it started out as a feeling, which then grew into a hope...

...which then turned into quiet thought,

which then turned into a quiet word"

-regina spektor

well. christmas break was just lovely.

my 3.9 gpa made me pretty happy right off the bat.

i didn't do anything too terribly exciting...

spent a lot of time with my family and friends.

which is all i really wanted anyway :)

we got all the girls together for dinner, took family photos (boomichellephotography.blogspot.com), had a lovely christmas with my parents. i found my new favorite game-- geocaching!... it's like a worldwide scavenger hunt thing. so much fun. i went first with holly and then i made john go with me another time or two. yep, it was a really great two weeks.

i learned some really important lessons from those i spent time with. also i just had a lot of things come together for me... things i was in the process of learning all last semester that were finally made clear. things back home changed... some good, some bad, some indifferent. it was hard to leave with good opportunities in front of me, but i know i'm supposed to be right where i am.

i've learned i need to stop trying to plan my life. i've always been that way, trying to have everything figured out so far in advance. it makes me feel good. but 2010 has taught me that things don't always work out as i've planned them. but nonetheless heavenly father has a plan for me. i could go on, but i think this quote by president ezra taft benson sums it up better than i ever could:

"men and women who turn their lives over to god

will find out that he can make a lot more

of their lives than they can."

so, i'm happy to let god take the lead in my life.

i'm just taking it one day at a time.

and let's leave it at that :)

pet peeve:

when i'm in the library and someone has music playing so loud on their headphones that i can hear it five seats away.

seriously? turn your freakin music down. i'm trying to focus.

a "wintry" afternoon!

this afternoon when i came home, i got such a treat-

it was cold enough for me to wear a sweatshirt!

granted, i'm still in shorts, but hawaii very rarely gives me a chance to wear a sweatshirt without overheating.

so i'm very grateful.

this afternoon it's gloomy, cloudy, windy, and rainy.

AND the waves are rollin in like crazy.

so i took the opportunity to enjoy the wintry-feeling afternoon.

i made myself some mashed potatoes and minestrone soup, turned the big chair towards the balcony, and sat watching the ocean and the gray sky.

the big chair, my soup, my view.

brrr!

we know it's a long shot. but we're still crossin our fingers

for some fluffy white stuff on our palm trees. :)

...did i mention it's 70 degrees right now? shucks.

just because everything's changing doesn't mean it's never been this way before...

okay so i gotta catch up a little bit. a couple saturdays ago a group of us did this hike called stairway to heaven. it was pretty cool. it was really steep, and i would have been much happier if it wasn't so foggy at the top. we couldn't see a thing! oh well, on the way back down i got some good shots.

oh, and did i mention there are 3,992 stairs?

another day, i found myself alone in the back of my friend's truck with my camera.. so i decided to take a few shots of what an everyday laie drive looks like.

i tried.

so, i'm trying to be productive. but the internet at the byu-h library is not letting me! i took a test just a few minutes ago, and the computer that shows our grades was down. so i'm supposed to log in to check my grade, and the page just will not open! and now before my class i'm trying to log in to blackboard to get some reading done and that page won't load either! oddly enough, facebook, yahoo, and my blog website all work just fine. very interesting... and slightly irriating.

there were pictures i wanted to upload from recent events.. but since i'm not on my laptop, i don't have them. hmm.. even this blog post is a failed attempt at faux productivity.

i guess i'll watch last week's episode of glee again til my next class :)

three years.

three years ago today i was baptized into the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints! best decision i've ever made.
the church has given me so many opportunities to grow.
it has helped me know my heavenly father and my savior jesus christ better.
i have developed a greater understanding of the scriptures.
i have made lifelong friends.
i know where i came from and what my purpose on earth is.
i will someday have the opportunity to get married in the temple for time and all eternity.
and i am planning on serving as a full-time missionary.

i know the book of mormon is true. it works with the bible to testify of christ!
i know our heavenly father loves each and every one of us.
i know that jesus christ died for our sins so that we may return to heaven some day.
i know the church is true.

if you want to know more, ASK ME!
or go to www.mormon.org



:)

i yell, "pick me up!!" in my head.

and i think it works.

i've had to walk everywhere since i've lived in hawaii.
and it's taken some getting used to.
i don't mind walking. really.
just, when it's 90 degrees or pouring rain, or if i've just had a long day,
i'd rather not.
so i get rides from people a lot.
and, when i can't get a ride, i walk.
and i yell in my head "pick me up pick me up!"
hoping the person driving by will "hear" me,
and take pity on me and give me a ride.
say what you will, but i really think it works!
not having a car has given me much more compassion
for those of my friends who don't have cars back home.
typically, i'd be annoyed when people asked me for a ride...
like, come on, how old are we? you don't drive??
but now i can totally sympathize.

in other news,
harry potter comes out this weekend!
call me a little kid (really, it's okay if you want to).
but i LOVE harry potter. like sooo much.
and i'm not ashamed to admit it!


31 days til i go home for christmas!!!
i love and miss my family.
:)