my sunday loves

It's Sunday which means it is now the perfect time to tell you all those reasons I'm loving life!

My last post was a bit of a downer, which is a bit odd considering I am feeling great these days. I think I just wanted to express how I felt starting out this new school...anxious, scared, unprepared, overwhelmed, and a little inadequate. I just felt like the BIG plans I'd had for so long weren't really panning out which is scary when you're at this stage in life. But it's ok. I've made a few new decisions, reset my sights on a new path, and started working for it. I'm heading in the right direction and I feel so good about where it's taking me. So, onto my loves for the day!

1. I love laughing myself silly at the things Parker says. He surprises me sometimes with how funny he is! I'm not sure if I unleashed his silly side or if it he just chose to keep it on the d-l while we were dating, but either way I'm so happy it's here. He makes my day so much fun! These won't mean anything to you, but here are a few of my favorites.

Parker: "Wait! Ok. You can touch. But only with two fingers."

Chelsey: "Let him go! Let him go!"

Parker: "Free Willy!"

Chelsey: "He likes me even when you don't."

Parker: "Whaaaa? Nooooo. Hmmm. Ok...ees true."

2. I love it when Parker g-chats me, throws in a jab, and then logs off before I can nail him with a clever comeback (note the sarcasm). It drives me crazy! He did it while we dated, kept it up all throughout our engagement and wedding planning (I about killed him those days), and apparently hasn't grown out of the phase just yet. Here's a taste...

Parker: beeder

i kill you

Chelsey: (attempts to respond)

Parker is offline.

Parker: you're gay

Chelsey: (typing)

Parker is offline.

Chelsey: (running into the kitchen) You are ridiculous!!! (shrieks & attempts undisclosed form of punishment)

Parker: Bahahahahaha!

I know. I wonder how we function too. And how we've lasted. It's a mystery...

3. I love Sunday walks. Before we came up with the bright idea we bordered on insanity most Sunday nights. I love that Sunday is a day of rest, but after resting in our teeny little apartment for so many hours you start to feel like the walls are closing in on you. We're lucky to live in such a nice neighborhood. It's so hilly and random that we seem to find a new route almost every time they go. Plus there are some beautiful homes to admire along the way.

Today I brought Parker to the elementary school playground to teach him how to properly kick a soccer ball. He's actually really good! An older couple sat along the fence and watched us play for awhile...I'm hoping they're not anyone we know. We made a million dirty steals, a few football tackles, and quite a few "good game" bum taps. I think they tired of us once we retired to the swings. No idea why...it was the cutest part! Parker pushed me high, high, high and I couldn't help but giggle and smile and think to myself how perfect it all seemed. I've really never been happier.

4. Speaking of happy, we are grateful for friends. We don't have many up here. We live in a more established neighborhood and haven't run into many newlyweds thus far. Parker looked at me today and said, "It'd be harder having our friends so far if I didn't always have so much fun with you." Awwww...take a moment. He's cute I know (or just catching on very quickly that I definitely tend toward the "words of affirmation" category of the languages of love).

Anyway, it is true that we are best friends and do have the best of times together, but it's also true that we miss our friends like crazy. Three of our very best friends got married this summer and we've been dying to spend time with them. Yesterday we visited with 2 of the 3 and had the best time! I had almost forgotten how funny they all are. We laughed and laughed with Garrett & Tanae about dating habits, awkward pre-wedding group conversations, and old times at the Dirty B. And Natalie, Bennett, Parker & I talked so much about our new newlywed lives that I could almost feel myself sprouting a Provo, UT poof. We're so excited to drive back to Provo this Friday and Saturday to spend more time with everyone. We love you guys!

5. My world-traveling family who bring me home the BEST souvenirs. Kristy, Lara, Mikell & Kaitlin were lucky little girls in New York this weekend. In addition to the watching the U.S. Open these girls visited Broadway and made enough shopping trips to last any shopping junkie til Christmas. Luckily one of these trips involved finding a new purse for little Miss Chelsey (I'm a lucky girl I know). They ended up finding me a metallic grey Versaci purse that is so classy. I love it! It's almost as if my purse knew too. No joke. My purse strap (which had been hanging on by a thread for the last month) gave way less than 2 minutes after Kristy's picture text came. It's as if it knew I'd be abandoning it soon. Or maybe it just figured it'd paid its dues. Either way, I am SO excited for the one that's on its way. Thanks again girls!

6. The Gospel--I know that is so typical to put on a Sunday favorites list, but I can't tell you how much it really does mean to me. I felt like a little tear bucket today...in Relief Society I looked over and noticed an elderly man in the midst of all the women. His daughter shared her testimony in Sacrament Meeting about coming home to celebrate his 93rd birthday. As I watched him I noticed he had his head bowed low, hands resting in his lap, elbows resting on his wheelchair arms, his frail little shoulders rising and falling with each breath. I could tell he was sleeping. At first, I wondered what he could possibly get from Church when A. he slept through most every meeting and B. it likely took quite a bit out of him to get here. But seeing him in his cute Sunday suit and retro-looking tie made me smile. It didn't matter what he heard. His effort to be here, every Sunday, for the entire three-hour block was a greater demonstration of faith to me than even the most attentive listener's contributing comment or story. The longer I watched him, the more I thought of my own grandfather, and the closer I came to full-on tears. It made me realize, with my able mind and body, how much more I can be doing to show the Lord my commitment to live the Gospel...my faith in His promise that, if I endure well, He will exalt me on high.

My love for my ward and appreciation for their examples continued to grow throughout the day. I watched my Bishop's wife light up the halls with her smile and sincerity. She blows me away with the effort she makes to ensure that every ward member feels acknowledged, cared for, and loved. I never manage to leave Church without a hello from her and a compliment on my comments or the connections I've made with my YW. She is one of those people who is in all our lives to help us understand more fully our Savior's love.

And our lessons...it's always exactly what I need to hear! Parker came away from Church so excited over the discussion they'd just had in Elder's Quorum. They'd focused their time on how we can find peace in this life through our Savior Jesus Christ. Our Relief Society lesson touched on the importance of Scriptures and how often we forget, when looking for answers to our questions, to turn our attention there. As we discussed what we'd learned on the car ride home, we realized how much we needed those reminders. We're living one of the noisiest, most chaotic, and most trying times of our life right now. We have so much on our plate, so many decisions to make, and so many things that need to get done that it's easy to lose sight of what our highest priorities should be. Are we involving our Savior in our big decisions? Are we reading our scriptures and praying daily so the Spirit can guide our lives to the place where we'll find the greatest happiness? Are we realizing that if these things came first it'd be easier to accomplish everything else on our to-do list?

I don't know. My thinking on paper is getting less coherent the longer I write. I am just so grateful today for these sweet reminders to me of how lucky I am to be leading the life I live. I have everything I need to be happy right at my fingertips...all I need to do now is take a few leaps of faith then hold on. It's going to be a great semester!!!