Weddings

I love weddings.

I love being a part of them.

But mostly I love seeing my friends so happy.

I feel like there is something special in watching someone you love go through ups and downs to be with the one they love.

And when they finally make it to the temple, its like a deep sigh of "Finally, they made it".

I'm grateful for the friends I've got to watch fall in love and eventually marry.

And this past weekend, I got to celebrate one of my best friends, Emily, on her wedding day.

Em and I lived together for two years and became such good friends.

And on Saturday, October 20, 2012 she was sealed to her best friend, Preston.

Bren and I got to be two of her bridesmaids and it was so fun.

We got all dressed up and drove to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple.

Bren was my date for the day.

We make such a good couple, if I do say so myself. ;)

We got to see our other old roommate, Bri and her boyfriend, Mitch ^

Roommies, it was so good to see Bri.

The first sighting of Mr. and Mrs. Plowman!

They looked so happy!

I love Emily's face in this. 

All of the bridesmaids.

They had their luncheon and reception at a place in Highland called Highland Gardens. 

It was gorgeous, I loved it. 

Brenna's mom made the cake and it turned out beautifully I thought. 

We love our Emily.

The three of us were buds when we lived together.

We would stay up late and talk and cry and be goofy together.

We created some incredible memories together.

How grateful I am for their friendship. 

We got to see Hannah too, another one of the old roommates.

It was fun to watch them cut the cake.

You can't really tell, but they used a HUGE sword to cut it!

And they shoved it into each others faces.

Some went down Emily's dress, and her face was priceless, wish I would have caught that on camera. 

Daddy-daughter dance

And their first dance as Mr. and Mrs. 

All of the roommates, minus Hannah.

I love these girls!

Bren, Me, and Jarom.

Emily and Preston have been through a lot to get to this point in their lives.

And I am so happy that they let me be a part of their big day.

There is always that small twinge of jealousy when I go to weddings 

(Yes, I know, I'm only 22-almost 23, my time will come).

I look forward to that day that I get the chance to be sealed to my best friend and to have all my friends and family help celebrate.

However, I feel like I appreciate marriage and weddings so much more as I get older.

There is something so special about watching my friends go through this whole wedding thing. :)

Congratulations Em and Prest! 

I couldn't be happier for you!

I'm completely terrified...and I love it.

For as long as I can remember my life has been planned out for me.

Go to school, graduate from high school, go to college, maybe go on a mission, graduate from college, get married.

I kind of feel like my life is in slow motion right now. 

Growing up I wanted to try everything, do everything.

I was always in a rush, always feeling like I needed to be doing something and being perfect at it, and not necessarily soaking in the present moments in my life.

This past week has been very reflective. 

Everything I've been doing has just stuck with me.

Driving to college.

Walking to classes.

Sitting and learning from professors.

Going to work.

Living with some of my best friends.

Staying up late talking and laughing.

Each experience seems to stick with me.

I've started learning guitar.

Its hard, my fingers hurt, and its completely out of my comfort zone.

I love it.

My friend has been teaching me and man, he has definitely needed all the patience he can get to help me.

I whine and complain, get insecure and frustrated, and totally annoyed that my fingers don't do what I want them to.

And as we sat in his apartment the other night, going over the same chords over and over and over again, I was kind of just hit with the small tender mercies in my life.
Especially the ones I've experienced in the past couple of years since graduating.

Silly, I know.

But I find myself grateful for all these small moments.

I find myself lately to be always on the verge of tears as each moment makes me more grateful for all I have.

I'm grateful for this friend who will sit and help me learn something new.

I'm grateful for the opportunity that I have to learn a new skill.

I'm grateful for my time I've spent in Provo.

I'm grateful for my roommate experiences.

I'm grateful for being able to attend a University.

I'm grateful for the three years I've spent at my job.

And its like now as I slowly watch this chapter of my life close, I'm realizing how many opportunities I've had and it makes me a little sad to watch these times come to an end.

The past 6 months have been kinda tough.

And when August came, I craved change.

Change in environment, living arrangements, job, friends.

Anything that would mix up my life a little bit.

Yet, change is kind of scary. 

I like order, and organization.

I like plans.

Unfortunately, my plans and the Lord's plans for me rarely are the same.

December is fast approaching.

And I will be an official college graduate.

I'm completely terrified. 

And I love it.

The beginning of the End.

This week I started my last semester of College.

I can hardly believe it.

(My "I can hardly believe it" face^)

It seems surreal.

I've almost felt like I've been in a daze as I've gone through this week.

My roommates have all been stressed out and overwhelmed already.

I've felt nothing of the sort.

I have been completely calm.

Taking on the "bring it on" attitude, totally ready to conquer this last semester.

My last semester.

The panic didn't begin to set in until Thursday night.

I'm graduating in less than 4 months and I have no clue what comes next.

Money, a good job, living arrangements, and what I am going to do about my car that is slowly breaking down on me.

All of it weighing heavy on my shoulders. 

This morning I went to the Provo temple, the first time in months.

It was a much needed trip.

I went feeling all the panic and stress and emotion that had infiltrated its way into my body in the past 24-48 hours.

I love the temple.

I waited nearly 2 hours to do baptisms.
And I was grateful for every minute I got to spend there. 

As I sat there, I made a list of all the answers I received through the scriptures.

I felt some much needed peace and received a lot of comfort in the answers I found in my scriptures.

 I left knowing that everything was going to be okay. 

I wonder how people get through their lives without the gospel. 

I don’t know what the future brings or how I am going to manage but one thing I do know is that the Lord loves me and He will guide me along the right path. 

How grateful I am for my Lord and Savior.

Picture Smicture!

I love pictures.
And.

I haven't blogged in a loooong time.

So ere go, I will blog the recents of my life in pictures:

Babysat my little cousin:

 Spend all my time in my parents pool when I go home:

 Celebrated Fathers day with my daddy, I love this man:

 Went down to the Manti Pageant with my Stake, my first time, it was interesting:

 I've spent houuuurs reading in my spare time:

Went up to NSL for a 4th of July party with my dad's side of the family:

Played lots with my cousins cute daughter:

Hung out with my cute Mom:

Went and saw the Shakespeare play, Hamlet, with one of my friends:

Spent lots of times at my apartment's pool:

Spent time with some of my best friends! I've loved having Hud home from her mission and Chels in Utah for a couple weeks:

Had a baby shower for Miss Katie Ann:

Heated up hot water at my apartment so I could have a hot bath. We have the minimum amount of hot water:

Went to watch Meg perform her Pom routine at her first Cheer Camp at the U. I love this girl: 

Saw another one my bests, Nicky. 

Was reminded of how important the gospel is in my life:

Got to see my little cousin:

And got to babysit C while working at the office:

Went boating up at Pineview. I love the lake!

Swam with these two:

Went up to Megs Cheer camp on the last day with this stud:

Hung out with the Mom and brother:

Took pictures of Megan's cheer squad:

He's a trooper for hanging out with a bunch of girls all day:

Made friends with Jen:

Hung out with Meg and her friend Emily:

I love both of these girls:

Isn't she cute? 

Love spending time with Meg and my mom:

Love my family:

Meg, Jen (Emily's big sister), and Emily:

Went swimming again! I love summer for this reason:

Hung out at my parents pool with a bunch of family friends:

Attempted to watch a movie with these two, but they were exhausted so my dad and I watched "17 Again". Haha:

And enjoyed spending a couple of days with my family:

I love pictures! Happy Summer!