And This is Why I Speak Francais

1. Madame McFarland is awesome.
2. My family can't understand me.
3. I can have whole conversations with Silas Olsen while he speaks spanish
4. It means I'm going to Paris someday.
5. Because Chloe Mehr checked out Les Miserables for me and it. was. Heaven.
almost.

But mostly, I speak French because somehow, that's how it worked out.

I keep thinking back to that one defining moment in my life where I would be a different person if I hadn't made that choice or walked that direction, or been called to do this or that.

I seem to have pinpointed it to a couple of events.

One of them is French Class.

If my family hadn't moved to Scotland,

If French hadn't been the only language option at Wallace High School,

If my counselor at AFJH hadn't had faith in me that I could take French 2,

If I had stuck with Spanish,

My life would be significantly different.

Et un jour, j'habiterai en France.

Anne Shirley. Anne with an "e."

There are lots of lessons I learn in life. Lots. In fact, that's probably what life is all about:

Sunday lessons on Missionary work; primary lessons on letting my Light shine; math lessons on integrals; EMS lessons on saving lives; english lessons on Crime and Punishment; and I even learn French lessons on Rhinoceroses.

:)

From time to time, and, for the most part, I enjoy them. It may be painful to read eighty pages a night in Crime and Punishment, and I may have hated that book up until page 506, but the lessons I learned about love and sacrifice and God and choices are irreplaceable. Like it or not, I learned something from a book about an ax murderer and a woman who sacrificed her moral beliefs for her family.

But time and time again, I learn that, despite the lessons I learn about academic and spiritual aspects of life, one of the most beatuful lessons to learn is that of love.

While this topic has many interpretations, I would like to tell you about one of my interpretations. Yes, I know that God loves me, and I know that my Saviour died because he loves me, for "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends," and I know that my parent's love me beyond anything I can understand now. But the love I am about to share with you happens to be a snippet of my philosophy on love, taken from none other than my childhood hero.

And so, my friends, today my name is Anne Shirley.

Anne with an "E," that is.

. . . Or, maybe you should call me Cordelia. :)

Many wonderful lessons I learn from Anne. Things like, "Tomorrow is always fresh with no mistakes in it." and that, when speaking of being rich, "I think I would probably come to the conclusion that I'd like it for a while... but in the end, I'd still prefer the sound of the wind in the firs across the brook more than the tinkling of crystal."

But one of the best things she taught me was a lesson or two about love. It might be in the way that she sticks up her nose whenever Gil winks at her, and it might be in the way he rescued her whilst she was "fishing for laketrout," but whenever it was, she has taught me that it's fun to have love in life, and that I should never be stubborn or hold grudges. For as Aunt Josephine says, "Make a little room in your plans for romance again, Anne, girl. All the degrees and scholarships in the world can't make up for the lack of it."

:)

Alright, my experience with true love is really quite limited. I, however, feel that, at this point in my life, love is just the little occurences that make my heart sprout wings. In Anne's life, love is in Gil's mischievous and enchanting smile, and his quirky yet sincere attitude; it's in the loyalty he shows to Anne, even when she gets upset or says something silly.

Someday, I will have a Gil. And we will be best friends. Chums to be exact :)

Maybe he's out there on Prince Edward Island, waiting to walk to the pond with me, or maybe he's hoping I'll come by his house tonight and show him the story I wrote. Or maybe he'll come to mine :)

Yes, if there's anything I've learned about love it's that, even if he calls me Carrots, or says I'm too short so he didn't ask me to dance, or maybe if he just doesn't notice me anymore,

love

is meant to be a part of the lessons of life.

Anne: Don't you ever imagine things differently from what they are?
Marilla: No.
Anne: Oh Marilla, how much you miss.

NOT funny.

The second worst thing about being a senior girl in the last FIVE :) weeks of school is that your seminary teachers want to take dibs on how soon you'll be married after you graduate.

Ha.

And perhaps the worst thing about being a senior girl in the last five weeks of school is that the seminary boys in a certain group of seminary students also take dibs on how soon you'll be married after you graduate.

I've been afraid to go to BYU ever since I decided to stop being afraid to go to BYU. At first I was afraid that if I didn't go to BYU, I'd never get married. Then I decided that was a silly idea, so I got over it (this conclusion of mine had nothing to do with my decision to go there, by the way).  Then I realised that, let's be honest, you could write a novel on BYU PDA. It's just weird and it will never be me. EVER.

. . . This is kind of a strange post . . .

But to all those boys whom I dearly love,

here is what I have to say:

"You just wait till you get off your mission. Then you'll understand why all of us girls are afraid of RM's. You. Just. Wait."

And in the mean time, it's not funny.

:)

But I still love you.

Graham Crackers

This year, a new tradition of sorts started in my house. A lot of times, I get caught up in homework and being stressed out. But I'm not the only one in my family who has a stressful life. My dad often works harder than I do and still finds time to be happy and loving and kind. What a good dad.

My dad loves graham crackers. And here is where the tradition of sorts became a necessary part of coping with life.

One night I leaned over to my dad as we were sitting downstairs working on the computer. I said, "Dad, do you want to go have a treat with me?"

"Sure! Let's go have some graham crackers and milk. That sounds good."

Immediately the image of soggy graham crackers and milk with floating crumbs came to my mind. "Well, I was sorta thinking doughnuts. . . "

Nevertheless, we trooped upstairs and got out the said condiments and endulged in a happy light-hearted and enjoyable snack together.

This is one of my most favorite memories ever. I highly encourage each of us, amidst the rush and stress of the day, to take time to spend time with those who need our time. Whether this is time spent with yourself or your family, you will build memories that one hundred pictures can't capture and one hundred dollars can't buy. They are priceless.

In honor of this concept, I wrote a poem. I hope it makes you smile :)

Graham Crackers.
When it becomes tough to understand math
And physics and English and classes like that;
When you've crumbled up homework, thrown books at the wall,
Sealed with the statement you don't like them at all;
Then it's time for a break - a well deserved snack.
One that can give you your happiness back!
Graham crackers and milk is the best kind of treat,
For nothing like this gives you strength as you eat!
With each tasty crunch and milk on the side,
You won't be so stressed when on crackers you ride.
Each morsel and crumb and honey-like bite
Will help you in setting your hardest day right.
So when you feel lost in hopeless defeat,
It's time that you get a graham cracker treat!

Well, there it is :) If you feel like any of the afore mentioned emotions, maybe it's time for a break :)

And with one closing thought from Elder Holland, I leave you with my personal testimony that, no matter how hard or dismal life can be, happy days await you. Oh, so many happy days.

"Don't you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead. Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come till heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be alright in the end. Trust God, and believe in good things to come."

Love, Sunshine

Call me a Red-head Cougar-going Caveman

You know how sometimes you feel good about something and don't know why? Like when something makes

no logical sense

(besides that you've dreamed it your whole life),

but you still know it's what you should be doing or where you need to be?

Something I've learned about fear and faith.

Faith is a principle of action and power.

Fear causes you to stop acting, and therefore lose faith. If you are ever confused about whether you are feeling fear or having a "stupor of thought" (D&C 9:9 - which is the feeling the Holy Ghost gives you to warn or tell you not to do something), think about if it's stopping you from acting.

Fear and faith cannot coexist.

Allowing fear to govern your choices limits your potential and power.

Exercising faith endows you with power.

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power,and of love, and of a sound mind."

2 Timothy 1:7

So here I go. Brigham Young Univeristy, here I come.

:)

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!