Announcement!!!

Yes it's true, we have an announcement! We have made it three months since we got married today!! Mua ha ha. Had you going there didn't I? You thought I was gonna say that something like we were getting a dog or a ficus tree? We went to the New Play Project tonight, which is where a bunch of local people submit plays that they've written and are performed at this little tiny theater at 100 N and 100 E in Provo. It was way good. What's more special about it, is that the New Play Project was Camille and I's first date back on the 1st of August last year. So Camille asked some director guy that she knew to stand up there and announce that today was a special date in the audience because the New Play Project was their first date back in August of last year, and now they are back celebrating their 3 month anniversary of their wedding. Little conniving wife... It was way good though. I was very impressed. Much better than the first time Cami and I went. Things are great with us. I'm looking for an internship right now. It's an extremely tough market right now. If anyone is looking for an intern, preferably paid, in the business sector, send them my way. That would be awesome.

(At the Valentine's Dance, the night before I cut Jason's hair :)

Spring, Spring, Spring

Even though it was still 28 degrees this morning, and there was still frost to scrape off my car, it felt a little bit like spring this morning! Maybe it was because it was sunny and the birds were chirping, and the weather men were talking about it being rainy and in the 40s all next week. Beautiful! The onset of spring always gets me so excited about what the summer will bring. Good things happen in the summer, like falling in love, family vacations, and not thinking about school. It makes me want to sew skirts, cut my hair, and pull out my flipflops. I think I'm just like my mom in that I always have to have something to look forward to, or else I'll die. There has to be something for me to speculate and fantasize about as I fall asleep every night. So I'm starting to make my list of creative projects to start, and I'm looking up any and all possible auditions, and already trying to talk Jason into performing in one with me J though I should probably let him focus on school, darn it. I was thinking about last year, and how I started about now auditioning for everything under the sun, and how oddly, I couldn't make it into anything. Every show or program or group I applied or auditioned for fell through, and at the time I was so frustrated and confused that I just couldn't do anything I wanted. So I said, "fine, I'll do Center Street again" because it felt like a last resort, and the performances weren't going to start until well into the school year. And I met the love of my life, and it turned out the be the most incredible fairly tale dream of a love story that I wouldn't have traded for anything in the world. I guess from that story I learned that I don't really know what I want. And maybe that our lives are totally in someone else's hands, someone who knows us much better, and in trusting Him, He actually gives us what we wanted in the first place. And I think I've really gone on a tangent.

Oh What a World

The economy crisis is a little scary right now, for everyone, employed or otherwise, securely situated, or on the verge of being laid off. I thought the U.S. would always need educators, but apparently, no one is safe. Our district is cutting costs by 4% this year, and 12% next year. Policy says to lay off the newly hired, part-timers first, which would be me and me, but somehow the administration thinks our school will be ok. We’re reducing the number of copies and school supplies and taking away all field trips, but hopefully because of the hiring freeze, and still additional students coming in next year, everyone can keep their job. Good news, though--last month, we were told that the State Board of Education is taking back their promise of giving us a $1000 signing bonus, but apparently today they changed their mind and are actually going to follow through with it.

Aerobics Class

Last week in my Teen Living class (its an elective semester-long class for 9th graders, with 33 girls and 3 boys, and my absolute favorite class to teach), we were talking for a day about stress and stress-relieving techniques--the most important being diet and exercise. So the day before, I told them to dress comfortable, bring a water bottle, and don't forget deoderant! When they got to class, I had moved all the desks and chairs to the side, and started playing "Pump Up the Jam", and led them through a pretty intense 20-min. aerobic workout. I made sure to throw in a lot of masculine taebo moves so that the 3 boys in my class would get more into it. Then we laid on the floor and listened to Enya while I led them through a deep breathing visualization activity. I love Stress Day. The kiddies probably think I'm crazy :)

God Bless Insurance

Last night while we were visiting the cousins for a Sunday dessert night, someone hit our car :( We had just come from a dinner with some of my old roommates and spouses, and we put our leftover jello bowl up on the dashboard. When we came back to our car, I noticed the parking job a lot more crooked that usual. Jason opened my door and we found the jello splashed all over the passenger seat. Gross. Then Jason walked behind the car to his side, and we went home. It wasn't till this morning that we both walked outside, and..."someone hit our car!" The front headlight was pretty smashed, with red car paint scraped around it. Well, thank goodness for insurance, that's all I can say! With a few errands this morning, I got Schroeder to a USAA approved body shop, where they estimated $2,000 of damage. The shop said they could start working on it today, USAA got me a car rental reservation, and I was picked up in 10 min. At the lot, I picked out a beautiful red 2009 Chevy Impala for the week! With only 600 miles on it! What a pretty car! Its making the whole experience a lot more bearable :)

Movie Stars

Jason and I were in a movie today! The Church is adding a few scenes to the new Joseph Smith movie, to cater it a little more to investigators and converts. The scenes include some from Hans Mill and of Lucy Mack Smith's testimony at the General Conference in Nauvoo after the martyrdom.

What an experience, to dress up in pioneer clothes, and play as if we were inside the Nauvoo temple! It felt like we had gone back in time, and experienced the whole thing as a newlywed Nauvoo husband and wife!

Plasma

So we've gotten into the art of selling our bodies for money--in the form of giving our plasma. We go once or twice a week, play a game or two of pool while we're waiting, then get hooked up to the plasma machines that take your blood, extract the plasma, and return your blood back to you, making it possible to give up to twice a week. $30 bucks, baby. $35 if its the 2nd time that week. When you're poor, you'll do anything, right!? Its actually kindof fun! I feel good about donating to make medicines for babies, and we get to make a date out of it, with juice and crackers for dessert! With only going for about 3 weeks, we've already gotten $305! Summer cruise, here we come!

Home is Where the Heart Is

(With "Jason" size ottoman and "Camille" size ottoman)

Our First Christmas Together!

Christmas in Idaho! It was a little hard being away from my Ohio home for the first time, but being able to spend Christmas with Jason made it wonderful!

Then up to the cabin! There was SO much snow, I've never seen so much!

I can't believe how much we slept all break. Its like we were catching up for one crazy semester!

New Year's Eve Solo Competition at First Night at the Provo Towne Center Mall. I sang "Hopelessly Devoted" and won 2nd place, which is totally cool, except that 1st place was an iPod! :(

Coming up with a Rhyme for 2009

HAPPY 2009!!! 2008 was so great! I did student teaching, got a cellphone, graduated from college, bought a car, moved apartments 3 times, was an EFY counselor for a month, got a lead in a musical, met a boy, got engaged, and married! What a year!! The Church put on this New Years Eve Program at the Conference Center for the youth of the Church: http://abrandnewyear.lds.org/ and I've been watching them and loving them and crying and just feeling this HUGE love for the youth of the Church! Why do I love teenagers so much?! I really feel like I'll spend many years of my life in the Young Womens callings. We're taking down Christmas today and its a little sad. There is an end to all things, and this Christmas seemed especially long for some reason. Perhaps because I didn't have finals this year, so I had the whole December to think about it, without feeling obligated to only be thinking about school. Thank-you cards: the one thing that has been consuming my time as of late. Its been quite enjoyable, actually, mentally and physically saying thank-you again to all these people who've helped us so much. If you haven't gotten your thank-you from us, its coming! And Jason says, "hi".

Married is Wonderful

Can I just say that married life is so absolutely enjoyable, fulfilling, rewarding, etc.? Honest, its like a date that never ends, coming home every evening to someone who loves and listens and cares about you! I love being the wife: I love being the cook, the cheerleader, the supporter, the decorator :) Well, Jason is swamped with finals right now, with one a day this whole week. How nice to be done with finals myself! However, yesterday the principal came to my 4th period to observe my teaching, which was somewhat nerve-wracking, but kindof fun to show off this great lesson I'd prepared on textiles. I sure had the students enthralled when I pulled out a lighter and we burned some of the fabric samples to see the difference between natural and synthetic fibers. The principal scored me pretty well (with top scores for "teacher shows enthusiasm for the content being taught")! Our marriage certificate finally came in the mail (we're official!) so today I went all around town changing my name with the social security office, drivers license bourough, my bank, etc. There are so many legalities! Fun though. Well, Merry Christmas!

And We're Married!!!

It really happened! It was absolutely beautiful and everything I imagined and hoped it would be! We love love love being married!

Three short days

So, yesterday was the most nerve-racking day. I was anxiously waiting for the news as to whether I would be accepted to the BYU Business undergrad program. I got the infamous email around 4:30 or so. I nervously clicked to open the email, and it didn't give me an answer. It directed me to another site to see, which again directed me to another web site. Finally, I read those blessed words, "Jason Millar, you have been recommended to attend the Marriott School of Management. Please send your acceptance..." This has all come so fast, but there's nothing I'd rather be doing. I feel like the luckiest man in the whole world, and I wanted the world to know it. I thank God every day for the blessing that Camille has been in my life and the joy that she brings. I am so excited to be married in the Nauvoo Temple. We leave tomorrow at around 11 for the airport. Then is the long haul of traveling. We'll arrive in Dayton late tomorrow night, and then we leave early in the morning to drive to Nauvoo which will take around 7 hours or so. Then on Saturday, we drive all the way back for the reception, then Sunday we'll be flying back to Utah. At least the company will be good for all of that :). Life is good. Sometimes in your life, it just seems like everything falls into place all at once.

10

10 days!! TEN!! I'm not freaking out, not at all! I only have 3 more days teaching as Miss Hancock--all my students are freaking out about the name change mid-semester. Sorry kiddies. I guess we COULD wait till school gets out in May...no, not a possibility. Let's do this.

The Social Events of the Season

Please join us for any or all of the four:

Nauvoo, Illinois Wedding Friday Nov. 21st! Nauvoo Temple 1pm Ohio Reception Saturday Nov. 22nd, 7-9pm LDS Chapel 3072 Shakertown Road, Beavercreek Ohio Open House Dinner Wednesday Dec. 3rd, 5pm Olive Garden 504 W 2230 N Provo, Utah Stop in to say hi, see pictures, and have some cake! Idaho Reception Saturday Dec. 6th, 6-8pm The Loft Reception Center, 5 N 3800 E Rigby Idaho

15 is a Beautiful Number

Yay 15! My goodness, how quickly time flies! I'm absolutely loving life! I'm so excited to marry my best friend! So, I've moved in to our little married apartment, and its been so fun setting up house! Jason is living a few streets down with a roommate who is getting married in December. Its still lonely, and its still not home w/o Jason there, but its sure coming around! I love our evenings together, where we're putting up books and unpacking boxes, having dinner with limited dishes on our kitchen rug out of meals made without measuring cups or spoons, trying all night to set up our internet, and putting together our bed frame (which we got on Craig's List for $25!!! Beautiful cherry wood headboard and footboard with long posts that actually are too tall for our basement ceiling!) Ahh, married life is going to be wonderful!

Ohio

Aaaaaand we're in Ohio! We thought it'd be best for Jason to actually meet my parents before the wedding :) We're out and about from sun-up to sun-down, running errands, picking out Jason's tux, putting together all the flowers, scouring the entire state of Ohio for the right flowers and beads and napkins and ribbon, cutting/glueing/stamping/ribboning/addressing all 600 announcements, putting together the wedding video, etc. etc. etc. Its great fun! But I certainly only want to do this once in my life! 35 more days!!!

Choices

This is Jason, as scribed by Camille, who is sitting by me, forcing me to write something on our blog. So I'm in school, that's about it. I go to class, and study, and take tests, and hang out with a pretty girl. I currently work in the MBA office on campus doing various projects. Ok, enough with the boring introductions. Camille's given me the computer now. My turn. I've been so blessed in my life. I have to say, I really lucked out. When you're trying to do the right thing, the lord really showers you with blessings. My life is full of so many great things. It all seems like my life was guided to where I am right now. I never would have auditioned for a play. It really was a spur of the moment thing, but that spur of the moment decision has changed my life forever, for which I am eternally grateful. It's crazy to think about how every decision you make, no matter how small, really can be a monumental choice. Each choice really defines who you are and what you stand for. Even when people aren't looking. What do you do when you don't have to do anything? I guess I was lucky when I chose that day to audition, but now that I know what kind of things can happen from one decision, each decision seems more important. A choice can really show what you're made of. Every day, you can choose what you want to be. Elder Oaks said that you can choose good things in life. That's good, but there are better and best. It's so true. We all do good things for the most part; sometimes we fall. We can choose better or best though. Taking a nap on Sundays is a good thing. I love Sunday naps! We used to call Sunday naps "Fat dog" :). But there are other great things we can do on Sunday, like read or go visit family. Choices are soooo important.

A Home

We have an apartment! Glory, the search seemed despairing, but we jumped on a listing on ksl.com, and within an hour of it being posted, we looked it over and said we'd take it! Its a darling little basement apartment south Provo, with 2 bedrooms, the most adorable bathroom, with the original kitchen sink and bathtub since 1920! We can't wait to move in!!

PS--We're both still having a bear of a time selling our own single contracts, so if you know of any singletons needing an apartment anytime soon, send them our way!

44 days till we get married!!

While I sit in my classroom during P/T Conferences...

Happy October! We're getting married next month!! 51 days!! So I was a little not-looking-forward to Parent-Teacher-Conferences, but as I sit here talking and getting to know these parents of my precious little students, its turning out to be a very rewarding afternoon. Oh that little spark of warmth I get when every parent tells me how this is their student's all-time-favorite class, and how much they talk about the crazy things we do in class, and how they went home and cooked all of the recipies we made in class at home for their families! What a rewarding job, you know? Its so personal. Yes, exhausting and frustrating and low-paying, but how many accountants are thanked daily for their life's work? Gosh I love my job. My little minions ask me like everyday, "Are you married yet?", and they vote on which wedding annoucement I should choose, and we tell stories, and cook things, and sing songs about food-borne illnesses. We've already done so many fun things! Last week's highlights: We did a full 25-minute aerobic workout (me and my 33 teenage girls) when we were talking about ways to reduce stress, and then in our cooking unit, we put on a little restaurant, where everyone had a job and we served customers breadsticks and smoothies! Now we're on to sewing, which is not really my favorite to teach when I only have 10 machines in my room, but I love seeing these students succeed, even if its with a little drawstring bag. Hurry hurry hurry, so we can get to "Preschool Day", where everyone brings in a younger sibling and we practice good child care practices!

Pictures!

We just had engagement pictures done! They turned out so great!

http://www.et.byu.edu/~bm227/JasonCamille08/

I'm excited to get started on the whole sending-out-announcements adventure, so let us know if you'd like one, and we'll get you on the mailing list!

THANK YOU THANK YOU to Brett for doing them for us! You're fabulous!

Our Fairy Tale Story

We're engaged!!! Let's see...we met back in May at auditions for Beauty & the Beast! I really hoped that we would be leads together so that we could get to know each other better! Turns out, we got the parts of Belle & Prince/Gaston, and decided that we really liked each other as soon as rehearsals really started. One night, on the way home, he asked, "Hey, have you seen Adam's play yet?" and I said, "No, do you wanna go?", and so we still debate on who asked who out first. We went to this play, ate peach cobbler, and played card games all night and decided that we could be friends and "why have we not hung out before?!" We've pretty much been inseparable since! Glory, we're so perfect for each other in so many ways. Its incredible how easy and how right the whole thing has been. We can't wait to spend our whole lives together! So here's the proposal story: So opening night, Jason played the Prince, and the ending scene is a big number with the whole cast on stage. We're supposed to kiss at the end, but Jason wasn't leaning in to kiss me, and then the lights didn't black out like they're supposed to, and I look over, and little Zach who plays Chip was walking in carrying the ring on a pillow, and Jason takes it, gets down on one knee, and says, "Camille, will you marry me?"! And I said yes, and kissed him and then took off my gloves and put on my most incredible diamond ring! And the crowd was cheering and taking pictures--half the audience was just our friends and family who all knew this was coming!! Glory, it was all so perfect and priceless! I wouldn't trade my story for anything!