God Has Other Plans

Growing up, I'd always thought, "You know, if I'm not dating anyone seriously by the time I'm 21, I'm going to serve a mission." With how my dating life in high school was turning out, I was not only positive that I'd be going on a mission, but that I probably wouldn't be getting married until I was somewhere between 24-26. My friends all laughed at me and told me that I'd be married by 20.

Well, Heavenly Father had different plans for me than I had thought. In May 2011, I officially met my future husband. I had unofficially met him when I went on a date with his roommate in October 2010, and he doubled with us.  He was originally just dating while he waited for a Sister Missionary, but I didn't know that at first. 

When I first found out he was waiting for a Sister Missionary, I was pretty upset. I was already really interested in him at this point, and we had been on a date a week for 4 or 5 weeks now. My roommates had started spying through the peep hole after our dates to see if I would be getting my first kiss anytime soon, and I would be lying if I said that I wasn't hoping for it as well. Finding out that he was waiting for her was crushing, and I began to resolve to get over him and to move on with my life. I had made resolutions like this before with other guys, and it never took long for me to actually follow through these types of resolutions. It's lucky for him that the very next day he asked me if we could go on a walk because he needed someone to talk to. 

On the walk, he told me that he didn't know where things were going, but that he was having a lot of fun going on dates with me, and he still wanted to continue to go on dates. The peace and reassurance I felt was phenomenal. The Spirit prompted me strongly that I should continue dating him, even though I didn't know where it was going to go. Later, when we began talking about marriage I made it a matter of prayer. I counseled with my bishop, who listened to me and then asked me if I'd prayed about it. When I told him that I had and that I felt good about it, he encouraged me in my decision. And I had felt good about it. I knew that Andrew was the right guy for me to marry. On our wedding day, in the Celestial room, I felt a VERY strong confirming witness that I was marrying the RIGHT guy in the RIGHT place at the RIGHT time.

We had gotten a lot of advice from people telling us to wait to have children, because we really need the first couple of years to strengthen our relationship before we brought children into the picture. We decided that was a good idea and decided to wait a couple of years to have children.

Once again, Heavenly Father had a different plan for us. During our Building a Celestial Marriage institute course, we were discussing not postponing having children. It was emphasized that it was between us and the Lord, but I felt an overwhelming thought come to me. WE HADN'T PRAYED ABOUT OUR DECISION TO WAIT. I talked to Andrew about it, and we made it a matter of personal prayer and study, and at the end of the week brought our answer to the temple. Through the entire week I couldn't shake the VERY strong feeling I was getting that we were not supposed to wait to start our family. At the temple, we had confirmation after confirmation after confirmation that we weren't supposed to wait.

It hasn't ended there. I have received inspiration at the temple time and time again since then that we're not supposed to wait, that our children are on the other side of the veil praying to come down to us, and on and on. Andrew and I are not going to wait.

I haven't used any form of birth control for 9 months now, and we are both excited and sometimes impatient to be able to have children. I am still not pregnant. I have received very strong witnesses that Heavenly Father is in charge of the timing of when our children will come to us, though, so I do not have to worry.  I trust in my Father in Heaven, and I know that He is in charge of this timing. I know He has what is best in mind for my family and I. Because of this, I am willing to wait however long He needs me to.


Heavenly Father has other plans for us. I have received so much criticism saying that I should have gone on a mission, and that they expected so much more from me. I believe that I AM serving a mission where I am, as a faithful daughter of God, and wife to my husband, as we do family names and bring them to the temple. I believe that our striving to break family cycles is a mission and calling from God as well. I have been told by countless numbers of people that I should wait to have my family. THAT IS NOT GOD'S WILL FOR ME. I can't ignore the answers and promptings I have received. God knows the bigger picture, so even if His plans are different, I am following them.

Giveaway!

No, I'm not doing a giveaway. BUT! This lovely lady at http://www.housewifeeclectic.com/2012/10/owl-necklace-giveaway.html is!!! Look at how cute this necklace is!! :)

Good luck!

My Husband's Super Amazing World's Best No-Bake Cookies

Yeah, the title pretty much sums up how amazing these are :) Super amazing, they taste similar to Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, because he puts in extra peanut butter. They are SOO good, and stay soft for a long time!! (I don't know how long they stay soft... At least a day or two. They don't really last that long around our apartment. They're too yummy.)

So, here's the recipe the whole world has been waiting for!!! TA-DA!!! :D


Ingredients:
2 cups sugar (feel free to have them just a little bit overflowing)
4 TBS cocoa
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups peanut butter (MUST BE CREAMY)
1 TBS vanilla
3 1/2 cups oatmeal
waxed paper or non-stick cookie sheets

Directions:
In a heavy saucepan at medium-ish temperature, bring to boil the sugar, cocoa, butter, and milk. Let boil for 1 minute then add peanut butter and vanilla. Stir until completely melted. Then stir in the oatmeal. On the waxed paper or non-stick cookie sheets, drop in whatever size you want to eat them in and let them cool.

Fun Dating Ideas

I'm sure many people have those moments of mental shortages where they just CAN'T think of any fun new date ideas. So, here are some that I have done with my husband to get some of your own creative juices flowing.

Go to Savers and pick out the ugliest outfit you can find for your date.

Zucchini Boat Racing:
Hollow out zucchinis, stick toothpicks around them for leverage, and race them down a river.

Go to Cornbelly's at Thanksgiving Point.
Not Necessarily for the corn maze. I'd go back just for the life-sized Lincoln Logs!!!!

Go "Glidging" (We made this word up for the following activity)
Build boats using JUST masking tape, straws, toothpicks, and marshmallows. Then make a main marshmallow character to ride your boat. Race them down the stream. You can win in several categories:
Who's character stays dry the longest
Who's boat stays afloat/together the longest
Who's boat is the fastest

"Liz's Cheesy Potato-Corn Chowder (with Sausage)" Recipe

I went over to my best friend's house while I was in high school still, and they made this recipe for dinner. I probably had fourths, this recipe is THAT good. You will LOVE this :) It's absolutely delightful! I plan on making this for my wonderful husband for lunch today. Trust me, you will NOT regret making this! You can thank me after. ;)

Liz’s Cheesy Potato-Corn Chowder

(with sausage)

(Revised 6-09)

1 lb. Polska or Smoked Sausage (I prefer Hillshire Farms Lite or Regular)

9 cups water (you can substitute 1-2 cups milk, if desired)

2 2/3 c. (or 11 oz. pkg.) Bear Creek Chunky or Creamy Potato Soup Mix

*2 cups diced potatoes (*optional if using Chunky Potato Soup Mix)

3 cups frozen corn (or 2 cans niblet corn with liquid-and omit 1 cup of the water above)

1 8 oz. jar Cheeze Whiz (Lite or Regular)

Cut sausage into bite size pieces. Saute sausage pieces in a large pot to bring out the flavor.

Remove sausage into a bowl and cover. Leave drippings in the pot.

Add water and milk to the pot and bring to a boil.

Whisk in potato soup mix. (If you are using creamy potato soup mix, dice 2 cups of potatoes and add to soup.)

Simmer 10 minutes.

Add Cheese Whiz and corn to the soup.

Add sausage to the soup.

Simmer 20-30 minutes.

Add more water or milk as needed if soup gets too thick.

Serve hot with cornbread or rolls.

Source: Edye MacTaggart

Adapted from original recipe of Liz Livingston

"So, How's The Married Life?"

That seems to be the question I get asked the most now that I am newly married. Here's the best response I can possibly give to such an inquiry.

Girls, which of you WOULDN'T love being married to someone that...

• Opens doors for you everywhere you go (And it's not just a temporary special treatment - he does this for his mom, too.)
• When he sees dirty dishes on the counter, says, "Wow, your husband really needs to do some dishes!" and then actually follows through with it. Yes, he does the dishes.
• When he goes over to your mom's house, he helps with her dishes, too.
• Says that the greatest thing you can do for him when he gets home is have something he can help with.
• Treats you like the most beautiful, incredible princess/queen that has ever walked this earth.
• Loves your cooking and compliments it (even if you KNOW you added too much garlic or salt).
• And even though he claims he can't cook, he makes dinner as well so you aren't doing it every single night.
• (And, by the way, he makes the world's best No Bake Cookies EVER - they taste like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups)
• When you come home from work and have had a crappy day, decides that you're having ice cream for dinner. "Because ice cream makes everything better," he says. Then, as a follow up, he holds you and tells you how much you mean to him, how wonderful you are, and that he loves you, until any possible bad feeling has flown away.
• Prioritizes taking you on a date every single week.
• Prioritizes going to the temple with you every single week.
• Makes you laugh every single day with his wonderful sense of humor.
• Talks with you, listens to you, and cares about everything you have to say.
• Makes sound effects when you get into a pillow fight (I drew a sword on mine, he drew a lightsaber on his) and Nerf gun wars.
• In fact, I enjoy fighting with my spouse, because the only kinds of fights we get into are tickle fights, pillow fights, Nerf gun wars, thumb wars, and Pokemon battles. Otherwise, verbally, we communicate and compromise.
• Tells you that you are the best thing that has ever happened to him, that you are his whole world, you are everything to him, and that the best moment of his whole life was looking through the mirrors in the sealing room of the temple with you.
• And he tells you OFTEN. :)
• He tells you he loves you at least once a day.
• Meaning, he tells you every single time he gets the chance. Which is a LOT of times every day.
• He takes you ballroom dancing and is patient with you when you mess up.
• He plays with your younger siblings, who love him, and never gets after them or gets impatient with them when they decide he's their new jungle gym.
• Hides love notes on sticky notes around the house, but makes it somewhat difficult so that you have something to do while he's gone.

This is just the tip of the ice berg.

So how is married life?

It's the best thing that has ever happened to me, because it's with HIM.

It's like having a sleepover with my very best friend every single night - pillow fights included.

It's 6 bajillion percent better than being single.

And it's 5 bajillion percent better than being engaged.

There's no way to cover all of it. :) But, in short, I highly recommend it. It's superb!! :)

ESPECIALLY when it's to the RIGHT PERSON in the RIGHT PLACE by the RIGHT AUTHORITY :)

"Spicy Instinct Sauce"

I have invented yet another new dish!! :) SUPER yummy!!

Here's the guesstimate on what I actually put into this...

1 2/3 cups of shredded chicken
1 chicken bouillon cubes
1 1/2 Tbs of Canola Oil

Fry that together, then add
1 more chicken bouillon cube
1 cup of water
1 cup plain yogurt
1 1/2 - 2 cups salsa
1 1/2 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp crushed bay leaves
1 tsp ground cayenne red pepper
1 tsp garlic
1 Tbs of dried/minced onions
pepper to taste
a dash of Herbes De Provence



Pour this as a sauce over rice. I'm not 100% on measurements, since what I do is smell the seasonings and decide if it has the right smell for the taste I'm going for (Hence my husband deciding to name it Spicy Instinct Sauce).
It turned out really good, though!! Here's to hoping I can re-create this delicious dish in the future, since my husband and I both love it! :)

Enjoy!!

Time & All Eternity... Starting Now!

Or, I guess technically starting December 16. 2011. Which was 3 weeks ago today. However, I think it's one of those things you recommit to every day and it begins over and over time and time again. There is no "starting point" or "ending point" when it comes to Eternity. We had been preparing for the covenants and vows we made to our Heavenly Father and each other long before we ever knelt across the alter and promised forever. It began even before we entered into this world. I would haphazard that it began even before we officially accepted our Savior's Plan to receive bodies and have the wonderful gift of Agency. Even then the righteousness and choices and decisions we were making led up to the kind of people that we are here and now. But that is a thought for another time.

Can you believe it?? I'm married now!!!
And let me just say that I highly recommend marriage :) It's marvelous! Especially when you have the wonderful blessing of being married to your best friend FOREVER!!! :)