Small Adventures

Last weekend Mckay and I had a fun little adventure in Logan.

After last minute deciding that I would go up to visit him we spent the weekend talking and getting to know one another some more.

I really love this kid.

His heart is full of faith, charity, compassion, fun, work, dedication, and virtue.

I am one Extremely lucky girl to have the attention of such an amazing boy.

I love the feeling of pure joy.

It is truly a gift from God.

Logan Canyon - Second Dam Picnic Area

Happy, Happy, Happy

Mckay came to Provo last weekend! Friday night my brother, his friend, Mckay, and I went camping at Rock Canyon and in the morning we climbed in Rock Canyon. It was a beautiful morning to go climbing. Monday we hiked Bridal Veil Falls and started talking to this guy. He offered to help us repel off the higher falls so of course Mckay did it. The weekend was filled with great adventures that it was so hard when I had to drop him off back in Logan.

Mckay and I were actually able to spend TIME together and I was so happy. He is an incredible person. I am so happy that he is home. It is stinky that we are attending different universities, but I know that God has his hand in my life. Lately I have felt so much gratitude for the Lord's attentiveness to the many details of my life. He is just right there watching over me.

School has started and I couldn't be more excited about being back! I love BYU and I love my major. My heart is exploding with joy and gratitude. 

I will leave you with a quote that one of my professors gave us. 

"If we live in such a way that the considerations of eternity press upon us, we will make better decisions." - Pres. Kimball

I'm Back!

I love reunions. Seeing people that you haven't seen in a long time is the best feeling. Today I went into work and was able to see my friends and the people that I love. Hugs, which are pretty much the best things in the world, were exchanged and I just felt so happy. 

I imagine the reunion with our Savior and Father in Heaven will feel similar, but intensified by ten billion. No biggie.

Here's the rest of my Summer:

Brook's Lake

Hike to Jade Lake

Tee Pee night

Ride with Beautiful Kaila

Watching the Rodeo with Josie on Dennis

Last Ride With Josie After Jumping in the River

Kaila and I with our Count Down Calendar

One last shot of the Pinnacles on my way Home

I will miss this beautiful place. What a crazy, unexpected, hard, and incredible adventure. I am so thankful for the lessons I have learned, the confidence I have gained, and the love I have developed through this experience. 

Now I am ready to start my last year of school. I can't wait for all the new people and new adventures that lie ahead of me!

Snap Shot

Today I spent the afternoon sitting on the bank of the Wind River being uplifted by a new friend. When we started our hike back to the ranch I had the opportunity to stop and appreciate the majestic beauty of this country. It was a moment that I was so thankful for my eyes and health. 

The Lord has experiences for us that we just sometimes don't understand. He places us in specific places for specific reasons. It is all a part of his work. He pushes us, allows for mistakes, and loves us through it all. Sometimes I wonder when these specific experiences will come in handy. 

God lives and He loves us so much. I am so thankful for that anchor. 

Tomorrow, I Love Ya!

I am literally giggling with excitement!!!!

Tomorrow is the day!!!

Mckay comes home tomorrow! 

Novel Love

If only pictures could capture the breath taking views I have been seeing for the past week. Nothing beats seeing beauty with the human eye though (This is the view from my cabin window).

Today marks the end of my first week here at Triangle C Ranch in Wyoming. Boy, was I in a bit of a shock arriving here. 

This is my new home for the next couple of months. A 100 year old cabin made by Scandinavian tie hack men. 

These are my super cool cat ranch friends/fellow employees minus a couple of them. 

 Here is the Kids Cabin (Beaver Cabin) that I will be spending every waking second in. 

 

Here are the AMAZING Grand Teton Mountains that have most definitely captured my heart.

 And some more of the gorgeous mountains around here. 

I have fallen in love with the Wind River too! Just everything about this place. Watching the birds soar, the sun turn the clouds purple behind majestic rocky mountain cliffs, the wind blow through the sagebrush and tall grass, and the simple, work-filled lifestyle. 

Oh and this is happy, happy, happy me ready for some new adventures this summer! 

God has a funny way of putting us right where we need to be. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer break! 

Go, Live Your Dream

We are now down to counting weeks. Mckay has about 9 or 10 weeks left. I am not entirely sure because he hasn't said what his release date is yet. 

How has two years gone by so fast? I feel like it was yesterday that I got my first letter from him. Shoot, I feel like it was yesterday that we were just little guys pretending not to date in high school!

When Mckay left I was pretty much a huge wreck. The past two years have been...crazy, amazing, hard, etc. Honestly, to my surprise, my love for Mckay has stayed constant. Through my dating experiences my respect and admiration for Mckay has only grown. I really didn't expect that, but here I am two years later excitedly waiting for his return. 

A couple of posts ago I said that Mckay emailed me. In his email he asked me what my plans were and what I thought about us trying to date when he got home. You can imagine first of all my surprise and then my happiness! It took me a longer period of time than I would actually confess to calm down from reading that email. Since then my anxiety has climbed and there is always a constant temptation to give in to my fears, but with the help of my patient and understanding brother and my loving and encouraging mother I have been able to stay calm. It most definitely helps that my job right now is so fantastic and also that my job in Wyoming starts in one month! 

For the whole month of March there was a quote on a calendar in the payroll office in the Brewster Building. Every time I dropped off our shops time cards I would read it and just felt the truth of it. It said, "Courage is putting your dreams above your fears." It truly takes courage to follow and pursue our dreams. What I am learning is that with every dream that I have there will always be fear to accompany it. Faith in Jesus Christ and courage in his grace and power then become the solid foundation that my dreams can build on. 

So go...live your dream. :)