I left my heart in Fiji.

2 hours ago

Jimione Waqalala

• hi my sister! How are you and hows life back in the states? Iam fine as well as my son and wife. I really miss you guys alot. When Iam at work and looking down from my office to see the horizon with the blazing sun I always remember all your beautiful smile. may the good Lord bless u and your family and pliz send my regards to all my friends. I hope that the dance party will be back in fiji one day....hahaha...... request to pastor tyler if he can teach me how to dance.......moce and hope to hear from you again!

Happily Ever After

Don't forget where you came from and where you are going. Most importantly who is looking out for you. I love this talk by President Uchtdorf. He puts it perfectly. Enjoy!

I've Gone Country

I don't know why

but country music reminds me of summers in Utah

For most of my life I've spent part of my summer in Utah.

It always smells like a camp fire at night

& the sunsets are unbelievable.

It reminds me of the summer I was 14

I spent the 4th of July here...

My cousin Lisa & I were best friends

Always laughing and getting into trouble

And we hung out with her friends and watched fireworks

It sounds so insignificant but that was a magical summer.

Like summers usually are.

"I thought if I could touch this place or feel it

this brokeness inside me might start healing.

Out here it's like I'm someone else.

I thought that maybe I could find myself..."

My 4th of July

Stadium of Fire with Kaitlin

Road trip to Vegas

The Beaver rocking chair

Harry Potter 7 midnight premiere

Boating with Sam

Katy Perry concert with Tyler

"I never paint dreams

or nightmares.

I paint my own reality."

Things You've Missed

UVUSA in the Pioneer day parade

My first motorcycle ride with Sam!

Check out that sweet helmet.

And of course...

A song on my playlist right now.

"There's a fire starting in my heart

reaching a fever pitch & it's bringing me out the dark.

...

See how I'll leave, with every piece of you.

Don't underestimate the things that I will do."

"Baby, I have no story to be told.

But I've heard one of you and I'm gonna make your head burn.

Think of me in the depths of your despair

Make a home down there as mine sure won't be shared."

My Music Obsession

"Everyone says this love will change you.

And I ask does anything ever stay the same?

No... Just same changes.

Careful & with patience

hold this tender heart

Leave a well with tiny threads & two fingers

Standing in the garden

Gathering the dusk

We hold the sun and golden one and we linger...

Everyone says this love will change you

Well I ask, isn't that what love is supposed to do?

Yeah... It's same changes."

-The Weepies

I love this too.

& this.

Remember that one time I dyed my hair brown?

Ya, me neither :]

P.s. I'm obsessed with this song.

It's always playing

Love is Louder

http://www.loveislouder.com/

We're a movement of people here to say

that love is louder

than any voice that causes pain or brings you down.

My Weekend

This weekend I had the pleasure of going home to Vegas

It was really relaxing and fun.

I went with my friend Kaitlin.

Isn't she the cutest!?

We made cupcakes.

With Nutella icing that we invented.

It. Was. So. Good.

Among many things we did this weekend...

We saw Harry Potter at midnight.

I might be the only one who thinks this

but it was ok.

There were parts I liked

and parts that made me cringe.

And the end was so cheesy.

Regardless, I'll always love the magical world that captured my childhood.

Fiji Bieber Fever

The kids at the Vuya school LOVE Justin Bieber. This is them singing "Baby".

Country Strong

I'm just loving this song.

I used to think my failures in life were a weakness. I thought that the fact I have fallen down and not been as brave as I should have or as wise as I could've been made me less of a person. And sitting here now looking back I can't believe how wrong I was. Failing can be more of a blessing than succeeding. I'm glad that I've stumbled because I know how to pick myself back up. I'm glad I have been in a bad place because I know where I don't want to be. I am glad I have failed because I know how good it feels to succeed. My life is a constant learning experience. When I first graduated High School I thought I knew everything. But the older I get the more I know how much I don't know. I'm so happy with my life right now. And look towards each speed bump in the road as another adventure in my story.

I got Fiji on my mind.

So sad to leave.

I may not have gone where I intended to go. But I ended up where I needed to be.

Check out this article for more news about the work we did in Fiji.

Rollerblading: The cause & effect.

All I can say is OUCH. Haha... Rollerblading is so fun & a great summer activity. But I don't recommend it at night or while texting. Tonight was another perfect summer evening. Once the sun went down Cori, Karson, & I started making our way back home. We had to take a dark side street because there was a house fire on University. We're just rollerbladin' having a good old time. When all the sudden Cori (texting) biffs it in front of me. She just hits the ground & rolls. In my confusion watching her fall in the dark... the next thing I knew I had a face full of dirt in some guy's front lawn. Hahahahaha. Looking up we see the house owner with his HOSE draped across the sidewalk. He says " Oh, I guess I should have warned you my hose was in the way." Hahaha. Despite the fact that my knees feel like they have been hammered in and my hands feel like lawn mower ran over them I am glad I have such a good story to tell! I can't stop laughing thinking about it. I just wish I could be that guy watching one rollerblader biff it. Then another.

Now that is movie material.

Cori, Karson, & I

Happy Sunday!

My blog is in a transition phase... I'm experimenting. Just go with it, haha.

One of my favorite trailers. I CAN'T WAIT!!!

If I Die Young.

Tonight my grandma pulled out the family heirlooms

This outfit belonged to my great x3 grandmother

Sara Williams Waylett

She came across the plains

Leah Mariah was her daughter

Does Mariah ring a bell??

Leah Mariah had 4 daughters

When they were young all 4 girls died

within 2 weeks from diptheria.

Can you imagine losing 4 children in 2 weeks?

My great grandpa Reese Dubois Gorton was blessed

in this tiny dress.

This wool night gown brought me right

back to the Little House on the Prairie.

Take note of the old lantern.

I always knew I was born in the wrong era!

This was bought from J.C. Penny way back when

My great grandmother Sara Dorleska

brought this back from Isreal

I love all things old fashioned.

On Being Yourself

You must learn that you cannot be loved by all people.

You can be the finest apple in the world-

Ripe, juicy, sweet, succulent-and offer yourself to all.

But you must remember there will be people who do not like apples

You must understand that if you are the world's finest apple, and someone you love does not like apples, you have the choice of becoming a banana.

But you must be warned, if you become a banana you will be a second-rate banana.

But you will always be the finest apple.

You must also realize that if you become a second-rate banana, there will be people who do not like bananas.

Furthermore, you can spend your whole life trying to become the best banana-which is impossible if you are an apple-Or you can seek again to be the finest apple!

My favorite quote I read at the Vuya school.

Fiji Part 5: Our last days

Leaving the next morning was an awful feeling

We were met at the dock by most of the villagers

and our favorite people.

We had some time to visit with everyone before our goodbyes

This is Joe.

This is Manassa.

He is 18 an joining the Army.

The people started singing to us before boarding the ferry

We were all in tears

and then someone tapped me on the shoulder

and it was none other than SUSU!

He said "My mom told me I had to go to school but I cried and cried and said I had to say goodbye to my friends"

After our goodbyes we boarded the ferry

We were all bawling our eyes out.

Then one of Liz's daughters said "the Prime Minister

is on our ferry and he isn't even here yet. Let's jump off the boat!"

I was like um, WHAT???

So we went to the railing and when the police men weren't looking...

(which they didn't care either way I found out later)

We jumped off into the Ocean!

And then some of our friends from the island jumped in and swam with us!

It was the most epic goodbye I have ever experienced!

Talking to Tui before I had to leave again.

(after jumping in... boat in the background)

After jumping in we boarded again and left our friends

and new family members on the Bua province.

It was hard, but jumping in and swimming for a bit reminded us all of the good times not the sad ones.

Fun Fact: I lost my wallet on the ferry which included my driver's license, 20 bucks, debit card, and health insurance card.

Once we got back to Suva ... We went clubbing!

It was soooo much fun!

There is a possibility we got on tables and started dancing.

The next day we went to Pacific Harbor and stayed

at the Uprising Beach resort.

This is our little bungalow.

It was really pretty!

We went to the market and did some shopping.

Then it rained for most of the day so we hung out inside.

That night there were some Fijian dancers that performed for us.

And we ate a really nice dinner.

After that we had a super fun dance party in the bar/restaurant.

And we MAY or MAY NOT have gone skinny dipping in the Pacific Ocean. :]

Obviously, we didn't want to leave.

The next day we began our journey back home.

Beginning with a bus ride to Nadi.

We shopped a little in Nadi

and at 11pm we boarded the plane to LAX.

It was the best plane ride EVER

because I sat next to my best friends

Kaitlin and Tyler

And there was a pillow fight.

All in all this was the best trip of my life.

I miss seeing everyone every day

and the people I love in Fiji.

I hope these blog posts gave you a taste

of my experience there!

Vinaka