The Best is Yet to Come :)

Well I havent blogged in quite sometime and I kept telling myself, I'll get around to it sooner or later, & then I decided I may as well wait until I get my mission call, because honestly, nothing too exciting has happened from last blog until now!!!





Well for the last few months I have been working like crazy trying to tie up all my loose ends and save some up before I leave. Trouble was-I still didnt know when I was leaving-or to where. As many who have gone before me know, it is a process that can span over several months. Well mine was spanning alright--- for what seemed like forever! Some days were more discouraging then others thinking, goodness is this ever going to get done!? well luckily I pulled through it and it has been well worth the wait.


I recieved my call on a friday night, which just so happened to be the night my entire family left to san diego for the holiday weekend. I was at work all day and when I walked in the house it was there sitting on the counter. i think my heart skipped a few beats as I realized what it contained---the next 18 months of my life!


I ran around the house wanting to rip it open, but alas, no one was here to be excited with me :(

I had previously decided I wanted to find out with my family and I then decided that I would either have to wait til tuesday to open it, or go down to san diego. Well after all the waiting & waiting AND Waiting, I could not wait 4 more days so I ended up driving down to san diego (with one of my favoritest people in the world:) and I was able to experience the excitement with them all. IT was Wonderful and i am so glad i went down there. As I began to read, my emotions were overflowing with gratitude and happiness & my sister (who is awesome) finished reading the letter for me. Sister Stephanie rose Martinez, it read, you have been called to labor in the Fort Lauderdale Florida mission in the Spanish language for 18 months. (O M G!) You will report to the MTC in provo, Utah on wednesday November 12th, 2008.

wow. no,more like WOWW!

It is amazing to know where you need to be and what you need to be doing at any given time, Especially since most people have no idea what they're doing ever! But I am happy to know that I have been called to serve at this time because it is what I need to do, want to do, and will be oh so happy to do for this next year and a half.


The green circled part is roughly my area. the south eastern coast and southern parts of florida. It sure is going to be a journey. I have never been to florida, I have never even been on a plane! well, first time for everything :)
I am excited to be in Utah for the Winter, especially for Christmas! I am going to miss my family & friends an infinate amount, but I know this will bring us closer together as a family.
I am now able to plan out my next 2 months & 10 days because I finally have the date! I anticipate working til the end of october and then having a few weeks to spend with all the people I love most (& there are lots of em!)

I am also excited to go up to Utah at the beginning of October for Conference & to visit a few wonderful friends :) only a month til then-its gonna be great :)

My life is amazing. I would have never seen myself where I am right now only a few short years ago, but I am so grateful to be here. The Lord has blessed me an immeasurable amount and I only hope to repay Him in some small token by this work I have placed ahead of me.

As for the rest of my days, they have been broken up into work, sleep, friends & family & i am sure will continue on this way until I leave. I have learned so much and myself & this life & I am excited to learn & to be able to teach so much more :)
wish me luck!

:)
StepH

2:13 AM

I can't sleep, so I decided to look through my favorite links.

I start clicking away & come across my blog page.

I haven't blogged since March. I'd use the excuse that I have been far too busy, but that wouldn't be the total truth. But I suppose to busy to be that bored-yes.

At any rate, I suppose I will update over the past few months.

As many know, Katie & Ryan were married @ the San Diego temple in March. It is a gorgeous one and it was a beautiful day.

Looking back over the past few months, I really miss seeing them weekly, sitting next to them in sacrament meeting & giving each other the "look", yes we always knew what that meant. Luckily, I still see them occasionally & we catch up. Hopefully now that summer is here I can see them more.

Easter was at the end of march this year-which felt odd, but was it's usual Easter-y self.

Every Easter since I can remember has been spent with the whole extended family at any given park, complete with Easter egg hunt & bunny. It doesn't sound too exciting, but it is actually one of my favorite holidays (for a few reasons) one being-that I do not have to work-and another being that I can spend time with my family. My sisters are 3 of the people that can make me laugh the most & i love it. It is always a fun time-no matter how ghetto the giant family @ the park may get-complete with drunken aunts. I guess its good I don't have a picture of that though-it was pretty ridiculous. But all in all, another "same old same old" Easter-just how it should be.

Moving on to April-I was able to go up to Utah (for my second time ever) & see general conference. Even better-I went with 2 of my favorite girls.

It was extremely relaxing, rejuvenating & i was glad I was able to make the trip. We stayed at their aunt and uncles house-who were fantastic!-and visited some random cheese factory in Beaver on the way home(picture). it also snowed-which was Fantastic.obviously. :)

I spent a lot of time reflecting that weekend.

Every once in a while i think it is good to take a life-inventory. see where you are-where you are going-where you want to be. All in all, I am in a pretty good place. I'm just completing my 3rd year of college, I have a job, a car, a life, I'm doing what I want to be doing (for the most part) and I am heading to where I need to be. Somewhere along the reflecting, or inventory, I realized that just getting to where you should be, is only partially living. what is my whole reason for being here? where are my first priorities? (this led to lots more reflecting)

In the end, somewhere between march & this weekend in April-I realized what I needed to be doing. Somewhere between then and now & did a priority shift-in the right direction-and I have now been preparing for a mission for the last few months. I have never been more sure about a decision in my life. Some days I have no idea what I am doing, other days seem perfect. But one thing I am sure of is that everyday I wake up & I know where I am going. Wherever the Lord sends me. And that gives me all the peace in the world.

There are a lot of things I have to take care of from now until then (which is hopefully by august/September time)

Most of the things are temporal, car, school, work, can all be picked up where about they left off. The most challenging part-getting up the strength to sit my family down & tell them. It seems so silly to be afraid-after all, they are my family. But they mean the world to me and it is always hard to tell the people you love most, something that they might not understand, or accept yet. Either way, the decision has been made, and I know everything will work out in the end :)

More recently, in the month of may, I feel like everything is speeding up. I had the chance to spend some time @ Disneyland with 2 of my favorite people, and it was lots of fun.

things have been crazy lately. these past few months have helped me to learn that no matter what something seems to be-there is no such thing as a sure thing. I guess the outcome of some things depend primarily in the way you handle it. the execution of it all. I'm glad I'm not a terrible executioner, but unfortunately,not the best either. Luckily I have a few awesome people in my life to remind me that I am wonderful-(because I really am :)-just when I seem to be forgetting, To remind me that there is aways someone in a worse situation at any given time, that someone with mission in momentary grasp need not worry about stupid boys @ this time (seriously), and that life i gorgeous. I pass this onto you-life IS gorgeous.

If you live a worthy life, you have no reason to fear. take every beautiful day and make it more extraordinary then the last-and I will do the same :)

That's pretty much the update through the end of may. Thursday is my birthday, and though 21 is hardly anything to be excited about-I guess the high point of turning it will be that I can officially serve a mission :)

As long as my friends are nearby, it will be as good as any =]

(it is now 3:13am sheesh!)

good night

:)

it only happens once every 4 years!!

Meaning Leap year! & Bro Stewarts Bday-but first i will share a few from the day before-we went to see Wicked!!! my first time, jill's 3rd, but as you can see, she is still very excited :) (probably because I am there :)

Michael & i ran across the street to take some pics

rach me & jill in front of the theatre

me and jill on the way to the theatre

it was a good time. Then on to the dance!

which was Ryan & katies last YSA dance awww

but probably not Jill's-

good thing too, she was having wayy too much fun!

It was also Bro Stewarts Birthday @ we surprised him with a song

I think he enjoyed it :)

there was some awesome carrot cake too, but i didnt get a picture of it. it was yum tho

Brian and Mike not dancing in the lobby

me & ryan pretending to dance

the girls-obviously talking about something juicy

me katie & jill, i pretty much lost both of them at the same time! :(

But there will be plenty more fun times i am sure because Loma Linda is not that far-& neither is Riverside

:)