Every Sunday I remember how glad I am to be a girl.
Yes, it's true, there are some aspects of being a female that are not so appealing: but for the most part, I am a genuine girlie-girl.
I will admit that there are some weeks that go by when I don't use my hair dryer at all... I am NOT a morning person, and sometimes 7:30am comes far too soon, and I forfeit my "hair-doing time" for a few more blessed minutes in bed....HOWEVER, every Sunday I have the opportunity the get dressed up in my Sunday Best and wake up with loads of time for hair-doing. I absolutely love Sundays. They are by far my favourite day of the week. (For many reasons.. not just the fact that I have more time in the mornings!)
Seriously, is there anything better than putting on a cute little dress, slipping into a pair of heels, and pinning up your hair? No. I completely believe that no girl can feel more pretty, or flirty, or fun than when she is wearing a dress.
Any post with this title could not be complete without a thank you to all the aunts, my mom, and other women in my life who, by example, have taught me how to be a girl; not to say that I magically skipped over age 14 and the first horrible eyebrow plucking experience, but still, I would like to think I made it out alright. So thank you to my Mom who, after much pleading, took me to get my ears pierced on my seventh birthday; thank you to my Aunty Laura, who on my 14th birthday taught me the magic of M.A.C.; thank you to my Aunty Rachel who gave me my first layered hair cut, and thank you to everyone who miraculously still loves me even after putting up with me during the years from age 12 to 15.
I feel for every girl with little bits of toilet paper stuck all over her ankles because she just shaved her legs for the first time, for every girl who passes WAAAYYY over the black eyeliner limit upon her introduction to it, for every girl who goes through the "hoodies at church is cool" phase - I promise, you WILL get through this!
I suppose this post should really have waited until I am out of my teenage years; with just over a year to go, I can not yet say that I've lived through every teenage experience. I can only hope that I will be able to survive young adulthood as well- hopefully with a little more poise this time!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
-One Year-
You know how people are always talking about how you should make a note of where you will be in 5 or 10 years and seal it away and not look at it until that time has passed? Well I would like to make a note about ONE YEAR from today.... sort of....
I was recently contacted by school here in Victoria, and informed that a seat has become available in the Dental Assisting Program! (True, Dental Hygiene is my ultimate goal, but Assisting is the plan until I get a spot in a hygiene program!) And so... one year from today, I am OVERJOYED to say that I will be wearing SCRUBS.
Sidenote: Maybe it's just me, but I ADORE the idea of wearing scrubs. I think they are soo adorable, and comfy, and maybe my love for hospital shows also has something to do with it, but I just LOVE them!!! I can't wait to stop by the grocery store wearing them, or to meet up with a friend after work wearing them. OH I just can't WAIT !
One year from today I expect to still be living where I am now. I love my house, and my room, and my home ward, and just everything I have here. I love being close to my cousins.
Sidenote: I have lived in quite a few different places, and have therefore attended quite a few different wards, and although there are people everything who are genuine, kind, wonderful people, there's just something about one's home ward that can not be recreated anywhere. It made me so sad to live in a place where other people had grown up, and everyone ELSE had known each other for years, when we had to be the new family - having the knowledge that a day's drive away, was a ward where OUR family would be the one who knew everyone made the situation even worse. One of my favourite things about living here, is that I can count on the fact that every Sunday, I will see almost all of the people who have watched me grow up. Getting a hand shake from Brother Hinks at the door, and a hug from Brother Welton absolutely warms my heart. Brother McCallum always grabs my hand when we meet in the hall, and I can't help but think that this was the man who would ease my pain of being dropped off in nursery so many years ago, and who often held me when I was a baby. I absolutely love these people. I feel sort of like the neighborhood sweetheart knowing that all of these people have watched me grow up.
I suppose that in one year I will be a Relief Society regular. I will admit, I did NOT want to be one of those girls who missed Young Women's.... BUT I DO !!! A small piece of my heart will always be with those girls. I just want the best for them ! I wish I could get inside their heads and convince them that high school isn't a big deal, and that friends aren't worth going against what you KNOW is right ! I wish I could tell them that I LOVE them, and to smarten up!! I LOOOOVVVEEE the leaders that I had when I was a Laurel. I feel almost like I cheated because I had such WONDERFUL relationships with my advisers, and had such similar ideas as they did! I feel like I could talk about anything and everything with them, and I trust that they would be able to give me the best advice. If ever I need a stand-in Mom when mine is not available, I KNOW I have one with any of these wonderful women.
I hope that in one year my cousin will wear my grad dress. I don't think she will, and I don't blame her - even if there is a dress available, it's a special thing to have your own dress, that YOU picked out. BUT, my dress was absolutely gorgeous, and would look GREAT on her. I also hope that she will ask me to do her hair. I don't want to boast, but I'm good at it, and it would really be a fun experience I think. I love her so much, and I hope I am a good example for her.
In one year I hope that I am more fit. I hope that my cutting out a lot of junk food and improving my diet, and by spending more time working on my fitness, that I will be in better shape than I am today.
In one year I hope that I am better than I am today. I hope that I know my scriptures better, and that I have learned a lot. I hope that I am a better teacher, and a better listener. I hope that I am a better example, and a more loving big sister. I hope that my Mom is even more my best friend, and that my Gramma is proud of who I am.
One year is 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days. One year is so many struggles, and challenges, and experiences. I am going to do my best to live each day to it's fullest, and to build a better me.
CHEERS to one year today !!!
I was recently contacted by school here in Victoria, and informed that a seat has become available in the Dental Assisting Program! (True, Dental Hygiene is my ultimate goal, but Assisting is the plan until I get a spot in a hygiene program!) And so... one year from today, I am OVERJOYED to say that I will be wearing SCRUBS.
Sidenote: Maybe it's just me, but I ADORE the idea of wearing scrubs. I think they are soo adorable, and comfy, and maybe my love for hospital shows also has something to do with it, but I just LOVE them!!! I can't wait to stop by the grocery store wearing them, or to meet up with a friend after work wearing them. OH I just can't WAIT !
One year from today I expect to still be living where I am now. I love my house, and my room, and my home ward, and just everything I have here. I love being close to my cousins.
Sidenote: I have lived in quite a few different places, and have therefore attended quite a few different wards, and although there are people everything who are genuine, kind, wonderful people, there's just something about one's home ward that can not be recreated anywhere. It made me so sad to live in a place where other people had grown up, and everyone ELSE had known each other for years, when we had to be the new family - having the knowledge that a day's drive away, was a ward where OUR family would be the one who knew everyone made the situation even worse. One of my favourite things about living here, is that I can count on the fact that every Sunday, I will see almost all of the people who have watched me grow up. Getting a hand shake from Brother Hinks at the door, and a hug from Brother Welton absolutely warms my heart. Brother McCallum always grabs my hand when we meet in the hall, and I can't help but think that this was the man who would ease my pain of being dropped off in nursery so many years ago, and who often held me when I was a baby. I absolutely love these people. I feel sort of like the neighborhood sweetheart knowing that all of these people have watched me grow up.
I suppose that in one year I will be a Relief Society regular. I will admit, I did NOT want to be one of those girls who missed Young Women's.... BUT I DO !!! A small piece of my heart will always be with those girls. I just want the best for them ! I wish I could get inside their heads and convince them that high school isn't a big deal, and that friends aren't worth going against what you KNOW is right ! I wish I could tell them that I LOVE them, and to smarten up!! I LOOOOVVVEEE the leaders that I had when I was a Laurel. I feel almost like I cheated because I had such WONDERFUL relationships with my advisers, and had such similar ideas as they did! I feel like I could talk about anything and everything with them, and I trust that they would be able to give me the best advice. If ever I need a stand-in Mom when mine is not available, I KNOW I have one with any of these wonderful women.
I hope that in one year my cousin will wear my grad dress. I don't think she will, and I don't blame her - even if there is a dress available, it's a special thing to have your own dress, that YOU picked out. BUT, my dress was absolutely gorgeous, and would look GREAT on her. I also hope that she will ask me to do her hair. I don't want to boast, but I'm good at it, and it would really be a fun experience I think. I love her so much, and I hope I am a good example for her.
In one year I hope that I am more fit. I hope that my cutting out a lot of junk food and improving my diet, and by spending more time working on my fitness, that I will be in better shape than I am today.
In one year I hope that I am better than I am today. I hope that I know my scriptures better, and that I have learned a lot. I hope that I am a better teacher, and a better listener. I hope that I am a better example, and a more loving big sister. I hope that my Mom is even more my best friend, and that my Gramma is proud of who I am.
One year is 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days. One year is so many struggles, and challenges, and experiences. I am going to do my best to live each day to it's fullest, and to build a better me.
CHEERS to one year today !!!
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Stephanie Nielson
I recently discovered Stephanie Nielson, who, for those of you who don't know, is a 20-something year old woman who, about two years ago, was in a horrible plane crash with her husband and a pilot friend of theirs. Her friend was not able to recover from his injuries, and Stephanie suffered severe burns to 83% of her body.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHDvxPjsm8E
As I watched this beautiful video created by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I was overcome with guilt for the lack of appreciation I have for my blessings here in mortality; Stephanie's story helped me to truly see how INCREDIBLY blessed I am! I realized how completely for granted I take my blessing of having a working, normal, completely able, physical body.
I was so touched by her story, that I found Stephanie's blog online, and read some of the posts from both before, and after the accident. I was struck by the unbelievable love and support of her husband (whom she calls "Mr. Nielson"- how cute is that?!); despite the deformity of her body and face, one can see by the way he looks at his wife, that "Mr. Nielson" has a completely unconditional love for her.
This love causes me to reflect on the love of our Saviour, who cared so deeply for each of us, that he gave his life at Gethsemane so that we will EACH have the opportunity, if we choose to take it, to return to live with our Father in Heaven again. No matter how badly stained by the world we become, no matter how scarred and scraped and burned, our Heavenly Father's love for us will never cease to be. I am overcome with gratitude when I think of the amazing sacrifice that He made for us, and am persuaded to do my very best to make sure this sacrifice was not in vain.
I am thankful for this opportunity to experience mortality, and to serve my role in this probationary period. I will strive each day to prove myself, a worthy, righteous disciple of Christ. Like Stephanie, I will do my best to find the value in each day, not taking for granted any of life's sweet experiences.
Stephanie,
Know that you have been such a strength to me, and have inspired me to better myself each day, and to do all I can to strengthen my relationship with my Heavenly Father. Thank you so much for your perseverance, and courage.
Sincerely,
A grateful reader.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHDvxPjsm8E
As I watched this beautiful video created by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I was overcome with guilt for the lack of appreciation I have for my blessings here in mortality; Stephanie's story helped me to truly see how INCREDIBLY blessed I am! I realized how completely for granted I take my blessing of having a working, normal, completely able, physical body.
I was so touched by her story, that I found Stephanie's blog online, and read some of the posts from both before, and after the accident. I was struck by the unbelievable love and support of her husband (whom she calls "Mr. Nielson"- how cute is that?!); despite the deformity of her body and face, one can see by the way he looks at his wife, that "Mr. Nielson" has a completely unconditional love for her.
This love causes me to reflect on the love of our Saviour, who cared so deeply for each of us, that he gave his life at Gethsemane so that we will EACH have the opportunity, if we choose to take it, to return to live with our Father in Heaven again. No matter how badly stained by the world we become, no matter how scarred and scraped and burned, our Heavenly Father's love for us will never cease to be. I am overcome with gratitude when I think of the amazing sacrifice that He made for us, and am persuaded to do my very best to make sure this sacrifice was not in vain.
I am thankful for this opportunity to experience mortality, and to serve my role in this probationary period. I will strive each day to prove myself, a worthy, righteous disciple of Christ. Like Stephanie, I will do my best to find the value in each day, not taking for granted any of life's sweet experiences.
Stephanie,
Know that you have been such a strength to me, and have inspired me to better myself each day, and to do all I can to strengthen my relationship with my Heavenly Father. Thank you so much for your perseverance, and courage.
Sincerely,
A grateful reader.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Changes
I have decided to make a change. I can't think of a time when things suddenly weren't how they were before, but I have realized that lately I am impatient and grumpy a lot of the time, and I don't like it one bit. I have decided that to change this, I will spend less time reading make believe stories, and more time reading my scriptures, less time listening to the radio, and more time in reflection, less time sleeping in (on my days off!) and more time serving those around me. I am a firm believer that we are to be in the world, but not of it, and I have found that collectively, as PEOPLE we are so quick toto blame our lack of GOODNESS on a lack of time due to our busy schedules,(little do we know, the wordly things with which we make ourselves so busy will inevitably be of no worth at all to us!) but I know that this is excuse is insufficient. Every person, EVERY person (a bold statement I know, but something that I truly believe!!) has time to read their scriptures daily. EVERY person has time to be kind, and gentle, and good.
Frances de Sales said, "Nothing is so strong as gentleness, (and) nothing is so gentle as real stregth." I completely agree. When I think of the moments in my life that have had the greatest impact, the memories that have stayed with me throughout all of my life, took place in moments of gentle calmness. I hope that as strive to be a better myself, I will be able to grow closer to my Heavenly Father, and become a stronger deciple of Christ.
Frances de Sales said, "Nothing is so strong as gentleness, (and) nothing is so gentle as real stregth." I completely agree. When I think of the moments in my life that have had the greatest impact, the memories that have stayed with me throughout all of my life, took place in moments of gentle calmness. I hope that as strive to be a better myself, I will be able to grow closer to my Heavenly Father, and become a stronger deciple of Christ.
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