a refreshing change

I couldn't figure out what to title this post even after I had typed the whole thing, then remembered my fortune from Panda Express that said a refreshing change was in my future. Panda never lies!

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Holy cow. I was reading through some older posts and my typos are so bad I was laughing out loud. I spend tons of time writing and proofreading papers for school so don't worry! My life is currently pretty messy so I guess my blog reflects that... Haha. Anyway, I'm going to do my best to catch you up on all the fun, cool happenings you're dying to read about. (This semester has made me a tiny bit sarcastic, just warning you). 

I'm going to be real and say that stress and trials can be a real downer; and if you let it, can affect all aspects of your life. General Conference and Easter came at the perfect time for me to reflect about the Atonement and all the blessings that come from it. I was able to just breathe and take in all the happy things that I love. Before General Conference I was feeling that pressure of being perfect, knowing that I'm not, and wishing I could change. President Uchtdorf gave a talk on the Gift of Grace and the words "God loves us perfectly, deeply, and everlastingly" stuck with me and repeated in my mind ever since. Those words brought the comfort I needed to feel ok and better about my self even though I make mistakes every day. One day I hope to understand what that kind of love really means. Thinking about Easter and the Grace of God was so perfect. I gained a deeper testimony of how Heavenly Father and Christ couldn't have shown us any more perfectly how much they love us than the gift of the Atonement. The gift to try again, to be clean, to become better, to live again. I laughed. I cried. I smiled.  I kissed family. And I squeezed Tyler a little tighter.

The next week, the words of counsel I was hearing again as I reread talks made me feel the reality that I needed to try harder to be better. That Sunday in Sacrament meeting I had still been carrying the weight of all those imperfections that I saw in myself. As I heard the Sacrament prayer and began to reflect on everything, I began to feel that same comfort from hearing the voice of President Uchtdorf speaking about the Gift of Grace. This time it was Heavenly Father's voice telling me that it was ok that I was falling short and that I was worthy of his godly love. That I really will be perfect one day. I felt my chest swell up and my eyes fill with tears because my testimony grew in that moment. Those testimonies I heard from the congregation were so authentic and strengthening that made the meeting extra special. I think it was because they all felt that same spirit that General Conference always brings. 

And how could I forget Rebecca, who knew I needed a facetime date from thousands of miles away in Australia. I wish I was as cool as her (don't laugh, it's true Becca!). 

On a less sappy note, my mother-in- law had a birthday and wanted to take an all day trip to the Phoenix Zoo even though we had just been a couple of weeks ago.. I actually LOVE the zoo so I had no complaints about that! I obviously love all the animals, but I couldn't help but stare and take pictures of all the flowers blooming everywhere. I'm sure people were staring and thought I didn't know I was supposed to take pictures of the animals not the plants. I just kept thinking, "does anyone one else notice how beautiful all these flowers are?!" I made my mother-in- law come with me to the rose garden and she agreed with me like the cool mother-in-law she is. When I sent all my flower pictures to my brother serving in Oakland he responded saying, 
"I think you are a very inspired person Olivia! I just bought some flower seeds last week to start growing some in my apartment.ha I've been thinking about flowers more than usual. I always see flowers in bloom and it reminds me of the sermon when Christ mentions how not even Solomon was as arrayed as a lily of the field. I definitely agree with Him. Thanks for the beautiful pictures:)"
HOW CUTE IS THAT?! I cried. I miss him so much! 

I did take some pictures of animals too.

Tyler and I always love spending time with our little crazy red-headed niece! We took her to the Farm while everyone one else was taking a break and people where staring because she looked like our adopted child. She's a cutie! 

If you haven't noticed the most important things in my life right now are family, church, school, and work. I try really hard not to stress when I'm working or with family. It was nice to actually have school be a place to have a break this week! For my science class we have been discussing field trips and all the little pieces that go into making sure kids get the best experiences. We all met up at the Arizona Museum of Natural History and were given a special teachers tour of all the science-y parts. Everyone laughs at me because there isn't a local museum I haven't been to and I loved getting to go to a museum I grew up going to every summer. I could spend all day at this museum! Plus dinosaurs are the coolest. 

This past weekend was my Dad's 41st birthday (I know my parents are so old) and he wanted a camping trip as his present. So we packed up everything in the trailer and drove up somewhere past Globe. It was so cool to see the beautiful desert cactus views on the way there and then suddenly there are pine trees everywhere! We named a million movie quotes, told jokes, got filthy, played in the creek, froze our butts off, and had good old camping food. It was nice to just unplug from the world and appreciate the Earth. I thought it was a great way to celebrate Earth Day coming up on the 22nd! So here is a bunch of pictures from this weekend in no particular order. I'm so glad I have a such a strong willed, hard working, joke telling father. I'll always be a daddy's girl (insert a million heart emojis here).