Craziest Day Ever

***Disclaimer: Super Long Blog Post. You have been warned.***

I think it's time to write down my experience getting Elsie here. (It's quite a story and I want to have record of it so this is more for me than anything.) I think it's a crazy story so I apologize if you finish reading and didn't think it wasn't...haha.

So it all started on Friday, Nov. 18. I had a doctor's appointment where they checked to see if I had started dialating at all. Doctor said I hadn't at all and he seemed a little worried that I hadn't. He gave me some pointers to help me start going into labor and wanted me back in a week. I was a little discouraged and worried as well but was going to go home and do what the doctor suggested. Saturday,  Andy and I went to S's high school play Saturday night. My back really started hurting and I couldn't get comfortable. I didn't really think anything of it. I was 8 months pregnant entering the 9th month and knew that I would just be getting more and more uncomfortable as the due date came closer and closer. I made it through the play and just wanted to get home and go to bed.

This was now the first night of the worst night's sleep I've ever had. I had problems getting comfortable sleeping the last few months of pregnancy because I am a stomach sleeper and having a big belly doesn't allow stomach sleeping. So waking up multiple times in the night wasn't out of the ordinary for me at this point but that night I woke up probably every hour. My back continued to ache no matter what position I was in. My doctor told me that if my back started to hurt, to take a warm bath to help my relax. So I took a warm bath at about 4am and finally was able to get a little relief and was able to go back to sleep.

I woke up for church the next morning and still felt achy but was able to get to church. During Sacrament meeting, my back was still hurting and I felt "different." I can't explain what I was feeling other than it was "different." I was having contractions but they weren't very bad and I just chalked them up to Braxton Hicks that you have quite a bit during pregnancy to prepare you to deliver. I got so uncomfortable that I turned to Andy when Sacrament Meeting ended and told him I couldn't sit for two more hours and I needed to go home. I got home and got straight into the bath and probably was in there for at least an hour. It was the only thing that helped what I was feeling. I then laid on the couch the rest of the day until we went to Andy's parents for dinner. Again, I was feeling super uncomfortable but made it through. I again came home and went straight to bed.

I had another terrible night's sleep and woke up yet again every hour and ended up taking another bath in the middle of the night. I tried sleeping on the couch but still couldn't get comfortable. I started timing my contractions and they would sometimes be 3 minutes apart, sometimes 7 minutes apart and then sometimes 15 minutes apart-not consistent at all! My doctor told me and I read online that if my contractions were 3-5 minutes consistently apart, that I should get to the hospital. So I didn't think I was in labor because my contractions weren't consistent and I was told that if I could talk through my contractions, I wasn't in labor. So I didn't think I was in labor because they never got so painful that I couldn't talk through them. Luckily I didn't have work all week for Thanksgiving so I was able to stay home and lay around all day. Andy stayed home Monday because he didn't want to leave me alone when I was feeling so horrible.  We debated going to the hospital all day but I didn't want to be THAT expectant mother that goes in thinking they're in labor and then is sent home. So we didn't go and I just layed around all day and watched Gilmore Girls (which I really wasn't hating except that I was SO UNCOMFORTABLE).

Tuesday, Nov 22 rolls around I'm still having contractions which are starting to become more painful and more consistent but not a consistent 3-5 minutes apart. Andy debated staying home again but I told him to just go because I still had a month until due date and I couldn't be in labor this early. Andy went to work and I layed on the couch. The contractions were still becoming more consistent and so I started timing them. 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 2 minutes, 5 minutes. Yeah, they're getting more consistent and much more intense. I could still talk through them though so again I didn't think I was in labor. I started feeling intense pressure during the contractions to where I couldn't even sit anymore. I finally got to the point that I needed this baby out. I couldn't handle this anymore. I called Andy at about 1:30 and said, "Get home NOW. We're going to the hospital." I didn't know this, but Andy had called my doctor and left a message telling them what was going on. Andy finally got home and ran to get me. The doctor's office was on the phone and I talked to them while Andy put on my shoes. They said I could come into their office and they would check me or I could just go to the hospital and they would send my charts. I told them very firmly (I kinda feel bad about it now), I said, "We are going to the hospital now."

So we get in the car and we have to drive from Farmington (by Lagoon) to LDS hospital. I kept saying to Andy that I couldn't do it. I wasn't going to make it to the hospital. I could barely sit in the car and seriously thought I was going to deliver right then and there. We FINALLY made it to the hospital and I got out of the car while Andy parked. I went to the information desk and asked where labor and delivery was. He told me 4th floor and I started to slowly walk away in immense pain. He then asked if I wanted a wheel chair and someone to take me up. I probably had the biggest look of relief on my face when I shook my head yes almost in tears. Andy was running through the doors as we were entering the elevator up to the 4th floor. We finally made it there and we were at the check in desk. The nurse started asking me what my symptoms were and looked very skeptical of my being in labor. The head nurse then said that they needed to get me in the exam room NOW.

I get into the exam room and they have me put on a gown. Andy was helping me put a gown on, cause I couldn't do it myself, and right as he stood up from helping me put on the socks, my water breaks. (Weirdest feeling ever might I add). They then started to try and find the baby's heartbeat. When they did, it had dropped super low after my water broke. The nurse then called some code and then 20+ people were in the room. One of the nurses then was checking to see how far along I was and had a confused look on her face. She then realized that I was fully dialated! I went from a 0 to 10 in 3 days!  The nurse then told everyone in the room that I was ready to deliver. Now the one thing that I told Andy during this whole pregnancy was that I wanted an epidural and he wasn't to let them do ANYTHING until I got my epidural. They had already called for emergency anesthesia but it was too late. This baby was coming and she was coming fast-no time for an epidural. The doctor that is on call on the floor was there and was starting the delivery process. He was cracking jokes and I was not having it. I was delivering this baby naturally, not by choice and this doctor was cracking jokes. Not feeling it! So he told me that if they couldn't get the baby out fast enough, I'd have to get a c-section. They had called my doctor to come and he got to the hospital from Bountiful in like 20 minutes! Once he got there, I was able to calm down a bit. In between contractions, he asked how I was doing. I told him my arm hurt and was tingly. He laughed a bit and we realized I had been squeezing Andy's hand so hard that my arm muscles started spasming, making my had go tingly. After pushing for about 40 minutes, baby Elsie was here at about 3:45. Those 40 minutes felt like an eternity and I never thought this baby was going to get here! Such a relief when I heard that tiny baby crying!

Elsie weighted 5 lbs 9 oz and was 18 inches long. The doctor said during my whole pregnancy that he wanted me to get to 36 weeks and then the baby could come anytime after that. Well, Elsie had other plans and came the day before our 36 week mark! She had to have some extra attention at the hospital because she had trouble with her blood sugar but other than that, she was healthy and doing great! I actually wasn't in much pain afterwards either and was feeling good by the next day! All in all, it was an amazing experience and I'm so happy to have Elsie here!

Time Flies!

I can't believe it but my baby is 2 months old!! I can't stop looking at this picture we took yesterday on her 2 month birthday! It's crazy how much she's changed in just a month! Some things that she's doing now are: 

• She's FINALLY starting to smile! It's so fun to see her respond to our desperate attempts to get her to react!
• She's growing out of her newborn clothes! When we brought her home, we didn't have any clothes that actually fit her because premie clothes were too short length wise and newborn clothes drowned her! I never thought we'd see the day that her newborn clothes were too small! She's grown too tall for them!
• She's starting to discover her body! She's starting to kick her legs and move her arms like crazy! It's so fun to see her get exciting and start moving her legs and arms so fast!
• She's figured out that her parents are softies and she has them wrapped around her little finger. She cries and mom and dad jump to her aid! Little stinker! She's not sleeping great and so this month we're going to work on sleeping through the night cause waking every 3 hours just isn't working for mom anymore! Hopefully we can get her to do it! Anybody have any suggestions??

Well that's pretty much it for this little girl! We're excited to see her reach more milestones and continue to grow like a weed! We can't believe how fast time is going but we love this little girl more than anything!

I'm Back!

Okay so I haven't written on this blog in what 2 1/2 years. I'll be honest, I kinda forgot I had it and I've been pretty busy in those few years with lots of changes! Kinda crazy how much can change in so little time.

First big change: April 24, 2015 I got married to Andy.

We've now been married for almost 2 years and those years have been the best years yet and I feel like they're only going to get better! It was kind of a crazy first year and a half because we didn't have our own place to live as we were house sitting for various people in that time. It was good though because we were able to save money and get our lives on a good start together. Andy and I love to just be together and never have to really be doing anything and we're perfectly content. We are constantly laughing together or at one another and there really isn't a dull moment-ever!




Second big change: I became a mom! November 22, 2016 baby Elsie came into our lives!

I'll definitely have to go into more detail in another post about our labor and delivery experience because it's definitely a crazy story! But since she's entered this world, she's turned our lives upside down and has us wrapped around her little finger but we wouldn't have it any other way. Being parents definitely hasn't been easy but it's been so rewarding  and we wouldn't change a thing! It's definitely been adjustment for me now that I stay home, not going to work everyday but I love spending all day with this little girl. I mean who wouldn't want to just kiss those little cheeks all day everyday!

Well I've decided to starting writing on this blog again more consistently; writing about my ideas, thoughts and just about the everyday happenings of my life. Keep checking back to see what's going on!

Reflection

I've been thinking back on the last 6 months of my life or so. Looking back at my experiences and the things I went through and learned about myself.

--Things always have a way of working out
--Good friends always come back
--You can never have too many people in your life
--A fresh start is refreshing
--The people you need will always come
--Faith is more than hoping something will happen
--I had to go through what I did to get to where I am
--Life is not always easy
--The tender mercies of the Lord are real
--Hard time always end and something better always comes
--If times aren't good, it's not the end
--Turning to God is always the best
--Use the time you have to better yourself
--Time spent well is never wasted
--It will all be worth it in the end
--Everything happens for a reason

Promote Good

"Promote what you love instead of bashing what you hate."

It's amazing to me what people do when things happen that aren't what they agree with. A few incidents have happened recently that continually amaze me at the lengths people will go to ensure that what they don't like or agree with is changed for everyone around them.

What example is that setting for the people around us, especially kids?

The quote that I started this post out with is one of my favorites. I think it is so true and it applies so well to so many situations.
Wouldn't you rather get more people aware of awesome things that you love rather than getting them aware of things you hate?

I work for a company that has it's ups and downs with people loving and hating us. I get more and more amazed at what grown adults will do to make sure that no one gets to enjoy something that they may not like or agree with.

What good is that doing?

I look to the church's example when it comes to this. When there are people opposing the church doctrine or how things are run within the church, you don't see the leaders of the church talking bad about the opposers or trying to get everyone on their side. You see them promoting the good within the church and getting people more aware of good things.

 Isn't that a much better use of time?

So, I now am going to try better to promote things that I love and stop talking bad or bashing things that I hate or don't agree with. I think it will do so much more to help people see the good in the world rather than looking at the bad and making people more aware of it.

Cause don't we all need a little more good?

I know I do.

Life Changes

I haven't blogged in quite a while and I've been meaning to the past few weeks because I have had quite a few big life changes happen that all happened in the past few weeks.

1. I moved to SLC
2. I went through the temple
3. I got a new job
4. I quit my new job and got another job

1. So I moved. I now live in Cottonwood Heights. It's kinda crazy how this all happened. S and I have been wanting to live together for quite some time now but it never seemed to work out. She moved up to SLC after graduation and I was going to move with her but it just didn't feel right and it didn't work out, so I stayed down in Provo. A few months ago, I knew that I needed to move out of Provo but I didn't know how it was going to work out or if it even would. I didn't know where to go or where to even start looking for jobs. S had a roommate who was moving out and we talked about the possibility of me taking her roommate's contract and moving. But, a lot of things had to happen before I could move like A) I needed a job in SLC and B) I needed to sell my contract in Provo (which at the time I was thinking was IMPOSSIBLE with the timing and everything). Her roommate wanted to sell her contract to someone who the other girls were okay with and S told her that I was thinking about moving in but that it wasn't set in stone yet. So the job search started. But in my mind it really was a long shot to working out because even if I got a job, I still had my contract to sell. I looked online for possible jobs and I put up a posting to sell my contract. I applied to many jobs and finally got one (details about it later)! The next day, I had a girl call about my contract and I gave her a tour of the apartment and she was all set to buy my contract that night! I called up S's roommate and told her I was in to buy her contract and everything was set!

2. I went through the temple. I had wanted to go through for quite a while now but the timing just wasn't right until I moved this last year and talked with my bishop. It was an amazing experience and I loved it!

3. So I got a new job. It was crazy how that happened too! I told S about the jobs I had applied for but hadn't heard anything back from them. She was talking to her roommate that was moving out about my job search and where I had applied and lo and behold, she had worked at one of the places I was really interested in working at. She called up her old boss and told her about me. I had an interview a week or so later! At that interview, I wasn't sure how the lady felt about me but I did my best to impress her and then left it all up in the air. I drove home after the interview and got a call for a second interview. So the second interview was scarier and I wasn't sure how this other lady felt after either. The second interview was on Thursday and they said they'd let me know by the end of the week. Friday and Saturday come and go and I didn't hear anything. That's usually a sign that you didn't get the job and I was sad but I felt okay about it. Monday comes along and I checked my phone after work and I had a missed call from the first interviewee. I was scared to listen to the message because it either said she was sorry but I didn't get the job or it said call me back (because who offers jobs over voicemail.) I listened to the message and she wanted me to call her back. I called her back and she offered me the job and training was in 2 weeks. I started pacing my apartment because I still hadn't sold my contract at that point and I had to quit my other job. But then everything worked out and I felt so good about it. I mean, it couldn't be wrong if everything worked out so perfectly right?

4. So I said my goodbyes in Provo and moved. I immediately started the training for my job. Things were going good; I was nervous about the new program but I knew that it would get easier with time. I went through the training for the first few days and then I got my schedule for the next 3 weeks. I had to work all the weekends including Sunday. That's when it started to not feel right. I had been getting feelings that it wasn't right the first few days but I thought they were just nerves of starting a new job but I knew when I saw my schedule, that this wasn't going to work out. I was told during the interview process that I'd have to work weekends including Sundays but I didn't expect to ONLY work weekends and Sundays. So a new job search began. I wasn't having much luck but I applied for a few positions. Well, I got emailed about one of them and got an interview--after taking an extensive personality test and fitting exactly what they were looking for. I thought that was probably what they told everyone who applied but I thought I'd give them a chance and see what they had to offer. I went to the interview and was told about what the job entailed and was offered a position. I told her I needed a day to think about it. This company is just starting in Utah and taking this job would definitely be taking a risk. I talked to everyone about it and made a pros and cons list. I never felt very nervous about this new position but everyone else seemed to be skeptical about it. I went to the temple and still felt peace about taking the new job. I called her up and accepted the position! She was so excited and it made me feel even happier about everything! I then had to quit my other job which was scary but I know that this new job will be a good change. It is risky but I feel like this is a good time in my life to take a job risk. I'm excited to start and see what other changes I may encounter!

2014 "Bucket List"

So I've never been good at making resolutions around New Years so I saw on a blog that instead, they called their resolutions a "Bucket List" for the year. So here is my 2014 Bucket List.

2014 Bucket List

• Learn to do the splits. Be able to do them on both sides and in the middle.
• Run some kind of race whether it be a Half Marathon or another Triathlon
• Blog more. Take more pictures and document my life.
• Worry less and live more in the moment.
• Play my guitar more and get into the groove of writing more songs 
• Travel somewhere.
• Come closer to Christ and acquire more of His attributes

Ok. They're out there. That means I have to do them. Hopefully I will have some good updates on how they are coming! Good luck with all your goals and resolutions!

I Didn't Die

Ran my first sprint triathlon today and I didn't die. It's a miracle and I'm so happy I did it. It was probably one of the hardest things I've done yet but it was so worth it. The whole time I was telling myself that I can do hard things and that I was made for doing it. It was so hard but a lot of fun at the same time! It was also fun doing it with B and K!

Music Sings to My Soul

I was laying in a hammock last week on the porch. I should've been cleaning or packing my stuff but I didn't feel great and so I just wanted to lay down and the hammock is the best place to do that. While I was laying there, R was cleaning his apartment and listening to music. His pandora started playing this particular song that I have grown very fond of over the past week. It's in Spanish and I don't even know Spanish, let alone the meaning of the song. But just by listening to the music, you can tell it's a deep emotional song. It hit me very hard and I didn't even know what the song was about but I love it anyways!

A Chapter Ended

The time has come that I'm moving apartments. The summer is over and I'm moving for the next year to another complex. When I decided to move, I couldn't wait to have a fresh start somewhere new and meet new people and make new friends. Well now that the time is here, I'm not so sure anymore. This summer has been amazing and I don't feel like I'm ready for it to end. Here are some things that have happened that made it so great.

1. The Porch

So, J bought porch chairs and it was probably the best thing ever. There was also hammocks and lots of shade all day. It was so relaxing to go and sit and talk for hours. I probably had very few days that I didn't end up on the porch at some point in the day. The porch was where a lot of people stopped by to talk. I know I wouldn't have met as many people or made as many friends without the porch. We had so many deep conversations on the porch that were life changing. I'm going to miss that place.








2. Intramural Sports

 I was able to play a few different intramural sports this summer. We had a girls flag football team as well as co-ed kickball and softball teams. It was so much fun!! We didn't make it to the championship with any of the teams but there was no shortage of having a good time. I had one game playing football where I was out of the game for the first few plays and when I went in, I intercepted the ball on the first play and scored! First touchdown I've ever made! It was so exciting! Then the other team had possession of the ball again and I had a second interception! I didn't score that one but I did get the two point conversion after! Such a good game!
                                                                                       

3. I have some of the BEST FRIENDS EVER!

 Matching night gowns

 Penguin sliding with soap

 Slip and slide

 Manti temple trip

 Daily trips to Sonic for route 44 waters with extra ice

 Jr. Double cheeseburgers!

 Triathlon training 

 Where's Waldo in the mall

 Post slip and slide

 C-ville Fireworks!

 Fourth of July fireworks!

 Doughnuts and chocolate milk!

 Hair dying!

 B's Band!

                                          

Tim McGraw Concert!

 My 24th Birthday!

Last night in the hammock with the porch....sad day.

 I've had some times this summer that I will never forget and they couldn't have happened without all the amazing people that are in them. From going to sonic everyday for route 44 waters with extra ice to shooting a bow and arrow to sliding down a hill with soap on our stomachs, I've had a blast. It's been an amazing summer. One of the best, hands down. I kept saying a lot at the beginning of the Summer that there was no way that this Summer could ever beat the one I had last year. I don't know if this Summer was 100% better but it's been one of the best for different reasons. I love all the friends who have who made this Summer amazing! Heck, they even threw a surprise party for me for my birthday. I couldn't ask for better people in my life to help build me up and teach me the things I need to know. Thanks to all the amazing people in my life! Here's to an amazing chapter ending and to a new one beginning!

Great Counsel

The actual video isn't my favorite but the message is great.

Half Birthday

Happy Half-Birthday to me.

Just thinking.

 I graduate from college in a few months and I'll admit, I'm slightly terrified. I don't know what I'm doing with my life. I have so many things that I want to do but I almost don't know how to get there. 

I'm so used to my life now. Everything is spelled out for me, to an extent. Once I picked my major, it was so simple and it felt like my life was all put in place. I just chose the most interesting classes and life was planned for a few months. 

But "real life" isn't that easy. I may have a list of jobs I want but it's not like I can choose my favorite and boom, life is planned. I don't even know how to go about getting real job. I feel lost without knowing how to even begin getting found. 

I like my life now. It's comfortable and easy. It hasn't always been that way; I had to work my butt off to get to where I am. But starting a new stage is starting over. I don't like big changes. Especially ones that take away the people I've come so close to. 

 I thought coming here would change everything and my life would go as I planned. If there is one thing that I learned throughout college is that life NEVER goes as planned. Nothing ever seems to work out like I think it will. But I also learned that it ALWAYS does work out. 

There is a plan for me and I just have to find it.

Something Simple

I work in a computer lab on my school's campus. I often sit at my desk and do my homework, occasionally being asked if someone can check something out or a rare question like, "How do I print?"  Today was no different. I started out doing my homework and checking out necessary equipment to students who needed it. A girl who I helped on Friday came in again to finish her assignment. She told me she didn't know how to complete the assignment. Me, the knowledgeable lab assistant knew what her requirements were and explained to her how to do them. The girl came back a few times after that because she was having troubles understanding what she needed to do. I helped her until she understood, like I would any other student. (Note: this situation wasn't out of the ordinary. This happened on a weekly basis). I helped her complete everything that she needed to do. I didn't think anything of this situation because it honestly occurred so much. After she finished all she needed to do and printed out her assignment, she came up to me and said, "Is there anywhere that I can recommend that you get a raise?" I laughed and said, "My job is to help you. That's the reason I'm here!" She said, "You don't understand how much I appreciate your help. Most people get annoyed when they're asked questions but I appreciate how patient you were and all you did to help me." I didn't think twice about the help I gave her. It was just like any other day, helping any other student. But this girl saw what I did as something that was special and meant the world to her. Her appreciation made my day at work. It made me want to help more people. It felt good to be appreciated. It really wasn't a big deal to me to help her but she made it seem like I had done something great. It felt good to know I made someone's day today and in return, she made mine.

Love is a Miracle

In my Forming Marital Relationships class, we were talking about relationships and and romantic movies.  We all know that romantic movies give us an unrealistic view of marriage, sex and everything that comes with those.  As true as that is, that doesn't apply to me at this time in my life.  But something that does apply to me is dating.  Movies and TV also give us an unrealistic view of dating.  When I was a pre-teen, I had this idea in my head that I'd go to high school, meet some boy and fall madlessly in love, we'd graduate, he would serve his mission and we'd get married when he got home.  Or I'd meet some older boy and we'd get married right out of high school.  I know, I was weird.  But maybe not really.  This is what we see in movies.  In a lot of movies, you see the boy glance at the girl, the girl glance at the boy and boom love at first sight.  They become friends, date, fall in love and the rest is history.  Perfect right?  But let's be honest here, that is NOT REALISTIC!  The chances of that actually happening, if it ever were to happen, would be slim to none.  It takes more than that.  The timing has to be perfect.  Both people have to be on the same page, at the same time, wanting the same things, and do the right things to make the other person interested.  This my friends, is why love is a miracle.  For two people, out of the billions of people on this planet, to be on the same page at the same time is truly a miracle.  And then for them to be on the same page at the same time for an extended period of time, long enough to get married is even more of a miracle.  Unfortunately, you don't generally see that in the movies; the waiting period.  So we're all stuck with these unrealistic ideas in our brains wondering why things didn't work out.

Some Pics to Enjoy

Pics from the Race!!

Showing off my gymnastics skills

Exchange!

The Chicks

NOT ENOUGH SLEEP

LOOK AT MY LEG

4 Chicks and a Dude!!

Recovery

Finish line!!

Goal Achieved

This past weekend, I accomplished a goal I've had for quite some time.  I've always wanted to run a race but have never trained for it and had a true desire.  Well this past weekend I ran in the Cedar Express Relay Race with 4 of my friends.  I ran 2 legs of the race which was a little over 6 miles.  I still cannot believe I did it without dying!  But it's such a good feeling to be done and to know that I accomplished it!  That's not to say it wasn't hard.  It was probably one of the hardest things I've ever done but since I accomplished this, I know that I can do anything I set my mind to.  The whole time I was praying for strength to finish and that's what I did.  I finished.  Our team didn't get first place and didn't win anything but it didn't matter because all of us went in to the race just wanting to finish and we did.  Who knows, this could be first of many races!  We'll see!  Pictures will be coming soon!

Inspirational

Last weekend, I went to Washington to watch some of my friends run a Ragnar relay race.  It was a 200 mile race with 12 people running.  It was truly inspirational and I'm so impressed with all of the runner's abilities to overcome hard things and finish the race.  Not only did all the runners finish, but they got 11th in their division!  So impressive!  Each runner has inspired me to accomplish something that is hard for me.  K, K, S, B and I are running a mini relay race in about a month.  It's only 30 miles and there are 5 of us running.  The only thing is, I HATE RUNNING.  I'm going to do it though.  It's going to be great!  So, I'll try and keep this blog updated with my progress!

summer

things i love about my summer so far:
--going to lake powell for the first time
--coming home from work at sleeping
--rarely getting ready in a day
--snowcones--they should be a year round thing
--tanlines
--my hair is long enough to put on top of my head
--going with my family to bear lake
--criminal minds marathons
--staying up so late and waking up so early--aka always being tired
--ultimate frizbee
--bbqs
--ropes course
--camping
--flag football
--poweraids
--heartbreak--not something i love...
--playing lots of sports
--bowling
--otter pops
--road trip to washington
--injuries healing quickly
--supportive friends
--living with one roommate/bff
--getting letters
--being active
--summer feet
--hot weather
--movie nights
--lazy days
--making new friends
--playing guitar
--manti pageant
--playing with friends all day
--laughing
--being reacquainted with old friends
--buying new clothes
--swimming
--fireworks
--young love
--ice cream
--reading
--no homework
--sunsets
--having the best time of my life.

Life Lessons

I haven't written in a while and life has just gotten a little crazy.  I've been feeling a little down lately seeing everyone around me have new things happen in their lives while I feel like I'm sitting in the same place I started.  But there are somethings I've discovered in this little pity party I've been having.

1. When it comes to dating, nobody knows what they're doing and yet people break other's hearts everyday.  It's a part of life and that's when you pick up the pieces and find a way to move on.

2. The grass always looks greener on the other side but then you get to the other side and it's really not greener.  Life is never easy and it's not supposed to be.  It's through the challenges that we grow stronger.

3. My plan never seems to be the way that my life actually goes.  God has a plan for me and as I accept and put my trust in that, life seems to become a little easier to bear.  The trials don't go away but they begin to lighten.

4. Sometimes a night alone is what is needed to rejuvenate and clear your head.  That is a great time to think things through and try to look at life through a new persepective.  And making delicious cookies doesn't hurt either...

5. God has given us friends to help us through the hard times.  Everyone is in your life for a reason.  Whether they stay forever or not doesn't matter.  For the time they were in your life, they made an impact.