Jelly fish and sand castles

I am definitely adding to my list of firsts here in North Carolina. Today, I built my first sand castle EVER!!! I know, I know, I am deprived. It was so cool though! I made this fortress castle thing, Ariel made a dinosaur to protect my castle, Jay made half of a gate around the perimeter and Eva made the Provo temple, so we were complete! :)

Also, I'm having my first experiences with jellyfish. In the warm ocean on the east coast, there are, at the moment, MANY jellyfish! We haven't been going into the water as much as I would have hoped we would be because there are so many jellyfish roaming around. Yesterday, we were so excited because there were hardly an jellyfish, even though the water was like numbingly cold. And yesterday....Jazon got stung by a jellyfish! Ironic, huh?

Happily Ever After

Recently I heard this new song, "Happily Ever After" by He Is We. Here's just a little bit of the lyrics that have been in my mind a lot, a wonder I guess that I have for myself.

"We all want to know how it ends.

Oh, happily ever after, wouldn't you know, wouldn't you know
Oh, skip to the ending, I'd like to know, I'd like to know
Author of the moment, would you tell me, do I end up, do I end up happy?

Inhale, breathe steady, exhale, like your ready, if you're ready or not.
Just a boy and a girl trying to take on the world, and we wanna get caught.
In the middle of a very happy ending, let's see what we've got, let's give it a shot.
Let's give it a shot.

Oh, happily ever after, wouldn't you know, wouldn't you know
Oh, skip to the ending, I'd like to know, I'd like to know
Author of the moment, would you tell me, do I end up, do I end up happy?"

I guess that everyone in the world has this question: do I end up happy?
I've never been one to have much luck with romance or anything, and while I don't enjoy being alone and I hate it, I have high hopes that one day, there will be someone for me.
However, over the past couple of days this question has been more prevalent in my mind. I have cared a lot about someone for a very long time, but I recently came to the realization that I need to let him go. Not like never speaking to him again, but just to look at him more as a friend. If not to save our friendship, to protect my heart.
So, what it boils down to is my continued hope that I will someday be happy, loved and loving a wonderful man who I can build a family with, raising them in the Gospel, and be with for eternity.

Long time, sorry!

Hey guys, I'm so sorry that I haven't been able to keep my blog up to date. I didn't have Internet access nearly as much as I thought we were going to. In fact, this is the first time the whole trip that I have had it for enough time to even think about writing.

So far, the trip has been great! I have had so many new experiences, some great, some...not so great. But I am learning a lot about myself and about the rest of the country.

I've been to Glacier, where I hiked 17 miles in one day!!! It was insane, but the views were amazing! Next was Teddy Roosevelt National Park, which was kind of hard to appreciate just having come from Glacier. Then came Mt. Rushmore, which was really cool. There is so much about the mountain that I didn't know about. Like, not a single person died during the entire construction of Mt. Rushmore. And 90% of the mountain was formed by dynamite. Only 10% was actually chiseled.

Then, the Mall of America!!! It is gigantic!!! My favorite was by far the Puma store. :) There was this amazing jacket, but it was $60...and that was 40% off! I couldn't bring myself to buy it. Oh well! But, I did get to meet and even hug DORA THE EXPLORER!!!!! How cool is that?!

Then came my favorite part of the trip yet: Loiusa, VA! This was Jazon's house, and I LOVE his family!!!! We went to the fair to sell pigs, and it was amazing! I was really sad to leave, but...BEACH WEEK IS HERE!!!! :) I'm in North Carolina at the moment, and I'll be spending the next 9 days here, just lounging around on the beach, having a good old time. :)

I'm sorry it's just an overview and that I didn't get to keep it all up to date, but I'll try to be better while I"m here.

Why?

It's an interesting thing. Summer has been just going along for the past 2 and a half months. I mean, it's been great; I've been able to hang out with a lot of my friends, and do pretty much whatever I wanted, but over the past couple of weeks, there seem to be more and more things going on, and leaving for this trip is turning bittersweet.
I don't like missing things, and I'm afraid of what I'll miss while I'm gone. Don't get me wrong, I am STOKED for my vacation, for many many reasons, but why does everything have to turn so awesome right before I leave? Is it because I am leaving? Why can't we, generally, value what we have until it is almost gone?

I Stand All Amazed

I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,

Confused at the grace that so fully he profers me.

I tremble to know that for me he was crucified,

That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died.

Oh it is wonderful that he should care for me enough to die for me.

Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me.

I marvel that He should descend from his throne divine,

To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine.

That he should extend his great love unto such as I,

Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify.

Oh it is wonderful that he should care for me enough to die for me.

Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me.

I think of his hands pierced and bleeding to pay the debt,

Such mercy, such love and devotion can I forget?

No, no, I will praise and adore at the mercy seat,

Until at the glorified throne I kneel at his feet.

Oh it is wonderful that he should care for me enough to die for me.

Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me.

Over the past several months, this song has come to hold immense meaning for me. It has helped calm my soul during storms in my life and always gives me more faith and hope for tomorrow. This song helps me know that I am loved, I mean the world to someone. Christ gave His life for me, even with all of my faults and imperfections. Every time I think about Him and this sacrifice, I stand amazed, filled with awe. The Atonement, Christ, the Gospel; it's all so amazing. Every time I think of or hear this song, it makes me want to be better. Maybe it will do the same for you.

Queen Victoria

Over the past several months, I have learned quite a bit about Queen Victoria. It all began in my British Literature class. While Lord Byron and the other figures of history were dull to me, Queen Victoria stood out. She was such an incredible woman. She came from a life of being told what she could and couldn't do, and she rose above it. When she became Queen, she didn't let anyone use her. And her relationship with Prince Albert, even though he was her cousin, was incredibly romantic and was one of the greatest friendships I think the world has ever known. She ruled for the people, always striving to do what was right for others, not for herself.

A new movie, The Young Victoria, does an excellent job of showing what Queen Victoria dealt with and how she came to be the Queen she was. It really is a good movie.

Queen Victoria is, to this day, the longest reining Queen.

Not Forgotten

No, I haven't forgotten about my blog. I simply don't have internet at my house, and I think of things to put on here, but then forget them before I get to my parent's house to write about them. I'm kinda forgetful like that...
Much has been going on this summer. But the most exciting thing? I'm going on a MONTH long trip!!! Ya, I'm pretty excited. :) And I'm going to be SO dark when I come home! Not to mention have totally awesome calves because of all the hiking we're going to do. 13 days...not that I'm counting down or anything.
I've made new friends, had more than my fair share of drama, gone on a blind date, hiked the Y many many times, worked at my parent's house, and had tons of fun. I'll really try to write more, and when I leave (July 21st, after my writing class, which I am SO excited for!) check back for updates on wherever I am in the country.