Monsoon season in the desert

I am the worst...at journal-ing, blogging...really anything that has to do with documenting my life.

But lately I have been having this strong desire, a strong push to do it, to write something. And I want to full fill that. I want to set a goal to update just for my self on here twice a week...

On a other note...its been hot and rainy (really its only rained two days out of the month) but the rain here is crazy. It rains a whole bunch in just a few hours and then floods everything. We had a local park behind our house fill up so much that we had people out riding their jet skies on it. It was pretty cool.

So far we still love Arizona. Ryan and I are still shocked at how unbelievably hot it is and we are almost to October. Not sure how this winter is going to be (I am sure very dramatically different from Idaho). We are supposed to have a week in the 80's next week, we are so excited because after months of 115, 80 degrees sounds heavenly.

Ryan received his diploma in the mail the other day, that makes him an official grad with an official job! I truly cannot believe that we are graduates, actual grown ups, expected to do grown up things. Often we talk about how weird that is, it feels like just yesterday we were just meeting and worrying about making straight A's and impressing our teachers. And now, we have four chinchillas, living in the desert, making lots of decisions.

Believe it or not, we are certainly missing Idaho. Something I honestly never thought I would miss. There are times where we talk about maybe going back there...to live. But who knows where we will be. Ryan's job looks like it will keep us here for the next five years at least. After that, who knows.

Over all though its been wonderful. We have enjoyed the past few months here and look forward to what the future brings.

called to serve

My thoughts this past week have been on my younger brother. Just a few months ago he received his mission papers (if you dont know what a lds mission is please go here) to serve in the Salt Lake City North mission. I am so incredibly proud of him and the work that he will be doing ( I am also some what jealous). 

Just a few years ago the lds church changed there mission requirements. They moved the age for women from 21 to 19 and for men from 19 to 18. This was huge! I mean major. (I know that if when I was 19 and they changed the age I would of most certainly gone almost immediately!! But instead I was led on a path to meet my wonderful husband.) The change was good on so many levels, it enabled men to go serve right out of high school rather than waiting around for a year (or starting college and leaving in between) and for girls it helped us get more options on what we want to do in life after we graduated (I know I had no clue). 

My Brother has decided to commit 24 months or 2 years of service. That's not just walking around and preaching, and doing what the typical person thinks a missionary does. Its doing actual SERVICE...helping people move, helping them do whatever it is that they need. Its so incredibly selfless and so personally rewarding. So when I say, I am proud of my brother and the work that he is going to be doing, I mean I look up to him, and I want to be able to learn to serve like he does and will. This week I have been reminiscing with my family about my younger brother (lets just call him Elder Hendrick). I want to share a story that was brought to my mind this week:

In 2009 I broke my ankle playing softball. To say it was one of the hardest experiences in my life at that point would be an understatement (not  being able to walk and get around taught me so much and makes me so thankful for the ability to do so every day). At the time it happened I was so lucky to have my family out visiting me in Idaho. More especially my brother (Elder Hendrick), he took such good care of me. He helped me get around, he checked to make sure I was okay. Isaac (Elder Hendrick now) was at my side almost night and day, I remember the kindness and love that I felt from him as he served me. He showed me just how much he truly did love me, and to this day it will always be memories I will cherish. 

Wednesday July 30th Elder Hendrick entered the MTC, I truly wish him luck and cannot wait to be reunited with him in two years.