Reason number one: I have awesome roommates. I was worried
at first about who I would be rooming with, but they have both
turned out to be totally awesome. I knew I would be rooming
with Mystie, it was the others I was worried about. As it turns out
I only have one other and we all get along great! :)
This is Mystie putting the finishing touches on our Sunday dinner.
It was a last minute thing. Sky high nachos :)
Reason number two: I have awesome neighbors.
Here's the story. We went to our neighbors apartment to
plan some ideas for FHE (He and Mystie are FHE parents).
We got done with our planning. We were really bored.
Mystie saw a pile of Nerf guns. Ideas began formulating.
We had an awesome Nerf gun war.
We had to go home to finish some homework, which was a bummer :(
When I was sitting in front of my Biology homework
I got a text from Jeff that said, "I have an idea. Hmmmm."
I got up and locked our apartment door :)
A couple seconds later he rang the doorbell.
Then he rang it again.
Then he started knocking.
Kenna (my other roommate) grabbed her marshmallow gun and loaded up.
Mystie grabbed a pot and filled it with water.
I grabbed Kenna's rubber band gun, but I was too late.
Kenna had already opened the door and Mystie had already
doused Jeff with water. He responded by attacking us with a pillow.
When he went back to his apartment Mystie got
a stack of post it notes and wrote,
"You better watch your back" on all of them.
She and I went over to their apartment and taped them all over the door.
The next day when I came back from Bio lab I saw
one of the post it notes taped on our door.
We went over and wrote TWICE on the ones still on their door.
...then Jeff opened the door and unloaded a Nerf gun on us.
Reason number Three: Once a cardinal always a cardinal.
I went back to Soda for the homecoming game.
Long story short, we lost. Bad.
But that was okay. It didn't change anything about my feelings
for Soda Springs, Idaho.
It was there that I found my testimony.
It was there where I became who I am today.
It was there where I learned what true friendship was.
Where I came to truly appreciate life and all its joys and blessings.
That's why I had a hard time understanding why my senior class
couldn't wait to get out. I LOVE going back.
Reason number Four: I have totally amazing friends.
This is my best friend, Carley after she was presented as Homecoming Royalty.
(All the female candidates are presented at the football game. Queen is announced the next night at the dance.)
We've been through a lot together, and I love her for
staying by my side through the worst of it.
Doesn't she look beautiful?
Reason Number Five: I love my family more than anything.
Every time I come home Maci asks to sleep in my bed.
I truly love her with every fiber of my being
(even if it does take her an HOUR AND A HALF to get
ready for a freaking FOOTBALL GAME)
We have lots of fights and arguments, but we've been
best friends since we were itty bitty. I still remember
going out into the hills in Salmon and just walking around.
Or looking for "Fool's Crystals"
Or riding our bikes in circles for HOURS because we were too afraid
to ride them down the hill.
Maci, even though you do take entirely too long to put
on your mascara, you mean the world to me.
Reason number Six: I love my puppies.
Sigh is far from being a puppy. I can't believe we've had him for
seven years! Or maybe it's eight...
I call him my pooch, even though he's a family dog.
I never get enough of the way they run up to me
and look at me with those big brown eyes and wag
their entire butt trying to wag their tails.
And I can NEVER say no to their puppy dog eyes.
These little guys are the BEST!!
Reason Number Seven: I live in an amazing country.
Sure, we have our problems, but I can't think of anywhere
else in the world where I would rather live.
September 11.
Wow, it was nine years ago today.
I remember getting on the bus as a fourth grader.
I sat in my assigned seat, second one back on the left if you were facing the driver.
The substitute bus driver kept calling things out like,
"An airplane just flew into the World Trade Center!"
and
"There's been another attack! Another plane has flown into the World Trade Center!"
I had no clue what was going on.
I didn't understand it.
I wouldn't even BEGIN to understand it for another couple years.
I look back and I am so grateful that the people of this
country came together nine years ago.
People gave their lives doing what they do.
I will forever be grateful for them.
Reason Number Eight: The Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I wrote this Psalm in seminary last year.
Brother Hegemann glued a copy of it in his hymn book.
It goes to the tune of A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief.
There have been times when I have strayed
And slow to listen, I've disobeyed.
But I have seen blessings great and small
That show thy mercies conquer all.
I love Thee Lord, I'll give Thee praise
I'll worship Thee in all my days
So then when I see Thee again
I'll know Thy name I did defend
I have seen FAR too many things in this life
that have been another witness of what I know to be true.
If I ever start to have doubts, all I have to do is think of
Youth Conference 2007. The week where God answered my prayers
in a BIG way. Brianne Kline, you don't know how much you
saved my testimony. And all you did was show up to Youth Conference.
I don't know how many of you know the story...so I'll tell it again.
Sorry, this post is getting really long.
I had known for awhile that we were moving to Soda Springs.
I was happy, but I was SO scared to have to start again
and make new friends.
I remember the night I hit rock bottom and fell to my knees
crying and asked God to help me. To help me make friends easily.
It was the first prayer I had said in months. Maybe even a year.
When I showed up to Youth Conference I was put in a family
group with a lot of strangers. On our way to the campsite I
started talking to a girl with gorgeous blond hair.
I asked her where she was from and I finally
got her to say the name of the town (she was convinced I had never heard of it).
Soda Springs, Idaho.
She was a violinist.
She was every bit as shy as I was.
She was God's answer to my prayer.
Yes, these are the reasons I love my life. :)
