I'm ENGAGED!!

YAY!! I wish I could write the whole story of everything but unfortunately I don't have much time, but yes I'm engaged to my sweet mexican love and he's amazing. i'm very grateful because my Heavenly Father has blessed me so much.

I also had the opportunity to go to the temple yesterday, I realized that I have been so selfish and now I must focus during these next 2 months in which I'll be away from my sweetheart -I have to focus on my studies and as hard as it is I owe that to my Heavenly Father - and also serving his children in the temple and in my new calling as a branch missionary again. Emily is my "companion" - well, not really but she's also a new branch missionary and I know that we can support eachother and help eachother in this calling.

This weekend I have learned to love all of my brothers and sisters even if I may not particularily like them or know them. and it makes me so happy and grateful to know that my Heavenly Father loves me.

anyway yes I'm so excited and no we don't know when or where but we are hoping that it will be in the Mexico City temple this coming May. I love my fiance with all my heart and I know that we are just beginning there is so much to learn but that our Heavenly Father is blessing me in school, in church, with my family and friends and in my relationship with my husband-to-be.

My friends and family have been SO encouraging - more than I expected considering I know noone knows him in person but they are so happy for me and supportive and encouraging so i also wanted to write how thankful I am for that.

Well, I should probably work on things, although I guess I just want to rest today, my mind and body have been through a lot of work - I've been sick :( but I'm feeling better and last night I slept extra.

Wow, my sweetheart is amazing. I love him! :)

Love,

Stephi

Pictures!

A tour of campus in the cold - Like the flag in the background? :)

Em using her make-up expertise on Debbie - note the Pride and Prej on the tv! :)

Model shot! hehe Me looking pretty gorgeous after my makeover - great job Em!

Our new orchestra shirts came today! Aloha! it's because our conductor is Japanese Hawaian and he makes jokes about it all the time. gotta love Uch. He was imitating famous conductors today while we were doing the dress rehearsal run of Bolero and I almost cried from laughing so hard!

Me and my darling Jamilyn at Lake Michigan in between the dress and concert for Southwest - the paid orchestra I'm in. We walked along the beach and got our feet wet. Good times!

Wow, conference!

I just have to say that General Conference was amazing!! Emily and I were both just so impressed by the clarity and the comfort that we could feel from the speakers. I love it!

Yesterday I was SOOO stressed. After getting a few of those stressful things out of the way and having a fun girls night with Deb and Em and confessing that I lost my folder - that was stressful but actually Mel and Uch were super nice about it! Uch said that even if I didn't find it that he wouldn't make me pay the fine which was, like I said, insanely nice. It's gotta turn up around here somewhere. Anyways, to add to that, conference was amazing and I just prayed to feel peace and guidance and I definitely did. Em and Deb were watching it with me though Debbie had to leave early because she couldn't get work off even though she tried. :( She seems happier lately I think. I just hope that she comes closer and closer to her Heavenly Father. These past few weeks I can see that she's making an effort to do what she knows is right. And It's fun to talk to her about engaged stuff. :)
Ricardo's still amazing. He sent me an e-mail that was really encouraging, and I could feel the Spirit and it helped me the whole day. And he was patient so that I could spend time with Deb and Em. He's been really patient this whole week. What a sweetheart.
Our girls night was so fun - we did makeup - well, Em did makeup, and we watched our favorite pride and prejudice mini series. we had to convert Deb! that was our excuse anyways.

Well, I am finally liking our concert program. I can play it better, that definitely helps. and the soloist! and there's something about being on that stage that was really nice.

Anyway, i gotta go. Hope everyone has a great day!
Love,
Stephanie

Updates!

Well, it's been a little while since I've written, or at least it seems like it. My last entry was pretty emotionally high strung - well, I can imagine! I've just come to terms with the fact that I'm just going to be emotionally crazy during this time. And I'm pretty sure I'm pmsing, of course - I think I'm noticing a trend in important events and hormones.. it always makes everything more dramatic. I was telling AL, why do I have to go and make my own drama! lol. Monday evening was pretty rough to be honest, and I had 5 friends including my dad help me get through it. They were so sweet and Daddy was amazing - he took the time to listen to me and talk some sense into me when I wanted and needed to hear it. Tuesday and yesterday, however, were great - although I was pretty tired. I got a decent amount of sleep last night though! yaaay! Well, Ricky has been incredibly sweet this week - I could tell that he was really putting in the extra effort to make me feel happy and loved. I think he kinda put on my shoes because on Tuesday he was so encouraging and acknowledging and that was something I really needed. of course! Well, Tuesday night he completely surprised me and told me that he bought the ring! He said that he bought it that day because he wanted me to know how much he appreciated me being so "valiente" and to know that he would love me no matter what. I was totally in shock but I wasn't complaining. :) Apparently from what he tells me this is a real 10-cow ring too, which is something that I wasn't expecting at all because we are poor and have a few plane tickets to pay for but he said that he has a (non-interest) payment plan so that he can have some cash handy if we need it instead of spending it all at once, which I think is pretty smart. (oh wait, it was partly my idea O:) So that's our update.
I have a viola lesson today which I feel so unprepared for! aaahhhh! I am definitely behind on schoolwork and orchestra and practicing - Jamilyn helped me out on Tuesday and I was able to practice 3 hours yesterday and Tuesday and today if you include my lesson in that.
This weekend Em and Deb and I are giving ourselves makeovers - yaay!! Next weekend is Em's birthday and my trip so both of us have occasion to spoil ourselves. I love it that Emily and I can do things together. Last year we really didn't so much because I was always gone and I'm still gone a lot but I always come home for dinner and she's there, and then at night before bed we talk too so it gives us a chance to plan fun things like makeovers with rag curls! lol. It's been a crazy semester so far - we deserve some self-tlc! I've been excited about it all week.
Well, I should probably get back to my homework. I hope everyone has a great day!

Love,
Stephi