Oh hey

Go here:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTLySbGoMX0




Also. Go to Google.
Love it.
Happy Birthday Jackie Robinson!!!

Louisville, Kentucky

Random.

But! Perfect.
It's where I'm supposed to be.


If I'm going to be honest I was a little caught off guard. I wasn't expecting it at all.

The moment I read it (in my head, before the fam bam knew) I absolutely KNEW it was where I was supposed to be. And so I cried. Then I read it out loud and stopped crying.

I'm going to Louisville? Kentucky??? What? 


After going back to my apartment and watching the BYU basketball game I decided to pull up pictures of Kentucky. Everyone had said how pretty it was and to be honest I didn't really believe them. Now I do. And I knew while I was looking at those that I would be going back. Hello beautiful picture opportunities!


Going on a mission is not about where you go, or the language you speak. It's all about bringing others to Christ and serving them and the Lord.

As my mission prep teacher pointed out - "It's not your mission, it's the Lord's mission." We are the tools in His hands who have the opportunity to help Him bring his children back home.



What a wonderful blessing the gospel has been in my life and I want to share it with others - especially those in Kentucky (and Indiana and Illinois). It is the true source for happiness for me.

I hope to meet many wonderful and great people and try and help their lives to be better!


*random little things about my mission*
@I hope to somehow learn to ride a horse sometime while I'm there
@It not only covers a lot of Kentucky but it goes into Indiana and Illinois as well
@I hope I get lots of opportunities to do some manual labor for service! (yeah, this is still Caitlin here)
@There is a girl in my ward going to the exact same mission and leaves the same day. (oh, May 29th by the way)
@If you say "Kentucky Fried Chicken" to me I will not be happy with you. Please, just don't do it.
@I hope I can understand the accents....
@I think it's all four seasons? I've been trying to find out what the weather is like at different times of the year there but haven't had much luck. Granted I haven't tried too hard to find out
@I wish I could take my Canon, but I don't think it's the smartest idea. I am taking a point and shoot though (and I can't find mine!!! So please if you've seen it tell me, Familia! And if you prayed we could find it before I leave that would be nice too)
@I am in the MTC for 2 weeks then I'm gone. Ah.
@My mission Presidents look like Mission Presidents...they look like very nice people.
@I am STOKED.

Remember

Do you see that way ----------------->
Where it says my life moto is "remember"?
Well, let me explain



My memory is pretty eh....so-so.
So my moto is remember so I can remember things I've studied
Things I need to accomplish in a day or week
My assignments and test due dates


Sometimes I need to remember to work on myself
Not to put myself above or below anyone
Keep other's feelings in mind, no matter how much I'd love to say something
See every person as a child of God
Not talk about others
Learn to find good qualities in everyone
Try to love everyone



In my scripture study I've found that a very common thing is to "remember."
      - I've started to mark every remember with a red thin marker -
I need to remember to say my morning prayers
Read my scriptures, even when I'm tired or just have those "I don't want to days."
    {I always seem to forget it helps on those bad days, and even on the good days}
When saying my prayers, I need to be earnest in talking to God - no lazy repeating of what I said before
I have callings...I really need to remember I have those



Healthy living is what helps make happiness
I shouldn't eat that 3rd O'Henry! bar
Fruits...veggies....remember those are edible
Exercise
After you exercise, you feel great and accomplished
Carbs are not the only food on this planet... (debatable though)



So many things to remember in every aspect of my life. That is why it's become my motto.

Heyo!

Mission post to come. This week has been packed full of lovely school stuff so I've had no time.


Thoughts coming to you soon!

Sports Hero Day

Today I skipped classes and went to volunteer! BYU does a thing where they bring 6th graders to campus and then break them into groups and the volunteers are in charge of about 15-20 kids. We take them around to different stations with different sports. I took my group to Volleyball, Football, Baseball/Softball, Women's Soccer, and Men's Track.

It was a blast you guys, and such a great experience. Those kids are amazing and I hope they grow up to do something extraordinary.

The athletes had good messages and fun activities for the kids to do. Then after we had gone to all the stations we all met together for a pep rally and a cheerleader, the Women's Soccer team goalie, Tyler Haws, and Kyle Van Noy and spoke. They all had awesome little speeches. I hope they know how much these kids really do look up to them.

When I said by to my kids, two of the boys (the ones who had more of a "I'm going to do what I want" attitude) gave me a hug! It was so sweet and it made me just happy :) My group was the best.

I can't wait til I get back from my mission so I can participate in this again! If you happen to come across this post and go to BYU and have never done Sports Hero Day, I HIGHLY recommend it! Seriously.



           --------------------------------------------------

By the by, in case by some random chance you didn't know...I DO have my mission call. It came yesterday. BUT I have to wait until Saturday afternoon. I want to open it ASAP.

Don't worry. I will be just barely alive enough to open the call and read it.

And in case you are trying to read the postage to figure out where I'm going, they changed it. That "stamp" they have there has absolutely nothing do to with where you are going. It's one of those "oh good" and "dang it..." kind of things.

So, it doesn't make sense to me either.

Valentines day. Lovers day. Single awareness day. Whatever you want to call it.

In elementary school I loved the holiday because, hello, free candy! AND in the early days of elementary you even got to bring your own box decorated all cute and pink and purple. 

Then I entered Jr. High. What a dumb place to be. I learned to not care one slight bit about Valentines day. Probably because I never, and never have before or since then, received an actual Valentine.

Once I got into high school I just didn't pay attention to the day. Who cares? Not me. It wasn't anything to look forward too by all means. I had no romantic interest. (Well, I had interests...but I wasn't being interested in).

Now. I am in college. And these past couple of days I have been excited for hearts and pink and love everywhere. Why??? Because I have a boy this time!!!!

HA! Jokes on you. There is no boy whatsoever. However, I actually am oddly excited for February 14th. Although when it really comes down to the day, I may be dying and watching a chick flick and crying inside my head wishing I had a boy (not that I don't already do that...). Whenever I tell someone (particularly my guy friends) that I wouldn't mind having a real boyfriend their faces are like this:

Via Google Images

And then they ask "Okay...is this really Caitlin?" Those are exact words. 

Not saying I'm asking for a boyfriend...I'm not. I just wouldn't mind one :)

Yeah, yeah. I'm going on a mission (call comes this week). I remember. 

Anyways. I'm excited for Valentines Day and I don't know why. 

WANTED: CREATIVENESS

Only a couple posts ago I said that I admired those with creative skills. Part of that came about because my blog is so blah and needs color and shape and SOMETHING different. I don't have time to figure out how to do cool stuff on illustrator right now, and even if I did I don't think I would be able to come up with anything. 

SO. If any one out there has some random spare time and wants to come up with some ideas to help spruce up this barren land then feel free. I just have one request. The background stays white. I like that. And I like the color grey, but I love bright colors! (Yellow, Orange, Red). 

I know you all (the so many of you who read this. ha) have busy lives and have no time to come up with a cool design, and that is perfectly fine. I only ask one favor, that you pass your creativity on over to me. Thanks, you're a gem. 

Well that was some fun wishful thinking! Happy Sunday!  

It was a GOOD day

Believe me. It was.



This is the most detailed post ever in the history of the world. I'm sure of it .

People Are Super Creative

And I am not one of those people. My creativity consists of copying other people and doing a less than not so great job on it. It's a good thing I have other skills :)



I admire you creative people. Even if you are only a little creative, I still admire you greatly.

Forgiveness

"...of you it is requited to forgive all men."  - Doctrine and Covenants 64:10

I have been thinking a lot about forgiveness lately. The Atonement brings that great comfort into my life (along with sooooooo many other comforts). When I make a mistake and do something dumb, I am grateful that I have the chance to repent and be forgiven.

I am grateful that others forgive me. If my friends and family didn't forgive me for the things I do when I'm not thinking, I don't know what I would do. 

Throughout my life I have always tried to be forgiving of others. We all make mistakes, and I don't want to lose those relationships over something that is not worth losing it over. I could definitely be more forgiving though. Sometimes it is just so hard to forgive someone else for what they have done, and that's understandable. But I have learned that through the Atonement and asking for help from Heavenly Father I am able to forgive - even if it takes a long time. 

Throughout my life I have also done things that I hope to be forgiven for. I have ruined a couple friendships by doing just little things and not thinking. Sometimes I realize what I'm doing at the beginning or in the middle, and other times I realized I lost a friend after she was long gone. 

One of the hardest things to say is "I'm sorry." Especially when you feel like the other person is thinking oh they are only saying sorry to get it off their chest. She isn't really sorry. And the truth is yes, we are saying it to get it off our chest, but we also are truly sorry and wish to change. 

I am so grateful for the Saviors example of being forgiving. And for other's examples as well. 

I really hope that if anything comes up in my life that requires forgiveness, any hard trial, that I will be able to be like Chris and look toward Christ and use His Atonement to get through it and just love and forgive. 

Thank goodness for the gospel.

Hey Chunky.

This picture doesn't show how bad my face is...and it's still pretty bad.

Icing it, heating it, massaging it....nothing is helping that swelling to go down.

I hope it is gone by tonight (please!) so that I can go to the first men's volleyball game.



I wish they had hats for faces....If I go out in public today, maybe I will wear a ski mask. Anyone have one I can borrow?

It's a Day

I feel like a dog... drooling uncontrollably. I have to wipe my mouth every ten minutes. It's gross.
I also have blood flowing from the back of my mouth covering my teeth. It's also gross.
My mouth is numb. They had to use more shots than normal because I could still feel when they poked.
I want to eat, but the bleeding won't stop. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh. Not even aloud to drink through a straw.


I'm just coming out of a bad cold, I'm on my period, and I just got some wisdom teeth out. I figure it's just better to knock them all over the head at the same time. But, I think they will knock me over the head before I completely knock them out.

I'm also wearing my "give blood" t-shirt. How appropriate.


I'm pretty sure my jaw should have been broken and my lips stretched forever the way they were tugging and pulling.



I've got my stake president interview tonight...let's just hope and pray that I will be able to talk just fine and that the bleeding will be over (or at least stop for 30 minutes).