Save the Date

Casey and I are getting married
March 21, 2009
in the Washington DC Temple!

The Gift

As I was driving home tonight after a wonderful day spent with loved ones, I was flipping through the radio stations in hopes of finding one that was still cranking out the Christmas classics. The family-friendly Christian station was the only one still playing Christmas music. While they tend to play more jazzed up versions of the classic carols, I still enjoy the feeling that comes from listening to the sounds of the season. That moment, the song that was playing was, "The Gift." I am forever grateful for my Christmas gift. His name is Casey P, and he is amazing. These are the words to the song…so applicable in lieu of recent events…

Sitting by the fire we made
You're the answer when I prayed
I would find someone
And baby I found you.

All I want is to hold you forever
All I need is you more every day
You saved my heart
From being broken apart
You gave your love away
I can't find the words to say
That I'm thankful every day
For the gift.

I told Casey that all I wanted for Christmas was him in a big red bow, but instead, he decided to give me this…

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining or anything…

WE'RE ENGAGED!!!

It's the weirdest feeling ever because on the one hand, it feels so completely natural to be engaged to Casey P. We both knew from the beginning that this was going to be something extraordinary. It is amazing how naturally our relationship progressed. On the other hand, I can't believe that I'm engaged…that it's happening to me. This is an event that I have dreamed of and thought about since I was little. Is this really happening? I'm seriously afraid that tomorrow I'm going to wake up and it's all going to be a dream.

I love Dr. Seuss' quote, "You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." I feel like this every night when I have to say goodnight to Casey. I don't want to waste a moment without him. I don't want to fall asleep because I have everything I want right in front of me.

Ok, so I'm guessing you want the engagement story? Case face did such a good job trying to surprise me, but everyone was acting a little…peculiar…and it was evident that something was up. After a lovely Christmas Eve dinner with Rusty's family (Casey's brother-in-law) Case suggested that we go down to the monuments in DC. This is a significant place for us. We went to the monuments on our first date. It's so funny to think back…we went there on a Monday night (skipping out on FHE). We had only met the Friday before at our ward campout. Casey had surprised me that morning by visiting my classroom at school (so cute). After work he suggested that I stop by his house. After a long debate in my head over whether I should stop by his house or just see him at FHE, I decided to stop by. That was the best decision ever because I got to meet Casey's awesome sister and brother-in-law, and their amazing kids. Casey and I had full intentions of going to FHE, we just decided that we were going to eat dinner first. We stopped by Moby Dick's House of Kabob (so yummy!) Case asked where I wanted to sit. I said outside (there's no outdoor seating). I pulled him outside and we sat out on the sidewalk by this restaurant, watching rush hour traffic fly by (one of those people in traffic being my brother who honked at us!) Sometimes I like to live up to the title of my blog (randomness). After dinner Case said, "why don't we go down to the monuments?" We were supposed to go the night before but that didn't end up happening. I was so excited because I love the national mall. After my amazing parallel parking job (mmmhmmm) we headed to the Lincoln. We stood there and talked and laughed and hugged for a quite a while. Looking back, it is so funny that we had only known each other for 3 days at that point!!! It felt like I had known him for so much longer… We slowly made our way from the Lincoln down past the reflection pool, and over to the World War II Memorial. We sat there, by the fountains, for hours. We talked and talked and talked and boy did I fall for that Casey P.

Fast forward to Christmas Eve…we started at the Lincoln and we talked about our first date and how everything has gone since then. We slowly walked down by the reflection pond, retracing our steps, and we ended up at the WWII Memorial, just like before. It was a surprisingly warm night, but there was no one else in sight. It was so romantic with the Washington Monument on one side and the Lincoln Memorial on the other. Casey told me some really sweet things about how he has felt since he met me, and then he got down on one knee and said, "Allison Rhae H, will you marry me?" AHHHHHHHH! "YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!!" I believe those were my words. I didn't even look at the ring at first (although DANG did he do a good job!)

Here are some more pictures…




and of course some Christmas pictures…



I love this kid with all my heart and I am so excited for us to start our lives together.

Casey. All I want is to hold you forever.

All I need is you more every day.

You gave your love away, and

I'm thankful every day…for the gift.

Give. Don't almost give.

The other day as I was driving home from work, I heard an ad on the radio. While, as a child, I could remember such jingles as Empire Carpet, or the musical slogan from a radio station, no piece of advertisement has hit me as hard as this one…and they weren't even trying to sell me anything.

"This is Jack Thomas.
Today, someone almost brought Jack something to eat,
Someone almost drove him to a shelter,
And someone else almost brought him a warm blanket.

And Jack Thomas…well, he almost made it through the night."
(see the ad here)

It made me think of all the times that I have passed homeless people in the streets (and there are a lot of homeless people in DC), all the times that I almost put some money in the salvation army bucket, and all the times that I almost gave that extra dollar at the cash register.

I know that I'm not rich. I know that I'm not going to make millions in my lifetime. But I also know that I drive a car, I have a job, I live in a house, I eat nutritious food, I stay warm at night, and I live better than the large majority of people in this world. I am blessed.

That person on the street is no lesser of a person than I. They are my equal. What if I were in their shoes? Wouldn't I want a kind stranger to help me out? How horrible it must be to have your hand outstretched the whole day only to have so many people refuse to help you.

So you say, "Well, they're probably just going to buy alcohol, or drugs, or they're not really homeless, they just do this to look pitiful and make some extra money…I saw an episode like that on 20/20…" All of these statements are completely plausible. All I can ask, is that is it our place to judge? No matter how they got to that place in life, it is not a happy place or a safe place. If the tables were turned and I had my hand outstretched, I would be ever-so-grateful to those few people who decided to give.

There are obviously more (and probably better) ways to give than just out of your pocket on the street. The same council that produced this ad has a website that suggests ideas for giving. It's found at www.dontalmostgive.org. You can bet your bottom dollar that the next time I saw a salvation army bucket, all of my spare change found it's way to the bottom of that bucket.

Even though we are in a recession, even though we are already spending more money than usual at this time of year, and even though your little dollar may not seem like a lot to share; choose to give. Don't almost give.

Team H Conquers DC

I could not have been more proud of my 28 little nippers, yesterday, as we ventured into DC for our field trip to the newly-remodeled Newseum! I was slightly nervous about losing one or more of them due to a) the vast size of the museum (6 floors), b) the "short" principle in tall crowds, and c) the fact that I could only bring two chaperones with me. I made them name tags, color-coded their groups, and was very clear with them about my behavioral expectations. Hallelujah, it worked!

My students really enjoyed themselves. It amazes me how bright these little angels are, and how much they're able to understand and put together. Hmm…I must be in a good mood because I just called my students angels. Well, to their credit…yesterday, they were.

I am so thankful to be a teacher and to be in the right profession for me. I love my students and I love teaching them and expanding their view of the world. I am ever grateful to work with children. They are darling (most of the time). Children make mistakes and misbehave, but at least you can work with them and mold their behavior. I feel like if I were dealing with adults at work, on a daily basis (who honestly have the same issues as my kids), I would get so frustrated because adults should know better. Kids are new at this. Now is the time for great impact.

Now that we've conquered DC, do you think we can conquer persuasive writing? Multi-digit multiplication? Mesopotamia?



I love the fall colors! Luckily they have decided to stick around for just a little bit longer.


We are lucky to live so close to DC and it's wealth of history.

Repeat the Sounding Joy

As I lie awake thinking about life, the phrase that keeps running through my head is, "repeat the sounding joy." I know, I know…it's not Christmas yet…but there's something about that phrase, and that sentiment, that gets me every time.

Repeat the sounding joy. Life is hard, I'll give you that. But how much has the Lord blessed us? We all have trials, hard things to deal with, challenges that we face every day. Every single human being struggles with disappointment, frustration, embarrassment…the list goes on and on. If we choose to write a "life's not fair list," none of us would have a shortage of things to write. That's just it: life isn't fair. And the ironic part about it is that we knew that coming down here. When we focus on the negative, we see the negative.

I remember, way back when, when I first began as an assistant teacher in the Elementary Education program at BYU, I was being observed by my supervisor one day. All of my little second graders were sitting on the rug in front of me and I was reading a book to them. Some boys in the back kept whispering, fooling around, spinning on their bottoms, etc. I started pausing and saying comments like, "make sure that you're sitting on your pockets," "please stay on the rug," or "don't do x, y, z…" The lesson generally went well, but the comment from my supervisor was, "don't point out the negative, point out the positive. If you're looking for the negative, you're going to find it, and you're going to drive yourself crazy. Point out the positive and more than likely, things will fall in line." First of all, let me just say that this principle has saved me in teaching. It is so true that if you're looking for the negative, you're going to find it. A more appropriate comment in the aforementioned situation would have been directed towards a student who was obeying the rules, "Billy, I love how you're sitting up straight, criss cross apple sauce, and how you're listening to the story. Oh and look…(choosing the student right next to the troubled one…) Jill, thank you for doing just what you're supposed to be doing." 9 times out of 10 those one or two students who are horsing around will stop. Looking for the positive instead of the negative changes and molds our whole outlook on life.

So…back to the positive. We are so blessed. The other day as I was trying to accomplish my ward calling, I found myself sitting, alone, in the chapel of our ward building. This building is of high significance to me. Not only is it impressive in it's architecture and uniqueness, but it has been my ward building for my whole life. That is where I sat with my family (generally in the same pew), where I sang up front in primary, where I was a reverence child, where I recited my article of faith in front of the ward when I graduated from primary, where I have spoken and played the violin countless times, where many of my most dear and treasured memories were made. My home ward consists of the most amazing group of people that I have ever known. We are family. Many of them have become my second/third/fourth mother and father, and they have played a huge role in who I am today. Sitting in this chapel, I realized a few things. The Lord loves me. Ok, so I already knew that, but it was reaffirmed. Secondly, I am blessed. We all know that I have trouble with endings (example: end of college). I was afraid of the unknown. I would never have dreamed that my life would have taken the course that it did (although I had hoped for something like this). I moved back home (always the plan) to a place I love, I got a job teaching at one of my top three schools, I have met someone extra special who I hope to spend a very long time with, and now I find myself back in my beloved ward building…back where I started from. It makes me smile just thinking about it.

At institute this week our teacher started off the class by asking if any of us had experienced any tender mercies the past week. It took about 2 minutes for anyone to raise their hand. I must admit that I was actually having trouble thinking of one, myself…then, one came to mind. Then, all of a sudden, a whole barrage of tender mercies began to come to mind. The Lord had really blessed me the past week and because I had chosen not to think about it, I had not recognized them. Once I focused on the positive, more of the positive came into view. "We should not underestimate or overlook the power of the Lord’s tender mercies. The simpleness, the sweetness, and the constancy of the tender mercies of the Lord will do much to fortify and protect us in the troubled times in which we do now and will yet live. When words cannot provide the solace we need or express the joy we feel, when it is simply futile to attempt to explain that which is unexplainable, when logic and reason cannot yield adequate understanding about the injustices and inequities of life, when mortal experience and evaluation are insufficient to produce a desired outcome, and when it seems that perhaps we are so totally alone, truly we are blessed by the tender mercies of the Lord and made mighty even unto the power of deliverance," Elder Bednar.

No matter where we are in life, no matter the level or circumstance or age…the Lord blesses us. He loves us and He is here for us. He sends his tender mercies to comfort us. He sends people to comfort us, and He sends the spirit to be with us. Sometimes it takes a little more effort to see the good, but in the end, that's what it's all about.

Halloween

My kids have been antsy all week. They would literally sit in their seats just shaking up and down with huge grins on their faces. When I asked them what the deal was, they all would raise their voices to more than the "inside voice" level and say, "IT'S ALMOST HALLOWEEEEEN!" Needless to say, I was a little worried about how this day was going to unfold. This is what I imagined...28 uncontrollable ten-year olds all hopped up on crack cocaine (aka candy).

It all ended up being a success = a fun day for everyone. I got slightly nervous when my room parents didn't show up to run the party, but I improvised until they arrived. I really love my kids. I love seeing them in different situations. I love to see their emerging talents and their interests. Not every student loves school as much as I did when I was growing up. Each of my students is different and I love getting to know each of their personalities and strengths, as well as helping them out with their weaknesses.

I really love being a teacher. Every day is a new adventure. Teaching is hard work, and the children are not always pleasant or grateful…but that feeling you get when you reach a child, or when they finally understand a concept is utterly priceless. Every day presents a challenge to help both me and my students learn and grow.

For the record…these are my favorite trick-or-treaters…

and this is my favorite HAMBONE…starring as Indiana Jones.

Casey P

My life has changed a little bit since I last wrote on my blog. I used to wonder when...I used to wonder how...and now I wonder how I got so lucky. And by lucky, I really mean blessed.

Literally every waking moment and some sleeping ones (since September 19th and excluding work) have been spent with a young man named Casey P. Casey is the cheese to my macaroni. A lame metaphor, I know, but it is so true. We complement each other so well. I must admit that I have been experiencing that, "can't eat, can't sleep, reach for the stars, over the fence, world series kind of thing."

Everything we do is an adventure, no matter how great or small. Things are just fun with Case. He takes good care of me, too. He is a dedicated, hard worker and a team player. He is so great with kids. It makes me smile every day when we play with his nieces and nephews. A few weeks ago we both got out our "Bucket Lists" and shared those special things that we want to do before we die. No joke, the first 13 on his list were identical to mine. 'Ironic? Don'tcha think? It's like RAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNN...' Just kidding.

Did I mention that he lives one block away from where I work? Did I mention that we both graduated in April '08? Did I mention that we both love DC and want to live here? We go down to the monuments at least once a week. Life is good.

With all that said, now Case is leaving me for three weeks as he goes on a business trip!! "Three weeks, Casey, three weeks?!" Three-fourths of the time that I have known him, I have to be away from him, now! At least I will be able to be a good friend again (sorry, everyone, that I've been so lame), and I'll have tons of time to get ready for parent-teacher conferences and report cards. (JOY).

Welcome to Allie & Casey.

Love you, babe.


At the Capitals vs. Canucks Game! We won!


British Car Day! Fall is GORGEOUS here!


Hangin' out at the cabin.


Searching for pumpkins in the pumpkin patch.

Revamp

What does it really take to bring about change in our lives? Even the best of goals or intentions seem to fall by the wayside when more pressing matters come into view. How can we have an eye single toward Him? This is a question not easily answered. We are human, we are constantly making mistakes, and we need the constant spiritual nourishment given to us by weekly church attendance and daily scripture study. But really, don’t you find that the same things you are trying to overcome are the same things that you have always been trying to overcome? I find that my list of goals rarely changes. They are not lofty, unrealistic goals, either. They are practical, useful goals that would make my life a heck of a lot easier. If I know this, and have known it for years, why have I not started doing what I know would be best for me? How does this change within really take place?

First, we certainly need the desire to change. Knowing that you need to change is whole lot different than wanting to do so.

Next, we need to be willing to sacrifice whatever is necessary to accomplish the goal. So often our little vices give us comfort or make our paths easier (in the short-term). This is a tough one to overcome because it’s hard to get out of a routine that you have been settled into your whole life.

I think that contemplating why you are making this change will help you to keep your mind on the goal. Even if it is something you have been trying to change for a really long time, I think that focusing on the thought of a better you will help to keep you working toward (and not running away from) those resolutions.

Remember remember remember! How many times does it say this in the scriptures? I love making lists. I could make lists all day and never get bored. To do lists, schedules, directories, places I have lived, places I have traveled, birthday lists. You name it, I have made a list for it. In your daily to do list, add on that thing that you need to change. In addition to this, I like to deprive myself of something I love until I have accomplished the goal for that day. For example, no eating until you read your scriptures. Quite often that is a great incentive for me.

Get your friends/roommates/family in on the fun. It’s so much easier to accomplish goals when you have other people encouraging you and focusing on goals of their own.

I don’t know about you, but I am tired of having the same goals for the past 18 years. Today I am creating a list of my goals, putting rocks on my pillow, leaving notes around the house, and writing this blog post to recommit myself to becoming the person I want to and know I can be.

“Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it;
Seal it for Thy courts above.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee:
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it;
Seal it for Thy courts above.”

Listen here.
This song is so beautiful.

So is this poem. It’s one of my favorites.

'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile: "What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?"
"A dollar, a dollar"; then, "Two!" "Only two?
Two dollars, and who'll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three—" But no,
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, "What am I bid for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?
Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,
And going, and gone!" said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand
What changed its worth." Swift came the reply:
"The touch of a master's hand."

And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine,
A game—and he travels on.
He's "going" once, and "going" twice,
He's "going" and almost "gone."
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the Master's hand.

With the touch of the Master’s hand, we can do anything. Change is possible.

Sink or Swim

I can't tell you how many times this phrase has been quoted to me, or how many times I have said it myself this past week. Sink or swim. As I get myself and my class more into a routine, I feel like I'm getting the hang of this whole teaching thing. In my last post, when I said that teaching is a roller coaster, that is not an overstatement. Some days are diamonds and some days are stones, and you NEVER know which one it's going to be no matter how much you have planned or how the day starts off. It's this crazy phenomenon called twenty-eight 10/11 year olds in one classroom for 7 hours. That is the official name.

After the first day of class, I was doing everything I could just to keep my head above water. Today, after seven full days with my students (it feels like seven years, not seven days), one field trip in which all the children survived, numerous training meetings, phone calls with parents, a stack of papers to grade, and the never-ending task of teaching/entertaining/taking care of 28 children for the perpetual tomorrows, I'm swimmin' baby.

Don't worry. Even though today was one of the brightest and shiniest and best cut diamonds that I have ever seen, I know that tomorrow could be an ugly, jagged stone. But it's ok. I like stones, too. I'm not too pompous in thinking that I can take the good without the bad. But one thing's for sure. I'm going to keep swimming.

Miss H's Got…Her Hands Full…

This week has been a roller coaster…and I hear that it will continue to be like this. My first day was good, but overwhelming. I mean, such a little part of my job is actually teaching. I worry about whether my kids are getting along…I'm a counselor, first-aid giver, mother, referee, organizer, among other things. Teaching is the easy part. It's not only planning tomorrow and the next day, it's planning out the week and the month and the year…in 5 subjects. It's planning homework and big projects, and then grading them all. It's knowing at what level your students are and helping them achieve a level that the state thinks is adequate. It's making sure your classroom is clean, that everyone is doing their job, that they are motivated and learning. I feel like I have just adopted 28 children.

All of these things were going through my mind the first day. The school day in itself went well, but all these thoughts came flooding in afterward. These thoughts are, of course still with me, but I have realized that (for the most part) I just need to take everything one day at a time. I love my students and have a great group. Of course there are always the few that you need to particularly watch out for, but the year has started off well. We are earning behavior points to get a fish tank in our classroom. The children are sooooo excited, and so am I.

All in all, I am so grateful to be a teacher. I knew of the pressure that was going to be placed upon me, but I didn't quite realize the magnitude of this feeling until Tuesday. I know that I am here for a reason, and at the end of the day, I know that I am impacting these children for good. Sometimes I wonder what I've gotten myself into…but then I remember that I know exactly why I'm here.

Some people have been wondering how my French immersion school works. Well, our school participates in both the FLES and Immersion Programs. Half of the school is in an immersion situation (where their math and science classes are taught in French). The other half of the school participates in the Foreign Language in the Elementary School program (FLES), where the students receive French Instruction twice weekly, but other than that it is just like any other school. My students participate in the FLES program. I have not yet taken the test (Praxis II) that allows me to teach in a foreign language. It's hard enough to teach in english, plus I don't know all of the technical math and science terms in French. Right now this is an ideal situation for me. A quarter of the staff at Kent Gardens is from a French speaking country, and another quarter are Americans who speak French fluently. So, I speak French with half of my colleagues and it is so much fun. I am surrounded by French culture and people. The hallways are named after famous Parisian tourist sites, and we have French vocabulary placed all over our classrooms. There are Eiffel Tower statues and all of the official school signs are in both English and French! Quelle chance! Je pense que j'aime bien mon travail. A la prochaine!

Miss H's Got Class

This year has brought many changes, adventures, exciting events, travels, endings, beginnings, and oh so much more. The newest beginning I would like to announce is my role as 5th Grade Teacher at Kent Gardens Elementary School! This job was offered to me only a week ago so there is a little anxiety here, but enough excitement to cover it! I'm teaching at a French Immersion School, and even though I'm not one of the immersion teachers, I will definitely find a way to use my French in the classroom.

I just watched the movie "Sweet Home Alabama" the other day, and I was reminded of one of my favorite quotes. "'It's funny how things don't work out.' 'It's funny how they do.'" If I made a laundry list of things that I have planned on or wished for or thought were going to happen, that didn't, the list would be overwhelming. But, sitting back and looking at the path my life has taken, I have no other explanation and no other feelings other than gratitude for the hand of the Lord in my life. As much as I miss you or know that some of my most amazing plans were just never meant to be, I am happy to have the feeling of peace that I'm where I'm supposed to be.

I hope that you enjoy these pictures from my classroom. I stayed at work until 7pm every night in order to get everything ready for the open house which was friday (8/29). I hope that you especially like my map on the wall…it is my grandest creation…

Welcome to 5th Grade!


This is what the room looked like just minutes before the hoards of parents and students came in.


I'm sorry, but I love looking at my handwriting. Vain, I know…you're looking at the everyday math bulletin board…


…and this is where all homework will be written…"there was homework," is not a question that my students will be allowed to ask…


This is my work and my glory.


…around the world in…3 clicks…














The poster in the back is cute. It has the Kungfu Panda and it says, "Always Put Your Best Paw Forward."

Thank you for taking the tour of my classroom. This will be my new home for the next 10 months.

Crossroads

Crossroads are scary places. Nothing is sure, and a wrong turn could take you miles from your intended destination. Three quotes come to mind.

“Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere.” Researched, methodical thinking is the key to making any decision a pleasant experience.

“The bend in the road is not the end of the road unless you refuse to take the turn.” Life doesn’t make sense very often. Things happen that are out of our control. We have trials as well as tender mercies that find themselves on our doorsteps. Take the turn…dead ends are never fun.

“Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.” When a problem comes along, you must whip it…into shape…shape it up…get straight…go forward…move ahead…it’s not too late to whip it…whip it good.

Trust in your own intuition and divine intervention. As I find myself at my own crossroads, I have decided that these new kinds of experiences and “grown up” decisions are a new kind of adventure for me. It may not be traveling or school-related, but it’s an endeavor on its own terms. It’s like a choose-your-own-adventure novel. Crossroads are dangerous but necessary…just make sure you look both ways before you cross the street.

Your Whole Heart

Of the many things I learned in New Zealand, one of the most poignant lessons taught me about experiencing things whole-heartedly. I have seen the value in this lesson every day as I watch rushed parents dropping their children off at school, impatient drivers who try to shave seconds off their commutes by causing dangerous situations, and teenagers who wish their lives away to spend those important few hours with "friends." It's not only the fun or the stress-free moments that count. It's every moment.

If you are going to do something…anything at all…do it with your whole heart. When you drop your child off at school, leave him with your love and the reassuring words that you will be there when he gets home. When you offer to give someone a ride, do it with love and enthusiasm, not as if they're inconveniencing you in your ever-busy day. When you go to the grocery store, make the list and plan ahead. Your parents have dragged you along to another boring family excursion? Enjoy this time with your parents. Goodness knows they love you and crave this time spent together. I'm sure you will surprise yourself and look back with fond memories when they are no longer around.

There are good things that come from some of the most boring events. Funerals: the appreciation for your life. Work: money. Commute: time to finish that book on tape or listen to the top 20 songs or get high off the car fumes in front of you. Missed the bus: move those legs. So often the most important moments in life are run over by the trivial ones. Our lives start to be lived in passing. Each day really is just as important as the last. Today may not be Friday, but it consists of exactly the same amount of time as every other 24-hour period. So often we get stuck in a routine…a routine that begins to take over our lives. Generally, a routine is a blessing and we can still find ways to continue to find joy in the journey.

Not only do we sometimes not revel in the good times, but we spend so much time focusing on the bad that we start to diminish the good. It's like something I learned in my Health Class for Elementary Teachers. It's about recognizing the difference between the problem and the reality in a situation. Lexi dropped a glass platter full of freshly baked cookies for a party onto the floor. The glass shatters and the dog immediately gobbles up the cookies. What is the problem here? WRONG! The problem is not that Lexi dropped the glass platter onto the floor. That is the reality. No matter how much you complain or yell or stomp your feet, that platter is still broken and there are no more cookies. The problem is that there are no cookies to take to the party and that someone could step on the broken glass. Solution? Sweep up the broken glass and buy cookies for the party. Did wasting any of your precious energy to yell help the situation even one tiny bit? Nope. Calm down and address the real problem.

When your whole heart's in, the stakes are higher, you fall farther and could potentially have your whole heart broken at once. But it's worth it. It's worth it to feel the rush, the intensity of knowing that at this very moment you are putting your body and soul into something. Your everything. Whether it's driving to work, eating lunch, waiting at the doctor's office, or searching for a parking spot in a busy city, be there in that moment. Late for an appointment? Sorry, should have left earlier. Nothing you can do now, so just calm down.

In the middle of my seemingly never-ending job search, I came across this quote. "A man who wants something will find a way. A man who doesn't will find an excuse." What do we really want? Cross those top three that you just named off the list because you don't need money/objects to make you happy. You need people. Friends. Family. Laughter. Purpose. Find a way to have what you really want, and that doesn't cost any money at all. The best things in life are free. I don't want an excuse. I want you--your smile, your laughter, your company. You. Here with me. In this moment.

The point is…stop rushing through life. Time will take care of that for you. I feel like one day I'm going to wake up and be old. Figure out what is important to you and savor it. With your whole heart.



In this moment…I was probably not thinking. But I was there, and I felt the rush.

Take Time to Realize

Sometimes life starts to feel like a never-ending barrage of this and that and sorry and whoops and no. Sometimes things go smoothly and sometimes it feels like we are hitting every red light along the road.

One thing that I have realized recently, is that my life is today. My life is not tomorrow and my life is not yesterday. The things of yesterday have gone away and they provide great memories…but those days are never to return again. Tomorrow gives hope and opportunity but looking too much towards tomorrow robs me of today. My life. Today.

Tomorrow I have a job interview and yesterday I reconnected with a friend. Today. What am I doing right now? Am I happy? Do I have a good attitude? How do the people feel who are around me? This is what matters. Because tomorrows come and yesterdays are left behind but our precious present is the path on which we walk right now.

Eminem says it here:
If you had one shot, one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted…one moment
Would you capture it or just let it slip?

Right now is your one shot. Don’t let it pass you by.

Adventure

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the things you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Words cannot express the thrill and excitement of travel. Discovering new places and new cultures is eye opening and it always gives me new perspective and helps me to realize my place in this world just a little bit more. While each of us is small and deceivingly insignificant, we have more power for good than we realize. The more I learn, the more I know that the point of this life is to help others along the way. We each have our talents to share, our own part to play. When we each exercise our role, we learn and grow from each other. When we look outward, things make a little more sense inward.

I am so grateful for the chance I had to travel. Not only does it make me love other places in the world, it also makes me appreciate home just a little bit more.

Here are some pictures from my travels. I tried to narrow them down the best I could, but alas, I believe there are around 40…two whole blog pages…enjoy!

LONDON

Bar-tha-lona. We went on a bike tour and saw the whole city in a matter of hours. This is the Triumphant Arch. Whenever anyone conquered someone else, I guess it was reason enough to build one of these.

The beach in Barcelona. Even though it looks ominous, it provided us with a beautiful sunset.

We spent a day in Luxembourg. I know…who goes to Luxembourg? We checked out the main city (also called Luxembourg) and we found it to be quite cute and rather quaint. It was very picturesque, but don't worry…I'm limiting Lux to only one picture.

I was happy.

Interlaken, Switzerland. Oh…my…heavens. I loved Interlaken. We rented bikes and attempted to bike all the way around one of the rather large lakes. Let's just say that the bikes had to be returned before we made it all the way around (half-day rental). The water was so crystal clear.

Taking a little swim in the freezing cold glacial run-off water.

St. Mark's Square, Venice!

Venice was one of my favorite cities. I don't understand how the roads are made of water and the buildings are…in the water. Alas, it works, and it makes for a beautifully romantic city!

Lake Como--unfortunately the day we were there it was pretty cloudy. We definitely spotted George Clooney's house amongst the mist, though… ;) Oh, and I'm holding everything to my name in this photo.

That was the most action I got on this trip.

We came across this amazing Pot Parade. It was quite the experience.

The Vatican & Saint Peter's. For future reference…the Sistine Chapel is closed on the first Sunday of every month. Yeah. Guess which day we were there?

St. Peter's Cathedral. It was a Sunday. Come on, where are all the people?

The Spanish steps in Rome.

I forget what this is called--but, it's in Rome, and this is me and my cousin, Katy.

I love this picture. I took this picture at the Roman Forum. There were these beautiful pink flowers everywhere…so I focused on them, but you can see the columns in the background.

Up on the acropolis! Ok, it's so hard to find your way up there. I was proud just to have made it up to that point!

Part of the parthenon that was not being worked on.

Beautiful island of Santorini. The water was so incredibly clear.

On our flight from Athens to Santorini--even though we had to leave our hostel at 2:30 am to catch this flight, it was well worth it because we caught this magnificent sunrise.

Probably not a good location to be in during an earthquake, but man is it beautiful. The white houses are just stacked one on top of the other along these steep cliffs.

Sunset at Oia (the northernmost point of the island).

Also at Oia--I love the white and blue.