I am greatful for......

Hello All! Here it is Thanksgiving 2007. I didn't know the word RELAX existed in my vocabulary! Ah...its so nice to not be in school! Yesterday I didn't have to go to any classes due to them either being cancelled or the instructors simply just didnt' take role so we were not required to be there(: So, after sleeping in and getting a few things done, I came over here to my sister Stephanie's in Safford to help her finish clean the house! Then last night a couple of her cousins, her brother and sister, and her mom came. Everyone else(my dad, stepmom, brothers-including my older half brother that I have not seen in a year(:, and stephanie's grandparents and some other family) came this morning. It has been great hanging out with everyone that I have not seen in a while. And-get this! My brother Dallas not only turned 11 today, but since a month and a half ago when I last saw him-he has GROWN! Wow-like he is literally almost as tall as me. From the looks of it, he will outgrow me within the next few years, as Mitchell already has. What's up with that?! Ah how times and things change......

So today has been nice. I got to watch some of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade-as tradition every year no matter where I am! Now we all await the turkey to be cooked, while being entertained by my nephews and niece....Aren't they cute?!

Other than that, my short week was awesome! I had a really great day on Tuesday-probably because that was considered as my Friday...and I got paid! Yay! That means I am going Christmas shopping on "Black Friday". Yes-I need to get it done because once school starts up again next week, its all about Finals...kill me. I am very ready for Christmas break to be here-I should have about 4 weeks off for break! I am excited!

Well-I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and remembered what they are truly greatful for. I know I have a lot to be greatful for, especially everything with the Gospel. It's amazing how much it has taken as a part of my life. I'm greatful also for the time I was able to spend with my family this year and how much I appreciate their support and Love to me. It's awesome to be a part of you all! Hope you all have a great weekend!

Life Strategies-are there ANY?

I decided that purple is actually a good color on me(; I only have one thing purple and that is a dress-but its good color!



And the

"random thought of the day award" goes out to....me!



This week has been bittersweet I could say. Monday of course is the last time I wrote, and well-that was a rough day, or rather rough night...that makes wierd sense...anyway, I have felt the wierdest things this week. Truthfully, I am at this moment, for the first time ever, fighting stress. As wierd as that sounds, its true. I can really tell that Satan is trying his hardest to discourage me and get in my way. And its the hardest thing to push him to the side and win this so-called race. I know I keep talking about the same things in my blog recently, but besides my journal, (which is actually more personal than this of course), I do better when I write things out and analyze my life I guess! I'm good at that-analyzing. Lately it just seems better that I don't express my feelings or emotions verbally anyway, because it just gets me more frustrated. (Ha-you should see me when I have an opinion about something!)
But as far as this fight I am involved in, all I can do is my best. I keep saying that but I never realized that it is MUCH easier said than done. Last night though, I said probably the longest prayer I have EVER said in my life! I don't know what it was, but I just couldn't stop. I also felt closer to God than I have ever felt. It was an amazing feeling as I felt the whisperings of the Spirit, simply saying as clear as ever, "Things will fall into place, for I am with thee." Those were the exact words I heard. And whats even better was that they came from my best friend, my Heavenly Father. I cried as I finished my prayer and read my scriptures. Never could I ask for better comfort and friendship and support, than I recieved from the Lord. I hope that all of you can feel this too. I know he will help me, as hard as it may seem right now, but he will no matter what. I'm reminded of the scripture in the Old Testament,
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thy ways, acknowledge him, and he will direct all thy paths."
Its so true(: I testify that it is. And I know that my testimony is strengthening through all this. I feel it as I write.
I hope that those reading this can realize that the challenges we face, (even stress in my case(:), happen for a reason. I believe everything happens for a reason! Just put your trust in the one who knows you best and everything does work out.
Hope you all have a good weekend! Mom-be safe when you travel and watch out for scary people in Honduras haha(:
Yay-for weekends! tata!

Life as I continue to know it

Finally-I am doing my weekly update! I try to do it at least that much! My life goes all different places during the week-ahhh!

Other than that, last week was a really great week once again. I continue to stay busy but I keep thinking how good it feels because I am enjoying everything. Ok-well Math and a couple other classes suck, but you get the picture!

I am ready for Thanksgiving break next week! My plans this year, are not to go home. Yes-my mother will be on a trip with her best friend-good for her-and I will stay here and have Thanksgiving at my sisters, who lives in Safford. My dad, Anne, and my brothers will join us! I am very excited to see them(: Hopefully I wont' have too much homework over those few days. I'm trying to keep caught up now so that I won't!

My music is crazy right now, seeing as how I have a recital to perform for on Wednesday night. I sure hope I can be prepared enough! I just think of it as practice for not only my final for voice,(yes I have a final-its called Jury-I sing for all the choir directors), but also practice for my audition At the Y. I will be singing yet, another Italian piece, which dare I say is about kissing. Hmmmm.....

Anyway, i'll be sure to let all know how that goes!

So back to last week, I was so happy! I really had some good days! Its truly good to have the gospel in my life. And for once, I'm not stressed-even though I have a million things to do this week, I can honestly tell you I'm handeling it! It's great!

I had a really good relaxing weekend as well, which consisted of NO homework! yay! At least none that I felt like doing(: I went to a play on friday that the drama department did. A small musical actually-very good. It was one that the drama director here wrote. It was the most unique play I have ever seen. I can't even describe it! It was one that you have to go in with an open mind and if you are like me and like to analyze things and think deeply, well-you had to do that with this play, which is why I probably understood it really well!

Saturday, I cleaned up a bit and then finished watching Season 3 of Will and Grace. I borrowed it from a friend and needed to get it back to her so I watched about 10 episodes! Yeah-call me lazy but it was Saturday and I love that show!

After that, Hannah and I went paintballing with 3 guy friends of ours. Completely new experience for me that I had been wanting to try! So, [they reluctantly]gave the redhead(me) a gun(: Scary I know! But we had a great time, even when I got hit in the face. Yes-the paintball went right through my mask. I could still taste the paint in my mouth for at least an hour. Good times!

Now, as I said I have lots to do this week! I have an early morning tomorrow. I started getting up on tuesdays and thursdays at about 6 am to go play raquetball by myself-just as an energy boost! I am getting up early those days anyway because I started going to another class. Not for a credit, but I am joining in as a "guest" per se, to an Aurel Perceptions class. This will help me learn skills for an Aurel Skills test that I have to take as part of my BYU audition. Not to add to my already busy schedule but its not too bad and I need the skills! Whats nice is that my friend Travis is in there and is completely brilliant at that stuff so I can get some extra help!

Anywho, here I go....and go....and go.......

Remember what William Shakespeare said,
"Be great it act, as you have been in thought."

I'm going to meet Shakespeare someday!

Accomplished

I feel very accomplished after this week(: I don't think I have ever put so much focus into school as I did this week...EVER! I guess it was the motivation I had and my change of attitude on things!

So obviously, this week went very well. I feel like I am getting somewhere with school and my music. I think I have things under control, except my math class, which, well-I'm working on that one. I guess I'm just afraid of thinking positively about doing well in school because in the past, every time I did that, something still went wrong. But this time, I am just praying really really hard and I honestly have felt more comfort with everything.

My music is going better than usual. However, I did catch a cold this week which caused my singing voice to go down hill....... Thursday was the "worst" of it, however thanks to benadryl knocking me out about 3 times, I have started to feel much better! I am just in the cough mode now! No fun, but I still managed to get things done and for once I didn't stress! I think I'll let my stress come the week of my BYU audition! Then I can let it all out and go play raquetball! So yes, very good week. This weekend is pretty mellow. I am just hangin out. The twins went home for the weekend and Kendra is at EAC Band Day all day. So I am getting some homework done-yay English papers-and relaxing so I can get over this cold!

I can't believe November has started. I have just a few short weeks left til break, and even less til finals. Thanksgiving of course is coming up and I will be staying here-true to my vow(:-and going to Stephanie's in Safford. My brothers and my dad will be coming here as well so it should be really nice. I almost have forgotten about Thanksgiving, due to me and my roommates already listening to Christmas music .....before Halloween even got here...I know, we are kinda wierd.

So nothing too exciting going on at the moment! You all should email or comment me-I love hearing from everyone(:

Have a good weekend!