The List

I don't know about all the other church goers out there, but for myself and many of my close friends there was a lesson that we would get EVERY year. It was like it became a tradition for our young women's class. Here is out it went, because of course you need a routine for this. First, we would talk about our week and share any good news that happened, then the teacher would start talking about marriage. The importance of it, and why we do it, how God feels about marriage. It was always a good lesson and I've come to believe many of the things that were taught for  myself.
Then came the crux of the lesson. The teacher would hand out a blank piece of paper and tell you to write down all of the qualities you will look for in your future husband. Most years I would take this assignment VERY seriously and only put down what I thought was most important because I knew how the rest of the lesson would go. They would have us pick the three most important things and ask us if we met a man that had everything on our list except those three things... would we still marry them? Because I had done this so carefully I would always say yes.
However, as I got older I also got tired of having this lesson, and one year I just wrote down anything and everything that I could want in a man. I made a bit of a joke out of it and asked the other girls for suggestions and liked some of them, turned down others... in the end my list was a mix of things I really cared about and the things I truly wanted. It was a fun list and looked something like this:

1. Tall
2. handsome
3. blue eyes
4. smart
5. good sense of humor
6. likes to go dancing
7. graduated from college
8. believes in God
9. Likes Italian food... likes all food
10. plays guitar
11. drives a motorcycle
12. thinks i'm incredibly beautiful
13. can cook
14. return missionary
15. an eagle scout
16. likes camping
17. handy-can fix just about anything
18. likes to read
19. enjoys going to the movies
20. good kisser
21. has style (ie. fashion) 
22. Willing to kill all the spiders
23. good with money-doesn't have a lot of debt.
24. wants kids
25. Has a good job-pays well
26. Likes sports

As you can see this is kind of fun to put together and doing it now from memory was just as fun as it was the first time around. This list though it was kind of a joke, because my "dream guy" because he had more than just the important things. He had everything. It was this unreachable expectation, I never thought that I would find a guy who had it all, but it was nice to think about. 

This was all true until I met Chris.

Chris is him. The perfect man for me. He has everything, the super meaningful ones that I didn't think I could ever live without, as well as, the fun stuff. I didn't realize it at first. I just thought he was a great guy. Then he just kept getting better and better. He just keeps getting better and better. Examples: He calls whenever he says he will call. He randomly calls just to check up on me and see how I am doing. He remembers all of my favorite things and spoils me relentlessly. When I got a knew job, he brought flowers during my first week of work. When I did really good on a final he celebrates with me. He makes me laugh and makes sure I'm comfortable and happy. He likes to joke around and then five minutes later we can be having a deep philosophical discussion on something I've never thought about before. He is patient and willing to teach me new skills. He makes me go outside my comfort zone, try new things, and be around new people. I could go on forever about him. He is my list. My perfect wonderful list. Real. Who stands before me almost every day.

I don't know why I wanted to write about this, but thinking about it I realized that I want people to know not to settle. Don't give up. There is someone out there for everyone. Chris is my list. He is my perfect idea of what I want. Now I know I actually want those things. When I first met Chris I wasn't sure if I wanted to be his friend because he was so different from everyone I know. What happens is I thought I knew what I wanted. I thought I knew who I needed to be around. However, I've learned and grown so much. I've never felt more loved. He is amazing, and on the surface, I never would have guessed just how much I would need him in my life. 

Stand Ye in Holy Places

Today was one of those days where I woke up freaking out about all that I have to get done and everything that needed to happen. As my boyfriend put it yesterday, "this week has been a string of Monday's. Honestly nothing could be more accurate in my mind but this morning felt especially Mondayish.
Laying in bed after my alarm has gone off twice trying to find the motivation to start the day, the list of things that I need to do today just kept getting longer and longer. Work, School, Homework, Fencing, Meetings, Shopping, Packing, and laundry. There is more in the details but that is the gist of it. It's not very often I get overwhelmed before I even start my day. Finally rolling onto my knees to pray (because I've waited to the last minute to get ready) I say a short but heartfelt prayer that I will have the Spirit with me today and that I will be able to accomplish everything that I need to. Then I ran around the house like a crazy person to get ready for the day and speed out the door.
Low and behold what happens? Traffic. Why? Cause there is snow. I love snow, love playing it it, love the way it looks, love how it means water for summer time. However, I hate how people drive in the snow. Because of traffic I'm running late, then I get to school. Where the wonderful UVU parking experience, which is horrific on a good day, had reached a new height of stupidity. There was no parking and people where honking and angry because we are all late for class and just trying to find the one spot that we can. I give up and go park off of campus and begin the LONG walk in the snow to campus. (up hill both ways and all that)
This is where the story changes a little bit from a Monday. As I was walking to campus missing my class I am miffed. I can't believe that my day has gone this way, etc. So I check my Instagram feed, cause why not?  One of the first few posts is a picture of my favorite temple covered in Snow. It looks beautiful and I can't help but smile thinking of the Lords house. My day just got a little bit brighter. I text my friend for the class I'm missing and he promises to share his notes. So one stress down. Then after finally reaching campus I remember I need to check the institute  building for work because someone might have left something there.
I walk into the institute building and the entire atmosphere has changed. Things are quite even though the building is full. I start walking around the halls looking for what I need and I come face to face with paintings from all my favorite Bible video's. I didn't find what I was looking for but I realized I wasn't frustrated any more. I sat down at one of the many couches and just breathed. I missed class anyway why not take a breather? Sitting down and just taking a breath the Spirit hit me. Not in the way where it's like running into a brick wall, but in the way where after running around on a hot day you finally get an ice cold drink.
All of the sudden I realized I have a testimony of standing in Holy Places. Having the temple as part of my life and buildings like the institute for little breaks from the world. To find a quite place where the Spirit can touch your heart is important. I don't know how the rest of my day will go, but I know I will handle it better now after a few minutes of peace then I would have before.