I survived 2012. :)

Hello, friends!
After a lovely Christmas present via my wonderful parents, I have a laptop. My library days are over - or at least greatly, greatly shortened. :) I can finally just do homework in my dorm, in my pj's, while listening to music, and getting distracted by pinterest in between essays... ah. It will be so fantastic :)
Probably the best part will be seeing funny things (okay, things I think are funny...) and being able to laugh out loud! Instead of forcing myself to laugh silently, barely being able to breathe because I'm laughing so hard, hoping my fellow students don't notice because their busy studying. It's totally humiliating to be caught laughing at random things in the library, because it's always funnier in my head haha.
Why is it things are always funnier when your not supposed to be laughing?
Anyways... if that's ever happened to you, you understand my excitement.
This also means that I am rejoining the blogging world! So, it's been forever, and here I am.
2012 is over!! Congratulations! We survived. :)
It's been a crazy year. Probably one of the hardest in some ways, and one of the best in others.

I could write the cliche New Years things I think - like wondering what's going to happen, what this new year will bring. I feel like my future consists of thousands upon thousands of question marks, all thrown up in the air, wondering which ones will land and form into the path of my life!
The exciting - and rather nervewracking - part of it is that by my choices, I can choose who I become.. and what I do with my life. Isn't that the scariest part? But also the greatest?
I mean, I think God gives us experiences specifically to teach us things we need to learn, and to grow in wisdom & character. But even though many experiences we have are outside our control, our attitudes and what we choose to learn from them make the biggest difference.

I am just so grateful for my life. I have the most wonderful family - loud, slightly insane, so funny, and just so good. I can honestly say their my best friends. I am so grateful for my country - for the freedoms that I have, and that all my needs and wants are met. I'm so grateful for the gospel, that brings me the greatest joy and peace and strength that I could ever find. I'm grateful for the experiences I've had - the past that has made me the person I am. The tough times that have taught me to appreciate the good, and that have taught me what's most important, and have humbled me.

Life is just so good. :)
I'm so excited to see what the new year brings!
One of my favorite quotes is the journey of one thousand miles begins with one step.
I'm quite determined to start walking my journey in a way that makes me a better person, and helps me do greater good in the world. I'm sure there will be lots of unexpected adventures and lovely things to do and see along the way.
Yup. This years gonna be a good one. :)

And.. just for fun.. .here's some of my favorite pictures from 2012 :)

cutest. kid. ever.

8 years old!

self explanatory. (:

my handsome brothers!

Arlington.

Easter (:

coolest museum!

art projects....

oh, Kenny.

(:

So handsome!

Policemen at DC (:

love this memorial.

sleepy (:

hello, mr. turtle.

love the scriptures.

Bahahaha (:

love the mountains!

(:

cutie.

woot woot!!

haha (:

love my sistas (:

don't mess with us (;

the levitating stick! hahaha

my padres (:

kid bro from another mo

(:

VMI!

we're silly (:

drivin' 

cookin' coconut crepes (: fun day.

George Washington's birthplace

a pickle and hot dog bun for breakfast... gag.

Dad's baptism!

Waffle House!!

amazing hike.

Halloween (:

the blues

 

Today I had the post election day blues.

Seriously, a bummer.

It will be interesting to see what the next coming years bring.

One thing I do know is that I am still so grateful for my country.

 Regardless of who is in office,

 I know that the principles & freedoms the United States of America are founded upon are true,

and are some of the greatest blessings I have.

In my heart and in my home,

my family and I will always do our best

 to appreciate, honor, and defend those principles and freedoms we are so blessed to have.

That was a great run, Romney.

My country & President & other civic leaders are in my prayers.

God Bless America!

 

 



(:

There is nothing like a crisp October day that makes me want to be outside,

 all day, every day.

It is so beautiful!

 So I went on a drive, along the beautiful twisty Blue Ridge Parkway,

It was so beautiful!

 I stopped to take pictures, because it was so gorgeous,

 although none of the pictures ever do it justice.

 I even stopped and spontaneously trekked a mini hike along one of the trails.

 I discovered a gorgeous cobblestone path, sunlight peeking through the trees, the smell of the forest (which I absolutely love. If they made a cologne out of that, or a candle,

I would have my whole house smell like that! Not perfume though, it's more of a manly smell...)

and some abandoned boulders. It was awesome (:

Besides that, it's been midterms week. so that's always pretty stressful! but I made it without too much hair pulling and a fair amount of sleep, so I consider it pretty successful (:

I went to a VMI game! Which checked off a major thing on my buckest list for this semester.

 Because of a very nice cadet, I was able to go in & see the barracks - which are so cool!

They have an amazing view, and it's the neatest building. Kind of like Hogwarts (:

 It's really like walking inside a real castle.  We also got to eat a free lunch & attend the football game, for free! yeah, that's right! my pocketbook & I were happy (:

It was so fun! We sat in the middle of the band, so we had lively music the whole time. It was so fun being with the cadets & my friend. The guys around us were so goofy, I almost felt like I was with my brothers back home. I also got to meet the mischevious, funny kangaroo mascot, and he flipped my hat around and had me do a gang sign picture. I also attempted, and failed miserably, to play the trumpet & the trombone, which was hilarious. 

It was a fantastic time (:

 

That night was also stake conference, which was amazing

. The speakers spoke so well and taught me alot, and the Spirit was really strong. There was one odd moment where I saw the first counselor in the Stake presidency, and found he looks exactly like Captain America! I mean, they could be brothers! So that weirded me out for a few minutes, haha. But he did a great job as well, and it was just awesome. I love my Church (:

 

Then I had the whole day free, so I decided to find a place to paint.

I listened to the Reflections of Christ soundtrack (if you've never heard it, go get a taste here. it's amazing.)

I found a cute little place in downtown Lexington, and sat down with everything I needed - brushes, canvas, mineral spirits, everything! So then I opened my container for my oil paints.. and there were none in there :( It was so sad! I left them all at home. So, instead, I used acrylics, and tried to rinse the brushes with mineral spirits anyways, which didn't work out too well... haha.

But it was so lovely, and so peaceful.

I got to talk to a few people, and a little Japanese tourist family came and took pictures of me.

It was a lovely afternoon!

 

I've been learning so much, and can tell already that I've grown from living out on my own and from the experiences I've had in the past months.

I'm so grateful for my life. I am so, so blessed.

I can't describe how thankful I am to know that no matter what happens, no matter what lies ahead, I have full assurance that things will work together for good.

Alrighty, that's the end for now (: