Thursday, March 28, 2013

My Elder






"Dear Elder Tanner,
      You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the THAILAND BANGKOK MISSION....You should report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, June 12, 2013. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Thai language."

{My father served the exact same mission!!!}

Holy Macaroni! This is the third brother of mine to leave on a mission! And somehow it gets harder and harder with each one. Especially my dearest brother Jameson, he has always been my best bud. Of course there are moments I will tell him things and he will just tell me I'm an idiot, but that's the brother in him.

Jameson is the type of brother that if you kiss a boy he better be the first to know. He watches out for me even when I don't think he cares, when I have those tough days and the tears come he lets me cry it out then gives me advice. Reassures me and shows me he loves me in his own way, although it's not in words I see it in his eyes. He is just the coolest person I know! He is so humble and thoughtful, I cannot wait to see how these next 2 years treat him! I know he will be such an amazing missionary, and will bring the gospel to so many people. The light he already gives off is so bright I cant imagine how much of a glow he will have when he comes back home.

June 12th will be one of the hardest days! I know he wants to go, I want him to go! Its the best thing possible for him, I just wish I could be right alongside him making sure he is being taken care of and isn't stressing about anything. I love my brother will all my heart, he has always been my big brother, the one I look up to most. How will I make it through 2 years?!

I pray every night that he will become strong and bold in this mission to come. He will be faced with so many challenges and struggles, but whatever happens is what the Lord needs to have happen in order to make him the best missionary he could be.

When he finished reading his mission call he gave all his friends hugs and then came to his family, we all gave him hugs and congratulated him. But when he hugged me I had never felt so much love from him, I cant even express the love i have for that red headed boy.

 I love this gospel and what it does for my family, I couldn't imagine my life without the gospel in it. I am on such a spiritual high this week! And going to the temple today just added to it. Its amazing how much happier we are once we have been touched by the spirit or spent time in the Lord's house. I would recommend going to the temple to anyone at anytime of the day! Just go and you wont regret a moment.


The church is true! Don't doubt it for a second :)

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Imagine Dragon's concert!!!

 
 





 
Last friday night I went to my first concert!! And guess who was playing?? IMAGINE DRAGONS! Pretty much the best night I have had so far! The crowd was agressive though! But it was all worth it! SO WORTH IT! I went with the best people, people you knew that whatever happened they'd be there for you!

With every beat of the drums and vibrations I felt vibrate deep within me I fell more and more in love with them. Tears came to my eyes, and I couldn't get over the fact the Imagine Dragons was right there in front of me! It was a wonderful feeling! A feeling I just don't think I could express unless I was a writer of 25 best sellers ;)

The next morning was filled with ringing ears, dehydration, and a mild concert hangover but I felt so alive! Well until that evening then I crashed at my friend's house and watched Les Mes. I love moments like these. Where we are living in the moments, feeling people come together for a beat and words being sung. There are those beautiful moments I live for.

Now and forever.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Just Another Friday Night ;)



 2 days ago I rode my longboard over to my best friend's house (Liz), when I showed up at the door and was greeted by a barking dog and Liz with a big smile on her face. She had just finished playing Just Dance with her little brother and they were now making some sort of a smoothie with the ingredients of Lemon Juice, Oranges, a little bit of Milk, and Ice. We were sitting drinking and slurping the combination for a little bit when her parents came home. After making chit chat with the folks we went into Liz's room that looked like she had 10 maids come in and scrub from top to bottom clean! ;) We changed into wonderful animal shirts and short shorts (the usual wear for our get togethers). Liz looked up at me and said quietly "is it just me or do you really want to go CHUNKY DUNKING?" what is Chunky Dunking? It is the spontaneous act of skinny dipping but with clothes on. My eyes went big and I answered her with an excited "YES!!!"

We immediately went into action. Thinking of how to do it, where to do it, and what we would need. When we were dress correctly and ready to begin this spontaneous adventure we took off! Not telling our parents thinking we would just call them to come pick us up after. So we walked/mom speed walked there. (This is all happening around 9:30-10) When we got to the grassy hills we ran up singing "The Hills Are Alive" from The Sound Of Music. The night air was filled with laughter and music, just the way a summer nights would be. Nothing could be better than this I thought. These are the moments I live for! We live such a routine life, always living off of the minutes and hours our days are filled with. Staying on task and being efficient is how we work through each day. I always want to break from the planned out, step by step things we do! Why live your life in a routine when you could be off having adventures with your best friends?! That's what drove me that night closer and closer to the pond.

When we got there, we began to get nervous. Which is expected after you read a sign that says NO TRESPASSING. But we pretended not to have seen the sign and proceeded with our mission. Cause that's what you do ;) Plenty of cars passed by, and with everyone we got more and more anxious! So we manned up and slowly made our way closer and closer to the pond water. We dipped our toes in the water and felt how freezing it was! We backed away and looked at each other with anxiety in our eyes, "Are we really doing this?!" my bestie said to me. Nervous laughter came out as I replied "Lets just run in!". So we grabbed hands to help us feel more courageous and just booked it in like there was no tomorrow, we got to about our knees and just sunk down. It was probably below 0 water because all we could do was scream! We were probably in the water for less than 30 seconds before we ran back out. We looked at each other and just laughed till it hurt! "We didn't even get our heads wet!!" Liz said. So we looked around to see if anyone had heard our screams, then ran back in!!

We ran until the water was to our hips and I just went under! The cold water seemed to suck out the air from my lungs as I came up! Gasping I yelled "Now you go!!" to Liz. She went down then came shooting back up. "I cant breathe! I cant breathe!!" and with that we ran back out. The sand was killing our feet to walk on as we made our way back up to the bench we had set our stuff on. I honestly believe I am living 3 more years because of how much I laughed that wonderful Friday night! We called Liz's mom and told her to bring towels. She wasn't too ecstatic about the whole experience as we were, but I think it was worth it! And I still believe that even though we reeked up the car with our pond water smell! We went to pick up Liz's little sister and when her sister got in the back with us she asked her mom if she could sit up front with her! That's how bad it was! We drove home and was lectured on how dangerous and reckless that was but that only made me giggle more. Which is probably not the best attitude to have... I felt bad for Liz because I had to leave her with mildly upset parents.

 When i got in my car my dad just plugged his nose and asked what I did. When I explained he looked at me concerned and asked "Where there any boys? Where you fully clothed? You guys didn't get hurt right?" when I answered he just said we were crazy and didn't say anything else! I was the one giving all the details! And he laughed at the funny parts! I even said we didn't tell Liz's parents we were going to do it. Nothing. Just a nod. My father gets the Father Of The Month award. I was just worried Liz had gotten in a lot of trouble! But I think we are in the clear now with out parents :)

I don't think I would have done anything like that with anyone else but my best friend! She honestly makes me feel so more confident in myself! And I hope and pray everyone has a friend like Liz. She is that amazing friend that will lift you up and make you want to always do good! (except when we do rebellious adventures, then it's just fun!) ;) She is that amazing friend that will face hard things and still have a smile in the end of the day, even though you can tell there are tears that want to seep out. She is the strongest and most courageous person I have ever met, and this week has put a spotlight on that. I cant express my love to my best friend! She calms my nerves and stress with just simple words I need to hear. Man I could go on forever!!

The night is late, I have chunky dunking to do.
Sweet dreams.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Life Abundant :)

You know those moments when you just feel like your sitting on a cloud soaking in all the sun? Yeah that's me right now. Not to brag or anything but life is going pretty great for me these days! I don't think I have the right to even complain! I mean, let me go into a little detail of why my life is going great.


1. I have the goofiest, sometimes scary crazy friends in this giant slowly rotating world! I just cant tell you how much I love them!! My friends are the reason I wake up each morning, the reason I don't sluff every class I have... and also the fact that I am terrified the police will hunt me down and catch me!! I am 100% positive I am going to live an extra 10 years because of how hard I laugh when I am with my friends!! And the most randomest things happen when we are together! First we are making grilled cheese and the next thing you know we are laying on the ground writing lists, forgetting we have a sandwich on the oven burning darker and harder! I don't know half the noises that come out when we are together but I don't care! I just want to live in the moment and join in with the noises and laughter that appears out of lack of words! I love my friends, and am positive they are what make me, me!!




2. My friends are very talented in pretty much all that they do!! Its crazy how just a group of awesome teenagers can come together and make such beautiful music. I wish I could be as talented! But you just wait till my senior year, I don't know what will happen but only good can come from my senior year. And the thought of college will increase my need to be crazy, because who wants to grow up? Not this Miss over here! No way. But I will for sure shoot to be as talented as this group in the picture below! They played "Little Talks" and blew us away with their skill and hot voices!


3. I cant get enough of my Ukulele!! Honestly I could just play that babe all day long!! It honestly has become a drug for me....I think I might need help. And I'm not even good! i know one song? It's just me laying in my chair jamming away in hopes that something incredible will happen! Maybe something like I will hear a chord and just instantly know how to play!! But for now I will jam away, let my mom tell me I sound like a dying cow, and find a sculpture in this block of marble!



4. Seniors are the funniest, craziest, weirdest, people I have ever met! and I cant wait to be one!! I think this picture shows exactly what i mean :) Like, who does this? hahaha only the people I know!! And I love it!! To be honest the kid's face in red, David, makes me laugh so hard I could bust a gut! His face slays me!! And that's just his personality! I don't know him super well, but of what I have learned, he is exactly like that! But everyone in this picture is like that, he just happens to be showing it the best. I am excited to be a senior, not excited to loose these ones though. Just the thought makes my heart hurt. And the funny part is, I haven't known them long! They have just accepted me and my friends in their circle! And maybe that's something I will miss the most, they know how to show you love. In friendship and in romance haha jk!! You know I wish ;) The guy on the farthest left is the guy i get to go to prom with!! But we will get to that later! Just know that these boys, and many more friends have given me such a blast this sophomore year of mine!


5. My brother is preparing to leave on his mission!! He is filling his papers out as I type this ridiculous post! Oh man!! Ladies, I am just sorry you missed out on this hunk ;) But on a serious note, I think this is the one brother I will miss the most! He isn't that far away from my age, and even though he is quiet and keeps to himself, I know he is there for me. Man I love this kid! This ginger fellow is one of the greatest! And I cant even tell you  how amazing he is going to be in the Lord's hands. His mission is going to strengthen him in ways you'd think weren't needed or even possible! I am so grateful for this church and how is strengthens my family and me. I cant wait to write this missionary and see how the next 2 years of his life pan out!


6. I have the greatest dad in the world! Like, lets be honest here! He is the greatest example, and every time I see him struggle and get on his knees I can tell there is a superhero in disguise underneath all his dorky, sentimental, giant heart.

7. I have so much ahead of me I want to accomplish! So much I just don't know what to do first! I have so many opportunities and chances in this life its hard to know which one to do first! But I think I will take each day with my foot in front of the other.


8. I have ancestors. I know what you are thinking, "well duuuuhh! what's the big deal?!" But let me tell you! I just looked at my family tree and saw all these amazing people that I am related to! The thing that kept popping into my head was that they count on me to keep my name a honorable name. And that helped me see my life so far in a kind of bird's eye view, and see what more I can do! (deep right?!) ;)

 

9. (I hope you are already sitting down, but if not you better take a seat!) I am going to Prom!! Right?! Who would have thought someone was brave enough to ask this grasshopper shake addict creature to a dance??! And to shock you even more I am going with a great guy!! I mean GREAT guy! (see picture below) I cant even express to you how happy I am to just be going to Prom, but to be going with a guy like the one I am going with? Yeah I pretty much go into shock everytime I remember I am going to Prom with a stud!! It kinda gives me the feeling of pressure to think that this is his last dance! But no matter what, I am going to have a BLAST!!! And his best friend asked my best friend!!!! So pretty much the sum of my feelings for future Prom: EXTRTREME HAPPINESS :D

 
 
 
Its 11:11! Make a wish!
 
-Hayley