Before i left Rexburg

1. Did you read my last post? I started a new blog for me and Karl, and I'll be posting bits of of our story over there once a week until we're married in September. Mostly to wean myself off of this blog. tear tear. old friends, you know?

anyway, i posted the first part of our story yesterday! Enjoy the blow by blow.

2. I'm hopping on the back track train before i leave to Provo for BYU Sports Camps again. Care to join me?

Stephanie and I kidnapped Sophia one day, because we missed her. 

also here's just a miss mash of a bunch of random things. haha. i don't remember why i kept all of these things, but i did. so here ya go. 

snapchat. i don't know. dont' judge me. 

I miss my sophita. 

and this is Ryan Cobar. he was our lil homie all Fall and Winter semester. this is him trying to hug me goodbye. hahaha. 

OH HEY!

very very very long story short:

I'M NOT GOING DEAF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

for literally months and months, i'd been dealing with severe pain and dizziness and nausea related to my right ear. I'd been to a bunch of doctors and specialists and none of them could pinpoint a cause. one specialist even had the gall to tell me that i was completely fine. Even though he administered a hearing test that SHOWED definite hearing lost. 

ugh. 

sorry. 

that guy is still a sore spot for me, because i saw him at Christmas and he said nothing was wrong. 

AND THEN

i finally went back to my pediatrician in Rexburg, because my preschoolers were commenting on my vertigo. "You're all wobbly today, miss melissa." okay, i have an observable problem. embarrassing. 

So i went to the doctor. and took more tests. and got more treatments. and the specialist did more tests, and showed me my charts and results and that they perfectly overlapped with other lab results that had to do with nerve damage. he took a look, and yup. 

it wasn't meniere's disease, like some other doctors thought. 

It was nerve damage.

So he gave me medication and like a light switch, i was completely fine. 

no more dizzy. 

no more pain. 

the hearing damage was permanent, but luckily it wasn't horrible, and the medication stopped it. 

i don't understand how it all works now. but when the doctor was explaining it, it all made sense and since the medication, i've literally not had a single problem aside from a plane ride, which is normal for a lot of people. 

I'M NOT DIZZY EVERYDAY. 

I'M NOT IN CONSTANT PAIN. 

I DON'T HAVE NAUSEA.

I CAN DANCE AS MUCH AS I WANT.

I CAN FULLY SUBMERGE MY HEAD UNDERWATER FOR MORE THAN 5 SECONDS AT A TIME AKA I CAN GO SWIMMING. 

I DON'T HAVE TO SIT DOWN EVERY 3 MINUTES TO CATCH MY BALANCE.

I  DON'T HAVE THINGS BLOCKING MY HAPPINESS, AND IT'S SO GREAT!!!!!

the night before many of us left, we had our last roommate council. 

aka we went around and thanked each other for everything we'd done for each other this semester.

it was real emotional. 

we all cried at one point. the prayer was real tender. i loved these girls. 

so so much. 

i wheel meece dem vedy mush. 

but really. 

that semester was incredible. 

this was how our apartment looked on the last day:

and this was Stephanie's OOBER packed van as we headed out to P-town. 

Stephanie GRACIOUSLY let us stay the night at her house, because she's PERFECT. and the next day, we said goodbye to the trio.

these humans changed my life. 

thanks, homies. 

BYE REXBURG, YOU WERE REAL GOOD TO ME. 

SEE YA SOMEDAY. 

A Very Late 'Thank You'

At the end of march, as my finals came around, i was outrageously stressed, and i asked here on my blog if you would all pray for me.
i realized i never thanked you.

I felt those prayers, believe me.
i received the strength and peace that i needed to get me through the last few days of Rexburg, and i felt an enormous outpouring of love.

Thank you, reader.

Melissa Michiale

Easter Weekend

I rushed home from Provo on Sunday night and immediately set to work making a giant cardboard rocket and control board for dramatic play for Preschool on Monday. 

the finished control board. 

i forgot to get a picture of the rocket, but it was awesome. and i make helmets out of ice cream buckets and the children looked adorable in them. too bad. 

that week was INSANE because it was my last week of preschool and i was trying to get everything done, and this is what our room looked like:

Around this time, Sophia started spending literally every hour she was awake with Travis. completely understandable, but we wanted her to come to the grocery store with us, so we stole her. we may or may not have looks terrifying:

snap chats i sent to Stephanie's fiance during the kidnapping:

Then finally, it was Friday. I got out of Preschool and had a text from Karl saying he was 2 hours away. I ran home, took a shower, and cleaned as much as i could before i heard a very welcome knock on the door. He came straight from work, so he was in a suit. cutie. 

We went to the Rexburg temple and then to eat at my favorite restaturant in Idaho - The Great Bambino's. a calzone place. bomb. 

then we headed back to my complex for the rest of the night and just talked about everything. 

You guys, this boy is so good. 

I've never felt so close to anyone in my life. 

halfway through the evening he asked me, 

"How much should i like you?"

I said, "well, it's been a week. So probably a week's worth."

to which he replied, "hmm. nope. i like you way more than that."

swooning happened. 

the Saturday morning before Easter, my family has Easter Bunny day, that way we can spend the whole of Easter celebrating Jesus Christ.

I'd planned on making Easter baskets for me and Jonathan anyway, so i made one for Karl, too. They were cute. I didn't get a picture of them. i need to get back in the habit of documenting things. 

I remembered that i had a new phone with a better camera than the old one so  said, "Hey, let's take a picture!" Jonathan stuck his tongue out, so Karl stuck his out. But at the last second, Jonathan retracted his. Karl didn't. I saw none of this as it happened. hahaha. 

Ten points to Karl for seeing me with no make up on, two days in a row, and still telling me i looked beautiful. He rocks. 

After easter baskets, and eggs for breakfast, we headed over to my lounge to watch the Saturday morning session of the General Conference of our church. 

IT WAS INCREDIBLE. 

i'll talk more about it, and my thoughts/impressions/feelings in my next post. 

But can i just say, Karl says "Amen!" emphatically, and he stood up to sing the intermediate hymn even though we were at home, and he took notes, and he held my hand whenever he wasn't taking notes and was adorable in general. If you can't tell, i am still totally in the twitterpated stage. I never tire of bragging about him, so get used to this. sorry not sorry. 

in between sessions, we hung around the house for a bit, Karl twisted balloon creations for me and some of my roommates. 

he a seahorse for me, a giraffe for ashley, a motorcycle for Jade, and a Beyonce for Sophia. 

Then we had a waffle lunch with our ward in the neighboring complex's lounge. Karl came early with me to set up and my Relief Society President and i had a conversation in Spanish about how he was my boyfriend but i hadn't said that out loud yet, but that i was super into him and impressed that he came to Rexburg and so was she and it was great. in spanish. 

That afternoon session, was wonderful, too. 

we hung out with my roommates some more after that, and then i helped him set up the TV in my lounge for the Priesthood session. He's so good. 

while he watched that, i went home and got cleaned up, complete with a crazy meltdown while i was getting out of the shower, "I  LIKE HIM A LOT, THIS IS FREAKING ME OUT, WHAT DO I DO THIS IS DIFFERENT, I'VE NEVER FELT THIS, WHATS GOING ON, IT'S BEEN A WEEK, MELISSA, CALM DOWN."

But then once i saw him again, i was completely calm, and i just knew everything was going to be fine. he makes me feel at peace and confident. he always has.

we went out to dinner, and did Dr.Aron's 36 questions. (I totes believe in them, btw. i did this with Sophia last semester, it's what made us best friends. so i did this with Karl, and it was awesome. i learned a lot about him, and vice versa. He's amazing.) We ate pizza and i kept wondering how this was so easy and natural. unreal. 

Then we went to Walmart (hashtag there's nothing better to do in Rexburg, Idaho.) and each picked 10 things. 5 that described us, and 5 that described the other person. and then we showed them to each other and laughed and laughed and laughed. 

the last item was supposed to be like, a culmination. the piece de resistance, if you will. 

I said: I got these, because you're an OVERALL great human

He said: oh...well i got this necklace, because you're pretty gangster

aka he's perfect. 

On sunday morning, as per tradition, i woke up to watch the sunrise over the hill in front of the temple. I asked my roommates if any of them wanted to join me. Jade did. I told Karl he could sleep in, but that if he did want to go, to come over at 6:30.

6:29 am? knock knock knock

This boy. 

he's wonderful. 

So we drove tot he hill and watched the sunrise as we read from the New Testament about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and listened to some songs about Easter from "Lamb of God" by Rob Gardner, that i love. 

another 10 points to Karl for seeing me at 6:30 am and then staying with me for the rest of the day. 

we went back home, and Karl went back to my FHE brothers' where he was staying, and we slept until Conference was starting. we watched in my lounge again, and Karl got teary eyed when they showed a group of people doing American Sign Language during a hymn. he joined them. I smiled. 

then we went home and made DELICIOUS resurrection rolls. the bomb.com. 

I crept on Travis and Sophia because they're adorable. 

and then we watched the Sunday Afternoon session on campus in the Taylor Chapel so that it stll felt like a Sunday. Jade was doing an assignment for class and had to be in a wheel chair that day. Karl pushed her all the way up the hilly campus. this BOY. 

After the session, he helped me make dinner, we talked for literally hours longer than planned, and then he left for Provo and my heart was so full.

He's incredible, and i am so lucky, and we work so well together it seems too good to be true. 

plus, is he cute, or what??

More on Conference next time!

A genuine request.

I could definitely use some prayers right about now.

My to-do list is literally 4 pages long on Microsoft Word. Not kidding at all. the next 2 days are the Apex of my semester and i sincerely don't think there are enough hours between now and midnight on Thursday for me to finish everything that i MUST. GET. DONE.
but staying awake for 72 hours straight is not an option.

So if you could just pray for me, i would really, really, really appreciate it.



I need answers. I need to focus. and i need to remain calm.



I'm trying really hard to concentrate on what i have already done so that i don't get overwhelmed. I'm also reminding myself every five seconds that i am being crazy blessed this semester. it's helping, it really is. but i'm still silently screaming over here. I feel almost underwater.

Thank you.
Truly.
Thank you.

melissa michiale

McDonald's Valentines

The Monday before Valentine's Day, for our Home Evening Activity, my group decided we would dress to the nines and then go get McDonalds. AKA MY IDEA, AND THE FUNNEST FHE EVER.

we all got fancied up and then met up at my apartment, and you probably saw these pictures spamming your news feed already, but who cares. they didn't have my commentary. 

I just enjoy this picture  because it is a face that Stephanie makes 20% of the time. 

When we first got to McDonald's, everyone was staring at us, and i felt self-conscious. until the boys all got there in their suits and balanced us out. 

also, i like this picture because it's a face that IIIIIIII make 20% of the time:

Can these two please just date already? okay, thanks:

and i know that the back of my head is ridiculous, but i LOVE this picture because Travis is laughing at a joke i'm telling, and Travis is mah HOMIE. THESE BOYS ARE SO GREAT i've seriously gotten so lucky this school year with FHE boys. they've been so kind and good. 

Travis and Sophia have a real good thing going, and i'm happy to be that third wheel, because i love them both, and Travis is Sophia's boyclone, so we get on really well. 

THIS PICTURE MAKES ME WANT TO CRY.

I ADORE THESE WOMEN. 

best friends. 

God knows what He's doing, guys.

a very washed out picture of Shauny, my boyclone. 

(#sorrymomwe'renotdating #sorrymomsingle4lyfe)

this picture makes me look like i'm a sith Lord?! the lighting was not so drastic 2 seconds ago. whatever. Shaun and i matched, unplanned, and i thought it was great. He's so stinking good looking. Also, 3 cheers for someone else who puts their McChicken and Mcdouble together with french fries on top. 

Holla. 

like i said: boyclone.

Travis, Sophia, and I went to DI and got 0.50 chalices, but they forgot theirs. oh well. 

aside from my horrible posture, i love this picture. the pictures from this night are all great, because they're all so stinking HAPPY. 

This one, especially, because Sophia is the best storyteller, and she makes me laugh. 

3 ketchups. BECAUSE I CAN.

can we just appreciate the attention that Shaun and Steph are paying me? I LOVE THEM. they listen to me. actually listen. and they make me feel validated. good humans. 

full no-neck laughter happening here:

kissing a chalice. because who else?

note to future husband:

I'm sorry for the inevitable thousand ridiculous photos that will be taken at our wedding. Hopefully you're as goofy as i am, or else you're in for a potentially embarrassing time every time we have to act formal in front of a camera. sorry.  can't help it.

just bein' me. it's a good life. 

DEAR FUTURE SELF:

please never forget these lovely women that you lived with Winter semester 2015. They are such gracious souls, and they love you dearly. you love them back, fiercely. remember this. remember them. remember how happy and appreciated and known you felt, and remember that it's because you all chose as an apartment to live right. 

remember the reason why you're so close and things have been going well. 

remember that you're blessed.