These are a Few of my Favorite Things

Thunder storms, lipstick, official pre-planned dates with established boyfriends, facebook picture comments, Cafe Rio Barbacoa salad and tortilla soup, ice cream, my parents, mountains, trees, my brothers & sister-in-law, Blimpie, earrings, decorated houses, cooking, hiking, pictures (and all that they entail ie: posing, reviewing, scrapbooking, remembering, etc.), reading, WWII stories, Tuesday Movie Night (I miss that), beautiful dresses, baby smiles, little boys, colors, chocolate, happy people, church activities, biking, running, clean houses, eyes, ambitious & creative straight men, dance parties, best friends, cousins, cuddling up on the couch in a blanket, feeling exhausted after a good day, planning something, clear skin, polite people, a boyfriend (not that I have one currently, but I really love them), my first car, good food, string cheese, Driggs Idaho, wakeboarding, kisses on the cheek, cheesy (but somewhat sincere) lines, oil pastel drawing, going for walks for walks with someone I love, hot chocolate, hot popcorn, making something yummy, watching people I love play sports, winning, stunting, getting mail, veggies, collar bones, traveling, knowing someone misses you...

Last Week's Highlights

I don't have any specific story pressing on my mind, but I do have a lot of extra time this Sunday evening so I thought I'd make a list of the week's highlights....

• Cinderella's Suite in the Castle (I got to go up there yesterday and wow! The lights and art and bath tub are so beautiful! And the glass slipper and crown-- my goodness! They were completely wonderful! And I'm not just quoting the movie; they truly were. I was able to take some pictures up there, but haven't been able to load pictures on my computer for a while... when I get it fixed hopefully I'll get some up here)
• Brandon, a Down's Syndrome adult Prince who visited me this week
• A deaf family- I'm talking Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt, Uncle, Dad, and Son. Mom could talk a bit and the two little girls could hear, but it was very cool to be with them.
• Wall-E
• Fantasmic
• Gas tank miracle (maybe I haven't driven as much, but it's been over a week and I still have a quarter tank!)
• Pizza Hut with Shannon
• Phone calls with Utah friends
• Talking to my parents
• Box from home (I love mail!)
• Church
• Text from Sara (She's not dead!)
• Anna's Birthday-- it was fun to play with my roommates for the night
• Helping Michelle move. I love having her here! I wish we were better friends in High School because she is amazing; I'm glad I've gotten to know her
• Epcot with Shannon and her cute cousin, Katelyn
• My car CD player working
• Seeing an alligator in the pond across the street from my house
• Email from Eden
• Email and call from Daniel before he left for the MTC
• My first Cindy purchase-- a blue throw pillow with the velvet silhouette of Prince Charming and Cinderella that says "Happily Ever After." I sleep with it every night. Judge me

When Life Gives You Lemons....

The new schedule dropped Saturday night and I was eager to find out when I'd be working over the Fourth of July. Things were going well and I'd been scheduled good shifts with plenty of hours the week before. I also knew lots of people had asked for the fourth off and, since I wasn't going home, I wanted to work as much as possible. Well you can imagine my disappointment when the only times I was scheduled were Friday and Saturday night 7:00 pm- 1:00 am. Ten hours?! I was bummed, to say the least. Furthermore, I didn't really enjoy the girls I was working with at the time. They either didn't talk or talked about partying at PI (Pleasure Island) or gyno issues and honestly, I just don't care. For a minute, I wanted to go home. I missed my family and my friends. It was Saturday night- I wanted to play in Utah. I longed for the mountains and wake boarding. I missed-- PAUSE! Suddenly I recognized I was pouting because I'd been gived an awesome opportunity. How seriously skewed is that?! So I'll try to pick up shifts and if I can't, it looks like I get to play and explore Florida- let the fun begin!

To My Mom

I love kids. I always have. I particularly adore those who I feel as if I can make some difference in their life, if only for a moment. Although I'm not much older than a child myself, I've had so many opportunities in my life already to work with kids from all walks of life. I've always admired their never ending zest for life- their big eyes open so wide in awe and their perfect (and sometimes toothless) grins.

Only recently though, have I noticed something else very special about them. While I've been playing at Walt Disney World I've met many young friends who come as brave cancer patients or in wheel chairs. Children who come without arms or the ability to talk. I've met children who come with cleft lips and Down's Syndrome and Autism. And in each of them I've seen what I love so much about children. A few days ago, I noticed something more though: I noticed the mom who stood strongly in the background. I realized the stress and absolute heart ache she must have endured. It hit me so strongly I almost wanted to cry on set.

And then I thought of my own Mom. My family has been blessed and she hasn't had to endure watching any of her children suffer like my special friends, but, as a Mom, she has felt stress and heart ache for her children. She feels my pain and she lets me make wrong decisions. Through it all though, she lets me learn and lets me dream. She and my sweet Dad support me in all I ever do and I could never thank them enough. I also have a Heavenly Father who has felt pain on my behalf. How loved we must all be to have parents- both on Earth and above- who want the very best for their children. If I could be half the mother my Mom is, or have a fraction of the strength the mothers of the children I met have, I would be an incredible Mom indeed. Thank you, Mom, for all your support and your superior example. I love you!

A Little Princess

As most of my family and friends know, I recently left Utah to play princess in Florida. Before I left though, a sweet lady in my home ward told me her niece was coming to Disney World with 'Make a Wish.' Little Alyssa was six years old and had cancer. From her precious picture I could see she'd lost all her hair from the treatments, but had a beautiful smile. Well her Dad called me last Thursday and said the family was in Magic Kingdom for the day. I, unfortunately, was in Animal Kingdom and, because it was so last minute, couldn't really do anything. I called Guest Relations at the Magic Kingdom, but- long story short- little came from it. A couple days later however, her Dad texted me and said they were going to stop at Magic Kingdom again for lunch and to visit the Princesses one last time, and he asked if I would be there. This time I was! I begged the manager to let me do something for them, and with the help of a lot of people, we were able to set up a 'Magical Moment' in a special VIP room. Cinderella doesn't get to do these anymore for the most part so it was particularly special. When Alyssa walked in the room I could just tell what a sweet girl she was. We talked about her favorite Princess, her favorite color, her favorite animal; we danced; we learned how to be Princesses and had her kiss her baby sister, Mom, and Dad on the cheek; and we spent a very special half hour together. Her dad filmed it so hopefully that will be something they can cherish in years to come. More than anything, I was blessed to spend time with such a beautiful Princess. She really was a Princess in every definition of the word. It's opportunities like that that make my experience in Florida so worthwhile.

My Virtual Journal

I did it! I finally caved to Blogging.... and I'm actually really excited about it. I can't promise absolute quality or consistency to anyone who reads this, but I'll give it my best attempt for something that's not being graded. Here goes nothing!