The Final Countdown!

Ben gets here in FOUR DAYS! Its so great to think this month and a half of waiting and missing and needing and wishing is finally over :)

I seriously cannot wait.

In the mean time I have lots of wonderful things to look forward to...mainly that...

YUKI FLIES IN TOMORROW!

Yukino and I have been best friends since we were in kindergarten and our teacher arranged for us to be friends to improve Yuki's English and to help my Japanese. In elementary school it was collecting gel pens and creating clubs. We got to go to disneyland all by ourselves once. When I moved back to the states it was summer camp that she came to with me for a few years. Last summer we met up in NYC for a few days (and almost died:P ) - and now she's flying out for my wedding. Crazy how things can change - and yet how amidst all that change, some things don't change at all. 

BBFAEULIO (Best-friends-forever-and-ever-until-life-is-over)

Snippets of Road Tripping Across the Country...

Nauvoo Temple

Cutest cousins after a long day at the lake

The girls after HP7

The view from our porch? Yes, please

The stage and seating for the Hill Cumorah Pageant

Some Call Us Crazy

Its been a long six months - sometimes its hard to remember life before Ben, even if it actually wasn’t so long ago. To everyone else its been a very short six months, a mere six months, - they tell me I’m crazy, or ask with concerned looks if I know what I’m doing. My answer:

I don’t. I’ve never been in love like this before. I’ve never gotten married before. I’ve never had a husband before. I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing.

What I do know:

I love Ben more than anything in this world. Sometimes its a very selfish love and I just want him here with me because I need him - but its also a selfless love. Its a love that’s changed me in ways I didn’t know loving another person could. It makes me not only better at loving him but better at loving others, better at serving others, better at wanting to be better for him and for Him and for others.

I do know that we’re in it for the long run. I know that we’ll have struggles (people seem to enjoy telling me that marriage isn’t easy) - but I’ve heard that marriage is hard if you work at it easy and its easy if you work at it hard.  We know it will be work, I’ve already started to understand that a little bit ... but with the hardest work comes the sweetest of joys, and I’ve already started to understand that a little bit too.

I know that marriage is a beautiful thing. I know that it is an essential thing. It is essential to a healthy society, to raising children, to maximum personal growth, to full happiness. I know that the decision to marry and who to marry is possibly the most important single decision I have ever made, or will ever make. I am grateful, so grateful, for the strength and peace that comes from knowing that this is the right decision, that Ben is the best decision I’ve made.

Loving Chaos

When My Family Gets Together:

Loving Chaos - its the best way to describe it. There are so many loud personalities and so much going all the time...there might be tension if all of that business wasn’t padded and cushioned by the insane love we all have for each other. We’re all nestled away n this forested lake on the Arkansas border, away from everything, all together. It’s great. We had a little spiritual meeting together on Sunday night where Grandma explained that this is a little like what heaven is going to be like - we don’t really know, but I can tell you that if its like this, I’ll be very happy :)

On the road again

We have another morning of driving but luckily we'll get into the historic city of Nauvoo this afternoon. 

a quote for the bored traveler:

 “Your true traveler finds boredom rather agreeable than painful. It is the symbol of his liberty-his excessive freedom. He accepts his boredom, when it comes, not merely philosophically, but almost with pleasure.” - Huxley

I'm still working on the whole accepting boredom of long hours in the back of the car with pleasure thing :) 

When your best friends are 12 and 14...

Things I did today:

1. Play mermaids in the pool

2. Choreograph a synchronized swimming routine

3. Run like a hooligans through a hotel while dripping wet in swim suits.

4. Have dance parties in elevators while singing at the top of my lungs

(and then pose ridiculously as the elevator doors open and pray no one was standing there)

5. Group shower in swim suits

6. Interpretive bed dance when we think dad's back is turned in the hotel room

7. Giggle all night long

Why I'm Getting Married In A Temple

The Kirtland Temple

So my family is on this long car trip with the ultimate destination of Eureka Springs, Arkansas for a family reunion. But, we’ve decided to make good use of our stops. Last night we were in Palmyra, NY for the wonderful HIll Cumorah Pageant, and today we took our longer stop in Kirtland, OH. A lot happened in the little town of Kirtland, a lot more than I usually think about when I think of the small town the pioneers lived in a time on their journey across america to Utah. But today we had the opportunity to visit a few historical sites, including the Kirtland Temple. Mormon temples and different than regular churches where sunday meetings are held. It is in temples that the most sacred and holy promises are made and ordinances are performed. The Kirtland Temple was the first temple built in hundreds of years (they had temples in the times of Christ) - and it was no easy task for the poor pioneers to build such a structure. They sacrificed all their material wealthy, their time, and their efforts to obey this command of the Lord to build a temple. Why? Because they were obedient, and because they understood the tremendous blessings of having a temple.

Over the past few weeks that I’ve been home there have been a lot of questions about our wedding ceremony. Most people aren’t offended that they aren’t invited to our intimate gathering but they’re usually confused or appalled that I would choose to get married at a place where even my little sisters will not be in attendance. What I get to explain to them is that the temple is not just a location, its not just a beautiful building, it is in reality the house of the Lord. One can go to the temple when they are worthy and ready to make sacred promises to the Lord. Someday my sisters will go there too and when they do, I will be living my life in a way that I’ll be able to be there with them.

The Boston Temple where we'll be married

 In the temple on our wedding day there will be no processional down an isle, there will be no band playing a wedding march - there will a gathering of family in a smaller room who watch as my love and I kneel at an altar and make promises to God. Because you see, marriage isn’t just about husband and wife - it isn’t just about me and Ben, and it isn’t just for the next couple decades. What we are about to do is create an eternal unit; we will enter into a covenant, a series of two way promises, with God.  It is called a sealing, and it is during this ordinance that we will be sealed to each other for all time, and for all eternity. Afterwards there will be a reception filled with dancing and food and laughter, but through all of that preparation and excitement, the thing that really matters is that we will be one before the Lord, and that we will be one forever.

The greatest place on earth - The Hill Cumorah

I LOVE THE HILL CUMORAH. There is something special about the hill. There is a joy and excitement that fills all of me once I can see it from the car, that gets almost to an overwhelming point once I set foot on its grassy bottom. I know a lot of that emotion is tied to the incredible experiences I’ve had at this place, (for a little background) but a lot of it, and a lot of reason for the experiences, is because there is something different about this place. It might have something to do with the incredible history that took place there, of the sacred nature of the work that this place has so much significance in. It is a holy place. It is a place from which the Spirit of the Lord emanates. It is a place of unsurpassable peace. On the hill it is easy to remember what matters; it is easy to put away the stresses of life and appreciate the simple beauty of truth.

What truth?
The truth that there is little more important than family. That there is joy in the family you can’t find in the world. The truth that simple is wonderful. The truth that God lives. That is very simple truth, but on the hill you can just feel it. He lives. He was here, and soon He will be here, again.

My favorite scene of the whole pageant is what we call the descension scene. The whole play consists of ten scenes which portray the stories of The Book of Mormon. The climax of this story of the Lord’s dealings with the early inhabitants of the American continents is when Christ, the Lord himself, appears to this people. In the bible Christ tells the people of Palestine, “other sheep I have have which ware not of this fold, them also must I visit - and there will be one fold, and one shepherd.” These were the people that He was talking about. Regardless of your role in the pageant, you gather with your family to be in the descend scene, when Christ finally comes to visit the Americas. As you kneel on this seven tiered stage, huddled with your loved ones, and watch an actor in a brilliant white robe descend from the sky as the Lord’s own words sound throughout the night, you can’t help but think, “this is what it will be like. ”When it happens, will I be ready? If Christ came tonight, would I recognize Him? There is an undeniable feeling of love and Spirit as this actor comes down, speaks the words of the scriptures, ordains apostles, and blesses little children. The cast feels it; the audience feels it. I guess that scene embodies the simple truth that I love about the hill - that Christ lived and that He still lives. And that His life, can make all the difference in mine.

Dear Pageant Friends

Two years ago I almost didn’t go to pageant - and so far in my life - that simple decision to go has made all the difference. This is something I wrote after those choice weeks in the summer of 2009:

The past two and a half weeks have been incredible - maybe the best consecutive 18 days of my life so far. Its incredible to lose yourself in something far bigger than you - to be an instrument in something that goes far beyond what you are capable of doing. And yet - its all about you. Its about what you are willing to do. How much of yourself you are willing to give up. To realize that with Him you are infinitely better and infinitely more useful. To feel used and needed. To be ready so that when He needs something He can call on you. To feel His love and power so strongly that the only thing you desire is to feel that all the time.

The Hill Cumorah is an incredible place. And during two weeks in July it is surrounded by some of the most incredible people I have ever met. You have all been such examples - such strength to me. I love you. I love your testimonies. I love your desire to serve and share the joy of the gospel. And it is such joy. Every night as I watched Rodney dressed as the Savior descend I asked myself if I was ready - if I would be ready to run and kiss the feet of my Lord if He came tomorrow. Every night I was filled with such a love and such a peace.

I love the gospel. I love the Lord. I love the knowledge I have that He knows me and loves me. He wanted me at pageant these past two weeks and I’m so glad I finally listened.

Tuxedo Fittings...

Last week I took Caleb to get fitted for his tux for the wedding. 

The woman was slightly frustrated until she found out I was the bride - then she was as sweet as can be (and turned out to be really great).

Exactly a week later I was back at Mens Wearhouse to get my father fitted as well. 

A few things of note:

MensWearhouse was EXTREMELY busy tonight

There were another three brides in the store, some with, and some without their fainces

every single one of them looked about a decade older than me (which they probably were)

We were helped by a few different people and at the very end the person ringing up the order was also showing me some details about the whole ensemble - i asked if it were possible to change one little detail and he said only the bride or groom could go in and do it online. I had to politely inform him that, in fact, the sixteen-year-old-looking girl in front of him was the bride and I wanted to change that detail. He was a little surprised but recovered well :)

The men spent the whole time making fun of the choice of brown tuxes and then making even more fun of the fact that I had let my fiance choose the tux color - apparently in engagements the bride chooses everything because the wedding really has nothing to do with the groom? If that really is the case then I guess Ben and I will choose to do it a little more like we plan on doing marriage: making decisions together. (sometimes I playfully complain about how opinionated he is about all things wedding but I really appreciate having something that is interested in it with me and who will listen to all my ideas). 

At the end of the ordeal one of the managers asked my dad, "so this is the real question - what do you think of the groom." My dad paused for dramatic effect, "Actually - I haven't met him yet."

They all thought he was kidding. But no, my dad trusts my judgment in men enough to love Ben even though he hasn't met him yet :) 

Conclusion: Tonight made me feel very young to be getting married. I am very excited that in 3.4 weeks I'll be feeling young to be married and not be just be getting married. And, I love my dad.

It's raining outside...

So since I've been home I've been quite terrible at keeping up with blogging (and journal writing, and running, and studying Japanese ..among other things). Who knew that so much work could go into one single day? My roommate Courtney always said she was going to elope and I'm not starting to see the value in that concept :) 

Highlights of the past week:

-I got to enjoy another fabulous bridal shower thrown by my maid of honor, madison (with lots of behind the scenes work from my awesome mother)

-I spent 5 hours one day shopping with grandma for clothes for the honeymoon...she's great

- I got to listen to my little sister give a wonderful talk in church about her experiences at camp the week before (I'll have her write a little bit about it on here later)

-I called my mother in law 'mom' for the first time :)

- I went shared a Silano pizza at Bertuccis (my favorite) with Caleb for his birthday after getting him fitted for his tux ...great brother/sister bonding time (and the last we'll have alone for another 2 years)

-I survived a root canal.

- I babysat the cutest little boys for 25 hours over the course of 2 days = craziness.

-I had a basement sleepover with the sisters. 

-I got my ring cleaned and can't stop looking at it :) 

TOMORROW WE LEAVE FOR OUR TRIP!

its my very last family vacation as an unmarried woman :P

Stop 1: Palmyra, NY for the wonderful HILL CUMORAH PAGEANT!

Stop 2: Nauvoo, IL

Stop 3: Eureka Springs, AK. Why are we going to Arkansas? For a family reunion. Is ANY of my family from Arkansas? No. Then WHY are we going to Arkansas? I really can't even tell you - but I'm still so excited :) 

We'll be back the 23 or the 24 depending on how long my mom and I feel like driving ... and then its just a matter of days before the wedding guests start arriving!

The Inside Scoop

Bedford FINALLY has it's own ice cream shoppe!

The Inside Scoop opened July 2 and today when my grandma and I went to a late afternoon ice cream we waited in line for 15 minutes! (apparently at night the line is out the door). Located right next to Walgreens on 101, its in a great location. It has the cutest little interior with seating inside and summer seating on the rolling lawn out front. There were so many options including wraps, smoothies, coffee, and of course, ice cream. My sunday was delicious and I'll definitely be back!

4th of July at the Earnshaw's

I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July!

I was up by 6:30 to make cupcakes for the bbq (for the recipe click here). The whole family - and a few friends - piled into the car and we were off to the parade. But this was no ordinary year at the Amherst Fourth of July Parade, this year we had two presidential candidates walking in the parade; Mitt Romney and John Huntsman (go figure - both the mormons came to the same parade). The last time we marched in this parade for Mitt, Obama was there too and we got to meet him strolling through the park afterward. 

It took us awhile to find where we were supposed to meet and by the time we got there they had run out of shirts in our size (hence the extra large tee shirts). Everyone was mulling around, getting situated, getting signs, talking about the primaries, trying to outcheer Huntsman's people who were stationed next to us, and so on. When the man of the day finally go there we were all excited. He probably said a few words but then just walked around (very briskly) shaking hands, posing for pictures, meeting his supporters. When it was time to begin moving he taught us all a campaign cheer his father had used and he had used to sing when marching for his dad.  He was the hit of the parade. Maybe just because he was there, but everyone loved him. Everyone wanted to meet him; everyone wanted to tell him they were voting for him. 

short side note: Today the numbers were released that this month only 180000 jobs have been created meaning 14 million Americans are unemployed. All of Obama's stimulus plans for the economy have been incredibly expensive failures - and we're still stuck. Some people may not agree with Romney's conservative stance on some social issues, some people may even not want to vote for him because of his religious beliefs (remind anyone else of when Kennedy ran as the first catholic candidate?), but regardless of all that - Romney clearly has the most experience with business, with the economy. He started off as a business man - he's not just an educated politician - he has really turned lots of seemingly hopeless situations around (2001 Olympics, Domino's Pizza, Massachusetts, etc). A turn around is something that we're in desperate need of - so I really hope this time around that all those people who claim that the economy is their number one issue - actually vote for the person who is the most competent on it. end of side note.

By the end of the parade we had no voices and after listening to a short, encouraging, patriotic speech from Romney when the parade ended, the hot and sweaty bunch of us piled back into the car. At home we had a few people over for a big holiday lunch of pulled pork sandwiches, chinese chicken salad, watermelon (necessity), and much more. The cupcakes were the highlight of the afternoon as the dessert. Following dessert all the Earnshaw children, following father's orders, recited a patriotic poem that he'd handed us 20 minutes before to memorize (luckily I got the same one I'd memorized a few years back :P ) - its one of my favorites: 

The Concord Hymn

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.

The foe long since in silence slept;
Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;
And Time the ruined bridge has swept
Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.

On this green bank, by this soft stream,
We set to-day a votive stone;
That memory may their deed redeem,
When, like our sires, our sons are gone.

Spirit, that made those spirits dare,
To die, and leave their children free,
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raise to them and thee.

Irony of the Day:

John Huntman surrounded by Romney Fans :)

Moans of a dental patient

So this morning I had an appointment with the devil. He was the nicest, friendliest devil I have ever met but - but he must be evil if he can wreak such havoc in my mouth. At age 20 I've managed to almost have my first root canal (he has to finish it tomorrow). I guess that's what I get for skipping the dentist last summer so they never caught this one silly cavity. 

(side note: how are all my other teeth healthy 

and there is ONE tooth with a cavity 

SO BAD that it needs a ROOT CANAL!?!?!?!)

The novacaine lasted for hours (after they started working on my tooth I could still feel it so they had to take everything off and give me a double dosage). Remember when you were little and you'd go to the dentist and they'd tell you not to eat after a filling because your cheek was numb and you might chew it off? I was always so scared of that but I'd like to report that I successfully managed to eat a little food and NOT chew my cheek off :P 

But this devil was so nice that he called me this afternoon just to see how I was doing ( maybe its routine - or maybe its because my eyes started watering when he put the needle in my mouth. I may or may not have a very very low pain tolerance).

Favorite part about the dentist today: My daddy picked me up - it was like being 5 again :) 

Least favorite part: I'm going back tomorrow so my friend can finish wreaking his havoc.

To avoid the above mentioned unpleasantries - remember if you generally brush your teeth before goign to bed - set up another schedule once you get engaged because you never sleep

 

Come to me in my dreams, and then
By day I shall be well again!
For so the night will more than pay
The hopeless longing of the day.

Family Adventures

 

Today we were off an adventure!

I think my dad realized that the number of days just our family will be together for the next two years can be counted on one finger - but whatever the reasoning, my parents told us we were going on an adventure Saturday morning and that it was a surprise. We started off the day with family breakfast at 8:30 with my aunt and uncle who are in town (waffles and brown sugar sausage and whipped cream and smoothies - yum!). We were on the road by 9:15 and were told to dress comfortably. 

Mystery Destination: Ropes Course near Loon Mountain

(We were supposed to do the zipline tour of NH but last minute changes needed us back in Manchester for 2pm so we only had the morning).

It was SO FUN!

Its funny how safe and secure I feel once I'm in a harness (although I missed having ben at the bottom encouraging me the whole time). But there was a part that actually had a small rock wall section with holds and stuff which made me wish I was rock climbing here but thats okay. 

The highlight of the course was at the very end when we got strapped into bungee cords and got to jump on trampolines. I'm too scared to try back flips on regular tramps because its been too many years since I've done them but yesterday..... wait for it.... DOUBLE BACK FLIP. win. (Caleb and coly did triples).

skateboarding just for ben :)

caleb making it up the hardest part

mom was a little terrified :)

please note i'm standing on a moving skateboard

pre double back flip

5 Weeks and counting

7:00 AM. Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Five Weeks from right now guests will just have started arriving for the reception....

between now and then:

-4th of July parade and bbq

-4 days of nannying

-bridal shower

-hill cumorah pageant

-family reunioin in arkansas

-get back from everything the 24th of July just in time for the last few days of preparation before all the family and friends start arriving!

So much to do - and so much to look forward to! This week my mom and I escaped down to cape cod for a night to pick up Nicole and take a break from wedding planning. Just for a taste of east coast beauty...

Happy Birthday Daddy :)

I just blogged all about Dad for Father's Day so I'll just stick to the events of his birthday rather than how wonderful he is :) Birthday's in my family are all about meals. Of course there are presents and parties but the presents are hardly unique to us and the parties usually happen the weekend after. On your birthday you always get your favorite meal, at every meal. For dad this meant:

June 28
Breakfast of berries and oatmeal with flax seed. He's on a health craze so the berries were a nice addition to his daily oatmeal (which thankfully he doesn't make the rest of us eat on a daily basis - don't get me wrong, oatmeal is great on a cold winter morning... but this far into nice weather I find it a little stifling).


Lunch: We had a seafood feast! Finally back living near an ocean where you can trust the seafood, I was very excited. I had Salmon, probably my second favorite meal in the whole world while my dad ordered crab cakes, tuna, haddock, and lobster for the rest of the table to share. The funniest was our waiter, he was new and full of energy; after the staff sang the traditional happy birthday song, he gave us his personal rendition - HYSTERICAL!

Dinner: That evening everyone was gone; Madison was babysitting; Nicole was at the cape with friends; Caleb was off working or something. So it was just the three Earnshaw adults :P My mom and I have been rather obsessed with table settings and center pieces as we've been playing around with different options for the tables (we finally picked one earlier this week) - but for dinner I set a table for three outside on the patio and was rather proud of how it turned out: