hello and goodbye.

Alright y'all. It's time to graduate to a new blog!

I've had this one since my very first post on Wednesday Oct 11, 2011

5.5 years later I would say it's on to bigger and better things! 

Here's the new site:

Amydymock1.wix.com/thelifeofamy

Still working on my first post so don't get TOO excited. But it should be up soon!

Wahooo!!

When the spirit brings tears..

Hey y'all I am home from my mission!
It zoomed by faster than a armadillo being chased by a toddler, but man, it sure was the greatest 18 months. I needed that spiritual growth somethin' fierce. I left a lot of people in Oklahoma who I love dearly, but they are still in my heart.

One of my great regrets from my mission is that I didn't journal as well as I wish I would have. There are many excuses I could use but it doesn't erase it! So in being home there are many things that trigger memories of the mission and I want to write them all down so they won't disintegrate in my memory bank.
Tonight during Family Home Evening with my parents and Matthew, and Hannah, we sang A Child's Prayer, my favorite children's hymn. As we sang, I choked up and tears started to roll as the spirit brought to my remembrance one of the most powerful baptisms I attended while on my mission.

It was in Lawton, Oklahoma. It was the baptism of Nichole. She had had QUITE the journey, she was lesbian but conquered her old lifestyle and had managed to quit smoking which was the biggest of feats in "Smoke-lahoma" since everyone is hardcore addicted to their cancer sticks. There were quite a few missionaries in attendance there since we had investigators in attendance but more so since everyone had fallen in love with Nichole and some missionaries were even allowed to come back (since they'd been transferred) even the mission president was in attendance, this was his FIRST baptism since he'd been out in the field.
For the musical number all the missionaries in the room were invited to come up and sing A Child's Prayer. We did not know that we would be doing this, so as my companion and I walked up there to join the other missionaries they quickly filled us in that the elders would sing the first verse, the sisters would sing the second verse, then when we sing together the sisters would sing the first verse and the elders would sing the second verse.
The pianist began playing.
The elders sang, and I grinned from ear to ear as their tender, untrained voices strained to sing the high notes of the first verse. They sounded like little children! Then we sang the second verse, it's usually the girls sing first then the boys sing second but I liked this version! Then for the third verse we combined and sang together.
Me being the only one to remember to come in with "Heavenly Father" I sang a solo for a bit before the other sisters joined me, as we sang the spirit smacked me in the face: We are his children, and this is our daily prayer to Him. Tears rolled down my cheeks as what used to sound like little tone-deaf children, changed to a choir of angels. I KNOW there were angels singing with us, I have no doubt about it in my mind, I felt it! I looked at our mission president, President Mansell and there were cheeks streaming down his face too.

As if the spirit wasn't strong enough in that moment, then came time for Nichole to be baptized. She met Brother Timothy G. Hudson down in the water. And she smiled from ear to ear from excitement. Brother Hudson raised his arm to the square and began to say "Having been commissioned..." but his voice quivered and he broke into sobs. He enveloped Nichole with his arms and cried for a few moments then raised his arm back up, said the prayer, and by the power of the priesthood, he helped Nichole enter into a covenant with Heavenly Father to always follow and remember His son, Jesus Christ. When she came up out of that water, she beamed and glowed with the light of Christ just exuding from every pore. She truly had been changed.

25 And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;
26 And thus they become new creatures, and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.
Mosiah 27:25-26

the last one

So listen ya'll tomorrow I am being set apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Yup. TOMORROW.
It's crazy how soon it came but I am so excited that the day is finally here!
I'll have a mission blog that my family will update, and you can read allll about me. It's:


amydymock.wix.com/oklahomasis

And don't even hesitate to write me a letter or send an email.
Love you all, see you in 18 months!

shots shots shots shots shots EER'BODY

I have seen quite a few needles lately.
Shots on shots at the doctor for my mission immunizations.
I had bone graft surgery two days ago.
Then yesterday, I had a mole removed on my arm.
And then today I had an ingrown toenail removed.
#blessmyheart
Let me just tell you all about my experiences.

Shot at the doctor.
It went real quick, barely even 5 minutes. Quick poke in each arm, no harm no foul right?
WRONG. The next couple days my arms (especially my right) were SO sore it felt like I had been working them out for days. Good news.. they are ok now.

This is how my surgery went. We go to the Periodontist, I sign the BIGGEST check of my whole life, then they took me back to my room where I answered a bunch of medical questions.
No, I don't have high blood pressure.
No, I don't smoke.
No, I don't have heart murmurs
and no I certainly hope that I am not pregnant!

Once we got through all the questions, I got all hooked up to the machine which included: sticky monitors on my chest and stomach, blood pressure cuff, finger clamp, and even a cannula with oxygen going. This was serious serious business.
Then came the part I was most nervous for... the IV. yikes.
But I channeled my inner Bubba (he loves getting is blood taken and getting shots) and I was brave.
The doctor came in and took my arm, he tied the tight thing around my arm, dabbed the alcohol on my vein.. yeesh just thinking about it gives me the heeby jeebies. "Little poke" and it really was little! It didn't hurt as bad as I remember it hurting when I got my wisdom teeth out (almost 3 years to the day!) then he asked about my mission. "I'm going to Oklahoma! They've had.. a lot of... tor..na..does"
GONE. I don't remember anything after that moment. Next thing I know I'm sitting in the lazy boy in my front room. Crazy how drugs work huh?
The doctor told my family that I wouldn't really be entertaining because of the anesthesia he used, I would be more groggy. So they didn't record me... :( But I guess I did do some funny things!
-waved at them when I got wheeled out in the wheelchair, saw my hand and looked at it confused
-told everyone about the "catheter" they put in (the cannula)
-when Heidi was helping me walk into the house, I was prancing and kicking my legs like a horse haha apparently it was really funny to watch and Heidi and my mom were laughing pretty hard
My face was numb for a while and when I'd smile it was pretty crooked.

Woke up the next day with rocks in my face, aka I'm SWOLLEN. It's pretty tender.. we went to my dermatologist appointment and I had a mole that needed to be removed. in no time at all I was getting a shot in my arm to numb the mole, then with what looked like an xacto knife blade they just scraped off the mole. YUCK.

Today, the toenail. He, my foot doctor friend, came to my house and says "Are you ready?"
Me, not knowing that the procedure entailed said yeah! I'm ready. Well I sit on the chair, both excited and nervous at what is about to happen. I have seen an epidural placed before and I'm almost positive the needle he whipped out was LARGER than the one they have for epidurals. But, I am brave.. and "quick poke" DUDE. That quick poke was actually a very long and very painful poke. I watched as lidocaine and marcaine filled my big toe and it nearly doubled in size. "Alright just a little deeper" And he pushes the needle in further! I am squeezing the nearest object (my phone) as hard as I can and am holding my breath. He pulls the needle out then does the exact same thing on the other side of my toe. It felt like my big toe was on fire. But then, quick as a wink, my toe is completely numb. He does the procedure, which looked extremely painful but I couldn't feel a dang thing. Wrapped it all up and now I've got a lovely purple toe. And it's safe to say that I am a human pin cushion.
SO many injections and shots this week. My boyfriend would be so proud of me :) :) I love you Bubs.

no more mole... just a bandaid

swollen. it feels like there's sandbags in my cheeks

one of the bone grafts! Looks pretty good eh?

I can't smile straight HAHAH #crookedsmile

The surgical stuff

"I'll make an incision here"

Goin' ham on my foot

one of the 2 injection site. LOOK AT THE BRUISE

Just another day in the life, am I right?

Sister Dymock

I got my mission call!!
Yay yay yay!
It was the greatest, most surreal moment of my life.
The wait from the time my papers were in to the time I was holding it in my hands was excruciating. But when it finally came there was no purer joy than the joy I had.

I've been called to the Oklahoma, Oklahoma City mission, and I leave on June 10!! That's so soon! It's crazy! But I wouldn't have it any other way. It's English speaking which I'm grateful for but also kind of bummed because I really would've love to have learned Spanish but I really am grateful to be speaking English! I'll be honest, I was disappointed for about half a second but as I read where I was going... it just felt right. I KNOW this is where I am supposed to go and I am needed there. I cannot wait to serve!! Only 45 days... Can you believe that?

So much to do in so little time! I'm excited to go through the temple! Ah! I'm just so excited :) So.. I'll be a missionary before y'all know it. Whoo hoo!! Yay missions. Yay the Gospel. Yay LIFE!
Also this is TOTALLY where I am supposed to go because I LOVE crazy weather and Oklahoma has freak hailstorms, crazy lightning and thunderstorms, and is the CENTER of tornado alley! yes, yes, yes! My mom wasn't too happy when I told her that but she got her wish when I wasn't going foreign. I know I wasn't called to Oklahoma just for the cool weather... Someone there needs me. ME. And I'm excited to serve with every part of me, a year and a half dedicated to the Lord. I could not be more excited :)

Sorry mister, I'm a sister!

Well, first things first. Technology HATES me.
Every phone charger in my house will not work, they all have shorts in them. So my phone spent the weekend dead.
My Mac laptop loses "juice" on a dime, has to be constantly plugged in, but does my plug work anymore? NOPE. There's a short in it.
Well played Apple. Well played.
Technology.. can't live with it. Can't live without it

In other news, Bubs leave to Argentina TODAY. His first flight leaves around 2 and I'm just antsy in anticipation waiting for that phone call from him at the airport :) I can hardly believe that he's been gone this long already. I just got used to him being just a few miles away, now that he'll be thousands of miles away.. I'll just have to readjust.
Trying to be a good girlfriend I sent him some favorites to the MTC this past week. Panda Express, Taco Bell, Little Caeser's... they didn't give any of it to him! But they'll give him the candy and cookies I send him. Ask me how that makes sense... in my opinion it doesn't but oh well.
I love getting his letters and reading all his emails, he's just doing so well. Here are some of the latest pictures. This was them saying "goodbye"

"Sweater Saturday"

Good heavens that boy has my heart.

My papers are IN, they were sent to church headquarters last Sunday. Still hasn't been assigned but I'm still hoping they will come this week. I just want to know where I'm going!! It's not real quite yet but as soon as I'm holding the call and I know where I'm going and I know when I'm leaving THEN I think it'll be real. I am secretly hoping to go foreign (like England or New Zealand) but I just get the feeling that I'm going to go stateside which is great! Where ever I go is where they need me and I need me. God is just so awesome like that :)

yayy yayy we're in love

eeeyyyyy ohhhhh. Happy 11 months to us!

Me and Bubs have OFFICIALLY been together for 11 months. I say officially because we were baaasically together before then but it didn't become official until I came home from a bad date and said "Bubba, will you be my boyfriend?" Smartest and best 6 words I've ever said.

I got my very first email from Elder Lunt today, and believe me it was THE BEST. Ever since I woke up this morning I was checking my email about every 5-10 minutes. He's doing so well! Oh my goodness. He's the district leader (why am I not surprised?) his companion's name is Elder Vance. Which I have a funny story about.
So one day into his mission I wrote him a letter and drew him a picture of he and his companion. I had NO idea what his companion looked like so I drew him kind of nerdy looking with a bow tie, big glasses, and hair parted down the middle. I guess he thought it was pretty funny so he showed his companion and today in his email I got a picture of the two of them. "Based on the picture in your letter"

His companion rolled his tie up into a bow tie, put on glasses, and slicked his hair down JUST LIKE MY PICTURE! Hahaha oh my :) I definitely got a good laugh from that one. These two are going to be a good companionship, I can already tell.
He said there's an elder in his district that will eat anything you dare him to. Which includes: 3 pieces of paper, chalk, and a banana peel. YIKES.
They had hot wings for dinner one of the nights. Elder Lunt said, "They weren't even hot" which is MONUMENTAL for him. He used to think the Honey BBQ at Buffalo Wild Wings was hot (don't worry not anymore) but he just has a sensitivity to hot things. Haha.

Hearing from him made my whole day, it made the past days of agony worth it.
I love my elder! Happy Anniversary babe.