back

 Its been over a month and a half now, and I could probably go on all day about the events that have taken place since that memorable day I stepped off the plane. But I don't have all day.  Even if I did have all day, I don't feel the necessity to share every little detail.  Therefore, I'll make my return to the blogger world short and sweet.  Here's to being home:

 

 

Ok, I realize this list wasn't all that short.  But here is a summary of my past month and a half in pictures.  Family, babies, mission friends, home friends, grandparents, Brock, Christmas, temples, California, and now back to school at Utah State.  Life is stressful and wonderful. So many decisions to make, new and old things to wrap my head around, sometimes a bit of overwhelming, but I am happy.

the kind that last

I've written quite a bit about my family in the past few months; more specifically about how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has strengthened my family and made us who we are today. It's something that has been made very clear to me as I've been thousands of miles away from them in a world where most families are falling apart. Something else I think about quite often is the impact that good friends have had in my life. Because most of my friends at home share my faith, the same principles that have blessed my family also made my friendships what they are today. A lot of my friends have been my friends since the beginning of time (or at least the beginning of our time). We played kickball together in elementary school, choreographed lip syncs together in Jr. high, suffered through braces and break-ups together in high school, and supported each other through college finals. Some of my best friends I didn't meet until after high school, but those friendships are just as strong. When most people think about large groups of college-aged girls, they probably think of one word: drama. But when I think about my girls, the words that come to my mind are love, trust, kindness, support, honesty, respect, creativity, and lots and lots of laughter.  I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ  has a lot to do with the good feelings my friends have and the high morals and standards we've helped each other maintain throughout the years. 

These are most (but  not all) of the girlies.  I love them so so much.  Always will.

"Living the gospel and being true to gospel principles is the key to true, lasting, triumphant friendship." -Jeffery R. Holland

my friend

I'd like to tell you about my friend.
My friend didn't know she wanted to be my friend at first.
I had to bribe my friend to be my friend by offering to do her dishes.
We did her dishes.
My friend didn't want to listen to us, but we found out her weakness was books.
We gave her a Book of Mormon.
We accidently took the Book of Mormon back, but brought her a new one the next day.
My friend started reading and thought it was bogus.
But then she kept reading and realized it wasn't.
She asked if it was true and God told her "yes".
She quit smoking cold turkey without a complaint.
My friend had God on her side.
My friend was baptized three months ago for the remission of sins.
Since her baptism she has practically read the entire standard works...plus the history of the church.
My friend has been through more in the past few years than most of us go through in an entire lifetime.
Yet my friend keeps smiling, and finds something to laugh about every day.
My friend has become one of my best friends.
She started a blog of her own a few weeks ago; you can find it here.

Thanks for being my friend, friend.

as if nothing had changed

"No matter how long I was away, no matter how great the distance, whenever my friends and I met again, it was as if nothing had changed. We picked up our lives where we left off, and it was as if time had stood still."

-Elder Ronald Rasband

I heard this quote tonight and of course, it made me think of this..

That really is how it feels every time we get back together.

I will always love you Mands, Beccs, Chrissy, Dan, Madds, Heath, Laur, Stina, Katie, Tia, Stace, Bry, Rach, and Las :)

And I hope it will be that way with these ladies when we're no longer together..

my friends are pretty great

happy v day

I may not have a special Valentine this year, but I get to spend all weekend with people I love...

doing what I love most...

eating some of my favorite foods..

..and I have absolutely no complaints. So this year my heart goes out to them and to the rest of my family, to my friends who are amazing, to my roommates who are always there for me, and maybe... to whoever the man is that will be here with me...

sometime in the distant future.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

oh how i love..

weddings, friends, dresses, flowers

Heather's wedding was almost a month ago, but when I saw this photo I just loved it too much to not share. Heather made such a beautiful bride, and all my friends are such lovely friends.
  

counting down

20 days from now, I will be in Alaska

visiting these guys:

and 30 days from now I will be in Connecticut

with my best friend:

... I have so much to look forward to!

i do like

One thing I admire about my dad is how certain he is about what he does and does not like. He is the most decisive person I know. The other day as I was trying to convince my dad to miss a day of work and come boating with the family, he promptly responded,

"No, I do not want to come boating. I do not like boating, I never really have. If I liked boating, I'd have a boat."

Although I respect his opinion, and agree with my dad on most subjects, I have to disagree here.

I really do like boating. I'm lucky I've had so many friends, and now a sister, who invite me to come boating with them every summer.

My niece Violet really likes boating too. I had a great family fourth full of camping, boating, golfing, food, and fireworks. I'm sad its over.