Smile - It's Contagious: September 2010

At the request of my brother (yes, Andrew, you) I'm going to update my blog. I've been horrible at keeping this up to date.

So I'm in the middle of another semester... And as much as I'd like to say everything is going great and everything is fun... I'd be lying. So far this semester has been filled with some really awesome experiences and some not so nice ones. Hey, isn't that what life is?!?!
You go through life and you plan things. You think, if I do this, then this (hopefully) will be the outcome. Well, not when it comes to my life... I plan and plan and everything goes 180 and is completely different than what I had hoped for. I've had disappointments that were my fault and then some where out of my control, but either way, it's disappointment and that is never easy.
However, without opposition, growth can't happen. Even though the last couple of months have been hard, I have grown and I just keep putting one foot in front of the other and try to do my best each day and try to rely on my Savior for guidance and help.

On the other side, I've had so much fun with new friends and being in my photography classes! Since I met Mavanie and started going down to the Singles Branch in Nephi I've met a ton of new people and made more friends in a couple months than I have in several years. Thanks to Mav, I've been able to step outside of my comfort zone and socialize more. I had so much fun this summer and did some new things that I didn't think I'd ever get the opportunity to do.
Now that school has started, I've moved over to Orem and I'm living with Mavanie and Candace. It's been so much fun!! Being an 'official' roommate with Mavanie has been awesome! But being her friend is even better. It's nice to just get to sit and talk with Mav and not worry about everything that's weighing on my mind. Mav always knows what to say to help lift my spirits and help me take the next day a step at a time. I just need to remember not to take my frustrations out on her because I'm living with her and she's right there... She deserves better and I should do better. Mavanie is the friend I've always wanted and needed. She has helped me in more ways than I can say and I've grown so much since I've had her there to help me. Just knowing that I have a best friend that is looking out for me, has helped me expand and try harder. And even with all the hard days and the days where things don't go as planned, the good times I have with family and friends makes each day worth it.
Say hello to life and what it brings! One day at a time and one bump at a time. I'll get over each one of them if I just keep trying and working hard. That is one thing I know how to do ... work hard.

The crowd going to the St Patrick's Day parade. We gave up trying to see the parade... We could hear it though!

This is where our bus dropped us off when we went to go see a photographer at his studio. It was out in the middle of no where!! I didn't even know New York had a place that looked like this. If you don't think it was crazy, I'm telling you!