2009 in review

January

--Went on my third date with Stephan, and that's when I decided I was going to keep him

--Stephan invited me to a mission farewell for his brother Brent. This was the day we made our relationship official. This was also when I met his entire family. No, seriously.

--During this month, I was also trying to distance myself from my ex "boyfriend" Andrew (now I give you his name, and if you recognize it, yes this is *the* Andrew...long story). 

February

--When I cut Andrew off for good, after receiving word from a very reliable source that he had been dishonest with me about a lot of things. I will not go into detail.

--I introduced Stephan to members of my extended family. 

--The first Valentine's day I ever had a boyfriend. 

--Stephan said "I love you" for the first time on Valentine's Day :)

--Draper Temple open house

March

--Stephan proposed to me with a wooden ring he made himself

--Stephan and I kiss for the first time (right after he proposed, yes he held out that long)

--One of my roommates eloped

--I get the most beautiful diamond ring ever :D

April

--Went to General Conference with Stephan and my brother

--My cousins threw me a bridal shower.

--Wedding planning truly begins

--I finished my last full semester as a college student

--Bought my wedding dress and veil

May

--Spring term

--Apartment hunting

--Continue wedding planning

--My brother Scott got his mission call, and we were glad that he would be able to come to the wedding.

June

--We found an apartment!

--We saw "Beauty and the Beast" at the SCERA

--I finished the editing minor

--Summer term started, and I only had one class to take (my final class in college)

--I got my first job interview at Close to My Heart, but unfortunately I didn't get the job.

--We went up to Logan to look at our honeymoon cabin, and to select a quilt made by Stephan's grandmother

July

--I was loving my "Language and Literature" class. Best class ever!

--My mom finally finished altering my wedding dress at the end of July and I finally got it! 

--Stephan's birthday :)

--We were working on wedding invites at this point. FUN!

August

--Kathy threw me a food storage/kitchen shower.

--I had my bridals taken

--My mom and brother came up before the rest of my family.

--I received my endowments.

--At the very last minute, my brother Paul was able to come to the wedding!

---I graduated :)

--THE WEDDING!!!!

--Moved into our apartment officially

--School started back up for Stephan.

September

--Still settling in.

--Job hunting.

--Bought a washer/dryer off craigslist.

--Car accident.

October

--I got a rental car a week after the accident

--The body shop called me at least twice a week to update me on the repairs.

--Had two job interviews. One of them never contacted me after the interview...grrr.

--We house-sitted for Stephan's parents while the family went to Disney Land.

--Midterms. Enough said.

--Stephan's work schedule changed so he had to work until eight p.m. on Mondays. I was not happy about this.

November

--FINALLY got the car back!!!!

--Spent Thanksgiving with Stephan's mother's side of the family in Grace, ID.

December

--Drove in snow for the first time

--I somehow survived Stephan taking finals. So did he.

--Traveled to Houston for Christmas

--Here we are :)

Happy New Year!

My first Christmas as a wife

We flew to Houston last Saturday and we will be flying back to Utah on Monday.

Monday and Tuesday were spent changing my name on my Social Security card and my Driver's License. We were going to do both in one day, but when we saw the lines at DPS, we changed our minds. After a long debate in my head, I decided to drop my middle name and keep my maiden name as a middle name. I did this purely for genealogical reasons. Some people have wondered why I didn't just get a Utah driver's license. Here are my reasons: (a) I do not know how long we'll be living in Utah, so why get a Utah license if I'm only living there temporarily? (b) I have Texas license plates on my car. (c) I do not want to take a test. Texas already knows I can drive. (d) I have Texas pride.

Wednesday, we did some Christmas shopping. Thursday, my mom cooked all day and then we went to Yia Yia Mary's for dinner. Friday was Christmas/my birthday. It was good. I got some nice presents: some perfume called "Haiku"; a new camera (from my hubby, who got a good deal on it); some prints from London (my parents went to London a few months ago); socks; more Mary Kay cleanser; various books and DVDs; a "shirt dress", etc. We had some elders over for dinner, as well as a few friends from church. After dinner, I slept, and then later on we had my birthday. I had cherry pie for my birthday cake (mmm!!!). For presents, I got a necklace, a pair of purple shoes (unfortunately too large, but my mom will get a size smaller for me); and a new mineral foundation brush. Oh, and my mother-in-law gave me part of my birthday present: a gift card to Seagull books. Oh dear, do I really need more books? Stephan is already complaining about my immense book collection.

Today, we didn't do much at all. The biggest thing we did was go to our favorite Mexican restaurant (Don Carlos, mmm). Stephan had never been there before, and he really enjoyed it.

Stephan has pretty much been sick this entire trip. Finals basically destroyed his immune system--it was a rough semester. He's better now, I guess, but he's coughing up a storm. I want him to get better :(

Basically, all of us were home for Christmas except Scott, who's in Brazil. We got to talk to Scott on Christmas day, and he wished me a happy birthday in Portuguese.

Oh yeah, we also saw "The Blind Side" earlier this week. Very good movie!!! It's touching without being overly sentimental. And Sandra Bullock's character is my new role model....lol.

Sorry if this has seemed scattered at all. I've been writing as things have come to mind.

Why I love Houston...

(1) There is no snow.

(2) I hardly ever have to wear a jacket (or long sleeves for that matter).

(3) The sheer variety of food you can get here. Not to mention the tasty Tex-Mex. I'm sorry to say that Utah hasn't quite gotten it yet; say Cafe Rio and I will smite you. Okay okay, it's not bad, but it shouldn't advertise itself as Tex-Mex. It's as Tex-Mex as Pizza Hut is Italian.



But I am not liking the construction workers tearing up the street in front of my parents' house.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I'm getting so bad at updating, and seriously, who reads this?

Thanksgiving was fine. We went to the middle of nowhere, also known as Grace, ID. It's a really tiny town in southeastern Idaho, and basically if you blink, you miss it. I felt really out of my zone--I am from the big city after all. Stephan's grandparents were um, really excited to see me again. Two people thought I was Stephan's sister Heather. Hah! It was all interesting because Kathy's family is very similar to my mom's. Both families have three adopted children and a foster daughter. Kathy and my mom are the oldest in their families and both had to take on a lot of responsibility at a young age for various reasons. Stephan has an Aunt Karen and I have an Aunt Karyn (both were adopted too). There are differences of course, but it is all quite freaky when you think about it.

Oh, I forgot to mention that I drove through Napoleon Dynamite's hometown of Preston, ID. A very tiny place.

We stayed in Grace for a total of a day and drove back after Thanksgiving dinner was finished. The day after Thanksgiving was spent sleeping in, going to the temple, eating Subway, and getting a sweet Christmas tree (pre-lit too) for $25 at Target (you almost never hear me say this, but hooray for Black Friday!).

Stephan already has purchased TWO of my Christmas presents and I have yet to get him one...whoops. I'm really having a hard time deciding what to get him (he never knows what to ask for), so if anyone has ideas, let me know.

Officially, we are spending Christmas in HOUSTON! I'm pretty excited about this. Now to convince my parents to take Stephan to our all-time favorite Mexican restaurant while we're down there. But I have converted my darling husband to spicy food.

It has snowed here and now I'm learning how to drive in snow. It's not my favorite thing to do, needless to say. But the only really scary part is our parking lot, ironically. Yeah, I'm pretty sure some people are making fun of the little Texan who didn't learn how to drive in snow. Um, blame Mother Nature for that. On that note, it snowed in Houston on Friday...two days before it snowed here!!! And it was substantial snow too. When I told Stephan, he called the Houstonians a bunch of wimps. Then I had to tell him that Houston getting a substantial snowfall is like Arizona getting a torrential rainstorm. It just doesn't happen! Kathy was much more sympathetic, but that's because she served her mission in Dallas.

Not much else to share. Here's to hoping Stephan survives finals and that I survive having him study for and taking them.

Greener grass

You know the saying, "The grass is always greener on the other side."

I've been thinking that a little bit lately. Sometimes I wish I hadn't been in such a hurry to graduate from college. You see, Stephan comes home from school/work and he has to study and do homework. Me, I have no homework and I don't have to study for any tests. And yet, when I was getting closer to graduating, I was looking forward to having time to pursue hobbies, read books for FUN, and not have to worry about homework. I have to say, it's been an adjustment going from being in school for a good part of my life to having no school whatsoever. I have so much time on my hands that I don't know what to do with it! If you know me, I don't deal with boredom very well. I have to do something productive or else I will beat myself up for it at the end of the day. Another indicator that I am my parents' kid.

Sometimes I also think having a job will be better. But I'm afraid of not having enough time to cook delicious meals (Stephan loves my cooking) or to keep the house as clean as I have come to. I hate to say it, but I don't know if I trust Stephan to keep the apartment as clean as I do, ha ha.

On the plus side, we have discovered that Stephan's income is helping us more than we ever thought it would! Honestly, I think that's a tender mercy right there! It must be a blessing for paying our tithing and living within our means. So folks, live within your means, you'll be blessed for it. The only debt that we have is Stephan's scooter, and technically the car we have to pay my parents back for overtime.

I am learning to enjoy life as I am living it now, instead of focusing on what I don't have (which can be hard). Doing housework does wonders for boredom, though it can get tedious so I have to discover ways to make it more interesting. I have taken more pleasure in reading. I have gotten started on researching for my future novel, and have received a lot of inspiration for it. Stephan loves the food I make, so apparently I have underestimated my abilities as a cook. Baking has also become a talent of mine. More hobbies are being pondered, and yes I am still looking for a job.

Sorry if this post has seemed scattered. It was just how I was thinking. Maybe I'm tired. Good night.

Oh wait, we are most likely spending part of Christmas break in Houston. I'm looking forward to a snow-free Christmas!

The car, has returned

I substituted a line from The Lion King for the title. I am so original.

Six weeks after the accident, we finally have our car back! I know a lot of people are wondering how in the world it took that long. I know some cynics who think that I got cheated or something.

The reason it took so long is because there was A LOT more damage than what was initially thought. At first we thought there was just some bumper damage and that was that. Well, as the mechanics started working on it further, they discovered that the transfer case was cracked. They had to take the car to the dealership at that point, and the dealership found out that the transfer case my car needed was on national back order. What was worse was that there was no release date for said back order. Wonderful. Thankfully (we think it was prayer that made this happen) they got the part in a matter of days. Hallelujah! But they still had to keep repairing, they had to put the air bags back in, etc. And then there was taking it to the painters and taking it back to the dealership so *they* could evaluate the repairs they did.

I know that the mechanics were repairing my car during this entire time because they called me at least twice a week to update me on what they had done. So you cynics can stop telling me that I should have bothered them every single day. It wouldn't have helped one bit.

The only annoying part was that it took them longer than I had the rental car for to finish the car. We finally ended up borrowing a car from Stephan's parents for the last few days so we wouldn't have to pay out of pocket for the extra few days with the rental (we saved a couple hundred bucks doing this). We picked up the car in Draper (yes, Draper) and we almost didn't get to because I didn't have the first estimate check with me. Since the car is still under my parents' insurance (until I am employed), the check was sent to my parents. I made an urgent call to my mom right then, which was a good thing because she was on her way to the temple (my parents are ordinance workers). She was able to give them her information over the phone, and all was well in Zion. We got our car back, although we are still trying to figure out how to get the clock and radio to work. I'll probably have to ask my dad, since it used to be his car.

Other than the car, I should probably talk a little more about what's going on with the Andersons. I still don't have a job. I actually interviewed with a company two weeks ago, but they *never* contacted me, so I have moved on. I've gotten more rejections. We're financially fine right now--Stephan's job is helping us more than we thought it would. My mother-in-law was relieved to hear that because she's been worrying. I guess she gets flashbacks of what her newlywed life was like, which was apparently a whole lot worse than ours is. I have placed an ad at UVU for my editing services, but no response yet. Anyone want me to look over their papers?

I've been getting brilliant ideas to save money. I'm starting to think about making our own laundry soap. I think my sister-in-law already does it and it saves them money. We've also been making our restaurant decisions based on what coupons we have for them. Oh the joys of being poor.

Stephan is doing well in school. He says that being married has improved his grades, mainly because I help motivate him. If I go up and randomly hug him while he's studying, he becomes more motivated and his productivity improves. Who would have thought?

Oh, and tomorrow marks one year since we met. We're celebrating today, however, since tomorrow is Sunday. We'll probably go to dinner at Mimi's Cafe (we have a 2 for 1 coupon), do a session at the Provo Temple, and then go to Maestro's for some gelato. Maestro's was where we concluded our first date, though I know for sure that this trip will be much more enjoyable than our first date's was. Ha!

Pictures!

Here are some wedding pictures. Blogger is a little weird about pictures, so I'll only upload these for now. Maybe I'll put up some more later. Enjoy!

Two months!!

Stephan and I were married two months ago today. We are currently spending the weekend at my in-laws--they are all in Disney Land and we're house sitting. Stephan did a little bit of homework and then we took off for the mountains to see the fall colors. It was beautiful! I've got some issues with Utah, but it sure does know how to do scenery! Now Stephan is making dinner, and I feel like reflecting on my wedding day, a la my friend Amy (who I remember best as Sister Hanson when she was a missionary in my home ward).

Hats off to The Silver Hanger for providing my wedding dress, veil, and shoes (well, temple ones at least). I first went to Allyse's Bridal in Orem with my cousins, but didn't get anything there because they told me it was too expensive. I have since learned that they are not that expensive, but rather Mormons are cheap. Anyway. My mom and I went to The Silver Hanger out in Katy, TX when I was home for a break between Winter semester and Spring term. It was a small store, but they had a nice selection and we went during the day when there was almost no one there. We got great service from the lady who owns it! I finally selected my dress, which was a semi-popular dress, but not so much. Hats off to my wonderful mother who altered my dress and replaced the too-tight cap sleeves with much more flexible tulip ones.

A wag of the finger goes to China, for not having the material for my sleeves ready until the middle of JUNE!!!! As if my mom didn't have a busy enough summer getting my brother ready for a mission besides. Another wag of the finger goes to all those people who thought it was terrible that my mom wasn't making my wedding dress. While my mom is an amazing seamstress, she wasn't going to be able to pull off making my dress in only a few months and with me being away from home for most of that time.

Tip of the hat to Le Jardin for being so helpful and not being too expensive. Seriously, I highly recommend having your wedding reception here. They aren't outrageously expensive (especially if you have it during the day like I did), and it includes setting up, linens, and all that jazz. They also did our flowers (my bouquet and the various bouttenieres) and they were beautiful!!! You get the beauty of nature without worrying about the weather, which goes to...

Wag of the finger at the weather. When I decided to have my wedding in August, I assumed it would be like all Augusts past and be BLAZING hot. Nope. When I woke up on my wedding day, it was cold and windy. And then it started raining right before my sealing! I was upset. But thankfully, the rain let up for pictures, but it was still wet out. And our photographer still got some amazing pictures despite the rain.

Tip of the hat to Rachel Spencer, who took our engagements; Jacey Jensen (my cousin) who took my bridals; and Scott Jarvie, our wedding photographer. Rachel was in my ward when I lived in Glenwood, and she's really good with a camera! We were very happy with our pictures, and had a hard time choosing which ones to go on the announcements! My cousin Jacey was very accommodating with my bridals--especially when I didn't know when I would have my dress (my mother was altering it). The wait was worth it, and she took some really beautiful pictures!

I searched long and hard for our wedding photographer. It always seemed like photographers were too expensive or did not take good pictures. My mom suggested having an aunt take pictures, but I didn't think that was a good idea at all. I have certain relatives who would hijack the picture-taking process and take forever if she were the photographer. I reminded my mother of this, and she agreed that a professional would be best. I finally found Scott Jarvie through a facebook ad. He had some amazing pictures and his asking price wasn't too shabby either. I got him for the last available Saturday in August he was available! I am so glad I hired him because he knew how to operate in the rain. And he was really mellow and easy to work with. I would highly recommend him to all my friends, and not just for wedding pictures! And certain relatives kept their mouths shut during our pictures. Our pictures turned out wonderfully!

Tip of the hat to my mother-in-law Kathy for doing our cake. We basically decided to have her do the cake before we were engaged because she had done it for Heather's (Stephan's older sister) wedding, and she does good work! We saved a ton of money having her do it, and the cake was beautiful! Plus, it was tasty. And if you know me, you know I don't usually care for cake.

Tip of the hat to my brother-in-law Alex for desigining our wedding announcements for the price of a $25 iTunes gift card. He also offered to do a slideshow for the reception, but unfortunately we never got around to it. We got a lot of compliments on our announcements, which honestly weren't so different from others! I guess Stephan and I just look that good together ;)

Tip of the hat to the Maywood String Quartet for performing at our reception. It also turns out we had a celebrity cellist in that group--Steven Sharp Nelson. I didn't even know! My parents were the ones who booked them, and they definitely didn't know! My dad also jumped in for "Sunrise, Sunset" (he plays violin). Everyone (including me) loved it! Although wag of the finger at the quartet for playing "Canon in D". As a violinist of several years, I think it's one of the most OVERPLAYED pieces of all time. I thought my dad explicitly told them not to perform it...oh well.

Wag of the finger at the many people who did not read their invitations and assumed that the reception was going to be in the evening. You have NO IDEA how many people e-mailed me later to tell me that they were going to come, except they thought it was in the evening and didn't know until they looked at the announcement and saw that it was that afternoon. To be brutally honest, all I can really say is: LEARN TO READ!!!!! Honestly, it wasn't hard to see that the invitation specifically said 1 to 3 PM. Gee manee. Okay, I got that out (it has been bothering me for a while). Please don't think I hate anyone, I just don't have patience for people who "assume".

Tip of the hat to the many people who provided me with transportation during the wedding planning. Tiffany, Tia, Kerry Andersen, Anika, and if there is anyone else I am forgetting, forgive me! And for those people who listened to my rants and worries during the whole process, namely my roommates, and especially Jessica.

But really, the most important part of my wedding day happened at ten o'clock that morning when my great-Uncle Herschel Pedersen performed our sealing. One of the reasons I chose the Mount Timpanogos Temple was because Uncle Herschel is a sealer there, and my Grandpa Slack (who had been the family sealer for years) passed away almost two years ago and couldn't perform mine. And my entire immediate family was there, which I was very pleased with because we were afraid Paul wouldn't be able to come because of his school schedule (he's a teacher). He caught the last flight out of Yuma, AZ the night before the wedding just so he could be there! Plus, his aides were determined that he would make it to my wedding, so they really helped him get everything ready. I was so happy to have him there, along with the rest of my immediate family. I know it is a great blessing for my parents to have sat in the temple with all four of their children. I am grateful that we all kept ourselves worthy to be in such a holy place. I was also grateful that so many of our relatives could attend.

On the road again

So a week went by without hearing back from the car rental agency, and it was annoying me slightly. But I thought that it wouldn't be much longer before I got the car back, so what would be the point of having a rental for only a couple of days? Well, I decided to call the body shop to get an update on the car. Well, they found out there's more damage than they thought and that implies it's probably going to take longer. After getting that information, I called the rental place and asked for a car they had promised. They had one. One of the agents picked me up and I signed a bunch of papers when I got there, and they put me in a Hyundai Sonata since I'm used to driving a Honda Accord. Let me tell you that it was freaky to be behind the wheel again, especially since the rental place was on a very scary section of State Street that I am not familiar with. So, I was driving a car I wasn't used to driving; it had been a week since I had driven; and rush hour was beginning. Not a good mix! I was a nervous wreck, but I managed to get home all right. It's nice to have a car, but now I'm kind of a nervous driver and I don't want to be!

It's been getting cold around here, which has been nice, but this morning it was so cold that Stephan didn't want to ride his scooter to UVU. He asked if I would drive him, and I didn't want to be so selfish that I wouldn't drive him. Marriage is about sacrificing for the other, right? I managed to get him to UVU with little difficulty. My difficulty was the sun. It was about 7:45 or so in the morning and the sun was getting in my eyes! It hurt and I had difficulty seeing! My transition lenses were not helping very much. But all was well and Stephan got to UVU and I managed to get home in good condition.

It turns out Stephan just wanted me to drive. He could have gotten to UVU on his scooter. Oh well, it got me back on the road. I think for now, I will try to do most of my driving with him and I will stick to familiar areas. I have never prayed so much while driving in my life.

P.S. We have seen our wedding pictures on our photographer's website! We should be getting the CD really soon. Be expecting to see pictures on this blog really soon :) :)

Life without a car

It's been a week since my car accident. On Wednesday, I was on the phone for a few hours talking to the necessary people, and then got a phone call from a car rental agency telling me that I was on top of their list for getting a rental (my insurance company called them). Well, six days later, still no car. Never have I been so grateful for Stephan's scooter in my life. But as it is, I'm stuck at home a lot. I probably should call them really soon to yell at them, but I'm currently sitting in the UVU library. There was a job fair today, and Stephan encouraged me to attend, and obviously I checked it out. Stephan is at work right now until one, so I'm just trying to use my time wisely until then. I found one good lead at the fair, so that's encouraging.

But the good news about the car is that it is repairable! They should have it done by the end of this week or the beginning of next. That makes me happy. But for now, it's my feet or Stephan's scooter.

I was pretty sore for a few days after the accident. A couple days after the accident, I found some bruises on my hips. That was probably from the impact. My back still hurts a little bit. I was also emotionally messed up for a few days. Thankfully, I am married to someone who is very patient and understanding. I don't know what I would do without Stephan.

Let's see, what else? I went to the Relief Society Broadcast with Kathy and Heather (Stephan's sister) on Saturday. It was really good. I went to Mimi's for the first time with them--the French Onion Soup was really good! I had chicken parmesan, which was pretty good, but not the best I had ever tasted. I developed a lovely case of heartburn later on :( Italian food does that to me, but I still love it.

My mother-in-law taught me how to cut Stephan's hair this last Sunday. Stephan has SO MUCH hair!!! And it's wiry. Cutting hair is a challenge, but Stephan thinks I did a good job (Kathy helped). Although it's shorter in front than he usually wears it. Oh well. We'll save a lot of money this way. It's more money to get *my* hair cut. Our children are destined for thick hair. I hope we don't have to name any of our children Esau...ha ha ha.

Here's to living the poor newlywed life! But being married to Stephan makes it all worthwhile. He is so good to me, and he says I'm good to him too (I do try).

my car accident

For those who are not on facebook or who have not heard yet, I was in a car accident yesterday. I am not injured, though yes I am a little sore. Unfortunately, the accident was my fault and the car had to be towed. And thankfully, it is still under my parents' insurance until I have a job.

Here's how it happened:

I decided to go to Target around 5 yesterday to look at picture frames and other decor items. Stephan was doing homework, so I thought it would be a good time to give him some quiet. I didn't exactly know where the Orem Target was, so I thought I'd just trust Jay (what we call the GPS). Unfortunately, Jay thought that the closest Target was in American Fork. I did not want to drive all the way there when there was a Target in Orem! So, I just drove around hoping I'd find it. I did not, so I thought maybe I'd go home. But then I went the wrong way, and it looked like I was getting close to the Lindon Wal-Mart. I was gauging my location on State Street, and I guess I wasn't looking ahead when before I knew it WHAM! I rear-ended a stopped car in the street and caused it to rear-end the car in front of it. My airbags deployed and I was screaming bloody murder this entire time. I was afraid that the car was totaled and I knew that the accident was my fault. That was when I started crying. A witness called the police and came to check on me and he checked on the other drivers. I called Stephan in a panic and he stopped everything he was doing to come to me. He also called his parents. The cops arrived, and I was ordered to stay in the car because since my airbags deployed, I was required to be checked up by paramedics. I was fine except for a sore leg. The officer asked me if I had been texting or talking on the phone. I was happy to say that I was not. The paramedic asked me some questions, they towed the car, gave me some cards, and I could go.

This was a traumatizing experience to say the least. I am grateful that the damage to the car was not serious and that it can be repaired. I am grateful that we also have a very good car. I don't know if anyone remembers, but Stephan and I had a disagreement a few months before we got married about our car situation. What I wanted to do was let my parents do what they had done for my older brothers: buy us a Honda from our next door neighbor who owns a Honda dealership. The agreement with all this is that we have to pay my parents back over time (before you think we're spoiled rotten). The neighbor has given my parents the best deals on the cars they have gotten from her. However, Stephan was not comfortable with this. He wanted to buy a car with the money we both had, which would basically buy us a junker. We compromised and asked my parents if it was possible to get a slightly-used car from Stacy (the neighbor). What ended up happening was I got my dad's 2007 Accord (still going to pay them back) and my dad got a new car. If I had been in a junker, I probably would be in the hospital right now. So basically, I now think everyone should get a Honda because they are good, sturdy cars!

Anyway. I am happy to be alive and mostly unhurt. It's an experience I never want to have ever again. But I think I am less judgmental of other drivers now. There are many, many things I'm grateful for right now that I may list at a later time.

If you want my advice, here it is: Know where you are going so you can plan accordingly. Keep your eyes on the road at all times (that was my biggest mistake). If you are lost, just get back to familiar roads and just go home. Target wasn't that important anyway. Or park the car and call someone for directions. Don't drive aimlessly. Oh, and don't text or talk on the phone while driving. I wasn't doing either, but I think that was one of the reasons the cop didn't give me a ticket. Plus, it's illegal to text while driving around here.

Sorry for my long post :)

no more coin-op!

So after about a month of living here and using the coin-operated laundry room in our complex, I was sick and tired of it. There are only two washers and dryers in our entire building, and one of the washers is STILL broken. But I had accepted this fate because we could not afford a washer and dryer...or so we thought.

I vented my frustrations to my dear husband, and he just randomly decided to go on craigslist to look at washers and dryers, basically to prove that we indeed could not afford any. I decided to get on too, and then I saw a listing for a washer and dryer being sold in Orem for $130. Stephan had not seen this--the ad had just barely been posted! Stephan did the math in his head, coming up with the cost of using the coin-op in our building and comparing it to the cost of the washer/dryer. Basically, we'll be saving about $100 with our lovely additions. They're used, yes, but we should get good use out of them. And our bills shouldn't be too bad--they already are not bad. That's the plus of living in a little one-bedroom apartment.

Let's just say that it is amazing having a washer and dryer all our own. No more do I have to lug laundry baskets down the hall. No more do I have to groan every time I see that "out of order" sign on the broken washer, although my heart goes out to the other residents who must pay to do laundry. I never thought I would love appliances so much.

In other news, I have gotten two job rejections so far. Kind of a bummer, yes. But Stephan keeps assuring me that we should be okay for a few more months at least, as long as we are careful. My mom is acting like I must have a job right this very second and should therefore apply to Wal-Mart or something for the time being. Uh, no, I refuse to work retail and Stephan will not let me besides. He worked retail before he left for his mission and hated it. Don't worry, Mom. Blame the government for making my job hunt more difficult. Of course, don't get me started on the government ;)

Stephan and I have callings now. We're in charge of the ward newsletter. The couple who worked on it last had the calling for FIVE years! Holy cow. I guess my editing skills are being put to use. Yay. Can I get paid for them yet?

We have also opened up our own checking account. I know, it's the "in" thing to have separate checking accounts, but I got tired of the whole "Who's paying?" deal whenever we went shopping and such. Plus, I know people who have separate checking accounts and they fight over money ALL THE TIME. I'd like to keep the arguing to a minimum, thank you. Just thought I'd mention that it was never our plan to have separate accounts, it's just that we hadn't gotten to the bank deal until last week. I wanted to change my name on my account (we mainly just added Stephan to my current account with the bank), but I had to have our marriage certificate for that. My mom is mailing that as we speak (we had it sent to my parents).

So, we have a washer/dryer. I'm still looking for a job. We have a calling. And we have a joint bank account. That's all for now!

Getting better

On Tuesday, we decided to celebrate our one-month anniversary by going out to dinner and catching a movie. We went to Chili's, where I had some ribs (mmm) and Stephan had a really good steak. We also had some lovely strawberry lemonade...mmmmmmm!!!! After dinner, we went to the dollar theater to see the movie "Up". Unfortunately, I started feeling ill in the middle of it and we had to go home because I was afraid I'd throw up. Stephan called his mom (she's a nurse) and she recommended some peppermint tea, and he went to the grocery store and got some. Thank goodness I like peppermint tea, and I started feeling better. It was a mild case of food poisoning, we think.

Today we just went to a ward cookout in the playground at our complex, and I think I'm finally making some friends here! Hurray!

I'm also cooking more often. On Monday, we were supposed to go to a Beatles reenactment concert at the SCERA with my in-laws, but then Stephan's brother and sister both had a ton of homework and then it started raining. Stephan was working until seven that night, but when he got home, I had prepared a lovely Japanese style dinner of chicken katsu, rice, and edamame. It was so good! My brother Scott let me have his panko crumbs, tonkatsu sauce, and Japanese rice when he moved out of his apartment. Stephan loved the dinner--he said it reminded him of the katsu he had on our third date. On Wednesday, deciding I needed to use up some leftovers, I made a chicken teriyaki stir-fry (with veggies) and served it with the leftover rice and edamame. Yummy.

September 15

Once again, I apologize for not updating.

So, we're basically done unpacking. There are a few boxes left, but they contain things like books, and we don't have a bookshelf just yet. We need to get Stephan's old bookshelf from his house sometime in the near future. Right now, I am focusing on keeping the apartment clean, figuring out how to cook and getting dinner on the table at a reasonable hour, and job hunting. I've applied to a few jobs so far--I hope I hear from them soon.

Today marks one month since we got married! So far, so good. We have our challenges, but we get through them. We still love each other--we both agree that we love each other more than we did a month ago. Who knew? We still haven't gotten ANY wedding pictures. No professional pictures, no pictures people just took around the wedding (although Alex did take some pictures of the cake), nothing except for the one picture my dad sent me that's my profile picture on facebook. No one has even tagged pictures on facebook. Errgh. Okay, I sound like I'm whining. Moving on.

Our ward is fine so far, although I've yet to make any friends. It's hard for me because I'm somewhat on the shy side, and we seem to have moved into a very transient ward. I've chatted with a few women in Relief Society. I'm a little lonely around here. I mean, it's like this place is dead. I almost never see anyone out and about. Do we live in a ghost complex? Ha ha. I do hope I make a few friends here soon. It's also hard when all your old friends live in Provo and go to school.

Life is good, I hope it continues to get better.

September 3

Things continue to go. I admit I haven't been the most productive in unpacking. But in my defense, I was doing a lot of household things like laundry and cleaning. In fact, I have a laundry story for you.

Our clothing supply was running low on Monday (running low on the clothes we had unpacked) and we had recently received a supply of towels as a wedding present that we needed to wash. The washing machines we have in the building were available, so I took advantage of this opportunity. I put the whites in one washer and the colors in the other (there are only two washing machines in the entire building). Both start without any difficulty, but the washer containing our whites suddenly stopped after it filled with water. Not good. I tried what I could to start the washer again to no avail. I decided not to give it anymore of my money because I felt it would be a waste. I was pretty ticked because basically my entire garment supply was in there! Stephan still had plenty of his own in the dresser, but I did not (being newly endowed and all). I left a note on the manager's door (she was out cleaning apartments), later finding out that I should have left it in her box. Whoops. As soon as the colors were done, I put them in the dryer and fished the whites out of the warm pool they had been soaking in and put them in the other washer. It took me hours to finish doing laundry because I was only using one washer at a time. I also used a lot of quarters.

It was a doubly hard day because I was all alone and Stephan started work that day, and I didn't see him until after seven. I had dinner mostly ready when he got home (my attempt at hamburgers, if you were wondering). I had forgotten hamburger buns, but Stephan bought some on his way home from work (he normally calls me when he gets off work, and I asked him to buy some buns).

So at the end of the day on Monday, I was quite exhausted and pretty crabby.

Other than that, this week hasn't been too bad. I'll do more unpacking today. I'm looking for new and exciting ways to motivate myself.

getting settled

Sorry for the lack of updates. We haven't had much in the way of internet access, but it looks like our neighbors with the open network are back.

We came back to Utah on Monday and didn't get into our apartment until late that night. We spent a good part of the day at Stephan's family's house--there was free food. We were very tired by the time we got back to the apartment, and I was annoyed because I had wanted to get back earlier to start unpacking. But we went to bed.

The next morning, I had to drive Stephan to UVU for a meeting for the math tutors. He was gone all day (sad). When I got back, I surveyed the apartment and decided that if I wanted to get anything done, I needed to go buy some garbage bags, garbage cans, and other various things. So, I drove to Wal-Mart, and probably nearly got into an accident. I am not a terribly experienced driver, especially by myself. I had only driven by myself once, when I was a senior in high school. My parents were far too overprotective when it came to driving opportunities for me. I'm still bitter about that. Anyway. I went to Wal-Mart, got what I needed, and came back and nearly got into another accident. Unprotected left turns are not my forte. After I got home, I started unpacking things. I didn't need to go pick Stephan up--he had his dad pick him up so he could go get his scooter from the house. After he got back, we got our many gift cards together and went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and Target to get stuff still on our registry.

I am not nearly done unpacking the apartment, much to my chagrin. Stephan went back to school on Wednesday, leaving me to continue unpacking. I made some progress. We also got new cell phones that evening too. Yay. Thursday, I went to UVU with Stephan. He was doing some kind of advertising for the math lab. It was part of "Welcome Week" apparently. I just hung around, read, listened to my iPod, etc. We were at UVU longer than expected because Stephan started doing some programming for his Computer Science class, and lost track of time. Mental note: I must distract Stephan from time to time when he does programming. He tends to lose track of time when he programs. Yeah, I married a nerd. After we finally came back, we washed dishes and put stuff away. I went to Enrichment for our new ward...and hardly anyone spoke to me. I hope our ward is friendlier than that.

Yesterday, Stephan went to class and came back as soon as he was done. We went to Lowe's to get some space savers and then we went to his family's house for a little while to give Alex the power cord for the cell phone and to pick up some more packages that came for us. We are opening the gifts at the in-laws house now--if I get anymore boxes in our apartment, I'll turn into a crazy lady.

Hopefully, we'll have the household up and running really soon. After we get settled, I'll start looking for a job. I'm actually glad I didn't get a job before now because I'd probably have to be committed. So, don't ask me about the job hunt for a while. And don't worry, we have enough money to get us by for now. And I'm confident that it won't take me forever to find a job--I'm out of school and my wedding festivities are long over.

Stephan's work schedule starts on Monday, and I'm not really looking forward to that. On Mondays, he doesn't get off work until seven. So I have to go eleven hours without seeing him. As if 8-2 wasn't enough. Oy. I'll live somehow.

Married!

Okay, where do I begin here?

I received my endowments in the evening of August 11 in the Mount Timpanogos Temple. My parents, my brother Scott, and my Uncle Vernon and Aunt Linda were there from my side. My wonderful ELANG professor, Cynthia Hallen, showed up at the temple not long after my mom and I did and she came too. From Stephan's side, it was only him and his parents. My grandfather was going to come, but something came up. The temple is truly a beautiful place. I cannot tell too much because of the sacredness of it, but I will say that there is nothing scary about the temple ceremony. It is not nearly as complicated as I thought it was going to be--the ceremony itself is quite simple, it's just that there is A LOT to remember. My advice to those who are going to the temple in the near future is to study the scriptures, and I especially recommend reading The Pearl of Great Price because the endowment ceremony is almost entirely taken from that. There are other scriptures I highly recommend that I will put up at a later date. But let me say that if you have attended church and paid attention to what has been taught, read the scriptures, and attended seminary if you have had the chance, you will be prepared.

The next day, I went for a job interview at Western Governor's University in Murray, UT. I was interviewed by four people at once, and that was intimidating. I found out yesterday that I didn't make the next cut in the process. I'm doing all right, it's kind of a relief knowing that I won't have to commute to Murray everyday for work. But I am back on the job search wagon again, which is annoying, but now that I am out of school and almost done with wedding stuff, I can work right away.

I moved out of my apartment on August 13. I missed commencement, but I didn't really care that much anyway. After moving my stuff out of Park Plaza and into the new apartment, I went back to my family's rented house in Lehi and then we went to my uncle's for a family cookout. Stephan came along, and we left in the middle so he could go for his stake president's interview for his living ordinance recommend. Then we came back, and Craig and Brittney had shown up at my uncle's. Craig tried to intimidate Stephan, but was unsuccessful. I think they got along just fine :)

Then on August 14, I went to my college's convocation. In other words I graduated from BYU!!! My entire family was there and Stephan was there with his parents and his little sister. A few hours afterwards, we had a family lunch at Brick Oven, which was good. At the lunch, Stephan gave me my wedding present: pearl earrings! He got them so they would match my pearl necklace :) I didn't see Stephan for the rest of the day :( but I was okay.

August 15: the wedding. I got up early, ate breakfast, and then my stylist called and told me that she couldn't find the place. Uh-oh. But she did find it, thank goodness. She did my hair and she did Brittney's. Then my mom and I drove to the temple, and it was VERY windy and cloudy. I was afraid it was going to rain. On August 15? In Utah? No way!

Well, my mom and I got to the temple before Stephan and his dad did. Funny. Everything went smoothly, until Stephan stepped on my dress and part of the bustling came out. We spent most of the time in the Celestial Room trying to fix it. One of the patrons gave us her safety pin. After that, we were taken to the sealing room. My mother's Uncle Herschel (my great uncle) performed the ceremony. It was beautiful. And I am so grateful that Stephan and I are sealed for time and all eternity :)

And it did rain that day. Thankfully, it was only drizzling when we came out of the temple and it was a little chilly. I'm grateful we had such an experienced photographer! And he was really congenial, which was good because it was a very stressful day for me. Alex (Stephan's brother) forgot the bouquet, and Brian had to go get it. And then we forgot the guestbook and they had to buy a new one.

The reception went pretty smoothly. Good food, lovely string quartet, lovely ambience, and we had a lot of people. But unfortunately, a lot of my friends didn't show up. Apparently a lot of people got mixed up about the time. We did have an afternoon reception after all. But we still had a lot of people who showed up! And our car didn't get decorated, although Trevan and Heather are still determined to do it. Heather is still mad that theirs got decorated at their wedding and she wants revenge. Trevan wants to because it's tradition. I am now going to address them:

Trevan, I know it's YOUR family tradition, but you see, we're not in YOUR family, you're in OURS.

Heather, take out your anger on Trevan's sisters, not us. We didn't do anything to you. Don't you remember how you felt when Trevan's sisters did that to you? I'll feel the same way, only worse.

Anyway. We had the bouquet and boutenniere toss (no garter, I hate the garter tradition). My cousin Kerstin and my brother Paul caught both respectively :)

Then came the honeymoon. We spent the first night in Little America in downtown Salt Lake and then spent a few days in a cabin in Logan Canyon. The cabin was okay, except that it was about 70 years old, some of the furniture was out of date, and every time we went into the bathroom, there was a new bug. The last night of the honeymoon was spent in Anniversary Inn in Logan, and it was WONDERFUL. Stephan selected the Oriental Gardens room, and it was perfect. It was the perfect way to end a honeymoon.

Yesterday was spent driving to Orem, packing stuff for Houston, and flying to Houston. We got in late last night.

So far, being married is lovely. I love having someone to cuddle up with when I go to bed. I think I sleep better when someone else is in the bed...who would have thought? Stephan is wonderful and I hope he stays that way. I could not have asked for a better husband. I'm doing my best to be a good wife.

I highly recommend marriage--it's wonderful.

one more week

I'm getting married next week! I'm excited and nervous, but apparently that's normal.

We officially signed the lease on our apartment yesterday. I know you're wondering, "If you just signed the lease, how is it you've had the apartment since May?" Okay, we paid the deposit on the apartment in May, but the manager told us that the lease agreement was going to be changing in July, so if we signed the lease then, we would have to sign a new one come July. So, we just paid the deposit and waited until yesterday to sign the lease. She gave us our keys. We walked through the apartment. It turns out we have a little more closet space than we originally thought. But um, it's going to be interesting sharing a closet. I have...a lot of clothes. But I'm going through my wardrobe soon anyway. I know there are clothes I'll be donating to DI or just tossing. I'm getting my endowments on Tuesday, and I'm pretty sure I have a few pieces of clothing that I won't be able to wear after I'm endowed. And there are things I just don't wear anymore.

Then we went to the Utah County Courthouse to get our marriage license. We had a fun time looking for the building where we were supposed to get our marriage license, but we did find it and we have our marriage license. Stephan is guarding it with his life.

On another note, I'm not feeling great. I'm feeling a lot better today, but I'm still coughing and have some congestion. I either have allergies or I have a cold. I hope I'm better by the wedding. Me being sick on my wedding day, that would stink big time. I think my body is retaliating from my night owl tendencies. Well, the night owl is dying now. Right at the end of my college career--how convenient.

I took bridals on Wednesday with my cousin. I hope I got at least a few good pictures out of it. We were afraid we wouldn't be able to do them because there was a major storm before I left, but thankfully the rain stopped and we had pretty much perfect weather.

I'm getting married in....12 days?!

Okay, I feel like it was just yesterday I was whining about how much longer I had until I was married. Now I am less than two weeks from getting married, and AGGGH!!! Part of it is that I have still have stuff I need to do, and I know I have a few invites that I still need to give to people (whoops). The good news is that my dress came last week, and it is beautiful. But I discovered a slight problem: the hem was just a tad long. My mom warned me of this because she could only hem so much. The hem being a little long meant I needed to buy heels. Now most girls leap for joy when they hear the words "shoe shopping". I'm not one of them, especially two weeks before my wedding. But Stephan took me shoe shopping this evening and we got a pretty pair of silvery satin strappy sandals with a subtle rhinestone detail at Shoe Carnival. Best of all, they weren't outrageously expensive, though they were more expensive than other shoes I have gotten. And I'm going to need a pedicure, big time.

I'm also most likely taking bridals on Wednesday evening. Much thanks to my cousin Jacey for being so patient with me as I keep changing the dates on her. I am so excited!

But I also have a total of twenty pages to write by next Thursday for my class. After that, no more finals ever again! I also have an appointment with a gynecologist on Thursday morning. *gulp*

I'm excited to get married, but I am also really nervous at the same time. This is going to be a big change for me. Yes I have lived with brothers, but having a husband is going to be so different. I've always been nervous about change. I fear the unknown, but I am reminding myself that this is going to be an adventure. There will be good parts and not-so-good parts, but an adventure nonetheless. Most married people tell me that marriage is really hard, but it is so worth it. I want to be a good wife.

Plus, the fact that my life is changing completely in a period of a few days (graduating from college and getting married) is a bit nerve-wracking too. I am happy to be finishing school, but I kind of wish I could just stay a little longer and still be a kid (sort of). I am nervous about entering the work force. Stephan promises that I won't have to work forever. He wants to be the breadwinner--he says he wants to take care of me, awww.

I hope I don't lose touch with my non-married friends. I'm still going to need girl time! I also hope I can make new friends where I'm moving, but making friends has never been my strongest point. I tend to be shy.

even closer

I am getting married in three weeks! My goodness, wasn't it yesterday I got engaged and was lamenting a five-month engagement before me?

Well, I had to reschedule my endowment for August 11. A lot of stuff has come up in my family, like my brother Paul moving to Yuma, Arizona for a teaching job. It isn't quite official he has the job yet--but the outlook is looking very good. With that said, they want him in Arizona by August 5 so he can start meetings. Scott and my mom are going to spend a few days getting him settled in, and they probably won't get into Utah until Saturday night. So, it was just easier to reschedule my endowment to August 11. I hope I don't have to reschedule again, I'll be really ticked if I do.

I may have found a new job opportunity. I'm not sharing many details, but they are specifically looking for BYU editing minors! And with this job, I will get to work from home. I'm crossing my fingers.

My mom is FINALLY finished fixing my dress! She is sending it by FedEx to Stephan's house. I have made Stephan promise that he will not open it. I am so excited to finally have my dress. I have been waiting for it for months. I can't wait to see what my new sleeves look like :)

getting closer...

My stylist came over yesterday morning. I showed her pictures of hairstyles I liked, and she said that they were all very similar. I told her that I wanted to be able to show off my curls, and she said that we could :) I thought I was going to be trying out hairstyles for hours, but she was there and gone within the hour. I guess my hair isn't going to take too long because it's naturally curly, so she doesn't have to take the curling iron or hot rollers to it.

I mailed out the vast majority of my invites yesterday. There are maybe one or two that I forgot to make envelopes for, but that can be easily resolved. It feels so good to not worry about addressing envelopes anymore! But I admit it wasn't nearly so bad as I thought it was going to be. I had help from Stephan in stuffing the envelopes and one of my visiting teachers came over to help me seal the envelopes.

I called the temple today to schedule my endowment. I am good to go for August 8 at 10:00 a.m. So, I am going to be endowed in approximately 18 days. I'm pretty excited.

July 18

Well, it's been a little while since I posted.

So, it's now exactly four weeks until we get married. That's both exciting and freaky. Here's what we've gotten done so far:

Le Jardin is scheduled and paid for. My linens have been selected. We have selected and booked a cater. My cake has been chosen. My colors were selected long ago. My mom is almost done with the alterations on my dress--though she is very hesitant to mail it. I have selected someone to do my hair; I have a trial run scheduled for Monday. My makeup has been selected. Temple dress is being hemmed as we speak. Invitations have been printed. We are going to address them and mail them sometime very very soon. We have an apartment. We have a bed. We have registered our gifts.

I just don't know when my bridals will be. I really want to take them, but my mom is very hesitant to mail my dress. Any recommendations for mailing wedding dresses? I absolutely do not have time to take bridals a week before my wedding. Endowment, finals, moving, graduation...yeah, no time.

I will most likely be receiving my endowments the Saturday before I get married. Most girls do it the day before, but (a) I'm graduating the day before and (b) I never wanted to have to get mine the day before. Too much in one weekend. I want to have a week to take it all in. I will most likely get my endowments in Mount Timpanogos.

Yeah, that's the rundown of what is left.

About Stephan and me...

I found this on my former roommate's blog, and I just had to do it :) Of course, I've modified it for my engagement...

1. Where did you meet?

We met on a blind date set up by my roommate Jenny and her friend Andrew, who happened to be in Stephan's single's ward. It was a double date to the BYU Men's and Women's Chorus concert and then to Maestro's Gelato at first.

2. How long did you date?

We met on November 8, 2008. According to Stephan, that's when we started dating. But according to me, we began exclusively dating on January 25, 2009. You see, between November and January, I went out with other guys...heh heh. Stephan didn't go out with anyone else. We got engaged on March 14. So...we were exclusively dating for about six weeks before our engagement. But we had known each other for four months beforehand. We're not a typical BYU couple because he doesn't go to BYU ;)
3. How long have you been engaged?

almost four months. Less than six weeks until we're married...agh!

4. What does he say that surprises you?

Hmm, that's a hard one. Once I borrowed his leather jacket and he whispered, "You look hot!" I was quite surprised.
5. What is your favorite feature of his?

I love his laugh. And I like how tall and skinny he is ;) He also has nice hazel eyes...

6. What is your favorite quality of his?

His kindness and devotion.
7. Does he have a nickname for you?

Not that I'm aware of.
8. What is his favorite color?

Green.

9. What is his favorite food?

Asian. Especially Japanese and Chinese. It's a good thing because he's marrying a girl who was born in Tokyo.

10. What is his favorite sport?

He really doesn't care for sports. Though he kind of likes baseball.

11. When and where did you first kiss?

March 14, 2009 in the car in the Park Plaza parking lot. If you look at that date and the date we got engaged, yes it was the same day. Stephan told me when we first started dating that he promised himself a long time ago that he wouldn't kiss a girl until he proposed to her. I was perfectly okay with that. I didn't want to kiss a guy unless it meant something. We were each other's first kiss.
12. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple?

Talk and cuddle.

13. Do you have any children?

We're not married yet and we're not planning on having kids for a little while.

14. Does he have a hidden talent?

He is a very talented woodworker. He actually made the engagement ring he proposed to me with.

15. How old is he?

21, but he will be 22 on July 30. Yes, I am the older woman, but I'm okay with that. ;)
16. Who said "I love you" first?

He did, on Valentine's Day while we were watching "You've Got Mail". I was pretty shocked. It took me a few minutes to say it back.

17. What is his favorite type of music?

Classical is his first choice.

18. What do you most admire about him?

He is always trying to improve.
19. Do you think he will read this?

He'd better ;)

since Wednesday

Well, last Thursday I got an e-mail from Close to My Heart (I interviewed with them on June 26) telling me that they had chosen someone else for the job I had applied for. I was pretty upset about it, to say the least. I'm mostly fine now, but I really don't want to keep looking for work. It's depressing. And I don't like telling employers that I am still a student (I'm less than six weeks away from graduating, people) and that I'm getting married right after I graduate. It's a good thing I'm not telling them that my transportation is extremely limited. I almost don't want to look for work until I have really graduated and have finished all my wedding stuff. I'll be completely free to work then! But unfortunately, Stephan doesn't want me to put off the job search.

I really wish I didn't have to work. I don't understand women who love working; I am not one of them. But as it is, I am going to be a student's wife. He has a job, but it's part-time and it doesn't pay enough for both of us to survive. I'm only grateful that he's not TOO far from graduating.

On Friday, Stephan and I went to lunch at Quizno's. Then we went to Big Lots because we heard about a great mattress sale. We found a queen sized mattress (Serta!!!) and it was so comfortable! We also went to DI for a comparison, and we decided that the Serta at Big Lots was the one we wanted! It was $400 on sale. We called Stephan's dad because he has a pick-up and asked him to meet us at the store. We bought the mattress (the box spring was included in the price), loaded it onto the pick-up, and drove home. Stephan and his dad unloaded the mattress and box spring and stored it in a spare bedroom in the basement. We were so excited! The Andersons also have a queen sized bed frame in the basement, so we're going to use that. Yay! But the mattress is most likely going to be the only new piece of furniture we'll get. I don't have a problem with that. We decided a comfortable bed was our highest priority. Besides, it's going to be hard enough adjusting to sharing a bed--why not make it at least a comfortable bed?

Saturday, the Andersons had a really nice dinner. Heather (Stephan's older sister) came with her little family. It was so good! Ginny (my future niece) was very happy to see me, and wanted me to read her a story. She gave me lots of hugs that day. What a sweetie. Tavin was kind of fussy--I accidentally woke him up from a nap. I still feel bad about that. Then there was fireworks and Alex and Natalie launching fire crackers. It was a pretty good night.

Sunday, the usual. Church and then going to Stephan's house. Kathy gave me a cranial release (alternative massage technique--it works wonders), and then we watched "Support Your Local Sheriff". That's a good show.

So that's what I've been up to.

Honest Scrap

Here are the rules for this award:
a.) List 10 honest things about you - and make it interesting, even if you have t dig deep!
b.) Pass the award onto 7 bloggers that you feel embody the spirit of the Honest Scap.

1. I spent more than ten years of my life living in the Katy, Texas area. However, I don't really claim it as where I'm from, except when I say that I'm formerly from Katy. I consider myself to be from the Galleria area (not far from downtown) even though I only lived there during high school.

2. I absolutely HATE ditzy teenage girl behavior. HATE HATE HATE! I don't hate the girls themselves, but it annoys me that they think they have to act that way. If you're not stupid, don't act like you are.

3. I do not like the use of the word "like" as a filler. You know..."like", I was "like", going to "like"...you get the picture. The linguist in me tells me I must be tolerant, but it still annoys me. Unfortunately, it's far too commonly used among Mormon girls. I do not know how I managed to mostly escape its use. My highly literate parents? Growing up with brothers? Being the bookworm I am? IB English teachers who reprimanded the "like" over-users? We'll, like, never know. Whoops...

4. I HATE being teased. While I do have a good sense of humor (ask people about my wit), I cannot stand being teased in the slightest. I feel like it's a sign that the teaser does not like me, even though it's a sign of the contrary in our culture (why must people be so complicated?). I try my hardest not to tease, because I just don't think it's nice at all. You have to understand that I was picked on a lot when I was younger. I was socially behind until recently, and I think that was why I was picked on. I didn't learn to talk until I was three and a half, and talking is a big part of social development. I don't think I was socially up to par until I was almost 21. I'm still working on it.

5. I absolutely love babies. I'm serious, if someone holding a baby comes around me, I automatically go "awwwww!!!!" I have made myself known at family gatherings for always holding someone's baby. I'm also known by people in my home ward (at least, those who still live there) for my baby-holding. I come from a family of baby-holders. I also have very strong maternal instincts. They have been present ever since I became mobile. Ask my mom.

6. Throughout middle school and high school, the fact I played the violin was a big part of my identity at church. I was usually asked to perform with some of the younger violinists in my ward (well, sometimes forced to by my dad). It was such a big part of my identity that people assumed that I would major in music. The BYU School of Music would probably have laughed me out if I had bothered auditioning. Plus, I do not have it in me to practice several hours a day.

7. My mom plays the piano, the organ, and she sings. My dad is a violinist. My older brothers both took piano lessons, but it didn't last. Growing up, people assumed that I would be a pianist, organist, and singer like my mom. Imagine the shock people experienced when I announced that I was going to play the violin. I was a semi-competitive violinist in middle school and high school. I was actually one of two freshmen who made region orchestra one year. I was also the first Junior Varsity orchestra member in the orchestra's history to ever make region, I think.

8. I am afraid of salt water. While I love the view of the ocean, I just cannot bring myself to swim in it. I don't like the idea of swimming in salt water. I also do not like the thought of swimming with life forms that could possibly bite, sting, or even eat me. I'll take the swimming pool any day.

9. I don't like dogs. Especially big ones. We lived across the street from a doberman when we lived in Tokyo. It was chained up in the front yard, but it would always growl and show its teeth at us when we walked by. Of course, I don't remember this, but I think it's the root of my disliking for dogs. We also lived across the street from a Russian wolfhound when we lived in Katy. It was huge. I was terrified of it. It chased me up my driveway once. Yeah, me no like dogs. Although the little ones (schnouzers and such) are okay. I prefer kitties. I also hate snakes *shudders*

10. I am anti-tanning. Whenever I see people lying out in the sun getting a tan, I want to say: "Yeah, you'll have a great tan now, but you'll pay for it later." I sometimes feel tempted to demonstrate in front of tanning salons. I also call them "cancer breeding salons." Well, not only can tanning lead to skin cancer, it can also lead to premature aging. Yeah, I wear sunscreen everyday. Best anti-aging product ever. And the best skin cancer prevention ever. I like my fair skin.

ode to the best fiance ever

So, we're getting married in 47 days. Holy moly. I love Stephan so much; he's the most wonderful fiance anyone could ask for. Here's why he's the best:

(1) He stayed up late talking to me on the phone one night when I was upset. This was not even a week after we had officially started dating. What happened was I found out some very disturbing information about my ex-boyfriend (I know he wasn't technically my boyfriend, but that's the most accurate thing to call him). I was upset because some of the details of this information were going on when I was dating him. And the said ex-boyfriend was contacting me at unacceptable levels considering I was in a relationship with Stephan, and I was annoyed. Stephan couldn't come down to Provo because his brother had the car, but he called me as soon as I was home from doing laundry at my cousin's. He just let me talk and he did his best to comfort me, and he helped a lot! It was a serious bonding night. I ended up deleting the ex-boyfriend from my friend list a few days later. Boy, was he upset.

(2) He always tells me I'm beautiful. When Voldemort (that's what we call my ex) uttered his infamous phrase when we stopped dating, it pretty much wrecked my self-esteem for a while. Stephan does know about this, and he has always told me how beautiful he thinks I am. And I know he is sincere. The first time he ever saw me "dressed down" was last April. I was cleaning out my room, so I was dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, my hair was yanked back, I was wearing my glasses, and I was wearing no makeup. He still told me I was beautiful. I've often asked him if he'll still think I'm pretty when I'm pregnant, and he says, "Yes!"

(3) He is always kind to me. I told him when I started birth control in case I had any mood changes. It's a good thing I warned him because I did in that first month. Nothing drastic. I cried more. I was ticked off more often. But Stephan has always let me cry on his shoulder and he always tells me how much he loves me and that he thinks I'm so wonderful. Even when I flipped out when we were talking finances (who knew that was such a heated issue?), he was still kind to me. He was actually prepared for me to flip out. I know that sounds like birth control made me crazy that first month, but I assure you it wasn't drastic. And now that I'm in the second month, I'm much much better. Although I get cravings now....weird.

(4) He listens to me. If I'm happy, sad, angry, whatever, he will always listen to me.

(5) He has been helping me so much in the job search! He has helped me look for jobs. He drove me to my job interview. He keeps telling me that I would be an asset to any employer.

(6) He is a gentleman. He always opens my car door for me, both getting in and getting out. He insists on getting my chair when sitting down for meals. He gets glasses of water for me, no matter how much I protest that I can get my own. When it's cold, he gets my coat for me. And when it's raining and he's wearing his leather jacket, he lifts a side of it over my heat so I can be as dry as possible (and warm!!).

I know this doesn't cover every aspect of his wonderfulness, but this is an attempt. I don't know what I did to deserve him, but whatever I did, I'm glad I did it!!!

I love you Stephan :)

string quartet

My dad e-mailed me Saturday night asking me if I would be interested in having live music at my reception. I had an idea of what he meant, but I asked for clarification anyway. His idea was to have a string quartet. I thought about it and talked it over with Stephan. We decided that we liked the idea. Originally, we were going to have a dance with music provided by a playlist I would create on my iPod. But, we are going to have a string quartet. Neither of us really knows how to dance. Stephan cannot dance (I love you, Stephan) and I'm merely okay. The only reason why Stephan wanted to have a dance is because it's traditional. And his sister had one at hers, but you see, she met her husband in a BYU dance class. They CAN dance. I also do not like the idea of people staring at me for a dance. Eek. Plus, a quartet suits us better. We both love classical music. I grew up hearing chamber groups rehearsing in my house. I also grew up hearing my dad play classical music full blast on our stereo system.

I also get to choose what music I want performed. I WILL NOT have Canon in D at my reception. I think it is far too overplayed. I'm also a violinist, and we string players have come to despise Canon in D. People who love it obviously have never played a string instrument ;) I'm looking at the quartet's website and they have some good stuff.

Yep. I'm excited about a quartet. It will add the ambience of Le Jardin.

Marriage

I'm coming down to 59 days until I'm married...holy cow.

Why I'm looking forward to getting married (in no particular order):

(1) No more "long-distance" relationship.

(2) No more "I have to take you home now" or "I need to get home now"

(3) Having our own place. And decorating said place within complex regulations.

(4) Human bedwarmer in the wintertime (ha ha)

(5) Calling him "my husband"

(6) Putting a ring on his finger

(7) Temple dates :)

(8) Having a husband to cook for

(9) Having little kids in my ward

(10) Having a man around the house to do manly things.

(11) Having a tall person reach for things I can't :)

(12) Being Laura Anderson; that will take some getting used to.

no more fast food!

For the majority of the time I've been at BYU, I have eaten lunch in the Cougareat. It was convenient. My freshman year, it meant I didn't have to walk all the way back to DT to get something. When I started living off-campus, I didn't have to walk all the way back home to get something and I didn't have to pack a lunch.

Well, it wasn't exactly healthy. I mean, I started trying to eat the healthier fare at the Cougareat: Subway, L&T (salad and wrap place), and getting vegetables on my orange chicken from Teriyaki Sticks. Unfortunately, I got sick of these items and started going for the unhealthier fare again, but trying to uh, eat smaller portions. And L&T has started using a chicken that tastes really gross.

On top of the Cougareat, Stephan and I had lately been going to fast food places to get food.

I was tired of fast food. I decided to stop eating it.

And boy am I glad! I now use my meal plan to buy food from the Creamery, which is just five minutes from my apartment. I eat lunch at home, which is conveniently very close to campus. Last week, Jessica asked me if I had lost weight. And on Sunday, Stephan asked if I had lost weight because I was lighter when he picked me up...heh heh. I guess I have lost some weight, but it wasn't my motivation behind my fast food ban. It's a nice perk, even though I've never been overweight.

I also feel a lot better. I don't feel so groggy anymore and I'm happier. And I don't think I'm very moody these days,but that may be my body getting used to the birth control.

Now, I know that there are times I might have to resort to fast food rather than starve, and I don't mind that. Just as long as those times are few and far between.

And there may be times I have a craving. Like for a chicken sandwich and fries. Or a pizza.

a callback? yes!

I felt a little bit crabby this morning. I think it was leftover from yesterday, when I didn't get a good grade on my ELANG test (and I studied too!) and my editing teacher was disappointed with one of my editing assignments. *sigh*

But, I started working on things. I started doing some homework. And then I decided to do some cleaning, and I felt better. Who knew cleaning could be therapeutic? And then it started looking really stormy outside, and I decided to run to the Creamery to get some milk before it started raining. I got lucky. It started raining lightly as I walked home and then it really started pouring right after I got into my apartment. Hurray!

Then I started to make cookies. I just felt like making my famous peanut butter chocolate chip cookies (okay okay, my mom's). Then I heard my phone go off in my room--it was Stephan's ring tone. I barely missed that call, but I noticed I had a voicemail. 

Backup: on Monday, I found a job listing on craigslist for a copy writer/copy editor at a scrapbooking company in Pleasant Grove. I hadn't been looking much in the writing/editing section because there aren't always new listings. But that job was posted on Monday! The job included dental, vision, and health insurance and a 401 (k). They also asked me to send in my salary requirements with my resume. So, I decided to apply for it. And I was really hoping this was an answer to my prayers.

The voicemail was from a woman at the scrapbooking company. She wanted me to come in on Tuesday or Wednesday to take an editing test, which was the next part of the hiring process. Eek! I called Stephan back and told him the good news. His response: "SCORE!" Then I called the woman back and now I am scheduled to take the test on Tuesday at 10:45 a.m.

I am REALLY hoping this could be the job I am meant for! It's in Pleasant Grove and it wouldn't be too far to drive from where Stephan and I are going to be living. It comes with amazing benefits. And I hope I would be paid well. It also looks like if I do get the job, they would work with me with regards to school because I won't graduate until August. I did mention in the cover letter and my resume that I will be graduating this August. I'm still looking for other jobs--I can't put all my eggs into one basket here.

So folks, be hoping and praying that I get this job!

Discovering the roots of my insanity

Or one of them ;)

I hadn't been feeling great the last few weeks. Sometimes I was moody and sometimes I just felt blah. And I just couldn't figure out why. But then I had a realization (maybe last night) that most of my time recently has been devoted to school, studying, wedding planning, trying to be a good fiancee, spending time with Stephan....dare I go on? Basically, I realized that I haven't been giving myself "me" time.

So last night, after spending the day writing a profile paper for my ELANG class while talking to Stephan on Skype (productivity levels were good for the both of us, surprisingly), I decided to do some pleasure reading. Being a student, I don't get to do much pleasure reading. School can zap the joy out of it. I selected Pride and Prejudice, one of my favorite books. I hadn't read it since I was eighteen. I thought I had the novel memorized, but after starting it, I realized I had forgotten a good deal of it! Now, I know the plot quite well, it was just some of the dialogues and scenes that had escaped me these many years. It was almost like I was reading it for the first time again.

I have made a goal. I am going to make time every night to read or do something for fun. Writing, attempting to crochet, things like that. I figure if I give myself a little bit of me time, I will be a much more pleasant person to spend time with.

Oh and by the way, Stephan and I have created our wedding website. Feel free to look at it:

Wedding Website

Being engaged...

I've been engaged for almost three months, and today I decided to make a list of reasons why I like being engaged. Most people talk about how much they hate it. While I do have my frustrations with it, why not look at the bright side of things?

(1) I do not feel obligated to flirt with guys. I hated flirting--I always made a fool of myself. Now I don't have to worry about it because I only have to "flirt" with one guy now...hee hee hee.

(2) I have the perfect excuse for refusing dates. Of course, no one has tried to ask me out (thank heavens). Here at BYU, we're conditioned to look at the left hand, so that's most likely why no one has even tried. Oh, how I love my ring :)

(3) I can plan my dream wedding.

(4) Always knowing that I will be doing something with Stephan.

(5) Knowing that I'll soon be with Stephan for eternity :)

(6) Not having to deal with dating drama anymore. I do not miss dating around AT ALL. There were some girls at the pre-marital class I went to who sort of lamented not dating around anymore. I think they're crazy.


That's all I can think of for now.

75 more days to go...wow.

birth control...my reasons

You know, there is not anything in Church policy that says that women cannot use birth control. Yet, you meet so many Church members who think that once you're married, it's time to start popping out babies and there is no reason to wait. 

The official Church stance is that family planning is between the couple and the Lord. Stephan and I have talked about it, and we both feel like it's okay for us to wait a short time.

I have officially been on birth control for a week now. No evil side effects so far. Well, I have had a few "off" days with regards to my mood, but other than that, I've been fine. There has been the increased hunger, but I have just caught that and I am getting a handle on it so I can still fit into my wedding dress!

I have had a few people seem shocked when I've told them that Stephan and I are waiting until he's finished with school to start a family. One woman said: "My husband is in school but that didn't stop us from having kids." And a friend (unmarried) gasped and asked: "Why?!" I also have a certain relative (who shall remain anonymous) who keeps betting that I'm going to get pregnant on my wedding night. Of course, this relative may very well be joking around (you never know with this one). 

I have my reasons for birth control. This list is in no particular order:

(1) Avoidance of debt. Our Church leaders have counseled us to stay out of debt as much as we reasonably can. We are going to be poor as it is when we get married, with him still being in school. We are both going to be working, but that's mainly so we don't starve to death or go into debt. We both want to be in a stage in life where we can have kids without worrying about debt, and that will be when he's finished with school and has a full-time job.

(2) Avoiding guilt. If we had a baby right away, one of two scenarios may occur: I would have to quit working to stay at home with baby while Stephan tries to go to school and provide. I would feel so guilty if that were the case. The other scenario is that I continue working, but I would have to leave baby with someone and I would feel guilty because *I* want to be the one taking care of my own baby. If we wait until Stephan is done with school and has a full-time job that pays pretty well (and since he's getting a degree in Math with a minor in Computer Science, he should be irresistible to employers), I can stay at home with baby guilt-free. 

(3) We will be better parents. If neither of us is in school, worrying about studying and tests, we can devote more time and energy to our children. I feel like we will be better parents to our children if we are both finished with our education. Plus, we will have been married for a little while, so we know each other better :)

(4) Prevention/Treatment of Endometriosis. Endometriosis plagues my mother's family. My mom had it. My grandmother had it. My one biological aunt had it. A bunch of my mom's cousins have had it. And I have been exhibiting symptoms of it. In its advanced stages, Endometriosis can cause infertility and increase the risk of miscarriage. My mom was not diagnosed until she was in the advanced stages, so she had to have multiple surgeries. She got four kids, but she had to fight hard to get pregnant the first time. I don't want to go through what she did. Birth control pills have been proven to prevent and treat endometriosis. So, in a matter of speaking, birth control pills will make me more fertile. 

(5) Making sure my time of the month does not happen on my wedding day. Can you imagine how awkward it would be to be menstruating on your wedding day? Ugh. With birth control pills, I can control when that happens. That's empowering. 

It's not like we're waiting five years to have kids. No way. I'm not telling you the exact length of time we're waiting, but we are not waiting a terribly long time. But I'll tell you this: Stephan does not have much longer in school. We both want kids. If you know me well enough, you know that I LOVE babies. I'm serious--if I see a baby, I automatically coo over it. My mom will swear that I was born with maternal instincts because I've been doting on babies since I became mobile. I also took very good care of my dolls. And when Scott was born, I wasn't jealous of him. I was jealous that he was my mom's baby and not mine. I wanted to be his mom! But according to my mom, I was a good helper. And at family gatherings, I'm always holding someone's baby.

Plus, Stephan thinks I'm so cute when I interact with the little ones. Ha ha. 

And if Heavenly Father decides that we have to have a baby, it will happen (birth control occasionally fails, you know). If that's the case, Heavenly Father will help us as long as we are faithful.

For those of you who have been able to balance kids and school: my hat goes off to you. You have my respect. Please know that I am not disparaging you in any way. Like I said, it was between you and the Lord. Kudos to you for heeding the promptings of the Spirit!

Smiles and good feelings all around :)

This just in: Stephan and Laura will not be homeless upon marriage

As you can tell by the heading, we have an apartment!

Here's the story:

I've been checking craigslist for apartments for a while. Most of the listings were made by people who wanted to sell their contracts right away. So, I decided that we probably wouldn't get an apartment until just before the big day.

I was wrong.

Last week, I found a listing for an apartment that was available August 7. One good-sized bedroom and one bathroom. Walk-in closet. Decently sized living room. Small kitchen with a refrigerator and stove. A laundry room with washer/dryer hookups, but there are also coin-op machines in the building. The rent is reasonable, and the only utilities the tenant has to pay for are gas and electricity. 

So, I e-mailed the manager. I did not hear from her for a few days, so I thought that perhaps it was already taken. Not so. She e-mailed me Memorial Day and gave me information. I asked her more questions, and inquired about the possibility of seeing the apartment. She gave me her office hours and Stephan and I planned accordingly.

When we went to the apartment, we thought we would merely see the apartment, apply for it, and hope for the best. We did see the apartment and we did sign an application. But we also ended up paying a deposit on it, basically meaning that the apartment was ours!

So yeah, we're excited. We have a place to live! Now we have to furnish it. But we will worry about that when it gets closer to the move-in date. Stephan will move in on August 7 and we will gradually get our stuff moved in.