my goal to change the world.

i have a passion for education.
always have.
[i used to teach my stuffed animals preschool.]
growing up i always knew i'd go to college.
i even had goals for a master's degree.
school was fun and i loved learning.
i knew i could be anything when i grew up, maybe i was a conceited child.
or maybe i just had confidence because the people around me believed in me.
but deep down i knew i'd be a teacher, because i simply had a desire to teach.
...
this semester i am in my "teaching methods" class.
the class where we learn just how to be a good teacher.
every day i am uplifed, inspired, excited.
i feel stronger than before that i'm in the right place, doing the right thing.
i have a responsibility to help my students succeed.
and that is my goal.
...
last night we watched "waiting for superman."
[a documentary about the education system in america.]
you should watch it. (it's free on netflix)
it describes just how real and awful our education truly is.
i had tears streaming down my face as i watched these children that have the same dream that i had,
to know that they could be anything when they grow up.
but seeing how this isn't possible because of their schools.
and everyone knowing that this is the case, and it's unlikely that they'll succeed.
because of how truly awful "the system" is.
and no one doing anything about it, really.
...
after it was over i turned to derek and said,
"i'm doing something about this.  i'm making a change.  these students will succeed."

because 22 is kind of a big deal...

evidence as to why it was the best day ever: 
[and lots of pictures because i decided i was documenting everything.]

i woke up to signs and balloons from my roommates.

a phone call from mom and dad.

derek brought me mcdonald's hashbrowns for breakfast.

more phone calls from nana, and bff kayla. 

and texts of birthday wishes from more of my favorite people.

cupcakes and a sign for me at work. 

whoopie brought me cupcakes too.

trying to write the date on your birthday is tough. 

[you always want to put the year you were born.]

telling my group that i was leaving class early because it was my birthday.

derek picking me up.

eating at zuppa's for dinner.

[i've been craving that wisconsin cauliflower.]

 a drive through the canyon.

talking is what we do best.

to village inn for pie. 

back to derek's.

we opened some presents and i laughed so hard.

[all items i have previously mentioned wanting.]

[do i look tired? ha.]

his response, "i really do listen when you talk to me."

home to find chocolate milk from my girl amy.

a birthday card from grandma and granpa.

and facebook posts galore.

seriously. it was the best day.

to all of you who partcipated in any sort of way,

you made me feel like a million bucks.

thanks for all the love.

[especially derek.]

hawaii-day one.

remember that one time i went to hawaii and it was amazing and i never even blogged about it?
well, they are coming now. deal with it.

on the way there i thought it was the longest flights of my whole life...
little did i know what awaited me on my flight home. but that story will come later.

oh, and my parents?

 ...they are ipad people.

we made it to hawaii late, but woke up ready for adventure.
so. we went to hike maunawili falls.
before we started we swung through the trees like tarzan.
[that guy had some muscles, cause i couldn't hold on that long.]

and the hike, let me tell you, it was muddy.
like, really muddy.
but pretty too.

but we made it to the falls, where people were jumping off rocks right and left.
i stood on the edge too cold to jump in.
bad idea.
i had infinity bug bites on my legs.
and when i get bug bites, they get BIG. and super itchy.
i finally got in and swam over to the falls.
it then took another 15 minutes to jump off.
fact: i'm the pansy in my family.
but hey, at least i did it.

[the family joke. because i'm in the water when everyone is just jumping.]

on the hike back down it was still really muddy.
and i have a tendency to fall in the mud.
[like seriously, all the time as a kid.]
and i guess some things just never change.
so i walked down a mountain in my spandex.
yes. true story.

a nice man let us use his hose to wash off.
we stopped at pali highway lookout on the way back.
its famous in my family as the place where mom's family's rental car caught on fire.
and mom chased down cars. we laughed so hard.

showers and dinner at hard rock cafe.
[with a waiter named thor. for reals.]

asleep by 9.

an inspiration.

  mark demoss came to campus.

this man is an inspiration for good in the world.

a reminder that we can start today to make changes.

[rebroadcast here later. a definite must-see.]

about a boy.

you can't help but feel this way after a darling boy 

grabs your hand as you begin to cry.
makes you laugh so hard.
asks if you had a good day.
talks with you about the important stuff.
texts you just to see how you are.
stays a little bit longer cause you hate saying good bye.
cuddles with you on the couch.
[after all, that's what sundays are for.]

life sometimes.

sometimes life is a hard thing.
things that are hard for me are not necessarily hard for anyone else.
but everyone else has hard things too.
and seeing those hard things i often wonder why i even struggle with what i do.
things that really aren't a big deal, seem so large sometimes.
it's been one of those sometimes lately.
so i do everything i know how to do to find peace.
praying, fasting, asking for help, reading my scriptures.
and it works.
i know my life isn't that hard.
i truly have so many blessings.
sometimes i just have hard days.
[which means more tears than normal.]
as i'm sure you do too.
so when you do, let me know, and i'll give you a little extra love.
just how everyone i know has done for me lately.
this is a thank you, that isn't near worth all you deserve.

what do you do for fun on a saturday night after it snows?

weekends are fun.
and we had an awesome 5-tuplet date.
but the thing that topped it all was after we said bye to everyone,
and grabbed our garbage bags,
and went sledding in the park.
because it was the first snow, of course.

just look how much fun we had.
[or listen to how obnoxiously hard we were laughing...
because you can't really even see anything.]

just know, we had a good time.