I think that I've been concerned about my future husband enjoying his career for pretty much my whole life. It's always been important to me that my husband can go to work and actually enjoy what he's doing every day. So ever since the day I started dating Jake, it's been a relief to know how much he completely and utterly LOVES his job! Jake is a software engineer for a company called Podium. I'm always telling people that when I see Jake after work each day and ask him how work was, he's constantly saying things like, "It was SO great!" "We had so much fun today!" "Today was so productive and great!" It makes me laugh every time, because I've never known anyone who just loved what they do so much! But it's not just the job, it's definitely the company as well. Podium has been so good to Jake, and I couldn't be more grateful that he works for such an awesome company. 

We went to the Podium Christmas party last night, and it was so fun to celebrate the growth of the company and meet more of the people Jake works with. Jake got some awesome swag, and they even gave the spouses a matching sweatshirt. So you bet that as soon as we got home, Jake and I put on our matching sweatshirts and then turned on The Force Awakens to prepare for the new Star Wars movie that just came out. 

Haha, life is so sweet. 

Oh, p.s. only 28 days until I get to seal the deal with the hottest man to ever walk the Earth!

CHRISTMAS TREE HUNTING

Merry KISSmas, ammiright, people???

I had NEVER been hunting for a real Christmas Tree, (or even ever had a real Christmas Tree!) so when Jake told me that we were gonna go up to the cabin to go hunt for a Christmas Tree, I was SO EXCITED! We were super fast in finding and cutting down the tree, and by the time we got it in the house, it just felt like it was always meant to be there. ;) Plus, Jake has a funny pooping story (which I won't share here--you're welcome) that we'll always be able to tell our kids when we talk about our first Christmas Tree together, haha! Love every single adventure with my favorite guy.

Merry Christmas.

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Yes, Jesus Christ. In other words (and in efforts to clear up any misconceptions), I am a Christian. Thus along with the rest of the Christian world, I celebrate Christmas.

I just want to bear my simple testimony that I know that the Savior lives; I know that He was resurrected by His infinite glory, through the Father, to overcome death - not only for himself, but for all of us. I know that His atonement is something more than my mortal mind can fully comprehend. But I am ever so grateful for the mere glimpses of understanding Heavenly Father has granted me through sacred experiences. I know that we can return to live with Him again, after all we can do. I love that my Savior, in His perfect love, atoned for my many sins, shortcomings, inadequacies, pains, and imperfections; that He, a man without blemish, advocates perfection in all of my flaws.

Merry Christmas. :)

Happiness.

While I still care about Matthew as much as I think is possible, let me tell you why dating someone for two whole years before they leave on a mission is one of the stupidest things I've ever done.

Sometimes the advice and words of family and prophets is given because they can see the future consequences when I cannot. Being together with Matthew was the best time of my life, and I don't regret a single minute; I just wish I would have done it differently. I didn't see anything wrong with us being together because it just felt so good. But you can't really prepare yourself for how you're going to feel when someone you've spent every day with for two years, just ups and leaves for the next two years. I was sulky and selfish, and I focused a lot on what I DIDN'T have. I seemed to only notice things I was missing out on. I was lonely and picky about who I let console me. And I was so busy being like that, that I couldn't even see all the trillions of blessings right in front of my face. Matthew has been gone for about 7 and a half months now, but I feel like I've learned more in the past couple of weeks than I have his entire mission so far. It's kind of like I woke up one day and finally saw how much I have. And that in itself is such a blessing. 

My really good friend Mike Stanley got home from his mission a couple weeks ago, and him and his family came to visit my family last night.  Between games, Mike, his brother Ben, and their dad Dave went over to the piano and started singing, and pretty soon my brothers and my dad joined in. It reminded me so much of when I was younger and my family would just sing around the piano for hours. Those guys just belting out "Hey Jude," "Let It Be," and "Hallelujah"...It was one of the happiest moments of my life and such a perfect reminder of how blessed I am. I'm so grateful to have such talented, fun, loving people in my life. I'm grateful for good, lifelong friends like the Stanley's. And especially at this time of year, I'm grateful for a loving Redeemer so that I can enjoy these blessings on Earth with the peace of knowing that I don't have to leave them behind when I leave Earth. 

Merry Christmas, everyone. I hope it'll be as happy for you as it has been for me. And if it hasn't been yet, then I invite you to LOOK for the blessings around you; I guarantee you'll find them, and they will make you so, so happy.

Saturday

Merry Christmas. :)

Love, Kalynn.

Dear Fat-man-in-a-{big}-red-coat,

Santa Claus- commonly mistaken for "clause", however, not to be confused with the constitutional components such as the Due Process Clause. (I would be learning more about that in a class I WAS signed up for to take next semester that WOULD have helped me towards my professional aspirations, however...I opted out for my snowboarding class instead. There is no turning down new love.) See. I know your name. Therefore, I have a few concerns I'd like to bring to your attention with the utmost urgency:


1} channel 105.1 on the radio is (usually) pretty good about playing a great festive mix. HOWEVER, as of late they seem to feel inclined to use Michael Buble's "home" and chipmunk-teeth'd Miley Cyrus' "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" in its assortment. While I love me some Mr. Buble, I'd prefer his CHRISTMAS music around this time of year. And Miley Cyrus, Christmas or not, gets the automatic thumbs-down-skip-to-the-next-song. Please assure this does not happen again.

2} You are doing a wonderful job in the snow department; there hasn't been too much this year! However, with my new ambitions of becoming a pro snowboarder, could you possibly make it so that there is a lot of snow in the mountains of Brian Head, but not a lot in the land of Cedar City? don't want to drive in it...but I do want to learn to shred it at B-head.

3} Speaking of shredding it on the snow, I need some snow pants. Just plain black ones is all I ask for. I have no money because all of that is being spent on my pass and school. mostly on my pass though, thanks to my lovely parents. :) ( I promise the plan will work mom!:) )

4} I would like to request the banning of flashing Christmas tree lights. Especially when coupled with a majority of non-flashing strands on the SAME tree. I don't know whoever decided it was cool to have only the bottom-right section of their tree flashing, but...they were wrong. It simply looks like you have annoying shortage in your wires. A shortage that leads me to epileptic tendencies. Let's keep it classy, folks.

5} Last night I made gingerbread houses with my family. (that includes Matthew.) and guess what I discovered? I hate gingerbread. I think it tastes awful. But I DO love the smell. Can you make it taste like the candles?

Love,

Kalynn in Pleasant Grove.