P52 Week #26: School's Out

Now that school is mostly out (yay for Summer school! :/),

I have been working at a pool as a lifeguard.

And not only do we guard lives, but we clean and maintain the pool as well.

There are two things that make this difficult beyond measure:

1. Our investation of ants

and

2. the onslaught of Crape Myrtle tree blossoms.

Smart people from the neighborhood builders planted EIGHT Crape

Myrtle trees surrounding the pool.  Everytime the wind blows, we have to skim the whole pool.

And I'm pretty sure all these ants are planning to take over the world.  They have impressive war skills.  They are everywhere and get into everything.

So many many blossoms...

Sometimes after I skim the pool, I feel like the trees are mocking me saying:

"There's more where that came from!"

And then 10 minutes later, you can't tell I skimmed.

Imagine a big gust of wind that makes thousands of blossoms blow over the water...

Now imagine tiny little screams from the kids in the shallow end...

"It's snowing! It's snowing!"

haha, made my day.

Hmm, here's another cluster.

Wait. What is that?

Oh goodness, taking over the land wasn't good enough.

Now these buggers are conquering the high seas.

hahahahaha...

Argh, matey!

I was so excited to find a merging of the great pains of my job.

Making up for it. A little. haha

I still don't understand how this happened...

Poor guy. I think he's lost.

My entry:

Class Ring Ceremony

Who has two thumbs and finally got her

 Sam Houston State class ring?!

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This girl!!!

Just Keep Running, Just Keep Running

all nice and sweaty after a run... Carissa wants you to notice her running belt!!!!

Last Saturday I ran 8.5 miles in 85 minutes!! This is a HUGE accomplishment for me.  I had never done that before!

But this great feat did not happen without adversity pressuring me to stop, to give up.  There is no way I could have made it without my running buddy, Carissa.

Although the temperature was in the 50s, we still got out to run.

Though our faces and ears were frozen the first 25 minutes, we kept running.

I got tired, but we chugged that Cytomax and water and kept running.

From minutes 40-65, my right foot totally went numb.  I seriously could only feel my ankle, but able to still run.  Carissa encouraged (more like told) me to keep running.

At every hill, I met it with determination and defeated that sucker all the way to the top.

The last 20 minutes were so slow and exhausting, but I finished my run.

There is no where I could have fought through that run without Carissa.  She was a great cheerleader and friend.  These trials, some expected and others unexpected, that manifested during my run could have easily beat me.  I could have quit. So. Easily.  

This experience reminds me of our lives.  In our races of life, we will meet adversity.  Who will we turn to? Will you turn to the Savior to bear your burdens? Will you pray to your Heavenly Father to ask for help and guidance?

But most importantly, will you finish the run?
Or will you give up?  

Now some scripture candy.  Sorry, the best scriptures I found are either from the Book of Mormon or the Doctrine and Covenants.

For as Alma tells his son Helaman: "for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day." (Alma 36:3)

D & C 50:5 "But blessed are they who are faithful and endure, whether in life or in death, for they shall inherit eternal life."

D&C 58:2-4 "For verily I say unto you, blessed is he that keepeth my commandments... he that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven.
        "Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shallcome hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after tribulation.
        "For after much tribulation come the blessings.  Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand."

D&C 121:7-8 "My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes."



Our trials will not last for forever, but our blessings can be eternal.  We may not understand the "why" of the trial at that small moment, but Heavenly Father has His divine purpose.  We have come to this life to learn and grow within ourselves and strengthen our testimonies.
The Savior suffered for our sins and afflictions, so He can help us.  Lean on Him and trust Him.  I promise He won't let you down.  Envelope yourself in that comfort.

And remember, "Just keep running" or erhhh... "Swimming" haha

Roarin' Twenties

Whoa.
.
.
.
Whoa.

Two weeks ago I left the innocence of the teenage life and crossed the bridge into my third decade of life.
Like I said...Whoa.

Everyone growing up experiences the anticipation of their birthday in order to feel a year older and wiser.  It's human nature. We want to feel the change, to feel that difference.  We, as a culture, have totally romanticized birthdays.  We romanticize everything. Everything.

Cowboys of the Wild West. Pirates. Love. High School. Prom, etc. (Anyway, I digress.)

Every year, we hope to wake up feeling different and, lo and behold, we don't feel any change.  Each year, for some reason, we forget the disappointment from the year before.  Starting last year, I finally felt worn out from my annual birthday excitement.  So this year, I didn't expect any gaiety and certainly no utterly romantic notion of feeling my birthday occur.

Boy, was I completely wrong.

Number One: I did feel different. (very Twilight Zone-esque. haha)

Number Two: Friends threw a surprise party for me and my birthday twin.

AHHHHH, weird right?




The Birthday Girl partaking of her lovely and divine Birthday Cake Bluebell Ice Cream Shake
 courtesy of Kate and her work. :)


The day before my birthday, I set aside time to write my missionary and unfortunately it was very late at night.  It didn't help I am such a super slooooow writer, so I wrote this blasted letter until some ungodly hour.  Anyhoo, on this birthday eve of sorts, I was writing a letter to my missionary as midnight passed, and I realized it was officially my birthDAY.

 I was TWENTY. I had started this third decade of my LIFE.

And in this THIRD decade, I would make decisions that would AFFECT

the REST of my LIFE.  I would MARRY.  I would start

a FAMILY.  I would start/prepare my CAREER.

AHHHHH!

Needless to say, I had a minor mental breakdown/ freak out session.

All these insane thoughts rushed through brain and I started to freak myself out, especially since I was currently writing my missionary.  Writing a missionary generally brings out personal insecurities and worries.  (If one of those experiences that only someone in a similar situation could begin to understand.)  Personally, I know that I am definitely no where near ready to marry.  The whole thought of myself being married just freaks me out. Well, this missionary returns home in February and everyone, including him, will probably expect us to quickly get engaged right away. And shortly thereafter, tie the knot. Oh, Mormon/LDS culuture... what a love-but-mostly-hate relationship we have...  Well, this pressure is totally stressing me out. 

I am the queen of self sike(sp?)-outs.  (haha)

From Pinterest.com



But isn't this crazy? I freaked out about a silly birthday. Oh, yes, yes, these are serious concepts and decisions, but the people I expressed these feelings to thought I was crazy.  They didn't understand why I would think about distant future concepts while I am so busy with my present situations.  I guess I am just a planner.  I have to think ahead and perfectly plan out everything. Don't get me wrong, I can modify anything that needs be, but I have to always be working towards a goal.  My mom makes fun of my "10 year" plan.  If only she knew just how detailed it is...haha.  But, I can't just wander blindly towards an unknown future.  I am one of those nerdy freaks that check everyday for the university advising center shindig to post the schedule of classes for the following semester so I can create my schedule.  I don't care it's September.  I want my Spring schedule figured out and I want it figured out now! haha.

From Pinterest.com

Yes, I know marriage and grown-up stuff are good and important and necessary and commandments....

But still scary!

My next two years will require a lot of my faith for survival. Mhmm. Indeed.

I sincerely look forward to my next decade.  I am sure it will be filled with moments of sadness and happiness, but everything will be worth it. :)

From Pinterest.com

You ready for this?

Oh, man, I have amazing, caring, fun, crazy, awesome, super duper friends.  Ya jealous? haha.

My friend Sam and I have the same birthday and we are only one year apart.  We both have long dark brown hair and brown eyes.  We both have fair skin.  We are both short.  We both have "S" names.  I was actually almost named Samantha.  In short, people get us mixed up all the time. 

Well....

Sam's fiance, Ben, threw us a surprise birthday party!! No one has ever done anything like this for me! I felt so loved and appreciated.  I am one of those crazy people who need words, words, and more words plus some action. Oh, words, how powerful you are!  (sorry, awkward English major moment)  Anyways, for people to celebrate ME and to express their love for ME felt so nice and warm and fuzzy.  I'll admit at first I was super scared and awkward at being the center of attention, but I got the hang of it. haha. Good thing I shared half of the attention with Sam, or I would have probably bolted. haha.

 pictures soon to come...



I just can't believe I am twenty years old!!

P.S. I am SO addicted to Pinterest.com!
P.P.S Halloween is tomorrow!! Last Friday, Kate and I watch The Haunting in Connecticut... no matter how many times I watch that movie, I still totally flip out. It's my favorite scary movie. :)


Peace out, Dog!