Myk's Visit

Last weekend Mykenzie came down to visit me in Provo. I had a bunch of fun things to do that weekend, so I thought I would invite her to come along with me! Thursday night we went to the Strawberry Days Rodeo in Pleasant Grove. I LOVE rodeos!! And cowboys too :) It was pretty crowded because it was family night, but we were lucky enough to find seats waaaay at the top.
We went with Heather, Stan, Stan's cousin, and a couple other of Heather's friends. They were pretty fun to be with, and it's a good thing since we were with them two days in a row!
My favorite part of the whole rodeo was definitely the strawberries and cream they had. Mm mm mm!!!! It was mine and Myk's first time trying it and we fell in love! We had to go back for more afterward. On the way out of the rodeo Kenz and I got hollered at a couple times, and I think that was Mykenzies favorite part of the night ha ha. She was extra excited to move down here after that.:) The next day she spent the day by the pool while I went to work. When I got home we packed up our stuff and headed to Manti for the Manti Pageant. Neither of us had been, so we didn't know what to expect. I thought all the protesters were kind of funny...especially the last one we heard after the pageant. He had a megaphone and was shouting all sorts of ridiculous things. Right as a big group of us were walking by he shouted "Joseph Smith was a sex offender!!!" There were about 15 people there and ALL of us busted up laughing. Needless to say he stopped shouting things for a few minutes, and then left his little soapbox about two minutes after. Anyways, back to the Pageant. It was interesting...like I said, I didn't know what to expect, but it definitely wasn't what I saw!! The temple was beautiful, but I was too distracted with all the big movements the actors were making to really listen to what was being said. Personally I think that was a one time experience for me ha ha.After the pageant was over we went back to a little park where they allowed people to set up tents for the night. The park was pretty full!! We played thee funnest game I've ever played before we went to bed. Heather bought it and called it the Human Sling Shot. She had taken four feet of spandex and sewn the ends together. Then four people get in the middle and go to separate corners. The two people opposite each other run at each other and when they hit the other side they fling the two others and it goes and goes and goes. You get going pretty fast and it can get pretty dangerous, but that's what makes it fun!! So after that we went into the tent and fell asleep. Me and Mykenzie woke up around 3 in the morning because it was SO COLD!! We decided to wimp out and go sleep in my car. It was a genius idea if I do say so myself!! The next morning we drove home and Myk went back to Syracuse because she had to be at work. It was a great weekend and I was so glad she came down the visit.

C.A.S.A. Case

So awhile ago I wrote about the organization that I am volunteering for (C.A.S.A.), and I haven't done much with it yet except training, but I have finally been assigned a case!!! I went and read the report about why my child is in foster care today, and it broke my heart. Some people REALLY disgust me!! But I am excited to meet with her and get to know her better. I think one of the hardest things about all this will be the fact that I can't talk to anyone about it!! I signed a confidentiality agreement, so legally I can't tell anyone about her. Ugh. Talking is how I work things out, so for me to not be able to is going to be a toughy! But I'm very excited to finally be able to help and I know it will be a great adventure!!

Bump In the Road

We all must go through it sometime
You were not the first, you know
You stick your head in the sunshine
Don't expect the worst, though

If a bird can sing with a broken wing
You'll learn to bend when the wind blows
The leaves may fall, but the trees stay tall
This is a bump in the road
Don't give up, you will make it
Don't give up, you will make it

We all must go through it sometime
You were not the first, you know
Love got more hooks than a fish line
Belive it hurts, oh-ooh

If a bird can sing with a broken wing
You'll learn to bend when the wind blows
The leaves may fall, but the trees stay tall
This is a bump in the road
Don't give up, you will make it
Don't give up, you will make it

Out of the dark
Into the light
Over the edge
Over your life

We all must go through it sometime
You were not the first
You stick your head in the sunshine
Don't expect the worst, oh-ooh

If a bird can sing with a broken wing
You'll learn to bend when the wind blows
The leaves may fall, but the trees stay tall
This is a bump in the road
Don't give up, you will make it
Don't give up, you will make it

Bump In the Road by Erik Hassle

This song has been played on my
Ipod about 50 million times
this weekend!! It's amazing how
awful a broken heart feels, and
how long it takes to get over
a first love. Right now I'm
wondering if all the good days
were even worth it. It's been
almost three months, and I
don't feel like anything has
improved. I still think about
him EVERY day, and I hate it.
Love bites!! I am NOT a fan
at the moment.

I GOT IN!!!

Are you ready for my GREAT NEWS?? I got into the Dental Hygiene program at
WOOHOO!!
I can't tell you how flippin excited I am!! I had been waiting to get a letter from them all week long, and when the weekend came I decided I wouldn't check the mail because if it was bad news I didn't want it to ruin my whole weekend. Then on Sunday morning I couldn't wait any longer, so I went to the mailbox, and there it was, my lone piece of mail staring me in the face. AAAAHHHH!!!!
I rushed over to my friends Mckell and Lindsey's apartment so that I didn't have to open it alone. It took me awhile before I got the courage to open it, but when I did I was running around like I had just won the lottery. I was so excited!!! I was one of only fourteen to get accepted. Whoa!!
I start in the fall, and in just two years I will be a dental hygienist. Woot woot!

C.A.S.A.

So I have decided to volunteer with a program called C.A.S.A. It stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. There was a service fair in one of the hallways at UVU, and this was the first stand I went to. I will basically be working with children who have suffered from neglect and abuse. Now I know what you're thinking-"Are you sure you want to do that? It's going to be sad!" I think just about every person I've talked to about it has said that to me. I'm not going to lie, it really frustrates me when people give me that response. Of course I know it will be hard! But I'm not thinking about me. These kids have been through so much that I can't even begin to comprehend, and I think that my being sad for awhile doesn't even compare to what these kids have had to go through. They have been neglected, abused, and taken out of their homes and placed with complete strangers. Who cares if it makes me sad for a little while, they need someone to talk to and to love them, and that's what I'm going to do. I will be assigned to a child's case and my job will be to take that child and do different activities with them a couple times a month. Pretty much just be a friend to them. I'm in training right now and they said at first the kids are a little shy, but after a couple months they will open up and tell us how they are really doing. I will work along side the child's therapist, attorney, teachers, and foster parents to make sure the child is progressing. I will also have to report back to the C.A.S.A. coordinator and the child's attorney every month to let them know how the child is doing. I'm so excited to start this and to meet the child that I will be working with!!! It's going to be a wonderful learning experience, and it will keep me serving until I go back to Africa!

My Favorite Quote EVER!!

"I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made; I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tinted visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, positions, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, am lifted up in prayer, and labor with power. My face is set, my goal is heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided or delayed, will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table with the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up for the cause of Christ. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me and when He returns for His own He will have no problem recognizing me."

-President Eyring

Lovin' Life

So I've lived in Provo for six months now, and oh how time flies!! So much has happened here and I am so grateful for all of it. I have learned SO much and I am a different person now then I was before I moved here.
I was really nervous to come here at first because I would always hear people ragging on this place and how it's like living in a bubble. While it has it's bubble aspects, it's not what people say it is at all! Whenever I told people I was moving here they would look at me with such confusion and disgustedly ask me why in the heck I would do such a thing. I needed a change, that's why!! And what a great change it has been. Provo is a beautiful place, and I'm so happy to be here!
I really feel like I have become such a different person since I moved. I have grown up SOOO much which is kind of a scary idea to me, but so exciting at the same time. I see it in myself, and those around me have mentioned they see it too. I am finally ok with leaving my childhood behind, and stepping into adulthood. When I graduated high school I felt like the fun part of my life was over, and that it was all down hill from there. It has taken me two years to realize that my life is only beginning! So many opportunities await me and I'm finally excited about my future instead of wishing I had my past back. It's such a great blessing to finally feel that way!

These are some of the most important things I have learned while being here:

1. The gospel really is the way to find true happiness. Period.

2. I am not able to keep everyone happy all the time. It's just not possible, so it's not the end of the world when someone doesn't like something I do or a decision I make.

3.It's ok to go places by myself. It doesn't mean I'm a loser with no friends. In fact, I'm starting to prefer going places alone every once in awhile!

4. It's ok to say no! Even if the person I'm saying no to is not going to like it. This kind of goes back to not trying to make everyone happy with me all the time.

5. Love isn't such a scary thing, and I don't want to puke every time I think about being married now. I'm slowly warming up to the idea that someday (In the very distant future) I will be married. Ha ha :)

6. I am confident about who I am. This is such a huge thing, and I feel very lucky to be able to say that!!

7. I am constantly getting a better idea about what I want, and what I don't. This is a continuing thing for me, and I'm guessing it will be for pretty much my entire life.

8. Quality of friends is more important then quantity. I have finally been able to cut out the "friends" in my life that have been a burden on me for years. What a relief that has been!!!

9. A true friend is extremely rare!! Luckily, I have been blessed with some, and I'm so thankful for them!! I've also learned that to keep a true friend, I have to be one myself. A good lesson to learn early!

10. Being a "player" isn't cool. While it's talked up to be a good thing and proof of how cool someone is, it's not. It creates so many problems, and messes with other people's feelings. I'm glad to see thru that whole image now.

Basically I have just become a more secure, much happier person. I am loving life, and I am so glad that the Lord led me here. I just want to say again that the gospel is the key to a happy life. THAT is probably the most valuable lesson I have learned here.