Do you guys know this song?

I sure hope so. Not only is it an iconic early-90s addition to those great Soft-Rock stations that syndicate "Delilah" late at night, but it's also the inspiration for a great story from my freshman year of college.

When I moved to Provo I was a pretty naive newly-18-year-old. I hadn't had a lot of experience with "the real world;" I'd never lived by myself, or really done anything without my mom close enough to come help, and I'd only had one real boyfriend-ish relationship.

Cue Todd, the guy that lived upstairs when my roommates and I moved in at the beginning of Fall Semester. He was quick to come introduce himself to the new apartment-full of six freshman girls.

Todd was your average Utah boy: about 5'8" with bleached blonde hair, overly-tan skin, and perpetually clad with a pukka-shell necklace and too-tight t-shirt. I didn't know enough yet to know this is the international symbol of douchebauchery.

He seemed nice enough, was a decent conversationalist, and attentive to all six of us. I was sure he had a thing for a certain roommate of mine (honestly, all the boys did, she's awesome) but she always denied that was the case.

One day I answered a knock at the door only to find Todd on the other side.

"Just the girl I was looking for," he said with guitar in hand.

He pulled me into the hallway, out the front door, and led me to a chair in the courtyard outside our building.

I sat there wide-eyed as he began serenading me with Eric Clapton's Tears in Heaven. This shocked me. I didn't think any boy would ever feel this way about me.

Well, guess what?

He didn't.

He finished the song. We chit-chatted, and he asked me the deal-sealer: "So, do you think [roommate] would like it if I sang that to her before I asked her out?"

Part of me was insulted, part of me was relieved, and the biggest part began to laugh.

"Uh, sure. I think you should try that."

And from what I remember, he did; in front of all our roommates.

She was less than impressed.

That's when he started in on the only other song he knew on the guitar.

Yep, you guessed it. More Than Words, another classic 1990 hit.

And I'm sure you also guessed my roommate remained unimpressed. 

Todd stopped coming over after that, but he bounced back speedily as I heard him "serenading" another girl down the hall just a few days later. 

In the end, I was right -- he did have a thing for the roommate all boys flocked to. I also learned the d-bag warning signs. And I learned that any boy who only knows the two Provo-wide standard serenading songs (yes, unfortunately this is an epidemic) is never worth looking at as an option because they'll bounce back quickly and try to snag some other naive chick. 

(Plus any guy worth your time will actually cater his snagging methods to you.)

Oh, Provo.

xoxo.

blast from the past

Okay, so I'm struggling to know what to write ... so I thought we'd do a funny memory from the past.

Well my junior year of college I was quite the heartbreaker (ha.). Wanna know why? I had utterly NO TIME for any guy -- which made me "mysterious"...and my blatant disregard for their intentions made me an even hotter commodity.

During the summer when I had a little more free time (only a little seeing as I worked 45+ hours and was taking 3 classes) ... one guy decided to try his luck.

He had an advantage. He was fun, he was cute, he was ambitious, but most of all -- he was witty, intelligent, and hysterical all at once. So I thought I'd give him a shot.

I turned up the charm, amped up my own wit, and twinged the sarcasm. We spent one evening chatting for a long time -- eventually making plans to go get food together the next day (the universal sign of date-ish interest, no?). Well, when I showed up the following day, there he was...complete with roommate in tow. And annoying, abrasive roommate, at that. (In his mind, I believe he thought this was a great idea.)

After lunch we went back to his apartment to hang out and presumably watch a movie. Well, we sat on opposite sides of the couch during the movie because, well, I chose to. As a result of my hectic schedule -- I fell asleep while watching the movie (a problem that continues into the present).

I woke up a little while later -- feeling like something was much different than how it was when I dozed off.

No, the furniture wasn't moved around. No, I hadn't been abducted and buried alive. And no, my shirt wasn't soaked in drool or anything like that.

As my mind became clearer I realized what had changed.

I was not alone on the couch. I was no longer upright on the couch. And someone was blowing in my ear. 

I quickly realized that this boy, while I was asleep, had somehow coerced my body into spooning with his ... and he had been running his hands through my hair and blowing in my ear.

Needless to say that afternoon was over.

Sadly, the stories involving this guy weren't over...including one time he told me he'd like me to be his

TROPHY WIFE

so that I could look pretty when he went to "important work events" and other "impressive goals for [his] life."

No. Joke.

I simply told him I was too smart, too funny, and too pretty to be a trophy wife.

And then I stopped answering his calls. 

Now it's your turn ... tell me about YOUR bad dates (or fake-dates).

xoxo.

p.s. ginny and tiff--you know him. ha.

i'll take you out though i'm hardly worth your time

Tonight I watched Liz's Vlog post ... and then I sat down to create some new playlists for a friend of mine who's going through a hard time.

As I sat listening to all these different songs I employ for various reasons ... I thought about the funk I've been in lately ... and how I got here. And I'm still not sure how it happened, or how to get myself out of it, all I know is that I want to be done with it.

All my life I've been a super social butterfly. I love getting to know people. I love finding out all the funny, quirky, wonderful things that make them them. I love being a friend. I always have. I'd give my left, or heck--my right, arm for any of my friends. But lately, I've drawn myself into this weird little shell, afraid, untrusting, unsure, and (frankly) lonely.

I need to fix that. I need to get back to being me. I'm not exactly sure how to do it...but I want to. I mean, I love boyfriend with all my stinkin, beating heart --he's my closest friend here, the one person I tell everything to-- but I also need someone(s) to hang out with when he's busy, or working, or needs man time. And I need to stop being so gosh darn BORING. I'm starting to bore myself.

I see all of you and your amazing groups of friends -- and I miss the tight knit group I used to have. I miss my Megan. I miss my Lyndsi Shae, Andrea, Brooklyn, Naomi, Steph (x 3), Dani girl. I miss the friends I made in college. They put up the fact that I was so often one of the boys more than one of the girls. The friends I have here are AMAZING, please don't get me wrong, but there was something about "my girls" in Provo ... we had this unbreakable, unshakable, intense bond ... and I miss that. I know part of the problem is that up to now most of my friends here in Eugene have been guys and hanging out with them one on one is awkward what with me being "attached'... plus most of them have girlfriends now. I need that here. I need to find that. I think I have in some respects and I need to trust those girls to be that for me. I need to trust that they're not going to stab me in the back or use me or be ridiculous like so many others have -- and just be their friend. Be the Siovhan I know I need to be/want to be/AM. 

End rant.
Oh, wait ... Thanks to each of YOU who I've become friends with through this medium -- each of you buoy me up more than you know and I'm grateful I have you. Sincerely.
Now the end.

ANYWAY. 
How were all YOUR weekends? 
I can't wait to catch up on the reading I've missed this week.
{My boss is on vacation so I'm doing HIS job and MY job all last week and half of this week.}

My weekend was very relaxing. I got the stomach bug that was going around my office -- but after that wore off, I mostly took it as an excuse to take naps and sleep in and not do anything responsible. Haha. AND I got to eat popsicles when I started feeling better.

Now if only I could convince the Oregon weather to let the sun come out. I MISS IT.

xoxo.


p.s. I GET TO GO HOME TO BOSTON IN TWO WEEKS...and I'm RIDICULOUSLY excited. I haven't been back there since Christmas of 2007. Wow.

ruler for a day: the recent grad

One of my college producing prodigies, Anna, and sister to my red sox mama Ruth sent in her list! And dude, Anna is HYSTERICAL. Plus, she met Anderson Cooper so that makes her pretty much the coolest person in the world! Hahaha. But this girl is great. So show my lady some love.

Anna rules because:


1. i just graduated from college: 5 years. 2 majors. 3.6 GPA.
2. i can cook anything from scratch. and i do. from pizzas to pastries, cheeseburgers to cheesecakes...i will make it. and i love it.
3. i can drive for days without getting tired. and i've driven across the country like 6 times. yay for commuting 2,000+ miles for college.
4. i was the valedictorian of my class (of 500+) in high school. and i wore pj pants nearly every day ( :
5. i won the very first 5k that i ever ran...beating out my sister that i ran with for basically the entire race. sorry ruth!
6. i started running track and field / cross country in middle school because my friends and i realized that was a good way to meet boys. and i have loved running ever since ( :
7. thanks to working in the news, i know a little bit about a zillion different things.
8. i love writing. i can write about anything and make it sound fun / interesting / awesome.
9. i won an award for my lighting design last year at the american theatre college festival...a nationally accredited program.
10. i've never had strep throat.


If you wanna tell me why YOU RULE, I'll do it til everyone realizes how awesome they are. Just click on the cute little bear!

xoxox.

ruler for a day the red sox mama

I met my dear friend Ruth through her adorable husband Drew. Drew and I were in the same program at BYU and he's from Boston, too...so instant connection. THEN I met Ruth. I love this freaking lady. She's funny, smart, REALLY creative and artistic, determined, and one heck of a runner to boot. Plus she's gonna be a momma soon!! Yay new rex soxian!

Ruth said:

1. I am married to Drew Dowling , conosseur of all things New England and Red Sox.
2. I have the best job in the world...teaching art to high schoolers!
3. I ran a race every month for 13 months straight, including 2 half marathons.
4. I can rock curly AND straight hair.
5. I graduated BYU with one major in the time it took Anna to graduate with two :) (wait, I guess that would be why SHE rocks!)
6. I AM growing a little human being inside of me :)
7. I LOVE reading... and am almost always in the process of reading at least 3 books.
8. I have a cat that plays fetch.
9. Did I mention Drew Dowling? Best decision I ever made.
10. I'm half Chilean. That means, yes, I can understand my students who mutter spanish expletives under their breath :)


If you wanna tell me why YOU RULE, I'll do it til everyone realizes how awesome they are. Just click on the cute little bear!

ruler for a day: my very own pocahontas

Lyndsi Shae has ALWAYS had my back. From the moment we met, it was an instant friendship {honestly, though, this girl is one of the most instantly lovable people I've ever EVER met}. Through thick, thin, night, day, Utah and Oregon, we're friends to the end. Kindred spirits if you ask me.

Miss Lyndsi Shae says:

I rule because:

1. I can do a backflip on the trampoline-- with AND without hands!

2. I'm really good at painting toe-nails.

3. I take my siblings to do sweet things in the middle of the night or on bored days.

4. I know all the words to a billion songs.

5. I roll the windows down even when it makes me hair look the nast.

6. I never say "Fine" when people ask me how I'm doing.

7. I can do red hair and blonde hair and brown hair and sometimes multiple at once.

8. I have like two decades of experience with dollar menus.

9. I can make fantastic frozen yogurt/topping combinations.

10. I have huge love power. Really, I can love anyone.

{I couldn't find a picture of her doing a backflip...but seriously, look at that extension (she's the one in the back) that is EPIC.}

If you wanna tell me why YOU RULE, I'll do it til everyone realizes how awesome they are. Just click on the cute little bear!

xoxo.

ruler for a day: all star momma!

I asked ... you answered.

So here's the first installment of

RULER FOR A DAY.

Jessica and I went to Journalism school together -- and let me tell you, she is FREAKING AWESOME. She's a great producer, a wonderful writer, a stylish lady and one completely RAD mom. Plus, check out how adorable that baby is!! I just love that Lola girl. 

So here's Jess's reasons why she rules: 

1. I grew a human being inside me

2. I pushed that human being out of me

3. I make the best chocolate chip cookies in the world

4. I can paint my toenails without getting polish on my toes

5. I ran 10 miles 8 weeks after giving birth

6. I would do anything for someone I love

7. I know how to laugh at myself

8. I love to travel and make an effort to do so on a regular basis

9. I work for the #1 local news website in the nation

10. I am a clean freak 

Wow, I feel a bit conceited. But it feels kind of good :)

I LOVE HER LIST!

I think those are all GREAT reasons why she rules. 

We'll have more of your lists -- and for anyone else who wants to chime in... 

Tell me why YOU rule! :)

xoxo.

we're as close as the vena cava and the aorta!

So I leave you with this thoughtful post on Monday ... and my week took a suckerpunch right after that. So I figured you really didn't want to listen to my wench-tastic, angsty whining (I didn't want to listen to it).

So instead of whining about how stupid my life has been lately.
I'm taking this chance to release some good karma into the world.


I LOVE THAT MEGAN IS HERE.
In Oregon. And we're meeting up tonight to spend an entire weekend of best friend adventurous fun together. It's been too long since I've seen her--and I can't wait to see her!!!!!!

I love Diet Coke. (Big Surprise, right?!) Breakfast of champions, my friends.

I love my parents. I love the fact that they stand behind me when I can't handle the drama, the worry, or the frustrations of being an adult.

I love my new shoes. They're red and gorgeous and for the life of me I cannot get my phone to correlate with twitter so I'll just have to show you later.

I love that my roommate calls me Tiny Dynamo ... or just Dynamo. It cracks me up. It all started over the fact that well.. I'm... vivacious. I'm quite spirited and tend to do everything with extra umph... hence the dynamo.

I love that I get to be crafty!!! We were debating what to do about a message board or something in our kitchen--and I looked at the Pottery Barn catalog ... and fell in love with this:

And then I realized one of my favorite bloggers loved it too!!!


picture via or-so-i-feel.blogspot.com
(which actually made me feel even better about my choice.)
I'm excited to get started on it.

I love good friends who put up with my craziness/my emotional rollercoaster self this past week, and continue to be good humored about the fact that I'm slowly going insane and seem to be bent on taking them with me.

I love my BYU professors who taught me so much about producing and about how a newsroom works so that I came to my job prepared for the task at hand.

I love my past for teaching me how to deal with people in my present.

I'm grateful that my dad taught me to stand up for myself, and when I see something wrong--to do my best to right it.

I loved pirate day. I wish we did theme days more often. I mean, I wish I made us have them more often.

Me and Katie.
We both look like lunatics. And sick ones at that.
(pardon the cell phone photography .. it gives me pan face.)

I love that I have a rental car this weekend after this whole Stolen Car Debaucle. Here's to hoping it's something good!

I LOVE that college football is back!! YAY!! And my boys have a killer game this weekend against Oklahoma. GO COUGARS!

I love my whole set of new headbands. I've always been a headband fantatic --and it just keeps getting worse. I'm also grateful that my mom taught me to take okay looking things ... and make them beautiful by using my own creative brain ... and some well honed crafty skill and elbow grease.

I'm grateful that I've finally cleaned my room AND that I finally finished hanging things up on my walls. It's only taken me 2 months. Hahah. (Mom, I'll get you some pictures!)

I hope you're all having a LOVELY day. (Mine's getting better.)
XOXO.


p.s. tiny vindictive note. dear wench faccias, i wish i could hit you with my car. really. you're not as sneaky as you think you are. and you're really not better than the rest of us. kthanks!

525,600 minutes

one year.

wow.

a whole year.
one year ago tonight i was saying goodbye to my best friend in a night full of fun, laughter, pictures and so. many. tears.

in fact, while i was sitting at work thinking about this... i realized i'm wearing the same exact shirt as i wore on that day one year ago.
{brought on by miss megan commenting on one of our photos from that night.}

one whole freakin year.

and {often} i still don't feel like/want to be/freak about being a "grown-up".
i can't believe that it's been a whole year.
i can't believe the growth.
the heartache.
the happiness.
the new friends.
the maintained old friendships.
the family.
the fun.
the love.
the severe detestation.
the sleepless nights.
the fits of laughter.
the goals achieved.
the places lived.

the me i've become.
the me i'm {still} becoming.
the life that's here in eugene.

i'm so grateful for the change, the love, the life i've found here in eugene.
here's to much more living to be done.

the wish list begins...

once upon a time in a magical place called the glenwood
(not this glenwood --rather this one)
i had two fabuloso roommates. {actually, living there for four years, i had many upon many fabulous roommates} but this story pertains to these two. or at least...involves.

their names were andrea and megan.

these magical friends of mine were just that. magic.

we loved every waking moment we spent together.
{and there were a lot of them.}

well, seeing as megan's from california, and i'm from boston...we never got to go to our own family dinners. so andrea's awesome family took it upon themselves to adopt us and feed us.

well, it wasn't just andrea's immediate family either.
the mix usually included meg and i, parents, sister carrie, brothers michael and ryan and matt (and matt's family), as well as three of andrea's cousins (becky, jj, and colby).
each sunday we gathered together for "family dinner" and to catch up on each others' lives. we laughed, shared food, and a lot of funny stories with several near misses to liquids projecting out of someone's nose. and sister westover's quest was always to make a match. she almost succeeded once with megan and andrea's brother michael. but me, i always had my eye on andrea's cousin jj (who i pray doesn't read this). he was so adorable.

the real reason i think i thought of jj today (besides the fact that colby showed up on my facebook newsfeed) is that on the plane the other day i read an article where the girl said when she was ready to look for a serious relationship she sat down and made a list of the real qualities she needed in a man. the must-have, the hope-he-has and the deal-breakers were her three categories.

jj was fabulous. beyond his gorgeous (perfect shade of surfer blonde) hair and his incredible singing voice, he was the kind of guy who always made you feel like a million bucks. you could be sitting across the table wearing a ratty old hoodie and pajama pants with sloppy joe all over your mouth, and he'd still treat you like it was a priviledge to have you around. like he was lucky to get to spend that time with you. no matter what. and he always had a smile on his face and a funny story to tell you. a fabulous, fabulous sense of humor.

my friends, that goes on my list.
a million bucks treating, smiley, and good humored.
here's to hoping today someone {anyone} treats you like a million bucks.
because you deserve it.

when i was younger, so much younger than today...

In the interest of disclosure--here's a secret.
Back when I was still an undergrad, I loved my job (that's not the secret).
I was good at it.
But I did stuff on the side; and the University knew all along.

I was...gasp!...a T.A.
For 2 semesters I helped grade papers, revamp PowerPoints, assign groups, and generally watch over the
Sports Broadcasting Class at BYU.
(I also took the class 1 semester.)
When I wasn't T.A.-ing, I was working on sports crews at games for: football, lacrosse, volleyball, basketball, soccer, you name it.
I loved it.

I miss it desperately.

Looking at me you may not see the sportsy girl--but she is there.
I'm a girl you can find actually paying attention when a game is on. I'm still chatty, but I watch and care.
I love SportsCenter. ESPNRadio is programed in my presets in Jamal.
Back in 2004, I spent SEVERAL useful studying hours instead watching baseball game after baseball game.
I had tickets to EVERY BYU home football game all four years of college.
I still long to produce for ESPN or NESN or even Versus.

I LOVE SPORTS.

In the process of this class, one of the lessons focused on producing promotions for upcoming games/events. Jason (the teacher) taught us about the role music plays in these kinds of commercials. That very night, in a frenzy of excitement, I went home and created an iPod playlist with songs I thought would make great backgrounds for promos. To this day when I hear certain songs, I piece together what sport/how I would promo it with that song.

So, here's a little sampling of my promo muscial tastes.
Remember, in this case, it's all about the music--not the words.

So, welcome to one of my crazy little quirks!
Enjoy!

p.s. an update about vacation is on its way when i have more patience for uploading pictures from the phone/get pictures from the familia.

Find me a find, catch me a catch...

I am a matchmaker.
Seriously, though.
I've set up at least 7 couples (I'm super selective about when I set people up).
6 of whom have gotten married.
Let's take this one step further.
I'm also the roommate-marrier-offer.
At BYU--27 roommates: 13 got married either while living with me or just a few short months after.

"Those who can, do; those who can't, teach."
I can't control my own love life, but I can manage to better others'.

My latest "victory":

The lovely Kellie and her rad husband Brady
(or as we call him Brady-Quinn-Liar-Face (long story)).
They got married today.

These two, I think, are my favorite couple I've set up.

Brady
He was in my ward, we were window buddies, we were in the same FHE group and became fast friends as a result.
Kellie
This girl, on the other hand, was a girl after my own soul.
She and I worked, played, laughed and panic-attacked together in the BYU Newsroom.
(Few experiences forge friendships like those found in that newsroom.)
And K is my yoasis partner in crime. Dang I miss that stuff.

One day, during one of our many post-show chats, Kellie and I were bonding over our miserable love lives when she looked at me and said, "Got any hot, tall friends you could set me up with?" (Kellie is 5'11") I thought for a second, suggested a friend (who it turns out she'd already been out with), and then gasped and suggested Brady.

Well, they met one night when Kellie came over and she, Megan and I went hot tubbing.
Brady saw us, came to chat, they began flirting and Megan and I decided to bow out.
She ended up pushing Brady in the pool fully clothed.
And the rest is history.

I love them both and wish them all the luck, love, happiness and laughter this life can bring.

Sigh. I want to live in their design room...

Okay, legit, half of my wardrobe is from DownEast Outfitters.
It's the best boutique-ish store I found in Provo.
(and the one I miss the most.)
I LOVE it.
The prices are SO reasonable.

But I just have to gush about some of their newest line.
(The pictures are links.)
I AM IN LOVE.

I should seriously just get a job there.

I love this whole ensemble.
I am kind of obsessed with this cardigan (linked in the picture).
But the top is super cute, too.

Okay, I already own this shirt in black and white.
But I'm in love with it.
I wear them both all the time.
I think I need to...invest...in a couple more colors.

And if I'm not in that one, I'm in these shirts.
I have four of them: black, white, yellow and blue.
They go so well with colored tanks, under sundresses, or just with a pair of jeans.
I love them. And they're just the right amount of stretch.

I'm in a skirt and dress phase (they scream breezy and summery when I'm stuck inside) and I LOVE this skirt.
The colors are so cute, and I love these shirts. I have 3 of them (told you my whole wardrobe was from them) ...the shirt can be found here.

This one is so cute.
It's a great print and would go with all of my black and white and pink shirts.
Sigh.

This is fun.
And it's called the Bali Hai skirt --making me think of a warm summer in India and of my childhood pediatrician (she was from India).
It looks so breezy and comfortable.

EVERY DRESS SHOULD HAVE POCKETS.
While this might be a little too bold for me (uh, yeah right) it's an example of my new favorite thing.
POCKETS on dresses.
Genius.

Same deal. Plus I LOVE a good stretchy, black dress.
I have some killer shoes to go with this baby.

And this one is great (I kinda hope it comes without the belt).
The detail on the bottom and the sleeves is so pretty.

And they make my favorite tanks: cami's AND thick strapped ones (I layer everyyything).
And now they make girls, maternity, plus size, and even men's clothing.
And they have a blog!
Gosh. I love them.
(Hire me?)

But I refuse to become one of the unwashed masses...

During some majorly needed quality time and serious conversation the other night, my cohort and I began discussing football, track, and the city of Eugene.

I screamed out, "Ugh! I actually like track!! I'm a track fan! Argggh."

Cohort laughed and then continued on about how Eugene needs to stop trying to be a football town because it never will be. It'll always be a track town.

I chuckled as cohort compared U of O to real football schools like Texas, Notre Dame, and USC and the next words out of my mouth were "Yeah USC will always beat us."

I stopped.
My mouth agape.
US.
Never beat us.

Cohort smiled and began laughing as I freaked out.
I laughed as I covered my face screaming,
"I'm not a Duck! I'm not a Duck! I'm not a Duck!! I'm a Cougar! We don't even play USC!"

Cohort continued laughing.
And said, "We've gotten to you. You might be part Eugene after all."

I guess this is my little [mildly subconscious] way of saying I love it here.
And I really can't picture ever leaving.
My heart, while ALWAYS a True Blue Cougar heart, might have a little bit of Duck in it, yet.

Today I miss...

It was really funny that I was totally planning on doing this today...and my friend Alex beat me to it. Hers is about her awesome world traveler adventures, though. Mine's just about little twinges of homesickiosity.

The beautiful city of Boston. Honestly, in my opinion, one of the most glorious cities in the world. There's so much history and heritage mixed in with the "new world" charm of sky scrapers and freeways. It's a big enough city to be exciting, but has a hometown charm most others don't.


Dunkin Donuts. Oregon cable taunts me with the idea that my favorite hot chocolate in the world is somewhere within attainable proximity. That is a lie. I've searched it. I miss morning cocoa runs with my mom before Early Morning Seminary.


My Narragansett beach. Mmmm. Sand and sun and happy laughter with people I love. It's so pretty.



And 2,450 miles away from that glorious place, I also miss BYU. I miss being a student. I miss walking to class. Heck, I miss hikin my tush up the RB stairs. I loved BYU.


I miss BYU Football. I miss the Haka. And sushiney days with lots and lots of yelling and laughter and fun. I miss BYU sports...I miss being at most of those games as a student, fan, employee, etc.


I miss Cafe-freakin-Rio. mmmmm. Sweet Pork Salad.
The funny thing is when I think about Provo...a lot of what I think about is food. Dang Africa.

The Siovhan Show's Frequent Flyers: My Girls and The Boltons

Disclaimer: These are in NO way all the people...or even nearly a smidge of the people I love, adore and care about.

I just thought I'd give you a highlights version of people I talk about so you can match names with a visual. Plus I've been playing around with Picnik all weekend...and I love it.
**I didn't include my roommate Mel, because she hates pictures. **

This is Brandi. These are her babies. I adore them. Brandi is often the major thing to help me keep my sanity at work. She is an inspiration to me on so many levels and I'm so grateful she's in my life both professionally and personally. She's one of those people that quickly became more like family than just friends. And the girls?! I would do anything for them. Anything.

These two are Taron and Libby. Libby is one of my bffs--and I set her up with Taron. (I have impeccable setting up skills--all of the people I set up get married, with ONE exception.) They make me laugh all the time. They are the best of friends and I love how wonderful and funny and comfortable they are with each other. I love the time I get to spend with them.

This is Sarah. She's my Eug-BFF. She was a LITERAL God-send. I prayed for MONTHS to have someone to befriend and someone who would understand me, love me and help me because I was so so so very lonely here in Eugene. The Lord sent Sarah. The means by which we came friends was fast and it was awesome. We became so very close in such relatively little time we've known each other. I am grateful every day for this wonderful lady.

This is Megan. She's a HUGE facet of my life, even now. Most of my stories begin "One time Megan and I..." or "Megan always used to..." or "Megan HATES when I eat on the floor!!" Megan was a strength to me when I couldn't find my own. She is such a funny, vibrant woman and I'm so glad I am blessed to have her in my life in such a capacity. I am grateful for her example, her love, her humor and her tenacity for life. Plus we share an overwhelming love of plaid--that bonds people together.

This is my Andrea. She IS my crazy side. Andrea was my shorty--in every funny manner of the word. Diminutive in size...but never in spirit. I love her for everything she's taught me, done for me, helped me to learn and to see, and for her unfailing example of what we should all try to be in life: fun, Christlike, and happy. And she and her husband? ADORABLE. I miss spending time with this girl.

This is my Dani-girl. No matter how much time passes, no matter what's happened or where we are--we pick up right where we left off. She knows my secrets, my fears and craziness (and still likes me!!). She's been my bff for years now--and I just love her. We have thousands upon thousands of memories together, and some of my favorite adventures. From being coworkers to political aspirations, to late night trips to Manhattan, to Denver to watch some good football, to getting lost in Salt Lake shopping--we've done it all. I miss having her right around the corner when I need her.

This is my lovie. My Lyndsi Shae. This girl is my revolution hero, and someone I admire more than I probably have ever said out loud. You can find pieces of this girl here. I highly recommend it. I don't really know what or how to say things about Lyndsi Shae. I love her. I'm grateful for her influence in my life, and her patience with my slow learning curve. I'm awestruck by the immense amounts of talent inside this vivacious woman. I long to live life the way she does. She once visited all the places she lived in Provo to remember how they felt. I LOVE that. I wish I could be that open. She is my inspiration because when you're free and honest and healing--you can be honest with others. [she's a big part of why the blog once again became public] And if you hurt her--I'll bust your knee caps. And I'm serious about that.

These are my parents. Now, this picture may not seem like much, but it makes me laugh SO much every time I look at it. They are, and always will be, the rock solid people in my life. Nothing can shake these two. They are the most Christlike people I know and have always taught us the gospel by living it. They do everything for us and are so caring. I love them with all my heart and feel so incredibly blessed to have such fantastic parents, such great examples. I hope to one day measure up to the people they are.

These are my inspiration. My wonderful siblings who I love more than life itself. They are the bright spots in my day. To Braden asking me endless questions about BYU, to Ben texting me Office quotes, to Mikaela passive-agressively telling me goodnight and not to text her because she needs her sleep. It is a wonderful feeling to know that, no matter what, I am loved. No matter how far away from home I may be, there is someone (or three someones) always praying for me and hoping my life is going well. I love them. I'm so excited for their futures and the great things that lie ahead for my little brothers and baby sister.