Break

This weekend, I had a much needed break from school.  After I finished my last final Wednesday afternoon, I went home and started packing.  I was glad to get an early start because I like everything to be super organized.  I moved all of my stuff home Thursday, but just for the weekend.  See, in Provo they do this really annoying thing where you have to be moved out of one apartment a few days before you can move into a new apartment.  Goody.  

But that meant I got to spend my much needed break with my awesome family!

Friday, I hung out with Amy and the kids at home for most of the day and then we headed to Hunter High to watch Spence coach.  The kids loved it because of a little dog named Laynie that kept licking their faces.  We liked it because the weather was nice and Viewmont won.

Amy and Max visiting Spencer as he helped JV warm up

Saturday Alicia invited Abby, Lyla, and Me over to her house to eat lunch and make and frost sugar cookies.  As always, it was quite the adventure filled with Lyla spilling her milk 3 times, Abby eating more than I have seen her eat in age, Lyla somehow falling off the chair (this happens frequently), sidewalk chalk with the neighbors, and lots and lots of cookie dough and frosting eating.  The cookies were SO good though!  We couldn't resist!

I'm not sure what she was so excited about, but Abby's face is great!

I love that Lyla sticks out her tongue when she concentrates

Cute Leesh!

Lyla's cookie looks...yummy?

Abby's cookies

Lyla's cookies (minus the star, that one was mine)

The finished product (minus the couple we ate)

Me, Abby, Alicia, and Lyla

For dinner that night, my dad and Derrick took the grandkids up to Nate's for dinner and to play with Dax while Spence and Amy went on a date and my mom and I went fabric shopping and out to dinner with Michelle.

After dinner Derrick, Michelle, and I went to Madi Haire's wedding reception (Derrick served his mission with her husband).  I can't believe she's married!  She looked so gorgeous and happy!  It was great to see her, and Bree, Lindsey, and Micadyn (all of whom I haven't seen in ages!).

Sunday was a typical Sunday around our house.  Alicia and Peter ended up coming up so that we could make gingersnaps for and visit one of our favorite couples in our stake (they use to be in our ward).  Alicia and I use to make gingersnaps for the Stevens and go visit them at least every other Sunday growing up.  The Stevens are going on a mission, so we had to do it one more time, in honor of the good ole' days.  It was great to talk to them!

Monday I got to take care of Abby, Lyla, and Max for a few hours in the morning while Amy went to a doctor's appointment.  We had a good time playing and going on a walk to pick up Abby from preschool.

Max loves Nutella!  I couldn't resist taking a picture when I saw how messy he was!

After that it was time to pack up all my stuff and move back down to Provo.  The move was successful, thanks to my awesome brother Nate and the best Dad anyone could ask for!  Seriously, getting to spend time with both of them one on one (well two on one since Dax was with Nate) was such a treat!  With all of the craziness in my family, it basically never happens!

Too bad I start school tomorrow.  Back to real life I guess.  Well, only sort of since I get to baby-sit again this weekend when Amy goes to Women's Conference!  Score!

Graduates

Dear Roommate Graduates,

Thank you for making me laugh,

being there for me when I needed to cry,

hating people who hurt me so I don't have to,

talking with me for hours,

making me think about EVERYTHING differently,

hugging me just for fun,

always bringing a smile to my face,

just being your crazy selves no matter what,

and your incredible examples of 

faith,

strength,

love,

forgiveness,

and 

happiness.

Thank you for letting me be a part of this crazy time in life.  

It has been one of the greatest honors of my life to live with you two.  

Congratulations on your graduations!  You've worked hard and deserve the very best!

On to the next adventure:  marriage!

Leaving

I'm moving out on Thursday.  And for the first time since I came to college, I'm really sad to be leaving this place.  

We ended up here the first time because of Shannon.  After Sam, Shannon, and Kate had signed somewhere else, Shan felt sick about it and insisted it wasn't right.  So we all signed here instead.  I was fine with that because I didn't care where we lived.  After the first few weeks here, I didn't think that decision was 100% inspired.

The ward was full of people who were a lot older than me, many of whom didn't really put in an effort to know me once they found out I was 18.  It was a tough ward for a freshman.  I was doing everything in my power to just figure this college thing out, and no one else could really relate to that.  That being said, I didn't hate all of it.  I loved Ryan and his apartment from the start.  Eric, Brandon, and Parker always knew just what to say to make me laugh.  And the people in my FHE groups were awesome!  But none of this had me convinced to come back.

Kate did though.  She wanted to come back and I wanted to live with her.  So we signed for Fall/Winter again.

After living in another ward for the Summer, I was dying to move back.  The first week back in this ward did not disappoint.  The warmth, the unity, the acceptance, the openness, it was all there again and even more so.

So I've changed my mind.  The decision to move here was 100% inspired.  This was where I needed to be.  These are the people I needed to be in my life.  I needed the Sorensens, Fraleys and Christensens.  I needed Lexi, Carmen, Leigh, Traci, Holly, Maddie, Kelsi, Beth, Brittany, Danielle, Catherine, Lexi, Katie, Ashley, Sarah, Emma, Heidi, Tina, Erika, Annie, MeLisa, Alex, Craig, Ryan, Wes, Eric, Spencer, Pappy, Dustin, Kevin, Joe, Greg, Mike, Steve, Ben, Paul, Jeff, Dallin, Phil, Stephen, Will, and Brock, just to name a few.

Annie

Dallin, Jeff, Greg, and Kelsi

Did I mention we have the world's most awesome Bishop?!

Jeff, Phil, and Baby Titus

Greg and Me

MeLisa and Beth

Pappy

Sarah and Erika

Sorensen Boys

Bishop and Sister Sorensen

Traci

Eric

Katie, Maddie, Tayler

Leigh

Wes and Ryan

I needed them to help me become better.  I needed them to teach me to reach out.  I needed them to help me be comfortable showing others who I am.  Last year, I was shy and introverted.  No one knew me very well, if at all.  Now, almost everyone knows me, at least a little.  And because of that, I feel like I can be myself more.  I feel like I am capable of accomplishing more and being more of a help to those around me.

Now, moving and the thought of starting over terrifies me.  I don't want to go back to who I was before.  I want to retain the things that I've learned from these wonderful, loving people.  I'm not sure if I quite know how though.  I know I will meet fantastic people and I know it's time for me to move on.  But it's hard to feel that anything could be better than this right now.

All of this has made me determined to make the best of every experience, to act on each place I live as for years.  I didn't want to get to know everyone because I figured I would never see them again, so what did it matter.  Well, it mattered.  And I'm grateful for that.  I'm grateful I finally got over my stubbornness and let myself fall in love with the wonderful ward I was in and to learn so much from everyone around me.

Last night was the last ward prayer of the semester.  Ryan and I did it since it was the last one.  As the thought, I shared some of the things I said here.  And I closed with a scripture that I felt summed it up so well:

"I am mindful of you always in my prayers, continually praying unto God the Father in the name of his Holy Child, Jesus, that he, through his infinite goodness and grace, will keep you through the endurance of faith on his name to the end."

-Moroni 8:3

My goal as I continue through life is to build friendships so that I always feel this way when I leave someone.  As sad as it is to leave people, the love you feel is always worth it!

Engaged (Wedding 3)

So this is a long time coming, but better late than never, right? Saturday April 7th, these two crazy people got engaged:

Jess and Zach are just the greatest!  They're both so funny and just love to be with each other.  Jess is a little bit of a crazy head, but Zach just takes it in stride (and sometimes encourages it).  I can't wait for their wedding in July!