Ch-ch-ch-changes

Okay, so I meant to blog a few days ago when this happened, but I have been having too much fun hanging with the fam and the kiddos, but thank goodness because something happened last night that just reaffirmed this whole situation/concept. So, on the long flight back home, I was thinking a lot about how much I have changed in the short two years I have been out of high school and away at school on my own. Not to sound all "Yahoo!! go me" but I feel like I have grown up and matured so much in the past 2 years. When I think about the way/person I was in high school, I keep asking myself, "What the heck?!?!" "Why did I care? or Why did I spend so much time worrying about that? or WHY did I waste my time hanging around those people?!" Don't get me wrong, high school was fun and stuff, but it wasn't EVERYTHING! Of course, at the time, high school was everything and was my entire life, and I couldn't see past that and see the BIG picture. Being at school, college is way better and high school is so miniscule in the big picture of my life. High school isn't everything and honestly, NO ONE cares what you were like in high school. I wasted a lot of time worrying about things back then that was a big fat waste of my time.
I am so glad I moved away and went to college though! I was able to start fresh and make a new beginning with people who knew nothing about me, about the mistakes I made, about the person I was in high school. I think about all the amazing people I have met in Idaho and all the great friendships that I have been able to form and I would not have been able to do that here in Iowa.
SOOOO, the experience I had that totally made this even more apparent to me was, last night, I went to dinner with some friends from high school and as we were talking, I was thinking, "Thank goodness I have learned the lessons I have learned in the last 2 years, because you clearly have yet to learn them." Don't get me wrong, I love these guys but they are still kind of caught up in high school and the high school drama--partying, barely getting an education, still hanging out with the same people they spent all 4 years of high school with, and not really moving on. And, I realized, we really do not have much in common anymore. I moved away and completely changed who I was. I have achieved things, made new friends, tried new things, actually gained a testimony of the church and most importantly, in the process, found myself and found the person I want to be. I didn't want to be and I am not going to be, the person at our 10 year or 20 year class reunion still thinking we are still teenagers living at Nevada High School.
I am so glad, i have been able to find the person I want to be; have been able to become independent and really just rely on ME and learn so many new things about myself. I am so incredibly grateful that I was able to go so far away to school (even though it was suuuuppper hard, and I hated it at first), but I was able to start fresh with people who didn't know what a, in my opinion, not great person I was in high school. I really have come out of my little 'shell' the past year and become comfortable with the person I am and have realized the potential that I have to do great things. I have discovered who my true friends are and who I can really rely on when I need it.

Pre Birthday Festivities

So, even though my birthday isn't for another week, we decided to celebrate it this weekend since we are all leaving at the end of the week. So, for my birthday, we went to my favorite restaurant ever, Famous Dave's!! This is mine and my dad's favorite place in the entire world!! I have to go every time I am home. I even decided to go out of my comfort zone and order something other than my delicious BBQ burger. I got the rib tips that my dad always gets and they were delicious and messy!!! A bunch of good friends came for it and then U spent the rest of the night hanging out with my friends Amy and Aly. Then, today, I slept in for the first time in a while and we went bridge jumping at Monkey Rock this afternoon. First time bridge jumping, and it was WAY scary!!! I have never jumped off anything higher than a diving board and this was a ridiculous adrenaline rush! I was so scared, I even made Carly jump with me the first time and hold my hand! haha I know, I am a baby! It was way fun though!! Any who, I am almost done with the semester and all of my finals. I finished my final state literacy exams this past week and am awaiting the scores on those. Now, all i have left is the Praxis, which I am planning on taking in September. Only 5 more days left!!! YAHOOOOO!!! Here are a few pictures from Famous Daves:

My fellow teacher friend Aly and I

My FHE brother Cameron and I--we both braved the messy rib tips together

The legacy still lives on...

Wow! Look at me!! Twice in the same weekend!! Okay, so really, I am just trying to be better at blogging and this is something that I have had on my mind A LOT lately. So, next week, it will be four months since the man I looked up to the most passed away. I was looking through some pictures that my sister sent me of my niece and nephew and thinking, "oh that would be such a cute new background picture for my computer!" However, when I went to change it, I couldn't find it in my heart to change it from Grandpa. I don't know why this is so hard for me! While I was driving back from Jackson, I was talking with Grandma about how to me, it still doesn't seem like he can possibly be gone! I think part of that has to do with the fact that I grew up on the other side of the country and only saw him and my Grandma like once a year when we would come out for the summers, so not seeing him all the time is "usual" for me. However, once I got to college, Grandpa was one of the people who I called and talked to a lot because he was able to help me with my anxiety and homesickness. Plus, I got to see him a lot more often since I was only 3 hours away. Long story short, unless I am at Grandma's house, it still doesn't feel like he is gone. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about him and get sad. Part of me feels like if I change my picture, it means, he is really gone and I am not just going to see him the next time I go down to Utah (I know! This sounds ridiculous!) I was reading the manuscript from his funeral and couldn't help but smile at everything everyone said. Grandpa's life inspired me to be a way better person. He was never angry! Never fought with anyone! Always found the best in anyone or any situation! And simply loved life! I wonder how many people leave this life with that type of legacy....How many people are really able to cross the veil with everyone they are leaving behind knowing that they really did live a Christ-like life!?!?! I know that Melvin Albert White did and I am so lucky to have known him and I can't wait for that day when we will finally have our glorious reunion on the other side of the veil. Even though the one man I wanted so desperately to be with my during those big points in my life, (graduation, wedding and being a significant person in my children's lives) I am grateful that I got so many years with him and that he was able to pass before his body couldn't handle the toll that Parkinson's was putting on it. And, I am grateful that I have the knowledge that it is NOT the end. I will be reunited with him someday and what an amazing day it will be when I get to see him jumping around when he sees me!!
So, for now, I am keeping my background as that handsome man because to me, he does still live..his Spirit and enthusiasm for life and everything in it still lives on and I want him to be with me as a constant reminder of how I want to live my life so that one day, those around me will be as proud of me as I am of my Grandpa Melvin Albert White!

Jackson Hole Pictures

Jackson Hole

I know! I know! I missed my monthly blog! My mom informed me that I need to update this so here we go. Other than school, homework, and sleep, my life is pretty much the same ol' boring thing. HOWEVER, one exciting thing did happen! This past weekend, my Grandma took me on a little vacation to Jackson Hole for my 20th birthday. I had never been before and HOLY COW! I am in love! It was SO beautiful there and I absolutely had an amazing weekend! Our weekend started with GGd driving up to Rexburg from Utah and whisking me away from classes around noon. Then, we gabbed a quick lunch and began our drive east to Jackson. Once we got into Jackson, we checked into our hotel and then headed downtown for some shopping and sightseeing. On our adventure, we can upon the old theater/playhouse and saw that they were performing "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" that night and so we bought tickets for that and the dinner before. Then, we went to waste some time walking around, window shopping, real shopping, looking at galleries and eating fudge :) When dinner came around, we headed to the salon where we got dinner and a show! The cast from "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers' served us our food before the show and they would sing periodically throughout dinner. Most of them were students on summer vacation from BYU and let me tell you, some cute cowboys! One of them even came over and serenaded me with a song! After dinner, we headed into the theater where we watched the performance and it was AMAZING!! It was such a good story, great music and hilarious!! Almost peed a few times! After the show, we walked back to the hotel where we relaxed and watched tv for the rest of the night. Saturday morning, we slept in (until 8 am!!!), had breakfast and then headed out to Grand Teton Village. We were going to go white water rafting, but grandma was having some issues with her pace maker since we got here, so we thought we would be safe and not risk spending the rest of the weekend in the hospital! So instead, we just enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Jackson. At Grand Teton Village, there was an antique show so, we walked around there for a while and I got to see all kinds of neat stuff! Grandma and I both were saying how much Dad would have loved it for pictures! There were all kinds of old things: wash boards, tubs, dinning ware, dynamite boxes, furniture galore! Then, we headed back to Jackson Hole and went to the Wort Hotel for lunch/dinner and a rest at the hotel where Grandma took a nap and I got some homework done. Then, we headed back to the town square for some more galleries and then to the movie theater where we saw Midnight in Paris (an okay movie, but not an $8 worth movie). Then, we headed back to the hotel for our routine 48 Mystery and other Murder tv shows. Tomorrow, we are heading back to Rexburg and then Grandma will head back home--definitely not looking forward to it! I LOVE it here!! I have had so much fun and it has been a great 'vacay' before the stress of finals next week. Thanks for the amazing birthday weekend and vacation Grandma!!!!! ((Pictures will come when I get back to the Burg tomorrow))
But hey, on the bright side--11 more days until I get to go home!! HOOORAY! I am so ready for some Iowa lovin'. I know most people have no idea how the cornfields and hog barns and manure smell of Iowa can be so great and sound so appealing but I love it and can not wait to spend a month back there!! I definitely need a break from the college life for a bit and just a chance to relax in the comfort of my home. It has been 7 months since I have been home and 7 months since I have seen my beautiful nieces and nephews! I have a feeling it is going to be a great reunion!!!
Well, I will try to be better at blogging when I get home and have more 'interesting' things to blog about--like the kiddos, trips to Nauvoo, hanging out with the gang and good old work at Eagle's Loft! Till next time... ")