Coleman and Mandy

So far this Fall

2009-11-08T18:20:00.000-08:00

Coleman and I both had our 24th birthdays recently. Of course, I totally dropped the ball when it came to taking pictures. Our birthdays are 12 days apart, mine being first. Coleman loves that I'm older, by a whole twelve days!

Our friends put together a murder mystery dinner. It was 1920's theme and we were each given a character that we had to dress up as. I waited to put my costume together until the very last minute and, of course, ran out of time. So this is my attempt at a flapper costume! We had so much fun! We had never done a muder mystery party before. It turned out so well, it would be fun to do one again.

The girls

Our cute husbands

We are definitely in character here! (Fake cigarette and rootbeer of course)

We had so much fun and love our friends!! Fall has been great so far. There is a lot more I need to post. I'll try to get to it someday soon.

A Date to Remember

2009-10-11T19:15:00.000-07:00

Six years ago today, October 11, 2003, Coleman and I went one our first date to the Senior Homecoming dance.

Five years later, October 11, 2008, Coleman proposed! We went to dinner at the same place where we had dinner on our first date five years previously. The whole date thing is actually pretty ironic. Coleman planed to propose at the same restaurant we went to on Homecoming, but he had no idea that he was proposing on the same date. I love the coincidence! It was really meant to be!

After high school we lost touch and randomly met back up in 2007. Life has never been better!

Thoughts...

2009-10-08T12:17:00.000-07:00

Let's begin with tennis.

One day, Coleman and I went to play tennis. I love playing tennis with the husband. We've played tennis together many times before this, and we're usually quite good against one another.

For some reason, on this night of tennis playing togetherness, I just couldn't hit that darn tennis ball in the right direction. I blame this on the two men on the court next to us, who were (I'm sure of it) watching me and laughing at my less than professional technique. See. Here is my problem. Why did I care what those two men thought of my tennis skills? I don't know why I cared, but I did. And it greatly affected my ability to get the tennis ball over the net and in the right direction. I was so frustrated. Really frustrated. So frustrated, in fact, that this one lousy game of tennis sent me into a tailspin that night about how I'm terrible at everything. How I have nothing to offer this world. I'm a worthless individual who can't even muster the skills to play a proper game of tennis with the husband.

Very positive attitude.

I know.

You laugh at this.

But seriously, I think I had Coleman concerned.

This all seems pretty ridiculous now. But that night really had me thinking. What have I become? I have always looked forward to the next defining milestone in my life as graduating college. But that hasn't happened yet. Four transfers to four different colleges in five years has not yet produced a bachelor's degree. This fact is what is truly at the heart of my "I am worthless and have nothing to offer" attitude. For so long I've felt that my life is only worth something so long as I have my degree. I think I feel this way because I don't want people to think that I haven't finished school yet because I can't. Like I'm dumb or something. But see, here again is the problem. Why do I care what people think about me not yet having my degree? And do I really think that having my degree is going to magically give me oodles of worth? The answer, of course, is no.

So then, my thoughts take me to the next obvious question. If not my degree to give me worth, then what? Someone once said to me that although I might not be where I imagined I would be at this time in my life (who is, really) I have lots of life experience under my belt that has allowed me to learn things that school cannot teach. I am a good friend. I am a good wife. I am a hard worker and trustworthy and honest. Oh, and my sister thinks I'm hilarious! Ha! I have lots to offer.

This week I have been very blessed to come across some women who I admire very much in their attitudes and skills, and just as people in general. And you know what, not one of them have finished school yet! It made me stop and think. They are amazing and have so much to offer as people even though they haven't finished school. I can be amazing too without that darn degree!

I am still working on finishing school. It is still a huge priority of mine and I will get there soon. But in the meantime I am working and supporting an amazing husband who I am lucky to be married to. He has given my life something I wasn't sure I'd ever have. And I am happy with where I am right now.

Life is good.

And simple.

I like simple.

More Summer...

2009-09-04T18:40:00.000-07:00

Continuing on with the summer, my older sister and her family came from Taiwan to stay with my parents for the month of July. Its always fun to see them since its usually only once a year! Since they were in town, Brent and his family, and Erika all came down for their new little boy, Teague's blessing. I was really bad with my camera and didn't get hardly any pictures with the family.

The whole family

My niece Noe and her cousin

With my family at a little cultural hall get together

Kris and Erika, me and my love, Leonard and Teague

Cute Noe and Jen and Teague in the background

(I really need to be better with getting pictures of everyone)

It was fun having Jen and Leonard's family home with us this summer, and we were very sad to see them go. Hopefully we can go visit them sometime in Canada since they've settled there now.

Newport Beach

2009-08-30T16:24:00.000-07:00

We went on vacation with Coleman's family in Newport for a week. It was such a fun vacation, and the first one I'd been on with Coleman's entire family!

Coleman, Mitchell and Thayne

My love & me

The girlies

Love this picture! At Ruby's on the pier

The Newport Temple

Where to begin...

2009-08-30T15:25:00.000-07:00

I've finally decided to start a blog! I'm a terrible journal keeper. Really, absolutely terrible. I'm determined to use this blog as a way to journal and keep in touch with family and friends. With that said, I'm going to start with our summer and go from there.

Our summer began with Coleman's brother, Tyson, coming home from his mission in Brazil. I had never met him before, Coleman and I started dating right after he left, so this was really fun for me. Another brother in the family!

Coleman's cute family

All of the kids