MLK

Martin Luther King Jr. 

Did you know his legal name at birth was Michael King? 

His father had it changed later and said it was recorded incorrectly. I just thought this was an interesting wiki fact.

I love this man and everything he stands for; nonviolence, civil rights, racial equality, leading the Montgomery Bus Boycott (plus so many others), giving passionate sermons at church...

but most of all I love his speech at the 1963 March on Washington. 

"I have a dream that my four children will one day 

live in a Nation where they will not be judged 

by the color of their skin, but by the 

content of their character

I have a dream."

I am so thankful for advocates like this wonderful man.

I am so happy to see how far our country has come, and filled with anticipation to see where it will go!

Happy Monday!

It is going to be a beautiful week full of inspiring dreams :)

 

Setting Goals

2013

I love the New Year. 

The freshness and motivation it brings. 

I am thankful for the trials and refinement I went through in 2012 

My faith purified and strengthened and my character developed because of them. 

Every new year I like to go back and read my journal entries (not my blog- an actual paper and pen- personal journal) and highlight the situations/trials I feel I learned the most from and mastered. 

To those lessons learned I toast!

And then I make a list of the moments where I felt a little... well

lost, insecure, a little scared, or doubtful.

And mark them as a learning opportunity for the New year.

A personalized list of areas where i recognize I have room to grow.

Personal growth brings so much happiness.

This is fact.

One of my big goals for 2013 is to refer to that list of 'moments/feelings' I have documented 

Identify them, know them,  and try to recognize them as they enter my life again. 

Because they always return until I take away whatever I am supposed to from it.

I hope to feel fired up when those moments of uncertainty hit-

Grasp that moment and learn from it, OWN IT! And turn it into the next phase of personal progress.

Relish in the teachable moment in my own life, 

as opposed to fearing the unknown and or unfamiliar.

Call it prioritized progress.

Call it a service to self. 

Whatever it is...

I just know that I am excited for 2013 and all the joys it will bring!

recognize, learn, & love the refinement!

2012

In a Nutshell. . .     

We may have started off the new year by falling asleep on the couch at my parents house in Coarsegold waiting for the countdown :) But 2012 was still came and was full of love, service, triumphs and a few heart aches.

January
- Bentley started his degree program at Full Sail University for Music Business
- I started working at Blue Sky preschool with the toddlers!
- I found WGU online program and started doing some research


February
- We went to Hawaii for a friends wedding just 6 months after we were married there!
- We hiked Bishops peak in remembrance of my dog bite in 2011 on presidents day.
- I got a job with San Luis Coastal Unified School District and started working at CL Smith Elementary  in the 2nd grade. The school is right across the street from our apartment. I started to feel so  much more grown up, even though I was riding my bike to school :)
-  Bentley opened for the California Honey Drops at SLO Brew
- We took a fun valentines photo shoot 
- I gave my first talk in Sacrament on Service


March
- Bentley and I ran in the color run in SoCal with some of my Long Beach girlfriends.
- I started Line Dancing every thursday night
- I got the WORST flu I have ever had in my entire life and lost more pounds in 2 days than anyone should in 2 weeks. It was miserable.
- Instagram entered my world
- My love for the hunger games grew and grew. I finished all three books in March.
- Bentley sanded and repainted most of our furniture! 
- We celebrated Bentleys 31st year of life :)


April
- Bentley purposed a year ago this April so we reminisced in the place where he asked. 
- I remember very little about this month.....


May
- My first Murdock girls get away in Zermatt :) I got to know my 8 sisters in law better, we did girly things and just hung out :) It was so relaxing, my first professional massage too!! OH MY GOODNESS.
- My mom scared us all by contracting a rare virus from her gallbladder surgery, I'm talking  having seizures in my arms, passing out, leading to the ER on mothers day... It was a nightmare and nothing I want to ever experience again. I did learn how vital it is to have enough potassium in my body though. 
- I got into CAL POLY


JUNE
- We moved to Vegas for Bentleys summer job
- I practically stopped blogging... too busy hanging out with family and soaking up the sun.
- I got bronchitis :( 
- sunshine, fruit, pools, tanning and reading pretty much sum it up!


JULY
- 4th of July in Vegas on the roof, we saw more fireworks than I have ever seen in my life!
- My papa passed away, bless his heart. Pancreatic Cancer took him very quickly
- I turned 22 on the 22nd my golden birthday!
- Murdock Family Reunion in Duck Creek, Utah
- My parents started packing or their move back to the beloved bay Area :)



August
- I left Vegas early to help my parents transition to their new home in Green Valley.
- Bentley and I were apart for the longest we have ever been since we met each other, it was something I dont wish to repeat ever!
- School started back up so Bentley and I were back to the daily grind, I was moved to the preschool! Perfect fit for me :)
- I declined CAL POLY and started moving forward with WGU. Something my family was a little unsure of, but I had a great feeling about it.


September
- We celebrated our 1 year anniversary
- went to 2 weddings back to back weekends in the mountains! It was lovely
- My spanish was getting really strong thanks to my morning preschoolers who ar primarily spanish speakers
- I started crossing guard in the morning for my school

October
- I started running regularly, again :)
- Bentley and I dressed up as lions for halloween and had a blast at our friends Halloween Party in their barn. Perfect place for a Halloween Party. 
- I started WGU!!!! Special Ed bachelors program
- I went on a thrifting binge and got really crafty


November
- We had a nice week long break and went to my parents for Thanksgiving and spent time with them at their new house. We rode bikes, played a ton of music, and ate yummy food.
- Bentley and I went to the oakland temple and did baptisms. It was his first time there, my first time since I was 9 and my family was sealed there.
- I continued to thrift and improve our little home
- I saw my dad lay on his tummy for the second time in 2 years at SCI FIT the spinal chord rehab center he goes to now. I am so so proud of my dads progress. He did squats, the work out bike and the elliptical too. He has come so far!


December
- Bentley brought home a beautiful 18th century piano he got for free :) it only took 6 grown men to haul it up our stairs.
- I finally got into the groove of online school
- We prepared our spare room for our nephew Nate to come down and live with us while he finishes high school- skipping babies and going straight to teenagers...
- I actually sent out our christmas cards in time this year!
- a rep. from Capitol Records got to hear some of Bentleys music through Full Sail and had some very good things to say to him!
- We got to spend our entire winter break at the cabin with the Murdock family! We cut down our tree (my first time doing that), enjoyed the snow, and played with lots of babies and nieces and nephews. 

Looking forward to another exciting year with  my love. We have many dreams and ambitions for our family, I can't wait to see what life has in store for us. 
Guess the Mayans were wrong... 
I feel like I should own a shirt that says I survived Y2K AND 2012

Adios 2012