More Like Home Every Day

Hay everybody,

So today we got up and were ready by 8:30 to have a pretty productive day. We went to the courthouse to get our marriage license...without realizing it cost 71 bucks..and they didn't accept visa haha. So Mari and Alex helped out with some cash which we were grateful for (and paid back haha). It's weird to see how many people in Alaska, and even here, are so against marriage. This old man saw what we were doing and he was like, "You're not, surely.."...and we're like.. surely what? and he's all, "Surely you're not getting married are you? ____ did you give them your speech?" As he was talking to the desk guy. I don't know about anybody else, but I happen to love Jonathan and I'm excited to marry him this Saturday. :D

After that we tried going to the tux place but it was closed for about an hour and a half, so then we went driving around in their old neighborhood where they used to live. Everywhere is just so nice and beautiful (and expensive looking). We also got to visit their friend pres. Burgesson, who is a chiropractor and he gave us free shirts! :D (With his logo on it haha) Then we went to the tux place and I gotta say, the boys are going to look great.
Next we went to DSW? ...err.. some shoe place. TONS of shoes. I couldn't find any I liked for the wedding though. I guess I'm picky. I could only think of one person who would love this place more than..well, I guess my sister. And that was Ruth and Jesa.. okay, that's two people.. but whatever. They both would love it there. Shoes galore.

After that we went back to the mall... for about 2 hours or so, looked around. Mari went shopping some more. Then we ate and went back to where Jonathan's mom works to get her to go to another apartment complex and look at furniture they were planning on selling for cheap to us. :) Then we headed back to our apt and took naps. I tell you, I had the weirdest dream.. which included newborn babies.. but they died. It was really weird. I didn't like it at all. :(

Then after his mom got off work we headed back to their place. Me and Jonathan were in charge of family home evening, so suggested we do it on Gratitude. So we put something together and waited a bit for his dad to come back from a family's house. Meanwhile, I was working on all the mens' boutineer's. They look pretty nice. And we got to talk to/see Laura and little baby Anna Isabella. She's adorable. :)

We ended up starting family home evening without his padre. I started out by saying that we have been given so much in this world, and we always need to be grateful for the things that we've been given - for life, our material comforts, the people around us, the gospel. Then I mentioned how Pres. Duval said, "You're only as happy as you are grateful," and how that's always hit me and how when we're grateful about the things in our life, we experience more happiness. Then Jonathan talked a little big about being grateful and then we passed out these papers. The rule was, you're not allowed to read the paper til it was your turn and on each paper there was a word and you had to tell why you were grateful for it and why it made you happy. It was a really good lesson. The words were; Book of Mormon, Families, Prayers, Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, Temples, Joseph Smith, Prophets, and the Priesthood. Each person who participated said really meaningful, touching things about why they were grateful for that thing.
I really liked what Alex said about Jesus Christ and how none of us will really know how to truly express our gratitude for what Christ did for us because the Atonement is such a personal thing for each individual. I know I'm grateful for the Atonement in my life and for what Christ has done for me. That reminds me of what I heard in a talk once in church, "The worth of our souls is so important to Christ because He suffered for us individually." And I believe that.

Needless to say, it was a really awesome family home evening and a great day. I just had to give his dad and mom a hug before we left. And then his mom said, don't forget about grandma! So then I gave her a hug, and when I did that grandpa immediately stood up for his hug! lol It was pretty funny. I just love their family. I'm grateful for all they do.

Well, it's been a long day, and tomorrow we have lots of fun things planned! Goodnight!