Only One Month Left!

Wow this semester has been hectic! Obviously, because I haven't written on my blog in forever. All of my classes are going really well. I enjoy being an IR major a lot. It's super challenging, but I'm learning a lot. Working, school, friends, family, and a boyfriend is definitely a lot of juggling but somehow I have found a way to manage and I'm doing pretty well! I can't wait for this upcoming week though, because it's Thanksgiving break! Yay! Finally a break from school and life in general! I am going to be staying at Little America with Keaton's family to celebrate the holiday, and am really happy about it. Especially because that means I will get to see Temple Square all lit up! B-E-A-utiful! :] I just got a new job working for Wilson Diamonds. Such an amazing opportunity and I seriously have been so blessed. They seem to be a really great team/family and I'm excited to be a part of it! Everything in my life seems to be going really well and I truly have been blessed. I have been a little sick lately, but I am hoping my body corrects itself and gets back on track soon. I have been praying about it a lot. Well, I guess I have run out of time tonight!
Doctrine and Covenants midterm tomorrow! Sister Lisa Tait is my professor and she's amazing. Hoping I do well!
I'll update soon with pictures.

School has begun!!!

Wow, it's already been my second week! It's so crazy that I have already been through two weeks of Fall semester. Life has been going really great lately. My hair is dark again! It's really different and hard to get used to, but I enjoy being a brunette again. September is going to be a great month and I'm excited for it. But I'm even more excited for my birthday in October! 19! It will be so so so great. Keaton keeps asking me what I want for my birthday, but I really have no idea. I am always bad at telling people what I want, gift wise. I have mixed feelings about this semester. I know it's going to be a hard one, school wise, but I feel like something great is going to happen this semester. I've been praying so much and just know that something great will happen! I just am wondering what that will be.
I love my life, and I love Utah! :] Can't wait to see how this semester goes.

Back in the Swing of Things

So my new roommates are supposed to move in today. It will be a lot of fun! I'm excited for the change.
This week I'm working full-time, until school starts on the 29th. I've been ready for some change, something new and exciting to keep me on my toes. I'm hoping that semester does that for me.
I am now off all medication! I made sure that I could slowly get myself off all the medications I was on, and am so happy that I am no longer dependent upon them. I just want to let my body heal itself and it has! I am feeling quite a bit better, and am so happy because of it.
Everything in life has been going really great. I have been so blessed and I notice it more and more everyday.
Lately I've been power walking to the temple and back. It has been good for me to me to see the temple all the time. I especially love it in the evening, because it's all lit up and glowing! This summer I celebrated my one year anniversary of being baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! It's been the best year ever so far. Definitely a lot of hard times and tears, but I am thankful for the knowledge I have gained and the love I have shared.
Now it's time to get back to work...

Fall is Almost Here

I cannot believe that it is already going to be fall semester. It feels like just yesterday I started summer up here in Provo. I have made such close friendships this summer, and respectfully declined participating in the "Summer of Treason". Taylor Dong, you have been an amazing friend and I cannot tell you enough how much you mean to me! You are the greatest best friend I could have ever asked for! Keaton Jolley, you have been a great boyfriend and a fantastic support system this summer and I'm so grateful for the wonderful times we have!
I wish summer didn't have to end! But regretfully, reality must come back and I must go back to school! I am really going to enjoy this semester though. My major is International Relations and I have a pretty hefty load this semester.With all the weddings this past week, I'm pretty exhausted, but so happy for all the wonderful couples that have been married in the temple this summer! To name a few:

Cameron & Aurielle Kimball
Thatcher & Auslinn Schuler
Christian & Bre Jones
Zac & Danielle Rigby
Anthony & Jamie Woolstencroft
Miguel & Jordan Enciso
and last but DEFINITELY not least
Daniel & Regan Gilster

I love you all and am so happy for the wonderful decisions you have all made.
As this new semester starts, I look forward to new adventures, new friendships, and most of all, a new me!

Spring is coming to an end

Does it make me sad? Yes of course. I don't want Spring to end! I'm not ready for it to! I have been so busy with work lately, and I am loving it.
I am going to go to the Logan temple this weekend, and I am going hiking tomorrow. I can't wait. I love staying busy. It keeps my mind in the right places, and helps me to focus on what is truly important and what the Lord wants me doing.
Spiritually these past few months have been hard. In trying to find a balance where I can figure out what the Lord wants for me, I've spiraled into a lot of interesting situations and lots of tears. Doing what my Heavenly Father wants is sometimes the hardest decision that has to be made, but it is ALWAYS the best one. I have grown a lot spiritually and am looking forward to celebrating my one year anniversary of my baptism into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on July 10th. This year has truly had it's ups and downs, but throughout, I have felt the love of a Heavenly Father that understands my trials and can walk me through them with ease.
What I am grateful for this week:
I have also grown to love and respect my mom a lot more. I realize the wonderful things she has done for me and the sacrifices that she has made in order to be the amazing mother that she is. I'm grateful for her in so many ways, that just can't be expressed in words. She is the most amazing woman I know. I am grateful for my dad. His humor and most of all his love continually show through, regardless of how hard he tries to hide it! My dad is the perfect example to me of a successful person. He does what he loves every day and has always set an example for me to set my sights high and aim for the biggest and best that I can be in every situation. I am so happy for my step-mom, Vanessa, in my life. She is so good at planning and being organized. She is a strong willed woman and always stands up for what she believes. Vanessa is one of those people that you love to be around because she is always doing things for other people without a worry in the world. I am grateful for my step-dad, Bim. Him and I are so similar that we clash a lot. But what I have come to realize is that I'm grateful for the tiffs that we have had over the years, maybe it has trained me to be a lawyer! Haha. I love him for always trying as hard as he could at being a step-dad and just being a wonderful man in general. I am so thankful for my sister, Julia. She has always been a great big sister. When I was little, and fat, she made me watch what I ate. She has always been there for me, and she has always been my biggest advocate. She was the first person who stood up for me joining the LDS church. I love her so much, and even though we are complete opposites, I'm happy we get along so well.

I have been realizing what I am grateful for lately. I know that I have so many more things to be grateful for, but above all, I am grateful for my family.
This has been a great month, and I can't wait to see what comes next.

The Start of Summer in Utah

It has been a while since I have written on here and I thought I'd give the update!
I am still up in Provo, Utah just working and living in an apartment. It's been really great to get to know my roommate Julia Dold. She is a complete sweetheart and I really enjoy living with her. It's been easy to adjust to living on my own. I am really happy up here. Utah is the place for me! Beautiful scenery, lots of Mormons, cute boys, great friends, and finally getting to good weather.
I have been dealing with sickness a lot lately, but got some great news after an endoscopy on Thursday. I am healing up great! Now we just need to figure out what is causing me to get sick all the time in the first place. My mom came up to help out with that and also to just hang out for a little while. It was such a blessing to have her around and I loved introducing her to all my friends.
A big goal of mine for this summer is to visit all the temples in Utah. It seems like a lofty goal because there are so many of them, but I will accomplish it! As of right now I have visited:
Salt Lake City Temple
Manti Temple
Provo Temple
So exciting! I love to see how different they all are, and how unique they are in a special way.
I miss my family a lot. It has been great making friends and dating, but no one is the same as my family! My dad's sense of humor, my mom's compassion, my sister's goofiness, I miss it all!
Cannot wait to be home in a couple weeks so that I can spend some time with family!
Planning a trip to the 45th Annual Star Trek Convention. It is in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 11-14! So fun!

I'll be sure to write soon.

-Michelle

Taylor and I trying to be each other.

Manti Temple!

Salt Lake City Temple!

Aw

Finals Week

This week has been really stressful because finals are here! I have found ways to destress, which is great. I hope that I can do well on all my finals and start my Spring semester well! My dad and my step-mom are coming up this week to help me move into my new place! I cannot wait to be out of the dorms and into a place that I can call my own for the next few months! I will update as soon as I can, when I am done with my finals and am able to spend more free time goofing off!

Last Weekend before Finals

So I've decided to take all my finals on Saturday and Monday. It will be stressful, but great to get them all out of the way! I cannot wait to be done with school for this semester. Spring term starts up on the 26th of April. My best friend David Gould is getting back from Afghanistan tonight. He was there for seven months and I've missed him so much. I've been upset that I won't be able to be there tonight, but I'm grateful that he's home safe and that's all I care about! My mom said she'd give him and huge hug and a kiss on the cheek for me. The men fighting for our country are amazing. They're all heroes and need to be treated as such. I love all you guys and am happy that you get to come home and hang out with your families! Hope to see you soon! I'm trying to fly back in May, and I'll definitely be coming back in May twice.
This week is going to be crazy. School gets out on Wednesday, and then it's lots of studying until Saturday! So happy to be moving into my new place soon!
Only  three more months until my one year of being baptized! I am so happy to be a member of the church, and it has blessed my life in so many ways. I'm grateful that I've been able to come to BYU to further progress, learn, and grow. I cannot wait to do that more while I'm up here over Spring semester! I've had such great spiritual examples up here. You all know who you are and I'm thankful for you! Especially the people that have gone out of their way to give me blessings when I have been sick. I love you all and am so happy I have you guys in my life. Especially those people that I have been able to go to the temple with. Being a worthy temple recommend holder is a huge deal in my eyes and I have so many great examples of men and women that are worthy, around me. I love the church, I know it's true, and I am so happy to be here growing in my knowledge and in my testimony.

Last Friday of the Semester

It's weird to think how fast the time has passed since January. There is less than a week left of school before the semester is over, and before I have to start cramming for finals. My honors American heritage final is from 8-10 on Saturday night. What a downer huh? At least our teacher is bringing us all dinner! Today it's pouring and most likely it's already snowing. I am so excited for the weather to get warm again. I've heard springtime in Utah is beautiful. April showers bring May flowers I guess!
This weekend is going to be really busy for me! I am packing all of my things so I don't need to worry about doing it next week or finals week! Hoping I can get to Walmart so I can buy some plastic boxes! I'm also getting my hair done today, one of my favorite things to do. Tomorrow, there is going to be a Divine Comedy performance and I cannot wait to go, seeing as I've never been before!
I love this weather, the rain is amazing and these huge thunderstorms have been really entertaining.
I love Utah. Excited to be here until June :]

Signed Contract for Spyglas!

Excited face...

Karaoke!

So last night, Taylor and I got a group of people together to go sing Karaoke at Applebee's! It was so much fun! Although we all know I'm a horrible singer, that's okay, I can attempt to hide it. :] I think my favorite performance of the night was Stuart and Romney singing Any Man of Mine by Shania Twain. They have Karoake every Tuesday night, so I think I'll be going back with my room mates, because this is the last week we are together! Weird to think about leaving the dorms and leaving my room mates, who I've lived with since August. I'm happy about it though! I sign my contract for Spyglas today, and I can't wait! These next couple weeks are going to be so much fun, but I really wish I could just skip finals...That would be a lot easier than having to spend 6 hours at the library every day.
I'll post some pictures of last night and maybe even a video or two sometime later today :]
Peace and Blessings yo!

Conference!

My friend Clark and I at General Conference!

So the sun has finally come out in Utah. Seems kind of ironic that it would start to get warm when all of us are stuck in the library studying for finals! Our last day of winter semester here at BYU ends exactly one week from today! Where did the time go? I'll be living in Spyglas for the Spring semester and then I'm heading back to San Diego for the millions of weddings this summer. You know you go to BYU when all of your friends start to get married freshman year! So, for my first blog, I'll be talking about General Conference weekend! This past weekend was amazing. It's always great to hear the prophets of our church speak. For those of you who don't know what General Conference is, it's where the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) speak to the members, and it is broadcast all over the world! It's really cool, and I actually got to go to the conference center in Salt Lake City, where it is broadcast from. My favorite talk was from President Uchtdorf, who spoke on prayer and faith in Christ and understanding that although our paths may be simple, we cannot keep looking for the huge life-changing signs like that of Saul. After Priesthood session on Saturday, I went out on a huge group date with friends. My date was Keaton and we dominated at the game Just Dance. We would have won if he wasn't so tall, or if Leslie wasn't so short. Overall this was a great weekend. I recommend everyone to go watch the talks from this weekend, if you missed em! You can find them on lds.org. Well, that's all for today, I need to get back to work and actually do my job! Until next time...

Tim, Hillary, Me, & Keaton