We're Back, and it was GREAT!!

Before leaving for Israel, I was able to sing with Aunt Sara and Aunt Patty in the Tabernacle with a choir "We Also Sing" led by Merrilee Webb. It was an awesome experience, and we all wore leis that we learned how to make!
Now in front of the organ at BYU Jerusalem with wonderful friends Nani, Patty, Bri, and Vickie.

There's so much to say, but here are a few pictures to start us off. My computer is having problems, so I have only a few for now. More details to come!

LOVING it!
These kids were so cute! I had fun with them, and they kept following us until we left, waving goodbye and coming up to me to give me a high 5.

This is inside the traditional Lazarus tomb site.

There's so much to be THANKFUL for!

I still need to post pictures... time to do something instead of the crazy Halloween picture! Sorry for any folks that check my blog and keep seeing that (probably only Laura, Sariah, and Mom!). I love how Laura has been blogging about things she is grateful for this month. It's the little things that often go unnoticed and unappreciated! In Sunday School they showed a clip from Mormon Messages to talk about Thanksgiving, and I loved it. I especially appreciated one man that said, "I'm grateful for what is ahead!" At first, that may sound funny if we don't know what is ahead, but I loved that optimistic outlook. With the gospel of Jesus Christ, we always have hope in a new day and in the future. We know opportunities are ahead, and even if they are challenges, they are really opportunities to learn and grow. I look back and realize I couldn't have planned my life to go as it's gone, but it's been full of just the learning experiences I have needed! It fills me with joy to know more joy, experiences, and learning are yet ahead! With the Savior, I know I can rise to what may come. (Philippians 4:13)

I am eternally thankful for the Savior... my friend, light, strength, my song, the perfect example and loving elder brother.

I am so grateful for the scriptures. I enjoy a spiritual feast at my fingertips each day to guide me. The more I read and try to understand them, the more I see I have to still learn!

I will always be grateful for living prophets and their revelation and direction for us. When I really listen to them, I feel so guided and gain just the perspective and balance I need. I love sweet President Monson!

I am SOOO grateful for an amazing family!!!!!! I can't say this enough. Honestly, each member is so important. Each brother and sister (that includes in-laws), niece, nephew, aunt, uncle, cousin, brother, grandparent, and my parents have played such an important role in my life. Their SINCERE and DEDICATED love for me always astounds and humbles me. I love being their sister, aunt, daughter, niece, cousin, and granddaughter.

I am so grateful for the people in this world. I love serving in the temple, with others in my ward and in my job. I love learning from others' unselfish examples and find such joy in each unique personality. I love good friends. I love making new friends all the time, seeing how the more people you meet, the more great people we realize are out there!

I am grateful for a good-working car and a warm and functioning home, and for the ability to pay for these things!

I am grateful for a great job and good students who teach me each year! Their notes, smiles, and desire to do what is right makes my day, each day!

I am thankful for technology, and the chance to call anyone wherever I am. For this laptop I am able to type on right now, for the ability to heat hot chocolate in a microwave and turn on a light at any moment.

I am thankful for good health and for modern medicine so I can still be alive.

Odd as this may sound, I am thankful for my trials. If life wasn't hard, it would be boring, I wouldn't progress, and I wouldn't have the chance to become who I need to be. I am grateful for lessons learned in trials by turning to the Savior, prayer, the scriptures, and good people who can share their insight and love with me.

I am grateful for my talents, and how the Lord is giving me a chance to discover more.

I am grateful for the opportunities I have had to travel and finish a master's degree before marrying.

I am grateful to know who I am, to be happy with life, to be content and also to not give up hope in my deep desires.

Well, if you made it this far, way to go! I am grateful for you too!

The Eight-Cow Woman is Alive!

For those of you fond of Johnny Lingo, here's what I was for Halloween. For those of you who don't know Johnny Lingo, I am some sort of Polynesian. The lava lava skirt came from Tonga and was my Grandma's for years.  Complete with leis, a long black wig (the students actually asked if it was my real hair!!!), and black on my eyebrows to match. :) 

As you may also see a little, my room mom went ALL OUT this year decorating my classroom! What a woman! Thanks, Emily! The Halloween chandeliers, cobwebs, and 8 different activities with cupcakes, orange punch, and treat bags... did she miss anything? I don't think so!!!  The kids had a blast wrapping themselves as mummies, digging through brains and guts, playing hangman, and "Don't Eat Pete."  It was a fun evening as well on Friday with the family get-together and out to see a GREAT play "Forever Dead" (a spoof on Forever Plaid) at the Off Broadway Theater downtown.  Saturday was fun too, helping mom and Janie pass out treats to the trick-or-treaters!  

Today was an awesome Sunday too, with a great ward choir practice, feeling love from many good ward members, and talking with good friends. God's hand is in our lives every day.  Thanks for the sweet testimonies I heard today at church.  I also heard from Elder Uchtdorf in an amazing CES fireside he gave tonight.  Then I headed off to the 400-woman choir practice led by the talented, hilarious, and inspired Merrilee Webb.  I'm loving it.  Our concert is in the Tabernacle on Temple Square the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  I'm glad I had a good weekend for the crazy week that is ahead! PT conferences and report cards. Wish me luck!!!

Well, here it is already October 11th! Almost another month has flown by! Life is bringing so many great blessings. Wasn't General Conference incredible? Pres. Monson- service, Elder Holland- Book of Mormon, Pres. Uchtdorf- God's Love, Elder Bednar- The Family, Elder Scott- Listening to the Holy Ghost... those were a few of my favorites. Oh, and ANOTHER temple in Utah- Brigham City, my Grandpa's home town!!

What was amazing was the great unity I felt with my family this general conference as we were emailing, texting, gathering, and holding an FHE about the conference. What a time we live in, with the evil forces growing stronger and God's kingdom spreading throughout the world! I'm so grateful we were able to talk and share our testimonies and love for one another this conference. Thanks, Laura, for getting it off to a great start with your testimony by email. Wish you could have joined us that evening!

Friday night I enjoyed attending a missionary reunion, and after visiting my mission recently, I definitely have had my mission on my mind!  (Oh, and being set up with the older brother of an elder in my mission....!)  It was great to see a lot of the sisters from my mission and catch up with them. I loved talking with my mission president and his wife as well.  Apparently, he developed diabetes in the last year, and is lucky to be alive after some pretty major and scary surgeries.  We had fun talking insulin, carb counting, and lifestyle changes together.  He is doing very well at taking care of it, which was inspirational to me!

I have been blown away by the creativeness of others' blogs of late. People are so crafty, clever in their writing, artistic, and classy! Thanks for inspiring me to improve!  I'm actually taking a Creativity in Education class right now to work on my masters degree, so it's been great to see what you all come up with!

I just want to make one funny comment on how life seems to come around and make circles sometimes. Like this mission reunion, running into people and renewing friendships.  Yesterday I sat down with a friend at church, and who was in front of me, but a friend I had in one of my BYU wards several years ago! He and his wife just bought a home in my neighborhood!  You never know who you're going to meet again in life.  And while I'm being reflective about that... isn't it amazing how the more people that you DO meet, the more amazing people you see that are out there?  

I belong to an awesome ward, and the RS sisters were kind to make comments and say they enjoyed the lesson I taught yesterday from the Joseph Smith manual.  I love teaching, and wish I had more opportunities to practice.  But I would hate to take the calling away from the others who do such an INCREDIBLE job in our ward.  I was filling in for another mom who is sick.  Lesson #42 is a goodie!

The first annual DAY-THOMAS Reunion at Mt. Air!

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY, ELLA!

Well, this probably isn't necessary because her mother is so very good at blogging, putting us all to shame, but Ella turned a WHOLE year old while I was on the trip back east! Laura wanted to come and meet us, but with Ella's big birthday on the same day we were in Kirtland, it didn't quite work out. We sure thought about little Ella and the events that took place during the labor and delivery... doctors, long hours for poor Laura, the threatening tornadoes.... we are glad she made it! She is such a joy to the family, and thanks to Laura's posts and videos, we can keep up to date and still hear her joyous laugh! Isn't she a doll? She went on her first cruise just two months after I went on my first cruise, and in this picture she is flashing that winning smile that won the hearts of many on their cruise. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELLA! I'm so grateful to be your aunt!

Some highlights from the Church History Tour!

The Kirtland temple was beautiful, especially as we learned, discussed, and pondered the significance of what took place here, in the unfolding of the restoration of the gospel!
I love hard-working Joseph! This statue is on Josiah Stowell's property, the man he worked for when he came to Harmony and met Emma.
I loved being with my aunts Sara and Patty on the tour! It felt like I was traveling with my sisters! (They liked it when I said that too. :)
In the very gorgeous Sacred Grove, on a beautiful morning!
My home away from home-- the Joseph Smith Memorial in Sharon, Vermont! We had an amazing sacrament meeting there, where we took turns sharing our testimonies. Oh how the memories flooded back that day. It was great sharing it with these two lovely ladies!