Today all I can think about is picnics - blankets spread out on the green grass at the park, half in the shade, half in the sun, my toes reaching into the blades of grass and feeling the warm earth underneath. Watermelon - at the perfect stage, juicy and crisp, no strings in it, definitely lots of seeds, there may or may not be a very unladylike seed spitting contest at this picnic. Maybe some lemonade, or a cold can of Sprite. The sky is so blue that you could almost fall into it, and a few puffy white clouds float around and make funny shapes in the blue expanse above. Across the park, a mom pushes her daughter in the swing, who squeals and giggles as she flies through the air. The nearby creek spills down its bed, making a happy creeky noise as it rushes by. There's a lazy sort of feeling in the air, the kind of feeling that makes you want to lie on your back and stare at the clouds forever.
I was also thinking about my high school friends today. Summer after senior year, playing fugitive every weekend. Dressing all in black, sneaking through fields and bushes and backyards, sometimes hiding under cars and behind garbage cans to avoid being seen. Bonfires and marshmallow roasting, secret circles, basketball, game nights, movies. We all just couldn't wait to grow up and move on, live our own lives, have new experiences.
I kind of miss the old ones sometimes. But life moves on, summer fades to fall, people grow up and move away, and everything changes. Life's just like that, I guess. Enjoy the moments while they last, because soon they'll be gone, and all that's left is a memory, locked deep inside your heart.
Showing posts with label Friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Friends. Show all posts
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Thursday, December 16, 2010
It's a girl!!!
Not me, you sillies.
My best friend/practically sister is going to have a girl!
And I am VERY excited for her!!!
My best friend/practically sister is going to have a girl!
And I am VERY excited for her!!!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
The end of a dream.
So I haven't really had the heart to blog about the last week in Spain, but I should probably do it before too much time passes. It went way too fast. Kind of like a freight train rushing off to somewhere, and you can't really get off, because you know you have to get there, but still, you wish you could stay, at least for a moment.
Anyway, our last day in Spain we had "graduation." I'm still waiting for my grades to be posted, but I'm pretty sure I did well. But we had a little graduation ceremony at AlcaLingua to celebrate finishing up.
Vega, Cristina, me, and Rebeca - my teachers. I love these women so much!
Melanie and I with our diplomas - three months of "homework" in our little bedroom paid off! :)
The next day we headed off to the Canary Islands for four days! Only seven of the ten of us went, and our first day there was a bit gloomy, because we were all missing the other three, two of which we may never see again. Plus it was cloudy. But after that, the sun came out, and we spent four days lying on the beach, hanging out at the pool, swimming in the ocean, and staying up reeeeeally late at night talking about life and getting to know each other better.
Carina, Melanie, me, and Isabel. We made some amazing memories in the Canaries that I'll never forget. <3>
Me, Melanie, Isabel, Carina on Playa de las Americas on Tenerife island.
Anyway, our last day in Spain we had "graduation." I'm still waiting for my grades to be posted, but I'm pretty sure I did well. But we had a little graduation ceremony at AlcaLingua to celebrate finishing up.
Vega, Cristina, me, and Rebeca - my teachers. I love these women so much!
Melanie and I with our diplomas - three months of "homework" in our little bedroom paid off! :)
Carina, Melanie, me, and Isabel. We made some amazing memories in the Canaries that I'll never forget. <3>
Me, Melanie, Isabel, Carina on Playa de las Americas on Tenerife island.We flew back to Alcala on the 23rd, and then three of us flew backhome on the 24th. I cried for a full half hour once on the plane, when I couldn't see Madrid out my window anymore. My flights went okay, I was delayed in Chicago, but I got home, and that was that.
It's weird thinking back, now, on the whole experience. It seems kind of distant and far away, now that I'm back in "real life" picking up where I left off when I left for Spain. It's a lot like a dream, almost as if it didn't even happen. But it did. And it changed me. It changed the way I look at the world. It opened doors to me that before I was afraid to enter. It changed the way I look at myself, the way I feel about my own capabilities, the way I feel about myself when I interact with groups, with friends. It taught me that people all over the world, albeit we have our cultural differences, are still the same. We all have hopes and dreams and wishes. I think that's the biggest thing I learned - that despite some differences, people all over are still the same. And when you define the relationship by the similarities, not the differences, you find friends you never thought you'd ever discover. Friends that change your life forever.
Viva España!
It's weird thinking back, now, on the whole experience. It seems kind of distant and far away, now that I'm back in "real life" picking up where I left off when I left for Spain. It's a lot like a dream, almost as if it didn't even happen. But it did. And it changed me. It changed the way I look at the world. It opened doors to me that before I was afraid to enter. It changed the way I look at myself, the way I feel about my own capabilities, the way I feel about myself when I interact with groups, with friends. It taught me that people all over the world, albeit we have our cultural differences, are still the same. We all have hopes and dreams and wishes. I think that's the biggest thing I learned - that despite some differences, people all over are still the same. And when you define the relationship by the similarities, not the differences, you find friends you never thought you'd ever discover. Friends that change your life forever.
Viva España!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Unexpected Adventures...
So Rachel and I decided to take a little trip into Madrid today - hit up some museums, maybe eat some authentic food...
We had a map, I promise.
The reading of the map proved more difficult than we'd anticipated.
After wandering in a forest (aka, large city park) for what seemed like HOURS, we determined we needed to be on the other side of the six-laned freeway.
That would be when we noticed the massive tower with the sign saying "Museo de America" on it. We're brilliant, and blind, apparently.
After having spent 45 minutes of wandering in circles we arrive at the museum.
We then decide to practice our international espionage skills, because somehow we've managed to arrive at the exact moment as our professor and her parents - talk about weird timing, seriously, of all the museums they could've gone to today, they had to pick this one?
We dodge them for a bit, and finally realize it's hopeless and give in and say hi. Despite Rachel's fabulous Charlie's Angels sneaking skills.
We then head over to the famous National Library, full of old, old books in display cases.
Rachel about dies of excitement when she FINALLY sees the old, old Darwin book on evolution that she was SO hoping to see, and just as she lifts the camera...
The security guard comes over and tells us NO PICTURES.
We try to use the espionage skills to come back and take one anyway, but he's following us around. Laaaaame.
So then we're starving.
And what restaurant do we happen upon, but the Cafe Gijon!!! (Only the most awesome cafe in Madrid, where intellectuals, artists, writers, poets, etc have been eating lunch for the past 100 years.)
We're a bit underdressed, but we go in anyway.
We can't understand the waiter's accent, the food was all seafood stuff, and they didn't have Fanta. But it was SO COOL! We felt intellectual. And famous.
On our way back to the Metro, we see a massive, impressive building. We try to go in, but the police officer outside informs us it's closed. I think if we'd taken another step he was ready to tackle us.
We find a street stand and buy ridiculous numbers of postcards for our scrapbooks, meet a couple from Colorado, walk through a creepy tunnel to get to the Metro, and fall asleep on the train home.
Oh you know, just another day in Spain... :D
We had a map, I promise.
The reading of the map proved more difficult than we'd anticipated.
After wandering in a forest (aka, large city park) for what seemed like HOURS, we determined we needed to be on the other side of the six-laned freeway.
That would be when we noticed the massive tower with the sign saying "Museo de America" on it. We're brilliant, and blind, apparently.
After having spent 45 minutes of wandering in circles we arrive at the museum.
We then decide to practice our international espionage skills, because somehow we've managed to arrive at the exact moment as our professor and her parents - talk about weird timing, seriously, of all the museums they could've gone to today, they had to pick this one?
We dodge them for a bit, and finally realize it's hopeless and give in and say hi. Despite Rachel's fabulous Charlie's Angels sneaking skills.
We then head over to the famous National Library, full of old, old books in display cases.
Rachel about dies of excitement when she FINALLY sees the old, old Darwin book on evolution that she was SO hoping to see, and just as she lifts the camera...
The security guard comes over and tells us NO PICTURES.
We try to use the espionage skills to come back and take one anyway, but he's following us around. Laaaaame.
So then we're starving.
And what restaurant do we happen upon, but the Cafe Gijon!!! (Only the most awesome cafe in Madrid, where intellectuals, artists, writers, poets, etc have been eating lunch for the past 100 years.)
We're a bit underdressed, but we go in anyway.
We can't understand the waiter's accent, the food was all seafood stuff, and they didn't have Fanta. But it was SO COOL! We felt intellectual. And famous.
On our way back to the Metro, we see a massive, impressive building. We try to go in, but the police officer outside informs us it's closed. I think if we'd taken another step he was ready to tackle us.
We find a street stand and buy ridiculous numbers of postcards for our scrapbooks, meet a couple from Colorado, walk through a creepy tunnel to get to the Metro, and fall asleep on the train home.
Oh you know, just another day in Spain... :D
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
My Wish
"My wish for you is that life becomes all that you want it to.
Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold.
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you,
And wants the same things too."
This has been my very favorite song for the past... three years. Hands down. Nothing tops it. I often listen to it and think about my life, thinking about all the people that love me, that feel that way about me, thinking about all the things I want my life to become. I think about my dreams, the ones that came true, the ones that didn't, the ones I still wait for and hold in my heart, and the ones I'm living every single day.
However, more often than I think about my dreams and the wishes I have for me, I think about the people I care about more than anything, and the wishes I have for them. And somehow, it means a lot more to me than my own dreams and my own wishes. There's something wonderful about seeing someone else's dream come true, watching their successes, their happinesses. Loving others somehow makes more of a difference in my life than any amount of love anyone has for me.
"If it's cold outside,
Show the world the warmth of your smile"
When you share a smile, you can't see it yourself.
But it blesses your life anyway.
- song: My Wish - Rascal Flatts
Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold.
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you,
And wants the same things too."
This has been my very favorite song for the past... three years. Hands down. Nothing tops it. I often listen to it and think about my life, thinking about all the people that love me, that feel that way about me, thinking about all the things I want my life to become. I think about my dreams, the ones that came true, the ones that didn't, the ones I still wait for and hold in my heart, and the ones I'm living every single day.
However, more often than I think about my dreams and the wishes I have for me, I think about the people I care about more than anything, and the wishes I have for them. And somehow, it means a lot more to me than my own dreams and my own wishes. There's something wonderful about seeing someone else's dream come true, watching their successes, their happinesses. Loving others somehow makes more of a difference in my life than any amount of love anyone has for me.
"If it's cold outside,
Show the world the warmth of your smile"
When you share a smile, you can't see it yourself.
But it blesses your life anyway.
- song: My Wish - Rascal Flatts
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Institute
Scriptures.
Singing a hymn.
Prayer.
Refreshments.
Laughter.
Friendship.
Peace.
New friends.
Excellent. Can I just say, I love Spain, I love the people I met tonight, and I love the gospel with my whole heart? No matter how out of place I feel, the gospel feels like home - no matter where or with who or in what language.
Humorous story of the day: So I go to institute with Melanie and a friend of a companion of my best missionary friend. I met this friend, Ana Elena, for the first time tonight - she was awesome, I really like her. Anyway, we get to Institute, and I met some more people, and we're talking to one of them, Alma, and she says, "Oh, I know about you, Elder Morales talked about you!" Basically, my best missionary friend's companion went home and told friends about how his companion's girlfriend was coming to Spain to study translation. And this girl remembered when she met me. I'm famous. Spain welcomes me with open arms. Isn't life random sometimes?
Singing a hymn.
Prayer.
Refreshments.
Laughter.
Friendship.
Peace.
New friends.
Excellent. Can I just say, I love Spain, I love the people I met tonight, and I love the gospel with my whole heart? No matter how out of place I feel, the gospel feels like home - no matter where or with who or in what language.
Humorous story of the day: So I go to institute with Melanie and a friend of a companion of my best missionary friend. I met this friend, Ana Elena, for the first time tonight - she was awesome, I really like her. Anyway, we get to Institute, and I met some more people, and we're talking to one of them, Alma, and she says, "Oh, I know about you, Elder Morales talked about you!" Basically, my best missionary friend's companion went home and told friends about how his companion's girlfriend was coming to Spain to study translation. And this girl remembered when she met me. I'm famous. Spain welcomes me with open arms. Isn't life random sometimes?
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Ten Days?!!!
I can count the days on my fingers now :)
I can almost count the months, too, but I'm trying hard not to think about that. I went to dinner at the home of some very good friends tonight, and I had a really great time. I love their family, love their home, just love being around them. They're some amazing people and I feel really blessed to be able to have them be a part of my life. They will never mean as much to me as my own family, of course, but I wouldn't mind being a part of their family someday, too. But, as I've said before, "we'll see." I'm really getting sick of that phrase. Couldn't we just see NOW and stop WONDERING about it?? Sigh. The Lord's timing is frustrating sometimes. But it's worth it, always worth it, and I am grateful for the time I am given, and I'm working hard to make sure that I never waste time waiting for things, but instead use every day to become a better person.
But now that I have said that, let me remind you all, TEN DAYS PEOPLE!!! TEN DAYS UNTIL I GO TO MADRID FOR THE MOST AMAZING AND AWESOME THREE MONTHS OF MY LIFE!!!!!! I AM SO SO SO SO SO SO SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can almost count the months, too, but I'm trying hard not to think about that. I went to dinner at the home of some very good friends tonight, and I had a really great time. I love their family, love their home, just love being around them. They're some amazing people and I feel really blessed to be able to have them be a part of my life. They will never mean as much to me as my own family, of course, but I wouldn't mind being a part of their family someday, too. But, as I've said before, "we'll see." I'm really getting sick of that phrase. Couldn't we just see NOW and stop WONDERING about it?? Sigh. The Lord's timing is frustrating sometimes. But it's worth it, always worth it, and I am grateful for the time I am given, and I'm working hard to make sure that I never waste time waiting for things, but instead use every day to become a better person.
But now that I have said that, let me remind you all, TEN DAYS PEOPLE!!! TEN DAYS UNTIL I GO TO MADRID FOR THE MOST AMAZING AND AWESOME THREE MONTHS OF MY LIFE!!!!!! I AM SO SO SO SO SO SO SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monday, July 19, 2010
The epic laundry room makeover
So here is a long overdue post about the painting project at my house... laundry room makeover. More pictures coming, of the walls, floor, etc... but for now, here's some random pictures of some of the furniture I painted, and also the Saturday wall-painting project with me and Cosette and Ashley. They were absolutely amazing to come and help! :)
My awesome painting friends :) I love these girls!
Yeah, it was exciting.
The two small cabinets - previously dark brown stain
One of the tall cabinets - previously dark brown paint
The cabinets - before.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
My Favorite Things
I was reading a friend's blog... well, actually an acquaintance... okay, so I don't actually know the person whose blog I was reading (blog of a friend of a friends, okay, anyway) SOOO I was reading her blog, and she said a friend of her friend had posted a blog of 10 things that make her happy. And I decided to do the same, because it just sounded like a happy thing to do, and the world could use more happy in it. And maybe someday my blog will have more than three followers and people will read mine, and also be happy... haha. Anyway, here goes (in no particular order). 
1. Friends. Okay, I know everyone says that, but seriously, I'm my happiest self when I'm in a group of friends, a ward activity, FHE, whatever. I'm a people person.
2. My guitar. I'm not very good, and I've only been playing a year, but I absolutely love sitting down and just playing and singing along to myself.
3. My job. I'm a front desk secretary in the HR department, and I really love it, especially when I get to solve problems and work with people.
4. Dressing up. I really like formals, and fancy hair, and doing my nails and wearing sparkly jewelry and heels to some event. Definitely not every day, but occasionally.
5. Watching football. So I'm not great at playing sports, and I don't even pretend to be knowledgeable about them, but I LOVE watching it. Especially BYU.
6. Dancing. Clogging is for sure my favorite, but pretty much any kind of dance except for modern or ballet is the best!
7. Disney movies. When I was little, my family wasn't big on TV, so a lot of the animated Disney movies didn't enter my life until... recently. I LOVE Tarzan, Mulan, Toy Story, Lion King, Finding Nemo, Ice Age... the list goes on.
8. The temple. I'm lucky to live so close to a temple, and I try to go at least once a month. I can't wait for the day I can actually go upstairs and not just to the baptistry, but until then, I love going as often as I can! (And my favorite is San Diego, if you can't tell...)
9. Spaghetti. Preferably from Brick Oven, Olive Garden, or Fazoli's, but homemade is fabulous too.
10. Sunshine. I'm pretty sure it's not even possible for me to not be happy when I'm lying on soft grass in the sunshine reading a good book or having a picnic, or just staring up at the sky thinking about life.
This list is certainly not all-inclusive, but it's a start. What makes YOU happy?
1. Friends. Okay, I know everyone says that, but seriously, I'm my happiest self when I'm in a group of friends, a ward activity, FHE, whatever. I'm a people person. 
2. My guitar. I'm not very good, and I've only been playing a year, but I absolutely love sitting down and just playing and singing along to myself.3. My job. I'm a front desk secretary in the HR department, and I really love it, especially when I get to solve problems and work with people.
4. Dressing up. I really like formals, and fancy hair, and doing my nails and wearing sparkly jewelry and heels to some event. Definitely not every day, but occasionally.5. Watching football. So I'm not great at playing sports, and I don't even pretend to be knowledgeable about them, but I LOVE watching it. Especially BYU.
6. Dancing. Clogging is for sure my favorite, but pretty much any kind of dance except for modern or ballet is the best!7. Disney movies. When I was little, my family wasn't big on TV, so a lot of the animated Disney movies didn't enter my life until... recently. I LOVE Tarzan, Mulan, Toy Story, Lion King, Finding Nemo, Ice Age... the list goes on.
8. The temple. I'm lucky to live so close to a temple, and I try to go at least once a month. I can't wait for the day I can actually go upstairs and not just to the baptistry, but until then, I love going as often as I can! (And my favorite is San Diego, if you can't tell...)9. Spaghetti. Preferably from Brick Oven, Olive Garden, or Fazoli's, but homemade is fabulous too.
10. Sunshine. I'm pretty sure it's not even possible for me to not be happy when I'm lying on soft grass in the sunshine reading a good book or having a picnic, or just staring up at the sky thinking about life.This list is certainly not all-inclusive, but it's a start. What makes YOU happy?
Monday, April 5, 2010
Tres Elegante...
Tonight our ward had our "Grammys" presentation for the FHE group music video competition. Ours, a puppet version of Kiss the Girl, was awesomest, if I say so myself. The best part, though, was getting all dressed up and being escorted there by the best home teacher in the ward!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
A very happy unbirthday... very, very happy.
So remember that post from way back whenever that I wrote a whole paragraph about how sad it was that no one ever celebrates my birthday?
Well, tonight they did. I was the shocked recipient of one of the best surprise birthday parties I have ever seen, complete with streamers, balloons, a giant birthday card, two cakes decorated with a guitar and the Spain flag, and more people than I ever thought would come to a party for me. I was completely, totally surprised. I started crying when I came in the door. I've never had a surprise party, ever, and it was perfect. Completely perfect.
For the last couple of weeks I've kind of felt like I failed this school year. I had all these goals to make friends and live it up and be the kind of person I really wanted to be, and I thought I'd failed. I didn't think I really had made friends at all, and I was feeling really down about it. The fact that about 20 different people showed up at a party on a Tuesday night, just for me, completely shocked me. I guess it kind of teaches me a lesson, in a way.
We talk a lot about the "ripple effect" where things you do have bigger consequences than you realize. It's a lot like in It's A Wonderful Life. You don't realize just how many lives you've touched, people you've affected. It can feel like you're nobody at all, when in reality, lots of people know and care about you. I guess that's something I struggle with realizing a lot, and I hope that I can keep remembering how I feel tonight, knowing how many people care about me. Because friends are what makes life worth living!
Well, tonight they did. I was the shocked recipient of one of the best surprise birthday parties I have ever seen, complete with streamers, balloons, a giant birthday card, two cakes decorated with a guitar and the Spain flag, and more people than I ever thought would come to a party for me. I was completely, totally surprised. I started crying when I came in the door. I've never had a surprise party, ever, and it was perfect. Completely perfect.
For the last couple of weeks I've kind of felt like I failed this school year. I had all these goals to make friends and live it up and be the kind of person I really wanted to be, and I thought I'd failed. I didn't think I really had made friends at all, and I was feeling really down about it. The fact that about 20 different people showed up at a party on a Tuesday night, just for me, completely shocked me. I guess it kind of teaches me a lesson, in a way.
We talk a lot about the "ripple effect" where things you do have bigger consequences than you realize. It's a lot like in It's A Wonderful Life. You don't realize just how many lives you've touched, people you've affected. It can feel like you're nobody at all, when in reality, lots of people know and care about you. I guess that's something I struggle with realizing a lot, and I hope that I can keep remembering how I feel tonight, knowing how many people care about me. Because friends are what makes life worth living!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Last night
I went latin dancing.
I did something spontaneous I wouldn't normally do.
I learned the basic steps and some turns for salsa, merengue, and bachata.
I danced with four or five people I didn't know, including a guy who's done ballroom dance his whole life (dancing with a guy who knows what he's doing is SO much fun!)
I went to Denny's and had an oreo milkshake that gave me a stomachache afterward.
I talked about Spain with people who are just as excited as me.
I made four new friends.
I had a BLAST!
I remembered how much fun it is to make new friends and get to know new people.
I came home two hours after my normal bedtime, overslept this morning, and really didn't care.
Life is so much more fun when you share it with others.
I did something spontaneous I wouldn't normally do.
I learned the basic steps and some turns for salsa, merengue, and bachata.
I danced with four or five people I didn't know, including a guy who's done ballroom dance his whole life (dancing with a guy who knows what he's doing is SO much fun!)
I went to Denny's and had an oreo milkshake that gave me a stomachache afterward.
I talked about Spain with people who are just as excited as me.
I made four new friends.
I had a BLAST!
I remembered how much fun it is to make new friends and get to know new people.
I came home two hours after my normal bedtime, overslept this morning, and really didn't care.
Life is so much more fun when you share it with others.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
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