I put this on my Facebook too, but I think that this is a good note to include on a blog too. (Especially since it's been a month since I've updated my blog.) Enjoy:

So, I was going to make another status update about how awesome my life is, but then I decided that there's too much greatness to fit in one measly sentence. Long story short, I could not have asked for a better Christmas break. First of all, I got to spend a lot of quality time with my family. Even though we were kind of forced to spend time together at times (because of silly snow,) I don't think I would have wanted it any other way. Secondly, I was able to spend time with a few of the neatest people in the world. Some of these events were planned and some of the events just happened. (I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, by the way.) Both the unplanned and the planned made my life that much more enjoyable. Thirdly, and this does deserve its own number, I was able to see two very dear friends and their lovable children tonight. These two friends are very special to me even though it's probably an unlikely friendship; they are the parents of the children that I babysat throughout high school. They have influenced my life more than they probably will ever know. Anyway, before I get too sentimental, I'll just say that it was very nice to see them and their kids. Fourthly, (is that even a word?) I tried sushi! And even crazier, I liked it! Now, as my family will attest, I am a picky eater, so this is pretty incredible for me. I probably won't be eating sushi all the time, but it was a very nice treat. (Thanks DeVries!) Fifthly, (I didn't get the red squiggly line under fourthly or fifthly, so I think they're legit words) I have a fabulous family. Seriously, they're the best. I won't get too sentimental for this section either, but I love my family so much. I'm also going to add that my friends are great. I don't know why they've put up with me for so long, but I'm glad they have. I could go on forever and ever about this stuff, but I won't. I just want everyone (who is willing to read this) to know that I love life. It's not easy. It's not meant to be easy. Thus, I left out all of the unpleasant stuff that has been happening in my life. That was very intentional. I didn't leave it out so people will think my life is perfect or that I'm perfect or that wonderful things always happen to me. But I know that life is beautiful, even when bad things happen (and they will happen.) I'm starting to understand that there is a bigger picture that I've never noticed before. I'm only eighteen, so I obviously don't understand it completely yet, but I have a much different perspective than I did just a year ago. Anyway, that was more tangential than I had originally intended, but these are just some things that have been floating around my brain...

Love,

Emily

Happy Thanksgivin'

Today was my first Thanksgiving that I wasn't with my parents. I was becoming so excited about my plans that I didn't really get a grasp on that concept. Let me explain my schedule for this break, and then you might understand. I'm going to skip over the little details, or this post will get so bogged down and no-one will even want to read it. So break started yesterday, and Sarah, Hayley (a roommate,) and I went to Orem. Then we accidentally went to Alpine, and then we went back to Orem. Later, Sarah and I went to Ikea in Draper, and then we headed to Bountiful to go to the Maher's house. (Robin Maher is a former roommate of Sarah's, and her family lives in Bountiful. So, we were invited to stay with them for break!) Then this morning, Sarah drove me to Murray to go to the house of some friends that used to live in Omaha. Then I rode with them to Orem to have dinner with their family. After that, we drove back to Murray, Sarah came and picked me up, and then Sarah and I drove back to Bountiful. So I've spent a lot of Thanksgiving on the road. So that's the basics of what I've been doing. Anyway, I've been having so much fun. It was so neat to spend time with people I haven't seen for a long time and some people I've never even met before. It's been very strange not to have my parents around, but I'm so glad that I've had such great substitutes. (Though no-one can fill my parents shoes, cause they're awesome!) I've felt so welcome everywhere I've been, and it's just been great. So, because everyone has to be cliché on Thanksgiving, I'm going to say that I'm grateful for my parents and my family (including the "extended" family that I've spent time with recently.) The end.

Round Two

Lots of stuff has been going on. Kind of. School is busier than ever; I have papers to write, studying to do, and worksheets/ general assignments galore. My goal for this week was to finish all of the assignments that are due after Thanksgiving so that I wouldn't have to do them during break. That didn't happen. Unfortunately, I'm just barely keeping up with the assignments that are due before Thanksgiving. It's not that I have so much work to do; I have nothing compared to Sarah's load. But other things have been happening. Let's flashback to mid-September, shall we? I was starting to settle into university life, and I discovered a couple of bumps on my right leg. They almost seemed like bug-bites. But they hurt. A lot. And they caused my entire leg to hurt. So I went to the urgent care at the Health Center. There was some poking, prodding, and cutting and then I almost passed out. After a few ibuprofen and two prescription antibiotics that could medicate a horse, I went on my way. I had to visit the doctor three times in under a week, and I was diagnosed with a Staph infection, also known as MRSA. It was pretty unpleasant. But after a couple of weeks, I could tell that the infection was leaving my body, and everything was okay again. Until late last week, that is. I found another bump, but this time it was on my left leg. It was much smaller than the previous two, thank goodness, and I visited the doctor on Tuesday. He took a culture and gave me a prescription for the previous antibiotics that I was on, and I'll be seeing him again tomorrow. The infection seems to be going away already, but now I'm fearful. If it came back once, what will stop it from coming back again? Also, the antibiotics make me so ill. However, I will be okay. I know that. I still worry, but I truly know that everything will work out. It always does in one way or another. So, although I feel I have a few things to complain about (and I do complain sometimes) I still think life is great. I still know that life has so much meaning. And I'm very grateful for that. I'm so grateful for life. Well, it's time to get back to the grind. My friends, adieu.

I know, I know...

I'm jumping on the blogging bandwagon. Like I need something else to distract me from studying... But I think this should be fun. Probably more so for me than for anyone else. For example, I had a really hard time coming up with the title of this blog. It was fun thinking of all of the things that could possibly describe me or my life. But it was very, very hard to decide on just one thing. And then I just thought to myself, "Life is beautiful." Perhaps you've seen that movie. It is truly incredible. Anyway, that phrase is very important to me, because I often forget the beauty of life. But it's there. I know it is. I see it in the smiling faces of people on campus. I see it in the mountains. Beauty can be found in almost everything if you just take the time to find it. Now, it's clear that the title is French, not English. Recently, I've had a very strong desire to learn French. I took German classes all through high school, and I loved it. I even planned on taking a German class next semester. But then I saw Les contes d'Hoffmann, a French opera, and since then, I've just felt a drive to learn French. I don't know why I feel the need to learn it. I just do. So I'm taking French 101 next semester, and I'm absolutely thrilled. Anyway, I really should study right now. Farewell, my friends.