WARNING: THIS IS A SAPPY AND CUTESY POST. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THE MUSHINESS, DO NOT READ.








Ok, what is my life?

RANDY IS HOME.

No longer Elder Low, he finished his 2 year mission and came home!

Oh, and I had no idea that he was back until the moment I saw him.

I have a video that I want to cutesy on up and everything, so look forward to that.

Until then, here is the story!

Randy told me he was getting home on December 8th. Which is Monday. Tomorrow. I went around all excited, posting like crazy, getting things ready, etc. etc.

Well, he then proceeded to email my friends and let them know he was really coming home on the 5th! He needed me to get home to Kaysville that night so he could come and surprise me!

My friends then proceeded to tell my other friends and family to make sure they could all help pull it off!

So over Thanksgiving I go home and my sister asks if I'm going to come and spend the night on Friday, the last weekend before Randy gets home. I tell her no, I have tests to study for and things to do. Well she FLIPS OUT. Tells me I HAVE to come home for one more sister sleepover, that I'll ruin her whole fun if I don't, etc. etc.

So, I grudgingly agree to go home, telling myself I'll try to get studying done there.

So Friday comes, and I go with my family to the Festival of Trees and to lunch. We had a grand old time and I had no idea what was going on. Turns out, Randy was on a plane, flying home.

I went home that evening with my family and tried to do some studying, but nothing really exciting happened. We watched White Christmas and sat around, played some games. I was SO confused why it had been such a big deal that I come home. The hours got later, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00. I went down to my room to do some studying and be upset that I'd driven all the way home for a very normal, but still fun, evening with my family. 

I heard some squealing and some running around upstairs, and then my mom called me up. Only to tell me a funny story about my dad swatting a fly. All I could think was, "My family is crazy!" Turns out, they had just heard from Randy and he was ready to come surprise me!

Then, my dad and sister Olivia say they have to run an errand. It's 10:15 and I'm so confused. SO confused. My mom and my other sister and I sat down to play games, and I was thinking my dad and sister must have gone to get a cake or something for me, but I had no idea.

Then I hear the garage door open and my dad walks in with his iPhone up, recording something.

Then, I see him. He had the biggest smile on his face, he was crouched down to run over and pick me up.

I screamed and ran over to the best hug I've had in 2 years.
Turns out that Friday December 5th is best day of my life so far.

Thanks to everyone who made this surprise happen, and cute Randy for planning it SO long ago (senior year of high school). I'm one very lucky girl. Now prepare for the sap.

Can I just tell you how surreal it is to have my best friend home?
Sometimes, I can't believe that it's real. That we did it. We made it. There are still hard things ahead, adjusting to do and figuring out how to click back into place, but I can honestly say I don't think I've ever been happier. So much is different, but somehow we're still us. Things just picked up where they left off, but with the two of us a little older, and smarter, and stronger.

So welcome home Elder Low.

And happy Sunday everyone!

This is another one of those posts that I've been writing in my head for a long time. I can't believe I'm just one short week away from seeing Elder Low again! It doesn't feel real, but I'm beyond ready. He's been an incredible missionary, he's changed lives with his testimony, grown so much stronger in the Gospel, and been an example to everyone, especially me.


For a lot of people, the best two years comes while serving a mission. For me, this wasn't the plan. I'm glad Heavenly Father knows what he's doing and was able to point me in the right direction. I learned and grew so much by listening, following, even though I didn't always understand.

So here's a quick look at what I've been up to for the past two years, what I've learned, who I've become, and why I wouldn't change a thing.

1. I traveled. From places like Saint George and Park City, to Idaho, to Arizona (and crossed the Grand Canyon off my bucket list) to Disneyland and Dodger Stadium, to Boston, Cambridge and Concord. I had some pretty amazing adventures and loved seeing new places, meeting new people, learning and having fun.



2. I had some incredible work opportunities. I started working for BYU Radio, and was able to do some fun work on national radio there. I then got an internship at KSL where again, I met some amazing people and learned so much about my career path. Then I got hired at KSL (twice), learned even more about working in a newsroom, and found a place to stick around for a while.

3. I powered through my freshman, sophomore/junior, and half of my senior year of college. I worked hard and got good grades, had some classes I absolutely loved and some that I tolerated, and just overall had a great time going to school.

4. I worked for BYU Student Alumni. I ran the communications for the BYU Food Drive for two years in a row, and ran communications for the Traditions Ball last April. The friends I made at Alumni will be people I cherish forever. I loved serving my university and having fun while doing it!

5. I made some amazing friends. Friends that will last me for a lifetime. And beyond. I figured out who was really going to be there for me when the going got tough, and I feel so lucky that I was able to meet those people.

6. I dated. Some of these guys were not so good. Others were part of a larger plan to help me learn and grow. I don't regret that for a second. I was able to learn so much about myself, become a better version of myself, and make friends that will never, ever let me down. That's pretty lucky if you ask me.

7. I became more confident and comfortable with myself. I can honestly say I have never been so comfortable in my own skin. I love that over these past two years I figured out how to stop caring so much what other people think of me, and really focus on what I think of myself, and what my Heavenly Father thinks of me.

8. I spent much needed time with my family. It's been amazing to go home and chat with my parents, go on fun outings with my sisters, and we've grown closer together over the past months as we've all grown up.
9. I wrote to Elder Low every single week. And I wrote other missionary friends often. It was awesome to get to learn and grow with them.

10. My testimony grew exponentially. I had experiences that I'm sure I needed to have, that were planned and placed so I could learn, and become stronger in this gospel. I had missionary moments, service opportunities, church callings, and was able to go from knowing about my Savior, to knowing him so personally. I learned how my Heavenly Father speaks to me individually. And I learned how to be a better instrument in his hands by obeying what he asks me to do.





And that's all folks.
Happy Thursday everyone!

Again, I'm the worst and only took ONE picture this Thanksgiving. ONE. I'm the WORST.

Ok I was enjoying time with my family though, so you'll just have to read about it!

First though, a few days of gratitude left!

November 24th: I'm grateful for music. Heavenly Father obviously loves us so much to provide us such a wonderful thing to help us be happy.
November 25th: I'm grateful for Kaysville. I love my hometown so so SO much. So many people give me lip about living in Utah my whole life, but it has been absolutely wonderful for me.
November 26th: I'm grateful for for the amazing opportunities life has thrown at me. I left my job at BYU Radio to move on to a different adventure (that I'll be announcing tomorrow. Stay tuned.) But I am so lucky to have had the amazing experiences in my life. Heavenly Father has been looking out for me.
November 27th: I'm grateful for Thanksgiving! What an amazing holiday. This Thanksgiving was so wonderful! We started the day with a Turkey Bowl (that turned into Ultimate Frisbee) which was SO fun. Then we went around as a family and shared what we were grateful for, and got to talk to my brother and sister-in-law in Boston before they headed to Cape Cod for Thanksgiving. All of my extended family got together and ate and ate and ate and played games (Rook and Bang are our favorites) and talked and laughed, and we just had such a great time. I have so many wonderful memories of are crazy family get togethers, and I feel so lucky to have been blessed with my family. Love you all!

Last night was my beautiful sister Olivia's last time dancing in The Nutcracker at Clytie Adams Ballet. I remember the sick, sad feeling that accompanies that very well. The girls were all backstage crying and hugging and getting pictures. It really was a sight to behold. Before the last performance, Clytie (the school's owner and founder and director and everything) made a speech (like she does before each show). At the end she said, "One of my former dancers came up to me after an earlier performance and said, 'Oh, I miss dancing.' And I thought...well that never really goes away." She was talking about my sweet littlest sister Bethany who had found her after the show to say hi.

Clytie was right, you never get over that feeling of missing dancing. I've been done for about 4 years, and every day I miss it.

The other day I had the chance to interview Adam Sklute, the artistic director at Ballet West, for BYU Radio. (I was fan-girling pretty hard, PS). At the end of the interview, I asked him a question that I hadn't written down or prepped him for. I asked, "If you could write a love note to The Nutcracker, what would it say?" He was a little surprised, but then started into a beautiful monologue about The Nutcracker and what it has meant to him (you'll have to listen to hear the whole thing). It got me thinking though, I wanted to write my own letter to The Nutcracker. For myself, and other dancers who have been touched by this show.

Dear Nutcracker,

Thank you for giving every November of my life color, brilliance, and beauty. From the music, to the costumes, to the props, to the hours of "Ride that Pony" that can be heard from where the little kids are held, to the long car rides and Nelson's Frozen Custard after the show, you have been a pure delight.

I have the steps and music memorized. I can't help but dance in my seat a bit when I watch because I know every move, the counting, and the rhythm, better than I know almost anything.

Nutcracker, I miss you. I miss the anticipation in the wings just before stepping on stage. I miss the long hallways and dressing rooms that always smelled like hairspray. I miss the feeling of being laced into a tutu a little too tight. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't have a dull ache in my heart, and an itch in my feet for dancing.

Thank you for giving me so many memories, so many nights of laughter and tears, so many days of sore feet and muscles, and so many pairs of ruined pointe shoes from the hard stage floor. Thank you for giving me the thrill of being out of breath after finishing a show, and hearing thunderous applause.

Nutcracker, words can't really express what you've meant to me over my life. And I think every November I'll feel a bit nostalgic and want to come home to you. Thank you for being my home.

All my love,
Maddy

Wow guys, this month has been rough. One of the harder months for me to get through. So I'm super glad I've been doing this gratitude thing, so I have to look at all the wonderful and amazing things that happen even in spite of all the not so wonderful and amazing things.

November 18th. Today I am so grateful for my high school experience being involved in theater. Being a part of the musical, getting to know some incredible people, and making friends that last forever is such a huge blessing. It made me a better person, it made me who I am. There's this huge part of my life that only some will understand, and that's being a part of the Davis High Musical. What an experience. I miss it every single day.

Hello friends!

I've been a major slacker at posting lately, it's because I'm so darn busy!

School, work, and the food drive are all I have time for these days!

Let's play a little catch up on gratitude, yeah?

November 10th: I'm grateful for the BYU Food Drive. I had the opportunity to participate last year, and I'm doing it all again this year! It's awesome, so fun, and so much work! We're gathering food for the people in Utah County who suffer from food insecurity, not knowing where their next meal is coming from. We've been working like crazy to host fun events and get food and money donations! Contact me if you're in Provo and interested in helping out!

(check it out: BYU Food Drive Article)

November 11th: I'm so grateful for those who fight to defend our country. We are so lucky to live in the land of the free, because of the brave. Thanks to all those currently serving, and to everyone who has served to protect this God blessed land!

November 12th: I'm thankful for my ultimate frisbee team. Seems silly, but seriously it made this semester so much fun! I loved getting to meet new people, and run around playing the game. I'm not the best, but I enjoyed every second playing with the BYU Radio Team.

November 13th: I'm grateful for family. I lucked out getting the best family in the whole world! They're so supportive and wonderful, and I don't know what I would do without them. I'm so glad they're stuck with me for eternity!

November 14th: I'm grateful for my best friends. I've been struggling feeling unsure of myself, confused, and even a little sad lately. I have the best friends who bring me cookies, make me dinner, and tell me that everything is going to be ok. My life would be a whole lot less wonderful without them.

November 15th: I'm grateful for football! I love heading to the stadium all bundled up and excited to cheer for my team. I'm so sad I only have one BYU home football game left as a student, On to bigger and better things I guess...but I'm sure going to miss it!

November 16th: I'm thankful for hospitals and medicine. I met my sweet little self-proclaimed god-daughter Addie Juliette on Sunday. And wow, is she wonderful! I'm just thankful for modern medicine and the advancements and comfort it gives to us. We are so lucky!

November 17th: Today, I'm thankful for the career path I picked. There are some people in my major who have no desire to get a job in what we're studying, and I'm just thankful that Heavenly Father helped me find a path that I love. I'm so excited to get out their and follow my dreams with a news/communications career. I'm a lucky girl!

Friends, I'm so blessed, and thanks to all of you who make my life sweet.

Happy Monday everyone!

And happy-three-weeks-left....what? Where has the time gone?

I've been writing this post in my head for about 23 months. Some people aren't going to like this, but I'm getting better at realizing I'm not going to make everyone happy, some people are going to dislike me, no matter what I do. SO. I'm posting this for me, and so hopefully some other boy or girl who is missing a friend, brother, sister, or cousin, can have some tips!

So I've been writing to my best friend who is off serving an LDS mission. He gets home next month, and I've learned a thing or two about writing a missionary since he (and practically all my other friends) have been gone.

What They Won't Tell You About Writing A Missionary

1. It is hard. I thought I understood what that meant. Let me tell you, I didn't. There are all of these conflicting feelings, like being so proud but missing them so much, wanting to confide in them while not being distracting, not writing too much or too little but jussst the right amount. It's exhausting. And unfortunately while it gets easier to cope....it never really gets better.

2. People are going to trash talk. I was shocked how many people were so rude to me about the whole situation. People telling me I was a distraction, people throwing stories in my face about missionaries they knew who were so terrible because they were distracted by friends writing, people telling me that it wasn't ever going to be the same, it wouldn't work out, that I was being stupid and should just forget it. It's so hard having such a huge part of your life completely thrashed. But it made me stronger.

3. You will change. And your missionary will change. This is 100% expected and 100% good. Change for the better. Both of you. And maybe those changes will pull you further apart, and that's ok. If you are both turning into the people you are meant to be, and that means you aren't supposed to stay friends, that's life. But in my situation, the changes were all so good and made us closer, more Christ-like, and happier.

4. Some days you will just want to cry. People will tell you not to, but that's not good. Sometimes, just let it out, listen to sad songs and have a blah day. It will be ok!

5. The last three months are by far the worst. I didn't ever believe people who told me this, but it's true. Unfortunately, every day that it's closer seems to be a littler harder than the one before!

6. You will be so blessed. I have grown closer to Christ as I read letters about His Atonement, about the miracles and the wonderful things that are happening with His work. I have studied and pondered and grown so much. My testimony is unshakable. And I think writing a missionary was a huge part of that.

7. You will grow independent. I was terrified at the beginning that not having my best friend around to vent or cry to would mean the end of me. It was just the opposite. I found me by having to be independent, be by myself. And now, I am 100% comfortable with my own company. In fact, I love it.

8. Everyone is different. Everyone and every missionary is so different. Things that happened to your neighbors best friend's sister's boyfriend won't happen to you. So relax, do what is best for you, and stop comparing!

9. You will be angry. Sometimes I felt so cheated that I was missing out on two years of my best friend's life. His favorite color changed, and I didn't know about it. He did all these incredible things that didn't involve me. And it hurt. But you have to kick that, grow up, and realize that being an individual is wonderful. Embrace all of the good things about the situation and shake off the bad.

10. Turn to your Heavenly Father. I didn't realize how much I would be relying on my Heavenly Father and my Savior when this whole ordeal started. He understands how it feels, your frustrations and fears. And He has the perfect plan for you. Rely on Him and His knowledge no matter what your earthly brain is thinking. You can do it, with his help!

That's it really. I'm no expert, and I still have some time left before all my friends are home. But you can do this!

Happy Tuesday everyone!