Library, I Love You

I love the local library always. Oh wait, I don't like them when they don't have the book I want. Like today, I wanted The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis and they didn't have it! I was disappointed. They also didn't have the book by Mark Zusak that I wanted. Dear Library, today you failed me. However, I came away with a few good reads none the less.

• The Color Purple by Alice Walker
• Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
• Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
• The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• Leverage Point by Gerald N. Lund

My sister has been reading the classics and I decided that that would be a good direction to take since I haven't any other books I'm dying to read except The Color Purple. I just started The Scarlet Letter and so far, I'm enjoying it. It makes me feel smart when I understand the words because it is so different from how we talk now. I just have to keep an open mind and the words flow like a fast paced river into my mind. (Cool metaphor, eh?) I was not surprised to find that we had all the classic books in my on home library, but there is something magical about pulling the book off the shelf and putting it in your stack, then getting it scanned. I love that sound that says, "These books are all yours for a whole month!" I am offically guilty of having a stack of books sitting on my floor by my bed. At least every week or so, there is a different stack instead of the same ones for months, right?

Question Marks

Life is full of them. What to do with life, where to go to school, where to work, who to be friends with, where to live, who to love. I guess you could say those are my major question marks right now. Not the last one though. :) I have lots of questions about myself. I know who I am, where I came from, and why I am here. Despite all this knowledge, I wonder if I'm good enough, if I'm doing the right things, if I'm headed in the direction my Heavenly Father wants me to be. At this point in my life, nothing is happening the way I would like it to. I'm learning lessons that I know are important to my future, but I'm trying to get the downward spiral to reverse and begin climbing to happier times. I've always been busy. For example, my senior year in high school, I was captain of the Impact Team, president of the large choir, a member of seminary coucil, in the advanced theatre class, in two choirs, and in the schools musical all at once. I loved it so much and loved my senior year. Now, I'm stuck at home with out a job, without a calling in church, and I'm not futhuring my education like I would like to. Everytime someone asks me what I'm doing, I go out of my way to tell them my story so that they won't judge me poorly. Despite that, people are still hard on me. I feel like I failed, didn't measure up to my potential, and now I'm hating myself for it. All my life I've held a really high bar for myself. Senior year, I didn't feel like I was meeting that bar which resulted a meltdown in english, a meeting with my counselor and mother and a trip to Olive Garden -now I see how stupid I was for thinking that, but I feel like now, I can justly say that I'm not meeting the bar AT ALL.

Back in October, I wrote a letter to a missionary friend, He sent his letter in November and I recieved it several months later at the perfect time (last Saturday). As I read the letter, I felt a weight lift off as my friends words were just what I needed to hear. It was WONDERFUL to have someone thousands of miles away in Brazil so supportive of me who has so much faith in my potential. I knew that letter got lost for so long for a reason. One thing he said especially blessed me. He said, "Do you think Heavenly Father and Christ will let a daughter ever be alone or without blessings especially when she is doing what is right? You may feel lonely or unnoticed now, but it is simply to prepare you for what the lord has in store for you in the future." Those words were just what I needed. I know that the best friends I have are the ones receptive to the spirit and capable of being the vesels to answer my desperate prayers. Don't worry about me. I'm ready to face this trail head on! GO ME! :)

Snow Snow Sushi

Last night it started to snow! A LOT! We haven't had a big snow storm at all this winter so I'm so glad it's here. Better late than never right? Here are some pictures of the snow.

The first and last pictures are of trees in my yard. The second and forth are of the back porch. The middle one is a red crate that was left outside; it's about 12x12x12". Snow is so beautiful and I love it so much! Unfortunately, it's supposed to be 40 degrees tomorrow and the snow will probably melt, but there is another storm due Thursday. Can't wait!

This weekend, I tried sushi for the first time. I really liked it and I'm excited to try other types of sushi since I just had a california roll.

The Love of My Life

I get cravings for it on some occasions and when I do, I go to the Library, spend way too much time looking through the shelves and selecting the small, large, thick, thin, colorful, or dull books. Then, I rush home and READ. One book a day, often reading late into the night. I've always been that way since the time I was 9. I couldn't bear to draw out the time spent reading so I always read like it's going out of style or something. Homework gets neglected and it's painful when I'd have to go somewhere and stop reading. I love getting lost in books, in school, I would have teachers calling my name and I wouldn't even noticed, I'd be so into my book. There are whole new worlds to imagine and people to see. I love creating the character in my own head and I often see them much differently than the authors description because of my very independent imagination. However, if you tell me I have to read a book for school, especially a text book, I will neglect it, or procrastinate.

Reading is the love of my life. I've never met someone or done something that has left me so addicted-yet. Now I bid you farewell as there is a stack of books on my desk waiting to be devoured.

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day! I have to say I really love hearts. It's a good shape. Secretly, I've always wanted to have a secret valentine. Maybe I'll be someone else's secret valentine! That'd be fun!

Be sure and spread the love today! I sure will!

The Nail Polish Bag

Meet the nail polish bag. Between me and my two sisters, we have a lot of nail polish so we have this bag to keep them in. For some mistaken reason, my older sister thinks it's cute... look at those ugly cats. Clearly not cute. Notice the hot pink nail polish spill on the zipper as well.


























































That, my friends is the nail polish bag.

Driving On The Lake

So I live near this lake. On this lake, there are several islands. One island has a road called a causeway to it. We decided to journey out to the island to take some pictures of the sunset among other things. Here are the pictures I took (on my phone).

The first picture is me and my friend Erin standing on the ice on the lake about 20 feet from the shore. The ice was about 2 inches thick and strangley being pushed up onto the shore. The second is of a buffalo. Sorry it's so small. My phone doesn't zoom very far. :) The third is a dock on the lake and the forth is the sunset with the lake on the far right. On our way back from taking pictures, the GPS wasn't showing the road on the lake so our car looked like it was just driving in the lake itself. We had a boat car!

Things I Am

• Chauffeur
• Pony
• Dish Doer
• Chair
• Nerf gun target
• Cook
• Homework helper
• Dressing aid
• Hugging friend
• Tooth brusher
• Doggy or kitty (You choose)
• Blanket finder
• Cleaner
• Diaper changer
• Tree for the cat (Literally up my back to my shoulder)
• Bedtime story reader
• McDonald's play place watcher
• Hunter (Stuffed animals)
• Watcher ("Sarah, watch this!")
• Rules enforcer
• Flash cards helper
• Car seat buckler
• Microwaver
• Criminal ("Get on the ground!")

I'm watching my 5 cousins this week and it's been so much fun! Also, as you can see, a little crazy. I'm playing mom. :)