I Survived! I'm Gonna Live!

Wow, it's already been a whole month since my last update! Let's see, what have I been doing... oh that's right, I've been down with mono. I woke up one night barely being able to breath with tonsils the size of bowling balls so Rodney rushed me to the ER. (after taking NyQuill which makes one very, very sleepy at one in the morning. If Rodney wasn't here to back up my story, I'd think I'd dreamed up the whole hospital trip) They did a rapid strep test, which took a "rapid" hour to tell me that I didn't have strep. But they started me on antibiotics anyway cause they were sure the long test would come back positive. Well, lucky me spent the next two days waiting without air and a fever of 102. Not my best moments... Well, when it came back negative Rodney took me to the regular doctor. (He really is the hero of the story, look at him taking such good care of me!) He tested me for mono, which came back extremely positive and gave me a cortisone shot. And might I add I didn't cry or scream during the blood draw or the massive shot. Go me! Anyway, I started getting better after that, but have spent the last two, almost three, weeks at home recuperating and going out of my mind with cabin fever. My mom says she wishes she could have a 3 week vacation from life all by herself, I'm thinking my idea of a vacation doesn't include thermometers, exhaustion or chicken noodle soup. On the bright side, I get to go back to work today! Finally! I can hear the hallelujah chorus! (although that may just be due to the fact it happens to be playing on my i-pod. What excellent timing!)

On a much happier note, it's almost my 21st birthday! Not that it actually makes a difference to me, but I do think it's strange that the government allows people to get married before they're allowed to drink. Weird. Anyway, I have this little personal tradition/quirk for celebrating my birthday. I like to spend the day doing all the random little (or big) things that I either didn't get around to during the rest of the year but wanted to or could never justify any other day of the year. Anyone have any good ideas? I'm already planning on going to a pawn shop (it's gonna be a blast!) but I'd love more suggestions and ideas!

Rodney started school yesterday. He's doing his generals at SLCC and is taking two classes this summer. You know, I almost miss school. Almost. Maybe by the fall I'll be actually missing it. I almost wish I'd paid a bit more attention in the classes I took while at the Y.... but then I remember all the fun I had instead! I'm hoping that by the time I miss it enough to go back being married will help with my motivation to study and do well. In the mean time, I'll get to help Rodney with his classes. Which, other than Math, I'll love! I learn cool stuff and never have to take a test on it. Isn't that how school should be?

Well, that's really all I have to say for now... guess I'd better go back to, well, to waiting for my work shift to start.

And Then There Were Two...

Ok, ok, I give! After much nudging and slightly harder than gentle reminders I am updating my blog. And I do admit, updated it needs to be! Come to find out Sunday afternoons when you're not in school and not planning a wedding are much quieter and there actually is time to write a thought or two down. So, let's start at the very beginning shall we? I find it a very good place to start! (sorry, couldn't help myself...)

December 15, 2007
I got engaged! I know, you all probably know that by now... but the question is, do you know the story? Well, a couple friends and I were having a little get together for a Pre-Christmas Christmas. Exchanging gifts and eating food and all. (which I managed to poison the pancakes for, but luckily that's not what everyone remembers most about the day. Phew!) For weeks before everyone had been talking about Rodney's gift to me. Giving me stupid clues meant to drive me insane with curiosity, which worked perfectly, and being all cloak and dagger about everything going on. Now, in my defense Rodney had told me he wouldn't propose in front of anyone, that it probably wouldn't be until after the holidays were over, and had my friend take me out to look for rings just the night before. Hence, I thought the very last thing it could possibly be was a proposal... sneaky sneaky! Anyway, when it came time for him to give me my gift...well... watch the video and find out! : )
(video to be added soon...)

And here's the finished jewelry box!

March 13, 2008
I got married! Again, most of you probably know and were even there, but everyone loves stories! Ok, I lied, this section is actually mostly pictures but that's practically the same thing, right? That morning Rodney got to the temple at 7 in the AM and I made it at 8:15, seeing as we were suppose to be there at 8, I figure I was closer to being on time and that totally makes up for being late. (we're still working on having him buy it) Everything went wonderfully and smoothly! The ceremony was amazing and no one lost me in the temple. Which was my biggest fear so I was highly relieved! (it happened to my mother-in-law!) Outside for pictures was cold, but not unbearably so and the cloud cover made for excellent lighting for pictures.



We had our luncheon at Gardner Village and it was very tasty and nice. I don't know, what else do you say about luncheons? People said nice stuff about us, that's always nice! And Colin gave his official approval of our relationship, which was a relief seeing as we were already hitched for eternity. : ) And yes, Rodney really did start a minor food fight.... which I may have encouraged.



The reception was GORGEOUS! Kudos to my mom and her team of R.S. miracle workers for putting it all together! I always wanted to get married in the summer in a secret garden setting but the weather wouldn't really allow such a thing in March. Bummer. But the cultural hall was as close to the real thing as one could possibly get and it was amazing! My mom is wonder-woman. She even home-made eclairs for me since Rodney loves 'em and I hate the store bought kind. That's over 400 eclairs! Talk about crazy cool. Only hitch at our reception was that the car didn't get there until about 10:30, just before I actually decided I was walking to the hotel. We ended up being about the last ones to leave our own reception... but it was still wonderful! I'd thank all the people who helped individually, but I'm bound to forget someone so if you helped at all (and that includes showing up) Thanks!

April 13, 2008
Well, now I've been married a month already. Wow! One of my best friends is getting married this week and it doesn't seem like I've been married that long at all! It can't possibly be time for hers, can it? I realize that we've got a lot more time to learn and grow from each other, but it's amazing all the things I've learned so far! Here's a little list of the major ones...
1. There is twice as much laundry for 2 people as opposed to 1
2. There is no point or purpose in staying up past 9. 10 at the latest.
3. Being married makes babies look a hundred times more adorable...
4. Always buy parmesean cheese when it's on sale, and in bulk! (this mostly applies just to my particular husband)
5. There are only the slightest differences between boys and men. Age and height being the only two I've found so far... (And I wouldn't have it any other way)
6. Shoes and purses still manage to walk away and get lost even in a small apartment. (apparently it wasn't my siblings all those years)
7. There is a MAJOR difference between "paying bills" when single and actually paying bills.
8. Patience is a virtue. (one I'm eternally grateful Rodney has)
9. Never, under any circumstance do a load of whites and then try to take a shower. Unless you're the kind of person who enjoys ice baths.
10. I'm beginning to believe old folks may actually know what they're talking about...

Happy Days!

In a desperate attempt to postpone starting on my next midterm paper, I realized I haven't posted anything in quite a while! Life has been, well, fun! (isn't it great to get to report that!) Other than school is still trying daily to kick my butt. But no worries, I'm winning! Lately I have been so impressed and blessed by my friends. I have the best ones in the whole world. (you may think you do, but i'm sorry, you're just wrong!) We have been up to the mountains to roast marshmallows, playing disney's seen-it (which I actually lost at! What is wrong with the world??), decorating cookies, going to comedy clubs, taking temple square trips, I mean come one, those are some good times!

And in even better news, my missionaries are starting to come home! (ok, so technically most of them are still the Lord's missionaries, but as soon as they get home I totally call posession.(sp?)) Rodney came home a couple weeks ago and Chad gets home in the next week or so. I honestly didn't believe that 2 years would actually pass... like ever. But, shocker, it's been two years! People really do come home from far away lands and go back to being normal boys! (now if I could find a way to make them become "perfect" boys....haha, that was funny Laralyn)

Well, that's basically all I have to say for today! I really should probably get to those midterms, but I have this loverly disillusion that if I ignore them they'll go away and get A's on themselves. Ah, wouldn't that be a perfect world!

Till next time, that's all folks!

My World Is Lonely. And Then Again, Not.

So, first things firts. Scott and I broke up. Hence, the lonely part. But, before I get any sympathy comments, it's ok. Our relationship has been turning into more of a friendship for a while and it was finally time to stop pretending and move on. We are of course still going to be friends, but if anyone needs my number to give out feel free to call my mother! ; ) Actually, the other day a very hott man came to fix my water pressure and my roommates and I have been trying all day to find reasons to get him to come back!

Suprisingly, this blog actually isn't about break-ups or hott men. I know you're dissapointed, but I get the feeling you'll be over it quickly. It's actually about another light bulb going off in my head. Last night when Scott and I actually officially ended things between us I naturally was very upset. (I may be over it now, but it's been 24 hours. Two of which were spent therapy shopping at WalMart) After he left I naturally went inside to ruin any semblance of a figure I had left with whatever I could find in my cupboards and feel sorry for my poor self. I started thinking about all that I've lost in my life. Especially when it comes to people. As I've told many of you, being a 19 year old female living in Utah sucked rocks. (Forgive the language mom, but it is my blog) All my best friends left and my life went with them. Every guy I've ever dated is either long gone or just a friend now (which would explain why I'm not married) and my girl friends are all off getting married and having babies and doing that whole life thing. Needless to say, I was having myself a grand old pity party and feeding my depression by the spoonfull. Not my proudest moment.

Now, I like music. I like it a lot actually and rarely do anything without having something playing in the background, especially have pity parties. So my music was playing in the background during this time when a song by Rascall Flatts came on called "He Ain't The Leavin' Kind". I don't know if any of you are familiar with it, but here are the lyrics:

They tried their best to drag him outof a courthouse down in Montgomery

And now they wanna kick him out of school

And take him off our money

They can take those words off of

Paper and stone

But he ain't gone, no

Chorus:He ain't the leavin' kind

He'd never walk away

Even from those who don't believe

And wanna leave him behind

He ain't the leavin' kind

She stayed mad at him for a lot of years

For takin' her husband

Started losin' her faith

And thinkin' that her life meant nothin'

But when she looks at those kids she raised all by herself

She knows she had some help, yeah

She knows

No matter what you do

No matter where you go

He's always right there with you

Even from those you don't belive

And wanna leave him behind

He ain't the leavin' kind

No, noHe ain't the leavin' kind

He ain't the leavin' kind

Woo, woo

He ain't the leavin' kind

Well, the song played and I thought "Yeah, that's what I need to find. One who's not the leaving kind. Someone who is actually willing to stay and make things right even when it's not easy. Stupid men." (which was the sentence ending of choice for the night) And the music kept playing and I kept thinking. Well, the words kept coming back into my mind and replaying themselves over and over. I'm sure most of you caught onto who exactly the song is talking about the first time you heard/read it, but not me! I had to have a small lightning bolt hit me for me to figure things out. Christ. He ain't the leavin' kind. He is the ultimate relationship. Here I had been thinking of how picked on I was and how no one ever stayed around when things got rough and I'd neglected to remember the most important person. No matter what I've been through Christ has been there every step of the way. Not only every step, but even a step ahead. He is in control, He knows what's coming next and He knows what I need in order to be prepared. I have often envied my friends who come to BYU, meet the man of thier dreams right away, get married and live happily ever after while I'm still stuck in the awkward first dates/painful break-ups stage. But what I realized last night was that Christ knows what we each need. And He will walk with each of us down the paths we need in order to fulfill our purpose and mission here in life. I know, I know, everybody else got that one in primary school, but I apparently need to learn some things the calorie/tear filled way. (which is probably why I keep getting led down the rougher paths, I never did learn the easy way.)

In summary/ in conclusion/ what I basically mean to say is that I am so gratefull for my Savior. I am eternally indebted to Him for the countless hours and years that He stands by my side showing me the way I need to go. Holding me when I think I'm falling, catching me when I do fall and sometimes pushing me when I'm just to stubborn/terrified to move. I am thankful that even though He had completed His mission in life and the atonement has been fulfilled, He still does not rest. He is there helping me reach stars I'd always believed to be far and beyond my reach.

My Wonderful World Gets Invaded

By who, you might ask? School. Happens every year. Not that this is a bad thing! This year I'm actually excited to be back in school (which if my 10 year old self ever heard me say I'd be disowned) and have my brain stop turning into mush. Saying "Auto Rx, this is Laralyn" for 9 months straight will do that to you, I promise! Classes are going to be actually interesting now that generals are done.I realize that there are some of you who actually enjoy things like science and I'm happy for you! I'm just completely relieved that I'm not that crazy! ; ) I'm taking a bunch of religion classes, a special ed class, and a "learning to learn" class (which is the one I really need most in life) so I should actually enjoy this year! Oh, and a music civlization class which I thought I was going to hate (it's at 9 am, can you blame me?) but am actually liking a whole lot so far! Although, that may just be because my professor has an australian accent, hmm...

Can I tell you what I'm really excited about? I actually have roommates that I get along with and like a lot! WOW! I was really worried at first, you see they all like wierd things like football and spongebob (shudder) but as I've gotten to know them better they are all really fun! Especially my room roommate, Missy. She has the same sarcastic humor as a lot of my friends growing up and we talk about deep stuff really easily. (and my deep, I mean boys) Another great thing, she thinks it's funny and doesn't mind a bit that I talk in my sleep! Every morning she wakes up laughing at some stupid thing I said in my sleep the night before. (apparently I speak French in my sleep, who knew?) So yeah that's all hunky dorey too!

So I've been thinking (a dangerous pastime I know). And I've decided something about conformity. First of all, it doen't exist so don't even try. (wow, so this is what philosophers must feel like while seriously stating the obvious and getting paid for it! Only, without the pay...) We were talking in my special education class about lables and grouping people. How people want to be "normal" or "popular" or whatever, when in actuality, none of those things exist. Odd huh? In high school you can totally get away with the belief that to "be like Mike" will make you happy and everyone will love you. When you get out into the "real world" (quotes in order seeing as I don't actually count Provo as the real world and that's the only place I've been) it's much more apparent that there is no Mike. Ha! Imagine that! You can be whoever you really are and people will like you! The only "unpopular" people in the world are those who are still chasing after that image. Those still trying to be the thinest cheerleader or the smartest bookworm.

So, after having that lightning bolt of inspiration I came up with another question. If there is no Mike, how do we know who to pattern our lives after? Who do we follow? We learn in church to become like Christ. This is all well and good, but that's not really what I'm talking about. We can be Christlike and end up a million different ways. How do we know what to do, how to act, what to be, where to live all that jazz? I love my parents dearly and the lives they've chosen for themselves are all well and good (and Christlike might I add) but not at all where I want to be. I would go INSANE if I lived in Utah with 8 kids. Well, actually I'd go insane if I lived anywhere with 8 kids, but that's beside the point. Back to how do we know what to do with our lives. This question really has been being buggy to me lately. And for those of you not yet fluent in "lynish" that translates into "causing much reflection and prayers". But I think I may have come up with the answer. I have decided the secret lies in the Patriarchal Blessing. Now I'm no expert on the subject and this is all the gospel according to Laralyn so don't shoot ok? But from my logic and reasoning I've decided that one of the main purposes of the Patriarchal Blessing is to not only give us direction in our lives, but help us see the Mike we can be. I don't know about all of you, but I definatly don't read my blessing and go "Aww man! Do I really have to be that person? I dont' want to do all that stuff. Shoot" it's more along the lines of "Are you serious? Could that possibly be me some day? I could think of nothing better!" Christ knows our hearts, minds and souls. He knows more than anyone who we can and would want to be. And by having Patriarchal Blessings He is giving us a role model. A Mike for our lives who we actually can be. The perfect version of ourselves for this live. An attainable perfection. The ultimate popular you. Dang. That's pretty cool. At least, it is to me. Don't know if it even makes sense at all to anyone else... oh well! It's my blog!

Anyway, it's time now for me to go try to be domestic and cook dinner. (Hey! Hey! Stop that giggling right now!)

Welcome to the wonderful world of Me!

Ok, so here I go... following in my mother's footsteps and blogging! From what I've seen so far there are two kinds of blogs. First being the spirtual, uplifting, deep thinking blogs about the meaning of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Second being the ramblings of daily life as seen through the eyes of those of us who don't think deep enough to have any kind of hope of being twinkled in this life. Though it may surprise some of you, this is going to be a blog of the latter variety. (although I am using my biggest words to make me sound more like the first!)

For those of you of whom I haven't seen in years (which is probably my fault so i'm sorry!) I finally turned 20! I'm living at home at the moment and working for Larry's company for the summer. (Love Larry, love the people, hate the cubicle) But in a month I'll move back down to Provo to start back in school fall semester. As for my love life I just want to say don't believe a word my mom posts! I'm not as insane as she makes me sound, I think... : ) I am dating a wonderful guy named Scott Wendler who's almost 25 (which, by the way is so old!) and going to UVSC and getting a degree in something. It falls into the same category as my dad's job, I've had it explained to me half a million times in half a million ways, but I'm just never going to completely understand! As far as I can tell he wants to manage a fire station, so we'll go with that! (and just for the record, although it may not look like it, he does weigh more than me! Not by much... but every pound counts!)

Uh oh, I'm through all the generic "welcome talk to the ward" material! Now what? I could tell you all about all the things I love most in life like purple phones, chicken nuggets, speeding, and warm thunderstorms (which I think I see one coming out the window! yay!) but then you'd have no motivation to come hang out with me or invite me to your house for dinner! (cough, Kerri, cough, cough) So I guess I'll end here! Umm... bye? Sianora? Hasta? Call me? Whatever, love ya bye!

Hola, Paco!