Because I knew you

 

Because I knew you, I have been changed for the better....

So thinking a lot about the people who have cycled through my life (specifically the last few years) and the affect they have had on me. So here is a shout out to everyone who has simply existed for a few moments in this crazy thing called life and I'm glad I could share a few moments with you! Here are some specifics!


The LWAD squad! I'm required to start with them... After all, they have been here my entire life! I'm not kidding. I was talking to Lauren the other day at a particular local water park (she was working while I was pretending to be a customer ordering. I would hop out of the way when a customer came and hop back to the window when they left to discuss important topics like boys, and nationals...we continued this for a bit until her boss showed up and I decided to hit the road before I got her in trouble) SORRY! We digress!! Anyways, what I was saying was Lauren was telling one of her co-workers about how we where practically cousins and how she knew about me when she was in the womb. Our parents where friends since before we where born you see, and we like to believe we where friends since before we where born too! Love you Lauren!







Next I'd like to go with my team! They've been a part of my life for quite some time now...yes I know they have circled through and the ones I started with aren't here now, and the ones I'm with now are mostly new (compared to how long i've known the "LWAD Squad") but i've always had a team and I just love them to pieces! We have so much fun together. I've had the same coach, Jill, for 5+ years now and it amazes me how much she has seen me grow throughout my life (not literally... I haven't grown much! Haha) From the time I walked into her doors, to the day I got my backhandspring, to my first competition, to my first Nationals, through the many changes that have happened in the gym, to the day she hired me as a coach... At the age of 13. To this very day Jill has always been the best and I'm so thankful for her in my life. I've also been blessed with a fantastic Double Mini coach named Stephanie. We have a lot of fun together and I'm so glad to have her as my coach. All my coaches are great and I have a fabulous team




Now to my theatre clan! I owe a lot to this crazy group of kids, as well as Mama Loureiro whom I love dearly. Once upon a time I was the shyest person you had ever met! (I know what your thinking..."Whitney?! SHY?! But it's true!) I was so shy and scared of everything. I hated talking to people so much I would rather just hide my face and sit by myself. In my first years o elementary school I'd have a friend or two and I'd hang on to them for dear life (i'll tell you more about one of them in a bit) It got better as I got older, but my theatre clan where the ones who really pulled me out of my shell, and they also cracked my shell so I could never crawl back in it. The crazy assignments Loureiro would make us do almost killed me those first few weeks of 8th grade. I kept thinking to myself "why did I take this class!!" I mean we did things like sit in a circle and when the teacher calls your name you must go in the middle of the circle and become an animal until she tells you to stop. And if you stop before she tells you to, you have to go longer. At the moment I hated it but I now can truly say 8th grade theatre was the BEST class I had ever taken. I learned more life skills in that class than I did in any other class... Except maybe 9th grade theatre. By 9th grade I had become this social butterfly and could talk to anyone! I could talk to adults now and I had more friends than I ever had in my life! 9th grade theatre was the best time of my life. I was no longer scared. We became a family and that's when I developed my love for Shakespeare! I performed a bit and Mama asked me if I wanted to be a student director for the school play. Me?? Student direct?! Tell people what to do!? WOW had I changed into a completely different person! And I owe it all to Mama Loureiro and my Theatre family. Love you guys! (and by the way I absolutely LOVE talking in front of people now, And that helps a lot at church)









Hmm...who next?? Let's go with my first year of EFY! Since it seems to be my favorite topic at the moment. I signed up to go with a friend that I wasn't actually best friends with, but was the last friend that didn't already have someone they where signed up with. So we went and ended up in a group with another girl in our group that was better friends with my "partner" than I was. I was suddenly the odd man out, and decided to take this opportunity to make new friends. I hung out with two fantastic girls for the week and had a blast getting to know them as well as tons of other people. At EFY I had the most fantastic counselor named Kjarinda! Ah I love Kjarinda! She was so funny and do much fun to be around. She first started this crazy dream I have about being a counselor one day! I gained my testimony for myself that Thursday night devotional & scripture study with Kjarinda. Devotionals where my favorite part of the day. Kjarinda if you ever read this I want you to know you changed my life forever and will never be forgotten in my heart <3






Now that we've touched my 1st year of EFY let's go to my 2nd. Which just do happened to be the one I went to a few weeks ago. At orientation I looked behind me and guess who I saw! Kjarinda! She was a BC for my session and I was so excited to see her. I was blessed with fabulous counselors AGAIN! Braden and Randi where so much fun and the way they made us do everything as a company really brought the company together. I love them both dearly and connected with them both really well. I loved loved loved my company and will never forget the fantastic memories we have together! The spirit sad so strong and my testimony grew so much! The week was filled with Nacho Libra quotes, revamped Brady bunch songs, and lots of laughs! I will never forget this new family I made. Love you guys so much! And thanks Randi for being so amazing! Love you! 💗








Hmm let's talk about childhood! Emma to be exact! When I was in kindergarten about to start the first grade we moved to the other side of town. I had to make new friends and I was going to go to a new school. The day before I moved in we where at the house and I was board. I saw a girl jump roping across the street. I don't know where this courage came from (I still hated talking to people) but I hopped up, ran around the coldesac (sorry I haven't the slightest idea how to spell that) and said to Emma "hi can I jump rope with you?" instant friends from then on. Emma was the loud outgoing type and I was great to follow her around. We played every day and became the best of friends. When we where In 5th grade Emma moved (though not very far) I suddenly had to face elementary school by myself. I did okay and we stayed good friends. We where locker partners in 7th grade and did theatre stuff together in 9th grade. Still hanging out occasionally. I hope we always stay friends.







Now Carina! Thought I forgot about you didn't you?! Well nope I saved the best for last! Carina has been one of my best friends for a really long time. We have been in the same ward since I moved in and she has always been my best friend at church. We became inseparable and always had a hard time when she moved up in things first because she is a few months older than me. (we are going through one of those right now) she is the greatest and I can tell her anything. We just sit and talk for hours. She supports me and tells me when Im being stupid and over obsessive about things (nicely and I love her for it) I've missed her dearly the past 2 weeks because I've been at Nationals (and we where room mates the 2 weeks prior for EFY and youth conference.) she is a fantastic friend and I love her so much!





So I know there are way more of you that have impacted my life throughout my life that I haven't mentioned, but my fingers are tired. To all of you who I mentioned thank you so much for being a part of my life. You made me who I am today and I would be an entirely different person without out you! I live you all!

....Because I knew you, I have been changed for good.

Feel my ☀