Idleness will Getcha

I've been extremely
Idle.
Lazy.
Un-productive.
Bored.
Whatever you want to label it as.

I thrive when I am busy and running non stop. Call me crazy, but I like love being stressed out (within reason). At least I'm accomplishing things! This whole 'sitting-around-doing-nothing-waiting-for-my-mission-to-start' is just not my thing! Sure, I study. Not as much as I should...that's something I'm working on...but studying can only fill so much of your day. I feel as if I'm sitting at home, checking Instagram and Facebook every 5 seconds just to find out nothing's new. Bleh.

On the off chance that I'm NOT at home, you can find me babysitting this little guy:

He's a snoozer. Take him on a car ride, and he's done for.

On another day, I babysat his little friend Reese as well.

Took them to gymnastics class which was adorable! It was safari week and Reese loved acting like a panther.

Throughout the day with Brody and Reese, I got asked THREE separate times, "how old are your twins?"
Well...first off, they're not twins. Second, they're not mine. Guess that's what happens when you start looking old enough to be a mom (even though I'm definitely not!).

While at Chick-fil-a, a guy was on break from the hospital and was chatting with me and the kiddos for a good 20 minutes. The kids were obsessed with him! It's so funny to watch them trying to impress him, doing little tricks on the bench and stuff.

On another day, Brody and I headed to the park.

He loved this toy of his. He would try throwing it as far as he could (which was never very far), then would have me count how fast he could run and grab it.

He never tired of this game. Over, and over, and over again, until he got distracted by the swings!

This is pretty much an every-day occurrence. Teah comes over to play, and they beg me to take videos of them and "put it on Youtube!!!" Well, the blog will have to do.
Teah loves to act like a little host, and explains everything that's going on. Count how many times she says, "and every body watch____" (fill in the blank). "And everybody watch me go down the slide. And everybody watch Brody go down the slide. And everybody watch..." You get the idea.

She's a cutie.

Kaden and I had a little date night. We went out for Sushi, then went to his school's production of "The Jungle Book Musical." It actually was a super cute show! I enjoyed it. And sushi is the way to my heart, I adore it.

My father texted me and used a hash tag. #whatishappening?

 My shirt from '18 nineteen' came in the mail. I really love it. "Sorry Mister, I'm a sister"

Boys are a no!

On Thursday, I had the best day ever. Seriously.

I went on splits with the Sister missionaries here, Sister Nielsen and Sister Likes. We taught six people, and it was incredible. I loved getting to know each of them, and felt so connected so quickly! I already love them, and that really took me off guard. It's killing me not to go back to the follow up meetings with them. I've thought and prayed about them every day since.

I think going on splits is the best way for me to see what it's really going to be like on my mission--because I am doing the exact same thing! There are rules I didn't even know about, like how whenever you put the car in reverse, the other companion has to stand outside and motion to you how to proceed. 

I was able to get a glimpse into how challenging the work will be, but also how rewarding! It thrills me to think how much deeper I'll love the people I teach, and I'll actually get to be there each lesson (: 

Overall, it was really comforting. I got super nervous driving over to meet the sisters, and was flooded with feelings of inadequacy! But when I actually started talking to the people, it just flowed. Words came. I felt the spirit so strongly. It was encouraging because I could see that what I was saying was helping the people and I was making a difference. I take that back, the spirit was making a difference. It wasn't even me, it was the Lord working through me Such a neat experience! Literally can not wait to do that for a year and a half.

On Saturday we drove 2 hours for my cousin Kaela's graduation party. Great to see her again!

Funny story--I was wearing a cute white blouse with a bow on it, when I looked down to see a giant streak of chocolate down the front! I got a little too anxious after dipping my strawberry in the chocolate fountain, and ate it while it was drippy. Oops! Luckily her grandma saved the day and gave me this shirt so I didn't have to look like a mess. (:

 The pictures just get more and more people in them...

The whole side of Kendra's family--the Svanum side.

In the above picture, Kendra thought she had her arm around my dad, not her dad. She stuck her thumb down his pants before realizing this. Oops! We laughed a bunch. Even funnier is that all he said was, "Whoever's doing that, don't stop."

Today me and Parker got Chipotle.

That was the only time I left the house today. Sad? Yes. Delicious? Definitely.

And finally, the last pictures from my shoot with Michele.

And last but certainly not least, this picture:

I have absolutely no idea what I am doing, but it cracks me up! Me and Michele were dying of laughter when we saw this. Just a candid picture, but I look like a gangster or something. "Sista Bishop in da hood!" 

13 days left in California!