Hannah Nicole

My baby sister is a senior this year. I can't believe it! It seems like yesterday she was just a snot-nosed little kid with dirt on her face. Now she's all grown up and beautiful. We fight like cats and dogs sometimes, but she really has become my best friend. I'm sad I'm not going to be around for the next year and a half; I'm going to miss her senior nights, prom, graduation, her first day of college... But I know she's going to be great in everything she does. She is my sister after all. ;) 

See you in two

I've been trying to write this post in my head for about a week now, but I could never get it quite right. 

But I figured I probably would never get it perfect, because how do you write about telling your best friend goodbye for two years?

This is my best friend.

Not the dog... 

This is also my best friend. :)

 

He left for the Mexico City Missionary Training Center last Wednesday. We said our goodbyes Monday. I went back to college and he was set apart that night, and that was it. Contact for the next two years will be limited to weekly emails and the occasional letter (mail service between México and Perú is sketchy). 

I can't tell you how hard that was; he's been a major part of my life for the past three years. I don't know what I would have done without him. 

Here's what I can tell you:

I know this Church is true, and because I know that I can let him go for two years. I know that he can do so much good out there in Perú; bringing the gospel and true happiness to people who are searching for it. And I am so proud of him and the decision he made to serve the Lord. It's definitely not the easiest path, but it will definitely be worth it. 

So the truth is, as incredibly hard as it was to let him go, I wanted him to. And no matter what happens in the next two years, this is where Austin needed to be. I know that.

And that makes everything a little better. 

I love to see the Temple...

I received my Endowments Saturday!

I was crazy nervous before.

Like I thought I might throw up....

(Found out later that was just a stomach bug -_-)

But it was honestly the best thing ever.

The temple is such an amazing place 

And there was absolutely nothing to be nervous about.

And to make it even better I had a ton of family there.

And even though that caused some shenanigans...

They made it all so much more special for me.

The Spirit is so strong in the temple,

There's nothing like it anywhere else.

I remember singing that primary song growing up:

"I love to see the temple, I'm going there someday..."

And it seemed like such a long time away,

(it really wasn't)

But I finally made it. :)

You see all the people leaving the temple? Yeah, they're all mine.

And I can't wait to go back.

For more information about LDS temple click here!

Today's special moments are tomorrow's memories,

-McKenna

{Also, my little brother who is 8 took all the scenery pictures (my cousin Chase took the family ones). I think we have a budding photographer on our hands!}

What I Learned My First Year of College...

My first year of college has been over for a couple weeks now so I thought I'd share with you the things I learned:

You will miss home

But you'll love not having a bedtime

Until you're so exhausted you give yourself one

7:30am college classes are not the same as 8:00am high school ones

But if it's a PE class it's totally worth it

I am exactly the right height to get elbowed in the face while playing basketball with boys

If you use garlic in your cooking and more than three ingredients, your roommates will think you are a master chef

Read the textbook

No seriously, you have to read the textbook

Breadth classes are not a waste of time

Unless it's Creative Arts in which case it's a TOTAL waste of time

You will make new friends

Lose some old ones

And figure out who's there to stay

If you're in Logan, it will snow

In May

The Bookstore is the biggest scam I've ever seen

But you'll buy stuff from there anyway

You will go on some grand adventures

And some not so grand ones

Roommates are simultaneously terrible, wonderful, and hilarious

You will call home for advice

Moving sucks

Even if it's just from apartment to apartment

 Tapatio goes with everything

You will make some of the biggest decisions of your life

And it will be an awesome ride.

A whole new world,

-McKenna