The Weekly Happs...

Well sports fans, this may not have been the greatest week for sports... BYU had a bye, William Penn's football team got trounced 31-13 and team Stahle had another long week of conditioning. But the great news is that we are winning the fight that matters! Life. I'd say we had another great week, with tests every other day (all of which we aced with flying colors...we think), missionary opportunities and growing into our new ward, and time together doing white trash things... I mean worthwhile things! We may or may not have gone to "Hy-Vee" to get our chinese in a large brown paper bag to sit in the middle of town square in a lil gazebo that reminds me of the show Gilmore Girls. We also enjoy sitting outside our door in our camping chairs reading, but don't worry, at this point we keep our shirts on.

But the best parts have been involving the gospel of Jesus Christ. Tyler was called to serve in the YM's Presidency and today one of the boy's family said to us "we are just so excited you got called to help our boy, they could really use some more spiritual activities and we know you will help them." I couldn't agree more! This cute fam actually invited us to dinner at their house this friday! The ward has been so welcoming and wonderful, we feel like missionaries because everyone wants to have us over for dinner (knowing we are poor married students)! We always accept with the same enthusiasm! This week we're going with the McQuivey's and President Pearce's (where they want us to have FHE with them and share about our missions, I'm first! We're excited to talk about them again). We also gave our first talks last week! Tyler did great speaking about Temptation and I spoke on Attitude... probably something I needed to check :) I helped with the Primary today and am teaching R.S. next week... I like this temporary calling as the filler-in-er, I think it should be permanent :)

The teams are doing well, we always have stories and get weird questions about mormons. I love my nicknames "The Mormon" and the "married woman." I stretch out before every activity and I am sure to tell them I have to do my "old lady stretches" first. I am officially the Designated Driver and I think they have a secret goal to get me to go to one of their parties... yeah right. :) Before one of my classes one of the girsl pointed out that I read scripture every day, kinda mocking me, asked if I drink and when I said "no" she said "do you do anything fun?!" Another teammate jumped to my defense "hey, Dani is a fun person!" haha, we then had a good time saying the "fun" activities I do like blogging, board games, and writing my own recipe books...ok too far! Although somewhat serious and mostly sarcastic the list was fun and I'm grateful for teammates who laugh it out and respect me enough to stick up for me, even if they don't understand me and the simple joys and fun activities of a sober, "boring mormon" life. They have brought me the greatest joys known.

Tyler's workouts sound like death but he always comes home more alive than dead, thankfully. He is working hard and doing great. As far as I can tell all his teammates seem to really like him, Big Ben says hi to us everytime we pass hi and I know that Ty is having a great impact on them all, especially the coaches.

Anyway, that's a portion of the Iowan life this week! We love Osky... and we love what it is bringing to our life and marriage.

 

                                                                               Thanks to our families we got 2 packages with goodies!

      We gave away a book to someone this week!
        Can't wait to hear what happens with our friend
        Maya! 

August 31st, 2013

FAMILIES ARE FOREVER

Many of you may know that yesterday was a very special day! For one thing, it was madre's bday! Unfortunately I didn't have the chance to swing by the library and use the internet there for very long in order to have this posted yesterday but I am hoping my loving and forgiving mother will be just that on her special day....sorry this is late! I just want everyone to know how grateful I am for my mom. Sitting in church today the subject of families was repeated over and over. I heard stories of the lives many members here have faced and heard how grateful they are that they can start an eternal family, even if their families weren't all that great. I realized, like I do time and time again, how blessed I am to come from a family that is as close as ours! I know this picture is old... but it is one of my favorites because to me it shows how much we love each other (and how lucky we are to have gotten the good looks of our mother!). There are few things as precious as an eternal family and the more ours grows the more I see how love grows. I love how the well known LDS hymn says:

There is no end to glory;

There is no end to love;

There is no end to being;

There is no death above.

Anyway, we are sure lucky to have what we have, and in large measure it all comes back to the parents, and especially the mother of the home. Thank you mom for keeping us together, for raising us. Thank you for always being there for me, for being my best friend and for never giving up on me. I am not a mom yet.. but I hope that one day when I am, I can pass on the many things I learned from you (including the delicious meals/treats you make! Tyler says I am doing pretty darn well ;) ).

Te iubesc mama, esti cea mai buna mama in lume. :)

Furthermore... yesterday was Tyler and I's ONE MONTH ANNIVERSARY! And what better way to spend it than to go to Nauvoo, Illinois for a temple session. Truly we are blessed! We feel so lucky to live so close to Nauvoo and to feel of the strong spirit that exists there. One month ago Tyler and I entered the Salt Lake City Temple as individuals and came out an eternal family. How happy I am to know I have this handsome man for the rest of my life and eternity! The restoration happened, the priesthood of God was restored and therefore "whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven" (Matt 18:18). 

Tyler makes marriage seem easy. More than once I have awaken to pancakes or cereal on the table for breakfast, the dishes are always done, and I frequently get foot/back massages :) but more importantly than that... every day I feel valued. He listens to my rantings on religion, psychology, and my trying to make sense of the world and as far as I can tell he doesn't think I'm too crazy ;) He is always there to listen, to give advice, or to just hang out with. I have never had so much fun just being around someone and I can't wait for every new adventure that each day brings. I don't care where I am, as long as I am with him. Thanks Tyster for being so wonderful and for honoring the priesthood, for living a life worthy of the temple and all that Heavenly Father has in store. I love you.