Primary!

Boy oh boy, I sure didn't know what I was getting myself into when I started this little blog! I thought I would post more than once a month or so, but I guess that's not going to happen. A few weeks ago Michael and I were called to be teachers in our ward's primary program. Yay, 6 year olds! So far we have started getting to church on time, re-learning primary songs, and bribing children with candy... we're gonna be great parents someday! haha.

I am actually pretty stoked about this calling because now I actually have a reason to make little crafts and whatnot. This past week our lesson was titled "My Heavenly Father Trusts Me To Follow His Plan" and I made a couple of handouts for the kiddos. The first is a bookmark with a poem that the manual provided by Anna Johnson. I made purple copies for the girls and green copies for the boys (It does matter which color you give to which though! One of my boys wanted a purple one, which created quite a scene when we read the poem aloud).

  

My Heavenly Father

Trusts me to

Choose the Right!

I am a child of royal birth

My Father is King of heaven and earth

My spirit was born in the courts on high

A child beloved, a princess am I.

-Anna Johnson-

My Heavenly Father

Trusts me to

Choose the Right!

 

I am a child of royal birth

My Father is King of heaven and earth

My spirit was born in the courts on high

A child beloved, a    prince am I.

-Anna Johnson-

The second hand out was a sticker I cut out with a 3.5 inch hole punch. It has the same green and purple CTR shields and says "My Heavenly Father Trusts Me To..." above it. I guess I should be computer savvy enough to upload a word document to my blog, but obviously I'm not, sorry guys!

Anywho, I'm loving this calling. Especially since I get to do it with my best friend! Hopefully I'll learn how to use a computer soon enough and have more primary projects for you soon enough!

Meet Marshall!

A couple of months ago Michael and I decided to make the first addition to our little family.
Meet Marshall!

 Never in my life did I think that my first child would be a designer dog! 
Marshall is a Havapoo: a perfect mixture of Havanese and Poodle.
He is ridiculously intelligent (he began to open his kennel from inside at 10 weeks old!) and obviously incredibly adorable.  

We began our search for the right canine companion by visiting and researching multiple Petsmarts and rescue shelters, but due to allergies and restrictions from living in an apartment none of those cuties were the right match for us. In a "just look!" mindset we visited our local Petland and what do you know, we found our baby! As we walked down the glass wall filled with adorable puppies just begging to be taken home I was stopped by this little fella' who got up from his nap, stretched his tiny legs and turned right around to us. Who could say no to those big puppy eyes?! The workers were very  knowledgeable and helpful as we toyed with the idea of actually buying and changing our lives FOREVER! After about an hour of playtime and deliberation Michael caved in and we took home our little Marshmallow.

Who knew puppies were so much work?!
Potty break, breakfast, potty break, play time, potty break, walk, potty break, training session, potty break, potty break, potty break, lunch, potty break, play time, potty break, nap, potty break, bark for an hour, potty break, walk!!!, potty break dinner, potty break, play time, potty break, bedtime.
Pheww!
Bark for another hour.
And a few more potty breaks.

But I can't complain about my little angel. He has already brought so much happiness into our lives.
I am such a proud Mama!
(I can't even imagine what I'm going to be like when I actually have children! Yikes!)

He is doing so well in his training. He is very proficient when it comes to Lie Down, Kennel, Stay, Come and Stand Up. We tried Sit but for some reason he could never get the hang of it, he would just lie down which I guess was good enough for us. Maybe later.

Okay so maybe he isn't "proficient" at stand up, but he's getting there!

And at least he's cute in the process.

 

 

Defining Serendipity

ser·en·dip·i·ty

Merriam-Webster defines serendipity  as:

 "the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for"

but I like to think of it as

"a happy accident" 

and this is my serendipity

 As an 18 year old girl straight out of high school I was just trying to figure out how to grow up. I didn't know what I wanted to do for a living so I took some time off of school to get a grown up job at The Christ Hospital and build my savings account. I left my home ward and was just looking to date all of the cuties in the singles' branch and get as many free meals as possible... but my happy surprise didn't take it's time finding me.

 

 Michael Ryan Sullivan and I were married on September 22, 2012 sealed together as a family for time and all eternity in

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Columbus, Ohio Temple  

The blessings this gospel has brought me have been nothing short of amazing.

I know that I am a daughter of a loving Father in Heaven.  

I know that Christ, the son of God, died so that my inevitable sins will be forgiven.

I know that I can be with my wonderful husband and family even after death parts us. 

I know that the Bible and The Book of Mormon are true testaments of Jesus Christ.

I know that there is a living prophet on Earth today, who receives inspiration from God.   mormon.org

It really is no accident that two people so perfect for each other fell in love.

And it really is no accident that their faith brought them together to share eternity with

 each other.

But to love is the happiest experience one can have.

   And this unexpected happiness is my serendipity.