A Year In Review: What really matters

I saw a good friend of my do this on Facebook and decided I should do it too (just not as highly publicized :) So I pulled out my journals and planners and started reminiscing, hoping I would smile on the good times and do my best to make it through the hard.

2010 in Review:

January:

• Learning to move on
• Nannying for Taylor family
• Catching up with old friends
• Maya "Fuega" (bearded dragon) introduced to the family
• Singing
• Introduction to Singles Ward
• Sleepovers with Erin
• Online classes
• Stake Conference
• Dates
• 19th birthday with family

February:

• The spark of another relationship--lots of hiking :)
• Dad accepts a calling
• Surprise Valentine
• Overnight Nannying for Jaggi's
• New relationship with Nicholas Kirkham begins
• Another first kiss
• New calling: Ward Music Director

March: 

• Clippers vs. Jazz 
• Disneyland
• Love is in the air
• Hospital and Temple Visit
• Beauty and the Beast
• Marriage talks
• Nannying Jacobs family
• Hot tub nights

April:

• Beach, beach, and more beach
• Salt Lake City Road trip with Kirkhams!
• General Conference
• Big Gulps
• Temple hopping
• Greek Goddess
• California Adventure
• Santa Barbara Zoo
• Tears and a hard goodbye
• 2nd semester at BYU-I
• School, new ward, new apartment

May:

• Skype dates
• Fiesta Forever
• New Calling: Activities Committee
• Priesthood blessing
• Temple visits
• Special Olympics
• Church Talk
• Surprise birthday for Stephenie
• Memorial Day Weekend in Utah

June: 

• Midterms
• Ultimate Frisbee
• Nicholas visits- Yellowstone, babysitting, Taylor Swift moments, Bonanza, and lots of tears 
• Time for a break
• Nerds
• DAVID ARCHULETA CONCERT AND BOOK SIGNING!
• Taco Bus
• Shooting
• Bridge Jumping 

July: 

• Mission Calls and Farewells
• Bear Lake 4th of July
• Mud Football
• Rexburg Nursing
• Devastating heartbreak
• Eclipse
• Latin Dancing with Cameron
• The final days
• Home
• Toy Story 3
• A harsh reality

August:

• Passing of two dear friends
• Spiritual connections
• Cameron visits!
• Dodger night
• Heather Hamilition's wedding
• German friends
• Family
• Double Dates
• Borrego Springs
• Cousin Dates

September:

• Back to the Burg
• Road trip to Montana
• Trenna's Wedding!
• Dates :)
• School again
• Old movies
• BOUGHT A CAR "Baby"
• More dating

October: 

• Conference weekend
• University Choir
• Straw maze
• Inkom
• M&Ms
• Sunrise hike
• Halloween Parties as Peter Pan Cast of, and Jungle Women

November:

• Horkley's
• Provo trip
• Harry Potter!
• Concerts 
• Singing in church
• HOME FOR THANKSGIVING
• Met Elder Bednar

December:

• More dating
• "All I Ask of You"
• Sledding accident-broken tail bone
• The Messiah Concert
• BYUI Center dedication performance "Come Thou Fount"
• Another "first kiss"
• Graduation Commencement
• Hard goodbyes
• Home-"Silent Night"
• Christmas
• Chocolate fruit 
• New Nanny Job!
• New Years Eve: Golf N' Stuff

It was an incredible year. Looking back I feel a wide range of emotions. I grew up a lot! I struggled with getting over relationships, starting new ones, getting over them again, and starting the cycle all over again. I learned to heal and to smile through my tears. I learned that my faith is a lot stronger than I thought. Most of all I made great friends and kept in touch with the people I love and care for dearly. Although it has been a hard year I am grateful for the struggles I had and for the lessons I have learned. Through them I have become stronger and more in tune with what I want and what the Lord wants for me. I've come to realize what really matters.

Playing Mommy

I have just started my nanny position for a sweet family from my Church. I have been watching them for 3 days now and am completely in love with their little smiles, tiny feet, and mischievous ways. Sure it's bound to get difficult as tantrums are thrown, spit up and diapers erupt, and all chaos breaks loose--but I'm already realizing it's totally worth it. I definitely have my hands full with three children under age 5.

Matthew is 4 and full of life. He is extremely bright and can already catch me in the many mistakes I make daily. I usually am able to let those slip past but he is one smart cookie. Matthew is kind and caring and has an incredible imagination, but boy can he scream!

Spencer is 2 and has very little verbal skills but man is he a cutie pie! He is full of life and has the biggest melt your heart smile in the book. He's a stinker because he understands what you're saying but usually chooses when  he will listen and when he pretends to not understand. Ornery but so sweet.

Kaylee is 6 months old and a little angel. She is one of the most calm and easiest babies I have ever worked with. She doesn't like to sleep much but she does love to laugh and play and just cuddle. I can't complain--she is a doll!

Being with these sweet children has really got me thinking about my own future family and what I want and what I look forward to. I can't wait until the time comes for me to be a wife and a mother and to have my sweet husband come home to me and play with the kids and just be a happy family. I happily await that day. Until then I'm just playing mommy.

Music to My Ears

This semester I had the opportunity to participate in numerous musical performances as I battled my hectic schedule Fall semester 2010. I participated in two devotionals, a large performance with Women's Glee, Handel's Messiah, and the BYU-Idaho Center Dedication and Graduation ceremonies. These various performances were what kept me afloat this semester. I was challenged by switching from 2nd Soprano to 1st Alto. I definitely gained a lot of respect for my fellow Altos.

Singing is an incredible ability to express emotions and to deliver joy and happiness to those around you. Singing brings me ultimate joy, it is one of my greatest passions, and one of my most fulfilling talents. I had the opportunity to be in the Messiah concert, where over 600 BYU-Idaho students participated in singing and playing Handel's Messiah, one of his greatest masterpieces. I was one of the 500 choir members and had the pleasure of sitting next to my beautiful roommate McKenna Lawler--while my other roommate, Brindisi Stotts, played Violin in the orchestra. It was an amazing experience to sing beautiful words to the audience packed in the Hart auditorium, but most importantly to sing to my Savior, Jesus Christ.

The last two performances I participated in were in the newly dedicated BYU-Idaho Center. I was priveldged to  sing on the same stage as President Eyring, Elder Bednar, and Elder Nelson at the dedicatory services of the new center. It was an incredible experience. I have never been so moved by the Spirit, I definitely was in need of a pack of tissues at that service. We sang the song "Come Thou Fount" and before we were to sing it, while we were practicing in the gym (10 basketball courts!) our conductor moved us with some inspired words. He said to remember WHO we are singing this song of praise to. WHO we are dedicating ourselves to that day. We weren't singing to the audience, or the Apostles, or the conductor, but we were singing to Him, our Father and also to our Savior. It was our time to sing of our love and devotion straight to Him. "Safely to arrive at home" along with many other beautiful phrases pierced my spirit, that has honestly been in need of shaping up lately. I was extremely moved and grateful for the incredible experience of singing at such a historic event.


Here he is. What a happy guy. I love him dearly. The picture below is the first choir that sang in the BYU-Idaho Center for the Dedication. You probably won't be able to pick me out but I am there!

The End of a Great Semester

Sitting in the Salt Lake City Airport waiting patiently as I can for my flight to Burbank, California, I have had some time to reflect on this past semester. It truly was an amazing semester with lots of ups and downs and crazy experiences along with incredible realizations about myself and others. What I have learned from Fall 2010 Semester at BYU-Idaho:

1. Living with 5 other girls is a challenge
2. Homesickness dies with time
3. Rexburg, Idaho can become home
4. Laughter is the best medicine
5. Break downs, whether emotional or mental are actually healthy
6. Breaking your coccyx makes you really appreciate your health
7. Friends are essential
8. I need to work on a LOT when it comes to my attitude
9. I have the ability to make time, it's merely the question of whether I will or not
10. I am extremely stubborn and headstrong
11. I need to let things go
12. I have amazing roommates
13. Sharing is caring
14. I need to dedicate myself to school
15. I need to rededicate myself to the Lord, He is my best friend and my constant guide and I have neglected that this semester
16. Money is precious and a luxury and so is having a car
17. Boys are more complicated than I thought
18. Sass isn't always worth it
19. I am very blessed
20. Singing is my passion, talent, and love

The Final Days

To do list:

Pack
Pass Finals
Wait...take finals
Pack some more
Sing at the BYU-Idaho Center dedication
Stephanie's Birthday
Christmas presents
Take care of car
Storage
Pack again
Laundry?
Temple
Random assignments to be turned in
Say goodbyes :/
Sing at Graduation
Get on the shuttle and get outa town!

Sledding

What a weekend! I am currently sitting on my donut pillow typing this blog post about my crazy weekend. I was sledding with three of my FHE brothers and two of my roommates. Carly and I decided to go down a steep hill with a big dip at the bottom and as we hit the dip we flew up and landed exteremely hard on my tail bone. The wind was knocked out of me and I couldn't breathe but I let it go and shook it off. I had no idea what I was in for. Sunday morning I went to take a shower and ended up fainting from the pain. My roommates heard me fall and banged on the door to wake me up because the door was kept shut from the shower curtain rod I had brought down with me. I finally came to and was completely disoriented by my surroundings. I finally gathered the strength to get up and move the rod. I was in shock and crying uncontrollably from the pain and shock. It was crazy. I saw my Bishop at church and got a blessing then was cautioned to go straight to the hospital to see what had caused this.

Erika drove me and took very good care of me. The doctor sent me in for an X-ray and after the results were in he said that I had a broken coccyx (tail bone) and the pain and shock of the hot water had caused me to faint. So for the next six weeks I have a donut pillow to sit on and take with me wherever I go. Sledding is a blast--but apparently very dangerous. Like I said--it was a crazy weekend.

Realizations

Since I've been home in beautiful Newbury Park, California I have realized many things.
1. Family is the most important thing in the world to me
2. I need an attitude adjustment. :)
3. Heavenly Father DOES indeed love me very much and is ALWAYS watching over me.
4. I am never alone.
5. I have INCREDIBLE friends.
6. I have the ability to handle hard situations.
7. Lost love is still love.
8. It's not easy losing a best friend.
9. Trust myself; never doubt what I believe.
10. I am truly loved.