CHANGE is a GOOD thing...

Wow! It's been almost a year since my last post and SO much has changed that I should publicly document it right?! For the very few who follow this blog, you might be shocked that I'm writing, so here we go. My mission taught me many things. One was the POWER of CHANGE. People change. Places change. Circumstances change. Change is a good thing.

Now I was not always a believer in change. Being the baby girl of my family, I grew attached to things and people very quickly and it was hard to let them go.

I have the best friends in the world. That doesn't change.

Example #1: Our family van was the van that we used to take on ALL of our trips. It was the van that we would all fall asleep in at 3 a.m. in the morning when my parents drove all day to take my sisters down to school at BYU. It was the van that I drove down my parents' driveway when I was 3 years old and they caught me just in time before I ran into something or someone. I LOVED that van. I remember the day we sold it. I cried and cried and vowed to my parents that I would never ride in the new stupid van that could never give me the same memories / experiences that my beloved brown van could.

Dad & I before he was set apart as Mission President.
I love him too much.

Example #2: Being the youngest of six kids is great. Between the oldest and myself there is a 13 year difference. So when I was five, my oldest sister went down to BYU. I remember being so sad when they left home, one by one, for school, missions, marriage...I counted down the days they would come home for the holidays and summers where I knew we would ALL pile on the hide-a-bed, eat chips and melted Velvetta cheese, and watch ALL the original Star Wars movies. As their families grew with exceptionally beautiful and brilliant children (I'm biased, but it's true), I couldn't wait to have princess parties, Star Wars parties and dance / sing to songs from Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star to One Direction.

Then it was my turn to change. BYU. Boyfriends. Mission. Boyfriends. Graduation. Finding the first job. Boyfriends. I've learned that from every experience, we gain insight, knowledge, maturity (hopefully) and wisdom...and in the long-run we change for the better (again, hopefully).

Mom & I before being set apart. I am her. She is me.

Last Thanksgiving, my parents announced to us that they had been asked to serve as a Mission President & Wife in Russia for my church. Both having taken one quarter each of Spanish in high school (over 40 years ago), it was both humbling and inspiring to see them accept this call, learn an extremely difficult language and leave their children, grandchildren, extended family, friends, career, house, cars, etc. for three years. They accepted this change with a heart full of faith, a little trepidation for this new task ahead of them and a love for one another and the Lord that grows daily. At the end of June, they left for Moscow, Russia. It was and has been a surreal experience. It is beautiful for many reasons, some reasons which words can't describe.

Now I'd be lying to say that I don't miss them. At times I still feel like that little girl who is crying over a sold van. But having left and served a mission, my joy and happiness for them to serve the Lord overwhelms those feelings and swallows them whole. It's been amazing to see them change and our family change because of it.

Some friends never change. Kindred spirits.

At the beginning of the year and honestly before that, I kept on feeling that I needed change. I love and will always love Spokane, but I kept on feeling the need to leave...which for a long time, I fought against those feelings. Things were familiar. Safe. I've never been one to take crazy risks. I get my adrenaline rush from performing on a stage, not bungee jumping. I like to be in control, who doesn't to some point, right?! I'm the girl who had a day planner at age 10...ridiculous, I know, but I like to plan, so shoot me (not literally though because I like my life).

Quotes that have helped me change.

So I took a step and started my job search. New York. Boston. D.C. Phoenix. Salt Lake City. London. Madrid. Months and months of searching, trying to figure out where to go to next. A couple of interviews. Several e-mails of rejection. Then August happened. My bro-in-law told me his work, a market research / consultant firm was hiring located in: not New York, Boston, San Fran, or Madrid, but Richland, WA. Two hours away from home. Talk about a risk, right?! Sometimes the biggest adventures in life happen in the most unlikely of places. The job however terrified me. When I was in school and after I graduated, I never wanted to work for an agency or marketing firm. It was not my style. But I applied. Got an interview. Got an offer. All in a matter of two weeks which was WAY faster than I had "planned". Then it actually hit me. I accepted this change in my life, now I needed to follow through with it.

My faith grows stronger. I fail at faith sometimes.
It sustains me to know that failure is a part of the process.
Sometimes what may be perceived as failure, is actually victory.

Since moving here two months ago, it's all been a whirlwind of crazy. Packing. Moving. Flying for business trips. But I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it! My job is AMAZING. It pushes me daily. Keeps me on my toes and the work is exciting. I'm near two of my sisters, which I love. They are my angels. Meeting new friends. Serving as the choir director at church, which is a blast. Change is GOOD. Hard at times, but GOOD.

Doing hard things can lead to great things and great people.

So lessons I've learned since coming home from my mission (it'll be 3.5 years next month), my time in Spokane and now with my new job and living in a new place. Change is good. People change: when and if they want to change and if you don't want them in your life or if they are not helping you change for the better or vice versa, you can or they can change and leave, that's a hard one to accept at times. Places change: where one place was the right place at one point in life, can also not be the right place at another point in life. Circumstances change: there are times when something makes sense at one point, and then at another point, that something doesn't make sense anymore, and that's okay. I change: this is the biggest one --> I can become better or not (it's my choice) learn from mistakes, repent, move on, make more mistakes, apply, rinse, repeat.

Truth.

However, there are a few constants that don't change, which I'm so glad for because it keeps me sane. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are the same yesterday, today and forever. Isn't that incredible?! Their love and grace anchor me. They are aware of me. They love me. I can change for the better daily because their promise to me that I can, does. not. change.

So life is good. It changes. Thank goodness for that.
The end. Blab to you next year.

1st Business Trip: Miami Beach. I was meant to live by the beach.

Heaven on Earth. I miss our Heavenly Home.
It's here that I'm reminded why I'm here.

There is always good in life. Always.

LOVE LOVE LOVE 2013!!

Blogging is not my forte...hence the lack of blog posts...but since today I'm home not feeling that great, I thought that I should update friends and fam about the exciting happenings in my life for 2013!!! :)

Super old picture, but it's adorable! LOVE THESE people!! :)

So...MOST exciting news for 2013 is that my Dad got called to be a MISSION PRESIDENT!!! :) I'm super excited for him and my mom and I have complete confidence that they are going to be fantastic!! We've received permission to let people know that they've been asked to learn RUSSIAN! Which is SUPER exciting! They'll find out where they're going in the end of February/early March...so we're all excited/nervous/ecstatic to see where they will go! I told them to watch Rocky IV and Anastasia to help them embrace the culture and enjoy Dimitri (let's be honest, who doesn't LOVE him?!). Jokes aside, it's been the best to see my parents receive this call and learn a new language. I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the knowledge that where much is given, much is required and the Lord will always be there to be your strength, courage, rock and Redeemer. Who knows...maybe next Christmas, I'll be in Siberia?!?! :)

Work is going really well! I love the babies and toddlers who I work with. My greatest joy every day is to see one of these kiddos learn how to speak, walk, pick up a fork or use a wheelchair. Update: I work as an event planner/marketing/PR guru for a non-profit that helps provide therapy for kiddos 0-3 years of age who have developmental delays and disabilities. Right now, we have our two largest fundraisers coming up in the next couple of months...so to say that it is a little crazy would be an understatement. :) But I keep on trucking along and learning daily of ways that I can improve and become better at what I need to do. It's such a blessing to have a job that I still get excited to go to everyday. :)

Church is great! The Gospel is TRUE! Serving in the Relief Society presidency and I LOVE it because I LOVE the girlies in our ward! They are so fantastic and I learn SO much from all of them. :) Family and friends are fabulous and I love spending time with them! Havin' a BLAST!! :)

Fabulous news for 2013: I FEEL FANTASTIC!!! For those who know me really well, knows that I have kind of a screwed up body (don't we all right?!). Since I was 12, I've been getting sick by a lot of different foods, starting with milk and then as time went on...it just got worse. :) A lot of trips to the doctor, natural medicine doctors, nutritionists, dieticians, etc. etc. etc...I finally found a doctor/naturopath who is fabulous! I started seeing him in September and the past four/five months, I haven't felt as good as I do now for the past 10 years! I feel in some ways, that I got my life back...such a blessing! :) He ran a lot of tests and trials and came up with a couple of things. One...everyone needs to get their Vitamin D checked...my levels were SUPER low, I was super deficient and especially for those who live up in the beautiful NW know that during the winter months, you don't see the sun as often as you would like. So I swear I started taking Vitamin D on steroids because of the crazy amount that I was taking, but I started feeling so much better. I also began an elimination diet...again.

Merry Christmas Morning 2012!

In March, it'll be SIX YEARS since I stopped eating all dairy products and refined sugars. That seemed to help some, but let me tell you...in September I went off all gluten products...and voila...I started feeling so much better! I introduced it back again and started feeling crummy again, so I became completely gluten free and my life is starting to feel normal again! :) My saving grace: Pamela's Chunky Chocolate Chip cookies (gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free)...this goodness is one of my many weaknesses. I go through...hmmm...probably 4 boxes of these a week...and the best part, I feel no guilt whatsoever eating them. :)

Order this here: http://pamelasproducts.com/products/cookies-and-biscotti/cookies/chunky-chocolate-chip-cookies/#!prettyPhoto

Since eating porkchops, rice and beans and the goodness of my mission, I gained tons of weight on the mission, but since it has been 2.6 years since I've been home (AHH!! :( ) I've lost about 30 lbs. (crazy, huh?!). Life is grand! I've turned into one of those granolas who I would always joke about...but it's such a great life. Yoga, Tai Chi anyone?! LOVE it! :) So I'm just so grateful for gluten free menus and sweet potato fries and my cookies...I could go on and on about the blessing/frustration that my body has been for me for the past 14 years, but all I can say is I'm so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who knows me, my needs and who sends me people in my life who are somehow perfectly tailored to strengthen and uplift me, correct me and help me see how I can improve and who absolutely love me and I can't help but LOVE them! So I'm excited for 2013! It'll be a crazy, new year and I can't wait to see what it brings!! :)

I'm done blabbing now. LOVE LOVE LOVE!

EM