why teach?

"Why do you want to be a teacher?"

This has been a popular question after telling people I was majoring in Elementary Education. 

This has also been a reoccurring question in my mind after deciding I wanted to teach.

My first semester in college, I was going to school to be an Ultrasound Technician. I loved science and the idea of working with parents and being there when they find out the gender of their baby. It seemed so exciting. After that first semester, I don't know why, but I wasn't really clicking with the idea of continuing to be an Ultrasound Technician. Teaching was always in the back of my head, so I decided to follow my gut and say that I wanted to be a teacher. 

After taking a few elementary courses, I knew that being a teacher was my calling. 

After countless lesson plans and endless projects, I've decided that I wouldn't want to do anything other than teaching. 

Teaching is my passion.

"It's a beautiful thing when a career and a passion come together."

I'd like to say I'm lucky that the career I want to pursue is also my passion, but that is not the case.

I'm blessed. 

I'm blessed to have the burning passion in my heart for a sweet child to learn and grow, while helping them feel love and support every day.

I'm blessed to have had past teachers show me what an impact a teacher can really make in a student's life. 

I'm blessed to know that education is not the preparation for life, but that education is life itself.

I'm blessed for the privilege to further my own education so that I can hopefully make an impact on someone's life.

One of my biggest senses of accomplishments is seeing a child progress and have them be proud of their self and knowing that I helped. 

The Lord reminds us various times in the scriptures to become like little children. In Matthew 18: 3-4 it says, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven". If we have a heart to learn and a willingness to follow the example of children, then their divine attributes can hold a key to unlocking our own spiritual growth.

"In teaching others, we teach ourselves."

I am so excited to become a teacher and have the opportunity to not only impact my students' lives, but also have them impact mine. I know that I am going to learn so much from my future students.

Teaching is not just about teaching the standards, but creating a bond between you and your students and helping each other progress in a positive, loving atmosphere.

xoxo

-E

be glad to be alive

An amazing thing happens when you get honest with yourself 

and start doing what you love, 

what makes you happy. 

Your life literally slows down.

You stop wishing for the weekend.

You stop merely looking forward to special events.

You begin to live in each moment and you start feeling like a human being.

You just ride the wave that is life, with this feeling of contentment and joy.

You move fluidly, steadily, calm, and grateful.

A veil is lifted, and a whole new perspective is born.

In the end only three things matter:

how much you loved

how gently you lived

and

how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you

Stay close to anything that makes you glad you are alive.

Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

Look at the sunny side of everything & make your optimism come true.

Think of only the best, work for only the best & expect only the best.

Forget the mistakes of the past & and press on to greater achievements of the future.

Give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

Live in the faith that the whole world is on your side as long as you are true to the best that is in you.

It's time to remember what it's like to feel alive.

lovers-

your Heavenly Father loves you more than you know. 

all you have to do is draw near unto Him and you will feel His presence all around you.

He will never forsake you.

He is there for you in times of happiness, sadness, madness, and even confusion.

He will help and guide you through any struggle you are going through,

you just have to ask Him.

He will bring you eternal joy.

His timing is the perfect timing.

put all your trust in Him and He will never disappoint.

we truly need Him every hour.

i feel the Savior's love all around me.
i know with all my heart that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that He lives. 

i know that through the atonement of Jesus Christ we are forgiven of our sins, if we repent unto Him.

i know that Christ will plead for me and will let me take upon His name.

i know that my Lord will never forsake me and is there always to guide me on the right path.

He is the Jehovah of the old and the Messiah of the new.

 

it's time to starting living.

it's time to remember the things that matter most.

it's the little things in life that count.

don't take anything for granted.

life happy. be happy.

xoxo

E

learned

in life we do things.

some we wish we had never done.

some we wish we could replay a million times.

these little moments and experiences make us who we are

and

they have shaped us into who we are right now, in this very moment.

if we reversed any of them, we wouldn't be the person we are.

so, i am going to share a few things that i have learned thus far in my own life.

i've learned that:

- no matter how old i get, i will always miss my parents when i am away from them

- sometimes life gives me a second chance

- in life, i can't catch everything, i need to be able to throw some things back

- whenever i decide something with an open heart, i usually make the right decision

- even when i have pains, i don't have to be one

- sometimes i may have bad days, but i do not have a bad life

- making a living is not the same thing as making a life

- life doesn't stop for me

- a good laugh and a good long nap can cure anything

- i should take small steps instead of big leaps

- i don't have to win every argument, i can be wrong

- it's okay to cry

- i can't really resist chocolate

- making peace with my past helps me move forward more easy

- i shouldn't compare my life to others

- i should be happy with who i am

- getting rid of the negative things in my life makes room for more positive things

- what doesn't kill me makes me stronger

- running when i'm mad or sad or happy is always beneficial 

- i choose to be happy

- i need to do what i love

- i don't have to please everyone

- every day is a new clean slate

- time heals most wounds; give things time

- believe in the good in people

- sometimes i have to be sassy because it keeps things exciting

- being outside makes me happy

- jealously and envy don't get me anywhere

- it's better to be over-dressed than under-dressed

- i shouldn't let yesterday take up to much of today

- i should be quick to forgive

- i should give the world the best i have

-focus on the small things; they are the things that matter the most

- if i have something to say to someone, i should say it 

- it's important to tell the people i love, that i love them, right now and every day

- don't take life's simple pleasures for granted

- my Heavenly Father will NEVER forsake me

- the atonement is real

- my testimony grows each day

- growing up is hard

- i'm still learning things i ought to know by now

- making life decisions can be scary, but it's worth the happiness

- my family will always be there for me, no matter what (they are so dang great)

- the best is yet to come

xoxo
E

change;

you know that feeling?

when you're just waiting.

waiting to get home, into your room,

close the door, fall into bed, 

and just let everything out that you kept in all day.

that feeling of both relief and desperation.

nothing is wrong.

but nothing is right either.

and you're tired.

tired of everything, tired of nothing 

and you just want someone to

be there and tell you it's okay.

but no one's going to be there.

and you know you have to be strong

for yourself, because no one can fix you.

but you're tired of waiting.

tired of having to be the one to fix yourself and everyone else

tired of being strong.

and for once, you just want it to be easy.

to be simple. to be helped. to be saved.

but you know you won't be.

but you're still hoping.


"tears are alright. they are the price we pay for: love, care, and compassion in the world."
-jeffrey r. holland


i've been thinking a lot recently about what i really want to say.
i've had a lot on my mind.
relationships with:
Christ, my family, friends, boys, classmates etc.
what my future holds.
basically everything.
i can't even seem to really gather my thoughts,
that's how much my mind is racing.
i've even had some DANG ROUGH days,
BUT
even though i've hard the hardest time recently;
(on edge more than i should be aka wanting to cry always)
i've decided what i need to do.

me and one of my best friends were discussing how we feel and why we feel the way we do
(total girl move) and came up with the conclusion that we are single, in our twenties, and are in college. when, in the rest of our lives, are we going to be able to stay up till 3 am acting like crazy heads or take a spontaneous trip to california with your bffs? probably never. at some point we are all going to grow up. we are going to get married, get jobs, and have babies. we are going to have to be self-less to our future families. so, why not be selfish now?

"Being in your twenties allows you to start carving out the life you want for yourself."

 Guys, being in our twenties is a luxury.
It's going to leave us eventually, so why not enjoy it?

Enjoy those lame parties and those awkward dates.
Enjoy staying up till 3 am and then being able to wake up for your 9 am class.
Enjoy the crappy apartment you live in.
Enjoy eating cereal and top ramen.
Enjoy being your own boss.
DO MORE OF WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY.

 

now, this doesn't mean be stupid and do things you are going to regret.

another huge thing that has been on my mind, like always is
my Savior, Redeemer, even Jesus Christ.

sometimes i get caught up in everything going on around me that i forget that i need to slow down.
my Heavenly Father knows me better than i know myself and sometimes i forget that.
i know that if i aline His will and my will, that everything WILL workout exactly how they are suppose to.
if we are following the commandments of the Lord and obey His word, our lives will be filled with joy, love, and peace.
i think it's so important to understand WHO you are and WHOSE you are.
we are all sons and daughters of a king.
a king who cares so much about you personally.

we've decided to just love life.
love who we are.
love those around us.
love where we are.
love where we are going.

from now on
i'm focusing on my:

relationship with my Heavenly Father
family
friends
school
happiness
health
positive attitude
and
being who Christ knows i can be

 

(always gotta stay sassy)

remember your worth and that you deserve to be happy

xoxo
E

reminded

hi.

so, this weekend has been exceptional.

this week though, was not exceptional.

sometimes you get those weeks where it's beautiful outside. 

you have some great times with your friends. 

but,

somehow stress creeps in and consumes your mind at random times.

these random times happen more than they should.

i had that week last week. 

i felt like i could break down at any time. 

i wanted to get away from school, relationships, and work.

i wanted to be home. 

i wanted to be at the beach.

i wanted to be anywhere but provo.

i somehow made it to friday.

i took a test and realized it was friday and i didn't have work. 

things were suddenly better.

then,

saturday morning, i had the opportunity to go to the first session of general conference.

(lds general conference)

 i love conference so much. literally the best thing.

there were so many things said by the great leaders of the church that i needed to hear:

"we are meant to grow out of our youth; with it comes understanding and truth"

"faith is a power not just an expression"

"the tools of the gospel are meant to help us against what will attack us"

"the words of Christ will tell me all that i need"

"we are daughters of an exalted king"

"what e'er thou art; act well thy part"

"never lose sight of the strength of your womanhood"

"your virtue and chastity are your most important treasure"

"YOU ARE A PRECIOUS DAUGHTER OF GOD"

"be grateful for righteous men of God who hold the priesthood"

"by His strength, we are able to do that which we could never do alone"

and those were just a FEW from saturday morning. 

today, i watched the rest of conference.

so, take these few points from saturday and multiply it by like roughly 100.

i was so enlightened.

woah, i still am.

i just love being reminded of how much my Heavenly Father loves me

and wants the best for me.

but guess what, He wants that for YOU too.

guys,
i just love conference because it always puts me in a good mood
and
reminds me to slow down a little and remember the things that matter most.

xoxo
E

p.s. be on the lookout for another blog post SOON.

slow down

hi babes.

today was interesting, so naturally i decided i needed to blog about it.

well, this morning was a tough morning. probably i didn't eat breakfast, i was trying to finish an online midterm before work, and i was thinking about my life and all these big, hard questions that you think of when you start to grow up and they all just make you want to cry. 

i didn't want to go to work. all i wanted to do was stay home and sleep or cry all the stress away.

but, lo i went to work and my day changed.

i work at an elementary school as the after-school coordinator. i monitor at recess for the first 45 minutes of work. for those of you who really know me, you know how passionate about teaching and kids i am. i just love them. kids are seriously the best. they say the funniest things and are so sweet. they are so carefree and precious.

well, at recess, a little boy fell down and he had some mud on his face and a couple scratches. i was asking him if he was ok and was about to send him to the office, but before i did he asked me a question... [remember that he was kind of whimpering/crying]

"am i almost dead?"

i had to laugh a little, because seriously, how cute was he.

sometimes i feel like asking the same question.

there are times i am filled with so many stresses and trials that i feel like maybe i am dying [mentally] and that i feel as though i cannot take it anymore. but then i remember that my heavenly father never forsakes me. there are many instances in the scriptures where his people cry unto him of their burdens and he hears their cries and softens their burdens. i am so grateful to know that my savior never leaves me alone, especially in my most troublesome times. 

if it weren't for that little boy today at work, i never would have been reminded of this tender mercy in my life. 

i think sometimes i get so flustered in what i need to do for school, or church, or with my relationships, that i forget to slow down and look at the small, tender mercies in my life that i have been blessed with. 

so from now on, i think it'd be best for me to slow down and live life being thankful for the small things that i am blessed with.

here's to new beginnings, slowing down, and being happy with what i have.

xoxo,

E

tender moments and passion

Hi my lovlies.

So, recently I've been super sensitive and wanna cry at like every tender thing I see. 

I don't know if it's because I moved to Utah and the mountain air messing with me, or if I'm becoming one of "those girls". Let me just give you a couple examples as to what I'm talking about.

1. I went to the Brigham City Temple open house with some friends. As we were walking through, like obvis I teared up a little because I was in the temple and I felt the spirit. BUT, when I was driving on the way home, I noticed another temple in the distance and I started to cry.... like who cries when you LOOK at a temple? I mean yeah, they are gorgeous and it's the house of the Lord, but come on..just looking at them should not make you wanna cry. Weird.

2. So, my major is Elementary Education and I'm taking this Foundations of Education class. It's two and a half hours long and my professor is a lawyer who loves to talk, especially about politics and other things that prestigious lawyers love talking about. (I'm totes not bagging on lawyers by the way..my brother in law is one, and he's probs one of the coolest people I know) Anyways, after about an hour in, into the first class I knew this class was going to be long and one I would have to fight through. Well, class proceeded and my professor asked everyone to tell the class their name and why they decided to be an Elementary Ed major. I was the second girl to go and I said my name and then when I started to tell my reason as to why I want to teach and I was done. Then, I started thinking about why I actually wanted to teach more and more. As the other girls were saying their names and why they want to teach, I just couldn't help but tear up because all of their reasons were similar to my reasons and that I just can't wait to have my own classroom and have these little kids relying on me to teach them what they need to know and see them be proud of themselves and watch them grow and progress into our future leaders of America. Too cheesy?..well, like I obvis don't care because I literally am so excited to teach.

I AM THAT GIRL. You know, the girl in class, or where ever the heck she is,  when she starts talking about something that means a lot to her, she starts to cry. I couldn't believe..and still can't believe that this is happening. Like maybs, it's just a stage I'm going through and I'll soon grow out of it. Let's hope so, because I do not want to go through life crying at every little dang thing. Like, what if I have a little girl and we are on a walk in the park and she picks me a flower and says, "I picked this flower for you mommy!" and even if it's just a dandelion, I start to cry, because I'll think that it was the sweetest thing. OMG. Let's only hope it's a stage.

Anyways..moving on.

Also, bare with me. I swear I'm almost done.

It's chill.

So, I read this cute blog post yesterday and I liked it, so naturally I'm gonna tell y'all about it.

This girl says how college is a major point in our lives. It really is. It's where we decide things that are going to affect the rest of our lives.........

Uh, so I don't know about you, but it scares me to think that me, my 20 year old self is going to make decisions that are going to stick with me for the rest of my life. Hot dang, that's cray.

But listen, I'm totally okay with that because;

1. I know that my Heavenly Father is with me 100% of the way, and that He will not lead me astray.

&

2. I have some pretty amazing parents who are here to council and guide me. And believe me, they are pretty good at knowing what is best for me..even if I don't think so at the moment. And they are my best supporters.

This girl said, "Do what you want, figure it out. Then once you are happy, you can make other people happy; once you find your whole self you can give your heart to someone else."

So, I just need to relax and find what I really want to be and what I want out of life. I think it's important to find your passion and what makes you happy and stick with it. 

Of course there are going to be things that make us happy temporarily, but you have to look deeper and find those eternal joys that will make you happy forever!

Eternal joys. That's what is most important.

Well, I think it's time to wrap this up.

I love you lover doves and I hope your lives are full of passion and joy.

And if you aren't there yet, it'll come.

Heavenly Father is good, so good, and He will help you through anything you are facing. 

(even if it's crying at every little tender moment that happens in your life)

But hey, pay attention to the small and simple things in life, like the stars or flowers.

Laugh at yourself.

Don't be afraid to try new things.

Go out of your way to say hi to someone..or maybs even your crush (yeah, I went there)

Have 20 seconds of some crazy insane courage. (this one is fun, I promise)

And remember to always call upon the Lord, because He will never let you down.

Y'all are amazing. Have a great week!

xoxo

E 

Shhh-ecrets.

So, awhile ago I my friend, Brittany (she's adorbs..check her blog out by clicking her name), posted on her blog a list of "secrets" about herself that you wouldn't normally know about her.

 I thought it was super cute, so I decided to start thinking of some secrets of my own that people may not know about me. 

I made a list of 53 things. I don't really know why it's 53, but it's whatevs. They're totes random, so 

you'll see how scatter brained I can be.

You might get bored with reading them by like #2, but I mean here they are:

1. I check behind shower curtain every time I go to the bathroom.

2. I eat way too many oreos than I should. So if you happen to be by me when I'm eating them, take away the package after like 1...or 12. It's fine.

3. I love painting my fingernails. But they don't last that long because I pick the polish off..so that leads to painting them again. It's just an ongoing cycle. 

4. I give hugs a lot. I'm a hugger.

5. I sing super loud in the car. And even add in my own dance moves. Mostly when I'm alone.

6. I love giving talks or teaching, but only if the subject is my choice.

7. Rocking a tired baby to sleep is honestly the best. You get to nap with them too. They are just so warm and cuddly.

8. I can't wait to be a wife...

9. I build a barricade of pillows on the side of the bed I don't sleep on. I just feel more protected. 

10. I'm shy when I meet someone new, but once I get warmed up to them, I'm way fun/weird/awkward. 

11. I'm terrified to go on dates with someone I don't know that well. I don't know why. It honestly takes all of me to go. Probs cause I'm scared of boys sometimes..

12. I have OCD with my putting mascara on my eyelashes. They have to be a certain way.

13. So, every time I watched The Hills (it's a tv show), I always pretended like I was Lauren Conrad's friend. Also, when I watch Pretty Little Liars, I pretend to be the group of girls' friend too. After the show I get kind of sad that I have to live in reality and not a mystery show where the girls always dress super cute for school and always have something exciting and adventurous going on. 

14. I still play dress up. But not with costumes. I just like to try different outfits on and be creative. 

15. When I get scared, I laugh. And I get this rush like I could run as fast as Usain Bolt. But seriously.

16. I honestly love running. But I hate being timed for it. I just like to run for myself.

17. I could fall asleep to a thunder-rainstorm every night. 

18. I did the morning announcements for my high school my senior year. "Good morning Yukon! This is Lizzie.."

19. I was in student council ever since the 7th grade. I loved being involved. I planned every pep assembly my senior year.

20. I think growing up is hard. 

21. I've never broken a bone. Ever. (knock on wood)

22. I can touch my elbows behind my back. 

23. I used to eat mayonnaise and cheese sandwiches. Mayonnaise, cheese, and bread. I don't know why. I loved it.

24. I could watch Cupcake Wars all day. 

25. I'm a simple eater. Like just ketchup on my hamburger simple..but I'm becoming more adventurous.

26. I love when my hair is curled. 

27. I've never ridden a ferris wheel. 

28. I once went 5 months without shaving my legs. Yeah.......

29. I love the beach. More than the mountains. I could spend forever living by the beach. No problem. 

30. My favorite animal is probably a meerkat, but I'm starting to dig cheetahs. 

31. I like to play all sports. I just love sports a lot. 

32. I'm competitive. I'm always up for a challenge. Any sport, or in anything really. 

33. I love country music. 

34. I love to dance. But not like core-graphed dancing. Just random and ridiculous dancing. And mostly by myself (otherwise people make fun of me..or join right in) 

35. I love wearing cowboy boots. I also love wearing norts and oversized tees. 

36. I think wedges and heels are actually comfortable. 

37. I like to fish. But I'm scared to hold the fish.

38. I hate spiders.

39. I had red hair up until I was like three, then it turned blonde.

40. I've been told I can do a mean Grinch impression...so if you're lucky you might hear it one day.

41. I love watching college football and NBA basketball games. 

42. I probably laugh at my jokes more than anyone else. Actually, I probs just laugh more than anyone in general. I just love laughing.. A lot.

43. I'm obsessed with sunsets, the moon, contrails, and the stars. I could honestly tell you how pretty they are all day. 

44. I've never really had a pet dog. 

45. I wish I could play the piano super good. I also wish I could speak Spanish or Italian fluently. 

46. I love taking naps. And that's an understatement.

47. My toenails are always painted. 

48. I love doing crafts.

49. I could play soccer at any time. You wanna play a pick up game or just pass around? I'm in.

50. Sometimes I think I care too much about people/things more than they do for me (if that makes sense). But, then I think, isn't that what's life's about..just showing love and care for people. I mean, life's short, why not show people that you really care for them. Make the most out of life. 

51. I'm a huge hopeless romantic. I believe in love. True, passionate, crazy-cute love. 

52. I secretly love surprises. I like being surprised and I like it even better to surprise people.

53. I absolutely love when people play with my hair.

chevron

Oh my goodness, HI!

So, I told you I would keep you updated on my crafts I make...

Well, I made one..tonight!

Woot woot!

I had a coral canvas that I really wanted to glitter up. 

I saw this super cute blue canvas that was gold chevroned on Pinterest and just had to try it...but in coral and a brownish glitter.

I totes took pics step by step to show how I did it..not like it's that hard, but pictures are always a plus.

(sorry about some of the lighting, I swear the colors look super cute in person)

Step 1: Paint a canvas any color you wish.

Step 2: Tape off the chevron pattern however thick you want it. (I used a ruler to make sure the spaces were the same length apart, but by the end, I just started to eye it)

(told you the lighting was off, but I swear it's the same color)

Step 3: Put the glitter on, after painting the area you want glittered, or you could use ModPodge if you wanted. (On some parts, I spread the glitter with my finger..just lightly though so it wouldn't get too thin)

Step 4: Peel off the tape slowly. (Before I peel the tape off, I sprayed the whole canvas with hairspray to give the glitter a little more stay on the canvas...it worked well)

(again, the lighting is weird..it's more coral in person)

buuuut,

it's the finished product!!

I had such a fun time with this craft! It adds the perfect amount of glitter to your walls. 

Y'all should try it, then take a picture of yours and show me your gorgeous pieces of artwork!

Until next time..

xoxo

E

high on summertime

Hi lover doves!

I'm back!

Ain't this just a treat?

Ha.

Well, it's finally summer time. Last summer I spent it in Rexburg going to school. Now I am home and get to enjoy summer with the family!...Oh and do some work too. I am going to be a counselor for a teen camp. The teens do community service around the community, such as going to the food bank and filling in orders and other things like that, and we get to go on field trips on Thursdays! That's about all I know so far. Oh, and I get Fridays off. So I'm pretty excited about that. 

Right when I got home, my boss called me in to have a meeting with her. I was expecting her to tell me about my job starting in June and giving me all the deets about it, but to my surprise she asked me to fill in at an elementary, supervising Pre-K and Kindergarteners..and I was going to start 2 days later. That was shocking. I was expecting to have the month of May to myself. Crafting with my sis, laying out, sleeping in...but nope. Change of plans. Let me just say, I have loved working there with those little kiddies. They are super energetic, but they just love their teacher. I got so many hugs and "I love you's". Never went a day without lovin' those kids. 

I cannot wait to teach. I think I am leaning toward 1st or 2nd grade. I can already see the rewards being a teacher is going to be. I will get to be with my kids every day to watch them grow and encourage them on their way. I think seeing a child progress and really knowing that they are capable of so much than they think is the best feeling ever. Seeing them get excited over the littlest things is so humbling.

Here are a few of my kiddies...

They are a bunch of crazies, but I loved being their teacher.

Now that that job is over, all I wanna do it craft all daaaaaay, and lay out.

I'll totes keep y'all updated on all my crafties I make. 

I am going back to school in August and will be living in a town home with these lovely babes...

I am totes excited.

Y'all can come visit anytime. We have a basement and a living room. Eeee :)

Okay, this is probs boring you and not even important, but last thing I promise..

I went to Thunder alley Monday night, (a huge gathering of those who didn't have tickets to get in to the actual Thunder game, so they just broadcasted it on a huge screen right outside the area. There was about 2,000 people there..outside....short fun fact about me...I absolutely hate large crowds..it scares me and makes me nervous..) anyyyways..I went with my cousin and a few friends and needless to say we had fun..and it was quite the experience. 7 girls, making a chain through a massive crowd of strangers, only to end up sitting on a patch of grass with a not so great view. Oh well, it's all about the experience and atmosphere right? Anyways, we took pics (of course)...

It's been a fun week, and it's only Wednesday.

Anyways, thanks for listening to me rant on about my oh so exciting life. Ha. 

xoxo

E

Long time, no blog.

Hello my lovelies!

It has been too long since I have blogged. I've kept up reading some of y'alls post every once in awhile, I just haven't had the chance to update mine!

Well, I probably could tell you some sweet, interesting stories..I mean I do live in Utah now!

But, it's late and I should probably get to bed.

So, I'll leave you with a quote..(my obsession is still there)..

Don't forget to pray.

xoxo

BYU

I

GOT

IN

!!!!!!!

country

"The truth is
That I miss lyin' in those arms of his
But I don't ever let it show
I laugh and I act like
I'm having the time of my life"

Can I just say I LOVE country music?

Also, I don't know why I am posting today. I'll post later about something exciting. Yeah, that sounds like a plan.

So, until then watch this. It's a good song.

CLICK HERE.

It makes me want summer back.

Catch y'all later!

Why not..

"If you never chase your dreams, you'll never catch them."

It's that time again for an update from the life of Lizzie.

Nothing really exciting has happened, so I am sitting here thinking, I have nothing to blog about. I am home from school working at two elementary schools, making up activities for kids to do after school. Though the kids have said some funny things such as: Girl- "I have all the barbie movies.." Me- "Oh, well that's cool." Girl- (gets very serious and looks at me) "I'm not kidding..."; or another example, Me- "Do you love Justin Bieber?" Girl- "No.....do you?" Me- "Well, he is a little young for me..isn't he like 14?" Girl- "No, he is 18 and his birthday is March 1st."

So, other than not listening to me, being obnoxiously loud, and running around like their heads are cut off, they are actually pretty fun.

Recently, (which means from the middle of August), I've been in a "it's time to chase my dream" type of mood. So, I decided I want; need to play college soccer. So, what did I do? I emailed the BYU girls coach. Not just the coach, but the two assistants, and the administrative assistant. I explained why I was emailing them and told them all of my qualifications. Also, it just so happens that they play Oklahoma State University and The University of Oklahoma September 15th and 17th. I told them I would love the privilege of meeting with them to talk about an opportunity to play for them. I didn't receive a reply back for about a week and a half so I decided to call them and had to leave a message. An assistant coach called me back and we talked and set up that I was going to get to talk to them after the OU game on Saturday.

Then, I realized they have no clue who I am. I decided I needed to find a way to give some credibility to them. It just to happens that my high school trainer coaches for OU. So, I gave him a call, asking if he would talk to the coaches with me and say that they should let me be on their team. He agreed. He also sent them an email at the beginning of the week to tell them about me before we all talked, which was a good move. So, after all of this communicating, it's finally going to happen. I get to meet and talk with the BYU coaches this Saturday and see if I get an opportunity to play for the BYU Cougars girls soccer team.

You're probably thinking, "Well, that's exciting! Good luck!" Well, yes it is exciting, but it is also nerve-racking, anxiety attack causing, and making my mind run in numerous circles of various outcomes.

If this situation goes well, and the coaches say, "sure come on out and we'll give you a look", the biggest problem then would be, me actually getting in to BYU. You see, it's a good idea to be a student of a school, in order to play for them.

So that is the other thing I have been quite worried about. Getting in. I am almost done completing my application to BYU, and it has to be the most heart pounding experience. I didn't get in the first time I applied. So, I went to OU for a semester then BYU-Idaho for a year. Now, we will see after three semesters of college experience if I can get into BYU.

So now that you have that story, you might be wondering, "Why does she want to play soccer now and not right after she graduated high school?" I wonder that too sometimes. It probably would have saved me a whole lot of transferring and thinking if I would have decided to play right after my senior year. So, here it goes. Growing up, I was one out of ten members of the church that went to my 2,000 student high school, so you can only imagine how many times I was faced with temptation and people "making fun" of me being a Mormon. For the most part I could handle my peers immaturity, but sometimes it was hard as heck. So, I decided I wanted to go to a church college and be surrounded with people of the same faith and be able to learn in a spiritual environment. In the excitement of this decision, it didn't occur to me to contact the coaches at BYU. I applied to BYU, BYU-Idaho, and OU. When I didn't get into BYU, it was actually real hard to deal with, but BYU-Idaho was also a church school, so I was content with going there. I loved every second at BYU-Idaho. Everything about the school was great. Even though it was the coldest and smallest town I've ever lived in, I knew I was suppose to be there.

After leaving the "everyone is nice, we are all a big family" bubble of Rexburg and came home, I was glad to be with my family. Long story short, my brother came home from his mission and we took a vacation to the beach. Florida. The beach. Where I decided I wanted to play soccer. You might think it sounds cheesy, but there were a few things that caused me to come to this decision to play soccer. The movie Soul Surfer, praying, and quotes (also some self-thinking too). When I watched Soul Surfer, I thought to myself, "Here is this girl who absolutely loves surfing but gets her arm bit off, and has to learn that it's not always about winning, that it is about passion, and finally in the end trains herself for more competitions and expands her talent even more than before." If this girl has one arm and is still trying her best to expand her talents, then what am I doing with all of my limbs not expanding my talents? I am capable of playing soccer at the college level, so why am I not doing so?

I started praying about what I was thinking and got an answer. "Try. Go for it. You have nothing to lose. At least you can say you tried." Also, this story in the scriptures came to mind..where there are three brothers and the Lord give each of them talents. They get to go off and do what they want with those talents. The first brother had 5 and came back with double his talents, the second brother had 2 and also came back with double his talents, and the third brother had 1 and came back with his same 1 talent. The Lord says to the first two brothers, "well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord". But to the third brother he said, "thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not......take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents". So, basically he is proud of his sons that have increased their talents and not proud of the one that had not.

I applied this to my life. The Lord has blessed me with not only the talent to play soccer, but the ability to be taught. A quote that goes a long with this that I like says, "When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me". If I want the Lord to be proud of me, I want to do all I can on my part for that to happen. So, why not play college soccer? Why not try to expand the talent He has given me?

So, that is the story on why I want to play soccer now. As a sophomore in college and transfer to my third college.

On another note.

"We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us."

Sometimes things don't work out the way I plan. Sometimes I think I know what is good for my life, when in reality I need to put my trust in the Lord that He will guide my life how it's suppose to be. I have always lived by the saying, "Everything happens for a reason". I am a firm believer in this. Nothing is coincidence.

So, here's to the future.

Wish me luck.

Ps. This was a long post, so hopefully it will hold me over for awhile. Unless something exciting happens...

favorites.

It is not always the big things that matter most..

I have taken a step towards my dream :)

I love this outfit!

I am so thankful for Thomas S. Monson.

Twilight <3

Soccer is what I do.

When you smile, even if you don't feel like it, it will automatically increase your mood to happier. (i.love.smiling)

I LOVE this show. So good.

Never do it. It will not make you happy if you settle.

Always strive to be this kind of woman. I love Gordon B. Hinckley

I wish I had this outfit. It is so dang cute and looks so comfy at the same time.

Someday MY prince will come. <3

Just some of my favorite things.

So, I started work! It has been fun so far. I am still getting to know the kids, but I think I'm doing pretty good at getting to know their names! They are a little rowdy, but I think they are just happy to be done for the day and want to get some energy out from sitting in the classroom all day. I am having trouble thinking of activities to do with them. I have noticed that the kids like doing things they like to do, and that everyone has different likes and dislikes. So, it is difficult to come up with a fun activity to do with all of their different preferences. Also, it is hard to get their attention and have them clam down for a bit to listen. But, I know that as the year goes on it will get better! With help from the Lord too, I will be able to do the best I can!

Well that is about all that is new. Hopefully something exciting will happen for me to post about. If not, be expecting another random post!