My 20th Birthday!

I apologize that my “birthday blog” is extremely belated, but I figure better late than never. This last May 15th I officially past through the teenage years (with no assistance to the teen pregnancy and drug abuse statistics of the world) and turned the big 20! I’m the kind of girl who actually loves to celebrate her birthday. I remember being in 7th grade and on my favorite teacher’s birthday, we had “Mrs. Buchmiller” day. We spent the entire day talking about her - learning more about what she was like in high school, her then very newly married husband and her goals for the future. It was on that day that I decided it was okay to make yourself the priority on your birthday and to celebrate your life with the people you care about. Thanks Mrs. Buchmiller!! I’ve tried to follow in your footsteps ever since.
My birthday fell on a Tuesday, but because I was going to be spending that evening with my family, my roommate Kelsey and her boyfriend Peter took me out to one of my very favorite restaurants: PF Changs (I’ll point out here that not only do they have fabulous food, but a superb Gluten-free menu. Win-win). Although Kelsey and I live in the same apartment, we can go days without talking or seeing each other. It was fabulous to spend an evening with her. While we were at dinner, the three of us made a “Birthday Rebellion” list I was to accomplish while I was still technically a teenager. Some of the suggestions were 1) kiss a stranger 2) get my belly button pierced 3) jump over a fire 4) get a tramp stamp 5) hike the Y at night. I can’t remember the exact number, but there was roughly 10 or so “challenges” to be done and I think I only did 1…maybe 2? Clearly, I’m really not that big of a rebel. Regardless, we had a fun time together.

It looks multiple, multiple attempts to get a good picture of Kelsey and I. After many failed attempts, Peter finally captured one we both were happy with.

Here's a little idea of what I mean by "failed attempt". In this particular moment, I was laughing so hard that I leaned over and ended up hitting my head on a fork.

A picture of the happy couple:

When we got home from the restaurant, Shelly and Keaton were there and the 5 of us had vanilla ice cream with freshly cut strawberries and chocolate sauce. It was yummy!! After some chitchat, we all settled down to watch “Monsters Inc.”

Some of us were more tired than others when the movie was over…poor Keaton…

Tuesday morning I went to lab where my TA and classmates sang to me and another gal whose birthday it was. When I got home, I went for a long run, took a hot shower, read my book, took a nap, ate some yummies and was perfectly content with spending the day relaxing. At 4 p.m. I went to my art history class to take a midterm which with a bit of birthday luck I did very well on. At 6 p.m., I met mom, dad and Melina at the Orem Chilies (my most favoritest restaurant) for dinner. If you don’t believe me when I say I love my birthday, listen to this next story: once we were seated and the waiter came up to us to get our drink order, I said “Hi! It’s my birthday. And I will need a sprite.” Are you getting it? I REALLY like my birthday. It was wonderful to spend time with my family. I am truly blessed to have phenomenal parents and a loving sister. The only thing that could have made it better would have been if Mark, Elise and baby could have been there. Hopefully next year :) When I got home from dinner, my good friend Haley Needs came over and brought me a GF cupcake from a bakery called “The Chocolate”. Because I haven’t seen her in far too long, it was a splendid surprise I’m still smiling over. It meant a lot that she came by to see me. Thank you and I hope to see you again soon! Later in the evening, my friend Katie took me to my favorite bakery in Utah County: Cocoa Bean. Not only did we get scrumptious cupcakes, but she got me a bright yellow shirt that says “REAL MEN EAT CUPCAKES”. Thanks Kate! I love that shirt probably much more than I should ;)

Wednesday night some girls from my singles ward came over with a plate of cupcakes for me. I’m not sure if the girls realize the magnitude of my love for cupcakes, but I was pretty darn excited. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Thursday night I went over to Sara and Jim’s for our now traditional birthday celebration dinner: Del Taco. Much to my dismay (and the dismay of Jim, I’m sure) I did not eat 20 tacos; on the contrary, I think I only managed 6 or 7. I guess that means I need to practice more for my next birthday. To my delight, they gave me a Taco Amigo gift card which will pay for a great many meals already consumed and shortly to be consumed. Thank you! I’m so grateful for their sweet family and how much they’ve opened their home to me. I can’t say enough “thank you’s” or enough kind things about them. I’m so grateful that we’re a family and we’re there for each other.

My life has been so deeply blessed. Heavenly Father gave me not a perfect family, but the right family. I know I don’t take the time to appreciate my family enough, particularly my parents, but it’s something I’m trying to do more of. I love both of my sisters and the examples they are to me. I’m thankful that Mark is a part of my family now and I’ve finally got a big brother. I am so unbelievably thankful to have family so close to me in Draper and in Orem. The Lord has placed people in my life that have and continue to help me dearly. I’m so grateful for the Dewey family I work for. 3 times a week I’m welcomed into their home and witness firsthand the love and faith that household is built upon and it is an example to me. Friends past and present uplift and edify my spirit every day. It seems like I’m constantly learning new things about myself, others, life and the Gospel through them. I’m thankful to go to BYU and get an education. The older I get, the more I realize that an education is not a right, but a privilege not to be taken lightly. Over the last month, I’ve felt so incredibly close to the Spirit and its presence in my life. I’m thankful for my Savior. I’m thankful to be serving in the Relief Society presidency and to have the pleasure of becoming better acquainted with the sisters in my ward. I’m grateful for the trials God puts in my life because they challenge me to rise above that which I believe I’m capable of. Those are God’s “gifts” to me. While some of them are not always wanted, they teach me what I need to learn and with time become the greatest treasures of all.

Here’s to another year of laugher and smiles! I look forward to what’s in store for me next. My only prayer is that the wonderful people I get to call my family will be around to celebrate with me next year!

Loves!

Happy Mama's Day!

When I was a little girl, I went to afternoon kindergarten so I could walk home with my sisters after school. I remember one day my mom surprising me before going to school. I remember playing in my room when I was told lunch was ready. However I was not directed to the kitchen, but to the downstairs family room. Mom had set up a tray with my most favorite meal growing up: top roman and she’d put on The Rescuers Down Under. I still remember being so excited that for one thing, I was actually eating downstairs and not getting in trouble for it and that my mom had surprised me with something so fun. I don’t remember for certain, but I’m sure I bragged about it the whole day to all my kindergarten friends.

A few years later when I was in middle school, mom and I took a trip just the two of us to her old home in Buell, Idaho {and yes, I’m crossing my fingers I spelt that correctly}. I didn’t realize it at the time how important that place was to my mom and the tender experiences that happened to her there that still live with her so many years later. We drove to her old home, to the home of her childhood best friend who still lived there after all these years. We drove around the tiny town and she shared the memories she had for every block and every street sign. That was the first time in my life I truly discovered my mom isn’t just a mom; she’s a woman too; a woman who had her own struggles, temptations, heartbreak, mess-ups and adventures. Before mom became “mom”, she was LuAnn; a cheerleader, a pianist, a grocer’s daughter who got butterflies when she saw the stud of Soda Springs high school {and bless her lucky stars she even married that stud muffin a few years later}, who struggled with math and disagreed with her own parents. She had to grow up too and experience life and its positives and negatives to become who I knew sitting in the car next to me. It was on that trip that my mom moved from being just a parent to my friend as well.

A few more years later after all my sisters moved out and it was only mama and papa smurf left at home with me did I see the true strength of my mom and how much she loves her family and the Lord. Pre-drivers license days, mom diligently picked me up at the “A” and dropped me off at Canyon View Dry Cleaners for my after school job. Then 4 hours later, come back and wait for me to be done. Except for few occasions, I would get home and my dinner would be waiting for me on the counter. Mom was who I went to when I needed ideas for my preschool bulletin board and it was her who did most of the work on it {oops – don’t tell Mrs. Crapo!} After Young Woman broadcasts or special events, mom and I would drive to Dairy Queen and get two peanut buster parfaits and a small fry and chat in the parking lot about our lives, but mostly mine and the silly drama I was experiencing at the time. Every night before going to bed, I would come to my mom’s room to find her reading her scriptures. Then she would look up from that sacred book, give me a hug and tell me she loves me. Mom and I spent probably too many nights consumed in episodes of “Criminal Minds” or “Law and Order: SVU” or “NCIS”. On Saturday mornings, mom and I would go grocery shopping and I’d usually make her buy stuff we didn’t need, but my sugar tooth wanted. Then we’d indulge ourselves in curly fries from Arby’s or a greasy cheeseburger from Artic Circle. Mom was patient with me and I liked to make her proud. I’m sure I did a lot to make her irritated at me {e.g. school night curfew was 10 p.m. – sometimes I would stay at Rachel’s house a little later than that. And then I would get the phone call – EVERY TIME- with a firm, but kind reminder that it was time to come home}, but mom was always loving and never made me feel inferior, unappreciated or less than I was. On the contrary, mom was constantly boosting me up and making me better.

The time came to graduate and eventually move out. On the day my parents and I left Vestry Road and drove to Helaman Halls, we had to take two cars {yes, I have a lot stuff}. They were in the Explorer and I was in the Oldsmobile. Although I’ve tried to keep it a secret, I’ll admit it now, the entire way I cried and cried not because I was leaving home necessarily, but because I didn’t want to leave my mom. Yes, this might sound cliché to some, but if many if not most know how much of a mama’s girl I am and how I didn’t want to relinquish my role as “baby” at home. Mom and I made many…many trips up and down the flights of stairs in the dorms and got me settled into my new home. As I walked them outside and we said our goodbyes, I held onto my mom and told her I loved her. Little did she know, little did I even know at the time, how much I would miss her from the moment I let go of her embrace. From that point on, mommy wasn’t going to be there with me every day and suddenly I felt like a little girl on her first day of preschool and I just wanted her to stay with me. One of the biggest gifts my mom has given me is teaching me how to let go and how to live in a manner she will be proud of. From the beginning, it was my mom who taught me to pray, who taught me to play, who taught me to love, who taught me to live. Everything I am is because of my mom.

There are things I’ve done that I’m sure mom wouldn’t be pleased with, but without hesitation I know she’d love me even harder. It was into my mother’s arms that I fell into when I was diagnosed with a disease that changed my life. It was my mother’s testimony that kept me afloat when I felt I was drowning. It was my mother’s wisdom that kept me at BYU. It was my mother’s love that taught me to forgive. My mom is my hero. In my eyes, she does no wrong. She believes in me, even when I can’t believe in myself. She trusts me which I’ve found is a gift not to be freely given. She is beautiful on the inside and out. She earnestly cares about other people and puts others before the needs of herself. My mom lives with courage and integrity. She is fun and knows how to laugh. LuAnn Clegg is not just my mom, she’s my friend; one of my best friends. Anyone can be a mother, but it’s the elite who become moms. And luckily, I have a pretty great one. I wouldn’t trade mine for anything or anyone because she is who I want and she is who I need. It is my prayer that as I get older, I will be even a little like my mom.

I love you, mommy! Thank you for loving me, especially when I least deserve it. Thank you for believing in me, especially in my darkest hours. Thank you for praying for me, especially when I forget to pray for myself. Thank you for being my mom and devoting your life to me and what I want instead of what you want. You are so special to me and every day I thank God that you are my parent, you are my mom and you are my friend. Please never leave me because I don’t want to know what it’s like to be without you. Thank you for giving me hugs, for wiping away my tears and for teaching me hope. You are who I hope to become.

Loves!