On Stage

So not yesterday, but the previous Friday (11-11-11), I performed "I Am Here to Stay" at my ward talent show. So I met that last music goal of mine to perform a song I wrote on stage! Now to get more practice at not being so nervous doing so.... :)

A Comfort-first, Curious, and Creative Daughter of God

For my multicultural education class we were assigned to make a cultural diorama, choosing 3 objects that represent our culture and who we are.

My "Holy" Shoes

I grew up in Southern California with a stay-at-home mom and an auto-mechanic dad. I didn't know at the time, but this was rather miraculous, considering the cost of living in So Cal. We have always made due by being frugal. We rarely got rid of anything we hadn't used to it's fullest potential. I am not saying we didn't have money for new shoes, but this view of money in combination with my comfort-over-fashion attitude has meant that I will stubbornly wear what my father would call my “holy” shoes.

God's Gifts to Me

Although I got my “punny” sense of humor from my father, I got my chronic curiosity and desire for knowledge from my mother. Any little thing either of us was interested in would lead us to the library. We would check out books on insects and try to identify the neighborhood critters, and my mom would always be spouting off plant names when we went on walks. These experiences have led to my faith being built on a foundation of observing God's creations and wondering about the world around me. This is a main reason for why I studied biology and now want to teach it.

In addition to collecting information about God's creations, I like to collect pieces of them and keep them around my room as little reminders. Reminders, not only of God's love, but also of the memories of people and places associated with each one. I would not be me if I didn't have this collection of friends and memories.

 (In case you are interested to know what a few of these items represent:


The Bougainvillea blossoms are a papery flower that are everywhere back home. I picked this bit while on one of many walks with my cuddle-bug of a little sister. I picked the leaf here in Provo fours years ago, Fall of my freshman year. I was with my forever-friend Nicole.)

Creative Aspirations

Since I was a kid, I've loved rhymes and alliterations. I've been writing silly poems since elementary school and cheesy songs since middle school. It was then that I fell in love with music by Michelle Branch, a young singer-songwriter that made it big, at least in my eyes. Since then I have had this dream and creative aspiration to learn how to play guitar and do the same, although minus the “making it big” part. I have also had the dream of getting something published. Just this semester I have successfully met my goal of writing a song on my own guitar. I also got my first rejection email in response to submitting some of my poetry for publication.

My creative aspirations are a key part of what make me happy to be me.