1- I have a new job! I started at the beginning of January. I love going to work, and working hard there providing service and education to each individual. I will admit that there are some times that I want nothing more than to leave early for the day or skip that day entirely, but that started a few weeks ago when a customer tore me to tears. It makes me so immensely grateful that most of those I deal with are so friendly and happy to have my services. I am so especially grateful when my diligence and efforts bring some so much gratitude that it sounds like they are nearly brought to tears. I hope I will have the honor of meeting those individuals someday to thank them more thoroughly for their kindness.
2- My last post was a teaser, and probably all of you that read this will have already found out, but I have my first, very own, CAR!!!!! She has needed work, and will continue to, but she is mine!! I am so grateful for a car I can depend on to get me to work (after 30+ min of driving to or from), church, activities, country dancing, dates, visits, shopping, whatever I want! I love that she can go fast or slow and does so with my bidding! My dads van (which he generously loaned to me while I was looking for a car/buying/repairing) is what I drove most of my life for domestic use (I would usually drive trucks at work). It was a blessing then to have a mode of transportation, but still, it is my dad's, was huge, hardly any pickup, messy (not used diligently=collecting stuff), and green. I am so sick of green vehicles. I hope I never have one in my life!* *Mint green might work. Point being, I am grateful that I have not really gone without, but I feel that I have a leg up from where my parents started out, which is a credit to them. ANYWAY.... I have my own car!! Yay!! I have pictures to follow.
3- Yes, I did mention dates. I almost was exclusively dating someone. I first saw him at western swing and so badly wanted him to ask me!! He would ask my friend, (whom I'll talk about in a next) instead. My friend pointed him out to me at church, because, as some bright fortune would have it, he is in my ward!! What!!??? Yes, pretty much fantastic. I finally got the courage to talk to him at FHE one night, where I invited him to go to Ephraim to go dancing and I stole him for the last half hour or so, so he could teach me West Coast Swing! I loved it! After that we went on a few dates, and things didn't progress. Point is, I have been dateless for the last while, again.
4- I have friends here!! My most cherished new friend is Kaetlin. The current bitter-sweet fact about her is her amazing example of faith as she is currently on her mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. After just coming into a new ward, this outstanding young woman introduced herself as my visiting teacher. The next week she came to see me! We discovered that her mom is my sisters visiting teaching partner- someone who I have only heard praise of! I was immensely pleased that we 'hit it off' immediately! I can only try to explain the blessing of having her in my life. Our friendship grew rapidly and was well nourished. The strength I benefited from as a result of her example and influence is absolutely indescribable. I cannot praise her enough, and I cannot express how proud I am of her choice to serve the Lord. So, the bitter is that I think of her everyday and miss her a lot sometimes, ok, pretty much every time I think of her. The sweet comes from being able to think of her example in making some decisions and the precious time I was able to have with her before that blessing was shared with those who she will serve for our Father in heaven. Though I am older than her, I feel like I look up to her in so many ways and have often been completely baffled by being so blessed.
I must admit, there are so many other impressive individuals that I have been able to meet up here as well. So many deserve thorough praise.
5- My grandpa had a wonderful reunion with my mom after over 6 years!! This last Tuesday, the 9th, my grandpa passed on. I can only feel that my mom accompanied us who were with him, from the other side of the veil, in the days leading up to his passing, and then they had a joyous reunion together. They would have been able to share the freedom of the physical pain they each had experienced here.
For now, I think this hits the highlights, and its time for pictures!!
The snow is amazing up here!! I LOVE IT!!
This is my favorite picture of the two!! The focus! -The way the both are holding their mouths is my favorite part!
