everyday ... in every way♥: Merry Christmas & Happy New Year :)

MY MISSION BABY IS DUE TODAY!!!;) hahaha! oh my gosh, 9 months down, this is crazy! it's also mind boggling that since Joe left til now - that's literally how long it takes for a baby to grow inside of you. how cute:) i'm so excited for that day! i can't wait to be a mom. (hence, the picture for nine months!)

nine months = nine month belly... nooooot really. so i just put a heart ;) haha

so what has the month of november brought to me... well, to be honest... nothing toooo extreme. this month came and went so quickly i hardly know what to write.

i've been meeting with my bishop to discuss mission options. today actually, i am going up to the BYU campus to have a pre-missionary evaluation. i'm kind of nervous because i'm meeting with a therapist to discuss some issues and then all of my information gets sent back to my bishop. i guess this evaluation helps you know how well you would cope on a mission with certain issues you're facing... so we'll see.

the elder is doing great of course. loving every second of his mission. this past week he sent me an email though saying that i needed to go out and have fun; "date around." weeeeellllll. what he doesn't understand is that i was never that girl. even before meeting him! i seriously have no desire to go out with other guys. GAH! i know he's probably just saying these things to help me out and make sure i'm not just sitting around, but the thing is, i'm NOT just sitting around! hahah i'm way way busy all the time. with school and work and home, it gets a little crazy and i am totally fine "not going out." i hang out with girlfriends, and have plans with guy friends once in a while. i just don't like being told what to do i guess when i'm already set on something ;)

thanksgiving was absolutely wonderful this year! my family had plans to stay home - just the four of us - and my dad was going to cook a prime rib dinner, but my elders dad INSISTED we come to their home. so we spent thanksgiving with my elders family:) it was so great. there was tons of laughter, fun and yummy food. i loved it and realized that this could be the first of many more to come! it made my heart swell <3

this month i went and saw catching fire! you know, the new hunger games movie? OHHH MY GOSHHHH! i don't know about anyone else, but i thought that was the greatest movie i've basically ever seen. oh my laws! jennifer lawrence is an outstanding actress. i am in love with the movie.

lately i've been super stressed because of school. all of my final tests, assignments, projects and papers are coming up and there's SO MUCH to do! might i mention i am just about the worst procrastinator in the history of the world. not okay. well through all this craziness, we had a relief society lesson just this past sunday about hope. a quote was said and i absolutely loved it:

Hope can be the anchor to our soul in the storm of a raging sea

if that isn't comforting, i don't know what is. hope is comforting. it is something that we gain which allows our faith to strengthen. once our faith is strengthened and we have hope, charity is gained. i am striving to achieve these qualities within myself because these are three of the things the Savior had and still has. He is our source of strength in the toughest of storms. i am so grateful for my Savior - His constant love and support. i fail Him so many times, yet He lifts me up and says "try again." He is so merciful as is the Father. how blessed are we to have such loving Gods?

my dad went into the hospital about two days ago. he was having major pains in his stomach. he thought he could handle it but decided otherwise. mom rushed him to orem and they got him in a care unit of some sort. people under 14 weren't even allowed on the floor (so my little sister couldn't visit). turns out after a million and one tests, scans, and ultrasounds he has some kind of stomach infection. also gallstones. they gave him some medicine for it and plan to treat it soon, not sure when, but he was able to come home last night. he is still in a lot of pain which stinks :\ hopefully the medicine will help.

Christmas is coming! my family has this crazy tradition of decorating the house outside to the max. we have blow ups all over the yard, our trees are like temple square trees, completely covered. it's actually pretty cheesy but the neighbors love it and people come from all around the neighborhood to see it. it's fun.

as Christmas approaches, let us all go on in the spirit of the Lord. He is the reason we celebrate CHRISTmas after all. remember the babe born in a stable, lain in a manger to sleep. He was born into the humblest of circumstances; nothing extraordinary. nothing fancy. mary and joseph looked at their infant, the Savior and Redeemer of the world, knowing who He was but not quite understanding who He would become. the Savior is Gods Only Begotten Son, a gift to this world... a sacrifice. the Saviors atonement is for ALL who use it. so use it in your life and appreciate what the Savior went through to help us obtain celestial glory. we owe everything to Him and our Father in Heaven.

Merry Christmas everybody & Happy New Year!

see you in 2014 with DOUBLE DIGIT months!;)