Time Flies when you are working hard and having fun!

It's really hard to believe that I graduated high school eight years ago. A year ago , I finally got my license and it's still a dream to me that I have a license and I am sitting behind the wheel of a car and that I am on my way to owning that car. I am trully an adult now...at 26 years old...he he..! I have already been paying bills so maybe I was already an adult..lol, everyone has their own definition of what an adult is. I think almost every year I have thrown bits and pieces on the wagon of being an adult. This year also started a full time job with benefits which was so exciting to me because for so long I had been working part time jobs but working full time hours getting no benefits but a paycheck. I am not complaining because a paycheck is definately a benefit but I needed more and felt I deserved more. I am a person that strives to work hard and most of the time will go beyond what is needed and at most of my work places I felt unappreicated and no respect. I know many places in the work force and in the world that will happen but... with getting my bacholer's degree and maturing and feeling more confident in myself I knew I needed to strive to find something better than I had . I love my current job which can be intense at points but I'm gaining a great experience in the education field and meeting great people and learning so much about others and myself. It has many great benefits besides insurance and paid days off!

I look at myself 8 years ago and I wasn't really happy at all but now I am happy with who I am for the most part and happy with where I am. I am grateful for the experiences that have brought me here to this place in my life! My nephew is going to be 2 years old in April and I remember when he was born. I know that when we are in the moment it's different and it seems go by slowly but once that moment has pasted it seems like you are in a speeding car. Time is definately an interesting concept that we won't fully understand for quite sometime until we meet God again but we can take each moment and cherish it with all we have and learn from it.

Buck, Buck a roo, Bug a boo

This dog has been a love of mine for sometime now. He has a personality that's for sure. He is the man of the house. He controls the household you could say. The picture that I posted is of him tired after tricker treaters coming and going. He loves loves attention. He got petted by pretty much every child that came to the door as I am holding him back and trying to give kids candy. The other picture is of him with his shirt on that I bought him, he looked like a sausage but I had to take some pictures before he got tired of it!

Every day I wake up and the first thing I have to do when I come doorstairs is feeding him and give him his morning treat. He will bark at you and bark at you if you don't. I am not saying he is the best mannered but I still love him. He loves his treats that is for sure. He is a Corgie and Lab mix so he is trully a unique puppy. His one trick he has is that he can sit on his square bottom and look ever so cute with his puppy eyes

He loves it when you dress him up in his bandanas. He has more clothes than I do , I feel some days. He thinks he is a lap dog and gets in your lap and wants to climb inside. He would climb inside you if you let him. He loves to cuddle and will get in bed with you but... you have to push him away or you will not be able to sleep. He expects you to pay attention to him all the time and love on him and feels this is part in the household. He loves his toys as well. He loves squealy toys that is his favorite! I feel like he is a part of the family. I love him to pieces even though there are moments where he is annoying me but I guess that is what family does...lol.

The Path for ME

I was chating with a friend this weekend that I hadn't talk to in 10 years. I lost track of him after he went on his mission! We were talking about what was going on in our lives now. He is now married , has been for 3 years and has a little boy. I was telling him about my adventures. I have served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints after I graduate with a degree in psychology from VCU. I am currently working as a Pre K teacher and going to school part time for my masters in teaching special education. I told him, I am not married yet but I have done pretty well for myself. It hit me I have done well for myself. I am someone that has strived to be the best I can be. I have worked hard to receive a degree. I worked hard to go on a mission and served faithfully as I could. I am now continuing on with my dreams! If you asked me as a 8 year old child what I wanted to be when I grew up it would have been a teacher. I changed my mind many times through out my life on what I wanted to be. I wanted to be interior designer, travel agent, librarian, psychologist, marriage and family therapist, a postal worker and much more. I went to Averett University and VCU and received my degree in Psychology. Apparently Heavenly Father has bigger plans for me that I hadn't even began to think about several years ago. I came off my mission ready to go out to Utah to go to a master's program out there but... prayed and pondered and knew ... that staying in VA and getting my degree in teaching and special education was where I needed to be. He also directed me to the specific school I am in as well. I was seeking out different schools in the area, it was Mary Baldwin that sought me out where as others did not. Even though my desire is to one day have a family, I know that for now this is the path for me!

Being a better you!

Our lives are filled with television, texting, and soap operas and so much more. We spend a great deal of our time focusing on what has happened or what will happen and not focusing on what is the most important which is now. We also focus on others' and what is going on in their life as well; people on television, as well as those in our life.
We need to focus more on bettering ourselves. What are your ideas on this subject?

Faith and Fear

For the longest time I have hated picking up the phone and dialing. I wouldn't say that this is in all cases but it is frequent enough to notice. I know it must be done but for some reason I create excuses not to call that person at that time until I can build myself. It's werid to me that I have concured much greater fears or anxieties but... a small fear like this one lingers. Maybe I am afraid of what the person will say , maybe I am afraid of not knowing what to say.
Fears seem to be all around us. It would be alittle silly to just pour out all my fears and have the world read it and laugh but I just have been thinking about it alot lately and over coming them. I felt like sharing some of my thoughts whether they will help you or not it will help me to process it. As a missionary for the LDS Church, I had to knock on doors of total strangers to share a message about The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Some individuals it came easy to and they were able to get pass their fears. I however didn't get over it but... just had to take moment by moment and push forward. Even though my testimony of Jesus Christ and his Gospel is strong , I still struggled to share it with total strangers. I suppose this is normal, we don't know how that person will react but we could look at it in that you may never see that person again and if they are ready for that message than they will be happy but if they are not happy than you will move on. God has given us the spirit of power and love and not fear. God is there to help us but we must believe in him... Have Faith. So I am especially am not perfect at this but I have had many moments of overcoming moments of fear because I know that I am not allow. I suppose you can imagine just as someone you care about will take you and embrace you when you are scared, Heavenly Father does that... and takes our hand and guides us.

We have fears that things won't happen like falling in love and finding that eternal companion, be able to overcome grief. We fear that we won't pass our class or test. We fear small,medium and large things. I don't have a secret to overcoming it but I know Heavenly Father and having faith in him even with the small things help. We also must believe in ourselves and know that we are divine children of God that can do amazing things if we put our mind to it and it's Our Father's will.
We will always struggle with fears or heartache or pain but... What we must learn is that Heavenly Father is there for us even if it means reminding ourself every second of every day.

Everyone is different!

Every day I wake up at about 6 am and some times I add an extra 15 minutes when I am feeling quite tired. I say my prayers usually I am half asleep which makes my prayers not as sincere as they should be! I eat quickly before I leave for work! I spend my days playing with twin babies! Matthew has had strep throat the last few days! He has had a fever! He fights you everytime you have to give him medicine. It takes one person to hold him and another person to give him the medicine! They are such sweeties! They like to sneak through every space they can so they can get into mischief like running around the house and getting brother's hot wheels or other toys they shouldn't have! It gives you a good workout chasing little ones! Three of the four children are sick and now the fourth has a fever. I am so grateful that despite the fact that I am not the healthiest person I have not gotten sick with strep. I have only gotten sick twice with a cold since working as a nanny! I love veggies and fruit which helps with the vitamin c I suppose!

I can't have dairy but... drink soy milk , rice milk as well as almond milk and use that as an alternative! It's just so interesting how everyone's bodies are so different. I know individuals that have alot of allergies and have to adjust their eatting by moment. Everyone is different the way they eat, the way they think, the way they act, the way they perceive things about others and themselves.
I am a worrier, analyzer ! I am smart and beautiful. I may not be perfect but I know I am a daughter of God and can do great things! My mind runs a mile a minute and it's hard to really know how to make sense of it all!

Life Decisions and more

Life is full of decisions. We choose to wake up! We choose to make our bed. We choose to go to work and choose what we are going to eat. Each day is filled with many small decisions which leads us to more decisions. Decisions aren't easy especially the bigger ones. We wish to be happy! I wish to be happy has everyone does. I recently have gotten an interview at Fiason School for Autism on Friday. I want to learn more about the profession I am going into (teaching/special education). I love the job I have currently which is being a nanny for four amazing children. It's hard to choose between two amazing experiences. I don't know where this interview with go but I feel that if I can get the job it will be an amazing experience. It's very hard to think about leaving my sweet children that I take care of and grown to love so much! I am not really leaving them. They will always be in my heart no matter where my journey in life takes me!

Applying what I have learned from my Mission

Last night my mind was filled with memories of my amazing mission in Colorado. I have struggles lately with feeling the spirit. I feel at least that I could feel the spirit more often and have more sincere prayer and have more time to reflect and ponder on the wonderful scriptures! I have decided that I am going to reset my goals that I made on my mission. I also want to read my journals of all my spiritual experiences on my mission. My mission changed my life for the better. I learned a great deal. I know that I have lost perspective of the things I learned on my mission. I learned of my great worth and that I am a child of God. As a teenager I struggled a great deal with self-esteem and more! I learned that I was beautiful and that I deserve great things. We are all children of God and deserve great things. We can find such great Joy by following our Heavenly Father and his commandments.

The Twins

The twins are such sweeties! I am a nanny for twins as well as their brothers that are six years old and four years old. They just turned one years old. I must admit it is a challenge at times. There are days of wanting to pull my hair out but, I feel that I have learned so many valuable lessons. Kate and Matthew (the twins) are both walking and moving everywhere. They have been curious of every little thing from day one. They want to know what everything feels like and tastes like. They are amazed by the simple things in life. They get a kick out of all their first achievements. They both grin and bounce up and down. They love to get my water bottle which you would think wasn't something very exciting and walk around with it like it is gold. Other treasured items are straws, plastic cups and the love them all is paper anything. It's been a honor to be able to watch them roll over for the first time and walk and many more first.