I wrote this paper for my Prep for eternal marriage class... and felt like I should post it on here, feel free to give your comments and insights!
I really enjoyed reading Covenant Hearts, it was very enlightening and made me so very excited to ever get married! I had so many thoughts and took many notes. I did get sad a few times actually when I made notes, and wished I had someone to discuss it with, in a deeper relationship where it would be more acceptable. I wished that he would have been reading it with me so we could compare notes and explore our ideas together. Luckily, or not so luckily, for you, I have this paper to use for that desire!
So many things struck me in this book. Bruce C Hafen talked a lot about love and joy. A few of his thoughts and quotes on joy really struck me and led me to many thoughts. The first that just hit me and keeps my mind soaring is that “…if we don’t move out of our comfort zone, we won’t grow. If we don’t grow, we won’t find joy”(13). This reminds me that there is opposition in all things, and that if it isn’t tough it won’t be worth it. I guess it just makes me think that we really do need to move away from the things that keep us comfortable to be able to grow, to stretch and learn more about ourselves. I was dating this boy for a while and we went to a party some of his friends were throwing. I had never met them, and usually it had just been me and him and our close friends together always… so in this new setting where I only knew him, he and I both noticed that I didn’t say much at all, if anything. I was out of my comfort zone. I am normally the one who cracks jokes and likes attention, but more than that likes to know who the stories are about and help tell them. In this setting, I knew no one, I didn’t know the stories, and I didn’t know any of them well enough to tell any jokes. It took awhile, but towards the end of the night I was coming out of my shell and joking around a little bit and sharing my own stories, but we both noticed I did act differently when out of my comfort zone, but I need those experiences so that I can grow, and become more use to being in bigger groups so that that becomes comfortable. “I didn’t know I had it in me” (151). We should constantly be able to say that, at the same time that we should have faith that we will be able to. I think that in marriage, if we give up, we will not grow. We will not be able to discover what we didn’t know we didn’t know, or we won’t find what we could do if we just pushed a little further. At the end of the night, I noticed that I had had fun, I had grown and I had found joy.
Along with opposition and joy, we find on page 65 that without children we would be without misery… but we know that children equal joy. If there was no joy, there would be no misery. The story about the father who was out in a field with his son, and then saw his son and realized the ramifications of that, that he was a father; that was his son; it touched me. I do not have any children, but I believe that when I do it will take awhile for it to click that I created that life; I was entrusted with that intelligence and spirit from the Lord, that I am a mother and that is my child. While that child might cause me many sleepless nights and much misery, the joy of that child will be so much greater. When my sister was pregnant she thought about getting an epidural for her labor, but when that came it came too quickly for her to be able to. I had heard that when you have an epidural you are numb and cannot feel what is going on. My sister said that as soon as the labor was over, though her body had been through so much and exerted so much energy and had so much pain, as soon as she saw her son, it vanished. It made me think that I will want to give a natural birth, to experience that intense pain so that I can feel in the full effect, all of the joy and love that comes afterwards.
Love was talked about throughout the whole book, obviously. But there were specific things mentioned that caught my attention. Bruce C Hafen mentions how the Greeks had three different types of love, and I was instantly taken back to my social psychology class where we learned about three different types of love that a theorist, Sternburg had come up with. The Greek types were, paraphrased, as being charitable love, romantic love, and love for siblings. Sternburg’s are intimacy, commitment, and passion. There is a diagram that goes along with Sternburg’s theory, and it is a triangle. He says that all sides need to be equal to have consummate love, the complete form of love. When I think of the triangle, I think of how the church teaches us that marriage is a three way commitment to you, your spouse, and the Lord. On page 125 Hafen tells a story about a spinning saucer and the analogy he came up for that, that we should be in the center where we are stable and should pull people into the center with us. I thought that Christ is the center, we all revolve around him. Christ should be at the center of our marriages, and our hearts. Furthering this three sided triangle, centered on Christ, is an analogy to marriage as singing on page 140. He says how we start as a duet, two solos. I immediately remembered the triangle between husband, wife, and Christ and thought oh no! It is a trio! We need the Lord! Then my thoughts turned to the poem or story of the footprints in the sand, where the Lord is always with us, sometimes carrying us. It is a duet because the Lord is there with us, he is helping us to “carry” the tune, we can not do it without him.
There is a story about the girls in Australia who were able to help put the chandelier together in the Celestial room, which impressed me. The girls were so tender and gentle with those crystals, and wanted to linger in the room, looking at their creation, what great works they had performed and done together. They did not want to leave the room, for the peace it gave to them was more important that anything else. It reminded me of how little girls look at and touch babies, so gently and they recognize the importance and how precious they are. We need to remember that kind of innocence and respect for other humans, children of God, and treat them better.
The secret to a happy marriage was given on page 73, and at first when I read that we should lower our expectations I was thinking, no way, this is false!! But the more I read, the better I understood and agreed. We need to be understanding, and remember that it takes time to transition. Often times I think people forget that they have weaknesses and that others do as well and that when we get married we are not translated into perfect beings, but we are the same two people, who need to rely upon each other and the Lord to help them. One of the ways we need to lower our expectations in with communication, we expect the other to be able to read our minds. We need to lower this, they cannot! We cannot! We need to communicate better, express our feelings, and talk. We will learn more about our own weaknesses than our spouses through marriage. We marry to give, and to grow as expressed on page 76. W learn on page 124 that “…charity never reaches a higher meaning than it does in marriage”, and we need to remember that in order to serve we must use charity. I loved the story where the woman was upset no one was serving her and then realized that she was not serving anyone, and when she did she was not upset anymore, but filled with love. When we marry, we don’t just marry that person, but their past experiences and life, that was such a great thing to hear!

Some of my final thoughts towards the end of the book came from the conclusion, “Society may be losing the plot of the great Love Story” (259). I do not think the plot is lost, but more hidden as how he mentioned the majestic mountain was behind the fog and you might not believe there was something back there if you went to see it on a foggy, cloudy day. But I think that those who believe it is there without being able to see it, those that remember our “…deepest God-given instinct is to run to the arms of those who need us and sustain us” (137) that they will seek after the great love story with more fervent efforts, and that they will make finding it a journey. That once they find their own love story, it will make the journey more meaningful, and that they will cherish it more, they will be glad they found it and will try harder to keep it and protect it. “Love awoke, and so did life” (107). I look forward to this so much, to love one another, to have my life awakened in a new sense to have someone else to care about, think about, and experience life with. That when either one of us goes through a hard time it will not “…just be his, but theirs” (121). I know that I am not alone for the Lord is always with me, but I am so excited and desirous of the companionship that comes with marriage, and I want for that, I want to be able to help my husband through his pain, to bear it with him and raise him up. I learned so much from this book and am so very excited to read it again, to learn more and to be able to share what I learn with othe

Ellen did this cute little quiz? Survey? Get to know you? thing. And I copied it from her and enjoyed it!
2 names you go by:
Jen - Old roommates Trish and Katie always call me Jenn, kinda weird but I like it too!
Jenhopper - usually just my dad!

2 things you're wearing right now:
Ballroom baseball t, I know... how conflicting!
And Ballroom sweatpants.

2 things you want very badly right now:
Twilight movie to come out
A Boyfriend/husband...

2 favorite pets you've had:
PJ my scruffy, tomboy, half cat, dog.
Jay, my fatty albindo ferret!

2 things you did last night:
Walked a mile on the track in the freezing cold
Wrote a paper on things I could improve in my life.

2 things you ate today:
Ha! I wish I only ate two things today... just kidding. I love food.
I ate a boston cream pie yogurt, and a smoothie David made for me.

2 people you talked to last:
Ellen-through messenger
David-in person
2 things you plan to do today:
Research wedding traditions in different cultures
finish reading Bridget Jones's Diary (pretty funny so far... I wasn't sure I'd like it, but after reading a book called Romantically Challenged {story of my life} I was game for any book, and since having no boyfriend, I have more time to read.)

2 longest trips you've taken in the last 5 years:
Seattle to Rexburg 12hours, once it was like 15 due to snow.
Rexburg to San Diego I think it was 17 hours, but we stopped in Vegas on the way down, but not on the way back!
Soon to be, in 180 days I will be going to Russia!

2 favorite holidays:
Halloween and Thanksgiving!

2 favorite beverages:
Mountain Dew
Lemon Berry Hawaiian punch water flavor add-in thingy

Twilight. Can't. Wait.

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/twilight.html?showVideo=1

I have recently been a blog-hoppin... I know I am lame. Anyway, I found a few blogs that I LOVE and have to share with you. Works for me Wednesday,
http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/it_works_for_me/index.html is a blog where every wednesday she posts a simple story of something new and easy to do... one example is this weeks post of pulling teeth, put some tooth numbing gel on the gums and pull! You have to read it for yourself. Anyway, then she allows for people to put a link to their easy and simple ideas... which is how I found this chocolate cake recipe!

Dangerous Chocolate Cake-in-a-mug!!
1 coffee mug
4 Tbsp. cake flour (plain, not self-rising)
4 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. cocoa
1 egg
3 Tbsp. milk
3 Tbsp. oil
Small splash of vanilla
3 Tbsp. chocolate chips, optional

Add dry ingredients to mug, mix well with a fork. Add egg, mix thoroughly. Pour in milk and oil and vanilla, mix well. Add chips, if using.

Put mug in microwave, and cook for three minutes on 1000 watts. Cake will rise over top of mug–do not be alarmed! Allow to cool a little; tip onto a plate if desired. Eat! (she claims it is dangerous because you are only five minutes away from chocolate cake!)

Oh boy did I enjoy that yesterday!! I thought it was a little dry, so after I ate some I added a little bit of milk to it, after having used my fork to break it up into smaller chunks. Then I also added a little bit of powdered sugar... Yum!!

Another blog I found out about from WFMW is $5 dinners... which I have not made any yet, but I am keeping it in my favorites so I can write down the recipes. http://www.5dollardinners.com/

And last, but not least... is Cake Wrecks. It cracks me up!! http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/

Hope you all enjoy these links like I do!

Since I came back to Rexburg in August, I had a real summer in Rexburg! So, what do I do with my time? I hang out with Maria, and boys!! I met a real cute boy, named Jason. :) Anyway, what do two girls who are dating roommates do in the summer when they are bored? They make a puppet theatre!! Here are the videos we made with the boys after we had painted the theater, naming it with our last names. The boys helped to make the puppets... which was half the fun for sure!! We spoofed The emperors new groove... a favorite of all involved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJH89RevM9c

or this one, with just the boys dancing the puppets around to a song... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8p1Z34MxMA

As some of you know... I was scheduled to graduate in July of this year! I was talking to one of my dance instructors and he advised I not graduate until after I go on a dance tour... so I stayed around. It worked because I still needed a credit of an internship to graduate... so I came back to school early, in the summer. Then school started up, and I tried out for the tour team... and I made it! I am on Dance Alliance, and we are going on a 17 day tour of Russia in April!! A few of the cities we will hit up at Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Samara!! We will be going on various train rides, ranging from 5 hours to 13. I am stoked!! Russia, Here I come in 201 days!!

Its been awhile! Here are a few pictures from when I went to Nevada with Jason this summer. My attempt at being really artsy...

CRAISY Oatmeal Cookies
1 1/2 c margarine
1 1/4 c sugar
1 1/4 c brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp water
3 eggs
3 1/4 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2-3 c oatmeal (sometimes more)
1 Bag Craisins
Secret Ingredient: Zest of one Orange, which is to be added before the Oats.

Blend together margarine, sugars, vanilla, water and eggs. Sift flour and soda. Add orange zest, then oatmeal and craisins. Bake at 375 for 8-12 minutes. Can make 6 dozen.

Here are a few pictures of my trip to Vegas, Las Angeles and San Diego!

Me, Mike and Nick on a huge piano! This is when we were shimmying on the keys. On the right, is a photo of the water show at the Bellagio!











I am at the M&M Factory kissin the Chocolate!




On the left, I am at a beach somewhere in between LA and San Diego!




Me and Travis dancing Foxtrot, which we got a third place medal for!

Some Chacha!!

Lastly, Tony from Dancing with the Stars!

I got to play with my rat today! I don't have a name for him yet, so if you have any suggestions leave them for me. I am planning on training him to stand on his hind legs, shake my hand, and maybe some other things. One of the class requirements are to have him run a maze!

BYUI Latin Formation Team Black Eyed Peas Medley

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ssg27oQgp7k

This semester my roommates and I have decided to make meals together, and to plan them out ahead of time. One of our favorites has been inside out pot pie! It was so simple to make, just brown one or two pieces of chicken, add a can of cream of chicken and some frozen vegetables of your choice. Cook some biscuits in the oven and call it a meal! It was super tasty.

Some of our other favorites:

Chicken Salad Sandwiches: Canned Chicken, Mayo and/or Poppyseed Dressing, cut grapes and/or apples, served on croissants.

Upside down Enchiladas: Browned chicken, ripped tortillas, enchilada sauce, and cheese.

I buy these potatoes at the store. I assumed they were the talk of Idaho potatoes... they seemed small, but I was okay with that.

Until....

So my roommate Ellen and I wanted to compare the sizes of our store bought potatoes, and her homegrown potato. It kind of resembles pac man....

Idaho! Idontknow.

Then we made french fries, all that from one REAL Idaho potato.

My attempt to catch the Lunar Eclipse last night....

It looks much worse in person... but this is one of the joys, and pains of dancing...

So this is just one reason why I love my camera! I took seven pictures and was able to "stitch" them together to make a panoramic picture! There is one of the view from my front porch, and one of my living room. So fun!

In just a week I will be on my way to this amazing location to compete at the UC San Diego Dance by the Shores Competition! Last year in April I competed in a similar competition, at Stanford University, that comp was called the Cardinal Classic.

So next week I will visit Las Vegas, Los Angeles, hopefully Santa Barbara where I did my internship, and San Diego! The warm weather will be a nice break from this bleak white wasteland. It has actually been nicer here, the snow has mostly melted away from the roads and sidewalks, but there is still ice lurking about.

I am hoping that while we are in San Diego we will get a chance to go to the San Diego Temple!

After a series of {un}fortunate events, my old camera went kaput... so I just had to buy a new one! I bought this beauty... I named him Dylan. He is amazing.

Lately, I have been on a huge pickle kick.

It is almost as big as my mango madness... I don't know if mangos have been replaced by pickles though.

You may not be able to read the calories or serving size... but I am befuddled by this. It says one serving is a half of a pickle... and that in that half of the pickle is Zero calories.

Enter confusion: I have always been taught that 0+0= 0... so isn't one pickle zero calories? If anyone can shed some light on this amazingly confusing situation, please let me know.