2 years!

Well, the day has come and gone with much pondering and reminiscing about the Philippines. As of Thursday I have been home from my mission for two years. I had a great celebration with Filipino's and people who served in the Philippines, we ate great food, talked a lot, and luaghed even more. It was the best way that I could celebrate my 2 years from being home. Although it is hard to believe that the time has passed so quickly, I have been so blessed. It has definately been an eventful two years since my time back in the states so here are some things that have happend since my return...

*Colorado trip with Jen and her friends to see Wicked. Truly Amazing!*Took a trip to San Diego with mission friends to visit the Hamson's and the Brown's

*Moved to Rexburg with my best friend Crystal

*Took Kyle to the MTC to serve in the Kentucky Louisville Mission. We love you bud!

*Started school in the Early Childhood Special Education Program at BYU-Idaho

*Participated in the Open House and Dedication of the Rexburg Temple

*The birth of my brother's daughter, Averie Karren, in July...what a sweet girl

*Still in school at BYU-Idaho ;)

Some things I look forward to in the next year are...

*Vacationing to California with my family and celebrating Dad's 50th birthday in April and Mom's in September!

*Student teaching in Las Vegas and graduating with a Bachelor's Degre!

*Turning 25!

*A trip back to the Philippines (that may be a little more than a year away, but not by much!)

I learned to love the Philippines and the Filipino people while serving them in Cebu. I am so grateful that I made the choice to serve the Lord and his children for a year and a half, it changed my life dramatically and I hope that I was able to touch someone's heart through the spirit in me. I miss everything that I left behind, but the people will always be in my heart. I plan to return soon and visit the temple that was announced while I was there. It is half way done, I hope to make it out for the dedication. My life is amazing with the regular ups and downs of a college student but the Lord has blessed me in ways unimaginable. I thank you all for your support in my life and for the blessing you have been to me, expecially my family. What stregth they provide! I love you all!

IDIOT!!!

I haven't posted in a while and I got this through email and it totally made me laugh...hopefully it makes you laugh too!

Warning. There are idiots walking among us:

IDIOT SIGHTING #1: We had to have our garage door repaired. The Searsrepairman told us that one of our problems was that we did not have a'large enough' motor on the opener. I thought for a minute, and said that wehad the largest one Sears made at that time, a 1/2 horsepower. He shook hishead and said, 'Sir, you need a 1/4 horsepower.' I responded that 1/2 waslarger than 1/4. He said, 'NO, it's not.' Four is larger than two..'Okay...

IDIOT SIGHTING #2:My son and I drove through the McDonald's take-out window. Our total was$4.25. I gave the girl at the window a $5 bill, plus a quarter.She said, 'you gave me too much money.' I said, 'Yes, but this wayyou can just give me a dollar back.' She sighed and went to get themanager who asked me to repeat my request. I did so, and he handed me backthe quarter, and said 'We're sorry but we cannot do that kind ofthing.' The window girl then proceeded to give me back $1 and 75 cents inchange. Hmmm...

IDIOT SIGHTING #3: We live in a neighborhood that gets quite of bit ofwildlife migrating from the nearby Latah Creek canyon. One of our neighborswas circulating a petition to remove the "DEER CROSSSING" sign at the end ofthe road. The reason: 'Too many deer are being hit bycars out here! I don't think this is a good place for them to be crossinganymore.' Roger that...

IDIOT SIGHTING IN FOOD SERVICE #2 : My son went to a local Taco Bell andordered a taco with 'minimal lettuce.' The Einstein behind the counter saidhe said he was sorry, but they only lettuce they had was ice berg. Maybe thehairnet was a little too tight...

IDIOT SIGHTING #4: I was checking my bags at SeaTac airport. The counteragent asked, 'Has anyone put anything in your baggage withoutyour knowledge?' To which I replied, 'If it was without my knowledge, howwould I know?' She smiled knowingly and nodded,'That's why we ask..'You gotta love Alaska Airlines...

IDIOT SIGHTING DOWNTOWN: The downtown stoplights give off a chirping soundwhen the "walk" sign comes on.A lady who was waiting to cross with me askedwhat the chirping meant, and I explained that it was intended tosignal blind people when it was safe to cross. Appalled, she responded,'What are blind people doing driving?!

IDIOT SIGHTING AT THE OFFICE : I work with an individual who plugged herpower strip back into itself and couldn't understand why her system wouldnot turn on. At least she didn't try to stick a fork in it...

IDIOT SIGHTING #5:My wife had to pick up her car at an automobile dealership. She was told thekeys had been locked in it, and found a mechanic working feverishly tounlock the driver side door. My wife tried the passenger side door, andfound it was unlocked. 'Hey,' she said to the mechanic, 'this side isunlocked.' 'I know, I already got that side,' was his reply. Sure hope theywarrantee their work...

STAY ALERT! They walk among us... and the scary part is that they VOTE and theyREPRODUCE

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! It was so good to be with my family for the holidays, but I still think about the mission around this time of year (ok, so everyday...but especially now)! It is part of me...and I even started listening to Christmas music in October...it is the Filipino in me! It's not my fault...;) As long as there is a "ber" at the end of the month it is leagal to listen to Christmas music and decorate...yes, it is true! So sue me!

We made pizza, I ate it, Jen smiled, and Haley picked her nose...each doing what we do best! We all know that I love food!

Got PJ's (I am trying to convince my mom to start that tradition!) Check out how everyone has a matching buddy...except for the kids. Jen and I decided that we better get married if we want someone else to match with! Then on Christmas morning...

We shoveled LOTS of snow, and...

we got to watch Easton open his presents with all the magic of Santa Claus involved! SO FUN! Then, FINALLY...

We were able to talk to my baby brother, Kyle, on his mission! He is serving in the Kentucky Lousiville Mission! It was such a great Christmas...I can't wait for next year when we will all be back together! What a wonderful time of year! May the new year bring much happiness and joy to everyone!

I'M GOING TO DISNEYLAND!

Well, my dad's 50th birthday is coming up and so we are all going to Disneyland! This will be the first long distance trip that I have been with the whole fam...including the kids. I am so excited to see Easton on all of the rides, and Haley has been there with kids and strollers before so she knows how to work the system with that! Boo ya! Here is how my parents told us on Christmas morning...


Oh, and that is the adorable apron that Jen gave me! Thanks fam!

Well, what can you say? Change is inevitable! This past semester has been a blessing when it comes to roommates (and much more...) but really, they were all amazing and I am so grateful that I had the chance to live with them. Things are changing for this semester, but I am hoping that all is well in the roommate department. We are going to miss Debbie and Elise but I will sure be glad to have them back in the summer. Crystal is now graduated and we will miss her, but we are excited to see what her new beginnings bring her! Love you all, girls!

Digital Scrapbooking

So I do believe that this could become a new hobby. I have been home from school for a week now and here are some things that have been keeping me occupied...let me know what you think. It's addicting!

Nindota ang templo oi!

Is this not a gergeous picture of the Provo Temple? This is one of my favorite temples because I received my own endowments there and I went there every week during my stay at the MTC. Lots of memories inside of this holy edifice! So Jen and I went to the temple in Saturday. We were going to do initiatories since they are quicker and we had to budget our time. Well, we got there and the wait was an hour...for initiatories! Insane! But I am really glad that we ended up doing a session. When we took our seats in the chapel Jen leaned over and asked if I had ever done a session in Cebuano. I replied saying that I had never had the chance, I looked in to it at Rexburg but they did not offer Cebuano. She told me that Provo did and that I should get a headset. That made me really excited but people were proceeding to the endowment room at that point so I figured that I would just have to come back. Lucky enough we didn't make it to that session, so I hurried up and talked to a temple worker requesting that I get headphones for Cebuano. I was so excited! It almost made me cry and made my desire even greater to return soon to the Philippines. One the movie started and I heard the different voices I started recognizing some of them! The voice of Elohim was the Stake President in my 2nd area. All of the stake conferences I went to (along with General Conferences) on the mission I was in the same area and stake! Then the voice of Jehova was the voice of a member from my last area. He is a pioneer member there in Cebu and we worked to reactivate his daughter. What a neat experience to listen to the Temple Session in Bisaya and remember the blessings which I recieved from the misison! SO COOL!