Christmas With The Kozaks

This year Taylor and I decided we would divide the time evenly between our families.
Since my family is "complicated" we were running around everywhere it felt like haha.
But it was so much fun and so worth it being able to spend time with everyone.

Christmas morning and part of the evening we spent time with his family.
It was fantastic. I love being around all the madness the little kids bring, and just being able to laugh with them over nothing. I can't wait to be an official part of their family!

I couldn't help, but feel a special Christmas Spirit yesterday.
What a better way to remember the Savior than to spend time with the amazing people he has placed in your life.

Merry Christmas 

Keep Calm & Keep Christ in Christmas

xoxo

Carly

Be Thankful For The Good

Q: If there is a God why would he allow bad things to happen in the world?

A: (Found in 2 Nephi of the Book of Mormon)

"32 And again, the Lord God hath commanded that men should not murder; that they should not lie; that they should not steal; that they should not take the name of the Lord their God in vain; that they should not envy; that they should not have malice; that they should not contend one with another; that they should not commit whoredoms; and that they should do none of these things; for whoso doeth them shall perish.

 33 For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.

23 For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord God worketh not in darkness.

 24 He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation."

     God has given us the guidelines to be happy (the commandments). He literally commands us not to do things that will hurt us or others. If we all followed the commandments we would live in a world that was free from murder, lying, stealing, cheating, hurting. 
    God does not wish any of us to experience the effects of bad choices. But because God loves us and wants us to chose for ourselves, he gave every man their agency. We have the privilege to choose between good and evil. Do not blame God for the bad in the world, but be thankful that He has brought good into the world. And all that is unfair about the world can be made right through his atonement :) 

Smile, and remember you're a child of God. He wants you to be happy!

When life seems unfair remember:

Keep Calm & Wait On

I promise there are brighter days ahead :)

Learn more at mormon.org


xoxo
Carly

'Tis the Season

With Christmas coming up, I know you missionary girlfriends are cramming for last minute gifts for your missionaries. Trust me been there done that.

So I decided to compose a post of little gifts and crafts you can add to you Christmas package.

Season's Greetings Ladies-- Happy Waiting

Letters:

Letter Cover

Letter Tags

Knitted Letters

Cute Christmas Font

Tiny Envelope Card

Mini Envelopes

Crafts:

Bottle of Memories

Temple Block

Moss Initials

Christmas Eve Kit

Christmas Ties DIY

Missionary Ornament

State Ornament

Library Card

Pictures:

Credit: Katie Mallard

Credit: Hayley Hardy

Credit: Aleigh Mellinger

Credit: Megan King

Credit: Kenzie Thornton

Credit: Ashlie Albrecht

Credit: Miranda Soria

Credit: Erica Wu

Credit: Natalie Klein

Credit: Desiree Moore

Keep Calm & Wait On

My missionary might be home, but there is no way I am leaving my girls behind :)
Shout out to all the MGs featured on here: thanks for your inspiration!

Love you all!

Keep Waiting.

xoxo

Carly 

Guess Who's Back

Oh how I have missed my sweet missionary girlfriends.
I am so sorry it has taken me this long to write this post. I bet you are all wondering what the heck is going on.
Well ladies a lot has changed, I'll give you an update.

Carly

So last time on the blog, I was serving a mission in Santiago, Chile.

Unfortunately after 2 months of faithful service in the field, I became very sick.

I was going to the doctor multiple times a weak, I was misdiagnosed, bed ridden, and ended up in the mission home for about 5 days. I was mostly waiting for a decision to be made about my health.

It was the hardest thing I ever went through. Finally, my mission President called me and told me to come into his office in the morning. My heart pounded with anticipation that morning. I took the bus over to the mission office, he called me in, sat me down, and told me that Salt Lake had decided that I need to go home to receive surgery. 

My heart broke into a million tiny pieces all over his desk.

How could I leave?

How could I say goodbye to all the people here?

What if they still need me?

I couldn't leave. I didn't want to. But I did because that is what the Lord needed me to do.

My mission taught me so many things, but the most important are these:

Christ is real, He is our foundation and if we have Him we have everything.

God has a plan for each of us. It is specifically customized for you and me. 

I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to serve a mission. It was the greatest experience. Even though it is hard, I know I am suppose to be home. God has a plan for me and I am trying to be who He needs me to be. 

Taylor

Well, by some sort of strange twist of events my missionary Taylor was also sent home on medical leave. In fact, he was sent home the day I flew out. I had no idea for about a month. 

He was able to serve 8 months as a full-time missionary.

He was dedicated, focused, and changed the lives of so many people.

He too understood that he needed to follow God's plan for him and come home.
While I was out, he supported me so faithfully and with out question. He never once asked me to stop serving the Lord. He was my number one support system. He knew God's plan for us and accepted it with a smile on his face.
However, it was not easy. It was challenging for him. He was sent home because he has an illness that was misdiagnosed over and over again. He still is blindly following the knowledge of doctors, praying to know what to do.
It was even harder for him having me gone.
But God had a plan and He was so merciful.

Reunited at Last

As I boarded my plane home, I was sad because I felt that my time was cut short. But I'll never forget my anticipation to see my sweet heart. It had been almost a year. With a full and anxious heart, stupid questions began to run through my mind:

What if he is too different?

What if I am too different?

What if I am awkward?

What do I say?

Should I hug him?

I was stupid. The moment my 14 hour plane ride ended, all the questions stopped. I was beyond excited. 

I practically ran off and rushed to the bathroom, because well I have a bladder problem and my nerves were not helping. I was so scatter brained I couldn't find where my luggage was.

Finally, I headed down that infamous escalator and saw my sweet heart standing at the bottom with a rose in his hand and that same sweet smile on his face. I ran down the escalator and jumped into his arms and I never looked back.

Everything was perfect. 

Since we have been home, things have been amazing. 

I have never been so happy and smitten with anyone in my entire life.

This is the kind of love they write songs about.

This is what poets rhyme about.

This is what apostles preach about.

This is the kind of love directors write scripts about.

This is what every little girl dreams about.

And I have it, and I'll cherish it, and I'll thank God every day for it.

Ladies the wait is worth it.

They do come home.

Sometimes sooner than we expect.

Sometimes in the craziest of circumstances.

But they come home.

Keep calm & wait on my loves.

xoxo

Forever a proud missionary girlfriend,

Carly

See Ya In 18

Okay loves this is it!
I am leaving for my own mission in Santiago, Chile.
If you want to follow my journey you can follow my mission blog:

http://hermanacarlyupton.blogspot.com/


I LOVE YOU ALL!



Remember:

keep calm & wait on

xoxo

Hermana Upton

For My Sister Missionaries: My Mission Pictures & Blog

Last week I was blessed to take my mission pictures at the Los Angeles Temple.
It was a wonderful time.

Here is the link & a sneak peak:

CLICK ME

The Pros: Tia & Michael Wray

I just love how real this girl is. I can't tell you how amazing their story is. When you know you found the right one, there is no reason not to start your fairytale!

 

Our love story: We met at EFY in Rexburg when we were 16. We became really good friends throughout the week, talking and flirting all the time. He was  AMAZING, and it was beautiful to hear his testimony all the time. I didn't know any 16 year old boy could be like that. On Friday night, there was a dance, and the second to last song that played was You and Me by Lifehouse. I don't even think he asked me to dance, we just kind of gravitated toward each other and then...were dancing. We didn't talk at all, we just stared at each other, straight in the eyes. For 16 year olds at an EFY dance, this was a big deal, because usually it's this whole awkward avoid each other's eyes and try to make awkward conversation thing. I remember thinking and I wrote in my journal that this was something different, and I wasn't going to let it go. I went home and told everybody that I'd met my living list (you know, the lists you make of all the qualities in the person you want to marry. 

We started e-mailing and then he started calling me every Sunday and then he started calling me every day (I didn't have texting, so we called ALL the time). 9 months after EFY, I saw him for the second time when he flew to Idaho to take me to my junior prom. It was the most perfect weekend. Then we just kept up the calling and the flying back and forth. We were best friends. I don't know how I would have made it through high school without him. 

After a HORRID two years (so complicated, I'll explain in the dating question), he came home. We both knew we still loved each other, but we didn't know if or how it could work. He called me at 10:00pm the day after he got home and we talked til 5:00am. He told me that I had to make a choice (I had dated other people) and I basically said I want to marry you. He came to see me a week later and we kissed and danced and knew it was stupid to even think that we were going to fit into some "supposed to" ideas of how love is supposed to work. Two weeks later, he moved to Rexburg, two weeks later we knew we were getting married and two weeks after that, we were engaged. We were married before he'd been home 3 months. We danced to You and Me at our wedding. 

How long were you dating before he left: 2 1/2 years - all long distance
 

Did you date or hard core wait: UGH. I dated. I still can't decide whether or not I regret that. He wrote me off 4 months in, so I got scared, but then he basically said just kidding, so we started writing again, but after that, I was never secure about anything. There was a boy who bought me ice cream and sent me flowers and was a handsome RM, so we dated. It just didn't work. We broke up, knowing there was someone better. We're both married now. THEN I met another boy who I thought was a lot like Michael, so I was attracted to him, so we dated, and then....some not healthy relationship things happened and I just didn't know how to get out of it. I FINALLY broke up with him about a month before Michael got home. Nobody really knows why I couldn't get out of the relationship, so they all thought I was a terrible person for getting married so quickly after that break up. Anyway, I knew Michael was the one because he was different from anybody else. He and I centered our relationship on Jesus Christ, and that was something that I couldn't seem to do as well with anybody else.

How did you stay busy: SCHOOL. I went to school year round. It was SO hard, but I put my everything into it, and this semester I graduated in the top 1 percent of the graduating class at BYU-Idaho. Worth it. 

Best thing an mg can do: Put Christ first. His plan for you might be different than you expect, but it will always be the BEST. 

Worst thing an mg can do: Stop praying. DON'T stop praying! 

Biggest piece of advice: Endure well. That's what I basically did. I endured. I could have done it better, but I did it, and then it FINALLY became A MILLION times better when he got home. I know it seems like he's not real and like he's never coming home and like you'll maybe never be truly completely happy again or even feel complete again, but endure well, and...Michael and I like to say to each other "Christ will take us to forever."

What was it like when he came home: I already told some of that story about figuring things out over the phone. He has a brother who has never loved me, but kindly took me to the airport (the brother and I are both at BYUI and Michael flew up to visit us). I was so nervous I could have puked. I looked fantastic. He came out and I hugged him. It was soooo unreal. We cuddled that night and then kissed the next day. 

One hard thing, though, was that everyone else threw a fit that it was too fast and Michael never dated anyone else and I wasn't ready to move on after my last relationship and all this crap. It was like we KNEW with every ounce of our souls that the Spirit was absolutely confirming our decision to get married, but Satan was attacking us. My mom told us as soon as we said we were getting married (after she had prayed) "I just feel like I should tell you, I know this is a good thing, and so I know that Satan is going to try to do everything he can to stop it." It was heart-breaking that the attacking came from family (his side). But we had a super short engagement and MARRIAGE IS SO THE WAY TO GO. 

What are you doing now: We're married. It's fantastic. Jump on that bandwagon as soon as God says so. I just graduated from BYU-Idaho and we're moving to Provo for him to finish school at BYU. We're not starting a family quite yet, but I can't wait to have his babies! He is the best thing that ever existed (to me). 
Looking back what was your favorite memory you two shared while he was gone: In one area, the ward mission leader gave him a pearl as a symbol of friendship and love and it meant a lot to him, and he sent it to me to keep until he got home. It was just a really precious thing and I remember crying a lot of happy tears when he sent it to me. 






Tia thank you so much for your inspiration! 
You're amazing and such an example to me.

Best of wishes to you and your sweetheart.


xoxo

Carly

Change & Challenges

Sometimes life throws curve balls at us. I believe God tests us so He can see if we are worthy of the blessings He has in store. We each face different challenges as individuals and as couples. I believe the route of all challenges is:

Change.

It can be a scary word, but it is necessary to progress. Though life is constantly changing, my love for Taylor is constantly growing. No matter where life takes us I know we have a love founded on Christ and a love that can endure life's change & challenges.

Please watch THIS VIDEO

Mission Pictures: Craft Ideas

This post is mainly for Sister Missionaries, but all of the sayings can be switched to MG lingo. You could use these ideas for a cute photo shoot for your mish :)

Check it out:  

Mission Picture Crafts

 

COMING SOON

The Goodbye Package
The Pros
Sister Missionary Clothes

The Pros: Ashley & Jeffrey

Ladies, fairy tales really do exist

And here is a love story to prove it:

Our love story: Once upon a time, me and Jeffrey met at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. We were both freshman and somehow signed up for the same Sociology, Ethics, and institute class. Talk about divine intervention. I think Heavenly Father wanted us to definitely notice each other.

Well, when we first met, I did not want to date someone seriously. I had just moved out of my parents house and could date without having my parents wait up for me. I finally felt like I had some freedom, and take advantage of it, I did. Jeffrey and I hung out a lot. That's what happens when you have 3classes together. It's more fun to do homework and studying with someone else, and when you can get two classes done at once, all the better. Also, the Mormon population at Westminster is very small. There are only about 250 people enrolled in institute, so you get to know each other very well. And we all were in the same ward. This made seeing Jeffrey even more inevitable. He was at every activity, every fireside, everything.

I knew Jeffrey liked me, but I just avoided being alone with him. I made sure he knew I wasn't looking for a relationship and hoped he got the hint. He didn't. And I'm really bad at not showing my feelings. I was lying to myself the whole time. I knew in my heart I had more than a little friendly crush on this amazing, smart, quiet kid from New Mexico. He became my best friend. He helped me realize my potential as a woman in the church. He really helped me learn that I deserve a lot more than I thought as a daughter of God. It was around Thanksgiving when we both went home to realize that I actually did miss him and really like him.

There was still a minor problem; he was going on a mission. My mom waited for my dad and I had heard stories about how hard it was my whole life. I knew that is not something I wanted to do, and besides I didn't really even think I wanted to get married. I wanted to have a successful career. So even though I was starting to come through and tell myself the truth, I still didn't want to date him and I tried to make that clear, but his kid was so persistent! Well, one night, he just kissed me. I was so shocked and didn't expect it at all. I didn't know how to respond. It still took me a month that included Christmas Break in order for me to stop lying to myself and decide that I did want to date this boy.

So, we started dating in early January. It was great, we were so happy together. It was just like before. We were best friends, but we were on the same page emotionally. I don't remember any arguments that we ever had, I just was a little selfish and told him that I definitely wasn't waiting for him, I just wouldn't put myself through that. We kept dating and had such a good time. We went on so many fun dates, seeing old, homeless men play the cello while singing the National Anthem, Temple Square, the park, and so many other good memories. I just had one problem: I was falling for him, and falling hard. I didn't want to say goodbye and his mission call was looming ever so quickly.

His mission call came and I was so happy for him. He got called to the Chile, Concepcion mission. He was leaving June 8, 2011. That meant that we only have a few short months together. We hadn't really discussed the waiting thing since we first started dating, and I wanted to be completely happy for him, but there was a part of me that didn't want him to leave. I knew I had to be a good girlfriend and support him in doing the right thing. He had been a great missionary to me. He brought me to an understanding of the atonement and motivated me to be better. I knew that he would be a great missionary and really help a lot of people and families. I put on my happy face and did my best to support him. We started studying Preach My Gospel together and attended any institute classes that we could together. We finally had a talk about the whole waiting thing. I only made one promise; I wouldn't be engaged by the time he got back.

Then May came. School was over and he was going back to Albuquerque to hang out with his family for a month before leaving on his mission, and I was moving back to Logan for the summer. That was the hardest month of our relationship. We went from being together all day everyday to only being able to communicate over the phone. His family decided to spend a week in Salt Lake before he went to the MTC, and invited me to tag along in their adventures. I was so grateful for the opportunity to see him one last week before being gone for two whole years.

Jeffrey's mission was an adventure for both of us. We both learned a lot about who we are and what we want in life. We grew as individuals, but have been able to use that in our relationship together. I'm so happy that I decided to wait for this amazing man. I feel so incredibly lucky to have found love at such a young age. I can't wait for the rest of our lives to start!

How long were you dating before he left:6.5 months

Did you date or hard core wait: I dated for about 6 months between his 6months-1 year mark. I just always prayed to know what to do and that is the answer I received. Sometimes it was to date and sometimes it wasn't. Dating isn't for everyone, but I learned so much about myself and who I am as an individual a part from my relationship with Jeffrey. And that's why it was a good choice for me.

How did you stay busy: I worked a lot. I went to school and not just a few credits I took a completely full schedule so I didn't have any time. I hung out with my roommates and friends. I got involved with my YSA ward and tried new things. I got into running and started new hobbies.

Best thing an mg can do: Live life for yourself. Be you. Having a missionary is really fun and can be a great experience, but make sure you are having fun too.

Worst thing an mg can do: Hide away for the two years he is gone. Don't put your life on hold. You won't progress and it will be harder for you to have a relationship with your RM.

Biggest piece of advice: Grow in every way possible. Spiritually, physically, through your education. Hone any skills you think you will need later in life. For example I learned how to cook and how to be a better wife. Because I am terrible at being all cutesy and home makerish so I really tried to help that.

What was it like when he came home: It was a strange experience. You get so excited to see them come home. You have waited what seems like your whole life for this one moment. And he was awkward. My situation was a little different. He flew home to Florida and I was still in Utah. We spent a week just using video calls. But when he moved back to Utah he was so awkward. We established that we were an exclusive couple, but he wasn't used to holding my hand or anything to do with a girl but talk to me anymore. I gave him some time and he came around and even kissed me that first day. But give them time and space and let them get comfortable before you get mad at them.

What are you doing now: We are getting married!! We got engaged just last week and our wedding date is Oct. 10! Feel free to follow up on our blog. I am committing myself to being better about updating it! 

http://uniquelyulibarri.blogspot.com/

Looking back what was your favorite memory you two shared: Writing letters was so romantic to him and checking up every week was quite fun for me. I also loved the packages. That is something I miss and will still write him a love letter every once in a while to feel nostalgic. 

I hope this helps you! Being an MG was so fun, but honestly having them home is SO much better!

When Things Don't Go According to Plan: Waiting for the Storm to Pass

Over the past 7 months Taylor has been gone, I've gained a testimony that we can do anything if we put our faith in the Lord.

Two years is a long time and ofcourse things aren't always going to go the way we planned. Some of us find out our missionary isn't the one for us, some one of us get written off, some of us go on missions which makes our wait even longer, some of us go through trials that seem unfair: there will always be something.

As I wrote my missionary this week, I talked to him about tranquility: freedom from stress and emotion.

"The Lord doesn't promise that we will never face affliction, in fact He promises we will. That is the purpose of this life and the only way we grow. However, the Lord does promise (if we ask Him) to lighten the burdens from those afflictions."

In my patriarchical blessing it says:

"I give my children trials to keep them humble." 

Isn't that the truth.
Whatever life brings us, it is nothing compared to the peace we can feel if we put our trust in the Lord. Often times I think of the Atonement as just something I use when I make a mistake. But really it is so much more than that: it is a source of strength.

I'd like to relate this to a popular quote:

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm (trial) to pass...it's about learning to dance in the rain (trust in the Lord)."

The Lord is the source of all joy. Seek out his silver lining, Look for his rainbow after the rain, Follow his light at the end of the tunnel. With Him, there is a purpose in all things. He is the way.


When things don't go according to plan, seek to know the Lord's plan for you. He is the writer of your fairy tale and I promise it has a happy ending.



A song my best friend wrote:
I hope this helps (Yes I am singing, PLEASE excuse my grossness haha)

 

 

Keep Calm & Trust a Little

xoxo

The Girl Waiting In Her Tower For Her Prince

Aka Caa :)

The Pros: Jessica & Michael

The Pros ...

Is a new weekly segmant I am doing about girls who faithfully waited for their missionaries! Each week we will be able to hear from real girls who had their fairytales come true. I will have a tab on my page so you can keep up with and look back on each Pro Story.

Two years really does pass ladies and here is a love story to prove it:

Our Love Story: Michael and I met in kinda a funny way. We're basically high school sweethearts. I was finishing my sophomore year and he was finishing his junior year. But we first saw each other at my older sister's and his older brother's seminary graduation.  I didn't want to go to it, but felt like I should. Later I found out that he didn't want to go either but felt like he should too! Well I was sitting on a bench before it started, looking around for my grandma when I saw him. It was the usual "woaaahhh who's THAT?" kinda thing. And he SMILED AT ME. My heart went crazy. Through the entire graduation, I was trying so hard not to keep looking back at him like a creep. But I'd sneak glances ;) Only to see that he kept scooting down the bench and smiling at me:) So the graduation ended and everyone went back for refreshments. Then I saw him talking to an oh so popular jock and i thought "Well. There goes that. He's too cool for me. Too outta my league." And I hate to say it but I kinda forgot about him! Ha. Well the next week was yearbook day and I was telling my friend about this hot guy in my stake that I saw at the graduation. RIGHT when I was telling her, I saw him. Right. there. I never thought I'd see him ever again! I pointed him out to her and she said "Uhhhh Jess? I think he's talking to you...!" Sure enough, he was yelling at me to come over there! Shaking, I walked over to him and he said "I know I don't know you...but will you sign my yearbook?" Of course, I agreed! I wrote something stupid like "you're hot. let's hang" and put my number. haha. He put "You're in my stake! And really pretty:)" And he left his number. I died right then. After that, I kept seeing him everywhere and I was so intrigued by him and I wanted to get to know him! Later that day, he text me:) I was stupid and I was scared to go out with him at first because HELLO. Hot, almost senior guy! I was intimidated. He asked me out for about a month straight when finally he text me and said "Look. I don't do drugs, I don't smoke, I'm a good guy I promise! And...I'm a virgin!!" hahahaha so I finally decided that I probably should go out with him. So I agreed. I almost backed out right before he picked me up but I'm glad I didn't. We held hands the first date and it was the first time that I felt like my whole arm was on fire holding someone's hand. I was on cloud 9 the rest of the night:) He became my best friend instantly. We connected in ways I never thought possible. We went through basically the same tough things in high school and he understood me better than anyone I'd ever known. And come to find out, he told me he was looking for me EVERYwhere after the graduation. He said he asked around, looked on Facebook, etc. It was real cute:) He tells me that I'm an answer to his prayers, and he definitely has been to mine:) 

How long did we date before he left? We dated for about a year and a half!

Did you date or hard core wait? I definitely didn't hard core wait. I went on dates with other guys, because I really needed to find out for myself if he was that special one for me. I even kissed a couple other guys. I know. Most MGs would say that's awful. But it was helpful for me because I would have never known how much I hated kissing other guys if I hadn't have done it. Dating just made me realize how much I loved Michael and how amazing and unique he really is:)

How did you stay busy? I stayed busy by focusing on myself. I went to college, then went to cosmetology school, then ended up in esthetics. I focused on bettering myself for him. I focused on growing spiritually and in other ways as well. I spent a lot of time with a good friend, who was really good at cheering me up and making me laugh. He helped me a ton while Michael was gone. Again, we were STRICTLY friends. ;) But he was always there and helped me through it.

Best thing an MG can do? Focus on growing in lots of ways, especially spiritually. Live your life. Don't sit around like I did sometimes during the wait, and just sulk. I'm guilty of that and I wish I hadn't. YES it's OK to have days that you sulk and watch chick flicks and eat your weight in junk food. It's normal. But don't waste weeks or months being miserable. Get out and enjoy it. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured:)

Worst thing an MG can do? WORRYING. I did SO much of this and I seriously wished I hadn't. It made me miserable for SO LONG. I ALWAYS worried about how things would work out with my missionary. If we'd get married, if I'd meet someone else, if he wouldn't want me when he got back, if i'd get dear janed, If i'd dear john him, if i wasn't spiritually ready for him...the list goes on and on. I made myself sick a few times just worrying about everything. Trust in the Lord. Don't worry so much. He knows what He's doing. I know that's easier said than done, but seriously- pray to be ok with however things will work out. You'll be much happier that way.

Biggest piece of advice? Don't let anyone tell you how to wait. Don't let anyone tell you what's the right way or the wrong way to wait. It's bull crap most of the time. The wait is different for EVERYone. Some girls think it's a huge sin and you should go to Hell for dating while your boy is gone. Some think that dating is helpful and everyone should. But do what's best for YOU. Pray about how you should "wait". The Lord will never steer you wrong. And if you're doing what the Lord says you should do, you have nothing to worry about:) People can't tell you you're wrong, otherwise they're saying the Lord is wrong. Which is NEVER true. So don't worry about the haters. "You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, but there's still going to be someone who hates peaches." People are always gonna hate. They're gonna find some reason to. Just don't listen to them.

What was it like when he came home? WELL. The day he came home- it started out absolutely horrible. His mom said his plane was coming early so I was rushed in getting ready and I felt like i looked horrible. And it was in January so there was snow and it was seriously bumper to bumper the ENTIRE way to the airport. I thought I was gonna die from anxiety. I thought I was gonna miss him coming down the escalator. When we finally got to the airport, we RAN all the way there. Only to find out that for the SECOND time in the history of the Salt Lake airport- they had to close it because of bad weather. Of course that'd happen on my day. He was descending to land and they went back up and had to fly into Montana. WHAT. We waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. We were at the airport waiting for 6 hours. They were saying he might not even get to come home that day. I was pretty devastated. There were so many false alarms. People getting off planes saying they saw missionaries on the plane. It was horrible. Finally, I was looking at his flight on the screen and I said a prayer. I told God I really couldn't do it anymore and to please help me. The SECOND after I said that prayer, It said his flight had landed! I about puked. We got all ready, standing at the bottom of the escalator for about the fourth time, and then there he was! I immediately started bawling and I couldn't believe he was right there. The wait became worth it in that second, and I'll NEVER forget the feelings I had when I saw him. It was the most amazing moment ever. I still get cold chills thinking about it and it was over 6 months ago. He hugged his family then came and gave me the longest hug. It was incredible. I never wanted to let go and I felt like I was gonna burst. Then we had to leave each other because we drove in separate cars and it was horrible :( haha. I was waiting for him to be released and I had to wait another 3 hours. That was agony too. Haha but finally his mom text me saying they were coming to get me and take me to their house!:) I was SO EXCITED. When I got to his house, I thought "he's actually in this house!" I'd been there a million times while he was gone, but now he was actually here again! We saw each other and hugged and we didn't let go the rest of the night! haha. It was amazing how normal it was. Totally normal. It felt like he hadn't even left and we picked up right where we left off. When his family went into the other room- he grabbed me and kissed me and I died. haha. It was MAGICAL. In every sense of the word. It felt so good and right to kiss him again. After he kissed me he said, "I wanted to do that the second I saw you." it was amazing:) Then we just spent the whole night talking and laughing, and kissing...;) I was with him till about one in the morning. My dad was super mad that I wasn't home but it was TOTALLY worth it;) haha. It felt amazing. One of the best nights of my life. Ever. It was a fairytale. 

What are you doing now? Well now we're engaged! He proposed 3 months after he came home. We're getting married in the Salt Lake Temple on August 23rd:) We're so excited to start our life together!

What was your favorite memory the two of you shared? Growing closer together, even though we were far apart. It's amazing how much closer we grew as a couple. Putting the Lord first, really does bring you together. :)






Thank you for sharing your story Jess :) You are such an example to me & I hope to get my happy ending like you did! Best of wishes to you and your hubby <3 p="">


xoxo

Carly

My fellow mgs: You make this all worth it

"I love your blog you make being a missionaries girlfriend a ton easier :)"

- Abby Hyde



"I absolutely love your videos. With all the negative talk out there about girls who want to wait for a missionary, I wasn't sure if there were success stories. I'm so blessed to have found your blog. Thank you for everything, and please keep posting. I'm sure your blog is a refuge to many other girls as well."

-Jacqueline Varner



"Lets see... I read every single post. Can I just say... Umm... I don't even know you and I already adore you!! Is that too weird? I'm going to go with yes. But whatever I already said it. YES. I adore you and your story with Taylor!"

-Mica Cheney



"...there really isn't anyone here that's going through the same thing I am so your blog has really helped and brought comfort.."

-Rachel  Zlotnick



"Oh my goodness Carly, I totally just stalked your blog for like an hour! You are so cute!"

-Kinzie White



"I came across your blog and such and you're so cute! And so creative! I just wanted to say thanks for all the advice and such- you've helped so many people!"

-Kenzie Draper



"I was reading your blog about you and your missionary, and YES YES YES YES YES YES you go girl!! I'm in the exact position. Keep writing and keep trucking on because you are blessing so many girls with those posts! So inspiring. Your advice is GOLDEN. Keep it up!!!"

-Delaina Webly



"I just wanted to write you to tell you how much you've influenced me. Through the sis missionary page I read your blog, or just something you wrote...I can't remember how but it definitely has touched my life."

-Liz Johnson




These are just a few of the emails, messages, and comments that I have received over the last couple of months. Receiving these short simple thoughts has blessed my life. I never thought that starting this blog would lead to something wonderful. Hearing back from all you girls makes this wait so much more worth it. Its hard trying to be strong all the time and sometimes I can't be. Reading your sweet messages keeps me strong and ready to face this journey. I am thankful for all you ladies who have reached out to me and touch my life. YOU are the inspiration for this blog & I promise I'll keep posting for as long as I can.

keep calm & wait on 

xoxo

your girl,
Carly

Craft of the Week: DIY Envelopes

I kind of get tired of sending my elder the same old envelopes.
So I decided it would be a good idea to look up some templates and make a bunch of cute envelopes to send him & my other friends on missions. Thank goodness my mom is a scrap book paper hoarder.

It's Letter Time:

 

Before we start, the most important thing you will need is a template. If you are like me, you can free hand. However, a lot of people prefer to trace templates and score their letter. I'll provide the template bellow each letter!
Most of my inspiration came from this gem:  http://love-cate.blogspot.com/2013/04/possibly-envelope-obsession.html go give her blog a follow :)

This is the easiest letter to make, but I just love its simplicity. In case I haven't mentioned this before: I love when things are simple. I prefer daises over roses, picnics over fancy restaurants, and a dingy old truck over a Mercedes.

Template:

1. Fold in the side flaps, apply glue to the outside of each
2. Fold up the bottom flap and secure it to the side flaps
3. Insert letter, and glue the top flap down.
4. ALL DONE!

This one is fun because the template is in the shape of a heart! You might want to use a large sheet of paper when making this one because the letters turn out rather small.

Template:

This is my absolute favorite envelope! Mostly because its different than the normal envelopes we come in contact with every day. I absolutely adore how the flap is round and at the top! I did a lot different variations of this letter with a square flap and a design top. All the templates allow you to kind of put your own twist on them.

Templates:

Make length & other design adjustments as necessary :) 

Hope You Enjoyed!

Remember if you use any of these ideas please email me pictures at: carlycorrineupton@gmail.com
So I can feature you on my blog!



Have a wonderful week ladies & remember

Keep Calm & Wait On

xoxo

Carly