A few of my Favourite Things....

As mentioned in my last post, I have a list of my favourite things. 

I like to reflect on what makes me happy whenever I have a bad day.

Sometimes it is nice to reflect on how blessed I am.

However, I am really good at losing things.
So I have to rewrite said list often.

But if I post it on her I won't be able to lose it.

Here we go...

Emmie's Favourite Things

The Gospel

Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

My family

Being called Emmie

Cardigans

Cardston Temple

My Squad

Swimming in the Ocean

Soccer Practice

Naps

Drawing, Painting, basically Art

Carriage House Theatre

Lemonade

Musicals and singing along to Showtunes

Beauty and the Beast

Politics class

Attractive men

SVU Green

Throwing Parties

Pippin the Musical

Washington D.C.

Italy

First Snowfalls

Hilary Weeks music

Memories of DQ with Dalys

Being barefoot

Cute earrings

Waking up happy

Baths

Libraries

The Young Women's program

Peacoats

Dancing in the Rain

Finales that leave you stuck in your seat, because the ending was so perfect it leaves you breathless.

Of course I have a lot more things that are my favourite than just this short list.

One of the greatest lessons I ever learned is exemplified in this quote:

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. 

Life is about learning to dance in the rain.

I have had trials in my life.
I've had hard times.

I've had my fair share of storms and I know that there are more on the horizon.

But I've gotten through those storms.

And I will get through more.

The best way to do so is to dance in the rain.

To smile through the fog.

To fight against the riptides.

And to be happy in spite of everything telling you that you shouldn't be.

And so I am thankful.

I am grateful.

I am happy.

And I know I am loved.

Scroll back up to the top of my list of favourite things, what are the first two?

....................

That is the reason I am happy. 

That gives me the strength I need to face every day.

Without a loving Heavenly Father and a knowledge of Him, I don't know where I would be now, or who I would be.

But I know that as I am now, I am happy.

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 8:12

Palette Knives and Pink Cardigans

So I haven't written in 2 weeks, that's slightly awkward. Sorry about that...
Florida was great!

The beach was simply incredible, and I got enough Vitamin D to last me till summer, so that was awesome.
Now I'm back to the daily grind.
Monday was my Portfolio Review for Art, I will post pictures soon of my completed artworks.
As was hinted at in the title of this blog, I have started working with palette knives.

I LOVE PALETTE KNIVES!

Palette knives are bae.
Bae is bae.
******* is bae.
(Squad joke)

But even my professor acknowledged that working with palette knives come naturally for me.
A compliment I sincerely appreciated.
When I post pictures I will also talk more about working with palette knives and the differences between brushwork and using the knives.

On to the second part of the title.

PINK CARDIGANS.

I love making lists, it calms me down when I'm stressed, and helps me to refocus on my priorities.

Near the top of my Favourite Things list is Cardigans.

It may be because they complete any outfit.
It may be because they come in multiple colours and match everything.
It may be the degree of classiness that accompanies a cardigan.
Or maybe I just like to be warm without actually wearing a jacket.
Regardless, cardigans are one of my favourite things in the world.

Today is a pink cardigan, black & white polka dot pants and grey oxford shoes....
Today is a good day.

Just your average week...

So in countdown, just over 2 1/2 days I will be leaving for FLORIDA to spend Spring Break with my best friends. Obviously I am so excited! However. But. Although. There is a lot to do before Spring Break is here! For some weird reason all the professors think that they can assign all this homework and quizzes and tests to do before all the students leave for a week. Weird right? Fine, I realize the predicament but still.
My today schedule has been a swirling vortex of doom.
4am Alarm goes off, get up
4:15 am Slightly awake, pulling up all my assignments, eating skittles in the hope that sugar wakes me up
4:30 am Editing and making corrections on my Humanities paper
5:30 am Studying for my Humanities test
7 am Make oatmeal for breakfast, work on Politics homework
7:30 am Shower and get dressed
8 am Work on Politics homework
9 am Correct all the weird editing I did on my Humanities paper at 5 am
9:30 am Paper printed off, makeup on face, raincoat grabbed (because of course it is rainy today) and out the door
10 am Humanities Test which I better have rocked, and think I did
11 am Order food for lunch, go to library and finish Politics homework
12 am Totally distracted researching graduate studies at Oxford University (Mom, Dad, if you are reading this we are still like 4 years away from even applying so don't worry)
12:30 pm Realize my Politics homework is due in 45 minutes!
1:15 pm Scramble to finish homework and print it off
1:30 pm Make it to Math class in time
2:45 pm Realize I have no idea what I did in Math today, turn in Politics homework
3 pm Research optimal nap times (NASA says 26 minutes), attempted to nap but I am not napping at a desk in the library. Nope.
3:30 pm Given up trying to nap, now writing this very blogpost. Wow.
3:45 pm Study for Politics final KNOW EVERYTHING
4:30 pm Review maps of the world for Politics Final
5 pm Eat Dinner
5:15 pm Review all my Politics notes one last time
6 pm POLITICS FINAL
(Truth be told I have no idea how long this test will take, lets say it takes me 2 hrs)
8 pm Paint....... I have a portfolio review tomorrow and two unfinished pieces
10 pm Call Mac and beg for a ride, probably end up walking, and go to bed.

I got this. I totally got this. And I will deal with tomorrow when I get there, right?
Seriously though, college life is great. I spent 6 hrs studying for my politics final yesterday and only made it through a quarter of the material. Luckily I love politics, and I know this and I got this.
Good luck world.
Good luck with midterms, finals, or whatever other stresses you have to deal with.
We got dis....

A bit of library fun with my squad.

And a quote to help all of us make it to spring break!

Fitting In

What was the moment you realized you were different?

That you didn't fit in with everyone around you?

For some readers out there you may not have realized it yet. If so I apologize for bursting your bubble. (No one truly fits in)
For some of you it was in Jr. High, that awkward age of puberty and all that entails.
For some they were born knowing they were different.

For me, I was about 7.

Before this I had experiences that caused me to realize I was different than my peers, but they were minor incidences whose significance have been brushed away by time.

Playing with cars instead of playing house with the rest of my preschool class.
Preferring to sit with the adults and just watch everyone interacting rather than join in running laps around grandma's living room.
Being born with a sense of politeness and decency that most children must be taught.

However, looking back through the years there was one single moment when all of a sudden it clicked, and I realized that my peers, while of the same age group and social class for the most part, were not of the same mentality as I was.

From then on I realized, that I was different.

It was a warm April day. I was in grade one, and for the most part first grade is free of cliques and social status. I was in the advanced reader program, had the lead in the Christmas play and had the best Halloween costume that year, as I had dressed up as Harry Potter.

That day I was out playing at recess when I saw one of my friends run past me screaming.

Concerned, I turned to her as a boy ran past me chasing her. She kept screaming at him to leave her alone, but no one else on the playground seemed too concerned about this.
Jumping up I rushed to her aid, and grabbed the boy by the back of his hoodie. He skidded to a stop, and bravely I told him to leave my friend alone, and stop harassing her. (Again I was in the advanced readers program.)

Just then my friend came stomping over to me, having realized that the boy in question was no longer chasing her. She told me to let go of him, and that they were just playing a game. He told me to stop being a spaz and started chasing after her again.

Confused I stepped away from the situation and sat down on the hill to ponder what had just taken place.

My friend had screamed for help. She was being chased. I bravely stepped in, though I was regarded as being fairly shy at the time. I felt that I should have been a hero. Instead I was mocked for my actions.
I puzzled over what had happened all that day, and even now thinking about it still causes a slight twinge of pain in my heart.

That day I realized that I was different. That what I felt was an appropriate course of action was not, and all of a sudden I had to reconsider all my beliefs.

Looking back, I am proud of little Emmie. Of her choice to stand up for her friend, regardless of how it all played out.

And I am proud to be different.

School was not an easy time.
From that moment on there was always something that caused me not to fit in.
I was the kid who everyone wanted to copy their homework off of.
I was the one entrusted to keep an eye on the crazy kids to make sure they were paying attention in class.
I played by myself most recesses because the games everyone played seemed trivial to me, choosing instead to talk with the teachers or with other like-minded kids.
I joined many fads and trends, not because I understood them, but because I wanted to fit in.
I was depressed as a sixth-grader at a time when most of my classmates were still concerned with stuffed animals and lunch money.

I made it through Jr. High school. (Those years sucked so we will just skip over them.)

And in High School I was the founder and president of my high school's service club.
I was in student council for two years.
I coached soccer.
I worked at a good job and was one of the best employees they had.
I had good grades, and was a favourite of some of my teachers.
And I ruled that school.

Now I am in college. Where I have the best friends I have ever had in my life. Who love me for everything that makes me different. And I have realized that it is those things that make you different that make you special.

I am courageous.
I am compassionate.
I am brave.
I am smart.
I am beautiful.
I am ambitious.
I am a daughter of God.

I am happy.