I haven't always succeeded in life. Sometimes each time I get up something seems to want to push me down. Sometimes I laugh until tears roll down my cheeks. Sometimes I sit in the wind and just breathe. Sometimes I feel like crying, and sometimes like flying. It's all me, and sometimes...I write these things down, and they're here for you to see.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Sometimes Life is Hard

I have a problem.  School starts in 11 days, and I'm enjoying my summer too much to want to go back.  I know school is good, but.........it's been a nice break. ;)

Also, I'm super tired lately.  Doing a lot during the days, playing, cleaning, prepping, Relief Society, and staying up too late typically results in me semi-crashing halfway through the day, usually at this time, between 2:30 and 3:30.  The obvious solution is to go to bed earlier, or take a nap, right?  Except I don't usually do either.

So it's my fault. Also, this week's been hard.  Hard news, rough days, long evenings and not enough time to do what I need to.  Trying to fit everything in can be tricky, and with school will be especially tricky...in a good way, I'm sure, but...

I'm not meaning to complain.  It's just me trying to sort my emotions and everything.  Most of the time, life is good, but in case people wondered - yes, life can be hard, depressing, "lame", trying, and especially difficult some weeks more than others, even for those whom it doesn't seem like it would apply to.  So what do we remedy it with? (Aka., what have I been trying a lot of lately?)

-Scripture study...sometimes more than 15 minutes. Sometimes you've got to read from 5pm to 5 in the morning in order to finally feel in the right mood or Spirit.

-Prayer.  Praying like there's nothing else to do. My dad says (quoting President Hinckley): "Pray like it all depends on Heavenly Father, and then work like it all depends on you".  Pray for others and their struggles. 30 minutes later, you may still be praying, but with a different purpose than you started.

-Go to the Temple.  I sat in the waiting room for probably 20 minutes before I felt like I could completely leave the world and it's worries behind, but even then the worries I had were still on my mind.  Then I went down to the Baptistry, went to work, and came back feeling refreshed.  Sometimes it takes a short visit, sometimes longer. You just have to make the time.

-Not gossip.  I've noticed that there's been a lot of gossip going on lately, and I try not to be a part of it, but man it's hard sometimes.  Try it.  Go a week, or even a day noticing how you talk or listen about people.  Gossip can tear a person down the same way a wrecking ball does to a building.  Change the conversations for the good.

-Loud music. Sometimes you just gotta let it out.  One time it was turning the volume up to the max on the piano and playing long and loud songs, loud enough that I'm sure the neighbors could hear even with the windows closed.  No one else was home, so I figured they wouldn't mind... ;)

-Realize you've changed. You're still the same entity that goes to bed at night and wakes up for the day, but what's inside of you has grown and changed.  You're not the same, but you're still you.  It's a paradox that's hard to explain, but easier to understand.  If you're looking to do the same things the same way, you're selling yourself short.  It's not going to happen.  Times has passed, you and your surroundings change, and you move on.  Albeit it's not easy.  Oh no.  It can be rotten hard.  But it's really for the best.

-Paradigm shift.  Gotta make the decision to change.  And if you do, you have to jump in facing forward with both feet.  No twisting, no looking back, no holding on to anything else.  The times when you don't think it's working, when you feel like you've tried long enough with no results, you just gotta keep pushing forward with hope and faith that it'll come through.  Some day it will.

-And one of the hardest....Trust.  Give up your pride, let go of your doubts, and trust in the Maker of the Universe who holds you in the palm of His hand.  Trust in His timing, His blessings, His promises, and the trials that He allows.

These are some of the things I try.  Some of them work better than others, and may be easier, and you might even find something that works for you that no one else has tried or found to work yet.  But just thought you should know, sometimes we have a hard time.

Love, Me.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

I Have Moved On

I know that I'm over you. I can walk down the street and smile when I think about you and where you are now. I don't lay awake for hours before falling asleep wondering where you are and why we're not together.

So why does something someone else do or say make my heart pound and my breath catch and my limbs freeze as I am trapped in a memory of you?

After a few moments I am freed from this grip of the past, and reality comes flowing back with the long, shallow breath I take and I close my eyes to wait for the dizziness to pass, and I wonder; Why does that happen? Am I really over you?

I have my answer a few moments later when breathing is restored to normal, and it doesn't pain to think about you, good times and bad. When it doesn't feel like my heart is being squeezed and wrenched unkindly from its place in my chest. When I'm not stopped in my tracks to bend doubled over from how hard it hurts. No tears come, though they wouldn't have.

And though for a moment I may be sad for what was seemingly lost...I look down the summery road, through the golden sunlit air and tree-lined walk, and watch you smile and hear you laugh and play...and find peace in being able to turn away.

And I know I have moved on.

Down my own road, through the tree-lined walk to a single maple tree overlooking a still pond, where grass grows as tall as your knees, and flowers bloom freely but without overabundance, where a single lark can be heard calling out his melody to be answered across the meadow by his friend. Where you can lay out at night and watch the stars glow in the sky as it turns, where you wish on the ones that fall from their places, where you can feel the warm breeze turn cool during the night, and smell the fresh air from a valley away. Where I wait without waiting, breathe without breathing, and grow without knowing. Someday someone will join me. So with peace, farewell to you. I am here, living in solace.



Solace I have been waiting a lifetime for, and found.

Love, Me.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Buckle up, get set, go!

Sometimes when you get on here, it's because you have something on your mind and you just need to spit it out so that it can be sorted and understood a little better. Occasionally there's a story to be told, or an event that needs mentioning.

This time, I don't know why I'm on here, other than just for the joy of blogging.

I did apply for a job as a receptionist at BYU today, in the Ancient Scripture department. We'll see how that goes. :)  I helped "cater" a wedding last Saturday, from 10:30am-10:30pm, with a 3 hour break at three when I got to go to the Mt. Timpanogos Temple.  I absolutely love it there. The peace that's in there...mmm. I've missed it.  Working was fun, too, I was surprised. I kind of like manual labor, as weird as that sounds. Any work can be good, but this was fun. I got there, had some instructions, then they said, "Okay, you're in charge now", and I was...and it was great! I did start to get tired at about 8:30 that evening...and it would have helped to have another worker, but what we had worked well. I have to admit, although humbly, that I think I surprised people there. They thought I was older, so awesome for helping even though I wasn't related (although I did get paid, so it was kind of nice that way, haha), and was surprised that I had been there since that morning and was still going strong and knew where everything went...honestly...I think it was because I enjoyed what I was doing, and had been to the temple.  Whatever reason, it was a good experience.

So, yeah. This is a weird post, but it matches me.  I'm meeting new friends, keeping up with old ones, and having a good time in between. Life is crazy, life is busy, life is good, life is...life.

School starts in 3 weeks.  I'm kind of excited and mostly not ready for summer to be over. I like my summers. :)

Anyhow, there's my update. Ciao,

Love, Me.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Countdowns of Excitement

My Twin comes home in two days. Two years nearly conquered with the exception of two days. I am SO EXCITED!!! He'll be in the states on the 24th, and fly into Utah the evening of Sunday the 11th.  I want to laugh and cry and jump and dance and tell all the world- My Twin is coming home!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Yep. That guy. :)

Also, for anyone wondering, since it's so close to the actual day, there are ten months and three days til Keys gets home.

That guy. Of whom Twin is also in the picture with. ;)

Also, five months and three days until Christmas,
One month and five days until school starts again, :-/
Four days until the combined Single's Stake Swim Party at the Scera where I will party with these guys:

Cupcake and I at the Mt. Timpanogos Temple
Group date- Messy Twister in the Park!
Me and Brave

Superhero Presidency!!!

...and more. Excited some? Yes I am.

Oh! Ps. Dad taught me how to drive a motorcycle when we were recently in Idaho.  I like it.
Not in motion...but then the camera wouldn't have been able to focus. ;)

See you soon....

Love, Me.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Our great ideas to do...

These all must be accomplished.

-Go on a walk
-Longboarding
-Rollarblading
-Swimming (tanning)
-Bikes
-Write stores (tag team)
-Do cute songs
-Go to the park
-Night games!
-Swim *by river (*I mean in)
-Hide-And-Seek in park
-Secret Service...talk to Jenna
-Lap tag (Cupcake's Idea)
-Ice cream (make ice cream)
-Cookies (make/deliver)
-Movie
-Dance competition
-Cops and Robbers
-Fun stuff at the lake!!!
-Prank calling
-Exercise more
-Stake service project
-Jam session (is this with fruit or guitars?)
-Park
-Dumbster diving (exclusively with Blink)  (Ps. I didn't do the spelling on that one)
-Nerf gun war!
-Country Dancing
-Swings in the park
-Late nights in the park
-Frisbee in the park (I think I just want to go to the park)
-Stargazing
-Sleepover on the trampoline
-Get tan
-Be fit
-Rock climbing with D-Bike
-Finger paint/chalk masterpieces
-Puppet shows
-Fun group dates
-Food fight/water fight
-Teach Cupcake to dive
-Learn how to drive motorcycles
-Delicious creations...some from Pintrest
-Cute dress up/fashion shows
-IHOP at 3am
-Awesome pool parties


...More ideas to come, and more to be accomplished!! :)

Love, Me.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Truths of Life #1

One of the greatest joys in life has got to be a cool glass of juice after a long, hot day.

And if it's guava, mmmm....... :)

Love, Me.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Summer is here!

In the midst of this craziness I call life, I have to stop and tell someone a bit about it.  I feel like this is a monthly "catch up" on what's happening, where I rush in, type something up and then rush out.  Whether or not that's what really happens, (mostly I'll just not be in the blogging mood), I'm here again, checking in on a rare night that I'm home.
But first, a view from this past week...

I had my routine cardiology visit last Friday, where mom and I drove up and did some shopping in Draper, got lost, and were almost on time by 7 minutes to my appointment at the Riverton Primary Children's Outpatient clinic.  I checked in, filled out an information sheet, and promptly changed into the fantastic hospital gown so the nurse could give me an EKG.  15 sticky electrodes and a blood pressure check later, I'm sitting in my dark room watching the middle of Tangled as I wait for the next technician to come in for my Echocardiogram...but we folk usually shorten it to Echo.  An EKG tracks the electric systems in my body, or something like that, it's kind of hard for me to explain, and an Echo is an ultrasound of my heart.

My Echo tech comes in and says the room across the hall has a better monitor, so we transfer all my stuff (and Tangled) over and we have our 40 minute test.  This may sound weird, but I actually like Echo's.  It's pretty relaxing, I get to watch a movie, and the amazing techs even let me watch their computer screens and show me the stuff they're looking at in my heart.  Sometimes, technology is so cool!!

After the Echo, I take my stuff to my third room where my mom meets me from shopping, and my fabulous cardiologist of nearly 6 years comes in.  We chat a bit, she listens to my heart, and other than discussing the treadmill exercise test I took last Wednesday (another crazy day) and answering any questions my mom or I have, we say good-bye for another year.  By now it's almost 3, and we've (well, I) been at the clinic for two hours now.  My nurse comes in again with a 24-hour holter monitor, but this one's new! Only four electrodes (thankfully latex free) instead of seven, and this fancy thing shows my heartbeat!! I was so fascinated!! We finally walked out of the clinic at 3:30, and were on our way back to Draper for some final shopping, then home in the insane traffic, and on our way to drop me off at the Summerfest with Cupcake, since she lives nearby.  She and I walked around for a bit, then I went home...but I feel like I went somewhere else, too.  Hmm.

Heart Monitor
Oh.  If you're wondering why I had that cardiology visit, I'll tell you. Seven years ago this September I had cardiac arrest and was diagnosed with Myocarditis.  A virus settled in my heart causing it to become inflamed, I got really sick...and long story short I'm practically normal today, with the exception of an occasional extra heartbeat, extremely cold hands and feet from poor circulation, and my hair has thinned out and is now half as thick as it used to be.  I blogged about it two years back, if you want to read more details click here.

Watching the parade- so cold!
Anyway, that was part of last week.  Saturday was super busy with Summerfest stuff, which was fun but also a lot.  We watched the fireworks from Cupcake's house, then I went home "early" (like 11pm) because I knew I had to be up early for a 7:00am meeting.  Why such a meeting at such a time?

Because I am the newly called Relief Society President in my single's ward.

Say what!?

Yep.  I also haven't been released from anything else, so I'm currently also an organist and FHE Co-chair (Well, chair since Co-chair is away being an EFY counselor for the next month).  Needless to say, I've felt a bit overwhelmed a few times in the past few weeks.  Planning Monday's FHE was so fun though, because Cupcake and I combined our wards, so that was nice to have their help.  We did had a lesson on Samuel the Lamanite (and I had a blonde moment/Elder Calhoun experience where I said I knew Samuel was a Lamanite instead of a prophet) ;) life-size Mormon Mario Kart (with cardboard boxes and a "Rainbow Road" chalk course), and an indoor "drive-in" movie where we watched Cars.  I would love to do Monday over and over again, it was a lot of fun. :) Thanks for everyone that could be there, it really means a lot.

The general idea of the racetrack...

Racing



Oh yeah. This is from our FHE mustache party a few weeks ago. I liked the glasses. ;)


I took my final exam for Critical Inquiry and Research Methods yesterday.  It was a fun class, but I am SO looking forward to summer break!! :) No homework, no class.......just me, summer lessons, a great bucket list, and the sun.  (And sunscreen, whenever mom can get me to wear it).  This is really the only part of the post that has to do with my title.

11:11.

So yeah.  Life has been full lately-- of meetings, life, errands, school, church, friends, stress, ups, downs, and somewhere-in-the-middles.  Thank you to everyone who helps make my day a little better whenever they can, it really makes a difference.  :)

So, as Truman says, "Good morning, and in case I don't see ya: good afternoon, good evening, and good night!"

Love you all, praying for you, and wishing for the best- keep your chin up, and come home safe.

Love, Me.