Friday, December 25, 2009

merry christmas!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I hope you all had a wonderful day! I sure did.
It's funny when your favorite present is luggage, prepping you for adventures to come. But the true present is the gift of our Savior and His infinite love. How His birth changed our lives!



I thought I would grace you all with my favorite Christmas song:

Bahaha.


"Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home!"
- Charles Dickens


Wednesday, December 23, 2009

merry christmas eve eve!!

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love."
~ Hamilton Wright Mabie

(picture via Christmas 2008)

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

heart-to-heart.

I don't know if you remember the loud-laughing girl in my math class that I mentioned in a previous post, but she has blessed my life again. A few weeks ago, she handed me a paper that had "Quotes from General Authorities Regarding Stress." Today was stress. I read the quotes and thought of her. Then, I ran into her in our dear McKay building, and we studied together. She left for a few hours to HAND OUT SOUP. She made soup, brought it to campus, and gave it away to starving, sleep-deprived, stressed out strangers.

She is an angel. One day in October she explained her priorities to me. People first, school later. She takes care of herself so that she can take care of others. And then she takes care of her homework. I have tried to emulate this priority list ever since.


Just so you know, lately, I will drop anything for a heart-to-heart.
If you are longing to have one, I am your girl.
I just hope it's ok that I will be packing while we have it.

Friday, December 11, 2009

explanation.

i don't have one.

it's like this overwhelming need to cry and laugh at the same time.
it's the need to hug friends close and push them away.
i gave kenj the look. the look of "i'm tired and worried and overwhelmed but i don't know how to explain it." she understood; she always does. she wanted to help, but was honest. "i don't know how you feel, i can't," she said. she suggested talking to claire.
claire's loving reply broke the dam i built around my eyes.

There has got to be a better language. Why can't we define all these things that are so real? I couldn't find the words two summers ago when I most needed them. I can never express how important dear friendships are without becoming frustrated with a lack of vocabulary. And I can't explain myself now. Haven't other people had these same emotions? I know at least One has. But these things just haven't been labeled. Maybe in a foreign tongue, or maybe it takes this many words to describe it every time. Maybe in the language of angels.
__________________________________________________

I wrote those words last night in my inbetween. The time between awake and asleep. This is my favorite time; I dream dreams from my subconscious, and I remember them. My thoughts are light but serious, and my heart is honest to my brain. Sometimes my blog may be too honest to my readers. You are an intimidating bunch.

Time to start filtering and being more practical.
Soon you will be filled with stories of Auckland! 23 days, dear.

Monday, December 7, 2009

checklist.

clean hair. check.
sweats. check.
hot chocolate. check.
snow pouring down. check.
Christmas music. check.
spiritual upliftation. check.
tons of homework that will keep me up until 2am. check.


to do:
write three papers and catch up on all assignments (ALOT)
plan an amazing Christmas party
bon voyage dinner with my favorites
make a snowman
take seven finals
see the lights at temple square
pack up and move out
cry my eyes out
see my family
celebrate
leave the country

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

december.




"As we seek Christ, as we find Him, as we follow Him, we shall have the Christmas spirit, not for one fleeting day each year, but as a companion always."
-Thomas S. Monson

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

twenty three.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACOB!












I've spent my whole life trying to emulate my big brother's sense of humor and athletic ability. I'll never quite get there, but I love him more for it! He has always been one of the most faithful, good-humored people I know. Really, everyone likes him!
And now, he is 23 and engaged to this beautiful girl:














This calls for a celebration!