Happy Mothers Day!

A Democrat?

Weird what you have time for once school gets out...

This morning I've been researching things like gay marriage and abortion, flat tax rates and government healthcare and trying to decide where I stand on 'the big issues'

It's important to be informed and have an opinion I think, but I just haven't had time...

So anyway, today I did. Not that I'm magically an expert on all things political all of the sudden..The dumb little quiz took 3 minutes. But it lead me from one article to the next and I'm feeling much more involved and informed about the national dialogue going on right now. It feels good.

 You should do this blogworld..

http://www.bestpoliticalquiz.com/

Nostalgia

I just, feel good today. 

Here's a picture that makes me smile.

nos·tal·gia

   [no-stal-juh, -jee-uh, nuh-]  Show IPA

noun

1.

a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a formertime in one's life, to one's home or homeland, or to one'sfamily and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time.

2.

something that elicits or displays nostalgia.

Deuces.

Today is my first as a 22 year old.

I had a sweet little birthday yesterday--lots of kind words and treats and dinner with some besties. Thank you to everyone I love who loves me. I'm a lucky girl. Seriously blessed.

I hope 22 treats me good....

Lately I've been craving a fresh start and a clean slate..

After conference I try to think of some commitments that will make the next 6 months better than the last. (cheesy no? I'm sure an institute teacher somewhere committed me to doing it..) I'll share one or two of mine and maybe it'll help me do a better job keeping them, knowing people out in the blogosphere are keeping me honest..? fingers crossed. ha. 

1. I wanna share a 'natural and normal' testimony on a more frequent basis... Like, daily. 
2. Be more active in the gospel, privately.  I loved Hallstom's talk on the difference between the church and the gospel. I felt like this theme weaved throughout  a lot of the talks for me.. 
3. Strive for more unity. 
4. Date more seriously. Seek now to start a family of my own. Anyone who knows me knows I kind of suck at dating....or rather, that I'm really great at first dates.. but that it never goes anywhere because I don't commit, ever. There's no message I heard louder and clearer from conference besides how wonderful it will be to have a husband and a family. I want that. Bad. I know I'm young, and I'm in no hurry to run off and get hitched...but I just need to be honest with myself. There's nothing more important to me. I need to reflect that with how I date, and stop dating people that I have zero intention of ending up with. 

So there it is people. 

This is gonna be the best year yet...

http://thoughtcatalog.com/2012/why-being-in-your-20s-is-awesome/

This is a post for my ITLS 4015 class. funnnn!
I need to post some pictures from Picasa.
Look out blogger world. Here comes even more pictures from the latest in my life:

First, a bonus picture from the cruise I didn't post already. This is when me and Cousin Paul started dancing in the main square of Grand Turk. Pure Joy.

Next: I recently found out that I've been hired for the summer to work for CLIMBworks Canopy. This is a zipline company out in Tennessee. I will be living in the beautiful smokey mountains and zippin' erryday. win.

(This photo was added by yelp.com to google images)

Last but not least, my very best friend in the whole world snagged herself a fiance last week. I couldn't be more excited for them both. They are the world's coolest/funniest couple. Already countin down to the wedding because I'm so excited. nbd. 

My Spring Break in Pictures

This is the closest thing I got to a picture of the whole group. 

Not pictured are, Mike & Ann (who were catching a red-eye) and Capt. Scotty, who was behind the camera. We had a pretty sweet entourage...

Grandma & Bill.

My mum & dad.

All Dad's siblings and their spouses.

3 specially selected (favorite) grandkids.

We cruised through the East Caribbean and visited some seriously beautiful places. 

Princess Cays, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, St. John, & Grand Turk

We swam.

We sailed.

We snorkeled.

I was one happy girl. 

A million thank you's to these two:

and these two:

for making it happen. 

I felt so lucky to be able to go. 

Thanks for the early birthday/graduation present guys..

What a week!

Hope everyone else had a good little getaway! 

Who is Joseph Kony?

I can't fall asleep without thinking of these kids. 

There is a lot of argument about whether or not this organization has real integrity or if it's a whole lot of hooplah and a way to get rich quick playing off of people's emotions. 

Who really cares?

This is a situation people need to know about. 

I think raising the global awareness can do nothing but good. I'm annoyed by those cynical intellectuals out there who choose to jump into conversation and threads only to say that it's silly and naive to get behind this organization because it's flawed. 

It's one thing to propose a plan of your own,

 but there is nothing productive about tearing down 

and picking apart someone's honest effort to make a positive

change in the world. 

I was so moved by this. 

It really opened my eyes and made me think outside myself.

So yeah, it probably won't solve the problem over night

But it made a world of difference to me.