REFLECTION

this morning i had to take my dad to the airport.  (to make a long story short, my usual taxi service, aka papa trav, is going out of town and i needed a car.  hence me taking him to the airport so that i could use his car for a few days.)

3:30 am wake up, people.  3:30.  want me to say it again?  3:30 am.

it was hard.

but as i dropped him off at the curb and proceeded to drive myself back to my apartment in provo, i had a lot of time to think and reflect.  here is a sum-up of those thoughts that have been bouncing around in my brain in the wee hours of the morning.

my life is oh-so-good.  and it's only going to get better.  you know why?  because i have decided to make it so.  i have been blessed so much.  i have a fantastic family that supports me and helps me in everything i do.  i have a healthy body.  i have wonderful friends.  i am attending an amazing university with so much ahead of me.  my future is bright.  my faith is bright.

of course, there are those moments in life when i think ugh.  not another test.  not another cloudy sky.  not another bad hair day.  not another chipped nail.  not another trip to the dentist.  (i have to go today, blah.)  not another stress-filled-week.

but these quiet hours of the morning have reminded me that i can do whatever i set my mind to do.  and as i drove down i-15, i was extremely grateful to my Father in Heaven for another day on earth, another day to do my best, another day to try.  if i fail, i can get on my knees and repent and do better tomorrow.  as long as i keep trying, everything is going to be okay.

i've never been a morning person, but maybe i should be.  mornings are nice.

ONE OF THE BEST WEEKENDS

my conference weekend consisted of this:

surrounded by family, good food, and the good word of God, i don't believe i could be any happier right now.  anne frank said, "whoever is happy makes others happy too.  he who has courage and faith will never perish in misery."

i love general conference.  it is such a blessing that we are able to be taught, inspired, and edified by our prophets and apostles.  i feel blessed to be a part of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  

most definitely one of the best weekends of the year! cheers!

SURPRISES AMIDST STUDIES

first off, anyone wanting to take music 101 at byu?

DON'T.  don't do it.  it's horrible.

melina and i were studying for our fourth test this semester when suddenly riley and haley walked in with cherry 7-up and limeade.  they poured us a glass of cherry limeade and it was absolutely DELICIOUS! :)

look, riley even cut a lime and put it on our glass! 

happy thursday! (which means it's almost friday, which means it's almost the biggest LDS holiday of the year = general conference!)

VISIT FROM OLD FRIENDS

a few weeks ago, marianne and cindy came down to provo to visit!  man, it was good to see them.  after lunch at brick oven, we went back to my apartment, berg came over, and we all caught up on everything.  i absolutely loved talking to them and hearing all about what was going on in their lives.  we had a grrrreeeaatttt time :)

good friends are so important to me.  i am so thankful for the good friends i had in high school (and of course, my friends i've made here at byu!)  i have been so blessed with amazing girls that have taught me so much and are always loyal, trustworthy, exemplary, fun, beautiful friends.

"some people make your laugh a little louder, your smile a little brighter, and your life a little better."

TAGGED!

1.  post the rules.
2.  post a photo and 11 random facts about yourself
3.  answer questions from tagger
4.  ask questions for those you wish to tag
5.  tag away!

wow.  that's hot. 

random fact #1:  i am not your typical girly girl.  most days, it's throw the hair in a ponytail, no jewelry, and t-shirt and jeans.  i mean, don't get me wrong, i dress up too.  about once or twice a week.  

random fact #2:  running is like a drug for me. i love it.  i get addicted.  when i don't go for awhile, i forget how much i go crazy for running... and then i go again, and i wonder how could i have forgotten this?!?

random fact #3:  i've never been a big fan of painting my nails, but since coming to byu, it's growing on me.  (i'm sure thanks to my roommates!)  i don't go out without my fingers and toes painted. 

random fact #4:  i LOVE kids.  probably one of the big reasons i decided to become an elementary school teacher!  whenever i see babies or toddlers, i want to scoop them up and give them a big squeeze.  and probably a kiss.  little kids are so funny!  when the time comes to have my own little kidlets, i want 5 or 6.

random fact #5:  breakfast is my favorite meal... but i hardly ever eat breakfast.  weird, i know.  but honestly, i just don't have time in the mornings for anything besides a yogurt, a granola bar, or an apple on the way out the door.  but, dang..  bacon, pancakes, waffles, eggs, juice?  that stuff is my favorite.  i would rather go out to breakfast than go out to dinner. 

random fact #6:  i love my computer.  macs all the way!  

random fact #7:  i hate -- and i mean HATE -- collar bones.  do not EVER touch my collar bone.  i just feel like it's going to snap in half when it's touched.  don't rub it, don't massage it, don't poke it, don't don't don't DON'T touch it. 

random fact #8:  my favorite color is and forever will be turquoise.

random fact #9:  i loveeeeeee jon schmidt.  i might be obsessed.  like for real.  he is so awesome.  i'm pretty sure he's the reason why i love playing the piano so much.

random fact #10:  i really like cooked cabbage.  i need to buy some cabbage, haven't had any since i moved... hmm...

random fact #11:  i am addicted to blogging.  (can't ya tell?!) 

the answers to julia's questions:

1.  dream vacation spot?  hawaii.  definitely.  i've never been there, but have wanted to go for years.  

2.  wedding colors?  i don't have my colors exactly picked out, but i know i want something vintage.  look here to see my wedding.  i've decided that's exactly how it's going to be.  

3.  weird obsession?  80's music! love it! 

4.  most life changing event?  graduation from wasatch high school.  i remember that crazy day like it was yesterday.  having to say goodbye to that stage in my life was so sad and so hard, but i wouldn't trade it for the world.  i love where i am in my life right now! 

5.  most awkward moment?  once upon a time i was on a date, and we went out to lunch.  we sat down at the table, and i picked up my sandwich and took a big bite.  i was starving!  well, with my mouth full, i looked across the table to see my date with his head bowed and his arms folded.  he was praying!  in a restaurant!  (who does that??)  and i felt like an idiot.  so i hurried and put down my sandwich and bowed my head as well, hoping that he wouldn't look up and see me trying to chew and swallow my food as fast as i could. 

6.  favorite icing flavor?  peanut butter -- hands down!! 

7.  when you are frustrated or upset what do you do to calm down?  i usually go to the piano and play a bunch of hymns.  either that or i go to youtube and listen to as many of jon schmidt's songs as i can. 

8.  celine dion or shania twain?  shania baby!!! for sure! (i love celine too, but i grew up singing shania.)

9.  what was your worst date?  ahh.. worst date.  in high school, i was asked on a date that i did not want to go on.  it was awkward the entire time.  near the end of the date, he asked me if i wanted to true wasp (kiss across the W on the football field).  i politely declined, and when i got home, i cried to my parents about how awful and awkward the entire experience was.  blah.. hate awkward dates.

10.  what is your most prized possession and why?  my journal.  i absolutely love writing in it.  if i ever lost it, i would cry.  it has so much of my life written in there.  so many things that i hold dear.

11.  if you could pick a name for yourself what would it be?  actually, i'm cool with my name.  and my many wonderful nicknames.  shay, shay bay, shay bay bay, shay k :) 

tagged!  taylor psalto.  cindy pearson.  becca dorian.  lauren wilcox.  

your questions: 

1.  what was the happiest memory of your life? 

2.  the saddest?

3.  describe a typical day in your life today.

4.  where would you like to live when you grow up and why? (when you grow up.. haha. you know what i mean.)

5.  biggest pet peeve and why?

6.  favorite color? 

7.  who has been the biggest influence in your life? what lessons have you learned from that person?

8.  how would you like to be remembered?

9.  how has your life been different than you've imagined?

10.  how do you feel about your family?  your friends?

11.  describe yourself to someone who knows nothing about you. 

PUT A SMILE ON!

there have been some things going on lately that have made me want to sit down and cry, or pull my hair out, or go live in a hole.

but yesterday, i found this video.  and it made me smile.  and then it made me laugh.

it is a strange thing -- but an amazing blessing -- that at the time you need a smile the most, it comes.  the Lord is honestly mindful of me.  i am reminded of that on a daily basis.  He loves me and reminds me through His tender mercies... little things that remind me of how blessed i am to be alive and to be at this point in my life.

enjoy this video.  it definitely brought a smile to my face.

and ps...  jon schmidt, i love you.

(creepy to say to a married man?  maybe.  but dang.  this guy is my hero.)

BFFs

the best friend a girl could ask for.  

jewels, you've been with me through the thick and the thin. 

we've seen each other's highs and lows. 

when i don't want to talk to anyone else, i talk to you.  

you make me laugh, cry, roll my eyes, love my life, count my blessings, remember good memories, and strengthen my testimony.  

we're at byu together now.  

we don't get to see each other every day, but you know what i love?  we're still best friends.  still there for each other, no matter what.  still sharing our secrets and our deepest fears.  still chatting about boys and grades and drama and church and classes and everything.   

we have come a long way in the past little while.  we've grown up a lot.  

thanks for being a loyal best friend.  thanks for putting up with me through it all.  

thanks for making me feel better when i'm down.  thanks for everything.  best friends for life! 

i love you, sister!  always will!  :)