IM ENGAGED!!!

As of yesterday I am engaged to the love of my life and we're getting married on April 4th....Im too excited and tired and nauseous right now to go into detail (a post will be coming later all about it) so I should probably just go to bed.  But, OH MY GOSH!!! Im freaking out... :)

"Your elusive creative genius"

This is the most amazing thing I've ever heard.
Listen to it.  You wont regret it.

http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

Happy

I am so so so happy because of reasons...that is all :)

Love

Yesterday my sister and I went down to Eugene to see Chad for the first time since he's been back and to hear his homecoming talk at church.  We left around 6 am and got there at about 8 for church at 9.  I wasn't super nervous until I was in his driveway, so we sat there for a good 15 minutes before I plucked up the courage to finally get out of the car and knock on his door.  I don't really know what I was expecting to happen, but I suppose things went fairly well.  There were moments where it felt normal like before, but mostly it was sort of weird.  He's still kind of in missionary mode and has some trouble with translating his thoughts to english...despite the slight language barrier, his homecoming talk went very very well.  He was assertive and more confident and was able to bring the spirit in a way that his farewell two years ago didn't really do.  It was amazing to see the change and see the man he's become.  After church, we went back to his house and played games and ate dinner.  At 7 they had an open house and a bunch of friends and people he knew came over to see him...thats when I started to feel super uncomfortable and a bit overwhelmed.  I probably shouldn't have stayed for that because it just made me feel weird about everything.  I don't know...I think the ball is more in his court at this point and I have no idea what to do or where to go from here.
In other news though, my grandparents' 50th anniversary was this last weekend so tonight we all went out to celebrate.  They've known each other since the 2nd grade and their love is so inspiring.  I hope one day Ill be able to celebrate 50 years of marriage with my husband and be just as in love with him then, if not more, as I will have been on our wedding day.

Homeward Bound

I could never be in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir simply because I would never be able to make it through a song without crying.  The magnitude of the spirit felt through music is so incredible.  A few weeks ago a girl in my ward sang this song and I absolutely loved it.

"Homeward Bound"
In the quiet misty morning
When the moon has gone to bed,When the sparrows stop their singingAnd the sky is clear and red,When the summer's ceased its gleamingWhen the corn is past its prime,When adventure's lost its meaning -I'll be homeward bound in timeBind me not to the pastureChain me not to the plowSet me free to find my callingAnd I'll return to you somehowIf you find it's me you're missingIf you're hoping I'll return,To your thoughts I'll soon be listening,And in the road I'll stop and turnThen the wind will set me racingAs my journey nears its endAnd the path I'll be retracingWhen I'm homeward bound againBind me not to the pastureChain me not to the plowSet me free to find my callingAnd I'll return to you somehow

Fingers Crossed

These past two months have been crazy and beautiful and terrifying all at the same time.  I went and spent the best week with my friends in Idaho and found one of the most amazing waterfalls I've ever seen.  Fresca, Brianne, and Chris all had class so I decided to take Emma to Mesa Falls.  On the way we passed a sign that said "Cave Falls".  It was only 14 miles away, so I decided that on the way back we'd go check it out.  We turned at the sign and started the 14 mile drive to the falls.  After a short while, the pavement ran out and we drove for what seemed like FOREVER on a gravel road.  Somehow, we ended up in part of  Yellowstone National Park and eventually we came to the falls.  Oh my...it was incredible.  You walk down this short path and BAM! The falls are right there...you could get in the water and swim right up to them if you really wanted to.  There was no railing or anything.  On the left-hand side, there was a cliff where the "cave" of "Cave Falls" presumably was, but from what I could tell it was all under water and rocks had fallen from the cliff making it hard to explore.  I ended up taking my friends there the next day because I just couldn't believe how beautiful it was.  This world is just so extraordinary! After going to the falls, we all decided we would go float the dry-bed behind my aunt's house.  Its basically this stream thing that gets filled up with water in the summer but is completely empty in the winter; hence the "dry-bed".  Anyways, we drove to my aunt's house (sans Chris who was lame and decided to not blow off his homework...lame, but admirable) and after accumulating the right amount of heavy-duty inner-tubes, headed to the dry-bed.  It took about an hour to float down and I have never wished so badly that my phone was waterproof or that I had a waterproof camera with me.  Fresca, Brianne, and I ended up sharing a tube practically the whole way and Im sure it was the most hilarious thing to watch.  Most of the time was spent falling into the water, hopping back on the tube, trying to position ourselves in a way that wouldn't make anyone else fall off, and trying (and failing quite often) to avoid running into trees and bushes along the banks.  I have never laughed so hard in my life and everything was wonderful.
After my trip, it was back to work.  I feel like I've been living more at work than I have at home...but I've gotta pay for school somehow.  A week or two after our Idaho adventure, my family finally decided on where we're going to go for vacation all together before Brogan and I head back to school.  WE ARE GOING TO HARRY POTTER WORLD!!!!!!!!!!! I. CANNOT. WAIT.  We've been watching one Harry Potter each week to get ready for our trip and I've just been freaking out with excitement.
While we're on the topic of exciting things happening in my life, Chad (my boyfriend) comes home next wednesday from his mission in Peru.  I cant believe he's been gone for two years...I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about how things were going to work out when he gets back.  Two years is a long time and people can change dramatically.  It'll be interesting to see what happens.  He's supposed to fly into Eugene around 10:30 pm and then his homecoming is the 25th.  I was really hoping I would be able to be at the airport and everything, but I think since its so late and since I have to work the next morning, that I'll just wait and see him on the 25th.
Now, in some not so exciting news...last week I had a doctors appointment to get my scar from my birthmark being taken off looked at.  I was under the impression that it was only a checkup, but when I got there, my doctor told me that when they tested everything, the tumor went right up to the edge of my birthmark which made them think that there was some tumor that got left behind and it would be too risky to leave it there.  So, we made another appointment for a third surgery which I had on monday.  The first two were nothing compared to this last one.  This time was much much more painful...probably because he had to cut out all the scar tissue that had built up and I could feel all the pokes and prods.  It was terrible, but hopefully third times a charm and I wont have to go back a fourth time.  Keeping my fingers crossed for that.

My Life Recently

We're finally getting apples on our apple trees!

Emma, Dad, Grandad, and I got to sit in the VIP section at the Hops game.  It was a perfect night.

Emma and I went to Papa Haydn's for lunch one day.  We had blueberry lemonade in sugar-rimmed glasses, pickled apple and white strawberries, oxtail croquettes, four cheese pizza, and croque monieurs.  Then we had these AMAZING desserts! Mine was called Marjolaine and was a cake with layers of chocolate mousse and hazelnut-praline cream, toasted hazelnut meringue, whipped creme fraiche, and French vanilla chocolate.  Emma got something called Passion and it was a chocolate buttermilk cake with passion fruit mousse, raspberry mousse, and a white chocolate passion fruit curd.  THEY WERE DIVINE!

Tried rambutan for the first time.  Easily the weirdest fruit I've ever seen.

For the 4th of July I got together with these lovely people and had a swingin'  time doing all sorts of illegal fireworks.

Tried dragon fruit for the first time.  It tastes like a cross between a kiwi and jicama.  I  ended up mixing it into some strawberry jello and it tasted pretty dang good.

Currently, me, my mom, and sister are in Idaho visiting my favorite people in the world.  Yesterday we ventured down to the warm slough and floated along the river.  I've been going to school in Idaho for 3 years and had no idea this place even existed.  It was beyond beautiful.  Needless to say, I'm loving life right now.

Bottom Of The River

Holy heck.  This video is so strange, but the song is incredible! Chills.  It sort of reminds me of Deep Love...if Deep Love were set in a deep south swamp.

"Hold my hand, ooh baby its a long way down to the bottom of the river".

4 Miles

Today after work and a trip to costco, my mom, my sisters, and I went for a 4 mile "walk".  I dont mean a casual stroll around town...I mean intense, arm pumping, sweat inducing, fast walking.  My mom is doing the Portland to Coast Walking Relay again this year in august and is in the middle of training for it.  I did the relay a few years ago, and let me tell you, there are some crazy people there.  I didnt do any training at all before the relay because I figured, its fast walking...how hard could it be? Im young, I've got all the energy in the world...what a mistake.  There were old ladies passing me on the course! There were people whose fast walking speed is my jogging speed! It was insane and I've never been so sore in my whole entire life.  It was a really fun experience though.  One day I'd like to do the Hood to Coast which is a bit farther and is a running relay rather than walking...we'll see about that.

This is me and my mom during the race.  Our team was called "11 Hens and a Chick" because I was the youngest and the rest of the team was older.  At this point, nothing hurt too badly and it was still fun

This is afterwards...when everything hurt.  Im actually pointing at the finish line and not the old lady who probably passed me on the course and decided to photo bomb my pictures just to rub it in my face hahaha

Advice From Amy Poehler

For me, friendship is hard.  Im not one of those people who likes to go to big parties and Im not the friend that texts you everyday or hangs out with you everyday.  Im not going to lie, I actually really like being by myself...probably too much haha with that being said though, I do value friendship.  I think its so important to have people you can turn to when you're having a bad day and it seems like everything is against you.

However, I think its also super important to know who your real friends are and to not keep anyone around that makes you feel less than in any way.  There is a friend I used to have who I thought was my best friend.  We did everything together, went everywhere together...all that stuff.  Recently though, I've come to realize how small she made me feel.  If I hung out with someone she didn't like, we fought about it.  If I dated someone she didn't like, we fought about it.  If I didn't hang out with her when she wanted or text her everyday, we fought about it.  It was absolutely exhausting, and I spent three years trying to make things work.  I gave up a lot of good friendships and I was a bad friend to others because of this friendship with her.

She and I don't talk anymore, and while part of me is sad about it, the other part feels like I made the right decision in cutting off ties.  Nobody in your life should make you feel inferior, and you shouldn't waste time with people who do.

In the words of Amy Poehler, "Only hang around people that are positive and make you feel good.  Anybody who doesn't make you feel good, kick them to the curb.  And the earlier you start in your life the better.  The minute anybody makes you feel weird and non-included or not supported, you know, either beat it or tell them to beat it".

On a lighter note, we put eyebrows on my dog.  She's so fabulous.

The Painted Lady

I can not even tell you how excited I am right now...because...ME AND EMMA ARE GOING TO THE PAINTED LADY!!!! :)  Its this restaurant in Newberg that I saw on a "top ten restaurants in the country list" forever ago and have been dying to go to.  For my birthday my parents asked me what I wanted and I only had three things: reservations at The Painted Lady, a hot air balloon ride, or to go caving.  I knew I would only get one of these things and Im so happy with the one I got! Just look at this menu:

Chef's Trio

Chilled Potato/Leek Soup, Fanny Bay Oyster, Crème Fraiche, Caviar
 
Foie Gras Two Ways: Seared, Lentils, Chambord & Pate, Almond Tuile, Gooseberry
($7 Supplement)
 
Baby Carrot and Beet Salad, Savory Crumble, Ginger and Citrus
 
Venison Carpaccio, Arugula Salad, Horseradish Aioli, Parmesan
 
Hamachi Sashimi, Avocado, Pear, Cucumber, and Wasabi
—
 
 
Golden Halibut, Local Artichokes, Manila Clams and Hearts of Palm
 
Slow Roasted Salmon, Asparagus, Walnut Pesto and Celery Root
 
Potato Gnocchi topped with Wild Mushroom Ragout
—
 
 
Herb Crusted Filet Mignon, Potato Puree, Spring Vegetables
($6 Supplement)
 
Bacon wrapped Pork Tenderloin, Creamy White Polenta and Medjool Date
 
Rabbit Roulade, Cauliflower, Stinging Nettle & Wild Mushroom Agnolotti, Morels
 
Cardamom Scented Crepes with Roasted Vegetables, Cous Cous, and Red Wine Soubise Sauce
—

 
Chevre Cheesecake with Poached Pear and “Pearamel”
 
Oregon Strawberry Shortcake, Strawberry Compote and Balsamic Reduction
 
Chocolate Soufflé with Grand Marnier Crème Anglaise
 
Trio of Citrus:
Lemon Poppy seed Cake with Semifreddo, Orange Crème Brulee, Lime Tartlet 

I seriously can not wait! Im slobbering already.

Driving Lessons

Today Emma and I went and saw the new Star Trek movie.  It was so much better than I was expecting! I didnt care so much for the first one so I didnt have very high expectations for this one, but I was pleasantly surprised.
After the movie, I drove Emma to the church parking lot to practice driving for the first time (she just got her permit today).  It was pretty decent for a first time, but she's definitely not ready for the roads just yet.

Ironically, this is the song that was on the radio as I was teaching her to drive haha "I dont care, I love it".