I Love You

Friday we had planned to see the Christmas lights at temple square. Trevor texted me in the morning and said he wanted to take me to dinner as well. Not long after, Daren texted me and said he and Nick were in the area and could we hang out? I asked him if they would want to go to dinner – and that worked out perfectly.

I was pretty excited for one of my best friends to meet Trevor.

We all met at the Cave at 6 to head to the Red Iguana. We had to wait for half an hour in the rain, but it was worth it. The food there is so good! Amazingly good. It was fun to catch up with Daren and remember old times and funny stories.

Daren and Nick headed home, and Trevor and I headed to temple square. 

(All these pictures are at night on Trevors' phone - so the quality is very poor)

It was raining pretty significantly, but we went anyways. It had lessened much by the time we got there, thankfully. It was more sprinkling, but it was cold! We got there in time to see a Christmas concert in the Assembly Hall – it was very good. 

Then we walked around, saw the nativity. The only thing we didn't get to see is the Christus – the line was just too long.

We stopped by the reflection pool which is so beautiful.There are floating candles on the water and the nativity in the center.

Trevor had parked on the hill up from temple square, and it was beautiful to look down the street lined with trees covered in lights to the glowing temple square. He pulled me into him as we were looking at temple square, and said, “I’m not sure if you are ready to say this yet, but I am. I love you”. And I, for the first time in my entire life, said it back! Because for the first time in my entire life I was in love! 

I've had it said to me before but never could respond. I dated Jaymes for 7 months and wanted to say it, because it felt like it was time – but I couldn't because I wasn't in love with him.

It was the perfect evening. So fun and romantic and special. I’m a very lucky girl!

Love,

Brittney

**Note – I did know it was coming. A couple weeks prior, we had one of those moments where we were looking at each other and you could tell we both were thinking about the “L” word, and Trevor says, “you are going to say it first!” which I told him was absurd, he would. That started a joke, where we’d say “you are going to say it first”. I told him it was his job as the man to say it first, and that he better make it good. When he brought it up that way, I figured he was starting to want to say it, but was testing the waters to see my reaction. I’m very grateful he waited 2 weeks – I was starting to think about it at that point, was definitely not there yet. Some things happened in the course of those 2 weeks that showed to me I really do love him. I couldn’t have said it back if he had said it 1 or 2 days earlier.

Because He So Loved The World

I was thanking my Heavenly Father today for blessing me so much. For allowing me the opportunities in life to feel low enough to be truly humble and teachable. It is in those times of deepest trial and despair that I have come to know my Heavenly Father the very best.

 
Thanking Him for taking the time and effort to help me grow, even though it hurts us both.

It was then that this thought came to my mind so clearly and forcefully:

Jesus Christ suffered so much pain for the world – a lot of that pain was so that we could grow. I normally think of the pain of the Savior as being solely pain for sins - and while that is a big part of it - much of that pain was not because of sin, but because of growth. Our growth.

We have been given so many trials and tests in this life to mold us into who our Father in Heaven knows we can become. The only way for us to become perfect is through learning and growing, and the best way to optain that is through trials. Trials that bring us pain and suffering initially, but then overwhelm us with joy and bless us for the rest of our lives. That pain allows us in the end to have the opportunity to return to Heaven and to have so much more joy in this life. His suffering for all our pain and trials and sins allows us to feel those pains less, to overcome them and grow from them in a way we couldn’t otherwise.

The Lord could have given us less trials and tests, and He would have suffered so much less. But He chose to hurt more so that we could hurt less. I feel so overwhelmed by the spirit right now, and with love.

I am so thankful for a Father in Heaven and for a Brother, Jesus Christ, that love me enough to allow me to hurt so I can grow, to suffer right along with me and for me, so that I never have to be alone.

Love,
Brittney

My Girlfriend Beats Me In Words With Friends

Trevor and I made a bet on a game of Words With Friends. He was talking smack like he could beat me, which I knew was false. So I bet him, and he agreed. If I won - he had to wear a shirt that says "My Girlfriend beats me in Words with Friends" 5 times of my choosing. I am thinking - family reunion, guys night, Elders Quorum activity, date night, Christmas party..... :)

Our Song

"Turn My World Around"

I've been searching

I've been thinking

I can't keep rolling like a broken stone

I've been praying,

Lord, don't let me

walk through life empty and alone

No one ever loved me like you do

You know I been let down a time or two

I was over lost, I was nowhere bound

You came along and turned my world around

You've been patient

You've been honest

You ask for nothing, but a hand to hold

You've been fearless

when you whisper

a simple promise worth it's weight in gold

No one ever loved me like you do

You know I've been let down a time or two

I was over lost, I was nowhere bound

You came along and turned my world around

One kiss, one touch, one look could say so much

One dream, so right, two hearts are one tonight

We've been tested

We've been lucky

We found each other in this endless crowd

We've been blessed

Our search is over

Forever starts right here, right now

No one ever loved me like you do

You know I've been let down a time or two

I was over lost, I was nowhere bound

You came along and turned my world around

You know you turned my world around

You know you turned my world around

Trevor texts me one day,

Trevor: Look up the song "Turn My World Around" by Gloriana. Makes me think of you! :)

Britt: That song completely melted my heart. The lyrics are so sweet. I'm glad it made you think of me.

Do we have a song now!? We have a lot of songs...

Trevor: I'm ok with that one being our song!

Britt: It's a good one! That can be our romantic song. I still think of you evey time I hear "Cruise" and "Woman Like You" makes me think of you too. (He sang Woman Like You to me one night, it was so cute).

I'm not sure how Cruise got to be our song, but it definitely is. I think it started out as a joke, but then it was just our song. Everytime it comes on I think of Trevor. We even got to dance to it once, at the Westerner. Makes me smile everytime I hear it.

Thanksgiving 2012

Thanksgiving morning as I was preparing to make green bean casserole, I realized I needed one more can of cream of mushroom soup. I went to the store to pick up a can, and in the checkout the guy directly across from me had a seizure. I’ve never seen anyone have a seizure before. It was horrible. His wife was crying and he was convulsing and tons of saliva was coming out of his mouth. They called 911. I left while he was still seizing and have no idea how it turned out. I sat in my car totally shocked and horrified and prayed for him. I hope he’s ok.

After that incident, I went to Trevor's for Thanksgiving. It was really fun. I really like all of his family. The food was good as well. After we played some games, then everyone talked and hung out. It was so fun to be in a family setting – being so far from my family I rarely get that opportunity.

Trevor came back to my house and we watched Rat Race (he’d never seen it). Then we went to the mall at midnight to get him a watch – which was a flop as the Fossil was one of the only stores not open.

Friday morning I drove to Grandma and Grandpa’s and spent the rest of the weekend with them and Taylor. Camree came over and the three of us went shopping, and that was very fun. We don’t spend enough time together.

It was a very good thanksgiving! I have so much to be grateful for. This year I didn’t write something I’m grateful for every day like I did last year (I actually really enjoyed doing it last year) so I think I’ll write a list here. Not in any particular order, here is a list of things I am grateful for in 2012:

I am thankful for:

• My job as a Portfolio Analyst in the Missionary Portfolio. I was still a contingent worker in 2011, and had a couple of different roles. This year I am so thankful for a job I love, enough pay for my needs, co-workers who are incredible and the opportunity to work for the Lord’s church, to be a missionary every day, that my work can have a profound effect on the world.

• Increased level of faith.

• A deeper knowledge/understanding of the Savior, my Heavenly Father and the Gospel.

• Having some place to move when my contract ended. I was struggling to find housing and everything just worked to move to the Cave, and that has been a huge blessing.

• Better relationship with my family.

• My new iphone 5! No more cracked screen! Yeah!

• My new ward. I like this ward more now after a month than I ever did in a year of my old ward.

• New friends

• Trevor

• Lacey

• Opportunities to serve others.

• Sushi!

• Tim

• Holidays

• Tae Kwon Do

• Eye lash extensions

• Bright colors coming back into style

• Being healthy and happy

• Getting to go to Pakistan for Samar’s wedding

I have so much to be grateful for! I am very blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Love,

Brittney

Gloriana Concert

Trevor and I went to the Gloriana concert! It was incredible. They have the most amazing voices, and harmonize so well. They are very good in concert.

One of my favorite songs right now is by them, Kissed you Goodnight.

Love, Brittney

Our Savior's Love

Today I went to a retirement/rehabilitation center and brought cookies to the people there. I met some awesome people.


We asked this awesome old man what song to sing, and he said, "sing my song! Our Savior's Love".

Turns out, this jovial old man is none other than Crawford Gates! Composer extraordinaire! He composed the music for Our Saviors Love and tons of others.

So I sang Our Saviors Love to the guy who composed it. I’m practically famous!