Thanksgiving surprise.

So my parents flew my sister Sarah home for Thanksgiving and didn't tell any of us that they were going to. I got home at 8:00 and they immediately rushed me up to my room, which confused me seriously, and BOOM. Sarah was sitting in my rocking chair and said, "I've ben waiting for you." Bags were hastily dropped and several minutes of squealing and hugging ensued. But the party didn't end there. Chris and Erin and Jenny had a longer drive up from Tennessee and they weren't going to be here until 11:00. So we plotted. We got a HUGE cardboard box and hid Sarah in it. If you go to this website [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp_yp14u4Jc] you can see the reactions of them when the box was opened. It is hilarious.

Thanksgiving has been so much fun with all of us together. It has been at least 7 years since the entire family has been able to have Thanksgiving with each other. We've laughed so much and taken great pictures and it has been so much fun! Here are a few pics for your viewing pleasure.

Awww....picture in the backyard. Ain't we so cute?

We're also great big dorks. But I love us!

I love this picture most of all. Totally candid. My sisters rock.

What a life.

I realized today that I am, in fact, completely dissatisfied with my life right now. I am working a job for the sake of the paycheck [which isn't as large as I need it to be] which funnels directly into a fund for my tuition at a school that feels like a drudgery [even though I KNOW it is worthwhile and useful] and because of that, there isn't money for me to buy my family the fabulous Christmas presents on the expensive side of the college-student spectrum [which is sort of my trademark] that I would wish to. I feel like every day is the same as the one before. Ok, so nothing is the same exactly one day after the other since I have school on Tuesdays and Thursdays and work every other day, with the occasional Saturday, and then it is Sunday, but you know what I mean. My days have no excitement, nothing to look forward to except the end of what I am doing and my food breaks. And my beloved laptop Penelope is getting fixed and I have been without her for a week, so I can't even chat with my friends or hammer away at my novels that HAVE to get done because I just entered one into a NATIONAL contest and have TONS of work to do and the OTHER is undergoing MAJOR reconstruction and I don't have the time or tools to do either of them!!!!

But I was just reading part of President Monson's talk about finding joy in the journey, and I am going to try really hard to do that. So here are my four points of joy for today and I am going to do this for every bad day I have.

1. I saw a show with my parents on Friday, which we all loved, and it was a musical.

2. I am not studying for my ATC boards any more. Blessed day, indeed.

3. We're putting up Christmas stuff at the Rahlf house because we don't have time to do it after Thanksgiving. It's so festive, I just can't NOT smile.

4. Thanksgiving is next week and I get to have it at home for the first time in 4 YEARS! AND Chris and Erin and Jenny will be there. We'll miss you, Sarah!

So that's it then. Oh, and my birthday is coming [December 8]. HOORAY!!! Send money instead of presents...I need it more. =)

Happy November!

You know, I really like November. It's not quite as pretty as October, but it is still quite lovely. The air gets cooler, the trees grow more colorful (until they get bare), and the colors of the season become rich and earthy. And then November melds into December, which is naturally the best month in the entire year. So November is like December Eve. And everyone knows that the anticipation of the Eve makes the Day itself so much better.

Besides, we have Thanksgiving in November, which is the best thing ever. Lots of food and no guilt? YES PLEASE!

But anyway, I am stressed to the max right now. My AT exam is on Saturday and I have studied my hardest and given up any and all free time (erm....except for these five minutes) and done nothing but eat, sleep, and study. No really, even at work and school I am studying for this thing. It's awful! I'm not as nervous as I used to be, but the stress and anticipation are definately reaching dangerous heights. But if---WHEN--I pass it this time, this will be the best November ever, and I will probably be on a high for the entire month.

BUT as if the stress levels from THAT weren't enough, I discovered that Josh Groban is releasing a collection CD.....IN EUROPE! Oh, sure the States will get it EVENTUALLY, but GEEZ! HE'S AN AMERICAN!

Ladies, please! Is this not the most beautiful album cover ever? I have never seen him look so attractive and the fact that I have to wait for all of those European women to be satiated first....Ugh, it is too much to be bourne. It is NOT to be bourne. I need to do something about it.... after the test.

Oh, my friends, pray for me. I will need strength for this week and the added abilities of the Lord on Saturday. Whatever happens is His will, I know this....but it would be really nice if our wills were in sync this time....