Oh, what a beautiful morning.

It’s 5:45 A.M.
I think to myself...is this real life? I must be dreaming, because I am UP and AWAKE...ready to run. Ready to do something that seemed impossible a short time ago.

This week begins my morning workout routine. It’s day two, and I feel better than I have in quite some time. There’s something invigorating about waking up when most everyone (in Provo) is still asleep, walking outside in the crisp, cool air, driving to the gym, and pushing myself to go a little farther, to be a little better.

And I’ve noticed a few things already.
I have more time to pray and study my scriptures before work and class, which before, only happened on occasion.
My body and mind are more invigorated (D&C 88:124 IS true)
Between work, school, projects, socializing, and everything else...there is somehow time for all of those things.

I'm happier

Now I will say that by 4:00pm yesterday, I was SO done with everything and just wanted to rest my head for a bit. But I pushed forward, and all is well. And I’m sure that will get better with time.

You see, I couldn’t quite express how I’ve felt these past few days. And thanks to my friend, who’s recent blog post shared a link to some really great things...I found this little gem.

First it begins inside your heart. Something moves. Then opens. Then frees itself. And now, you feel a rhythm breaking its long silence. This is going to be good…

Exactly. THIS is going to be good. And I’m ready for it.

Marky Mark and Jimmer

First things first....look who came to campus today.
That would be Mr. Mark Zuckerburg, founder of facebook (the biggest distraction EVER. but i love it nonetheless).

A special technology forum was held with Marky Mark and Senator Orrin Hatch as the two speakers. Too bad it was Senator Hatch that invited him. Otherwise, he should NOT have lead the discussion. You know those old men who mumble, make not-so funny jokes, and are full of themselves? He should be the poster child.

Mark was great, however. From watching “The Social Network,” I thought of him as an arrogant, rude, too-smart-for-his-own-good kind of guy. TOTALLY wrong. He is brilliant, kind, and passionate about what he does. I learned that he strongly advocates for internet safety and education. He’s innovative and promotes innovation throughout the world. This guy is inspiring.

On a sad note, BYU lost yesterday. Boo.
But I am SO proud of the Cougars and their hard work.
And Fredette. Is it just me, or do Mark Zuckerburg and Jimmer look alike? Weird.

Anywho, life is just swell. Really, it is. And guess where I'm going tomorrow?

IKEA...and the Gateway. Pray for me. It's going to take all the strength I have to not spend everything in my already small banking account.




(images found here and here)

Adele.

Sometimes, you have to take a break from your eversocrazy life and just listen.

 

I love her style, her voice and this song. 

Everytime I listen to it, I don't want it to end. 

Oh yes, I might have changed the design on my blog a bit. Hope you like!

Faith of a Determined Soul

Isn’t it amazing how great some parts of our life can be, while other parts seem so disappointing or troublesome? But without opposition, we wouldn’t know how joyful and sweet those great parts of our life really are.

Looking for some inspiration this week, I came across a few needful things.

1. Make sure your choices are consistent with your goals.
2. Be careful about wanting to do big, noticeable things.
3. Recognize that “there is no chance, no fate, no destiny that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.”

(Read more about this, here)

The first suggestion seems so basic. But I cannot even count the number of times I have made a choice that seems to backtrack my progress towards a certain goal. For instance, choosing not to run because I’m too tired goes against my goal to run a half marathon this summer. It’s not so much the big decisions that I have trouble making...it’s the little ones. Like whether or not I should run that extra half mile,whether or not I should eat that piece of cake, saying my prayers even though I feel so tired, reading scriptures, etc, etc.

This week I decided to change that. I’m making choices consistent with my goals.
And it feels SO good.  

The second suggestion kind of took me by surprise. Don’t we want to do noticeable, worthwhile things? We do. But it’s not the exceptional things that define us, it is meeting everyday life with strength and courage that creates character.

I thought about my goal of running a half marathon. That’s a big deal, to me at least. And It’s noticeable because I’ve told enough people about it now so they expect me to go through with this. But I’m not doing this to be “noticed” or a “hero.”

I’m doing this for me.
This half marathon represents more than just enduring 

13.1 miles of sweat and pain.
How I go about achieving this goal is shaping the type of person I want to become.

Someone who:
works hard for their desires and goals.
is consistent in the small things.
chooses faith over fear.
trusts the Lord with all their heart.

After thinking about this, the third suggestion fits perfectly with how I feel. No chance, no fate, no destiny will hinder the firm resolve of my determined soul.

And even though other parts of my life may be a little shaky, a little unsure at the moment, I know that as I put my faith and trust in Him then I can always trust the outcome. Always. 

Jessica's "Daily Affirmation"

So my friend shared this video with me last night.
And I kind of love it.

I began to think about what my "daily affirmation" would be if I were to say, do this in front of my bathroom mirror before I set out for my long day. It would include these things:

I can be a winner.

I can do anything good.

I like my bed.

I like my sleep.

I like my Diet Coke breaks.

I like my hair (most days).

I like my makeup (thank GOODNESS for cover-up)

I like my mom. My dad. My brother. My best friends.

I LIKE THE WEEKENDS. (Spread arms, loud clap)

My school is great. (Go Cougars!)

I can do anything good.

Yeah yeah yeah....

And that's about it. Of course I will put in all of the arm swinging motions. But anyway...I think I'm really going to start at least thinking about the good things I have in life while getting ready in the morning...it'll be good for me.

And in case you were wondering, the wedding was splendid. Absolutely great! 

And we might have had just a little too much fun...

Cousins.

So I’ve been meaning to write a new post this week, but every time I sit down to write...I’m lost.
 

Today, however, I wish to express my gratitude for cousins. And best friends. They can be the same thing, you know.

Tomorrow my best friend Eli is getting married in the temple for time and all eternity. And I’m already getting all teary-eyed just thinking about it. She’s the closest thing I’ve had as a sister, and for that I am forever grateful.

Eli and I have grown up together our whole lives. We spent many days playing dress up, being tortured by my older brother, laughing until we cried, going on adventures and getting lost, laying out in the pool, shopping, and everything else girls do.

Yes, I’m that girl with glasses and bangs. I loved the 90s.

As we've gotten older, we still spend many days doing those things. And we also have told each other all about our future husbands. I specifically remember one night while we were trying to go to sleep, we told each other exactly how we’d meet our husband and when we’d get married. 

I think we were both off by a long shot, seeing as how one of them is married, and the other is just...out of the question.

Nonetheless, I am SO incredibly grateful for the choices Eli has made, and for the example she has set. I can say without a doubt that Heavenly Father has blessed me with people in my life that, through their example, teach me how to be the best possible version of myself.

Okay, the tears are starting...so I need to just stop now. Let’s hope I can make it through tomorrow without looking like a blubbering mess!