What a Year

Going in to 2016 I anticipated a year full of change, but oh how I greatly underestimated just how much change, and how much of it would be for the better.

Along with a lot of change, 2016 brought so much fun, growth, and opportunity.

As always, there were hard days and weeks, but I have to say that overall this year has been one for the books.
I've loved every minute of it.

I skied multiple times throughout our snowy January and February.

Birthday ski trip with @nroej was an absolute blast! Thanks, Natalie! A huge thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes yesterday! It's going to be a great year!

Swapped the Salt Lake smog for clear skies and a little shoop shoop this afternoon. (Friends reference, anyone?!). I've gotta say, it sure was beautiful up there today.

After applying to graduate school and being surprised with multiple acceptances, I finally decided on BYU and within a matter of weeks I put in my notice at The Adoption Exchange and moved to Provo to start early during Spring Term. 

I sure miss working with these ladies! 

Over my first summer off from school or work for the first time in years, I got to play mom to all of my nieces and nephews at different times while both of my sisters took trips with their husbands.

It only reminded me that the most important thing is family, and I can't wait for the day that I have little babies to call my own :) 

Instead of writing a novel about how incredibly fun and exhausting this weekend has been, I'll just say that I didn't think it was possible to love my nieces and nephews more, but apparently it is, and that's fine by me.

I had such a fun time watching this wild bunch for a few days! They went all out to make sure grandma was extra welcomed when she came to join us for the weekend. From chalk to homemade ice cream and Zootopia, we sure did have a blast! 

After moving to Provo, and through a series of very unfortunate events, I ended up moving three times in six months, but ultimately ended up in the best place I've ever lived.

I wasn't too thrilled about Utah County, but instead of sulking about it, I got out and enjoyed everything that my new home has to offer.

Kicked off the Fourth of July weekend with a gorgeous hike to Squaw Peak! These Utah mountains continue to amaze me! 

I also lucked out with a fantastic roommate who's become a truly great friend, too :)

I am beyond grateful for the loving service I've received from my roommates, classmates, friends, and family over this last week, especially from this girl right here. She's been more than willing to give me rides to and from school and hasn't complained one bit. It's been a humbling thing for me to ask for an accept the service of others, but to everyone who's reached out and helped, please know you've helped to #lighttheworld, even if it's just been in my little corner. "Service doesn't have to be big and grandiose to be meaningful and make a difference." Cheryl A. Esplin

I went to a ton of concerts, including Tyrone Wells, Tim McGraw, Brett Eldredge and Keith Urban, Coldplay, and Carrie Underwood. 

I visited Santa Barbara for the first time, and although I'm not a Cali girl, I'll admit that Santra Barbara sure is beautiful!

I had a blast with my friend Amy at Universal Studios (mainly Harry Potter World), watching the olympics for hours on end, and bumming on the beach.

I got in my first car accident in a decade of driving.

It was a truly terrifying and humbling experience that has left me struggling to drive on the freeway without having a panic attack, but boy am I thankful for the angels that were surrounding me that night.

I finally attended multiple BYU football games as a student.

And last but not least, I started and completed my first term and full semester of my graduate program.

So many people told me before I started that it would be the hardest thing I ever did and that they didn't miss their time in graduate school.

While it definitely hasn't been easy, it's also easily been the best thing I've ever done.

I love my program, I love my field, and I love the girls (and two guys ;) ) that I spend countless hours with in the outcasted Taylor building on BYU's campus. 

I've made lifelong friends and colleagues and every day I'm more and more excited to be a Speech-Language Pathologist. 

Completely candid and cliche first day of school picture. It's my (second) first day of graduate school, but Spring Term only partially counted, so today is the real deal. Here's to months of sleepless nights, tears over horribly challenging exams, and eventual relief at the end of the semester only to start it all over again a week later. But yet, I still couldn't fall asleep last night because I was so excited. Some things never change! Here goes nothin'!

Had the best time tonight at BYU's New Graduate Student Dinner! My cohort is the best (including those not pictured), and I'm so happy we all have each other to rely on over the next two years of chaos!

I've been filled with so much gratitude for the opportunities, challenges, trials, and blessings I've been given, and I wouldn't change a thing from the past 365 days.

What a year.

Here's to an equally fantastic 2017!