've accomplished a lot already- in 3 months. I will never take back the experiences I've had in the past year or the lessons learned. I feel like I changed so much in 2008. I didn't know that was possible... until it happened to me.
Here are some highlights/things I've learned in 2008:
Humbling myself to work at Fred Meyer- I am so prideful when it comes to jobs... and I overcame that a little. Or maybe it just re-affirmed to me that I hate working in retail...hah
Trying to juggle two jobs... it's hard! I applaud anyone who can do that
Realizing how much I adore institute. I have grown to love and respect those teachers- they're all so close to the spirit... and it helped me be closer to him as well
Summer semester at BYU-I......... growing to love photography even more....going to devotional... going to the TEMPLE every week!!! I could always tell the difference when I didn't go. Gaining dear friends.... learning the importance of priesthood blessings (that will change me forever)...
The beauty of Spokane in the spring. Coming home Memorial Day weekend to smell of the beautiful lilacs and see the river sooo high! I appreciated Spokane more than ever after that
Picnics with my best friends at Manito Park
Weekly walks to Porter Park to "study" in the sun with Tyanna
Photo sessions with Allison and Tyanna
Having girls nights with my roomies
Reading mystery books with my sis-in-law, along with sewing and just hanging out together
Trips to Seattle and visiting the Brodheads
Lifehouse concert. One of the best concerts I've been to
Seattle trip with my best friends. WOWZA!!
Shooting guns for the first time
Scapbooking nights until the wee hours of the morning with Jen
Realizing that I will never dye my hair again....
Many YSA and FHE activites
Chiefs hockey games
Doing something every weekend with my good friends
Meeting SO many new people and gaining so many friends
Working at Call Realty and realizing the importance of being a member of the church and what that stands for. I have come so close to the Lord by working there. Learning the importance of being Christlike- no matter how hard it is or who you're being christlike to. It's always important Reading my scriptures every night and noticing the difference
Mission prep class at BYU-I
Going to Canada for the first time with Dave
Learning what's good for me, and what only brings me down. And the type of people I should be around
Going to the gym with Jen... sometimes at the butt crack of dawn
Realizing how much you really can influence people ... whichever way you want to
Realizing how much I can be influenced without noticing it
Growing to love so many people... sometimes I wonder how it's possible. Then I remember how awesome they are and how I would never be the same without them in my life
Learning to give people the benefit of the doubt...
Learning how I like life a lot more when I am kept busy
Learning how I am SO grateful for my family.... immediate and extended. They are amazing!!!!!
Learning how Heavenly Father ANSWERS PRAYERS. No matter how petty or silly I think they are. I've really seen His love for me this past year. He is aware
Learning how I need to appreciate my parents more. They are always supportive of me
Eating duck for the first time
Seeing so many tender mercies from the Lord
Learning that I could never have accomplished anything without help from my Heavenly Father Learning to trust
Watching many friends get married
Learning that I still have a lot to learn

I hope you are all well and happy and I love you all!!

I found the COOLEST site to pimp up your pictures! I am in love. Now I just need an SLR to take awesome pictures with so I can pimp 'em.

Check it out!!

Here it is.