Inspiration.

Ever since I have come home for Christmas break, lots of superb things have been happening!  I have been thinking a lot and finding out more and more about myself.  I've realized that I'm done being silly and I'm ready to start being strong.  I shouldn't worry about things in life that aren't critical and I need to focus on others around me.  Lately, I noticed that I haven't been as happy as I usually am. I'm still happy, just not the same happy that I enjoyed my whole senior year of high school. 

An 11 year old girl that is in my ward came up to me and was talking to me last Saturday.  This cute girl's older brother was one of my best friends, Zach.  Background story: Zach had a disability and from 7th grade to 11th grade, we were best friends.  I helped Zach in school and he was also in my ward.  I  enjoyed spending time with him and hearing him talk about monster trucks and sing.  When Zach would pass the sacrament in church, he would always make sure he passed it to my family and during the rest of Sacrament meeting, he would yell my name and say hi to me.  I loved that boy with all of my heart.  He taught me about patience, true happiness, and unconditional love.  I looked up to him sooo much.  When Zach turned sixteen, he got really really sick.  Tumors were found all over his body and in his face.  Zach moved to a special nursing home and I got to go visit him every Sunday with his family.  After about a year, Zach passed away.  Zach's family asked me to speak at his funeral and they also asked me to be in the room during the family prayer at the funeral.  Those memories and all the other memories I have of Zach will be forever cherished in my mind. Now back to the other story.

So Zach's little sister came up to me and she told me that she had been working with kids who had disabilities. She told me that she loved it and I told her how happy I was for her because I loved it too.  The next thing she said hit me straight to the core.  She said, "I just want you to know that you're my inspiration." She went on to tell me how because I was good friends with her brother and helped him she wanted to help other kids with disabilities. 

What really hit me was that Zach was/is my inspiration. Zach went through so many things and he never got mad or frustrated.  He accepted everything with a happy heart and was never grumpy around people.  When I went down to Cedar City, I somehow had a mind blank and stopped thinking about other people who I look up to and inspire me.  Now that I have been home for break, I've refocused myself.  It's time to get my priorities straight and to be like those who inspire me.  I've decided to be happy, and not just happy.  Really happy.  Really grateful for everything I have and all the opportunities I am given. It is time for me to grow into the woman I want to be, no more lollygagging. :)    

Thanks to all of the people who have inspired me and to all of the people who will inspire me in my future.  You really are superb!

Change.

A couple days ago, I went to my home ward's Christmas party. I hadn't really been looking forward to the event, but since I had just gotten home and my cute Mom asked me to come to the party after work, I figured I could attend. 
After I finished working my ten hour shift at the best place ever, Gene Fullmer, I ran home, quickly changed, and drove over to my church.  I got to the party during the singing presentation early enough to hear my brother, Ryan, sing with all of the young men.  They were fabulous.  They really brought the spirit to the Christmas party. Next, I got to see my other cute brother, Logan, sing with the primary.  He was dressed up as Joseph.  He's in that awkward stage where he's too mature for primary but not old enough to be in young mens yet.  He's a great sport. 
After the singing presentation was over, a bunch of my favorite kids in the ward came up to me and said hello to me.  I didn't realize how much I actually loved being around kids and seeing kids every day until I left for college.  I had missed those kids so much.  One of my neighbors, Levi, brought his baby sister, Betsy, over for me to see and my heart melted.  It had been soo long since I had seen, let alone, held a baby.  For the past year of my life, I've kind of been in a "I'm never getting married or having kids" stage, so babies kind of weird-ed me out.  But when I held Betsy, I had a whole different feeling come over me.  I'm not ready to jump into marriage or having kids yet, but I am happy to say that eventually, I am very excited to have a family and raise my own kids!

Barely Surviving Has Become My Purpose.

Well, I am currently in the midst of studying for finals and I may just have to say...I'm about ready to drown.
On the bright side, this is the first time I've checked my blog in a while and Courtney Boss is most definitely the nicest person EVER!  I can't wait until I can hack into her blog one day!

Okay so quick update on the finals....I just studied for 3 hours with my great friends Kaleigh, Jaci, and Tate (and Melissa who was writing a paper).  We studied history.  Yesterday I finished my two final art projects, which took the total time of 20 hours.  SICK.  After I go take my history test tomorrow, I have to eat lunch, then study for nutrition, then give a tour, then study for nutrition, then eat dinner, then study for nutrition, then sleep, then wake up at 7am to take my NFS comprehensive final the next day.  I will be so relieved when this is over! :)

On the bright side again...

Melissa, Courtney, and I are making Christmas wreaths! 

I think my lesson went pretty well in Sunday School.

I signed up for tithing settlement.

DannyB actually hung out in my room for a while last night.

What a cutie...

The missionary has been texting me...he still can't speak English correctly. Hilarious!

One of my best friends Cayde is leaving on his mission next week.

I'm going to BYU this Thursday to party with my SUPERB cousin!

My sister is hilarious!

I have the best roomie ever!

I got 900 pieces of gum at the store yesterday.

I bought my little brothers' Christmas presents.

I love my Family.  End of Story.

When you're freaked out...just look at the positive side of life! :)

dani girl

hi, my name is courtney boss, and i have hacked both dani's blog and facebook.
here's a little bit about her...

she's the kindest person i've ever met.
she always makes me smile
she makes everyone feel so important
she always puts others before herself
she is incredibly positive all the time.
she has the cutest smile
she is so strong and is very determined
she's smart and talented
she has a very inspiring testimony

i look up to her so much
dani girl, you're one of my very best friends,
and i love you dearly

goodluck on your homework!

Heeeelllllooo Awesome 24 Hours.

So the last 24 hours of my life have definitely been superb. I don't exactly know what to post about on a blog, so I'm just going to wing it!

So, two great things have happened to me in the past 24 hours.
#1 Fun date with Brendan

#2 The missionary is HOME....and he contacted me! :)

Back to #1. Yesterday I was talking to Ash and Bren in the kitchen and for some reason we were quoting the movie She's The Man. Bren said, "Do you like cheese?" and I said, "My favorite's Gouda!" just like the movie. Then I said that one day I really wanted to go on a date and have a boy ask me if I liked cheese. Out of nowhere, Bren asked me to go on a date with him that night! What the?! Super sweet! So we went on a double date with Ash and Zack! We went to Cafe Rio, Old Skool Skate, and we drove around and looked at Christmas lights around Cedar. It was seriously soo much fun. I'm so happy that Bren asked me! He's definitely the coolest and now I know how to Roller Skate! Ka Ching!

Now #2! Okay so back in the high school days...not so long ago.. When I was a sophomore, I had a crush on this way cool senior. His name was Taylor and he was absolutely superb! We met in our computer tech class and we sat across from each other. We would talk after school every day and I just thought he was the absolute cutest! One day he even gave me this over-sized heart ring as a joke that I wore on my thumb. He was so funny! Well after we got out of school, I didn't have a phone so we didn't talk the whole rest of the summer. In October, he got his mission call and he invited me to come to his farewell. When I went to his farewell, I figured it would be way awkward, but it wasn't. He gave me the biggest hug and then he got my cell phone number because I had gotten a phone. He invited me to come to his house for the luncheon, but I turned him down because I had to do some other things that day and I thought it might be weird. Later that night, Taylor told me he wanted to see me one last time before he was set apart as a missionary. The only free time I had before he was set apart was from 3-6pm the next day. He said that it would work out just fine! The next day when I got home from school, Taylor picked me up and we went on our date. We got hot chocolate, he taught me how to drive stick shift, he showed me his secret shack that him and his friends hung out in, and we just drove around for hours talking about life and everything else. It was seriously awesome! When he dropped me back off at my house, I was so happy for him to leave on his mission, but so sad to see him go after we had so much fun together that day. Well, he left on his mission and I only wrote him once in the whole two years. I know, terrible. He came home from his mission last week and I didn't think I'd ever hear from him again.

BUT TODAY....I looked at my phone and I had a text from a number that I didn't know. It said: (Remember that he went on his mission to a foreign country so he's still figuring out English again ;))
Taylor: Hey how have to been? I know that you dont have my new number. So I will give you a hit on who I am...Ready?
I was sooooo confused. I wondered who it could be..I texted him back and said "sure..."
Now the conversation went like this:
Taylor: Do you have any idea? 1st hit I got your number from Simon Pope...
Dani: Anita?? Preston??
Taylor: No. Next hint. (I think he realized they were called hints, not hits haha) I was a senior when you were a sophomore.
Dani: Oh my! Is this Taylor Jensen?
Taylor: Next hint. One time I gave you an over sized ring that you had to wear on your thumb
Dani: It is you! How are you ? How was your mission?

The conversation went on and it was just awesome. I'm so happy to hear from him!

And that is why I just had 24 of the greatest hours of my life!

Don't worry, I'm still doing my BOYcott! One of the rules of a BOYcott is that I don't go after guys, but if they make the move first....it's totally fine! :)

P.S. Reason #3!!! I've spent the majority of my last 24 hours with my BFF Courtney! :) Love that girl!

The woman I like to call MOM.

My mom is amazing. When I say that, I mean it. She's raised four kids to be strong, healthy, responsible, loving, and caring individuals. She's maintained the roles of best friend and loving, caring, slightly strict parental figure. She has never acted like she loved one of the kids more than another, she's never not been there for us, and she has never set a bad example for us. My mom is one of the strongest women I know. She has been through many different experiences in her life, yet she has come through all of them as a virtuous, positive woman.  It was her birthday a couple of days ago and I can't help to think about how great she is! I absolutely love her!  Even when she used to make my curfew 9:30pm, I now realize that it was only because she loves me and wants the best for me!  I mean, look how cute she is...LOVE THAT GIRL! :)