In Idaho...

Anyone who knows me even a little bit knows that me and nature don’t get along too well. I went to a family reunion in Idaho this summer, where there was no cell phone service for an hour’s radius and I about died. The highlight of the trip was while we were on a hike on top of this mountain my cell phone went off. For me it was heaven. Looking back on that, I realize how pathetic it was. I was in possibly the most beautiful place I had ever been in, with tons of people that I love, and all I could think about was how lame it was that I didn’t have access to the outside world. I regret now the time I wasted there. I recently read a blog post on my boss’s blog, actually, entitled “Solitude, Silence, and Darkness.” It completely changed the way I see things! (If you’d like to read it, check it out here. àhttp://rsc.byu.edu/blog/?p=52) 

My mom calls it being “plugged in” with ipods and cell phones and laptops, technology has become a staple in our everyday lives. It’s good when used, like everything else, in moderation. But when you can no longer take time to appreciate the gorgeous world we live in, it becomes a problem. I think I’ve become slightly addicted to technology and it’s going to stop today. There’s no reason to get online as often as we do.  My addiction to technology kept me from enjoying what could have been an awesome opportunity to build better relationships with my family and, more importantly, my Heavenly Father. I don’t ever want to let a chance like that pass me by again.

And to Cameron's delight, I think I want to go camping. :) 

i love this face

Top 10 Reasons I Love Cameron Call Today
(I had to tack the "today" on there cause more reasons keep coming out of the woodwork. :) He's pretty incredible.)

1. Cam loves to surprise me. Last week was super tough with midterms, meetings, work, and class projects. Cameron Call was pretty darn stressed out too-but he woke me up with breakfast burritos, orange juice, and orange rolls. :) mmm

2. Cameron Call is 6'5". Since we started dating, I have bought 4 new pairs of heels. :) I've never been able to do that before! I wear 4" heels and I still only come up to his nose. :) Shoe shopping is a whole new world for me.

3. Cameron always wants to go do something. He's definitely not one to just sit around. After school and work he always asks me to go with him to play duets on the piano or go on a walk. We rarely watch TV.

4. Cameron Call plans dates. He actually plans them! He's already put a ring on my finger. He doesn't have to impress me any more. I'm already sold. But he loves planning dates and going out. This week, we're going to a piano quartet, the vocal point concert, and gardner village with 4 other couples. :) A couple weekends ago, we bought the polar express in 3-D and watched it with Lindsay and Mackay, complete with 3-D glasses.

5. Cam has the best facial expressions I have ever seen. It's hilarious to watch him eat "good" food. a sound of "oof" generally accompanies the good food. :) His silent laugh is hilarious. He gets a huge grin on his face, he can't breath, but no sound comes out at all. :)

6. Every now and again Cameron throws me into a dip while we're kissing. :)

7. Cameron constantly thinks about what will make me happy. He knows what makes me tick. And because he is so aware of what I need, I trust him to take care of me, and I can completely focus on what will make him happy. It's the most selfless relationship I've ever known and I love it.

8. Cameron Call is smart. He knows how to balance his time and money. He is self-motivated. He works really really hard. He knows what he wants, and he understands what it takes to get there. He is focused. and he knows how to motivate me and help me be successful in everything I do.

9. Cameron encourages me to do everything I've ever wanted to do. When I asked him about taking an extra semester to graduate so I could take some elective courses I was interested in, he just said, "absolutely. Do it." When I asked him about applying for an internship back in Virginia, he said, "o you should absolutely do it. Go for it! We'll figure out the details later." He isn't controlling. He never tries to hold me back. He supports me and I love him for it.

10. Cameron is good at planning. He has been planning his entire life. He is family-oriented (you should see him around my family), kind, and gospel-centered (he's studying the pearl of great price manual with me every night so I can better understand the temple before I go). It shows in everything he says and does. He stands by his word and treats those around him with love and respect. He's had his priorities straight for so long they have become second nature. I love him like crazy. :)

I don't know what I did to deserve such an awesome blessing, but I'm so grateful for him! :)

For the non-believers!

I realize that my original post: The top 5 true stories of Kristin's awkward dating life might have come across as too awkward to believe. I would like to display proof that the stories are, in fact, true. (These pictures were posted about an hour ago on facebook, the dress exists!)

Man vs. Wild

It snowed yesterday. :) Cameron and I also bought a bed yesterday. It was all very exciting. We found a king bed, headboard, frame and footboard, box spring and a super nice Serta mattress all for $300. We borrowed Cam's roommate's truck and headed up to Salt Lake after class to have a look at this awesome deal. The bed was beautiful and we bought it. The guys loaded it up in the back of the truck and we stopped for dinner at KFC. We had covered the bed with blankets to keep the moisture off of it and started driving back to my aunt's house in Spanish Fork, who's keeping it for us until Dec. 1st when we can start moving stuff into our new apartment. Cameron doesn't drive big cars very often and the snow was getting really bad. There was also some pretty bad construction going on on the I-80 which didn't help my nerves at all. All of a sudden some cones appeared on the road and forced us to exit. I was making fun of Cameron again because the on ramp was also closed to get back on the freeway and there was no detour in sight when Cameron says, "Kristin, where's the mattress?" The entire bed was pretty snug in the back of that truck and it was ridiculously heavy so we didn't bother tying it down. (yes, we now realize that was possibly the most idiotic thing we could have ever thought). So-now our mattress is off causing mayhem on the I-80 somewhere. We are now bedless, and the snow is as bad as ever. We turned around and headed on side streets back to where we began. Cameron's sense of direction honestly impressed me. I was so turned around, but he navigated those neighborhoods and speed bumps like nobody's business. :) (my sense of direction has never been good though...my dad calls me a goose who wakes up in a new world every day...if the Y wasn't on the mountain I'd get lost going to class...) We checked the gas station, the on ramp, the shoulder of the freeway, said a prayer and an hour and ten minutes later found the mattress on the shoulder of I-80 with only a few bumps and bruises. It was sopping wet and looked incredibly dejected out there on the shoulder, but did we press on and get it back in the truck? yes we did! We were laughing SO hard. We pulled off at the next exit so Cameron could be an eagle scout and tie it down. :) In Cameron's defense, he wanted to buy a couple straps to make sure nothing fell out but I was stubborn and said they were a waste of money.

Here's Cameron tying the bed back into the truck. :) in the snow. and cold. :)

Thus began the 40mph trek to Spanish Fork. We could FEEL the judgmental thoughts from the cars around us. We're in this huge truck in a snowstorm with an uncovered bed in the back (the blanket was lost in the previous mishap) going 40 mph (sometimes slower depending on the incline) on the freeway. And here is why I love Cameron Call. Out of nowhere he starts singing: "Don't cry for me, little mattress! The truth is we never left you!" :) LOL.

We unloaded the whole thing at my aunt Carrie's house. (bless her a million times over). And the sopping wet mattress wouldn't fit down her stairs, so it's now drying out in my living room, behind my tv. We went to exchange cars with Cam's roommate Alan and told him the whole story. He laughs and says, guys-there were straps in the back seat. :) Awesome.

We're never getting rid of that mattress.