The Lone Star State

Lubbock, Texas
July 5th
English Speaking

And how lucky am I that we have a temple there?!

I just hope I'm close enough, at some point, to be able to go there.
So gorgeous!

Dilema

I wake up every morning loving the feeling of my blanket cocoon. Never wanting to get out of bed and yet knowing that it must be done. 

Then that afternoon brick wall of tiredness hits me, and I cannot WAIT until I am allowed to feel tired. 

And then I get to this time of day. LATE. It is well past the time when I should have all the lights off and be in dreamland but all I want to do is anything but that. 

Riddle me this. 

My Call

I was anxiously awaiting and anticipating my call to come this past Wednesday.
Did it come? No.
Was I sad, disheartened, and basically disappointed? Yes.
I just can't wait to find out where I am going.
Am I a bit impatient? Yes, and a bit of a control freak, so this has been KILLING me!

But I did have a nice distraction all Wednesday-
My BFF Andrea and her man Justin tied the knot! It was beautiful: the day, the dress, the people, the place, the venue. It was just all very grand, and I couldn't be happier for the two of them. Photos are yet to come, but until then here is something exciting...

I talked to my Bishop, who has the ability to look online to see the progress of my papers. (why I didn't do this a week ago, I don't know) And he told me that as of March 22 (yesterday) my call has been assigned!!!

I have never known all that goes into assigning calls for the church. So, I researched and wanted to share this gem from President Henry B. Eyring:

“All my life, from the time I have been a young boy and as far back as I can remember, I have had experiences feeling of the Holy Ghost. … But I’ve never felt what I have felt as I have … participated in the assigning of missionaries. …

“We go into a room, and … it will be a two-or three-hour session and sometimes longer. Because of technology, it is possible for us to have your picture and the information about you displayed. And then quickly, on that same screen, all the missions of the Church with all of their needs are displayed. Within minutes, and sometimes less than a minute, the impression comes so powerfully that it would be, if it were a single instance, something that you would never forget. Can you imagine sitting there for hours at a time, having that happen time after time without interruption? I testify to you that it is real. …

“… In a world so large, the Creator … somehow not only knows you but loves you enough to ensure that your call is where He needs you to go to teach the children of our Heavenly Father.” “Called of God” (devotional address delivered at the Provo Missionary Training Center, Aug. 26, 1997).

Isn't that amazing?! I cannot wait! I really feel that there is someone out there that I personally am supposed to teach. Really I don't care where the location is, because I truly know that it is where I am supposed to be!  


What is really going to kill me is finding out when I leave. I'm ready, let's go!!

:(

I hit a new coolness level today.
Yep, I am a month away from being 22 and crying at the dentist.
And the worst part is that he was SO NICE about it... which made me cry more. I felt like saying "You know if you were mean about it and told me to suck it up I wouldn't have tears streaming down the sides of my face right now!"  The pain in my jaw was pretty intense and there my cute little dentist is dabbing the sides of my face with a kleenex, telling me how he knows how bad this can hurt.  Basically a real cool point in my life. Oh Amanda.

Heard the Word

If you didn't yet know, or just heard rumor, it is true. My mission papers are in, and I am anxiously awaiting my call to serve the Lord for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
God works in mysterious ways, but this could not have come at a more perfect time. I graduate in April and had no other big plans for my life. A few months ago I prayed about a mission and at that time the answer as no. Little did I know that this would come as a fast whirlwind, and it only took me about 2 and a half weeks to get everything together when I felt impressed to start my papers. When it's right, it's right. And I cannot deny that I know I have been lead and guided to this exact position today.

My photo I sent in with my papers. 

Am I nervous? Yep.
Am I so excited I can hardly stand it? Absolutely!
Can I hardly contain myself waiting to see where in the world I am going? You know it!

 This is the map that is currently living in my front room. 

And all those colored squares are all the current guesses to where I will be living for 18 months. 

Join me in this amazing adventure: if you have yet to guess, please do so! 

I would love to add you to my collection and include you in the festivities! 

And never fret I will post as soon as I know my actual destination.  

a drop in the ocean

IN LOVE  with this song right now. I'm LOVIN' the sound of his voice and the piano... Oh boy! HE is my heaven!

Proud PROUD moment. That little black car is mine. 

As a dear friend commented, "Two years at the hospital has taught us much. Parallel parking is probably the most useful. :)"

That's right. My two year sentence at the hospital will be up this week!! (we can all now break out into singing praises, and have a huge celebratory party: which is why I am treating myself to a cruise in May!) 

Anyhow, I just had to take a picture of my parking job due to many a conversation about some people's lack of skills and some of our AMAZING skills. (ok, ok I'm done bragging.) .... but in case you couldn't tell: there is probably about 7 inches between me and the car behind me, and then about a foot between my car and the one in front. (yes I made sure the car behind me had PLENTY of room to get out: it had like 4 feet between it and the car behind)

My mom says I get it from my dad: so THANK YOU DAD: for sharing your birthday with me, for passing on your red hair, and for the inherent parallel parking skills.