Happiness is a journey, not a destination...

It's been about two months since I wrote anything so I figured, pictures or not, I need to update. The first thing I should write about is my trip to St. George. I went down there with Mapleton Chorale for choir tour. It was a lot of fun. We stopped at several pioneer memorial and such and had a great concert in the tabernacle. After tour, I stayed in Hurricane with my friend Maygen. Maygen and I haven't seen each other since fifth grade! We hadn't even spoken since then until last year around December. I stayed with her for a week and it was AMAZING! We had so much fun and it was really therapeutic for me to be in the town where I lived with my mom and step-dad. The two years we lived there were really hard years. It was a stressful and abusive environment to live with them. But going back really helped me. One of the days I was there we went and saw all of the houses that I used to live in. The one that I wasn't sure that I was actually going to see was the ranch. We lived there because Morgan, my step-dad, was the grounds keeper. The small cabin we lived in was far far too small, but the grounds and the mansion were amazing. The wilderness out there was my escape. We drove up to the gate and we weren't sure if we could go in. I knew I wouldn't know the new grounds keeper, but I hoped that I could explain things and he'd let me look around a bit. I wasn't expecting to see John, the owner. Once I told him who I was he was very excited to see me. He told me that I could make myself at home. So I took Maygen on the tour. Starting with the cabin that I lived in. It had been turned into a small office. It seemed smaller than I even remembered. After we saw the cabin we went into the mansion to look around. I was amazed to remember the smell of the Kitchen. Nancy, the owners wife, would make us sandwiches when she was visiting. The mansion was basically the same except that a few of the last things that were unfinished when we left were now finished. The Sanchez', the owners, opened it as a health facility for people recovering from surgery and such. After we finished in the mansion, we looked around the grounds slowly making our way to the horse field. When I was 11, my mom and dad, my real dad, bought me a horse for my birthday. I was going to train to be in the Rodeo. When my mom moved us, we weren't able to take my horse with us, so it was left behind on the ranch. When Maygen and I got to the field, I wasn't expecting my horse to still be there. She was. Her registered name is She's a Little Storm, or for short, Sheesa. She looked amazing! And all the other old horses were there. I was so happy to see them, especially Sheesa. I believe that horses are very smart creatures and recognize familiar things. As I walked to the fence, she came right to me. I'm sure that she recognized who I was. I cried, and it was hard to leave her again, but it was good to see that she was alive and well. I think that was the most therapeutic event of the week for me. We also went to museums, shopping, we saw Footloose at the Tuachan, we hiked in Zion, we tubed down the Virgin river, and lots of other things. It was amazing week. I missed Maygen and it was SO great to spend time with her again. I'll be going down again next year in May for her wedding. (Love you Maygen!)
This summer has gone by quickly. Ben and I have been spending most weekends at my dad's house in West Valley. We also went to LA for a trip with Primerica, a business we've been starting. We went with Ben's parents. It was a tiring trip, but worth it to swim in the ocean for my first time. It was so much fun! Even though I almost drowned a lot... :) We also went to Mirror Lake on a camping trip with his family. Ginny came too. That was also a lot of fun. I haven't been to the high Uintah Forrest's for several years, it's so beautiful!
We had a little party with all the people that we used to spend everyday with last summer. It was fun. It was really good to spend time with everyone and just forgive and forget. :)
Living with Gin, Carrie, and Mycami has had it's ups and downs. It is true that sometimes you can't live with people close to you. Gin and I have always been good living together, but I've had some bumps in the road with the other girls. We've all decided to go separate ways. Carrie will be going to Wyview, Mycami is staying at the Branbury, and Gin and I are going to Wolverine Crossing. I love these girls and they are three of my very best friends, and I want it to stay that way, but we're not all compatible to live together. *shrugs* We tried.
I'm looking for a new job, so if anyone knows of any opening anywhere, PLEASE, let me know. :)

I'll post pictures as soon as I can get my Internet to do it. :)