A Bigger Plan.

          Wow everyone. Sorry I haven't posted in a while. A lot has been happening and I really wanted to get it all done before I updated so I could just give the whole story at once! Right now, I'm laying on my bed, jacked up on pain meds, and waiting for my AMAZING Mother to graciously bring me a chocolate milkshake. Why you ask? BECAUSE I GOT MY WISDOM TEETH TAKEN OUT.

       Let's back up: Last blog post, I was freakin' out. I needed 6 cavities filled and all four wisdom teeth removed before my mission papers went in. I didn't think I had dental insurance, and I didn't think I'd be able to find anyone to take my wisdom teeth out for a reasonable price. I believe that sums up my last post pretty accurately, right? So I post a link to that blog on my facebook and you wouldn't believe it: one of my AMAZING YW leaders from when I first moved to Kentucky posts on the link: "Mark (her AMAZING husband) will do it for free."

What.

The.

HECK.

          

          Is this real life? I won't go into all the details, but through many messages and exchanging information, we found out that I do have dental insurance, that Mark couldn't take my teeth out because my teeth were too impacted, but that he knew of a couple people that he thought would be willing to help me out. Lo and Behold, Mark had a Oral Surgeon friend who was more than happy and willing to help me out. So on Wednesday, January 23rd, my wisdom teeth were removed: something I thought was going to take many many months to work out, and many many dollars to pay for. I had the work done in a matter of a couple weeks, and for as much money as my dental insurance could cover.

          Now let me just back up a while. I moved to Kentucky in 2008, when my Mom got remarried. I'd lived in Xenia, Ohio my whole life. I'd never been in a different ward, a different school, a different anything. My whole entire life was there. Moving to Kentucky was one of the worst things to happen to me in my life! It was taking me away from everything I'd ever known, including my best friend, Jared. I told myself all the time: "The Lord is putting me through this for a reason. I'm supposed to be here for some reason, I just don't know why yet." I wouldn't find out why until 5 years later. Here is my point: The Lord knew the bigger picture. He knew the I would serve a mission someday. He knew that I would need my wisdom teeth taken out. He placed me in a specific ward at a specific time so that this could happen. My Father KNEW all of this, and his hand was in my life, leading me through the whole time. I can see that now. I mean, I knew before that it was all part of a bigger plan, but now seeing that plan unravel right in front of me, being able to see the blessings forthcoming straight from Heaven, watching my life being blessed in miraculous ways because I chose to serve a mission...Now that's amazing. I can only imagine the blessings and revelations that will happen when I'm actually on my mission. 

          All in all, my wisdom teeth are out, 3 cavities have been filled, my physical stuff is taking WAY too long to process (the doctors really have no idea how to fill this paperwork out), and I have 3 more cavities to fill. These papers will be in soon and then I will know where I'm going to be serving the Lord in for the next 18 months. I just want to give the biggest thank you to Brother and Sister Mortenson, the amazing people that helped find someone to take my wisdom teeth out. They worked so hard and did everything in their power to help me out and didn't stop until my teeth were pulled. I am so so so grateful for their help, and I know that the Lord will bless them for doing so much for me. “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” I'd also like to thank my amazing Bishop, who is a dentist! He gave me my examination and is filling my cavities for me. So many people have been placed in my life to help me get on my mission. Someday, I hope to be able to help someone out as much as all these people have helped me.

          

          In other news, Jared will have been done for 5 months on the 29th, so I'll be posting my celebration of that soon! Holy moly, has it been 5 months already?? WOW. Time is FLYING by! This is awesome! Valentines Day is coming up and guess who agreed to be my valentine this year?? That's right! 

JARED DID. :D Hehe. He's great. He said he'd love a valentine package from me on one condition: "Hold off on the confetti." We'll see. ;)

Well, I'm off! Recovering from these dang wisdom teeth is rough business! I love you all very much! 

Cheers!

-Samantha J Stanley

         

P.S!
A VERY VERY big CONGRATULATIONS to my friend JESS! Her missionary Michael came home yesterday and they couldn't be happier! GET MARRIED ALREADY, SLACKER. ;)

          

           

          

Hooooly crap.
I'm SO FRUSTRATED.

This will be a rant, so I apologize in advance.
So my mission papers are almost in, which is AWESOME, right?
Key word here: Almost.

EVERYTHING is done except my physical and dental. I'll be going in to finish up all my physical stuff by the end of this week, if everything comes back positive. So hopefully that'll get done so I can check it off finally.
Bad news: I went and had my dental examination. I have a butt-ton of cavities that need filled and my two bottom wisdom teeth need to be removed. Even worse news: Guess who doesn't have any dental insurance? This girl  right here.

I'm stuck here and it just sucks real bad. I just want to have my mission papers in already. I can't tell who's hand is in this, Heavenly Father or Satan? Who's putting this off?
Am I supposed to be in a certain place at a certain time for a specific person and that's why it's taking so long to get these in? Or is Satan just trying to push it all back and make it hard for me to serve? The glass is half full, so I'm siding with the Lord and trusting His will.

It's still hard though, and I'm still just getting super frustrated and stressed out. I just wanna pick up my phone  and call my best friend and tell him everything and then he'd say, "It's okay, Sam. We got this."

We do got this though. :)
Although...Going about 2 1/2 months without a letter kinda sucks. I know, I know. I get emails every week. I'm so so so so sooooo lucky. But nothing compares to those letters. I'll get one eventually. C: And when I do, it'll rock. A lot.

Well, that's my rant. Sorry about that, everyone!
Thanks for reading! :)

I feel a little better now. <3
-Samantha Stanley

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION: Write weekly.
I can do this, right?
Right.

Mmmkay guys! WHO'S BEEN OUT ON HIS MISSION FOR 4 MONTHS?!
That's right.
My boyfriend has.
Elder Jared Sellers has been serving the Lord for 4. Whole. Months.

ZING!!
Wow. That's awesome.

So on December 29th, his 4 month, I was SUPER sick. Sicker than I have been in a long time. So I couldn't do anything big. OH! BY THE WAY, for those of you who are just now joining in on my blog, every month, on Jared's mission-versary, I celebrate by making a special dish or meal that he and I used to make together.  It's always super fun and it just makes me so happy. C:

Anyway, back on track. This month, super sick, couldn't make anything big. Y'know.
So I made toast and hot chocolate. So you take the toast- and you dip it in the hot chocolate!! Jared introduced me to this when we were out at school together. He said it was something he always ate as a child on cold winter days after playing in the snow. So we'd just sit there at the table with a toaster, a loaf of bread, and some hot chocolate and just make toast until all the bread was gone. Those were some of the best mornings ever.

His Mom and I also conspired and had a cupcake delivered to him from their cousin Pam! I hope it got to him and he enjoyed it. <3

All in all, I'm just super stoked that it's been FOUR MONTHS. Time is starting to fly right by my flippin face and I can't help but smile. He's just the best missionary ever and I can't believe that my best friend is out there serving the Lord with all his heart. <3 He's just the best.

IN OTHER NEWS! I have a dental appointment this Monday for my mission, and next Wednesday I'll go in to finish up my blood-work! My mission papers will be in soon!! Any bets on where i'll be going? C:


I'm so in love. I can't believe it'll be 5 months this month. This is just one of our other grand adventures and I can't wait to leave on my own mission to serve the Lord and put me heart in His hands completely.

OH! IT WAS NEW YEARS. RIGHT.
So I kissed a picture of him at midnight.
No big deal.
I missed him this year, but I'll get him in 2!
This year, we'll have been best friends for 7 years.
Hoooooly crap.

Until next time! Thanks for reading!
-Samantha

P.S.
Bonus picture of the most handsome Elder EVER.