Serious Now :]

I've been a bit homesick the past two Sundays. I can't decide if it's because I've only been home a total of 16 days in the past 5 months and it will continue to be that long for the next 6, if it's because my birthday is this weekend and I've never NOT been home in NEBRASKA for it... or if it's even because I just feel a little alone. It's weird because I am incredibly happy! But, I'll have these moments where I hear something reminding me of home and I get super bummed. I guess I'm a bit "trunky" for all of you who have served missions. I guess it's not terrible to be trunky when I'm just at school, but still. I really am happy all the people I spend my time with are absolutely AMAZING. I'm so glad that they're so great too though because I know I wouldn't be as happy without them around me. They make my day every day, it's amazing :] Friends are fantastic! I'm still choosing happiness though :] I just miss my family a little bit... 

A wonderful story by Josh ;]

I Amanda, would like to say that I have come to the conclusion that life is amazing. Upon this delightful and adventurous journey I stumbled upon an amazing and life changing discovery. I came upon a hidden treasure that was hidden beneath many many, many!.............layers of amazingness............(just like an ogre has many layers, kinda like an onion).....(but i do not recommend eating a plain onion, it gives you heartburn) Anyways, on with my story. As I staggered through the candy cane forest, across the white frosting rivers, and over the jolly rancher mountains. I finally came to it and there it was right before my very eyes! I could hardly believe it, it took my breath away. I thought to myself, "self, could this be true? Is this really what I see?" And sure enough I heard a voice it was soft and sweet with a slight giggle and it sounded oddly familiar.I looked all around me puzzled from where this voice was coming. I checked my phone, but it was off. I hurriedly put it back in my pocket afraid  that if I did not find the voice soon it would leave. I heard the voice again, but it was slightly fainter this time like it was running away. I spotted yonder a small snow covered hill. I mushed myself on and took off running to the top of the hill. Standing on top of the yonder hill, I again looked around to see if I could see from whence the voice came. Discouraged that I could not find the producer of the noise I sat down upon the soft, cold ground. Sigh sorrow in my eyes I could not find the person. I buried my head in my hands. I was on the edge of giving up. But, as if from nowhere the voice came to me again. It rang through my ears like the bells on Christmas Day. When suddenly I arose and there right before my eyes there it was. The creator of the voice, finally I had found it! And much to my surprise, it was Josh Cook. The creator of this story was also him. The most amazing person in the entire world. He totally wrote this. He's honestly why I'm so happy :] he helps me choose happiness every single day.

MARISSA!

Today has been quite a bummer so far. I just really want to be in NEBRASKA! I want to be able to spend today with MARISSA CAMACHO!!! She is so absolutely amazing! It's crazy to think we've been friends for almost 20 YEARS! (on and off.. hehe I won't remind her of when she ditched me..) She's done so much for me. PERIOD. Seriously, she's amazing and the greatest roommate I ever could have asked for! She's fantastic and as much as she won't say it, she loves me too!! :D  It's her 22nd Birthday today! So, I'll just post some silly pictures of us from over the years. I definitely choose to be happy today! I get to skype her tonight! Plus everything in my life right now is just AMAZING. :D :D :D :D 

Why Life Has to Be Difficult

I've been thinking a lot lately and about a lot of different things. I've been experiencing a lot of changes in my life. I feel like they aren't stopping actually, it's quite frustrating when I think about it. But, I've been thinking about things that are so hard in our lives.  Things that we don't like to go through and we have to endure. I started thinking a little more about things that are great to have in our lives. Then, I was thinking if we didn't have these difficult things in our life, we wouldn't even understand how GREAT life really is! Life is amazing. The things around us are fantastic. Nature is beautiful. We have so many wonderful things. But, without opposition there is no good. Without the terrible things we would have no good. It's wonderful to have terrible things happen to us. Because it makes it so much easier to appreciate the simple, yet miraculous things in our lives! We all really have experiences that follow us each and every day. Things that we just can't get out of our minds. Especially things that have happened to us that effect us often. But, we just have to get up every day like it's the best day of our lives. We need to make each day better than the last. Always realize that happiness does not happen through certain events, happiness happens through thoughts of joy and pushing out the bad and finding the good in everything even when at the time it seems absolutely impossible. And after these thoughts... I choose happiness :]