Big day

This is Jessica (Johnson) Mitchell

And she is having a baby today

I could not be more excited for her and cameron!

I got a bit nostalgic for the good ol days and had to write a shout out post

Jess and I met in 6th grade

We became fast friends when we realized we had a beauty mark on the same spot

She introdcued me to the church

Her family took me in as their own

And I will forever love her more than I can say

Then, in 9th grade she developed a crush on a boy

His name was Cameron Mitchell

I still vividly remember the day he came home from hawaii

on the last day of school

and told me he liked her too AND that I could tell her

I was so excited to inform my best friend the great news!

Now here we are, about 7 years later

and those two are married and having a baby!

Crazy how things work out...

Jess and I have been through our fair share of ups and downs together

But when I think back to my childhood...I think of her

She has had so much to do with my life

and we have gone through so much together

I love you Jess and im excited for your new adventure as a mom!

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And here is missy whit...

Its her birthday today and she is 22

That means in exactly 27 days...im 22 too!

hahaha I love you whitley

^She is the sister I never had...and I tell you what, by the way we act

you would totally believe we are blood related :)

She left me at 18 to marry the love of her life...

bummer for a bit, but amazing I have come to find!

She is happy, generous, loving, crazy fun, an amazing cook, and just the best all around

Shes been with me since we were in 7th grade.

Her family is my family

And they will be forever

I love you whit and HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

"Not to be rude...but you dont deserve to have a blog"

This ^ was a text I received from one of my very best friends just yesterday. I had to laugh, but I know she is completely right. So I decided I need to be better...whether people look at this or not, it'll be for my own gain.

To start, I guess I should say...

I am a college graduate!

Weird

As exciting as it is, it was harder for me to grasp than I thought it would be.

I feel like it was in an instant and my childhood was gone.

Now on to real world jobs, paying bills, and a whole different type of responsibility

I loved every minute of my time in college.

I loved BYU

I loved the zoobiness (as much as we made fun of it...we all secretly loved it)

I loved the games

I loved 5th floor "study" habits

I loved meeting new people

I loved the emotional breakdowns because they made me stronger

I loved the trials because they taught me so much

I loved being spiritually strengthened every day

I loved the people and the lasting relationships I made

I loved being the "punching bag" to absorb everyones problems because it meant they loved me and trusted me

I loved living with amazing girls

I loved funny dating stories

I loved watching my friends fall in love

I loved ALL of my wards

I loved feeling loved all the time

I loved gaining an appreciation for Arizona and my home

and most of all...

I loved finding out who I am and becoming confidant in who I (think) am meant to be

The day of graduation I couldn't help but be sentimental.

I sat with tears in my eyes as I watched my best friends in my major walk across the stage with a huge smile on their face and realized who knows if and when I will ever see them again.

I thought back to each person I met and the impact they had on me.

It is remarkable...the people I met and the amazing light they showed to me.

I gained relationships I will have forever

I learned lessons I will have forever

I am totally and completely changed because of my time at BYU

And where in the world where I be without these two?? I recently had the opportunity to go to girls camp and help teach a workshop to all the cute campers. As three other girls and I sat in front of these younger girls, we tried our best to tell them everything we wish we would have known in school. One of the things I reiterated over and over was this: YOUR PARENTS ARE ALWAYS RIGHT. It took me awhile, but I figured that out. And these two are no different. All they want is the best for me and they believe in me more than anyone. I could not be more thankful for them!

So this is me, a newly graduated BYU alumni at just 21. I am young, excited, nervous, happy, and scared out of my mind all at the same time. It is so interesting how life works...and how fast it goes. I had a hard time leaving this world and stepping into an unknown new one...but I know itll be great. Another one of my best friends said as I left Provo, "I feel bad for people who look back on college as the best time of their life. It was great and fun but the best is yet to come". So here is my new motto...The best is yet to come

And I cannot wait!

Its official

I just received an email and it included the following:

Congratulations! Your application for April 2011 graduation has been reviewed and accepted by your Advisement Center.

So its official....

Come April 2011 I will be a college graduate from

BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY

Crazy

Crazy

Crazy

Pretty sure it was just yesterday I was graduating from Highschool

Now onto bigger and better things I guess!

Who knows what...but itll be an adventure!

Thanks to this one (below) for living with me

throughout my whole BYU experience

couldnt have done it without ya!

April is approaching faster than I thought.

I go home on saturday, then back for 3 weeks, then home for Christmas.

Then just one semester

WISH ME LUCK!!

Dear Natalie Evans:

I am officially a terrible friend

I admit it

and I am deeply sorry.

This is my PUBLIC declaration of my awfulness

and again

I am sorry.

I promise I am calling you in approx. 20 min.

I love you

You are the greatest

SUCH agood friend

and a shining example :)

Talk to you soon and see you in ONE WEEK!

disclaimer: I have not called Natalie back for a week. It is bad im aware...its been a rough one...but thats no excuse! Natalie still loves me and is probably laughing at this post. But I felt so bad that I had to write for the whole (blog) world to see. thanks!

21

So I officially turned the big 2-1 on August 29th

So yes, that is approx. 2 months ago

But I struggle at blogging

and seeing as im pretty sure only my family

really follows my blog

im still going to post this because I know they'd want me to

:)

Since my birthday was on a sunday

Some of my favorite girls(and missing many)

went out to eat on saturday!

Then on my actual day...it was a party!

It was the day before school started

up here at the Y

so it was the first day at a new ward and

you know what that means...

When I got up to introduce myself in combined

sunday school

Bro. Neilsen (I was in the ward last year)

announces its my birthday

So I was sang to

very loudly...and very off-key

but it was so funny! And embarassing/awkward...

Then Ky announces we're having a dessert party that night

so almost all of my ward came

along with so many other dear friends...

and some peeps I didnt know...thats what happens

when you say "dessert party" in provo...

But it was a blast!!

This is blury but O how I love these guys...had to give them a shout out!

haha my friend thayne (on the left) saw this picture

and named them the "409 dream team"

...enough said

This is my good friend Dave Andrew. We've been friends for about a year and a half now and we take the credit for Kylee and Scott...just for the record...we make a good team :)

My roommates this year. I have been sooooo blessed with amazing roommates my entire college career, and these girls could not be greater, I LOVE THEM!

These are some of the most wonderful friends! Ali and Amy also made their way back to their old home, good ol #426, to support me...see im tellin ya...ive been so lucky!

O Bradley...wouldnt survive without him!

This child. Where to begin. She made the day possible! Along with lots of help from my roomies and their boys. Kylee made me a book with pictures and notes written from so many loved ones of mine. It was the best gift I could have ever been given. To those of you that contributed, once again, THANK YOU, it means more than you know!

I really had the best birthday yet!

O Happy Day

Acouple weeks ago I was stressing out.

And really I have never, and I literally mean, NEVER,

felt so stressed...

Yet

SO blessed

Let's start with the bad news first, ya?

It hit me

like a ton of bricks...

worse than I have ever felt before...

I am 21 (more on that later)

and I graduate college

in exactly 7 months

WHAT THE HECK AM I TO DO??

Move to Washington DC?

Yes.

But

when?

and what do I do?

Or do I move home?

get a masters degree?

but in what?

Not what I'm getting my undergrad in..

But should I so that its not a waste??

Who knows...

All these answers are still undecided.

However,

Im relaxed and not worried.

Dont get me wrong.

Im terrified.

BUT

I realized something.

Life will figure itself out.

HE is not going to leave me hanging

I just have to do the best I can!
And Ill be where Im supposed to be

Now onto the blessings...

I had the opportunity to help Kylee film.

a news story for KBYU.

We went to the Utah National Guard Air Base

to watch 39 soldiers come home and greet their families after

one year of deployment.

Yes, that's right, ONE YEAR.

I had the exxxxxtreme pleasure of standing

in the middle of loved ones reuniting with their

heroic soldier while tears streamed down my face.

These men and women SACRIFICE so much for us...and they

DO NOT get the credit they deserve, not in the slightest.

I was blessed to be able to talk to so many people while

I was there and relay my experiences as an army brat.

I also got to brag about my dad :)

I dont think I had ever felt so proud.

It was truly an awesome experience.

Natalie and Rachel stayed with me a little bit ago

It was so good to see them.

Rachel brightens my day, shes amazing, and I LOVE her.

And Natalie, man did I need her.

I have not seen her for 3 1/2 months!

She gets me like no one else.

She knows what she needs to say to me

and when to push me.

I even broke down in zupas

yes...in public...crying...I know...

because I was so happy to have her in front of me

just listening to me

and offering comforting words.

Thanks Nat

I went to 3 out of 4 sessions of conference in the C.C.

Then I went to a luncheon with the presidencies of

Relief Society, Young Womens, and Primary.

I met Sister Beck, Sister Dalton (she told me I sparkled :),

and Sister Wixon, along with some counselors, and board members.

They are all incredible

SO happy and such examples

It was such a wonderful experience!

I went to a fireside where Stephanie (nienie) Nielson spoke.

It. was. amazing.

She's amazing.

What an example to us all!

Suz and I got there early, stood in line, and got good seats

this was a challenge...

But it was worth it.

She spoke about being beautiful.

Which, according to her, AND Heavenly Father,

each one of us are.

She was right...we all are.

She shared an amazing experience and I was once again

testified to that the Lord knows us, and he is aware of us.

How blessed are we?

AND my parents cam up to visit me

O how I needed that.

I needed my dad to tell me what to do with my life

And then for my mom to say...do what you want :)

I love them

More than I could express.

Im 21, yet no one can make me feel like my parents can

I am so thankful.

So all in all it has been a fabulous past couple weeks

Lots of ups and downs, but the ups totally outweighed it all!

Just like Presdient Monson said in conference,

all about an "Attitude of Gratitude"

Do you ever forget??

Because I know I often do.

Don't you love President Uchtdorf? This is just the pick me up we all need!