It has definitely been a hot couple of months, so I'm going to play a little bit of catch up! I have had so much to reflect on, and looking back on everything it is amazing how I saw God's hand in my life, and I knew it was their but not at all in the way I see now. 2019 ended with some definite hard trials and challenges, not only for myself but my family in general. Going into 2020 I was so filled with hope, I knew 2020 would be a year to remember. Little did I know though all the things that were about to go down!
Honestly though I had NO IDEA! January was slow and fast all at the same time, I was working full time, going to school full time, and had my calling which I loved! February time was the same it was slow and fast all in one, and I could never keep the days straight for the life of me. I also babysat 4 kids all under the age of 13 for a WHOLE WEEK! I was stilling working, going to school, started coaching volleyball, and the week I'm babysitting these kids, I hit a deer in their van, RIP Bambi's mom again. I still could not believe that had happened because at that point I had been driving for quite some time and never had anything happen to me in my own car or my parents if I was driving, but the minute it is somebody else's and they leave me in charge of their kids I hit a deer its fine I laugh about it now! In that same week one of the kids shatters this massive window in the house, and when I mean SHATTERED I MEAN SHATTERED think MILLIONS OF PIECES OF GLASS EVERYWHERE!!! No joke I sat and cried for 2.5 seconds because I felt like had failed. Honestly though that week taught me so much about motherhood without being a mom. The love I have for those kids, and making sure they wee safe at school, home, gym, friends houses, piano, and being a little freaked if they weren't home at the time they were supposed to be! I saw a glimpse of something that was so beautiful. I knew though that week wasn't possible though without my earthly family, and my Heavenly Parents and Savior. I felt a tiny bit of what what our Heavenly Parents feel, loving those kids even though they weren't mine, and seeing them laugh, love, sad, and just being kids. It hit me like a moving semi at full speed how much my Heavenly parents truly love me and how they are always their for me through the great times, the times were I'm crying myself to sleep not know how I'm going to keep going, the times that are so so, and so many other things! Just like our earthly parents are their for us. Let's just say I felt like I grew a lot that week.
My favorite month was WACK to say the least! March was so interesting for me, and everybody else! At the start of March I figured everything was going to be like it normally was, work, school, volleyball, church everything normal... WRONG I had panic hit me like never before, but I told myself silly goose chill the prophet isn't panicking and telling us to panic so stop worrying, it helped, Not going to lie work was so weird for me because I knew there was a chance that I could get it or one of my girls could be exposed but honestly it brought one of my best friends back to me, and we were able to make so many memories, I didn't get to celebrate my 19th birthday as planned, but honestly it was one of my favorites. Shortly after that like like no joke 2 days it was April I mean perks of having your birthday the 2nd to last day of March I can keep track of how many days till April!
April was a month like no other to say the least. In my 19 years of life I never thought that something you always hear about would happen to me. I came to know once again how BLESSED I am with my family who has worthy priesthood holders, parents who love me forever and always, more importantly who listen to the Holy Ghost, and never lost those feelings. I also strengthened my relationship with my Heavenly Parents so much, and also my Savior. I saw friends, and loved ones pray for me, check on me, and love me. I had a friend send me a quote that said Hallie this will be you someday when your ready. "One day you will tell your story about how you overcame that battle you went through, and God will send you the exact people who need to hear that story." That changed my whole outlook on the trial I was faced with.
May was filled with fun as my girls drew close to finishing school, some closed that chapter in their stories, and were about to enter the world as adulthood. The warm weather was a very nice added bonus. There was so much love, laughter, and joy in May and it only has continued! Key turned the big 17 sadly though her marathon she was going to run on her b-day got canceled due to covid. Don't worry we still had fun!
June and July were filled with more sun, volleyball, boating, running, laughing, and the usual work, school, and I finally was able to go back to YSA! I was able to go to Boise twice in June for volleyball tournaments, of course they killed it! I was so proud of them! I was running about everyday for an hour at night because why they heck not, and that was my only free time to do it! BOATING is a literal party if you are with me or my family, I almost died though thanks to some lovely boats that made huge waves that like to take me under, and trying not to get ran over by our boat that the wind was pushing into me, luckily I was able to not lose the surfboard or my life but I took a quick 15 minute intermission after that. Key, Ethan, Kam, and I played beach volleyball, and were living our best lives, until I went tubing, my grandpa's whole goal of tubing is to make your arms so tired that when it get really intense you don't have anymore strengthen so when you catch air, land, and drift. You have sometimes nothing left but to just throw yourself off and go that way. MILESTONE ACHEIVEMENT: FINISHED MY FRESHMAN YEAR OF COLLEGE!!! WHOOP WHOOP!!! I still can't believe I did it while putting 40-60 hour weeks, having a calling, coaching volleyball, and all of the above! Lets just say we had ice cream to celebrate! July was also super sad as I said see you later to one of my best friends for 18 months as she chose to go and serve a mission! I was so happy for her but it had also gotten hard for me to say goodbye to another friend as most of mine were either going on missions, or getting married. Luckily she is home MTC and I get to see her every week I will probably cry when she leaves in just a few short weeks to go to her mission. I also have had to say goodbye to a lot of my girls as they head off the start a new chapter in their lives! If you don't get the reference my girls its basically the girls I hired, worked with, grown our friendships, and truly had become family. I try not to cry as I say goodbye but it is a lot more difficult than you think.
Well I finally made it to August if you are still reading I am impressed! My parents celebrated 23 years of marriage. So BLESSED they were married and sealed in the Temple so we could be an eternal family! I love my family, don't get me wrong I will be excited when I get to move out of the house, but they are some of my eternal best friends that can't leave me! Thanks mom for instilling that in us. KeyLee is going to be a senior so that has been weird to think about, also that Kamry will be a freshman. I made the mistake of telling my mom that, and she told me I made her feel old, whoops :( our brother from another mother (a.k.a. Ethan) is going on his mission really soon like 10 days from today crazy, but we are so excited for him! It will weird to have him gone because he helps eat the left overs!! I don't know what we are going to do without him! Mom is teaching at Blackfoot and I am so happy for her! She is teaching cute little third graders! I love my mom students, when I go help in her classrooms form past school years it freaks them out because if you know my mom and I we don't look anything a like! so They don't believe us that were mother daughter! It is super funny! the look of MIND BLOWN on the kids faces is priceless! Gracie will be in 5th grade!! I keep telling her shut the front door when she talks about it because she has seriously been my mini me since October 5th 2009, so since her day of birth. She is really good at making me feel a lot older than I am, but those even though in the moment it drives me crazy they will be memories I cherish forever! I started coaching again and oh how I have missed the girls, the court, the game, also if you ever need a conditioning work out, I have plenty that will make you not like me anymore!!
As I reflected the past months though on my year so far. One thing is so clear that I have seen! GOD IS GOOD! GOD IS REAL! GOD'S TIMING IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN MY TIMING EVERYTIME! I have had the experience to completely give my heart to Heavenly Father and say he is my everything, and I will be an instrument in your hands, just help me to know how. That prayer changed everything. I have seen brush strokes in peoples paintings as the artist is helping, I have been reminded that there is still good in the world, I have seen Heavenly Father, and My Savior's hands multiple times a day in my life and in others. If you look for the good you will find good if you look for the bad you will look find the bad. So look for the good, I promise you will find it!
-Until Next Time, Hallie
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