Priesthood Blessings

I am officially a senior and will be graduating in April 2015 with my Bachelors Degree in Emergency Management with an emphasis in Administration. I started my senior year last week and Eric gave me my last back-to-school blessing this week. Growing up, I remember my dad giving us father's back-to-school blessings every year before we started a new year of school. We never missed a year of doing this. This is something that I love and want to make sure that we do with our children. Since I have been married, Eric has been giving me my back-to-school blessings and that has been just as great. I have been reflecting on how grateful I am for the priesthood in our home. I am so glad that I am married to a man that holds the priesthood and is worthy to use it. I am so grateful that whenever I am in need of comfort, am sick, or need help with anything, I am able to ask my husband for a blessing. After Eric gave me my back-to-school blessing, I felt so much comfort and know that I am going to be able to get through this last year of school. 
I mentioned that Eric and I were helping the sister missionaries teach two 19 year old boy twins here. This has been a great experience for us. It has been so fun to watch them grow in the church. Today, the twins came up to Eric and asked him if he would BAPTIZE them on Saturday. Then they asked if I would say the prayer at their baptism. This brought so much joy to Eric and I. We are loving the missionary work that we are involved in. I can't help but smile when I think that my husband that holds the priesthood gets to baptize these twins into the church on Saturday. Eric and I are just thrilled for them. How thankful I am for the priesthood and that I have it in my home. 

Utah Lovin'

Eric and I just spent the last 5 days in Utah and it was a BLAST! We had to come home to Houston yesterday because Eric had to get back to work and I started fall semester yesterday. It is always hard to come back to reality. The weekend consisted of spending lots of time with family, eating, and of course some shopping. We got to watch Morgan cheer at her first assembly and at her first home football game. At the football game we even got some "World Famous" Charger fries. I will always be an Alta Hawk at heart but it was fun to hang out with the Corner Canyon Chargers for a day. Morgan just got her permit and so she took me for a drive. Yikes!! I was worried but she did a good job. A couple more months of practice and she will be golden. I can't believe Morgan is going to have a license and a car in 6 months. 

We played with the dogs, saw my parents new decorations on the wall (Eric and I were surprised that my mom let them out of dad's office and gun room), and ate at my favorite places. Of course I had to have a Cafe Rio salad, some Sweet Tooth Fairy cake bites (I brought some home with me), and I brought home a 1/2 dozen Swig sugar cookies. I gave half of them to our friends from Utah but I am totally freezing my three and hopefully they will get me until November when I go back to Utah to get more. 

Saturday, we spent the day at my cousin Micah's wedding. He married Ariel from Disneyland. Her name is Sarah and she is an awesome girl. I had never been to a sealing besides me own before and it was awesome. We weren't going to miss their wedding so I am so glad that it worked out that we could be there. We love you Micah and Sarah! 

Before the reception, Eric and I went to visit Grandpa Neal's grave. Wow! I miss him more than anything but feel so grateful to have him as my Grandpa. He has left behind an incredible legacy for us all. We love you Grandpa Savage! My mom and I helped McCall move into her apartment and then Dad and Eric had to go and help her rearrange her room. All of us girls were cracking up while Dad and Eric were in their suits trying to get the bed and everything else to fit in that tiny room in Provo. 

Sunday, we were able to go to my parents ward and see dad in "Bishop Mode" and watch Macie in her last primary program. My little cousins did massages on Eric and I. They had relaxing music playing, lotion, etc. It was pretty great and Eric and I were loving it. We went to Eric's cousins for lunch and then Grandpa and Grandma Warnick had a dinner party on Sunday night so that was fun. My Great-Grandma Helen came and we had fun chatting and eating yummy food. We definitely did not go starving!

Monday morning, Dad, Mom, Grandpa and Grandma Warnick, Austin, and McCall all came to breakfast with Eric and I before we flew out. I am so glad Eric and I were able to meet McCall's boyfriend Austin while we were in town. He is a great guy and we love him. He and McCall are the cutest together. It was awesome to go to Utah for the weekend. We had so much fun laughing, watching old videos of McCall and I singing, and just having fun. Now only three months to wait until we will be back for a week for Thanksgiving! 

Soakin' it up

On Friday I finished summer semester. I never have to do summer school again so that is happiness. Eric and I spent the weekend with friends shopping, trying out new restaurants, and celebrating the end of another semester. Only two more semesters to go. Isn't this so exciting? We can't wait for me to graduate and be done with school! I have a week in between summer and fall semester so I decided that I was going to soak it up and enjoy the freedom of no homework. This week has consisted of lying in bed and reading whatever I want to read. I haven't had to worry about assignments that I need to get done so that is a major plus of no school. I also had a day at the spa this week, big thanks to my incredible husband. A day of getting pampered is much needed sometimes. So glad that Eric understands! 

I have been looking forward to this night for two weeks now. My friend Melissa and I met while I was dancing in Utah. She and I moved to Houston around the same time and we finally got together last night. She introduced me to all of these girls and I am loving that I have new friends. All of us have moved to Houston within the past year for our husband's jobs. It is fun to have so much in common. Most of us are from Utah and are super new to the area. I have learned that my friends are really becoming my family here in Texas. When you are all in the same boat and are thousands of miles away from family, you rely on each other and spend so much time together. I am loving that I have some good friends here. 

Today is consisting of getting my hair done and packing my bags to go to UTAH! Eric has to work in Salt Lake this week and he knew that if he went without me I would be so sad. He came home with a ticket to Utah for me to go with him a couple months ago and I was so happy! It ended up working out that I had a break from school and he had to work at the same time so we are heading there in the morning for a long weekend. It is a quick trip and we get back to Houston on Monday but 5 days is better than nothing. We are so excited to go and see family. Eric and I are super close to my cousin Micah and he is getting married this weekend so it worked out perfect. I am going to keep soakin' it up before I start school again on Monday. UTAH HERE WE COME!!

Missionary

One of the reasons I love Houston so much is because there is so much missionary work to be done. I feel like I am having missionary opportunities almost everyday. It is so great and I love spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ with those around me that are looking for the truth. I wasn't very good at this when I was living in Utah, but I am loving the opportunities that I have here in Texas to share what I believe. 
Eric and I have been going with the sister missionaries in our ward to teach two 19 year old twins that are investigating the church. I had never been to an non-member lesson before so I was super nervous to go. The missionaries taught the lesson and Eric and I were there to share our thoughts with them when we were prompted to do so. I didn't prepare anything to say but whenever I did talk, I knew that was the spirit talking. These boys have a baptism date and Eric and I are so excited to go. It has been so fun to go to lessons and watch them grow in the church. They ask so many questions and are so interested.
Through all of this, I have realized two things. Number 1, my husband was an incredible missionary when he served his mission at the age of 19. He can explain things in a way that I would never be able to. He is so great with these boys in helping them understand things and why we do what we do as members of the church. He fellowships them at church and makes sure that they feel welcome. I am always so impressed with what he has to say and the way he says it. Number 2, we are all missionaries. Even if we didn't serve a full-time mission, we can preach the gospel in our everyday lives. There are people out there that are seeking the truth. We need to remember that every member of the church truly is a missionary! 

Blessings

As I have continued to grow older, I have learned really how hard this life can be. I have had some trials in my life that have been really hard on me. When I was going through these, I remember praying, searching for answers in my scriptures, and asking for priesthood blessings. I always wanted these things that I was going through to work out in my favor and sometimes, that did not happen. That made what I was going through even harder. Now that I am looking back on them, I am realizing that I am truly blessed. If I wouldn't of gone through a major heartbreak, I may have not been able to meet my husband. Eric and I fasted, prayed, and attended the temple when he was deciding what offer he should accept. If we wouldn't of included our Heavenly Father in this big decision, we may have made the wrong decision and have not accepted the right job.

Eric and I feel so blessed to be members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Living outside of Utah we were nervous that we were not going to be close to a Temple. We are blessed to be 30 minutes away from the Houston Temple so we can attend there often. How grateful we are to have the power of prayer in our lives and the scriptures. We are so lucky to be able to turn to our Heavenly Father when we are in need of guidance. I found a song when I was going through some trials and I listen to it often. Some times things may not work out as we want them too, but our Savior knows what is best. When things do not go the way you planned, remember there is someone who knows us better than we know ourselves. We are his children and he knows what is best for us. Happy Sunday!

Must Reads

I promise that I am not going to post about all of the books that I read. I did have to post about 2 books that I read this week though. I have had mounds of homework over the past little while and finals are next week so there has been lots of studying. I can't do homework all day so whenever I need a break, I pull out my book and head to the pool to get some sunshine. If you are looking for a book, here are two good ones.

This book was similar to the book I mentioned here. The author of the book is from Houston so it was interesting to hear what had happened and where everything was taking place. I read this book in two days and would recommend it to anyone. It was a little slow towards the end but very uplifting. 

 

This one was a super quick and easy read. My mom was in charge of the book fair at Macie's elementary school last year. I ran over to take my mom a diet coke at the school and got looking at the books. I found this one and read the back and thought that it sounded like a cute fun read so I bought it. I just got around to reading it and loved it. It is probably a 5th grade reading level but a book that doesn't require much thought sometimes is always a good idea. Plus, it has cupcakes on the cover so I knew it had to be a good one.

Of course, whenever I am sitting around reading I have to have some of my M&M's. I love these so much and they are my major weakness. Eric has a hard time staying out of them as well so we may have to band them from our house. If you haven't tried these, then go buy yourself a little bag because they are super good.

I promised myself that I can't pick up another book until I finish up school for the semester. I have finals next week and then I am headed to Utah to visit family for 5 days before Fall semester starts. I feel like I don't have much of a break but I am so close to being done. Now I am on the hunt for a new book to read on the plane to Utah. If anyone has any recommendations then email them to me. You can find my email here. Happy reading!