The Cemetery Girls

This post is LONG overdue, but I just needed to write a post about three of the most influential girls in my life.  They all have something in common--they were all my work partner up at the cemetery :)  When you spend about 30 hours together every week, just you and them, you get to know each other pretty well!  

Holly and I worked together the first two years.  Boy was it fun!  Neither of us had any clue what we were doing, but we had fun figuring it out together!  We were pretty good friends all growing up, but in those two summers she became one of my best friends!  I was lucky enough to get to watch her fall in love and marry Ryan.  Now she has a baby and lives in Germany?!  Where has the time gone?!  I can't go too long without a good chat with Holly.  Since she's moved to Germany we've had some good skype chats.  I just love her and her little family!  Holly has taught me to never give up--even when there seems no way out.  She taught me to laugh when you want to cry.  She inspired me with her diligent training for her half marathon.  She's a great friend to all, and I'm so glad I was able to spend so many hours with such a great girl!  

She came home for a little bit to bless her baby, and I was lucky enough to get to visit with her and snap this picture :)

After Holly decided she wouldn't be coming back, I was devastated.  I didn't think that I would ever be able to find someone that great to work with.  Then along came Sierra!  In high school Sierra and I referred to each other as "church friends" cause we were besties in our ward, but we both had different best friends.  Well, we became more than church friends that summer.  We did literally everything together!!  The summer started out pretty rough, but we got it turned around.  At the start of each week we would plan all of the fun things we wanted to do, and then we would plan our work schedule around it.  We did so many fun things!  From fishing to shopping, we did it all!  Sierra has such a deep love for our Savior.  She knows that He knows what's best for her, even if it doesn't make sense to us.  Many of our conversations revolved around the Gospel, and she was so good about sharing her testimony with me.  She taught me to love our little valley more than I ever thought was possible.  All summer long we would say we were the same person because we thought so much alike.  Most days we laughed until we cried.  This last month I was lucky enough to be one of her bridesmaids.  I was so excited for her to meet and fall in love with Trevor.  All the heartbreaks were worth it--he's great!  I felt so honored, and I absolutely LOVED getting to spend some extra time with her and her family preparing for, and enjoying the day.  She was a stunning bride, and had the happiest, best attitude the whole day!  What an awesome, inspiring girl!  

Her wedding day was seriously the best!  She didn't seems stressed at all and was smiling to the last minute!  

When Sierra wasn't coming back, I really thought I was in trouble.  I had already lucked out twice, and there was no way I was going to find a third girl that I would get along with that well.  Then along came Kalbie!  I cannot even begin to tell you how much this girl has impacted my life.  When we started work up there in May we had only talked to each other like 3 times.  We were practically strangers.  After the first day, I knew we were going to be great friends!  She is so happy and outgoing and fun!  You can't help but like Kalbie Harmon.  She has that same love for the outdoors as me, and we had fun doing a few adventures together.  We were always thinking about the next place we wanted to go hiking or running.  It's also convenient that she married one of my best friends from high school, cause now I get to see both of them often!  Kalbie taught me about how important it is to constantly be progressing.  She is always trying to become the best person she can be whether it is spiritually, physically, or improving her relationships with others.  She greets everyone with a big smile, and she just makes you feel so loved!  It wasn't unusual to see Kalbie and I talking for another hour after work, because we never seemed to run out of things to talk about.  I'm glad she lives in Cokeville and that I get to see her, but I also love a good phone chat with Kalbie.  She's just so great!

We actually do have a photo of us in nice clothes, but I just like this one better :)  

When I started working at the Cokeville Cemetery in 2012 I had no idea it would have this large of an impact on my life!  I'm forever grateful for these girls and the things I've learned from them.   

He's Aware

I've been thinking a lot lately about how God is aware of us.  He loves us.  He knows our hearts.  He wants to help us.  Every day, God lets me know that he cares.  Sometimes I notice His hand, sometimes I don't.  I noticed His intervention in my life one day while I was in Peru.

It was my first Sunday in Peru.  I had decided to go to church with the Gavancho's (a connection with the Thornock's), which required me to go across town to the chapel.  Eunice had given me the address to the chapel and I had just caught a cab because I didn't feel too comfortable with the bus system yet.   Church was from 2-5, and then I decided to talk to the bishop about getting my records transferred and setting up a time for a temple recommend interview so I could go to the temple when I visited Lima.  When I got out of the church around 6 o'clock, it was dark.  I was as good as lost, in a foreign city, and I was feeling a little panicked.  Regardless, I went to go and catch a cab to get me back to my house.  Just about every car was a cab, but being a blonde American in Peru, I was strongly advised to only take legitimate cabs.  It was getting later and later, and I could not get one to stop for me.  I was getting pretty frustrated when two sweet girls came over to me and asked me if I needed help.  In my broken Spanish I explained to them that I just needed to get home.  They asked me where I lived, and said that it would almost be impossible to find a cab in this area to take me there at this time of night.  But, they said they knew a couple of buses that would take me to a plaza right close to there.  I was so relieved!  So, I thanked them a ton, hopped on the bus, and started the ride back toward Arcopata.  

The bus was standing room only, and as I stood there, I was feeling pretty discouraged.  I had felt so sure about my decision to come down to Peru, and now the only thing I felt sure of was that I was going to die down here!  That's when a kind lady started talking to me.  Even with my limited Spanish, I was able to understand everything she said, and I was able to come up with what to say back.  Through my conversation with this sweet lady, my spirits were lifted.  As I got off the bus and finished the walk to my house, I was lucky enough to realize that I had just seen the hand of God in my life.  Those two girls were prompted to come and help me.  That lady on the bus was inspired to talk to me.  I was blessed to be able to understand her and have a conversation with her.  Even though I was far away from home, I was able to see my Heavenly Father's hand in my life that evening. 

I know He is helping me every single day.  He is there, and He is aware of each one of us.  

Lessons From My Days in Peru

Today marks two months since I got back from Peru.  I've been back for almost as much time as I was gone (not very long) and it's about time I reflect on some of the things I learned from my trip.  

1. The Church is TRUE!  Some of my most special times while I was in Peru were while I was at church.  The curriculum, the order, the sacrament, the happy people--it was all just like it is here and it was so refreshing. While there I gained an even stronger testimony of our prophet, Thomas S. Monson and his apostles and how they are called of God.  I also gained a greater appreciation for the Hymns and the power of music.  My favorite part of each meeting was singing the hymns in Spanish.  So beautiful.  

 (Where's Waldo?! With the YSA from the San Jeronimo Ward)

2. Kids are the best.  Saying goodbye to these cute little rascals on November 27th was possibly one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.  Knowing that I probably wouldn't see any of them again just broke my heart.  They are so full of love and patience.  They never got frustrated with my bad Spanish.  Each time I lost my patience with them, they quickly forgave me.  Their warm hugs and shouts of "Profe-Tee-chair" greeted me each day.  We had so much fun together learning, laughing, brushing our teeth, reading stories, dancing, and so much more.  I understand why the Savior teaches us to become like little children.  They are just so pure and genuine.  I hope to become half as humble, kind, and pacient as the kids at Nuevas Americas.  

3. Everybody has something to give.  The people of Peru work for what they have.  Everyday I saw grandmothers, mothers, and young girls walking up long hills and hopping on and off busses with giant packs tied around their backs.  They did whatever it took to get to the market to sell their goods.  Everyone down there had something to offer.  Husbands spent months and even years working away from home to help support their families.  The youth worked after school was out, earning money to help buy food.  For the most part, people gave what they had to have a good life.  I was very inspired.  

(Her dry, cracked heels were on countless other hard workers as well)

4. I love my family very much.  As I was saying goodbye to my parents in the SLC airport I was somewhat shocked to find myself fighting back tears.  I had been looking forward to this trip for so long!  Why in the heck was I starting to cry?! That was when my mom said, "Isn't it nice to have something so great that it's hard to leave?"  She was so right.  Even though I was setting out to fulfill one of my dreams, it was hard to leave my family and friends.  They're just so great.  While I was gone I got excited about each FaceTime call, each email, and each Facebook message.  Family really is everything.

5. Be thankful.  We are so blessed to live in America.  We have drinkable water.  We have carpet.  We have pretty good sanitation systems.  We don't have a million stray dogs.  We take care of each other.  We have nice vehicles.  We don't have to worry too much about food poisoning or parasites.  We have great hospitals.  We have a great life. 

5. There's more adventurer in my soul than I thought.  While I was down there, I kind of thrived off of doing new things.  Everything around me was new, but I could have easily gotten into a routine and not tried new things.  I tried to do the exact opposite.  I took the public transportation everywhere!  A little sketchy at times--yes!  Culturally educational--you bet ya!  I would try different routes walking home from preschool each day.  I got pretty lost a few times, but I always managed to find a familiar landmark and I got to see a lot of the city that way.  I tried to see all of Peru that I could while I was there (money and time allowing...). I didn't care if I had a buddy to go with me or not, I was going to make the most of it.  At the time, I didn't feel too adventurous, but looking back I figure a young blonde girl, going to Peru --by herself--, finding her way around Cusco, visiting ruins, taking tours in Spanish, and just flat out living in a different country is pretty darn adventurous.  

6. I can do hard things.  You guys.  Learning a language is hard.  It can be frustrating.  It can make you want to cry.  It can also make you cry.  It can also be rewarding.  Spanish is beautiful.  

7. Let your heart love people.  Even though I knew I was only going to be in Cusco for a short time, I decided to love the people I was with.  I grew to love the other volunteers, the people in my ward, the family I lived with, and mostly the kids and Flor.  Putting my heart out there made saying goodbye so much harder, but made my time there so much more worth it.  

This list is not all.  In fact, I'll probably think of 5 more awesome things I learned tomorrow, but it's a pretty good summary.  The trip changed my life.  While I'm still the same Livi, I've learned so much about life, about friendship, and most importantly, about myself.  

Sisters

I have THE best sisters.  Thanks to a recent wedding I now have seven of them.  That's quite a few.   Luckily enough, we all get along so great!  I'm second to the youngest of all of us, and I love it.  I learn so much from them every time I'm with them.  I get to watch them be wives, mothers, friends, daughters, and sisters.  They are all involved in a wide variety of things, and they all rock at life.  So, here's the line up of sisters, starting from my first sister, to my most recent.

This here's the lovely Taffy.  

She's the oldest and most likely wisest of us all.  She is an amazing mom of four (soon to be five) kids.  She juggles all of their schedules and still manages to do the things she loves--coaching volleyball and having a beautiful lawn and garden.  She's a very talented piano player and is now going to try her hand at the "wife of a rancher" life.  She's gonna be bomb.  I'm so thankful for her example of looking on the bright side of the situation and trying to take advantage of all the opportunities life offers.  

Next is Tami in all her natural beauty.   

She's probably the most competitive of all of us, but likes playing games the least. (try and figure that one out…)  I envy her ability to look gorgeous with no make-up on and her ability to wrangle four wild boys all day, every day.  She actually tries her pins on Pinterest and is one of the handiest ladies I know when it comes to building things.  She always stays up late chatting it up with us young ones and gives us some of the best laughs.  I'm so thankful for her example of putting her family first and getting along with everyone.

Now for the beautiful Violet Rose.    

Everyone just knows when Vi walks into a room.  She always looks so put together and is always full of life.  She's a people person, and she has the ability to carry a conversation with everyone.  She's always up on the latest fashions and she tries her best to help me out in that department… I'm so proud of her for living the college student life for going on about 10 years now.  She's a champ!  She always makes time to come to Cokeville and visit with us.  I always love going on walks with Vi.  I'm so thankful for her example of patience and her love for the Lord.  

The last blood sista--Tess the mess.

I love this girl.  We have been best friends since we were babies.  She's so fun to be around and can make anybody smile.  She comes up with the best questions to ask people--questions that make them feel a little uncomfortable, but end up making them feel like they're best friends. her personality is infectious.  She is always trying to do what is right and makes me want to be a better person.  She's a hard worker and she's beautiful to boot!  I'm so thankful for her example of always doing what's right, no matter what the circumstances are.  

"Married-in" Michelle comes next.

Because Michelle is from Cokeville, we've known each other for forever.  She's always been so nice to me.  I was the libero on the volleyball team my sophomore year, she was a senior and the setter, and she never gave up on me.  Even if I shanked 3 passes in a row, she still made me feel like she believed in me.  It meant so much to me.  She's an awesome photographer, I covet her skin, my brother is SO in love with her, and she's now the proud mom to a precious little girl.  I'm so thankful for her example of doing what she loves and being flexible.  

Finally, our newest sister, Candace.  

Candace just joined our family on Thursday, and we are pumped about it!  We love her!  She's so spunky and full of life and is game to try anything.  She's an artist and a dental hygienist.  She puts up with Tyson and is one rare person who has the ability to give it right back to him.  Her laugh is contagious.  Everybody loves her--kids to adults.  She's the lone soccer player of the family, but I'm sure she'll get a few converts soon.  I'm so thankful for her example of making the most of your life, even if it doesn't go as planned.  

I think it's pretty easy to see that I am the winner of the best sisters award.  We are all so different, but one thing we all have in common is our love for our family and our love for the Savior.  All of these ladies are trying their best to do what is right.  They all have strong testimonies and are great examples to me of living the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I am so thankful for them in my life and so thankful that we get to be together for ETERNITY.  

Endings.

One of my least favorite things are endings.  Right now I'm facing some of them, and it's kinda killing me.  I'm not good at them.  I've know this ending was going to be coming for quite some time now, so I've been trying to prepare myself for it.  One of the things that helped me was this quote by Buddha.  

So, obviously this isn't the end of my life or anything, but I think this can apply to us all the time.  I'm trying to love all the things I'm doing as well as all of those around me.  I'm trying to live without stress.  I'm trying to not get mad or frustrated about the things that I'm having to let go.  Thanks for the advice, Buddha.  

I also was able to receive some comfort and advice from General Conference.  I didn't remember hearing this quote, but Mary told me it reminded her of me.  It's perfect!  

This is the ending of my time in Provo for a while, but it's not the end of the friendships I've made with people, the memories I've shared, or the lessons I've learned.  So, instead of looking at this time as an ending, I'm going to look at it as a BEGINNING.  Doesn't that sound so much better?!

Another great talk that gave me a new perspective on this change was a talk by Bishop Gary E. Stevenson.  He asked us: 

I got thinkin', and I realized that my summer is just like four minutes of my life.  It's going to go by so fast and I AM going to make the most of it.  I'm going to do good things with those four minutes.  It's going to be great!  

So, enough about sad endings.  I'm just going to look forward to the new beginnings :)

Paige Montgomery

Another amazing girl has made an impact on my life.  She has been one of my roommates this past semester and I'm so glad I've had the privilege to life with her!  Paige is so great!  We've been the babies in the house, she's just a few months younger than me, and we've gotten a long so well!  This morning Paige left to Germany to do an internship.  She's going to be working for the Church over there, and I'm so excited for her and the awesome experiences she's going to have.  While I'm so excited for her, I'm sad for me--I'm going to miss her so bad!  I'm already having withdrawals!  Normally when I got home Paige and her now fiancé, JJ, would have been here, I would have talked with them for quite a while, smelled there delicious cooking, and then been offered something pumpkin and healthy that she made from a new recipe she was experimenting with.  She's just so great!  

So, one of my favorite memories with Paige was just a few hours after I arrived, she invited me to go with her, JJ, and some friends to hike Mt. Timpanogos.  I was so excited and so surprised that she'd invite me.  She barely knew me!  I could be some annoying weirdy for all she knew! (Maybe I am, but at least she's nice about it :)…) It was one of my favorite days, and I'm so glad I got to share it with Paige.  

Paige is a go-getter and is going to go so far in life.  She's a great friend and a great example. Love you Paige!  See you in a few months :) 

Holly G. ("G" now stands for girl)

So, one of my best friends of my entire life got married today!!  She got married in the San Diego,  CA temple.  I mean, look at this place:

Who wouldn't want to get married there?!?!

The only downer is that I couldn't make it.  I'm in the midst of finals…

Even though I couldn't make it, I was thinking about her and Ryan ALL day!  So, for those of you who don't know what a great person Holly is, I figured I'd enlighten you.  

Holly is the most loyal friend.  I know I can always count on her. 

Holly is a super hard worker.  We have worked together the past 2 summers at the cemetery and it has been SO great!!

Holly is so easy to get along with.  We have spent tons of time together and she just has this great personality that makes it so easy to be around her.  

Holly is so happy!  She knows how to see the bright side of every situation.

Holly is so much fun! Every time we are together we laugh our heads off!  Seriously though, those Grandy's are funny people!

Holly is so thoughtful.  She always texts me at just the right time and it always brightens my day.

Holly has a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We have had so many good talks about the church and gospel topics, and I always come away feeling refreshed from her insights.  

Holly is so beautiful, inside and out!  I mean, just look at her!?  She is one of the most gorgeous people I know, and from the list above, it's obvious that her beauty isn't just on the outside.  

Thanks for being such a great friend Holly!!  Ryan is a lucky guy!!  I can't wait to see you and hug the now Mrs. Ryan Voges.  Love ya girl!!

Oh, and here is a screen shot of the text she sent me moments after she met Ryan for the first time.  It's a precious story.  Love at first sight :)

(I know, my response is super shallow, but I thought she was kidding?! haha)

Veteran's Day

Happy Veteran's Day!  

One of my favorite days in elementary school was Veteran's Day.  Each year we would put on a program that the town would come to in honor of our local Veterans. I always loved the songs we learned and I was singing some of them today.  These programs were the start of my appreciation for Veterans. 

I have been interested in American wars for a long time.  My grandpa Herman Teichert was serving his mission over in Germany when WWII broke out.  I have written a few research papers about the war breaking out in Germany and I've been able to use his journal as a primary source. It's so interesting and I've learned so much! My grandpa Oberg was in the military during WWII.  He worked on planes up on the Aleutian Chain.  Every winter when he comes to our house he's reclined in the LazyBoy about 2 feet from the TV watching the History channel.  I love catching some of the action and learning about the war that he was a part of.  Isn't he handsome!

(Thanks Uncle Dave!)

Even though I don't have a ton of military ties, I am still so proud of them!  I have a couple cousins who are currently serving our country and I am so thankful for them and the sacrifice that they make and their families make to keep our country free.  I am so thankful for Veterans everywhere and the courage they had and continue to have as they put their lives on the line so that I can enjoy the freedoms that I do.  I love America.  

Tetherball

Today Tess and I took Taffy and Tony's kids to the elementary school park.  They got new equipment (which is obviously WAY lamer than when we were in school!).  We were talking about this as we were walking down the sidewalk and when we got to the end, lo and behold there was a tetherball standard! Redemption for replacing our equipment!  We were pumped!  So, we set poor little Brady down in the grass (don't worry, he didn't cry!) and started to play.  Once upon a time we had a tetherball standard in our yard, and we both remember being pretty professional at it, so naturally we thought we were going to be awesome.  Boy were we wrong! I threw it over to start us out and, because I'm so great at tetherball :), Tess missed it.  So it was coming back at me and I got ready to hit it back to her, and I totally missed!  It came back around again, untouched, and once again, I missed.  By now, we were laughing our heads off!  Still, we thought we would get better, that our professional skills would return.  Needless to say, we went through 3 games of laughing our heads of at our lack of coordination. About halfway through game 2 I said to Tess, "I feel like mom playing basketball!"  So, while this post would be SO much better if there was a video of us playing, just remember watching my mom playing basketball...but worse!  Who knew being bad at something could be so funny?!  

"My Heart Will Go On"

Last week some of my siblings and I watched this again for the umpteenth time, and we laughed our heads off--as usual.  These are the boys in my class, and oh how I miss them!  Hope you enjoy it as much as we do :)

The 3 Little Kids

Sulli, Tess, and I have been "the 3 little kids" for as long as I can remember and probably will be for forever.  We were living together just us and my parents for 5 years, and we have this special bond.  We haven't been able to do a ton together since Sulli got home from his mission because of the different stages of life that we're all in.  Then Monday Sulli asked us if we wanted to go to Ironman 3 with him.  Of course I wanted to!  I hadn't even seen Ironman 1 or 2, but I'd go see three if I could go with him and Tess.  So, last night we went up to Star Valley and watched Ironman 3, and I loved it! Not only was the movie great, but the drive up and back was great, us 3 talking about good times and  current events in our lives.  It was so great to have an evening together again.  I sure love these two!

3 little kids for LIFE!!

4 days home and LOTS of blessings

I arrived in good ol' Cokeville Thursday afternoon, and let me tell ya, it's been an eventful time since then!  I've had some time to reflect on all my blessings in the last few days, and I am so blessed! 

Here are some of the things I'm thankful for in the last few days:

*One of my best friends got married in the temple

*I got to see 7 of my 9 nieces and nephews

*There are some really good people in this world

*I'm alive

*My family loves me

*Cokeville people are some of the BEST

*I ate my first tin-foil dinner of the year--yum!

*Saw all of my siblings but 1

*Caught up with old friends

*I have roommates for the fall :)

*My belly has been full...all the time

*I've seen miracles

This is just a short list, but I am feeling so blessed right now.  I have a purpose here on earth, and I have a Heavenly Father who loves me and is looking out for me.  My life is so great, and I'm SO glad I get to keep going on this wonderful journey :)

2 more nights

I only have two more nights sleeping in this bed:

and living in this house:

Guys, it's kinda sad.  This bed is so cool, my room is fabulous, and the house is so fun!  It's been a good year White House. 

7,305

That's how many days I have been alive. 20 years + 1 day.  Birthdays are always a little bitter-sweet for me.  Since I was little I've been kinda bummed about growing up.  The first time I remember crying about growing up was a couple of days before I finished 3rd grade.  I remember crying to my mom about how sad I was that this was the last week with Dad as my teacher, and that I was never going to get to have him as my teacher again!  I was so sad!  I think it was the first time I really realized that when things end you can't ever have them back.  Since then I've pretty much cried at every big growing up period in my life!

So, when I ended the days of being a teenager, I decided to be happy about this growing up day instead of sad, because there's nothing I can do to change it!  20 years seems like kinda a long time to me, but really it's not that old.  I still have a LOT of life in front of me.  I had a great day yesterday to celebrate my life!  I have so many great friends and such a great family that all helped to make my day special.

Plus guys, I have done some pretty awesome things in 20 years!  I have learned so many things and have had so many life changing experiences.  I just wouldn't be me if I didn't have every single one of those 7,305 days in my life.  I wouldn't have met all of the great people I have.  So, from now on, when I think about getting older, I'll think about all of the great experiences that lie ahead and all of the great ones that I have had.  These first 2 decades (2 decades people!) are going to be pretty hard to top, but I'm pretty sure I can do it :)  Here's to another amazing year!!

My Sister...The Champion

My sister Tessa and her team just won state volleyball.  It was so exciting and I'm so proud of her and all of the work she has put into becoming a great volleyball player.  But my sister is more than just a volleyball champion, she's a champion in so many other things.

She's a champion at being fun!  She's always good for a laugh and she just says the funniest stuff!

She's a champion at being nice.  She never has a bad thing to say about anybody.

She's a champion at school.  She's seriously so smart!

She's a champion at the trumpet.  She made All-State band last year, and I'm so proud of her for it!

She's a champion at keeping her word.  She always does what she says she will, and she does it the best she can.

She's a champion at working hard.  She works hard at everything she puts her mind to.

She's a champion at being my best friend.

She's a champion at living the gospel and standing up for what's right.  She even stands up to me and keeps me in line.  That takes some guts!

I look up to Tessa so much!  She has taught me so much.  We're doing good at being separated, but it's obvious, we're better together :)  I can't wait til next year when we're reunited!  Love you bud!!

Engaged

Today my best friend Madi got engaged!  I'm so excited for her!  We've been best friends for a dang long time.  She's such a fun girl and I can talk to her about anything, and we can talk forever!  I love that every time I see her or talk to her we just pick up right where we left off.  She's a great girl and she got a great guy.  She deserves the best!  

We've had so much fun together through the years!!

Here's the cute couple :)

Congrats!!  Love you Madi!!  

Beautiful

Back like Freshman year or 8th grade year Violet was back home in the winter and we shared a room.  Every morning we would listen to her Carole King CD.  I loved this song, and it made me decide to be happier and also made me realize that I was the only one that could change me.  So the change began, and it's still an ongoing thing. But, I re-found the song the other day and I was so excited! Enjoy!  

I think I'll start listening to it again every morning for a good pep-talk :) 

I Remember

I couldn't go to sleep without posting about this sacred day.  I don't remember a lot about 3rd grade, but I do remember September 11th.  

I went to school with my dad that morning at 8:00.  School didn't start until later, and I remember walking into the library and everyone was gathered around a TV.  I remember watching the plane hit the first building, and then the second.  I was just so amazed and sad that those planes crashed.  I thought it was so sad that the pilots lost control.  

We went on with our school day, I don't remember much.  Then we were in the computer lab doing Speedway Math, and my mom came to get me to go to the dentist office.  When we were walking out I remember asking her if she heard about those planes crashing into those towers.  She explained to me that the planes were crashed into the towers on purpose.  I was so confused.  She told me that even though we love America, not everyone does, and people that don't like our country crashed the planes to kill Americans.  Then my mom started to cry, and she told me to think of all of those kids that had one or both of their parents working in those towers.  Those kids weren't going to get to go home to their parents tonight. Their lives were going to be changed forever.

I think that was the first experience I really had that made me realize that I love America.  That is still so true!  I love America so much, and I am so proud to be an American.  I remember at the start of our Jr. year Mr. Thomas, my history teacher, said his goal was to make us all become patriots.  He definitely succeeded with me. I already loved America, but I grew to love it so much more by learning about our history.  Then I had the opportunity to go to our nation's capital and I was so inspired by all of the hard work and sacrifices that were made to make our country free.  I now have multiple cousins in the army.  I am so proud of them, and so thankful to them for their service.  This summer I got to stay at a friend's home and she was getting ready to send her husband over seas.  I felt so much gratitude to them and all of those who sacrifice for our country.  I noticed a copy of the Declaration of Independence was hanging on her wall, and I thought it was such a neat thing, and I'm going to have one in my home someday.  

Walking on campus today I couldn't help but stop and take a picture of the flag at half mass.  I just hope everyone remembers this day, and how it changed America.  I will always remember how the events of 9/11 changed me.  

I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!!!