I just need to take a minute and write down something I learned tonight. This isn't my first time learning this little something but it is one thing in my life that I need to relearn over and over again. And that's because I'm human and therefore forgetful, selfish, short-sighted, narrow-minded and all those other wonderful characteristics that come with being human. But anyways, here's what I relearned:
There really is a God in heaven that is watching over us. He is the father of our spirits and he sent us here to earth to have experiences and to grow and learn. He LOVES us just like any father here on earth loves their children. He wants us to be happy and He wants to protect us. Here's why I know this:
I prayed.
Now, I don't know exactly how prayer works. It's one of those things that you can't really explain or wrap your mind around even, but its such a fundamental part of our lives. So many people from so many different religions believe in praying. I think it's just programmed into our DNA or something, I don't know. However, what I do know is that there is a God in heaven who hears us when we pray. He surely does. Truly, really, definitely. I know that He's listening. When we pray for faith, He shows us reasons to believe. When we pray for strength, He helps us stand up. When we go to Him with questions, He finds a way to give us the answers; not always in the way we expect them but oh, He gives them to us. Also, the thing that has been most important to me lately, is praying to know that God cares. Praying to know how to find the ways God answers my prayer. So basically I prayed to know that my prayers were being heard. And I am writing this tonight to tell YOU that they have indeed been heard. My Heavenly Father heard me speaking to Him and answered my prayers :)
I hope I can remember that a little longer this time...
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Oregon
Road trip!! Me and a few of my friends took a trip out to Portland over the Labor Day weekend to visit Adam. It was the most fun I've pretty much ever had! Every minute was worth all the money and time it took to make it happen. I had an amazing time and I feel so close to the people who went. They feel like my family and I just love each of them so much!!
After we unpacked the car we all climbed into Adam's car and went and got some pizza for dinner. Adam was supper nice and paid for dinner! He's amazing. We sat and ate and talked and watched football. It was the perfect beginning to a perfect weekend.
After that, we found a bowling/bar/club place that we went to hang out. We talked to the lady at the counter and she said that if we went upstairs and sang karaoke she would give us a discount on bowling. Unfortunately the upstairs was the bar area so Cassandra couldn't come up cause she's only 20, so she and Pappy stayed downstairs and played some pool. But Adam, Wes, Beth and I went upstairs and practiced the ancient art of karaoke. It was so much fun! Adam and I sang December '63 by Frankie Valli, Beth and Wes sang a Backstreet boys song, and then we all sang Hey Ya. It was awesome. First time I've ever done karaoke and I will for sure be doing it again! Then we talked to the lady again and she gave us a huge discount! She was so nice to do that. We had 2 lanes and bowled 2 games. I was 2nd place scorer both games behind Adam. I almost won both times but he would pull ahead right at the end! I got 135 the first time and 140 the second time. That's the best I think I've ever bowled. It was so much fun! Again, I love my friends. They are my favorite people in the whole world. After we bowled, we went home and watched Taxi, one of Adam's fav movies. Haha, it's such a funny movie. We all started falling asleep though so we set up our sleeping areas and went to bed. We ended up all sleeping in Adam's room... The girls on one half and the guys on the other half. Now, I realize that probably wasn't entirely honor code appropriate but it was the best we could do. I decided it was better to have somewhere to sleep than have to sleep out in the car or somewhere. So, oh well. It worked.
Saturday we got up and made breakfast burritos. It's actually kind of funny because we set an alarm but we are all the kind of people who are ok just lying in bed for a while after the alarm goes off. So we all just laid there and talked before we got up. But then we got hungry, so we made breakfast. Adam and I kind of led getting the food ready and it was fun to be in the kitchen with him. He's a good cook and really common sensical and I like cooking with him. They turned out quite tasty and we sat at the table eating and talking and laughing for a while. I find that it's hard for us to get out of the house sometimes because we have too much fun talking and joking with each other. But finally we realized that Adam was supposed to be meeting with his friend that he's moving in with so we got ready real quick and drove to meet him. They were looking at some tentative apartments but they ended up not being as good as some others they had looked at. So they decided to stick with those and we decided to go look at them. It is a really nice apartment in a beautiful area with a balcony and a pool and a really nice kitchen. I really liked it!
After that we went home to change and headed over to one of Adam's friend's apartment to watch the BYU football game! It was such an amazing game! We were behind Ole Miss the whole first half and most of the second half but then we made 2 touchdowns towards the end and went ahead and then won the game! Oh man it was so great. And it was fun to be there with lots of other really good BYU fans. So awesome. After that we drove to the International Rose Test Gardens. They're in Portland and it is this amazing garden full of hundreds of different types of roses. It is a really beautiful place and it was so much fun to walk around and take pictures and again, just joke around with each other.
We tried to get into the Japanese garden which is in the same little area as the rose garden but we were just a little too late and had already closed. It would've been cool but that's ok.
Instead we went to a park and threw a frisbee and just played around. It was a beautiful night and we had so much fun! We were doing goofy dance moves and climbing on soccer goals and all sorts of fun stuff.
When it got too dark to see the frisbee anymore we drove into the city center, parked the car and walked around. We were kind of looking for somewhere to eat but none of us wanted to pick a place so we ended up just walking around. It was fun to see the city but I think we were all just really tired at this point so I felt like a bunch of picky zombies walking around looking for just the right human to snack on. We stopped at the waterfront and looked out across the river at the lights and boats and bridges. We took some pictures and watched a huge cruise ship dock. It was fun. That is such a beautiful and fun city. I really like it.
Adam wanted to take us to a coffee house that he had been to with some friends so that was our final destination on Saturday. It's called Rimsky's Korsakoffee House. It is the coolest place ever! There were people playing music on clarinet and bassoon and the piano and there are super delicious desserts and sweet books for people to write in. The bathroom is way cool and there is even a rotating table. It was so funny; we sat down at this table that had couches and chairs around it, set our stuff down and started looking at the menu. Then a couple minute later, we look down and our stuff has moved around the table and isn't where we put it. Naturally, we all look at Wes and think he's just been rotating the table top for a joke but he swears he didn't do it. So we brush it aside and keep talking and reading and stuff. We look down again and our stuff has moved again! We start freaking out and are so confused so Adam looks under the table and there's a motor that slowly turns the table top! Isn't that funny? A rotating table; So clever. I'm gonna have one of those in my house someday. But anyways, we order our desserts (peanut butter pie, raspberry mousse (which Beth had to go throw up cause it had coconut...), and marionberry orange cobbler. Mmm) and sit and do a crossword puzzle. It was so much fun! We felt so scholarly. I love that place.
Then we stopped at the store for lunch and dinner for the next day and went home. We got kind of obsessed with taking and editing our pictures from the rose garden so we spent a lot of time that night looking at pictures. We did a lot of "enhancing" and "boosting", haha. It was fun.
So Sunday morning we got up, ate cereal for breakfast (not even realizing that it was fast Sunday...), and went to church. 5 of us just went to sacrament meeting but Pappy wanted to stay for all of it. But the 5 of us went home. Wes, Adam, Cassandra and I laid down on the floor and were just like wrestling and teasing and playing with each other. That sounds kinda sketchy but we were just tired and goofy and having fun. Haha, my people are awesome. Then we made lunch and dinner, Adam went and picked up Pappy, we piled in the car and drove 2 hours to the coast. The drive was beautiful over mountains and through forests and a cute little town and then to an amazing beach. This beach was like paradise. It was kind of foggy but I loved it. The sand was so fine and soft, the sun was shining, the water was a bit chilly but, it was the ocean, I was there with the best people and we had tools to make sand castles. What else do you need in life really? Nothing. That's what I say. Ah it was perfect there! We played in the sand. Adam and I went and climbed on the rocks along the point and found a sweet cove. We ate delicious food. We took pictures. We hiked over the point through the forest and found a beach with no one on it. I felt like an explorer on a jungle expedition discovering a land that has never been found before. It was so much fun! The guys did their water-seeking and skinny dipping while the girls "looked away". At least that's what the guys think... It was absolutely beautiful and amazing; the beach, I mean. We watched the sun set (and the moon come out... I'm just so full of funny jokes!) while we hiked back to our stuff. The drive back was long 'cause of some traffic but we had fun. Wes and Adam's hands were freezing from the ocean water so I helped warm them up ;) and I tried to sleep a little cause I was exhausted! But oh man, it was such a perfect and picturesque day.
Cassandra, Matt, Wesley and I left Friday morning at 7:30 from Provo and made the 12 hour drive all the way to Portland where we picked Beth up from the train station. She had flown from California and taken the train to Beaverton. I actually ended up driving the whole way mostly because I know my car and I didn't really feel comfortable with anyone else driving. I don't know, I guess I have a hard time putting my life in someone else's hands when I know that I'll be as careful as I can be. But anyways, the drive was long but fine. I love the drive into Portland; the section along the Columbia river is so pretty! It's just very different from Utah and I love it. So, we picked Beth up from the train station and called Adam. He wasn't quite ready to meet up with us yet so we stopped by the Portland Temple and walked around the grounds for a while. It is a really pretty temple and it was nice to get out of the car and stretch our legs.
Then we got the address of his house and met up with Adam there. He has been living with 3 siblings that live in a little house in a neighborhood around Lake Oswego. They do not know how to take care of themselves and clean at all so the house is really pretty smelly and gross. Adam's room is upstairs though and he keeps it really clean and he has a scented candle to keep it smelling nice. Wes teased him for having a scented candle but in the end, he was glad to have it cause the rest of the house really smells.
Then we got the address of his house and met up with Adam there. He has been living with 3 siblings that live in a little house in a neighborhood around Lake Oswego. They do not know how to take care of themselves and clean at all so the house is really pretty smelly and gross. Adam's room is upstairs though and he keeps it really clean and he has a scented candle to keep it smelling nice. Wes teased him for having a scented candle but in the end, he was glad to have it cause the rest of the house really smells.
After we unpacked the car we all climbed into Adam's car and went and got some pizza for dinner. Adam was supper nice and paid for dinner! He's amazing. We sat and ate and talked and watched football. It was the perfect beginning to a perfect weekend.
Saturday we got up and made breakfast burritos. It's actually kind of funny because we set an alarm but we are all the kind of people who are ok just lying in bed for a while after the alarm goes off. So we all just laid there and talked before we got up. But then we got hungry, so we made breakfast. Adam and I kind of led getting the food ready and it was fun to be in the kitchen with him. He's a good cook and really common sensical and I like cooking with him. They turned out quite tasty and we sat at the table eating and talking and laughing for a while. I find that it's hard for us to get out of the house sometimes because we have too much fun talking and joking with each other. But finally we realized that Adam was supposed to be meeting with his friend that he's moving in with so we got ready real quick and drove to meet him. They were looking at some tentative apartments but they ended up not being as good as some others they had looked at. So they decided to stick with those and we decided to go look at them. It is a really nice apartment in a beautiful area with a balcony and a pool and a really nice kitchen. I really liked it!
After that we went home to change and headed over to one of Adam's friend's apartment to watch the BYU football game! It was such an amazing game! We were behind Ole Miss the whole first half and most of the second half but then we made 2 touchdowns towards the end and went ahead and then won the game! Oh man it was so great. And it was fun to be there with lots of other really good BYU fans. So awesome. After that we drove to the International Rose Test Gardens. They're in Portland and it is this amazing garden full of hundreds of different types of roses. It is a really beautiful place and it was so much fun to walk around and take pictures and again, just joke around with each other.
We tried to get into the Japanese garden which is in the same little area as the rose garden but we were just a little too late and had already closed. It would've been cool but that's ok.
Instead we went to a park and threw a frisbee and just played around. It was a beautiful night and we had so much fun! We were doing goofy dance moves and climbing on soccer goals and all sorts of fun stuff.
When it got too dark to see the frisbee anymore we drove into the city center, parked the car and walked around. We were kind of looking for somewhere to eat but none of us wanted to pick a place so we ended up just walking around. It was fun to see the city but I think we were all just really tired at this point so I felt like a bunch of picky zombies walking around looking for just the right human to snack on. We stopped at the waterfront and looked out across the river at the lights and boats and bridges. We took some pictures and watched a huge cruise ship dock. It was fun. That is such a beautiful and fun city. I really like it.
Adam wanted to take us to a coffee house that he had been to with some friends so that was our final destination on Saturday. It's called Rimsky's Korsakoffee House. It is the coolest place ever! There were people playing music on clarinet and bassoon and the piano and there are super delicious desserts and sweet books for people to write in. The bathroom is way cool and there is even a rotating table. It was so funny; we sat down at this table that had couches and chairs around it, set our stuff down and started looking at the menu. Then a couple minute later, we look down and our stuff has moved around the table and isn't where we put it. Naturally, we all look at Wes and think he's just been rotating the table top for a joke but he swears he didn't do it. So we brush it aside and keep talking and reading and stuff. We look down again and our stuff has moved again! We start freaking out and are so confused so Adam looks under the table and there's a motor that slowly turns the table top! Isn't that funny? A rotating table; So clever. I'm gonna have one of those in my house someday. But anyways, we order our desserts (peanut butter pie, raspberry mousse (which Beth had to go throw up cause it had coconut...), and marionberry orange cobbler. Mmm) and sit and do a crossword puzzle. It was so much fun! We felt so scholarly. I love that place.
Then we stopped at the store for lunch and dinner for the next day and went home. We got kind of obsessed with taking and editing our pictures from the rose garden so we spent a lot of time that night looking at pictures. We did a lot of "enhancing" and "boosting", haha. It was fun.
So Sunday morning we got up, ate cereal for breakfast (not even realizing that it was fast Sunday...), and went to church. 5 of us just went to sacrament meeting but Pappy wanted to stay for all of it. But the 5 of us went home. Wes, Adam, Cassandra and I laid down on the floor and were just like wrestling and teasing and playing with each other. That sounds kinda sketchy but we were just tired and goofy and having fun. Haha, my people are awesome. Then we made lunch and dinner, Adam went and picked up Pappy, we piled in the car and drove 2 hours to the coast. The drive was beautiful over mountains and through forests and a cute little town and then to an amazing beach. This beach was like paradise. It was kind of foggy but I loved it. The sand was so fine and soft, the sun was shining, the water was a bit chilly but, it was the ocean, I was there with the best people and we had tools to make sand castles. What else do you need in life really? Nothing. That's what I say. Ah it was perfect there! We played in the sand. Adam and I went and climbed on the rocks along the point and found a sweet cove. We ate delicious food. We took pictures. We hiked over the point through the forest and found a beach with no one on it. I felt like an explorer on a jungle expedition discovering a land that has never been found before. It was so much fun! The guys did their water-seeking and skinny dipping while the girls "looked away". At least that's what the guys think... It was absolutely beautiful and amazing; the beach, I mean. We watched the sun set (and the moon come out... I'm just so full of funny jokes!) while we hiked back to our stuff. The drive back was long 'cause of some traffic but we had fun. Wes and Adam's hands were freezing from the ocean water so I helped warm them up ;) and I tried to sleep a little cause I was exhausted! But oh man, it was such a perfect and picturesque day.
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