A friend

Lately I've been thinking about those people who have been placed in my life to help me along the path. Through the struggles, trials, tribulations and the happiness, smiles, and laughter. Here are some of my thoughts about who these people are:

A friend is someone who makes you want to be better. To push yourself to becoming an improved person

someone who thinks about your well-being

who cares enough to call and find out how life has been

who listens

someone that wants to share life with you. The good, the bad, and the ugly. They feel what you feel and are happy to do so

a friend loves you for who you are and uplifts you

is proud of you for your accomplishments and laughs with you about your failures

helps you feel the spirit

will cry with you when needed

who understands and agrees with you...even when you both know you're wrong

a friend knows what's going on in your life and remembers to remind you how loved you are

In the last week I have had some life-changing chats with some of the greatest friends I've ever known. When I think about these people and the ways in which they have come into my life I can see the reality of tender mercies taking place. I have been blessed by some really incredible friends. You know who you are. This is my way of thanking you for being a part of my life and showing my gratitude for your unwavering faith, kind words, thoughtful hearts, and patience.

Perfectly Lonely By John Mayer

So...I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS SONG!

Had a little love, but I spread it thin
Falling in her arms and out again
Made a bad name for my game around town
Tore up my heart, and shut it down

Nothing to do
Nowhere to be
A simple little kind of free
Nothing to do
No one but me
And that's all I need

I'm perfectly lonely
I'm perfectly lonely
I'm perfectly lonely (Yeah)
'Cause I don't belong to anyone
Nobody belongs to me

I see friends around from time to time
When their ladies let them slip away
And when they ask me how I'm doing with mine
This is always what I say

Nothing to do
Nowhere to be
A simple little kind of free
Nothing to do
No one to be
Is it really hard to see

Why I'm perfectly lonely
I'm perfectly lonely
I'm perfectly lonely
I'm perfectly lonely (Yeah)
'Cause I don't belong to anyone
Nobody belongs to me

And this is not to say
There never comes a day
I'll take my chances and start again
And when I look behind
On all my younger times
I have to thank the wrongs that led me to a love so strong

I'm perfectly lonely
I'm perfectly lonely
I'm perfectly lonely (Yeah)
'Cause I don't belong to anyone
Nobody belongs to me

(It's the way, it's the way, it's the way that I want it)

Birthday Thoughts

Well...it's official. I am now an adult. I started off my birthday yesterday by becoming an adult and getting a job! I'm pretty excited about it all. I've never had a job before where I got to give it my 100% best effort because it was never my top priority. Before now school has always taken precedence to just about everything else in life but I can actually start my career and focus on that for a while.

My family and friends made yesterday the most wonderful birthday. My Mom is so great and does everything she can each year to make sure our birthdays are special experiences. She made me crepes for breakfast and then took us to Color Me Mine where we each selected a pottery piece to paint. I chose a chip/dip square dish. I'm so excited to see the finished product in a few days!

Some of my friends came over in the evening to celebrate with us. We had a delicious grilled steak dinner and lavished ourselves with yummy cheesecake (thanks Sarah and Hillary!) and carrot cake. I've decided that the only thing needed to make a birthday great is to be with the people you love. And I LOVE the people who were with me yesterday.

For my birthday I received several new items to help me with a new goal I've acquired...the half marathon in October!!! Am I crazy--perhaps!? My good friend Aishe and I will be running it together. She's amazing and helps push me to keep going with the goal. And now I have a watch to tell me everything I could possibly need to know to get me from start to finish. I didn't even know such things existed! (Thanks Mom and Dad!)

It's when I spend a day surrounded by my family and close friends that I realize just how blessed and loved I really am. Late last night I watched the movie The Blind Side with a friend and as I saw the hard things the main character had experienced in his life-mostly all of which were the results of the poor decisions others had made--I reflected on just how great life really is for me. I've never had to wonder if anyone loved me or cared about my well-being because I've always had parents who did everything they could to show their love. I've never had to hope to find a warm, dry place to sleep at night. I have always always had people in my life who believed in me and my abilities to accomplish anything I wanted. How does it work out that I was born into a home filled with love and so many others will never experience true, unconditional love? I don't know. I can't explain it but I do know I AM BLESSED!

Thanks everyone for making this a very memorable 23rd (haha) birthday!!!

Erb Week of Adventures

Last week my Uncle Steve, Aunt Arlene, and cousins Kendell and Brooke made the 13 hour trek from Medford, Oregon to visit us in Draper...and we played hard the whole week! The majority of our time was spent in the pool trying to decide who could dive, stand on the floaties and do the most impressive tricks (which in Meechys case resulted in funny falling incidents) the best (yep, we're just a LITTLE competitive...it must run in our genes) but we also sat around the fire telling stories and jokes with funny boys in pink cowgirl hats, went on a hiking trip at Snowbird that was responsible for our inability to walk for 3 days, watched Brian Reagan (need we say more?), went to Moab for some Southern Utah fun, and of course put in some time shopping in Salt Lake City at the Gateway. We laughed pretty much the entire week and just wore each other out with the late nights, fun-packed days and road trips.

Moab Hummer Trip: One of the most fun things we've ever done in Utah!

Hiking around Arches and to the Delicate Arch: (which by the way is one intense hike when done in 97 degree weather!)

And some much needed rest:

Snowbird

For Meechy's 22nd birthday we went to Snowbird Ski Resort to ride the tram. SO fun!

22 Things I love about Meech:

1-Her sense of humor...she's absolutely one of the funniest people I know-- Quite possibly the funniest

2-Simpleness of life with her

3-Our friendship. We fight but always make up instantly because we can't stand to not talk to each other

4-Her love for life. She's so passionate!

5-Getting ready in the bathroom with her

6-Her honesty about the important things in life: "Karin, you've really let yourself go!"

7-That she pronounces my name "Kirin"

8-Her smile that inevitably makes everyone around her happy

9-She's so thoughtful

10-She lets me tease her...for the price of only a little physical abuse

11-That she uses her huge muscles to get what she wants

12-She's the fastest texter I've ever seen

13-Her love for her car "onda" (The H got stolen)

14-Her desire to be independent and different

15-She's beautiful and she knows it

16-Her bang comb :)

17-She'll stay up late with me to watch Nick at Nite when I can't sleep...even if she's exhausted

18-Our hot tub chats-with the mice

19-She's always up for anything adventurous

20-Meech is SO motivated to achieve her goals

21-That she refuses to read my blog haha

22-She's One of the TWO best sisters I've ever known

Cara & Clarence Tied the Knot

Our good friend Cara Spohn asked us (Em, Meech, and I) to be bridesmaids in her wedding on July 17th. We've grown up together with her and her brother Derek and sister Rachel so it was neat to be a part of the whole shindig. Cara looked just gorgeous in her white dress and perma-smile that day. It was HOOTTT that day so we all look a little destroyed in the pictures but, as always, we did what we could.

Congrats Cara and Clarence!

Maui

I just wanted to share a few of the highlights from our trip to Maui back in June. My Mom, Dad, Sisters, Aunt Sue and Uncle Steve all shared a week long vacation at our timeshare in Maui. Don't let the following picture deceive you into believing we ran around participating in lots of activities because about 90% of our time was spent with our feet in the sand or laying out reading, listening to some good tunes with our stunna shades. (Meechy!) Too many pictures to choose from but here are a few:

Laying by the pool AND the beach...

SURFING!!!...

BEAUTIFUL Sunsets...

Family Time...