Tagged by Mandi

(Only a week later)

8 T.V. shows I love to watch:
(I don't watch T.V. anymore, but I used to love:)
Extreme Home Makover
Trading Spaces
Law & Order
Something about designing on a budget??
Clinton & Stacy's show? - Man this is really bad, I can't remember anything - Oh yeah - What not to Wear
Deadliest Catch
NBC Dateline
Smallville


8 favorite places I love to eat:
My favorites depend totally on my mood
Bajios
Panda Express
Olive Garden
Eva's - I haven't found a GOOD mexican food place here
Red Lobster
Kneaders
Pizza Hut
Nielsen Family Kitchen

8 Things that happened yesterday:
(My life isn't that interesting, I don't have that many things)
Biology - 7am - Yuck!
Work
Class
Homework
Wyatt's Homework
Reading
Journal
Sat on hold with the credit agency for a long time, didn't ever get a live person (gotta love it!)

8 Things I look forward to:
Tomorrow
December
Christmas break -
The weekend
Having millions so I can visit people all over the world
Bieng done with school
Happily Ever After
Bieng a Mom


8 Things I love about fall
(I absolutly love fall)
The colors
The Smells
The Cooler Air
The leaves changing colors
Playing in the leaves
Fall baking (Not that I can bake)
The Moon is prettier in the fall
Cute fall decorations

8 Things on My Wish list:
To be teaching by 2010
Happiness for everyone
More hours in the day
To be able to stay awake during biology
Instant Travel - Blink your eyes and your there
To be a little girl and be able to run free like a wild child and not care what others think about me.
Learn to play the guitar - for real, not the little stuff I do now.
To have fun while trying to find Prince Charming - He has to have a white horse.

8 People I'm Tagging:
Holly
Audra
Zonnie
Stef
Kris
Shell
Heather
Sarah

The Race

A year ago on the 15th I ran in the Top of Utah Marathon. After a little over 500 miles of training, I was as ready as I was ever going to get. I think the training was much harder than the actual marathon. I learned to run among the pain of a bad ankle, soar feet from blisters, and losing toenails. (I lost 5 by the time I was done). Since I had never been a runner this was a whole new experience for me, one that taught me a lot in many different ways. Even though my Marathon was hard, it definitely has not been the hardest thing in my life. One of the most important lessons that I learned is that I am not alone in this life. We all have hard struggles in life. Some have lost jobs, homes, children, spouses, dreams. At mile 13, or in our darkest hour when we fill like giving up I learned that if we call out to our Heavenly Father he will bless us with the ability to keep going, and send people to run along with us. I know that our Father in Heaven knows us each individually and he loves us. He knows we can succeed, and he is waiting for us to cross the finish line of life. I am so thankful for the lessons that I learned from this. Thanks to all of you who helped me not only with my marathon, but with the challenges of life that we all face. If there is anything I can for you please let me know.
~

(I know this isn't a good picture, but I had just ran 26.2 miles, and the guy in front of me fell and turned his face into hamburger)


Last Year the Young Women Presidency asked me to speak at Young Women in Excellence about the running my marathon. Their theme was Life is Like a Marathon. My sister Heather wrote the following poem for my talk.
~
The Race
One last run, one last mile, I race tomorrow, one last smile one more joke with my brother & friend until I see him again at the end.
Lining up at the starting line, my goal is not to make the best time but to finish the race as I started it. Spectators line up to cheer me away. See you at the finish Father and Brother say.
The starting gun, off like a shot in a strange course that I forgot. Stumbling on until checkpoint 1, my guide sends me on with directions to run. Continuing on I stumble and fall- get up cries my Brother and Lengthen your stride. Limping along I regain my speed and pause to help others in their times of need. I must stay on course I can’t deviate. To stray from the path might make me to late for the chance to triumph and win. To be with my loved ones once again; careworn, weary I must stop to rest I have to give in to the feeling deep in my breast. I am not good enough, I should not have tried I will never complete this race I cry.
My spirits are low, I weep in despair. Then I look to my side and in answer to prayer. There is my Brother, my hero and friend, running beside me till I reach the end. Cheering me on, though his race is through; he is trying so hard with all he can do to help me complete the course he has run. He knows my trials, he will help me o’ercome he will help me complete the race I’ve begun. He will run alongside, I just have to ask. Then as I cross the line and finish my task He will be waiting in Glory and Father and Son will embrace me with joy and proclaim job well done.

Labor Day Weekend

My idea of a perfect Labor Day Weekend includes a good camp out (even if it does rain every day), great food, fun games, and a weekend with Family. That is just what I had this year! I was able to go to my Goodman family reunion this year. I love them. I can count on two fingers the number of times I have missed it. As always we had a fabulous time this year - even with the bad weather. I love spending time in the dirt with my family. I love the traditions of the reunion. I love that every year I get to help fix breakfast for everybody, that every year Todd is going to give his Famous "Ragged Ol Flag", but I have to say, I missed the Goodman song & Pancho Via this year. It was a special treat to have Jeremy & his family there this year, but I also got to see Troy’s kids - Justin & Shaina and Jeff’s boys - Lane & Colton. Please don’t judge us by the pictures - We were camping! I was sad to have to leave. I think I owe a lot to my parents for teaching me to love being outdoors so much. I just love spending time in the forest, I love sleeping in a tent with the rain coming down, and I love star gazing. The stars in the forest are amazing! One night while I was there, I wrote in my journal that I would love to be a frontier woman in the old days and live in the woods, but then I remembered how much I loved showers and flushing toilets. Good thing for camping! I can’t wait for next year.



On a side note - I started school last week. Yuck! I am only taking 12 credits this semester, but I think I will probably stay busy with School, Work, and Young Womens. We shall see if it causes me too loose my mind.