"what a difference a day makes, I turned and watched you walk away"

Once upon a time, there was this really cool girl named Katie that lived across the hall from me. She was the first person in my ward that made me feel like this is where I belonged. We started to hang out, and really quickly became great friends. I would definitely consider her one of my very closest friends. One night at FHE I asked her if she happened to like Mat Kearney. She said she loved him. I told her he was coming in concert, and we decided right then and there we were going.

To say I love that girl would be a huge understatement.

And to say we share a ridiculously crazy love of Mat Kearney would be an even bigger understatement.

So... We went to the concert. And It was the best night of my life.

 So Happy!

 We were legitimately this close!

We have videos of the best moment of our lives (he came into the audience and jumped up and down WITH us. oh yeah, we touched him!) but alas, blogger won't let me open them.

Anyways.

I love Katie.

I love Mat.

sunday funday

Yesterday was a really, really great day. I have absolutely fallen in love with Sunday's lately. My good friend Katie calls them "Sunday Funday" and it is so true. Yesterday I invited Caitlyn to come to my ward and to come sing at the nursing home with me. She brought another friend and we all went and sang at the nursing home. I decided last week that I wanted to start going singing with people from my ward, and it was one of the best decisions I could have made. It is an amazing experience.

Church yesterday was incredible. Every speaker in sacrament meeting was amazing and said things that I really needed to hear. Right in the middle of the meeting I was sitting there thinking about my life. I had my fantastic roommate and friend to my left and my best friend to my right. Everywhere I looked I saw someone in my ward that I have learned to absolutely love. It was then that I realized just how happy I am, and how good life it going for me right now. It was right then that it really hit me that this is EXACTLY where I am supposed to be right now. I have said it before, but moving to this apartment literally scared me to death. It took me a while to really put myself out there and actually get to know people and make some new friends. Once I finally started, my life changed. There are some incredible people in my ward, and I am lucky to call a lot of them my friends.

I'm still figuring things out, and I still have a long road ahead of me. I am excited about it all. I am excited that I have opened my eyes, and stopped living for what I thought I wanted for so long. I love my job and I am so grateful for it. My classes are a lot of work, but I am also loving them. Things are just good. I am right where I am supposed to be, and doing what I'm supposed to be doing.

I left church on such a high and went to dinner as happy as can be. I came back to my apartment to meet with my awesome visiting teachers, who are also some good friends. Then went to ward prayer, and then game night. I. Love. Game. Night. I never dreamed that we would have so much fun playing the same games over and over. We played several games and talked and laughed for hours. I am so grateful for every single person that was in my apartment last night. They are so much fun and they make me so happy. I look forward to those nights because I know I will end up on the floor laughing multiple times. I'm super sad that I will miss two sundays in a row, but I'm way excited to get back to them.

I love Sundays.

I love my ward and my new and old friends.

Sunday Funday!



passion

Today was the first day of the Utah Dental Association Convention in SLC. Brinley, Jamie, Callie, and I went to a class all about Passions. It was really interesting and got me thinking.

He had us make a list of 10 passions to starts. He asked the question "What would you do every day even if you never got paid" Here is the list I came up with.

 He asked out of the audience how many wrote down something dental related. I was happy to be one of the MAYBE 20 in the huge ballroom full of people that could raise my hand.

And, If you have ever been in a class with me you know I can't go a minute without drawing something ridiculous on my notes. Here is just one delightful drawing. They talked about the Titanic and how we can sink our team. That lead to the 4 of us becoming part of the titanic in my mind. Which lead to a hilarious comment and me bursting into tears while laughing so hard.

I'm glad I got to spend all day with these 3, and a lot of time with the Bossman. They are great people and bring out the best in me.

yep... I love this kid.

flash mob

BYU vs Gonzaga was one of the funnest games I have been to in a while.

I LOVE the student section.

Getting an all sports pass was a great idea!

...and I love these people!

(ashley. me. josh. megan.)

lessons learned

I think we all know that I have gone through a lot of changes lately, and I mean a lot. I'm happier than I have been in a long time. I'm busier than I have been in a VERY long time. I'm much more confident in myself. I'm once again putting myself out there and taking chances. I have made some amazing new friends lately that have already changed my life for the better and I am already so grateful for them. I've been thinking a lot about things from my past. Challenges, trials, heartbreak, etc. I'm in the process of writing an essay for my english class about something I Believe. The topic I chose to write about it how I believe that trials are put in my life for a reason and that overcoming them makes me stronger and a better person. In doing this, I have spent a lot of time thinking. Carrie Underwood sings a song called Lessons Learned that says exactly what I feel. So, without further adieu here our my thoughts in a song:

There's some things that I regret,
Some words I wish had gone unsaid,
Some starts,
That had some bitter endings,
Been some bad times I've been through,
Damage I cannot undo,
Some things,
I wish I could do all all over again,
But it don't really matter,
Life gets that much harder,
It makes you that much stronger,
Oh, some pages turned,
Some bridges burned,
But there were,
Lessons learned.

[Chorus:]
And every tear that had to fall from my eyes,
Everyday I wondered how I'd get through the night,
Every change, life has thrown me,
I'm thankful, for every break in my heart,
I'm grateful, for every scar,
Some pages turned,
Some bridges burned,
But there were lessons learned.

There's mistakes that I have made,
Some chances I just threw away,
Some roads,
I never should've taken,
Been some signs I didn't see,
Hearts that I hurt needlessly,
Some wounds,
That I wish I could have one more chance to mend,
But it don't make no difference,
The past can't be rewritten,
You get the life you're given,
Oh, some pages turned,
Some bridges burned,
But there were,
Lessons learned.

[Chorus:]
And all the things that break you,
Are all the things that make you strong,
You can't change the past,
Cause it's gone,
And you just gotta move on,
Because it's all,
Lessons learned.

[Chorus:]

fortune

somewhere there is someone making fortune cookies that knows me way too well.

happy

Moving into my apartment.

Becoming head assistant.

Forcing myself out of my comfort zone. 

Opening my eyes.

Getting in a fight.

Setting resolutions.

Challenging myself with classes.

Standing up for myself.

Making new friends.

Attending FHE every week.

Trying to be part of my ward.



These and MANY other things have led me to be extremely happy lately. Life is good! I am busy, and I am happy. It has been a while since I have felt this good about my life, and I have to say it is really good to be back!

Yesterday I invited my roommate Ashley, and my friend Katie to dinner with my family. We went out to Natalie's house to celebrate the chinese new year. I didn't realize that my entire family was going to be there. But, it turns out I am so glad that they all got to meet them. My family loved them and they were able to see the wonderful people that I have in my life. They fit right in and joked and laughed and talked with all of my family. That isn't necessarily an easy thing to do. Caleb and Spencer LOVED them, and those girls loved Caleb & Spencer. (We have a date planned at J-dawgs with them when I am nannying the Gordon's!) I am so grateful that I have been blessed with some great friends in my ward (and apartment). They are changing my life more than they realize. I am grateful that I was able to spend friday, saturday, and all of sunday with these two and with several other friends. They bring a lot out of me that has been hidden for a long time!

After dinner we all went to ward prayer and then one of the funnest nights I have had in a long time began. Ashley and I invited anyone and everyone to our apartment for crepes and games. (Crepe'n Game night if you will) Almost everyone at ward prayer followed us up and we had around 40 people crammed in our apartment. We all had crepes and talked and got to know eachother. Then we pulled out the games. We had two games going and people came and went as they pleased. We had around 25 people in our apartment until close to 11:30 laughing hysterically and playing games. It was such a great night and our apartment is now the designated dessert and game place after ward prayer. I am so glad that I am finally allowing myself to get out there and meet some new people. What an adventure this living in Provo thing is. There is no doubt about it... Moving to this apartment was absolutely one of the best decisions I have ever made.