Simply Shelby

Well, It's late and I seem to always have more thoughts in my head the later at night it gets. Being home is a different feeling and I didn't realize how much I missed home until I was actually back home (if that makes any sense). There is comfort in sleeping in my own bed, being able to call my best friend and know she's not far away, hearing Dylan yell at his xbox , driving my own car, and being able to see the boyfriend whenever I feel like it. It is always nice to have a vacation, though. Now let's get to the good stuff. I have been thinking a lot lately about how we are defined as a person. I define myself in many ways: short, blonde , loyal, honest, Mormon, snorter(the laughing kind, not the drug kind), and willing. Then I had the question in my mind, "How do people define me?" Hopefully by most I have been defined accurately and not by simple judgement. I heard once by a speaker at a leadership conference that people determine character through snapshot

My dear sweet Utah, What an amazing three weeks you've given me. You always will be my home away from home and I will always be grateful for my summers spent with you. Utah, you teach me a lot every single time I'm with you, and this year you've given me much to be thankful for. You have taught me that family is never that far away. You have taught me that life in itself gives great challenges, but those challenges make me stronger. You have taught me that one of my most favorite things is seeing my grandparents hold hands while walking together. You have taught me that the mountains are the most beautiful place in the world. You have taught me that the stars are so much brighter when you are actually looking for them. You have taught me how much I am blessed to have such amazing friends back home. You have taught me that it's okay not to look your best every day. You have taught me that Law & Order: SVU is a slight addiction shared by my cousins and myself. You ha

Wednesday- Tell about a special date. I have been a pretty lucky girl because I have been on some amazing dates with some amazing boys. I have tried sushi, kangaroo , gator, and many odd foods. I have been to the beach, the river, the park and many places. I love going on dates. I love feeling adored and special. I also love a true gentleman (: Thursday- Describe a childhood birthday. One of my favorite birthdays was my 15th. My mother took some friends and I go Gainesville for dinner and fun. We all had dressed up in cute outfits. I loved that birthday. Friday- Do you have a favorite magazine? The only time I really read magazines is when I am flying! I do love all church magazines though. Saturday- What is your favorite color and flower? My favorite color is a light pink or a teal. My favorite flower is a sunflower, though I love all flowers.

Sunday- Did you have a favorite toy or blanket? Tell about it. I had the cutest little blanket I carried with me EVERYWHERE when I was a kid. It was a Christmas blanket with adorable teddy bears all over it. I would cry without it. I don't really know how I got out of that habit, but I still do have the blanket. Monday- When were you the most proud of yourself? My proudest moment was probably the end of my senior year during SGA class. Everyone went around the room saying their favorite thing about each of the seniors. When it came my turn I realized how much my SGA family loved me. It meant a lot to hear their positive words of encouragement and how much they all adored me. It meant a lot to me and I won't ever forget that moment. Tuesday- What was your favorite subject in school? And one that you didn't like? I loved any English or History class I was ever in. Journalism will always be a favorite because of the wonderful teacher. I love her to death. She taught me a lot a

Friday- How do you feel about winning? Losing? The simple answer to this question is I am a winner at a losing game. I am not the best at winning anything and I have always been okay with that. Of course it's nice to win, but a lot of times I learn more by losing than I would have learned by winning. Saturday- Tell about your hopes and dreams for your children. This is so right up my ally. I LOVE children and I cannot wait until the day where I have my own. I hope my children will learn and love Jesus Christ as much as I do. I hope they are always passionate about what they dream about and that they don't settle for anything less than everything. I want them to enjoy the simple things in life and realize that money isn't everything. I know life isn't always the easiest, but with faith they can overcome any trial.

This is my goal of my three weeks in Utah. I found this jar in my grandma's house that allows you to tell your life story by picking a slip of paper with a question on it from the jar and to write down the answers. Monday - Describe my yard as a child & did I help with yard work. Technically I grew up with the same yard I'm living with now, so this is easy. I live on 5 acres of beautiful country land. The front of the house has St. Augustine grass that my parents planted soon after the house was built. This is also around the back of the house for a bit until you get to the normal field grass. I love the thickness of the grass and the way it smells right after it's been mowed. The house is surrounded by flowerbeds that my mother has tried to keep decent over the years. We have a nice big garden every year and as much as I hate planting and harvesting it, I really do love the outcome of having fresh foods. I help with the yard work but most of the time not willingly. I L

Have you ever wondered how much your decisions effect others? Have you ever watched still water be disturbed by just one small drop of water? It amazes me that something so simple as a droplet can move a whole body of water. There are a lot of things I will never understand about life. I can only look and ask myself, when I am 90 years old am I going to be able to look back and feel good about the life I have lived? Can I look now and be pleased with the person I am today? Life comes at you fast but I can promise you that the consequences of each decision you make will come at you faster. I find that the hardest thing is making the right decisions. Who should be number one factor in determining decisions? Yourself? Others? Family? Friends? Should you put yourself before others always ? I don't believe there is a one answer for every situation. Today is a day, tomorrow is a new day. Will you let your tomorrow be determined by how you lived your life today? That, my friends, is a que