New Adventures

Aggies Elevated -

This incredible program would literally be such an amazing experience for me and getting to learn more about being independent as well as living on my own. At this point in my life, I have so much going on and trying to figure out if it would be a good fit for me is kind of a mix of emotions. A few of the things I'd have to give up in order to do this is would be: (Giving up Insitute, Volunteering at Westridge Elementary, My Job, Ability First, Family & Friends) to participate in this 2 year program and live on the Utah State University campus with roommates. I would be learning how to be a little more independent and live on my own, which to me sounds super awesome and scary all at the same time!!! With everything that is happening in my life, I would need to be able to see if that could end up being a possibility for me and seeing where to go from there. I feel like instead of focusing on the things I'd be giving up and just realizing what I would be getting from this unique experience too. It's definitely a big step for me to be thinking about taking in my life, but at the same time it would help me to grow outside of my comfort zone. 

I also might decide to wait a few years until somebody like myself feels comfortable enough to live away from home. I know it isn't necessarily a definite YES for me at this point in time and maybe in two years I can apply for this program :) I would really like to have someone else to do it with and if that were the case, I'd feel comfortable enough going into it and not feeling so terrified at the same time!!!!

NINJA Alumni Retreat - (January)

This isn't necessarily a for sure thing at this point and if we can try to make this something that could actually happen, but I would love the experience of being reunited with my truest friends!! It would be held on the USU campus and getting to go back to be Staff would be an unbelivable experience for everybody involved.  All of those alumni participants would be the ones teaching the classes and running the retreat in a small way or another. I will definitely be sure to post more about this later on into the upcoming year in 2017 and see what happens from this point forward. 

National Youth Leadership Conference

This last week I got the incredible opportunity of attending my first ever APRIL (Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living) youth leadership conference. It was basically one of those experiences that I really opened up my eyes to what being a true leader/self-advocate really means. I had never attended a youth leadership conference on a national level before nor outside of the state of Utah, but it was such a life changing experience for me. I really enjoyed getting to know other youth from across the country and making some new friendships that I can only hope will last forever. It is truly incredible to see and learn from other youth just like me who despite their challenges, can make a difference in their community and in the lives of those around them. I am grateful for the classes & workshops that I was able to participate in while being at this conference, probably more than words could ever possibly describe right now.

There is a quote that I have had stuck inside of my head & never been able to get it out of my head. I am just so grateful for the fact that despite my challenges...

"You need to ignore what everyone else is doing and achieving. - Your life is about breaking your own limits and outgrowing yourself to live YOUR best life. You are not in competition with anyone else; plan to outdo your past not other people."

I am truly grateful for the amazing family members that continue to accept me for who I am and not because of what I'm struggling with on a regular basis. If anyone of them ever tried to make me feel less of myself in some way or another, then I would immediately give them a piece of my mind and make them feel somewhat of my emotional pain. I have never been afraid to let someone know what is on my mind and trying to prove them completely wrong, without having to say much of anything less than what I'm capable of. 

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If The Savior Stood Beside Me - David Archuleta

When I attended my special needs insitute class today, our amazing teacher invited us to find ways to bring the spirit into our lives more. I absolutely love the gospel so much and the peace it can bring in my daily life regardless of what I'm going through. As I have reflected back on my experiences and how much the Savior has blessed my life, there are not even nearly close to enough words for me to describe that. 

Listen to the words of this beautiful song and think in your mind about what you would do, if the Savior stood beside you. 

This beautiful song was literally on my mind today as I waited for the bus to show up and take me back home. It has been one of those songs that I think needs to be in my mind more everyday and strive harder to be more like Him as much as possible. I am grateful for the many blessings that I've gotten from my father in Heaven and his guidance in my life has constantly strengthened me to be a better person. Here are the lyrics to this touching song and if you would like to read them closely just thinking about what you would do if the Savior was here. I love him so much more than anything and don't know if my life would ever be the same, if I didn't have someone guiding me through all of the many things I face on a regular basis. 

Uplifting Experience

"When I doubt there are things in life I just can't figure out; I trust that God is in control and I hold on to the things I know."

April 12th, 2015

About a year ago, my little best friend was called back to their heavenly home and emotionally for me I was just really struggling with it. I couldn't even begin to tell you what emotions were running through my head as I went up into my room and tearfully texted this sweet friend of mine, what was going on at the time. They replied back to me within a few minutes and told me to keep positive and that everything was going to be okay.


If you've ever lost a pet in your entire life, you easily can just relate and understand how emotionally difficult that can be and for me, it wasn't at all like anything that I had ever experienced before. It was especially hard for me considering the fact, that I would come home from being over at the elementary school to feed our sweet little dog and make sure she was doing alright. It really took me awhile to realize that even though her body was with us here, my sweet puppy dog was no longer present and that for me took quite a toll. At the time, I wasn't happy with how things were gonna turn out not having our close family member with us anymore and the morning I woke up to hear that my dog was going to be put down for a long nap--I seriously felt as though all of the wind had been knocked out of me. 

I remember later that morning my twin sister and I went to our Special Needs Institute class that's held out at UVU...walking into that classroom to sit down and have our teacher come over to ask us what was going on, immediately just spilled all of my feelings out on the table. I couldn't keep the tears coming from down my face and thinking of why in the world did this have to take place now??? I was just starting this new phase in my life that I wasn't all too excited about at the time and felt like nothing in the world, was going to make me feel better unless something positive would come away from this and in my heart--it was going to take some time to heal. It was a Tuesday evening after having just finished up a very long and somewhat emotional day, that my friend Whitney Kae asked me if I would like to join her to go do baptisms at the Provo Temple, early Wednesday morning. So after I asked my mom about going with her, she said it would be alright and then I immediately told Whitney that I'd love to go along for this temple trip.

April 15th, 2015

EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING--- After I got all dressed & ready to leave for the temple to do baptisms, Whitney showed up in front of my house and I quickly climbed into her car. I immediately gave her the absolute biggest hug that I possibly could and didn't pay attention to the fact, that she said Good Morning!! Within a few minutes after driving away from my house, I was telling Whit every emotion that was running inside of my head & how much this really hurt me to have to gone through something that I wasn't ready for. I remember taking hold of Whitney's hand & listening to her tell me in the quietest voice ever-- "Be strong" while paying attention to the road. She quietly told me that I was going to be okay and everything would be alright in the end. It certainly gave me a slight peace of mind to know that despite of what happened two days prior to this temple trip, I knew that my little best friend was going to be taken care of.

Before me and Whitney left the Provo Temple after doing baptisms, she asked me if I would like to just sit down for a little bit of time. Obviously, I told her that it would be alright to do that and let me tell you, I didn't even know what kind of an experience I was going to be in for. As the both of us sat there and had some quiet time to reflect and think about the Savior, I was able to feel this peace come into my heart. It just immediately gave me the comfort that I really needed to have during the hardest and most difficult time of my life. 

I was able to recognize the Savior's hand in my life through this entire experience and just to know of how amazing this gospel really is. I just really love it so much and the happiness it can bring into my life everyday...because it gives me a sense of strength to overcome the trials that we're faced up against on a regular basis. I knew that my little best friend was in a happier place and that if I ever needed something to give me some peace, I can just turn to the Savior for help.

Regardless of the trials you go through in life, our loving heavenly father and his son Jesus Christ will always be there for us. I know with all my heart that I am never going to be alone and I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have to see my loved ones again. Just this past week I actually did share this experience with my Special Needs Institute class about how I felt the Savior uplift and strengthen my testimony of what this gospel is all about. Just in sharing this experience with my Institute class and realizing that our Savior has a very important role in our lives everyday. I had never felt brave enough to share that experience with other people and having done that, it reminded me of how he is always gonna be there for us no matter what kind of experiences we have.

It may not have been easy or the happiest time in my life, but as I reflect back on this trial of faith--I can testify it was nothing short of an uplifting experience.

Here's To The Mondays

Whenever life gets me down and I'm not really sure what to do, just simply keep calm and just keep swimming. It's probably never gonna be like what lots of people have to face in a situation, where it's the only saying that keeps them going forward in life. I'm not even really sure about what to say right now after having just come off a really good spiritual filled weekend, but with it being Monday & all of that fun stuff-- I just thought it would be a positive thing to think about during the week.