Marriage, Brandi Gone, Y Group leader, School again and Yellowstone

Good luck and miss you B!

The happy couple... looking at the temple... ah serene

So I didn't have any Yellowstone pictures yet... so this is the Handy's... ha ha! (and Lisa West... Will's mom)

Me and cousin amanda at the wedding... Too cute not to post cuz I don't think I've ever had a picture with her before! Kind of fun.

Well, since that last post a lot has happened in my life to make some great changes and new adventures. First thing that happened was that my wonderful brother and best buddy got married! Yay to Kyle and Ashley. They got married on August 18th in the Salt Lake Temple and had the most beautiful reception dinner I have ever been to. It was breathtaking, and so were they. Kyle was so happy, and so was Ashley. How wonderful to have finally made that comitment to each other after 2 years of 'cyber' dating if you will because everything was over skype... Bless their hearts. It was a really happy day. We had a delicious Hawaiian buffet and then a program where all of us siblings got up and said a little something about Kyle and Ashley and then mom, dad, and grandpa B talked a little and so did the bride and groom. They went to Park City for their honeymoon and are now living in Provo as Kyle finishes what he hopes is his last year here at BYU (His major is chinese with a minor in business management).

The next week (exactly a week) after Kyle got married, by Brandi left on her mission to Columbus, Ohio! What a joy for her, but a bitter sweet time for me and those very close to her. She made me this super cute photo book of our friendship up to this point and I just bawled and bawled the day she left and the night before. We went on a 5 mile run the day she left for the MTC and we just talked casually as if nothing was changing and then I just said bye and I turned around and cried... Oh bless her. I hope that she finds the mission to be exactly what she was picturing and that she can just love the experience. I know she will.

This week that Brandi left I was a Y group leader for the new freshman class coming into BYU. It was a blast! I got all these precious freshman who were scared and eager and excited to be here on campus and be living the 'adult' life after high school. They kept answering all these questions and I finally felt like I knew what I was doing. It was a blast, and I will for sure be doing it next year!

School started last monday! I declared my major and minor on the second day of school and here's what I am doing "FOR SURE". I am a School Health Education major with a minor in PE teaching and coaching. How perfect right? THis way I get to teach health, pe, coach a few sports and hopefully do aerobics classes. Just the lifestyle I want and I'll hopefully be doing it for the right reasons and help students get through the tough times of high school... Also, after a few years of teaching I hope that I can be a public speaker to Youth on overcoming body image issues. So I've finally figured out a way to do everything that I love, and I'm so excited. I've kind of come full circle. :) So so far, school is bomb. I'm having a super good time! I've already been on a few dates and have a few more coming up this week... so I'm doing well socially. Plus... I have these amazing roommates who I just love to death like they were my own blood relatives. It's going to be a good year.

So for labor day weekend I got to go to Yellowstone with the Handy family, Katie, and my parents! It was so fun, and it made me appreciate the little things so much more. It was so beautiful there. What a beautiful and fun (free) way for me to spend the holiday! Being there made me think of Jeff a lot, and miss him. It was kind of tough being there, but at the same time it just made me want to strengthen my friendship with him so that I can go up there again ;). Anyways, it was a fun time.

Well! that's my life till now. Today I got a job as a TA for a professor from last year who's also my stake president and a fantastic person. I'm so happy... life seems to be going my way. Lets hope. :) Wish me luck!

Catch Up

This is a picture of the back yard of the Cash lake house... SO pretty. And that's luke in the background too... funny kid.
This is the crew! Left to right= Adam, me, Jeff Perry, Shawn, Brandi, Jed, Luke, Mitch, MaCall, Dave, and Ainsley. Spence also was there but he left a little earlier then the rest of us.

So I haven't blogged for almost a month and that is crazy to me... I can not believe how quickly the time has gone by. I've had some incredible experiences and I feel like I have learned a lot in the last month.

I have been more seriously dating a few boys this last month, both of which are of naught but taught me a lot about myself and about what I need in my future. I have been busy going out with them and hanging out with my friends most every night. It has been such a joy and a blessing to have all of those guy friends back home from their missions. I have had such a blast. This last weekend we went with Brandi and her family to her cabin up at bear lake. I went up there on thursday night and the rest of the crew came up friday night. Friday Brandi and I went running in the morning, then went out on the boat for about 4 hours (and I actually wake boarded for longer periods of time... super fun) and then we just laid out and listened to music and read. We came inside and played some volleyball and we went out on her jet ski for an hour or so also... so already we had had a physical day. Well, that night we decided to leave the boat out because it looked like it was going to be a really calm day and we would be fine. So about an hour after we came in from the lake, a storm flew in (literally within 10 minutes the world was in chaos outside). So needless to say, the boat was full of water within 30 minutes, and it was so wavey and dangerous that we didn't know what to do. We took all of the things that were in the boat out of it and then we just had to wait out the storm. Our friends came around 9 and the weather was back to calm and beautiful so we all went out in the lake (my friends came outside the second they got there and jumped in the lake with their clothes on... such amazing kids) and we bailed out all the water in the boat and got it inside. So by this point, we were all just exhausted (the cashes and I especially because of the long day anyways). It was so sad... the boat seems like it will not recover, and it was a nice nice boat. Anyways, we played games and got to know each other a little bit better then watched a movie and went to bed. The next day we played on some water tramps, the blue mat thing they have which is really funny and kind of sinks when you get on it... and with 12 people on it it was a good time. Then we played on the jet skis, played lacrosse, basketball and volleyball and enjoyed the sunshine as much as we could. I just love that place, and love these friends that I have been blessed with. Most especially I am so grateful for my buddy Brandi. She is such a strength and blessing to me. She is so amazing and a great example of learning by faith. I am going to miss her so so so much when she leaves in 2 and a half weeks for her mission to Columbus Ohio.

Well, that's really what's been up in my life. I have been helping Mom get everything together for the wedding in a week and a half and have been trying to keep the sanity as my dad's been out of town at the national jamboree. It is so nice to have him home again... he is our rock.

The Simplicity of My Life

Sometimes I pause and reflect on 'my life'. And by sometimes I mean all the time. Most of the time I am content with where I am. I think that the Lord blessed me with a spirit of contentedness. I don't typically question the gospel, where I am in life, or what I'm doing with it... maybe because I have faith in the plan... but it all just seems to be fine. But as I was looking through pictures on FB today... I felt this tinge of regret. Regret that I did not have the guts to apply all the way for the New Zealand study abroad, or that I was too slow to get into the Europe one. Regret that I live at home this summer, instead of living away and making friends and having 'my own life' separate from the one I'm in etc. etc.

Well... after the regret came the Gratefulness. Grateful that I AM in this place today. Grateful that I have the gospel, which gives me hope in the future. Grateful for my working body, and loving family. Grateful for my friends who bring a lot of joy to my life.

See.

I lead a really simple life. I have a job (or 3 depending on the week), an AWESOME bed to sleep on with a loving family around me to support me. Sure, I'm not having the adventures that some of my friends are having, but I am having my own little adventure.

I'm getting to know my mother's life better... the kind of p a i n, worry, and love she feels for all of us children. I am learning how much work goes into being a full time mother, friend, sister, and wife. I am learning how to organize better then ever before, and I am learning most especially to LOVE. Love everyone, and love deeply. Care. Try. Work.

You know, I always say this, but I just KNOW that life is about learning. Learning who you are, what you want to do, how you can overcome obstacles and be that much better.

Contentedness is a feeling quite desired. I am so grateful that currently, I am content. And Happy

Return Missionary Friends

Return Missionary friends. Interesting people and different people in a good way... but... it is still weird sometimes to integrate our lives together. I can only imagine what integrating a relationship with one of them would be like. I am so glad though that these boys get to serve missions (and soon I'll have girl friends serving missions who are home). Anyways, they learn so much and get to be enveloped in a wonderful culture of the spirit 24/7. Living like that seems impossible, but not when you are on an LDS mission. It is such a blessing for every aspect of their lives, and the people who's lives they touch. The last missionary buddy of my friends that were a year older then me comes home on Tuesday. It is crazy to think how quickly time has gone by. I'm excited though to have all of us back together again and see what is in all of our futures.

For the last few days we have been moving Paul and Danielle into their home in Mt. Green in the Ogden area. Their house is super nice, and it is very exciting the stage of life that they are in. Paul is a legitiamate doctor with his name on a sign and everything. (Pictures to come later). It is super exciting to see him really begin his life's work... And they couldn't be more pleased with the road that has taken them to where they are right now in Mt. Green. So I want to say a huge CONGRATS to Paul and Danielle Family. You guys are super people and wonderful examples to me. Love you and GOOD LUCK in your new place and job. :)

Facebook... Can we as a society ever escape it?

So I walk into the library to print off a paper for my next class, and I decide to take a look at what other people are doing on their computers. Facebook. Of course. What else would a hard working BYU student be doing? As many of you know, I am re-taking American heritage and because of this, I am gaining again so much more insight into why people do the things they do. Why do I blog? Because for me, it is a social outlet and a way to organize my thoughts. Maybe this is why people become obsessed with FB. I thankfully am not, and don't intend on ever being obsessed. If it werent for my out of state friends, I would drop my facebook page in a second. Everyone says they don't love facebook, but secretly you do. You love to look at people's pictures and creep on their status and friends. Secretly you can't wait for a moment where you can change your status to what 'amazing' thing happened to you. My personal and honest opinion on the subject? The world has gotten too technologically dependent for everything from going to the bathroom to having relationships with people. I am perplexed by how quickly society accepts new technology and can't seem to find a way to live without it. I'm glad I have facebook because my best friends are on there and I can see what they are up to. I love having pictures from trips when I forget my camera or whatever. But as far as actual socalizing goes? I could definitely live without it, and I believe we should try to as a society. Now... I'm curious to know what your opinions are on the subject of facebook.... :)

Certifiable Gleek

So remember how my favorite T.V. show was "Ugly Betty"? Well. The reason for this (disclosed with much more information in a previous post) is because Betty defied the odds that were against her and pretty much never forgot who she was and what her potential was. She stuck up for her family values and was always a friend to other people before she even though about herself. Now, the show had some twisted ideas of what values are... but the central character of Betty was my favorite part.

Now tragically this show has ended for good, and so on my quest for another show to love, I stumbled again on Glee. Now. THIS show has next to no morals for kids in high school, or anyone else for that matter. The characters are sexually driven in a lot of instances. And even though I am embarassed to put this but out there, there's a but. But the central theme of the show is to be yourself, no matter what other people may tell you to be. Okay okay, this theme has been beaten like a dead horse in so many of the sicoms etc. out there on t.v. but glee has extra power in it. This extra power comes from music. The music in this show is INCREDIBLE. Now, i am pretty picky about what I call amazing music, but glee for some reason just literally sings to my soul. The songs are so full of power and drive... and these kids are MY age. So, let me sum it up for you. Watch this show if only for the music they sing. It is making me wish I could go back to high school and really be into Madrigals for the experience it was. I always wanted to do show choir, so this show in essence is a time for me to re-live a little bit the joy I got from singing in high school. Okay, ode done. Enjoy!!

Interesting times

Oh blogging world. What interesting times we live in. What interesting struggles we have. Do you believe we hand picked some of these struggles? In a sense, we did... because we chose to choose the things we chose. I am choosing tonight to change some things. I really need to. I've felt peace about this decision. I'm excited to implement it. I am going to be better about so many things... with you all as my witnesses I commit to being a better member of the church through regularly attending institute, church meetings (mentally attending them not just physically ha), reading my scriptures, and praying. I also need to get a handle on my self control. I'm slowly becoming one of my worst fears... and I don't like bad dreams, so I'm going to stop them from coming true. Here's to taking down the bad guys today and fighting for a brighter tomorrow. :)

Road Runner

I think the cartoon animal that is most like me is the road runner.... A, because of his speed in going everywhere and B because of the dust that he leaves behind him.

Today, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by both parts of the road runner.

I've been so busy since january, it's been a whirlwind of activities. I was busy with school (homework and studying), family (birthdays and sunday dinners etc.), dating (surprisingly a lot my second semester, but to no avail... no one i've really been interested in), and especially lacrosse. This years lacrosse season was a whirlwind of it's own. I've been back and forth so many times about what i want to do with lacrosse next year because of various experiences this year with coaches, fundraising, comments from team members and limited playing time in practice and games. But... after this last week I know I need to play again next year. We went to the national tournament in Scottsdale AZ

It was a great opportunity to be with the team and learn a lot about what lacrosse can be for my team. We have so much to improve on next year, and i will be more of a leader then an underdog (hopefully) so I think I'll enjoy it more. Plus, I get to be around girls who are so much fun and great friends, and be physically active, and also to be able to travel around places. It's so unique, and it is a big part of who i am. I don't think I'd be content with giving it up. Thanks to mom and dad for their support of me throughout all my crazy decisions. Also thanks Katie and Karin for coming to AZ to support the team and me. You're the best. :)

Anyways, School started up again last week and I'm stressed which i shouldn't have to be, but i am because it's a 7 week semester with only 3 class periods and already I have midterms. I just wonder... why don't I ever take it easy? Usually it just makes me stressed and not as happy as I possibly could be. O well...

As far as the dust part, lately I've been feeling like I'm getting left behind in the dust of what everyone else is doing. People are going on to bigger and better things, and what am I doing? I feel as if I'm again in limbo... a hard place to be in that I remember being in my senior year around this time. I'm just so unsure of everything, while it seems as if everyone around me is sure of everything. I KNOW THIS isn't the case, but sometimes it feels that way. I think if I lived around a different culture then mormons and BYU i'd feel differently. I'd feel more normal about just working and hanging out all summer instead of planning for a mission, wedding, or internship somewhere. I KNOW I have an amazing life, I just wish I could have my crystal ball today and not have to wait till heaven to see into it.

No worries, I'll be over all this by morning, but it feels good to get it off my mind.