my family, & a grateful heart (:

It's Friday night, and I'm sitting at home, with my family around me, just feeling so happy, and so content. (:
I love being home. I love my family; they mean everything to me. The ones I get to see often, and the ones that are far away. family, and friendship and love, give the meaning and the joy to my life.
it's so weird - coming home today, it felt different then it usually does.
I walked in the door, tired from driving & visiting the doctor. I dropped my suitcase on the floor, and my little brother opened the door, and I was so excited to see them. and they were happy to see me, too :)
and I immediately felt so content, and comfortable, and warm and happy.
and a little sad, because my brother & sister & daddy & mom, who I miss.
but  I just feel so grateful that I can have my family, forever.
they are the best. every single one of them.
they have helped me so so so much.
we've been through alot together,
and we still have alot to go through.

even with all the mistakes we've made along the way,
I woudn't trade them for anything in the world. and I am so grateful that God put me in the family I'm in. they have helped make me who I am, and have taught me so much, and I love them. So much.

the thought that sticks out to me most right now, is that having a family is having a place where I am safe. the idea that I have a place with them where I am just me, and they really love and accept and understand me, even with my weaknesses and awkward quirks and the mistakes I make. they see the good in me, and they love me :)

and I just feel so content to be home.
being grown up changes how you see your family, I think.

I had a lovely conversation with Adam - my 8 year old brother.
He said, "Whitney, it's so weird to think about growing up! I don't know what's going to happen!"

Adam, I agree.
Maybe we never grow out of that stage, ha. But one thing I do know, is that whatever happens, as long as I have my family, and follow my Savior, Jesus Christ - the best that I can, even though I fall short - whatever happens, it's going to be good.

thanks, guys. (: love you.

and, pictures from a long time ago. (: excited to have time to take more, & paint, during spring break (:

 

 

Awkward & Awesome

Awkward

So I was driving down the streets of West Jordan, just an ordinary day, in the massive beast of a 15 seater van that I drive.  I was sitting at the intersection, & the cars from the other side drove past me through the intersection. I was just sitting there, thinking while the people around me were talking, waiting for the light to turn green - and suddenly this one car caught my eye! It was just a nice normal car, but the people inside of it were looking right at me, pointing and laughing! I was just like what the?? I looked right at them, trying to figure out what they were laughing at, and they just kept looking at me and laughed, and then drove speedily away. It was so weird. I've never had that happen to me before - I mean, with no apparent reason.. haha.

 It was so weird!

Our traditional Great Salt Lake trip. So every year, my family heads out to swim in the Great Salt Lake. If you've never been, the experience is totally unique. Your driving to the lake, and you know your getting close because the air starts to smell super odd, and kind of gross. As you walk to the beach, the ground feels crunchy from the salt. When you get to the beach, you  speedily slather on sunscreen and run as fast as you can into the water because there are swarms of flies everywhere. When you get into the water, the flies for the most part disappear - but then you notice the thousands upon thousands, honestly millions, of tiny red brine shrimp swimming all around you. The water is crystal clear, so you watch out for the patches of mysterious black gunk at the bottom, and wade out as far as you want. Because of the salt, every tiny cut on your body stings, and watch out to get any water in your eyes! (and your mouth! although you should probably avoid that at all costs anyways..) because it will hurt way bad.

Haha, crazy experience, right? 

Even though it's really a sort of super gross place, my Mom loves going there. So we go every summer. But really, once you get past the flies & shrimp (which are harmless, just gross) it is a cool experience. There's only one other lake like it in the world, which is the Dead Sea in Israel. When you wade out, you can see the bottom of the lake perfectly clear, and the sand underneath is shaped into beautiful wavy patterns from the waves. Then when the sun comes out, the water catches the sunlight, and it's absolutely beautiful. It's also really cool swimming, because you don't sink - because of the salt, you just float  right on top, with no effort at all. Then when you get out, when you dry your just covered in salt, and apparently it's really good for your skin (: The salt on the beach is really cool too, it looks like ice. 

So, it's a pretty crazy place! Really gross, but it makes for fun memories, haha. And it's cool we have one of two places in the world like that so close (:

Awesome

pretty much everything else! 

I've loved spending time with family & friends.

Each summer all of the kids have a "special day" with our Daddy. It's just one on one time with him, and we get to choose whatever we want to do. It's a really fun tradition too. So anyways, this week was my turn, & I chose to go do Family History work. I know, completely random right? Haha. But let me explain (: He works at the Family History Library in SLC, and is a specialist in Swedish research. Even though he's really humble about it, he's one of  the best at what he does. And he absolutely loves it. So I figured it would be cool to get a taste of what he does, and it's a great opportunity! It ended up being a lot of fun, I felt like a detective putting all the pieces together, or like trying to piece together a giant puzzle. It was cool to look at the original documents & handwriting too. Afterwards we went for gelatto (Italian ice cream), which is absolutely delicious, & just talked. It was a lot of fun!

This trip has been so much fun. I can't believe how much we've packed in, we've done so many fun things & had so many cool experiences. It's been kinda tough in some ways too, & humbling, but good. Ha. 

Only a week or so left, and then back out East. I'm so excited to start that adventure in my life (: 

It will be so, so good. I am so blessed! Seriously. Life is not easy, I think for anyone. But there is so, so, so much good in it too! Things that make it worth the tough times a hundred times over. I'm so blessed (:

Alrighty, the end for today!

salty beach

love this kid. my kid brother from another mother (: