I'm Legal!

Well everyone, if finally happened! I am officially 21, that magical age where you can buy alcohol (as if that thought has ever entered my head) and have a driver's license that's actually turned the right way. Whoa...I just had one of those moments. You know, the ones where you all of a sudden remember back when you used to think 21 meant you were old...scary stuff man!

So, two years ago my older sister had a baby named Greysen Gene Thinnes. He was born the day before my birthday and is so SO special. I just love him to pieces. This is a picture from his moustache themed birthday party that was held on my birthday. We all had finger staches (as evidenced in the photo below) and it was just cute. Grey's shirt says, "If you really 'moustache', I'm two", which I just find hilarious! I felt pretty lucky to have so many family members gathered together in one place to celebrate Grey's birthday, and also mine kinda...I got my own cupcake with candles in it! It was a great time though, I loved it!

Me, Rache, and Linz

After I got home from the birthday party my roommates and I went to Buffalo Wild Wings and ordered appetizers and desserts. We had a great time cheering on the MMA fighter people, who we lovingly dubbed Monkey Fist and Fish Face, even though we were absolutely horrified by the sport. I believe Monkey Fist ended up winning. Fish Face got beat up pretty bad. Poor guy.

Also, the next big thing in my life is coming up this Friday! My mom, dad, and I spent the morning of my birthday picking out a new outfit for my INTERVIEW FOR PHARMACY SCHOOL! It's seriously so surreal...I can't believe it's actually happening. I was actually fairly calm about it until about Sunday. Then I started to get really nervous. That night my home teachers came over and when they asked that age old question, "Is there anything we can do for you?" I found my hand shooting up before I could control it. "I have a pretty stressful week ahead of me, both with the test and my interview. Since my dad isn't here, I would really appreciate it if you gave me a blessing." How lucky I am to have faithful home teachers :) 

And that is where I end this blog post...hopefully I will get around to posting a quick blog about how I think my interview went...and then a few weeks after that there will be a final decision made...EEEK!

February is Nuts...

February is the shortest month of the year...so how in the world did my family manage to cram what seems like EVERY SINGLE important event into it?
(I only say that because I was born in February and I seem to have picked up a very narcissistic attitude from somewhere...)

February 9th: Nathan has his birthday. Granny would have been celebrating her birthday this day as well. Miss you Granny!

February 10th: Grandma Owen celebrates her birthday.

February 13th: Phoebe turns three.

February 15th: Rebecca has her birthday.

February 17th: Brendan and Witney have their reception.

February 18th: Bren and Wit will be sealed for TIME AND ETERNITY! Finally...

February 22nd: Little Grey turns 1! My how the year has flown...

February 23rd: I finally leave the desolate wasteland that is teenager-hood

(Also, I'm fairly certain that my grandpa on my mom's side was born somewhere in the middle of the month. Mom?)

Seriously, there's an average of one important event every 3.6 days or somewhere in that ballpark.

My Eternal Family

My home teachers asked me the other day what I am most thankful for in the gospel.
Without thinking I said that I can be with my family for eternity.
As these words left my mouth I had some words come to mind that overwhelmed me with happiness and joy:
"You will never go another day in all of eternity without your family."
Oh it is such a comfort to be sealed to them and to know that I can be with these amazing people that I love like nothing else forever and ever and ever.

The gospel is true, folks. I can't say it loud enough or with enough feeling.

We love each other.

We support each other.

We cheer each other on.

We talk to each other.

We are best friends.

What I did to deserve to be in such am amazing family, I don't know.

But I am forever and eternally grateful for whatever it was.

*Oh man, here come the water works.*

Is it ridiculous that I make myself cry just thinking about how much I love my family?

Gratitude #23

Yeesh, I've got some serious catching up to do!

I am so grateful for the time I get to spend with my family.

It's crazy, I had never even met little Hyrum, but I had all this love for him saved up inside. When I finally got to hold him for the first time it all bubbled over and I was so happy this special little red-head was going to be in my family for eternity.

I just can't get enough of this little guy!

Or this one...

Or little Grey...

And then there's sweet little Phoebe...

And Gwen!

*Yikes, what was I talking about again? Oh yeah...*

It was especially nice that Logan and Rachelle and the little girls were there to help us decorate for Christmas this year (sorry, didn't have my camera with me). Most of our ornaments ended up at the bottom of the tree, but I was just happy that I didn't have to do it all myself.
*I spend way too much time trying to make the placement of the ornaments random, which, if you took McMurray's stats class, you know is impossible...it makes for a very tiring activity*

I also love just playing games with them :)
I even beat Logan a few times at Blokus until he figured out a good strategy which totally trumped mine.
*sigh* Such is life.

Gratitude #14

I am so beyond grateful for my nieces and nephews.

They have taught me how to love someone more than I love myself.
Gwen is a little spit-fire, but she is a great older sister. I love the way she argues with me over who loves who more :)

Phoebe is a tender-hearted sweetie. She is pretty soft spoken a lot of the time and totally devoted to her little animal toys.

Little Greysen was born the day before my birthday, and therefore holds a special place in my heart. He was my first nephew as well. He has a smile that melts my heart and he is just so stinking cute!

Isaac has another one of those smiles...he uses his whole face! He definitely looks like an Owen, which makes him absolutely adorable ;) He turned six months old today! How absolutely crazy is that??

And finally there's little baby Hyrum. It's still hard for me to believe that Nate is a dad! I am so excited to meet Hyrum for the first time! It's crazy how much I love him when the closest I've gotten to seeing him are the pictures my family sends me. He's already a month old! Time flies...

Gwen, Phoebe, Greysen, Isaac, and Hyrum...your Auntie Em loves you more than words can express :)

This picture is a little outdated, but yeah.

Gwen, Greysen, Isaac, and Phoebe

Here's the proud Daddy with little Hyrum :)

Crazy Life!

Is it just me or has life spun COMPLETELY out of control lately?

I was sitting in Organic Chemistry the other day interpreting IR and NMR spectra and I realized just how NUTS it was that I understood what was going on...or that I am even in that class. I remember when Nate was telling me how hard OChem was, and now I'm actually living it.

Another one of these moments came on Tuesday when I was holding onto the edge of a table trying to keep my composure as my A&P Lab TA poked and prodded a cadaver. It was definitely in the top 10 nastiest things I've ever experienced, but I thought I did very well. I fought a headache and a constant gag reflex, but I actually TOUCHED a cadaver. *hold for applause*

I'm constantly reminded of how much life changes every time I go to work. I started working at Seasons of Hope in January, where I there were 21 DT's. I was the newest and youngest there. Now I'm one of the oldies in the company...like seriously I'm 4 or 5 in seniority haha.

Oh, and Greysen is getting so BIG!:

Is everyone else aware that Rebecca is due in less than a week??:

This is a hat that my mom made for Hyrum.

She also made a pumpkin and a BSU hat.

Oh, and I'm a sophomore in COLLEGE. I guess I'm still trying to wrap my head around that one. College is such an old word...and I'm clearly not, as all of my friends are quick to point out.

Sorry mom, I'll try to take more time out of my nutso schedule to update my blog so you know what I'm up to :)

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

The 'It' mentioned in the title of this post refers my life for the last week :)

Don't you just love when you actually get stuff in the mail???

I had to take a picture so I would remember the awesome-ness I felt at this moment.

On Sunday afternoon Mom, Dad, Maci, and I made the trip to IF to see the family.

This little guy is growing up SO fast!

Can you believe he's already three months old?

He looks more and more like Ronnie every day.

We also had a new experience!

Nate and Rebecca were able to come up and visit for the weekend

and they introduced us to Wild Asparagus Hunting. 

This is Maci and I before we left.

Here I am afterwards.

I look awful because it was raining and windy :P

Asparagus hunting is so dang hard!

It grows along ditch banks in the Idaho Falls area.

You would think that it would be pretty easy to spot, but it's NOT!

I was pretty awful at it until Rebecca's brother came and helped me.

It was actually a lot of fun even if it was cold and wet and miserable the whole time.

The three sisters sharing their spoils!

I was so happy to get to see these guys!

Rebecca is due October 5 and is having a little baby boy!

I can't wait to see the Three Amigos running around and playing together.

Sleepy little Isaac!

He definitely doesn't like to wake up!

He's adorable and looks just like an Owen.

Maci and Greysen.

Maci got her braces off recently and this was the first time I saw her without them for almost two years!

Doesn't she look so gorgeous?

She's seriously growing up :(

Oh, and thanks to Lindsay for lots of the pictures on this blog!

Bets I've Won

Derek and I tend to disagree about lots of things, so they end up in bets such as this:

What's this called?

I asked Derek if I could borrow their Church Key awhile back and he looked at me like I was nuts.

"It's a can opener!" He said.

After five minutes of trying to convince him that it could be called either we turned to the only way we know how to settle these ridiculous bets.

Aaaaand guess who won? 

Me.

Now for the next one:

Derek: "Emma, can I borrow a sauce pan?"

Me: "Sure, here ya go!"

Derek: "No no no, not a pot. A saucepan! Like this."

Me: "You mean a skillet?"

*five minutes of arguing*

Emma-Leigh wins!

And for the last one:

I have the cutest nieces and nephews!

Isaac Douglas Owen

5/14/11

9 lbs. 4 oz.

22 inches

Cute as a button!

Greysen Gene Thinnes

2/22/11

Phoebe Elizabeth Owen

2/13/09

Gwendolyn May Owen

7/10/07

Heck I hope I got those birthdays right...

If you couldn't tell...

I WIN!

Double post

Yesterday I got a little caught up in something:

So I kinda forgot to post...

I guess I'll just have to double up to keep on track!

Photo Challenge: A picture of the people you spend most of your time with.

Kenna and Mystie (I kinda don't have a picture with Lyndsey and Megan)

Kyle= Awesome

Derek= ...Derek

Photo Challenge: A picture of the best part of your day.

Getting to come to IF to spend time with Greysen, Lindsay, and Ronnie.

...And Brendan and Witney and Mom and Dad and Maci.

Can you believe this little guy is already almost 3 months old???

Today is MY day :)

Today was my first birthday away from home...
And I was worried that I would be homesick.
But it was pretty stinking good if I do say so myself.

♥ It all started yesterday when I got a call at 1:41 in the morning with the very exciting news that Lindsay had given birth to a precious little baby boy.

♥ Then I treated myself to a haircut.

♥ Then I went to Costa Vida for dinner with one of my very best friends.

♥ While watching Meet the Robinsons around midnight with a bunch of people I was bombarded by Happy Birthday messages from roommates and friends from Soda.

♥ I trudged my way through Chemistry and Chemistry Lab (I was absolutely useless today)

♥ Then I FINALLY got to go to Idaho Falls to visit Lindsay and the little man!

♥ Oh, then my daddy took me to Taco Bell to grab a quick bite to eat. My "big dinner" is coming up on Saturday when I go back for more cuddle time :)

Let me tell you world, he is the cutest, most darling thing I have ever laid eyes on.

He's my little birthday boy (well...close enough)

Even though this little bundle of joy doesn't officially have a name yet, he has wormed his way into my heart already. 

I love love love LOVE him! 

I can't wait to watch him grow up and share lots of birthday memories with him...even though he was born on the 22nd and I on the 23rd.

Dear Little G-baby, you have the best mommy and daddy in the world! 

He is going to be SO loved!

Blessing number 9

Lindsay, Ronnie, and Baby Boy Thinnes

I am super grateful for my older sister Lindsay. She has done so much for me over the years! One thing that sticks out in my mind about her is how talented she is. She taught herself to do some pretty crazy things with her hair, and all of it looked good! She has done my hair for countless picture days and dances and I'm grateful for that because...well...I NEVER do my hair.

She is uber gorgeous and I take it as a huge compliment when people say that I look like her. She is beautiful not only on the outside, but on the inside as well. She genuinely cares about everyone and she has an awesome sense of humor that keeps me laughing!

She is a really hard worker! She often overbooks herself from work to making cakes and other responsibilities. She is always looking for a new hobby and she excels at all of them. I love her :)

She married one of the most awesome people on the planet. Ronnie is like the fourth older brother that I never had ;) He is really protective of me and I love him for it. I remember lots of times when I was having a bad day I would randomly get a message in my inbox from him that totally brightened my day.

There was one day during Christmas break when I had just gotten home from a date and he caught me before I could see the rest of my family and asked me if I had been good. I told him of course I had and that he had nothing to worry about. I looked him in the eye and he said, "I just never had a little sister and you mean a lot to me. I couldn't have picked a better little sister if I tried." Then his voice started to crack and then we were both hugging and crying in the kitchen. I'm so grateful for him. He's one of the few boys that I talk about boys with. I love him :)

Recently, I got a call from Linz telling me that she was in Soda Springs because she had some news to share with mom and dad. I had an idea of what that news would be, but I let her keep talking. She told me that she was pregnant...and not just a little. FIVE AND A HALF MONTHS! I still can't believe that she kept such a big secret for such a long time! But I'm grateful that she is giving me my first little nephew right around my birthday. I'm sure I will love him just as much as I love his mom and dad.

Doesn't she look so cute?

I love you Linz, Ronnie, and Baby Boy Thinnes!