I've had a few experiences lately where I've seen women struggling, crying out for help in their own ways. I've come across blog posts, tweets, and Facebook status updates about crushing levels of stress; series of little trials that seem to be stacking up to unbearable levels; loneliness; insecurities about motherhood, date-ability, appearances, abilities to maintain friendships, etc. Each time I see one of these posts, the thought crosses my mind, "See? Women need other women." I've finally realized that this thought has been the Spirit reminding me of this talk from the last LDS General Women's Meeting. I encourage you to read or listen to the entire talk, but below are a few of my favorite parts:
"To be sisters implies that there is an unbreakable bond between us. Sisters take care of each other, watch out for each other, comfort each other, and are there for each other through thick and thin..."
"The adversary would have us be critical or judgmental of one another. He wants us to concentrate on our differences and compare ourselves to one another... When we compare ourselves to one another, we will always feel inadequate or resentful of others... "
"The fact of the matter is, we really and truly need each other. Women naturally seek friendship, support, and companionship. We have so much to learn from one another, and we often let self-imposed barriers keep us from enjoying associations which could be among the greatest blessings in our lives. "
I want to testify of the truth of Sister Oscarson's words. We truly are daughters of our Heavenly Father and Mother- created in their image and destined to one day become like them. We as women can be so critical of ourselves and others. Please stop it! Be a friend to someone in need. Listen to a sister whose heart is aching. Invite a lonely sister over for a mani pedi night, eating chocolate, watching a movie, shopping, or whatever you enjoy doing. We need each other. I need you, and hopefully you need me too ;)
I would like to extend an invitation to my fellow sisters. Take time out of your day to ponder on how you can bless the life of another sister. Step out of your comfort zone. Really make an effort to show her that you care. Stop judging others and being so hard on yourself. I promise you won't regret it!
*Disclaimer*
Obviously, women need men, too. Otherwise, why would God have created men and women? I am so blessed to have such a wonderful, supportive husband and other great men in my life. My husband is my best friend and I am eternally grateful for my relationship with him. I am not in any way trying to imply that women don't need men in their lives. Both relationships are very important.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Life as the Wife of a College Student
Guess what, everyone! We found an apartment... a month ago. Oops! It's taken awhile for me to get around to posting more updates. We signed a contract on August 14th and finally got around to moving in on the 23rd. I've been slowly working on decorating the cute little place, hopefully I'm finished soon.
Coleman started school after Labor Day and that's kept him pretty busy. He's taking 14 credits, working, and volunteering at 3 different physical therapy clinics. Since we only have one car and I have to take it to work, he's been biking everywhere he needs to go. Unfortunately for him, we live on a hill, so he gets to power up that hill at the end of every day. At least he gets a good work out in, right?
I work full-time and have started prepping "freezer meals" so we can have dinner at a decent time after we get home. I just make the food we would normally eat and freeze it in to meal-sized portions. That way all I have to do is pop it in the oven and dinner is ready in less than an hour. It saves a lot of time, money (because we can buy in bulk), and energy for me. It's been so nice!
After dinner, Coleman usually has some homework to do. To keep myself busy while he studies, I've taken up indexing. I'd never indexed until Coleman taught me for family home evening one night. At first I got really frustrated, but this week Coleman pointed out that it might be easier to do English names. Haha! For some reason it hadn't occurred to me that it was so hard because I was doing Portuguese and Russian names. I'm happy to report that I've been much less frustrated since I started indexing names in my native language :)
More exciting news... We have a nephew! We finally became an aunt and uncle last week. Coleman's sister had a beautiful baby boy named Tommy. We're super excited about that.
Until next time :)
Coleman started school after Labor Day and that's kept him pretty busy. He's taking 14 credits, working, and volunteering at 3 different physical therapy clinics. Since we only have one car and I have to take it to work, he's been biking everywhere he needs to go. Unfortunately for him, we live on a hill, so he gets to power up that hill at the end of every day. At least he gets a good work out in, right?
I work full-time and have started prepping "freezer meals" so we can have dinner at a decent time after we get home. I just make the food we would normally eat and freeze it in to meal-sized portions. That way all I have to do is pop it in the oven and dinner is ready in less than an hour. It saves a lot of time, money (because we can buy in bulk), and energy for me. It's been so nice!
After dinner, Coleman usually has some homework to do. To keep myself busy while he studies, I've taken up indexing. I'd never indexed until Coleman taught me for family home evening one night. At first I got really frustrated, but this week Coleman pointed out that it might be easier to do English names. Haha! For some reason it hadn't occurred to me that it was so hard because I was doing Portuguese and Russian names. I'm happy to report that I've been much less frustrated since I started indexing names in my native language :)
More exciting news... We have a nephew! We finally became an aunt and uncle last week. Coleman's sister had a beautiful baby boy named Tommy. We're super excited about that.
Until next time :)
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
New Adventures
We have a lot of changes coming in the next month or so. Any of you who know me well, know that the anticipation of change usually causes a lot of anxiety for me. These changes have been no different, but I'm slowly learning to deal with the anxiety a little bit better.
The biggest change ahead of us is that we are moving sometime in the next two weeks. Where are we moving? Well, that hasn't entirely been worked out yet. All we know for sure is that we have to be out of our current apartment by the end of the month. Luckily, we have an apartment complex in mind that we'll probably sign with in the next week or so. In the mean time, I've been packing random things that we can live without and hoping I can get it all done before the next big change... fall semester.
Coleman starts his final year of undergraduate education in September. It's going to be a busy one. He's got heavy course load, night classes, work, volunteering at physical therapy clinics, doing research on campus, and studying for the GRE. I'll be working full time, but will probably have to pick up scrap booking or reading or something. (Any book recommendations would be appreciated.) I have a feeling our nights will be full of me trying to keep myself busy while Coleman studies all night. It's still so weird to me that I'm a college graduate and won't be going back to school (at least in the near future).
Hopefully by the next post we'll have an apartment. I know most of you readers have big changes coming your way, too- new semester, first teaching job, moving, babies coming, etc. Good luck!
Until next time...
The biggest change ahead of us is that we are moving sometime in the next two weeks. Where are we moving? Well, that hasn't entirely been worked out yet. All we know for sure is that we have to be out of our current apartment by the end of the month. Luckily, we have an apartment complex in mind that we'll probably sign with in the next week or so. In the mean time, I've been packing random things that we can live without and hoping I can get it all done before the next big change... fall semester.
Coleman starts his final year of undergraduate education in September. It's going to be a busy one. He's got heavy course load, night classes, work, volunteering at physical therapy clinics, doing research on campus, and studying for the GRE. I'll be working full time, but will probably have to pick up scrap booking or reading or something. (Any book recommendations would be appreciated.) I have a feeling our nights will be full of me trying to keep myself busy while Coleman studies all night. It's still so weird to me that I'm a college graduate and won't be going back to school (at least in the near future).
Hopefully by the next post we'll have an apartment. I know most of you readers have big changes coming your way, too- new semester, first teaching job, moving, babies coming, etc. Good luck!
Until next time...
Friday, August 1, 2014
Celebrating Success
Being in a family ward now, my relief society sisters aren't all in the same phase of life as I am. I was used to going to church with people who were all going to school, dating, debating serving a mission, etc. Goals were a temple marriage, surviving finals week, or getting that cute boy to ask you out. It has been an interesting transition to say the least. I've really enjoyed getting to know these other sisters, though. They have taught me so much. One of the many things they have taught me is the importance of celebrating success, even in little things. I'm learning that there are different successes to celebrate with each stage of life. It's fun to hear the sisters share their personal triumphs each week. Some of them being:
When we dwell more on our successes than our failures, we are so. much. happier. This week I've tried hard to notice my personal successes and it's really helped my attitude improve. Some of my recent successes were:
- Potty training toddler had no accidents this week
- Teenage son finally passed his drivers test after previously failing
- Husband graduated
- Baby slept through the night
- Took the time to get a hair cut this week
- New recipe that was well-received by most of the family
- Finished first 5k
When we dwell more on our successes than our failures, we are so. much. happier. This week I've tried hard to notice my personal successes and it's really helped my attitude improve. Some of my recent successes were:
- Doing my visiting teaching
- Trying a yummy new recipe
- Finding cute new sandals for $10
- Putting together surprise packages for siblings and siblings-in-law
- Discovering that if I eat more slowly I don't get stomach aches
- Remembering to get the car tires rotated
It's amazing the number of positive things we can find in our day if only we look for them. What were some of your successes this week?
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Things That Make Me Happy
- Cafe Rio for dinner AND having leftovers for lunch the next day
- Finding out I passed my CHES exam. I'm a certified health education specialist!
- Having a sweet husband to remind me I don't have to do something just because everyone else is doing it
- Going to the temple and feeling its peace
- Otter pops
- Hearing from old friends
- Sunshine
- Good hair days
- A clean car with a full gas tank
- Finding new ways to improve my health
- Laughing with my husband
- Movie Nights
- Good friends
- Getting my diploma in the mail
- Getting more comfortable with my new job
- Slowly starting to figure out where our life is headed in the next 5ish years
- Supportive family
- Late-night talks
- Repentance
- Watermelon
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Hello a year later...
Hey everyone! Sorry I dropped off the face of the planet for like a year. See, I met this boy (my husband) and things like blogging took the back seat for awhile. This will continue to be my personal blog, but if you're interested in more specific details of my life, follow our private blog (colemanandlindsey.wordpress.com). Just comment or send me your email address and I'll send you an invite to the blog!
Well I guess I'll give a few updates! I got married to the most wonderful man ever this past January. Married life is the best, but it's also different than I thought I would be. It's not like I was one of those girls that imagined this perfect fantasy marriage, nor was I the negative "marriage is about finding someone you can put up with forever" thinker. I just didn't realize how much marriage would teach me, especially so quickly.
Fairly soon after we were married I realized that I have a pride issue. I like to do everything perfectly and pride myself on being able to do multiple perfect things all at the same time. Newsflash... That's not possible. I was trying to be a full-time student, part-time employee, top-notch intern, and the "perfect housewife" that had the house cleaned, bills paid, and dinner ready the second my husband walked in the door. I was constantly apologizing to my husband over silly things like leaving my work clothes on the floor, or that the bathroom wasn't clean. This really started to take a toll on me emotionally because I felt like I wasn't measuring up. Luckily, I married a man who understood how marital relationships should work. He would say things to me like, "Why are you apologizing that dinner isn't done? You were gone all day, too, can't I help you?" or "I use these dishes, too. Shouldn't I help you wash them?" Other times, I'd be running around the house trying to make things "perfect" when he'd pick me up, set me on the couch and say, "How about we clean up later and right now we can spend some time together and talk about our day."
See... He was trying to teach me that successful relationships aren't about each person completing a list of checklist items and acting like nothing is wrong. Marriage is about working together, supporting each other, and loving unconditionally. It's about finding ways to serve one another and remembering to appreciate and acknowledge what the other does for you. Being a great wife isn't about having the bed made every morning or having dinner ready by 5:30 on the dot... It's much more than that. I'm so grateful to my sweet husband for helping me see that.
Anyway, enough on that topic. The next big update is that I'm a college graduate. Yep, no more school. I'm one of those full-time working people. It's weird. Growing up is scary, and my anxiety problem doesn't help. Soon Coleman will be applying for grad school and we'll likely move to a new state. I'm still trying to get used to my grown-up job and missing my old job and friends so much. Don't get me wrong, I love my new job, it's just different. I've missed the boy drama, gossip, and friendship I had with the girls at my old job. On top of it, our apartment contract is up soon and we have to find a new place to live. Apartment hunting is the worst. Everything will work out just great though, I know it :)
And finally, I've been searching all over the internet to find the perfect puppy to buy my mother-in-law. In the process I've found dozens of "perfect" puppies for me. The other night I showed them all to Coleman and begged him to let me buy one. He reminded me that we're not allowed to have puppies at our apartment. So... if anyone knows of a nice, inexpensive apartment that allows pets, hook me up!
That's all for now. Sorry for the randomness. Hopefully I'm better at updating from now on!
Well I guess I'll give a few updates! I got married to the most wonderful man ever this past January. Married life is the best, but it's also different than I thought I would be. It's not like I was one of those girls that imagined this perfect fantasy marriage, nor was I the negative "marriage is about finding someone you can put up with forever" thinker. I just didn't realize how much marriage would teach me, especially so quickly.
Fairly soon after we were married I realized that I have a pride issue. I like to do everything perfectly and pride myself on being able to do multiple perfect things all at the same time. Newsflash... That's not possible. I was trying to be a full-time student, part-time employee, top-notch intern, and the "perfect housewife" that had the house cleaned, bills paid, and dinner ready the second my husband walked in the door. I was constantly apologizing to my husband over silly things like leaving my work clothes on the floor, or that the bathroom wasn't clean. This really started to take a toll on me emotionally because I felt like I wasn't measuring up. Luckily, I married a man who understood how marital relationships should work. He would say things to me like, "Why are you apologizing that dinner isn't done? You were gone all day, too, can't I help you?" or "I use these dishes, too. Shouldn't I help you wash them?" Other times, I'd be running around the house trying to make things "perfect" when he'd pick me up, set me on the couch and say, "How about we clean up later and right now we can spend some time together and talk about our day."
See... He was trying to teach me that successful relationships aren't about each person completing a list of checklist items and acting like nothing is wrong. Marriage is about working together, supporting each other, and loving unconditionally. It's about finding ways to serve one another and remembering to appreciate and acknowledge what the other does for you. Being a great wife isn't about having the bed made every morning or having dinner ready by 5:30 on the dot... It's much more than that. I'm so grateful to my sweet husband for helping me see that.
Anyway, enough on that topic. The next big update is that I'm a college graduate. Yep, no more school. I'm one of those full-time working people. It's weird. Growing up is scary, and my anxiety problem doesn't help. Soon Coleman will be applying for grad school and we'll likely move to a new state. I'm still trying to get used to my grown-up job and missing my old job and friends so much. Don't get me wrong, I love my new job, it's just different. I've missed the boy drama, gossip, and friendship I had with the girls at my old job. On top of it, our apartment contract is up soon and we have to find a new place to live. Apartment hunting is the worst. Everything will work out just great though, I know it :)
And finally, I've been searching all over the internet to find the perfect puppy to buy my mother-in-law. In the process I've found dozens of "perfect" puppies for me. The other night I showed them all to Coleman and begged him to let me buy one. He reminded me that we're not allowed to have puppies at our apartment. So... if anyone knows of a nice, inexpensive apartment that allows pets, hook me up!
That's all for now. Sorry for the randomness. Hopefully I'm better at updating from now on!
Monday, July 1, 2013
Week One Report
Well, I did cross fit for a whole three days before I decided to switch it up a bit. I went on my first run since March! In early April I ended up spraining my ankle, then broke my toe, and then had some other foot injuries. So... after weeks of recovery I was finally able to go for a run! It was a rather pathetic run. I only made it 2.5 miles, but I did it in 27 minutes in 80 degree weather. Not too shabby considering the shape I'm in now. I'll have to keep working at it if I'm going to reach my goal of finishing a half marathon this fall, though.
Also this week I started looking for internships. Am I old enough for that already? Guess so! As of right now I'm thinking I want to be a manager of programs that focus on adolescent substance abuse prevention and recovery as well as programs that teach parents how to help their children overcome addiction, depression, etc. I'd like to do an internship working with smoking cessation or other addictive behaviors. I'm also considering coordinating with a professor to do mentored research. I think it'd be way awesome to be able to do research with people who are really experienced and hopefully find new information that would help us to better serve the community. So many new and exciting things are ahead! I honestly don't know where life is taking me these next few months, but I'm excited to find out!
Also this week I started looking for internships. Am I old enough for that already? Guess so! As of right now I'm thinking I want to be a manager of programs that focus on adolescent substance abuse prevention and recovery as well as programs that teach parents how to help their children overcome addiction, depression, etc. I'd like to do an internship working with smoking cessation or other addictive behaviors. I'm also considering coordinating with a professor to do mentored research. I think it'd be way awesome to be able to do research with people who are really experienced and hopefully find new information that would help us to better serve the community. So many new and exciting things are ahead! I honestly don't know where life is taking me these next few months, but I'm excited to find out!
Monday, June 24, 2013
Lifestyle Intervention
My roommates and co-workers have heard me say over and over for awhile now that I'm starting my "lifestyle intervention." Unfortunately I've had a hard time actually following through with it. It's funny because as part of my major we study quite a bit about behavior change. I know dozens of behavior change theories, how to coach people to be able to make lifestyle changes, reasons for positive changes, etc. I'm now learning it's much more difficult to MAKE lifestyle changes than it is to simply coach others into doing it.
Well, my most recent attempt at my lifestyle intervention started this morning and might actually prove successful, thanks to my roommate, Reilly. We are becoming cross-fitters and I'm training for a half-marathon . I also refrained from buying cookies, ice cream, and my other usual unhealthy snack foods.
So... to help myself feel "accountable" for how well I work on my lifestyle intervention, I will be posting my successes and things I need to improve each week. We'll see how it goes! Here's to positive lifestyle changes!
Well, my most recent attempt at my lifestyle intervention started this morning and might actually prove successful, thanks to my roommate, Reilly. We are becoming cross-fitters and I'm training for a half-marathon . I also refrained from buying cookies, ice cream, and my other usual unhealthy snack foods.
So... to help myself feel "accountable" for how well I work on my lifestyle intervention, I will be posting my successes and things I need to improve each week. We'll see how it goes! Here's to positive lifestyle changes!
Friday, May 3, 2013
Growing Up
I just realized that in a few short months, all my guy friends from high school will be home from their missions. Also, I'm graduating with a bachelor's degree in less one year. ONE. One is not a very big number. You know what this means? I'm growing up. I'm going to be a real adult soon. Yeah, I've been a "legal" adult for a few years now but it's really not the same. I've still only been working part time jobs, am on my parents' insurance plans, and just going to school with a bunch of other undergraduate students. In just one year I will have taken the GRE, have finished my bachelor's degree and be finishing up my internship. At this point I will have to decide if I'm going to get a full time job working in my chosen field or go on to graduate school right away. The skills I've learned in college will no longer be applied to random case studies with text book answers. Instead, I'll be using them to help REAL people in REAL life situations. Yes, I will be helping change people's lives. Weird.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
New year, new semester.
What am I supposed to be doing right now? Writing a paper. That doesn't sound very fun so I'm going to sit here in my room typing so that my roommates think I'm being a good student :)
Life is so great right now. I know I say that all the time, but it truly is. I couldn't be happier! I had a wonderful Christmas. I got to spend three whole weeks at home with my family and friends. I had so many fun lunch dates with old friends and got to see my returned missionary buddies. Can't believe they're all home!! Oh, and even got to have my old job back for those three weeks. SO grateful for that. Yay for making money and seeing my old work buddies again!
A new semester has started and I'm definitely struggling to get back into my studious routine. It's so much more fun to hang out with my friends, meet new people, waste time on Pinterest, etc. I am really enjoying my classes, though. I love being in upper-division classes and learning the things I actually WANT to learn. It's the best. Yes, the classes are hard and will be pretty demanding as the semester goes on, but I am so excited for it all. I recently changed my emphasis to environmental/occupational health to health promotion and I couldn't be more excited. I love that I've found something that will lead me to a career that I'm passionate about and will enjoy completely. No, I won't be making as much money as I would have been as a PA, but I know I will enjoy this much more. It's a perfect fit :)
Since it's the new year, I've set some goals for myself so I can grow and improve. I'm excited because in my pathophysiology class, we have the opportunity to make a healthy change in our life for a whole month. We're required to write about our experiences in a daily journal and at the end, write an evaluation. My goal is to exercise for at least thirty minutes five days a week. Believe it or not, I haven't been doing well with exercising since high school. It'll be good for me to get back in shape. Can't wait!
Also... I have a new room-roommate since my cute Becca is leaving on a mission in a couple of weeks. My new roommate's name is Lexi. I adore that girl. Seriously. Nobody could ever truly replace Becca, but Lexi is super duper great. We hit it off so well, and she's quickly become one of my best friends. She's so sweet, fun, and just all-around wonderful. I just love her and am so grateful for that girl!
Obviously, my other roommates are still fantastic :) They're so patient with me and I love them! Couldn't ask for better roommates. Love you, Sarah and Whit!
While I'm listing the roommates I'm grateful for, I might as well give a shout out to our "fifth roommate," Alex. He's our FHE brother and comes over all the time. We've loved having him around to fix things, tell us stories, give advice, watch YouTube videos, and just have a good time. He's definitely taken the "big brother" role for the apartment and we're grateful for him.
Other exciting news... my family is coming down this weekend to visit and go to my cousin's mission farewell! I can't wait to see them!
Well, that's all I have for now. Sorry this post is so random (okay, all my posts are super random).
Until next time...
Life is so great right now. I know I say that all the time, but it truly is. I couldn't be happier! I had a wonderful Christmas. I got to spend three whole weeks at home with my family and friends. I had so many fun lunch dates with old friends and got to see my returned missionary buddies. Can't believe they're all home!! Oh, and even got to have my old job back for those three weeks. SO grateful for that. Yay for making money and seeing my old work buddies again!
A new semester has started and I'm definitely struggling to get back into my studious routine. It's so much more fun to hang out with my friends, meet new people, waste time on Pinterest, etc. I am really enjoying my classes, though. I love being in upper-division classes and learning the things I actually WANT to learn. It's the best. Yes, the classes are hard and will be pretty demanding as the semester goes on, but I am so excited for it all. I recently changed my emphasis to environmental/occupational health to health promotion and I couldn't be more excited. I love that I've found something that will lead me to a career that I'm passionate about and will enjoy completely. No, I won't be making as much money as I would have been as a PA, but I know I will enjoy this much more. It's a perfect fit :)
Since it's the new year, I've set some goals for myself so I can grow and improve. I'm excited because in my pathophysiology class, we have the opportunity to make a healthy change in our life for a whole month. We're required to write about our experiences in a daily journal and at the end, write an evaluation. My goal is to exercise for at least thirty minutes five days a week. Believe it or not, I haven't been doing well with exercising since high school. It'll be good for me to get back in shape. Can't wait!
Also... I have a new room-roommate since my cute Becca is leaving on a mission in a couple of weeks. My new roommate's name is Lexi. I adore that girl. Seriously. Nobody could ever truly replace Becca, but Lexi is super duper great. We hit it off so well, and she's quickly become one of my best friends. She's so sweet, fun, and just all-around wonderful. I just love her and am so grateful for that girl!
Obviously, my other roommates are still fantastic :) They're so patient with me and I love them! Couldn't ask for better roommates. Love you, Sarah and Whit!
While I'm listing the roommates I'm grateful for, I might as well give a shout out to our "fifth roommate," Alex. He's our FHE brother and comes over all the time. We've loved having him around to fix things, tell us stories, give advice, watch YouTube videos, and just have a good time. He's definitely taken the "big brother" role for the apartment and we're grateful for him.
Other exciting news... my family is coming down this weekend to visit and go to my cousin's mission farewell! I can't wait to see them!
Well, that's all I have for now. Sorry this post is so random (okay, all my posts are super random).
Until next time...
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Love life :)
So I'm really inconsistent with this whole blogging thing, oh well. I have all sorts of exciting new to share, though!
1. Missionaries really DO come home after two years! My cousin, Josh, came home last Thursday; my friend, Sam Whitworth, came home last Saturday; and another friend, Kendall Hatch, comes home this weekend! I never thought this day would come. I can't wait to see them in a couple of weeks!
2. I get to go home to see my family in just two weeks! TWO WEEKS! I haven't seen my cute little sisters in over three months. I'm so excited to see them along with my parents and extended family for Josh's homecoming talk.
3. My roommates are just fantastic :) Karaoke nights, drinking mass amounts of hot chocolate, group dinners, watching Friends, creeping on the mailman, and baking are regular activities at our apartment.I didn't know a single one of these girls when I moved in, but you would never guess it now! We've become so close and I really don't know what I'd do without them!
4. I'm making friends! One of my biggest fears when I first moved down here was that I would have trouble making friends and being social. Luckily, this has not been the case.
5. I love my job and the people I work with! I feel so blessed to have a job in an area where unemployment rates are fairly high, especially one that I enjoy so much! It helps that my co-workers are lots of fun, too :)
6. School is going really well. I LOVE my public health classes and am learning so much. I'm getting excited to find an internship and eventually a real job where I'll be able to use these skills and help others every day.
7. I'm starting to learn a little bit more about my Heavenly Father's plan for me and my future. It's definitely not the exact path I would have planned for myself, but I know it's going to be so much better.
8. It's finally fall. Fall is my FAVORITE season :) It was even cold enough for me to wear my yellow pea-coat last week.
1. Missionaries really DO come home after two years! My cousin, Josh, came home last Thursday; my friend, Sam Whitworth, came home last Saturday; and another friend, Kendall Hatch, comes home this weekend! I never thought this day would come. I can't wait to see them in a couple of weeks!
2. I get to go home to see my family in just two weeks! TWO WEEKS! I haven't seen my cute little sisters in over three months. I'm so excited to see them along with my parents and extended family for Josh's homecoming talk.
3. My roommates are just fantastic :) Karaoke nights, drinking mass amounts of hot chocolate, group dinners, watching Friends, creeping on the mailman, and baking are regular activities at our apartment.I didn't know a single one of these girls when I moved in, but you would never guess it now! We've become so close and I really don't know what I'd do without them!
4. I'm making friends! One of my biggest fears when I first moved down here was that I would have trouble making friends and being social. Luckily, this has not been the case.
5. I love my job and the people I work with! I feel so blessed to have a job in an area where unemployment rates are fairly high, especially one that I enjoy so much! It helps that my co-workers are lots of fun, too :)
6. School is going really well. I LOVE my public health classes and am learning so much. I'm getting excited to find an internship and eventually a real job where I'll be able to use these skills and help others every day.
7. I'm starting to learn a little bit more about my Heavenly Father's plan for me and my future. It's definitely not the exact path I would have planned for myself, but I know it's going to be so much better.
8. It's finally fall. Fall is my FAVORITE season :) It was even cold enough for me to wear my yellow pea-coat last week.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Big Changes...
Well, I did it! I'm officially a college graduate. It's so weird to think that a whole two years has gone by already. This afternoon I'm moving out of my apartment and saying goodbye to my roommates. I sure am going to miss those girls. They are honestly some of the most incredible people I know and I am so grateful I had the opportunity to get to know them this semester. I've had so much fun getting to know them and I've learned lots! Here are just a few of the things I've learned this semester:
1. If you microwave a hard-boiled egg for too long, it explodes and makes a big mess.
2. I am capable of driving a standard. Thanks to Sariah and her patience in teaching me... I know it was probably a difficult and high-stress task :)
3. Applebee's maple pecan blondies are incredibly delicious. However, if you go to Applebee's at 11p.m. in your pajamas and order a blondie with mozzarella sticks, your waitress may think you are a little strange.
4. Never forget about your bananas. If you neglect them too long, they turn radioactive, leak juices, and bubble all over your microwave and refrigerator and it's not easy to clean up.
5. Oregano and spearmint smell great...
6. It's okay to pray to fine a lost earring/i Card
7. The Lord hears and answers prayers and is constantly guiding our lives. Sometimes he asks us to do hard things, but he always finds a way to help us get through them if we ask.
In one week I'm moving out of state. I was able to get a job and so I'm moving down earlier than expected for training. I will be living with my great uncle Daryl and aunt Mary Jo for a month until my apartment contract starts. I'm so excited to get to know them and am grateful for their generosity and kindness. I won't have any friends down there for a few weeks, which is kind of scary, but I have amazing family down there and I'm sure I'll be able to meet lots of new friends through work.
Oh yeah, and my friends are coming home from their missions! Two of them come home in less than 100 days!! It's crazy how fast two years goes by! I'm so looking forward to October, November, January, and April! I'm so proud of my friends and their willingness to serve, but I still can't wait to see them again.
These next few months will bring all sorts of exciting new experiences and I am so excited to see how things work out! Life is just so great :)
1. If you microwave a hard-boiled egg for too long, it explodes and makes a big mess.
2. I am capable of driving a standard. Thanks to Sariah and her patience in teaching me... I know it was probably a difficult and high-stress task :)
3. Applebee's maple pecan blondies are incredibly delicious. However, if you go to Applebee's at 11p.m. in your pajamas and order a blondie with mozzarella sticks, your waitress may think you are a little strange.
4. Never forget about your bananas. If you neglect them too long, they turn radioactive, leak juices, and bubble all over your microwave and refrigerator and it's not easy to clean up.
5. Oregano and spearmint smell great...
6. It's okay to pray to fine a lost earring/i Card
7. The Lord hears and answers prayers and is constantly guiding our lives. Sometimes he asks us to do hard things, but he always finds a way to help us get through them if we ask.
In one week I'm moving out of state. I was able to get a job and so I'm moving down earlier than expected for training. I will be living with my great uncle Daryl and aunt Mary Jo for a month until my apartment contract starts. I'm so excited to get to know them and am grateful for their generosity and kindness. I won't have any friends down there for a few weeks, which is kind of scary, but I have amazing family down there and I'm sure I'll be able to meet lots of new friends through work.
Oh yeah, and my friends are coming home from their missions! Two of them come home in less than 100 days!! It's crazy how fast two years goes by! I'm so looking forward to October, November, January, and April! I'm so proud of my friends and their willingness to serve, but I still can't wait to see them again.
These next few months will bring all sorts of exciting new experiences and I am so excited to see how things work out! Life is just so great :)
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
What? I have a blog?
What could I be doing right now? Lots of things... Homework, sleeping, studying... But guess what? I'm not. I'm blogging for the first time in basically forever! Lots of things have changed. I don't even know where to start. First off... I'm transferring. Yep! Who saw that one coming? Not me! I'm graduating with my associates in July and moving out of state to go to a bigger university. Honestly that was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make. I'm perfectly comfortable where I am. I know lots of people, I'm less than an hour away from home, I'm familiar with the campus, I just love it here. So much. I'm moving somewhere bigger that I have no idea how to find my away around and into an apartment with a bunch of people I don't know. At first I was a little anxious about the whole thing, but now I'm really excited. Don't get me wrong, I'm still nervous about a few things and I'm going to miss my other college a lot, but I know that I'm doing what I'm supposed to. I just know it's right... for whatever crazy reason. Guess I'll find out!
This semester has been a great one. My roommates are just so laid back I love it! My classes are pretty okay considering that they're general ed classes. Heck, I'm even enjoying my China class... Never thought I'd see that day. Work is going great. I am so thankful for my job! I love that I get to wear business clothes every day! I'm going to really miss this place.
I am so thankful for my love of running. Tonight I was a little stressed out looking for jobs and internships, making sure my fall schedule is the way I want it, and just trying to get through the day. I was finally fed up with it and just went for a run. It wasn't a very long run, because I was dumb enough to eat a bunch of Oreos right before I left. About a mile in I cramped up pretty bad... Never fear, I kept going another mile and a half or so. It was so great. Just me, the sidewalk, my music, and my electric yellow running shoes (I may or may not be in love with those things. They're the best!). Ahh I can't even express how great it makes me feel. Nothing clears my mind much better than a good run.
Well this was a pretty random, pointless blog but I promise I'll be better at keeping up and making things interesting. Roommate adventure weekend is coming up soon. Oh, and my birthday! Woohoo!
Until next time...
This semester has been a great one. My roommates are just so laid back I love it! My classes are pretty okay considering that they're general ed classes. Heck, I'm even enjoying my China class... Never thought I'd see that day. Work is going great. I am so thankful for my job! I love that I get to wear business clothes every day! I'm going to really miss this place.
I am so thankful for my love of running. Tonight I was a little stressed out looking for jobs and internships, making sure my fall schedule is the way I want it, and just trying to get through the day. I was finally fed up with it and just went for a run. It wasn't a very long run, because I was dumb enough to eat a bunch of Oreos right before I left. About a mile in I cramped up pretty bad... Never fear, I kept going another mile and a half or so. It was so great. Just me, the sidewalk, my music, and my electric yellow running shoes (I may or may not be in love with those things. They're the best!). Ahh I can't even express how great it makes me feel. Nothing clears my mind much better than a good run.
Well this was a pretty random, pointless blog but I promise I'll be better at keeping up and making things interesting. Roommate adventure weekend is coming up soon. Oh, and my birthday! Woohoo!
Until next time...
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Here we go again!
Well, at least I blog once a month, right? Haha! Today is move-in day at my university. Has it really been a whole year?? I can't even believe how fast it's flown by. It's weird to think that within the last year, I've sent out 15 of my best friends on missions. It has been so incredible to watch them all grow.
It was this time last year when I met one of my very best friends, Liz, and started a closer friendship with Beth Ann, the prettiest little red-head at our whole university! We've been through SO much together!! Liz's knee surgery, our chemistry classes (yeah for ice cream to get us through!), boys, my random teary-eyed break downs, Beth Ann's many dates, oh the list could go on! I could never thank these girls enough for putting up with me through all of this.
Also within the last year, I discovered who my best friends really were all along... My family. In high school I never would have thought they'd be my best friends. Nobody really knows me like they do. Nobody but my mom would be able to handle me the way she does :) I love them so much, I really do. I've loved being home for a little while to see my sisters growing up. I helped teach Hailee how to count and recognize colors. She is just my most favorite little munchkin ever! I hope I have a little girl like her one day :) I've loved finally being able to get closer to my cousin, Courtney. She'll be up at school with me this fall and I am so excited to have one of my XC workout buddies back!!!
It's crazy to me how much I've learned and changed in the last year (and how random this blog post is... sorry!) There are so many things that have shaped me into somebody better, and I know there are so many more growing experiences to come. Growing up makes me excited and freaks me out all at the same time! It's just nice to know that I have a Heavenly Father who's watching out for me, giving me experiences I need, and guiding me the whole way through. He has blessed me SO MUCH this last year... I've had at least two jobs at a time, pulled the grades I need for PA school (except chemistry... maybe if I study this time I'll get a better grade), and so much more! Can't wait to see what the new semester brings!! Sophomore year, here I come!! :)
It was this time last year when I met one of my very best friends, Liz, and started a closer friendship with Beth Ann, the prettiest little red-head at our whole university! We've been through SO much together!! Liz's knee surgery, our chemistry classes (yeah for ice cream to get us through!), boys, my random teary-eyed break downs, Beth Ann's many dates, oh the list could go on! I could never thank these girls enough for putting up with me through all of this.
Also within the last year, I discovered who my best friends really were all along... My family. In high school I never would have thought they'd be my best friends. Nobody really knows me like they do. Nobody but my mom would be able to handle me the way she does :) I love them so much, I really do. I've loved being home for a little while to see my sisters growing up. I helped teach Hailee how to count and recognize colors. She is just my most favorite little munchkin ever! I hope I have a little girl like her one day :) I've loved finally being able to get closer to my cousin, Courtney. She'll be up at school with me this fall and I am so excited to have one of my XC workout buddies back!!!
It's crazy to me how much I've learned and changed in the last year (and how random this blog post is... sorry!) There are so many things that have shaped me into somebody better, and I know there are so many more growing experiences to come. Growing up makes me excited and freaks me out all at the same time! It's just nice to know that I have a Heavenly Father who's watching out for me, giving me experiences I need, and guiding me the whole way through. He has blessed me SO MUCH this last year... I've had at least two jobs at a time, pulled the grades I need for PA school (except chemistry... maybe if I study this time I'll get a better grade), and so much more! Can't wait to see what the new semester brings!! Sophomore year, here I come!! :)
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam...
Wow! I know I say this all the time, but my life is just so crazy! It seems like ever since graduation I've been running a million miles a minute. I've been sleep deprived, worn down, and pushed to my limits... So lately I've tried to take a second and look around. I realized the other day that I've been living and working for tomorrow, next year, 5 years from now, and for anything but today. Once again, I've gotten caught up in the future instead of looking at the beautiful things today. So... I decided to look at some primary kids with simple lives and learn from them.
I've been so blessed to have so many little kids in my life. They are the best examples to me! Little kids have so many Christlike attributes and for some crazy reason, as we grow up we lose them and have to work to regain them. Probably one of the most Christlike people I know is my sister, Emily. She's 10 years old, and a master at patience. You can poke her, tease her, follow her around begging to play with her friends, break promises to her, (this list could go on forever...) and she still forgives. She loves everyone the same no matter what they do to her. She doesn't really yell or complain, just does as she's asked. I hope one day I can be like Emily. In fact, she has impressed me so much that I have decided I will name my first little girl Emma, after my sister, Emily, and Emma Smith, wife of Joseph Smith, Jr.
Another Christlike individual is my neighbor, Davis. He is honestly one of my favorite little boys ever. He's probably 4 or 5 and I just love him. The other day I was watching him have a nerf gun war with his friends. The two older boys had huge nerf guns that could hold 55 "bullets" and you could just go crazy shooting them. They also had little lasers that helped aim so you could shoot more accurately. Davis had this tiny little nerf gun that only held one "bullet" at a time and he had to reload it every time he shot... He didn't have anything to help him aim either. Obviously, Davis lost every time. The funny part is, he hardly even complained. He'd give his best, shoot a couple people, lose within a few seconds, and then just go sit out and wait until the next round so he could try again. I thought about how many times I complain about my circumstances when they really aren't that bad. There are people in this world that clearly have an unfair advantage and don't complain at all- they just fight with all they have and wait for the next time to try again. I have been blessed with so much, why am I always complaining? (Side note... I also love Davis because he thinks I'm smarter than his brother, Mark, and "really REALLY pretty")
Anyway, enough of my story time. I'm going to get off this computer and go enjoy the simple things in life like eating raspberries and peas out of the "ground" (garden) with my baby sister and this week try harder to really find the joyful things in my journey :)
I've been so blessed to have so many little kids in my life. They are the best examples to me! Little kids have so many Christlike attributes and for some crazy reason, as we grow up we lose them and have to work to regain them. Probably one of the most Christlike people I know is my sister, Emily. She's 10 years old, and a master at patience. You can poke her, tease her, follow her around begging to play with her friends, break promises to her, (this list could go on forever...) and she still forgives. She loves everyone the same no matter what they do to her. She doesn't really yell or complain, just does as she's asked. I hope one day I can be like Emily. In fact, she has impressed me so much that I have decided I will name my first little girl Emma, after my sister, Emily, and Emma Smith, wife of Joseph Smith, Jr.
Another Christlike individual is my neighbor, Davis. He is honestly one of my favorite little boys ever. He's probably 4 or 5 and I just love him. The other day I was watching him have a nerf gun war with his friends. The two older boys had huge nerf guns that could hold 55 "bullets" and you could just go crazy shooting them. They also had little lasers that helped aim so you could shoot more accurately. Davis had this tiny little nerf gun that only held one "bullet" at a time and he had to reload it every time he shot... He didn't have anything to help him aim either. Obviously, Davis lost every time. The funny part is, he hardly even complained. He'd give his best, shoot a couple people, lose within a few seconds, and then just go sit out and wait until the next round so he could try again. I thought about how many times I complain about my circumstances when they really aren't that bad. There are people in this world that clearly have an unfair advantage and don't complain at all- they just fight with all they have and wait for the next time to try again. I have been blessed with so much, why am I always complaining? (Side note... I also love Davis because he thinks I'm smarter than his brother, Mark, and "really REALLY pretty")
Anyway, enough of my story time. I'm going to get off this computer and go enjoy the simple things in life like eating raspberries and peas out of the "ground" (garden) with my baby sister and this week try harder to really find the joyful things in my journey :)
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Spontaneous Family Adventure Weekend
Holy cow! It's been a really long time since I posted! Sorry! I guess life just got all crazy on me! Lucky for you, I'm posting about my wonderful "spontaneous family adventure." My mom decided that we needed a family trip so Friday morning after my anat & phys class we all loaded up and got ready to head to a nearby water park. Well, the adventure started before we even left. I come from a family of 6 girls and so packing requires a lot of effort. After a fair amount of struggles, we fit everything in the car... unfortunately we couldn't see out the back window. The sad part is, we were only going to be gone for two days and we didn't even bring any makeup, straighteners, hair dryers, etc. because we were going camping. So finally... we were off! On our way to the water park we watched one of my new favorite movies-- Megamind. That's really all I have to say about the car ride.
So we got to the water park and I spent a lot of time with my sister, Sidney. We decided that we didn't really want to get our hair wet because we didn't want it looking ridiculous for our adventures the next day. Well... that idea didn't last too long. The lazy river had waterfalls/sprinklers and little girls were out to get us. They kept splashing us and trying to knock us off of our tubes... so we gave up and just had fun. It was nice to finally be able to spend quality time with her... that hasn't happened much since I graduated from high school.
After the water park, we went to Big Jud's- home of the 1 pound burgers. We had some really good burgers and fries (which they hand-cut so they are MUCH healthier than fast food. Random fact.) We also had some really good ice cream. I just got rocky road (in a cup because I don't like my ice cream in a cone) and split it with my two-year-old sister, Hailee. I just love her :)
Next we took of for Yellowstone to stay the night in my grandparents' motor home. We started to watch Yogi Bear but that didn't go over so well. We ended up just rockin out to my dad's 80's music the rest of the way and it was really fun. Somehow we managed to fit 8 people in the camper. We had the 3 middle girls on one bed, the 6-year-old on the floor, and I slept on a twin-sized bed with the two-year-old. Long story short, I didn't sleep very well that night :)
The next morning we got up and had a really nice breakfast thanks to my wonderful mom. Then we packed up... again... and headed off to Mesa Falls! Hailee thought it was a really awesome slide and wanted to go down it. She was sad when we wouldn't let her. Afterward we stopped for a picnic lunch. We met a baby squirrel and Karlie threw Cheetos at it. She was amazed when he started to eat them and demanded that we take a picture. Hailee started to pretend to be a mosquito and eat people and I got attacked by a killer moth and screamed. My dad made fun of me. Typical.
Next stop... feeding the fish! We had leftover pancakes from breakfast so we decided to feed the fish by warm river. I loved it! Feeding fish/ducks is seriously one of my all-time favorite things! I don't know why, but I just love it. My sisters had fun too :)
Then... we went floating down warm river. I really wasn't excited about it because I knew it would result in screaming because the water was too cold and the little rapids would be too scary but my mom made us go. Here's how it went... Karlie and Emily barely touched the water and then refused to get in. Emily got forced in and we took off. Hailee and I made it without any problems- good thing cuz she kept saying, "Ninz (Lindz) I don't anna get wet." Brittney completely fell off her tube. Mom and Emily made it safely. Round two... Karlie decided to go, I refused, Emily went on her own tube, Brittney went too. Mom and Karlie get dumped into the icy water, Karlie lost her flip-flops and started screaming, "Get me out of this place!" I had to jump in and try to rescue Karlie's flip-flops (funny, because when we went boating on the 4th of July, Karlie got knocked off a tube and I had to jump in and save her because she didn't believe her life jacket made her float. That's a great story. Ask me about it sometime.) Anyway, Brittney made it down okay. Emily made it, but then left her tube floating down the river so I had to jump in and get it for her. After all that, we decided it was time to go home.
We rocked out to more 80's tunes on the way home and Karlie kept asking why we couldn't watch a movie. We just kept saying, "in a minute!" because we were having a lot more fun listening to music than we would have watching a movie. When we got home, Mom made scones and we unpacked. You think this is the end of the story, but it isn't... Spontaneous family weekend is still going. Today is Sidney's 17th birthday so we celebrated it and now we're off to make s'mores and roast starbursts and taffy :)
So we got to the water park and I spent a lot of time with my sister, Sidney. We decided that we didn't really want to get our hair wet because we didn't want it looking ridiculous for our adventures the next day. Well... that idea didn't last too long. The lazy river had waterfalls/sprinklers and little girls were out to get us. They kept splashing us and trying to knock us off of our tubes... so we gave up and just had fun. It was nice to finally be able to spend quality time with her... that hasn't happened much since I graduated from high school.
After the water park, we went to Big Jud's- home of the 1 pound burgers. We had some really good burgers and fries (which they hand-cut so they are MUCH healthier than fast food. Random fact.) We also had some really good ice cream. I just got rocky road (in a cup because I don't like my ice cream in a cone) and split it with my two-year-old sister, Hailee. I just love her :)
Next we took of for Yellowstone to stay the night in my grandparents' motor home. We started to watch Yogi Bear but that didn't go over so well. We ended up just rockin out to my dad's 80's music the rest of the way and it was really fun. Somehow we managed to fit 8 people in the camper. We had the 3 middle girls on one bed, the 6-year-old on the floor, and I slept on a twin-sized bed with the two-year-old. Long story short, I didn't sleep very well that night :)
The next morning we got up and had a really nice breakfast thanks to my wonderful mom. Then we packed up... again... and headed off to Mesa Falls! Hailee thought it was a really awesome slide and wanted to go down it. She was sad when we wouldn't let her. Afterward we stopped for a picnic lunch. We met a baby squirrel and Karlie threw Cheetos at it. She was amazed when he started to eat them and demanded that we take a picture. Hailee started to pretend to be a mosquito and eat people and I got attacked by a killer moth and screamed. My dad made fun of me. Typical.
Next stop... feeding the fish! We had leftover pancakes from breakfast so we decided to feed the fish by warm river. I loved it! Feeding fish/ducks is seriously one of my all-time favorite things! I don't know why, but I just love it. My sisters had fun too :)
Then... we went floating down warm river. I really wasn't excited about it because I knew it would result in screaming because the water was too cold and the little rapids would be too scary but my mom made us go. Here's how it went... Karlie and Emily barely touched the water and then refused to get in. Emily got forced in and we took off. Hailee and I made it without any problems- good thing cuz she kept saying, "Ninz (Lindz) I don't anna get wet." Brittney completely fell off her tube. Mom and Emily made it safely. Round two... Karlie decided to go, I refused, Emily went on her own tube, Brittney went too. Mom and Karlie get dumped into the icy water, Karlie lost her flip-flops and started screaming, "Get me out of this place!" I had to jump in and try to rescue Karlie's flip-flops (funny, because when we went boating on the 4th of July, Karlie got knocked off a tube and I had to jump in and save her because she didn't believe her life jacket made her float. That's a great story. Ask me about it sometime.) Anyway, Brittney made it down okay. Emily made it, but then left her tube floating down the river so I had to jump in and get it for her. After all that, we decided it was time to go home.
We rocked out to more 80's tunes on the way home and Karlie kept asking why we couldn't watch a movie. We just kept saying, "in a minute!" because we were having a lot more fun listening to music than we would have watching a movie. When we got home, Mom made scones and we unpacked. You think this is the end of the story, but it isn't... Spontaneous family weekend is still going. Today is Sidney's 17th birthday so we celebrated it and now we're off to make s'mores and roast starbursts and taffy :)
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Wonderful week :)
Pretty much I am SO blessed! Here's a list of things I'm grateful for this week (obviously not in order of importance)...
1. Missionaries. In the last two weeks I have received 5 missionary letters!! I've gone like over a month without a single one and they all came at the same time :) I love missionaries so much!!
2. My roommates. They are seriously the best! I love all the random things we do together- like grow beans in a cup (which is actually working very well). They are such amazing girls and I love them all more than I could ever express.
3.Sunshine. In fact, my shoulders got a little burned at my track meet today! I'm so excited to have the sun come out! I love summer. I love all the beautiful flowers everywhere. Believe it or not, I actually had the urge to mow a lawn yesterday. SO weird. I think it was the sunshine and the smell of spring
4. My family! They are so supportive of me! I couldn't ask for a more wonderful family. :)
5.My Heavenly Father. For the last year or so I've been trying to plan out my life and it hasn't really been working. He kept telling me to just be patient and things would work out... Well this week I was guided to the right places at the right time and a whole life plan was thrown at my face. It was so perfect! It's definitely not an easy one, but I'm so grateful for the opportunities I'm going to have along the way :) I'm grateful for the opportunities my Heavenly Father gives me to learn and to grow- that he doesn't always give me what I ask but instead gives me what I need.
6. My body. Being a somewhat science-oriented person I've been taking lots of science classes and have had the opportunity to learn quite a bit about the human body. I will never cease to be amazed! I can't believe how wonderful our bodies are! They can see and feel and touch and taste and hear and move and so many wonderful amazing things! I'm grateful for exercise and healthy food and how wonderful it makes me feel.
1. Missionaries. In the last two weeks I have received 5 missionary letters!! I've gone like over a month without a single one and they all came at the same time :) I love missionaries so much!!
2. My roommates. They are seriously the best! I love all the random things we do together- like grow beans in a cup (which is actually working very well). They are such amazing girls and I love them all more than I could ever express.
3.Sunshine. In fact, my shoulders got a little burned at my track meet today! I'm so excited to have the sun come out! I love summer. I love all the beautiful flowers everywhere. Believe it or not, I actually had the urge to mow a lawn yesterday. SO weird. I think it was the sunshine and the smell of spring
4. My family! They are so supportive of me! I couldn't ask for a more wonderful family. :)
5.My Heavenly Father. For the last year or so I've been trying to plan out my life and it hasn't really been working. He kept telling me to just be patient and things would work out... Well this week I was guided to the right places at the right time and a whole life plan was thrown at my face. It was so perfect! It's definitely not an easy one, but I'm so grateful for the opportunities I'm going to have along the way :) I'm grateful for the opportunities my Heavenly Father gives me to learn and to grow- that he doesn't always give me what I ask but instead gives me what I need.
6. My body. Being a somewhat science-oriented person I've been taking lots of science classes and have had the opportunity to learn quite a bit about the human body. I will never cease to be amazed! I can't believe how wonderful our bodies are! They can see and feel and touch and taste and hear and move and so many wonderful amazing things! I'm grateful for exercise and healthy food and how wonderful it makes me feel.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
We're not always right...
We can't ever judge other people. Obviously. We're taught all the time to never judge a book by its cover- that we need to really get to know a person first. But what if we thought we DID know this person? I learned recently that even though you think you know a person really well, you don't actually always know what they're going through or why they do the things they do. It's kind of a rude awakening when you hold a grudge against someone for a long time because of something they did and you realize later that they didn't really DO anything at all. You didn't completely understand the situation. Someone once told me that we never REALLY know the reason people do the things they do. I realized that they were right. It's not my place to judge or to condemn because there's no way I can understand the whole situation... but it IS my place to love. I can and should love people for who they are. I can be quick to forgive. I don't have to be their best friend ever, but I can look for the good and see the beauty of every person I meet. Everyone is amazing in their own way and we just need to see it... Look a little deeper and you'll find it.
Another thing I learned... Perspective. In my psychology class this week we learned that how we view situations is everything. My teacher told us that if you don't like the way you're feeling, change the way you're judging the situation. Science proves it- attitude is a CHOICE. People don't make you feel a certain way, you choose to feel that way. It's SO true! You can choose to find joy in your journey EVERY DAY.
The only difference between a good day and a bad day is your attitude. ~Dennis S. Brown
I love that I get to attend such a great university! I love learning SO much and I look forward to continuing. It's so great how everything you learn makes you just a little more capable of making a difference in the world and serving those around you :)
Another thing I learned... Perspective. In my psychology class this week we learned that how we view situations is everything. My teacher told us that if you don't like the way you're feeling, change the way you're judging the situation. Science proves it- attitude is a CHOICE. People don't make you feel a certain way, you choose to feel that way. It's SO true! You can choose to find joy in your journey EVERY DAY.
The only difference between a good day and a bad day is your attitude. ~Dennis S. Brown
I love that I get to attend such a great university! I love learning SO much and I look forward to continuing. It's so great how everything you learn makes you just a little more capable of making a difference in the world and serving those around you :)
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Here it is! The moment you've all been waiting for... My first post
My life is... weird. Random/awkward encounters with strangers, tearful Sunday nights, and self-caused drama aren't out of the ordinary. :) I make every single day an adventure and it's the best. I can find a bit of joy in each day- hence the title of the blog. Here are a few of my recent experiences...
1. Grocery store adventure with Candice. We originally went to get one simple thing. Well... we ended up running into an old man with a microphone. He gave us a raffle ticket and told us that if we stuck around for less than three minutes we would get a fruit/veggie peeler priced at $5 for FREE. Every college student's favorite word. Naturally we hung around, ended up getting conned into some ridiculous demonstration and after like 20 minutes ended up getting some pretty crappy peelers that should probably be priced at 5 cents, not 5 dollars. After the demonstration we decided to get some strawberries and toppings to go with. Most people get chocolate to put on their strawberries, but not Candice and me. We get marshmallow cream. We picked out some generic brand and were going to buy it, but Candice didn't like that it had air bubbles in it. We proceeded to the ice cream toppings aisle and were looking at hot fudge when all of a sudden I found the perfect addition to our strawberries. I got so excited that I screamed and basically jumped onto our cart and reached awkwardly in front of Candice. What was it? Liquid marshmallow cream- NO air bubbles. Yes, it was worth it because liquid marshmallow cream + fresh strawberries= AMAZING.
2. 1/2, 3/4, and whole birthdays. Pretty much I have amazing roommates. We celebrate everybody's half, three-quarters, and whole birthdays. I have eaten so much cake these last few weeks it's insane. And there's still more to come in a couple weeks. I love it :)
3. On a more serious note... This last year has been so weird. Basically it's just been a little unstable. I've had my heart broken, got braces right before college (which by the way will be coming off sooner than planned), worked so much it's crazy, started college, survived general chemistry (although I will be retaking it because I got a C), made new friends, got separated from other friends as we moved on with life. It's been hard, but I've learned so much and I wouldn't change any of it. With all the trials come even more blessings. Because of the braces, my jaw isn't a total mess and once they come off I will have a beautiful smile. My wonderful jobs taught me valuable lessons I never could have learned without them and I am able to pay for my own school with minimal financial help from mommy and daddy :) Although all my friends seem to go separate paths, I know they're still there for me. I am so blessed to have ten (and counting) of my very best friends serving LDS missions. I get to write them all and watch them grow. It makes it easier to let them go when I know that they're doing what they're supposed to and changing lives along the way. Having most of my friends gone has helped me to grow closer to my family- especially my wonderful mom. I'm so grateful for her.
4. Time management. This is something I have really had to learn this semester. Why? Because I'm taking 16 credits, working 9-12 hours a week, and running track. The greatest part is, it's all going really well. I'm not even stressed and I'm really succeeding. My grades are fantastic and I've never been happier. My secret? Put the Lord first. Seriously. Lots of praying, lots of scripture study, and going to the temple once a week. It's funny how when you put Him first everything else falls perfectly into place.
1. Grocery store adventure with Candice. We originally went to get one simple thing. Well... we ended up running into an old man with a microphone. He gave us a raffle ticket and told us that if we stuck around for less than three minutes we would get a fruit/veggie peeler priced at $5 for FREE. Every college student's favorite word. Naturally we hung around, ended up getting conned into some ridiculous demonstration and after like 20 minutes ended up getting some pretty crappy peelers that should probably be priced at 5 cents, not 5 dollars. After the demonstration we decided to get some strawberries and toppings to go with. Most people get chocolate to put on their strawberries, but not Candice and me. We get marshmallow cream. We picked out some generic brand and were going to buy it, but Candice didn't like that it had air bubbles in it. We proceeded to the ice cream toppings aisle and were looking at hot fudge when all of a sudden I found the perfect addition to our strawberries. I got so excited that I screamed and basically jumped onto our cart and reached awkwardly in front of Candice. What was it? Liquid marshmallow cream- NO air bubbles. Yes, it was worth it because liquid marshmallow cream + fresh strawberries= AMAZING.
2. 1/2, 3/4, and whole birthdays. Pretty much I have amazing roommates. We celebrate everybody's half, three-quarters, and whole birthdays. I have eaten so much cake these last few weeks it's insane. And there's still more to come in a couple weeks. I love it :)
3. On a more serious note... This last year has been so weird. Basically it's just been a little unstable. I've had my heart broken, got braces right before college (which by the way will be coming off sooner than planned), worked so much it's crazy, started college, survived general chemistry (although I will be retaking it because I got a C), made new friends, got separated from other friends as we moved on with life. It's been hard, but I've learned so much and I wouldn't change any of it. With all the trials come even more blessings. Because of the braces, my jaw isn't a total mess and once they come off I will have a beautiful smile. My wonderful jobs taught me valuable lessons I never could have learned without them and I am able to pay for my own school with minimal financial help from mommy and daddy :) Although all my friends seem to go separate paths, I know they're still there for me. I am so blessed to have ten (and counting) of my very best friends serving LDS missions. I get to write them all and watch them grow. It makes it easier to let them go when I know that they're doing what they're supposed to and changing lives along the way. Having most of my friends gone has helped me to grow closer to my family- especially my wonderful mom. I'm so grateful for her.
4. Time management. This is something I have really had to learn this semester. Why? Because I'm taking 16 credits, working 9-12 hours a week, and running track. The greatest part is, it's all going really well. I'm not even stressed and I'm really succeeding. My grades are fantastic and I've never been happier. My secret? Put the Lord first. Seriously. Lots of praying, lots of scripture study, and going to the temple once a week. It's funny how when you put Him first everything else falls perfectly into place.
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