Basketball and Good Deeds

Who knew?  Who knew basketball is so fun?  The center has a no-boys basketball league and our team just finished our first game...and we won by one point.  Our team consists of Kaitlyn, Wendy, Whitney, Andi and me.  Obviously, a great combination.  Not going to lie, it was a freakin blast and I am seriously wanting to develop some skills.  Speaking of skills, apparently, home-girl Katie Cutler is really good at bocce ball and won $400 in a tournament.  I aspire to have skills like that. :)

More importantly, today we visited Yad Vashim, which is the Holocaust Memorial and Museum in Israel.  It was an extremely touching and humbling experience to learn about the horors that took place less than a hundred years ago.  As I went through, I just kept thinking about things that I know that are going on right now and wondering what am I going to do about it. 

I don't want to lecture any of you wonderful, fantastic readers, but what things are going on around you are you choosing to ignore?  Being engaged to the wonderful man Jesse Thomas has been life changing to me.  He has taught me so much about what is going on in the world, our country, and locally.  If anyone had a heart of gold, it's that guy.  Reason  number 808,298 why I fell in love with him was seeing him with the people he taught on his mission (luckily, he was called to Salt Lake City, which obviously is the best mission in the world).  He met and fell in love with so many different people from all walks of life.  Something that I didn't know was that Salt Lake City is a refugee city and is host to thousands of refugees that could use a little help.  Jess and I are hoping to be able and work with an organization next semester to help them get used to the city and make sure that they are safe.  If you too would like to get involved, or just learn a little bit more about the issue in Salt Lake, click here. 

Now, go do the right thing.

Oh tis life

Right now, I am trying to make a bunch of decisions...and I don't like it. Isn't it totally ironic that we fought a war in heaven over agency and we so desperately wanted to be able to make our own decisions. Now that I have that right and can be choosing my destiny, it's freaking me out and I am really confused as to what I want. This is a totally new sensation to me, because I feel like I have known what I wanted out of life since I was 4 or 5; go to college, graduate, travel the world, make beautiful dresses, get married in the temple, have a family, and live happily-ever-after. I know that I just want to be happy and accomplish what I am supposed to before I leave this life. Un-vauge-ifying those two concepts will take me the rest of my life. Benjamin Franklin said, "There are three things that are extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know one's self."

On the bright side, at least I feel really good about my major. Home and Family Living is one of the most diverse and interesting majors! If you are undecided and lucky enough to be at BYU, you should check it out! Although it isn't PD Bio or Nuclear Physics, it still is very challenging. Especially the skill classes, like clothing construction. Awesome, but I am failing my projects, and have been sewing for a large majority of my life. Rather pathetic. But seriously, I love my major. &Right now I am in a Residential Landscape Design class that is super cool! Human development is also way interesting, and although I think my professor (and ta's for that matter) probably think that I am an idiot, I am totally fascinated! It's weird, there are no children in my life...at all. I can't even think of the last time that I held a baby or played an imaginary game with a 3-year-old. Maybe that's why I love that class so much. I am only remembering the really sweet experiences and am forgetting about the tantrums and smelly diapers. Sorry I get so easily sidetracked.

p.s. this is very off topic, but Kenn informed me that we are related to President Lincoln today. That made my whole day! That and a wonderful conversation with my roommate Janet. (Not to be confused with another roommate Jana or Janana)

p.s.s. We have banana bread coming out our ears and I think we will be making more in the very near future. So help a sister out and take some off our hands! Much thanks!

Now, go do the right thing

I am so proud of dr. laura.  You may know that I adore this woman.  Basically, I think she might walk on water.  Recently, she has been under a lot of fire and so she has chosen to leave her radio show in December (tragic) so that she can speak more freely without her sponsors and the station influencing what she can or cannot say.  *insert here a discussion of freedom of speech* But Seriously, she just gets it.  Her advice, though harsh at times, is accurate.  It is generally not the easy way out, but is the best.  We need more people in this world like her.  Who knows?  Maybe one day I can aspire to become the next Dr. Laura?

Dr. Laura is a Genius

Can I just say that I adore Dr. Laura?

She is on my personal "most-influential-list."

I love listening to her on the radio.

Also, I recommend following her blog.

She is such a cutie.

Today she posted a beautiful quote.

and I felt like sharing.

Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.

               - Nathaniel Hawthorne

                  American novelist

                  1804-1864