The Plan of Salvation

Last Sunday in church, we had a lesson on the Plan of Salvation.  So as any artsy fartsy person with Illustrator will do, I made a hand out!  I wasn't super impressed with any of the available options on the interweb, so here's my version.

If you are unfamiliar with the Plan of Salvation (to someone unacquainted with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints AKA the Mormons, I get it can sound kind of strange...)  Go here.  That in a very basic, sense is a major part of the religion I believe and love.

If you have to teach a lesson this month, especially if you're teaching youth (the theme for the month is Plan of Salvation!) I hope this'll come in handy!

Please, don't use this as your own and give credit where credit is due.  I work hard on making these and love sharing them.  So, use responsibly.  Thanks!

On Nature and Working Hard

I love nature.  Especially fall nature.  So I take pictures of it to get my mind off of stress and such.  I also have decided I want a Canon 60D.  I love that camera so. so. much.  For realsies.

I also love hand lettering.  Have I told you that?  I love so many different letterers (is that what they are called?)  And I have recently started doing my own lettering.  Something about that just calms me down, and gives me time to think.  I might have found my calling in life.  And I can't talk about it and not show you, so the last picture is of one of my favorites.  I'm working on another right now that I think will also be placed into the "favorites" category.  So stay tuned for that one.  Enough words now, on to pictures!

Crunch leaves and....

Autumn sunsets... What more could a girl ask for?

Isn't fall beautiful?  Ahhhh....

Doesn't this quote just sum it all up?  Work hard and be nice to people.  Simple.  And I love the satisfaction that comes from making something that I like, other people like and makes me proud.  See, hard work... :)

I Wrote This Yesterday...

There comes a point in everyone's lives where they think to themselves:

What the Heck is going on in my life?

That day for me was today.

Today I'm supposed to sign up for the SAT, write an essay I could seriously care less about, Finish half of an online class (which isn't going to happen by the way)... OH!  And try to act like a normal person who doesn't bite people's heads off when they talk to you.

(Let's just say I didn't do well on my goal to be less sarcastic today.)

One out of four is looking pretty good right now.  I signed up for the SAT.  Oh, but UVU was completely full so I have to go to Sandy to take a test to maybe get a scholarship.  Maybe.

This is what I get for thinking "Dang!  I have a really easy senior schedule!" on Monday.  Word of advice:  Never even think those words or life decides to play a cruel, cruel joke on you.  Well played, life.  Well played.  Or should I say:  I kind of hate you right now...  It's one of those.

But you know what?  I'm so excited for college.  I'm ready to move out, to learn for myself and to get started on real life.  I mean, high school is totally real life, right?  Ha.  Ha.  Ha.

On a lighter note:  I wrote a killer essay for a scholarship earlier this week.  It reaffirms the feeling I got when I saw I got a 5 on the AP Language test.  (Which- might I add- the feeling was quickly abandoned upon re-entering Mr. Rutter's Creative Writing class...)  So there's one thing I actually feel good about this week.  Scratch that- there's the only thing I feel good about this week.

But- now I have to go write an essay.  Joy.

Get Ready St. Louis

I have a brother.  He's cool.  He makes me laugh.  He does stupid things.  He does really nice things.  He let me use his camera.  He's in the MTC.  Since yesterday.  And soon, he'll be in St. Louis.

You see, I know how awesome it is that he's going on a mission, bringing people to the gospel and serving the Lord.  That is AMAZING!  But I'm also really sad that I'm flying solo for 2 years.  I'm sad I have no one to look at with that look and know exactly what the other person is thinking.  I'm missing my "people are annoying, I can only hang out with you or I'll punch someone" friend.  I've already written him two letters.

Six months ago, I would have told you I was glad he was leaving.  He bugged me like no other.  He drove me crazy.  And his friends.  His friends.  I would have given anything to get rid of his friends... :)  But then he got his call.  And I realized he was leaving for two years.  The kid who helped me with my technology issues, snuck into my room for late night conversations, told me I would do awesome with my tryouts and was generally there for support (generally) was leaving.

We went out for lunch before we dropped him off.  He wanted Thai food.  I almost started crying in the restaurant.  I almost cried in the car on the way to the MTC.  I cried when he opened his door.  I told myself "it's not going to help if he sees me crying, so I'll just stay in the car."  That thought lasted for two seconds until I jumped out of the car and ran for a good bear hug.  I turned around and got back in the car, trying not to bawl.  That's what my parents would be doing, and I couldn't be like my parents... But I cried.  And that was the quietest car ride I have ever been in.

But I have no doubt in my mind that that boy is going to be one heck of a missionary.  People will be desperate to be baptized when he teaches them of the gospel and he'll touch so many lives with his love and light.

So here's to you bro, do me proud.  And don't get used to me being all nice and stuff, it's weird.

The Story of a Senior and Her Random Doings

Once upon a time there was a girl named Tacie.  She had just started her senior year of high school and she was excited/nervous/in denial/pumped/crazy/slightly scared.  After her first three days of high school, she was ready to graduate.  You see, she already had 18 pages of statistics text book to read, Spanish grammar to study, a shirt to design, photos to take and was anticipating more in the week to come.  Much. Much. More.  So decided to take a look at BYU's wonderful webpage and look at what she wanted to do with her life after this wonderful year of high school.

She pondered studying Russian.  You see, when in the Russian program, you have to go to Russia for at least one semester.  Then I could work for the CIA and spy on the Russians... hopefully no one dangerous reads that and takes me seriously... Cause you know I wouldn't really spy on you guys.... heh heh...

Then I decided to take a look at Astronomy.  I like stars.  I like telescopes.  But I HATE math.  And do you know how much math and science you have to take to become an Astronomer?  A whole stinking lot.  I might as well become a nuclear physicist for that much work...

So I looked at International Relations.  Wow.  Rough.  Enough said.

Graphic design looked interesting, but of course I already knew that... So onward.

Photography looked cool too.  But you don't get a whole lot of money out of photography.  Unless you work for Nat Geo.  And getting a job as a photographer for them is like trying to get into Oxford with a 2.7 GPA.  Almost impossible.

So by this point, Tacie is getting more and more stressed out trying to figure out what in the world she wants to be when she grows up.  So I stopped looking because you know what?  I have no idea.  At all.  But if you know about a way to get paid to travel and do cool stuff, let me know about it, ok?  Thanks.  You're the best.

Oh and by the way, we have 177 days of school left.

Welcome to the Grand Canyon State!

Arizona is cool.

Well, it's actually SUPER HOT.  But cool nonetheless.

And it's got some pretty big dams.

But above all, the coolest thing Arizona has to offer is Rooster Cogburn's Ostrich Ranch.

We fed ostriches.

We fed goats.

We fed ducks and rainbow lorikeets and donkeys.  It. Was. Awesome.

Yes, that goat is doing exactly what you think it's doing.  Yum.

And this is Baby Nate.  We're best buds.  :)

And this is Jorge.  AKA the coolest bird ever to have existed.

You can also go on a monster truck tour at the ranch of Rooster Cogburn.  Apparently, monster truck tours are really good at getting babies to sleep.  Who'da thought, right?

Ostrich fishing.  Awesome.  It's okay to be jealous.

Overall: Arizona is awesome.  And the family there makes it even better. :)  Thanks Rich and Lyndi (and Nate) for a great trip.  I'm counting down until next year!

trekkin!

I leave tomorrow at four o clock.  In the AM.  And we're riding school busses for six hours.  Then we're walking all around Wyoming in long skirts, aprons, long sleeve button up shirts and pulling handcarts.

I seriously cannot wait to go.  Because, despite all that up there, I'm going to help my testimony grow.  I'm not going because my parents are forcing me to go (though it may have started out that way...)  And  I'm sure as heck not going to pull a handcart over 20 miles.  Nope.  I'm going so that I can experience even in the smallest bit a part of the sacrifice and dedication given by the pioneers.  They left their homes, their friends, their... everything for this.  And I'm going to walk in their footsteps.

After I finally realized this a couple of weeks ago, I tried to really prepare for trek.  I read Fire of the Covenant (which, if you haven't read, read it right now.  I'm serious.  Right now.)  I learned more about the woman I'm portraying- Elizabeth Horrocks Jackson- who is an amazing woman by the way.  She's now one of my heroes.  Read her story and your eyes just might fog up...  And I have become amazed at all that the wonderful people of 1856 went through.  Especially those in the Martin and Willie handcart companies.

So imagine that you have come to love this experience already and then you hear this:

"They gave me some stupid name... Louisa or something like that."

"I got Meat.  Or Meeta or something like that." (I don't know exactly what she was trying to say there, so I'm guessing.

"Ugh.  It's just such a stupid name."

I could not take it.  Perhaps it was my newly found friendship with Elizabeth that pushed me to say this but I couldn't just stand by.  (Now is when you roll your eyes at me, tell me what a nerd I am and how I should just get over these things.  I know.)

So I said, "You know those are real people who went on the actual pioneer trek, right?  It's not just some made up name they decided to give you."  I figured I better stop there before I really let my mouth run off with me.  So I stopped.

The two girls who earlier couldn't seem to find enough to say about their "weird" names just looked at me.  One nodded her head.  And they turned around and talked a bit quieter about how she didn't know if her name was Meat or not.  I had hoped that I would make the difference, but obviously, I just made them lower their voices.  Oh well.  At least I tried.

So, for the next four days, I will be Elizabeth and perhaps I'll be luck enough to have a dream like hers... "Cheer up Tacie, Deliverance is at hand."  (I mean it.  Read her story.)  So, farewell till we meet again!