31 flavors on the 31st for 31 years! :)

So, it might have been just one of my favorite flavors (+ DELICIOUS funfetti cake) enjoyed at home with some good friends, but it seemed like the best thing to do to celebrate! :) I probably enjoyed the real stuff at least 31 times in Korea to make up for it. :)

Some great thoughts.....

This made my day! :) We can all make someone's day! :)

In addition to that great clip that inspires me to SMILE and help make others smile! :) I was reminded of two WONDERFUL talks: Elder Holland's talk entitled Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence from a 1999 BYU devotional and Professor Thompson's devotional from June 2010 entitled What Is Your Calling in Life?

Across the Country

So, it was quite the week! :)
Day 1: Salt Lake City, UT to Lincoln, NE (890 miles)
We drove 72 miles in Utah, 408 in Wyoming, 410 in Nebraska (and the last 243 miles were all through crazy thunderstorms and wind....after all that tense driving I was never so grateful for a hotel hot tub!). We saw license plates from CA, OR, WA, AZ, UT, ID, CO, GA, FL, NJ, WY, NE, OK, MT, MI, MO, TX, SC, IA, IL, OH, WI, MN, NY, and TN.

Day 2: Lincoln, NE to Keokuk, IA (438 miles)
We drove 59 miles in Nebraska, 332 miles in Iowa, and 47 miles in Illinois (for sightseeing in Carthage and Nauvoo). We added the following license plates to the list: IN, MD, AK, and MA. We also stopped at the Winter Quarters Temple and the Mormon Pioneer Cemetery in Omaha. We drove around Council Bluffs and through the Iowa cornfields in the rain most of the day. The hightlight was stopping for the tour and the Carthage Jail and exploring Nauvoo at dusk (driving along the Mississippi River, seeing the beautiful Nauvoo Temple, seeing Joseph's grave near the river, and stopping at Parley's Street).

Day 3: Keokuk, IA to Indianapolis, IN (335 miles)

We officially crossed the Mississippi River (to not go back this time). :) Then we stopped and went to the Nauvoo Temple. WONDERFUL experience!!! I learned so much being there. I could feel the spirit of the saints and their faith and sacrifice. The building felt like it was built by the pioneers as it was decorated in their styles and we were each greeted by members of the Temple Presidency as we came (I think as Joseph would have done when the church was smaller). :) We drove 2 miles in Iowa, 251 miles in Illinois, and 82 miles in Indiana (all on one tank of gas). :) We added a few more license plates to our list: NM, NV, and KY. We also got to see and stay with the Dockter Family. So fun! :)

Day 4: Indianapolis, IN to Arlington, VA (649 miles)

The last day was a long stretch, but beautiful country. We drove 90 miles in Indiana (35 of which were in the morning fog), 231 miles in Ohio, 58 miles in West Virginia, 55 miles in Pennsylvania, 174 miles in Maryland, and 41 miles in Virginia. We added the following license plates to the list: CT, VA, PA, VT, WV, DC, NC, DE, and AL. Besides the fog in Ohio and more cornfields we enjoyed the rolling hills of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. We crossed under the Appalachian Trail footbridge at one point in Maryland.

TOTALS
So, in our drive across the country, we drove a grand total of 2316 miles! :) We had lots of time to think, ponder, and enjoy the beauty of the country while driving to the nation's capital. We missed 10 license plates: ND, SD, HI, LA, AR, MS, KS, ME (unless you count trucks....there were several trucks from Maine), NH, and RI.

Some of my ponderings:

- I like to know where I'm going! Rain, fog, trees, winding roads, big trucks, etc....can be difficult. I like to see at least one step in front of me. :) ....in life too. :) I feel like often I don't see much more than that, but I know we learn to trust in the Lord as we have faith in His plan. I am grateful for His watchful care on the roads of life, literally (in the wind and rain and fog) and figuratively (in the decisions I make). I know He will lead us to the places we need to be.
- We are so blessed in this country with....nice interstates, food, laws, order, etc.

- I LOVE my GPS! I have never been so grateful for a birthday present!! :)

- Life is about loving others, forgetting yourself, and trusting in Jesus.
- We must be obedient and be willing and ready to sacrifice. Blessings probably won't be immediate or in the way we think, but we will have what is best.

- We must thrust in our sickles! :) The field is white. The time is now. :)

- Things don't matter. You really don't need much, but some reminders of home and who you are are definitely nice. :)

- You can learn a lot when you're forced to do things and figure things out on your own. You have the chance to learn things you never knew you could do. :) It's good to have a chance to grow and teach yourself (like driving all the way across the country and figuring out how to register your car, etc.).

- There are so many good people. We are never alone. :)

Step by step....

I feel very guided, directed, and blessed in my life. It's so fun to look back and realize how the Lord loves us and has always led us along our way. :) I think it's often hard to see what His plan is or where we are going or what we are doing in the moment, but looking back I can see that the Lord has definitely been leading me. I am very grateful for each of these experiences. They have been exactly what I needed at the time and exactly what I needed to prepare me for the next step in life that I didn't even know of yet:

- having wonderful parents and siblings and relatives
- growing up with a knowledge of the restored gospel in my life
- growing up in Hawaii (wonderful people, culture, opportunities)
- going to BYU to study geography (after thinking about accounting)
- making new friends in Provo (from Jordan to Washington)
- going on a mission to Korea
- having two years to come back to school and learn and meet great friends
- having the opportunity to teach at the MTC and strength myself and others
- having my family move back to Utah (made me decide to go to grad school)
- finding a job I enjoyed instead of finishing grad school the first time
- having new experiences working with good people at the COB for a few years
- having wonderful opportunities to travel (East Coast, Europe, Japan, Korea)
- enjoying new experiences and friends in Salt Lake (wards, institute, work, etc.)
- riding TRAX and having the chance to read and learn a lot
- being inspired to go back to school and finding the perfect program
- enjoying two wonderful years at the BYU MPA program (neat friends, professors, classes, opportunities)
- having unique chances as a graduate student to travel (Africa, China), serve, learn, and grow (in personal goals, with friends, at church, in relationships, in classes, working with several nonprofit organizations, etc.).
- feeling strongly the need to live in DC for an internship last summer
- getting to explore DC last summer while working at the GAO
- getting to explore China (I think this is and will be a part of my life for a while)
- getting the exact job I would have told you I wanted back in Oct. 2008 even though I was looking for something else somewhere else
- moving back to DC to start all over again :) with new opportunities, friends, etc.

I have no idea what's next, but I'm excited and I feel guided, directed, and loved. :) I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for me and each of us. <3

I love Kailua! :)

It has been wonderful to spend time at home and with my parents:

• enjoying (talking to my parents, visiting with friends, remembering the wonderful place and people where I grew up, reading and discussing the Book of Mormon, using a DRYER, no real schedule, TRADEWINDS);
• exploring (driving to the North Shore to see the Temple and BYU-H, seeing the Black Pearl, looking for apartments in DC);
• running (10 miles--Kailua Beach, around the lake);
• hiking (20 miles--Maunawili Trail, bunker loop, Kokohead stairs);
• swimming (2 miles--Kailua pool, around the buoy);
• body surfing (many waves--Kalama, Sherwoods, Makapuu);
• walking (8 miles--Kailua Beach, around the lake);
• snorkeling (saw a honu!--Pupukea Beach);
• kayaking (around Flat Island); and
• trying to figure out the next adventures in life..... :)

Life is good!