Happiest Place on Earth (first half of Day 1)

Welcome to Disneyland! The kids are in awe.

Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts, Mary Poppins and Bert met us when we entered. A band played Christmas songs and the characters paraded around in a circle. Katelyn and Sammie got to walk around with Mary Poppins (sadly, they didn't know who she was; they still need to see that one).

The long wait to get onto the Finding Nemo Submarine was well worth it. Alex was mesmerized during the entire ride. Sammie was sitting on my lap and got a little scared at times. I really enjoyed the ride.

Everyone enjoyed the interactive Buzz Lightyear ride.

I came off CHAMPION with 208, 700 points!

Lauren, KK and Sammie then took a turn at the wheel and drove around Autotopia. Sammie and I were together in a car and she couldn't see anything, so I pressed the gas and she steered the wheel in a haphazard sort of way. We were laughing our heads off.

Next, we watched the Christmas parade. I asked Sammie to show me how excited she was for the parade and this was her reaction.

What a doll!

Lionel Lives

For those of you that don't know, I have a pet dragon named Lionel. He lives in the hood of my car and comes out when I turn on the heat (and when the A/C is on as well). As mentioned in a previous blog post, I took my car into the shop to fix an A/C related problem. This morning when I went to pick Big Red up from the shop I turned on the heat to make sure that Lionel was still around. At first I was shocked and saddened because I couldn't hear him. But not too long after that, he appeared. (I think he was just sleeping). I am so so happy that Lionel did not leave me and that we can continue our good times together on the way to work and on roadtrips and just zooming around town.

Here's to you, Lionel!

The Youngs

This is my Bishop and his wife Nancy and they are two fantastic people!

When I moved into this ward 5 months ago, I knew the first week that it was the right decision. Actually I already had a great impression on the ward based on the number of amazing women in the ward that work at the temple. I remember my first week at the temple, Sis. Young gave me a tour of the temple from top to bottom. I knew this was a special lady and when I found out that she was the wife of the Bishop of the DC 2nd Singles' Ward, I thought that I would really love to be in that ward. And by God's will and help, I moved in.

Bishop Young is so wonderful. He is incredibly funny, intensely spiritual, openly generous and has a heart of gold. He is a man of God that truly has a love for his calling and for each member of the ward. I don't know how someone could not feel and understand that.

Nancy has become such a good, sweet, and fun friend. I enjoy seeing her at the temple, at church and at FHE. Last month we gave her a fantastic surprise party for FHE; I could just feel the love our ward members have for her and for eachother. (This is a truly great ward!) Anyways, before the festivities, we asked her to get up and bear her testimony and it was so powerful. The room was mesmerized by her. Something that she said I will never forget. "More important than your job, than your school, than almost anything else in your life right now, is for you to focus on finding your eternal companion. That should be your main focus." When the ward mother speaks, we obey. :)

They are just so incredible and I feel extremely blessed to know them and to be associated with them. I can tell this is only the beginning of a beautiful time together.

Life's Voyage

"Please Aslan," said Lucy. "Before we go, will you tell us when we can come back to Narnia again? Please. An oh, do, do, do make it soon."

"Dearest," said Aslan very gently, "you and your brother will never come back to Narnia."

"Oh, Aslan!!" said Edmund and Lucy both together in despairing voices.

"You are too old, children," said Aslan, "and you must begin to come close to your own world now."

"It isn't Narnia, you know," sobbed Lucy. "It's you. We shan't meet you there. And how can we live, never meeting you?"

"But you shall meet me, dear one," said Aslan.

"Are-are you there too, Sir?" said Edmund.

"I am," said Aslan. "But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there."

(The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis)

Can I just say, I LOVE reading the Chronicles of Narnia series!! I never want it to end. The symbolism is extremely beautiful to me. The passage above is probably one of my most favorite passages of yet.

Christ wants us to come to know Him. We spent time with Him and our Heavenly Father in the pre-mortal life. I do not remember much, but I do know that I was one that raised my voice in support of Jesus Christ's plan. My voyage on earth is to seek Him once more.

Over the course of their visits to Narnia, the Pevensie children came to know Aslan and trusted that He would be there always to help them. There were times that most of them had doubts and couldn't see him, but little Lucy was always a faithful disciple of his. In the end, they never wanted to be parted from Aslan again. They wanted to feel the warmth of his love and protection from harm.

I know that our Savior Jesus Christ is our protector, mediator, defender, and advocate and is tender, loving, kind, and forgiving. We can come to know Him and feel of His power if we believe with faith and seek Him. I am extremely excited about 2011 as I intend to more fully seek my Savior.

Lazy Pants

I've done nothing but read, sleep and eat today and am therefore feeling lazy about everything...especially blogging. So while I have something in mind to blog about today, it's probably not going to happen until tomorrow. I want to give my topic its full attention, and right now is not the time.

Let's just say I stayed in my sweats all day. :)

I Need a Man!

Guess who just had a big spoonful of Nutella

to help swallow my car repair bill?!

I took my car into the shop this morning because it was making a very loud whining noise. Come to find out it is likely associated with the "repairs" I had last year to my A/C.

Yeah, it's about time I got a man in my life to help advocate for me. Or if that doesn't happen, maybe I should just become a mechanic.

Dear Friends - Book of Mormon Style

Alma 15: 16-18

16 And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek, Amulek having forsaken all his gold, and silver, and his precious things, which were in the land of Ammonihah, for the word of God, he being rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his father and his kindred;

17 Therefore, after Alma having established the church at Sidom, seeing a great check, yea, seeing that the people were checked as to the pride of their hearts, and began to humble themselves before God, and began to assemble themselves together at their sanctuaries to worship God before the altar, watching and praying continually, that they might be delivered from Satan, and from death, and from destruction—

18 Now as I said, Alma having seen all these things, therefore he took Amulek and came over to the land of Zarahemla, and took him to his own house, and did administer unto him in his tribulations, and strengthened him in the Lord.
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Wow, when I was reading these verses last night, my breath was taken away. What love Alma had for Amulek! Amulek was basically disowned by his family and friends, but Alma (him being an instrument in God's hands to deliver this love) took care of him.
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Now let's look back at Alma 8:19-22. Alma had been preaching in Ammonihah and was rejected by the people so he left the city. He was then visited by an angel and commanded to return back to Ammonihah and preach again. So he went back and here's what happened.

19 And as he entered the city he was an hungered, and he said to a man: Will ye give to an humble servant of God something to eat?

20 And the man said unto him: I am a Nephite, and I know that thou art a holy prophet of God, for thou art the man whom an angel said in a vision: Thou shalt receive. Therefore, go with me into my house and I will impart unto thee of my food; and I know that thou wilt be a blessing unto me and my house.

21 And it came to pass that the man received him into his house; and the man was called Amulek; and he brought forth bread and meat and set before Alma.

22 And it came to pass that Alma ate bread and was filled; and he blessed Amulek and his house, and he gave thanks unto God.
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I truly enjoy reading about these two great missionaries that listened to the Lord and emulated the beautiful quality of charity to eachother in their times of need. That's the kind of friend I want to be. That's the kind of wife I want to be. That's the kind of mother I want to be.

I love the Book of Mormon. I have read it so many times and have never noticed these verses. I'm grateful that the Spirit lead me to read and learn something new.