Bags of Memories

You know how you always stuff little things into the little pockets of your bags? And you forget to clean them out before you start using a new one? Well, I don't know about you guys but I have that problem. I recently cleaned out all of my bags that I have and, when I say all, I mean all. Keep in mind, I have enough bags to put a small handbag shop to shame. You can only imagine the amount of things I found. Talk about a walk down memory lane. I found my old bus passes from sophomore year and junior year. I found a note from Amanda dated December 17, 2007. Oh, the things we worried about back then, hahaha. I found the clear nail polish that I used to pull out and use during Mr. Paulson's history class because heaven knows if you didn't have something to occupy yourself with, you'd be snoring within fifteen minutes. I found starburst flavors that I'm pretty sure no longer exist and two miniature, blue candy canes. I found earrings that I was given for Christmas one year. They were still in the package. In one bag, I found a pocket that was full of bandaids and I remember exactly why they were there. In another bag, I found the wallet-sized yearbook pictures with little messages on the back from the friends that gave them to me. October of senior year I thought I was dying. No really. Dying. I've never been so sick with the flu in my life. I couldn't even move without hacking up a lung and of course this all happened during senior pictures. Well, anyway, I found my stash of cough drops in the bottom of the bag I used that month. Oh, and a little note that said "Chemists do it periodically." I liked to pass that to Amanda during AP Chemistry. Obviously, I belonged in that class. I found a Snapple lid with my favorite Snapple fact ever. "Elephants are capable of swimming 20 miles per day." Is that not amazing? One of my lovely friends loved to update me on their swim times. I showed them this lid and the reaction was great. I kept the lid. One time, in AP Psychology, Mr. Tarnowski said he would give us extra credit if we could draw all of the wrinkles that were on a lady's face in a movie we were watching. Yeah, I found that little sketch of mine. I also pulled the cutest pens out of one of the bags. You know those miniature RSVP pens? I'm so happy I found those. They all still work, too! Woooot!

I can't remember what else I found doing this but I do know that I ended up making $26. Yeah, and in all ones, too. Student store lunch anyone? You always needed ones on hand for that.

I invite you all to clean out your old bags if you happen to have the same problem I do. I promise it will bring back a memory!

It Made Us Smile

Quotes from this Weekend:

"Uhh...Did I just tell someone they couldn't go into the temple?" -Amanda

"Yes. Yes, you did." -Emily

"How's your night going?" -Grandpa

"It's going really good. I got a hot chick's number!" -Burger King Worker

"You want two more?" *Looks at Amanda and I in the back* -Grandpa

"I already threw up a little in my mouth!" -Kid at Lagoon

"So how did you two end up in Temple Square today?" -Sister Missionaries

"Well...To be honest, I was trying samples in Sephora and they had bronzer stuff. So I tried it and it turned my finger brown. I had to wash it off. The visitor's center was the nearest bathroom." -Emily

"But we like it here. It's so nice!" -Amanda

"Are there any feelings there? I mean, how is your heart?" -Grandma

"How long has this been here?" *looks at burger place* -Amanda

"A long time...forever...Adam found it." -Grandpa

*After shopping at AE* "Now I have pants! Now I just need a shirt to go with them. And maybe some clothes for church." -Emily

"Did you bring anything with you?!" -Amanda

*While on the sky ride at Lagoon* "Let's have deep conversation." -Emily

"Okay. What do you want to talk about? Let's think of something." -Amanda

...."My foot just hit that tree." -Emily

"One difference between Burger King and McDonalds is that they speak English at Burger King and Spanish at McDonalds. Not that there is anything wrong with Spanish. It's okay because I can understand it." -Grandpa

"So have you two thought about serving a mission?" -Sister Missionaries

"Yes, we were just talking about that. We were saying how we'd love to. You guys have such cute clothes!" -Amanda

"But that wasn't the only reason." -Emily

*Guy walks up to temple door* "Yo! What the heck is this thing for?!" -Guy

"What did you guys get at CitiCreek?" -Sister Missionaries

"Pants." -Emily

"Shorts!" -Amanda

"Oh! How nice. Stuff we no longer get to enjoy. You two will have to do that for us!" -Sister Missionaries

Moving Forward

Let's rewind to the summer of 2009. I was in New York when my friend messaged me on facebook and said, "My mother is annoying me. She keeps telling me to get a start on my college essays. I have six months until they're due. So annoying." Yeah, that would be annoying I thought. My parents weren't pressuring me to start any of mine yet. They knew I would do it in my own time. They didn't need to get on my case about it. I knew what colleges I was going to apply to. I knew I was going to get accepted to my first choice and I knew I would attend the following fall. Plain and simple. Nothing was going to get in my way. 

Then senior year started. I had this thing where I didn't care about much. Maybe I said that wrong. It's not that I didn't care, it's more that I knew things would get done eventually and I didn't stress to finish assignments or study for tests. It was senioritis at its best. I'd rather go out and be with friends than study for that upcoming statistics exam. And, hey, if it was a nice day, why not just skip band & seminar and go into Ramstein Village for the afternoon? Mmm, doner & gelato beats school food any day. 

Needless to say, motivation kind of turned off. I was having a great year and I wasn't too worried about it. I was still getting my A's...that's all that should matter, right? I wrote my college essays last minute and sent in my transcripts only a few days before the deadline. I still wasn't worried. Basketball season was coming up!

It was no secret why the girls wanted to manage the varsity guys' team. Can you say 'Mista Watson'? Because I can tell you the whole cheer team could. "Oh boy I just can't wait for history class..." Ahaha, but no joke, basketball season was too fun. Who wouldn't love getting out of school early for games, hanging out with the guys afterschool, getting free food from the coach...etc. So many good memories but it was just another distraction from what should have been one of the busiest times of the year. Four AP classes and no time for homework? I'm just happy I got through it.

Acceptance letters started arriving in the mail. One after another. Accepted. Accepted. Accepted. Accepted. Accepted. Waitlisted...WHAT THE HECK DOES THAT MEAN?! Just as a side note, 'heck' was not the word I used at the time. Of course this was my first choice college that I just got waitlisted for. Ew. People sugarcoated it. "They only accept 990 students out of 22,000 applicants." "You got accepted to a lot of great schools! Any of them would be a great choice." All I knew was I wouldn't be going to my dream school. 

I got over it after a while. There was so much to distract me. Everyone was taking advantage of their last few months together. I didn't even think about which college I was going to choose until last minute. If you know me at all, you know that making decisions is my least favorite thing in the world. I wish somebody would just tell me what to do sometimes! Sometimes. Anyway, with some other things going on at the same time I decided to take a year off.

Graduation kind of snuck up on us all. Yeah, everyone was excited for college and talked about it constantly but no one could hide how much we'd miss our friends. Everyone was making plans for last minute trips together to Europa Park, Paris...wherever. I had different plans to make. Where was I going to be after graduation? I had no idea. 

I think I zoned out for most of graduation. Everyone's eyes filled with tears from the speeches being given. I sat there thinking, "All of these people know what they're doing. I messed up!" I walked across the stage receiving my fake diploma and putting on a fake smile for the photographer. If I sound depressed right now..know that I wasn't. I was just scared. Scared out of my mind. 

Graduation night was spent at my best friend's house. A few people were there and there was food. Food is always a plus. When just us two were left, we talked and talked avoiding anything about boyfriends, college, or the future in general. It was basically talking about the goodtimes we've had through high school. It was great. 

Time went on and people started heading back to the States. I went back too only to return to Germany three weeks later. After a few going away parties, everyone was gone. It was so sad! I stopped doing so much of what I used to enjoy. I don't think one flower in my backyard escaped the lens of my camera the spring before. Now there were no new pictures to be found on it. Music? I gave that up entirely. I still can't recall half the fingerings for some notes. My journal that I used to write in everyday slowly came to an end. I knew it was dumb to sit around feeling sorry for myself but I couldn't help but wish to be anywhere but where I was. 

After about a month of this moping around I decided to get a job. And by "decided" I mean forced by the parental unit. I started working at Cinnabon where I met some great people. 

Things started looking up fast. I was starting to like being in Germany. I started going out after work with some friends and even going to church with one of the girls on Sundays. I think that shocked half a population. The same girl had a passion for photography. I watched as she took pictures of everything...people, places, events. It almost motivated me to pick up my camera again. Almost. Her brother had a talent for music. When I say "talent" I mean TALENT. He almost got me into wanting to play again. Almost. Then there was another girl who worked there that would write in her journal on her break. Everrrry time. It was like somebody was screaming at me to be me again.  

But I thought too much about how my life would be different if I was just brave enough to make decisions. I was set on believing that I had made a huge mistake that could never be fixed. All I did was overthink. My brain became my problem and it didn't stop being my problem until last week. 

Last week, I was talking to two of my friends on skype. I forget what we were talking about..just kidding, I know exactly what we were talking about but I'm not going to tell you..ha :) Then all at once it hit me. Life isn't complicated. I'm making it this way. All at once I realized that if I could just let go and stop thinking about the past, I could easily be truly happy and enjoy the present. I have received so many blessings in my life and I just overlooked them because I go straight back to that moment when I decided to stay in Germany. When I look forward from that point, I can see that it wasn't a mistake at all. So much has happened because of that decision, things that changed my life for the better.  All I had to do was let go of the past, learn to enjoy the present, and look forward to the future.

There's so much coming up in the next few weeks. Euro Disney, New York, a new semester at school. It's going to be fun, but, until then, I sit here writing my little heart out, posting pictures of where I've been and being thankful for how great life is! :)

Your Voice Was the Soundtrack of My Summer

"Music is a total constant. That's why we have such a strong visceral connection to it, you know? Because a song can take you back instantly to a moment, or a place, or even a person. No matter what else has changed in your or the world, that one song says the same, just like that moment.”
― Sarah Dessen, Just Listen

I recently read somewhere that everybody has a soundtrack to their life, some just don't care enough to acknowledge it. This got me thinking...what songs would be included on the soundtrack to my life?

I've always loved music. I love how some songs can bring you back to a specific moment in time within the first few seconds of being played. Songs that have this effect on me? See below.

Best Days - Graham Colton 

Everybody - Ingrid Michaelson

All About Us - He Is We

Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall - Coldplay

Send Me On My Way - Rusted Root

Give A Little - Hanson

Here's To The Night - Eve 6

Let It Rock - Kevin Rudolf

Last Friday Night - Katy Perry

Under Pressure - Queen

Here In Your Arms - Hellogoodbye

Who Knew - Pink

Christmas Lights - Coldplay

These aren't my favorite songs by any means BUT every time any one of these songs is played, I think of a certain person, time or event. Some I love, some I hate. But there's a connection to each one of them.

The Timeline.

Many people are switching to the timeline view of facebook. I also decided to switch. I love seeing all of the things that I've posted or the things that others have posted on my wall in the past. Some of it is making me crack up. I thought I would share a few of my favorites:

"So this is what happened:i walk into my house and my mom didn't want me to look at something so she like pokes me in the eye and i accidentally just let "what the hell?" slip out.so my sister asks my mom why i swore, she says i don't know. and alison says, 'its probably because she's been around mr. o'connor.'"

-Amanda

"It's going to get BEASTLY outside!" 

-Grandma

"guess what? i cried. because i miss my best friend, and i haven't even left yet. not a good sign. and i totally feel like a lame-o friend, but your present is in the works. you'll love it. my mom will bring it to you because it's not quite done yet! well, i miss you, best friend. come to utah. soon."

-Amanda

"I wish you luck with riding in a hot air balloon."

-Amanda

"Emily! Forget water aerobics...let's go to the bazaar and eat all the food!"

-Angelia

"Only Martha Stewart can get this knot out." (after tying my apron too tight at work).

-Angelia

"Martha Stewart is stupid."

-Jana

"Hmmm... think I just dyed Emily's hair orange.... bright side... she can be a pumpkin for Halloween."

-My Mother

"You should get of FB and spend time with your family members..... Please note I signed onto FB only to post that." 

-David (cousin)

"I want you to play checkers with normal boys."

-Jana

"Why the hell did you buy 'ho' earrings?"

-My Mother

"They looked a lot smaller online!"

-ME

"I loved that movie! I'd watch it again if I could...so who was Tron?"

-Amanda

"28 year old art majors are dealbreakers." 

-Jana

"went to the book store earlier to buy a ‘Where’s Wally’ book. When I got there, I couldn’t find the book anywhere. Well played Wally, well played."

-Angelia

" Favorite Memory: You on the floor dying of laughter bc I pushed that guy out the door lmao"

-Brittany

"You're my special friend."

-Jana

"You're my hot friend."

-Me

"I was trying to teach you to fish by throwing you in the water."

-Jessica

"EMILY! You posted on my wall at 3 in the morning.....and 4 in the morning....WHAT THE HECK?! I love you! You're getting baptized today :)"

-Jana

"How did the strings get this way?"

-Parker

"I pretended that I knew what I was doing and turned all the knobs."

-Me


"um Emily, the dude was coming STRAIGHT at us on the road & we almost landed in a pond! "Holy Tractor" could have been my last words...it was the only thing I could muster in such a moment of panic! and, just for the record, I pray that you will not be a driver such as myself...I never received the proper training- I just did what the next German did. But there is hope for you my dear."
-Abbey


"And where were your glasses?"
-My Mother
"I pulled them out of my magic sleeve!"
-Jana

"I'm going to go find an old lady who is deaf and would like a companion. That's where I'll send you."

-My Grandma

"I discovered reeeeeaaaaaal quick to get out of terminal F. I found terminal B and hung out there for awhile....now I'm back at F.....dees people sure do got dat aatttiituuude."

-Jana

"I got on Pinterest this evening and saw a bunch of pictures of beautiful men. I believe I have you to thank for this."

-Clarice

"Are you two high? You don't know what kind of cake you made?"

-O'Cutie


"Emily Darling Rice-A-Roni, I think you are probably one of my favorite people...ever haha"
-Abbey

"Du hast ein herz kaputt."

-Jana


"LEARN THAT PART"
-Mr. Pellaton


"so i tried looking up the world record for longest daisy chain, but there isnt one. so i'm going to set it."
-Amanda

"Amy Winehouse should have gone to rehab but no, no, no."
-My Mother

"You cannot be left unsupervised, dear."

-Lindsay

"We're up on a hill in Fort Montgomery. It sounded like a spaceship landed in our backyard."

-Jana
"She says this sober."
-Me
"HEY!"
-Jana


"Emily, really?? We feed you, I save your life, I get you safely home and no cookies?? None. Not one. Think about it."
-Abbey


"And who is going to snuggle with you then?!"
-Lindsay

"I almost cried for a different reason." -Lindsay 

Ice Ice Baby.

My roommate came home the other night with her brother. They decided that they wanted to try this pizza place down the street called "Five Buck Pizza". After much debate over how much it would actually cost (yeah.. I know), her brother was ready to go order it. He didn't want to go alone and my roommate did not want to go with him. I don't blame her. It was freeeezing outside. From that last sentence, you can probably tell that I was the one who ended up walking there with him.

Once we get to the bottom of the stairwell leading down from my apartment, I find a problem. The streets are covered in black ice. My roommate's brother starts going on about how he's happy I came with him blah, blah, blah but all I'm thinking is, "Holy mother, this is ice.". I told him that I don't mind going with him on these short trips as long as he catches me when I slip on ice.

One thing you should know is that I'm pretty close to this family and have known them for a while, which explains his response to what I said. He says, "bahahaha, this is ringing some bells in my head from last winter."

Here's what happened last winter. I went ice skating. For the first time and oh boy was it an experience. I just stood on the ice and fell. I didn't even have to move my feet. I held onto my friends so tightly. But that didn't help. I still fell every five minutes or so (no exaggeration). For my last few rounds around the ice skating rink, I linked arms with my roommate's brother to keep from falling. I'm pretty sure he couldn't believe how unstable I was on the ice but, hey, whaddaya gonna do? Anyways, he kept me from falling though there were a few close calls and lots of screaming (from me). I was scared. Then a song came on the radio that I reallllly liked and decided to sing to. I was more into my song than the skating because I somehow ended up on a path that was sure to end in a collision with a lady in front of me. My roommate's brother, trying to save me from that embarrassment, pulled me to the side, which resulted in the worst fall of them all. My roommate yelled, "Way to go!" from across the rink. It was greeeeat. But hey, good memory, right?

I remember coming home that night and my father saying, "Let's see your knees." I pulled up my pant legs to show him the red and purple bruises. It stayed that way through Christmas. It was a painful few weeks. I truly despise ice. Ice is dumb.