I got a JOB! :)

Happy news!!!! I just got a job for Frost Orthodontics!!! I could not be more excited about it! I've been dreaming of this job since I was a 14 yr. old Brace Face with Frost. He is an amazing Orthodontist, with an incredible office, and a fun staff. I am thrilled to be a part of it. I start training on Monday and then start full time after the wedding :) I feel so blessed, it is just what I needed! I can't wait to wear scrubs every day and learn more about the dental field I will be going into. Life is so good :) I love all the new adventures I am going to have!!!!

Happy Heart Day to ME!!!!

Today is my EIGHT year anniversary of my

OPEN-HEART-SURGERY :)

I love to celebrate this day that saved my life...Because of my amazing mothers intuition to take me in to the doctor for check ups and the wonderful medical technology, I am blessed to have a whole, happy, healthy heart :) Because of this surgery I will now be able to survive child birth, and live passed the age of 35!!! I have so much to be THANKFUL for!!! I love my "Zipper" that reminds me every day how precious life is, and how truly grateful I am to be alive, healthy, and able to love and live life to its fullest!! :) Even though it took me about 3-4 years to recover, I wouldn't trade this trial in my life for anything, it made me who I am and strengthened me so tremendously.

(I guess this one is a little more realistic)

I'M ENGAGED!!!!....

TO THE MOST INCREDIBLE MAN IN THE ENTIRE WORLD!!!!

Grafton Milne!

I love our story... :) Everyone keeps asking me about it, so I figure blogging it will help give everyone the deets!!!

Brief from the beginning:

We met last June when I started going to the Indigo Bay Single's ward. He always made me feel so welcome in the ward and I was immediately attracted to his amazing optimism and upbeat, happy outlook on life! He always has a smile on his face and makes everyone feel like a million bucks...no matter who they are!! One day, soon after I came into the ward, he texted me and said -"It's your lucky day, I'm your new home teacher!" Who knew I would end up getting THIS lucky?! :) He was my home teacher for six months and I LOVED it. I loved getting to know him and I have always loved and admired the person he is. I quickly developed a crush on him but I was completely convinced I had NO CHANCE with him and thought he was way out of my league! (apparently he thought he didn't have a chance with me either!-SOOO glad we got over that! haha!)

He really is the most incredible person I have ever met. Not only is he always happy, outgoing, giving, energetic, and fun, he has the best HEART. He loves life and always looks for opportunities to serve, develop others and himself, and most importantly he has a passionate testimony of the gospel. I knew all of this before I even got a date with him. I loved to be around him at ward activities and always had so much fun with him.

At the beginning of December, I went into my High School Seminary teacher's office to catch up. Brother Chatwin and I have always been very close-and interestingly enough he was also Grafton's Seminary teacher at Mountain View. We began talking about dating and different things and he asked if I was interested in anyone...I told him that I had a crush on someone and he totally knew him! Without even mentioning Grafton's name, His face lit up and said Guess who I went to lunch with last week, I replied saying I knew who he went to lunch with...He said, So does that have anything to do with your crush?! My face couldn't hide it :) He was amazed and so happy!! He told me that they had been talking about me at lunch and that Brother Chatwin told him he should ask me out because he loves us both and could see us having a great time together! I couldn't believe it!! So Brother Chatwin called G when I left the office and convinced him that I did want to go out with him and he said, "You know I would never call you an idiot, but if you don't call her and ask her out, you're an idiot!" hahaha...A couple hours later I was sitting at the table with my parents and my phone rang. I froze as I saw it was Grafton....my parents nudged me back into reality and said...well, you have to answer it!! ha! So, I picked up the phone, very nervous, and he asked me on a date! We ended up going out the next day!! (December 11th) I have NEVER been so nervous/excited to go on a date with someone in my life!! It was the craziest and greatest feeling!! It ended up being THE best date of my entire life!!! We both had the time of our life, and it was incredible how natural and right I felt with him from our very first date! After only three weeks I told him I was in love with him...and meant it with all my heart! I have never felt that way before and it is definitely the best feeling in the world!

I've been floating on clouds since that day...

pure happiness and bliss :) :)

ENGAGEMENT:

So, after a month or so we both knew we wanted to spend the rest of forever together, so it all came down to the Deets. :) He still wanted to make it a surprise...which I loved! He had my whole family in on it and I am amazed at how well they did it!!! All week G had told me that he was bummed because there was complications with "a certain sparkly item" and that it would be another 2 weeks. So I believed him of course...AND he told me that we were going to his family BBQ at a park and I believed that too... turns out BOTH were false! ha!

He took me to Fountain Hills...which is where we we had our first kiss, so it is a special place for us. As we got there he told me, "Um, I have a secret...There is no BBQ!" ha! He was busted...but I forgave him of course! He told me that since I had all these tests this week and he was bummed the ring was taking so long he wanted to do something special for me. He's always so thoughtful and romantic, so I really didn't expect anything. I loved every second of it.

We laid a blanket down in the big park, right in front of the incredible fountain-just like the first time we were there. He opens the cooler and pulls out two gecko grill burritos-which are my all time favorite. We had sparkling cider "Bubbly", and chocolate covered strawberries. And watched the sunset while listening to some James Taylor tunes...perfect mood :) Ohhh he is SO good to me :)

It got dark and we were waiting for the fountain to go off again and decided to go sit on a cute bench right by the water. We cuddled up and watched the fountain go off, it is so magical and brought back all the memories of how amazing the first time was! I was already in heaven...Then he just looked at me with the most sincere, loving face and stood up, gently pulling me by the hand. We stood there holding eachother and he whispered in my ear, "I have a question for you..." My heart fluttered and I was shocked, totally caught by surprise and just looked at him in anticipation...then he got down on his knees with the ring in his hand and with watery eyes and the most genuine heart felt way told me how absolutely crazy in love he is with me and knew from the first time he met me that there was something special about me. That he never knew he could be this happy and that he wants to spend the rest of eternity with me. Then he paused and said, "Laurisa Whiting, will you marry me?!" I replied with the happiest feeling in the world, "Oohohohoh YES!!" and gave him the biggest hug and kiss possible. Happiest moment of my life...YET!

I love Arizona...it is SO beautiful, and SO romantic! Fountain Hills will always be a special place for us! Oh I LOVE the way he thinks. I love the way he plans-he is so cute and creative!

We came back to my house to share the amazing news!! This is Mitch proposing a "toast" to our engagement! how clever he is! haha

I'm so in love with my gorgeous ring!!! I told him that I wanted to be all from him...so I didn't want to pick it out...and he did an incredible job picking it out all by himself-never ceases to amaze me!!! It fits me perfect and sparkles like crazy!! I can't stop looking at it and realizing the most important part of it...it symbolizes our eternal LOVE :) :) Sometimes it still doesn't feel real!

OH HOW I LOVE HIM!! I could not possibly be happier. He is absolutely perfect for me in every way, everything I have always known I wanted in a husband, and I got lucky enough to find him!! Every second I am truly grateful for him in my life. I love the person he is on the inside and out. I really believe I am THE LUCKIEST person in the world. Everything still feels like a dream, and I think it always will... Our life is going to be full of so much energy, excitement, good, fun, laughs, and more love than I could imagine. THIS is what LIFE is all about!! I love knowing that living life with him, will be spent every moment CELEBRATING LIFE!!!

XOXO

Just a little of what is on my mind right now....

I Love this man so much!! :)

I'm the luckiest girl in the world!

CELEBRATING LIFE...

Is what I have been doing EVERYDAY for the past 7 weeks

with this AMAZING man...

Every single day has been an adventure and the new best day of my life!!! I love spending time with Grafton more than anything!! He brings such great JOY into my life!!

Temple Lights!

ZOO LIGHTS

Christmas Festivities

Last Date of the year...Tandem Bike ride in Scottsdale! Incredible weather, Beautiful scenery, amazing company. I love the fun planner he is...He makes life so much fun!

New years Eve! We hung out with the Fam for a while, playing the candy bar game, dancing, and pretending like it was midnight! Then Graf and I went to Mill Ave in down town Tempe for the big block party they had going on. We met up with his Bro Stu and wife Angie! They are the cutest couple and we always have a blast with them!! Fun filled evening of music, dancing, fireworks, love, confetti, and Celebrating the new adventure of a new year! 2010 is going to be a GREAT one :)

We decided to go up to Flagstaff to visit G's friend Jake Porter who was baptizing someone that weekend. We all jumped in Graf's Jeep, blasted the music, had amazing conversations, and headed to Flag. It was such a fun getaway! Again, with amazing company! Before going to the baptism, we took a day trip to Sedona and hiked to Devil's Bridge! It was absolutely beautiful!

G-"SO, its your last weekend of break, lets do something really fun!"

Me-Okay!! (I'm ALWAYS up for that)

G-"Perfect, lets go to Disneyland!!!"

Oh, how I love his Spontaneity! So in two days we decided to go to Disneyland and have the most magical, happiest, time of our lives!!! Really, I loved every second of it! Including the car ride! Who wouldn't have the time of their life in the happiest place on earth with the happiest people on earth! So many amazing memories, laughter, smiles, and celebration!
Now it is back to reality, with a crazy school schedule...BUT somehow we don't seem to skip a beat. We still have so much fun every single day!!

I have enjoyed watching him play flag football for the city league! They just won the championship!! All I have to say is Grafton is a STUD!! I love watching him :)

We have been doing fun little things with the family, bowling, Monster Truck Jam, playing in the irrigation after big rain storms, Q.T. (quality time), trying to focus on homework-HA, and loving every second of life!!

This much joy, fun, love, and pure happiness shouldn't be allowed for one little girl!! I am the luckiest girl in the world!!! I have had the most amazing times of my life with Grafton Milne. I never could have imagined life could get THIS much better! I am so incredibly blessed! I can't wait for each new day of adventure with him. Times like these are what life is all about... :) :)

Pure Happiness :)

I know that just about everything makes me happy...but this week has been EXTRA happy!! for SO many reasons :) :)

So happy that it made me want to blog about it, so here we are!

1. Finished my first semester at ASU with a 4.15 GPA. hard work paid off!

Now instead of feeling like THIS is taking over my days...I have a well earned MONTH break!!

2. My beautiful SISTER moved home!! I love my best friend!! Now, I'm not missing anyone or anything, I am perfectly content and happy with where I am and who I'm with...(okay I have some close friends at BYU that I miss, but we still keep in contact and make up for lost time when we're on break!)

3. I LOVE the HOLIDAY SEASON!!! Full of Happiness, love, service, lights, decorations, giving, christmas movies, romance, family, and friends.

My amazing Light friends did a "Remembering White Christmas" show.

ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!! They did amazing.

I can never get enough of the temple+christmas lights...two of my very favorite things!!

I love makin sugar cookies and watchin christmas movies on rainy days with my bestie!

This season is being SO good to me :)

4. I Love the time I've been able to spend with my parents :) With all these days off, I've been so lucky to get one on one time with my incredible Mom and Dad!! I have been working out with Dad and shopping and making crafts with Mom. I love them so much, I am really glad that I have stayed home this semester and had this time with them. I learn so much from spending time and having good conversations with them. Truly incredible people.

I'm so blessed to call them my parents.

Mom and I have too much fun doing crafts :)

P90X-bring it!

5. I've loved spending time with my cute friends! I am so lucky to have such amazing girl friends! I also went swing dancing with some friends and Sis on Wednesday night!! SO much fun...we finally mastered these moves after many attempts. Pretty excited about it! As you can tell, I loved it!

6. Grafton Milne.

Our first date was last friday...yes, I've wanted to go on a date with him for a very long time!!! No one would blame me either, I think every single girl wants to go on a date with Grafton Milne-He's such an amazing guy! He was my home teacher for six months, and made me feel so welcome and loved in the ward. I've always admired the person he is-energetic, enthusiastic, friendly, and has a genuine love for people, life, and the Lord! To be honest-I thought I would NEVER get a date with him...i'll admit I have never been so excited/nervous to go on a date with someone before... and It turned out to be

THE best date EVER!!!!

I have had an incredible week with him...

He's such an entertaining, fun person and treats me So amazing.

I feel so blessed to be able to spend time with him and love getting to know him...

Can you tell how Happy I am?! :) :) Life is SOOO GOOOD!!

My favorite quote :)

“You can be excellent in every way. You can be first class. There is no need for you to be a scrub. Respect yourself. Do not feel sorry for yourself. Do not dwell on unkind things others may say about you. Polish and refine whatever talents the Lord has given you. Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, but with great and strong purpose in your heart. Love life and look for its opportunities. And forever and always be Loyal to the church.”

~President Gordon B. Hinckley

I have this quote on my wall in my room, and lately I have been reading it quite often. It is so straight forward and inspirational, it reminds me of the important things in life and that if we will life this way we can truly be happy.

Life is truly wonderful! I love this holiday season and the joy it brings! I am so incredibly blessed!! School is (successfully) done for the semester, Heavenly Father loves me, and I have amazing people in my life! I couldn't be happier.