1. My mom, being the amazing woman she is, drove the long distance to Colorado so I could have an amazing relationship with my Grandpa. We spent our summer days spitting cherries, swimming, shopping, playing dolls, drinking tea & coffee, riding bikes, & playing roller coaster with one of the greatest uncles I have. Being a toddler and addicted to swimming pools, thats where we spent most of our time. Grandpa taught me how to hold my breath without plugging my nose. I owe my whole swimming career to him and my Dad. I was unstoppable after that. Thank you Grandpa Ron. I'm truly blessed to be your granddaughter.
2. Elementary school days, I quickly learned how important sisters were. I didn't have many friends and relied solely on my older sister Shannon to come visit on the weekends to see Dad. She will never know how many times a day I asked Dad, "When is Shanny bug coming over? Today or tomorrow? What time? How long is she staying? Why does she always have to leave on Sundays? Is she coming over for Easter, Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving?" She was my greatest friend and it was because she allowed me to follow her wherever she went. I cried most Sundays because I knew I would have to wait another 2 weeks to see her again. I want to thank you Bug, because without you and your example and my curiosity of where you went every Sunday, I wouldn't have the Gospel in my life. You are truly my 'spiritual parent.' Since those young days of mine, you now have brought two beautiful kids into my life. I love you and Ty so much, your advice never fails me. I'm so happy we are not only sisters but friends.
3. In Junior high I dated a boy for quite sometime, close to a year. I will say he was definitely that 'first teenage love.' I often thought of how lucky I was to find a boy very spiritual and in tune with the Gospel and how I never wanted to let him go. Being with him I lost a lot of my close friends that were girls, but thats how it always happens right? You spend all that time with that one special person and others slowly start to fade. Being that my parents aren't much into the church he helped me with writing in my journal and reading scriptures on a daily basis. He was a great example to me. Although, he broke my heart my sophomore year, I just want him to know that I am thankful for pushing me to stick with the Gospel. So thank you, Enoch... way to be a missionary at the age of 14 :)
4. Now we get to High School. These were the most challenging years of my life and I couldn't be thankful enough because this is where I have learned the most. I spent a lot of my days walking the halls of Copper Hills alone and just ready to grow up and live the adult life. I went through a very long, tough, 3 year relationship. This relationship prepared me for things I never knew would come my way. I learned that you can't change a person, no matter how hard you try. They are who they are, and if they like who they are, why would they change? Now anyone could say these things about anyone... but its different if you want to change them because they are breaking your heart. You can't change their mind, and you can't change their actions. I believe that the first time its a mistake and the second time its a choice. You can learn so much from your mistakes, the trick is to truly learn from them so that you don't choose to make them again. Sometimes people can't love you back like how you loved them. Eventually, you will find someone who will love you for you, and maybe even show you more love than you could ever do for them. I learned to never settle, never believe that you are less of the person you aspire to be, never doubt yourself, and to never blame love. I learned that comparing yourself to others destroys you yourself. It does not add to your talents, but pulls them down. This boy led me to an amazing life, one I will never trade. He pushed me closer to God, and pushed me to believe in myself more than I did the day before. I wanted to show him I can make it without him and that he couldn't hold me back for too long. After all the cheating, breakups, name calling, arguments on the phone... after all the trials I can only think to thank him. He made me such a strong woman, one who knows what she deserves and isn't afraid to get it. I never thought I would say this in a billion years, but thank you Alec, for everything! I truly hope you are happy and living how you always have wanted to. Because I am :)
5. Now into the adult years, moving to NYC was a huge eye opener. I grabbed a hold of life in that moment and ran all the way to Times Square. I have learned that family is huge. Throughout my whole life I grown to love others no matter their circumstances. My mom is the greatest example of that. As for my Dad, man I can't imagine a better Father. Sorry to say, I have the best Dad in thee world. He shows great example of hard work and how to raise a family. I have learned from him that if anyone stands in my way I can just kill them with kindness and keep marching to the beat of my own drum. He has taught me to never limit my friends and to always have a positive attitude in any situation. I only hope that I can be as charitable as my mom, determined just like my dad, be as accepting as my lil bean, and from all that be the greatest example to my family when I have one someday. These are huge moments in my life that I think people should know. I couldn't be happier where I am today. I don't have a degree in college and I don't have a full time job, but I am livin' life, and its lovin' me because I love it back.
xoxo, Kimberly.
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