CALLED

One. word. done. finally! CALLED. This made me remember the day that Klay opened his mission call... it was a really emotional day I remember. He got it while I was at school and then later that night we went to cafe sabor with his family and he opened it. "Dear Elder Kelsey, you are hereby called to serve as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Argentina, Salta mission." This was really the first day that it hit me that my best friend was really leaving. He was going far away and I was going to be here... alone.. only being able to talk to him through letters and emails. I remember being so excited to know where he was going, but at the same time I was so hurt to know that I only had a few months left with him. There were a lot of tears that week, and throughout those next few months. But we made the most of those months and I got to spend a lot of amazing quality time with my best friend. Today I am happy to say that he is serving, with all of his heart. He asked me if he could give his heart to the Argentines for 2 years and I could have it back when he is home :) I told him I would be ok with that. It is hard to know that I can only be there for him in words, but I pray that those words are enough to help him on his worst days. I couldn't be more in love with that Argentina missionary, he is truly my hero. If I could give any advice to anyone else who is waiting... think about why they are serving, and who they are serving for. I had a really hard time with Klay leaving. REALLY HARD TIME. hardest thing ever to pull out of his driveway sobbing, and not go back and ask him to stay. But once I really thought about it, and realized that he was doing it for his savior, who suffered for all of his sins and sorrows, 2 years didn't seem so bad. Even though some days it is hard to not have him here, I will forever be grateful that he heeded the call and served, it had made me love him and my savior even more.

March 24th

Today is our 2 year anniversary!!!! WHAT?! it doesn't seem like it has been 2 years... I can't believe almost a year of that 2 years he has been 5000 miles away from me. But yet I love him even more than when he left. 2 years ago today we went on our first date. He picked me up in his red jeep and I remember I couldn't stop laughing cause he was so dang funny!! We went to the dam, set up his hammock and just sat and talked and laughed. Then we fed the ducks and had a bread fight. I remember there was a Chinese man there and he was just pointing at us and laughing hahaha it was hilarious. I told Klay that I hated birds so he made a trail of bread from the water to the hammock haha how mean! ;) They didn't follow it though thank goodness. Then when we left he let me drive his jeep to zeppes! ha He must have trusted me. So we got zeppes and then I had to go home because of the young women's broadcast. I remember being sad that it had to be over so quick. So I went to the broadcast and after that we had to stop at his sister's house to get something AND HE WAS THERE!!! ahhhhh i was so happy. haha I couldn't stop smiling. And that is the story of our first date. All the days after that I just kept falling in love with the boy :) I am so grateful that it didn't end there, that it will continue on forever! :) He is my best friend and my true love and I am soooo blessed to have him. Can't wait until he is home.
Also this is 11 months! wahhhooo! Here is the poem for the month :)

Today I MISS Him.

I miss him every single day. But today, I don't know why, I just miss him more than usual. So I'm just cleaning and listening to sappy miss you love songs. Like....

• All This Time- One Republic
• Can't Help Falling in Love With You- Ingred Michaelson
• Please Remember Me- Danielle Bradberry
• A Drop in the Ocean- Ron Pope
• Forever and Always-Parachute
• I'll be-Edwin Mccain

yeahhh :) They are good ones. Music has always been something that makes me feel better when I'm feeling down, especially since Klay has been gone.

Anyways, my birthday was on Thursday! you know what that means... I got to open my letter!!!! I was so excited. His letter was sweet as usual. and the pictures were great too! 

Haden, Edgar, and Reid took me go karting for my birthday! wahoooo, it was way fun, except i'm a slow poke ;) After that my family came and we went to dinner at costa vida and then opened presents and had cake and ice cream mmmmm. Thanks to everyone who made it a great birthday :)

Christmas!!

ahhh yeah :)

He asked someone to paint these pictures for us! :) 

The Room

"17 year old Brian Moore had only a short time to write something for a class. The subject was what Heaven was like. "I wowed 'em," he later told his father, Bruce. "it's a killer. It's the best thing I ever wrote." It also was the last. 
Brian's parents had forgotten about the essay when a cousin found it while cleaning out the teenager's locker at Teary Valley High School. Brian had been dead only hours, but his parents desperately wanted every piece of his life near them-notes from classmates and teachers, his homework.
Only two months before he had handwritten the essay about encountering Jesus in a file room full of cards detailing every moment of the teen's life. But it was only after Brian's death that Beth and Bruce Moore realized that their son had described his view of heaven. "It makes such an impact that people want to share it. You feel like you are there." Mr. Moore said.
Brian Moore died May 27, 1997, the day after Memorial day. He was driving home from a friend's house when his car went off Bulen-Pierce Road in Pickaway County and struck a utility pole. He emerged from the wreck unharmed but stepped on a downed power line and was electocuted.
The Moores framed a copy of Brian's essay and hung it among the family portraits in the living room. "I think God used him to make a point. I think we were meant to find it and make something out of it" Mrs. Moore said of the essay. She and her husband want to share their son's vision of life after death. "I'm happy for Brian. I know he's in heaven. I know I'll see him."

Brian's Essay: The Room...

In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features except for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endless in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read 'Girls I have liked.' I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one. And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was.
This lifeless room with it's small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't match. A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.
A file named 'Friends' was next to one marked 'friends I have betrayed.' The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird 'Books I Have Read,' 'Lies I have told,' 'Comfort I have given,' 'Jokes I have laughed at.' Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: 'Things I've yelled at my brothers.' Others I couldn't laugh at: 'Things I have done in my anger' 'Things I have muttered under my breath at my parents.' I never ceased to be surprised by the contents.
Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my years to fill each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.
When I pulled out the file marked 'TV shows I have watched,' I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yeards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of the shows but more by the vast wasted time I knew that file represented.
When I came to a file marked 'Lustful thoughts' I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch not willing to test its size and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content.
I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded. An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mine: No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them! In insane frenzy I yanked the file out. It's size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.
Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to it's slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh.
And the I saw it.. The title was 'People I have shared the Gospel with.' The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on it's handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.
And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that they hurt. They started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key. But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw! Him.
No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own.
He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to read every one? Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in his eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me.
Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card. "No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was "no, no," as I pulled the card from him. His name shouldn't be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood. He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side.
He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is finished." I stood up, and He lead me out of the room. There was no lock on it's door. There were still cards to be written."

I got this story from a young women leader once. I don't remember being so touched then as I was when I found it today and read it again. It brought tears to my eyes as I thought of myself in that situation. What would be on the cards of my life? I hate to think that there would be cards that would cause me to shudder upon reading them. I hate to think that there would be only a few cards of people I have shared the gospel with. It made me think about how I am living my life. I would love it if instead of crying in shame, I was laughing and smiling about all the good things that I have done at the end of my life. But we all make mistakes, and I know that through the power of the Atonement we can all be forgiven. I hope that everyone reading this was as touched as I was. It is my prayer that we will all be able to fill our cards with virtuous, lovely and praiseworthy acts throughout all of our lives and that we will have the courage to repent for our mistakes and truly have a change of heart.

He's making me wait.

So I got a letter from Klay in the mail a few weeks ago. And I was so excited when I saw it, because I had just recently got 2 letters and i wasn't expecting another one! But I turned it over to open it and it says... "Hey! you can't open this until your birsday!"

and I was sad.. cause my birthday wasn't for like 3 weeks. So it just sits on my desk and stares at me. I admit I have almost opened it numerous times. Cause i know it has 2 SD cards of pictures in it AND a birthday letter! It's driving me crazy. So he's making me wait. What the heck. just kidding, I am actually really excited for my birthday because I know first thing thursday morning I will  be reading words from my favorite boy and seeing pictures of his cute face. And what more could I ask for? So last night I really really almost opened it. So i just took pictures with it instead so i wouldn't ruin the surprise :) Sorry for the bad quality... I took the pictures with my laptop camera... and it sucks. My phone is lost so i couldn't use it... so if you know where that is i would really like to have it back thanks :)

IT'S COMING EVERYONE!

10 months down! I'm excited to announce that 1 year is almost here :) Actually there are a lot of milestones that we are going to be hitting in the next few months... here's the run down:
March 3- We will be out of the 400's! ahh! (as of today he has 404 days left)
March 20- my birthday! woot woot! I'll be 19, last year as a teenager :/ good or bad thing idk?
March 24- 11 months and our 2 year anniversary! HOLY COW! That flew by. time flies when you're having fun right?
April 24- 1YEAR MARK! I seriously am going to celebrate this day. whoever wants to join me is welcome :) this is also about the time school is getting out and I will get to go HOME! can't wait :)
May 1st- my sweet Klay's birthday. He is going to be 20! what an old man ;) jk I am excited for him to get his birthday present :) I will post about that later :)
wew! I am so excited for it all :) I wish I could like call him on his birfday or something.... oh what I would do just to be able to call that sweet thing! That would be the greatest thing. But I was thinking about this.. If I didn't get to email him or write him letters I would probably be saying, "oh what I would do to just get a letter from him! just one!" haha so today I am grateful for those sweet letters that he sends :) And for being able to give him my support through letters and emails. Speaking of that.. I got 2! last week and they were great. The only thing is... klay tries to put little surprises in the envelopes haha like buttons and SD cards.. so the mailmen open the letters and take em out!!! so my letters have been ripped open the past couple times. but the letters are still in them so that's ok :)
Something else that is exciting! My friend Angie left on her mission today!! I am so excited for her, the people of Nashville are going to love her. Nashville is one of the very few places I have got to travel to in my life, and I loved it. That southern hospitality makes my heart happy :) Knowing Angie she will do amazing and change so many lives. Also Nicole leaves on March 5th! Her farewell was this last Sunday and she did great as expected :) Nicole and I have had a lot of good times together and she is one of my best friends. Portugal sure is lucky. Good luck Nicole! I'm going to miss you, but I know you'll do great! Make sure to write :)
P.s. the poem continues! As the months pass by

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's day everyone! What a wonderful holiday right? I can't decide if I really love the love day or not. It is quite wonderful when you have someone to share it with, but when you are alone it kind of sucks. Good thing this year my parents and my in-laws (not quite, but pretty much) :) made it a pretty good valentines day. They both spoiled me with candy and perfume and flowers. How nice of them. :) I love both of my families very much :) I wasn't able to send klay a package for Valentine's day...cause I'm poor. so instead I took some pictures to send to him! shout out to my mom for being my pro photographer for the day! enjoy lovelies :)