Joy

Oh JOY!!!! Exams are finished and the countdown to home is now bearable. As of now... I will be home in 4 days!! I cannot wait to see my family, Travis, eat delicious Christmas treats, be HOME, see my mom's beautiful house and decorations, to relax, watch some Christmas classics.... the list could go on and on. I absolutely love this time of year. I've been listening to Christmas music the whole month and trying to get into as much of the Spirit as I can. Sometimes it's hard without all the yummy treats and beautiful decorations that my mom has always had! I've been spoiled.
   That being said... I am grateful that I have been able to recognize what the real reason for the season is. I'm grateful for my Savior and for the sacrifices He has made for me to be able to enjoy all of the things I have listed above. I'm realizing how important it is for me to seek for the things that will make me rich in the life hereafter and not in the world. I am so blessed- - and the things that make me so blessed are all of the simple things!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! 

Also... a shout out to my team!!!! We are now 10-2 and are playing really well. We won last night at Utah State and have one more game before the break. Keep supporting the Lady Cougs' so we can keep this winning streak goin'! 

BLONDIE

I got my hairrr did!

My good friend, Karin Cottle, was able to do my hair today. It was a wonderful break from all the exam studying and it was definitely a deed that needed to be done. She did a wonderful job and I am loving it. I think the last time I was this blonde was when I was a little girl! I'm loving it!!!

Exams = Brutal

3 more exams...

6 more practices...

2 more games...

9 more days...

and then....

I'M HOME!!!!!!!!

do you think I'm excited??

To Paradise and Back..

   It literally feels like yesterday that I left for Hawaii. I actually left a week ago and I am already back. I can't really figure out to to feel quite yet because it went by so fast. Obviously, I'm sad to have left a beautiful island with beautiful weather to come back to cold and snowy Utah. But, it is nice to be back in my own bed and be able to really focus on the things I need to without being distracted by the ocean and nice weather.
  It was a really fun trip! We won the tournament and played some awesome basketball. We really played well as a team and that is always a lot of fun. We beat some very talented teams, which is really good for us. It wasn't just all basketball (which I'm so grateful for). We were able to go to the beach several times, surf, shop, eat shave ice, go to a luau (amazing food), went to the Polynesian Cultural Center... it was fun! My parents were able to come, as well as my Grandparents! It was really fun to have them there since I never get to see them. I was grateful that I actually had time to see them! We are constantly on the go, but luckily I was able to spend time with my parents.
  We came home on the redeye flight last night. I will say this... those flights are absolutely brutal. Especially if you have a hard time sleeping on planes. I'm tall, so it is difficult to get comfortable and I'm a really light sleeper and the lady's overhead light that was on during the whole flight didn't make it any easier to get some shut eye. It was a long trip and a busy trip and I am exhausted!!

My grandpa and I at the Luau! 

Handing out necklaces at the Luau! So much fun! This was before I ate my entire weight in decadent food. The Hawaiians say... "Don't eat until you're full, eat until you're tired".... I took it literally. I could have fallen asleep at the table.

Mango smoothie by the beach? Yes please.

I would take the ocean for my backyard.

We beat the University of Arizona over in Hawaii and were lucky to have a lot of fans come out! Our football team was playing in Honolulu on Saturday, so a lot of BYU fans were on the island and came to support us. It was like a home-court advantage! Such a sweet win! 

   As much fun as I had in Hawaii.. I am glad to be back and to get back into the swing of things. That being said... SCHOOL is not one of those things. Just thinking of how much I need to do to stay caught up and have hopes of doing well, makes me quiver. Almost done. 2 more weeks, 2 more weeks, 2 more weeks....

  Also... I LOVE Christmas! I am really getting into the spirit of it now that I'm back and it feels like winter. I am loving pandora.com, listening to all the Christmas classics. I'm looking forward to all the movies, food and traditions! I don't get to be home this year for very long, so I'm trying to make the entire Christmas experience as joyous as I can, no matter where I am! It's a wonderful time of year. I can't wait to see all of my family and Travis! 

Give Thanks

   Yesterday, I was able to celebrate American Thanksgiving! Boy, was I grateful for that since I really didn't get to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving. The Kaufusi family was kind enough to invite me over for dinner and it was delicious!! Not that the Kaufusi's don't do enough for me already. It was a great day! On Thanksgiving I usually eat so much that I am in so much pain the rest of the day. But, I didn't over-do it yesterday and it was lovely. It was the perfect amount of food!
  I am a very blessed girl. I've had some time to be by myself with everyone else at their family's homes and it's been really nice to be able to sit back and reflect on the things that I am thankful for...

I am grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and to be led by a true prophet of God. I can't even begin to count the blessings I've received just by choosing to live the Gospel. It is true and the one thing in my life I can always count on to be gratifying and unchanging. 

I am grateful for my beautiful family. I am lucky that each of my family members are happy and healthy! I am sad that I don't get to be around all of them more often but I love each of them so much. As tough as it has been being away from them, it has allowed me to better enjoy my time that I do have with them. I love that as we have all grown up that we have been able to grow closer.

I am grateful for my friends. Throughout my life I have been blessed with wonderful companions that have supported me through so much. I am so lucky to have the people that I do in my life and for the lasting influence each of them have made. I have so many people to be thankful to and if I could post each of their pictures, I would. I love my friends. 

I'm grateful for Travis. I have to say that Travis' placement in my life was perfect. All that he is, has brought so much happiness and satisfaction to my life. Our relationship has really strengthened my testimony in that our Heavenly Father knows what we need sometimes before we even know ourselves. I am grateful that I can always be myself and always have such a great example supporting me. 

I am grateful for my experience at BYU. Somedays I have a really hard time with things and wish more than anything that I could be home. However, I would not trade anything for the lessons I've learned and the experiences that I have had. I am grateful that I have been able to further my education, meet life-long friends and compete in the game that I love. I am growing up and have gained a greater appreciation for what is really important and I'm grateful that I have been able to learn these things at BYU. It is a special place. 

I am grateful that I am healthy. That is definitely one thing that I have learned not to take for granted. I witnessed one of my dearest friends encounter a life threatening disease. I learned how fragile life is and how important it is to keep ourselves healthy while we can. 

I am grateful for all God's creatures. Animals have always brought my so much joy and I am grateful for the way that they have influenced my life over the years. I have and always will love animals and their innate ability to love unconditionally. 

I'm sure that I missed a lot that I truly am grateful for. But, I know that I am very blessed and that I need to live my life with greater appreciation for the things that I do have.

Life is wonderful! 

Can I just brag for a moment?

   So, it turns out that the guy I'm dating is... THE best. A few weeks ago, we had our home opener against DUKE! A big game for us. Travis had warned me earlier in the week that I would be receiving a surprise the night before the big game. He claimed it to be "just a little something".  So, of course... I'm freaking out, wondering what this surprise is! I was having my nightly phone call with Trav the night before the game and I still hadn't gotten this surprise. So, we were just talking and he asked if I was excited for the game the next day. He then asked me if I could guess where he was going watch it. My first guess was... his computer because he just signed up for BYUtv (I know, so sweet!) but... my guess was wrong?! After this... I had a small inkling of what the surprise might be. I opened the door to look outside and guess who's standing there. Travis Seaborn!!! He came down with his brother and sister-in-law for the weekend to watch my game. How lucky am I?
  After he left for home, I left for Oklahoma and Kansas! Our team did alright with one win and one loss. It's tough on the road sometimes but, we were able to learn a lot. When we flew home... guess whose flight flew in just before ours? You guessed it... Travis!! We met up at the baggage claim and he came back to Provo with the team and I on the bus.
   We had such a fun weekend!! He was down for his mission companion's wedding but... that was just one day and I was lucky to have him for the rest of the weekend. We went skating one night, which was an absolute blast!! Watched Insidious (WORST idea ever- - scared the livin' day lights out of both of us),   went to church and spent time at the Kaufusi's. We have so much fun, all the time.
   I'm tellin' ya.. this guy is a gem! I dropped him off at the airport today as soon as I finished practice. It always sucks saying goodbye, but we are both busy people and Christmas is just around the corner!! When I came home, I saw that Trav had folded my laundry and cleaned my room while I was at practice. THANK YOU TRAVIS!!!!

Also... a big thanks to the Kaufusi family for allowing Trav to stay in their home!! I will repay that family someway and somehow one day.. I promise!

ALSO..

I want to do something to my hair. My hair is really long right now and boy... do I love long hair!! But, it feels a little unhealthy right now and I kind of want to try something fun and different. I need your honneessstttt opinions!! Should I get a shoulder length/ chunky/ shorter hair cut with some bangs? The last time I went short is was a very brash decision and didn't work out how I had hoped. So, please... give me some of your thoughts!! 

Education in Zion

       Right now, I am taking a Doctrine and Covenants class here at BYU. For the class I was required to spend one hour in the “Education in Zion” exhibit found on campus to observe how the exhibit applies to my personal life and to what I have been studying in class. Initially, I was a little hesitant to whether I could spend an entire hour just observing things, when I could be spending it on something else.

       I just finished spending an hour at the exhibit and how foolish was I to think that it wouldn’t be a wise use of my time. I was overwhelmed with the Spirit that resonated in me as soon as I decided to open my mind and take full advantage of this opportunity. Everything in the exhibit was so beautifully arranged and it was so neat to be able to put a picture to all that I have been studying in class. Often times, history can be a dry and boring subject. However, in regards to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I don’t believe there to be a more intriguing and astounding subject to study.

       I love the Gospel and I know it to be true. I can confidently say that there isn’t one thing that could pry me away from this truth. However, I will also be the first to admit that I am so far away from perfect and from where I need to be. Do I take full advantage of the time I spend at church each Sunday? No. Do I read my scriptures with eagerness everyday? No. Do I always remember Him and do all that I can to be like Him? No. When I sit back and reflect on how I live my life and realize all the things that I could do better, it saddens me. I have every tool available to be the best I can possibly be and I choose not to use them.  No, I don’t consciously choose to be sinful and to not live up to my potential. But, I often times allow the worries of the world dictate how I act and how feel towards certain things. That being said, I am grateful for the testimony I do have and for the opportunities I have everyday to strengthen it because, no matter how crazed I get with certain things, I will always know the truth. I know that when life gets too hard to stand, I can kneel and pray to my Father above. I know that when I don’t perform to my best ability on the basketball court, I am still viewed as great in my Heavenly Father’s eyes. What a comfort it is to know these things, yet why is it so difficult to forget them as I go about living my daily life?

            In this exhibit, I read a lot about the early Saints and their desire and willingness to establish and redeem Zion. There was one quote that really caught my attention. It read, “Though the Saints as a people have often fallen short of the Zion ideal, what stands out historically is the tenacity with which they strove to make their life together a heaven on earth.” This statement brought me a lot of comfort because it reminded me that I am not the only one that isn’t perfect here on this earth. Our Heavenly Father knows us sometimes better than we know ourselves. He knows our thoughts and He knows our desires. I love, in that quote, that it says the word ‘tenacity’. To me, that is such a powerful word that applies to the many facets of life. Sometimes I think that the word tenacity gets confused with the word aggression. In my mind, they are two completely different ideas. To approach something with tenacity is, to do all that you can do and to give all that you have to give. When all is said and done, whether you won or lost, you can walk away knowing that you gave it ‘your all’. I believe this to be a huge reason to why our church is as powerful as it is today! We have leaders and many members that bear and proclaim this truth with tenacity and an undying faith.

            I have felt and learned many things today but the one lesson that sticks out the most is to never lose my tenacity and my desire to do what is right. To always strive to become a disciple of Christ. I know that I have only seen just the beginning of my trials and that there are going to be more smooth and bumpy times ahead of me. There will be times when I triumph and times when I fall short…. But, it is the grace of our Savior; after all I can do that will save me.  I am so incredibly blessed and grateful for this opportunity to visit this exhibit and to have learned the things that I did. This church is true and there is absolutely no doubt about it.

“We move forward faithfully into the future only by understanding our past. Our founding stories reveal to us the higher purposes for which our forebears strove, and help us know the path that we should follow.”