Heaven's Tree

   I found a tree that will line Heaven's paths! This tree is right by Lake Michigan's beaches and I am completely in love. I wanted to just lay in the petals that littered the walkway and grass (I would have gladly, if it hadn't been wet from the rain). I really really REALLY want a tree like this in my future home! It's like walking under a fairytale!

I've got Competition ツ

   So it's a proven fact that Minnie loves Brian. She follows him around the house. She comes flying down the stairs when he gets home each day, and she crawls all over him when he sleeps.     It's the last week of Brian's FIRST YEAR OF MEDICAL SCHOOL!!!! He has finals all this week! This is what Minnie does when Brian is studying.. I think I've got some competition don't you?

It's a countdown until our cruise.. This weekend people! We are SO excited!!!!!!! ツ

Becca&Stew

    Yay!! Friends came to visit us! It was a busy-party kind of week. We dropped them off at the metra to take into the city while Brian and I had work and school, and picked them up after! They got to explore the city by day and party all night!

This amazing young lady is heading on her mission in a month and a half to Paraguay!

Sleep OVER!!! (sorry for the blur!)

Then a sad goodbye at the airport.. See you two at Becca's Farewell! Miss you already!

Rabbit Remembrance

    I was sitting here thinking about the date today.. It felt pretty significant for some reason though I could not figure out why. Then it hit me.. A year ago today is when Brian and I returned home from a short walk to find that the rabbit that we had recently rescued/adopted only weeks before had given birth to 9 baby bunnies! Surprise!
   What started as a nightmare to how these babies were going to survive, what we were going to do with them, where to put them (the cage barely held the mama), trying to keep them quiet from our landlord and the neighboring kids.. turned out to be one of the most exciting unexpected adventures Brian and I have had. We were always so excited to rush home from work and studying to see those cute little babies grow. They got cuter! (As shown here and here)

    Anyway.. Tuesday night my friends Rebecca Tanner and Stewart Ulrich came from Utah to visit! They're exploring Chicago while I'm at work and Brian's at school, and then we party hardy all night. It's going to be hard when they leave.. I feel like they brought a little bit of Utah with them! Oh how I miss Utah! It's really fun to show of Illinois and point out all the fun things there are to do here!

 We leave on our cruise in a week and 2 days.. I'm kind of really just a little bit super excited.

Friends are Fun

   With most of our family in Utah, we really have come to rely on the good friends that we have made out here.. We feel very blessed to be surrounded by such great people!

We enjoyed the warmer weather by heading to the forest preserves with Matt, Brittany, and their son Josh!

Our good friend Stein turned 26! His parents flew out from Utah to visit and took us to dinner to celebrate! Good news ladies! He's single, LDS, and charming! haha

And of course I've got my little daily buddy! We've been enjoying our morning walk to the duck pond!

Bob's Baptism

    So my ward is a fun ward to be involved in. I love the people that I meet and I absolutely love to serve them. My callings in the ward are Acitivty Day Girls leader (I absolutely love my 15 girls!) and a ward missionary. I was a ward missionary in Utah, but to be honest-we didn't do much. Out here when I was first called I was kind of bummed because of my previous experience with the calling.

    This time it has been much different. We are very involved! As part of our calling, each week we are to devote time for at least 7 hours of study or missionary related activity. We have meetings each Saturday morning with the missionaries assigned to our ward. Through this calling I have come to know many people I wouldn't normally have the chance to get to know-including the less actives in the ward and investigators, I absolutely love it!

  Anyway, through this calling I've come to know this great man pictured below, Bob Ratfield! He has one of the most amazing, hard-working, and dedicated spirits I have ever met! He was baptized May 2nd into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! I had the honor of speaking at his baptism in which I spoke to him about the Iron Rod, and gave him a small key chain as remembrance to "Hold to the Rod." He told me many times, "This is a miracle! It's a miracle that I can be baptized!" This man's faith has inspired me and given me new dedication to be more like him. What a special special opportunity this was for me and such a testimony builder!

The Church is True! ♥