Don’t cry because it’s over, Smile because it happened.

2010-10-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

"Life is too short. Grudges are a waste of perfect happiness. So laugh when you can, apologize when you should, and let go of what you can't change. Love deeply and forget quickly. Take chances,give everything and have no regrets. People change, things go wrong. But just remember, LIFE GOES ON"

First post!

2010-09-21T22:40:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't posted anything for a VERY long time.. but this is the start of my new post! I'm going to catch up on my blog and FINALLY write some of my experiences, thoughts, and memories from Africa. Be ready cause they are coming soon!!

Fear is the Opposite of Faith

2010-06-13T04:54:00.001-07:00

As this week began, so did the battle within myself. A battle against my fear and a need for faith.
The realization that as soon as the team leaves, Kelly and I
will be alone in Africa. Fear immediately struck me as I realized just how long we were going to be here and I found myself questioning what I was doing. I felt sick from the fear and couldn't imagine the long days ahead of me. I prayed constantly for the strength I would need because at the same moment I realized my fear, I also realized this trip is not about me. This is about those children around who are in need of encouragement. This about those girls with saddness and hopelessness written in their eyes. This is about those people around me who desperately need to feel loved. I knew then that I could not possibly allow my fear to get in the way of the work that needs to be done. Fear is the opposite of faith. I know this is a battle within myself that I will need to fight the whole time I'm here and that battle begins now. I am praying constantly for strength to reach outside of myself and become a tool in the Lord's hands. As I sat looking at pictures of the faces around me, this song came on and reminded me of my purpose here in Africa. I want to recite just one verse from the song Safe Harbors that really helped me to gain some faith.

Can you see through their disguises?

Can you hear what words won't tell?

Some are losing faith in heaven,

Cause their life's a living hell

Is there anyone to help those who have no where else to flee?

Or the only arms protecting them belong to you and me.

This is a call to arms to reach out and to hold

Evacuees from the dark

This is a call to arms to reach out and to hold

Evacuees from the dark

This is a call to arms to lead anguished souls

To safe harbors of the heart.

Can you feel the pleas of the refugees for safe harbors of the heart?

The words of this song hit me with such force. It helped me to find inner strength and motivation to forget myself and look at the need of those around me. I've seen the pain in their brown eyes and behind their beautiful smiles. They need me just as much as I need them. I pray I'll have the strength to reach out and hold them in my arms until they feel the love I have for them and the love Heavenly Father has for them.

"The story for their need for love is written in their eyes.."

In the heart of Africa

2010-06-09T08:33:00.000-07:00

My time spent in Africa thus far has been incredible! I only wish I could find the right words to describe the experiences and feelings I have here. I realized long ago that finding words to describe this place is impossible. It still amazes me how peaceful I feel here because this place is my home. What a blessing to be able to come home once again. The first two weeks here were spent with the whole team of around 26 people. It's been so much fun to share these life changing experiences with such incredible people. I have learned and grown so much from their examples to me. They left on Monday and all though the house is quite now, I still feel their spirit here with me. Communication is finally becoming easier out here and I promise to post some pictures and experiences soon. I can't wait to share a part of my experience with you. Since the team left Kelly and I have been thrown straight into the heart of Africa. We are the only white people for miles around and we can feel it! It's strange though, although I am suddenly very aware of my skin color all I can think about is how well my heart matches with those around me. I feel so blessed to interact with these people. They have become my new family. We all see the same sky and wish upon the same stars. They may not speak the same language as me or eat the same foods, but we are bonded by the love we feel here and towards each other. I am so grateful. As stated by my dear friend Sue Krupa Grey, "The sameness of the human heart is God's most beautiful artwork. What we choose to see and find in each other is usually what we become."

Africa here I come..

2010-05-17T16:38:00.001-07:00

Here I sit preparing to embark on the journey of a lifetime. After much planning and pondering, I can't believe the time has finally come for me to return home to Africa again. This time I am blessed with the opportunity of staying not just three weeks, but three months. I hope and pray that I am spiritually prepared enough to really engulf myself into my work over there. It's hard for me to fathom that I will be living in Africa for three months. I'm not sure what to expect or how to prepare, but all I know is my heart tells me it's the right thing. I know there will be heartache and trials, but then I know there must be in order for this experience to truly change lives. I cannot express in words my gratitude for this incredible opportunity. I am so grateful Heavenly Father has led me to do this amazing work. I am so grateful to my parents for the love and support they show me. I am so grateful for the hard work and support of Gloria Terry and Vicki Stone (founders of Africa is Life Changing). Without them, this dream could never have become a reality. I pray that I may be used as a tool in the Lord's hands to help those that I come in contact with. I know my life will be changed through this experience and I just pray that I may change the life of someone else as well as they feel the love Heavenly Father has for them.

Favorite things about Hawaii..

2010-04-21T17:07:00.000-07:00

This post is dedicated to my favorite things about Hawaii.. Oh what a great place! I will miss it!

1. Skydiving in Hawaii.. So beautiful!

2. Jumping off Waimea rock.. actually Waimea Beach in general is just my favorite!!
3. The fact that riding in the back of the truck is legal in Hawaii!! hee hee Gotta love that hitchhiking!

4. The amazingly beautiful sunsets..
5. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the mountains in Hawaii.. they are breath taking!!

6. Plumeria flowers.. I love the way they smell and look. They are my favorite! I loved putting them in my hair everyday :)

7. The best restaurant in Hawaii.. Hukilau Cafe :)

8. Of course the beautiful beaches and ocean..

9. ... well obviously the person I will miss the most :)

10. The beautiful wildlife! besides the dang roosters.. I won't miss those!

My time spent in Hawaii was so so great! I will really miss it and I hope to go back and graduate from BYU Hawaii. What a great experience! One I will always treasure!

April Fool's Day fun!

2010-04-04T16:25:00.000-07:00

So a new prank war has now broken out at BYUH ever since April Fool's Day.. Here some of the pranks we did on April Fool's Day.. There's many more to come! :)

We took this oh so ANNOYING alarm clock that makes monkey noises instead of normal alarm noises and placed it under KallyRae's bed set to go off at 2:30 in the morning..

Hee hee we put IcyHot on the toilet seats in the Hale bathrooms ha ha.. classic.

Michelle put my toothbrush in a block of ice! Yes I couldn't brush my teeth that night!

We also put some flour in my friend's hairdryer..I stole my friend's fish which she didn't notice was missing for two days ha ha and we REALLY wanted to catch a rooster and put it in my friend's closet.. but haven't successfully caught one yet. Any ideas on how to get one? Lucy's stuff has all been locked in her closet and KallyRae's bed has been seran wrapped.. ha ha so fun! The battle continues to rage as more pranks are brewing in the head! Brilliant! Love pranks!

Pranksters!

2010-03-30T12:23:00.000-07:00

Throughout my life I have ALWAYS loved to pull pranks. I just couldn't help myself. Even as a young child I was always scheming up new plots and oh they were good!! Well ever since a certain "incident" last summer where one prank went bad, I committed to stop pulling pranks and haven't since. Well with April's Fool Day oh so close and some inspiration from some dear friends I have found a new desire within me to start some pranking again! Watch out people!! You may wonder where this inspiration comes from.. well it's from the pranks that have been pulled on me. Just last night my dear friend KallyRae decided to be sneaky and snatched my bike while I wasn't paying attention at my friend's dorm. After noticing it's disappearance, Lucy and I began searching for it. Bikes tend to get stolen a lot at BYU (Yeah I know! Crazy eh?) so I was a little less than surprised mine got stolen. We went to check the security cameras and sure enough we saw someone walking out the door with my bike! Of course we couldn't tell who it was because the camera only showed the person from behind.. useless cameras. Well as Lucy and I went out to go chase the person down on foot (yeah we're smart:)) KallyRae finally exposed herself. Good prank KallyRae! The battle is on now! I feel a renewed strength and desire within me. Like a part of me that has been lost is returning. I can't help but sit and scheme in my mind all these brilliant prank ideas to pay KallyRae back and maybe even attack a few other people along the way :) Oh yes this April Fool's Day is going to be a good one! Thinking back on other pranks done on me throughout this year, I can't help but want to pay back the favor to my dear friends.. boy oh boy am I going to have fun!

My New Motto..

2010-03-28T00:54:00.001-07:00

“Better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the grey twilight that knows not victory nor defeat”

Happy St Patty's Day! :)

2010-03-18T02:07:00.000-07:00

A bad diagnosis..

2010-03-10T15:35:00.000-08:00

Well I seem to have the most ROTTEN luck with my feet. Somehow they are always injured.. there's either massive blisters, falling off toenails, slivers needing to medically be dug out, or some kind of sprained ankle. Well so as luck would have last week during soccer practice I somehow managed to BREAK my foot. It's not a big break.. just a little chunk came off of my metatarsal. When it happened I thought I must have merely bruised it so I kept playing regardless.. probably not smart. The next day it turned blue and purple and started swelling. I couldn't exactly walk so I told my coach I couldn't come to practice that day. She had me go see the trainers to see what they thought was wrong with my foot. Well the trainers sent me to the Kahuku hospital for an x-ray and it showed my fractured bone.
If you look at the metatarsal of my big toe you can see the little chunk that broke COMPLETELY off.. I was thoroughly disappointed by this point. A BROKEN foot!! How could this happen! It was barely hit and suddenly it's broken! Ugh.. just my luck. Well so the hospital in Kahuku decided to send me to a doctor in Honolulu to see if I had to get a pin stuck in it so it wouldn't move around too much. I went to that doctor today and GOOD NEWS I don't need a pin! Yay! He did however tell me that I can't play soccer for TWO MONTHS!!!!! I couldn't believe it! He said I can't risk having something hitting my toe and stopping the scare tissue from healing between the bone completely. I asked him if I could play if I just kicked with the other foot... he said no. I can't even run for 4 weeks! What am I supposed to do for 4 weeks!!!!? Who really needs that chunk of bone anyway huh?!? I obviously am out for the rest of the season and I am VERY sad.... granted there is only 3 weeks of the season left but still... I am officially the cripple of the team. Not something I particularly ever wanted to become but what can you do.. For now I'm stuck doing cycling workouts with a blue foot!This photo doesn't quite show my foot's true colors, but it looks something like that. What bummer. No more soccer. No more running.

Tsunami!!

2010-03-01T01:56:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was an very interesting day for me. It was nearly 6 am and I had hardly slept a wink because I was too nervous for my upcoming soccer tournament. I had to be up at 7 am and was desperately trying to get any sleep I could. Suddenly Michelle's phone goes off and I couldn't think of who could possibly be calling her so early. Well it was our relief society president calling to tell us there was a Tsunami warning and we needed to pack up our valuables and important documents and head for higher ground. Well this news really woke me right up. I began feeling quite freaked out as I checked my phone and saw I had several missed calls and texts from people warning me about the Tsunami. My tournament was obviously canceled. :( At about this same time an eerie sound could be heard outside our apartment. I was the warning siren blaring throughout the city. As I looked out the window at the ominous scene before me everything seemed so surreal. The dark clouds and rain hitting the ground accompanied by the sirens left me feeling scared. Michelle and I hurriedly tore apart our apartment trying to get all we could to a higher place so it wouldn't be destroyed by the water. We live right on the beach and couldn't take any chances. We packed some food and headed to the Stake Center to find out where to go. Our bishop drove us to the temple and told us to climb up to the hill behind the temple where hundreds of people in the community were camping out. I couldn't believe it was really happening, but by this point I was surprisingly calm. As we sat up there for about an hour, I realized this was going to be an all day thing and I needed a book for entertainment. Michelle agreed to walk back with to our apartment to retrieve my book. As we walked the opposite direction of everyone else and towards the oncoming Tsunami, the looks we got from people were priceless. We still had 3 hours before the Tsunami was going to hit so I wasn't honestly too worried despite the ongoing sirens in the background. After getting my book and locking everything back up, we headed back up the hill and sat down to wait with everyone else. Besides answering the calls and texts of concerned loved ones from back home I had nothing to entertain myself with so I was grateful for my book. We ended up sitting on that hill for a grand total of 6 1/2 hours and I really really grateful for my book by then. The predicted time for the Tsunami came and went with no sign of a large wave. We had to rely on whatever we heard from others for updates on what was going on so of course none of it was very clear. We sat in wonder for what turned out to be a pretty anticlimactic day. Although I am SO grateful that nothing did end up happening, I was almost looking forward to seeing the grand Tsunami just to experience it and see what it would look like. As I sat there I struggled to even imagine what it would be like. I think the freakishness of the morning was enough though. Waking up to sirens blaring across the state and rushing to mountains was unnerving enough and gave me a pretty good sense of what it would feel like to really live through a Tsunami. My mom insists she predicted this happening and told me I should learn to listen to her when she says I shouldn't live away from home. Mom always knows best!

Lessons of gratitude

2010-02-26T19:31:00.001-08:00

After some prodding from my dear friend Kristin and an interesting experience today, I decided to update my blog once again:
Every once in a while Heavenly Father decides to step in and humble me in life and make me realize the immense blessings I have. I have had the great opportunity this year to play for the women's soccer team here at BYU Hawaii. Playing college soccer has always been my dream. I never thought I would have the opportunity to do it and yet here I am, out playing soccer with an awesome team and coach. I love it! I've never hard to work as hard in my life as I do now. As with most hard things in life, it gets exhausting. I found myself beginning to dread the daily 2-3 hour practices. I would complain and moan and roll around on the floor just to show my disgust. I knew once I got there I would enjoy it and I always felt so great after the hard workout. Well today was no different. I found myself hesitant to go to practice. I show up to practice and as I began warming up my coach comes up to me and says Dawn (the NCAA regulations lady) called her today and told her I wasn't eligible to play.. WHAT? She was working things out but said I might not be able to play in tomorrow's games. .. I was devastated! I couldn't believe that after all this time I suddenly wasn't eligible. I couldn't help but think that I would suddenly be kicked off the team. Today was my last practice with the girls.. so long dream... goodbye soccer.. I realized just how distraught I became at the thought of no longer being able to play whereas just minutes earlier I was griping because I had to practice. I could picture myself bidding the team farewell..Well throughout practice I wanted to make the most of it. I wanted to have the most fun and work my hardest.. after all this was my last practice with the team! Well as it turns out there was no problem with the eligibility. Dawn called back and said I was fine. Relief swept over me. I was safe. I could still play!! Boy what a lesson I learned though! I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to play college soccer. Playing soccer at this level is a whole new experience and I realize I need to embrace EVERY moment of it! I'm so grateful to have a strong, healthy body so I can play and live my dream. I'm also so so so grateful for the little lessons in life that teach me to be humble and grateful. Heavenly Father gives me so many blessings and He is my everything!

Walden- Henry David Thoreau

2010-02-13T20:30:00.000-08:00

I'm currently reading this book and couldn't help but post a few quotes from it.

"I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion."

"It is never too late to give up our prejudices"

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

"Every path but your own is the path of fate. Keep on you own track, then."

"The universe is wider than our views of it."

"In proportion as he simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less complex, and solitude will not be solitude, nor poverty poverty, nor weakness weakness. If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them."

"Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth."

The Dash

2010-02-04T12:43:00.000-08:00

By: Linda Ellis

There was a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end

He noted that first came her date of her birth
And spoke the following date with tears
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years

For that dash stands for all the time
That she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own;
The cars the house the cash
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what's true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

We'd be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect
And more often wear a smile
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read
With your lifes actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

Cos that dash stands for all the time
That you spent alive on earth
And only those who loved you
Know what that little line is worth

It matters not how much you own
The cars the house the cash
What matters is how you live and love
And how you spend your dash

What matters is how you live and love
And how you spend your dash.

January..

2010-01-31T20:57:00.000-08:00

Okay so besides my ode to Bum I decided to really write and update you all on what's been going on this last month. I can't believe how fast January has gone by. I'm in a new apartment living with one of my best friends Michelle and we are having a blast. January has been an interesting month full of ups and downs. School is busy, but going by fast. I'm trying out for the soccer team here at BYUH and I've been practicing with the team so that has been really fun! It's lots of hard work, but of course it's worth it. Well to start off I had the opportunity to talk to Rachel a few weeks ago on the phone. It was great to hear from her! We thought she might have to come home from her mission since she's been having some problems with her joints, but as it turns out she can stay out there. The doctors have determined that she has Lupas, an autoimmune disease that affects your joints, but she has a positive attitude and isn't letting that keep her from doing the Lord's work. I'm immensely proud of her and was so excited to talk to her. I found out I am going to Africa this coming May again and I plan on staying to live there until August. I can't wait to go back to my second home. Africa means so much to me and I can't believe I have the chance to actually live there. My best friend Kelly is going with me and I am so excited to share this life changing experience with her. I just found out the people out there need dustless chalk so I'm starting a collection of dustless chalk. If any of you want to donate some you'll be directly benefiting the African children at our school, St. Catherines. Please let me know! Out here in Hawaii I've had some chances to go on some neat adventures including a hike called Stairway to Heaven. It's beautiful hike with literal stairs going straight up the mountain. It was really tough, but so worth it. We got to the top just before sunrise and the sight was breathtaking. Only god could create something as beautiful as that. It's rainy season here in Hawaii so you all know what that means. MUD! Yep I get to play all the mud football I want out here and I love it! I've been getting the chance to play in the mud a lot and of course that always makes any week a good one. This month I have been finding out some bad news about some really close friends. I just found out my dear friend has breast cancer. My thoughts and prayers are with her through this difficult time. I've been talking to another friend about her choice to leave the church. As hard as it is to stand by and watch her do it, I understand. Life changes quickly and you just have to embrace it as it goes by. Well those are the updates thus far. It's hard to believe so much has happened in only a month and yet it's gone by so quickly.

Ode To Bum!

2010-01-31T20:48:00.000-08:00

I'm posting this blog to write an ode to my dear friend Bum. Bum the cat was such a good little cat. He passed on a few months ago, but it feels as if it's been ages! He was 22 years old and every time I see a different cat they just don't compare to sweet little Bum! Goodbye sweet Bum! We will always remember you! He's in a better place now..

Some things I'm grateful for..

2010-01-15T12:43:00.001-08:00

-I’m grateful for friends in my life to remind me of who I really am and who I want to be. I am blessed with some of the greatest friends and examples in my life. I know that the friends I have in my life are not by chance. They were all put here to help me and for me to help them. We all learn from each other and love one another.

-I am grateful for the love that surrounds me in my life. The love of family and friends that surpasses anything I could ever have hoped for. I am grateful for the power of that love to overcome any trial or tragedy. The love shown to me uplifts and strengthens me. I would be nothing without that love. Love is the universal element in this world. We all have the capacity to love and to be loved. How blessed we all are to have such a merciful God to provide us with this love and to be our example of perfect love.

-I am grateful for the things that enrich my life like music, art, and culture. Music is the heart’s way of expressing itself. There is no other way to describe it. Music uplifts and inspires me in ways that nothing else can. Often times I find myself wanting to jump up and shout because of the way music makes my heart soar. Often times, moments of deepest thought and meditation come when music is there to set my soul and mind free. It releases me from the filth and grim of the world and sets me higher, in a place where I am free. Art has the same power to release the inner soul’s thoughts. I am so grateful to be able to draw and paint so that I may better express the things inside of me in such a therapeutic way. Art can tell so many different stories to so many different people. It can be exactly what you want it to be at any time

Sisters Forever

2010-01-08T19:52:00.000-08:00

I was just looking through some of the old videos Rachel and I made and I couldn't help but post at least one. We were so crazy. I think we had a little too much fun..

Because I can..

2009-11-17T01:10:00.000-08:00

27 random questions

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?
- Wow, I look really tired and scary... let's fix that.. wait I'm too lazy.

2. How much cash do you have on you?
-Around $40

3. What's a word that rhymes with "DOOR?"
-MORE!

4. Favorite planet?
-er.... Saturn!

5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone?
My very bestest friend Kelly Ann Hyde

6. What is your favorite ring on your phone?
-Bicycle Race by Queen! yeah!

7. What shirt are you wearing?
-Plain white boring t-shirt

8. Do you "label" yourself?
-.. try not to, depends on the day

9. Name the brand of your shoes you're currently wearing?
-bare feet baby! As always:)

10. Bright or Dark Room?
-Bright!! That's why my room has all 5 walls painted different bright colors!

13. What were you doing at midnight last night?
-Uh... watching a movie!

14. What did your last text message you received on your cell say?
-It snowed!! I went Sledding!! -Alyssa Barker

15. Where is your nearest 7-11?
-1,000's of miles across the ocean!!!

16. What's a word that you say a lot?
MEOW!!

17.Who told you he/she loved you last?
-The last person to say that to my face was.. my friend Lucy

18. Last furry thing you touched?
-Furry? Probably my little stray cat friend that hangs outside of my dorm who I named Sophie :)

19. How many drugs have you done in the last three days?
-I've finally gone clean!

20. How many rolls of film do you need developed?
-zip,zero, nada

21. Favorite age you have been so far?
-....Seven! Yes! I loved being a little kid!

22. Your worst enemy?
-The alarm clock

23. What is your current desktop picture?
-Picture of my sister, my cousin, and I all hugging

24. What was the last thing you said to someone?
-meow..

25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly what would it be?
-ability to fly of course!

26. Do you like someone?
-um... ya know I did until I found out they were MARRIED! That was a bit of a turn off ha ha

27. The last song you listened to?
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas songs! :)

Pinapples and Hula skirts

2009-10-11T23:16:00.000-07:00

Aloha! I am finally updating my blog! Here's a few of the adventures I've been having in Hawaii. Of course I can't upload them all on here, but if you want to see all of them they are on my facebook in my Aloha Hawaii album! I love it here and can't believe how lucky I am to be here!
This is my dorm room! It's deathly hot, but I love it anyway!
This is my roommate Sami and I at Pearl Harbor a few weeks ago. It was so amazing to see! I had never been there before so I quite enjoyed the experience
My bestest friend Andrea came to visit me last week and oh the fun we had! I was so happy to have a friend from home! This is us after cliff jumping into a pond on one of my favorite hikes in Laie!
This is a cliff at one of my favorite beaches called Waimea Beach. It's a super fun beach and this cliffs are great! Last time we went the waves were massive! I couldn't believe it!

This is a group of friends I went to Waimea with! I can't believe the cultural diversity here! It's amazing. Most of the people in this picture are white, but BYUH has students from 70 different countries! I love it!
This is me attempting to climb a Palm tree! Ha ha it was REALLY hard! But I had fun anyway!

This are two are my good friends here, Lauren and Jeffereson. We were hiking Laie Falls! It's gorgeous!

My adorable roommate Sami and I. We wear flowers in our hair everyday :) I love it! I have a Plumeria tree outside my window that I pick flowers from everyday

Well there's some of my adventures! Hawaii is amazing and I love it here! I have many more adventures planned, but no worries I'm still studying hard....... kinda.... Aloha for now!

Aloha!

2009-09-14T21:03:00.003-07:00

The time has finally come for me to move to Hawaii! I can't believe it has come and yet here I sit dying of heat in my dorm room in Hawaii! The journey here was quite the adventure so I thought I would update you all on the fun! So my flight left yesterday morning. We had two layovers.. one in Boise and one in Seatle and then we flew to Honolulu. I know it makes no sense, but it was the cheapest flight so I didn't care. On the first flight to Boise my flipflop decides to break. I have no clue how you manage to break your shoe when you are sitting down, but I did. I was left shoeless for the rest of the journey. My roommate Sami and I were on the same flight together and we both had SOOO much luggage! We looked like complete morons walking to the airports laughing and dropping all our luggage while trying to walk. People kept looking at me like I was diseased for walking around 3 different airports in my barefeet. I'll tell you what, those airport floors are DISGUSTING! We tried going down the escalator with our luggage and I was laughing too hard to be able to stop mine from falling. Sami accidently dropped hers as well but at the top of the escalator and had to go running back up the escalator to try to grab her bag. We eventually made it to Honolulu at ten at night and magically found our shuttle and somehow got even more luggage over to the car. We got to our dorms and we were starving!! There's no nearby Walmart or anything so the only thing we could find was McDonalds which happened to be closed besides the drive thru. Obviously we don't have a car so we tried to walk through the drive thru. It didn't work out so well. We eventually found food and crashed in our beds. We spent the day today wondering around campus and playing in the ocean. It's beautiful here and I love it. I'm finally settled in and ready to start class! I live in a small like hovel like bedroom with a public bathroom and shower down the hall for our use. It's weird. It's bloody hot here and there's no air conditioners so I just sit and die of heat but I'll get used to it! I will post pictures of the new dorm and my adventures so far. The people here are great and I can't wait to start making new friends! It's really different here and it will take some time to get used to it, but I can't believe how blessed I am to be here.The best part is the people here walk around in their barefeet all the time! I'm no longer the only person to walk around public places barefoot! It's great! I can't wait to start the adventure!

Inspiration..

2009-08-15T01:29:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while I find something that I know will inspire me for years to come and often I find that inspiration in books. I just read a book called Led By Faith. It's a sequel to Left To Tell which is the MOST amazing book I've ever read. This book talks about a woman's experience during the Rwandan Genocide in 1994. What a terrifying display of human suffering, yet there is beauty and love found in this tragedy and this woman's faith will forever touch my heart. I couldn't help but post some of my favorite quotes from this book. Perhaps it will inspire you as much as it uplifts and inspires me..

But my entire family is gone! Whom can I love now?
Go back into the world and find someone to bless with that same type of love. Give it to someone who has no love at all, such as the homeless, the sick, or the orphaned. Look for the beauty of God in the eyes of a little boy or girl. Find a child whose heart has been shattered, and give him or her some happiness. Remember, all love begins with a smile.
Immaculee Ilibagiza, Led By Faith, p.37

…when we suffer a loss too great to bear, our hearts and minds are open to miracles…
Immaculee Ilibagiza, Led By Faith, p.76

Hatred, anger, mistrust, and fear enter our lives every day in a thousand different ways. We’re all wounded by these evils, but we can all be healed through the power of love and forgiveness—a power readily available to all of us when we have faith.
Immaculee Ilibagiza, Led By Faith, p.192

Faith is a living thing that must be nurtured every day through prayer, kindness, and acts of love. It will lead us through our darkest days and restore love and light to even the most troubled soul in the most dire of circumstances.
Immaculee Ilibagiza, Led By Faith, p.192

She lived with pain, but she also lived with hope. She had faith that God would make each day better than the last, and that was the beginning of happiness.
Immaculee Ilibagiza, Led By Faith, p.196

If the evil that was unleashed here could be conquered with love, where could evil not be conquered? If the hearts of Rwanda could be healed through forgiveness, then what heart couldn’t?
Immaculee Ilibagiza, Led By Faith, p.200

Summer o' fun!

2009-08-08T17:37:00.000-07:00

Wow it has been such a fun summer and I have failed to write about any of it! I can't believe August is already here and I leave in a month for Hawaii!! AHH!! This summer I have done my best to fill each and every moment with fun! Here are some pictures of some of the adventures I have had this summer, including random hikes and 4 in the morning, Dancing until one in the morning every night, nannying the cutest kids on the planet, boating every weekend, and much much more!

Sending Rachel off on her mission to the New York, New York Spanish speaking mission! Good luck bud! :) She'll be great!
This is the cute little girl named Breelyn that I babysit for my summer job. We have so much fun! I just adore her!
Hiking Angel's landing with my family! It was such a fun hike!
I went to New York City with my best friend in the world Kelly! We had so much fun! This is us in Times Square. What a blast! Love ya Kell!

Here is Andrea and I about to go boating! We have WAY too much fun together!

Four-wheeling up at the cabin every weekend with my cute little dog Mooshie!!

I couldn't help but put a picture of my cute little cat Bum up here. This is probably his last summer seeing as he looks diseased and he's only half alive. I just love BUM!!

Summer is great! I'll be sure to post more pictures of my adventures later.. but I'm too lazy to do more now :) Enjoy!

For My Bestest Buddy..

2009-06-11T15:30:00.001-07:00

I know two blogs in a week.. crazy! But I promised my little buddy I would show her pictures of my most recent mud wrestling fight. It's been raining all week which is rare for Utah! It's been great! I texted everyone in my phone to go mud wrestling and only two people could go.. shame. But it was a blast anyways! Little buddy, just imagine yourself right in this picture all covered in mud with us :) I would somehow edit you in there, but I don't know how, so you get to use your imagination! I love you dearly and am SO SO SO excited for you to come home and play with me! Enjoy!

I found other mud wrestling pics and couldn't help but put them on also.. man we've had some good times! :)

There's many many more just not on my computer at this moment :)

Road to Insanity

2009-06-07T22:10:00.000-07:00

Sometimes my life can be really interesting. On Saturday my sister insisted that I drive down to Sandy to pick her up from her friends house and I reluctantly agreed as long as it didn't take too long.. yeah right. The drive down was okay.. it only took about an hour to get there although I'm not gonna lie I was in quite a bad mood by the time I did. Then as we start heading back up I realized my hopes of getting anything done that day would be dashed. Traffic was horrendous! I don't know if any of you have had the chance to drive northbound on I-15 but they closed off the entire freeway. Rachel and I were stuck in stand still traffic for 3 hours. Obviously we had to find new ways of entertaining ourselves. We began to dance like crazy people. Rachel got out her makeup bag and we began to draw on each others faces with eyeliner. We made each other each have a huge unibrow, a mustash and a beard. That combined with our insane dancing and singing at the top of our lungs with the windows down was plenty of entertainment for those around us. Suddenly I realized I had to go to the bathroom and could no longer hold it. We were no where near an exit and it would be at least an hour before the next one. I saw no other option but going in the bushes! I made Rachel switch into the driver seat while the car was still moving through traffic. I ran out of the car and dodged the slow moving cars to get to the side of the road. I hopped over the barrier and into a bunch of long cat tails. Obviously every car on that strip of freeway saw me go into the bushes and they all knew what I was doing. The bushes were full of mud and I came out covered in mud, with a big grin on my now hairy looking face. I ran back into the car where Rachel sat laughing uncontrollably. Needless to say the cars around us were giving us all kinds of looks, but I think we may have brightened their day by entertaining them while stuck in traffic. Just to make matters worse Rachel and I decided to go to IHOP before we went home because we were starving from all that dancing in the car. We went into IHOP with unibrows, mustaches, and beards and I was covered in mud. The waitress avoided eye contact with us and the looks we got were priceless. Although I spent 4 hours just driving on Saturday I have to say it was quite the adventure!

Mud, Mud, Mud!!

2009-05-10T21:19:00.000-07:00

I've always been a huge fan of mud wrestling. As many of my friends know it involves tackling each other in the mud and of course the steam roller! Once we finish we have to walk home covered in mud as people driving past gawk at the mud monsters walking by. I've reached the ultimate mud wrestling experience now.. mud wrestling in the front yard! How convenient! You don't even have to leave your property to get muddy! Our front lawn is being replaced so we currently have dirt for a lawn.. and when it rains we have MUD! The perfect mud to wrestle in. Rachel and I discovered this late one night and just couldn't resist the temptation. After watching Nacho Libre we had to try out the new moves we learned! Mud wrestling will never get old. I've loved it all my life and will continue to love it forever! My kids better like getting dirty because they won't have much of a choice with me! ;)

The Power of Music

2009-05-03T13:33:00.000-07:00

My whole life I've always loved music. Dancing, singing, playing paino, anything. I love it. Yet sometimes I am still so surprised at the power music has over my soul. I still am amazed at the feeling I get when I listen to something that empowers me. I can't even express in words the ability music has to affect my life. I don't think anyone can quite express the power music has over mankind. Of course there is the music that can so easily bring your spirit down, but when you hear that music that has the ability to lift it back up it's amazing the results you get. I listen to music constantly. At work, at school, while I exercise, while I clean, everywhere. I am so grateful for such an uplifting gift in my life. Music is my inspiration. It's what keeps me motivated in life.

Hee Hee..

2009-04-08T12:20:00.000-07:00

Letting Myself Go..

2009-03-28T11:10:00.000-07:00

So you know how people always say women let themselves go after they have children? They seem to stop caring about how they themselves look and worry just about their children. That's the way it's supposed to go right? Well I've recently come to the conclusion that I began that process a bit too early. College has been the reason for me letting myself go. It's true. I'm nasty and disgusting looking and I couldn't care less! I absolutely despise wearing make-up, I haven't straightened my hair since Christmas Break, I wear the same clothes over and over and keep in mind they aren't cute clothes.. they're sweat pants and t-shirts. I tend to sleep in the same things I wear to school and then wear them again the next day.. just cause I'm too lazy to actually take the time to find new clothes in the morning. I'm basically disgusting! It's too bad I started this process so early in life.. now I'll never get married. Meh, what can you do? Some things just aren't meant to happen. I've embraced it..

Yep... that's me!! :) And of course my cute little friend Andrea!

Hidden from the World

2009-03-21T01:23:00.000-07:00

It's 2:30 in the morning and I can't sleep. I have to wake up at 6:30 and I absolutely despise not getting enough sleep at night. I just don't function when I'm tired, or maybe it's all in my head and I just tell myself I can't. It's one of those nights where I can't get my brain to shut off. There is so much to think about and it just absolutely refuses to go to bed, so here I sit. I wish at times I could be more free in my writing. I get so concerned about letting too much of myself out for others to see. There's so much going on in my life that I wish I could just express it all right now. How therapeutic that would be, but I can't bring myself to expose that much of my heart. I know if I learned to open up more, things would be different, but it's just not in my nature. I so appreciate those people in my life who can understand me without me having to tell them anything. What a special bond it creates in my life and one that is desperately needed. Although the number of those people are few, the effects are huge. It's an ongoing battle within myself to express my thoughts and feelings freely or to keep them hidden away safe from the world. Someday I'll win that battle I hope. I'm fixing things in my life right now. Hopefully I can find peace and I will being able to sleep at night once more.

Life

2009-03-17T12:52:00.000-07:00

So I really have nothing profound or entertaining to write about, but I feel like writing so I'm going to. I keep counting down the days until school is out and I swear on my life the number keeps getting bigger. I'm sad that I'll have to leave everyone in my ward because I know it's not very likely I will see them again, but the thought of moving home without having homework all the time just makes me so happy! It's so hard to keep up the motivation to study. I have three exams this week and I can't concentrate to take one of them. I have to take my anatomy test in an hour and I'm only halfway through studying, yet here I sit, writing pointless crap on my blog that no one will really care to read. So I started to re-read the book Left To Tell. I forgot how life changing that book is. I read it and I am blown away. My thoughts are constantly drawn to that book and it really touches every aspect of my life. There are some things in life that are so touching and I wish I knew how to write so I could fully express the way they make me feel, but I don't so you are left in the dark until you read that book for yourself. It's funny how sometimes I get in these really weird moods where nothing in life matters but the relationships I have with people. I often am blown away when I realize how lucky I am for the people and examples I have in my life. I know that God has a hand in everything including my life.

You say goodbye, I say hello..

2009-03-01T17:25:00.000-08:00

I said goodbye to another best friend today. I feel like this is goodbye to my old life. Everything has changed now, and the next stage in life is beginning. All my best friends from high school are now spread throughout the world. We all are moving our new directions, saying goodbye to our old lives, and hello to the new ones. I'm going to miss the way things used to be. I don't handle change well, but life is always good and I can't wait to begin the next adventure in life.

"No friendship can cross the path of our destiny without leaving some mark on it forever."~Francois Mauriac

My Darling Little Wench . . .

2009-02-25T21:24:00.001-08:00

Little wench, I had to make this post because I felt bad that I ruined your blog. I will find a way to make it up to you. So here it goes, a post about Care on her own blog.

This is our very own little wench. Despite how things look, you had better believe that she knows how to rock out. Good times. She loves to go boating and loves to make a fool of herself even more. Put the two together and it makes for a very entertaining boating trip. (Caw Caw Caw!)

This is a picture of the leech with her friends Mike and Chris. Well, they would have us believe that they are friends but I think this picture sheds some light on how they really feel about each other. Mike is just always happy, Chris is about to be hung unbeknown to him and Cara is worried for her life because she is stuck in the middle of all of it.

Now that we are getting to know the little vermin a little bit better, I find it safe to tell you that she is disgusting. If it isn't cake it's snot. Actually in the second picture Chris is the one going for the nose. That makes him the disgusting one. Thank you wench for always finding a good reason to get dirty. Life just isn't as fun when you are clean, I learned that from you.

This picture I had to add. Even though I look hideous, the wench looks so cute and she is wearing a hat that she made all by herself. Believe it or not she does have some talents that aren't destructive or lead to sudden illness or death.
Wench, I love you so much. When I count my blessings I count you a million times. Thank you for being my best friend, for making me jump out of airplanes and for always singing louder than me so no one has to hear my horrible voice. You make me the best person I can be, no one could ask for a better friend than you. I love you like a dung beetle loves dung.

Just for fun..

2009-02-24T15:07:00.000-08:00

LAST:
Last person you hugged? Megan after class today
Last person to call you? Cynthia..
When was the last time you felt stupid? This morning when I failed my quiz in class.. fun stuff
What was the last thing you yelled? .. doesn't barking out the window count?

FACTS:
1.Hometown? Layton, Utah
2.Natural Hair Color? Dirty Blond
3.Initials? CC
4.Hair style? longish.. brown.. Katherine cut it and it's a box dye so not too cute :)
5.Eye color? Brown
6.Height? 5' 31/2" on a good day
7.Pets? Meisha!! The cutest dog in the world! and bum.. the ugliest cat in the world but oh how I love him!
8.Mood? Content, calm
9.Where would you rather be? At home.. I'd give anything to be home with friends and family right now
10.What was the last thing that you had to drink? Water from the Gold's Gym drinking fountain

THINGS ABOUT YOUR LOVE LIFE:
1.Have you ever been in love? I don't think I know what love is.. so how would I know
2.Do you believe in love? Yes of course
3.Why did your last relationship fail? Cause it didn't exist? I don't think I'd consider any of the last flings relationships
4.Have you ever been heartbroken? Yes.
5.Have you ever broken someone's heart? Also yes.
6.Have you ever fallen for your best friend (opposite sex)? Yes, still am fallen
7.Have you ever loved someone but never told them? Yes.
8.Are you afraid of commitment? I'd defiently have to go with yes
9.Have you had more than five different serious relationships in your life? No.

EMOTIONS:
1.Are you missing someone right now? More than ever before
2.Are you happy? I think I will be.. right now I can't say
3.Are you eating anything? No, I'm starving though
4. Do you like someone right now? Yes, I think so
5. Does your ex hate you? Never had one.. officially anyway
6. Have you ever kissed anyone whose name started with a R? Yes..
7. Would you get married if you could right now? Oh no no no! I could not handle that right now
8. Is the last person you kissed mad at you? I think so honestly, but I'll never really know
9. How old are you? 19 1/2
10. Are you in a good mood? indifferent
11. Do you prefer warm or cold weather? warm.. today was warm, loved it
12. Is any part of your body sore? Yes, my abs from the gym
13. Do you care if people hate you for no reason? Oh yes, it bothers me more than anything
14. Still talk to any of your exes? if you consider them exs.. then yes one of them
15. Do you miss anyone right now? Yes, yes more and more by the minute
16. Lose a best friend lately? Yes and my heart is broken, I don't think it can go back
17. Who is the last person you texted? Cynthia
18. Have you told anybody you loved them today and meant it? Yes, Kelly, Cynthia, Katherine, Megan, Dad..
19. What's worse, liars or cheaters? I don't have tolerance for liars, it's personal. But I hate both
20. Is it easier to forgive or forget? Forgive, although both seem hard at times
21. Can men and women be "Just Friends"? All the time
22. Would you live with someone without marrying them? Absolutely not.
23. Ever kissed a random person and then walked away? No, I always wanted to though
24. Are you a beach, country, or city person? Beach, I could spend my life living on the beach
25. When you marry will you wear white? Of course.
26. What's wrong with you right now? a little upset and uneasy. I wish I knew what to do
27. Are you excited about anything? I'm so excited for school to get out, I don't know what i'll do after, but it's keeping me going right now
28. Do you think that you're a good person? Yes, I think so, I try my best and He'll make up the difference
29. Do you hate the last girl you were talking to? Not at all, I didn't think I could ever hate anyone, but sometimes I have to question myself
30. Have you held hands with anyone today? No
31. Do you want someone back? Yes more than anything
32. Why do people continue to smoke when they know the effects of it? Addiction.
33. Have you known any of your friends for your whole life? Kelly
34. Does anyone love you? Yes, and I wouldn't be able to survive without that love
35. How has the week been? harder than expected, stressful, and an emotional rollercoaster
36. Do you walk around naked? at times..
37. Has anyone ever seen you in your underwear? Yep!
38. Is there a person of the opposite sex you care alot about? Yes, there are many
39. Whats on your schedule for tomorrow? School, take my insane Anatomy midterm, more school and study for my next midterm..

Spontaneous road trip!

2009-02-19T11:32:00.000-08:00

We all took a spontaneous road trip to California and Vegas. We stayed at our friend Sami's dad's house in Cali and had a blast! We went to the beach.. which was freezing but so so fun and we also went to downtown Disney. It was quite the adventure. We spent our last night in Vegas and walked the strip! It was so so fun.. minus the porn and smoke. We rode the New York New York roller coaster and saw everything until we were too tired to see anymore. I never want to ride in the car again, but it was worth the 12 hour drive for a weekend of fun!

Vienna

2009-02-18T23:12:00.000-08:00

Slow down, you crazy child you're so ambitious for a juvenile But then if you're so smart, tell me Why are you still so afraid? Where's the fire, what's the hurry about? You'd better cool it off before you burn it out You've got so much to do and Only so many hours in a day But you know that when the truth is told.. That you can get what you want or you get old You're gonna kick off before you even Get halfway through When will you realize, Vienna waits for you? Slow down, you're doing fine You can't be everything you want to be Before your time Although it's so romantic on the borderline tonight Tonight,... Too bad but it's the life you lead you're so ahead of yourself that you forgot what you need Though you can see when you're wrong, you know You can't always see when you're right. you're right You've got your passion, you've got your pride but don't you know that only fools are satisfied? Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true When will you realize, Vienna waits for you? Slow down, you crazy child and take the phone off the hook and disappear for awhile it's all right, you can afford to lose a day or two When will you realize,..Vienna waits for you? And you know that when the truth is told that you can get what you want or you can just get old You're gonna kick off before you even get half through Why don't you realize,. Vienna waits for you When will you realize, Vienna waits
for you?

The words to this song are amazing. I had to post them for you to read and ponder yourselves. I love this song

2009-02-03T20:47:00.001-08:00

Sabriel's roommate Brenda threw her a surprise birthday party so Larrabee, Katherine, Mike and I all went up to Salt Lake for the Black tie event! It was a blast! Happy Birthday Sabs!

Best Friends!!

2009-01-27T15:04:00.001-08:00

just discovered some great pics of my best friends in the world! Here's to my best friend Kelly. I just love you!

2009-01-15T12:36:00.000-08:00

Life is beautiful. There are so many things which make it worth living, these are a few of my favorites:
1.laughing until you cry
2. playing in the mud
3. singing as loud as you can in the car
4. dancing in the rain
5. warm fuzzy socks on a cold day
6. music that inspires
7. making movies
8. getting lost in a good book
9. friends that you'll never lose
10. eating chocolate
11. seeing an old friend
12. traveling to far off places
13. riding bikes
14. meeting new people
15. camp fires
16. watching children laugh
17. the feeling after a long run
18. letters in the mail
19. being complimented on a hard day
20. the smell of the earth after rain
21. music that makes you cry
22. doing something you never thought you could
23. hugs
24. looking out at the world from the top of a mountain
25. lying on the grass
26. sand between your toes
27. loving others
28. being loved unconditionally

2009-01-11T20:46:00.000-08:00

This is the ode to the Wench! Aka Katherine! She has saved me down at college and let me practically live at her house! Oh the good times we've had! I just love little Katherine!

Best Winter Break Eva!!!!

2009-01-07T16:36:00.000-08:00

2009-01-06T12:29:00.000-08:00

So you know those times when you're playing a game online and you're about to win.. and then out no where a friend a.k.a. MEGAN! comes and starts shoving chocolate down your shirt and you lose the game!! Yes that just happened to me.. oh Megan be warned... I am coming for you!!

2008-12-13T21:45:00.000-08:00

I got this photo from Sana and Shosh as a Christmas present about a week ago. I absolutely love it. It brings me back to my time in Africa. The sights, the sounds, and feelings that were there. It's been over a year since I came back from Africa and I can't wait to go again. His love is so amazing. He reaches out to them and to us. These people are made so much stronger through the trials they are given. I believe they were some of the best souls in the pre-existense.

2008-10-25T21:16:00.000-07:00

I read this quote a few weeks ago and since then I've read it daily. This has comforted me daily down at college. I have lived my life around this quote:
"It isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don't worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us. If we put our trust in Him, if we live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers." -Gordon B. Hinckley
I love this quote and I know it's true. I read it every morning and it gives me strength to keep going.

2008-10-25T21:05:00.000-07:00

2008-10-19T15:19:00.001-07:00

more adventure pics

College Adventures

2008-10-19T14:03:00.000-07:00

Coming to college has been one of the biggest learning experiences. I learned a lot about myself and life and I'm still learning much much more. I hope to keep improving on myself and enjoying college. These are some of the recent adventures I've had at college.

Welcome friends!

2008-06-07T23:57:00.000-07:00

Hello friends and welcome to my life! From this point on I will be sharing a part of me with you! Isn't it wonderful!? "How precious"- said by Kelly Ann Hyde seated beside me. If you ask me, it is anything but precious! My life is... interesting. As you see to the right of us.. "life is a battlefield"- also said by Kelly Ann Hyde seated beside me. We have fun and so I hope you will join in our fun and enjoy this new blog of my life and share the many daily adventures with me and my buds!