Best Valentine's Day Ever!

A couple people have asked me how my Valentines Day was, and I honestly have to admit, It was pretty good! On the BYU-Idaho there are generally two extremes: the incredibly happy and public couples, or the sullen and bitter singles. They're only angry because they want to be one of the couples with a PDA problem.

I honestly was worried about what I would feel this year. It would mark the one year anniversary of breaking off my engagement. Yes I realize I broke up with him on Valentines Day, I choose to ignore the fact that my actions are generally frowned upon by the larger part of society. Anyway Sunday night as I was falling asleep I let myself think about what my life would have been like if I hadn't ended the engagement. This is something I generally don't let myself think about, but instead of bring up unpleasant past memories I felt secure and happy. I felt like I actually had grown and learned a lot in this past year. I felt good about all of my choices.

Then Monday, Valentines Day, I was largely oblivious to the fact that it was the day of love. I think it was another tender mercy that I had so much to do that day. But really I don't know how I missed it. There were big signs advertising the couples dance, love birds floating around kissing each other, and people running around in pink shouting "Happy Valentines Day." I even had a lesson that centered around Valentines day and it never registered in my mind. During my last class a boy came in and gave a girl in class a beautiful bouquet of flowers. I thought it was so sweet and wondered if he was proposing or if it was her birthday or something. It wasn't until one of my bitter neighbors made a sassy comment I realize the real reason. I said, "Oh, it's Valentines Day! That makes sense." She stared at me as if she couldn't figure out why that had just occured to me and I felt a little dumb, but then that past too.

I do have to mention how spoiled I am by 6 boys at home and their parents. That night as I sat doing homework, I got a beautiful vase of flowers. It absolutely made my day, and the bear is so soft! I have to say it. I have one roommate who is engaged and two who are constantly surrounded by boys, but I got the best flowers.

Unless I'm Mistaken, I Think I Made It.

And exhale one big sigh of relief. Ahhhhh.


This week has been one of the busiest weeks I have ever had in my life. I haven't decided if that was an exaggeration or not, but it serious was really busy. This week I had midterms, a HUGE project due, I taught a 45 minute math lesson, and most stressful of all my student teaching application. Oh and on top of all of that I got asked out of a date! First time this semester and it had to be this week. Oye, but fortunately my date understood and made it really fun and appropriately short.

It was like a marathon, all culminating to that Big Storm I like to call Thursday. Everything was due on Thursday, and miraculously I got everything turned in!. As I clock out of work at the end of the day I felt a sense of accomplishment. I went and celebrated by kicking of my Air Hockey Tournament with Jill. YAY! Then I came home and crashed, I think I have finally recovered.

Really this post it to send thank yous out to the universe, because I know I had so much help and tender mercies. Thank you roommates for allowing me to shirk my dishes responsibility, and for not mentioning that my mess was slowly creeping into your part of the room. (I honestly had areas in the apartment surrounded by stuff except for the area in the center where I would sit.) Thank you Eric for coming and helping me with my letter of introduction. I couldn't have done it with out you. Thank you Brother Madsen for being in India. That extra 1hour and a half in the morning really helped me out. Thank you Saxon Math for having a lesson so planned out an detailed I didn't have to start form scratch.

Thank you to all of those who wrote a letter of recommendation for me. They were so wonderful and I was really touched. Thank you Heavenly Father for sending so many people around me to support and cheer me on. My family and friends really are ministering angels.

This is a Formal Complaint

So in my previous post I wrote that we had a couple inches of snow. Correction, we had more like 5 inches of snow.

Friday I had to be at an elementary school in Sugar City at 9:15am, and pick up a couple of people along the way. I thought I was being really good becasue I was ready at 8:25 and cleaning off my car around 8:30. Well a few minutes later my windows were clean but my car was stuck, and I mean really stuck.

It took three guys to get me out of the parking lot. Then I tried pulling out of the long alley to get onto a street but there was a truck blocking my way, and yes he was stuck in the snow! Three guys later the truck was back in its parking lot and the boy decided to walk to class. But of course I was stuck again! I couldn't drive through the alley without 4 guys huffing and puffing pushing me up hill. I was embarrassed, and worried I would be late, and frustrated that I had to ask for so much help( I think I'm becoming a bit of a feminist as I get older.)

It was a great day at the school, but as I was still flustered and driving home I slid a couple times. I got to my driveway and could tell I was going to get stuck again. Well that was not going to happen, so I pulled out and drove to campus and bought a campus parking permit. My car will be parked at the Hinckley until the lot is cleared.

As I was walking back home I was so frustrated and mad about the whole morning. I started thinking that this would never have happened if it hadn't snowed. I was so angry and mad at the snow. I worked myself up into such a stew that looked up into the sky and thought, "You really should do something about this snow." It sounded so much like statements I had heard in advising, and I think I was trying to submit a formal complaint with Heavenly Father.

The thought was so ridiculous that I couldn't help but laugh at myself. Oh gosh, who do I think I am! As I laughed at myself I wasn't really mad anymore, and I looked up and noticed how beautiful the trees looked all covered with snow.

BYU-I Updates

I really should be doing some homework before the day starts but I'd rather blog, so I will. I don't have anything amazing to write about just a few little things.

We are just finishing up the 2nd week of the semester. So far it has been busy but great! It has been super cold here and has snowed a lot. Yesterday it snowed a couple inches just in a few hours. I haven't broken out any of my heals yet which has made me sad, but at lest my feet are warm. During the announcements at devotional on Tuesday, they reminded the young ladies to wear appropriate footwear. They said its not worth breaking an ankle over. (I don't necessarily agree.) Then they suggested if the men see a damsel in wobbly distress they should, "ask to help her and take her arm. Ask her name. Tell her yours. You can take it from there." Only in BYU-Idaho.

Work is great. One of my favorite roommates, Jill got a job in a satellite advising center on campus, so we get to sit next to each other during all advising meetings. It is just so much fun. I've got to girls in the office who are engaged, so Brother Tippetts, my boss and office yenta, is happily giving them advice for marital bliss. I thankfully seem to have fallen under his radar. It kind of nice.

My classes are great. I am done with all of my general classes, so this semester is strictly Education classes and I love it! All of my teachers previously taught in public schools, so they know what we are up against, and they all want to prepared us the best they can. Yesterday, I went to the Student Teaching information meeting. That means I am going to be student teaching in exactly one year! I think about that pretty regularly and then I have to check myself. This is weird...

Even though I am really busy, I sure do love my classes. They are hard and challenging, but they are also so much fun. For, my homework this week I; a bunch of reading but then I practiced my handwriting, played the recorder 15 minutes a day, 3 art projects, read children books, and color in the states on one of those maps third graders work on.

I love my major.

FDREL 212 - New Testament II Lesson 6 "Our Salvation is nearer than we beleive."

For my student choice assignment I chose option 1. It was a great reminder to me to endure to the end. I am a member of the church, but just going to sacrament meeting every Sunday is not enough. This section reminded me that I need to make a continual effort to increase my love for others and to live my life in a better way.

In Ezekiel 3:20 we are told that we must never stray away from the path of righteousness. We must always be striving to live the gospel in a more perfect way. As members of the Church we are blessed to have the gospels lead us through life and can partake in the ordinances we need or progression, but that does not mean that we have done so many good dead we can afford a little wickedness. We must focus on the Lord and turn away from evil. D&C 14:7 adds to this by saying that we must endure to the end. I know that this can be difficult but I also know that when we pray and ask for help the Lord is there to comfort and strengthen us.

Paul teaches us how saints should act

Romans 12:1 - Sacrifice our time and energy to service to others and the Lord
Romans 12:2 - Don't let the world change you and warp your perspective and motivations.
We need to let the Lord change our hearts and mind.
Romans 12:9 - Love with a sincere and pure heart. Don't put on a show, really love.
Romans 12:13 - Be hospitable to everyone. Don't let those in need feel alone.
Bring then in and make them feel safe and at home.
Romans 12:16 - Do not be prideful in yourself or your knowledge.
Concern yourself with helping others and meeting their needs
Romans 12:21 - Continue to do good and love. It will affect lives and make changes that you
may not even realize.
Romans 13:1 - Recognize the Lords power and follow it.
Romans 13:3 - Exercise righteous authority and do good.
Romans 13:8 - Stay out of debt of any kind, but always love those around you.
Romans 13:9 - Love thy neighbor and all that it entails.

Paul reminds us that we should not judge one another. It doesn't matter what our neighbor is doing or isn't doing, that is between him and the Lord. We are all at different points in our spiritual progression and so we need to make an effort to lift each other up instead of judging them. We will all be judged by the Lord and it is better to spend the time that we have encouraging others, then wasting is by tearing each other down.

When others have different practises or opinions this should not be a cause for contention. Paul teaches that everything we do we do in dedication to the Lord. As the church expands throughout the world we will meet people who may not do everything in quite the same way that we have grown up doing but that is okay because we are doing it with a sincere heart, and we are all equal in the eyes of the Lord.

Paul constantly refers to church members as saints. We are all saints and that thought inspires me to act like a saint. I want to serve, and love those around me. I want to uplift and edify others. I think I have a new role model, in Romans 16:2 Paul briefly mentions a woman named Phebe. He only says that she was "a succourer of many," but it that is the only way an apostle would choose to describe me then I would happy.

I know that this church is true and that we are all brothers and sister. I know that the Lord is looking out for us, but he does a lot of his work through us. I want to be a tool in his hand and a daughter know for running to others in need of comfort.

My Name is Tressa and I Am Directionally Challenged.

I had a humiliating experience last night. I realize that by posting this I am putting myself to ridicule but I thought this was post worthy. So let it come.

Last night I went to the house of my 6 boys to babysit. It's such a treat for me to be back home and babysit again. as I walked in the house the dad asked me if I wanted to drive the boys to church for scouts and then pick them up again later. I was more then willing to do it but my heart sunk a little because I had no idea how to get to the church.

As a little disclaimer its a new building and I have only been to the church 3 times, but there is no doubt about it; I am directionally challenged, and it was made absolutely apparent when I was getting directions from the five year old. The mom had put the church into the GPS so I had that but as I was driving down the rode the loud five year old was saying things like this.

"Tressa, you don't know how to get to the church, okay I show you!"

"Yep, Tressa this is the ride rode!"

"Hey this is where we go to get to my super cool gym! Do you know how to get to me super cool gym?" --"umm... No." "Okay, I'll show you that way."

And then I'll admit, I misread the GPS and took a wrong turn even though this was what I was hearing, "No Tressa you don't turn this way." 'It's okay I think I'll go this way." "No this is the wrong way!!" and then the GPS confirming his sentiment, "Recalculating."

I couldn't hold it in anymore and started to laugh. It's official, I really stink at directions, and there is no disputing it when I ask a five year old, "Umm is this the right way?"

At Last! I Am a Big Girl!

Okay I know that this was forever ago now but I still think it is blog worthy. Three weeks ago was my birthday. I turned twenty and had a blast while doing it. I've got to say that right around the time I turned 18 all I wanted was to not be a teenager. I had done the teenager thing and was done. Needless to say nineteen came and went and I didn't shed a tear.

I woke up Friday morning and went into the living room to find it filled to the brim with balloons, streamers, flowers and a pinata. The days coming up to my birthday I really hated the idea of making a big fuss for my birthday, and on the whole just wanted to have it pass by unnoticed. When I saw the streamers, however, I realized that I little attention wouldn't kill me.

So I did my makeup, put on my birthday outfit, and ceremonially placed my tiara on my head. Then I headed out the door to class. Let me tell all those girls that have never worn a tiara; it's fun. I mean all that princess was really on to something when she first wore a tiara.

As if the tiara wasn't enough to put me in the center of attention, Deborah gave me a flower and a small present in each one of my classes. Thanks to Deborah everyone knew it was my birthday. She took me out to lunch and when we got back I got flowers from the cutest 6 boys ever, and their pretty amazing parents. Thanks for them, I thought they were beautiful and the candy was delicious.

After that it was a pretty mellow day. I talked to my family back home, and even got the hear my Grandpa sing me the first line of the birthday song! After that and the wise advice to stay happy he passed the phone on, but it was great to hear from everyone. Deborah was prepared to through me a huge party and invite most of the ward, but I was more in the mood to stay calm and watch a movie.

I had a great birthday, and one that I will always remember.