my week counting sheep

Dear Sleep,

I miss you. Did you forget about me? I'm starting to forget how wonderful you are.

Every night, I lie in bed praying that you'll come back, and I'm starting to get desperate.

I even bought Advil PM today.

You taunt me though, you visit me during the day while I'm sitting in class.

I don't even know what counting sheep means, anyways. Do I just imagine a field of sheep and count them? That makes my brain hurt. Anyways, I'd appreciate it if we could be friends again.

Sincerely,

Emma

According to "wikiHow," this is how one can try to fall asleep:

Having difficulties sleeping? One method that has been suggested over the ages is to count something. For some cultures, the famous symbol to count at night is that of the sheep. It's a visualization exercise that will create a gentle rhythm that may help you to fall asleep by banishing other thoughts and worries. And a good night's sleep is the best guarantee of good health, allowing you to wake up refreshed, ready to tackle any problems that might otherwise have kept you awake.


It doesn't create that "gentle rhythm" for me, but hey, if it works for some people... more power to them.

byu football in pictures

Positive

                Growing up, my mom always told me I would only succeed at something if I truly believe that I can. 

Positive thinking affects our success.  We must realize that as we 

approach things we fear having a positive attitude can make all 

the difference.  

Do we feel burdened by the looming future ahead of us?  

Because we might fear what we cannot control, we can have a 

negative perspective on our duties and tasks we 

need to accomplish. If we have a huge test, we fear the test; 

we fear failure.

   

Love and embrace each moment as it comes.

How could we change if we look at things with a different

perspective, if we do not fear failure but hope for success?  Of course fears are a part of our human experience, but some

people spend their whole life fearing the future, instead of embracing 

the present.  We should have a positive attitude by focusing on the 

little things in life; the small steps toward happiness.

 I aspire to be more positive.  I aspire to remember

that if I look at the small steps with a positive attitude, my journey

will be much more rewarding and will experience more

fulfillment and happiness.

‎

‎"If you treat an individual as he (or she ) is, he will stay as he is.
But if you treat him as if he were what he could be and ought to be, he will become what he ought to be." - Goethe

Serving others is always the best remedy to being positive. 

A smile from a friend = happiness.

Believe in yourself, and then you can believe in others. Believe in yourself; know who you are, and be happy :)

Breakfast for Dinner

I really appreciate the value of a home cooked meal now that I'm in college. I cook for myself - which is fun,  but sometimes I just eat cereal. Because cereal is easy and fast, and I have homework to do.

Things I have successfully cooked (or helped cook) while I have been here:
Hawaiian Haystacks
Spaghetti
Pancakes
Waffles
Eggs
Cafe Rio Style Dinner
Cookies
Homemade Gelato (which kind of worked :) ... I still have a ton in my freezer...)
smoothies :) lots and lots of smoothies :)

My roommates and grandmothers have cooked yummy things for me too. Like:
Pork with mushrooms
Barbeque Chicken Pizza (with cilantro, bbq sauce made with molasses, red onion, and chicken)
Omelettes
Delicious homemade oatmeal
Tin foil dinners
Lots of chicken salad :)
Lasagna, bread, beans, and spinach salad

Meals I am not so proud of:
Cheerios
Ramen (I did it once, I know, I succumbed.)
Bagel and Cream cheese
Peanut butter sandwich
Cheerios, again.
Ice Cream (I know, I know, I know...)
Pizza (because hey, Mormons give out free food a lot, and 80% of the time it is pizza :) )

On my list of things to cook in the future:
Scones. With chili and cheese.
Scones. With powdered sugar and honey.
Potato Chip Chicken.

If you have any ideas of easy, (preferably healthy) meals, please comment.  It'd be very much appreciated :)

if only we could do this every day

A Living House

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”
― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

I love you, Mom.

September 14, 2011. It is my mom's 40th birthday. Isn't she so young? I am in college and my mom is only 40 years old.
I know I may have trouble writing this when tears already come to my eyes as I think about what I want to say.   As I think about how there are not enough words to describe my wonderful mother.
My mother is strong in every sense of the word.  Her name literally is "Strong" :)  She can endure through anything.  Her example is one of strength, courage, steadfastness, and determination.
She is the mother of seven amazing children, all of whom are still growing and looking to her for courage.  We don't want to admit it, we don't want to admit how much we depend upon her and how much we love her.  We don't tell her that we need her, and yet as much as we want to be independent, her opinion is always the one that matters most.
She endlessly makes sacrifices for us. Endlessly.  She is a daughter of God who is fulfilling her role as wife and mother completely.  Her love is so evident for me, and all of her children, through everything she says  and does for us.  It seems hard to imagine, because growing up, teenagers really think their parents hate them.  We think they don't understand what we are going through.  That's absolutely crazy.  Everything they do for us, including punishment, is out of love. Completely out of love.
I've always thought of my mom as my moral compass.  Before every decision I make, I wonder what my mom would think of me.  Sometimes I listen, sometimes I don't.  And when I don't, her disappointment is punishment enough.  I know my mom follows her Heavenly Father and seeks His will in every decision she makes.  We don't always agree about everything, but I know she truly does want what is best for me.
I seek her advice in everything that I do. I call her a couple of times a day.  I seek her approval and her consent for the decisions that I making.  Most of the time I follow, but not always.  There's always room for improvement :)
My mom has amazing intuition. She knows me better than I know myself.  She senses when I am sad, when I am happy, and when I am excited.  Not only me, but for all of her children, friends, and family.  She knows  the right things to say to someone in order to help them.
My mom has taught me so much, from the practical, spiritual, physical, emotional, and academic.
My mom has taught me how to cook.  I know how to survive on things other than Ramen and Pop Tarts.
She has shown me through example the importance of prayer and scripture study.  I have observed her testimony and it has strengthened mine immensely.
My mother is a beautiful example of service.  She is constantly thinking of others; she is always building up those around her.  She exemplifies Christ in her service and constantly seeks to be a better disciple for Him.
She has stayed up late nights with me, quizzing me before a big test.
I have always appreciated and valued her straightforward instruction and advice -- Her patience when we are shopping and I don't like anything that I see.
She has a wonderful sense of humor; I miss sitting around the dinner table listening to her Donald Duck impression :)
Today it is her birthday, and I wish with all my heart I could be there for it.
I know that my mom will always be there for me. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  I am so grateful for her example. I am so grateful that she will be my mother eternally, and that I will be with her forever.
I aspire to be like my mom in everything that I do.  I hope I can serve as much as she does, and one day be half the mother she has been to me for my children.
I love you, Mom. Happy Birthday :)
Love,
Emma

Hymns

I remember on Sunday nights, my family would gather around the piano, I'd play, Sarah would play the flute, my mom would play her viola, and everyone else would sing -- and all singing parts were covered. And it was so peaceful. We would sing some of my favorite hymns -- hymns that bring me peace and bring tears to my eyes.

My roommates sing too. We gather around a piano and sing parts. Sarah and Ellie play beautiful violin duets, and it reminds me of home.

BYU has tunnel singing. Your voice hurts after singing for an hour, but you're surrounded by people feeling the spirit and loving God as they sing praises to him.

Whenever I'm feeling sad or a little homesick, I listen to hymns.

Whenever I'm feeling so happy and overjoyed and loving life, I listen to hymns.

Some of my favorite hymns:

I Know that My Redeemer Lives

Be Still My Soul

I Need Thee Every Hour

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing -- http://youtu.be/oteno81QzzQ

As Zion's Youth in Latter Days

Nearer My God, to Thee

Come Follow Me

How Firm a Foundation

The Spirit of God

Praise to the Man -- http://youtu.be/AIayBLXbLr8

Abide With Me, Tis Eventide

And many, many more. The list goes on and on.

Some might say that hymns are too traditional; some might say you cannot worship God to the fullest when singing a hymn. But for me, singing these beautiful hymns to Him is a pure expression of my love.

"For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads."

Doctrine and Covenants 25:12.

Pictures :)

first day of school picture. we've got the mountains
 and of course, my morning smoothie  :)

closet

Our sink area. are 6 straighteners really necessary?

my desk 

our beautiful kitchen

my fluffy, but very comfortable, bed.
feather comforter and foam mattress pad.  

our polka dot living room with a giant window

B...Y..U...!

homemade cafe rio anyone?

delicious dinner for 6

first family dinner

singing party in our apartment
with Andrew and his roommate Jeremy

Smile

I am reading about the last hunter-gatherer society, the Bushmen, in Africa. In my anthropology lab, we start comparing this tribe to Provo, UT. We start looking at the cultural differences between these completely opposite places.

Provo is filled with happy people. Seriously, everyone smiles at you. We share something. There's an unspoken bond between yourself and the person holding the door for you as you walk through the doors of the library.  And even though we all have something very huge in common, we're completely different, because we come from all over the world.

The Bushmen are similar, but completely different. They don't go to libraries, but they are unified. Within their tribe, they smile at each other in a completely different way. They protect each other; they give each other their antelope after catching it.

Anyways, now for the less deep stuff and onto what's happened.

I love it here.

I am taking interesting classes. I want to be in the honors program. I miss the smaller classes, but I will get into those the longer I stay at the University.

Sometimes, I stress out that I don't know what I want to major in.  I love learning everything.
But at the same time, I'm starting to realize there are things I love, things that I am passionate about.
I truly do love discussion.  I love sharing my ideas --  I have ideas.  

I like how religion is incorporated into lots of things.  How we pray before class. How we sing hymns under a tunnel on Sunday nights; I feel like I'm in choir again, and praising God at the same time.
I like how we study evolution at a religious university.  That science is a part of God's plan.  There is truth in science, and wherever there is truth, there is God.
I really like the weather. I like wearing jackets.
I love my roommates.  We're basically the best.
I've switched my schedule around a ton, and who knows maybe I still will.
I like my dorm room. Pictures to come.
I'm taking Calculus 112. It's sadly really easy. But it's good review too.  And I like solving problems, it's like a game or a puzzle to me.
Physical Science 100 -- This covers basically all the fundamentals of the sciences.  A ton of reading. But very interesting because it combines science with a gospel perspective.
Freshman Writing -- Learning different ways of writing and rhetoric.
Anthropology 101 -- Actually a pretty hard class.  A ton of reading and writing papers.  Definitely my favorite class so far.
Book of Mormon -- Surprisingly a ton of homework in this class. It's not going to be an easy class.  But I'm actually glad about this, I like to be challenged :) And I want to learn more. I always want to learn more.
Something that I find completely hilarious -- I'm on a coed intramural basketball team. We haven't started yet but that should be fun.
I suppose this post was very random, but that's my update :) I miss home.  I miss my family and my friends. But I'm loving meeting all of these new people and making new friends.
And I keep on smiling :)