those girls though

Who knows why it took us until the end of the semester to add fuel to the fire of friendship with the beautiful ladies of room 403 or "the girls across the way". It was a fun filled weekend:
+karaoke night at pizza pie cafe
+Catching Fire (incredible movie)
+late night pancakes
+Po Bev
and these pictures our from our night at the institute "Turkey Ball". It is so far my favorite dance yet (and I've been to a lot of dance parties in the last few months). You know you've got a solid group of gals when multiple people ask if you are a dance team. It was an institute dance so... yes it was awkward but we did not hold back. I don't think I have ever danced so carelessly in public.
Feeling good about what the rest of the year may bring!

a little sun

Some days you just need a little sunshine in your life.

,

my roommates artistic eye thought to snap this picture

It's one of my all time favorite sensations- to feel the heat of the sun warming my skin. It had been "one of those days" and I stood at the window feeling sorry for myself as the sun streamed in. As the rays of the sun filled me up there wasn't any room left to feel tense. It left me feeling simply good.

Today I'm grateful for the sun 92,960,000 miles away.

5 months

Happy 5 months Elder Esplin.

I couldn't help it- that is why I made this blog so I could post whatever I wanted right?! It has been a really long five months but here is to hoping the next couple years will fly by. I would assume that I had the hardest 5 behind me. I had a weird thought tonight. Adam has been gone longer than we dated or even knew each other before he left. If I wasn't living this story I would never bet on us lasting. Karma is tricky because I was never a big believer in high school relationships or missionary romances making it. I guess I have to eat my own words because I would be lying to you if I didn't admit that I make the same 11:11 wish every time. Adam and I had a really fast developing relationship and I honestly haven't ever felt this way about anyone before. I know I'm young and I know I have a lot of growing up to do but if these last few months have taught me anything it is that Elder Adam Esplin is one of a kind. Even if we end up taking different paths in life I will forever be grateful for his influence on my life. I am a better person because I knew him.

We emailed back and forth the other night (night for me, middle of the day for him). I hadn't done so in a long time because of the time zone difference. Every Monday morning I die a little when I see his "I'm on" email. (He sends an email right when he gets on the computer and all it says is "i'm on") It comes around 3 AM and usually I am sound asleep. The boy is the most random writer and you can never get much information out of him but he still jokes and teases the same so the lack of sleep is worth it. I makes me miss him but I miss him anyway.

So 5 months down and depending on when I leave 2ish years to go. Crazier things have happened right?

silly girls and pretty rings

"I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number you get in a diamond." -Mae West

It was "ladies night" at our favorite local jewelry store! Happy girls were we as we wandered around putting pretty things on our fingers. It was a recipe for a great night: decorated for Christmas, string quartet played in the corner, chocolate fountain and other tasty treats. I tried on ring after ring, after ring! I took a lot of pictures too. I love how different they all are.

I guess every couples love story is different yet beautiful as well.
Finding "the one" and finding "the ring" are not easy tasks.
I definitely have a favorite in both categories ;)

winner winner chicken dinner!!!!!
I love the twisted band and gravitate more towards the circles.

ps I'm not in a hurry to get married.. so no worries mom ;) just for fun!

True friends are like diamonds- bright, beautiful and always in style! -Nicole Richie

A fun little twist on the night... they hid a ring in a wedding cake and 6 girls dug into it to try and win the ring or credit to the store. Two of my cute friends gave it a splendid effort and it was highly enjoyable to watch.

I've always been a hopeless romantic. After a long week it was good to giggle with some girlfriends and talk about love, imagining one day when I will get to leave a ring on my finger. I know what you are thinking, 'marriage hungry freshman'... nah just in love with love!

Love Requires Action

I taught relief society today on doing good to others. I was impressed with the insights and experiences shared. The following quote comes from a conference talk entitled You Are My Hands.

True love requires action. We can speak of love all day long—we can write notes or poems that proclaim it, sing songs that praise it, and preach sermons that encourage it—but until we manifest that love in action, our words are nothing but “sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal."


Christ did not just speak about love; He showed it each day of His life. He did not remove Himself from the crowd. Being amidst the people, Jesus reached out to the one. He rescued the lost. He didn’t just teach a class about reaching out in love and then delegate the actual work to others. He not only taught but also showed us how to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.”


Christ knows how to minister to others perfectly. When the Savior stretches out His hands, those He touches are uplifted and become greater, stronger, and better people as a result.


If we are His hands, should we not do the same?


-President Dieter F Uchrdorf
Read the talk HERE

Coming to college I was excited for life to be 'all about me'. Do whatever I want to do, eat whatever I want, go where I want, etc. pretty much be "Selfish Sally". This lesson was a good reminder to me that true happiness is found when I help God's children. It is my goal this next week to be less focused on me and try harder to be more like the Savior who was the perfect example of selfless service.

Winter Wonderland

You know you are from the desert when you wake up to just a little snow and it is a big deal.
I'm not ready for winter, physically or emotionally.
I blinked and Fall was over. Winter has rudely interrupted the pretty leaves of the season.
Ready or not here we go.

I have heard so many horror stories about how freezing I am going to be at school so today even though the snow had long since melted I wore my winter coat. I felt a bit silly when I walked around campus while everyone else wore simple jackets and sweatshirts. There was even a few kids in T-shirts but I'm pretty sure they are just as crazy as I am just in the opposite direction. In conclusion, it is getting chillier in Logan but I think tomorrow I might leave my snow gear home.

Time and Time Again

This is my new obsession.

I bought an old book from the DI titled Time and Time Again.

I stare down at the page and words jump out at me. When you put them all together you get something magical.

Here are just a few of the many...

10/29/13
Dare to Call it Love

I
found
love
and if love were too strong a word, surely any other would not have been strong enough for the emotion
radiated    in all human directions.
loved, in a sort of way
that
threaded the love into    pattern of     behavior

10/30/13

2 yrs

I

wish for

I think

I hope

I

managed to endure it

by some gorgeous miracle

he returned

to whatever fate might be in store

10/30/13

The unthinkable

dreams

banish

in the high drama

The darkest moment came

he

shrugged in answer,

not me. The truth

came unsought

The Times

seemed to have to ransack his memory

found it easy to forget

but at length he replied:

Addressed to me personally,

he must have known it wouldn't do

The thing about poetry is it often doesn't make sense but maybe that is why I like it. Phrases that stand out on a page of a story I have never read can mean so much to me while sounding like a few strung together words to anyone else. It has become my favorite late night stress reliever and if I am not careful can keep me awake much too late.

11/2/13

Late Nights of Freshman Year

good

time to be in college

where they best belonged

already

midnight

a girl; or rather, the girl

she was

engrossed

a chance to 

remember it

with coats and dripping umbrellas,

she was

decided

and continued

faces

i have spent a lot of time in the library lately
attempting to do homework but mostly watching people come and go
i have found a new favorite spot-a cozy quit corner with a perstine view of a high traffic area
it's addicting and has been rather thought provoking
there are so many faces i don't know
so many people I will never meet and that is just on one college campus alone
there is a whole world full of people
every person has a story
everyone has their own worries,
their own hopes and dreams
God knows every name, every face, every story.