QOTD

"We must strive to become the person that the person we are searching for deserves." - Rachelle Crapse

The Truth I Know

When the day comes that you must leave this world, I will be sad for a moment. Then the tears I cry will be filled with joy because I know the time will come when I will see you again and we will be together as friends for Time and all Eternity.

Hate is a Strong Word but I Really Really Don't Like Airport Bathrooms.

Top 7 Things I Dislike about Airport Bathrooms.

7) Water all over the sinks. Where are you supposed to put your purse and jacket?

6) The outrageous lines. Yes, we all have a flight to catch and no, none of us want to use the even more ridiculous airplane bathrooms (don't even get me started). Make bigger bathrooms!

5) Automatic sinks that turn off when your hands are still soapy...and then it takes five minutes to turn back on! (These are the same sinks as the ones at Walmart - which also suck)

4) Stalls to small for you and all your luggage. How am I supposed to get two suitcases, a backpack, a jacket and myself into one tiny stall!?

3) Automatically flushing toilets...that flush while you are still sitting there.

2) Little boys with bad aim.

1) "Squatters" with bad aim. At least little boys have an excuse.

Happy New Year's

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I hope that you all had an incredible New Year's Eve and that the year has started off on a good note. I just wanted to share this 3 minute message with you all to remind you that what God has in store for us is so much better than what we can imagine for ourselves. Remember that when our Heavenly Father asks you to do something, don't look back. In a sense looking back is doubting him and his plan. Trust in Him. He loves you unconditionally.

One Time....

...a Frog and an Owl got together.

One was named Yin, the other Yang. They were Best Friends, forever and ever. Sometimes Yang would try to eat Yin but Yin would yell out "Don't forget who you are! You are Goodness." At other times Yin would run away and hide in fear until Yang would call out to her saying "Don't forget to show your smile to the world. Don't hide as if they have won."

So Many Days Have Passed...

...but don't worry, I'm still here. I'm thriving in my second day of being a whopping two decades old! I'm twenty years old. How did that happen? I'm sitting here thinking back on my life, wondering where did it go. I'm wondering "Did I enjoy it? Did I really live the last twenty years? Or did I just survive?" Well, it's time to stop surviving and start living. I need to let go but grab on at the same time. Let go of everything that is holding me back, forgive everything that is holding me down. I need to grab on to being the woman that I want to be. I need to grab ahold of the gospel and let it help me fly.

More things i have said

"You said you'd always be there for me if i fell, right? Well what if you're the one who pushed me off the cliff."

This is what happens when Cami and I get excited

On Monday this week Cami and I planned an incredible double date for Tom and I and Her and Richard. We spent all afternoon getting ready for it and, with the help of her Dad we pulled of the most incredible date ever.

Her Dad made shrimp skewers and pasta salad. We ordered the guys' favorite pizzas. Ham an pineapple for Richard and chicken/bacon and white sauce for Tom. We used some nice looking plastic dishes that Cami had laying around.

After we got everything packed up and picked up the pizza, we picked up the boys and were on our way to a park in Logan for the picnic part of the date. We blindfolded the guys so that they wouldnt know where we were headed and what we were setting up.

After the picnic portion of the date we headed over to the zoo to see all the animals.

Most of the animals were different types of birds. Lots of ducks.

Cami saw a peacock and decided to chase it.

She wanted to scare it enought for it to open it's tail.

It didn't work very well though.

And she was eventually defeated.

Tom is looking at the turtle. The turtle that I didnt get to poke.

Fish/Duck food. It was fun to see them fight for it =)

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The last part of the date was ice cream and cake and a movie at Richard's house.


All in all it was a pretty incredible night. Both Tom and Richard really had a great time which was always the main goal. If I ever have the chance to plan a date again, I'mnot sure how I will be able to top this one.

Having choices to make can break a heart.

Everything changes as some point in time or another. Time, seasons, weather. The colors of the trees. The foods we like, the foods we hate. We go through phases. Today I may like cottage cheese although 3 years ago I didnt.

Choosing where to get an education is a difficult desicion to make. There are an overwhelming amount of options in any given state, not to mention the rest of the world. How does one figure out how which to attend. Pros and cons list? Ya that might help. But like everything else in the world that changes, pros and cons change as well.

Sometimes I Think of Really Cool Sayings

"Can I be your little kite? Let me loose but hold me tight."


"When you try your best there is no such thing as failing. If you put your heart and soul into something, you have succedded."

Realizing That My Grandma Loves Me ...

... And other things I've learned in Utah

So far...

I had never realized until I moved here to Utah just how much my Grandma loves me. A check every birthday and ever Christmas is nice but spending time with her and hearing her stories. Her stories are almost as good as the one's my Mom told me as a child.


My Grandma's stories all seem to have a point to them, besides the pure entertainment that came with the stories I love to hear from my Mom. Sitting in the living room talking with me Grandma I learn so many things that I had never realized before. First of all I knew she was Canadian but I had never before known that she was born and raised in Canada. She didnt move to the USA until around when she went to college. I learned that she went to college at BYU. She met my Grandpa there. He was working as a janitor to be able to pay for the tuition. He was friends with her roomates. One of them even had a crush on him. She sure got her heart broken, huh?

I've learned that my Great-Grandmother, Zina Smith, served a mission. Her, my Great-Grandpa Smith and one of their sons all served in the same mission, the Eastern States Mission. Back when it was called that. It covered everything east of Iowa, according to my Grandma.

I've learned that despite what some ignorant people may think, I am in fact extremly German.

I've learned that sometimes after cancer, hair comes back the opposite of what it was. My Uncle got a rare form of cancer and once his hair started to grow back, it came back curly instead of its usual straight.

I've learned that I have an incredible little sister that is the smartest baby I know.

I've learned that, without realizing it, I talk and make gestures the same way that my Mom does. I want to look just like her if I ever grow up.

(Thank you to Professional Photographers)

I've learned that I am good at the things I enjoy doing.

I've learned that I have people that notice when I'm not around.

I've learned that if I could turn back time and redo my life, I wouldnt change a single thing. I've learned that I am grateful for every experience I've had. I've learned that everything I have done and everything that has been done to me has made the the strong, independent, caring girl that knows if she sets her mind to it, she will change the world.

JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh I completly forgot to mention that I had a phone interview for a job yesterday. Awesome. It was only about ten minutes long and not as stressful as I built it up to be. I was told I would hear back within a week about it. To my surprise I woke up to a phone call from my new boss!!! I got the job!!! I'm so excited!!!! Can't wait to start!!!

Day 4 in Utah

So I've been here in Utah for about four days now and its going better than I thought it be. I like having my space here and trust me there is a lot of it. I also have been spending a lot of time over at my cousins house since I got out here. I've actually been over there everyday since I got here. Except today. Today I have been able to get laundry and dishes done. It feels great to be able to take care of myself and depend on myself. Loving life.

The woman I want to be

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.

I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."

— Marjorie Pay Hinckley


This is said so perfectly and i completly agree with her. I want to grow to be this woman. I hope to become like her.

We need to stop and smell the music.

I found this article on a blog that I read called LDS Spiritual Thoughts.

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“THE SITUATION – In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.

About 4 minutes later: The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk. At 6 minutes: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

At 10 minutes: A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time. This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent – without exception – forced their children to move on quickly.

At 45 minutes: The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

After 1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was no recognition at all.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities. This experiment raised several questions: *In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? *If so, do we stop to appreciate it? *Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made . . . How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?”

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It is an amazing blog and I encourage you to read it if your ever get the chance. It is amazing to me that we as people are able to pass by all the things of beauty that surround us. It makes me want to cry that we don't notice the wonderful things that God wants us to enjoy, experiance or just plain take notice of. I myself am going to set the goal to realy notice the small joys and little wonders of the world I live in. Will you?

Visits from Family

So it's been a while since I've been on here. I've been pretty busy. My mom got to come and visit me for a few days and it was really fun. It wasn't real to me until she got here. I haven't seen her in so long (5 months) and it was so hard to see her leave again until Thanksgiving. While she was here I had planned to take lots of pictures. However I've learned that sometimes I would rather enjoy the moment than record the moment. I had such a great time spending time with her and having her get to know my friends and see where I spend my time. It's means a lot to me to have her as a part of my life and be included in every part of it. I love my mommy so much!

Half Birthdays

My half birthday has come and gone. It was good. I got to enjoy a wonderful institute class and then got to play volleyball for a little over 2 hours.

To me half birthdays are not about presents or parties or well wishes. To me they are about remembering to enjoy life and remembering to be grateful for all the time and all the days we have been given upon this earth. I am so grateful for my life. I truly hope I am granted to gift and the ability to live life to the max

Soaked to the Marrow of Our Bones

Yesterday was a blast. It sucks that i have no pictures of it.

I woke up at 12:25 (5 min before my alarm) to Chaiya calling to wake me up. Not s exciting until I hard the reason. It was time to go to the movies. Letters To Juliet was incredible. I really and truly love every part of it. Her fiance was an absolute jerk. Claire was such an adorable grama figure.

After the movie and a few tears we got to go eat at Sonic It's weird how I don't have much of an appetite these days. Kinda sucks since every time I eat I generally get nauseous. Anyways, at Sonic I had a stroke of brilliance. It as pretty warm out and I felt like washing cars. So why not turn it into doing something nice for someone?

We decided to get Dylan to bring us his Mom's van so w could wash it and surprise her. We got balloons and cookie dough and headed back home to get started. The cookies are the most amazing ever! The Nestle Toll House tub of cookie dough makes the best darned chocolate chip cookies I have ever had. We baked cookies and waited around for Dylan to bring the car.

Once he showed up we pulled out the hose and cleaning supplies and got started. I started of course by beginning the soakage of my car cleaning colleagues. After we first washed the soda soaked hood of Chaiya's car we decided to wash our hair. Wish shampoo. With the hose. All three of us. Awesome.

After we had washed the car and sufficiently soaked one another completely we decided we all wanted some toaster strudel. Naturally we didn't change first. Cuz, you know, who wouldn't want to walk into Walmart sopping wet and dripping. Only sane people would enjoy a lame "adventure" like that. But we three are true adventurers.

Low and behold we get to the story and as I'm getting out I hear "uhhhhh" coming from Dylan. He had forgotten to grab his shoes before we left. Smart one. Luckily Chaiya a.k.a. Wise One came to the rescue. Dylan used Chaiya's shoes since her pants were long enough that no one could tell she was barefoot.

And so, there we were. Soaked to the marrow of our bones. Chaiya barefoot. Oh the things we do in Walmart.

I wear my sunglasses as I howl at the moon

I never knew how freeing it would be to actually howl at the moon. Have you ever done it? Driving down the rode in a car with the top down, the wind streaming through your hair, throwing your head back and letting loose. Not yelling but howling. At the moon. It's exhilirating. Freeing. Fun. Try it some time. You will feel the freedom running through your viens.

Restless

Short note today. Can't sleep but i'm getting tired now. And not feeling so hot. Turns out that Berry Colosal Crunch at 3:30 am doesnt exactly sooth the stomach. Not sure what the second bowl was for. I'm trying to put out happy lots to the universe. I wonder what it will help. I just have a feeling it will. I love you all. Goodnight