time flies

I can't believe it is already Saturday again! I don't understand where this last week has gone. Or even where the first half of this semester has gone....

As time disappears, it becomes more clear to me just how important each day is. I have come to realize that I need to be putting more heart into each day. More meaning into each action. I haven't been the best at implementing this into my life, but hopefully I will get better at it. 

Some highlights from the week: 

~I scored a touchdown in our last football game. Although we ended up losing the game, it was such a fun season and I loved being on the team. The Feisty Females made each week a little bit better for me :)

~Katrina invited Meaghan and I to come to a Halloween party with her last night and I got to dress up as a very attractive Lion...I have to admit it was the first time I have felt 'not ugly' for Halloween

 

~On my Child Development test, I got the score of 104%...this was only after 15 minutes of studying. I felt pretty amazing.

~We went to our Ward Halloween activity on Tuesday and I was reminded how good I am at donut eating contests, and how skilled I am when bobbing for apples. It only took me 3.2 seconds to get that sucker out of the bucket :) However, my skills do lack when it comes to musical chairs.

~I also learned that I LOVE and ADORE pumpkin waffles with butter cream syrup...thanks to my wonderful FHE sisters :)

-still the odd one out-

change

I have found that change is something that most people grow to fear. I like to think of myself as someone that looks forward to, desires and even craves change. Typically this is the story. Like when I was looking forward to the new school year, having new classes and new roommates (whom I love so much!). Or like each time that my parents have told me that there would be a new addition (or additions this last time) to our family. Or just when I am about to try a new kind of food or dye my hair (yes, even doing the purple over the summer). But this last weekend I realized that some changes are harder than others. 

For me, I suppose it's when the change was not suspected at all. When it catches me off guard and I don't know how to deal with it. Adapting to such situations is something that takes time and practice. Something else that I realized is that 'change' doesn't mean that the world is going to stop spinning, or that existence will cease as we know it. Rather, it is something that we just need to adjust to.

Just a bit of advice: when change comes don't shy away from it, embrace it. I know of so many people that are unhappy in there present situation and I feel like it is due to their attitude toward the change that has come into their lives. I am quite confident that if they would only embrace it and look for the 'silver lining' that life would seem so much better. I am sure that everyone has heard the saying, "When life gives you lemons, make some lemonade!" I am a strong believer of this saying. I know I am not perfect at implementing it, but I am currently working on it!

"The key to change....is to let go of fear."  

-Rosanne Cash

 

“Life can either be accepted or changed. If it is not accepted, it must be changed. If it cannot be changed, then it must be accepted.”  

-Anonymous

 

-still the odd one out-

Tender Mercies

This last weekend had its ups and downs. You know those times when you just want the next day to come and be better? Well that's pretty much how it was. But I am not here to complain about that. I am here to express my gratitude for Tender Mercies in my life.

At the end of Council every day we sing a hymn then share our tender mercies of the day. The hymn that we sang was just what I needed to remember. It was "Where Can I Turn for Peace" #129. It just reminded me that in my rough times, there is somewhere and Someone that I can turn to for help. I was really grateful for that and hope that I, and all my friends and family will remember that in the future.

The words that brightened my day:

Where can I turn for peace? Where is my solace

When other sources cease to make me whole?

When with a wounded heart, anger or malice

I draw myself apart, searching my soul?

Where when my aching grows, where when I languish

Where in my need to know, where can I run?

Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish?

Who, who can understand? He, only One.

He answers privately, reaches my reaching

In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend.

Gentle the peace he finds for my beseeching.

Constant He is and kind, Love without end.

I hope everyone out there remembers this in their down times....I know I want to.

-still the odd one out-

keeping things up to date

big events in my life (recently):   

• my flag football team and i wore painted mustaches to our last game and scared the senses out of the other team
• i can still solve my rubik's cube
• i got a letter from a friend that is serving in Portugal...who knew it took over a month for mail to travel that far...
• i sold my plasma for the first time today--easiest 25 dollars ever :)
• reunion with my pals from my MATS trip was swell
• i finally bought some pizza (yum)

So I have been thinking a lot recently. Perhaps it's the classes that I am taking, but more often than not I find myself asking questions that really get me thinking. I have been thinking a lot about, "What can I do tomorrow to make me better today?" This was a thought that my Health and Wellness teacher put into my head on the first day. It is supposed to motivate people to do things to improve themselves and others today and not put things off for another day. He also tells us regularly that, "Things don't have to be as they currently are." This, in addition to what I already knew in the church, gives me hope for a brighter tomorrow. 

Hope is one of my favorite things. I know that my hope can always be restored if I see a beautiful sunset, or see a sweet act of service, or even if I think a happy thought. I love my life and am trying to see more positive in my days. I recommend this to all....I am not perfect at it but I definitely see a difference when I try.

-still the odd one out-

dear little ones

to my future students-

My name is Ms. Hawkins (well perhaps I will be using a different name by the time I start teaching) and I love learning!! Learning is fun and I am going to help make it easier for you. My favorite subject is reading, but all the other ones are really good as well. 

I believe that great learning and growth begins at such a young age that I want to really make a difference in the lives of my students. The grades that I would really love to teach are K-3. Laying a strong foundation in those young minds is so pivotal to how they will do the rest of their lives. Granted, you do need to keep feeding a child a super education for many years after, but my hope is to lay a great foundation that they will have that desire in them to continue to learn. 

Freedom of expression is something that I really want to incorporate into my classroom, and I would love it if I could get to know each of my students and understand them and why they act certain ways. I am so excited to be a teacher and to be able to mold the minds of my students! I know this is what I am supposed to do :)

-still the odd one out-

Blog Entry #1

Hello blogging world. My name is Liesl and I am new to you. Just a little about me, I am a student at Brigham Young University- IDAHO....not Utah. I love to sing, dance and do homework. Cooking is quite enjoyable to me. I love myself and the world around me. I just experienced probably my warmest birthday ever. I have 9 siblings. Heather, 22, is in Australia serving a mission; Jessica, 21, is in Jerusalem through a BYU program; while the rest of my siblings: Christopher (16), Adam (14), Isaiah (11), Spencer (9), Gabriel (8), Madison and Maria (4) are still living at home with my amazing parents that I love and adore so much!!

A couple of things that you should know about me:

• I love cheese
• My favorite movie is Baby Mama
• One of my thumbs has more wrinkles than the other
• I have spats of OCD-like behavior
• If I don't put something in my planner-odds are it won't be done
• My favorite color is purple
• I like to burp
• I have a line of freckles down the back of my left ear lobe
• I am indeed left-handed and have a habit of noticing other south-paws in movies and classes

-still the odd one out-