Emily's Exploits

Why have I been MIA on the blog lately? Well... I will give you a picture and let you guess why. (WARNING: this post is replete with references to Nacho Libre. If you've not seen the movie, some of this may not make sense) :) A. You became a nun!  That is incorrect . I already did the Mormon version of nunnery a few years ago, and don't plan on being a nun anytime soon.  B. You have been busy buying tortilla chips! Also untrue. While chips and salsa remain a favorite snack of mine, they do not keep me too busy.  C. You found a man who is crazy enough to wear your home-sewn Nacho Libre costume! This comes closer to the truth, good guess! I got a boyfriend, his name is Ryan, and he is the beeeest (say it slow like Jack Black does in the movie). We took this picture together at my cousin Halloween costume party this weekend. And yes, I was crazy enough to think I could sew the dang thing in a day-- and Ryan was gracious enough to wear it. Don't look too close. It was a good ...

There are 4 wedding announcements on my fridge. And there are several more announcements I've forgotten to put on the fridge. My younger brother and younger sister are both getting married in the next 40 days.  Tis the season!  This happens about every year (minus my two siblings getting married)... It's not unusual to see good friends getting married. Even outside my Mormon bubble, two friends from high school have recently gotten married/engaged. People are finding their life companions! I'm so excited for them! Love is in the air! This is the kind of stuff that used to make me a little sad that I hadn't found the right guy yet, and I used to ask myself "What is wrong with me?". But for the past few months, I've been so happy, and I haven't been on a single date.... I'm beginning to wonder "What's right with me?" My paradigm is different. I don't know what it is. I'm not anxious. I'm not sad. I'm excited for my frie...

This doesn't sound like a very happy post... well, you're right, it's not a happy thing to talk about death. But at my funeral, I was thinking about this... I would like there to be mostly music. Maybe brief little snippets of talking, but mostly singing and playing. I've begun to compile a list of what I want performed at my funeral, and here are the first two. Behold, a Royal Army I used to sing this song every week at the MTC as I taught the missionaries. Something about singing together with missionaries is super special, especially when you sing "Victory through Him that redeemed us!" Missionaries have their minds focused on eternal goals and purposes-- helping unite families together forever, and they understand that all their goals are accomplished through Jesus Christ. When I die, I'm going out of this world rejoicing. I know it's a long ways off to even think about, but I want people knowing that when I die, it's victorious because C...

Fooled ya! Not getting married. Not even going to a wedding. I did attend a beautiful reception for some co-workers a few weeks back, but nope. No ma-wage for moi. I just like that song . It's 12:45 AM and my mind is so busy, I can't sleep. I ate a huge freshly-baked cinnamon roll and drank a large Dr. Pepper with my friend Emily tonight (and really, her name is Emily, I'm not saying that I had this munchie-fest all by myself --- but who's says it's a shame to eat stuff like that alone? *shifts eyes around nervously*) As I grabbed the link for the "All By Myself" music video, a commercial flashed: "You can hide uneven skin tone from [here], but what about {zooms in for a close-up of a woman's face} [here]?" Really, lady? really? hide my uneven skin tone? I'm not trying to hide my skin when I put on makeup, and I'm also unafraid of people looking at me from 5 feet away and noticing little imperfections in my face. What exactly ar...

I felt inspired to take this class, and therefore thought that I would learn how to become a seminary teacher, and this would be a path my life could take. While I have decided that being a Seminary Teacher is not the career path for me, what I have come away with is a breadth and depth of knowledge about the gospel, with a more firm resolve to immerse myself in the scriptures, and turn others to scripture as well. In an address to religious educators in 1975, Spencer W. Kimball promised,             There are blessings that come from immersing ourselves in the scriptures. The distance narrows between ourselves and our Father in heaven. Our spirituality shines brighter. We love more intensely those whom we should love. It is much easier to follow counsel. The lessons of life are learned more readily and surely. (Preservice Readings, 23) I have come to cling to these promises as I have taken this class and learned the importance...

Dear Readers of my Blog, Some of the things I share in this post are very, very personal to me. I feel a need to share them right now, but please know that I am opening up some thoughts and feelings that I've never shared before. Thank you for taking time to read.  This weekend was my very first time singing in General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At this conference, we listen to leaders of the church speak about family, faith, and how to anchor ourselves in a world that is continually getting crazier! Interspersed with these addresses are musical numbers by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. So when I joined the choir, I knew that a big responsibility I would have would mean singing at these conferences (held in April and October each year).  I think I was 13 or 14 when Grandma and Grandpa Bateman sent me my very first Tabernacle Choir CD ( Consider the Lilies ). I listened to this CD over and over again. I put the album on my new iPod (ba...

Looking backward on 2013, I have learned so much. Last year my New Year's Resolution was to "Pray Always." I think I did a decent job. Something I've noticed about people who are led by God... their lives are not predictable. They are happy, but not necessarily following a prescribed plan that they made up in 1st grade, or even in high school. When you turn your life over to God, He can make so much more of your life than you can. I have felt so tossed around in love, decisions, work, and my spirituality this year. But one thing I can say, is that I have done so because I feel like I'm following God's path for me step-by-step.  Things I've learned in 2013:  How to sew!  How to sing for small crowds of people and look them in the eye, instead of at the back wall. How to put together a musical number in 30 minutes. My primary love language is "Quality Time." Heavenly Father really listens to our prayers and will grant us the sincere,...