Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Crazy Changes

Well, the day has almost arrived, tomorrow I will take my last final at BYU. A part of me thinks that I am putting it off on purpose.
So much has changed since I started here, I can't believe I used to look like this, an immature teenage freshman that thought everything was so cool. I'd like to think I have grown up a bit, but mostly things have just changed right before my eyes and I don't know how it happened!




On Friday we are graduating from college, this summer we will move to Kirksville Missouri, Marshall will start medical school, and we will start our own little life with our own little family and a sweet baby boy! That's right, were having a baby! Change is a crazy thing, and it is just going to get crazier, but we really can't wait.


more to come when life calms down I promise.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

BYU Favorites

Its hard to believe tomorrow is our last day of classes at BYU. Marsh and I will be graduating next week, and while we can hardly wait there are a lot of things we are going to miss. This week we got talking about our top memories while at BYU. Most of mine include him, but I want to highlight a few of the best moments of my BYU career. Its been an amazing adventure and I am really sad to see it end, but there are so many things I will never forget and always love. So here is a quick look at my TOP 5 BYU moments:
( in Chronological order)

1. Being a crazy freshman, we gathered up the girls and decided to enter the BYU costume contest. Inspired by a recent episode of "America's Next Top Model", here is what we came up with---

 I think taking 4 crazy hours to make them was more than half of the fun! we thought we were so cool!

The best part is we actually won the group costume contest... a whole $10 to the BYU bookstore! Oh Freshman year!


2. My second moment happened a lot actually.  Sophmore year living at Liberty Square I got to be roommates with this gorgeous girl LaLa (her real name is Lauren Hill!).

She was the greatest roommate... until Marsh of course! I love her to death. We used to go to sonic at 1 or 2 in the morning at least once a week for some fresh limeades and mozzarella sticks.  One night, I remember, we had just finished talking to boys till way way late and La decided she wanted to go to Sonic.  I told her I was too tired and started to run down the hall to our beds that are lifted up way too high,  and as soon as i got to my bed I jumped up right as she grabbed my memory foam sheet and pulled me back off the bed to the ground. I remember laughing so hard I became wide awake. Of course we then went to sonic. Those were the best nights with the best talks! I miss that girl so much.

3. The 3rd great moment also took place my sophomore year when I ran into Marshall Hill, The Service Man as we called him. Back then I only new him as this--
In a service sweater vest and always helping people.  One day, as I walked past him on my way to the library I sporadically said "Hi!" I honestly didn't think he would know who I was, but he did, and he was heading to the library too... We walked in together and he just kept asking me questions and being so nice.  We made it through the atrium and to the middle staircase on the main floor, and there at the top of the stairs we talked for more than and hour about who knows what from love lives to the scriptures to service. I was so impressed by him I could hardly stand it. When I realized what time it was, what was supposed to be an hour of studying had turned into the best hour of getting to know the sweet boy that would change my whole life! Really though, who would have thought, but that day in the library started off an amazing adventure that led to a wedding and it just keeps going.... Obviously a favorite BYU moment!

4. The fourth moment also played a big role in Marsh and I coming together-- doing the Special Olympics.  We were on a committee to organize the summer games at BYU. It was an amazing experience I will never forget.  So many sweet people, and seeing them so excited after they had taken last in a race just because they finished. Everyone was always so happy and and cheering each other on.  In some ways, I think it is what sports might be like in heaven, :)  Everyone wants to do their best and everyone wants to help each other.  Plus, I got to spend time with this sweet boy, walking around feeling cool with our walkie-talkies, making sure everything was going okay. But really, it was such a neat experience to serve so much together that year.  I will always be grateful that service was the foundation for our marriage. 



5. I know I'm cheating, but our last great moment -- well of the top 5 that I can currently thinking of -- is actually two great moments, and they both have to do with sports! The first was of course watching Jimmer last year!  Marshall's parents have third row, amazing seats right behind the team, and somehow we randomly picked the San Diego State game to use the tickets. Turns out it was the best game of the season! If you remember, BYU was ranked 9th and San Diego State was ranked 4th in the COUNTRY! If you want to remember a little more you can go to this ESPN link. Both teams were undefeated in the conference, and there we were on the 3rd row as we watched BYU beat San Diego State.  Jimmer had 43 points. It was all around an amazing game to be at. 

Then we wrapped up this year's football season in the President's Box with the Service Council. We had missed our chance last year, and Casey was nice enough to invite us again this year.  The experience was amazing! The football... it was okay, but it was great to see the last home game.  We were spoiled with food and good company, and we even ran into Elder Evans, the man who sealed us, and his son.  My favorite surprise thoough was walking over to see a play and hearing someone say "Well hello Lisa Jane Hill!"  I turned to see Elder D. Todd Christofferson reading my name tag. "I'm Elder Christofferson," he said!  Like I didn't know who he was! He proceed to talk to me and Marsh about our plans and about his days at Duke with President Samuelson.  We even talked about football and Dogwood trees in North Carolina. He was so nice! I would have never had the guts to go up and talk to him, but I am so glad he talked to me! 

We're not exactly in this picture (we're just to left outside of the picture), my camera doesn't want to download my pictures from that night for some reason, but it was amazing!

Thanks for humoring me with such a long post.  I just had to reminisce on all the great experiences we have had at college. I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Monday, April 2, 2012

One Shining Moment



To quote a favorite song:

Time is Short and the road is long, in the blinking of an eye, 
ah that moment's gone,
And when it's done,
win or lose, 
you always did your best,
cuz inside you knew...
That one shining moment, you reached deep inside
one shining moment you were willing to try. 



Dear sweet Hills,
you always did your best, and were willing to try. 
But I won! 
better luck next year! 
Love,  Lisa Jane 

P.s. For any of you Hills, or Kansas Fans, or Duke fans that are having a hard time with this great upset, I would like to refer you to a talk by Elder Holland given yesterday. It can be found at lds.org 

Great Weekends

Weekends are becoming my favorite. No longer filled with the stresses of tests and studying as it is the calm before the storm of finals. Its my favorite time of year. Walking around campus is actually fun! It makes me think I'm going to miss college life a lot more than I have been thinking I would.
It's so nice to sit outside and feel the sun on my face, or bounce around a little on the tramp with the nieces and nephews. Tractor rides are becoming more frequent around our house, and Marshall or Camron up in the barn playing the drums while we all dance have been some of my favorite memories for sure!

This weekend was filled with family time for Conference. Friday night we met up with Dan and Andrea Hill to go see Jimmer and the Kings play the Jazz in SLC. Such a fun night, but then we all stayed up way too late chatting and playing games--I loved it! I could talk to those two forever. We stay up way too late talking to them way too often!

On Saturday I surprised myself and Marsh by waking up early ( not necessarily by choice ), but it was the first time all year on a Saturday! And before Marsh woke up I had cleaned the whole house! Luckily for me there were no dishes; I really just cant stand dishes! I don't know why, maybe someday I will learn! But I even managed to clean my "closet room" as Marsh calls it; it's always a disaster, but I started to get control and even put away some clothes I won't wear until next fall again. It actually made a big difference!

Conference sessions were all amazing! I only slept through one talk in the morning but Marsh said it was amazing so I am really grateful you can already go back and watch them online! We watched conference, ate good food, and talked with family; there were more kids on tractor rides, more drumming, and then we gathered to have a little FHE lesson and discuss the things we have learned this conference! Dad and Mom drove down for Dad to go to conference with Marsh and the boys, and mom and I met up with cousins and aunts to go to dinner. It was a great time, we came home, chatted, tried on clothes, and then drove up to Layton for Sunday.

Once again a great day! Relaxing, delicious breakfasts, great talks by amazing men! Elder David Evans, the man who married us, spoke in the Sunday Afternoon session and it was AWESOME! We love listening to these men and the things they teach us.  I know that the things that they teach us are true! I can't wait till tonight when Marsh promised we could talk about all our notes and the things we learned. It's going to be a great FHE.