blessed

My family is amazing. I love them so much! I am so grateful for my parents and everything they have done and continue to do for me. My siblings are awesome and they teach me a lot, even though I am the oldest! We have so much. We are very blessed.

My friends are fabulous. It is great how much support they give me. Beautiful people. I love them.

I got my grades today for fall semester. This was my first 4.0! I feel so blessed for the help and strength I received throughout the semester that allowed me to do that.

I have seen so many prayers answered.

As 2010 is coming and I look back on 2009 I am overwhelmed by the blessings I have had. Things have not been at all what I expected, but it has been a good year. I have grown so much and had so many opportunities to learn. Most importantly, I have learned more than ever that I cannot rely on myself and that God is always there to lift me up and guide my path.

I am very blessed.

Thankful for 2009. Excited for 2010.

growing up

Growing up I always wanted to serve a mission. That was my dream from at least 6 to 19. When I turned 19 I was hit with the feeling that a mission wasn't part of the plan for me, even though it was something I had wanted to do for so long. I was mostly fine with that realization, but lately I have been itching to serve a mission. Today I really want to go. That got me thinking about all the dreams I have had in the past. 

Some are the same, some come and go, and some are brand new. 

Growing up is a very strange experience. 

I think the 20s will prove to be a 

semi-maddening, 

substantially mind-boggling, 

occasionally jaw-dropping,  

fabulous 

time of my life. 

There will be so many decisions to make and so many dreams {old & new} that will come true! 

professors say the darndest things

So, I had some funny professors this semester. One day my Environmental Health professor, Dr. Cole, was talking about the need for an "Influenza Guide to Dating" and used the phrase "tongue wrestle." The week before that my Biology professor, Dr. Silcox, had made a comment about kissing that had to do with tonsils. Yikes! haha! Anyway, that just gives you a little taste of my professors. As I was studying for my Biology final, I came across some especially funny slides that I thought I'd share.

finals champion

 Is there a better way to start a final than eating a cinnamon roll while listening to Eye of the Tiger?

I submit to you there is not.

Way to go, IAS 220 TAs. You really came through on this one.

Yay finals!

women

“Women are not dying of diseases we can’t treat . . . They are dying because societies have yet to make the decision that their lives are worth saving.”

-Mahmoud Fathalla, Egyptian physician & women's health advocate

In Afghanistan the risk of a woman dying during pregnancy or childbirth is 1 in 8.

In Pakistan the under 5 mortality rate for girls is 3 times as high as for boys because girls are often mistreated, neglected and even abandoned.

In one area of India 3,000 girls are killed at birth every year.

In China an estimated 50 million women are missing from the population- a serious gender imbalance.

There are about 6 million abortions yearly in India- 90% are female. This foeticide is organized crime- knowledgeable, paid, contract killing- but no doctor has actually been punished.

Women who don't have boys are considered worthless, abandoned by their husbands, beaten, burned with acid, even killed.

It is hard for me to believe that in the 21st century we still see these injustices against women. Societies throughout the world need to recognize that women are worth saving and we need to do something about it.

African Proverb: If you educate a boy, you educate an individual. If you educate a girl, you educate a community.

remembering

One year ago today was my last Shabbat in Jerusalem. I really can't believe it's been that long. Every day I want to go back. I don't remember the speakers from church or the lessons we had, but I know I started crying in the morning and pretty much didn't stop for the rest of that last week. We went to Gethsemane after church and I remember that. At night we had the Triclinium Experience, where Brother Skinner taught about the Last Supper. The memories I have of that day and of the Spirit I felt are some of the dearest to my heart. That weekend we also had our Christmas concert for the Palestinian community and our Sunday night Christmas concert. That chance to sing songs of Jesus's birth to Jews, Christians, and Muslims was really our only chance to share the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ with the people because the rules against proselytizing are so serious. I'll never forget those Christmas concerts. So today as I'm looking back on my last Shabbat, these are things I am remembering from that day/weekend and hoping never to forget.

Our Christmas concert

Looking out over Jerusalem during Sacrament meeting

Listening to Brother Squires play this organ

Roommate pictures after church. My roommates were pretty much amazing.

We went to Gethsemane in the afternoon, and it was so peaceful

This was the most incredible fireside experience I've ever had.

This table is meant to be like the table of the Last Supper.

This is the Garden of Gethsemane

with the Church of All Nations in the background.

In this place my Savior suffered for me, He paid the price for me.

I hope I always remember this place, the things I learned, the Spirit I felt.

These are memories I will cherish in my heart forever.

i heard the bells

I was talking to my dad today about one of my favorite Christmas songs, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, and I remembered singing that song in Jerusalem toward the end of the experience. I very distinctly remember singing it and I can picture the place, but the sad thing is I can't remember which church we were at when we sang it. I have forgotten so much! I think it was the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer. We ate lunch and the bells rang at 12:00. Being in Jerusalem at that time, especially because the conflict between Gaza and Israel was escalating, the words "for hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men" were especially poignant. The words at the end are beautiful:

"Then peeled the bells more loud and deep:

God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The wrong shall fail the right prevail

With peace on earth, good will to men."

This song was written during the American civil war, a time of great pain for the country and I love that sense of hope. In this conflict between Israel and Palestine it is hard to say that one is wrong and another is right, but my prayer is that right will prevail and that people will feel good will to one another and find peace. I have so much love for Jerusalem and for the people who live there.

I pray that the people in Jerusalem will find peace and I am so thankful for the individual peace we each can find through our Savior. I've heard the saying that the only reason we have Christmas is because of Easter, and that is on my mind today. How thankful I am for Jesus Christ. He atoned for my sins, He suffered for me and felt my pains and sorrows, He was crucified, and on the third day He rose from the tomb. He lives, and He loves each of us. I love Him and I will be eternally grateful for all He has done for me.

He lives.

finals list of fun

This is a list of things that must be done during finals. This is why finals week is legendary.

• chipotle
• ice cream for dinner
• christmas music
• orange juice
• facebook stalking
• all nighter sleep
• haiku 
• urban dictionary
• 'finals' outfits (a.k.a. green yoga pants, grey hoodie, moccasins, and others) 
• matching clothes
• bride wars
• rumbi
• dr. pepper w/ lime
• wedding blogs
• chocolate milk & watermelons 
• go for a drive
• hot chocolate
• dance party. dance it out, just dance it out. 

Oh yeah . . .  I also need to study, and take 6 tests. Finals week, how I love you!

countdown over!

Nate is home! He called me about an hour ago from the airport.

Now this is something that makes me feel

. . .

cheery, merry, joyful, jolly, gleeful, delighted, beaming, content, satisfied, gratified, buoyant, radiant, sunny, thrilled, elated, exhilarated, ecstatic, blissful, euphoric, in seventh heaven, on cloud nine, walking on air, jumping for joy, over the moon, tickled pink, happy as a clam,

on top of the world

. . .

happy happy happy

homecoming

Less than 24 hours left in the countdown! It definitely doesn't seem real. It has been quite an interesting two years. I know I had moments when time felt like it was passing too slowly, but today it feels like those years flew right by. Growing up is such a weird experience.

I remember being 16 and thinking about being 20.

20 seemed a lot older back then, and it seems like just yesterday I was 16.

I'm not sure when it will hit me that all this is real.

Maybe tomorrow around 1:00 . . .

it's beginning to look a lot like finals

Tomorrow is the last day of class and finals hit next week! When I got home from a good 10 hours of just running around all day and changed into this outfit I realized that finals time had arrived. Messy hair, sweatshirt, scrubs, Uggs, clashing colors . . . oh, and a bowl of brownie batter. These are the things I love about finals! Maybe we're weird, but Kelsey and I actually get kind of excited for finals because we always end up with some pretty great memories. Tonight we made cherry brownies {LOVE} and Becky & Heather came over to watch the fall finale of Glee. It reminded me of all the girls and studying for our fall finals freshman year. What an adventure! I love my friends!

So since finals are coming and I have a ton to do, I really should be focused on the paper I need to write and the study guides I need to fill out. However, the things running through my mind right now are . . .

I have cherry brownies in the kitchen, but I've already eaten too many tonight

Nate will be home in approximately 1 day, 16 hours, 18 minutes

I'm annoyed that I lost my notebook in the library today-- studying for cs and development will be grand

I'm almost out of orange juice and I need to buy more tomorrow

I hate wildlife {the class} and I'm so glad tomorrow is the last day I have to go!

I'm going to miss my cs friends and our dates in the lab

Nate is going to call me in 1 day, 16 hours, 9 minutes {approximately}

Glee was awesome tonight, and I don't want to wait until spring for more episodes

My apartment is a disaster, and I will think about cleaning it someday

Dance it out, just dance it out

I am so so ready for Colorado

Blogging is way too fun

Hanukkah starts on Friday at sundown and I'm really excited

I get to go dress shopping with Allyssa soon

I'm obsessed with Ingrid Michaelson and I need money to purchase all her songs I don't have yet

It's cold outside, but the snow is pretty.

Finals week is going to be epic . . .

I'm pretty excited . . .

coming soon . . .

Finals List of Doom FUN

baby it's cold outside

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Since our big snow yesterday it is finally starting to feel like Christmas. It's great to have some nice Christmas cheer at finals time. I gave blood yesterday and it totally wiped me out, so I'm not feeling very well today. I have just been laying in bed so as not to be dizzy, and decided to have some Christmas fun. We don't have any festive decorations for our apartment, so I started looking at decorations online. Anthropologie is a winner, of course. These are the virtual ornaments that are serving as my Christmas decorations today. Love them!

Happy December and Merry Christmas!

 

walkin on sunshine

Yesterday at church my bishop asked me:

"Are you really as happy as your face always says you are?"

Well, I guess I am!

Life is beautiful. I'm so blessed and I am pretty darn happy.

Life isn't always sunshine and daisies
{today it's more like snowflakes and hot cocoa!}, but it's all part of the plan.
Each day provides a new chance to learn and grow,

There is always something to be happy about,
and the bumps in the road are great adventures.

That is a lesson I have learned this year. My mom told me,
"Look for a reason to be happy today."

The world is full of things to smile about.

I looked at a list of synonyms for the word happy:

cheery, merry, joyful, jolly, gleeful, delighted, beaming, content, satisfied, gratified, buoyant, radiant, sunny, thrilled, elated, exhilarated, ecstatic, blissful, euphoric, in seventh heaven, on cloud nine, walking on air, jumping for joy, over the moon, tickled pink, happy as a clam,
on top of the world. . .

Try to read this list without smiling. Just try. I sure can't!

So when the storms of life start raining down,

look inside for a little gladness {or fill in your own word} and start

walkin on sunshine!

whoa-oh, and don't it feel good!

steady as she goes

am i there yet?

when will that day be here?

it seems i am always waiting for what comes next,

rushing through the days and weeks, months and years.

i'm losing focus.

holding on to one countdown after another.

i'm always looking for the next piece of the journey

or wishing for the past.

what is the destination i'm longing for?

maybe it's already here.

stop asking myself when i'll get there. each day i'm where i ought to be.

the present may not always be my favorite part,

but looking for greener pastures only dims the light that shines today.

steady as she goes, steady as she goes,

one day at a time.

joy in the journey.

hello goodbye

December has arrived! I can't believe how quickly time flies. Although at times I have {lovingly} referred to this semester as the "semester from Hell," things have gotten a lot better and the past few months have really flown by. I'm so thankful for my family and my awesome friends. I was thinking back on the past two Decembers and realizing that my Decembers have been full of hellos and goodbyes. At the end of each semester I am always saying goodbye to roommates, friends, classes, teachers. . . but December is pretty dramatic. Two years ago I said hello to Nate after he had been in Singapore and I in Provo for a few months, and then we said goodbye for two years. Last year at about this time I was getting ready to say goodbye to Jerusalem. That was saying goodbye to the most life-changing time of my life, the most amazing city in the world, and my fabulous friends. Then I got to say hello to my family and the good ol' US of A. This December I hope will hold a few more hellos than goodbyes-- goodbye will come in January.