My Family

First of all I need to say that I love my husband more than anything in this world, and if I have to chose forever to stay in Nevada with him I would in a heart beat, no questions asked. That being said, I miss my growing up family. Adam is of course my new family, my priority, and he is doing such a great job at fulfilling me and making me a better person...but I miss my mom and daddy.

Over Easter, my family came down to Vegas so we could all be together for the holiday. They arrived Friday night and we ate Pick-up sticks in the park by my house. It was so fun just to be eating all together again. Growing up we always ate dinner together as a family and I've missed it alot. After dinner we went to a semi famous place (at least among out ward members) for ice cream. It was so nice just to be doing real life things with my family as opposed to running around the world doing vacation stuff. That night we watched Dan in Real Life (if you read my previous post you will note that I'd seen it a few days before...thats how much I love this movie) which my Dad slept to...oh and we also introduced them to the Wii...it was so funny to watch my parents duke it out at boxing!

Saturday we all went to Red Rock Canyon to go hiking. We all got a little bit of sun and had fun laughing as my mom wanted to play "lost" as in the tv show, not that we were lost, although at one point it looked like the tables had turned and we were playing "oops we got lost in the canyon." The girls finally got tired...or rather, satisfied with what they had climbed and let the boys go on to the top while they formed a triangle and layed on each others laps while we talked and laughed. The best quote of the weekend was when sean was hiking further and further up ther rocks and my dad was attempting to point him out to us. Mom kept saying that she couldn't spot his blue and white shirt, and my dad said "well he took of his shirt so he just looks like a white cloud." That afternoon the boys hung out while my mom and I went to see Mindy and Carson. I always love hanging out with my Mom and getting to just share girl stuff and life stuff together. Thank goodness for phones :)

Honestly, Sunday is kind of a blur except for relief society. My family came to church with us and we all enjoyed Easter Sunday. Sean took my place in primary and they sang to him hahaha, I got to go to relief society and be with my mom and Megan. We had an AMAZING meal, prepared by my mom ( I have to admit when she's around I just like being taken care of cause I usually am the one in charge). Luckly we still have leftovers. We all just kind of hung out and napped for the afternoon, Megan and I were scrunched on the smaller couch somehow it was cozy...

The worst part for me is always when they decide it is time to go...we always say a prayer together and I never can hold myself together. I always start crying during the prayer because I know that soon they are going to get in the car and drive off and it will be a long time before we are a family again. The last time I saw them was November...

I just miss being a daughter and a sister sometimes. I miss being able to hug my dad or laugh with my mom. It is so hard living away from home, yet I know Las Vegas is my home now and this is truly where I'm supposed to be right now. Adam reminds me that I've lived out of state for four years now, and that its probably time to grow up and move on, but I'll always be my parents little girl and I long to be a big sister to my siblings who seemed to have grown up without me.

Spring Break with Cait!

For Christmas Adam and I gave Caitlin a ticket to come to VEGAS for spring break!!! I was so excited to see her and have an extended sleepover after being deprived of her for so long!! Poor Cait had to wait for us as our trip to visit the Turney's sort of overlapped, so she got into our house and had to wait through five movies for us to come home!

Tuesday we went on a nice little run around the neighborhood. The weather was perfect and the company was awesome. We went home and got ready for the day and ran to the strip real quick to get our tickets for Mamma Mia! We went to visit Mindy and Carson (he is getting so big and cute!) then came home to enjoy an evening of Dr. Zhivago...so depressing, yet poignant and we had fun thinking about Russia, although in the movie, Russia seemed less cold. We also rented Dan in Real Life which is one of my favorite movies!

Wednesday we went down to the strip and just walked around some of the best parts (Belagio fountains/gardens, the eiffle tower, planet hollywood etc.) We came home to eat dinner and then ran out to see Mamma Mia! We loved it! It was a great show and although we knew the music we had no idea what the story was about so we got to discove it for the first time.

Thursday was AMAZING! We lacked proper planning...so we decided to do nothing. It sounds boring but it was great just watching movies and being relaxed and just being able to take a breather from the tough semester we were facing. I loved it.

She left Friday morning but we had so much fun! I just love her and I'm so grateful to have such a wonderful friend who is also in my family...oh and I learned an interesting fact...my grandmothers (Phillis) Uncles (Stu) Granddaughters (Cait) Mothers (Ann) Boyfriends (Tom) Sons (Tommy) Ex-Girlfriends (unknown) Sister (penny) is dating Michael Jordan. Did you follow? Me neither.

ADDISON!

On March 12th Elder Addison Turney returned from Mexico where he was serving a mission. The whole family waited at the Fresno airport for his return, everyone was excited! Finally we watched as his plane came taxing in. He looked so handsome and we were all so eager to hug him! Once he stepped off the plane it was just like the old Addison was right back with him, of course he was a little strange...but he was before so it was great! I was so excited to hug him as a brother in law for the first time! It was the first time the whol Turney family was together since we got married! We had a great time with the family! I'm truly growing to love my In-Laws as family, although it has taken a while ;) I feel very close to each of them in a very special way. Allie is going to be 16 this year, and we have a lot of "girl fun" together. For her home ec class, she had to walk around with a baby belly on and I tried it on for size...it wasn't very comfortable, and that didn't make me want to have a baby...

Addison has a girlfriend that he met at EFY the summer Adam and I got together. They had only seen each other once but have been writing for the last three years and he is sure he is going to marry her...she is really sweet and cute. We'll have to wait and see what happens. Her name is Ashli and she is from Salt Lake. The Turney boys like the Utah girls!!All in all it was a great trip and I look forward to spending time with them again in the Summer!

"Ring Bell for Assistance"

Tonight Adam and I had the experience of serving in the Temple in a different way than we have before. At about 4:30 we got a call saying they needed help with servers in the Cafeteria and so we hurried to get dressed and run down there. I admit that it wasn't the first thing I wanted to do with my Saturday...but we weren't doing anything else and who can say no when you are needed in the temple?

We checked in for duty about 5:30. I've worked fast food before, and it was nothing like this... the 18 year old kitchen looked brand new, the halls were sacred and holy and there was such a sense of service rather than just a duty or job. I love our temple, it has served as a source of comfort many times in the last year and a half. It is an oasis in our desert. It was a blessing and honor to be able to serve those who have served us.

While I was cleaning up, I noticed in a few places, there were little doorbell like knobs with the inscription "ring bell for assistance." When someone would buzz, the worker would immediately

rush up to help. Something clicked inside my head...it IS that simple. In our lives weekly, monthly, daily...we come to need assistance, no matter what it is, no matter how big or small our need...all we have to do is ask and wait for an answer. It doesn't feel simple at times. It is very difficult, especially for people so short on patience like I am.

There are a few blessings I hope to gain over the next few years. I just need to be more prayerful and faithful.