black friday, in more ways than one

Usually on Black Friday, I try not to go anywhere because I can't stand massive amounts of people, lines, parking, etc, but I decided to go shopping and brave the crowds.  It really wasn't that bad.  In fact, at both malls I went to, I got decent parking spots, and I didn't have to drive around forever.

I didn't get much, seeing as I'm a poor college student, but I can see how saving up for Black Friday and going Christmas shopping can be pretty nice.  I can't believe the sales that go on!  

I finally got to see Twilight today!  I actually thought it was pretty good, and then I went and bought the soundtrack right afterward.  It is a cheesy movie, but I think it was well done.  I am not looking forward to New Moon because Edward takes a back seat in the book, and I really don't like who they cast as Jacob, even though he did a good job in Twilight.  And a whole movie of just Bella and Jacob sounds awful, but I know I'll probably like it anyway.  Now I kind of just want to read, watch, and listen to the Twilight series over and over.  I have no desire to do anything else!  Ha! Go figure! Thank you Stephenie Meyer!

I leave to go back to Idaho tomorrow, and I'm really not looking forward to it.  I don't want to go back.  I've enjoyed being home so much!  And I'm so worried about school, but it's only two weeks.  I'll get through it somehow, right?  I hope so!

a day of gratitude

It's already Thanksgiving!  And soon it will be Christmas! How exciting!

I'm grateful for so many things!  I've been richly blessed this year, and I don't even know where to start.

I'm grateful for... (in no particular order)

The opportunity to be home this year as my brother graduated from high school.

My new cousin-in-law, who makes four priesthood holders in my family.

The Coombs/Ball and Coburn family.  For their love and friendship.

All of my teachers I had growing up, especially everyone at West Hills.

The opportunity to return to BYU-Idaho and go back to school.

My brother who is awesome in every way and worthy to serve a full-time mission to Hiroshima, Japan.

The two close friends I have serving missions.  For their letters, examples, love, and friendship.

The two amazing bishops I have, up at BYU-I and down here in my home ward.  For their strength, love, support, and willingness to give me a blessing when needed.

My parents.  For bringing me into a home where the gospel was present enough for me to grow up in this church.

The temples.  The closeness and convenience of attending the temple, the light it is both literally and metaphorically, and for the strength, peace, and comfort I receive there.

A job both up at school and when I move back home in two weeks.  What a blessing, especially at this time in our economy.

My best friend.  For who she is, the things I've learned from her, and for everything she does for me.

My health.

Communication and technology, especially for cell phones, letters, and e-mails.

Music, both spiritual and other.  

People - acquaintances, friends, and family.  Including all of you.

Books, both inspirational and just for fun.

America, a country where I can believe what I want and vote for what I believe and not be persecuted for those beliefs.

The holidays, time to gather with family and close friends and remember what is most important.

My membership in the church and the knowledge I have that it is true.

My Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, the atonement, and repentance and forgiveness.

The Book of Mormon, all other scripture, the Ensign, general conference, prophets, and everything I have and know because of the gospel.

it feels SO good to be home!

I did it!  I surprised everyone back home!  Nobody, except Corey, had even the slightest idea I was coming home!  It was great!  Everyone's reactions were great!  I wish I could have had a video camera to record them all!  I love San Diego so much!  I can't believe I ever left!

I left Rexburg on Friday, and my friend and I were going to stay the night in Vegas with the two girls we were dropping off, but we decided to drive straight through.  I drove from Vegas to San Diego, while my friend slept in the back seat. So, I got to surprise Corey because he wasn't expecting me at 6:30 in the morning!  But I got no sleep that night, so I was dead tired.  It's really weird to watch the sun set and then to watch it rise again.  It was totally worth it though! And now I'm home for the week and so excited! I'm just bummed that I have SO much homework!

Now I need to go see Twilight!  And I have to go to In-N-Out and Beef-N-Bun!  And I should go to the beach sometime! It feels wonderful to be home!

this too shall pass

I feel my Savior's love.

Its gentleness enfolds me,

And when I kneel to pray,

My heart is filled with peace.

He knows I will follow Him,

Give all my life to Him.

I feel my Savior's love.

The love he freely gives me.

I am so grateful for hymns and their power to heal, calm, and lift our souls.

I'm grateful for the people Heavenly Father puts in our lives, that we may feel His and Christ's love for us through them. I'm grateful for people who live worthy to be conduits of their love, that I may be strengthened, comforted, and lifted.  That I may know that everything will be alright.

not just one but two! (50th Post!)

*Sorry, this is a really long post.  Brace yourselves...*

I had a really terrible day today.  Okay it wasn't that bad, but going to my calc class makes me feel like the world is coming to an end because I can't understand or learn anything in that class to save my life.  And I leave really angry because I feel so stupid, like I should get this and I can't.  Then work was just frustrating.  Basically, I feel like my job is pointless because there are three of us there in my department who stand around doing nothing, and I hate standing around doing nothing.  That's one of my biggest pet peeves.  Sure, I'm getting paid to do nothing, but I'd rather go do something productive. Anyway...

After work I had a meeting with my tour for MesoAmerica.  I got to see most of the people going next summer, and besides Caitlin, I kind of knew another girl there.  She and I both applied to be EFY counselors next summer and were in the same group interview.  So, that was fun to see her! She's a fairly new member of the church, but she has such a solid testimony!  She's amazing!  This meeting put me in a slightly better mood, but then after I walked home alone in the cold dark, which was slightly depressing.

Then I checked my mail, on my way to my apartment, which is just a daily routine now.  On my way home, I stop and get the mail.  Usually there is nothing, it's junk or a bill, or not for me, but not today!  I got two letters from my two best friends on missions.  I was kind of only expecting one, but I got two!  One is serving in Italy, and she comes home in December.  The other is serving in Ogden, and he been gone for almost seven months.  It was SO exciting to hear from them!  And they both included pictures!  I love them so much!  They are such wonderful friends!  I feel so blessed to have them in my life!

November 17.  Really?  November's almost over!  It's crazy! I'll be home in like four weeks!  I'm so excited!  Especially to see Corey!  More than anything!  And his call!  I love him so much!  I can't even be sad or think about missing him because I'm just so happy for him!  I'm not gonna lie, I'm a bit jealous too.  He's going to Japan!  That's the number one place on my list of places to go.  You may think that's weird, but I think it's because I had an uncle and a very close friend, like my second dad, serve missions there.  My uncle lived there for like 12 years I believe, and my friend lived there for five years, I think.  I may not be dying to try sushi or any other Japanese cuisine, but I just want to go there!

I have nine months until I could go on a mission!  That's crazy!  I can't believe how time has gone by since I graduated high school!  Life is crazy, but amazing!  I would honestly love to serve a mission!  And since October of last year, I've felt like I really would want to go.  This week, I've felt a little differently, but then getting letters from missionaries telling me how I will go on a mission and it would be so cool if I got called to Italy.  

Actually, my top three places to serve missions are Japan, Italy, and Utah. That may seem odd and random.  Japan, for obvious reasons.  I've always wanted to go there. Italy, because that is my number two place I want to go, and because I also know at least four people who have served missions there.  (My friend who is currently there, a friend from my aunt's ward, and two of my bishops.)  Utah, because I LOVE Utah.  I can't even explain it.  It's just this weird obsession I have.  

Ever since I could remember I wanted to go to BYU, and then I got sent to BYU Idaho, which was way disappointing. (But I quickly got over it, and I love Rexburg!)  But every time I drive through Utah, visit, or even think about it, I have the best feelings about that place! Some of my friends and roommates really thought I was from Utah. Apparently, they think I fit Utah better than California.  Haha!  And all growing up, I always wished I was from Utah.  I don't know why.  It's hard to explain.  I know lots of people that hate Utah, and it makes me sad.  I know lots of people who live in Utah and served and are are serving missions there, and I think Utah is overestimated as far as the church goes. There is a lot of missionary work to be done there.  Also, when I was little I wanted to serve my mission on Temple Square.  I don't know why.  Maybe I just want to see the temple every day.  The Salt Lake City Temple is my absolute favorite!  That's where I want to get married!  It's beautiful! San Diego and Rexburg temples come in as close seconds.

Anyway, enough dreaming about where I want to go on a mission.  For starters, I probably wouldn't get sent to any of those places just because they would be where I want to go. And if I do go on a mission, I know I will go where the Lord wants me to go and where He needs me most, where it would be best for me to be.  But for now, there has been no decision made as to serving a mission.  It's on my mind every day.  How could it not be?  I love the gospel!  I feel so blessed to have it in my life!  I wish everyone I knew had it too!  I don't know how they live life without it!  It truly has made me who I am.  I am forever indebted to my parents for being members and raising me in the church.  

I apologize for such a long post.  I just wanted to write, and I could have just wrote in my journal, but I felt like I wanted to share my feelings, since I don't usually write so much or go into a whole lot of detail.

Corey's Mission Call....

The moment you've all been waiting for.....

Corey is going to the Hiroshima, Japan mission.  He reports to the MTC in Provo, UT on February 11, 2009.  We're all SO excited for him!

the night Corey opened his call...

Thursday, November 6, 2008 Corey opened his mission call at 9pm his time, 10pm my time.  I guess, Preston opened his at 7pm their time, and he had a bunch of people at his house.  After Preston opened his call, everyone went over to our house since we just live about 2 or 3 blocks away from each other.  That's the most people we've ever had at our house!  It was crazy!  I could barely hear Corey over the phone because it was so loud!  It was just going to be the Densley's, the Abernathy's (Lahren & Will, Tayler & Jarom too), and Marty, but it turned into this huge thing!

Preston and Corey, who both report to the MTC on

February 11, 2009!

Preston holding Lahren's (our cousin) phone with Tayler (our cousin, Lahren's sister) on the line on the left of Corey, and Marty holding Corey's phone with me on the line.  Since neither of us could be there, this was the next best thing.

where did the semester go?

I just realized that I only have four more weeks of school.  I don't know where the semester went.  I have two weeks of school, one week off for Thanksgiving, two weeks of school, and then Christmas break.  That's crazy!  I'm so glad it's almost over!  I feel so burned out with school, and I'm definitely ready for a break.

I have decided that I am moving home at the end of the semester, and I will be home while I'm off-track.  I am very excited to be home and be with Corey as he gets ready to leave on his mission.  He reports to the MTC on February 11th, which is exactly a month after he turns 19, and exactly 6 months before I turn 21.

Corey and I will get to apply for our passports together.  It was so funny... Corey was telling me about everything he got with his mission call.  He was like, I have an application for a passport, so I guess we'll both be applying for our first passports together.  That made me happy!  I can't believe we're both going out of the country!  It will be quite an adventure!

As promised I will post Corey's mission call sometime tomorrow after church.  I think most everyone knows now, and if you don't, you now know he's serving foreign.

Until tomorrow...

what an incredible and exciting night!

I am SO excited for my brother!  Words can't even describe! He opened and read his call, and when he read where he was going I started crying.  I was just so happy!  I can't even express it!  I wish I could be home right now to give him a huge hug!  I just want to talk with him!  It killed me to hang up the phone with him tonight!  I just wanted to talk all night!

I will post on Monday where he is going and when he reports to the MTC.  I have people I want to contact personally and so does he, plus those of you who he'll see at church on Sunday and tell in person.  Sorry for the suspense!  But I promise Sunday night/Monday morning I'll post his call!

it's here!!!!!!

Corey's mission call came today!  It's here, well there in San Diego!  He's opening it tonight at 9pm PST at his house!  

I'm so excited!

what a long awaited day that will now go down in history

Finally, elections are over!  Honestly, I'm grateful that it's passed.  I'm a little worried about where our country is headed now, but I don't know too much about politics and things.  I know that things could always be much worse.  It was interesting to hear my friends reactions to Obama being elected president.  Some people are so excited and others want to flee the country now.  

Prop 8 is still on my mind though.  It looks like it's going to be pretty close.  I'm so glad that so many people were willing to really voice their opinion though.  I feel like the efforts made were very great!  And I'm so proud of my brother and all that he did to help with this important endeavor.

Well, things here in Idaho are the same, but it snowed today/tonight.  I think it's here to stay for real now because it is actually cold enough that it has frozen and stuck.  

What else?  Corey's call has not come yet.  I was talking to him again tonight.  He's like, Christina, you know you asked me twice today if my call came?  I said, yeah, but I'm just so excited!  I think I'm more excited than you.  He said, probably.  I haven't even had time to be excited.  Poor guy! He's been working so hard!  I know he is excited though!

I will keep you all posted!  As soon as I know and with his permission I'll tell you where he's going.

it's on the way!

I found out yesterday from Corey that his call packet was mailed from Utah on Friday, so sometime this week we'll have his call!

I am so excited for him!  I think I'm more excited than he is.  Last night, while we were talking he said, Christina, I'm not even thinking about that.  I was like, what???  You're not???  What are you thinking about???  He said, Prop 8. He has done so much work with Prop 8!  I think he's done more work for Prop 8 than most people in our ward, and he's only 18.

He's such an amazing guy!  I'm so lucky to have him as my brother!