Old McDonald had a Julia

Daddy is using his vocal performance major in new ways.  And Julia loves it.

Do you ever feel like you don't matter? Like no one notices you?  Like you're nothing special.  This is particularly easy when you seem to be surrounded by the most talented people in the world.  Freshman year in college is a time when a lot of people feel this way.  You have just come from high school where half the students don't even want to be there.   Now you're in college where everyone's paying to be there.  And everyone seems to have it all together.  Except you.  You have no clue what you're up against.  I think the great secret is actually that it doesn't matter.  Who says you have to have the answers to life's questions before you experience it?  The more I live, the more I believe in Ms Frizzle's philosophy:  Take chances, make mistakes, get messy.  What she doesn't tell us is that after the mess comes the miracles.  The willingness to take chances makes you special no matter how many times you get messy.  

The popular mentality is that you have to succeed in comparison with those around you to be successful.  You are only a success if you are at the top of your class or if you win the competition or you get that job.  In reality, there is no comparison.  You should really only ever compare yourself against yourself.  How far have you personally come in the past week, month or year?  Who cares how much so-and-so improved even if they started at the same place as you?  It doesn't matter.   You can be special just because you're you.  Sounds cheesy, but it's true.

Alma 26:37  "God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth.  Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever."

20 Bad Habits that Contribute to Mom Burnout

Great article.

Stepping Forward

When I think about where I'd like to see my life go, I'd say that I would like to end up in Arizona.  I'd like to live close enough to family to be able to visit at times other than a holiday.  I started to realize that I'm wanting to go back to where i'm comfortable.  I want my kids to grow up the way I grew up because that's what i'm used to. I want to be around extended family because that's how I grew up.  I'm starting to realize something.  Different is okay.  And different is inevitable because things are changing whether I like it or not. One thing that is changing is my family.  I have a husband and a daughter now.  They are my immediate family.  What used to be my immediate family is now my extended family.  Growing up, my immediate family had customs and traditions.  Some of these came from my parents' families but some were unique to us.  And those honestly were some of my favorite.  My husband and I and our children will have our own unique experiences, traditions and customs that might be similar to the way we grew up or they might be different.  That's ok.  One of my favorite quotes is "The past is to be learned from, not lived in." (Jeffrey R. Holland)  As things change it's understandable to be a little shook up when you don't know what's ahead.  But in the end you just need to step forward and take what life gives you. There will be chances to relive my childhood with my children and there will be many new things to experience together.  It probably won't go according to plan but it will be perfect for us.

Sarah Julia Evans

What a wondrous screen shot if I do say so myself.

Freshman year variety show

Me and my awesome brother!