'Shift Happens'

Starts With Goodbye
Carrie Underwood

I was sitting on my doorstep,
I hung up the phone and it fell out of my hand,
But I knew I had to do it,
And he wouldn't understand,
So hard to see myself without him,
I felt a piece of my heart break,
But when you're standing at a crossroad,
There's a choice you gotta make.

So Kellee and I were just hanging out tonight, and discussing life and the shifts that I've been facing lately. I'm not going to lie, things have been emotionally hard for me in certain aspects as I say goodbye to the familiar and hello to the new and exciting- something very hard for someone who isn't very fond of change- but, as we were talking, a song came on that made me stop, think, and really understand what's going on.

[Chorus]:
I guess it's gonna have to hurt,
I guess I'm gonna have to cry,
And let go of some things I've loved,
To get to the other side,
I guess it's gonna break me down,
Like falling when you try to fly,
It's sad, but sometimes moving on with the rest of your life,
Starts with goodbye.

Sometimes, I find myself being torn between two great things, but I have to really stop, think, and, as the song puts it, move on. It helps that there are other amazing people out there in the world that I can get along with.

I know there's a blue horizon,
Somewhere up ahead, just waiting for me,
Getting there means leaving things behind,
Sometimes life's so bitter sweet.

So, I (sort of) say goodbye to something that has taught me so much. Being where I was in January and then February and March, I've learned that things don't always turn out the way you expect. I've learned that I need to put my trust in the Lord, and when the time is right, and I have prepared myself both emotionally and spiritually, the right man will enter into my life. I still have time to learn and grow, I'm still young.

[Chorus:]
I guess it's gonna have to hurt,
I guess I'm gonna have to cry,
And let go of some things I've loved,
To get to the other side,
I guess it's gonna break me down,
Like falling when you try to fly,
It's sad, but sometimes moving on with the rest of your life,
Starts with goodbye.

I've also learned, through this entire experience, to really love myself for who I am. I've found great strength in my Savior, Jesus Christ, and I've really tried to align my life style with his teachings. My testimony has grown immensely and my roommates have let me know that they noticed. I want my will to be the will of my Heavenly Father, and I believe, or rather I know, that when I have started focusing on making myself better, the Lord will introduce me to someone who can help me along that path. As my dear friend Alice puts it:

"Dance with the Lord, and he will let the right man cut in"

Time, time heals,
The wounds that you feel,
Somehow, right now.

So, now it's time to move on and learn from someone else. I'm excited for the insights I will gain in the next few months as I change classes and continue living in Provo Utah. I'll miss the familiar more than anything- it will always be a part of who I am- but, no matter what, the Lord will always love me, and my family will always love me. I have the most amazing friends and have been blessed with their love, comfort, and guidance. I thank the Lord everyday for the people I have been blessed to come in contact with- the old and the new.

[Chorus:]
I guess it's gonna have to hurt,
I guess I'm gonna have to cry,
And let go of some things I've loved,
To get to the other side,
I guess it's gonna break me down,
Like falling when you try to fly,
It's sad, but sometimes moving on with the rest of your life,
Starts with goodbye,
I guess I'm gonna have to cry,
And let go of some things I've loved,
To get to the other side,
Starts with goodbye,
The only way you try to find,
Moving on with the rest of your life,
Starts with goodbye,
Na na na na na na na.

Bring on the change, I'm ready.

We've got a secret...

My roommate, Kellee and I have a grand secret. A secret so grand it surpasses all grandness of secrecy. I'd tell you what it was, but I can't until the 24th.

I'll give you a little insight though-

• It's something we are doing for someone(s)
• It deals with a holiday
• We so excited
• It shall be stupendous
• It looks a little something like this:

Yeah, that good looking... I don't know how all of you can handle this.

The ABC's of Bailey G.

A - Attached or Single: who decides these things anyway...
B - Best Friend: I have a few, but probably Mitchy Gleason
C - Cake or Pie: Pie wishes it could be cake.
D - Day of choice: Gotta get down on Friday (err'body's looking forward to the weekend, weekend)
E - Essential Item: Phone. I'm neurotic and scared that I'll need it most when I don't have it. That and my wallet.
F - Favorite Color: Yellowww.
G - Gummy Bears or Worms: Gummie Bears. I have a jar full of them in my room.
H - Hometown: Jensen Beach, FL
I - Indulgence(s): Gummie Bears...?
J - January or July: July, because I'm tan....
K - Kids: Yes. A must.
L - Life is incomplete without: Family, friends and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
M - Marriage Date: I'm engaged?

N - Number of Siblings: 2 (and 2 dogs)
O - Oranges or Apples: Oranges
P - Phobias or Fears: Dark. Spiders. Ending up alone... and the fear that somewhere, somehow a duck is watching me.
Q - Quotes: "Dance like nobody's watching; love like you've never been hurt. Sing like nobody's listening; live like it's heaven on earth." -Mark Twain.
[I live my life by it, literally]
R - Reason to smile: I'm me! I mean, I'm breathing, isn't that reason enough?
S - Season: Fall/Spring
T - Tag Three Friends: You can do that?
U - Unknown fact about me: I worry about EVERYTHING.
V - Very favorite Store: Target? Walmart?
W - Worst habit: I'm a nail-biting procrastinator.
X - X-ray or Ultrasound: Uhm...
Y - Your favorite food: Meat. Like steak.... freaking steak...
Z - Zodiac: Taurus

Jump On It & the Sham-Rock-n'-Roll!

WOW! Saturday, the 19th was an exhilarating day! I headed up to campus around 10:30 and studied for a bit before I took my Marriage and Family exam (81%!). After wards, I walked down to the fields across the street from the stadium and watched my friend Alice's ward play a powder-puff game. It was really cool!!

Around 4:30, Marcus texted me and we were both super bored, so we decided to do something that we've been planning on doing forever now!

JUMP ON IT BABY!

It was so much fun! I've never had a trampoline, so I wasn't very good at doing cool things, but I could front flip, somersault, jump kind of high, not get hurt, side flip, and look good doing it. Of course, Marcus could do all of that and more, like back flips and landing on his back. I don't like landing on my back....


But hey! By the end of the hour there, I was able to back flip with Marcus spotting me! Cool huh? I faced my fears with his help! What a good friend.
Man my body hurt the next day though...


That night I went out with Alice to her ward's St. Patrick's Day party. It was called:

Sham-Rock-n'-Roll

Isn't that cool? It was so much fun! They had a live band with legit bagpipes and Irish Dancers. We played drinking games with root beer [yay Mormons!], and had pictures taken and then at the end of the night a huge dance party!



I loved the people in Alice's ward! They're all super nice and so much fun! Watching everyone dance and just be silly was really nice.

I just love my friends!!

Change

So much has happened in the past couple months, so I thought I'd share a few of the biggest things:

1. Pie Party!

Me and Marie Christensen!

So my friend Sarah threw a party a few Fridays ago and I caught a ride with Spencer and Marie Christensen up to Alpine so I could go. I wasn't sure about it at first because I had been in a pretty sour mood that day, but I was so happy I went!
We played games with lifesavers and tooth picks, feeding people pie (Spencer was my partner, and I let him down!), soda shots and then finally me, Spencer and this kid Will (he's from Florida too!) had to stand in buckets of snow and melt an ice cube under our armpits.
I won :)

2. Snow!

A really cool deer up on campus that Marcus and I saw!

Kellee and I tubing!

I survived my first winter with snow! It actually wasn't that bad! I really enjoyed the snow when it wasn't melting. The scenery out here is beautiful when it snows; however, I am so ready for spring.

3. Family Pictures!

My family took these picture in June and they finally came in! I love them!!! I miss my family so much, they are just so wonderful! Mitchell and Sophia are growing up! They're so beautiful! I love my family.

4. Hair Cut!

I went from this

To this ^ and this v

To this! Bam!

Marie Christensen gave me my wonderful new hair cut (WHICH I LOVE)! I went in to just talk and have a day where I didn't have to worry about school or anything, and I came out with bangs. She was very persuasive, and I'm glad she was so adamant about me getting them! I actually really like them. The change is always refreshing.

5. Valentines Day Bake-Fest!

So, for Valentines Day, I decided that I was going to bake cupcakes for my friends. So I stayed home that Friday night and that's exactly what I did. I baked 50+ and have the best time decorating them and listening to really girly music all by myself! It felt really good to deliver them the next couple days and see the smiles on my friends faces. I love all of my friends and I am so grateful to have them in my life!
Plus, I had a valentine! It was a lot of fun and he's a really really cool kid! We did some service at a special needs place and then hung out after wards! It was really sweet and definitely the best Valentines day I ever had.

6. Tumblr Famous!

So Marcus and I were walking in the Wilkinson building when this girl came up to me and was like 'I love your scarf, can I take a picture?', so I said yes. A week later, I end up on the BYU 'YFashion' blog. How awesome is that!? I felt so honored!

7. Friends!

My friends are seriously amazing and I am so grateful that they are always there for me. I love the shopping trips I go on with Claire and the dance parties I go to with Alice. I love the conversations and silly things I do with Marcus and the crazy things I do with Kellee. The Lord has blessed me by bringing them into my life and I count them, each and every one of them, as a special blessing in my life.