Twenty Five

How did this happen? How am I possibly 25? I have no idea, time has gone by  way too fast. Mostly, I don't feel old. In fact when I am asked how old I am, I have to think about it.  I guess I just still feel like I'm only 18.
Besides my irrational or slightly rational fear of becoming completely grey, I am glad I'm no longer 18. I have grown more in the last few years in ways I never knew I could. I wouldn't recognize myself even a year ago.
Time has been good to me. I'm developing new talents and discovering a new Rachel. Did you know that I can act? I can and I'm not that bad. I'm still new, but I can cry on a dime and I pick up direction very quickly.  Marla says I'm a natural. I'm no where near as good as Beth Anne. But I'm not horrible and that's really cool. Who would have thought? Definitely not me and acting is more fun than I thought it would be. For the 2 or 3 hour class I don't have to be me. I'm somebody anybody else and that's a breath of fresh air.
Gradschool has taught me one thing above all else. Group work is hand-holding and babysitting.  I hate group work. I can love a person and when I have to work with them, my opinion completely changes and I can hate them. Work ethic is not equal and everyone is getting burnt out. Senioritious has hit and it's only 3rd quarter. That is not good because we still have 3 more months, 3 more terrible terrible months.
I'm pretty lucky, when it comes to winning tickets on the radio. Did you know that I won Katy Perry tickets? I was caller 14. Crazyyyyyy!!! I wish that luck could move to other parts of my life, but if it's just winning tickets I'm not complaining. Winning is a thrill, it's shocking. It definitely takes a couple minutes or days to really sink in. Pinch me, please? This can't be real life.
Side note, random jump over to the Gilbert Temple. My Dad got VIP passes and I got to tour it before the public and we got to see extra rooms. All I can say is,"WOW!" This temple is the most beautiful place I have ever seen! I have always been impartial to which temple I want to get married in. But now,  it HAS to be the Gilbert Temple. I got to see the bridal room. I can see myself there one day. The bridal room wasn't even the most beautiful room in the temple, but man oh man that room was perfect and I want to get ready for my wedding there one day. The Celestial room was breath taking, the chandelier had to be worth a trillion dollars. If I could, I would live in that room. The sparkles, seriously the sparkles, I can't even handle the sparkles. I could stare at them forever! Anyways, I'm in love. It's Heaven on Earth.
Mostly I just want to say that I am truly blessed. I can't imagine being 50, but I hope the next 25 years are better than my first.
XOXO

i've been blessed

I know that I've been blessed. These past few years have been extremely difficult, however I've been given tender mercies along the way. 
Side note: I realized something today, it's my new mantra, "If you don't do it, it's not getting done." Lets just say I've been motivated lately and that I've got some ideas. 
Happy New Year!
I'll make a post about my precious niece and Christmas. 

Let it Go

Seesters

So two epic movies have come out recently, and they make me grateful for my sisters. 
Lets talk about Hunger Games… it was fan-freaking-tastic. I loved every minute of Catching Fire. 
But I love the relationship that Katniss has with her sister Prim most.  It reminds me of my relationship with BB. Being a few years older than Beth Anne, without a doubt I would have volunteered as tribute for her. I am just so grateful that BB is my sister, I don't know what I would do without her. God did good bringing us together, because I couldn't have gone through the past few years with out her by my side. 

I am really lucky because I am the middle sister. So I know what it is like to be the older sister and the younger sister. The best of both worlds being  the protector and being looked after. 

Frozen was the cutest movie I have seen in awhile. A total sister movie and I was a total sap about it, I cried twice. In this movie I can relate to Anna, the younger sister. I feel like I'm kinda awkward and goofy like her. And Becky reminded me of Elsa. I remember Becky locking her door when all I wanted to do was play with her, like older sisters do. But the love that Anna and Elsa had for each other, saved each other. Just like I know Bec would do anything for me like I would do anything for her.Basically, I am the luckiest girl ever to have these two beauties as my seesters. Love you Becky and Beth Anne, more than you will ever know. 

A five month update.

I don't know where I have been the last five months, but it's hasn't been on my blog.
Actually I do know where I've been. I have been deep in books for graduate school and in my spare time I've gone on a few adventures.
1. Disneyland.
I was lucky, extremely lucky, because I won 4 Disneyland tickets off the radio. I didn't do it for me and I think that is why I was blessed to win them. My dear friend Shalai, left on a mission, but before she did we wanted to have a going away vacation. A last bonding hurrah! But Shalai's sister was getting married the weekend she was leaving and she needed to save for her mission, so without winning them she would not have been able to go. So I decided, I would win them for her. Upon hundreds of phone calls to the station and hours of listening to the radio for key words and the time to call in, I won by texting in Goofy. I got the phone call right before a group stats exam. Lets just say I was not very much help to my group.
2. Actually at Disneyland
When we actually got there, I had the time of my life.  Memories that I will never forget. From getting kicked out of the Ariel ride. Who gets kicked out of Ariel? Well, Shalai found out that you are not allowed to kiss a "cast members" hand.  We also ran into the actress that plays Alison DiLaurentis in Pretty Little Liars. Which just so happens to be my favorite tv show. Basically, it made my life. Sasha Pierterse was extremely kind to us and equally beautiful. Basically, we were extremely blessed and I am very grateful for that experience.
3. Sending off of Sister Shalai.
Not going to lie, it is hard to send of a friend on a mission. I have done it quite a few times now. But it was really really hard sending off Shalai. A piece of my heart is now in Virginia.
4. Grad School.
Grad school is harder than I thought it would be. It has not only been academically challenging but emotionally too.  I thought that I had faced my greatest fears, but it seems that I was challenged again. I guess I still have much to learn and still need to grow. But, I'm bucking up and can't allow gossip about me to bring me down, especially when I have come so far. Even after some great pep talks from good friends and family, it doesn't help the negative feeling of being talk about. Only I have power over myself and my thoughts. So I can't let the thoughts of others, which I can't control, affect me. All I can do is keep going and so I will try.
5. Family.
I am so happy that my Uncle Jason and Aunt Laura and their babies moved back from New Zealand. They bring so much love and joy to everyone around them. We got to spend Halloween and Thanksgiving with them. I could burst, trying to explain how much I love those little ones. Each has their own unique personality and are so sweet.
Beth Anne and I took the two older girls to see Frozen today. A movie about sisters and their love. It made me cry twice… I am such a boob. But I loved that sweet Emily, made me a best friend necklace t. I am just so very grateful to have these beautiful babies back in my life and watch them grow into just wonderful girls.

I have so much to be grateful for and I am. "It is not the happy people who are thankful, but thankful people who are happy." And I am happy because I am grateful. 

Minions.

I have fallen in love with minions. It is sad and funny that my closest doppleganger is a purple minion. My hair can get a little wild, but that's ok.

Minion Run is my new FAVORITE APP! You get to ride the Fluffy Unicorn in the sky sometimes, and collect the bananas. It's great fun.

And last night, my Dad fell asleep on the couch and I was inspired to sing the Minion Lullaby. BB said, "I bet you think you're so clever, don't you?" I do. It was clever. The song is funny. 

So great is my love for minions I think I want to be one for Halloween. I'm pretty sure it would be fairly easy to make a hat and find some overall's and a yellow shirt. It's an excellent plan. 

ROAR!

My new MANTRA! Playing on repeat. You're gonna hear me ROARRRRRR!