So many things to be thankful for...

     This Sunday in church, there were a few talks about Thanksgiving and I felt impressed to make a list of the things that I am most thankful for. So I'll share my list with you :) and I encourage you to make your own little thanksgiving list, it can really change your perspective on life.

• Family
• My "Logan" friends, specifically Audriana Marler and Samantha Reeves
• My wonderful boyfriend :)
• School
• Work
• Animals
• My dogs
• Prayer
• Church and the strength I receive when I go
• heaters
• boots
• an open heart
• those who listen and love
• good examples
• music
• having not just a house, but a home
• safety while driving
• the things I don't struggle with
• good hair days
• hope
• future plans
• the spark of faith that keeps me holding on
• coworkers that turn into family
• those who forgive
• being able to move on
• the strengths of others
• trendy clothes
• the courage to ride horses
• confidence in myself
• smiles
• unconditional love
• hot chocolate
• comfort food, like pine nuts
• my parents
• sore muscles
• tender mercies of the Lord
• challenges that help me grow
• sacrifices people make for the gospel
• righteous temple marriages
• sweaters
• sunshine and sunrises
• those who share their tough experiences
• good poetry
• cute shoes
• the sweet spirit of children
• pictures with friends
• happy memories
• cozy blankets
• funny jokes
• laughing until your stomach hurts
• good study days
• catching up with friends
• game nights
• pretty jewelry
• hymns, especially #100
• songs that get you through hard times
• letters to/from missionaries
• complements
• loving words from friends
• long talks with good friends
• dancing
• my favorite scripture, 2 Nephi:4
• seeing the light of Christ in others and feeling God's love for them
• cheesy movies
• the atonement of Jesus Christ
• personal revelation
• family vacations
• Christmas time
• quiet mornings
• hugs from loved ones
• kisses

     Sorry, I know it's a little long, but what can I say, I have a lot to be thankful for! Happy Thanksgiving everybody :)

     Sincerely,

          Me

Things change...

     The only thing that stays the same in life is the fact that it is always changing. Change can sometimes be a hard thing, but it's something we all have to come to terms with. Things change, and we just have to learn to make the best of it. There are a lot of things in my life that are changing right now, but I am thankful to say that I'm pretty happy with all of them :) Life is good when you can welcome change with an open heart!

     First of all, one of my bestest friends in the whole wide world and roommate for three years is getting married. Yep, married! I am so happy for her. Her boyfriend, soon to be fiance, is an absolutely amazing guy and he is everything she has ever wanted in an eternal companion. I always thought she would be the first to get married, but now that that time is here I find myself thinking "whoa wait, already?!" which is silly because this is our fourth year of college. There is no doubt in my mind that this is right and that she is ready for this next step in her life. Honestly, it is a little weird to me, just because I am nowhere near ready to be married yet. At least, I don't think so. There are just way too many things going on in my life right now. I'm having a hard time figuring out if I am ready for a relationship, let alone marriage! Anyways, moral of the story is that I am so excited for my best friend and I am so happy that she has found the person she is going to spend the rest of her life with :)

     Speaking of relationships... there's a boy in my life! Yep, you heard right, a boy ;) I will try to avoid going into too much detail, but basically he is amazing :) We are really similar in a lot of areas and we think the same about most stuff. I've had a crush on this boy for a while now, so it's pretty fantastic that things are finally starting to work out! I don't think I have ever meshed so well with anyone outside of my family and above-mentioned best friend. I catch myself daydreaming about him constantly, which probably isn't a very good thing when it happens during my classes lol. Anyways, I'll stop gushing... :) I will admit though, I am kindof apprehensive about where things are going. I really like this boy and I really want things to work out. I just hope that getting involved with him is a good thing, because at this point I don't think my heart will let me not get involved :)

     Losing friends is generally a hard change to cope with, but sometimes it is just necessary to move on in life. Someone very close to me recently told me he didn't want to be in my life anymore. It really is sad to me because I've known him for going on four years, and I feel like we have been through a lot together. Being friends definitely wasn't easy, but I've always felt that it was worth it. Apparently, he didn't feel the same way. Even though I'm sad that our friendship is over, I think it's probably for the best. By keeping our friendship going, I've also been carrying around a lot of baggage. I'm hoping that I'll be able to let all of the junk from my past go so I can move on to better things in my life (see above paragraph ;) ).

     Along with all this, school is as hard as ever (if not harder) and I feel like I am always busy. BUT, all things considered, I definitely think my life is on the plus side right now :)

     Sincerely,
               Me

The Secret Life of Prince Charming

     During my trip to San Fransisco, I read a really wonderful book called "The Secret Life of Prince Charming" by Deb Caletti. The book is about this girl Quinn who is surrounded by women who have gotten their hearts broken by the men in their lives. Quinn's father is one of these men; her parents were divorced and her dad wasn't too involved in her life until just recently. When Quinn finds out that her father has taken a token from every woman he's had a relationship with, she sets out on a road trip with her little sister and he half sister to return the stolen items. Along the way, they find truth. Truth about their father and about love. In the end, Quinn even finds some good love of her own.
    Throughout the book, stories of the women in Quinn's life are told. The stories are about their bad relationships, their mistaken perceptions about love, and about how they finally found good love. The stories were one of my favorite parts about the book. They really resonated with me, and reminded me of how I've let myself get into stupid situations and bad relationships. They also made me realize how strong women are and how much we need to stand up for ourselves, especially when we aren't being treated like we should in a relationship.
     I strongly recommend this book! It's a great teen read (although there were a few f-words :s), it's fairly easy, and it has a lot of great insight. It would make a great summer read! I'm just gonna share a few of my favorite quotes, hope you enjoy :)

"Love should have conditions. And the biggest one

is that you should be able to look in someone's

face and respect what you see."

"I know now that if love is a decision, it should be 

stuck with not out of some sort of cement-and-chains

obligation, but because the choice was a good

one. A solid one. Love is a decision that should be 

made for the right reasons and kept for the right reasons."

"The most basic and somehow forgettable thing

is this: Love is not pain. Love is goodness.

And real love- it's less shiny than solid and simple. It's

the stuff of sunflower spirals and seashells, where there is 

beauty and mystery, but where there is logic too. You do not

need protection from it. It is not about the lies that

someone else tells you or that you tell yourself, but about

the truth. Real love is clear. It's as uncomplicated as that

shell. It's as timeless. When you find it, if you find it, pick it up.

For all the right reasons, pick it up and hold it close."

and my favorite:

"Listen, when what you want is a relationship and

not an actual person, get a dog."

     Sincerely,

               Me

San Fransisco!

The Golden Gate Bridge

Turner running free in the desert

     What better way to start a summer than with a vacation! After surviving finals week, my parents and I took a trip to San Fransisco. To make it even better, my cousin came along! We had a great time. San Fran is a very pretty city, the architecture is so beautiful and it's a very different culture than my quiet life in Utah. The first day was all travel, which kindof sucked because I was still recovering from being sick during finals week. We ended up in Reno and spent the next day, Sunday, in the area too. We went to this cute little mountain town called Virginia city, with cute little shops and random people dressed in old western clothes. Then we took a scenic drive back to Reno, and stopped on the way by a pile of rocks to let the dogs out. There were some really good views at the top!

The beautiful "Painted Ladies"

     The next day we traveled to Petaluma California, only a short drive from San Fran! We got there in the early afternoon, so me and my cousin sat out by the pool while my parents finished setting up. I got a really awesome sunburn from the sweetheart neckline of my sundress lol. We decided to get dinner in San Fransisco, at pier 39. It sure was beautiful! We ate dinner at Bubba Gumps and I got some shrimp and lobster bisque, sure was yummy! We spent all day in the city the next day, mostly driving around looking at cool sites. We also went to Alcatraz that day, it was really interesting. I loved learning about the penitentiary, but I also got some really beautiful shots of the nature on the island. The next day was spent in the city as well, this time riding the trolleys through the city. we also went to china town, where we stopped for lunch. Surprise! I found out I can use chopsticks pretty well! The food was delicious and I loved the novelty of using chopsticks, especially since they were plastic instead of wood (which is the only reason I tried using them at all).

Fun at the beach!

     Thursday was spent in the areas surrounding the city. We started off at the beach (not in the bay, but I can't remember where). The dogs loved it! My dalmation Kaya is usually the water dog, but this time Turner jumped right into the water! He loved exploring and chasing the seagulls. We saw a lot of starfish and we even found a sting ray washed up on shore! After the beach we went to Sausalito, a cute little community west of the city. Very charming! It was a very relaxing day to wrap up our trip. the next two days was spent traveling back home. The pictures I'm sharing with you are some of my favorite, and also some of my more artistic shots. Taking the trip to San Fransisco was a great way to relax after the stress of school and now I'm ready to jump into my summer!

     Sincerely,
               Me

Gorgeous staircase on Alcatraz

Pretty pretty starfish!

Looking forward to the future and focusing on the now

     The future is a complicated thing. It usually doesn't turn out like we though it would. Sometimes the future can be so exciting and sometimes it just scares the crap out of me. Sometimes I get so caught up in thinking about the future that I forget to live in the now. With the onset of summer fast approaching, I find myself in this situation. Lately I've been focusing on the near future a lot. I've been planning my work for the summer, preparing for volunteer opportunities, and registering for fall classes. Through all this, I've kindof forgotten how great my life is now. Not that I shouldn't be excited for the great things in store for this summer, but I need to remember how good I've got it now. I have some great friends and roommates, I love school, and I have a job that allows me to do all of this. The thing I'll miss most this summer is all the great friends that I've met this year. Sometimes it's just nice to take a step back, stop all the planning, and just appreciate how wonderful life is.
     That being said, there are times when a girl has to focus on her future. I mean, if I didn't plan, I'd be pretty much screwed when school gets out in three weeks. I have the near future all figured out. This summer I'll be working at the same vet clinic from last summer, volunteering at a therapeutic riding center, and hanging out with my friends and family as much as possible. I've already registered for fall classes and I have the rest of my undergrad scheduled so I will graduate with my bachelors in fall 2012. It's the far future that gets really fuzzy. I was asked today "what are your plans after graduation?". My answer? I don't know. A few months ago I would have told you that I'm applying for vet school this summer, will hopefully get in for fall of 2012, and live happily ever after. But lately, I just don't know. I've realized that it's ok not to know exactly what your plans are. Not that I don't have dreams or goals or things I want to accomplish in life (trust me, I do), I just don't want plan everything too much. I want to leave room in my future for the wonderful things that God has in store for me. I don't know exactly what life is going to throw at me, but as long as I listen to Him and do what he wants me to do, I know my future will be wonderful. Sometimes it's just hard to let go, and let God take care of things. But I know that it'll be worth it!

     Sincerely,
               Me

F to the E R G the I the E

     I've been pretty horse-sick lately. The USU equestrian team is done for the season, and without it, I don't have any contact with horses. I love horses and they are a big part of my life, so it's hard when I don't get to spend time with them. My dad calls riding my "Prozac", since it seems to make everything better. To make up for my lack of "horsing" (as my cousin calls it) I have been watching a lot of horse movies. This doesn't quite cut it, but it sure helps! I've also been thinking about Fergie a lot. No, not the famous pop start from The Black-Eyed Peas. Fergie was my horse.

Me and Ferg, hanging out at the barn

     I started riding Fergie the summer I turned 15, only about a year after I started taking regular lessons. When I first saw Fergie, I didn't think she was anything special, just a regular brown horse standing in a stall. Boy, was I wrong!I soon found out that she had a huge heart, a sweet personality, and an amazing capacity to love. She was also very fun to ride, especially when we were both having a good day. Fergie taught me so much in such a short time. She taught me about friendship, forgiveness, and love. Even after a hard, frustrating lesson, she always showed me that she loved me. It was hard to stay mad at her. Many times, Fergie was a shoulder to cry on, always there to lend her silent support. She taught me what it means to love unconditionally.

First Class, Fergie's dad

     Fergie was born out of an Arab mare by an Oldenburg sire. What a dynamic cross! Fergie had the fire and stamina of the Arabian, and the movement and disposition of the Oldenburg. Fergie's real name, Farfig Newton, is German meaning ergonomic cookie (or something to that effect...). I usually just called her Boo. Fergie's sire, First class, was a world class stallion and a major competitor in dressage and jumping. Fergie inherited a lot of her dad's potential and I think she looks alot like him too! The other day I was looking at a website dedicated to First Class. The site listed all of his offspring that had competed well or who produced offspring that went on to become major competitors. Fergie was not mentioned. Fergie and I tried showing one summer, but it didn't sit well with her. She never won many ribbons or reached the top levels of competition, but to me she was worth more than any olympic performer. Fergie's worth was not measured in showing success, but in what she meant to those around her.

A gorgeous picture from a show

     Fergie passed away in December of 2009 from a bed case of colic. I only had about four and a half years with her, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Fergie was one of my best friends and I will never forget my first horse. I look forward to the day when I can own a horse again, but no horse, no matter how great, can ever take Fergie's place inside my heart.

     Sincerely,
               Me