A New Year!!

Well 2012 is ending and 2013 is just around the corner. It's been a long and really odd year, at least for me, but I'm not going to dwell on 2012, I'm going to look forward to 2013. It's going to be a good year, I can feel it. I already know what 2013 holds for me, or at least part of what it holds for me. First of all I finally graduate in May!!! (from high school) I finally get out of the prison and move on to better things. Second: I get to go to college. I have already been accepted to USU, I'm just waiting on BYU-I before I make a decision on where I'm going to go. We'll see what ends up happening. Third: I get to go on Heritage tours. So I get to tour Church History sites. I also get to go to New York and other such places. Oh and I get to spend three weeks with a few of my friends, while it prepares me somewhat for a mission. :) There are a few other small things that I know are in store for me, but those are the major things that I'm looking forward to.
Anyways, I would do a year in review, but it would take too long and too much effort on my part. I'll just say that this year has been interesting and full of lots of unexpected things, turns, events, and people.
Since I didn't really complete a lot of my goals for 2012, so I'm making new ones for 2013, although this time they are going to be a little more realistic than last year. I will be making 18 since that's how old I'll be turning later this year. :)

1. Always Smile
2. Write in my journal at least 3 times a week
3. Read my scriptures for at least 5 minutes every day
4. Pray morning and night (meaningful pray)
5. Spend more time with my family
6. Study harder and more
7. Save my money more than spending it
8. Exercise at least 3 times a week
9. Learn a new skill
10. Go to festival of Colors
11. Go to Scheels and ride on the Farris Wheel
12. Try to read 30 Books
13. Do 3 Hours or less on the Computer and TV a day. (leisure not school related)
14. Do at least 5 hours or more of service
15. See the sunrise from Timp.
16. Hike all the way up to Timp.
17. Learn a song on the Guitar
18. Write a note once a day to someone

The Alchemist

I just recently read a book called The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho. One of my friends told me months ago to read it. I just never really got around to doing it because of school and such. But I finally sat down about a week ago and read it. It was such a good book. It's one of those books that are fantastic because of what it teaches you more. So my only point of this post is to say: if you haven't read, read it. It's a really good book, one that is wroth reading no matter who are.
And to give you a small taste of what the book is here are some quotes and a summary of the book.
Summary:
"PAULO COELHO'S enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world. This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and inspiring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom points Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasure found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transformation power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts."
Then just a few of my favorite quotes from the book.
 “When each day is the same as the next, it’s because people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises.”
“When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.”
"Because, wherever your heart is, that is where you will find your treasure.” 
“People are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.”
“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”
“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” 
Those are just a few. The book is chalk full of a ton more. So see if you can grab a copy and read it. It's a fantastic book. :D

Busy Bee...

Lately I have been so very busy. It's a miracle that I'm still alive and breathing. I have had so much homework to make up and get caught because I've missed a few class periods of Math and French, and one class period of Physics. Some how those classes are always the ones I miss. Anyways it's been crazy and I'm still not quite caught up but, hey, I will be by the end of this week.
That's not the only thing that has kept me busy. Preference is coming up! This is the one dance that I have been looking to since like the second month of school, even before Sadies. We have planned it out to a T, and it's going to be so much fun. Plus I finally get to go ice skating for the first time in my life! And I'm wearing a gorgeous red dress! (even if, in the beginning, I didn't really like part of it.) And the shoes that I'm borrowing from a friend are just as gorgeous. Now I've just got to find jewelry that will do the dress justice. Then there's the boutonniere that I need to make. Oh joy! And that's all just for Preference.
Also I'm playing my cello for another ward in AF for their ward Christmas Concert. I will be accompanying their choir. I haven't practiced with them yet, but I will be on Sunday.
And then just to add to my plate of busy-ness, there's Interact. I'm the president for our Interact club at school. Interact is a service club for those that don't know it. Anyways a lady, Carol, is coming by tomorrow to let me know what the head hunchos are thinking for a service project. That way I can have the club help them. That makes my life a little easier.
Then there's work! I love my work. I babysit a 9 year old boy everyday after school besides Thursdays. It's so nice, I get paid and I've just got to keep the kid in line. And he's really easy to keep in line when you are one and one with him. :)
But all of this busy-ness practically ends in a week in a half when Christmas break comes around. FINALLY!!! It's very much needed. Plus my parents and I are going to visit my sister and her family in Texas over the break. I'm so excited to see my nephews and my baby niece. Plus I get to relax in a place a bit warmer than Utah, where it's cold.
I feel like I just ran out of breath just writing that all.
But I've still got two other things to address.
So today it snowed....finally. We haven't had a lot of snow in forever. The only down side was that after school the roads were bad. Yeah I drive a 19 year old truck that has no traction what so ever. I was fish-tailing a ton, and I HATE fish-tailing it. The exterior of me was all calm, but inside I was like...

AHHHHHHH. Swing my arms all over the place, plus some hyperventilation. I was scared out of my mind, but I tried to keep my cool even though the picture above describes exactly how I felt inside. But I made it home in one piece, and I was even able to run to a friends house to pick up my shoes. I still made it home in one full, unharmed, piece. But I have concluded that I hate snow and driving in it stinks!!!
Last thing: so awhile ago I wrote an essay and I promised my two favorite neighbors that I'd post it up just for them.  So here it is!

Remembering Me

            In life we all want to be remembered by something. Normally, we want it to be something good like; courage, never giving up, giving service, being honest, or any other good characteristic. Personally, I hope to be remembered as someone who never stopped smiling even when times were hard

My nick-name was “smiley” when I was younger. I was given this nick-name by some of my next door neighbors because they never saw me without a smile. This nick-name has influenced my life a lot, especially recently. I’ve been having a hard time the past year and a half. It’s been off and on, but it’s still been a hard little while. I remember a few months ago I was just having a hard time with severally things. I wasn’t smiling as much as I should have been; I wasn’t the happy Marissa that I’m normally known for. I was sitting at the computer doing my usual thing; listening to music and playing on the internet. All of the sudden something clicked and I remembered my old nick-name for some reason. I hadn’t been called that for a long time, so I was confused as to why it came into my head. Right then and there I made a decision to always try to smile no matter what. Little did I know that it would influence me months down the road when my life got even harder.

I hope to be remembered by this characteristic because it’s really dear to me. The neighbors that gave me that nick-name are some of the best people that I know, and they were my favorite neighbors too. Several years ago they moved away, it was a sad time for all of us that knew and loved them. By always trying to smile I can live up to what I once was, and what I can become, while trying to honor them in the best way I can. A smile is important to me because a smile can do a lot of things; it can brighten someone’s day, it can turn your day into something better, it can spread cheer like wild fire—after all, a smile is contagious. In a small way I can help the world by smiling. I can give someone my smile by making them laugh, or just smiling at them in a hall, outside, inside, anywhere. Although I am just one person, my smile can make a difference, and it can influence the lives of people all around me.   

 I LOVE YOU DAVE AND TERRI!! I will forever remember you. :)