Home Sweet Home...

Being back at home and with my family,
I'm hardly on my computer which prevents me from updating my blog.
Well I moved back at home on Thursday!
With a car loaded with hampers, bags, clothes and shoes....we were off.
I had roomie Aubbie Jo and high school friend Sarah Howard joining me.
We had a grand ol' time with good ol' talks.
Dropped them off at their homes.
I got to see Brett Nilsson...Aub's dad.
I love Papa Nilsson!
He greeted all of us with a hug!..Even Sarah...when he didn't even know her.
Went over to Stephen's Clayton performance...unfortunately only seeing the last song.
He did a wonderful job though!
We headed back home.
Stephen had plans with his friends that actually fell through.
Lucky me!
We made our tradition dip....secret recipe that only our family knows about.
And watched The Incredibles.
Ya...I fell asleep for a bit...by the fire.
Best feeling ever.
I just love being home with my family.
I wouldn't have this break any other way.

P.S. One of my best friends...Trenton James...decided to surprise me with a  new stereo for my car!
Mine was pretty busted. He is the best. Seriously.

Chills...

I already blogged today...
But who cares? Here comes another post.
I was studying today while listening to Pachelbel Meets U2 by Jon Schmidt.
I wanted to see him the man himself play it.
So I got onto good ol' YouTube.
Then I searched "All of Me".
This video popped up.

Best part about this video is that this is the ONLY video on YouTube of Jon Schmidt playing this song himself. I began to tear up...not gonna lie. I now have a goal set for Christmas break...to finish learning this song. 2 pages down...a lot to go.

TaKe WhAt YoU nEeD...

A few posts ago...
I talked about this piece of paper that
was left on our fridge.

Still to this day, we don't know where it came from.
I'm so grateful for that anonymous person.
Today.
I took...
PEACE.
I need nothing more but peace right now.
There are things in my life that aren't too easy right now.
Peace will calm my heart.
Peace will make me happy.
Peace will help me overcome fear.
Peace will lighten my cloudy day.
Peace will wipe my tears away.
Peace.

Last final will be taken tonight at 7 PM.
I couldn't be more happy.
I need to feel peace and confidence in this final.

Other feelings of sadness fill my heart.
My feelings get hurt.
I hurt other people's feelings.
I don't feel confident in decisions that need to be made.
I need to feel peace that everything WILL BE OKAY.

Some wise people in my life have been telling me this lately.

IT WILL BE OKAY.

After ripping off "peace" from the "TAKE what you NEED" paper...
I was already starting to feel the peace.
By praying, attending the temple, reading my scriptures and having faith...
I will have peace in my heart.

"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you."
2 Thessalonians 3:16

Updates on life.

Hello world.
It's been 3 days since my last post.
(Must say above sentence like Bruce in Finding Nemo)
Finals finals finals.
Not fun.

So yesterday was our ward Christmas program.
I'm the ward choir pianist.
They did a really good job.
My roommate Katie played the cello and did very well!
My mom surprised me!
She told me she wasn't going to make it.
She was the first person I saw when I walked out of Sunday School.
She is amazing!
Trent come too!

It was my mom's birthday too!
She is turned 29!
....just kidding...
She really turned 50.
She looks like she's 29 though.
We threw a surprise party for her at my aunts house!
I had told my mom that I wasn't going to make it because I had to play at a stake fireside.
I got someone to cover for me thank goodness!
So she was surprised to see me there too.
I love my mom!
She is so incredible!
It was fun to see some of my parents' friends there that I haven't seen in a while.
I even saw some of my cousins whom I haven't seen in ages!
Man I love my family!

Came home...
To study...
Did I?
Well not at first.
All of my roomies were home.
Except for Kat.
Katie was playing Zelda.
Aubrey was facebooking and pinning.
Hoa and Elise were studying hard for their last final!
I was going in my room, when Katie said,
"Annie just study out here and be with us!"
So I did.
Took me a while to finally crack open my science notes and study.
I listened to Pachelbel Meets U2....one of my favorite Jon Schmidt songs.
While clapping along with the piano on Aubrey's hand....
Weird?
Yes.
Helpful?
You betcha!
Thanks Aubs for letting me be so weird!

Took my science final today at 7!
SOOOO happy to have this class done!
1 down....3 to go.
Now I'm off to take final numero dos!
Wish me luck!

Letters to Sophie Rose...

This day was one of the most memorable days I've had in my life.
Aub and I had a photography assignment due that had to tell a story in 5 pictures.
I received inspiration on Monday night to do a story about Sophie Rose Barton.

It's been a little over a year since the passing of such an amazing person.
I was at my grandma's house that evening and I called my cousin Chelsea to come over and hang out.
She passed the news to me and I was in shock.
I didn't know how to feel.
I didn't know what to say.
I didn't know why.
Instantly, I told Jessica and Stephen about the news.
My first action was to kneel down right there in the backyard and say a prayer.

That night as I lay in my bed, looking at Sophie's Facebook profile,
Tears filled my eyes.
I began to question why her?
Why such a perfect human being who had so much going for her?
Why does her family have to go through such pain?
I got mad.
I was furious.
Then an overwhelming feeling of peace filled my room.
Sophie.
She is happy.
She is no longer in pain.
She is singing with the angels.
She is watching over her family.
She is helping me.

I did Clayton with Sophie.
We weren't in the same group, but we went on tour together.
I had seminary with Sophie.
She sat behind me.
Studying her scriptures.
Writing down notes.
She was perfect.

I would watch her and her sister Tessa walk down the halls of Olympus.
Hand in hand.
Smiles on their faces.
Beautiful clothes on.
They are best friends.

Aubs and I went to the funeral together.
Most beautiful thing I have ever been to.
Most everyone was wearing white.
Sophie's color.
I sat there with Aubrey.
Holding her hand.
Not wanting to think of the thought of ever losing Aubrey.
I held onto that moment.
I always will.

Aubrey and I drove to Salt Lake and went straight over to the Barton home.
Her mother, Anne-Marie, welcomed us with open arms.
They have made the "Dream Tree".
People come and write notes for Sophie.
We stood next to the tree in awe.
We decided to go in Sophie's room.
It's the same.
Sneakers in place.
Books in place.
Everything left the way it should be.
We sat on her bed with Anne as she told us stories about Soph.
She let us read Sophie's song writing journal.
She started writing songs at age 10.
She was so determined to finish 10 songs by age 17.
17.
She did it.
She did more than that.
Anne took pictures of us as we read her lyrics and recognized the songs.
We found a page with her song "This Feeling".
All 3 of us were singing them.

Aubs took pictures of the room while Anne-Marie and I sat on the bench in her room and looked at a scrapbook made by a complete stranger.
The pictures were from the funeral.
Anne hadn't looked at the book yet.
We were both in silence.
In tears.
We left with good advice given by Anne-Marie.
Such a strong woman.
Such an example.
I cannot wait to see that reunion between Sophie and her mother.
They are eternal best friends.

Aubrey and I made our way over to Sophie's grave.
We got white balloons...Sophie's color.
We sat there and wrote a letter to her.
We laughed.
We sat in silence.
We hugged each other.
We shared a moment that will never be forgotten.
The weather was freezing.
But my heart was warm with the feeling of Sophie there.

We tied the note to the balloons.
We released them into the sky...up to Heaven.
People always say that the balloons will eventually deflate or get caught in a tree somewhere.
I don't believe that.
That letter made it to Heaven.
Sophie read it.
I have the faith that she did.

We we were leaving,
Aub pointed out the moon.
It was 4:45 and the moon was out.
Whenever I look at the moon, I think of Sophie.
She was there with us the whole time.
She was laughing with us when we laughed.
She sat in silence...right next to us.
She smiled.

I have gotten to know Sophie in a completely different way.
She is one of my guardian angels.
I feel her in the wind.
I feel her when I'm sad.
It's like she is sitting on my bed with me.
Wiping my tears away.
She is a friend.
She is a sister.
She is perfect.
The moon.
The roses.
The rainbows.
The wind.
The rain.
The sunlight.
The music.
It's all Sophie.

I am forever grateful for this perfect soul who taught me to:
"Feel the fear and do it anyway."
-Sophie Rose Barton

I love this girl.
I'm so grateful for this assignment.
I'm grateful for the story.
Yes. It's horrible and sad.
Yes. It's meaningful and happy.
Sophie only wants us to be happy...
because she is.

I love the impact this assignment had on my life.
On Aubrey's life.
On my photography instructor's life.
...Yes...as he looked at my assignment...
He teared up.
Sophie was there.
I know it.

I am eternally grateful for that amazing angel.

                               

 

 

We love and miss you Sophie Rose Barton.

Live your Life

Lately...I haven't been Anna Marilyn Pinnock.
I haven't been feeling myself at all.
I haven't been happy with some situations in my life.
I get moody, discouraged and disappointed.
I feel the most let down then I have ever felt in my life.
I have been trying for weeks and weeks to figure out how to live my life in such a way where I won't feel so lost and alone.
Every time I get to a low point, I sit there and think about the people who help me be happy.
The things that make me happy.

I'm so grateful for my amazing roommates.
All 5 of them.
I'm so grateful for my family members.
All 8 of them.
I'm grateful for my mom's phone calls and her "I love you's"
EVERYDAY.
I'm grateful for Aubrey and her amazing hugs and snuggle times.
All BILLION of them.
I'm grateful for my education.
All of it.
I'm grateful for the Book of Mormon.
All 531 pages of it.
I'm grateful for this gospel.
Forever and all eternity.

Last night in Psychology, my amazing professor started out the lecture with a movie that changed my whole perspective on life. People will come in and out of your life. Your feelings will get hurt here and there. It's up to you whether or not you let that affect the way you treat others and live your life. Focus on those who are consistent in your relationships. Focus on the spontaneous moments in life rather than the dull. I now know how to live my life in such a way where sadness and discouragement doesn't exist.

Live your life...

A penny for your thoughts...

I was at the post office today and there was a cup that said, "A penny for your thoughts"

I see this quote everywhere...

Never really understood it...

But when I walked out of the Student Center, I start thinking about a lot of things...

Family.

Church.

Christmas.

My lovely roommates.

How my tummy was hungry.

Friends from afar.

Old memories.

Memories to make.

How I love school.

Ways I can improve my own life. 

I guess you can say that was 10 cents for my thoughts.

The more I thought about these 10 things...the bigger my smile got.

I've never really thought about life like that.

"A penny for my thoughts, oh no, I'll sell 'em for a dollar.

They're worth so much more after I'm a goner

And maybe then you'll hear the words I been singing

Funny, when you're dead how people start listening..."

-A Band Called Perry

This verse of "If I Die Young" is brilliant.
I think it's one of my top 5 favorite lyrics.
Why?
Many reasons.