"Don't follow where the path may lead. Go instead where this is no path and leave a trail."- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I'm going to affectionately call this year the year of the Bucket List.

Let's review the places I visited:

• Washington DC
• Gettysburg
• New York
• Valley Forge
• Philadelphia

and now... CANADA! Yep, you read that right! I am officially going to Canada and...

THE BEACH!

Vancouver temple! Where Michal is getting married!

Capilano suspension bridge! The one from Psych!

I cannot believe that thanks to a very generous offer from grandparents, that I will be able to go to Canada for my best friend's wedding/21st birthday! I AM NOT GOING TO BE IN PROVO FOR MY BIRTHDAY!! In fact, I'll be out of the country. I am so excited for all the places I listed above, especially the Capilano suspension bridge, because it's been on my bucket list ever since Cassie got me hooked on Psych. Anyways, I am getting really excited about everything and I just wish August 9th would hurry up and get here!

• Dancing in the rain. Two Fridays ago, after a week of 100 degrees+ EVERY DAY, it rained. So naturally Sarah, Mary Elizabeth, Averi and I all danced it in. It was a perfect summer night and I loved it. Here's to hoping for more rain storms. 

Best dance party in the rain EVER

Dancing in the rain!

• Mountain drives. I'm fairly certain that a mountain drive can cure anything. There's been a lot of stress in my life recently, and Marisa recognized that, so we went driving through the mountains blaring music. It so cathartic. Seriously, I recommend that everyone do it whenever possible. I also had an opportunity to go on drives with Madison and Sarah, both of whom I love dearly! :) They're good for forging or solidifying friendships. 

From my mountain drive with Marisa!

• Major crisis. As in I had a freak out (stemming from the fact that they cancelled my Spanish class the only time I could take it!!) that I was not in the right major. I'm not big on making decisions while I'm emotional, so this has gone on the back burner. I've looked into Political Science and the classes look super exciting, but I'm not sure I want to switch. I'll keep you posted. 
• Fourth of July. My Independence Day was the epitome of American: eating apple pie while watching a game of softball. (I didn't play, because let's be honest, I am still me! But I did have the opportunity to read The Alchemist in its entirety and I did love that!) My roommate ME does this every year, and it was really fun to be a part of it! I then went to see my girl Kelly Clarkson for Stadium of Fire. IT WAS THE BEST. I've tragically never seen her in concert, but it was like a greatest hits concert, so it didn't even matter. I heard her sing all of my favorite songs and it was fantastic. She is such a boss. 



Slip 'n slide softball on the 4th!

• Stanley Hotel. Ever since watching The Shining with my dad, it's been our goal to visit/stay/tour Stanley Hotel. Since I will be home for my aunt's wedding in October (who lives conveniently like 20 miles away), I convinced him to do one of the tours, potentially the night time tour. If I come back alive, I promise I will blog about it. Also, again, an indication of the year of yolo/bucket list. 



The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO

• The Work and the Glory. Sometimes I just love being a nerd. I've read this series twice in its entirety, the first time with Danny. So the other day, I was missing him and decided to watch all three movies. I love them! I love the story! I know people think that's lame, but I cried during the end when they're all reunited. I just love following everyone's journey and I LOVE Lydia. Her, Jessica and Caroline are all boss women. 
• Creeping at the MTC. So there's a guy in our dinner group that works at the MTC and couldn't make it to dinner. So Sarah, being the kind-hearted woman she is, volunteered to bring him the food. So that's how it ended up being 10 p.m., both of us in our pajamas/hoodies driving towards the MTC. He told us the instructions on  how to get into the MTC the back way. So here we are, late at night, feeling like creepers because we're just chilling in the parking lot waiting for him to call us and give us further instructions. Then this couple comes over (side note: they were adorable and he opened the door for her!) and kind of peer in at us while Sarah and I are 'talking on the phone' (i.e. praying that he'll answer his phone). And then we see some missionaries and feel totes creeper. He eventually called while we were having a little bit of a freak out. So I can say I've officially been behind the MTC gates. It was fun, but I felt really weird about it! 
• Triathlon. Nope, I didn't participate in one, other than volunteering! It was really fun to watch and cheer people on and I realized how much I would love volunteering at any race. It's so cool to watch people being bosses. I'm going to look into volunteering for more races. 
• Work. I love my job, mostly because of my co-workers. Kevin and Lincoln, while crazy, can make me laugh harder than most people. We go on lunch adventures, watch weird videos and they try to scare me in the creepy storage place we call the dungeon. I'm so glad they're in my life because they not only give me guy advice, but they can cheer me up when guys are being jerks. Love them. Hate when they speak in their Batman voice. Ladies in Provo, they're single, so date 'em! 
• This quote. "We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all the power we need inside ourselves already. We have the power to imagine better." J.K. Rowling 
• And this one. "Say what you mean, but not meanly." This was said by my bishop in marriage prep and I absolutely loved it! Being blunt does not have to mean being rude. 
• And this talk. Everyone needs to this speech  from Elder Holland. I 'randomly' found this talk on Sunday after a massive sob session and it was great. I wasn't on the Elder Holland bandwagon, but after this talk, he's one of my favorites now. My favorite quote is when he says: "But whenever these moments of our extremity come, we must not succumb to the fear that God has abandoned us or that He does not hear our prayers. He does hear us. He does see us. He does love us. When we are in dire circumstances and want to cry “Where art Thou?” it is imperative that we remember He is right there with us—where He has always been! We must continue to believe, continue to have faith, continue to pray and plead with heaven, even if we feel for a time our prayers are not heard and that God has somehow gone away. He is there. Our prayers are heard. And when we weep He and the angels of heaven weep with us." So powerful. 
• Random photo of my beautiful campus 

Beautiful campus while walking to work!

Anyways, although this has been a long week emotionally, I am so thankful for all the support in my life. So many friends, new and old, have helped me on my journey this week.

Also this has been on repeat for days now (it's Nearer My God to Thee, my favorite hymn):

I hope this has been a good week for everyone else! Love you all!

If You Forget Me

I want you to know
one thing.

You know how this is:
if I look
at the crystal moon, at the red branch
of the slow autumn at my window,
if I touch
near the fire
the impalpable ash
or the wrinkled body of the log,
everything carries me to you,
as if everything that exists,
aromas, light, metals,
were little boats
that sail
toward those isles of yours that wait for me.

Well, now,
if little by little you stop loving me
I shall stop loving you little by little.

If suddenly
you forget me
do not look for me,
for I shall already have forgotten you.

If you think it long and mad,
the wind of banners
that passes through my life,
and you decide
to leave me at the shore
of the heart where I have roots,
remember
that on that day,
at that hour,
I shall lift my arms
and my roots will set off
to seek another land.

But
if each day,
each hour,
you feel that you are destined for me
with implacable sweetness,
if each day a flower
climbs up to your lips to seek me,
ah my love, ah my own,
in me all that fire is repeated,
in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten,
my love feeds on your love, beloved,
and as long as you live it will be in your arms
without leaving mine. 

-Pablo Neruda

Loving this poem today because it's so beautiful. I can't wait to read it in Spanish when I actually can!