About Time!

HAPPY FINALS WEEK!! (ha...ha...)

I decided that it was about TIME I wrote on my blog! I've decided that I need to be better about it.
So last time we left off...
I was finishing up my Summer in Utah. So Since then I:
- Got to see Katie (before leaving UT)
- Stayed in Arizona for a week (before fall semester)
- Started Fall semester at SVU
- Went to my cousin Joshua's wedding in September
- Received the call to be a Relief Society teacher (I LOVE IT!)
- Stressed out a LOT over classes
- Did my senior presentation for my Family Life major
- Turned 22
- Kimberly came home from her MISSION (yeeeeah!!!!)
- I went to a few school dances (both of which I went with Lyzzie)
- Had a great Halloween and dressed up as Thing 2 (Lyzzie was Thing 1) from Cat in the Hat
- Got to see my brother Eliot when he brought me his car (which is now "mine")
- Went to Raleigh for Thanksgiving with Saskia
- Did a whole lot of homework
- And more homework...
- and more stress...


so here are some pictures to go along with my list :)

Everything in between

WOW! It's about time for an ALANNA update! I know, I'm bad at this and it's been forever. Let's see...
At the beginning of April my family (only Jonn and Eliot could come out of the 4 boys) and I went to General Conference! It was so cool! We went to the Saturday and Sunday afternoon sessions. I think of of the highlights is that at the last session of conference President Monson waves to each section of the conference center, and we wave back! But it was a very special and unique experience, and I'd love to do it again sometime!

After General Conference weekend I went down to St. George to spend about 3 weeks iwth Chris, Elisa and the kids. One of teh best things we did while I was there is go to Zion National Park. It was so a beautiful and the hike was really easy, but the view was amazing! Plus it was really fun to see Timothy and Amanda and spend time with them. Timothy taught me how to play Pokemon (yeah.... shush) and Amanda and I painted together! Overal it was a fun trip. Then, Chris drove me up to PROVO, UT to go to BYU for the summer! Yeah.... I know... pretty crazy.
For the first week or so BYU was pretty rough. I felt friendless and I was just having a hard time adjusting to everything that was going on in my life. Adjusting to a new school, finding my way around campus, not knowing anyone, and just feeling really lost. I think I actually went through a little bit of an "identity" crisis. Ok, a small one, but it still happened! There are just so many amazing people here and I just wasn't feeling like I fit in. But about 2-3 weeks after school started (The end of April) I finally (again) figured out that it was OK to be me, and to just be true to my self. Pura Vida!
So FINALLY after being here for about 5 weeks, I decided that I was comfortable enough documenting my life here. haha. ok, mostly I just didn't have anything TO document! So Jenny (my roommate) and Camille ( a pinoy girl from my ward) decided to make bread, and I decided to join them! And I figured "hey, it's a social interaction, I should take a picture!" And some of you know me well enough to know that I LIKE to take pictures! So I decided to put some pictures from that on here.
Hmmmm BYU in general is good. I enjoy all of my classes. I'm taking book binding (auditing, which means I'm just taking it to take it, and not for credit), Infant Development (my hardest class), Adolescent Development (the teacher ROCKS), and Polynesian Dance (yeah... it kinda hurts but it's way fun!). At this very moment I SHOULD be writing a paper for infant development (hey, I started it!) but i needed a break. Let's see, what else at BYU?

Well, I made bread. Did LOTS of homework and lived in the Library (not ALL the time) got to see some cool friends, but after being here for 6-7 weeks, my roommate left and I discovered that I was being LAME and really needed to make friends and actually BE social.
So on Sunday me and a bunch of girls from the ward went to the temple grounds, and afterward some of us watched a nice wholesome movie. Monday night I went to FHE and played games with some people afterward. On Tuesday night I went to play voleyball with some people from our ward, which was really fun! I liked it a lot. On Thursday night I went and played games with some people from my ward, and today I got to go tot he temple with a sister from my ward. So YEAH! Way to go me on being social! haha.
So overall things have been looking up. I'm really looking forward to Summer term. I only have classes on Monday and Wednesdays and I will be taking self-defense, Personal and Family Finances, and SOcialization Across Childhood! wooooo!

That is all I have to say for now! :) Hope you all liked the 3-months-in-one-blog post!

Busy Busy Busy

The Last few weeks have been pretty busy! I got accepted into BYU for their Spring and Summer term as a visiting student. Also, Mni was baptized on March 7th! It was a wonderful experience and she's so happy and excited about being a member of the church. It's wonderful to watch. Another event is that I got to go to Lynalice's bridal shower and wedding! I almost cried at the wedding... but I didn't. A lot of people did though. I've decided that when I get married, I will probably cry tears of happiness. I mean, if I almost cry at a friends wedding, what will I do when I get married? haha! Oh... and which apparently will be within the next year because I caught the bouquet. wooo. go Alanna for snatching it out of the air!! So here are some pictures of recent events :) enjoy!

At the Bridal shower. Yeah, we lke to put pictures up backwards haha.
L-R: Elder Noesi, Elder Crum, Mni, Alanna. This is us being normal :)


Mni and I after the baptism :)


Here's the "normal" picture

I suppose...

It's about time for an update! wooooo! I have this funny habit of either blogging, or hand writing the stuff that goe son in my life. Lately I've been journaling more than anything, hence me not blogging more. But i figure it's nice to at least put updates on whatever is going on.
It is February 2009, and a new year has passed. 2008 was a pretty crazy year! I went to school in the beginning of the year, I traveled to Boston/Massachusetts, I traveled to Italy (both school related), I spent End of May-beginning August in Hawaii with my mom and Grandma, and spent mid August -Early October in Florida with mom and dad. I decided in July (very end) that I wanted to try and serve a mission. I made wonderful new friends like Crystal and Bekah and James. I got my first "real job" in 2008.
Now it's 2009. So much has happened in 2 months! I finished my job (it was seasonal) I FINALLY turned in my mission papers, then was told that it wasn't what I was to do, and now I am making plans to go to BYU for their spring and summer terms so that I can take classes to gradute in 2010 (on time)! So plans have changed drastically. But I really think that this year will be even better than last year. Last year my testimony grew and I learned a lot of things.
Since this year has started I've learned SO MUCH. I almost feel like I've learned more about the Spirit, Jesus Christ, Heavenly Father and the gospel in the last two months than I did last year! Being "rejected" made me realize a lot of different things.
First, I learned to forgive myself. Second, I grew closer to my friends because o fthe support they gave me through the whole process. Third, the Lord has given me an opportunity to be a missionary at home. I'm haven't been called to be a ward misionary, but I've been a member missionary! Because, of ocurse, we are all missionaries. Luckily for me the Elders invite me to come teach with them, and we've been teaching two girls now for over a month, and one is planning on getting baptised in 2 weeks!!! The experiences I've had teaching (or helping to teach) have lead me closer to God. I believe that Heavenly Father gave me this chance since I was not called to be a full time missionary. I've been blessed in so many ways since the "rejection" that I know it was the correct decision. I knew it after 3 minuted of crying my eyes out.
I'm doing well and I'm happier than I have been in a while! I'm glad to say that I know where I'll be in a year (I'll be at school) and I know what direction I want to take my life. It's nice to NOT be in limbo anymore in regards to my life. I am happy and life is wonderful!

Come what may and love it!

More updates

Let's see. First, my mission papers. We found out that the Stake pres didn't inform the 1st pres. SO now it is being transferred home to AK. So I have to wait about a week or so to do that. Pretty much that means I get to re-do my Stake president interview! woo hoo. In all I've had 2 bishop interviews (by 2 different bishops) and now 2 STAKE interviews! Pretty crazy. So now my papers will be a mix of Hawaii, Virginia, Florida and Alaska! pretty intense, right?
Second, my birthday. I came home from Florida a week earlier than my parents so that i could drive up to Fairbanks and see Kelsey and Jacob for my birthday. Plus I just REALLY wanted to be home for my birthday. It was about a 7 hr drive up since the pass (near Denali) was really snowing hard and the plows had just come out. Yes. I drove by myself. no it wasn't scary and YES it was COLD. So i arrived in Fairbanks on the 10th and Kels and I just hung out, and on Monday the 13th (my birthday) Jacob took me shooting for my birthday and we went out to eat and then went back to Kelsey's apartment for cake (she made me one with purple frosting!) and ROOT BEER!!! yeeeah.
Thirdly, ALANNA GOT A JOB! I will be working at GAP Kids at the Dimond mall. I'm very blessed because I will never ever have to work on the Sabbath. Why? Because the manager's husband is LDS. :) I KNEW I liked the manager (she isn't LDS, but she goes with her husband). The people there are REALLY nice and fun and I am just so happy with it! Also, Sis. Clerc asked me to babysit her kids tomorrow night. 4 kids. 4pm-11pm. 12yo, 8yo, 3yo and 9mo. I sure will have a HANDFULL!!!! I guess it's just practice for the future :)

Oh, and I started a family blog (we will see how successful that is) it's www.thehollandexperience.blogspot.com (I thought the name was pretty cool haha)

I must be bad at this

So I haven't posted for... a while. Life has been pretty crazy! After visiting Katie mom and I headed to Florida to stay with dad. He ended up being extended to the 15th of October, so we were there longer than expected. We had a lot of fun though. Jonathan came to visit us for the first week and we went to Busch Gardens and Disney World. Then Jeremy visited and we took him to Downtown Disney since it was TOO MUCH to visit the Parks.
After they left I started to get used to life (but never used to the heat) mom and I went exploring around Tampa. We really enjoyed staying there, but it is nice to FINALLY be home! The ward members in Tampa were sad to see us go, but it was time to go. Looking back I think that Tampa was a good thing for the family. Mom was able to get medical help, and dad was able to help out a ward and I was able to have a Bishop and Stake President that would help me with my mission paperwork.
Now, as far as my mission paperwork is concerned it's all on hold. I've already done everything I can do. We have to wait for the First presidency to OK my application and then submit it. Apparently we don't even know if the Stake Pres has informed the 1st presidency or not... Sooooooo that's just complicated in and of itself. So now I am at home, probably going to go work, and if I don't get a call until the end of the year I might go back to school for a semester.
I also think that there are other reasons why my paperwork is not going through. I did get the impression that I needed to do my paperwork right away, and I did. But now, it's all just in La La land (as I feel) and I'm still just going and doing what i gotta do. So now I am wondering if Heavenly father is giving me a chance for something other than a mission.
I'll have to put more later and catch up, especially since I just had my 21st birthday!!

Katie

I went to visit Katie and decided to post some pictures! :)