Top- Notch Tuesday ~ Counting My Blessings

10. having more than one place that feels like home 

Sometimes I feel like this is one of the luckiest things that can happen to you in your life. When I drive into Layton I feel like I'm coming home, but when I drive back to Logan I'm on my way home too. Down town Salt Lake feels like home to me because I was born there, and because my dad has worked in that city for a large chunk of my life. When I think about our little yellow house on Samuel's Pine Road in Chantilly, Virginia...that's home too. My parent's house in Layton. Every apartment I've had in Logan. USU's campus. I even remember the moment I first felt at home in Samoa...walking to the grocery store late at night in the dark and realizing I was perfectly relaxed. Some of my best friends' houses feel like home too. There are people who never really feel at home anywhere, who spend so much of their lives trying to find where they belong, and I've been lucky to have so many places that fit for me.

our first house

Lauren and my Dad in Virginia

Logan

 
9. good books and music

Every day I'm thankful for people who write beautiful things. I get to major in reading beautiful words and thinking hard about them. And I have to have music on the entire time I'm doing it. 

 

8. laughing 

Laughing is my favorite thing to do. If I could choose one thing to have happen to me every day for the rest of my life...I would choose to laugh until it hurts every day. I like real-life slapstick. I like when people fall off their chairs or slip on the ice walking up the hill to campus. My life would be very bleak if I could not laugh at the weird things that happen to me every day.

 
7. work 

I have had a job since I was 15. I'm thankful for the jobs I hated in high school because I learned a lot about being nice to people who aren't nice to you. Working at restaurants and at the mall taught me to be the person who makes someone's job easier, not harder.

I have been so blessed to have jobs during college that actually fit with my career plans. Teaching Supplemental Instruction for Sociology was hard, but it meant that I was already comfortable in front of a class when other teaching opportunities presented themselves.

And I love tutoring. I love hearing people's stories all day and finding out what's important to them. I love talking about writing. I even like sitting at the desk and supervising. I know that I'm incredibly lucky to work on campus and to have work off every weekend and holiday. My job is basically luxurious! 
 

Writing Center

work friends

 
6. education 

I go to Utah State University. That about sums it up! But really, I can't imagine having gone anywhere else. I have loved college so much. This university has given me so many opportunities and experiences that will always be important to me. I love learning, and I love learning about how to help people learn. Just going to school at all is a a huge, huge blessing...the fact that I go to a school I love and get to study something that excites me is even...more huge.

 
5. travel 

I took me until college to realize how lucky I was to have parents who took me places. As a child I didn't fully appreciate the fact that my family had been to the Statue of Liberty together, climbed lighthouses, walked across the Golden Gate Bridge, stood next to Niagara Falls, crawled through the Mark Twain caves, stood next to the White House, and stayed in beach houses. Now I know that most people just go to Disneyland and that's it. Disneyland is great, but I'm thankful for parents who love to try new things and take us on a new trip every year. My life will always be different because my Dad fought so hard for me to get to Samoa. I'm also thankful that I've been able to travel with friends. Nothing brings you closer to someone faster than being in a car with them for 13 hours straight! If you already like them, that is. This one requires a LOT of pictures, apparently.

San Fran

D.C.

Solvang

Oregon

San Diego

Florida

Boogie Boarding...everywhere

American Samoa

Samoa

Hawaii

 
4. friends 

I am thankful to still be close to friends from elementary school, junior high and high school, and every year of my college life. I have lived with a lot of girls. I feel blessed that so many of them have become such an important part of my life. These are the people who have been there for me through all my crazy ups and downs.

elementary school friend

best high school friends

freshman year

sophomore year

junior year

spring break buds

Samoa friends

Senior year!

3. sisters 

My five younger sisters are my best friends. They make me laugh harder than anything in this world and they are always willing to do crazy things with me. Abbie is the most loyal friend I could ever ask for. She always puts others above herself and comes to my rescue on a regular basis. Rachel inspires me every day with her determination and goodness, and makes me laugh every day with her crazy costumes, homemade Broadway musicals, and general cheery disposition. Lauren is my hero because she's not afraid to be herself, even in 7th grade. She's not afraid to be smart and to say that she wants to be a scientist. I would vote for her for president. Hannah melts my heart every time she talks about wanting to be a mom, and every time I see her acting motherly with her younger cousins and neighbor kids. And sometimes when I hear Janie's extra-loud voice on my phone when she leaves me a message ("This is Janie by the way.") I almost start crying because I can't handle the cuteness overload. Every one of them is so filled with unique gifts and traits that makes our family US. 

me and Abbie

Rachel

 
2.  parents

Okay, now I'm getting emotional! What can I even say? My parents gave me everything else on this list. They gave me a house filled with books and music and laughter. They gave me stories. They gave me my sisters and all of the adventures we've had together.

 My mom is the smartest person I know. She could've been anything she wanted, and she wanted to be my mom. She is good at celebrating and making little things fun. She's genuine. People feel loved and important around her because she is sincerely interested in their life stories. My mom taught me to laugh at myself, to keep things in perspective, trust my own choices, and to learn from it all. I can honestly say that I want to be her when I grow up.

My dad has always supported every one of my dreams. I've inherited his excitement for life plans and travel ideas. He has always had seriously busy church and work assignments, but he has always put our family first. He taught me not to be afraid of the world but to fully experience everything it has to offer. Everywhere we go, people want to give my dad free stuff. Like...weekends in their fancy vacation homes. He always finds the best parking spaces. I fully believe that miracles happen around my dad because he expects life to be amazing and for people to be good.

1. God

Every once in a while I say to God, "What is  going to happen to me? Can't you just tell me where my life is going? What is my future supposed to be?" And He always says, "Haven't I always taken care of you? Haven't I always turned every heartbreak into an opportunity? Just keep moving one step at a time."

When I decided to go on a mission, I was worried that I'd forget about the experience I had and change my mind back and forth every day until my call actually came. But I'm so thankful to say that every single day I've had little reassurances that I made the right decision. Preparing to go to the temple has been the absolute best thing for me. I've always been freaked out about going through the temple, but now I can see the temple as a symbol of everything God wants to give to me, and I know it's even more important than going on a mission. It's almost like I can feel God's excitement for me...like He is so anxious to give me the blessings of the temple so that I can grow and progress and be close to Him. Sometimes I just can't believe He is letting me go on a mission!

I am so thankful for this beautiful life, and for all of the people who make it that way. Happy Thanksgiving!