So I'm officially planning on getting married!

We've been talking about it for a while and last Sunday both of us got confirmations and I wanted to wait to tell people until October but right now it's hard because I want to be with him already and because this past week has been challenging to say the least. I need support and encouragement! Ricky is doing the best he can to support me (well, of course he wants it too!:) he is the best future husband ever he's so sweet and he puts up with me and truly loves me and he gives me opportunities to learn. Already I've learned so much; that's what I love most about him I think. My family and friends have been really supportive too. Especially Debbie because we can talk to each other now that we're both engaged and I think we're having a double reception if we can. It would be fun and we would be inviting the same people pretty much. So.. yay!!!!! I'm really happy these days and just looking forward to seeing him and now I know what Debbie meant about looking forward to having a shiny ring on her finger, not because it's pretty or expensive but because of what it symbolizes - love, sacrifice for me, commitment, and forever. :)

Today something wonderful happened. Annalaura came to visit me at work right before she was about to leave and she gave me a big hug and told me that I could call her anytime for advice and I felt sooooo encouraged and I just had to write that I was really grateful to see her because she's going through a crazy engagement as well and I have always looked up to her and she has definitely been an example and inspiration to me because she knows that it's right and so do I and she didn't hesitate, she had to act. Well, me too. And I am so grateful that I am. And just the way that she smiled at me today was just so encouraging - I felt truly blessed because I wasn't feeling so great yesterday and I was just searching for just a little extra help from the Lord. And I got it.

Anyway, so I have to go because Debbie's waiting for me now. :)
Love,
Stephi

Internship Class - Expectations

I'm writing this entry for my internship class - this is a class that involves hands on service. My specific job will be to work in a Spanish immersion middle school! Yay!

Que espero de mi trabajo este semestre?

En muy poco tiempo yo he aprendido mucho en esta clase, de la historia de los hispanos en los EU y de las oportunidades que hay para los que hablan espanol. Pues realmente espero que haya hispanohablantes nativos en mi clase porque me dijeron que mi clase es de "Spanish Immersion" y la mayoridad de ellos seran gringos pero tambien dijeron que habra una mezcla entonces ojala que sea asi porque me encantaria ayudar a las personas a aprender espanol pero tambien quiero practicarlo y aprenderlo. Tambien espero que pueda estar feliz por estar en un ambiente lleno de ninos y ojala que quieran aprender y esforzarse en sus clases.

Estoy un poco nerviosa que sea dificil hacer todas las horas necesarias porque mi horario durante el dia es muy complicada pero Sr. Millar me ha ayudado mucho entonces creo que estara bien.

Estoy muy emocionada para el proyecto de servicio de 10 horas porque yo puedo escoger que sera. Yo realmente quiero hacer algo que me ayude a tener coneciones para mas tarde conseguir un trabajo pero tambien me interesa mucho ayudar a las personas a entenderse y ayudar a los mexicanos y tambien a los inmigrantes de cualquier pais hispanohablante.

Ahora estoy pensando mucho en como esto va a ayudarme mucho en mi relacion con mi novio porque el es queretano y creo que esta feliz que yo tome esta clase. Antes yo tenia muchas ganas de aprender el espanol y cuando fui a queretaro tenia aun mas ganas de ayudar a los mexicanos y a los gringos a entenderse y comunicarse bien. Pero ahora tengo aun MAS ganas por eso de mi novio de aprender de los mexicanos y hablar mucho espanol.

Tambien tengo unos medios hermanos que estan en una escuela de "Spanish Immersion" en Grand Rapids y por eso es muy especial que puedo ayudar a los estudiantes de Spanish Immersion a aprender el espanol porque cuando yo hacia eso en el verano con los del primer grado realmente fue muy divertido y todos me querian. Entonces voy con una actitud positiva aunque un poco nerviosa pero voy a esforzarme mucho y se que todo sera una experiencia muy buena para mi.

Saludos,

Stephanie

Never Lose Sight: Ricardo

I found this in my other blog - I didn't realize I wrote a bunch of other entries in there about Mexico too - I'm really grateful for that. Anyway, Ricardo reads my blog a lot so this is for him.
April 17th was about 10 days before we became official boyfriend and girlfriend I just think this is hilarious looking back on it now. And like I said, grateful.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Never Lose Sight: Monterrey and amigos
WEll, i'm not
going to write much. I'm writing only because i felt like if I didn't i'd be
punished somehow (I think I wrote this because I got a strong prompting to
write but I was tired but did it anyway lol). I was talking to
Ricardo today and I realized that I really like some things about him. And I
realized, what's the point of getting to know all of these new guys if I don't
learn anything from it? I like that he has a lot of energy. He's always funny,
he appreciates my sense of humor and life and I make him laugh. Today he asked
me if I read scriptures every day, he encouraged me to go to FHE. he was like,
you know that's important. now, there's someone who knows what's right and is
not afraid to encourage people to do it.. especially the ones he cares about.
unfortunately, I find that really attractive. but I don't think I'll have to
write that down to know it. I also like just how he is - just a really fun
person and also he compliments and appreciates me. I just really like that. I
think we are going to be good friends and I hope that I find someone with those
qualities when I go back to the US.

There were a lot of other things that I wrote in my other blog, because it was good for me to write things just for myself. But I had forgotten all about them, and I am so grateful to think of the times that I wrote and they were real spiritual checkpoints in my life and I can't help just being humbled and grateful. I feel truly blessed by the power of writing and reading our own personal history to see our progress and growth and to remember good times and hard times and lessons we have learned.

I talked to my dad today about Ricardo - and he was so much help!! He gave me ideas of possible plans for the future with him and they were better than anything I was coming up with myself so I am glad that he is supporting me because I need his help! When I told Ricardo about my conversation with my dad, he was so happy and he felt peaceful and he was really grateful for his support. We need all the support we can get.

Im home in GR right now and it is SO NICE!! I really missed my family. I just feel so loved when I'm home and there are 9 people happy to see you.

Well, I've been procrastinating reading scriptures for a really long time so I need to get on that.
Love,
Stephi

Congrats, Rudi!!

I'm so happy for you - and for me too because I can't wait to see your little baby girl or boy in March. I love you and I'm here for you if you need any help with anything - or another massage!

Em totally has me hooked on Pride and Prejudice, and we're almost done.. so I'm going to keep watching, I'll write more soon!

Love,
Stephi

Happy Birthday, Ricardo!

Well, today's Ricardo's birthday!! I am writing to wish him a happy birthday because I know that he and his mom will read my blog soon. :) I was so surprised yesterday when his mom called me. And even more surprised when I found out that she had read my blog as far back as the first entry that I wrote after I went to Mexico! I couldn't believe that someone would take the time to read that much about me! I don't think I would haha. But she likes me. Ricky says I'm her favorite in-law already. And that's so awesome because I don't have my mom here to be my best friend. I have had Lisa and other examples and loving mother-like figures in my life, and I am grateful for that. But I really like how Ricky's mom and I connect when we talk, even though it's difficult through skype. And she took time for me. It's not something I'm used to, but I definitely like it. I am excited to spend hours talking with her when I go to Mexico. I think she is too.

Anyway, I am also REALLY excited about how spoiled Ricky is going to be when I see him. But I have to admit that he has spoiled me and will spoil me a LOT. But I can't write about the big surprise that I have for him. Because then he'd read it and know what it was - then it wouldn't be a surprise! But I will keep thinking of ideas of what I can do to pleasantly surprise him - it's too bad that I didn't have enough patience to keep the other presents a surprise. :(

Well, I'm writing a bit distracted because I'm watching the 5 hour version of "Pride and Predj" with Emily. But now I really should go practice and I have a phone call to make. Well, I will write again soon!

Love,
Stephi

Annalaura!!

So I FINALLY got to catch up with Annalaura yesterday. I wish I had pictures. But anyways, wow, I am always so inspired by her and I look up to her so much. There's no denying it.

We got to tell eachother our crazy love stories and I just think that it is so neat that we are going through similar things at the same time. I know that in the past it was the same thing. I got so excited when she said that she wanted to come to my wedding whenever that may be. I don't know if she really can - after all it would be difficult, but it would mean the world to me, she's one of the very few friends that I feel should be there. She's really special to me. We are very different but at the same time we have similar qualities and desires. I was so grateful to talk to her and she was really encouraging. Unlike one of my friends at work today. UGH well, my friends' opinions have always been important to me. MAYBE and just maybe my Heavenly Father wants me to learn something. I decided at that moment that I was going to start changing right then. I am going to let what I want and what Heavenly Father wants for me to be what I should do and listen to. Plus, I have so many people who are encouraging to me! So what's a few oppositions? Speaking of which, as if a long distance relationship wasn't hard enough without immigration laws, Ricky and I are trying to figure out what in the world we are going to do to be together. It's kinda insane how the government really doesn't want Mexicans to come here. But I'm not losing hope. Lisa has a good lawyer and he has to deal with immigration laws and stuff sometimes. We're trying to ask those who have had similar experiences what they did so that we can get ideas. Tonight we're going to do some praying and brainstorming together, but the bulk of that will be done when I go there in October.

Yesterday in the marriage class we studied the Proclamation to the Family. In it the first presidency listed 9 qualities that a family must strive to have. The first one they mentioned was faith. And I was thinking - without faith, a relationship is nothing. And especially my relationship. Maybe I am supposed to learn to have more faith. My Heavenly Father knows I have a lot of faith in Him, so he knew that I could do this. I feel blessed to be learning so many new things and ideas.

Today I was EXHAUSTED!! School is sooo busy and I feel like I'm just trying to make it through these weeks! And ironically they're flying by. I just hope that my lesson tomorrow goes well. I feel like all this music is above my ability but I am going to work hard. Today I did extra Schradiek and Kreutzer. Well, I'll ttyl! Have a great night, everyone.

Love,

Stephi

Back to School!!

HII!!!!!

It's been a bizillion years since I've written in this and it's been so long that I was thinking about putting up a new blog but then I realized that I worked pretty hard to set this one up and I still like it. :) Well, now I don't really bring my computer to campus so I can't blog during my one slacker class.. although he does go pretty fast so I should bring my laptop but it definitely isn't like that american music class that I had last year where I could blog pretty much every day in class because I knew a lot of that stuff anyway. Well, either way I need to blog again - I miss it!! Blogging was such a good thing for me last year but when I didn't have a slacker class to do it in I didn't have so much success in Mexico - although I was really happy when I looked back on this blog and realized how much I still wrote! It was cool looking back. This summer I was working on a really long version of my love story but I never finished it.. I could always post what I do have - well, it sorta describes everything that happened - my love story, my spring break, how I got sent home, and a lot of other things. So I'll post that sometime.

Well, to sum up my summer - Living with my family was pretty awesome. I thought I wouldn't like it and I have to admit I was pretty excited to come back to kzoo to be with my friends and back to school and in my own place with Em, BUT it was really nice because I felt that I was really appreciated being home. With Ethan being born and a lot of help with rides, etc that was needed, Lisa loved having me home. Plus I was more responsible and I had my own car this year. And I wasn't as busy. I took 1 class each half of the summer and I only worked part time, as opposed to the 40-45 hour work week I had last summer and I would always come home too exhausted to do anything. My family welcoming me home was what really saved me emotionally because it was so hard to get sent home early. They really needed me, and I believe that that was one of the reasons that Heavenly Father let it happen. It's good to feel needed and loved by my family.

Of course, I have also had a great opportunity to learn so many things about Ricardo - we have been talking every day since I've come home, and we send each other pictures and do things for each other. This summer I have come to really love him and I know that he's amazing and very special. I am a better person because of him. Everyone who's seen me since I've come home knows that I am pretty serious about him. It seems weird but at the same time not. And it's like everything around me is pointing to marriage - so many friends are getting married (including Debbie), my siblings can't wait to meet him and Lisa is encouraging, even President Johnson was talking to me like I was almost engaged - it was so funny seeing that. I'm not saying that I want to get married because everyone's doing it, but I just feel like there are little things that are preparing me and that make me feel more peaceful about it. I don't even want to go on a mission anymore (and that's saying something) because I know that I can serve the Lord just as well by getting married, and that I'll be happy. So that all sounds cheesy but.. well, I'm cheesy and in love. And even still I know that it might not work out how I hope it does. I just have a really good feeling about this, and a lot of faith and hope.

So 3 1/2 more weeks until I see him and we can figure out what's going to happen, and how we're going to get him to come to the US so that we can be together while I finish school. I'm going to make a few calls and try to learn as much as I can - is anyone an expert on visa getting? :)

Well, now it's back to school and back to hard core viola - I just got a sub position and it's awesome because I get to play in every concert - so really it's like a normal position except less commitment - nice! And I get money. I'm working hard to keep a good track of my money this semester - Ricky's helping me with that. And I've been more organized on my own too. I've learned SO much since last year. Imagine what I will have learned by next year!

But right now school is stressful - I hate the beginning of the semester because I get scared - like, I gotta do all that?? And grad school auditions next year - aaaahhhhhhh

But I love being back and I absolutely love living with Emily she's the best roomie that I could ever ask for and I like that we can just hang out for example we just went out to dinner at applebee's the other night and we were just making fun of random songs.

Well, I only meant to write in this for a few minutes but it took a long time - but I'm glad I could catch you all up. :) I'll be sure to write more often. And I hope you are all doing well - I haven't been able to do any reading of your blogs either but I'll do more now.

Love,

Stephi