Keeping the Post Office Alive

I'm a firm believer that law offices and Mormons keep the US Postal Service in business. The mail I send at work? B-O-R-I-N-G! Missionary mail? SO FUN!  I've been meaning to send Hermana Megan and Hermana Alena some special surprises, but last week I finally shipped them out. I knew it was now or never because 2 weeks from today I'll be on a mission too. *Fingers crossed* that they loved their mostly dollar store surprises.

homemade polka-dot bows

homemade striped bows

LaffyTaffy isn't very yummy...but I LOVE the jokes!

sidewalk chalk! Shelly (RM) suggested this one

squishy things

imagining Alena with this duck bill...HAHAHA

I wonder if Meg's comp will hate me for this one...

racers

finger rockets

gummy fish

just need to add a couple letters

<3

 Hooray for missionary work! Hooray for mail! Hooray for imagining happy faces when a surprise arrives!

16 days...

After a summer of sloth-like time, time has finally decided to pick up its pace. Unfortunately, now it's moving at lightening speed. With 16 days and counting until I head off to the MTC, things are getting a little crazy around here. I feel woefully unprepared - I NEED MORE CLOTHES. And a coat. And a loofa. And a couple more shots (the news that nearly ruined my day today - my last Tdap expired at the end of July :( worst news of my life *insert lots of overly dramatic sighs*). And the over-achiever in me has convinced myself that I need to have Preach My Gospel memorized by the time I go to the MTC (exaggeration...but I do feel a lot of pressure to learn as much as I can. This is a good pressure though - a motivating pressure).

In the midst of all the craziness and stress, Heavenly Father sends me little reminders that I need to stop stressing and get EXCITED!!!! He knows me so well :)

Last night, the house phone rang. Liv answered because she's pretty much the only one who gets calls on the land line. She walked into my parents room where I was laying on the bed in my new muumuu (which nobody is as excited about as I am...COME ON PEOPLE!! IT'S A MUUMUU!!!!) She handed me the phone shocked that a boy was calling me. Gasp. "Hi! This is Elder ...(I forget) from the Oregon Eugene Mission calling to welcome you to the best mission on earth!" WOOOHOOO! After a brief conversation, I informed my family who "the boy" was. Mom was very relieved. She thought that maybe, despite my best attempts at avoiding all not temple and/or service related YSA activities someone had gotten my number and was calling to ask me on a date.

Today's tender mission mercy came in the mail: a little package from my Aunt Becky. Inside a small white bag, wrapped in tissue paper, was this little pin

It was my Grandma Hamilton's. Aunt Becky said it was in Grandma's jewelry box for as long as she can remember. When she came across it, she said it was almost as if Grandma whispered, "That is for Lisa." I'm to take it on my mission, to remember my grandparents, the "convert pioneers" in my family. I absolutely love this little pearl covered pin. It simply could not be any more perfect. Fleur de lis to remind me of Louisiana and it will be such a great conversation starter to tell others about family history! <3 Thanks Grandma.

Playing House

For the past two and a half weeks, I had the pleasure of playing house while a couple from church went on a European vacation. Can a person be a professional house-sitter? If so, sign me up!!! Okay, rewind. I was mostly there to dog sit. The house and car were just perks of the job.

I've never been a huge dog person...until now. I WANT A DOG. Whaaaaaaat? I know, shocker. I fell head-over-heels in love with Molly (the beautiful pup I stayed with). She is the most well-behaved and loving creature ever. I didn't even mind picking up her poop <<<< evidence of my love for her.

It was fun to have a nice car and fancy house all to myself, but now its back to reality. Sleeping on an inflatable mattress in my eleven year old sister's room and getting chauffered around in mom's minivan. Oh, life. I love it. And I'm going to enjoy every last minute of this cramped apartment living, because in just 30 days (eeeeeek!) I'll be moving back across the country to start my 18 month adventure as Sister Hamilton.





...I obviously haven't messed with my blog recently. Half a month after writing this post, I'm finally adding the pictures and hitting "publish".

Where to start...

You know those CarMax commercials with the "start here" line that shows people where to start when looking for a new car? Yeah, well I need one of those "start here" lines for this post. It's my own fault; this is what I get for going nearly a month without blogging.

July brought a fun visit with Josh and a last minute weekend roadtrip to Indiana. Both were a ton of fun despite being sick. Both are worthy of a full blog post all their own. Unfortunately, I'm probably too lazy to ever get around to it.

Oh, but it's not all laziness! I'm also prepping for the mission, which is quite an ordeal. Who knew I'd need to buy so many things? And don't even get me started on the overwhelming amount of material I need/want to learn before I go! The days are slowly, but steadily, ticking away. I know that September 11 will be here before I know it.

So, I apologize for blowing off the blog. But I'm trying to prep and make a million nephew memories before I leave. Priorities.