Sahuarita Arizona

Hey Everyone! I have decided to start blogging again. Making life... interesting! :)
So Arizona is very hot. It reaches about 108 degrees everyday! Hot hot hot! But I know this is where the Lord wants us to be right now so we must endure. So many other people have not only endured but enjoyed life's challenges so why can't I? Our house is taking a lot longer to get than we would have expected though. Our loan company keeps throwing new things in our way everyday! We were supposed to move in this saturday, but now for some new reason it is going to take more like 2 to 4 weeks. Thats a bit of a bummer. The place we are staying in now is... well... small. There are two bedrooms and luckily two bathrooms. I sleep in one room my parents in the other and my brother is on the floor... but we made him a nice bed with a memory foam pad and couch cushions so he can't complain! He actually has the best deal of us all because the bed are starting to mess up my neck and back... They are hard as a rock! It has one tv so we all have to try and agree on shows... which is very hard in this family. There really isn't much to do in this town though so we mostly just stay at home everyday unless we go to the store or go visit our house. Right by our new house is a beautiful lake! It is the brightest blue green I have ever seen a lake be because it contrasts so nicely with the brown of the landscape surrounding it. There is also a nice club house and pool area in our neighborhood. There are many pools with slides and there is a free gym for everyone too. Its like the bridgeport of Sahuarita! Thats our towns name by the way. Sahuarita Arizona. I haven't met much of anyone yet though. I was supposed to go to girls camp next week and meet a bunch of girls in my area but they moved it until the fires stop. The fires are up in the mountains though so they aren't a threat to us here in good old Sahuarita! Well I have a bunch of AP summer homework to do and I need to study for the ACT that I am taking this weekend! I have survived two weeks so far! :)
Take care.
Natalie Marie.

EFY! (Anxiously Engaged)

This last week was absolutely amazing! I had the experience of a lifetime! I felt the spirit everyday from the tip of my head to the bottom of my toes... Our theme was Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage, be not afraid neither be thou dismayed for the Lord they God is with thee, wither soever thou goest." I met so many new people, gained such a stronger testimony and I learned so much about things I didn't know. My favorite thing that I learned was from Brother Boyle's class when he talked about the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. I like to compare that to things like Adam and Eve, how Eve had to choose the spirt of the law over the letter of the law, or the actual law, that was given to her by God. The food was ok but the games night and dances were awesome! The First day we met with our companies and got to know our counselors! I had some of the best counselors! Elle, Stacie and Austin. They told me their own testimonies which in turn strengthened my own. I also had the most amazing BCs ever! (BCs are the counselors to the counselors) I got really close with Kristina, Nick Ricky and Richard. Nick took our group the first day when my counselor couldn't be there on time and he has awesome glasses just like my fake ones! Kristina took our group after him when my counselor had another issue she had to deal with and I just love her to death! Kristina always encouraged us to show our talents in the music program but when I went to the first practice I couldn't get through one song without crying so we didn't end up doing it. Then we (Amy Rachel and I) met Richard when we heard that there was no nerd day this year and were told to bring it up with Richard! Richard said we would be making fun of nerds if we dressed up like nerds, we dressed up like them anyways, Richard didn't get mad surprisingly haha. Then we met Ricky who has this awesome dance move called the T-Rex! It's so awesome! Then one very awesome lunch time we met Tommy! He is the funniest person I have ever met and he has amazing stories about Rubi-Ribbet-Salamanders?? But all in all the people in my company were so bright, fun and full of the light of Christ! On the last day the boys gave each of the girls a note telling us how special we were as daughters of God and they all signed each one (Granted there were 35 girls!) We also caught up with some old friends from EFY last year! They have changed and matured So much! There was amazing classes with Brother Beecher, Brother Boyle and Brother Slaughter. There was also a fun games night where my company (Anxiously Engaged) got first in the cheer off (our cheer was "Anxiously Engaged even though we're under age) and second in the banner category. There was also 2 dances, a very spiritual musical program and a variety show (One guy played the drums and guitar at the same time! And another guy ripped phone books in half!) Our session directors, Brother and Sister Robb were amazing, Fun and so knowledgeable in the gospel which in turn rubbed off on every person there! I had an amazing experience and I so hope I keep in touch with these amazing people and that I will never forget the spirit I felt there!


Spirit. Testimony. Friends. Counselors. EFY.

Dancing

I miss dancing. I miss the feeling of accomplishment when I learned and nailed a new part of a routine, or when i would stretch farther in my splits than the last time. I love the feeling of seeing the costumes and hearing the song that the routine goes to for the first time, even though knowing that later it will start to get really repetitive... I miss the feeling of putting my own character to the steps I've been given and watching myself and the others in the huge mirror before us all put something different to the dance. When i was dancing i was so frustrated with the inflexibility of my legs and body compared to the other girls... looking back i actually wasn't trying my hardest and now i wish i had. National Dance Day is coming up on July 31st and I can't wait! I learned the routine Nappy Tabb's has provided on www.Fox.com/Dance and I am surprised at how easy it was to get back in the routine of dancing and learning a new dance. Even though I'm not very good at hip hop... I love love love watching others dance! It makes me feel so empowered that in time i can get back into dancing and be as good as them someday... I can't wait until I can start again!

Song. Jazz. Lyrical. Love. Dance. <3

Return to Virtue

This week i went to girls camp with the other girls in my stake. I had a very fun time camping in tents at the El Captain Beach. The theme was return to virtue which was a very good thing to learn more about because its not so often you could ask random people at school and have them know exactly what virtue is all about. Virtue is not only about being chase but also being righteous, motherly, friendly, and having a good attitude such as not being sarcastic or bitter toward things like camping in tents when we normally camp in cabins... Big Change! But all in all the stake and ward leaders did an amazing job at putting it all together. I had a great time being a youth leader (one of the older girls who teaches the younger girls the certification they need to know to be "successful campers" in all the times they will have to survive on their own out in the wilderness) and making a few new friends from other wards that go to different schools that i normally wouldn't get to know! The crafts were fun also, making homemade magnet boards and necklaces out of washers. It was chilly through the day and at night but it was fun to get to bundle up in sweats which usually isn't possible during summer in sunny California! It was a success all in all and i am so glad i went!

Sisters

I can't believe your turning 20! It seems like yesterday we were sharing a room! I miss the old days of getting to share your cloths and fighting like sisters should. I miss when i saw you everyday because now i never see you! You are one of my best friends and I miss you dearly! Have an amazing birthday bigg sissy! I love you

Family. Friends. Love. Life. Sisters.

This is me!

I started this blog for me and for others. It is for me to share my life and my feelings and also to share my testimony and experiences as a Latter Day Saint youth. 


Family. Friends. Love. Faith. Hope.