Short trip to the Islands...

I spent this weekend at BYU-Hawaii visiting Clarissa before I leave on my mission. I stopped in Seattle on the way and spent a night with Sara Hyer, a good friend of mine and one of the most amazing people ever. We had such a fun time!
It was a short trip but I had a great time seeing old faces and old places. I stayed with my good friend Dustin and his wife Hiva in their TVA apartment. I love Dustin and Hiva. They are the most adorable and selfless people I know. The first thing I did when I got in was curl Clarissa's hair for Fall Ball that night. Luckily my dress that I had mailed to her got there in time. She looked stunning.

I was also able to attend a session at the Laie Temple. It was in Tongan. I loved it.

I am now convinced I am going to marry a Tongan. Dustin and Hiva got a kick out of how serious I am.





Here are Dustin, myself, and Justin just before I flew out Sunday night. I've had so many fun times with these two!

Before there was Ben.

I absolutely love these two pictures of our very young family. The first was taken just after Rae was born and was sent out to announce her birth with the words "Straight to our arms from heaven above... Another little girl to love" written in my mother's beautiful handwriting on the back. We all look so happy to have another sister. To this day, if you ask each one of the girls which sister is their favorite, we would all probably answer Rae. It's not because she has this gorgeous long straight hair that every girl wants, or because she looks good in almost every photo taken, but she is best friends with all of us- no matter our time zone or current struggles. I love my other sisters too. Soon we will be in Utah, Texas, Hawaii, and Maryland. I miss them dearly. With Ben, it no longer has so much a Ya-Ya feel, but he is amazing.

As I look at the pictures, we haven't changed much. I still have crazy wavy hair. Clarissa still has tiny arms and legs. Emma has lost her curls and Miriam no longer has casts on her legs. But I imagine as all of us girls conference-called not too long ago and we laughed about those people we will make fun of till we die, (in a kind make-fun-of type way) we all had the same smiles on our faces.








One more thing. Derwood, Maryland is beautiful in the fall. Well, all year round actually. But take a look at the the colors.
Fraley Farm just off Bowie Mill... oh the Seminary memories.

The Temple

Friday, October 17th, I received my own endowment in the Washington DC Temple. Going through the temple for the first time was an amazing experience. It was a special day to be there with both my parents as well as a good family friend Joyce Lewis. It was an amazing experience and a huge thing.

We are raised through childhood singing the primary song "I love to see the temple, I'm going there someday..." and I still can't believe that someday has actually come and gone. I am grateful to my parents that instilled a sense of continual preparation to be able to enjoy such an amazing thing. I have about a month until I leave on my mission and I will be returning to the temple as much as possible in that time. This amazing edifice that I would frolic around when I was a young child now has even more importance to me. It is a beautiful place and the blessings of the temple are real.