Wednesday, September 21, 2011

A Love Story

I was born into being a Ute fan the ways some kids are born into money, or 20/20 vision.
Genetics, and environment.
From the time I was an infant I was exposed to college athletics. Dad frequently talks about how when it was his turn to wake up with me in the middle of the night we'd sit there watching football or sports center together.
When I was just a year and a half old I was already completely enamored with my team.
Exhibit A

And it continued- from the time I was about 3 I went to Utah football and basketball games. I remember when Utah basketball won the Mountain West conference title and brought out the ladder to cut down the net. Some of the older people around us were surprised that Dad would bring three young girls to such an important game.
We weren't though.
I remember touring Rice Eccles as soon as it was completed. I was ecstatic to attend the games, and Dad never stopped bring us to those either. There were times when it was cold, and my sisters who may have come most excited for dip n dots were tired, and done with the game.
I wasn't though.
Dad was patient with me. Explaining everything from offsides to pass interference and how exactly teams get into those rigged BCS games. And before he and I knew it, he had at least one daughter that loved the game.
I bet when we were little Dad thought he'd probably have a son to take to the games someday. Obviously he never did. He could have been disappointed by this.
He wasn't though.
Of course I remember being there when Utah beat out BYU solidifying a spot in the Fiesta Bowl. Of course I was smitten by the always attractive Alex Smith during the heyday of the Urban Era.
Of course I cheer for Utah.
When I got into BYU Dad always reminded me of the example of my cousins, who graduated from the Y but remained U fans. He got a lot of slack at work for letting his daughter go to the rival school for which he cheered. He could have called me a traitor.
He didn't though.
So here I am, fourth BYU season I've been a student there-and the fourth season I've cheered for Utah at that rivalry game. Every other BYU game I cheer for them, for my school, because I do love them. However, I will always love my Utes more.

And I thank my Dad for that!











PS-Dad helped give out the game ball with some great people!

Friday, September 16, 2011

300

Last night I sat a table (oh whats that word...) reminiscing with friends:
one girl who was always a friend, but when I needed a best friend more than ever became just that
another girl who I've known longer than anyone else in the room (besides mom) and who has always been there to make me smile and make me laugh
a boy who I've watched grow into a man, yet still laughs like child
and my very best friend, my mother.
We sat laughing, joking, sipping on mediocre lemonade and catching up with the passers by and each other. We admired the beautiful bride, and the groom who meant something different to each of us, but was loved by us all.
Life is funny. Who would have thought five years ago that at this wedding I'd be sitting next to those two girls. Or that we'd laugh with such care-free attitudes about things that, five years in the past, wouldn't have been funny in the least.
But we laughed. And we joked. And I thought about how lucky I am that my life has worked out how it has, about how lucky I am to have them all as friends. About how grateful I am for change.
And that brings me to the title of this post-300. This is my 300th post on the blog. 300 posts in 3 years-not too bad! Of course not all of them actually made the cut for being published, some are just for me. Together they, the published and un-published, make up the story of my life the last 3 years. And I'm so grateful I have that story for myself.
To remind me just how grateful I am with the way my life worked out.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Labor Day Weekend

i can get hurt playing the most mild of sports, mom and I got a hole in 2, and... i lost

abbie being very serious, megs gets a whole in 1, and this man shows us how it's really done

Friday: shopping with Mom, dinner with the family, a little bit of an allergic reaction, TCU vs Baylor with Dad, ice cream with Stace, and getting knocked out by Benadryll

Saturday: sleeping in, bagels, Park City, browsing the shops, enjoying the perfect weather, meeting Michelle Money (soo soo kind. can I just take a minute and say how genuine and sweet she is. I'm seriously hoping she wins that little tv show she is currently on), dinner and football

Sunday: sleeping in, church in Provo (I'm loving my ward here), getting a new calling, dinner with the Child's, Sweet Home Alabama, and the following southern speak for the rest of the night

Monday: sleeping in, lunch with the family, running into some friends, mini golf, homework, back to Provo, and some crafty actually-do-something-I-pinned-time.
It was a fun weekend, and just what I needed after last week (was it the longest week ever for anyone else?). Now I'm refreshed (did you notice the "sleeping in" trend?) and ready to get back to work/school/studying/provo life.

Thanks family! It was fun. Well obviously-because we have "such a fun family".