I was so exhausted the whole weekend, which was weird because during the week is when I'm really active and usually I rest on the weekend. I think everything from the past 3 weeks just caught up with me. I was just so drained. I think I stopped myself before thinking too irrational about things.
Friday night we had a Halloween party for the branch. It was actulaly a birthday party, but we turned it into a Halloween party. Saturday I helped our Matt Schultz put on stamps on all these postcards he's sending out. He's running for reelection on the city council. I had a great chat with him about politics, Council Bluffs, the presidential candidates, etc. I'm really thinking about working full-time for the Republican nominee after the winter semester even if it's not Romney, though I think it will be Romney. He also gave me ideas about running for office around here.
Sunday was kind of rough. I had this problem on my mission too, but it's frustrating and stressful when others don't have the same level of committment I do. Sometimes I really feel like shaking someone and saying, "Come on man, get with it...do this, do that and then this will happen." It's definitely a weakness of mine, but also a strength. When I commit to something, I commit like a pitbull and will not let go, but I expect people to have this same level of committment or just place too high expectations for them period. I need to cut people more slack and not be "in the box" towards them. I've read some really good books lately- Leadership and Self-Deception and Anatomy of Peace. There's really good advice in those books about not letting you see yourself as the victim and preventing you from being "in the box" or a warring attitude toward them. I really recommend those books.
Kayla scored two goals at this game
AL-TJ. City rivals. I went over to enemy territory during the game. I think Colby's out there on kickoff return.
There's Jamie...and Colby #4 in the background.
We won 20-6 and the students rushed the field...reminded me of when we won my senior year and they all rushed the field.
So after the game I decided to reenact my last carry...Beck takes the ball at the 6 yard line, he breaks to the outside, spin move and...
TOUCHDOWN! I miss football. It hurt going to the games.
Ha, Zuster Lambooij called me and chewed me out for not having her picture up on my blog still, so I put her back on. Alstublieft Zuster Lambooij! Ik houd van jou.
7:00 in the morning, getting my music ready and pumping myself up.
I'm really not sure why, but a lot of people started out far back...there was room up front, but whatever.
...Al...most...there
They wouldn't let me fall over and die like I wanted to.
On our way out. It was almost sad to end all the training, running, and the actual marathon.
Ha, there was a lot of costume swapping at the Halloween party.
Yeah, it's true, I used the same costume as last year. But it works.
I gave my ostrich the name of Erwin.
Yep.
Dad's helping Jamie with her math homework. So the tradition continues.
Somebody had to walk around with the mikes at the town meeting with Governor Romney.
Yeah Governor. Seriously folks, he's our next President.
So this is what Rusty does to get attention: He comes up to you, does this little stretch thing, and then hugs your legs, curls up and encourages you to rub his belly. He's trying to be cute.
Kayla said she was cold so I wrapped in like 10 blankets.
Proof that humans are smarter than dogs.
Rusty sleeping.
Colby fell over in his chair...it was pretty funny.
Kayla turned 12, so she blew out the candles...three times.
The Stake Young Women's President asked me to read this letter at a young women's fireside. It was nice.
To My Dream Girl...We'll be in love someday, you and I. But I'm not sure I know you now. Someday somewhere we will discover each other.I'm home from the mission field, still feeling the way only a returned missionary can feel, still floating on memories too new to be dim. And, Dream Girl, I'm looking for you. A few years ago I was one of the boys, running the race of popularity - more concerned with sharp styles and good-looking cars than anything else.Then came the call, the farewell, the field. I was a missionary. There was the humbling realization of my greenishness and the regrets that I hadn't spent more hours gaining an understanding of the plan of living. I worked and studied and prayed. With new understanding of the precepts of Christ came new determination to live them, and new what had been a vague inner assurance became a burning testimony. I began tasting what is only a word until you tast it--joy--an exalted happiness that dwarfed the passing pleasures I had thought so desirable only yesterday. I began to comprehend the deeper significance of love and marriage and the family. I began thinking serious thoughts about the girl of the future--about you, Dream Girl--wondering, like all who are young, where you were and how I would know you.You, I told myself, would know what I knew. You would want to share the joy that would come from walking though life with the Lord at our side. You would want to go to the Temple. You would want to be queen of the greatest kingdom on earth--the home. You would want to be a mother. I brought home with me the knowledge that the gospel is essential to true happiness--and part of the gospel is you.And so I'm not interested in the girl who gives her lips freely--the girl who is immodest in dress and conduct. I'm not interested in the girl who changes her standards to fit her company--the girl who can see nothing wrong with an occasional cigarette or an occasional drink or occasional immorality. My mission taught me that "just once won't matter" can be traced to the Prince of Lies. I'm not looking for you at shady parties because, Dream Girl, you're not there.
You will not be the kind of girl who cares nothing and knows nothing about homemaking. Marriage will bring us face-to-face with the down-to-earth problems of living. There will be meals to prepare and dishes to wash, clothes to care for, and dirt to battle. There will be budgeting and sacrificing. There will be all the cares and responsibilities of parenthood. Going through the temple is not a magic solution for the preparing for the responsibilities we will carry as husband and wife and as parents.Neither of us will be perfect, Dream Girl, but we will love each other for what we want to be as well as for what we are. And when we don't see eye-to-eye, we will kneel hand in hand and seek the inspiration of the Father.There will not be many tomorrows until we meet. And when we do, I will still enjoy dating and dancing, still laugh with you, still relish good clean fun. But I will sense the inner part of you, too. I will feel your faith-your love for God. I will not be concerned with your popularity as much as with your spirituality, with your face and figure as much as with your ideas and ideals, with your ability to dance as much as your ability to make a home. I will see you as my future Queen.
So there you are--in my dreams.
