eh isn't being sick the greatest thing?! *Sarcasm intended*
It looks like I'm overdue for a Thanksgiving post so I guess we'll pound one out right now!
Despite the fact that half of my family is sick with the stomach flu, I am still in awe at how many incredible things I have in my life to be thankful for! Upon reflection I've realized that my very favorite things in life are the people that surround me, so here is a non-inclusive list of a few of my favorites.
My family!
I love my family so much! It's on a regular basis that you can find me on all fours and crying because I am laughing so hard because of my family. There is never a dull moment when it comes to Reid family time. I am so thankful that I have such a good relationship with both my parents, as well as with all my siblings. I know so many people who have family feuds with members of their family, but I am so blessed to live in a family where love is spoken and where small arguments remain small. My sister and I are asked all the time if we ever get in fights. The answer is that our fights are seldom and far apart. I can honestly say that the members of my family are my very best friends. I'm thankful for a sister that shares sibling telepathy with me and who is capable of making painful situations bearable, and enjoyable situations even greater. I'm thankful for a little brother who will go to every extent to make me laugh and who finds joy in hanging out with his big sister. I'm thankful for a little sister who is my very best friend and who tells me her secrets and follows me around at the gym. I'm so glad I get to keep them for eternity!
I am also so thankful for my awesome extended families. I have defiantly been blessed with the best when it comes to grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. I am blessed to see some of them on a weekly basis, and others the reunions are more rare, but I love them all the same. I'm thankful for crazy uncles that provided the most painful tickle attacks as a kid, and who never cease to make me laugh. I'm thankful for the little cousins that greet me with running hugs, and for the older ones that always make me laugh. I'm thankful for grandparents that read all my posts, and who provide never ending love. Again, I'm so glad I get to keep them for eternity.
Seminary Council!
It is almost on a daily basis that I have to refrain from talking about how much I love them because I don't want other people to feel jealous. I am going to put that worry aside for a second because I need to express just how much I enjoy this wonderful group of people. I cannot express it in words how much I enjoy being on seminary council with these people. The members of this council have some of the strongest testimonies I have ever heard. I always look forward to our lunch meetings and they never last long enough. I wonder everyday how I was blessed to be able to work with such incredible people. Each of them have touched my life in ways they will never know. They have taught me so much and they have truly changed my life for the better. I don't have any idea how I am going to say goodbye to them at the end of the year... but we won't talk about that because it will make me cry. Let's just say this song represents my feelings about seminary council and that I cry every time I hear it because it reminds me that I have to say goodbye to them at the end of the year. I love you guys!
EFY!
This includes new friends and counselors alike. I first realized I had a testimony at my first EFY as a fourteen year old. My counselor, Kjarinda, challenged us to pray for ourselves to know if the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints was true, and oh-boy! The prayer I said that night altered the entire course of the rest of my life more than any other single experience ever has. My testimony has grown so much since then, but I will forever be grateful for Kjarinda's righteous example in my life. EFY has also brought me many many other "blessings". I have been blessed with, in my opinion, the very best counselors and friends. I am thankful that I have been able to attend five different sessions since I was fourteen and that one of those was a trip to Palmyra, New York where I was able to visit the sights and places where the Church was first restored.
My gym!
I started tumbling when I was seven, but I have been with my gym since I was a timid eleven year old. In the early years we tumbled in a match-box sized room with only a few mats and a very small trampoline. I was blessed to be on my gym's very first competition team that consisted of only fourteen competitors. We have grown so much since then. Tumbling on the team has allowed me to travel to places I would never have been, and to meet and become friends with some of the most incredible and influential names in the sport as well as in my life. I remained on the competition team up until August of this year when I traded my spot on the team, for a spot as a competition coach. I am so thankful for my boss/coach, Jill, who has become my second mother in the sense that she watched me grow up. I am thankful she hired me to start assistant teaching classes when I was thirteen, and for providing me with the very best job for the last five years. I have been able to teach hundreds of children in that time and I have been touched so much by each child that has ever called me "teacher". I'm thankful for all the teammates I have had since I was eleven. I love you all so stinkin much. I also need to give a huge thanks to all my coaches that have touched my life. Thank you thank you thank you Steph for going beyond your job as my coach and for becoming one of my very best friends and mentors. I always know I can trust you to help me with anything. You always give the best advice when it comes to tumbling or life. And thank you to Nicole, Riane, Jake, Ashley, and Lance for everything you have ever done for me. And thank you to Justen and Sandy for being my "coaches from another team". I don't have any idea what my life would be like if I had never walked into that little gym when I was eleven, but I do know it has blessed my life for the better.
I have SO MANY other people in my life that I want to thank including the Daniels, school friends, teachers, church friends, and blog friends, and the random kid down the street that eats nothing but saltines and mayo. (that's a Psych reference, in case you were wondering) but unfortunately, this whole "stomach flu" thing is making me tired. I want you all to know how much I love and appreciate your presence in my life. I wouldn't be who I am today if it weren't for the people I have associated with for the last eighteenth years. Thank you for everything.
feel my sunlight
p.s. Well, now that I've finally caught up on Thanksgiving... BRING IT ON CHRISTMAS!
Showing posts with label EFYPalmyra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EFYPalmyra. Show all posts
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Monday, August 11, 2014
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
My trip to New York #EFY2014Palmyra
Whoa! Hi guys!
Today while coaching tumbling to my class of 2-4 year olds I asked the class to pretend to be an animal, and then I proceed to ask each child which animal they wanted to be. When I reached one of my small blond students I said, enthusiastically, "WHAT ANIMAL DO YOU WANT TO BE?" And she replied with: "A CUPCAKE!"
Any argument that your job is better than mine is invalid.
So, how are you my people? I hope you're doing swell. I sure am, which might explain my lack of posts, but I promise I have good reason!
I spent last week in the beautiful Palmyra, New York.
I mean, is this not the most gorgeous place you have ever seen?!? I fell in love instantly.
So like you may know if you read any of my recent posts, I was there attending a special edition session of EFY. For those of you who don't know, EFY stands for Especially For Youth, and it is a week of non-stop spiritual stuff, line dances, and pure awesomeness. This may or may have not been my 5th time going to EFY. I love it a lot.
Like I said, this was a special edition of EFY which means that instead of a normal session like the ones in Provo, we were able to travel to the various church history sights in and around Palmyra, which as you might know, was where The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints (AKA "LDS," or "Mormons") began.
Growing up in the church we hear about these places all the time, but being able to go there and experience these places for myself was awe-inspiring, and I loved every second of it.
So, I'll spare you the details about what time I brushed my teeth, and what I ate for each meal (although, I must say that if you are ever in charge of providing food for anything, you should avoid meatloaf...) But I do want to share with you the more exciting parts, the amazing places I went, and things that were note-worthy of my journal. I apologize for the length of this post. It was an entire week of almost non-stop amazing experiences, and I filled 101 pages of my journal during this week alone. I did the very best I could at condensing it, but it is all so good! If you want a quicker read, I suggest you at least read all the italicized parts. Those are the very best!
Saturday July 26th- Raegan and I flew out from Salt Lake City to Rochester, NY all by ourselves. It was at this moment when we became pro-airport people. It's a thing.
Sunday July 27th- Raeg and I went to Church in the morning at the chapel right behind the hotel. It was great how welcoming the ward was and just how many people went out of there way to say hi to us. We met several other people who were there for EFY and between all the visitors we at least tripled the size of their Young Womens group. It was awesome.
After church we took a walk to see the temple and the Sacred Grove, and then hung out with other people as they arrived for EFY.
Monday July 28th- The official start of EFY! This day consisted of the ever exciting orientational stuff. Getting to know your counselors and everyone in the group, hearing from our session directors, a fire drill, and some some great spiritual discussion right outside the Sacred Grove with our company.
Tuesday July 29th- After a breakfast of blueberry muffins and peaches, My company headed to Fayette to visit the Whitmer Farm. If I could pick a favorite place we went, this would be it. We were there in the morning and this is what I wrote in my journal as we sat outside taking in the beauty of the farm.
"We are currently at the Whitmer Farm which is one of the most beautiful pieces of land I have ever seen. This was where the church was re-organized and there is no doubt in my mind that this farm wasn't hand selected. While sitting here I can feel the love of my Savior so strongly. I am at peace from the silent atmosphere and the gorgeous chirping birds. I can't help but think that it would have looked exactly like this back on April Sixth of 1830 when the church was restored. This is sacred ground we stand on. Just like those who were here in 1830, I express my desire and determination to act in accordance to the commandments of God. I am determined to find more heavens on earth like this beautiful farm, and in places where there are no heavens, I am determined to create them. This is what Heaven feels like."
After our time on the farm we went to visit the Hill Cumorah which is the place where Joseph Smith was guided to to find the Gold plates, which he translated and are now what we call The Book of Mormon. Here is my journal entry about this place.
"This is a surreal experience for me. I'm sitting atop the Hill onlooking a gorgeous view that stretches for miles. This was the very place on earth where Moroni sealed his testimony by burring the plates. He gave up his live so that I might be able to know the truth. It is also the very hill where Joseph was when he received the plates. He also gave up his life so that I might know the truth. I am forever grateful for these men, along with my Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave up their lives for me, so that I might know the truth."
After the Hill Cumorah we went to Musical Program Practice, Dinner and then one of the most rockin dances I have ever been to.
Wednesday July 30th- After breakfast we headed to the Sacred Grove and Smith Farm House. While sitting in the Sacred Grove I pondered this statement;
"God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith in this Grove."
I then wrote the following;
"I need to think about this statement a little more. Either it's true, or it isn't....While sitting in the grove I ponder these words. I sometimes feel that I need to see for myself that it is true, but I don't need to because I can see the evidence. I've never seen my own face. I've seen the reflection, and I've touched it, and I know that others have seen it, but I've never seen it myself, likewise is my testimony of the Gospel. I haven't seen angels or heard voices, but I have seen the reflection of the truth in the way the sun comes up in the morning, I've been touched by the Holy Ghost, and I know that others have seen physical evidence. So no, I've never seen God, or heard a voice, but still, I know that this church is true, and that Joseph Smith really did see God the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ here. Because, like Emma Smith said, there are some things more certain than sight."
After the Sacred Grove we visited Alvin Smith's Grave, and then we toured the Grandian Building, which was the shop in which the Book of Mormon was first published.
After that we headed to the Palmyra Temple. Here is my journal entry.
"We are at the Palmyra temple and we just did baptisms and are in the waiting room waiting for the boys. This is a special experience because it is the only temple that had it authorized by the prophet to have a clear glass window. The window looking out shows a view of the Sacred Grove. It is significant because the Sacred Grove was the place where it all began, and the temple is why we are all here. From this window everything looks lush and healthy and it looks like how I imagine Heaven, beautiful and full of life. After we did baptisms we went outside to take pictures and as it started to rain we were blessed with the gorgeous view of a stormy sky, with a lit-up gold Moroni in the foreground. It was magnificent beyond description and I feel like with each of these magnificent experiences I reach closer to heaven and the thunder we can hear from inside the temple just confirms it."
After the temple we had dinner, made up a cheer, had games night and Cheer-Off, followed by Pizza Night, and Reflect and Review in bathroom at the Hill Cumorah due to the pouring rain. One of the most memorable R&Rs by far!
Thursday July 31st- We started off with breakfast and then time in the Sacred grove as a company. After that we had an activity with just the girls that was splendid. After Lunch we had the EFY Game Show and a Musical Program Dress Rehearsal. And After Dinner I performed in Musical Program, which I had a speaking part in by the way, and that was followed by a Fireside, and Testimony meeting. During testimony meeting I wrote these words:
"I've never heard silence quite this loud. This is hollowed ground. This will always be a special place to me personally. We are here because we have Lives to Brighten, Hearts to Touch, And Souls to save, That we may all sit down together in Heaven. I'm walking on Sunshine"
After testimony meeting we had R&R on temple grounds and it was wonderful.
Friday August 1st- We started off the day at the Sacred Grove and then went to breakfast. We had a morningside, and company pictures, we then went to a Panel Discussion that was very good. After Lunch we went to the Variety show, and after free time and dinner we went to a second awesome dance. After the slide show and Taking it home we had R&R at the church.
Saturday August 2nd- We woke up and packed our bags. Said goodbye and headed to the airport. We flew back to Salt Lake with several of the other youth in our group, as well as most of the counselors including both of ours. In fact, we even sat in front of my counselor Kourtney! It was fun and after we got back to SLC we said our real goodbyes and headed to Texas Road House for Dinner with my family and Raegan's family where I proceeded to almost fall asleep due to the wonderful exhausting week I had just been through.
So, in all I'd have to say that it was a successful trip. I got to know some incredible people including my wonderful counselors Kourtney and Brady! They were so much fun to be around and I couldn't think of two better people I'd rather have spent this week with. I'm so grateful I had this opportunity to go and that I made the effort to pay for most of it myself because it made it that much more special. Thank you to everyone who made this week so great! I will forever cherish it!
feel my sunlight
p.s. I promise a picture post soon!!! :)
Today while coaching tumbling to my class of 2-4 year olds I asked the class to pretend to be an animal, and then I proceed to ask each child which animal they wanted to be. When I reached one of my small blond students I said, enthusiastically, "WHAT ANIMAL DO YOU WANT TO BE?" And she replied with: "A CUPCAKE!"
Any argument that your job is better than mine is invalid.
So, how are you my people? I hope you're doing swell. I sure am, which might explain my lack of posts, but I promise I have good reason!
I spent last week in the beautiful Palmyra, New York.
I mean, is this not the most gorgeous place you have ever seen?!? I fell in love instantly.
So like you may know if you read any of my recent posts, I was there attending a special edition session of EFY. For those of you who don't know, EFY stands for Especially For Youth, and it is a week of non-stop spiritual stuff, line dances, and pure awesomeness. This may or may have not been my 5th time going to EFY. I love it a lot.
Like I said, this was a special edition of EFY which means that instead of a normal session like the ones in Provo, we were able to travel to the various church history sights in and around Palmyra, which as you might know, was where The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints (AKA "LDS," or "Mormons") began.
Growing up in the church we hear about these places all the time, but being able to go there and experience these places for myself was awe-inspiring, and I loved every second of it.
So, I'll spare you the details about what time I brushed my teeth, and what I ate for each meal (although, I must say that if you are ever in charge of providing food for anything, you should avoid meatloaf...) But I do want to share with you the more exciting parts, the amazing places I went, and things that were note-worthy of my journal. I apologize for the length of this post. It was an entire week of almost non-stop amazing experiences, and I filled 101 pages of my journal during this week alone. I did the very best I could at condensing it, but it is all so good! If you want a quicker read, I suggest you at least read all the italicized parts. Those are the very best!
Saturday July 26th- Raegan and I flew out from Salt Lake City to Rochester, NY all by ourselves. It was at this moment when we became pro-airport people. It's a thing.
Sunday July 27th- Raeg and I went to Church in the morning at the chapel right behind the hotel. It was great how welcoming the ward was and just how many people went out of there way to say hi to us. We met several other people who were there for EFY and between all the visitors we at least tripled the size of their Young Womens group. It was awesome.
After church we took a walk to see the temple and the Sacred Grove, and then hung out with other people as they arrived for EFY.
Monday July 28th- The official start of EFY! This day consisted of the ever exciting orientational stuff. Getting to know your counselors and everyone in the group, hearing from our session directors, a fire drill, and some some great spiritual discussion right outside the Sacred Grove with our company.
Tuesday July 29th- After a breakfast of blueberry muffins and peaches, My company headed to Fayette to visit the Whitmer Farm. If I could pick a favorite place we went, this would be it. We were there in the morning and this is what I wrote in my journal as we sat outside taking in the beauty of the farm.
"We are currently at the Whitmer Farm which is one of the most beautiful pieces of land I have ever seen. This was where the church was re-organized and there is no doubt in my mind that this farm wasn't hand selected. While sitting here I can feel the love of my Savior so strongly. I am at peace from the silent atmosphere and the gorgeous chirping birds. I can't help but think that it would have looked exactly like this back on April Sixth of 1830 when the church was restored. This is sacred ground we stand on. Just like those who were here in 1830, I express my desire and determination to act in accordance to the commandments of God. I am determined to find more heavens on earth like this beautiful farm, and in places where there are no heavens, I am determined to create them. This is what Heaven feels like."
After our time on the farm we went to visit the Hill Cumorah which is the place where Joseph Smith was guided to to find the Gold plates, which he translated and are now what we call The Book of Mormon. Here is my journal entry about this place.
"This is a surreal experience for me. I'm sitting atop the Hill onlooking a gorgeous view that stretches for miles. This was the very place on earth where Moroni sealed his testimony by burring the plates. He gave up his live so that I might be able to know the truth. It is also the very hill where Joseph was when he received the plates. He also gave up his life so that I might know the truth. I am forever grateful for these men, along with my Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave up their lives for me, so that I might know the truth."
After the Hill Cumorah we went to Musical Program Practice, Dinner and then one of the most rockin dances I have ever been to.
Wednesday July 30th- After breakfast we headed to the Sacred Grove and Smith Farm House. While sitting in the Sacred Grove I pondered this statement;
"God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith in this Grove."
I then wrote the following;
"I need to think about this statement a little more. Either it's true, or it isn't....While sitting in the grove I ponder these words. I sometimes feel that I need to see for myself that it is true, but I don't need to because I can see the evidence. I've never seen my own face. I've seen the reflection, and I've touched it, and I know that others have seen it, but I've never seen it myself, likewise is my testimony of the Gospel. I haven't seen angels or heard voices, but I have seen the reflection of the truth in the way the sun comes up in the morning, I've been touched by the Holy Ghost, and I know that others have seen physical evidence. So no, I've never seen God, or heard a voice, but still, I know that this church is true, and that Joseph Smith really did see God the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ here. Because, like Emma Smith said, there are some things more certain than sight."
After the Sacred Grove we visited Alvin Smith's Grave, and then we toured the Grandian Building, which was the shop in which the Book of Mormon was first published.
After that we headed to the Palmyra Temple. Here is my journal entry.
"We are at the Palmyra temple and we just did baptisms and are in the waiting room waiting for the boys. This is a special experience because it is the only temple that had it authorized by the prophet to have a clear glass window. The window looking out shows a view of the Sacred Grove. It is significant because the Sacred Grove was the place where it all began, and the temple is why we are all here. From this window everything looks lush and healthy and it looks like how I imagine Heaven, beautiful and full of life. After we did baptisms we went outside to take pictures and as it started to rain we were blessed with the gorgeous view of a stormy sky, with a lit-up gold Moroni in the foreground. It was magnificent beyond description and I feel like with each of these magnificent experiences I reach closer to heaven and the thunder we can hear from inside the temple just confirms it."
After the temple we had dinner, made up a cheer, had games night and Cheer-Off, followed by Pizza Night, and Reflect and Review in bathroom at the Hill Cumorah due to the pouring rain. One of the most memorable R&Rs by far!
Thursday July 31st- We started off with breakfast and then time in the Sacred grove as a company. After that we had an activity with just the girls that was splendid. After Lunch we had the EFY Game Show and a Musical Program Dress Rehearsal. And After Dinner I performed in Musical Program, which I had a speaking part in by the way, and that was followed by a Fireside, and Testimony meeting. During testimony meeting I wrote these words:
"I've never heard silence quite this loud. This is hollowed ground. This will always be a special place to me personally. We are here because we have Lives to Brighten, Hearts to Touch, And Souls to save, That we may all sit down together in Heaven. I'm walking on Sunshine"
After testimony meeting we had R&R on temple grounds and it was wonderful.
Friday August 1st- We started off the day at the Sacred Grove and then went to breakfast. We had a morningside, and company pictures, we then went to a Panel Discussion that was very good. After Lunch we went to the Variety show, and after free time and dinner we went to a second awesome dance. After the slide show and Taking it home we had R&R at the church.
Saturday August 2nd- We woke up and packed our bags. Said goodbye and headed to the airport. We flew back to Salt Lake with several of the other youth in our group, as well as most of the counselors including both of ours. In fact, we even sat in front of my counselor Kourtney! It was fun and after we got back to SLC we said our real goodbyes and headed to Texas Road House for Dinner with my family and Raegan's family where I proceeded to almost fall asleep due to the wonderful exhausting week I had just been through.
So, in all I'd have to say that it was a successful trip. I got to know some incredible people including my wonderful counselors Kourtney and Brady! They were so much fun to be around and I couldn't think of two better people I'd rather have spent this week with. I'm so grateful I had this opportunity to go and that I made the effort to pay for most of it myself because it made it that much more special. Thank you to everyone who made this week so great! I will forever cherish it!
feel my sunlight
p.s. I promise a picture post soon!!! :)
Friday, June 6, 2014
Maybe I'll talk about
Remember when I blogged about these two awesome efy counselors?
Well, they're getting married today.
Every efy participant's dream. I cannot even handle how happy I am for them. Congrats to Braden and Randi. #EFYtoETERNITY #UpbraidethNotForever #Literally
You'd think that with school not in session that I'd be able to keep up in this blog land that I love so dearly, but God has had some other plans for my time.
I have been out of school for exactly a week and every single day has been filled with so much good, and I am oh so grateful for it.
So... what do I want to talk about today?
Maybe the fact that I completed 9:3 on the Whip Chart today. (
Maybe I'll talk about how much I love summer and how much I enjoy the whole no school thing. Last night I had a dream that there were all these desks in the gym and my coaches were telling me to tumble on top of them. I thought I was going to die because desks are not safe to tumble on desks (obviously). I'm pretty sure that was my subconscious telling me to avoid school at all costs.
Maybe I'll talk about how I'm going to Portland with the family next week and how I can't wait.
Maybe I'll talk about an awesome spiritual experience where I read an awesome scripture that demands to be shared. (Doctrine and Covenants 21:6 is awesome.)
Maybe I'll tell you about how I finally drove on the freeway for the first time since I crashed my car. It was incredibly scary and I didn't like it one bit. But, guess what! I'm alive!
Maybe I'll tell you about all the plans I have for the summer. I'm going to Portland with the family, and Palmyra New York for EFY, and Girls Camp, and Youth Conference. I am just so very excited for it all.
Maybe I'll tell you about how I think family history work is awesome and how I have no idea what I'm doing as a family history consultant. The bishop said that the only way I can do anything wrong is to not do anything at all. This is going to be exciting. I seriously can't wait!
Maybe I'll tell you about how we start doing stuff for Seminary Council next week and how I am VERY OVERLY EXTREMELY EXITED for that to happen. I really like seminary. Like a lot.
Maybe I'll tell you about how excited I am to serve a mission in a year, but how I wish the whole "getting your wisdom teeth out before you go" wasn't a thing.
Maybe I'll ask you what your current favorite books are because I need some new ones to read.
Or MAYBE I'll just refer you to somebody else's blog because I can't decide. Perhaps Al Fox Carraway. I really liked her blog post this week.
 |
| Read her post HERE |
Ya. I think I'll do that.
Well, I love you all, and I hope you all have a fantastic day. I hope somebody brings you ice cream or cake because that would make your day even more awesome and you deserve that. Cake and ice cream are always a good thing because it's always somebody's birthday somewhere.
feel my sunlight
p.s. Sorry for the randomness of this post. ha I don't know how that happened, but I kinda like it.
Friday, May 30, 2014
Darling Distressed Blue Bench for SALE!
I am selling this SUPPER cute up cycled bench!
*pillows not included. My mom would be mad.
It would be awesome on a front porch, at the end of your bed, or in a front entry way, or at a kitchen table. It is super sturdy and is freshly painted light blue and distressed (as you can see).
I'm selling it for only $45. This kind of bench would go for $100-$300 on Etsy.
I am willing to deliver within the Layton area (or close to there).
If you are interested leave me a comment or shoot me an email at feelmysunlight@yahoo.com.
If you aren't interested in this, but would be interested in other up cycled furniture leave me a comment!
Thanks for your help! I appreciate all the support! Love you guys.
feel my sunilight
p.s. It's weird waking up and not going to school while the rest of my family does. High School rocks.
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