LSAT SCORE! Michael got a .....

Good news! Michael received his LSAT score and I am so proud of him. He got a 160 which is tens points above the national average and in the 81 percentile!!! He is so amazing! He is still working on his personal statement but after that we begin applying. Considering it is such a relief to be done for me, I can only imagine how great it must feel for Michael! To our friends and family: Thanks for all of your support at this time! We appreciated it!

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! "Oh Canada, Our home and native land." While I lived in Toronto, I was able to celebrate two Canadian Thanksgivings and while celebrating today with my husband, it brought a flood of missionary memories. I miss living in the big city, seeing the sites but most of all I miss the people I met and taught about Jesus Christ. For those of you how don't know and just might be reading my blog, I served an eighteen month volunteer mission to Toronto. While serving the people I gained a stronger testimony of Jesus Christ as my Savior and of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through a modern day Prophet. If you would like to know more about what I taught as a missionary, just checkout the churches websites or feel free to ask me some questions
www.mormon.org
www.lds.org
Anyways, Michael and I celebrated by having a Thanksgiving feast with a oven-baked turkey, mashed potatoes, veggies and cider. Then our weekly Family Home Evening Lesson (Each Monday night, Michael and I try to spend time together doing a church activity or lesson)was on appreciating our blessing. I am so blessed!
Here is a little history of Canadian Thanksgiving since I am often asked how the holiday was established.
The history of Thanksgiving in Canada goes back to an explorer, Martin Frobisher, who had been trying to find a northern passage to the Orient. In the year 1578, he held a formal ceremony, in what is now the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, to give thanks for surviving the long journey. The feast was one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in North America, although celebrating the harvest and giving thanks for a successful bounty of crops had been a long-standing tradition throughout North America by various First Nations and Native American groups. First Nations and Native Americans throughout the Americas, including the Pueblo, Cherokee, Cree and many others organized harvest festivals, ceremonial dances, and other celebrations of thanks for centuries before the arrival of Europeans in North America [7]. Frobisher was later knighted and had an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean in northern Canada named after him — Frobisher Bay.
So Happy Thanksgiving to my friends in the cold white north!

LSAT-Michael

This is Michael. Carissa says that I should contribute something to our blog every once in a while. Well last Saturday I took the LSAT, the real one this time. I've been taking previous tests for practice for about the past 18 months now so it was a relief to get the actual test over with. The test itself took about three and a half hours but I got to the testing center at 8 AM and waited for a little bit. Then I decided to go in and somebody met me at the door and said that they had moved the location of the test (they just moved it from the BYU Law School to the Wilk, right across the street, but it was still stressful to be told that you were in the wrong place for one of the most important academic tests you're ever going to take). So then me and a half dozen other people had to run across the street and get to the right room. The proctors were supposed to start giving out instructions for the test right at 8:30 but since they had to move the location some people were late so they didn't start until about 9. Then about two minutes into the instructions a guy on the front row raised his hand and told the proctor something and she disappeared for about fifteen to twenty minutes to make a phone call while everybody waited. She came back with my teacher from the LSAT prep class and they took the student out in the hall for a little bit then they all came back in and started again like nothing had happened. Some people are very, very serious about the LSAT. There is a professor at the BYU law school who tells his class how he had to train himself to use adult diapers for the LSAT so he wouldn't have to take a bathroom break. Luckily, I didn't have any psychos like that anywhere near me. There are five sections to the real LSAT and a writing section. One of the normal sections is experimental, it doesn't count for your score but it is just so the people who make the test can evaluate test problems for future reference. But you have no idea what section is going to be experimental until you are at least halfway through the test. But the experimental section has always been one of the first three that you take. My first section was games, which I do best at. Games are logical problems that have interconnected rules. Each games section has four separate games of about five to eight problems each. I did pretty good on those I think. Then the next section I took was logical reasoning, which is 22-27 short problems you have to answer logically, pretty self-explanatory. Then I took a reading comprehension section, which has been my hardest section on the LSAT. I used to think I was really good at reading comprehension just based on previous standardized tests like the ACT and stuff but the LSAT was extremely hard. After I took the third section we had a break so I wasn't sure which one of the three was the experimental. I was hoping it would be the games just because I am the best at those. After the break we went back in to take the last two sections and the writing sample. My fourth section was games again! I was so happy. After that I took the last logical reasoning section and then the writing sample. I feel like I did the best I could but I won't know what score I get until a few more weeks. Thanks for all the prayers in my behalf. It is a big relief to have it done. Saturday night we went out to eat at Macaroni Grill to celebrate.
Yesterday we went with Ben and Nicole to the BYU homecoming game against New Mexico. We had front row seats! BYU won 21-3. Go Cougs!

Michael took the LSAT

Today is the big day. Michael is taking the LSAT, which is the test students take to be admitted into Law School. He has been taking a prep class for 18 months and has improved significantly. I can't even tell you how many tests he has taken to prepare for the real test. I am really proud of how dedicated he has been to his studies. I know that this day has been weighing on the back of his mind for a long time so it will be nice to get it over with.Even if Michael does struggle and doesn't do as well as he would like, he is taking it advanced enough that there will be enough time for him to take it again. But I believe in him! He'll do great. Yesterday he opened his good luck package from his parents which has medicine bottles and fake prescriptions in it like, "Take bottle to help you de-stress" and it contained M&Ms. Last night, I cooked him meatloaf, as he requested and gave him a nice long relaxing massage. This morning I surprised him with some good ole southern cookin'- biscuits and gravy (He ate the meal on our You are Special Today Plate). When he comes home, he has a congratulations package waiting for him from my mom and dad. So he is being well taken care of. Please wish him luck and say a little prayer for him! We get the results in a few weeks.

Minersville Wedding

Michael and I went to my Great Aunt Pasty's wedding this weekend in Minersville, Utah. Minersville is a small town in southern Utah and I'm related to about everyone living there. We drove up Friday night and stayed in a hotel with my Grandparents for a couple days. We went out to eat at Arshel's which is a family restaurant. My Great Aunt was married on Saturday to Arnold Petersen and we gave them a hymnbook with their names and wedding date inscribed on it as a wedding gift, even though they requested no gifts. It was fun seeing family that I haven't seen in ten years! After the wedding, Michael and I went quading up in the hills. We had such a good time and it was so nice to get away for the weekend!

Prop 8

My degree from BYU is Home and Family Life which is pretty much a combination of Family Sciences/ Child Development. For years, I studied the positive effects families can have on a community. California is preparing to vote on Prop 8 soon. Prop 8 is designed to protect marriage between a man and a woman. Michael and I have been married for only a little over a year but I can already see the blessings I have received from being married to such a wonderful man! I hope that the people of California will recognize the sacredness of families. Here is a link that explains more of my beliefs on families. I have this statement hanging up in my living room. It's entitled The Family: A Proclamation to the World.

We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.

All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.

In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.

The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.

We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.

Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.

The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.

We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.

We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

This proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Engagement, Wedding & Honeymoon Pictures!

Fishing trip!

For Labor Day, Michael surprised me with with a fishing trip that he had been planning for weeks! We drove up the canyon to a river, hiked a ways and then went fishing. It was really fun to finally use our new fishing equipment. We saw one family casting out their pools and within less than 30 seconds, the son had caught a fish. Sad to say, we didn't have such luck but we are excited to go back again!

I just saved over $5000 DOLLARS!!!

So today I decided to check my application status as a post back student for BYU and was very excited to find out that all my information has finally gone through and I am officially accepted! So this means that I was be taking three credits in the Fall! Probably most of you are wondering why I am so excited to go back to school when I just graduated in April. The reason why I am so excited is because by becoming a post back student at BYU my insurance rates lower significantly for the next year. My insurance rates will drop over 5000 dollars for the next year. Happy Day! Now, I just need to decide what evening class I'm gonna take!
P.S. I added more wedding pictures onto my original introduction so go back and check them out!

Communication Internvener for the Deaf and Blind

I have good news! I have just achieved a goal I have been working on since I was sixteen! When I was sixteen, I began studying American Sign Language and ever since then I have wanted a job in the Deaf field. This week, I was hired by the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind- Utah DeafBlind Services as a Communication Intervener. Today was my first day on the job and I met my student. The three main goals of a Communication Intervener are

(a) to provide clear and consistent access to sensory information

(b) to facilitate the development and use of communication

(c) to support social interactions

Today I was able to get a small glimpse of just how challenging and rewarding this job will be! I'm excited because I get to attend trainings and conferences all over the state of Utah. Also, an additional benefit was that I found out that I received a nice raise even before I began! Can it get any better than that!?!

Check out this music video, the song was written for deaf/blind triplets. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrlHSD9nATg

Wedding Pictures and Introduction- Best Post ever!

Michael and I met and dated our freshman year at Brigham Young University. We both served volunteer missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I served an 18 month mission in Toronto, Ontario. He served a two year mission in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands- Spanish speaking. We stayed in contact for two and a half years through snail mail. After my mission, I came back out to Utah to continue my education and Michael and I quickly began dating again, got engaged and were married on July 6, 2007 in Oakland, CA- the happiest day of my life! I graduated from Brigham Young University in the Social Sciences-Home and Family Life and completed an internship at House of Hope- a residential drug rehab center for mothers and their children. I was hired and was assigned to take care of the infants, teach preschool lessons, design a computer program for documenting and taught a weekly parenting class for the mothers on Child Milestones and Family Communication. Michael is currently working in the student employment office, studying history-emphasis is American History and taking a prep course- the LSAT- for Law School. I am making this blog as a surprise for him! Here are some of our favorite wedding pictures!!!

Click on the picture below to get the full effect. It's suppose to look like a painting.