Pure Joy!

Today is a good day for three reasons (there are more, but these are the main ones)

1) Easter

2) General Conference

3) Josiah

It's been a glorious Easter Sunday! I woke up early and got started with the day...there was even breakfast out this morning. We had an Easter devotional in the classroom and I think everyone appreciated the thoughts that were shared. It was different being away from home and with a group of students and faculty to celebrate, but it ended up being a really spiritually uplifting day with everyone.

General Conference was so wonderful and inspiring. We watched the Saturday afternoon session at the Hyde Park Chapel...I've always watched it at home on our television so I really liked getting to watch it at the church. It was a different experience. We streamed Conference into the classroom and watched the second, third and fourth session in there. Eight hours never passed so quickly-all of the thoughts and counsel given by the apostles and prophets of our Lord was so inspired and so motivating. They don't compile ideas and work together on their talks, but they all seemed to be perfectly orchestrated. Each message complemented the others; there was a lot about the importance of families and just about the importance of having hope while dealing with adversity and keeping a positive attitude in today's pessimistic world. It was all just exactly what I needed to hear and it made me so thankful for technology. I'm sitting here on another continent and I can hear the same message as my family back in the states. And Josiah in Argentina. And everyone else in the world. It was weird listening to it from 5-7 pm and 9-11pm since it's broadcast live from Utah. I've never felt so uplifted after watching Conference and this weekend was just an affirmation and strengthening of my knowledge that this is the true church. I'm just so happy and my heart is full. I think I took about 25 pages of notes in my journal from Conference...my hand was pretty shot by the end of the night. Plus I wrote a letter to a missionary. Non-stop writing for me this weekend.

*Insert a segue here into the most exciting part of this entry. Please note: For the full effect, the next part has to be read in a very sincere manner. It's heartfelt...*

I'm in love I'm in love and I don't care who knows it! Josiah has been my official favorite boy for two years today! What a wonderful day it is. Oh yes, the fourth of April holds a special place in my heart and his. It's our anniversary of being in love. Because even though I didn't know it yet, two years ago I sat by a campfire with the boy I was destined to love...and so it began. It's true. And now he's my best friend and we get to share all the adventures of this crazy life together. I don't know what I did without him before, he is my favorite part of every day and knows me better than I know myself. Weird I know.

I've decided I need to let the world know just how wonderful Josiah is. We have the best times together (and apart) and I have pictures to prove it! But I don't need to prove anything...I'm really putting these pictures on here so I can feel productive spending hours looking through my albums of photos. Some people may call it a photo album...

April 18, 2008. We always drive around looking for comfy chairs in a little cafe. But they're always closed. So we end up taking pictures in his car...I don't know why it's so fun.

May 3, 2008. He came up with a plan to ask me to prom on my birthday...I kind of ruined it by taking my sweet time to get ready that day.

June 7, 2008. Prom...oh high school dances. So silly and so fun. We like to dance together and take pictures by the Capitol fountain

July 10, 2008. We go to markets together...including Pike Place! This day was so much fun. We went with our friend Dorothy and just laid in the grass being happy.

Oh, and we like to sit on bronze statues of farm animals while we're at these markets.

August 4th, 2008. He took me surfing and now all I want to do is live on the beach so we can go every day.

August 16, 2008. Road trip to Eastern Washington for Warped tour at the Gorge. What could be better than getting to see your favorite bands on a stage that overlooks the Colombia River with your best friend..and getting a wicked sunburn?

August 31, 2008. Eating at some burrito place after finding cool stores in Portland. We like to explore big cities and not get lost.

Oh, and we also like to climb on exotic animal statues...I wonder what people think of us when we do this.

September 29, 2008. We like Top Foods Chinese food, big cookies and coconut icecream bars from the little Mexican grocery store. We're culturally diverse.

We like to eat our food on our dock on Capitol Lake. I like to use chopsticks as much as possible ever since Josiah taught me how to use them correctly. I'll be forever thankful for that lesson. Very important skill to have.

Then we launch the melting icecream bar into the lake and throw peas in too...we have fun doing weird things.

October 4, 2008. General Conference was better with Josiah there too.

November 14, 2008. Umm...maybe I shouldn't be publishing this in a public place. Now you know that we like to wear wigs in our free time.

December 13, 2008. Snowball attacks in my neighborhood. Look at that huge puffy coat...how can someone not love a boy who has that puffy of a coat?

January 3, 2009. He taught me how to snowboard...pretty much the best Christmas present ever.

January 16, 2009. An early morning on the Puget Sound. We like to wake up early and hike to the beach and eat breakfast.

February 14, 2009. We found a zen garden downtown...and when I say "we" I mean Josiah.

February 16, 2009. We went up to the mountains again...I think this is my favorite place to be with Josiah. But I have a lot of favorite places I like to go with him.

May 2, 2009. Another prom with Josiah, don't we look so much older? And wiser? Sure we do! We ate at Mercato and Josiah's sister Jenisa was working there so we got to see her. Twas a fun night!

May 3, 2009. We spent the afternoon sitting on the dock, Josiah played guitar and I happily listened to my song. Okay, my real favorite thing: listening to Josiah sing (and you know that it's only one of the many favorites I have)

June 4, 2009. We had a romantic dinner on my porch...hahaha. He pulled up to my house after he got done with work and this candle lit surprise was waiting. How sweet right? (If you didn't catch it, this was a joke...)

June 9, 2009. I'm all graduated and Josiah was there to share this momentous occasion...I got to wear a cute blue robe and funny hat.

June 19, 2009. The awaited mission call finally arrived! That's his excited face.

June 24, 2009. We had the beach to ourselves! Another favorite thing to do with Josiah: be out in the surf with nothing but the sound of the waves and his voice.

July 1, 2009. Josiah and I are frequent painters at the Painted Plate! We even have a punch card...

July 4, 2009. Watching fireworks at my sister's house was the perfect way to end the day after going to Westport. Doesn't Josiah look good in stripes? Yeah he does.

July 8, 2009. Ferris wheel first timers! This was a magical moment...let's just say that much.

July 18, 2009. I got to go hiking with Josiah's family in Forks and it was the best two days. Really it was. It was so beautiful. We were wandering along the beach and found a trail up a mountain and found this at the top! Our feet were free and bare and happy to feel the mud.

There was an old wooden swing at one of the campsites...so we swung on it!

And we played sardines as it was getting dark...somehow we managed to fit eight people behind a tiny bush.

July 19, 2009. Fireworks at Lakefair, I got to watch these with Josiah two years in a row! I'm lucky.

Everyday. I got the front seat. Sometimes I even got to drive. I always liked getting to drive Josiah around in his car.

July 21, 2009. We rode our bikes over to the lake...you can't see them in this picture but I'm sitting on a bike and he's standing next to me. There's a bike next to him. And we took them down the road to the lake and rode around the trails.

August 6, 2009. We went to the Hearthfire on the water and ate ribs. Then he let me take pictures of him sitting on this rock. I quite enjoyed it. This is the background of my computer. It's a good one.

August 15, 2009. Ocean shores trip...these mopeds were the best part.

August 16, 2009. We like to wear matching outfits.

August 19, 2009. I love just walking around the Temple grounds especially if it's with this boy. This is the Portland, Oregon Temple.

August 25, 2009. Right before we left for Utah to drop me off at school we went to the lake and found Josiah's favorite tree and carved our love into it. The 'Jo' missing from the front is intentional...I didn't forget anything.

August 26, 2009. He helped me move in to my new apartment...what a good little helper.

August 27, 2009. We like to eat Salvadorean food together. I just can't believe how cultured we are.

August 28, 2009. We sat outside in the grass...Josiah recorded songs for me to listen to while he was gone and I listened. And now I can listen to him sing whenever I want...which is always.

August 29, 2009. Sad to be apart for two years, but that means after that we never have to be separated again! I think that's a good trade off.

Now he's in Argentina and I love him even more because...

He's a dork.

He doesn't have to try to be cool...he just is.

He eats the peanut butter I send him.

He can catch chickens.

He has a pink umbrella.

And he has a jersey that looks like IKEA.

We're both having adventures in different parts of the world and are getting to talk to each other about everything we're seeing and doing and learning. I'm so happy.

This is officially the longest post I ever have and ever will write (until another big event...like on September 2nd perhaps?) This was mostly for me...I just wanted to look through pictures and document them somehow and this is it. The scary thing is, I only chose a few of my favorite pictures. So...happy Easter/Conference/Josiah day and goodnight!