"When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed...

...when you are discouraged thinking all is lost, count your many blessings every doubt will fly and you will be singing as the days go by"

Life is full of trials, and none of us, even those consumed by the bliss of young love, are exempt. That being said the last month has been extremely stressful for both me and Matt. We have had to tackle some not fun stuff including financial mayhem, speeding tickets, job stress, lack of sleep, and family drama just to name a few. As we have been planning our life together and making decisions for the wedding the To Do list just seems to grow and the worries mount. I would be lying if I didn't confess that i have been on the verge of tears several times the past few weeks because of feeling so overwhelmed by it all.

But alas, just as sure as there are trials, the Lord's promises are sure and there is rest and relief for the weary, and we have been awed by the blessings that the Lord has been pouring out upon us. So here is a partial list of the blessings we have been the recipients of:

~ I was able to pay my tithing and all my bills (including the unexpected speeding ticket)
~ Both Matt and I can continue to receive benefits from our parent's insurance
~ A friend is designing our wedding invitations
~ We were able to leave ahead of the storm on our drive to California for the holidays
~Our trip was funded by an amazing, loving family friend
~ We were able to book the photographer and DJ for our wedding that we wanted without breaking the bank
~ My mom was able to gift us awesome cookware at no cost to either of us
~ Generous ward members have agreed to help with all my reception details
~We were able to do sealings in the LA temple and visit the new visitors center
~I was able to find the pattern and material for my wedding dress, and it is being made as a gift to me
~We got to spend 4 wonderful days with my family in sunny warm California which included In N Out, the beach, the park, puzzles, family photos, and sing alongs
~ I was able to find someone to cover my on call shift over the holiday
~ We are being gifted furniture for our apartment
~ We got to see an amazingly funny comedy sportz LA show at discounted price
~ We made it safely back from California despite traffic, near miss car accidents, and bad roads
~Things are coming together to eliminate our married housing issue
~ Matt has been able to find and apply for numerous scholarships (fingers crossed that he gets one)

When all is said and done we are blessed far more than we deserve, and on top of our deep abiding love for one another there is much to be happy about.