Active Parenting & Families

So I'm taking a Family Relations class and I love it! I knew the second I signed up for it, that it was going to be amazing! I've always wanted to do some sort of counseling/therapy/psychology type major and help others. I'm always wanting to help others. Well we started this book (to the left) in my class. This class has to be my favorite this semester. We watched a video today full of situations on how to help kids with the way they are feeling and the certain responses we should be giving them. I know I'm going to learn a lot from this book, so I'm glad I bought it! I also bought another book called, 7 Habits For A Highly Effective Family (I think! Hahaha) and I'm excited to learn from that one as well. The other day I was pondering about the classes I should consider taking next semester and I was thinking about making sure this major (Psychology) was the one I wanted. I got on the schools website and looked up the information, then I looked at the major for Family & Consumer Sciences and looked at the classes required and such and I was drawn to FCS more than I was to the Psych classes. I've thought about it a lot, talked with my mom on whether or not I should change my major. Well I came across a talk the other day (due to a very long train of thought) and I came across this part,

"One day I ran into my uncle while I was visiting at my grandparent’s house. “How’s school?” he inquired. “Have you chosen a major?” “Yep. Advertising.”

“Advertising? Never heard of such a major. Do you think that’s wise?” Then he made a statement I’ll never forget: “The Savior spent 30 years preparing for his brief three-year ministry. You have three years of college left. Don’t you think you should spend them preparing for your lifetime ministry?”

A sword pierced clear through me couldn’t have cut any deeper. I was given cause to ponder. I thought about my mother. Had her education prepared her for her ministry as a wife and mother? She had graduated in dramatic arts. I’d never seen her on stage, but she annually directed the winning stake road show, and every Sunday School or sacrament meeting talk I ever gave was rehearsed to perfection under her tutelage. What if I married right out of college and never worked in my field? Could I use an advertising major to further the Lord’s work? Would it be of any benefit to my children?"

That has stuck in my head FOREVER now. I think about it every day. Every class I go to, when I do my homework, when I study and when I prepare. I think about if this is preparing me to be the mother, wife, daughter, sister, sister-in-law, etc. that Heavenly Father plans for me to be. Part of this talk I read is the reason I've decided to change my major. I'm more happier and willing to learn and study in my Family Relations class than I am in my Psychology class. When I look at what classes the FCS major has to offer, I get more excited and want to take all of them, where with Psychology I dread all the classes and know they're going to be hard. I guess I should have considered the challenge, but I want to love what I major in. I want to love what degree I graduate with. I want it to help me be that mother I've dreamed of being, that wife I've always hoped to be and I know this major will help me do that. I'm so grateful for this class.

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Now, on the the other note. Families :) I love my family. I just love the very idea of families. I love my family and cannot wait to have one of my own. I know it's a lot of hard work and takes so much out of you, but that's what I'm here for. To be in a family, and to have my own. The family is the center of Heavenly Father's plan and I want to bring forth other of his children. My patriarchal blessing excites me and I love reading it when it talks about families and marriage.

Many of you know that I'm dating a young man named Brady :) He's so sweet. He's perfect for me and in my eyes. I love him more and more everyday. It's been a little hard being away from him all week, but this is where I need to be right now and I know it'll pay off in the end. He's leaving on his mission December 2 and I'm just amazed at how fast time is going! My family always teases and complains that I never spend time with them when I'm home on the weekend. Well, part of that is because Brady is leaving soon. I know that shouldn't be how I treat my family but I want to spend as much time with Brady as I can before he leaves. I love my family and I appreciate them being there for me. I write about them so much, especially my parents, but it's because I love them!

Anyway, I love Brady. He's one amazing young man, and the way we've gotten close is amazing, and more different than I've ever imagined. We talk about things we want, things we want to improve on, things we dream of, our future plans, what we enjoy about life and how happy we are. He is a pleasing kind of person. He is always making sure I'm happy and that I'm laughing and that I'm okay. I am comfortable just calling him now when I'm having a bad day, sometimes I know he won't know what to say but the fact that he lets me just call him is wonderful. I think we're really starting to have a good based friendship underneath our relationship. He's going to be such a wonderful missionary and change lives! He's so excited! He'll be going through the Temple soon and I know it'll be one experience he'll never forget. I can't wait for him to come home. I want to be with him when he gets back, and I know he'd be one amazing father/husband. I know I'm young and I still have 2 years to date others and hear from Brady and find myself and grow up a bit more, but this whole college thing has taught me a lot. I clean a lot now. My roommates and I usually complain about how dirty our apartment is and at first it was about who has cleaned it the most but now I've just decided to just clean it. I've deep cleaned it a few times and just done the dishes or wash towels, and such. I do it because I want to make my roommates happy and help them have a nice, clean, warm apartment to come home to if they have a hard day. And I also do it because it's soothing for me. I took that from my mother and I couldn't be happier. Cleaning helps relieve my stresses and always is relaxing afterwards. I'm learning a lot by living with other people besides my family that I know I can use in my future!

Woohoo for the future! :) I'm happy to be me and I love my family :) Thank you Heavenly Father!