Day One: Introduce Yourself!

Hello! I thought this looked like fun, with some fun topics to talk about for the next few weeks. Well, my name's Amanda. I don't have a middle name, which caused me a ton of grief as a child, but now I kinda like it, and I decided not to give my baby girl one either. Oh how the tides have turned.

I grew up in Fairbanks, Alaska, and I want to move back. The cold and the dark really don't bother me. Besides Alaska, I spent 3 1/2 years in Nacogdoches, TX working on my degree in Elementary music. I currently live in Provo, Utah, where I got my Master's degree in Vocal Performance from BYU while my husband finished his degree in Mathematics. I have a beautiful new baby girl names Clara, and I'm kinda vain about her name... come on, it's just too perfect!

I enjoy singing, playing the piano, reading, watching interesting tv shows and playing games with my very cute husband. I'm pretty shy and reserved until you get to know me, and then you can't shut me up. I follow politics and government policy closely, but I avoid talking about them publicly because I hate confrontation. I enjoy a good drama, so one of my very favorite things to do is to read opinion columns/blogs because the ensuing argument (which I don't take part in) is interesting to me. I like finding out about other people. I love to read blogs because I love to hear other individual's take on life.

But really, the important things that define me are my beliefs and my family. I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or more commonly referred to as the Mormons. The teachings of faith, humility and charity are virtues I strive to structure my life around. The Gospel guided me through some very difficult times in my life, and I know by following the principles taught by Christ that you can find happiness in any circumstance. My family is directly linked to my belief in the gospel: I believe we are sealed together forever because Jordan and I were married in a LDS temple. The work that I will do with my family is the most important thing I can do.