Updates

BYU Adaptive Show Choir (Next Year)

There is no official decision being made or set in stone at this moment---but I am kinda considering the fun opportunity to be involved with the BYU adaptive show choir. I attended one of their concerts a few years back and absolutely loved getting to see the participants get out of their comfort zones to perform a song, dance, or anything they wanted the audience to see. I especially loved the energy inside of the field house with so many fans cheering them on from the stands and making it an experience no one will ever forget. 

I am keeping my fingers crossed that this time next fall in 2027 I have signed up myself for something that I confidently know will impact my life forever. I cannot wait to make new friendships with so many other participants who have been a part of this for some time and learn so much from them. I have wanted to be involved with this show choir for some time but was never able to make it work into my schedule where I had so much going on. 

BYU Basketball Diamond Painting

Minus the option of taking this to show and tell for a SNAP activity... I literally have no idea what my decision will be afterwards to give away my diamond painting to someone else. I obviously would like giving the piece of art to a friend of mine who loves the game of basketball and continuously leaves me stunned with all that they do in working behind the scenes of BYUWBB. I am keeping my head up high and hoping we can make it to some of the women's basketball games this next season if we get just even one chance to watch the team play. #StayTunedForMore

Back To SNAP!!! (Next Week)

I am literally excited to get back into SNAP and have more activities to look forward to as we head into the fall season. I have genuinely missed being with my friends on a weekly basis and making lots of new memories together alongside the other participants who are in attendance. We are having a birthday party for everyone since people had birthdays during the summer months and we were not able to celebrate any of them as an entire group--which if you ask me will be a treat all by itself. 

Terms End

My six year terms serving on two of the best governor appointed entities in our state will come to an end next month and cannot even imagine my life without them. I have truly learned and grown so much as the person who knows they were not going to be perfect in the beginning of a journey that allowed me to be an instrument in the Lord's hands. I throughly enjoyed getting to volunteer my time with some amazing and incredible colleagues who pushed me to do my best in any situation--no matter the circumstances that I was up against. They inspired me to see the good in those I came in contact with and recognizing my full potential was to serve on these boards. 

I obviously didn't know if signing up to be on two councils at the time was a good idea and not to mention the fact I was incredibly nervous about what to do in any given circumstance. I did have my fair share of mistakes along this six year journey and learning to put my trust in the Lord as much as I possibly could without questioning what I had gotten myself into. I definitely came to understand over time that he was going to be in the small details of my life and not leave me wondering what to do next. I am grateful for the comfort and peace of mind he gave me when emotions in my head felt almost unbearable to control but knowing he was not going to let me do this alone was an answered prayer. I know this experience at times was nothing short of easy for me when it came to processing all that this entailed in what has felt like the blink of an eye. 

There are too many unforgettable moments and experiences to be shared right now, but I am grateful for the opportunity my colleagues gave me to be a part of their lives. They made me want to be a better and more confident self advocate who could believe in themselves to do hard things, not being afraid to take risks when I knew it was going to be fun by the end of things, etc. I will admit that I especially loved getting to be involved with some of the disability leadership conferences that helped me get to where I am today and leaving an imprint on every heart of the individuals I was able to learn so much from throughout this journey. 

**************************************************************************************************

Four Days Left

These past two weeks alone have been treacherously long and boring for me in more ways than one minus the fact I am anxiously excited to have my mom walk in the door of our house. I have done my absolute best in keeping up with house work and making sure we are getting things done that need our attention. I have definitely liked not having so much on my schedule while my mom has traveled out of state to help do the choregraphy for a long time show in Nauvoo that's gotten revamped multiple times if not more. We are more than ready at this point to have her back home and helping me with things that I have waited for two weeks to either get online or have completed before figuring out what to do with my diamond painting that I spent a lot of time on. #IYKYK 

I have waited anxiously to get to this point in time with all that has been going on and look forward to having a little bit of a normal life around here. I know my mom sacrificed so much of her time, energy, skill into making sure this particular show in Nauvoo is what they are asking for which to me is either what they wanted or maybe need to find someone else who knows what they are supposed to do in any situation like this one. 

I am probably going on about this way too much and have left you feeling slightly confused---but I am grateful to have made it as far as we have. I am more than excited to have one of my parents home with us again and not having to leave out of state again once they get here. I know I have felt the lord's hand in this whole process and giving me peace when I didn't know if I was going to feel it or not during any kind of situation I didn't want to put up with. We have not needed to call other people for extra help in anything that has gone on for the past twelve days and not having to be somewhere in particular (I will admit is nothing short of a miracle.) I am quite certain that we can all take a big sigh of relief in a few short days from now and get excited for what is to come down the road. I am grateful that my mom is not going to be doing this again next year and have an extra fun filled summer with other things to do rather than twilding our thumbs waiting for time to pass. 

I look forward to participating in my adaptive needs institute class again next week and not having any kind of worry about what I need to do the second we walk in the door. I have waited a long time for this weekend to finally arrive and now that we are officially here at the moment---I know things will begin to settle themselves down quite a bit. 

(End Of Post)

Clear Answer

"Let me take the reins on this one and I will take care of her." 

This is the clear answer I received multiple times after praying to heavenly father with asking him if there is anything he needed me to do for an incredible young woman that I have looked up to for some time and I cannot get this out of my head. I know the lord will do all he possibly can to take the hand of this young woman as they walk down his covenant path on a daily basis. I still may want to let them know that I am praying for them every single night and letting our heavenly father do his stuff to make her life bearable---as they have experienced so much. I am not necessarily going into the details about all of this right now on here, but in the moment I really wished I could have been there to give them a hug or let alone cry with them as many times as they would let me but in my heart I knew there was not much of anything I could physically do in the sense of performing an act of service for them in some way or another. However, I knew the lord was going to take the reins on this one for me and take care of this individual who I have looked up to for awhile now. I obviously knew the least I could do for them was kneel down on my knees in sincere prayer to my heavenly father and ask him to help me with this no matter the circumstances that were going to come up later on in their life, I needed to make sure the lord was looking out for them.  I have continued doing this for awhile with no plans to stop any time soon and know it is better than just dwelling on what I have absolute zero control on whatsoever. I am not necessarily writing this to draw any kind of attention to myself or make a completely utter fool in any way but I am confident this is what the lord needs me to stick with. I know he would not ever put me in a situation that was too hard or unbearable for him to assist me on his path that all of us are walking down. 

I have contemplated on this experience for awhile now and understanding that I may never be able to let this young woman know the blessing it has been for me to pray in their behalf. I have obviously thought quite a bit on the fact my prayers will do a lot more than I could ever write in anything like a note or just about whatever comes to mind. I know my prayers to our heavenly father are what make us want to draw closer to him everyday and putting our complete trust in him no matter the circumstances we may be up against. I know without a shadow of a doubt that we are never alone in things we may be going through while we take hold of the lord's hand to guide us in the right direction and giving us hope for a brighter future ahead. 

I know the lord gave me this specific answer for an important purpose and letting this young woman trust in him as she continues forward with her life. I would obviously like to tell her in person that praying for her has blessed me in ways I never knew I needed for some time along with the fact she is such a strong, confident, kind hearted, genuinely sweet, self-less, patient young woman in more ways than I could even put into words. I know the lord brought her example into my life when I was processing through so much in a situation that left me not knowing if I would ever feel happy again which if you ask me, after I said a quiet prayer to heavenly father with tears rolling down my eyes. I knew in my heart the lord was watching out for me in that particular moment four years ago and letting me know everything would be okay as long as I invited him into my life more than I ever have before. 

FLASH FORWARD:

As I have followed this young woman over the last few years, I know their example has impacted my life in more ways than one and not only on just certain occasions. I remember calling out their name shortly after one of the BYU women's basketball games at the Marriott Center and next day feeling slightly bit on cloud nine!!! I had the absolute biggest smile on my face as I anxiously waited for the UTA bus to show up at my stop to get to my adaptive needs institute class. I literally cannot express perfectly the gratitude and appreciation that I have for this young woman right now. I know either one of us see each other on a daily basis or anything like that---but knowing she is a part of my life in some way that the lord knew I needed has left an imprint on my heart. I want to be able to make other people feel happy like she has me for the last while and striving to be like our Savior, Jesus Christ in so many ways. 

I am grateful for their influence throughout these past few years and letting me know what no matter the road it takes to achieve your dreams that I am going to get there at some point. I may not have wanted to share this with you all on here and yet I know not a lot of people who come across my blog will want to read through a treacherous post such as this one, but I am confidently hoping that someone will want to do the same for another person they come across. It may not need to be over social media or anything of that nature for you in particular but I am confident there is someone whose influence will leave a mark on your life too. 

Diamond Painting

TO MAKE THIS BRIEF----I finished up with my diamond painting today and could not be more grateful for the way it turned out. I obviously spent a lot of my time making that come to life as well as the fact I did push myself a little too hard on this one. I didn't waste any time putting each of the diamonds by their number, code and diamond colors every time I sat down to work on this project in making sure it was all in the right place. 

I genuinely still have a lot more work left to do for this and have no clue whatsoever how the final product is supposed to be like. I need to take a brayer or rolling pin to make sure all of the diamonds are tightly or at least as securely on the canvas as possible along with brushing on a water sealant that will lock all of the diamonds in place. I will also need to take heavy books that can set on top of the painting itself while the sealant dries over a twenty four hour period---but who knows??? I would obviously like to show off the painting to at least a small number of people and not make a complete fool of myself during a quick time frame. I am not necessarily planning on keeping this specific piece of artwork whatsoever and not have one more thing to take care of at home, which if you ask me is even close to an understatement. I definitely am not the kind of person who feels inclined to keep stuff laying around for months and just simply wanting to hold onto them. 

I literally spent two weeks and five days on this project that originally should have taken me all of BYU football and basketball season to finish but that didn't happen. I honestly wanted to spend more time on making this look as decent as possible but obviously there was an energy inside of me that was going to keep me patient and focused at all times. I am not going to post this diamond painting over social media due to personal reasons and not worrying about what other people think of my ability to do achieve this kind of thing. 

(To Be Continued)

Untitled Post

I literally thought once my new diamond art project came to my house that it would take me all of BYU football and basketball season to finish. I obviously worked on this a little too fast and didn't necessarily  take the time to enjoy making the painting itself come to life. I know it was such a great escape for me to learn something new and have a project that could keep me busy for awhile, if you know what I mean? I am grateful for the way it has turned out so far and look forward to maybe doing another one of these at some point in the distant future. 

I am not particularly certain what is going to happen after this painting of mine is completed, but I want to take my time over the next two days to finish up what I have left. I am definitely not going to begin a new one of these at any given moment but know it will give me something else to focus on if I ever want to do this again. I am grateful for the way it has come together and look forward to maybe seeing more of these paintings have other BYU sports that we love watching so much. I am not sure if that will ever be the case at any given moment in time but I am excited for BYU sports to begin their seasons!!! I cannot wait to see what our players have worked so hard on throughout the summer months and want to bring to the court or field this upcoming year. 

I really hope we can make it some of the home basketball games this season and cheer on the cougars if we ever have a chance. I loved being able to watch our women's team fight to the end in their touranment that I enjoyed getting to watch them compete in. I was obviously sad with them being runners up in their final game but so pleased with their willingness to step up together as a team to make that an experience no one will soon forget. I am keeping my fingers crossed and faith in my heart our players can maintain good health throughout the season without any problems as well as just soaking in every moment before things come to an end leading into the NCAA tournament if we get into that. I know our team could play so incredibly well and make it further into it as we possibly can which I am positive we can do if we stick to the game plans. I am also confident that our heavenly father will be with our coaches and players who do so much behind the scenes into making BYU sports what they are. I really wish I could take a minute to thank all of them for their contributions and dedication to what make BYU sports so much fun to see either in person or just from the comfort of my home. I truly love being able to cheer them on with each score we make and competing at the highest level they can to win games throughout the season that are ahead for them. 

******************************************************************************************************************

Birthday Celebration

LONG STORY SHORT----I enjoyed celebrating my birthday with friends and making lots of memories that I know will be talked about for years to come. We bought donuts from Macey's and took them to our independent living center to share with friends while we had lunch during our class. Later in the afternoon, We picked up our friend Maria and played two games of bowling up at BYU which if you ask me was a treat in the sense we just had fun being together. We also had my older sister along with her kids join us at the bowling alley which was a lot of fun too because her two older kids wanted to help us bowl. We loved getting to cheer them on as they rolled the bowls down the lanes and would once in a while give us a strike or spare if we were lucky to have them show up on the scoreboard. 

From there we walked over to the new BYU creamery to have dinner and spend more quality time with each other. We laughed a lot more than we should have and definitely wanted to keep the energy high as much as we could possible without drawing attention to ourselves. I loved getting to share my king sized kit kat bar with friends while we finished bowling our two games, which did I forget to mention that I had a strike my kind niece wanted to make sure I got was incredible!!! 

I also received lots of birthday wishes from friends and family that made my entire day more special. I am grateful for the amazing people who continue to support and help me in any way that they can while even though they are not with me in person. Overall, I had the absolute best day celebrating with friends and family that made it a celebration I know will be amazing the next year that lies ahead. 

Leadership Role

 

LONG STORY SHORT----I was approached by a friend last week while attending a SNAP activity and asked if I would become the official chair person for advocacy first at my independent living center. It is definitely an incredible opportunity to step into another leadership role where I can put my skills to good use and make an impact in the lives of people with disabilities. I am obviously nervous about whether we need to have someone who is diligent to serve as our next upcoming vice chair person as well as having a secretary who can take good notes in our meetings. 

I am truly honored to be given this opportunity and have something to look forward to once a month while making the disability community a better place. I will need to get some training in preparation for this new role that I have politely accepted to take charge in and have all set up before the next time we have another chance to meet again. I have taken on many different leadership roles for almost ten years and loved every single minute of it with leaving an imprint on the heart of those I had the privilege to serve alongside as I learned new things. I was grateful for the many friendships I made with so many people who have a lot of passion in making their voices heard no matter the circumstances they are going through. 

When The Rain Falls (Part Two)

THREE YEARS AGO----I accidentally made one of the biggest mistakes that anybody in this society could ever learn from and knowing the permanent consequences left me feeling extra cautious whenever it comes to being around people within the disability community. I literally remember waking up shaken in the middle of the night and recognizing for the first time with my nervous system quietly reacting to a pyschological trigger with feeling out of breath among other symptoms. I knew in my heart that the Lord was going to help me see his hand in all of this uncertainty at the time and wanted more than anything to learn how my life was going to be years after. 

I never meant to hurt the individual who now more than ever knows I made a fool of myself and wanted to immediately see this be erased. As I continued to process for months on what needed to be done, I did feel completely at peace after having kneeled down on my knees while pleading to my Heavenly Father to help me learn from this mistake and give me the comfort I really needed at the time. I knew my mistake would only continue to stick with me as I slowly moved forward with the reality of this experience. I genuinely did not mean to put the individual through all of this on purpose but yet it was something I knew the Lord was going to lovingly remind me about on a consistent basis and coming to terms with the loss of what I'll admit was not a socially appropriate relationship. I cried one too many times over this because the pain of what happened between me and the individual who was only doing their best in a very difficult leadership role I was extremely nervous about them going into. 

LONG STORY SHORT----I started listening to the lyrics of what this song means to me on a personal level and have realized that I am only human. I even apologized for not having turned out to be what I perceived to be as the perfect colleague in their eyes and I was unable to do that for them. I felt almost vulnerable with wanting to see their face on a computer screen or let alone in person for a treacherous period of time and yet I knew it was the harsh reality I needed to live with. I obviously have no clearer idea about when they will ever regain my trust not only as a governor appointed entity council member and knowing I am forever left with the emotional scar of my inexcusable actions. Did any of this have to do with the fact that I have a genetic learning disorder... I am one hundred percent certain that it did and no matter how many short comings I have in life, I know the lessons behind this taught me what it means to be a professional at all times. I will admit it has been an emotional rollercoaster for me to keep my mouth shut and not want to share anything with them trying my hardest to not feel imtimdated by their way of maturity when it comes to processing your emotions. 

It was literally one of the hardest times in my life and sometimes wish if I did not have FXS that I could have this erased completely. However, I know it will never be something I can undo or disappear with a magic wand if I even had access to something like that. I have contemplated many times about how I am going to be extra careful in making sure I never put someone else I really like into something such as this unfortunate situation. I am grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ for lovingly reminding me that he would never abandon one of his children in a trial of their faith and the moment I handed this to him----there was a sudden peace in my heart that everything would be okay. I knew it was going to take a lot of time on my end with getting to a point where I was able to see the light at the end of the tunnel while recongizing that tears are the same when we are trying to grow something good--there is a difference between the teardrops and the rain. Think about the teardrops along with rain being vital to washing away pain and fostering good character that all of us want to pursue in this mortal life. I am just someone who despite their visible struggles with a genetic learning disorder know from time to time it will hit me that I am not necessarily like everybody else. I obviously may not make legitimate eye contact with people or capable of carrying on with any kind of conversation or let alone feeling a little out of place when it comes to things that life hands over to me. 

(End Of Post)

******************************************************************************************************************

When The Rain Falls

Side Note: I have been listening to this song quite a few times from a DCOM titled Pixel Perfect and thinking about the message in this ballad is relatively simple: The lyrics are a poetic metaphor for the beauty of mortality, human emotion along with the value of making mistakes. I obviously have made my fair share of mistakes the hard way and learning how to move forward in life when I didn't feel like it was something I needed to deal with or why it had to occur for me as opposed to someone else. I feel very grateful to know that it is perfectly okay to make mistakes and not worrying about being the kind of perfectionist society wants us to be. 

Oh oo oo

I don't understand 
This should be so easy

To just reach out my hand

And know the world is free

But nothing's as it seems

I can tell you freely 
Touching's not the only way to feel 

When the rain falls

It's like heaven's crying

When the name's all

The difference that there is

Cause tears are

The same when they are trying to grow something good

Out of all the pain

There's no difference between the teardrops and the rain

Because I know the bones were necessary
I don't let it bother me at all

I know you proudly say

That I'm just talking crazy

To think of life that way

Means that I'm confused

Does happy end this sad

But maybe yes,  just maybe 

The sadness can make the happiness more true

I have contemplated for weeks now about whether this blog post needed to be written on here or if I just need to keep this to myself. I am obviously one of the most highly sensitive-tender hearted person you'll ever meet and yet I know life is never meant to be a certain way. I continuously struggle on a daily basis with having a genetic learning disorder called Fraglie X Snydrome and knowing that it's one of those things I wish everyday could be something to make disappear while making my entire life a million times easier. I have a firm belief in my heart that the Lord knew I could handle something such as this here on earth and not let it define who I am as a young woman who wants to feel accepted in this world like everybody else. I may visible struggle in social enivornments a lot more than most who have ever had the opportunity to meet me can pick up on the fact I never make eye contact with them even if I want to have a normal conversation. I am grateful for the example of a young woman who inspires me on a daily basis to feel proud of who I am and not worrying about the small things I am not able to have any control over. I know it is not easy having to deal with something that I wish never existed and along side the fact I am striving everyday to become more like my Savior, Jesus Christ is something I know is gonna be the most incredible blessing I could ever ask for. I am not someone who usually is comfortable to write stuff like this on their blog and yet here I am doing all I can to make my life look easy, but I am finding comfort in the sense when I see my Savior again on the other side---it will all come together in a way that I can better understand. 

I am someone who despite their challenges in life knows there is someone who wants nothing more than to feel accepted and seen in this world. I have many times wondered if there was a genuine reason as to why the Lord wanted me to have FXS and I know it was because he knew I could take this on with faith in my heart. He knew I was not gonna be perfect or feel like I needed to be someone else I would ever come across in this world and yet I know he was aware of what I came to this earth--- to learn along his covenant path. He knew this was not going to be easy for me in anyway while he does remind me of what I am capable of doing and not trying too hard to be someone I am not in his eyes. It's blessed my life in more ways to know that I am striving to draw closer to him as my personal testimony of him continues to be strengthened.

As challenging and emotionally hard FXS is for me, it has blessed my life tremendously with getting to meet people I have looked up for a while and aspire to be like one day has given me reasons to keep the faith as I move on with anything that shows up on my path. I am grateful for the blessing it is to know that one day everything about this will fall into place and remind me of why it is I came to this earth to become more like the Savior who I love with all of my heart. I know he is never going to leave me alone in trials or difficulties that I know he knows I need to be right now to have me where I will be an instrument in his hands. I love his role in my life everyday and helping me learn to rely on Him in any given situation that life hands over as I am able to trust in what he wants me to do going forward. He has been able to catch me when I literally felt like I was going to fall in a dark hole or did not know what he needs to do next as I walk down this road of knowing he will always be there when I need his help. He has brought peace into my heart when I was faced up against one of the hardest trials of my life and not knowing when I would ever get to feel happy again.

(To Be Continued)

More Stories

It's hard to believe that after these next five months get here... my reign of service volunteering on UDDC will come to an end. I have really enjoyed getting to learn new things about the disability community and making sure the voices of individuals like myself are being heard. I am grateful for the many lessons that this experience has provided me with and realizing I never had to be perfect in any way to make a decent impression or get anything extra. All I needed to be was my true self in every council meeting that I make an effort to participate in every three months and provide my input when it was deemed to be appropriate for things we had to discuss. 

LONG STORY SHORT-----This experience volunteering on UDDC has truly changed my life for the better and I am grateful to have volunteered time with such terrific people in our state. They taught me lessons about how to go out of my comfort zone and grab onto new opportunities when they come up because you never know when it could happen. I may not have done advocacy work for many years---- but realizing that I was able to make a difference in the lives of people I care so much about. I am truly excited to see what the future holds for me once my council term ends and getting back into things that will benefit the disability community. 

Other Stories:

TONIGHT---My niece performed in her first dance recital and could not have been more proud of her to get up onto the stage with the prettiest smile ever. I had not been to a recital in some time and brought so many memories back from when my older sister participated in things like this. I really wished that I had the opportunity to do more dancing like she did-- but I am grateful to have gotten the opportunity to see her do what she loved so much. It was truly an amazing experience and afterwards I randomly happened to run into a very sweet friend of mine who was at the concert watching their friend perform out in the lobby area. I didn't waste any time to politely shout their name and walk over to give them one of my gentle big hugs not to mention asking them how they were doing. I had really missed them since the BYUWBB teams season came to a close early last month and was probably more excited to see her smiling face than anything in this world!!

I really wished we had more time to visit with each other and hopefully can do that in the distant future if we get an opportunity to do so. I am truly grateful for her sweet spirit and the way she continues to bring positivity into this world everywhere she goes out in the community. I love her so much and the amazing example she is in my life at this time of when I am preparing to see what happens down the road within these few past months. I am truly blessed to have such an incredible young woman who almost just makes me want to be a better person in this world everyday and continue to become more like the Savior in ways that I never knew about until meeting her for the first time. 

Untitled Post

Entertainment Parade 2026 (Mini Preview)

We still need to have our application that was turned into the city for approval and cannot wait for yet one another incredible opportunity none of us will soon forget. I cannot wait to get to work on our brand new float that will be the star of this event and have something to get decorated for America's 250th birthday coming up in a few short months!!! I am excited to once again be a part of an event that everyone here in the beautiful city of Provo wants to join in on and obviously there will be memories to make alongside my friends who attend classes with us at our independent living center. I cannot wait to see what we come up with in the weeks to follow and hopefully bring some positive energy into the crowd as we take all of our time walking the parade route. I really missed not being able to see a lot more familiar faces alongside the street of downtown Provo and getting to maybe catch up with them if I am lucky---but it will most likely not be a guarantee either. Please stay tuned for more to come later!!!

Advocacy Awards Ceremony (Sneak Peek)

LONG STORY SHORT----One of my colleagues reached out asking me if I would help with reading some bios of our advocacy award nominees at our upcoming leadership conference. I obviously didn't hesistate to accept the invitation and look over what was said about each of our awardees that was all written up by the best executive director I could ever work with. I feel truly honored to be given this amazing opportunity and recognize individuals who have gone out of their way to make the disability community a better place. 

Italy Vacation (Next Summer)

I have never been to this part of our world & cannot wait to experience it all next summer when I have the opportunity to do with it my family. I am excited to see what else this beautiful world of ours has to offer... which if you ask me is a whole different story!!! We have planned to do one of those cruises that will take you on at least nine stops to various places and cannot wait to see the beautiful sceneries each of them will have in store for us. I am really excited for the opportunity to explore and try some new things that I hope are going to take a lot of pictures to share with everybody after we have flown back into the states. 

******************************************************************************************************************

Summer Institute

LONG STORY SHORT----I have attended my adaptive needs institute class for eight plus years and have truly loved getting to know who my Savior, Jesus Christ is. I love him so much and the peace he continues to bring into my life on a daily basis is something that I am eternally grateful for everyday. I know with all of my heart that because of him---We can live with our families forever and everything that we have ever experienced in this earthly life will be made right. 

I have an opportunity to participate in my adaptive needs institute class throughout the months of June and July, which is something I think would make my summer extra fun. I still need to figure out the details of how this is going to work out in my schedule and have a chance to learn more in depth about messages--- from our living prophets. I have had a lot of blessings in my life from attending institute and feeling the spirit of our Heavenly Father on a daily basis with individuals who have such a deep love for our Savior more than you could ever possibly know. 

I am truly blessed to have learned so much from the class members who would come and participate along with us on a weekly basis. I have enjoyed getting to make new friendships with the other class members & knowing that they not only come to class to have fun--- but wanting to learn more about how we can draw closer to Christ. My testimony has been strengthened in ways through every lesson that my teacher had all prepared for us to listen to and take away something that we know is going to the biggest difference in my life. I have such a deep love for this restored gospel and knowing we can make it through anything that is thrown at us which if you ask me is not even close to being an understatement. I know with all of my heart that no matter the circumstances I ever find myself up against or not expecting to go through---the Savior will guide me every step of the way as I continue to be a better disciple of him. I obviously will continue to have ups and downs in life that will put my faith to the test and others that I know are going to leave me thinking deeply about what I need to work on. 

*************************************************************************

Two Classes Left

 NEXT WEEK----I will attend my last two classes of adaptive needs institute at UVU and hard to believe the semester has gone by so quickly. I have truly loved feeling the spirit every single week and having my testimony of this restored gospel strengthened in ways that I never knew I needed. I am blessed to have a very personal relationship with my Savior, Jesus Christ throughout this last year and knowing he is always with me every step of this journey is second to none. I love him so much and the comfort he has provided me during the hardest times of my life are truly a testament of knowing he has a hand in everything that I am ever faced up against. 

I am grateful for the many incredible new friends that I was able to meet throughout this past semester and learning about the gospel through their eyes was something I will keep close to my heart. I feel so blessed to know he will make everything right when we get to our heavenly home and can give him the absolutely biggest hug ever. I know my life has never been anything close to easy during my time on this earth and I look forward to seeing my loved ones who have passed onto the other side with their arms open wide with hugs awaiting for me to embrace them. 

April Fool's Night - Dance

I literally danced my little heart out more than most of the SNAP participants did this past week and made it the best experience I possibly could in every way. Dance has always been a part of my life and I usually don't have a lot of opportunities to dance like I do at our SNAP activities... which if you ask me is nothing that I would never hesitate to think about. I am grateful for the many laughs and memories that I was able to make with my friends who were there in attendance, which is something you have to see to believe at least in my opinion. We had the best time ever and dancing out as much as we possibly could whether it was a good idea at the moment or not---but you get the idea here??? I cannot wait to see if we will have anymore dances in the future and can keep getting my groove on any chance that this provided for all of us!!!

News Flash

 HIVE - Leadership Conference 2026 (Next Month)

I am really excited to spend quality time with my friends and learn as much as I can possible in regards to leadership within the disability community. I definitely hope we can work out the details soon and have a plan in mind with how we want to get ourselves there, which if you ask me right now is a whole different story. I cannot wait to grow more as a leader within a community of people who I genuinely care about so much and want to see be successful in whatever life hands them. It will be held at the same building that I remember being at two years ago and having the best time ever making new friends along with helping in various capacities in making sure things ran smoothly during breakout sessions---- conference goers participated in. 

BYU Ballroom Dance Company - Rhythm 

I have attended this concert every single year since I was really young and cannot wait to see it again this coming weekend. I truly have a deep love for ballroom dance and since a family member of mine was able to specialize in the sport for many years--- there is not a chance I would want to see anything else. I am so grateful for the excitement and energy that comes from watching the dancers perform their best along with just simply putting a smile on your face!!! I am excited to see what new dance numbers are going to be in the show this year and watch everything the performers have worked tirelessly on for weeks if not months on to showcase their talents. 

I Believe - Music Video 

This beautiful song was released a couple of weeks ago and it has definitely become an anthem of mine for the last little bit. I am truly blessed to have a true friend and hero on my side everyday to help me in times of hardship along with keeping the faith to be more like him. I am grateful for the comfort he has brought into my life when I have needed it most and guiding me along on the covenant path. I feel very lucky to have a testimony of this restored gospel and knowing that everything in life happens to us for some kind of specific purpose. I love my Savior, Jesus Christ so much more than anything in what has been a spiritual journey of drawing closer to him each day and knowing that he will take care of whatever comes along my path. I know that he lives and look forward to seeing him again on the other side!!! 

****************************************************************************************

Weekly Dump

MONDAY NIGHT: (March 23rd)

It was truly an incredible evening to remember as my twin sister and I along with our parents attended the second round of the WBIT that was taking place in the BYU Marriott Center. I probably cheered a little bit too much while seeing our team compete and giving it everything they had to make this season one that no Cougar fan will soon forget. We also had an opportunity to hang out and get our picture taken with just the greatest collegiate mascot of all time, which if you ask me is a treat in more ways than one!!! I really liked getting to dance in the stands and watching the lights go pitch black while everybody got out their phones with our flashlights on to make it look like a pretty night sky. 

I am genuinely thrilled to report that our team pulled out the win and made all of Cougar nation so proud of what they continue to bring to the table. I know it has been a whirlwind for them with mixed emotions that have either left you wondering what lies ahead for us or what is the rest of the post season going to be like. I also was able to wave to a young woman who does so much behind the scenes for the teams one of their life long managers that is very loved by everyone who knows her. It really made my night getting to see a smile on her face while the team continued to dominate in every way possible was such a delight in more ways than one. I definitely have appreciated her example to me of persevering through life and just putting your trust in the Lord to help you see his hand in what you do, has left me wanting to be a better person. 

At the very end of this game, I quickly climbed over some of the blue seats in the section we had been sitting in and I briefly said hi to one of the assistant coaches that was a former BYUWBB player whose season at BYU was not too long ago. It did take me a minute to politely yell their name without making a fool of myself with those around and was luckily able to get their attention for what felt longer than a second. This assistant coach has been an incredible example to me over the last bit of what it means to be a mature, professional, respectful and self-less leader not only in the game of b-ball but in every day life. I didn't necessarily know what else to say in that moment and yet seeing the smile on her face pretty much told me they are loving every second of their position on the staff while keeping their faith in the Lord to guide them to where this team needs to be. I obviously would have loved to give them one of my nice big hugs and talk for a little bit more---but I guess it will have to keep waiting for another time. #KeepingTheFaith.

LAST NIGHT (March 26th)

My twin sister and I along with our best friend Maria (not to mention my mom) were able to attend the quarter final round of this WBIT. We had the absolute best time ever watching our team play and seeing Cosmo the Cougar dance on the opposite side of the court was a delight to see. We also somehow were able to get seen on the big screen and squeal at the top of our lungs with excitement that was not gonna be stopped any time soon. Prior to walking into the game, We bought some goodies to munch on that I think made it a lot more enjoyable for us to watch the game itself and not to mention the delicious milk that was cookies n' cream flavored. 

We laughed till our hearts were tired and danced as much as we could while people quietly wondered if we were just having too much fun or made things awkward. I definitely wanted to see our team pull out another win that we truly deserved to have and the fact we get to watch them from the comfort of home while they play in Kansas will be an experience to remember. I really want us to play decent basketball and continue to focus on what is at hand in this tournament for us, because I truly believe that we could bring back some hardware to display. 

AGAIN----One of the assistant coaches that I briefly mentioned earlier saw me, my twin sister along with our best friend without any hestation cheered for them as they were walking off the court with a big smile on their face. It was really awesome seeing them a second time in just a few short days and watching them do what they have worked very hard to get to where they are. I obviously made the moment a little too energetic and crazy but I think my intentions were somehow in the right place with letting them know I was there to cheer for them---no matter how we needed to get their attention. 

IN CONCLUSION----I wish our BYUWBB team and coaches all the best of luck as they prepare to take on Kansas in the semi-final round in this tournament. I know it will be an unforgettable time for everybody involved and hopefully we can pull out another successful win before heading towards the final round that I hope we get to be a part of. I am grateful to be a life long BYU sports fan and simply loving every minute I can of watching our student athletes do what they are passionate about. I cannot wait to see what next season will be like for us and hopefully can make it further into the NCAA if we get there again down the road. 

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Best Wishes

 

I really would love to attend the first round of this basketball tournament that our BYUWBB team will be a part of later this week. I know it is not necessarily the tournament we needed going into this month, but there is no question that the lord's hand was part of this in some way and knowing we can play as good as any other collegiate teams out there is truly remarkable. I am confident that our players will give it every thing they can on the Marriott Center court and make it an experience that BYU fans remember for years down the road. I am not particularly certain if we will ever get a chance to make it to one of these at some point and yet it would be amazing to witness this in person. I have complete and utter faith that everything will work out like it is supposed to which if you ask me is more true than it is not---but you get the idea of things here??? 

I am truly blessed to have followed this team's journey from the beginning of our conference play to this point in time and knowing we have so much ahead for us. I have loved getting to watch our players give every single game one hundred precent of what they are capable of doing and recognizing that there is so much good to come from this experience. We are going to make a good impression as we look forward in the post season that is literally around the corner and seeing what things our team needs to work on for the next year is going to be incredible. 

I had it all mapped out in front of me

Knew just where I wanted to go

But life decided to change my plans

And I found a mountain in the middle of my road

I knew there was no way to move it, so I search for a way around

Broken-hearted, I started climbing 

And at the top I found

Every fear, every doubt, all the pain I went through

Was the price that I paid to see this view

And now that I'm here, I would never trade

The grace that I feel and the faith that I find

Through the bittersweet tears and the sleepless nights

I used to pray He'd take it all away

But intstead it became

A beautiful heartbreak

I never dreamed my heart would make it

And I thought about turning around

But heaven has shown me miracles

I never would have seen from the ground

Now I take the rain with the sunshine

Cause' there's one thing that I know

He picks up the pieces

Along each broken road

Every fear, every doubt, all the pain I went through

Was the price that I paid to see this view

And now that I'm here, I would never trade

The grace that I feel and the faith that I find

Through the bittersweet tears and the sleepless nights

I used to pray He'd take it all away

But instead it became

A beautiful heartbreak

I would never trade

The grace that I feel and the faith that I find

Through the bittersweet tears and the sleepless nights

I used to pray He'd take it all away

But instead it became

A beautiful heartbreak

This beautiful song is truly one of the many things that came to mind when thinking about what plans our BYUWBB team had right in front of them. I obviously didn't know where they were going to be at heading into their post season and realizing that maybe this experience for them was needed to happen for a specific reason. I know the Lord's hand was definitely in this process and knowing it what was this team needed going forward into what I know is a very bright future for all of them. I am truly grateful to be one of their many fans who love watching them play a sport they love and are very passionate about in more ways than one!!! I may not know next to nothing in regards to basketball whatsoever or let alone how to be coordinated in sports like this one, but I am confident our team will give it everything they can into their game later this week. I am fairly confident the Lord will direct and guide our coaches who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make everything happen is going to be evident in almost every way possible. 

"Trials either break you or build you. You may not choose your trials, but you always choose your response."