... Carrie became a vagabond

Do you ever have those times of life when you just feel like a floater?? When you're so very busy and caught up in the excitement of life in general to really find a foothold to be settled? That's what the month of May has been like for me... kinda crazy, really! But most definitely a GOOD crazy! I absolutely love my life and the busy-ness with which summer comes for me.

After finals week and a quick goodbye to amazing Logan peoples, as well as a quick trip home to see the family, I was whisked off to Jackson Hole for the summer. Life at my job in Jackson is in and of itself a world of busy busy people taking care of many many details to be sure the Bar-T-5 runs smoothly. I feel so far removed from all other aspects of my life when I'm in Jackson working! We've already had brilliantly epic adventures with the crew members, including a temple trip to Rexburg, a 1 lb hamburger challenge, Swedish and 3D Twister games, late night movies (especially The Three Amigos)... and many more to come!! The people I work with (and for-- my bosses are so great!!) make my job 100 times more exciting and enjoyable. I enjoy the work I do as well, but being around such amazing people all summer is a definite plus!

As of now, I'm sitting in the comfort of my family's home in Gooding enjoying a day off work... Tomorrow morning my sister will be packing up her things in my car and I'll get to have her join me in Jackson for the summer-- she graduated from GHS last night as valedictorian. I'm so very proud to call her my sister, she's a pretty incredible young lady. I realized, as I sat at her graduation, how much I've changed and grown and experienced this past year. High school helped to mold my personality, but college has precisely defined who I am and what I stand for. I'll be forever grateful for my high school experience, and the loving parents who raised me... but I'm coming to learn that many life altering friendships are formed during college years, and having my sister close next year at USU will be such a privilege and a pleasure. I love that girl and I want her to be able to define her own life as I've started with mine.

A big thank you, once again, to all you incredible people who've helped me this first year of college. I love and appreciate each of you. :D

I realized how blessed I am to be surrounded by such incredible people

This particularly normal day, I sit in the comfort of my very own home in Gooding with my wonderful family. It's a rare occasion, and I enjoy every second of my visits to Magic Valley, ID. I got the opportunity this weekend to attend one of my sister's track meets, introduce my siblings and mother to the wonderful world of Wackee Six, spend Mother's Day in my home ward, and torture all little siblings (especially quickly-growing brothers) to make up for the time I've been down south. :)

It's hard to believe, being home again, that a year has past since I was in my little sister's shoes, graduating from High School and preparing to entire the big, bad world of college... ;) Now I know that "big-bad-world" isn't too super big or bad... life goes on as it should, with all the changes and adjustments necessary for us to progress.

College life has been incredibly good to me- most especially because of the amazing people I'm surrounded by. While basking in the warmth of a Spring sunshine this afternoon, I lay on the grass reading a conference talk from this last General Conference. I stumbled across a powerful statement made by President Uchtdorf:

"By becoming the answer to someone's prayer, we often find the answer to our own."

I realize that I have such a powerful testimony of this statement. I know with all my heart that when I most desperately need a blessing, I am nearly always prompted to look outside myself and reach out to someone in particular around me. And most frequently... my needs are met in the process.

And so, to all of you sweet spirits in my life (you know who you are and why you're included on such a list) that have helped be answers to my prayers, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are incredible. I am so blessed to have people such as you in my life. Thank you for your smiles, the conversations we've had, and the unique way in which you've influenced and impacted my life.

On this, the day we honor our mothers, I want to let mine know that I owe nearly everything I am to the diligence in which she and my father raised me. They are the greatest. :) I love and respect and admire her for everything she stands for. Keep it up Mom, you're truly one in a million.