.beyond.measure.

The love I have for this group is well....'Beyond Measure'.

Being apart of something like this is a dream of mine.

I feel like I have known these people for the longest time. 

Feeling like I belong somewhere is worth while.

Being with these people doing what we love feels right.

Ladies and gents...BYU brings to you their first coed acapella group...

'BEYOND MEASURE'

.dreams.come.true.

After not making it past the first cut at BYU Young Ambassador auditions, I was mad. I felt stuck. Stuck with nowhere to go. For those of you who know me will know that performing is my life. It's what I live for. It's my passion. I then made a promise to myself that I will audition again and again. A few weeks later I felt like I needed to text my friend Laina asking about Noteworthy auditions. **Noteworthy is an all girl acapella group at BYU.** Auditions weren't until fall so that gave me 4 months to prepare. A few minutes after this conversation she sent me a picture of a flyer advertising a new acapella group that was forming at BYU. A coed group. Auditions? 6 days. As soon as I received that picture I jumped on my laptop looking for song ideas for my audition. Every day after that I practiced and practiced. A few days before the audition I got the flu followed by a sinus infection. (my life!!!!!!) The day before the audition I woke up with no voice. I panicked. I did everything I could to get my voice back. Voice rest. Nasty drinks. Steamy showers. I auditioned the next day and did surprisingly well considering the fact that I had no voice. I got a phone call that night asking to come to call backs. I cried. CALL BACKS! 2 words I wanted to hear! 

Call backs came and I found myself discouraged. I walked into the room and found more people there than anticipated. I panicked. Then I heard some of the girls sing. I panicked...again. I had no voice. And with no voice came no confidence. "Well..I'm screwed!" I said to myself. My mom then texted me at the perfect moment. "You will be great. You are great! Lets have a joint prayer right now. Love you!" Man my mom is good! I then knew that I needed to say a prayer. I paced around in the back of the room while others were singing. It was a very simple yet important prayer. I sang and gave it my all. Still, not much of a voice to show. I found myself starting to get a little emotional. Tearing up inside. I wanted to leave. But I knew that this was my chance. That I needed to be there. So I stayed and finished my call back. 

Leaving the call back was discouraging and heart breaking. I didn't think I had any chance. I found myself giving up and accepting the fact that I was "stuck". Later that evening, I was with my sister Jessica and I looked at my phone and had a missed call and voicemail. Long story short, I was asked to go back to the audition room the next morning for a meeting with the 2013-2014 BYU Coed Acapella Group. I made it! I couldn't believe it. I immediately said a prayer of thanks to my Heavenly Father. I finally feel apart of something. I am truly blessed. This is a dream of mine. This is silly but after watching the movie Pitch Perfect, I had this dream to be apart of a group like that. Now I am. It has all happened so fast. I love it.

.what.i.think.

I don't know how it is at your university, but I feel like at BYU the professors all gather together in secret meetings. And in these meetings they discuss when they are giving out tests, assignments and projects. Then they make an evil plan to hand out those tests, assignments and projects on the very same week. And with an evil burst of laughter that plan goes into action.

Yup. That's probably it. Or that's just my migraine thinking. Or the fact that I am sincerely stressed out to the point where I want to cry. Or that's really happening on a weekly basis. Or I'm just starving. Probably all of the above. Dang you professors and your secret, evil meetings.

.snow.fall.

Today I woke up and the first thing I did was peek through my blinds to see what the weather was like. Snow. Pure, white snow. I usually would react in a negative way but I ran over to my closet with a smile on my face to find clothes to bundle up in. Although I wasn't wearing anything elegant or fancy, I knew that I was going to be warm and comfy. And I was. I usually dislike this kind of weather, but right now I am appreciating the moisture we so badly need. And hey! The snow is BEAUTIFUL!! Today...I enjoyed walking to and from school in the .snow.fall.

.this.weather.

I love this weather. I love it because it means that i get to wear my $8.00 yellow rain boots from Ecuador.

And you better believe that as I walked to class, I jumped in every puddle in sight.

I may be 4 years old. 

.friday.homework.

It's Friday and I'm doing homework...wait...what? First of all...it's a weekend. Second of all...Annie hates homework and isn't very good at it. What has gotten into me? To be honest, I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment and success. I found doing all of my Monday's homework tonight to be a big success. A perk about going to BYU is not only learning the subject, but also the doctrine within the subject. I'm taking a Joseph Smith and the Restoration class and the text book is a book I will probably end up keeping after the semester is over. I can tell I'm going to love this class. 

"God knows the end from the beginning and it the author of the grand design of human history. He directed the affairs of history so that America was appropriately fertile soil for the seed of the restored gospel to be planted and tended by his chosen seer, Joseph Smith."

I love this.

.unknown.happiness.

I walked out of class today feeling genuinely happy.

Now this is a feeling I haven't feel since...well to be honest...I don't know.

I had just finished my Intro. to Special Education class.

A class that is nearly 3 hours but for some reason does not bother me one bit.

I didn't know why I was happy.

Nothing specific had really happened that day to bring on this sort of happiness.

So why was I this giddy?

Maybe it was because the sun was shining.

Maybe it was because with the sun shine came actual warm air and no more bitter chill.

Maybe is was being I was listening to John Mayer (favorite male singer) with my new ear muffs that can play music.

Maybe it was because I was finding myself actually enjoying this new university and change.

Maybe it was because I loved my major.

Maybe it was because my application to the program was officially done.

Maybe it was because I just wanted to be happy...so I was.

I literally could not stop smiling.

There was a giggle here and there.

I would shake my head just laughing at myself for being so giddy.

I probably looked like a complete fool walking home today.

I didn't care.

Especially since I hadn't felt this way in a REALLY long time.

It was well worth the wait.

"Wanna know why I smile so much?

        ...because it's worth it..."

                                -Marcel the Shell

I'm a Cougar

Okay so the title of my blog may come off in a different way.
But it's true.
I am a cougar.
At BYU of course.
I never thought this day would come.
I have been a Ute like my dad.
So we'll see how this goes...
BUT moving on!
So I woke up feeling exhausted.
I didn't sleep much last night due to the fact that
my bed is hard as rock,
I was in a new apartment,
and I was nervous about my first day of school.
Woke up and showered.
Got ready...and bundled up.
I live down the street from campus and heard
parking is a beast.
So I walked.
Note to self...wear gloves, a hat and bring headphones.
It was a lonely and cold walk.
But I made it to my first class.
Joseph Smith and the Restoration.
My good friend Alex Howland and I signed up for this class together
so it will be good to have a study buddy!
50 minute classes are my favorite!
Due to the fact that my Special Education classes are almost 3 hours...
But I love my professor Susan Black.
I actually sat by her on a plane ride to Nauvoo when I was 10.
So we go way back!
Headed to class numero dos.
Music 101.
I walk in to find 300 students.
I haven't been in a class this big since my math class at the U.
Not too stoked about this....
I find my friend Erika Madsen from high school!
Big sigh of relief as I went to sit by her!
I LOVE my professor!
He is so nice and fun to learn from.
I learned about dynamics and genres...child's play. Pah!
This will be a good class....a good and easy one. heh heh.

Any ways...first day of school here at BYU was pleasant.
Easier than I thought it would be.
I know it will get harder but I needed this first day.
Never thought I would be walking the campus of BYU.
Made it.
Proud of myself.

Ohhhh college....
Where your class sizes average to about 250.
Where teachers are now called professors.
Where tests are now called exams.
Where the school is now called a university.
Where I feel like a tiny ant in the middle of a jungle.
Where (at BYU) we now start class with an opening prayer
and song...that will take some time to get used to....
We'll see how I do at this new place.
WISH ME LUCK!