.winter.wonderland.

I loved waking up this morning.

Peeking through my blinds.

To see a winter wonderland. 

I loved having the same feeling I

did at that sight when I was 5.

It's magic.

It's beautiful.

It's CHRISTMAS!!!

Ya...I loved today.

...

I had an INCREDIBLE week and I can't wait to tell you about it :)

...

It's 2:20 AM and I just got done with the homework I should have done before I went to Laguna...

Oh ya did I just say LAGUNA!? Posts and pictures to come. Don't fret.

We Never Walk Alone.

I have gotten into this new habit recently {okay...in the last 2 days} where I have read a General Conference talk before I go to bed and when I wake up. I'm not going to lie, I feel like General Conference talks have been something I have taken for granted throughout my life. I have amazing friends who read talks on a weekly basis and they have that spirit of Christ about them as they live their lives. It's something I have ached to have for a while but I have never taken the initiative to really sit down and read a talk or two. A few nights ago I was exhausted and feeling quite down. I opened up my phone and opened up the handy dandy Gospel Library app. I downloaded general conference talks not knowing which one to read. I came across President Monson's talk at the General Relief Society Conference. "We Never Walk Alone". Those 4 words sucked me right in. I opened up the talk and began reading. Tears were in my eyes as I felt this overwhelming calm feeling that I haven't had in weeks. I slept like a baby that night only to wake up and read another talk by our lovely apostle Elder Holland. {one of my favies}

I am grateful for the new habit. I have many habits {biting my nails, playing a game of sudoku before going to bed, picking at my split ends, talking to myself in the car...hey I get lonely sometime}. Some of my habits aren't the best I know... but I think I'm going to like this new one.

"You will one day stand aside and look at your difficult times, and you will realize that He was always there beside you."

-President Thomas S. Monson

.sometimes.

Sometimes life kicks you in the butt. 

And it hurts.

Bad. 

Sometimes you try so hard.

But it doesn't get noticed.

Sometimes you just want to stay in bed all day.

But you can't.

Sometimes you just want to cry.

But your tear ducts are already dried out from lunch time's cry.

Sometimes when someone asks, "What are you going to do?"

All you can say over and over again is..."I don't know..."

Sometime those "I don't know's" get old and all you want is some sort of a solution. 

But those "I don't know's" are sticking around. 

Sometimes you want to hear a "yes".

But a "no" seems to get in the way.

Sometimes...just sometimes...

"I DON'T KNOW."

But I'm trying...

I guess that all you can really do at this point.

Keep trying.

.hashtag.insta.updates.

So I have a weakness. An 'insta-weakness'. I am instgramming everything and for those of you who are bothered by it #sorrynotsorry.

I felt like updating ya'll via instagram. Here we go!

1. my parentals surprised in me in paris...it was an emotional time for me. after not seeing and hugging them for 3 months...ya it was amazing. #bestparentsever #paris #cityoflove #reunitedanditfeelssogood

2. reunited with these beauties i call sisters and best friends. #sisters #3monthsaway

3. my favorite part of summer is snow cones. being with these kiddos make it that much more enjoyable! #summer #snowcones #missedthese3 #happygirl

4. oh this sister of mine. so glad to be home with her again. love my aubbie jo. #reunited #mybetterhalf #bestfriends #missedhertoomuch

5. chick-fil-a has become our best friend this year. we have gone at least 5 times. love this brother of mine! #byu #chickfilaatthewilk #bigbro

6. the pinnock clan went to bear lake and did yoga on the beach. such a fun thing to do! #bearlake #pinnockfun

7. a bonus that came from beyond measure is being friends with this beautiful girl. ladies and gents, abby ann falke! #bff #jambajuicelovin

8. i had to amazing opportunity to go visit my little anziano pinnock at the MTC before he headed off to italia. what a blessing. i miss him more and more everyday. #missionary #proudsister #bestfriends

9. this doggie of mine is my little shadow every time i go home. he is my little nugget. #mynugget #lovethisdog 

10. i have been working on making healthier lunches and dinners. #dinnertime #glutenfree #myfavie

11. i got to hang out with rapunzel and a bunch of 4 year olds for an afternoon birthday party. it was a dream come true. #disneyprincess #princessparty #tangled

12. the utes won this year. that's all. #gameday #goutes 

13. beyond measure is keeping me super busy. #beyondmeasure #acapella

14. this boy killed it... and i mean...KILLED it in rent. so incredibly proud of him! #trentinrent #amazingshow 

15. i seriously love the month of october. i would be okay if it lasted longer. #october

16. of course...i have a bajillion india instas. this one just so happens to be one of my favorites. #wildchild #india 

.oh.india.

Everyday I am missing my beautiful India more and more. There are days where life here in the states is nothing but stressful and overwhelming. I find myself having negative attitudes and thoughts. But then I have to remember what I learned over in India. Life is beautiful. Live it. I loved the experience I had over there and I would go back over there in a heart beat. I pray for my India family every night.

Things I miss about India:

>>Walking across the street. A girl in my India team even told me that I walked across the Indian streets like a boss. {her words}
>>Spitting on the side of the road without people giving me weird looks. Spitting there was a norm.
>>The ward. I miss them every day.
>>Bolly/Tollywood movies. Movie night anyone?
>>Wearing sarees. Even though the Relief Society would spend over half of the lesson retying them for us, I still loved how comfortable and beautiful they were.
>>While on the subject of clothing....I miss all of the beautiful Indian clothing. We would be sitting on the bus and us girls would 'oo' and ahh' over the beautiful sarees.
>>The service. I miss dedicating my life to service for 3 months.
>>The food...sometimes. haha
>>The prices. A bottle of water: 30 rupees...20 cents
                       A puff: 5 rupees... -10 cents
                       An entire meal... 65 rupees... $1
                       A saree...400 rupees... $7
                       An entire Indian outfit {pants, churidar, scarf}...800 rupees...$15
...ya you would miss the prices too.
>>The bus. We would meet so many friends on the bus. One of them even stole a cucumber for me.
>>Getting stared at {not the creepy stares}. I just loved feeling different.
>>The music. Seriously. I love Indian music!
>>Dr. Meera, Urmi, Bindu, Vacenta and Mary. My India mothers. I miss them everyday.
>>The children. Indian children are beautiful and full of so much spirit.
>>Feeling unconditional love each and everyday.
>>Being on my own. India was my thing and I loved how personal it was to me.

I still can't believe I lived in such a beautiful country full of so many beautiful people.

I am so grateful that India was the kind of experience that was so amazing that landing in the SLC airport was so incredibly hard that I cried my eyes out as that plane landed. I will never forget the amazing 3 months spend in India.

Oh India

"Bags are packed you're on your way.

But all you wanna do is stay.

How could you know you'd be okay

When that plane took you HOME for the first time?

Embrace the anchor of your life.

And hurry on and catch that flight.

And when you first stepped off that plane,

You know you're life has changed.

Oh India...I never knew you'd be so kind.

Oh India...I never knew you'd take my side.

Oh India...the way you pulled me in and changed my life.

Oh India...Oh India.

You settle in you find your stride.

At times you wanna change your mind.

You open up and you realize,

Your HOME is sitting there before your very eyes.

Oh India...I never knew you'd be so kind.

Oh India...I never knew you'd take my side.

Oh India...the way you pulled me in and changed my life.

Oh India...Oh India.

Nine thousand miles away you cry.

The children laugh you start to find,

the reason for this ache inside.

You're calling's here it's clear,

and now it is your time.

Oh India...I never knew you'd be so kind.

Oh India...I never knew you'd take my side.

Oh India...the way you pulled me in and changed my life.

Oh India...Oh India.

Oh India."

-Lyrics by T.J.E.

What a blessing it is to have met so many people that made

saying goodbye so incredibly difficult.