Shout out!

I just had to say CONGRATULATIONS via blog to my bestie, Joni, and her husband, Derek, for passing the Nevada Bar Exam!! OoooOOOOh!! My friends are so smart! And don't worry that they did it whilst planning a wedding, taking finals for law school, graduating from law school, and moving across the country. And I think my life is crazy...

Good job guys!!

Battle Wound!

I have got to be more careful! My friend has a stripper pole in her house (just for funsies!), and I was trying out some of my moves from my class and came home with this:

I'm thinking I might have to give up pursuing this as an alternative career and stick to flowers.

New Leaves

I absolutely love the Fall! It has got to be my favorite season. I love the crisp, cool air. I love that you can run outside again. I love the fall colors (even though we don't really get them in Las Vegas). I love when the tip of your nose gets nipped when you go for walks in the park. I love snuggling under blankets and sleeping with the windows open. I love chilled toes buried at the bottom of the bed. I love cozying up in sweaters. I love that things settle down and get more rhythmic. I love that the world just seems to sleep a little. I just love the Fall!

So, in honor of the fall leaves, I have decided to turn over some leaves of my own and let some old habits fall. I don't know where I get it (both sides of the family), but I am independant, stubborn, and self-reliant. Ok, those may not sound like such bad qualities...but let me assure you that they are when done in extremes, which is oftentimes how I roll. I am horrible at letting people help me. I am good at asking for it when I desperately need it, but I always wait until I'm desperate. Bad idea. I am turning over my stubborn, independant, self-reliant leaves. I am going to let people help me when they offer, I'm going to welcome suggestions more freely, and I'm not going to do everything myself.

For some reason I have this idea that if I need something, I can do it, or I can get it. It'll just be easier if I do it, and I don't need help. I have a fear of, and I never want to be a person who is accused of using their friends, or being lazy, or expecting people to help them all the time with nothing in return. BUT here's the thing...I hate it when I ask someone if I can help them with something and they tell me "no". I feel so useless sitting back, watching them work away. Hello! I do this to people ALL the time. When I think of good business and church leaders, I realize that those who are good leaders CAN do everything, but don't HAVE to do everything. I am depriving others of service opportunities and depriving both of us of learning experiences by trying to do it all on my own. Not to mention the stress I put my poor little body under!

After listening to the RS Broadcast and talking with friends recently, I know that we can always be doing more in our callings, and in our lives. We are always moving, changing, growing, learning, and improving...BUT we don't have to do it alone. We don't have to do it all ourselves, and though we are ever changing, learning, growing, improving, and doing more, there is still TONS that we can let others help us with. So, here's to the beautiful Fall season and to turning over new leaves!

Guess What?!

Another Brandley is finally engaged!! Yup - Mark and Laci got engaged on Saturday and I'm so excited that I get another sister-in-law!

Happy Face!

"Those valleys of discouragement make more beautiful the peaks of achievement" - President Gordon B. Hinckley.

A guy I was talking to for a while sent this quote to me and I love it. Clearly, I was in a valley of discouragement for a while there, but I'm happy to say that I'm on a peak now. Yay! Honestly, I'm grateful for my "lows" because it's made me really appreciate where I am right now.

I am super happy right now! I think for the first time in my adult life I'm actually, legitimately happy being single. I know I've said it before, but I think I was feebly trying to convince myself of it. Now I truly feel it. I am so excited to be single right now. I have the world at my feet! haha! I'm excited to have fun and date and not worry about future things. I've realized that there are tons of little things that I can work on to make myself better, and I've set some great goals for myself. I'm excited to dig into my calling again and give the girls in my ward all I have. I'm excited to get my business really organized and more successful. I'm excited to spend time with my good friends who set the bar so high for me. I'm just excited about life in general right now!

I also feel the need to set the disclaimer - just because I'm happy being single DOES NOT mean that I've entered "bitter girl" stage and I don't want to get married. Quite the opposite. I'm excited to improve myself so that I can be a better companion and mother some day. I know that will happen for me when the time is right, and right now I'm enjoying my state. The grass is green right where I stand and I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts!

Transplant

I think I've mentioned this in my blog before, but my college roommate's husband has a rare and aggressive form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and his brother is donating bone marrow to him. The transplant schedule starts today, with the transplant to take place Sept 23. We really hope all goes well and that this puts his cancer in remission. Keep him in your prayers!

Guess What?!

I bet you'll never guess what I'm doing in April 2010. I'll give you a hint...

You got it! So smart!! I'm going on a cruise to Cabo San Lucas with my cousin, Melinda. I've never been on a cruise, so I'm super stoked! This will be #4 for her, AND she speaks spanish! We're going to have a B-L-A-S-T!! The only hitch...it's an LDS Singles cruise. Oh well. I'm sure it will be entertaining people watching, and let's be honest...I just wanted to go on a super cheap cruise to Cabo!