A Roller Coaster Ride

It’s official, I just survived what I would like to call a “death semester.”  I had it coming…like stepping onto a wild roller coaster at an amusement park...I loaded up my schedule with extremely taxing classes, perfectly placed myself in the midst of a disaster of decisions, and chose to stand next to loved ones who are also at a peak of intensity and devastation in their lives…and I was off. 

The gospel was my seat belt…the only thing that could keep me sane and safe.

  

At times, all I could do was hold on.  I definitely had my ups and downs.  I cherished the moments where I could spend time with the people I loved the most.  As the semester progressed, these moments dwindled, becoming few and far between.  As finals approached, I spent every night, sometimes until midnight, in the library studying.  My study groups became my social life (especially my economics study group).  I refused to let Economics 110, the most failed class at BYU, be the end of me.  I competed against the hundreds of competitive men and women applying for the Business program in a CURVED class.
  

With little sleep and food, I quickly caught a hold of a sweet-little sickness.  Timing was perfection, as I had a voice final that same week. Through a power higher than my own, I was able to overcome the nasty, enduring cough to belt out four songs.

I do not regret this semester, for I learned a lot about myself and my capabilities. Similarly, I am so grateful for the angels in my life who enabled me accomplish and fulfill my responsibilities.

Call it crazy but I am back at it again. Four semesters in a row…Spring Term officially starts today.  It’s kind of funny how it works, after all is said and done, we walk off the rollercoaster and realize how exhilarating it was and get back in line to do it all over again! 

However...

I am hoping this semester will be a little more like the swings or the chair lift :) 

Forever in My Heart

A year ago, today, I returned home from one of the most sacred journeys of my entire life, an opportunity to live in Jerusalem for four months.  Easter will forever mean something different to me because of my time spent there.  The Easter Bunny, the baskets, and the wild-eggs hunts are all wonderful and particularly enjoyable for the younger children but it has become of little significance to me now.  I remember walking into Sacrament meeting in my home ward last year, tired from jet-lag and 48 hours of traveling, to a simple rendition of “He is Risen” being sung by my ward choir.  Immediately my eyes welled up with tears and I was overcome with a powerful yet peaceful spirit.  I had just sung that hymn in front of the Garden Tomb three days prior…in the closest location to where Jesus, the Christ, literally did rise.

What a beautiful and sacred series of events we are celebrating.

A year later…it is a typical Saturday night and I am looking forward to spending Easter morning with Chelsea in our quiet duplex.  I cannot believe a year has come and gone.  Chelsea is teaching gospel doctrine tomorrow and so I decided to stay to support her and learn from her.  She was showing me some of her Jerusalem pictures as we discussed what she should share.  I could not help but crack open my own “dusty” files containing thousands of pictures from my time well spent in the Holy Land.  I am trying to remind myself of what the places, that I will here of so much tomorrow, look like.  I am trying to remember the feelings I experienced at each one of those places.

 An immediate flood of love, gratitude, and a burning testimony for the Savior fills my heart and my soul every time I look at my pictures.  From the smiling faces of my friends to the red flowers accenting the Garden Walls, I know Jesus is the Christ. 


He lives. He lives. HE LIVES.

Two Photos By: Kaitlin O'Connor

I think I watched this movie twice a day for a month straight when I got home. 

I did not want to ever forget.  

Little did I know, it would forever be in my heart.

O' Jerusalem.

Video By: Ashley Christ

OUR LITTLE STAR

Eliza has put in countless hours of hard work for the junior high play, AIDA. 

We all came to watch and support her on the closing night.  

She was absolutely spectacular and looked unbelievably stunning.  

Eliza had quite the collection of flamboyant costumes.  

Random Fact: The cast was required to get spray tans regularly to look like Nubians…it was fun to see orange junior high kids! :) Eliza looked like a different ethnicity, however.  

She tans like it’s her day job.

We all had a little too much fun trying on one of her headdresses...

Hahaha Of course, we forced my Grandpa to try it on. He is such a sport. 

My parents are and will forever be the number one fans of anything we do.

80,000 people w/ chalk...

Hare Krishna. 2012. 

Below: My Cousins, Sarah and Natalie, My Fabulous sisters, Austin Snow And Carson. 

Ha. My cousin snapped A cute picture of Carson trying to help me put on my swim cap. 

 Is he not the sweetest?

Refusal to miss an incredibly good time + ChEls and I had a hair appointment right after and did not want Permanent hot pink hair=swim cap time 
(It looks absolutely ridiculous. we look like baldies)

Warning: You will inhale an insane amount of colored chalk….but, in my opinion, it is well worth every dry heave. 

 I am glad I got to spend the afternoon with such crazy-hilarious-loved ones.