Happy Birthday to me...

As many of you know today I celebrate my 21st birthday. (As many more of you know I'm a pathological liar, but it's my birthday so keep your mouths shut.) Today started at 1:30 in the a.m. when Chubber's decided he had waited long enough to wish me happy birthday. He really wanted to go outside and show me the gift he got me so I staggered upstairs half asleep to get check it out with him. He ran down the steps of the back porch and first pointed out the bush by the steps, he decided to "water" it for me too. What a great dog. Then he jumped back up on the porch, gave me a quick look as if to say, "now here's the really cool part" and then he jumped off of the back porch into the front yard and the dark abyss of a cold January morning. I promptly turned on my heel and went back to my warm bed.

I was not impressed with his gift and contemplating leaving him outside to face the consequences of his actions until the morning. But the guilt got the better of me and I went to the back door on several occasions and whistled (yeah, that's all the effort he gets). Eventually he came to stand by the back door and I looked down at him and wondered why exactly I was about to let him in. But I did, and he's home, and he's the worst child I'll ever have. At least he sets low expectations for real children.

I've decided that I am going to play the part of the self-absorbed birthday girl and post a bunch of random pictures of me. I only had access to my Shutterfly account so take what you can get. If you notice this cleverly does not include my awkward stage. Go me!

Hmm....Matt, Martha, Kathryn, Joanna, me....Where's Edward? That's a history mystery if I ever saw one!

My dad and me in Florida in 2001. We went down for Emily's baby blessing! I can't she's turning 8 this year!

The Mur and Me...this is what happens when you try to take the picture yourself, and somehow it just ended up being one of my favorite college pictures. That's a BYU-Idaho bookstore bag on my head by the way, in case you were wondering where you could get a stylish hat such as mine.

Another thing I miss about college is the snow, and the deadly icicles, yes, the deadly icicles are something I miss. They are the perfect weapon, sharp and hazardous but they will melt eventually, taking with it any trace of fingerprints. Er...uh...I mean they are really beautiful when they are hanging from the buildings, like an ice castle in a princess fairyland.

Here's me with Crazy Mcgee as he tries to attack me. Also a random yet favorite picture of mine. I just wish you could have seen what I saw coming at me, then you'd understand the fear and helplessness I felt.

All in all I've had a fantastic life so far. I've had my ups and downs, my good days and bad days...good years and bad years. But overall I don't think I would have changed a thing...well, a few small things just to add a little bit more fun to life, but nothing that would alter where I am today.

I've gone to California, Washington, Florida, and New York (though not New York City...just the state) and numerous places in between. I graduated high school and somehow went to and graduated college (not that I doubted I could do it, it was just that I didn't have the desire to go to college when I was 18). I've developed talents and set goals for new ones. Most importantly I have grown and matured (I know it's hard to tell). I have developed more patience (though I need more), learned to forgive and to seek forgiveness, I've learned not to judge people so harshly, and that I choose how to react to the things that life throws at me.

With growing a year older I have decided that in addition to New Year's goals which typically only last through the year I am setting some other goals. Things I want to accomplish, maybe not in this year, but soon.

I want to travel more. Why not? I'm single and lack a lot of "grown up" responsibility at this point, why not take advantage. I really want to go see the Grand Canyon, I've never seen it before. I want to do that in 2010, anyone interested in joining me? While I'm out west I might as well go to the four corners, you know where the four states meet and it's possible to be in four states at the same time. I want to go to Atlanta, GA and NYC. Niagara Falls while it's still in Canada and one day I would like to leave the North American Continent (whether it is Ireland, England, the castles of Germany, or Greece). I want to buy my own home eventually and I want to continue to grow and to develop into the person that Heavenly Father means me to be.

I'm so grateful for the family members and the friends throughout the years who have helped to shape me into the person I am. I love each and everyone of you, even if it's only a matter of years before I start to forget names and faces (okay, I'm not that old yet). Thanks everyone for making the last 21+ years amazing!