Notice

Hello, all--

This is a note to let you know that from now on, I will probably not be posting on this blog much (not that I've written much lately anyway). However, there's good news!

I will be devoting my efforts to my new blog, Novarum Rerum Cupidis, which will be a fusion of this blog and my other more scholastic blog, Contemplating the Complexities of Our Existence. So here's the link--check it out.

revolutionaryariel.blogspot.com

And if you feel so inclined, you can even click that nice little button off to the side that says "Follow." :)

Looking Up

I will admit that taking 16.5 credits and holding down two jobs this semester has been eating me alive. So much to do, and not enough time to do it (hence the lack of posting on this blog--I take all the sleep I can get).

Sometimes the fact that I can't physically accomplish everything I need/want to do is discouraging, and despite my efforts, my spirits get bogged down every so often. So this morning before I went to class I listened to Elder Carl B. Cook's talk from this last conference entitled, "It Is Better to Look Up." A certain passage particularly resonated with me:

Experience has taught me that if we, like President Monson, exercise our faith and look to God for help, we will not be overwhelmed with the burdens of life. We will not feel incapable of doing what we are called to do or need to do. We will be strengthened, and our lives will be filled with peace and joy.³ We will come to realize that most of what we worry about is not of eternal significance—and if it is, the Lord will help us. But we must have the faith to look up and the courage to follow His direction.

So after reading this, I mustered my courage, said a prayer, and walked out to face the day.

This afternoon I was trudging home through the rain to take a nap; it was one of those interesting weather situations when it's raining and the sun is shining at the same time. Out from under my umbrella something off to the side caught my eye; I turned and looked up to see a perfect rainbow arching across the sky. Suddenly it was a beautiful day. I was grateful to the Lord for giving me that gift "to please the eye and gladden the heart"(D&C 59:18).

Truly, "it is better to look up."

Photo credit: jan.gosmann on flickr

To My Mother

It is my mom's birthday today, October 14th, and I wanted to take this opportunity to pay public tribute to this wonderful woman who has raised me and loved me and helped make me the person I am today.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Mom, you were right. I'll look back at times when we disagreed on something, and you would voice your opinion, but give me the freedom to make my own choice. Sometimes, after considering your opinion, I would do what I wanted anyway, but when I look back I invariably find that you were right. Yes, I should have bought white sheets instead of black; yes, I should have done my hair a little differently for school pictures back in junior high. It's okay--you can say "I told you so."

Thank you for your countless acts of service throughout my life. Thank you for all the help with projects, for the running to and fro from sporting events and choir concerts, and for making meals and cleaning the house and all the other things you do every day. You are an anchor in our home, and everything runs more smoothly when you are there. Even though I'm living on my own now, there is still a sense of security in knowing that I can pick up the phone at any time and call you and you will be there.

Thank you for giving me the opportunities to pursue what I love and for trusting me and letting me grow up and be my own person. Thanks for teaching me how to load a dishwasher, make a meal, use appliances, and do my own laundry. I may not have been completely ready to be on my own, but I was prepared enough because of what you taught me.

Mom, thank you for always being there for me. Thank you for encouraging me and always telling me what I needed to hear. Dating, school, dance, friendship, you name it--somehow your voice can soothe all fears and help me calm down enough to solve problems in any area of life.

Thank you for your faith. Thank you for your strength and courage in trials. So often when you were going through chemotherapy last year, I would call you and you would end up comforting me instead of the other way around.

Mom, thank you for living your life the way you did. Thank you for making and keeping eternal covenants so our family can be together forever. Thank you, thank you, thank you for giving your children the unspeakable gift of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Heaven would not be heaven without our family and without you.

Thanks for everything, Mom. I am so grateful for you, and I thank Heavenly Father every day that you will be here for a long time to come.

Happy birthday, mother of mine.

Love forever and for always,

Ariel

T is for T Swift

Last week I went to the TAYLOR SWIFT concert. Awesome, right?? My lovely friend Megan and I got a ride to Sandy and (after getting lost in South Jordan briefly) hopped onto the UTA Trax and rode up to Salt Lake. It was my first experience with public transportation (Megan was appalled) and my second-ever live concert. And Taylor didn't disappoint. What a show! The sets were amazing, the costumes were beautiful (I really wanted some of her dresses--in modest versions, of course), and the music, of course, was the dance-around-singing-along-with-your-best-friend kind. We had a great time. I've heard some people say that Taylor Swift isn't as good in concert as she is on her recordings, but I thought she was simply fabulous. And what a classy lady--her lyrics are clean, and she is so gracious to her fans instead of being stuck-up and feeling entitled to her fame. I would definitely go see her again.

Gettin' in the country spirit before the concert--our cowgirl poses. I'm pretty sure Megan was laughing at me, but don't worry--she's just jealous 'cuz I'm awesome like that. :)

SO EXCITED!! Can't you tell??

Energy Solutions Arena--we were so there!! EEK!

Our nosebleed section as-far-away-as-you-can-get seating. But it was totally worth it. This our T-Swift footwear--cowgirl boots and sparkly shoes. Appropriate, aren't they? We thought so.

It was enchanting to be there.

A Resolution

So I'm going to plead the "busy college student" excuse here for why I haven't been blogging lately (seven classes' worth of homework and two on-campus jobs are eating me ALIVE) but I've decided to mend my ways.

From now on, I would like to be posting at least once a week. Okay? Okay. Resolution passed.

Back to New Beginnings

Well, a week and a half of school is behind me. This is my THIRD YEAR of college, people. How did that happen? I am officially an Upperclassman. Which deserves an Uppercase letter, don't you think?

Highlights so far:

• I have submitted to the craze; I'm taking Zumba as an exercise class. Cool, right? And despite how so-totally-gangster I am, I'm afraid I am not very good at it. But it's okay--everyone's learning together. 
• I met up with some old friends and have made some new ones. It is so nice to come back and see people you know. Kinda makes you feel like you belong.
• I tried out for the beginning BYU ballroom dance team. No, I didn't make it. But guess what? It's okay. It was a good experience, and I'm glad I went and gave it a shot. 
• I went on a RUN--several, actually--these past couple weeks. That's right; this is me we're talking about, the girl who has disliked running all her life. And it actually isn't too bad. And I'm actually starting to like it. Weird.

Yes, my classes are good so far; some are interesting, some are a little less interesting, and some are just downright hard (*cough, cough* Latin 302). It is a juggling act, as always, to keep class and homework and work and tutoring and church activities and friends all in a balance. Oh yeah--throw sleep in there sometimes too. But so far I'm feeling pretty good about school and life in general. I'm not perfect, but I'm doing my best with what I have.

Lookin' Good

A week or so ago I took my brother to the chiropractor (I've been driving teenagers around a lot these days). My brother was taking my mom's appointment. Keep that in mind--it will be important later.

We were sitting in the office lobby, and the secretary was at her desk, typing away on her computer. I was sitting right in front of her, and my brother was sitting out of her line of sight. Soon, the secretary pulls my mom's information up on her computer. She looks at the screen... and looks at me... and looks back at her computer.

She says to me, "Wow, Natalie (my mom's name)-- you look really good for over 40!"

Yes, yes I do-- it's almost like I'm half that age, isn't it?

We quickly cleared up the misunderstanding--no, I'm not Natalie; I'm her daughter. Which explained a lot. And in all fairness to her, the secretary didn't know my brother was taking my mom's appointment, she had never met my mom, and she could only see me. So naturally, she was a bit confused.

So the question is: Do I look young for 40? Or old for 20? I'm not quite sure how to take this... :)