Long time no post

Yet again, I haven't written in forever! But, I graduated from BYU-I with my Bachelors in Music Education a few weeks ago so now I will have less homework and more blog time (graduation pictures coming soon). Since it's New Years Eve I thought I could write about 11 fun things that have happened to LJ and I this year:

1. Hannah Graduates

2. TWO year anniversary

3. LJ is offered and accepts an internship with a Big Four accounting firm

4. Hannah competes in National Metropolitan Opera competition

5. LJ completes and passes hardest accounting course at BYUI (woohoo!)

6. Hannah is asked to teach private voice lessons for the BYUI Music department (only four students from the department are asked each semester!)

7. LJ bought a 55" LCD TV (his gift to himself for getting his internship)

8. Hannah Performed at senior vocal recital

9. We tried the 'Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead' juice fast....that was rough

10. Hannah's first Christmas away from home = wonderful (in-laws made it AWESOME)

11. LJ taught Sunday School while Hannah ran Activity Days in Rexburg

Now, 12 things we hope to do in 2012:

1. LJ hopes to have a job lined up upon graduation from BYUI in 2013

2. Hannah hopes to find a job teaching voice lessons in Idaho until LJ graduates

3. We hope to make a trip to Disneyland and California Adventures

4. Hannah hopes to get her iron count UP UP UP through extensive iron transfusions

5. We hope to find an apartment closer to campus

6. We HOPE to be able to buy a car to replace LJ's 93 Honda Civic hatchback (haha)

7. Hannah hopes to try some crafts, hairstyles, recipes, outfits etc. as seen on Pinterest

8. LJ WILL see The Dark Knight Rises in IMAX at MIDNIGHT on July 20

9. We plan on attending the Temple more regularly

10. We hope to exercise regularly

11. Hannah hopes to be able to support LJ until he graduates

12. We both hope to continue to have a happy and strong marriage founded on the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ

Life, Love and LOST

This is what LJ walked into when he got home

The "Love" Lifeboat

Dharma Initiative Snacks

Dharma Initiative T-Shirts

Life sure has been crazy since we have been home from Mongolia. We lived with LJ's family for a month while LJ worked at an accounting firm in Utah. I stayed home all day everyday because at the time we only had one car. That was a huge trial for me! I learned that I like to be busy. Relaxing is nice every once and a while but not all the time! I guess the grass is always greener on the other side - right? Christmas was a lot of fun! We went to Vegas (of course I thought it was fun! haha). LJ was too generous as always! I was just so excited to spend time with my family and to get out of the cold!

School started January 3rd so we moved in to the new Apt on New Years Eve! Lyle and Melissa came with us to move in (SO nice of them) and after a lot of sweat and almost tears we are moved in. Moving is the biggest pain in the bum especially when it's freezing outside! It was so darn cold - duh! It's Rexburg!

I thought I was going to have more free time this semester because I am only working one job - boy was I wrong! I am performing with the jazz choir on campus, Vocal Union, this semester and while it doesn't feel like work because it's so much fun - it takes up a lot of time! And, I am also performing in Opera Scenes this semester which takes up my evenings! My classes seem to get harder each semester (naturally - since they are now upper level courses)! LJ, who is now majoring in accounting is transitioning well, but I think he is worried about the work load to come! It is hard to find time to spend together alone and relaxed. We usually fall asleep watching LOST which brings me to my next point.....

When LJ and I first started dating I would go over to his apartment and he would be watching LOST (the TV series). Whenever I caught glimpses of the show it looked amazing! Well, he finished up the show this semester and told me that I needed to start it. So, I watched one episode and it was pretty darn good. The day after I watched the first episode I ended up staying home sick - I had the worst cold of my life! Well, don't judge me but I watched 19 episodes of Lost that day! I know, I know - sick and wrong! I have no problem admitting that I am addicted to Lost haha Luckily LJ understands my addiction - hello he started it! haha

A few weeks ago I was talking with my friend and she mentioned that a website called thedatingdivas.com had a Lost themed date. So, I checked it out and ended up planning the date for LJ and I! It turned out SO SO SO cute! I am so grateful that there a people with adorable ideas who make it easy for people like me (who have zero cute ideas) to copy their ideas and look like a good wife haha LJ loved the date! He thought it was so cool! Thank you divas!

I am so lucky to be married to LJ! He is a great husband! For Valentine's Day he surprised me with dinner! It was the sweetest thing ever! How did I get so stinkin' blessed? I just love that handsome guy so much! It's amazing to know that even when life gets crazy and overwhelming I can turn to my best friend and feel at peace!

Home at last

After 36 hours of travel we made it back to America exhausted and hungry! The time zone change absolutley blows my mind! We left Mongolia on Monday afternoon at 3:40, traveled 36 hours, and arrived in LA at 9:30am Tuesday morning....I just can't rap my mind around it! We stayed with my aunt Tasha for one day - it was really great because we got to spend time with my grandparents. They have been traveling the country so we got to share our travel experiences with each other (although, they didn't experience anything as crazy as eating sheep head).

Yes, this is a boiled sheep head...which we ate!

We drove to Las Vegas on Wednesday and we will be staying here until next week sometime.

It is so nice to be home! We have been able to catch up on sleep, relax, and just enjoy the beautiful country we live in. Mongolia gave me a new appreciation for our freedoms and liberties.

I am so happy to be home with my family, home where I can speak the language, home where I can eat the food with out getting sick. Dorothy said it right "There is no place like home."

I will survive!

Only 10 days left in Mongolia. It has been one crazy adventure! I haven't written anything because....LJ's computer broke a few weeks into the trip - that has certainly made this whole thing a lot harder than I was planning on. Thankfully, I have been able to use a computer in the church when it has been available. We have had so many fun experiences! We went to the countryside (almost 100% uninhabited!!), we went to the place where Mongolia was dedicated for missionary work, we bought about a million cheap movies (haha), I ate SHEEP HEAD, but mainly I have learned how very blessed we are in America! I am so grateful for all we have and all we can work to have! I love America. I have also learned how much hope the Gospel brings into our lives. The people in Mongolia have nothing and nothing to look forward to. But, the Gospel gives the people here the hope of a brighter future, the hope of a living Savior. It blesses these people so much. I never realized how much I take for granted all I have until I came to Mongolia. Now, while I have learned so much and come to love the people so greatly...I am ready to go home! I miss my family, friends....FOOD!! I dream about America every night - no kidding! It started about a week ago...I had a dream about milk - I don't even like milk very much! But, when I dreamed that I was drinking a tall glass of 2% - oh baby! I got very homesick! I just want some milk!!!!! When I wake up every morning having dreamed about America I just keep reminding myself that I only have a few more days here. I am SO grateful for the experience I have had here but I am also so grateful that I am going home soon!

Recent Obsessions

Something that I have found to occupy some of my free time here has been The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. These books have become extremely popular at BYU-I (especially among English majors) and my mom convinced me to read them. Anything she suggests I read because she always steers me in a good direction. Mom sent me with books one and two to read over here. It took me two days to read them both (haha). Needless to say I was hooked after the first few chapters! These books are AMAZING! I love them - the story is so gripping and the main character is so lovable (which I find to be a big contrast with the Twilight series haha).
After I finished the first 2 books, I was DYING to get my hands on the newly released 3rd book! I tried calling every book store in the UB area, then I buckled and ordered the ebook. After complications with payment methods outside of the U.S., help from my aunt, and buying a power cord for LJ's computer I was finally able to get ahold of book 3...Mockingjay!!!
I really want to start a discussion board or something to see what other people thought of the book. I was a little disappointed! Things happened so fast - too fast for me! Characters killed with little explanation or emotion from the main character, love triangles coming to a swift close when one character was about to SLAUGHTER the other - not a lot of explanation or talk of healing there, main characters leaving the picture for good......the book ended exactly how I hoped it would but I didn't get to experience all the happiness and love that I was waiting for over the past two books!! Anyways, I am obsessed right now and dying for someone to discuss it with me! I loved the book but I have to admit it was my least favorite of the 3! I want to hear YOUR thoughts! Please comment :)

Mongolia...a new chapter

A few months ago LJ decided to apply for an internship in Mongolia and I, being quiet innocent, encouraged him! He found an internship with an international bank in the capital of Mongolia - Ulaanbaatar. All the arrangements seemed to fall into place. The church asked me if I could help out in the mission home (which I was extatic about) and we were able to find rather inexpensive flights. We had a hard time getting LJ's visa - in fact it didn't arrive until 6 hours before our flight left but we made it here!
We landed in Ulaanbaatar on September 1st. It was a pretty big culture shock. The way these people drive is insane! No lanes, no blinkers, no speed limits, no lights - NO NOTHING!!! I think I almost died 23 times after leaving the airport. It's amazing that they don't hit eachother! We wanted to shower and turned the water on - no hot water! I had to heat water on the stove to wash my hair. We went grocery shopping and didn't get any groceries...apparently LJ never bought food when he was here - that would explain why he was so skinny! I am loving the mission home! I have only been here for a few hours and I haven't done much of anything but the people are so wonderful and the Spirit is very strong.
LJ is going to enjoy his job. He will be working on a project for the bank and will be working very closely with a member of the church named A.K. I can tell that he likes being back. His mission was such an important time of his life. He learned so much and became the man he is today in this city. We have already seen a lot of people he knows and all the missionaries know him as a "legend." Everyone always says "You're NIELSEN?!?!?!?!" My husband is famous!
I am trying to learn some Mongolian words and phrases. It's a lot easier than learning in American because I'm submursed in the language here. I like it! I have already learned a lot and I'm sure being around the elders will help me learn more. The mission president, President Mecham, made the goal to learn the language - that is a lofty goal!
I'm sure I will have great stories to come. As for now I am still in shock! I have eaten new foods, almost died 50 times, and showered with freezing cold water but things will get more exciting!

Finding Joy in the Journey

This new semester has proved to be more trying than last semester! We are both working two jobs. We are both doing the early EARLY morning cleaning jobs, LJ is still a teachers assistant in the business department and I have been hired as a "mentor" for a music theory class (I teach classes 5 hours a week). Work keeps us pretty busy and LJ is also serving on the student representative council as the rep. over Academics and I got cast as a lead in this semester's Opera. I am performing as Zerlina in Mozart's Don Giovanni. I am very excited! All of these activities have us going non-stop but we really try to apply the principle of "find joy in the journey." These years are going to zoom by and eventually we will remember these times and think "Oh, if only we could go back." Some days, I just want these years to be over but then I realize how truly blessed we have been and continue to be. We are very happy. We are healthy, we have great friends, we have sufficient for our needs, and through all of this our Father in Heaven continues to bless us with the physical and spiritual strength we need to complete all of the tasks which are required of us. I am gaining such a strong testimony of simple obedience. What I mean by that, is when we do the "simple" things, Heavenly Father blesses us tremendously. When I say my morning prayers (even though some mornings I feel half asleep) I know that Heavenly Father hears me and answers my righteous desires. When I study the scriptures I am blessed to understand what I am learning in my classes. The mercy and love of our Heavenly Father and His son, Jesus Christ, are incomprehensible. I know that if we turn to the Atonement, even through trials (or busy times), we will find joy in the journey for we know that our experiences are for our benefit.