And drumroll please...........

This is May and June, The Before Pics:

This is October, The After Pictures:

As you all can see, I finally cut my hair last Saturday. I'd been thinking about it for awhile. It was just time to cut it. This is me, a good 12 inches later. I still can't believe I had that much hair to cut off and still have this much left! The girl who cut my hair was a little nervous to cut off so much. I did donate 10 inches to Lock of Love! Now someone else can walk around with my hair! I do like the cut, it's so much easier and faster in the mornings. My head feels so much lighter too. For those of you who don't know, I have pretty thick hair and it weighs a ton when it's long! I know there aren't a lot of pictures posted, but I at least got some posted for you Kalli!

If You're Happy and You Know It.....

So I don't know how many people have heard of these different sites like fml.com and stuff. I hear about them from people at work. This particular site is dedicated to all the crappy things that happen to people each day. I've never really wanted to visit the site. Anyways a friend sent me the link to a site called mylifeisaverage.com and it was a funny site that wasn't vulgar and just clean fun. From there I discovered mylifeisg.com. I really fell in love with this site. It is all the good things that happen to people and I love reading about good and happy things! It's amazing how reading about other people's good experiences can just uplift your day! I was also feeling kind of like there wasn't a lot of good being done ( I know that there is but, sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the bad), and this site just helped me realize how much good is still out there! So, there's my little spiel! I'm more determined to recognize the good things in my life. I know that I am blessed and I'm so grateful for all the wonderful things in my life. I have a great family, the gospel, wonderful friends, a place to live, food to eat...there are so many more! I just am so happy for my life and for all the wonderful things I have been able to experience. There are so many things that I look forward to experiencing. I just want to share with anyone who reads this that My Life is Great and I pray that all of your lives are just as good. Please know that you have each blessed my life and helped me to have a great life! Thank you all.

Remembering

I can't belive that it's been 8 years since the attack on 9/11/01. I was at work last night talking with co-workers about that day. I still remember getting ready for school when Aunt Tomie called and told us that the towers had just been hit. I remember driving to school that morning with the radio on listening to the news; trying to figure out what was going on. The news was playing in pretty much every class I went to that day. I don't remember really anything else that went on at school that day. I feel like in some ways I wasn't affected that day because I didn't personally know anyone in the towers or on the planes. I know that sounds mean. It did affect me though, I realized how much hate and anger can destroy people. I never knew that there were people out there that hated our country and Americans so much that they would kill so many innocent people. I guess you could say the rose colored glasses came off that day for me. I may not have known anyone personally that was injured or killed during that attack but we are all citizens of the same country, they were my neighbors. It took me awhile to realize that.

I remember when war was declared. I know that President Bush may not have done everything right during his terms but I feel like he handled that crisis as best as he could. For just being in office under a year and having that major of a crisis, I felt that he did what was needed. He helped unite us as a country and remember that we're all in this with each other. We are brothers and sisters and I feel like he was definitely the man we needed at the time. There are many different opinions out there regarding that, this is mine.

Today I watched a Mormon Message from Youtube. It was the story of a man who survived the attack. He was in one of the towers and made it out alive. His story was how he found God and meaning in his life that day and in the days and years after the attack. It was just amazing to know that no matter what situations life brings, God is always there to help and give hope. I can't imagine what this man or any of the survivors have gone through in their lives since that day. I just think it's amazing what happens when we let God in our lives and how He can help those trials and experiences change us for the better. This is a side note, but if you have the September issue of the Ensign, read the 'Lessons from Liberty Jail' talk by Elder Holland. I read it a couple of days ago, and writing this I'm just recalling a lot of what was said in that article. It's amazing and will probably change your life!

I think that's all for this post. I feel like it's kind of scattered and who knows if it makes sense, but thats just how my mind works! In all seriousness, it's been 8 years and I can still remember what I was doing when I heard the news, what I wore that day, and how I felt that day. I can remember the days following the attack and seeing the country pull together. I hope that we don't forget that we are the United States of America. We need to remember that and not let things divide us.

I am so grateful for the men and women serving in the armed forces. For the sacrifices they have made since that day and for the things they have witnessed. I'm so grateful that they are willing to fight to preserve the freedoms we enjoy. I love this country and I'm so thankful to have been born in this land that allows us the freedom to choose how and who we worship. There are so many other freedoms that I'm thankful for but that would be my top one. I love that I get to choose, I'm not told what I can do and what I can't. Thank you. Thank you to those fighting now and those who have fought over the last 200+ years. This truly is a blessed land. Those who fight against it will not win.

My Soapbox

So recently I've been feeling this barrage of political turmoil in my life. It's not so much my political feelings as much as I feel like I'm constantly being attacked with other peoples opinions. Normally this probably wouldn't be a bad thing, I just am tired of it. I have a hard time making up my mind about how I feel when I'm constantly having other's share their views with me. I don't want to turn this into a rant so I'll get to what I wanted to say.

I just started reading Pres. Hinckley's book, Standing for Something. I know that this is an older book and has been published for awhile but this is the first time I've ever read it. Already I love it! I loved the forward by Mike Wallace, the respect he had for Pres. Hinckley is just so amazing to me. I remember when the 60 Minutes interview happened and I remember wondering if it would be a good interview or a bad one. Looking back, I don't know how it could've been bad with Pres. Hinckley being the interviewee! He always handled everything so well. The introduction to the book just really hit home though especially after all that I've been feeling with politics and the division that has occurred in this country since the last election and before that. The introduction talks about America and how great this country is. We are so blessed to have been founded in the manner we were, with God in mind. I know that the founding of this country was inspired by Heavenly Father and it is that inspiration and guidance that has let this country prosper for so long. The fact that He used to be publicly recognized also made a huge difference. It saddens me more than I can say, that God is not longer allowed in public places. He has been taken out of public school and there are people trying to take God completely out of our lives I feel. This country most definitely was divinely inspired, God was at the helm and I can not agree with those who feel that it is offensive to hear His name and want it taken out of the pledge and oaths said in the courtroom. It offends me. In the introduction, there are two scriptures quoted that I liked. 2 Corinthians 3:17 says, "Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." Psalm 33:11-12 says, " The counsel of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." I really like these three verses. I just think it puts things into perspective. Pres. Hinckley said, " Can we expect peace and prosperity, harmony and goodwill, when we turn our backs on the Source of our strength?"

I know this is kind of scattered and I apologize. Let me be the first to admit that I am not the most politically educated person in this world. To be perfectly honest I have shied away from politics most of my life because there has always been such conflict and I don't always know how to get an unbiased education. I have felt the need more recently to become better educated on what is happening in the world and still feel unable to find that unbiased education. I have both sides coming at me all the time and it's hard to know which to believe. I am definitely more conservative in all things. This last election was particularly difficult because I felt there was not a good solution in either candidate. Again, those are just my feelings, I don't have anything to back that up, other than the fact that I didn't feel either man had the countries best interests at heart. I know that Bush made mistakes in his two terms as president and that no man is perfect. I did however feel that Bush tried in the beginning to make the right choices for the country. I have not had that feeling with Obama and again, it may be my ignorance on the subject. I do believe that education on the facts isn't everything though, you also need to feel, through the gift we have been given, what is right and wrong.

I'm sorry again, if this doesn't really make sense to any one. I've just been feeling overwhelmed by everything that is going on around me and then reading this book was just what I needed. I know that this post kind of did turn into a rant and I'm sorry to those of you who don't like my opinions. I just feel very strongly that rather than argue about Republicans and Democrats, we should be focusing on fixing a struggling nation. A nation that, with God, will continue to be great. I feel like that is the fight we should be fighting, to have God acknowledged for the great blessings He has given us. Maybe I'm just preaching to the choir and everyone already knows and gets this, I'm just a little slow I guess!

Anyways, that is my speech on my little soapbox. Sorry again if it's all jumbled and confusing, it's been a long week and I'm tired!

Small Updates

I feel like I haven't posted in awhile so I'm just writing to say I'm still alive here in Tucson. I still haven't taken any pictures of my new apartment, so those are still coming. It's mostly all set up, I just keep forgetting about it! I do like it though, it's weird to only have one other roommate, I've always had at least 3 or 4 other roommates. Its quiet, sometimes really quiet! I'm just staying busy with work and I honestly don't know what else keeps me so busy, but this summer has just flown by and I don't know where all the time went! I do know where part of it has gone, I now have a pool at this apartment and I love swimming. I'm usually there most mornings before work. So this summer I'm going to have a nice tan at least! I mean I live in Arizona, I've got to have a good tan, right?

Anyways....I just wanted to give a little update. I'm still here and wishing that this summer wasn't so close to being over. Its been fun, but all good things must come to an end!

Movin' on Up

To the East Side....

So, this past weekend, I moved into a new apartment. No more ugly purple ghetto apartments! It was an incredibly tiring day. We were running on pretty much 4 hours of sleep and the day started about 8:30am and ended at 2am! It was quite a day. We were also without A/C for about 4 hours and Saturday was pretty warm. I am pretty proud of my roomie and I though. We had a couple of guys coming to help us move but by Saturday all of them had to back out except for one! So, poor Tyler was the only guy helping us move all of our junk! For the most part, it was just the three of us loading and unloading stuff. We were all pretty tired by the end, but I think Tyler definitely was more tired than me and Lindsay. He pretty much carried a couch and a heavy dining room table upstairs by himself. He's CRAZY! But we were definitely thankful for him and his superhuman strength on Saturday!

Our new apartment has a swimming pool, which I'm very thankful for! I don't know why this summer seems so much hotter than last summer but.... I went swimming this morning and it was GLORIOUS! There was no one at the pool and I loved it. I'll try and put up some pictures when we get everything unpacked. Right now it doesn't look too bad, but it's still not quite finished. We have this lovely stack of empty boxes by our front door that we have yet to take out!

Grateful

I know, I know, this is like my third post this week! Just bear with me, I'm sure I'll stop sometimes soon.

I'm not really sure how to start this post other than it's something I've been thinking about for awhile. Can I just say how truly blessed I have been in my life. Every day I am amazed at how much the Lord loves me. With that said, I've been thinking of the different ways I have been blessed and one of the most obvious is the people He has put in my life. I have an amazing family, I know that wasn't what I thought growing up but I have definitely learned to appreciate them in my life. I can't imagine having any other two people be my parents. They are amazing and I know that no other two people could've raised me the way they did, and taught me to be the person I am today. I love them for all that they've done and all the do in my life. I wish I had understood that as a kid! My sisters, four biological and numerous adopted, I can't even describe how grateful I am for them in my life. Again, I didn't understand how much they meant in my life until after we were older, but I'm very grateful for them. This is the second time I've lived in a city by myself, with no family. My parents are a lot closer this time but my schedule usually doesn't allow a lot of trips. So, once again I'm realizing just how much I need my family. My sister's mean a lot to me, they are amazing examples to me and I'm so grateful for them in my life. And even though my brothers came way later in my life, I'm so grateful for them. They are all such wonderful examples to me and even though they came later they are still great at being good older brothers. I always wanted one, and I was blessed with 3 awesome ones!

Both of my parents come from somewhat large families so I also have a ton of extended family which I'm also so grateful for. I've met people who don't know their cousins really well and it seems so weird to me. I grew up knowing all of my cousins and 2nd cousins and so on. I can't imagine not knowing them. It's a little different now that we're all grown up and moving and our lives are busy, but I still get to read about their families and hear about them from my parents. I'm just so grateful for the support system I have!

Lastly, I have been so blessed with great friends throughout my life. Sometimes those friendships are short and sometimes they last years and years. No matter what the time frame is, I have truly been blessed to have amazing friends. When I have been without family close by, I've had wonderful friends who let me be a part of theirs.

Sorry, I know this is long again, I just wanted to say Thank You to all those who have blessed my life by being a part of it. I hope you know how grateful I am for all of you. I'm sorry if I don't say it often enough. I'm so, so grateful for the people that the Lord has placed in my life at one time or another. Thank You so much for all of your examples to me.