"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."- Harriet Tubman

Well obviously Harriet was a boss woman and I loved this reminder. Sometimes we get stuck in ruts and you need to climb out of them. This quote definitely helped remind me that someday I'll be a boss woman, wife, mother, and world-traveler. Until that day, I'm just going to work consistently to make that happen! So here's what's happened recently:

• Sierra's Wedding. My aunt Sierra (my dad's sister) got married last Saturday and it was beautiful! My dad's whole extended family was there and it was really special to be able to attend the wedding. She looked gorgeous and I am so happy for her. Allen is definitely the right one for her and I could not be more ecstatic for her! It was also good to just be in Colorado and chill for a bit. I also got my big girl license, so I can now legally drink! haha not like I am going to, but I could! 
• Driving around with the top down singing at the top of our lungs/1D. A couple of weeks ago, Ellie (Lindsey's former roommate and who I hiked Timp with) invited us to go see the One Direction movie. Guys, it was fantastic!! I really love Zayn now. He's a gem, but really they all are. We then took off the roof of Ellie's jeep and drove around the canyon singing our heads out to a bunch of different songs. It was so much fun. The next week we drove around trying to figure out what song we were going to make a music video to. We didn't even start, but rest assured, that will be coming up soon! I'm glad I have at least some fun crazy college memories! :) 
• Half the Sky documentary. My DC friend, Emily, put on this presentation thing where we watched a documentary about women in the world. It was startling. I cried multiple times. It followed women from different countries like Sierra Leone, Cambodia and India. Did you know the number one cause of death for women is because of violent acts from men? That is crazy and needs to be stopped! The documentary re-awakened the idea that I am so blessed to be living in the US and that I have parents who support my education and everything I do. The numbers and the harsh reality of so many women around the world really struck home when I watched it. If you have a chance, watch it. I think it's on Netflix. And let's do something to make this situation better. I wish I had time to elaborate more on this, but seriously, there are many women in dire situations that would make you even more thankful for the circumstances you currently are in. 
• Spanish reunion. Even though I really did not want to take a language, it has been one of the best decisions I've made. Case in point: Faith and Ben. I met these two my first semester of spanish and we were all in town so we went to Cafe Rio and talked about our lives. Although it was weird to talk in English at first (we had only really talked in Spanish!), it was really fun. I am so thankful on multiple accounts that I decided to learn Spanish. I love these guys and I look forward to what great things they'll do in the future. 
•  This quote. Ever since my 12 hour journey on Timp, I've really liked quotes about hiking and mountains and such. And so I found this one on pinterest: "It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves" -Sir Edmund Hillary. How awesome is that? My whole point of attempting to hike Timp was to help me have the mental attitude that if I could hike this mountain, I could handle everything that was coming my way in the near future. Even now, even if it is a bit of a joke, when I'm doing something hard I think to myself, "Hey you climbed an 11,000 foot mountain. You've got this." 
• And this one. I have a really hard struggle, like I think most people do, to not become prideful. "Climb the mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air and behold the view.  Climb it so you can see the world, not so the world can see you.  Go to Paris to be in Paris, not to cross it off your list and congratulate yourself for being worldly.  Exercise free will and creative, independent thought not for the satisfactions they will bring you, but for the good they will do others, the rest of the 6.8 billion-and those who will follow them.  And then you too will discover the great and curious truth of the human experience is that selflessness is the best thing you can do for yourself.  The sweetest joys of life, then, come only with the recognition that you're not special."- David McCullough
• The Good Samaritan. I was recently thinking about this story after I was reading it for scripture study. I had a pretty rough emotional week last week with some personal issues and I was getting really frustrated. I read this story and came to a conclusion: we are all, at some point, all the characters in the parable. Sometimes we are the wounded on the side of the road that needs assistance. Sometimes, and probably less than it should be, we are the caregivers, the good Samaritan on the side of the road helping out our fellow men. This is the person we need to continue to work to be. This is what the gospel is all out, being the hands for our Savior. But worst of all, sometimes we're the person that helped beat up another human soul. Or we were a bystander/walked away, which is pretty much the same thing.I have loved this quote from C.S. Lewis ever since I read it in Sheri Dew's book: 

“It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which,if you say it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree helping each other to one or the other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all of our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations - these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.”

 How often have I been the person who hurts another one of God's children? Although it was sad to realize, I loved the reminder to be nicer to people with my words and actions. It's now one of my favorite stories!

• Cuban Missile Crisis. This past Tuesday I felt more alive than I have in a really long time. For my UN class, we had a retreat up at this gorgeous mansion where we ate Thai food and then did a simulation on the Cuban Missile Crisis. I was part of the USSR and trust me, for the hour that I was participating in this simulation, I WAS Russian. It got to the point that when we finished the simulation, most of us were still mad at the "Americans." This was kind of like the simulation on the Mexican-American drug cartels that we did in DC and I loved it. It reaffirmed that I definitely need to get a degree in Conflict Resolution. It was mind-opening to see how decisions between countries ever get made because they all have separate interest and allies. I absolutely loved it! 
• Ukraine. Yes you read that correctly. UKRAINE. In a few months (i.e. April 2014) I will (hopefully) be going here:

Beautiful isn't it??

 I found out about this sort of "service abroad" called the International Language Program. I randomly found out about it from a suggested ad from Facebook. Basically I will go to Ukraine, stay with a host family and teach English for 4 hours a day at the school and then I can travel around on the weekends. It is only around the cost of tuition and it includes all of my food, lodging, flight and language lessons (that's right, I'm going to learn Ukrainian!!!). I also will be able to visit Prague (the Czech Republic), Vienna (Austria), and hopefully Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. Does this not sound like the perfect program? I'll keep you all posted about it, but I really hope I'll get in. (Yes, I did decide to do this the same semester I am applying to grad school because I am actually certifiably insane!) 

• Michal and Madison. Yesterday I had the opportunity to hang out with two of my truest, best friends in the world. It was so great to be around people who knew me either when I was younger or who just flat out knew me super well. We talked about life and our struggles and it was so cathartic. They are definitely two of the angels sent here to help me through this life. Without these two, I'm not sure I would have even made it this far. I am so grateful for the amazing friends I have! I
• Elizabeth Smart. The other day I had one of those, I am sick of school and not doing anything fun days. So I went to the bookstore and picked up a copy of Elizabeth Smart's memoir and sat and read it right there in the bookstore. Those who have known me since I was little know that one of my biggest role models growing up was Elizabeth. (Also why is it that all boss women are named Elizabeth?) Anyways, I loved having a final closure by hearing her write exactly what happened. She handled it with the utmost grace and tact without leaving out any of the truth. I absolutely admire her attitude and the lessons she taught me. That she can even be a functional human being is crazy in my opinion. She is THE most positive, loving person who loves her Savior more than anyone I personally know. I loved a few quotes especially when she said,“My mom said, ‘Elizabeth, what this man has done to you is terrible, and there aren’t words to describe how wicked and evil he is…but the best punishment you could ever give him is to be happy. Move forward and follow your dreams and do exactly what you want to do.  You may never feel like justice has been served, but you don’t need to worry about that because in the end, God is our ultimate judge, and he will make up every pain and every suffering that you’ve gone through. Those who don’t receive their just reward here will certainly receive it in the next life, so you don’t have a reason to hold on to that."'“If you relive it, you’re only allowing him to steal more of your life away from you,” she continued. “That’s the best piece of advice I’ve ever been given, and I have tried to live it every single day.” Elizabeth also said: “We always have a choice to move forward, to make a difference.I like to think that we’re not defined by what happens to us…because so many times they’re beyond our control. I like to think that we’re defined by our choices and our decisions.” Now do you see what I mean?? SHE IS A BOSS! Read the book and you won't be sorry. 
• Now onto some pictures of recent adventures: 

My aunt Sierra and new uncle Allen. So happy for them!

Laurel and I took a lot of selfies at Sierra's wedding!

Micah and Luisa (who met each other through Washington Seminar)'s wedding with some DC friends!

Seester and I!

The non-serious family photo. Laurel is a creep!

Family photo at Sierra's wedding!

Some of my boss women from DC at Luisa and Micha's wedding!

I've been listening to "Waiting in Vain" on repeat because a. it's such a good song and b. it's getting colder which means I watched Serendipity today! Watch this precious video and you'll understand why I love that movie:

Remember that one time when I went to Serendipity?? Because I do!

I LOVE love. And you all. Hope you're having a fantastic week!