Can I?

2011 Reads

“The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”

-Dr. Seuss 2011 Reads

• A Disciples Life by Bruce C. Hafen=A+
• I very much enjoyed this book about Neal A Maxwell. I would recommend it to anyone. I would also highly recommend studying it closely with Elder Maxwell's talks and BYU/CES devotionals.
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• Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson=A
• One of my mission companions recommended this when I came home from my mission. Its an easy read all about how Neverland and Peter Pan came to be. I'm probably partial because I love the story of Peter Pan.
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Touch the Top of the World by Erik Weihenmayer=A

Simply inspiring. A man who has hiked all of the major mountain ranges blind. It inspired me to look past my excuses. Great read aloud book.

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom=A+

Wow. If you haven't read it go to the library today and get it. She taught me so much about WWII, life as a prisoner, loving others and forgiveness.

October Sky by Homer Hickam=A

This is also a favorite story. The book is (of course) WAY better than the movie... which is saying something because the movie is pretty darn good.

1776 by David McCullough (audio)=A

I listened to 1776 during my long car rides. It was a great learning experience. Great writing.

Emma by Jane Austen=A

Its a classic. Enough said.

The Chronicles of Narnia (all of them) by C.S. Lewis=A+

This was my first time reading them. I literally couldn't put them down (even during my family vacation). They are also a MUST for every a. Christian and b. Child.

Beyond the Blackboard by Stacey Bess=A

Also an inspirational story about a teacher who taught in the homeless school in SLC. Quick read. Excellent voice.

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery (audio)=A+

Anne kept me company for a few weeks while I exercised. She was the perfect companion. Lots of laughs. Again, excellent writing.

The Help by Kathleen Stockett=A-

This might be the first time in my life that I have said that the movie is better than the book. A little slow. Easy read. Good story.

Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw (audio)=A

Eliza also kept me company while I exercised. George Bernard Shaw is a fascinating read.

3 Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson=B-

I have to admit it was an excellent story although I often got distracted by a. the poor writing and b. always pondering about why he would lie about his "experiences."

The Marvelous Adventures of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo=A+

I received this as a Christmas present and read it all the next day. It is an easy independent read, however, it is a sweet story and quite thought provoking. I will reread it often I'm sure.

Goal #102 Lazyman Triathlon

#102: Complete a triathlon

Well... we sort of... kind of... completed this.

In other words... we actually DID complete 26 miles running, 115 miles biking, and 97 laps swimming (approx 2 miles)...

Our team: Kelsey, me, and Afton

... all in one month!

Thus, the "Lazyman Ironman."

But I still think it counts.

I think we all learned how nice it is to exercise regularly. I developed a new love for cycling. We had some good roommate time. It was great.

One day I'll do this whole thing in one day.

Goal #26

Goal #26: Earn a Bachelor's Degree

COMPLETE

Graduation! December 2011

Lessons I learned:

#1: Obviously I have learned plenty of... Patience - With roommates, professors, inconvient sleeping schedules, etc. Endurance - Like when you are sick and tired but have that last paper to write. Honesty- Have I done what I've said I've done? Have I kept my commitments? Psychology - only the best major out there. :)

#2: I have learned that I DO NOT have to be a perfectionist. Although I should do my best work I don't have to be anxious about doing everything perfect. Its not necessarily the grades that count, it's the fact that I'm learning.

#3: I have learned to count the small successes along the way. One of my professors made sure I learned this one lesson. It isn't about waiting to hit the big goal. If you do that you will struggle to find happiness and contentment with your work. However, if you count the small successes along the way it doesn't matter whether or not you have made the ultimate goal because you have seen success.

#4: The biggest lesson I have learned is that the Lord has his own timing for me. I distinctly remember writing down my 5 year plan at the beginning of my college experience. I was graduating in three years with honors, doing an internship in DC, going on a mission when I turned 21, then of course I was getting married. Well, here I am 6 years later. I didn't graduate in 3 years or with honors. I didn't do an internship in DC. I went on a mission when I was 22 and I am still very much not married...

BUT I got to change my major and study something that really fascinated me, I took the time (advised by my mom) for some fun classes like ballet, family history, snowboarding, and archery. I spent 4 months studying History, Politics and Religion in the Middle East and 1 month studying Art in Europe. I served in the greatest mission on Earth with the greatest people! The year proceeding my mission I learned the importance and application of the Atonement in my life through real experience. Since returning from my mission I was able to serve in many callings including as an Ordinance Worker in the Rexburg Temple and as the Relief Society President of my singles ward (post to come). I did an internship at the Family Crisis Center helping victims of domestic violence. I also had the opportunity of being involved on campus teaching a leadership class, coordinating all of the sports events on campus, supervising many of the service opportunities, counseling with the adminstration to develop the BYUI learning model, etc.

The moral of the story is: The Lord knows what he is doing. It is my job to trust his timing. My life wouldn't be nearly what it is without allowing the Lord to be at the helm. But boy... what a ride it has been!

Just some life lessons from a humble graduate.

The girls...

I just have to admit that I adore these girls and am going to miss them very much!

September 2011

I'm going to miss Kendra's hugs and Thursday night movies.

I'm going to miss Kelsey bossing me around and picking fights with me... sorta. But I'm really going to miss her sweet acts of service and late night yoga in the hallway.

I'm going to miss Kylie's quick whit and psychology jokes.

I'm going to miss Afton's belly dance, her late night talks, and her laughter.

I'm going to miss Kristina and her sweet gospel insights and testimony.

Thanks girls for taking me in when I was homeless. :D

I just love you!

Goal #34

Goal #34: Serve a mission

Suzzy and I

I did! haha. I have been home from my mission for a year, today. Crazy.

I was just having a conversation with a woman in the temple about what a blessing my mission has been in my life since I've returned home. The skills I developed have blessed my schoolwork and my callings, incl. the ability to organize, make plans, set goals, talk to strangers, teach, extend commitments, follow up, etc. My strengthened testimony and experience with the gospel has helped me ride through turbulent times. My desire to serve others has helped push me out of my comfort zone. Lifetime friendships were cultivated.

I don't think I really realized how much a part of me my mission experience would become. I didn't observably change a whole lot from beginning to end, but I know now that those experiences created depth.

I'm glad for the experiences I've had the last year to help me learn and grow, however, I'm admittedly a little "mission-sick" (much like homesick but for the mission).

Some pictures to reminisce:

MTC District

I loved this group! We had so much fun!

We tried for months to get Sister Price (LA) to church.

She finally decided to come to Stake Conference!!!

Sister Thacker's first snowman!

Sister Gunderson and Sister Thacker made me this birthday cake.

If you look close it looks like the ancient Bountiful Temple. :D

Packing by all means necessary!

You haven't lived until you've tried deep fried oreos.

Sometimes you just have to let loose and be a little silly.

Thanks Lins for teaching me that life lesson. :)

Five of the six sisters going home (at least we had each other)!

This summer my family went back to Ohio with me to visit. It was absolutely wonderful (and terribly humid)! I will always consider Ohio my home away from home! My mother has all the pictures. I only have two to share, but they were both GREAT memories!

I got to see my dear sweet Kate! Oh how I love her. She was my very first lesson. When I saw her again she hugged and tackled me into the pew after sacrament meeting. ha ha. It was so good to see her! And she shared her good news that since I had left her mother moved from Ghana to live with Kate and was baptized! Kate is on the left and her mother is on the right.

AND... I got to be with Jen when she received her endowments in the Columbus Temple. That will always be a cherished memory with some of my favorite people!

Well... one year down. Another one to go. :)

1 week

Thanksgiving Thoughts

I am so grateful for gratitude. No really, it's true. I learned some powerful lessons this last month. It was a blessing to be thinking of all the friends and family that I am thankful for. (The only problem is that I still have a huge list of people I want to thank!)

My thoughts have been lacing through gratitude the last few weeks for some other reasons as well. The conclusion I've come to is that there is great POWER in gratitude.

I've always understood and appreciated the principle of being grateful, but my dad taught me an even greater lesson. He help me EXPERIENCE the POWER of gratitude. Gratitude turns our hearts to God. It calms our fears and anxieties. It illuminates the abundant goodness in a sometimes scary world. Its guides us to potential possibilities.

Gratitude heals.

The moral of the story is I'm grateful for gratitude. I'm going to be better at using it.

Thanksgiving Tribute #30

Maps

Isn't this photo adorable!

Oh dearest Maps, I would be super ungrateful if I didn't include her in these thanksgiving tributes. After all, 30 people in 30 days was her idea.

I truly find the Lord's puzzle work of life incredible! It doesn't matter how long or short a person is in your life. What does matter are the lessons you learned from them and the memories you share. Maps and I met a few years back. Congenial really. We had mutual friends. She was (and is) a bright happy light. It was easy to become friends with her. What I've never told her is how greatly she's influenced my life... and its been a lasting influence. Ironically enough, she's taught me the life lesson of gratitude. How perfectly appropriate.

One of my earliest memories of Maps was sitting around a campfire during a week long service project we were participating in. I noticed each night she would be writing in her journal. What I soon discovered was that it was a gratitude journal and that each day she would record the things she was grateful for that day. She had numbered each one and over the years she explained that she had accumulated several books full of these gratitude lists.

Years later I was working for a summer youth camp and was having a particularly hard time spiritually. A revelatory thought struck me and I remembered these books Maps had written. What a wonderful idea! So I tried it out... by the end of the summer my little booklet was full and so was my Spirit. I've carried on the tradition for several years now (better at times than others), but it has been a source of strength in my life for which I will always be grateful for.

In a recent Religion class I shared Maps' example of gratitude and these books she has written. My sweet perceptive professor (Elder Hammond) smiled and said that he can only image what it will be like for her at Judgement. Those books will be presented to the Lord and he will escort right into the Celestial kingdom. I couldn't help me smile myself because I'm sure that can't be far from the truth.

Thank You Maps for teaching me the power of gratitude.

Thanksgiving Tribute #28 & #29

Kristi Lee

Taiwan 2010

Kristi is my honorary sister. She and I probably act more like sisters than me and my sisters. That might be because our mothers are sisters and we are only 9 months apart.

She and I have survived each other for 24 years (as of December 1... ha ha). Anyone who can make it through the adventures of childhood, the drama of teenagehood (I know its not a real word), and the independence of young adulthood is doing pretty good. I think we've done a pretty darn good job. Kristi has always been the sweet, calm, smart, hardworking, lovable one that I've had to compete with all these years. ha ha. But I love her anyway and am grateful for her example of excellence in my life. Anything she does, she does it 100%. She has wisdom beyond her years (yeah I'm calling you old). I am often the grateful beneficiary of that wisdom.

Kristi, Thanks for having sleepovers at grandmas house watching fiddler on the roof and laughing until 3am (sorry Cindy!). I sure love you.

No post about Kristi would be complete without a twin tribute to:

Holli Berry

Holli is the one that kept sanity between Kristi and I for all of these years. Really, really. She is the older, more mature sister of the three. :)

I am grateful for how much this girl has taught me about life (she is three whole years my senior). She has exemplified courage, being concerned about others, knowing what to say and how to say it, being involved, persevering through tough situations, and enjoying the ride. I've very much appreciated this last one especially. She might not be aware of it be she has an incredible optimism about life. I'm not sure I've ever heard her complain.

I love these two girls.

Kristi and Holli, Thanks for loving me through all those years of annoyance and being such wonderful cousins.

Thanksgiving Tribute #24, #25, #26, #27

My Treasures

aka. My Aunts

L-R: Mom, Anna, Sherri, Cindy, Karen

I don't know how it came about but my aunts started reffering to themselves as their nieces and nephews' "treasures" and it's stuck. ha ha These are my treasures:

Anna: Oh Anna. Anna has taught me (along with my mother and other treasures) how to be a homemaker. If there was a Homemaker of the Year Award I would nominate her. Her 5 boys would probably nominate her too. 5 BOYS! ah! Oh and one very perfect daughter of course. All growing up I loved being at Anna's house because of the Spirit in her home. I also dearly love the way she and my mom interact. Kristi and I are still laughing (years later) at them.

Sherri: I covet Sherri's creativity. But you all should covet that Sherri is in my family and not yours. nienner nienner nienner Sherri is amazing, and her food is divine! I don't know how she does it but she has saved my college years and my party plans with her recipes. hmm hmm good I'm grateful for Sherri showing me that talents come in all shapes and sizes and I shouldn't be afraid to find mine.

Cindy: What do you say about Cindy?! She is... Cindy. ha ha All growing up all my friends knew and loved her almost as much as I did. She is the life of the party. But she has also taken the time to know the details of my life. She is an incredibly selfless server. I am grateful for her example of finding a need around the house or family and meeting it with no complaints. One day I want to grow up to be like her. :)

Karen: When I think of Karen I can't help but smile, really, I'm smiling right now. Karen makes me smile... and she makes me laugh... really really hard... regularly. Her optimism and humor have blessed my life countless times. I can't help but love being around her for the natural endorphins I get! She has shown me how beautiful life is and that I should make sure I'm enjoying it.

As you can see I have the greatest of "treasures."

Thanks ladies for teaching me the greatest of life lessons.

I love you!

Tribute #23

President Mack

Mission Homecoming 2010

Just like President Hinckley will always be my prophet, President Mack will always be my Stake President. ha ha From the time we moved to Utah when I was 8 yrs old to the time I moved away from home (ish) he was my Stake President. I am so grateful for his example of righteous priesthood leadership. I appreciated him long before, but I realized on my mission how much of my understanding of Priesthood leadership was a result in what I experienced and observed with him.

I remember the hugs and the words of encouragement when I messed up a presentation at Girls Camp. I remember the words of counsel he shared when I prepared to leave home for college. I remember how he lead meetings by the Spirit. I remember walking into their home and feeling the power of the Gospel among their family. And I am grateful for his words of wisdom when I returned home from my mission about how to keep my testimony strong.

Thanks President Mack for being a righteous Priesthood holder.