July!

It's my birthday this week! About a month ago I celebrated my "new" birthday.  It's been three years since my gall bladder was removed and my life was saved due to a handsome, young doctor that remembered something that had been done fifty years prior that he'd once seen in a book.  I have NO doubt that his remembering that was an answer to many, many prayers!  Well, as I've mentioned before, I am so grateful for being saved, and sometimes wonder why I was saved, what I'm supposed to be doing. 

For whatever reason the build up to this birthday has not been so fun.  I've been annoyed with not being at the place I always dreamed I'd be at, at this point.  However, at the same time, I'm extremely thankful for the opportunities that I've been given.

So, I have had no idea of what I wanted for my birthday.  Guess what I decided on... a bike!  It's been forever since I've ridden one!  I got one today.  It's small, and the guys at the store kept saying I needed a taller one.  I couldn't reach the ground on any taller ones.  So, I'm going to ride my little bike!

So, sometimes I'm amazed what people say to each other.  For example, people post whatever they have on their brains on Facebook, when they really wouldn't say that in real life.  Well, remember Mr. D from here, over time he's popped out with some amazing things, and I'm saying amazing, not in a good way.  Well, I've had the chance to hear from Mr. D., Jr.  Now, I'm not going to say he's anything like Mr. Darcy of Pride and Prejudice, still a great guy though, but he is an awful lot like the Mr. D that I know.  These men are so concerned about where they are, that they're not getting married, that they're not meeting any women that are exactly 3 1/2 years younger than them (okay, so I'm exaggerating on the 3 1/2, but it's close), etc.  If they'd just let things happen, and not be so stressed about it, it would work out. Another thing, while relaxing and not getting so stressed about the above mentioned things, people really need to let go of what they have pictured for themselves, because the Lord may have something [or someone] way better than they're expecting prepared for them and their circumstances, whatever they may be.  Everyone has a past and everyone has issues, you need to let that other person in the "maybe relationship" have a say, whether they're able to deal with those issues or not, not just decide on your own.  It's a right that he's taken away from her or vice versa.  Another thing is that these Mr. D characters just talk and talk, not even aware that they're telling you all of these things that, although you were prepared to hear, may be affecting you personally!  Sort of like you don't matter, and I guess you don't.  So weird!

I've decided that besides all of the obvious reasons why being married, as man and wife, is important and should be happening, is the communication that being on your own lacks.  Men and women think so differently, and that is such a blessing in so many ways!  As a couple, you can discuss anything and everything, and you can let each other know when you're stepping out of reality.

For example, I'm a prime example of this!  I go on a date, it's super fun, then I don't hear anything from him for a week or so.  At first, I'm totally fine with that.  By that week mark/ week and a half mark, I have totally convinced myself that I've ruined everything, and I'm second guessing every little thing I remember saying or that I did something wrong or said something that could've possibly been read wrong, etc.  So, I'm a mess by this point!  Then I finally have to talk it out with someone, obviously not the person I should actually be talking it all out with, because apparently he hates me at this point :)  See... Craziness!!!  However, talking it out, I realize that yes, I've gone a little overboard, and need to relax.  See, they're concerned and scared, and so are we.  I think this dating stuff stinks at this stage of the game.  It's hard!  I so wish people would not read too much into things, and over think things, and just have faith.  I don't know why it's so hard, but it is definitely hard!

I think the same thing applies in many other situations, how you feel about work, how you feel about church, how you feel about your family.  If you have these inner discussions with yourself for too long without feedback from someone that's distanced from the situation, you're going to get stuck in a rut you don't want to be in.  If you're not happy with an aspect in your life, pray about it.  Pray long, and hard, and be hopeful, and keep moving!

Wow!  That was quite the tangent!  I've just been around so many different situations lately. Some have been things involving me, some are things that I get to hear about, since people like to share these kinds of stories with me!  My heart just hurts at times for these great people that are struggling!

Anyways!  I have six hours of work, 3 hours of piano, and then I'm off for the rest of the week!  I'm thrilled!  Hope everyone has a great 4th!  I'm proud to be an American, even though my heart is breaking for some of the changes and struggles that our country is facing!  I'm grateful for the freedoms that we have, and those men and women that fight and have fought for that freedom!

Easter... a little late!

I was meaning to blog on Easter, or right before Easter, but just have not a second to do anything besides bare necessities!

I am so grateful for the Jesus Christ's resurrection!   Easter is such a special holiday.  In primary during the month of March we'd been learning about the resurrection.  One of the lessons, I was asked to share why I'm grateful for the resurrection, because I've had someone close to me pass away.  Before it was my turn to talk, the kid's were asked how do you think the Christ's followers felt at the time that He was crucified.  It had been prophesied, and I'm sure the diciples were knowledgable about that, but to imagine that He was going to be alive, again, was most likely beyond comprehension.  In Junior Primary (children ages 3-7), one little girl said "they probably felt stressed" others said they were sad or they were mad, someone said they were scared. 

So, when it came time for me to speak in Senior Primary (children ages 8-11), I'd had time to mull over the answers from Junior.  Senior didn't really respond, other than to say sad or mad. I thought it was so neat to see that the little ones were so in tune.  Anyways, I thought about how they said they were scared.  It was a neat experience for me.  I have to say that I'm so grateful for Christ's resurrection, because He was resurrected, we all can be.  When my daddy died, I didn't need to be scared about what would happen, if I'd ever see him again, because Christ was resurrected, Dad would be resurrected, too.  My heart was so full thinking about that.  I remember being sad.  I was 7 and I was sad, and I missed him so much!  I miss him so much!  I don't remember ever being scared about that, though. 

So, I am grateful for Christ's resurrection, so I can be with my dad again, and all of my family!  I get so excited to think of how wonderful that reunion will be, and to think that no one will be sick.  They'll be in their perfected state, and that will be so wonderful for them! 

I'm grateful for the Atonement!  I'm grateful that He not only atoned for my sins and my mistakes, but that the Atonement covers everything.  My sadness, my loneliness, my happiness, my joy.  He's felt it all!

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For Easter, we had brunch with Collin and his family.  We had an Easter Egg Hunt and flew kites that my mom gave the kids in their baskets.  It was so much fun!  Then, I had a nap!  Boring, but oh, so needed!

Here are some photos of the day, and the day after:

An interesting question...

Today I was visiting my cousin in the St. George hospital, and as we were walking the hallways, she asked me if I want to get married.  I thought it was an interesting question, and probably one that people are curious about. 

I remember back in the day, a relative of mine, every birthday I had would say, "I was married by the time I was such and such age...," then each additional year it was... "I was married and had 1 kid..." then on and on until it was 5 kids.  Then one day she asked me what she could do to help me.  She wasn't the only one who said these kind of things, lots of loved ones did, church members, people I hardly knew...  People were always saying things like that.  One lady told me I'd be "a good mommy in heaven... someday."   I have to admit that comments like that used to cripple me.  I struggled with it.  I saw that people saw my value as whether I was married or not married.  So, for a long time that's how I based how I valued myself.  I may have graduated from college, run a $1.5 million shoe dept., played the piano for someone amazing, been the musical director at a children's theater, become an interior designer, etc...  What did any of that matter? I wasn't a wife or a mom.  

Well, life has moved forward.  I opened my own business, I've taught over 50 students how to play the piano, and as time has moved forward, I found me.  I may not be a wife or a mom, yet, but there's so much more than that.  Becoming a wife and a mom are still my ultimate goal, and what I want more than anything. 

I'm a daughter of Heavenly Father.  I'm a daughter of Sandy and Colleen Nicholes.  I'm the sister of Collin, and sister-in-law of Krystal.  I am so lucky to get to be the aunt to three amazing nephews, and one amazing niece!  I'm a granddaughter, a niece, a cousin.  I'm an interior designer.  I'm a piano teacher.  I'm a musician.  I'm an artist.  I'm creative.  I'm a leader.  I love people.  I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I love children.  I love to serve.  I'm a business owner.  I'm a woman.  I'm a woman of faith.  I'm a learner.  I'm a reader.  I'm a teacher. 

So, the answer to her question is yes I want to get married.  Apparently, it's not in my control and it's not in my timing, but when it's right it will happen.  

What Happens When Life Gets One Degree Colder?

I was talking to my mom today, and she'd just listened to a devotional in KBYU 89.1 at 11:00, while she was working on some things in her office, and said it was amazing!  I looked it up, and read it, and I have to say, I was so touched!  You can find it here. 

I loved it!  There were so many great points!  There was a quote in there by Joseph Smith, Jr. that stuck out to me for a funny reason. 

"Hope and courage have always characterized the righteous. Ever the optimist, 
Joseph Smith was once quoted as saying:

I should never get discouraged, whatever difficulties should surround me, if I was sunk 
in the lowest pit of Nova Scotia and all the Rocky Mountains piled on top of me, I ought not to be discouraged but hang on, exercise faith and 
keep up good courage and I should come out on the top of the heap.^7"

 

Optimism, hope and courage are all characteristics I try to have, although, I admit I've not been the best at some of these.  There's always room to improve, right?!

 

So, one of the reasons I loved this is because it says Nova Scotia!  My dad loved to say Nova Scotia.  Whenever we'd ask him where we were going, he'd always say Nova Scotia.  So funny!  I don't know why he picked Nova Scotia, but it was a common name in our household.  Someday, I hope to be able to ask him!

 

Really, though, anyone struggling with anything should read that talk!

Summer!

It's been a while, again!  Since my last post lots has gone on!  My computer died at Daughters of Faith, so that's one of the reasons I haven't blogged.  (This loaner computer stinks, and sometimes doesn't read the keystroke, but sometimes doubles the keystroke, so I'll try to make sure I spell check, but forgive me if there are mistakes.)

So, I'm going to write by month what has gone on...

June

Months ago I emailed Jenny Oaks Baker to see if she could do a fireside for the midsingles.  I never heard from her, so I didn't think anything of it.  For whatever reason, I've branched out and am able to ask people I don't know to do devotionals; I still feel funny asking people I know to do things.  So, on May 30, I got an email back from her saying she'd be able to do it either on June 24 or on August 26.  I already had one scheduled for August, so we went with June.  She was really concerned that she was spreading herself too thin, and not enough people would attend.  Here's a link to her "Amazing Grace" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uQIPFc-8jw.  Listen through her talk, you'll love the music, and her message on faith is fantastic!

She called me two days later and said that she couldn't do it that day anymore, because her accompanist wasn't going to be in town until July.  Before I could even think, out of my mouth popped, "Well, I can do it!  I am a piano teacher."  Her first question was, "You're a piano teacher, but can you actually play anything or are you one of THOSE teachers?"  I told her I could pretty much play anything, and she said, "Okay, I'll send you some music soon," and that was that.  After getting off the phone, I was like, "What the heck did I just say?"

I know that I've worked really hard, nearly my entire life, to play the piano.  I had a fantastic teacher that taught me so much, and loved me, and that made me all the better.  However, I have to acknowledge that my sight reading abilities are a true gift from Heavenly Father.  Had I not practiced all that I have, I wouldn't have known of that gift, and I am so grateful for it!

She sent me most of the music, and it was a challenge!  I practiced and practiced and practiced.  My mom at one point said, "You know there is such thing as practicing TOO much."  I practiced at home, I practiced at the church, etc. and then went to Daughters of Faith four days before.

DOF is a camp just for laurels (young women 16-18 years old).  It's an amazing two days of total devotion to feeling the Spirit and learning the gospel.  Not unlike years passed, it was amazing!  I didn't get to participate in a lot of the things, because I had to put together the slideshow, and that took FOREVER! Then we had this really neat activity that talked about the journey of the golden plates from Nephi to Moroni to Joseph Smith and then to us.  It was amazing!  Then I showed this short message  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHY-Y9yraR8.  It's so touching!  Elder Holland is amazing!  Then, I unplugged the projector from my computer, and my computer fried!  So horrendous!  So, the next day, I had to spend the whole day doing another slideshow on someone else's computer.  I only broke down twice about this, so I think I was alright!  Cute Cassie kept checking on me!  She was great!

When I got home, I got to practicing, and Jenny and I set up a time to practice on Saturday at 11:30.  She was busy teaching at a Suzuki camp, and we had a half hour to practice seven songs!  In my mind, I kept thinking about musicians and artists and what kind of people they are, but then I was thinking who she was a daughter of, and I figured I'd get a mix of the two.  Well, let's just say, it was a terrifying next 32 hours!  We didn't ever get to go through a whole song without stopping for some interruption, and we didn't play through the last song, which I had just gotten all of it that day.  We set up a run through time for Sunday, and that was that.  Sunday came, and it was one of the busiest days of my life!  Thank heavens for those girls and guys that came to help set up, and all the people that brought refreshments.  Jenny had emailed me in the morning asking for someone to tend her kids during the devotional, and to bump our time up by about 15 minutes.  My cute cousin, Ashley, babysat the kids, and I was ready to practice when she wanted.  She called a minute before it was time, and said she was going to be late, and that we wouldn't have time to practice.  She thought we'd be fine, though.  This was pretty stressful to me, but showed she had confidence in me, so that helped me out.

Her message was about having faith.  It was interesting, because as she ws sharing certain scriptures, my mom was giving me the look of "you should be listening, this will help you out."  She knew how scared I was!  She talked about how watching one of her friends having a baby and getting married and having an awesome job made her think, "Hey, I'm following the commandments, why aren't these things happening for me?"  Let's just say it hit really close to home!  I only had a couple mistakes, one that was quite big, and she gave me a look, but other than that, I felt really good about it.  I gave the guy conducting the program, and didn't have me on it, because I didn't want it to be about me.  I was accompanying, and that was it.  In her introduction, she announced, "Pyper Nicholes and I are going to perform for you tonight."  It was really amazing!  I had some great support there, Mom, Grandma JaNae, Bart, Jen, Linds, her roommate, Ashley, and Amy and her parents.  It was amazing!  At the end, I was so touched, because not only was there a huge line to meet her, there was  a line to talk to me.

If you're still reading... we're to July!!!

Well, sort of... On June 30, one of my most favorite people threw me a birthday party!  It was so much fun!  Amy was still in town, and I was thrilled she was here!  Her dad brought his karaoke stuff, and we ate, played games, visited, and sang karaoke.  It was a great night!  There was a funny mix of people, from work, my neighborhood, my family and my midsingles.  It was fantastic!

I turned 32 on July 4th.  It was a great day!  It's so weird to think my dad was my age when he passed away.  On july 11th, I was exactly the same age, and it may sound morbid, but that day has been in my mind for a very long time.  I was thinking that there was something wrong with me, in thinking that if I made it past July 11th, I'd be fine.  Reading that right now, makes me feel like the biggest dork!  However, a few days ago, Collin had a scare that ended up being that he was dehydrated, but he immediately said to mom that he knew she was worried, because he was 29, and dad was 29 when his heart stuff started.  My heart broke for him that he was scared about it, but I know that I am not alone in my weird concerns.

July was filled with lots of busy-ness, lots of family, lots of friends, and pretty much a great time!  I have one huge complaint, and that is with PC Laptops!  They claim to have great service, and great products.  They do have great warranties.  However, there service stinks!  I bought my laptop in November from them, and have never been as satisfied as I was with my hp laptop, but I've been fine with it.  When it died at DOF, I took it in, and they told me it would be 4-6 days, 9 days later, I called, after I had called since day number 5, and they said it was just sitting there waiting for me.  I was thrilled to have it back.  I got it home, and there was no sound, so I took it back in on Monday, and they had it for a few days, then said I could have it back again, so I could show the slideshow at the DOF fireside, but needed to have it back on Monday, and they'd give me a loaner computer, and it worked only with external speakers.  I was sick that Monday, so I took it in on Tuesday.  I stood there for 25 minutes, because the guy that usually helps me was helping someone else, and no one wanted to help me.  I finally asked them to at least start the paperwork, and so the guy took my laptop, but didn't give me the loaner one.  Then, Sterling, the guy that is working on my computer finally came over and told me the loaner wasn't going to be there for a couple days, and he'd call me.  He never did!  I kept calling, and they never said it was there.  The next Friday, so a week later, my computer died, again!  So, I took it in, and Sterling acted put out that I was in a hurry to leave, because he had stuff to do, but I had not ever been told the loaner was there, so I didn't know we were doing a data transfer.  When I was leaving, I said, "Now you're really going to call me when my computer is ready, right?"  He said of course he would.  I responded with, "Well, you keep saying that, but not once have you or anyone else here ever called me to tell me anything or return any of my phone calls."  He apologized, and said he'd call me in 10 days when it was ready.  Well as of today, it has been 14 days, and still no phone call!!!  The final diagnosis for the computer was a fried hard drive, partially fried motherboard, and fried internal speakers.  They had said they hadn't seen anything like it before.

We had girls camp the last week of July, and it was a great experience for the girls!  I wish I was of more use up there.  They didn't really have our presidency do anything, other than one activity on the last day.

We had a three hour block, where each ward and our presidency had a tent, and we'd do 20 minute rotations, working on a value in Personal Progress (https://www.lds.org/young-women/personal-progress?lang=eng).  Our presidency had the value of Virtue.  There aren't a lot of things you can do in 20 minutes for Virtue, but we had a great time!  Cyd had found an activity that young women had a glow in the dark bow on their backs, and they had to run through the dark, through some obstacles, keeping the bow (which represented their virtue) and make it to the end, where there was a picture of the temple.

Since it was daylight, and we were outside, we had to alter the plan.  We played flag football.  We had three girls with gold flags in their pocket, race to get up the hill to the picture of the temple, while Mom, Cyd and I tried to steal their "virtue."  It was really fun!  Then I had the girls take a piece of unwrapped candy, which looked like it was going to be sweet, but really was a warhead, and talked about how Satan impersonates the Spirit and ways to develop strengths that will help you discern where the impressions are coming from.  Cyd gave them Treasures that were chocolate with caramel or peanut butter in it, and talked about how our virtue is our treasure.  Mom went through their Virtue  project #3 that has them read Alma 5 (https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/5?lang=eng#)  It was such a great experience!  It was really fun for them to get to know us on a different level, than just sitting in the meetings with them.

Let's just say this summer has been great, and it's not over yet!  I've been learning lots and enjoying lots of things and people!

Four years ago, yesterday, I went through the Mt. Timpanogos temple for my first time.  I'm so grateful that I decided to go through the temple.  It has been such a blessing to me!


I had been shopping for some young women things at the distribution center, and overheard a bunch of missionaries showing each other the pictures of the temples that they received their endowments in.  While I was observing this, I was like, "I want to do that."  The thought had come when I was younger, I wanted to be able to be there when Collin got married, but it just didn't seem right.  However, in that distribution center, I knew it was time.  I went to the church that night to drop some stuff off for one of my primary kids, and just stopped into the bishop's office to see what I needed to do to get ready to go to the temple.  Fifteen minutes later, I had a temple recommend and was told the next temple prep. class wasn't going to start for a while, and he thought I should just go.  So, three weeks later I went through this temple.  It was a great experience!  It was wonderful to have so many of my family and friends there.


I've seen so many blessings in my life, and in the lives of those I know and love, because of the temple.

(I hope that Steven and Seja don't mind me posting this)

This little girl's parents found out while they were expecting her, that she had a heart defect.  Their names were put on the temple prayer rolls in many temples, and one day as I was walking out of the temple, I got a text from Seja saying that they had just met with the specialist, and that she was totally fine.  She's a happy, healthy wonderful little girl! 

The power of the temple and the power of prayer are such amazing gifts!

Akston...

I have a new nephew!  He was born on tuesday.  He's darling, and was cuddly when I last saw him.  He's been in NICU since wednesday morning early, so I've seen some pictures of him.  He looks a lot like his biggest brother.  The nurse that helped in the delivery, said she was trying to be all professional, but the second he came out, she was like,  "holy cow!  That's a little Collin!"  Way cute!  I'll post a picture later, gotta get little Ford off to school!

Having faith in

Heavenly Father,

includes having faith

in His timing