Who knew life could be this good?

*Sigh.* I love my life. I feel like the luckiest girl on the planet. My fiance is amazing and we can't wait to get married! (We're quite pathetic and I do feel sorry for our roommates, workmates, families....basically anyone who has to spend time around us as we always talk about each other!). Then again, we've lived through this with roommates many times before, so I guess we feel justified now that it's our turn. ;-) Honestly, though, I just didn't understand how happy a person can be! We are so good for each other and so excited to live life together!

Lots of exciting things going on--my old roommate Britta took our engagement pictures last night (I should have some proofs online by Wednesday and I'll definitely post on my blog!), we're narrowing down our home search (seeing a few more properties tonight), and getting more of the details for our married life figured out. The to do list just evolves...

The great part is that we can have a huge long list of errands and have the best time just running errands together (although we are looking forward to life calming down in the New Year).

I also love life because I'm on fall break (the school I teach at is Year-Round schedule, so I get two weeks off in the fall) and still have four days off of school! Yippee! The time off has been great to work on wedding stuff, relax, spend time with my fiance, and get to see my adorable family. My brother in law, John, was running the Bocce ball games at Special Olympics over the weekend so I got to spend long days with him, my sister, my mom, and my adorable nephew on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I love that kid!!

On Sunday, Jonny and I went to his niece's first birthday celebration. They had an Elmo themed party and she was so cute! Her cake was an Elmo head--VERY bright red. By the time she was done she was covered in red (it was a little gruesome looking but adorable). We love our niece and nephew!

Well, hopefully I'll use my time off for many productive things today...like the homework I've been avoiding all week. :-) I'm also going to try to work on my address list for the wedding--so PLEASE send me your address (I seem to have lost my address book...bad timing). Thanks!
Off to another blissful day!

loving life!

Okay, I haven't posted this week because I don't really feel like I have much to say most days (and I seem to be a bit busy). I am completely, fully, and blissfully happy to be engaged. Jonny is an amazing fiance and he's perfect for me. We went on a walk this afternoon and sat in the park and just talked. It made me realize how lucky I am! He's so considerate, kind, and fun to be with. (I know, I know....we've been engaged less than a month and I'm already sickeningly happy!). Our wedding is December 27 at 11:30 am in the Jordan River Temple. The reception will be January 3 (probably 5-7pm?). We're excited for everyone to come celebrate with us!

This weekend was General Conference (a meeting with the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...check out www.lds.org). I loved the great advice we received, especially considering the turbulant times we're living in. I feel better prepared to face the world this week with optimism and faith. How lucky we are to be able to listen to the words of prophets and apostles in our time!

Okay, time to get going to bed....busy week. We're looking for a house to buy, lots of stuff going on at school, etc. Good things! My life rocks. :-)

Blessings of Being Sick

What a whirlwind! As of tonight, it'll be one week that we've been engaged. I feel so lucky. Jonny is going to be a great husband. And he got another opportunity to demonstrate that this weekend when I woke up early Sunday morning with some sort of stomach bug. He did a great job of taking care of me (even typing my lesson plans for today while I dictated them to him last night).

We have set the date! Our wedding will be at 11:30 on December 27 in the Jordan River Utah temple. As of now, we're planning to have a luncheon afterwards and then have our reception on January 2 or 3 (depending when we can get the building reserved for). I'll continue to post updates as decisions are made. We welcome any suggestions, though! :-)

One benefit of being home sick is the opportunity to catch up on things that I've been slacking on (the things I meant to do on Sunday but instead slept the entire day!) like writing on the blog. I'm trying to read the whole Book of Mormon during my engagement (to go along with a challenge given to us in Relief Society at church).

Here are some thoughts from my reading today:

1) September 22 (today) was the day the plates were given to Joseph Smith. I feel so grateful to the Lord that he preserved this book for us to have today! I wish the whole world would read it.

2) 1 Nephi 2:12-- Laman and Lemuel have such a reputation for being complainers (murmuring). And in this verse we understand why--because they didn't understand what God was doing. So many times this happens in my life. I get frustrated or upset simply because I'm the one who isn't clued in to God's plan for me. All it takes is some faith...and prayers... I have a feeling I may have to learn this lesson again and again. Its a humbling one.

3) 1 Nephi 3:7-- This is a classic one. The Lord will not give us a commandment without providing a way for us to accomplish it (even though it might seem challenging or even not logical....He always knows more than we do).

4) 1 Nephi 7:12-- God can do all things for his children if we have faith. So let's have faith! :-)

I love my life! I am so grateful for my wonderful family. My mom and my sister, Myrica, (and her adorable son Aiden) came with my roommate and me to go wedding dress shopping on Saturday. I'm so glad they're so close by and so supportive through all these decisions to make! So blessed!

P.S. Even though we won't have invitations out for a while yet, I am starting to make our address list, so if you could send me your address, that'd be great! Thanks!

Breaking the news...

Today was fabulous! As soon as I got to school I found every teacher I could to tell them about my big news. There was much screaming throughout the building (much more than is usually heard on a Tuesday morning at 7am). I decided that I would just wait and see how long it would take my students to catch on. About 9:30 I got impatient and when we were talking about our vocabulary word "ecstatic" I told them that I was very ecstatic and they started guessing why. Eventually someone noticed the ring and I said, "I'm ecstatic because I'm getting married!" The students started screaming and jumping up and down. We spent the next thirty minutes talking about the wedding. My sixth graders want to choose the wedding cake, be the flower girl/ring bearer, ride in our limo, come see me get married, choose the colors, etc. My favorite was the kid who requested we do a fake wedding in our classroom (with me in my real wedding dress) in case they couldn't come. It was really fun! I've also had lots of fun text and voice messages (sorry if I haven't gotten back to you yet...its been a bit crazy! But amazing). I feel so blessed and I can't wait!

p.s. and supposedly I was on Fox 13 news (for having allergies of all things tonight). Random. Fun day!!

I'm Engaged!!!!!

Yes, ladies and gentlemen...the day has finally come! Jonny asked me to marry him last night and I said YES! We're very excited to be engaged. :-) More details to come... happy happy life!

Miss Forsgren will be Mrs. Maloney! (Jonny said he'd help me relabel the hundreds of books at school with "Miss Forsgren" inside. ;)

We feel overwhelmingly grateful and blessed! We're thinking December/Jan...I'll post when we've made any decisions.

My list of reasons for not updating my blog

I fully admit it. I am 100% fully and completely pathetic at updating my blog. So sorry friends. I didn't realize anyone was looking at it. I've been called to repentance....so I'll try again.

Life has been crazy and wonderful.

Here is my list of reasons for not updating my blog:

1) Since my last post my roommates and I got in a dramatic car accident on I-15 going to work....good times for all. We're just barely back to 100% and almost done with rehab (this week!!). But out of adversity come good things....

2) Now I'm dating my adorable next door neighbor Jonny. He's fabulous to me and we have tons of fun together. :-)

3) This summer my dad and I were privileged to go to Uganda with Reach the Children (http://www.reachthechildren.org/). It was AMAZING! Check out our pictures at www.picasaweb.com/RTCUganda2008 and www.picasaweb.com/UgandaRTC

4) Also, I started teaching sixth grade again at Meadowlark Elementary. I have a great class and I love my students a whole lot! They're helpful and hilarious. I just wish I could be a better teacher for them...but I'm working on it. It's so amazing to have a job I love so much!

5) My old roommates moved out and new ones moved in...they're fabulous! Four teachers in one apartment is just asking for trouble....

6) We joined the gym and I'm working out with a personal trainer (wish me luck....I was so sore the first day!!). It feels great to have my body functioning (after the accident) and want to keep it that way.

7) My nephew Aiden is back (and his mom and dad) in Utah (living in Ogden). He's the cutest thing ever and I love it when I get to see him!!! ADORABLE!!!! Love that kid (even though I can't hold him very long because he's so heavy....and even though he's a U fan).

8) We don't have cable so I just watch things on my computer instead of writing on the blog...

9) Hmmm...I'm really disappointed in myself for running out of excuses before I got to 10...oh wait! I'm a procrastinator.

10) need for sleep??

Okay, there you have it! It's an excuse list AND a life update all in one. And they said it couldn't be done....

And along with the excuses comes a promise that I'll *try* to be better about updating this more often because I love finding out how other people are doing so I should do the same for all of you!

You can also find me online:

-on my facebook site

-at my business website www.marykay.com/haileyf (I'm having a sale!! Email me!!)

Thanks for reading!!

Hailey

Mormon 6

Well, since I'm the only one who reads my blog I figured I could use it as my study journal as well! Today I'm reading Mormon chapter 6 in the Book of Mormon. (Available at http://scriptures.lds.org/en/morm/6 ).

This is such an important part in the book--right before the end! The prophet Mormon (in ancient america) has been trusted with the records of prophets for previous hundreds of years. He knew that the records were in danger from their enemies, so he hid them in a hill. He kept out just a few plates (metal pages) for his son Moroni to continue the record.

The wars then were so terrible that everyone on Mormon's side were killed except 24 people (including Mormon and his son Moroni).

Mormon is so sad for this people. He says his soul is rent with anguish:

verse 17: "O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord! O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you!"

This is so sad to me! And yet I think often in our own lives, we depart from the Lord. We reject Jesus who stands with open arms to receive us! In our little choices, we choose to reject Christ's open arms. Instead, we find comfort in escapism, in friends, in media, in justification, in physical pleasure/comfort--when all we really need to do is turn to Christ. There have been a few times when I have decided to turn to Christ and fall into his open arms when I have found that I've departed. I know it is the only place to find comfort and forgiveness.

verse 22: "O that ye had repented..." We need to live with no regrets. I've heard that statement and though, "It is impossible for me to live with no regrets because I make mistakes all the time!" But I am realizing that we can live without regret as we repent and receive forgiveness from the Lord.

And the last verse (23): "...the Eternal Father of heaven, knoweth your state; and he doeth with you according to his justice and mercy."

I am grateful for our Heavenly Fahter who is full of justice and mercy! He loves each one of us. He loves me and I am grateful for his patience with me. Time to do better and bask in his love.

And the next chapter is fantastic as well....
I'll be back!
Hailey

p.s.
Great quote from young women general president: when you have standards and virtue, you are free to become what you want to become.

New Blog!

Hello! I went to my mission reunion last night. It was fantastic. President Watson suggested we should get a blog. So, here I am! He also told us about some amazing work that he is doing in his job at the Missionary Department for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the improvements to the website www.mormon.org. It was fabulous to hear from him!

Today I am watching the General Conference of the Church and loving the opportunity to listen to the prophet and apostles as they teach us! It is available live (or archived later on) at www.lds.org.

More later!