What They Won’t Tell You About Having Them Come Home

January 24, 2015 — 14 Comments

Ok dear friends, it’s time for this post.

Before I say anything else, let me start with this.

Randy and I are very much in love. Things are delightful, we love spending time together and having him home is the best thing in the world.

But having him home was also incredibly hard.

That sounds super ridiculous, right? I mean, we just spent 2 years apart, we should be OVERJOYED to be together again. And we were. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

We spent 2 years making new friends, meeting new people, living in two different countries, figuring out how to communicate with email and letters, growing up, making goals, having happy and sad experiences. And we got really good at doing all that. There were days when I actually LIKED having a missionary. It was never easy, but it got comfortable. Routine.

Then he came home.

We had to figure out how to communicate instantly, with words and tones and body language. Talk about weird.

I had to try and introduce him to new friends that knew a different part of me, and he had to introduce me to mission companions that meant the world to him.

I had to try to explain twerking (RIGHT?!?!?!) and why everyone is obsessed with Frozen.

He had to try to explain companionship inventory and couldn’t remember words in English.

So here are a few things that I wish I had known about having a missionary come home:

1. It’s ok to feel overwhelmed. They’ll feel overwhelmed, you’re going to be overwhelmed. Just enjoy what you can when you can. The overwhelmed parts will fade away soon enough.
2. It’s ok to fight. I think Randy and I were both so nervous about fighting that it only made tension worse. Couples fight! It’s ok!
3. It’s ok to not want to be together constantly. Randy and I loved being together, but for some people a little space is crucial! Don’t feel bad!
4. It’s ok to want to be lame. I felt dumb for wanting to stay in and cook dinner together instead of rushing out to parties and movies and dances. But honestly, it’s ok to sit down and chat for hours. I promise!
5. It’s ok to be different. I was so worried we weren’t adjusting the same way my friends, and their cousins, and their sisters best friends brother in law had adjusted. It’s ok to be different from everyone you see blogging and on Facebook!
6. It’s ok if it doesn’t work out the way you wanted. This is hard for so many people. For Randy and I, we’re dating and it’s been working out just fine. For other people, it doesn’t work or takes longer to get figured out. Sometimes things change and plans change, and all of that is ok.
7. It’s ok to communicate. There were some things that were bothering me and I didn’t want to bring them up, I didn’t want to offend Randy. In the long run, it’s better to have a conversation than a fight later.
8. It’s ok if it’s not ok. There are days when just straight up, having a brand new missionary in your life is hard. And it’s hard for you to be in their life too. Just trust me when I say that the bad days pass and better days are ahead! There are still perfect moments in misunderstood days, and it’ll all work out how it should.
9. It’s ok. In the end. It will be fine. That much is absolutely certain! 

So maybe that’s a downer, but I want it to be a glimpse at reality. Too many girls post that everything is 100% perfect right when their missionary gets home, which might be the case for them. For me, it was a little bit of an adjustment, one that I’m so happy we made and got through. But still.

Come what may and love it, right?

Happy Saturday everyone!

Here’s to making time and space

January 17, 2015 — 2 Comments
 
Here’s to three years and five months of celebrating the 13th as a special day. And the best way to celebrate? With Chili’s Molton Chocolate Cake of course. Plus chips and salsa. 

 
Thanks to all the well-wishers I’ve had for the past few days. I’m doing just great! And a special shout out to my family and the best boyfriend ever for making me feel so loved.
So here’s the thing. Life is so crazy busy. It’s driving me insane how busy it is. So I need to do some reorganizing of my time, and make some room for this great little blog.
Anyways, happy Saturday everyone! 

Black and White Photos

January 13, 2015 — Leave a comment
Again, another sappy post. Sorry…
Sometimes I’ll look over while we’re eating dinner or while we’re driving, and this feeling comes over me. I’m so lucky. This guy is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and every second with him is a dream come true. Things have been stressful for both of us lately, but somehow he still manages to make me smile every day. Thanks for being the best boyfriend in the world Randy Low.

Also, today was my first time anchoring for BYU Eleven News! So much fun, and such an exciting thing to be a part of. You can check it out Monday through Friday at 12:00 on channel 11, or online! It’s going to be a really fun semester, and I’m so happy to be working with the amazingly talented people that are part of the Eleven News crew! 
Anyway, coming up soon on the blog we’re going to have “What Happens When They Come Home” and others. Should be good!
Happy Monday everyone!

On Remember To Breathe

January 11, 2015 — Leave a comment
 January is proving to be one of those months. 
You know what I mean, right?
One of those months where the time ticks by slowly, but you look back and aren’t sure where the days went. And you look ahead and see so many things coming, and you’re not quite sure how to prep yourself. 
Don’t get me wrong, January has been loads of fun. There’s just so much coming with graduation and having to be a real-life adult. 
And then I bumped into this tonight. What a perfect reminder. 
So here’s to enjoying the bumps and unexpected turns, to embracing all the crazy months ahead, and walking fearlessly into the unknown. 
Happy Saturday dear friends.

2015 so far…

January 8, 2015 — Leave a comment

Hello, where have I been? If the past week is any indication of what the rest of of 2015 will be like, I have a crazy year ahead!

Too busy to take pictures or update the blog, so here’s what I have for ya today!

A look at 2015 reallll quick.

A glimpse at my perfect New Year’s Eve that included dinner at the Low’s, hanging out with my fam, Fresh Market Chocolate Chip Cookies, Wendy’s chicken nuggets, and falling asleep during a movie so Randy had to wake me up for midnight. Pretty great if you ask me!

The last first day of school. I’m not sure how it crept up on me like this, but I am so excited for what this semester has in store! I’m taking some final classes for my major, a religion class, and my last class for my minor! It’s insane!

So far 2015 has seen me doing lots of reading and Netflix watching, but also lots of scripture study, homework, cooking, time with Randy and other people that I care about, all in all it’s been a great year so far! Can’t wait to see what else is ahead!

2k14

December 31, 2014 — Leave a comment

A whole year, come and gone. What a roller coaster of a year it was. I had lots of adventures, worked hard, and loved (almost) every minute of it.

I remember last New Year’s Eve very vividly. It wasn’t a great one to be perfectly honest. There were lots of changes happening in my life, things bringing me down. I was a little worried that was how my year was going to be. And while 2014 wasn’t perfect, there were so many picture perfect moments.

I only have time to share a few here, or we’d be here for another year;) But my whole year is cataloged right there on the right in neat little blog posts under the year 2014.

SO this year found me chugging through school and absolutely loving my classes, changing my minor to Digital Humanities, doing an internship at KSL, working at KSL and at BYU Radio, spending a fun summer in Provo where I finished the hardest class in my major, and then had a blast doing all the summer things there are to do in a college town, watched several of my good friends get married and was a bridesmaid for a few, saw the Grand Canyon, spent a blissful two weeks in California and Disneyland with my amazing family, headed to Boston (officially my favorite city in the US) for a way fun week with my family and helping my brother and sister-in-law move in, found dozens of new places to eat, became more of a grownup with rent and bills and buying big things for myself, discovered my love for the Food Network, became better friends with people who turned out to be my people, had incredible wards and callings I loved, kept blog-friendships going strong, celebrated holidays and weekends with my family, dated some non-Randys, missed that missionary more than words can describe, and then had him come home to me. I learned about myself, about my Savior Jesus Christ, about my family, and about who I can become.

Yeah, you could say 2014 has been a good year.

I will honor Christmas and try to keep it in my heart all year

December 30, 2014 — Leave a comment
Holy Cow. This Christmas season came and went SO fast. I’m not even sure what happened. I blinked, and it was gone! Here’s my Christmas and time with family in pictures! 
Spending lots of time with this guy, and making gingerbread people of each other:)
Lots of holiday shopping!

We had an amazing Christmas Eve with my extended family, and I love spending time with all these cute siblings of mine. Side bar–My brother and sister-in-law were supposed to be getting in from Boston late Sunday night, the Sunday before Christmas. My family and I head to church that morning, and guess who is sitting in our bench?? Ben and Kim! Those tricksters got in a day early and surprised us. I’ve just decided to never believe anybody when they tell me what day they are getting home. The end. 

The 18th Annual Christmas Stocking Exchange. We’re nerdy in my family. 
Christmas Day also included a trench coat I’d been drooling over, lots of books and games and so much family time. It made my heart happy. 

I just love Christmas:)

Off to see Savior of the World with my family!
This is one of my all time favorite Christmas pictures. While Christmas is about family and food and presents and snow, it’s about something much bigger. I know we kind of get that beaten into our heads, but it’s true. It’s about our Savior and the things that he did for us, it’s about his mother and her faith, his father and his trust in God, his Heavenly Father and his sacrifice, and that quiet night when the entire world changed. 
I hope you had a Merry Christmas everyone!
Happy Monday!

Go to college they said…it will be fun they said…

December 18, 2014 — Leave a comment

For most schools, finals are long gone. Even here at BYU, quite a few people have already powered through their finals and are on their way home. But no matter if you have finals or not, if college is way behind you or way in the future, the stress of taking multiple really important tests in one week along with a dating life, work, and family, is pretty crazy. Here’s what I’ve learned.

1. Having a missionary come home means you suddenly don’t really care about anything else. Randy got home and WHAM all I wanted to do was spend time with him and talk to him since we didn’t have a two-week delay anymore. Boy, did that throw my motivation for school for a loop!

2. Professors aren’t always as mean as people say. A lot of my professors actually understand that I have 14 other credits that I’m trying to get through, and wanted to help lighten the load. This isn’t always the case, but I loved that unexpected little delight.

3. Being an adult means biting your tongue. There were lots of things I wanted to say, times I really wanted to give people a load of my mind. But that’s what kids do. So as an adult you decide that being right isn’t as important as the relationship, and move on.

4. Never underestimate the power of hot chocolate. For real. I can’t count how many cups of hot cocoa I’ve guzzled in the past month, but it seems to have this magical ability to make everything better.

5. Good friends and family will make all the difference. Whether it’s keeping a good surprise from you, sitting up at 2 AM to chat, having a dance party, quizzing you before a test, or watching your favorite Christmas movie with you, my friends have gotten me through lots of hard times.

6. Pep-talks are essential. Mine usually start “Maddy, I’m sick and tired of everybody talking about the Soviets!” (name that movie!)

7. Candles. Holiday Wishes is currently burning in my apartment, and can I just say that I’m obsessed. It was pumpkin spice for all of October and November, now Christmas Tree and Sugar Plums and Gingerbread and deliciousness this month. Invest. I’m telling you, you’ll be happy you did.

8. Christmas shopping is 1000000 times more fun with a boyfriend. But really. Especially when he has no clothes and you get to help pick them out.

9. Set aside time to do a lot of studying. If you say, oh I’ll study tonight, it won’t happen. Set times. That’s the only way it will work!

10. Never forget what’s the most important. Take time for the things that really matter, like Church and family. Prioritize and things will work out.

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Tonight tonight

December 16, 2014 — Leave a comment

Once upon a time I started my senior year of college. Now, finals week is upon me. Or as some like to call it, HBLL week. (Harold B. Lee Library for you non-BYU folk). So I’m almost halfway done with that senior year.

Um, what?

I did not give this semester permission to run by so quickly. I’m looking at my notes for my classes as I attempt to study while having approximately 0 motivation, wondering where in the world September went.

Waiting for Christmas and Randy to get home, the time ticked slowly.

Having to be ready for finals came more quickly than anything in the world.

So as I sit here procrastinating my study of World Religions, there are all these thoughts running around in my head and I know that no studying will get done until they are gone.

At some point I’ll probably write the surviving finals week post that nobody will read, but tonight isn’t that kind of night.

Tonight is a night for being strong and fearless. It’s for plunging ahead into the unknown when some are laughing while you struggle by and others are dragging you back, telling you you have no idea what you’re doing.

Tonight is all about charting your course and learning to love the ride no matter who decided to get on board with you.

Tonight is about never giving up on someone and fighting for the things that matter the very most to you.

Tonight is about all the things that prepared you for this moment, for the things you didn’t understand that now make perfect sense.

For that silent struggle with a loving Heavenly Father when you have no idea why things are happening. And realizing that there has always been a plan, and that you just have to trust.

And tonight is about being kind because you never know who else is having that same silent struggle.

Ok enough of that! Picture time!

Best homecoming talk EVER.

Sub-set of our Provo family for dinner at my favorite Sri Lankan restaurant. 

And a farewell to these two who are off to new adventures after Christmas! Mal will be teaching English in Ukraine and JD will be working with government officials in D.C. 
Anyway dear friends. Happy Monday and for anyone with finals still ahead, good luck!