Attitude of Gratitude

I have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. The blessings that have come to me and my family this last year have been plentiful and I know that the Lord knows me personally and is aware of my needs. Here's a list of just a few things I am grateful for on this day of thanks:

1. My wonderful family that grew by 2 members this year, Victoria and Ethan. Also the amazing strength with which my parents have led our family through this last year and a half since moving to Utah. It hasn't been easy, but they have kept it together and they do what's right with all their heart and trust the Lord with the rest.
   
2. The gospel and my Savior's atonement. I know that whatever I go through, He has been through it too and can help me along.
   
3. The opportunity I have to go to BYU and combine my spiritual with my temporal knowledge to be able to serve throughout my life.
4. Angels among me that I come in contact with every day, namely my friends who are an amazing strength and support to me.
5. The Holy Ghost, His promptings that keep me making the right decisions to get me where I need to be.
6. My health - yes I pass out frequently, but I am grateful it is nothing more serious than that.
7. Music...everything about music...especially being able to be in the BYU Women's Chorus for my third year. The friendships I have made are amazing and the spirit I feel on a daily basis strengthens me more than I can probably ever know.

Engagements photo shoot :)

One of my best friends, Amy, gave me the wonderful opportunity of taking her engagement pictures. She and Trent are 2 of the neatest people in the world and I wish them the best. I'm so glad I got to spend an afternoon with them doing this shoot.

Photography taking flight...

Some girls in my ward I did a roommate photo shoot for down on Provo Center Street. Such fun girls...loved it!

The glass is half full

I think I have finally figured something out: I like me for me. Does that sound conceited? It's not intended to. I spent so much of my teenage years trying to conform to what people thought I should be like; what they would accept me as. Unfortunately, the only thing I got out of that was a dislike for myself, unhappiness, and stress. But over this last couple of years, and especially weeks, I have discovered who I really am, my goods and my bads, my strengths and my weaknesses, and I can embrace them and let them fuel my actions (maybe because I'm a psych major). I've noticed a big change this semester as I've accepted myself...I'm happier, more confident, and more approachable. So here are a couple of things about my innate self that, unless you have interacted with me in the last several months, you might not know. But this is me, and I'm happy.

I love life and people in it. I can handle conflict situations unless it is a conflict between people. I much prefer play over work...I'm way more likely to work harder at job I'm volunteering for than if I'm getting paid. Large groups energize me but I prefer small group discussion. I like doing short-term things where I can see an end in sight. I have a low tolerance for stress and scatter myself in too many directions. I love hugs and I love little kids (hugs from kids are especially special). I eventually want to work with high school kids because I think most people blow them off too quickly waiting for them to come out of their know-it-all phase when they need help getting through that phase first. I like to smile; sometimes I have a really big smile on my face and my friends think that I have some amazing story for them about a date or something but I don't usually, it's just nice to smile. :)

Haha, ok, I'm done now. Here are some pics from my most recent Women's Chorus concert. We did a Disney princess medley and wore tiaras and chiffon "goddess" shawls for "I Won't Say I'm in Love."

I had a bit of trouble decorating my tiara...not really my thing... :)
And yes, I still don't know how to do eyeliner properly...thank goodness for Jenny!