Well tomorrow is the big day! I am pretty well finished with my packing list and I am just hanging out with the fam:) My parents will be taking over my blog and will be updating everyone with what is going on with me:)  Well I am pretty excited for my new adventure and I hope you enjoy my letters! See you in 18 months!!!

When life gives or lemons, make lemon aid. . . or ice cream

It seems to me that everyone is doing something. I know over 20 people who are going on missions, another 30 people are getting married having babies and raising families and than I have the focused friends who are going to school, have a career and are living out their dreams. Than there is me, the one who is going on a mission, but will never find the chance to pack, shop, make lists and well prepare. Does anyone else feel this way?

This week my parents have been out of town so on top of working full time I come home make dinner, do homework attempt to clean and end up going to bed. Grams came down to help me in the middle of the week and she has been amazing! I feel so blessed that my parents gave me the opportunity to spend so much time with the girls. We have played operation, read stories, watched movies, giggles and had some long talks. We have grown closer and I love that feeling!
Last night I attempted to make ice cream. O boy that was just short of a disaster. it tasted great, but it never froze. Than when I gave up and stuck it in the freezer, it separated. Today the girls mixed it up and poured on lots of toppings. well I will have to try again (different recipe... I think yes). Hmm O
 The greatest argument between Summer and Tara happened this week. Tara wanted to play sisters (house) and Summer wanted to play loving family (dolls). The two fought over this for a long time until they agreed that everyone in the house should vote on what they played. They went in search of voters and when they came to Josh Summer said "Josh what should we choose, sisters or loving family" Josh: "Both" Summer: "No you can only choose one!" He chose a loving family (I don't think he realized it was games) Well Tara lost and boy was she mad. She stormed out crying she picked up the vacuum and started to vacuum the floor. The next thing I knew she had taken a rag and scrubbed the floor (under the rug too!). They finally settled on Cinderella and they cleaned the house together (It was so nice). Well I should probably get ambitious. My week might have been busy but it has been great! I can't wait to get out and serve the lord. I will be up north shopping in a couple of weeks (Hopefully I can finnish packing) and than a few weeks after that I will be off (how crazy is that?) Well Peace, Love and have a good day! 

it seems to me

It seems to me life seems to be going great. . . it seems. I try not to think about all of the fun things I need to buy. . . 

I have three outfits (Maybe 4) I need some more and well that is about it (seriously that is all I have). Wait! I have wool socks! Merry Christmas to me I got them is packages of three, they are way too comfy and the colors pretty. 

Seriously though, there is supposed a manual for this. Where do I find the good deals for luggage, clothing, -60 degree coat and boots, wrist watch (maybe a couple), bag (for everything)(Is it true I can't have a backpack?), well I need everything. 

If I can take off a friday someday I will travel up north for a weekend of crazy shopping, Ice fishing and family. Its crazy how long I have not been up north (since like thanksgiving). (That is so not me!). if it were up to me (and gas was practically free) I would be up there almost every weekend. . . it seems like eternity since I have seen everyone. 

I have found that living in St. George it conveniently does not snow (like ever). Due to this connivance I have not been able to find anything warmer than a zip up hoodie, and a black peacoat. Ordering online freaks me out (a picture may not be what it seems) What if I buy something and it does not fit right or its truly ugly in person. (Yes I ordered an awful looking shirt and shorts and they are on their way to being returned... Well they will be as soon as I mail them) Working all day really kills the fact that shopping in SLC or in places with snow wont happen anytime soon. Don't get me wrong I love my job, I have a great boss, lots of friends and support and where I work and I don't even have snow. I don't like snow, its wet, cold, terrifying to drive in, wet, cold. . . Cold. . . COLD! 

Do you understand what I am saying? let me put it another way. St. George is a beautiful desert in the mornings we get a nice layer of frost on the windshields, Water buckets turn to ice and my fingers freeze off from holding the scoop or pitch fork for the animals. At night I am so cold I have multiple large blankets on me and a heater in my room (the house is maybe 72 or 73 degrees). I sleep in the basement (it is much colder than the main floor or the upstairs.) With all of this I should be just fine, However, I freeze (Im not cold I freeze!). How in the world am I going to survive -60 degree weather? until that point, I... I.. I guess I will have figure it out. . . Well if you have any idea's I would love them. Any tips and tricks for preparing? I want to hear your thoughts. . . Please! 

Have a wonderful day and well enjoy the weather (Unless its -60 than good luck!)

-Samantha

Shopping

O boy now its time to figure out what to wear and how to wear it. Um I am at a loss, However FB saved the day. (seriously) I saw someones picture on FB and she was standing in front of the Sister Missionary Mall. Of course I looked it up online and found a couple of sites with some awesome clothing deals for the sisters.

http://www.sistermissionaryclothes.com/10-tops

http://sistermissionarymall.org/Dresses_c_8.html

I have a couple of outfits left, Luggage and well pretty much everything else to get. I am feeling a bit overwhelmed and I am hoping that I can come up with everything pretty quick. Well wish me luck!
Peace, Love and well everything else.
-Samantha

Holy Cow I'm gonna be a Sister Missionary

Well let me first explain how it all happened. I was not going on a mission. It was not going to happen if my life depended on it. Sister missionaries are old, can't get married and are unsure about their schooling and pretty much life. I am 20 I am not married however I had a plan. I attended two years of school at weber state took off a semester and landed a job as a paralegal at 1Law. I plan on getting my certificate and working while going through nursing school. After nursing school I want to go to midwifery school. After that who knows where I will be. Than something happened. Okay the game plan changed. I was working in the office and I was having the worst day. Things that I have done a hundred times correct, I was doing them wrong and not just kind of wrong I mean wrong! So feeling frustrated and disappointed I came home and opened my BOM (Book of Mormon). I started to read and got through maybe one line and well I read something like your mission is... (okay now I am not happy) and the page was flipped (more like the book(I was at the beginning and ended up at the end)) I started to read again and once more I read your mission is (O no I am not listening) So what did I do you ask? Yes I slammed the book shut and went to bed.
The next day at work the same thing happened. This time when I went to read my scriptures, I listened. The next thing I knew I had pulled my parents aside and told them I was frustrated (something needed to change) The house was crowded, I worked long hours and always felt exhausted (seriously everyday). Than somewhere between my complaining I slipped in "O by the way I am going on a mission." I tried to continue with my grumpy complaint (However when Mom said your doing what and Dad started to cry I knew the secret was out and in full motion). They were sworn to secrecy and no one was to find out (I wanted to make a big announcement at thanksgiving). The next day after work I walked in the door and my sister Emily ran up to me (Bawling) She said "Mom told me EVERYTHING! I am so happy and I don't know how I feel about this, I know I told you to move out but I didn't mean it!" We have had our fights in the past for instance I would say "Change this song" She would turn it up. She would say what do you think of this outfit, if I say "you look cute", She goes for a second opinion or changes. If I say "I hate" it she is grumpy at me for the rest of the year and goes for a second opinion and usually won't change. If I tell her I don't care, The world as we know it is over. So when she told me she knew, The first thing I said was "Why" of course we talked and I told her "Your life is on the line, Do not say a thing!" I chatted with my mother to make sure she had not told anyone else. She claimed that I did not tell her she was not allowed, I told my Dad first. (Mom I told you together remember when I told you both that I was going on a mission?) After she understood that no one else was allowed to know, She was pretty good. However she did mention it to her Aunt Jenny and Emily Told all of her friends and Cody. Cody told Sammy and Josh. Sammy told Nick and well with in a couple of days it seemed that everyone knew. Than I was running out the door for Temple Prep and mom started talking about my mission (it became more common in our conversations) Sarah over heard and started freaking out. Emily took the liberty of telling Sarah everything. it went something like this. Emily: Sarah you didn't hear Samantha is going to TJ Mexico and she leaves in January. Sarah: What! No way Samantha she is kidding right? Me: I'm just doing what I am told. Sarah: Freaking out started saying What? How did I miss it? Really?   She was pretty shocked and tried to convince us that I could not go to the same place as my cousin. Me: I did not fill out anything that even said I had a cousin. Sarah: O my gosh. She was pretty shocked at this point and I left. Of course I straightened her out later and got my papers turned in the following tuesday. (Thanksgiving was friday). Well everyone kept their lips sealed until mom went to grandmas house. I called and talked to her and she mentioned Mission. Of course grandma was standing right there so I panicked (what if she heard!) Called her on the phone and told her about my plans. Thanksgiving came around and it was time for the big announcement. we announce it something like this. Cody said the prayer over the food, He said something like "bless the food, Bless our missionary Andy and please help Samantha be patient as she awaits her call, Amen" Everyone started cheering and well after that I was left awaiting my call.
The first day I could receive my call was December 5th if it did not come one the 5th I would not get it for two weeks because I was going to the Philippines with my Dad and Emily on the 6th. Well the 5th came and of course I was in the office asking Mom every few minutes if the mail had come. I was rushing through my work and finished almost everything when I finally got her text "It came!" Well now there was no chance of me working (I was so excited!) so I cleaned up and left. I came home and just looked at it (I was opening it at 6:00PM). Actually, Everyone was looking at it. 6:00 finally rolled around and it was time to open it! I opened and peaked in I read Edmonton Canada and went into shock. I could not speak, Breathe and I defiantly could not announce my destination or take my letter out of the envelope. I just sat there shocked and excited. Finally I yelled out Boise ID and everyone started to cheer (For the past 2 weeks I had joked around with mom letting her know that Boise was where I was headed) Dad was crying and Mom was frozen in place still waiting for me to really announce my destination. Finally I shouted Ed-mon-ton Canada! haha Yes I had to sound it out. Well by this point Dad was bawling and yelling Angie went there!!! Well to finnish my Long story I am off to the Edmonton Canada English speaking mission on April 24th 2013. I am so beyond excited and I am ready for a new adventure! Next stop the Check list!