twenty three years ago...

...my parents got married. twenty three years! that's getting up there. one thing i always love to do is watch my parent's wedding video. they're just so darn cute and so in love. every time i watch it i just hope that one day i can find someone who makes me just as happy as my parents make each other. i love you, mom and dad. and i hope you had a wonderful anniversary!

aren't they just the cutest?

who knew i would love art history so much

i love my art history class. why? because my teacher is kind of the best. and he has these one liners that just make you think. and i love it. today, the quote was:

"God sees you as you can be, but he loves you as you are, whatever that may be."

i'm pretty sure that this quote was meant for me. not because i feel like God doesn't love me or anything, but just because i feel like i can be so much more than what i am. and even though i already know it, it's reassuring to know that God has a plan for me so much greater than anything i have planned for myself. a lot of the time i wish i was more creative, artistic, stylish, athletic, whatever. but guess what? i can be those things. and i will be. i just need to see myself as my Heavenly Father sees me. but while i'm working on that, He still loves me. He wants me to be the best me possible, and I know that the only way to do that is with Him by my side.

art begins by revealing the artist to you but ends by revealing you to yourself. there's just so much truth in art that i never knew before. i love learning about it. it's simply beautiful.

*if you ever go to LDSBC, please take art history with brother gough. i pinky promise it will be one of the best classes you ever take.

only a tad jealous

right now my family is on a lovely cruise to estonia, denmark, sweeden, and russia. and i know i'm 'growing up' or whatever, but i'm still kinda sad they went without me. i've only been dying to go to these places since, i don't know, forever. but i really am happy that they get to have such a fun week with all their friends! just as long as they know they owe me some serious travel when i get back. : )  so, while they are here:

i kind of feel like i'm here:

or at least it feels like it. utah is too hot for this girl.

is seven weeks too early to start a countdown?

i'm going with no. because i'm just that excited.

in seven weeks i will be:
-home in the land of doners and schnitzel and pommes and h&ms galore.
-officially a college graduate
-spending time with my family
-headed to austria for a week
-eating my mom's delicious cooking
-going for walks on the german countryside
-planning a trip to paris
-enjoying gelato on a daily basis
-and so much more.


i'm so ready.

*i guess i'll be missing utah a little bit, too. okay... a lot. never thought i'd say that! : )*

lately

things i'm loving lately.

this book. seriously, it's so good.

parks and recreation. too funny.

lego house- ed sheeran. 

german food.

forty words: revised

at my high school graduation we each got forty words that they would read as we walked across the stage. forty words where we could say whatever we wanted and leave last and final mark on ramstein high school. random words, song lyrics, quotes, whatever. forty words that were the last words of our high school careers. and what did i say?

"Thanks to all my family and friends. I couldn't have done it without you."

that's it. that's all i said. in case you didn't notice, that is not forty words. not even close. it's only 14. don't get me wrong, i meant every one of those 14 words. but there were 26 more i could have used. so much could be said in 26 words.  (i've obviously thought about this a lot. probably too much. oh well.) there was silence as i walked across the stage. embarrassed much? when i wrote those words and turned them in, i had every intention of going in and changing them. i guess walking down the F hallway was just too much of a workout for me. i only had seminary in that room every. single. morning. but let's just forget i said that.

graduation pictures are all over facebook. i love looking at them and remembering just how i felt when i was in their shoes two years ago. excited. happy. relieved. and scared out of my mind. but what do i remember most about my graduation? the fact that i only used 14 words. so here are my revised forty words. the words i should have said.

"Germany. Friendships. Happiness. Rain. Traveling. Paris. Basketball. Seminary. Peanut Butter Twix. Strawberry chapstick. Vera Bradley. Family. Love. Airplanes. Blessings. Prom. Soda. Utah. Seewoog. H&M. Castles. Sven. Commissary sandwiches. Ling-ling. Cruising. Embarrassing moments. Laughter. Surprises. The time of my life."

i'm probably the only one that even remembers how little i said. but my parents will never let me live it down. so, this one's for them.

Class of 2010

what happens in utah stays in utah

when the bestfriend and i get together, there's no shortage of embarrassing moments. don't believe me? keep reading. you can't make this stuff up.

"Uhhh...did I just tell someone they couldn't go into the temple?" -Amanda

"Yes. Yes, you did." -Emily

"How's your night going?" -Grandpa

"It's going really good. I got a hot chick's number!" -Burger King Worker

"You want two more?" *looks at us* -Grandpa

"I already threw up a little in my mouth!" -Kid at Lagoon

"So how did you two end up in Temple Square today?" -Sister Missionaries

"Well. To be honest...I was trying samples in Sephora and they had bronzer stuff. So I tried it and it turned my finger brown. I had to wash it off. The visitor's center was the closest bathroom." -Emily

"But we like it here. It's so nice." -Amanda

"Are there any feelings there? I mean, how are you feeling in your heart?" -Grandma

"How long has this been here?" *looks at burger place* -Amanda

"Forever...a long time...Adam found it." -Grandpa

*After shopping at AE*

"Well. Now I have pants! Now I just need a shirt to go with them. And maybe some clothes for church." -Emily

"Did you bring anything with you?!" -Amanda

*While on the sky ride at Lagoon*

"Let's have deep conversation. -Emily

"Okay, what do you want to talk about? Let's think of something." -Amanda

....

"I just kicked that tree with my foot!" -Emily

"One difference between Burger King and McDonalds...at Burger King they speak English and at McDonalds they speak Spanish......not that there is anything wrong with Spanish. It's okay because I can understand Spanish." -Grandpa

"So have you two thought about serving a mission?" -Sister Missionaries

"Yes! We were just talking about that. We were saying we would love to. You guys have such cute clothes!" -Amanda

"But that wasn't the only reason..." -Emily

*Guy walks up steps to temple door*

"Yo! What the heck is this thing for?!" -Guy

"What did you guys get at CitiCreek?" -Sister Missionaries

"Pants!" -Emily

"Shorts!" -Amanda

"Oh! How nice. Stuff we no longer get to enjoy. You two will have to do that for us!" -Sister Missionaries