Sad day

Yesterday was such a sad day for me. It was just surreal. I'm going to miss you, Michael! White or black, doesn't matter to me! You rocked my world!!!

Anniversary and Nauvoo

Our anniversary came and went--quickly. We've had a busy couple of weeks! We spent the day at home. I was sick (just like on our honeymoon one year ago). But we still had a really nice day together at home. We watched movies all day and I got a really great love note! A few days before our anniversary, we went out to Texas Roadhouse Grill and ate a really delicious dinner. Raimo got me new scriptures with my new last name on them. He's so sweet.

Then we left on Monday for Nauvoo. We had some really great experiences there! It was really fun to get to perform every single night. We also enjoyed visiting the sites and hearing the stories of the pioneers. My favorite part of the trip was going to the Nauvoo temple. My testimony was strengthened on this trip, and Raimo and I had fun hanging out with a lot of our teammates. One of the best things about the trip was getting to spend so much time with Raimo! We don't always get a lot of time together, but we got to spend a lot of quality time together (especially when I was sick in bed--he took good care of me). It was really fun to share this experience together. It was also fun to see my mom and Karen. I was so glad they were able to come out for a few days. It has been such a long time since I've seen my family!

The whole experience was great, but also bittersweet because we knew this would be our last two weeks on a BYU ballroom team. It was hard because the decision was made for us--I didn't feel like I was done yet! I had to hold back some tears quite a few times as we were going from place to place. I am somewhat relieved to be free of this busy and stressful part of my life, but I really thrive on being busy! I am already trying to think of some other fun things to get involved in. Maybe a play. Maybe choir again. Maybe I'll just take up something new. I feel a little lost, but it is probably going to be a good thing for me.

Raimo is working and I am working. He is finishing up his senior course, after which he will start to take all the rest of his Communications classes. He's working backwards somehow. I have about 7 or 8 classes left at BYU! Ahh! I need to decide (today) whether I want to take 2 of those classes this summer and graduate in December, OR take them in winter semester and graduate in April. I'm not sure what I want to do. All I really want to do right now is SLEEP!

Married Bliss

Our one year anniversary is in 9 days!!!! It seems like we just got married, but here we are already! My husband is the joy of my life. Seriously, he is! He is my best friend and is really good at loving me. I just might cry if I keep going! We have so much fun together and I can't imagine life without him. He is very rarely down--he's always goofing around and doing things that he knows will make me laugh. I feel like we have become even more inseparable than we were when we were engaged (is that even possible?) When we go to work or school, I just can't wait to be with him. After one year of marriage, I feel like our love is more grounded than before. It's not just about flowers and love notes and fun--we've grown together as we've figured out how to make big decisions and pay big bills and keep the love alive all at the same time!

Some accomplishments in year one:
We've never been late on rent, even though sometimes we thought we wouldn't make it,

we've competed as dance partners-and kept our sanity,

we've had our first dinner party,

Raimo has learned how to clean the toilet my way,

I've learned how to chillax a little bit,

we have learned more about each other's needs,

we've learned the importance of the weekly date,

we've improved our GPAs,

we've both agreed that there's no use worrying to death about money,

we've learned to ask the Lord for help,

we've learned we should not go "window"-shopping because neither of us has any self-control,

I have learned to the full extent what lactose intolerant really means,

and I think we are even more in love.

My wedding was soooo wonderful. I just remember how wonderful it felt at my reception, looking around at all the people who were important in my life. We kept the numbers relatively small and so only my family and very best friends were there--it meant the world to me to have all of you people there, celebrating us! I loved every minute. It was kind of surreal to be the one with the veil and the bouquet. . . it was one thing I had always wanted. Sometimes I still think. . . did that really happen? It was a perfect day!

I also loved the lull after all the busyness of the wedding. I was finally able to be with Raimo 24/7 and we could just focus on each other. I feel like we have kept that married bliss kind of feeling throughout this whole year and it is so great! And yet I still feel like I don't know him completely-- there are things I'm still learning about him, and I am excited to find out more in the years to come!

bloggity blog blog blog

Ok. There is someone who is driving me nuts. And if you're reading this blog, it's probably not you--so don't worry! But this person just keeps doing and saying the most absurd, sometimes selfish, things. The problem is, this person has an effect in my life. Not huge, but I still have to live with it. It shouldn't get to me, but sometimes I let it get to me. And this person is always completely oblivious that they are completely lacking social graces. Let's just say that if I make it through summer, I'll probably be ok. But for now, I'm seething. Simmering. Getting really hot basically. I don't like to see my loved ones treated any less than they should be. Someone get me some ice!!! Any inspirational thoughts out there for me? Help?

books books books

I'm reading a lot of books for homework for my genre fiction editing class and I feel really lucky because I get to pick my own books (with some limitations of course). I'm almost finished with The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri and I'm really loving it. I also got to read Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks and The Purrfect Murder by Rita Mae Brown. I have two more novels to read before the end of May--When We Were Gods by Colin Falconer and Birds Without Wings byLouis deBernieres. I love school in the spring.

Highlights this week:
-Raimo and I have been reading. He had the day off today so he read for 6 hours straight!
-Learned an awesome cha cha routine (there have been many routines learned, but of all this was funnest)
-Raimo got an amazing paycheck yesterday for which we were extremely excited (hint: it was four digits)
-We went to ward temple night (we are now the ward temple coordinators)
-Ate at Kneaders. Twice
-Got to eat kabobs and see our family
-paid off my 60 DOLLAR CREDIT CARD BILL!
-watched Entrapment with Catherine Zeta Jones and liked it
-Raimo sang silly songs to me on the way to the RB each day (usually between the hours of 5 and 6:30 am). He doesn't know the words to any songs so he makes up his own lyrics--usually about me or about weird, random things. It's funny. More funny when you're as tired as we are at 6!

Hola!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!! This week has been busy! I got a couple of big things that I wanted: a spot in a 3 couple cha cha and a partial dance scholarship for next year! And there were a couple of other things that I wanted but didn't get (weekend getaway kinda bombed, no work promotion, no sunshine all weekend). But overall it was a good week. Raimo made up those disappointments to me by buying me not one but two of these beauties (can you believe Raimo has never been to wienerschnitzel before? chili dogs are a childhood staple!) and this new wallet (the leopard one- isn't it adorable?!). So now that all my credit cards are in alphabetical order, I feel so much more relaxed-and glamorous-popping open my new shiny clutch. Happy day!

But one of the greatest excitements of all was going to the real movies!!! When I say real, I mean a genuine, big-screen, plush seated theater where tickets cost 8.75$ per person to watch a movie that we could rent a few months later for 3.99$ at Blockbuster or go see at the dollar theater for 1.50$. Raimo and I call it the real movies because it's a big deal for us!!! If anyone wants to give a shout-out for the real movies (or some "I'm disgusted by inflation during recession" comments) you're more than welcome! Or you could just tell me what you would do with that 17 dollars and fifty cents if you DIDN'T use it at the real movies. As for us, we indulged and went. It was awesome!

My finals are done!

TOP 10 REASONS WHY TO BE HAPPY WHEN FINALS ARE OVER!

1. No more finals
2. Now you can focus on the fun stuff, like work and Jessica.
3. Despite how you did, you don't have to worry about it anymore
4. Two Words; Home Work.
5. Actually four words No More Home Work
6. Have a little more $ for funner dates.
7. If you can, work on the tan since its summer
8. 1st summer togethor married (which doesn't go with the finals being over theme, o well).
9. no back packs for 4 months
10. More quality time with Jessica! Yay

Charles Dickens

I've started reading again for fun and right now I'm reading A Christmas Carol for the first time. Obviously it's a little different from the Mickey Mouse version--it's so English!

But along with all the extra u's as in "neighbouring" and "labour" and weird words like "misanthropic" and the capitalizing and personifying of words (like "Want is keenly felt" and "Abundance rejoices"), I am really enjoying his little morals for life. Although I don't think that good deeds are the sole factor for determining our place in the afterlife, his story makes me want to do more for the people around me.

Marley's ghost tells Scrooge, "I wear the chain I forged in life. I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and by my own free will I wore it." We choose what we will do with our life. Marley's chain is made of cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses. He has to carry it always in the afterlife, and he is constantly haunted by his inability to go back. And his curse was that he lost the power to intervere in human matters or do good for others.

Scrooge got his chance to change before it was too late. The question is whether or not the reader will have a change of heart. Will I be like scrooge


or like Bob Cratchit?
Isn't Mickey the cutest?

Daydreaming

Yesterday I used some lip gloss that I hadn't used in a very long time. And in the sticky part between the lid and the screw, there was sand--probably from my beach bag. And I suddenly felt very sad.

Happily, I am through with my five hardest finals. Two left. And it's relatively warm outside. I guess I should be happy but. . .
I could be even happier.

Fearless Heart

I think I am addicted to blogging! But it is just so much fun! I can't help that it's Friday and in 2 hours I will leave work and be free!!! Meanwhile, blogging makes me happy.

I just want to announce that Raimo is an amazing salesman. He made 3 sales in 3 hours yesterday and they all have sizable commissions. Did I mention it was raining? And that he's only been doing this for a few weeks? I'm sure MSTAR is so happy he's on their team. Pure talent. It makes sense--he loved to go tracting on his mission. Really though, who loves TRACTING?He does.
He is fearless. It is a gift. Seriously, he talks to cashiers, makes note of their nametag, and uses their name while talking to them. For example,

Raimo: "Hi how are you doing today?"
cashier: "Pretty good, thanks. You?"
Raimo: "Doing well. My wife is excited that the strawberries are on sale today. We're gonna make some crepes. So how's work?"
cashier: "Kinda busy today."
Raimo: "Wow, you're really good at that. Such speedy service! Whelp. Thanks Rosalita. Have a great day!"

Similar dialogues ensue with other random strangers including people standing near us in line, gas station workers (he knows this lady at the Chevron in Vegas--we go there every time we pass through) . . . Some respond happily, some just don't get it.

What can I say? He's mine. I will leave the talking up to him.

And wasn't he a cute missionary?

Love,
Sister Laitinen