Two.Thousand.And.Fourteen.

What. A. Year. 

It has been incredible! 

There have been so many ups and downs but at the end of it all, all I want to do is thank 2014 for giving me the most amazing year yet. I have done so much, experienced so many new things, met a variety of interesting people, made many new and dear friends, laughed more than I could ever imagine, said so many goodbyes and even more hellos, been more stressed out than ever before, had a few curve balls thrown at me, cried A LOT, had countless adventures, made millions of memories, said more prayers of gratitude than I thought I would ever say, come closer to my Heavenly Father than ever before, given more hugs and kisses to my family and other loved ones than I ever remember giving, rethought my life plan over and over again, thought about the future more than ever, found a future and started my life as an adult. 

I have no idea how to sum up the amount of adventures and stories I have experience this year but I thought I would try to sum up the year 2014 month by month in four bullet points or less. (With a variety of pictures of course). 

Let's see how this goes! 

January

-waited for a reply from BYU

-was accepted at BYU-I!

-went to my school's senior's talent show night

-continued volunteering with local youth clubs

February

-continued to wait for an acceptance letter from BYU

-spread the love on V-day with pink home made sugar cookies 

-spent an adorable Valentine's day at a stake youth dinner night 

(my date was a thirteen year old boy with A lot of pick up lines) 

-finally received an acceptance letter from my dream school!

March

-became obsessed with Disney 

(I'm a Mormon...it's a common attribute)

-dressed up as Princess Leia for World Book Day

-continued to be excited about going to BYU

-started working at the National Forest Adventure Farm

April

-seriously started thinking about my future plans 

(and celebrated that they would be happening!)

-worked for most of spring break

-spent the other half of spring break going on adventures with my family 

-went rock climbing with Spencer for his birthday

May

-went to a McBusted concert with my girls

-celebrated my 18th birthday!

-did my senior thesis for German and French

-went to my first YSA dance 

June

-graduated LDS Seminary

-prepared for finals 

-finished High School

-went to the senior ball

July 

-volunteered at my mom's elementary school

-went on wonderful adventures with my friends

-had a fake graduation ceremony

-attended beehives camp as a counselor

August

-attended EFY for the last time as a participant

-flew 4000 miles across the world with my mom to start my new life 

-went to Ogden Temple open house

-went back to my childhood hometown of Mesa, Arizona

September

-moved into my first apartment

-started my freshman year at Brigham Young University

-went to a single's ward for the first time (it's nothing like the movie)

-went to my first college football game

October

-attended General conference

-experienced homecoming for the first time 

(which included hiking the Y)

-attend my baby brother's baptism's reception via Skype

-did a crazy amount of Halloween related activities and

 dressed up as grapes (best two dollar costume on the block!) 

November

-attended a devotional given by Mitt Romney

- went to a Bastille concert

-saw Utah snow for the first time

-went on the craziest date of my life (and loved every second of it)

December

-got called as Ward Relief Society President

-survived finals

-spent time in Ogden with Matt

-spent my first Christmas away from home in Sand Diego & Mesa 

Blessed beyond compare!

The last few months have been crazy! 

I never thought they would fly by this quickly considering counting down the days until they began felt like a century worth of waiting. But they did. It happened. I finished my first semester at BYU! 

It's such a weird feeling. I remember this time last year I had just barely applied. I would refresh the application app on my phone at least once an hour, constantly planning out ideas for my future in my head with the uncertainty that any of them would even happen. But they did. My dreams have come true. 

Now things weren't exactly as expected. I did not ever think my dad would get really sick just weeks before I started my new adventures. I didn't think living 4000 miles away from my family would be this hard. I didn't think that college would be a breeze but I also didn't think that it would make me love to learn as much as ever before. 

I've learned the true value of friends, time, compassion, service, love, patience, faith and most of all how blessed I am to have an incredibly loving Heavenly Father and supportive and caring family. 

I am so so so so so so so blessed! 

I have had amazing opportunities in many different aspects of my life since I have been here and  continue to discover parts of myself and the world around me that I never knew existed. Life is simply incredible! 

Never forget who you are and how blessed you are to be you! 

Best wishes and happy Holidays,

Reilly Michele

Remember when I blogged?

Hi, my name is Reilly and I once decided to start a blog to capture my senior year of high school and keep in touch with friends once I went to BYU. That was a terrible decision and promise to myself. 

Well today is the last day of my first semester at BYU. 

How many times did I blog whilst I've been here? 

That's right. A total of zero. 

Do I feel bad? Yes. 

Was I busy? Yes. 

Did I simply have nothing exciting to blog about? No. 

Actually I have way too much to blog about and I have no idea where to start. 

There have been so many highs and lows, from failing my first ever midterm (it's okay... I'm somehow still doing pretty good in that class) to meeting the university's President on many occasions.  Life here has been full of adventures: 

 selfies with President Worthen

 Roadtrips in AZ with my dear sweet momma whom I miss like crazy!

 Sleeping under the stars on basketball courts with newly found friends

 Seeing my inspirational grandparents for the first time in 8 years (note the fact that this was taken at 4 AM and I am extremely tired)

 Trips to IKEA that include having a fake family dinner and laughing too much. 

 True blue foamcoming (the fun part of homecoming: sliding down a giant slip n slide in blue foam)

 Going to general conference

 Living with these wonderful girls (picture taken on first day of orientation= our first roomie selfie)

 Meeting vocal point

recapturing missionary photos with my hall on our first Sunday

Seeing the temple lights for the first time :) 

The last four months have been incredible. I am so blessed to be here and my prayers still start with "I thank thee for giving me the opportunity to learn and grow at BYU". I am so blessed to be here! 

I could have never imagined that I was going to have such an incredible time! Life here is sweet! 

It has not been a picnic being so far away from home with a lot going on across the pond (my dad relapsed but he is on his way to recovery now!) and the stress of college (BYU is hard people... prepare yourselves!) but I would not trade any part of my experience thus far. I love my life right now! 

(More crazy stories, laughs and life lessons to follow soon)

Remember that life is always sweet (sometimes chocolate makes it sweeter) but that Heavenly Father is always looking out for you and definitely has a plan for you. 

Have a great day!

Reilly Michele