Those Crazy, Stupid Things I do

Me in Wal-Mart Earlier This Summer

"I get a little bit bigger but then, I admit, I'm just the same as I was. Now, don't you understand? I'm never changing who I am!" -'It's Time' by Imagine Dragons

Life is just full of random, crazy things to do!  I was a lot more mellow before I became friends with Jandee, Courtney, and Emily.  By the time we were out of middle school, they loosened me up quite a bit!  We've all always been a little crazy in our own ways, but I think we all shared our portion of craziness with the others and now we're pretty well-rounded in the crazy department!  I was always the loud, obnoxious, class clown-type crazy.  Emily, was always the freak out, spastic crazy, and the sarcastic, smart aleck crazy.  She's also the craziest driver!  Jandee is the expressive, open, girly crazy.  She's also totally open about bodily functions and completely boy crazy.  Courtney is the climbing, playing with fire, toilet papering-type crazy.  Now, we just get together to make one insane, crazy group.
On of our favorite traditions is riding the "Granny Carts" every time we go to Wal-Mart.  Stupid? Yes. Slow? Yes. Fun? Definitely.  The first time Emily and I did it, we wore a fake knee brace so we wouldn't get caught.  However, we eventually learned that you don't need any props or anything.  If you just master the "bored look" like you can see in the picture, no one will ever question you.  It's so much fun!
I love doing those crazy, stupid things I do!  I know that I face a lot of "growing up" over these next few years and that I will probably change in a lot of different ways.  However, I know that I will always be me, and that's what truly matters!  We are all meant to grow and develop and mature, and all of these things require change.  However, I know that even though I will change, I will never become an entirely new person.  Although the crazy things I do will probably be a lot different from the crazy things I do now, I know that I will always be doing those crazy, stupid things I do.

Girls Camp!!!

Technically, I'm not in Young Women's anymore...crazy!  However, the stake invited graduated girls to come up to camp to help out with their wards.  So, I found myself in this awkward not-just-a-girl-but-not-quite-a-leader stage...I loved it! I was able to help out with Solo Time and some devotionals, but I still got to sleep with the girls and participate in all the games.  I didn't have to do certification or anything, either. Loved it!  I got to go to several meetings with the ward and help plan, and they were actually pretty fun!

The Fortress

Ward Theme: "Arise and Shine Forth Through Fabulous Friendships"

The "Fortress of Fabulosity"

Celebrating 100 Years of Camp

The Sleeping Arrangement 

 

 

One of the things we got most excited about as we planned Girls Camp was our "Fortress of Fabulosity."  I've been to four different Girls Camps at Cedar Mountain since I was twelve, but this was the first time that we didn't stay in tents.  Instead, each ward had its own little bunker.  As much as I love/prefer "roughing it" a little bit, the bunker was a lot of fun, it felt like a giant sleepover!  I came up a day late because of work, but I still got to spend two nights in there.  Each night was, of course, filled with boy talk.  I remember that, as a Beehive, the dating stories the Laurels told were totally enchanting.  When your twelve years old, everything in the boy world still seems so magical!  Well, it took me a little longer than most, but this year I was finally able to share a good story or two, and the young girls just soaked it up and enjoyed every little detail! It was fun to finally be on the other side.

This was also the 100th Year of Girls Camp in the Church, so the Stake asked each ward to do something involving the number 100 to help commemorate the event.  We decided to post "100 Reasons Why We Love Girls Camp" all over the outside of our bunker.  It looked cute, but boy, it sure was a pain to get the stickers off when pack-up day came around!

The Boy Flag

Morgan, Madison Stucki, Taylor Cooney, me, Rachel Milne, Olivia Brooks, Sarah Milne, Whitni Atkin

One of our favorite ward traditions is called the "Boy Flag."  Every year, we get a tablecloth that we designate for writing our crushes names all over it so that, a year later, we can pull it back out, laugh at old memories, and burn it.  Since my whole in between leader and girl stage gave me quite a bit of free time, I covered that flag!  I was writing between letters, inside of other hearts, on the corners, etc.  I know that, even though I'll be gone next year, they will think of me every time they see that flag, because I certainly left my mark!  Good times.

 Finding Neverland

 An extremely unattractive picture of me, Whitni

Oh, how I love my Whitella!  Because I came late and she left early, we only had about one day together at camp, but we certainly made the most of it.  During some of our down time, we decided to make a quest to find "Neverland" so we don't have to grow up and separate this Fall.  We found a lovely place that we claimed to be Neverland, but we eventually decided not to stay there because we both want to get married at some point in life.  We did a few dramatic little role plays there, though, so it was a good time.

Survivor Champions!

Our Fun Ward!

We played a "Survivor Game" the first morning I was there, and we had a total blast!  There were physical, spiritual, cheering, and eating competitions.  In the end, we came out on top. Go LV5!

 

Reflection

Final Time Singing "Light on a Hill"  (I'm in the white in the middle of the second row, and yes, I was crying!)

When we sang the Stake Theme Song one last time, I found myself in tears as I realized that this was my last Girls Camp. I looked around at all the amazing girls in my ward family and thought about how much I was going to miss them.  After the song, Taylor Stewart came up and hugged me and I lost all control.  She reminded me of another family I would soon leave behind: my teammates. 

 Camp "Little Thunder" on Cedar Mountain has always been the place I find myself just before embracing a big change.  First, with BH3 when I was twelve and adjusting to Intermediate School and Young Womens. Second, also with BH3 just before moving to Layton.  Third, with BH3 (as a guest) a year after returning from Layton and just after joining LV5.  Each time, I spent a little while reflecting on all that had changed and how far I had come.  It always touched me to see the way that Camp gave me the strength to face whatever change I was struggling with, or to reflect on all the blessings that had come to my life because of a recent change.  This year, I came to Cedar Mountain just before facing my biggest change yet: going out into the world.  Being up there really helped me realize the beautiful part that the Lord has played in leading my life in this direction and sending me trials that would make me the person that I am.  Before I know it, maybe I'll be back at "Little Thunder" as a full-fledged leader, wife, and mother, and I will more fully be able to understand the Lord's plan for me.

Runner Girl Problems: #001

You finally get bored enough at work to give in and try Temple Run, but keep crashing because you're too distracted by the guy's bad form to pay attention to the sharp turns...

My Friends are all Amazing and I'm a Telestial Being

Emily Brown: Seminary Council, going to Mission Prep since Junior Year, BYU Student, Academic All  State, Salutatorian, General Sterling Scholar, voted most likely to succeed, Soccer Captain, Softball Captain, spoke at Stake Conference, goes to the Temple every week, Homecoming Royalty, Jazz Band, Chamber Choir, great with her siblings, domestic, and basically perfect in every way.

Jodi Fisher: "I'm not going to Senior Ball, I'd rather watch the Saturday session of conference with my family," Jr. Prom royalty, voted best smile, High Honor Roll, BYU Student, Seminary Council, goes to the Temple every week, FCCLA, I walk into her room and she's got the Preach My Gospel Manual out on her bed all highlighted and whatnot, etc.

Kyle Owens: Seminary Council, High Honor Roll, Senior Ball Royalty, works all the time, somehow pulls off being a total hater yet being completely Celestial, Stake Youth Council, Chamber Choir, lead singer and guitarist of an awesome band, songwriter, takes Summer Institute, etc.

Jake Powell: Academic All State, High Honor Roll, goes to the Temple every week, writes in a scripture journal every night, obsessed with his family, extremely athletic, Stake Youth Council, Cross Country Captain, "I can't believe how gross and worldly that was," Ms. May always read his essays to our class, got the Red Chord, First Team All Region in Soccer, HOSA, plans on going to Medical School, Bishop's son, probably going to be an Apostle one day.

Jandee Madsen: Laurel President, Special Needs Mutual, Stake Youth Council, takes Summer Institute, would do anything for the people she loves, loves giving blood, Chamber Choir, obsessed with helping people, wants to be a nurse.

Nefi Oliva: Obsessed with journaling, always tells me to keep a journal, always a perfect gentleman, makes friends in like two seconds, keeps like a thousand different journals, Success Academy Kid, BYU Student, takes Summer Institute, etc.

Courtney Weeks: Amazing Cook, super domestic, great with her siblings, High Honor Roll, Senior Ball Royalty, can do anything outdoors, super organized and good with planning, never lets life get her down, works super hard, one of the best painters in the State, etc.

Berkley Bundy: Amazing soccer player, HOSA, High Honor Roll, voted Most Athletic, Homecoming Royalty, boy magnet, Soccer Captain, Bishop's Daughter, amazing basketball player, takes Summer Institute, playing for Dixie State Soccer in the fall, etc.

Eric Hall: Leaving for a mission in September, totally innocent, Salutatorian, spoke at Stake Conference, always working, goes to bed super early, takes Summer Institute and Summer Semester Classes, etc.

McKay Cummings: Student Body President, chosen to represent our school at BYU, Homecoming Royalty, plans on being a vet, wins just about everything, "McKay Show," star of all the musicals, jazz band, very strong in his faith, etc. 

Aaron Holden: leaving for a mission soon, always takes people on amazing adventures, voted Best Smile, High Honor Roll, Exec Council, has a sweet little motorcycle, has a million friends, pretty much one of the nicest, funniest people ever.

I'm SO incredibly grateful for such amazing friends.  They've really built me up and helped me become better.  Their example has affected me in ways I can't even describe--I am me because of them!  There is no one else I would have rather spent my time in high school with.  But really, they make me feel like such a slacker! They're all so perfect.

Throwback Thursday: "Bicken" on Valentines Day

Lauren and Me February 14, 2009

Oh, that year that I spent in Layton! So many fun memories.  One of my favorites was my Valentines Day with Lauren! We got pretty crazy.  We wanted to eat Ramen Noodles for our romantic dinner, but we couldn't decide between Beef or Chicken flavors, thus, Bicken was born. It was actually pretty good!  We did a lot of other crazy things that night.  I remember making creepy, crazy Valentines Day cards for our friends. 
One thing about this picture that strikes me is how insanely pale I look!  We've always made fun of Jandee for being white, but when I came down to St. George to visit after spending the winter in Layton, she was extremely tan compared to me! It was insane.  Now that I'll be living in the snow again, I'll probably return to that lovely pale state.  Or maybe I'll just snowboard a lot and get a cool goggles tan line?
I really, really miss Layton some times.  It was a really hard time in my life, but there were so many amazing people that filled my life with joy.  It was fun hanging out with the Laurens (yes, my two best friends had the same name!) because they were so different from my friends in St. George, but still so fun and crazy!  The guys that I met there were awesome as well!  I had a lot of fun, and I'm so thankful that I was lucky enough to spend some time there, even if it was hard!

The Qualities in a Husband List

Random internet picture that I love

We had a baby blessing in church today, after which Brother Mertlich stood up and talked about how the father of the baby was joining the group of new fathers in the back of the room.  He made a joke (big surprise) about how he thought that it was just an excuse for the men to stand back and eat Cheerios and Froot Loops during Sacrament.  Then, he went on and talked about fatherhood.  I looked around the room to see several men taking care of babies, and my whole heart completely melted.
Not a day goes by that I don't think about, imagine, and pray for my future husband. I hope one day to find someone who will be as good with our kids as I could see that those men were with theirs. There have been countless times in my life where my YW leaders have encouraged me and the other girls to make a list of the qualities we want in a future spouse.  Mine has changed a little from time to time, but the general feel has been the same.

An RM who worthily holds the Priesthood

Someone who will be a great father to my children 

Someone who will righteously use his Priesthood to bless our home 

Someone who can be a great leader and teacher

  Someone with great knowledge

 Someone who will work hard to help provide for the family

  Someone who is willing to compromise and sacrifice

Someone who loves the outdoors

Someone who will go on runs with me

Someone that I can talk to easily

Someone with a great sense of humor

Someone I can trust

Someone who isn't afraid to be a little crazy

Someone who gives the Gospel full commitment

 Someone that will attend the Temple with me often

Someone who loves music

Someone who can be a morning person

Someone who is optimistic

Someone who is adventurous

Someone with good communication skills
Someone who will still roller blade with me when we're 60
Someone who can come up with fun, creative things to do
Someone who can make me laugh uncontrollably
Someone who will laugh at my stupid jokes
 Someone who makes their own stupid jokes
Someone who can be romantic
Someone who is a good listener, but also talkative
Someone that I could never get bored of

Someone that will be my best friend throughout all eternity

There's also the physical things, too.  I'm a bit of a sucker for blue eyes,  but they're not at all a requirement!

 

During my first week of work, Dallon insisted on watching "Music Man" six times.  There were two parts that really struck me.  One of them is a song called "Goodnight, My Someone."

A young girl asks Marian, the lead female, who she can say goodnight to on the evening star since she doesn't have a lover.  Marian says that she says goodnight to her "someone."  This made me think of a challenge one of my YW leaders issued to each of us to pray for our future husbands every night.  She said that even though Heavenly Father does not choose our spouses for us or have one person that we're destined to marry, He knows us well enough that He probably knows who we will choose to marry.

The other part is where Marian is telling her mom about the qualities she wishes for in a future husband.  She sings, "Someone who is more interested in me than in himself and more interested in us than in me."  I loved that!  It would also be very fitting if you replaced "us" with God.  In YW, we've always been taught the "Love Triangle" where marriages are strongest if each spouse loves God first and their partner second.  When I was younger, I pictured myself getting jealous if my husband loved that way.  However, I understand now that the more he loves God, the greater capacity he will have to love me.

Well, I don't know who he is.  He could already be one of my best friends, he could be someone I know of, he could be a complete stranger.  I don't know when he will take me to the Temple, but I'm preparing now to be ready for that day.  I am trying to become the person on my list so that I can be worthy of the person on the list.  I pray for him every night and strive to be worthy of him.

I really do think about marriage a lot.  Although my friends (especially Jandee) think that I am boring and unromantic since I'm not usually totally open with this sort of thing, I think Brianna, one of the girls from the team, said it best when we were working the Sno Shack together a couple weeks ago:

"I believe that at heart, every girl is just a hopeless romantic!"

Wise, true words from a 15 year old girl.