Caden {12.29.14}

Well it came and went... but please keeps the spirit of Christ in your hearts. Nothing is more powerful! Thanks to everyone that sent the love and Christmas wishes. I am working on writing you back but it is a process! It was an awesome week and I love you all! This Thursday Elder Porter will be leaving and I will be getting elder Tervort or something like that.

He served in the MTC with my sweet child Elder Nelson so it should be pretty cool! I am super excited. so me and Elder Reynolds are droppin our comps early  new year’s morning and me and him are going to get breakfast with the Westerfield's! The same awesome people that spent Christmas with us! Love you all. And have a good week!:)

Christmas Round 2 ♡

Our last Christmas that he will be on his mission is over!! I can't wait for next Christmas to be here. ♥

This was our last Skype before he comes home because I'll still be in China for his next call. His family invited me over again and this time I got to talk to him alone for like ten minutes and I am so grateful for that! We talked just like as if he were here, I loved it! I sure freakin love him.

I was way too caught up in the fact that he was real that I forgot to take pictures, BUT I did steal one from his brother. ↓↓↓↓

Caden {12.22.14}

Well I don't really know what to say.... I hope everyone has some awesome holidays and remembers the reason for this season. He is the gift and I hope you all take the time to share it! So excited to call home on Thursday. It is going to be an awesome week and president is letting us watch frozen on Christmas so now I won’t be bitter. I will just let it go. See what I did there! Love you all! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Caden {12.15.14}

Well. Christmas is coming fast and i am pretty excited. Nothing too new going on here. Just the same old. Melissa was supposed to come to church yesterday and then bailed last minute. It is upsetting but i understand. People around here grew up knowing one thing.... Love God and Mormons are nuts... so i know that it can be difficult but i am really praying for next week. I really hope everyone has got on Christmas.mormon.org to check out that video! He really is the gift and that is what this season should be about! Love you all so much! Have a good week! We skinned a beaver for Elder Reynolds! It is a pretty sweet deal! And we are decorated for Christmas and yup!

#Nanjing2k15

I am super excited to announce that in just 30 days I will be on a flight to Nanjing, China!! (:

My whole life I have wanted to travel and do something fun and crazy like this. This opportunity kinda just popped into my life last Spring and I knew it was what I wanted and needed to do.

It's been a long process getting to this point. Once I applied I had to be interviewed and then wait what seemed like years. Eventually I got accepted and then assigned to my school in Nanjing. Tons of documents, appointments, and waiting later-- here I am.

& Let me tell you, I am STOKED.

The program I am traveling with is called International Language Program or ILP. To learn more about them or how you can get involved visit www.ilp.org and prepare to be hooked!

Basically, I am going to China to teach some cute little kids English! Along with some other young people, we will be these kid's teachers and spend 6 months learning all about them and their culture! Meanwhile, getting to explore and travel all around China and see things I never thought I'd see and doing things I never thought I could.

Cheers to China, because I'm so freakin excited. ♥♥♥

Caden {12.8.14}

Okay... for this month I want to challenge all of you to go watch "he is the gift" on YouTube. Even if you saw it already. This is a big deal and follow its council. Truly take time to discover Christ and embrace him in your life. Once that is done stop being selfish and share it with all those around you! There is only one way to have ETERNAL happiness and it is through him! Love you all so much. Thanks for all that you do. Oh ya... that is me and RC elders cuddling! It was cold. Don’t judge;)

{12 Months}

So since I'll be across the globe for the better part of next year, this month's postcard will be the last of our "favorite places."

This month's postcard takes place at the Salt Lake Temple. This is the ultimate finish line, so of course it had to end here. (; Mainly it represents downtown Salt Lake City as a whole. We spent so much time here. Whether we were at different concerts, ice skating, dancing on the side of the street, listening to street musicians, dropping into random Jamaican stores, seeing the lights, taking a carriage ride, or just randomly strolling down the streets, we LOVE downtown. So, what better place to celebrate this huge landmark. (:

Happy 12 months babe, I love you so much.

{ONE YEAR}

Ooohh baby, we're halfway there!!

To say I'm excited about this is a definite understatement. 

Today, I've waited for you for 365 days. This journey that we've been put on wasn't something I asked for; or even something I wanted to do. But this past year, I realized it was what I needed. What we needed. 

This year I have finally come to understand "if you love someone, let them go." Before you left, I had no idea what the heck that meant. However, since you've been gone, I know. I loved you before you left. I was in love with you and I knew you were it for me. Then you had to leave and I thought that was the end of the world. Through many sleepless nights, some I never want to repeat, and others where everything felt perfect, I fell in love with you all over again.

You see, when you "lose" something that you love and care about so much, you start to realize why. You realize all of the little things that you thought you noticed before. You find pages and pages of sloppy handwriting reasons why that person was the best thing that even happened to you. 

A year ago, I loved you. & Today, I feel the same. Except maybe x1000 or so. I can't believe we've made it this far, but at the same time I know I couldn't have not made it either. But we've done this. We've continued our individual lives, changed, and grown together in so many ways. I'm happy that we only have 365 more days, but you know I'd wait for you for the rest of my life. 

I love you, Elder Madsen. Thank you for allowing me to take part on this journey of yours and watch you become the man I've always known you were. You have impressed me and inspired me every single day and I know the people you come in contact with feel the very same way. You truly are changing lives out there and I wouldn't want you to be anywhere else. I love you, Caden. Happy Hump Day. (;

Caden {12.1.14}

So here we are about to that year mark! That is crazy!! But it is going really well. Please everyone check out the He is the Gift video on Christmas.mormon.org. It is a great way to kick of the Christmas season! This week has been pretty awesome! Have not done too much crazy! Got two dinners on turkey day and the first one was no turkey at all. We had smoked ham and brisket and ahhhhhh it was nice! We also got deer on Saturday night so that was sweet! We also went to some dudes house that had deer all over his wall! Pretty sweet! He hunted with Sam Walton’s son in law! Oh ya! And I took a breathing treatment through a penguin! How sick is that?!

Grateful. ♥

This year I am especially grateful this Thanksgiving. It's been a rocky year but yet such a year to remember! (:

To start off this Thanksgiving my family continued our tradition of going with Salvation Army to deliver meals to people who don't have anyone else to share this holiday with. Their sweet spirits truly have brightened my life, and I am so thankful for this tradition. It's definitely my favorite one and I plan on never stopping.

I am grateful for so many people, experiences, and blessings that I've been given.

My family is first. Every single member of my family, immediate and extended plays such a strong role in my life and have shaped who I am today and who I want to be. My parents have bent over backwards to provide for me and I love them so much. My siblings are pains in the butt sometimes, yet some of my favorite friends. My grandparents are my greatest role models and people I aspire to be. My cousins are my entertainment and so much fun to see them grow up. Especially Kels, she's my BFF. My aunts and uncles are some of my best friends and I love and trust each of them so much. I could go on and on but what it comes down to is that people come and go, but my family never has and I'm confident they never will. I love you ALL so much.

Caden is next. Clearly, I love him a whole lot. But the greatest part is that what we have is something real. Something that has proven itself stronger than I could have ever wished for. He has been my back bone and the light at the end of the tunnel for me so many times and I really don't know where I'd be without him. He has made me realize my worth and I think that's the greatest blessing of all. I can only hope to show him half of the love he's shown me. I love you sweetheart! --also Caden's entire family has been such a blessing to me and I'm so grateful for their love and support. Love you all!

My girls. & Chris (; I've been so blessed to have a group of friends who have stood by my side. They know who they are and I can never repay them for the friendship they've shown me. We've been through a lot but somehow we've always finished at eachothers sides. Each of your four girls & my number one.five boy have a special place in my heart and I'm so grateful for you.

The gospel. Over the years I've watched my testimony unfold in front of my eyes, usually through times I never expected. Especially this year, I have grown so much and I have a true understanding and love for this church and my loving Savior. I know this church is the true church and without it I'd be lost, alone and unhappy. I'm eternally thankful for the atonement and the chance that I have to live because of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

My job. I've worked at Cafe Zupas going on four year now. It has been a place where I've seen myself transform. I truly have grown up there. I'm grateful for the opportunities I've been given with each promotion and even more grateful for every person who I've met/worked with there. They have seen me through some of my worst times and also my best. Somewhere in between I've made life-long friendships that I wouldn't trade for the world.

I could go on for years.

Overall, I'm thankful for my life & all the people in it. ♥♥

Caden {11.24.14}

We had an awesome week!!! I even made dinner for some people! Full on Wisconsin and pina salad! It was awesome! We made a lot of progress with Melissa and found out what was holding her back. We got two new gators and half way through the lesson he got very serious and said "I have a question... when is the soonest yall can come back?" dang we love to hear that! Happy B-Day to my mommy and Happy thanks giving to all of you!!!! It will be awesome! I love food. Christmas is coming so fast and I am so excited!!! Please Keep Trav and Gramps in prayers for their knee surgeries. (Recovering and preparation for) and for my sweet Girl McKayla as she is getting through her tonsillectomy! They need prayers always! LOVE YOU ALL! I am so grateful for all of you and all that each of you do to support me! Love Elder Madsen

Oh ya... my Papa Elder Cross is at home. Find him and love him! He only lives three minutes away from me. And if anyone is in contact with Chaz Nelson... tell him to email me stat!

Caden {11.17.14}

Well I am staying and keeping my comp. I went to the Dentist and got a free retainer cause mine was messed up! I had those 30 year old ladies loving me!;) Haha the Doc is a member and a really cool guy. Melissa is back on track working towards baptism and we had 3 investigators at church and I got my Christmas present early! Thanks for the camera Ma and Pa! It has been a good week and we got a few new investigators. We were driving around and these people were in a U-Haul so we offered to help and they were very excited. It is a long story but pretty much they are interested and we are going to be teaching them and we were an answer from God to them!! How neat is that?! And I cut my hand chopping wood! It was gross. But so cool! And sorry Trav but look at these geese!!! This is a special Happy Birthday Shout out to my sweet Holland, My big sissy! My buff guy Morgan and of course the one and only Mother Goose Dawn Meyerhoffer. I love you all and I hope you have the greatest BDAY EVER!!!!!!!!!!! I love you! Happy Day from us goofy guys to you!!!

Caden {11.10.14}

So to start off... last Monday we finish emailing and shopping and go into shoe carnival and out of no where I look at one of the employees and me thinks to myself... "that looks just like Natalie powell that I have known from 3rd grade..." then me realizes "HOLY HECK! That IS Natalie powell." so her and her mom moved here to Owasso three months ago so that was a crazy trip! that pretty much never happens. my other elders were like "why is Mad head talking to a girl and not about the gospel?" So ya that was crazy! got a nice update on everyone and then introduced her to the elders serving over her area cause she is less active! BOOO YAAAA! #nailedit so that is neat. then I went on exchanges with elder Reynolds and had a blast! I love that kid. well love youins so much! be safe. oh ya and we decorated Elder Porter's wall while on the exchange. and found two new investigators that are pretty prepared. man this week was just great!

{11 Months}

We're down to 395 days until he gets home which is so exciting! Once upon a time that number was 730, almost double what it is now, so I'll take it. (:

This months postcard takes place on my front porch. 

This was the place we froze our butts off most nights when we didn't want to say goodnight. Or where we sat when I was locked out in the middle of the night. Or where, unlike any other guy who I've dated, Caden actually came every single time he picked me up. 

Whether it was our first date or our last or any silly hang out in-between, he was the one who got out of his car --rain or shine-- and knocked when he picked me up. 

That was my initial impression of Caden--and my mom's actually. Haha

The very first time we went on a date (in 2012) I was shocked when he showed up at my door. We weren't even dating and yet there he was. No text or phone call. He was a gentleman from day one and I couldn't be more grateful. In the past with other guys, I trained myself to act like it was a silly thing to do and something I shouldn't expect. But he set the bar high, and I've never looked back.

Happy 11 months down darling. 

I am so proud of what you're doing. You are the hardest worker I've ever met and don't you dare think it goes without notice. You continue to impress me every single day. I love you so much! Keep it up. (: You've got 13 more months, so go baptize the heck out of those people.

**Side note- we unknowingly carved like the same pumpkin, so I mean we must be meant to be or something!**

Caden {11.3.14}

Well we are doing it! We have Melissa and her child committed to baptism and we are working with a girl named Kelly that is looking promising! We are crushing the standard and we just split into a new stake and life is good! We also had Allen F. Packer tour our mission and speak to us at Zone conf. and stake conf. so it has been super awesome! Halloween was really good too! Love you all!

Halloween Package!

This was the first Halloween he's been out so I thought I'd send him some cute treats and some pumpkins for him and his companion.

This was so much fun putting together.

Included Inside:

-Frankenstein shaped rice krispies

-Pumpkin shaped rice krispies

-Airhead wrapped mummies

-Chocolate dipped NutterButter ghosts

-"Bone-Appetite" pretzels

-"Bugs & Kisses"

- 2 mini pumpkins

-Carving kits

-A Batman trick or treat bag with candy

-Pictures of our last Halloween together

 

This package was seriously so easy to make and he loved it! I love that he appreciates and loves all these stupid little things I send him. It makes the wait much easier. (: