Happiest Year on Earth

11.15.12 - 11.15.13

Happiest year on earth!!

So we decided to celebrate at the happiest place on earth!

First stop: LA Temple

We've seen photos many times, and it is magnificent in person. After driving through the night, sleeping in the car for about an hour in a parking lot, and navigating LA morning rush-hour traffic, it was heaven!

(A very special shout out to our GPS, or "Foxy Roxy" as she is now known.)

 Steve, pretending to look at photos on the camera, took a picture of my growing belly. After catching him I promptly asked for the camera back. So he snapped another photo!...haha. Love this kid. And I am soooo glad I married him! I can't wait for him to be "daddy!"

Second stop: Hollywood Blvd

I should've listened to everyone's "rave" reviews about Hollywood. But I had to experience it myself...hawkers, grime, and all. Certainly nothing magical about it anymore. Although we got to meet all these folks:

(Sidenote: While we were in Disneyland the next day on our way to the Teacups, Steve swings me around and whispers, "That's really Jack Black!" We promptly stalked this poor fellow for a few minutes until we realized we were very wrong. So close.)

My personal favorite of the day.

Second favorite of the day. I can't imagine what Jackie would actually do to Steve...

Just so ya'll are jealous, Steve is the best husband e v e r and drove out of our way (which actually turned out to be not very out of the way at all) to eat lunch at Jollibee, a Filipino classic I've missed so much! We stuffed ourselves with Filipino spaghetti, pineapple juice, their version of burgers, and that thing in my hand: halu-halo. For an entire year I've tried and tried to explain halu-halo to Steve: ice, condensed milk, ube ice cream, flan, beans, corn, gelatin, mango, coconut, langka, etc. He didn't take my word for it and I think he was a little excited to prove me wrong. But who loved it?? He did! And me, siyempre.

I will drive to California anyday for halu-halo.

Aaaand, nag-picture-picture kami. The classic Filipino picture with strangers just because you can! These gals were awesome! I almost chickened out of the picture because there were a bunch of people that had just come in, but Steve said, "No way!" I love that he totally gets me.

DISNEY!!

At Christmas.

Is the b e s t. 

Steve's first time on the teacups was a success. Also, my first time with a man on the teacups was a success...that kid is strong! You can see the difference between background blurriness as he twirled us and when I took over. Check out that blur.

(Another side note, no-shave November is coming along nicely.)

This trip was so nice because we actually got to experience Disney. When I was younger, we were always running to and from rollercoasters and across parks and never really took the chance to be at Disneyland.

For both of us, it was the first time we went on Peter Pan, Snow White, Mr. Toad, etc. We watched a comedy show in the Golden Horseshoe, rode Mark Twain's ferry, and listened to the great music.

To end a perfect Disney day (with the sorest feet ever, thanks pregnancy,) it snowed! We got word from our family that it snowed at home as well over the weekend. Lucky for us, though, it was still warm in California and our snow was made of foam. Thank you, Disney, for a beautiful warm winter stroll down Main Street and fireworks to top off the night!

I am a firm believer that dreams really can come true.

Mine came true the day I married my eternal sweetheart.

That day was a day we had both dreamed of for years. Years, guys.

We have lived big and loved long, and now we look back and know the Lord placed us together.

Steve and I sometimes reflect on our past and think of the what-ifs...but we realize there really are no what-ifs because Heavenly Father had us planned all along.

He has been in every detail of our lives and I am so grateful that he aligned our meeting way back when.

When we met, it felt like coming home.

 And life together makes perfect sense.

Here's to one year under our belts, a lot of laughs, a baby girl on the way (as well as many to come,) and an eternity ahead of us!

kind-ness (kahynd-nis)

Something that has been on my mind very frequently recently (and something that I have learned over the years and held very close to my heart) is the Power of Kindness.

I've learned that impatience, selfishness, and indifference towards others gets one nowhere.

I've learned that sympathy, goodness, and grace can work miracles.

In a special General Conference talk given by Joseph B. Wirthlin, he testifies:

"Kindness is the essence of greatness and the fundamental characteristic of the noblest men and women I have known. Kindness is a passport that 

opens doors

and

fashions friends.

It

softens hearts

and

molds relationships

that can

last lifetimes."

"Kindness is the 

essence of a celestial life. 

Kindness is how a Christlike person treats others. 

Kindness should permeate all of our words and actions..."

"The 

things you say,

the

tone of your voice,

the

anger or calm of your words -

these things are noticed..."

And I know these things are noticed, even if we may not feel noticed. Others know when you truly care and when you don't. We have a divine ability to feel this. There's something so miraculous and Christlike about a stranger who cares. One of the greatest compliments I received recently was from a complete stranger who quickly became a friend for a few short minutes. 

She said, 'You really care, don't you? I can just tell. I don't know what it is, but I can tell you are genuinely happy because of it.'

 A stranger who notices why Heavenly Father created

you.

 "Nothing exposes our true selves more than how we treat one another..."

"One way you can measure your value in the kingdom of God is to ask, 

'How well am I doing in helping others reach their potential?"

Not necessarily, How well am I doing at reaching my own potential?

As we focus our love outward, it is inevitable that we will reach the potential that God has designed us for. Our potential is divine, but one we cannot reach if we are lacking gentleness and meekness - a character of being humbly patient. 

Being humbly patient is certainly not something that is always easy, especially when we are approached by another's unkindness. But we are to frankly forgive. By this, I mean noticeably, sincerely, generously offer kindness when unkindness may be shown towards you.

"Why? 

In the scriptures Jude taught, 

'And of some have compassion,

making a difference.'

Who can tell what far-reaching impact we can have if we are only kind?"

"Our work here is but a 

shadow of greater and unimaginable things to come."

We're getting there!

To read Elder Wirthlin's entire talk (or watch) click here. Completely worth it.

20 weeks

What a wonderful couple of weeks it's been! So much happening!

As for Baby Girl:

 

1. The baby bump has come! 

2. She is a wiggle muffin! I've been feeling her move for about a week now (first time was in church last Sunday, Oct. 27) and it is the most remarkable feeling in the world. Steve can't wait until he can feel her too. Whenever I tell him I can feel her, he'll come running and sit patiently waiting and watching...and then she stops!

3. Maternity pants are the most recent addition to my wardrobe and feel like a dream.

Most recently, we got to celebrate Steve's birthday! It's always a nice month and a half when he and I are the same age :) I love this man more than anything in the world and feel so absolutely blessed to have him forever. He is the very best. Good inside and out. He's had baby fever way longer than I have and is so excited to become a daddy this year! I couldn't ask for a better man!

The rest of the month has been very busy and exciting.

One of my dearest friends, Naomi, just had a very special baby girl (Mary)! We've already confirmed Mary and Baby B will be roommates when they head to college!

We got a special visit from Steve's dad and step-mom a couple weeks ago.

Steve and I got to spend our first Halloween together (we've either been working or on missions since we began dating 5+ years ago)! We are still lame and didn't get a chance to dress up, but have big plans for our costumes with Baby B next year! We had a special birthday dinner for him with my family, and then movie night with his awesome brothers and sisters-in-law. Hocus Pocus never gets old (Max was way cuter when I was younger, though! Ok, he's still cute.)

And yesterday we got our first snow! Today there are tiny flakes falling and it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas (not like I haven't been playing Christmas music since September or anything... it's the Filipina in me.) I love Christmas!! I love the feeling, the light, the warmth...it is so much more than what we often make it.

So to start an early Christmas season off right, please feel free to watch this beautiful video from the Church.

We have so much to look forward to and our little family feels so very blessed.
Life is so wonderful!