Let's see how far we've come

2012 I dare say you were one of the best years of my life.

2012 was my year.

Chrystalyn got married

Road tripped to Cali

Senior pictures

Went Skydiving

Lagoon

Mumford and Sons Concert

Sent my best friend on his mission

Sent my long time best friend on his mission

Add caption

Brotha got married

Senior Ball

Graduated

America Birthday Cake

Just Buttons and Bows!

Black Friday Shopping

FHE family

Went to Florida!

DisneyWorld :)

cut my hair!

Lagoon with mads

Nationals

Got a new partner

Met my girl Emily

Temple square date with Ben

Cruise to Alaska

My baby Wojtek

• Family all came out to visit
• Tour to California
• Formation 1st place both medleys
• Brother got married
• Wisdom teeth out
• Senior ball
• Festival of Colors
• BYU ballroom social
• Graduated High school
• Went on a date with Wojtek where we pretended to be engaged
• Dyed my hair only like 4 (?) times. Once was Blue
• Went to Stadium of Fire
• Trip to Florida
• Killed Josh Burr in Senior assassin after hiding in a bush for 2 hours
• Accepted to BYU
• Went on a road trip to Cali
• Worked at Kneaders
• Saw Hunger Games
• Went on a cruise to Alaska
• Monthly dinners with my grandparents
• Had the best summer you could ask for
• Went to Lagoon once with Mads and once with Alan
• Had sleepovers with Maren, Meg, Maddie, and Jayme
• Sent off my best friends in the world on missions
• Went to New York
• Played lots with Tana
• Senior all night party
• Started BYU
• Photographed Kyle Dray
• Played a Turkey bowl game where my bet friend broke a girls nose
• Got the best roommates
• I was Fhe mama
• yearbook, a capella, student gov, journalism
• Got a new partner
• Went on the perfect date to Sundance Moonlight ride
• Met the best people at BYU
• Road tripped to St George with Brenna
• Went Skydiving
• Placed in both youth pre-champ finals at nationals
• Got the best FHE family in the world
• Met Emily Kapral
• Loved People
• Finished my 1st semester of college with nothing less than an A-
• Best Christmas Ever
• MISSION AGE WAS LOWERED

Mads birthday

Best friends with wisdom removed

turkey bowl

Kyle Dray

St George with BrenBren

Morp

Stadium of Fire

Senior Assassin

Best friends on top of the world

Bes frannns going to ballroom social

2012. You lived up to every expectation I had and more.
This was it folks. This was my year.

Next year is the Lord's
#2013missionaryworkhereicome

Watching as the crowd rolled in

When I was cast in Liken the Scriptures series I remember being told something very important from my director. He said, "Lauren, with this role comes great responsibility. People will recognize you and know who you are. You have to make sure to be an example to goodness in all things that you do at all times because you never know what example you are setting and who is watching."

That was 8 years ago.

Today as I got in the elevator of the Tanner building a beautiful girl stumbled in her mind for a second before she asked,
"I'm sorry, are you in Liken the Scriptures?"

I laughed as I looked up from the text I was sending,
"Ha, yeah I am! I'm surprised you recognized me!"
She responded,
"I've seen you around campus and I've been watching trying to figure out if it was really you. Do you go to BYU?"

Immediately my mind raced back to the past 4 months I've had at this University.
Have I been kind? Was I always modest? Was I talking righteously? Was I friendly to those around me? Did my attitude reflect happiness? Did I act appropriately? Had I helped some one out that day or passed someone in need of help by? Did I have the spirit with me? Was I being the best I could be? What example had I been setting?

"Yes, I go here. That's super cool you recognized me. Are you from out of state? I actually realized people not from Utah usually have seen the series more than people who live here."

"Yeah, I'm from California."

The conversation continued on as we walked out the Tanner building to the street light.

"It was wonderful to meet you Britney!" I said as I waved goodbye.

All I could think as we parted was about what I had portrayed in my actions to that sweet girl. It was such a huge reminder that anyone can be watching at any time and to never ever lower my standards. God is always watching. How would I react if he confronted me about some of the things he's witnessed? It is imperative to be strong, and of a good courage, always abounding in good works at all times, with all things, and in all places.

cause we watched it 12 times

Somedays you don't do very well on finals.
And then you get discouraged about dance, and next semester, and missions, and dumb boys, and saying goodbye to best friends, and 2 weeks with no letter, and best friends you're already missing. And you just get sad and overwhelmed and then you knock on your best friends' door and they listen to you cry, pull you together, sit for an hour with you and help you study, then feed you delicious dinner.

The love I feel from the people in my life is more than I deserve. I am the luckiest girl there is.



On a unrelated note last night I think Alli, Rachel, and probably even Michael, Cade, Josh, and I laughed harder than we have in many many moons.

While we facetimed the boys at late hours of the night we went to each boys profile picture and commented on his very first picture he ever put up. SO funny. Then we all changed our cover photos to a picture of Michael. In Alli's case a picture of Michael with a girl she has never met before. Yay college. We are so funny.

We got all 8! Nailed it. 

Give me a reason and I won't break down

"When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.”       -John Lennon

College has been the biggest "happiness" boost in my life. I don't remember ever feeling constantly happy ALL the time ever before. Everyday here I am grateful for new things and I feel like I take on my trials much more graciously than I have in the past. One of the best things about college and moving out is all the people I've had the opportunity to meet. I've honestly meet more people who have instantly grown close to my heart than ever before!

Some of the best people I've been so blessed to meet are a couple girls in my hall.

There's me, Sarah, Rachel, Alli, and Maddie. 

This picture pretty much sums up our life story. Sarah is always crazy loud and I absolutely love how weird we can be together. I love how much we get along and agree on things as well. Rach is the sweetest funniest girl! She is so kind to do things like highlight my hair for me and let me borrow her things all the time. She knows how to have fun but honestly has such a tender heart. Alli is always concerned for other people. I don't know if I've ever met someone so conscious of how they make others feel and wanting EVERYONE to feel loved and included and I love that about her. Maddie, while yes, often glares at us and makes jokes about how we are the worst for not texting her back, or calling her, or making her boyfriend take us to Walmart at 10 pm for an hour (love you Randy!) is seriously such an amazing girl. She is so awe-inspiring and I've even told her I know she is going to change the world. She's one of those girls you know has the strongest spirit and is going places. She also always talks me through my problems whatever they are that day. 

I've only known these girls for a couple months but they are seriously some of my best friends. Who else's dorm would I fall asleep watching The Notebook on a school night and wake up still on their couch the next morning at, make frequent Spark runs, sit in an elevator with, volunteer at the MTC with, combine beds for massive sleep overs, appear in daily snap chats, and be able to talk about the gospel with? I love these girls so much I can't even express it! I can't wait for the rest of the year I have with these wonderful people!

Who knew college would be so much fun?

Love you girls.

I forget like an elephant

Last night I watched A Walk to Remember with my favorite 4 girls and bawled until 2 am.

I just love college.


“Do you love me?' I asked her. She smiled. 'Yes.' 'Do you want me to be happy?' as I asked her this I felt my heart beginning to race. 'Of course I do.' 'Will you do something for me then?' She looked away, sadness crossing her features. 'I don't know if I can anymore.' she said. 'but if you could, would you?' I cannot adequately describe the intensity of what I was feeling at that moment. Love, anger, sadness, hope, and fear, whirling together sharpened by the nervousness I was feeling. Jamie looked at me curiously and my breaths became shallower. Suddenly I knew that I'd never felt as strongly for another person as I did at that moment. As I returned her gaze, this simple realization made me wish for the millionth time that I could make all this go away. Had it been possible, I would have traded my life for hers. I wanted to tell her my thoughts, but the sound of her voice suddenly silenced the emotions inside me. 'yes' she finally said, her voice weak yet somehow still full of promise. 'I would.' Finally getting control of myself I kissed her again, then brought my hand to her face, gently running my fingers over her cheek. I marveled at the softness of her skin, the gentleness I saw in her eyes. even now she was perfect. My throat began to tighten again, but as I said, I knew what I had to do. Since I had to accept that it was not within my power to cure her, what I wanted to do was give her something that she'd wanted. It was what my heart had been telling me to do all along. Jamie, I understood then, had already given me the answer I'd been searching for, the answer my heart needed to find. She'd told me outside Mr. Jenkins office, the night we'd asked him about doing the play. I smiled softly, and she returned my affection with a slight squeeze of my hand, as if trusting me in what I was about to do. Encouraged, I leaned closer and took a deep breath. When I exhaled, these were the words that flowed with my breath. 'Will you marry me?” 

When I have grown a foot or two

I love missions.
I love all ya'll going on missions.
I love all ya'lls not going on missions.


But can I just say I am MISSION HUNGRY!!!

Everyone getting there calls it's not quite so much envy, I'm so happy for their calls, truly, it's just..... the want to have mine already!


Countdown has started.

168 days until May 2nd. The glorious day that I can turn in my papers.


Not too shabby right?

His eyes are way too close together

If You're a Bird, I'm a Bird.

So, I went Skydiving.

I'll stay here forever

This morning started off BLEH.

Bad:

• I woke up feeling horribly sick
• I had 10 minutes to get ready for class
• I forgot to eat breakfast
• Brandon mixed up our times of practicing 
• I forgot my homework for the next class
• I remembered that I'm in Gold I and it's not very fun....
• My hot chocolate burnt my tongue
• I can't go on the date I was asked out on for tomorrow because I have a comp
• still NO LETTER
•  I did bad on my tango test
• Still can't find my roommates bible that I lost

So then when I got to physical science I asked Sarah and Emily to  say 5 good things about today so that I would be in a better mood. The day has progressively gotten better since then!

Good:

• It's not snowing
• Emily said my hair looked cute
• I LOVE the chemistry we are learning
• I got asked on a date! (even though I can't go, decided it's awesome!)
• I get to go to dinner with my grandparents today
• I had a test in Ballroom so I only had to go to 10 minutes of class
• My mama is trying to get me a flight to Florida
• Gospel is true!
• this really good band played at lunch
• I figured out what classes I'm taking next semester
• My room has been clean for 2 weeks now
• I get to hang out with cute Emily from dance tonight
• I met some cool people at lunch
• I'm not in a wheelchair (thank you Sarah for that one)
• I love all the girls in my hall
• I got to drink hot chocolate this morning
• A guy who got my number today told me I remind him of Zooey Deschanel (I LOVE when people tell me that!!!)

The lord answers prayers! I asked this morning that he would help me to find the good in the day so that I could cheer up and he really has helped me see so many blessings!

You're about as happy as you make up your mind to be.

You've got a girl at home

Life is so wonderful!


Yesterday my sister's roommate tried to convince me to buy her contract for winter and all I could say is "but I love the dorms!"

I really do love it here. I've made such great friends and it seems we just party and keep on partying.


My FHE family is EXTREMELY close and we just love each other so much!

I'm loving dance lately, and I've excepted I might not ever be on tour team but that's okay! Everyone is so nice and I've made some wonderful friends I never knew I would and gotten to know ones I already knew even better!

Everyone is gong on missions and serving the Lord and it's so inspiring and grand. My testimony has grown so much while I've been here. Book of Mormon is one of the most spiritual classes I've ever taken and even though I don't ace the tests I'm learning things far more important.


I got to do a photo shoot for Just Buttons & Bows and I got to remember how much I love photography!

Point is I guess that we really are the ones who decide how happy we are going to be. Happiness is not a destination, it's an emotion! Once we realize that people will be happier more often.

If you want something you've never had then you need to do something you've never done.