Finding Joy

I love people. I love meeting new people, learning about who they are and what makes them who they are. I also love people watching. Sounds creepy but I really could sit at the mall and watch people for hours on end. It’s so fascinating! I’m always amazed when I look into a crowd of people and realize that every single person has a story. A story so vastly different than mine and yet I’m sure we can find some similarities in there as well. How cool is that? Everyone has a story.

We live in a world made for comparison. We constantly see images of others peoples lives, see updates, see the success that others are having etc. etc. Social Media is a wild place. I’ve had my fair share of conversations with many people about the positives and negatives of social media. I agree there are a number negative things associated with social media and I also agree that a lot of good can come from sharing our lives with those around us. Often we can fall into the trap of comparing our stories with the ones we see on our feeds. A lot of “why don’t I…” and “that doesn’t seem fair…” comments arise and I am definitely guilty of falling into the hole. What’s important to remember is that each of our stories are so incredibly unique to our own situation that comparison is almost impossible. In a blessing I received a long time ago, it said that I would learn to find joy in the success of others. What a joyful idea! To find happiness when others succeed instead of instantly comparing their lives to mine. It’s also an interesting idea. How can I partake of someone else’s success if I’m not benefiting from it at all? I have a feeling that it’s not only possible but it will help ease the comparing, slow down the worries and make your own lives that much more enjoyable.

My challenge this week to myself and to whoever wants to join with me is to find joy in your own successes but also the success that others have. Let’s see what happens 🙂

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Presidents’ Day Adventure

Thank goodness for Monday Holidays! It makes the weekend one day longer and the week one day shorter. Trent and I slept in, big time, went to a small pottery studio with some friends and then as we were driving home, Trent suggested that we take my little sisters rock climbing. For Christmas I had given Trent a rock climbing harness and although we are no professionals, it is fun for us! We called up the girls and headed up Big Cottonwood Canyon. The day was gorgeous! It was a little windy down in the valley but as soon as we made it into the canyon the wind stopped. We hiked back to the wall, where Trent and I had been before, and it ended up being a perfect adventure. My little sisters were braver than I was and it was fun to spend time with them. Trent belayed all of us and I think we wore him out but he got to climb too! The day was beautiful and we all got so excited for springtime and now it’s snowing…gotta love Utah weather.

I think I will deem this sweatshirt my adventure sweatshirt because I wear it pretty much every time we do anything…

Trent literally pulled me off my feet.

So Here’s the Story…

This week makes an entire year since Trent proposed and I answered the easiest question I’ve ever been asked. I’ve told the story multiple times but never written it out. Hopefully anyone who stumbles across this might find some enjoyment but this is probably more for me than for you.

My two other sisters had just previously gotten engaged and my twin sister was just a couple weeks away from getting married. Trent and I had talked about getting married and I was hoping he would propose but I thought it would probably be after Emma’s wedding just to let things settle down a bit.

The week leading up to Friday, February 19th, was so busy, especially for Trent. He was helping his Dad up at the farm as well as doing lots of homework, or so he said. In reality he was up at the farm with his brother multiple days in a row making sure everything was going to be perfect. He asked me to go on a group date with some of his mission buddies on Friday night and Emma had a wedding shower that same night. I asked my parents if I could leave a tad early from the shower to go on this group date and they said yes but still made me feel somewhat guilty…those little stinkers, they were in on the whole thing.

Friday night came and it felt like I hadn’t seen Trent in FOREVER. I just wanted to chat his ear off. The shower was fun and then right before we were going to leave, the group date was cancelled. Trent suggested we go ice skating instead. We drove downtown and as we were chatting, a random number called Trent. He asked me if I thought he should answer it and I thought he should. It ended up being his brother who had apparently dropped his phone up at Cascade Springs, this beautiful nature reserve up in Midway. He was going to be at a work meeting till late and he asked if we would be willing to go and get it. Trent was a little tentative, he’s an incredibly good actor, but I assured him that it would be a fun adventure! Trent and I are always up for those late night adventures and he knew that. I set myself up perfectly for the entire thing!

We quickly stopped by his house to grab some warmer clothes and then we took off to the farm. I texted my dad to tell him we were going to be late that night and he just told us to be safe and text him when I got home. Little did I know that the minute I had left the wedding shower the family had jumped into action and they were already halfway up to the farm to get into place. My family and Trent’s family rode up to Cascades Springs in a great big caravan of snowmobiles. My little sister, Hope, always comments that it was so cool and they felt like they were in an  action movie of some sort driving up in the night.

Trent and I made it up to the farm and we took off up to Cascades Springs which is about a 15-20 minute ride. The night could not have been more perfect. There was a full moon, the sky was perfectly clear and it wasn’t too cold either. As we were driving we passed a couple snowmobiles on the side of the road that Trent commented must have come from earlier that day. False. It was actually our family driving up before us whose snowmobiles had over heated…I had no clue. As we arrived at Cascades I saw some lights in the back and Trent said they were just cabins back there. We got off of the snowmobile and started walking through the springs looking for the phone. As we got closer to the top where a little bridge is, I started noticing individual lights. My heart stopped and I think all I could say was, “Are you serious?” He eventually got me up on the bridge and knelt down and asked me to marry him. I of course said, “YES!” Right after that, fireworks erupted in the sky.  Fireworks!!! I was dying! Then both our families came out of hiding to congratulate us and we went down to the farm for hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls. It was the sweetest, most unforgettable night and I’m so grateful for Trent making it such a surprise. I had no idea! I was so glad that both our families got to be a part of such a sweet experience. We all just talked and laughed about both sides of the story. I loved hearing every little detail and it turned out to be quite an adventurous night for all of us!

To make things even more unforgettable, Trent, his brother and I had to go rescue one of the overheated snowmobiles after all the festivities. I think I ended up getting home around 4 A.M. That’s okay…I couldn’t have fallen asleep anyway. 😉

Thailand 2017

Our passports have arrived and now I feel like I can actually start thinking about our trip this spring. I begin teaching in the fall and so we thought that this summer would no better time to take a trip across the world! Thailand here we come!! We are heading out in May and we couldn’t be more excited. It will be one of our bigger adventures so far but hopefully not the last. There are so many places I want to see in the world!

Now for all you world travelers out there, especially you Thailand travelers…what do you recommend us doing? We will be visiting Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Krabi. What should be do? What’s your advice? We want to hear it all!

Yay for adventures!

Birthday!

Today, February 2nd, may or may not be my favorite day of the whole year…it totally is. I am in love with birthdays. Is there anything more fun than celebrating someone you love for a whole day? I don’t think so! So I am especially in love with today because I get to celebrate my favorite person’s birthday! Trent is turning 23. Woot! Woot! Best day ever!!!

Tonight we are going out with Trent’s family. Tomorrow is his birthday date! Wahoo! And Sunday we’re celebrating with my side of the family. So much to look forward to!

I’ve known Trent for a long time…in fact, I think it was around this exact time 6 years ago that we first became friends in math class. Emma and I switched into that class at the beginning of the semester and we sat right next to Trent. I thank Heavenly Father often for that little miracle.

So..for Trent’s birthday I thought I would tell you 23 things I love about Trent.

1. He loves me…all the time. Even when I’m grumpy or moody or just plain tricky to love. He loves me.
2. His willingness to learn about things that I love. I think in the past couple years Trent has heard more about dance, music and teaching than he had his entire life.
3. His willingness to share the things he loves with me. Trent could easily take a buddy on his adventures but more often then not, he invites me.
4. Trent is always happy. Even when it’s the worst situation possible and there is no reason to be happy, he finds a way to be happy.
5. His love for the outdoors. He loves to be outside, doing everything and anything.
6. His stories. Trent has some crazy stories from his teenage years and I could listen to them forever.
7. I love Trent’s willingness to try new things with me. It may not be the first thing on his list, but he is always so supportive.
8. He always knows what to do. We’ve had our fair share of dangerous situations and I’m always amazed at how Trent pulls through. (Just ask me about when our boat caught on fire…)
9. I love how Trent loves his mission. Whenever he talks about it, it’s with a passion and a love that amazes me every time.
10. He has such an adventurous spirit. He thinks of the wildest ideas and then somehow convinces me to tag along and I always have fun. 
11. He loves Mexican food as much as me.
12. He has a scary good Paul Walker impersonation.
13. He loves to make new friends.
14. I love how much Trent loves the Gospel and how much he loves teaching Sunday School in our Ward. (The kids in his class bring treats every week so what’s not to love but still.)
15. I love how much Trent loves all of his family but especially his Mom. They have the sweetest relationship and I love it.
16. I love how much Trent loves my family! He is always so go with my little sisters and we all love having him around.
17. I love that Trent picked me. He could have picked anyone in the world, and he picked me. We had a wild ride after our missions (story for another time) but I just feel so blessed that he chose me.
18. I love Trent’s hands. They always show the stresses of life but they also show the adventures of life and I can do anything with his hand in mine.
19. I love how respectful Trent is of me.
20. His adventures. There is nothing like them. Sometimes they’re planned and other times we just pull over on the side of the road and go climb a mountain. Never a dull moment with this wonderful boy.
21. I love what an incredibly hard worker Trent is.
22. I love how Trent and I can be so goofy together. The other day we were saying something back and forth to each other  and someone asked if we were quoting a movie…nope, that’s just our life.
23. I simply love life with him. There is nothing better.

I am forever grateful for my forever adventure buddy, my love and best friend.

Happy Birthday darling!

Photography: Alyssia B. Photography