A little perspective for ya

So.... I just had my 22nd birthday about a week and a half ago. It was not the worst birthday but it wasn't the best either. If anything I gained a new perspective on what is most important and that is the perfect gift for me. So the story goes like this: Every year the Shupe Family Reunion falls on the weekend of my birthday. It just does and I don't mind (get to see all my family on my dad's side, who could ask for more?). I couldn't go last year because I had work. I could't go the year before that because I was in Flagstaff and couldn't afford the drive. So needless to say I miss my extended family and really wanted to see them and I really thought I was this year. My plan for the day was to help Stephanie, my land lady, with moving a stove, refrigerator, and a microwave from Fillmore back to Duchesne, get back in time for Dylan and I to leave around 5 or 6 and get to Bear Lake around 8 or 9 at night. I was expecting to hear from Dylan around noon to see when he was going to get off exactly but I never heard from him until 6 pm so Stephanie had the idea, why not have someone come pick me up in Salt Lake? I didn't think it would be that much of a hassle so I proposed it to my dad and he told me Angela was already heading towards that way to pick up John so try to coordinate with her. She had already picked John up by the time I contacted her and we weren't even in Fillmore yet so long story short, it didn't happen and to be honest, it hurt my feelings. I'd like to think that if the roles were reversed, even if I had driven 14-15 hours, I would turn around and get one of my siblings. Especially if it was their birthday. But who knows how I would really react. All the day through though, my family had been wishing my a "Happy Birthday". I even got one from my cousin Corey. That night, when we finally got home, I looked on Facebook to see all the "Happy Birthday" wishes there but there were none. Not a single one. When Dylan got home he had a card, wooden flowers, and a movie for me. When I told him about the Facebook disappointment he reminded me that my family had wished me happy birthday. That was one of those moments when it kind of slaps you in the face. Like "Duh! Of course your family wanted to see you but things just didn't match up and that's no ones fault. These are the people that will always care about you and will take the time to call you and sing the 'Happy Birthday' song." So thank you family of mine for loving me the way that you do and thank you friends for not wishing me a happy birthday so I could appreciate my family more.

A time to wake and a time to sleep

If you couldn't tell by the title, I need to sleep more. I've been hanging out with my sister, Shannon, whom I love greatly but I am not in love with her sleeping habits or the eating habits that go along with it. I am currently in a competition in which I need to lose close to 40 lbs by the end of this summer. I'm going to do it because I could really use $2000 (who couldn't?!). And since dating Dylan I've achieved my heaviest weight so far. I want to make this the limit really. Even when I get pregnant I don't want to ever feel this way again. I took my blood pressure at a Kiosk in Wal-Mart and the computer told me I have great blood pressure which was a relief to me so I must be doing something right. Or I was at that moment at least.... So.... I finished my first year at Dixie State College of Utah in Saint George, Utah. I absolutely loved it. I don't know if it was due to the classes I was taking or if it's just he overall experience that the school has to offer but I really felt enlightened and like I wasn't wasting my time. I looked forward to learning what the courses had to offer me. Part of me thinks that I'm just at a stage in my life when I just want to finish school and do well in school so social events don't matter to me anymore. In that regard, I didn't really make any friends there which I take full responsibility. I became a recluse. This is the first time I'm "going off to college" on my own. In Flagstaff I had Amber to guide me and then I went back to Kingman where I had all my Kingman friends so yeah could probably improve my social skills and at least get out of my apartment. I have officially made a goal for the upcoming semester; I will attend at least one event that the college offers each month. Hopefully I will increase the radius of my comfort zone and attend more but for the time being, I will attend at least one event that the college offers each month. My one complaint about my experience at Dixie would have to be my apartment complex. True, I didn't do a whole lot of research before committing to the place so won't be doing that again. There was no real supervision at night and no one honored the "quiet time". If you told management about something then something ended up happening to you or your property. Craziest night would have to be the Friday before I moved out for the summer. I'm pretty sure the girl that lived above us was possessed. Or least acting like it. I'm pretty sure missionaries were called so it may have been legit. Either way, pretty crazy night. Which goes back to my original topic of needing to sleep more. I need to find a place that offers quiet and will let my family visit and stay with me, namely brothers, a dad, and a Dylan. I am truly looking forward to owning this weight loss competition and getting that $2000 for school or possibly a wedding dress :D I've started running 2 miles every morning. I haven't today because it is dreadfully hot outside. The wind is blowing so I think I'm going to go for it later. I also have some yard work to look forward to. Yard work=$$$ so can't complain too much. On a final note just want to say to whoever is reading this, if you are going through any kind of crisis and you feel like there is nothing you can do, remember that you are an intelligent being with an incredible brain and you are the programmer. I've learned that just by getting your heart rate up can do wonders for your physical, mental, and even emotional health. Take control of the things you can and let go of the things you can't. Whatever is afflicting you is conquerable and you have an unconquerable soul. You're stronger than you know and you probably have more support than you realize. Keep your head up and knock those problems out of the park!