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.

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.

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.