Much to do

I have a very funny story to tell you all, but alas, I have been up since 4 am and it is almost 9 pm and I still have a big paper to write that is due tomorrow as well as a test to study for. I will tell all though. It is too amusing to miss. :)

RM - a hopeless epidemic

I was talking to a friend of mine last night online. He told me that he figured out something about his approach in dating that left him without the desired results. He told me that he has been approaching dating much like a missionary approaches a new investigator. "If you spend a lot of time and put a lot of effort into them, it brings results." He then told me he has discovered this is just not true. He needs to change his approach, he said. I agreed with him.

The whole conversation struck me as funny because another newly Returned Missionary friend of mine told me his approach to dating and how it has changed since he got back from his mission. He said that when he got home from his mission, he had the next five years of his life planned out. "I realized that my Junior year, I wouldn't have a lot of time to date, so I'll just get that out of the way this year. I was planning on being married by July or August and then focusing on school. The first girl I started dating right after the mission, I decided she was the one. We didn't have a lot in common, but I knew she was it. I've dated two other girls since then." He went on... "My new goal is married by December." I just laughed to myself. "Your approach has changed huh?"

The friend from the first story I told asked me why I didn't say anything about the RM disease earlier. "Then," he said, "I wouldn't have had to learn the hard way." It's true. I should have told him the secret remedy. The thing about that though is, I don't know it yet either... :)

A sad phone conversation

I was walking in the library the other day and heard this snippet of conversation from a guy talking on his cell phone, "You are the hardest girl to get a hold of! The phone number you gave me didn't work and then your email address didn't work! I had to look you up on stalker net."

I walked away and sighed. Poor boy. Poor, poor boy.

Some Help?

So... Once upon a time there was a girl named Emilie. She could not figure out how to put links onto her blog. She tried to follow the directions that the blog site gave to her, but somehow it didn't work. If anyone has any idea how to help this poor girl, please let her know! :) Thanks so much! (She was afraid to ask for help by herself) ;)

Recording... I'm famous! Well... ok, not really

Last night the phone rang in my apartment around 11:00 pm. "Hello, is Sister Gardner there?" The voice on the other end of the line asked. As there are two Sister Gardners in the apartment, Julie replied, "Yes, let me get one for you." "It's for one of the Gardner sisters." She came into my room to say. I ran to the kitchen, "Hello? This is Sister one." "Emilie, I need a girl to sing the harmony for the song I wrote. Could you come sing right now?" Ted asked. "Sure!" I replied. I raced to his apartment (well, I raced after we put the bed back together). I learned the song as quickly as I could and we recorded the song. It's a great song. And I decided I like recording. You'll have to hear it sometime. :)

My sister's bed

Well, ladies and gentleman, it is official. My bed is not the only bed that falls off the cinder blocks. Last night, Audrey, Cassidy and Caitie were on Caitie's bed giggling away when all of a sudden there was a huge crash and the giggling exploded into screams and laughter. I love this apartment.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! That's basically all I have to say. Life is good. The end.

pics!

Christian with his older sister, Camryn. Aren't they wonderful??

More pics to come. The computer stopped working! :)

New Nephew!

I have a new nephew! His name is Christian David. He's pretty much adorable. As soon as it works, I'll put pictures up. Yay for new babies!

Learn Chinese in Five Minutes

I know many of you have seen this before, but I read it again and it still makes me laugh. Enjoy!

LEARN CHINESE IN 5 MINUTES ... (READ THEM OUT LOUD)
1) That's not right............................Sum Ting Wong
2) Are you harboring a fugitive?...............Hu Yu Hai Ding?
3) See me ASAP.................................Kum Hia Nao
4) Stupid Man..................................Dum Gai
5) Small Horse.................................Tai Ni Po Ni
6) Did you go to the beach?....................Wai Yu So Tan?
7) I bumped into a coffee table................Ai Bang Mai Ni
8) I think you need a face lift................Chin Tu Fat
9) It's very dark in here......................Wai So Dim?
10) I thought you were on a diet...............Wai Yu Mun Ching?
11) This is a tow away zone....................No Pah King
12)Our meeting is scheduled for next week......Wai Yu Kum Nao?
13)Staying out of sight........................Lei Ying Lo
14)He's cleaning his automobile................Wa Shing Ka
15)Your body odor is offensive.................Yu Stin Ki Pu

Weather

Wasn't the weather crazy today? I walked outside of the RB and it was snowing when the sun was shining so bright! It was a beautiful day. Good times... Good times.

A Blast from my Past

It seems for me that when one random person or event creeps up in my life, a whole bunch of random things from my past happen right after that. It is usually so unexpected that it knocks me right off balance. This happened last night. I received a letter from my very first boyfriend, my first love, my first kiss-all of whom happen to be the same person. He has been on a missions for 22 1/2 months now. I haven't seen him in 3 years. He wrote to tell me he had been thinking about me. He wants to tell me something when he gets back. He asked me to write to him. And at the end, he informed me that his family had just moved to Utah.

I'm really not sure how I feel about this. Crazy how things just pop up sometimes, eh? All I know is that I think too much.

hurting

I've discovered I care about people a lot. :) Not such a new discovery, but I've realized something about how I care about people that is a new discernment. It was spurred on by Audrey. There was a movie that several people were going to watch. As I wanted to be a part of the group, I thought I would watch it with them. The day before we watched the movie, Audrey took me aside and told me she thought there would be scenes that would disturb me a lot and suggested I not watch the movie. I appreciated her concern for me and decided not to watch it. The parts she thought would disturb me were very emotional scenes. She told me, "Emilie, you take on other people's emotions without knowing why or what they are feeling."

After she told me that, I have watched myself and have been sensitive to how I feel when other people are around me. When I am talking to a friend that is hurting, I feel their hurt. I don't understand it... I can just feel their pain. I sometimes cry not because of something they said about how they're hurting, but because I can see the hurt in his/her face and I feel it. I've also discovered that I can be strong enough for the person for as long as they are hurting. But when they are ok, I break down. That's when I really allow myself to feel my own pain for the person. It's no longer their hurting.. it's my hurting. I realize how weak I am. I realize how little I actually help. All I do is feel for them. I can't take care of their problems for them-no matter how much I'd like to.

I remember when I was Mia Maid and Laurel President, these feelings were very acute. I felt so much for my girls. There were many nights of tears and prayers for these girls who could become incredible women, but didn't see their potential. I could feel how Heavenly Father felt for them. It was one of the most amazing experiences I've had.

It's easy to forget how Heavenly Father feels for His children individually. When we are so caught up in the mundane tasks of life that seem so overwhelming. When it seems like we're just going from test to test, trying to keep our heads above water, it's so easy to forget. It's easy to be caught up in pride. I am so weak. I have so much to learn. And I constantly need my Heavenly Father to take me in His arms to remind me that He loves me and that I'm His daughter. But, I'm stubborn and I think I'll be all right without that. He has so many other children who hurt more than me that He could be taking care of. But the atonement is all encompassing. It's not like Heavenly Father only has time for one child at a time. He is ready and waiting for each of His children all the time. I need to remember that. I am blessed. Truly blessed.

Hurting Gums

My gums are in pain. What a strange thing to say. At the beginning of last semester, my upper lip swelled up so much that it was bigger than my bottom lip. It looked rather awkward. It also hurt a lot! I went to the dentist and found out that the root canal I had received when I was 8 had become infected. It required immediate attention. I had another root canal a week later and also had 4 new teeth put into place. I have not had trouble with it since.

Well... that is... until yesterday. Yesterday, my gums began hurting again. I thought nothing of it. I figured I just brushed rather rigorously that morning or something. However, this morning when I woke up and it hurt much worse, I realized the rigorous brushing was not the problem. It's a constant tooth ache on my front tooth. I can't blow my nose because it hurts clear up there. I think my new root canal is infected. Blah. I'm not a big fan of dentists.

:)

It is an exquisite day outside. I want to fly a kite. Anyone want to go with me??