notes on paper: December 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 :)