What I've learned from roommates.

Hey all! Yesterday I left behind my abode of 4 years. Change is always a good thing, and I do all I can to embrace it. Sure I have loved the dirty carpet and the blinds that don't open on most of the windows...but even more amazing have been the friendships that I've developed. . I appreciate switching up the scenery every now and then--to be honest, I actually think it's kind of healthy/therapeutic. Over the past few years I have learned an important lesson: people make the place. In every place you live there are people who influence you. In some way or another, they change you.

Below are things I have learned from roommates (in no particular order).

-If someone doesn't want to be social, be a friend to them. There's gotta be a reason they don't wanna come out. People who stay in their room need someone to make them come out. Just be that person. They'll thank you later on.

-if there is little space, volunteer to move your stuff somewhere else. Learn to sacrifice. Give someone else the space. Who cares. Stuff your puffy jacket under your bed.. Use it as a pillow.

- Don't get "bugged" at things. Be chill about things. Sometimes people do weird things like get annoyed if you leave a folded t-shirt On top of the dryer for more than an hour. That's fine. But don't get bugged when someone might be annoyed by one of your weird quirks. LOVE PEOPLE'S QUIRKS.

- share your food. Am I really going to starve if someone has a bowl of my cookie dough ice cream??I have learned not to be one who acts like I might die of starvation when this happens.. It's probably better I share these sorts of foods anyways...

- go get the mail. No one will if you don't. Put the TP on the roll. No one will. Buy the dish soap when it runs out and unload the dishwasher when it's clean. All in all.. Life Lesson learned: TAKE the INITIATIVE.

- Be the first to apologize. it's never too late to apologize. #badjoke.

- Communicate with who you live with. Get to know them and life is more enjoyable. Care about what is going on in their life. Be considerate. be a listener when all you want to do is talk. Be excited for other people even when you think you have something exciting to share.

-stay up late to talk to them about a great date they just went on. Even if you have NO ONE you're excited about, and all you wanna do is go to bed, let them tell you how they had the time of their lives..be genuinely excited for them. Be real and considerate.

-it's nice to leave nice notes. People appreciate it. They Need it...and it feels Good to do it. People need to be served- sometimes life gets rough. Oh, and Maybe dont Just do nice things so that you'll 'get something' out of it.

This has been random. lessons I've learned...from a plethora of roommates... I've not been the perfect roommate, but I have learned some things that will definitely help me out in my life. Mainly I think you've just gotta love people. That's it. Oh and ps-- this is not like some weird wedding announcement post. I'm still a roommate. I have so much I need to e better at. I'm gonna try to keep this list current and growing..

Some Sunday thoughts...

I love a lot of things about Sundays. I think my favorite thing has to be going to church and getting an automatic boost to get me through the rest of the week. I have distinct memories, of waking up Sunday mornings to my Mom blasting Mo-Tab on the surround sound--This was probably her preference over  waking up 5 kids to go to church. I have come a long way since the days of waking up grumpy and being dragged to church. I feel like that one constancy has helped shape me into the woman I am today. I've come to appreciate that chance I have each week.

On another note, lately I've been thinking a lot about how our lives play out unexpectedly sometimes. I've really come to see that God places certain people in our lives for very specific reasons. Though things often do not turn out as we expect them to, there are always reasons behind having such experiences. In many ways i believe make our lives what we want them to be. Regardless of our circumstances, we can make the grass as green as we want.
Seeing this video reminded of that great lesson. There is little time in life to love, and we need to savor each and every opportunity we have to do so, even when it may be incredibly hard to do so... 

SO grateful to go to church each week, and be reminded of these important lessons. "God allows tragedies and trials to occur in our lives, not because they are easy or desired, but because they help us love. " #SOTRUE.

So many random thoughts today. But, today was a good day. GRATEFUL for Sundays.

 #TheBookofMormon
"Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be un the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever. 
Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; Yea, when thou lie down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou rises up in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day."  Alma 37:36-37


I think often I forget how much I really can lean on God, and how much He wants to be involved. I always have to remind myself that only need to invite Him to do so. That's all.

attractive couple alert!

So last night was the beginning of the wedding festivities for my brother and his fiancé Stacey, who are getting married the 24th of this month! My bragging will never cease..  I called this wedding from day one. LITERALLY. Called it. Here's the low-down. So I randomly met Stacey at PF Changs last June, when I was there for a birthday lunch for someone I didn't even know. Stacey also happened to be at this lunch for one of her friend's friends that she didn't know.  We talked for about 30 minutes and I felt like she was really going to like my brother. Shewed her a pic, and she was in. I called Derald that same day and left him a voicemail: "Derald, call me back, I just met your wife!!" One year later here we are and they are soon to be wed. We are all very excited for them. This was a shower put on by Stacey Jo's sisters.

 

Got hoocked up with some great baskets at the "Basket shower" (new to me...)

28 then ...now 29

We also had a little surprise party for Der. Ongoing tradition of the last like 10 years that I make his b-day cake for him. This year's was my Mom's famous "Chocolate All-Day Cake"not bad, not bad at all..

just a little cousin love.

love my brudder.

Post-Yellowstone posting...

We drove through Bear Lake on the way down. Decided to stop for some famous raspberry shakes--- UHmayyyzing. 

Sooooo, when we arrived at the campground LATE Friday night, we didn't know whose name the spot was reserved under...It was 2 in the morning, and we were exhausted. Since we were stuck not knowing which spot the rest of our group was at,  the kind park ranger offered us a cabin to stay at. We complied, but when we got there, there were actually people already sleeping in it...Yes, it was a bit uncomfortable. Long story short, this random park ranger (Corinne--bless her heart) offered up her personal cabin to us (she was working the all nighter shift anyways...). It was completely strange. We walked in to a room with all of somebody else's stuff in it,  and there were even posters of the anatomy of cats and horses etc. etc. CREEPY!! But WOW, I can't even think of a better way to have start the trip! haha! It was REEEaaallly great start to the weekend tho.

 Yea, these are some of the creepy posters on the walls of the Park Ranger's dormitory...

Me and Ash got a bed with some really dirty stuffed animals that were left on Corrine's "room-mate's" bed. 

We made it to our friends the next morning and were  stoked to be able to tell our cool story about staying in some random Park Ranger lady's cabin the night before. 

There was alotta this....

and definitely alotta THIS...

and this...

And YES, I did see a baby bison! [check.]

We themed the weekend as 'yolostone'. I know, I know, original right?

check THIS one out.... it was INCREDIBLE how much wildlife was all over, and it was crazy that by the end of the weekend I was like "oh, yea, another bison? Cool." #de-sensitized 

Doing some bison observing. Loved these content wildlife stops tho! 

I was wanting to be "the first one" to sight something all weekend. Like instead of pulling up cuz everyone else is already looking at something, just be that first one... (pride? Idk, hope not...) But anyways, it finally happened and I saw this bear!!!! Pretty soon there were tons of people pulling over and I was like "Oh yea, hey guys, lemme just show you where this BEAR is, bc I actually saw it FIRST :)" (#6yroldmentality)

This was a great pull-off stop. There was this cool lake with all these lilies. With the sunset, it was breathtakingly beautiful! 

This was after an imprompteu swimming trip in a nearby stream. I was hiding the damp sports bra that was so misleading in SO many ways... 

Isn't that incredible? If you haven't been to Yellowstone seriously, get there. now. 

Trying to be helpful and chopping wood for our fellow camper friends 

Until next time Yellowstone, You have made a lasting impression on my heart :)