Jake

"A dog has no use for fancy cars, big homes, or designer clothes. A water log stick will do just fine. A dog doesn't care if your rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or dumb. Give him your heart and he'll give you his. How many people can you say that about? How many people can make you feel rare and pure and special? How many people can make you feel extraordinary?" - Marley and Me

I've never actually seen this movie, due to the fact that if I were ever to watch it I would be depressed for a year, but this quote is undoubtedly and undeniably true. My best friend is a big, golden lab named Jake. I love this dog more than life itself and miss him even more than my family each time I leave home. He means the absolute world to me and if he were human, I would marry him in a heartbeat. :)

I can remember the first time I met Jake like it was yesterday, clear as crystal. My former dog, Autumn, had died while I was in Utah for summer vacation and my mother, being just as distraught as I over the death of a member of our family, promised me that I could get another dog. A week later, I went to the rodeo with my friend for her birthday and my parents went to look at the last dog of a litter from an ex-NFL player living in Dallas. I remember my mom telling me before I went to the rodeo that that they might or might not get the puppy and to accept their decision either way. Four eternal hours longer, I finally came home. I opened my front door and was immediately disappointed, for the house looked no different than when I left and I assumed the didn't get the puppy. I walked into the kitchen with tears starting to form in my eyes only to find my mom sitting in a chair at the table with the cutest little golden puppy tail and paws sticking out under her chair. The tears of sadness that filled my eyes soon turned to tears of happiness as I sank to my knees and greeted for the first time my love of life. Since then, my life has never been the same.

Every time I walk through the front door, I am greeted by a gentle-giant's vigorously wagging tail and slobbery pink tongue. No matter how horrible and bad my day has been, I know I have a boy at home who unconditionally loves me and NEVER fails to cheer me up. He doesn't see me how the world sees me... he sees me as the most beautiful, extraordinary, kind, and loving girl imaginable. He loves me no matter what. He will be there for me no matter what. And he will always be my best friend, no matter what. He's so much more than just a dog - he's the greatest friend anyone could ever dream of having and every day I thank God for him.

So last night when I got into town for Thanksgiving break and I walked through my front door, I was overwhelmed with joy and started sobbing with happiness as I greeted my dog Jake. I love him with all my heart, might, mind, and strength and miss him so much when I'm at college. For all you dog lovers out there, you know how I feel and I am so grateful that you care enough for an animal to give it a home and not just an address. Not many people make me feel extraordinary, but there is one boy, with four legs and a tail, that hits the nail on the head every time. Give him your heart and he'll give you his.

There's Something About Black Leather Boots...

Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday, not for the gruesome horror movies or tons of chocolate that add pounds instantly to my thighs, but rather for idea of being whoever you want to be for one night of the year. For me, that’s Batgirl. She’s amazing, kicking evil villain butt left and right while wearing sexy black leather high heel boots. While in costume she’s smoothe, sexy, confident and holds her head high, knowing who is she and what her role is. But how does she feel during the day? Perhaps she’s just an average receptionist? Or maybe even a stay-at-home mom? I wonder if she ever feels invisible when she’s not wearing those black leather boots. I don’t know about you or Batgirl, but that’s exactly how I feel.

These last few months had been a slow dimming of the spark that once consumed my countenance. I feel as though the flame that once burned bright within me has slowly been growing smaller each day until finally someone just gently exhaled by me and the flame was diminished completely. I’ve gone numb – completely invisible to the world. Back in high school I had a reputation. People knew who I was, knew my values, what I believed and respected me. You could even say I was popular, even though I was very different than the stereotypical “popular” crowd. People wanted to be me, wanted my life, wanted my friends and wanted my reputation. They thought my life was perfect, and I understand why they thought that but it wasn’t. And now, if any of those people that thought that in high school are reading this, know that my life is not perfect, but rather quite lame at the moment. I spend every weekend studying at the library, I have not gone on a single date while going to BYU, and I haven’t attended a legit college party once this year. What happened to that girl I used to be? That girl who LOVED life, spent every weekend with her best friends and was full of fire, passion, and hope. It’s as if Batgirl buried her black leather boots in her closet and became passive over the fact that evil villains were taking control of the city. Well that stops tonight – ironically the night that is supposed to represent the Dead has sparked life within me. As soon as I zipped up my Batgirl costume and slid on my knee-high sexy black leather boots, I took a good look in the mirror and realized that this costume represents the girl I am. Smoothe, sexy, smart, confident, single and fabulous. I love Halloween – it’s unfrozen my cold body and resurrected me from my slumber of lameness. No more hiding from the world – it’s time the cat, or rather the bat, came out of the bag and I want everyone to know my name, my face, and who I am. There's just something about those black leather boots...

These Next Twenty Years

September 29, 2011 is my 20th birthday... I don't even know what to say to this! How did it come so fast?!? I am really that old?!? I have one week left as a teenager and I'm freaking out because I haven't fully completed my "Teenager Bucket List". I'm not going to share that list with the whole blogging community but instead I've listed my top 19 favorite things I did during my teenage years, in honor of my last week as a 19 year old:

1) Fell in love
2) Had my first kiss
3) Got my Drivers License
4) Graduated High School
5) Became an EMT-B
6) Helped deliver 2 babies
7) Went on my first date
8) Went to Prom
9) Started college
10) Traveled to Japan and Hawaii
11) Had my first boyfriend
12) Went skinny-dipping (shocking, I know!)
13) Got my Young Women's Medallion
14) Went snowboarding for the first time
15) Got my first cell phone
16) Made a Facebook
17) Made my first sandcastle
18) Took a ride in a submarine
19) Realized you can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl


I guess it's really not that big of a deal turning twenty, but I feel as though I am saying a final goodbye to my wonderful childhood and greeting my new Adult Life. Of course there is so much to look forward to and I know this is only the beginning of my bright future, but I will always embrace my teenage years and all that time I spent with my family and closest friends in the most wonderful place on the planet: HOME. So in honor of my 20th birthday next Thursday, I've made a list of 20 things I want to do in the next 20 years:

1) Graduate from BYU
2) Go on a mission
3) Fall in love, again
4) Get married
5) Get a PhD
6) Have kids! Lots of kids!
7) Make a medical discovery
8) Live in Texas
9) Travel to Australia/New Zealand
10) Learn to play the piano
11) Have medical profession
12) Complete P90x
13) Go to Yellowstone
14) Attend a Masquerade Ball
15) Go on a cruise
16) Learn to cook
17) Train a puppy
18) Own a house
19) Buy a John Deere tractor
20) Conquer the World! (ok kinda a stretch haha)

These next twenty years will be the best years of my life... :)

Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful

Well I'm back at Brigham Young University in Provo Utah studying my brains out. Majority of my friends attend a college or university where drinking, smoking, drugs and sex seem to be the only courses they get an A+ in. As for me, I'm not doing any of that. Oh, quite the contrary. Not only am I being a "good" college student who actually shows up to class sober, I'm currently taking Molecular Biology, a Molecular Biology 3-hour lab, Physics, a Physics 3-hour lab, 5+ hours of mentored research each week in a worldwide PhageHunters program, a New Testament religion class and a Music 101 class as my "blow-off" course. No Humanities or Philosophy for me. I'm pretty much the nerd you picture in the white lab coat with the HUGE goggles on getting super excited about finding green furry bacteria in a petri-dish... Yep, that's me and my college experience.

I'm going to be completely honest here- sometimes I wish more than anything I could have a "regular" college experience. It seems so easy and carefree and they still manage to come out at the end OK with a diploma. But here's the difference between me and them: I KNOW who I am, I KNOW where I'm going and I KNOW how to get there. I know my WORTH and what they are doing is not worth my time, energy or money. Believe it or not I still have fun in Provo Utah. In fact just this morning I hiked up a 6,000 ft mountain to the Y. Cool picture huh? :)

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I can be my own kind of Beautiful, physically and spiritually, no matter what's going on around me. I might not beautiful or popular to the world, but I like who I am and I can't wait to see the girl I'm going to be after all this hard work in a few years.

Not This Again...

The best summer of my life has finally come to an end and during my last few hours in my most favorite place on the planet I find myself thinking, "Not this again...". Why am I doing this to myself? I hate leaving my family to go live with a bunch of hormonal and over dramatic girls in a too small apartment. I hate stuffing myself into 4 layers of clothes just to walk 20 minutes in the snow up a flippin' mountain to get to class. I hate the enormous amounts of homework I do just to go fail a test and get a C in a class I've worked my tail off all semester for. I guess I just kinda hate college, or maybe just the college I go to. So why am I going back?

I've always been taught that faith precedes the miracle, or in other words, you have to endure the rainstorm before you can enjoy the rainbow. I'm going back for my reward at the end of this long road. My dream (currently, might change) is to become a Pediatric Oncologist and I'm sure there will be lots of rough spots in the journey to come but the thought of me living my life by helping people and saving their lives makes any mountain seem like a grain of rice. I just need to remember that tough times don't last, but tough people do.

It's a new school year in a new apartment with new roommates and new classes. Freshman year was absolute hell and if I could erase one year from my mind, that would be it. After a summer to clear my head I am ready to give it another chance. So here goes nothing. Wish me luck and watch me shine!

Country Girl

Some girls dream about moving to New York City and becoming a famous celebrity while other girls dream about going to LA and becoming a gorgeous actress. This girl dreams about being a doctor and living on acres of green fields in Texas. I finally found the place I belong... 6 months before I left it for college.  My favorite place on God's green planet is an open field with cows just under the big blue Texas sky.  I love the fresh, clean air, the open fields, the country roads, the hot summer days, the common courtesy and respect every true southerner was raised with.  Family is the most important aspect of life and patriotism flows thick through your veins. And above all else, love conquers all.

Yes, I'm a country girl. As Jason Aldean says:

"She's country from her cowboy boots to her down home roots , 

She's country, from the songs she plays to the prayer she prays, 

That's the way she was born and raised she ain't afraid to stay, country 

Yea she's nothing but country..." 

Amen brother. God bless Texas!