5 Lessons

1. "Strangers are just family you have yet to come to know"
"No life is a waste. the only time we waste is the time we spend thinking we are alone" 79

2. "Sacrifice is a part of life. it's supposed to be. it's not something to regret. it's something to aspire to."
"Sometimes when you sacrifice something precious, you're not really losing it. you're just passing it on to someone else." 151

3. "Holding anger is a poison. it eats you from inside. we think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harmed us. but hatred is a curved blade. and the harm we do, we do to ourselves."
"Forgive." 230

4. "Lost love is still love. it takes a different form, that's all....Memory becomes your partner. you nurture it. you hold it. you dance with it."
"Life has to end, love doesn't." 284

5. You're here for a reason. Everything and everyone is connected.

The 5 People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. brilliant book. life changing. one of my favorites. i also just finished For One More Day. even more brilliant and heart-wrenching. i love this author.

Twinkle Twinkle

Noel Young

i'm not alone

"I want to go to college, but it all seems like it's just out of reach and it terrifies me. Why can't I be one of the lucky ones that get early acceptance and know where they're going next year? And how am I going to feel when it gets even closer to graduation? Will I settle for comfort or will I swing on the vine and see where it takes me?"

i saw this on some girl's blog today. it is exactly how i'm feeling. my thoughts exactly. at least i know I'm not the only one.

Black & White

loves

I'm loving Casey O'Connell's paintings right now. they are so dreamy and perfectly portray the feelings and the moment that each painting is representing. beautiful colors and angles and perfect abstract-ness. i just love it.
oh and i just found out that Casey is a girl haha, i just picture a guy creating these for some strange reason.

Raindrops

"God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way"

"Life is like a rainbow, you need both the sun and the rain to make its colors appear."

"The best thing one can do when it rains is to let it rain"



i loved the top quote especially. so perfect. and oh by the way, i CANNOT wait for EFY this summer!! i think this quote goes with the theme well too :)

{top photo by me}

Scattered

The rain poured down on the other side of the big windows.
the highly scented candle made popping noises.
the storm drains overflowed.
cheers came from the tv.
the flame grew smaller.
first down.
ice on my knee.
the flame got big for one last time.
the rain calmed down.
i watched the flame burn out.
the rain picked up again.
touchdown.

January 17, 1:52 PM

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARTIN LUTHER KING JR

and happy birthday to my best friend WINSTON!! i love him :)

this calmed me down

Miserables

Current problems with my life right now:
-Pete Carrol freaking left SC for the SEAHAWKS...WTF!?!?
life over
-I'm probably not doing anything fun this weekend...its a 4-day weekend
-my head is pounding...which is actually pretty normal for me
-my time with robert is ticking and i hate thinking about going everyday without talking to him
-not going to senior ball
-not dancing
-not going to college...according to my mom and her refusal to pay
-not going to EFY
-refusing to go to Maryland because I'm not going to EFY
-literally have 4 guys wanting me...i want none of them
-the one...or two...guys that i want...i don't have the chance anymore
-i need someone to make me happy
-i am CRAVING San Diego. i would move there in a heart beat
leave all of this behind


things to look forward to???
yeah...i can't even think of anything that applies to that question

Dear, 2009

New Year's Eve was celebrated at Disneyland with Brianna and Tim Heinze's family. it was an amazing way to ring in 2009! i will never forget it :)

i started 2009 continuing my junior year in high school. the hardest year yet.

January:
-we got a new president. i was really excited about it, but now, almost a whole year later, I'm not so sure anymore.
-me and Bryce stayed at the Sorensen's for a weekend while my mom was in Maryland. this is when me and Anna became good friends :)
February:
-the Raymond's moved here from Arizona.
-i drove up to Utah with the Sorensen's for President's day/Valentine's weekend and spent a wonderful weekend with my sisters. i fell in love with the snow and Utah in the winter. i also started falling for BYU.

March:
-our stake did a Road Show. it was so much fun and all the youth in our ward got to know each other better and became closer :)
-Brianna spent a weekend here and i met all of Anna's friends. this was the beginning of many many fun nights with those people!

April:
-Andrew Sorensen left on his mission to Atlanta.
-i got contacts...it was a big deal!
-Spring break was relaxing and productive.

May:
-started off with our annual May Dance Concert!! everyone in advanced became so close and we had so much fun!
-i tried out for team for a second time and didn't make it. it made absolutely no sense, but now, i am so glad that i didn't. i am much happier in advanced than i would ever be on team.

June:
-end of junior year and the beginning of an amazing summer!
-i finally got a new phone...the EnV Touch.
-Youth Conference was my first adventure of the summer.
-i saw Transformers 2 with Miranda, Ben, and Jacob at midnight at Muvico!
-and the highlight of my summer: EFY!!!! BEST.WEEK.EVER. i can go on forever about it.

July:
-fourth of July with my best friend Carly :) but i was missing EFY like crazy
-unfortunately i had to take summer school for 3 weeks for algebra 2.
-spent a fun day in LA for my dad's birthday. we went to LA live and bowled at luckystrike then went to the Dodger game!
-then i went to San Diego on the last day of summer school and spent the weekend with 2 friends from EFY...now my best friends. BEST. WEEKEND. EVER.

August:
-was girl's camp! ward camp instead of stake, and i liked it so much more! all of the girls in our ward bonded so much! we're truly like sisters now.
-The family drove up to Utah for Kayla's graduation and moved both of them back here.
-Me, Bri, and Bryce spent a fun day with my dad at an SC football practice
-i started my senior year in high school!


September:
-CFY (conference for youth)...Robert came up from SD and Hunter and Justin from EFY came with their friends Mckenna and Paul. we had so much fun and me, Hunter, and Justin got to celebrate our birthdays together!

October:
-Me and Kayla drove down to SD to go to the BYU-SDSU football game. we spent all day with Ashlee and Katrina then went to the Haunted Hotel in the Gaslamp District! we spent the night and went to there ward in the morning then went back home. another amazing weekend.
-Right before Halloween, i hurt my knee in dance, finding out later that i tore my ACL.


November:
-The family minus Brianna went down to SD once again to go to the FIDM open house there and the debut fashion show. later that day, i met up with Ashlee and Katrina and we went to Sea World!!! my first time! we had a blast! i LOVE them
-our YM and YW had a temple trip down to Newport and had a great time as always. unfortunately i didn't get to see Winston :(


December:
-started off with Winter Dance Concert. i was able to dance a little, with my brace on. i still had so much fun though and the new advanced class bonded a lot!
-i had my knee surgery...first surgery in my whole life! it was pretty scary and very painful.
-winter break consisted of laying in bed, watching movies, eating saltines and ice chips, drugs, and throwing up. but the second week got a little better when i was able to walk!
-Christmas wasn't as enjoyable as i would have wanted...i was still in a lot of pain and it was only my 2nd/3rd day of walking.
-New Years was spent at Carly's house for her older brother's party. we had so much fun (as always) i spent the rest of the next day hanging out with her and Jessie :)

more pictures coming!