D.I. Shopping

I love going to the D.I.. Most of the time I just go to look and sometimes I finds some treasures. Like these wood blocks for just 50 cents a piece! They're sitting on my bookshelf right now!

And I got these cute shoes (hardly worn at all) for $2.

I've been wanting some white flats for a while now.

AND I got my ring back finally! It only took them 1 1/2 weeks to get it back to me! We never got any wedding pictures of our rings, so here's one I took..

The Strikers

Brennen (and me, but mostly Brennen) has this bowling league..It's pretty fun. We're basically amazing. That's all. Here are a few pictures of our little escapades:

Kevin and Audrey, Dexter and Rustelle

Ode to Tuesdays

Welcome back tuesday..oh how i have missed you! ok, after yesterday (president's day, thus creating a 3 day weekend) i'm not so excited you're here because that means that i have to go back to school..BOO! Maybe I should rethink becoming a teacher?? HA. Tuesdays are devotional days YAY. We like devo. It also means homework day BOO. But then you're not Monday either. YAY. You're still so far away from the weekend though BOO. Yet one day closer YAY. Tuesdays mean I have to cook a real dinner BOO. But that means we get a real home-cooked meal YAY. Oh tuesdays...

Ideas

It's tuesday. THANK HEAVENS! tuesdays are my days to get everything done. and i must admit that i've got a lot done today. oh, and happy late valentine's day! I hope it was swell. Not my favorite holiday, even as a married person. But i'll comply. Brennen got me a big fluffy dog. Now i'll have someone to snuggle with when i go to bed by myself cuz brennen's still got sooooo much homework. I'm sitting at the library..I've hit a wall. no more homework for a while.. i need a blogging break. and i don't have to work tonight..woot! Melissa's getting married April 12. Can't forget that. Colleen and i are going to throw her a bridal shower! So excited. i love weddings. ha. so my blog title...ideas...i forgot what ideas i had. whoops. all in all, not a bad day.

Preparing the Heart

I had to read this article for a class and thought there was some really good stuff in it. I suggest everyone reads it.

Preparing the Heart by: Elder H. Burke Peterson

So is life.

Bad news: it has not been a good last few days.

Bad news: Brennen's still getting over "the sickness" (one morning he woke me up at 5:30 in the morning, asked me how i was, and tole me he had caught "the sickness" in the night, and went back to sleep) and so am i.

Bad News: It's been a rough week. Plus school is really stressful.

Bad News:They told Brennen he couldn't take any more classes next semester, so he's looking into EITC and stuff to finish his prereqs for P.A. School.

Bad News:I'm having issues with the insurance company for my car (this is what it looks like)

and i've been called into work like every day this week.

Bad News:My homework is behind and i don't know what i'm supposed to be doing in most of my classes.

Bad News: I bowled badly last night

Bad News: I hit my head on the locker at the gym

Bad News: Everyone's having babies

Bad News: I'm jealous of everyone having babies

Bad News: Secretly i think i'm starting to get the flu

Bad News: I'm tired

Bad News: We might be moving sooner than we planned

Bad News: I can't write any more bad newses

Good news: Brennen did well on his Biochemistry test and he now has a B in the class.

Good News: I don't work until Saturday

Good News: The insurance is paying for the car.

Good News: I get to sleep in Sunday

Good News: I read a good article (will post seperately)

Good News: I didn't lose my wallet

Good News: Our electricity bill went down $5

Good News: I might go to the temple tomorrow

Good News: I've decided to study for my math test

Good News: Tacos for dinner tonight

Good News: I went 4 miles at the gym

Good News: Everyone's having babies

Good News: Melissa's getting married in April

Good News: I don't have roots anymore

Good News: Grandma's still alive

Good News: My ring is in

Good News: I get to eat lunch now

Good News: There was a former mobster living in Idaho

Good News: He's in jail

Good News: I might get to be a bridesmaid

Good News: There's chocolate at home

Good News: I found a plug in for my laptop

Good News: No Lit1 tomorrow morning

Good News: Heavenly Father loves me.

My Husband

is so so sweet! He's been so sick for the past 4 or 5 days. Last night as we were going to bed, my arm hit something hard underneath my pillow. There was a BIG Symphony bar and a thank you card from him! It meant a lot to me..I know how hard being sick has been for him, and i've tried to take care of him the best i can. He actually went into town and found a card and candybar...silly. I love him :)

This is us.

I don't have very many pictures of us on here, so here are a few of our engagements. I remember this day. It was January 19, 2010. The wind was blowing so hard and it had to have been at least 81 below. haha. needless to say, we were completely frozen inside and out. The engagement-picture-day is one of those days after you're engaged that you think "wow. i'm really getting married."

Brennen and I met through a mutual friend. About a month earlier, i had ended an eight month relationship. This mutual friend of ours asked if he could set me up on a date with a good buddy of his. I thought "this could be fun. why not?" I was game if he was. Later that week, on a Sunday afternoon, i was woken from a wonderful nap by my roommate. "He's really cute!" was all the preamble i recieved.

Stopping in front of the mirror to glance at my bon jovi t-shirt, black dress pants (that i decided were comfy enough to sleep in), and nap hair, i made my way to the living room. I remember what he was wearing. bluejeans. airwalk sandals, and a louisville cardinals t-shirt. Our meeting was awkward. We planned for our date, he asked me for my phone number, and we both went on with our lives. A few days later, our mutual friend said that he would not be able to make it on our date (we were going to double). All sense of security left me and i tried to remain cool about the whole thing. A few days later, our date came. my roommate lovingly picked out my outfit and told me how to do my hair and makeup.

Knock. Knock. Knock. Taking one last look in the mirror, i opened the door. He didn't look half as nervous as i felt. and so we left. We doubled with another couple, the manlier side of which i had met once, so a familiar face calmed me a little. The first thing we did was go to the carousel where his sister worked. then it was out to the middle of nowhere to shoot guns. Great. Something i've only done maybe once before. luckily, i impressed him by swatting the mosquitoes away from his head. Oh, and my shooting didn't suck either. We quit when it started to rain. Jumping back into the big green van, we headed back into town. We stopped to play "rambo" with all his married friends. Awkward. After we lost miserably, we went for pizza. Sitting around a dark fire pit we shared our meal and chatted. then midnight came. we shared an awkward hug at the door and he was gone. I'd had fun, but never expected to hear from him again.Two days later my phone lit up with a call. It was Brennen inviting me to sit with him at Devo. Unfortunately i had to be at work in idaho falls during that time. I was so surprised he had called me back. We dated casually for about two months.

July 5, 2010, Brennen officially held my hand for the first time. We walked back to my apartment where Brennen sat me down and declared "I guess this means we're dating." The night had been so perfect to me that this totally caught me off guard. All i could say to that nervous face was "I guess we are." Looking back, i wish i could keep that moment forever. Neither of us knew how it would change us. we dated until September when neither of us knew if our relationship was going anywhere. Unfortunately, I didn't see progress in the future, so i ended it. I'll never forget that moment. When you're in utter shock, confused about what's going on. Crying the whole drive from rexburg to idaho falls, knowing you just broke someone's heart but telling yourself that you'll (and he'll) get over it. I cried for a week straight.

I had never been so miserable in my life. I talked to (another) mutual friend of ours who said that he had come to vent to her and her fiancée. She said he was crazy about me and couldn't

understand my reasoning for breaking it off.. my world was crushed.

I'm sure the only thing Heavenly Father planned to teach me through all this was that i can't live (or love) without Brennen. He has been a blessing to me in so many ways. He has taught me patience, compassion, humility. He has shown me how to love selflessly and live for the moment. We've had some really rough times. Our faith and devotion has been tested. but we fight. every step of the way to keep us together. unified. forever. the Lord has blessed us with much. if we just have faith, he continues to bless us. As long as brennen is in my life, i will be at home.happy.blessed.

Bad News Tennis Shoes

My hubby is very very sick :( He has had a fever in the 100s for two days now. I feel so helpless to help him. We're keeping him doped up on ibuprofen for now to keep the fever down and DayQuil for the cough and stuff (but not at the same time). He has to take a big test today too :( But in other news, remember when i made that list about reasons i love him?? Here's another. I love Brennen because he hides things from me and then gives me very obvious clues and I still can't find it.

Since then.

Ok. So maybe that was a little harsh..but i was really upset, and for good reason too, right?

Well, it's been a week and still no word. I'm wearing this ugly thing on my finger until I hear word, then it's going in the trash and i'm headed straight to idaho falls.

Just waiting for Brennen to be done with the tutor.. then it's lunch,

maybe a nap,

one more class,

and he's all mine for the weekend :)

Sometimes i just wonder...

WHAT IN THE WORLD PEOPLE ARE THINKING!!! OK. Here's the story.

[Brennen looks at Grace's hand. He notices something strange.]

Brennen: Look. Another diamond fell out of your ring.

Grace (almost in tears): WHAT!? UGH! I've had it with this!!

Brennen: It's a good thing we got that warranty.

[The warranty that Brennen is talking about is a lifetime warranty they bought for the ring. Basically it covers just about everything, including missing diamonds.]

Grace: THIS IS THE FIFTH DIAMOND IN A YEAR!! THIS IS RIDICULOUS!

Brennen (trying to calm her): It's ok..it's ok...

TWO WEEKS LATER

Salesperson at Samuels: What can I do for you?

[Grace says nothing, just hands him the ring]

Salesperson [in baby talk]: Is your warranty up today?

Grace [looks at him incredulously]: It shouldn't be. It's a lifetime warranty.

Salesperson: Oh....

[Salesperson takes ring over to alcove and doesn't return for 3 or 4 minutes]

Salesperson: You know there's a diamond missing?

Grace [starting to get angry]: OHMIGOSH! WHAT?!? Yes, this is the fifth one in a year.

Salesperson: Oh... (really?? can't you put a coherent thought together???)

Grace [Trying to keep her cool]: Ya, I think they're coming out at work. I guess i'll just have to find something else to wear to work.

Salesperson [while filling out paperwork]: Oh....where do you work?

Grace: Jamba Juice.

Salesperson: Oh.....(REALLY??) Well this is going to take two weeks to repair because we have to send it to our jeweler in Texas.

Grace: WTF?!?! What do you mean you have to send it to Texas? Really? Because usually it's done in two days. [Grace is probably bright red]

Salesperson: Well it should be done in two weeks.

Grace: Whatever. I just want it fixed.

Salesperson: You know, people who work in the food industry usually just wear their band to work.

Grace: No, REALLY?? Tell me something I don't know. Yep, well, looks like that's what i'm going to be doing from now on.

Salesperson: Did you want to look at some bands now to wear in the meantime?

OK. Stop right there. REALLY?? You sell me, no, MY HUSBAND, a piece of crap ring and now you want me to BUY ANOTHER because the one I have is falling apart??? ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW?????? I wanted to reach over the counter and smack the guy. Or just ask him "How 'bout you just fix my ring so it never falls apart again." One word to describe this guy. AUDACITY.