March Dump

March 7th, 2025 - Best Friend's Birthday Celebration

This entire month has come and gone so much quicker than I would have expected, but it has been filled with so many unforgettable moments and opportunities I am eternally grateful for. First of all, My bestie Maria celebrated her 33rd birthday this month and it was truly a night to remember if you ask me!! We all enjoyed a scrumptious dinner at a local buffet restaurant and have so much fun laughing with each other & of course just having quality time. 

Shortly after we left the restaurant, all of us got into our separate cars that we came in and drove up to the beautiful campus of BYU to watch the men's volleyball team take on USC!!!! We had a lot of fun cheering on the cougars as they played their game and did I forget to mention we got shown on the jumbotron for in my mind felt like an eternity because we danced for such a long time, which for us girlies is not anything I know we'd like to not do on a regular basis. We loved getting to see our favorite mascot walk by us several times throughout the game and sometimes I didn't even know he was coming until we walked right past--- but you get the point?? I am grateful for the many laughs that never ended throughout the game and then we headed back afterwards to our best friend Maria's house for cake and presents. We loved watching her excitement as she opened one present after the next--while also just being there for each other. I am really happy that we got to have another together with our friends and I know there will be more of them in the future!!! 

SNAP - BYU Football Team

THE NIGHT BEFORE---We were at our SNAP activity and of course some players from BYU football showed up to introduce themselves, which I will admit was probably the best thing ever!! I loved getting to learn a little more about them and get excited for the next football season has in store for not only the players, but for us dedicated BYU fans!!! We loved getting to watch our friends do little drills together-- and play a little bit of football that did not require anybody getting tackled to the ground or getting hurt, but if you ask me it was an incredible experience that I hope we have again soon. Did I forget to even mention some of their football players are pretty famous and I look forward to watching them play the sport they love so much next season!! 

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Dream Come True (Part Two)

YESTERDAY----My good friend Robert Jones and I were more than anxiously excited to attend the UVU women's basketball game yesterday afternoon in the UCCU center, which if you must know was nothing short of an understatement. I genuinely had wanted to attend one of their games at home pretty much all season long and because most of their games were during the week, it's really hard for me to get away from commitments that I have going on. If I can keep this long story brief---the both of us unanimously decided to attend their last home game a couple of weeks ago and we could not wait to cheer on the amazingly talented wolverines!!! 

It was pretty amazing to see this event unfold & watch our team that I have followed closely on social media all season was surreal in more ways than one. I am grateful for the excitement and positivity that was being felt throughout the arena, which if you must know was exactly what the team needed to make this game one that nobody will soon forget. After all of the seniors had their much deserved recognition on their special night, I obviously didn't want to waste a second to meet Connor for a little bit and I mentioned that him and Paisley are just the cutest couple ever!!! We continued to visit for a little bit prior to me walking onto the court to give his wife something I had worked on several times to get right and have another chance to talk with Paisley a little more than I did the first time around. I am not going into the details of what her husband said to me during our brief conversation, but it was truly heartfelt in every way possible!!!

Earlier to my second chance of meeting Paisley once again, I mentioned to my friend Robert as the game was still going on, that if their team wins I would want to at least try to tell her hi and give her one of my nice big hugs I had genuinely promised to have waiting for her. She was so genuinely patient and sweet with me as I finally told her my name after not having done that the first time, which if you must know was something I purposely neglected to do. She kindly asked me how I was doing and of course I had to answer with: "I'm doing so good!!" with my note in hand that I didn't want to mention a word about it until it was the right time and obviously wanted her to not know it was coming. 


Shortly after giving Paisley one of my nice big hugs, I quickly showed her the note I mentioned to her that it took me a while to figure out, but was very grateful to have figured it out in time to only have her genuinely ask me this kind hearted question: "You wrote me a note?!"with a really pretty smile on her face that exuded gratitude in more ways than I can even put into words at this very moment. She had just the absolute sweetest reaction to my note and I quietly told her this: "I did!" not having realized that I probably had made her entire day with just something as genuinely nice as a little note that I was originally not planning to bring with me to the game and then last minute made the decision to take it and keep it inside of my jacket pocket.


Overall, this experience was certainly an unforgettable one that I will not ever soon forget and loved getting to cheer on another collegiate team for a change, which if you ask me is something I hope to do more once the next season of Utah Valley women's basketball starts up again!!! I especially liked getting to have my picture taken with the UVU mascot whose name is Willy and no I did not expect that to happen while I was at the game itself, but I did tell him that Cosmo is my favorite but that I do like him too!!! He is a pretty cool mascot in the sense that he could do flips and show off his stunts which I genuinely hope get more advanced as time goes on, but who knows?? I am grateful for the quality time I had with my good friend Robert and getting to make this an experience that I hope will continue some time down the road if the both of us can make it work into our busy life schedules.

Did I forget to mention that Willy asked my friend to send him a copy of my picture with him to his work email address and still to this day I am not sure if he will end up using it or not for something in regards to his purposes as a collegiate mascot but I hope it is something that can be put to good use!!! It was truly one of the greatest days of my life and I cannot wait for more of them to come in the distant future if there will be more chances to attend games at home!!! #GoUVUWBB.

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Birthday Celebration

 

TOMORROW AFTERNOON & EVENING---My best friend Maria will be having her unforgettable and amazing 33rd birthday celebration!!! I have waited anxiously for this special day to arrive and cannot wait to spend quality time together being the girlies that we are. It is definitely surreal to think all of us ladies-- are getting older and still love to enjoy each other's company more than you could ever imagine, which if you must know is nothing short of an understatement. I am excited to eat a scrumptious meal at my besties favorite place (Golden Corral) and then going from there to my first BYU men's volleyball game, which I am certain there will not be a single dull moment whatsoever. I am so thrilled to cheer on the best college sports team ever from wherever we are going to seat and watch our cougars have a win over USC!!! I am definitely hoping not to lose my voice throughout this weekend and have the most unforgettable night of my life with the greatest group of besties ever!!! 

TONIGHT----Our SNAP group has invited the BYU football team to come tonight and I am not sure what surprises or things they have in store for us, but I am definitely looking forward to spending time with the coolest people ever!!! I am not particularly certain if there will be a special guest joining us, but I am just ready for a good time with everyone and also trying my hardest to have as much fun with my best friends as I can leading up to our together tomorrow!!!! #IYKYK 

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Weekend Plans

LAST WEEK-----I was invited to unexpectedly participate and join my friend's institute class that takes place at a local high school seminary building. I quickly got myself together as much as I possibly could and next thing I knew they were already in front of my house after just taking in the mail. I immediately climbed into their car and we headed on our way to their institute class, which if you ask me is such an amazing experience for those involved--but you get the picture here right?? 

LONG STORY SHORT----During our class time they had asked me if I would be interested with going to a Utah Jazz basketball game and of course at first, I ended up declining the offer because of a commitment that my parents have this weekend & didn't feel comfortable leaving my siblings home alone for what was a very long period of time. I have not heard anything back about this ever happening and it looks like I am going to spend my weekend at home instead (which is totally fine with me due to the fact, I am not certain how we would be able to purchase tickets to begin with.) I was obviously looking forward to this once in a lifetime experience again, but I am grateful to spend a relaxing weekend at home with my sister and Rudy who is the friendliest dog on the block!!! 

Other Stories: (Best Friend's Birthday Party)

I am so excited about this upcoming party to celebrate my best friend turning another year older and quite frankly to admit that I am stoked for it would be an understatement. I cannot wait to have a delicious meal at golden corral, attend my first ever in person BYU men's volleyball game, along with cake and presents at my best friend's home!!! I know it will be so much fun spending quality time together with our friends and making memories that we will cherish forever...but if you ask me, you have to see it to believe it if you all know what I mean?? 

(More To Come)

Basketball Game

LONG STORY SHORT----One of my good friends invited me last weekend to participate in this institute "INSPIRE" conference that was taking place at the UVU Institute building. I ended up not being able to make it to the event due to having been up late all night after an event that I had been a part of for many years and didn't feel an urge to getting myself up to participating in it. 

FLASH FORWARD----I ended up asking my good friend if he had ever been to a basketball game at the school he has been attending for a while now and I was not quite sure after having a random conversation about attending a sports event sometime, that I didn't want to pass up this opportunity since I kindly declined the offer. However, the both of us were messaging back and forth several times about this which I am grateful it was able to give us a little extra time to decide if this was a possibility for us to do together.

Mini Story:

I have been following the UVU Women's basketball team on social media since August of last year and didn't want to miss an opportunity to see how their season would turn out. I obviously have never paid too close attention to sports at Utah Valley too much and wanted to continue showing my support for my two favorite collegiate teams that I genuinely have loved watching play.

After I contemplated on this decision for some time, the both of us settled on attending the UVU b-ball team's final home game (which happens to be their senior day and fan appreciation)!!! I am so super excited to finally watch these amazing young ladies compete and hopefully come out with a win that I am certain would make their last performance on the basketball court extra special. I cannot wait to see my favorite youtuber and former BYU cougar in their element as one of the assistant coaches for the team who I have anxiously wanted to see coach in person for awhile now. I am really hoping we can visit with each other for at least a minute and possibly get a picture taken together that I can (with obviously their permission of course) to share on my IG stories reel!!! 

(To Be Continued) 

Repetitive Stuff

This month has certainly gone too fast and cannot believe another month is almost here in less than two days!!! I would like to share with you some of the highlights that this month has provided me with and I seriously hope to make a good impression as you read through these. (#Like4Reals)

UVU Institute Class (Adaptive Needs)

It's been such a delight getting back into a routine with things and having a chance to feel the spirit every week in class has blessed my life so much. I am grateful for the inspiring lessons that our teacher prepares for us and giving everyone an opportunity to share comments, while pondering on ways we can be closer with our Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for his guidance, direction, comfort, hope, strength, peace of mind, and the confidence he gives me every day to trust him with everything that has taken place in my life up to this point. I know he is always going to be there to provide a way for me to return back to his presence and giving me the courage to keep going after my dreams, no matter what they may be or look like. 

Best Friend's Birthday Party (Mini Version)

It was so much fun getting together with our friends and have quality time for a couple of hours together, which if you ask me was nothing short of an understatement. We enjoyed having delicious pizza, soda & watching our best friend Danielle open her presents, along with having ice cream cake for dessert. I also liked getting to play one round of croquet which if you must know none of us are professionals at (but we all had so much fun getting to hang out together and laughing through it all.) We even got to play a single game of bowling for a little bit and that was so much fun to see the lanes glow in the dark--as well as just getting one strike that left me with a smile on my face!!

Other Highlights:

BYU Gymnastics Meet

BYU Basketball Games

SNAP Activities (IYKYK)

As you can probably tell from all of this, this month has provided me with opportunities that was excited for and others that I know are going to help me grow into the person I need to become. I have a lot more still to learn along the way and look forward to what the lord has in store for me, next on my earthly journey. I am planning to return back on a project that meant the world to me for a long time and get back into advocating for my friends within the disability community, here in the state of Utah which if you ask me is something I have greatly missed so much. (More about this later)

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UVU Adventure (Part One)

LONG STORY SHORT----I have taken different routes to get to my institute class on the UVU campus several times and never had much of a problem with it until last week. I obviously kind of knew the main direction I needed to take in order to get to the institute building and yet found myself going an entire new way that I had luckily gone in the past---but still didn't know what I was doing. I really did not want to ask any of the students around for directions, but knowing the awkwardly social person I am sometimes, I was not necessarily brave enough to accomplish that task. I was incredibly relieved to have run into one of my friends who is in my class out in the hallway and ask them if I was heading in the right direction, which they told me I was and little did I know I would be getting myself lost on purpose. I was somehow heading towards the science building on campus and then for some unknown reason got myself in the Lockhart building which I am sure will be a new place that I hope to meet again in the distant future, if I am ever lucky enough to get over there sometime. I certainly did not let this experience ruin my day as I was without my twin sister who at the time was healing from an ankle injury that prevented her from being able to walk on her two feet for a little while. I definitely think this was something I wanted to do in order to see if I would spot my favorite YouTuber somewhere, which I knew in my heart was obviously not gonna happen in that moment because I didn't want to keep them away from their job and responsibilities that come along with it. Did I forget to mention that I got to see the life sized statue of the UVU wolverine which if you ask me is pretty legitimate but I need to stick with my mascot that I love so much and cannot wait to hopefully see sometime in this new year!!! #HintHint.

As the story continues, I was miraculously able to retrace my steps back and find a door that led me out to where I needed to be on time. I was able to find the institute building on my own and not have any trouble with finding the door to enter inside, which if you must know left me breathing fairly hard when I walked inside to sit down. 

I am not certain if there will ever be another opportunity for me to write in more depth about this and can hopefully make it without getting too confused, if you know what I mean??? I am grateful to have had my own little tour of UVU campus and seeing how much it continues to grow with more changes all over the place!!! I genuinely have to believe this mini adventure was nothing short of a coincidence to explore just what this amazing school has to offer and lucky enough to make it without anything too crazy going on in this whole experience!!! #ToBeContinued