Surprise!

     What an eventful last few weeks. I hope everyones' holidays were as wonderful as mine and that the true meaning of Christmas resonated in each persons heart. I enjoyed every moment with my family and had a very comfortable week and I was able to get back to the things that matter most in life. New Years was a blast and I was able to party the night away with great friends.
     Friends have become immensly valuable to me in the last few weeks and I have been blessed with amazing people who care about me. I am better learning to rely on those around me and open myself up to dear friends whom I trust. My best friend currently lives in California with some of her family. I was fortunate enough to visit her a couple months ago, and we talk regularly but this last week I was thinking about her and missing her more than usual. Then I get a call from her Wednesday informing me that she was flying out Friday morning and I would get to see her all weekend!! I was so so so so so so EXCITED! And on top of that, we would be surprising my family that night with her presence. So last night I "go to the store" and pick her up from her grandma's. We hide her in a box and once I usher the family outside....POP....out she comes (except she was stuck, so really we had to pull her out.) Later that night we scared my younger sister when she got home and got it all on film. This was the highlight of my new year!
      Besides wonderful friends and wonderful surprises, I am learning new things about myself every day. I am learning how to be patient, and I am learning how to be happy. And I really am happy! Life is great, and I know its only going to get better from here because I choose for it to.

Cowboy Lovin'

     That's it, I'm a gonner and I swore I wouldn't be. I went to the Dustin Lynch concert last night at the Toby Keith Bar & Grill and it was OUTSTANDING! After delicious dinner we (my date and I) headed over to the stage to get ready for some country rockin! The opening band was fun and very talented; they got the audience singing a long to some classics (like "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy"). And then the long waited star of the night came to the stage and I was hit like a ton of bricks....dang he is cute! He started singing and I fell again and by the end of his first song I was fighting every girlish urge in me to not jump up and down screaming like the rest of the girls in the place.
     I had so much fun and loved every minute of his singing. He is very talented and throws a good concert. Everything was close and intimate and he involved his audience. I had the perfect spot about 3 "rows" from the stage and right in front of the mic. I know for a fact we made eye contact and sang to each other a handful of times, definitely sent butterflies to my stomach and a big smile to my face.
     This was my first concert experience and I don't think I ever want to go to a big one! I like that everyone was close and could see our artist and that I wasn't sitting three stories high watching him from a screen. It was all very real and close. So next time Dustin Lynch is in town I highly suggest you go, you will get in touch with your girly side and fall in love with a cowboy.

Out Shooting

     Learning about myself all over again means that I get to learn new hobbies and talents I never knew I had. One that I have enjoyed a lot more lately is target shooting with rifles. My family has always sported guns and with a retired sniper father, I have the best teacher to help me learn all I want to know.
     Today I went out with him while he was trying out a Remington .308 he just customized. We came to find that one didn't do too well today, but we also brought my two personal favorites :) I have fallen in love with a semi-custom Cooper .223 and a customized Remington .308. My dad is a .308 junkie so we always have a few on hand, only problem is they're a little much for tiny me to handle, but this one has a large, heavy barrel and a big scope, making it a little more comfortable to shoot. And lets just say today I killed it. That .308 and I are becoming fast friends and with it I could do a lot of damage haha. Soon comes the day when hopefully I will be competent in many areas of the sport of shooting, but for right now I'll enjoy being able to make a nice group of three.
      What I love about shooting is the stress it relieves. Once out in Thatcher I was having a rough week or month or something and I took a friend out to the desert with my old .22 rifle and we shot at a paper I taped to a tree. I probably shot 50 bullets at that thing, and by the end I felt so much better! Maybe its a little violent, but it feels good to leave it all on the target and sometimes its necessary to blow that thing to shreds haha.
     So if anyone would like to fulfil my Christmas list, I would love a .223 of my own, thats definitely on my wish list and next step is to make the target a little more challenging and to go hunting :)
                        ---------Another fun day in the life of Sarah!-----------

Patience Is A Virtue

     Patience is one of those things in life that I was not blessed with. In fact I'll let you in on a little secret about me, I'm a planner, I stress and worry about things far more than I need to, and I have to stay busy. When I came home from school over in Thatcher I had a plan, which only a few days after I got home crumpled before my eyes. So there I was plan-less and unsure what I was doing home and why I had felt I needed to be there. That was when I truly started relying on my Heavenly Father and trying to detect what His plan was for me. It was only a couple of weeks later that I met my ex-fiance.
     So there I was again, I had a plan. It did not work out, and I know for the best, but I was left plan-less. I have spent the last two and a half months doing all I can to any have insight on what I am "supposed" to be doing with my life. And I have thought of every option I perceive as possible right now. Something I am asked a lot is if I am going to serve a mission, and I have asked myself and Heavenly Father that so many times, and every time I feel if that is what I should do, its not for right now. So no mission, maybe school? I'll be honest, I am not a big fan of school. I don't really enjoy dragging myself there however many times a week, taking classes I am only taking to get a piece of paper stating I have gone through enough torture and faked enough papers, or slipped my way through enough tests to have a "degree." That is definitely the worst mind set to have about learning, but my goal is to work on one thing at a time haha. But maybe I will take a class next semester to ease my way back into it and I would really enjoy an institute class.
     Another reason I don't care too much for school is because my whole life, whenever students are asked what they want to be when they grow up I've answered: a mom. Its honorable to receive and education and for those who want to have a career, but I believe my role on this earth is to take care of some of Heavenly Father's most precious children. So getting a degree is not on the top of my to do list. Unfortunately to be a mother I also have to be a wife haha, which is not in the cards for me this moment, therefore I am back to square one. Moving out of the house again sounds extremely appealing some days, but I know I need to be home right now, building a stronger relationship with my family. And I will admit a new singles ward with new people definitely would be fun, but I also know I need to be in my ward for the time being.
     I attended the temple yesterday for the first time in a few months, and that is a huge part of my life that had been missing. The spirit there is euphoric and leaves me feeling refreshed. I left it all on the table and felt a complete peace that the key to Heavenly Fathers plan for me is patience. That virtue I have struggled with my entire life is now necessary for me to learn, or go stir crazy. Thankfully I have an amazing family and a lot of small hobbies and a wonderful job to preoccupy myself until the next big "plan" comes my way. I am left with lots of "right nows" and "maybe I could try this", but I know what I will do is be patient.
                            ====Sarah in "Life As I Know It"====

Success!

     For anyone who could here the mass of people, music or perhaps see the light....maybe you just were taking a drive down Sossaman and saw all the cars-yeah that was my bonfire. I said it would be the BIGGEST bonfire of 2012 and man oh man I was right! My guess is a total of anywhere from 300-400 people showed up, some how managing to fit in my backyard and willing to walk 1/4 mile to get there.
     Let me just say I had been planning this for a while and there was a lot of cleaning, cooking and setting up. There was chili, smores, starburts, and a hot cocoa bar...all delicious. And I got several compliments on the chili (maybe I'll have to do a chili party sometime). It was all worth it and I now know how many people can fit in my backyard!
    Thanks to all for coming and helping make it a SUCCESS!
                    ----Sarah in "Life As I Know It"----

Firsts

     You would never guess where I am at this very moment. I'll just say it's super foreign to me and I am just a tad bit nervous. I am at the airport waiting at my gate (D2) to fly to OC, California. This is my first plane ride, my first vacation alone. I get motion sick sometimes so I hoping its not an uncomfortable flight. Thankfully I'll be in the air for about 45 min so I think I'll survive!
    Its pretty exciting to be flying  and doing new things. I had this wild idea to buy a car and start going on road trips. I want to travel so badly and thought what better way than to start in my very own country. Its a goal of my to visit every state (definitely including Alaska and Hawaii). And to say I drove to most would be pretty cool, not to mention an easier way to visit every state.
     Only an hour to go until I experience another first. Wish me luck and maybe I just wont come back ;)
       Catch you on the flip side!.....more from
                 Sarah in "Life As I Know It"

The First Date

     Its been one month. One month since my life has been turned upside down. One month since I have "started over." Each day gets easier and each day I have a reaffirmation that I am doing the right thing. So it was time. Time to do a lot more firsts....
     I went on my first date! Its funny cause it was actually with the first guy I met, the first time I had been out to a social event. He is such an awesome guy and I knew I would be completely comfortable. We went out to dinner to Oreganos (which was my first time and by the way it is delicious!) and had GREAT conversation. He is a complete gentleman and held open every door, let me go first, and even complimented me on my outfit (that is a very important step on a date a lot of guys forget).
     I am the luckiest girl to have such great friends and a unique experience to have many more firsts.... Life can only go up from here as long as I am being obedient to the promptings I receive.
                                    Until next time......Sarah in "Life As I Know It"