Christmas

Christmas was so fun at my house! Christmas Eve we had our awesome traditions. The Leder's came over, and my grandpa read How The Grinch Stole Christmas for us. Then we read Luke 2 out of the Bible. It's always fun when Grandpa reads The Grinch to us. He's got the BEST reading voice EVER!! After we read, Mom had us open a present: footy pajamas!! Awesome! :)

Hannah and Justin were here for Christmas, and I really enjoyed that time with them.
The five of us (whoa that's weird to say) woke up around 6:00 on Christmas morning after staying up really late playing games, and we made breakfast for everyone. Around 7, we woke our parents and grandparents up, and we all enjoyed french toast and fresh fruit salad. After that, we opened our presents.
Mom and David had to go to the Cancer Care Alliance for antibiotics about noon-ish. I went over to the Mallory's for Tyler's Christmas phone call! Yes! Please!!
Hearing his voice was so wonderful. It was exactly what I needed! He told me he got permission to call my dad, so after we talked, I hurried home so that he could use my phone to call David. After he talked to David, I got a few more minutes with him, and he told me he feels so much better about everything going on after hearing it from my dad's mouth. He told me all about the people in the area he's serving, the famous people that live in the surrounding town, and how he's excited for the next few months. I can't believe that the next time I talk to him, he'll be home three weeks later!
The next day I got his package in the mail! :) He sent me some awesome DVDs he won in a white elephant thing (he says they're to add to our DVD collection) and a hat that he knitted. Yes, you read that correctly. Tyler knitted a hat. And it's freaking sweet! It also came with a great letter.
This Christmas, by far, was the best Christmas I've had so far!

6 More Months

That's right! Roughly 180 days until I see this face again!



Excited??

You betcha!!!

Life as of late

Life? I really love mine! That's not sarcasm, either. Honestly it's been really hard. By the time I had come to terms with my dad and the fact that he's going to pass shortly, we got a phone call saying that my 36 year old uncle had died suddenly. It took almost a week for it to really sink in because I had talked to him for my birthday two days prior. I realized that Uncle Josh is in a much better place, and that he'll be able to accept the gospel without any barriers that blocked him here. It's nice knowing he's able to do that now, even though I really miss him.

I'm almost done with my externship, so that's great. I really love it! I'm glad I'll be able to have a job, even if it's only on-call for a while.

Recently I got to go with a group of missionaries and my friends Erin and Stan for the missionaries' cultural day. :) They get one for their entire mission. One guess where we went. You betcha we went to the Harry Potter Exhibition at the Pacific Science Center!!! It was one of the best days of my life. :) I had so much fun with the group I was with. I mean, I'm already pretty great friends with five of the eight I went with, so that made it even more fun! Collectively we took about 200 pictures. Here are just a few of them!

Yep. We're best friends :)

We met Harry Potter ;)

Let's be real: I have no idea what Elder Moody's doing here.Best friends

Aaaand the shot that explains the personalities exactly


It was sooooo cold!


Elder Bunton, Elder Bottoma, Erin, and I decided to be little people.


End of the adventure.

Ready?

No. I'm really not ready.

My dad's dying. And there's nothing we can do.

I just

need to talk. It shouldn't be so hard, but I can't seem to do it.

Time

I didn't realize until this week how fast time has really flown. Today I talked to a friend who served his mission out here. He's been home for about three years. Um, hello! When did that happen? That's crazy. Then! Two weeks from now, I start my externship at MultiCare in Covington. ONE mile from my house! Holla! :) I'm extremely excited about starting to really get out there in the medical field, but the closer it gets, the more scared I'm becoming. I know this is what I'm supposed to be doing, though, and the Lord will help me do my very best!
Hannah pointed out that Logan's one year mark is coming up in November. That's incredibly exciting for her, and I'm thrilled! Tyler's been out for fifteen and a half months now. What?! Tell me when that happened, please! By the time I register that he's been gone that long, two years will have hit and he'll be home again. Let's be real -- some days it's still hard, and I wonder if I'm going to remember the way he sounds when he laughs, or if his arms are still going to hold me as tight as they used to. Most of the time, though, I remember how all of that really is, and I remember why I'm doing this. :)
Thanks, Hannah, for the AWESOME countdown you started!! :D

I'm Just Sayin'

...I have the best friends in the WORLD!! I'm so grateful for them.

Courtney --
She's been there through thick and thin with me. I'm so thankful for the fact that I've had someone to turn to when I have something awesome to tell, or when I haven't had the greatest day. Or when I'm in the mood to get into some really deep discussion about church or the temple. :) I'm WAY excited for her, because she gets to go back to the 'Burg to attend BYU-I. :) Good luck! Oh, and she's a master bug-killer, too. ;)



Erin --
Yup. She's pretty much great! It's so wonderful having someone to go to missionary lessons to, and to laugh about absolutely everything with. Not to mention some freaking fun games with a deck of cards! :) Aaaaand card-making. And Will Ferrell marathons. :)



Elder Waite --
It's so too bad that he can't watch The Office with Erin and me! We talked about it last night, and he was laughing so hard trying to describe something from an episode. :) Elder Waite cracks me up. It's so great to have someone who likes to check in on me, or is there to give me a blessing, um, whenever. :)



Elder Bunton --
Dear man, you are so hilarious. :) I like when he comes over and plays the guitar after a lesson! He's super talented!! He always has a wonderful spirit when he teaches a lesson, and he's right there with Elder Waite in just checking in. It's cool because they are best friends, and it's funny to watch them. Especially when a bird is involved. Haha.

Aaaaaaannnnnnddddd.....

Tyler --
I'm pretty much in love with him! Need I say more?? :) He's always the one to be there and be the best. Always has been, always will be. :)