An Aunt Again!

(Written April 2, 2013)

Since Lizzy came to school almost two years ago, we have gone to devotional together on Tuesdays. We call it our devotional date. I love Tuesdays.

As we sat down for devotional today, Lizzy and I had a conversation that went like this:

Lizzy: "So next semester we have two more people who want to come with us to devotional."

Me (nodding my head): "Mary"

Lizzy (glancing at the ultrasound on Aaron's phone): "And..."

Obviously I immediately hugged her and didn't let go for a long, long time. And I may or may not have teared up (then and now as I write this).  

Yes, that is right. My best friend for literally as long as I can remember is going to be a mom. She is just going to be the greatest!

I'm so excited for by little Lizzy and cute, cute Aaron!

Baby Sainsbury--Coming October 9th!

(Written April 23, 2013)

Now that she's officially announced it to the world, can I just say how excited I am for Lizzy and Aaron to have their little BOY in October?!

I'm totally going to be the favorite Aunt (shhh...don't tell Mary!). 

Birthdays

So here's the thing. I've never really liked my birthday that much. I find the whole everyone-gives-you-a-ton-of-attention thing awkward. I didn't do anything to deserve it, so why in the world would everyone just be celebrating me. It feels weird.

Pretty much everyone thinks I'm weird that I don't like my birthday, so the past couple years my friends have done everything in their power to make it an enjoyable day for me. Luckily it's worked.

Right at midnight I got a text from cute Karen, just to start the day off right: "KRISTA KEDDINGTON THANK YOU FOR BEING A GLORIOUS RAY OF SUNSHINE THAT BRIGHTENS MY FRIGGN LIIIIIIIIIIIFE! i can't wait to see you in two days and giggle and dance together under rainbows and falling stars in celebration of your birth and our equally beautiful friendship:)" And then I went to bed. Which is also good because I like sleep.

It wasn't anything spectacular for most of the day. I went to school and work in the morning. (The sunshine helped make everything great, though.)

For lunch I went to Zupas with Kate since she is on her spring break. Two of my favorite things: good food and Kate. It was great to talk to her for a couple hours. There is nothing quite like old friends (even if they
aren't even that old). I love having friends that no matter how long it has been since I've seen or talked to them we can pick up right where we left off. And that is definitely how it is with Miss Kate. Man, I really don't want her and Ryan to move to Louisiana!

I went back and worked for an hour before coming back to my apartment. I was going to go renew my drivers license but for the life of me could not find my Social Security Card. Looks like I'm going to have a great time tearing my apartment up this weekend looking for it. While I was in the midst of that Haley and Emily Ruth showed up with the flowers Shannon had sent me and we talked and laughed for a little while.

Flowers from Shan and the book from Anne

I also opened up my present from Anne. And then I promptly cried. She had put together a cute book of pictures and notes from my friends and family. She worked hard to make sure that there was at least one note from someone from each stage of my life. And she put Derrick's note on the first page, so obviously I was a goner. I also cried when I was talking to my dad when he called to wish me a happy birthday. I felt so old but also so incredibly grateful for my amazing parents, even if my mom hates that her baby girl is 21. Don't worry though, I'll always be their baby girl.

After dinner at The Olive Garden (which was great!) some people came over for cake that Emily Anne had made for me. It was one of the prettiest things you've ever seen! And so good! Two layers of chocolate cake with peanut butter chocolate ice cream in the middle. Delicious!

Beautiful and delicious cake!

Cory, Emily Ruth, Jack, Emily Anne, Allan, Me, Blake, Jordan, John John, and Haley

The night ended in lots of laughing, talking and Psych watching. So great!

Since Anne and I both got flowers for our birthdays and I'm in a floral design class,
we have a large amount of flowers round these parts.

Anne's birthday is just a few days after mine, so Thursday night we decided we should celebrate both of our birthdays by going with our girls (Karen, Haley, Emily Anne, and Emily Ruth) to dinner (except Emily Ruth wasn't actually at dinner) at the Black Sheep Cafe. Oh my goodness very possibly some of the best food I've eaten in ages! Seriously SO GOOD! We picked up Emily Ruth and came back to our apartment for ice cream and strawberries. And lots, and lots of laughing. So much so that between our extremely full stomachs and how hilarious we think we are, we were completely in pain. But the good kind.

Karen, Haley, Me, Anne, and Emily Anne

Karen is an amazing artist and she made these little wall hangings for Anne and I for our room. I guess when we no longer live together we're going to have to have a battle for the "&". (I'll totally win.)

Sunday morning I went home and celebrated by birthday up there. The only one who took pictures was my Aunt Marie, so I don't have any of those. But it was crazy and loud, but also fun. Instead of a cake we had cinnamon rolls. Unfortunately they were still super hot when I was blowing out the candles, so the candles were melting from both sides! It made for some slightly waxified cinnamon rolls, but that's okay!

We finished out the day by watching Conference and going to Uncle Craig's for dinner with a lot of the Keddington family. The past few years has seen a low turn out at conference dinner, but this time it was packed! It was fun to see everyone! I love that my birthday is always near conference because then I have double the reason to spend time with my family and friends!

Old

Lately I've been feeling very old. 

It started out with this post about realizing how much my life has changed. And in the past week so much has happened to make me feel even more old. 

Last Friday I got the confirmation email from the professor I work for that the paper we've been working on for a year is officially submitted for publication! I was so excited I started tearing up. It has taken SO much hard work and stress to get that paper done. Seeing it published will just be the icing on the cake at this point.

In the past two days, two of my best friends growing up told me they are pregnant. Yes, two. I can't quite believe it, but, come October my friends are going to be the world's best moms!

In the past month, three of my best friends have come home from their missions and three more have left on theirs. Time seriously flies by. 

I got the second email from BYU reminding me about deadlines to apply for graduation. Scary.

Starting in three weeks I have to start seriously looking into graduate schools and studying for the GRE. Gulp.

I registered for my last fall semester of my undergraduate. I have quite the eclectic group of classes, let me tell you. Only one Psychology class, too. Obviously putting off graduation, eh? 

Spencer and Amy moved this week. It feels like the end of an era. Plus, spending time with all my nieces and nephews reminded me how old they are. Which means that I must be even older!

I turn 21 tomorrow.

These are adult things, people. Not little kid ones. All good things, yes (well, except that GRE thing). But still. 

I found this quote once that I've been thinking about a lot lately. 

"As you grow up, you will have your heart broken more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight with your best friends. You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much and love like you've never been hurt. Because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back."

Today, as a I feel old, I sort of want to cry because time is passing too fast. I love my life and don't want everything to change so quickly. Alas, time goes on. People come in and out our lives. We go in and out of the lives of others. It's hard, but it's all okay.

Everything is as it should be.