Dear Martha :)

If you know me, you know I am an organization freak. As a kid, cleaning out my room was fun for me. Everything had it's place, and there was no unnecessary clutter. I have stacks of notebooks that I use for the sole purpose of making lists. I love making lists. There's nothing more satisfactory to me than checking off something on my list. I have them for groceries, goals, homework, everything.

So today, as I was looking up some recipes on MarthaStewart.com, I came across this amazing discovery. It's all about organization! Martha tells you everything you need to know, from how to store your baking ingredients (in clear jars and in alphabetical order), and how to double your space in your closet (and with the apartments at BYU, I think we all need to know that one!). I got so excited, and spent about an hour browsing. Seriously, Martha knows what she's talking about. She knows it all, from cooking to cleaning to home decorating to gardening. So if you're as crazy about being clean as I am, www.marthastewart.com/organizing is SO worth checking out. You might find yourself addicted too!

Nice People

I'm loving my new job, and what I love most about it is that I work with nice people. I've always tried my entire life to be a nice person. I've always said "please," "thank you," "have a good day" and all those terms that you're taught to say. And I've learned to really mean it. People do so many nice things for me! But it's great when I receive niceness in return.

At my job we're working with the honored alumnus of the year and we're flying her out to speak during Homecoming Week at BYU. Today I was on the phone with her, and she was just so darn nice. She sincerely thanked me for my help and told me she appreciated the work we're doing to bring her out to Provo. It was just so refreshing to interact with a person who was genuinely kind and sincere. I've never met her, but I want to thank her for making my day!

So just be nice. It's so great to receive it in return.

Masterpiece.

Yesterday I was driving to Provo, and since it was Sunday, I was listening to some Church music. I was listening Julie de Azevedo, and her song "Masterpiece" came on. I've heard it before, but yesterday the lyrics really struck me, so I thought I would share them.

"Masterpiece"

Simple clay in a potter's hand,

an empty page and an author's pen,

an artist's brush to a canvas white,

and a work of art comes to life.

Marble raw, but the sculptor sees

the masterpiece that lies beneath,

though rough and marred the master's touch

can change this life into his work of love.

So every day I pray

He'll write his will upon my heart,

mold my soul to his design,

adding color, depth, and light,

polishing until I shine, shine, shine.

All my heart is in his hands,

he's painting the life he'd have me lead,

through refining floods and flames,

smoothing edges and the seams.

And in time, time, time,

oh this simple life will be,

a masterpiece.

Snowy peaks, water colored skies,

His works of beauty fill my eyes,

but he sees nothing more beautiful

than a heart submissive to his will.

I want to know his will,

So every day I pray

He'll write his will upon my heart,

mold my soul to his design,

adding color, depth, and light,

polishing until I shine, shine, shine.

All my heart is in his hands,

he's painting the life he'd have me lead,

through refining floods and flames,

smoothing edges and the seams.

And in time, time, time,

oh this simple life will be,

a masterpiece.

My Master's masterpiece.

I Heart Running

For years I've been wanting to train for a 10K race, and finally this summer I've decided to do it. I found a twelve-week running program that builds you from being someone who can barely run for 5 minutes (me), to someone who can run a 10K effortlessly (future me). Normally when I start a program I'm pretty driven to complete it, but this program was a little bit different. I'm pretty lazy sometimes when it comes to exercise. So I thought that I would probably give up pretty quickly.

But then I discovered that I really like to run. I'm in the third week of my training, and I love that high I get when I complete the time and distance I'm supposed to go. I like seeing that each day I can run a little bit farther and a little bit faster. The last few seconds are tough, but I love pushing through it because I feel so good at the end when I can say "I did it!" So hopefully for the next 9 weeks I can stick to the program. 10K, here I come!

David Letterman.

So, ever since I was little I've loved David Letterman. I don't know why. Sometimes my dad would stay up to watch his Top 10 List. That was always a special thing, when Dad said we could stay up past 10:30 to watch with him. After the Top 10 List, unless someone interesting was on, it was time for bed. So I was thinking maybe I should make a Top 10 List of things I love and think are beautiful.

10. Jamba Juice. Today I was walking on campus and it felt like it was 150 degrees, so I stopped at Jamba in the Wilk and got myself a 16 Citrus Squeeze. SO yummy.

9. Cooking. I love cooking. It's therapeutic to me. When I need something to do, or when I need time to think, I bake or grill or sauté. I love looking at people's faces when they eat what I make!

8. Writing in my journal. Along with cooking, writing in my journal relaxes me. I've written in one pretty diligently ever since I was in 6th grade. If you haven't done it, start! The best thing is to read back over things you've written in the past.

7. Early morning. Even though I'm NOT a morning person, the times when I do wake up early and it's quiet and the sun is just barely rising are just so beautiful. I love getting up early and getting things done. One of my favorite things is to read my scriptures then.

6. Snowy nights. While I love early mornings, I also love snowy evenings. My favorite memories are being with my family around Christmas, reading by a fireplace and drinking hot

chocolate, and the snow falls outside. I just think that's so pretty!

5. Babies. There's something so happy about babies. I love their little feet and fingers. At church the other day I was playing with this cute baby boy, and his smile just melted my heart!

4. Pink lemonade. There's just something so summery and pretty about it. I picture ladies in big hats sitting outside and sipping it, while talking about books.

3. Reading. I LOVE to read anything I can get my hands on! Right now I'm reading this amazing novel called "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini, and I am learning so much about Afghani women and the struggles and injustices they have dealt with.

2. BYU. I love BYU, and I love Provo! Sometimes I whine and complain that I don't want to be there anymore, but once I leave I can't wait to come back. I love walking around campus and meeting students and professors that I can learn so much from.

1. Pearls. There's something so beautiful and classy about pearls. And I strongly believe that you look so much better when you put some on! And beautiful jewelry makes me feel so much prettier. And anything that can make me feel that way definitely goes on my list!

So there you go. Go out today and look for something beautiful.

Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence

I was reading this great devotional today that Jeffrey R. Holland gave at BYU in 1999, called "Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence," and I found this wonderful quote.

"If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. Don't give up when the pressure mounts. It's been done before. Don't give in. Certainly don't give in to that being who is bent on the destruction of your happiness. He wants everyone to be miserable like unto himself. Face your doubts. Master your fears. 'Cast not away therefore your confidence.' Stay the course and see the beauty of life unfold for you."

I loved this quote, because recently I've noticed that I question answers I have been given. This just helped me a lot, and I'm learning that Heavenly Father doesn't give us an answer only to turn around and give us another one. So if you get a chance, read this. It's really inspiring.

Summer Life.

I've been home from London for about 3 weeks, and I can't believe how fast it's gone by! I'm going to be back at BYU before I know it. I've been looking for a job, and that's been driving me nuts. But I have two interviews next week for jobs on campus, so maybe something will come of that!

My roommate Laura is engaged, and she asked me to bake her wedding cake! This has always been a dream of mine, and I am so excited. I'm thinking a 3-tiered lemon poppyseed cake with lemon curd filling and buttercream frosting. I can envision in my head what I want it to look like, it's just creating it that I'm nervous about. But all great cooks start somewhere right? And a goal of mine is to be a great cook!

I'm loving the warm weather. I came home nice and pasty from London, and thanks to some good old sun my freckles are beginning to come back. I've brought my Ray Ban Wayfarers out, and I've been loving it. And all the rain has made the Salt Lake Valley beautiful. I love waking up early in the morning, looking out my window, and seeing green everywhere. I hope it stays that way.

Yesterday my family went through the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house, and it's beautiful. When we arrived, there was a storm raging. I don't think I've ever seen it rain so hard in my life! But once we got into the temple, I couldn't even hear it. And there are pictures of Christ everywhere, which I absolutely love. I just love that our church builds such beautiful structures for us to come and sit, and just feel at peace.

So far summer has been going well. Life is good.