2012 the best year yet

2012 has been a year for the books!!!!

This year has been both very hard/busy but very exciting for me.  I have done a lot and really have seen myself change and grow, and I'm so very grateful for that. That's why 2012 has been the best year yet.

Here are just a few of the highlights...

SPRING BREAK!!!!

Spring Break was a turning point in my life from something that seemed so small and insignificant.  I never thought that going to Mesquite & Vegas with two girls from my sorority would be life changing. Not only did one of my best friends Nicki fall in love with the love of her life and soon after get married... but I met my best friend and significant other... Heidi Georgia. Heidi has been my rock this semester and helped me get through so much.  We have so much fun together whether we are just laying in bed chatting, or she is watching me clean my room, or we are walking our butts off at walk/jog.  Heidi is someone I know will always be my best friend forever.

Bon Iver.

For my 21st Birthday, my friend Lou decided to surprise me to my favorite male artist of all time, Bon Iver's concert that was SOLD OUT! It was truly one of the most amazing concerts I have ever been to. It was outside at Red Butte Garden, so  naturally it was beautiful with good music and good company.  I can always count on Lou to have my back. Even though good old Bon didn't sing For Emma, Perth and Holocene were so amazing that tears may have been shed.

Tanzania

Where can I even begin with 10 amazing weeks in a foreign country? Traveling is my favorite thing in life... I love learning new cultures, trying new food, meeting new people, seeing new places, etc.  Africa was exactly what I needed at that time in my life to get out and experience the world for myself.  Although the car accident still gives me a little trauma to this day, I wouldn't trade that experience for anything.  I met some really amazing people there including Neema, Duy, Mama, Georgie, and Josephine.  Most importantly I got closer to my Little Sis, Jordan.  We had to much fun and only got in one 30 second fight.  We are so much alike and I wouldn't have rather shared this experience with anyone else.  The kids of Tuleeni touched my heart in a way I didn't think was possible.  I'm glad I was able to help out with some of the building of the orphanage (aka just pumping water basically), doing medical examinations, meeting friends at Glacier, walking around like a local, going on a 4 day safari, visiting Kenya, going to the most BEAUTIFUL place in the WHOLE WORLD-- Zanzibar, and most importantly playing night games and having movie nights with the children at Tuleeni. Love and miss you kids <3

not having AIDS

So... after the car accident while we were hiking to a waterfall in TZ, we met a doctor from Illinois who we told our story to.  She saw the scar on my leg and told me she was really worried that the needle was dirty and I had to get checked for HIV/AIDS as soon as I returned to the states.  Although I made light of it for the six months I thought I had it, I was actually way freaked out and started planning my life on going to Africa until I died (a bit dramatic? kinda my nature). The day I went to Planned Parenthood to get my test I made my two BFF's come with me.  They read they HIV/AIDS pamphlets while I went into a room and got my finger pricked.  The guy told me I would have my results in 15 minutes-- I started to cry because I told him I thought it would take two weeks and I wasn't ready for my results yet. After 15 long minutes of sitting in an office and looking at a timer alone I showed HIV Negative! We went to lunch to celebrate and decorated the Kappa Delta front window in honor of me! Thanks Homies!!!!

going to SANFRAN

After my return from my African experience I saw that my favorite artist of ALL TIME was touring-- Florence + the Machine.  She toured in Denver while I was in Africa and the rest of her tour was going on in California.  My sister Melissa and I decided to splurge and not live a life of regret not going and bought tickets in San Francisco.  It was such an awesome sister bonding trip.  We stayed with my aunt Yvonne and ate a lot of good ethnic food, went to the Golden Gate Bridge, hung out and Fishermans Warf and went to the concert.  Florence was amazing live and it was basically life changing when she sang Cosmic Love even though I couldn't listen to her for one whole day because she didn't sing my favorite song Never Let Me Go.  I'm trying to not still be bitter... but I guess that just gives me an excuse to go and see her again.

Going to Oregon

For our annual Daddy/Daughter dad, my dad and I decided to ditch going to logan and the basketball game and drove to Oregon to visit my sister for a weekend.  It was a really short trip for such a long drive but it was absolutely worth it.  We had so much fun hanging out with my sister, her husband and my niece! We went to the coast and saw the beautiful shore as well as ate some delicious clam chowder.  I love Oregon, its so beautiful.  I wouldn't mind living there one day.

Concerts

So even though I did share my two favorite artists concerts in detail, it wouldn't be right to not give an honorable mention to the XX, Mumford & Sons, and Tegan & Sara.... 2012 has been the best year as far as concerts go.. and I've been to a LOT of concerts.  All my favorites in one year!!! success.

Senior Year

I know I am one of the most ridiculous people in the world, but I have to give myself a shout out for making it to senior year and graduating on time! This is seriously a huge accomplishment that I never thought would happen... never thought I'd say its ending far too soon.  Utah State has been the best decision I have made in my whole life.  It has been a great experience and I have met so many amazing people.  I love my Major and can't wait to put my skills and experience into work and hopefully being a change for good in the community.  I also feel extremely blessed to have gotten a job this year-- although I feel like next semester will basically be death with my internship, work and class, it will be so nice to finally have some income rather than constantly being stressed about work.  If you haven't been to Texas Roadhouse lately make an excuse to come in soon and see me!!!

Practicum

For my senior internship placement I got put in SAAVI, which stands for the Sexual Assault and Anti-Violence Information office.  I really love my internship! It's awesome because it is only my supervisor and I so I get a lot of hands-on experience and a lot of helpful advice from Monica.  At SAAVI we do a lot of different things, but providing a safe place to talk and advocacy for people who have been victims of a violent crime is what I think is the most important thing.  We also help students with paper work such as Crime Victim Reparations if they have had a rape medical exam or fill out Stalking Injunctions. I also do a lot of prevention and awareness with doing things like informational booths, events such as RAINN Day or Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, or doing presentations for different clubs, athletes or Greeks on campus.  SAAVI is a great resource for students on campus and I can't wait to start helping clients on my own next semester and getting a lot of experience before I'm off in the real world.


I know that this is ridiculous again, but I'm so glad for the convenience this year has brought me with all of my material things.  Having an Iphone, a new car, and a new laptop in this year makes me feel very spoiled, but extremely grateful for both the convenience and having something dependable. I'm really moving up in the world! haha

Friendship

Besides Heidi, I have strengthened a very important relationship in my life.  My friend Danica has helped contribute to making senior year the best! Although we have always been friends, this year living across the street has really made a difference.  She is one of the funnest girls I have ever met and someone I know I can always depend on. It doesn't matter what we do... we are always dying from laughter whether its YouTube, hanging out in her kitchen, literally running to the gas station, going to Texas Roadhouse, watching the Grinch, or our Adult Sleepovers! I am so grateful for her and so proud of her for moving to Paris this spring-- I'm gonna miss my Nica like crazy! 

And of course this post wouldn't be complete without giving shout-outs to my friendships I've always had and am grateful and still going strong: Lucy, Lexi, Sage, Chandell, Little, Jenna, C-Biggs, Khristina, Michelle, Brooke, J Vievs, Sloan, Sarah, Kailin, Nicki, & Caitlin.  I have some amazing friends.

Other Honorable Mentions

Hawaii

Special shout out to my mom, the famous Ann Webb for taking my family to Hawaii for Christmas! Hawaii definitely deserves it's own post, but I just couldn't complete 2012 post without saying Hawaii was an awesome trip! I absolutely loved it and had so much fun with my family.  It was hard to leave such a warm paradise to come back to cold, snowy Utah.  I feel very blessed and grateful that we were all able to go and have a good time.  I am especially grateful that we went WHALE WATCHING on our trip since I haven't seen whales in a few years and I really missed them.  I'm also so glad that we got so swim with sea turtles because that was awesome! Hawaii blog post soon to come.

but like I always say... "All of us every single year, we're a different person. I don't think we're the same person all our lives ."

Here's to a New Year, Folks! Let's one up 2012

Lord, Bless Us All.

Newtown.  A city that will never be forgotten.
It's hard for me to fathom what happened today... I'm just somebody on the other side of the country.  I knew none of these families. I know none of these kids. But it still effected me on such a level that I'm sure it did to many others.

When I heard what had happened I couldn't help but think in the social worker perspective that I've been learning about over the past four years.  I've studied child welfare, school social work, and mental health specifically.  Although these classes were amazing and changed my life, I knew after those classes I would never be able to work with children.  I remember sitting in class and hearing my professor say "just imagine a 2 year old with bruises covering 80% of his body". I couldn't hold back my tears.  I couldn't help but think of my precious nephew Canyon who was only two at the time... he was someone who had my heart and I loved him more than anyone else in the whole world.  There is nothing more precious than a child. Their innocence is one of the only pure things in this world anymore.  How can anyone hurt them? You would be surprised.  Statistically, children are more safe at school than they are in their own homes.  After such an incidence like this of course it would be a natural tendency to not want to see your children walk out those front doors.  The chances of something like this happening is supposed to be somewhere around 1%.  But when that 1% does happen, no one understands why.

What can drive a man to do something like this? I think that is something we will always wonder.  What drives anyone to do anything we do? It is sad that this man was not in his right mind but wasn't stopped earlier. Things could have ended a lot differently.

I cant imagine being one of the parents waiting to see your kid come running to you and safely holding them in your arms being so grateful they were spared; there would be such a sense of relief yet a feeling of guilt and wonder "why is my child okay when all these others are not?" I cant imagine being one of the parents who didn't get to experience holding their kid one last time. Those poor children talking about how excited they were for Christmas, getting to meet Santa... but instead planning a funeral. These kids will never be able to experience their graduation, wedding day, etc.  I feel for the families of the teachers and principle who also lost their lives. One picture of a teachers sister crying will permanently be burned into my memory.

The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh-- that's what we always what we hear in these situations.... Trust the Lord. Being from CT I don't know how strong I would be able to be.

I am grateful today for for my faith.  Whether you believe in God or a Higher Power most of us believe that everything happens for a reason, that each of us hold a special purpose. Those children had a purpose. They will not be forgotten. These parents will be able to hold their babies again one day... but until then, someone else is.

but like I always say... "Pray for Newtown"