September 30th

So, now that it's 12:03 a.m. and will probably even be later by the time I've posted this, it's no longer September 30th. But, as I was sitting here, thinking about what today is (before it turned 12:00 a.m.) I realized that I hadn't delivered flowers to a grave in honor of my dad...for the first time since I graduated highschool. September 30th takes my mind to things beyond this life. Today (or yesterday...although I don't count it a new day until I've gone to bed) it has been exactly 15 years since my dad, Brian Perry, passed away, in the flesh, from a brain tumor. I've always been a home body, with my mother being my best friend, therefore I was extremely homesick when I first left home for college 5 years ago. I was especially sad about being away from my family on September 30th. So, I decided from that point on that I would take flowers to a grave, no matter where I was, in honor of my dad. Well, I've done it the past 5 years, each time being some place different. But this year, I am home, and it is the first year I did not put flowers on a grave on September 30th. So, instead, I thought I'd post something on this here blog. :) Because it is "a look inside my mind" and this is what is on my mind.



Dad, Mom and baby me :)



Dad and baby Kayleen



Dad and baby Kevin



Last Christmas together: Me, Kayleen, Kevin, Dad



I'm thankful for the memories. I'm thankful for the pictures. I'm thankful for the videos. I'm thankful I received his sense of humor. But most importantly, I'm thankful for the knowledge that his spirit still lives, and he will one day live in the flesh, because the Savior lives.

The only way

This weekend I took a trip to Twin Falls, Idaho to visit my best pal, Dacia JaNae. The trip was lots of fun, but the most amazing part was the chance I had to witness the sealing of Dacia and her husband, Cameron Andersen, in the newly dedicated Twin Falls temple. It was a beautiful thing. I can't even begin to describe the emotions I felt as I sat in the sealing room and watched my best friend and her husband become ONE for time AND all eternity. How richly blessed I am to live in a world where we have the priesthood on the earth to bind us together as families not only here, but in heaven as well. Oh how I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. I wouldn't have it any other way.



I'm known as the 3rd sister or triplet daughter in the family...Dacia and Alicia are twins. :) We had fun at Cam's football game (he coaches highschool football.)



I love the Stimpson family! Good times were had by all. :)

As of late

Not much excitement is filling my life at the moment. I just finnished watching Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, the first one...and shoot, I love that movie. Ya know? Real life drama and dreams all packed into a cute little chick flick. Each girl in that movie reflects a little of what I've always dreamed of being.

There's Tibby, the video recorder girl...man, I've always wanted to be the cool "screw the world" girl with a nose ring who has a hobby of making films about boring people. Ok...maybe I haven't wanted to be exactly that, but someone who is who she wants to be and does what she wants to do.

Bridget...while I've never really wanted her lifestyle, I would love to have her passion for exercise. I've never really felt the high from exercise like she talks about, because I can never hold out that long. :)

As for Lena, who doesn't dream about going to some foreign country and falling in love with a hot boy, and even better, having him fall in love with you?

And then there's Carmon. Well, I would love to be able to tell a few people how I really feel, like she was able to do with her dad. But anywho...it's just a movie and I'm here in real life.

My life consists of searching craigslist and filling out stupid application after application hoping for a job that I should have found nearly 2 months ago, hangin' out with the fam, going to church, applying to different colleges, searching for every day missionary opportunities, reading the Twilight series (never heard of them before my mission) and writing to and receiving letters from a boy I'm absolutely inlike with. :) It's not quite the movie life...but it's real life, and it's mine.

My favorites...

Favorite memory

My dad, Brian Calvin Perry

Disney Movie

So tender

One and only T.V. show

Yeah, me and the Gilmore girls go way back

Piece of my heart...

Mommy dearest

Instrument of choice:

Oh yeah, so beautiful

Home away from home...

No explanation needed

Food...

Mmmm...mash em, fry em, bake em, make em into a salad...ya just can't go wrong with potatos

Singer?

Come on now, the one and only Amy.

Favorite cool peeps...


My brotha and sista...they're the coolest of the cool

What to read?

Of course I would say that...something a bit more practical maybe?

Oh yeah, best book ever baby

My choice of something yummy...

Nutella of course!

Just another day

Well well, here goes nothing. I miss my mission with every fiber of my being. I had a purpose, I was needed, I was loved, I had nothing to worry about besides loving, and I worked for Jesus Christ. I love the South and the beautiful people who reside there. They have such a strong love for Jesus Christ with a foundation that wants to be solid but can't quite get there, like wet sand...it's hard while wet, but will dry eventually, and when it does, it becomes un-predictable. I loved adding to the light these people already had. I loved wearing the Savior's name on my name tag. Not because I had to wear it in order to be a representative of Him, but because it was an outward reflection of my inner devotion. I loved the beautiful people I served with. They were like me, but different. Out there serving their master...all with different lives, different stories, brought together by the same common desire and love. I learned so much from these people. Each one taught me something unique. One taught me unconditional love. One taught me trust. One taught me endurance, and one taught me humility. One taught me optimism. One taught me beauty in simplicity. One taught me patience while another taught me the joy service can bring. I learned from those I taught. I learned that to truly love and give, you can't hold back, but you have to be willing to give your heart away, realizing it might get stomped on. I miss the thunder and rain stroms...big charcoal clouds rolling in, only to unleash a 10 minute waterfall and then roll out again. I miss the churches on every corner...and seeing the Savior's name everywhere, on bank signs, store signs, gass stations...everywhere.

Now I am home...being Crystal again. No longer Sister Perry, but Crystal. I may not have the nametag, but I still have the devotion.