What the What!!!????!?!

So as you know on this blog I love talking about things that happen on my bucket list.  This post is a WHAT THE WHAT!  I would like to define these as check offs that I never in a million years would have thought would happen, but sometimes they do. Once upon a time my friend and roommate Abby decided to get me nominated for homecoming queen. Now I had no idea about this little plot until I got an email that I was chosen and needed to interview the next day. I was shocked and angry. This may be a lot of little girl's dream, but it wasn't mine. After a lot of coxing from Abby and others I decided to interview. Much to my shock and to be honest horror I was selected. What fun and interesting experience I got to have. The coolest part of the whole experience was the way my friends and family rallied around me.  I cannot believe the sweet words and kindness I received.  Once again I am truly blessed. I had wonderful friends and family along the way! 

Mr. USU pageant.  Everything for homecoming week was designed by the one and only Abby.  She did AMAZING!

My cute office was really excited!

SUMMER FLING!

Thanks for everything ABBY!

A little office spirit.

Night #1 Judging the Street painting.


WHOOT WHOOT what an experience:)

Experience

I love summer.  I love adventures. I love learning.  My summer has been chucked full of all of these.  Through each of these experiences I have had the opportunity to see the Lord’s Hand in my life. I have seen miracles.  I have seen change.  I have seen tender mercies.

This last weekend I was heading home for a wedding. As I was driving through Layton I felt like I should stop by and say “Hello” to my sweet Uncle Clark.  It didn’t take much time, but it made my whole day.  There is nothing like being told you are your Uncle’s favorite Niece!  I left feeling refreshed and renewed.  It was clear to me that that stop was just what I needed to refresh for a busy weekend.  It was such a blessing that I stopped by because Sunday evening he passed away.  I am so thankful for the tender mercy of getting to see him before he passed.  Now here is the miracle of the entire event.  It is the miracle and blessing of the Plan of Salvation.  This post explains why for this Uncle it is such a complete plan.  

On a lighter note I have seen change.  I have had the opportunity to interact with so many wonderful people this summer and have learned so very much.  Here is a little photo collage of my summer adventures which include bike riding, rock climbing, Ragnar, bridge boarding, EFY, water skiing, ice blocking, hiking, and golfing.  Clearly I am so blessed to have so many wonderful experiences with my family and friends.

    

A Lesson from the Olympics

I love the Olympics.  It is so fun to see the world come together and compete.  Yesterday the world watched Michael Phelps lose by a very little amount on the 200m Fly(click to view the video).  This has been one of his strongest events in the past.   Naturally I related it to my life.  In training we have to give all we have, but that isn't enough.  We have to endure to the end.  Just like the swimmer from South Africa we have to do the extra half stroke and go until the very end. But always remember life is meant to be full of happiness.  President Gordon B. Hinkley said, "Life is meant to be enjoyed, not just endured."  

Well folks thanks for reading my unorganized thoughts.  I hope your summer is going well.  It is about time for school to begin and the leaves to fall get yourself ready.

Current Favorite Song

Happy Birthday BFF

Once upon a time I moved into a scary big house with a bunch of girls I had never met.  Two months later these girls had become some of my best friends!  Tomorrow is one of these girls birthdays.
McKinsey Crabb is a hoot.  She has been such an amazing friend and I am super excited to live with her in the fall.  This is a shout out to you Crabbikins!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Beauty for Ashes

What a glorious day today is.  I can't believe how blessed I am to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Through being a member of this wonderful church I have been blessed with the knowledge of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the Atonement.  Through the Atonement I have the hope of someday living with my Father in Heaven and Savior.  What a miracle it is that I have a way to be forgiven of my sins and through the grace of the Atonement become a better person.  I am truly in awe of the plan.  Today is also a wonderful day because we celebrate the Resurrection of our Savior and the blessing that will come to all of us.  In Alma 40:23 is says, "The ^asoul shall be ^brestored to the ^cbody, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a ^dhair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and ^eperfect frame. "  I can't tell you how much this promise means to me and my family.  I am so excited for this day for many reasons.
 There are 4 main reasons I can think of.
1. My sweet mother.  As some may know she has had many health challenges that have resulted in her inability to do many activities she loves.  For her I am excited for the day when she doesn't have any more pain and can do what she loves.
2 & 3. Are named Clark and Dee J.  Without going into tons of details I can say that they are two of my uncles who are mentally and emotionally challenged.  I am so excited to get to know each of them personally.  4.Is Kyle, my best friend and brother.  I can't wait for the day when I will get to see him walk and hear him talk.
I just couldn't let today pass without sharing my testimony of Easter.
Happy Easter!

Sweet Clark and Dee J

A drawing by a great Family Friend of what our sweet Kyle may look like someday.

Kyle on his 18th Birthday.

RUDY

Nothing says Saturday morning like watching your favorite movie after a long run.  Naturally it was a toss up between Glory Road and Rudy.  Rudy won out today.  Of the many many MANY times I have watched this movie I have never picked up on the following conversation.
The back up to this moment is that Rudy is applying for the last time to try and get into Notre Dame after many rejections.  He is praying in the church when he is approached by Father Cavanaugh.

Rudy: Maybe I haven't prayed enough.
Father Cavanaugh: I am sure that isn't the problem.
Praying is something we do in our time, the answers come in God's time.


Talk about exactly what I needed to hear.  As I have been studying the last General Conference messages I came across one entitled, "Waiting upon the Lord: Thy Will Be Done" by Elder Robert D. Hales.  This talk has brought me much comfort in coming to know that I am not going to know the answers right now.  I must learn to wait, it the talk it says,

      "What, then does it mean to wait upon the Lord? In the scriptures, the word wait means to hope, to anticipate, and to trust.  To hope and trust in the Lord requires faith, patience, humility, meekness, long-suffering, keeping the commandments, and enduring to the end...Waiting upon the Lord means to "stand fast" and "press forward" in faith, "having a perfect brightness of hope".

This is why I love hearing from the apostles of the Lord and why I am so excited for General Conference this weekend.  They say the things that I need to hear and that the Lord wants me to hear.  I am so thankful for a living Prophet and his apostles and the opportunity I have to hear their words.

Spring Break

I was just lucky enough to have a WONDERFUL Spring Break.  After a super fun week in Boise I left on a cruise with four great girls!  Here it is in photos.

Our journey began in the Beautiful St. George.  

We boarded the Carnival Inspiration and sailed away in style…drinking CHOCOLATE MILK.

Catalina our first port.

I conquered a fear and checked off a bucket list item by going parasailing at 1200ft.

Tandem biking around the island.

Yummy yummy churros.

Wishin’ Big.

They made us such pretty food.

Beach in Ensenada.

Dinner group.

5 girls … 8 suitcases…1 room.

Besides getting to go on an awesome cruise and tend the best three kids I got to end my two week break with my besties.  Becca provided a legit tea party for Hannah’s birthday.  It was so fun!

As you can see I am one lucky girl.  These past two weeks have given me the opportunity to really think things through.  I am excited to finish off this semester with success and then spend another awesome summer in Logan!