Some people's children.

A little while ago, an old friend acquaintance said some things that really upset me. 

It was one of those comments that's usually said in the heat of the moment, or behind a back...and the fact that it was so outright stung. 

The kind of comment that catches you off guard and makes you regret telling a person anything of importance in your life, for the sole reason that they now had ammunition that would hurt. 

In that moment, I started questioning different aspects of my life--wondering if everybody saw them the way that person did. 

If they thought it, everyone could be thinking it.....right? 

And then I realized that ^^^^ was wrong. 

It didn't matter what they thought, all that mattered was what I thought. 

It was my decisions, my life, my choices in question; and their opinion was just that: an opinion. 

I let one person upset me for a hot minute, and I forgot to look around at the people who weren't upsetting me. 

I was so caught up in being offended that I forgot to appreciate the nice people in my life: 

Like Wolfie bringing me a Dr. Pepper randomly. 

Or Hillary showing up with a mini migraine survival kit. 

Or Adrienne's celebratory cookie. 

Or lunch with Ashley.

Or Judy making sure I knew she had my back. 

Or my dad worrying about my headlight and taxes. 

Or my little sister going on a run with me. 

People aren't always nice--and sometimes they're really good at making you feel awful. 

But ultimately, people are really, really, really good. You just have to surround yourself with the right ones. 

The little things.

Somedays, it's just so easy to be happy. 

Because even in the middle of tests, work, essays, and a to-do list that is longer than you are tall, you have the chance to see how absolutely incredible your life is.

There's no better way to celebrate your best friend's birthday than by smashing a homemade cake in his face. Tennessee orange looks real good in our hair and on the floor of SigEp. So glad this kid and his camo-loving Southern charm are such a big part of my life. Thanks for being born, Brian. 

Went to Frightmares for the first time for SigEp's informal, and had the best date in the group. 

My big is better than your big. We're so alike--even have the same name--and she keeps my head screwed on straight. I honestly don't know what I'd do without Ash, Liz and Judy--even though sometimes I have three extra mothers lecturing me and making sure I make good decisions. 

I'd do just about anything for these boys, and there's nothing better after a long day than a note like this and Dirty Dr. Peppers with two of my favorite boys. 

You can't fake a love like this. Honestly, this is sheer adoration in it's simplest form. 

As Winnie the Pooh said, "sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart." There isn't a thing on this planet I wouldn't do for this little girl. 

Everywhere I look, in every aspect of my life, I'm blessed. 

My calendar may be jam-packed with a million big ideas and huge deadlines, but it's the little things in the spare seconds that make everything worth it. 

I stand all amazed.

I went home today, for the first time in what seems like forever--and luckily for me, it was our ward's primary program. 

Don't get me wrong, I love every Sunday. But there's something so special about the primary program I can't even handle it. 

My three-year-old sister Mary was the first talk, and to say that she blew me away would be an understatement. Not many kids her age can memorize a three minute talk, and give it as well as she did. 

One of the last parts of her talk had her saying, "I know..." and I don't think I've ever been so profoundly impacted by a child's testimony. Miss Mary knows that her Heavenly Father loves her, and she's not afraid to share her testimony...and I love that. 

Then in Relief Society, we talked about how our words influence those around us--mainly our children--and how important it is to be kind. It reminded me of this quote:

I think that sometimes, it's easy to forget how wonderful people can be. We get hung up on the snarky comments, the gossip, and the belittlement that happens--and forget entirely about the compliments, service, and kindness that the people around us share. 

That reminded me of this quote [welcome to my brain. Moving at a million miles a second, in seven thousand different directions].

I have never seen my Heavenly Father, but I do know Him--because of the people around me and the things they do. 

I see Him in the way Mary read me a book before I took a nap today. 

I see Him in the way Braxton will drive around with me for hours trying to calm me down and alleviate stress. 

I see Him in the way Hillary is always ready and willing to help, listen, and give her all. 

I see Him in the way Jon goes out of his way to make sure I'm okay. 

I see Him in the way my mom still texts me every time I drove home from Kaysville to make sure I made it to Logan safe. 

I see Him in the way Rachelle has dinner with my great-grandparents every week.

I see Him in the way people like the Smith's, Brimley's, Frodsham's, Fife's, and so many others have-maybe unknowingly-stepped in to fill the void left by family members. 

I see Him in the way Carrie and Clint come to Logan and visit with their boys when Clint has to work up here. 

I see Him in the way Bronson and Emily know exactly what I need to hear, even after 6+ months of not seeing each other. 

I've never seen my Heavenly Father, but He is familiar to me; and like Mary, I know he loves me. 

I'm blessed to be surrounded by so many good people--people who help me forget that not-so-good things that happen, and who truly amaze me on a regular basis. 

To say that I'm an incredibly lucky girl would be an understatement.

We can't stop.

When your daily routine gets a little too routine, and you're out of adventures to go on, you have to get a little creative. 

This would be us [the #TwerkTeam] running around campus at midnight in our swimsuits. Shenanigans, dance parties, and foreign activities took place. 

Being the classy individuals that we are, sushi is always a yes. But in case you were wondering, sushi + ice cream in the same night is always a no. 

And when we all finally have a day off work, we caravan up to Bloomington Lake. With a rope swing, cliffs to jump, crystal clear water, a group of my best friends, and a view like this....

you can't go wrong. I could live on the side of this lake and not feel bad about it for a second. You really don't need much more in life than water, sunshine, a rope swing, and cliffs to jump off of.

 When two of your friends haven't been to Ikea...you pile six people into a five person car, and make the two hour drive to Draper. You play house for two hours, fail to buy the couch we went there for in the first place, and introduce the bunch of crazies you spend every day with to your family [this picture epitomizes Brian. So he gets to deal with it. That, and it was the only picture that we took on my phone all day].

When Trent needs help with a video about AED's for campus, Wolfie "dies" and Big Blue takes off his shirt.  

[Bonus: I got to hang out with Big Blue all day.]

And even after all these crazy adventures, sometimes there's nothing I'd rather do than sit on Braxton's bed with my favorite boys and watch them play video games, Tinder, or listen to Selena Gomez until way too early in the morning--even if it involves dozens of pictures of Trent&Sherlock, Brian, and ____ Braxy Brax.

I guess I'm just very very glad I met--and got to really know--these boys this summer. I was worried about not having people to do stuff with...but that fear disappeared very quickly. 

Brian, Trent, Michael, and Braxton [and the rest of the SigEp boys + the other A-Teamers] made this summer a blast and a half. Whether we were doing back flips off a rope swing, fighting with pool noodles in the basement, playing watching Minecraft on Braxton's bed, hitting up McDonald's for yet another large drink in a styrofoam cup, attending Beyonce Home Evening, playing Snapchat telephone, swimming in the fountains, twerking all over campus, or fighting over what movie to watch on LoveSacs...I had a blast. 

S/O to the #twerkteam for a perfect summer, and for becoming some of my best friends. I guess I kinda like you people. 

One more time.

So. Thanks to your wonderful support and voting skills, my friend made it to the fourth and final round of Blog Wars. 

Is it possible that you could summon all the love and support just one last time and vote again? 

It would be much appreciated.

http://just-between-friends.com/2013/06/fourth-final-blog-wars.html

^^^^^^^^

There's the link for you. 

And here's a hint: her craft is a perfect reflection of her fun personality. 

Voting is open until Sunday night at 10 pm, and you can vote on both your computer and your smartphone. 

Please and thank you, in advance. From both of us.

Do me a favor.

Friends, family, acquaintances, co-workers...PEOPLE. 

I have this friend. This wonderful, adorable, incredibly crafty friend. 

She's in this happy little contest called "Blog Wars," and is in the third of four rounds of the craft contest. 

If you have just a second, and I mean literally a second since that's how long it takes to vote for her craft, DO IT. 

http://just-between-friends.com/2013/05/voting-2.html

^^^^^^^

There's the link for you. 

Voting is going on right now and will go to Sunday. 

Hints on my favorite: it captures my love for "tweeting." 

Please, and THANK YOU! 

Gone too soon.

Friday night, we had one final dinner as roommates before Kelsey leaves on Wednesday. While we were sitting at Zupa's, someone said something about how the next time we'll all be together, there'll be wedding rings involved. Just about blew my mind. 

For the last nine months, I've spent just about every waking moment with these five girls. We've cleaned, cried, yelled, slept, cooked, and laughed together; and they've become my very best friends. 

Kelsey goes into the MTC next Wednesday, and then we'll have 21 months before we're all together again.
Gives a whole new meaning to "see you soon."
I'm so excited for the people of Knoxville [not Nashville, contrary to popular belief] to get to know Kelsey. She's one of the most Christlike people I've ever met, and she's got a stronger testimony than just about anyone else I know. She's a ridiculously hard worker, and more motivated than I'll ever be. And those traits alone are going to help her work wonders in Tennessee. 

Yesterday was Boston's farewell too. Our mom's have been friends for a ridiculously long time, and we kind of got thrown together. That led to sleepovers every day of the week, daily homework sessions, and bike rides to our favorite swing set in Kaysville. Being a year old than me, Bost was always one step ahead and acted as the perfect example for me to follow. She heads to the MTC on the 5th of June before leaving for Spokane, Washington...and I feel like I'm losing a sister. She's taught me so much, and I look up to her and admire her more than anybody else.

Basically, I've been ridiculously lucky when it comes to my friends. They're incredible examples of Christlike lives, and they have testimonies that help mine grow every single day. I'm so proud of each and every one of them and their decision to serve, and I can't wait to add to my list of letter-writing buddies. Missionary work is such an amazing thing, and I'm so glad I get to see it happening on so many levels.
I went over to Bronson's house yesterday since it had been forever since I'd seen his family. After four hours of talking about everything under the sun, a snapchat conversation with Jonnynog, and updating them on everybody's lives; I realized just how lucky I was to have not only amazing friends, but to have  good relationships with their families as well. The Kunzler's are some incredible people, and I'm so glad they're a part of my life.

Last, but certainly not least, today was email day! Emily's been eating some freaky foods in Paris (rabbit, goat cheese, escargot, and pureed celery--whatever that means) and Hailee's companion knows next to no English (the word of the day was "sketchy" and her companion lost no time telling her, "Sister Henson, you look sketchy today." Oh the joys of a foreign language). Bronson's loving Michigan. (He also said a bunch of ward members had found my blog via Facebook...so hello to any new readers in Michigan! Take care of my best friend, alright?) And he sent me this picture saying, "I think this will make your day." He's changed so much in the last four months, and yet he hasn't changed at all. What a goof. 

Life is good, kids. So good. 

The perfect beginning.

Do you remember daydreaming as a little kid about being in college? All the fun you'd have, the friends you'd make, and finally living on your own? I think I did it probably every second for a majority of my life. 

But even as independent and spontaneous as I am, I've learned that being a grownup isn't all fun. We do have to work, try hard, and things are tough sometimes--but this year has been, in a word, unbelievable. 

I've been in college for a whole year now--and I've learned a lot. 

I've learned that I'm a wizard at baking, but cupcakes and cookies only do so much for a starving college student. I sincerely appreciate vegetables now. My mom laughs when I come home, because I will load the biggest bowl we have with salad and eat probably three servings. I could probably eat a bag of snap peas in a sitting, and I know probably a million and a half ways to serve a chicken breast that's been grilled on a George Foreman. I'm ten times more grateful for my job, because I eat whole meals there; and I'm a thousand times more grateful for my mom's food when I come home. For the times I'm not at work though, I've learned that peanut butter cupcakes and chocolate chip applesauce cookies go a long way in bribing people into dinner. 

I've learned that sometimes, the job of your dreams turns out to be your worst nightmare. A month into my first JComm class, (Journalism Communications, or Japanese Communications if you ask Bronson and Jackson) I realized that journalism was NOT what I wanted to be doing. I loved every second--or almost every second--I spent working on a broadcast and newspaper staff in high school, but professionally, it wasn't for me. One of my favorite sayings says something like, "Find something you love to do, and you'll never work a day in your life." I absolutely hated my journalism classes, and I would have rather dropped out of school than take another. This semester, I'm taking two English classes, and I'm registered for three more next fall. I absolutely love every second of them, and I actually look forward to doing the readings and homework. College has taught me that even if you've spent years of doing one thing, don't be surprised when it doesn't seem to work. It's OK to change your mind. Just find something you love.

I've learned that college really does change everything. I used to think I'd be so excited to go back to high school football games, and when we went to Viewmont's prom our junior year, we even talked about going back this year. Yeah....NO. Don't get me wrong I loved high school, for the most part at least, but that time has passed. And I finally understand what people mean when they say "I wouldn't relive those days for anything in the world."

I've learned that you should give everything a try. I can't think of a single time I regret doing something that I originally questioned. Try EVERYTHING. Whether it's camping on the Quad, intramural volleyball, or a time out game during an Aggie Basketball game...DO IT. You're only going to regret the things you don't do.
Most importantly though, I've learned about myself. That's what these few years are for, to find out who you're really supposed to be and what you have to do to get there. So take chances.  Stay up til three a.m. every night for a week and make memories. Take classes you never thought you would. Fall in love with someone. Jump in First Dam. Sleep on the Quad. Wait in line for six hours for a football game. Stay in the library for sixteen million hours. Talk to that really cute kid you pass every morning. Whatever it is, just do it. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, because we only have one chance to make this experience the best it can be. The most important thing I learned, though? "Be in love with your life, every minute of it." 

As we move out this week, and everyone we've met heads out on missions, gets married, changes schools, or just goes home for the summer, it's hard not to think about how much is going to change and how much I'm going to miss. 

I'm going to miss midnight McDonald's runs, orange chicken dates, 2 am prank wars, and all night long conversations with the 106 boys. Those boys give new meaning to the term "love/hate relationship" and as much as it drives me crazy when they knock on the door at 1:30 in the morning, I know I'll miss it when they're not living next door anymore.
I'm going to miss Cookie Wednesdays, First Floor socials, and Sunday dinners in 103.
I'm going to miss my first single's ward, running to ward prayer, and visits from the bishopric during finals week.

I'm going to miss bagel dates, Lundstrom study parties, and Taco Tuesday with my favorite people.
I'm going to miss our endless pile of dishes, our perpetually disastrous bathroom counters, our crowded fridge, and my closet that doesn't fit a quarter of my wardrobe.

I've made a million and a half memories these last nine months, and I'm going to miss this apartment more than I think any of us realize right now. We're all off to a thousand places, headed on and up in the things we're doing...but I can't think of a better place to be, or better people to be going with.

So here's to our freshman year, for being the perfect beginning to the rest of our lives. 

Every good thing.

I've come to the conclusion that life likes making me emotional. 

This week, as we've been registering for the next semester, applying for new apartments, and packing up everything we own for our move home, I've realized once again how absolutely incredible this school year has been. 

In the last nine months, these girls have become my best friends, my sisters, and my go-to's. 

We've gone through break ups, finals weeks, and funerals together. 

We've sent off missionaries, opened mission calls, and been accepted to other schools. 

We've shared each other's clothes, dyed each other's hair, and made each other cry (ONLY ONCE, THOUGH).

You couldn't find five better people anywhere in the world. 

These are the girls who offered input on a letter to grandparents I hadn't seen in years, and then drove with me to find their house in the middle of the night. 

These are the girls who listened to my pointless rambling and endless whining about boys, and then got as excited as I did when things started working out. 

These are the girls who had Dr. Pepper and letters waiting for me the day I said goodbye to Bronson, and the ones who cried with me when I realized that a vast majority of my friends were leaving. 

These are the girls I stay up with all night talking about the future, doing homework, and thinking about life. 

They're the ones I go to for everything, the ones whose closets I share, the ones I hurry back up to Logan for. 

They're the first people I call when something good happens, and the ones I go crying to when something is wrong. 

They know what to do when I'm having a bad day, and how to knock my ego down a few steps when I'm being a brat. 

And I honestly don't know where I'd be without them. Kenzie makes fun of me because I say that everyone is my "best friend." But when it comes down to it, I really only have five of those. 

They've changed my life more in these last nine months than I would have ever imagined, and I am grateful for them every single day. 

Grateful for the fact that I've been able to call Emi my best friend for the last six years. 

Grateful for having Kenzie there with me every step of the way these last few months. 

Grateful that Adrienne thinks I'm worth living with another year. 

Grateful that I found another twin in Lauren. 

Grateful that Kelsey knows how to always make me laugh, and helped me survive last semester. 

But mostly, I'm grateful that somebody realized how much I needed these girls. 

So here's to us, 102. 

For making our freshman year the best it could have been, and for giving us the best friends a girl could ask for. Because even though all good things come to an end, we've got years ahead of us. 

I owe you the world, girls. 

On our way to the moon.

I guess you could say I'm a fan of Easter weekend. Lots of family [even family pictures], tons of food, and just enough friends to remind me how much I love my life. 

Jackson and I trekked down to Spanish Fork for the Festival of Colors--and by trek, I mean we drove for almost three hours to get there--and partied as we always do, this time with far too much color. 

And on the way home [stuck in stand still traffic again] we happened to pull up next to Mallory, who was driving up from California for Easter. Talk about the best surprise I've had in a really long time. 

After being stuck in a car with this kid for 5 hours, and discussing literally every single aspect of our lives possible, I realized just how much I'm going to miss him when he leaves on Wednesday. 

Jacks gave an incredible talk today about the Atonement, and I don't think the people of Hong Kong know how lucky they are to get him for the next two years. 

So for the next two years, I'll go on all our crazy adventures by myself. Write him play-by-plays of Psych so he doesn't miss our favorite TV show. Make dozens of playlists of all the new music he'll miss. And record the concerts we were going to go to so that he can watch them when he gets home. Because there's only so much you can do when your best friends are scattered across the globe. 

Good luck out there, Jackson. Learn how to like fish, and don't forget about how much we love Fall Out Boy. Because there's going to be a lot of both of those in our culdesac on the moon. 

Thanks for being the best friend, big brother, relationship counselor, and partner-in-crime a girl could ask for. I wouldn't be where I am without you. See ya in two, Ibble Song. 

Just hold on.

Having all your best friends gone or in the process of leaving gives you a new perspective on life. 

I used to spend every day trying to figure out ways to spend time with them and keep them happy, and now? I've got all the time in the world to make me happy. Rather than driving home every weekend to be with friends, I spend my weekends doing my best to make sure I make something of myself while they're out changing lives. 

And it's been wonderful. 

Wednesday night, I spent a solid 8 1/2 hours in the library. Studying, writing my English papers, and actually doing my homework. I took time to really think about what I was doing and put effort into the research I was doing. I wrote in my journal for the first time in a week and a half. Wrote way too many pages of missionary letters. Emailed some high school seniors about the wonders of USU and answered way too many questions about graduation requirements and on-campus housing. Looked over my runs for Ragnar and died a little inside. Did a whole lot of soul searching. 

I realized a few things. 

1. I'm much more productive when I'm by myself. I hate every second of being alone, mind you, but I can focus and the distractions are limited to making sure I like the song playing in my headphones and finding more ice to chew on.

And 2. I'm a very, very, very lucky girl. I have parents who love and support me in everything I do. Siblings who make me smile everyday. Roommates who I love like the five extra sisters I never had. Boys who go out of their way to make me happy. Two jobs that I love doing, keep me busy, and allow me to do whatever I want. I'm going to school where I've always wanted to. I'm studying something I love.  

  And as weird as it may sound, I'm glad I miss these kids. Because it means I have some incredible examples and amazing friends out there. 

I have a quote on one of my pinboards that says "...I learned a lot about being a friend when I was alone." And it's so true. My friends are just starting out on their 18-24 months adventures, and I can already tell how much they're changing, and I can see myself changing too...all in such good ways. I've learned to take more time for myself, and focus on what I need; all while making sure I'm not missing a single opportunity to do something kind for those around me. It's changed my perspective on a lot of things. I'm more grateful for what I have, that's for sure. And more excited to have everyone home again in a couple years because I actually know how lucky I am now. 

I guess the moral of the story is...my life is great. And it feels good to finally be content with where you are, what you're doing, and who you're becoming. 

They're coming.

I know I've graduated, and high school is so last year, but I'm so proud to be able to say that I know these kids. So many of my closest friends, so many people I looked up to, and so many kids I am grateful I got to know throughout high school. The future of this church is in good hands, I have no doubt. Enjoy, and remember that the church is true, our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us, and missionary work is incredible. 

I believe it. 

I love love.

It's Valentine's Day! Probably one of my favorite holidays in the whole world...I mean what girl doesn't love flowers and chocolate and the words "I love you"? No one sane, that's for sure. 

Valentine's Day isn't just about being in love, it's about love in general. 

My favorite kinds of love?
The way my mom makes my favorite food when I get home, or finishes my laundry for me. How she buys a carton of orange juice for me to take back up to school because she knows how much I love it. How she doesn't argue when I drive home from Logan just to pick up my snowboard and a few other things, and just tells me to make sure I drive safe. 

The way it feels to get a sincere compliment from complete stranger.

The way my dad sends me emails out of the blue that always say exactly what I need to hear. How he texts me before he goes to bed just to make sure I had a good day. How he spends hours making sure my car works okay, or doesn't laugh when Ryan and I head to In-n-Out at midnight....again. 

The way it feels when you listen to your favorite song, watch your favorite movie, or read your favorite book. 

The way Hailee drives from Bountiful to spend the night with Emi and I and stays up way too late talking to me, and making sure I'm alright. The way she listens to all my irrational fears, and then offers a rational alternative and sound advice. The way she gives me music suggestions not because she knows I love music, but because she knows how much I love the lyrics. 

The way it feels to find a scripture that answers the question you've had in your head all day. 

The way Bronson snowboards with me all day, and even though he could be with Jackson and Jared and Jon and Paige, he stays with me and doesn't laugh (too hard) when I spend most of the time on my face. How every May 5th for three years, I've had a bouquet of flowers delivered from him, because he knows it's a rough day and how much I love flowers. How he comes to ColdStone with me and Jon even though he hates ice cream. 

The way it feels to fill a whole page in your journal with your favorite memories. 

The way my little sisters yell my name when I come home, and how Mary begs to have a sleepover with me every single night. How they fight over who gets to run errands with me, and who gets to go through the bank drive thru and get suckers. 

The way it feels to get a hug from someone you've been missing. 

The way Jon looks out for me like a big brother. How he fixes my car (far too often), and takes me out for ice cream when I need a break. How he and Bryan take me to lunch with them. How he's letting me and Lauren dye his hair to cease our boredom. How he offers to drive me home and makes sure I get home safe wherever I go. 

The way it feels to get a really big tip on a long night at work. 

The way Emi can make me laugh at three in the morning with another off-the-wall comment. How she gets my love for unattainable movie stars and band members. How she's always up to shop with me or make me egg-drop soup. How she finishes my sentences and can choreograph a dance to Stronger spur of the moment. 

The way it feels to wrap up in your favorite blanket and watch TLC. 

The way my roommates and I have dance parties at 1 in the morning to Stronger and 22, and how much we rely on each other for everything. How they have a Dr. Pepper waiting for me at the end of a long day. How they listen to my stories and don't judge me when I start crying for no apparent reason. 

The way it feels to drive around in the middle of the night with your best friend. 

Love, in all forms, is wonderful. I love my friends. My family. The gospel. My life.

"Be in love with your life. Every minute of it." -Jack Kerouac

I am. 

Happy Valentine's Day from Snow 102 [and Dallin of course]! Have a lovely day! 

Getting a little crazy.

Sometimes, my family goes on vacation without me. So I get to make Aubrey's birthday cake while they're all driving home from Vegas...and I make Emily come help me. Chocolate chip cake and cream cheese frosting...it was divine. That's all. 

Having all these friends leaving on missions means that we attend farewell after farewell after farewell, and you start losing track of how many sacrament meetings you've gone to in the last month. Sunday was no different, until we got to Danny's and remembered that he was part of a Spanish-speaking ward! Talk about cool. We were the headsets for his talk, but I listened to the rest of the meeting in Spanish. This church is so true, friends. You can feel the spirit so strong in Sacrament meeting, regardless of what language is being spoken. 

We had a game night on Sunday night with just our roommates--after we finished watching the Bachelor of course--and somehow that turned into Kelsey telling our fortunes. Emi's was good, Lauren's was even better....but it all went downhill from there. 

Laur and I have a problem with dying our hair, and it may be starting to rub off on Emi. We did a lot of red in Laur's hair, and Emi decided she wanted some too. An hour later, she's got a whole layer of Ariel red and a bunch of random peek-throughs of platinum blonde and red. And it looks cool. 

Wednesday, we all drove down to Bountiful so we could watch Miss Kelsey open her mission call. I don't think I've ever seen Lauren so stressed, and none of us could hold still all day long. Kelsey will be leaving May 22, 2013 to serve in the Knoxville, Tennessee mission. She's going to be an incredible missionary, and I'm so grateful for her testimony and her example. :) Sadie's going to Taiwan, Spencer's going to Hong Kong, and Boston's going to Seattle. I couldn't be more proud of my friends and believe me when I say I'm so blessed to be able to call them my friends. 

These next couple of weeks are going to be crazy with all my best friends leaving/getting their calls, and I couldn't be happier. I hate saying goodbye..but I know they're headed where they're supposed to be going. 

The church is true folks, and I know it with all my heart. 

Let's review.

It's officially 2013, kiddos! 2012 is over, and man, was it quite the year. I'm apologizing in advance for the length of this post, but deal with it. I had a good year, and I'm going to share some of my favorite parts. [Also, it's all jumbled and out of order, but my life is as crazy as this post. It's fitting.]

1. I did a triathlon! Ryan, Brittany and I made a relay team for a sprint triathlon in Bountiful this summer, and it was a blast. After all, the family that tri's together stays together, right folks?

 2. I may have made a million new friends, but I'll keep these ones around too. We started sending off all our missionary friends, and I couldn't be more proud of them or grateful for their examples and testimonies. Paris, Detroit, Hong Kong, Honduras, Guam, Ghana, England, Dallas, and Canada are some of the luckiest places on earth, because they get my best friends for the next two years. See ya in two [or 18 months] friends.

 3. I spent a weekend in Park City with my best friends, and I got to see some of the art I learned about in AP Art History. [That class was another highlight, as was being done with AP tests forever.] There's no better way to celebrate an 18th birthday than having a giant sleepover at the Park City Marriott and shopping, swimming, and exploring for three straight days. It was grand.

 4. I MET GO RADIO. And I got to see them in concert, twice. Jason Lancaster signed my phone, I got one of his guitar picks...and Emi got Alex's sweat towel. We're devoted fans.

 5. I finally got together with my dream man. Zac and I have been in contact since HSM, and we finally decided to make our relationship public. Okay fine, not really. But we did discover how entertaining photoshop was--along with baby morph websites--and keep ourselves entertained for hours on end. Besides, Zac and I would make a lovely couple.

 6. I finished my third Ragnar, and discovered that the third time truly is the charm. Some may call us crazy for paying money to spend 48 hours in a cramped, sweaty, stinky car and run over 15 miles, but I wouldn't trade this weekend for anything in the world. It's physically, mentally and emotionally demanding and draining...but it's so worth it. It hurts so good?

 7. Graduated seminary! Spent the year on seminary council for Davis, and finally got my diploma [it was a little rough...senioritis took its toll early on.] and I got to graduate with my best friend, and most of the kids that I've grown up. We were halfway there!

 8. Attended my last dance of high school with my best friends. Got ready together, just like we had for every dance in the last three years, and celebrated at Zupa's, like we always do. Danced until we were sore, and said goodbye to everyone we'd spent the last three years with.

9. FINALLY walked across that stage, and got our diplomas. Said goodbye to public schooling, and hello to futures in various parts of the world. I couldn't be more grateful to have these two girls by my side for the majority of my life, and I'm so glad they're my best friends. We survived high school, and that's all that really matters. 

 10. Last, but certainly not least, I met these five girls. Lauren, Emi, Kenzie, Adrienne and Kelsey are the best roommates, sisters, friends, and homework buddies that a girl could ever ask for. Call me cheesy, but I know that we were put together for a reason, and I'm so glad we did. I'm excited to spend this next semester with them, because they were the best part of 2012, and they're already my favorite part of 2013.

 Overall, 2012 was full of change, growing up, and learning far more than I ever thought I would. I made some new friends, and brought back some of the old friends; learned how to survive on my own; and realized how lucky I really am. I have an amazing family, incredible friends, and an extraordinary life.

2013, you can go ahead and bring it on. 

See you soon.

With No-Shave November officially over, we've been able to watch some of our friends remove their facial hair in stages....these would Max's "star-burns." I didn't get the handle-bar mustache that accompanied them the next day, but this should just serve as a pleasant reminder to all of you that not all facial hair is creepy...some of it's just plain weird. [But Max, I still adore you. :)]

I got a text on Tuesday from my mom just as I was getting out of yoga and all it said was, "Mary says this is her crying because she misses you." I called her later that day and this is about how our conversation went. 

"Hi Mar! I saw your picture."
"Ohhhh, yeah."

"Were you just so sad?" 

"You're just always gone, Ash! And I miss you. Can we have a sleepover?" 

I admire the innocence and pure love this little girl has...and I miss her more than anything else. I can't wait for Christmas Break. 

Kelsey is a winner, and she wore this lovely ensemble to the Ambassador [or Ambadassador, depending on who you ask] Christmas party. Opaque red tights, pleather red boots, a Christmas t-shirt, and a Christmas sweater, complete with jingle bells, all tied together with a tacky red bow in her hair. I absolutely adore this girl, and wouldn't ever wake up on Tuesday and Thursday mornings if it wasn't for her. Thanks, Kels. :) 

For our Relief Society activity this month, we had a steak dinner and made ornaments. We wanted to get a picture taken with all of us roommates and our ornaments, so we asked Morgan to do so...and this is what we got out of it. Four pictures of Morgan's face, and one decent picture of us snitches. We'll keep Burns around, I guess. 

Cute, aren't we? And Kelsey and I even made an ornament, and we're the least crafty of the six of us. [Yes, it may just be a clear ornament with a Wendy's coupon in it that we're going to smash like they do in a Jewish wedding ceremony as soon as we both finish our JCOM final, but don't judge us. We tried.]

And now, it's time to crackdown for finals week. So the six of us migrate to the library, and don't move for six hours. [Except for mental health breaks, where we run stairs and people watch until we have to study some more.] Which is exactly what we're about to do for the second time of many, as soon as we get our study food and pack our bags for nightly hibernation. The moral of the story is, I'm signing off until next week. [Except for the A-Team announcement tomorrow, which is giving me an ulcer the size of a small country.] Time to put the Dr. Pepper in an IV line, and stock up on Polar Ice gum, since that's the only thing that keeps me focused on the fact that I can't be snacking constantly. Yay finals week, and good luck to you kids doing the same. See ya never. :)