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Graduation!

A Person of Lists

From the first day of Junior High I have had a planner. My school used to give out free daily planners each year and I enjoyed writing my life down into my planner. When college hit, one of my favorite things to do at the beginning of each semester was to write down all of my assignments for the entire semester for each class and plan out everything. (Nerdy, I know.) Without my planner I would have been lost...I had all my assignments, classes, tests, daily tasks, activities, and to-do lists compiled in my little planner.

Recently, I have been thinking about my planner and my lists a lot. My list always gives me something to do; however, often I find myself getting too wrapped up in making sure everything is crossed off the list. I find it hard to sit still if I have one more thing waiting to be crossed off. My never ending list makes it hard to enjoy life for myself as well as for others around me. No one likes to feel like a list has to be accomplished before you can spend time with them...and I know I have made people feel like this more than once.

After all my thinking I have decided something....my list is gone. Sure I will write things down that I need to remember still and I will still like planning ahead but I never want to put my list first in my life again. In the eternal scheme of things if the floor doesn't get swept, the dishes sit in the sink, or if work is left undone, who cares? If my time is spent with family and friends, learning about the gospel, and even relaxing sometimes I will be better off because of it.

It's time to reprioritize and get on with my life. Structure is good in life and being busy is nice but there is so much more to life than filling time with deadlines and check marks on a list. I want to live, I want to love, and that is what I plan to do.

Good bye list...I can say I won't miss you!

Just another crazy day in paradise

This post is a conglomeration of thoughts from the past two days. Eric gave a family night last night on the article by Thomas S. Monson found in the April 2008 Ensign titled, "Treasure of Eternal Value" that really hit me. My dad today then titled one of his e-mails to me "Just another crazy day in paradise" and that once again got my mind going.

It is so important to live today as if tomorrow isn't coming. I have definitely put off doing this since my college career and have made it a goal to get into the habit of making every day count. I can't use homework, tiredness, or projects as an excuse to put off serving, loving, and progressing in life. (Not that these were ever good excuses beforehand.)

I love what President Monson said about life. He stated, "There is no tomorrow to remember if we don’t do something today, and to live most fully today, we must do that which is of greatest importance. Let us not procrastinate those things which matter most." Procrastination is for people who are too afraid to live life or too blinded by the world to take the time to do what matters most.

In addition to not putting off the good things in life I want to make sure I take time to enjoy each thing I do. Sure, life is hectic and hard but we can make life paradise each day, even if it is a little crazy. Life isn't meant to be perfect and I plan on working hard to make the most of each day, even with the bumps that get tossed in.

I want to make today a day I never forget, a day that wasn't wasted, and a day I can say was just another crazy day in paradise.

Stole of Gratitude

Graduation has come and gone (pics to come soon) and I have had some time to look back on my four years of college and remember the good and the hard times. A lot has happened over my four year period at BYU. Marriage, a baby on the way, Eric's broken back, several moves, a broken arm, an experience in writing a 30 page paper, arrythmia, and countless assignments and projects have kept me very busy. Sometimes I think I let school keep me too busy. I am grateful to all those who have put up with me and pushed me to keep going when I was tired and ready to give up. I have had amazing support from my husband, parents, parents in law, brother and sister, and countless others. From the cookies on the doorstep after a hard day of class to the phone calls, e-mails, and hugs encouraging me, I feel overwhelmed with the love I have felt as I have journeyed through school. Thank you to all of those who have made my journey a memorable and wonderful experience. I felt your support and prayers daily and I was so blessed to have people cheering me through thick and thin. Many times your kind words and thoughts were an answer to my prayers and I love you all.


Some small moments that made life wonderful:

• Going to celebrate high school graduation with my parents


• Moving into Glenwood


• Having my mom here to help me get ready to start college


• My dad helping me get a scholarship from the navy for school


• Walking over to Lindsey and Blake's apartment to babysit, eat dinner or just enjoy their company.


• First WalMart trip with the roommates


• Snowboarding on the table in Glenwood with a pineapple in hand with Bonnie


• Going to a BYU dance and drinking so much fruit punch our mouths turned red


• Working with Lindsey and going out to eat way too much for lunch
• Bonfires


• Walking to Blackjacks for dinner
• Going down a giant water slide at Rock Canyon


• Christmas breaks


• Reading Harry Potter during Christmas break
• Talking to my family about how I liked Eric and then didn't like him
• Going to Phantom of the Opera a million times when it first came out


• Going to Moab with Eric


• Having my dad laugh at the idea of me going to Moab with Eric for 5 minutes


• Getting engaged to Eric


• Planning a wedding in two weeks
• Getting married and loving every minute of our wedding day
• Moving into our first apartment after getting married
• Discovering the Disney channel
• Getting new clothes every once in awhile
• Late night dollar store runs
• Spending the night at Lindsey and Blake's house and eating grapes and being hyper all night
• Going to general conference
• Getting e-mails from my dad


• Going to Yellowstone
• Getting holiday treats in the mail
• Going to lunch with my Auntie B
  
• Going to Lindsey and Blake's house after my first anatomy class to cry


• Trips to the outlet mall
• Going a good run
• Getting a belated mother's day gift from Eric
• Teaching primary


• Going on hikes
• Talking to my mom on the phone


• Going to the scera pool
• Coming home to find a new bedspread and sheets on our bed


• Going to Lake Tahoe
• Cheating and eating dark chocolate every once in awhile
• Sitting and talking to family on Sundays


• Pizza factory with Steven and Eric
• Getting cute notes from Eric
• Playing board games and learning Egyptian Ratscrews


• Rediscovering how good Papa Murphey's pizza is


• Having Steven come do laundry at our house on Sundays


• Going to the temple
• Having so much emotional and financial support when Eric broke his back


• Getting ready to have a baby
• Getting my back scratched or rubbed
• Going to Lindsey and Blake's for dinner and to play games
• Falling asleep by the fire instead of doing homework
• Walking on campus during the spring
• Walking to my car after getting a good grade on a test
• Wearing sweats
• Eric making me nachos or a cheese crisp when I had morning sickness
• Spotting my family at commencement and waving
• Shaking Elder L. Tom Perry's hand during graduation
• Not being able to wipe the smile off my face as I walked across the stage to get my diploma