THANKFUL NOVEMBER

Can I just say that I love November! I am going to start this month off right by posting what I am thankful for. There are so many things, but I am going to do my best at hitting the main ones.

I, Kaitlin Jo Montanna Livingston am grateful for my loving parents that sacrifice so much for me to have the wonderful life I have, my siblings that are always there for me, my friends that bring so much happiness into my life, technology, music, Chandler Bing, modern medicine, Primary Children's Hospital, sleep, my job, SUU, my roommates, my car, my phone, my great cousins, laughing until my abs hurt, concerts, smiling, my room-roommate Kiana Don, my english tutor Dalaki Jym, my inter-mural vb team, high school pals that play pick up games and make me laugh so much, the love of my best friend Elder Dallon Durfey and his family, letters from Brazil, the internet, my adorable nieces and nephews, my loving sister Nisha, texting, voicemails, basketball, running, visiting teachers, institute classes/friends/teachers, prophets and apostles, my bishop and ward church leaders, but most of all, I am grateful for the gospel in general and the peace it brings into my life.

Halloween Fun

I have had so much fun this past week. It was long overdue! I first had the opportunity to attend our annual Sisters Weekend....it is a tradition Nish, Kiana, and I started where we go up to UVU and watch the state volleyball tournament. It is always a great time! We have great chats, rock out, laugh, and eating sessions. We also get to soak up the crazy world of volleyball!
After we had a great time shopping and watching the tournament, we headed home to Milford. And the party began! Kiana came up with the brilliant idea to dress up as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley. Needless to say, it was a blast!! We took the kids around town and received many compliments on our costumes...who knew what a couple of Rockband drum sticks, makeup, graduation robes, glasses, scarves, and some hand colored Gryffindor badges could do?!

All in all, Halloween 2010 was a success! The Livingston trio can't wait until Halloween 2011!! We have great ideas for years to come!

See ya later...not goodbye

As I have been trying to grasp reality these past two days, I have read over many thoughts of family members and friends. They all have written such beautiful tributes to my Grandpa Fisher. It was like they were taking the words right out of my mouth when they wrote them. So as I sat down to write my own tribute I doubt my writing abilities. I have never been quite the eloquent writer like my sisters, cousins, aunts, etc, so bear with me if you continue to read my tribute to Ira Mitchell Fisher.

Grandpa, thank you for making me into the person I am today. Without your many stories, voices included, poached eggs, ice cream, licorice, pink and white mints, (but mostly the pink ones) birthday cards, Priesthood blessings, hugs, pictures, rides, counsel, and your unconditional love, I would not be here in the ELC writing this tribute to you. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to live right next door to you. I always knew that you would be a few short steps away, at any hour of the day or night. Your house and presence was a safe haven for so many and I am grateful for the wonderful peace I feel when I think of you being reunited with your lovely wife. But I will miss you.

I will miss how your face lights up when I would walk through your front door or into your bedroom. I will miss your 20 questions of what I have been up to, where I have traveled, and where my next plans will take me. I will miss coming to you when I am broken in need of a blessing. I will miss going into your office, sitting on your chair, letting you back up and support yourself against your desk, and then laying your hands upon my bowed head. I will miss saying Amen and instantly turning around embracing you with tears falling freely. I will miss coming to sing to you every Sunday after church.

But because of you I will never settle for less than my best. I will someday graduate with my bachelors degree in education, because I hope to be at least half of the teacher you are. Because of you I have a firm testimony of the gospel. I will strive to live my life to find a companion who will honor his Priesthood and take me to the temple to be sealed for time and all eternity. I will strive to be patient, loving, giving....the list goes on and on. Because of you I will do everything I can to be with you forever.

So I, along with the rest of your posterity, want to say thank you for being you. Thank you for your love and example. See ya later.....

ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

Today I would like to list things I am grateful for. As I sat listening to conference I was overwhelmed with so many feelings of gratitude. I know just posting this saying "thank you" to all of you who make my life wonderful will not be suffice, but it is a start. So here it goes...

First, I am so very grateful for my family. They are what keeps me going in this crazy life of mine. I know they will always be there for me, ALL WAYS! I am so grateful for the relationships I have with my parents and siblings. I look at families who aren't very close, and it makes me so much more grateful for my tight knit relationships I have with my family. I love them all so much! I also am grateful for the many examples and friends I have in my extended family. I love to get caught up with them each time we visit.

I am so grateful for my family in good ole Wayne County. There are too many to count, that have extended their loving arms to me and have accepted me for who I am. I am so grateful when I get the chance to have a get away weekend to my second home. It is the greatest!

I am so grateful for this gospel and for conference! I sat in awe as I listened to the many wonderful speakers who are instruments in our Father in Heaven's hands. I am so grateful for the beautiful hymns that were sung. These profound songs have brought so much peace and comfort into my crazy life.I am so grateful for this beautiful Earth that we are able to live on. I am so grateful for rain storms, sunshine, and everything in between!! I am so grateful for the mountains! Whenever I am having a hard time, I load up in my car and go for a drive up the canyon...what a great tender mercy that is!

I am so grateful for my brother and Savior Jesus Christ. I am grateful for his sacrifice. I am grateful that he chose to pay for my sins, sorrows, and pains. The Atonement is real, and I know that if I take that step of faith to use it, I can be clean again. I am so grateful for this knowledge! I know that I am far from perfect, but a quote that I really like states, "Being perfect doesn't mean doing everything right. Being perfect means to constantly strive to be perfect." So that is what I am going to do. Strive constantly to be that much better.

If you are reading this, thank you! Thank you for taking the time to catch up on what I've been doing in my busy life. Believe it or not, but at one time or another, you have influenced my life. Thank you for helping me become who I am today. Thank you for being my friend, sister, family, or acquaintance. :) You're the best!!

LOVE

This past week, the Fisher family said goodbye to a son, father, grandfather, uncle, brother, and friend, Michael K. Fisher. After a long battle with sickness, he passed through this life and on into the next, to join Grandma Beth, Uncle Rob, and many others. For his funeral services, my mother had the idea to sing a popular country song to pay our respects. I, along with Aunt Rhonda, Christie, Daezia, April, Rachel, Kiana, Nish, Dalene, and Shelley Mom, sang Temporary Home, accompanied by our concert pianist Melanie. As we sang this song my heart went out to my Uncle Mike's family, along with the rest of our family. I then was filled with the spirit, testifying of this amazing gospel. It testifies that death is not the end. I know that I will be able to live with my family FOREVER if I will do what is right. I am far from perfect, but perfection is not just about doing every little thing right, it is constant striving to be perfect. The love that I feel when I am in the presence of my family makes my testimony that much stronger. A lot of our family was able to come join in paying our respects to this amazing man; Oh how I have missed each and every one of them! (I also missed all of those that could not make it.) I wish we could get together more often, but I will take what I can get.

Moral of the story: I love my family, and I love the gospel.
The end.

Family...isn't it about time

There is nothing in the world quite like walking into the door of my sisters house and hearing a chorus of KAIT! being sung by my nieces, nephews, and siblings. It makes me feel ever so loved! As the chorus rings on, I get bombarded with hugs, kisses, stories, etc. I love my family! They bring so much joy into my life and I don't know where I would be without them.

Yesterday Kiana and I had to opportunity to go home for a couple of hours and it was totally worth it! I wanted to get a few pictures of everyone being happy and silly. Tay turned to me and said Kait, I missed you! Where were you? So I had to explain how I am going to college and such. Then she asked if she could braid my hair...flip she's a cutie!!

I love each and every one of my family members and I am so grateful for their love, hugs, smiles, kisses, stories, laughs....I could go on for days! But I think you are getting the point :)

Warped Tour 2010

On Saturday I was able to go to one of the greatest places on Earth! I went to Warped Tour 2010 in Salt Lake with my body guard, a.k.a Dalaki. I was able to see some of my most favorite bands, as well as rock out with thousands of other people. It was such a thrill!

I have not always been familiar with this music scene and I have two people to thank. First, I have to thank Dalaki. He tried for so long to get me into this kind of music, bless his heart, but I just wouldn't have it. It wasn't until I started dating Dallon that I grew to love this music scene. Last year was my first warped tour experience and I was a pure rookie! But don't you fret, I knew what was up this time around and it was EPIC! I got tons of autographs, free stuff, and memories that will last forever. So I want to give a shout out to two of my favorite guys, Dalaki and Dallon!! You guys rock!

There is something about being in a crowd of hundreds of people, jumping up and down, singing the lyrics to amazing songs, and then the lead singer looks at you and your eyes connect...AHH! I wouldn't trade it for anything! It was so much fun!!

I got a couple pictures with some amazing musicians. I.E....The lead singer from Mayday Parade, Anarbor, and my personal fave, The guitarist/pianist/back up vocalist for The Cab!! I forget that they are normal people because they are so good at what they do! Last year I was too shy to ask for a photo or their Herbie Hancock and every time I turned down Dallon's offer to go meet a band, he simply would reply...Kait, they are people just like us! Then I added, yeah with a lot more money! But nonetheless, this year I was not shy and was able to meet some amazing people. In the end, Warped Tour for this guy was a complete SUCCESS! Thanks Vans!! Until we meet again...Warped Tour 2011!!