How Blessed Be

So I decided to put facebook aside for some time to write up how life is. Then again, facebook isn't all that important anyways.

School is going well. I'm taking a history class with the same teacher as last term. He's a lot of fun. History, I don't know, has always seemed a little interesting to me. There my Interpersonal Communication class. It's talking about the different kinds of communication that happens within a person or people and how that's effected. I'm finally taking another photo class. I'm really enjoying it. It's very different. We've been learning all these cool ways to "effect" the picture. Lastly, I'm taking a different sort of english class. I'm on the staff of the school's literary magazine, Progenitor. I'm the Art Director, go figure. It takes a lot of time and puts a lot of stress on me, but I really do enjoy my job.

Speaking of my job. I still work at the photography studio around the block from my house. I really do enjoy my job. I may spend most of the day "fixing" pictures, but every picture is different. Not one will ever be the same.

Just like everyday with my family is never the same. It's different not having Austin around, but we're always excited (Mom is the most) to get an email from him every week. So you can imagine how ecstatic we get when we get the rare letter from him.
Caden's about at that age where he's beginning to become a teenager. So you got this up-coming teenager and out of that stage siblings. You can imagine how we are beginning to clash. It's also weird because Caden and I have always been two that get along pretty well.
Devin's not so bad. He's actually a lot nicer, I've noticed, when his friends aren't around. You always act differently when different people are around. At night is usually the best. He's actually starting to become a pretty decent guy. My kid brother is really starting to grow up.
Mom's doing the best that she can. This week is a good week, thus I come home to two freshly painted walls of MORE GOLD! Although, I'll admit that it gives more dimension to the staircase. She's gotta always redecorate some way or another.
Dad hasn't changed much. The kids like to tell him that he doesn't do anything since we usually see him sitting on his bed with his laptop on his lap, or sitting in his chair watching sports (like now). But he works from home mostly now. It would probably surprise us if he was the one on the ladder doing the redecorating and Mom was the one watching the sports.

I've really started to come out of my shell in the past month. I'm the sacrament meeting chorister, so my the "beat in my head" has gotten better. I hadn't been "working" at my calling when the organist thanked me for holding my hand high enough for her to see, having been there myself, and that she could actually follow my beat. That's the part that surprised me. I thought I was following her, but it's nice to know that she can hold her own if I screw up. Thus, my piano has gotten better. I play as the Relief Society pianist. There are times when I would like to pass it on, but music has always been a big blessing in my life.
I remember when Mom first landed in the hospital and it was the first time since that I was home by myself. I pulled myself up to the piano and began playing an old, all-time favorite song called, "Christ Understands". I was sobbing, but not once did I falter in letting the words ring through the house. I'm actually kind of anxious that I get to perform the original version of that song in sacrament meeting this month (the 22nd). A sister in the ward has been pushing since Christmas to have me sing in church. Interesting part, I've never felt comfortable singing in front of people, but I took the step forward to get this idea done.

This sister is actually the mother of my most recent addition to my life. My boyfriend, Matt. He's so absolutely amazing! I don't know how I got so lucky?! He returned home from his mission, San Antonio Texas Mission, right before Christmas. I actually got the chance to listen to him yesterday when he was on the phone with an old friend that lived in his mission area. He talked to her as she asked about this new girlfriend of his that she's heard about. He was explaining that we met in our single's ward. Then we're both going to the same school with the same photography class. Saying, she's in to photography as much as I am. I still remember when he told me that that was a big deal to him, to have someone understand how big of a deal photography is to him. I love photography. It's capturing moments that will last for future times and isn't just a memory.
Matt's the youngest in his family. He's the baby! :) His family is a big deal to him. He brags about his siblings all the time. He takes tons of pictures of his nephews all the time! We're always sharing crazy stories of our growing up. He's got a different take as being one of two boys and the youngest, while I'm the oldest and the only girl. He's crazy, all over the place personality. I love it! He loves art, but spends almost every summer day playing golf (that really impressed my dad).
Most importantly, he has the sense of humor I need in my life, he's so touchy, feely (and I LOVE to cuddle with him *GASP* SHOCKER!!!), I trust him with everything. There is nothing we can't talk about, but of course, that doesn't actually mean that we do. I always get butterflies seeing him, I'm always looking out the window waiting for him to show up at the door. For me, it's not about the places we go, or the things that we do. For me, it's just being able to be with him.

And despite all the time I spend with Matt, I still try to make time for my friends. I see them at the usual church functions. But I do try to do somethings with them outside of church functions. I have really tried to spend time with friends that are better for me. The ones that don't judge, mainly. They're fun-loving, full of energy and humor. And they always have a shoulder to cry on when you need it. And I try to be there for them when they need it most.

You always hear that you'll hit the time in your life when you know what's most important and those that aren't so, fall out of your life. I hardly ever watch tv anymore, aside of the movie with Matt, but today I watched some tv. I found a movie on the Hallmark Channel (that I need to finish) called Generation Gap. I love movies like that one.

But how blessed I am. To have somethings or people in my life that I don't feel I deserve, but then that constant companion reminds us that yes, we do deserve all of God's happiness. Then how can we not shed a single tear that God blesses us so much even though we feel we never deserve it.