hold on, God knows what he is doing.

These past 5 months have been a complete blur.  So much has happened and changed and I'm constantly amazed at where my life continues to take me.  This Friday marks the 5 month anniversary of Tanner returning home to our loving Heavenly Father.  Not a single day has gone by that I haven't thought about him.  Some days are better than others, but it still feels so surreal to me.  I wish I had more faith, more faith that this accident was not just by mere chance, that it was all part of His eternal plan and that it was in fact Tanner's time to return home and continue His work on the other side.  I sometimes find myself caught up in a selfish pity party wishing and hoping for Tanner to be here again, just for one more day with him, to be able to find that consolation that I so long for.  I know and believe in the Plan of Happiness but I still find myself struggling and lacking faith in knowing that earthly death is not really the end, but perhaps just the beginning.  I am realizing more than ever lately that I need to reorder my priorities and take more time to figure out and discover who I am and what I'm doing to better live my life like my elder brother Jesus Christ.  I have been caught up in this crazy whirlwind called life and I have allowed school and other worldly things to take top priority in my life and I have slacked off and put the most important things on the back burner.  Sometimes it takes life changing events, such as losing a precious friend, to give you the wake up call that you need to help  you realize that you aren't living your life the way that He would want you to, that you aren't living up to your full potential and that you aren't preparing yourself every day to return home to our Father in Heaven.  I can only hope and pray that when it is my turn to be called home that I leave a legacy and also impact others just as Tanner has.  I want to look my Heavenly Father in the face and tell him that I did my absolute very best.     

August 11th, my baby sister married her Snow College Sweetheart, Clancy Pants, in the St. George Temple.  The day was absolutely amazing and everything was perfect, minus the weather in STG.  We were sweating bullets.  They were married at 1:00 p.m. and then the luncheon followed at 3:00 up in Kanarra at Uncle Bill's house.  Their reception was held at Kanarra Creek Barn that night and it was so laid back, fun, and did I mention COUNTRY.   Pretty sure everyone had the time of their lives.  Helping plan that wedding was like "birth control" for me, I don't want to get married for awhile, it's A LOT of work. 

I would like to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Clancy Mortensen.

Let the reception festivities begin!

The Sand Hollow Mayhem just so happened to fall on my 24th birthday this year, coincidence? I think not.  We all secretly know that the Mayhem was thrown in honor of, yours truly, but seriously.  The crew spent the day watching skim boarding and wake boarding comps, partying, dancing, partying, eating, partying and having the absolute best time of our lives, partying.  I couldn't have asked for a better birthday party or friendsies.  

Haley G, me and Petrey

 ,

Me, Haley G, Baldy, Kyle, Keag, Peiner

 

Miss Haley and me.

Also that weekend, my beautiful roommates threw me a birthday party.  They decorated our apartment and made me a Texas sheet cake and red velvet ice cream, my absolute fave.  We celebrated the birthday festivites at Kyle's house.  

Mir and Peiner.

 

Meet my special friend, Caleb.

 

Thuggy.

Sunday, September 9th Elder Holland came down and spoke at a fireside here in St. George.  Let me be the first to admit that Elder Holland is hands down my very favorite apostle.  I know its probably not appropriate to pick favorites, BUT... seriously, do you blame me?  I couldn't have asked for a better birthday present.  He was scheduled to speak at 6:30 p.m.  Emily, Berto and me went and got in line at the Cox Auditorium at 2:30.  A few hours later Morgan and Clancy met up with us.  We were the second group in line and I was very impressed at my dedication to wait in line, in my dress, in the scorching heat for as long as I did.  Pat on the back...for me.  20 minutes or so prior to them opening the doors at 4:30, a young lad sitting in front of the doors caught my eye.  He was on his laptop studying for a test for a class that I'm not even going to pretend to be able to pronounce.  My first thoughts: He was extremely friendly and his smile was so contagious. He told us that he had traveled down to STG from Provo for the Mayhem and also to hear Elder Holland speak.  Not long after, the ushers opened the door and it was a mad scramble for seats.  I'm not gonna lie, I was not reverent in the slightest, and I may or may not have pushed and shoved a few people to get the best seats, oops.  I scored us seats just 4 rows back from the podium, I was pretty proud and all of that waiting did in fact pay off.  Morgan realized that our new friend Kamaron was sitting a few rows back from us and she motioned him to come sit in the open seat next to us.  He was with some friends and thanked her anyways.  He then signaled to her to come talk to him. I'm not sure what exactly went down or was said but Morgan shortly returned and handed me a piece of paper with a note that Kamaron gave her.  It stated his name, where he served his mission, a short testimony of the church, his number and that he wanted to get to know me.  I was flattered.  After Elder Holland spoke, Kamaron came up and introduced himself and joked about how creepy that note must have appeared to me, I thought it was so cute.

Em and me waiting in line for Elder Holland.

Cousins.

4th row, don't mind if we do.

Elder Holland Fan Club.

To make a long story short and mostly because I am too lazy to write everything down...Kam and I kept in touch and hung out for the first time the next weekend when him and his family came down to Stg.  We are pretty much inseparable now and have seen each just about every weekend since then with the exception of one.  He is basically me, but the 5' 10" boy version and almost as weird as me.  He never fails to put the biggest smile on my face and I have never laughed so hard in my entire life.  He honestly has become one of my most favorite people of all time. Our adventures don't even begin to compete with anyone else's, we ROCK end of story. I don't know what I did to deserve such an amazing boy. 

Dana Point, CA

Whale watching

Huntington Beach

DISNEYLAND!!!

Hollywood Tower of Terror.

California Adventure.

Fireworks.

 

Fall Break 2012: CA.

Provo shinanigans.

Kamaron James.

Never a dull moment, ever.

Kam: "How Do I Look?"

Kam's first time at Orange Peel.

Friday, October 19th, Morgan and Wally tied the knot for time and all eternity in the Logan Temple.  Heather, Tiana, Randi and me all carpooled up north together Thursday after school and dropped Randi off in Provo.  We stayed at Heather's grandparent's house in Bountiful Thursday night and then journeyed up to Logan Friday morning.  On our way we stopped off at the Brigham City Temple and walked around.  It was absolutely stunning.  We also snagged us some slurpees from 7 eleven before heading on up to Logan, standard.  Tiana was invited to go to the sealing so Heather and me went and did confirmations at the temple while we waited for the happy couple to make their appearance as Mr. and Mrs. Wally Pratt.  Can I just take a moment to say how extremely happy I am for those two.  From day one, I remember nagging Morg about how perfect they were for each other and that they just need to make it official already...and a few 

short months later....BAM! They are hitched! Loveeeee it!  We went to this lovely Mexican restaurant for the luncheon and then later the golf course club house for the reception. Morg looked so happy and drop dead gorgeous, as always.  After the festivities commenced  I hitched a ride down to Sojo with Alex and her family and Kam picked me up, I was having withdrawals. 

Pit stop in Beaver, kids meals you never fail me.

 

Logan Bound.

 

I have the prettiest friends.

Brigham City Temple.

 

Miss Heather, seriously the BEST girl ever invented.

Moe and me.

 
Mr. and Mrs. Wally Pratt, ladies and gents.

The next day I met up with Whitney, Kathy and Traci for a girls day in AF/Orem, it was much NEEDED. We ate at this cute cafe and then shopped till we dropped, literally.

Girls Day!!!

Provo Weekend with my little Petrey.

 

Love this girl.

The End.