Friday, June 20, 2014

first timers.

Yesterday was just really amazing.
I can't remember if I made mention of this yet, but while I was on the mission a wonderful miracle occurred and one of my friends from high school got baptized.
My sweet Tia wrote an article about it for church news.

While I couldn't be there for her Baptism, (I was kind of far away serving in Baytown at the time) I was so blessed to be able to be there for her first time going in the temple.
It was kind of the greatest thing ever.

& as if going to the temple with friend who joined the church wasn't enough of happiness boost, the occasion also was a mission reunion of sorts.
Morgan,one of my zone leaders in Pasadena (possibly my favorite district ever!),came too!
I can't even describe how great it was.

I love when two worlds collide.
There were special feelings in my heart yesterday.
I had nostalgia overload as mission memories, high school memories, and youth temple trip memories flooded my mind.
I highly recommend all of it.

this day.
one for the journals.

Monday, June 16, 2014

If you ever sign up your daughter for performing groups...

her room will one day look like this 
v
v

& there are still costumes missing! 
Like my cute strawberry ballet costume from when I was three in Ms. Georgina's ballet production of the Nutcracker.
2 different dance studios, 1 international choir, a mother's mission to Ecuador, & living among Polynesians gives you the mess above.

I can't part with the costumes for sentimental value reasons. 
& plus, I tell myself, one day my future daughters will love playing dress up.
They'll be entertained for hours. 

favorite. ^^
I'm obsessed with ethnic details. It's the Latina in me.

Monday, June 9, 2014

Harry Potter Series.


I can't even tell you how great it was to be able to read books again. On Pdays I would go to the library to email and would have an inner struggle that went something like this:

"Oooh! I like that book cover! Love in the time of Cholera, I think that's on my booklist!" 
"STOP! Focus! You're a missionary!" 
"Make a mental note to read that book." 
"Great, now I have to repent for not being purpose driven." 
"How can people be in a library using Facebook when there are books to be read?!?!" 
"Am I being judgy right now?" 

Needless to say I was really happy to be home and not feel guilty for thinking about books and for having a desire to read them. The last book I read before leaving on my mission was Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, as in I was reading it up to minutes before I was set apart. So, that's exactly where I picked up with my BBC Booklist Challenge.

I don't think I could ever write a blog post that would do justice to how I feel about Harry Potter. The Harry Potter Series was such a big part of my childhood. I was first introduced to the book when my fourth grade teacher would read a chapter a day to us, not kidding, after chapter one I was hooked.

I consider one of the best days of my childhood life as being the day when I met JK Rowling and got a signed copy of The Deathly Hallows. (!!!!!!!) That really did happen.


I loved the series even more this time through (if that's even possible?)—it felt like I was visiting an old friend.

Below, some of what I picture when I read through the series...


Radom afterthought, am I the only one who pictured the sorcerer's stone being green? I was so bothered when the stone turned out red in the movie. Was that mentioned in the books? I for some always just pictured it being green.

& did anyone else ever notice how much pumpkin they consume in the Wizarding World? You think they'd be sick of it by now.