Pieces #1

My favorite movie is The Scarlet Pimpernel (the one with Jane Seymore). If you haven't seen it at this point in your life, I pity you. Go find it and watch it. Because it is wonderful. And nearly perfect. And it's my favorite.

So I Like Food Styling

Remember how the girls I work with threw a birthday party for me? Well this has become the norm and the surprise aspect has been difficult to repeat. Especially if the party's for the girl who normally spearheads the organization.

So Linnea and I decided that we'd just skip the surprise and move straight on to the party. I was in charge of the treats. And I had so much fun with them!

Look how they turned out!

And yes. They were quite delicious. :P

Ice Skating

So my family went ice skating as a way to celebrate my little sister's birthday. Aren't we just the cutest?

Dad and Josie. She LOVED skating (even without skates)

 Daddy and daughter

Britton and I were Aleah's support system a vast majority of the time. I fell down with Aleah twice. . . SO FUNNY!

 The birthday girl.

 Aleah went around the rink once by herself. She was so proud of herself.

 Riley enjoyed going fast. This is obviously shown by the blur that represents his arm ;)

 My beautiful sister, Elise. She had so much fun!

 I don't think he fell here. . .

 I. . . Duno. Love him, though!

 Mom gets a turn with Josie. . .

It was a lot of fun, a lot of falling (but that's a given with this group), and a lot of laughter (also a given). I miss being with my family all the time because sometimes I miss out on moments like this, but I suppose I appreciate these moments more fully because I don't have them all the time.

(Because I lost the charger to my camera these pictures were taken by my mom. Hopefully I find my charger soon! I'm feeling a bit lost without a camera)

I'm Going

So remember how I was going on a mission? Well lately I've been second-guessing myself even though I know--knew--I shouldn't. I got my answer already: I'm supposed to serve a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Honestly, my period of doubt was a confusing time for me. Nothing felt right. And I now know why. I was choosing to avoid the answer I'd received (and accepted).

But tonight I came out of that rut. I was reading Brittney's blog and she had posted a story (copied from another blog from another blog) about missionary work. I read it and was touched. But I moved on. And then I felt prompted to go back and read it again. And the second (and third and fourth) time(s) I read it I was bawling. The Spirit flooded the room and I was given a second witness. I am supposed to serve.

Read this. Please.

"The following event took place in a ward in Salt Lake City in 1974. It occurred during a sacrament meeting and was told to me by a Regional Representative of the Twelve who was in the meeting. A young man, just before leaving on his mission stood in sacrament meeting and bore in essence the following testimony:

Brothers and Sisters, as you know, the past two weeks I've been waiting for my mission call. During the time I was waiting I had a dream. I knew it was not an ordinary dream. I dreamed I was in the pre-existence and awaiting my call to come to earth. I was filled with the same anticipation and excitement that I had before I received my mission call. In my dream I was talking to a friend, and I felt a special closeness to him, even though I've never met him in this life. As we talked a messenger came and gave me a letter. I knew it was my call to go to earth. In great excitement my friend and I opened the letter. I gave it to him and asked him to read it aloud. It said: "You've been called to earth in a special time and to a special land. You will be born to the true church and you will have the priesthood of God in your home. You will born into a land of plenty, in a land of freedom. You will go to earth in the United States of America."

My friend and I rejoiced as we read my call, and while we were rejoicing the messenger returned. This time he had a letter for my friend. We knew it was his call to earth. My friend gave me the letter to read aloud. His letter said: "You've been called to go to the earth in circumstances of poverty and strife. You will not be raised in the true church. Many hardships will attend your life. Your land will be fraught with political and social difficulties - which will hinder the work of the Lord. You will be born in Costa Rica."

We wept, my friend and I, as we read his call. And my friend looked at me with tears in his eyes, and said, "When we are down on earth, you in your choice land and me in Costa Rica, my friend, please come and find me."

The this young missionary, with tears in his eyes, said, "Brothers and Sisters, I have received my mission call. I am going to Costa Rica."

There is a sequel to the story. About a year after the sacrament meeting, the bishop received a letter from the missionary in Costa Rica. The letter had one sheet of paper in it and on that sheet written in capital letters were four words:

I FOUND MY FRIEND"

source: http://www.comportone.com/cpo/religion/christian/motivate/testmony.htm

This time, my conviction is much stronger. And this time, I realize that I'm going on a mission not for me, but for my friends. They need to experience the joy this gospel brings. I have no idea where I will serve or who I will find there, but I do know that I love those people already. And I am more than willing to give up eighteen months of my life for my friends. This is what I'm supposed to do. And I'm going to do it, no questions asked, no more glances back. I'm ready.

A Sad Sight

So my roommate and I made cupcakes last Friday for my birthday party. . . We overestimated how many we needed, so we had nearly two-dozen left by the end of the party.

Brittney and I tried to fulfill or roommately duties and eat all the cupcakes, but it apparently wasn't fast enough for the mold spores of the world.

One of the saddest things I've ever seen in our apartment is mold on our cupcakes. Next time we should probably share ;)

A Newly-Discovered Talent

I learned tonight that I am excellent at talking on the phone. . . even if there's nobody on the other line. I can still carry on a brilliant conversation that keeps that one weird guy walking behind me at bay. I suppose I'm just a superb conversationalist ;)

Maybe I should have been more kind and let the awkward envelop me, but I wasn't in the mood for it tonight. So I talked. And told the "person on the other line" all sorts of good stories, and she told me a few herself. And I made it through my walk to rehearsal safely entertained.

I figure by telling you this that you'll either laugh and think I'm ridiculous (which I readily admit to) or stare at the screen in shock thinking I am the most horrid person on the planet. But I have no control over what you think or feel. This is who I was tonight. Maybe that person will be different, and more kind, next week. Who knows?

To the Guys

Those, my dear prince, were the wrong words to say.

And it's so easy to see his mistake when it's carefully woven into a movie, but it seems like things like this happen in real life much more often than we'd like to admit.

Don't get my wrong. Girls need to be told they're beautiful. Because we are.

HOWEVER. . .

If those are the first words out of your mouth when a girl asks you why you like her. . .

You're in trouble.

At least if that girl is me. Because those words, when used in that context, are poison.

I know that I'm not going to be physically beautiful forever. Someday, I'm going to gain weight because I have children. Someday, I'm going to have tired eyes that never seem to look fully rested. Someday I'm going to get wrinkles and age marks and I'll start losing my gray (or white) hair. It's going to happen. And I need to know that my husband won't stop loving me because my beauty fades. Because when he does, that means he really loves me.

Birthdays Are Happy Things

So I'm nineteen now. . . Hearing that doesn't make me feel older, though. I still feel quite young. And I know a lot of people who would love to feel that way. So I've decided to embrace and enjoy it. I mean, you're only nineteen once.

My birthday was the best ever! Thanks to the wonderful people in my life.

My aunt's birthday is two days before mine so we had a family birthday party celebrating all the January birthdays. She did it at her house, civilized-style. We had a butler (her husband):

And fun hats. . .

It was so wonderful being with them. We had a marvelous time.

And then for my birthday I got to work at my old job--and before you have a heart attack at the fact that got to work is in that sentence, you have to realize that I have to work. Working at the call center instead of on campus was a bonus.)

While I was on my break, I got a text from one of the girls I work with on campus. I got moved to a different position at semester, and this girl is the one who took my old spot. She is an absolute dear and I've loved getting to know her, but the texts she was sending me on my birthday were not making me all that excited:

"Hey Cambry are you coming in to work today?"

When I told her that no, I wasn't, I was at my other job, she sent me another couple asking me first when I would be back on campus and second if I could come in at three and help her with something real quick. I didn't want to leave her stranded at her job, and she told me it wouldn't take more than fifteen minutes, so I consented. I had class around that time anyway so I'd be around.

Well when I got there at three, the two girls I work with were ready with a cheesecake and a candle. They sang to me and we had a grand old time with each other. See: 

I think it's safe to say that I work with the best people ever! The thing is, the idea of a surprise party did cross my mind, but I quickly dismissed it as a romantic ideal. But now I can cross this off my things-I-have-no-control-over-but-still-want-to-happen-someday bucket list!

Birthdays are are wonderful. And this past one was full of wonderful. And happy. I think nineteen is a good age to be.

P.S. Also, one of my friends gave me Curious George for my birthday. I think it's safe to say that he is one of my favorite people right now. I can finally watch it!