Breathe

     Well, school is just crazy right now. Finals are next week and I am super stressed about my grades. I found out last week that I am probably not going to get the grades I  need in two of my classes, which means that I will have to take them again, which also means that I will be in school next spring instead of graduating in the fall like I wanted. That sucks. Mostly I am disappointed in myself because I was the one who slacked off in those classes all semester, so I really have no one to blame but myself. And that's a harsh reality to face. Granted, this semester has been pretty rough for me emotionally for various reasons, but I still don't feel like that justifies getting bad grades. All I can do now is study hard for my finals and pray for a miracle and a killer curve.

     Speaking of studying, it always seems like I get into a good studying groove right at the end of the semester. That's probably because I don't spend hours on end studying until the week before finals though... Anyways, I always have a hard time finding a good place to study. The school library is too big and cold and, and home is too distracting and messy. Plus the light in my room went out, so I either have to study in the dark, or in the front room where my roommates like to be noisy. Thankfully, I had a great idea and went over to the city library to check it out. Turns out I love it! It has a homey feel, but there's a lot of space. I don't have to walk there, which is embarrassingly a big turnoff of studying at the school library. And there's a perfect spot, nestled between a bookshelf and a window. If there is any place happier than a library, it's probably a horse barn! But they are pretty close in my book.

     I just wanted to share a quote with you that I found on pinterest...

   

     I just really loved this because it just reminded me to keep on breathing, keep on going. Just because we hit some road blocks along the way doesn't mean we should give up or second guess our goals. Everything will be ok. Don't get discouraged! Setbacks are not a sign that you are going in the wrong direction, more often they are a sign that you are doing exactly what you should be. By pushing through your challenges, you will know without a doubt that you are doing what you want. So take a moment and just breathe. And keep fighting for your dreams :)

     Sincerely,

          Me

My Friends, The Ducks

Look at them waddle!

     So I told you in the last post that I had a few pics of my lovely duckie friends, and my phone finally decided to cooperate so I have them now! And I really wanted to share them with you because I think they are just so freaking adorable. And they make me happy. Hopefully I will get to visit them tomorrow, if it's not raining!

   

They got so close! My camera was not zoomed at all.

     Also, for easter, my mom decided to get my dad his very own library card! So we took him in on saturday to get it and I just had to take a picture! Look how happy he is! lol they grow up so fast.

What a cutie!

New Found Passions

     Spring is here! And with spring comes a new found passion for life. The warmer weather seems to bring out the best in life. Recently, I've discovered a few new things that I absolutely LOVE, and I just wanted to share a few of them with you :)

-Feeding ducks! I love love love going to a lake or park and feeding the cute duckies all the bread I can spare! They are just so cute and funny, with their waggly butts and adorable quacks. I wish I could understand what they are saying, because I'm sure that would be just as adorable. New favorite hobby? I think yes.

-Stronger, by Kelly Clarkson. Definitely my new anthem for the foreseeable future. I love the rocking beats and the uplifting girl power lyrics. I totally got caught dancing to this song in my car in the middle of an intersection the other day... don't regret a thing!

-Working out. I never used to work out, but I started about 2 weeks ago and I'm really enjoying it! Except for the days when I feel like I've been in a really bad bar fight, but that was pretty much just the first week lol. I still get sore, but it's just that building muscle soreness that you know is good for you. It usually is only bad for maybe a day. Definitely worth the bikini body that I'll have for summer!

-Driving around, windows down, music up. Ok, this isn't exactly something I've just discovered, but I haven't been able to do it for so long that it sure feels like it! It's one of the simple joys in life.

-Sports bras. How did I live without theses things?!?!

-Reading Vet. student blogs. So interesting! I love reading a first hand perspective about students in vet school. I think it's really upped my motivation for school, which is definitely a good thing. It gives me hope that someday I will be in vet school too!

     Sincerely,
          Me

p.s. I was hoping to add some pics to this post, but my phone is just not cooperating with me. The last time I went to visit my duck friends I took a few really cute pictures! They got so close! Maybe I will add them in eventually...

Conference Weekend

     Last weekend was conference weekend, aka "wear pajamas and do nothing" weekend. Needless to say, I loved it :) It was so nice just to take a break from all the stress of everyday life and listen to the words of the prophets. On Saturday I even had a pretty cool opportunity to invite a friend over to watch the afternoon session with me. I don't know how much he really took in, but I hope he was able to feel the calm and peace that I always feel during conference. The only draw back was that I was in Logan instead of home with my family. This isn't the first time I haven't been home for conference, but for some reason it kindof hit me hard this time. Don't tell anyone, but sometimes I get a little homesick, even though I try to put on a brave face ;) I do think I pay attention better when I'm not at home though, so maybe it was for the best! I do want to share a few of my favorite talks and some of my thoughts with you and I hope you enjoy my insights :)

     The very first talk was President Thomas S. Monson. It was really short, but it made such an impact on me. Almost from the moment he opened his mouth I felt the spirit so strongly that I cried (a rare occurance for me). He was basically just opening up the conference, but I just really felt so close to the spirit and I felt encouraged to make changes in my life.

     Later in the session, Paul E Koelliker gave a talk about the "murmuring" that goes on in the Book Of Mormon. I had never equated this problem with me, but he brought up the point that "they murmured because they did not know the dealings of our heavenly father." This really brought it into perspective for me. It made me realize that this has been part of my problem of late. I have grumbled and been unhappy with some things in my life because they didn't go the way I wanted them to. My problem was that I wasn't thinking about what heavenly father has planned for me and I wasn't fully trusting him to get me to my goals. This talk really helped me change my way of thinking.

     David S. Baxter spoke Saturday afternoon. His talk was very reassuring to me. It was all about how the lord is with us during our trials. If we just do our best, we will find the help we need to get through the hard times. Plus, He had a really cool accent, so he was really fun to listen to ;)

     There are more talks that made an impact on me, but for the sake of not having a mile long post, I only wanted to share my absolute favs. I hope that you enjoyed conference as much as I did!

     Sincerely,
          Me