my birthday.

do you remember me? i used to blog. and then i got busy, stressed and had a birthday!

lets rewind to may 28th...

i had such a wonderful, fun filled birthday weekend. the husband took me to dinner and a movie on saturday to celebrate a day early, then about killed me, with shock, when he gave me a new camera for my birthday! i was SO surprised!

saturday, the 29th, on the actual day of my birth te-hee, my dad took the husband and i to dinner. it was delicious! after dinner we went to my father-in-laws where my sister-in-law had made me the coolest cake in the shape of a 24! she's a creative one she is...

isn't it awesome!

again i was in dis-belief when i opened up the gift from her family......the

y got me american idol live tickets!!! no judging now, i am about 12 years old and i am so excited it hurts. now i just have to wait until july 8th. time kills.

that is pure shock right there...

to top off this fun filled weekend, one of my all time life-long dream/goals came true. the husband, brother and i went hiking this morning and we looked up and in front of us was....A BEAR! of course, my dream is coming true and what do i do?...oh i definitely ran the other direction...and i was the one with the camera. drrrrrrr. oops. well at least i got one paparazzi shot for proof.

(although the bear was literally in the middle of the trail, perfectly visible, and i snapped this after it walked away). oh well.

hope you're doing well! i feel like i have been letting everyone down by not posting...life is slowing down, i will be around more :)

confessions of a convert.

i will come right out an say it...i miss taking the discussions and preparing for my baptism! i know, i know...it has been 3 years, but i miss the excitement and the joy that a baptism brings.

now, i love going to baptisms. they all make me cry. it doesn't matter who it is, or when it is...i cry.

i can't help it!

i just get so excited for the person, and then i think about how far i have come, and how different my life is! it is really amazing.

SO...

i am beyond excited for this weekend.

the husband's cousin is getting baptized! she is *19 years old and the sweetest thing ever. she grew up knowing about the church, but never had the opportunity to be baptized...and now, at *19, she is making the choice to be baptized!

i cannot wait to go and watch her baptism and i am so SO excited for her!

congratulations chelsea! you are amazing!!!!!

a woman's worth

this post is for the ladies...sorry boys!

last sunday at church, there was a lesson about "motherhood"...yes, it probably should have been saved for this weekend...but that is ok. :)

we talked about the fact that every woman, with child or not, is a mother. we can be a mother to our friends, a mother to our family, a mother to those around us...a mother to or for pretty much anyone.

i loved that the lesson wasn't only focused on those who have children...there are many who either cannot have children, are having trouble with getting pregnant, have lost children, aren't in their child-bearing stage of life (aka me) and everything in between.

but the main point, like i said, is that all women are mothers.

i agree.

do we not all, as women, have that innate, sensitive, caring bone within us?!

i think all women do... it's just a fact: women are more sensitive (and way awesome...-er) than men. :)

i am so excited to be a mother when the right time comes... but until then, i will be a mother in other ways... for other's that might need a mother. (thinking especially of the little first graders in my class who need a little extra 'mom' time in their life because they are not getting the time at home. {insert breaking heart sound here})

i am sending my love to you all and wishing you a wonderful mother's day weekend! tell a mother, grandmother, friend, or anyone for that matter, how much you care for them... and please don't forget how blessed you are... all of you.