the big ONE ONE

My little girl turned 11 today! I can't believe how much miss Molly has grown up late. I am blown away at the incredible young woman she is becoming. So often I find myself looking at her in amazement... wondering when she grew up and how I got so lucky to be her sister. This girl has remarkable things ahead of her, and though she's young I know that Heavenly Father has big plans for this special one. I am so blessed to know her. Though she's shorter than me (barely!!!) I look up to her immensely.

Happy birthday, sweet sister. I love you to the moon and back. So grateful we can be friends forever. :)

Hi Provo. It's nice to meet you!

Well, the impossible has happened. I'm a college student!!! I can barely believe it. For so long I've been preparing for "the future" and what was going to happen to me after high school. And now it's here. I'm living it. I'm living MY future.

I've been here in Provo for 3 weeks now. Let me tell you - it has been the LONGEST 21 days of my life. I feel like I've lived here for ages!! I have never felt so overwhelmed. Ever. But it's an exciting sort of overwhelmed... usually ;)

It wasn't all that easy for me to decide where I wanted to go to school. I thought about it a lot. I never felt like I really got "an answer" if this was the school for me or not. I prayed, thought, fasted, prayed, asked people, thought, prayed some more. I finally decided I loved how BYU made me feel and it seemed like it would be a wonderful opportunity for me. So I chose here, still feeling like it was only my own thoughts guiding my decision. Well, the day after I moved in, I finally got my answer. A real and solid one. I KNOW I am supposed to be here. For whatever reason, this is the place I need to be right now. It is so comforting to feel like I'm in the place Heavenly Father wants me to be, especially in the hard moments. So many amazing opportunities await me, and I cannot wait to see all that my freshman year will bring!

My biggest goals are to work hard, do well, and to just enjoy it. ENJOY my time here. Some days it has been hard to smile like I typically do. Homework is harder than it's ever been, I feel like all I ever do is study. I'm away from family. Making friends here is not as easy as making friends in a place like high school, where you actually see these people on a regular basis. So much has changed, and it's all been thrown at me at once. It's a big adjustment! However I know that it is a privilege to be attending this school right now, and I'm so grateful that I'm here. I'm so thrilled for all that's just around the corner. College, I'm ready for ya. :)

These would be my lovely roommates! I seriously got SO lucky. From left to right it's Lyndie, Ryan, Meg, Me, Liza, and Lena. Pretty good lookin group, eh? Haha. I love these people so much already.

The football game BEFORE it rained...

We survived the Provo flash flood of 2013... and loved every second of it. :) During the football game the heavens unleashed and turned the stadium into a river. It was absolute insanity... and so hilarious.

FRISBEEEEEEEE

Today Kiera, Olivia, and I decided to get off campus for a bit and go eat some waffles at Bridal Veil Falls. It was SO fun!! It felt so good to get out into my home - the mountains. Ahh. Nothing refreshes and revitalizes me like the mountains do. Plus those waffles were DIVINE. We will definitely be going back soon. :) 

I have met some of the coolest people ever here. This place is full of absolute quality people. I'm so lucky to be here. I'm having fun, I am. :) And every day gets a little better. I've been trying so hard to have the best attitude I can... and its working. I'm starting to really love college. 

Well, I have loads of homework to do still so I'm out. I'll try to keep this updated! Happy Wednesday!

Abigail

Long Live

Life happens so fast. 

I know I'm a horrible blogger (two posts in the last two years... oops), but I've decided I'm going to give this blogging thing another shot. I'm about to embark on one heck of an adventure, and I've had many people asking me to keep them updated. I decided this was probably the best way to do it, so here we go! 

I'm officially a high school graduate. Incredible. I have had the most amazing, spectacular high school experience. Looking back, I can't help but smile at all the things the last three years have brought me. 

I've gone from this...

to this...

... in what feels like a very short time. Senior year especially, that just flew. I couldn't have asked for a better end to my high school experience. I don't know how I got so so incredibly blessed. I tear up just thinking about it! Through the laughs, hard classes, friends, dances, choir concerts, tears, planning assemblies, sleeping on the floor in my SBO advisors back room because I was so exhausted, football games, pow wows, mission calls, study sessions, AP classes, boys, and becoming one in a way I didn't know any school was capable of, I had a year that was UNFORGETTABLE. 

And now it's over. Graduation day was one of the most surreal things ever. I sat up in the stands with the choir, listening to our principal speak.. looking down at these 500 people I have learned to love so much knowing that after tonight, I won't see most of them ever again. How?! But it was a happy moment, too. One where I could reflect back on all I've done and who I've become. So instead of being sad, even though a big part of me wanted too, I held hands with my best friend Katie Brianne, and looked down at those kids and smiled. Smiled because I loved them and felt blessed to have learned and grown alongside them. 

Our class endured things so unexpected. For some reason, we dealt with the death on a monthly basis. Literally. We dealt with cancer all over the place. Loved ones of these classmates that I loved were suffering, so they were suffering. I loved my peers, and because I loved them I loved their families. So it made us all hurt... a lot. However through the pain, more accurately because of it, something incredible happened. Our school bonded in a way I could never have imagined. Being a Student Body Officer, I helped pick our school's theme for the year 2012-2013 last summer. After much deliberation we picked "WE ARE ONE." In the beginning of the year it was a good theme, but really nothing special. However by the end of the year I truly believed that choosing that theme was INSPIRATION. Divine inspiration. Because it came true. And I, along with 1500 other students, started to feel a bond of unity never felt before. We supported each other. We loved each other. We fought together. We lost together, we won together. And we really became ONE. 

The student body having a "pink out" at a state basketball game. Several students had parents fighting and losing to cancer, and it became the entire school's desire to show love and fight for them. We ended up donating over $2,500 to the Huntsman Cancer Institute.

I will forever be grateful for the friends and memories I made at Bountiful High School. I love these people. I am so proud to be a Brave.

So here's to High School. Class of 2013, I'll love you forever. Thanks for helping make ME me.

Senior Sunset. 

Thanks to the family that got me here. I couldn't have done it without you.
Stop making me cry while I type this stupid thing.  

Especially you, Madre. There are no words. I love you more than life and am the luckiest girl in the world to get to be your daughter. I'm so glad you'll be with me every step of the way.
Nobody said it better than Abe Lincoln - "All that I am I owe to my angel mother." 

WE DID IT!!!

Best friends for two years. Sure do love you, Logs. :) 

This boy. Oh! He made senior year a blast and a half. Joshua is the GREATEST. 

And can't forget this girl. Honestly couldn't have done it without her. Katie Brianne.
She's as good as they come. My sister, my best friend. ALWAYS.
Thanks for making me a better person, Kitten. Love you forever!

The next chapter starts in 9 days. I'm heading off to college at Brigham Young University and I'm beyond excited. But I'll never forget how wonderful high school was. Bountiful High, thanks for treating me well. Once a Brave, ALWAYS a Brave. 

"I said, remember this moment

In the back of my mind

The time we stood with our shaking hands

The crowds in stands went wild

We were the kings and the queens

And they read off our names

The night you danced like you knew our lives

Would never be the same

You held your head like a hero

On a history book page

It was the end of a decade

But the start of an age

Long live the walls we crashed through

While the kingdom lights shined just for me and you

I was screaming, long live all the magic we made

And bring on all the pretenders, one day we will be remembered."

-Long Live by Taylor Swift

LONG LIVE all the walls we crashed through-

I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you!

WE WILL BE REMEMBERED. 

691 Days

Last October something happened that changed life as I knew it. President Monson announced the new mission ages for youth in the church. Since then, I have been able to watch so many of my friends and classmates who have already graduated accept the call, turn in their papers, and embark on an incredible journey devoting 18-24 months of their life to the Savior. It has been so incredible! I witness these people prepare so diligently and work so hard to become ready. I've seen attitudes as well as lives change. I've witnessed so many miracles. I've said goodbyes to many. One of my very greatest friends left for San Diego, California today. When I left his house yesterday after seeing him for the last time, I felt the biggest sense of pride and love for my wonderful friends. I know some truly phenomenal people. I have watched their whole beings change as they turn their lives toward our beloved Savior. I am now part of a senior class with many just months away from leaving themselves. The diligence in their preparation is so inspiring. Two of my favorite people, Logan and Michael, put in their papers already. Michael last week and Logan today. My two best friends are working so hard to be the best they can be for the Lord, and you can see it. It is amazing to me how He changes them into magnificent missionaries, capable of spreading out all over the globe to spread the gospel and to spread JOY. How blessed am I to be a part of this change? To be living in lovely Bountiful, Utah, around all these fantastic people who influence me for the better ever day? They are the most incredible examples to me. My friends, with Christ, are going to CHANGE THE WORLD.

I don't go to Olympus High School or know any of these people, but this video made me cry. These are the kind of youth I get to interact with daily. An army of good, and an army of the Lord. 

I have been thinking about a mission a lot since October. I already had such a strong desire to go, but as I am very young and young women couldn't go until age 21, I would have been one semester away from receiving my Bachelor's Degree. I didn't know how well that would work out. So basically, I wanted to, but didn't know if it would happen. That announcement in October changed my life. The feeling I got as soon as my beloved prophet said that, it was incredible. Then, a mission became a reality. It was two years away.... was I really going to do this? If so, I had so much to do. I asked often for direction if it was right for me. It still is a ways away, but I needed to know. And now I do. I WILL SERVE A MISSION. A mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. My desire to go is so strong. I want to go so badly. If I could, I would honestly go tomorrow. Obviously I have a ton of preparation to do so it's probably a good thing I can't haha, but man oh man. I want to get out there so badly. The gospel has brought my life immense joy and incredible purpose. I cannot put into words the love I have for my Savior. I know without any doubt in me that this church is true. Yes, there is so much I don't understand about it. But what I do understand is enough. I KNOW it is true and that this is exactly where I need to be. I just want to shout it out to everyone I meet. Honestly! I wish I could just stand on a mountain with a super powerful megaphone and tell everyone how amazing it is and how perfect and pure it is. I cannot wait to serve a mission. I cannot wait. I love the Lord and I am so excited to devote 18 hard, trying, but beautiful months of my life to Him and his work. I turn nineteen in 691 days. 691 to prepare. The countdown begins. :) 

I'm a Mormon. I KNOW it. I LIVE it. I LOVE it. 

For Darcy

Well hello blogging world! It's been a mighty long time and I apologize. It's very obvious blogging isn't my forte. But I had a few requests to pick back up again. I sort of "eh"'d the idea. Until Darcy. So Darc, here you go. For you. :) Love you and miss you like crazy!!!


I was trying to think of something currently happening in my life that is worthy of my "welcome back" to blog-dom. But I honestly can't think of anything anyone would care to read about. So I've accepted the fact that this probably won't be very interesting to anyone... And now I'm going to write to you about my new job. Yay.

 PIZZA PIE CAFE. Yes. That is where I work. I really am not a fan of working, I'd much rather play all the time. Ha. :) But I kinda need to pay for college and a mission, so I got a job. I am now a cashier at Pizza Pie Cafe in Bountiful! I'll be honest.... I LOVE IT. I actually have FUN at work! Can you believe it?! It's a party!! My managers are the coolest people. So down to earth, so genuine, and so funny. We just tease each other and it's grand.

This is them. I creepily pulled this picture off the internet. The people that work at this place are AWESOME. I have only met one I don't like (sorry to be rude but she's a grouch). Everyone else is fun though!


 Here are some of the things my job entails.

CASHING: obviously. That's kinda my job description. I know how to work the fancy little touch screen computers. I greet people as they walk in, take their money, and smile. It's fun to get to talk to people and be up front. There is usually another cashier too so we get to talk and that's nice. So yeah, I'm the big man handling all the cash. Go me.

CLEANING: Since we aren't constantly doing something at the cash registers we are in charge of making sure salad and drink stations look clean. And we stock the napkins and lids and all that jazz. It amazes me how messy people are sometimes. It's not THAT hard to put croutons on your salad. Yet somehow people manage to get them all over. Seriously?

BUSS BOYS: Oh how I love the buss boys. :) We have fun. Especially me and this busser named Brady. That kid is hilarious. And such a punk!! So as he cleans tables and I do all my jobs, we talk. And flirt (a lot). And sing along to the radio haha. He's just fun.

THE SHIRTS: The shirts we have to wear are funny. They all have silly sayings on the back of them. My favorite says, "STOP checking me out. I'm not on the buffet."

TIPS: I live for tips at this place. They make me happy. We have a competition to see who can get the most. It's great. I'm pretty dang good, let me tell you.

FOOD FOOD FOOD: This job is going to make me fat. I'm always around food. And it's yum. Pizza Pie has a bunch of crazy pizzas, including desert pizzas. And for me it's free. I get to eat on break, before my shift, and after my shift. Whatever I want. It takes some serious self control to not just stuff my face all the time. The desert pizza..... holy. So much sugar = so much goodness. Plus I get to take home some extras after closing. So then I eat more at home. It's just bad.

I SET A RECORD!!: Saturday I worked for 7 and a half hours. Richard (my boss) at the end of a night came over to see my totals. He was shocked! He said that is a ton to make in one night. He also said it was a record, but I don't think that's actually true. Who knows. I still had to pat myself on the back for making that much my fourth night working. BOOH YAH.

THE BATHROOMS: At night when everyone has left, it's my job to clean the bathrooms. I just live for this super fun experience. Let me tell you the one thing I have learned from this: Men are OFFICIALLY messier than women. Trust me. I would know.

CLOSING: There are a couple other things we have to do at the end of the night. I won't bore you with the details. But let me just tell you one quick crazy story: I have to clean the windows/doors into this place. Well last week there was one night it was SO COLD that the cleaner was literally freezing to the window on contact. I was just wiping a bunch of frost around the windows. Ridiculous.


 So yeah!! There you have it. My fun new job. Sorry if that bored you to death. But hey, come visit me sometime!! I would love it. :) Happy Sunday!