One Year!

One year ago Derek and I were married in the Seattle, WA LDS temple. I was nervous, upset that I had a cold which was making my nose run nonstop, but I felt more excited than I had ever been before. 

I was holding my composure together perfectly until I looked across at Derek and saw his bottom lip trembling and his eyes full of tears. In my mind I was scolding him, "You better suck it up Derek or else I'm gonna lose it!" But at the same time I was thinking about how cute he looked and how sweet it was that he was having to hold back tears. 

After the temple ceremony, everything else went smoothly and perfectly. I don't think there was one hiccup throughout the day. However, I was the bride and floated on Cloud 9 for the rest of the day, so I acknowledge the definite possibility that I missed something. As Derek and I were driving away from our reception, he looked at me and asked if I would have changed anything about the day if I could have. I was able to honestly reply that I wouldn't change a thing.

All of these thoughts were running through my mind as I was sitting in the Las Vegas airport on the morning of our anniversary waiting for my flight to Oakland which would then take me to Seattle. I had been in St. George, UT the past few days for my best friend's wedding. It had been a wonderful trip, but I was ready to see Derek! I got off the plane in Seattle and walked outside, got in the car, and gave Derek a big smoocheroo.

We rode the ferry over to Gig Harber and stayed in the Wesley Inn. After checking in at the hotel, we went out to dinner at the Green House, stopped by Safeway to pick up some dessert, and headed back to celebrate our anniversary, eat dessert, and watch the Chopped marathon on TV. When we got back to the hotel, I opened the door and Derek had my gifts laid out on the table. He gave me a beautiful pair of earrings and a necklace. I love them. My gift to him was supposed to be given to him on our anniversary... but I forgot it was for our anniversary and gave it to him on Christmas. Oh well, he loves it just as much.

In the past year of being married I think we have learned a lot about each other.
1. I do not like to go much longer than an hour without any verbal communication from Derek. He feels that hours without verbal communication is just fine.
2. Derek loves to laugh... at anything. Especially at me when I make a mindless mistake or run into a stationary object. I have been getting better at just laughing at myself.
3. Derek is very good at making dinner on Sundays. I don't think I ever said anything about it to him, he just started and now it is something that I really appreciate.
4. Derek has learned that if I have the time, I like to take a while getting ready. He does not understand why I take longer if I can get ready in a shorter amount of time. He probably won't ever understand.

Here is a bit of our reception last year that the majority of our guests (outside of my family and some of Derek's family) didn't know was going to happen. I surprised Derek with a song.

To watch the video, click here.

I have loved being married! And since this has only been the first year, and I very excited to be married to Derek for many more years to come.

Good Tidings of Great Joy

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

My thoughts tonight are simple. It's Christmas Day, technically, and as we were reading the Christmas story during our Christmas Eve celebration, I noticed something. In verse 15, I noticed that the shepherds immediately thought to go find the baby Jesus, and in 16 we read that they "came with haste."

What would it be like to have been one of those shepherds? Living your life humbly, tending to your flock, and then seeing an angel and hearing that the Son of God, the Savior, Redeemer, and Messiah has just been born in Bethlehem. Wouldn't you get there as fast as you could? And wouldn't you go joyfully? I can't imagine the excitement felt and the peace that entered into the hearts of those shepherds. 

I love the Christmas Story. Here is a video that retells the story of that holy night.

Look Upward

My favorite book is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. The first copy of the book that I ever owned was given to me by my mom on my ninth birthday. I tried multiple times within that next year to get past chapter three, but struggled to continue. I was only nine years old trying to understand Jane Eyre. I mean, come on! Give me a break. At 11 years old I decided to finally sit down and read this book. Once I got to chapter six I was involved in the story. I loved Jane and was able to relate to her in a lot of ways, and found the romance written into the plot so real. 

When I finished the book, I closed it feeling sad that the story wasn't going to continue for the rest of my life. But I have re-read Jane Eyre multiple times, and I never tire of it. As long as there is at least a few months in between readings. 

As I was cleaning out our second bedroom today, I found a box of notebooks that I have saved to use as a future journal once I fill my current ones. One of them was given to me by my roommates D'Anne and Sarah when my grandmother died a year ago this last October. It is a notebook filled with quotes from authors, politicians, church leaders, historical figures, and scripture. I was flipping through the book reading the quotes, and when I saw that there was one by Charlotte Bronte, I already knew I was going to love it. It says, 

This made me think about how, during this entire moving process, I have been so focused on what we will be doing in the future. What we have been doing the past eight months. And what we will be doing this winter to help us prepare for coming back to Rexburg. It makes me a little distressed to think about the fact that Derek and I still have another two years left in school. I just want to be done with it and move on to the next phase of our lives where we have our home, with walls we can paint, carpet we can pick, and a backyard. I am always eager to look forward and anticipate what is coming next. But, I need to remember to continually look up, full of faith and trust, that the Lord knows what is best for me. 

In the October 2011 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Elder Carl B. Cook gave a talk entitled, "It Is Better to Look Up". He shared this story: 

At the end of a particularly tiring day toward the end of my first week as a General Authority, my briefcase was overloaded and my mind was preoccupied with the question “How can I possibly do this?” I left the office of the Seventy and entered the elevator of the Church Administration Building. As the elevator descended, my head was down and I stared blankly at the floor.

The door opened and someone entered, but I didn’t look up. As the door closed, I heard someone ask, “What are you looking at down there?” I recognized that voice—it was President Thomas S. Monson.

I quickly looked up and responded, “Oh, nothing.” (I’m sure that clever response inspired confidence in my abilities!)

But he had seen my subdued countenance and my heavy briefcase. He smiled and lovingly suggested, while pointing heavenward, “It is better to look up!” As we traveled down one more level, he cheerfully explained that he was on his way to the temple. When he bid me farewell, his parting glance spoke again to my heart, “Now, remember, it is better to look up.”

In the book of Mosiah in the Book of Mormon, we read: "9 Believe in God; believe that he is, …believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend."

I need to remember that the Lord will take care of me if I am faithful, keep His commandments, and trust in Him. If I just do my best to try and follow His will, then I won't need to look forward to be able to see the things I might trip over or stumble with in life. By looking up, I will see more that is ahead of me than I ever could by looking forward. 

So in my personal opinion, Charlotte Bronte was a very inspired woman with good words to share. This quote is one that will definitely be on the wall of my future home. 

My Last Thursday

Being here in Rexburg, I have loved Thursdays. Might seem like a weird thing to say. Picking one day over the other six. But it is a founded favorite, trust me.

On Thursdays my only classes are at 7:45 am and 12:45 pm. During those hours between my classes I usually am incredibly productive, getting lots of homework done and it feels great! Then, after my Pakistan class is over at 1:45 I go home to "do homework." A lot of the time I just end up playing Wii or reading my book. 

Then my favorite part comes around: I get to babysit Hallie and Jace at 4:00 pm! I love getting to spend so much time with those sweet kids. I get to see my sister, talk to her, and help her out while laughing my face off at the hilarious things my nephew does. 

Yesterday was my last Thursday watching them before Derek and I leave to go back to Washington for a few months. Man, we are going to miss The Carsons! Derek and Adam have spent multiple nights playing Xbox while Abbie and I have girl time. We have had FHE together, gone out to dinner, and just spent random afternoons together. We have loved having some of my family so close, literally within three minutes of our house. 

Here is an adorable picture of Jace. He would not smile a normal smile. He had to cheese it up. Every time.

It was so much fun. He is such a sweet little boy, smart, and funny.

Last night we had our friends the Taylors over for dinner. It makes me sad to think that we hadn't had them over before, because it was really fun! It felt good to laugh that much. We had green chile chicken enchiladas for dinner, with rice and salad. And for dessert we had sugar cookies! ...but I think this pan that I used is incredibly difficult to use without burning the edges of your cookies. Or I'm just spoiled and am used to baking on stoneware. Oh well, they still tasted great! 

Basically, I'm going to miss my Thursdays here in Rexburg. Derek and I are going to try and pack up everything today so that when tomorrow morning rolls around we can just load up the truck and drop everything off at our storage unit. I can't believe we're leaving Sunday! I'm excited, but we will definitely miss our friends and family here in Rexburg!

Cookies & Chemistry... and Wearing Your Pajama Shirt to Your Final

At the current moment I have completed my chemistry final, meaning that I am done with chemistry FOREVER! However, my journey to get here has been interesting. And when I say journey, I mean the last twelve hours.

At 8:00 pm last night I met two friends from my chemistry class in the MC to study for our final. We stayed there until 10:50 pm. When I got home, I cleaned up the kitchen a little bit, and then started to bake cookies! I figured that my good ol' chemistry friends needed a baked form of love for making it through the semester. (I made Hershey's Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Studded Oatmeal Cookies. If you want the recipe, I can give it to you or you can look it up online. They're AMAZING.)

The dough was mixed, the first batch was in the oven, and I was sitting at the bar going over pseudo rate laws, equilibrium, and the pH of acid/base solutions. Derek went to bed at 12:00am, but did I? Of course not. I stayed up until 2:15 am studying for chemistry. When it got to the point that I couldn't remember what I had just barely read from my notes, I called it a night. The cookies were done and were inside adorable snowflake cellophane bags. The laundry was in the dryer, and my teeth were brushed. 

Before falling asleep I set my alarm for 5:35 am because my chemistry final started at 7:00am and I wanted to have time to go over the last portion of my notes one more time. 

Oh, how I laugh at that ridiculous, hopeful ambition.

I woke up this morning to Derek's alarm. In my mind I was wondering why his alarm was going off... usually I don't hear it. And then it hit me. It's going off and I'm hearing it because it's 6:45 am and I am still in bed! I sat up like a bullet (how do bullets sit up anyway? I imagine it'd be fast), looked over at the clock, and saw that it was indeed 6:45am. 

My chemistry final started in fifteen minutes, and I was still in my pajamas. 

I threw on some jeans, put on a zip up hoodie, brushed my teeth, gathered my notebooks, put on my converse and pea coat and headed out the door. I was in the car at 6:49 am. 

I am wearing yesterday's makeup. (Who has the energy to take off their makeup and wash their face at 2:15 am anyways?) My hair is yesterday's hair without even the finishing touch of running a straightener through the now-wavy-parts. I'm wearing my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles t-shirt that I wore to bed last night. I looked awesome I ran into my chemistry classroom with five minutes to spare, got my calculator and pencil out, and started my exam.

Surprisingly, it went really well! Now I have to wait until 10:30 am to take my last final. But all I really want to do is go home, take a bath, and finish reading Sense and Sensibility for about the sixth time.

I Never Thought I Would

I know. 

I know what you're thinking. 

"Really Taylor? Posting a picture of and a quote by Robert Pattinson? Isn't that totally a 14-year-old-girl move?"

My repsonse: Well, ...maybe. But I don't care! 

I've never been a huge fan of his. Yes, he's Edward, and there are millions of women who find themselves completely unsatisfied in life because they are longing and pining for a fictional vampire who is perfect in every way. I've never been a huge fan. 

However, this quote makes me feel warm inside. Because I love to read. It's one of my favorite things.

"If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours, but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are. Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours, and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads."

-Robert Pattinson

I Don't Want To!

The next two weeks of my life are going to be insane. Sometimes all I want to do is sit down, fold my arms, and pout.
Quit.
Give up.
Protest.
Boycott.
Whatever means necessary will be executed so that I can just skip the next two weeks and be happily home, free of this semester, and any stress that came with it.