Get To Work

Today I picked up a copy of Gordon B. Hinkley's biography from the library. I just love the library, and I love Pres. Hinkley, so it seemed like a can't lose situation.

I am EATING IT UP. I love this man, and I love learning about his heritage. It seems to me that so far a prominent theme of their family legacy is work. I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and have had some questions weighing on my mind about the balance between praying for blessings/help and working on your own to obtain them.

But this quote about Ira Nathaniel Hinkley, one of Pres. Hinkley's predecessors:

"If he prayed for a thing he went to work to get what he prayed for"

I've decided to make this my mantra for a while. We should pray hard, then work hard. Because the ability to do work is a gift from God, as well as any results of that work. The ability to pray is a gift from God. It's all because of Him.

Last night at an FHE with the President of our school (Kim B. Clark), a question was asked about where the line is between good and bad ambition. Pres. Clark said that we need to take care of things at home. Make sure our spiritual lives are in order, our families are in order, and that we're fulfilling our callings. If we have taken care of ourselves and our responsibilities, then the Lord will bless us with opportunities. If He desires that we become what we hope to become, then we will. 

I just loved that. It's so simple - work hard at what you know. Pray hard for guidance and blessings. Be obedient to obtain those blessings. I don't know why it didn't click like this until now, be regardless I guess revelation is revelation. I'm so grateful for Pres. Clark and Ira Hinkley and their examples, and their words. The world is full of incredible people!

I have a really great husband

So I've been married for 2 months and 6 days and 6 hours. And 11 minutes.

And so far, things have been pretty dang great. And I just want to make a list of things that I have learned about Tom these last two months:

- He looks big and strong, and he is. So I guess that is just a little reminder for you, because I've always known that.

- Tom is a very logical person. He works hard to understand things and when he gets it, it NEVER leaves his brain. Ever.

- Tom is simple. He likes things the way they are and is not a fan of change.

- If Tom doesn't get to work out, he gets cranky.

- Tom loves challenges, especially challenges that deal with fitness or nutrition. This is both humiliating and inspiring to me.

- He loves to cook. He is really good at it too, which is super fun for me. He has helped me grow a lot in my cooking confidence.

- If you have a good reason for him to do it, Tom will do most anything. But it needs to be a good reason, and not something stupid.

- He is a really good friend.

- Tom is honest, and sometimes I wish he wasn't quite so honest, but then I usually take that back because honesty is the best policy.

- Tom loves me more than I deserve to be loved.

Every day has been a growing experience for us. We have learned so much about each other and about ourselves, and about our potential. It is so exciting to look to the future and think about going through life together! I love my man so much.

Make that 23 minutes.

"Your Family's Singing!"

One of my favorite things on the list of adorable and innocent things that Tom has said that make me so happy I married him, is "your family's singing!!" The first time he said it, my iPod was taking a turn on the iHome, and it was on shuffle. All of a sudden Highways are Happy Ways came on. I was in the other room and didn't think much about the change, but Tom exclaimed, in complete excitement "YOUR FAMILY'S SINGING!" I came in and looked at his face, his eyes wide. It was adorable.

And now, every time my iPod is taking a turn on the iHome and is on shuffle, I wait intently for when my family begins to sing.

My family has always sung together. I have memories that are very very near and dear to my heart that consist of all 10 of us gathered around to Stephanie playing the piano as we sang "Andersen Songs". I have always been so very proud of my singing family, and so grateful that my parents instilled a deep love of good music in each of us.

Nowadays, we live very far apart from each other. Stephanie is in New Mexico. Kim is in Utah. Lindsay is in Alaska, Cami is in Texas. Jeff is also in Utah. I am in Idaho. Tim is in France. Sarah is the last bird in the nest that currently resides in east Texas. Being away from family is hard, sometimes harder than other times.

But when I listen to my family sing, it's all just a little bit better. I love listening to my sisters singing a song about sisters, or all of singing about how blessed we are, or my Dad singing  a lullaby that each of us were sung to sleep with countless nights. Through those songs, I feel that intense love again. Gosh, I love my family so much.

I'm so grateful for technology. I'm so grateful that we decided to record a CD as a Christmas gift last year because it has turned out to be one of my most treasured items too, not just a nice way to 'pay back' my parents for all the times we refused to practice. I'm so grateful that no matter the distance or the time apart, my family is eternal. That is pretty powerful, if you ask me, and it's even more powerful that music brings all of that right into perspective.

Life Lately

Life at Chez Cook has been busy! And I finally have some pictures for you, as I promised a thousand years ago I would find/take/upload. You're welcome.

2 weekends ago we ran the temple to temple relay with some of our friends! It was a BLAST. We had 8 people on our team to run the 37 miles from the Rexburg temple to the Idaho Falls temple. It was an all day event and we loved it! I've never ran so far in my life, so I was happy to set that PR for myself. As usual, Tom ran the longest leg in the best time. Gosh, to be like him...

At 6:30 am before the race! It was FREEZING.

Along the way, we found this awesome adorable house!

And we took pictures in front of it. These are some of my favorite people. 

L-R: Me, Tom, Kenna, Blaine (cat bladder)

The whole team, except Coty who was running!

All of us after the race at the beautiful Idaho Falls temple. 

It was such a fun day, and we can't wait to do it again in the Spring time!

 I'm not in school right now (I'm off track), but I love our campus so much! I think it's one of the most beautiful campuses I've ever seen. Tom took this beautiful picture of the Taylor building:

Tom and I recently downloaded Snapchat. And it's hilarious. Here are some of the pictures we've sent each other the last couple of weeks:

Friday night was WONDERFUL. We went on a super hot date. As I was waiting for Tom to get home and I was getting ready, I got nervous again to see him! It was fun :) We ate dinner at home, then walked to the local Farmer's Market to walk around for a while. We took our time afterward to wander around our little downtown holding hands and laughing. We stopped at Great Harvest Bread to get a free sample of deliciousness. Then we wandered around the local craft store for a while to see what we could find. Then a trip to Wal-Mart for some super cheap Halloween decorations did the trick, and it was all in all a wonderful night, and one of the best dates I've ever been on. I sure love this guy.

After our date, we had Blaine and Kenna over to make paper mache pumpkins with us! Free and cute, you can't go wrong. We made the pumpkins that night, then Saturday we painted them while we watched Clue on Netflix :)

We love this life of ours. It is simple, but it is beautiful.

Tomorrow will be two months of marriage for us, and I can truly say that every day gets better. Life is still hard, but it sure is a whole lot better with my best friend to stand beside me. I love him. Did I already say that? Oh well, now you're sure.

Moments

If you know me, you know that I am a worrier. Anxiety and I are close. I stress, and I rush, and I sometimes miss out on little things. Then again, I also feel like I'm observant and I try to be sensitive to others and live in the present, even though I struggle a mountain load bit with that.

Lately, I've felt...well I'm not sure what it is. I love having a routine, but sometimes I wish I had the ability to stay at work because the people I help are always different and the dishes and list of things to clean is always always always the same.

And I've been a poop about it! I've complained to Tom and been just so dumb about things.

But every once in a while, there are moments that bring me back. Sweet passing moments that remind how blessed I am and how happy we are and how much I love this life I live.

Like when Tom studies and thinks out loud. Or how he'll tell me all about what he's studying because it's so fascinating to him!

Or when we're cooking or doing dishes and we somehow end up dancing in the kitchen, me standing on his feet.

Or when I come home from work and Tom has written a sweet little message on a sticky note.

And all of these little moments have continually reminded me that "out of small things are great things brought to pass". The small acts of service that we do for each other, the little kisses on the forehead as we pass by, the funny pictures we send to put a smile on the other's face...it all contributes to this great thing called love! Actually, I'd say that's all that it is - an innumerable amount of little things that make you love that person more and more and more...does it ever stop? Gosh...I hope not.

Sick.

I don't like to admit it, but sometimes I'm not very tough. And when it comes to being sick, I am the world's biggest wimp.

Its a good thing I have the ultimate champion husband, who puts up with my complaining, my sniffing, my coughing, and constant stirring while I try to sleep.

This weekend, despite my being sick, we went down to Utah for Conference! We love the excuse to be with family. We came down with Blaine and Kenna, and had a great drive down. Friday night we went to Tom and Blaine's mission reunion!  It was my first time going to a mission reunion, actually it was Tom's too! And even though it was great to see people, and wonderful to see his mission president and his family, we probably won't go to another one. That night we drove down to Provo and stayed with Jeff and Kerri. We had to watch a few Miranda Sings videos before bed...it's just a must.

The next morning we woke up late (YES. I'm loving sleep these days) and had a yummy breakfast thanks to Kerri! Then we went over to Kim and Caleb's and watched General Conference!

Let me just say that I love General Conference so much. It's like New Years, but better. You get to set new goals and gain new perspective and reflect, but you get to hear from God's appointed leaders on the earth today, so it's better. This Conference was better than the last, and I'm pretty sure they do that every year! I loved being with my family on Saturday. Conference is a very nostalgic thing for me, and I was so grateful that I have at least a couple close siblings nearby.

After the second session, we drove up to Salt Lake and picked up Blaine, then came to Lake Point! The boys went to Priesthood session, and us girls hung out at home. We tried to make a trip into Salt Lake to go to Seagull Book, but it was closed! It was fun to be together anyway. That night all of us watched A Beautiful Mind, then went to bed.

Sunday was another round of wonderful conference! I was feeling pretty crappy, so I was really grateful that we could relax. Blaine's parents came up from St. George to see him, so we hung out with them between sessions and then they stayed for the second session.

After conference was over, we ate dinner, packed up the car and headed home. I love visiting family, but I am always so glad to come back to our little apartment :) I was drinking so much water on the way home that we had to stop twice for me to use the bathroom. I think I'm turning into my mother! ;) We got home at about 10:30, and I went straight to bed.

I was coughing allllll night. At one point I just sat up for a while because I knew I wasn't going to sleep anyway! Then I got the bright idea to get some nyquil (duh, Laura!), at about 3:30. It knocked me right out, thank goodness. And then...well I woke up to tell my boss I wasn't coming to work, and fell back asleep. I woke up when Tom walked in the door for lunch. It was 11:15. That is a new record for sure! And since then, I've done nothing but lay on the couch to watch Modern Family and read blogs. I really hate being sick.

But, watch me go, I'll do the dishes! Or at least do something so I feel that I haven't completely wasted the day.