"Hey! We Bought you Dinner!"

With our move to St. George, Paul and I realize we have been so blessed with specific people Heavenly Father has put into our path to help us and make our loads lighter. We are so thankful. Paul and I have challenged ourselves to be more Christ like and look for more ways to serve others around us. Serving others can be difficult for some, especially if you are an introvert (both Paul and I). It would be so much easier to just keep to ourselves. But would that bring us any happiness? "There are so many people in need whom we could be thinking about instead of ourselves.. There are so many ways we could be serving. We have no time to become absorbed in ourselves."-Dieter F. Uchtdorf. We understand that we can have an impact on others and can be a light to those around us. Even if it is awkward or weird we would rather be those things and know that we are doing something good for another person.

Here is an experience I never want to forget. It makes me laugh just thinking about it.

Paul and I took a quick trip to St. George to sign our apartment contract (yessss... that story another time). So we realized at 8pm that our homework was due online at 10 so we ran over to the nearest McDonalds to steal their internet for a little bit. So we ran in and looked around to find a table. It was pretty empty but I noticed (how could we not notice) this guy with really long dark hair, head down, in a wheel chair, and was blaring (literally so loud) screamo music from his phone. First impression=not so great.

We found a table and started on our homework. oh but this guys music! It was SO loud and I couldn't concentrate at all. I wanted to look back at him and give him my stink eye but forced myself not to. I couldn't help but think, "what is wrong with this guy? and why doesn't he have a pair of headphones?" Over Avril lavigne's horribly sad music I heard the McDonalds worker ask the guy if he was going to buy anything. He said he didn't have any money and wondered if the worker was going to kick him out. The McDonalds worker was super nice and didn't (even though I was thinking in my head to pleeeeease get this guy out of here).

Okay so we finally got our homework done and were walking out. As we were walking to the door the guy looked up at us. Paul gave him a nod and I gave him an awkward smile (I was a little nervous). We drove out of the parking lot and started talking about this really weird guy. Paul randomly was like, "Should we get him something to eat?" and then it was like uh yes we need to do this.

We decided to go through the drive through, order him a meal and tell the workers to give it to him... SLOWEST MCDONALDS ON EARTH. We were like, "Oh my heck, hurry up! He's going to be gone by the time we get to the second window!" and sure enough... he was gone. What the heck was I going to do with this whole McDonalds meal and neither of us were even hungry? AND THEN we saw him wheeling himself down the side walk. and I freaked out for a second because I really wanted to run out and tell him to stop and that we bought him some dinner but I was like no. it's dark. and scary. and I don't know this guy. and what if I get eaten. and then I flung myself out the door (Our car is still in line by the way) and ran towards this stranger. There was a big hill of rocks that I climbed  and jumped over a few bushes to get to the side walk.

"Excuse me!" ... No answer... "Excuse meee!!!" ...Still no answer... "EXCUSE ME!!!" Yeah no answer. And I'm like running after this strange guy and he's pretty fast on his wheel chair! and finally I yell, "HEY! WE BOUGHT YOU DINNER!" and he finallllyy turns around and sees me and is wondering why this crazy girl is chasing after him. I told him again that we bought him dinner and I quickly explained that we wanted to give it to him without him knowing it was us but he left and we still wanted to give it to him.. and at this point I'm wondering what in the world am I doing. and then he looked up at me with the kindest eyes and a huge smile and said, "Oh my God, thank you. Thank you!" I immediately felt horrible for being so mad about his music being so flipping loud.

We got him his food and he was SO thankful and SO kind. He told me his name and said he comes to this McDonalds sometimes. I told him that we would probably see him again sometime because we come to steal their Internet and he was like, "Hey I do too!" haha.

Paul and I are laughing so hard while I write this because the whole thing was just so weird and we are so awkward haha. But we are SO happy we chose to do something out of our comfort zone. When I got back in the car after talking with this guy, we couldn't stop laughing and smiling. The whole thing made us SO happy.

"The happiest people are those who lose themselves in the service of others." -Gordan B. Hinckley

Apartments and Prayers

We took a reallllly last minute trip to St George last week to figure out our apartment situation. It's SO hard to find anywhere decent to live in St. George through the internet so when we happened to stumble upon a certain neighborhood with the cutest little town homes we got to work. I think I've called the landlord over 10 times (I'm not being annoying I promise.. well at least I hope not!) and have been very persistent. Before we knew it, the Landlord was telling us he needed to meet us in person and have us go over all the paper work in his office. We didn't even hesitate thinking about driving the long 7 hour drive from Rexburg as soon as possible. We want this place that much. 

When we finally got into St. George we quickly drove around the neighborhood to see everything in person. It's seriously perfect. The town homes are right next to the Virgin River and Paul had a little hay day when he saw how perfect the water was for skim boarding. It's even located next to a Dinosaur Museum for goodness sake! But it's not just the town home or the location or the landlord (Or the dinos) that is pretty perfect... The price is just what we need to get started in St George. I don't know if you've seen the prices for apartments these days but sheesh... 

So we met with the Landlord and felt like he really liked us. He gave us (A LOT) of hope that we would be able to move in the first of April. The Landlord had to check just a few final things and said he would let us know when everything was taken care of. We left feeling suuuper good and suuuuper excited to move in. 

So here we are back in Rexburg, a week later, and as anxious as ever. We haven't heard much of anything and I'm seriously dying and so stressed that we won't get in for some reason. I keep telling myself that there is no way we will not get it! But it's still so hard! It's taken a huge leap of faith to make the (scary) decision to leave home town and move to St. George where we know nothing. 

Since Paul and I have been married I KNOW without a doubt that our Heavenly Father has been mindful of where we have lived. We have been so blessed with each living space we've had. I know know know Heavenly Father will answer our prayers whether it be through this particular place or somewhere else (although I am really really praying that it's in God's favor that it's this place). Through this whole process the words "I'll go where you want me to go" have been on repeat. Through faith, Paul and I will be directed to go where he wants us to go and I'll be happy wherever that be. 

(So yeah. But let's still pray hard it's this particular place. :)) 

It's a miracle!

Today I opened our front door and left it open for a whole 20 minutes! I sat just where the cold breeze couldn't get me but where I could feel that sun that I've missed for too long. It was amazing.

This picture took me back

Paul and I were walking back from the track when all of a sudden I saw this! I hadn't seen this picture in yeeeeaars. 

This picture took me back to my tiny years sitting at our old circle table and eating cream of chicken whatever. It hung above our dining table and when eating dinner I would often stare at it instead of listening to my parent's politic talk.

I've always loved this picture. My parents always said that it represented our family. Julia bent down working hard, Jason staring off at who knows what, Stacy observing and learning from Julia, Brian looking like a tiny dwarf and trying to do too much for his body size, and me sitting and doing my own thing. Pretty accurate haha.