efy (part 1)

I've tried writing this post 1.2 million times.

That's definitely an exaggeration, but I have attempted over and over again to put the right words together to convey just how incredible my experience at EFY has been.

I've talked a lot about EFY on my blog ... I've been kind of obsessed with this program for the past 7 years. As I have gotten to have the EFY experience as a counselor this summer, my obsession has expanded and matured. EFY has always marked important life change decisions in my life, and the time that I spent as a counselor has been even more life changing.

A couple of the big life changes are as follows:

1. I am in the process of applying to be a teacher at the MTC.
2. I am transferring to school in Utah.
3. I am dating the most incredible human being.
4. I have felt my heart expand 150 sizes.

EFY has been quite the ride.

I'll expound later. I feel like I am at a loss for words - mostly because there is no way that I can adequately describe how I feel about EFY without the appropriate changes in voice inflection, arm waving, etc. But a wave of information and memories is coming. I promise.

you can't learn that in school

A couple of months ago, the following email popped up in my inbox.

"Dear Student,

The Admissions Office at Brigham Young University Idaho is pleased to offer you a special opportunity to attend this upcoming Spring 2015 semester in addition to your regular Fall/Winter track."

Aside from the fact that was a deeply impressed by the personalization of this letter, I was excited with the idea of being able to continue my studies at BYU-Idaho. Yes, dear reader, I was actually EXCITED to keep on studying, even after two semesters of heavy courses and responsibilities. Strangely, I was sad to be leaving behind paper writing and being a Relief Society president and busy work ... okay, maybe I wasn't too broken up over the busy work. 

Needless to say, college has been excellent for my personal development. As weird as this might sound, podunk Rexburg, Idaho, was my veritable paradise because of the constant availability of stimulating and novel opportunities. I won't be too far removed from this strange but wonderful college-town atmosphere -- when I move to Provo in the summer, I will be able to have similar experiences -- but in the meantime, I am back in sleepy ol' Waynesville, MO.

I decided in coming home that I was going to try to keep up having new learning experiences every day so as to not fall into a Netflix-binge depression. I didn't know how I was going to achieve this, seeing as I see at least seven people I know on an average trip to Wal-mart (thanks to my family living in the same place for twenty years). I have found, however, that instead of throwing my daily energy into building relationships with lots of different people, I am using this precious time that I have at home to build relationships with my family. They are my eternal best friends, and I have come to the conclusion that I only have a limited amount of time to show my adoration and appreciation.

Being home with this differently angled goal has been so much fun. My family is kind of like an exclusive club with our own humor and social cues, and it is awesome to participate now that I am officially feeling less post-RM awkwardness (it only took me ten months!). Even though the kids are at school during the day, I stay busy with house work and helping my parents. When the kids are home, I summon the energy to put together puzzles and hold tickle fight-club matches. The experiences that I am having are so very very different from my experiences at college ... but every day brings me just as much happiness and satisfaction.

I think that If I were in Rexburg right now, I would be having a ball. But if I were out west right now, there would be a lot of things that I couldn't do. I couldn't ruffle the boys hair as they play endless Studio C videos on YouTube. I wouldn't be learning the ins and outs of the family business. I couldn't talk to my mom about boy woes. I wouldn't be fixing broken radiators under Dad's watchful eye. I couldn't learn to build out-of-control fires that rival the Boy Scout equivalent. I wouldn't be able to visit Grandpa after his back surgery. I couldn't be chatting with Nandy about life while cleaning her house. I couldn't teach the primary kids at church about the insects and Jesus.

In other words, in my time at home, I have learned that everything in life has its season. I am glad that for this little season, Heavenly Father is allowing me to attend the university of life ... taught from within the walls of my childhood home. 

It just goes to show that you can't learn everything at school.

Hey! I'm playing a little bit of catch-up with my pictures ... but we were able to go to General Conference in honor of Hyrum's 12th birthday!! Such a fun experience!!

build an ark-y, ark-y

Things have been pretty adventurous around these parts. I'm not sure about the national news, but I know that we have been the center of local news for the past couple of days. On Wednesday of last week, it started to rain ... and ever since then, it has not stopped raining. We live right next to the Roubidoux Creek, the Gasconade River, and the Piney River. This usually isn't a problem in the middle of summer ... it hardly ever rains hard enough here to even keep the grass green, in August especially. That, I think, is why this sudden flood was SO devastating. Nobody had any idea that it was coming ... especially that it was coming at 3:00 in the morning. There were 60-80 homes in the valley that were totally flooded. When my Nandy and I took a drive around town the day after the flooding began, my heart was racing with genuine fear. The elements are so powerful and unpredictable! It is sooo important to be prepared for these things when they arise!

Anyways, with this disaster came a lot of opportunities to serve. The community center was open to those who had been affected by the storm, and many of the members from church were there ready to help. I felt a little inadequate because I really didn't know where I needed to be. One morning, after the flood waters had receded, I prayed to know where I could be of service and that I would be able to help someone. That same morning, I got a call from my mom asking if I could come over to one of my dad's rental properties that had been badly flooded by the storm. They needed help clearing things out before it started to get moldy.

I went to the house as soon as I could and was immediately put to work sorting through the closet of the main bedroom. It was so heartbreaking to hear the mother of the house, Rhiannon, saying, "Can I keep this?" as she observed a case of makeup, and then realizing that she couldn't save it after it had been soaked in river water. This happened over and over and over again with various items. As I was going through the closet, I realized the true loss that came with this flood. A majority of the things that were lying on the floor were ruined beyond repair. These were things that this family had paid good money for, things that the insurance definitely would not cover. It made me so sad. I was amazed that Rhiannon was able to stay so happy about it. She kept mentioning over and over again that she couldn't be sad because there were so many people that were willing to help her out. What an incredible example of staying afloat (har har) when things get rough.

The most awesome thing that happened while we were cleaning, besides the fact that the Red Cross came and gave us delicious chili, was when the missionaries from the area came to help. They were at a zone conference in town and were able to come straight from that conference to help serve. It's obvious in the pictures that they were not extra prepared for this service project because many were wearing their nice white shirts with gym shorts to clean in, but I thought that was super attractive. They basically started at the end of the street and swept through, offering service to anyone who wanted it. It was pretty much the coolest thing ever. One lady mentioned later, "Those guys were just so happy! I don't understand ..." I seriously can not wait to be a missionary.

One of the biggest lessons I got from this project was that NOW is the time to prepare for the storms of life. We sing a little song called, "Build an Ark" in Primary that I love. It talks about how important it is for us to start building an ark BEFORE the rain starts to pour. It's definitely a fitting song for this situation. I want to be prepared for whatever happens in my life so that, when the time comes to act, I will be ready and able to serve. Now is the time to prepare.

Philmont, here's to thee

A week ago I was really, really frightened. I woke up in a strange room, triple-checked that I had everything I needed, and drove off into the middle of the mountains. The town of Cimarron, New Mexico seemed sleepy at best, but I found myself silently screaming as we pulled through its dusty streets lined with tourist traps. You might have asked me that day what I was anticipating so intensely. If I answered you honestly, I would have said,

"I am afraid. I'm going to have blisters the size of grapefruits on my feet. I am going to die in the Montañas de Sangre Christo (literally the Blood of Christ) without running water. I can hardly carry three text books ... I'm not sure that I can carry fifty pounds of hiking gear on my back. I am worried that I am going to want to complain. I am worried that the spirit won't be with me always. I am terrified."

Today, I am content. I woke up in my very own bed, took a shower, and even used a flush-able toilet. I watched some TV at my Nandy's house and ate food that wasn't packaged. I drove a few miles in my little Miata down the streets of Waynesville and found myself wishing I was back.

What changed from a week ago? Well, I spent a week in the mountains. A beautiful, breaktaking, eye-opening, challenging week in the mountains at Philmont Scout Ranch. I spent a week working and uplifting incredible girls. I spent a week with some rock solid priesthood holders. I experienced one of the best weeks of my life and came back a stronger, more confident Laney.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

After every day during our mountain trek, my wonderful Rangers (Philmont Staff that accompanied us during the week) would have us reflect on the events of the day. After a little bit of reflection, each girl in the group shared their thorns (challenging moments), roses (beautiful moments), and buds (things they were excited about for the next day). Because there were so many incredible experiences I had during the week, it is hard to choose just one moment that defines each of the little triumphs and battles I experienced while on the trail.

Please forgive me if I rant.

Thorns
(I feel like I should mention that these thorns hardly count. Heavenly Father really blessed me while I was on the mountain trek to see the purpose and blessings that come from doing hard things.)

1. Preparation -- Part of the reason that I was so scared to come out to Philmont was the fact that I was completely and utterly unprepared for what lay in store. I did not know where we were going to be in the mountains. I picked up my hiking boots the day before we left on our cross country adventure. We were still buying things that we needed the night before we left for Philmont. Some of the videos that pop up about Philmont on Youtube are incredibly intimidating. I felt completely inadequate going into the camp. I really was concerned that it was going to be a real struggle to remain positive and spiritual throughout the week. It was a scary feeling ... I never want to be that unprepared in my life for anything.

2. Pain -- One of my Rangers (Carly) said that her main thorn for the week was seeing the pain faces of all of the girls as we hiked and hobbled around camp sites. This was so on point for me. I am a pretty empathetic person when it comes to pain. I have a pretty high pain tolerance myself, but when I see other people in pain ... I feel it. If someone were to describe to me a broken arm, I would feel it. It was SO hard to see the other girls in pain. I almost lost it when I saw Spencer after the first day. He was so miserable and I just wanted him to be okay and happy. Savannah got huge blisters all over her feet and I hurt. Sam (a girl in my group) pulled her leg muscle; Maddie strained her Achilles.

I wanted to help in any way I could, but physical pain is such a personal thing. It isn't a simple thing to take from someone. Sometimes I would feel a little sore after the never ending uphills and switchbacks, but that pain helped me to gain such a testimony of the atonement. Jesus Christ felt every pain I have ever experienced and he knows exactly how to take care of it and comfort me. I found so much gratitude for that sacrifice as I knelt in prayer and simply asked for the pain to go away. Every time, I felt peace and a renewal of energy. This was such a blessing and helped me to forget about my own needs and to help others.

3. Separation -- Another thing that was really difficult was the separation I had from my family. I was actually really lucky to have Spencer and Savannah with me for most of the time, but I really found myself missing the rest of the Blau crew. I found that even though I felt this homesickness, it wasn't disabling at all. I was able to continue moving forward and to comfort others who were having similar feelings. It was really nice to know that no matter what happened during the six days of separation that I experienced, I would see my family again. It really made me think about the importance of eternal families. I really really want my future family to have this same knowledge: whatever happens during this life, we'll be able to see each other again.

Roses

1. Strength -- One of the best things I learned during my week at Philmont is how incredible the human body is. At the beginning of the hike, I could hardly lift my pack without Savannah's help. I felt so much pain and felt like crying during the first day of actual hiking. We hiked up this ginormous mountain and had to sit in the rain for an hour and we were just going SO fast. Heavenly Father totally blessed me though. After every hike, I would feel totally wiped and in pain. Only a few minutes after rolling into camp, however, I felt completely revitalized. I can hardly even remember how difficult the days were. I learned that my body can do hard things. I went to bed every night thinking that I had done my very best and committed to do better the next day. It was such a nice reassurance and gave me great confidence. I could have felt completely and totally the opposite (after all, I must have looked and smelled disgusting), but I loved that my pack felt lighter every day. I loved that my calves were becoming more defined. Sometimes, we have to be stretched to the limit to realize just how strong we really are.

2. Testimony -- Philmont was such a testimony building experience for me in more than one way. Check out these experiences!

Chaplain's Aid During our check-in for Philmont, a nice lady was walking around and talking to the participants. As she introduced herself to me, my mouth slightly hung open. It was Sister Cheryl Esplin, one of the general authorities of the church. She was such a sweet lady and we chatted a bit until a new crop of campers came in. Later, I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder. As I turned around, Sister Esplin put her arm around me and said, "Laney, I would like to ask you to be the Chaplain's Aid for your group this week. Will you attend a meeting for all the Chaplain's Aids at 4?" Of course, I accepted. It didn't really matter that I had no idea what being a Chaplain's Aid entailed. I didn't matter that I had just been overwhelmed with all of the things that I would have to worry about during the week. I heard these words like they were a call from the Lord to serve my group throughout the week.

During the meeting, I got the AMAZING opportunity to receive counsel from members of the Young Men's General Board of the church and from Young Men's President, David Beck. It was so exciting to be in the presence of these servants of the Lord and to hear the things they had to say. It was also wonderful to see other teenagers that had been pulled out of their groups to the same responsibility. During the meeting, I found out more about my role. Chaplain's Aids are basically the spiritual leaders of their respective groups. They are in charge of leading prayers, devotionals, and making sure that others are having a positive and uplifting experience. I truly believe that Sister Esplin was inspired to give me the call to Chaplain's Aid. The Lord knows me. He knew that I was worried about not being strong enough to stay positive. He also knew that I could help the girls in my group before I even knew their names. It was not a coincidence that I was asked to be in this position.

I loved that David Beck knew me by name by the end of the first day. He asked me to lead a kind of spirit rally before we left on our trek to show how a positive attitude can help anyone get through any trial. It really calmed me to participate in this activity. I knew that even if a bear attacked me, I could remain happy because I'M EXCITED, I'M EXCITED, I'M EXCITED. Throughout the week, as I led devotionals and gave girls encouragement, I really felt the spirit testify to me that Heavenly Father loves his children. He really wants us to stay on the straight and narrow path to eternal life and gave us commandments to keep us on the path. I gained such a testimony of that as we hiked those straight and narrow mountain trails.

Sacrament Meeting Another super sweet, spiritual experience I had in the mountains was the Sacrament meeting we had on Day 2. We didn't really hike for the first two days, so I was able to spend a little more time being anxious about what the days ahead would hold in store. I wasn't sure what strength would be required of me during the week, but I knew I needed all of the help that I could get. I felt myself looking forward to the strength that I know the Sacrament gives when one partakes of it worthily. Unfortunately, for a while it looked as if we would be unable to make it to our meetings. It is officially monsoon season at Philmont, and just as we started to hike to the camp where our meeting was located, it started to pour. The lightning and thunder were too close for us to make the trek, so we had to return to our tents. I was super, super bummed, and I prayed that we would be able to still have our meeting.

It didn't take too long for that prayer to be answered-- the rain subsided. We were able to make it all the way to our destination with a pleasant breeze accompanying us. The spirit was so strong during this meeting. Brother Beck was presiding and the other Chaplains and I coordinated the speakers and musical numbers. It was really neat to see the priesthood in action, even though we were in our hiking clothes and were already sweaty and gross. The external factors didn't matter at all. I was really impressed by the promise that the Holy Ghost could be with me ALWAYS if I was willing to take upon Jesus's name and always remember him and keep his commandments. I tried that promise this week and tried to always have the spirit with me. It was awesome to see the blessings that came from that willingness. The spirit can give so much strength to the weak things of this world.

The Priesthood Sacrament meeting was a way cool experience for me, especially when I considered the blessings of the priesthood. To be honest, I had been kind of struggling with realizing the importance and relevance of the priesthood in my life. I knew that the priesthood power was real, and I really believed that I needed to marry a righteous priesthood holder, but I wasn't exactly sure why I knew that or why it was such a big deal. I have been praying a lot this summer to have my testimony of the priesthood strengthened. This week was a DEFINITE answer to my prayers.

Before the trek, I was able to receive a priesthood blessing from my dad. I can't quite remember what it said, but I felt confident that Heavenly Father would be looking out for me during the week. It helped me to calm down and to start feeling excited for the week ahead.

I was kind of interested to learn that out of all of the Rangers on the trek, only one of them was a member of the Church. His name was Ian and he was my brother's counselor for the week. He got off his mission a year ago from Quebec, so he wasn't just a member of the church -- he was rock solid. I found it so comforting that if anything happened to me, I would be able to ask Ian to give me a priesthood blessing and I could rely upon that protection. Luckily, for the beginning of the week, I didn't need to ask for a blessing. I miraculously avoided injury and painful experiences and was able to have a pretty stellar time in general.

Things got a little more strenuous during the course of the week, but I remained okay. There was one girl in my group, Samantha, that got injured on day 5. It was such a painful thing for her. She was definitely the fastest hiker in the group and I think it frustrated her to have to slow down. As I thought of what I could do to help her, I immediately thought of Ian. Of course, a priesthood blessing would be able to help her! A few of the boys that I became friends with during the week also had the priesthood because they had received their mission calls. Before our devotional on Wednesday night, Samantha was in so much pain. I knew that I needed to hop into action, so I leaped over a few of the benches that separated us and asked her if she had gotten a blessing yet. She hadn't been able to find Ian during the day, but she really desired to have a blessing before she went to bed.

That night, a few of the boy groups and our group were under the roof of a place we had eaten in earlier in the day. I spotted Brandon, one of my friends that I knew had the priesthood, and walked over to him and asked him if he had consecrated oil. He didn't, but he was willing to go and grab Ian (who was at a different campsite). I was so appreciative of his willingness to serve, even though in hindsight, he was probably anxious to get ready for bed. We started our nighttime devotional and learned about the value of having good friends. During a convenient moment in the devotional, I saw Ian and Brandon walk up to our campsite. I paused the devotional and filled Ian in on the situation and he got right to work. He taught Brandon what to say to anoint. A girl in my group was able to grab her brother, Cole, who also held the priesthood, to join in for the blessing.

It was such a special experience for me to hear this blessing. Half way through, I was bawling (and I really don't get that emotional when I feel the spirit anymore). I heard these boys that were my age giving a blessing of comfort and healing to my dear friend. Suddenly, I got it. Of course the priesthood is applicable to me. Of course I need to get married to a man that has the priesthood. It suddenly became the most important thing in the world to me. I needed that protection more than I needed to breathe. I needed to know that the person I would marry would have that power no matter where we were -- whether it be in the mountains of New Mexico or in our home. I needed that power to be near no matter what the external circumstances were ... whether my sweet husband was wearing a white shirt and tie or striped pajamas. After the blessing, I was able to testify to the girls the importance of the priesthood. I felt like my chest was burning within me. I knew that it was not only possible for me to have that with me always, but that it was necessary.

I couldn't fall asleep because I was reflecting on that feeling over and over again. I woke up early in the morning and thought about it. I thought about it during the ten mile hike that day. The fruit of that knowledge was delicious to me. It was not a coincidence that Ian was assigned to be the leader of my crew's sister crew. It was not a coincidence that I became close enough friends with some of the boys that I felt comfortable asking them to use their priesthood on one of my girl's behalf. Heavenly Father was looking out for all of us at that moment, and because I knew he was looking out for us then, my eyes were opened to the times he was looking out for us previously in the week. Truthfully, he was with us always. It was such a WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE. I'm afraid I can't give it justice.

3. Views -- I have always loved the mountains. I get chills and cry like a baby when I'm near them. I just can't get over the majesty that accompanies them; God is definitely very near when I am in their midst. I wasn't sure that this love of the mountains would be enough to help me hike through them with a fifty pound pack, however. On the first day, I spent a lot of time looking at my feet. I was really worried that I would twist my feet and die. I was also concerned that if I looked at the steepness of the next switchback, I would lose all confidence in my will to live. Okay, maybe it wasn't that drastic, but I didn't see a lot of the scenery during that part of the hike, and it was really frustrating to me. Part of the little reasons that I was looking forward to the hike was the fact that I would be in my favorite scenery on earth. When we reached the top of that first mountain though, I realized just why I was there. That hike was stinking hard for a weakling like me. But as I looked out at the valley on either side of the summit, I realized how worth it the climb was.

After that moment, I tried to look less at my feet and more at the things around me. I tried to appreciate the little things that were all around me ... the sound of wind, the taste of the mountain air, the wooded meadows. It was all really beautiful when I stopped to look at it. I found myself relating it to my own life. Sometimes I focus on day to day life so much that I lose perspective on what my life is really about. But when I'm able to look out at the wonderful vistas of my life, there is SO much that is beautiful and good.

There was one point in the hike that was incredibly eye opening. It was on the fifth day, and we hiked quite away from our previous campsite. It wasn't a really difficult hike, but it was getting late and it looked like rain clouds were forming. We learned very early that when it looked like rain, the rain would come (and come hard) within the hour. We had just reached one of the posts that we were supposed to encounter before we got into camp, but struggled to find the right trail to take. Carly and Megan were not talking to us that day to show us that were were competent when it came to hiking, but after going down the wrong trail for a thirty minutes, they finally stopped us and turned us around. I was so demoralized, and I could tell that the girls were tired. We had already been rained on earlier in the week, and it seemed that it would happen once again. Camp was forty minutes away and entirely uphill ... it seemed like misery was a certain outcome.

The entire way, our little group was silent. I was praying the entire time (and later learned that everyone else was as well). "Please, stay the storm." I repeated that phrase with every step. It became a cadence for me, especially as we wound around the mountain, endlessly climbing. The relief I felt when we walked into camp was something that I have never experienced before. I was strengthened ... the entire group was strengthened through our combined faith, and we were able to make it into camp with hardly any stops. Even though we saw signs of rain for the rest of the hike, it didn't start to rain until we set our packs down. I quietly cried as we marched into camp and the words of one of my favorite hymns flowed in my mind continuously: "Be still my soul, the waves and winds still know His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below." Heavenly Father heard the prayers of ten desperate young women who just wanted to make it to camp safely and comfortably. He has all power and is totally in control of every aspect of life.

4. Camps -- I loved every staff camp that we stayed at throughout the week. The first camp that we hiked to was called Abreau. It was so beautiful and comfortable. There were wonderful places to pee and the activities there were super fun. I was able to milk a goat for the first time, cook dinner in the mountains with a ton of awesome people, and play slaps during down time. It was such a beautiful place. The rest of the camps that we traveled to, we had to hike a long distance to reach. It was such a relief to enter each of these camps, and I found so much energy to participate in the various programs that were available there. At Fish Camp, I was able to play some super fun games and got to know incredible people. At Apache Springs, I took a tour of an Indian Teepee, got a refreshing bucket shower at the sweat huts, took a beautiful side hike to see the sunset over the valley, and got to shoot a bow and arrow. Beaubien was so nice ... it was located in a beautiful place and there were a ton of fun things to do. I looked like an idiot as I learned to throw a lasso, ran around in the mountains to get rid of pent up energy, and watched a kind mediocre but super funny play put on by the staff. Every camp we stayed at was so accommodating and the staff was super nice. During the week, the knowledge that our hikes were not leading us to the middle of nowhere was so comforting. Knowing the destination at the beginning of the hike was awesome. It almost made me want to work at Philmont as a staffer.

5. People -- I feel like I've been rambling about the roses I've had. Sorry readers! If you're still reading, I love you. Because I love you, I'll limit it to five. One of the things that I will always cherish about Philmont are the people that I met and the relationships I developed in super short times. I was able to become so close to all of the girls in my group and the Rangers that were quietly serving us throughout the week. Any time we passed a crew on the trail, I was able to learn a little bit about them (where they were from, how long they'd been out on the trail). There were random crews that stayed in the same campsite as us that I also was able to talk to and got to know. The boy groups that we were with were just incredible. I'm not sure that I was very attractive during the week, but I didn't care. I loved talking to them and really learning more about them and their lives. During the week at Philmont, I became so good at putting names to faces. I also really became a better and more sincere listener. These skills blossomed right before my eyes and I imagine that they are going to help me so much in the future!

Buds

There is so much more that I could talk about. SO MANY INCREDIBLE THINGS. But I've already been typing for hours and hours ... and I'm pretty tired. I am so grateful for my experience at Philmont. I am grateful that I now cannot physically waste food. I am grateful for the testimony I gained of the Priesthood and it's importance in my life. I am grateful for the knowledge I now have that I can do hard things with Jesus Christ. I am grateful daily, now, for all of the little things in my life. I am so much more anxious to rely on Heavenly Father in everything I do. These, and many more, are all things that I have taken home with me from the week. Every day was difficult, but every day was worth it. Now that I'm home, all I've been thinking about are the beautiful mountains and the wonderful spirit I felt while I was at Philmont. I've experienced the Missouri mugginess and mosquitoes and rolling hills. I wanna go back to Philmont, back to God's country. Here's to life changing experiences. Here's to the beauty that surrounds us every day if we'll only look. Here's to thee, Philmont.

if they could talk ...

I am not much of a shopper. If you know me from my internet self, you would never guess because my pinterest boards and the shopping sites I window shop at are pretty exquisite. Those of you that really know me, know that my sense of fashion is pretty much tee-shirts and sweats with a pair of literal HOLE-Y Keds or flip-flops. With that being said, at the beginning of the summer I looked in my closet and was horrified to see that I literally had NO flip-flops.

Buuuuhdabuh?! Tee-shirts and pants are important ... but flip-flops during the summer ... they are VITAL. So I went to Wal-mart to check out their vast selection of cheap solutions to my problem. With my chronic dislike of shopping also comes a love of being somewhat frugal (unless it involves Vera Bradley), so I thought the five dollar options were pretty pricey. Luckily, there were a single pair in my size that only cost a fiscal dollar! Now that's my kind of deal! Who cared that the material might disintegrate in only a few days? Who cared that they might be hazardous to my health in the heat? I sure didn't, so I bought them.

Anyway, long story turning into another long story, I was looking at these shoes yesterday and I was trying to think of a time that I haven't been wearing them when my important things of summer have occured. Or a time that they haven't been tucked away in a suitcase for wear in the shower or to change into after a trip to the gym. These babies have lasted me all summer and they are pretty much the perfect representation of how wonderful and magical and fantastic and lovely my summer has been.

I wore them at the beginning of the summer to graduation. I was wearing them when I decided to lengthen my stride. I wore them to Girl's Camp (only inside the cabins I swear!!). I packed them for EFY and for my date with Heath in Indiana. I wore them the week I had eight dates. I wore them on the day we went to the Temple to be sealed to Minsy. I wore them to re-register for school. I wore them to clean my Nandy's house and to babysit. I wore them around the house while I was doing Family History and to Mutual at church.

I pretty much wore them out. Period.

I grew to love my flip flops this summer. I love that I got my 98 cents out of them. I love that they show how much I walked this summer, outside and inside. I especially love thinking about the stories they could tell ... if they could talk. They probably would be groaning by now, because obviously they have been abused well-loved.

Another thing in my collection of things that followed me everywhere this summer is my journal. At the beginning of Girl's Camp, Sis. Albrecht, the incredible woman that was the 1st Ward Camp Leader gave these out in bulk and I am so grateful that she did! I have some of my most precious thoughts and notes that I have received during the summer that are tucked carefully away in it's pages.

After EFY (I don't know if you knew this or not), I really, truly felt like life was finally perfect. Like, I felt like I could die happily and have no regrets and those kinds of cheesy sentiments. That was also when I was super hooked on writing all of my impressions down. During one of these writing sessions, I decided that I wanted my posterity to know one thing about the Laney that was writing in the little blue journal during the summer of 2012. I wanted them to know just how much I loved my life. So I wrote it on EVERY SINGLE PAGE on the top right corner. This is something else that I think really ... I don't know ... testifies? of how great my summer has been. I really do LOVE MY LIFE. I recognize more than ever before that Heavenly Father is really looking out for me and loves me and wants what's best for me. 

In Sunday School today, our lesson was supposed to be about Helaman 1-5. We didn't really get to talk about Helaman 5:12, but that is my FAVORITE scripture mastery verse, just so you know. As I was thinking about it in prep for the lesson earlier in the week, and I thought of something that really struck a chord with me. The verse begins, "And now my sons, REMEMBER, REMEMBER." I usually glance over that part really quickly, but as I was thinking about it for this lesson, I thought and thought about what Helaman was really trying to say to his sons. He wasn't preaching to his sons to study and learn new things about the gospel ... he wasn't even bearing testimony of what he knew ... he was just pleading for them to REMEMBER the things they already knew. Applying it to my own life, I know that recording the events of this summer is going to be such a blessing for me in the future to remind me of what I already know when challenges arise. During the 180 days of an intense senior year, I am going to be incredibly grateful that I took the time to write my feelings down as they were happening. Because I recorded them, I will be able to remember that the Lord hears my prayers. He knows me because of them and he answers them! He is directing me and wants me to succeed. He has walked in my old worn out shoes and has carried me (and will) when I feel like I can't walk anymore.

And if I can remember that, looking forward to how awesome the rest of my life is bound to be, I think I will be one happy muchacha.

Speaking of happy, and on a totally non-spiritual nor thought, here is a song that makes me happy right now!

we're going to be famous one day!

The kids and I decided to make a music video today! You have to listen to the lyrics to understand, but enjoy!

getting to know you

Just for the heck of it, my sister, cousin, and I are going to let you in on our super cool lives/personalities. Prepare to be amazed.

Who was your favorite celebrity as a child? Brenna -- Dylan Sprouse because he was on my favorite TV show and I found him verrrrry cute. Laney -- Who didn't I like? Savannah -- Alexander Hamilton because he is the coolest of all the founding fathers and the hottest. A bit of a contradiction, but he pulls it off. 

What type of pets do you have? Brenna -- I have two neurotic cats. Laney -- Does a pet rock count? Savannah -- Two dogs and two rent-a-cats. And Spencer.

What is your favorite color? Brenna -- Midnight blue. Laney -- Yellow is my favorite color because it's SO happy. Just looking at it makes me want to smile. Savannah -- Brown because it matches my personality.

What is most memorable about your high school years? Brenna -- Seminary because it is super fun and spiritual. Laney -- I am sure leaving will be sweet. Savannah -- The days when I'm not there.

What word describes you best? Brenna -- Who-vian. Laney -- Crazy(awesome). Savannah -- Ostentatious.

What is your greatest accomplishment? Brenna -- Being a big sister. Laney -- Earning my YW medallion. Savannah -- Watching every episode of the Twilight Zone ever made.

What drives you every day? Brenna -- Knowing my Heavenly Father loves me. Laney -- Optimism! Savannah -- Laney.

What is your favorite food? Brenna -- My favorite food ... um ... Anything foreign. Laney -- Sushi, hands down. Savannah -- Mix of canned corn and canned mushrooms.

Where do you want to retire? Brenna -- With this economy, what does retirement mean? Laney -- On an island that I own, tanned, well-rested and alone ... and probably surrounded by enormous piles of money. Savannah -- The moon, which I colonized myself.

Where do you like to vacation? Brenna -- With my family. Laney -- Where ever the wind may take me. To Zanzibar! Savannah -- On the moon, while I'm colonizing it.

Who do you admire? Brenna -- Nephi and the Tenth Doctor. Laney -- Studs. Righteous studs (and babes). Savannah -- Alexander Hamilton. Without him, there would be no taxes, but there would be no money.

If you were invisible, where would you go? Brenna -- I don't know ... do yours and Savannah's. Laney -- Okay, Brenna! I would probably go somewhere really crowded and hit random people with Books of Mormon. Savannah -- I would probably go to the theater and watch movies that I would be embarrassed to watch otherwise.

What traits in others are you attracted to? Brenna -- Handy. Always smiles. Compliments my inner self. Laney -- Servant's heart. Solid testimony. Stud. Savannah -- Founding father status. Hotness factor of 11 (on a scale of 1-10). And that's just about it.

How do you want to be remembered? Brenna -- Someone who wasn't afraid to do what was right. Laney -- The nicest Molly Mormon in the world. Savannah -- Riddler-esque Batman villain.

What would you do with a million dollars? Brenna -- I would go to Scotland and meet David Tennant. Laney -- I would buy waterfront property. Investment, investment!! Savannah -- Go to fund my  Riddler-esque Batman villain status. There's not a whole lot of money in that.

If you were on an island, who would you want to be with? Why? Brenna -- Jacob Baker because he is always prepared. Laney -- Thomas S. Monson ... is this even a question? Savannah -- Not the captain of the Titanic.

You have a 10 minute speech to give at a high school, what is it about? Brenna -- The Truth about Mormons. Laney -- The Dangers of Hand holding. Savannah -- After spinning the wheel of Disney songs, I give an inspirational speech about never giving up to the song Savages from Pocahontas.

We're pretty hot, huh?

a normal life

I love these kids. I really am blessed to babysit all of the cutest kids in our ward.

Even if the like rifling through the contents of my purse curiously. Here Samuel-buddy is almost saying, "What's this?!!!!"

Clean, read, run, read, babysit, repeat.

By the way, like I said in my post before, I L-O-V-E President Hinckley's biography so far. It is enrapturing. It talks about how he experienced doubt and contempt as a teenager, but how he relied on faith and his testimony of Joseph Smith to overcome these things. How comforting it is to know that the spirit changes lives, characters, and behaviors. I personally know this, and it's nice to know that our Prophets are just as every bit normal as we are.

a road trip

Today was lovely. It was the first real day of summer for me, because there was absolutely nowhere I had to be. No seminary (bitter-sweet), no babysitting, no classes. It was bliss. I woke up naturally at 7:00 and my dad invited me to come along with him to West Plains. After Stake Conference this week, President Jones' wife accidentally left her phone at the church, so daddy volunteered to drive it down.

Wait! Speaking of Stake Conference, I need to write about what I felt during the conference. It was lovely. I especially enjoyed Brother Truman's talk, our stake patriarch, even though he lightly reprimanded me for mistaking his title in the bulletin. :) It was all in good fun. He literally was an answer to my prayers, and I felt the spirit immensely during his talk.

As we were driving, we listened to some tapes and Minsy napped. I also cracked open President Hinckley's biography (which is pretty stinkin' funny, by the way). By the time we got to the Jones' house, Minsy and I were ready for a stretch.

But just as soon as we had gotten there, we were back on the road again, this time heading to my dad's hometown. My great-grandpa was just about to head off to Europe to see where he got shot during D-Day, so we just stopped by to give him a hug. I love my grandpa, and I love how funny and resilient he is! What an incredible hero!

After we sent grandpa off, dad took me to his stomping grounds, and showed me the route he took to get to Seminary each day. If I thought I had to sacrifice to get to Seminary, it was nothing compared to what my dad had to do. Even with modern conveniences, the road was bumpy and curvy and treacherous. But my dad rode it every day in a VW Bug that couldn't go over 35. Crazy.

We stopped on the way to eat a buffet, but it really is not worth remembering. It was hilarious to seem some obviously Asian tourists at the buffet though. I was so amazed that anyone would want to stop by and check out a crummy little American town. I wonder if they would find it odd that I long to visit their neck of the woods?

We returned home and Minsy was in a great mood, so my dad encouraged me to take her to the park and wear her out. She loves the slides and seeing all of the kids running around. The only hiccup we had was when I tried to push her on the swing. Apparently that is a big no-no in her book. When I tried to get her in, she would seize up and start screaming, so you could imagine that I got the message pretty quickly.

Back home, I started up my regular routine. Cleaning, mopping, folding, reading, running. It's gotten pretty familiar to me, and I can complete the whole round in about an hour. Then, because mom is working on financial fun stuff, we had a tuna-fish sandwich picnic in the front yard.

Today was good.

straw poll: part two

As we approached, the grounds of Iowa State University, it looked desolate.

There were no humongous white tents, there was not an odor of fair grounds, and there were only twenty or so cars parked in 20 lots designated for the Straw Poll. Since I had to sleep in the car, I made quite a fuss about wanting to eat. Looking back on it, I wish I had waited just a little bit to want food, because I got STUFFED later in the day.


So, we traveled to the nearest Burger King. I grabbed some French Toast sticks, and we waited while my dad's phone was charging.


And when we returned to the Iowa State grounds, I wished that we hadn't gone to Burger King. Suddenly, there were at least a hundred cars. I got why my dad was a little frustrated that I needed to eat that very second. We didn't leave without getting some pictures near the news busses though. 

We tried to grab a tee-shirt at the entrance from Tim Pawlenty, but they told us that in order to get a tee-shirt we would have to register to vote at the poll. Not knowing anything going in, we replied that we would and that we would return right after we signed the form.


It turns out that to vote, you have to be from Iowa and you have to be eighteen, which knocked out ... all of us. But we were still there for the JOURNEY. That was the important thing. Naturally, we went to the abortion stand next, followed by the NRA. 

See that blob that is being put up against my face? Not to be too graphic or anything, but that is supposed to be a fetus. Too graphic? Well, you might not want to read the next little fun fact: they were hours and hours of fun. I had quite the fascination with taking my little fetus's and putting them up against peoples cheeks. Those babies were really friendly.

We got a lot of bus pictures before any people actually arrived. The candidates didn't show up until we had been at the fair for TWO stinkin' hours. But when they did come, it was worth it. Because I got to meet them, and I think that might have solidified my newly found status as a Republican.

Whether they were ... not actually presidents. (Paul Revere showed up! How cool is that? He was a die hard Tea Party member. Can you tell? His flag even read, Don't Tread on Me. I got a kick out of that little history lesson. Thanks, Paul.)

 Or candidates I had NEVER heard of.

 Whether they liked the homegrown peaches, like Rick Santorum.

 

Or nice industrialized ground up cow meat.

 

 Here is Michele Bachman, up close and personal. My mom thinks she's a cuckoo ... and even if that is true,

She was one of the only candidates who had time to take a picture with some people that couldn't even vote for her.

Along with good ol' Paul (we're on a first name basis now), our nations finest President Abe Lincoln also showed up. But unfortunately, the camera's called to me before I got the chance to get all chummy with him.

 I think political TV might be my calling.

We got these really cool shirts that everyone seemed to love. In fact, I think one of the crazies I met wanted to scalp me for it. And I bet she would have stolen my hair too! The indecency!

Rick Santorum was the coolest guy, simply because he had a bagpiper and a convict for entertainment at his tent. He sounds like the man Washington needs right now.

 Here is T-Paw's wife. She was awfully kind.

 We are waving the Iowa flag, of which we had no right to hold. Ah well, America supports any kind of patriotism though ... right?

Hey, it's my man Rick again! What a cool guy!!

All in all, I had a fan-freakin-tastic time. Even though my feet hurt and our stay in Iowa was three times less than the drive it took to get up there, I still had a great time getting to know the candidates. I guess they are my future, so I had better start actually caring about politics soon.

straw poll: part one

A few weeks ago, I became a Republican.

Actually, I have no idea what "party" I am, but my dad told me that if I would become a Republican, than I could go up to the up and coming Straw Poll with him. I was feeling a little bit down about my decision to home school, simply because I worried that I wouldn't be doing enough with my time, so I quickly converted. After a sewing lesson on Friday, I quickly grabbed some clothes and hopped into the car to go to an event that I dreaded would be filled with crazies that would sense my previous Obama support.

Before we left though, we had to drop off my kitten, CharlieTu, at the Howell's house from whence he came. When did I get a kitten you ask? Last week I went on a date with my friends and we washed cars. After this date I went with my date to take my friend, Lilli, home. She had a cat that recently had babies, I fell in love, and I took one home without warning my parents.

To make a long story short, my parents were not ready to have a cat in the house, and after procrastinating for a week, we finally had to give my baby back (I have some serious cat-lady potential here). I didn't cry as much as I expected to, but I still expect him to crawl up my legs as I type.

Sooooooooob.

Anywho, after about four hours of driving, Savannah and I realized that in our hurry to leave, we not only forgot to pack deodorant, but also our toothbrushes, shampoo, etc. Of course, we couldn't be presentable to the future presidents without these essential items, so a trip to Wal-mart was required.

My dad is thrifty. We spent under 11 dollars, but I didn't know whether to laugh or cry the entire shopping trip. Like I said, my dad loves to get a bargain. Since Ames was swamped with tourists, the cheapest hotel was $200, and my dad thought it would be a lovely idea to stay in the car for the night. We didn't pack any blankets or pillows, either, so that was on the shopping list as well.

Our final purchases: deodorant, hairspray, comb, and two table cloths (1.50 each).

Do you understand why I wanted to cry?
Can you understand the agony that roughing it in a car can stir a poor city girl's soul?

The car camping wasn't terrible. I was a little crumpled the whole time, but the table cloths were actually pretty swell protection from the harsh Iowa nights. After a little freshening up, we packed up our items again and headed off to Ames.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but there sure were a lot of Ron Paul posters around.

I guessed that my aforementioned idea that there would be a lot of crazies there would be absolutely accurate.

Bachmann wins Ames straw poll

Bachmann wins Ames straw poll

Not only was I there ... But I got to meet her! :)

Read about my reactions tomorrow!

it's probably definitely worth it

It's days like these that I look back on when I'm having a not so good day.

Really, nothing extraordinary happened. I woke up this morning at 7 o'clock and stayed in my PJ's, watched a couple of blocks of HGTV, and made an awesome banana split shake. Actually, it wasn't THAT awesome -- it was just really fun making it.

Yesterday for our daily adventure, we went to Wal-mart later in the day to get supplies for ice cream sundaes ... but not just ANY ice cream sundae! It was destined to be

THE BIGGEST BANANA SPLIT IN THE ENTIRE WORLD.

And yes, it did need the extra emphasis. It really was GINORMOUS. Don't believe it? See for yourself.

 

I know you all are dying for a recipe. You asked for it ...

The Largest Banana Split in the Entire World

8 Bananas

A whole can of maraschino cherries

A whole package of ice cream, chopped into blocks

A whole bottle of chocolate syrup

A whole thing of strawberries, split

One and a half large containers of whipped cream

OPTIONAL: A handful of chopped peanuts, 

...

but who wants healthy junk on this beast?

The sweetest ingredient in this entire split was the fact that it cost a little less than 20 dollars. Or maybe the bloating that followed ... I can't decide between the two.

ANYWHO ... We only ate about a fourth of this split when we made it. It wasn't a very stellar idea to make a huge banana monster when we had just eaten dinner an hour before.

It was my job the next morning to make the shakes. I think I might have broken the blender ... (Sorry mom!) actually, I didn't. But I was forced to use our huge food processor and it made a HUGE mess that was then my responsibility to clean up. FUN!

But what was priceless was Jojo standing next to me diligently, just so he could make sure it tasted right. It was super cute! And it kinda made me realize that at some point he's going to be a man and won't be nearly as cute. Maybe handsome, but it definitely won't have that heart melting charm that his current looks give him. These same looks also get him whatever he wants, so maybe getting a little less cute will help the child. Ehh, probably not.

After we ate the reaaaally thick and rich shakes, it was time to snuggle up as a family and watch Deadliest Warrior. For those of you who don't have a.) SPIKE or b.) Netflix, Deadliest Warrior is a bloody, gruesome show that I would probably never recommend to the tender-hearted. Besides that, it is actually pretty ENTERTAINING. Basically, it's a show up on which ancient warrior is deadliest. It kind of calls to my Cherokee heritage that I don't really have. :)

It's been on in our house for about a week, and it seems like we CAN'T ... STOP ... WATCHING. Except for yesterday when our internet crashed. Even then it seemed like something was missing from the house ... Ahhh ...

Once we filled our need to watch, we went swimming at the new AQUATIC CENTER! Whoooo hoo! It actually was pretty gosh darn fun, considering the deepest it goes is 5 ft. Us older folks gravitated towards the slides. It's incredible to see the velocity that increases as size increases. Hyrum would go SOOOOO very slow but Savannah and Daddy and I went pretty fast. Actually, the cotton bootie shorts that I was wearing with my swimsuit prevented me from going very fast at all.

The best thing was that I didn't get burned! It's a swimming pool miracle!

The day ended with Mutual ... and that was a really sweet experience for me. We got to do a little bit of planning for Girl's Camp, which is only week away, and that was really fun. I learned a few valuable things ... like never draw a dog on brown coals ... it looks really awful. And I also learned a little about others tastes and needs. It was interesting when going through the menu to hear the things that people liked and didn't like.

We also sang a couple of songs that we are preparing for camp called We Believe and Walk Tall You're a Daughter of God. I really was able to feel the spirit as we belted out, to the best of our ability, the songs that we had worked so hard on. I am so grateful that I can sing and express myself that way. I am also glad the effect that music can have on so many people. Yay MUSIC!

Are you still reading? Good! The best part of my day is coming!

As I was about to hop into my car, I noticed one of my good friends with her mom and she was crying. I wanted to know what was wrong and I thought that the least I could do was give her a hug and reassure her. It turns out that she felt a little bit ostracized from the YW group. She felt like she couldn't find her niche among all of the girls and she was struggling to see the point in even coming.

I am so glad that I had just been feeling the spirit so strongly before, because I feel like I was able to say the things she needed to hear to comfort her for a little bit. I am also so very grateful that I went through those VERY same emotions only a couple of months ago. EXACTLY. I mean, just take a gander at my earlier entries. Talk about sad and lonely. But because I went through all of that junk, I feel like I was able to be of help to someone.

As I drove home, I kept hearing in my head the words to one of my favorite hymns.

"Because I have been given much, I too must give.
Because of Thy great bounty, Lord, each day I live,
I shall divide my gifts from Thee
With every brother that I see
Who has the need of help from me."

What a GREAT way to end the day!

Anyone in need of help?