Make New Friends.

On Sunday my wonderful sister Melanie introduced me to Samantha. I knew that we were going to be great friends from the get-go because she didn't just shake my hand when we met, she gave me a hug. It may sounds lame but I don't think anyone understands how much of a relief it was to make a friend. I have only been out here for two weeks but I knew that I needed to start making friends, and I needed to start making friends FAST! Tonight Samantha invited me to hang out. We went to Borders, Starbucks, and Chipotle. It was a good time. I am looking forward to getting to know Samantha more and spending the summer with her. We have an exciting day tomorrow to look forward to as well, we are going to a movie, shopping, and a dance together. I am just radiating with happiness that I have a friend out here. But don't worry, I haven't forgotten about my friends back home.. Ya know the old song "make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold"? Well it's true. I'm making new friends but I still have my other friends. :) So today I am thankful for Samantha and for her so willingly taking me in and make me feel so loved.

Lovin' life,
Merilee

The Blessing of Parenthood and Life

Today as I was sitting in on my sister's conversation with her friend Debbie, Melanie made a very profound comment. She was talking about going to her best friends wedding in Hawaii and how she was thinking about being a parent and how important it is for parents to decide when they are going to have a child. She talked about how people look at her and think that she is crazy for having 3 kids under the age of 3, but how she loves being a mom and it doesn't matter what other people think because it is a very personal decision. Anyway, so as she was at Suzy's wedding she was thinking about how Suzy's parent's had no idea that when they decided to have their 4th child, Suzy, that she would be such a big part and blessing in my sister's life. It just made me think about how because so many parents have decided to have children when they did, how many of those babies have blessed my life.
It made me think about if my mom would've stopped having kids and wouldn't have had me, where would I be? Being a parent is such a vital part of life and it brings such a joy into your life. I'm so grateful for all of the parents that have decided to have these precious babies that have truly blessed my life. There have been many who were born right at the perfect time and even though I didn't necessarily know these people as babies, I know them now and because of the faith of their wonderful parents, I have benefited greatly. We are all so blessed to have the people whom we love most in our lives and to be able to have the opportunity, someday in my case to have children that will bless the lives of many, like so many children have done for me. I am thankful for babies today, newborns, and ones that were once newborns that have come into my life later in my life. Something about holding a baby and the joy and peace that it brings is not quite like anything else in life. I remember when my sister had my niece Mia. I have been close with all of my nieces and nephews and I love them all a lot but Mia was different. I don't know if it was because she was born at kind of a tough time in my life or if it was just because I'm closer in age to Allie and I felt like I had a closer connection for some reason or what but Mia blessed my life from the first time I held her and I can honestly say that has been the case with many of my nieces and nephews. As I was glancing in my new nephew Gideon's eyes today, I thought to myself, how is it possible for me to love a baby of my own more than I love these children that come into my life all the time. Even though Gideon has been sad and sick to his stomach all day and crying and spitting up, I wanted to do anything and everything in my power to make him feel better. Gideon is not my child, but just watching him go through this pain was heartbreaking. It reminds me of how our heavenly father feels when we are going through hard times and how badly he just wants to make everything all right but life is all about trials and being tested. I know that through trusting in him he can and will help us be happier. I am really looking forward to being a parent and can't wait to bring those precious lives into this world realizing that they are going to be a blessing not only to me, but they are going to be a blessing to the lives of many others. Although this chapter of my life seems so farfetched, I know that it is just around the corner and I am ready for anything that happens.

Waiting,

Merilee

P.s. so the pictures I have decided to post with my blog today represent some of the many "babies" that have recently or currently have blessed my life....

I Love My Mommy!!!

So my mom and I have had a lot of bonding time this last month as I have been home and not working much and her being stranded at home most days due to me totaling her car this last winter. :( It has been nice to be able to hang out with my mom lots! She came down to California with me for the first couple weeks I've been out here and she is leaving early tomorrow morning. I'm going to miss seeing my mom everyday and I won't have long when I come back from Cali before I move back down to Cedar for school so I'm going to miss her lots! My mom is such a great example to me of how to be the perfect mother, grandmother, sister, friend, and person. She has so many great qualities but one that just really hits home for me is her willingness to serve anyone and everyone around her. As she has been in California she keeps telling Melanie that she feels bad that she hasn't done anything since she has been here and we all just laugh in her face because if you know my mom she can't help but serve ALL the time. She has constantly been building cool temples, zoos, and various creations with the kids, or she has been at the sink washing every little dish, or she has been changing diapers here and there. The woman can't help but serve and do anything and everything, but yet, she always feels like she never does anything. All I have to say about my wonderful mother is that she has a direct one way ticket to the celestial kingdom and I hope to be half as wonderful as she is someday. I love you mommy and I'm going to miss you the next little while. Thanks for all you do!!!

Loving and Missing My Dear Mommy,
Merilee

Games are the best! :)

Alright, I wrote this really nice and clever entry about what I am thankful for today and something weird happened so I'm just going to sum it up to this. Today I am grateful for games because games have helped my family grow a stronger bond. We have always been a family that has loved bonding through playing games and I love that it is a fun environment but yet we can still get competitive in a very loving way. I love my family and I enjoy playing games with them all. These pictures are of us playing one of our new favorites "Blokus" from tonight and it has been a fun and challenging game that we are still trying to figure out.

Peacin' out since this computer won't let me do anymore,
Mer to the Bear!
XOXO

Today I am thankful for my family....

Today my nephew Gideon Issac was given a name and a blessing. This is the 34th grandchild in our family and he is just as cute and perfect as all of the others. My parents have such an amazing posterity and just to think, it's still growing. As I was sitting in the sweet fast and testimony meeting today I was reminded how lucky we are to have families and to able to be sealed to our families so we can all be together forever. I love my family and I am thankful for the blessing of the plan of happiness, so that I can be with my family forever.
I have always been excited to have a family of my own because I have had so many great examples of successful relationships, marriages, and families. I feel so blessed to be a member of the family I am a part of and I know it truly is an honor. I'm also grateful to be a daughter of god and to be a member of our eternal family. A woman that bore her testimony today said that she was thankful that we will all be together forever and that we will get to see the faces of the people we don't get to see very often, more often in the next life and I believe that and I'm grateful for that. I'm grateful that through god's plan, we can be with those that have already passed away and I am grateful of that knowledge. I am so grateful for my family and for all of the amazing examples they are to me.


Love you all!

Mer

Great Friends and Nature

As the end of this wonderful Saturday comes to a close and I am reflecting on what I was grateful for in my life today two things came to mind and I can't decide between the two so I've decided to just acknowledge them both.

First, I am thankful for great friends and for the chance I had to have my good friend Jenna over to my sisters for a sleepover last night. Like I have stated in prior posts, I have been a bit down this week because I haven't made friends yet, but it was good to have Jenna over and so we could spend some time together and so I didn't feel so alone. I love Jenna and I look forward to hanging out with her throughout this summer. I'm so thankful also that Jenna, like me, is going back to SUU in the fall for school so we can bond and continue to hang out down in Cedar too! :) Jenna has literally been a lifesaver this last year whenever I have felt homesick or just like I needed some of my childhood friends back, it was nice to have Jenna by my side whenever I needed her, so thanks Jenna! :)

Next, I am grateful for all of God's many, unique creations. I know that's not very specific, but this is my blog and I can do and say whatever I want on it. haha Anyway, we went to the Zoo today and not only was it fun, it opened my eyes to a lot of things. I have never been an animal lover. I don't mind seeing animals from a distance but I will NEVER be a pet owner. Anyway, as I was walking through the San Fransisco Zoo today and talking with my sister she made a profound comment. She said something like this, "Isn't it just amazing how many different, unique animals and creatures god has created? God must have a crazy sense of humor to create some of these interesting animals." I thought that was so true. That god took so much time to design not only all of us to be so different and so original, but every creature and everything on this earth. It's incredible! We also got to go to the Ocean for a few minutes while we were waiting for the zoo to open and I don't know what it is about the Ocean, but I just love it. I feel so at peace when I watch the waves form and crash. Today I was overwhelmed with gratitude for our heavenly father and for all of his creations. Even though I'm not much of an animal lover, I came to love all of his creations today and have gained a greater appreciation for life in every form.

Lovin' life from the Cali-forn-i-a!

Miss Merilee Goates

Skype

Today as I am desperately missing my best friend I am thankful for Skype so we can still keep in touch and get to talk face to face so it's almost like we're together. Not quite, but almost. I'm trying to remember that I haven't met anyone yet and that's why I don't have any friends here yet but it has just been a bit of a struggle for me today. It would be different if I was going home on Wednesday with my mom, but I'm going to be here all summer and I think just trying to grasp that has been a bit overwhelming. I know that I'm going to learn a lot this summer but I'm just missing my best friend Kate today. Anyway, I'm very thankful that we can still chat over video chat so that we can be together even though we are thousands of miles apart.

Keep Holding on,

Merilee