Making New Friends and a Meeting with the Past

I told Matthew that we need to make sure we start bringing the camera with us more so we can take fun pictures of the places we go and people we meet, well for this entry we have again failed to do so, except for a couple of a flower Matthew gave me this past Thursday. So I have been pretty overwhelmed with school and this past week has probably been the peak of my emotional stress level. On Thursday I cracked and broke down in class crying. Luckily it wasn't one of those scream out loud moments so not too many people noticed. There are just times that I feel like I can't possibly remember everything I am learning and when it comes to treating individuals' injuries I don't feel very creative. Anyway, needless to say it had been a pretty hard day. Lately I have been calling Matthew most everyday to get a report on how his teaching went that day. Thursday I called to talk so that I could just calm down before going to work. Unfortunately, Matthew had already gotten to his second job and was unable to answer the phone, so I just left him a message and before I knew it (as usually happens) I was making up a song and singing it to his voicemail. Now for any of you who have heard my made up songs you know they are usually ridiculous, random and usually rhyme. I don't know why, but I love to rhyme. Oh and I can ever remember exactly how my songs go, so each time I try and repeat the same song it always turns out different, this reason along with the fact that many times my songs don't make sense, are why I am not a song writer. This song in particular had something to do with me missing Matthew and wishing we were closer and how I love him so. I know it sounds good, but you didn't hear it! Due to the fact that I was unable to talk to Matthew he did not know I was having a horrible day and yet when he got home he had a flower in hand with a little love note attached. It was a wonderful blessing to me that lifted me up when I was feeling down. Matthew's note was sweet. He also told me that he just felt like he needed to stop and get me a little something. He thought at the time it was just because he had an overwhelming feeling of love for me, but I know that it was also because Heavenly Father knew I needed something.

On Friday night, Matthew and I were invited to go to a little meeting with the seminary student teaching program he is in. I was able to meet the two teachers that have been guiding Matthew as well as some of the other student teachers that are in the program now. It was a wonderful meeting where we learned the importance of likening the scriptures. I have felt the importance of this over the past several months or so. I don't remember what made me feel that this is so important for me in my life, but it has been something I have been focusing on. I think it may have started when I decided that I wanted to study the scriptures by topic for a time. After last April's General Conference I decided that I wanted to study the Young Women Values and I started by looking up faith in the Topical Guide and studying every reference presented. I did this with all of the values and as I was reading the referenced verses I started to ask how these things applied to me and the spirit has been so strong. I just finished all of the values and I am grateful for what I have learned.

After the meeting Matthew and I were hungry so we decided that we would just go and grab something to eat. As we walked out to the car Matthew got the great smirk on his face and said, "I know where we are going!" Then I said, "I love this game!" I said that because every time Matthew has an idea of what to do or where to go or a gift he got me...I love to guess what it is. I feel that I am a pretty good guesser. I think this frustrates Matthew at times, but I think he likes it at the same time. Well, this time I can't remember if I actually guessed it or if he just finally told be , but we headed toward Taco Bell...I know a little silly, but still yummy. Well, we walked in the Taco Bell and before we even got all the way up to the counter one of the workers said, "I just want to let you know that we are out of lettuce, hard shell tacos and those cinnamon things." I thought "What?! This is Taco Bell and you have run out of lettuce and shells and it is only 8:00pm." Needless to say Matthew and I looked at one another and headed out the door. This was a blessing in disguise because it led us to the restaurant that we went to on our first date. It's called The Other Place Restaurant. It is a local family owned place that serves breakfast all the time and also Greek food. Mmmmm, I love Greek food! It was funny because as we were pulling in Matthew and I were talking about our first date and trying to figure out why we had decided to go there. We still can't remember. That's what I get for not writing details down! Anyway, we enjoyed one another and the great Greek food.

On Saturday evening we were invited to go over to our beloved friend Anthony Woolf's home and have dinner with him and his friend that is a girl, Laura. Anthony had previously told us that for every minute we were late we would have to do 5 push-ups (Anthony is in the Army Reserves and knows that Matthew has a tiny tendency to be late). So we were determined not to be late, but as things happened we realized that we would indeed be late, but also as things happen, Anthony is really a big softy and didn't hold us to the push-up punishment. We enjoyed a wonderful chicken dinner and then played Blokus. It is a really fun game of strategy. I think everyone thought I was a little intense, but what can I say I really get into games. I like to trash talk and even though I am a little competitive I really just enjoy playing with my friends.

Today we went to a couple of different parties after church. Now Matthew and I don't really get in to watching sports and usually try and stay away from TV on Sundays, but I felt that it would be a good opportunity to bond more with some of my grad school friends as well as our good friends Cory and Danielle Anderson. It wasn't until we got to Cyndi and Derek's home (I go to school with Cyndi) that I realized that I didn't even know which teams had made it to the Superbowl. That was okay because while there I didn't even really watch it. I just ate some good food and chatted with some of my other classmates that were there. After about an hour Matthew and I head off to the Anderson's. Not only was this party for the Superbowl, but it was also for Cory's upcoming birthday. We love the Anderson's. We meet them in the 11th ward shortly after we got married. The ward was having a weekend camping trip in Moab and the Anderson's called us the morning of the trip and asked if we wanted to carpool. At the time we had no idea who they were, but we didn't have anyone else going with us, so we took a chance hoping they wouldn't be crazies and ending up making some really good friends. It just reminds me that taking chances can change your life!