tomorrow, tomorrow...

It is finally here! Brandon is coming home TOMORROW! I don't know when exactly I will get to see him but his flight arrives at the Ontario airport, tomorrow. So, I'm very excited for him.
Also, I have a job interview at CPK in Temecula tomorrow morning. I'm way excited for that. The manager that called me for the interview told me that he has never interviewed someone who has worked for in-n-out that he hasn't hired. So, I'm hoping that's a good sign for me.
I will keep everyone posted on what is going on in my BIG ADVENTURE that I call life.

All I know is that whatever happens, I have to remember, "Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about dancing in the rain." And, that I need to, "Listen to my head, but follow my heart. It is what will lead me to great places."

Love you all!

Holy Moley!

As I was sitting writing in my journal last night, it finally set in. He's coming home. Today is my last Tuesday without him here. Brandon will be home on Monday. It was weird to think about that yesterday, that he will be home in now, less than a week.
Last night, at FHE, everyone was talking to me about when Brandon comes home. And, it was weird to say, "Oh, he gets home a week from today." It really is weird.
Looking back on the time that I have waited, it doesn't seem like that much. It doesn't seem like it has already been 2 years. In the moment, the time cannot go any slower. But, now looking back, the time has really flown by. I'm going to list some of the things that happened in the 2-years that Brandon has been gone.

• Was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Transferred jobs, from In-n-Out #33 to In-n-Out #167
• Made MANY new friends
• Went to the singles branch
• Went to numerous singles dances, with friends
• Was an EFY counselor
• Spent the summer away from home
• Moved to Provo, by myself
• Was completely self-sufficient in Provo
• Became a substitute teacher
• Was a transportation agent for an adolescent services company
• Had a fabulous time in Provo
• Got to know my roommates
• Found out how people really feel about me
• Became an aunt
• Made some new BEST friends
• Made 7 round trip trips from Utah to Chino, or vice versa, whether flying or driving
• Got to experience driving in the snow
• Saw all 4 seasons
• Grew more in love with Brandon, and found a new love for him as well

I'm Still Here

I cannot believe it. Many people doubted if I would still be here in the end of Brandon's mission, but look, I'm still here.
It's kind of surreal for me. I can't really believe that Brandon is coming home so soon. I'm very excited, but scared too. I don't know if I'll really believe that he is coming home, until that day. I think that then it will finally set in.
I have always been the kind of person who likes to prove people wrong. Growing up, I was kind of a "rebel" not in the way that I did all of these bad things. But, whenever someone told me that I couldn't do something, it was that much more of a challenge to prove that I could. And now, that Brandon has been gone almost 2-years, I feel like I have done it again. I have proved that love is strong enough to hold on for 2-years. I feel like I have proved that my love for Brandon is strong enough to make it 2-years without seeing each other, with only talking to each other ONCE, and only communicating through weekly letters or emails.
Sometimes, I can't believe that I really did it. In the beginning I kind of doubted if I really could do it. But, look I did! I didn't do it alone, by any means. If it weren't for Brandon obviously none of it would have been possible. My friends supported me throughout everything. At times when most people would have given up, they supported me and encouraged me to hold on to the love that Brandon and I have. My family criticized my decision to wait for him, but in the end they are so happy and proud of me, for staying with my decision to wait. They may not agree with the way that certain people have treated me throughout the "waiting process", but they are proud of me for being the bigger person throughout it all.
I'm excited for the next 2-weeks. I'm sure I'll be an emotional wreck, but I know that I have made it this far, so I can definitely handle the next 2-weeks.

The Call

I watched The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, for the first time the other night. And, let me tell you, I LOVED it! I thought it was going to be dumb or something, but it was AMAZING.
Here's the clip of it from the movie, seriously, LOVE it.


This song is AMAZING for the movie, but it also reminds me of what I've gone through over the past 2-years. It reminds me of how things started with Brandon, and now how he is coming home.
Here are my favorite lyrics:
Now we're back to the beginning
It's just a feeling and no one knows yet
But just because they can't feel it too
Doesn't mean that you have to forget

Let your memories grow stronger and stronger
'Til they're before your eyes

You'll come back
When they call you
No need to say good bye

May 6th... what a day.

Holy Cow, it's hard to believe that my little brother is ALREADY 16. I remember the day that he was born. I remember sitting in the hospital waiting room, with Lauren. With our bag full of coloring books, reading books, and different things to do to keep us occupied while mom was in there delivering him. We got to the hospital at some time during the morning. But, Nathan wasn't born until 11:15 at night! So, for a 5 and 7 year old, it was a LONG day. I remember my Nana, Papa, my aunt Julie, and aunt Jennifer came and watched us and played with us. I remember getting to see my brother for the first time. He was so little, it's hard to believe that little baby boy is now my 6'1" brother. He has grown up so much and I love him more today than I ever could have thought possible.
It is no surprise to anyone who knows my family, that Nathan and I have not always gotten along, and we've not always been as close as we are today. But, I am so grateful to have him as my brother. He is an amazing brother and best friend to me. My brother, sister, and I are best friends, and I love them both so much.
Nathan tells me that he's not my "little" brother anymore, but that he's just my "younger" brother. As much as he may think that, he will always be my little brother.
This is the brother that I remember:And, this is the brother that I now know and love:
Now, thinking back to 2-years ago. It was a Sunday, and I wanted to go to church so bad. But, Nathan had a baseball game and the entire family was going to his game. I was very distraught and confused over what I should do. But, I decided that I would go to Nathan's game and then go to church with Brandon. The baseball game was fun, and it was nice to spend the morning with my family and celebrating Nathan's birthday. But then, I got to spend the afternoon at church and with Brandon and his family. I loved getting to spend any time with Brandon and his family. Brandon supported me in any decision that I made, and I'm so grateful for that.
Brandon and I at the Malibu mansion:

It's the final countdown!

I seriously cannot believe it! I'm finally in the final countdown, till when Brandon comes home. I never thought that it would come. I'm sure that people are freaking out that I am talking about him coming home, and that I'm counting down the last days. But, you know what? I've been waiting for what seems like FOREVER, for this. So, forgive me if I'm getting a little excited! He comes home 23 days from today! It's kind of weird thinking about what we were doing 2 years ago, today.

We went to Disneyland with Brian and Ashley. It was so much fun. It was kind of like Brandon and my last "event" together before he left. Yes, there were still 3 weeks until he left, but it was the last big thing that we were going to be doing. Brandon and I were like little kids when we went to Disneyland. It was so much fun, and we always seemed to get closer at Disneyland. Maybe we'll be able to go to Disneyland again, sometime, when he gets home.

Here are some pictures from our Disneyland trip.