Sledding at Aunt Brenda's

 On January 18th Aunt Brenda (From the Whitworth side) invited us to come out and sled or at least eat some Chilly! My mom said that there wasn't any snow! So we were a tad under dress! 

So excited to watch our cousins sled! 

I love Alex's face! Please know that I am now a brunette! I have been this way since Christmas! I love it but I every time I look at pictures I think How did my mom get into that picture!

This is Timmy and Andy sledding down from the top together on the flyer! 

This is their crash at the end! 

The view from on top! I love Inkom it is so Beautiful!  

I love this so much! Erin, Megan, Me, and Amanda all on the four wheeler! It was a lot of fun to spend time with Whitworths!

So as we were watching the sledding Uncle Lin came to and told us that if we didn't go down from the top then we were Chicken Sh&*! It was really funny because I just can't have my Uncle Lin thinking of me as that! So I decided to go!

Me sledding in my levi's and cowboy boots! 

I didn't do this but they took a hood of a car and hooked it to the four wheeler and pulled it!

Weired

This is an email I sent to Kyle!

I got a called to day from a weird number. It was the Missionaries in my area wondering if I would still like to hear a message from them! I laughed at them and asked if they were LDS and then told them I was already a member, for my whole life! I said that may be my number was there by mistake probably because I was helping fellowship someone!  Funny! But then the more I thought about it the weirder it was so I decided to google the area code! It was from Texas! Specifically Brownsville, McAllen, Laredo and South Padre Island, Texas areas! Why are people from your area calling me like I am an investigator! The number was _________! So weird! Did you right my number down if an area book?
Love Ya,
Melissa

This is what I got back from Kyle:

Oh yes so about that... So my last companion love him to death but he had some problems with playing jokes and being obedient. So about that super sorry that that happened. Well so the story starts when my companion and I are cleaning the area book out which the other missionaries before us were not too well at keeping it up to date. However, the missionaries before that did save investigators numbers under an investigator section so I come up with the idea to call the numbers to see if the people would be interested again. So I look for a name that isn't spanish so my greenie could call so it would be in english. SO I look and find a name that is super white so I handed the phone to him and then he calls it. He starts to talk then says oh your a member? Oh for your whole life? So I am think oh sweet a less active in our area no one knows about we'll visit them! then I hear him say the name aloud and signal for him to hang up! to not talk more. Then I have the most shocked face in the whole world like how did that number get in the phone?!? Then the spirit of my conscience tells me that is was my last companion before hand I think he got it when I said it to the member that called you for college stuff. I was not happy with him. So my greenie called you during weekly planning. Super duber sorry. We earazied your number from the phone completely so that won't happen again we laughed then went on with more planning. So don't worry I am being obedient and not writing your information in area books. It is the craziest thing that you were the first person we called. weird is the right word. So don't call the number you have because that would be us. haha fun to laugh about now. super wiered out too.  My greenie was just glad it was in english he didn't mind. Love ya!

Oh I love this story! How I miss this boy!

I seriously Love My family!

My Family loves me! They have this weird amazing picture in their head of me that sometimes I think are we talking about the same person! I received this text message from my Aunt Allison:
Hello there Miss Miss! I was wondering if I could ask a favor?  I know this is not always an easy subject, so if you don't want to to do this I totally understand. I'm talking about Relief Society on Sunday and the mission of it. Part of my talk is about strengthening homes and families and I wonderd if you would be willing to provide some perspective on how our single sisters can still embrace this principle and find fulfillment. I hope I have not sounded insensitive, know that I do not mean to be. You are such a good example and have remained strong and faithful even though I know your life circumstance is not exactly how you desired it to be. I feel you have a testimony others might benefit from in their struggles. Love ya! Feel free to say no!!!!!! :) but you can email me if you choose to share your thoughts!

We all know that there are very few times when I choose to not share my thoughts... ok never!  Here is how I responded:
Aunt Allison,
      I have been thinking about this and I hope that I can pull my thoughts together! I am a bit of a spastic writer so if something doesn't make sense feel free to let me know or fix it so that you can use it! I am not  going to lie I think that being single is one of my biggest trials in my life, but I have learned things that have helped to cope and understand my purpose in the church and in life!
1. Attitude! I remember during a relief society broadcast a talk that President Uchtdorf gave that really changed my attitude towards being single! He told a story of a sister that was faithful who wanted to be married but turned bitter and mean and became angry at God for not blessing her with her hearts desired because she was a good person didn't she deserve a family! In her anger and self-petty she missed many opportunities to serve and be a surrogate mother to people around her! This story hit me hard! I knew that I was headed down that path! I am a pretty amazing person (hahahaha so funny, Clearly I have an issue with pride) yet I was not married! I could see myself in that story I could see myself  choosing to be bitter about what was being denied me. So I decided in that meeting that I wouldn't do it! I would be that person! I would look for opportunities for the Lord to use my "mothering skills"! I find them every where! I find them at work with co-workers and even students! I find them at home with my roommates! I find them at church! Being in the older group in a singles ward I have many opportunities to share with people things that I needed to know when I was their age things that helped me through college!I find them in Visiting Teaching. I feel like I am strengthening families this way because I am strengthening people who are part of a family, who would one day have families.
2. Purpose! I know that the Lord has a purpose for me on this earth! He has a plan for me and if that is not to have a family then I will find what it is! I know that my life has meaning and that I need only ask the Lord what I should do! I feel like part of my purpose in life is to find those who need to remember who they are, who need to know that the Lord loves them and because the Lord loves them they can do anything! The Lord is always in their corner!
3. Trust! This is the hardest one for me! I have been promised that one day I will get married but I have to trust in the Lord that it will happen! It might not be in this life it might be in the next (my mom once told her whole RS that I was going to marry a soldier from the War of 1812 Lovely!). It will be a very tender mercy if it happens! I believe that every marriage is a tender mercy! We have to have faith and trust in the Lords timing! I have decided that I don't want just any guy! I want the one that will love me for who I am! I am willing to wait for him and trust in the Lord that one day I will find him!
I know that the church is true! I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I know that because of this I am never truly alone! i struggle with loneliness sometimes but because of my knowledge this is why I can pick my self up by the bootstraps and move one! I know that in times of trial and frustration all I need to do is turn to him and I will find peace and comfort! I know that Relief Society is of God. It has a divine purpose to help further the work of God!
Sorry this is so long! I am very long winded!
Love,
Melissa

What is funny is that Aunt Allison didn't know that this is something that I have been struggling with for a while now! I think it is because a part of me this last year thought that because I have tried to make myself more open to boys and love that something was going to happen! I was super annoyed that all I got was a lot of anxiety! But I am ever so grateful that for the opportunity to refocus myself and remember the things that I have learned! I am so thankful that my family thinks I am awesome cause it really make me want to live to prove them right!

New Goalish!

So there is a large part of my that thinks that I need to re-instate my goal of four dates this year! There is  small part of me that thinks that I should move it up to more! But I am not sure that any of those parts are going to win! I grew a lot from that goal last year but it is wasn't exactly fun for me! But then I think Melissa that is super lame! You can do that goal again is wasn't that hard! I have given myself by the end of January to decided! On a side note, today Jill decided that our friend Colton and I were perfect for each other! Wow thanks Jill! Then she decided that we should be back-ups to each other! You know the thing if by the time you are both 30 and you aren't married then you will get married! So Jill text Colton to see if he would like to be my back-up like on Friends! He said done! The one condition is that it is when he is 30 not me! Which I am fine with! 30 is only two years away! Which means in about 7 years! So for all of those people that have been worried about me no need to anymore! Because I have a goal to be married by the time I am 35! I know that you are thinking Melissa I am not sure that is an obtainable goal but if you have seen Colton and mine love life you could see that at the rate we are right on tract for this!

Winter Cabin Sledding!

There wasn't that much snow at the Cabin this year! It is a little sad because it is a lot of fun to  go sledding in a lot of snow! We still bundled up tight to go sledding!

Kimberly and Ruby already to go! I think Ruby has on 20 layers!

I know not the most beautiful picture! But it wouldn't be sledding without my bright jacket and even brighter pants!

Our Sled Hill!

We made it to the top of the hill!

A picture of the sled hill from the topish!

Tara taking a break!

Brad Snow shoeing!

Me and Ruby!

GG needed a nap so Rob took her on a ride in a sled! It worked like a charm!

Mellonee! She is a speed demon going down those hills!

Uncle Darin!

Proof I did go down the hill!

Rob and Charlie? or Ava

GG still naping!

The Train! It wouldn't be Cabin sledding without the Train!

I love Ruby's Face! I can't tell if I caught her at a bad time or She was super not happy!

Ruby sat with Mellonee through a whole book! We all thought it was a sign of the apocolipse! 

Winter Cabin: Glow Stick Dance Party

It was just Michael, Kimberly, and I that made it to the Winter Cabin from our family this year! We took Michael and Kimberly's Truck so Ruby and I were super squished in the back!

Sometimes the only time she likes me is in the back seat cuddles! 

She  was super funny! When I would try and sleep she would either pat me or push on my forehead so that I couldn't fall asleep! 

A favorite of the Winter Cabin is the glow stick Dance Party! It is a lot of fun!

Here is Ruby preping to get ready! 

GG practicing her moves! And Brad in the background getting a song list ready!

I can't remember exactly who is who in the glow stick pictures! But they look super cool!

I think this is Ruby wearing Glow stick earrings! 

This is Ruby wearing Mickey Mouse ears and Ava as the stick man in the back! 

A group photo kind of! 

I think this is Kimberly holding Ruby and Blake! 

Kimberly! 

Ava!  

Group Dance!

Love it!

Puzzels!

When Natalie and I were little we did puzzles all the Time! I really Love  them! Ryan got this one for a white elephant gift! We really had a lot of Fun putting it together! I made him watch White Christmas while we put it together!