One Week Down

This first quote describes me. I am so tired, but somehow I just keep smiling. There is always a reason to smile. This week has been so hard. Classes are rough, I have been so busy in all of the commotion of BYUSA, helping out some of my FOL kids took up some time, homework is already a killer, partying is worth the time is takes up, service opportunities which are only the best can be really time consuming as well, and of course the football game is going to take some time. I have not had the best of weeks, but then I see the second quote, and I realize it is not meant to be easy all of the time. It is going to be great, I know, but it is hard. I won't give up because it is meant to be hard and trying sometimes. I want to do something not everyone does. I am going to be great. 

 

   

These pictures are at the stadium party. We had a blast. I mean, we met Van Noy and B Dave!!!! We also met Apo which makes it all worth it! The last picture of all of us describes our friendship. We love each other. A lot. We are willing to look stupid and just have fun. Last night was game night. Well, every day is game day, but we were so excited about it. I rained before the game so I look like a hot mess, and my hair is in a bun. As you can see, I had a blast with my BYUSA friends. The Cougs won 30 to 6. I had a friend from home text me and say, "Go BYU!!!" because she saw the game on ESPN and we were winning! I got on the screen three times, we were on ESPN, and some guy took a picture of us. It is Friday. I survived the hardest first week of classes I have ever had to endure, but I made it through with a smile on my face. I have also decided that boys are overrated. Sometimes I develop crushes. I have to stop letting that happen. It always ends in a rough day for me. Apparently I like all the wrong guys, dang it. My time will come. I may be one hundred, but it will come. 

I also need to do a quick thankful post. 

1. I am thankful for the people that usually lay out 40,000 pom poms before football games. I had to do it yesterday for what felt like forever, and I hope I never have to do it again. It was awful. 

2. I am thankful that I have a bed. One night this week, I fell asleep on the floor on my computer. I woke up and my whole body was sore. I like my bed. 

3. I am thankful for inspirational quotes. On hard weeks like this one, I am pretty sure they are one of the few things that make me feel better (especially when I run out of milk so chocolate milk is out of the scene). 

Turning to Face the Sun

Fall semester has started. There are once again a remarkable number of people on campus, freshmen do walk as slowly as everyone says, and my days are full from beginning to end. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I have class from nine to two and then go to BYUSA until five. Yesterday I got up early to get ready to make a good impression. My classes are okay. I have three hours of math in a row, and it makes me die a little inside when I think about it. I hate math. A lot. I begin my day with my New Testament class and end it with my Doctrine and Covenants class, so it isn't all bad. I have the same teacher for D&C that I had for the first half of it last fall. She did not recognize me at first, and when she finally did it was really funny. The first day of classes is always the hardest. All you do is go over the syllabus. This means you don't find out if your teacher is boring until the next class because everyone is boring when going over a syllabus I could read on my own.

So, I finally got done with classes and ran to BYUSA. It was a mad house. All of the new freshmen came in, and we found out we were not as prepared as we thought. I was running around the whole time. Also, I still do not know how to answer everyone's questions. Thank goodness Eric is there every day now. I do not think I would survive without him being there. 

By the end of the day, I had three long homework assignments due before midnight, FHE, and a desperate craving/ need for chocolate. I got most of my homework done, but I missed FHE. At a certain point I just gave up and went out to talk to my old roommates since they live in the same building. One of them gave me chocolate chip cookies and legitimately saved my life. At about ten I went to work again and got the rest of my homework done. Today I only have one class. It can't be too bad.

My poor little brother is a freshman in high school now, and he did not have the best first day of school either. It is "tradition" as he says for me to pick his first day of school outfit. I have done it since we stopped going to schools that required uniforms. Well, to my mistake, I did not pick one before I left this time. We ended up skyping so I could pick it out starting with a shirt and going down to shoes and socks. He looked so handsome, or so I am told. It made me happy that he still holds me in such high esteem. I love my little bro. Anyways, I am beginning to think I may as well just skip the first day of classes from now on. They aren't fun for anyone. I guess I better turn to face the sun so all of the shadows of yesterday will be forgotten. 

I also find this a good time to look at the ways I have changed over the course of a year. At the beginning of last year, I was scared. I was in a new place. I looked at my schedule every few minutes to make sure I would go to the right classes, I lived looking at my map of campus, and I was terrified. Now, as one of my old roommates pointed out I do things I would have never done before. I danced at NSO, I sang a duet in front of people at FOL, I am almost always happy (yesterday I was really stressed. give me a break), I do not even write down my schedule anymore, I showed people around campus rather than being worried about it, and I am so much more willing to not only talk to people but to talk in front of people. A year has passed, and I have grown up. 

Short and Sweet

I have so much to be thankful for this week, but I will keep it down to three things since my last couple posts have been so long. Here it goes.
1. I am thankful that I grew up in Texas so I naturally have southern charm, and my parents taught me manners. In the South, we write thank you notes. I am so glad that I know how to write a good thank you note. So many people love getting them and hold them in high esteem. I also say yes ma'am which surprises so many people. Last but not least, I say "May I." People always look at me weird when I do, and I love it.
2. I am thankful for wonderful people. I have met so many and have been able to get to know others better. The past two days I have been doing NSO as well as taking care of duties in BYUSA. When things go wrong, I am lucky I work with wonderful people because I could not do it alone.
3. I am thankful for the wonderful feeling I get when I serve. I am pretty sure I would be close to dead right now if I were not on this "high" from service. This whole week has just been great.

Putting the Peer in Peer Mentor

FOL

We know how to have fun, be spiritual, and become great leaders. 

The Whole FOL Group

After the Water Activity

Where We Were

My Group: Ice Cream and Cake

I was kind of scared. No big deal. 

Ninja Poses

Walking on a tight rope.

Swedish Twister

More Swedish Twister

The Boards Before

Like I said, I was going to break the board. Joey is holding two of the pieces, and the third piece is hitting him. All in one powerful blow. :)

Here it is.

Our boards after. 

NSO 

How I feel right now:

Tirelessly, Lovingly, and Effectively

     I just got back from a remarkable leadership conference BYU puts on called Foundations of Leadership. Last year I went as a participant, and this year I was able to go as a peer mentor. Now, I would like to start off by truthfully saying that beforehand I was NOT looking forward to this at all. I had an amazing peer mentor last year, and I made myself feel like I could never stand up to my own expectations of what a peer mentor should be like, and in turn, would not be able to relax, enjoy myself, and be able to be spiritually enlightening for my participants. Here's the thing though. In reading through the talks that I had to teach lessons on, I came across a couple quotes that hit me hard. First: "You have great expectations... as the result of a known benefactor, even our Heavenly Father, and great things are expected of you." Wow. Ok. I knew I had great expectations. People always tell me that. Way to put the pressure on. Then came the next quote. "The call for courage comes constantly to each of us. It has ever been so, and so shall it ever be." I knew the real thing that was holding me back was fear. No big deal. I just had to step it up. Then, came the last one. "If we lose our vision of our potential we might fall short of our possibilities." I had lost sight of what I could do by comparing myself to someone else. I am not that person. I am me. This is when I realized I could do this, and I was going to have fun.
     Last week, I got an awful sinus infection. I seriously thought it was the worst one I have ever had. It hurt to move. I can honestly say I believe in miracles. I have never been able to get over a sinus infection in a week, even with antibiotics. This time I only had some advil and cough medicine. I knew I would not be going to FOL if I did not get better. I did not really give myself any rest because I always had things to do. I prayed that I would be able to get over it and be able to go to FOL. I know that with the power of prayer I was able to get over it. I needed to be at FOL not only for the group that I was over, but I needed to be there for me. I know of the power of prayer. Like I said, I was really nervous about going to this conference. It is so far beyond my comfort zone, thinking about it now scares me still. I prayed every day that my Heavenly Father would grant me the courage to be able to teach by the spirit and help these incoming freshmen know they will never be alone. College is a scary place sometimes, and I hope I got my point that not only will I be there if they call but there Heavenly Father is always there. Teaching lessons, I was not nervous. I was a leader.
     Going through activities, speakers, a ropes course, outdoor and water activities, dances, and so much more made my experience a great one. My group thought I was dating the guy I work with in BYUSA because he was always with me, they said he and I were a cute couple before they found out we aren't dating, they thought I should marry my co-counselor, and they had no idea that I was younger than every single one of them. They all thought I was twenty or twenty-one. So funny.
     Last night, we had the night adventure. We blindfold all of the participants in our group and make them hold hands. We lead them through obstacles that got progressively harder (in one group, a couple of kids fell off a cliff. No one was hurt, and it is a funny story to tell, but I think it made a better effect). At the end, we split them all up, leaving them alone in the darkness. My co-counselor and I started singing (yes, I actually sang), and one by one they all worked their way towards us. We then compared it to the scripture story of the shepard and the sheep knowing his voice. They were in the dark, but they knew our voices so they made their way toward us. I know that if we listen, we will hear the voice of the Spirit telling us what we need to hear. We are all sons and daughters of God, and he will not leave us alone and helpless. He is always there for each and every one of us. By listening to the promptings of the spirit today, I was able to listen to one of the best speakers with a talk I felt was just for me. It was about discovering your own hidden potential. He gave us a quote that said, "I am not looking for the BEST players, I am looking for the RIGHT players." I want to be ready to serve when someone needs me not because I am the best one for the job but because I am the right one for it.
     Today we were each given a wood board. On one side we wrote our goals for the year on it. On the other side, we wrote fears or obstacles of us reaching those goals. We were then told to break our boards with only our hands. Last year, I was not able to do it. I had to use my foot. This year I was not going to let my fear of inadequacy keep me from breaking my board. My co-counselor held it, we took our stances, and in one HARD blow I broke my wood board into three clean cut pieces. No, not just two. Three. Way to be.  I have to admit, I am kind of proud.
     I believe leadership is something we grow into. I believe by going to this conference and stepping out of my comfort zone, I grew into a leader more the past three days than I have ever before. President Spencer W. Kimball once said, "Greatness is not always a matter of size or scale, but of the quality of one's life. If we do well with our talents and with the opportunities given them, even more will be given." I know that by sharing my talents over the course of this conference, I was given even more talents and blessings as well. Here is one more quote. This is my favorite one I heard at the conference. "Every person radiates what he or she is." -Bruce C. Hafen
   If every person radiates what they are, I hope I can always radiate happiness and light. Even if it is just with a simple smile, I want to brighten someone's day. I want to be the kind of leader that is in the middle of the group helping people along the way rather than the one that is in front only hoping people will follow or the one behind that pushes people until they stand against it. I want to be the leader that leads tirelessly, lovingly, and effectively.
     I have a testimony of the power of prayer. I know Heavenly Father is always there for us wanting to help us if we are but willing to ask. I have a testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel. I know my church is true and that there is a prophet on the earth today, President Monson. I have a testimony of the power of friendship and how important it is in the grand scheme of things. I also have a testimony of the power of courage. President Monson said, "Life's journey is not traveled on a freeway devoid of obstacles, pitfalls, and snares. Rather, it is marked by forks and turnings. Decisions are constantly before us. To make them wisely, courage is needed: the courage to say no, the courage to say yes. Decisions do determine destiny." We have to have courage to make the right decisions to bless the lives of others as well as our own. I am so thankful for the ordinances that allow me to live with my family forever. I know they are there along with my friends to help me make the right decisions that will help lead me back to my Heavenly Father. I am thankful that I was able to go to this conference. I truly believe it helped me grasp how divine my potential is more firmly than ever before, and I have faith that one day I will be able to fulfill those expectations that have been put on me by my friends, family, and most of all, my Father in Heaven.

Finer Moments in Life

So much has happened. I have not let my sinus infection get the best of me. Thanks to a good friend, I was not homeless. She let me stay at her house. So much fun. Thank goodness for good friends. We went to Seven Peaks one day. When we got to the bottom of one of my favorite slides, we kept going. The lifeguard was holding back a laugh because of our faces. We were seriously surprised with how far we went. After going on this same slide, Janessa got out of the tube first since she was in the front. As I went to get out, somehow I rolled off and landed flat on my back, and the tube ended up on top of me. At this point, it was all the lifeguard could do to not burst out laughing. Not one of my finer moments. That same day I went to get some sinus medicine. A cute guy kind of pushed the lady at the counter aside so he could be the one to help me. He flirted a little and I may have as well, but all I wanted was medicine. You are cute, but hand over the medicine and stop flirting and creeping on me using my ID. I also lost my credit card. Again, not one of my finer moments, but I stayed calm. It is all worked out now thank goodness. This week I also got to finish all of the new Batmans. Eric made me watch them. We watched the first one a week or two ago. This week, we watched the second one on Tuesday. After that one I happily complied when he said we were going to have to go to the movie theater the next day. They are so good! Those are ones I will now watch with my little brother. He said now we have to watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy so we can watch the Hobbit when it comes out. Oddly excited about that one.

I am now moved in to my new apartment. I do not know how I feel about my roommate yet. Things are still new. I had an FOL meeting today. It was long, but I really enjoyed it. Here's the thing. I am extremely nervous about this. Not only do I have to lead a group, but you go on little sleep, you have to be outgoing, and you have to teach lessons. Ah! Why did I agree to this?
One more thing, if I cannot say I am in BYUSA because I love it, I am in BYUSA because it is an instant self esteem booster. I love the people in it like I have said so many times before. I love it when people tell me that I am a "tan goddess" or yell across the office that I am a babe as I am leaving the office. You just have to love it. I know I do.
Now for my thankful post for the week.
1. I am thankful for talks on CD by Hank Smith. He is my favorite teacher. Seriously. I was listening to his new CD, and I was laughing so hard tears were rolling down my cheeks. I was worried that I may have to pull my car over so I could wait until I could see again. On as stressful a day as moving day, he had me laughing. Hard.
2. I am thankful for cough medicine, cough drops, hand sanitizer, cool to the touch tissues, and Advil cold and sinus. You all knew this was coming because of my sinus infection, so here it is. I am so glad for all of these things in my life. I am almost over all of it. The last thing for me to get rid of is my cough. I have FOL in a couple days so it better hurry up.
3. I am thankful for being able to laugh at myself. When looking back at my week, if I was not able to laugh at myself, it would have been a lot worse than it panned out to be. I could have freaked out when I lost my credit card, lost it when the guy at the pharmacy would not stop flirting with me and give me my medicine, been embarrassed when I fell out of the tube, be in a constant state of worry about my roommate situation, freaked out about moving by myself, and even go in my shell at the meeting today instead of breaking free and having fun.

Sinus Infection

Apparently a whole bunch of water going up your nose is bad. I guess after all of my trips to Seven Peaks and tubing, my body gave out. So, naturally, I got a sinus infection. It is not fun. On Saturday night I got no sleep because it felt like I was still on the water from all of the nastiness built up in my head. I had a really bad headache, and I felt like I had to blow my nose every couple of minutes or I felt like I was drowning because I could not breathe. Other problems include nothing tasting right, I am always thirsty but even water tastes nasty, I get dizzy and feel like my balance is off, I have a sore diaphragm from coughing, and my nose is getting chapped from blowing it so often. The good thing is, a roll of toilet paper, a box of tissues, two hot and steamy showers, and numerous Motrin later, I feel a little better.  I haven't had a dizzy spell yet. I even slept all the way through the night after falling asleep during "Gone With the Wind." I just have to get better before my second Batman movie night, before having to move in to my new apartment, and before I go to FOL. All of those would be miserable with me coughing and having to blow my nose all of the time.

Adrenaline Rush

Summer classes ended. I got As in both of my classes. I say that is pretty good for spending so much time with friends, in the BYUSA office, and at Seven Peaks. It was a great semester. The only problem was when it ended, I did not know what to do with myself... for a while. Then, I realized I still had packing to do, I still have friends, and there are so many fun things I want to do before school starts back up. Monday, I went to an amusement park called Lagoon with Dani, Emilee, and Meghan. We had a blast, and we were there for most of the day. This was my favorite ride. We went on it four times.
There was something about it... We were all laughing and talking before it started. When it starts, it is FAST. We all burst out in screams. You go up that huge hill first. At the top, you pause for a minute before falling to your seeming death. Then, the screams start again. After that hill the ride really isn't bad. We just talked the rest of the ride about how scary that hill was. It was nice to have the adrenaline pumping through me, but it was even better to see my old roommates, enjoy their company, and get out of Provo. Tuesday was reading day, but no reading day is complete without an adventure so naturally we went to Seven Peaks again. Wednesday and Thursday were finals days, but Meghan and I packed and moved our stuff as well. Yesterday came yet another adventure. I went boating with Meghan and some of her friends. I love being on the water. So much fun. Utah Lake is actually rather warm too which makes it all the more enjoyable. Tubing is one of my favorite things to do. Why do I like it? I have no idea. When I think about it, I do not think the sore muscles, burns from the tubes, bumps, bruises, and stiff neck are worth it. But, then I think about how much fun it is. You are flying across the water holding on for dear life. When you fall off, you FLY. Then, you get back on and do it all again.
It was kind of an awakening experience for me. I read this book not too long ago. The main girl was up in the restaraunt in the Space Needle in Seattle. Looking down, she realized that her work in which she devoted her life toward was nothing in the grand scheme of things. I thought it was cheesy while reading it, but being on the lake and realizing how small BYU, which is my world, is nothing. It is so small compared to everything else I could see. I guess I need to work on my priorities. There are other things besides BYU and BYUSA. We were on the water all day.

Heaven, I tell you. After, I went to Janessa's to watch a movie. We watched "The Proposal." It is one of my favorite movies! I love it. I got home around 12:30 and had to clean because one of my roommates left for the weekend without doing her jobs. Fail. Anyways, I did it, and it was fine. Today, I am working on being able to move. It is rough. It hurts to do anything. We had our cleaning checks so I am technically supposed to be gone. I just have to wait until Friday to move into my new apartment that I am so excited about. It means a lot more work of unpacking and making it look like home before I have to leave on Monday, but I can do it. I am going to Seven Peaks once again. I have to get it all out of my system before it gets cold. I do not know what I am going to do when that happens. I am so excited. Tomorrow is our area dinner for BYUSA. I am going to make red velvet cream cheese brownies. So good! I have been looking forward to them all week. Our dinners are always fun, and this one is only with a couple of us. More fun? I don't know, but I cannot wait to find out!

Thankful Once Again

It is finals week. You would think it would be hard to think of something to be thankful for, but it really isn't. I am loving this week!

1. Two little girls came up to Meghan and me at Seven Peaks and told us we were pretty. It is nice to know other people besides my parents think that. It made me so happy. Here we are with absolutely no makeup on, our hair is braided, and I am wearing a navy swimsuit with black shorts. We are pretty. I am thankful for those two little girls for making my day. They are the sweetest. 

2. I am thankful for answered prayers. Everyone knows that the testing center is the building where the most prayers are said. I said one today, and it was answered. Thank you for that. I have one more final and I can guarantee two more prayers will be said in my behalf (one asking for help and one saying thank you no matter what happens). Then I will be done with summer semester!

3. I am thankful for textbook sell-back in the bookstore. Not only do they give you cash for your books, but they give you candy as well. Most of the time I get more money back for my books than I payed, so candy is just a bonus that made my smile even wider. 

4. I am thankful I have people from home to run in to on campus unexpectedly. After my test this morning I was tired and really hungry. Who did I run in to? Heidi Starr. She, just like her mom and dad, is always so happy and smiley, and I loved seeing her on my way home. I have also seen a few others this week, and my cousin, Becca, comes back in a week and a half! 

So, here are a few things I found to be thankful for on this finals week. There is always something no matter how dreary your week may seem!

I Can Do Anything Good

I do not know why, but the week of finals is when you get the least amount of sleep, you eat worse than you ever have, and it always feels like you did not study enough. Last year, I learned some survival techniques. are you ready?
1. When you are tired of studying go make home-made french fries. You get a break, and some fattening food to keep you going. You can also go to the creamery and get chocolate donuts and a gallon of milk. Not only will you laugh at yourself, you provide a laugh for others.
2. Do not put on make-up or make an effort to look nice. If you do, it makes you feel like you should go somewhere. You need to study. Don't tempt yourself.
3. After two hours of pure, dedicated studying, give yourself five minutes to look at happy pictures on Pinterest. You always feel better.
4. Change rooms for different subjects you are studying. It is a proven method to help you remember different topics for different classes.
5. If you have to pack the same week, do it after. I made the mistake of doing it today when I was supposed to be studying, and I feel like I lost valuable time.
6. Take advantage of the time you have alone if you are granted with it. I got some today, and I think I studied as well as I ever have.
7. Do not study on your bed. Sleep is important, but you have time to do that later. Study somewhere comfortable but not that comfortable.
8. Do something that de-stresses you when you take a break. In my breaks I drew and cleaned. So nice.
9. Talk to your friends and family. Not only are they simply outstanding, but they always offer words of encouragement for this seemingly impossible task you are about to embark on.
10. Remember to smile. I always hear that your day goes the way the corners of your mouth are turned. Even if you are tired and bored, if you smile, your day cannot go too badly. Just remember you can do anything good.

Last Minute Thankfuls

I have been as busy as always, so I am doing this post in the last half hour of the week. At least I am doing it right?! So, down to business, I am thankful for...
1. Chocolate. :) Sometimes I think it is what helps me get through my crazy weeks. The great thing is, it goes with anything. I can have anything for lunch or dinner, and chocolate goes great along with it. Something even better than chocolate is the chocolate peanut butter combo. Bliss. I am telling you.
2. Music. There is something about music that calms me down, makes me happy, and helps me enjoy life. Whether I am listening to church music or something that is new and upbeat, I love life.
3. I love the methods of communication we have today. I love getting texts from my mom or dad, phone calls from them, and Facebook messages or texts from friends. They always make my day. I love talking to people. Sometimes people from here drive me insane because they consistently text me when they see me every day! Calm down people! I do love getting messages though. It makes me feel loved.

There's No Stopping Us Right Now

I actually cried in the Olympics today. Normally it takes a lot to make me cry. Funny thing though.... I cried twice. 

The first time was in the 200M Women's Breast Stroke. I used to swim this stroke, so it is close to my heart. I love it. Her name was Rebecca Soni. She got gold in Beijing during the 2008 Olympics. No woman has ever been able to defend her title in this race, but I could tell she was going to be able to pull it off. The bleep went off for them to dive in to the water, and it was on. I do not know what made me cry. I was fine through the pure dedication and determination flowing through her during the race, the fact that she defended her title, or the fact that she broke the world record that she had set the day before with the time of 2:19:59 which had been her goal since childhood. I may have been screaming and white knuckling the remote, but I was not going to cry.Then, when she saw she had won and set a new record, she was so excited, as unbelief, happiness, and accomplishment rushed through her, she lost her put together look and showed the excitement of an Olympian. It was beautiful. Seeing her be so happy for all that she had done and worked for, I cried. It was only one tear that came streaming down my face, but it came no matter how hard I fought. 

Then came the women's individual gymnastics competition. I went in to this one not even having a favorite, but Gabby Douglas quickly won my vote. I loved watching her compete in each area. She was outstanding, and even with complete concentration, she smiled. When the time came for her to see if she won or not I was even nervous. She found out she won. She is the first African American girl to win gold in the women's all around gymnastics competition. She gave hope and inspired dreams for girls all over the world. A huge smile broke out. I was fine. I was ecstatic for this girl I had never seen before. Then the camera panned over to her mom. Her mom had burst into tears. I did too. 

 

The Olympics may be a time for us to be the ultimate in lazy and sit in front of the TV all day, but it brings a kind of excitement you cannot get anywhere else. Way to go U.S. teams! Way to represent and make all of us proud. 

Keeping it Classy

Today in BYUSA we had our pictures. Everyone looked nice, but as the Administration area, we kept it classy. I love these guys!

 

 

Pinkies up!