Friday, October 29, 2010

September and October of 2008

On September 14, 2008, I was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It was so amazing to be baptized, its completely indescribable. I remember it so well, but at the same time its hazy so ill just share pictures instead :]]
Can't find any more. Hahaha,but that one's good enough don't you think?
Elder 'Ofa, me, and Elder Vargas :]
Oh, and another coinki-dink about CJ and I- his best friend and I were pretty good friends at the time, and I invited him to my baptism. Welll, he invited CJ to my baptism, howeverrr, CJ was busy :[

Another however, at the dance which I believe was the Saturday after my baptism, I was walking out of the cultural hall to convince Dayna Paul :] to come to the dance when all of a sudden I hear a voice[a very rude one at that(;] say "GET OFF YOUR PHONE". So naturally I look around and there is CJ. Staring right at me. "What?" I said back [Just as rude I imagine(;]. "You're always on your phone!" he said. [Probably even ruder than before!] "Uhmmm.. okay?? I don't even know you..." I say as I kind of awkwardly walk away. (The moment CJ and I met. Probably not as romantic as everyone probably imagined it would be, but come on, its CJ and I, did you really expect mushy-gushy from us? :]])
So later at the dance, I was hanging out with my friend Evan Price :] and who so happens to be hanging out with Evan also, but CJ! [bet you didn't see that one coming(:] So I guess we talked or whatever and then a slow song came on and Evan went to chase down some girl he wanted to dance with and so were all just kind of standing there, so I asked CJ to dance, since he's a weenie and wouldn't ask me ;] Haha, just kidding. But I really did ask him :] (First move-made by me(; Tease CJ about it when you get the chance ;)] So we danced and it was fun and we talked and I don't remember what we said and that was that. But after the dance, when I was home, being the creepy stalker I am ;], I decided to look CJ up on MySpace and surprise surprise, I find him!!
However, he hid his friend request button! [I cannot believe I remember all this.(:] So I got on my phone, looked him up on myspace on my phone internet and friend requested him. And so he added me and, being the stalker that I am, I messaged him. And so we talked and it was cool, and again, being the stalker that I am, I asked for his phone number. :] (Oh yes, yet another first move made by me ;]) So I got his number and we texted and whatever, and obviously, we started really liking each other. :]
I was to go to Japan though for 2 weeks, and I couldn't bring my phone. Tragic, I know ;] But we did make plans to meet up when I came back at the football game between my school and his school, and then Knott's Halloween Haunt the next day. I think I was more excited for that than a candy-crazed kid is for Halloween ;]
So, we went to the game which was fun :]
And we went to Haunt which was awesome even though I am a total baby and won't go through mazes :]
October 19, 2008 is when everything began♥

Sunday, October 10, 2010

The Insanely Eventful Summer of 2008

So in eighth grade I started going to church and activities more and more. I remember one activity in particular, a stake activity, where I saw him again. I was amazed I still recognized him, but I did. We still didn't talk, but I still got butterflies in my stomach when I saw him. I felt pretty darn ridiculous.

A few weeks [maybe a month? my memory fails to remember exactly :P] later, I was standing in Lexis's kitchen "holding up the counter" [as the Hickens like to joke :P], when Scott, Lexis's dad, asked me if I was going on the trek in June. Trek? What the heck was that? It was that year's youth conference, which is a big stake activity that usually lasts overnight [this one lasted 3 days and 2 nights] and is always A LOT of fun. The trek was basically us dressing up in pio
neer outfits [girls with the long dresses, bloomers, long socks, and bonnets, boys with the pants, long sleeves, and some even had hats] and we had to pull hand carts that looked just like that picture [actually that is our cart :D] filled with our stuff, in the hot hot heat of the mountains in June. Of course, I don't think Scott actually told me all this. I think he pretty much said that it would be a fun activity and it lasts a few days and it'll be really fun, so I said yeah of course. :] But it was, of course, soo much fun. One of the best times I'd ever had. Also, he was there. :] Yes, pretty darn unbelievable how big of a crush I had on this kid STILL.

At the beginning of June, Autum and Fayth asked the missionaries [Elder Fuches and Elder Vargas] if they would come to the Hicken home to give me the lessons. I was a little nervous at first, especially since I hadn't talked to my mom about it AT ALL and I really hadn't thought about actually joining the church and being baptized, but I just went with the flow. My mom even came. I can't say I remember too much about that lesson, though. All i remember is that it was on the Atonement [at least, I'm pretty sure it was, I have an awful memory for little details :)] and I was a little confused.

After that lesson, we had TONS going on. We had the trek, and then Lexis was coming with us to my grandparents house in Maryland for 2 weeks. We had the BEST TIME EVER! Seriously, it was awesome :]

While we were in Maryland, we got a text from Leah saying that Elder Fuches was being transferred. I was sooo confused since I didn't know that missionaries move stakes and wards and cities and what not. I was kinda worried cause Elder Fuches was really cool and I was afraid we would get a missionary who was not as cool. But we still had Elder Vargas who was awesome! But, we got another AMAZING missionary, Elder 'Ofa. He was seriously the best missionary ever. :]

We came back and had another transfer and got another amazing missionary, Elder Choi. He was so cool! :] He taught us how to write our names in Korean!! And made us Korean Food! :D

We had more lessons and one night the missionaries asked my mom and I if we would be baptized. I knew everything I had been taught was true and I really had prayed about it and felt the spirit and I just knew that it was something I had to do. Especially since I so badly want to be sealed in the temple and go to the Celestial Kingdom and live with my family forever. However, my mom didn't decide to be baptized. She needed more time to think it over and pray. Everyone totally respected it. But inside, I was kind of sad. I love my mom so much and I wish she would have decided to be baptized with me so we could one day be sealed in the temple as a family and be together for all eternity, but it's her decision and I know it would be hard for her since my dad really had no desire to join the church or even sit in on the lessons. But I still love my mom with all my heart and I hope one day she does decide to be baptized. :]

Then was girls camp. I almost didn't go to girls camp because, that week for cheerleading, we were learning a routine which we would perform at the freshman assembly. I prayed about what to do and I know that it would be better for me to go to girls camp. Girls camp was also AMAZING!! It was seriously one of the best times I had ever had. :] It was one of the first times I had ever felt the spirit so strong. Especially at testimony meeting [thanks to Leah, of course, who always gets everyone crying :)]. It was a great week and it strengthened my testimony so much and I'm so glad I went and will never ever, and never did, regret going to girls camp over staying for cheer. [Especially because the routine was TOTALLY risque and gave the freshman squad such a bad rep. A totally blessing in so many ways that I went to girls camp :)]

The next few months that followed would be some of the best ever. :]


Saturday, October 9, 2010

The Beginning Continued

Autum, Lexis, and I became friends almost immediately. We met in 2nd grade and in 3rd grade, they invited me to church with them for Bring a Friend to Primary Day. I'd never been to church before, so I was pretty excited. My mom got me a new dress and new shoes. She did my hair and I went with them to church. I liked it a lot, and I couldn't wait to go again. That summer, they invited me to Pioneer Day. We camped at the church overnight and the next day there was a big carnival-type thing. It was so much fun! I went the following year on Bring a Friend to Primary Day again and then when I turned 12 I went to a few activities with them, but not a lot. I also went to Pioneer Day again. It was the same as the first time with the camp out and the carnival. Only this time, there was a boy. A boy who I noticed, but didn't notice me. As soon as I saw him, I had the HUGEST crush on him. At the carnival on Saturday, there was a dunk tank. A dunk tank he was at all day. So, naturally, I wanted to be there all day too. Every time I sat on that little dunk tank seat, he was at the plate to pitch the ball that would send me into the freezing water. Being a twelve-year-old girl, I thought it was totally completely meant to be. No, of course it wasn't because there was no one else in line. (Actually, it was.) Or just a complete coincidence that when I stepped up to pitch, he was sitting on that little dunk tank seat. (Yeah, again,it was.) I was utterly convinced that this boy was my soul mate. Of course it didn't matter that I had never talked to him in my life. After we left, I soon forgot about this boy. However, this is the same boy that would, in a few years, completely change my life.


The Beginning

So I've thought a lot about where to start and I figure that since this is supposed to be my life story, why not start at the very very beginning. Or, close to it anyway :]

I was born into a family of three, making me number four. My mom, my dad, and my brother, Scotty. My parents found out shortly after I was born that my brother has autism. Autism is a developmental disorder that affects normal communication and social skills. Scotty has a hard time understanding lots of things that come naturally to most people. It's also difficult for him to communicate with others. Luckily, he is high-functioning and he actually can communicate very well. Some times he frustrates me so bad that I want to punch a wall or something, but I know its hard for him and I need to try and understand that. I love my brother, even when I feel like I could kill him and, honestly, I don't think Lilly would even be here today if it wasn't for Scotty's autism.

You're probably wondering how the heck my brother and his autsim have anything to do with the amazing production of Lilly, and I sure as heck am gunna tell you. I'll just start at the begininning (again :]). Well, my brother was sent to a special private school called SLDC (Speech and Language Development Center) and I was sent with him.

While I was there, I made some pretty good friends. Three of them are a year younger than I, and are also triplets. The two boys are high-functioning, but not as high as my brother. The girl, Sarah, who I became good friends with, is very high-functioning. Well, their mom decided to move them to another school (SLDC wasn't really the greatest. Their disciplinary..ways? strategies?.. were not that great) and my mom decided the same for me. She sent me to the same school they were at, Gilbert Elementary, even though it wasn't my home school, but it also wasn't that far. This is the place where my life was completely changed for the better and I met some of the most amazing people ever who became, and will always be, my life long best friends. Sisters, practically. Gilbert was where I met Autum Bronson, Lexis, Fayth, and Leah Hicken. Total and complete blessings in my life.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

What to write about?

Well.. hmmm.. I wanted to make this blog to share my side of the story of Lilly's adoption. But then I realized, dang, most of it would be the first few posts and then what? I have no more blog other than maybe a Lilly-update post every once in a while. So then I thought, welll.. it could just be about me; about my life. Of course I'll still share my side of the story of the adoption, as well as Lilly-update posts, and talking about visits with her and Kevin and Danya, but I'll post more than that too. MY LIFE STORY! :D Maybe that's a little over dramatic... :] But I am a little over dramatic, so that's okay :] I guess that's it for now..
On to my life story! :D